Claire Bennet

Outside San Diego, California

Nathan was the first through the portal, followed by Grant, who clutched the hilt of his sword like he was the vanguard of a great princess. It was strange to invoke such loyalty from someone she just met, but Claire just let the whole thing slide off her back. The only thing that mattered was that Peter hadn't been there to say goodbye or see you later. He wasn't there at all.

Heidi was, and she cried as she watched her new found daughter step through a portal with her husband into unknown dangers. Monty and Simon were absent, however, and Claire was glad. They still weren't entirely keen on the whole sister thing yet.

Gabriel clung close to Claire as if she were going to protect him from the people who wanted to hurt him. No such luck. If Nathan wanted to string him up on the other side of this portal, so be it. Hell, Claire would pick the tree.

The strange girl, Emily, hung close to Grant. The sight of her black eye gave Claire shivers. Who could do that to someone?

Of the rest of the people who came with her, Claire had no words. She knew Gavin was coming, but Will was a surprise, considering his recent tension with Gavin. Noel was coming under orders from Peter, Claire assumed. In all, the experience was just strange.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news," Gavin said, "but how is this going to work out?"

Claire looked around. They were behind a hotel, where Nathan was planning on getting rooms for everyone. It was one of the benefits of traveling with someone of his wealth. "We get rooms, and then we go to sleep. What do you mean how is this going to work? Haven't you ever been to a hotel?"

Gavin nodded. "Yes, too many perhaps, but in case you haven't noticed, there is an odd number of boys and odd number of girls. That means that one male and one female are going to be rooming together, unless we're all getting separate rooms."

Nathan shook his head. "That's not happening. We don't know how long we're going to be on the road, and I only have so much money. There isn't a problem, though. Claire and I will share a room." He said all this with a glare at Gavin, trying to back him down, but Gavin didn't get the hint.

"Why is that?" he asked. "You sharing a room with a girl Claire's age is kinda creepy, don't you think? Besides, I think it would be best if I shared a room with Claire."

Grant pushed between the two of them. "Either way, I'm sticking with Sylar there." His eye was pointed straight at the man who once killed to gain talents like trading cards.

Nathan grabbed Gavin by the shirt. "Apparently you don't understand the whole situation, little boy. Claire is my daughter. If you even lay a hand on her, I will take you so high in the air and let you go, that when you hit the ground, parts of you will splatter all the way in Australia." Nathan's voice didn't rise, and there was no aggression in it, but it was still filled with threat and loathing. This wasn't a problem Claire anticipated.

Luckily, Gavin backed down. "I didn't know, it's just that Claire and I have been through so much, I figured I was the most trustworthy. I concede." There was no fear in his voice, but Claire knew he was scared. Nathan wasn't a man to cross. Gavin gave himself away when he added, "Sir," to the mix.

Nathan turned away from the boy, with a sneer. "I'll get the rooms. You all wait here," he said, walking away.

Claire sat under a tree, listening to the sound of trucks passing on the other side of the hotel. It wasn't the most pleasant sound in the world, but it was better than the screams that she'd started to get used to. Then, another problem presented itself.

"I can't believe you left her alone," Will said, grumbling. "You knew what she was like, and you just abandoned her."

Gavin snorted. "Me? What about you? You left us with nothing but a vague phone call. Where the hell were you when the storm hit, because you sure as hell weren't with her."

Will balled his fists up and swung at Gavin, barely missing. Claire was up and in the way a second too late as Will let loose a minor sonic burst. He was a little too good at throwing those around. It was Grant that lifted Will up. "You mind not drawing attention to us. We're hunted people here," Grand said. "You should know better than most about what we're dealing with, Claire. Why don't you fill him in on what you saw at Blueberry Hill?"

Claire's mouth fell open. She didn't know what to say, but she didn't have to say anything, because Grant continued.

"If you could see what I do, you'd know exactly what she's feeling, and it wouldn't make you feel to good about your petty squabbles."

"Petty squabbles?" Will asked, verging on hysteria. "Mackenzie and I were going to get married!" he spit in Grant's good eye. "Now, she's probably being tortured because she meet Claire in Seattle!"

"She's not getting tortured," Gabriel said, quietly but drawing all the attention anyway. "She's dead, if you mean Mackenzie Wilkes."

Will's head snapped so hard, Claire heard it popping over the passing trucks. "What the hell did you do to her?"

Grant lost his grip over Will, and Will was on Gabriel, swinging hard, each punch connecting. Nobody saw Nathan as he flew in, slamming against Will and pinning him to a tree. "Calm down," Nathan said. "If you have to fight, wait until later."

"Screw that," Will said, throwing Nathan's hands away from him. "If you want that little psycho, you ain't getting me. I'm out of here." He just walked off. Grant and Nathan exchanged a glance as cold as ice, and Claire shivered. Something in the looks in there eye told her that this is what they were waiting for.

Nathan shook his head, getting his mind straight, and passed out keys. Gavin was given a room to himself, since the others had roommates, still. As Claire lead the others around the hotel to find their rooms, she looked back to see Grant put a hand on Nathan's shoulder, frowning, and said, "Tomorrow, then you know what you have to do."

