Victoria had gone for brunch with Annie as planned, but Homelander had asked her not to say anything about Translucent. He had gone with Deep last night as soon as he had mentioned it. He'd kissed Victoria on the forehead, handing her the shirt from the floor and letting her use it to cover herself. He had gone with the Deep to the meeting room and seen it for himself, along with the message in the box. He had gone back to the penthouse and told Victoria everything, swearing her to secrecy. And she had promised him that she would keep quiet.
He had stayed awake most of the night, trying to work out who the threat was to them. The note in the box made it clear that the Seven were in danger. Someone was coming for them. Translucent had been placed in a zinc box, the only thing that Homelander couldn't see through. It was obvious that the Seven needed to work out how to deal with the threat.
"About yesterday…I just want to say thanks again," Annie said to Victoria once they were settled in a booth, looking like nothing more than two young women going for brunch. The entire restaurant was busy, Victoria grateful she'd booked a table the night before.
The booth was at the back of the restaurant and gave them a little bit more privacy, but they were still careful with what they said. Annie hadn't been recognised yet, her hair in a bun against her neck with some strands loose around her face. She had jeans and a white top on while Victoria had opted for a long-sleeved black top and a flowing black, pleated skirt with white trainers.
"You don't need to say thanks," Victoria said to her. "Those guys were being dickheads."
"Yeah, but I wish that I could have just dealt with them myself. I wanted to, you know? I wanted to snap at them and bang their heads together."
"And I would have fully backed you," Victoria promised her, moving her hands as she spoke. "But I get why you didn't…I just…you know, I get it. I get why you didn't. I didn't want you to think that I was speaking for you either. It's just that I struggle with guys like that."
"I do too," Annie agreed on that point and Victoria crossed one leg over the other underneath the table. "I hate them and I want to try and change the world for the better. That's why I joined Vought. I joined because I wanted to change things…I wanted to make things better."
"And I don't doubt you will," Victoria said to her with a smile.
"I don't know," Annie responded with a shrug. "I guess I just feel that I don't have much power and I don't know what to do about it. Does…you know…he ever feel like that?"
"He doesn't really talk about it too much," Victoria admitted to Annie and their voices went even quieter. They didn't need someone from the booth behind to notice them or put pieces together from their conversation. "I think he's been there too long and just does the job he has to, but he…he likes to think that he does the right thing. I don't doubt that."
"I can't work him out," Annie admitted. "I haven't had much to do with him really, but…shit…I can't work any of them out. It's too hard. It's almost impossible to do."
"I get that," Victoria promised her just as the waitress came to take their order.
Victoria went with the usual order she gave when she came with her friends. Two pancakes and two waffles with maple syrup, strawberries and bananas. Annie went for the same, but opted for blueberries instead. Victoria added on a glass of apple juice and Annie took cranberry. There was a moment of the waitress staring at them for too long, but she didn't say anything and went away to take their order to the kitchen.
"I saw that interview he gave yesterday," Annie said to her. "Did you have any idea he was going to say that?"
"None at all," Victoria retorted. "I mean, he mentioned that some magazine has mock-ups of me in wedding dresses. I didn't want to Google it, but I had to and he's not wrong. I mean, fuck me, that was far too much…although I have to say that I liked the simple ruffled dress they'd put me in."
Annie laughed and Victoria's lips quirked. "Do you think that you will, you know, get married?"
Victoria shrugged. "No idea," she responded. "I don't want to presume what might happen in the future, but he…he's it for me. I've never felt like this about anyone before and I don't want to in the future. He's great."
"He's clearly besotted with you. It's sweet," Annie said. "And I guess it means that maybe I'll be able to date in the future, you know, not be worried about dating…find someone who accepts me for who I am."
"I don't doubt it," Victoria replied to her with a smile. "So is there no special guy at the moment?"
Annie thought for a few moments about Hughie. They'd been out once, but she didn't think she could class what they had as a relationship. It might be that the next time they went out, it didn't work. She didn't entirely know if she could have a relationship. She wanted to try, but she knew that it would be hard work with everything going on at that moment in time.
"I've dated," Annie shrugged. "But nothing serious. I'm just getting used to the new job, you know? I don't think rushing into something would be for the best right now."
"I get it," Victoria said to her with a nod. "And, honestly, you don't need a man if you're happy."
