"It's the way that he makes you feel, it's the way that he kisses you, it's the way that he makes you fall in love," Claire sang hoarsely. It was the perfect song to describe Elle's love life she thought. Elle was curled up on the floor with her head in Claire's lap and she was trying to rest. "She's beautiful as usual with bruises on her ego and her killer instinct tells her to be aware of evil men. And that's what you get for falling again you can never get him out of your head, and that's what you get for falling again you can never get him out of your head."
"Exactly," Elle murmured.
"Sugarcult knew what they were writing," Claire said. She could feel her own energy draining without food or water and without her ability. Wasn't this what she wanted all along? To be normal?
"Another song," Elle whined.
"This world will never be what I expected, and if I don't belong who would've guessed it," Claire sang off key making Elle giggle.
"Why do you like all these emo boy band songs?"
"My friend Zach was into this stuff and he was my best friend before we left Texas," Claire explained. She missed Zach a lot right now.
"Oh I'm sorry," Elle quickly apologized and flinched. It was out of instinct because she was tired and was on guard. Her body tensed and automatically waited for a hit but when it realized Claire wasn't going to do anything, it relaxed again.
"It's cool, but it was one of his favorite songs," Claire told her.
"We were meant to live for so much more, have we lost ourselves," Claire sang close to a whisper.
"I know that song," Elle said trying to place where she heard it before.
"It's Switchfoot, it's good stuff," Claire told her.
"I know where I heard it," Elle said with a small grin. "You were playing it in your room."
"You stalked me all the way home from school one day? Because I haven't really listened to that song lately."
"It was about two years ago. In Odessa before everything happened. I was put on assignment to see if you had any powers. None were evident. I was outside your house and your window was open."
"Wow you have a creepy good memory," Claire remarked.
"Nah," Elle said with her eyes shut as Claire ran her hand through her head. "I just really liked the song. Of course your dad's friend like killed me. She turned the sprinklers on and beat me up. Then he told me if I came back he'd kill me. So naturally I did because I was mad. But you weren't home and he didn't catch me. So I decided to leave Texas."
"Oh I see," Claire said.
---
"Ready?" Bennet asked holding up his gun.
"Ready," Peter responded and flashed his own gun. They exited the elevator and walked to the correct room. Pete looked at Noah who nodded. Using telekinesis he unlocked the door and barged in. Inside was Vince Drake who was startled and jumped up out of the chair he had been sitting in. "Where are they?" Peter growled.
Inside Claire was falling asleep when she heard a thud. "Elle…PETER!" She almost pushed Elle off her as she jumped to her feet. "PETER!" she screamed and pounded on the bathroom door. Elle scrambled to her side and began to shout and pound too.
"Move," Peter ordered as he looked at Noah and both heard the girls in the bathroom.
"Not happening," Vince said and pointed his gun towards the door and shot wildly. The bullet went through and barely missed Elle.
"HEY!" Peter shouted and sent Vince flying. Noah turned angrily and shot Vince in the arm. He began to scream in pain while Noah walked over. Peter ran to the door and unlocked it.
"Peter!" both girls cried and jumped into his arms. He pulled both of them in for a tight hug and kissed the tops of their heads.
"Dad!" Claire shouted seeing him after hearing a loud bang. He looked up and the three saw Vince lifeless on the floor. Claire ran and jumped onto her dad. "Dad I love you," she whispered as he picked her up.
"I love you too Claire bear," he told her.
Elle wrapped her arms tightly around Peter. "I told you I'd protect you," he said in a low voice. She buried her head in his chest. They hugged for what seemed like forever until all of them heard another bang. Peter watched in horror as Elle let out a piercing scream and collapsed into him. He held on to her and saw that her leg was bleeding. As he looked up he became enraged. "Get away!" he shouted at Bob who stood in the doorway.
"Get away from my daughter," Bob ordered.
"I'm not letting you touch her," he said and shielded her face from her father by letting her bury her face in his chest. He could feel her hot tears soaking into him and felt her body heave as she sobbed.
"You're done Bob," Noah said advancing towards him.
"I'm just getting started Noah," Bob said threateningly and shot another bullet. This time it hit Claire in the side. She also let out a scream and fell to her knees.
"That's it!" Noah roared and shot Bob twice right in the chest. He fell and began to die and he looked at Elle and saw her looking right back at him with tears.
"Are you happy now Elle?"
"Elle don't listen to him," Claire cried as she doubled over in pain but knew what was going through Elle's head. Elle began to shake and didn't want to look at her father but she did.
