Heading to the Believe Expo, Victoria realised that she would rather be anywhere else. She had gone there with Annie after Homelander had informed her that he was attending a memorial for Flight 37. She had asked him if he wanted her there, but he'd insisted that he had Maeve and would be fine. He didn't know if he could act for much longer about the sorrow he felt.

It was nice driving to an event as opposed to flying. She wondered if Homelander ever felt the cold up in the air like she seemed to, but his skin always seemed to radiate warmth. Ever since the Flight 37 crash, there had been renewed efforts to get supes into the military. Victoria wasn't entirely certain if it was the right call, but people were rooting for it.

"So, there's this guy," Annie said.

They were sat in the back of a car together, heading to the event in the mid-morning. Victoria was dressed in a mid-length blue dress with a fit and flare style, the sleeves coming down to her wrists. Stillwell had insisted she wear blue, claiming that it would look good for her to match Homelander. Plus, she insisted that it was some conservative designer piece. Victoria tugged at the lace trim along the neckline and arched a brow, tilting her head and looking to Annie. An amused smirk formed on her face.

"Oh?" she asked from her. "That's funny considering the other day when I asked you said there was no one serious."

"And he wasn't back then," Annie said and she shrugged. "I mean, he still isn't, not really."

"But it's enough for you to mention it to me now?" Victoria questioned from her and she felt excited for Annie. If this made her happy then Victoria could support her.

"Because I've invited him today," Annie said. "I have no idea if he's going to show, to be honest, but I told him that I'd be here. Maybe it was stupid, asking him here. This isn't exactly a place to meet, is it?"

"Well, it wouldn't be my first choice for a date, but if he's into you then it shouldn't matter" she said to her. "I tried to get Michelle and Daniella to come with me, but they flat out refused. I'm only here because Homelander asked nicely."

"Do I want to know any more than that?" Annie asked.

Victoria wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "I doubt it," a sly grin forming on her face. Annie chuckled and looked away for a moment, glancing to the sky and doing her best to wonder if Hughie actually was going to turn up to the Expo. She hoped that he would. It would be nice to have someone there who she could speak to candidly with once Victoria had gone off on what Annie had coined 'Homelander duties'.

"Looks like we're here," Annie said, moving her headband through her hair and adjusting it slightly. "You ready for this?"

"You've done this before?"

"My mum and I used to drive coast to coast doing this kind of thing," Annie said. "You've never said if you're religious."

"Because I'm not," Victoria said and climbed out of the car once it had stopped. She felt her heel dig into the grass beneath her and Annie followed her out. Looking to her, Annie did her best not to feel too nervous about what was coming up. She wanted to do a good job. She wanted to be the best she could be.

"You're not religious?"

"I mean…I wouldn't say I'm not not religious," Victoria responded. "But I don't know what I believe in. I try not to think about it too much after what's happened…I just wonder if there was someone up there looking out for us, then why does so much suffering happen? I guess I grew up pretty cynical."

"I see," Annie said.

"But I fully respect whatever anyone believes. Everyone's entitled to that," Victoria said to Annie, hoping that she hadn't upset her on the matter. "Well…I mean…some of this is questionable," Victoria said, sniffing and shaking her head. She looked around at the banners that were flying around, advertising that 'straight was great' and she rolled her eyes. She was beginning to be glad that Michelle and Daniella hadn't come with her.

"I don't remember this being here before," Annie said as they headed into the event, flashing the VIP passes they were carrying. The security guards waved them in and Victoria drank it all in. She almost hated that this was Homelander's core demographic because she disagreed with most of the things she was seeing and she wondered if he did too.

"Annie! Hey!"

Victoria looked around along with Annie as someone called her name. Letting her eyes fall onto the tall, lanky figure advancing towards them, she froze. Her eyes widened and her jaw tensed. His gaze moved from Annie and to Victoria and he also startled. He struggled not to curse out loud at what he was seeing. She was here. She was here with Annie.

"Hughie, I didn't think you'd come," Starlight said to him and she embraced him chastely, pulling back after a moment and Hughie looked to her, a smile forming on his lips and he tried not to act too nervous.

Victoria could sense that he was on edge. She picked that up instantly and she was going to use it against him. She was going to be the one who made him squirm and then she would get him alone and demand to know what he was playing at. She was going to warn him to keep away from Annie because, whatever he was doing with her, Victoria was convinced he was bad news.