"Well, I don't know if I'm entirely happy," Annie responded with a shake of her head. "I want to be happy. I want to go into Vought and know that I am making a difference, but I just don't feel that. I want to take back control…because right now I feel as though I am losing control."
"Have you tried to talk to them?"
"Have you met Stillwell? It's not as if she agrees to what I want. She's a tough cookie to crack," Annie retorted as their drinks were set down in front of them. Victoria took the straw into her teeth and slurped on the apple juice before Annie did the same with her own cranberry juice and then just waved a hand. "But I'll get there. I'll do what I have to. Maeve told me to do that."
"She's pretty good at offering advice," Victoria said to her with a nod.
"She comes across as…I don't know…disillusioned with everything. You remember the woman who stopped all those school children from being hit by that truck? She went to their physiotherapy every week to see how they were getting on," Annie said and Victoria nodded. She knew what she was talking about. "I don't think that's who she is anymore. I think that she's been worn down and I don't want to end up like that. I want to stay optimistic. I want to keep fighting for people who can't fight for themselves."
"I think that's noble," Victoria whispered to her and a sad smile formed on her face. She thought about her past, wondering what might have happened if there had been more people like Starlight around. "And I think that, whatever happens, just follow your gut. I get a sense that it will always serve you right."
"You believe that?"
"Yeah," Victoria confirmed for her. "I think you're nice and I think your heart is in the right place. That's all that matters."
"Thanks," Annie said. "I needed to hear that. Anyway, let's talk about something other than Vought. How's the thesis coming along?"
Victoria told her all about her thesis and the corrections, their food being served ten minutes into the conversation. They ended up talking about what they enjoyed doing, the TV they watched, the books they'd read. It turned out that they had more in common than Victoria had initially thought they might. Annie was funny too. She was quick witted and enjoyed good food, moaning over each mouthful of pancake that she had. Victoria told her about other places in New York where she would eat with her friends, offering to go with her the following week for dinner when they both had a free night.
Victoria insisted on paying for brunch before they began the walk back to Vought Tower. It loomed in the distance, sitting over them. "I forgot to ask, how was patrol the other night?" Victoria wondered and they headed on over the grassed area towards the building, managing to avoid the stares coming in their directions. No one seemed to recognise them still and they were grateful for that.
"Oh…yeah…alright," was all that Starlight could say on the matter. "It was with Deep."
"I haven't had much to do with him except for him walking in on us last night," Victoria said and Annie shrugged.
"What do you think of him?"
"I mean, I don't really know," Victoria said. "Homelander doesn't…and if I tell you this then promise me you will never say anything."
"Promise," Annie said.
"He doesn't entirely respect him as much as he does the others. Noir, he thinks is great and he clearly listens to Maeve quite a lot. But Deep, there's not much he says about him. He isn't entirely the one who runs the show, is he?" Victoria said. "And I've always got a weird feeling from him, like he's one of those guys who is good looking, but he knows that he's good looking. I can't stand that."
Annie was quiet then. She nodded her head once and then stopped walking. She'd kept it to herself. She'd told no one because she didn't know how to tell anyone. She had no idea what she should say or how she should approach it. Victoria turned around to look to her and Annie dropped down to the ground, legs folding beneath herself. Victoria looked on, concerned and alarmed. She looked around, ensuring they were in private before she settled down on the ground across from her, skirt flowing out around her lap.
"Have you ever…has any guy ever tried to force himself on you?" Annie asked and then shook her head, looking to the sky and spotting the clouds rolling past. "Sorry, that's a personal question and I don't know why-"
"-Yes," Victoria interrupted her and Annie's eyes danced back to Victoria's, both of them looking to each other. Victoria nodded her head, not once dropping her gaze from Annie's. "I have."
"But not Home-"
"-Christ, no," Victoria said quickly, shaking her head. "It was before Homelander…a lot of years ago now. I was sixteen and he was older. He…he convinced me that silence was better than speaking up. And he kept on doing it…he kept on raping me because I was too scared to tell anyone."
Annie's mouth gaped and her eyes began to water. "I am so sorry," she whispered and Victoria shook her head.
"He's dead now," she said, recalling the email that had come during the Christmas Holidays that she had barely paid attention to. She'd been told that he'd hung himself and she almost wanted to yell in anger. It felt like too easy of a death for what he had done to her. "But that doesn't mean that I don't remember what he did, or that I wish I'd spoken up sooner."
"But you did speak up?" Starlight checked.
