Title: Soothe me
Fandom: Heroes
Author: ArinnaVal
Pairing: Peter/Claire
Rating: NC -17/M
Warnings: Incest; sexual situations;
Disclaimer: I don't own Heroes if I would Paire would be actual couple.
Spoilers: Up to "Let it bleed"
Summary: He had told her to leave, but she stayed...
Thanks to my wonderful beta: 44excalibur- Alex!

A/N: Written for pairechallenge's One-shot #15 "Like Lovers" song challenge.

Soothe me

He had told her to leave, but she stayed.

Claire sneaked into Peter's room at the Petrelli mansion and curled up on his bed. She buried her nose in the pillows and could tell that there was no scent of him, but she could still feel his presence there. Her hands fisted the soft material and she let out a tired sigh. It had been a tough day, one of the toughest in her life up to this point.

Nathan was gone, and as if that was not enough, Peter was nearly killed by his own stupidity. But no matter how strange it might have seemed, Claire knew him; she knew how much he had loved his brother. Nathan was Peter's big brother; he was his family and the grieving was not easy for Peter. Claire would never admit it to Angela, but she was right about her son. It took a lot for him to finally admit his feelings to her.

Peter cried, and that ripped out Claire's soul. She had never seen him crying.

He was her hero…

Claire would never forget the moment when she had wrapped her arms around him. Peter had lowered his head onto her shoulder and just stood there. The only sign of his suffering was the light shaking of his shoulders and the tears she could feel soaking through the fabric of her shirt.

Claire asked Angela to stay.

Peter had told her he was fine and he would be better as soon as this night was over. He had smiled and promised her everything she had wanted from him. Claire could see that Peter wanted to keep his promises. She was sure that he would not betray her trust, but she still could not leave him alone.

Claire stayed at the mansion, but in another room. She could not fall asleep, and that was how she had ended up being in Peter's room.

Claire stirred in her thin dress and closed her eyes. It was not as if she could catch a cold, after all. Just as she was about to fall asleep, the sound of the window opening woke her. Claire opened her eyes and stared into the darkness. She saw the silhouette of a man flying into the room. He landed softly on the only spot on the floor lit by the moonlight.

It was Peter.

Claire kept her silence and watched him head straight for the bed, but he could not see her.

Peter's back faced her as the mattress sank under his weight. Peter leaned his palms on the bed with a sigh. At least he was not crying; Claire could swear to that. But his whole being screamed of sadness. Claire wanted to touch him now. She wanted to take care of him, but something stopped her.

"I know that you are here," Peter whispered in the darkness. Claire winced at the thought that he was talking to her, but his next words proved her wrong. "I know that you are here, Nate. I wish I could wipe that day from my memory. A part of me wants it so badly. If it wasn't for Claire… I feel her close you know? She is the only person I can trust from now on and that kinda scares me." Claire stirred. "I promised her my honesty and I have to keep it. I don't think I could sit here and do nothing to avenge you, Nate." His voice broke. "I have to do it, because… this is what I have to do! It's a must!" Peter skipped a beat. "It's ironic, don't you think? I promised her and I have to keep my promise. You know me and my promises – never happen. But Claire… she's different, man. " Peter shook his head. "I don't want to hurt her, I want to take care of her. I want her near me so I can keep her safe… and that scares the hell out of me, 'cuz it's wrong to want that. "

"It's not wrong." Claire could not take his suffering. Peter turned in the direction of her voice.

"You didn't go back," he murmured.

"I didn't." Claire shook her head and sat on her folded legs.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

Peter looked at her with amusement. He shook his head and slowly got off the bed. His eyes glowed in the dim light of the room. He noticed her thin nightgown and shook his head again.

"I'd say that you'd catch a cold, but… that seems too cliché," he murmured, and turned his back to her. "You shouldn't be here. You told me you have classes tomorrow."

"I still have them." Claire shrugged, knowing that he couldn't see her. "But it's not important now."

"It is," Peter murmured. "This… all this has nothing to do with you. You shouldn't feel obligated to stay here."

"You think that I feel obligation? Is that what you think?" Claire sighed and crawled onto the bed next to Peter. She touched his back and he turned around. "I didn't know Nathan well enough to love him as my father, but I knew him well enough to respect him. I wish you knew me well enough to know all this."

"Why are you doing this, Claire?" Peter looked at her small hand which now rested on his chest. She looked up at him with confusion. "Why are you so determined to make me feel like this?"

"Make you feel how?" Claire frowned. "I just want to help you."

"You make this feeling real." Peter's hand covered hers. "You make me want to cry when I want to be strong. You make me feel the pain of all this! I don't want that!"

