As always, thanks to my regular readers/reviewers, and welcome to any newcomers. You know I always enjoy hearing from anyone who reads. And I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

Previously on Heroes (Storm Clouds Gathering): Wyatt gives the note from the man in trouble to the heroes at breakfast, and they decide that they need to go help this man (and John Shoe). Hiro volunteers to teleport Phoebe and Claire to see Meredith in Canada, while the others head to Maine. After meeting Meredith, Hiro and the two girls are supposed to meet the others in Maine. The heroes say their farewells as they prepare to separate. Hiro, Phoebe, and Claire teleport to Candada. Peter, Nathan, Heidi, and Sasha hop on a train to Maine (which rhymes, by the way), where Nathan notices that Peter doesn't seem to be feeling well and Sasha notices that Heidi is jealous of Phoebe...

CHAPTER SIX

Phoebe held her breath. She suspected Claire was doing the same.

Hiro, on the other hand, was not. He knocked on the door of the cabin with a smile. "Ms. Gordon!" he called cheerfully. "Are you at home?"

"She's obviously here," said Claire. "Look at all the wind chimes."

With a start, Phoebe noticed the wind chimes. A chill ran up her spine. She had her own wind chime collection back at her apartment. Some of the exact same chimes hung on Meredith Gordon's porch. Her sister's porch…

"Coming!" called a voice from inside.

Phoebe took a step backward.

"Oh no you don't!" exclaimed Claire, grabbing her by the arm and dragging her forward. "If I have to do this, then so do you."

"As I recall, it was our idea in the first place," said Phoebe, managing a smile. "And here we are wishing we were anywhere else."

Phoebe and Claire stared at each other for a moment, then burst into hysterical laughter.

"What is so funny?" Hiro asked with a puzzled smile.

"Nothing. Nothing," Claire managed, panting with laughter. She and her aunt were both doubled over and red-faced. "Phoebe… Aunt Phoebe…"

Their laughter shot up in volume.

"We have the same knees," Claire giggled.

"What!?" Phoebe exclaimed, grinning.

"Our knees… They look just alike. I noticed in the other day when you were wearing a skirt. Your knees are just like mine!"

The two girls fairly shrieked with laughter.

Then the door opened, and there was silence.

Claire and Phoebe quickly straightened.

"Claire?" came the breathy voice of the woman just inside the door, the woman who Phoebe realized with a shock looked just like Emily Agnew, Phoebe's mother. "What's going on? How did you find me?"

Claire lifted her chin. "As I'm sure you know, you're not the only one of my relatives with… an ability. Peter Petrelli found you for me."

"Oh. Well isn't that nice." Meredith crossed her arms, looking unsure.

"Meredith Gordon, I am Hiro Nakamura," said Hiro with a bow. "I am Claire's friend. And this--"

"Phoebe Agnew," said Phoebe quickly, meeting her sister's eyes steadily.

For a moment, Meredith frowned in puzzlement, then her eyes widened and her face paled. "Phoebe… Agnew. Are we… related in any way?"

"I'm your… You're my…" Phoebe cleared her throat. "We're sisters."

Peter stood in the tiny bathroom of the train cabin he shared with Nathan. He leaned on the sink, closed his eyes, and concentrated… again. And once again, the bar of soap on the sink did not move. "What's happening to me?" Peter muttered, frowning. Angrily, he tried again to use telekinesis. This time, the soap moved, hovering over the sink.

Peter grinned… then frowned at the feeling of weakness washing over his body. He let the soap drop roughly into the sink, his knees shaking. Quickly, he leaned himself against the wall and slid down, bothered by the ragged sound of his breathing. He closed his eyes and concentrated on deep breaths.

A picture suddenly sprang up in his mind's eye… Phoebe.

"Phoebe." He whispered her name and felt strength flow back through him.

"Peter? You okay in there?"