Hiro Nakamura

San Ribero

They were somewhere in the mountains, Peter and Hiro, and both lay on the cool stone in the shade, sweating and waiting to catch their breath. Hiro wondered if the pain in his muscles would ever go away. Nearby, two swords lay; Hiro's own katana and Peter's long sword that Alphonse called Excalibur. Doubtful it was the real one, but nowadays, who could tell.

Sakura would be joining them in a few days, as she was getting used to her own power again, per Alphonse's instructions. Ando was looking after her. The man from Poland, Luca, was down in the village, learning English, hopefully, as well as making friends.

Hiro sighed. "In so little time, Peter Petrelli, you have matched every attack I can throw at you. How do you do it so quickly?"

"Hiro, I wish I knew," Pete said. "I guess it's apart of my ability. I'm absorbing the skill you have. So get better, or we'll never beat Alphonse." He threw a chummy punch at Hiro, just missing his arm.

"Not true," Hiro said. "Soon, Sakura will join us, and with the three of us, it will be no problem. Peter Petrelli must have faith in our combined ability."

"I do, Hiro," Pete said. "There's just more going on then three people can handle, especially when you don't speak perfect English, while Sakura and I need you or Ando to communicate at all." He took a few deep breaths. "You know, it's time you start calling me Peter, or Pete. There's no need to throw in my last name every time."

"I'm sorry," Hiro said, adding, "Pete."

Movement caught their eye, and they turned to face the small forest on the mountainside. Standing there was a woman with long blonde hair and soft blue eyes. Strapped to her back was a massive broadsword, and Hiro wondered how she could use it.

Pete spoke first. "Who are you?"

The woman smiled. "They call me Charlie." Hiro's eyes went wide, confused at the memory of the name, and the woman's smile grew bigger. "Yes, I was named after that Charlie, Hiro Nakamura. You look good, by the way."

Hiro turned to Peter, sensing that the other man was in a fit of déjà vu. Pete had once told Hiro about his visit from Future Hiro and assumed the same about this woman. He looked the woman in the eye. "What time do you come from?"

"Very quick, Hiro, very good," Charlie said. "I am from the future, and I am here to put you to work." She stared at Pete. "In a few days time, you will sense the danger surrounding your brother. You must let it be and continue with your training. Nathan knows what he must do, and you if you interfere with it when it comes, then all hope is lost."

"What are you talking about?" Pete asked. "I can't let anything happen to my brother. If you're from the future, then you must know that."

Charlie nodded. "I do, but if you want to save the world, you must let Nathan be. This is his work, not yours. Stay out of it. If you do, I promise you will see him again, alive."

"How can you possibly…" Pete started, but Charlie was gone.

Emily North

Outside San Diego, California

She sat on the bed in her room, waiting for Noel to come back. She sat thinking about other worlds and dangerous talents. Looking at her hands, she didn't notice when the door opened and Grant came in. "Hey, how are you doing?" he asked, spooking her.

"Fine," she said, noticing how tired he looked in the eye he showed the world. It was a disorienting feeling because he switched the eye-patch to the other eye. "What's wrong?" she asked, alarm rising in her chest. "It's him, isn't it?" She meant Gabriel.

Grant shook his head. "No, it's not his time, yet, but it will happen, I think. I'm just tired of hiding, and there isn't anyone else I can talk to." He looked at her, with tears spilling out of his eye. "Can I stay here for awhile?" he asked, looking a little like a child.

She nodded, opening her arms to receive him. He curled up in ball in her protecting arms. "Tell me all about it."

"You do know that Grant isn't my real name either, don't you?" he asked. "I have to hide who I really am so I can do the work I've been sent on. It's getting harder to do."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you remember mentioning Charlie? She sent me here to save the world. I'm from the future, Emily. I've meet you all before, and I know what has to be done, and who won't live through the next few days. Do you have any idea what kind of burden this is on a man?"
"Grant, you're not making any sense," Emily said. "Who's going to die?"

Grant just shook his head. "Emily, I know what you can do and there's no reason to be afraid," he said, changing the subject. She wanted to push him away. He reminded her of Him. He was her husband once, when she was much younger. He wasabusive. He hit her whenever He drank. He spoke in ways she didn't understand. She didn't know if they were riddles or not, but she still didn't understand them.

Instead, she shushed him. When Noel came in an hour later, the two of them were asleep.

(A/N – What I was trying to get across in this chapter is that Grant works for Charlie in the future and that he has come back to see that things go a certain way. However, it came out all jumbled, and I don't know if it made sense. Grant's story is a long and convoluted one that will take more than a few chapters to tell. It is in my opinion that this is one of the worst chapters I've written, and it's due in part to the fact that this is mostly back-story and traveling. The action will pick up again soon, I hope. My outline has changed, and now I have nothing beyond this chapter but the place where I want to end up. Here goes nothing. Love – Traumedy101)