This is the last chapter. Sorry guys for the wait, but the charging cord for my laptop went out. It took me a while to get around to checking ebay.
When Suresh and Molly had been shown to a two bedroom Suite much like Peter and Sylar shared Sylar had lead the other three to a small upstairs sitting room.
"What is it you have to say Sylar," Noah's words came out like venom spit form a cobra.
Sylar hung his head and fell into the wingback chair as if he couldn't bare the weight of both his message and his own body at the same time.
Without looking up he spoke. "There was a tape of Samson taking Claire's ability. I destroyed the one there, but it's too much to hope for that it was the only copy. I don't know what he may do with that footage."
"What happened on this tape?" Noah's voice was resolute.
"Pray you never find out, but you need to prepare yourselves. Angela if you have the resources you may need to get some people to monitor the internet so it can't be released to the public. Facial recognition scanning is you best route."
Sylar got up and walked out of the room ignoring Noah's demands to be told what was on that tape.
Angela walked out after him taking out her cell phone as she went. It seems that when this is over I will have exhausted all the favors I have to call in.
-0-
When Parkman arrived everyone was still awake except for Molly. Just an hour before Suresh had found the others in the same library that Sylar had allowed Claire to vent her anger, of course it was only Sylar that had the knowledge to be haunted by that fact. For a while they had went their different ways and all had tried to sleep with little success. Eventually they all ended up in that library by ones and twos, as if they wanted to keep the ugliness of their thoughts as far from Molly as possible. It was hard for them to accept that Molly was no longer a kid but a young woman, and they instinctively wanted to protect her from the worst of the truth.
Parkman was shown into the library by on of the house staff. Immediately demanded to know what was going on. He'd come because frankly he owed Claire after letting her think that Sylar was her father, but he'd seen the footage that was definitely Sylar that had given chase when she was taken, and now here was Sylar in the midst of the room like he belonged.
"We need him to save Claire," was Angela's reply.
"Why do we need this psychopath?! Who the Hell has Claire?"
"My father." Sylar's voice matter of fact and far to calm to be comforting.
"If it's your father how do we know that you're not working with him."
"Hey, you already scanned him you know he can be trusted!" Peter was furious that Matt couldn't put aside his anger long enough to help Claire or admit that Sylar had changed.
"I still need a good reason to trust that he's on our side and he's not playing us. How do I know he doesn't already have my ability and is playing us? He was in my head for months."
"Do you seriously think I'd let you trap me in my worst nightmare if I was playing you?" Sylar couldn't believe the lengths these people would go to just to keep him the bad guy.
"Fine, but what do you need from me?" Parkman's reply was reluctant at best.
"Simple I need you to scan me and tell Molly what you find. I don't know where Claire is." Sylar conveniently left off the part about Molly sharing her power. He'll be easier to convince after he has his proof that I'm still on their side, Sylar thought.
Parkman ignored the thought thinking Sylar was referring to something else they would need form Matt.
"Look we don't have much time and"
"I've already done it," Matt said cutting off Peter. "He's the same as when you and he left my house, expect that he's angry. Where's Molly? If he's going to get to Claire we should get started."
-0-
"You knew that he planned on taking Molly's power didn't you," Suresh's voice had an edge to it.
"Don't throw accusations at me. Yes I knew, I also knew that he has every intention of helping Claire. I had a choice to make, and I wasn't going to put my vendetta above someone's life. Not to mention we both know it will be many more than just Claire to suffer and die if Sylar fails."
Suresh didn't respond. Peter had heard the whole conversation. "You wanna know what I think? I think you Suresh don't want to forgive him because you can't forgive yourself."
"He killed my father!"
"And how many mothers and fathers and children did you kill?"
"That was the power my mind wasn't equiped for it," Suresh's voice was shaky.
"His power comes with a hunger too, only it took him numerous mental traumas before he gave in to his darker side. When I think about, really think about it. I sometimes wonder if he's a better man then any of us."
