DISCLAIMER: I am not in affiliation with the Heroes or Terminator the Sarah Connor Chronicles crew.
Claire picked up a few carrot sticks, observing the dirty state they appeared to be in, relishing in the cool water spraying down on the other carrots, saving her from the evening heat. She was so hungry and all she wanted was to take a bite from one of the carrots right then and there but common sense reminded her that that wouldn't be a good idea. Replacing the carrots back into their shelf she left the produce section, moving towards the toiletries, where she had no chance of being tempted by the food. She was not going to try to eat toilet paper or paper towels. Peppers, she really wanted peppers, especially bell peppers, she could almost taste it. That's it, she had to get out of there. Turning she left the store, a hurried pace attracting the attention of innocent bystanders.
Once outside she felt the hot heat wave hit her face, walking around the stone design surrounding the store, trailing her fingers on the medieval pattern, she turned a corner, stumbling upon the bus stop bench, sinking down. When the hell were John and West going to get here? Her fingers trailing absentmindedly around the edges of the rip in her designer jeans. She supposed she should just be thankful they were coming at all, god knows she didn't deserve either of their help. John had been so good to her and she risked his and his mother's lives, same with West. She had nearly ruined West and so many other's lives just because she was having a bad day. Zach had been her only real friend, even if he didn't remember it. All her other friendships had been shallow, she hadn't even been able to tell Jackie about her ability and she was supposedly her best friend.
She didn't know exactly how long she sat on the bench but it was long enough for some guy to confuse her for a hooker, or escort as they were supposed to be called, and for a bus driver to throw a fit about having to pull all the way up because he though she was waiting to board. She needed to get out of here. Standing again, Claire walked in the direction of Safeway, eyeing the window displays of the discount stores around it. There were little dolls sitting on the shelves as well as a build a doll, what the fuck was a build a doll? Was that like build a bear? She had one of those, before the fire in her house, it was a carmel-y bear, she had named it Clay, accidentally mistaking it as a space for own name, only realizing at the last second. He dad had taken her to get it the first time he had come home from a business trip without a bear in his hands, she was eight years old. Claire was so engrossed in her memory she didn't notice West's 1997 yellow Camaro SS, until John attempted to 'holla' at her. He was so high school, and this was coming from the girl who was eternally stuck in a fifteen year old body. Rolling her eyes and climbing in she wondered aloud when West had gotten such a cool car, why did he even have one? She though freshmen in college weren't supposed to have one plus he didn't even need one with this ability. Though in all truth, she was probably trying to keep the topic of discussion off her adventure of the day. Trying, and failing.
They were only about five miles out of town by the time West pulled off the road and demanded to know what had happened. Sighing Claire had explained her story from hitting the underwater boulder onward, confused as to why they were confused as to why she was underwater.
"You mean they didn't make a big deal about it?" Claire dragged out, the small girl in her who was desperate for attention was slightly hurt, she had stolen a fucking car and drove it into the fucking river
"Apparently not," John shrugged nonchalantly, "anyways, make a big deal of what."
Claire closed her eyes, more scrunched them tight in a pitiful attempt at "there's no place like home," before continuing her story tightly, this time inserting the part about crashing the car. Insert West's shocked glance here, John just rolled his eyes in response to West's response.
The rest of the ride was silent, only two interruptions all the way into LA. The first was John's pushing of Claire down as a police cruiser passed them, her obscene objection, and both of their petty remarks about the other being a fugitive, the second was Claire's asking of the plan.
"Um, I'm going to meet up with my mom," at this West snorted, to John's age, though in all fairness John would be the oldest of the group had time travel not been used, "I was hoping you had someone whom you could meet up with. My mom is so not going to let you back into the house, especially after this." Oh, Claire was kidding herself thinking that someone might actually care for here.
"Um, yea, but, um first," she dragged, hoping to figure out what to do with her current situation. "I um, am probably going to need a um, fake ID, do you know where I could get one of those." While West looked dumbfounded, John easily supplied her with the name of the man who had made the one she was using before the incident just two nights earlier. Damn, that puts everything into perspective, she thought, after supplying John with the best fake smile she could surmount.
