Hey :) i know i've neglected my Paire Fic atm whilst i was finishing my HSM fic. But i found this the other day, forgot that i had began writing it. so i finished it :) i hope this makes up for the stalling in chapters. lol i iwll try write some as soon as possible but in the meantime enjoys :) And Review!! Please? :)

5-Years Awaiting

By RandomGirl-87

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!"

Claire gasped and broke into a huge smile. Teeth and all.

"Oh My God. I can't believe you guys!" she headed straight for Nathan, her father, her mother and Heidi. "Thanks so much. I love you all."

"Happy 21st Claire Bear" Her father whispered as she hugged him. Over the last 5 years she'd grown closer to her mother and father, her real father and his wife, the grandma was still as ever the bitch but hey, what can you do about that?

Claire looked around and saw all her friends, she headed towards them smiling and laughing. She began dancing with them and such. Eating, drinking, chatting. She's missed them all. She's been in Scotland for the last couple of months doing some research for her coursework. Around 11.00 at night, the dreaded chanting of 'Happy Birthday' struck and Claire was forced to endure the embarrassment and laughter.

"Happy Birthday To You, Happy Birthday To You…"

"Happy Birthday Dear Claire Bear…" Her father chanted along.

"Happy Birthday To You!" Claire gasped and smiled at the size of the chocolate cake that both her mother and Heidi brought out and placed in front of her. She blew out all 21 candles and made a wish. Although she had no idea what to wish for except one thing…

'Peter… if your alive… come back to me please.'

Claire looked up, thanked everyone and went back to dancing with her friends. Half an hour later she made a trip to the deserted Ladies room to breathe a bit and have some fresh air. As she washed her hands, she sensed someone behind her, but thought nothing of her. People deserve their privacy to pee!

"Y'know, I always considered you to be my hero too…"

Claire stopped immediately, she stared in the mirror – a faint, but not so clear, image of him. The only man she loved but was never able to call him her own. She wiped her hands on her dress and turned around to look at him. He looked scared but smiled at her nevertheless. She slowly walked towards him.

"You don't know how much I've missed you Clair-" Claire cut him of as she slapped him round the face. Peter yelped in pain and immediately covered the redness of his cheek already healing. Before he could say another word, Claire stormed out of the ladies room and back into the party, Peter quickly ran after her. "Claire. Claire. Claire wait!"

"I've already waited for you Peter!" Claire yelled as she span around in front of him. The room was hushed as the once (never got the chance) lovers argued. Claire heard Nathan whisper 'Peter'. Seemed like she wasn't the only one who didn't know he was alive. After all the grieving she'd done.

"Look I know your angry Claire." Peter said softly, hating confrontation especially in front of a crowd of people.

"Damn right, I'm angry Peter!" Claire shouted at him, Peter stared at her evenly, he tried to grab hold of her hand but she refused it. "I grieved for you! We all grieved for you!" She added on, suddenly remembering the fact that the room was full of guests and old friends, she blushed but still did not back down from her anger.

"I know and I'm so sorry! I was-" Peter cut himself of, afraid of what his family may think. Especially if he told them the truth – the whole truth. The real reason he had stayed away so long and yet that reason was the whole reason he wanted to come back more then ever. "I was…scared." Peter half-whispered. It obviously affected Claire as her face changed.

"Scared? Of what?" Peter bent his head down.

"Of you" He said. It was true. He was afraid she would reject him. Before he had flown away he had kissed Claire, confessed his love for her and he didn't exactly give her a chance to tell him how she felt. Thinking it would be the opposite to him, he stayed away. He couldn't bare to go back and see her hate him for what he did. He couldn't bare to go back and have her not talk to him the way she used to because she was shocked and disgusted about the way he felt about her. Claire felt her heartbreak at his confession. Afraid of her? Why? When all she had wanted was to get him back safely, to hold him and to tell him that she had loved him ever since Homecoming. Ever since the day he had walked into her life.

"Me?" Claire replied weakly, a tear sliding down her cheek. Peter wanted nothing more then to wipe that tear away, to hold her in his arms, to weave his hands through her hair and to kiss him on her cheek. As if kissing away the last five years they had missed out on. Peter barely nodded, when he looked up he realised that Claire had started to walk away. He immediately followed after her, not wanting to let her go. Not again. He ignored the cries of Nathan and his mother, just following her, all he wanted was her, all he had ever wanted was her.

"Claire, please wait. Look, I know your angry but if you just listen…" Peter yelled, chasing after her down the street. She was walking quite fast, considering she was in heels. Peter grabbed hold of her arm, pulling her back. She did so, not putting much of a fight up. She turned to look up at him. Her mascara now smudged, her curls falling delicately on her shoulders. She looked at him, like she had done the night he left. Tears falling from her eyes, Peter picked up the courage to wipe them away. She didn't brush him off; she tensed up when he touched her cheek though. His fingers smoothed over her cheek, softly. Reluctantly he moved them away; there was an awkward silence. Claire broke it.