Parkman looked at Peter confused. Matt was willing to admit that Sylar was serious about changing, but what Peter said didn't make sense. The temptation to peek inside his head was massive, but Matt asked instead. "Why do you speak like you know first hand?"
"I do know first hand," came Peter's reply without hesitation. "Back when we all thought he was my brother, thank to mom and dad's deception, I took his power."
"Yeah but you didn't kill anyone," said Suresh
"I killed Nathan. I went five years into the future and sliced open his head while he begged me not to. Not only did I slice open his head I revealed in it. I smiled while I did it. In fact if Sylar hadn't stopped me I would have done the same thing to mom."
Matt asked, "why are you telling us this now?"
"Because he's finally found his way, and I need you to understand that. Noah can do enough damage on his own, I don't need anyone else trying to push Sylar back over the edge. Also, him finding his way is largely do to you Matt so I figured you had a right to know how much good you did." Peter gave his signature smirk, and Matt smiled. If circumstance had been different they might have laughed, but they didn't think about that then.
-0-
"Claire, It is Claire isn't it. You might as well stop struggling. No one is coming to save you. You know when I've finished with you I think I'll go get myself a telepath. After all a proper god should be able to know the minds of his worshipers. Don't you agree. I mean what good is a god that can't punish wayward hearts as well as actions." Samson's words and laughter took a hold of Claire's liver and crumpled it like a candy wrapper, but she was determined not to let him know that.
"Good to know, then you have no idea the ways I've counted for them to take you out."
"Good bluff Claire but I can't die anymore remember."
"There are things worse then death," Claire tried to sound resolute but her voice betrayed her.
"True, and I wonder if losing that precious virginity of yours on camera to a complete stranger will qualify for you. Marcus suppressing your power so you could feel all that pain was just the warm up. I've got plans for you. Lots of plans and the highest bidder will be her any moment now to claim his prize. Only Marcus won't be using his power on you this time. Without pain I wonder how long before your body betrays you."
Claire began pulling on the ropes again, and cursing that her power had no offensive qualities. Samson watched with a smug satisfaction on his face he knew that she would break soon. The video of her torture session was already on it's way to the media. If all else failed Claire watching her humiliations on public display would surely do the trick, but Samson doubted she would ever last that long. Already Claire was trembling nonstop, rather she knew it or not.
Samson made things worse by telling Claire, "Of course the highest bidder is just the man that gets to take your virginity first; all the other's get to use you as well in order of how much they paid of course. Trust me Claire there were a lot of people interested in taking you."
Claire began crying uncontrollably. Samson chuckled to himself then he had a thought. "You know I'm just wondering if your body perfection includes getting pregnant. I wonder whose baby you'll have."
Claire began desperately trying to remember at what points in their cycle a woman was likely to get pregnant. She prayed, if there is a god please don't let me be able to get pregnant like this, and please let them find me before any thing happens."
-0-
Sylar had stopped and gotten super speed first. It turned out the speedster was in New Jersey. Claire on the other hand was being held in southern California. He was rocketing his way there at super sonic speed. When he got there several men were outside waiting to be let in the building. When he read their thoughts it took all his self control not to murder each an everyone of them. He kept reminding himself that the public would panic if he did something like that and it would tip off his dad of his presence. He found the man that was bragging about being the first and made him think he'd left something important in his car. When the man was away from the group Sylar knocked him out without telepathy for the satisfaction of it, then transformed himself into the man. Sylar made sure to take the man's wallet encase he needed it.
When they were shown in Sylar, as the top bidder, was given some instructions. They were all shown into a big room with a bed at the center. Claire was tied down to it. Sylar was not surprised to see other things in the room as he had been told that he'd have his choice of how she was tied up. Sylar was seething, and barely containing it. He hoped the trembling was mistaken for nerves and excitement.
