Volume Two: Cool Me Down

Spring 2008:

Peter: Claire continued her relationship with Liam into the Spring of that year. I had to admit they made a handsome couple. He was the son of some rich banking magnate. Once Nathan got used to the idea, it was a match made in heaven. Then, as quickly as they had become an item, all of a sudden it was over. Claire never explained what really happened, but I know it hit her hard.

Darkness surrounded Peter as he awoke from a dream. He rolled over and glanced at his alarm clock. 2.33 Am. It was a second time this week his sleep had been broken. Restlessly, he rolled onto his back and closed his eyes. He was drifting back to unconsciousness again, when he heard a muffled cry from next room. He sat up and waited, straining to hear the sound again. After a moment it echoed through his room, this time a little louder and more desperate. "Claire . . ." Peter threw the covers back and leapt from his bed. Swiftly, he walked through their joint bathroom and the sobs became louder. He knocked on the door and listened as the noise ceased.

"Claire," he called softly to her. ". . . Can I come in?"

There was movement from behind the door, but she did not answer him.

"Please," he pleaded.

Cautiously, he stepped into her room. It was darkened with shadow, but in the light from the bathroom he searched for her. His attention was drawn to the curtains that framed the door to Claire's rooftop patio. They fluttered gently under the pressure of a delicate breeze.

"Claire?" He moved through the room towards the patio and it was there that he found her. She was sitting, arms folded around her drawn up knees, cloaked in an eerie hue of moonlight. She looked up when he called her name, tears stained on her pretty face.

Silently, he sat beside her and placed an arm protectively around her. She shivered in the night air and gratefully warmed to his embrace. They stayed like that for an eternity.

"It's so hard to breathe," Claire stammered as she inevitably broke the silence between them. "I hate him."

"I don't think that's true Claire . . . I don't think you'd be out here if that was how you truly felt."

Claire glared at him for a moment, before she realised he was just being honest.

"I'm sorry about Liam. I really am. He's an arse, if he can't see what an amazing girl you are." Peter touched her face gently.

Claire screwed up her face and gave another heartrending sob.

"Oh, Claire . . ." The concern was evident on his face. He pulled her protectively into his arms.

"Why is this so hard?" Her voice was muffled against his body. Her tears soaked the collar of his t-shirt as she nuzzled against him. He held her tightly until her body no longer shook with pain.

Peter pulled away slowly, and stared intently in her eyes. "Give it time. Your heart will mend and then one day, you will meet someone who will steal it away again. Only this time, they will give you theirs in return."

She looked at him closely. "Huh?"

Peter chuckled lightly. "It gets better."

"Ugh. I'm so over men at the moment, if fact I think I'll stay away from them for life." The faintest smile crossed her face.

Peter laughed. Her smile comforted him and he knew she would be alright. "What about me? You're not going to swear off me too . . . are you?"

Her smile grew larger and a familiar sparkle returned to her eyes. "Peter, you're family. I'm stuck with you whether I like it or not."

Peter feigned a look of hurt on his face.

"Oh . . . I didn't mean it like that . . . I just meant-"

He smiled. "I know."

She sighed and rested her head against his shoulder. He stared at her for a moment before gently tipping his head to rest on hers. "I'm so glad I found you," his voice was barely a whisper.

"Me too," was her reply.

Claire: Sometime in April 2008 New York was hit by a mini heat wave; and heat can do strange things to a person's mind.

Claire, Becca and Jane returned from a shopping trip early one afternoon. They hurried upstairs to get out of the sticky heat and into their new swimsuits. Peter was doing laps of the sparkling blue pool when they leisurely strolled from the main house.

Peter emerged from the pool in a pair of dark green board shorts to take in the sight of the three young women. His eyes travelled from Jane, who wore a designer silver one piece, to Becca, who wore a festive yellow and blue bikini, to Claire. At almost eighteen, she was positively radiant in a skimpy black bikini. He'd seen her in a bikini before, but her body was leaner and more feminine since the previous summer. Peter swallowed uncomfortably in her presence.

"Hi, Pete," Becca purred in his direction.

"Becca . . . Jane," Peter cheerfully acknowledged Claire's two best friends. "Tex."

"What are you doing here?" Claire asked. "I thought you had a job today."

"Cancelled." He grabbed a towel and gently sponged the drips from his face and upper body. "Can I get you ladies drink?"

All three agreed to the offer, commenting about the sweltering heat. As Claire watched him disappear across the neatly trimmed lawn, she suddenly became aware that Peter was the current topic of conversation between Becca and Jane.

"Hot? Peter? We are talking about the same person here right?" Claire laughed.

