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 5

Later that night when she was alone in the bed, Claire was looking up the ceiling, letting her thoughts wandering. Everybody had that big love in their life that let them breathless. The love that could take your breath away and made you feel weak and strong at the same time. The great love that could let you shed tears whole night of laugh with no reason. She had to admit that Peter was right. She didn't have such love. Maybe she was too young as he had said. However, Claire never gave up of looking for it. Her eyes closed for a moment and she thought of Andy. He was a good boy of course. He was the perfect guy for her. His family had a good name and even Angela liked him. Claire sighed. Yes, she loved him. But was he her big love that left her breathless? No, she couldn't say so.

Her eyes opened again and she turned her look to the window. The only time she felt something emotional that had left her breathless, was when she had met Peter for the first time. Just one look in his eyes and she felt herself lost in them. His smile was so cute and reassuring. She hadn't lied to him. He was the only one who could make her feel safe. That person he was had absorbed her life.

Then she got crushed from the truth and put these feelings aside. She had gathered them in a box and stored them in the deepest and darkest angle of her mind. Peter was something forbidden for her. He was something that she could never have. However, he was the first one made her heart skipped a beat. That no one could take away from her.

Life changed though. She had learned to live without him in her life. She had learned to run away from that forbidden box. It was how she had met West. She really tried to make herself feel that tremble again. The love she always sought. But West wasn't for her. They were too different and she didn't regret much when they had broken off. She never gave up though. It was hard to believe it, but she had continued to search for the love.

It's how she had met Andy. He was charming, funny and he was at her age. Claire liked him a lot, maybe she even loved him. But… there was a big "but", he wasn't her big love. Andy was the perfect man for her though, so Claire had settled for that feeling. He was the safer choice she could ever make. He could make her feel happy and that was enough for her.

Her eyes closed and she finally fell into a deep sleep. However, her dreams weren't haunted by Andy. It wasn't Andy who was holding her in his arms. The eyes looking at her with love weren't Andy's. They were beautiful, hazel ones. The same as Claire remembered them from the night of the Homecoming.

Peter allowed himself to become visible in the moment he saw her calm breathing. He could see the smile of her face and he was tempted to touch her and see her dream. That was she for him – a temptation. If he had to be honest, the barriers to that temptation were falling one after another every day. He could feel how close he was to cross the last obstacle – his consciousness. A deep sigh cam out his parted lips and he walked to the bed, still watching her.

Her beautiful blond hair covered the pillow. She was lying on her left side and her left hand rested over the bed. Her thin nightgown revealed more than it hid. She was like a masterpiece to his eyes. So painfully beautiful that he felt weak in his knees and knelt close to the bed. His hand reached out and covered hers. He could feel her fingers trembled lightly and she sighed in her dream.

Peter tilted his head, just watching her. He could stay there and watch her the whole night. He had done that before so many times he had lost the count. Claire… his Claire. His hand slid up her arm, enjoying the touch to her silky soft skin. Claire sighed once again and her lips parted. Peter couldn't help when his look fell there. He sat on the bed, laying back on the headboard and then sliding down. Claire moved to him in her sleep. Her hand lay on his stomach and her head lay on his collarbone. It was almost as if she could feel him there. Peter shifted a bit, trying to make himself comfortable. His hand slid up her back and lay over the back of her head. His other hand slid over hers. Claire didn't wake up. She had snuggled in him so naturally as if she had done it every night.

Something inside of him snapped and his jaw clenched. His decision to stop her marriage to Andy grew even stronger. His eyes narrowed in the darkness. Claire's marriage was something that wouldn't happen. Peter would do anything to prevent that. Even to kill her fiancée.

When she woke up in the next morning she felt the well-known scent in her room. It was Peter's. She couldn't know how, but she was sure he was there. Claire sat up on the bed and looked around. The room was light and she stretched out, yawning. She hadn't slept that good in weeks, but her dreams were more vivid than ever.

"Claire?" Angela knocked on the door. "The brunch is ready, dear. Wake up or you going to be late for your classes."

"Since when we have brunch?" Claire said when she opened the door still yawning.

"You know Peter asked me the same question few years ago?" Angela chuckled when she saw Claire's messy hair and sleepy look. "Go and take a shower, Peter and I are going to wait for you."

"Okay." Claire closed the door and hid in the bathroom. She tried to be as quick as possible.

When she finally came downstairs, Peter and Angela had almost finished with their meals.

"Good morning, my love." Peter didn't even look at her. He reached for his newspaper, crossing his legs. Claire couldn't help but frown. "Don't do that, you're gonna catch wrinkles and they won't look good on your beautiful face." He muttered from behind the newspaper.

"You know people could get confused if you call me like that in public." Claire simply said, sitting on her place opposite him. She reached for her cup of fruit salad and took a piece of banana into her mouth.

"I have to agree with her, Peter." Angela took her cup of tea and leaned back on her chair. "You know what people may think."

"So?" Peter's voice sounded annoyed from the subject. "Why do I have to care about people?"

"You have to care about your name, dear." Angela sipped her tea.

".." He said quietly and flipped the newspaper in the way he could look at the both of them. Claire furrowed her brows. "Do you?" He asked her.

"Since when do you care what I think?" She muttered and saw his frown. "Be careful with the wrinkles, dear."

"Who's the teaser now?" Peter grinned all of a sudden and it reminded her of the man she knew he was before. Her traitor heart skipped a beat. She coughed and looked at her fruit salad again. "You are such a bunny." Peter clicked with his tongue and turned his attention back to the newspaper.

Claire let out a sigh of relief, trying to calm down her heart again. When she finished with her salad, she poured herself a cup of coffee. Well, it was more sugar with coffee than a coffee with sugar. Peter liked to tease her about that. She was sure he was smirking even now.

"Where is your ring, Claire?" Angela's question surprised her and she looked at her with strange expression.

"Huh? What ring?"

"Andy came here yesterday and he showed me the engagement ring. He said he's going to propose you in the right way." Angela shrugged and Claire turned her face to Peter. He had put his newspaper back down onto the table.

"The puppy didn't have a chance." He looked straight at Claire although he was talking to his mother.

"You knew?" Claire got angry. "Damn you! You knew that!"

"What?" Angela looked between them as if she was in a tennis match. "Something happened?"

"I told you I'm going to take care about it." Peter's eyes darkened. "You made your choice."

"Who gave you the right to control my life?" Claire was beyond mad. She was ready to go and slap him just as she had done the day before.

"Someone had to put some sense into your brain." Peter didn't get upset at all.

"Peter?" Angela looked at him, but he didn't look at her. "What have you done?"

"I'm starting to fix her mistakes." He simply said.

"Andy is not a mistake!" Claire snapped and got off her chair.

"We'll see about that." His low voice made her shiver.