AN: anything you don't recognize is mine
Summary: What if, out of anger, Claire never told her father that she had died during the eclipse, never knowing that Gabriel would heal from his fatal wound? What if, instead of going back to bring in Claire, Gabriel and Elle run away to start over? What if, due to altered timelines, Gabriel and Elle had a daughter? What is it about their daughter that makes Noah and Claire Bennet forgive the sins of the past?
An Angel With Broken Wings
"You and your daughter's presence are needed at the Law Firm of Johnson and Porter…." The letter had said when Noah Bennet first read the letter that had been sent to his undisclosed address in Costa Verde.
Fear had crept up to his mind, wondering how they were found. Since the death of Sylar, the Bennet family was finally able to rest. Claire, after missing so many school days, had to give up cheerleading in order to catch up with the rest of her classmates by way of tutors and make-up exams. Now, she is in her third year in college in an out of state university. But Noah's obsession of exacting revenge on Sylar has strained the relationship between the two, more so after Claire's decision to go out of state for school.
"So why are we going to this law firm?" Claire asks, speaking up for the first time since they left Costa Verde for the drive to Phoenix, where the law firm was located.
"The firm contacted me saying that they required our presence, and only that. I spoke to all the sources I have to check into this law firm to see if it had any ties to either Pinehearst or the Company, and it checked out clean," Noah explained. "However, I have the Haitian meet us there just in case."
"But why are still going?"
"Because these people know who we are, and where we live," Noah said. "The letter wasn't addressed to the Butlers, they know us as the Bennets. I intend to find out how."
The rest of the drive was silent. They finally reached the heart of Phoenix and park a few blocks away from the law firm. With it being four days before Christmas, lights and tassel decorated the lobby. A secretary with mistletoe earrings directed them to the twelfth floor to Mr. Porter's office.
"Ah! You must be Mr. Bennet, and you Claire! Come, sit!" Mr. Porter said, ushering them in from the hallway. After motioning the Bennets to sit down, Mr. Porter sits down in his own plush chair behind a huge desk. "Thank you for coming on such short notice, I can imagine how unexpected this is-" Porter starts saying before being cut off by Noah.
"How was it that you were able to find us? We're unlisted and we know nothing of your firm," Noah inquired.
"Yes, that," Porter says, reaching for a manila folder and places it in front of Noah. But before Noah could open the folder, Porter asks, "How well did you know Gabriel and Elle Gray?"
Claire and Noah both sat up strait at hearing the names. "Gray, you said?" Claire asks.
"Uh," Noah starts, suddenly unsure of the situation. "Last, I, uh, heard, they past away. Seven years ago. They were co workers of mine. I didn't really know them."
Porter's brow furrowed at the last part. "I see, but apparently you made quite an impact on the couple. They listed you as godparent of their daughter, and Claire also if you decide you are unable to carry on responsibility."
"What?" Noah and Claire shouted, in unison.
Porter nodded, "It is all in the file, the instructions on the care for their daughter if anything were to happen to them."
Noah opened the folder and the first thing they see is the most recent picture of the Gray family. Claire reaches over to pick up the picture to get a closer look. She is unable to recognize the monster that was Sylar and the sociopath that was Elle. In her memory, Sylar was cold and heartless, as was Elle. In the picture, she sees two loving parents with a precious girl who has Sylar's brown eyes and hair, with Elle's nose and bone structure.
"What happened to them?' Claire manages to ask.
Porter sighs, with of a sob hitching in his voice, "The Grays were neighbors of mine. Gabe opened up a watch shop, and Elle became my assistant. They said that they had a rough life, both having done things they were not proud of, and wanted to start fresh. Never spoke about their past, but me and the wife were fine with that, because they were just the nicest couple I had ever met." Noah and Claire's brows hitch after hearing that. Porter continues.
"They always seemed troubled though, always looking over their shoulder. Especially after Angel was born, they would always refuse my wife's offers to baby sit to give them alone time. That little girl was their whole world. It wasn't till six years after the baby was born that Elle got killed in an accident. Hit and run that killed her instantly. It nearly destroyed Gabe, but he had his little Angel to look after. Gabe started making arrangements incase of emergency, and it was a good thing he did because, one week ago, six months after losing Elle, Gabe took Angel to see Santa. It was a nice night, and it wasn't that far a walk to the mall. But a street thug tried to steal Gabe's wallet, and the next thing I know is I hear a gun shot a block a way and a little girl screaming. Gun shot wound through the neck, died in his little girl's arms before the paramedics arrived." Porter wipes away a tear, and gets up and walks toward a tv/vcr on a shelf nearby. Picking up a vhs tape and taking it out of its case, he turns to face the Bennets,
"I don't know what kind of people they were in the past, or what kind of trouble they were running from, but the Gabriel and Elle Gray that I knew were good people, and they loved their daughter very much. Gabe wanted you to watch this, and I was given strict instructions to make sure you two had your privacy. I will be in the lobby with a little girl waiting to meet you," Porter hands the remote to Noah before stepping out of his own office.
