Claire almost didn't notice her. Almost. She practically wishes she hadn't. It had to be some sort of sick twisted impersonator though. Elle was dead. Sylar had said so, he had said it oh so coldly.

Quietly, Claire crept along the small alley in Costa Verde. This was the rather not so nice part of town and Claire, after a few drinks, had decided to wander through the back streets where she was sure there would be no cameras watching her. She thought she could finally be free.

When Claire had saw what looked like Elle flee down this alley, the first logical thought was that it was a ghost. But even in this messed up world, Claire didn't believe in ghosts. She believed in terror, in abilities manifesting people, a bad side to everyone, evil, but not ghosts. Sighing, she had followed and watched Elle knock on a door that seemed to be falling apart. It was certainly Elle, Claire could almost bet her life on it. She inched her way to the door Elle had disappeared in and listened closely.

"I'm sorry-"

"Damn it! Your sorry doesn't mean anything to me. Get the hell out of here and get ready for work!"

Claire's mouth dropped as she heard a vibrant slap followed by a cry that had been haunting her for a while. Elle had been apologizing—since when does she apologize? Knowing something wrong was happening, Claire hurried around to the front of the building. She realized it was a small diner. The only people in there were a few old folks and two rough looking middle aged men. Cautiously Claire wandered in. She saw all the eyes linger on her for a bit before they went back to sipping their coffee.

A gruff looking man stalked up to behind the counter and nodded at her. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah, uh, where are your restrooms?" Claire asked looking hopeful.

"Back there," he gestured and Claire thanked him before zipping back there. She saw the door to the alley, now all she needed to find was Elle. It shouldn't be too hard, she thought to herself. Just look for the flash of blue light…

But instead she heard sniffling. Soft, pathetic sniffling. She saw the bathroom in front of her but next to it was a store room and instead she walked through the flap and stood still. A slim blonde was standing in front of a small mirror and with crossed arms protectively across her chest and stood with her back against Claire. Unsure of what to do, Claire shuffled her feet loud enough for her to hear and jump around. Claire's eyes widened. It was definitely Elle, but with a large bruise across her cheek. There were dark circles under her eyes and her face had gotten slightly thinner in an unhealthy way.

"You," Claire whispered not sounding angry like she wanted to.

"What are you doing here?" Elle shot back but there was less malice in her voice than Claire knew she was trying to attempt. "Get out of here-"

"Excuse me miss," the gruff man entered the room startling both the girls. "Is this waitress causing problems?"

Claire raised an eyebrow at Elle who had turned frightened at the sight of him. "She…she was just telling me where the bathroom was."

"That all?"

"Well no," Claire sighed and Elle's eyes grew panicked. "See I went to school with her a long time ago and she disappeared. I thought I'd never see her again. Actually, is it okay if the two of us step outside? I can pay you for taking her time."

"Whatever, hundred and I don't need her anymore," he said carelessly.

"Sure," Claire pulled cash out of her pocket.

"What are you doing," Elle approached her from behind hissing angrily. "I need this. Have you come to ruin-"

"Let's go," Claire faked a smile to the man and yanked Elle out of the room. Touching her was unreal. She was dead. Was there no sort of normalcy in this world?

"I don't know what the hell you think you're doing but-"

"Shut up Elle!" Claire thundered in the back alley and rammed her against the wall so hard the other blonde began to shake and struggle to get away.

"First you cause my father to get shot, then you break into my house and hurt my brother and try to hurt me, I help you out big time, and you abandon me after everything and wind up with the devil only to kill me!" Claire shouted at Elle who's face had turned white. Then Claire got a crazy laugh. "But you're not Elle. Elle's dead. Who are you?"

"Claire, calm down," Elle tried to reason. "I'm alive. It's a long story-"

"Save it," Claire cut her off again. "I don't care."

She let go of the other blonde but a wave of emotion swept over her. "Take this," she mumbled throwing it at Elle.

"Claire-"

"It's three hundred dollars, I don't know why I was carrying it around," Claire said dryly.

"I didn't mean for everything to happen like that," Elle called after her.

"You know what," Claire turned to face her slowly. "I wanted to believe in you. Actually I did believe you when you said you were glad to know I was as messed up as you. But you are just like everyone else."

With that, Claire staggered away trying to collect herself. She was all alone, her family was "keeping her safe" 3000 miles away from them. But did they really want to protect her or did they just want her out of the way? Sandra kept reassuring her they loved her but sometimes Claire wasn't sure. After all, when she was honest with herself, she barely knew them. She couldn't have normal friends because no one understood her. No one but Elle-and Elle had killed her a long time ago.

---

"Claire? What's the matter?" Sandra asked worried as Claire stumbled in the door.

"Nothing," she mumbled.

"You've been out for hours! You had me worried sick," she scolded lightly.

"Don't worry about me mom," Claire responded dejectedly. "I can't get hurt."

"Okay," Sandra said uneasily as she watched Claire climb the stairs slowly. "Next time call."

Claire did a faint nod before washing up in the bathroom and readying herself for bed.

