Chapter 24 Two years earlier

It was hard for him. It was hard to admitting a lie. However, she had to know. She had a right to know. Peter coughed lightly and stared at her eyes.

'Do you remember your first time Claire? Just answer me this.'

'First time… with man?' She looked at him with confusion. Peter nodded with strange expression on his face. 'Actually…' Claire wrinkled her nose. 'No, I can't… Strange thing, huh?'

'No.' Peter said quietly. 'It's not.'

'What are you talking about?'

'I made you forget, Claire.' He said and her eyes widened. 'It was me.'

'No!' Claire shook her head with disbelief.

'It was me, Claire!' Peter said carefully. 'Your first time it was with me!' He grabbed her hand and stared at her eyes. 'You have to remember! I'll make you.'

He saw her closing her eyes and he closed his. The memory came almost immediately.

Two years earlier

The flames of the pyre burned her skin, but she did not care. He was dead. Finally. He was absolutely dead. Claire threw one hidden look at the man, standing on her right. He stared at the flames. His eyes were cold and tired. Strange emptiness covered them. Claire felt that too. Usually it was that simple. They just felt the same thing. She shivered.

'Do you feel cold?' He asked her without even looking at her.

'No.' she shook her head. 'Peter I think they are hiding something.'

'Who?' He looked at her and Claire met his eyes. They were not so cold now.

'My dad, Angela… I think your brother too.'

'They are planning the new Company.' Peter said quietly and took off his leather jacket, covering her upper body. His hands rested over her shoulders and Claire felt one different kind of warmth. She felt… safe.

'There is something more.' She said, leaning back on him. He did not move, giving her the support of his body. 'I can feel it in their looks.'

'I know what you are talking about.' Peter answered close to her ear and Claire felt chills running down on her spine. 'Just give me some time, okay?'

'We don't have much time, Peter.' She whispered, knowing that he would hear her. 'Dad said that I have to go home with him.'

'You don't have to go anywhere.' Peter rested chin on her head and shot one look at the three people, talking not so far away from them. 'Tell him you want to stay here for now.'

'What? Why?'

'You have to pick a subject, right?' He said and Claire was sure that he was smiling. Since they had met again, she had not seen a smile from him. Not even one real smile. He smiled of course, but his eyes were empty. He felt sad and Claire could feel that sadness.

'I'll talk with him.' She said finally.

'Please, stay.' He almost whispered, but Claire thought that she heard something more in that whisper. She heard his need from her.

'Why?' She asked and saw her father, coming close.

'I need you here.' Peter answered and his hands released her shoulders. Claire felt the same coldness again.

'C'mon, Claire-bear. We need to go.' Noah said and took her away from Peter. They stopped at the other side of the fire.

'I won't go anywhere.' She shook her head and saw Noah frowned. 'I still want to study here, but I need to pick my subject. Peter said that he could help me.'

'Claire…' Noah frowned even more.

'Besides you and mom have to catch up.' Claire smiled, seeing her victory. 'Just call me when you get there, okay? I want to hear her.'

'Okay.' Noah said without willingness.

'Okay.' Claire nodded and kissed his cheek. Noah hugged her and they said their goodbyes. Everybody left the fire, except the four Petrelli's. Claire stood close to Peter. Angela and Nathan stood at the opposite side. Finally, when there was noting more than ash, they got in the waiting limo and drove off to New York.

Peter had not spoken with her the whole day. He just kept distance and his cold 'Good night' at the table was enough to piss her off completely. She walked into his room without knocking. He was standing to the window with back facing her.

'What the Hell are you doing?' She stormed out and closed the door behind. 'You said that you need me and now you're treating me like some dirt!' She frowned and went straight to him. Only the full moon, peering from the windows, lightened the room. 'I'm talking to you! Look at me!'

'I have my powers back.' He said quietly. Usually only his voice was enough to calm her. He turned around, but Claire could not see his face. It was too dark.

'You have them back?' Claire hugged him spontaneous. 'Peter, that's great.'

He resistance last only one second. She felt his arms wrapping over her small body.

'It is good, Claire.' He squeezed her tightly, before let her go. 'It's good, but something is not right.'

'What?' She watched him as he went and sat on the bed. Claire stand before him and Peter lifted up his head to look at her.

'I feel something, something wrong in me.' Peter reached out and brushed her face, before fixing her hair, behind her ear. Claire closed her eyes in that touch. Just for one moment, she enjoyed it. Then remembered his words and tried to find his face between the darkness.

'What is wrong with you Peter?'

'When I took his power before, I took his hunger.' He tried to explain. His hand leaved her face and Claire felt coldness again. 'When I took my powers back now, I think I took his hunger again.'

'What?' She was trying to understand.

'It's different kind of hunger.' He said and Claire felt his look over her. 'It gets you free. It pulls out all of your hidden desires. That's how it works for me.'

'I don't get it. Why's that makes you sad?' Claire sounded confused.

'I can't see the lines anymore, Claire. I can't see them.' He said throaty. 'Just… go now, okay?'

'Why?' She insisted of an answer. She wanted to understand him. She wanted to help him.

'Because you can't be with me now! You can't be here!'

'You said…'

'It was a mistake!'

'Why?'

'Damn you, Claire! Just go!' The aggression in his voice scared her, but she stayed. She did not move. It was he and she was safe.

'Why?' She insisted.

