Disclaimer: I don't own The Petrelli Brothers.
It had been four months since Peter's catastrophic day, the day the world took Nathan's baby brother away. Taken up residency in Peter's apartment, the politician was sprawled on his bed in a drunken state. Although, he claimed as his possession of the surroundings, his brother's personal belongings had been untouched, as if awaiting for his arrival which he knew in the alcove of his heart would never come.
Booze was Nathan's best friend now, not that he had any at all. The empty glasses and bottles of liquor were thrown against the wall, breaking into several pieces, like his shattered heart. Peter hadn't deserved to die, his young life had suddenly been cut short. He was the kind-hearted brother, who took care of patients, tending to their needs in the final moments of their lives. Nathan on the other hand, tended to himself, and never understood his brother's unselfishness toward others.
If he could somehow change the hands of Fate, reverse time, he would certainly make everything perfect. But, no one lived in a perfect world, one's world would eventually collapse. Pulling the bed covers on him, Nathan reminisced on a scene so long ago.
"Nathan! I had a bad dream! Nathan! Can I please sleep with you tonight? Please?"
"Go away, Peter, it's just a dream. It's not real. Leave me alone, go back to bed."
"Please?"
"Will you quit that crying? Five year olds don't cry. I said it's not for real, it's make believe."
"Make it go away, please? Make all my bad dreams go away. I'm scared, Nathan. I'm really scared."
"Okay, just this one time you can sleep with me. Come on, get in here. Get under the covers, it's cold tonight."
"I love you, Nathan!"
"Yeah, yeah, kid. Move over a bit, there's lots of room on my bed, no need sticking to me like glue.
"I love you, too, little brother," Nathan cried out loud, remembering the warmth of his baby brother next to him. Drinking night and day, he thought it would somehow erase his pains and sorrows. Feeling nothing, he thought was a whole lot better than feeling any pain at all.
Nathan painfully mourned for his brother. Scenarios in his head played out in slow motion of growing up Petrelli. Peter had been the only Petrelli he truly loved. You'll never know how much you'll love someone until they are gone. You'll never want to know the feeling of missing them in your life. Peter was gone, never to come back, and Nathan was missing him.
Nathan closed his eyes, yet, his succeeded efforts of vanishing his agony failed. He yearned for his brother, the brother he sometimes thought would amount to nothing. Peter had a caring and loving soul.
"I'll love you forever, Nathan."
"Forever is a long time, kid."
"You'll always be with me, okay Nathan?"
"Yea, yea. Whatever you say."
"I'll never leave you. I promise. You're my big brother. You'll always take care of me, right? You'll never leave me, too, huh? I'll always be by your side. I love you, Nathan."
"Okay, quiet down will you? Go to sleep now."
"Damned you, Peter! You lied! You left me! You shouldn't have made promises you couldn't keep! You liar!" Nathan yelled, holding on to a photograph of the both of them. It was a picture of baby Peter as he cradled him in his arms. Nathan clung onto the framed photo as if it was his baby brother in his arms, instead of a stilled lifeless picture.
"I'll love you forever, too, little brother."
The End