AN: I apologize for the delay. There is no excuse. I will just leave you to the next chapter. It is unbeta so please forgive the errors. I'm not sure if I still have a beta or not since it's been so long.
Last bit of housekeeping: I don't know Sylar and Claire's middle names and couldn't find it anywhere, so I made them up for the purposes of this story.
Chapter 21 Puppet Master
You hid your skeletons when I had shown you mine
You woke the devil that I thought you'd left behind
I saw the evidence, the crimson soaking through
Ten thousand promises, ten thousand ways to lose
And you held it all but you were careless to let it fall
You held it all and I was by your side, powerless
Powerless by Linkin Park
Peter let out a groan as leaned back and rubbed his eyes. His internet search of Jakob Pradasa came up empty. The only references to the name were in connection with the bakery. A new article on the opening of the bakery a few years ago as well as social media sites under the bakery's name. But nothing on Jakob; not even a picture of him in any of the social media sites. The man is a ghost. He looked over at Matt, who seemed to have his luck when it came to getting his hands on the blueprints. "You need to call him."
"I don't want him involved if we don't have to." Matt insisted. This wasn't a fight Matt wanted to drag him into, he wanted him to try and have a normal under the radar life.
"I get what you're trying to do. But Matt, we don't have anymore options left. You need to contact Micah," Peter insisted as he looked down the hallway, "And why the hell hasn't Sylar returned yet!" Peter wasn't sure what angered him more, that Sylar wasn't doing his fair share in the search for Jakob Pradasa or for the past week Sylar's time has been mostly spent alone with Claire doing—God he really didn't want to imagine any scenario that kept Sylar from the his mission to destroy Danko. Peter wasn't sure about Matt, but he was fed up with Sylar not doing his share of the work. It pissed him off that Sylar rather play house with Claire than find Danko. He was the smartest man Peter had ever known. It still amazed him to watch Sylar's mind work as it made connections that his own mind could not see. Peter knew it wasn't being fair to Sylar. The man tried his hardest to balance fatherhood and revenge. The truth of it all was Peter and Matt was not enough. Their most valued asset in their crusade to destroy Danko was sidelined to care for his wife and a child that would never truly belong to him. Peter understood that Claire needed Sylar now more than ever. She was pregnant by a monster. She needed Sylar. He couldn't be mad at Sylar either for the way he took care of the woman he loved with every fiber of his being. Peter groaned. This is one big fucked up mess.
"Fine," Matt relented as he pulled out his phone to contact Molly to get a hold of Micah. God forgive me for dragging another minor into this mess. "Molly, I need to ask you a favor. If this makes you uncomfortable, you can say no." He sighed when he heard the young girl promise she'd do anything for him. "I need to get a hold of Micah." Matt hung up the phone and rubbed his temples as he waited for his phone to beep with the text message containing the phone number he requested. "I'm definitely going to hell."
"I'm right there with you," Peter mumbled as he felt the same guilt Matt did, he wanted to keep Micah and Molly off of Danko's radar.
As Matt was on the phone Peter heard the front door open and the security code punched in. He went to the door to see who it was and was surprised at the man before him.
"What?" Sylar asked as he noticed Peter's stare. Sylar gestured to Matt with a nod of the head to come find him when he was off the phone.
Peter looked at him and then the hallway. "Weren't you in—?"
"I left about three hours ago," Sylar said, "I went to the bakery disguised as an old lady I touched on the way there while these were being prepared." He waved the envelope.
"What's in there?" Peter asked as he noticed the gloves Sylar wore. The weather was too nice for gloves. "Why are you wearing gloves?"
"Nothing that concerns you so but out," Sylar ignored Peter's scowl as he continued, "But I think I figured out how to get into the bakery undetected since going as Danko would send a red flag."
"How?"
"There's an employee there that is quite a man whore," Sylar explained, "I'll follow him home tonight—."
"You're not going to kill him!"
"Seriously!" Sylar practically growled out, "Why is that your knee jerk reaction to everything I do!"
"Force of habit." His tone let Sylar know he wasn't apologetic at all as Sylar pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.
"I'm going to do one of Matt's voodoo mind thing—"
"Voodoo mind thing? You have been hanging around Claire too much. You're starting to talk like her."
"Shut up!" Sylar warned before he continued, "I'll put him in a trance like I did with Sandra. I'll pull him out of said trance after I return from the bakery. I will give him my memories of my time there."
"Even if Danko suspects something, he won't be able to trace it to us."
"Hopefully, remember he's crazy not stupid." Sylar knew this plan wasn't fool proof. He also made the connection to Danko being Jakob long ago. He knew Peter and Matt would be pissed at him for withholding this information. Especially Peter since he spent days looking for Jakob. Sylar looked out the balcony to the massive amount of windows in the surrounding buildings. Danko had the penthouse under surveillance and Sylar still couldn't figure out where he was hiding out. Sylar wished he knew what window, what apartment as it could give him a better understanding of what Danko could see. But most importantly, he needed to get into that bakery to figure out what Danko was up do. Whatever Danko's next move was, he was using that bakery to make his next weapon. He had to play this close to the vest for Claire's protection and to buy him more time to get Claire and their baby to safety. "We just need to buy more time. We also need to know what he's doing."
Smoke and mirrors. Peter shook his head. If Danko was involved and traced Sylar's activities to that man whore as Sylar put it, that kid would be dead. Peter didn't like this plan anymore. He didn't want the kid's blood on his hands. "You need a new plan. If Danko is involved this—."
"Its recon," Sylar argued as he turned his attention from the buildings across the street to the younger man, "I'll work a full day's shift and see what I can see with his access. The risk is minimal. With my ability to know the history of an object by touching it should be easy to pass myself off as him."
"I still don't like it." Peter voiced his concerns, "What if Danko figures it out and traces you back to him?"
"Collateral damage," Sylar said without hesitation or remorse.
"No!" Peter nearly yelled at the other man who could not be steered from this course of action. In his desperation he blurted out Claire's name, hoping it would do something.
"This is for Claire." Sylar didn't understand what the young Petrelli was hoping to accomplish with saying her name. By the look on his face, neither did he.
"Claire won't like it," Peter finished lamely before a thought crossed his mind.
