Disclaimer: I don't own heroes (but i did use some dialogue from an episode in season 1)
Summary: one-shot. takes place sometime after s2x11: powerless. Claire's attraction to men who can fly. Implied Paire...maybe, depends on your view and your desire.
A/n: this was a random idea b/c i always thought West was too much like Peter. some insight as to why...Please leave a review! Much love, Dani
Like Father, Like Daughter
"What we can do Nathan, it isn't normal. She can heal, we can fly..." Peter said.
"You can fly?" Claire asked, her eyes wide and her face with a small smile. A real smile. Nathan looked at her. He shrugged and gave a slight nod, the answer revealed in his eyes. "That's cool," she whispered, looking down at the floor, suddenly conscience of her unwanted presence.
Claire smiled as West flew her away from her family. Of course, it was only temporary but it was relief from lies and smiles.
West smiled a lopsided grin at her. It made her insides cringe but she smiled through it. This had become her escape. She was using him for it reminded of her of the rest of her family—the one she guiltily wanted to be near though they pretend like she doesn't exist. West was close to being Nathan, to being Peter—just because he could fly. He would never be Peter; even when he smiled Peter's smile. Peter, what she wouldn't give to see him in person.
Claire shifted in her desk when she felt his eyes searing into her. Two weeks later he was still mad and she chose not to talk to him. Her whole life had been turned upside down, after all. Her father was "dead," her mother spent every second she had not to cry, her other father was shot on live television, her unc-Peter…he was alive, not dead. And here she sat, in a wooden desk listening to a woman ramble on about the Mayan empire like it mattered.
She turned her head toward him. "Stop staring at me," she whispered.
West huffed and turned his head away. Claire sighed and looked at her notebook, but her mind wasn't there. Her mind was on her conversation from the day all hell broke loose.
"How's Nathan?" Claire's voice rang on out on the cell phone. "Hello? How's Nathan?" she asked louder when no one responded.
"Claire?" It was Peter. His voice was weak. "Is that you Claire?"
Claire gulped back her tears. "Peter." She heard him sigh on the other end.
"God, Claire I miss you," he paused, recollecting his thoughts. "Nathan's fine. He's in some pain but the vest saved him." Claire nodded, though he couldn't see her.
"I wish I could be there. I want to see you. Everyone said you were dead, Peter. Everyone…I always hoped that you weren't. Can I come?" she mumbled.
"Don't come here, Claire. It's not safe. Whoever shot Nathan is still out there."
"I want to see you Peter; I want to see him," she said in an almost whisper.
"You will. I'll come see you Claire, when it's safe."
"Do you promise?"
"I promise," he said. "I have to go."
"I love you Peter. Can you—can you tell Nathan…"
"I will," he said. It was quiet for a moment. "He loves you too, Claire. You know that. He just has trouble with it."
"Bye Peter. I'll see you soon," she said.
"Bye Claire. Be safe."
Those Petrelli men, they both had trouble saying those three words—unless it was to each other. Claire knew that. She also knew that Peter would never say it and mean it the way she did. Her little crush on him was just that—a crush. The fact that she learned they were related hadn't changed anything. She still remembered him saving her life and that was why she loved him. Wrong or right, crushes on uncles went away. They had to.
--
Claire stayed after school for cheerleading practice, falling and breaking her leg because she wasn't paying attention. She fixed it before anyone took notice but she knew it was dangerous. Her father risked everything so they would be safe and there she was, not paying attention and nearly ruining it all. If she could've, she would've killed herself for the mistake.
"What are you doing?" Claire yelled when she got to her car.
"I'm waiting for you," West said.
"Well don't. It's not going to change anything." She looked at him. "I thought you were mad at me."
West shrugged. "I'm getting over it. I was wondering—you want to fly with me?"
Claire smiled. Flying. That sounded wonderful. It had been awhile and she needed the release. She looked at his face. "I can't. I need to get home." It wasn't fair to use him anymore. Their relationship was over; there was no use pretending. She did too much of that anyway. This was the one thing she could control.
"So what, we can't even be friends anymore?" West asked.
"I don't know. I just need some time—we both do. Then we'll see," she said. He nodded.
"See you around Claire. And if you need someone to talk to, I'm always close." She smiled and mumbled a response. He walked off to the other end of the school where he undoubtedly flew away.
--
Claire announced that she was home and Mr. Muggles greeted her at the door. She rolled eyes and walked past the dog. "Mom?" she yelled.
Sandra was sitting in Noah's office, reading some files. The Company files. "Mom, what are you doing?" Claire snatched them away.
"I was just curious. I was bored…is this true? People can do these things?" she asked. Claire nodded. "Wow. How was school?"
"Mom, promise me you won't read these again. It's not safe," she said. She paused at her words. Those words had been her life for too long. She sounded like her father, like Peter.
"Of course honey, I don't even know what came over me," she said. She ran a hand down Claire's hair. "I love you."
"I love you too," Claire smiled. "Where's Lyle?"
