Long Time, No See [Nathan]

[clairebear]

10th March, 2009

Claire hadn't seen her father Nathan for quite a few weeks now, he had been so busy with his presidential duties, that he just never seemed to have the time to spend with her anymore, and since she had become pregnant she hadn't been feeling like going visiting. What with one thing and another. There was the Sam thing, when he came back into her life briefly, and then the hostage situation where Sam kidnapped her, then that weird girl from the future took her ability. It was simply just one weird thing after another.

So she asked West to fly her to Washington so she could see Nathan, just to simply catch up and to let him know he was going to be a grandfather. She just hoped that he would be alright with it, and wouldn't yell at her for being too young, Noah seemed to be fine enough with it.

West of course flew her right into the gardens of the White House, so she didn't need to get past the gate, she did however have to get in the main door, but the guy just took one look at her, knew she was the First Daughter and opened the door right away.

"Good Day Madam" he said and Claire smiled, "Hi, thanks" she said as she walked into the building and made her way immediately to where she knew Nathan would be. She was now over twelve weeks pregnant and already the signs were showing, what with the natural glow about her, and the slight swell of her stomach.

She knocked on the door, and then opened it slightly, popping her head in to make sure he was alone and not busy, she smiled over at him. "Hi dad, is it alright for me to spend some time with you today?" she asked, hoping he wouldn't be too busy to spend some time with his daughter.

[nathan]

Nathan was busy looking over various files about the last cabinet meeting that took place. Being President sure had it's perks, but recently... it seemed to have more downs than ups. He thought being head of the US would bring fulfillment into his life. He no longer had a marriage, which he had learnt to get over. But not being able to see Monty or Simon... and especially Claire, it was just breaking him up inside. Nothing was there anymore. Claire was happily married, she seemed overjoyed with her life as far as he knew.

"Sir?" Nathan snapped his head up, looking at one of his security guards. "Someone here to see you." Thinking it was one of his cabinet members, Nathan rolled his eyes. "Send them in." He replied, closing the files up and going to face the window. He could just see over the back lawns. They were perfect as usual. Nathan sighed, stretching his arm up the window pane.

There was a faint knock at the door. "Come in," he said not bothering to turn around. Until he heard that beautiful voice of his daughter blossom through the room. "Claire?" Nathan watched her for a moment, noticing her simply glowing and lighting the room up. He walked away from the window, moving around to his daughter to give her a hug. It had been so long since the last time he saw her. Gently, he wrapped his arm around her back and one around the back of her head, almost like he was cradling her. "I missed you Claire." There was a knock at the door, with the same security guard opening it up.

"Sorry sir, but you have a meeting with..." Nathan swiftly shook his head. "No, nothing today. I'm spending the day with my daughter."

[clairebear]

Claire smiled when she heard Nathan tell her to come in, even though he hadn't looked up, so he didn't know who was coming into his room, until she had spoken and then he looked up, and she saw a slow smile spread across his face. Which could only mean one thing, he was pleased to see her, so coming here had been the right decision.

He came toward her, and wrapped her in his arms in his typical manner of a hug, Claire loved them, she wrapped her arms right around his back and held him tight, as she pressed her cheek against his shoulder. He said he had missed her. Oh she had missed him too. "I missed you too dad" she said softly as she continued to hug him tightly.

Just then a knock came at the door and it was opened by a security guard, Claire looked up as he said to her dad that he had a meeting, but her dad cut the guard off saying that he wanted nothing, he was spending time with his daughter. This made Claire beam, she had expected for him to say that he would have to go and be back as soon as possible.

"Thanks dad" she said, as she watched the guard look on in shock and close the door again. "I really need to spend some time with you, I need to speak to you" she said as she tried to keep her composure. Claire was a strong young woman, but ever since she became pregnant her emotions were all over the place and she found herself getting upset more easier at the slightest little thing.

[nathan]

Nathan wasn't in the mood to deal with politics today. He had been too busy thinking of Claire and the boys. Monty and Simon were doing well according to various sources. So it was only right Claire was here now, his eldest daughter. There was something about her that made him worry more than anyone else, including his sons. He never quite exactly knew what it was. He just feared for her safety all the time, usually without showing it. Now she was here, he felt soothed and somewhat relaxed. Although... there was definitely something wrong. She was already needing to speak with him and she'd only literally flown in.