"Eventually," Victoria said with a nod. "A teacher at college was by my side every step of the way and she helped me. But yes, I know what it's like to have a man force himself on you…for you to feel powerless…to feel like he's taken a part of you away from yourself. I know entirely."
"I…I wanted to tell someone too, but I didn't know how," Annie said and it felt like a weight was being lifted from her shoulders. She had to do this. She had to tell someone, just so that she could talk about it. "It was on the first day when I joined the Seven and he…he told me that he was the second in command…that if I wanted to say in the Seven then I had to make sure he was pleased…"
Victoria was quiet, biting down on her tongue and thinking about what she was hearing. This couldn't be it. Her mind was racing, but eventually she heard that it was true. Annie continued talking, her voice pained and full of anger.
"And I did it," Annie said, almost as though she was cursing herself. "I did it. I got on my knees and I did it because he made me think that he had that power over me. It was only when I asked around did I realise it had all been bullshit. Deep has no fucking power, but I was new and I had no idea."
"Fuck, Annie," Victoria whispered, reaching out and taking her hand, holding it tightly.
"I confronted him on the patrol that night. I told him that I wasn't going to be scared out of the Seven or run away. He would have to look at me every day and know what he'd done and know that I know how pathetic he is…how he's nothing in the Seven…and I refused to run away, despite the fact that I wanted to. I wanted to run away so bad that night."
"But you didn't," Victoria pointed out. "You're clearly a tough cookie, Annie. I mean, you stood up to him and you're right. He's nothing but a waste of space."
"I just didn't tell anyone at Vought," Annie responded with a firm shake of her head. "And I…I'm wondering if I should. I'm wondering if I should tell someone, but I'm worried what might happen if they don't believe me."
"I know," Victoria said to her with a nod. "I understand that entirely, but you know that I'll support you if you do. I'll back you all the way."
"I know, because you're the only one who actually talks to me like I'm still Annie and not just Starlight," she replied. "But I don't know if I'm ready to say anything just yet…I want to be believed, but you know that men get away with anything, especially in this company. Heaven forbid we ruin Deep's precious image."
"Fuck his image," Victoria said. "I'm wondering if he's done this to other girls as well."
"I wondered that too," Annie said with a nod of her head. "But I'm keeping my eye on him. I'm not letting him near another woman, not on my watch. But until I decide what to do…I need you to promise me that you won't tell anyone any of this, even Homelander."
Victoria nodded. This wasn't her secret to tell, she knew that. This was Annie's information and it was hers to choose whether or not she shared it. She had trusted Victoria in confidence and she wasn't going to betray that.
"Of course," Victoria said. "But you know that if you need me then I'm here, right? I'm not going anywhere, I promise you that."
Annie's lips picked up at that, Victoria's hand still in hers. "Thanks," she said.
"No thanks needed," Victoria promised her and they both stood up, wiping the grass from their legs and heading back towards the Tower at a steady pace. "I'm happy to help however I can, whether that's by sitting with you as you tell Stillwell or holding your cape if you decide to kick Deep's ass."
"I'll hold you to that," Annie said to her and they headed inside.
Before they could even pass through security and head to the elevator, they noted a large crowd around the massive TV screens that sat on the wall coming into Vought. The news was playing and everyone was crowded around it, watching with bated breath. Victoria frowned, knowing that people only crowded around the TV and watched the news when there was something bad happening.
"What's going on?" Victoria asked, struggling to peer over the heads of everyone in front of her.
"A plane hijacking…Trans-Oceanic flight 37...it's heading to Paris…" an employee answered Victoria's question.
"Shit," Annie said.
"Stillwell's sent Queen Maeve and Homelander because it's not on international soil," the employee continued. "But we don't think they've made it in time. There's been no contact with the plane…nothing…"
"Homelander?" Victoria checked and the woman nodded before looking back to the screen. "Shit."
"Come on, let's go to the meeting room and see if we can get contact with them," Starlight declared and Victoria nodded.
She knew that Homelander was a supe. She knew that he spent his days fighting crime and never being injured. Who could injure him? He was the strongest man in the world. Plus, Maeve was there. But a plane hijacking sounded so much more serious than anything he had gone to before. The elevator climbed up and Annie and Victoria stood next to each other before it stopped, doors opening.
"Should I see if Madelyn knows anything?" Victoria questioned.
"Might not be a bad shout?"
