[For Peter Petrelli] - Dated Monday May 22nd

[thecompanyman]

The day before, he had given Claire a speech about what he had done. Maybe not a speech, exactly, but a dialogue between two mature adults about the matters of the past. Today, he was out of the wheelchair and into a crutch, his pain medication reduced

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[saves_the_world]

Peter hadn't had a shift at the clinic in a while. He'd taken off to work on his hut, and then Nathan had shown up and he'd requested even more time off.

Honestly, he wasn't even sure if there would be a doctor on duty this morning. It could just be Peter and the patients, not that this would bother him. Having specialized in hospice nursing, he was used to being alone with the patient.

Pulling the scrub shirt the clothes box had seen fit to give him over his head, Peter walked into the clinic. Not bothering to look around, he set his messenger bag next to a table and sat down, pulling a clipboard off a shelf.

[thecompanyman]

This all made Bennet wish he hadn't put his gun in his suit jacket, all the way on his bed. He gritted his teeth and cursed in Japanese in his head, frozen to see if Petrelli would even notice him.

Why hide?

Bennet still had a weapon if needed. "Peter Petrelli," he said evenly. We meet again.

[saves_the_world]

Peter knew that voice. He'd heard it plenty on those reels of Heroes he'd seen, though he'd never met the man himself before the island brought him here.

Claire's father.

"Mr. Bennet," Peter returned just as evenly, turning slowly in his chair. Inwardly Peter winced; he didn't know when Bennet was from, how long he'd been on the island, or how he would react to Peter telling him that he did not ever meet him before this very moment.

[thecompanyman]

Bennet simply raised a calm eyebrow, taking in the situation at hand very slowly and thoughtfully. He had heard he was there, of course. "I don't suppose Claire's saved me the trouble of introductions?"

[saves_the_world]

Peter's eyes dropped to the clipboard on his lap. The chart on top just happened to be Bennet's.

"Gunshot wound," he said in lieu of answering Bennet's question. Looking up, he added, "You're very lucky, Mr. Bennet. Two inches in another direction and I wouldn't be talking to you."

[thecompanyman]

That got a quiet laugh out of Bennet, though he was careful not to jolt his wounds. "So people seem to keep telling me," he replied, utterly mild and without any knowledge that he was so close to a fatality, by the tone of his voice.

[saves_the_world]

Peter's mouth turned up slightly at Bennet's laugh. Of course he'd probably heard it before; he'd obviously been tended to by one of the doctors.

But that obviously wasn't what they really needed to talk about, now was it?

"Your daughter's an amazing person," he said, eyeing Bennet carefully. "And I haven't let anything happen to her."

[thecompanyman]

He was very much aware that his Claire was an incredible person, both gifted in her DNA and as herself. "Claude has told me," he promised. When Claude, of course, wasn't shooting him. "Then again, soon enough, looks like Claire will have more father-figures than she'll know what to do with." The words might have been light and joking, but the undercurrent assured Peter that Bennet would be a part of her life.

[saves_the_world]

"I'm her uncle, not her father," Peter said simply, though the jerk of his chin may have implied something else entirely. And then he immediately wondered if he hadn't said too much, though he would have hoped Claire had told her father that Nathan was her biological father. "She's being well taken care of here, Mr. Bennet."

[thecompanyman]

"I'm sure," Bennet assured, giving Peter a critical look, knowing that the man had been quite a help back in Odessa. "I do owe you a favor for saving my Claire's life," he admitted, tone light.

[saves_the_world]

"You don't owe me anything." Peter held his head high, eyes never leaving Bennet's face. He couldn't shake the feeling that Bennet was sizing him up, seeing if he was worthwhile.

"I saved her because I had to. It was the right thing to do. That man, Sylar...he needs to be stopped."

[thecompanyman]

That got Bennet to go stone-walled and he set his jaw, very much displeased. "I'm aware of Mister Sylar's danger," he said tersely. "We had him confined, but orders from higher up prevented me from killing him, which in essence, allowed him to escape."

[saves_the_world]

"Yeah, well I wouldn't be following orders from those higher ups anymore," Peter returned just as tersely. More than a little frustrated, he ran his hand through his hair a bit roughly, tugging on the ends. His teeth ground together and his shoulders squared.

[thecompanyman]

"I didn't listen," Bennet's response was mild and non-threatening, as though he didn't shoot at Sylar with his own gun. "The moment he hurt my family, I stopped listening. That's just about when everything went down the drain."

[saves_the_world]

"So do you have a plan, Mr. Bennet?" Peter asked, curious. He hadn't seen the last few reels of Heroes and, to be honest, he wasn't sure he wanted to do that. Watching them would just remind him of the things he should be doing back home. If he could ever return, that was.

[thecompanyman]

"I always have a plan, Peter."

It was an honest admission and one he was sure of, at that. "At this point in time, what's critical is establishing a home for myself and healing. Past that, I'd like to look into the manner of my arrival here. Claire's safety will be a constant concern." His tone was that of a father giving a normal lecture.