"Well, you invited me," Hughie commented and the nervous smile staying on his face. "And look at your outfit. It's the old one."

"Yeah, they thought that this would be more family friendly," Starlight said and she had to admit that she felt more comfortable in her usual outfit, the cape covering her shoulders and flowing down her back. She looked like she always hoped that she would look as part of the Seven. "And it's much better. Much more me. Anyway, I want you to meet someone. This is Victoria, she's a good friend of mine."

"Yeah…Victoria Anderton, right?" Hughie said and the knowing smile remained on Victoria's face as she offered her hand to him.

"That's right," she said. "And you, Hughie, must be this mystery guy Annie was telling me about."

"Well…I don't know if I'm that much of a mystery."

"Oh, I'd say that you are," Victoria responded.

"Well, we haven't really gotten to know each other too well just yet," Annie said and they began heading further into the Expo, moving along the white tents and the people who were looking at Starlight with adoration, almost as though she was perfect to them and their hero. A few noticed Victoria, but thankfully without a costume, she was pretty incognito.

"But things are going well which is great," Victoria retorted and she looked to Hughie again, but he avoided her gaze. "It's lovely, getting to know someone and finding out what they're like. Wouldn't you agree, Hughie?"

"Hm, oh, yeah," he stammered and Starlight was about to question what was going on as Victoria seemed off and Hughie seemed on edge. But she never got a chance to bring it up as a woman approached them, calling for Annie and Victoria recognised her as Annie's mother from when she had seen her on TV during Starlight's launch event.

"Mom, you made it," Annie said, embracing the woman dressed in a smart looking black suit, her hair hanging just above her shoulders in a light brown colour. She was relatively short and slender, and she looked almost exactly like Annie in the eyes. "I wasn't sure you'd get here."

"Well, after Flight 39, security's been tight and I was quite nervous but I popped a few Xanax and some margaritas and I was fine," the woman said and Annie nodded before her mother noticed Victoria and Hughie stood just to the side of them. "Oh…is that…you're Homelander's girlfriend."

"Victoria, mom," Annie said, mouthing a 'sorry' to Victoria for her mom's behaviour. "Victoria, this is Donna, my mom."

"Nice to meet you," Victoria said and she shook her hand.

"I just have to say that I loved what you wore on the red carpet the other month. That Chanel dress was so classy and the way you stand by Homelander…support him…it can't be easy, but you do it so graciously."

"Mom, Victoria's actually well accomplished herself," Annie quickly said, feeling almost slightly embarrassed by what she was hearing. "She's finishing her PhD in asylum and immigration law. Plus, she worked at the UN."

"Oh, I think I read about that somewhere before," Donna said, but Victoria suspected it wasn't anything she paid attention to. Victoria didn't mind. She was used to being defined as just Homelander's girlfriend by most people, but there were some who actually cared about her work. That was all that mattered to her. "And…I'm sorry…do you want an autograph?" Donna turned to Hughie.

"Mom, this is Hughie," Annie said, wishing that she could get her mom out of there and stop her from making anymore comments. "He's also a friend."

"Hi," Hughie said, giving an awkward wave. "Nice to meet you."

"Oh, hello," Donna said and she didn't offer him her hand.

"Starlight!"

"You're being summoned," Victoria warned Annie, noting Ashley heading towards them, running directly at them. She was holding onto her phone and had a clipboard in her hand.

"Hi, Ashley," Donna cooed and Ashley beamed to her.

"Donna, so glad you could make it," Ashley said and then turned to glance to Annie. "Starlight, you're needed at the teen roundtable now," and then she looked to Victoria. "And Homelander should be here for two. Can you meet us in the tent? You're due to do a photoshoot and interview with Religious Monthly."

"Are we?" Victoria asked.

"Yes, you are," she responded and Victoria wanted to sigh, but she didn't. She just nodded and turned back to Starlight. "We need to go."

"Right, yes," Annie said and looked between Victoria and Hughie. "I'll catch you both up later?"

"Perfect," Hughie said and Victoria nodded to her as Donna followed behind her daughter and Ashley.

Glancing to Hughie, Victoria's smile dropped from her face and she turned to him. Before she could do anything, he held his hands up and looked to her pleadingly. "Please don't twist my arm again," he begged her and she grabbed his forearm, dragging him over to a corner behind a white tent where no one was stood. Her grip was firm and unrelenting as she turned to him and prodded him in the shoulder with her free hand.

