A/N: I know, it's been over a week, but this is an extra-extra long update! I just really wanted to get the meeting into this update, and it didn't feel right cutting it anywhere, so I decided to wait until I could post it all together. There were a few specific points I needed to cover, and it was difficult to work them all in, but let me know how you think it turned out. XOXO
PETER & SARAH
PETER'S APARTMENT
"Seriously Peter, this apartment is getting out of hand!" Sarah carefully tiptoed through the front room, trying not to step on any papers, though it was difficult considering the mass quantity that littered the floor, and chairs, and tables.
"I left a path!" Peter pointed to the narrow space of floor, which was surrounded on all sides by more papers.
"Thanks, I appreciate it." Sarah laughed as she finally made it to the couch where Peter was sitting and tucked herself into the corner of the couch, so as not to disturb Peter where he was currently scribbling furiously. "So when I asked if you were free tonight and you said yes, what you really meant was I can come over and watch you slowly losing your mind for a few hours if I want?"
Peter was too distracted to hear her.
"Peter, come on!" Sarah finally gave up being patient and reached across to him, snatching the papers from his hands.
"Sarah!" He tried to take them back, but she held them out of reach.
"No. You have to talk to me first. Do you realize this is the fourth time I've been here this week and just sat here watching you work on your scribbles? I thought we were going out!"
"We are going out…maybe…" Peter's eyes were focused on the papers in her hands, but he tried to appease her with an explanation. "This is important Sarah. These are not just scribbles…I thought you understood that. If we're going to stop the future I saw, then I have to figure out how it happened. These notes are the best method I have."
"I do understand that…" she hesitated.
"Then why are you trying to distract me?"
Her head dropped. "Sometimes we need to be distracted."
Peter sighed. "I know. I'm sorry." He sat quiet for a moment and then tried reasoning with her again. "I enjoy having you here Sarah, I really do. These past couple weeks have been great. You're great."
"But?"
"But sometimes there are more important things…"
"Than love?"
"Love?" His eyes grew wide at the word.
"I don't mean that I love you. Don't look so worried. I'm just saying that romance, and relationships, and love when that moment comes, is important whether or not you want to believe it." She smiled at him and reached out her hands towards him. "It's been important to me to have a relationship with you. It's the first nice thing that's happened in a while."
He took her hand and held it for a moment without saying anything. There was a knock on the door and Peter dropped her hand quickly. In that instant Peter felt the change in Sarah's emotions. He couldn't help it; they were so unexpectedly powerful. Powerfully what, he wasn't sure. It could have been a multitude of emotions, but he didn't want to figure it out, so he stood and quickly, but skillfully, maneuvered his way to the door.
"Matt?" He paused when he had opened the door, somewhat surprised.
"We need to talk." Matt didn't bother with greetings.
"Talk?" Peter repeated. "About what?"
"You know exactly what about." Matt's eyes were narrowed slightly in a scowl.
Peter didn't have to read Matt's mind to know why he was there. Looking back at Sarah he smiled apologetically. "Can we reschedule?"
"Sure," she stood and made her way to the door. It's not like there's much happening here tonight anyway.
Peter hadn't meant to read her thoughts, but what he heard made him feel slightly guilty. "Sarah…I'm sorry…"
She glared when she realized he had invaded her mind. "You promised not to do that." Then she looked at Matt and stopped talking.
"It's fine," Peter told her. "This is Matt. He's the one I got that power from."
Matt looked confused, but when Sarah turned to him, she was smiling.
"You're the mind reader?"
He nodded slowly.
"It's a great ability, but I'd just rather Peter never would have gotten it." Sarah glanced at Peter couldn't tell if she was joking or not. "Good to meet you Matt." She left without another word and Matt stepped into the apartment and closed the door.
"Her, we'll talk about later," he told Peter bluntly. "We need to talk about Claire."
"What do you know about it?"
"Enough. Claire's been at my place a lot lately visiting Molly. She's not happy."
"What do you expect me do to about it?"
"Well, I was thinking that since this is your fault, maybe you should work on fixing it."
"I have been working on it!" Peter exclaimed. "I've been calling her almost every day, but she won't even take my calls. How am I supposed to explain myself if she won't give me a chance?"
