Title: Connecting Roses

Author: Bunny

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Yup. Not mine. Or else through a time travel loophole this would've happened canon-ically way earlier.

Summary: Post- Let it Bleed. Sylar leaves Claire a trail of breadcrumbs so she will discover what he needs.

A/N: My first multi-chapter fic in long time. Usually I don't want to post without finishing, but I'm just so excited and like one or two chapters left to write. Anyhoo... Reviews appreciated.

Gretchen flipped out her comforter, smoothing it down with her hands. She glanced at the clock – yet again – awaiting Claire's return from class. Ever since term started a few days ago, her roommate had been secluded and standoffish.

She understood that her birth father had died, that she was mad at her adoptive father, and highly annoyed at her uncle. She wasn't certain how or when any of this took place and Claire would not talk on the subject. In fact, she was not talking a great deal at all and continued wearing black for her mourning.

She knew that what Claire desperately needed was a support person. And as much as she wanted to be that; she also knew it wasn't going to be her.

A knock at the door snapped Gretchen out of her mindset and she moved to open it. On the other side stood a man dressed in black with a dark gray waste coat. Dark hair and equally dark eyes stood out to her as he gave a slight smile. "Hi," he started in a deep voice. "I'm a friend of Claire's. I was wondering if she was in."

Gretchen opened the door wider, waving her arms to show the emptiness. "Nope." Turning her attention back to Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome, she wondered who he was to her friend. And if he was he someone who would be able to help her. "You can wait in here I you'd like."

He tilted his head with a twinkle in his eye. "That's very thoughtful of you." He entered slowly and she closed the door. His attention was drawn to the bed on the left. "Where are her bears?"

The girl offered a sad smile. She thought back to the day after term began and Claire viciously shoving the bears into a box under her bed. "She's not exactly happy with her dad right now, so she didn't want to look at them."

"I bet she doesn't," muttered the man, taking a slow seat on the blonde's bed.

Not understanding what he meant, Gretchen tried to move the subject along to continue being friendly. "So, do you have something to do with the funeral?"

His eyes flashed cold, "What do you mean by that?"

Stopped momentarily by his gravelly voice, she continued. "Only that you're dressed in black and the timing lines up…"

Shaking his head and emitting a small chuckle, he moved on, "How is she dealing?"

Gretchen shrugged. "Fair, I guess." His intense stare caused her to elaborate. "I mean she hasn't smiled or laughed as much. And she's cutting herself off." His silence once again made her continue. "I just hate seeing her suffer like this." She added as an afterthought, "Or suffering any way." Shrugging to get her thoughts in order, "I miss her positive attitude, her smile. It's just some of the things that are hard not to love about her."

The man nodded murmuring a quiet, "Yea," while looking haunted as though a cloud had passed over him.

His low confession was not missed on Gretchen, but she moved on anyway. "So why are you here anyway?" He looked up at her. "I mean you know Claire, sure, but how? And if not for the funeral, why the sudden interest in her?"

Chuckling softly once more, he stood as slowly as he sat. "I came to talk with her that's all. Just talk." Digging in his coat pocket, he pulled out a furry item and handed it to her. "Could you tell her that?"

Looking at her hands, Gretchen found a small black stuffed bear holding a red rose that was as big as it. "Sure." He headed for the door when she added, "I thought you wanted to talk to her."

Not looking back, he answered, "I'll be watching for another time to talk."

Setting the stuffed animal on Claire's pillow, she asked, "What's your name by the way, when she asks?"

"Sylar."

And he was gone.

***

Claire shuffled her feet down the hall to her door. She was returning after dark, believing a walk would make her feel better.

No such luck.

The walk had been a monotonous drag.

Class had been a monotonous drag.

Even enthusiastic Gretchen was being a monotonous drag.

A twinge of guilt stabbed her otherwise dull chest. Gretchen meant well, but she wasn't what she needed. Not anymore.

As soon as she clicked open the door, she saw Gretchen jump up off the floor. "Where have you been? I've been worried."

Sighing she plopped her bag at the foot of her bed. "Around. I needed a walk."

"No company needed from your bestest bud?"

Claire didn't hear her question as she was distracted by the only bear on her pillow. "Did my dad come by?" she asked, picking it up.

"No. The guy who left that for you said he was a friend of yours."

The bear was very adorable, soft and squishy beneath her fingers. This little red rose was a perfect touch to the toy. Looking at it caused a bit of a smile to grow on her face. She tapped on the rose pondering who could have left it. "Who was it? Was it my uncle?"

"Peter? No. He said his name was Sylar."

Claire froze in mid tap feeling the blood drain from her face and her heart stop for a few beats. "Sylar?" she whispered. Gretchen nodded. "Are you positive that's what he said?"

Gretchen again nodded emphatically. "Yeah, that's what he said – "

Whirling towards her friend, Claire gripped her arms, alarm pounding in her stomach. "What did he say? Did he hurt you? Did he threaten anybody?"

"What? No. Was he supposed to?" assured Gretchen, creasing her brow in confusion. "He was a nice guy, a little quiet maybe."

Claire let her go and stared at the bear with shaking hands. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to settle the fear growing in her stomach. Speaking quietly she asked, "What did he say?" When she didn't respond immediately, she snapped loudly, "What did he say!"

Jumping, Gretchen took a step back. "He just wanted to talk."

She couldn't help but pause. "Talk?"

"Yes, just talk."

She couldn't help but laugh. The fear dissipated and was instantly replaced with cold resentment as she laughed.

"Claire, what has he done?" asked her roommate, alarm apparent in her voice.

By clutching the bear to her chest she was able to keep a hold of something in the real world, not have it crack around her. It was proof that this was actually happening. "The real question is what hasn't he done?" Peeking at the stuffed toy she was overwhelmed by confusion. How could this psycho man cause such a roller coaster of emotions in her when she had been feeling a monotony of emptiness? She heard Gretchen hesitate. "What?"

"There was something else he said." Claire looked up a layer of dread washed over her. Yet another drastic emotional change in a matter of seconds. "He said he'd be watching to talk to you again."

Her breath caught in her throat. "Watching?" Claire dashed to the window, throwing open the glass. Hearing Gretchen question her actions Claire looked frantically from rooftop to rooftop searching for him.

Her eyes caught slight movement on the building to the right. Focusing intently, sure enough, was Sylar. Standing there and staring back at her.

He waved once at her.

Forcing herself to breathe slowly Claire gripped the window ledge and the bear while maintaining eye contact. He had found her and he wasn't going to leave until he had his say. That much was obvious. She swore at that moment she wouldn't run away from him. She wouldn't be scared of him. Not anymore.

Still watching him watch her, a plan formed in her mind.

If he wanted to get close to her she would let him.

She would play his game.

That way she would learn what she could about him.

And maybe, just maybe, if she was lucky enough she could discover a way to end him for good.

Staring at him a moment longer she formed a resolve on her face and within herself.

Claire closed the window and pulled the blinds, shutting Sylar out. If only for the night