Title: "One More Eel-Tongued Lie"
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,002
Characters: Peter/Claire (canon), Nathan, mentions of Heidi
Summary: Nathan Petrelli prided himself on family values. He had built practically his entire political career off of it.
Spoilers: AU after season one, so no.
Disclaimer: I don't own Heroes, sorry to disappoint you.
Author's Notes: This has got to be the longest thing I've written in a while... yeesh. I'm proud, not gonna lie. Hope you guys like it! Written for pairechallenge's one-shot prompt "Family Values".
Nathan Petrelli prided himself on family values. He had built practically his entire political career off of it. He exploited everything about his family that he could and hid those that he couldn't, bred eel-tongued lies that made every illogical thing that happened seem as normal as snow in the wintertime.
He had thought that inviting his long-lost daughter to live with him and his family over the summer would bring nothing but positive opportunities for the press to enhance his career. Who didn't love a story about a man being reunited with a daughter he had thought dead? It had made complete sense at the time.
Looking back, Nathan couldn't believe he had always thought that Peter was the naïve one in the family. Because, really, the signs had always been there. Nathan just hadn't been looking.
---
The first sign of trouble had been on day one.
Nathan cleared his throat lightly as he pushed the door to the attic bedroom open, the newly refurnished room looking a lot more welcoming than the last time he had led Claire into it.
"I, uh... I got a pink and purple room design. I hope that's all right--Heidi suggested it since Peter told her you were a cheerleader and..." Nathan trailed off at the amused expression that had crossed over Claire's face and he coughed. "I'll, uh, go get your other bags then."
"No need," Peter's voice lilted in from behind Nathan in the doorway and the senator turned around sharply to see his younger brother balancing at least five bags and suitcases of different sizes in his arms. He pushed past Nathan gently, setting the bags at the foot of the bed before turning slowly towards the girl in the room, a lazy lopsided smile crossing over his face. "Hi, Claire."
Claire stared at him with a blank expression for a second before she grinned at him in return. "Peter!" She flew at him without abandon, wrapping her arms around his neck. Peter folded his arms around her waist immediately, drawing her to him until they were flush against each other in their embrace. Claire laughed into his chest lightly before mumbling, "It's so good to see you."
Nathan saw as Peter's expression faded into a soft smile and a look of complete adoration, and as he muttered, "You too..." the politician couldn't find it in himself to break the moment by speaking.
Nathan left the room silently, closing the door gently behind him before he went to tell the cook to start preparing that night's meal.
They had saved each other and the world countless times--the least they deserved was a moment of peace.
---
They came home late one night when Nathan was supposed to be working down in DC, laughing softly and whispering to each other as they stumbled blindly through the dark house.
"Can we eat some of Nathan's ice cream?" He heard Claire whisper loudly, conspiratorially, before failing to conceal a giggle. Peter clicked his tongue loudly in contemplation and for a moment Nathan actually thought he was going to hold to the sanctity that Butter Pecan was always his ice cream and no one else's.
"I..." he stretched the word out for a good five seconds before finishing, "don't think he'd notice one carton missing."
Claire let out an excited whoop and even in the darkness Nathan could see Peter immediately dart an arm out to clasp his hand over her mouth.
"Claaaire! Heidi and the kids are still here, you know!" He reprimanded her jokingly and Claire shrugged softly in apology.
"I just really love Butter Pecan."
"It must be genetic," Peter muttered off-handedly and Claire's head snapped up suddenly. Peter froze, his eyes widening just slightly as he stared at her and the little space between them seemed to intensify with the sudden and unexpected silence. Nathan frowned as the two seemed to engage in a staring contest, taking a quiet step down the stairs as he tried to get a better look at their faces.
Even in the dark Nathan could make out the paled face of his younger brother and how his hands just barely shook. Claire's eyes were wide, confused and hopeful with just a tint of sadness.
"Claire..." Peter murmured lowly and Claire offered him that sad, little smile before moving out of his reach and heading towards the kitchen.
"The ice cream won't eat itself, Peter."
The two disappeared into the kitchen leaving Nathan standing in confusion halfway down the stairs. What the hell was that about?
With a soft grunt Nathan turned and headed back to his room, confident that whatever-it-was would make sense in the morning.
But it didn't. It just disappeared as if nothing had ever happened.
---
Two weeks into the summer Nathan decided to finally announce Claire's appearance in his life and the Petrelli mansion was filled with public figures. People were drinking and eating, Heidi and Claire were mingling, and he had even managed to convince Peter to join the party (though Nathan had a feeling that he had come more for Claire's benefit than anything else). Everything had been going smoothly and the press seemed to be eating up the idea that Senator Nathan Petrelli had a teenage daughter.
"Nathan Petrelli." A woman in her mid-thirties appeared at his side, microphone in hand and camera man not far behind. Nathan offered her a tight smile, nodding his consent at a short interview. The reporter cleared her throat lightly before continuing. "Senator, it's been over sixteen years since the birth of your daughter. How did it feel to discover you had a daughter all these years that you never met?"
