:: H | E | R | O | E | S ::

AdminSeb · Subject: Re: :: H | E | R | O | E | S :: Wed Sep 30, 2009 8:04 pm

The drive was long and silent. Claire was anxious, twisting her hands together as her nerves compiled inside of her. How could she continue to be alone with him? It was driving her insane, and she ached to learn more about him. What could she do? She turned her head, letting her hands fall motionlessly in her lap as she gazed out of the window. Tonight, her world would change.

--

"We'll find these people, capture them, and save the world from disaster." His voice rang throughout the room. It was Building 26, a place dedicated to hold heroes captive. Much like the Company's buildings, except reinforcements would be much better. Nathan had learned well from his mother's mistakes. He looked to the man in charge, an older, bald man with dark eyes. He came forward shaking his hand. "Hello, Mr. Petrelli. I'm Danko, and this is my team." He ushered towards the dozens of men in the room.

--

"I've taken care of the rooms." Zoey handed Jason a set of keys, keeping a set to herself. "In your room there are 2 single beds and a couch and table. Claire and I have the same arrangements in our room." Zoey looked over, smiling at Claire. "I figure sleeping in the same room with a guy had it's restrictions. We'll be sharing from now on." She didn't think that Claire would mind at all. Jason's words put her mind at ease about Sylar and Claire. But she still didn't see why Claire would have a problem with the sleeping arrangements.

The blonde hesitated, standing outside their Saab. Her blue hues traveled over to Sylar. For almost 2 weeks, they had been sleeping in the same room, in the same bed. Without him at her side at night, she felt wrong. Around him she felt safe, which was an odd comfort. Her eyes narrowed then, and she thought about how defenseless she was before. And how she wanted to be anything but defenseless again. She didn't need Sylar to protect her.

Claire nodded without saying a word. She reached into the trunk of the car, yanking out her bags. Over the past 2 weeks, through all of the rigorous training, she had also gain a bit of muscle. She wasn't exactly tough, but she was no longer weak. And she had to remember that. She didn't need anyone to protect her. She needed to learn to rely on herself. It was Claire's turn to save the world and leave the cheerleader behind.

She gave one last look at Sylar, almost relieved that they wouldn't be a close to one another tonight when they got back from breaking out Peter and her father. How could she face the two of them and sleep int he same room as Sylar right before their eyes? Claire followed Zoey up the stairs, her belongings in her hand. "I hope you don't mind me taking the initiative of ordering our rooms." Zoey unlocked the door, tossing her things on the floor and heading back to the car to get the rest of her things. Jason and Sylar were carrying their things to their room when Zoey brushed past them. She smiled briefly, then disappeared back into the room Claire and her shared.

After they were all unpacked, Claire and Zoey headed over to the guy's room to discuss their plans again. Zoey was ready to go, to standby the door. It was already early in the evening, and in an hour or so, the employees of the Company would be heading home for the day. Zoey had changed her green shirt into a dark black one, and encouraged Claire to change too. When Claire came back over to the guy's room, she was in all black. She had her blonde hair tied in a tight ponytail behind her head, to keep her locks of hair in place. Zoey pulled out a few things that Claire hadn't seen before. Things similar to what Noah had when he enlisted Sylar's help in the beginning.

"Okay, we'll drive by. Drop me off about a mile away from the building." She slipped the ear piece into her ear, turning on the radio frequency that would connect them all. She showed the rest of them how to do it, and what button to press to communicate with each other. "I'll connect to you guys once i get in safely. If anything goes wrong, I will be setting these bombs off in various places in the building while waiting for people to clear out. Hit one of these buttons," There were about 4 of them on the chunk of metal, "and a bomb will go off. It will cause chaos and distract them." A few minutes later, after a few more shared words, they all headed out.

They say don't play with fire, but what if you can't get burned?

_________________

Well I can stand by the side, safe, watch this life pass me by...
Not taking chances so I don't feel the pain..

So what if it hurts me? So what if I break down?
So what if this worlds throws me off the edge and my feet run out of ground?

