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 29

His life was not a fairy tale. Peter Petrelli was well aware of that. Yes, he had grown up in a wealthy family. He could have had everything that he wanted in his life. Something was missing throughout the whole time though. It was something that he could almost touch, but never did until he had met Claire. Then, he had realized what that thing was. It was love. It was love in its purest form. It was the feeling to care about someone that you could do everything to make the other person happy. Even that could mean that you had to give up on your feelings. That was something Peter had done already. When he had met Claire in that High School in Odessa, his heart had skipped a beat for the first time. He had met the most incredible person in his life then. He thought that he knew what the love was, but it turned out that he was wrong. He had found his love in that hallway in Odessa.

When he met her for the second time in that prison cell, Peter was sure. He was also sure that she was too young for him. That wasn't a big problem in his eyes back then however, he could just wait for her to grown up. He would've been right beside of her, helping her and being her friend until she was old enough. Then he would confess his love for her and hope that she'd respond to it. Yes, he thought that he had everything planned. Then... he came back home. He wasn't hoping that he would see her again, but he did.

Claire had saved him. She had pulled out that piece of glass from the back of his neck. She had saved him in return. There was something more though, she was looking at him with love in her eyes. Oh, yes! Peter could read her mind, but... he was able to read something else that broke his heart right away. She was his niece. He asked his mother and she confirmed. And just like that everything was over. Peter had no other choice but to stay away from her. He did everything he could to control his feelings. There were moments here and there though, which he couldn't control that much. Just like the moment when he had seen her crying. His hand reached out and touched her face. He couldn't stand her tears. Nobody could hurt his Claire. She was the most innocent person in the entire world and she had to be protected.

He lost his memory and that was probably the most confusing moment in his life. When he came back... his life was in chaos. He had met his Future self and that Peter had showed him a world where his Claire hated him. That hurt him so much that he had put his feelings aside, working for the greater good again. That Future was fixed but he had lost his brother in the process. He had lost so much in his life that he simply gave up. When Claire was sitting with him in that rooftop he wished that they could stay like this forever. Their life had changed and they couldn't do anything to stop it.

When he had killed Sylar and had absorbed all of his powers... Claire was there. She was the only person that could make him whole again. He didn't let her go that night. That was the first time Peter was acting selfish. He wanted her. It was so simple. He wanted her in his life. He wanted her to be something more than his friend... and his niece. That was the moment something inside of him snapped. His moral simply flew out of the window. He couldn't bare to watch another man touching her. He would hid behind the windows in his room and watch her swim in the pool. Sometimes, Peter was sure that she knew he was watching. Then she would take her bra and stand still, closing her eyes. The Sun was touching her skin nicely, making it glow. Then he imagined how her tanned skin would contrast to his pale one... in the bed.

Then he would call himself sick and would storm out, simply not to watch her anymore. He couldn't resist on her forever though and when he had her for the first time... it was something that he had ever imagined. His Claire! She was his and no one had the right to touch her.

He was watching her in her sleep. She looked so innocent right no, carrying his child. Her hand was resting on her protuberant belly. Her breathing was steady and she was smiling even in her dream. Peter sighed and got off the bed, careful not to wake her up. She needed rest, lots of rest. She also needed cares, lots of cares. Her doctor had told him that she looks fragile. Peter couldn't understand how an indestructible girl could look fragile. That was beyond his mind. Maybe he could ask someone. And that someone was his... mother. He gritted his teeth and teleported away.

When he opened his eyes, he was standing in the middle of the mansion's library. Angela was there, reading her morning paper. Peter frowned and walked towards her. She was sitting close to the window in her favorite chair. He wasn't sure that she even noticed him.

"What brings you here, my boy?" Angela said and Peter, still frowning, sat on the chair opposite hers. "I thought you were angry with me."

"Hello to you too, mother!" He spat the last word and just then Angela looked at him. Her eyes mirrored his own. They both controlled their emotions. "I have a question to ask."

"Is it something about Andy?" Angela put the paper in her lap and stared at her son. "I didn't tell him where you are. He must've found on his own."

"You already know?" Peter furrowed his brow.

"His parents called me," Angela said calmly. "Two broken ribs. Seriously, Peter? You could've dealt with him in a peaceful way."

"If he had stayed out of my business then I would've!" Peter scoffed and his hazel eyes went black, showing his anger. "Nobody touches what is mine!"

"Yes, I think we all know that!" Angela said carefully. "So, Andy is not the real reason you're here. Then... what brings you here anyway?"

"Claire," Peter took a deep breath. "I have a problem."

"Claire?" Angela looked at her son with surprise. "What is the problem? You told us to stay away and this is what we're doing, Peter. I haven't heard from Noah in awhile, but I'm sure he's staying away as well."

"It's not about that," Peter lowered his look. "She almost had an abortion today."

"What?" Angela leaned forward to him, without even feeling it. Her hand lay on his laced ones. "I'm so sorry, Peter." She said and for once in her life she actually meant it. Peter was always her favorite son. He was her weakness and probably he always would be. "What happened?"

"It happened right after that puppy dog and I fought!" Peter muttered, looking at her hand and then looking up at her with a question in his eyes.

"You meant right after you beat him?" Angela had noticed his look and pulled back.

"He broke into my apartment!" Peter snapped. "Not to mention, he tried to take Claire!"

"We both know that she wouldn't go with him," Angela leaned back on her chair. "Not when she's pregnant from you. You simply wanted revenge, Peter!"

"You know me well, mother!" His half smile almost reminded her of the boy he used to be. "Then again, he touched my Claire! He deserved what happened to him! And even that's a little."

"Anyway," Angela waved with her hand. "What happened after that?"

"Yeah," Peter coughed. "I teleported us to the hospital. They said that she's okay, but she needs a lot of cars. She needs lots of bed rest... and they told me that... she's too fragile right now. What is that supposed to mean? How she can be fragile?"

"She's a human, Peter!" Angela finally understood why Peter was here. "She is not a robot. She is a woman first and every pregnancy is different. When a woman passes through this... it is dangerous for her and the baby. I had no problems when I was pregnant with your brother. When I was pregnant with you... let's just say that made me love you even more."

"What?" Peter almost whispered. "You're telling me that... baby could put her life in danger?"

"I am saying that it's different every time," Angela sighed and looked at her son. "Claire is a strong woman, Peter. She loves you and she's willing to fight with everybody to have you in her life. I'm sure that she's willing to fight for that baby, simply because it's yours. I'm done trying to separate you. I want you to know that. I am not sure about Noah, though. Just... be careful."

"You're not... lying?" Peter got off his chair. "Why? Why that sudden change in mind?"

"You can't fight with love like this," Angela said quietly. "And I don't want to lose you."

"Lose me?" Peter laughed. "Oh, mother... You're acting on my empathy now? How clever. That won't make me come back."

"Not yet," Angela said quietly.

"Anyway," Peter released a smile again, but it didn't touch his eyes. "Thanks for your words. We'll keep in touch!" He closed his eyes and teleported away. Angela stared at the empty space for awhile and a knowing smile appeared on her lips. Claire had done her miracle again. Or, she was in her way to change Peter's life for the second time. The hints of warmth in his behavior were noticeable.

When Peter appeared back in the apartment, he saw Claire sitting on the bed. She yawned and smiled at him. A warm smile that drew him to her. Peter crawled onto the bed and sat right beside of her. His arm wrapped around her shoulders and she leaned her head on his shoulder. She was his treasure.