A/N: Hope you like this. Please send me some feedback. Thanks, lovelies.

Disclaimer: Don't own Heroes.

Chapter Two

A beeping sound wakes Gabriel up. He opens his eyes after it dawns on him that the sound is coming from his watch. He quickly presses the button to make the annoying sound stop. He presses another button that makes a blue fluorescent light come on. The time was 4:30. Yawning, he carefully sits up, trying not to wake the sleeping girl next to him.

He gets up out of the bed and covers Claire back in the blankets. He smiles to himself, still not believing that a beautiful girl such as her could ever love someone such as him. Gabriel sits down at the edge of the bed, pulling his shoes on. He turns back to face Claire; pushing her long hair out of her face to kiss her cheek.

"See you later, my love," he whispers to her sleeping form.

He then stands up and walks to the open window, climbing out. He climbs down the long ivy that's attached to the wall. Running to his bike he left hidden in some bushes at the side of the house, he pedals off down the dark street in the early morning.

"Claire… Honey… It's time to wake up…"

Claire groans, pushing away from the person who was trying to wake her. Heidi shakes her daughter a couple more times. Finally, Claire forces her eyes open, only to be blinded by the bright early morning sun pouring through her open window.

Claire rolls over to see her mother walking out of the room. She rubs her tired eyes. A few moments later, Nathan stands in her doorway.

"Claire, get up now. You need to get ready if you want a ride to school this morning," he says a little impatiently. Claire rolls her eyes. "Did you hear me?" He raises his voice, slightly.

"Yes," she replies, slowly sitting up. "Yes sir."

"Good. Now hurry up so you can help get your brothers ready." She nods and gets up. Nathan heads back to his bedroom. After showering and dressing in her blue and white school uniform, Claire walks down the hall to her brothers' room.

"Adrian and Adam are you up?" She asks as she walks in their bedroom.

"Yup!" Adam replies. He was already completely dresses. "Adrian is downstairs." Claire smiles at her eight year old brother. Despite their young age, they both were very independent.

"Well, that helps a bunch."

Adam smiles at her then races out of the room. Claire heads back to her room to finish getting ready. She decides to braid her long blonde hair to the side. She then applies purple eye shadow to her eyes and black mascara to her long eyelashes. The purple seemed to make her green eyes stick out more.

Once satisfied with her appearance, she gathers her homework into her shoulder bag and head downstairs to the kitchen. Her mother was cooking them eggs. Claire slides into the stool at the island that sits in the middle of the kitchen.

"Claire, we're going to need you to watch the boys again tonight," her mother says to her as she piles eggs onto three plates. Claire furrows her eyebrows.

"Mom, I can't. I have plans with Caitlyn and Bethany tonight. You said I could hang out with them, remember?" Claire replies. She knew this was going to happen.

"I know, sweetheart, but you'll just have to cancel. An important-"

"Business dinner? Party? You and dad are always going out!" Claire interrupts. "Mom, I can't miss another-"

"You see them at school, Claire. I'm pretty sure one night is not going to hurt," Heidi answers. Claire takes the plate her mother holds out for her and sets it on the island hard. Heidi lifts an eyebrow at her.

"One night, mom? Uhh… How about two? Three? Five?" exclaims Claire, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "This isn't fair! I'm not their mother!"

"Claire, you know how important this is for your father~" Her mother replies, angrily.

"Yeah, so important that you haven't been home long enough to take care of your children!" Claire yells. Her mother slams her hand down on the island. She points her index finger at Claire. Claire just glares at her.

"I've had enough of that mouth of your's, young lady," Heidi says, quietly. "Another word and you're grounded. Now eat."

Right then Nathan enters the room. He stops to see Claire and Heidi glaring at each other.

"What's going on?" Nathan asks, but they both seemed not to hear him. Claire huffs and throws her hands up.

"What else is new? It's not like I have a life anyway!" She retorts.

"That's it!" Heidi yells. "You're not going anywhere this weekend!"

Claire holds back the tears that threatens to leave her eyes. She pushes her plate hard across the island towards Heidi, bits of egg flying everywhere. Heidi gasps.

"Claire!" Nathan yells at her. Claire just ignores them, grabs her bag and storms from the room. They all jump when they hear the front door slam. Heidi looks at her husband with tears in her eyes. He sighs and walks to her, pulling her in a hug.

"I'll talk to her," Nathan tells Heidi. She nods and kisses him on the cheek.

"Come on, boys," she says to Adrian and Adam. Heidi ushers them to the front door. "Have a good day at school. Love you."

"Love you too, Mom," they yell in unison as they run to the limo that's sitting out front. She watches as they climb in. Seeing Claire standing out there, she sighs, shaking her head.

"Don't worry about it, Heidi," Nathan says, seeing Claire standing out there too. Heidi nods and smiles at him. "Have a nice day," he says as he kisses her on the cheek. Nathan walks out into the cool crisp morning air. He hears the door shut behind him. He approaches Claire. "That was uncalled for, Claire," Nathan says to her.

Claire just rolls her eyes. She moves to open the limo door, but Nathan grabs her arm a little too hard, making her turn back to face him. Claire looks up at his face with a scowl.

"Did you not hear me?" He asks. Claire pulls her arm out of his grasp.

"Of course I did," she replies, "And I don't care, Dad! It's not fair!"

"Life is not fair, Claire Elizabeth! And you better damn well care," He says, angrily. Claire looks like she's going to retort but decides against it. She knew better than to argue when her father uses her middle name.

"Now when you get home from school, I want you to apologize to your mother. She did not deserve that."

Claire's jaw drops. "You've got to be kidding me."

Nathan holds his hand up to stop any further argument. "No, I am not. Now is that understood?"

Claire huffs under her breath but answers him. "Yes sir." Nathan nods and open the car door. Claire climbs into the limo.