Thank You to everyone reviewing! I really appreciate it. In this chapter, I used two songs for effect, its a new thing, but I don't know if it works. I OWN NOTHING.
Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift, The Hill by Marketa Irglova
Claire felt a fury bubbling in her as she showered. Washing the blood off her body made her mind wonder about how far was she willing to go to set the world right. Her interactions with Sylar were always so confusing. It was moment to moment where he could make her question her moral range. From one second to the next, she could be a perfectly peaceful, passive person to beating a man to death with her fists. Claire had the water on scalding hot and her skin turned a deep red in reaction. It made Claire hiss, but she was grateful for a bit of pain. She didn't wish to endure what Ms. Clark had put her through ever again, but she was grateful to have sensation back.
Claire quickly dressed and ran out of her room to meet up with Craig. He told her to be at the chapel around 7:30 pm, and she didn't want to linger long in her room. She didn't need Sylar to be checking on her. The more she pushed him away, the more persistent he was to see her.
As she walked into the chapel, wearing her combat black pants and gray long sleeve shirt, Claire realized the Molly and Micah were waiting for her.
Molly instantly started to well up at the sight of Claire. The two rushed to her, hugging her instantly. They seemed to have gotten a bit taller, even though it had been only a few months of not seeing one another. Micah wore a grown up face, as if he had seen some things that anyone his age should probably never see. Molly looked worn and timid. Claire felt her insides fill with warmth. They felt like home. She looked around the chapel to find no one around, it we empty. Craig must have planned this for her. She smiled to herself. Molly began to speak first and rapidly.
"Claire, We've been hearing what you've been doing. We've been moved around so much. Why are they keeping us apart? Micah has singlehandedly dismantled parts of the world's governments. They had to revert to old school technology, even then he can crack their codes. Have you been using my information to find specials? Craig says its been helpful."
Claire smiled at the fast speaking girl.
"Yes, its been very helpful. How have you guys been? Ok?"
Claire gave them a concerned face, both responded with shrugs and placid faces. Micah spoke.
"We miss our old life. But We've found a home with some people. We have each other."
Claire hugged them warmly again.
"Hold onto that. Its important to have one another."
The three of them sat in the pews of the chapel. They discussed events that each went through, Claire glossed over her times with Ms. Clark, Sylar and Samuel. She only discussed her adventures of finding Specials with Craig. Molly talked about how she has been honing her ability to find specials. Micah discussed how he hacked the President's computer and downloaded a porn spyware after a particularly anti-special speech. It had them laughing, Molly even collapsed on the floor with tears spurting from her eyes. Molly looked up at the alter area with a strange look from the floor. She stood up and lifted up a cover, that had looked like had been covering a table, but was actually a piano. Her face lit up and Micah groaned softly.
"Oh man, she's been begging me to play since she found out I could."
Claire clapped him on the back.
"You have to play now."
Micah reluctantly walked over to the piano and opened up the key cover. He sat down, Molly gleefully plopping down next to him. He cautiously pressed on a few keys, nervous it would cause a louder sound than needed. He played a few chords that Claire knew, but Molly made a groan sound.
"I don't know the Beatles that well. Can you play something I know?"
Micah gave her a look of contempt, but he showed how much he wanted to make her happy. He played a few chords, and Molly made a squeal kind of noise. She hummed along with the first few notes and began to chime in with the words.
"I remember tears streaming down your face
When I said "I'll never let you go"
When all those shadows almost killed your light
I remember you said, "Don't leave me here alone"
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight."
Claire moved up and sat next to the two, she started to sing along with Molly. Molly smiled softly at her as they sang together.
"Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound"
Micah played softly on the piano, his eyes focused on playing the notes. Molly paused, unsure of the words, so Claire continued on.
"Don't you dare look out your window, darling
Everything's on fire
The war outside our door keeps raging on
Hold on to this lullaby
Even when the music's gone.
Gone."
Molly jumped back in to the chorus, Claire holding her hand. They sang to each other.
"Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound"
Molly and Claire hummed along to the next part of the song, all three of them in deep thought. The song was truly bringing some realization and very real connections to their current lives. Micah stopped playing and Claire, unknowingly sung very softly.
"Just close your eyes
You'll be alright
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound..."
Silence covered the three of them. Molly looked at Claire, tears forming. Claire wrapped her arms around her, unsure what to say. Micah broke the silence.
"We have to stop this."
"Micah, don't say things like that. If Samuel hears you.."
"What if Samuel hears him?"
Claire raised an eyebrow. Molly looked sheepish for a moment. Micah answered slowly.
"When anyone speaks out against anything Samuel does, they usually disappear. Suddenly. He doesn't actually care about Specials, he just cares about his power."
