A/N: I would just like to remind you all that this is not a romance fic. This is me showing their strong connection as a family. But by all means, enjoy this chapter!
Chapter Three.
Peter Petrelli's Apartment, New York City
Peter and Claire end up in the middle of Peter's apartment with their eyes clenched shut, due to their prior situation. Hesitantly, Peter cracks open one of his eyes and takes a breath of relief.
"Claire? It's okay. We're at my apartment, safe." Peter's confident tone makes Claire open her eyes and look around at the smallish apartment. She notices that it is really clean, he must have kept it clean while he lived here, considering he hasn't been here in months.
After accidentally reading Claire's thoughts, Peter wonders who cleaned his house, because he made a quick get-a-way. Only taking a few things with him, and then leaving to go sign his life away at Primatech.
Only one person came to mind. Nathan. This reminded him, "Claire, I have to see Nathan, to let him know that I'm alive. Maybe he can pull some strings and get you some extra protection from Sylar." Without waiting for an answer from Claire, Peter was already on his way out the door.
Noticing that Claire wasn't following him, he just called out, "Well, are you coming?" Figuring she didn't have much of a choice, she followed Peter out of the apartment.
Nathan Petrelli's Office, New York City.
Nathan is sitting behind the desk in his office, staring at the pictures before him. One of Heidi and his kids, they are all sitting on the back porch of the Petrelli Mansion. His two boys, each boy standing at the side of their mother.
Another picture on the desk was of him and Claire. How this picture was taken is a mystery, Nathan assumed it was Peter who took it. It was a snapshot of the first time Nathan ever hugged his only daughter.
The last picture on the desk was of him and Peter. Both of them were in tuxedo's and smiling at the camera. Nathan let a little bit of grief over take him as he remembered his brother.
Nathan picked up the picture and said, "I sure do miss you Pete. Remember the time you almost died? You said I would still be the same Nathan Petrelli that everyone sees if you died. Which is true, to everyone else there is no change, but I have changed."
Nathan gave a sad smile, then set the picture back on his desk. Just as he was recomposing himself, a knock sounded at the door.
"Mr. Petrelli?" It was his secretary. "Yes? Come in." "I am sorry to bother you, but there is a girl here, claiming she needs to see you right away."
Nathan sighed, he was not in the mood to deal with this right now. "Fine. Send her in."
Outside of Nathan Petrelli's Office.
Peter and Claire are walking down the hallway, when Peter abruptly stops. Claire wonders what the hold up is.
"Claire, people should think I am dead. I can't just walk around here. Go up to the secretary and tell her it is urgent that you see Nathan right now. I'll go invisible and follow you in."
Claire just nods her head, knowing it would indeed be weird to see Peter walking around alive and well when everyone thinks he's dead.
As she approaches the desk she notices the secretary filing her nails and looking bored as she talks to client. Claire stands in front of the desk waiting for her to get off the phone. After waiting for another ten minutes the woman finally hangs up.
"Sorry about that, that man could talk an ear off, how may I help you?" The secretary, Judy, plasters a fake smile onto her face.
"I need to speak with Nathan Petrelli right now." Claire has a determined expression on her face. "Do you have an appointment?" Judy asks. Was this girl serious? Claire wanted to yell at her 'I shouldn't need an appointment to see my father!' but knows that wouldn't look good for Nathan. Instead Claire replies, "No, but its urgent, if you would tell him that I really need to talk to him, I'm sure he would see me."
The secretary sees that Claire won't back down, doesn't even ask Claire's name, and gets up to ask Nathan. A few minutes later, Judy comes back and says, "Nathan will see you now."
Claire smiles in triumph, and notions Peter to follow her. When Claire and Peter entered Nathan's office, his back was turned. Claire knocked on the door softly and called out, "Nathan?" Nathan span around and looked at Claire, he had a look in his eye that only Peter caught, knowing he gave the same look to his sons.
"Hey Claire, is everything okay? I haven't seen you here in a while."
It only took that one line for the tears that Claire has been holding in for weeks, months even, unleashed. All of the tough times flashing in her mind. Sylar. Odessa. Jackie. Ted. Her fathers lies. Peter exploding. Sylar again. Peter being alive.
Nathan, who hated to see her like this, walked across the room and embraced her. "Nathan, a lot of bad things have been happening, but there is something you should know."
Nathan pulled away from Claire a bit,and peered down at her, "What? What is it?"
"It's about Peter. He's here, right in this room. Alive." Claire could see that pain was written all across Nathan's face. He didn't believe her.
Peter, who was watching this whole scene unfold, figured it was his cue to reveal himself. He made himself visible and said, "She's not lying to you Nathan I am alive."
Nathan shook his head and backed away in disbelief. "There is no way, I watched you explode! I saw it happen! Hell, I carried you up there!"
Peter just looked at Claire and smiled a bit. "Well your daughter here, gave me the power of healing. Who knew that also worked on nuclear explosions?"
Nathan just stared at Peter. Still not fully believing that he was here, and alive. He carefully moved forward and reached out to touch Peter. Then he pinched him as hard as he could. "Ouch! What the heck Nate!"
Claire decided to step in and say, "It is really him Nathan, ask him a question only he would know the answer to."
Nathan immediately asks "What was the first power you ever acquired?"
Peter rebuttals with. "Dreaming the future, its how I knew about you and Heidi and the accident."
With that, Nathan embraced the man before him and said "I really missed you Pete. I love you."
Peter smiled and said, "I missed you too, and I love you too, big brother."
Claire smiled at the pair. When they separated from each other, Nathan said, "Come by the house for dinner tonight, Mom will want to see you and Claire. Peter and Claire both accepted and left the office.
Once they were outside, Peter hailed a taxi and told the driver the address of his apartment. Both Claire and Peter sat by the window, Peter looked over at Claire, and the expression on her face reminded him of something he once to Claude.
"Before I hit the ground — when I knew what was about to happen — I had this flash in my head of this girl that I met in Texas. This cheerleader — she could heal herself. God she's a sweet kid. Sad little smile, she just — You were wrong! I don't have to cut her out. I have to remember her!"
Claire was wearing that same sad little smile. Peter's eyebrows furrowed and he wondered what he could do to help her. Instead he just shifted closer to her wrapped an arm around her and said, "It gets better."
That one statement got her to smile a little bit, and they sat in silence the rest of the way to his apartment.
