Title: Come What May - CHAPTER 29 OF 29
 (Epilogue)

AUTHOR: obisgirl

Rating: PG-13 (non-incest)

Characters: Peter/Claire

Summary: Five months after Peter "left" with Claude, Claire is living in the Petrelli mansion, wishing that Peter would come back to her. But every day he's gone, Claire begins to doubt that he'll come back.

Spoilers: Company Man

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, just borrowing. All NBC's and Tim Kring's. Please don't sue!


NOTES: Chapter 28 & the Epilogue have been beta'd by Alaric.

Claire panted heavily, facing her target unflinchingly before he struck at her again; she ducked late, though and he hit her left arm. It hurt for a moment and then healed. The next time he hit her, though, she caught the stick with her right hand. The man chuckled, taking it away.

"You're getting better," he complimented, "That's good,"

"My focus is getting better...but I think we need a break," she mused, walking over to pick up her bottle of water. "You, on the other, are getting rusty."

Claude frowned, pointing to himself. "I'm getting rusty?" he retorted, "Trust me, love, I've been doing this a lot longer than you have. And your old man's not getting rusty."

Claire smiled, rolling her eyes before she took another sip of water. "Okay," she said flatly, glancing at his watch. "What time is it, by the way?"

"Around 5:30," he mused, "Why?"

"It's 5:30 already? I'm late!" she cried, grabbing her jacket and kissed Claude on the cheek. She thanked him for the work-out and rushed off.

Claire had no idea it was so late -- she just hoped Nathan and Heidi hadn't left the mansion without her. She breathed a sigh of relief though when she saw Peter waiting outside with a car. As soon as he saw her, he smiled, opening the passenger side for her. Claire walked calmly over to him, kissing him before getting in.

"How did training go?" he asked.

"It was good --- my focus is getting better," she mused, "I thought Claude would go easy on me because I'm his daughter, but he hasn't."

Peter smirked. "Good," he teased, "With the way things are going, soon you'll have to start dressing up like Supergirl, rushing into burning buildings and saving people."

Claire shook her head. "I'm all for saving people, Peter, you know that, but there is no way that I'm going to start wearing blue spandex and a red cape," she mused.

"Actually, I wouldn't mind the blue spandex that much," he teased, eliciting a playful punch from Claire.

Thankfully, they arrived at the mansion just as Heidi and Nathan were leaving. "I told you that she would be here," Heidi said.

"You're late," Nathan said as Heidi threw him an angry glare. She knew that Claire wouldn't miss her appointment, but Nathan insisted that he knew that she was going to be late.

"You're not late," Heidi insisted. "We still have a few minutes to spare."

"Thank you Heidi," Claire smiled before glancing at an annoyed Nathan. "I just need to get dressed and then we can go."

Nathan muttered something as Heidi motioned that she go inside and dress quickly. Claire kissed Peter's cheek, thanking him for the ride before rushing inside the mansion and to her room.

"Ride?" Nathan questioned, glaring at his brother. "You gave her a ride? Why didn't you fly?"

"Because you have that 'no flying during the day' rule," Peter reminded him, "Just relax, Nathan. Everything's going to be fine."

"Peter's right," Heidi added as Claire joined them, dressed appropriately. "See."

"Fine," Nathan conceded, "Let's go,"

"Mr. and Mrs. Petrelli," Mrs. James greeted as Claire stood between them, smiling politely at the guidance counselor. She gestured that the three of them sit down. Once settled, Mrs. James looked at Claire, still smiling. "You must be Claire."

"I am," she said.

"Thank you again, Mrs. James, for making time on your busy schedule to meet with us," Heidi added.

"It's no problem at all...So Claire, how far have you gotten in your studies since leaving Odessa?"

"Um," she hesitated, "Actually, I've been too busy with other things to pay full attention to my education."

"Oh, I see," Mrs. James mused, "Moving from one school to another across the country can be difficult. Well, we have two options for you, my dear. You can either enroll now and continue taking classes for the remainder of the year or..."

