Disclaimer: I do not own these characters they belong to the makers of the NBC show heroes. The names of Nathan's wife and children are mine since I don't know their actual names and the children's ages I made up as well.

Notes: This is my first fan fic here. I hope you all like it. I haven't quite got the ropes of the site yet, but here goes. This story is set before the show.

Spoiler: If you haven't seen the show there are only hints at it and so it will not likely spoil anything.

Chapter 1: Dreams of Destiny

Nathan walked out onto his porch. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. He could hear his kids playing somewhere near by. He could also hear his mother and wife inside talking politics. He had been glad to get away from them. They were always disagreeing. In fact, he was sure he could hear them doing that even all the way outside.

"The red one." His wife, Heidi said.

"The blue one is much better." His mother, Angela, retorted. The argument went on for several more minutes before Nathan decided to brave his way back in and stop it. He walked into the kitchen. "Nathan don't you agree the blue one is better?" He glanced at the flyers and was about to open his mouth when he heard a knock on the door.

Heidi mouthed the words "the red one" before wheeling herself to the door. Nathan merely shrugged in response to his mother's probing glance.

"Oh Peter, come on in." Heidi's cheerful voice flowed in from the other room. She came back into the room followed by Nathan's younger brother. His black hair hung around his gentle face. He wore a smile that was matched only by the joy in his eyes.

"Peter!" Angela smiled brightly as she welcomed her youngest.

"What do you want?" Nathan asked harshly. Peter's smile dropped.

"I promised Monty and Simon that I'd stop by on my day off…but if you are busy…" Peter replied.

"Don't be silly Peter, you're always welcome here." Heidi interjected putting her hand on Peter's arm comfortingly. Nathan sighed.

"Ya fine." Nathan murmured.

"PETER!" A young blonde haired boy ran up to Peter, nearly knocking him over. Monty was the boy's name and he was Nathan's six year old son. Simon, his older brother by five years, came up behind him. He wore a bright smile on his face as he hugged his uncle. Peter ruffled Monty's hair while hugging Simon back with his other arm.

"Hey guys." Peter replied affectionately.

"Peter you gotta finish the story!" Monty's excitement flowed over into his words.

"What story?" Heidi asked, Nathan noticed how much she liked playing along.

"The story he was telling us last time. It was amazing, Mom! It was all about the man that could talk to the stars." Monty exclaimed.

"Ah yes, we'll have to finish it then!" Peter said with equal excitement. "If it's ok with your parents."

"Sure, why wouldn't I mind you filling my kid's minds with garbage." Nathan replied with sarcasm. They look of disappointment that Peter gave him made Nathan regret his words.

"It's not garbage! It's true!" Monty insisted

"Well you can't beat that logic," Peter chimed in.

"It's just a story Monty." Simon demurred, a know-it-all tone ringing in his voice. Peter shook his head wearing a knowing expression on his face.

"Unbelievers," Peter chimed, Monty nodded his agreement. "What do you think Monty should we prove them wrong?" Monty nodded vigorously. "What do you think Heidi? Should we?" He sent her a sideways wink, so that the boys couldn't see.

"Well I guess you'll have to." She replied a bright smile played on her lips.

"Well Simon, Nathan." Peter looked at both in turn as he pulled himself up a chair. Monty ran over and sat on his uncle's lap. Simon sat on one of the kitchen stools. "I have a story for you. This morning I woke up, like I do every morning, but there was a difference. I realized I was standing instead of lying down. When I opened my eyes I saw it…"

"What?" Monty asked as he clapped his hands together.

"I was standing on top of a seventeen story building." Peter continued, the dramatic note in his voice pulling them all in.

"It was a dream" Simon demanded rolling his eyes.

"No, far from it!" Peter corrected. "It was real. I could feel the breeze whipping around me; I could hear the sound of traffic not far off. It was amazing. I walked closer to the edge of the building and glanced over and suddenly I knew."

"Knew what?" Heidi asked captivated by his story just as much as Monty.

