Disclaimer:
I don't own these characters and no matter how much I wish I did, it's not going to happen. :(Author's Note:
Howdy folks! Another Friday, another chapter. If you're still reading this, yay. My reviews seem to have dwindled in the past few weeks, which is cool, but has just left me wondering if many people are still reading this. Oh well, enjoy anyway, even if you don't leave a review!Summary:
Peter confronts Abby about the check.Spark
Chapter Nine
Peter rushed into his apartment door, searching around the room instantly. Abby and Claire froze from their position on the couch, staring at him like he was crazy. Peter sighed in relief, gave them both a smile and headed into his room. As soon as he was gone, Abby and Claire turned to look at each other, questioning looks on their faces. Abby shrugged and they both went back to watching the TV. Seconds later, Peter emerged from his bedroom, out of his nurse's uniform and wearing casual clothes. He walked over to them and sat on the couch next to Abby, taking a chocolate out of a box on her lap and eating it. Abby shook her head, thinking he was crazy.
"Okay, what was that about?" Peter looked at Claire, not knowing what she was talking about. Before he could even question her she sighed. "You know, the crazy barging into the room, sighing and leaving to get changed without a word? What was that?" Peter shrugged.
"I was just making sure Abby was still here." Abby snorted.
"Fraid I was taken, killed or just left 'cause I wanted to?" Peter gave her a sheepish look.
"A little of all three." He reached out to take another chocolate but she grabbed hold of his hand, halting his actions.
"I'm not goin anywhere." Peter smiled at her, using his thumb to rub the hand that was holding his. Abby, realising what he was doing, quickly let go of his hand. Claire smirked at the two of them.
"Okay, you're not going anywhere. I was just worried." Abby rolled her eyes but couldn't keep the smile off her face. The three sat eating chocolate, talking and teasing each other until there was a knock on the door. Peter got up, climbing over the back of the couch, and headed to the door, looking out through the peephole. A smile spread over his face and he opened the door. Abby and Claire turned around to see who it was, both frowning when they saw Simone.
"Hey Peter." Peter kissed her on the cheek and closed the door behind her.
"Simone. What are you doing here?" Simone smiled, pulling her scarf off her neck.
"Well, I had an idea today. I was thinking we could go out tonight for dinner. All of us." She turned towards the couch, surprised to see Claire there. "Oh, Claire, I didn't know you'd be here tonight." Claire nodded, a chocolate between her teeth.
"I came right after school. I knew Abby had been here all by herself today and came to give her some company." Simone smiled, her eyes darting towards the jacket still slung over the chair.
"Well, you can come too. Come on, it's my treat." Peter was surprised.
"Really? All of us together?" Simone nodded. Peter's face lit up. "Well come on, you two, start getting ready." Abby and Claire exchanged looks, neither one anywhere near as excited as Peter was.
"I don't know. Is that really a good idea?" Abby was trying her hardest to get out of it, not liking the idea of spending the night with Peter and his girlfriend some place she couldn't escape by simply going into her room. Peter looked at her pouting and Abby remembered it as the Peter Petrelli Pout.
"Oh, come on. We're all together and we'll be in a public place. Please Abby." Abby sighed. After all, she couldn't say no to him.
"Okay, just let me go get changed." She stood up and started towards her bedroom, Claire following after her. As soon as they were gone Simone turned to Peter, tugging on his arm urgently.
"Peter, I need to talk to you about something." Peter looked at her, worry immediately building in his gut.
"What? What is it? What's wrong?" Simone sighed.
"I overheard something today when I came here to get my paperwork. I thought I'd be able to not tell you but then... well actually faced with the situation, I can't lie to you." Peter got even more concerned.
"What's wrong? What did you overhear?" Simone squealed internally, excited that this was actually working. On the outside she kept her face locked in a frown.
"When I came here earlier today... your mother was here." Peter's eyes widened in surprise.
"My mother was here? What was she doing here?" Simone sighed.
"She was making a deal with Abby." Peter stared at her in confusion.
"A deal?" Simone nodded.
