Chapter 50 Protection

New York, 3 years ago

Angela had seen them. She witnessed the hidden love in their eyes. The forbidden fruit stood between them. Peter and Claire had marked as relatives and their love was practically impossible. However, impossible was the other word for very hard. It was very hard for them to stay away from each other. It was very hard to pretend that nothing worse had happened. The pain in their hearts was so obvious. Angela could feel it. She could see it with her own eyes.

She could see it in Claire's almost but not quite, touching of Peter's photo over the piano. She could see it in Peter's eyes every time he looked at his niece. Their touching was minimal. Their exchanged looks – hidden. Still, Angela was not blind. She refused to be.

'He saved my life, but forgot to mention that we are related.' Claire said as she looked at Peter's photo with her father. Angela felt the light tremble of her voice. She heard the unspoken disappointment of that fact. At least then, she thought that it was only disappointment.

When they all thought that Peter was dead and Claire showed up with her sad eyes, Angela started to open her ones. She left her newly found granddaughter with her younger son. She knew that nothing wrong could happen. Then she saw Claire gently caressing his hair. Softly touching his face and Angela could not look more. It was so obvious. It was so wrong, but Claire could not hide it. Then Angela had seen how Peter rebirth in Claire's hands. She had brought him back to life. The look in his eyes when he had seen her with the giant piece of glass in her hand was something disturbing. Then Peter did something even worse. He released his specific smile for her and wiped out her tears. Claire just stood there, smiling at him. She was happy, because he was alive.

'Peter, we need to talk!' Angela told him and took his attention. He did not even look at her. His eyes had focused on Claire.

'Can we do this later, mom?'

'No! Now!' Angela demanded and saw him shut his eyes for one moment.

'It's okay Peter!' Claire said and touched his arm. 'You can go. I'll be here later.'

She convinced him. Angela could not believe it, but it was fact. Claire made him listened to her with one simple move.

'Okay.' Peter nodded and smiled at her, before following his mother. He was tired and confused. Angela could see that. She decided to be quick.

'She's 16 Peter!' She said from the moment Peter closed the door behind him.

'Excuse me?' He looked at her with shock.

'Claire is 16 years old!'

'So?' Peter shrugged and fell on the couch. He shut his eyes, imaging her touch over his face. It was nice feeling.

'Look at me when I'm talking to you!' Angela demanded and he opened his eyes with tired sigh.

'I'm listening.'

Yeah, he was listening, but he also pictured her small face and her big beautiful eyes. She was still a girl, but maybe when she grew up.

'You love her.' His mother made him look at her with horror.

'What?'

'Claire, you love her.'

'I saved her!' Peter pointed, trying to hide his feelings.

'And you fell in love with some girl.'

'She is not just some girl, mom!' Peter answered angrily. 'She is…' The love of mi life. He thought.

'… your brother's daughter!' Angela said firmly, waiting for his reaction. He flinched and she thought that this news had shocked him.

'She is…' he licked his lips, saying quietly.

'She is your niece.'

And Peter felt how his world was getting dark again. His only love was his niece. The girl he thought he was going to love forever was his blood. He smiled bitterly and got off the couch.

'I have to take a shower.'

'Do you hear what I just said?' Angela wanted to be sure.

'I heard.' Peter answered and closed the door behind him.

That was their first and final talk about Claire. She thought that everything had fixed. Everything was okay and they had to get use to it. Peter and Claire acted, as everything is cool and even talked normally. Peter even convinced her to stay in New York and help him. He announced that in the last family dinner.

Angela saw the exchanged looks between them and already knew that something was going to happen. Peter just could not stand away from her. He always would be near, protecting her, loving her and wishing that all this were one big mistake. He would even kill for her.

Odessa, Texas, Now Days

Parker's House

'You son of a bitch! You almost killed her!' Peter growled in Andy's face. He was furious.

'I didn't mean that.' Andy panted under his hands.

'Peter!' Claire called him again and saw her standing in the door again. 'Dad is coming!'

