Victoria knew that Homelander was testing her and that was what made it all so nauseating. He wanted to know if he could trust her and this was how he was going to do it. Not for one moment did Victoria think that he wouldn't hurt Maeve when he confronted her. She had betrayed him. She had gone against him and she knew what he did to people who stood in his way. Victoria didn't want that on her conscience. She didn't want anything to happen to Maeve. Sure, she had never been close to the woman, but she respected her and everything she had done. She had always been pleasant and she had always looked out for Victoria.
She didn't deserve to go into something blindsided or be lured into a trap. Victoria had taken the elevator down to the nursery, but she hadn't been able to go in. She'd stood at the double doors, looking through the glass as the nursery workers played with children, the noise of yells and laughter echoing into Victoria's ears. She thought about the type of mother she wanted to be for Evelyn and the baby inside of her. She wanted them to be proud of her. She might not have superpowers. She might not be able to defeat criminals or change the world, but she could do the right thing.
She could do the right thing and be the type of woman she wanted her kids to be proud of. But then she thought about what that might mean and she realised it would mean Evelyn never knowing what she'd done because Homelander would make sure of that. She took a deep breath and steeled herself, preparing to turn around and leave her daughter. She would deal with the consequences. She could tell Maeve and maybe she could run. Maybe she could get away from the Tower in time before he got back home.
"You know, I know that look on your face."
Victoria hadn't even turned around when the woman stood next to her. Maeve's eyes danced from Victoria and into the nursery where she saw Evelyn in Natalie's arms, the little girl wriggling around and laughing as they read a book together on the sofa. Maeve dropped her hands to her hips and slowly nodded her head.
"I never really thought about having kids myself," she confessed to Victoria. "A part of me had wondered if it was possible one day, but never with him. He used to mention it sometimes and I used to just laugh and tell him what he wanted to hear…but I never wanted to tell him that the idea repulsed me. I was too scared of him. I was scared of him for a long time."
Victoria exhaled a shaky breath, closing her eyes and feeling them beginning to water. She bowed her head and Maeve peered down to her. She remembered the first time she had seen her in the bathroom before her first televised interview. She had told her that she should ignore what people thought of her and she should be strong. The woman in front of her might be on the verge of crying and breaking down, but she was the strongest woman Maeve had known.
"I wish that I had told you to get out all those months ago. I wish that I had stood up to him and told him that you weren't right for him…but I didn't…I let you get too close to him when I knew exactly what he was," Maeve said to her. "And that's why I know that he's done something to you because I can see it in your face. I can see that something is tearing you up because I know what that feels like."
Victoria looked to the woman, her eyes meeting hers. She saw something that looked like acceptance in Maeve's expression. It was almost like she knew what was going on. Did she need Victoria to tell her. Maeve's lips quirked into a sardonic smile and she nodded her head slowly, hands gripping her hips firmly.
"He knows, doesn't he?" Maeve checked.
"I'm sorry," Victoria whispered to her.
Maeve chuckled and nodded slowly before she motioned to the elevator. "We've got twenty minutes before he finishes his interview and flies back here. Time for a drink?"
Victoria agreed, following Maeve silently up to her own rooms. Maeve had sworn off alcohol for quite some time while she had been training to take on Homelander, but she figured one final glass wouldn't hurt. She poured them both two glasses of scotch. Handing one tumbler to Victoria, she went to sit down on the sofa. Victoria hesitantly followed her, perching on the edge of the seat, leaving enough room between her and Maeve. Throwing the drink back, Maeve swirled the remaining liquid in her glass.
"How did he find out?" Maeve questioned from her.
"He did some digging and then apparently he found out that you spent the night with my brother," Victoria said, "which I'm not sure I should believe."
"Out of all of this, you find that the most unbelievable thing?" Maeve questioned, her lips turning up into a smile. Victoria looked at her, the shock back on her face. "He was drunk and I was depressed," Maeve just said.
"You really slept with my brother?"
"Turns out he doesn't hate supes as much as he claims," Maeve said to her. "I figured he'd find out eventually, but I just hoped that it wouldn't be this soon. Soldier Boy is in the city and if we can get him then we can get Homelander. Does he know that it's Soldier Boy?"
Victoria shook her head. "He thinks that it's just a supervillain, but I imagine it won't be long before he figures out that it's Soldier Boy. I'm not sure how long it will take before he puts two and two together and figures out that my brother is working with him, but I've managed to keep that from him so far…everything else…it's been impossible. He knows when I'm keeping certain things from him."