"Dammit Peter, I warned you to be careful!"
"I know!" Peter walked across the room, trying to put distance between himself and Matt. "I tried. I never wanted to hurt her, you have to believe that."
"I do."
"But I just couldn't…" he shook his head. "There was this one day…I don't even know what happened…I just lost control."
"Well you better get yourself under control before you see her again."
"Haven't you been listening?" Peter asked. "She's never going to see me!"
Matt shook his head. "She is, but she doesn't know it yet."
"How?"
"I told Claire we need to have another meeting. There have been some new developments with Molly's nightmares and I think it's time to bring everyone else in on them."
"Is she okay?" Peter asked quickly.
"She's fine, just scared, but I don't think we should be ignoring these dreams anymore." Matt explained. "Claire agreed to the meeting, but she said she wouldn't go if you were there."
"Great…" Peter muttered.
"So, I'm not going to tell Claire that you will be there. If you come after everyone else is already there, I know Claire won't dare to make a problem in front of everyone. She wouldn't want to make a big deal out of it. She'll have to sit through the meeting with you, and if you're lucky she'll talk with you after."
"She's not going to be happy if we trick her like that."
"She's already not happy. It can't get any worse."
Peter thought about it for a moment and finally nodded. "Okay. Tell me when and I'll be there."
"Peter, if I'm helping you to see her, I expect that I can trust you never to hurt her again." Matt's voice was more serious that Peter had ever heard him before.
"I won't."
"Good. Now, can we discuss what the hell is going on with all these papers?"
MOHINDER
NEW YORK CITY
"No, I can't talk right now…"
"You haven't talked to me in weeks!"
"I am very sorry, but work is a priority…"
"I thought Molly was a priority."
Mohinder sighed and briefly took the phone away from his ear and ran his hand through his curly hair. When he returned to the phone, he hoped his voice was expressing the emotion he was feeling. "Claire, Molly will always be my priority, which is why I'm working with these people."
"I know...I'm sorry…I shouldn't have said that. There's just a lot going on right now, and I feel a little overwhelmed…like I'm trying to do everything by myself."
Mohinder didn't like the distress in Claire's voice and he wished he could see her and help her with whatever it was she found herself dealing with at this time. He knew what Sasha would say if he even brought it up, but in that moment he didn't much care about Sasha or the Company or the work they were doing. All he cared about was Molly, and Claire, and Madeline…he wanted his life back.
"Claire, I'm in New York."
"What? Now?"
"Yes," Mohinder lowered his voice so he wouldn't be overheard. Even though Sasha was on her own phone call, he worried she might be able to hear him. "I've been here for a couple days, but I'm not supposed to tell anyone."
"If you're here, I have to see you! Molly has to see you! She's been asking about you for weeks, and it'll make her feel so much better to be able to see you for herself."
"I understand that, but I don't think it's possible."
"Please Dr. Suresh! We're having a meeting tonight at Matt's house. Everyone will be there…well almost…Peter's not going to be there…but everyone else and I know they'll all be as anxious to see you as I am. Please come."
"I'll try," he gave in because he needed to get her off the phone. "I have to go now!"
"Okay, I'll see you tonight!"
"I said maybe…"
She had hung up before he could argue with her any more.
"I'm going out for a while."
Mohinder frowned at Sasha's announcement and moved into the bedroom where she was pulling on a jacket.
"Out? Where are you going?"
"It's private."
She sounded frustrated and slightly angry, which only increased Mohinder's curiosity. "What could be so private that you can't tell me? We're partners remember."
"Not right now we're not," she told him harshly. "I'll be back later. Stay here."
He watched her hurry out of the hotel room, slamming the door. Giving her about a minute head start, he took his own jacket and left the room to follow her.
He took the stairs down to the lobby just in time to see the elevator doors opening and Sasha heading it; he stayed hidden so she couldn't see him though. When she had exited through the front doors, he started to follow again. He followed her at a safe distance for nearly ten blocks before Sasha stopped and turned to enter a coffee shop. Waiting a few moments, Mohinder followed her in to the shop.
He saw her cross to a young man who sat at a corner table. The man stood and greeted Sasha with an eager smile and a long hug. Mohinder felt instinctively that it was her boyfriend. Scoping out the shop carefully, he chose a table out of sight of Sasha, but within hearing distance.
