Author's notes: The long awaited chapter is here!! Sorry it took so long! I hope it was worth the wait.

now for the reviews:

Thank you so much RBDFAN, SpySkater, therealpenny, darkraven10, fiveminutestomidnight, and chosenfire28 for your reveiws!! I'm really glad you all like it!

Ally-617-luv-tv: thank you so much! blushes your compliments are so sweet!! thank you again! My writting skills come from God and he has truly blessed me!

Nakeli Makilo: thank you so much! it's qutie an honor that you check back everyday...sorry I've made you (and everybody) wait so long

GreenLeoFiend: as always thank you so much GLF! You've been such a help to me with this story (and so many others)!!

Now on to the main attraction...

Chapter 4: Root of the Problem

Peter watched the clouds play across the sky, their eternal dance calming him. He had had the dream of his father falling again, but this time it was worse. The vivid detail of his dream sent shivers up his spine. He had woken in the middle of the night, but his dream was so bad that he didn't dare shut his eyes again. So instead he climbed out of his window onto the front porch roof. He had watched the stars all night, and then saw a beautiful sunset. However, none of this beauty lessened the horror of that dream; he doubted that anything would ever be able to.

"PETER!" The shout made him jump. He glanced around and saw Nathan leaning out the window.

"You scarred the heck out of me Nathan!" Peter yelled back, not fully sure why he was shouting.

"We were suppose to have left for school ten minutes ago, I've been looking for you everywhere!"

"Wouldn't want a spot on you perfect record now would we?" Peter mocked. He wasn't sure why he was being so spiteful. He stood up, careful not to loose his balance, and climbed through the window. Peter sent Nathan a dangerous glare before bounding down the stairs.

"Peter do you have any concept of responsibility in that thick head of yours?" Nathan fumed coming down after him.

Gran was in the kitchen when they came loudly stomping in.

"I made you breakfast Peter," She said smiling gently at him. Peter was about to answer when Nathan grabbed him by the arm.

"Thanks to his laziness, Gran, Peter doesn't have time for that," Nathan replied for him. He shoved Peter toward the door.

"Bye Gran," Peter said forcing his voice to lowered at least for her. He trudged out of the house.

"Peter you left your…" He was already out the door before Gran could get the words out, "…book bag." She turned her gaze back to the older brother. "Nathan," Gran's words were soft but they held strength in them that demanded him to listen. "Be kind to Peter, he is the only brother you have; and if you don't you will regret if before to long."

"Sometimes I wish I was an only child," Nathan spat out the words before they went through his mind. Gran looked up, terrible disappointment written in her eyes. Then her eyes shifted to something behind him. Nathan was hit with a feeling of dread as he slowly turned around. His eyes locked with Peter's for what seemed like an eternity while neither brother could react. The look of pain on Peter's face stabbed Nathan right in the heart.

"Peter I didn't mean…" Nathan began, the words coming fast from desperation.

"Save it," Peter growled. He grabbed his backpack and left, slamming the door behind him.

By the time Nathan raced outside after him, Peter had already walked half way down the lane. Anger fueled Peter adding speed to his steps.

"Sometimes the hardest lesson to learn is to control our own tongues," Gran said softly as she stepped out on the porch beside Nathan. She laid her hand on his shoulder. "Let him go, he needs to cool off." She cupped his chin in her hand forcing him to look her in the eyes. "This one will be hard to make right, nothing cuts worse than words."

Peter sighed as he pushed his books into his locker. He slammed the locker door shut with frustration. He was exhausted and late for class. He had no idea how long a walk it was between Gran's house and school, but when he started out he hadn't cared. Now, however, his legs begged to collapse on the spot and his side felt stretched from the effort.

He turned to walk away and barreled right into someone. Peter was about to give the person a few choice words, but he looked up at the face of this person and the words caught in his throat. He had just run straight into the notorious Brody Mitchum.

"Move," Brody commanded. Normally Peter would have complied, but today the frustration of everything that had happened boiled over into that one word and moving became the last thing on his mind.

"What? You own the hallway now too?" Peter spat the words at Brody with a tone that sounded foreign on his lips. The look on Brody's face told Peter he had made a grave mistake.

"What's your name?" Brody growled.

"Peter Petrelli," He replied trying not to let the fear spill through into his voice.

"Well, Petrelli, if you have any sense in you don't ever speak to me like that again. Got it?" Brody instructed sharply.

"It's amazing you can get through the doorways with a head that inflated." As soon as the words left Peter's lips he felt shocked that he had said them.

Brody grabbed Peter by the shirt and slammed him against the lockers and then held him there. Brody pulled his fist back about to lay into him. Peter cringed.

"What's going on here?" Someone asked. Peter turned his head and saw his math teacher, Mr. Anders, watching them with his typical thoughtful stare. Brody released Peter's shirt and smiled at the teacher.

"Nothing, Mr. Anders. Just welcoming the new student," Brody replied, grabbing Peter's shoulder in a mock-friendly gesture.