"I'm fine, Nathan," Peter called. "I'll be out in a minute." He stood carefully, directing his attention at the soap. He grinned with satisfaction as the bar of soap lifted easily out of the sink at his bidding. He set it down on the rim of the sink and, satisfied that he was really fine, he moved toward the door. In his relief, he failed to notice that his hands were shaking.

Phoebe was unsure what to do with her hands. She was fidgetting like crazy and sure that her sister had probably noticed. Quickly, she linked her fingers together and held her hands between her knees, hoping she did not look like third grader waiting for a vaccination.

"So you're a teacher?" Meredith asked her, pouring each of her guests a glass of tea.

Phoebe nodded, smiling with effort. "Yes… Well sort of. I'm a substitute right now, but I'm getting a job at one of the New York high schools in a few months, so then I'll be teaching for good."

"And you like it?" Meredith asked quietly, sitting in a large, comfy-looking recliner.

"I do," said Phoebe. "I like doing something that matters. When I'm teaching, I don't feel worthless. I feel like… I'm making a difference…" Wow. It's odd that I'm confessing all of this to her…

"And you're telekinetic?"

"Yes. I hear you're a firestarter."

"Yes." With a crooked smile, Meredith allowed a small flame to spurt from her fingertips. "It's a useful talent to have up here where it's so cold."

"I'm sure."

They were all quiet for a moment.

"Have ya'll noticed any weird storms lately?" Meredith asked then.

"There was a really weird storm the night of my banquet," Claire spoke up.

"Ah yes. Your banquet." Meredith smiled indulgently at her daughter. "I heard about that on the news. You looked just gorgeous in that purple dress."

"Thanks," said Claire flatly.

"And there was a weird storm?" Meredith questioned.

"Yes. Very weird," Hiro answered. "It is winter in New York and… No snow. Just thunder and lightning. And Peter Petrelli say he hear laugh in thunder."

"Peter would say something like that," Claire remarked with a wry grin.

"Peter's your uncle?" Meredith asked. "He's your father's brother, right?"

Claire nodded absently, looking anywhere but her mother's eyes.

"He is dating Phoebe Agnew," Hiro announced pleasantly.

"Oh?" Meredith's eyebrows raised as she turned her gaze to Phoebe. "That's interesting." Her grin looked a bit mischievous now as she leaned back in her chair and lit a cigarette with her fingers.

Phoebe managed a half smile. "Yeah. I like him."

"You would," said Meredith archly. "It's in the blood. We Gordon girls have a thing for those Petrelli boys."

"Agnew. It's Agnew," Phoebe corrected, resisting the urge to telekinetically put out her sister's cigarette.

"Oh yes. Of course. And how is Nathan?"

"He's fine," said Claire shortly.

"Wouldn't it be interesting if he and I had stayed together?" Meredith took a drag on the cigarette. "Sisters dating brothers…" She smiled roguishly.

Phoebe blinked. Peter had said something very similar at the banquet…

"That would be… strange," said Claire, crossing her arms.

"It's just like destiny that you're dating Peter," said Meredith to Phoebe. "Like I said before, there must be something in our blood and theirs that… draws us together."

Phoebe was unsure what to say to that and was a bit relieved when Meredith continued talking.

"Of course, your real last name is Gordon. I'm sure Daddy dearest changed the name to keep you safe." She shrugged. "I suppose he didn't think about changing mine. But then, by that time, I was long gone…" There was a touch of wisfulness in her voice, and for a moment, Phoebe felt very sorry for her sister, who had made the bad decision to run away long ago, when she was so very young.

"So. Does anyone want to see my photography collection?" Meredith asked, suddenly cheerful.

The three heroes seated on the couch looked at each other. Then Claire looked to Meredith and nodded. "Sure." She got up and followed her birth mother out of the living room.

Hiro started to follow, but Phoebe grabbed his arm. "I think maybe they should be alone for a little bit. I think Claire probably has some questions for her mother."

"I think you are nervous of your sister," Hiro told Phoebe, patting her hand.

