A Future Foretold
"I've always loved you." One-shot based on the S3 spoilers. Paire though it looks extremely Petrellicest in the beginning.
Some people think Peter's evil and Claire's there to save her father…that's not exactly how I envision it. One of my own interpretations of how and why it has to happen the way it does. My first fic here; honest reviews are appreciated.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
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There was panic in the press room – reporters ducking for cover, screams piercing the air, security guards pushing everyone out the exit.
"Nathan!" Peter yelled, cradling him in his arms, trying to make his brother open his eyes again.
"Peter…" Nathan trailed off, his eyes closing.
"Nathan! Don't do this! Fight! Fight goddamn it!" Peter exclaimed, his head bent down and his cheek pressed up against the side of Nathan's face.
"I love you, Nathan," Peter whispered.
"I know you do, Pete," Nathan nodded off with his final words to him, drifting into a dream-like state.
"No! Nathan! Nathan! Nathan!" Peter screamed.
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His job was done. In the chaotic state of things, no one had seen him run off after the shooting. No one bothered to look at him twice as he ran down the halls and out the building. He leaned his back against the cold concrete of the side of the building as people streamed out of the double doors. He knew he could have just time-traveled or even just disappeared (literally) into the night, but there was something about the thrill of escape that made him grin at no one in particular.
He came here on a mission. He didn't want to do it, but there was no other choice. He had to shoot his brother…before he shot him.
He heard a rustling behind him and he turned. He saw the faint outline of a woman approaching him from the shadows.
"He's not dead, you know," she declared, emotionless.
"What are you doing here?" Peter asked hesitantly, upon recognition.
"You didn't think that I'd let you just kill my father now, would you?" Claire laughed bitterly, flipping her dark hair back.
"What do you mean he's not dead?" he ignored her. "I saw him collapse with my own eyes. I saw myself hunch over his body in shock and grief," he continued pointedly.
"We got to him first…warned him that there was going to be an attempt on ending his life. He wore a bulletproof vest and downed a couple of pills to knock him out for a few hours…he'll be back up in no time," Claire said.
"Where's Hiro? He brought you here, right?" Peter went off topic.
"He's inside, making sure Nathan followed our directions," Claire gestured to the building.
"Why are you doing this? This has nothing to do with you. First it was at the press conference in D.C., then it was in hotel room in Chicago, and now it's this. Just stop already and let me handle this, Claire," Peter said looking at the bright flashing lights of ambulances rushing to the scene.
"I can't," Claire replied.
"Why not? It's me or him, Claire. You know that. If I don't take him out now, he's going to pull the trigger on me and everyone will suffer. I don't want to do it, but I have to. There's no other option," Peter explained.
"What if there is? Hiro said that if he can just go back in time and stop Adam from killing Sylar, Sylar would become president and Angela would be under control," Claire pleaded.
"You can't tell me that's how it's supposed to be, Claire. Sylar was not supposed to run the country; he was going to destroy every last one of us. The only way we can stop my mom is to put a stop to how she's wielding her power. And that's through Nathan,"
"So you're willing to kill your own brother?" Claire asked in disbelief.
"It's for the greater good. My mother can't be stopped. She has the power to give powers, restore powers, and take them away. The only reasons why we still have our powers are because we're family and we've been hopping across the space-time continuum too much to stay near her," Peter observed.
"He's my father," Claire said, looking at the ground.
"Was. He was my brother and I loved him, but he's not the same person he used to be," Peter shrugged.
"You're not either," Claire pointed out. "Back there in the press room…you would have jumped in front of the bullet for him, but now…you're the one holding the gun," Claire said seriously.
"Things don't always end up the way we planned," he frowned slightly.
"This won't either," Claire said solemnly, staring him in the eye.
"What are you talking about?" Peter wrinkled his eyebrows. She took a step toward him.
"I'm sorry it had to end this way," Claire began. Suddenly, Angela appeared along with Hiro from around the corner.
"Claire?" Peter asked confused, his eyes darting back and forth from the others.
"I tried to stop you, Peter…so many times," Claire stated sadly, looking away from him.
"You were lying all this time?" he demanded.
"What she means is that this is just one too many. You're becoming an inconvenience, Peter," Angela interrupted. Peter's eyes widened and he immediately tried to escape his situation by calling on one of his powers.
"Don't try to make it more difficult than it has to be. I've taken away your powers," Angela informed. Peter looked around him, scared.
"And Hiro, too?" Peter asked.
"You must mean my friend, Gabriel," Angela grinned, as Sylar shape-shifted into his original self.
"Sylar?" Peter shrunk back.
"Nice to see you, too," he smiled wickedly.
"Hiro's been gone for a while now, dear. He was much more benevolent than any of us were," Angela waved off.
"So all of you are working together?" Peter said in disbelief.
"Not at first, but yes," Sylar answered. Peter looked over to Claire, who had been silent for a couple of minutes now.
"Claire, what is going on?! I know you wouldn't do any of this. You're not like them, you can still get out of this," he turned to her, grasping her hands.
"I-I can't…it's you or the rest of my family. I can't bring them into all of this; they're starting a new life in Texas. They don't have any powers to save themselves with, and I'm just one girl," Claire said shakily, tears coming down her face. Peter looked at her and drew back. He knew no one could ever compete with Claire's love for her adoptive family - her real family.
"Look Peter, we've found another human sponge who's more willing to pursue our interests than you are. It's as simple as that," Angela broke the silence.
"So why kill me? Why not just take away my powers?" Peter inquired.
"You can still reproduce or give blood. Your powers are still written in your genetic code…my powers are not that advanced," she chuckled mercilessly.
"Isn't there another way?" he questioned one last time.
"I'm afraid not…Claire, you know what to do," Angela ordered. Claire nodded briefly before biting her lip and taking a revolver out.
"Claire…" Peter said softly.
"Could I talk to him, first?" she questioned Angela. She grudgingly accepted as she and Sylar retreated a few steps back.
"I couldn't do it before…all those times we met…that's why they're here now…to make sure it's done," Claire stammered.
"Are you sure your family will be okay? I mean, can you trust them?" Peter gestured toward his mother and Sylar.
"I have no choice…you know that. Sometimes you have to risk it to ensure their safety. I'm sorry I can't be like you – sacrificing those you love for the greater good of the world, for the future generations…I guess I'm too selfish," Claire said sheepishly, looking at her shoes.
Peter stayed silent, not denying it.
"I've always loved you," Claire admitted. His eyes opened to look at her. "You were the first person that made me feel that everything would be okay. And at Nathan's inauguration…" she bit her lip. "I know that it was supposed to be a friendly goodbye kiss, but…," she trailed off. Peter retreated back a little and closed his eyes again.
"Just shoot me, Claire," he mumbled.
"Sorry, it had to be this way, but we don't want you anymore…I can't want you anymore," Claire stated, pulling the trigger on him. She watched him fall to the ground, blood spewing out of his head and onto the pavement below. She walked back to her grandmother and Sylar, not turning around once to look at the body, as tears burned her eyes.
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A/N: Thanks for reading. Leave a review!