Finally Bonding Dad [Nathan]

[clairebear]

6th November, 2008

While in Paris after Sam had whisked her off on a surprise trip, Sam had proposed to Claire. Of course she had expected it at some point, after her dad Noah had shown her the painting of her and Sam getting married. However it had still been a surprise to Claire just the same, as she hadn't expected it quite so soon. After all the painting was showing the future, but just how much into the future the painting was Claire had no idea.

However, now that she was engaged to Sam and they were going to be getting married in the next few weeks, she wanted to ask Nathan if he would give her away. Not that she didn't want Noah to give her away either, she wanted both of them to do it. In a very untraditional way, she wanted both her dad's to walk her down the aisle. One on each arm. She couldn't think of anything she'd rather have happen.

After Nathan flew her to Costa Verde to help save Sam, Claire realised it was time she started bonding with her real father, and for the first time after that night, she felt she could relate to him as dad, even though she still hadn't actually called him it. Today however, was going to be different. She told her dad Noah she was planning on asking Nathan to help give her away, and he seemed to be fine with it, and gave her money to fly to New York to spend some time with her real father Nathan.

So Claire thanked her dad Noah and called Nathan to let him know of her plans to come visit for a few days, and he was fine with it. It seemed he was more than happy for her to come and spend some time with him. She let him know she would be there the following day and was due to arrive around noon.

Now she was sitting waiting in the arrival lounge for Nathan to come and collect her and take her to his home, her other home.

[blackregret21]

Nathan had recieved a call yesterday, surprisingly from Claire. She had wanted to visit him, but didnt say why. He walked down the airport hallway as he was running late. He passed people as he became closer to the gates. He entered the gate area, he could see Claire off in the distance. Of course she was wearing her i-pod once again. He laughed as he got closer to her.

He came up to her and hugged her, he had missed her being around. So he was glad she came back. But he was still confused in why she had wanted to come. But he decided not to bring it up quite yet. "I missed you." he said as he smiled and continued to hug her. He ended the hug and began to walk towards the way he came. "How was the flight?" he asked.

[clairebear]

Claire sat nodding her head to the music she was listening to on her i-pod while waiting for Nathan to arrive and collect her, when she looked up and noticed him walking toward her and laughing. She took out the phones, "Yeah I'm addicted to this thing, isn't technology fantastic?" she said grinning as she slipped it into her hand luggage.

When he hugged her, she hugged him back probably tighter than she had ever hugged anyone before, including Noah. She still loved Noah, but she was finding more of a natural bond with Nathan these days than Noah. "I missed you too" she said smiling, and continuing to hug him as he was her. She was going to say dad at that point, but figured she'd leave it until she was asking him her all important question.

As they continued to walk down the hall to the exit of the airport, Nathan asked how her flight was, "It was fine, little bit bumpy in places, but flights don't bother me much anymore, you know with the whole 'not dying thing' going on" she said using quotation marks and laughing. "How have you been?" she asked him.

[blackregret21]

Nathan walked with Claire down the long airport hall. He couldn't help but laugh at how Claire's flight was. Then she asked the same to him. "Hectic." he said as he brushed his hair wth his fingers. "Ever since the announcement, but it was worth it. Polls show favor in me now." he said smiling. The had finally reached the doors of the airport. Exiting the airport, Nathan waved for a cab. "You hungry?" A cab rode up and Nathan opened its door. "Ladies first."

[clairebear]

"Sorry things have been hectic for you" she said softly, desperately wanting to call him dad, but wanting to keep it for the right moment. "But I'm glad you feel that it's all been worth it and I'm proud of you" Claire said with a warm smile as she walked with him out of the airport.

When she stepped outside, she breathed in the New York air, and realised how much she liked it here and how much she missed it. Looking at Nathan, she realised how much she had missed him.

"I am kinda hungry actually" Claire replied with a grin, as Nathan held a cab door open for her. "Thanks" she said as she stepped in. "Have somewhere in mind?" she asked with a grin, referring to where they would go for something to eat.

[blackregret21]

Nathan entered the vehicle behind her, thinking of a place to eat. There it hit him, as he shut the door. "How bout McDonalds?" he asked with a small laugh. They cab departed from the sidewalk and joined the river of other vehicles. "Where to Mr. Petrelli?" The cab driver's voice echoed in the vehicle. Surprisingly, the cab driver knew who he was. "And hello, Ms. Petrelli."

"Why hello there." Nathan responded, "Lets go to McDonalds." Nathan nodded a smile towards the driver. The driver looked forward as he moved with the crowd of cars. "How the Bennets?" he asked kindly.

[clairebear]

"McDonalds?" Claire asked laughing, but in honesty, it was rather much a relief, than any posh fancy restaurant she thought he might take her to, not that she would have minded that either. But McDonalds just seemed typically a father/daughter thing to do. She grinned at him.

