TITLE: The Boy of Tomorrow
RATING: PG-13
COUPLE: Claire/Zach (Clach)
SUMMARY: To win the battle of the future, Claire must save one last ally with powers beyond compare.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters from Heroes and am not making any profit with them. They all belong to NBC. If they were mine, then I guess I'd make Zach and Claire a couple and wouldn't let Thomas Dekker leave for „The Sarah Connor Chronicles" (because I would have hired him with a contract and not per episode).
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Zach!! This time, we meet him – and he will stay. Sorry it took so long.
The Boy Of Tomorrow (5/?)
by Dare
"No, dad, I'm staying with Monica. Hasn't mom told you?"
"She told me!" Claire heard her mother calling from the background. "And I have already talked to Monica. Everything's just fine."
Mr. Bennet sighed. "Well then, Claire. Until tomorrow?"
"Yes, dad. Until tomorrow." She closed her cell and looked over at the house. "This is it?"
"Yep," James said. He had picked up something from McDonald's and was munching heavily, completely happy – and satiated. "This is it. Address on the map an' everything. Date is wrong, though."
"We are so not going to wait until tomorrow," Claire said. "You stay here, I'll be right back."
"But – how do you know who it is?" James called, but Claire was already halfway over the lawn.
I don't know, she thought. But maybe Magdalena is kind enough to show up – and show me the damn way. Where is that girl anyway?
Claire heard a soft Plop and Magdalena appeared, being her usual cheerful self."Been worried?"
"In your dreams," Claire muttered, as she approached the house. "Who lives there?"
"An elderly couple," Magdalena said.
"And who is it? The man or the woman?" Claire asked.
"Neither. It's their grandson," Magdalena explained. "He stays on the second floor – and I wouldn't go any further if I were you."
Claire stomped on. "What's that supposed to mean?" she grumbled. The train and the fire inferno attached to it hadn't been able to stop her; some spooky old mansion wasn't going to stop her either. "We are here and now, we are going --"
Just then, the sprinklers decided to start. Claire cursed loudly, especially given the perspective of no alternate clothing.
"I told you," Magdalena chirped and reached out to touch the water. Claire watched as the drops went straight through her hand.
"No, you just said: I wouldn't go any further. That wasn't very precise."
"What's not precise about I wouldn't go any further?" Madgalena demanded to know.
Claire was about to snap at her, when she heard something. "Shhh!" She heard a door being opened and closed again and a voice of a boy or a young man coming nearer, crossing the lawn.
"Is someone there?" Claire saw a shadowy figure approaching. "Hello?"
He was a boy – about Claire's age with short brown hair, though longer than she remembered it. He was clad in black jeans and a marine colored t-shirt. A couple of earplugs was dangling around his neck. Claire would recognize him anywhere on the planet.
"So no way," she whispered. She turned to Magdalena. "That's him?"
Magdalena smiled. "That's him."
"You could have told me!"
"And miss the look on your face? I don't think so." Magdalena eyed the boy appreciatively. "He's cute."
Claire's look could have killed a lesser woman, but Magdalena just smiled kindly. "You know it and I know it," she said.
"Claire?" the boy asked. "Claire, is that you?" A short pause. "You look -- wet."
At least he remembers me. Claire closed her eyes for a second, forced a smile on her face and turned towards him. "Hello, Zach. Can I talk to you for a second?"
He stared at her. "You came all the way from Odessa just to talk to me for a second?" Then he noticed something. "And whose that guy waving at us?" He blinked. "And – is that really a car?"
"That's James Guildenstern and Pandora. The car is called Pandora," Claire added quickly when she saw Zach's quizzical expression. "Can we please go in?"
"Just who is this guy?" Zach stared at the car, then back at Claire. "And the car's name is Pandora?"
"Yes, and there's a reason it is called this way, believe me. Can we just go in? And you stay here," she told Magdalena, who pointed at Zach and gave Claire two thumbs up.