"What are you doing?" she demanded from him. "What's your game? Are you fucking around with Annie, is that it?"

"What? No," he defended himself, shaking his head firmly at her. "I'm not fucking around with Annie. I like Annie. I think she's great."

"Then what the hell is going on?" Victoria demanded to know. "You're here and with her. I know who you are because you're working with my brother. I'm not stupid. I know that there's something that you're up to."

"Vicky."

Before Hughie could answer her, she turned around and he was stood there. He was looking at her almost as though nothing had happened, as if she didn't know exactly what he had done. He was wearing a black floral shirt that was hanging out of his dark jeans. His hair was still a tuff of mess on the top of his head and his beard was still overgrown. He was wearing sunglasses and Victoria shook her head at him, pointing at him and letting go of Hughie.

"Don't hurt him, Vicky, you could break his arm with just a weak grip," Billy said to her, although she found nothing humorous about what was going on.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded from him, arms folding over her chest. Billy stepped towards her, but looked over her shoulder towards Hughie.

"Go with M.M. and get me a hot dog," Billy said.

"You sure?"

"I can handle her."

"Handle me?" Victoria demanded from him and he tugged his sunglasses from his face, hanging them into the gap of his shirt. She watched him and tilted her head, trying to weigh him up. There was something not quite right. "You've got a nerve even talking to me, William Butcher."

"Oh, full name, you must be pissed," he said, rocking back and forth on his heels, his own arms folded over his chest. "I don't think you have any right to be pissed off with me. I wasn't the one who set you up."

"Are you being serious?" she snapped at him. "What did you think would happen? Did you think that I wasn't going to find out the truth? You're a fucking dick, do you know that?"

"Whoa, is that how America's sweetheart is supposed to talk?" he demanded from her, the sarcastic, joking tone in his voice and Victoria wanted to do nothing more than punch it out of him, but she didn't. She remained calm and composed. She had nothing to feel bad about.

"Don't mock me," she snapped. "He told me everything. He told me everything that you did."

"And what have I done?" Billy questioned from her.

"You're really going to play ignorant?" she questioned and he shrugged. "You're going to pretend that it never happened? That I'd never find out? I've seen the evidence, Billy. I've seen the photos and I've seen precisely what you did to me. It wasn't bad enough that you abandoned me as a kid and so you organised my kidnapping to blackmail my boyfriend?"

Billy was quiet then. He remained mute and Victoria watched as his face fell. Quickly, he shook his head and a smile of disbelief formed on his face.

"That clever cunt," he whispered and Victoria rolled her eyes.

"Just stay away from me, Billy," Victoria warned him. "Homelander's going to be here soon enough and I really don't think you'd want him on your case."

She began to walk away, but Billy was quick this time and he wasn't letting her go. He wasn't going to let her leave. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back, hands gripping onto her upper arms firmly, hold unrelenting. Victoria tried to push him away from her, but she failed miserably as he looked down to her, his eyes meeting hers and she saw a look of desperation there.

"He's setting me up," Billy said to her. "Vicky, he's lying to you. I swear on Len-"

"-No," Victoria hissed, managing to jab a finger against his chest firmly. "You do not swear on his soul again. How can I trust you, Billy? How can I trust a word that comes out your mouth because I've seen it all…I've seen the messages…the photos of you at that building where I was kept. I've seen it all. How can you stand there and deny it?"

"Whatever you've seen is fake," he snapped at her loudly, no longer looking like the composed cocky man he had been when he first appeared. "I need you to listen to me and I need you to believe me."

"No," Victoria said firmly. "I'm done believing you, Billy. I'm done listening to you. You think I should believe you? Why? Because you're my brother? When have you really been a brother to me? Why should I believe you over Homelander? He's the one who has looked out for me…cared for me-"

"-He's a piece of shit and you have no idea what he's done," Billy interrupted her. "You have no idea what he did to my-"

"-Victoria! There you are!"

Billy wanted to curse loudly. He wanted to yell and tell whoever was interrupting them to fuck off. He wanted to grab his sister and haul her over his shoulder and run off. He wanted to lock her in a room and make her listen to him. He wanted her to know precisely what had happened and find ways for her to listen to him.

"Ashley," Victoria said as she approached. "I thought that you were with Starlight?"

"I was, but I heard someone walk past saying that you were involved in another screaming match with some guy."

