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A/N: I noticed something while rewatching "Four Months Later" and felt the need to write this.
Set between Season One and Two
Nathan shuffled through the photos. They were mostly family snapshots; vacations, dances, meaningless moments on the couch captured for posterity.
Nathan had taken to placing two or three pictures in the mirror frame to serve as reminder of what he lost: his marriage, his children, his basic grip of what was and was not possible and, most of all, his little brother.
Nathan found a small gift box, forgotten in the mass of pictures. He slowly opened the box and remembered.
Nathan had come home. He had been allowed a few days leave before he shipped out for some country far removed for New York City. He had completed his training and had been certified as a naval pilot."Nathan!" Peter yelled from the top of the stairs than quickly descended taking two at a time. This was the best part about coming home, seeing his little brother. Nathan dropped his bag and opened his arms to accept his brother's embrace. Come on! I have something to give you." Peter latched on to Nathan's hand and pulled him back up the stairs.
"It's in here." Peter opened his bedroom door and ushered him inside. Nathan sat down on his brother's twin bed and took in the room. The walls were covered in school papers and letters from Nathan.
Peter stood on his toes and looked into his sock drawer, his hand sifting though the sea of white and black. "Found it!" Peter held up a small box triumphantly. "I saved my allowance to buy it." He handed Nathan the box.
Nathan untied the shoe lace that held the box closed. Opening the box Nathan saw the small silver oval. It was a saint medal. Lifting in medal out of the box, Nathan saw the minuscule male image and read the inscription, "St. Joseph of Cupertino."
"He's patron saint of pilots," Peter said with a smile. "He's Italian too."
"Thanks, Pete. I love it," Nathan said with a slightly forced smile. Nathan's thoughts raced "The flying saint. He had to give me a medal of the flying saint." Nathan was still catholic, just not very observant or a very good one. The last mass he attended was Easter, before that was Christmas.
"I'll have to get chain for it later." He placed it back in the box, ending any further discussion of the gift.
Nathan saw this event in his mind's eye. He recalled every detail.
Looking though the drawers, Nathan found a thin piece of leather cord. Threading it through the wire loop at the top of the medal, he tied the two ends in a knot around his neck.
Nathan looked at himself in the mirror. He saw his disheveled appearance staring back at him. Glancing down at the photo stuck between the mirror and its frame, he saw his brother and smiled.
"Thanks, Pete. I really do love it."