3AN: This is my first Paire oneshot. This is 100 years after what would've happened if Peter blew up New York. Peter and Claire are related in this story. Reviews would be loved, and appreciated :)
-Loganator
Disclaimer: Don't own Heroes. If only...
It had been exactly 100 years today. 100 years since we'd first met in the hallway. I promised I would protect her. And I failed. Yet again. The world is dark and I am the only one from my century remaining. There would be a couple of specials I meet every now and then. Distantly related to the people I once knew but never her.
The world I once knew was gone. Everyone I loved and knew, is gone. I never stay in a place for more than 10 years. People would start to notice how I don't age.
I kill myself every night. Just see her face. Her smile. Just to see if she's started to wear away from me. From my memory. But she's etched into my memory and I can't get her out no matter what. And I don't want too. Because she's the only thing I ever do think about. And still is my every thought. I never goes to Texas. Never. Theres too many memories there. But every memory of us together replayed in my mind every second of everyday...
Flashback
(Night before Peter exploded)
"I love you" She uttered. I froze. I couldn't have heard that right.
"W-what?" I stood there dumbfounded. I turned around to face her.
"I love you." She looked more confident by saying it this time.
"Claire..." I whispered, "I love you too. Always." She smiled sadly. I started walking towards her and pulled her into a kiss. She loved me. Talk about messed up.
(10 years later)
After I exploded, I hadn't seen her for 10 years. I missed her every second. I thought she was dead. Turned out she had gone back to Texas living under the name 'Sandra'. But to me she would always be my Claire. Everything that was golden in the universe, even if she had dyed her hair brown. She thought I was dead too. I read her mind. She still loved me as much as I still loved her. She had a good life now, but I could tell that she wasn't happy. Nobody was nowadays. All because of me. And when we finally looked at each other after all those years, I said her real name. She looked deep into my eyes smiling.
"Peter." She walked towards me and brushed her fingers against the scar on my face.
We ran away with each other after that. Travelled around the world. But never stayed in the same place for too long.
(15 years later)
We still lived together. We still loved each other. But we still lived in fear. The agents were still hunting down specials, and now Nathan had lost control of them. Not being president anymore, he suddenly disappeared of the face of the earth. An even more ambitious man controlled them now, and wanted all the specials dead or in containment labs. No exceptions. Thats when we lost each other.
One day the agents finally caught up with us and while we were running away from our house in Texas. We went back a few days later. Everything was messy and tipped over. Wallpaper ripped off. Doors kicked down. Windows smashed. Furniture tipped over. Nathan was there. He soon turned into Sylar. He started attacking us and when I got free, he turned his attention to Claire. I tried fighting him off of her but the last 15 years had done him well in collecting powers. The last I heard her say was her screaming my name, while I screamed hers. He threw me out a window and by the time I had came back, he was gone. And I saw her. Top of her head missing. Blood everywhere. Blank eyes. I failed to protect her.
(The next 75 years)
I made it my life mission to kill Sylar after that. I defeated him. Then I turned my attention to the government. I defeated them. Rescued everyone they had in the camps. I managed to save everyone but her. I don't do anything now except save people.
I used to think, if I saved enough people it would make up for her. It never did though, and it never does.
End flashback
And now...except from saving people I don't do anything but grief for her. And now I've decided to face my deepest fears. I'm going back to Texas. While there I don't talk to anyone. Didn't go by plane. Didn't check into a hotel. But that was because I didn't need anyone or anything. I haven't talked to anyone for years. Only in my dreams, and that would be to her. But I don't sleep anymore. I can't stand to see the face of the one person I couldn't save talking and smiling to me. Because I doesn't deserve it. I just go straight to our old house.
It used to be a nice place. But I realised. It was only bright with her presence. It was now dirty, dark and horrible. Spider webs covered every corner of each room and all the ornament and pictures they had. The wallpaper had been ripped off, leaving dark stains on the walls. Curtains had been half-broken away from the rail, letting in light. But it didn't change the atmosphere of the room. Everything was still dark and dingy. I effortlessly brushed away the dust now forming on my shoulders and back, looking around the house. The stairs looked like they would collapse with any weight. This place had obviously been robbed quite a few times. I teleported to the top of the staircase looking through the seemingly never-ending corridor. I remembered them there.
Flashback
(1 year before she died)
Her laughter filled the whole of the house. She sank to her knees with me clinging behind her.
"Peter! Peter! Please let me go!" She laughed uncontrollable, "I-I- I can't breathe!" I carried on tickling her while pressing kisses to the back of her neck.
"Nope! Say sorry." I said, tickling harder.
"Never!"
"Say it..."
"OKAY OKAY, SORRY!" I let her go and she leaned over onto the floor breathing heavily. I chuckled into her ear.
"That hurt you know!" The floor muffling her voice.
"I love you, Claire. And I'll protect you...no matter." I said with a small smile, and kissed her neck again. She moved facing me with a wide smile on her face.
"I love you too." And I smashed her lips against mine.
