Disclaimer: I don't own Heroes.

My first Heroes oneshot! Rated T for slight language. Pairings include a bit of Peter/Elle and Claire/Peter. And Elle/Claire, kind of.

Dedicated to snappleducated.

Enjoy!

Claire, mused Elle, really did not suit black hair.

"I'll ask you again." growled Claire, through gritted white teeth. Elle felt the cold gun press against her temple, "Where is Peter?"

Elle smirked, her lipstick stretching into a Cheshire cat grin. You would have thought that this was an argument over a handbag, not Claire holding Elle hostage, Elle's feet in a bucket of water and a gun pressed to her head. But Claire had this tendency of forgetting that Elle had been playing this game for a long time now.

"Probably about three years ago, New York, by now." replied Elle, casually. "He always had a thing about slipping away from me."

The gun retreated slightly, but Claire's eyes were hard, and she didn't lower the weapon.

"All right. Then I'll ask you another question."

Shoot. Replied Elle, in her head.

"Why were you helping him?"

Elle sighed, pretending to think the question over, if only to get a rise out of Claire. There was something about her that was so fun to provoke.

"He has a great ass." the blonde shrugged eventually.

"Shut up!" snarled Claire, the gun rising right up again, aiming for Elle's right eye. Elle made a conscious effort not to blink.

"Do you think this is a joke?" Claire hissed, "Do you think that somebody's going to come here and rescue you? Like your terrorist boyfriend, maybe?"

Elle never knew Claire that could snarl. Honestly, she missed the days when Claire thought punching out a car window meant business.

"Bitchiness really doesn't suit you, Claire." remarked Elle, watching her with raised eyebrows, "Neither does that tacky mascara. You're not intelligent enough to use them creatively."

"I could kill you, right now." promised Claire, holding her gone steadily, "But until I get some answers, that will have to wait. This is not a game, and you-"

"What happened to you in just three years, Claire?" Elle suddenly asked, staring into Claire's cold green eyes as if she expected to see the old Claire inside them. "What happened to you?"

"Things change." retorted Claire, and for the first time, she sounded defensive. "People die, people get hurt. Eventually, you get sick of being the victim. Nothing matters when you don't have anything to lose."

"Then, what makes you think any of this matters?" Elle asked, with a smile, but not a happy smile. "Peter's gone, Claire. He's gone back to fix everything. He's going to change the future. THIS future."

"What?" Claire whispered, and Elle finally saw, just for a second the cheerleader that Claire used to be, the one who remembered how to be a hero.

"So, if you really want to know if I think this is a joke." Elle went on, leaning back against her chair with a satisfied wriggle, "Then, yeah, pretty much, since none of this will matter. So, go ahead and shoot me, if it makes you feel better. I wouldn't want to spoil this whole new 'image' you've got going for you."

Claire didn't move.

Elle watched her.

"You've got three seconds."

Claire's finger pushed down on the trigger, just as Elle felt the very ground beneath her shift. The bang from the gun, and the pain from the bullet, never came.

Elle found herself standing in the same abandoned building, but this time, she wasn't tied to a chair.

Peter's image blurred in front of her. Elle's lipstick smile was back.

"You took your time." She informed Peter, stepping briskly out onto the wet pavement.

"We have to go." Peter answered, trying not to smile. "Claire's in danger. Are you coming?"

Elle looked at him, the question burning on her tongue. She wanted to finally see Peter smile.

"Is that a trick question?"

An abrupt ending, I know.

Reviews would be wonderful!