When Samson walked into the room Sylar pushed a few small thoughts. Sylar heightened Samson's sense of overconfidence and invincibility. Sylar wanted to create a false sense of security so that Samson wouldn't know what hit him. It worked. Samson strolled into the room looking utterly smug. He stood in front of the crowd of men to address them with his back to a table of what Sylar could only guess were torture devices that had either already been used on Claire were about to be used on Claire or both. Sylar expertly used his telekinesis and inserted something sharp into Samson's kill spot. It was too late when he realized what had happened to him.
The insuring commotion was not nearly as frantic as one would expect. In fact it wasn't until Sylar morphed back into himself and said, "anyone still in this building when I finish burning this body will have to answer to me," that the stamped for the exits began.
As the men began running for their lives Sylar first undid Claire's bounds he gave her the jacket he was wearing. Lucky she was short enough that it hung down to her thighs. Sylar raised his father's body into the air and began burning it. He used super heated flames in the hopes that someone would be left in the building by the time he finished. The smell was horrid but he waited until not a drop of flesh was left and the bones were charred black and cracking with the heat.
He turned to Claire when he was through. Sylar was surprised to see Claire had gotten off the bed and was standing barely half a foot behind him.
"Claire are you okay?"
Claire tried to say yes, but she started crying instead, so she shook her head no.
"Okay I'm going to take you back to the estate."
"No!" Claire's emphatic reply seemed to startle her as much as it did Sylar.
"I mean not like this don't take me back looking like this. Can you get me some clothes and let me take a shower maybe."
Sylar understood Claire. She didn't want to go back in a state that would worry everyone and she wasn't quite ready to face them yet. She didn't want to show how much her ordeal had effected her.
"Okay I'll find a hotel and check in then I'll go get you some clothes."
After destroying the camera's and computers, Sylar took Clarie in his arms and super sped them to the first nice hotel he came across. When they stopped he took out his phone and called Peter.
"Do you have Claire? Is she all right? Where are you guys at?" Peter's questions came in rapid fire succession.
"Yes, Claire is okay considering, and we're about to stop by a store she understandably wants to change clothes."
"Okay I'll tell the others. Can I talk to her?"
"Let me ask?"
Sylar lowered the phone and turned to Claire, "Pete wants to speak with you I'm sure your dad will too," he said.
Claire just shook her head no.
"Sorry I think she wants some time first."
"I can understand that," Peter replyed.
When Peter hung up Noah went off. "What do you mean you understand? Give me that bastards number I want to talk to my daughter!"
"Claire needs time Noah. She's gone through a lot and she doesn't want to talk five minutes after it's over. You should try to understand that."
-0-
Claire lay on the bed having just finished showering and putting on new clothes. It was a nice bed; the room had two queen size beds with all white sheets and blankets. The blankets were big and soft and she hoped that she'd fall asleep and awaken to find that the last day had been a nightmare. When Sylar came out of the bathroom it struck Claire that he was hot. Claire about jumped to the far side of the bed she was so startled by the thought. It's just a by product of him rescuing, you she told herself. Sylar is not...okay he is hot, but plenty of guys are hot. It's not like it has anything to do with anything else.
Sylar started smiling to himself after hearing her thoughts. Under different circumstances Sylar would have made use of such knowledge, but now wasn't the time.
Instead Sylar asked, "Do you want to stay here the night or do you want to head back now?"
"Um, can you take me to my mom in the morning?" Claire was looking down at the bed when she asked the question.
"I can do that." was all Sylar said.
-0-
"I don't like the idea of that man in my home, but then again he is the one that saved you, so." Sandra let out a resigned sigh as if punctuation her unfinished thought.
"I know mom. I'm not saying I trust the him, but Peter trusts him. I figure that has to mean something."
"Yeah you said that. Could you give me any reason why Peter had such a change of heart? I thought the two of them were arch enemies are something."
"I think one of them should tell you the details, but he has something to do with Matt Parkman and a mind prison that turned eight hours into eight years."
