Heroes, "Petrelli Land" Peter/Claire, Rated PG-13

[quirkysmuse]

Fandom: Heroes
Title: Petrelli Land
Rating: R/M
Chapters: 5/17
Characters/Pairings: Mainly Peter/Claire, others to be determined
Warnings/Spoilers: AU and Canon Paire, Season One Spoilers, turns AU from "How to Stop an Exploding Man", will not follow Season Two storyline.
Notes: This fic is inspired by the Marvel comic series, "House of M". The inspiration belongs to Marvel, and the Heroes characters belong to NBC and Tim Kring, but the story is entirely mine. Thank you to karathephantom for the beta job!

Edit: 8-12-2008

FFnet Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3735029/1/

Summary: After Peter encounters someone with a dangerous ability, his lack of control causes him to shift reality to the desire of others, where most are happy except one, who vows revenge. Paire.

[Previous Chapters]



Chapter Four

Peter poked idly at the remaining green beans on his plate, and Claire watched him with a pout as they finished their meal in silence.
"Your food's going to get cold," she said in a low voice, perking Peter up from his engrossing thoughts.

Peter blinked and looked at her, his face paling before he chomped on a string bean. He muffled, "Sorry."

Claire giggled. "Well, at least you ate most of it." Her laughter died, and Peter could feel her eyes on him. "So, you seem nervous about seeing Nathan."
"I am," Peter admitted readily. He sighed and leaned back into his chair. "I can't believe he's done all of this in such a short amount of time. He's some kind of world hero, and the whole time I've been sick."

"Not only that, but he's stopped civil wars in foreign countries. Once people with special abilities were publicly known, they became revered and those who had those abilities came into the forefront and started using their powers to promote peace." Claire looked to the side with a dreamy expression on her face. "It was amazing. I didn't have to hide who I was anymore; I could be myself." She turned and looked at Peter again, smiling. "And it was thanks to you and Nathan."

"Me?"

Claire cocked her head at him. "Well, yeah, if it wasn't for the explosion, we wouldn't be here today."

"And Nathan, he wasn't hurt from the explosion?" Peter asked.

"Well..." Her voice trailed off. "There was some minor plastic surgery, but he's okay now. My blood actually helped out a little too." Claire paused, and she reached a hand over and patted him on the arm soothingly. "Listen, you don't have to worry about Nathan. You don't have to worry about anything anymore. You'll get your memory back, and we'll all be here for you."

Peter turned away from her eyes, but he let her continue touching him. "Right," he said, but he knew in his heart something was nagging him. The world was not right enough for him. He had changed it, and even though everyone he ever cared about was happy, he was not. This world felt false to him because he had used Rena's powers to change it.

The fact that he altered reality so much made him sick to his stomach.
Suddenly, he heard a whoosh of air, and there was a loud thump outside the window on the balcony. Claire retracted her hand, and she got up from her seat, putting her fists on her hips. "Not again! Will he ever use the door like a normal person?"

"I heard that, you know," Nathan said, marching through the living room toward the kitchen. He stopped shortly in front of Claire, kissed her quickly on the cheek and went straight to Peter.

Peter could hardly muster the courage to look at him, but he couldn't resist. He met his brother's eyes, and then as his gaze scanned his ridiculous attire, he gaped.

"Good to see you're doing better," Nathan said, arms crossed. The velvet red cloak he was wearing bunched up in between his arms.

Peter's mouth opened, but he could not speak. Nathan rolled his eyes and turned to Claire. "So, what did he destroy this time?"

"Nothing," she said. "It's just that he doesn't remember anything beyond the rescue by the fisherman."

Nathan nodded, giving Peter a hard stare. He pursed his lips and sighed in exasperation. He grabbed the chair and took a seat opposite of him on the table. "Claire, get the dessert ready," he mentioned, still staring at Peter.

"So, we'll have to fill you in again on what's happened in the last couple of years." Nathan crossed his legs and let out a loud grunt.

He scowled. "Claire filled me in on the basics." Peter cocked one eyebrow at him. "So, you're president? A president who's open to the public about his abilities?"

Nathan shrugged like it was no big deal. "I remember Simone Deveaux once saying that we had to embrace our abilities and go public. At the time, I thought she was crazy for even suggesting it." Nathan stared at Peter hard, as memories of Simone flooded his senses. "After that terrorist attack, I went against my judgment and jumped to protect this country. I didn't care… My brother was always ill, and my wife was threatening to leave me. I had even started drinking more than usual. Ma was blaming me for not going according to Linderman's plan, but when those missiles fired…"

"You felt you had no choice. You had to step up and save people." Peter smiled at him, and Nathan returned with a nod. Peter's eyes lit up as he witnessed a brighter, cheerier Nathan before him. "I never pegged you as the one who would be the hero."

Claire set a plate of peach cobbler in front of him, and she moved to give one to Peter. Nathan continued to eye his brother with amusement. He took a bite, and gave Claire a murmur of approval. He wiped his mouth with the napkin before saying, "Well, you inspired me, Peter. You and Claire both did."

Claire moved behind Peter and put her hand on his shoulder. He shifted uncomfortably under Nathan's gaze.

"Claire tells me you don't remember anything about the paternity test either," Nathan said bluntly.

Then, Peter slammed his fist on the table, rattling the forks against their plates. "I don't care about that right now. What I want to know is what the meaning of that billboard outside? For God's sake, Nathan! Don't tell me we're some kind of royalty here. Don't tell me that was what you wanted!" And it slipped out before Peter could hold back. Nathan and Claire surely didn't know about Rena's powers, so how could they know that Peter could grant them what they wanted? Peter looked away angrily and clenched his jaw.

