Chapter 1 Come on Hiro JUMP!

"Hurry up bonehead and get your new swim trunks on! I've been waiting for nearly ten minutes now. The pool's going to close if you don't hurry." Tadashi knocked on the bathroom door impatiently as he waited for his younger brother. Tadashi didn't get why he was being so slow. He'd been talking about the pool ever since he'd mentioned there was one at the hotel they were staying at.

Hiro bit his lip as he stared at the door from the other side. He'd been dressed for nearly 7 minutes now but he hadn't come out because he felt very anxious. Not the good kind of anxious either. Hiro hadn't actually gone swimming before. The deepest water he'd really ever been in had been the bath tub at home. He knew it was weird that a 9 year old couldn't swim so he'd tried to behave like he'd been several times in the past. Strangely enough Aunt Cass and Tadashi didn't seem to know he didn't know how to swim.

He regretted trying to pretend that he did. Now Tadashi probably thought he could. He was going to drown if he didn't fess up. Or he could just stay in here forever…

"Hey Tadashi how about you go without me. I'll just stay here and keep Aunt Cass company." Hiro said quickly though the door.

"No way little bro! You were all excited in the car. Hurry up and get out here." Tadashi urged.

Hiro frowned and reached for the door knob uncertainly. He squeezed his eyes shut and turned the knob knowing that once he did he wouldn't be able to force his way out of going down.

Tadashi grinned once he saw his little brother all ready to go. "Come on Hiro lets go. We've only got an hour before the pool closes."

Hiro tried to pretend to be excited still but his façade was quickly failing. "We'll be back soon Aunt Cass."

Aunt Cass looked up from whatever she was watching on tv and nodded. "Be safe boys."

Tadashi smiled back as he headed out the door. "We will!"

Hiro frowned when they weren't looking. He was being anything but safe. He was being horribly reckless. He was afraid Tadashi would think he was stupid for not knowing how to swim though. He was way too nervous to tell his big brother the truth. Maybe if he could just stick to the shallow end of the pool he'd be ok.

"Race you to the elevator!" Tadashi said quickly.

Hiro ran a hand through his scruffy hair as Tadashi took off. With a growing sense of dread Hiro followed after him.

Hiro turned the corner quickly, not wanting to get left behind when he saw Tadashi entering an elevator. He picked up his pace so he could ride the same one. He entered quickly and looked over at his brother.

"When did you learn to swim Tadashi?" Hiro asked.

Tadashi frowned. "That's kind of a weird question but if you really want to know when I was 6 Mom enrolled me in a swim class."

Hiro nodded. It definitely was weird he didn't yet know how then. If Tadashi learned at 6 he was way too old to not know how to swim.

The elevator doors opened and Tadashi smiled. "Let's go!"

Hiro followed with some reluctance and before he knew it he found himself standing beside the pool.

Tadashi jumped into the water with an excited shout. Hiro waded into the water cautiously. It couldn't be to hard right? After all if little kids could figure it out what was stopping him?

Tadashi laughed after a moment underwater and kicked some water at Hiro. "Get your hair wet! Come on Hiro I already went under!"

Hiro laughed nervously. "Yeah.." Quickly to appease his older sibling Hiro put his head under the water. He came up not a moment later.

Tadashi smiled. "I'm going to practice some diving. Come on I'll show you how to do it."

Hiro's eyes widened. "That's ok Tadashi I'll just stay over here for now."

Tadashi shook his head. "Nonsense, come over here with me."

Tadashi swam out to the opposite side of the pool and pulled himself up out of the pool. "Come over here Hiro!"

Inside Hiro was panicking. He had to tell Tadashi. He had to say he couldn't swim. As much as he wanted to say something though every time he thought he would instead he did something even stupider. He'd started lying 2 days ago. He couldn't fess up now! Tadashi would be so mad.

He'd read articles about swimming and seen others do it before, what was stopping him from at least surviving a jump into the pool?

He'd do it.

Tadashi smiled when Hiro walked his way over to the other side of the pool. He was completely oblivious to the younger boy's dilemma.

"I'll go first Hiro, just mimic what I do 'kay?" Tadashi made his moves slow so Hiro could study them in depth. Hiro watched every small movement with incredible focus.

Tadashi jumped. There was a splash then a few moments later he resurfaced with a small gasp. "Your turn Hiro!"

Hiro was shaking. He was completely terrified. Letting Tadashi know would be worse though. He'd have to do it.

Tadashi shouted "JUMP!"

And Hiro did.

Tadashi waited patiently for Hiro's head to pop back up. When it didn't, he quickly began to get anxious. "Very funny Hiro! Come on up now you aren't fooling me!"

A few more moments passed and Tadashi's anxiety increased. "Come on Hiro. Quit it already. You got me!"

Bubbles surfaced.

"Hiro?" Tadashi's voice shook.

He didn't hesitate at that point. He had to save his little brother. Tadashi quickly dove under only see Hiro's limp body floating just above the bottom of the pool. He was unconscious.

"HIRO!"

(Hehehe cliff hanger! How long will I make you wait :D hahaha. What do you think?)