"You have to feel the pain so you can cure yourself," she uttered, feeling the quick beating of his heart. "I don't want to make you feel bad. I just want to help you." Her heart skipped a beat, and then a shy smile formed on her lips. "It's my turn to save you, Peter."

"Really?" Peter tilted his head. "I somewhat lost count."

"I'm sure." Claire raised herself up on her knees and wrapped her arms around Peter's waist.

Claire's head took the place of her hand on Peter's chest and she closed her eyes. She was not sure how he would react to this; they were never that close. Touching each other was like a taboo to them. They only used brief hugs and that was it, never touching without a reason. Claire did not know who invented that rule, but she was fine with it until now. Now she just felt the need to touch him, to comfort him in his pain. That was all she could do for him.

"Thanks." Claire heard his whisper at the crown of her hair. His arms wrapped around her hesitantly. "I came here because I don't want to be alone tonight."

"But if I wasn't here…"

"Never mind."

"What?" Claire looked up at him. "No, tell me. I wanna know."

"What are you doing here?" Peter replied, and pulled back from her arms. Claire frowned, and he sat back on the bed. "I mean…you could've…"

"I know what I could've done. I just thought it wasn't the best idea." Claire shrugged. "Besides, your mother looked pretty sad."

"You never liked my mother." Peter chuckled bitterly. "You didn't trust me, did you?"

"I know you wanted to keep your promise, but Peter... I know you. Well, at least I wish I knew you." Claire shook her head.

"And you wanted to be here just in case?" he asked, and she nodded. "But I could've gone to my place instead of here."

"I know, but I would've been closer to you than if I was at my place in Arlington." Claire shrugged. "If you had called..."

"I wasn't gonna do that." He did not hesitate in his answer.

"I know." Claire nodded. "But I wanted to be here."

"And mom gave you my room?" Peter rose up his eyebrows.

"Nah." Claire blushed. "I came here after they all went to sleep. I liked it here better than in my room."

"Why?"

"Because… it feels close to home." Claire murmured. "It's warmer than any other place in the mansion. This place is like a museum. No offense." Her eyes flicked at him.

"None taken." Peter smiled and took her hand. That caught her by surprise. "I'm glad you are here."

"Really?"

"Really." Peter nodded and leaned into her. Claire's heart pounded when his lips touched her forehead. He never kissed her. Never, until now. She looked up at him with a sad sparkle in her eyes. Peter frowned, and his thumb skimmed back and forth over her cheekbone. "What's wrong, Claire?" His voice was like a caress. "I offended you? Is that it? I'm sorry…"

"No, no." Claire muttered. "You never kissed me before."

"Because… we are like a family." He shrugged and tried to cover up the pain in his own eyes. "It doesn't look right."

"We are like a family?" Claire frowned. "I thought we are like friends."

"Friends, yeah." He chuckled bitterly, but his hand still cupped her cheekbone. "I wish we were. Then it wouldn't look so wrong."
"What?" Claire swallowed hard. "What's wrong? I thought we were close. We are like…"

"Yeah," Peter interrupted her. "We are like, but we never will be anything more than family. We can't be friends, Claire." He pulled back and got off the bed. "I should be going now."

"No!" Claire stormed off of the bed and grasped his hand. "Stay! If someone should go, it should be me. This is your room and… well, I guess I have to…" She burst into tears so suddenly that it caught Peter off-guard. "I'm sorry!" She sobbed as his arms wrapped around her slim figure. Her fists clutched his shirt. "I didn't mean… I-I wanted to stay here, because I was close to you in this way and…. I guess I'm trying to say that… they lied to us! My father! I could never forgive him!"

Claire sobbed against Peter's chest and cried out all the pain she kept inside from the moment she had found out the truth. Peter just held her, and Claire was thankful that he was there with her. He was the only one that could make her feel safe, despite his abilities. Even if Peter was only a human, he would still be the only person Claire could trust to protect her.

Peter buried his hands in her hair at the back of her head. Claire could feel him stroke her hair gently, massaging her scalp and making her feel comfortable with the warmth of his touch. She sniffed and looked up at him. Peter smiled and his hand touched her face again. He wiped her tears away, but that only make her sniff again. Then he leaned into her and his lips gently brushed her forehead again. Claire just stood there, her hands still clutching his shirt and her heart racing in her chest. She stood there and did not move when his lips touched her cheekbone. Only her eyes closed and her breath hitched in her chest. She knew he would not dare to kiss her for real. It was not right on so many levels.

