Midlife Crisis
Nathan sat in his office staring into the fire. Peter walks in and sees him sitting there. "Hey man ,whats up?" Peter said normally. Nathan doesn't answer and continues to stare at the fire."Yo nathan" he said while waving his hands in front of Nathans face. "Do you think Claire hates me?" Nathan said not breaking his gaze. "Where's this coming from? You know she doesn't,your her father" Peter said smiling a little. "No im not Noah is, anytime she needed someone he was there,anytime she was sad or scared he was there,not me" Nathan said sadly. Peter sighs and says "You thought she was dead Nathan,you couldn't have known." "I know but i left her when her mother was pregnant with her and even when i found out she was alive,i had a chance to meet her and i didnt take it" he said clenching his sighs sadly and says "Nathan I know you did but none of that matters,you can be here for her now,your a good man Nathan you'll make things right." "What kind of man abandons his own daughter,his flesh and blood" Nathan said getting teary eyed. Peter frowns and says, "Why did you leave?" Nathan closes his eyes for a second then speaks,"Cause i was young and stupid,Ma said that i would never have a career with an illegitimate daughter" one tear falls "and i listened to her" he closes his eyes and sniffles a little. Peter frowns,"Don't think about that,think about the good times,not the bad. What did you think when you first saw her?" Nathan smiles a little with tears in his eyes "She looked exactly like her mother,she had her eyes and that smile,god that was the one that made me fall in love with her mother" he said smiling. Peter smiles,"See isn't that better?" Nathan smiles but then it fades and he starts thinking about when he left and when he heard about then fire. "When I got the call about the fire I broke down.I blamed myself." "It wasn't your fault Nathan" Peter said with empathy. "I know but I thought that maybe if I would have stayed I could have protected them and they wouldn't have died. She was just a baby never should have happened to her." "Nathan the important thing is that she didn't die,ok?" Nathan sighs, "I know but I thought she did. I felt so bad because she died and i never even got to meet her,I'd never even seen a picture of her before" he said with tears falling down his cheek. Peter frowns and puts a hand on Nathans shoulder, "She loves you Nathan,you just can't see it." "I see the way she looks at me Pete. Her eyes are filled with such anger and sadness and it kills me" Nathan said having a pit in his stomach and he whipes away a tear. Peter sighs sadly,"I feel like you need some time alone but you know if you ever want to talk about it I'm here for you,always." Peter hugged Nathan then walked slowly and quietly upstairs leaving Nathan by the fire.