Chapter 20: Fundamental Measure

Noah Bennett entered the establishment of an indoor kids' play area in Toronto, not sure what to think of the place. It was rather crowded and noisy and he was a bit puzzled as to why Claire would choose such a place to meet him when this would be the first time they have talked in five years, apart from it being as public as public can be and that there was no chance the SWATs could be brought into such an area. Personally he could hardly think in the noise of screaming children and found the chocolate or in fact god knows what covered seat cushions quite repulsive.

He was searching the tables for Claire and then all his thoughts came to a total standstill. Fidling with unwrapping a straw to put it into a glass of juice, there was his daughter looking like as if no time would have passed since he had last seen her, as he would expect it with her ability of course. The surprise was not her though, no matter how glad he was when he had received her message to meet her.

The surprise was the little boy next to her. "Can I go play now, mummy?"

"Go, but stay where I can see you. Don't disappear out of sight, Noah!" Claire smiled, first at her son, running away at a speed and then at her father. She slowly stood up with an apologetic smile and embraced her old man. "I just wanted you to be able to see my son, dad. You can understand how this is a private matter and that for his safety it's absolutely imperative nobody else finds out about him? You do realize?"

"Of course I do," Noah loosened the hug, just so they could sit down and he could keep a homely hand on her shoulders like before, fueling the welcomed illusion in himself that no major rift happened between them. He did identify himself with what she was doing, he would go great lengths to protect his children. That was why he didn't need to be told not to tag any company agents along, only now it would be about the security of his grandson as well, along with his daughter's.

She let him watch her son climbing the stairs to the shoot and coming down over and over again for a little, have her father come round to the idea of his extended family. The company man found the sight of the smiling, active and otherwise very ordinary brown little boy rather captivating. That and the proud looks of the mother, had helped him make up his mind. Not that it was much of a thought process as opposed to being a matter of the heart, but his suspicion that the father could have very well been Sylar did not count anymore. All that mattered was that Noah was Claire's child. "Don't worry, Claire," he nodded towards her, "you'd be surprised what a grandfather would do for his grandson," he smiled at her benevolently and thankful that she had let him take part of their lives at least this much. "He's adorable, Claire." Unless..."Does he have abilities?"

She frowned, not liking her father even mentioning the subject, but she could understand why he had asked and was expecting the question. "No, not yet, we don't know what it's gonna be...look, dad, this is a one time occasion. It's too dangerous for us, I don't have to explain. We've living an entirely unextraordinary life, that is going to benefit Noah as well. Sylar doesn't know I called you."

"And that's wise?" Noah caught upon the chance to bounce on the topic. He leaned closer to her and talked more quietly, "he'd be a permanent resident of level 5 if it wasn't for you. He was there for a reason. Nobody's put to level five if they don't belong there. What kinda picture is he selling you and what game is he playing?"

Claire pulled back and shook a finger at him, without raising her hand off the table, "he has not killed anyone since our son was born and it hasn't been easy for him. I won't say people change. Perhaps not as much as one would like. But circumstances certainly change, people's goals and what they find it's worth living for, does change."

"Some things just aren't possible, no matter how much we'd like them to be. You can still come home, Claire-bear, your mother would so love to see little Noah."

"I'm not so in favor of condescending, you know that, dad."

"Have you forgotten what he has done to you and those you loved?"

"No, dad, and he hasn't forgotten it either. In fact, I wanted to tell you about this. Elle Bishop lives and we're on the way of bringing Meredith back into life. Remember how he'd taken the ability to control the dead? He had spent years trying to perfect it. And one day, he brought her back to life and I gave her my blood. She was a bit shellshocked at first, but then she's happily accepted her second chance. That was two months ago and the next person will be my biological mother. We will continue with this, there were other victims who did not deserve their fate. There's the darkness and there's the light, in every one of us."

Noah shook his head, "I can't believe it."

"Meredith will visit you once it's done, I promise. With Elle, we wanted to make sure she stayed hidden. But now you have to go. My husband will be here to pick me up any minute."

"Your husb...??!?"

"Go, dad, go. I love you. Don't try to find us."

"Just tell me you'll let me know about yourself and your Noah."

Claire thought about it a little, "I'll send a Christmas card. Tell mom I love her."

tbc