Title: Thicker than Blood
AUTHOR: obisgirl
Rating: G
Characters: Adam/Claire, implied paire incest (on Claire's part only)
Summary: This is actually a very old viggie I wrote at the beginning of season 2 when the spoilers read that Adam's name was Kane but then he was transformed into Adam, and Kane was wiped from the canvas. Sort of. The only difference here is that Adam isn't a villain. He's just a stranger Claire's met who happens to be like her.
A/N: This is the original version of "Temptation Has Blue Eyes." And as you can see, it had a totally different title and yes, even the story below has a different middle and ending.
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, just borrowing. All NBC's and Tim Kring's. Please don't sue!
Claire's eyes stayed transfixed on the syringe, injected into her arm as it extracted her blood. Claire always thought that of all of the heroes, her blood would prove to be the most valuable because of its healing capabilities. But never would she have imagined that her blood would be same as a 400 or so year-old blond, European traveler who seemed to remind her so much of her herself in more ways than one.
Adam smiled at her kindly, as Mohinder gently removed the syringe from her arm. Claire winced a bit, and then rolled down her sleeve before Adam could see her ability work.
"These tests shouldn't take long," Mohinder said, putting on a label on the vile and placing it next to a similar one with Adam's name on it.
"This is so weird," Molly breathed, "So both of you can heal," staring in awe of Adam.
Adam shrugged. "To be fair, I had the ability first," he said, smiling at the 11-year-old. "Doctor Suresh isn't trying to figure out how our abilities work, just how similar we both are,"
Claire smiled thoughtfully at her, and then looked down, confused. "Molly?" Mohinder called, "I need your help,"
Adam watched she was the girl skipped off to join Mohinder in the other room. "Cute kid," he mused.
"Yeah, Molly's a sweetheart," she said.
Adam sighed, studying the girl next to him. "All right Claire, what is it?" he questioned. "You've haven't said anything since you called me last night about these tests. What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she fumed, "Nothing is wrong,"
"You're just disappointed that you aren't the only who can grow their limbs back anymore, is that it?" he joked.
Claire smiled slightly, and Adam grinned. "No, that isn't it. I actually know someone can who do that too," she said, "but it's not about that. It's about something else that's been on my mind,"
"What is it?"
"I just feel like I'm rediscovering my ability all over again," she mused, "Last year, I thought that I was the biggest freak in the universe for being able to do what I can do, and then I met Peter and I found out that I wasn't alone -- and now, there's you, and you can do what I can do, or I can do what you can do and I have to wander..."
Adam's eyebrow's furrowed and he crossed his arms, trying to pinpoint where this little babbling speech was going.
"I have to wander, maybe I'm not a Petrelli," she finally said, "What if Nathan isn't my bio-dad? What if...?"
"What if your uncle Peter isn't your real uncle?" he finished, "I figured that was probably what was on your mind,"
Claire laughed to herself. "Why? Do I sound silly for even hoping that it's true?" she joked.
"If I am your great-great-great-grand dad or whatever, you're still you, Claire," he reminded her, "You have to remember that,"
She smiled partially. "I don't even think I know who I am anymore," she mused, "I've been labeled, cheerleader, daughter, niece, girl who can re-grow her limbs without a second thought..."
"At least you have your family," he pointed out, "Mine died a long time ago before you were even born,"
"I kind have my family," she said, "I've been talking to my bio-dad over the past couple months since the explosion...since Peter died...trying to figure out answers. I've been so alone, Adam…I barely knew Peter but he was my hero. I mean, he wouldn't have come all that way from New York to save me if he didn't care about me, right?"
Adam nodded, listening to her as she continued. Claire sighed, sniffling. "He saved me at homecoming from Sylar," she said, "I owe him so much and I couldn't even save him from exploding and dying,"
"The way I understand it, Claire, it was out of your hands but you mustn't blame yourself for what happened," he said.
"But he was my hero!" she cried, "He saved me and I should have been able to save him!"
Adam continued to study her. It was obvious to him that she cared a lot about Peter; he rushed to Odessa to save a girl he barely knew about all because of a message from the future. He knew young girls like Claire were very impressionable but these strong feelings from her were more than guilt. There was something else there he couldn't quite pinpoint and then he knew.
Adam smiled, causing her to look curiously at him. "What?" she asked.
"You had a little crush on your uncle," he laughed, "that's funny,"
Claire didn't know what to say. There had been a fair amount of hero worship on her part since Peter left Odessa but that's all it was, or was it? The Haitian told her that she couldn't see him but that didn't stop her from ditching him at the airport, booking a flight to New York and then hitching a cab to Peter's apartment.
Okay, maybe what she had felt for him then was more than hero worship but she had convinced herself that there was nothing else, and could never be. Peter was her uncle. Uncle. That meant in most states, incest was illegal and generally frowned down upon. And Peter never showed she meant more to him than being his niece.
"This is crazy," she mused.
That didn't stop Adam from prodding. "You did have a crush on him, didn't you?" he continued, "I'm not surprised. From what you told me, I could sense it in your voice,"
"I didn't know that he was my uncle then. All I knew was that this man came out of nowhere and saved me from a monster who wanted to eat my brains," she cried. "Before Peter came into my life, I thought that I was the only one and at any rate, it doesn't matter now. Peter's gone,"
Adam stopped laughing, feeling sorry for the girl. She had lost so much in a small amount of time. "I'm sorry, Claire," he soothed, "I know what it feels like never being able to say goodbye to those you loved,"
Claire didn't say anything else, fidgeting as she ad Adam waited for Mohinder to come back. Adam scooted over to her, taking her hand in his and warmly embracing it. He felt a kinship to Claire, a bond he hadn't felt with anyone for a long time. The chances of her being related to him were very slim at this point but that didn't stop him from caring about her.
There was so much that she didn't know about her ability, and probably there were things he didn't know about himself. They could learn from each other, and perhaps one day, their friendship would grow to be something else. But that day was a long time now. Still, he knew that when that day came, he wouldn't and couldn't deny her.
Claire smiled thoughtfully at him as Mohinder and Molly came back into the room, carrying a print out.
Adam looked at him. "What's the verdict, doctor?"
"Your healing abilities are very similar to each other; although, yours Adam heals a lot quicker than Claire's because you've had it longer," he said.
Claire stared dumbfounded at the doctor. "Is that it?" she questioned.
"Not quite," he mused, "Even though the two of you share the same ability, that's where the similarities end. Adam's blood type is completely different than yours, Claire. Although it would have been interesting that a 400-year-old man is actually your great grandfather, that's not the case here, I'm afraid,"
Claire let the information sink in; she knew that there was a slight chance that she probably wasn't even related to Adam. Just because he had the same ability as her, didn't make him her relative, or ancestor. Mohinder looked at Adam and then to Claire before leaving them alone. Adam looked over at Claire and sighed.
"I guess that's that then," Adam reasoned, standing up. Claire was still trying to digest this new information; the same way she had forced herself to accept that Peter was her uncle. Adam sighed, extending his hand to her. "Blood relation or not Claire, I'd still like to be your friend," he said.
Claire smiled at him thoughtfully. "Are you sure?" she asked him.
"Claire, you are a special and beautiful young woman," Adam said, "You have a good heart and I haven't seen that in a woman in a long time, centuries even,"
"I'm not all good…" she started.
"No one is," he assured her, "but I still want to be your friend,"
Claire sighed. "Then I accept," she said, taking his hand.
The End
