Chapter 3
"How've you been?"
Freddy looked blankly at him. Mary and Diana were talking in the other room. C.C. played on the floor with a toy truck, making the occasional 'vroom'.
"We're doing okay," Freddy finally replied. His tone was flat.
"Good. Good."
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence. Then Freddy said "C.C., why don't you go play in your room?"
"But, Daddy…"
"Please, C.C."
Pouting slightly, the young boy picked up his truck and headed for the stairs. Turning suddenly he ran up to Captain Marvel and gave him a hug.
"Love you, Unca Billy," he said, then ran up the stairs.
"He's a good kid," Marvel said.
"Yeah. What are you doing here?" Freddy's voice was now hostile.
"I was…um, we were just in the neighborhood…"
"Bullshit."
Captain Marvel bowed his head, avoiding Freddy's glare. "I just…missed you guys."
"Oh, you missed us. Now, all of a sudden you missed us. But not at our wedding. Not at C.C.'s birth. Or his christening. But now you missed us."
Marvel clenched his jaw and stared at the floor. "Yes."
"You've got some nerve…" Freddy was obviously winding up for a thorough tirade. Mary stepped from the other room.
"Freddy!" she said sharply. Freddy subsided.
Turning to Marvel she said "Would you like some coffee, Billy?"
He couldn't read her expression. "That would be very nice, thank you," he answered.
The four of them sat around the small kitchen table. Silence reigned, broken only by the occasional slight cough, or the clink of spoons in mugs.
"So," Mary finally broke the silence. "How's the Justice League?"
Diana spoke up. "The usual. Alien invasions, natural disasters, the latest super-villain. Thank the gods that there are other hero groups to help lift some of the burden."
"Yes," Freddy spoke. "I did an AP story on the Justice Association stopping Ultra-Humanite II in Laos last week."
"They've come a long way from being Young Justice." Marvel commented.
"Though Kon still doesn't look a day over sixteen."
The conversation petered out again, the participants lost for something to say. Mary heaved a sigh.
"Okay, enough," she said. "Billy, what's bothering you?"
Marvel coughed. "What makes you think…?" At her skeptical look, he trailed off.
"I…sheesh, I don't know how to say this. I don't know if…I'm…if I'm human anymore."
Mary looked to Freddy, who shrugged. "What do you mean?" she asked.
"I spend all my time…like this," Marvel answered, gesturing at his uniform. "I haven't changed back in…nearly six years. I don't sleep." With a small, humorless laugh he tapped his coffee mug. "This is the second time today that I've had coffee. Before that, the last time I ate or drank was…about a year and a half ago."
"That's not healthy," Freddy said. His tone wasn't mocking, but honestly concerned.
"I know," Marvel said. "It's gotten to the point where I almost don't recognize it when people call me Billy. And, recently…something happened that took me by surprise."
Unwillingly, Diana found herself flushing again, her eyes darting to the window. Mary caught it and gave her a quick quizzical glance.
"Anyway…it made me remember what it felt like to be…normal. And it scared me because I no longer knew how to deal with it."
"So why come see us?" Freddy asked, curious.
"Because…I don't know. I guess because you've managed to be normal, and you know what it's like to be a superhero, and…I missed you."
"And what about you, Diana?" Mary asked. "Just tagging along?"
Diana blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected to be asked about her own involvement. "Something like that…"
Mary gave her a disapproving scowl. "Really?"
Diana looked into those clear eyes and found her fortitude shattering on the strength she found in them. "No," she admitted. "I feel much like Cap—like Billy does. He suggested we both come and talk to you."
"Well, I don't know how much help we can be," Freddy grunted. "We're normal because we gave up being superheroes."
"Why?" Diana asked.
Mary reached out and put her hand over Freddy's. "We fell in love and realized we wanted a family. We didn't think that we could do both, not as effectively as we wanted. We decided family came first."
"Why couldn't you do both?" Marvel asked.
Freddy gave a snort. "Can you imagine trying to raise a baby and fight Captain Nazi at the same time?
"Our attentions would have been too divided. While we're superheroes, we're worried about the baby. And while we're parents, we're thinking about Dr. Sivana or whoever. We thought about it and came to the conclusion that we could be either parents or superheroes, but not both. And we wanted to be parents more."
"Do you think," Diana asked "that, parenthood aside, it's possible to be superheroes and regular people at the same time?"
Mary cocked her head and furrowed her brow. "Yes…" she said cautiously. "But it's a lot harder. It's like being a policeman or a firefighter, except worse. When you're one of those professions, you may get called in the middle of the night for a burglary or fire. It takes up more of your time than a nine-to-five job. But when you're a superhero, you get called all the time. And it's not a burglary, but the end of the world. So the time it takes from a regular life is that much greater."