"This guy is going, don't worry, sweetheart," Billy said because he knew it wouldn't be for the best if he stayed there and got on Vought's radar more than he had to. But he looked to his sister as she avoided his gaze. He could see the tears forming in her eyes and he knew that taking her wasn't an option at that moment in time. "Vicky, I know I've fucked up, but I'm telling the truth to you now. Half-an-hour…it's all I want."

"Just get out of here," Victoria said to him and he nodded, taking off.

She watched him leave as Ashley began snapping at her and telling her that she had to be careful how she spoke and who she talked to. She waited for a few moments and she knew that she could have raised the alarm. She could have told Ashley who he was. She could have told him that this was the guy who had kidnapped her. She could have had Vought's security team sweep in and get him.

But she did none of that. She watched him head away, turning to look over his shoulder and glance back to her. Their gazes met and Victoria continued to stare at him, ignoring Ashley entirely. The look in Billy's face was desperation. It seemed so genuine. The way he stared at her had seemed completely honest. She bit down on the inside of her cheek and kept quiet. She let him go. She let him get away from her.

…

"Madelyn told me just to follow this corporate bullshit while she's away playing single mommy," Homelander seethed.

They had just finished a photoshoot and an interview in the private tent, Homelander due to head on out to the Expo and baptise those who had paid for the VIP experience. Victoria was struggling to come to terms with it all. A part of her felt as though it was quite exploitive. She was sat on one of the folding chairs that belonged on a film set more than an Expo. The tent was empty considering that it was Homelander's private space that clearly had signs warning people to keep out.

He was pacing along with the papers in his hand that contained his speech. He had been ranting and raving since the photoshoot finished about it. Victoria had just sat there, listening to him and sipping on a diet coke through a straw, her heels kicked off and her eyes watching the swish of Homelander's cape as he continued pacing.

"It's like she doesn't trust me when I know exactly what the crowd want to hear. I know exactly what it is that I should say to them and I know what they want to hear. They want action. They want me to be ready to storm into whatever hole those guys who hijacked the plane are in. They need me to be a hero."

Victoria continued watching him and she hated to admit that her mind was completely elsewhere. It was back on Billy. She kept on seeing his face. She kept on seeing the look in his eye and she felt almost as if he was telling her the truth. But how could he be? He must be a good actor. She knew that must be what was happening. Then why was there some doubt inside of her?

"Vicky, are you listening to me?" Homelander asked, his tone slightly tense as he looked to her and noted that she seemed to be somewhere else. "What's going on with you?"

"Nothing," Victoria said, forcing a smile onto her face and she shook her head. She had to get her brain back into gear. She looked to him and sighed before moving in her seat and clasping her hands together on her kneecap, putting her drink down on the floor. "I'm sorry, I just…this place is making me feel slightly uncomfortable."

"Because you're an atheist?" he asked from her.

"Because I've walked past about twelve signs detailing how being 'straight is great' and one of my best friends is a lesbian," she pointed out to him. "Not to mention there's so many stalls detailing how pre-marital sex is horrendous and I am pretty sure almost fifty per-cent of people in this Expo don't believe that. And then that interview…about how a woman's place is to stand by her man…about how I make your life more comfortable…what the fuck was that about?"

"I know," he said to her. And he did know. He knew precisely who his base was and he didn't pretend not to know, but he had been aware that it would piss Victoria off.

"They were talking to me like I was some fifties housewife," Victoria snapped at him and she waved her arms around manically. "Asking me what I liked to cook you…what I wore to make you happy…as if I spend my days waiting in that penthouse dressed in a fucking cocktail dress in an apron cooking you homemade Bolognese and waiting with a glass of scotch for you to get back."

"Now there's an image," he commented and Victoria glared at him as he chuckled and shook his head, holding his hands up defensively. "I'm kidding," he said to her. "I know who you are, Victoria, and you're not some housewife doting on my every whim."

"Then why can't we say that? Why can't we just tell them the truth?"

"Because I'd drop in the polls with a demographic I'm popular with," Homelander said to her and she rolled her eyes. "Look, we get the best of both worlds doing this, Victoria. You appeal to everyone because you play the part of everything so well…the strong, independent woman and the loving girlfriend who understands how stressful my job is and does anything for me, putting me above everything."

"But we're just lying by being here," Victoria said. "When they asked about how I keep you pleased…I mean, is that all I'm good for."

"It's not and you know it."

