Title: "Already There"

Rating: PG13 (Just to be safe)

Characters/Pairing: Peter/Claire

Summary: After Simone's death, Claire helps Peter to pick up the pieces.

Spoilers: Not really. As long as you saw up to 'Unexpected'.

Disclaimer: I own nothing! I just wish I owned Heroes. No copyright infringement intended.

Author's Notes: This fic does not ignore the incest storyline so please don't read it if that bothers you. This is my first Heroes fic ever and my first fic in a very long time so, feedback would be loved and very much appreciated. Constructive criticism only please. Also, if you like the fic and want to be my beta, I'd love you forever!

Peter Petrelli was still in Issac's studio. He was slumped against one of the huge glass windows that encased the room. The sun's rays warmed his back as he sat, the top of his back growing warmer by the minute. Earlier, someone had heard the commotion and called the police. Simone's body was gone, leaving behind only a small pool of blood. A distraught Issac had been carried away by the police.

He didn't know how long he had been sitting there. It seemed like hours although Peter knew that it could not have been.

He had repeatedly told himself that this wasn't his fault. How could he have known that Simone would have walked in at that moment? It had been Issac's fault. Issac had lied to him. It was Issac who had shot Simone. It was Issac's fault that she was dead. But none of that seemed to matter now. Peter was alone. He had no one.

But maybe that was Peter's destiny. To been alone. He could hurt anyone at any second it seemed and Peter could not see how anyone would want to be with him now. Why would you want to be with someone who could hurt you?

So many thoughts were racing through his mind, each thought even more confusing than the last. It was all too much and Peter could not make sense of any of it.

Save the cheerleader. Save the world. That's what he had believed. Well, he had done that. He saved the cheerleader. And now what had happened to the world? His world. She was gone. His world was gone forever. Or at least that was how Peter felt right now.

It had all been a lie. Besides, who had decided that the cheerleader needed saving anyway? What problems could she possibly have? She was an indestructible cheerleader! What could he do for her? Nothing. And now Peter had begun to wonder why it was that his thoughts had wandered off to Claire.

He shouldn't be thinking about her right now, or at all for that matter. He shouldn't care whether she was thinking about him too and yet he was. But the truth was whatever connection they had right now was as far as they should let it go. Anything beyond it was wrong. Forbidden.

A light knock interrupted Peter's musings.

"Hey," came a voice from not far away. It was Claire. Peter had not heard her enter.

What was she doing here? How had she gotten here? It wasn't safe for her to be here. She could have been followed or possibly even kidnapped.

"What are you doing here?" Peter asked, concern etched into every line of his face.

Claire took a few steps closer to him before speaking, "I heard about Simone. I wanted to make sure you-" she cut herself off and then began again, "I'm sorry, Peter."

Peter shook his head and cast a brief glance around. "Don't be."

What was Claire supposed to say? Usually, had it been anyone other than Peter, this would be the part where Claire would say something like, 'You two were a really great match. I wish you'd had more time together' but she didn't wish that. In fact, Claire was glad that they were apart now. And maybe it was selfish of her that she'd rather see Peter like this than with Simone, but she couldn't help it. It wasn't that she wanted Simone dead, Claire wasn't that cruel, it was just that she didn't want anyone else with Peter. What she wanted for Peter was wrong. It was wrong of her to want to be with Peter like he'd been with Simone. He was her uncle after all. They were related! This briefly brought the notion that Simone could have been her aunt (Claire shuddered at the thought). Despite all of that, she didn't care. She just wanted Peter. She wanted to be close to him. Closer than she had ever been with anyone. She wanted him to want her. Claire wanted Peter to love her.

And as much as it hurt Claire to see Peter like this, she was sure that seeing him with Simone would have been even worse. Finally, after a rather tense bit of silence, she opened her mouth to respond.

"I wish I could help you feel better."

Peter didn't say anything for a few seconds. Claire figured this was his broody way of telling her to go away and leave him alone so she nodded and began to turn around.

"I never really loved her," came Peter's voice, causing Claire to whip around in surprise and look over at him.

"Wha-" she began.

"Simone. I never really loved her."

"Peter..." Claire said softly as she made her away over to him and took a seat next to him.

"Maybe it was just lust. Maybe it was because I didn't like Issac. And I knew he wanted her. I did it to spite him." All while he had been speaking, Peter's gaze had been intensely locked onto the ground and when he finished he finally looked up at Claire.

She sighed and locked eyes with him for a moment before allowing her gaze to wander all over his face, taking in every bit of him. Memorizing everything about him. She knew that this could be the last time she might get to look at him this closely, after all they were only a few inches apart. Claire smiled as Peter placed a hand on top of hers. The moment they touched she felt an overwhelming sense of comfort and safety. She loved that it was Peter who could make her feel that way.

"Peter," she whispered, leaning in closer to him.

Peter looked right back at her, inching even closer to her. There was something about the way she was looking at him. Something that was not strictly platonic, and even though that scared Peter, he welcomed it.

"Yeah," he whispered, his eyes not leaving hers.

"I-I think..." Claire wasn't sure where to go. She wanted to just lean over and kiss him. Just do it. Press her lips against his and make everything feel right.

Peter was suddenly struck by a thought, "We should get out of here."

"What?" Claire said, shocked at the sudden change in his attitude.

"We should go. Now."

Right now they had to get away. What was happening between them, how Claire had gotten here and everything else would have to wait.

END OF CHAPTER ONE

A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it. If enough people like it, I'll be sure to get the next chapter up. Oh, and if anyone would like to beta please let me know!