Ever since Billy had started his superheroing he had seemed distant. Rebecca understood that her son couldn't tell her everything, partially due to safety, partially because he's a teenage boy who needs some space if he wants to develop properly. Even so, she still insisted that he spend at least four dinners a week with family to help promote strong family bonds, and having him help her clean up gave her some more time with her son. She smiled as she handed another dish to him to dry. He was already as tall as she was in her flats, and still had a bit to grow. She looked over at her handsome baby boy, smile falling as she noticed something. "Billy, what happened to your ears?"
He froze, shoulders tensing as she reached for his chin. Three small holes that looked like they had just closed went around the shell of his ear. She ghosted her thumb across them before turning his head to see the other side. Three more holes, and Billy had gone pale.
"Honey?" She could see his mind going a mile a minute, much like when she found the thin scar across the back of his neck. So this did have something to do with his heroing. She brushed his hair back out of his face, quickly checking his temperature to see if he was in danger of fainting.
He finally gave her a small, shaky smile. "I was trying to hide it, but I can't keep anything from you. I did try to get my ears pierced like Teddy's, but it didn't look good at all." He was lying. Rebecca sighed as she let her hand fall to his shoulder, feeling him shaking a bit. Whatever had happened had been bad, but pushing it now would just make things worse.
"Billy, I wish you had told me about this sooner. I also hope that you didn't spend too much of your allowance on this, and that you went to a clean parlor." He let out a sigh of relief, relaxing his body before schooling himself back into a cowed state. "However, you are going to be grounded for a week for hiding this from your father and me. You are to be home every night by 4, and if you are getting into a fight against a villain you have to call both before and after, and come home as soon as it's over. I will be watching the news, so no false alarms." She watched as he fought to keep the smile off of his face, restraining himself from just pulling her into a thankful hug. "If you disobey this rule, then you get an extra day for each half hour you're not at home. Also, Teddy isn't allowed to stay here passed 4 either. He has to be at his apartment by 4:30, and I will be getting Tommy to help me with this."
Billy nodded, face straight, but she knows he's not going to listen to her. He was right in the middle of his teenage rebellion phase, and there's only so much a mother can do. The rebellion is a very important developmental stage, and she needed to find that perfect spot between being a parent and psychologist. It was getting harder with each passing day as she watched her son throw himself into life or death situations and then refuse to talk to her about it. To let her help.
"Okay, mom. I'm sorry I tried to hide this, and I understand." He pulled her into a hug, hiding his face in her shoulder. She sighed, running a hand down his back and wondering just what had happened to her baby.
That night, as she read in bed she heard Billy's window open. "Teddy back again tonight?" Jeff asked as he looked up from his newspaper. She put down her book to listen to the soft voices floating through the walls.
"As long as they don't soundproof the room they should be fine. I think we can let it slide for tonight." Jeff gave her a questioning look as the two talked. "Did you notice the scars on Billy's ears?"
"What?" She held up a hand, trying to keep him from waking up the twins.
"Something happened to Billy, probably around the time he was captured by Iron Man. He told me a story about getting his ears pierced, but I don't believe it. He needs some time to calm down before we bring it up again. He also needs to let it out, and if he trusts Teddy with this, then I can let it slide for tonight." Her husband nodded as they heard the bed springs squeak a bit as the voices trailed off to sleep. "He's grounded in the morning, but I think we can let them recover tonight." She placed her book on the bedside table before laying back down beside her husband. Tomorrow she would call Avengers tower to figure out exactly what had happened to her son. Tomorrow she would figure out how to best help him. But for now they would rest.