'Okay.' Peter said softly at her and then turned back at Andy. His face changed and he snarled at him. 'You shot me. Okay, that is fine if you thought that you have problem with me! I could understand that. But her… ' Peter shut his eyes for one moment. When he opened them, they were cold. 'I could kill you! Gladly!'

'Peter, don't! Please!' He heard her voice again.

'I won't, Claire!' Peter said and threw Andy on the ground. Noah already walked towards him. Peter went to Claire and took her in his arms. 'I promised you!'

Claire wrapped hands over his thin waist and hid her head on his shoulder. His chin rested on the top of her head. Claire felt his racing heart and knew that he had spared Andy's life because of her. She asked him and he listen. Claire knew what kind of person Peter was. She knew that if he killed Andy he would never forgive himself. Eventually he would feel guilty. That it just who he was. No matter how angry or furious Peter was, he was a good man.

Sadly, for her, Andy was not. The sound of falling body made her alert and she quickly pulled away from Peter just to see her father lying on the ground.

'Dad!' Claire screamed and tried to reach him, but Peter quickly pulled her beside him and looked at Andy with narrowed eyes.

'I offered you a choice!' Peter growled and saw Andy pointing Noah with his gun. Claire's father was lying on the ground, but as far as Peter could see, he was okay. That was why he turned his attention back at Andy. 'Why you keep asking me to kill you?'

'You cannot kill me, Peter!' Andy said and took few steps back.

'Oh yes! I can!' Peter knew that he could not do this now. He knew that he had to protect Claire now. That was difficult, because she fought with him, wanting to see her father. If he let her, Andy could shot her and now she was vulnerable and unable to protect herself. Without mention the fact of her pregnancy.

'We'll see that!' Andy said and ran away.

Peter wanted to follow him, but Claire screamed his name and tugged him to her father. Peter knelt beside the old man and checked his pulse. It was in norm. Then he checked his pupils and saw that there were not any indications for something wrong. Noah coughed and opened his eyes. Peter helped him to sit on the ground.

'Where is Andy?' Noah looked around.

'He ran!' Peter said through clenched teeth. He was mad.

'I'm sorry.' Noah said and got off the cold ground. Peter helped him again with darker face.

'You should've been more careful!' He snapped and Claire shot him one look.

'Peter!'

'What?' He looked at her. 'I could've killed him! I had him in my hands and now everything starts again! Damn!' Peter turned around and walked into the house.

'He is right!' Noah said thoughtful and scratched his neck. 'It's my fault!'

'I couldn't let him kill Andy!' Claire said and looked at her father. 'He would never forgive himself after that!'

'I don't think so!' Noah said carefully.

'What is that supposed to mean?' She asked with confusion.

'His eyes, Claire… You had to see his eyes.' Noah shook his head. 'Andy hurt you and for Peter that is enough reason!'

'You can't be serious!' Claire widened her eyes. 'Peter couldn't…'

'I don't know!' Noah shrugged. 'I honestly don't know.'

Claire locked the front door this night. Peter was not downstairs, so she assumed that he was already in their bedroom. Claire knew that he probably was not in the mood right now. He probably was right, but she could not let him turn into a killer. That was not him. It was not Peter Claire knew and wanted to be. Peter was good person. He was the father of her children and the love of her life. He was the man saved her so many times. Claire knew that he was mad and even furious maybe. Her father was right. She also had seen the dangerous flames in his eyes. However, Peter had listened to her. He had heard her. Thanks to that, Andy was still alive and still ran free.

Claire went to see Pete first. He slept on his small bed and she smiled, touching his soft black hair. She turned off the lights and closed the door of his room quietly. Now she had to deal with his father. Claire sighed and opened the door of her bedroom. Peter just got out of the bathroom. His hair was still wet and dripping over the towel wrapped over his shoulders. He shot her just one look and stood still in front of the mirror. She sighed again and sat on the bed, looking at him. His anger was still here. However, Claire felt that he was mad at her too. Peter had not said a word since she was in the room and she thought that this was not a good sign.

