Apocalypse by SLynn

Summary: Three years have passed since the explosion and life has drastically changed for everyone. This isn't the world they imagined they'd be saving.

Spoilers: Up to 'Fallout'

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing and will return them all when I'm done, virtually untouched.

Notes: Thank you to everyone reading and reviewing and rec'ing this fic! That's really awesome of you all, and I've not only just showed my age but my upbrining! Thank you Tripp3235 for being my beta on this and for your general encouragement to make me write! Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. Merry Christmas! Thanks you to yaiyah on LJ for the quick fix!

Chapter 13: Arrival

"Well, this is it."

The sky was just beginning to lighten as Claire got out of the car. From this point on they wouldn't be able to drive. Most of the bridges leading into the city had been destroyed and only two tunnels were passable on foot.

"We keep a sentry on the other side now," Jacobs told her, "for security. Granted, there isn't much they'd be able to do to stop an army, but at least we'll be warned."

"I hated this part," Claire muttered as they neared the entrance, not looking forward to the long walk in the dark.

"It's not so bad as it was," Jacobs assured her. "We still don't have power but a lot of the cars have been moved. A lot has been cleared out."

Claire didn't have to ask to know what he meant. She remembered it vividly. It was like something out of a horror film, walking the tunnel. It had taken hours to get through it. And it wasn't just the darkness, it was the smell. People had died down there and were just left to rot.

It was one of those things you tried to forget but knew you never would.

"I promise," Jacobs said, sensing her fear, "it won't take long. We'll be on the other side before you know it."

"I'm alright," Claire said, putting on a brave face.

"Just stay close by."

It was advice he didn't need to give.

Jacobs gave her one last and serious look before moving towards the entrance. Claire followed right behind him, ready to get it over with.

Neither of them talked the entire time and the walk was much quicker than she'd expected. The path the colony had cleared wasn't very big, wide enough for one person, but it was helpful. And the smell wasn't as intense as she'd remembered. Still, there was the lingering odor of decay.

As they began to see light at the end of the tunnel, a voice called out to them from the dark.

"Who's there?"

"Henry Jacobs. And I've got a friend."

"Busy day," the woman said with an easier tone. "Jason came through with two a few hours ago."

They were so near the end that Claire could see that the sun had risen. The woman who they had been talking to moved out of the shadows and came over and joined them.

"It's good to see you again, Henry," she said, clasping hands with him briefly before turning with a smile to Claire. "I'm Maggie. Welcome."

Claire smiled back at the woman. She was tall, with pale skin and dark brown hair cut short. She was also dressed in head to toe black, which Claire assumed helped her to stay hidden while on duty down in the tunnels.

"I'm Claire," she responded, offering her hand.

Maggie turned her eyes briefly to Jacobs, before shaking hands with her. A look that Claire not only caught but wondered at.

"It's nice to meet you," Maggie said before turning her attention back to Jacobs. "You're just in time. They're having a meeting tonight. Open door. There have been some issues since you last left."

"I bet," Jacobs responded tightly. "We can talk later. Right now, I think Claire and I could both use a rest and we've still got quite a ways to go. Find me when you get off duty."

"Will do," Maggie said with a nod, watching the two of them walk away.

After a few minutes of walking Claire stopped to look around her. A lot of the buildings had been destroyed, a few leveled completely but all things considered, it could be worse.

"Where are we going?" she asked, curious as to where so many people could be hiding.

"Grand Central Station," he answered.

"It wasn't destroyed?"

"Parts of it were," Jacobs answered, "but largely, it's held together. A lot more of the city is held together than you'd think which is what I wanted to talk to you about, if you don't mind."

Claire shook her head and he continued.

"You were here when it happened, during the explosion, but I want to know how?"

"How come I was here?"

"How it happened," he questioned.

"I'm not sure how much I can tell you," Claire admitted. "I wasn't there, not right where it happened."

"So you have no idea at all?"

Claire hesitated, unsure of what she should say. She did know the truth, in part.

They always referred to the event as an explosion, which was kind of a misnomer. It's what the world at large called it, and what they had been trying to prevent. She guessed they did do that, at least but there had been no real explosion. The damage had all been caused by Sylar and Peter.

She'd only seen part. Had only that last look Peter gave her as Sylar approached, then she and Matt had to run for it.

There had been fire and lightening, flooding and panic. Whole buildings had been pushed and thrown about. It had felt like the end of the world.

