Author's Note: More fluff to come. Story might be almost over. Key word: Might. Not really sure.

CHAPTER 25: Cause and Effect

"How did we get here? When I used to know you so well." – Decode, Paramore

Claire Bennet was tired. She didn't have a single bone in her body that wasn't fading out. She would have complained, but Miss Bishop was being so cool. Keeping her secret, spending extra time with her. She had to keep her smile on.

"That's a fake smile Claire." She clapped in time with each of Claire's movements as she did a back hand spring. Claire shook off the fake looking over at Zach. He was mimicking her arm motions giving a mock fake smile as he sat on the grass. "People don't want fake. They want real. Smiles at least. Comfort them. We can win this. We can do this."

Claire proceeded to do a cartwheel into a flip, but seemed to miss a step while focusing on her grin. A snap was heard as the girl squealed. Her wrist bending in an awful way. Elle immediately ran up to the girl despite her knowledge. She kneeled beside her as Claire sat up twisting the wrist back into place.

"No pain, no gain, right?" Elle just smiled at Claire's reaction. She smiled back.

"That's a real smile, kid." She knocked her cheek lightly. "Should we try that again or do you really need to be done?" The sun was setting and Gabriel could have been home. He had been doing office work today, but he had disappointed her so why not disappoint him a bit. Make him wait. Sweat out getting her home. A couple hours wouldn't hurt.

"I think I have memorized every kick, flip, twist." Claire stated in a heaved breath.

"I actually think if I was physically capable of doing all that I would be able to run all that too." Zach admitted pushing his bag over his shoulder. The two blondes chuckled.

"Hey if we have a cheerleader down I'll have to pull you from the stands." Elle bumped Zach's shoulder with her own. Claire tossed her gym bag over her shoulder.

"We better get off the field before the sprinklers come on." Claire stated and sure enough water was spraying everywhere. "Spoke too soon." She turned smiling allowing her smile to drop seeing Elle.

Her arms wet. Her skin, sparking.

--

It wasn't as weird as Elle imagined her secret being found out by a eighteen year old cheerleader on a football field at dawn. No it had been quite normal. A long doubted staring contest before Claire had muttered something about them being the same.

Elle had immediately wielded the conversation to food. She was starving. So here they were at the Burnt Toast Cafe. A doe eyed auburn haired waitress waited on them giving Elle some tea as the two teens stared unsure at the woman. Claire hadn't known what to say. One of the closest people in her school life, the closest authority figure companion she had outside the family was like her. Special. She didn't even know there were others like her out there. Let alone right under her nose. She sipped at her milkshake.

"So," Zach started seeing Elle sip deeply into the mug. Green tea entered her body, sprit, and mind. "How long have you been . . ." He searched for a word to cover up what they were about to talk about. Truck drivers, families on a early fall get away, and couple looking for a bite were around. "Cheerleading?" Claire's smile turned up a bit.

"Well," Elle placed her mug down looking at the two teens. "I guess since I was nine."

"You were just a kid." Claire put in unsure how she could have dealt with it. Elle nodded slowly. She had been handling hard enough as it was holding onto her secret. She couldn't imagine being nine and exploding with electricity. "How did you handle the stress of . . .cheerleading?"

"My grandmother mostly." Elle looked into the empty cup inhaling the tea fumes. "She was very understanding about cheerleading. She made me feel like I was the best cheerleader around. Up until she passed away." Claire nodded muttering sorry.

"So how many other cheerleaders like us are out there?" The young blonde asked as Zach curled his fingers around his straw gathering up as much vanilla milkshake as he could.

"Not sure the amount." Elle admitted with truth in her tone. "Cheerleaders may be very rare these days." Elle watched as the doe eyed girl struggled to exit the kitchen with their dinners. "I've known others though, but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't want to be mentioned. Being a cheerleader is very secretive these days." She knew Gabriel, her father, Eden, and even that bitch woman, Candice all were like them, but she didn't want to blab.

"Have you met anyone who could cheerlead like me?" Claire wondered. Elle shook her head.