Sandra looked at Claire; eyes wide. "Remind me never to get on Parkman's bad side."
"Mom," Claire laughed.
"Although Sylar fully deserved it I'm sure."
"Mom!"
Both woman were laughing as Sylar entered the kitchen.
"From the way it just got quite in here I don't need telepathy to know that you two were talking about me."
"Sylar the world doesn't revolve around you, you know." Claire's retort had an air of joking about it that startled Sandra.
What startled Sandra even more is that Claire didn't seem to notice how comfortable she had become around this man that had hurt her so much. What if he really has changed should I give him a chance? It's not like anyone else is going to be around for Claire 100 years from now. Wait what am I thinking?This is the man that. No.
"Of I know that. The world obviously revolves around you Claire bear."
"Why do you insist on calling me that?"
"I started because it got under your skin so much. I guess it just stuck. I could always call you cheerleader."
"How about Claire."
"I already call you Claire, I just sometimes add bear to the end."
"How about just Claire."
"How about barbie."
Claire glared at Sylar, and Sylar would have been glad for her to continue glaring. It wasn't her usual glare. In fact if Sylar could almost make himself believe that glare that had some sort of affection behind it. Something had changed when Sylar rescued Claire. That much he was sure of.
"Fine you win, but at least I didn't get any of my nick names from a watch."
"It's a top of the line antique time piece Claire, not a watch."
"Whatever."
Sandra had been watching the exchange between Sylar and Claire. Sandra was bothered by it, but she'd be lying if she said she didn't notice something. It was something that under other circumstances would have made Sandra happy, but as things stood it made her confused about what to feel or think.
"Very articulate Clarie, but I digress. The reason I came in here was to tell you that I talked to Peter this morning. It seems that Noah is not okay with waiting and they will be on the next plane here. I estimate about eight hours."
Claire couldn't stop her expression from falling. "I think I'll go to my room for a bit," with that Claire got up.
When Claire was gone Sandra turned to Sylar. "What happened to my baby?"
Sylar was not sure how to answer Sandra. "My father."
Sandra sat up straight. "Are you saying it happened again," she asked through clenched teeth.
Sylar swallowed. "I'm saying worse happened."
"Worse happened," she said to herself needing the time to process his words. "What do you mean worse happened. Why? Did he..."
"Sandra," Sylar interrupted her before she could truly start babbling. I think it would be best if you got the details from Claire. It's not like she's told me anything anyways. I only know what I saw when I went to get her, and what Angela said."
"What did Angela say?" This time Sandra's voice was steady and measured.
"He didn't just want her power. Samson wanted to break her."
Sandra had to clasp her hand to her mouth to stop herself from crying out. When she removed her hand tears where running down her face, and her breathing was shaky; but she was determined not to let Claire hear her.
"What type of man is he? Who far would he go?" Sandra managed to get the questions out around her breathing.
"I don't know for sure, but I suspect that he would stop at nothing."
"What do you mean you don't know? He's your father tell me what you think he did to my daughter. Do you know how hard it is that she hasn't talked to me yet. How surprised I was to see her show up this morning at my door with you. I heard your power was figuring things out. He's your father figure it out!" To say Sandra's voice was venomous would have been an understatement. She half yelled them at Sylar.
Sylar knew that he should have been understanding with Sandra, but she had hit a sore spot with him and he couldn't help what he yelled back. "When I was four Samson took me to a dinner and sold me to my drunkard uncle and mentally ill aunt. I ran out into the parking lot after him just in time to see him pulling off, and my mother fighting him because she'd realized what he'd done. The real gem to hold onto was when he sliced open her head and pushed her body out the car without stopping or looking back like she was some piece of trash. So, I calculate that nothing is beyond him."
Sylar regretted his words when he saw the look of utter horror on Sandra's face. With Parkman's ability he confirmed that she was thinking about how Claire, her baby as she termed it in her mind had been with a man like that for hours, almost a whole day.
