Title: "The Road Not Taken"

Rating: PG-13 probably.

Pairings: Claire/Elle, Claire/Gretchen

Summary: When Claire goes back in time to save Elle, her relationship with Gretchen is threatened.

Disclaimer: I do not own the television show "Heroes."

Note: Takes place after "Brave New World." I also know Elle went to London between getting fired and showing up in Costa Verde. This will be explained.

Chapter 1

Claire woke up but did not dare open her eyes or move. Moving meant facing her life as it was. If she laid perfectly still she could pretend to live forever in a moment. The moment this particular morning featured Gretchen's legs tangled with her own, pajama pants revealing barely any skin. The intimacy was almost completely gone by now with guilt taking its place. But that was a thought for people who were woken up and moving and Claire was determined not to move. She was laying on top of one of Gretchen's arms which Claire was sure was sore now. The other arm was firmly wrapped around her mid section and her head seemed to rest perfectly tucked under Gretchen's chin. She could feel every relaxed breath enter and leave Gretchen's body.

Claire felt safe, comfortable, happy- loved. It was with that thought that Claire's eyelids finally moved, her eyelashes tickling her sleeping girlfriend's throat as she did so. She pulled away quietly and slowly, careful not to wake Gretchen as she rolled over to face the alarm clock. It was 4:59 am. In one minute the phone would start ringing. That was the agreement.

Claire sat up, swung her legs off the bed and snatched her phone off the nightstand before heading to the kitchen of their apartment. As she turned on the coffee machine, the clock on the microwave flashed '5:00.' The phone started ringing at that exact moment. Time to start the day. Claire answered with a few monosyllabic responses and hung up. She had ten minutes.

Claire moved about the house quietly. She showered, brushed her hair, her teeth and got dressed in absolute silence. She passive aggressively thought about making a loud noise. Shutting the shower door a little too loudly. Or maybe just coughing. But the truth was Claire knew Gretchen would love to be woken up just to spend those few moments with her to talk sleepily for as long as they could. Claire wanted that too but she could not indulge or she may never want to leave and she had to. She brought this on herself.

Claire trudged back into the kitchen and poured the coffee in two mugs. She inhaled the scent deeply and steeled herself before quietly tiptoeing down the hall and lightly nudging the bedroom door open. She placed one of the mugs on the bedside table as she glanced at her nearly motionless girlfriend hidden under a mop of brown hair. Claire sat down on the side of the mattress and gently moved the hair out of Gretchen's face before leaning over and placing a kiss on her temple.

"Morning sweetie," Claire whispered as a faint smile appeared on Gretchen's slowly waking face. Claire's eyes darted to the clock slowly changing to read '5:10 am.' She finally began to wake Gretchen up properly as she gently shook her. "I'm gonna head out now. Got a mission. I'll probably see you tonight."

"Wait. What?" Gretchen asked groggily, sitting up in bed. "You are not going out on another mission."

Gretchen had a warning look on her face that Claire could not acknowledge so Claire simply stood up and put some distance between them.

"I am. Well, I have a briefing right now," Claire said just as Hiro teleported into the bedroom.

"Hello Gretchen and Claire," Hiro nodded to each girl before turning his attention to Claire. "Time to go."

"Claire, please do not leave right now. Hiro, could you give us a second?" Gretchen asked but Claire went to put her hand on Hiro's shoulder.

"We'll talk when I get home." Claire said, nodding to Hiro as a signal to teleport.

"Claire!" Gretchen exclaimed as Claire and Hiro disappeared.

Claire and Hiro were instantly teleported to the Petrelli boardroom that was decorated with dark oak and ornate carvings of lions and gargoyles. Claire could never figure out why her grandmother kept such an intimidating room especially since the people who normally occupied it had a lot bigger things to get scared about.

Her father Noah, Peter, Sylar and Matt Parkman were huddled over some schematics that Claire could not see. Hiro offered her a smile and headed over to examine the papers himself. Angela waved Claire over as she finished wrapping up a phone call. Claire had to hand it to her; Angela seemed to know what she was doing since Claire has outed herself as a special.

Claire took a seat across from Angela's and playfully nudged shoulders with the girl sitting next to her. "What up?"

Monica Dawson put on a fake cheery smile for Claire as she glanced at the newspaper in her hands. "Oh, you know, new organ donors with rapid cellular regeneration. People in the desert negotiating with people with the ability to grow vegetation to end world hunger. A bunch of pre-cog painters are on Oprah today, telling her about the future of her new network. I think she's hoping there's a Nobel Peace Prize in her future."

