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 23

The Petrelli Mansion

Andy stormed into the mansion. He was furious. Nobody could tell him where was Claire. He just had recovered in the hospital and when he asked his parents, they had told him that Claire was gone. Even Angela didn't know where she was. Andy somehow couldn't believe that. Peter had taken Claire. That was the only sure thing in the whole story. That was the only thing his parents had told him. The thing he couldn't understand was, why she was so strange the last few days before the wedding. She had even tried to seduce him all of a sudden. After all the talks that she wanted to wait, she was acting like a seductress. She had used every possible way to make him sleep with her. Andy found that strange at first, but then he just gave up. Claire was too attractive and he was not a fool. However, something had happened... and they just couldn't do it.

"I'm sorry." Claire had told him then and got off the bed. Her naked skin looked so soft under the moonlight, coming from the open window. "Maybe we should really wait and have sex after the wedding."

"Claire, wait!" Andy had tried to grab her wrist, but it was too late. Claire took her clothes from the floor and disappeared into the bathroom.

She walked out few minutes later, fully dressed. She had looked at him with apologize in her eyes and Andy just shook his head. "What happened, Claire?" He had asked once again. "I thought you wanted this?"

"I did." She had sat close to him on the bed. "I do, but.. I just... it's not the right time, okay?"

"Is it because of Peter?" Andy touched the subject that Claire didn't like. "I'm sorry, but I can see that look in your eyes, okay? I know you're worried."

"I am and I thought I told you that I don't want to talk about him, okay?" She had snapped and got off the bed.

Andy got furious at that point. "Why you love him so much? There must be a reason why he kept you in his net even now! Even when he's not here, Claire!"

"Stop it! NOW!" She had yelled and her eyes glowed. "You don't have any idea of what he's been through, okay? You don't know him like I do!" She paused and lowered her voice. "Nobody knows him like I do! And I'm pretty fucking sure that he's in trouble now and not having fun in Ireland!"

"We all saw the pictures in the paper, Claire!" He got off the bed and grabbed her arm. "Right now he's with that Irish girl and you just..."

Claire slapped him on the face. Hard. Her fingers left red marks on his side. Andy released her arm and touched his face. He started at her with disbelief. That wasn't the Claire he used to know. That was a side of her that he didn't even know existed. She was pissed and he could see that in her eyes.

"Shut the fuck up, okay!" Claire hissed and took a step back. "If you still want me... If you want me to marry you and try to be happy, just shut up!" Then she had stepped back and stormed out his apartment.

Right now, Andy was staring at the closed door of the library. Just when he lifted up his hand to knock, the door opened for him. Angela was standing there and staring at him.

"I was thinking you're not going to show up, young boy." She stepped aside and let him in. "I didn't think you have the nerve to come here after all that happened."

"The scandal?" Andy frowned and waited until Angela took her place, behind the giant desk at the other side of the room. "That doesn't change how I feel about Claire. Where is she?"

"That's something we all want to know, Andy." Angela simply shrugged and looked at him with that blank face he really hated.

"You lie to me!" He snapped and sat on the chair at the other side of the desk.

"I wish I knew, but I really don't."

"But-"

"The last time I saw Peter, when he came here two weeks ago." Angela paused. "You have to know that Claire is with him now."

"I've never expected that." Andy lowered his voice. "I thought she loved me."

"Oh, I'm sure she did love you." Angela leaned back on her chair. "But you have to understand, dear boy... When it comes to Peter, there's no competition for Claire's heart. You've already lost."

Andy frowned even more. "I don't get it."

"You need an explanation?" Angela looked at him with irony in her eyes. "Okay, I'm going to do you that favor. Do you know how they two met?"

Andy nodded. "Yes, she told me. He saved her from Sylar."

"Did she tell you that she fell in love him right there and then?"

"What?!"

"Oh, yes. See, when it became dangerous for her to stay in Odessa I called my guy to take her to a safe place. The first place she thought of, was with Peter. He didn't let her of course, but she didn't give up. She took the plane to New York. Peter was badly injured then and couldn't meet her here, so... I went to his apartment It's needless to say that she was truly disappointed when she found out that Peter is in fact her uncle."