"I don't want to listen, Peter. I thought I wanted you back in my life but I was wrong. I never want to see you again." She didn't know where the words came from. Not of it was even true. She wanted him in her life more then ever now, just knowing he was alive again, it brought butterflies in her stomach. God, she loved him. But being with him was intoxicating, she couldn't stand it, having him back and yet not being able to have him. She walked away, slowly. Peter watched her, feeling his heartbreak every step of the way.

Claire hadn't slept in three days, not since the day she had walked away from him. What was she thinking? Of course, they wouldn't have been together – Peter didn't feel the same way for her but at least she'd be near him. At least she'd be able to sit next to him again, smell him, and maybe even have the odd cuddle with him? A peck on the cheek?

She sat down on her couch, spooning out the ice cream from the tub that read Ben & Jerry's. She had been watching soppy, love films all day. Only getting up to change the DVD. It was official. Claire Bennett was a wreck thinking Peter Petrelli was dead but she was a downright disaster knowing she had turned him away. There was a knock on her door; Claire ignored it as she slipped in The Notebook DVD, taking out the P.S. I Love You DVD. Someone had been knocking at her door all day, coming back every few hours or so, she assumed it was rent. She'd already paid so she didn't understand why; he was knocking on her door every freaking hour! This time, he seemed dead set on staying, hammering on the door. Because of this, she missed her favourite part – she couldn't even hear it.

"I have already paid my rent, you asshole!" Claire yelled as she stood up and stormed over to the door, she swung it open in anger. Her eyes widened as she realised it was Peter. He looked slightly worried, like she was going to hit him.

"Hey, Claire…" Peter said, after a long 2 minutes. He couldn't stand her just staring at him like that. He needed to say anything although she didn't say anything after that either. He didn't look away though; he stayed tranced in her eyes. Staring at them deeply.

"What are you doing here Peter?" Claire asked, finally. Peter blushed.

"I wanted to see you, Claire. I wanted to explain." There was a part of Claire that just wanted to slam the door in his face, there was a bigger part of her that wanted to let him in.

She stood aside, leaving a gap for him to enter. He seemed shocked at this but nevertheless took his chance and entered into her apartment.

"Coffee?" Claire asked, Peter nodded and followed her into the kitchen. It was small but big enough for just the one person it needed to suit. Claire spooned out the coffee, flicking the switch of her kettle. Peter leaned up against her counter, not taking his eyes of her. She glanced at him a few times and handed him his coffee. He muttered his thanks but he didn't drink any, he placed it on the counter top and looked at Claire. She took a sip and stood up straight, just looking at him. "So come on Peter…talk!" Claire said bitterly.

"Claire…I don't know what to say, to make you believe how sorry I am!" Peter looked at her, moving a little bit closer and Claire gave a harsh laugh. It startled him.

"Sorry? You were scared remember?" Claire mocked. "You were scared of me right? That's what you said!"

"Claire, I didn't mean it like that."

"Then what did you mean by that, then Peter?" Peter looked down. Claire sneered at him.

"I was scared for feeling about you the way I did." She froze, well she wasn't expecting that.

"…What do you mean? Feeling for me…"

"Because…I…Because I was in love with you Claire. I am still in love with you Claire. I thought I could go on living without you in my life. But I couldn't. I tried so many times to come back. I saw the way your eyes would light up, whenever my name was mentioned." Claire's eyes widened again, just like they had when Peter had knocked on her apartment door, she blushed.

"H-how did you?" Peter chuckled at Claire's stuttering.

"You may not have seen me…but I certainly saw you." Peter was standing in front of her by this time, caressing her cheek, wanting nothing more to kiss her. But did she love him? Yes, she did. He could tell.

"…I thought you were dead Peter. I thought that…when you died a part of me died with you. I couldn't breath, I was so heartbroken. I felt so suffocated because all I didn't think I'd see you again. I wouldn't eat, I wouldn't sleep, I went through pain, because that's what I thought you were going through." Claire looked up at Peter, his fingers still dancing around on her cheek, she looked into his eyes, intensely and carried on. "I knew…that I would never feel this way again. Ever. And I knew, that the moment I had laid eyes on you that you would bring some sort of life to mine. I don't know how but I knew that I would end up falling for you. And I did. I fell in love with you, Peter. And no one would ever replace you. Never." A tear slid down Claire's cheek at the remembrance of the last 5 years. Living without Peter. Peter wiped it away and hugged her. He kissed her neck, pressing her body against his. She cried into his shoulders and she couldn't help it. She didn't want to help it.