"It's for her safety."
"What if someone out there developed a plan like this but used Claire's face," Peter countered, "Would she be collateral damage?"
Sylar closed his eyes before he let out a frustrated groan. Peter's comment was way below the belt because it was true. She was someone else's collateral damage—his and her fathers. He opened his eyes and glared at the younger man. "You win this round," Sylar said, "But now it's up to you to find something better."
Peter nodded his head as Sylar went to find Matt. As he watched him leave, he wondered what he should do about the truth of paternity he stumbled upon. Could he wait for Claire to tell them the truth? Would she? After Claire was kidnapped, Peter quickly learned that Sylar was not the most immoral person on this planet and would do anything to protect Claire and her child. Sylar would be the better father than Danko. Peter watched the two men fought over the contents of the envelope Sylar had brought in with him. He felt his niece's head rest on his shoulder as she laughed at the sight before them.
"Lover's quarrel," she whispered to Peter and laughed when Sylar glared at her.
"You know what you have to do," Sylar hissed at Matt before he escaped to the balcony. His eyes swept the windows across from him as he searched for a glimmer of hope that he could find Danko's location.
"Can I tell you a secret?" Claire whispered.
"Anything," Peter immediately responded as he hoped she would open up to him about her time with Danko.
"I think if Sylar were to leave me if would be for Matt Parkman," she said coyly, "Their bromance would be epic." She held in her smile for a good thirty seconds before a huge grin broke out on her face.
"You're fucking hilarious Claire Bennet!" Sylar screamed from the balcony, causing Peter and Claire to burst of in laughter as Matt glared at them as he walked past them.
"Don't be like that," Peter called after Matt.
"Fuck off!" Matt yelled back as he past Sandra in the hall. "Put that on Sylar's tab."
Sandra looked at him for a moment wondering what he was talking about when she remembered the swear jar. "He actually owes me money for the jar."
"Then add it to his debt." Matt went into his room and shut the door. He quickly closed the curtains before he went to hide the envelope. After finding a secure location he went to the door and opened it at the same time Peter was about to knock. "Jesus!" Matt said as a hand went to his heart, "You scared me the shit out of me!"
"Sorry, I just wanted answers."
"On?"
"The envelope," Peter said, "I asked Sylar and he said it wasn't any of my business."
"It's not," Matt quickly agreed with Sylar's earlier comment, "it only concerns me."
"Why?"
Matt rubbed his temples as he could feel another headache coming. "Because when you two go after Danko, I'm leaving with Claire."
"What does that have to do with the envelope?"
"I'll need whatever is in there when the time comes to make our escape."
"What's in there?" Peter asked again. He was getting tired of the run around. He might not be apart of their epic bromance but he was apart of this team damn it!
"The only person who will know the contents of that envelope is the person who will be on the run with Claire. You choose to stay with Sylar."
Peter absorbed the information Matt told him, "So Sylar doesn't even know the identities?"
"Sylar doesn't know anything about the contents of the envelope," Matt said as Peter remembered the gloves Sylar wore in the warm weather. "He made sure to wear gloves when handling it so he wouldn't accidentally learn the history of it and the contents. If you do get caught; it doesn't matter how much torture you'll endure. Neither of you can accidently give up Claire's location." Matt remained silent as he watched Peter nod his head, he would not be asking anymore questions about the contents. "Did you ever find out who Jakob Pradasa is or why he's connected?"
"No, why do you ask?"
"The name sounds familiar," Matt said, "I feel like I know him from somewhere, but I can't remember when. I hear his name and I see a blonde hair woman."
"Wife?"
"I don't know," Matt said, "I can't put my finger on it."
Claire watched Peter chase after Matt before her gaze shifted to Sylar. She walked quietly towards the balcony. "What'cha doing?" She grew immediately concerned when his body didn't recoiled at her words or immediately corrected her. Claire waited a few seconds before she attempted to goat him again. "Are you gonna ignore me sweetheart?" She wrapped her arms around his waist as her distress grew tenfold. Sylar just stood with his eyes fixed at the building across the street. She wasn't sure if he was ignoring her for her comments or so lost in his own head he couldn't hear her. Claire lifted her hand and waved it in front of his face. "Hello, earth to Sylar." When he looked down surprised, she knew something was wrong.
"Can I help you with something Jiminy?"
Claire smiled at the familiar nickname he had given her. She felt herself getting lost in the memory.
They were dating—courting as Sylar would say—for a few weeks and this morning was about discovery. To learn more about the other's past. It was hard at the beginning to find something that wouldn't trigger something volatile in Sylar. His memories were saturated in pain. Claire had come up with the idea to share their favorite things with each other. Sylar didn't like the mundane and predictable suggestion. After he recovered from the sharp elbow in the stomach, he admitted defeat. There was nothing in his childhood or young adulthood that would achieve their goal of this week's therapeutic homework. Claire almost felt bad when he apologized for not having anything exciting in his life to share with her. Then she realized that was once again trying to weasel himself out of their homework.
They had spent the day telling each other their favorite things in the world by sharing it with each other. Claire had shared with him her favorite movie, The Notebook; and Sylar shared that he wished to have those three hours of his life back. He had Claire watch a real love story as they watched Casablanca. It made Claire cry as they did not end up together. Sylar earned another jab in the gut when he told her that no all love stories get a happy ending. Sometimes you sacrifice yourself for the one you love. She pulled him closer and hoped that their fate wouldn't be like Rick Blaine and Ilsa Lund.
As the sun was setting on their day of discovery, they were laying in the hammock as Sylar read to her his favorite story from his childhood—Pinocchio.
"Why do you love this story so much?" Claire asked as he closed the book.
"Partly because I longed to have what Pinocchio had; a father who loved him unconditionally," Sylar whispered his secret to her. "Geppetto loved his wooden son so much, who wouldn't crave to be cherished that much."
"Sylar," Claire sighed as she felt his pain.
"But mostly I love this story so much because when I close my eyes and let the memory fill me, I can hear her voice," Sylar confessed, "My mamma's voice, not Virginia's. This book is actually belongs to her."
She lifted her head to look at his face. "How is that even possible?"