"I thought you said you weren't going to be able to see me this time," the guy was saying as they took their seats.
"I wasn't." Sasha told him. "Things changed though. Aren't you happy to see me?"
"I'm always happy to see you."
"Good, then stop questioning me. Now tell me how things are going here?"
"Seriously? We have one day together after months of not seeing each other, and you want to spend our time talking about her?"
"Jaden."
Mohinder had spent enough time with Sasha to recognize her tone of warning.
"I'm sorry Sasha, but I've been with her all week, and I want to spend my time thinking only about you and me now."
"So you're finally getting tired of the bitch?"
"She's not a bitch."
Sasha laughed. "And I thought you didn't care about her."
"I don't…not in that way, but she's a nice girl, okay? Plus she's the one that's been here for me while you're off globe-trotting with another man!"
"Jealousy does not suit you well."
"I'm not jealous. I just wish you weren't gone so much."
"We both have our jobs to do, babe. You know that. It's why either of us put up with what we do. I have to put up with the doctor, and you have to put up with the girl."
"I definitely think I've gotten the better part of this assignment."
"Okay, not that I don't appreciate how fully you've committed yourself to your assignment, but let's not get carried away. She is just an assignment, remember."
"I remember."
"And how is that assignment progressing? Are you any closer to breaking her?"
"She's not easy to break."
"Well find a way. Without her, our plan is useless. In the meantime though, I'd better get back to the doctor. He was already suspicious about me leaving. If I'm gone too long he'll get worried."
"That's it? Five minutes of conversation? I thought we were going to have the night together!"
Mohinder thought about Madeline and how much he would like to have a night with her; he almost felt sorry for Sasha and Jaden.
"Fine, we can have the night together, but I'm going to have to call Mohinder at least and try to make an excuse with him."
Mohinder took that as his cue to slip out of the coffee shop and return to the hotel. During his walk back, he got the phone call from Sasha. Her excuse sounded fake, but he accepted it without question because he knew the truth, and he wanted her to be gone so he could make his own plans.
"Hello?"
"Hi again." Mohinder checked his watch as he hailed a taxicab. "My plans have changed. What time is the meeting?"
MATT, CLAIRE, NIKI, NATHAN, ETC.
MATT'S HOUSE, NEW YORK
"I just don't think it's a good idea…"
"She wants to be here," Claire argued.
"I'm not sure that's a decision she should be in charge of making…" Matt glanced over his shoulder to where the girl in question sat quietly on the couch, twiddling a piece of her long hair between a finger and thumb; her round eyes were speedily scanning the gathered group of people. Claire followed Matt's gaze and caught Molly's eyes at which point the girl smiled.
"I think it's important for her to be here and know that there are a lot of people on her side, wanting to keep her safe."
"This meeting is undoubtedly going to cover more than just her nightmares though, and some things may not be very comforting for her to hear."
Molly seemed to sense exactly what they were talking about, because suddenly she was on her feet and running over to them. "I want to stay!"
"I know sweetheart," Matt knelt down to be on eye level with her. "But there's going to be a lot of grown-up talk here tonight and it might be a little scary for you…"
"Matt, I can handle it!" Molly insisted.
"Okay!" He held up his hands in surrender and waved her back to the couch.
Claire followed her and the two girls sat together on the couch, with Molly cuddled up beside Claire. Matt took a seat on a chair that he had pulled out from the dining room and surveyed the group with interest. No one looked quite sure why they were there, or whether it was even a good idea. He didn't blame them; nothing had exactly been accomplished the last time they were all in a room together.
"So, how have you all been?" Matt started the conversation awkwardly. Nothing had even happened yet and he was already starting to regret his plan to bring everyone together. He didn't like big groups—it wasn't his thing—Janice was the one who was good with entertaining, but she told him she would only be present at the meeting as long as he didn't expect her to talk. He looked at her now and saw she was smiling at him encouragingly. "Everyone good?" He followed up on the silence.
"I've been working a lot…" DL broke the silence and drew all eyes onto him.
"Good! That's good…" Matt was once again without anything to say.
