Wow! Thanks Everyone! The last chapter was a challenge but so was this one. Please send me reviews, I try very hard to improve on as many things as possible. I want this to flow and make sense. I want to bake a cake for all of you! 3 I do not own Heroes.
Claire stormed into the campsite, smashing a cooking pot with her foot. The force of her kicking the pot would have broken a toe or two, but again Claire's power took her ability to feel anything.
"Ughhhhhhhhhhh."
Claire couldn't believe the news about Peter and Sylar. It couldn't have come at a worse time and now she was having a hissy fit by herself, like a teenage girl. She paced the campsite, walking between her tent and the campfire fire. A low, quiet fire was brewing. It was about midday, no need for it to be burning at full steam. Claire muttered to herself, growling and swearing like a sailor. Emma emerged from her tent, clutching a umbrella, in a very defensive stance. She was wearing her blue medical scrubs.
Once Emma had seen that it was Claire making the noise, she relaxed immediately. She lowered the Umbrella and shifted into her motherly nature.
"Claire, What is wrong? Please speak slowly for me as well." Emma was prepared for Claire's emotions to come out streaming at a fast pace.
Claire stopped pacing and placed her hands on hips. She gripped her hips tight, frustrated to no end.
"They're Brothers! I can't believe it."
Emma looked at her with a quizzical face.
"Who?"
Claire paused and looked at Emma. The two looked at each other very confused.
"I thought he would tell you. Peter. He just told me that Sylar is his brother. His Brother."
Emma took the information in and looked hurt. Claire in an instant regretted saying anything to Emma. She instantly looked at the ground, ashamed.
"Emma, I didn't know that you didn't know. I thought he told you and you were protecting me and him. I thought..."
Emma nodded and wiped a small tear from her left eye.
"Claire, it is ok. Peter has been...distant since arriving here. It's not like we have much time to talk anymore. It is quite a change for him. I hoped that he would be able to confide in me, but it is hard for people."
Claire shifted into being the mother in this situation. She hugged Emma. She had been so selfish. Claire never considered that Emma hadn't suffered as much as she had.
"I'm sorry, I've been such a bitch lately."
Emma laughed at Claire's admission.
"Trust me, you have not been that bad."
"What are you going to say to Peter?"
Emma thought for a moment, picking up the pot that Claire had kicked and placed it back in its place.
"I am not sure, I don't find it that important to hold this against him. This War begins sooner than We think. I would rather not regret saying something that I could never take back. I love Peter."
Claire nodded.
"I do too, I just...this changes everything. Between Peter and I...it even changes things with Sylar. The three of us. Our history is just too complicated."
Emma ran her hands through her hair. She was still processing things.
"I am a small part of that history."
Claire snapped her eyes to Emma.
"You are not a small part. Don't belittle yourself. Emma. You are so important to Peter...He has never had a real girlfriend since I've known him. At least that I have known about."
Emma looked at Claire with very sad eyes.
"Since you became apart of his life."
Claire's mouth nearly fell to floor. She was speechless for a moment and tried to come up with a proper response to what Emma was suggesting.
"Emma, our relationship has always been strictly-"
Claire was cut off by the appearance of Peter. He came jogging into the campsite and came to a dead stop at the sight of the two of them. He had decided to chase after Claire. He seemed surprised to see Emma. The two of them looked at him with a sad glance, and he quickly connected the dots.
"Emma, I'm sorry. I didn't tell you. I was going to, but I just needed-"
"Needed to tell Claire first. I understand."
Emma looked at him with a strong stare. Daring him to challenge her. Claire felt like Emma knew something that she didn't.
"Emma, it isn't like that. Claire figured out that something was up and called me out."
"You don't think that I knew something was up. But I kept my mouth shut. I trusted that you would tell me when it was the right time, whatever it was."
Peter stared silently at Emma. He knew she was right. He was mistreating her by not saying a word to her. About anything.
"Emma. I promise you. I will not keep anything else from you. I can't lose you."
Emma sighed, looking very tired, but walked up to Peter. She wrapped her arms around him. Claire scratched her head, feeling awkward, remembering that half her hair had been scorched off. She slinked into her tent to give them a moment. Claire searched for the box of hair dye. She wasn't quite ready to have her blonde locks back. Claire emerged to find Peter. Alone.
"Where did Emma go?"
Peter looked up at her, looking drained and near tears.
"She's moving to another campsite. She..and I...decided that maybe should try to focus on this effort. Rather than trying to uphold a relationship."
Claire could tell the decision was not a mutual one. Claire sighed, feeling so awful.