I don't care about all the pain in front of me, I just want to be happy now

AdminRiot · Subject: Re: :: H | E | R | O | E | S :: Wed Sep 30, 2009 6:25 pm

He packed his things and put his bag on the bed, and then once she came out, she was the center of attention again. His eyes were drawn to her as she started packing. He threw any extra things into the bag and glanced over at Claire every now and then. The chemistry in the room was bouncing off the walls, she kept glancing at him and so did he to her. He smirked and watched as she walked over to him, he could read exactly what she wanted before she said it. Because that's exactly what he wanted to. Her words soothed his ears as he rested both his hands on her hips, her hands now wrapping around his neck. He felt her full body press against him as they kissed, her smooth lips pressing against his as he lifted one hand to the back of her head. Pulling them closer together and with that they kissed.

Jason sighed, leaning against the wall beside her, his eyes glanced at the door as they waited. He had patience, but what the hell could be taking them this long? He wondered silently for 10 straight minutes before Zoey broke the silence. "I don't know, they both seem pretty drawn to one another." He said and crossed his arms. "But he is a killer, and she is just a girl, so I don't see how likely that would be." He spoke, his voice husky and low, he smirked and glanced over at Zoey once more. Was she jealous? To him it didn't quite matter that much of what they were doing, but it did make him curious as to why Zoey was treating this situation the way she was. He smirked and watched as she banged on the door. The door opened slowly and he watched as Sylar and Claire carried their things out. "You guys ready?" He said, watching them and Sylar nodded. "Yeah were ready, lets go." He said and walked past them, a smirk was placed on his lips as he did so, unlike before where he would probably be more reluctant to listen to them. Making it to the car, both pairs of people walked out and went to their vehicles. "We'll see you there at the hotel." Sylar said and packed his and Claire's things into the trunk.

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AdminSeb · Subject: Re: :: H | E | R | O | E | S :: Wed Sep 30, 2009 6:10 pm

Claire smiled briefly when they passed Zoey, avoiding her eyes. When Jason stepped out, the smirk sliding right off his face, Claire looked to Sylar. Were they that obvious? They stepped into their hotel room. She slipped into the bathroom with a change of clothes. She washed her face off, and as she undressed, she wiped off with a wet cloth. Once she was finished wiping off, she got dressed. She had changed into a pair of snuggly fit blue jeans and a soft pink t shirt with the words "Yum" across her breasts in a bold red.

Claire's eyes couldn't help but to find Sylar's again. She tried putting all of her things away without paying too much attention to him, but her eyes always trailed back to him. Finally, she brushed her hair gently, tossing the brush into her bag when she was done. She needed to get out of the room, she couldn't be alone with him any longer without her thoughts drifting back to the roof...

"Sylar.." She whispered softly, giving in. She had to have another taste before going out there and being surrounded by the world. Claire reached for him, enclosing his face between her hands and drawing his mouth down to hers. "Please..." She mumbled against his lips, her eyes closing shut. "Just one more..." Her hands slid up, wrapping around his neck, bringing their hot bodies closer together.

Zoey waited impatiently outside her door. She glanced over at Jason. "I can't believe they've been sharing a room this whole time." The brunette glanced over at her friend, sliding closer next to him as a cool breeze brushed past them. "You don't think they're shacking up, do you?" She waited, looking at the door. Then she shook her head. "No way." Zoey wouldn't believe it. Claire reminded her of a lamb, and Sylar seemed like a vicious lion. The lion wouldn't fall in love with the lamb, and the lamb seemed too innocent to give the lion the time of day. Frowning, she sighed dramatically. Patience wasn't one of her strong points. She banged on their door, "come on. Let's hit the road!"

They say don't play with fire, but what if you can't get burned?

_________________

Well I can stand by the side, safe, watch this life pass me by...
Not taking chances so I don't feel the pain..

So what if it hurts me? So what if I break down?
So what if this worlds throws me off the edge and my feet run out of ground?

I don't care about all the pain in front of me, I just want to be happy now

AdminRiot · Subject: Re: :: H | E | R | O | E | S :: Wed Sep 30, 2009 5:44 pm

His mouth swelled with desire as he stared up at her, he was lost in what to do, but then she decided and bent down to take his lips once more. He felt her moist lips press against his, her teeth slowly biting down on his bottom lip. He moved his hand down her back and onto her hip, and then she placed her fingers under his shirt just above his pants line. Her gentle touch more controlling then ever, he knew what he wanted, and she was pushing him to take it. The fire burned more then ever inside, his possessive hands caressing her back and neck as they kissed and soon she snapped away. The ringing off a cell phone brought them back into reality and with that he watched as she got up searched her bag. Stunned, he stared up into the sky for a few seconds before sitting up and catching a water, listening to Claire, Zoey was on the line. He closed his eyes for a few seconds before re-opening them and catching a towel. Expressionless, he stood up and whipped the sweat off his forehead, glancing at Claire now and then and nodded to her.