"Is this true Mr. Petrelli?" Ander's asked cautiously. Peter winced as Brody's fingers squeezed the weak points on his shoulder.

"Yes it is," Peter lied weakly. Ander's seemed to look at Peter with disappointment, but then merely shook his head.

"Alright then," Anders replied walking off. Brody sent a dangerous glare at Peter.

"Teacher's won't always be around, Petrelli," Brody hissed, his voice lowered so only Peter could hear.

Peter slid his tray across the cafeteria lunch bar as a lady wearing a hair net filled it with strange substances that he couldn't distinguish as any food he had ever seen. He felt like a volcano was inside him seconds away from erupting, and the boring classes had only helped to fuel the fire. He walked across the room and exited out the door. The bright sunshine warmed his face, but did nothing for his heart.

He saw Simone and Isaac sitting on the same grassy hill as the day before. Simone waved at him vigorously, bidding him to join them; but he ignored her. He found a secluded spot and took it. It only took him a second to realize how hungry he was from skipping breakfast and he laid into the food as if he were a rabid dog.

Nathan leaned against his car. He hadn't realized how long one school day could be, but with guilt gnawing at his side all day it had stretched on endlessly. He had only seen Peter once since school started, and even then it was only from across the hall. He had hoped to catch him and apologize, but there just hadn't been a chance.

He saw Peter exit the school. Peter walked with sluggish steps, his eyes on the ground. How different he looked from the little kid he once was! Peter had once gone everywhere skipping happily, his wide eyes bouncing around everywhere as if he were afraid to miss anything. Nathan smiled at the memory. How could Peter believe he had been serious earlier? Maybe because for a minute I did mean it. Nathan shivered at the thought.

Peter's eyes rose from the ground and had found Nathan's gaze. For a minute both brother's stood paralyzed by their own thoughts. Nathan took a deep breath and stepped toward his brother. Peter pulled back, glaring at him dangerously. Before Nathan could even get a word out Peter turned and walked off.

Discouraged, Nathan hung his head. Suddenly the gravity of his mistake hung over him, crushing down on him with amazing force.

Peter walked across the school parking lot. His legs were already jelly and NOW he was faced with the long trek back. He glanced back toward Nathan and scuffed. He would rather walk a hundred miles than be with that jerk even for the small amount of time it took to get home.

"Hello stranger?" Simone's soft voice touched deep into the part of his soul that wasn't clouded with anger. He turned to see her. She was sitting in the passenger's seat of a Mercedes. "You live with Gran Petrelli right?"

"Ya. How did you know?" Peter replied.

"My dad and her are friends. She's been talking about you two coming ever since she found out."

"How come you never mentioned this before?"

"I don't know. Guess it never came up," She chuckled. "My dad's friends with everybody though. It's hard to remember everyone's names." Peter nodded understandingly. Visions of dull political dinners where he was forced to meet countless boring old men, played through his head. Nathan was always so good at remembering things like names. He tried to push Nathan out of his mind again. He had to at least try and keep his cool. "Hello…Peter?" Simone waved her hand in front of his face. "Did you hear what I said?"

"You said something?" Peter asked, mentally kicking himself for spacing out again.

"I asked if you were waiting on your brother," She replied calmly.

"No." He gritted his teeth in an atempt to keep his voice level.

"You're not planning on walking all the way out there are you? I mean it's a really long way!"

"Tell me about it," He sighed. "But I'll be ok."

"We can give you a ride Peter." Simone suggested. "We have to take Isaac home anyways. It's just a little further out."

"I really am fine…" Peter's mouth said, but his legs disagreed. The back window rolled down and Isaac stuck his head out.

"You might as well give up now. She'll ware you down," Isaac admonished playfully. Peter sighed. He was about to refuse when he saw Nathan walking over.

"Sure. That'd be great," Peter replied suddenly. Isaac motioned for the back door on the other side and Peter climbed in.

"Peter this is my dad," Simone said nodding to the driver. He was tall, with a completion darker than Simone's, but there was no doubt of the resemblance. His eyes sparkled in a way that somewhat melted the ice that had begun forming around Peter's heart ever since he first stepped into his father's hospital room.

"It's nice to meet you Peter," He said. His voice was warm, it gave you the feeling that he would laugh at any moment. "I'm Charles." He studied Peter in the rearview mirror for a few moments before starting off.

Isaac began a long rant about the lack of funds for the school's art program. Peter felt his mind wander back to the hospital room he knew his father still lay in.

"Hey Peter there was something you were gona tell me yesterday," Isaac remarked suddenly turning to him. "What was it?" Peter glanced at him for a minute before the memory came back.

"Oh it was nothing," He replied a little too quickly.

"You sure? It seemed important…"

"It wasn't," Peter snapped.

"Touchy."

"Drop it!" Peter didn't know why he's temper had been so hard to control recently. He felt like punching Isaac. He had never been violent, not even as a child.