"Sure, sounds perfect...." again she felt like saying dad, but still didn't want to do it, not until she asked him her all important question.

The cab driver spoke to Nathan and called her Ms. Petrelli, this made her feel good, and she grinned, "Hello" she said to the driver and looked at Nathan and grinned, and instinctively her hand grabbed his own. One there were in McDonalds and were eating, she'd ask him her all important question. Well her all important two questions. She just hoped he would like the questions she was going to ask of him.

"They're fine" she said with regards to his question about her adopted parents. Although she had a bit of a moment with Noah when she'd asked him to pay for her trip to New York to see her father. "But I'm so glad to be back here and being with you" she said emphatically, wanting him to know she didn't really want to talk about her adoptive parents right at this minute.

This was her time for Nathan, this was her bonding moment with her real father, and she didn't want anything or anyone spoiling it.

[blackregret21]

Nathan could tell that Claire liked the name 'Ms. Petrelli'. Nathan laughed at this. Claire seemed a bit rushed as she talked about Noah and Sandra. This made him a bit uncomfortable. She seemed to not want to talk about them, not even a little.

The cab pulled up next to a sidewalk, Nathan looked out his window. McDonald's was only feet away. "How much?" Nathan asked the cab driver. "Don't worry about it." the driver said outta generousity. Nathan smiled and nodded again towards the man. He opened the door after putting his wallet back in his back pocket. He stepped out, and waited behind the door for Claire. Shutting the door of the vehicle behind her. He moved to the passenger side window, waved a thanks to the driver. The driver then drove off, back into the sea of automobiles.

Nathan smiled as he turned around. "Shall we." he stated aiming his hand towards the fast food resturaunt. He walked beside her up to the doors. Being the gentlemen that he was, he opened the door. He bowed, trying to be funny. "Ladies first." He laughed as he stood back up. Nathan followed her in and up to the counter. Nathan, making his order after Claire, pulled out his wallet and paid the cashier. "Thank you." he said to the gal behind the counter.

Five minutes later Nathan had collected the food and took a seat. Setting the tray upon the table, he began to split the food. Split it from what she and he ordered. Unraveling his sandwhich, he took a bite out of it. He loved chicken, especially McDonald's chicken sandwhich. "Mmmm..." he hummed in excitement. Finishing chewing what was in his mouth and took a sip of his drink. "Ahh..." he said in a bit of relief. "So why was it you wanted to return to New York?" he asked before taking another bite from his sandwhich.

[clairebear]

Claire thought it was brilliant that the cab driver wouldn't allow Nathan to pay. The price of fame she thought with a bit of a laugh, and now she was a part of that fame. It was nice, and she didn't mean that in a big headed way either. She was just glad to finally be bonding with her real father, and she was thankful to him for helping her to save Sam.

"That was really nice of him not to let you pay for the cab ride huh?" Claire asked her father with a smile.

She walked with him toward the door of McDonalds, and she once again laughed as he bowed saying ladies first. She gave him a playful nudge. "You're silly, but I love you d..." then she gulped, she'd almost said it, and she so didn't want to say it, not yet. Not until she felt the moment was right. She'd also said she loved him, the very first step to accepting Nathan has her father, as her dad.

Once Nathan had ordered their food and brought it back to the table, before she started eating hers, she thanked him. "Thanks" she smiled, "So you like this garbage food as much as the young ones then?" she asked, and laughed, "Perfect" what more in a father could she ask for than one who loved garbage fast food she thought with a laugh to herself.

Then he asked the question. Why had she come to New York. She still wasn't sure how he'd take to what she was going to ask of him. She took a deep breath. "Well Sam asked me to marry him while we were away in Paris for a short break" she began, grinning showing off her ring.

"Well most of all, after you saved Sam, I just want to get to know you more, but I did want to ask you if you'd do the honour of giving me away?" she asked with a grin. "At least what I mean is, share the honour with Noah" she added, she still had her other question, but she'd ask that once she knew the answer to this more important one first, and then she'd officially ask if she could call him dad.

[blackregret21]

Nathan was suprised that he didn't notice the ring before hand. His little girl was getting married. This was all to fast for him. He had elections going on, a relationship with a beatiful lady he loved, and just discovered that he had a daughter and now she was getting married. His head began to spin. Out of control. He was shocked and confused at the same time. He knew what had just happened but it was like Claire grew up in front of him in a matter of days.

Nathan grabbed her hand to look at the ring more closely. He noticed that it was a real ring. "This Sam must be something." he said. "I am proud of you, Claire." Nathan smiled then took another bite into his sandwhich. But then it hit him. Hitting almost hard enough to make him choke on his sandwhich. She had just asked him to walk her down the aisle. With Noah. Nathan hasn't really spoken with Noah, but he knew he was a good man. He trusted him, heck he rose Claire. Again Nathan was surprised. His head continued to spin faster and faster. This was seriously all to much for him. He wished his head just stop.

