Author's Note: So here it is, I tried my best, but still don't like it, sigh.

Be My Escape

Chapter 10: Desperation's Hold And Hope

Elle had worn the sweetest, fakest grin she ever had as she arrived at the shop. Noah watched almost sick to his stomach by the sight of her flirting with the watchmaker.

"Hello," She greeted. Gabriel focused on his work for a minute before he brought his head.

"Oh Miss Bishop."

"You remembered me."

"You have already came here twice, of course I would, so what brings you here this time?"
"Gabriel," sweetness was thickening with ever word she spoke.
"We are not on a first name bases."

Elle had to hold back and keep herself from growling, "Mr. Gray,"
"Yes,"
"Well…" She had gone over this in her head a thousand times, "I…just can't stop thinking about you. You were so kind and thoughtful and I just was wondering if I could cook you dinner sometime."

He was a little bit caught off-guard and gazed up at her. She had a pretty smile but it paled in comparison with Claire's. Why had he compared her with Claire? He shook his head. It hadn't mattered, "I do not have the time, I'm afraid."
Elle wanted to scream, shot down again and she heard Noah laugh, "Shut up."
"What?" Gabriel asked.

"Uh," She giggled, "Shut up, of course you have the time. It is only an hour or so."

"I do not."

"Well, I won't take no for an answer. I guess I'll just have to bring the dinner to you."

Gabriel thought for a second, " Yes, that will be acceptable." Ha, put that up your ass Noah, Elle thought.

"Well, I guess I'll bring it in tomorrow."

"Yes, that would be fine."

Isaac found himself heartbroken and he wanted to escape this world; he was desperate to escape this room, this reality. It seemed as though there was no escape, he had to wait until they had to let them go. Then it happened he was somewhere else, an observer of events that were happening. He saw and felt it, happiness but it was not his own it was someone else's:

There was a beautiful blond clothed in a silky white dress that hugged her curves, was tight around her tiny waist flaring downward with floral lace, the top pushed her bosom upward and wrapped around her neck creating a tasteful knot. Her hair braided in a French style with purple irises and topped with a small beautiful tiara with the metal in an intricate design around beaded flowers. She held a bouquet of wild flowers. Her face was the most gorgeous thing: her bright rare grin was framed by light lipstick. There was a hint of blush and eye shadow that matched the flowers. There was glitter that was tastefully all over her face.

The groom awaited at the head of the aisle dressed in an older style black style suit while the bride slowly surly approached him.

Then Isaac found himself back in that horrid reality with the realization he had the ability to have his visions without the drugs.

"Eden," he called as he pounded on the door. It flung open but it was not Eden it was Noah. Good he could put the bastard in his place, "I had a vision without the drugs."

"What was it?" Isaac smirked as Noah grasped him desperately. He hoped it had the answer to save his daughter.

"A wedding a beautiful wedding," Noah was confused, "your daughter's,"

And as it hit him, he took a step back, "My daughter's?" He briefly wondered if Isaac had see him there, but realized that was not important.

"Yes, she'll live," Isaac replied.

"She'll live," he repeated in complete awe. She would live, that gave him so much hope and joy. He just smiled.

Up high above the ground seemed so far away and just green. Zach was a tiny black dot as he gazed upward with his camera. Claire looked down as she stepped up "Attempt 1," She let the wind blow through hair it brought up the blond strands around her face.

"I can't believe she talked me into this."Zack declared as he hesitantly pushed record, "okay ready." Though, he really was not. Who could be ready to record someone killing herself? Yet, here he was, though he had tried his damnedest to talk her out of it. She still managed to do so, and she thanked him for it and he remembered the thought of how morbid it was passed through his head. This was just plain creepy.

"Don't look down," she told herself, "just step off." She put her foot out, but brought it in. She shook it off and took a deep breath. She had to do this. She was not sure why, but something inside her torn at her and she had to get away from it. She had to let go.

Freefalling…

She had done it for a moment, it was freedom she felt but then she hit the ground, all that change because then there was pain… unbearable. It was like every nerve of her body had been set on fire and now screamed in complete agony. It was….indescribable and there was something wonderful about the pain. She was still alive.

Her body had been crushed against the ground, and blood came from everywhere and her bones showed for a brief moment as her skin quickly covered them when it immediately begun to mend. Afterward, she pulled herself together as she pushed each bone back into place.

"Wow," Zach stated getting over his complete shock that his friend should be dead, "that's the most awesome thing ever."

"And to think you were totally against this idea from the beginning," She smiled.

"Yeah well…you're in pain," he noted as her face was covered in tears.

