Authors note
This story is based on Heroes. It's the last chapter of a 10 part series. The previous chapters couldn't be posted on this website because Claire was under 18 while this chapter takes place in a alternative season 4 after Claire has turned 18. Most of the storyline is explained within the chapter so I felt it could work as a one shot.
*
"Are you ok? You're very quiet." Mr Bennet observed.
"I'm fine." Claire said unconvincingly.
The silence returned to the car for a while before Mr Bennet said, "I told you, Hiro can teleport most of your stuff to your door room but to have you just appear in your room is not a good idea. There'll be so busy with their own unpacking they'll figure they just missed seeing most of your unpacking, but people need to remember seeing you arrive."
"I know, and I know this is supposed to be Daddy-daughter bonding time, I just..." Claire stammered, trying to find the words, "Do you think it's possible for people to fall out of love?"
"Honest answer?" Mr Bennet asked, glancing from the road to his daughter's face which was difficult to read. He decided to go with honesty, "I think relationships can be very complicated. People can fall madly in love and then the spark which originally brought them together can go out in a flash or slowly fade. For others the intensity for each other may fade but love remains. It's all a question whether what the people were feeling was just lust or real love."
"Gee, thanks." Claire huffed.
There was more silence and then Mr Bennet said, "You're worried about Elle?"
"No." Claire lied briefly, before adding, "It's just that... she wasn't sad. I'm off to college, stuck sharing a room with some girl I don't even know, and I don't know when I'm even going to see the girl I love again, and she doesn't even care."
There was more silence and then Mr Bennet said, "For what it's worth, I think she cares. I truly think she cares about you more than anyone else she's ever known. If she didn't, I would have probably killed her by now."
"Then why didn't she cry? Why didn't she tell me she was going to miss me? I feel like my heart has been ripped out of my chest, and she doesn't care!" Claire said, fighting back the tears.
There was more silence and then Mr Bennet said, "Perhaps she's being mature for once. Understanding this is something you both agreed too and is willing to put on a brave face and just get through it."
Claire felt like yelling at her father again, but she knew it would be a waste of breath. It was an argument they'd had repeatedly since Claire got into Arlington VA. Claire hadn't wanted to go. She wanted to train to be a company agent so she could be close to Elle. Her parents wanted her to go to college first, get a good education and at least consider the possibility of doing something else. So she made a deal with them, she would go to Arlington VA, do all the normal College girl things like staying in dorms, etc and once she graduated if she still wanted to join the company not only would she get trained by Elle but she would get trained to be Elle's partner.
In the long term it was a great deal, but as the start of term drew closer and closer the idea of being away from Elle for so long had become unbearable so naturally Claire had tried and failed to get a better deal. Now she was resigned to her fate, a fate which would be much more bearable if Elle seemed at least a little upset about Claire leaving.
"I get that." Claire sighed away her frustration as best she could, "And, I want to believe she still feels the same way about me that I do about her... and I kind of do, I just... I just wish she told me she was going to miss me, that's all."
*
A few hours later Claire was sitting on her new bed thinking about Elle. She occasionally thought about how she regretted not talking to her father on the long drive over, and how she probably should start knocking on some nearby doors and make some friends, etc, but she kept coming back to her girlfriend.
Dozens of questions echoed through Claire's mind repeatedly. Was Elle getting bored of her? Was she doing something wrong? Was she not doing something right? What was going on with them?
Trying to focus on something else Claire once again looked across at the bags which were on the bed opposite to the bed she was now sitting on. They had been there when she arrived, her new roommate already claiming the bed she wanted before leaving and, presumably, actually doing what Claire should be doing right now and going to explore the surroundings and try and make some friends.
Claire sighed. If there had been one thing she had been obsessing over almost as much as the situation with Elle was how she was going to get on with this girl, who ever she was. Would they find common ground and become friends? Would they fail to connect and end up awkward acquaintances? What happens if she ended up hating her new roommate, or what happened if her new roommate ended up hating her. After all, it wasn't like Claire was going to come out to her new roomie immediately after introductions, but at the same time she didn't want to hide who she was, and how many girls would be cool with rooming with a dyke? About a year ago Claire had liked to think of herself as open minded, but she probably would have been a little worried about sharing a room with a lesbian, which was ironic as she could no longer sleep properly unless she was in Elle's arms.
The last thought reminded Claire she was probably in for a lot of sleepless nights.
Just then her phone went off. Checking caller ID Claire frowned. Think of the devil and she will eventually call you.
"Hey cheerleader, what are you wearing?" Elle greeted cheerily down the phone.
"You saw me a few hours ago. You know what I'm wearing." Claire reminded glumly.
"Oh don't be a spoilsport pom-pom." Elle huffed, "Hey, how about this one... have you still got that butt plug up your ass? I can't remember if you took it out or not this morning."
"I'm not playing Elle." Claire grumbled.
"Well, someone's acting all Little Miss Cranky Pants all of a sudden." Elle grumbled back, "What's got you all cranky Little Miss Cranky Pants?"
Claire was dumbfounded, "You really don't know?"
"Why would I?" Elle shrugged.
Trying her best to not cry out in frustration Claire said, "Elle, I know you don't get some social aspects, and you've never had a relationship before, and I love you, I really do, but sometimes you can just be such a bitch."
There was a moment of silence in which Claire found herself quickly regretting her words.
"Look... I'm sorry, but this whole leaving home thing is a really big deal for me and, and I really need to know that you're going to miss me." Claire explained softly.