A/N: Five yeas later everything looks good, but only on the surface. They can never be the same again. Claire is living in the Petrelli Mansion. She's trying to have a normal life and she's about to graduate from the University. The dark side in Peter rises and their lives are about to be changed forever.
Note: It's AU Paire fic. It's not the typical Paire fic you're going to read. The dark notes here are highlighted. I've never written such Paire fiction before. It's dangerous and it's a challenge for me to write it, but I'm going to try it.
Rated: M
Couple: Peter/Claire
Warnings: Again, it's AU. I don't own Heroes, sadly. The dark themes here are highlighted.
Enjoy reading,
ArinnaVal
Chapter 2
Angela saw everything from her place by the window. She was in her room on the second floor, leaning her palm on the cold glass and giving a heavy sigh. Peter was a stranger to her right now. She couldn't understand his behavior. If he acted like this towards Claire, the only person he was willing to listen in the past, then there was no salvation for him.
However, Angela Petrelli hadn't reached to here if she was a person who gave up in every obstacle. Moreover, this was her son. The only son, left to her and she was willing to fight.
"I want her out of here! As soon as possible!" Peter stormed into the room and made her flinch. She slowly turned around to face him. Dark shadows were dancing in his eyes.
"You could've knocked first, Peter." Angela said politely.
"I'm living in this damn house!" Peter scowled. "I own that place so don't tell me what I can and what I cannot do!"
"Why don't you calm down a bit, dear." She didn't flinch this time. Her eyes were looking at him calmly.
"I don't have time for this, mother!"
"I think you need this the most right now, my son."
"Stop avoiding the question!"
"I'm not avoiding anything. Why don't you come here and take a good look of Claire?" She nodded at the window. "I'm sure…"
"I want her out of here! Now!" He clenched his fists.
"Why?"
"I don't have to explain my reasons!" His eyes narrowed and his voice went cold. "I just want her out of my life!"
"No."
"No?"
"You've heard well." Angela answered calmly.
"Mother!"
"Claire is my granddaughter and she's going to stay here as long as she wants to."
"I can make her leave!" Peter said dangerously low.
"You wouldn't do that." Angela kept the calmness in her voice. She didn't want Peter to see her weak like this.
"Why?" His smile was rather ominous. "Who's going to stop me? You?"
"No, I don't think you're going to hurt her."
"You don't know me. Not anymore." Peter snarled and left the room as fast as he had gotten in there.
Angela released a tired sigh and grabbed her head. Tears started rolling down her cheeks and her hand slid down to cover her lips. That wasn't Peter. She missed her son, her good boy, the dreamer he used to be.
Later that evening, Claire was sitting in her room. She was trying to study, but she couldn't focus at all. Her thoughts kept wandering around the same subject. Peter. Maybe if she had tried harder, she would have saved him? Maybe it wasn't too late to save him now. She owed this to him.
"Claire?" She heard Angela's voice outside the door. "Are you awake?"
"Yes." Claire answered and closed the book. "Come in."
Angela walked in few seconds later. She looked at her granddaughter with apologizing look on her face. Claire could see the dark circles under her eyes.
"I'm sorry I bother you so late."
"It's okay, I wasn't sleeping." Claire nodded at the book, lying on the bed close to her. "I'm studying for the finals. What's wrong?"
"Peter."
"Angela…" Claire let out a sigh and ran her fingers through her hair. "I know what you're thinking, but I've really tried and…"
"He wants you out from here." Angela interrupted her and Claire stirred. "I'm sure that he wasn't thinking when he said that to me, but still. I wanted you to know."
"You want me to… go?" Claire said quietly. Something inside her cracked and she lowered her look. "If you think that's going to be the best for him, I'm going to do it."
"I want you to stay." Angela sat close to her on the bed. She looked so open and honest now. Claire hadn't seen her like this. "You know why I called you here, Claire. I don't want you to give up."
"But…"
"Please? If there is someone Peter could listen to right now, that's you."
"I'm not so sure anymore." Claire got off the bed and walked to the window. "He scares me, Angela."
"We both know he wouldn't hurt you, Claire." Angela answered after awhile. "Not on purpose anyway."
"You sure?" Claire said quietly. "He was about to break my wrist outside." She didn't turn around to look at Angela, but he voice trembled. "I couldn't recognize him."
"I saw, but Claire…"
"Andy asked me to marry him." Claire interrupted her. She finally turned around to face Angela. "I agreed. I'm moving in with him, I was thinking about it at least."
"You… what?"
"Don't look so shocked!"
"You've been dating him just few months!" Angela scoffed. "Have you talked to your father?"
"He's nowhere to be find, per usual."
"Claire…"
"If Peter wants me out of his life, I'm gonna follow his wish." She said with stern voice. "Don't you get it, Angela? He doesn't want me in his anymore." She threw her hands up in the air. "I give up! I've tried."
"I thought he's the only person you care about the most in the world." Angela got off the bed and walked to Claire. "You give up so easily?"
"Easily? Angela! I've lived here long enough to know that Peter is not going to change!" Her voice trembled again. "God knows how much I miss him! I miss the old dreamy sparkle in his eyes. I miss his calming voice, telling me that everything is going to be alright."
"But, Claire…"
"The truth is… he's not here anymore! Not the person I used to love! This one is so… cold! It's like he's angry to the whole world and he wants to be left alone!"
"Claire!" Angela grabbed her arms and shook her. "Stop it now!"
"No!" Claire looked up and blinked fast to stop the tears falling. "I can't-can't watch him like this. It's hurting me more than you can ever imagine." She finally sobbed.
Angela didn't answer her. She just hugged her granddaughter, thinking of how much their lives had changed. She couldn't help, but felt sorry at one point. Claire had to have her own life, she had to be happy. Angela knew that, but Peter was her son. In her heart she knew that Claire was his only hope for salvation. She had to keep her here, no matter of the cost.
When Angela left the room, Claire went to sleep. She curled up in her lonely bed and closed her eyes, falling asleep soon after. A quiet sigh escaped from her parted lips when Peter's figure emerged from nowhere. He was standing right next to her bed and watching her in her sleep. His eyes followed the delicate curves of her body. Claire hadn't put the covers up. The night was unusual hot, so she wore only her thin nightgown.
"You want to get married, huh?" Peter whispered in the silence, watching her beautiful face with awe. "You want to be happy?" He sat close to her sleeping form, tilting his head so he could see her face better. "You can't do that, my love." He stroked her hair and heard her quiet sigh in her sleep. "I only wanted you away, because I wanted to protect you from me. I wanted you to have a normal life and… " Peter shook his head. "Never mind." His hand slid down on her face and he bit his lower lip when she adjusted her face to his caress. "No one could love you more than I do." Peter leaned and his lips touched her forehead. Her soft skin made his heart to skip a beat. "So wrong…" He muttered, kissing her nose. "Sick…" He cups her cheek and pulled back only to look at her face. "But I so fucking don't care anymore…" His thumb caressed her cheek again and his look fell on her hand, lying on her belly. "There won't be a ring there, my sweet love. I promise you."
With his last words, Peter leaned and his lips touched her forehead again. His hand fell on her neck and he felt the steady heartbeat fasten a little. A dark, ominous smile appeared on his lips and he vanished into the thin air.