"But being here makes me feel like that," Victoria said to him. "Can we not just go home?"

"Soon," he promised her and she slumped back into her chair. He moved towards her, hands going to clasp onto the arms of it as he bent down, crowding her space and keeping her there. His nose brushed against hers and he kissed her chastely. "As soon as I've done this baptism thing and my speech, then I promise we can go and spend the entire night in the penthouse…watching that sitcom on Netflix you've been going on about…and we can even order pizza."

"Is this you trying to bribe me?" she asked him and he smiled, kissing her once more.

"Is it working?"

"Throw in a long bubble bath and it might."

"Consider it done, sweetheart," he said and his lips met hers again. "You're sure that you're fine?"

"Will be when we're back home," she promised him and stroked a hand through his hair. "And as for your speech…it appeals to everyone…moderates…that might not be a bad thing. I don't think it's horrendous."

"Not exactly a glowing compliment, Vicky," he said to her and she shrugged. She didn't know what he wanted because she didn't entirely believe anything that she heard at this place. "But I'll see what I can do. Listen, I've got to go to the tent for the Samaritan's Embrace. You want to come or do you want to hide out here?"

"Hide out here?" she checked and he smirked, but nodded.

He kissed her again before leaving her in his tent and she slumped back in her chair. Watching the back of his blond head disappear, a part of her wanted to call after him. She wanted to tell him that Billy had been here and that he had been telling her that Homelander's evidence was rubbish. He claimed that he was being set up. But she didn't. She kept quiet and chewed her lip, pulling her phone out and looking at Billy's saved number under 'dickhead.'

She contemplated texting him, but then shook her head and pushed her phone back into the pocket of her skirt and closed her eyes. She wasn't going to let him get to her, not this time and not again. But that still didn't explain why she kept thinking about him.

…

"Hey."

"Hey," Victoria responded when she saw Starlight.

They were stood to the side of the main stage as Homelander prepared to give his speech. Victoria had let him drag her on stage for a brief moment, waving alongside him and letting him give her a quick kiss. She hated it. She hated being paraded out, but she knew that it was just for him and to keep him popular. He supported her when she needed him, thinking back to the conferences he had attended of hers and listened to her deliver speeches from the side lines. That was all she wanted. She wanted to know that they could both count on each other.

"I haven't seen you around," Starlight said.

"I've been hiding in Homelander's tent," Victoria said as Homelander continued greeting the crowds, dazzling them with his full smile and waving manically, lapping up their attention. "Which isn't a euphemism."

Annie snorted. "How did the interview go?"

"Oh, I acted the good little girlfriend who was scandalised at the modern world and aghast at how traditional values had slipped," Victoria said and Annie arched a brow.

"Really?" she questioned.

"Not quite, but it pretty much sucked," Victoria confessed. "I mean, if they knew that I'd woken up this morning to three orgasms in a row, I'm pretty sure they'd be chasing me out of here."

Annie scoffed back a laugh and Victoria noted how Homelander looked to the side, meeting her eye and she almost cursed his super-hearing. But he looked amused more than anything. He gave a subtle wink in her direction before turning to the crowd once more, getting them to calm down and thanking them for having him at the Expo. Annie's mom soon joined them after talking with Ashley, heading to the side of the stage.

"A terrible tragedy befell our nation this week and let's not mince words about this. We. Were. Attacked," Homelander declared, hand on hip and other hand pointing in the air. "America was attacked." The crowd continued cheering. "Some people want me to come out here and speak empty platitudes to you all. A little bit of corporate talk. But I don't want to do that. Because I can't do that. Want to know why?" he asked, hand behind his ear as he urged the crowd to ask him why. And they did, dutifully lapping up every word he said.

"He's going off script," Ashely hissed and looked to Victoria. "Did you know he was going off script?"

"Not a clue," Victoria defended herself.

"Because I believe that what God wants me to do is get on over there, find the bastards that orchestrated this, find whatever cave they're hiding in and introduce them to a little thing called God's judgment."

"Oh fuck," Ashley grunted as the crowd continued cheering and everyone clapped wildly as he kept on going and Victoria felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She couldn't clap. She didn't know how to clap because this didn't feel right.

