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Usual disclaimers – don't own, make no money, just having some fun
"Are you sure this is such a good idea?" Claire asked Sylar.
He shrugged. "You want to see your mom, right? You want her to see our babies, so we'll make it work."
Sylar had contacted Matt, who was still in hiding in Canada with several of the others who had escaped. Matt was also in contact with Noah.
"He'll kill you, man. Angela didn't tell him what she did and as far as he's concerned, you kidnapped Claire." Matt explained.
"Yeah, but do you think you can get in touch with Sandra?" Sylar asked. He was getting a headache, but he needed to do this for Claire.
"Probably. She and Noah are separated. She kicked him out after Claire went with you."
"Great. Claire's gonna feel responsible for that, too. Look, talk to her. Let her know Claire's okay and that she wants to see her. Tell her to make it look like she's going on a retreat or something, you know, to get her head together." Sylar was making this up as he went alone and was really quite pleased with himself.
"Have her pack up what she needs in a backpack." Sylar rubbed his face.
"A backpack? Why?" Matt asked.
"I have Nathan's ability and I'm gonna fly her here." He explained.
"Okay, if I don't contact you, pick her up at the designated spot in two days. And remember, it's gonna be Pacific Time."
"Yeah, cool." Sylar paused. "Thanks, Matt."
"Yeah, this is all so weird." Matt had to say.
"I know." With that, Sylar hung up.
Sandra Bennett entered the church where she had stashed her backpack the day before when she had taken her clothing donation. She was back again; only a cab had dropped her off a few blocks away. Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself to face the man who had terrorized her family and according to her husband, kidnapped her daughter.
Lord help her, she was about to trust that same man to fly her to see Claire. But she needed to do this; she needed to see her daughter. The past nine months had been a nightmare and she needed make sure for herself that Claire wasn't a prisoner.
"Hey, Sandra." Sylar walked out from behind the alter. He picked up her backpack and put it on. "You ready?"
She visibly shivered but held back any retort. "Is Claire alright?"
"She's good. Look, we'll explain everything to you, but just know that…we saved each other, okay?" His eyes were begging her to accept his words.
Sandra squinted at Sylar and then shook her head.
"Alright. Okay, please take me to my daughter." She went to him and he led her out through the side door. This may have been the most irrational, irresponsible thing she had ever done in her entire life, but she was compelled. She trusted Matt and he had assured her it would all be fine.
"It's bizarre and I can't believe I'm actually saying this, Mrs. Bennett, but once you find out what happened, well…you may actually thank Sylar." Sandra recalled Matt Parkman's words and allowed herself to trust Sylar. For the moment.
Once they were in the ally way, Sylar pulled his lover's mother into his arms and jetted off for a family reunion.
They landed a few miles out of town and Sylar led her to his jeep. Stowing her backpack, he then opened the door for her.
"Better put the seatbelt on, the roads are really bumpy." He quietly spoke.
Sandra complied and studied the man in the driver's seat. He had the same dark looks, always a good looking man, he seemed to have softened. He wore a chambray shirt and khaki pants as opposed to the black she recalled he always seemed to favor.
There was a small frame hanging from the rear-view mirror and it held a small photo of her daughter, laughing.
"That was taken a few months back. I really liked it, so Claire made that for me." Sylar answered her questioning look.
"She looks happy." Sandra stated.
"I think she is. But she misses you and Lyle. Her dad, too. Not Nathan, I mean Noah." He clarified. "Here we are."
They pulled up in front of a nice sized cottage. There was foliage everywhere and wind chimes on the front porch. She could see evidence of her daughter in so many things. The cushions on the garden furniture. The mermaid plaques on the front door.
Sylar slung her backpack over his shoulder and opened her door.
"Please, come in. Claire's really excited to see you." He let her lead the way.
"Claire? We're here." Sylar called out.
"Mom?" Claire came in from the kitchen, a huge smile on her face, tears in her eyes. "Oh god. Mom, I missed you so much!"
"Oh my god Claire!" Sandra was shocked as she took in her daughter's condition. She turned to Sylar. "You bastard!"
Sylar shook his head and rolled his eyes. Claire sighed as she went to her mother.
Claire took hold of her mother's hands and pulled her in for an embrace. Over her mother's shoulder, she spoke to Gabriel.
"Gabriel? Why don't you go to town and bring Julia up? I know she wants to meet mom. And I need to talk to mom. Alone." She urged.
"Yeah, fine. How long do you want me gone?" He asked.
"Give us a couple of hours." Claire released her mother and sat her on the couch. She went to Sylar and kissed him. "Thank you, but please, don't do that smirky thing with my mom, it scares her."
"Sorry." He smirked. "And, hey, I've been good all the way here. Ask your mom."
"I would, but right now I don't think she'll be giving you a shining recommendation. Let me tell her what happened." She kissed him again. "I love you."
He smiled. "I know."
