Heroes Fan Fiction ❯ Playing Minerva ❯ Minding the Little Things ( Chapter 5 )

Spoilers: 01x11, "Fallout", AU after that, does not take “Distractions” in account
Warnings: time-travel, memory jumps, implied underage themes

 

Playing Minerva

Chapter Four: Minding the Little Things

The songs of cardinals filled her ears, and she roused as morning sunlight warmed her face. Claire felt secondary warmth encasing her, and she noticed that Peter was still with her, holding her as he slept. Smiling softly to herself, she snuggled closer to him and traced a finger down his nose.

“Wake up, sleepy head,” she said in a light whisper. Peter groaned a little, blinking his eyes open.

After waking, he moved back startled, and then he relaxed under her touch when he realized who it was. There was a mixed look of regret and serenity on his face. Claire was sure he regretted last night to a degree, but she felt a sense of completion when she looked into his eyes.

“Good morning,” she murmured. Her face moved toward his, and she kissed him lightly on the lips.

With a crooked smile, he rubbed his hand down the length of her arm and said, “Morning.”

“I'm surprised you're still here,” Claire said, looking deeply into his eyes and smiling widely.

“Yeah… uh, I realized last night after… you know … that I had enough power and will to go back on my own, but I didn't want you to wake up alone.” He looked around at their surroundings and then added, “I wanted to make sure you were safe here last night.”

Claire felt touched, but it was nothing she didn't expect of Peter. He had always moved her in so many ways in just a short amount of time. She turned her head and looked out at the sunny morning sky. She frowned. “I wonder what time it is.”

She still needed to conserve the batteries on her cell phone, so checking for the time was moot at this point. She glanced around the cavern, noticing their clothes lying in random piles everywhere. She giggled. “Wow, look what happened to our clothes!”

Peter continued to smirk, and Claire noticed a small blush on his cheeks. In turn she flushed as well, standing up and gathering her clothes awkwardly. Peter watched her dazedly as she started to put them back on.

“Stop staring, Peter,” Claire squeaked meekly. “It's hard enough putting them back on with you over there …uh… watching me like that.” Her eyes traveled down to his lap, still covered from the towel but bulging out at her.

Shaking his head, Peter laughed nervously and began to retrieve his garments as well. “Sorry...” he replied, and they both knew that one more heated look or awkward bout of silence might cause a repeat of last night's events. He cleared his throat and said, “Are you going to get going then?” He darted his eyes away from her quickly as she began to hook her bra.

“Yeah… um, I know that I'll have to walk, but I was thinking of hitchhiking, and that maybe some kind semi driver could get me a ride to the next town. I have enough money for another ticket, granted that I don't have to eat until I get to New York.”

“No, Claire, you shouldn't hitch!” Peter exclaimed right away, and Claire looked at him with mild shock. “I mean, that's dangerous, and you won't know if it's one of your dad's employees trying to pick you up and take you home. I know that you won't have to walk too far. While I was traveling around here, I noticed the next town is only about a few miles or so away. I think it was called Grenwald or Grayville or...”

“Oh! That's Greenville! I'm only a few miles from there? That's wonderful! I can probably pick up a bus there,” responded Claire, and her spirits returning.

The two of them, now fully dressed, got ready to leave. “I'll help you out of this ravine, but we're going to have to go up the old fashioned way - by walking. I'm afraid I don't have enough power left to take us to the highway and then get back to my own time.”

Claire shrugged with a smile. “That's okay. The exercise should be good for me.”

Peter was silent for a moment, and instead he just continued to stare at her. It was the same look he gave her when she visited him in jail, yet it was somewhat evolved, evoking emotions that were raw and new. “Claire Bennet, you're amazing.”

“Aw… why Peter you have to stop saying so. You make me blush.” She pulled him into her for a desperate hug, and he held her back tightly. Breaking free momentarily, he bent down and kissed her, filling her mouth with his tongue.

When they broke free, they both felt the sadness that lingered in their eyes, and neither one of them wanted to let go.

“Come on, Claire. Let's go,” Peter said, offering his hand. She scrambled around the cave one last time for her things, and took his soft fingers into hers.

Peter made one last look backward, and then frowned. “Hey, you don't want to forget that, do you?”

Claire looked back and saw that her cell phone had fallen out of her bag.

“OH! Gees, thank you. I don't know what I'd do if I'd lost it. Ugh, now that would be something. If I didn't have this, how would I call you in New York?

Peter smiled at her, and Claire shoved her phone into her bag as they made their way out of the cavern. Peter held onto her hand tightly as they ventured up the ravine and back to the highway.

