Chapter 54 My job

It was busy night and Joe felt like he was going to collapse any time. Peter was not at work, because of his girlfriend and their newborn son. Well, he was at the hospital and Joe knew that Peter would help him if he asked. However, he also knew that his friend would not been fully committed to his work right now. Claire was in bad shape and he could not think of anything else than her.

Joe already thought about how he could go home and would sleep all night. Then something bumped in him. He reached hands to catch it and saw the most beautiful chocolate eyes in the world. He held the delicate body of a woman, who now stared at him with the same confusion.

'I… I'm sorry!' She mumbled and pulled away. Joe released her reluctantly. She wore pink uniform, but Joe could not remember seen her before. 'I'm looking for Dr. Thomas. They called him at the emergency. Do you know where can I find him?'

'You just did.' Joe looked at her mesmerized. 'And who are you?'

'I'm Demi Grassgreen. I'm the new nurse here.' The girl blushed and avoided his eyes. Joe smiled and touched her arm.

'Call me Joe.'

Demi smiled shyly.

'Come on!' She insisted, touching his hand. 'They are waiting for you downstairs at the ER!'

Joe just smiled again and followed her. The case was heavy. There was a car crash and they barely saved the mother and the baby. There was a premature labor with complications, but everything went well. The mother and her daughter felt fine.

Joe sighed tiredly and sat on the bench, opposite ER. He ran fingers through his brown curly hair and leaned back. It was heavy case, but it was not as heavy as Claire's labor. Joe frowned. It was as if everything was against him there – her blood loss, the lungs failure and finally the baby. Joe still wondered how Peter brought his son back to life. The situation was hopeless. The baby was on the verge of dying and just then, he woke up.

'Ugh!' Demi fell on the bench beside him. She rubbed her eyes and Joe looked at her. She was new, he could tell. Moreover, she was young, very young. Demi leaned back on the wall and sighed tiredly. 'That was heavy!'

'That was good!' Joe released one thin smile, looking at her. She was beautiful. Her long brown hair had tied up at the nape of her neck.

'Good?' Demi looked at him and Joe nodded. 'That was the heaviest labor ever!'

'Um… no!' Joe frowned, remembering again about Claire. 'The heaviest labor was two days ago and it was pure miracle that the mother and the child are alive.'

'Really?' Demi looked at him with interest.

'Yeah.' Joe looked at her seriously. 'It was premature labor and the mother was too weak. She needed blood transfusion and her lungs collapsed.'

'Oh man!' Demi looked at him with interest. 'And they both are fine?'

'They both are fine.'

'I've heard that Claire Petrelli is here.' Demi tried to change the subject.

'It was her.' Joe looked at her carefully.

'What?' Demi got off the bench and Joe followed her. 'It was her? Her labor?'

'Yeah, why?' Joe frowned.

'So then you're working with Peter Petrelli, her uncle, right?'

'WHAT?' Joe wanted to yell, but hissed instead. 'Peter is her… WHAT?'

'I thought you know and…' Demi looked at him with confusion. One nurse interrupted her by putting some documents in Joe's hands.

'These are the results you requested.' The nurse said.

'Thank you!' Joe opened the file and then closed it with angry sigh. 'Excuse me!'

'Sure!' Demi nodded.

Joe turned around, but then stopped and gave her one look.

'I'd love to see you again, Demi!'

She smiled.

'We're gonna see a lot from now on!'

Joe nodded and called the elevator. His face was dark when he entered into Claire's room. He saw her holding her son and Peter watched them with love. Yeah, that was love and it was obvious. Joe coughed and they looked at him. Peter's face faded immediately.

'Cousins?' Joe snapped and came closer to Peter. 'Really Peter? Cousins?'

'What is that supposed to mean?' Claire frowned with Joshua in her arms. 'Peter?'

'He said that you two are cousins!' Joe looked at Claire. 'He lied to me!'

'No!' Claire frowned even more. 'We lied to you! Peter just said what he had to say!'

