Claire stood at the foot of Noah's grave. She hadn't been here in a long, long while, and it was obvious no one else had. The words engraved into the solid piece of stone were faded and dust hung off it, but she could still see them and a bittersweet smile tugged at her lips.
In memory of the best company man, husband, and father.
1960-2040
Slowly, she knelt down beside the grave, placing a candle at the foot of the grave, then a rose. "Hey dad." She smiled, setting herself down on the ground. She hadn't talked to him in a while.
"So..." She sighed, "I know you never approved, but Gabriel and I are still dating... In fact..." She smiled, "he asked me to marry him." She leaned against the tombstone. "I'm going to say yes. And I know you'll think it's crazy, and you'll never be able to come to the wedding but, if you're somewhere up there, be happy for me." She closed her eyes.
"I miss you loads. Lyle passed last week." Claire paused, playing with her gloves. "Peter's been gone a long time. Emma too. And I miss you all." She blinked back tears, clutching her hands together tightly.
"Remember when Mom passed?" She posed the question to the tombstone, as if it would answer her. "Remember what you told me? That you were proud? That mom was proud of the person I'd become? When you..." She laughed, tears streaming down her face, "grudgingly admitted that Gabriel was a good man and that mom was happy for me?"
She wiped away the tears, glancing at the tombstone. "I love you. I always have, even when we disagreed. You were my hero, and you always will be. I'll always remember you, even when this tombstone's gone. You're my dad, and I wish more than anything that you could be here right now. I wish you could be there to give me away."
She chuckled, thinking about that. "Gabe said he was kinda relieved you weren't going to be there. He said you'd probably try to shoot him. He's probably right, isn't he dad?"
She continued talking, pretending Noah was sitting beside her. "He's wonderful, dad." The love tumbled from her voice, into the open air around her.
"He's always making me laugh, and he's warm when it's cold. He's funny and sweet and sarcastic. He's like you, my best friend and my boyfriend all at once. I get angry at him sometimes, when I remember all those horrible things he did, and I punch him and stab him and scream, and mostly he lets me. Sometimes he gets frustrated and he screams back, or the equivalent of." She winced, remembering a particular incident with his telekinesis.
"But he always apologizes, and he keeps apologizing. He's always apologizing and then he makes me feel bad." She snorted. "And you'd always say that's ridiculous, but it does happen." Claire let her eyes fall closed, letting the cold air surround her.
"I have to go now. I'm going to go home, and I'm going to make him dinner and tell him yes." Claire kissed the tombstone, realising she looked more than slightly crazy. "And on the wedding day, I'll be thinking of you." Claire stood, dusting off her jeans.
"I'll see you soon, dad." Claire smiled sadly, patting the tombstone fondly. She turned, walking away, listening to the sound of her boots crunching in the snow.
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Gabriel sat in front of Emma and Peter's graves, and he talked. He talked about the weather, about Lyle's funeral, about Claire and her horrendous cooking, anything but the proposal, which was why he had come in the first place.
Finally, he spat it out.
"I don't know what to do, Peter." It burst out of nowhere. "I think Emma would know what to say, but both of you are gone and..." He covered his ears. "What if she says no? What if she says yes? What if we get married and have a kid and..." His voice broke. "What if we don't?"
He played with the ring in his pocket. "I don't deserve her, Peter." His voice ran thick with emotion. "She's wonderful. She cuddles into me at night, kisses me good morning. Sh-she..." His voice broke off again, and he felt tears running down his face. "She told me she loves me, Peter. And she wasn't lying. She makes me burnt pancakes and laughs when I try to eat them and I love her so much." He paused, trying to collect himself.
"And I wish you could be there, Pete, with Emma in the front row." He hung his head, his face in his hands, before getting to his feet. "Thanks, for listening." He laughed, bitterly but sincerely. "I'll see you around."
He toyed with the ring in his pocket as he walked away. Whether she said yes or no, he was still going to love her. And hey, he'd still have Peter and Emma.
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The wedding was a simple affair. Claire wore a white dress, and he wore jeans and a black T-shirt. And there were pictures, millions of them. Of Noah, of Peter, Emma, Hiro, Ando, Sandra, Lyle and even Angela, though hers was placed at the very back of the wedding hall.
The ceremony was short, but sweet. Claire smiled. She had always imagined a big church wedding when she was younger, but somehow, this just seemed better. She had always imagined a prince too, and for a while, he had looked like West. But this was so much better, she thought to herself as Gabriel's arms wrapped around her waist and she leaned into him.
"I will always love you?" She teased him, smirking up at him.
"I thought that was a classic wedding vow." He glared down at her. "And yours weren't exactly ori-"
She turned around, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him against her, her lips crushing against his with that fiery passion he had always loved in her. The moon shone over them, the pale light basking them in light.
She pulled away, her eyes twinkling. "I will always love you too." She whispered back.
"Forever?" He grinned, raising an eyebrow.
"Forever." She promised, clutching his hands in hers.
He pulled her against him, his lips telling her everything he couldn't. Everything she already knew. And they were forever, the words registered giddily in his mind. She would love him forever.
Kinda came outta nowhere. I just had to write it down. Had a lot of help from Paramore and Sara Bareilles. Review please;)