They dropped John off a few blocks from where he had hoped to meet up with his mother, the moonlight displaying his slim figure walking down, then turning into an alleyway. "Bye," he muttered, as if embarrassed somehow. Claire leaned over and gave him a small hug, not really into the whole display of affection. In Odessa, her lunch table had practically been an orgy, but gaining powers does things to change people.
"Who are you going to stay with Claire," West asked with a sidelong glance, he couldn't afford to take his eyes off the wheel for too long, first he flew, then he lived in New York, where nobody knew how to drive. Claire's mind still on leaving Zach forever for the second time, she took a moment to come up with a plausible lie.
"I was actually thinking of enrolling in some college courses in some sort of community college in Texas, you know, finish my education." West didn't push it, which Claire was thankful for, she hated lying.
"Where are you staying tonight?" West asked at a distance.
Crap, " Um I hadn't really thought about it."
"I was going to get a motel room, do you want to stay with me for the night?" Seeing Claire's hesitancy to answer, " I would get two beds if that's what your worried about. Claire let out a giggle, being genuinely amused by the whole situation.
They pulled up to a nearest Motel 6 they could find, as Claire was about to get out of the car with West he turned, "Why don't you stay in the car?" Claire frowned as West walked towards the "lobby.'
"Do I look like a hooker?" she mumbled to herself underneath her breath. "I cannot believe this." She set her eyes on the entrance, awaiting the return of her ex, as she saw him walking back towards the car she fumbled with the door handle, and searched to no avail for the laugh. Suddenly her search was halted by the strongly amused chuckling coming from the other side of the door, sending a glare at West she slid out his door, eyes catching sight of the key. It was a really outdated actual key, with a big plastic disk with the room number. "Glad I could be of amusement to you." she stood, looking up into hi eyes, her whole head practically tilted up, a major disadvantage to only being five feet tall. A smirk played out on her companions face. She followed West toward the room, grimacing as she took in the dirty appearance of the place.
They both stood in the doorway, an awkward silence following as they both went for the same bed, Claire stood, unsure of what to do, as he turned and went for the bed at the far end. Both climbed into their respective beds, fully clothed, neither having been ready for the whole overnight situation. Both succumbing to sleep after mere minutes of climbing in bed.
When Claire awoke the sun was shining through the peaks in the thick curtains, she turned in confusion to the wall, still too asleep to remember how she got their in the first place. The bright red lights on the alarm clock separating the beds flashing 3:08, but she didn't know if that was actually correct. Next to the obtrusive light was a note, sitting, she picked up the note and read.
Dear Claire, I'm sorry I had to leave but you have been asleep for two days, and I had class. I left to motel with my credit card number, please check out before you leave. Um, I don't know what to say really but I hope that you make it out of this mess okay. And, that's um it. ~ West
Two days? Claire's eyes zoned in on the words before standing to head to have her first real shower, unless you count the sponge bath she gave herself in the Safeway bathroom, in nearly a week. Possibly more now, who knows how long ago West left.
Turning the water on hot she stepped in, basking in the warmth, while she choked out a sob. She was truly alone in the world, she had absolutely fucking no one.
Okay, she needed a plan of action, first she would get the fake ID, then she would get a job somewhere out of state, and everything would be fanfuckingtastic. How would she pay for the ID though? She couldn't get a job without proof of identification that the fake ID would supply and she couldn't get fake ID without the money a job would supply. Her mind flashed back to the night before, or whenever the hell it had been. "Do I look like a hooker?" Oh fuck. Wrapping herself in a towel and stepping out of the shower she picked up the jeans she had discarded on the floor, ripping most of the legs off, destroying the top as well. Putting on the clothes and standing in front of the mirror, Claire gave herself a sad little smile, she completely looked the part, except for her legs, those needed to be shaved, but other than that, she looked like a cheap whore. Suppressing another sob, Claire walked out of the room, and headed down to the lobby to check out, probably the last thing she would do as an innocent child.