"Look Sandra, I didn't mean to scare you besides I'm sure that I got to her before he could carry out the worst of his plan."
"What did you find when you went to take her back?"
"It's not my place to say. I'm sure that she'll talk to you soon. She just needs time to process."
"I know, but it's just so hard not knowing. Can I ask why he wanted to break her? Was it something Noah did?"
"No, I don't think Noah has ever met him. He wanted to teach me a lesson."
"Teach you a lesson. What does Claire have to do with you?" Sandra asked but she was afraid of the answer.
"I wanted him to die in pain alone with his lung cancer. He wanted to take away any possible touch stone I'd have in the future." It wasn't the whole truth, but it was the as close as Sylar was willing to get just then.
-0-
"How much longer until we land?" Noah had grown inpatient about two hours ago, but had managed to hold his tongue until now.
"About 1 and a half hours," came Angela's calm voice.
"Why wouldn't you let us take your private plane? We could have been there by now," Noah accusingly looked toward Angela.
"Claire chose to go to her mother because that's what she needed. Delaying our arrival is probably for the best."
-0-
Sylar found Claire in her room crying. She had come downstairs for a while earlier. She and Sandra had closed themselves up in the master bedroom. Sylar hadn't used any of his powers to spy, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to realize that Claire was telling her mother what had happened.
Now he stood in her doorway as she set up on her bed. "I don't know why I was crying like that," is what Claire said, but what Claire thought was different. Should I tell him. He might be able to help, but god it's so embarrassing. I feel better then yesterday, but still I want it to stop. What if he can't help? What if he just tries to take advantage of it. Why don't I believe that? Why am I even considering telling anyone, let alone Sylar?
"Claire is there something you'd like to tell me?" Sylar asked not yet wanting to reveal that he had Parkman's power.
"Um, could you close the door?"
Sylar did what Claire asked and walked further into the room, but he remained standing. Sylar waited for Claire to speak. When Claire did speak it was only a whisper.
"I think Samson injected me with something. I mean he said he was going to post the footage on the net and let everyone see what a slut I am. A few minutes before he let everyone in he injected me with something, and I began to feel, uh, strange." Claire's voice had trailed off at the end if it hadn't been for Sylar's super hearing he probably wouldn't have heard her at all.
"It was probably an aphrodisiac Claire."
"Why hasn't my body cleared it out yet?"
"My guess is that your body doesn't see it as a threat. If it was powerful enough it might take a few days to fully clear your system without..." now it was Sylar's turn to trail off.
"Without what?" Claire prompted.
"Without release," Sylar quickly answered her question.
Claire's eyes went slightly wide and she turned her back on Sylar. Sylar turned to leave the room.
"Is that the only way to make it stop now, before my dad get's here? I mean I don't think I can handle both this what ever shit storm dad kicks up when he get's here."
"Yes." Sylar opened the door.
"Wait!" Sylar couldn't believe what he had just herd, but he closed the door and turned back to Claire anyways.
"Is there something else?"
"Uh, I'm not sure I can. I mean between the running for my life and helping other specials, and all that there wasn't a lot of time to explore. Plus Brody kind of made me not want to think about..."
"Are you asking me to give you an orgasm Claire?" Claire would never know how much effort it took for Sylar to stand there looking serious instead of letting a smile spread across his face.
"It's just that I really want this over with. It keeps making me think about what happened and what was about to happen. Plus what I mentioned earlier."
Sylar slowly moved over the the bed. He reached his had out to Claire.
"Do you have to touch me. I mean couldn't you use telekinesis or something?"
"I probably could it's not something I've never tried before but do you really want your first orgasm without being touched at all?"
Claire looked at him pensively for a while.
"Don't worry I'll try using telekinesis for the main parts," he said to reassure Claire.
Claire finally took Sylar's hand.
Before Sylar made another move he asked, "are you sure about this?"
"I'm sure I don't have anyone else to ask."