"But no, no, no," Homelander continued, waving a hand. "Apparently, I got to wait for Congress to say it's okay." He stretched his arms out and the crowd began booing. "I say I answer to a higher law. Wasn't I chosen to save you?" he asked, pointing to the crowd. "Is it not my God-given purpose to protect the United States of America?" And then he finished, arms stretching to the side and the crowd began chanting his name as Ashley grabbed her phone and instantly left the stage.

"He's wonderful," Donna declared as Victoria heard him quote from Psalm and hover above the crowd before looking to Starlight, unable to watch Donna fawn over him.

"You alright?" Annie question and Victoria shrugged.

"I need air," was all that she said and she moved off from the stage and headed down to the side of the tents. She moved quickly away from the crowds there who were still chanting his name until she came to the edge of the field. Crouching down, she wondered what she had just heard and shook her head. The way he was talking, about not answering to Congress, did he really believe that?

"You ran off."

Victoria stood up tall, hands on her hips. "What was that?" she asked, motioning back to the crowd with her chin.

"What was what?"

"That entire speech," she said. "It wasn't what I read."

"I improvised," Homelander responded, the crowd still shrieking wildly in the background. "I told you that the speech was bullshit."

"But that…Jesus…it sounded like you wanted to play God. Why should you answer to Congress? Really?"

"Well, why should I?"

"Because that's the way things work. We have a government. We have a legislature. We don't take matters into our own hands and that sounded exactly like what you wanted to do," Victoria snapped and he wondered just what her issue was. He was expecting this bollocking from Madelyn when he got back to the Tower, but he didn't need it from his girlfriend. Yet, he didn't want to fall out with her. He didn't need that because he found that his life was much better whenever they were good.

"I saw an entire plane go down, Victoria," he reminded her. "Of course, I want to act and set things straight."

"Then why not say that? Why not just say that you wanted action quicker?"

"Because that's not what they want to hear!" he snapped, pointing back to the crowd. "They love me, Vicky. You know that. They love who I am and what I can do. I was just playing up for the crowd, like you have been doing since we started going out."

"Yeah, but I pretend about knowing what designer is popular…how I can make great homemade pasta…not about launching an invasion and going above the government!" she yelled back at him and he scoffed, hands going to his hips. He couldn't believe that they were arguing about this. Was this seriously something they were bothered by? He had no idea and he had no idea how to respond. It felt ridiculous. This entire conversation felt pointless to him.

"I just said what needed to be said to get things moving along," Homelander retorted and Victoria shook her head slowly, uncertain on what more she should say to him. "I said what I knew they wanted to hear and that's the main thing. I don't get why you're getting pissy about this."

"Because I didn't like it," she snapped. "I didn't like hearing you stood up there, acting like you're above everything…everyone…is that how you really feel or is it just an act?"

"I am who I am, Victoria. I'm better than humans because I was made to be better than them-"

"-What the fuck?" Victoria interrupted him. "You seriously just said that?"

"I just stated a fact."

"And so you think you're better than me? Really?" she asked from him. "I mean, Jesus Christ, John-"

"-Not sure you should be taking the Lord's name in vain here," he said to her and she ground her teeth together, clearly unimpressed with what she was hearing from him. And he knew that. He sighed and flapped his arms by his side. "I don't think that. I don't think I'm better than you," he said and in some ways he didn't, but in others he did. Of course he was better. Look at him. He was a supe. How could he not be better? "I just wanted to say that I have the ability to go and deal with this more than ordinary humans. I have that ability and I want to do it. I want to avenge what happened on that flight…because I was three minutes away, Victoria. I was just three minutes away and I couldn't make it."

He watched her mellow then and he knew how to get to her. He knew precisely how to get to her. Appealing to her humanity usually helped. He knew that it was for the best. It was how he got her to calm down. He did it by showing her that he was human, despite the fact that he tried not to act like it often. It wasn't who he was.

"And I get that is going to hurt," she said to him and he watched her. She didn't look as standoffish anymore. "But these things have to be dealt with the right way, not by you trying to go above international laws…governments…that's not how things are done."

"But those things are so slow," he complained to her.

"But they are the right way," she retorted. "I just…listening to you there…it didn't feel like you. What I heard didn't sound like the man I know."

"Because you know me. Those people…those suck-ups…they hear what I want them to hear. You know that. You know that my job is to appeal to my fanbase," he said to her and stepped towards her, hoping that this would be the end of it. He didn't want to ruin the night by arguing about such a stupid thing. He had more important things he needed to deal with.

