Title: A Snitch in Time

Fan dom: Heroes

Rating: T

Notes and Spoilers: Through Volume 2: Chapter 2: "Lizards",Though Some background taken through chapter 7: Out of Time (so contains some spoilers to that), slight AU, the Graphic Novel Chapters 31 and 32 "Walls: Part 1 & 2"; and Graphic Novel Chapters 47 and 48 "Heroism is Found in the Heart, Part 1 & 2"

Part 10

"Peter Petrelli?"

Peter looked up and he started at the new visitor with wide-eyes. He held his breath and then released it so quickly that he nearly choked.

"Peter?" Hiro repeated. I'm sorry we scared you. Though I thought you would be more prepared this time."

Peter looked at the two visitors again. "I'm sorry. Who are you? I don't remember..."

"You don't remember?" Ando asked.

Peter looked at Ando and shook his head. "I don't remember that much at all."

Hiro frowned at Peter. "I'm sorry." He tried to smile. "An explosion might do that."

Hiro attempted to lighten the conversation but Peter's expression just got more confused and even a bit impatient.

"My name is Hiro Nakamura. We met before."

Peter paused for a moment and decided to do what seemed to work before; he concentrated and read Hiro's mind. He was telling the truth, he was who he said.

"Hiro?" Peter said, and then he turned to Ando, "And you're Ando, right?"

Ando nodded.

"So you remember?" Hiro asked excitedly.

Peter shook his head. "No not really. I just read your mind."

Hiro smiled, and after that simple gesture, time was restored.

"Ma, go back to the part where you explain how this is all your fault–Hiro?" Nathan shouted. "You just teleported here..." he added providing the necessary hand gestures.

Hiro nodded.

Ando nodded in acknowledgment but was still a bit upset about that fact that Nathan seemed so indifferent to the fact he was dead in the future, but this wasn't the time for such a conversation.

"I didn't even see you," Nathan whispered.

Angela smiled at the new arrivals. "I will tell Bess to bring out to more table settings."

Nathan sighed. His mother was dodging his question once again, making her epic escape. Was it so hard to expect a straight answer? He now knew how Peter felt. It was not a welcome feeling.

"Hey Niki," Ando said again, waving.

Niki smiled politely. "Hello Ando."

It was funny how everything worked out.

The first few moments after Angela left the room was filled of awkward silence.

"I am glad you are back Hiro," Nathan began. "I was actually looking forward to the strange dinner tonight. Anything to clear my mind out of its stupor."

He was talking to Hiro but looking at Peter. It was so cruel, to have his brother back but not really? Too cruel.

Peter looked away. He did not want to give his brother pain. He only wished he had the answers that his brother needed. He was sure it would come, the necklace on his neck was the key. He used it earlier to quite literally open a lock, the lock that chained him to the cell. But not all doors have clear locks. Could this charm, be a lock to a hidden door? Not a tangible one, but one that would unlock the clues to new mystery? Perhaps his memories? He closed his eyes and concentrated. If it was true that he absorbed the powers of others and he ran into someone that took his memory. Did he have the power of memory manipulation as well? Are the answers he sought within his reach? As he concentrated he tried to find the memories of the people in the room his brother Nathan, Niki, Hiro and Ando. Even if his own memories were gone perhaps he could use the memories they shared to rebuilt the memory he lost. He had to try.

"Any information on who murdered my father?" Hiro asked.

Nathan bowed his head. "Maybe. I found a picture. With a bunch of people that used to work with my father...Officer Parkman recognized one as his father. We were going to meet him tomorrow..."

"Does he have a power?"

Nathan ran his fingers through his hair. "I would not be surprised."

Peter concentrated harder. The memories he found came to him like a river. Like a river whose dam had broke. He began to feel dizzy and reached blindly for something to hold onto.

"Peter are you okay?" Niki called out.

"Nathan?!" Peter cried out.

Nathan ran to his side immediately.

