Chapter 53 Being a mother
Her daughter was feeding her baby.
Heidi just stayed there, watched Claire with her son in her arms, and could not believe in her eyes. It was unreal, but yet so sweet to watch. She saw the love in Claire's eyes and all the tenderness when she happened to touch her baby. She was a mother. Heidi sighed and just then, her daughter and Peter saw her standing at the door. Claire smiled at her.
'Mom?' She called her and Heidi came closer. 'This is Joshua.'
Heidi saw resembles immediately. Joshua looked just like his father. Heidi covered her mouth with one hand. She sighed again.
'He is so… small.' Heidi exclaimed and uncovered her mouth.
'No, he's not.' Peter came closer to them. 'Claire suffered a lot.'
'But it's worth it.' She smiled softly. Joshua coughed. 'Oh no! What did you do my boy?' Claire lifted him up. His head rested on her shoulder and Claire rubbed his small back. 'Sh-sh…' Joshua got scared and now sobbed quietly. 'Mommy's here… mommy's here…'
Heidi watched her daughter acting as a mother and could not believe it. However, the baby in her hands was real and Heidi had to admit that in front of herself. They had named him Joshua. Their child… Peter and Claire's son.
'We have to run some tests today.' Peter placed hand on Claire's free shoulder. She looked up at him with fear in her eyes.
'I want you to be with him!'
'I will.' Peter nodded seriously.
'Don't miss him out of your sight, okay?' Claire sounded nervous and Peter tried to contain his anger. Heidi frowned.
'What's going on here?'
'My mother tried to kidnap Joshua from us.' Peter answered. Claire continued cradling her baby.
'What?' Heidi sounded shocked.
'Nathan stopped her.'
'He stopped her? Are you serious?' Heidi looked with disbelief.
'Absolutely serious.' Peter nodded.
'Oh.'
'Now, Claire and I are scared.' Peter looked down at Claire and Joshua. His son had fallen asleep in his mother's arms. Claire was holding him tightly. She rubbed his back and her head touched his small one.
Heidi frowned. She hated to see her daughter like that. Claire was strong girl and she supposed to act like one. She did not look like a strong girl now. She was not a strong or a girl anymore. Heidi could see her fear. That made her angry. She had to talk with Angela and she had to do it as soon as she could.
Peter said that he was scared too, but Heidi thought that he was a little angrier than scared. She was sure that he could protect Claire and their son. He had proven that so many times. However, nothing was sure with Angela Petrelli. Heidi knew that from personal experience. Angela thought that she could act as she wanted, but Heidi had something other in her mind. She just smiled at her daughter and touched her arm. Claire tried to smile too, but she was tired. Her mother could see that too.
'Why don't you sleep now, beautiful?' Peter asked her and Heidi was not surprised. He always felt what she needed.
'Okay, but…' Claire looked up at him.
Peter nodded and took Joshua into his secured arms.
'I'm not gonna miss him out of my sight.'
She yawned and slipped down on her bed. Heidi helped her with the blanket and soon Claire was falling asleep. She looked tired and Heidi looked at Peter. He just had placed Joshua into his crib.
'Peter?' Heidi took his attention and he looked at her with worried face. She winced. If Peter was worried so there must have been a reason for it. 'What's wrong with her?'
'It is a normal thing to feel like this.' Peter ran fingers through his hair. 'She had a difficult labor.'
'Then what?' Heidi watched him touching Claire's hand. 'There is something and do not try to lie to me!'
'I don't know!' Peter snapped. 'I don't know what it's wrong with her!'
'But…'
'She's not supposed to feel like this! She has to have her ability back!' He sat on the chair near the bed. 'I know that there is something wrong here, but I don't know what!'
'You said difficult labor?' Heidi's voice hitched.
'I found her lying on the floor unconciousness in our apartment.' Peter clenched his jaw. 'I saw Sylar there and I think that he had something to do about it! That son of a…' He stopped and made short pause, but then continued. 'Claire said that she received her first contractions before that. When I brought her here, she bled and I had to give her from my blood for… Damn!' Peter buried fingers into his messy hair. 'I'm gonna kill him! I swear! I'm gonna kill him!'
'Peter…' Heidi stared at his worried face.
'Ten hours.' Peter whispered. 'She was there ten hours and I almost lost her. I almost lost the both of them.'
'Oh no!' Heidi covered her mouth and fell on the near chair.
'She is here now.' Peter took Claire's hand and kissed her fingers carefully. 'They both are.'
'But she is not fine, right?' Heidi looked back at Peter. 'You just said that.'
'She is normal.' Peter gazed Claire's face. 'That's what concerns me. Her body is acting normally after the birth. She should have her ability back, but I think she is just one normal woman now.'
'She is… a woman, yeah.' Heidi coughed and took the other hand of her daughter. Claire slept peacefully. 'Why all this happened Peter?'
'I don't know.' Peter shrugged. 'I wish I know, but I don't.'
Heidi left the room one hour later. Claire was sleeping and Peter was staring at her. She promised to talk with Angela and her try to take Joshua away from his parents. Joe came few minutes after Heidi's arrival. He checked Claire's results and then looked at Peter.
'You wanted to talk with me?'
