Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me, but to NBC.
BLIND – CHAPTER EIGHT
They were at kirby plaza.
The man that had raised her, the one she considered to be her dad, was gripping his shoulder in pain. He had just been thrown across the street by the brain-eating psychopath.
A blond haired woman and a wounded man, along with two kids and an Indian man were also there, but powerless to help. They watched in amazement at the scene unfolding in front of them. Near them, Claire spotted the cop that questioned her after homecoming. But he was in no position to do anything either, he had been shot several times.
She ran towards him, her hero. Gun in her hand, tears in her eyes. It was all up to her. She was the only one that could stop it at this point.
Stop him, really.
His hands glowing, he noticed her in front of him and his eyes widened, half in relief, half dreading what was to happen.
"Do it. Shoot me" he ordered, with a hint of urgency.
She shook her head, eyes getting wetter.
Claire:"tell me there's another way, please" she pleaded.
Peter: "Shoot me! There is no other way. You're the only one Claire"
God, how It hurt her to hear him say that, knowing that he'd never say it in the way she wants him to.
They had talked about this moment.
She had tried to reason with him.
Claire: "Peter, slow down. This is crazy! You can't do this by yourself."
He sighed in the broody way he always did. "Claire, I have to do this"
Claire: "You're scared" she retorted, stating the obvious.
Peter: "Yeah, I am. I'm terrified. I met a nuclear man, and I don't know if I can contain all that power."
Claire:" Then run the other way" she blurted.
Peter:"I can't."
Claire: "Why not?" She wasn't sure whether he was being really noble at this point or really stupid.
Peter: "Because if we save ourselves, who's going to save everyone else?
She stayed silent, smirked a bit even, shaking her head. Her temper was fast arising. The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became. "God Peter. What is it with you and your damn hero complex?! Who appointed you the world's saviour?" She yelled, pushing him with as much strength as her petite hands could muster.
He tensed. "huh?!" She yelled as she came forward again to give him another shove but he reflexively grabbed her wrists and held onto them, the restrictive gesture keeping her so close that she could feel his breath on her skin.
Peter: "I'm not going to sit back and watch while New York city gets destroyed when I can do something to prevent it!"
Claire ignored the physical proximity and refused to back down."You said it yourself. You saw the future and in your vision, the bomb happens. What if you can't change it?"
Peter:"But what if I CAN change it Claire? I have to at least try. Don't you see? I was able to save you. The future is NOT written in stone!"
Claire stopped trying to free herself from his grip and mellowed.
Claire:"Peter, --can't you be selfish just this once?... I'm scared. I'm scared for you. I don't want you to get hurt... or worse".
Peter loosened his grip of her hands, her vulnerability and concern for him causing butterflies in his stomach, making him flinch at the unexpected sensation. He wanted to reach his hand up to her cheek and caress her tears away but it shocked him how the moisture in her eyes was almost enough to make him do whatever she wanted him to, despite his own convictions. He didn't think he could control his hands from roaming about places they shouldn't be roaming, so he resisted the urge, not trusting himself.
Instead, he found his voice to form some words.
Peter: "I won't get hurt, thanks to you."
Claire sighed. "You don't know that! You've never survived a nuclear bomb before!" she yelled at his steady, calm demeanour.
Peter:" Claire-" he started, finally releasing her hands from his grip but instead holding them delicately in front of him, the gesture making Claire look down at their intertwined hands then back up, eyes fixated on one another. "I know this is scary. I know that it is but I need you to do something for me".
Her finger traced the trigger, battling between her selfish needs and rational thoughts.
Claire:"What is it?" she asked, at his service.
Peter:" I need you to do something for me" he says as he steps back and walks away from her.
Claire:"Tell me what you need me to do" she replies, relieved that he was accepting help, following him with her eyes as he walked across the room.
He returns to her after having taken something from a nearby drawer and holds up a gun for her to take.
She looks at him quizzically when she sees the weapon, until he starts to speak and realisation dawns upon her.
An argument quickly ensues, but as painful as it is, Peter has a point.
"Do you realise what you're asking me?" she eventually chokes out.
He ignores his previous concerns about skin being on skin and gently pulls her to him, placing his arms around her, whispering encouraging words in her ear, speaking of "fate" and "destiny". It's not long before he feels cool drips on his neck.
She forcedly holds the gun up, talking herself up to do this. He'd never be able to live with himself otherwise. He wouldn't be the same Peter. He'd be dead inside.
She remembers thinking that this was it. That since they were facing almost certain death, that she might as well tell him the truth about how she feels about him. That despite knowing he's her uncle, it's still him she dreams about kissing, holding hands with, going out on dates with, among a long list of things nieces aren't supposed to do with their uncle.