As they headed inside, his eyes stayed on Claire, it felt like torture, his desire was right beside him. Her, those lips, he couldn't push away the fact that what he desired most was to hold her again, that feeling he had with her. It was so flawless, and before he knew it, his eyes tore off of her and to Zoey who stood by their door. "Every thing's okay." He spoke before Claire could answer and smirked. "Were ready, we just need a couple of minutes to pack our things." He said to her and walked past her as Zoey's door open, out stepped Jason with a small smirk on his face. He took a glance at Claire and then at Zoey. His smirk suddenly vanishing and suspicion suddenly rising. What were they doing? He wondered and rose a brow to Zoey before leaning back against the wall.

Sylar opened the door and walked in, walking near the bed, he slowly took off his tank top and tossed it on the bed. The clock that once said 8 am now said 11 am. He smirked at that and took a glance at Claire before she headed in the bathroom to change. His body was glossy, sweat sheathing a small layer on top of his skin. He whipped the sweat off the best he could with his towel and started packing things into a bag. His eyes moving to the door once in awhile, thinking about Claire and what had just happened on the roof.

_________________

AdminSeb · Subject: Re: :: H | E | R | O | E | S :: Wed Sep 30, 2009 5:23 pm

She gazed down at him, getting lost in his chocolate eyes. Finally, she lowered her mouth to his, claiming his mouth once more. Her lips slid over his moist lips. A moment later, with her teeth, she nibbled teasingly on his bottom lip. She was tempting him to push it further. She ached to be touched by him, she was thirsty and he was like salt water; the more she drank, the more she thirsted. But she wouldn't push it any further. Claire had taken the risk, she'd made the first move and kissed him wildly. Now it was his turn to take what he wanted, but she wouldn't give it to him easily. Her hand trailed down his chest, and right above his pants line, with a feathery touch, her fingers slipped under his shirt. She brushed her fingertips lightly over his lower abdomen, creating more fire between them.

A moment later, her eyes snapped open and she jerked back. A loud ringing pierced through the air. She stood abruptly, going to a bag she'd brought up to the roof with them. Inside, the contents were simple. A phone and a couple of bottles of water, and two towels for them to wipe off with. She flipped open the phone, recognizing Zoey's number. She breathed quietly, "Yes?" There was a delay, but Zoey responded. "Your room is empty and your car is still here. I was just calling to see if you guys were captured or not. You guys doing..okay?" Her voice showed a bit of worry, and this made Claire smile, despite the interruption. She reached into the bag, plucking out a water and tossing it towards Sylar. "We're doing fine. We'll be down in a few minutes." She closed the phone, looking at the time. She hadn't realized they'd been up there for almost 3 hours.

She pulled out a towel, wiping the slickness off her skin. Claire didn't look at Sylar, her lips still aching for his touch, still swollen from the intensity between them. Oh, she longed to be in his possession again. She swallowed hard, groping inside the bag for the cool bottle of water. she tossed him the other towel, then opened her own bottle of water. Her thirst was momentarily satisfied, but she knew what her mouth truly desired. How could it be that the man she'd once feared and hated with every essence of her being, could make her feel exactly what she wanted? Alive. "Zoey's looking for us. She sounded worried." Claire smiled, thinking the concern was a bit cute.

Zoey put the phone down, frowning up at Jason. They'd gotten in pretty late last night. the brunette had taken the bed furthest from the door. She went right to sleep when she came in last night, not bothering to take her things out of the truck. when she woke up and went next door to see if the other pair was there, she found there room was empty. she got a bit worried, and figured she'd give them a few minutes to come back. Maybe they had went out for breakfast? So she took a shower and changed into a pair of tight fitting leather pants and a tight green shirt that really made her eyes stand out. When she'd gotten out, she decided to call Claire's cell.

They'd be coming back down she had said? So she waited outside their door, spotting them walking together as they turned the corner. She rose a brow, noting the cheerleader's messy hair, Sylar's hair, and the thin layer of sweat on their bodies. Had they been fighting? She eyed them, staring at them closely. "Everything okay?" She asked, looking back and forth between the two.

