Homelander wasn't entirely sure how he was going to tell his wife that her brother had been behind the attack. He knew that it might break her. His wife had gone through a lot and she still remained standing. Truthfully, for a human, he found her quite remarkable. He wasn't entirely sure how she sometimes got through the day after everything that had happened to her. But he wondered if this might be the final straw. She still held out hope that her brother could have redemption, but Homelander was slowly seeing that was impossible. How could someone like William Butcher possible be redeemed in her eyes now?

A part of him thought that maybe it could be good for their relationship. He had considered using what had happened the previous day to try and force Victoria to see that she needed him and that she would be safe back with him and giving up this ridiculous campaign she had going on. Then again, he knew how stubborn she could be and he wanted her to come back to him on her own accord, not because he had a strong hand to play against her.

He'd sat in the meeting room for longer than he had intended to, dismissing Sage and telling her not to let anyone else come in. He didn't have time for board meetings or calls from the White House. He had his priority for the day and that was getting to the bottom of what William Butcher was doing. A small part of him considered not telling Victoria. If he kept it from her then maybe it would be the best for her.

"Natalie is looking after Evie upstairs."

Homelander was in his usual chair by the window, facing to look out over the skyline. It was raining heavily, hitting the window and he even heard thunder in the distance. It was dark and grey, looking like it was settled in for the rest of the day.

Victoria walked into the meeting room and the doors closed behind her. Homelander didn't turn around and Victoria tilted her head, wondering what was going on. She'd changed into a grey sweatshirt and a pair of jeans with sneakers. Her hair was tied into a high ponytail, the ends still damp from her shower earlier. She moved around the meeting table and down the row of chairs towards her husband.

"John?" she spoke his name and Homelander closed his eyes for a moment at hearing her call for him. He despised William Butcher. Truly, he did. But he had no idea the depths he would sink to for his own revenge and even that had an impact on Homelander because of how he felt for Victoria.

"Hey," Homelander greeted her, finally snapping out of the trance he had been in. "We need to talk about something."

"What is it?" Victoria worried, scared that something might have happened since the previous day. She was still having flashbacks over what had happened in that alleyway. She was still thinking about what could have happened if she hadn't have fought. But then she remembered that she'd killed someone. She'd murdered someone in self-defence, but that somehow didn't make it any easier.

"Sit down, sweetheart," Homelander urged from her and he moved to grab a chair, turning it around and urging her to take a seat. She hesitantly perched herself on the edge of it, eyes not once leaving her husband. She gripped hold of the arms of the chair and watched Homelander resume his place in his own chair. He spun it around so that he was facing her, leaning forwards with his hands clasped together in between his thighs.

"John, you're scaring me," Victoria said, seeing the look on his face. He seemed worried and she knew that it took a lot to worry her husband. He wasn't a man who often felt fear.

"You don't need to be scared," Homelander quickly said to her, shaking his head.

"Is it yesterday? Are they going to prosecute me after all?"

"No," Homelander said quickly, needing to get that idea from her mind. "There's not going to be any prosecution, Vicky. You're safe, okay? You're not going to jail…standing trial…I'd not let that happen."

She was about to ask if he had the power to stop it, but then she remembered that he had the White House under his control. It seemed that there was no limit to his power, not really. Victoria found that terrifying, but at that moment in time, a small part of her was perhaps grateful that her husband was who he was. She knew that was selfish and she hated herself for thinking it, but she couldn't help herself.

"Then what is it?" she wondered and he searched her gaze for a moment and he scooted closer to her, his hands grasping hold of her own fingers.

"I'm not telling you this out of spite," Homelander began. "I'm not telling you because I want to hurt you. I'm telling you this because you deserve to know the truth. I know that sounds ironic after all the lies we've told each other…but everything is out in the open now and I…I just don't think keeping secrets is good for us, Vicky. It's not the way I want things to be between us."

"Okay, now you're really scaring me," Victoria said and Homelander realised that it wold be best to show her than tell her. Chances were that she'd want proof anyway. He moved to his feet and hauled her to her own feet as well. He kept one of her hands inside of his and led her to face the screens on the wall.

Grabbing the remote with his free hand, he pressed play on the video that he'd watched on repeat for almost half-an-hour. He didn't say anything, just choosing to let the video play. Victoria's brow furrowed and she squinted at the screen, trying to focus on it. She wondered just what she was looking at before she saw the man from yesterday turn around. Jacob Jones. He was the man she'd killed.

"John, what is this?" Victoria questioned, voice shaking.

"Just wait a second," John urged from her.