Claire nodded. She didn't need to be told this.
"Claire, are you working on anything to stop him?"
Claire looked down at the piano, hitting a few keys sloppily.
"I was. But found that I'd be making a bigger problem than Samuel. Peter supporting Samuel doesn't help."
Micah and Molly looked confused.
"Peter is here?"
Claire nodded, she had assumed that they had seen him.
"He is Samuel's right hand man. He killed Noah, let my family perish."
Claire said it so bluntly, that Molly and Micah had trouble processing it for a moment.
"Claire, why didn't you say anything?"
"I was enjoying our moment, I guess. I think about it too much, I knew I would tell you soon."
Molly nodded, huddling into Claire more so. She spoke softly.
"I'm so sorry, Claire."
Claire sighed, water welling up in her eyes.
"Its ok. I just don't know what to do. Peter was always the hero, my fathers knew what to do. I'm on my own."
Micah's eyes became stormy.
"Claire, you are better than all of them. You have power. You can stop this."
Claire stared at his defiant face.
"I get so lost."
"We are too, but We'd follow you. All of the specials you've saved. They'd follow you. They've been using you. Its time for you to use them back."
Claire nodded. She looked down at the piano again. Her strength came to her voice.
"I'll come for you."
Molly's eyes widened with hope. Claire felt the sense of strength build. Seeing these two gave her a confidence. They still believed in her. Her mind swayed back to Sylar's initial plan. She reconsidered it again. Her heart pounded at the thought. She did promise to put all of them 6 feet under the ground. Maybe it was time to finally fulfill her promises.
Craig appeared, rounding the corner.
"Hey guys, hate to break this up but I can't keep these two missing for too long."
Claire smiled at Craig as Molly and Micah stood up to leave. They hugged each other tightly.
"I'll find you two again, I promise."
Molly and Micah smiled at her and left quickly. Craig slowly following them. Claire stopped him.
"Craig, thank you, I really needed that."
"I know. What are friends for?"
He disappeared after the two teenagers. Claire sat back down at the piano. Her fingers twitched over the keys. She hadn't played in awhile, but the urge to release some feelings over came her. She began to play softly on the piano, a song that her mother loved.
"Walking up the hill tonight But where are you my angel now?
when you have closed your eyes
I wish I didn't have to make
all those mistakes and be wise
Please try to be patient and know that I'm still learning.
I'm sorry that you have to see
the strength inside me burning
Don't you see me crying?
And I know that you can't do it all
but you can't say I'm not trying.
I'm on my knees in front of him
but he doesn't seem to see me.
With all his troubles on his mind.
He's looking right through me.
and I'm letting myself down
By satisfying you
And I wish that you could see
that I have my troubles too..."
Claire stopped playing the song and took a gulp of air. Her mother's memory sticking in her mind. She understood why she loved this song. Her father caused a lot of conflict in their lives, maybe because of Claire, but he may have hurt her mother the worst.
A slow clap erupted from the back row of the chapel. It startled Claire, she whipped her head around to see Samuel, Peter and Sylar watching her. Samuel was slow clapping her. Claire stood up defiantly, glaring at them. Samuel stood up from the pew and approached her.
"Claire, you have a lovely voice, if you don't mind me saying. I wish you finished the song."
Claire bit back some venomous words.
"I forgot the rest of the words."
Sylar twitched his head slowly, he scratched at the back of his neck. He knew she was lying. He said nothing to Samuel though, who seemed to know she was lying as well. He smiled devilishly at her. Claire felt her cheeks blush.
"Claire, I've been meaning to speak with you. I was curious if you wanted maybe go on an outing with Peter and Sylar in the near future. I wanted to see if you wanted to become more involved with the resistance, fight with your brothers and sisters."
Claire's eyes flashed to Peter and Sylar, who were seated in the back pew, distant from one another, but listening intently to the conversation.
"What exactly do I have to do?"
Samuel's shoulders seemed to relax into place and he turned to the back table.
"I need you to walk into Congress, get in contact with the Vice-President, and get him alone."
Claire followed Samuel to the back table.
"How exactly am I suppose to do that? I'm-"
"Not on their radar. Your father made sure you were out of every file at the Company and the government's files. They don't know you exist. With every trip with Craig, the both of you have insured that no one has discovered your identity. Micah has checked and you appear on none of the lists that the government has issued to the nation. No one knows who you are."
Claire bit her lip, processing the information. Noah had given his life to save her in more ways than one.
"That's great, but how exactly do I get to be alone with the Vice-President? Why not have a shape-shifter or-"
Samuel raised his hand to silence Claire.
"You don't think they've thought of that? They've built scanners that can read a shape shifters mutations. It instantly makes a shifter change into their true shape. We've lost two people to that already. They have created quite a few defenses against us."
