Chapter 12 – Meeting the family

Peter tugged on Claude's arm as he tried to make the older man move. Claude kept mumbling incoherent words but Peter was pretty sure his friend was cursing him.

"Come on Claude!" he groaned and Claude shook his head.

"Listen here mate I'm glad you didn't blow up my pigeons but that doesn't mean I owe you anything." The older man spoke as he tried to pull himself out of Peter's grip but Peter held on and Claude sighed.

"Claude…if you won't do this for me…then do this for you." Peter smiled and Claude groaned.

"Oh lord you've gone mentally insane! Not just that scar that made you go all koo-koo!"

The rest of the trip went like that – Peter having to force Claude every bit of the way. They bumped into countless people – who looked around but didn't see the two invisible men.

Finally they reached their destination and Peter let go of Claude who punched him.

"Bloody boy. Who do you think you are mate? Ordering me around? I'm the invisible man…"

"And you'll be the pretty much dead man if you don't shut up!" Peter barked and Claude smiled.

"Oo Peter's finally got some backbone. Finally stopped letting everyone walk over you?" Peter didn't reply but sent his former mentor a look that shut him up in an instant. Peter didn't want to play Claude's game…he had a promise to keep.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Claire smiled as she watched the world pass by her – it was the middle of the day and she couldn't help but feel that this was destiny. She pushed her feet onto the ground and the swing moved a bit – not enough to make her go high, but just enough to let her slowly swing. Back and forth.

Peter had told her to meet him there but as usual he was late. Claire didn't mind…it gave her the much needed time to think. Because Claire was urgently in need of some time to think.

It had been a month since she and Peter had moved back to New York. Two months since they had first gone to see Nathan. Her mind screamed that nothing had changed…but Claire knew better than that. She knew not to trust the horribly eerie normality that had swept over them. Face it – she and Peter were nowhere near normal and never would be. Claire wouldn't let herself think about that around Peter – clearing her mind when he was around her – but she knew the horrible truth. And yes…she saw it as horrible, because in her heart she knew they were nowhere near ready to handle what was about to come.

The prickling-feeling on her neck was an instant notification to Claire that she had to clear her mind as she closed her eyes and sensed Peter's body near hers. His warm lips pressed against hers and when she opened her eyes, Peter materialized in front of her.

"Hmm…" Claire moaned against his lips and Claude groaned. Immediately Claire pulled away, jumping up and straight into Peter's arms.

"Claude…you can appear now." Peter said quickly as he hugged Claire to him. (A/N: Claude has power over his invisibility in my fic). Claude sighed as he materialized in front of them – Claire smile immediately spreading as she realized who it was.

"Mate…I hope you didn't bring me out all this way just to show me you have a new lass." He spat and Peter didn't back down.

"21 years ago you fathered a daughter with Meredith. Take a long look at Claire…see something familiar?"

Claude stared at Claire as everything sunk in. Peter's complete determination to get him to come see Claire. The pure feeling of familiarity he felt the first time he saw her. Meredith had always told him their daughter was dead…but years of dreaming…of praying…had finally paid off as Claude Raines gave his first true smile in years.

Claire smiled as she let go of Peter and neared the older man – her father – her real father. Though very weary of the situation she moved close to him, near enough to embrace him yet far enough to not be making him uncomfortable. But in reality she didn't have to worry about it because as soon as she was close enough Claude had pulled her to him in a crushing hug.

"Oh thank god I thought you were dead!" he exclaimed as he held her to him and Claire's eyes leaked tears but she stayed silent as she let her father embrace her.

Peter watched from the sidelines – happy that Claire was happy again. Happy that the whole parental issue had been sorted out. But mostly he stood to the side because it gave him a better chance to fiddle with that what was in his pocket. It burned him where it touched his leg – not the same burn as the radiation burns but one that was so much worse in so many ways. The circular shape – so tiny yet holding so much meaning – slid around his palm as he pressed his hand into his pocket. It was cold but Peter somehow felt immune to it.

Peter was so busy in his deep thoughts that he didn't see the blow coming his way until it was too late. Peter fell to the ground – Claude's strength overpowering him in that instant – and he held onto his jaw as Claire rushed to his side. Claude laughed as Claire helped him up.

"What the hell was that for?" Peter demanded as he set his jaw straight again.

"For screwing my daughter! If you ever look at her the way you did just now – having sex with her in your mind already… I swear mate it doesn't matter if she's my daughter or your girl…I'll kill you." Claire smiled at her already over protective father who smiled back at her. Peter just held onto his jaw as he sighed and turned to Claire.

"You know…this is the second time I got punched in the jaw because of you…"