"I raised you and now you've left me to die," he said. His hands were near a bunch of pens and he grabbed the pens on the floor and Elle watched as they began to turn to solid gold. "You'll pay one day," he warned her and slowly slipped away. Elle didn't know what to do. Peter held on to her and whispered to her comforting words but it didn't help. "These pens could write once, but now they're just dull shined objects. You'll always be worthless, just like them," Bob said viciously. "Goodbye Elle."
"Dad!" she cried and lunged forward but Peter stopped her. "I'm sorry!" she cried and the tears flowed faster than ever "I'm sorry daddy!" Claire shook her head and wanted to help Elle but was in too much pain. Elle collapsed in Peter's arms and let him take her away. "Let's get you out of here," he said comfortingly and looked towards Noah and Claire. Noah was trying to pick Claire up without hurting her too much.
"She's losing blood fast Peter," Noah warned as he picked her up gently and she let out a sob.
"Let's go," Peter said and put his hand onto Noah and thought about where they were going. In a flash they were gone.
---
"Damn it Suresh! What do I do!" Peter shouted and slammed the wall in the Bennet's house again. His face had sweat mixed with tears running down his cheeks. "She's dying!"
"I don't know if your blood is strong enough to heal her," he said cautiously. "You only copied the ability. But it's your only hope." Peter didn't have to hear anymore and hung up.
"What'd he say?" Elle asked worriedly as she sat on the chair in the living room. Claire was laid on the couch and was slowly dying due to the gun shot.
"I got to get my blood in her," Peter said hurriedly wiping the tears from his face. "Noah I need a needle."
"Here," Noah tossed him a box containing what Peter needed. He was kneeled over his daughter. Claire looked up at him.
"Dad?" she murmured.
"Shh, Claire bear," Noah comforted her. "You'll be okay." Peter rushed over and fell to his knees right next to Noah.
"Sorry if this hurts Claire," he mumbled and rather roughly jabbed the needle quickly into her arm as he allowed blood to flow into her. "Now what?"
"All we can do is wait," Noah said slowly as he looked at his daughter.
Peter walked over to the opposite couch and sat down and buried his head in his hands. Elle watched sadly as she saw Claire hold her dad's hand. She saw Peter and used all her strength to get up and limp over on her injured leg and sit down next to him. He looked down and saw the blood coming out of Elle's leg. "Shit!" he cried and quickly got on his knees.
"Pete it's okay," Elle said but Peter was already ripping her jeans apart at the bottom.
"We got to get this bullet out of you," Peter said quickly and saw it. Using his medical skills he quickly removed it as she grinded her teeth together to keep from screaming and bandaged her leg up. He saw her arm and shook his head. "We need another needle kit thing for Elle," he told Noah.
"Look up there," he said pointing to the cabinet in the kitchen. Peter ran over and looked.
"Got it," he said and drew a lot more of his own blood. "Hold still Elle," he said and put the needle into her and let blood flow into her too. "Have a cast Noah?" he asked.
"Sorry not here," he said. Peter nodded and got up next to Elle.
"Thanks," she told him. He nodded.
"Let's get you cleaned up. Noah do you think she can use Claire's clothes for now?" He saw his dying niece and almost wanted to burst into tears all over again.
"Go ahead," Noah said. Peter picked Elle up and brought her up to Claire's room. He set her down gently on the bed. "Here," he said and tossed her a pair of jeans from Claire's closet and a shirt from Hollister. She pulled her cami off leaving nothing but her bra on. Peter wasn't looking but she honestly wasn't thinking of him as she pulled the shirt on and wasted no time in pulling off her…well Claire's…torn jeans and put on the fresh clean ones. "Does she have a hair brush in here?"
"Here," Peter said and tossed her one he saw on the dresser. She brushed her hair and asked for a hair tie which he tossed to her and she tied her hair up. She got up and began to limp but Peter instantly rushed to her side and picked her up.
"I'm just going to her bathroom," Elle explained but Peter picked her up and walked her over to it anyway. She limped to the sink and washed her face. "Alright let's go down to see Claire," she said and he took her down. "She'll be okay Peter," Elle tried comforting him as he carried her down the stairs.. "You'll save her. I know your blood will," she told him. Peter only responded by giving her a quick peck on the cheek.
"Any improvement?" he asked Noah.
"None but she's not doing any worse," he assured Peter. Somewhat relieved, he set Elle back down on the couch and sat next to her. "If you need to get some food or something Noah, Elle and I will stay right here with her."
"Thanks Pete but I'm fine," Noah said. Peter nodded and waited anxiously for Claire's wound to heal. He didn't feel Elle's hand gently grab his and he squeezed hers tightly. Elle sighed. Her mind was sorting all sorts of things out. It would be for a while. A long while.