That would have to do. Sylar bent down and picked Claire up as he settled on her bed. He sat her on his lap side ways wrapping one arm around her waist and the other around her shoulders. He reached his hand up to play with her hair. He wanted her to be completely aware of his presence. He wanted her to know that he had given her first orgasm to her. He wasn't quite the selfish person he had once been, but he would have counted himself a fool to waste this opportunity.
"Are you ready?"
"Can I be ready for this?"
Claire's back went rigid with the first invisible ministrations that Sylar applied. When Claire began to squirm he leaned back against the head board leaning Claire more firmly against him, and began to nuzzle her neck. Then Claire began to moan. Focusing on telekinesis had never been such a colossal task for Sylar before.
"You know your mom will hear if we don't do something about that moaning," Sylar said teasing with a slightly husky voice.
"I can't... help it."
Sylar knew that he was about to push his boundaries and Claire would either push him away or she was too far gone to care. He really hoped she was too far gone. He could deal with her wrath later.
"I could do something about all that noise you're making. We wouldn't want your mom to find out would we."
"What...," Claire's question was cut off when Sylar's mouth covered hers. Sylar almost lost his concentration completely when Claire moaned into his mouth. Luckily for Sylar Claire came soon after they began making out, or at least it was lucky for Sylar's concentration and restraint. As soon as Claire finished Sylar gently put Claire down on the bed kissed her one more time before her after glow dissipated enough for her to care, and ran to the bathroom.
About 30 seconds after Sylar left Claire's head began to clear. When Sylar returned two minutes later she was resolutely facing the wall. Sylar walked over to the bed and set behind her. She jumped up and walked to the door without once facing Sylar.
"I'm going to go, uh, clean up."
Sylar sat on the bed as Claire dashed out of the room. Fifteen minutes went by before Sylar concluded she wasn't coming back and decided to leave the room. When Sylar opened the door he saw Claire pacing back and forth in front of her own door. She jumped when she turned and saw him standing in the door way. Sylar didn't think he just reached out guided her toward the room.
"Claire I know why you asked me to do that. Honestly I don't blame you. You've been through a lot and I wouldn't want a reminder of what had happened either if I was in your position. I can keep a secret. Not to mention I may have been the best person since I can keep Parkman out of our heads now."
"Parkman? How can you do that?"
"He gave me his ability to help me save you. I mean I was going up against my father I needed every advantage I could get."
"Have you been listening to me?!"
"No," Sylar shifted and looked away from Claire. "I only heard a few things that you almost yelled, but not on purpose."
"What type of things have you heard?" Claire's voice was shaky even though she wanted to sound mad.
"You think I'm hot. I mean I couldn't help it, but you must have been so enamored with me that you practically screamed the thought."
Claire went red as a beat. She flopped onto her bed face down. She stiffened when she felt Sylar's hand on her back. Sylar felt her stiffen, but he also felt that the only emotion behind it was embarrassment.
"I promise you I won't tell, besides any man would be crazy not to be thrilled that you find them attractive Claire."
This time Claire rolled away from him. At least she's facing me again, even if she rolled away from my touch, thought Sylar.
"You can never tell anyone about any of this! It was probably because of that injection anyways, " Claire said resolutely.
Sylar leaned over to Claire and said, "don't worry I can go without giving Noah a reason to bring out his gun anyways."
Sylar let a slow smile spread over his face. Claire tried very hard not to return the smile, but she failed. She couldn't help but think something has changed. Ever since he saved me I can't hate him anymore, not when I know how Parkman made him pay for his crimes. Only problem is I don't know what to think about him now.
Sylar did not make himself privy to these thoughts, as a result he remained very uncertain despite the mask of confidence he wore. He questioned rather or not the moment he thought they were having was real or his imagination. Rather it was real or not the moment was broken when he heard the taxis
pulling into the driveway.
"We need to go downstairs now," Sylar was pulling Claire to her feet as he spoke.
"Their here aren't they."
"Yes."