"You're the only cheerleader I know like that." The waitress came around settling the dishes around everybody asking if they needed anything before leaving to attend to another table. "Speaking of did you meet your bio parents? They cheerleaders like us?" Claire looked up at the woman.

"Hank and Lisa aren't like us. Cheerleaders. Though apparently I have to watch for diabetes." With that she took a long sip of her milkshake. Elle smiled looking at her remembering two doctors that worked for the Company named Hank and Lisa. It had to be a consequence.

"This is really cool Miss Bishop." Zach stated putting a fry in his mouth. "Not every teacher would take a cheerleader and an outcast to a diner in the late afternoon. Thanks."

"You told your parents you were going to be here right?" Elle didn't want to actually every meet Bennet again. Now that she had somehow formed a connection with his daughter. She could safely say Claire Bennet was her friend.

"I told my mom I would be out practicing cheerleading with you and Zach. Before we left the field I called her saying that you had invited us to have dinner with you. She said it was sweet." Claire looked down at her burger and fries. Yes she was hungry from all the cheerleading and excitement of knowing she wasn't the only person with special powers in the world.

"Same here. Not that my parents care." Zach shrugged biting into the burger. Crunching into the lettuce and tomato.

"Okay good." Elle tipped her fork looking into her chef's salad. "I don't want to be arrested for kidnapping." Claire laughed lightly as she asked for the ketchup.

"Listen Miss Bishop," Her voice was soft and childlike. "I really want to thank you for doing this for me. I mean nobody's ever been this nice to me." Zach coughed. "That wasn't my age. I mean I want to make it up to you." That only made Elle feel horrible that she may have to turn Claire in. She really didn't want to, but what if Thompson decided to take her from Gabriel. She couldn't allow that.

"It's no problem Claire." She insisted waving her hand in the air. Claire was going to insist.

"Seriously Miss Bishop, you are the nicest person ever. Even your students, bratty little freshmen as they were love you." Elle just smiled realizing her work life was just as good as her home life with Gabriel. "How about I invite you over for dinner? Meet my family?"

Elle bit into a chunk of lettuce and egg. She looked up at Claire with wide eyes. Meeting the Bennet family was a big no no. She couldn't ever see him, but Claire looked so innocent. Hadn't she been so innocent once? In a time before her grandmother had died? In a world where it was just her and Gabriel and no Company in sight?

"Come on my mom makes killer meatballs." She pleaded. "And you can bring your boyfriend." Zach nodded trying to make the blonde teacher say yes. "I mean Zach comes over all the time and my parents would like to meet one of the teachers from my school. They always go on about education and stuff. Come on Miss Bishop. Please?" How could anyone say no to puppy dog eyes? If she said yes her mission would be blown. Gabriel could very likely slip from her hands. Then again maybe if Gabriel came he could explain things to Bennet. Tell him that Elle really wasn't going to harm Claire. Once she explained it.

"Sounds like fun." She admitted with a smile. "How about Sunday?" Claire just smiled and Elle put on a false one. She was good at fake smiles. Inside she knew that this dinner would have a huge effect on her personal life.

--

Gabriel sat by wondering where Elle was. It was seven. He was sure of it. Every little clock in the house ticked the time. He looked down at the watch on his wrist he had finally finished today. It's beautiful sight , but not as beautiful at what he could be looking at. Elle had stayed to do some extra practice with a cheerleader. He could only assume it was the Bennet girl she was spying on.

It didn't feel right to him, but then again it didn't feel right to her either. She was only doing it to keep everything happy. Keep them both safe and together. Though if anyone ever tried to take Elle from him he would probably have to kill him. More than likely. No matter who they were.

He hadn't had much to do, but work on his watch and munch on the left over lasagna they had made together last night. He really wished she'd be home soon. He worried. Not just because she was out on a mission. Because of everything that could destroy her out there. She had went through too many broken stages. Losing her father, almost being raped, getting kidnapped, being experimented on. If she broke again he didn't know if he could fix her. He knew from his own work on time pieces that if something broke too many times there had to be something wrong with the piece itself. No he wasn't planning on leaving her.

