A/N: Techincally, this is my first Heroes fic. This was written for the Heroes-Forgotten Character Contest. If you want to submit something, I suggest you contact zookitty. It wasn't intentionally supposed to be a songfic. But then it turned itno one. So the lyrics are from Let Love In by the Goo Goo Dolls. So . . . I really hope you guys enjoy reading it.

Summary: And he sat there thinking about all the things he had done for her. But the worst thing he had done for her, was having to say good-bye. Hints of ZachClaire romance. Post Season 1. Written for the Heroes- Forgotten Character Contest.

Disclaimer: I don't own Heroes or Let Love In. Heroes belongs to NBC and Let Love In is owned by . . . well . . . whoever is the record company for the Goo Goo Dolls.

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His sight was starting to fail him, and he suddenly had an insight to how Claire lived. The fear of being hunted down, to lose everything he's ever had. Pain overtook his body, and he wanted to scream out in pain. But the fear in the atmosphere kept him quiet.

"Where is she?" A growl asked, intensifying his fear.

"I don't know . . ." Zach whispered, the fight and resolve in his body gone. The tears were streaming down his face from the unbearable pain. "I don't know."

"You know," The voice growled again, "You don't need to do this for her. Just tell me where she is, and I can make the pain go away. You don't have to do this for her . . . you don't have to do this for her . . ."

And he lay there thinking about all the things had done for her. But the worst thing he had done for her, was having to say good-bye.

"So . . ." He began, at a complete loss for words.

"So . . ." She said, with a small, yet sad, smile on her face. He loved that smile. He loved her eyes. He loved her hair. He loved everything about her. But not in that way. She was a good friend and a good person and everything around her lit up his whole world. In the end, she was the most loyal friend he had ever have.

Was it love? Probably not. Sometimes, he would wish at night that it was. He had often argued with himself, that it was to make people stop calling him gay. Other times, he would admit to himself that he had a crush on her and would ask her out the next morning. But he knew, especially now, that it would never come to pass.

Was it a strong connection between two people, like an almost more than friendship sort of thing? Hell yes. He knew that there were sometimes where it felt like they could be a couple. But for the most part, they were just very, very good friends. Who happened to be of the opposite gender, but he often mused that no one was taking that into account.

"I guess this is . . ." He said quietly, letting the words trail of silently.

"Good bye." She finished for him, her voice wavering. "I can't believe I have to say goodbye. To you, to the place where I've lived my whole life."

"It's not really good-bye." Zach said comfortingly, wrapping his arms around her. It felt good, being this small comfort in a life where fear was a constant. He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's never really good-bye. You have my cell number. You have my e-mail."

"It's not enough." Claire said, her voice shaking. He brushed the tear that was slowly making it's way down her cheek. "Peter's dead. My uncle is dead. My father, my biological father, is lying in the hospital and I don't know if he's going to survive. No one here is going to understand that. No one here can help me. Besides, who's going to keep the squad in line when I'm gone?"

A small laugh emitted from both their lips. It was hard to say good-bye, she was right. At the same time, it also seemed slightly easier than it had the night before.

"Zach and Claire, sittin' in a tree!" Lyle called from the car, still able to taunt them through their tender moment..

"Shut up Lyle!" Both Claire and Zach yelled in unison. Lyle stuck his tongue out at them before being reprimanded by Mrs. Bennett.

"Clairebear." Mr. Bennett said quickly, interrupting them. His fatherly senses told him a kiss was going to occur if he didn't intervene in that moment. "Time to go." Claire unwound herself from Zach's grip and she stared at him longingly. He could see in her eyes that she didn't want to go. But that small smile still was on her face.

You wait, wanting this world
To let you in
And you stand there
A frozen light
In dark and empty streets
You smile hiding behind
A God-given face
But I know you're so much more
Everything they ignore
Is all that I need to see

"Claire?" Zach asked. His voice was wavering. This was good-bye. She was really leaving for California. This wasn't all a dream. His gaze was distraught as he looked at her.

"Yeah?" She asked, her voice was soft and she was staring at him sadly with her big hazel eyes. It honestly made his heart rip in two. Parting, he decided in that moment, was not sweet sorrow and Shakespeare was utterly, utterly wrong.

