Telling Everything [Amanda]

[clairebear]

26th November, 2008

It was the day after Claire had rush to Henry's aid when he had accidentally killed a guy. Claire was adamant it was accidental, it was complete self defense from what Henry had told her. She had phoned Gabriel to come and help because Henry had got himself so wound up over it all. However, Claire soon realised calling Gabriel wasn't the right thing to do.

He started going all weird, telling Claire that Henry had the hunger. Then he froze time. She knew he had done this even though she couldn't have known. She was just beginning to trust him, and now she hated him all over again. He shouldn't have tried to convince Henry he was going power hungry. Claire would not allow for Henry to become like Sylar, she refused to allow him to become like him. For a while Claire could see him and call him Gabriel, but after what he did with Henry, she couldn't think of him in any other name but Sylar again.

When Amanda called Claire to tell her they had Henry home safe and sound, Claire made arrangements to meet Amanda for a coffee so she could tell her everything which had happened the night before. Everything from what Henry had told her and from what Claire could understand. Claire also knew she could help Henry, and she had every intention of doing so. However, she had a feeling Henry wouldn't come alone, so she needed back up and telling Amanda everything, would help Claire to get that back up she hoped.

Now Claire was sitting in a cafe waiting for Amanda to arrive. Claire had told her where she would be and what time to meet, now Claire sat flicking through a magazine and sipping on a coffee while she waited on Amanda to arrive.

[amanda]

Amanda was getting ready for her meeting with the girl from the other night. Claire she believed her name was. As Amanda was getting ready to leave, she went to check on Henry. The boy was sleeping soundly from what she could tell. He was obviously tired and she wanted to know why. She parted the boy's hair and watched him roll over in his sleep, mumbling something about girls in bikinies. Well at least he was starting to be his usual self again.

"Hey James I'm heading out." She told her cousin as she headed out the door. He told not to cause to much trouble and Amanda only laughed. She didn't cause trouble. She just happened to be there when it happened.

She followed the direction of where she was told to meet. Fortunately it was a coffee shop and Amanda could sure use some coffee that didn't taste like ass. Don't knock her, she loved James, but the man had no sense of taste. As she bounded over to the shop, she walked to the front counter and ordered a premium roast. Once she got her drink she looked around for the familiar blond. She found her at a table and briskly walked over to her. "Hi, you're Claire right? I'm Amanda, Henry's cousin." she greeted.

[clairebear]

Claire sat at the table sipping on her coffee not sure whether Amanda would turn up or not. However she figured she and James needed to know what had happened last night to Henry, and Claire was the only person who had been there through it all. Well up until the point she knew Sylar had frozen time on her anyway.

But she knew enough to know what had happened, and hopefully she could put Amanda's mind at ease somewhat. At least, as much at ease as she could put it given the circumstances surrounding last night.

When Claire heard her voice being said, she looked up and immediately recognised her from last night. Of course this time she introduced herself properly so Claire thought she would do likewise.

"Hi, I'm Claire yes, pleased to meet you Amanda" Claire said extending her hand to formally greet the girl. "I'm really sorry about what happened to Henry last night, he called me for help, that's why I was there, and I'm hoping I might be able to help explain what happened to him" Claire said softly, but giving Amanda a sad smile.

[amanda]

Amanda smiled sadly. Well at least Henry called someone. She wasn't upset that Henry had called someone other than James and her, it showed that he was finally starting to make friends again. "Yeah, thanks again for that. It's great to know he's finally starting to make friends again. The little guy's got a tough past you know. It acts like a jerk but he's sweet."

There was a silent pause between the two. Amanda wanted to know what happened, but then again she didn't either. She was scared to find out. She hadn't seen Henry that vulnerable since his mother's and sister's funeral. IT was scary actually. Taking a breath, she finally decided to ask the question she had been dreading.

"So. What exactly happened last night?" Amanda asked.

[clairebear]

Claire wanted to be honest with Amanda. She wanted to be as honest as she could be under the circumstances surrounding last night, she only hoped she could help Henry. He needed help, because she would not allow him to get like Sylar, she just couldn't. And had she known Sylar would have acted the way he had, she would never have got him invloved in the first place.

"Oh, you're welcome, I honestly didn't mind, although I did think it strange he called me and not his family, but yeah Henry and I are quite close friends" Claire explained, hoping that would make Amanda understand more why he contacted her. Although she seemed happy he was making friends, so that was a good sign, right?

"I know he's sweet, he's always been sweet to me anyhow" Claire added. Then of course Amanda asked the dreaded question, what had happened. Claire took a deep breath before going into any sort of explanation.

"I got the call from Henry saying could I hurry he was in trouble" Claire began, "So naturally I went to see if I could help him, when I arrived at the scene, I saw Henry huddled up and a dead body" Claire continued, "He told me the guy attacked him and it was self defense, and I believe him" Claire continued. "There's more, but I think I'll let you take this in first" Claire said softly as she stopped talking to take a sip of her coffee.

[amanda]

Amanda listened to what Claire had to say. She could now understand why Henry was so...broken. Then again anyone would've been in the same boat if they had just killed someone, even if it was self-defense. Henry was already scared of ending up like his father, he didn't need to have the feeling of knowing he killed someone.

Amanda cocked her head slightly. There was more. "What do you mean there's more? I'm pretty sure he was traumatized enough for having to...well...you know." Amanda started. She didn't want to even say the word kill. It was just unlike her.

[clairebear]

Claire knew it would be really difficult for Amanda to take everything in she was going to be telling her. That's why she thought she'd let a part of it sink in before she went into any more of it. Claire felt terrible enough about it as it was, but having to relay it back to a real family member, it wasn't so easy on Claire.