"Dad?" Noah looks to Claire, and is not surprised to see tears in her eyes. "I suddenly don't know what to expect anymore. I spent so long hating Sylar for what he did to me, and I was happy when I thought he was dead. But then I hear all these good things about him, and I don't know what to think."
"Me neither, Claire-bear," Noah says, placing a kiss on his daughter's forehead. "How about we watch the tape and hear what he has to say?" Noah turns the tv and vcr on and presses play. An image of what appears to be the living room pops onto the screen. The camera sways a bit, before becoming still and a man appears.
"OK," Sylar says, suddenly unsure of what to say to the camera. "This message is for Noah and Claire Bennet.
"I really don't know where to start. I guess by now, you realize that I did not die when you thought I did. After getting my abilities back and I healed from my wounds back at the warehouse, Elle and I decided it was our chance to run away, start over with a fresh slate.
"We got married, but it wasn't till afterwards that we grew to actually love each other. With funds I had embezzled from Arthur Petrelli, we were able to by a nice house, restart my shop, and start a family.
"But then one day Elle decided to have lunch at a café across from her work during her break, and was struck by a driver that had ran a red light. Instead of stopping to see if she was alright, the driver kept on driving. Elle died instantly, her injuries were that bad. It started making me think of my own mortality.
"Because you see, shortly after our daughter was born, Elle and I gave up our abilities. I found someone with the same ability as Arthur: absorbing one's ability into himself, leaving the other person powerless. We did this because we wanted to be good people, but mostly to keep our baby safe. We knew were a danger to her if we had them. So we found someone to take our abilities away.
"But I guess, if you are watching this, then I must be dead, with no healing ability to bring me back, and Angel is not old enough to be on her own. This brings the reason why I have you two, Noah and Claire Bennet, listed as godparents. I know that in the past I repulsed you, terrified you. I know you saw me as a monster. But, I didn't want to be that anymore. But you are the only people I trust to raise my daughter. Noah, I saw the way you protected Claire and that I hope you will consider protecting Angel the same way.
"Claire, there are no words to describe how much I want to take back those first two years. You have every right to hate me.
"It is still unclear if Angel will develop abilities, but it is important for her to know about her parents, before she was born. About where she came from, the things we've done. But not till she's ready is she to be told the truth. It will break her heart, but she'll have you to be her rock. Just make sure she knows she is loved."
The tape ended there, and Noah and Claire were silent.
"I've always wanted a little sister," Claire says. "Dad, she doesn't have anybody. Sylar and Elle gave up everything that made them extraordinary for that little girl."
Noah skims over the file that describes the girl in question. He smiles and calls Porter back into the office. With Porter is a little girl, with pig tails tied with a red ribbon and an ensemble of a pink and white dress and Minnie Mouse shoes.
Seeing the two strangers, Angel gives a small cry and hides behind Porter's leg. Claire kneels down to eye level with the little girl.
"Hi! My name is Claire. Do you like stuffed animals?" Angel nods. Claire continues, "Well, I have a huuuuge collection of teddy bears at home, would you like for them to be your teddy bears too?" Angel breaks in to a toothy smile and nods, running up to give Claire a big hug.
Also kneeling, Noah says, "Hello, sweetheart, my name is Noah."
The girl's eyes light up a little, "My best friend's name is Noah too," she says, pronouncing 'friend' as 'fwend.' "He's invisible."
Noah gives a nervous laugh at the 'invisible friend' line. "Oh really?"
"Yes, he looks exactly like me," Angel says. "'Cept that he's a boy and has a penis."
Noah and Claire laugh. "Hey Angel-cake, would you like to go home with us?" Claire asks the little girl. "You can tell us all about your mommy and daddy. It's been a long time since we seen them."
"They were the best mommy and daddy I ever had!"
The end.
A/N: yeah I know it sucks, but the idea of Elle and Gabriel as loving parents wouldn't leave me alone. And I know I made a big taboo in making little Noah a girl, but for me it was easier to picture a father-daughter relationship, and funnier to picture Sylar wrapped around his daughter's finger.
And before I get hit with the criticism, I could care less about the grammar cuz I just wanted to get this story off my chest and I hope at least someone will like it enough to over look the grammar mistakes.