An: This is my first Heroes story. I thought I'd take a stab at writing one while I was trying to finish my Harry Potter story. Anyway, this is my take on what will happen on the episode in two weeks (the one after "Four Months Ago") with West and Claire.
Claire's POVI just ran upstairs. I couldn't take it any more. He's ruined everything. First he moved us from Odessa and now… he's ruined the only real relationship I've had in a long time, my only relationship with someone who's like me, who knows what's going on with me.
I sat on my bed, tears in my eyes, willing them to go away. If he thinks I'm moving, he's got another thing coming. I'm not going anywhere. West is here, and through he may hate me right now, I have to see him, to explain. If he still doesn't want me back, then I'll listen to my dad, it won't matter anymore. But first, I at least have to try.
I grabbed my phone from the floor and began to text West for the 50th time that evening. Same message, same response, none.
"Ugh," I cried out in frustration. I'd have to do it tomorrow, at school. I'd corner him at his locker, there was nothing else for it. But would I be here when I woke up? I'm a heavy sleeper and he might move me. It had to be now. I don't know where West lives, but I've got to try and find him, tonight. If I don't find him tonight, I'll do it in school, but one thing's for sure, I'm not staying here.
I got off my bed and walked into my en-suite, taking a shower. After, I dressed, I did my hair and makeup, and grabbed my backpack. I stuffed my purse and schoolbooks into it and opened my window. I hooked my bag onto one of the branches then crept over to my door and put my ear to it. I didn't hear anything. I glanced at the clock, 1:53am. I must have taken longer than I thought. My parents were probably asleep but I couldn't take any risks, I know what my father's capable of.
I crept back over to the window and placed one foot on the largest branch. I held my weight as I tested it so I climbed out as silently as I could. I grabbed my bag and closed the window to my bedroom before climbing down the tree. I crouched low to the ground as I silently ran across the lawn and then the street. I glanced back around the hedge; the house was still silent. Knowing that meant nothing, I continued away from the house.
I silently walked the streets, looking at houses as well as into the sky as I went. I had no idea where West lived and was regretting never asking him. At dawn, as I was just beginning to turn around and head toward the school, I spotted something fly into a backyard. My heart skipped a beat as I made my way to the house and then into the backyard. I looked up into the windows upstairs and saw West, back on, in what I assumed was his bedroom. Smiling slightly to myself, I took a deep breath and returned to the front of the house, knocking on the door.
I waited a moment before a dark-haired woman answered the door, which I assumed was West's mother. She was dressed in a robe and had messy hair, I guess I woke her up.
"I'm sorry, I hope I didn't wake you. I'm Claire, West's girlfriend. I came to see if he wanted to get some breakfast before school," I said in the happiest voice I could muster.
The woman looked surprised for a moment before smiling at me. "Of course, come in. I'll call him down," she said, stepping aside for me to enter. I thanked her and she told me to take a seat before she mounted the stairs to get West.
I heard noises upstairs for a few minutes before West descended the stairs alone, looking angry. I stood and offered a small smile, walking toward him. He took a step backward and the smile fell from my face.
"What do you want." His voice was cold. I knew he was confused. I needed to explain.
"Can we talk?" I asked. "Outside?" He nodded me toward the front door. I took the queue and opened the door. Once outside, we sat on a bench on his porch and I began.
"Look, West, I know you're angry and confused right now, but you have to let me explain. You have to know why I did it. You have to know a few things before you make up your mind." He looked at me, his eyes softening though his face remained stony.
"Why?"
I sighed. "Because if you don't, you'll be making the biggest mistake of your life," I said with confidence I didn't feel. He looked surprised but nodded at me to begin. I looked into his eyes as I began the story I had run though my head all night.
"Well, I think you deserve to know everything, so I'll start from the beginning. This may take a while but school doesn't start for three hours and you can fly us there so we won't be late." He smiled slightly and I grinned back. "The first thing you have to know is that the man with the horn-rimmed glasses is not really my father. I'm adopted," I said to the confused look on his face. "When I was little, my birth mother and I supposedly died in a fire. That wasn't true, obviously, I'm still here. I survived because, well, you know…" I got another smile. "My birth father… well, he'll come in later."
"I guess the story really starts on the day of the solar eclipse, you know the one that happened a little over a year ago?" West nodded. "Well, see I had just started to realize my powers. There was this guy I was friends with at school, Zach, and I told him about my ability, he was the first one to know. Well, I wasn't really friends with him at first, but that will come later. I needed someone to help me and he was one of the AV kids at school. I was a cheerleader, and not a very nice one at that, if you know what I mean. My best friend at the time was Jacky, my co-captain, but I'm getting side tracked, sorry," I said sheepishly. West smiled again and I continued.
"Well, the day of the eclipse I decided to test my ability. You know how on our date I told you how I used to jump off that old tower? Well, that's what I did, it was my sixth attempt that day. Then, on the way back to my house, we came across a burning train wreck. I went inside. I found a man in there and got him out, without a burn on me. I left before the firefighters could get my name…" I told him the entire story, everything. I told him about the football player and how he killed and tried to rape me, (at that point I was pleased to see that he looked like he wanted to kill the guy). I told him about Jacky' murder, the Hatian, Peter, Nathan, my grandmother, Peter exploding in New York, my father and the Company, how we moved to get away, to hide, and what I suspected my father had been doing since we left Texas. During my story, West simply sat and listened, only speaking to ask the occasional question for clarification.
As I got to the part about the fight with my father the previous night, about how I ran away to see him, he pulled me into a hug. I smiled and he leaned down to kiss me.
"Claire, why did you leave, just to see me?" I looked into his concern-filled eyes as I gave my answer.
"Because I needed you to know. I needed to tell you. I wanted you to know before I was taken away and never saw you again. You're the only one who knows what's going on with me, the only one who understands. I needed you to know," I said desperately. He kissed me again before standing up and pulling me with him.
"Let me get my bag and then we'll go to school." I smiled wide, knowing that he understood, that the anger and confusion was gone and the happiness and trust was back. As he came back outside, we flew off to school, making it just in time for the bell. If only I had known then what was to come, what would shake my life even more than I could have possibly imagined.