Nathan glanced at Claire, who appeared distressed, and he sighed. "Pete, don't accuse me like that. I can't tell you that what happened with the world after the explosion is exactly what I wanted." Peter met his gaze again, and Nathan's eyes clouded with ferocity. "I saved America and exposed the world to people with special abilities. How could I have even guessed that it would turn out in our favor?"

And in a real world, Peter knew that it probably wouldn't have been favorable. In his world, full of prejudice and fear, what Nathan had done would have probably caused a lot of panic and alienation. However, since it was his powers that shifted reality to the desires of others, of course it had turned out well.

Peter didn't know what sickened him more: changing the world so that his niece could be his fiancé, or changing the world where people with special abilities were honored for being super-human, with his family at the highest point of that reverence.

"You need to tell me more, Nathan. I need to know everything that's happened."

Nathan sighed and scratched his healthy, full beard, and Peter wondered if it was covering up some of the scarring. His brother said, "I don't know if I could tell you everything in just one night, Pete."

Peter's hands balled up in a fist. "Then at least tell me about our family. Why the hell are we on a billboard?"

"Is that what has you so worked up?" And before Nathan could berate him, Peter glanced behind him and saw Claire shaking her head, putting a muzzle on Nathan's taunting. Nathan pursed his lips. "All right, if you must know, it's a bit of propaganda. It's nothing more than a reminder to who's in power."
"Who's in power?" Peter eyed him suspiciously.

Nathan waved a listless hand. "It's nothing to be concerned about. We've had some minor problems with underground rebellions who think they can exterminate people with special abilities."

"It's awful," Claire chimed in, clearing the dishes from the tables. "And to think after all we've done to help people."

"That's enough, Claire." The look on his face was fierce as she bustled out of the room and back into the kitchen. Nathan turned to Peter nonplussed, his face on the verge of a smile.

"So you use that poster as a means for intimidation?" Peter raged at him.
"No! Of course not," Nathan responded tersely. "Peter, there's a lot more you have to understand about the position we play as Petrellis. Other than the Nakumuras, the Sureshes, and the Reines, we're one of the most powerful families in the world. We can't help it if people have this royal perception of us." Peter's eyes widened as Nathan continued, trying to soothe his anger. "And we're also different, and some people have a hard time accepting those who are different. It's only natural those not quite evolved will harbor animosity." Nathan tapped his fingers on the table, giving Peter a reassuring smile. "There's nothing to worry about. Like I said, the rebellions are minor."

"I don't like this idea of royalty and intimidation, Nathan. It seems wrong," Peter chastised.

Nathan sighed again. "Well, if I can't convince you, maybe you just need to hear more about what happened from the others."

"The others?"

Nathan grinned widely. "Our friends, Peter, all of those people who were there when Sylar was killed before the explosion."

Peter felt his mouth go dry. "Do you mean those people that fought at Kirby Plaza are all our friends?"

"Of course, Mohinder Suresh and Noah Bennet kept in contact with them after the explosion. They also helped take down the Company after I became president." Nathan grinned with satisfaction. "Now no one exists to exploit us or study us, Peter. We're on top, and we're in control of our lives now. As it should be."

Peter exhaled heavily, and he ran his fingers through his long locks of hair. For some reason, he just couldn't digest everything Nathan was saying. The world seemed odd, and here they were, free and open to live their lives as they wanted, with no cause for fear or isolation. Their kind was free, and they were resting on top of the world.

Was this the kind of world Nathan truly wanted? Peter shuddered.

"Well," Nathan said. "Say something, Pete." Claire returned to the dining room, holding a fresh bottle of wine. Nathan thanked her, his voice smooth and alluring. Claire giggled at his joke, and suddenly, their voices became muted, and all Peter could hear was his own heartbeat.

"This is…" He couldn't even speak.

"Peter, are you alright?" Claire asked him, and he looked at her with a strange expression. Nathan sipped wine and peered at him with indifference.

"Don't coddle him, Claire. It's just memory loss. It'll all come back to him eventually." Nathan paused and saw Peter give him a sour look. "Are you starting to remember? This is the way the world is, and it couldn't be better for us. I'm a little annoyed you'd actually find fault with it."

Peter gripped the end of the table, ready to snap, yet he managed to calm himself down. 'What the hell kind of world did I create?' Peter bemoaned inwardly.

As if he could hear his thoughts, Nathan spoke to him one last time before heading toward the balcony window. "Get some rest, Peter, and think about what I said some more because you're going to have to get used to it." He paused, and smoothed out the wrinkles in his velvet cloak.

Finally, he said, "It's not like you can change the world if you don't like it; am I right?" And Peter could hear Nathan's laughter echoing throughout the clear New York skies.
TBC…



Chapter Five

Comments

[dragonydreams.livejournal.com]

Ah, so the perfect world isn't so perfect. Nathan's ego is even bigger than ever. I could see how people would want to rebel to "special" people taking control of the world. Great parting line.

[quirkysmuse.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Yeah, I really do think Nathan LIKES being so arrogant and in control of things. Seems fitting, although it's kinda scary.

Once again, thanks for reading and commenting!

[han-corrupted.livejournal.com]

guh. GORGEOUS piece of fic. just wow.
i love the characterizations and the plot and everything.
it all flows so well and your dialogue is so awesome.
i have nothing but praise for you.
can't wait to read more of it! i hope you update soon.

[quirkysmuse.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!