Two Weeks Away From Election & Reaquainted

[blackregret21]

Nathan was working alot these past few weeks. Election night was only two weeks away. And he wanted to visit his firstborn daughter before it got any busier. Days ago he had called her to schedule an meeting. Though to him it was not a meeting. He wanted to catch up with his daughter. Get filled in with what her life has been, etc.

Nathan awaited Claire in his office, which was located in his Campaign HQ. There were Vote Petrelli posters everywhere in the building. Nathan sat down in his chair, taking a deep breathe. Gathering all the oxygen he could. This week has been especially hectic for him. He sat in his chair, slowly rocking it back forth as he looked out the window. His phone rang. Nathan spun around his chair and pressed a button on the phone.

"She's here." a voice said.

"Send her in." Nathan responded.

[clairebear]

Nathan had called to say he wanted to see her. Nathan of course was Claire's biological father. It had taken quite a while for Claire to get used to the idea, because initially Claire didn't like him very much, in fact she didn't like much of the Petrelli's other than Peter.

But recently things had changed, and not exactly for the best. Peter had been lured to the dark side by Sylar, and now Nathan, her biological father had become just as important a part of her life as her adoptive father was. Claire still loved Peter too of course, which was why his lure to the dark side had been so painful for her.

When she arrived she let the receptionist know she had been called for by Nathan Petrelli and a few minutes later she said Claire could go right in, she smiled at the woman, "Thanks" and walked into his office.

"Hi Nathan" she said with a warm smile, still finding it difficult to actually call him dad, because to Claire Noah Bennet was her dad, even if Nathan Petrelli was her blood relative. "How goes it?" she asked him, as she sat down in the chair opposite Nathan.

[blackregret21]

The door opened, Nathan looked up. There she was, Claire. He hadn't seen her for a while. The last time was when she jumped out a fourth story window and ran off. But that was months ago. Nathan had now decided to Claire be brought into the picture with his election and everything. But he first had to learn about her, being that he never actually met her.

"Welcome to Manhattan." he said, not knowing if she has actually ever been here or not.

"Stressful." he said rubbing his eyes. After rubbing them, Claire was now sitting in the chair across from him.

"How was the flight?" Nathan asked. Nathan was a generous man. He paid for her flight to get here and had a place for her to stay if she decided she wanted to get to know him more. Nathan scooted under his desk.

[clairebear]

"Thanks" Claire replied when he welcomed her to Manhattan. "Looks like a nice enough place" she added as she took a look around the vast office she was in. She wanted to get to know her biological family more. More so now that Peter who she had been very close to had been lured by Sylar to the bad side, she didn't even know if Nathan knew it, but she wasn't going to bring that subject up, it was too hurtful for Claire to think about it.

"You need to get a break then, stress isn't good for anybody" Claire replied still smiling at Nathan. She really did want to get to know him more. She was a part of him, a part of his family, she felt like she needed to belong somehow as much as she loves her adoptive family.

"The flight was good, thank you for paying and bringing me over here" she said wondering whether she should go around to his side and give him a hug or not. Then decided to stay where she was, if he wanted to hug, then he'd hug her no doubt.

[blackregret21]

Nathan agreed as Claire complimented on the city. He noticed, that Claire was observing his office. It was a bit messy do to the fact that the election was not far away.

"Sorry for the mess." he apologized. There were 'Vote Petrelli' sign everywhere, along with other campaign items.

"Yeah I know. But its almost over." he said rolling his eyes in hope that it would be.

"How is the family back home. I haven't talked to Noah in a while." he asked trying to keep the conversation going.

[clairebear]

Claire waved her hand and shook her head, "Oh, it's fine, never even noticed the mess" she said with a smile, "I was just thinking, how big your office is, that's all" she added.

"Maybe, but until it's over, you should rest, you look exhausted, and it's not healthy to run yourself down so much" she said with a slight worried look. She mightn't know him properly, but he was still her biological father, and as such, she instinctively had a caring attitude towards him.

"Family back home is doing well, slowly and surely getting over what happened to me, but yeah we're fine" she responded, with a weak smile. The moment haunting her once more of when Sylar took her ability. While every other person he'd taken it from had died, she had survived it and it was freaky.

[blackregret21]

Nathan laughed. "Yeah it is a big office. But it will get bigger." he laughed again. Nathan brushed his hair with his hand.

"I'll be fine. Dont worry about me." he responded.

Nathan recalled the call from Noah a week ago. Telling him that Sylar had attacked Claire and gotten his ability. She had survived but was mentally depressed since.

"Yeah I remember, Mr. Bennet informing me about this. Are you okay?" he said with worry in his tone.

[clairebear]

"Bigger than this? Really?" she asked as her eyes opened wider, taking in the vast size the office already was. "Cool, you'll be able to get a pool table in your office then" she added as she laughed herself.

"Why shouldn't I worry about you 'dad' " she said using her fingers to make quote marks, "I mean that's what you are, really, even if I can't physically call you that, so it's my duty to worry about you" she added with a smile.

"I still don't feel like me" she began, "I mean I've never felt normal, but now I don't even feel any pain when I hurt myself, I don't really know who I am anymore, and that depresses me" she said sadly, once again trying to fight back the tears, she hated getting upset, but what Sylar had done to her, what he had now made her, worried Claire, it worried her a lot.

[blackregret21]

Nathan laughed as he imagined a pool table in the middle of the oval office. That would be a site to see he thought. "Yeah. it called the Oval Office." he explained to her. "But thats only if I win." he finished his voice was getting more serious at this point. "But thats another reason I asked you here. I am thinking about telling America about you." he said, "As long as its okay with you of course." he added.