They say don't play with fire, but what if you can't get burned?

_________________

Well I can stand by the side, safe, watch this life pass me by...
Not taking chances so I don't feel the pain..

So what if it hurts me? So what if I break down?
So what if this worlds throws me off the edge and my feet run out of ground?

I don't care about all the pain in front of me, I just want to be happy now

AdminRiot · Subject: Re: :: H | E | R | O | E | S :: Wed Sep 30, 2009 4:54 pm

It was like pouring gasoline in the fire, it grew and grew! He moved his hand up and down her back. Her lips tasted absolutely delicious! He felt her pull and claim his lips, her legs mounting his one and then her full chest pressed against his. He couldn't believe it, the fire in him was raging on until she slowly pulled back. He lay there with his head against her hand, her hand still in place behind his head. If it was anytime to find something in him, it was now. He looked up at her with something more this time, a small smile drawing at his lips as he looked up at her. He looked up into her Beautiful eyes, seeing something even he hadn't noticed before, or seen until now. She actually had feelings for him. He listened as she quietly whispered his voice, it was angelic, a small smile kept its place on his lips as he moved his hand from the back of her head to her cheek. "Claire. . ." He whispered back, his chocolate colored hues gazing up at her. He forgot what they had been doing before, and was amazed that he was completely lost in his own emotions. He wanted to kiss her again, to claim those lips, to be greedy like he was just seconds ago and he did everything he could to resist her. He kept the small smile, and trailed his fingers across her cheek.

_________________

AdminSeb · Subject: Re: :: H | E | R | O | E | S :: Wed Sep 30, 2009 4:42 pm

And then he touched her back! The fire inside her burst, and she lowered herself, her chest pressing against his. One of her legs were between his, her other leg on the outside of one of his legs. Her hand trailed down over his chest, her lips sliding roughly over his. She claimed his lips with her own greedy mouth, possesing his lips. She captured his mouth over and over again. Finally, she drew back, her blue eyes glassy as she opened her eyes. She gazed down down at him, her eyes full of pleasure and delight, like she was high almost. Her lips were swollen from the need between them, and she searched his eyes for something more. There was still very little space between their mouths. "Sylar..." She breathed his name very softly.

They say don't play with fire, but what if you can't get burned?

_________________

Well I can stand by the side, safe, watch this life pass me by...
Not taking chances so I don't feel the pain..

So what if it hurts me? So what if I break down?
So what if this worlds throws me off the edge and my feet run out of ground?

I don't care about all the pain in front of me, I just want to be happy now

AdminRiot · Subject: Re: :: H | E | R | O | E | S :: Wed Sep 30, 2009 4:22 pm

Her hair surrounded them as she laid on top of him, her Brilliant blue eyes staring down into his. He couldn't look away, he could feel the pull from her, the want. He could feel that static chemistry from last night when they danced, he played it over and over in his mind and then focused on one thing. Her lips coming down close to his face. He was pretty shocked when her lips gently brushed against his, the pull was growing, and he couldn't help himself, and obviously neither could she. Their lips collided together, crushing one another as she took a handful of his hair and pulled him to her. He closed his eyes and quickly moved a hand up to her jaw, moving his hand to the back of her head, he gripped her hair and pulled her down closer to him. He felt her warm moist lips move against his, he felt avaricious, possessive and slid his other hand down her side and carefully across her lower back. The dip there made him crave her even more. This feeling was new and powerful! He didn't want it to end. He felt the power take him over, and it felt great. It was like the entire earth stood still just for this moment.

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AdminSeb · Subject: Re: :: H | E | R | O | E | S :: Wed Sep 30, 2009 4:00 pm

She was groggy when she first woke up, she barely rmemebered anything from last night. It took her a few moments before she finally gathered her thoughts, and by then she was ready to head up to the roof. Normally, after a night like last night, she would feel a bit timid and shy around him. As they headed up to the roof though, Claire felt normal. She was a bit on edge about how things would go between them now. Would he be harder on her? Would he take an easy on her? She didn't want their normal routine to change.

