Chapter 37 Fixing mistakes

Peter had called emergency in the hospital. It was in the middle of the night and he kissed Claire's forehead, before leaving. He had stayed with her in her room. They had not talked, but Claire just wanted him there. She had fallen asleep in his arms and Peter held her until the moment of the call.

He rushed out of the house and went straight at the hospital. It was about one of his patients. He was getting worse and Peter was responsible for his survival. He saved the man, but after that was so tired that he fell asleep in the on-call room. He thought that is the better idea. Her shift started after two hours.

Then he spent one busy day at the emergency. Two car crashes, one shot wound and few stitches. He felt like a crap by the end of the day. When he finally got home, they called him to confirm his flight. He had to flight for Ireland with Hospital's private plane; otherwise, Peter would just teleported there.

He confirmed, but was not sure that he wanted to go. Claire still needed him and he had second thought about that conference.

'Don't go!' One low voice made him jump from surprise. He just had sat on his bed. Peter looked up and saw… himself! He wore black and looked a lot darker than he looked.

'You?' He shook his head. 'I mean me? Or… Damn! This is so confusing!'

'Just listen okay?' Peter nodded and stared at his reflection. Actually, the other Peter looked much older than he did.

'Are you from the future?'

'Oh great!' The other Peter sighed tiredly and ran fingers through his hair. 'Now I have to explain you this…'

'Just say yes or no!' Peter frowned.

'I am from the future, but this is not the future I want for you.' He said and stared at Peter.

'What?' Peter looked completely confused. 'Why?'

'Why?' The other Peter laughed bitterly. 'Everything starts here in this room. You choose to go for Ireland.'

'So?' Peter shrugged. 'Maybe this is not a bad idea. Besides I can…'

'You can teleport from there and still could protect Claire?' The other Peter rose up his eyebrows ironically. 'Don't be so naïve!'

'You're mocking with yourself?' Peter tilted his head. 'Nice!'

'It doesn't matter what you think!' The other Peter became serious again. 'You have to stay here!'

'Why should I believe you?' Peter crossed arms before his chest.

'Because I'm you!'

'Yeah right?' Peter snapped and got off the bed.

'You don't believe me?' The other Peter grabbed his hand. 'See for yourself!' Then he squeezed his eyes and they teleported away. Peter just could not believe it. He had kidnapped from himself.

When he opened his eyes, Peter found out that they were in the middle of some corridor. People rushed around them and looked very busy. However, there was something strange in this corridor.

'We are in one special clinic, Peter.' The other Peter said. 'Come with me.' He nodded and turned around. Peter followed him.

'What is that clinic?' He asked his older self. Just now, he noticed some people with white overalls. 'Hey you!' Peter increased his voice, but then looked confused. 'Or me? I don't know how to call you, but hey!' He grabbed the other Peter's arm and forced him to stop. 'You have to tell me what this is? Where are we?'

'You mean when we are?' The older Peter shrugged and released from Peter's grip.

'Okay, where are we?'

'Two years in the future.'

'You are kidding me!' Peter frowned and looked around once again. 'Okay, I'm gonna play. Where are we?'

'I just told you.'

'Is this some kind of… mental institution?' Peter asked and noticed the other Peter flinched barely noticeable. His face faded and he looked extremely sad.

'Come.' He said instead of an answer. 'I want you to meet someone.'

'Who?' Peter asked with confusion, but his old self pushed him through the near door. Then Peter froze. He saw Claire sitting in one chair and staring through the window. This Claire had nothing to do with his Claire. Her hair was not golden anymore. Her curls were silver and fell on the mess over her back. She wore simple green vest and black jeans. Her face looked sad and so absent that Peter felt pain in his heart.

'It hurts isn't it?' The other Peter asked him and Peter looked at his old self. He stared at his Claire and his face darkened. His eyes stared at the woman on that chair. Peter could see that he still loved Claire. Then what had happened. 'They took our son.' The older Peter answered him. He had read his mind, but Peter had not scared anymore. He just wanted to know the truth.

'Who?' He asked quietly. 'Who took him?'

'My brother.' The older Peter whispered. 'My brother and my mother planned all this while I was in Ireland. They sent me the Haitian and I lost my memory. When I finally remembered my life it was too late.'

'Why?'