"Pete, I'm sorry, this is all my fault. I am still pissed at you for how you have acted lately, but honestly I didn't want this to happen. Can you understand how shocked I was?"
Peter nodded.
"Join the club. Sylar nearly threw a trailer into the Medical Tent when he found out."
Claire actually laughed at the image of Sylar's tirade.
"Since We aren't family now...Can we be more honest with each other? No more Petrelli Bullshit?"
Peter smiled, his eyes glistened with hope. Claire missed that in his eyes.
"Yeah, I think we can do that."
"Well, first thing is first. I need to fix my hair. Your OH-so-lovely-Brother burnt half my head to a crisp."
Claire started to walk by Peter, heading toward the shower area. He stopped Claire, softly grabbing her hand. It startled Claire and a familiar feeling swept into her stomach. Claire recalled when she first met Peter. That Spark in his eyes, the assurance. Claire shook herself the feeling. She pulled her hand away carefully, trying not to be rude, not breaking eye contact with Peter.
"I'll talk to Emma for you. You guys...you can make it work."
Peter took the hint and started to walk away. He called over his shoulder.
"Thanks Claire, I'd appreciate it."
Claire watched him go, trying to wrap her mind around what Emma had been implying before and how odd Peter had been acting. He was fighting feelings...for her? Claire shivered physically.
As she re-dyed her hair, Claire kept pondering Peter's words. She applied the dye.
"I never felt like your Uncle."
Claire had instantly switched her emotions for Peter the second she found out he was her Uncle. Sure, they had that brief moment, way back at Homecoming. But things had changed when it was revealed that Nathan was her father. Now that Peter wasn't her blood Uncle...shouldn't change how things were between them during that time. Claire didn't know how she felt about Peter. She rinsed her hair out, her mind still spinning in circles. She loved him, but she didn't know what type of love it was.
Claire flipped her hair down, drying it and flipped up to the mirror to observe her progress. The hair was back to being completely dark brown again. Claire shook it dry a bit more and tied it back up in a tight ponytail. She washed the dirt and dried blood off her face, resisting the urge to punch the mirror. Claire walked out of the shower area and started heading towards the campsite.
"Back to all brown again?"
Claire groaned out loud.
"Really?"
She spun to see Sylar leaning up again the shower area's outside wall. She had passed him without noticing. Sylar was still covered in dirt and blood. His face had dried blood on it. Claire cheered internally, remembering her stab party in his eye socket. He looked amused at bothering her, but became serious.
"I came here to check up on you."
Claire scoffed and spun away from him.
"Oh Please, I doubt your best Bro sent you here."
Sylar caught up to her, grabbing her arm, standing in her way.
"I feel like We have to talk about what happened on the field."
"No, We don't. Peter and I needed to talk. You aren't apart of this."
Sylar became serious.
"What did Peter say?"
"You can ask him yourself. I have to get back to the Training Field-"
"No, You don't. You've been promoted."
Claire pulled her arm out of his grasp.
"It's my first day, I doubt it."
"You took down Edgar. You sort of took down me. So I think the leadership pulled its head out of its ass to now acknowledge that you are in the Elite classification of this army of misfit toys."
Claire crossed her arms.
"And they sent you to tell me."
Sylar grinned as if he had a secret.
"I am pretty important around here. I give more orders than given. I volunteered to retrieve you."
Claire rolled her eyes.
"Plus, Claire-Bear. I wanted to ask you about something. During our little scuffle...I sensed that you had felt pain?"
Claire nearly forgot about that moment. The issue of Peter had instantly consumed her head. She softened, remembering the blistering pain in her arm.
"I don't know. What was that about?"
Claire looked at Sylar. She really wanted to know. Her eyes begged him to answer without any riddles or creepiness. Claire's honesty shocked Sylar, he thought that maybe she would know.
"I don't have the slightest clue either. I can figure it out if you want me to."
Claire eyed him cautiously.
"I thought you had done it. On purpose."
Sylar faked horror from her accusation.
"Honestly Claire, you always make it seem like I want to hurt you."
Claire nearly choked.
"You are a psychopath."
Sylar shrugged and slowly revealed a small pocketknife. Claire stiffened.
"You need to be a bit more creative with your insults. Don't move, I need to test something."
Sylar cut a small line on Claire's shoulder, cutting a hole in her sleeve. She didn't flinch. He raised his eyebrow at her.
"Nope. Nothing, I felt nothing." Claire said it.
Sylar picked up on the sadness of her tone.
He slowly placed his hand on her shoulder, he gripped it tight. He concentrated on Claire with his mind and cut again, in the same spot. Claire hissed and pushed him off her, covering the wound. It healed, but the sting of the pain lingered. Claire met Sylar's eyes.