As Nathan pulled away from his daughter, bringing his hand down to hers, he couldn't help but notice a tiny bump form under her top. His eyebrow immediately raised. They walked over to the sofas, not bothering to leave the infamous Oval Office. Before Nathan sat down however, he slowly made his way to the entrance of the room, turning the lock upwards. "I'm sorry Claire, I don't want anyone disturbing us just yet." He smiled from the corner of his mouth, showing the faint lines in his face. He placed his hands in his trouser pockets, walking back over to his daughter.

Once he sat next to her, he noticed her wedding ring sparkling on her left hand. He sighed. "Claire... I..." He sighed once more, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm sorry I wasn't always there. Never there when it really mattered..." He paused, waiting for her to agree with him. She had done in the past, countless times. Nathan even remembered when he and his daughter were almost at war with each other. Now, all he wanted was a father/daughter relationship, a strong one at that. He longed to have that bond with her, the one he never had.

[clairebear]

Nathan gently pulled away from her, allowing his hand to drop to her own, she felt him gently brush the swell of her stomach and immediately she wondered if he had felt the bump, and if he had, how he was feeling about the idea. She was still a little unsure as to how he would react to becoming a grandfather when he was relatively young and had a couple of sons who weren't even teenagers yet. He walked her over to the sofa, where she immediately sat down while she watched her dad go to his office door and lock it.

"That's fine dad, I understand, besides I'd rather not be interrupted anyway, which was why I asked if you were able to talk to me" she gently explained as she watched him then walk back toward her with his hands in his pockets. When he sat down he began to struggle with some words of not always being there for her.

It wasn't exactly quite true, he had given her away along with Noah to Sam when she'd married him, however, with West, nobody had been at their wedding other than a couple of witnesses, they had done it quietly and quickly. Now, however she was beginning to regret it a little.

She reached across to take his hand in her own and squeezed it reassuringly. "Don't worry dad, nobody was at the wedding of me and West, we went to Las Vegas and got married quickly and quietly" she began to explain, and then she looked down at her feet, for a few seconds, before looking in the complete opposite direction to Nathan.

She felt her chin begin to quiver slightly as she tried to bite back the tears. So much had happened to her in the space of time since she'd last seen him, she wasn't sure where to start, and before she knew it, the tears were falling and she couldn't stop them even if she tried.

[nathan]

Nathan looked at his daughter and realised there was definitely something wrong. Claire was avoiding looking at him, diverting her eyes across the Oval Office at the head desk. "Claire, there's something you want to talk about. What is it?" He asked. There was distinct worry in his voice, the only time his voice ever changed was when worrying about Claire or his two sons. Monty and Simon seemed so happy and cheerful all the time, that he didn't need to worry about them. But Claire, she was always up to something; trying to save people, save the World. It was a neverending adventure.

The tears began to fall down her rosy cheeks, and Nathan knew she was definitely scared or upset. Claire was one of the strongest human beings Nathan had encountered, being his own daughter and all. But when she was upset, everything seemed to stop around her. The light would fade and everything started to darken. "Is it West? Noah?" Of course, Nathan knew that wasn't the reason at all. He knew his own daughter pretty well considering he hadn't seen her in all those years.

He stood up, walking over to her and taking her hands into his. He gently pulled her up, once again wrapping his arms around her. The crying became harder, and Nathan wished more than anything Matt was here right now, reading her thoughts. What was wrong? Was she in trouble? Then he realised, the small bump of her belly. It was never usually there, and he knew it wasn't food. A baby. Claire was pregnant. God. His own 'baby' finally settling down and having a child. "Let it all out Claire, tell me everything."

[clairebear]

Of course telling Nathan she had something she wanted to talk about had worried him, which was inevitable really. He was now asking what it was, but Claire could feel the emotions building up within her, she could feel the anger, frustration and hurt, and she feared if she even began to try and tell him now, she'd end up a complete mess. But she didn't want to ignore him either, so she struggled with some words, "I..I..I don't" but it was no use, already there was a lump in her throat which was so big it was choking her.