"June gave it to me as a gift," Sylar told her, "I saw it on her bookshelf and told her how much I adored this story growing up. I had my own copy until..." Sylar trailed off as he fought to keep the memory buried deep inside.
Claire looked up to see him fighting a memory. She lifted her hand to caress his cheek. "Sweetheart?"
"Virginia burned my copy to punish me for—for—"
"It's okay," she whispered as she brushed her lips against his. She knew what he was trying to say. Virginia burned it after Cassie killed herself. Did that woman know any compassion? "It's okay." She repeated again.
"I'm sorry," he whispered to her, "I didn't mean to bring that woman into our day."
"Well she is the white elephant in the room sometimes," Claire told him, "And she didn't deserve you."
"I don't deserve you."
"We've already discussed this and I don't feel like repeating myself about what one can and cannot say about the man I adore."
"Then let's agree to disagree and move on."
Claire rolled her eyes as she smiled. "You're incorrigible."
"It's all part of my charm."
"If you say so Mr. Gray," Claire said as she brushed her lips against his again. "So this book is your favorite because you remember your mother reading this to you?" She left out his other memory as they tried to focus on the good, not the horrifically awful parts of his childhood.
"This is her book," Sylar told her getting back to the story before they got distracted. "June told me that her parents read her this story and she read it to Addie. She wanted me to have it since I'm the closest thing she has left for family."
"That is incredibly generous of her."
"She made me promise to read it to my children," Sylar confessed, "I didn't have the heart to tell her that no woman in her right mind would want to bare my children." Claire gave him a look. "Don't give me that look. You know that's true."
"I would concur with the assessment of the old you, but not the new version of you."
Sylar looked at her with lustful eyes, "Concur with the assessment?" he repeated, "You really know who to turn on a guy." He moved his head closer towards her.
"If that's all it takes, then I've gotta do it move often." Her eyes opened when she saw him pull away. "What?" She looked at him with creased brows.
"Gotta?" He said with distain, "And just like that the mood was ruined."
"You are hopeless," she told him.
"So I've been told numerous times in my life," Sylar told her and he pulled her close. "This story reminds me a bit of us."
"Is this the part when you confess you're really made of wood?" She knocked on his chest and pretended listen carefully at the sound her fist made.
Sylar resisted the urge to groan at her choice of words. He looked at her and wondered if she was really this clueless or just really good at making him believe she was this innocent. "No and yes," Sylar told her as he pulled her hand away from his chest, "I can assure you that I have always been make of flesh and bones my entire existence but I've never someone to guide me, to teach me right and wrong. And because of it, I lacked a definite moral compass."
"So I'm the Blue Fairy," Claire said to Sylar's confused expression, "You know 'let you conscious be your guide' I'm the conscious."
"Yes sweetheart," he confirmed, "You are my very own Jiminy Cricket. The person with a moral compass firmly in place—who made me want to be a better man. A man who would be worthy of your affections and would make you proud."
"The insect?" she exclaimed as she didn't hear anything he said after cricket, "But the pretty blue dress is so much more flattering on my figure than a suit and top hat, don't you think?"
"Whatever you say Jiminy," he leaned closer, "How about we end this evening with some necking?"
She pulled away from his slow approach. "Depends on what necking is?"
"Making out."
"Oh this little bug is all for some necking." Claire could feel the vibrations from his laughter as his lips made contact with hers.
The memory faded as she felt him turn around in her arms. She looked up into his eyes and could see the wheels turning. "So what is the moral dilemma?"
"Who says I have one?"
"You called me Jiminy," Claire said, "You rarely do that expect when you think you are doing something I would not approve of. Something you think I will hate you for doing."
Sylar sighed as her words hit him. She knew him better than he thought she did. He shook his head in disbelief that she's not running for the hills to get away from him. "I found where Danko is hiding but he's up to something," Sylar explained in a slow, low tone, "I can't plan an attack until I know what it is—what I—we will be walking in on."
"The dilemma?"
"I can pose as someone that is in," he paused to find the right words to say that will make his point but keep it vague at the same time, "the area but no direct contact with Danko," Sylar said, "The probability of Danko finding out that this person did anything would be slim and the likelihood to tracing it back to us would be even slimmer." The guilt of Peter's earlier words about collateral damage hit him hard again as he looked at Claire. Her association with him made her his collateral damage. He made a silent vow at that moment never to let her become collateral damage again. He would tear the world apart if anyone dare use her against him again. Her voice pulled him from his thoughts.
"And if Danko thought this man had crossed him when you were posing as him?" Sylar looked at her, she knew the answer. "If it was me, would you still do it?"
"I would like to say no but we both know I stood on this very balcony posing at you with a sign that goaded him to come and get me."
"That's because you thought I would be in a car with Parkman, not a plane."
"You did ruin that for me didn't you?" Sylar wasn't surprised when she wasn't apologetic at all for her actions.
"Same question," Claire told him, "Would you do it now, with me here with you?"
"I'd rather give Bennet free access to my kill switch then put you in any danger no matter how small the risk."
"There's your answer."
"But he's not you Claire," Sylar told her as if that would justify his actions. "He's doesn't mean anything to me—to us. He's expendable."
"No one is expendable," Claire whispered back, "Do you know why?" Sylar shook his head. "But he's someone's Claire."
"Danko has declared war on us—on you." He felt like he's done this before—begged her to let him protect her, care for her. "And in war there is always collateral damage. I just want you to be safe when this is finally behind us. I'd do anything to keep you safe—to keep the bean safe." He rested his hand on her stomach briefly before returning his hand to her hip. He could feel eyes watching him and he didn't want Danko to know about the baby.
"And I want you to be safe too," she responded without hesitation, "I don't want you to go back down that dark path again. I'm afraid if you do, you won't find your way back to the light. I want us all to come back safe with our souls intact." Claire watched as he closed his eye and inhale deeply. With each passion second, she could feel his resolve lessen. She knew she won this round.
He opened his eyes and looked at her. "This is why you are the insect and I am the puppet."
"Damn straight." Claire leaned up to kiss him when she heard someone clear their throat.
Peter saw two sets of eyes on him. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need a moment of Sylar's time."
"No problem," Claire said, "We were just finishing up." She pulled Sylar down and kissed his cheek. Before she let go she whispered that she'd see him soon.