'Damn it!' Joe cursed. 'You could go in the jail!' He looked at his friend. 'She is your niece and she is a minor!'

'You don't know us!' Peter snapped and clenched his fists. 'You don't know anything about us!'

'Why did you lie to me? Why?' Joe looked angry.

'Because, this is not of your business!' Claire was the one, who answered him. She hated when someone tried to hurt Peter.

'Yeah, right!' Joe snapped again and looked at her.

'Is this has something to do with Joshua?' Peter took back his attention. 'Have you read his results? Is he okay?'

Joe just glared at him frowning. He could make him feel guilty about all this. He could make him feel guilty about this situation. Then he looked at Claire. She was scared and he could see it in her eyes. Claire was scared for her baby.

'He is perfectly healthy! There is no problem with his DNA.'

Peter and Claire sighed with relief. Claire looked down at her son. Joshua was looking at her with his pretty, hazel eyes and she smiled.

'You are fine my boy.' She sang. 'You are fine and healthy. My Joshua…'

'I know what you're thinking!' Peter looked at Joe and his friend frowned even more. 'Our family knows and that's why we are here. I don't expect you to support us or accept us. I do expect you to shut your mouth from now on!'

'This is wrong, Peter!' Joe hissed. 'You're not supposed to be together.'

'You know how many times I've heard that?' Peter tilted his head. 'The truth is that I love her and she loves me. We didn't want it, but it happen.'

'But you lied to me, Peter!' Joe insisted.

'I could make you forget all this if you want!' They heard Mel and saw her standing at the door. She frowned and walked into the room. She was alone this time.

'What?' Joe looked at her strangely.

'It's nothing!' Peter snapped and glared at Mel. 'There is no need of this, Mel!'

'Well, if you change your mind.' She shrugged and came close to Claire.

'This is so confusing.' Joe stared at his friend, but Peter stared at him back. He did not look guilty. He was not even trying to look like it.

'Just do your job and don't think about us. You'll be fine.' Peter nodded.

'Baby!' Claire exclaimed and Joe saw Peter turned around to look at her.

'What, beautiful?' He asked softly.

'He smiled!' Claire leaned and kissed her son's forehead. 'I swear! He is so clever boy!'

'Sure, beautiful. I'm gonna see him in a minute.' Peter smiled at her back and than looked at his friend. His face faded. 'She's been through a lot. She is scared and she only wants to be with our son and me. I'm gonna do whatever she wants it, because damn it, but she deserved it!'

'Fine!' Joe frowned even more. 'It's your job!' He passed the file with results to Peter. 'I have to keep her here few more days.'

'Why?' Peter looked back at Claire. She was playing with Joshua and both with Mel were laughing at him. Peter grabbed Joe's arm and dragged him to the door. He released him there. 'Is there any problem with her?'

'Well, she had a premature labor, internal and external bleeding, and few stitches after all this.' Joe rubbed his arm. 'You saw how her lungs collapsed and now she is too weak. Man! You are too strong!' He glared at his friend, but Peter avoided his eyes and looked at Claire. She was smiling and Peter sighed tiredly. He rubbed his eyes and turned back to Joe.

'I saw that.' His voice was low. He did not want Claire to hear that. 'I thought that I was going to lose her. I thought that this was my punishment for all this.' Peter whispered the last words. 'Then I realized how much I love her.'

'Baby?' Claire called him once again and Peter quickly put one smile on his face before looking to her. Joe noticed that too.

'I'm coming!' Peter called her and she grinned against him.

'Two or three more days, Peter.' Joe said seriously and Peter looked at him again. 'And don't worry. Everything will be fine. Your son is healthy and Claire would be fine too.'

'Thank you.' Peter nodded and saw Joe walked out of the room. He sighed once again and opened Claire's file. He saw Joshua's results written close to Claire's. Peter frowned. Everything looked normal. That was the problem here.

'Peter look!' Claire insisted and Peter heard Joshua cooed. He smiled and closed the file. He could watch it later when Claire was sleeping. She did not have to worry. That was his job.