"Yeah…well I was but it didn't last long,"

"But it was pretty bad, huh…I don't think we should do it again,"

She was surprised. She thought once he had done it one time, it would not be so hard the next time. "Why it only lasted for a second,"

"Why, continue you proved your point,"
"I don't know," She admitted, "I just have to."

A couple more weeks passed by and the tape had been hidden by Zach. The tape which contained her 34 attempts of killing herself, and Claire still had experiment over and over again with her new ability after that not sure what to make of it. No clue, why she was desperate to still prove she was human and normal. She shook her head out of those thoughts, instead focused on the orders in front of her.

It felt as if Claire had work at the Gray's watch shop forever. It was not the bad kind of forever, like at the beginning where time just dragged on forever. It was the good kind, where everything felt familiar and welcoming, like coming home to her family. She now had knowledge how to run the shop almost completely by herself, well except the part about making the watches, but hey she was not the watchmaker. Now, though she had known where the parts went, she had known what some of them were called and had the register down to an art. The best part though, was that Mr. Gray started to finally open up to her.

"So, you went to college?" She wondered as she finished filling out one of the order forms.

"For a brief period of time, yes," He wiped his glasses and then looked back at the watch he worked on.

"Why did you quit?"

"My mother needed me here." As if there was no sacrifice made which there had been Claire realized Gabriel had gave up so much for his mother's happiness and the sad thing she begun to see was that he had little of his own.

"Oh," She had no idea what to say and nervously brushed a strand aside. If she had paid attention she would have saw Gabriel's eyes on her and his hand longing almost grabbed the silk strand. "Well, I don't know if I'm going to go to college or not."

"I think you would like it," He turned his head back to what he was doing.

"Why is that? Because I seem like a party girl, because I'm not really...I mean there was that one..." She could not stand the idea of him thinking of her in a way that made her seem…less.

"No, it has nothing to do with that," He looked over her shoulder to read a current order, "You just seem like someone who would do well in a social environment, and there are various types of people. I believe you could get along with just about anyone."

"Oh…thank you," She smiled, "I think I would get along with someone like you the best though."

"That is kind of you." He replied putting a watch in a box. There was odd sensation from her words, he had only recently become acquainted with, joy.

"It is the truth…I think…you're my best friend," That glorious grin glowed more than it had before, yet it seemed a little unsteady until he grinned back, something he rarely done.

"I'm flattered, now we have much work to do, we need to go over some of your homework, a B is good but I believe you can achieve an A." He begun to put up his supplies and Claire sighed in exasperation.

"Ugh," she slung herself over the counter because the idea of it was kind of exhausting, considering they had gone over her homework in great detail ever time which had known was a good thing but still…it took forever. "You got to be kidding!"

"I am not," Gabriel replied as he pulled out the book, "Ms. Smith believes as much as well."
"You know sometimes I hate her," Clarie said but then she thought how Ms. Smith was really the few people who truly believed in her, "but she is kind of awesome."

"My impression was that she was a person of great wisdom." There was something else about her as well, something…familiar. Sweet baby, rest your eyes, and lay your head on soft clouds, float away, float away, sung a soothing voice and he remember eyes like his but a smile…Claire had that same smile.

"Yeah I would hope as a teacher she would have some."

Virginia looked at the phone in her hand, her son's phone. There was the house phone number, a few places that Gabriel called often to check on her, and there was another name: one she never heard of before. She was sure it was some girl's number. What was her son doing wasting his time with some girl and what kind of name was Claire? It sounded like some blond tramp's name. This girl was nothing but a distraction for her son and she would have none of it. She closed the phone and sat it down in her chair.

She then made her way toward him just as he came out his room, "My precious boy," He saw it before it had came, the look in her eyes that fake smile revealed it all as she grabbed a hold of his face, "Tell me about this girl."

"What girl?"

She grasped tighter, "Don't play with me, Claire."

"Claire?" He wondered how she had known of her, but received his answer when he saw his phone on her rocking chair, "She refused to be just a number in phone as she insists we are friends."

"Gabriel," She said softly and he cringed, "Friends are a waste of time."

"She is not taking my time away from me as she is working for me." He said in an almost desperate tone. He couldn't, wouldn't lose her, not now. It was too late, he couldn't give her up.

That made his mother turn cold and she dug her nails into his skin, "You are wasting our money on paying some little tramp to prance around your store."

Instead of fear and shame, he just felt…he was mad. He torn his face from her hands and his mother's eyes widened at the sound of her son sneering at her. "She's not a tramp." She was losing…lost control of him. He took off in angry.

It left her in dismay. Gabriel had never done anything like that; he had been such a good boy. "That girl," She snarled, "Is trying to take my Gabriel away from me."