Peter closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to witness Sylar watching his niece's ass as she swayed her hips. "Could you please remember she is my niece and I don't appreciate seeing your predatory eyes on her ass as she is walking away?"
"Ava two point fucking O," Sylar mumbled under his breath as crossed his arms and leaned against the balcony. He really needed to stop with the F bombs. Sandra was going to be a millionaire at this rate.
"What?"
"Don't forget that little vixen was swaying said ass to draw attention to it," Sylar said slowly as he held up one finger as he made his point. He smirked with Peter scoffed. "What do you need to discuss with me?" Sylar leaned against the edge and crossed his arms against his chest.
"The baby."
"Wait I know where this is going," Sylar interrupted him, "Because I'm a truly sick son of a bitch, I raped Claire when I found her at Coyote Sands and now she truly the definition of Stockholm Syndrome as she believes the bad man that hurt her is the good guy." He glared at Peter before he turned back towards the endless sea of windows. "You need to find a new tune because the one where I'm always the bad guy has gotten really old."
"I know you didn't rape her," Peter told him.
Sylar scoffed, "Well that has to be a first."
"Stop being an ass!"
"You first!" Sylar yelled back.
Peter closed his eyes and breathed slowly. This was not how he wanted this to go, but then again, this is the first conversation Peter wasn't accusing him of doing something evil. This is why Sylar is always been suspicious of his motivates and looking for the real reason to any of their interactions.
"It was an accident," Peter told Sylar, "I didn't mean to pry into her mind—."
"What did you do?" Sylar turned around and stared down the guilty man.
"I was looking at the ultrasound and thinking to myself that the baby looked too big for how old it was suppose to be, that yes, you did rape her and that Claire because a victim of—."
"Un-fucking-believable!" Sylar snapped at him. "Hasn't she been violated enough by him! By her father! You didn't think that was enough so you felt the need to add yourself to the list of her perpetrators! You selfish son of a bitch!"
"It was an accident. Her thoughts were just screaming at me!" Peter tried to defend himself. "I couldn't drown her out."
Sylar pitched the bridge of his nose as he tried to digest everything he was told. He knew from past experiences that Claire would openly scream her thoughts into the room, not knowing that anyone with Parkman's ability could hear her. She was unfiltered in her mind and didn't or wouldn't block anyone out. Because of this, the secret Claire never wanted anyone to know; was out in the open. He looked at the other man with his defensive walls around his mind. Peter Petrelli would not get anything from him. "What do you think you know?"
"I know that you aren't the baby's father because Claire was terrified that you couldn't love a child that wasn't yours, that had such a violent beginning."
Sylar closed his eyes as he inhaled. Claire was going to be devastated when he told her Peter knew. He could tell that Claire was seeking comfort once again in the make believe world they had built in North Carolina. Now Peter knowing the truth, it would threaten her world of the happy family of three. It would send her over the deep end and they were trapped in New York with her therapist thousands of miles away.
Peter saw Sylar's entire body deflate with each word he spoke. Sylar was worried about Claire and how she would respond to the news. "She doesn't need to know."
"I'm not about to start lying to her Peter," Sylar said, "It will be more damaging when the truth comes out."
"It wouldn't be technically lying if you didn't say anything," Peter explained, "Only if she asked you if I knew and you said no."
Sylar looked at him, completely baffled. "A lie of omission is still a lie. When did you become the morally gray one?"
"The moment I found out that Danko raped my niece and ended up fathering her child!" Peter hissed at the other man. "I would rather you be the child's father than that monster!"
"It's not Danko's, it's—."
"Yours," Peter finished, "And I'm going to make sure the truth never comes out. That child will be yours and no one else's."
"Why?" Sylar couldn't understand his motivates for doing this. Peter finally got his wish, leverage against him to get Claire away from him. He knew Peter saw this baby as an eternal bond between them.
"I would like to say that you're the lesser of the two evils, but that's not entirely true anymore." Peter confessed. "I see the change and didn't want to believe it—until now."
"Why now?"
"You are claiming a child as yours, knowing what its father did to its mother. You are willing to endure the evil glares and accusations that you raped Claire and now have her mind so messed up in believing that she loves you—."
"There's a point coming right?" Sylar didn't need to be reminded how much Claire's family hated him and believed the worst of him.
"You did all of this. Took the brunt of all the hostility from Claire's family, let us all believe that you did the unthinkable, all for a child that will never belong to you biologically. So that child will never have to know what a true monster is or that that beast is their father. Because you know what it is like to be raised by one of hell's rejects and to be biologically related to a man who would kill his own son to stay alive. You did it out of selflessness and love for a child that you didn't even know. You just wanted him or her to never know the horrors you did growing up. That man," Peter hesitated, "is someone who is worth is salt on this earth. That man, I admire because as good and upstanding man as you claim me to be, I'm not sure I could make that decision. No one can, until they are there in the moment. So you have my blessing as long as you continue this new path in your life. You slip back into the darkness and I will take them away from you in a heartbeat to protect them." Peter stood his ground under Sylar's hostile glare, until his eyes softened before Sylar turned back to the endless sea of windows.
"Thank you," Sylar told him, "I know this isn't easy for you."
"None of this is easy," Peter responded as he leaned against the balcony rail next to him, "I want you to know that I won't say anything. This doesn't have to go further than the two of us." Peter watched Sylar as he was making a pro/con list in his head.
"I found—," a cheerful Matt stopped dead in his tracks at the intense stare down between the two men in front of him. Matt frowned at the sight as he felt out of place. Which was completely ridiculous, Peter is the odd man out in this threesome of unlikely allies. "What is going on here?"
Sylar gave him a wicked grin, "Sounds like someone is jealous." He said the word jealous in a sing-song-voice.
"What?" Matt's voice was a little too pitchy for his liking and narrowed his eyes when Sylar laughed. "I'm not jealous."
"I can have more than one friend."
"I'm not jealous."
"Are you sure? Because your face is a little flushed with green there buddy," Sylar laughed at Matt's scowl.
"Do I need to be here for this?" Peter asked. Claire was right about one thing; Matt was definitely the other man in her relationship with Sylar. He felt Sylar's glare and knew the other man read his thoughts.
