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 22
When he wanted to clear his head, Peter was always going on the same rooftop over and over again. It was the same rooftop that Claude had taught him to control his ability. It was the same rooftop where he realized that he's in love with Claire. It was the same rooftop where he was holding her hand when Nathan died. Then he had promised to her that he'd never lie to her. He'd promised that he'd be honest with her. She had looked at him with her big green eyes and had smiled. It was her smile that hurt him that night. Because that smile promised everything and nothing to him. He had told her to leave that night, because he wasn't sure if he's going to be able to contain his love to her. Peter gritted his teeth, remembering that moment. What a fool he was? He knew that she was going to be his sooner or later then. He knew it all along, but he chose to hurt himself. And why? His suffering was his own. Nobody didn't even care. He smashed his fists to the near wall. The stone gave up under the pressure and cracked. Peter looked at the back of his fingers and saw how the scratches healed. He smirked and walked to the edge of the rooftop. Then he just sit there, hanging his feet over the edge. It was so quiet here. So quiet and full of memories.
He missed his old self sometimes. Of course, Claire didn't have to know that. She would've thought that she could bring him back to that old self. She couldn't and a part of him was so proud of that fact. Why? He didn't even know the answer. Only, he felt way much stronger than he was before. He was still Peter, but this Peter could control himself and the others. He wasn't just a toy in Angela's hands. She had turned the same as his father. They both didn't care to anyone, but themselves. If something was wrong, none of them was to blame. They would always put the blame to someone else. Angela wasn't like this though. Peter remembered well when she was another. She was kind and carrying mother to him and Nathan. Then something had happened when Claire was born. She had started all the secrets. She chose to be loyal to Arthur and no one else.
Claire...
Peter sighed and looked at the distance. His Claire was everything he had dreamed for and even more. However, she still had to change her point of view and most of all, she had to stop thinking of that little puppy of hers. Andy. Peter's eyes narrowed. She had begged him for his life, so she cared. Maybe even loved him at some point. Peter didn't like that. If only he could do whatever he wanted... then that little puppy wouldn't be alive even. Little human.
"There was a time when I was coming here." Claire's voice surprised him and he turned around to see her walking towards him. "I was coming here while you were gone. You know? When Nathan came back..." Claire sat close to him."..and you didn't. They all thought that you're dead. They all wanted me to believe that you're dead. But I couldn't give up so easily. So... I was coming here. They told me that was your favorite place in New York." Claire laughed with sadness in her eyes. "So... I was coming here and waiting.. I was waiting a sign from you. I waited for you to return until my father took me to Costa Verde. Then I was forced to forget that you've ever excised. I was forced to act as if nothing had happened and we've never met."
Peter didn't answer at first. He just looked at the distance again. "So, they made it after all. They made you forget."
"No!" Claire scoffed all of a sudden. "But they cared for me and I thought I owed them... this."
"Who are they?" Peter tilted his head and turned his face so he could look at her. "Your father? Your mother..? West?"
Claire took a moment before she could look back at him. "Is he alive even?"
"For now." Peter didn't bother to explain that he wanted to kill him. He wanted to kill him at the moment he had realized that Claire was in love with him. But, he was his old self back then. He didn't want to hurt the boy. Now he could've. Only because he was near her. Only because he had kissed her... multiple times.
"Good."
"Just because I want that." Peter said casually as if they were talking about the weather. "If you had slept with him, then... well, I could've changed my mind."
"Bastard!" She hissed.
"Nope, I'm legally born." Peter didn't even laugh. "You know? My parents were married by the time I was born."
"We both know I didn't mean that."
"Sure, my love. I can read your mind, remember?" He suddenly chuckled. "There's nothing you can hide from me and you better remember that."
"So that's it then? I'm your possession?" She scoffed. "I'm not this, Peter!"
He looked into her eyes. The hazel in is eyes went cold. "You are mine! If someone even dares to touch you, he'll get hurt!" Peter grabbed her chin. "Do you understand me? Do you!?"
"Yes!" Claire hissed again. "You're a monster!"
"But you love that monster, right?"
"Fuck you!" She spat the last word.
"Soon." He uttered as a promise and Claire felt butterflies in her belly. Damn! She got wet only from the promise in his eyes and she hated herself. "Don't hate yourself, my love." His fingers slid on her cheek. "You can't control your emotions, remember?" His look fell on her belly and he smirked again. Claire wanted to slap him at that moment. "That's mine too."
"One day..." Claire uttered the word as a promise to him, but Peter tilted his head.
"I'll find you." His fingers slipped on the back of her neck. "If you try to run away, I'll find you Claire!"
"I-I..." She stammered and bit her lip. She couldn't run. They both knew that. She was so addicted to him, so in love with him that running wasn't an option. Claire didn't finish the world and looked down at her hands instead. "One part of me wants to be free of you." Claire said slowly. Her quiet voice was full of emotions. "But then the other part always pulls me back to you. This is not good, Peter."
"Depends." His emotionless voice actually didn't surprise her. "I'd say it's good for me."
Claire put her left hand on his chest. "Peter, please." He looked deep into his eyes. "Please, tell me you still have a heart? Please, tell me that you're old you is still here."
Peter froze for a moment. Then he looked at her hand and covered her with yours. Claire almost thought she had her old Peter back. "Claire..." He uttered and squeezed her fingers, she moaned painfully. "Don't you ever remind me of that coward!" He hissed and leaned to her. "Because that's what he was, a coward! I'm not like him, okay?"
"That guy is you, Peter!" She was so sure that he wouldn't hurt her, so he was bold enough to raise her own voice. "Why don't you try and remember who you really are?"
"That's the real me, Claire!" His face was so close to hers that Claire licked her lips. Her heart raced. "That's me! I can kiss you every time I want! I can hug you every time I want! I can... fuck you every time I want! Don't tell me, you don't like that too!" His lips crashed over hers and Claire just moaned. Her hands lifted up and touched his face.
Peter had won. Again.