Chapter 7 – Sneaking in…

"I want to go see Nathan…"

A silence followed as Peter froze and shook his head.

"There is no way…"

"I can't believe you made me do this…" Peter moaned softly as he held on to her, his invisibility working overtime to keep them both invisible as he made his way through the crowded hallways of the white house. Claire giggled from her place on his back – the only way they could be sure that no one found either one of them. Peter was faster than she was.

"Oh but you still love me." She laughed into his ear as softly as she could and he groaned as he moved past a few guards.

Within minutes they found themselves around the corner from Nathan's office – all the thanks going to the invisibility – otherwise they would have been kicked out years earlier. Claire slid off of Peter's back and quickly turned to him.

"I still don't know why you refused to come here…" she spoke softly and Peter shook his head.

"Claire…I haven't seen my brother in five years. Nathan…it's different with us. Don't understand me wrong, I love my brother, but after the explosion…how could I look him in the eye again?"

Knowing I had killed his daughter…

But Peter kept that part to himself.

"So this is it…" she stated and Peter shook his head as a laugh escaped his throat.

"No Claire…no second thoughts now. I sneaked you in here because you begged me. There is no way I did it for nothing…"

"But Peter – Nathan thinks we are both dead. It's going to be awkward if I just knock on his door and say 'Hey I'm alive!'." Claire sighed and Peter smirked as his amazing girlfriend blushed madly. Slowly he leaned forward and placed his lips on hers in the most comforting way he could.

"You'll be fine." He whispered as he straightened up again. Before she could ask what he meant about her being fine he simply disappeared and she turned around to find a guard staring at her.

"What are you doing here?" he barked and reflexively she stepped back, only to feel Peter's arms surround her waist in a protective manner.

"I'm here to see the president…" Claire spoke quickly, feeling a bit more at ease as Peter tightened his grip on her. The guard laughed – a hollow laugh that lacked the energetic and entertaining power a normal laugh had.

"Young Lady…do you have an appointment?"

Claire gulped.

"No."

"Then you better leave…"

Claire, closely followed by an invisible Peter, let them be lead away by the guard. Claire felt her heart shatter. She so wanted to see Nathan…

"There's his assistant. Ask her to see him!" Peter breathed near her ear and Claire quickly moved to the assistant. The guard just laughed because he knew it would get her nowhere.

"Hello. I'm here to see the president." Claire spoke and the assistant smiled as she looked her up and down.

"Do you have an appointment? The president is a very busy man…" she smiled and Claire had enough of it.

"No. But you probably should tell him I'm here." The tone in Claire's voice warned the woman who sighed and quickly phoned the president who told her to find out who it was but unless he told her to not open the door.

"I'm sorry but who is this?" she asked politely and Claire gave a quick fake smile.

"Tell him Claire Bennet is here…"

The assistant did as she was told – and seconds later the door swung open to reveal Nathan Petrelli in all his glory.