Hey Guys, this ones a shorter chapter. I'm already on with chapter 9 but it would have been a mammoth read if I had combined the two into one chapter, so sorry if it seems to end rather abruptly. I will update soon. Hope you like it. Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed. It really is lovely of you. Big thanks to ivy83 and smithsbabe65 for convincing me to carry on with the story.

Chapter 8

Sylar stood in the kitchen. The untidy, chaotic kitchen that he shared with Peter, it rather matched the rest of the untidy and chaotic apartment except for his room which was the polar opposite, everything having its place. Peter stood before him, "Hey, you ok?"

Sylar patted down his body, "Well you go me back in one piece at least"

"As if you ever doubted me?" Peter sighed indignantly walking to the refrigerator.

Sylar's super hearing picked up the sound of giggling coming from the living room; he raised a hand to Peter as to silence him from opening the can of coke in his hands.

Shaking his head wearily Peter smiled, "Don't be so suspicious all the time, Jeez, it's Emma, I gave her a key!"

"And by the sounds of it, she has Claire over too!" He looked up at Sylar with that quirky grin, "You coming? You could get on with some of that,"wooing" that Claire was talking about?"

Sylar leaned against the counter, "No you go ahead, I'm gonna sit this one out." He said feeling like a coward but not really caring. He could still feel the brush of Claire's lips on his and the smell of her perfume on his t-shirt, he couldn't face the frosty reception he would undoubtedly receive from her should he enter the living room right now.

Peter shrugged, "Ok, suit yourself but we're only through here if you wanna join us. I'm sure Emma would like to see you...she keeps telling me you're her hero by the way" he winked and backed out of the room.

Feeling entirely dejected he made himself a strong coffee and sat with the morning news paper at the kitchen table. It wasn't long at all before the words became a blur on the page and he was intently listening in to the decisively girly conversation taking place in the next room. It wasn't like he liked to eavesdrop; he just found that, as in most situations where Claire Bennett was concerned, he just couldn't help himself.

"So what are you going to wear?" Emma asked.

Why did women care what other women were, "going to wear" he pondered. It wouldn't matter if Peter took to wearing full Matador uniform to work he could never bring himself to care.

"I dunno, it's just casual you know, it's not really a dressy kinda place. I'm thinking my skinny jeans and my grey halter neck maybe...I dunno, what do you think, is that too revealing? It's only our first date?" WHAT THE HELL? Upon hearing Claire's voice he instantly slammed down his coffee cup.

"Ah who's the lucky guy?" Peter enquired, probably knowing that Sylar was listening by now.

"He's called Jamie, I met him at college, he's a biology student. He's just a friend it's no big deal" Claire tried to make light of the situation and play it cool but the girlish excitement in her voice cut him deep. This was some welcome home present.

"Where's he taking you?" Peter probed further.

"Some place off Sanderson Street, this little Thai place. Jamie says it's really authentic" the sweetness in Claire's voice turned his stomach into a nauseous knot.

"Well he better be nice to my favorite niece" How could Peter be so calm about this? He was the one so intent on showing him the future. Until he had done that Sylar had been prepared to long for Claire from a far, sure that she would never accept him, and never love him. And yet now he couldn't see her as anything but his wife and the mother of his son.

That evening Sylar found himself hanging around Sanderson Street, collar up on his thick woolen coat and stalking the sidewalks trying to formulate some kind of plan, good God what was this girl turning him in to? Had he really become that needy? He glanced in to the candle lit restaurant and saw Claire, looking breathtaking with her golden tresses up neatly on her head, gazing longingly across the table at, "Jamie" who to Sylars surprise was not the jock type he had expected. He was bookish if anything, neatly dressed with his hair combed in a rather severe side parting. Yet Claire was sat there looking at Jamie and smiling that shy smile that she had bestowed upon him only 24 hours ago. Yes, he surmised, he had become that needy.

He ran through several possibilities in his mind, he could use Parkman's ability to plant a few unsavory ideas in the boys head, get him to make a few inappropriate remarks, maybe even an unwanted advance? He had told himself a few months ago, after the carnival that he wouldn't use his powers to do harm but this was his wife right? Some things are worth fighting for, even if it means fighting dirty.

He hung around, for what felt like hours, occasionally managing to tune in to what they were talking about. They talked about college, the classes they took, music they liked, superficial things but as Jamie downed more and more house wine he became increasingly inquisitive about Claire's ability.

"So you can't get hurt? How fascinating? You said you had conducted your own experiments? Do you still have the tapes?" Sylar observed as Jamie pried further and further into Claire's history, wanting to know every last detail about the extent of her heeling and not dropping the subject when repeatedly asked. Maybe he wouldn't need to plant those unsavory thoughts after all? It looked like Jamie was doing a damn fine job of jeopardizing his date with Claire all on his own. The guy was a creep!

Eventually Sylar tore himself away from the window, deciding to make his way home. He had hardly cleared a few yards before he heard the restaurant door slam, followed by the sound of raised voices.

"Just leave me the hell alone ok!" He knew that voice, so so well.

"Come on Claire, all I want to do is do a few experiments, it's not like it could even hurt you! You're being selfish! Just a few hours of your time, a few samples of your blood, this could be ground breaking!" Jamie's voice bounced of the walls of the empty street.

"I mean it Jamie, leave me alone!" Claire was now stumbling down the street as fast as her feet would carry her, pulling on her jacket over her bare shoulders.

Sylar tried to remain far enough ahead to hear but not so close as to give himself away. His concentration was broken when Claire let out a shriek, "LET ME GO!".

"You're being unreasonable Claire, just come with me you stupid bitch!" Jamie now had a hold of Claire by both wrists, taking a firm advantage of his greater physical strength.

In a split second Jamie was pinned against the wall, his limbs spread out against the cold brick; Claire stood by, rubbing her wrists as the bruises Jamie had created faded.

Striding into viability Sylar stood in the dim street light in front of the terrified boy.

"You heard the lady James, leave her alone. You're never going to bother her again, if you do she's going to come and tell me and then I would have to find you and kill you" Claire marveled at how level he sounded giving his little speech, he was almost light hearted," See I'm not a killer anymore James, I've put it all behind me, but for you, I think I would be prepared to come out of retirement, just the once. Do you understand?"

The younger man whimpered and nodded, agreeing unconditionally to Sylar's terms. Releasing his hold, the boy slid raggedly down the cold wall and on to his feet. He stared at Sylar aghast.

"Go" Sylar commanded, his horse shout making Claire shudder, "Go and do not come back!"

In a few moments Jamie was no more than pounding footsteps running into the deserted city streets and Claire was already walking steadily in the other direction, her hands deep in her jacket pockets crossing it over her, guarding her petite frame against the cold night air.