To say that Sandra was outraged was an understatement. Those damn Petrellis, even that smarmy Peter was a weakling, always giving into Nathan and their bitch of a mother, Angela, Sandra thought to herself as she stewed.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but I hate them and I think you should've let Sylar kill them. They are a spot on humanity. And that your father can still work for them, well all I can say is this separation has formally shifted into divorce country!" Sandra snapped.
"Mom, really. Dad had no idea what was happening. He would've never allowed it. He would've killed them. And as for him still being there, I'm sure he's trying to find out what happened to me." Claire was trying to rationalize the situation and make her mom feel better.
She didn't know why. Her father lied to her consistently. He tampered with both her mother and brother's memories. He made a life of living in the grey. And here she was, trying to convince her mother that her dad wasn't so bad.
"Mom, if you want to divorce Dad, that's totally up to you. But not because of me." She rubbed her stomach. The twins were doing somersaults.
"I just don't know, Claire. So much has happened. And I know it's those damn people that did this to you, but I blame Noah as well. He should've seen this coming. The best thing that ever happened was the night Danko died." Sandra took her daughter's hand in hers. "Claire? You and Sylar? Do you…"
Claire chuckled. "I do love him, mom. It's so weird; I mean we were forced together by Angela. But we sort of make sense, in a totally twisted sort of way. He never lied to me, mom, not once. And he'll do anything to protect me." Claire had a dreamy smile that made Sandra almost roll her eyes.
"You're so young, Claire. You've never had a chance to see what the world has to offer." She fought back tears that were threatening to fall.
"Yeah, I'm young. I mean, I wouldn't have chosen to have a baby at my age, let alone twins." She shrugged. "But this is where I am. And it's not such a bad life, mom. Sylar, he gets me. No one else could ever deal with the drama that my life has become."
"But, Claire, Sylar was a big part of that drama." She reasoned.
"I know. I don't know what to tell you except that I love him. This is something that both Angela and Julia dreamt about. Sylar and I are destined to be together." She shifted to try and get comfortable. "Wow, these two are really busy today." She laughed.
"When are you due, sweetheart?" Sandra placed her hand on her daughter's huge stomach and was rewarded with small kick. "Wow!"
"Yeah, they've been really active. I'm due any day, which was why I needed you to be here. I couldn't imagine you not being here when I have my babies." Claire held her mother's hand. "I'm scared, mom. I know I can't die, but I can feel pain now and I'm afraid it's gonna really hurt."
Sandra laughed. "Oh, baby, it's going to hurt. But once you hold them in your arms, it's going to diminish. I think we were designed that way so we would continue to propagate."
"Gee, mom, that makes me feel so much better." Claire joined her mother's laughter. "I really missed you."
"Me too, sweetheart." Sandra put her arm around her daughter and hugged her close. She was so small, it worried her that Claire would have a difficult birth. She felt Claire stiffen in her arms.
"Oh! Mom, I'm wet." Claire pulled back and Sandra could see the water spread over Claire's pants.
"Your water broke, Claire. We have to call Sylar." Sandra stood up.
"And Julia, too." She grimaced in pain. "Oww, Mom, it really hurts! I mean, really bad!"
"Relax, sweetheart. Give me Sylar's number." Sandra was trying to remain calm, but her baby girl was about to have a baby. No, two babies.
"Okay." Claire took a deep breath. "My cell, it's right there." She pointed to the table.
"It's fine, sweetheart." She picked up the phone and looked for Sylar. "His number's not here, Claire."
"It's under Gabriel." Claire grunted.
"Oh, yes." She pushed his number and waited for him to pick up.
"Hi babe, everything okay with Sandra?" Sylar asked.
"Sandra is fine, however Claire is in labor her water's broke. You have to get here with, with…oh god, I forgot her name." Sandra cried.
"Tell Claire that Julia and I will be right there." Sylar closed his phone and grabbed Julia.
"Claire's in labor, Sandra said her water broke, we have to get home. Now."
Julia chuckled. "It's fine, hijo. She just started, let's stop by my office and we'll be to your place in ten minutes."
"I should never have given in to that bitch, Angela. This is all her fault." Sylar banged the steering wheel.
"This is what must be. Claire saved you Gabriel and whether you believe it or not, you save her as well." Doña Julia assured him.
"Will she be alright, Julia? My children, will they be alright?" He stared straight ahead.
"You will all be fine, hijo. Claire is a good, strong woman. And because of her, you have become a good, strong man." She replied.
"She's not a woman, Julia. She's still a girl, she's barely 19. What in the hell was I thinking?" He shook his head. He forgot sometimes just how young she was. She took care of him, she kept him in line, everything she did, she did for him. He looked at her as a woman, as his woman. But she only a girl. A nineteen year old girl who was about to give birth to his babies.
"We need to get to your young lady. Those babies are coming." Julia reminded Gabriel.
"Yeah, your right." Sylar stepped on the gas.