Andy looked more confused than angry now. "W-what?"

"Oh, she didn't tell you everything?" Angela shook her head. "It's okay, Andy. But I'm afraid that you have to move on, my dear boy."

"He took her away! I can't believe you're not going to do anything to save her from him!" Andy was staring at Angela with disbelief. "Why you're not doing anything to bring her back? You know all this is wrong, right?"

"You want to save her from him?" Angela chuckled. "I didn't know you're so naive."

"What are you talking about?"

"I thought you'd realize everything is pointless when it comes to them."

"Pointless?"

"Yes, pointless." Angela got off her chair and took a step to the window. "I've tried everything. I did my best to keep them apart. It didn't work."

"Maybe you've had to try harder!" Andy snapped and got off his place as well.

"I didn't know you're stupid as well." Angela Petrelli lowered her voice and her eyes narrowed. "You can only get hurt if you stay between them. I thought you found out by yourself!"

"That's bullshit! Peter knew we're going to marry all the time!" Andy walked to Angela. "He knew that she loves me! Why he didn't act earlier? Why he had to do it in the wedding? He was afraid that she's going to say yes?"

"She was about to say yes, my boy. I was hopping for that." Angela sighed. "See, everything I wanted for Claire is for her to be happy. I wanted someone better for her. I wanted someone suitable. When she told me about the wedding, I thought that she's on the right way. But-"

"But then Peter decided to act." Andy interrupted her. "He ruined everything."

"Not exactly."

"What? What do you mean now?" Andy had the same confused look on his face as before.

"You know about their little trip to Vegas?" Angela furrowed her brows. "Do you know what happened there?"

Andy took a moment before he could answer. "Yes, she said that nothing happened."

"Are you sure?" Angela gave him a moment to think about and then continued talking. "Peter took her there with a reason. He wanted to claim her as his."

"NO!"

"Open your eyes, boy!" Angela scoffed. "I don't like that either, but I can see the truth."

Andy turned his back to her and clenched his fists. "I'm going to find her! I want to save her!"

"Maybe she doesn't want to be saved?" Angela said quietly and that was the last thing Andy could hear, before he could slam the door of the library and storm out of the mansion.

Peter and Claire's place

Pete was leaning on his elbow. He rubbed Claire's stomach with his free hand and looked at her face. She wasn't sleeping, although he eyes were closed. Her breathing was steady, but Peter knew that she was pretending. She just didn't want to show up that she's awake. He smirked and his lips touched her soft skin on her stomach. Claire shivered and his smirk grew bigger.

"Wake up, wake up sleeping beauty." He muttered and his lips touched the spot between her breasts. When she didn't open her eyes, he placed another kiss on the crook of her neck. "I know you're not sleeping, my love." Peter whispered close to her ear.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She muttered. "I was sleeping just few seconds ago."

"Oh really?" He pulled away just enough to look at her.

"Yes, really!" She scoffed. "You woke me up!"

"I'm so sorry." But his smirk was saying something else. "I just wanted to say hello to my child." He rubbed her stomach again.

"So you're sure that's yours?" Claire gave him an amused look and regretted at the same moment.

Peter's look hardened. "I thought you make that clear?"

"It's not like I can lie to you..." Claire frowned. "You can tell when I'm lying, right?"

Peter's hand still rested on her stomach. "If you expect me to get softer now, you better forget it, Claire!" His eyes narrowed.

"Oh trust me, I don't expect that." Claire sighed and looked away.

"Then what do you want?" Peter touched her face and forced her to look at him. "Tell me!"

"I..." Claire sighed again and licked her lips. "Hug me?"

"What?"

"Just hug me, okay?" Claire was sure that he was going to refuse all that mushy behavior. Peter didn't like it now, but for her surprise he did it. His arms wrapped around her body and Claire allowed to herself one weak moment. She snuggled in him and did something that she hadn't done in awhile. Her hand rested on his bare chest and she whispered the words. "I love you."