"Okay, let's not waste time, we should just get to the point," Niki suddenly took over. "I know I haven't been completely honest with you all about my problem…" She sighed and looked at Nathan. "I thought we were going to be talking about this in private, but clearly you thought everyone should know…"
Matt frowned and looked around the group, wondering if he was the only one confused. He decided to speak up. "Niki, I called this meeting because of Molly's nightmares. I'm not sure what you're talking about…"
She snapped her mouth shut and smiled. "Right, never mind then."
"No," Nathan spoke up now. "I didn't tell anyone else about the situation Niki, but since we're all here maybe you should tell us all at the same time."
The doorbell rang and Claire jumped to her feet. "Hold that thought!" She raced to the door and opened it with a big grin to greet Mohinder. "I am so glad you decided to come!"
"Me too," he returned her smile and gave her a quick hug as he entered the house.
"Dr. Suresh!" Molly leapt off the couch and ran to Mohinder's open arms. "You're home!"
Mohinder let Molly cling to him for a moment, but then set her down again and looked down at her apologetically. "I'm not home for good I'm afraid. It's just a short visit. In fact I'll be leaving tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Molly's eyes filled with tears. "Can't you stay longer?"
"I'm afraid not. Not this time at least."
Molly took his hand and led him over to the couch to sit with her, leaving the other side of herself still open for Claire to resume her seat.
"Did I miss anything?"
"Nothing exciting." Niki mumbled under her breath.
Claire filled Mohinder in quickly. "We were just about to hear all about Niki's mysterious problem…beyond what we already know. I guess it's a little more than just Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."
Mohinder looked at Niki curiously. "Were we?"
"It's complicated…" Niki looked to her husband for support and he reached for her hand encouragingly. "When I was in jail, my psychiatrist told me I had multiple personality disorder."
"You were in jail?" Molly asked. Claire squeezed her hand and quieted her.
"It's more than a clinical disorder though," Mohinder spoke up.
"As far as we can tell…" Niki agreed. "Sometimes I'm someone else entirely. Her name is Jessica and she's not a good person, as some of you might know." She glanced at Matt who raised his eyebrows with interest. "She's dangerous and she has no moral compass as far as I can tell. She is irrational, brazen, ambitious, and completely selfish."
"But she's not you?" Claire asked.
"She is…I mean she's in my body…but she's not me." Niki sighed. "I told you it was complicated."
"How does it happen?" Matt wanted to know.
Niki shrugged. "Different things bring it on. Sometimes it's anger or if there's a situation that Jessica thinks I won't handle properly…"
"Jessica thinks?" Mohinder repeated. "So she is present in your subconscious even when she's not physically active?"
"I guess that's one way to describe it. I don't know exactly where she goes when she's not in charge, but sometimes when I look in the mirror I see her there…it's like she's just hiding inside of me waiting to come out…" She took a breath and looked close to tears before finding the strength to continue. "I thought I had her under control for a while, but she's come back and it's getting out of control again."
"When Jessica comes out, do you know what's going on?" Claire asked.
"No," Niki answered quickly. "It's like I've completely blacked out. I wake up as me again and I can't remember anything that happened while she was in control."
"So if she were to come out then it might seem like you, but she would be saying or doing things that were maybe a little mean or strange…" she clarified.
"That's right…" Niki had a suspicion that she knew what Claire was referring to. "And if that ever happens, you should ignore anything I say or do…"
"I think I met Jessica the other day."
"I think you did too," Niki agreed. "I'm sorry about that."
"It wasn't your fault." Claire thought about the conversation they had had during that strange lunch date and considered everything that had been discussed. "So you really don't remember what we talked about?"
Niki glanced at Nathan who avoided eye contact completely.
"No…not really…"
Claire picked up on the exchange between the two of them and quickly recovered the conversation. "I was just talking about some of my life things…nothing important really."
"Oh!" Niki looked at her gratefully. "Okay…"
There was another knock on the door, but this time Claire stayed put.
"Matt, are you expecting someone else?"
"Umm, no…I don't think so…" Matt hesitated and stood up. "I'll see who it is." He hurried to the door and opened it, knowing exactly who it was, but not at all ready for an explosion from Claire later about how he had deceived her. He hoped he wasn't wrong in plotting behind her back.