He then asked if it was West or Noah, well in many ways it was, but in so many other ways it wasn't. After all she'd known Noah was always lying and covering for things. She had known for a long time there was something different about him to normal fathers. When she did eventually find out she was adopted, and what he did, Claire found she could never fully trust him again, even though she loved him.

No, what was on Claire's mind was more to do with the unborn baby she was carrying and the fact she felt like she had more or less been abandoned by West again. She hadn't seen him in a few days, and he hadn't even contacted her. She was beginning to panic, because she didn't want to be a single mom, and yet she didn't want to abort the pregnancy or, give the baby up for adoption.

She watched as her dad got up from the opposite sofa, and took her hands in his own and pulled her to her feet as he wrapped his arms around her in another hug, she clung to him tightly this time, as she continued to cry. She was leaning so tightly to him, that he was definitely bound to feel the swell of her three month baby, he told her to let it out and to tell him everything. After a few more cries, she took in a few deep breaths calming herself, and eventually she felt like she could talk.

She gently pulled away from his shoulder, but still hugging him, so he could hear her, and she looked up into his eyes, "Oh dad" she began, "So much has happened since I last saw you, and not all of it good" well that was a start at least. What should she tell him first? That she was pregnant and West seemed to have done some sort of disappearing act on her? Or that she was attacked by that mysterious woman from the future in her own home?

"Firstly, I was attacked" she decided to go down that road first, the fact she was carrying his grandchild could come in a few minutes, even though that was her initial reason for visiting him. "A strange slightly older woman than me, from the future I think, she took my ability" she began explaining, as she had to bite back the tears once more.

"I've still got it, the same thing happened like happened when Sylar took it, but she said all this stuff about me having to give it to her, so I could save my family, if I didn't, my family would die, everybody, including you" she said, as she could feel herself begin to crack again.

The last thing she wanted was to lose Nathan, it had taken her long enough to actually bond with him, and now she had, she didn't want to lose him. Alright, she might have her adopted father Noah still, but Claire had bonded with Nathan now, and she wanted to spend more and more time with her biological father.

She took a deep breath, before telling the rest, "she also said my baby would die" and that was when she put her hand on her stomach, and gently took Nathan's and laid it across her own. "I'm pregnant dad" she said, and then she began to cry again. She should have been so happy about it, yet she felt anything but happy. Not right now anyway. Not since West just didn't seem to be around anymore. "I...feel...so...alone" she said in a slight whisper, "West...he...just...doesn't...seem...to" she continued as she took in another breath, "be..around..any more" she finished between all her heavy sobs.

[david]

David was at a loose end. He had been searching the streets of New York for some poor defenseless girls he could pick on. Ever since he had made that one girl's life a misery, he hadn't had much fun. She had done a disappearing act from California where he had been causing her life hell. Last he heard she was in New York somewhere, but he didn't know where, and he was determined to track her down.

He hadn't any luck so far, and he was pissed and you don't want a pissed off David. A pissed off David acted more like a bloody wanker than normal. He laughed to himself, somebody passing by on the opposite sidewalk sneered at him. David looked and gave a sadistic laugh as he made a wish in his head, and then looked on with glee as a car swerved off the road and rammed into the guy slamming him into a wall. David stood and clapped his hands.

"Oh, brilliant, brilliant" he said to nobody in particular, and then he stood in one spot as he just went round in a circle until his eyes caught the face. The face of President Petrelli. Now, there was a high powered being. And he had a pretty young daughter, he remembered the announcement. This could be fun. He made his way to the phone box and in his best British voice he phoned the operator.

"Ah yes, could you please connect me with President Petrelli" he said, the operator asked who was calling. "Tell him it's the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom madam, thank you" he kept his face straight and waited as he heard a few clicks and then the voice of the President came into his ear.

"President Petrelli!" he began, "So good to hear the voice of the face we're all supposed to worship" he continued. Then his eyes and face grew dark as he began to say what he wanted to say. "Make sure you keep a close eye on your daughter President Petrelli, pretty young thing that she is, if you don't want any harm to come to her" he finished as he hung up the receiver and walked out of the phone booth laughing sadistically. Oh yes, he'd have his fun alright, at the President's expense.

