AN: So, what is going on in this show anymore?
Also, you've probably noticed that the last few chapters have been pretty happy and up-beat. This chapter, not so much.
Disclaimer: This answer is obvious.
Overcoming
He can't believe this is happening.
They were on their way back from a mission in Qurac, gathering intel on a militaristic group under Queen Bee's control, when Batman contacted the Bioship with an emergency detour. Some nut jobs were holding a ritzy, up-scale summer camp hostage, and they were the closest available resources. Taking down the bad guys wasn't the issue—they might've had numbers on their side, but the Team has superior skills and the element of surprise—it's afterwards. All the kids have been rounded up and they're at the entrance of the camp, waiting for the parents, when a boy with dark brown hair runs up to him. "You're, you're, you're Ice!" he practically shouts, light green eyes bright with excitement. "You're my favorite hero!"
There's something familiar about him, but Cam can't put his finger on it. Letting it slide, he drops to his knees and smiles. "What's your name?"
"Greg. I, you're, can I, can I have your autograph, please?" Dropping his backpack to the ground, he rummages inside and yanks out a notebook and a pencil before thrusting it toward Cam. "Please?"
"Of course," he says, vaguely aware of his friends watching with huge smirks. He flips to a blank page and writes a quick message. "There."
"Thank you! My brother won't believe—what, can you write one for my brother, too? Please?"
"Sure thing, Greg. What's your brother's name?"
"Alex. He's four, almost five. He thinks you're awesome, too."
The words barely register, though, because the pieces have settled into place. A photograph from months back appears in his mind, and he hears her purring, "Oh, Cameron, you can't meet them."
This is his brother. Right here. In front of him. A thousand different emotions flow over him, but he fights them all and focuses on the blank sheet in front of him, pretending that his hand isn't shaky as he writes something for Alex. His other brother.
They'll never know. To them, he's just a hero, and maybe that should be enough, but it's not. He wants to be more than that, a stranger wrapped in layers of ice, a guy they see on the news every once and a while. It's wistful thinking—she's hates him, she'll take the secret to her grave—but he can't get it out of his mind.
"Here you go," he says as he gives the notebook back.
"Thank you," Greg repeats, and Cam expects him to run off with the other kids. He stays where he is.
The next ten minutes are heart-twistingly painful as he learns all about Greg's life and hobbies and friends, learns all about the brother he's not supposed to speak to, learns all about the family he might have had if she thought he was good enough to belong. And he wants to tell him the truth, just spit it out and see how the dust settles, but he bites it backs, swallows it down, burning like acid in his throat.
"Greg!"
She comes running, one of the last parents to arrive, and the angry, resentful part of him had hoped it was because she didn't care. From the mascara stains on her cheeks and the way she's practically dragging Alex behind her, he knows that's not true.
"Oh, Greg, oh, baby," she breaths, throwing her arms around him, covering his face in kisses. "I was so worried! I got here as quickly as I could—are you okay? Are you hurt? I'll call the doctor—"
"I'm fine, Mommy," he says. "I'm not hurt. But look! It's Ice! He's the one who saved me!"
Noticing the cryokinetic for the first time, her eyes narrow in a glare. Alex, on the other hand, squeals. "You're so cool! You're, like, the bestest ever! Greg, you're so lucky!"
"I know! I got an autograph from him. And I got one for you, too!"
"Really?! Thanks!"
"Boys, boys, please," she says, voice constricted. "Calm down. Why don't you go see the other heroes for a minute?"
"But Mommy—" they whine in unison.
"I'm sure they would love to give you their autographs. And I would like to speak with Ice alone, alright? I'll be right there, okay?"
With a final goodbye, they obey, running to the rest of the Team. Façade cracking, she snarls, "What were you thinking? I told you to stay away from them!"
"I was just doing my job," he counters, voice surprisingly even. "And Greg came up to me. I swear."
"I don't care. You shouldn't have spoken to him!"
