Author's note: Wow, the longest chapter I have ever written for anything. I broke 2,000 words!!Pretty please let me know what you think, please, please, please:)

Chapter Four

Peter's lost his mind

Or has he?

Peter reached his apartment in record time, once in his hallway he reached his hand into his pocket and froze. His keys were still lying on his bedside table. He groaned, he was in no mood for this. He walked back downstairs to get his spare out of his box, when he was finally in his apartment he collapsed on his bed. He was so tired, these dreams were driving him crazy and he couldn't tell anyone about them without people thinking he was crazy. Even his own brother.

"Maybe I should have told Claire, she would have at least listened to me," Peter said to himself as he sat up and ran a hand through his hair making an almost black ringlet fall into his face.

"No, that wouldn't have been a good idea, Claire's the last person left I can talk to, I can't have her thinking I'm insane too," Peter said out loud again tucking the annoying strand of hair behind his ear, "Listen to me, I'm talking to myself, maybe I am insane."

Just then his phone rang and Peter put his hand in his pocket to pull out his cell, "Hello."

"Pete its me," Nathan's voice echoed on the other end of the phone line.

"I already told you Nathan, I don't want to work for you," Peter said almost ready to hang up the phone.

"Peter wait," Nathan said quickly, "I just called to say that I'm sorry, I never should have gone about it that way. Its just, you're my brother Pete, and I'm worried about you, that's all."

"You talked to Claire didn't you?" Peter said with a knowing nod, Peter could always tell when his brother had talked to his only daughter, Claire had a way of showing her father the light.

"Well yes, but thats not the point, I just see that I was going about this the wrong way," Nathan said trying to get his words out the way he wanted them to sound, "I'm just saying that if you still want to try to figure out your dreams, I'm here for you."

"Really?" Peter asked not sure if he should trust what his brother was saying.

"Yes, look the kids have a long weekend, so why don't you come over for lunch on Saturday? Heidi and the boys are home from her sister's and Claire will be here, what do you say?" Nathan asked.

Peter sighed, "That actually sounds really nice, okay, Saturday is my day off anyway."

"Great, so see you then, say around noon?" Nathan asked, he actually sounded excited.

"I'll be there," Peter said as he shrugged off his book bag.

"Okay see you Saturday little brother," and with that Nathan hung up the phone.

Peter sighed as he hung up his cell and laid down on his back again it was only five thirty but he didn't care, in a matter of minutes he was asleep.

Claire slowly climbed the steps to her front door. She knew Heidi and her brothers would be home but she still felt like she should have stopped by her Uncle's place but she had thought that it was a better idea to just let him be alone for a while. She had kicked herself the whole way home for not doing it since he hadn't picked up his cell when she called him when she was half way home, though she knew that he was most likely asleep. She opened the door just in time to see Simon shoot passed her.

"Whoa Simon! What are you doing?" Claire asked as she jumped back a little closing the door with her back as she did.

"Playing chase with Monty-Claire watch out!" Simon yelled, but it was to late, Monty came barreling around the corner and ran straight into Claire making her fall backwards, her hand smashed into the glass cabinet beside the door slashing her hand open.

Claire gasped as she landed, "Ouch," Claire hissed as she slowly pulled her hand out of the glass, it was covered in blood.

"Mom!" Simon's scream could have been heard throughout the whole house but it only took about five seconds before Heidi was in the room.

"Simon Peter Petrelli, stop yelling, what is it?" Heidi asked but she didn't need her son to answer her when she saw her step daughter holding her bleeding hand, "What happened?"

"Monty ran into her," Simon said pointing at his younger brother.

"It was an accident," Monty said with a whimper, he felt bad.

"I know it was Monty, I'm not mad," Claire said, though she had to say it through clenched teeth as Heidi rushed her to the kitchen.

There was still a chunk of glass in Claire's hand when Heidi got her to the kitchen and to the sink. Heidi gently pulled out the glass, as she did blood pooled out from behind it.

"I think you might need stitches Claire," Heidi said as she gently washed off the blood from around the cut.

Claire made a face, she did not want to go wait in a waiting room for hours just to be told she needed a bandage, Heidi smiled, "Alright, we'll try cleaning it and bandaging it here at home then we'll watch it and see what happens."

