A New Me

Fall 2009:

Peter: Europe was life changing. I became another person entirely. Mohinder and I travelled thoroughly that summer. Meeting others with abilities, changing lives. Finally, I had a purpose. I missed New York, and I missed Claire. But, I realised she had done me the greatest favour a friend ever could. I had no contact with her the entire time I was away. News was filtered to me via very infrequent emails from Nathan. A new world was being opened up to him also. He had chosen not to tell me earlier, but the previous Christmas he had told Heidi everything. About his powers, mine, Claire's, about the affair and saving the world. Heidi, the absolute remarkable woman that she is, took everything in her stride. Their relationship was now better than ever. The honesty of it all struck a significant chord within me. I resolved to sort out my issues with Claire once and for all.

Peter Petrelli strode through the doorway of the mansion, confidence in his steps. He had left this place a broken man only a few months earlier. Now, he truly felt like nothing could keep him down. He slipped the ragged overnight bag from his shoulders and let it fall to the floor with a dull thud.

"Uncle Peter!" Monty Petrelli raced around the corner, his shoes squeaking on the polished floors.

"Hey Sprout," Peter grinned as he knelt to face his cheery nephew. "What's your Mom been feeding you?"

"I'm three foot eight!"

"Wow," Peter exclaimed. "You'll be looking down on me in no time."

"Monty . . ." Simon Petrelli's voice was disapproving. "No running in the house. You know what Mom says."

Peter raised an eye brow at his eldest nephew. "Since when do you listen to your Mom?"

"Since I told him his allowance depended on it." Heidi appeared in the doorway, immaculately dressed in a pale pink sleeveless dress. "Welcome home, Pete." Her eyes were full of questions.

"Hello, Heidi." Peter rose to his full height. There was a comfortable warmness in her smile. "Where's my brother?"

"C'mon, Peter." Monty took him by the hand.

Heidi rolled her eyes as she followed them into the formal sitting room.

Peter tilted his head slightly. "He's not working is he?"

Heidi relaxed back into one of the plush white armchairs scattered around the room. "No. Actually, he's trying a little DIY." She smirked.

Peter was about to open is mouth to question his sister-in-law when he was interrupted by Simon.

"So did you bring us presents?"

"Simon!" Heidi scolded. "Peter just got home."

Simon shrugged, and looked at the floor, but not before catching a sly wink from his Uncle.

"Peter," Nathan's voice boomed as he entered the room. "Welcome home."

"Thanks. It's nice to be back." Peter was suddenly aware they were no longer listening. He watched in amusement at the exchange of glances between Nathan and Heidi.

"Did you?" Heidi questioned.

"No. It needs a little more work than I first thought."

"Oh . . ."

"Do you want to?" Nathan spoke softly to his wife.

"No. Let's wait until dinner. When everyone is here."

"Okay," Nathan bent his head down and whispered something Peter could not make out.

The questions in his mind were scattered by Monty who had climbed onto the couch next to him.

"Have you come home to fix Claire?" The boy's eyes were round with sincerity.

Peter's heart skipped a beat at the mention of her name. He frowned at Monty's words. "What? Ah . . . What do you mean fix, Claire?" He looked at Nathan and Heidi for guidance.

Heidi's face betrayed an image of remorse. Peter searched his brothers eyes for answers.

"Are you going to make her better now?" Monty asked him.

Peter's heart slowed so quickly he thought it would stop. "Is there something wrong with Claire?"

"No. Nothing," Nathan answered a little too quickly.

"Yes, there is." Monty was insistent. "She dresses all funny and she's always sad. She never comes over to play anymore."

"That's because she's an Emo, Dumbie." Simon Petrelli was blunt.

"Mom, what's an Emo?" Monty directed his next question towards his mother.

Heidi looked a little flushed by the interchange. "That's enough, Boys. How about we go into the kitchen and get a snack." She started to herd them from the room.

"But, Mom . . ." Simon Petrelli began to protest.

Peter didn't miss the furtive glance Heidi shot towards Nathan as she left the room. He gave his brother a questioning look. "Nate, is Claire okay?"

Nathan took a deep breath before answering. "She took her break up with Aaron a little hard."

"Okay . . ." Peter wasn't sure he fully understood where this conversation was going.

"She's not herself at the moment." Nathan sighed again. "I wish you'd been here this summer, Pete . . . We tried talking to her, but she doesn't want to know."

"It can't be that bad." Peter forced a smile onto his travel weary face.

"Well, you know Claire. She's so sensitive. She always takes things to heart . . . But it's different this time."

"Why?"

"I wish I knew, Pete. I wish I knew."

Claire Bennet felt her feet pound heavily along the gravel. She was late. "Why am I even running," she questioned herself. "Not like I give a shit, anyway. These stupid family dinners are joke." Her stomach did a flip-flop when she remembered the reason the Petrelli family was even having dinner. "The Prodigal Son returns. I totally should have bailed." She slowed to a walk. "I few more minutes of waiting won't kill them."