Claire:"Peter?" she asked, nerve-wrecked.
He was inspecting the gun, making sure it was loaded and ready for use. He looked up at her and put the gun down, waiting for her to continue, giving her his undivided attention.
Claire:"Peter—" she started again, looking like whatever she was about to say was pretty serious. He saw the difficulty she was having getting her words out.
Peter:"You can tell me anything, Claire" he reassured her.
She nodded and half-smiled. 'Here goes nothing' she thought. "Peter, I-- you're my best friend" she blurted out. The words had slipped out before she could stop them. Her cheeks flushed and she tucked some loose strands of hair behind her ear, embarrassed. She had taken the cowardly way out. She couldn't say it. When it came down to it, the look on his face and the gentle way he squeezed her shoulder made her realise that she didn't want to risk losing him. He'd probably distant himself from her and suggest they not see each other anymore for a while if she'd confessed and the thought of Peter not being in her life was unsettling. He had become such an important part of her it in such a short amount of time that she'd rather have him as a friend and 'uncle' than not at all. Though she hadn't said what she originally meant to, that didn't make what she had said any less true.
He couldn't stop smiling at what the bright-eyed girl in front of him had said. "You want to know a secret?" he said, his goofy grin gracing his features.
Claire:"What?" she asked, unsure.
He kissed her forehead.
Peter:" you're mine too"
That melted her heart, in a way only he could because she could tell he wasn't just saying that.
He called out to her again, ordering her to shoot him. "There is no other way." The desperation in his voice was evident.
Peter:"I need you"
Determination in her head, she pointed to kill.
She was ready to play her part, fulfill her destiny, as Peter had called it.
Her finger started to press at the trigger. Even then, she prayed for some 11th hour miracle, for anything to happen so that she wouldn't be forced to shoot Peter dead. She kept thinking that the universe could not be that lame. Those few seconds of prayer seemed like an eternity and she lost all hope and nearly pulled the trigger.
But then it happened.
Her miracle happened in the shape of her father flying down from above like an angel. "Yes, there is, Claire" he announced as he pushed down the gun in Claire's hand, pointing it toward the ground.
Nathan :"The future isn't written in stone." She lightly turns her head to the side, new tears springing from her eyes.
Peter: "I took his power, Nathan."
Nathan turns to Peter.
Peter continues. "I can't control it. I can't do anything."
Nathan walks over to Peter. "I'm not leaving you, Peter."
Peter backs away from him as his hands are bursting with light, growing brighter and brighter.
Nathan: "There's another way to end this, and you know it." He appeals to his little brother.
Peter shakes his head, refusing what Nathan is saying. "I can't let you die."
"And I can't let everyone else" he answers afflictedly.
He turns and looks at Claire, then turns back to Peter. "You saved the cheerleader ... so we could save the world."
Peter' was amazed by his elder brother. Nathan's never let him down. Despite what everyone thought about him, behind his cold exterior was a heart of gold. "I love you, Nathan."
Nathan: "I love you too."
Nathan glances up at the sky. "You ready?"
Claire had been standing there quietly, deeply touched by the bond between the brothers and proud that her father wasn't the coward she thought he was. But beyong all that, her heart was breaking at the thought of both Peter and Nathan dying. It wasn't fair that someone as pure hearted as Peter was going through this who for weeks was trying to figure out how to save the world only to find out that he was the one endangering it.
She was inwardly trying to bargain with God, begging him not to let them die and not to take Peter away from her.
'Please god, Peter can't die, he can't die. Please, please...' she repeats like a mantra and at one point she adds 'I love him'. Peter's head shoots up, looking past Nathan's shoulder, at Claire. She feels his eyes on her and looks up to meet them. They were piercing through her with a fire and...longing? Had he heard her? At this moment, she wasn't worried if he had.
Not taking his intent gaze off Claire, he repeats "I love you, Nathan". But the pause between those three words and Nathan's name makes Claire's heart flutter, and her stomach tingle. If she didn't know any better, she'd swear those words were intended for her.
"I'm ready" Peter informs Nathan, wrapping his arms around his brother, not once looking away from Claire as they fly away.
She was speechless. Voice caught in her throat.
She looks up, not sure of what she was waiting for, until she saw it; a burst of energy filling up the stratosphere and combusting into oblivion, too far away to make a noise but close enough to be seen.
Her knees give in and she sinks to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.
Peter was gone, and for all she knew, she may never see him again. And life without Peter was too unbearable to deal with.
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AN: Hey guys I know it's been a while since my last update, i apologize. Please let me know what you thought about this chapter, any comments/criticism are welcome. Thanks ;p