She didn't sleep so soundly that night as she thrashed in bed to the unrelenting strange dreams of Elle crying loudly for help and Claire guiltily ignoring.

"Go away!" Claire hissed as she shot up in bed and realized she was awake.

She sighed and fell back against the bed. But another noise caught her attention. It was a scratching noise. Suspiciously she made her way over to her window. When she peered out, she gasped and hurriedly shoved open the window.

"What are you doing here?" she shouted in a whisper as she saw a figure lying on her roof. It was slippery and raining outside. "Elle!"

"I messed up," her voice was soft and barely audible over the pouring rain. A flash of lightning and roar of thunder scared her as her head shot up to look at Claire and she slipped losing her grip and shrieked as she fell to the rain gutter and almost fell off.

"Claire!" she pleaded holding on to shingles of the house for life.

Claire sighed knowing she had to help. There was still compassion inside her she knew that at least.

"What's the matter with you?!" Claire yelled sticking herself out of the window and latched her feet onto the inside of the window and lowered herself so she could hold her hand out to Elle. Quickly she pulled her up and in.

"Get up," Claire said in a low voice and shut the window. "You're getting my carpet wet."

Elle stared at her with eyes that seemed to look right through.

"Who are you?"

"It's me," Elle said hoarsely. "You have to believe me. On the plane, when you held my hand, you took all the shock out of me and when we let go we had an awkward moment."

Claire stared at her for a moment before sighing. "Get changed."

She threw some clothes at her and showed her to her bathroom in her room.

---

"Then he pointed," Elle said emptily. "I could barely feel the pain. I blacked out and next thing I know I'm lying in some dirty alley."

Her face was ghost like and Claire didn't like the feeling of compassion that she wanted to show.

"The worse part…" Elle's voice trailed off and Claire hardened her gaze. "The worse part is I don't even know who I am anymore."

She looked down at her hands. Claire had been sitting on the bed waiting for an explanation and she watched Elle sink farther into the corner on the floor.

"What do you mean?"

"He took everything," Elle said as her voice quivered and she bit her lower lip.

"I'm sorry," Claire said rather coldly.

"No," Elle shook her head. "He took my ability too."

Elle lifted up her hands as if to show Claire she was powerless and couldn't harm her.

"I don't know what to do Claire," Elle looked up with begging eyes.

"You're coming to the wrong person," Claire mumbled. "You haven't heard the rumors? Claire Bennet decided to break her own heart."

Elle stared and opened her mouth but nothing came out.

"They said I was mentally stressed out, that when I broke down every night I was only stressed. They didn't know how to deal with it so they sent me back here. I figured it out Elle-I had to be like you."

"Me?" Elle's voice was small.

"I've been thinking about you," Claire sighed. "You were strong, independent. Nothing got in your way, except someone you loved. So from you I learned that if I don't have a heart, no one can hurt me."

"Listen to yourself," Elle protested. "No one can hurt you because physically you can't be hurt. It makes it easy on your emotions."

"Jealous now of my inability to feel?"

"You have no idea," Elle trembled. "My body is still in agony—nothing has changed since last time. The past few months or so I've lived in hell."

Claire's mind wandered back to the gruff man. She hesitated. "He didn't…you know…"

"No," Elle cut her off looking away.
There was silence.

"What would've happened if I hadn't left you at Pinehearst?" Elle's voice broke the silence.

"How should I know?" Claire snapped testily as she glared at Elle who shrunk back some more.

"I've been dreaming about that," Elle told her in a soft voice. "If I didn't leave you maybe none of this would've happened."

"Yeah," Claire nodded faintly acknowledging her.

"I don't know anything anymore," Elle said looking down. "Can I…can I stay here?"

"Why should I let you stay in my house after everything you've done?" Claire asked sharply.

"I guess you shouldn't, but I've got no where else to go," Elle said hoping Claire would let her.

"I…Fine. You have one more chance," Claire said and heard a sigh of relief escape Elle's tiny fragile body.

"Thanks, because I hate storms," she shuddered looking out the window. She promptly slid down against the wall and curled up into a tiny ball so she could keep herself warm and sleep.

"Uh Elle," Claire said after a moment. The blonde's eyes flew open and stared confused at Claire. "I didn't say you had to sleep on the floor. You can share the bed."

Elle's face twisted as if she was about to comment on how that would be awkward but she can't remember the last time she slept in a bed. Sex with Gabriel…or was it just Sylar now…had even been on the floor.

"Okay," she sighed getting up and flashing a grateful smile at Claire who moved to the other side on the bed to make room for Elle.

"Goodnight Elle," Claire said facing away from her. Her voice was void of malice, or sadness. It was indifferent.

"Thank you Claire," Elle whispered not wanting to sleep yet. But it turned out to be Claire who stayed up late tossing and turning, tortured by the girl next to her. She didn't want to forgive her-Elle didn't deserve it, she reasoned. But she knew the right thing to do would be to forgive her and show kindness and admittedly, Elle was the only person she was willing to do that for at the moment.

Meanwhile, Elle slept peacefully, feeling safer than she had in a long time. There was no awkwardness, no tension, or resentment. Just exhaustion and eventually sleep.