Claire walked through the streets cautiously. That nagging feeling that she was being followed had grown familiar over the years and she could only hope that it wasn't who she thought it was. Peter would throw a tantrum if he found out that Sylar had started stalking her lately. It started out as catching him sprinting behind corners she had just turned to try and catch him in the act. Then it was blatant staring whenever she came over to his and Peter's apartment for Saturday waffles. It was creeping her out how whenever she looked up she would catch him staring at her. After that he followed her everywhere, just keeping out of sight mostly and the uncomfortable feeling of his eyes following her.
Feeling his gaze increase she stopped outside of her apartment and turned around to look for him. The shadows between buildings seemed perfect spots to hide and she couldn't see him in them but she knew he was skulking in one of them.
"This is getting ridiculous, Gabriel," she called out at the empty street. The wind rattled through the trees as her only answer. "What do you want?"
"I just want to talk," he said from behind her, making her jump in fright. She clutched her speeding heart and willed it to calm down as she turned. He was wearing his standard white tshirt and jeans since his sudden 'revelation' in his theoretical prison that Peter testified was real. She had to look up and almost wanted to blush at the lust she could see in his gaze, it sent a surge of it through her before she taped it down as ridiculous.
"Talk about what, I'm over at your place all the time, we could of talked there," she said crossing her arms over her chest, drawing his eyes downward for a moment before he looked into her eyes again.
"This talk is a little more private oriented," he said.
"Why?" she asked.
"Because unfortunately watching you this closely has left me with a new hunger that I can't satisfy," he said leaning down toward her a little.
"You already have my power," she said swallowing rapidly.
"Come on Claire, you know that's not what I want. Don't pretend that you haven't noticed how your body reacts around me now," he said trailing his fingers up her arm to her shoulder and back.
She wanted to close her eyes and moan but that would only prove his point, ever since the first accidental brush of his skin against hers she noticed that she could actually feel it and craved more. She would go over to his apartment with Peter just in the hopes that she might feel it again.
"This is just some sort of ability, I can't feel when anyone else touches me," she said trying to look unaffected.
"I'm not using anything Claire, nothing at all," he whispered and she shuddered, wondering why her body would only react to him. He must have known the thought crossed her mind because his eyes grew hungry looking at her as he growled softly.
"I'll help you find out why your body works the way it does, as soon as you tell me you want it," he said moving his other hand to trace the edges of her arms as well, feeling the goosebumps rise under his fingertips.
"No," she said watching the disappointment flow through his eyes. "I can't just let my body be in charge, I remember what it's selectively forgetting. You've already violated my body once-"
"And I apologized, I've been begging for months for you to tell me how to make it up to you," he said looking both angry and defeated at the same moment.
"And I can't forgive you yet, no matter what Peter says, or even Angela. I need to move on before I let myself willingly think of anything connected with your body and mine."
"Just tell me what I need to do to make it up to you Claire," he said gently.
"You know, last year at the hotel I would have told you to just find your sweet spot and stick it. Now I have no idea, because some people would actually miss you now."
"Would you?" he asked staring at her intently. She shifted under his gaze uncomfortably and looked at her feet.
"Maybe," she said quietly.
"Can I show you something?" he asked.
"What it is it?" she asked.
"The future," he said smiling slightly like he was thinking of an inside joke. She groaned.
"Please don't tell me that falling off the ferris wheel starts a major war between specials and normal people," she said, shoulders slumping. "I would have expected a visit from Hiro instead of you to inform me."
"No Claire, something more personal," he said holding out his hand.
"How did you get time travel?" she asked, hands at her side stubbornly.
"Empathy with Hiro was easier then I thought it would be," he smiled. "All it took was a nice chat about disappointed parents."
"Hm, I'd of loved to see that chat," she said before hesitantly putting her hand in his. The blink it took to move forward through time spun her head for a second before she blinked to see bright sunshine instead of the darkening twilight that they had just left. It appeared he had brought them to a park where lots of happy children were running around, a few demonstrating early development of powers, like the little boy flying up to the monkey bars and to keep him afloat.
"When and where are we?" she asked.
"So I take it you've time traveled before," he said smiling.
"Hiro brought me back to the day when my dad got me from the company, I babysat myself," she said looking around. An all too familiar blonde was walking through the park towards the swing with a cute little boy running ahead of her with a Spiderman tshirt on.
"Noah, don't run," future Claire called and the little boy obediently slowed down to a fast jog.
"What are you doing?" Claire hissed at Gabriel when she recognized herself. "Do you know how much you could screw stuff up by bringing me here?"
"Yes, which is why we are both invisible right now and in an area that no one will willingly come into," he said smugly. "I'm not stupid Claire, I know the risks and I'm taking every precaution to keep this safe."
"Again, where and when are we?" she asked once she relaxed again.
"About three hundred years in the future," he said and she snapped her head up to look at him.
"Alright, where are we?" she asked.
"In a semi major town in Australia, I forget the name but this is where you, Noah, and I live," he said slipping his hands into his jean pockets and smiling at Noah and Future Claire. "You know that right now that Claire is three months pregnant and unaware."
"Are you the one that knocked me up?" she asked crossing her arms as she examined the small boy. He had her green eyes, but everything else was Gabriel, right down to the smile.
" I wouldn't say knocked up, if you'll examine her left hand," he said gesturing to the sizable rock on her second finger.
"Why are you showing me that we'll get married? Aren't you scared that I'll try my best to stop it from happening?" she asked.
"Look at him Claire, do you want to stop him from being created?" he asked.
"This has to be a blackmail, your dangling a beautiful baby in front of me to force me to marry and procreate with you some two hundred and ninety-four years in the future," she said putting her hands on her hips.
"But you see, Peter saw that boy in the future as well, it was one in which most of your former heroes were evil and I was a homemaker. I blew up Costa Verde when one of your comrades killed him. He's in two futures, one of which has been shot to hell, this one is still possible. I'm sure he'll be mine no matter what time in the future, the only thing is I think his mother is the same one in each possible future. You, and I know that I want a future where you and me are happy with that baby as a product of love. Whether it's ten or three hundred years in the future I can wait for you," he said leaning back against the tree behind him and looking at her with a slight blush on his cheeks.
"That has to be one of the cheesiest things I have ever heard," she said, then smiled when the blush spread. "But also the sweetest."
"So if I can wait, will you eventually forgive me?" he asked. She looked over at Future Claire and Noah playing around and then the sudden appearance of Gabriel himself, picking up and spinning both of them. Nuzzling Future Claire lovingly and her brilliant smile as she kissed him.
"Yeah, I think I will," Claire said softly.