Zach looked at her. "Who are you talking to?"
Magdalena laughed and made faces at Zach. He didn't even flinch.
Just great. "James. I'm talking to James. You stay here!" she shouted and James Guildenstern, smoking a cigarette once again, replied in an equal volume:
"All right!"
Zach stared at both of them. "Maybe it's really a good idea to let you come in. Are you sure you're alright?" he asked. "Did you – you know, cut your head off once too often?"
"Ha-ha, very funny," Claire stated dryly and when Zach wasn't looking, gestured towards Magdalena to make her stay out of the house. Magdalena stuck out her tongue.
She followed him inside the house, which was, she had to admit, large enough to invite a film team and set the latest part of Harry Potter in here. It was neat and clean, and emanated the old-money-feeling Claire always associated New England with.
"Are your grandparents rich or something?" Claire wanted to know.
"Or something, yes," Zach told her. He lead her up to her room and closed the door behind them. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you," she admitted and continued talking when she saw first signs of blushing on his face. She was dripping on his carpet and was feeling quite cold and miserable, currently, but tried hard not to show it. After all, she was the heroine here. "Don't get any wrong ideas. I've been through some pretty weird things, lately, even weirder than usual – anyway, you need to come with me."
"To come with you?" he repeated. "Where? Why?"
Right. Good question. She started to open her mouth, but Zach continued.
"And who is that guy outside in that cab?" he demanded. "He doesn't really look like your regular cab driver. Does he even have a license?"
Additional questions concerning that topic entered Claire's mind, among them: Is that car even allowed in this country? Are you allowed to drive with more then a hundred and twenty miles per hour? And, if you would disinfect the interior, would the smell of cat and, as she recently discovered, goat go away?
"His name is James Guildenstern. He drove me here."
"There was no other cab available, but his?" Zach asked.
"No," Claire said curtly. "Look. Everything is really complicated, and I really need you to come with me."
"With you?" he echoed. "I'm currently visiting my grandparents. I cannot just 'go with you'. They will freak out if I disappear with some weird-ish girl."
Claire had expected something like this. "I'm not weird-ish," she stated. "And as for everything else: Apparently, someone's kinda, well, after you. Probably some guy who was after me, too. Someone who can rip you head open by merely thinking about it. I don't know yet why he wants you of all people, since you are not special at all --" She dismissed his fallen face with a small motion with her hands. "You know what I mean – you cannot like go all Mr. Miracle Grow or something, right? But still, someone's after you and you have to accompany me. Don't make me knock you out and carry you out of here."
Zach smiled. "You would do that?"
"No," she spat. "Are you coming or not?"
Zach sighed. "I really appreciate you coming to this place, Claire, and being worried about me, but – do you know how freaky all of this sounds?"
"Zach? Zach!" someone called. It took a second and then, the door opened. A pretty girl with long, flowing dark hair entered the room and froze on the doorstep, looking from Claire to Zach and back. "Oh, hi – erm ...?"
Zach sighed and got up. "Claire, this is Zoe – Zoe, meet Claire. Claire's a friend from my old school."
"Hi, Claire," Zoe beamed and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you. Zach, I'm leaving now. See you tomorrow." Zoe reached up and kissed Zach's cheek. "Claire." She nodded towards the cheerleader and left the room.
Claire stared at her, and then back and Zach who stared at the other girl with a funny look. Was it longing?
He had moved away just weeks ago and was already having a girlfriend? He had never had a girlfriend when he had been attending Claire's high school.
"Then, I'll stay," Claire said.
Zach looked at her. "What?"
"I'll stay," Claire said and straightened out her clothes. "Until tomorrow. Whatever happens, it will happen tomorrow. Until then, I will not leave."
"And where will you sleep?" he asked. "In James Guildenstern's car?"
Zach was met with solid determination. "If necessary," she told him.
"Do your parents know about this?" Zach wanted to know.