They headed down the corridor together towards Madelyn's office, footsteps quick and Victoria's breathing coming out in short pants. As they walked down the corridor, they passed Deep who had been leaving Stillwell's office. Annie held her head up high and Victoria looked straight past him, not giving him the time of day.
"Ladies," he said, but got no response from them whatsoever, not that he could expect that from them. But he was surprised by Victoria. He hadn't done anything to annoy her, unless she counted the night before. That had to have been it. Starlight surely wouldn't have said anything to her? Then again, maybe he didn't know her as well as he might think he did.
Knocking on Stillwell's door, Victoria gave Annie an encouraging smile once Deep had gone.
"We're not saving anymore fucking dolphins, Deep!" Stillwell yelled and Victoria's brow furrowed before she opened the door.
"Good job I'm not here for that, although you really should reconsider. Dolphins are highly intelligent," Victoria informed her and stepped into the office. Madelyn was sat behind the desk, the rolling news coverage of the hijacked flight playing in her office.
"Victoria, what can I do for you?" Madelyn wondered and then noted Annie behind her shoulder. "And Starlight, what a surprise."
"We saw the news," Victoria said.
"You sent Homelander and Maeve?" Annie checked.
"They were on call and should be on their way," Madelyn said. "But I've had no update if that's what you're worried about. I don't know where they are or what's going on so I can't answer that question."
"Nothing at all?"
"Comms are down," Madelyn said. "I'd suggest the best thing for you to do would be to head on to the meeting room and wait to see what happens."
"Right," Victoria said, knowing that they would get no more from Madelyn on this one. They turned to leave, but didn't get out the door before she called to them again.
"Victoria, I need a minute," she said.
"Meet you in the meeting room?" Annie checked and Victoria nodded.
Turning back around, she moved into the room and crossed her ankles, hip jutting out. "What can I do for you?" she asked from Madelyn and the woman stood up, carrying a piece of paper with her and grabbing a pen from her desk.
"Homelander told me that you know about what happened to Translucent," Madelyn said and Victoria nodded her head. "He seems to be telling you everything that's going on these days. You two have come a long way from when you were barely able to stand each other."
"Things are going well," Victoria responded.
"So I can see," Madelyn agreed. She had no idea. She had no idea that her kidnapping had been staged and her brother framed for it. She had no idea what Homelander was really like. He seemed to be doing a good job of keeping himself composed in front of her. Madelyn only hoped it would last. "But we need you to sign an NDA. We can't have people knowing about Translucent until the timing is right for the company."
"I wasn't going to tell anyone."
"Then you'll have no problem signing," Madelyn concluded.
Victoria rolled her eyes behind her back, but did as she had been asked. Setting the paper down on the end of her desk, she handed Victoria the pen. Taking hold of it, she put her signature down after quickly scanning the document and making sure that it looked legitimate, which it did.
"Okay?" Victoria checked with her.
"Perfect," Madelyn said to her and Victoria nodded. "Oh, and Homelander is going to be making a speech at the Believe Expo. It would be great if you could turn up and make an appearance. His core supporter base are going to be there…you know…happy families…"
"People who love straight couples only?" Victoria checked and Madelyn shrugged.
"You can't change everyone," she said to her and Victoria rolled her eyes, not giving an answer and needing to leave the room. "Oh, and one more thing," Stillwell called out and Victoria wanted to groan. She had been so close to making it to the door and escaping. It seemed like time wasn't entirely on her side just yet.
"Yeah?" Victoria asked.
"It would be good if Homelander proposes to you before your two year anniversary," Madelyn said and Victoria's mouth hung open, eyes doubling in size. What the hell was this about? "We've done some polling and we think it would go down well with people. Of course, you can have a long engagement and you're not expected to give up your job, but there will need to be discussion on who you invite to the wedding…who your bridesmaids will be…stuff like that."
Victoria stammered for any coherent word, settling on an exasperated "What?" leaving her mouth.
"Sweetie, you've decided to enter into a serious relationship with the most powerful superhero in America, scratch that, probably the world," Madelyn declared, heading to sit back down behind her desk. "You might have thought that your contract was over, but honestly, that is a piece of cake compared to what you have coming up. This is the price you pay for dating him…and being serious…"
"You can't tell me what to do," Victoria retorted.
"Actually, you'll find that we can," Madelyn said, lacing her hands together on her desk. "Homelander has signed a contract with Vought and, by being with him, unfortunately that means your life is also involved in this. You can go and complain to him as much as you want, but it will never change anything. It would be for the best that you just accept what is coming."