"Sorry I'm late." Peter stepped through the doorway and glanced past Matt into the crowded living room. He instantly spotted Claire on the couch and his heart pounded faster.
"No, it's cool, come have a seat…" Matt led him to the living room and motioned to an empty chair directly next to the couch, and despite the look he received from Claire, he sat down next to her.
Claire had to fight the urge to flee, which Peter and Matt both soon found out by reading her mind. Their equal curiosities couldn't restrain them.
He tricked me.
Matt saw her glaring at him and wondered how much angrier she would be if she knew he was also currently reading her mind.
He promised me Peter wouldn't come, but he had this planned all along…I can't believe he's here. Of all the things that could go wrong tonight…
Peter started questioning his decision to come to the meeting at Matt's request. He had known how upset Claire would be by his appearance, but he had been so desperate to see her that he thought he could ignore her feelings. Now he wasn't so sure.
Dammit Matt. If you knew what he had done…
Matt glanced at Peter, who was staring firmly at the floor.
God I've missed him.
Peter felt his heart pounding in his chest as he realized she was referring to him. Knowing that she had missed him almost made the pain of the past few weeks melt away.
Matt felt satisfied that Claire wouldn't resent him forever for bringing Peter to the meeting, so he withdrew from her mind and returned to the conversation that the others were now carrying on without his participation.
For almost an hour they discussed the details of Molly's nightmares, covering the deaths and torture she witnessed, and the recent appearance of Sylar. Throughout the entire discussion, Molly kept one hand firmly gripping Claire's and the other secured in Mohinder's. Mohinder, who hadn't been able to stay updated as much as he would like, was particularly alarmed by how vivid Molly's nightmares had become. Before he had left she was still only sensing most of the pain, and seeing brief flashes or vague outlines of people, but now she could describe every detail of the pain in a person's eyes as she was forced to witness their suffering and often death.
"Molly…" He hated having to talk to her about the specifics at all, but he had to know more to understand what was happening. "Do you have the feeling that these people you are seeing are actually dying when you see it, or do you believe he is making you see things that aren't necessarily happening?"
Molly shook her head. "Sometimes they really die, but other times I think he's just trying to warn me."
"Warn you about what?"
"About what will happen."
"How do you know that these people you see are real? Or that their pain is real?"
"I can see them."
"In your dreams, yes, but I wonder if this 'nightmare man' may simply be putting images into your head to make you believe you are seeing people who don't really exist."
Molly shook her head firmly. "Sometimes when I wake up, I can remember the people from my nightmares and so I look for them to make sure they're okay. Sometimes I find them, but other times they're already gone."
She squeezed Claire's hand and the older girl looked at Mohinder over Molly's head, signaling him with her eyes to stop questioning Molly, which he did.
"As much as I'd like to figure out who this nightmare man is, I'm mostly worried about Sylar right now." Claire spoke up quickly. "If he really is back…or coming back…we need to have a plan."
"I second that." Peter agreed quickly, but his speaking earned a glare from Claire.
Everyone was quiet for a moment and then Matt replied. "I'm not sure what sort of plan we can make, other than simply avoiding him at all times." When he saw the others' rolling their eyes and shaking their heads, he tried to rephrase his suggestion. "We should make sure to never be alone, and always be alert and aware that he could appear at any time, and he is dangerous."
"And if anyone does encounter him at any time, they should not attempt to engage him in battle," Mohinder agreed. "And the others should be notified immediately if he is spotted."
"Agreed," Claire chimed in.
"Claire, you need to be particularly careful," Mohinder warned her. "Sylar has always been intent on gaining your ability, and I'm sure his desire has only increased after Hiro stabbed him last year."
"Speaking of Hiro…" Claire frowned. "Has anyone heard from him since he vanished that night?"
"Umm, yea…" Peter spoke up. "I know where he is."
"You do?" Everyone was equally surprised.
"We've sort of been working together."
"Working together?" Matt repeated. "What are you working on?"
"It's a long story, and it's important, but I think it should wait for our next meeting. There are still some things that I need to work out before I explain it all to you guys…"
"You and Hiro are working on a secret project together?" Claire spoke to him despite her vow not to.