She stepped cautiously into the glaring lights of the parlour. Laughter echoed from the dining hall. She checked her make-up in a nearby mirror and pulled a strand of dark hair from her eyes. She inwardly scolded herself for even caring. Taking a deep breath she headed for the dining room, checking her steps to keep them casual. She paused in the doorway as she caught sight of her family, the dark lock fell out of place and cast a shadow across her green eyes. No one noticed her. She let her eyes wander around the room. Nathan, Heidi, the smiling faces of her half brothers, Peter. He was smiling, sharing a joke with his brother. The quiet confidence in his manner filled the room. Claire was silent. She hadn't seen him this happy in a long time. His clothes were stylish, modern. A soft blue shirt clung to his torso in all the right places. She swallowed hard, a painful lump forming in her throat.

"Claire," Angela Petrelli's voice caught her off guard. "Good of you to join us." Her grandmother forced a smile onto her face as if hoping she could disguise the sarcasm in her voice.

Peter took a sip from his wine glass and caught her gaze for a moment. If he was surprised by the radical change in her appearance, he did not show it.

"Yeah," Claire murmured as she moved to take her place at the end of the table. "Hi." She felt eyes on her when she moved. She glanced upwards, as she sat, straight into Peter's brown eyes. He smiled reassuringly, but his hazelnut gaze betrayed nothing of his true emotions.

Claire did her best to ignore everyone throughout the meal. "The sooner I finish, the sooner I can leave." Conversation topics ranged from Peter's exploits in Europe - the abridged version of course to Simon's tales of his new classmates. Claire listened intently, struggling to keep her eyes on her dinner plate. Thankfully, they seemed more interested in Peter than her. She frowned remembering their last family dinner. The one in which she had stormed out of vowing never to return. Every so often she allowed herself to glance around the table. Angela's lips curling into the tiniest of smiles as she listened to her grandson, Heidi and Nathan sneaking adoring looks at one another, Peter laughed as he relayed his amusing encounter with an absurd french waiter. Here, surrounding by the people she was related to, she suddenly felt overwhelmingly alone. She was on the verge of tears when Nathan stood to make a toast. Her fingers scrambled blindly for her glass as she fought to regain control over her emotions.

"To Family. I stand before you a changed man. This summer I have truly realised what it means to be a Man and a Father. I would like to toast to Mom, thank you for your wisdom and guidance. To Peter, thank you for telling me I don't always need to keep my feet on the ground. To my children, I love you just the way you are . . ."

Claire doubted the sincerity in his voice. "He abandoned you once . . ."

Nathan continued. "And finally to Heidi, without whom I would never have made it this far. My beautiful wife and mother to what will soon be three wonderful children."

"Oh, Heidi." Angela clapped her hands together in delight.

Claire felt her world spin beneath her. The champagne glass slipped from her fingers and shattered onto the floor. Claire gasped for breath as she realised all eyes were on her. "Excuse me." She stumbled backwards and fled from the room.

"Claire?" Nathan called as he prepared to follow her.

Peter put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "I'll go."

A few moments later, Peter grabbed the doorway for support as he scrambled out into the crisp Fall air. "Claire." His voice carried well in the darkness, but she did not reply.

He found her a short time later, resting on the park bench is the south corner of the garden. Dark hair forcing her pale face into shadow. His mind travelled back to a warm summer night two years before. The difference in Claire was astounding. Gone were the golden locks, the golden tan and determined demeanour. This Claire was fragile.

"I don't need a lecture, okay," she said stubbornly.

Peter nodded. "I know," he whispered huskily.

The mere sound of his voice gave her goose bumps. She shivered in her denim jacket.

"Wanna talk about it?" he asked.

"Not particularly."

"Fair enough." He shuffled absently on the spot and put both his hands in his trouser pockets.

"Europe looks good on you." A weak smile crossed her pale lips.

Peter looked at the ground, feeling the slightest blush in his cheeks. He watched, wide eyed, as she pulled out a cigarette and lighter from her pocket. The light flared brightly in the darkness casting an ethereal glow on her face. It was gone in a split second as she drew the cigarette up to her lips and inhaled deeply. She closed her eyes, enjoying the way the smoke curled down the back of her throat. Peter was staring at her when she opened her eyes a few moments later.

"What?" she demanded. "It's not like it'll kill me."

Peter chuckled. "I guess I can't argue with that . . . Mind if I sit?"

She shrugged.

He positioned himself carefully, trying to avoid being too close. "I want to help you, Claire."

She shifted her jet black rimmed green eyes to his. "I'm fine," she lied.

"I know." The brown eyes lied back. "So am I."

"I'm sorry, Pete, but there are just some things that I cannot tell even you."

"Likewise." He stood up to leave, but not before turning and delivering his message. "I missed you so much while I was away, and I miss you still. I'm not going to pretend that I can make things better for you. I can't . . . only you can do that. "

She said nothing, but her eyes begged him to stay. For a moment, he feared that if he said anything more she would shatter into a thousand pieces. He pursed his lips and continued. He would not fall for that look again.

"I'm here for you . . . Whenever you're ready." He whispered as he disappeared into the shadows leaving her sad eyes to linger after him in the darkness.

A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review - Pip :)

In the next chapter of Volume Four: What You Hold Sacred: A phone call changes everything . . .