God forbid the thought. Though if she broke again he didn't know if he could live with her pain. He couldn't think about a broken Elle. She was working just fine. His pretty little blonde electric firefly. At some point he would have to legally make her his.

The door opened with a crack letting the woman appear slumping her gym bag and purse to the floor. She looked exhausted. His eyes fluttered up at her.

"Honey I'm home." She said in a tired voice. Gabriel came up to her wrapping his arms around her. "Miss me much?"

"Just a little." He laughed kissing her forehead than her lips. She had tired bedroom eyes. "You okay?"

"I think my legs are jello and my arms are pudding." The workout had recently gotten to her. Sore as she was.

"Let me make it all better baby." He escorted her to the couch allowing her to sprawl on his lap. Her head dipped back on the arm of the couch as she sighed. Her legs on her boyfriend's lap. He took off her sneakers and socks. He proceeded to massage her feet.

"Oh," She sighed happily. "That feels good." Gabriel smiled to himself liking the way she said it. Encouragement.

"How was practice?" He wondered rubbing the woman's little toes.

"It could have gone better." He peered up at her for a moment seeing her yawn, eyes closed. "I accidently showed off my power to Claire." He paused, but her eyes fluttered open. "Don't stop. You're just getting to where it hurt."

"You accidently showed her your power?" He asked raising his voice a bit. "Elle, that is dangerous. We aren't supposed to show them to anyone. Let alone the person you are tracking." She looked at him her face a bit scared and concerned all at once.

"What part of accidentally don't you understand? I got water on me. We both know about me and water." Gabriel knew that about Elle. If she expected the wet sensation she could hold back her sparks. If she didn't . . .well . . . he had experienced getting electrocuted by his girlfriend once the past summer.

"Okay, so what did you tell her?" He asked. She pointed at her feet. He sighed massaging them again.

"That I was like her. I gained her trust even more." Elle swallowed hoping he wasn't too mad at her now. She had more bad news to lay on him.

"So do you plan on turning her in?" Gabriel watched Elle's reaction carefully. Today he had found the house was bugged. No cameras just audio. She had been right all along. He mouthed say yes to her.

"Yes." She stated, but shook her head. She really wasn't planning n giving the teen up. "I just need to gain her trust a little more." She really didn't. She was sure if she told Claire to come into a van with her she would, but she was stalling. She was starting to want to help the lost girl. "What better way than meeting the fam?" Again Gabriel paused.

"Fam? Meet her family? Elle are you insane?!" He asked looking her with dead serious though half crazy eyes.

"You know I am. Part of my charm." She joked, but he shook his head. "Okay hear me out." Gabriel was planning on listening. "You are coming." He went to retort, but she continued. "Talk to Bennet. See if he can turn her over or whatever. If not than I will gladly take Bennet's wrath."

"And what if he kills you?" Gabriel said with complete seriousness. "What if his wrath is a bullet to your head?" He knew Bennet was hard core when it came to his family.

"He won't do it in front of his family. I'd hope." Gabriel just shook his head as she leaned forward. She held his hand softly. "I just want her to trust me." Gabriel looked at his woman. This was why he loved her. She wanted to help Claire Bennet. She really did. He couldn't deny the girl help. She just wanted to make a difference in someone's life. Seeing how the Bennet family worked may be the solution.

"If he tries to do anything to you," Gabriel started leaning close to her ear. "I won't hesitate to hurt him." He was willing to protect Elle for the rest of his life. She kissed his cheek softly.

"Sunday okay?" She asked with a deep filled heart. He nodded. "I love you." She held his face and kissed him. "You know I always will."

"Yeah." He told her. "I love you too my crazy little Elle." She laughed as he slipped her a dirty kiss.

He knew quite well that they loved each other. Though sometimes he didn't love her actions. He knew this Claire nonsense would have a killer cause and effect on their current relationship.