--

It had been several hours since she'd said goodbye to her time-traveling Peter. Claire was already feeling the loss of his warmth, his touch, and his crooked smile. She was sure he was back in his own time now, and things had to go back to normal. She knew that the Peter she was coming to see was different, and that she had to keep her promise to forget about last night. Her heart ached at the thought that Peter was with someone else, but she had confidence knowing that they would not last long.

Regardless, she had to keep her cool, say nothing, and go on with life as if last night didn't happen. She came to see Peter for a reason, and he was the only one who could help her learn more about her powers and use them for good.

Stepping off the Greyhound bus that had finally come to New York, she stretched her aching arms and legs, yawned and grabbed her pack. She stepped off the bus and made her way toward a pay phone, frowning and hoping her cell phone battery had enough juice.

Fishing it out of her bag, she turned the button on as her phone began to power up. She bit her lip hoping that she could make just one call before it died.

As the familiar beep indicated that the phone was on, Claire was startled as someone grabbed her from behind, clamped a hand over her mouth, and then pulled her aside to an alleyway.

--

In the not too distant future...

Nathan started pacing about the room hurriedly as his brother revealed the story - in much detail - at his time with Claire in the past. Many people in the room were speechless, and before Nathan could reprimand him, Matt came in with the radiation detector.

“He's not dangerous, but some of the levels will get dangerous if we don't do something. He could even have the chance of exploding all over again,” Matt said grimly, and everyone looked at Peter sympathetically. He appeared worse, his clothes fully soaked in sweat and his breath erratic and harsh.

“We have to do something,” Heidi pleaded looking at Nathan, who only seemed to glare at his brother.

“I don't understand how doing that would change time, especially if Claire never mentioned it later on,” Mohinder said, stroking the stubble on his chin. “Did Claire ever mention the event before your sessions with Claude?”

Peter shook his head. “No, she never did. She kept her promise, and when I came from trying out Hiro's powers, she was waiting for me. She kept it a secret, but I still messed up something anyway.”

“But what would prevent Claire from seeing Peter that day when she came to New York? What really happened?”

Peter took a deep breath and felt the strain on his temple. “I don't know. She came to New York that day, and then I got some strange call from a pay phone. It was Claire, and she told me what happened with her dad and why she ran away. I came right over to pick her up.”

“Wait a minute...” Claude interrupted. He scrunched his face in confusion and continued, “Didn't you just say that when you helped Ms. Bennet to the highway she almost forgot her cell phone?”

“Er...yeah, it had fallen out of her back pack. She was about to leave it behind when…” Peter's eyes widened and a look of dread washed over his face. “Oh no, I did change the past!”

“It only takes one small thing to turn things off their path in time,” Hiro confirmed nodding.

Ando lifted an eyebrow and said, “So if she used a pay phone instead …”

“Her dad wouldn't have been able to track her!” Mohinder finished. “That must mean that Claire from the past did not know her father would track the cell phone.”

“And she got far enough to New York because the thing was turned off,” Heidi responded. Everyone nodded and then looked to Peter.

“The moment she turned it on they must have been alerted. They were probably already scouting New York for her before she got there,” Peter said sighing, and he put his face into his hands. He yelled dejectedly, “Damn it! This is all my fault.”

Hiro put a soft hand on Peter's shoulder and replied, “We can change it, Peter. We have to, or you'll explode for real this time.”

Peter looked up into Hiro's eyes and felt his strength. Hiro said, “I will go and warn, Ms. Claire.”

Peter put a hand over Hiro's and squeezed. He looked at him with fortitude and said, “No, it's my fault, and I should fix it. Besides, that Claire doesn't know you yet. I don't want her to be freaked out.”

Hiro nodded. “You must be careful, Peter Petrelli. You already know what one little thing does to time and space.”

Peter nodded, and he coughed harshly as he began to stand up out of the bed. Hiro rested Peter's weight on him, and then closed his eyes. Releasing his protective charkas to prevent Peter from unknowingly absorbing his powers, Hiro let himself open and felt the pull of Peter's power against him.

Peter stumbled away from him, now standing on his own feet. “I'm going,” Peter said, and his friends looked at him with hope and anxiety.

“Be careful and don't screw up the past again,” his brother chided. Peter turned around and gave his brother a crooked smile.

Peter closed his eyes, and then he was gone.

--

Back in the present...

Over time, Peter had finally mastered the control on Hiro's powers. Some would say that he mastered them better than Hiro had at first, but then Hiro had trained with Claude, and understood them even better. Peter was still getting used to the ethical code that came from using time powers, and he was glad, for the most part, that they were not his own.

He opened his eyes, and in a swoosh he found himself at a bus terminal in New York. He spotted Claire almost immediately as she played with her light blue sweater and waited for her cell phone to power up.

`Just in time...' Peter thought, feeling relief wash over him. Before she could begin dialing his number, he jumped toward her and pulled her into his chest. He clamped a hand over her mouth to prevent a surprised scream. Lightly, he brought her with him into the shadows of an alleyway. She shivered against him, terrified that a stranger was handling her. He turned her around and released his grip over her.