"She, uh, Peter she gave Abby a check to leave here, to stop all contact with you... and Claire." Peter took a step back, not believing his mother had done such a thing. "And she took it. I heard Abby saying that she'd be gone by the end of the week, that she'd slip away without you knowing." Peter stumbled back again, surprised at the information he was getting. "And more than that... I heard her saying that she was going to get more than she'd thought she would." Peter took another stumbling step backwards, shaking his head.
"No, it's not true. You, you must have heard wrong." Simone shook her head and Peter's eyes widened again in disbelief.
"Search her things for the check. It has to still be here. I'm sorry, Peter." Peter stared at Simone, wanting it not to be true. Abby and Claire came out of her bedroom, talking, but both froze when they saw the look on Peter's face.
"Peter? What's wrong?" Peter mouthed some words but nothing could come out so he just shook his head. Abby stepped closer to him, worried about him, but he took a step away from her.
"Peter, please, what's wrong? You're scarin me." Peter stared at her, disbelief written on his face.
"Uh, nothing, let's just go out." Simone was shocked that he was just going to pretend nothing had happened. Abby stared at him for a moment before nodding and hesitantly walking towards her jacket. She picked it up and flung it around her shoulders. Simone's face lit up when she noticed something flutter out of the pocket. She moved closer to Peter, grabbed his hand and squeezed it.
"Peter. Look." Peter followed her gaze and felt his heart drop when he saw what she was looking at. He bent and picked it up, staring at it. He stood up, running his fingers over it.
"Why, Abby?" Abby turned to look at Peter, not knowing what he was talking about.
"Why, what?" Peter swallowed, his throat feeling dry all of a sudden.
"Why did you accept it?" Abby crinkled her forehead in confusion.
"Whoa Peter, back up. I don't know what you're talkin 'bout." Peter turned the check to face her, anger lighting up his eyes. Abby saw what it was and gasped.
"Is this what I was worth to you? Is this what Claire was worth to you?" He was yelling now. Claire, not knowing what was going on, stepped forward.
"What's going on? What's that?" Peter turned to his niece, putting the check in her hands.
"My mother," his voice caught on the word but he managed to get it out, "offered this to Abby in exchange for leaving here and not having any contact with us. And she accepted." Abby had been staring at the ground in shock but snapped her head up at that.
"I did not. I didn't accept. Your mother offered it to me but I turned it down. I gave it back to her." Peter laughed sardonically.
"If you gave it back to her, what was it doing in your pocket?" Claire turned her eyes to Abby, tears welling in them. Abby looked away from the younger girl, not able to look at her.
"I don't know. She must've... she must've set me up. But how?" She couldn't remember the older woman going anywhere near her jacket. Then it suddenly hit her and she snapped her gaze to Simone. "It was you. You planted it on me." Simone gave a perfected look of innocence in return of the implication.
"I didn't do anything." Abby glared at the other woman, knowing it had to have been her. Deciding to not worry about Simone for the moment she turned her attention back to Peter.
"Please, Peter, I didn't accept. I gave it back to her. You've got to believe me. Please believe me." Peter simply looked away from her.
"I wish I could believe you." Her heart slumped. "I wish I could believe you but I have the evidence right here." He swallowed again, trying to get around the lump in his throat. "I think... I think you should leave." Abby stared at him in shock. Claire, tears still shining in her eyes, grabbed hold of Peter's hand.
"No, please don't Peter. She said she didn't accept it." Peter ignored the ex-cheerleader, his eyes stuck on Abby. He'd made a deal with his mother that as soon as she showed her true motives he'd walk away from her and never look back. Even though he really didn't want to believe it was true he was still going to stick to it, not able to deny the evidence. Abby stared into Peter's eyes before nodding slowly. Claire let a sob out.
"Alright. I always said I'd leave when you asked. I may be a lot of things but I never go back on my word." She turned slowly around and went into her room. Peter closed his eyes and dropped his head, not liking this situation at all. Claire followed after Abby. When she got into the room she saw Abby gathering up all her things. There were now two beds in Abby's room, Nathan had bought another one to go in there after he found out Claire was sleeping in Abby's bed on the days she slept over at Peter's, which was most nights and that Abby was sleeping on the floor when she did. Claire went and sat on her bed.