But then he thought about it. What if that was him? What if that man on stage was him? Those words had come from his mouth. He had said them and he had believed them. He should have known that Victoria wouldn't like it. But, as the crowd chanted his name, he didn't think about her opinion. He just thought about himself and how popular he was. He knew that he'd have to take his time with her. He knew that he would need to watch his words. But he didn't know how long he could do that for. He suspected not long.

"I don't want to fight about this, Victoria," he continued, voice dropping low. "You know that this is the game we play…and we play it well…"

"Almost too well sometimes," Victoria muttered and he didn't disagree with her on that point. How could he? He grabbed hold of her hand inside of his, picking it up and placing it on his shoulder before doing the same with the other one. He knew that he could worm his way closer to her again. It was easy enough to do, especially when she so wanted him to be what she needed.

"I'm not going to go and invade anywhere," Homelander said to her. "I'm not going to break laws…get in trouble…I'm not going to do any of that. I'm just trying to speed up processes and get jobs done to try and stop anything like that ever happening again…to stop another plane being hijacked…lives lost…to never have to hover over the Atlantic and look down at wreckage…seeing children's toys…a babies' bottle…"

She looked away then and his arms wrapped around her waist firmly, bringing her closer to him as her grip on his shoulders increased and he felt her adjust her hands on his shoulders. Bowing her head, she tried to see his side of the story. And she did. She understood what he had been telling her, even if most of it had been made-up for her ears. But it had worked. It had worked so well judging by the way she nodded her head.

"I know," she finally relented and his grip around her increased tighter and he let his cheek sit on the top of her head.

"I don't want to fight about this," he whispered. "You know who I am, Victoria. You know who I am."

She nodded slowly and he kissed her tenderly on the top of her head, content that he had managed to avoid an argument for the night with her. He suspected, however, that one might be brewing with Madelyn when they made it back to the Tower.

…

"You can't make speeches like that and expect there to be no repercussions."

Homelander had been summoned straight to Madelyn as soon as they got back to the Tower. He'd groaned, eyes rolling and letting Victoria head on up to the penthouse. He wouldn't say they'd been great since their conversation, but she hadn't yelled at him and he hadn't snapped at her. She told him that she would go up and watch Starlight's speech while he went to Madelyn.

"Fuck, I don't need this tonight. I've already had Victoria go off at me about this."

"Then it seems that me and your girlfriend can agree on one thing," Madelyn retorted. "You don't know the damage that you could have done on that stage."

"And did I?" he asked and Madelyn ground her teeth together.

"No," she confessed. And he hadn't. In fact, he seemed even more popular than before with his core audience. "But that's probably because Starlight took to the stage straight after and made a worse speech than yours. All the attention is on her."

"So there we go," he shrugged, looking unfazed with what he was hearing. He knew best. He knew that he knew best. He just wished that other people would see it too. "Now, can I go because this isn't what I want to be doing tonight. I have better plans."

"It would be, but there's something you need to see."

He rolled his eyes and she spun her computer screen around so that he could look at it. He moved to the edge of the desk and she clicked on the image. His gaze narrowed as two familiar faces filled the screen, looking at him. Madelyn watched for his reaction, doing her best to try and weigh up what he was thinking. His face contorted for a few seconds, jaw clenched and eyes widening and then narrowing.

"Ashley saw her with him today. She had no idea who he was, obviously. Only you and me know who he really is because we've framed him."

"What did he want?"

"Ashley doesn't know," Madelyn said and Homelander looked at Victoria's face on the screen, seeing how angry she looked as Billy kept hold of her arm. "She interrupted them, but took a photo before she did. She wondered if he was an issue. I told her he wasn't."

"When clearly he is," Homelander said, arms folding over his chest.

"Has Victoria said anything to you?"

Silence stretched between them. Madelyn knew what that silence meant. She knew that it was a no. She had said nothing and she knew that from the way he had looked at the image, confusion clear on his face. He didn't need this. He didn't need Victoria betraying him, but that was what must have been happening. Madelyn would make him see that. If she could do that then it would help. Victoria was a pain and Madelyn knew that. But he would only let her go if he didn't trust her.

"How can we be certain she isn't working with him against us?" Madelyn queried.

"Against us to do what?" Homelander responded.

"What if he knows things about us? About Compound V? About what we've done in the past…the fake kidnapping?" Madelyn continued pushing and Homelander shook his head instantly. No. he wasn't going to believe that. He wasn't going to believe that Victoria knew. But Madelyn kept pushing. "If she didn't say anything to you then she might be hiding something."

