Claire held tight to Sylar as they zoomed through the sky. She kept an eye on Peter chasing after them, he seemed to be keeping pace easily enough.

"How far?"

"Another twenty minutes."

Claire sighed, bored. She settled for taking the opportunity to study his face up-close. He was a handsome guy, with his heavy brows, large puppy-dog eyes, and sweet, kissable lips. She leaned in and kissed the corner of his mouth, making him lose momentary concentration and dip low in the sky.

"Sorry," she lied.

Sylar gave her an odd look, but didn't respond, except to bring them back to the proper altitude.

"So, what happens when we get there?"

"Lots of action."

They flew silently on, until at last they landed on the roof of an old school in the middle of nowhere. "Stay low, stay close."

She hunkered down, sticking close to his heels, Peter right behind her. They hurried through the roof access and stopped suddenly. She could barely see in the dim light, but there was no missing the two men who flew through the air passed them, crumpling against a wall.

Their line crept forward again, stopping every so often so Sylar could discharge guards in their way. Finally, they reached a door that Sylar found interesting. Holding a hand up to them, he slowly straightened so he could peek through the window.

He gestured for them to move with their backs against the wall. He took a deep breath, ran a finger down Claire's cheek, and put on his cold, emotionless mask. "Stay."

"Noah," Sylar announced, flinging the door open and strolling into the packed room.

"Sylar," Noah and Charlie hissed at the same time.

"Hello Charlie. Making friends?" Noah's gu8n stayed locked on the younger man.

"Where is she? Where's Claire?" Noah snarled.

"Come with me and I'll show you." He pushed his palm out at two men who charged towards him, flinging them into the far wall.

"What did you do to her?" His gun shifted to Sylar.

"She's safe. Now, now, Charlie, that isn't polite." He barely stopped him before he shot a fireball at Noah. "Come with me; Claire isn't far."

"As if I would ever trust you!" He squeezed the trigger.

"Dad! No!" Claire shouted from the hallway, where she had been waging a silent war with Peter.

She heard Sylar groan, but not from the bullet that spun, suspended in the air in front of him. "Peter," he growled.

"What was I supposed to do? Gag her?"

"Claire-Bear?" Noah lost focus and dropped the gun as a carnie tackled him from behind.

Sylar sent the bullet into the man's thick chest, turning his attention to three men firing various elements at him.

Peter shot lightening at a man and woman running at him, dropping them instantly with screams of pain.

Claire ducked as a jet of scalding water flew at her head. Hands grabbed her roughly from behind, hauling her to her feet.

"Quiet Claire-Bear," Charlie whispered in her ear, hand clamped firmly over her mouth. "Let's go." He drug her backwards toward the door.

She fought as hard as she could, elbowing him as hard as possible. But, it was difficult to get any power in the moves, when she couldn't keep her feet under her.

Just as they reached the door, she wiggled enough that his hand loosened on her mouth. She took the opportunity to bite down hard on the flesh.

"Ah! Bitch!" He slapped her hard across the face.

"Sylar!" she screamed as Charlie wrestled her back under his control.

"Peter!" Sylar yelled, raising a hand at Charlie, but large arms clasped around him, pinning his hands to his side.

"I don't think so, Daddy," Charlie laughed, aiming the gun at Noah.

Claire screamed, twisting free. Peter shot electricity at Charlie, frying him extra crispy.

As if everything were happening in slow motion, Sylar saw the desperation on Claire's face as the gun fired. He threw his head back, breaking the man's nose and his grip. He dived forwards, knocking Noah to the floor. But, everything went black.

"Sylar? Sylar!" Claire ran to them, where they both lay, not moving. "Dad? Oh God, please? Please?" She knelt beside them, trying to find the source of all the blood. She wasn't even aware of Peter dispatching the last two carnies.

Noah groaned and sat up, rolling Sylar's limp body off of him.

"Dad! Are you okay? Sylar?" She shook his bloody shoulder. "Wake up! Please, wake up." Tears were pooling in her eyes.

"I don't understand," Noah moaned, rubbing the back of his head.

"Peter! Peter, help me. We have to find that bullet. It must have hit his shut off."

Desperate, she ran shaking hands over his bloody torso.

"Get his shirt off," Peter instructed, calmly. "Move Noah."

"Why are you helping him?" Noah asked, pulling Claire away.

"Let go!" She struggled and punched him hard in the cheek, returning to her lover's side.

"He just saved your life," Peter answered, wiping away the blood to find the source. "And he saved your daughter, too. If you won't help, then just stay out of the way."

"Have you lost your minds? This is Sylar!" He held his bruised cheek. "He killed Nathan."

"What about you?" Claire accused, satisfied that Peter was expertly extracting the bullet. "You're trying to make a super baby. Kidnapping women and inseminating them!"

"What?"

"How do you know about that?"

"Samuel told me."

"And you believed him?"

"No. I believed Sylar."

":He's waking up," Peter announced. "Where are the women?"

"Hidden."

"Not anymore. Let's go. You're taking me to them and we're letting them go home."

"That's not going to happen."

"You have Emma!" Peter challenged.

"Sylar?" Claire whispered when he drew breath again.

"Thanks," he said softly.

"Thank Peter; I panicked." She helped him stand up.

"Where is she?" Peter screamed, lightening crackling in his palms.

"No," Noah said, shaking his head.

"I'll take you, Peter," Sylar cut across them.

"No. No!" Noah yelled, raising his recovered gun. "I know where your spot is now." He smirked.

Claire moved in front of Sylar, placing her head directly in the way. "You have to stop, Dad. It's wrong!"

"It's not that simple! If I can make it-"

"It? The baby is an 'it'?"

"Claire, you don't understand the things we could accomplish."

"We're freeing those women," Claire decided. "We're taking down this whole operation. And if you get in the way, we'll treat you like the rest of the bad guys." She kicked Charlie's blackened body for effect. "Goodbye Dad."

"Claire! That's enough. You can't choose them over me."

"I already did."

She held Sylar's hand and led the way out.

The End.

Thank you to everybody who read this! And especially those who reviewed and nagged and kept me motivated! One last review please?