Phoebe sighed. "I think I am, too." She stood slowly and stretched. "I'd just like… to get back… to Peter and the others…" Her vision wavered for a moment, and she swayed dizzily on her feet.

"Phoebe? Are you okay?" Hiro asked, standing quickly.

"I'm fine. I just…" She sighed and sat back down. "I guess I'm tired." She closed her eyes wearily, feeling drained. I miss Peter.

The dark man gathered his power and took a deep breath, preparing himself for the task at hand.

"You know what you have to do," said the man behind him. "You have to stop them. Look."

The first man looked. And he saw a painting depicting doom and destruction for himself and for his comrades, doom and destruction at the hands of the brothers Petrelli and their entourage, a ragtag group of heroes, some with very dangerous powers.

"You know what to do," said the second man quietly.

The first man nodded. "And I'll do it." With a quick bow to the second man, he left the room and walked out into the night, lightning flashing above him as breathed the heavy air, wind swirling around him.

The second man remained inside, watching the first with a smirk on his face. Everything was going according to plan. He would have his revenge.

Nathan noticed Peter's trembling hands. "Pete, are you sure you're okay?" he asked his brother, frowning.

Peter turned to meet his eyes and nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine. I--" He glanced down at his hands. "I think I'm just tired. I can still use my powers."

Nathan's eyebrows raised. "So you were worried that you couldn't?"

Peter pressed his lips together and turned from Nathan, yanking his pajamas out of his suitcase. "I get the bottom bunk since you got the window seat."

"Peter, what's going on?" Nathan grabbed Peter's shoulder and spun his brother around.

"I'm fine, Nathan. I--" Peter blinked and shook his head.

"Peter?" Nathan grabbed onto his brother's other shoulder, suddenly aware--and terrified-- of the fact that he was holding Peter up.

Peter met Nathan's eyes then, and the younger brother's eyes were wide and feverish. "Nathan, something's wrong. I can't--I can't focus."

"Just calm down, Pete. Maybe you should lie down…" Nathan frowned. Peter did not even seem to be listening to him. "Hey! Peter!" He gave his younger brother a shake.

Peter's eyes snapped back to Nathan's. "You're right. I should… I should go to bed… now."

Nathan slipped an arm around Peter and helped his brother to the bottom bunk. "You need some medicine or anything?"

"No, no. I"ll be fine…" Peter sighed heavily, frowning. "I don't know what's wrong with me…"

Nathan did not sleep well that night. For one thing, he was worried about Peter. For another thing, he was worried about the three heroes in Canada. Another thing--his relationship with Heidi. And finally, there was the thunder…

BOOM!

The train car shook, and Nathan had to hang on tightly to the edge of the bed to keep from being thrown from it.

There was another crash, and the car shook again. Nathan tumbled over the side of the upper bunk, using his power of flight just in time to keep from hitting the floor. He sighed with relief as he levitated inches from the floor, then slowly set himself down on his feet.

"Pete, you okay?" he asked, peering through the darkness to where his brother lay on the lower bunk.

Peter did not move.

"Peter!" Nathan called, worry clenching his heart.

"What is it?" Peter asked groggily, rolling over to face Nathan, who nearly fell over with relief at the sound of his little brother's voice.

"Something's going on. Did you feel that--?" Before he could finish speaking, the car jerked again, and Nathan was thrown forward. He grabbed onto the bunk ladder to steady himself. By now, both brothers could hear shouts and worried cries from the other passengers.

Peter quickly stood. "We have to find out what's going on. Maybe we can do something."

Nathan flipped on the light and took in his brother's paleness and feverishly bright eyes. He put a restraining hand on the younger man's chest. "You stay right here. You need your rest. I'll go find out what's going on."

"Nathan--"

"You're sick, Pete. Lie down."

Peter shook his head and reached for his suitcase. "I'm getting dressed, and I'm going out there with you."

Nathan sighed and closed his eyes. It was going to be a rough night.