Spoiler Warning: Spoilers up to episode 12 (Godsend)
Disclaimer: I do not own heroes, if I did I’d be on cloud nine right now lol
----
Chapter 1 Piece of the Puzzle:
As they walked away from the construction site a thousand words filled her mouth, a thousand stories that had to be told. She told him everything. It felt good to finally be able to tell someone everything that had been plaguing her mind, but she was surprised to find that there was one thing that felt even better. That one thing was Zach by her side. She was surprised out how right it felt to be there beside him. It felt like the missing piece of her puzzle had been put back in place. She didn’t even care that he didn’t remember. It didn’t matter. He had given her a second chance…and that was enough. She sent him a gentle smile.
They walked the familiar road back to where she lived. How often they had walked it together of late. How normal it now felt. The whole way she told him stories; completely filling in the missing details that had been sucked from his mind so harshly. He was shocked, but he believed her. He believed her! How many other people would have? She couldn’t name one. He didn’t look at her like she was crazy, instead understanding filled his features.
A block from her house she stopped him.
“I have to get home…if my dad sees you…he’ll know,” Claire whispered as if her father could hear them now. Zach nodded, still overwhelmed.
“Lift your jaw off the ground Zach, it’s not that weird,” Claire said punching his shoulder.
“Ya ‘cause I’ve met a lot of people who can’t die,” He retorted rubbing his shoulder were she had inflicted the wound. She glared at him playfully and headed off toward home.
Claire lay awake. Sleep evaded her like a leaf on the wind. This house that had once been home, this place that had once been safe, now felt so utterly terrifying. Nightmares had assaulted her mind every night since that tragic homecoming. Sometimes the dreams were of Jackie, blood and the unnamed man whose face she could never forget; sometimes they were of the skeletons-that she hoped not literally- lay in her father’s closet. She shuddered under her covers at these thoughts.
Tonight had been particularly bad. Her eyes refused to shut, afraid of what new terrors sleep when bring. She slipped quietly out of bed and grabbed her cell phone. Before she knew what she was doing Zach’s phone was ringing on the other end.
“Hello?” Sleep clung to his voice making him nearly impossible to understand.
“Zach, it’s me,” Claire’s voice quivered as she spoke.
“Claire? What’s wrong?” Concern cast away every bit of lingering sleep from his voice.
“I needed to hear your voice,” She admitted sheepishly. “…I uh…can’t sleep.”
“Thoughts of me keep you awake at night huh?” He teased.
“Shut up!” She tossed back, trying to suppress a laugh. “I’ve been having nightmares again…”
“About what happened?” Zach’s tone reflected understanding. Something Claire had longed for more than even she realized.
“And about what happened,” She replied. “I’m not sure what scares me more, what I found out or what I still don’t know.” A yawn broke through her words. “I just don’t know him anymore, Zach. I’ve been calling him ‘father’ all my life and now I can barely look at him!” Another yawn issued from her lips.
“You should get some rest, Claire,” Zach suggested softly.
“If only I could!” She moaned.
“Can I help somehow?” Claire glanced thoughtfully out the window.
“Tell me a story Zach,” She begged purposely sounding like a little kid. He laughed at her charade. A smile tugged at her features. She hadn’t realized how much she loved his laugh!
“Alright,” he agreed.
“What? Seriously?” Claire chuckled.
“Couldn’t hurt.” Thus saying this he began. As he spoke she climbed into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. The warmth mixed with Zach’s soothing voice lolled all her pain away. For that one second everything was perfect. She lost herself into his story and before she knew it sleep had taken her, the phone still clutched tightly in her hand.
