Claire waited until she knew her parents were asleep before getting up again to dress. She felt a bit like a cat burglar as she pulled on her all black clothes, and that thought made her laugh to herself. She might as well be a villain for as wicked as she felt right now.

Being as quiet as possible, Claire raised her window and peered out into the dark. He must be there, always was, but with the new moon shrouding the land in inky blackness, she could find no sign of him at all.

There. A small sound in the trees to her right: the tiniest whistle. An enormous smile spread across her face as she climbed out of the window, and closed it back. Butterflies danced the cha-cha in her belly as she made her way towards him. This is wrong, she told herself. Completely and totally. She told herself such things each time she met him in secret, but somehow that never seemed to stop her feet from walking in his direction.

She sensed his presence before seeing him with her eyes. Could almost smell him on the breeze; that smooth utterly male scent he carried that made her feel so very warm. She could wallow in that smell forever, and in his arms it felt like she did. Each kiss was an eternity, and each embrace he branded into her soul.

From behind a tree, his arms snaked out and wrapped themselves around her body. She let herself be pulled snuggly against him, her breasts planted firmly into his chest, her pelvis pressed gently into the curve of his. Each time they touched, it amazed Claire anew how well they fit together. As if God himself, or whoever was in charge up there, molded their bodies especially for each other.

Their mouths were greedy at first from too many hours of separation. There were no words of greeting. None needed. Just taste and smell and feeling from the top of her head down to the tips of her toes. His mouth was wet and warm.

Finally, she leaned back and gasped for breath, straining to see his eyes in the dark. "Gabriel," she whispered against his lips.

"No," he growled, forcing his tongue back into her mouth. The kiss soon made her dizzy, and she clutched his jacket for support. Her back suddenly bumped up against the tree without her even realizing that she had moved an inch. He crushed her there, hard enough for it to almost hurt, and yet she loved the punishment. Loved feeling so owned.

His kiss was all consuming, the passion of which was beginning to drive her crazy. It pooled in the center of her being and sent shivers radiating throughout her body. He moved down to her neck, sucking lightly on the tender flesh, his hands already pushing at the top of her blouse, desperate for more skin to travel. Boldly, Claire ran her own hands down his hard belly, stopping to toy with his waistband. He growled again in frustration, biting gently at her cloth covered breasts.

It was during times like these that she knew herself to be in the most danger. Anything could happen, and she didn't really care. As long as he kept kissing her like that, and kept his hands roaming over her body, she didn't give a damn.

They needed to move; go to their special place nearby where they made love and talked and made love some more. It was little more than a run down building, but to them it became paradise. Gabriel had rented the place because it was close to Claire, and where he got the money, she didn't know. She didn't ask.

When her hand slid into the hem of his jeans, she captured his mouth in another kiss, biting on his lower lip as she encircled him. Already she could imagine his taste in her mouth, feel him shiver under her touch. The power shifted, and now she was the aggressor, the one to whom he begged for release.

Grinning, she switched places with him and pushed him up against the tree. Claire kissed his lips a last time, and chuckled to herself at how daring this was, out in the open where any night traveler could find them. Sinking to her knees, she gripped his hips firmly and pulled them closer, loving how docile he became when it was her turn to please. She licked her lips in anticipation, and unbuttoned his fly, the zipper following slowly. His erection sprang loose and she nuzzled against it, inhaling his true scent deeply.

"Claire," he whispered in equal parts of pleasure and discomfort at having to wait. She shook her hair out of her face, swatting at errant strands before he smoothed it back for her, stroking her soft cheeks lightly with the backs of his fingers.

As she began to pull back his boxers, he suddenly froze and laid a hand on her shoulder firmly, halting her progress. Claire looked up at him in the dark and tried to discern his expression. He could hear things she couldn't, but still she tried to listen for whatever sound he'd picked up.

He sighed. "Your father is awake," he finally said, disappointment thick in his voice. Splashing cold water onto their overheated passion left her feeling raw and bitter.

"I'm sick of hiding from him," she complained as he tucked himself back into his jeans. He zipped up, and gave her his hand, which she accepted grudgingly.

"He would never understand," Gabrielle said tensely, no doubt feeling a little bitter about it as well.

Claire leaned into him, desperate to feel his warmth as much as she could before having to leave. He wrapped his arms around her snugly and kissed her forehead. "Let's just run away," she blurted out. "Let's just go. We can go anywhere and just be together." The words came out in a rush, as her pent up emotions began spilling over the top of her threshold. She looked up at him pleadingly, knowing what he would say.

"We can't yet," he said, and she shook her head in anger, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "They'll find us."

"I don't care," she cried into his chest.

Gabriel tipped her face up to look at him. "Only a little bit longer Claire, and we can be together." He stared intensely into her eyes, and she tried to look into the black pools of his. His grip on her body got tighter as he leaned down closer. "I have to make it so they can't find us first."

Something about him scared her briefly, and she trembled inwardly. The name flashed through her mind so fast, there was no way she could have prevented it.

Sylar.

The moment passed, and he became his sweet self again, kissing her goodnight like he always did, and hugging her closer to his body. Claire melted and pushed the name away from herself forcefully. This was her boyfriend. Gabrielle. That other man was part of the past.

"See you later," he whispered as she walked away. Quickly, Claire made it back to her window and heaved herself up, climbing in softly and closing the window. As she undressed, she couldn't help but run her hands over her still heated body. Everything tingled and blushed from his attentions earlier. With a sigh she snuggled into bed and willed herself to sleep where dreams of their reunion would have to suffice for now.