"Well, isn't that interesting?"
Sylar spun around and started heading back into the main part of Camp. Claire, dumbfounded, chased after him. His long strides made it difficult for her to catch up without breaking into a run. They both turned the corner near the Dinning Tent, but Claire pulled him into a narrow space between to large tents. She didn't like to be so publicly associated with him in the open.
Claire hissed at him.
"Interesting? That's all your'e going to say? You beg for my attention half the time and now you have it. Did you figure it out?"
Sylar grinned like a mad man.
"I think so, but I don't think your'e going to like it Claire-bear."
Claire's stare became dark.
"Try me."
"Well, from what I can decipher, our little bonding experience in Costa Verde provided not only your powers, but a direct connection between our brain stems."
Claire stared blankly at him. Sylar sighed at her Blonde moment.
"When we are apart, physically, your brain cannot compute feeling. It shifts into a coping mechanism to deal with pain, by not feeling it all."
Sylar stepped closer to Claire's space. She was hanging on his explanation.
"But apparently my brain...my touch...our connection...gives you feeling."
Claire's breath hitched. Her world was spinning. The moment reminded her of when Sylar told her that she would never die. She found herself staring in Sylar's eyes. They were very dark, always stormy. She slowly placed her hand on Sylar's arm, getting direct contact with his skin. She wanted to feel the difference. He stilled at her touch. Claire waited patiently, to feel any change. She breathed out and closed her eyes.
Then she felt it.
The slight wind that had swept through the Camp, it had a slight chill. A bearable chill to anyone, but to Claire it felt new. She began to realize that she had not felt soft wind in a long time. Claire's memory kicked in. Since Costa Verde, direct and strong sensations was all she felt. Cold floors and hot surfaces let her know how to dress. Strong winds that could blow her over where only a slight annoyance. When was the last time she felt rain? Really felt it? Claire never realized how numb she had felt on a daily basis. She shivered at the wind and smiled to herself. She opened her eyes to find Sylar watching her intently. He had connected how she had felt and why. She removed her hand and awkwardly placed her hands in her pockets. The sensations she had felt before disappeared in moments.
"How do We fix it?"
"I don't know. And I don't see how this is my problem?"
Sylar face had hardened and he tried to pass by her. Claire grabbed his arm for a change.
"Sylar, please, I can't. I can't live like this. I'm afraid-"
Claire stopped herself from revealing a very personal admission. Sylar stared down at her hand on his arm and raised an angry eyebrow. She dropped her hand instantly. Taking a step back. Sylar turned back to her.
"What are you scared of Claire? I can tell if your'e lying."
Claire cleared her throat, regretting every word about to leave her mouth. She never wanted to knowingly admit anything to him. He could read her mind if he wanted to, but he would rather hear her say it.
"I'm afraid...that this will grow. This numbness. That I won't be able to connect. I won't feel anything. That this could go beyond physical. Happiness, sadness, anger...love. I'll just become a shell. I need to make it stay."
Sylar's eyes flashed. She had mentioned something that he had asked her a long time ago.
"You owe me, Sylar. You know that to be true."
Sylar scoffed.
"I don't feel that way. Your family had it coming."
Claire's eyes darkened.
"Fine, I can figure it out on my own."
She attempted to push him out of her way, but he grabbed her forearms. He looked down darkly at her.
"How about this? We cut a deal. We'll work on this little issue of yours. And in return I get something?"
Claire snapped her arms away.
"Don't be disgusting."
Sylar rolled her eyes.
"Claire, I'm not that much of a monster."
Claire crossed her arms and took another step away.
"Fine, What is it you want?"
Sylar placed his hand on his chin, he was contemplating his answer.
"Time, while we spend time figuring out your little issue, you spend time with me. But you have to...nice."
Claire refused to roll her eyes, she felt like they might get stuck. She did it often enough around him.
"So you want me to be fake?"
"No, no, I want you to be honest. But instead of fighting me all the time...maybe just hold back on your insults and pointy objects. The tendency of me being stabbed jumps whenever I'm around you. If we do this, I need you to be at least tolerable."
Claire stood silently, she was contemplating if it was worth it. Being tolerable to her biological parents' killer...so that she didn't turn into an emotionless stone. Sylar waited patiently for a second, but hated her reluctant pause. He snorted and started to walk away.
"Fine! Fine, I can be manageable. But no creepy stuff. You have a tendency of throwing me into walls. I think we can manage being around each other."
Sylar nodded and indicated for her to follow him.
"I think I can keep my telekinesis to myself."
