AN: Can you believe it? This story is no longer a oneshot! wowers, it's been fun working with my first fanfiction again. hehehe. anyways the first chapter had some incorect names (yes it was actually written before some of them were mentioned!) and the ages might be off slightly so I guess you can count this as AU. anyway I have corrected the names in this chapter and will go back and correct that one too. I hope you all enjoy!

Spoilers: takes place after and during episode 3: One Giant Leap, spoilers up to and before it. also slight spoilers for episode 7: better halves, because of some characters mentioned did not enter the show untill then.

Disclaimer: obvious I do not own this show and I am not profitting from this story. a few lines used, (Nathan's speech) was from the actualy episode so that belongs to Tim Kring also.

Chapter 2: In Deep

Heidi positioned herself beside the couch and turned her attention to the two boys on it. Monty was sitting Indian style, his eyes wide with excitement. Next to him Simon was slouched back leaning against the couch arm with his head propped up on his hand. This was their tradition and they did it quite often.

They were not getting together for a movie or their favorite TV show—though they did do this on occasion. They were about to watch their favorite thing ever, Nathan's speech.

Given the boys only understood about half of what he was saying, and Heidi herself almost always heard his speeches first because he would practice on her—and in the early days of his campaign she had even helped him write some of them. But there was just something exciting about watching your father or husband walk up on the platform to the sound of applause. That was the boys' favorite part. They loved hearing the response to what their daddy said. When the crowd broke out in applause Simon would beam with pride while Monty clapped right along with them.

Heidi always wished she could take the boys to one of his speeches, but with her being in a wheelchair the PR people were afraid that she would make Nathan look "weak". Heidi still bristled at that word. Just let them say that to my face and I'll show them just how weak I am…She inwardly growled.

"What's Dad speaking on today, Mom?" Simon asked pulling Heidi from her reverie. He always loved to know what the topic was. Young as he was, Simon always tried to keep up. Heidi smiled and was about to answer when she froze. What was he speaking on? He had not even mentioned his topic this time. Strange, why wouldn't he…

Her thoughts were interrupted as Nathan entered the stage.

"I'd like to apologize about the rain, if you elect me I'd do something about that," Nathan jested. The crowd responded with laughter and Heidi felt herself relax slightly. Maybe she had been concerned about nothing. Nathan was just stressed out. Ya, that had to be the answer.

Nathan went on to the normal pleasantries of campaign speeches and Heidi had settled herself into another masterful but uneventful speech…

Then the bombshell fell.

"The life altering event of my father's death is really what prompted me to run for congress. My father hid a deep depression…and illness really, up until the day he died…" Heidi furrowed her brow. Why was he bringing this up? Wasn't it his idea to mention it only when necessary and try and move on? She glanced at the boys and noticed their confused looks. Nathan had been trying to keep the kids in the dark on this one as much as possible. Heidi sighed. There was defiantly going to be a talk later.

Nathan went on to mention how their father suffered alone. Then suddenly out of the blue he was talking about Peter's accident. Heidi felt her heart sink.

"Don't go there Nathan…" She whispered under her breath. "Please don't go there…"

"…But what I've kept from the press so far," Nathan began. "…Peter barely survived a suicide attempt…"

Heidi wheeled herself over to the TV before the startled gasp could even escape Simon's lips. Before Nathan uttered another word she had the TV off.

"Mom why did you do that?!" Monty fused, a perplexed and annoyed look crossing his young face. Thank God, at least he had not understood.

"It's time for bed Monty," Heidi insisted.

"But mom…" She held up her hand and pointed to the stairs.

"Go to bed Monty." The youngest Petrelli son knew that tone of voice to well. It was the 'don't you dare open your mouth again' tone. Nathan's little boys were practically fearless, but when Heidi used that tone that snapped to instantly. Monty leapt up from the couch and ran up the stairs with speed only little boys can obtain.

Heidi sighed, she needed to calm down. Simon deserved a fair explanation. She would save her anger for later, better still she would save it for Nathan.

She went over and maneuvered in front of her son. The look on his face broke her heart.

"Is…did Peter really?" He barely got out the words; his eyes were so near tears. Heidi found herself between a rock and a hard place. She could tell her son that his father had lied, instilling a distrust in the person that was suppose to be Simon's role model. But she how could she tell Simon that one of his favorite people in the world was mentally unstable? As for herself she was not even sure what to believe. After the accident Nathan had been so troubled, that her mind had wandered to the possibility. But he had been so tight lipped and refused to answer her prodding so she dismissed it. After all Peter was fairly accident prone.

As Nathan had started speaking of Peter's accident in the speech she instantly knew what he was going to say. But still she did not believe it. Peter was different from anyone she ever knew, but insane? Hardly.

Nathan had voiced the concern to her some years back, and she had practically laughed it off then. She did not care how many stupid stunts Peter pulled, she would never have believed he was crazy.

But suicide? There was no way that her sweet, naive, dreamer brother-in-law could even think about something like that. She couldn't, wouldn't believe it.

Heidi turned her attention back to Simon, his eyes probing her for the answer her mouth could not seem to form.

"I don't know," she finally replied, her voice barely above a whisper. She felt tears begin to blur her vision. "I don't know." She pulled her eldest son into a tight embrace and held him there, feeling his tears on her shoulder.

-----

Nathan wiped the blood of his lip as got into the limo. He never knew Peter could hit that hard. He sunk down into the seat. In all their arguments from years passed, Nathan had never been punched by his brother. Worse still, he had never deserved it so much.

His eyes turned to the window as he watched the rain streak across it. The cardinal rule of speech making was never look at a single person, but look at the group as a whole. But when Nathan spoke those words he had meet Peter's eyes.

A shudder went through Nathan's body. If looks could kill he would be six feet deep.

Nathan had braved Bosnia, fought his way through law school and survived campaigning; but nothing was as hard as having his little brother mad at him.

AT: ok more to come soon! hope you enjoyed and please review!