"He doesn't know. I didn't tell him anything." Before he can stop himself, he continues, "It must piss you off, that I'm their favorite hero, Mom."
"Don't," she growls, glancing around wildly as though expecting someone to overhear the conversation.
"Does your husband like me too? What would he think if he knew I was your son?"
"Bastard son," she corrects hotly. "An accident. A mistake."
"Why do you hate me?" he demands, the slap of her words still stinging. "I never did anything wrong. I never did anything to you but try to make you happy! It's not my fault I looked like this, and it's not my fault I have these powers."
"You're him. You are your father."
"I'm a hero. I help people."
"Now. You used to hurt people before. Just like the monster you really are. Icicle's poisoned blood is in your veins, whether you're too blind to see it or not, and that can never, ever change. You'll go back to that life. It's only a matter of when."
Monster. After all these years, after he just saved her child, he's still just a monster. And even after all these years, all the people he's saved, he almost believes her.
"Maybe," he hisses, "the only poisoned blood in my veins is yours."
Sheer and utter loathing crosses her face, and for a split second, he's convinced she's going to hit him. Somehow composing herself, she spits, "You ungrateful bastard. I should have gotten rid of you when I got the chance. The world would be a better place if I had."
He watches her walk away, probably all smiles now as she approaches the Team to reclaim her children (his brothers), stomach heaving and heart shattering, feeling small and insignificant and wanting nothing more than to disappear. Forcing a poker face, he heads to the Bioship and scrunches in a seat, hoping that no one will ask what that was about.
They get the hint. Even though he can feel their eyes on him, they don't press for details and he doesn't offer any. He doesn't say one word the whole ride home, and as soon as debriefing is over, he heads to his room and buries his head in a pillow. The tears come unbidden.
"Cam? Can I come in?"
Hurriedly sitting up, hastily wiping his face, he coughs and says, "Yeah, Artemis, sure."
She enters, not even changed out of her uniform, other than the mask being off her face. "That was her, wasn't it?" she asks. "That was your mom?"
"How'd you figure?" he counters.
"You told me what she looked like, once, way back when. And the way she talked to you…even from the back, she seemed angry. Not the typical response to what we do." She licks her lips and takes a step closer. "Cam, what'd she say?"
"She contacted me a few months ago," he explains. "Some BS about making up. Hadn't changed at all. Told me she had a new family. That I had two half-brothers I'd never get to meet because they couldn't know we were related. She was pissed that the oldest one talked to me today."
"Cam, I'm sorry."
He tries to answer, but he can't manage. Unable to face her, he lies down again and stares at the wall.
"Look, I know you don't want to talk, and that's just fine, because I just want you to listen." She's beside him, hand on his shoulder. "You would be a great brother to those kids. You are a great brother—you're always there for everyone on this team, and Billy just adores you. Whatever else she said to you, it doesn't matter. She's just a hateful, stupid bitch who only cares about herself."
"She doesn't," he protests. "She loves Greg and Alex. And she can't stand me. She still thinks I'm a monster, that'll I'll turn into Dad. She…she says the world would have been better if she'd gotten an abortion."
That's what hurts the most, the one that's tearing him apart, because his own mother can look at him and wish he wasn't there. And if she can't love him, how can anyone else? Why should anyone else?
"That's a lie." Artemis is hugging him, head buried in the crook of his neck. "That's a bold-faced lie because there are so many people who would not be okay if you weren't here. I wouldn't be okay if you weren't here. You are the reason that I got through being raped, and don't even try to object to that. You are a hero, my hero, and you are making this world a better place. You are not a monster and you are not going to become one. God, Cam, I am so, so sorry." She's crying, her tears staining his neck. "You have to believe me. You need to believe me because you are so important and I couldn't, I couldn't even imagine you not being here. She's the monster, Cam, not you."
Her words are jumbled with his mother's, fighting and crashing and burning in his skull. The longer she holds him, the stronger her words become until they're the only ones left.