"They think I'm staying with Monica Hayes," Claire admitted. She got up and smiled sweetly at him. "Until tomorrow." She turned to leave but Zach stopped her, grabbing her arm.
"Wait."
She pointedly looked down at his hand on her forearm and he let go of her. "For what?" she asked.
"I'll talk to my grandparents. You can take the guest quarters for the night. They're just down the hall," he said. "What about your cab driver?"
"I tell him to leave and pick me up tomorrow," Claire said. Zach lead her down to the entrance and Claire hurried down the lawn once again to James who was still leaning against Pandora.
"Well, Miss Claire? Where now?" he asked.
"Can you pick me up tomorrow at four o'clock?" she asked him. "I'm going to stay for the night?"
James laughed hoarsely. "But of course, Miss Claire," he said and waggled with his eyebrows.
Claire resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Just go, James. And drive carefully, okay?"
"Sure will, Miss Claire. See you tomorrow then," he said, got into Pandora and, after much mechanical, aerodynamical and physical drama, he managed to drive away.
Zach came out and witnessed the large dark cloud James left behind. "That's an interesting car," he commented.
Claire shook her head and crossed her arms. "You should see it in the inside," she said.
"C'mon, let's go inside. I'll give you clothes to change," he said.
"Zoe's clothes?" she asked in a sing-sang-voice.
Zach sighed and choose to ignore her. "Wanna catch a cold or drip onto the carpets?"
Claire shot him glance and followed him towards the house. "Your grandparents have a great place," she finally said. "Where are they?"
He shrugged. "At some function, I guess. They'll come home this evening."
"Will they mind me staying at your place?" Claire asked.
Zach gave her a dark look. "No, not at all," he said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Claire asked, when they climbed the stairs up to the second floor.
Zach groaned. "It's kinda – embarrassing and I really don't want to talk about it."
Claire looked at him quizzically. "Oookay," she said, and walked ahead when Zach opened a door for her.
"Your room, for the night," he said. "Just wait a sec."
While he went away, she took the opportunity to look around. It really was a huge house. Everything was clean and neat and she felt reminded of a museum. Not a single flake of dust anywhere. The sheets were white and flawless, as if they had been ironed while still being on the bed. A desk sat next to the window and you could actually enter the wardrobe.
When Zach came back, he handed her a bundle of fresh clothes. "For you," he said. "I think they'll fit. Not your usual style, but it's everything Zoe left here."
"Your girlfriend?" Claire asked.
Zach stared at her with an unreadable expression. "Just change," he finally said. "I'll wait outside."
It really wasn't Claire's style. Usual, she was wearing her cheerleader uniform, but Zoe's clothes who were just a tiny bit too large consisted out of a skyblue shirt and light cargo pants. The sleeves made Claire's hands disappear under them. Zoe seemed to be as tall as Zach – tall like a boy. It was always an advantage to be small when you were a cheerleader – but suddenly, she wished to be just a tad taller.
Zach was waiting for her when she left the room. He smiled when he saw her, approached her and took one of her arms to roll up her sleeves.
"I can do that by myself," she snapped out of habit, but Zach didn't flinch and didn't let go.
"I know," he said, when he had finished. "I'm really glad you're here, Claire, but I'm fine, you know? I'm not special like you." He shrugged. "I don't understand how anyone could be after me."
"Ditto," she said. "But so far," unless this is all one big joke, "I'm have no reason to believe otherwise. If you hear something, you come over."
Zach waggled with his eyebrows. "Are you flirting with me?"
She smiled. "No," she said. "Definitely not."
Zach laughed. "Too bad. Anyway, let's grab something to eat – and tuck you in."
"Or tuck you in," she smiled playfully.
"I am your host."
"I am indestructible," she said.
"So?" he laughed.
They went down to the first floor, occupied with playful banter, with laughter – and the Boy of Tomorrow smiled.
End (5/?)