[nathan]

Claire began to tell him of all the problems she had; being attacked? By who? He knew he should of gotten her security of some sort, someone to protect her. It seemed West wasn't doing a great job of it. Nathan heard the sudden lack of confidence in her voice when she said 'including you'. A great big lump grew in his throat; he knew their bond was now greater than ever, and if he ever lost her, it would be worse than anything else imaginable.

"It's ok Claire, nothing's going to happen to me or you. We're fine." He smiled down at her, tucking a strand of her golden blonde hair behind her ear. Then she dropped the bombshell. Nathan knew. The moment he saw her he knew. That warm glow, that beautiful warm glow you only had when you were pregnant. He recognised it almost immediately; it was just he didn't think she would actually be pregnant. His little girl, all grown up. What a beautiful mother she would be. But that glow... it was fading away the sadder she got. Claire wasn't her usual perky self and it was starting to worry Nathan.

She softly began to cry. Nathan stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her once more. He rested his chin on top of her head and closed his eyes, listening to the soft whimpers of her crying. "You're never alone, I'm always here. Always." He was secretly furious with West; he wanted to find him and warn him very carefully about hurting his daughter further. Claire came first, it was just a fact. "Come on Claire, why don't you order something to eat for you and littlen?" He smiled at her, then heard the phone ringing.

Nathan unwrapped his arms from Claire and walked around to the head desk. He picked up the phone. "Yes?...The Prime Minister?...Put him through." Nathan leaned on the desk and motioned the other phone to Claire with his finger. "Hello?" He said down the phone, not really paying attention. Nathan suddenly began listening carefully to the man on the other end of the phone, it wasn't the Prime Minister. This man's voice was much more dark and powerful. "Who is this?" He continued listening to him. His eyes widened when he mentioned Claire, and Nathan couldn't help but turn and look at his daughter. "Hello? HELLO?" He shouted. Nathan slammed the phone down, slamming his fists on the desk after.

"Stay here." He ordered Claire, as he walked around the desk to the main door. Nathan unlocked it and walked out to the receptionist. She sat up straight, suddenly aware her boss was glaring at her. "Get me head of security, I need to trace a phonecall."

[clairebear]

Claire tried to smile through her tears and upset when Nathan said that nothing would happen to either of them, and they would be fine. Claire wasn't convinced, that woman had really made it quite clear what the future held, and now Claire was petrified. She shivered slightly as he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, because it had tickled, it also made her smile a little.

"Maybe, maybe you're right, but I don't feel very safe in California anymore" she replied just as sad as she had been almost from the moment she had arrived at the White House. Even though her adopted parents were in California, she felt more safe when she was around Nathan than she did around the Bennets and she was certain it was because of what her dad Noah got up to behind her and her mom Sandra's back.

Nathan wrapped his arms around her in another hug when she began to cry again about being alone. It felt good, Nathan hugging her always felt good. He even did his signature move, with his chin resting on her head, she loved it when he did that. He said that she wasn't alone, that he was always there for her. "But, that's not quite true, when I'm stuck in California and you're here" she said, not that she meant to moan about it, or sound like she was sulking or snapping in anyway, she was just being honest.

Claire had managed to calm herself down, whether it was just her inner self, or the fact Nathan had hugged her so much since she'd arrived, she wasn't sure, but she felt better for it. So when he said she should order some food for herself and the little one she just grinned.

"Sounds good, what about pizza?" she asked with a smile, since she became pregnant she had been eating a lot of unhealthy foods, only because she felt they sustained her more. Not that there was anything wrong with pizza, not to somebody like Claire with the figure she had.

Just then Nathan received a phone call which Claire knew he had to take. She just sat back down on the sofa while he spoke on the phone, however, even though it was a one sided conversation, what Claire was hearing didn't sound very good. She was beginning to wonder who it was. She just sat there with her eyes wide following Nathan's every move.

When he slammed the phone down and then slammed his fists into the desk, Claire jumped. She hadn't seen him quite that angry in such a very long time. He then ordered her to stay where she was while he went out his office. Claire was left stunned, "What was that all about?" she asked, but she knew she wouldn't get the answer until he came back into his office.