'Why?' His hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer. Claire lost her balance and sat on the bed, close to him. His other hand reached and grabbed her neck, drawing her face closer to his. 'You wanna know why?' His breathing was heavy, hitting her face. 'That's… why…'

Peter attacked her lips with his. It was pure hunger. Claire could felt it. She knew that it was wrong. She knew it, but she did not pull back. His teeth bit her lower lip lightly, until she did not open her mouth fully, waiting for something more. He gave it to her. She could not breathe, he did not allow her, but she did not care.

His hands slipped down over her body, following her every curve. He stopped on her waist and grabbed her blouse, tugging it up. Claire helped him. He threw it on the ground and kissed her again, while his hands slid behind her back, unbuttoning her bra. Then Peter pushed her onto the bed and hovered over her half-naked body. Claire saw his face then. She saw his eyes shone with gold in the moonlight. They were shining for her. He wanted her. She could see that.

'You should've run…' Peter said with harassed voice. 'I cannot let you now… I can't!'

'I don't want to run from you.' She said huskily.

He took off his T-shirt and Claire ran fingers over her bare chest. He shivered and his mouth attacked her again. Claire was a virgin, but obviously knew how to touch him. She felt powerful and she liked that.

His mouth slipped down on her face and bit her chin. Then he traced her throat with his tongue, flicking her sensitive skin and making her want more. His hands helped her pulled off her jeans while his mouth covered the top of her right breast and he began sucking her nipple and touching it lightly with his tongue. Claire grabbed his head and buried fingers in his hair. Her body bucked against his and she moaned little louder this time.

'You like this?' he asked her, pulling off her pants and his jeans and boxers too. Claire just nodded and he smiled viciously, covering her other breast with his hungry mouth. His hand slipped down on her belly and his fingers found her warm feminine place, between her thighs, making her yelp from surprise.

'Pe-ter…' She stammered, widening her eyes. Then his fingers moved and he found her sensitive spot. 'Oh…' He rubbed it and her hips bucked against his hand. Just few more moves and she felt her body on the edge. 'Oh… shit…'

'Can you come for me, Claire?' He whispered close to her ear. His hot breath hit her skin and she grabbed his shoulders, digging nails into his bare skin. 'Come for me… now…' He slid one finger in her wet core and Claire cried, experiencing her first orgasm. 'Good.' He smiled and kissed her again. 'Good girl…'

'More…' She panted, squeezing his shoulders. 'I need more.'

'I am going to give it to you.' Peter said, grabbing her hands and lacing fingers with hers. 'I'm gonna give you more…' And he slid into her. He was slow, careful, knowing that was her first time. He knew that it would hurt her. That was inevitable. Peter felt her resistance and with one jerk move, he made her a woman. She cried, but he kissed her gently. He freed her hands, taking her face in his hands and pulling her closer. Claire wrapped arms around his neck.

'More…' She whispered.

'Are you ready?' He asked, but her legs wrapped over his waist and she crossed ankles on his back. Her hips moved, making it clear that she wanted him. 'Okay…' Peter pulled back and then slid in again. In and out…In and out … Slowly… Carefully… Her head fell aback. Her arms released his neck and she grabbed the sheets tugging them.

'Oh… my… oh… more…more…' She panted and her moans became louder, when he changed his moves. Faster… Harder… Leading her up again.

'Oh… Claire…' He moaned and kissed her shoulder, feeling that they both were close.

'Pet-er…' She keened and her hands grabbed his shoulder again.

'I'm here…' He kissed her earlobe.

'I can't… I think… I… Peter!' She keened again, when she reached her top for the second time this night, but this time she was not alone. Peter followed her with few final jerk moves. He fell over her body, breathing heavily.

'I love you.' he heard her whisper. 'Always…'

'I…' He stopped for one moment, but then his head moved slightly and he kissed her neck whispering back. 'I love you… too. Always.'

He did not see her face, but felt her smile. Seconds later, he pulled out of her and wrapped arms around her warm body.

'Sleep now.' He said and kissed her temple. 'Sleep…'

This night while he held her in his arms and listened her breathing, he knew what he had to do. He knew what he supposed to do on the next morning. Claire was the most important thing in his life and he knew that the best thing for her is to forget this night. She had to continue her life as one normal girl and he was just something that held her back. She would stay with him, because she loved him. Peter was not blind. He had seen that love so many times in her eyes. He knew about it long ago, but they just were not supposed to be.

They made love once again. They were under the shower and he helped her to wash out the blood of her thighs. One kiss leaded to another and they ended up making love again. He watched her. Watched her beautiful face as she dressed up her clothes and with one final kiss made her to forget everything.

He did not want to.

He wanted her, but she was better without him…

So she forgot…

Now Days

Peter looked at her and saw the pain in her eyes. He held the same pain in himself these two years. Night after night, he had tried to forget her. He had slept with so many women. They all were dark-haired and had nothing in common with Claire. He had chosen them in that way. He did not want to remember her. He wanted to forget her. However, his body did not.

'When you came to me as Roxanne, I knew it was you.' He said with harassed voice. 'See, I recognized your body. It was you…'

'And you make me stay?' Claire said quietly. 'That is why you make me stay?'

'Yes.'

'Fuck you Peter!' Her eyes shone. 'You have no right to decide…'

'I made a mistake, okay?' He said angrily. 'I made a mistake by letting you go! Now, I'm fixing it!'

'This is my life.' Claire narrowed her eyes.

'It's mine now!' He narrowed his. Peter had her and she knew that he was right.