Chapter 25 Home
Las Vegas, Nevada, 12 months earlier
It was December 23rd… The young man wandered among the people outside. The streets were full as always. It was day like any other day of the year… Not for him… It was not the usual day for him. It was his birthday and he planned to celebrate it properly. He was not smiling… He was not feel happiness… He was empty. He felt like Hell and that was the irony of the whole thing. He supposed to be happy on that day… Peter had not reason to feel in that way. It was day like every other day and he planned to celebrate it as usual.
Peter pushed the doors of the next bar on his way. It was dark inside. Only few colored lights flashed around. There were some girls dancing in few stages. They were half-naked. Only some pieces of clothing covered their lust bodies. They were all brunettes… He threw just one brief look at them and walked straight to the bar.
'Whiskey!' Peter said with husky voice. 'One bottle!' he threw some banknotes. 'Keep the change!'
The bartender placed one full bottle in front of him and took the money. Peter started at his salvation few seconds. Then he reached and opened it. First gulp burned his throat and he flinched. It was good this time, not some trash like before. Peter nodded pensively and took the bottle with him as he walked out of the bar. He had something special in his filthy apartment for it.
From the moment he entered inside of his lodging, Peter felt something strange. Some strange feeling burned his body and it was not the alcohol. It was like premonition. He never had felt like this before. His heart ached and he grabbed his chest.
'What…' he whispered and slammed the door behind him. His whole body was in pain. Some strange pain like the one he felt just once or twice before.
It was like… Peter shook his head. It could not be this. It was not Claire. Claire was good with his family. Peter tried to ignore the pain and walked in the kitchen. Maybe one dose or two, mixed with the drink should calm that pain.
Two hours later, lying on his bed and staring the ceiling, Peter understood how wrong he was. The pain did not go away. He felt it even strong, but he could not react on it. Then he just accepted it.
'Happy birthday, Peter…' he barely spoke and closed his eyes, but the dream did not come.
Odessa, Texas, 12 months earlier
Claire felt strangely the whole day. One dull pain in her waist was haunting her since the morning. Now it was noon and she just walked in the living room. The dull pain became sharp and cut her through her stomach.
'Mom!' Claire screamed painfully. She curled up in two and tried to catch her breath.
'I'm here! Claire, what happened?' Sandra rushed in and saw her daughter. 'Oh God! You are in labor!'
'I think that!' she breathed heavily and Sandra helped her to the couch.
'Noah!' she yelled panicking and rushed out of the room.
'You're going to be okay…' Claire caressed her stomach and talked quietly to the baby. 'You have to be okay, please… I can't lose you too!' The next pain made her arched her back. 'Oh, no!' She screamed again. Claire knew the pain. It was not as she did not felt it before. Just this time was different. This time, she carried life inside of her and she had to keep it safe. She had to help it came to this world.
'Claire!' Noah rushed in the room along with Sandra. Claire just gasped for air and tried to remain calm. 'Just be brave my girl! We will take you to the hospital now! Be brave!'
'I'm trying…' Claire released one harassed smile. Her father helped her got off the couch. Then the next painful contraction almost made her lost her consciousness.
'OW!' she cried out and fell in her father's arms.
'Claire!' he screamed panicking. As he carried her, he heard one name slipped through her cracked lips.
'Peter…' Noah thought that he was just imaging that.
He was not… Claire thought about Peter in that moment. He was her hero. He was her salvation in the moments like this. She just had to picture his face. Like this time… Her heart and her mind had called him. She was in pain and he had to save her.
'Peter…' she whispered once again and lost consciousness.
Claire woke up in the hospital from the same pain made her passed out.
'Good!' said one lady doctor and smiled at her. 'You are awake…'
'Oh! It hurts!' Claire moaned. The pain was here and it was even strong than before.
'Your baby is soon to be born. It's normal!' she said to her and took place in her open legs. 'Now you have to push!'
Therefore, Claire did that. She pushed harder every time the doctor said to her. She pushed and every time his face was in front of her eyes, giving her strength. Moreover, every time Claire wanted to cry, because he was not here, beside her.
'Okay! I need you to push one more time! One more, Claire!' the doctor screamed and this time Claire could not resist and screamed.
'Peter!' His name, so natural and hidden deep in her heart slipped so easily. In this moment, she heard the cry of their baby.
'You have a son, Claire! He is good and healthy!'
Claire could not react at that moment. She felt too tired and just saw how the nurses cleaned up her son and put him lying over her body. He stopped crying immediately and Claire saw how his eyes opened.