Monica chuckled on the last part but avoided making eye contact with Claire. Claire knew that trick.

"Monica, what's up?" Claire asked again.

The smile slowly slipped off of Monica's face. "That's what up, Claire."

"What else is up?" Claire said more firmly this time.

Monica sighed finally tossing a sympathetic glance towards Claire. "A family of six in the 'burbs. People broke into their house and killed them because they thought the son had the ability to suck all the oxygen out of a room."

Claire nodded and internalized the pain with the same mantra she always did. 'This is my fault.'

Angela finally hung up the phone and turned her attention to Claire. "Do you still insist on being in on all the missions?"

Claire nearly smirked at the concern almost befitting a conventional grandmother. "I do."

"Then there is no time to waste. You know there has been a terrorist cell of specials growing known as the Lazarus group?" Angela asked. Upon Claire's nod she continued. "They are collecting a variety of different abilities as well as people with duplicate abilities to form their team. They're even going through time to get them. So, we're sending out teams to get powers. Monica and your father are going after someone with the power of persuasion. Hiro will be sending you and the Haitian to pick up Elle Bishop."

"How can y'all tell he's Haitian?" Monica pipped up.

Claire ignored the obvious question for the more present ones. "Elle Bishop? Elle is dead and not just magic healing blood can bring her back dead. She is totally and completely dead. How are we supposed to pick her up?"

"You will go back to a couple months before she died just to ensure the Lazarus group does not screw with any time lines. My sources tell me that Elle spent some time on a beach in Barbuda before she died in between my firing her and her breaking into your house at Costa Verde looking for answers on Pinehearst. That part of the beach is privately owned. You and the Haitian will assume the identities of employees of the owners and wait there. Make sure Elle stays on the path laid out for her." Angela said.

"Make sure she stays on her death path? And Claire and the Haitian are gonna pick her up after she's dead?" Monica asked, looking in between Angela and Claire.

Angela sighed pointedly before narrowing her eyes at Monica. "I'll start the briefing for your mission in a few minutes, Monica."

Monica's face scrunched up in fear before pushing out her chair and stepping away from the conversation.

Once she was out of earshot Angela continued. "If Elle had not shown up at your house at the exact time she did, you might not have gotten on the plane to Pinehearst when you did and would not have been there to help Peter. We cannot step on too many butterflies. You are to keep her on her path and let Sylar cut her head off, but create a distraction that gets him to leave before her body is too burned and decayed to heal with your healing blood. It is important that everyone remain on their current paths so we still end up here. Hiro will pick you up ten minutes after the supposed time of death for Elle and bring you back here to the present approximately 24 hours after we have this conversation. When you bring her back we will get her into counseling and get her help getting caught up on all that's happened. Here's a list of things you should pack."

Claire took the offered list and looked it over. "So, I'll be away for a few months, huh?"

"Don't worry, dear. It's not like you're getting any older." Angela smiled.

Claire did not take comfort in the statement but she did not have much time to feel anything. Angela motioned Hiro over to teleport her back to her apartment.

"Be ready as quickly as possible. There isn't a moment to waste. We'll move Gretchen to a secure location hidden from the Lazarus group until you return." Angela said, nodding to Hiro.

A short blink and they were back in Claire's apartment.

"Have a seat," Claire instructed Hiro, gesturing to the couch. Hiro took up the offer and began looking through a magazine that was left on the coffee table.

Claire went into the bedroom and was surprised to find Gretchen completely awake and dressed.

"We need to talk," Gretchen said. Her eyes widened as she saw Claire heading towards her duffle bag. "You're going on another mission right this second? You just got back from one last night."

"I have to do this," Claire said simply, grabbing some clean clothes and tossing them into the bag. They were washed, dried and folded with care by Gretchen and they actually smelled like her which Claire liked when she was away. Not that she could ever admit it.

"You don't," Gretchen argued, getting off the bed and trying to reach into the duffle to remove the clothes before Claire lightly slapped her hand away. "This non-stop work. Do you see nothing wrong with it? Don't you miss real life at all?"

"Well, I do sort a miss stargazing at night. Does that count?" Claire asked distractedly.

"I could give you stars," Gretchen insisted with her best smile.

"If you're talking about powers just forget it. You are never getting powers. Do you understand me?" Claire said more harshly than she intended but her adrenaline was pumping at the moment at the thought of the mission at hand and the memories that were ambushing her at the thought of seeing Elle again.