Claire crossed her arms, contemplating this move.
"Even if I do this, How exactly do I get the Vice-President of the United States, of all people, alone?"
Samuel seemed gleeful that she asked.
"According to some of our inside men, he has a tendency to have interests in younger women."
Claire stared at Samuel's face, her face grown serious.
"You've got to be kidding me."
"No jokes here, love. Just plain, old seduction."
Claire grunted.
"You want me to walk in there, find him and just say..."
Claire put on her best valley girl voice and flipped her hair.
"...Hello Mr. Vice-President, My name is Britney, do you like lollipops?"
Sylar choked back a gurgled laugh. Claire looked back at him, meeting his eyes. She smirked at him. Peter watched the interaction, annoyance crossing his face. Claire realized she enjoyed annoying Peter. She turned back to Samuel, who looked serious again.
"Claire, I don't trust anyone else to do this job like you could. I've seen you put your heart into things. I need someone I can trust."
Claire chewed her lip and was serious again.
"Fine, I'll do it. When I get him alone, what is the next step?"
"You need to get him to this hotel, this room listed in the file. Sylar and Peter will be waiting. Here is a file about the Vice-President. Learn some of his likes... so you can peak his interest."
Claire took the file and glanced up at Samuel.
"I think I know how to do this, Samuel. You don't need to tell me how to be a female."
She said it with as much disdain as possible.
Sylar suddenly appeared and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, giving her a tight squeeze. Her heart started to pound at the action.
"I told you that she'd be a natural at this."
Peter walked past them, grunting.
"She hasn't done anything yet."
He sat squarely down at a chair, facing the rest of the group. Samuel gave Peter a distrusting look, but Sylar spoke fast.
"Peter is just upset that he can't seduce the Vice-President."
Claire scrunched her face up and ducked under Sylar's arm. She sat at the other end of the table.
"The word seduction needs to not be used anymore."
Sylar pulled up a chair to the table, right next to Claire.
Samuel placed himself at the middle of the table.
"We have documents giving you a proper id and history so that you can get into Congress. From the inside, you have to find his office. He should be holding a conference on the same day, so you'll need to be able to be in the conference as well. Linger in the halls. Do whatever you can do to get him back to the hotel room. Sylar and Peter will take it from there. You'll be stationed there for a few days, but only Claire will be able to come and go from the hotel. You two must stay put. This is D.C., Eyes are everywhere."
Sylar seemed deep in thought, running his fingers over his lips. Peter stared off into space. Claire asked the question again.
"Then what? We get him, then what?"
Samuel spoke quickly.
"We wipe his mind. We make him our tool within the government."
Claire nodded, she understood. She expected him to say that they would kill him. She opened the file and began to read. The typical, white, rich man profile popped up to her. Golf, fishing, burgers and church. She sighed. It would be like shooting fish in a barrel to flirt. He loved Harvard football, Claire could probably use that to gain some attention. She looked at his picture. He was attractive for an older man. He didn't dye his hair, but he had a grey tint that suited him. His name, John Canonon, seemed like a perfect VP. She read about his countless affairs, his wife, and a couple illegitimate children. She threw down the folder on the table.
"Its pretty much what every politician is. Nathan's name could have been here and the information wouldn't have changed."
Peter gave Claire a dark look. She felt a little guilty for bad mouthing her dead father, but she was speaking the truth. She glared darkly back at him.
Sylar looked between them, enjoying the tension.
Samuel didn't look up from his notes.
"The three of you will be shipped off in two days, so be prepared. Claire, once you are in D.C., I suggest you shop for some clothing with a democratic feel."
Claire nodded. Her mind was turning, she needed to make amends with Sylar in two days. She needed to work on their plan again, infuse it in Samuel's plot. She slipped her hand underneath the table, gripping Sylar's hand for a moment. His eyes shot to hers. Claire released his hand and pushed back a piece of her hair.
"Well, its pretty late. I'm going to get some rest. I'll be ready in two days."
Samuel looked up at her. He smiled.
"Happy to have you on board."
Claire stood up and left the table. Sylar lazily looked at her as she did so. She walked through the hallway toward her room, she felt Sylar come up behind her. She glanced over her shoulder.
"How'd you excuse yourself so quickly?"
They reached their bedroom doors. She leaned her back up against the wall that was in between their doors. He stared at her and gave her a smirk.
"I told them I was going to try my own seducing."
Claire laughed at his admission.
"Why would you do that?"
"To piss them off, especially Peter."
Claire bit her thumb, the thought of a pissed off Peter did give her a little pleasure.
Sylar slowly leaned one arm against the wall above her head. They were close again and Claire could feel the warmth she had been craving fog her mind.
