After the dramatic exit that Joe made, and the reminder that I put Billy and whatever bullshit he might be up to out of my head - I did what Joe had so kindly reminded me was a part of my job when he visited the first time.

If I want to do my job properly, I don't actually have to wait for the techs to do the work for me. A few clicks and I found the feeds that gave me access to Billy's - the team's - movements since they, alright fuck it, since he left our house.

I was still staring at the feed when a knock sounded on the door and I worked to figure out how to - I'd have time later to deal with what was unfolding on the screen. Clicking to lock the screensaver, I got up to find out who was still knocking.

"WH-" great, fighting against rolling my eyes completely out of my head, I stepped back and let Grace enter.

"There's an issue -" fucking awesome, let's add another one to my overfull plate of shit. I could see from my spot behind her when she took a deep breath - turning back to me, she unleashed it. "Ryan's run away from -"

OK, so now I have another issue on my hands. A far more important one, so I go back to the day that Ryan was last seen by his - fucking, shit, I want to actually do what Billy keeps scheming to do, but I want to do it on the shady fuckers someone put over a child and who stood by while he neutered himself - clicking through the surveillance I ordered after one of the visits Billy and I went on.

And I swear the noise that escaped from me would have terrified Homelander, if his ass was eavesdropping. How fucking dare he - how could he have - motherfucking son of a -

My eyes were slits as I watched Billy Fucking Butcher walk up to the house, not go in, and then even though I couldn't HEAR him I watched him break fucking Ryan's heart. Fucking - UGH.

I spent too much fucking time on phone calls trying to figure out why the government could put a fucking inhibitor chip (or ten) in a child, but didn't consider putting a fucking tracking one in him. Let me think which one I would have preferred. And I was losing my patience the more I talked - since the answers were seriously lacking.

I'd propped my door open after I saw Billy's last visit with Ryan - which took place a few days after I moved out of the house - since I knew I'd have people in and out. I had everyone in the building working on figuring out what the fuck we could do when a chill when up my spine. Motherfucking shit.

And sure enough, moments later the caped fucker walked in.

"Lost something?" He stood aside as Kevin or Kelvin rushed out with my last orders, and it only confirmed what I realized as soon as I fucking considered how animated and loud I was in my new mission. Christ, add another scoop of bullshit to my bullshit I can't fucking deal with plate. "Why, Dr. Taylor, was that a growl I just heard?"

Goddamn it, why does God hate me? I know I'm not religious, but for fuck's sake I didn't DO anything to deserve this.

Looking up from where I was trying desperately to keep what little shit I had together, I nearly growled again at how fucking happy he looked and - "WHY is my door shut?"

"I can't woo you in front of the entire staff that keeps rushing in and out," seriously, God, could you have picked a better Lucifer? This one isn't doing it for me. "Plus," his grin almost fucking glowed with the pleasure at my current state, I swear it. "I think we might have a common goal now." God fucking damnit.