'Oh…' was her only reaction. The tears were her natural reaction. She reached trembling hands and covered his small body. Then she looked back at his eyes. They looked at her just like… 'Peter…'
'That is a beautiful name.' her doctor said.
'It is…' Claire said huskily. She just could not stop looking at her baby. Her son… His son... Their son…
'So your baby is already having a name?' the lady doctor came close to her and smiled.
'Yeah…' Now Claire was sure. 'He has a name.'
'Peter?'
'Peter…' Claire said once again and looked again in his baby eyes. 'Happy birthday, Peter…'
Odessa, Texas, Now Days
'Happy birthday, Peter!' Her whisper woke him up in the early morning. He had slept just few hours. His shift was exhausting and he did not even change his clothes. However, now Peter felt her lips touching his.
'Claire…'
'You had to wake me up!' she whispered and Peter felt her body slipped over his.
'It was late…' he said with husky voice.
Claire laid her head on his chest and her hands rested on his shoulders. Her whole body was over his and that was pure torture for him now.
'Still!' she insisted and shifted more comfortable. 'You know that I love to sleep beside you!'
'You are on top of me now…' his voice still sounded strange.
Claire shrugged and said sleepily.
'I just wanted to wish you happy birthday…'
'Thank you, but…' Peter felt her already sleeping. He just pulled over the blanket over them and wrapped arms around her and sighed. It was good to be home. It was something foreign for him. This was going to be one different day for him. This was going to be one different birthday.
New York
Angel a sat in front of her laptop and opened her next e-mail. Her detectives had taken some pictures. She wanted to be sure that this was her son. She wanted to be sure that this was Peter. The detectives had called him with different last name. They had called him Peter Parker. Maybe that was not her boy. Her Peter never would have… Just then, the picture popped up on her screen.
'Oh, no!' Angela exclaimed and covered her mouth. She just could not believe it. That was Peter. That was her Peter. He wore Paramedic Suit and had smile on his face. He looked… relaxed. He looked glad of his life. His eyes shined. Angela reached hand and touched the monitor. Her Peter… She pressed one button and another picture popped up. He just got in one car. Angela frowned. Why he had to use car if he could fly? There was something wrong in that picture. There was something very disturbing…
She pressed the button again and this time she saw him entering in one house. Maybe his house? Another click and this time she almost fell of the chair. The picture showed Peter, Claire and… small boy. They held his hands and helped him walking. The boy smiled and shined against them. That was their son.
'Oh… Peter!' Angela released one quiet moan. That was why he had a new name. He preferred to hide from his family. He preferred to forget them and Angela could not blame him. However, she had to talk with him. She had to tell him how much she sorry about the past.
The phone rang and Angela put the receiver to her ear.
'Yes!'
'Shall we proceed?' That was the voice of her detective. 'Is that the man you were looking for?'
'Yes. He is and you can stop now. Thanks for you services! I am going to send you the money as usual…'
'Nice to work with you! Good bye!'
'Bye!' Angela closed the line and threw the phone on the bed.
She covered her eyes and sighed bitterly. This was going to be one different birthday. Yeah… Angela knew what day was today. She knew it. Nathan was the one, who did not remember. He just forgot about his brother's birthday...
Odessa, Texas
Peter opened his eyes and felt her still lying over him. He was afraid to move. Her warm breath nicely tickled his chest. Peter smiled and buried fingers in her golden hair. Her breathing changed and he saw her smiling.
'I can wake up like that every morning…' she murmured without moving.
'I can agree with that!' Peter said quietly.
Claire lifted up her head and rested her chin on his chest. She looked at him straight at the eyes.
'So… you have a birthday?'
'I have a birthday…'
'I planned something for today?'
Peter shrugged and put his hands on her waist.
'No… It's a usual day, but I'm not going to work!'
'You have a day off?' Claire smiled and her fingers slipped over his face.
'I have a day off!'
'Me too!' Claire said and jumped off the bed. 'Come on! Get up! I have a plan for you!'
'Should I be scared?' Peter released one crooked smile.
'I don't know…' Claire shrugged. 'But I have something in my mind and I want your opinion!'
'Ok. I'm coming down as soon as I get ready!' Peter nodded and saw her leaving the room with dancing steps. She was up to something. Peter could say that for sure. He nodded and got off the bed stretching his back.
Fifteen minutes later, he was already downstairs and sat on the table. Sandra had welcomed him. He saw her baking cake and smiled.
'Smelling good!' he said as he sipped of his juice.
'It's for Pete! He has and birthday today…' she said but then laughed nervously. 'But you already know that!'
'I know!' He smiled comforting. 'I have to know, I mean… I have birthday too…'
'You do?' Sandra almost dropped her apron. 'Seriously?'