"He's in his room I'm sure, playing that video game. I just don't know what to do with him anymore."
"He'll be alright," she said. "We all will." Sandra hugged Claire and went off to start dinner.
--
"Well, let's eat," Sandra smiled. Lyle shrugged and fell into his chair. "Does someone wanna say the blessing?"
Lyle shook his head. Claire volunteered at her mother's look and quickly blessed their food and her mother added a bit at the end—like she always did—for Noah's return home. Before they passed the first bowl around the table, the doorbell rang. Claire moved from the table to answer the door. Her smile faded when the door opened.
"That's the greeting I get? Where's my smile?" Peter Petrelli stood in her doorway, looking as gorgeous as ever.
Without thinking, she threw her arms around him, holding him tightly. "You're here," she said. Tears fell from her eyes and Peter hugged her back.
"I told you I would come," he said.
"I thought you forgot—or that something happened…"
"I'd never forget you," he said softly and she pulled herself away. "Why are you crying?"
She shrugged. "I'm just so happy to see you. You have no idea."
"I think I do," he said. "Don't cry anymore." He wiped her tears from her cheek.
"Claire, who is it?" Sandra asked.
"Are you hungry? We were just about to eat dinner," Claire said softly. Peter nodded.
--
Claire sat across from Peter and just stared at him. He smiled. "Am I that intriguing?"
Claire laughed. "Actually, yes. That story…all that really happened?" Peter nodded. Claire was quiet.
"What?"
"I didn't help things. I think I just kept making them worse and worse," she said.
"Really? Now I'm intrigued. Tell me what you've been doing to make things worse and worse," Peter said.
Claire laughed weakly. "Well, to start. We're the Butlers here, Lyle hates it and he blames me. I dated a boy and lied to my dad about it because as it turns out, that boy was taken by the company once and that boy could fly. I—"
"Wait," Peter said. "You're dating a boy that can fly?"
"We're not dating. Not anymore."
"He could fly?"
"Yup, why?" she said.
"They always said girls dated men like their fathers," Peter grinned.
Claire laughed. "Hardly. Anyway, if I may…" Peter nodded, giving her his attention. "We staged some really stupid things, almost risked our whole lives here. The company took me—Mohinder Suresh and Bob Bishop?—ran some tests, took a lot of my blood and never told me why. My dad traded me for Elle, the same Elle that you knew apparently."
"Really?" he asked. Claire nodded and made a face. "You don't like her much?" Claire shook her head. "Continue…"
"Then, Mohinder killed my dad. I found a bunch of files when we were packing to move again and I threatened to reveal the Company. I scared the hell out of Elle, that's for sure," she paused. "Then my dad came back. He said he'd made a deal to keep us safe and he left again."
"What kind of deal?"
Claire shook her head. "He didn't say." Claire paused. "Now you're here."
"I must say I'm impressed," Peter grinned. "Like father, like daughter."
"We're not that much alike," she said.
"Yes, you are," Peter laughed. "You're like both of them."
Claire smiled. "I'm really glad you're here." Claire was quiet again. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Anything," he smiled.
"Do you think that this deal, the one that my dad made, had something to do with Nathan?" Claire asked. "It's just too coincidental."
Peter sighed. "I don't know. It's possible I guess."
"Is he—did he say anything?"
Peter searched her eyes. "He's at home with Heidi. I think he's in the process of telling her all the truth—you'd be part of that."
Claire nodded, still silent. "He wouldn't even talk to me. He was the only person in my life who knew you, who could comfort me and he wouldn't even talk to me."
"He was going through a lot. I know that's not much of an excuse but he was," Peter said.
"I was more alone than I had been since I found out I could heal," she said.
Peter hugged her. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."
"I'm glad," she said. She looked up at him. "Will you do something for me?"
"Of course."
"Can we go flying?" Claire asked, her eyes wide.
Peter laughed. "Can you hold on?"
"Um, yeah!" she smiled. "I've had practice."
"That's right," he said. "Your flying boyfriend."
Claire laughed. "I bet you're better at it than him."
Peter laughed. "Let's go then."
They soared through the air together, Peter's hands wrapped around her. For once, it felt right. It wasn't an escape, it was renewal. It was Peter and that made it right, more right than ever. She felt as if they'd flown together for years, even though this was their first time. He smiled his lopsided grin at her and her insides melted. That was right too, not some imitation that West attempted.
Peter and Claire sat at the top of the Hollywood letters. Claire didn't have the heart to tell him that she jumped off it, so she just smiled.
"Everything will work out, Claire." Peter said.
"I know," she smiled. "I know I've caused nothing but problems in the Petrelli family but I love them. They're my family."
"You're wrong. You aren't the problem, our secrets are the problem. You brought some hope to our family, Claire. I know you did to me," he said. She smiled. "Want to go home?"
"In a minute," she said.
Peter met her gaze and her smile. "I love you Claire," he said silently.
Claire froze. "Me too Peter," she said.
Those Petrelli's, they all had trouble saying those three words—unless it was to each other.