"Don't tell Peter." Claire stated, without thinking.
The two of them started walking side by side, toward the main War room tent. Sylar chuckled.
"Hiding things from my brother isn't really good for our new relationship."
"He has plenty on his mind, I just think it would be unnecessary for him to know."
Sylar stopped her, in the middle of walking traffic. People didn't dare to curse at them. Sylar really did scare the entire camp. People walked by with their heads down, avoiding eye contact with the two. Claire realized that this was the longest time she had been in public, that wasn't the Dining tent.
Sylar growled at Claire.
"Don't lie to me Claire. What is the real reason?"
"I can't tell you. Not yet."
It was an honest answer. Sylar could accept it, but he was now curious. Claire felt that Sylar and Peter's relationship was going to be very complicated. When it came to her...it was going to intensify. Especially if her theories about Peter were correct. Sylar had a possessiveness about her, and Peter's feelings could make that a wee bit more complicated. It was like the two were built to fight one another.
"How are we going have time to do this anyways? With this War on the brink of bursting?"
The two turned back toward the tent, stopping in front of it. It was a deep purple color, with gold ropes. Maybe Sylar's touch?
"The thing about War is that there is a lot of planning and waiting. Plus I have a feeling We are going to be side by side during most of this."
Claire gave him a confused look.
"You put the Elite with the Elite. We are the best of the best."
Sylar tucked a loose strand of her brown hair behind her ear. He left his hand to rest against her face. She didn't fight it. Claire wanted to feel normal for even a millisecond. It came over her like a chill. There was a discomfort in her shoe, maybe a rock? Had she not felt that at all? Claire slowly moved her face away from his hand and fixed her shoe. She dumped out the rock. Sylar look fascinated by the fact that his mere touch changed her entire world.
"I guess the Monster will make you feel more human than anyone in this entire camp."
Before Claire could protest, he stepped into the tent. She was left standing, knowing she didn't have access. She practically stamped her foot in frustration and made an inhuman noise. Sylar knew how to get under her skin.
Sylar stepped out suddenly and pulled her into the tent.
Claire felt a rush of wind and a spinning sensation. She clutched onto Sylar's forearms, trying to steady herself or gather her bearings. The tent was a vortex, sending them to the true War room. Claire was enjoying the flipping of her stomach and the rush of wind. It was like standing in the middle of a spinning room. Claire closed her eyes to absorb all the sensations. It ended with a stillness.
Claire opened her eyes and realized she was staring into Sylar's very smug face. She released him quickly and made a space between them. She didn't enjoy the look on his face. He was getting pretty satisfied with himself over the fact she needed him for anything. It made her stomach drop. Claire turned to find a very military looking tent. Computers lined the walls of the tent. Tactical maps and papers lay abundant. Claire expected something grander, but the simplicity of the room merely showed how serious this situation was. A giant map of the United States was placed in the middle of the tent, on a round table, that was currently surrounded by five people. Peter was among them, but they had not noticed them appear in the tent. Claire noticed Micah off to the corner on a computer, very focused on the scrolling numbers filling his screen. He wasn't typing anything, just merely placing his hands on the screen.
Sylar stepped forward to the round table, clearing his throat.
"I brought her."
Peter quickly turned, smiling, and beckoned Claire to come to the table. She walked up to the table slowly, unsure if she wanted to be apart of the heavy leadership. Hiro, Ando and Edgar all greeted her with a nod. Edgar's was a little less friendly, but a hell more full of respect since the last time she seen him. Maybe she should stab people more often?
Claire made eye contact with a tall, black haired woman. She was standing right next to her, but had about two feet on her. Her hair was braided back and she wore a tight black t-shirt and green cargo pants. She reminded Claire of Lara Croft.
"Claire, this is Selina, but We just call her S. She is former US Military."
Claire stuck her hand out and Selina shook it strongly.
"Fan of your work, Bennett. I really liked what you did to Sylar's eye socket."
Sylar slinked over to the other side of the room, he circled the table like a shark. The look he gave Selina unnerved Claire. Selina seemed unfazed by it. Claire almost felt like slapping her. Her dismal of Sylar was pretty stupid.
"S, I could make you feel that pain for hours and make you beg for me to stop."
Selina shrugged and pointed to the map. She ignored his comment and started going over the map.
"Let's get down to brass tax."
Sylar looked annoyed and slammed down into a seat. His pouting made Claire smile to herself.
Peter began to speak.
"Our first strike will take place in Colorado. The C.E.O.S has established their main base of operations in ADX Florence Supermax Facility. A maximum security prison that was emptied out, and now We are led to believe that they are keeping other Specials in there."