They never found his body.

Later they had heard, as things tended to get around, that ultimately Sylar had won, choosing to retreat further north. Possibly to recuperate. Possibly too weak to do any more harm. Gone, only popping up now and again in the stories of strange deaths that were common nowadays.

Claire didn't know how to describe all of it, or even if she should.

"I guess what I want to know is if the Order is lying," Jacobs said. "Was it one of us that did this, that started it all? Or did they do it to blame us?"

She thought it over for a minute.

How would Matt answer that question? How much would he say? Matt had told her the he trusted Jacobs, but that still didn't mean he'd tell him everything.

"It was one of us," Claire said softly, deciding on the simple truth.

"I thought so," Jacobs returned. "The council is always debating it, maybe now they'll move on."

She was surprised he didn't ask more, but wasn't willing to continue the subject herself.

"Do you have any questions for me?" Jacobs finally asked after several more minutes of silence. "I'd be more than willing to answer anything I can. It's a long walk; we might as well do something towards passing the time."

"Okay," Claire said. "Well, how many people are at the colony?"

"About two hundred, give or take. Some members are like me, out and about in the Order. Doing what we can. Others have different missions, duties. Odd jobs and the like."

"Are all of them like us?"

"No," Jacobs said, shaking his head. "You've had to have noticed there aren't a lot of us, not really. Well, there are more of us than the Order would like. One is too many for them. But in truth, are numbers are small."

"How many in the colony?"

"Fifty or sixty."

"And do they run things?" Claire asked, not sure if she liked that idea or not.

"Mostly. The council is made up of three people, all with gifts. They decide what we do about security, food, who goes on what missions. They decide a lot of things."

"So they sent you out after us."

"That's right," Jacobs confirmed. "You and others like you. But I'm getting too old for this. There are things I can do here. I've earned my rest."

Claire nodded and they walked on in silence after that, stopping several times, before finally reaching their destination.

Despite being a little tired, the sight of so many people in one place was heartening. It had been a long time since she'd really been in public, out among others.

As Jacobs showed her around, Claire began to notice the stares she was getting. Some people were even backing out of her way, a few pointed.

Before she could ask Jacobs what the problem was, he turned and frowned at her disapprovingly.

"I think we should get you changed," he said, patting her on the shoulder.

Claire looked down and realized how it must appear; her sweatshirt was still covered in blood.

After getting her a fresh shirt, Jacobs showed her where the kitchen, sleeping quarters and the general assembly rooms were.

"This is it," Jacobs said swinging his arms wide. "We don't have much as far as entertainment goes, but typically everyone meets her to talk and exchange stories. When the council has open meetings, this is also where it's done. Like I said, it's not much."

"No," Claire argued. "It's great. It is. Thank you for bringing me here."

Jacobs nodded slowly, aware of what she must be feeling. That it was bittersweet was beyond a doubt.

"Claire!"

Both of them turned at the sound of her name being yelled across the room.

"Claire!" she heard shouted once more before finally seeing Micah running towards her, Niki just behind.

Micah pulled her into a fierce hug, ecstatic to see her. Niki joined just after her son, looking relieved and close to tears.

"How about I give you some privacy," Jacobs said. "I have a few things to attend to and will see you again soon."

Claire just nodded, momentarily too happy to talk.

Niki and Micah smiled at him as well before turning their attention back to her.

"How long have you been here?" Micah asked. "We just got here today. I thought you might not make it because Trenton wasn't the right place, but Mom knew you'd find it."

"Are D.L. and the others with you?" Niki asked. "They'd gone back after you, after Micah saw you'd been caught. How did you get away?"

"I just got here," Claire answered first, tears beginning to slide down her face. "They're not… they're not with me…"

"It's okay," Niki assured her.

"Yeah, I'm sure they'll be here tomorrow," Micah added.

"It's not… no," Claire tried to continue, feeling overwhelmed.

Niki's smile faded as Claire's frustration grew.

"It's…"

"Where's Matt?" Micah asked.

She couldn't keep it in any longer. Claire's face fell completely and the little composure she'd had was lost.

She didn't have to say anymore. Niki understood. She understood and pulled her into a tight embrace as she would her own child to tell her again and again that it was 'alright' even if it really wasn't.

Claire found that now that she'd begun to cry, she couldn't stop. Everything she'd been holding back, all the fear and sorrow of the last few days had finally caught up with her.