Peter seemed delighted to have a reason to look directly at her. "We have. Along with some other people…"
"Other people?"
"Who are these other people?" Mohinder questioned.
"It's a group of people…some with abilities…who have a mission…" he knew Claude wouldn't want him to be divulging the details of their operation just yet. "It's complicated, but they're good people, and they're doing good things. Just today they rescued a girl from a couple people who were trying to kidnap her for the company…"
Mohinder frowned. "Was she a young Japanese girl with an ability?"
"Yea, I think so. Why?"
He sighed. "Peter, they didn't rescue her. They stole her from my partner and me. We were trying to help her."
"You're working with the company?"
"Not exactly…" Mohinder felt all eyes turn to him. "The company learned of my work on Michael Monroe in Seattle, and they have since acquired my services in helping others who are infected with the virus."
"And how exactly did they acquire your services?" Matt asked, clearly skeptical.
"They can be very persuasive." Mohinder did not want to tell them that he had been threatened into working with Sasha.
Claire, who was the only one who knew about Mohinder's work, felt an obligation to defend him. "He's doing a good thing. He has been able to help a lot of people who are sick! And he's sort of like an inside connection to the Company now…"
"Well, I'm not actually inside them. I've never even met my employer. They sent Sasha to me in Seattle and she is my link to them, but sometimes I think she has more secrets than even they are aware of."
"She's clearly not the only one with secrets." Matt rubbed his hands over his face and stood up. "This meeting has gotten a lot more complicated than I expected it too. We all clearly have things going on in our lives that we don't feel like sharing with each other, so maybe we should just keep it that way."
"That's fine with me." Niki agreed quickly. Nathan sneaked a furtive glance at Niki, which Claire observed, but fortunately DL didn't.
"Fine." The others stood as well and started saying their 'goodbyes' for the evening.
Claire could feel Peter standing next to her, clearly determined not to move until she forced him to, but this time, she didn't want to force him away. Seeing him so unexpectedly had made her upset for a while, but she realized that she had decided to talk to him a while ago, but just hadn't worked up the nerve yet. Ever since her lunch with Niki…and even though she now knew she had been talking to Jessica…she still found value in what was said and she decided it was time to stop lying to herself and be honest with Peter.
"Peter…" she turned to him finally and motioned with her eyes toward the other room. He followed her direction eagerly, but before they had gotten too far, Mohinder accosted them.
"Peter, that girl that your people took today is infected with the virus. It's why I was at her apartment." Mohinder told him.
"How sick is she?" Peter's eyes showed the concern that he felt.
"She's still in the early stages. It's a miracle we learned about it so soon actually. I'm not sure how we did, but without proper care she will get worse, and quickly."
"The people that I work with won't let her go. Especially not to someone who's involved with the company."
"I understand that, and honestly I don't blame you at all. If there was a way around it for me, I would not be working with them either, but like I said they have ways of persuading you to do something you would rather not."
"How did they persuade you, Dr. Suresh?" Claire asked.
Mohinder's eyes traveled to Molly who was chatting happily with Niki and Micah.
"They threatened Molly?" Claire lowered her voice appropriately so no one else could hear.
"Bastards." Peter shook his head.
"I have a vial of medicine with me that you can give to Kyoto yourself. It won't be enough, but it will be a start and it should keep the virus under control for a while at least." Mohinder withdrew a small leather pouch from the inside pocket of his jacket. "Give this to her as soon as possible, and make sure she stays hydrated."
"I will." Peter took the medicine from Mohinder and put it into his own pocket.
Mohinder nodded appreciatively and returned to the others, leaving Claire and Peter alone. They finished relocating into the other room for complete privacy and then they stood staring at one another in silence.
"Well?" Claire finally spoke.
Peter said nothing.
"All this time, and all those phone calls begging to talk, and now I'm waiting here and you have nothing to say?" Claire sighed. "That's fine. I'll talk."
Peter looked a little surprised, but listened attentively.
"I'm sorry."
Now he looked at her with surprise. "What in the world could you have to be sorry about?"
"I shouldn't have ignored you for so long. It was wrong of me to shut you out like that when you were only trying to make things right."