Edgar continued Peter's thought.
"This facility, according to our spies and inside men, is harder to get into than it is to get out. We also believe experiments are being performed on the Specials in there. After experimentation...there is slave-labor of a sort...than execution."
"Sounds like genocide." Claire blurted out, but remained silent quickly.
"That's exactly what it is, Cheerleader. Pain and Suffering. We must stop this now."
Hiro's eyes had lost it's were deep and sad...and when did he start carrying around a Sword?
Claire nodded sadly towards Hiro.
Ando had a massive scar on his left cheek. Claire had not noticed it before. The two of them looked like they had aged mentally for decades. Claire looked up at Peter's face. His scar had begun to scab over. She saw the same deep, dark look in his face. There was a lot she hadn't seen yet, and she wasn't sure she was prepared for it. Claire looked at Sylar, who looked bored at the information, his legs up on the table. She couldn't believe she had to rest her hope for feeling anything with the one person who seemed to feel nothing.
Edgar continued on with more information.
"Tomorrow, around noon, shift changes and lunch breaks should occur at the Prison. We are still in America, Right? We will send Line A, B, and C. Create a diversion and send the Elite Line in. Get people out. Ando will charge Hiro and Cythina, so they can teleport mass amounts of people out. Once We find them. But we have to be sure to destroy the machine that disrupts teleportation. Which is located on this main tower."
Edgar pulled out blueprints of the facility, pointing to a tower in the middle of the prison.
"We need to hit it and hard, without allowing any of our lines into the prison. I think only sending the Elite in will cause enough chaos."
Peter nodded and pointed to a different tower.
"This tower is the main spot post, they have a clear view for 10 miles around, so our teleportation has to be instant and every line must be prepared. Nothing to hide behind."
Selina interjected.
"The Elite need to have a clear view, so they know when to make a break for entering the prison."
"Waiting on word, without knowing what you jump into is unwise." Claire agreed with Selina.
"We'll have to set up a spot, maybe have a ground-mover create a ditch to wait in."
"Clark is a great ground mover, he is in Line 2."
Micah quickly jotted down the notes onto each portion of the map. He smiled at Claire. He was barely 15 and was taking notes in a War room. Claire smiled weakly back at him with that thought.
"Line 1 will be force fields and telekinesis. Add in Electrical groups. Disabling as much machinery as possible. Sylar, do you think your groups are prepared?"
Sylar had his fingers massaging his forehead.
"I trained them, didn't I?"
"Just answer the question, Sylar." Peter snarled at him.
"Yes, they are perfectly capable of disabling anyone." Sylar's tone was robotic and mocking.
Peter ignored him and continued.
"Line 2...Explosives, Fireballs, Energy blasts etc...let's keep Super Strength and any ability that needs to be physically in contact with the Prison or people at the back. We want to prevent the use as Line 3 as much as possible. If We can avoid direct contact and using that Line...We can prevent casualties."
Sylar scoffed.
"So put the best powers in the Front? Cause losing them first would be so helpful for the overall War?"
"Sylar, I am not going to throw bodies at them to shoot at before the Line can even reach the wall. We are thinking an offensive-defense."
"I'm just saying that the We have to hope our first two Lines can hold themselves, Line 3 is a sitting duck without them."
"Don't worry Sylar, We'll be sure to protect the powers that actually matter to you, so after all of this you can go back to doing what you love doing." Peter spat out sarcastically.
Sylar stood up and placed his hands on the table, leaning forward staring straight at Peter.
Peter copied the behavior and stared right back.
Hiro, Ando, and Micah all stepped away from the table. Selina and Edgar slinked to the corner of the room. Claire took a step back, watching the others do so. It was as if Peter and Sylar had done this before and the others looked prepared and slightly annoyed.
"Sounds like you don't really need around than, Huh, Pete?"
"I don't need you to stay. It would probably make the rest of us feel a hell of a lot safer."
"I wouldn't feel so safe, if I was you, not knowing where I am is a scary concept."
Their voices became more aggressive and their bodies were tense. They were waiting for someone to strike.
Claire started laughing. She tried to cover her mouth and suppress the giggles, but she couldn't help it. The two stopped and turned to stare at Claire. Claire kept laughing underneath her mouth.
She waved at them to continue. Between laughs she gasped out.
"Please...keep going...hahaha...sorry...hahahahahaha."
Claire didn't find them fighting to be funny, but Claire couldn't help laughing at the Soap Opera that was Peter and Sylar. The two were instantly defused.
"We keep the Lines as they are. End of conversation."