Claire was confused, when she had arrived home both her parents sat at the kitchen table waiting for her. "Is something going on?"

Sandra had not looked happy, "You know exactly what has been going on!" This had not cleared up her confusion and it showed on her face, "I don't know where you having been going young lady, but you are going to stop sneaking out. You are grounded until you admit were you been."

Noah just watched the scene play at before him. He would let Sandra handle this for a moment.

"Mom, you know where I been, you been taking me," She exclaimed in shock.

"Don't lie to me Claire," She had thrown down a cloth on the counter as she had been doing dishes.

"I'm not lying, why don't you remember?" Noah gazed upward, he could not help but think for a brief moment that this had something with erasing her memories but he shook that thought away. Claire was a teenager, teenager's had a tendency to lie to stay out of trouble and his Clairebear had done so before.

"I don't know what you are talking about Claire," Sandra declared, "You were supposed to be home two hours ago and I was worried sick."

"No, I wasn't I been going to same place I have been for the last month or so, mom you know it is true. I have been working at the shop and being tutored."

"I won't having you lying!" Sandra remarked. She had started to become very impatient. "I would remember that, we never hired a tutor for you."

"You didn't have to. I found one who was free."

"I don't why your making up such ridiculous stories but uh…" Sandra grasped her head, it hurt as she tried to recall something….but she could not.

"Claire, just go up to your room." Noah ordered as he saw his wife's pain.

"I can't believe this!" She trudged up the stairs, trying to keep the tears at bay. How could they think she was lying to them? Sure, she has once or twice, but it didn't make sense to her because her mother had to know she was not lying. She took her to same place for the last four weeks or more and now her mother didn't…remember. Why? Was something wrong with her mom?

Ando had seriously considered just hitchhiking for Vegas but they were broken and no money meant no women or gambling. It had seemed like a rather useless thing to do. Yet he had grown tired of the treatment Hiro had been showing him lately, the sidekick, as if Ando could be such but then again, he was the one without powers and Hiro was currently on his way of getting the girl. He heard another giggle from the corner of the room.

Charlie was not like any of the girls Hiro had met and it was not just because she was American. Though, he was fascinated with that and she was able to share so much about her culture. They would talk about the differences in food, government and so many things because Hiro had been very much educated about the western ways, though there was so much more he had not known. Then there were the conversations that had nothing to do with culture but just things as they were.

"You are beautiful," Hiro claimed, "Like Sakura blossoms in the spring."

She smiled slightly, he was so wonderful but this…whatever was between them would not last. Her days were number so if her smile looked a little dim it was because she was dying and she wanted this to last forever. "Thank you, you're so sweet."

"Why do you seem sad?"

"No reason at all." She patted his hand, "just tired." Her voice was not very convincing and Hiro looked at her with slight worry, "I'm ready to head home, are you?"

He let his worry fade at the excitement of once again going home with Charlie. He had known that he would follow this girl anywhere, and his destiny as a hero started to become part of the back of his mind because he was falling in love.

Peter had been stretched out on Irene's couch while she had gotten some much needed rest. He let his mind wonder. Simone had told him she wanted to give them a try, but some reason Peter was not sure if he should. Yes, he had slept with her and maybe he should not have with all the doubts that plagued his mind. Lately, Simone was not the only woman taking over his mind: Emma.

He thought of her more lately, the beautiful doctor who he had seen on an occasion at the hospital. Her occupation of his mind started slowly, because she had been Irene's doctor, but then he found he could not get her out of his head, but he could not get Simone out either. He sighed. Then there was that other thing: he still could not figure out what the hell the man on the train had been talking about.

If other people had powers; then maybe there was some ability he had and maybe he was suppose to do something with it but what? Who was the cheerleader? How would he find her? And how could he save her? How…Peter raised up his head as he heard a knock at the door.

"Would you get that?" Irene asked from her bedroom.

"Sure," He hoped off the couch and opened the door which revealed a woman in her late 30's dressed in a black skirt and a floral blue blouse with warm brown eyes.

"Hello, I'm Madeline Smith, is Irene here?" She smiled brightly and there was something familiar about the way she smiled. "You're getting so big Peter!"A female voice exclaimed. His mind pulled out the phrase but he could not match the face to who may have said it.

"Do I know you?" he wondered.

She seemed a bit confused but still held a cheerful polite expression, "No," she replied, though it was a blatant lie. She thought: he has gotten so big. No longer that little boy I knew, just a tall handsome man and he turned into a bit of looker. "I'm a friend of Irene's." He stood there not sure what do because this woman was so familiar and it bothered him for some reason not knowing who she was. She giggled, "Can I come in and visit? I know she is probably tired but I don't know when I'll have another chance."