"Don't worry about it," Sylar said, "We were just talking about tonight's recon mission."
"I don't believe you," Matt said, "Not because I'm jealous but because Peter said this doesn't have to go further than the two of us. It means you two have a secret."
"Sylar was asking for my blessing on Claire," Peter half lied.
"Sylar would never do that." Matt countered. It was out of character for Sylar as well as something that did not need to be kept a secret between the two.
"Would you stop asking like a jealous idiot for one second and remember that you're my only friend in this fucked up world and then get over it." Sylar snapped at him, "And then tell us whatever you wanted to share when you came in here." Matt was about to open his mouth when Sylar signaled him to stop. He looked back at the endless sea of windows before turning back to the other men. "Not here," Sylar said, "I can feel his eyes on me." He looked at the building across the way one more time. "I just don't know where."
Danko watched in his darkened perch as watched Matt Parkman's meltdown. He saw Sylar turn back to the windows and Danko's breath caught in his throat when Sylar's eyes looked at his window before sweeping more. "You'll never figure out where I am." Danko laughed as he watched Sylar shove the other men towards the door. Danko didn't have any sound, only his bird's eye view from the neighboring building across the way. Watching Matt and Sylar argue he drew the only connection that made since. "I guess Peter and Matt finally realized there is no working with Sylar." He retrieved the ringing phone from his pocket. "This better be good news."
"It will be ready in 48 hours."
"Good," Danko said, "I'll start preparations into the next phase of the plan." He hung up the phone and stuffed it into his pocket. His plan was coming together nicely at the same time Claire Bennet's heroes were falling apart. "They should have known better than to trust that selfish bastard with the little whore's safety."
"I found Jakob Pradasa." Matt blurted out.
"How is that even possible?" Peter said, "He's a ghost."
Sylar closed his eyes and didn't know what to hope for, that if Matt really found him would they play along for the buy more time or would everything blow up in his face.
"I remember him. A few years ago I had made Danko think his great love was in danger. I wanted to use her against him," Matt explained, "He went to this woman's house who knew him as Jakob Pradasa."
Sylar opened his eyes and turned back towards the window. He could still feel eyes watching them.
"I took her to Danko's apartment. It was after he killed Daphne, I just wanted him to feel the same pain he inflicted on me." Matt looked away. "But I couldn't do it. I couldn't kill her. She was innocent in all of this." Matt let out a humorless laugh. "Even after threatening to kill her, she stepped in front of me to stop Danko from killing me. I can only assume that she broke up with him after I had disappeared." Matt looked at his best friend and couldn't understand why he wasn't happy like Peter was. They had found the mysterious man. "Why aren't you happy?"
Sylar grabbed Matt and pushed him again the wall. "Act pissed off."
"What the fuck is your problem?" Matt hissed back. "We found—."
"I know!" Sylar yelled at him, "But Danko can't know you two know!"
"What do you mean you two?" Peter asked as Sylar cursed at his slip up.
"I really need sleep, I'm not on top of my game," Sylar had mumbled to himself. He looked at Matt and saw the recognition in his eyes.
"How long?"
"It's doesn't matter," Sylar side stepped the question as he shoved Matt into the wall again, "All that matters is we don't let Danko know we know. We need to show chaos."
"Why didn't you tell me? Peter I understand—."
"Hey!" Peter objected.
"But I'm your friend," Matt continued. Sylar's betrayal was written clearly on his face. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was playing it close to the vest. I needed you to play the part well and the only way I knew how was to keep you in the dark."
Matt punched his friend in the face. "Fuck you!" He punched him again. "You don't get to keep us on the dark on this stuff! We could have played the part knowing the truth."
"Would you have put this much effort into it if you already knew the answer?" Sylar asked them. When Matt punched him again, he knew the answer and still didn't defend himself or fight back. "I thought so." Matt pushed Sylar away from him.
"That doesn't make what you did right."
"The ends justify the means," Sylar told Matt. "Think about it. We are a few steps ahead of that bastard. This is what you've been wanting for so long."
"And that makes it right?" Matt exclaimed, "You lied to us. This whole time Peter and I were feeling like assholes that couldn't catch up to the game Danko was playing. When this whole time, you were ahead of him—using us to keep him in the dark. It's not right."
"I was keeping Claire safe," Sylar crossed his arms as he continued to justify his actions. "Every decision I have made over the past few months have been for her and her alone. I have a family I need to protect."
"We all do!" Matt yelled back as he suppressed the urge to punch him again. He really wanted to, but knew he was running low on free passes to hit Sylar without him hitting back.
"We shouldn't be keeping secrets from each other," Peter said as he stepped between the two friends to play referee.
Matt let out another laugh that did not reach him eyes. "That is rich; you two are already keeping secrets from me!" Matt gestured between the both of them.
"Stop it!" Claire yelled from the hallway. Three sets of eyes turned to look at her and her mother watching them. Claire pulled her robe tighter to her body. "What is going on here?"
"Nothing," Sylar quickly said before he turned his attention to his friend, "Matt put some bullshit on the board for the asshole to read."
"I'm not your servant you just can't order me around!"
Sylar walked over to their fake board of leads. He ripped it off the wall and threw it across the room. "Then do whatever the fuck you want to do!" His whole body was oozing with rage and the need to hurt something. He hadn't felt this angry in a long time. He needed to get out before he did something that he couldn't take back. He started to leave when he felt her hand on his arm. "Don't," he whispered, "I need to clear my head."
"Please don't go," Claire said, "I can help. Just let me help."
"I'm afraid of what I will do if I stay here," Sylar confessed. "I need a time out."
"Take Peter—" Claire looked at Matt who snorted something that sounded like of course, the new friend before glancing back at Sylar who was pinching his nose. "Or Matt. Just don't go alone."
"I need some time to myself. You will be safe here with them." He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Don't do anything stupid."
"Of course." She saw a glimpse of a smile at her words before it faded. Sylar walked into the balcony as his eyes continued to search for the Peeping Tom across the way. The smile appeared on his face again when he heard Matt scream in pain as Claire demanded to know what he did to piss her Sylar off. "That's my girl." The smile faded when he realized he was the culprit of this particular fight and took flight before Claire could reach him.