Selina had found her voice and finished the conversation. Claire moved to the other side of the room. She needed to control herself. It took her about a minute or two to gather her strength. She wiped tears from her eyes. Claire walked back to the table to find Hiro and Ando smiling at her.
"We'll relay the message to the rest of the Commanders. Give the Force a break for the rest of the day. We won't inform them until tomorrow where we are going and when."
Hiro and Ando disappeared in an instant.
Selina began to make lists of names for each Line, rearranging a few. Claire and Micah shared a warm hug and greeting. Micah commented on Claire's hair. His face still had a hope that Claire had not seen in awhile. Peter and Edgar hashed out the details about the inside of the base. Claire interrupted her conversation with Micah to interject with theirs.
"Who is in the Elite Line?"
Peter pulled out a list.
"You, Logan, Hiro, Ando, Cythania, me, and Sylar. We need Logan in case you go down and vice versa."
"I don't go down."
"One tap to the back of the head and you do." Sylar tapped his head playfully, smiling as he said it.
"Well, I'll do my best to prevent that. Can't all powerful Sylar prevent that as well?"
Claire challenged him. Sylar did things when he was challenged...it was like having a teenager around.
"Maybe I'll put you down myself."
"Enjoy Eternity than."
Claire said it fleetingly, but realized that it may have come off as if she was going to be around him in the future. Sylar smiled suggestively and nodded.
"Challenge accepted."
Peter shifted the conversation back to the Elite force and drawing Claire's attention away from Sylar.
"Claire, you don't have to worry about where to go and what to do. We can handle that, just follow us and cover us. Keep us going. Plus remember to use your gun skills if you can get your hands on one. Can you bring yourself to fire upon someone?"
Claire hadn't thought of that just yet. She had no problem stabbing people that she knew that could heal themselves.
Claire nodded reluctantly.
"I have to, don't I?"
Peter put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it.
"You'll be ok, it doesn't make you any less human."
Claire shifted out of his touch and headed toward the exit. She needed some space to contemplate what would be happening in the next 48 hours.
"Yeah, well...if I'm not needed...I'm going to go eat something. I just feel a bit hungry."
Sylar jumped up and followed her.
"Me too."
"I wanted to get something by myself." She growled, whispering at him.
Sylar gave her a come-on look.
"So. Am. I."
Claire huffed and exited the vortex without a word. The sensation was less intense and felt like nothing compared to the first time she went through it. Claire felt herself being pushed out into the campsite and began to walk toward the main Dining Tent. She could feel Sylar behind her, walking softly behind her.
"This is perfect time to use that downtime." Sylar called after her. She stopped and spun on him. It surprised him and he slammed into her. Her face smacking into his chest. Claire grunted.
"I really do want to eat something."
Sylar considered it for a minute and finally said in a sheepish voice. He was trying very hard to be kind to her.
"I can make you a grilled cheese."
Claire scrunched her face, thinking very hard about her choice. Going back to Sylar's trailer was an icky, icky choice. At the same time, she wasn't prepared for all the whispers about her recent training session. She could hear the people around them whispering about how she stabbed Sylar in the eye. The dining tent would be worse, plus Emma probably didn't care to talk to her or see her. Claire realized that she really didn't feel like being around people.
"Ok...but don't be a creep."
Sylar faked being wounded in the heart.
"Me? A creep?"
The two walked silently to the Limited Section. They didn't speak. Claire kept her eyes straight ahead, just wanting to get to her grilled cheese and a area with a lack of people. Sylar let his eyes wander to her, looking her over. Her appearance seemed so much tougher with brown hair. It gave her a dark look, but bright, hopeful Claire still shone through once in awhile. Especially when she looked at him with those emerald green eyes. They mostly shot daggers at him, but the familiar look satisfied him. He couldn't shake the moment when she held his arm, when they were in between the tents. He could barely control himself. She looked so calm and at peace. Sylar wanted to see her like that again. He wanted to feel what she felt.
He directed her to a more secluded way to get to his trailer. He didn't need anyone seeing them. He wanted privacy with Claire all the time. She was his to have.
Claire stopped outside Sylar's trailer and took a deep breath. She was so unsure of her choice. Feeling like an idiot was one of Claire's least favorite feelings. Sylar opened the door for her and mockingly bowed to her. He was making fun of her pause in front of the door. She grunted at him as she passed.