"What's the second choice?" Claire prompted.

"Audit classes now and then register in the fall for a full semester," she finished.

Claire hesitated a moment. In the beginning, Nathan and Heidi let it slide that she had missed the last half of her junior year because they were all adjusting to her living there.

Even though she wasn't attending school then, she had expressed interest in looking into area schools for the fall semester. Heidi was so happy and quickly left messages with several high school principals.

A couple responded back but unfortunately, because it was so late in the school year, it would be impossible for Claire to attend. Thankfully, there were a few that considered it.

Mrs. Kelly James was one of the first to call back the Petrelli's. Of course, they had to explain why a seventeen-year-old girl like Claire was staying with one of the more prominent New York families, so Heidi said that she was her niece.

"Auditing?" Nathan questioned, "I thought that was something you only did in college?"

Mrs. James laughed. "It used to be, Mr. Petrelli."

"So, if I audit my classes this term, what does that mean?" Claire wandered.

"Well, you wouldn't be penalized if you miss a class or two. You won't even be required to take exams."

Claire glanced at Heidi and Nathan. She preferred to start taking classes in the fall, anyway. Besides, between taking them now and August, she could use that free time to find her biological mother and of course, spend time with Peter.

"Sounds good," she reasoned.

Mrs. Jones smiled. "Excellent, she added, standing up as Heidi, Nathan and Claire followed suit. "Now, if you would like, I have cleared time on my schedule to tour the school."

"Yes, we would like that very much," Heidi replied, much to Claire's dismay. Nathan just smiled, the only polite thing he could think of.

"Wonderful," Mrs. James exclaimed, going to the door, "Please follow me."

Heidi, Claire and Nathan arrived back at the mansion three and a half hours later. The principal, Mrs. James, gave them a full tour of the school. After they were done, she invited them to have some lunch in the cafeteria, but that there was Nathan drew the line. The school they had chosen was a public school, and even though he and Peter had never attended a public school, he had heard horror stories about public school cafeteria food.

The situation was so embarrassing. Nathan wanted to leave but Heidi wanted to stay, saying that the food was a part of the experience. If Claire hadn't said anything, the three of them would still be standing outside of Mrs. James office, watching Nathan and Heidi argue.

With two votes against one, they left the school and returned to the mansion. When they got in, Heidi went upstairs to check up on Monty and Simon, and Claire found Peter lying on the couch, flipping through channels. Claire smiled, sneaking up behind him and kissing him hello. Peter dropped the remote control and turned around, kissing her back.

Nathan stared blankly at the couple, shook his head and then quietly excused himself. The last thing he wanted was to see his brother making out with his younger girlfriend.

"I missed you," Peter cooed, "It's been so quiet around here since you left."

"I missed you too," she mused, kissing him again, coming around the couch and sitting on his lap. Peter couldn't help but grin as Claire relaxed against him. "Nathan and Heidi were about to get into a serious fight in front of the principal's office over public school food."

Peter laughed. "You're joking..."

Claire shrugged. "I wish I was."

He laughed again, unable to picture Nathan and Heidi fighting over food. "Aside from that, how did everything else go?"

"Since it's too late in the school year for me to start attending classes, I'm going to audit instead and then register in the fall for classes."

"That's good."

"It is," she agreed, "Because it frees up this summer."

Peter frowned, looking at her curiously. "What's going on this summer?" he ventured.

Claire smiled. "For one, my birthday in August and two, looking for my biological mother," she reasoned.

"But Claude said..."

"I know what Claude said, but I still want to look for her Peter, and I want you to help me," she continued, "I need answers, Peter, about who I am and where I come from."

Peter understood her desire to find her biological mother but he still remained skeptical that the woman was still around. "What if she's gone, Claire?"

She sighed. "I still need answers," she resolved, "Please Peter, I can't do this alone."

Peter smiled, kissing her forehead. "All right, we'll look for her together. Whatever we find, we'll face it together," he promised. "Come what may."

The End