The pair was not fast enough, but both were thankful that at least Noah only saw them coming down the steps together, and not coming out of Claire's room.
"Why were you upstairs with my daughter?!"
"Asking if she wanted to order Chinese. Tell Parkman to stop trying to read Claire's mind. I assume that was your request Noah."
Noah went silent and looked to Claire.
"You know the worst part is that I'm not even surprised." It was all Claire said before brushing past Noah.
Claire stopped at the start of the living room and asked, "Sylar can you make sure that Parkman stays out of my head?"
"Don't worry I wasn't going to let him in anyways."
Claire kept her back turned towards the group, and smiled. "Thank you."
-0-
"Noah stop glaring or get out of my house." Sandra had grown tired of Noah's petulance.
"How can you be so calm? You know what this man did."
"I know that this man also saved my daughter from something heinous and god knows what else."
"So, I'm supposed to forgive and forget because of one god act."
Peter couldn't keep quite anymore. "No, Noah your supposed to forgive and give a second chance because of two heroic acts; especially because your the one that pushed him to become a monster, both times!"
"Peter!" Sylar couldn't believe what Peter had just said.
Claire looked up. "What is he talking about? Sylar you said something like that back at the estate."
Sylar tried to back paddle saying, "Claire I was mad."
"You've never lied to me don't start now."
"I tried to hang my self. After my first kill I tried to kill myself, but the company was curious as to how I got powers. So, Elle and Noah saved me baited me and purposefully pushed me to kill again before purposefully letting me go. When Angela was lied about being my mother, to turn me into her personal weapon, it was Noah that insisted on telling me the truth. He wanted to prove that I would just go off the deep end again and he got what he wanted."
"Don't put that on me. It's not like you would have stayed on the side of good for long anyways."
Peter couldn't help but speak up again. "Actually he would have. I saw it when I went into the future before my father took my ability. While we're on the subject, don't think it was easy for Sylar all this time either. I took his ability back then. I ended up killing Nathan on that trip I took to the future. I would have killed Ma too if Sylar hadn't stopped me. Ma you remember."
Everyone turned toward Angela.
It was Suresh that spoke. "Angela is everything they're saying true?"
Angela did not drop her head, but looked Suresh in the eye. "Yes."
"Did you know that he could gain powers using empathy when you sent Elle and Noah?"
"Yes."
"My father would still be alive if you hadn't been playing your power games! How can you sit there calmly?!"
"It was for the greater good. If things had went according to plan a new age of peace would have come to the world."
"You kill, and manipulate, and turn people into murders for your 'greater good' Angela, but you never stop to think that human lives aren't yours to sacrifice." Parkman's words were firm. He couldn't believe that he had ever trusted this woman.
"It may be time for us older generation to step aside, but you'll find not falling into the gray is not as easy as you think."
Claire voice cut through the tension with her calmness. "Have you forgotten everything that's happened the last 4 years. None of us would think it easy, but it is necessary."
Angela diverted her gaze for the first time. "Still tomorrow we have to go back to New York I've delayed the opening for a couple of days and told the media that you had been rescued, but we still have to get the Clinic open. That is if you want a chance to do things your way," with that Angela left the table.
-0-
Claire walked around the crowd trying to look siren and in control. The media was here at the opening in full force. One of the walls were lined with cameras and cords crisscrossing in the space between them. Sylar walked just behind her right shoulder, as she made her way through the crowd.
Noah watched the two going through the crowd below from the second floor. The event was being held in the main receiving area of the new clinic. The public and the media would kept there for another hour until the official tour. Suresh walked up beside Noah.
"You know Noah the last time you acted this way you may have proved your point, but at what cost? Do you want to drive Claire away for good. She knows now and I don't think she'll be forgiving if you turn him back evil, honestly I'm not sure that you could anyways."
"He turned back last time."
"Did he? I mean you heard what Peter said, plus last time he hadn't really changed."