Claire took a deep breath before continuing. "Henry was losing it, sort of, he could hardly talk and he was shaking so much, I was worried, I was scared for him. I didn't know what to do. If I'd had your number of James' number I'd have phoned you, but I didn't. I did the only thing I could do, and thought was best, and that was to phone my uncle Gabriel" Claire said, almost spitting out the name like it was poison on the tip of her tongue.

"But I don't think he helped the situation, he started telling Henry it was the hunger he was suffering. Something you can get with the ability Henry has, which makes you hunger for power, and he reckoned Henry killed the man on purpose to get his power, telekinesis" Claire explained some more. She stopped, took a few sips of her coffee and continued again.

"Even though I shouldn't have known it, he froze me, and I don't know what the hell he told Henry during that time, but when I became unfrozen he seemed to be even less coherent than he was to begin with" she continued, she wondered if she should go into telling her about Gabriel breaking the glass and sending it toward them before sending it to himself and using a bit of it to dislodge into his head.

"I really feel that this is all so much for you to take in, and there's even more if you think you can handle it?" she asked as she sighed and took another sip of her coffee, looking up at Amanda, feeling dreadful for having to be the one to tell her this awful news.

[amanda]

Amanda sat there shocked. She had never heard of Henry being hysterical or doing something like that. Killing someone on purpose? That wasn't him. Henry wasn't a killer. A jerk, a womanizer, and prankster, and a whole lot of other things, but he wasn't a killer. It was just...not possible.

Amanda took a sip of her drink before she looked back up at Claire, barely hearing what else she had to say. "Wait hold up, gain telekinesis. I thought Henry could only understand stuff. How did gain telekinesis? Is that even possible?" Amanda asked.

"There's more? What can be worse that this?" Amanda asked, the last part completely to herself.

[clairebear]

Claire braced herself before going into any sort of depth with Amanda about the rest of the story. What she had to tell already was bad enough. The poor girl must be in a right state of shock, mind you, it couldn't be any worse than Henry must be feeling himself she thought.

"That's what I said, yeah. Gabriel is also known as Sylar" Claire began tentatively as she went into a more in-depth explanation. "That's right, that Sylar, but he got given help by his mother, Angela Petrelli, some sort of curbing cure to help with this 'hunger' he has. This 'hunger' made him kill to gain powers, and Gabriel, just so happened to think that's what Henry done. Because when he was getting upset, some near by cans began to shake and move. However Gabriel has these abilities too, and I can't be totally sure it was coming from Henry or Gabriel" Claire took another big breath and some more of her coffee.

"Next thing I knew Gabriel had broken bottles with his own telekinesis power and started moving them in the direction of Henry and myself. My natural instincts were to protect him, but then the pieces of glass began to move toward Gabriel himself, and he lodged a piece into his own head before teleporting away from us" Claire finished the whole explanation of what had happened that night.

"So, really, the whole point of this conversation is, I don't believe Henry would kill on purpose, but I can't rule out the fact that he may have taken that man's power when he accidentally killed him, because I still believe it's an accident. Gabriel has Intuitive Aptitude as well, and he has this 'hunger' to gain more power, it's quite possible Henry could turn out the same" Claire said sadly and softly, looking up at Amanda once more and giving her a weak smile.

"I need you and James to keep a close eye on him, see if he starts to act strange, does anything you feel isn't quite in Henry's normal behavior. Because, if so, I can get him to Angela who will give him the curbing cure which will stop it from happening. They're also working on a cute to eradicate it completely, but that's taking some time to finalise and make steady" Claire explained. Wow, Claire had done a heap of talking, and Amanda's brain must sure be reeling from it all, Claire knew if she had been on the receiving end of all of that, her head would be about ready to explode.

[amanda]

Amanda had been quiet for the longest time. It fact it felt like weeks before Amanda began to speak. It was slow, steady at first. She was still trying to comprehend everything he had just been told. Frankly she didn't believe it. I mean, you would want to believe something like young youngest cousin going on a killing spree. Frankly, Amanda didn't want to even think of that.

"You've got a messed up family." Amanda began. "I guess that's something else you and Henry has in common. I'm just not sure he'll be the same after this. He's been keeping things bottle up. Knowing he killed someone, even by accident, might scar him for life." Amanda said soberly.

"You don't have to worry about us watching out for him. James is his older brother after all. He'll be watching Henry like a hawk after this." Amanda said. She stared out the window for a while. She couldn't imagine anything bad happening to Henry. Suddenly Amanda noticed something. "Hey, I love that outfit. Where'd you get it?" she asked, trying to change the subject and find a new place to shop at the same time.

[clairebear]

"Yeah I know I have a messed up family, you don't have to tell me that Amanda" Claire said as she looked down at her feet for a few seconds. Thinking about what Amanda was saying about Henry becoming messed up and scarred, and she was probably right.

"I like to think I'm a good friend of Henry's and I'll be here for him if he needs me and I'll do what ever I can to help him through this" Claire said strongly with a warm smile, and putting her hand across to touch Amanda's arm.

"Well naturally, it was just a sort of figure of speech you could say, I'll be there for him too" Claire said again, just so Amanda would know she meant what she said before. She wouldn't let anything happen to Henry, not if she could help it.

Next thing she knew Amanda was asking about her outfit. At least she assumed she was talking to her, and not somebody else because she had looked away from Claire for a few seconds. "If you were asking me that question, I'm not sure where it came from, Angela, my Grandma bought it for me as a gift" Claire said smiling at her. She could tell the girl was desperate to change the subject. "Where do you like to shop yourself?" she asked Amanda, keeping to the change of subject.