His lips touched the right side of her face, but she moved quickly and then… her lips found his. Finally. She could feel his heart quicken under her palm, but Peter did not pull back. He did not move when their lips finally locked. It was something inevitable, something that neither of them could fight anymore. Claire sighed, and her hands slid up his chest to lock tightly behind his neck. She pulled him closer and their kiss deepened. He finally opened his mouth for her, reacting to her touch. She could feel his hands slide down at both sides of her waist and grasp her, almost painfully so. She moaned when he took the initiative and his tongue attacked hers. Claire had imagined Peter's kisses, but this was not even close. It was way better.

Peter wasn't thinking. If he were, he would be gone by now. He would run like he always did whenever they came close to breaking their little taboo. Claire was glad Peter stayed with her. She was glad he was here, and when her hands slid down his chest and worked over the buttons, he did not stop her. She helped him remove the fabric and finally slid her hands over his bare skin. It was not as if they had never done this before. Claire had touched Peter once before when she had played nurse to him after he had fallen from his father's building. But Claire had been careful then; she was not now. Her nails left tiny marks on his skin, and that was the moment when he finally awakened from his delusion.

"No!" He pushed her away and she lost her balance for a moment. Claire looked at him with confusion. Peter shook his head and clenched his jaw. "We can't do that! We can't!"

"We just did!" She stepped towards him and he stepped back. "Damn it, Peter! Let's be honest with ourselves just once! We want this! We wanted it from the moment we first met!"

"I promised to my brother to take a care of you! Not to sleep with you!" Peter hissed and stepped back. Claire stepped forward.

"You want me," she murmured, and her hands touched the stripes of her nightgown. It was cold in the room and she shivered. "I want you…. no one would know…"

"No!" Peter stepped back once more and his back touched the wall. There was no more room left to escape. "I don't want you!"

"Really?" Claire shook her shoulders and the slim nightgown slid down to her feet. She stepped over the thin material and stood before him only in her panties. "West told me that I can check to see if a man wants me. He told me, "If he sees you naked and doesn't react, there is nothing more you can do." And yet… he never saw me naked." Claire touched his chest and her lips brushed his again. "No one ever did."

Peter was weak now and Claire could feel it. That was the only reason for him to give up so easily. He grasped her thin waist again and lifted her up this time. She wrapped her legs around his thin waist and buried her hands in his hair with a moan.

Claire didn't know how they reached the bed, or how Peter suddenly lay on top of her and she squirmed under his touch. Her panties were gone and now she could feel his touch in their place. His hands cupped her soft breasts and rubbed them teasingly. Claire could not react in any way other than arching her back and seeking out his touch. It was something unreal, and yet it was the most beautiful thing she had experienced in a long time.

Peter's tongue drew small circles over her belly on his way down, and when he finally reached the throbbing knot of nerves between her thighs, Claire gave a small moan and felt lighter than a feather. But his teasing was not over. His hands followed the smooth curves of her body until they finally reached the place with his tongue. He was licking, teasing, and biting that place until she thought she could not take it anymore. Her hands grasped his hair the moment she felt his fingers slide into her and begin moving with a breathtaking rhythm. Claire arched her body as thousands of fireworks exploded in front of her eyes.

Peter's mouth covered hers the moment he thrusted inside her. It was quick and so easy; Claire almost did not feel the pain. It was just the warmest and nicest feeling ever. He was here and he was hers right now, that was all that mattered Her body soothed his, and when his moves became faster and deeper, Claire did not stop him. It was a little too quick for her, but Peter was too overwhelmed with emotions to think about that. But when his hand slid between their moving bodies and touched her again, Claire was sure that he could read her thoughts. They were at the same place right now. When they finally reached the end, they did it together with their bodies squirming in harmony.

"Never… say you're sorry." Claire kissed his temple when his head fell close to hers on the bed. She could feel his nice weight over her body and did not want him to move. Her legs locked at the small of his back and she could hear his sigh. "I always loved you, Peter." Again, her heart skipped a beat and her lips touched his sweat-beaded shoulder. "I always will."

"We were nothing like we are now, Claire." She could feel his lips, brushing her neck.

"Like lovers?" She muttered. "We are."

He sighed and rolled her on top of his body.

"You are the only person I can trust now." His arms squeezed her gently. "You are everything I want."

"Mm-hmm." Claire closed her eyes.

"I love you too, and I swear I'm going to protect you," he whispered, and felt her smile on his chest. Then Peter Petrelli did something he had not done in a long time.... he fell asleep with a smile on his face.

When Angela Petrelli peered through the door to Peter's bedroom the next morning, a sad smile appeared on her face. She saw her son and granddaughter in bed, sleeping in each other's arms… like lovers.

Angela's dreams were real, and could come true after all.

The End.