"Peter what's wrong?" Simone asked in genuine concern. He was about to snap at her to, when he noticed Charles was looking at him again. This time instead of a smile in Charles eyes he looked as if he was trying to see right through Peter. Peter shivered and looked out the window.

"It's nothing," He answered at last.

"Peter…"

"Just leave me alone! Is that to much to ask?" Language Peter hadn't realized he knew escaped between the words.

"How dare you talk that way to Simone," Isaac growled.

"What are you going to do about it?" Peter tossed back. Before the answer could come the car stopped. They were in front of a rather beautiful Victorian house.

"Simone you and Isaac go on in. I'm sure you can find some homework to do. I'll take Isaac home when I get back."

"What are you…" Simone began.

"I'm going to take Mr. Petrelli home," Charles responded simply. Peter felt himself sink into the seat. He couldn't imagine what had possessed him to yell at his friend and in front of her father no less! Charles started up as soon as the two were out and for several minutes he said nothing. Finally he glanced in the mirror again, leveling his gaze with Peter's.

"How's your father doing?" Peter was equally shocked by the soft tone in Charles as he was with the unexpected question.

"My…my father?" He stuttered.

"I heard that he was in the hospital"

"He's…ok." Peter turned back to gazing out the window. This was the last conversation he had expected or wanted.

"That's good to hear. I thought it was pretty serious," Charles replied softly, as if this was the most normal conversation anyone could have.

"It was but…he's fine." Peter wasn't sure why he was lying, but he wished with every part of his being that Charles would just drop it.

"Good to hear."

"That's right he's fine. Just a heart condition right? Nothing abnormal. Just a regular run of the mill, nothing out of the ordinary, no secrets kept heart condition!" His words were coming fast, but he found himself wondering why they were coming at all. "It's not like he's keeping secrets. We've talked about his heart condition! Mom said everything is fine. He's gona be home any day now. Everything is gona be normal." Charles nodded and they drove on in silence for several more minutes. "He's fine. Just fine." Peter wasn't sure who he was trying to convince anymore. He wasn't sure whose sake he was lying for, Charles' or his own.

"I understand," Charles replied. Peter turned from the window and glared at the back of the man's head. There it was again. That feeling Peter had been fighting for days. It welled up inside him. That inferno that refused to let him go.

"You understand? You understand!" Peter's voice grew steadily louder. "You don't understand! No one understands! All of you are the same! You look at me with that stupid sympathy! I don't need your sympathy got it? I'm sick of it! I'm fine! It's just a stupid heart condition! I don't even care! I don't want sympathy! Yours or anyone else's! You think you understand! Please! You have no idea what it's like to grow up with him as a father! He doesn't care about me, why should I care about him? Now he goes and gets sick and everyone expects me to care! Well I don't! I don't need him!" His voice was becoming hoarse from the sobs now welling up in his throat as much as from yelling. Tears escaped his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. "I don't need him…" His voice had become weak.

Peter buried his face into the seat in front of him. Charles said nothing, but he didn't have too. Somehow his presence was enough. It was several minutes before Peter looked back up. His eyes were red and his lip quivered slightly. Without another word on the incident Peter glanced out the window.

"How long have we been here?" Peter asked, studying Gran's house that they were now parked in front of.

"About ten minutes." Charles replied sending Peter a warm smile. Peter laughed despite himself. He opened the door but didn't move to get out.

"Thanks…" Peter looked straight into Charles' eyes for the first time. "…for the ride," he quickly added.

"Your welcome," Charles answered sincerely. "…for the ride," he added with a wink. Peter laughed softly as he stepped out. The sun shone down on him as he walked across the lawn. He basked in its warmth. Suddenly he realized how different he felt. It felt like something he could only describe as 'the calm after a storm'. The volcano about to erupt had disappeared. The cold bitterness had been swept away.

Nathan watched Peter from the kitchen window. A smile tugged at the edges of Nathan's face at the sight of his brother. Peter's step was lighter and his eyes shone. Nathan sighed softly and turned his back to the scene. He was about the write the time of his debate class meeting on the calendar, but his thoughts refused to settle there. "I'm sorry Peter…" He said softly as if it speaking to the air would somehow lift the weight on his consciousness.

"Forgiven." Nathan spun around on his heels and came face to face with his little brother. Peter laughed at the surprised look on Nathan's face. Nathan smiled for a second then his face turned grave. He proceeded to punch Peter in the arm. "What was that for?" Peter moaned rubbing his arm.

"Stop sneaking up on me!" Nathan mock-fussed.

After Thoughts: I actually really like this chapter now...there were times when I felt like setting it on fire lol! Anyways looks like no body wins this chapter's coolness points. But than again who would have guessed Charles and Brody Mitchum? I won't have if I wasn't the author! lol.

Chapter 5 Challenge: This next chapter has one non-hero, heroes character (whew...confusing) guess away!