Should've Known Better
She bit down on her lower lip and nervously picked at her thumbnail as she watched the numbers in the elevator increase. She felt the man beside her squeeze her hand and she glanced over at him and give him a small smile.
"You okay?" Peter rubbed his thumb across Emma's knuckles.
"Yeah." She nodded, "Just nervous."
"It's just dinner. And she said she wanted to get to know you." Peter told her.
"I know." Emma smiled as the elevator doors open, but her smile slipped when she saw the crowded apartment. "Just dinner?" She looked up at Peter.
"I swear that's what she said."
"Peter, you're here." Angela Petrelli, glided towards them, a martini in her hand.
"Mom." Peter reached forward and kissed her cheek. "Happy birthday. I though this was dinner?"
"It was. But we've had a hard year. I thought a party would be nice."
Peter let out a low chuckle and rubbed his jaw. "Yeah. You remember Emma?" He reached over and took Emma's hand in his own.
"Of course. It's nice to see you again." Angela gave her a forced smile.
"Happy birthday, Mrs Petrelli." Emma smiled.
"Claire's here. And Noah. Be sure to say hello." She tapped Peter on the cheek before turning on her heel and leaving them to great another guest.
"Drink?" Peter smiled at Emma, grabbing two champagne flutes from a passing tray when she nodded her head in response.
"Thank you." She took a sip, and immediately made a face.
"Not a fan of champagne?" Peter chuckled.
"Not a big drinker period." She confessed, biting down on her lip, glancing about the room. "This is a lot of people."
"We can leave?"
"No. It's still your mom's birthday." She told him, following the movements of a tall redhead in an expensive cocktail dress across the room. "But soon."
"Soon." He repeated, leaning in to kiss the side of her mouth. He suddenly jerked his head to the right and Emma followed his gaze, spotting a newly brunette Claire Bennett heading towards them. The brown hair, Emma knew, was an attempt at disguise on Claire's part after she had jumped off the Ferris wheel.
"Peter, thank god you're here."
"Yeah." Peter replied shortly, not being on the best terms with his niece after her exposing the specials stunt, especially after he had seen the future. A future in which the world new about them, Claire had brown hair and he ended up dead in an alleyway.
"We need to talk." She looked up at her uncle. "It's important."
"Claire, I'm busy right now."
Claire cast her eyes over Emma and then back up at Peter. "Busy? This is life or death, Peter."
"You can't die." Peter lifted his glass and drained it placing it on a passing tray.
"Peter, you should go." Emma gently placed her hand on his elbow. "Just see what she has to say."
Peter turned to her. "Emma, I told you how I fe-"
"No." She cut him off, settinf her glass down she signed to him. 'You need to hear her out. You're angry, and I get that, but she's just a kid who wants to talk to her uncle. Her hero.'
'You're good.' Peter signed back to her, sighed. "I'll find you after."
"I'll be here." She smiled before Peter walked towards the kitchen.
"Thank you." Claire smiled at Emma before taking off after Peter.
*
Emma glanced around the elegantly decorated penthouse apartment. It was worlds apart from what Peter called home, yet the woman who lived here was his mother. Was this how Peter grew up? Cocktail parties, mingling and small talk. It was a far cry from the shy paramedic she had grown to love over the course of their six month relationship.
She stopped when she spotted a framed photo on the table beside her. It was a black and white image of Peter and Nathan. Peter had one eye closed, and this was the man Emma loved. Even in this high society world he was still her Peter.
She lifted the frame and traced the outline of Peter's face. She jumped suddenly when she felt a strong pair of arms encircle her waist, but relaxed when she breathed in Peter's distinctive scent (sandalwood and mint) and felt him press a kiss to her neck.
Turning to face him, she grinned and held the photo up. "I like this. You look..."
"Handsome?" He smirked, "Sexy?"
"Goofy." She laughed. "You look like you."
"As opposed to...?"
"Another Peter." She shrugged, not wanting to explain her fear that he'd one day listen to his DAR mother and leave her for someone like the redhead in the red dress who was sashaying past them. Peter's eyes never left Emma's, even when the redhead gave him a meaningful stare.
"It's nothing." She smiled, "What was the life and death situation?"
"She wanted to know my thoughts on her declaring pre-med as her major." Peter shook his head. "I think it was version of an olive branch."
"What'd you tell her?"
"Told her to speak to you, Dr. Coolidge."
"I'm not a doctor, Peter."
"Yet. You're back on your residency. Only a matter of time. You wanna go?"
"You sure?"
"Yeah. This was never my scene." Peter took the photo from her and sat it back next to her unfinished drink.
Placing his hand on the small of her back he guided her towards the elevator and ushered her inside. Once the doors had closed, he pulled her to him and bent his knees to look in her eyes. "You are way sexier than the redhead. Desperate isn't my type."
Emma's eyes widen when she realised what his words meant. Pulling back, she swatted his shoulder. "You read my thoughts? I told you not to do that!"
"Sorry. But it's true. You're beautiful. And I love you. And nothing my mother could say will change that."
She gave a small laugh, shaking her head. "I should have known you hated this world."
"More than you know." Peter pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"I'm starving." Emma rubbed his arm. "You did promise me dinner."
"How's a pizza sound?"
"Perfect." Emma grinned, and the elevator doors opened and Peter snaked his arm around her waist.
"Good. 'Cause I know this great place."
Remember to review! The photo mentioned in the story is the one that Claire is looking at in 'Let it Bleed'. I think... the episode with Nathan's wake.