Time seemed to drag before Billy made his appearance on the camera. Victoria didn't clock on that it was her brother straight away. Homelander kept looking between her and the screen, seeing how her face kept scrunching up in disbelief. Shaking her head, Victoria stepped closer to the screen, dropping Homelander's hand from her own and she let out a deep breath.

"No," was all she said. He didn't even need to turn around for Victoria to know that it was her brother. She could just by the back of him. But then he turned around and Victoria saw his face. Homelander paused the video and Victoria looked to him. "What is this?" she demanded from him.

"Honestly? I don't know," Homelander admitted to her. "I had Sage do some digging into Jones to make sure that what happened had no repercussion on you. She found this video during her search."

"She found it?" Victoria questioned, arms folding defensively.

"Just this morning," Homelander said.

"And you expect me to believe this?" Victoria wondered.

Homelander blinked profusely at hearing her. His eyes widened and he almost looked hurt at her tone. He cocked his head and moved his hands to his hips. "What?" he asked from her.

Victoria flapped her arms by her side and watched him intently, trying to work out if he was lying to her or telling the truth. She jutted her chin out defiantly. "Well, you do have form for trying to frame my brother for crimes, don't you?" she said. "Like when I was kidnapped…or framing him for Madelyn's death…it's not as if you don't hate him and want him out of the picture."

Homelander held a hand up. "Back up," he urged from her. "You think that I did this?"

"I don't know," Victoria said and she took a step back from him. "The alternative that you're telling me is that my brother met with the man who tried to kill me yesterday. Why would he do that? Why would he meet with him?"

"I don't know, Victoria," Homelander said. "But what I do know is that I had no hand in doctoring that video."

"And why do you expect me to believe that?" Victoria wondered. "You despise Billy. You think that this might drive me back to you? Make me feel lonely and pathetic? Make me think that I need you because you're the only one I really have?"

"You think I'd do that?" Homleander wondered from her.

"You've stooped to this level before, John," Victoria reminded him. "You've tried to alienate me from him before."

"That was before. Trust me, I don't need to try and make your brother look bad anymore, Vicky," Homelander said, voice becoming tense and annoyed with her attitude towards him. He was just trying to look out for her, but she couldn't see that. She couldn't see it or she didn't want to see it. He didn't know which was worse. "I'm showing you this because I thought that you had a right to know. I thought that it was important for you to know so that you weren't kept in the dark."

"And that's the only reason?" Victoria wondered once more. "Even I don't know if I believe that…because if it's true…if this," she pointed at the screen, "is true then what does that mean? It means that my brother met with the man who tried to kill me…it means that my brother…did he…does he hate me that much that he wants me dead…his own sister?" Homelander noticed the way her anger slowly turned into hysteria and her voice rose, threatening to break down. Not that he could blame her. What he was telling her was particularly harrowing.

"So that means you'd rather think the worst of me?" he asked her, slightly hurt at her accusations. She could see that alongside being annoyed; he was also upset with her. Victoria shook her head quickly, moving to tighten the bobble holding her ponytail up.

"I need some air," she suddenly said and he watched her turn on her heel.

"Where are you going?" he sighed in exasperation, hands going to his hips.

"Just…out…I'll be fine," Victoria assured him and Homelander knew that there was no point in arguing with her when she was in this kind of mood. He'd just have to make sure a security detail followed her so that he knew she was safe. He watched her leave the meeting room, practically running away before he pulled his cell out and made the call.

Sitting in the underpass by the Alice in Wonderland statue in Central Park, Victoria was at least glad that she had some shelter from the rain that was pelting down. She'd gotten soaked on the journey there, running from the metro through the park which was practically deserted. She had no idea if he was watching her or if he knew where she'd be. She just knew that she was desperate to get to the bottom of what had gone on. She needed the truth. She deserved the truth.

She sat on the bench for a long time, eyes set straight ahead and lost in her own thoughts. She didn't know how long she'd been there for before her phone began to vibrate in her pocket. She looked down, seeing that it was an unknown number.

She hesitated before she let her thumb hover over the accept call button. Pressing the phone to her ear, she took the call. "Hello."

"Vicky."

His voice was gruffer than usual and Victoria wondered if he was sick. But then she failed to care if he was. After what she'd found out, his welfare was none of her concern. "Is it true?"

"Is what true?" he asked her back.

"Don't play dumb with me," Victoria demanded from him. "He showed me the video. Is it true?"

"It's not what you think it is," he replied and Victoria realised that Homelander had been telling her the truth. He hadn't altered any video to hurt her. He hadn't done that. She guessed she owed him an apology for her outburst earlier.

"Not what I think it is?" Victoria sniped back down the phone. "You met with the man who tried to kill me, Billy. What am I supposed to think?"