"Superheroes are the opposite of everyone else in that respect," Freddy added. "Everyone else works at their job and relaxes to be normal. Superheroes have to work at being people, and I think are more relaxed when they're fighting Starro or whatever."
"We do best what we know best," Diana murmured.
"Something like that."
"Do you miss it?" Marvel asked.
Mary shook her head. "No. I don't, at least. I have my research and my family. I don't miss looking over my shoulder for Sivana, or Black Adam or Mr. Mind. I just want to keep digging in Egypt and watch C.C. grow."
"I sometimes do," Freddy said. He gave Mary an apologetic glance. "I miss flying, I miss mixing it up, being in the thick of it. But at the same time…
"Last month I did a big expose on the Russian mobs in Star City. Broke the story wide open, helped put a lot of bad guys away."
"I read that. It was very good," Marvel said.
Freddy blinked at him. "Did you? Thanks. Anyway, I do my part in my way, and I get to play with my boy.
"A couple years ago, I rented a CM3 costume for a Halloween party, sort of an inside joke for Mary and I. But, when I put it on…I felt weird. Uncomfortable. As soon as we got home from the party I took it off. It's not me anymore."
"I wish I could do that, sometimes," Diana sighed.
"Why can't you?"
"It's more…complicated with me. I'm not just a superhero, I'm an ambassador. I'm supposed to be spreading a message of peace. I'm also a princess. I have an obligation to my people to fulfill certain roles and duties."
"So tell 'em to go fu—"
"Freddy," Mary said in a warning tone. "Language."
"Aww, C.C.'s upstairs. He can't hear me."
"Freddy," she growled.
"Yeah, all right."
"It's not that easy," Diana continued, answering Freddy's half spoken suggestion. "It's who I am."
"No, it's not," Marvel said.
Diana turned to him. "What?"
"Well, no offense Diana, but you're a lousy ambassador."
Diana grinned a very cold, very careful grin. "What do you mean, Billy?" she gritted out.
"It's just what we're talking about. You spend too much time being a superhero. You don't spend any time at all being an ambassador, or ruler to your people."
Diana's grin faded. The flush in her cheeks this time came from anger, bordering on rage. "You're one to talk—" she began.
"Yes. I am."
Diana stammered noiselessly. "What?" she finally gasped.
"I spend all my time being a superhero, too. I know what I'm talking about. It's why we're here in the first place."
"With so much to do in the world, what do you suggest I do about it?" she asked, her voice rising.
"I don't know! How should I know!"
"Well, you're the one with the Wisdom of Solomon! Doesn't that give you all the answers?!"
"God damn it!! I was just saying…"
"Daddy? What's wrong?"
Captain Marvel stopped, his mouth hanging open. C.C. stood in the doorway to the kitchen, his hands over his ears. He looked scared.
Mary moved to the child, enfolding him in a hug. "Shh, it's okay, honey. Uncle Billy and his friend were just…" She trailed off, looking at Billy as if to say 'Look what you've done.'
"I'm sorry, C.C.," Marvel said. "I shouldn't have yelled. It's just…well, there's no excuse. I'm sorry."
"I am as well," Diana said, contrite.
Captain Marvel looked around the room, at his sister's mouth in a tight disapproving line, at Freddy's shuttered eyes. At C.C.'s trusting expression.
"I'm sorry," he said again. "I, uh…I have to go…"
He stood and walked out the back door, taking to the sky.
Diana stood as well. "I repeat my apology. Thank you for the coffee."
As she started for the door, Mary stood and stopped her with a hand on her arm. "What happened?" she whispered.
"It's hard to explain…"
Mary nodded, but her eyes told Diana that she had a clue. "Take care of him," she said. "He's the only brother I've got."
Diana understood, with a woman's connection to another woman. Mary had just trusted her with a great deal. And made a subtle, but nonetheless clear threat.
With a nod, Diana was out the door, and into the air.
*****
Diana caught up with Captain Marvel over the American southwest. "I'm sorry," she said.
"Me too." He laughed. "We seem to be saying that a lot lately."
Diana smiled. She found herself once again feeling a swell of great affection for this…man? Yes, she told herself. He is a man.
"What are we to do, Billy? You are right; I do neglect my duties. But you neglect your family."
He looked away, ashamed. "I know," he whispered. "I don't know what to do. If Supe—"
She placed a finger on his lips. "He's not here anymore. There is no use wishing he were. We have to find a way, Billy. If we don't…we will be lost."
Billy closed his eyes. He was, he realized, very tired. Not physically; the stamina of Atlas took care of that. But emotionally, he was exhausted.
"Superheroes don't get vacations," he muttered. Then he twitched, his head cocking as though listening.
"What was that, Billy? I didn't quite catch…" Captain Marvel raised his hand silencing her.
"The Ukraine just went nuclear," he said, his voice stone. And then he was gone.
Diana stared after him in horror as her Justice League signal device began buzzing.