Title: Two Years
Fandom: Heroes
Author: ArinnaVal
Words: 1,412
Pairing: Peter/Claire
Rating: PG -13/T
Warnings: Incest (b/c it's Paire.)
Disclaimer: I don't own Heroes if I would Paire would be actual unrelated couple.
Spoilers: Vol.4 to be safe (but Nathan is alive so it's pretty much AU);
Summary: When you have to choose your life or your family, what would you do?

A/N: Written for pairechallenge's prompt "Anniversary"

Thanks to my wonderful beta: Alex!

Two years...

Claire looked at the calendar hanging on the wall and smiled. Her son was going to turn two years old today. They lived in a small apartment on the Upper East Side in New York, and it was far enough from the Petrelli Mansion for her liking. Her smile faded as she looked at the TV screen. It was him again - him and his stupid political career. Claire hated him sometimes; she hated him for being so distant, and for sometimes being such a snob. Most of all, she hated him for being her real father.

Nathan Petrelli and his snobby, wealthy family. Claire was never part of it; her son was never part of it and she was glad about that. She sighed and switched off the small TV sitting on the kitchen counter. She looked back at the cake in front of her and one happy smile appeared on her face. She had to decorate it with her son's favorite color - blue. Her son loved blue… as did his father.

Claire rummaged through the kitchen until she found the cup with the icing. She took one big spoonful and carefully skimmed it over the cake, and another smile appeared on her face. Her son had not been planned, he had been created by accident. It was strange for her to think, but Claire was happy that it happened this way. She loved his father with all her heart. She loved him more dearly than her own life, and now they had this beautiful little boy named…

'Matthew!' One man's voice echoed from the front door. 'Come back here or I swear that I'm gonna shape-shift you into something really nasty!'

Matthew laughed and Claire heard his father laugh with him. They had been out for a walk while she was baking the cake. Claire smiled and took off her apron; her two boys were home.

'Momma!' Matthew padded over to her the moment he saw her.

'Careful Matt!' Claire knelt down and he literally flew in her arms. He placed one wet kiss on her cheek and Claire squeezed him tightly. He giggled. 'You are here early,' she murmured, and looked up at Matt's father.

'I'm sorry.' His hazel eyes glowed. 'I thought that the big guy needed something special before dinner.'

'Really? What?' Claire knew this game; they played it all the time. Their son knew it too, and started moving in her arms.

'A bathroom!' Matthew's father growled and Claire released the boy from her arms.

'No!' He squealed and tried to run, but his father was too fast and grabbed him securely in his arms.

'Oh yeah!' He growled again, and this time the boy laughed. 'Here we comes, little captain!'

'Daddy! No tub!' Matthew squealed.

'Sorry! The big tub is waiting!'

'I'll be waiting for you boys.' Claire laughed with them.

'Yes, madam!' He smiled with his cute, crooked smile, and her heart melted again.

'Be careful Peter.'

'Aren't I always Claire?' Peter winked at her and carried his son into the bathroom.

Later that evening, after they had celebrated Matt's second birthday and the boy was sleeping in his room, Claire was lying in Peter's arms. She felt happy, but a little sad at the same time.

'I wish we could do that openly,' she whispered, and looked up at him. Her upper body covered his chest and her face almost touched his. 'Tell me again why we can't?'

'Because we are related.' Peter stroked her hair and his lips captured hers.

'No one knows that Nathan is my biological father, Peter.' She whispered as he pulled back.

'They know, Claire.' Peter pushed her onto the bed and his mouth attacked the bare skin of her collarbone. She sighed and her hands grabbed his shoulders. This was not the first time they talked about this, nor was it the first time that Peter had tried to distract her in this way.

'We have to talk Peter.' She moaned when she felt his hand slip between their bodies and touch her in the right place.

'We don't have to talk.' He thrust into her and Claire squeezed his shoulders. Her nails dug deeply into his skin. He had distracted her again and she had let him.

Later that night as she was lying in Peter's arms, Claire thought about the life she had before all this had happened. She lived in the mansion and she was pining over Peter. She thought of herself as a freak because she was in love with her uncle.

One night, Peter had come home late and had heard her crying. Claire could not take it anymore and had packed her bags. She had cried her pain in his arms and stayed there up to the moment when he lifted her head up and stared into her eyes. Peter had wiped her tears and smiled softly. Claire felt embarrassed, but then he kissed her and she knew that she was not alone.

That was how it had all started. Claire had stayed and heard him confess his feelings to her. They both knew that nobody could know about this, and that their love was forbidden. Therefore, they started to live a lie the moment she got pregnant with Matthew. Peter had assured her that he would stay with her and would not leave her, in spite of everything.

It was an ugly family meeting. Peter and Claire had confessed everything, including her pregnancy. They could have lied about it, but they were both tired of lying. Nathan had called Noah, and when he had found out, all hell broke loose. Peter and Claire had to choose – the life of their unborn child or their life with the family. Later that night, Peter left the Mansion. When Angela went upstairs to call Claire for breakfast, she saw that her room was empty too.

Two years later, they lived together with their son, but Claire still felt bad for Peter and her family. She knew that he missed them sometimes, she could see that in his eyes, but he never said a word about it. He was with Claire and their son, and he showed them how much he loved them.

She sighed and fell asleep in his arms. That was something she never thought she would do before. It was something special, and she cherished these moments. It was not only Matthew's birthday, it was their anniversary also – their third year living together. It looked like a dream at first, but now it was a reality. They had given up everything to be together, and it was worth it.

Claire could see that clearly when they went for a stroll the next day. She and Peter held Matthew's hands and supported his unstable walk. He laughed joyfully and made his parents laugh too. People looked at them with smiles; they looked like a perfect family. Just then, they saw a black limo stopping at the opposite side of the street. Peter frowned and stopped suddenly. Claire saw his thoughtful look and followed it, and saw Nathan get out of the limo. Claire gulped painfully when she saw him turn his look toward them. It was only for one second, but then he frowned and turned around, entering the closest building as if he had not noticed them.

'Peter?' Claire looked at him and saw his sad smile.

'Who's that?' Matthew pulled down his hand. 'Daddy?'

'No one!' Peter smiled and lifted his son up, placing him on his shoulders.

'But Peter…' Claire looked at his previously sad eyes. He looked at her and there was not sadness in them anymore. There was love.

'Sometimes you have to give up something good to have something better,' he said, and laced his fingers with hers. 'I don't feel sorry.'

'I don't either!' Claire looked at his eyes and was sure now; every year spent with him would worth a lot more than every year spent in a lie.

They smiled at each other, sank into the sea of faces, and continued their life together.