Author's note: Thank you to Shelllee24, NotMarge, partygirl98 (you are so sweet, my dear!), NicoleR85, Bamboooozled, and kmj1989 for the reviews! Bamboooozled, I'm not too sure yet. I've got a two- or three-shot of Raven's POV from the kidnapping arc that I've been working on slowly, but mainly I've been so focused on this that I haven't really thought about anything else. I do know that I'm going to be posting a fic of Zoey's POV of certain chapters- scenes like when Hank shows her Beast that first time, stuff like that. But otherwise... I don't know yet! Thank you so much for the encouragement :-)
I'm so excited, guys! Last night I had a brain wave where I couldn't even sleep because the plot bunnies were eating away at me. The past few chapters have been a struggle to write, but it's starting to come easier to me again (knock on wood). I know basically what's going to happen now from here on out. We're going to see some elements from X1 and DOFP- there will be characters and situations that will be very familiar, but I'm not completely following the movie plot lines or anything. Please stick with me! It'll (hopefully) be great!
As for today: the parts where Hank is reflecting, I purposely made him give himself less credit than he really deserves in his life's decisions. I think he sorta views his love for Zoey as this inevitable thing, but the reality is, love requires choices. He made the ones that kept Zoey in his life, but he still had to choose that. Also, there's a Warm Bodies reference in here! Kudos to those who spot it! And oh yeah- Barbara Walters, the queen of journalism herself, really did happen to be the main anchor of The Today Show in 1974. I couldn't have planned that if I tried, folks!
The Definition of Bravery
After the bothersome interview practice Olivia put me through (her final verdict? "I guess you'll do." Not exactly a ringing endorsement), Charles called me to his office.
"Ah, Hank- have a seat," he told me genially. "I hear that you and Zoey are going to be giving some sort of interview on the telly next week?"
"We are," I replied, sitting down. "On The Today Show."
For a long moment Charles said nothing. He just stared at me, fighting off a smile and practically radiating self-satisfaction and smugness.
I sighed. "Just say what you're going to say, Charles."
"When I heard of all the media scrutiny your wife's bold move was attracting, I began to contemplate asking you to step forward and parley the attention into something productive, like you becoming a sort of spokesman for mutants," he began slowly. "But I resisted, because-"
"You didn't think I had it in me?" I guessed, grinning wryly. "I can't say I blame you. I'm still not sure myself."
"No! Hank, not at all," Charles admonished me. His rather light-hearted expression became a serious frown, though not like he was displeased. "I've always known you were capable of much more than you give yourself credit for. I just knew that it was a lot to ask- more, I think, than anything else I've ever requested of you. And the fact that you stepped forward, on your own-"
He smiled happily.
"To think of how far you've come from the shy young man who balked at leaving his laboratory... you've exceeded all of my wildest expectations," he said simply. "It makes me so proud to call a brave man such as you my friend, Hank."
Um...
I looked down at my feet, feeling at an utter loss of how to reply to such evident sincerity. I feared it was horribly misplaced.
"Brave," Charles called me.
Brave? I didn't feel very brave- nor heroic or courageous in the slightest. I was scared out of my wits about putting myself on display for the public to scrutinize and possibly ridicule. But I was determined to do it, to use any means at my disposal to provide a better future for my children. To finally do something on my own- not because I was pushed into it, but because I wanted to.
Every step I'd taken until this point- from admitting to Zoey that I was her secret admirer, to showing her Beast, and then deciding to destroy my serum- had been reactive.
Nicholas Grey's interference at the cafe and Marceline's slip had revealed my identity to Zoey. Even my presence there in the first place was because Charles kicked me out of the laboratory and told me to get out more. Eventually I had been faced with the dilemma of showing Zoey the Beast or losing any chance of a future with her forever. And finally, the FOH's machinations had forced me into the destruction of my serum, in order to protect my wife and unborn children.
None of my choices, I felt, had truly been "choices" at all- with possibly the exception of when I decided to continue to go to Marceline's Cafe after Charles stopped prodding me into it. In the other instances I only changed when I faced no other options that would keep Zoey, the love of my life, with me and safe from harm. I was too selfish- I just couldn't bear to let her go.
But here, in this situation, I had a choice. I could either ignore the media attention we were getting, or use it to our advantage and try to change people's opinion of mutants. Zoey would be supportive of me and stay by my side through all of the prejudice we experienced on a daily basis until the other citizens of Salem Center got more used to me. I could settle for making the town safe enough for our babies, but this time...