"Oh of course," suddenly feeling like an idiot and he stepped aside.

"Irene!" She exclaimed and Peter turned to see that the frail lady had managed to find her way out of bed. She was weak that much was obvious as he body shook. Madeline quickly ran to her aid.

"Silly old woman don't injury yourself. Let's get you back to bed." She stated out of concern and began to escort her back.

"Oh come on I'm fine." She waved off the younger woman's worry. "I have Peter," and Irene pointedly smile at him.

"I know but you shouldn't have gotten out of bed for my sake I was on my way."

"But dear, it is not often that I have an angel visit me."

Madeline laughed, "I'm no angel. I assure you."

"But dear you were once dead and you have come back."

Peter was not sure what to think as he watched her and Irene disappear into the room, he followed behind. Irene claimed this woman (from what he understood) was a ghost, once dead now she supposedly had come back to life. Once thought impossible, but with all the other strange things that had happened…could it really have been possible that she would come back to life. Why was she so familiar? Had he know her before she died?

He watched as Madeline pulled the covers over Irene, "Well…that's better," She grinned as she patted the blanket, "Now I suppose, you're wondering why I'm here." She glanced at Peter for a second.

"Yes I am, it is a curious thing for an angel to visit me."

"Well," She pulled up a chair, "I'm mainly here to see you before you go." It was the truth- though there had been another reason for the visit-but Irene's time was running short. It was written clearly as the years on her face and the fact that Peter was here was even more proof. The elderly woman had been her only friend for awhile, one of the few people who had been able to see her, had made that so. She had been grateful for the connection to the living, so she would say goodbye properly.

"Well dear," Irene sighed, "You can't see angels can you?"

"Not anymore," she patted her hand, "I'm no longer one."

"Yes I understand. I appreciate that you have come. Yes, it is true my days are so few but I'm not worried as there are many kind Angels. I think I'll do well with my friends."

"There are things I need to share with you. I saw my son." She said still somewhat awed by the fact she actually had touched her baby.

"How exciting!"

"Yes, he was all grown up. I wish I had been there for him, and not just watching." She confessed her voice broke and she willed the tears away.

Peter was fascinated and confused on what to do. If Irene were delusional was it okay for Peter to let this woman help feed into them? Did she also believe these fantasies? Was all the woman had just said true? If his brother could fly, why not, but why would she freely let Peter be aware of such a thing? Would she not want to keep the fact she was once a ghost a secret to-at the very least—keep people from thinking she was insane.

"I'm sorry,"

"It's not your fault. Anyhow I have so much to share with you. I'm doing very well in chess, I have beaten Mr. Linderman a couple of times."

Peter raised a brow, "You know Linderman,"

"Yes, perhaps that is how you know me." She exclaimed a little too excitedly. That's it, Peter, think about it. "That must be why I seemed familiar to you. We must have seen each other at one of his parties."

Something seemed off to Peter, strange, why would she point that out?

"Oh how delightful," Irene clapped her hands in excitement. She was fond of her caretaker, "You have met Peter."

"Yes unfortunately I can't recall much of our encounter, if any." She thought for a second about when she first saw Peter. He had been such a tiny thing with his round brown eyes and chubby little face, Angela had such a glow back then; though it was short lived. Madeline then recalled the last time she saw Peter, when she was alive. Still young-about the age Gabriel was-and he already felt worth less than Nathan, her heart had broke for him and yet… she saw his greatness and strength come from his pain.

"I can't recall much either," he confessed but he somehow had known it wasn't the parties. There was something important about this woman, if he could only remember. "No I don't think that was it. I think I knew you when I was child…"

She laughed, "That's impossible, I believe that I'm the same age…well I suppose we could have met as children, but I suppose that is not an easy thing to remember, perhaps I look like somebody you once knew."

"I suppose," he agreed but something told him that was not it either, "well…should I leave you two alone?"

"Yes, we have so much to talk about." She agreed and Peter left her alone. As he waited he still thought about how he might of known her and the fact that (well Irene had) claimed she was an Angel. She made her way passed him.

"Do you believe you're an angel?"

"No, of course not, but…Irene isn't wrong either."

"I don't understand." He looked at her with confusion and she just smiled.

"It will take time, all will reveal itself." She turned the knob, "Remember that, time, in particular: a watch, is the other connection you seek."

"What?" She was already out the door he followed her but she was already gone.

Author's Commentary: In desperate need of betas, I want to get back to writing and posting but I go and search betas and half of them don't respond or say no, actually most of them. So anybody know of any Betas or want to be mine please let me know. Sorry yes, it is short, I'm trying to speed up the plot to, so let me know if it was okay or not.