"You really think that I'd pay someone to kill you?" Billy demanded down the phone.

"What else am I supposed to think?" Victoria wondered. "You've already made it known that you can't stand me, Billy. You told me as much the last time we saw each other. You despise me and I…a part of me gets why you would. You despise me for being married to John and falling for him. I know that hurts you-"

"-No, what hurts me most is the fact that you still care about him despite knowing what a monster he is," Billy interrupted his sister.

"And you think I don't know that?" Victoria questioned from him. "But I'm trying to fight him the right way and look after my daughter. You…do you really hate me that much that you sent someone to kill me? Why? What would that achieve?"

"That's not what was meant to happen," Billy retorted firmly.

"He had a gun, Billy," Victoria hissed. "He had a gun and he was going to shoot me. Tell me what else was meant to happen apart from me being shot in some alleyway? Is this all to get back at John? Is that it? Kill me to hurt him? Your own sister?"

"I've told you that's not what I intended to happen. I paid him to get you away from him…not to hurt you…he…what happened yesterday was him going rogue. I didn't think that would happen."

"Seriously?" Victoria demanded. "You expect me to believe that?"

"Listen to me, Victoria," Billy said sharply. "I knew him from when I was back in the CIA. He was some IT nerd who works on some illegal shit so I knew he wouldn't rat on me. He'd get himself into even more trouble. I had no idea that he was a fucking simp for Homelander. I thought that he was going to be able to do me a favour and get you out of there."

"Well, whatever you thought, it didn't work. I killed him, Billy. I killed a man."

"And that's why I'm phoning you…to make sure you're alright."

"Alright?" Victoria retorted. "No, I'm not fucking alright, Billy. You…even if what you're saying is true…I don't know what to think. I don't know if you're telling me the truth or lying to me because that thing living inside of you has changed you. You're not the brother I remember. You're not him."

"And you're not the sister I remember either."

"Then maybe we should just finish it here?" Victoria said. "What did you hope to achieve by having me kidnapped anyway?"

There was silence then and Victoria let her mind wander to a dark place. Had he been lying to her? Had everything he'd just said been nothing but bullshit? A part of her guessed that it could've been. She didn't trust her brother in the slightest. How could she? She wasn't sure if he was even still in there.

"You want the truth?" Billy wondered.

"Yes."

"I figured if I had you then I could lure your husband out…finish this one and for all."

Victoria closed her eyes tightly and bowed her head. "Right," she muttered. "So, you wanted to use me as a pawn. Well, that didn't exactly go to plan, did it? Now someone is dead because of your vendetta."

"And how many people have died because of your husband?"

"I'm done with this, Billy. I'm done with bloodshed and violence. I don't want it. If I'm going to fight John then I'm going to do it on my own terms. I'm not going to stop because I know I'm doing something that's true to myself," Victoria retorted. "And what happens between me and John is our business and no one else's. Just stay out of my way, Billy. I mean it. I don't want anything to do with you. You're not the brother I knew."

"I'm who I'm meant to be. And you can keep trying to protect him, but you won't be able to do that forever," Billy said. "So maybe it's best if you just stay out my way."

He hung up and Victoria heard the call end, her phone beeping at her. She locked it and tucked it back into her pocket before coming to terms with the conversation. Billy had intended to kidnap her and use her against Homelander. He knew that Homelander would come after her. He also knew that he could beat Homelander. He'd almost killed him that time in London. If he could get him by himself then he knew he'd win. Victoria was lost in her thoughts of 'what if' that she didn't even notice anyone stood to the side of the underpass.

"Victoria."

She looked up and her heart hammered against her chest. She wasted no time in moving to her feet and rushing over to him, wrapping him into her arms and holding him tightly. He didn't reciprocate straight away, hesitating before he moved his arms around her as well. Victoria moved a hand to cup the back of his head, holding it tightly and relishing seeing him safe.

"I just wanted to see if you were okay," he said to her. "I saw the news and I followed you here."

"I'm fine, honey," Victoria promised him. "Honestly, I'm fine. And you…let me look at you," she said, pulling back and looking at him as her hands held his shoulders. "Ryan, I miss you so much."

"I miss you too," Ryan confessed to her as well.

"Come home with me," Victoria urged from him. "I have a townhouse and I'm living with Evie and Natalie. You don't have to go back to the penthouse or the Tower."

"But you came from there," Ryan said.

"Because your dad was looking after Evie last night after everything that happened," Victoria said. She didn't have any intention of staying in the penthouse, even though a part of her felt safe there. She just knew that if she stayed then Homelander would have her right where he wanted her. "We're separated though. You know that, right?"