Her answer was met with a fierce fist on the roof, the same fist that came at her the day before, and a week ago. It was amazing that a little less then 2 weeks ago, Claire was the defenseless cheerleader. "Defense player of the year," Peter had once told her. Thinking of Peter, a soft smile tugged at her lips. He was her hero, and she wanted to be stronger, she wanted to defend others like he defended her at one time. She didn't want to be the one who needed to be saved anymore. Claire wanted to be able to take care of herself, and the ones she cared about. Almost 2 weeks ago, she was defenseless. And now, thanks to Sylar, she wasn't as defenseless anymore. Now, instead of peter coming to her rescuse, she'd be coming to his.

"Come on, is that all you've got?" she egged him on, barely dodging a foot coming her way. She couldn't escape the fist coming at her face. His knuckles scraped across her cheek, and she spit blood out of her mouth, a smudge of blood on her lips. She smirked, a wicked grin on her lips. Wiping the back of her hand across her lips, the blood smeared across her hand. She went at him again, the sweat glistening on her skin. She lifted a foot, kicking at him. He gripped it, starting to toss her to the side. She reached out, grabbing his arm and pulling him with her. She would have landed on the ground, but he rolled, her hair swinging behind her, and she fell on top of him.

Suddenly, her heart pounded in her chest. Her breath caught, and she couldn't breathe. Claire waited a moment, and then he complimented her. Her heart softened, and she sighed quietly. Her locks of blonde hair falling down, it was all around them, like they were in the privacy of their own world. she lifted a hand, brushing some of her blonde tendrils off of his face, a careful smirk on her lips. She bent down, her lips only inches away from his. Was this inevitable? Could she even stop if she wanted to? His hands were on her again, and it drove her mad. Her lips brushed over his, gently at first. But it brought back the same static feeling from last night when they were dancing close, and her mouth became hungry. She crushed her lips to his, running her hand up his chest to his head, grabbing a handful of hair and bringing his mouth dangerously closer to hers, capturing him completely.

They say don't play with fire, but what if you can't get burned?

_________________

Well I can stand by the side, safe, watch this life pass me by...
Not taking chances so I don't feel the pain..

So what if it hurts me? So what if I break down?
So what if this worlds throws me off the edge and my feet run out of ground?

I don't care about all the pain in front of me, I just want to be happy now

AdminRiot · Subject: Re: :: H | E | R | O | E | S :: Wed Sep 30, 2009 3:39 pm

His eyes stayed shut as sleep awaited him, but then he felt something gentle touch his cheek. It was her soft skin, and she was so gentle with her touch, the blood flowed twice as fast through his veins as she touched him. Why was she touching him? He wanted to ask, and almost did until she rolled on her side and fell asleep. He opened one of his eyes and took one last glance at her before falling asleep.

The next day came quick, the day they had been waiting for. His eyes opened up and looked at the clock, it was around 8. Sylar sat up and got out of bed, ready for their regular routine. He quickly threw on a blank tank top and some jeans and woke Claire up. She looked a hot mess, but she instantly remembered that they usually got up around this time, so she got up and got dressed as well. They didn't trade words at all while they got dressed, she had on a white tank top and shorts and were both ready to go. They both headed up to the rooftop and he sat a water down on the ground. "We can get some practice in, we'll leave later tonight. Ready?" He said quick and walked over to her, throwing a couple of jabs that she easily dodged. She was a quick learner he thought and smirked. Throwing a few more punches, she ducked and countered, hitting him in the stomach. A gush of air left his body and then he smiled as he took a few steps back. "Your getting better." He said with a small smile, the wind was blowing outside, it was nice, and the sun was rising slowly. It was a great place to train at, and he was glad they had found it. He started to rethink the plan in his mind and then thought about the two, Jason and Zoey. They didn't know his other powers, and they did seem friendly, but he couldn't be so sure to trust them. He dodged one of Claire's legs and grabbed it, before tossing her to the side, she grabbed his arm, causing him to fall down with her. Catching him by surprise, he rolled onto his back and she landed on top of him. Before having any reaction, a small smile played with his lips. "Nice counter." He said slowly with an emotionless look on his face and waited for her to get up. He remembered the time she fell and he caught her, and how he felt them was similar to how he felt now.

