Third Floor Common Room - Saturday Afternoon

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

Claire Bennet had a perfect life. She was the head cheerleader, the most popular girl in school and she had the most wonderful boyfriend on the planet.

However, there was one thing that plagued her. She didn't know who her real father was. Her biological mother had recently confessed that Nathan Petrelli was not her father.

[flashback of Meredith's tearful confession, ending with a close-up on Claire's stricken expression.]

Unfortunately, her mother had been killed by a meteor before she could share the name of Claire's true father.

[flashback of a meteor crashing through the roof of a gorgeous house and a huge glass chandelier falling on Meredith.]

Now Claire must pour through her mother's diaries in an attempt to learn the truth about who she is. If only she had discovered that Nathan was not her father while Peter was still alive...



[open like a common room]

Comments

[youcantfollow.livejournal.com]

Griff sighed dramatically as he fell into a chair. "I hope you're doing something interesting. I could so use a distraction." A distraction from the longing he felt every moment he was in that special someone's presence. If only Alex knew he was even alive.

Or into guys. Closeted life was so, like hard.

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

After a long pause, Claire looked up from the diary. Her beauty was marred by her absolute sadness as not knowing her father's identity.

"I'm trying to discover who my real father is," she explained. "My mother confessed that Nathan Petrelli was not my father, but she was killed before she could tell me his identity."

A single tear glistened on her cheek.

[youcantfollow.livejournal.com]

"That sucks," Griff replied, sighing again. At least she could tell people her woe and get sympathy. No, Griff was alone in his fragile emotional state. "Maybe he was really hot."

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"Naturally," Claire said, tears replaced with instant disdain. "After all, I didn't get this gorgeous being born from the genes of someone ugly."

[youcantfollow.livejournal.com]

"My parents are dead," Griff replied, totally having a point given the conversation. "I think they were okay-looking, but I was just a kid so who knows how I'll end up." Maybe he should blame his parents for how he longed for a boy who was so much taller and broader than he.

Siiiiigh.

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"Oh, Griff," Claire said, rising and slowly walking over to hug him. "Being a half-orphan is difficult. I cannot imagine the pain and sorrow you know."

Being so kind to others was part of the reason Claire was so popular.

[youcantfollow.livejournal.com]

Griff hugged her back, making sure not to let her boobs touch him. Boobs were weird. They should be firm, yet flat, and broad...with just a hint of curling hair and...oh if only.

"Sometimes I think life will get better, and then I remember and it doesn't," he said eloquently. "Speaking of better, have you seen Alex around? I was looking for him earlier."

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

There was something in the way that Griff equated Alex with better that should have struck Claire as odd, but she was the quintessential blonde cheerleader and had more beauty than brains. Plus she was pretty self-centered. Her caring for others was merely on the surface.

"No, I have not seen Alex today," she said.

[youcantfollow.livejournal.com]

Another depressed sigh, "No matter, I'm sure I can find other people to do stuff with. Like, you! Having girl fun today while you search?"

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"It would be more rewarding if I could find any clue to my father's identity," Claire said with a heavy sigh. "Would you like to help me read through my mother's diaries?"

[youcantfollow.livejournal.com]

"That sounds like good distraction," Griff said, grinning at her a little doofily before picking up a book and shuffling through a few pages, thinking how he should start keeping a diary in case his own children one day wanted to know how he'd met their father.

Er.

"Wow, your mom sure wrote some steamy stuff," he commented, going red at one entry.

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"Yes, my mother was rather indiscriminate with her personal life," Claire said with a sigh. "That's why it is taking me so long to discover my father's identity."

[youcantfollow.livejournal.com]

"If I was you, I'd be hoping it was the well-hung Air Force Major. He sounds hot," Griff shared, holding out the page.

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

It was weird, the way Griff said that, but Claire was too absorbed in herself to really take note of it.

She glanced over at the page and did some mental math. It took a few minutes because she was blonde.

"That timing could be right," she said. "I will have to see if I can find out more about this Air Force Major. Thank you so much, Griff. What ever would I have done without you?"

[youcantfollow.livejournal.com]

"Probably read through these a lot slower, and with more hair flipping," Griff answered glibly. "Think he's still in town?" Maybe he could hook up with the Major.

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"I don't know," Claire said. "I'll have to go to town hall and look through some records, I guess."

[tasenburn.livejournal.com]

School outcast Elle Bishop crept into the common room nervously, hoping nobody was there. She breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing nobody but the ultra-popular Claire -- who had always been far nicer to her than she ever deserved -- and one or two other people scattered around.

Elle quietly took a seat, ducking her head so her face was hidden by her long blonde hair.

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

Claire turned on her megawatt smile when Elle entered the room. "Hello, Elle," she said graciously.

[tasenburn.livejournal.com]

"H-hi," Elle stuttered, looking up at Claire. It always surprised her when someone like Claire wanted to speak to her.

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

Having people like Elle in her corner was always beneficial to a girl like Claire.

"I'm trying to determine the identity of my biological father," she explained.

[tasenburn.livejournal.com]

"You mean you don't know?" Elle's eyes widened. "Wow, that's... really interesting."

Lame, Elle. Lame. But not nearly as lame as you thinking it was kind of cool and dramatic.

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"Yes, it is," Claire said. Because everything about her was interesting. "I was adopted. I found my birth mother last year, but she lied to me about my birth father's identity. Now I'm attempting to discover it since she died."

[tasenburn.livejournal.com]

"Why would she lie to you, though?" Elle wondered aloud. "I mean, why would anybody lie to you?" Hero worship? Yeah, maybe just a wee little bit.

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"I don't know why she lied," Claire admitted. Perhaps to keep her away from Peter? She would never know the truth.

[tasenburn.livejournal.com]

"Well, it was a pretty stupid move if you ask me," Elle said with uncharacteristic boldness. "She should have known it would just motivate you to move forward and find out the truth once you knew it was a lie."

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"She must have had a reason for telling me the truth," Claire insisted. "But that meteor struck before I could discover what that reason was. Or what the truth is."

[tasenburn.livejournal.com]

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Elle said loyally. "You're smart enough and you obviously care enough to put in the effort."

She hesitated. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"I don't suppose you'd be interested in going to town hall and looking through records for me," Claire asked, hoping that Elle would agree in an effort to impress her. After all, if she did it herself, she might break a nail.