"You okay?" Teddy asked worriedly as he propped Billy up against his shoulder.
"Did it work?" asked Billy, dazed.
"I think it did," Kate responded.
"Then I'm okay."
Teddy rubbed his hand up and down Billy's arm in sooting circles.
"Shit..." said Kate.
They turned and saw Kang pivoting on the spot to face the three of them, raising up his gun menacingly.
"Get down!" Teddy yelled, diving to the ground and puling the other two with him.
"Now we just have to take his guns away," Kate said.
"Impossible," Billy responded. "Kang's trans-temporal armour allows him to pull any weapon in history out of the timestream."
The blue laser beams shot over their heads, only just missing them. Together, Teddy, Kate and Billy crawled to find protection behind a particularly large boulder. A shot passed dangerously close to Billy, singeing some of the hair on his head. Teddy brought an arm around his boyfriend and pulled him into his chest, shielding him from harm with his larger frame.
"Then we'll have to take away his trans-temporal armour away," Kate yelled over the sound of shots.
"How?" Billy asked. "We can't even get near him."
"Maybe we don't have to," said Kate, a sly look passing over her features.
She extended her bow and slotted an arrow onto the string. Raising the weapon up, she squinted against the dust in the air and took aim, ready to fire.
"Quick question," Teddy interrupted. "Have you ever used one of those before?"
"Every summer at Interlochen National Music Camp. I also play cello."
"Wow, that really removes all doubts," Billy muttered under his breath.
But, even through Billy's doubts, the arrow flew straight and true into the control panel or Kang's armour, making the time-traveler scream as he was electrocuted by his own suit of armour.
"How did you...?" asked Patriot in awe.
"It's all in the wrist," Kate explained. "If we survive this, I'll show you."
"What do you mean 'if'? Without his armour Kang's -" Patriot raised his fist, ready to punch his opponent. Kang caught the fist. "- powerless?"
Kang snapped back Eli's arm and kicked him to the ground.
"You underestimate me, child," he spat.
"Get away from him," Kate threatened.
Billy didn't hear the rest of the confrontation as Teddy had pulled him back against his chest, but this time it was for business. He had a plan that he whispered urgently into Billy's ear.
The plan was to use all of his abilities, just like Eli had said. Shape-shifting was one of Teddy's and it had never been more useful. Teddy was going to shift into Nathaniel and give himself up to Kang. At this, Billy automatically gasped and protested, fear leaping into his heart. He would not lose Teddy. Teddy tsk-ed Billy and kissed his cheek, reassuring him that he would not leave with Kang – it was just a ruse. Teddy, disguised as Iron Lad would get Kang to put down his weapons and then would 'go with him'. The last stage of the plan was for Teddy, once he was close enough, to shift back into his Hulkling form and attack Kang.
Teddy had told Billy the plan because he didn't want to worry him and because when he shifted back into Hulkling he would need Billy's back up.
Billy nodded once at the proposed plan,
"Good luck," he whispered.
"I'll be back," Teddy replied.
They glanced back at the battle field, Kate had been holding her own but had just been knocked to the ground.
Teddy ducked out of sight behind the boulder to quickly shift. Billy watched in fascination as Hulkling shrunk, skin turning green to white, hair green to black, until a boy just marginally larger than himself sat where Teddy was only seconds ago.
He had seen Teddy shift before into forms other than himself and Hulkling, but that was before they had gotten together. Now it seemed unnatural and his heart grieved for some obscure reason.
Teddy could obviously see the conflicting emotions flashing across Billy's face. The unfamiliar features softened and Teddy/Nathaniel leant over and grasped Billy's hand, squeezing it with the familiar pressure.
Billy closed his eyes.
Teddy brought his boyfriends hand up to his leaders lips and pressed a gentle kiss onto the top of his hand, breathing in Billy's familiar scent – drawing strength from it for the task ahead.
Dammit Kaplan, this is not the time for a personal crisis. Teddy is Teddy no matter what form he's in. I can't let him go without knowing that -
Billy snapped his eyes back open and looked straight into eyes that were not his love's, desperately searching for something that was Teddy, something to anchor himself to. Duh Billy realised, the way Nathaniel's face was looking at him was enough. The features may not be individually Teddy's but the look in his eyes just screamed love and a need for acceptance.
"I love you," Billy said. "Now go and do what you do best." he smiled.
Teddy approached Kang and the plan carried out exactly to plan, and ended with Patriot and Billy joining in the fight with Hulkling.
"You children don't seem to realise... if I die, the world as you know it dies with me. So, if anyone does any killing today... it's going to be me." Kang shouted, slashing upwards with his sword.
"Aagh!"
"Teddy!" Billy roared as he saw Teddy take the slash.
"I'm okay, I'll heal..." Teddy grunted.
Without a further word, Billy stepped in front of him and began to chant.
"I want to stop Kang. I want to stop Kang. I want to stop Kang..."
"I don't usually enjoy killing children," Kang sneered. "But in this case... unh!!!"
Kang fell forward as he was speared with a great jet of orange coloured energy.
"Who...?" asked Billy.
"I am Vision."