Inside, the trailer was relatively up to date with the times. It was advanced compared to what everyone was living with in the camp. To Claire's right was a wrap around couch, black leather with gray matching pillows, with a wrap around window. It took up the right side of the trailer. To her left, was a small table with a marble counter top, booth seating. Gray leather cushions with smaller matching black pillows. The front wall, in front of Claire, was marble counter top with a black stove and small black fridge. It took up the entire wall. Claire shifted into the booth seating, moving out of Sylar's way. He had brushed past her and started pulling out a pan and bread. As he started making the grilled cheese, Claire examined the trailer more heavily. From where she was sitting, facing away from the wrap around couch, was a folding door leading to a bathroom. Black and Gray decor on the inside from what she could tell. A door, sectioned off the trailer, was shut. It must have been the door to Sylar's bedroom section. Claire immediately stopped wondering about it. The silence began to bother her.
"So did you pick the decor? Cause its soooo you."
Sylar chuckled.
"The man I killed did."
Claire shut her mouth properly and huffed.
Sylar turned away from flipping the grilled cheese and made eye contact with her.
"The Limited Section. They somehow didn't quite understand who I am. At least when We first got here. The Biggest Baddie at the time lived in here. Now the Biggest Baddie ever lives here."
Claire leaned her head back, resting it against the back of the booth.
"Do you ever get sick of your own voice?"
Sylar laughed.
"Nope."
He spun around with two plates with a grilled cheese, pickles, and a bag of chips.
"Water?"
Claire nodded, the presentation was impressive. He really was obsessed with being the best at everything. Even a freaking grilled cheese sandwich.
He handed her a water bottle, taking one for himself. He sat across from her.
Claire dove into eating her sandwich. It was probably was the best she ever had. He had even put a slice of tomato in the sandwich. She wasn't going to admit to it.
Sylar chomped along with her. Claire started to laugh.
"I never thought I ever picture myself eating a grilled cheese with you."
Sylar grinned as well.
"I know, We have more an elegant thing going on. Like Hannibal and Clarice...We need some farve beans and wine." Sylar even made the creepy slurping noise that Hannibal Lector made in the film. Claire giggled. After the moment had passed, Claire became serious and softly asked a question that had been stuck in her mind.
"Are you scared?"
Sylar seemed surprised by the question and bit into his pickle.
"No, not at all. If things don't go right, I can just leave. I have no attachments."
He said it very matter-of-factly.
"You aren't scared at all that you'll get killed, like forever killed?"
"Your father once called me a cockroach. I don't know how to stay dead. With or without your power."
He paused and softly asked her a counter question.
"Are you scared? You don't even know what it truly feels like to die."
Claire shook her head.
"I do. During the eclipse...when Elle shot me. The bullet didn't do it, but my body just shut down. Too many years without being sick and my body had no clue how to defend itself. I died for real that time and I felt everything."
Sylar quietly responded. The mention of Elle hit him strangely. He shook the memory of her on the beach. He switched to back to the conversation topic.
"And Daddy dearest was cutting my throat while you died. What a keeper?"
Claire ignored the jab at her father. She still cared for him, no matter how he felt about her.
"What did you see? When you died?"
"When blood was pouring out of my throat...I don't know...the concrete floor. I do remember hearing my mother's voice. Just black and my mother's voice."
"I heard my mother's voice too. Both my mothers actually. Pulling me in two different directions. I sometimes wish-"
Claire stopped herself. She didn't need to let Sylar know her deep secrets, she had the tendency of telling him. Sylar finished her thought for her.
"You wished you listened to Meredith? I can understand that. Sometimes Eternity sounds pretty bleak."
Sylar startled her with such an honest admission. He boasted most of the time about being immortal. Her silence cued him into her train of thought.
"Don't get me wrong. I am 99.9% enjoying your power, but there is a piece of me that hopes that there will be an end."
"In case you are alone?"
Sylar looked at her sadly.
"I hope that won't be the case."
Claire finished her sandwich, got up and placed the dish in the sink. She turned to find Sylar standing over her, he placed his dish in the sink, leaning over her. He rested his hands on the counter, locking her underneath his towering figure. She leaned up hard against the counter, gripping the counter.
"Sylar-"
Sylar took Claire's hand, forcing it open. He made it flat so his and her hand matched each others. It looked like they were doing a frozen high-five. Claire could feel new sensations flooding her. It was slightly warm in the trailer, a little of be AC would be nice.
"It's hot in here." Claire breathed out. She regretted sounding so out of breath. It came off more sensual than she had intended.
"Well, If you want me to leave?" Sylar attempted a joke.
Claire gave him an incredulous look.
"Claire, what feels different from before?"
"Before, everything felt like exactly one temperature. Now...it's hot in here. This counter is really cold compared to it."
"You couldn't tell before?"
"No, not at all. It feels like 72 degrees constantly, when we aren't..."
