Disclaimer: I do not own Static Shock. I am not making profit from this story so no one sue me, please. Any characters whom are not from Static Shock are rightfully owned by me.
Summary: Virgil and Richie haven't been friends for nearly 20 years. They have gone their separate ways and lived their successful live through work. However, how have their personal lives suffered since their failed friendship?
Nine o'clock in the morning. It hadn't even been two hours yet, but Virgil was already watching his hands shake. They shook a little more violently than usual, which was honestly frightening for Virgil. Was he really this addicted to nicotine? Moaning airily, Virgil shoved his hands in his hoodie and clenched his fingers around the pack of cigarettes. Momentarily, he worried he was crushing them, but more pressing matters shoved their way into his mind and replaced the concern.
Perhaps in the back of his mind, Virgil always knew Chloé was destined to become a second generation bang baby, but that didn't change the sliver of hope Virgil had that she could be spared with a normal life.
A thought crossed Virgil's mind just then: How long had Chloé been clairvoyant? (Virgil was pretty sure that was the world for it. He had met a superhero in his early twenties that claimed to be clairvoyant and did what Chloé could do.) Come to think of it, Virgil realized, why did Chloé seem so nonchalant about this ability of hers?
It was then that he became outwardly panicked, clenching the pack tighter, as he realized he had never even taken into account his ex-wife. The emotions he felt must have flickered across his face because Virgil gained astonishing concern from his daughter.
"Daddy, what's wrong?" Chloé asked, her tone laden with concern. Her worried eyes were fixated on Virgil, causing her to break the concentration and focus she had put on the picture.
Virgil nearly jerked his head to face Chloé at the sound of her voice. Groaning softly—as the sudden movement of his head caused dizziness—Virgil pressed his slender fingers against his forehead, a headache developing behind his eyes. Virgil nodded softly and gently shut his eyes. "I'm fine, baby," he said as sweetly as he could muster. "I just have a headache," he grimaced.
Chloé laid the picture down on the table and got up in front of her father, her features radiating a loving, tender smile. She gingerly wrapped his strength in an even stronger hug, laying her cheek on his shoulder. To Chloé's delight, it only took Virgil a few moments to relax. He returned the hug with just as much force as Chloé was giving, causing his little girl to giggle from the facial hair that tickled her skin. Virgil couldn't help grinning against Chloé, cherishing the sound of that giggle. He kissed her jawline gently, making her squirm and giggle again.
Kissing Virgil's cheek in return, Chloé said, "You feel better, Daddy?"
Virgil drew in a long, deep breath through his nose. Much like when he had a cigarette, he held it for a few seconds, relishing in the sensation of his expanded lungs and the way it made him feel. When he finally let out the breath, he did it very, very slowly. Letting go of his daughter, Virgil sat back in his seat, instantaneously realizing how much calmer he had become. His fingers had even stopped shaking, and his headache was dissipating.
"What happened, Daddy? Are you okay?" Chloé asked, still standing in front of Virgil. She had to make sure her father was really okay before sitting back down.
Smiling warmly, Virgil lifted his hand and placed it on Chloé's soft cheek. Chloé responded by leaning her hand against Virgil's hand and returning the smile. "I'm okay, baby girl," he said, "I was just a little panicky."
Chloé knitted her eyebrows together in confusion. "Why, Daddy?"
Laughing breathily, Virgil laid his hand back in his lap, keeping eye contact with Chloé. "I got scared," he started, "because you said you were good at finding people." He paused for a minute and thought over his next statement. "I guess I got scared for two reasons," he explained, "because I'm not sure if I'm ready to see Richie again. It's been so long and I don't think he likes me anymore.
"I also got scared for you, because having that kind of ability is a big responsibility."
"Clairvoyant. My ability is that I'm clairvoyant." When her vocabulary awarded her a look of astonishment, Chloé grinned and continued. "I looked it up on mom's laptop," she said, "when I realized I could find people I don't know and only look at their picture."
"How long have you been clairvoyant? Do you know?"
Chloé shook her head. "Since forever, I guess," she said seriously. "I started really noticing it a couple months ago, though."
"You weren't scared?" Virgil asked, remembering how confused he had been when he had developed electrokinesis. He was just happy that Richie had been there for him.
Chloé shook her head with a confident smile. "Well, maybe a little bit," she admitted, her nose wrinkling from a blushing smile. "I talked to Rachael about it in school, though. She thought it was really cool and asked how I was able to do it. I said I had no idea," Chloé said with a shrug, "but she promised not to tell anyone if I promised not to use it during hide-and-seek."
Virgil cleared his throat, laughing a little bit at the last comment, amused by the legitimate concerns of eight year olds. Then his thoughts diverged into two different paths. Most of all, Virgil really wanted to know if Angelica knew about Chloé. He also debated whether or not he should tell Chloé that she had gotten her powers from him. After much debating, he decided to leave both of those topics for a conversation another time. The two topics really seemed to go hand-in-hand and Virgil wasn't quite ready to tell his daughter he was an ex-superhero.
So, he opted for changing the topic. "I don't think we should try and find Richie right now, baby girl," Virgil admitted. While he wanted to be reunited with Richie in the absolute worst way, Virgil was more than positive that after what he had done all those years ago, Richie would be satisfied never seeing him again. Not that Virgil really blamed Richie; he wouldn't want to see himself again, either. And all that aside, there was absolutely no telling (well, except for Chloé's clairvoyance, Virgil supposed) where Richie was living, and Virgil wasn't prepared to make to make such a trip.
"Besides," Virgil said, standing up from the seat, once again almost towering his daughter. After grabbing the picture from the table, he smiled down at Chloé as she looked up at him, and said, "We have some Christmas shopping to do. Christmas is on Thursday. You want a bunch of presents this year, don't you?" he rhetorically as he headed for the sliding door.
"Well, being with you is already the best present ever, Daddy," Chloé said, running after Virgil who was already standing in the living room. She looked up at her beaming father and said, "But yes, I want a bunch of presents."
Virgil laughed, pressed his hand to his forehead and eyes, and shook his head ever so slightly. "You're such a sweetheart, Chloé," he said with a small laugh and a big smile. "Go get dressed."
Chloé's brown eyes were big and bright as she exclaimed, "Okay, Daddy! I love you, too, Daddy!" and ran down the hallway to her bedroom, and suddenly Virgil saw the little girl hidden behind all that maturity. The little girl Virgil was proud to say had possession of his heart, soul, and life. The little girl he loved as much as he had loved Richie.
With a sigh, Virgil walked down the same hall to his own bedroom located across from Chloé's. Once in his room, Virgil put the picture back on the dresser and watched it for a few moments.
"Merry Christmas, Richie," he said solemnly, and began to get dressed.
Virgil hadn't noticed Chloé standing in his doorway, tentatively watching him with an expression as solemn as her father's. There had to be something Chloé could do to help her father feel genuine happiness, she thought as she walked away to the living room.
A/N: I just want to say that I am beside myself with the reviews and story alerts this work has been receiving. I knew I was writing for a rather inactive fandom, so the fact that so many people are reading and enjoy my story makes me feel so freaking amazing. I just wanted to give a shout out to everyone that's reading this and let you all know that I really, really appreciate you! Cookies for everyone! *tosses cookies about* =D
Sorry this chapter isn't quite as long as the past ones. But I think I made up for it in ridiculously adorable father/daughter mushiness!
As always, please review! Constructive criticism is welcome! There's cookies in it for you!