End flashback
I winced and the memory. Looking around myself and slowly walking down the corridor. I checked each room. They were the same as downstairs. Dirty, dark and ruined. And then...I checked the spare room which was the second to last door. It was the baby room. Claire was two months pregnant. Although we had agreed we wouldn't have kids until the whole 'hunting-specials' was over. We were still going to have this baby. I had promised to protect the baby. But I couldn't, and that day I broke two promises. It was dusty, but everything we had put there was still in place. I walked soundlessly around the room. Brushing my fingers against the objects that were never moved.
Flashback
(2 months before she died)
I paced back and forth around our room, staring at the bathroom door anxiously. She was taking too long.
"Claire?" I said cautiously. The door finally opened slowly, and she came out with tears in her eyes.
"Claire..." She nodded her head.
"I'm pregnant." Tears rolled down her eyes and I pulled her into a hug, pressing kisses into her hair.
"Claire-" I was cut off by her tears coming down quicker than I could wipe them away.
"Claire...Listen. I don't care if your pregnant, it doesn't matter. 'Cus I'll protect you both with everything in me. And anyway...this will give us even more reason to take down Nathan." She pulled back nodding. "I love you. Always." I kissed her forehead.
"Love you too." She managed a small smile.
End flashback
That was 75 years ago. 75 years I've been alone. Hating myself every second of every day of every year. My thoughts were cut of with a sudden shuffling sound. Someone was here.
I turned invisible and walked out of the baby room. I had checked every room apart from the last. I stepped into there. And what I saw took my breath away.
Claire.
She was curled up on the floor. Her face was stained with blood. A scar across her forehead. Scratches all along her body. Eyes closed, but dark circles around them. Fingernails bleeding. She was breathing, heavily but slowly.
"C-c-claire?" I wasn't sure if she was actually there, or if my mind was playing tricks on me. Hers eyes opened quickly. She slowly began to lean up towards the bed. Her eyes started to water but looked straight at me.
"Peter." Her voice was rough and quick, like she hadn't used it for years.
I crouched next to her touching her face with my fingertips. She was real. She looked up at me, and began to cough violently. I pressed a hand to her back, leaning her forward. Pressing her forehead onto mine.
"Claire, Claire listen. I'm gonna take you with me now." She nodded weakly.
"O-o-kay" She whispered.
Tears started to fill my eyes. But I could celebrate later. I had to make sure she was okay. I took her into my arms and teleported back to my apartment. Taking her straight into the bathroom. I began to peel her clothes off, taking her into the shower. I scrubbed off all the dried up blood and she hung onto me limply, like I would disappear. She didn't talk until after I finished washing her. I put her down into my bed after dressing her in my t-shirt that was too big for her. Her sat next to her, combing my fingers through her hair. She whispered something to me. It was so quiet, I had to use my super-hearing ability.
"I thought you were dead." Little did she know I was dead for the past 75 years.
"I thought you were dead. After Sylar threw me out the window, I went back up. He was gone and you were lying on the floor. Dead." I said the last word quietly. Her eyes filled with fear.
"Sylar?" She became abit louder.
"Sh-sh-sh, don't worry...He's dead. And I made sure he was before I left." I kissed her forehead. She gave me a piercing look into my eyes.
"I missed you...so much." A tear rolled down her face. I wiped it away gently.
"I missed you too...I never forgave myself for letting you die." She coughed again, and I patted her back.
"I did die. But it took me about a year I think."
"A year for what?"
"For the bit of my brain that Sylar took off to grow back. I woke up, and the top of my head was still gone. I could feel my brain!" I winced at her memory. "I-I-I couldn't remember anything. I think it was my brain trying to heal. So years I had to memory. Of anything. I didn't even know I was in my own house." Another tear rolled onto her cheek, soon too be wiped away. "All those years...I just sat there. Trying to remember. Half the time I just slept. I was weak. Then after I got my memory back, I remember you going out the window. And about Sylar. And...I guess I just broke down." I pressed my forehead against hers. "A-and I remember the baby. I knew it would've been dead by then. That made me feel worse." I felt bad. And worse than I did before. I mean I was feeling crap with what happened to me and I wasn't the one who sat there for 74 years.
"I got rid off all those agents. And all those bad guys we once knew...their dead." I said, and I saw the first real smile creep onto her face. "Once your better...we can have a life together. No-one to stop us." She nodded but held a distant look in her eye.
"I still haven't got used to the walking thing yet though...and what if someone finds out, about what we can do?" Panic spread across her face.
"Claire-" She started to cry now. "Claire." I raised my voice, she looked at me. "Your body will heal, so you'll be used to walking and moving again in no time. As for people finding out...I can create illusions. Make us look like we're growing old and die until the next generation comes. We'll never have to move around again. And we can stay with each other. Forever." I leaned into hug her while she nodded again.
"Okay." She whispered.
I slept with her in my arms that night. Holding onto her tight as if she would disappear. But she didn't and she wouldn't. And for the first time in 75 years. My mind was clear.
AN: Okaaaaayyyyy. So that took MUCH longer than I expected it too. But I hope you liked it. Crappy ending I know, but I would still love reviews. I'll give you a hug if you review! :)
-Loganator