"Okay, first of all that was not was I was talking about. Second of all, you have no right to make decisions for me." Gretchen said angrily.

"Like you're trying to make decisions for me?" Claire shot back, opening and closing drawers quickly.

Gretchen closed her eyes. Claire did have a point. "I'm sorry if it is coming out that way but I am not trying to make decisions for you. I'm just concerned about these missions you're on. I'm worried about you."

Claire softened a bit at this. "I can heal. I can't even feel pain. You don't have to worry."

"Don't I?" Gretchen asked, moving towards Claire and trying to stop her frantic hands from moving. "Claire, I love you. My family hasn't said two words to me since I decided to be with you after you jumped off the ferris wheel but it doesn't matter. You're worth it. Being with you is worth it. Even with the life changing ups and downs that come with being your girlfriend there is not a single thing I would change about you or our relationship. Given the choice I'd do it all over again."

"Then what's the problem?" Claire whispered finally taking Gretchen's hands in hers. "Is it because I'm not ready to have sex with you yet? Is that what this is?"

Gretchen flinched in utter shock at Claire's out of the blue accusation.

"Claire, no. That does not bother me. I know what you've been through and we'll wait until you're ready. I don't even care that you haven't been able to tell me you love me lately. But Peter told me last night you made a decision that almost got your head blown off. Blown off to the point of no regeneration and that it's just a series of things like that you've been doing. You have the weight of the world on your shoulders and I don't like what it's doing to you," Gretchen said with tears coming to her eyes.

Claire pulled her hands away and began to pack away her toothbrush and toiletries. "Things are fine, Gretchen. Peter is overreacting. I can't get hurt or feel pain. I can take all the risks no one else can. Some people are becoming celebrities, some are getting targeted by religious fanatics and hounded by reporters. There's a lot of good that's happened in the world since people with abilities have come out and joined together but what I did also caused a huge backlash. Hate crimes are being committed. People are getting hurt. Everyone is saying my brave new world is doing a lot more good than it is harm and it is worth the price some people are facing but I can't live that Gretch. I don't remember how many thousands of people have already been helped by us but I remember everyone that has gotten hurt by my announcement. It's all I think about. I have to do something."

"Then go on these missions but be smart about them. Be a hero for these people. Do not self destruct. Claire you can get hurt even if you can't realize that right now. What if someone were to rape you when you went off by yourself? Kept you hostage? Tortured you mentally and emotionally for years on end? You are not immune to everything. You can get hurt and I can't lose you. I love you," Gretchen said, wiping the tears out of her eyes as Hiro knocked on the bedroom door.

Hiro's voice carried through the door. "It's time to go you two."

Gretchen retrieved her pre-packed overnight bag and left the room quietly.

"I love you too," Claire admitted quietly to herself as she zipped up her bag and headed out the door. Rene was already waiting outside as they all exited the apartment.

"We have to move quickly. There are enemy snipers in the area." Rene said glancing around.

Gretchen raised an eyebrow. "Snipers? That's impossible."

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out. The bullet hit Gretchen in the throat as she slumped to the ground.

"Gretchen!" Claire screamed, trying to get to her but getting pulled back by Rene. Shots continued to ring out but Rene pulled Claire down as Hiro himself crouched down.

"No, we have to help her. She needs my blood. She's needs me. Gretchen? Sweetheart? Don't die," Claire sobbed as Gretchen's eyes glazed over in death. "She needs my blood. She needs me."

"Hiro, get us to our mission location," Rene instructed, still restraining Claire from going to Gretchen.

"No!" Claire yelled and reached out as the view before her changed and suddenly she was crashing into a sandy beach. She tumbled away from Rene but quickly got up and shook his shirt lapels furiously. "What did you do?"

"The right thing. Hiro will see to her." Rene said, letting Claire ineffectually pummel him into the sand.

Claire began to weaken and laid her head against his shoulder. "What if he doesn't?"

"He's Hiro. He'll try. Focus on the mission. Many lives and the fate of the world depends on it," Rene said, standing up. He extended a hand to Claire.

"Based on your decision my girlfriend might be dead," Claire snarled.

Rene did not back down from the fire in her eyes. "Claire, through the years you have become a great friend of mine. You have even saved my life recently which is something I will never forget. You are becoming a strong leader, soldier, spokesman and friend. My father was a strong leader, Claire. It was a thing of work that allowed that to be. I say this as your friend. You are also very stubborn, emotional and easy to lash out. This is not the time for that. You must move past it. Trust Hiro did the right thing."