He smiled, offering her the silent words that everything was going to be okay. His eyes were betraying him, silently begging her not to go. He wanted her to stay, he never wanted her to leave his sight, he wanted to be able to protect her. Just like she protected him. Instead of saying everything that had been bottled up in his mind, he murmured, "Don't let Cali change the Claire I know, okay?"

The smile on her face grew a little bit at his words. He prided himself in giving her that moment of happiness. He knew he had that affect on her. Then again, he had that affect on everyone. But right now, it was more import ant that he could make Claire smile. Who else would make her happy now, in California of all places? They would most likely take her for granted and throw her aside when they were done.

You're the only one I ever believed in
The answer that could never be found
The moment you decided to let love in
Now I'm banging on the door of an angel
The end of fear is where we begin
The moment we decided to let love in

I wish
Wishing for you to find your way
And I'll hold on for all you need
That's all we need to say
I'll take my chances while
You take your time with
This game you play
But I can't control your soul
You need to let me know
You leaving or you gonna stay

"I'm still Claire." She said, her eyes shining brightly with the tears she couldn't cry. "I always will be." She threw her arms around his neck, shuddering with the force of her tears, that judging by the dampness of his shoulder, she was now crying. "I'll never forget you Zach. You're the best friend I've ever had."

He wrapped her arms around her again. "Right back at you . . . Clairebear." She looked up at him, slightly amused, annoyed, and sad at the same time. He tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "Be safe." His brows were knitted together in concerned, knowing she would be the farthest thing from safe.

"You too." She smiled at him. Once again, she unwound herself from his embrace. With one last sorrowful look, she got in the car, and drove away from him. Zach stood there, in the setting sun, watching the only girl he ever cared about move farther and farther away from him.

This, he could easily recall, would be the only time he wished he had a super power. He wished he had super speed, so that he could keep with their car. All the way to California. The tears he had kept bottled in poured over, as he stood in the middle of the street. Long after the car she had left in was no more than a speck on the horizon.

There's nothing we can do about
The things we have to do without
The only way to feel again
Is let love in

There's nothing we can do about
The things we have to live without
The only way to see again
Is let love in

The unbearable pain of having his forehead sliced open brought Zach back to reality. The malevolent face loomed over him and Zach realized in that moment, he was going to die.

"I'm going to ask you one more time." The dark figured growled angrily, wincing slightly. Trying to find Claire's location was draining him slowly. Zach noticed his attacker blink several times, as if to clear his sight."Where is Claire?"

Zach let out another terrified scream as more of his forehead was sliced open. "'.you." He finally spit out after several moments.

"Playing the hero, are we?" The figure looming over him sneered. "Then you can die like them too!" The figure drew his finger in front of Zach's forehead.

"Claire . . ." Zach whispered. This was good-bye for forever and she wasn't there. He closed his eyes and pictured Claire's face in his mind. The figure momentarily stopped, as if it were in too much pain to continue. The tears streaking down Zach's face mixed with the pool of blood he lay in. "Claire," He murmured. "I'm sorry."

"Where is she?" Snarled the figure.

I can still save you Claire. "Mexico." Zach rasped, trying to savor each breath in his body.

"Where in Mexico?" Snarled the figure, extending the long red line on Zach's forehead. Zach gritted his teeth in pain.

The figure's aura changed, from menacing, to sadistically content. "Thank you. I'll make your passing much easier."

A sharp sting penetrated his chest. Good bye Claire. Zach thought, his eyes fluttering shut. His last thoughts were filled with her, and his last breath was cut short

And thousands of miles away, Claire stopped suddenly and looked behind her. Tears filled her eyes, and she almost knew what exactly happened in Odesa. "Good bye Zach." She whispered, the tears streaming out of her hazel eyes.

You're the only one I ever believed in
The answer that could never be found
The moment you decided to let love in
Now I'm banging on the door of an angel
The end of fear is where we begin
The moment we decided to let love in

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I really really really really hope you guys enjoy it. If there's anything you didn't get, or you liked or whatever. Let me know in a review or in a PM! And I really hope I do well in my contest thing!