Disclamer : I don't own Heroes. Don't sue me.
This chapter is about personal relationships between Peter and Claire with some part of their relationship with the other Petrellis. I've been thinking about how I wanted Sylar to play his role in their relationship. This is the first step how Sylar stands between them. Other than that, I try to tell how strained Peter's relationship with Angela after Nathan's funeral.
In Heroes is never told again how the the problem between Heidi and Nathan after their relationship stretched in season one. I get them back together, so heidi is still living at Petrelli's home with Nathan's both children.
Claire didn't said anything during the trip to home. She just quietly insisted to carry one bag of groceries from Peter. Even when they started cooking, Claire still doesn't said anything.
" Claire, please rinse the carrots."
Claire take the carrot from the bag and quietly rinse it. Peter was peeling potatoes at the time. He put down the potatoes and turned to Claire.
" Are you going to ignore me all day?" Claire is still ignoring him. She continues to rinse the carrot. Peter rubbed his head. " Please talk to me, Claire. You forbid me to read your mind. So you have to talk to me. Tell me what's on your mind."
Claire put down the carrots and turned to Peter. " Read my mind."
Peter looked Claire and reading her mind. " I can't believe you would do that to me, Peter. You, of all people. You know what he had done to me! And he killed Nathan! He killed my father. Your brother, Peter! Are you going to forget about that?"
He could hear how disappointed Claire at him. He wasn't used to that. She always told him that he was her hero. He never makes Claire disappointed. The smart moves is to leave it. Why did he have to starts arguments with Claire just to defend Sylar. But he's Peter Petrelli. He always tries to do the right thing.
Peter sighed. " Claire, he's not the same Sylar anymore. He had changed. Just give him a chance. He will not let you down."
Claire shook her head. She stepped closer to Peter. " It's not that, Peter. I don't care if he's changed. Are you truly forgive him after what he did? And he is Sylar, Peter! How could you trust him? Just because he saved Emma, doesn't mean he's changed. He can't change! He must be tricked you."
" He's not, Claire. He really isn't the same guy anymore."
" Why do you trust him so much?"
" Because I spent years with him in that wall. I know him."
" What wall?"
Peter turned off the stove, and walked into the living room. Claire followed him. " I dreamed that he saved Emma. When I tried to find him, Matt Parkman trapped him in his mind. I went to save him. We're trapped there for years. Just the two of us. It maybe just a few hours here. But we spent many years there." Peter turned to Claire. " I know him. He had changed."
Claire threw herself on the couch. She just sat in silence. She's trying to absorb the latest information. Peter sat next to her. He didn't utter a sound. He let Claire to think about it. After a while, Claire turned to him.
" He killed your brother. You really forgive him?" Peter knew that this time Claire really ask him. She just wanted to understand what Peter was think.
Peter leaned back on the couch. " I was spent years in that wall to hate him. But finally I realized that no matter how much I hated him, blamed him because he killed Nathan, Nathan will not come back again. And Sylar really has changed, Claire. He is very sorry for what he did to Nathan."
Peter turned to Claire. " The last thing Nathan said to me is to do good in the world."
Claire scoffed. " I'm sure he didn't mean Sylar."
" I know. But he also wouldn't expect us to continue to hate Sylar. Nathan is not always good. You know how he is. But if he knew Sylar had changed, I'm sure he will give Sylar a chance."
Peter move his hand to hold Claire's hand. Claire lifted her head and looked at Peter. " Sylar wasn't always like that. He's like this because of his power. He just used to give in to his power. He can become a better person if you could give him a chance."
Claire sighed and leaned back on the couch. " I don't know how to forgive him. He cut open my head then he killed my father." Claire didn't realize that the tears started rolling down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them. " Nathan is not my father. He's just someone who shares genes with me. But I want to know him. Because of him, I didn't have a chance to know my father."
Tears began to flow again on her cheeks. She keeps wiping it, but the tears didn't stop flowing. Peter just silently watched Claire when she began to sob.
Claire trying to smile as she sobbed. " I don't know why I could be like this. I can't stop." Peter pulled his hand from Claire's and hugged her shoulder. Claire dropped her head in Peter's chest. " I didn't realize how much I miss him. I can't believe that the last time I spent quality time with him is in Mexico. I would trade it with anything to repeat it once again."
Peter felt hurt to see Claire like this. He knew she wasn't ready to forgive Sylar. It took years for Peter to forgive him. This is too fast for Claire. So Peter just sat silently let Claire leaned on him.