Becca nodded. "Oh yeah, he's totally hot."

"Um, okay."

"His toned body, his hands, that cute thing his lip does when he talks . . . oh and don't get me started on his delicious butt. He's fine."

"Can't say I've seen it myself. He's a total geek . . . really." Claire stared incredulously at her friends.

"If you say so Claire, but I wouldn't throw him out of bed," Jane giggled.

"Same here . . ." Becca nodded her agreement. "But right now, I've got some rays to catch if I want to look as good as you, Claire. Damn you and your natural Texan tan."

"Looks aren't everything." Claire said sadly.

"Don't you start that again Claire, he's not worth it."

"I know. I will find love again . . ."

Claire wandered into the kitchen and found Peter leaning into the fridge. She was suddenly awestruck by the image as she remembered her friends' comments. Peter was shirtless, with one lightly tanned arm resting on the fridge door. Claire was distractedly drawn into the image and found herself checking out him out. She was still lost in her own world when Peter turned and greeted her.

"Claire . . . Claire? . . . Earth to Claire."

Claire regained her focus and realised she was staring directly into his amazing brown eyes.

"Wow."

"Claire?" Peter repeated.

"What? . . . Oh, Peter." Claire turned crimson.

"Diet or regular? . . . You still want a soda right?"

"Of course," she giggled nervously.

"Well?" He held them out in front of her.

"Thanks." Claire didn't move.

"Are you okay, Tex?" Peter looked down at her with a raise eyebrow.

She took a can from him. "Sure, yep, never better." She opened the can, while still looking up at him and squealed when it sprayed an explosive burst of liquid over her.

"Oh crap."

Peter laughed heartily as he reached for a dish cloth. "Here let me"

Claire squealed again and jumped away from him. "No . . . no it's fine."

He tried dabbing her with the cloth again, but she grabbed hold of it.

"I said its fine," she said, giving it a quick tug.

"Let go," he insisted, pulling back.

"No . . ." she raised her voice.

"What's going on in here?" Nathan walked into the sight of his brother and daughter fighting over a dish cloth.

"Nothing!" They said in unison, as the dishcloth fell to the floor.

Claire screwed up her face as she bent to pick the cloth off the floor. Peter decided that retreat was the best option.

"What is up with her?" Nathan asked.

"Must be the heat," Peter whispered as he walked past.

Nathan stared at Claire, then watched as Peter as left the room. Claire was furiously wiping down her top when he looked back again. Nathan just shook his head slowly as he too, walked out.

Claire stopped and looked at the dishcloth for a second. "Oh God," she wailed, gripping the bench and gently banging her forehead against it. "Idiot, idiot, idiot!"

Claire was sitting on the side of the pool lazily dipping her feet in the cool water when Peter joined her later that evening.

"Hey, Tex."

"Hi," Claire said sheepishly.

"You know you shouldn't spend so much time in the sun . . . does strange things to the mind."

"Ha ha."

"Have Becca and Jane gone home then?"

"Yep." Claire moved her leg through the water in circles. "You really seemed to enjoy their company today," she chuckled.

"Huh?"

She turned and looked at him. "C'mon don't tell me you didn't get off on the attention."

"I was just being friendly."

"They think you're hot, you know that right?"

Peter gave her a sideways look. "17 year old girls finding me attractive, that's irony for ya."

"What?"

"I wasn't exactly pulling all the girls in high school," he explained.

"I find that hard to believe."

"Yeah . . . maybe I should make the most of it . . ." he said wryly.

"Peter!"

"Gotcha!" he laughed until Claire nudged him with her elbow.

"Boys are scum."

"Not all of them." They shared an intense gaze, before Peter looked away. "Simone always said she liked my integrity."

"You don't talk about her much," Claire said quietly.

Peter confirmed her words with his silence.

"You really loved her."

"Yeah." Peter smiled. "I did. She was the first woman I really took a chance with."

"I'm sorry."

"At least I've got options." He grinned.

"Eww, no way, my friends are totally off limits."

"You actually think I'm serious."

"Arrgh," Claire groaned as he laughed at her again. She got up to walk away, but caught Peter off guard and managed to push him into the pool. She stood there looking triumphant as Peter spluttered his way to the surface.

"Just cos you like having me all to yourself."

"Is that so?" she walked to the side of the pool. "Well I-" Claire's words were lost as Peter used his powers to make her fall into the pool.

"That's cheating!" she exclaimed when she reached the surface, but Peter was nowhere to be send. "Oh, you are so dead, Petrelli."

A massive water fight ensued and their laughter echoed across the Petrelli courtyard for the remainder of that sunny spring evening.