"No," Homelander said quickly. He refused to believe it. He wouldn't. "She doesn't know anything because she wears her heart on her sleeve. She can't hide her emotions. She believes me. She's taken my side, not his. But he is becoming a problem and he needs to be taken care of."

"And we will do what we can to make sure he stays away from her," Madelyn said. "But you need to be certain that she isn't betraying you…because she's not us, is she? She'll never be us. She'll never care for Vought as we do. You know that. Deep down, you know that."

He was quiet and she saw all the emotions flicker over his face. But he wasn't going to do this. He left the office and Madelyn watched him go, a smirk falling on her face as she sank back into her chair. Homelander took the elevator up to the penthouse and looked around for Victoria. He soon found her on the balcony, a glass of wine in her fingertips. Stepping onto the balcony, he watched the back of her, keeping quiet for a while. He didn't announce his arrival until he had time to compose himself.

"That went as well as I suspected it would," he said and Victoria turned to look to him, a tight smile on her face that didn't quite reach her eyes. There was still some annoyance there. "Madelyn is on my ass and pissed off with me."

"You knew she would be," Victoria said and took a sip of her wine once more and Homelander came to stand by her side, arms folding over the railing and he leant forwards slightly. Victoria watched him, a small space between them when usually there never was a gap.

"Should we just get away from all of this?" he asked her, looking out over the New York skyline. His eyes scanned in front of him. "No media appearances…no conventions…no cameras watching us…just us."

He turned to look to her and knew precisely that was what she had wanted to hear from him. She loved those moments more than anything. And he could play up needing it, needing the time away to recuperate from everything that had happened so far.

"Flight 39…Translucent…your kidnapping…I just want to get away from it all, don't you?" Homelander asked from her. "Don't you just want to go somewhere else for a little bit of time?"

Victoria nodded once. "Yeah," she agreed with him and he hoped that she might sound a little more enthusiastic. "But…in the interests of transparency, I need to tell you something and I was going to tell you earlier but there was that interview and everything else going on."

"What is it?" he asked from her.

"Billy," she said her brother's name. "He was at the Expo today. He was saying the usual stuff about wanting to look after me and that shit. I didn't get a chance to say much to him, Ashley interrupted us."

Homelander felt relief fill his body and his shoulders sagged as he watched her. His own lips picked upwards and he knew that Madelyn was wrong. Victoria was firmly on his side. He could mess up. He could continuously mess up, but she would always come back to him as long as he said the right thing. His trust in her so far hadn't been misplaced.

"Why didn't you raise the alarm?" he wondered from her.

She shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I just didn't want to cause a scene and he…I just didn't…he's still my brother, no matter how despicable he is. Plus, that Hughie guy. He was with him and he's also seeing Starlight."

"Yeah, I've clocked him. He came to the baptism and I suspected that something was off. I've got an eye on him."

"Good, because I have no idea what the two of them are up to, but I imagine it can't be good."

Homelander nodded then, appeased with her answer and he sighed, opening his arms to her and watching her walk towards him. She placed her glass down onto the coffee table by the chairs before stepping into them, her own arms going around his waist and holding onto him.

"Today's been pretty shit, right?" Homelander said and he heard her chuckle, but nod her head against him, cheek pressed by his chest as he stroked her hair softly. "So why don't we get away? Just you and me…have a weekend somewhere before I have to film in my fake house and talk about my fake family."

"Where can we go?"

"Wherever you want," Homelander said, glad she seemed slightly more invested in this trip. "You can choose. You can pick the place."

"Friday night?" she checked with him. "After dinner with Daniella and Michelle? We go somewhere and get out of here?"

"Perfect," he said and he kissed the top of her head.

Victoria smiled against him. She'd told him about Billy. She had told him that he had been there and she'd spoken to him. But then there was the other thing. The fact was that, while he had been with Madelyn, she'd stood outside and looked at Billy's number. She'd considered calling him. She still was. Because no matter what she did, whenever she closed her eyes, she couldn't get his face out of her mind.

…

A/N: Things are starting to come to the end! I am now wondering if you guys would be interested in continuing after season one? I have ideas, but obviously depends on popularity too! As always, would love your thoughts, ideas and anything you want to see. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, we're getting into some more angst now (especially with the trip coming up and the fake family!). Always love to read your comments!