Claire smiled, she really did love Heidi but she never felt right calling her mom since she and her dad hadn't gotten married until Claire was seven. Claire winced as Heidi finished rinsing off her hand, she then grabbed a clean towel and wrapped it around Claire's hand.

As they made their way to the table Heidi called over her shoulder, "Simon, go get me the first aid kit please."

The eight year old nodded and ran out of the room.

It only took about five minutes to make sure that all the glass was out and bandage the cut. Heidi finished by wrapping Claire's whole hand in a hand pressure bandage.

"There we go," Heidi said as she taped the end to the back of Claire's hand.

Claire smiled, "Thanks Heidi."

Heidi smiled as they both stood up, "You let me know if it gets worse or if it bleeds through."

Claire nodded, "I will, I got to go do some homework."

"Okay, you go ahead, you're dad should be home soon and then we can eat," Heidi said with a smile and then turned to the boys, "As for you two, go play some video games in the game room okay."

The two boys nodded and walked slowly out of the room, making Claire smile, that had to be the slowest she had ever seen her brothers walk.

Two hours later Claire was still in her room, but having finished her homework, she had picked up her new pom-poms for cheer leading and was practicing in the mirror. She was so into it she didn't hear the knock or her bedroom door open.

"This is what you call studying?" Claire jumped and turned around to see her father standing in her doorway.

"Dad, when did you get home?" Claire asked holding her poms in front of her.

"Just now," Nathan said looking into Claire's usually sparkling eyes, "You're still mad at me aren't you."

Claire sighed, "Dad its not that I'm mad at you, its just Uncle Peter loves what he does and he loves you, why else do you think he came to you for help?"

"You're right," Nathan admitted and almost laughed when he saw Claire's mouth drop open.

"I'm sorry did you just say I was right? You-Nathan Petrelli-who are you and what have you done with my father?" Claire said sarcastically but in a way she was serious, it wasn't like her father to admit he was wrong.

"Its me I swear, I'm admitting I was wrong call the presses," Nathan said and Claire giggled making him smile, "You were right Claire, I should have talked to Peter instead of trying to go behind his back and just give him a job to watch him. I'm sorry old habits die hard."

"What?" Claire asked, not sure what her father was getting at with the old habits die hard.

Nathan shook his head, "Never mind. Anyway I called Peter and he's coming over on Saturday for lunch so we can talk."

Claire looked surprised, "Really?"

Nathan smiled, "Why do you look so surprised?"

Claire shook her head, "I don't know, its just the way I saw you looking at him that's all."

"I was wrong Claire, I've told you that and I've told him that, I'm sure he's asleep by now, but he's coming," Nathan said with a smile.

"That's great!" Claire said with a smile, glad that her father and uncle had made amends, and then added, "So are you working tomorrow?"

Nathan sighed and shook his head, "Nope, I took it off so I could be with you and your brothers on you nice long weekend."

Claire smile and through her arms poms and all around her father's neck, "Good, I was hoping you would."

"You know Heidi told me what happened earlier, hows the hand?" Nathan asked as Claire released him and pointed at the bandaged hand that was now visible through his daughter's silver and blue poms.

"Its fine, the pain went away," Claire said holding out the hand towards her father.

Nathan took her hand into his and looked at the bandage making sure that it wasn't bleeding through, he poked at it too and Claire was surprised that it didn't hurt. Nathan looked up, "That didn't hurt?"

Claire shrugged and shook her head no.

"Well, maybe that's a good sign," Nathan said with a smile, "Why don't you come downstairs, dinner is ready."

Claire smiled and nodded, "Okay daddy, I'll be right there."

Nathan smiled back, "Be careful washing up with hand."

Claire laughed, "I will."

The next day, Friday, was spent at the house, Claire spent some time studying for her retest the following week but not to much she pretty much had it now. Nathan helped Monty and Simon put together the train set that Simon had gotten for his birthday. Nathan did take a few phone calls but other then that his kids were front and center and he realized how long it had really been since they were just that. After a few hours of studying, Claire came downstairs and watched them, laughing when her father couldn't figure out how to put the last few tracks together.

"Dad, do you need help?" Claire asked with a small laugh.

"No, no I can figure this out," Nathan said holding up a hand and turning the tracks around for the third time.

Claire couldn't help it, she started out right laughing, "Okay, dad, dad, you have this one upside down."

Claire reached out and took the track in Nathan's left hand and turned it over. Nathan looked at his daughter, "I would have figured it out."