"I heard it on the news," Ryan confirmed with a nod.

"And Billy isn't here at the moment," Victoria said, not entirely sure if she wanted to get into that can of worms with Ryan at that moment in time. How did she explain to him what Billy had done? She wasn't entirely sure if she could explain it. "You can come and live with me if you want to."

"I do," Ryan said, agreeing with a nod of his head. "I just…I just don't know if I want to see him yet."

"Your dad?"

Ryan nodded once.

"Well, I can talk to him. I can tell him that you're staying with me and you just need space. I think he'll respect that, Ryan. I know that things between the two of you didn't exactly go well when you last saw him."

"I just…after what Billy and Aunt…" he stumbled then, remembering what he'd done to Grace. That had been an accident. It had been a horrible accident. "Everyone lied to me, Victoria. No one told me the truth and then they wanted to use me. I know what he's done and I…I don't know how to feel because my mom…I love her so much…but he…he's my dad. He's my dad, Victoria."

"I know, sweetheart," Victoria promised him and she crouched down to his height. "I know that things are scary and I understand how difficult it is for you. I know and I want to help you, Ryan. I want to try and help you. Please…come home with me and we can talk, just me and you. Evie misses you. I miss you."

Ryan wasn't sure what he wanted to do for the best. He wasn't entirely convinced that he could go back with Victoria and not feel upset. She'd kept things from him. She knew what her father had done and she'd kept that from him. But he supposed she did it to protect him. She'd tried to protect him from Grace and Billy too. Could he trust her? He didn't know. He just knew that he was running out of people to trust.

And so he nodded his head at her and Victoria hugged him again, relieved that he would be coming with her.

Homelander had spent an hour or so with Evie while Victoria had been out. He savoured the time he got to spend with his daughter who seemed to be growing quicker than he thought she would. He still remembered when she was a baby and he'd been so nervous about handling her delicately. She'd been so vulnerable. Now, she was running round and talking and Homelander wished he could keep her like this a while longer. She was still so innocent. She was his little girl and she saw him as her hero. He never wanted that to change.

After she'd tired herself out, he'd taken her upstairs and left her to nap for an hour or so Natalie had been sat in the living room, clearly feeling awkward and out of place. Homelander told her that he had to go out and he'd be back later, not making eye contact with her as he walked out. He imagined she knew more than he wanted her to know, but he knew that she worked for his wife now and that meant she had some protection.

Heading back to the meeting room, Homelander saw the text from the security detail he'd have following Victoria. She'd taken a phone call and it had seemed heated. And then Ryan had showed up. His son had gone to her and she'd taken him back to her house. She was on her way back to the Tower. Homelander knew that they had to talk and so he asked for her to be directed back to the meeting room when she got back.

He stood in the middle of the room as the doors opened and she walked in, completely drenched from the rain. Her hair had fallen out of its ponytail and was hanging in clumps around her shoulders. Her sweatshirt was also wet and her sneakers squeaked as she walked in. Homelander exhaled a sharp breath.

"What are you doing running around New York in a thunderstorm? You'll catch a cold," Homelander berated her and Victoria had to admit she hadn't been expecting that greeting. "Come on. We're not talking while you're shivering."

Victoria didn't get a chance to argue with him as he stormed forwards, clearly still annoyed with her. He grabbed hold of her hand and proceeded to head to the door, but Victoria remained rooted to the spot. Homelander turned to look at her as she glanced up at him and he felt himself soften under her gaze.

"I'm sorry," she said to him and clung to his hand.

The two words were simple, but Homelander knew they were heartfelt. He exhaled a sharp breath and felt any annoyance inside of him dissolve. He stepped towards her and hugged her tightly. She didn't pull away from him. Instead, she let her cheek rest by his shoulder and her hands clung onto his back. Kissing the top of her head, he knew that they had a lot to discuss.

After Victoria had showered and changed into one of his shirts and a pair of her shorts, they sat in the master bedroom and prepared to talk. Homelander had made her a mug of herbal tea while she was showering after he tried to resist the urge to use his x-ray vision to watch her in there. He needed a cold shower himself. He sat on the edge of the bed, gloves discarded on the dresser and cape on the bench of the vanity.

"I made you a tea," Homelander said when she came out, smelling of her usual shampoo and body wash. The sight of her in one of his red tees was enough to make him reach down and try to subtly adjust his pants.

"Thanks," Victoria said and she sat cross legged on the bed by the headboard, reaching for her mug and letting it warm her hands.

"So," Homelander drawled and he remained sat on the side of the bed, just inches from her. "Where do you want to begin?"

"I know you had me followed," Victoria said. "Vought security isn't exactly inconspicuous."