"That's cheating!" she screamed after him.
Sylar's smirk fell when he saw Peter in his peripheral vision flying next to him. He groaned. "Go away."
"We still have some things to talk about." Peter told him. "About all those secrets you've been keeping from us."
Sylar tried to out run him, but the young Petrelli said close to his heels. He sighed in defeat and landed on a rooftop as he waited for Peter. Sylar tried to read his mind to learn what secret Peter thought he knew. Sylar had many secrets and wasn't willing to give them all up guessing what Peter knew. Peter was reciting the alphabet in his mind over and over again to keep out Sylar. He rolled his eyes. I trained him too well. Sylar stood stoic as he waited for Peter to speak.
"I want to know what you're doing."
"You'll have to be more specific. I have my hands in a lot of cookie jars," Sylar said sarcastically.
"Cut the bullshit Sylar!" Peter barely yelled at him. "I'm not a puppet and you can't pull my strings to bend to your will!" The gleam in Sylar's eyes made him uncomfortable. As Sylar raised his hands Peter lost control of his body. He glared at the other man who seemed amused by this all.
"You forget who I am," Sylar told him, "and what I am capable of! I've been pulling the strings for years. Even when I showed up at your door I was in control of it all."
"No you lead us," Peter cut him off; "There's a difference between being a leader and inspiring and be manipulative and cunning. I know you're not that person anymore; even when you slip up in your overwhelming need to protect her." Peter felt his body regain its control. He signed in relief that his gamble had won.
"I spoke with Claire," Peter explained, "Well more like got bitched out by Claire."
Sylar raised his eyebrows in surprise. What does he think Claire know? More importantly, what would she tell him? He remained silent as he waited for Peter to continue. He may be on the path to a better human being, but he wasn't ready to give up all his secrets. Especially to someone who could easily become his enemy again once this has all been resolved. He did promise to kill me when this was over.
"And she socked me hard in the arm because of you." Peter unconsciously rubbed his arm that was assaulted earlier today by his niece. "So again, what is going on with you?"
"This doesn't have anything to do with me. It's between you and Claire—"
"It was about you," Peter interrupted him as he took a step closer to get a better look at the other man's face. "About how I'm keeping you up all night looking for Danko, which is really quite odd since you force us all to better early to ensure we have at least eight hours of sleep."
Sylar broke eye contact with him and looked at the ground. Peter, more like Claire, had caught his hand in the wrong cookie jar. I used to much better at this. Is Claire making me soft and stupid?
"So I ask again, what are you keeping from me? From Matt?" Peter's jaw clenched when Sylar turned completely away from him. "I'm your partner and he's your best friend. Most importantly, we are a team on this. I know you're not use to being a team player but you can't keep going off at your own and keeping secrets. We deserve to know what the fuck you've been doing behind our backs."
"I was protecting Claire."
"We're all trying to protect Claire," Peter corrected the other man, "But we need to work together to be effective. We can't do that if you keep hiding shit from us!"
Sylar breathed deeply. "I know what I'm doing and it's a solo activity—."
"Bull shit!" Peter hissed out as he grabbed Sylar's arm and forced the other man to turn around and look at him. "We are a team. We all want to protect Claire and kill that asshole so he can never physically harm Claire ever again." Realization hit Peter like a ton of bricks. "That's what you've been doing all week hasn't it? When we thought you were with Claire you were out on your own doing only God knows what!"
Sylar broke free from Peter's grip and turned back toward the building's edge and looked into the horizon.
Peter sighed before he joined Sylar near the edge. He had to change his tactic. Sylar was never going to respond well to being screamed at. Peter told a deep breath to calm himself before trying a different approach. "I know it's hard for you." Questioning eyes turned to look at him. "You've been alone for so long that you only had to look out for yourself. That was your life. Then within weeks you went from completely alone and only having to look out for yourself; to another life—lives depending on you to care for and protect them. You find your grandmother after all this time. You have this friend who will do anything for you, who Claire and I strongly believes, has huge man crush on you." Peter smiled when Sylar scoffed. "And you have a family— unconventional as it maybe, it's your family." Peter reached out and rested his hand on the other man's shoulder. "You have me too." Sylar turned to him, completely caught off guard with Peter's last statement. "Most importantly, it's not your responsibility to take this on all by yourself. We're a family now and we look out for each other Sylar. It's a two way street. We depend on you and you depend on us." Peter turned to look at the skyline as Sylar did. "I know this won't be easy Sylar, but your life stopped being solitary the moment you decided to claim Claire's baby has your own. Your life is never going to be yours anymore. It's going to be messed in with others all connected to that fragile life. Yes sometimes life will become overly dramatic to go along with the peaceful days; but you're never going to be alone again."
Sylar stood there as he absorbed all of Peter's words. He had a lot to think about. Thinking that did not require an audience.
"I'll leave you to your thoughts," Peter said as he stepped onto the ledge, before he jumped off he turned to Sylar. "Don't worry about Claire and the baby. Matt and I will take great care of them."
"Don't worry?" Sylar shook his head, "not likely, but I'll try to worry less about their safety with you two there."
Peter gave him a small smile. "See that, progress!"
Sylar rolled his eyes as the other man flew off. He rubbed his face with his left hand before he ran his fingers through his hair as he processed everything Peter had told him. His eyes stared at silver ring on his left and knew the younger Petrelli was right. The moment Sylar had walked through that door under the premise of peace, he had been pulling their strings liked a skilled puppeteer. Until the moment his beloved clued one of his wooden dolls that they were being controlled. It was unsettling how well she knew him and what she had to say to Peter to get him to do her bidding. Sylar briefly wondered if Claire was somehow the puppet master and he was a foolish wooden boy believing he had the power to control the people around him. He shook his head and laughed at that thought. Claire had no idea what he was up to and only approached Peter out of concern for his well being. Claire trusted him with her well being when it came to hunting Danko. He paused again to wonder if she was the one pulling the strings. He groaned realizing this line of thinking would get him no where close to his objective. That was Danko, not trying to understand the most infuriating woman he had ever met. She was strong, but still so fragile from what that asshole did to her. Which is why she gave him so much leeway when it came to his own personal mission to wipe that piece of shit off the face of the planet; and it was what he intended to continue to do. He'd gladly give his own life, if it meant her safety. Something his former self would never even consider. "What the hell did I get myself into?" He inhaled deeply as he exhaled he knew this makeshift family was going to be the death of him. Sylar thought about what he was going to do next. "Well," he shrugged, "I'm already in trouble for being a lone wolf, might as well check the last two items off of my to do list before I turn in go home and become a team player." Sylar flew off towards the bakery as he pulled out his cell phone to see if Micah was ready for the next steps of his plan.