"Ill be honored." he said after swallowing the last bite.

[clairebear]

Claire could tell she was overwhelming Nathan with everything, she could tell from the look on his face. But it was understandable, he'd only just got his daughter in his life, and it probably felt like he was going to lose her, since she was now getting married. But she was going to ask Sam to move to New York with her, maybe even Nathan would allow them both to stay with him in a room at his big house she thought.

"He is quite something, I love him" Claire said with much love in her voice, as she continued to eat some more of her sandwich and she giggled when he grabbed her hand to look at her ring properly.

"Thanks" she replied when he said he was proud of her. "I'm rather proud of you too, you know" she added with a grin. She couldn't wait to ask him her next question, she really hoped he wouldn't say no. She didn't know why, but she wanted to be near him.

When he said he'd be honored, she finished the last of her meal and went round to his side of the table and threw her arms around his neck hugging him, and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks Dad" she whispered into his ear, and then realising maybe he didn't think she meant it, or was embarrassed about it because she'd whispered it, she said it again a little louder, "Thanks Dad, I love you so much" she heard a few people on the tables around them go aww and aah, how nice, and Claire could only grin as she walked back to her side of the table.

"I do have another question though" she said slowly, taking in a deep breath and biting down on her bottom lip before continuing, "Could I come and live with you Dad?" she asked, still grinning at him.

[blackregret21]

Claire answered his question, Nathan nodded. He understood. Sam seemed to be a great kid to Nathan, though he had really only met him once. Nathan smiled as Claire declared herself proud of Nathan. After she finished her meal, Nathan noticed her stand up and walk towards him. She knelt down and whispered a thanks. He smiled, but then she whispered another thanks and a bit of love. Nathan leaned into hug her. After the hug, she returned to her spot at the table. Nathan knew that here was something else she wanted, so he waited. He was right, she stated that she had another question.

She had just asked to stay with him, this alone shocked him. He would of never thought that this would happen so soon. He was surprised enough that he couldn't even respond. His mind has spun so fast now that it felt like it took off. He couldn't fully concentrate on anything. And he knew he couldn't, so he wasn't sure what to do rightt now.

"Well, I guess you could stay. But remember the elections are two days away. So am to be really busy now."

[clairebear]

She had finally called him Dad, and yet it didn't seem to have registered with him, at least not that she could tell. Yeah he'd hugged into her when she'd said she loved him, but after all that time, and after almost calling him it twice previous, she'd finally called him Dad, yet she felt like he hadn't even realised or something. But she decided not to go into it. Maybe she had just overwhelmed him with everything.

When she asked her second question, he remained quiet for a few moments. She had obviously shocked him, and maybe asking to stay wasn't such a good idea, what would Noah think anyway? But soon he replied back to her.

At least he hadn't said no.

"That's fine Dad, I know you're going to be busy, I wouldn't get in the way, not with the trusted i-pod I have" she said and laughed slightly, "But I'd like to be here through an important part of your life and well maybe I could help? Basically, I want to get to know you more" she said with a smile, hoping she had made him understood more why she wanted to stay with him.

[blackregret21]

Nathan just then suddenly realized that Claire had called him dad. He knew she has been trying, he could hear come from her mouth. But not the full word. Nathan smiled back at Claire as he embraced the thought of being called dad again. He missed Monty and Simon. But he had moved on. New girlfriend, soon to have a new job, and maybe even a family. He was glad that she had understood the complications of her staying. He would be a busy man. At times to busy. But thats where Noah came in she would go visit him a lot. Him, Sandra, Lyle and her friends back home. Friends? He remember Claire's boyfriend or fiance to be exact. "What about Sam?" Questioning her question he waited for a responce.

[clairebear]

She wondered if he would start to question her motives for wanting to stay with him. And she wasn't wrong. Well not her motives per say, but he did ask about Sam. That would be the one big downside to moving to New York to be with Nathan, she knew she wouldn't get to see Sam as often.

But they had been spending a lot of time together recently and she knew he was having trouble with Carla, what with her illness and such, he didn't need her as a distraction just now anyway. She sighed gently, and gave Nathan a sad smile before explaining.

"Well, Sam's sister Carla is having some trouble just now, she's been taking ill, her ability has been causing trouble, and Sam has his hands full looking after and such just now, he doesn't need the added distraction" she began, and smiled at him again, "Besides, a break away from each other wouldn't do any harm, especially after the few days we were together constantly" she finished explaining.

She hoped it would be enough to keep him saying yes. Its not like she couldn't go and visit Noah any time she liked, she could, and she was sure that Noah or Nathan would help fund her trips back and forth.

"So, I'd really like to stay dad" she said again, "Please?"