'Yes, mom!' Claire just entered in the room with Pete in her arms. 'We have two birthday boys today!'
'Claire, why didn't you tell me?' Sandra asked with disappointment in her voice.
'Don't worry!' Peter said and reached hands for Pete.
'Dada… eat…' the little boy waved hands in the air and Peter put him on his seat.
'Yes, we are going to eat…' Peter cooed and looked at his son. The little boy already was trying to put some sentence.
'Well, Peter! If there is nothing…' Sandra came closer to him and Peter stood up. 'Happy birthday!' she said and hugged him. Peter froze at the beginning. He did not know what to do. It was so warm gesture. Peter still did not get use to it. However, his instincts worked and he wrapped arms around Claire's mother.
'Thank you, Sandra!' he said after pulling back and sat down again.
'I'm sorry, but I don't have any present…' she said apologizing.
Peter shook his head and his look dropped on little boy sitting at his seat. His eyes shined.
'I already got my present!'
'Maybe I have one more for you…' Claire said rubbing his back and Peter looked at her strangely.
'What is it?' Peter asked and saw her pensive face.
'I was thinking…' She started, but her father entered just in this moment.
'Good morning family!' Noah said and sat on his chair. 'Happy birthday Peter!' he said and Sandra crossed her arms before her chest.
'You knew and you didn't tell me? Nice!' She pouted, but Noah just shrugged.
'I thought you knew! I'm sorry!'
'Well…' Sandra started, but Claire interrupted her.
'I think I found a house for me and Peter!' she blurted out. The reactions were different. Noah chocked with his coffee. Sandra fell on the near chair and Peter's eyes widened.
'Is that your surprise?' Peter said quietly.
'Yes.' Claire gulped painfully. 'I thought that it is time for us to…'
'What?' Noah almost screamed. 'Are you crazy?'
'Noah!' Sandra intervened. 'Let her explain…'
'There is nothing to explain! I just think that is time for us to have our own hose!' Claire said totally convinced in her words.
'Claire…' Noah yelled again.
'Please calm down!' Peter said with quiet voice and everybody looked at him. His eyes stared at Pete. He was ready to cry. His lower lip trembled. 'You don't want to scare him, do you?'
'I'm sorry!' Noah lowered his voice, but he was still frowned. 'But Claire! What the hell are you thinking?'
Claire crossed her arms before her chest and gazed at her father stubbornly.
'Like I said I think it's time and I don't think that I'm crazy! I thought about that since one month! We have to do that, dad!' She said with stern voice.
'We haven't talked about this, Claire…' Peter said quietly and took Pete in his lap. 'Maybe this is little too rush?'
Claire shook her head. She already had thought about this. She knew that he is scared right now. She knew that he felt insecure and unsure about his abilities. However, Claire believed in him.
'It's not too rush, Peter! I think that it's time… This is the right time!'
'Claire…' Her father tried again, but she shot him one look.
'I thought about everything. The house is close to this one. We are going to be close, just…' Claire looked at Peter. 'We need this!'
Peter saw the plea in her eyes and understood what he had to do.
'Okay…' he smiled quietly.
'Okay?' Noah repeated and looked at them.
'Okay!' Peter said and Claire laced fingers with his. 'I trust her! If she said that we need this…'
'Peter! I thought that…'
'Dad! Stop already!' Claire took deep breath and took Pete from his father's arms. 'I'm going to change his dippers and we can go!'
'Okay!' Peter nodded and followed her with his eyes.
'She is going crazy!' Noah murmured. 'I thought that you could help me with this!' He looked at Peter.
'I helped… her!' Peter said looked at him strangely.
'Her?' Sandra saw his look.
'I told you, Noah!' Peter said quietly. 'I'm always going to love your daughter no matter what! Love is support also! If I have to take a side…' Peter did not finish, but Noah just shook his head.
'So that is going to be?' he asked.
Peter shrugged and moved his fingers. Suddenly, the glass with the juice appeared in his hand. He almost jumped of surprise.
'What was that?' Sandra asked.
'I don't know…' Peter looked confused. Maybe his powers got back. He released the grip around the glass and tried to start the fire. Nothing. He sighed and shrugged again. Probably that was accidental.
'Are you ready?' Peter heard Claire calling for him at the living room.
'I'm coming!' Peter said and nodded at Noah and Sandra.
'Let's go!' Claire said and placed little Pete in his arms. She just opened the door and froze.
'Hello Claire… Peter!' Angela Petrelli stood at their doorframe and suddenly Claire felt the fear coming back in her life. She looked at Peter and saw his face. He looked strangely… absent. Numb…