'Yeah.' Peter coughed and got off his chair. 'I want to ask you for something.'
'Just name it!' Joe nodded seriously.
'I want to run some tests to Joshua.' Peter made short pause. 'I want to see if everything is right with him.'
'But Peter, we did all the tests he was needed.' Joe frowned. 'What it bothers you?'
'Claire and I are close relatives, Joe.' Peter stared at his friend. 'I want to be sure that there is nothing wrong with our son, because of that.'
'How close?' Joe frowned.
'Um… cousins?' Peter coughed and Joe did not miss the hesitation in his voice.
'Peter…' He frowned even more.
'Just do it, okay?' Peter ruffled his hair. 'And tell me what is wrong with Claire now?'
'Claire is bad?' Mel just had opened the door. She looked surprised. 'What's wrong?'
'And who are you?' Joe turned around to look at the young girl walked into the room.
'I'm Mel Murry.' She looked at him. 'Nice to meet you.'
'You are very beautiful.' Joe smiled.
'And she is very married.' Sean walked into the room frowning. 'Don't try your trick on her, Joe!'
Sean slipped hand over Mel's waist and pulled her closer. She frowned slightly and looked back at Claire.
'How is she?'
'She is normal for her condition.' Joe looked back at Peter. 'It's going to take time for her to get better.'
'Time?' Mel exclaimed, but Peter shot her one look and Sean squeezed her lightly.
'The labor was difficult and she lost a lot of blood.' Joe nodded. 'She has to stay in the bed.'
'I see.' Peter nodded and tried to smile. He knew that she has also few stitches and she still felt sore. 'What about the other thing?'
'We can run the tests now if you want.' Joe said and Peter took the baby out of his crib. His son was awake and waved tiny fists in the air.
'He is so adorable.' Mel exclaimed and Peter smiled at her reaction.
'You can see him later if you want.' He nodded. 'Stay here until she wakes up, please. I'll be back.'
Mel nodded and watched them leaving the room. She sighed and looked up at Sean. He frowned, seeing that something was bothering her. His hand lay on her face and he gazed at her eyes.
'I know that there is something wrong with you.' Sean asked and Mel avoided his eyes for one moment. 'Tell me. You know that you can, right?'
'I thought that I was pregnant after you left.' Mel spoke quietly and his hand dropped off her face. Sean stared at her with confusion. 'I wasn't!' Mel quickly reassured him. 'But I got scared and I thought that I could…'
'Damn it, Mel!' Sean cursed and she saw his angry face.
'Sean, please. This is nothing. It was just false alarm and I…'
He just turned around and rushed out of the room. Mel sighed. She threw one look at Claire and saw her still sleeping. Then she followed Sean.
Claire woke up from some voices. Her eyes fluttered, but when she opened them, she was alone in the room. It was quiet and suddenly she got scared. She sat on the bed and looked around. The door had closed and then her look fell on the empty crib. Joshua! Her Joshua was missing! Claire pulled over her blanket and hung her legs over the bed.
She felt small pain down in her belly, but she just ignored it. She had to find her son. Her heart pounded and her feet touched the ground. Claire took just few steps and screamed from the pain, cutting through her stomach. She fell on the ground, moaning.
'Help!' She cried and tried to crawl to the door, but she was too weak even for that. That was how Peter found her. He had heard her screams from the corridor and now he rushed to her. Joshua was in his arms and Claire calmed in the moment she saw him.
'What the Hell are you doing?' Peter snapped and placed Joshua back into his crib. He helped Claire got off the ground and carried her to the bed. 'What if you had hurt yourself?' Peter covered her lower body with the blanket.
'I got scared.' Claire tried to explain. 'Please, let me hold him.'
'Wait until they examine you.' Peter saw one nurse walked into the room. She had heard Claire's screams too. Claire nodded at Peter and waited until the nurse examined her.
'She is fine.' The nurse said. 'The stitches are fine too, Dr. Petrelli.'
Peter nodded and waited until they were alone. Then he frowned against Claire and saw her biting her lower lip. She looked down at her hands, resting over her lap. His eyes accused her and she could not take it.
'What were you doing?' Peter slipped fingers under her chin and forced her to look at him. 'Do you know how fragile you are now? You gave birth last night and now you want to walk?'
'I thought that…'
'No!' Peter snapped and Claire winced. 'You haven't thought at all!' He rubbed his eyes, trying to easier his breathing. He was angry. His heart ached when he saw her, lying on that floor. 'Look Claire, I know that you are scared about Joshua.' He spoke softly this time. 'I am too, but I promised you that he'll be safe with me.'
'I'm sorry.' Claire smiled through tears. 'I won't do that again, but when I woke up and there was nobody in the room…'
'Nobody?' Peter frowned. 'I thought I asked Mel to stay here.'
'Mel?' Claire remembered the voices she had heard before she woke up.
'I'm here!' Mel rushed into the room and Peter glared at her.
'I told you to stay here!' Peter narrowed his eyes.
'I'm sorry, but Sean and I…'
Joshua interrupted them with loud cry. Claire smiled and Peter placed him in her arms. She kissed his forehead and started feeding her son. The room became quiet again. Everybody looked at the small baby in Claire's arms.