"I'm sorry, I am so sorry." Peter breathed on her neck. He couldn't think of anything else to say. What else could he say? He pulled away and bent his head, leaning in to capture her lips with his own. He kissed her softly but it soon became more rough and needy. He pulled away, leaning his head against her forehead. He breathed the words he had done so all those years back. "I love you…" It was exactly the same as it had been, the night she had lost him. Except this time…he was going nowhere.

Peter leaned in and kissed her again, his tongue begging for entrance, which Claire granted quickly. He massaged his tongue with hers, wrapping his arm round her waist. Her breasts pressed up against his chest. Arousing him more then ever. Claire pushed of Peter's coat, of his shoulders and onto the floor. Her hands got working on unbuttoning his shirt as he roamed his hands all over her body. His hands rubbing against her thighs, coming up and brushing her breast, then towards her hair, he ran his fingers through it – just like he had always dreamed of.

Claire had unbuttoned enough of his shirt for her to see his chest, she kissed it as she felt Peter play with the hem of her shirt. She pulled away and pulled it off. Her breasts, waiting to be kissed by him, which he gladly granted. He kissed her on the lips again, as if he may never get the chance again, taking her breasts in his hand. Squeezing them, lightly.

"Harder…" Claire mumbled in his ear. He chuckled into her neck as he kissed it and suckled it. He squeezed it harder and Claire moaned, his hands falling down to the top of her jeans, unzipping them as his lips fell to the valley of her breasts, placing phantom kisses all over her. He pulled down Claire's jeans so she was stood, clad in her underwear. He directed her hands to his jeans and she gladly began to unzip them. This time not slipping them off, she moved her hand inside his jeans and inside his boxers. He moaned in her ear as she began to move her hands up and down his shaft.

"Claire…" Peter let out a strangled moan. Not being able to take it anymore, he picked her up, Claire wrapping her legs around his waist, her hand still down his trousers, her lips still attached to his.

He laid her down, gently on her bed. Finally took of his jeans and hovered over her. They each took a moment to which they stared, deeply into each other's eyes. Peter looked over her body appreciatively. Placing kisses all over her. Her shoulder blades, her breasts, her stomach and belly button. He placed little, chaste kisses on her inner thighs. He stopped as he came to her underwear. Her little shorts, he kissed them before slipping them off, sliding them down her legs.

Claire ran her hands through his hair, unknowingly pushing his face into her deeper and deeper, feeling his tongue go into her more but neither of them seemed to mind. Quite the opposite.

"Oh Peter…" Claire moaned and writhed beneath him, loving the feel of him against her. "…That's, that's…" She couldn't finish her sentence as she screamed in pleasure and came, her hands still messing up his hair. Her eyes closed and her breath panting, it was only when she felt Peter's lips on hers, reminding her of where she was and what she had been waiting for, for so long. She felt his hand go behind her back, unclipping her bra and throwing it over her nightstand. Claire wrapped her arms around Peter's neck, loving the feel of his soft yet rough lips on hers. Peter felt Claire's arms of round his waist and began slipping of his boxers, hurriedly like she couldn't wait to feel him inside her.

He parted her legs and slowly slipped in his erection, he thrusted into her harder and harder as he felt Claire's lips on his chest. He looked up at her and kissed her softly, her back arching into him. He began moving faster and faster, her kiss seemed to turn him on more then anything. She digged her nails into his back as he yelped in pain, which soon subsided as he began to heal – using Claire's power. Claire moaned into his ear, giving up as she let go, finally exploding with him inside her. Feeling this was too much for him too as he to let go. They both collapsed on the bed, panting for breath as Peter began nibbling at Claire's neck, kissing it. Whispering 'I Love You's'. Claire grabbed hold of Peter, begging him to look at her.

"I love you too, Peter. I always have!" Peter grinned and kissed her again. As Claire relaxed and snuggled into him.

Peter held Claire in his arms, his hands combing through her hair as Claire's fingers danced over his chest, slightly tickling him. She kissed his chest as Peter kissed her forehead, somehow bringing her closer. The sheets all wrapped around them.

"I never want to leave you again, Claire." Peter whispered, although there was no need. "I thought about you everyday." Claire looked up at him, her eyes searching his, she smiled gently up at him. "I thought about your smile." Peter stroked her lips, gently going over them; they were so soft and so inviting. He placed a chaste kiss on them before continuing. "…Your hair." He stroked her hair, his hands messing it up as he smelled it. Vanilla. He should have known. "…Your body" Peter lent his head down, gently placing a kiss on her stomach. He looked up at Claire again, his eyes never leaving hers. "I knew that if I ever saw you again, if I ever came back then I wouldn't be able to leave you, not ever again."

Claire smiled and brought his head down so she could meet his lips with a kiss.

"I love you, Peter Petrelli." She said the words that made his heart beat, 2 beats more then it usually did. He looked at her again, silent for a minute or so.

"Marry me, Claire?" Peter asked, Claire didn't say anything. She didn't need to. Her expression said it all.