"I got you Pete," Nathan said as he caught his brother who looked like he was about to collapse. "What is it?"

Peter opened his eyes, placed his hands on Nathan's shoulders, and then smiled.

Nathan looked into Peter's eyes and could see something he did not see before.

"You..."

"I remember...we survived. Nathan..."

Nathan wrapped his arms around Peter tightly. Peter remembered. How much did he remember? Nathan himself did not have all the pieces of the puzzle. But that was secondary. Peter remembered. His brother remembered. He was alive.

At that moment Angela entered the room. She smiled at Nathan and Peter who were still in their brotherly embrace.

She smiled at Hiro, Ando, and Niki. She stood up straight and slapped on her confident smile, but it was anything but.

"Dinner is ready."

Back in the dining room, Angela stood at the head of the table to greet her guests.

"The family is only as strong as the secrets we keep," she stated as she looked at the five people at the dinner table besides her. "Some of us are not family by blood but I trust that you all will keep my following words secret."

Niki nodded immediately. "Of course Mrs. Petrelli."

"I will not tell anyone," Ando quickly agreed.

Hiro bowed his head. "I will not say a word."

Angela smirked just a little after Hiro said his words.

Ando looked at Hiro, a bemused look on his face. Hiro shrugged. He was so emotionally drained.

"I thought I was protecting you all keeping these secrets from you. I was wrong. I have no reservations for keeping these secrets from you as children."

She paused, in her heart, her boys would always be as they were the first day she held them in her arms.

"But be as it may, none of you are now children." she proceeded, cutting her daydream short. "Many years ago, I was part of an organization, a group of people all like us. But then some of us lost our way..."

Nathan closed his eyes tightly. If there was one phrase he could live without hearing again, it was that one. Linderman said this too. It was a half baked answer with little satisfaction. Again, was he always doomed to get one half truth after another?

"Different members," Angela continued, "had different priories. So many people convinced of our superiority had backward ideas. Instead of being heroes, our missions were about power, control and our so-called legacy."

"Legacy?" Peter asked.

Angela nodded. "Yes. And that is what caused our break up. We had different definitions for that word. The family business. It was just not a law firm, the company used the term as well. I was an adult when I joined madness, yet still I was over my head. I knew there was no way, I would allow my children to become trapped. I saw other families, their children manifested and they were recruited in the mission. Children, that if they refused, their gifts would be taken form them."

"Why are you telling us this? And why now?" Nathan asked even though he could not put into words how glad he was that he was getting a straight answer, it seemed fishy.

"Why? Because we are all together. I tried keeping Peter in the dark, and you know what happened. He ran into danger blindfolded and even died a couple of times for his efforts. Claire? I kept her from you and this family because I thought she would be safer with a family that wasn't like us. It did not work. Nathan. We put too much responsibility into your hands. You always want to please everyone. And the one time you say no..."

Angela paused, changing the tone of her voice, "It literally blows up in your face."

The room became awfully quiet at that moment, but Angela did not sit down. The group exchanged glances, each in their own way absorbing the revelation that came out of the matriarch's mouth.

She turned to Niki.

"I am sure Linderman told you that this was all planned. That your lives were planned at birth. No science, no matter how extraordinary can make such a claim. Our lives are own, but I have seen so much. So much that I wish I have never seen for fate and destiny have their own ideas. So I fought it. As much as I could. I kept Peter in the dark. I sent Claire away. And to you Hiro, I allowed your father to take you, it was the only way."

Nathan, Peter, and Hiro exchanged glances. Nathan's glance was the longest. He looked at his mother curiously. Angela spoke about his folly in Texas...did she have a secret of her own?

Angela nodded.

"Yes, Hiro. I am your mother."

To Be Continued

Author's Note: So what do you think? Heh, there isn't a "The End" here? Well, more story demanded to be told. I have surrendered to fate and the mindset of my muse, to tell me when this story is complete. Thank you all who have taken the time to read and/or review.