[nathan]

"Well, you should come live here with me. I could sure use the company sometimes." Nathan blurted out. He didn't actually mean too. He was going to talk to her when 'the time was right' about her moving into the Whitehouse. It would be so much safer here. Claire would have constant protection, even if Nathan wasn't there. She would have goverment agents protecting her, not to mention the best security in the whole of the US. "But I am here for you, even if you were in the Artic, I'd still be here. I'd still fly out to see you Claire. I'm you father, although I may not seem like it sometimes, I am."

It was good to see return back to her usual self soon after. Pizza. How did he know she was gonna go for that? Well pregnant ladies and junk food kind of went together rather well. "Sure, whatever you want." He turned away and listened to the phone call. When he heard his daughter's name being said, he couldn't help but have this horrible gutless feeling, like he was about to lose the thing most precious to him.

As he charged out of the office and demanded head of security to trace the call, he looked down the hall noticing everyone staring at him. "I want that number traced you hear? Threats to my daughter will not be tolerated by ANYONE." He charged back into the Oval Office, looking at Claire immediately. "It was nothing..." He lied pretty obviously. "Did you order food? I'm pretty hungry." Nathan sat down opposite her, smiling weakly at her before staring down at the floor. He began tapping his foot impatiently, before tapping his fingertips together. Who was that on the phone? He had to find out. He just had too.

[clairebear]

Claire wasn't sure where to look when Nathan blurted out that she should move in with him. Move in with him, into the White House? That would actually be rather amazing she thought, and besides she was the First Daughter, she should probably be in the White House anyway. But then there were her mom and dad Bennet to think of, could she really just abandon them and move to Washington? Then again, she wasn't a little girl anymore, and Noah was very seldom there or cared much about her, Sandra, well she had caused enough problems in her life, she could probably do with a break.

Claire deserved to bond with Nathan, her biological father, properly, not that she hadn't already, but she just wanted to be able to have more special moments with him. Support him in his Presidential duties as much as she could, become a proper father and daughter.

"I'd like that to be honest, as long as you were sure, but at the same time, I don't know how the Bennets would feel, just give me a few days to think about it" Claire said softly, giving her father a warm smile, she already had a feeling what her answer would be. "I think it might be yes though" she added.

He said that she could order anything she wanted, so pizza it was, she called from her cell phone, as she knew a pizza place not far from the White House, she ordered a Californian Cheese with ham, it sounded delicious and the thought of it arriving made her stomach rumble.

Then he had stormed out of the office after receiving that telephone call. Claire had thought it was rather strange, but when he came back in and answered her question, he said it was nothing. But he was tapping his foot, and fingers together and looking very nervous about something, and the smile wasn't fooling Claire.

"Yeah, I ordered a Californian cheese with ham pizza" she said in an unsure voice, and kept watching him out the side of her eyes, with a frown. "You're lying though, I can tell, that tapping of the foot and fingers, come on, tell me, what was that phone call about dad, I'm a big girl, I can take it" she said, as she nudged him playfully and smiled at him.

[nathan]

Nathan hung his head and rubbeed the back of his neck slowly. He remembered Claire saying it was an almost definite yes. "You belong here Claire. As much as the Bennet's have looked after you, I'm your father. I wasn't there at first I know, but I'm here now. I will always be here." He knew he was changing the subject. It was part deliberate, he didn't want to talk to her about the phonecall. He knew she would worry, even if she didn't show it. "Pizza sounds good." Nathan didn't look at her, he continued staring down at the carpet.

Then he realised, keeping things from Claire ended up badly affecting their relationship at first. He didn't want that again. "Claire..." He clasped his hands together, placing them in front of his mouth. As he looked up at his daughter, he realised she was already worried. "That phone call was about you." Now his eyes were glazed with fear. When he worried, Claire was bound to do the same. 'President Petrelli' was the most powerful man in the country, if not the World. But like everyone else, he had his weaknesses. One of the biggest ones being his children.