"And if I don't?"
"Then good luck staying in a relationship with him," Madelyn replied. "I will always look out for his best interests and he knows that. He's known it for years. You are in that picture, but I need you to stop causing problems like you did at the race. Yes, I heard from Ashley all about your little altercation with those two men."
"They were abhorrent! What? You want me to sit by idly and let men get away with behaviour like that?"
"That's exactly what I want you to do," she responded. "That way, you cause us no problems. Everything you do reflects on him, remember that."
"I do, but not when I see something wrong I can't walk past it or ignore it," Victoria retorted. "And you're not going to change that and he knows who I am. He knows and accepts me, so this conversation is pointless. Just let me know if he comes back or if you hear anything. I'm going to Starlight."
Victoria figured that she had to get out of there before she said something she might regret, but that wasn't before she said what she had longed to say for such a long time to the powerful woman behind the desk.
"He deserves to be treated better than this," she snapped at her. "He deserves someone who puts him above profit and polling…who doesn't manipulate him to be something he's not…"
"And you think you're that person?" Madelyn checked with her.
Victoria nodded her head. "I think that I can be." With that she left, leaving Madelyn to stare after her and wonder just how much of a pain she might become to her down the line.
…
Watching the news, Victoria had seen the debris wash up on the beach from the airplane hijacking. The news crews had zoomed in on a stuffed animal that sat on the beach, a dolly with a dirty pink dress on and an action figure of Black Noir as well. There were people trawling the wreckage as the sun set, Homelander and Maeve overlooking the scene. She'd listened to Homelander lambast the chain of command for not telling them sooner about the plane going down. They had been three minutes away from the plane. They would have been able to save it if they had been in the military.
Victoria continued watching the screen, knowing that this was Vought's plan. They wanted their supes in the military. Perhaps he had a point. Perhaps this might not have happened if they had gotten there quicker. Victoria wasn't to know that, of course. How could she? The only people who knew the truth were Maeve, Homelander and even Stillwell had an idea. No one else could ever know.
Waiting for him to get back to the penthouse, Victoria wondered just how he would be feeling. She couldn't imagine the pain, knowing that you were minutes from saving all of those lives. She thought about the children who had died, mothers holding them tight and fathers trying to protect them. She thought about the calls they must have made to their loved ones, unable to put herself in that position. She shuddered even thinking about it.
"Hey."
Turning to the door, she saw Homelander stood there and instantly stopped chopping the tomato she had been cutting for a salad dinner. She went to move to him, but he held his hand up, stopping her from going any further.
"Just stay there for me," he urged and she tilted her head.
"Why?" she questioned.
"Because I just want to look at you," he replied, his eyes hooded and his face looking sunken.
She remained where she was behind the worktop as he tilted his head and watched her. Sighing to himself, he moved around the kitchen after a few moments and she met him halfway, embracing him tightly as his hands splayed onto her back. Kissing his cheek, she ran her hands into his hair.
"I am so sorry," she whispered to him and he nodded.
He could play this well. He knew how to manipulate and he knew how to put on a front. He also knew what Victoria would say if she knew the truth. She would despise him if she had any idea that he didn't even try to save those people on the flight. Or if she knew that he also felt no remorse for them dying. This had gotten them what they needed. This had gotten them into the door to discuss the idea of supes in the military. But his Victoria was too good to see that. She would never understand.
"Just three minutes and it could have been different," he whispered, pulling back to look down to her, hand going to her cheek. "I don't even want to think about it."
"I know," she promised him and pecked him on the lips once more. "What can I do?"
And there she was. His loving, doting girlfriend who would do anything for him. The woman who saw only the good in him. The woman who helped make him feel as though he could be whole and have everything he wanted: the family and the status as most loved man in America. He needed to be a God and he loved people worshipping him. He loved hearing them chant his name. But nothing compared to hearing Victoria chant his real name in throes of ecstasy when she also moaned his name like a God. He could have it all and he would have it all.
"Just stay tonight," he said and she sadly smiled, but nodded, kissing him once more and he embraced her.
There was someone threatening him and the Seven. He knew that they were coming after him. But he also knew that he would do what he could to protect them. If that involved burning the entire city to the ground then so be it. He had no limitations.
...
A/N: So a cold and wet holiday day has meant staying in and a short filler chapter! Hope you all enjoyed it and the moments of bringing in other characters too. As always, let me know your thoughts!