" Mom!" Peter called Angela once he stepped into the Petrelli residence. He never feel comfortable in that house. And he didn't know why.
" In the kitchen." Peter heard Angela shouting back. Peter walked into the kitchen.
In the kitchen Angela and Heidi was cooking. There is person who help them. That person is none other than Sylar.
" Hi Peter." Heidi is cutting the vegetables. She walked over to Peter with a knife in her hand and briefly kissed his cheek. " Your friend is so sweet. He is very helpful around the house."
" The least he could do." Peter said as he took a glance at Sylar.
" Gabriel, you should accompany Peter. We are fine here." Heidi said to Sylar.
" Take Peter out of the kitchen, Gabriel. Go watch tv or whatever." Angela also said.
Peter walked out of the kitchen into the living room. Sylar followed him. Peter turned on the television as he threw himself on the couch. Sylar sat next to him. " How are you these days?" Peter asked Sylar.
" You have a good family. I really enjoy living here. Your sister-in-law is so nice to me. Your nephews are a bit naughty, but they are very fun. They thought me how to play video games. You are very lucky, Peter." Sylar turned to Peter. " Why don't you live here?"
Peter sighed. " I have my reason." Peter briefly answer that. He has no intention to discuss it further. He came here to check on Sylar.
" You know you can't stay here forever, right? You have to start thinking about what you want to do next."
" I know. But I really still don't know what to do." Sylar leaned back on the couch.
" Well, you are lucky you have all eternity to figure it out."
" Gabriel, where you put the garlic?" They heard Angela shouted from the kitchen.
" There on the kitchen table." Sylar shouted back.
" Gabriel?" Peter stared at him.
" It is not me who wanted to be called so. Angela insist if indeed I had been changed, she didn't want to call me Sylar. Sylar's name reminded her of all the bad things I've done." Sylar looked at Peter. " I don't mind with Sylar. It's just a name. I really have changed. Things that I've done I'll never forget. I can only do good things to redeem them."
" You really changed." They both turned to the voice owner. Claire was standing in the hallway.
Sylar sat up. Claire walked toward them. They both just quietly stood facing each other. Peter coughed uncomfortably and sat up. " What are you doing here?" Peter asked Claire.
Claire hasn't had time to give answer when Angela came into the room. " I called her." Angela is the one who give the answer.
Peter turned to Angela. " Why did you call her?" Peter stared at Angela with a serious look. He could feel that there are things that are hidden by her.
" Peter, Nathan is gone. Now there's only us who are there to take care of Claire. I know I've made a mistake before when I tried to hide Claire. Now I want to make amends. I would like to officially welcome Claire into this family."
Peter's face looked surprised to hear Angela's explanation. " Mom, Heidi is home."
" I already know, Peter." Heidi came out of the kitchen and walked into the room as well. " Mom had told me everything." Heidi looked at Claire. It is hard for Peter to read the expression on Heidi's face at that time. But Claire's expression looked not too comfortable with this situation.
Heidi approached Claire. " When you lived here before, Nathan is just say that you are a child of his acquaintance. Now that Nathan is gone. He didn't have time to take care of you. If you allow me, I want to replace Nathan to take care of you." Peter could see that Claire confused what she have to say about it.
Peter didn't look at Heidi. He looked Angela. " Nathan's office." Peter said as he walked out of the room.
Angela understand what Peter meant. Peter wanted to have a private conversation with Angela in Nathan's office, so Angela also follow Peter out of the room.
Once they both had came into the room, Peter immediately looked at Angela. " What do you want?"
" What do you mean?"
" I know you, mom. There's something you don't tell us." Peter accuses Angela.
Angela immediately put an innocent look. " No, Peter. I really just want to take care of Claire. She's a Petrelli. She has the right to live here as well."
" You talking to me, mom." Peter still doesn't trust Angela.
Angela sighed. " You're a bachelor. And Claire, she's not even a teenager anymore. It's very hard to take care of a new girl growing up, Peter. Let us take care of her."
" I can take care of Claire. I don't need your help. I guarantee you, Claire will be just fine with me. I don't know exactly what you want but Claire will stay with me. End of discussion."
Nathan's office door suddenly opened. Heidi appeared from behind the door. Peter and Angela look Heidi. " Everyone could hear the discussion in this room." Heidi walked away.
Peter sighed and walked out of the room, followed Heidi. They all returned to the living room. When Peter walked into the living room, she could see Claire and Sylar was standing away uncomfortably.
" Claire, could you help us in the kitchen? Let these men do their own things." Angela said as she walked back to the kitchen. Heidi and Claire followed.