"Can you blame me? You ran away and after yesterday I'm not taking any chances."

"I just…I guess a part of me thought that maybe he would meet me at the statue. You know how it was always my favourite book," Victoria said. "Either way, he called and told me that that Jacob wasn't supposed to kill me. He was supposed to kidnap me and Billy intended to use me to lure you somewhere. He said he had no idea Jacob was a massive fan of yours."

"And you believe that?"

"I think so," Victoria said with a nod. "I think he's that unhinged and desperate for revenge that he would do that. He said he used to work with Jacob at the CIA. He was some kind of IT guy who was also doing some shady illegal stuff on the side."

"I'll have Sage look into that. It'll stop his family from making public statements if we know he was involved in some dodgy shit," Homelander said and Victoria wondered if that was even on the cards. She didn't question it though. She figured she would handle what came at her. "I mean, it's not a bad plan on your brother's part. He knows that I'd do anything for you."

Victoria glanced down to the soft white duvet underneath her. She sipped on her tea and then felt Homelander reach for her chin, curling a finger underneath it and lifting her gaze back up to meet his own.

"I love you, Vic," Homelander whispered. "And if your brother had got his way then I'd have come. There's no chance that I would ever risk you…and after yesterday…I can't even think about it."

"I know," Victoria said. "And I'm sorry for yelling at you this morning. I should've listened to you, but I just…it's all so fucked up, John. Everything is a mess and the idea that my own brother could want someone to kill me…I don't know…in my head I couldn't accept that. I didn't want to accept it and so I lashed out. I lashed out at you and I know that was wrong and I am sorry. I'm sorry that I behaved like that."

"I'm not going to pretend that it didn't hurt," Homelander confessed. "I just want you to see that I'd do anything for you and I know that we don't exactly have a track record filled with honesty, but I'm trying to change that. And I'm still your husband. I'm still me."

"How did we get here?" Victoria wondered, placing her mug down on the bedside table.

"Honestly? Sometimes I don't know myself," Homelander admitted to her.

They were quiet then, lapsing into a silence. Victoria looked back to him and wondered just what was going to happen to them in the end. How did this finish? She didn't know if she could see a finish line just yet.

"And look after Ryan," Homelander tacked on.

Victoria just nodded. "I will," she promised him.

"I'd rather he was with you than some friend," Homelander told her. "Eventually, he'll come home. I'll try to set things right with him when he wants to."

Victoria wasn't entirely sure if that time was ever going to come. She didn't say that, however. She just sat there and wondered if she could let Homelander get his claws into him.

"I'm not going to use him," Victoria said to her husband. "I know Billy and Grace wanted to use him against you, but I'm not going to do that. As far as I'm concerned, the kids are not involved in this…in us fighting…we're not using them like that. We need to protect them."

For some reason, that meant more to Homelander than he cared to admit. He knew that he could trust her and he longed to trust her.

"Thank you," he said gratefully.

"I should get Evie and head home," Victoria decided, but before she could move, Homelander rested a hand on her thigh. She glanced down at it and knew what he was going to say to her. She rested her own hand on top of his. "Just ten more minutes," she relented and he didn't even have to say anything.

Victoria kept hold of his hand and adjusted herself as she felt her legs become numb. She sat on the edge of the bed next to him and Homelander kissed the side of her head. They went back to sitting in silence before Homelander heard his phone begin to vibrate. He tried to ignore it, but they were persistent, calling him again. Victoria forced herself to smile and she patted the back of his hand.

"You should get that," she urged from him and he watched her move to her feet and head to the walk-in closet for new clothes.

Homelander grunted in annoyance as he answered the call. Victoria picked out another jumper and a pair of jeans, grateful that she hadn't taken everything from the closet. She listened as her husband snapped down the phone, clearly irritated.

"What do you mean?" Homelander demanded from whoever he was talking to. "No…how was I supposed to know? Keep him there…no, I don't want anyone else to know. I'll be there as soon as I can be."

He hung up and Victoria heard a muttered 'fuck' from him. She finished zipping her jeans up and headed back to the bedroom, interest getting hold of her. She was still wearing his tee, jumper in her hands. "What's up?" she wondered from him.

He was quiet, lips arched menacingly and shaking his head.

"John?" she urged from him and he looked at her.

"He's alive," was all he said to her.

Victoria frowned. "Who?" she questioned.

"Soldier Boy," he replied and stood up, leaving his phone on his bed as his wife looked at him aghast. "He's still alive."

A/N: So there will be more follow-up from Billy's actions and also what does Homelander think of that news? As always, would love your thoughts! Season 5 can't come quick enough!