This time I wanted more.
To be proactive, and not wait for circumstances to leave me no other alternatives. To take a chance because I wanted to, and not because I had to. I wanted my children to know that their father did his best to give them a future where they could be themselves and still be safe. I wanted to give them the world.
But that didn't make me brave, by any stretch of the imagination.
"I'm not-" I finally began to say, but Charles cut me off.
"Oh, I'm sure you're nervous," he said, waving away my protests. "You've never been the sort who sought out attention- not even for your brightest accomplishments. But even though you're worried about what will happen when you invite the world's criticism like this, you're doing it anyway. Not for your own gratification or self-aggrandizement, but for the good of others."
He looked at me seriously.
"And that, my friend, is the very definition of bravery."
I still didn't agree with his assessment, but I chose not to correct him.
After all, I thought to myself, there's really no use in arguing with telepaths.
"You nervous?" Zoey muttered.
"I think I'm beyond nervous," I admitted sheepishly. "Are you?"
Today was the big day. We were currently sitting together in a green room on the set of The Today Show, waiting for a producer to come fetch us for our interview a week after that conversation with Charles.
A little bit ago both Zoey and I had been in makeup chairs, getting "camera ready"- whatever that meant. The lady who was supposed to work on me took one look at my blue face, then another down at her array of flesh-toned makeup, and promptly gave up. She settled for brushing my hair and thanking me for being her easiest client, ever.
Um... You're welcome?
Though I was sure she was joking, it was still nice that she had been so pleasant about my unusual appearance.
The people here had been surprisingly kind thus far- but then, I wasn't exactly startling anyone. They knew exactly what was coming to speak to them today, and were prepared for the fuzzy blue creature that showed up with his gorgeous wife at their television studio looking rather bleary-eyed and sleepy at a godawful hour that morning.
"Me, too," Zoey agreed now. "I'm afraid I'm going to get out there and freeze up."
I let out a startled chuckle. "You? I thought you were fearless."
She snorted and started to fiddle with her hair. "I'm afraid all the time," she retorted, smiling softly. "But I also know that wonderful things always start out scary."
My mind immediately thought back to how terrified I was to speak to Zoey all those years ago, when I thought I could never have a shot with her- and then how I constantly feared that at any moment she would realize she could go out with someone who had a lot less issues than I did and drop me like a hot potato.
But now look at us. Happily married and two babies on the way. It certainly is wonderful.
I smiled in agreement and wordlessly leaned in to give her a kiss.
A few minutes later a producer tapped on the door and stuck his head inside. "Excuse me, folks, but they're ready for you," he told us amiably.
Both Zoey and I took deep breaths as we got to our feet. Zoey's grip on my arm as we walked out of the room threatened to cut off the circulation to my hand.
"Don't worry, everyone's always nervous," the producer said kindly as he ushered us onto the set. His next words were spoken in a whisper. "I hope you do well- I'm a mutant, too, and it'd be nice not to have to hide it anymore."
Zoey let out an anxious chuckle. "We'll do our best."
The enormity of what we were about to do hit me like a ton of bricks, almost locking my muscles in place. Mutants everywhere were waiting with baited breath (even at the Institute, where every classroom would have a television on this morning to watch our interview) to see how we would handle this, how we would present our kind to the rest of society.
If we wanted change, this was only the first step. We couldn't afford to falter at the very beginning.
No pressure or anything. As if I weren't nervous enough...
The producer gave us a hopeful little smile and helped us get mic'd up, with the assistance of an audio technician. I wanted to ask the man what his powers were, or if he had any advice, but I was afraid to mention it within earshot of anyone else.
By the time he directed us to go sit in the love seat across from Barbara Walters once she gave us our cue, it was too late to speak to him.
I didn't even know this man, but I felt a weight of responsibility towards him. He should be able to be himself in the workplace without fear of repercussions or prejudice, just like anyone else.
"Good luck," he murmured.
"Thanks," Zoey replied quietly. The look on her face told me she felt the same sense of duty for our kind.
Another producer was already beginning the final countdown-
"And three... two..."
He made gesture with his hand to indicate the feed was live.
"Welcome back," Ms. Walters said to the camera. "You might have heard about the young couple here in New York that is causing quite a stir for their open admission to being mutants. In a Today Show exclusive, I'm now going to ask them about the mutant perspective on today's society and get some answers to the burning questions you're sure to have. I'd like to welcome to the set Dr.s Hank and Zoey McCoy."
That was our cue.
It's show time.