"That I could fly!" Peter replied. Nathan looked at him in surprise. "Yes it's true," Peter said looking his brother straight in the eyes. "So I took a few more steps closer to the edge, and then I took one more steps. This time though, my foot didn't touch solid ground. My balance shifted and I…" He looked at each face in turn. Monty, Simon and Heidi all stared at him truly engrossed in his story. Nathan didn't look at him, but wore a look that Peter knew meant he was thinking deeply on something. But his mother's look truly caught Peter. She was scrutinizing him in a way that truly threw him off. He pulled his eyes away from her and turned his attention back to the story. His voice came out as barely more then a whisper. "…fell…" He let the word sink in before he continued, his voice then back on to normal again. "The pavement came at me fast as I fell toward almost curtain doom. That's when it happened! I suddenly stopped falling, right there in the air. I felt weightless like I was under water. Instead of falling toward the ground I flew away from it! Then before I knew it I had flown all the way back to my apartment…and it was over." No one spoke for several minutes. Peter knew that most of them hadn't believed his story of course, but he also knew that every single one had been caught up in it.

"That's amazing Uncle Peter!" Monty exclaimed. "You're like the heroes from my comic book!"

"Really? What comic book?" Peter asked as if it were just as interesting as the story he had just told.

"9th wonder!" Monty replied.

"Can I see?" Peter asked. Monty nodded.

"I'll go get it," And with that the little blonde boy went leaping up the stairs.

"Peter I wish you wouldn't do that." Nathan sighed.

"Nate, he's six…"

"He's my son." Nathan threw back, anger rising inside him. Peter's expression turned to stone; he stood up again and headed toward the door. Heidi looked at Nathan and shook her head. Her disappointment in him showing clearly in her eyes.

"Peter wait!" Simon jumped up from his chair. "It wasn't true was it? There aren't real heroes are there?" Peter stopped and turned to Simon. He studied his nephew carefully before answer.

"It was a dream." Peter replied, he saw a chest fallen look come over Simon. "As to whether or not there are those that are…extraordinary, I don't know. There might be. But as to whether or not there are heroes, there defiantly are. One of my patients once told me something I will never forget." He thought of his dear friend Charles, Simone's father, whom he loved as if he were his own father. "He said, 'It's not those who smile and whole crowds cheer their name that are really heroes. It's the ones who give up their seats, or open the door for someone who truly are heroes. Because though the world will never chant their name, to that one person they are greater than the mightiest hero to ever live.' It doesn't matter if you are Incredible Boy or Simon Petrelli. If you use what gifts you have for the better of others then you're a hero in my book." Peter ruffled his nephew's hair. Simon smiled brightly.

"Thanks Peter." Simon turned, but then glanced back over his shoulder. "But the story…?"

"You understand why I told it?" Peter asked softly. Simon thought of his brother's smile.

"Ya I do." Simon replied.

"I got to get going. Can you go tell your brother?" Simon nodded and ran up the stairs. Nathan merely stared at the ground. He felt truly bad for what he had said, but he couldn't pull himself to apologize.

"Thank you so much Peter." Heidi said wheeling over to him, "It means so much to the boys." She gave him a big sister type hug.

"Don't worry about it." Peter replied his tone back to carefree. "Bye Mom." He threw across the room to her, and smiled with relief. She no longer wore that strange look. "Nathan." He nodded to his brother; and he turned to leave when his brother didn't respond.

"Uncle Peter!" Monty came running down and tackled him with another hug. "You have to go already?"

"Ya I really should. Sorry Monty maybe I can stay longer next time," Peter offered.

"Take this with you!" Monty thrust a comic book into his hands. "You can read it on you're way home."

"I defiantly will." Peter hugged his nephew tightly. "Bye." He turned and disappeared out the door. Monty smiled brightly and he skipped back up the stairs.

"You have something to say?" Nathan accused of his mother. He to had noticed the look his mother had given Peter.

"No." She replied softly smiling as if all was well. Nathan sighed and looked at his wife.

"What?" Nathan asked of her as he noticed the disapproving look she was giving him.

"Why do you discourage them, Nathan?"

"Why do you encourage it?" He threw back and walked out of the room. His mind was in other places. Peter must have just dreamed up that flying story…surely he can't know…

Peter waved down a cab and jumped in. He rambled off his address to the cab driver, and causally glanced down at the comic book cover. A gasp escaped his lips. There on the cover was a man he knew all to well. It was him! He was jumping off the roof of a tall building. The picture in and of itself wasn't particularly catching if it wasn't for one thing. Peter had seen it before…in his dreams.