Claire laughed and patted her father on the back, "Whatever stops the tears dad."

Nathan looked surprised, but couldn't help but laugh, "Thanks sweetheart, that makes me feel real good."

Claire laughed and smiled as she left the room.

Later that night Claire was back in her room, cell phone held to her ear, she frowned when the voice mail picked up. "Hey this is Peter, you got my voice mail, leave me a message."

Claire sighed, "Hey, Uncle Peter, its me, I was just calling to check on you," she paused not sure what to say, "Okay, I hope you're getting some sleep and thats why you're not picking up. I've got a long weekend, well I guess you already knew that, anyway, I know you're coming over tomorrow for lunch. That will be great to have you here for a while. Anyway call me."

"He didn't pick up?" Claire jumped for the second time in two days.

"Dad, you really have got to stop doing that," Claire said turning to face her father who was once again standing in her doorway a smile on his face.

"Sorry sweetheart, I didn't mean to scare you," Nathan said as he walked into the room and sat down beside her on the bed, "Your Uncle didn't answer?"

Claire shook her head, "No, I'm kind of worried about him."

"Don't be, I'm sure he's fine,"Nathan said as he began rubbing circles on Claire's back.

"Did you talked to him?" Claire asked hopefully.

"Not today, but I know he had to work today so maybe he's just asleep, you know he keeps his cell on vibrate when he's at work maybe he forgot to turn it back on," Nathan said continuing the circle's on his daughter's back.

"I'm just worried about him that's all," Claire said as she laid her head on her father's shoulder.

"I know, but I'm sure he's fine," Nathan said with a smile, he was really glad his daughter and brother were so close. His eyes traveled down to his daughter's bandaged hand, "Why don't we take a better look at that hand before you go to bed?"

Claire shrugged and held up her hand to her father, "It doesn't hurt anymore, the pain went away pretty quickly actually but I think its still-," Claire's voice trailed off when her father removed the final bandage. Her skin was completely healed, there wasn't even a pink mark.

"Wow, it must not have been as bad as Heidi thought, it looks fine now," Nathan said as let go of Claire's hand and picked up the discarded bandages.

"That's weird, it was really deep," Claire said taking her hand and looking at it closely, nothing, there was nothing left to show there had been a two inch piece of glass in her hand.

"Well, maybe it just looked deep, because no matter how deep it looked its fine now," Nathan said, though he was wondering how in the world a cut could heal in only a little over twenty four hours, but shook it off and changed the subject, "It doesn't matter, the important thing is is that your not in pain anymore."

Claire nodded, "Yeah, I guess."

Nathan sighed, wishing he could explain what just happened to his sixteen year old but he couldn't, "Don't worry about it sweetheart, I'm sure it was just not as bad as you thought, its late get some sleep alright."

Claire sighed but nodded, "Okay."

Nathan smiled and stood up, he kissed Claire on her head saying, "Good night sweetie."

Claire smiled, "Good night dad."

As soon as Nathan left the room Claire stood up and ran to her bathroom that connected to her bedroom. She opened her drawers and pulled out a razor. She stood there for a long time holding the razor in her used to be cut right hand. She was crazy, she knew if this didn't work she was going to have a nasty scare. But she had to know. She put her arm over the sink and pulled the sharp razor across it making sure it broke the skin.

Claire hissed as she cut into her skin, this time on purpose. After she had made a good sized cut, she stopped, still clenching her teeth and hissing through them. Five minutes passed and nothing happened, Claire began to think she made a horrible mistake, and then-it happened. The cut pulled itself together, leaving only a little blood and a faint pink spot in its place. She stood there with her mouth open not sure what had just happened, she could heal, within a matter of minutes.

"What's happening to me?" Claire said as she continued to stare and her newly healed arm.

Claire didn't know what to think, if she could heal, maybe her father was wrong, maybe Peter could fly. She admitted that she thought herself that her Uncle might have been loosing it when she heard her father say what her uncle had said earlier. But that was before-she looked at her arm again and her hand. That was it she had to talk to her Uncle. She cleaned up the bathroom and then raced for her bedroom door, but just as she reached it she realized that she was in her pajamas and she was barefoot. "Yeah, I'll talk to Uncle Peter, first thing tomorrow." Claire said to herself as she rolled her eyes to herself and walked over to her bed and turned out her light.