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AdminSeb · Subject: Re: :: H | E | R | O | E | S :: Tue Sep 29, 2009 9:44 pm

Claire watched him carefully, her eyes trailing down his body, He was lean, and had enough muscles to keep her eyes trained on him for more then a mere glimpse. She kept imagining his hands on her, was that possesiveness that she felt in his touch? Claire was surprised when it was him who came up behind her, and it wasn't Jason. The flirtation between them was there, but claire was just being playful. It gave her a new idea though, maybe she could bring out those feelings in Sylar again by seemingly getting close to Jason. Would he show that possesive side again? It was a thrill to her, for some odd reason, to be wanted by him. To be claimed by him.

She reached over as his eyes slid shut, her fingertips brushing his cheek gently, a feathery touch. She knew he wasn't asleep, but she didn't mind. She traced a careful finger over his cheek bone, then over his nose, to his other cheek bone. Claire wouldn't have a reason, if he asked. So she hoped he wouldn't. She just hoped he'd let her indulge, and not ask questions. A soft smile tugged at her lips, a bit of excitement pulsing through her veins. claire pulled her hand back, then closed her brilliant blue eyes, pulling the blanket to her chin and turning on her back. "Good night." She whispered softly.

"She heals so quickly that she can't get drunk." Zoey said, frowning a bit. She didn't have any cruel intentions, but she felt like they had no advantages on these people if they decided to turn on them. "Doesn't look like she can defend herself though. Looks like Sylar is the big bad wolf, and she may just be defenseless little red riding hood." Zoey got two of the bouncer's from the club to carry some of her bags. "Got your car? I'd like to get to the hotel and get some sleep. I'm definitely sleeping in tomorrow." She stretched her arms out, stifling a quiet yawn. They were out the door a few moments later, following claire's direction to the hotel.

They say don't play with fire, but what if you can't get burned?

_________________

Well I can stand by the side, safe, watch this life pass me by...
Not taking chances so I don't feel the pain..

So what if it hurts me? So what if I break down?
So what if this worlds throws me off the edge and my feet run out of ground?

I don't care about all the pain in front of me, I just want to be happy now

AdminRiot · Subject: Re: :: H | E | R | O | E | S :: Tue Sep 29, 2009 9:18 pm

Sylar could feel the beat rumble through his soul, his only want was to keep moving. It was exotic, his hands on her hips, he could feel her swing them around, but what surprised him was she liked it, she left them there and continued dancing with him. He moved with her, almost completely controlled by the music, everything zoned away and all of his attention was on her. The music pounded in his ears, and what he didn't notice was the waiter dealing her drinks now and then, he just continued dancing with her, hypnotically and in sync with her body. He hadn't ever experienced anything quite as fun as this before, this was, overwhelming. He felt the beat pulse through his veins as they danced through the night, leaving their worries behind. The music started to slow, and he felt something, something that made his worries fade and made him happy. Claire.

Jason leaned against the bar, he had left a couple hours after Sylar and Claire did and packed his things. He had his suitcase in the car already and had everything ready. He had finished making reservations at a hotel when Zoey came down beside him. "Yeah I'm ready. The weird thing is, Claire wasn't even phased by the drinks at all." He said, his eyes on her and then at the entrance. "She seemed to be fine, Which means." He stopped and let her fill in the blank with a smirk. This girl Claire had a very interesting gift.

Making their way to their room, Claire opened the door and kicked off her heels, Sylar followed in after her and set his things down at the end of the bed. He had a relaxed smile on his face as he took his shoes off and sat at the edge of the bed. "Yeah, what a night." He said, for once no sarcasm was heard in his voice, he was completely content with his words and had a true smile on his face. He unbuttoned his shirt and glanced over at Claire, he was glad she had fun, and was even more surprised that they danced together. The chemistry between them was flawless. The adrenaline that ran through his veins right now was slowly draining, but for him, he always had an adrenaline. But nothing like this, this felt. . Amazing. And what made it even better was knowing that Claire was the one to trigger this feeling.

He watched her head to the bathroom and slowly took off his shirt, putting a black tank top on underneath. He laid back in the bed, and watched as Claire came out of the bathroom. She climbed into bed next to him on her side, and he tried to hide his smile. Getting under the covers, he glanced over at Claire, who looked actually happy tonight. Noticing that she hadn't even mentioned anything about them sleeping in the same bed together. He rested his head back and closed his eyes. "Glad you had a good time tonight, Claire." He spoke, his voice deep, with comfort. He kept his eyes closed and felt the small tug of sleep pull him in.

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