'They sent Claire somewhere until the baby's born. Then they took him from her. She said it was a boy.' The other Peter crooked his face and bit his lower lip.

'How did you find her?'

'They took her back home.' The older Peter whispered. 'But she was not the same and when I came back and asked about our boy…' He made short pause. 'They told me that he is in good hands and I don't have to worry about. When I asked about Claire, Heidi took me to see her. And I saw her just like this.'

'She hasn't spoken since then?' Peter swallowed his own pain.

'Oh, she did.' The older Peter could not stop staring at her. 'When she saw me, she fell in my arms and cried all night. Then she told me about everything and asked me to find our son.'

'But you couldn't?'

'I've tried so many times and I'm still trying.' The older Peter shook his head. 'No result.'

'Why didn't you ask them? Hell! Why didn't you read their minds?' Peter cursed and his other self looked at him.

'I tried that too, but my mom thought it well. The Haitian had erased their memory too. They couldn't remember where the baby is.'

'Mel? You should ask Mel!'

'The Haitian too.' Peter shook his head again. 'I just told you that I tried everything!'

'Peter?' They heard Claire's voice and looked at her.

'Hey beautiful.' The older Peter said and went to her. He knelt before her and took her hands in his. 'How are you today?'

'You found him?' She asked instead of an answer. His face darkened even more.

'No, I'm still looking.'

'You have to find him.' Claire tilted her head and looked through the window. 'You have to find him.' She repeated again like an echo and the older Peter got off the floor. He looked extremely sad.

'I can't look her like this!' Peter almost moaned from the emotional pain.

'Go back and don't take that flight to Ireland!' His older self came closer to him. 'Do you hear me? Find Claire and take her away from our family!'

'But…'

'If you don't want her to end up like this, you have to listen to me!' The other Peter insisted and grabbed his shoulder.

'I saved one two years old boy in the hospital.' Peter said suddenly.

'What?' The older Peter took few steps back.

'They said that some young woman had left him in the park.' Peter tried to remember. 'Is it possible…? I thought I saw something familiar in him and then Claire had these dreams…'

'Go back, Peter!' The older Peter swallowed hard. 'Maybe it was him, but you can't repeat my mistakes! Do you hear me?'

'I won't!' Peter whispered and nodded at his older self. Then with just one blink of his eyes he was back home. How did he do that, it was mystery for him. However, he did not have time to think about that. His only thought was Claire and he rushed out of his room.

'Claire!' He called her name before her door, but nobody answered him. 'Claire!' This time he opened the door and got inside of her room. It was dark and Peter switched on the lights. Her bed was empty. She was gone. He was already late. 'Not this time!' He hissed and got out of her room.

Peter ran down on the corridor to his mother's room. He opened he door without knocking. She was sleeping, but that was not important for him now. The only important thing was Claire.

'Wake up, mom!' Peter said loudly and switched on the light. Angela almost jumped on the bed and looked around with scare.

'What?' She looked up at Peter and frowned. 'What are you doing here, Peter?'

'I want to ask you something and I'm leaving.' He sat on her bed and tilted his head.

'You supposed to be on your bed right now. Aren't you going to Ireland tomorrow?' She asked him and sat on her bed too, covering with her blanket.

'Where is Claire?' Peter asked instead of an answer and saw his mother avoiding his eyes. 'Where is she, mom?'

'You have to come back to your senses, Peter!' Angela got off the bed and Peter followed her.

'I have to see Claire!' He snapped. 'Where is she?'

'Peter, please…' Angela grabbed his arms, but Peter pushed her away.

'Tell me or I'll make you!'

'I can't tell you!' Angela said firmly snapping back at her original cold attitude.

'Fine!' Peter stared at her eyes and suddenly she spoke.

'Odessa, Texas.'

'Thank you!' Peter closed his eyes and thought of Claire.

'Peter, stop!' His mother scream went away. When he opened his eyes, he was standing in the middle of one dusk room. He looked around and saw Claire, lying on the small bed. Her face had exposed to his look. Peter took few slow steps to her and then sat on the bed, stroking her golden hair.

'You don't have to be afraid anymore.' He whispered and just then, she opened her eyes, looking at him. One smiled appeared on her face.

'You are here.' She whispered and Peter leaned to kiss her.

'I'm here, beautiful.'