Sylar stared at Peter. " Only Claire that can make you that piss, huh." Peter looked at Sylar without saying anything. " I take it back." Sylar said, raising his hand. Peter looked in the other direction to try calm down his anger, so he didn't see Sylar that watched him.
Sylar's face rarely appear serious. But this time he watched Peter with a very serious face. The closer his relationship with Peter, he just realized that Peter rarely talk about Claire. They spent years together in that wall. They talk about Nathan and also a lot of sensitive things, including Sylar's past, but never talk about Claire.
And if Sylar thought about it, he also never know clearly how the relationship between Peter and Claire. The first time he learns of their relationship is from the encounter he has with other heroes, he learns that Claire is the biological daughter of Nathan Petrelli, who makes her Peter's niece. But look at their relationship right now, they don't really look like uncle and niece.
On the other side of the house, Angela asks Claire to arranging the dining room, while Heidi continued to cook in the kitchen.
" How do you feel about living arrangement with Peter?" Angela tried to start a conversation with Claire.
Claire straighten the position of a crooked spoon and took a glance at Angela before answering the question. " It's fine. Peter really good to me."
Angela just stood there look at Claire. " What if you lived here?"
Heard Angela's words makes Claire stopped arranging the table and stood to face Angela. " You mean to stay here with you?" Angela nodded. Claire rubbed her head. She looked even more uncomfortable.
" Claire, we have a lot of room in this house. We can live here together like a family." Angela looked at Claire. " Peter isn't going to let you stay here alone. If you want to move here, Peter would've move with you. "
Claire just stood in silent. Angela took a step toward her. " Peter had moved out of this house since he entered college. Now Nathan is gone. He was the only son I have right now."
" I'm sorry. But I can't decide this. The reason I stayed with Peter, you already know. Peter is the one who decide everything. I just followed him."
Angela reached out and touched Claire's shoulder. Claire lifted her head and looked at Angela. " You can talk to him. If you tell him you want to stay here, I'm sure he'll listen to you. He would do anything for you."
Claire doesn't know what else to say to Angela. Basically she didn't have the intention to stay with them in the Petrelli's big house. She never felt comfortable with the Petrellis. Only Peter who always makes her feel comfortable around their own birth family. But seeing Angela right now makes Claire feel sorry for her. Angela seems really want to fix her relationship with Peter. After what she did over the years, it's natural if Peter have trouble to believe her anymore.
" I'll talk to Peter. But I can't promise anything." Finally, Claire can only say that.
But that answer seemed good enough for Angela, because Claire saw her smiled at her. " Thank you, Claire." Claire just smiled back at Angela.
That night Peter and Claire spend time together by watching movies. Claire who choose the movie. Claire chose '10 things I hate about you', a chick flick. Peter didn't have a comment on the selection of film. He just silently enjoying the movie.
Claire looked uncomfortble in watching the movie. She just sat there, but every few moments she turned to see Peter. Peter felt that Claire is uncomfortable. But he didn't say anything. He just waited until Claire said it herself.
After the film runs 45 minutes, Claire finally hit the pause button. Peter smiled a little, and turned to Claire. Claire was looking at him.
" What is it, Claire? Is there something you have to say?"
" Are we not going to talk about what happened today?" Claire shifted his position so she is facing Peter.
Peter laughed. " So much has happened today. We'd better make popcorn."
" You're hilarious, Peter." Claire's comments are sarcastic.
" You look so nervous, Claire." Peter was put a serious look again. " What part that makes you so nervous? The Sylar part? Or Angela Petrelli's part?"
Claire sighed. She ignored Peter's question. " Regarding Sylar. I believe that he has changed." Peter was about to say something, but Claire held up his hand, prevent him to talking. " But that doesn't mean I can forget everything just like that. I still need time."
Peter nodded. " I understand, Claire. After what he did, of course it's not be easy to forget just like that. But I'm very grateful that you want to understand that."
" I do this for you. Because you and Sylar is a sort of friends now. So I will try to at least tolerate Sylar."
Peter smiled at her. " What if letting him stay with us?" Peter teased Claire.
Claire looked at Peter with a disbelieve look. " Of course not." Peter laughed. He was joking with Claire. " Sitting across from him at dinner, it was my limit. I can't do more than that yet. Moreover, living together. That will never happen."
Peter smiled. He reached out to touch Claire's hand. " I'm just kidding with you, Claire. I won't force you to do something that you don't want to do."
" What makes us go into the second part. The Angela Petrelli's part." Claire could see Peter's face instantly turned serious.
