Heroes Ficlet
Title: Four Truths Of Gretchen Berg (and one lie)
Author: Alex Foster
Characters/Pairing: Claire/Gretchen, mentions of others
Word Count: 637
Rating: PG
Summary: Four truths about Gretchen's life through the years and one lie that she never voices. Post Brave New World.
...
...
One
“I’m sorry I brought all this to you,” Claire whispers early in the morning before the sun comes up. They lay curled against each other under the blankets and at first glance it is all so average and domestic.
They have an apartment together, a favorite deli down the block that delivers even late at night, and Sandra wants them to get a pet dog soon. But they also have reporters that are never far away from their front door. Specials that come to Claire looking for help, guidance, and the occasional blame, sometimes late at night too. She has positioned herself at the front of a movement whether that was the intention or not and average is just a dream.
When Claire testifies before Congress in favor of laws protecting specials Gretchen wears her best suit, only suit really, and sits behind her in support. Because this life came with the Bennet package and Gretchen doesn’t regret that for a moment. No apologies are ever necessary for bringing this world to her doorstep.
Two
She likes Noah more than Peter. Even though he once tried to use her to keep Claire away from the carnival and when Claire introduced Peter to her it was the first time she identified herself as her girlfriend. Gretchen knows Claire trusts Peter beyond reason and loves him just as deep. But Gretchen also knows that Noah loves Claire and Claire loves her so in his mind that makes her family. Gretchen likes that.
Three
She’ll never be a superhero. That’s Claire’s job, Peter’s, and Noah’s. She’s the one that sits with the specials when they come to the door looking for help. Makes sure they have shelter, food, and security when the rest of the world is against them for the crime of simply existing. She’ll happily take that job and let everyone else play superhero.
Four
She has a weird relationship with Syl-Gabriel-and gives him more leeway than Claire even knows about. His history with Claire keeps them from ever being more than just cordial during the rare crossing of paths. Peter vouches for him, as does Micah, but everyone tenses when he walks into the room. And even after she says she forgives him, Claire still aims a cautionary glance his way. Despite all that, Gretchen knows he likes her and in a way approves of her being with Claire.
It is because of a lesson Claire learned years before he did, Gabriel confesses to her late one night over two mugs of hot chocolate. She never gets to question him further on it, or why he looked so sad when he said it, because of the chaos of Peter’s wedding to Emma the next morning.
Five
“You’ll never have to apologize for this,” Gretchen tells her as the morning sun stretches across their bedroom floor. And she means it, really. She wouldn’t trade this less than normal life with Claire for any other. When Claire doubts this, when Micah comes to them with a mission or specials arrive looking for help or Congress holds hearings, Gretchen tells her and kisses away fears.
What she keeps buried so deep not even Matt Parkman could find it was the awareness of what Claire’s ability really means for them. They will never be little old ladies together like the Golden Girls, like Blanche and Dorothy (because they were totally doing it behind Rose’s back), because Claire won’t get old. Not ever.
Years pass and brown hair starts to gray at the roots and Gretchen lies when she says it doesn’t bother her that Claire remains frozen at eighteen. And never lets on she worries their time together will be so incredibly short in the grand scheme of Claire’s long life that after a few hundred years she won’t even exist as a memory to the special.
End
Author: Alex Foster
Characters/Pairing: Claire/Gretchen, mentions of others
Word Count: 637
Rating: PG
Summary: Four truths about Gretchen's life through the years and one lie that she never voices. Post Brave New World.
...
...
One
“I’m sorry I brought all this to you,” Claire whispers early in the morning before the sun comes up. They lay curled against each other under the blankets and at first glance it is all so average and domestic.
They have an apartment together, a favorite deli down the block that delivers even late at night, and Sandra wants them to get a pet dog soon. But they also have reporters that are never far away from their front door. Specials that come to Claire looking for help, guidance, and the occasional blame, sometimes late at night too. She has positioned herself at the front of a movement whether that was the intention or not and average is just a dream.
When Claire testifies before Congress in favor of laws protecting specials Gretchen wears her best suit, only suit really, and sits behind her in support. Because this life came with the Bennet package and Gretchen doesn’t regret that for a moment. No apologies are ever necessary for bringing this world to her doorstep.
Two
She likes Noah more than Peter. Even though he once tried to use her to keep Claire away from the carnival and when Claire introduced Peter to her it was the first time she identified herself as her girlfriend. Gretchen knows Claire trusts Peter beyond reason and loves him just as deep. But Gretchen also knows that Noah loves Claire and Claire loves her so in his mind that makes her family. Gretchen likes that.
Three
She’ll never be a superhero. That’s Claire’s job, Peter’s, and Noah’s. She’s the one that sits with the specials when they come to the door looking for help. Makes sure they have shelter, food, and security when the rest of the world is against them for the crime of simply existing. She’ll happily take that job and let everyone else play superhero.
Four
She has a weird relationship with Syl-Gabriel-and gives him more leeway than Claire even knows about. His history with Claire keeps them from ever being more than just cordial during the rare crossing of paths. Peter vouches for him, as does Micah, but everyone tenses when he walks into the room. And even after she says she forgives him, Claire still aims a cautionary glance his way. Despite all that, Gretchen knows he likes her and in a way approves of her being with Claire.
It is because of a lesson Claire learned years before he did, Gabriel confesses to her late one night over two mugs of hot chocolate. She never gets to question him further on it, or why he looked so sad when he said it, because of the chaos of Peter’s wedding to Emma the next morning.
Five
“You’ll never have to apologize for this,” Gretchen tells her as the morning sun stretches across their bedroom floor. And she means it, really. She wouldn’t trade this less than normal life with Claire for any other. When Claire doubts this, when Micah comes to them with a mission or specials arrive looking for help or Congress holds hearings, Gretchen tells her and kisses away fears.
What she keeps buried so deep not even Matt Parkman could find it was the awareness of what Claire’s ability really means for them. They will never be little old ladies together like the Golden Girls, like Blanche and Dorothy (because they were totally doing it behind Rose’s back), because Claire won’t get old. Not ever.
Years pass and brown hair starts to gray at the roots and Gretchen lies when she says it doesn’t bother her that Claire remains frozen at eighteen. And never lets on she worries their time together will be so incredibly short in the grand scheme of Claire’s long life that after a few hundred years she won’t even exist as a memory to the special.
End