"You didn't really agree, did you Abby?" The older woman froze and looked up at Claire.
"What do you want me to say?" Claire sighed.
"Tell me the truth." Abby sighed and turned around to sit on the bed.
"I really didn't accept." Claire smiled slightly.
"Please don't go. I'm sure we can make Peter believe you." Abby sighed.
"No, I don't think we can." With a dejected smile she shook her head. Without another word she turned and finished getting her things together.
----
Peter sat on the couch, his head in his hands. Simone was sitting next to Peter, rubbing his back while trying to soothe him. It wasn't working. Peter couldn't believe it was happening, had never thought it would happen. Abby's bedroom door opened and she walked out, looking like she was on a death march. Claire appeared behind her, looking like she was going to burst into tears. Peter looked up at them before looking back down, not able to look at Abby.
"Please, Peter, she didn't accept it. Don't make her leave." Peter looked at Claire sadly while Abby put her hand on the younger girls shoulder, shaking her head. Claire looked even more heartbroken. Abby walked towards the door, pausing when she got to where Peter was sitting. She opened her mouth, like she wanted to say something, before shaking her head and closing her mouth, continuing to walk again. She got to the door and Peter stood up.
"Here, I guess you should take this. You did earn it, after all." Abby froze, her hand on the doorknob. She shook her head, refusing to turn around, refusing to let him see the hurt on her face.
"Keep it. I don't want it." Peter's eyes widened, believing for a minute that maybe she hadn't accepted the deal his mother offered her. Before he could say anything she had opened the door and walked out.
----
Claude was on the roof where he kept his pigeons. He'd moved them from the Deveraux Building to one closer to Peter's apartment. He hadn't really spent that much time with them recently, spending too much time with Peter and Abby, and he was glad to be spending time with them. He opened one of the cages and watched as it flew away, out over the city. He moved to the ledge of the building, looking out over the city as the pigeon flew over it. Down on the street below something caught his eye, this building was lower than the Deveraux Building and it was much easier to see people on the street below. A woman was leaning against the side of a building, looking like she was crying. Ordinarily this wouldn't mean anything to Claude but this time it did because even from a distance he could tell it was Abby.
He took off in a run, running down the stairs. When he got to the bottom he headed in the direction he'd last seen Abby and was thankful when he found her still there. She was now sitting on the ground, her back against the wall and her knees drawn up to her chest, her head buried in between them. He sighed and bent down next to her. He was worried because he didn't know what was wrong and why she was out by herself. He reached out and put his hand on her arm. She jumped and looked up. Claude immediately made himself visible to her and she relaxed instantly.
"What's wrong, luv? What are you doing out here all by yourself?" Abby sniffed, trying to make herself stop crying. She hated crying, hated that it made her look weak.
"Something happened. Peter asked me to leave." To say Claude was shocked would be an understatement.
"What happened? I can't imagine anything making Peter ask you to leave." Abby sighed and told him all about Mrs. Petrelli offering her the check, how Peter had somehow found it in her jacket pocket and how Simone must have planted it on her because she was the only one with motive and opportunity. Claude was angry as she finished her story.
"Well that's just ridiculous. How could Peter believe such a thing? That's just so stupid. Come on; let's go knock some sense into the boy." He tried to pull her up but she got her arm out of his grasp, shaking her head.
"No, I'm not goin back there. I told him I'd leave when he asked and I did. I don't go back on my word, Claude." The invisible man grunted at her stubbornness. "I guess that's what I get for carin 'bout him. I knew I shouldn't let him in but I still did. I shouldda left as soon as I got him safely home." Claude sighed and moved to sit next to her on the pavement, putting his arm around her. He could see her point of view, shared it most of the time, but he thought that she should try to make Peter see what an idiot he was being. Even Claude knew that you shouldn't just let go of people when they care about you, no matter what he said the contrary.
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Additional Author's Note:
I hope you enjoyed that chapter. Please be kind and leave a review and be sure to come back next week where we'll see Peter get some answers from his mother and Simone abut what happened. :)