Peter returned back to the apartment and found Matt and Claire waiting for him. Peter noticed they both looked past him to look for who he assumed was Sylar. "I left him on the roof to think about what we talked about."
"Idiot," Claire yelled at her uncle.
"Excuse me?" Her words stung hard.
"She's right," Matt told the other man, "We inadvertently stumbled upon Sylar's daily activities. He knows he's caught."
"And since he's already in trouble—." Claire said.
"He's going to finish whatever he had planned on doing tonight before he had to start playing with the team." Peter shook his head. How did I not see that one coming? "Idiot!" he mumbled to himself as he turned back towards the balcony.
"Do you need help finding him?" Matt asked.
"I know where he is," Peter said as he jumped off the balcony he said, "I'm not a complete idiot." Peter flew as quickly as he could to the rooftop they were spy on the bakery at. That is where he found Sylar on the phone. Anger consumed him when he heard Sylar said Micah's name. "Was any of the shit you had us working on something you didn't already know!"
Sylar turned around and looked guilty. "How did you—."
"When I came back without you Matt clued me into how your brain operates."
"Well I figured if I was already in trouble I might as well take a peek inside." Sylar shrugged. There wasn't an ounce of regret or remorse found on his features. "Since you're here you can play look out."
Peter glared at him.
"What?" Sylar asked, "Isn't this what you wanted?"
"You're unbelievable!"
"Everything is arranged," Sylar said, "Micah is about to manipulate the security equipment as he walks me through the building, I'll be a ghost."
Peter held out the cell phone for Sylar to give to him. Sylar gave it to him as watched the younger man put it up to his ear. "We need to do this another night."
"We can't," Micah told him. "It took weeks to get this right. If we don't go now, who knows when our next window will be!"
Peter turned his back to Sylar. "How long have you two been working on this?"
"Since Matt asked to me to wipe out Sylar's criminal record," Micah confessed. He heard the other man curse. "I wouldn't do it right away until I knew he wasn't the boogeyman anymore."
"How did you come to that?"
"I watched him through security feed," Micah said, "After that; I offered my services to him while doing what Matt asked of me. The baby deserves to have two loving parents."
"So you tracked down Sylar?"
"More like he was already looking for me and I made it really easy for him to find me."
"Why tonight?"
"We spent weeks creating this window," Micah reminded Peter as his voice became sterner, "And there is nothing you can do to stop us."
"He's rubbing off on you," Peter said, "What can I do?" Peter turned towards Sylar when he heard the man clap his hands together.
"That's more like it," Sylar said with a grin.
"First, don't tell him about the record;" Micah told Peter, "Matt wants it to be a surprise."
Peter's eyes fell on Sylar who was staring at the bakery, uninterested in his conversation with the teenager. Well if that bastard can keep secrets. "Done." Peter answered his phone as he walked over to Sylar and gave his back. Both men put in their Bluetooth for maneuverability. Peter stayed on the rooftop for a bird's eye view of the building and its surroundings as Sylar went inside, being guided by the teenager.
Sylar wasn't prepared for what he found inside. "Oh fuck me! This cannot be real!"
"What?" Peter asked, "What do did you find?"
"It's—." The sound of the bakery exploding cut off their connection to Sylar.
"Sylar!" Peter yelled into the phone. "Sylar!" His eyes widened as the flames engulfed the bakery and the surrounding stores and apartments around it. Chaos spread as people fled the burning building. His eyes scanned for his partner. "Where is he Micah?"
"I don't know." The teenager told him. "The explosion wiped out the cameras around the block. I lost him."
"Where did you last see him?"
"In the lab," Micah explained. "He was typed something into the computer screen before the explosion happened."
"Check any video feed you can access. He has to be alive. Claire will kill me if he dies."
"I don't see him anywhere," Micah's eyes scanned the monitors as Peter looked at the havoc below him.
"Me either." Peter closed his eyes and prayed that the man didn't die in the explosion. He opened his eyes and inhaled before he started on Plan K. "Keep looking. I have to get to Claire. Call me if—when—call me when you find him."
"Will do."
Peter flew off the building and straight towards the penthouse. He tried phoning Matt but dropped his phone in his haste to get to Claire. "Fuck!" He landed on the balcony and ran inside. He found Matt and Claire watching Night of the Living Dead on the television.
Matt noticed him in his peripheral vision. "What happened?"
"Plan K," Peter told him as he ran towards the room that held Noah Bennet.
"We need to move now," Matt grabbed Claire's arm and pulled her from the couch. "Get your shoes and coat on. I will be back in a minute with our bag."
"Where's Sylar?" Claire asked.
Grief flashed across his face at the news before his face hardened. "No time," Matt yelled as ran into his room to grab the envelope. He stuffed it into the backpack he had stashed in the closet.
Claire's heart stopped beating when she saw the pain in his face. She followed him. "Where is Sylar?" she demanded an answer. She glanced at Peter who was in the process of releasing her father from his restraints. "What are you doing?" She tried to ignore the pained expression her father gave her. It reminded her of when she was five years old and he told her that her cat had died.
"What's necessary," Peter told Claire as he freed Noah.
"We don't have time for this," Matt said as he grabbed her arm and pulled her down the hallway.
"I'm not leaving until one of you tells me what the hell is going on!" She saw her mom grabbing her emergency exit bag that she prepared with Sylar a few weeks ago. She was getting worried. Sylar would be here to see her off, to say goodbye. Something was horribly wrong. "Where the hell is my husband!" She practically growled when she saw them exchange looks. "I don't care if you are faster and stronger than me, if one of you don't tell me when the fuck my husband is right now I'm going to beat it out of you!"