He nodded as she explained why she could worry about him. "I understand, but I'll be fine." he responded. Nathan could tell she was about to cry, standing up he walked around his desk. "Come here." he said holding his arms out wanting to give her a hug.

[clairebear]

"Well you will win of course" she said with a smile, "And then it will be your Oval Office" she added grinning. It was nice to be here she thought, it was nice to spend some time with her biological father. Even if she couldn't exactly see him as her dad, it was still nice to be there.

"Telling America about me? Why just me? Or do you mean in general?" Claire asked unsure, shaking her head and biting down on her bottom lip. She wasn't sure about this, she wasn't sure about it at all. Her dad Noah would go crazy if he thought someone was going to go public with her powers, with any powers.

"I...I...don't know Nathan, I don't think my dad would like that to be honest" she said slowly, in fact if she was honest, she wasn't too sure she wanted it made public either.

"Well if you say you'll be fine, I'm glad, but I'll still worry" she said with a sad smile. He couldn't stop her from worrying if he tried. Just like she was worried about Peter. She couldn't believe Sylar had lured him like he had, it didn't seem right. Peter was technically an enemy to her and Nathan now, and she still loved Peter enough to try and bring him back to the good side.

When Nathan came round from the desk opening his arms out to give her a hug, Claire almost hesitated for a moment, not sure that he was comfortable with it, if she was comfortable with it. However, she needed a hug and as Sam wasn't there, then Nathan would have to do. She threw himself into his arms and hugged him tight, as she began to sob on his shoulder.

"I hate being like this, I've always hated it, and now, now I can't feel pain, I don't know who or what I am anymore" she cried into his shoulder. She had said the same things to Sam the day before, and he'd told her not to worry, she was still the same, but as much as she tried to fake that she was fine, she really wasn't.

[blackregret21]

He was glad this so called was going well. Everything seemed fine. Claire then assured that he would win. And hearing that cheered him up. He knew that Claire should of grown up with her true father, him. But thats done and over with.

Nathan felt that Claire thought that he was going to say that Claire was special. But really he wasn't. "I meant to let the public know that your my daughter." he said, hoping thats what she meant. "Of course we would have to get your fathers confirmation.

Nathan gave up on her worrying about him. He lost that battle, he laughed to himself. He noticed that it took awhile for her to hug but eventually she did. She began to cry. "Everything will be fine." he said as he continued to hug her. Then he broke the hug, "Have you seen Peter?"

[clairebear]

Claire blushed slightly, when he said what he had meant about telling America about her. She had thought he had meant her abilities, she was glad however, he meant about being his daughter. That was different. Claire wouldn't have minded, if it was what he really wanted, but Noah was different.

"Well if it was just up to me, I'd say sure, anything to help your campaign, but aside from that, it might actually be nice for people to know you're my real dad" she said warmly, as much as she loved Noah, the truth of the matter was Nathan was her real father, and nothing was going to change that now. In time Claire hoped and felt that she would grow closer to Nathan, and may actually be able to call him dad one day too.

Wasn't she lucky? Two dads and two moms. She laughed at herself at this thought.

"That's what Sam said too, everything would be fine, but why don't I feel fine?" she asked a little defiantly, not because she was angry at Nathan for saying what he said, but because she was so confused about herself. However, she began to compose herself, and gave him a weak smile when he pulled away from her.

Then he asked the deadly question. She blanched, she didn't know what to say, it wasn't in her place to tell him, and he probably wouldn't believe her anyway. She looked away from him and took in a deep breath and tried to stifle a sigh, but couldn't. Turning back to him, she bit on her bottom lip, and tried to lie as good as she could.

"No I haven't seen him" she mumbled.

[blackregret21]

Nathan knew that it had to be okay with Noah and had already got the okay from him. Though he didn't prefer it. Noah told Nathan in a previous call that it was up to Claire. He agreed.

"I have already talked to Noah. He said he was okay with it as long as you would be safe. And I told him you would." he explained to Claire. He noticed Claire look away and then turn back biting her lip.

"I haven't heard from him in a while. I am starting to worry." he said as he walked away from Claire and back onto his chair.

[clairebear]

"You already spoke to my dad about it?" Claire asked incredulously, she was surprised that he hadn't told her about it already. He must have known about it, when she left home to come here, why didn't he tell her he had spoken to Nathan and given the okay about him telling America she was his daughter.

"Well I guess if he said it's alright, then it's alright with me" Claire said still a little unsure. She just couldn't believe that her dad Noah would have said it was fine for Nathan to announce she was his daughter. She had to shrug it off however, she would ask her dad Noah about it when she got back home.

"I haven't heard from him in a while either Nathan" Claire said, still mumbling and still biting down on her lip. It wasn't that long since she'd seen him, when he'd tried to make her join him and the others. She wore to him he'd never break her, but she had broken down when he left. Peter was one of the Petrelli's she had become closest to and she felt like she was losing him.

[blackregret21]

Nathan nodded with a confirmation that he did talk with Noah. "But to be safe and sure. I would like you to sleep on that. I want you to absolutely sure about it. I dont mind if you deny the offer." Nathan said.

Nathan began to remember when Angela, his mother, told him about Peter. Perhaps she was right. Maybe Peter was involved with the murders and other crimes. Nathan couldn't stop imagining Peter doing such things. Was it true, was this the reason why Peter has been missing? He blocked off the thoughts for now. "Enough about Peter, hows life?" he said trying to change subject. Nathan rubbed his eyes from any tears to be seen incase there was.