" I don't know what you hear when I talk to Mom."
" Everything, Peter. Your voices is loud enough for everyone." Claire told Peter.
Peter shrugged. " It's great if you had heard everything. So, you already know. Mom wanted you to stay with them. She said he wanted to make amends to everything she did all this time with take care of you."
" Yeah. She said the same thing to me."
Peter looked at Claire. " She told you?" Peter got up from his seat. His face looked upset. " I told her that we won't discuss this anymore. You will stay with me."
Claire also got up and followed Peter. " Angela says that she wants you to move back home. If I'm willing to move there, you would've to move with me."
Peter turned to face Claire. " Don't believe anything she says."
" She seemed really want to fix things with you, Peter."
Peter shook his head. He holds Claire's shoulders. " Don't believe her. She's hiding something. I don't know what it is. But I'm sure she's hiding something. I can feel it." Peter is cupped Claire's face with both hands. " She is Angela Petrelli. Deception is the her thing."
As they stare at each other's eyes, Claire's face flushed. Peter could feel the heat of Claire's face in his hand. That's why he suddenly felt uncomfortable. He pulled his hand. Peter coughed nervously. Claire saw his face also began to blush.
Peter sat down again and picked up a bottle of beer on the table and drink it quickly. He expects these beers to calm his heartbeat because it's beating faster than usual.
Claire sat down to follow Peter. But Claire was sitting on the edge of the couch, so that Peter couldn't clearly see her face that still flushed.
They just sat in silence for several moments. Each of them trying to calm themselves.
Peter is the first one who speak again. " I'm sorry."
Claire turned to face Peter. " For what?"
Peter shrugged. Peter didn't know what to say. He didn't even realize why he apologized to Claire. " It feels very strange." Peter said as he looked at Claire.
Claire also looked at Peter. Her face looked serious. " I don't mind." Peter knew what Claire meant. But he also didn't want to discuss this issue. He clearly hasn't thought about what happened between them.
" So what do mom say to you?" Peter changed the subject.
Claire forced herself to focus back to the previous problem. " She says you've moved out since college." Claire looked at Peter. " May I ask you something?"
Peter smiled gently at her. He didn't look nervous anymore. " You can ask me anything, Claire."
" Why did you move out from the house?"
Peter looked at Claire. " Why do you want to know about it, Claire?"
Claire shifted closer to Peter. " I just want to know the story before we met. Before you save me from Sylar, I don't know anything about you."
" I didn't really get along with my dad. Before dad becoming a villans, as you know, he is a usual hardcore dad. It's always Nathan bridging our relationship. They both are a lawyer. Dad expects me to follow their footsteps. But I decided to become a hospice nurse. That was the last hammer in our relationship."
" You used to become a hospice nurse?"
Peter nodded. Claire smiled. " That's so cool."
" Really? Nathan and dad were thinking that if I waste my time."
" I thought it was very noble." Peter smiled at Claire.
" Dad didn't approve that I became a hospice nurse. He didn't want to pay for my college. So I worked part time and then moved out from the house."
They spend hours just to talk about the past, during the time they don't know each other. When they didn't know about the existence of each other.
Peter tells Claire about his relationship with his family before he met Claire. Then Peter tells Claire about Simone, the one girl he loved before. The words is so difficult came out from his mouth, and he didn't know why. Claire listened carefully. Her face looks normal, so that Peter couldn't figure out what's on her mind.
Claire also told Peter about her life before Peter saved her from Sylar. She told Peter about Zach, the friend who could understand her even though she is different from most people.
As Peter tells her about how his relationship with Nathan when they were little, Claire fell asleep. Peter looked at the clock on the wall. Hours are shown at three o'clock in the morning. Peter smiled at Claire. Peter carefully slipped his hand into Claire's neck and waist then carried her into her room.
After Peter blanketed Claire, he just sat beside her, watched her sleep. Claire's breath sounds regularly. Her lips formed a small smile. She's so beautiful. Without realize it, Peter raised his hand and began stroking her cheek as he watched Claire.
When he realized what he was doing, he immediately pulled his hands and sat up. Peter saw Claire for a moment. A lot of thing are spinning in his mind. Everything is a thing that shouldn't have in an uncle's mind when looking at his niece. Peter shook his head and stepped out of Claire's room.
He went into his own room and lay on his bed in silence. He tried closing his eyes, but all he has in mind is just a girl who was sleeping next to his room.
" What's wrong with me?" Peter said to himself as he rubbed his head.
To be continued…