"He's dead Claire," Matt choked out. He knew his best friend was dead the instant Peter said Plan K. Plans C, K, R, U, X, and Z were developed by Sylar incase of his death. Matt never thought Sylar would be a causality in this war with Danko. He was sure that Peter or himself would be the ones to be killed over Sylar.
Claire froze at his words as the last moment she saw him washed over her.
Last night
Claire was in her favorite spot in the whole universe, in her lovers arms, wrapped in his tight embrace. They legs were tangled together and she could feel his fingers run through her hair. "Nothing can compare to this feeling I get when I'm in your arms," she mumbled into his chest, "Not even all the glories of heaven could compare to this. If I died today, I'd miss this the most." She felt his hand move from her hair to her back and he pulled her into a tighter embrace.
"Don't say that," Sylar said, "I'd die before I'd let anything happen to you."
"And I'd die without you," she told him.
"No, you have to live Claire," he whispered into her brow before he gave her temple a chaste kiss, "Our child needs you to survive."
"The baby needs its father as well," Claire said. She hated it when he talked like this, like he knew he was going to die on her and not come back.
"I know," he kissed her temple again, "And you know I would do everything in my power to spend everyday with you and the bean."
Claire leaned up and kissed him. She rested her head back on his chest and they sat there in silence. She thought the topic was over until she heard him whisper to her.
"If today was our last day together—."
"Don't talk like that."
"If all we had was this moment in time," Sylar continued, "What would be your last request for our last moments together?"
"To lay here with you like this," she told him, "This is what I would miss the most. The tranquility and security that only you can give me."
He smiled as he ran his fingers across her spine, "I think I can manage that."
"But what would make this moment even more perfect would be if we were really married." She looked up into his milk chocolate eyes. "I would want to die married to you."
Sylar inhaled. "That's a little harder to accomplish in a pinch." He sat up and brought her with him. "I would need some time to get all that together, license and stuff."
"I know sweetheart," she smiled at him, "but remember we have all the time in the world." Her smile grew at the wicked grin that appeared on his face.
"That we do," he leaned down and kissed her again. He pulled away and as he did he took her wedding band with her.
"Hey!" she shouted at him as she tried to get it back, "Just because it's not legal doesn't mean you can take away my wedding band."
"Trust me," he told her. He smiled when she dropped her hand. He pulled his ring off his finger and handed to a confused Claire. "I can't make it legit in the eyes of the law, but…"
"We can make it official in our heart and soul."
"Something like that," he whispered to her, "we can do the legal thing later."
Claire smiled as she looked down at the silver band in her hand. "We're never going to do things the traditional way are we?"
Sylar practically snorted when he let out a chuckle, "Where would the fun in that be?" He grabbed her left hand and looked at her. "I, Gabriel Andrew Gray, take you Claire Sandra Bennet as my wife. I promise that I am going to love you, cherish you, and put your needs and well being before my own. I will work hard to be the man you deserve. I promise to be a patient and loving father. I will protect you and our bean, as well as any other future beans we might have." Claire laughed at this and went to wipe the tears from her eyes, but he beat her to it. "Our children will know what it's like to be loved and will never be forsaken." Claire didn't think it was possible to love him anymore than she already did, but after those words, she did. Their children will never have his childhood. A promise from their father. "I'm going to love you forever. I promise to love you with each dying breath and my love will grow with each breath of new life." He slid her ring back onto her finger and kissed her hand once it was secure.
Claire smiled when he wiped her tears away. She blamed it all on the hormones because she was never this emotional before the pregnancy. "I, Claire Sandra Bennet, take you Gabriel Andrew Gray, as my husband. I promise to love you, to cherish you, and to kick your ass anytime you say something horrible and untrue about the man I love and adore. I promise to work hard to be a good mother. I will never hold your past indiscretions against you." She was nervous and didn't know if anything she said made sense. She never thought she would have to recite her vows off the top of her head. She thought she would have time to prepare them. She decided to end it by echoing his words. "I'm going to love you forever. I promise to love you with each dying breath and my love will grow with each breath of new life." She slid his finger onto his hand and kissed his hand as well.
"With absolutely no power or authority granted to me, I now pronounce us man and wife."
She laughed. "Are you going to kiss your bride now my love?"
He gave her a wicked grin before he crashed his lips against hers.
Claire pulled him down on the bed with her. She was completely happy in this moment in time. Sure, they still weren't legally married but her mind, body, and soul was married to this man. It was all that mattered; after all, they had all the time in the world to be legally married.
Claire shook her head as the memory faded. She was so naïve. They were so reckless and stupid to think they had all the time in the world. Claire wiped the tears from her eyes and cursed her hormones. "No," she told him, "He cannot be dead. He can't die. We just need to remove whatever debris is lodged in his kill spot." She looked at Peter, "Where is his body?"
"There was an explosion Claire," Peter told her, "He was at the ignition point. I'm so sorry, but there is no body."
Noah reached her just in time to catch her before she hit the ground. He held her tight as Claire cried her heart out. When she realized who caught her, she pulled away.
"No," she told him.
"Claire bear—."
"No," she told him more forcefully, "You don't get to console me. Not when I know you're thrilled he's gone!" She threw herself at Matt.
He caught her and held her. "We have to go Claire," he told him. "It's not safe here."
Claire wanted to scream at him that it didn't matter anymore. Her reason for living was gone. She would be all alone for eternity. Then she remembered her promise to Sylar to survive, to live for the bean. "I can't move," she whispered, "It hurts too much."
"It's okay," Matt whispered back. He tossed his burner phone at Noah. Their emergency backpack was already secure to his back, so he just bent down and picked her up.
Peter, Noah, and Sandra watched as Matt Parkman carried a broken Claire from the penthouse. When the door closed, Noah looked at Peter. "What's the plan?"
"We kill the fucking bastard," Peter vowed, "slowly and painfully as possible."
"Agreed," Noah said as he took the gun Peter offered him. He might hate Sylar but after seeing how much pain she was in, he wished he could have taken back what he did. He should have worked with the man for Claire's sake and try to learn to get along with him. Noah might have been able to prevent this very moment from happening. He failed his daughter for the last time. "Catch me up to speed."