"I never even knew Claire existed," Nathan answered instantly, standing a little straighter. "The first time I heard about her was when I thought she and her mother had perished in a fire and even then I had no idea that the child was my daughter." Nathan paused briefly before finishing slowly, "Discovering she was alive... let alone mine... was a blessing."
The woman nodded lightly to herself. "You're happy about having her in your life?"
"Of course I am." Nathan frowned lightly. "What reason would I have not to be?"
"The close relationship she seems to share with your brother--her uncle--it doesn't bother you?"
For the first time that he could remember Nathan was speechless. He gawked at the reporter in confusion for a good ten seconds before he managed to stutter out, "I--what? I'm sorry?"
"He's been hovering over her all night," the reporter told him matter-of-factly, the hint of a smirk tugging at her lips. "It took him going to the bathroom before I was even able to approach her and I barely got three questions answered before he was back."
Nathan's head reeled slightly with the implications and he waved her off. "I'm sorry, I think it would be better if you le--"
"And you might find it interesting to note," she continued undaunted, "that they're currently waltzing in the corner of the room."
The cameraman panned towards them and Nathan's eyes drifted in the same direction just as Peter pulled Claire in from what must have been some sort of twist. Her free hand landed against his chest lightly, curling around the lapel of his suit as she beamed up at him. Peter laughed lightly, gently tucking a strand of Claire's hair behind her ear before they started dancing again.
Peter. The name coursed through his head angrily and he saw his brother fumble slightly in his dancing, his eyes darting over to where Nathan stood in apprehensive confusion before he glanced back at a worried Claire and offered her a reassuring smile.
Nathan pressed a hand against his forehead before turning towards the reporter, his eyes narrowed dangerously. "Get out of my house. Now."
"But Senator--"
"Now," Nathan repeated more firmly and the woman's mouth opened and closed a few times in shock before she motioned towards the cameraman and the two disappeared out the front door.
As soon as he was sure they had left Nathan headed directly to the open bar, ordered a scotch and downed it in three second. His mind was racing with everything he had seen the past two weeks--the little smiles and subtle touches, how they were rarely apart, how they bantered playfully at dinner and stayed up late laughing at the original movies on SciFi... He had chalked it up to a regular niece-and-uncle relationship with a personal hero dynamic. But to think that it could be more than--Nathan visibly shuddered.
Nathan? What's going on? Peter's concerned voice drifted through his head unbidden. Are you okay?
Nathan clenched his jaw, his shoulders pressed together. Peter, he thought carefully, we need to talk. He straightened his back, turning to look over his shoulder and into Peter's eyes. Now.
He didn't look scared or apprehensive or confused or anything similar; he looked resolved, his face set in an expression of determination that almost made Nathan shudder all over again. Peter gave him a small nod, squeezed Claire's elbow once, and headed towards the stairs. Nathan ordered one more scotch, drank it, and followed his brother up the stairs.
He ignored the feeling of Claire's eyes on his back the whole way.
---
"I'm not sleeping with her," Peter said right as Nathan closed the door behind them. Nathan paused for a moment before opening his mouth to speak, but Peter continued before he got a chance. "We don't kiss besides pecks on the cheeks and we don't touch each other--ever--like that. And before you even say anything know that Claire and I have both come to terms with how we feel and what kind of consequences come with it." He paused, thinking for a moment, before nodding. "Go."
"You're in love with Claire," Nathan threw his hands up in what would have been a comical fashion had it been any other time.
"Yes, I am," Peter admitted, a smile playing across his lips.
"What the hell are you thinking, Peter!?" Nathan snapped at him, beginning to pace back and forth in front of the door. "She's my daughter, for Christ's sake! Your niece! You can't fall in love with your niece!"
Peter chuckled lightly, folding his arms over his chest. "It's a little bit late for that, Nate." Nathan slumped in defeat against the door, groaning.
"How the hell did this even happen?"
"I don't know," Peter told him lamely, "but it did, and I don't care anymore. I've wasted enough time feeling guilty and I'm sick of it. We love each other, Nathan, and the fact that we do is enough for us. For now. We're not going to be idiots and botch up your career, so don't worry."
"What am I supposed to tell the press, Pete?" Nathan hissed lightly. "I've already had one reporter pick up on it and suggest there was more behind the scenes. What am I supposed to tell them?"
Peter shook his head. "You're a master at weaving lies, especially when it concerns your family." He pushed his way past Nathan. "I have to get back to Claire before too many reporters gun her down."
The door opened and closed again and the next thing Nathan knew he was alone in the room, left to his own thoughts. Part of him wondered how he could have been so blind--it had been so painfully obvious. The rest of him was in overdrive as his brain tried to process how to hide this from the press.
With a sigh Nathan pushed the door open, his mind throwing together a web of lies he hoped not even a fellow politician could see through.
Nathan Petrelli prided himself on family values, and if keeping that meant he had to cover up another of his brother's blunders... he would.