Claire swiped at her roughly eyes before shakily and tentatively taking his hand. He helped her up and they walked together towards a glass mansion on the beach. A car was pulling up to it.

"The owners live in a glass house? Really?" Claire asked. She could swear that Rene almost smiled at the comment. She had to pull herself together and assume that Hiro got Gretchen to safety and got her some healing blood. He was the best guy she knew and she had to trust him now that she and Rene had been abandoned here for the next couple months. There was nothing else she could do. Besides, if Claire did not pull herself together, Rene might wipe her mind of what happened to Gretchen and Claire was not sure she could deal with losing one memory of Gretchen right now. Even if it was the worst one she could possibly imagine.

Several hundred feet away the car pulled up to the mansion and a couple stepped out in a maid's uniform and a suit probably befitting a butler. Rene ran up to them as they approached the house and waved them over. Confused, they went to him as Claire jogged up to the conversation. Rene handed them a brick of solid gold as he spoke to them. Claire's eyes widened as she realized they must have found Bob Bishop's stash of gold. Using Bob's ability to help save his daughter after he died? For the first time in awhile Claire felt the universe was moving in the right direction. Sure enough, by the time Claire approached the couple took the gold and shook Rene's hand. They reached into the car and handed some uniforms and suits to Rene before getting into their car and driving away.

Once they were merely a speck on the horizon, Rene handed the maid's uniforms to Claire and instructed, "Follow my lead."

They walked over to the door where Rene knocked. Within a few minutes a slightly balding man who looked about fifty years old walked to the door and waved. He was wearing loose fitting clothes covered in beads. Claire could not believe this was the wealthy owner of the beach.

He opened the door with a friendly smile and slight leer at Claire as he motioned them inside. "You must be the people the agency sent."

"Yes," Rene spoke up. "I am Rene Petrelli and this is my niece, Claire."

The man's eyes darted in between Rene and Claire causing Claire to say, "I'm adopted."

'Not a total lie,' Claire thought to herself as the confusion melted off the man's face and he smiled in realization.

"Well, I'm sorry to call you here so late notice. Normally we'd be at our mansion in Austin this time of year but after my company won a new security contract, I used the money to get my beautiful bride an impromptu wedding and honeymoon for a few months here on the beach with the kids." The man smiled. Claire smiled too. It was a nice idea.

"If you're worried about the glass, don't. It's very strong and it comes with some perks." The man turned and pressed a button on the coffee table causing all the glass walls that surrounded the house to tint until they were black. "A great view is nice but I have access to the most cutting edge technology and security systems and it's worth protecting the family. Speaking of which, I'll go get them to introduce to you and then show you to the servants quarters."

The man left the room and Claire took in the aesthetic. Besides the weird glass walls that surrounded the house it all seemed pretty modern. Hardwood floors, bear skin rugs and different types of art accented the room. Many different types of ergonomic furniture littered the living room. The color scheme seemed to clash and rebel against itself. A bunch of different influences coming together and trying to exist as one. A large screen television set hung upon one wall and on the opposite wall was a large library. Claire wondered if it was supposed to be a something for everyone kind of room or just a huge mess. She liked the large two way fireplace though.

"Girls, come on," The man called behind him, pulling his new wife forward who looked significantly younger than him but wore a friendly smile. She was tall and thin with blond flowing hair. If it were not for her blue eyes she would remind Claire of her own biological mother Meredith. "I'm Bernard and this is my new bride, Joanna."

"Nice to meet you," Claire and Rene mumbled in disjointed unison as a girl about age ten ran towards the couple and reached out for what Claire assumed was her mother's hand. She looked like a ten year old twin of the older woman she had just met.

"This is our daughter Delilah," Bernard explained.

"Nice to meet you," Claire and Rene repeated.

While they were distracted by the younger daughter, they did not notice a lengthy teenage girl dressed completely in black coming to sit by the fireplace with a book. Bernard noticed though and drew their attention to the girl who had a curtain of brunette hair obscuring her features.

"And this is our eldest daughter," Bernard said.

Sensing she was being mentioned the girl drew her head up, lightly shaking her hair out of the way as Claire's breath hitched in her throat. With the quietest whisper she ever managed the girl's name tumbled out of Claire's lips in shock. "Gretchen?"