When Heidi firsts meets Nathan's family, she notices the immediate dysfunction within it. The Petrellis are a "proper" family. No hugs, no meaningful kisses on the cheek. Just a pat on the back and a few pecks. That is her impression, of course, until she sees Peter bounding down the stairs of the mansion with a delighted smile on his face. "Hey Nathan," he greets, pulling his brother into a hug. Heidi can tell Nathan's slight embarrassment of the display of affection in front of his long-time girlfriend, but the lawyer doesn't protest.

The relationship was more complicated than she thought, especially after the accident. She watched as day by day Peter called in and dropped by, inquiring how everyone was doing. She remembered Angela Petrelli's absence of sorrow at her husband's death. She brushed it off as public face for her elder son.

Then it hit election year. Nathan tightened up and tried to make room for family. Peter was immediately forgotten about, not that the hospice nurse was particularly hurt by it. He always loved his brother and respected Nathan's decisions but something inside Heidi questioned Nathan's motives. She'd always seen the good in Nathan but the stress of election was bringing out another side to her husband.

Then everything changed. "Delusions of grandeur" Angela had called it. Peter dead; Nathan scarred. He was convinced that he could fly, that Peter had been a bomb. She watched him fall in a downward spiral of grief as night after night she knew he was drinking himself into oblivion –feeling the guilt of his beloved brother's death. It was then that Heidi was convinced of how much the brothers meant to each other.

Heidi slowly lost contact with Nathan after she left him. The boys still visited everyone once in a while though Heidi never stayed long enough to delve into conversation. One day, when picking up Monty and Simon from the Petrelli mansion, she heard shouting upstairs. Peter stormed out of the room and rushed down the stairs. Nathan was close behind. He reached out to place a hand on the paramedic's shoulder. Peter shrugged it off and pushed Nathan away violently. "You are no better than dad, or Sylar, or any of the others!" he shouted, face in complete rage. With that, he stormed out of the house, straight past Heidi.

She never saw Nathan or Peter again after their fallout. Not until the funeral. Heidi wondered what had happened between the brothers. Whatever it was, Nathan had been forgiven. She watched with tears as Peter gave his terse eulogy of his brother, noticing him lock eyes with a blonde girl –too young to be Peter's girlfriend, too old to be his daughter. A secret passed through their eyes and Heidi was sure it was Nathan's secret. Something that would follow him into the grave.

Heidi briefly spoke with Peter after the ceremony and asked about the incident she'd witnessed one year ago. Peter smiled and shook his head. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he laughed.

Heidi, being her stubborn self, challenged, "Try me."

Peter smiled wistfully. "I can't," he said, "Just know that he died a hero. And he loved you, even after the whole delusion thing. You and the boys. Never stopped." Peter took Heidi's hand and dropped Nathan's wedding ring into it. "Our family's as dysfunctional as hell," the paramedic joked. "Go out there a live a normal life, for Nathan. Something that he couldn't have."

Heidi frowned at Peter's cryptic words but could tell that the surviving brother was sincere. She nodded, balancing the ring in her palm. "I will," she promised. "We will."