[Week 20 | Day 1 - backdated] Video

[regeneracy]

[Claire looks tired, and is a little bloody thanks to things that did not involve escaping, but she's otherwise fine. She smiles just a little, a lopsided smirk that's trying to hide the fact that she needs to be incredibly guilty for the death of a kid

Comments

[Video]

[spandexisyouth]

I think it is a good idea to not do that again. Ever.

[There's a bit of a smile on his face, hiding how rough all of that was for everyone.]

But speaking of things happening again, I would like to introduce myself again and make sure that you are fine. I am Maito Gai, and I am in the right body this time!

[Video]

[regeneracy]

[She's quiet as she thinks back to who this guy is, and then she remembers her wagon incident, and gives a visible wince.]

I promise, nothing like that ever again. Cheerleader's honor.

[As if that means anything to anyone other than her and girls at her school. She forces another lopsided smile and a soft chuckle, and tries to act cool and collected.]

So how did you manage to get your body back?

[Video]

[spandexisyouth]

We went on a quest, which is very different from a mission, and yet has parallels!

[He's beaming now, proud of what they'd done. But Gai's always curious, and so when given a term he doesn't know he'll drop bragging in pursuit of that.]

What is a cheerleader?

[Video]

[regeneracy]

[Oh good, a distraction from talking about complicated things. She smiles in relief.]

They're people who cheer for sports teams. Kinda exactly what the name implies.

[Video]

[future_games]

[ If it were possible, Isaac looks almost equally as tired. No blood, of course, but he had been painting nearly non-stop since the beginning of this fiasco. It's taken a bit out of him. Too bad it doesn't feel like he's been of any help and it was all Peter again.

Still, he manages a wry smile just to show that he's glad he's still alive, but it's clearly forced. ]

I didn't go anywhere. I'm exactly the same place I have been. Where is Peter?

[Video]

[regeneracy]

[She smiles at the sight of him, and manages a small wave. She can tell his smile is forced, and she just figures it matches her own.]

I'm not really sure where Peter is. He tried to come in and get me, but they grabbed him before he could.

[She frowns at that, and looks like she wants to cry. She doesn't though, look at her being strong Claire.]

He has to be safe though, right? He's Peter, he's the strongest person I know.

[Video]

[future_games]

[ Isaac gives a slight chuckle at Claire's response. It's still ironic that even after everything, he can allow himself to admit that Peter is the strongest person he knows as well. There isn't a doubt in his mind that Peter is still alive and managed to crawl away completely unscathed, just like he always does. ]

Peter can handle anything.

[ He pauses, considering a few other things. It's been awhile since he's spoken to Peter, and who knows what kind of memories his brother managed to spark by showing up here?

Concern for Peter Petrelli. A few months ago, it would be completely unheard of. ]

You...wouldn't happen to know anything about him finding out his brother is here, would you?

[Video] - [Private]

[regeneracy]

[She shakes her head, and only frowns more.]

I didn't even know my dad was here until after I had been captured. I didn't exactly have a lot of time to sit around and listen to everyone's Hitomi feeds, so I'm not sure if Peter and Nathan have even talked yet.

I'm hoping they have, though, and that Peter's memories are a little more...filled in. I'm getting sick of him not knowing the truth.

[Action from here on out ]

[ad_salvatio]

Claire?

[ Peter's voice is uncertain for a moment when he catches sight of a girl who he thinks is his niece from behind, some twenty or thirty feet away. He'd heard rumors that the girls had been rescued and brought back to the camp after he and Marco were saved, but hadn't seen any of them until now. Maybe. If that even is her. ]

[regeneracy]

Peter?

[Claire hears his voice and spins around, and reaches up to push a clump of bloody hair out of her eyes. She grins brighter than she has in a long time upon seeing him alive and in one piece, and pockets her Hitomi so she can push past the people standing between them. She takes off running and plows into her uncle, arms going up to wrap around him in a tight hug.]

I was so worried that they would hurt you too. When they took you away, I -

[She bites at her lip to shut herself up. That doesn't matter now, Peter is here and safe and so is she. Nathan's here now too, and she's hopeful that means Peter might start to remember more.]

Everything's okay now.

[She steals his line and rubs at his back as she clings to him, and is surprised that for once, she isn't crying. Maybe the whole experience has made her a stronger person.]

We'll be okay.

[ad_salvatio]

[ Peter's a little surprised that she's the one trying to comfort him when really, it should be the other way around. When he should've done a better job protecting her in the first place, instead of leaving her all alone in a world she knew so little about. He thought he could've kept her safe, that he would've somehow been strong enough, or at least smart enough to have found a way around the painting.

He was so stupid. Trying to save everyone else when his own family, his own blood was being snatched right off the streets. And he couldn't even save her in the end.

Peter's arms tighten around Claire as he pulls her to his chest, one hand moving up to gently stroke down her length of tangled hair. ]

I'm sorry I couldn't save you.

[ Though he sure as hell tried. ]

[regeneracy]

Peter, you can't keep me safe all the time. I have to learn to fend for myself. I shouldn't have gone off alone, even if I needed to get something from the market.

[She laughs a little, remembering how much of an ordeal her feminine problems had been to her. Now it's just a joke, and she can't believe how stupid she was.]

I'm in one piece, and it's over. There's no point in being sorry about it.

[If he notices she's being a little too optimistic and cheery right now, it's because she's trying to avoid talking about anything to do with being tested on. She just holds him and soaks in his presence, her eyes drifting shut as she breathes in and out his familiar and comforting scent. It makes her feel creepy to think of Peter having a familiar scent, but it's making her feel more at ease so she's not going to question it too much at this point.]

I know you don't remember everything yet, but I think all of this went pretty much on par with all of our other saving me from danger attempts.

[video | private]

[ad_augusta]

[ Nathan is just glad that Claire's okay. He's even more glad that Peter got out of there, too, but of course, he is talking to Claire right now. He wonders, for maybe a fraction of a second, if it's okay that Claire call him by his first name - but immediately dismisses the thought. He doesn't deserve to be called her father, and any other method of address would sound way too formal. Way too awkward and distant. Nathan is, of course, a pro at being awkward and distant, but it's important to try these things out. To try out being more of the father he should have been.

It helps, making this reply, that Nathan found the privacy settings. ]

Claire, thank god. I was so worried.

I'm living in Hisato right now. [ Pronounced with a short English "i," like "his auto." ] Do you need help?

[video | private]

[regeneracy]

Da -

[She catches herself, unsure of how to properly address him in private like this. She doesn't think he deserves to be called dad just yet, despite the fact that's who he is, and bites at her lip as she fidgets.]

I'm glad you're okay, too. Peter's here with me, and he's keeping a close eye on me. I said we all needed to take a beach vacation after everything.

[She laughs, because she knows something like that has to be a silly and childish idea to someone like Nathan. She thinks of him as being all business, all the time.]

I can have him bring me to Hisato tomorrow, though. I want to see you in person.