She looked up at him, ready to punch him and give him a few choice words, but then she realized whom it was. He groaned as she gave him a tight hug.

“Peter! Oh…” She was initially surprised, but then she saw that he was hurt and struggling on his feet. Claire held his arms, and tried to read his face. “You're hurt... what happened?”

“Do you know who I am?” he croaked out.

Claire froze, and then she nodded once. “You're...you're still Peter from the future?” She was becoming confused again, and she only guessed that he was not the present-Peter because he didn't know she was coming.

He nodded, and then he started to feel some of Claire's healing powers lessen his pain. “Please, there's no time. I came here to warn you not to use your cell phone. It'll change everything. Your father will find you, and you'll never meet me. If you never meet me here...” He coughed, and Claire looked at him incredulously.

“You'll never be there to heal me when I almost explode.”

Claire appeared shocked, and for a moment she was frozen. She looked down at the cell phone, still powered on and in her hand. She quickly threw it away.

“But how… how can I call Peter now?”

“Claire, you need to get on a cab toward my apartment. Stop a block before, not right there, and use the pay phone to call me, saying that you can't come right to the address because you're being watched. You have my address right?”

Claire nodded. “The Haitian gave me both.”

“Good,” he said. “Your father's people will be watching for you. Do not let your guard down.” He leaned in and kissed her quickly and said. “Make every precaution to get to me.”

Claire nodded again, and she felt nervous, realizing that she had let her guard down where her father was concerned. She felt stupid thinking that he wouldn't trace her phone.

Quickly, Peter hailed a cab, and then turned to her. “You have enough money to get there and make the call?” Claire nodded and then he took her hand, leading her to the open cab door.

“Thank you, Peter, for saving me again,” Claire said. “I'll have to find a way to pay you back all those times you saved me.”

Peter smiled. “Claire, you already have.” Claire continued to watch him as she got into the cab. When he shut the door, she mouthed something to him, which made him blush. The cab began to drive off, and when Claire turned around to watch him from the back window, he had already disappeared.

“I won't forget,” Claire whispered to herself, and she knew it would be hard from this point on to see Peter and forget about that night in the cave.

--

“I found her cell phone, sir, but she's no where to be found,” said one of his employees as he talked to her on the phone.

Mr. Bennet sighed audibly and then clenched his jaw. “Very well, keep looking. And try looking at the Petrelli house again too.”

“We will, sir,” she said, and then hung up. He looked out the window of his office and narrowed his eyes at the countryside. He was better than this, smarter and more cunning, and he would never have guessed that his own daughter would outsmart him.

She had help, and his once loyal Haitian friend had suddenly disappeared. Now his only hope in finding her was with Peter Petrelli, the man who had saved Claire and told her she wasn't the only one who was different.

Now, the game had changed.

--

When Peter had found her, she was hiding in the shadows of an alleyway near the pay phone she used to call him.

“Peter?” she asked demurely, and Peter walked over to her. Even out of the light, Peter could see the fear on her face.

“Claire? Why did you come here?” Peter asked, and she frowned at him, sure he was unhappy to see her.

“My father tried to have my memories erased. You're the only one I can count on now, so please, help me. I don't know what he'll do to me if he catches me.” Claire hugged herself and looked away from Peter's penetrating gaze. It wasn't fair, she thought, to be this close to Peter and have him look at her like she was some juvenile delinquent.

“It's okay,” he said, and he took her hand and brought her out into the light. She tried to shy away, but she was already within his embrace. Tears ebbed on the sides of her eyes. “I'll protect you. Just… let's go inside.”

She backed away harshly and shook her head. “I can't. My father's men are watching this place too.” She looked at him desperately and said, “I have no where to go.”

Peter gave her a small smile full of mischief and then wrapped his arm around her. “Hang on tight. There's another way we can get to my apartment, especially since my brother is visiting right now.”

Claire gave him a perplexed look, but she trusted him, so she wrapped her arms around him tightly anyway. “Wha...”

And then, as they hid behind the shadows of the alleyway, Peter looked around quickly to see if anyone was watching, and when the coast was clear, he levitated off the ground and took flight.

Claire squeezed him tightly, realizing that they were flying… and as impossible as it seemed, Peter was always capable of doing impossible things. Claire looked up at him shocked, and he returned her shock with a satisfied grin. She smiled despite the queasiness in her stomach, and then she closed her eyes as he fly here through the cool air.

Claire thought it was a wonderful feeling, and while looking at Peter one last time, she knew only one other feeling in the world that could replace this feeling now.

She prayed for that day when he could really touch her again. And for him - Claire Bennet could be patient.