"I don't know who it was. Someone British, claiming to be the primeminister. Of course, it wasn't." He sighed, looking up at his daughter. "He threatened you. Not me, not your brothers. You." Nathan done that thing with his eyes/eyebrows where he looked sympathetic yet lost. Much like he had done with Peter all those years ago. But this time, he looked furious too. His eyes had a hidden furious glare in them, one he was controlling as to not scare Claire. "I'm sorry."

[clairebear]

When Nathan said she belonged at the White House with him it gave Claire a fuzzy feeling inside, having a close father and daughter relationship with Nathan was all Claire had ever wanted. If she moved into the White House with them, then that's what she might get. To be honest she shouldn't have to ask the Bennet's permission to move in with her biological father, but after the years they spent taking care of her, she felt she owed them an explanation, besides she would have to pack some of her clothes and personal items to bring to Washington with her.

"I know you're here now, and I'm really grateful for that, and I would like to spend more time with you, I love you dad" Claire said softly, as she felt tears form in her eyes, but not because of sadness, but through happiness. Finally she was going to be having the kind of relationship she always wanted with her real father, to Claire he was superman and she wanted to be closer to him.

Claire smiled, "Awesome" she replied when Nathan said pizza sounded good, she just hoped it would arrive soon, she was getting really hungry now, the baby ate all her reserve, she got hungrier a lot easier than she ever did before.

Of course Claire hadn't let it lie and asked Nathan to tell her what the problem was, what the phone call was about, and finally he was telling her. Although Claire couldn't believe what she was hearing. She hadn't done anything wrong, so why was somebody after her? Why was somebody threatening her? It didn't make sense. Unless it was something to do with West, after all he was god only knows where and certainly not with her to protect her.

He was now apologising. Why? It wasn't his fault was it? "You know, I don't blame you, it's not your fault, something like that could have happened at any time, people know I'm your daughter, they know you're a high powered being with money, phone calls like that are going to be natural, it's probably just somebody trying to scare you, I don't think there's anything to worry about." Claire explained, as she turned away from Nathan for a moment.

She wanted to believe what she was saying to Nathan, but somehow with the amount of villains there were out on the loose, the phone call could be legit, but there was no point in worrying about it until it happened, if it happened. She turned back to him and nudged him playfully again, "Don't worry dad, we're fine, you said so, remember?" she said, referring to when he said it to her earlier.

[nathan]

Nathan's heart sunk. It was the first time Claire had said she loved him... ever. Or at least from what he could remember. His shining brown eyes looked across at her lovingly, "I love you too Claire." His voice was still soft and solid, but Nathan was actually wanting to hug her again. His baby girl. He as well as Claire wanted the father/daughter relationship they never had. It wasn't always like that, Nathan once hid behind a cold, hard shell. Acting as though he didn't care about anyone, let alone Claire. Never didn he want to go back to that. It was hard enough to get their relationship where it was now, he never wanted her hating him again. That truly broke his heart.

Nathan listened to his daughter's theory and nodded politely. But he knew it wasn't a hoax. No-one could get through to his line that easily. It had to be a villain. He couldn't think who he had angered recently. Everyone in congress seemed to be happy with him, and the public seemed to like him as President. An English male. That's all he had for now. Soon he had to find out more; his name, his address, his family members. Everything he possibly could.

Watching his daughter shy her head away gave everything away. Nathan knew she worried now, and more than anything he didn't want that. For the sake of his daughter, and his grandchild, he would have to do something now. But he promised her he would spend the day with her. Nathan didn't want to break it. Perhaps one phonecall, to see if security were doing anything. Yeah, he'd do that. "Claire..." Before he could tell her his action plan, she was sat next to him, nudging him playfully. Fine. They were fine. He smiled widely, resting his head against hers. "Yes Claire, we're more than fine. We're perfect."

He meant it. They were perfect. Nathan had never felt happier, except for the phonecall. All he needed now was his boys, and the four of them would be perfect. "Wonder where that pizza is, I'm telling you I'm starved." You would think the President would be waited on hand and foot. But not Nathan, he wasn't one of those power-trip guys, despite what some people thought. He couldn't actually remember the last time he ate a proper meal. At the thought of food, his stomach rumbled loudly. He chuckled, grinning down at Claire. "Maybe we should order extra. I know how much the chefs like to cook for teenagers. All the great junk food. I miss it."