He finished drying his hair and threw the wet towel onto the chair. Without saying a word or even looking at her, he just lay down on the bed with his back facing her. Claire stared at him sometime, but then finally found courage to speak.

'Peter.'

'Not now, Claire!' He said quietly.

'We really need to talk.' She said and saw him sighed, but did not turn around.

'It's really not the time for this!'

'I think it is, Peter!' She insisted, but she really did not know why.

'I don't know what…'

'Would you kill him?' Claire asked straight.

'What?' Peter turned around to look at her.

'If I wasn't there, would you kill him?'

'Why are you asking me this?' Peter frowned and sat on the bed, leaned back on the headboard.

'Why you don't answer me?'

Peter sighed tiredly and ran fingers through his still wet hair.

'What do you want me to say, Claire?' He asked quietly. 'That I wasn't upset when he tried to kill you? That I wasn't angry? I swore that I'll make him pay for this!' Claire saw his clenched fists and swallowed hard. Yes, he was furious. The word 'mad' was not even close.

'So would you kill him?' she wanted to know.

'Yes.' His voice was low and his face was darker. Claire saw the pure hate and will for revenge in his eyes.

'What happened to you?' She asked quietly.

'I'm tired of being a victim, Claire! I am tired of all this madness around us! I'm tired of being hurt! I just want to live my life with you! I just want to have this and nothing more! Obviously, some people think the opposite. Well, bad for them!'

'I'm fine, Peter.' Claire said quietly and crawled to him. She wanted to touch him and erase the pain in his eyes. Peter was hurt. She knew that he was probably upset of her assault at the hospital. She just did not know how much. 'I'm fine.' She repeated and touched his arm.

'I know.' He said huskily.

'Look at me.' Her face grabbed his face and she looked at his eyes. 'I'm here and I'm fine.'

'I know.' Peter repeated and his hands pulled her towards his body.

'You don't need to kill anybody.' She said and almost touched his lips. 'You just need to be here… with me.'

Peter did not say anything. He just kissed her.

That was their first night spent together after the hospital. They both needed it. They both wanted to feel each other. Therefore, when they reached the top it was like their first time – magical.

Claire was alone when she woke up in the next morning. She saw one note at the kitchen table. Peter and Pete had gone out for breakfast. Claire smiled and sat in the living room, waiting for them. If she had to be honest, the morning sickness this morning passed quickly and now she felt hungry for two. She rubbed her still flat stomach and thought about the new day. Peter had a day off, so as she. They would spend it together as a family. Probably Claire would convince him for one little stroll with Pete. The boy needed movements and Claire needed some time with her boys. She hoped next one to be a girl. One small lady, looking like Peter.

'Are you a girl?' Claire said with dreamy face, rubbing her belly again. 'I hope you are. Then we could…'

Two sharp knocks on the door scared her and she opened her eyes, searching the gun. Noah had left her one last night and Claire had hid him in one of the drawers, near the front door. She pulled it out and opened the door.

'Hi, Claire!' One smiley face appeared in front of her.

'Alex?' Her jaw dropped. He was the last person she expected to see. Claire quickly hid the gun under Peter's jacket, left ob the cupboard. 'What are you doing here?' She asked.

'I wanted to see you.' He shrugged and just now Claire noticed his resemblance with Peter. Now she realized why she was so eager to help him and why she liked him on the first place.

'And you just… find me here?' Claire stepped back so he could enter.

'I was with your parents until now. I first found them. They told me that you are here.'

'Oh.' Claire said, could not think of anything else. 'Please, sit.' She pointed him one chair and Alex sat down. Claire settled on the couch. 'So, why you wanted to see me?'

'I wanted to talk with you.' Alex swallowed hard and Claire read the answer in his eyes. She had to tell him about Peter. She had to be first or he would feel very strange after that.

'Alex, wait!' She said, but just as she had opened her mouth, she heard Peter walked in through the front door.

'Let's see if mommy is awake, shall we?' Peter just asked Pete and Claire heard his giggle. 'Claire?' Peter called her and she answered.

'Here!' She saw him looked at her and then his look fell on Alex. She licked her lips. 'Peter this is…'