"What?" Noah turned to look at Suresh for the first time since he'd arrived.
"I mean sure he was working for the company, but Angela had been feeding him specials to help sate his 'hunger' as Peter called it. He was playing nice for someone he thought was his mother. He still was killing still wanted power more then anything else. This time he doesn't even want to kill. He wants to redemption. From where I stand you're the last person that get's to deny it to him."
Noah stared at Suresh hard.
"Don't worry I know I'm third on that list."
"Third?"
"I'd like to think Angela ranks higher then I do."
"I don't care you know I don't like that monster around my daughter."
"He's not a monster anymore. You better accept that because your daughter has come to rely on him already."
Noah turned back to the crowd below and saw Claire being approached by a young black woman.
"Nice to meet you Shophie." Claire had said the same thing to dozens of people and she wondered how many she would actually remember come tomorrow.
Before anything else could be said a waiter tripped and spilled a tray of drinks all over Claire and Sophie. The waiter quickly began apologizing and offered the few napkins that hadn't fallen to the floor.
"Oh no, your glove is ruined let me help." The waiter reached for Sophie's hand as he spoke.
"No, don't!"
It was too late, the waiter had already taken a hold of Sophie's wrist. She went stark still as the man's life flashed before her and bombarded her brain. On many occasions Sophie had thought she she had the worst power ever. Seeing a person's whole life with a single touch was horrifying for her. It amazed her that it could happen so quickly though amazed her it was like every decade of a person's existence downloaded into her brain in a single second. She'd never had it timed, but it was certainly faster then she would have assumed possible before her power manifested. When she pulled away from the Waiter's touch she turned to Sylar and Claire quickly.
"It wasn't an accident it was a distraction. Someone was supposed to slip into a side room to plant a bomb!" Sophie spoke in an excited whisper.
At Sophie's words the waiter tried to run, but Sylar used telekinesis to stop him and dole's puppet ability to turn him around. The panic was quickly spreading through the crowd as the people closest to the small group had heard Sophie's words.
Sylar saw this and screamed, "everyone please calmly exit the building." He went to the microphone that had been used for the open speech and repeated his instructions.
They were able to evacuate the building and stop the bomb without any damage being done.
-0-
In the end Sophie became part of Claire's inner circle. Sophie about fainted when she was told about Sylar's past. She always wore gloves, but it was easier to have a semi-normal life when the people around her knew and helped her avoid skin contact.
Everyone always called Sylar Gabriel in public, and as far as outsider's knew it was his father that had committed all the heinous crimes.
Sylar remained Claire's body guard much to Noah's disdain. Over the months the two became real friends. Peter could tell that Sylar was wanting more, but he never said anything about it to Sylar, though occasionally he'd drop hints to Claire. Sandra started to trust Sylar and to her great surprise like the man by Claire's side who she refused to call anything but Gabriel. Claire got a new body guard in time that was there for her public appearances.
Lyle was able to live a relatively quite life. He was told that Sylar had a dark past, but mostly Lyle was left in the dark. As a result, he had the easiest time coming to like Sylar.
When Claire and Sylar started to date no one was surprised besides Noah. He also didn't find out until six weeks after it began. To say his reaction was bad would be an understatement. It was a reaction that all but pushed him out of Claire's life completely. He wasn't at the wedding and Peter walked Claire down the aisle. It was a mistake he could never undo. Eventually, when Claire had a little boy they named Nathan, Noah resigned himself to the facts, even if his heart never opened up to Sylar, he didn't want to be excluded from his grandchild's life.
That's the way life went. Claire got the 'normal' life she wanted or at least the honest life she craved, and Sylar found out that bridges can be built far more rapidly then he thought possible. They loved each other they truly did.
Was their life perfect? No. Did they face threats occasionally? Yes. Still there was, an openness and honesty they never got to experience before. More important was that the bad out weighed the good, and they were the perfect example that things change.
The End
That's it guys hope you enjoyed. Sorry for any mistakes.