"Touching?"
Claire nodded. Sylar let go of her and plopped down on the couch. He seemed to be racking his brain on what to do. Claire seated herself as far from him as possible...even though she was craving that feeling again.
"I could open your skull again?" Sylar half-jokingly said after about ten minutes of silence.
"No." Claire responded curtly. "I don't need you fishing around there and cause anything more like this."
"Hey, this isn't my fault...this was the potential your body was going to hit. With or without me." Sylar snapped back. Claire's shoulders dipped. He was right. Her body was just protecting itself in the perfect evolutionary fashion.
"Give me your hands again."
Claire slowly shifted closer to him. They faced each other and she placed her hands on top of his. He had his palms facing upwards and she had hers facing downwards. She closed her eyes. The heat had hit her instantly. Sylar used his power and opened one of the windows, letting a small breeze in.
"You feel that?"
Claire nodded, enjoying every sensation her body felt. The heat and the breeze were feelings she missed. Sylar suddenly had his hand on her forehead and she suddenly felt a pop within her brain. Claire felt a sting of pain and felt blood run down her nose. She pulled back from Sylar and covered her nose. He got up and grabbed a tissue for her. She took it and wiped the blood that soon stopped flowing. Claire paused, the pain was still lingering, the heat was still around her and the breeze was still hitting her hair.
Sylar wasn't touching her.
"What did you do?"
Sylar shrugged, looking a little disappointed in himself.
"I fixed it. Temporarily, moved some stems around. Not in the right places, so your body may switch it back, but you may not need me."
Claire couldn't help but smile.
"You figured it out pretty quick?"
"What can I say? I'm Special."
Claire sat back, relaxing a minute, taking in all the feelings she had been missing out on.
"Can you fix me so that I can get drunk?"
Sylar, in the same relaxed position across from her, raised his eyebrow.
"Just asking...geez."
Claire stood up and awkwardly attempted to thank Sylar.
"Well...eh...Thank You for fixing this or figuring it out for me."
Sylar stood up.
"Please, We don't thank each other for anything. It's too awkward."
Claire chuckled, she walked toward the door to the trailer. Trying to make a less awkward exit. She began to take a step down, but Sylar grabbed her arm and roughly pulled her up. He pushed her up against the small wall space between the marble counter and the small space before the bathroom and bedroom. She grunted when she hit the wall. He leaned over her, holding her up against the wall by the wrists. Claire started to protest, but Sylar caught her mouth open with his. He kissed her hard and soft all at the same time. Claire felt a sensory overload. She struggled at first, but the sensation was too strong to fight against. She closed her eyes and she stopped fighting. Sylar was reluctant to release her arms and stood in a way guarding his manhood.
Claire started to kiss Sylar back when she felt a sense of relief. He tasted like pure desire to her. She needed this right now. Sylar felt her response. It was different than before, a bigger response than last time. Her tongue was more exploratory. He released her wrists and she grabbed ahold of his shirt, pulling him closer. He lifted her up onto the counter in one swift move. Claire felt like Sylar was trying to inhale her. It was sorta of intoxicating, feeling someone desire you so strongly that when they kissed you it felt like they wanted to take the breath literally out of your lungs. Sylar's hands gripped her back, cradling her in a way. Claire held onto his shirt, not allowing them to separate. The taste and sensation felt too good to pass up. Finally, Claire took a second to think. She pulled her face away, Sylar tried to follow her mouth. He kept his forehead connected to hers. Claire began to regain her train of thought and felt herself feel instant shame.
"Stop, Sylar. Stop."
Sylar froze. He didn't let go of her or change his position. He remained close to her. Inhaling her scent. The act of inhaling her scent sent Claire to memory central.
Stanton Hotel, when he first smelled her hair.
The same day he killed Nathan. Her father.
Claire shoved him off her.
"Get off."
"Claire-"
Sylar looked stunned. More stunned that she had kissed him back, than about her sudden rejection.
"Don't touch me again." Claire shot darkly at him and ran out of the trailer door.
Claire didn't stop running until she had crossed the Training Field and stopped at the pile of hay.
She burst into tears. She just betrayed her biological parents, her grandmother, her parents and anyone else in her life who had been affected by that monster. Her desire to feel anything had overwhelmed her. She had stooped to that level.
Claire wanted to vomit. She started swiftly walking again to her campsite. She couldn't help the tears that fell.
She was thankful no one was in her campsite. No Peter, Hiro, or anyone to intercept her in this state. She crawled into her tent. The second she hit her cot she fell asleep. Grateful that the cool breeze could soothe her to sleep.