Author's Notes: Well, here's chapter two! I quite like how this fic is turning out so I should add the next couple of chapters very soon! Thanks for the reviews people! They mean a lot to me! Anyway, please read, review and enjoy! )

Watching From The Shadows Chapter 2

Petrelli Residence

Petrelli Mansion - New York

"Where the hell is Claire?" Nathan asked as he looked at his watch. "I know she has friends and friends like hanging out, but 9 O'clock, this is just ridiculous."

Peter shrugged and pulled his mobile phone out of his jacket pocket. "I'll give her a call. See what she's getting up to."

Holding the phone up to his ear, Peter waited for Claire to answer her phone.

"Hello?"

"Claire, it's Peter, where are you? It's getting late and your father's worried."

"I'm on my way home now, I was with Jake."

"Right, well, you can explain everything when you get back."

Peter sighed as Claire hung up on him.

"She's on her way home apparently. Said something about being with Jake."

Nathan nodded slowly. "Claire's really fond of that young boy. Shame I've never met him. It'd be a good idea to have him round sometime, get to know him a little better."

"Yeah..." Peter lowered his eyes as he felt his brother's gaze upon him.

"You alright Pete?"

"Yeah, just fine."

An hour later...

"10 O'clock?! What do you think you're playing at? And what's with your clothes? You look a mess." Nathan shouted as his daughter walked though the door.

"I'm sorry, I was just having fun, that's all."

"And to think I was going to let you invite your friend round for diner tomorrow. Go up to your room and get changed, you can stay in there until I say you can come out."

Peter watched as his brother and niece stormed away in different directions.

"Claire wait!" Said Peter as he ran after Claire.

Hearing Peter call her name, Claire just ignored her uncle and ran into her room, slamming the door loudly behind her.

"Come on Claire, let me in. I'm not gonna yell at you. I just want to talk."

"I'm changing okay? Wait a minute."

"Look Claire, you don't have to make things up. You can trust me."

"But I really am getting changed."

Peter laughed quietly, he really didn't believe his niece. "Just let me in will you."

"Fine then." Claire sighed as she opened the door and let Peter into her room. "Told you I was changing." She said with a tone of annoyance in her voice as she stood by the door in just her jeans and bra.

"I'm so, so sorry Claire. I didn't know." Peter said with guilt.

"Yeah, well, next time believe me." She laughed as she put a clean top on.

Peter watched his niece as she put a small pink vest like top on. He couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was. Beautiful? Could he actually say that? Well, he was her uncle...

"Er, yeah, what did you want?" Claire asked, raising her eyebrow as Peter just stared at her.

"Well, I was, erm, just wondering...What happened today?"

Claire looked straight into Peter's eyes. She knew she could definitely trust him, but telling him what was going on just seemed so hard.

"I just had a little argument with a friend of mine." She lied between her teeth. "Just a bitchy cat fight I guess. This wasn't the first time. It's happened before. We argue over the pettiest of things...Boys, clothes, hair, makeup, we argue over anything."

Peter nodded slowly.

"So it's nothing serious right? Nothing more than a bitch fight?" Peter laughed slightly.

"No, nothing serious. It's normal for teenage girls to bitch and bicker. Girls will be girls."

"Okay then, well I'm glad that's all." Claire smiled as she watched her uncle stand up from sitting on her bed. "Now that's the sweet smile I enjoy seeing."

Nathan and Peter Petrelli

Petrelli Mansion

The Next Morning...

Nathan Petrelli stood in front of his brother Peter with a confused look on his face.

"Suicide attempts? Why the hell did she tell her teacher that? Is there something you're not telling me Pete?"

"What? So you think I'm depressed or something? You actually believe what a troubled teenage girl is saying? And I'm not, and will never be, suicidal...Do you get that?"

"I'm sorry Peter...I just don't know what to believe anymore."

Peter sighed as his brother put his hands to his head and walked away...He had to do something. Peter knew Claire was lying, he knew she hadn't been arguing with her friend and he knew what he had to do...Follow her...Whilst invisible...

New York High School

Claire and Jake

"I can't stay mad at you Claire. I mean, without me...you'd have probably died." Jake laughed as he pushed his friend playfully.

"Yeah, whatever you say!" Jake smiled as Claire whispered in his ear. "You know I can't die...I'm special."

What Claire and Jake didn't know was that Peter was watching as they frolicked around and joked with each other. Peter was happy that his niece had found herself a friend, but he didn't like how close they seemed.

"I'm so sorry Claire, but I've got a doctors check up in about half an hour. Just try and find some other people to go around with okay? Don't go anywhere by yourself. Do you hear me?"

"Yes Jake, but..."

"No buts Claire. Do not go anywhere by yourself. You know what happened last time."

"Okay Jake." Claire smiled and threw her arms around her friend. "I'm gonna miss you!"

"Yeah, well I'll miss you too. I'll only be gone an hour though. Then I'll be back to protect you again!" Jake laughed as he brushed his hand across Claire's face.

Peter watched as the two friends hugged a final time and then parted their separate ways. Peter liked how Jake cared for his niece. He seemed a genuine person and he admired in for that.

Claire shivered as she walked down the corridors. She knew she was disobeying Jake's orders but she had no one else to turn to...No one else was there...Well, at least that's what she thought.

"Come back for more have you? Wasn't that beating good enough for you yesterday?" Someone cackled as Claire hurried down the corridor. "Don't run from us Claire. You know we'll always catch up." The voice cackled again.

"Leave me alone." Claire watched as about five girls circled around her.

"You're such a freak!" One of them laughed as they shoved Claire against the lockers.

"No one likes you here. You're not wanted, so why don't you just leave?" Laughed another as she closed in on Claire.

Peter's eyes widened as the girls started beating his niece. Kicking, punching, the abuse never stopped...But all he did was stand there and watched in horror. His body couldn't move, he couldn't even think straight. His eyes were pinned upon Claire like glue.

Claire screamed and screamed for help...But no one came. Blood trickled down her face as the girls tortured Claire.

"We know you're not human Claire. We know you can survive anything. So...show us what you've got!" One of the girls taunted as she placed a knife on Claire's skin and began to trail it along, making huge cuts all over her arms and face.

Claire tried fighting them off, but there were too many. More girls had joined in...Watching her...The freak...Get beaten up and sliced like some meat.

After the attack had finished and the girls had become bored...Claire just laid there on the floor, in agony, trying her best to heal the hundreds of cuts and bruises the girls had made on her. Still, Peter watched from the shadows, invisible, not known to anyone...Apart from Claire.

"Thanks for helping Peter." She said sarcastically as Peter appeared out of no where. "You're such a great friend."

"Look Claire, I'm sorry. I thought you'd have wanted to fight this out by yourself." Peter tried helping Claire up from the ground but she pushed him away from her.

"About seven bloody girls were ganging up on me and you think that I'd be able to fight them off?! Get real Peter!" She pushed past Peter and ran down the corridor.

"What have I done?" Peter lowered his head in shame and wondered off invisibly after Claire..

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to check back soon when the next chapter is up!

Paire forever! Woo! D LOL!