"Are you really trying to seduce me?"
Sylar suddenly removed his arm.
"No, I'm not the one who needs the practice."
With that, his door slammed in her face. Claire was a bit shocked at his brush off. She opened his door and he stood surprised to find her in his room.
"Oh, I'm sorry, did I offend the Cheerleader? Not enough attention for the day."
He sounded a bit angry with her.
"I need to talk to you."
He growled and towered over her, nearly backing her back into the door.
"What exactly do you have to say to me, Claire? You flipping back to our original plan? Are you suddenly realizing that you need me? That you can't help it. I don't stand for that, Claire. I don't like being manipulated, to be used as some sort of toy. I am very accustom to it from your family, biological or not. Literal Mind Games. I doubt you had a normal relationship with a single member of your family. They've certainly passed on their wonderful ways to you."
His words were a jumble of thoughts. He turned away from her. He ripped his shirt off, despite her presence. He started to unbuckle his belt to his jeans, when Claire turned away, looking out his window of his room. She could hear him changing into pj pants. She focused on what she needed to say to him.
Claire finally spoke, but she didn't look at him.
"I'm sorry, Sylar. I'm sorry that my father made you this way, when you could have been something different. I'm sorry if it seems like I was trying to manipulate you before, because I was. I wanted to find a way out of here."
She paused.
"I want to trust you. I just can't. There has been too much between us, with my family. I'm trying to figure this out on my own. I have realized that I do need you, but there is always going to be a part of me that wants you to be better. I want to stand next to someone who has control, who has good intentions."
She looked back at him, his body was stiff and muscular. He had clearly been working out as well. She tore her eyes away from his body to his eyes that seemed to be dark and stormy.
"I beat your face in this morning, because I could. I can hurt you as much as I needed to, you can come back from that. Everyone in my life has suffered when it comes to me. I am the only person that I know that has killed more people without lifting a single finger. You are the only one who has survived me."
Claire felt the words leave her, the truth coming out. She'd hate to admit it, but she knew she couldn't lie to him.
Sylar seemed a bit dumbstruck by her speech to him.
"You are an enigma, Claire."
Claire moved before she could think of anything to say. She walked up to him, gently pushing him to sit on his bed. He sat there looking up at her like she was untouchable.
She slowly slipped above him, straddling his lap. His hands instantly gripping her close. She placed both her hands on his face, staring into his eyes.
"We need to trust each other."
Sylar pulled her tighter to him.
"Building bridges?"
Claire nodded, biting her lip, before kissing him. He welcomed her kiss hungrily. She opened her mouth to allow him more into her mouth. She kept a slow pace. Her need to connect with him was overwhelming. She slowly pulled away from his kiss.
"May I stay here tonight? I don't want to be alone."
He simply nodded at the request. His face and body craving more of her.
She slipped off him and sat down on his reading chair. She removed her shoes.
Sylar stood up and walked into the bathroom. Claire could hear cold water running. She walked into their bathroom, seeing him washing his face with cold water. She slipped into her bedroom and changed into a black tank top and shorts for bed. She moved silently back into Sylar's room. He was slipping underneath his comforter, he looked surprised to see her back in his room.
"What? You'd think I wasn't coming back?"
Sylar softly smiled.
" Yea, I thought you changed your name. Between the two of us, We've given a new definition of bi-polar."
Claire gingerly slipped under the covers with him. His arms wrapped around her instantly, pulling her close to him. They were facing one another on their sides. He was using quite a bit of self-control.
"Claire, what song were you singing?"
Claire's eyes dazed for a moment.
"My mother's favorite song, she taught me how to play it on the piano. I think its from a movie. The Hill is the name of the song."
"It was beautifully tragic."
Claire nodded.
"I liked Sandra, she was very kind to me, before she realized I was bad news."
Claire smirked at the memory.
"She was the strongest woman I knew."
Sylar played with Claire's hair.
"My mother, my adoptive mother, was not so strong. She built me up to only tear me down. She discovered who I was, my true self, and she tried to kill me."
Claire laid very still at Sylar admission. She recalled the one about his father back at the Stanton Hotel, but she knew nothing of Sylar's mother.
"Do you ever wonder what would have happened to us, if We stayed with our biological parents?"
He seemed to think about the question.
"If you stayed with Nathan or Meredith, you'd either be an outlaw brat or a rich, political brat. I would have ended up as a serial killer due to my father's tendencies. So in the grand scheme of things, probably the exact same position."
Claire pulled herself closer into his chest.
"I guess so." She murmured into him.
His steady breathing began to lull her asleep. Claire felt herself begin to drift, her mind hazy. She felt his hand lightly play with her hair. Before she knew it, she was soundly asleep in the serial killer's arms.