"You were hurt and upset…"
"Don't try to justify it, Peter. I was wrong." Claire felt very firmly about that and he realized he wasn't going to change her mind. "What you did that night was obviously very wrong too. I think your thousands of apologies have proved that you feel that. You didn't do it intentionally, however, and so I don't feel that it's fair to hold you accountable for it."
"You don't?" He almost smiled, but was too afraid to get his hopes up yet.
"Everyone makes mistakes, and that's all that it was. It was a mistake, brought on by a lot of alcohol and a little bit too much emotion."
Peter wondered how much she had guessed of his emotions.
"But I forgive you, and I'd like to put that whole night behind us."
"Really?" He did smile now and he felt an instinctive desire to reach for her hand, but he restrained himself in time. "Thank you."
"I've missed seeing you, and holding this against you any longer is only going to hurt worse," she explained.
"I've missed you too."
"So, that being said, I think it would be good if you came to dinner tomorrow night. I know Nathan and Heidi would appreciate it, and the boys have missed seeing their uncle."
"Of course," he agreed quickly. "I would love to come."
"Peter, you need to know that I'm not going to be moving back in with you though."
"I didn't really expect you to. If you did ever want to though, I can guarantee you that nothing like that would ever happen again. As you said it was a mistake and it was stupid and irrational, and in the future…it would just never happen, okay?"
Claire looked down and just shrugged.
"You don't believe me?" He sighed. "If you don't believe me, then I can't believe that you've truly forgiven me."
"I have," she assured him.
"But you don't trust me."
"It's not that I don't trust you exactly…and it's not that I don't forgive you…"
"Then what is it? Please help me understand what's going through your head."
"I can't, Peter. Please don't ask me to explain." She looked up at him slowly and he saw tears in her eyes. He felt a desperate need to know what she wouldn't tell him and quickly invaded her mind.
I didn't hate you for kissing me. I hated myself for wanting you to. If I move back in, I'm afraid I can't trust myself.
When he pulled out of her thoughts, he knew instantly that she knew he had read her mind and she hurried away from him, clearly unable to face him any more. Peter didn't follow her; he didn't know what he would say.
"All right, we're leaving!" Niki led her family to the door and waved Claire over for a hug, which the younger girl obliged her with.
Peter stayed near the division of the other room, watching Claire hug everyone at the door, and he wondered if he would ever be able to hug her again like that.
"Claire, are you ready to leave?" Nathan was standing at the door, calling to his daughter as she pried herself away from Molly's clinging hug.
"Actually, I'm being picked up."
"By who?" Nathan demanded in his best fatherly voice of concern.
"By my boyfriend."
Peter knew that Claire was fighting the urge to look in his direction as she said it.
"Isn't it kind of late for a date?" Nathan questioned.
"We're going out for dessert, since I cancelled our planned date for tonight so I could come to the meeting. I'll be home in a couple hours."
"All right, but you should know that I'll be waiting up for you." Nathan warned. He looked outside and informed Claire that her 'escort' had just arrived. "Doesn't he drive?"
"What?" Claire came to the door and peered out.
"He never has a car."
"Yea, he doesn't own one. He likes to run…" Claire smiled and waved to the others who were still inside as she headed out to greet her boyfriend.
"Is she leaving already?" Mohinder realized she had gone outside. "I wanted to say 'goodbye'. I don't know how long it will be before I'm able to return." He hurried to the door and stepped outside to stop her. It was dark outside and he could just make out the form of Claire tightly embracing a tall young man on the sidewalk.
"You ready to go babe?" The young man's voice sounded familiar, but darkness hid his face.
"Claire!" When Mohinder called to her, she turned around and the young man looked up, letting the street light catch his face. "Good god!" he gasped, but fortunately was not heard by the two young people.
"Oh good!" Claire hurried back up the steps, dragging her boyfriend behind her. "Dr. Suresh, I want you to meet my boyfriend." She drew him forward and Mohinder knew there was no mistaking the familiar face now. "This is Jaden Hill. I met him when Matt was in the hospital. Jaden's a doctor."
Mohinder shook the young man's proffered hand as naturally as he could manage under the circumstances, but when Claire and Jaden hurried away again, waving at Mohinder in the dark, he could only think of how fooled they all had been.