"He's good," Maeve said. "He is many things, but he is not an idiot and we both know that."
"He doesn't know about the Temp-V either, but I imagine you're the one who has been given it to Billy?"
"I told him it was in case of emergency," Maeve said.
Victoria scoffed. "Turns out he's got more of a thing for it than I'd have first guessed," she declared and then took a sip of the drink, the alcohol burning her throat on the way down. Closing her eyes firmly, Victoria tried not to think about what could happen to Billy. She didn't want to think the worst, but a part of her was struggling to do anything but that.
"If he's going up against Homelander then chances are that he's going to need it," Maeve said.
"And you think he can go up against him?"
"I think if he has Soldier Boy then he stands a chance," Maeve said confidently. "But that means he knows about me and if he has any suspicions then I need to get away from here. I need to-"
"-That's the thing," Victoria interrupted her and she took another shot of her scotch. Finishing it off, she set the empty glass down on the coffee table to the side of her. turning to Maeve, she wanted to stay quiet. She wanted to tell her that she did have to run. She had to get out. But Victoria said none of that. She just shook her head and looked down. "Nothing…it's nothing."
But Maeve continued to watch her. She knew full well that there was something. There was something most certainly going on. Victoria stood up and steeled herself, preparing to go and grab Evelyn and run. Maeve also moved to her feet, her hand reaching out to Victoria's arm. Taking hold of it, she stopped her from going, her grip gentle. Victoria shook her head.
"We don't have time," she said to Maeve. "You need to go and I need to get Evelyn."
"He told you all of this, didn't he?" Maeve checked. "He told you what he knows…that we're supposed to be meeting this afternoon."
"Yeah," Victoria confirmed. There was no point in denying it. She couldn't fool her.
"He told you because he wanted you to know…to see what you would do…if you would tell me."
"And I did," Victoria said. "That means I need to get my daughter and I need to get out of here. I might have a bit of a head start if I can disappear with her…get out of town-"
"-He'd find you in an instant," Maeve interrupted, firmly shaking her head. She let go of Victoria's arm and checked the clock. They had ten minutes until the interview finished. "You won't be able to escape him and this is a test. He is testing you to see if he can trust you. I should know, he's done the same to me in the past. He thrives on this…knowing if he can trust people and you're his wife. He wants to trust you and if I go then he knows you told me. He knows he can't trust you and I…I don't know what he'd to you…he wouldn't kill you. He's obsessed with you. But he would make you suffer."
"He'd take Evelyn away from me," Victoria said to Maeve. "He's already threatened it before and it's the worst thing he could do to me."
"Then I know what I have to do," Maeve said and she shrugged almost nonchalantly. She looked defeated because she knew there was no other option. If she ran then he would just chase her too. He would ruin two lives when there was no need.
"No," Victoria said firmly. "If you can get away from here then I can-"
"-That's the issue," Maeve said to her. "I'm never going to be able to get away from him. He'd expect me to run, but I'm not doing that. I'm going to go to that meeting room and accept whatever is coming. He's not going to know that you told me anything. He's going to have no reason to be suspicious of you."
"Maeve, no, I can't let you do that. I have no idea what he's going to do."
"It doesn't matter," Maeve said. "I'm going to stand up to him because I should have done that years ago. If I'd have done that then maybe you wouldn't be here because when I see you with him…knowing what he's doing to you…it makes me feel sick."
"That's not your fault," Victoria promised her. "I'm with him because I made the choice to be with him. It's no one else's fault."
"But if you knew what he was like right from the start then you wouldn't be here. You wouldn't have gotten in too deep because you did love him, didn't you? You really did love him."
Victoria fought the lump in her throat as she remembered those days when she thought everything had been perfect. "I did," she confirmed to Maeve. "He's never been anything but the perfect boyfriend…husband…and I fell for him."
"I could have stopped it," Maeve said. "I could have stopped you getting in this deep."
"Chances are I wouldn't have believed you back then," Victoria replied. "I was blinded by him. I trusted everything he said and nothing would have changed that."
"He's good at doing that," Maeve promised her. "And that is why I am going to do this. I am not letting you suffer any more than you already are doing because I know it can't be easy pretending to be in love with that monster…raising his children…if you can stay on his good side until you can escape then at least I'll have done something to help you."
"Maeve, no," Victoria said to her with a shake of her head. "Don't do this. Don't go to him."
"I'm going to do it and you can't stop me. Trust me when I tell you that I know what I'm doing," Maeve said, stepping closer to her. "We've never been best friends, but I know that you're a good person who deserves so much better than this. I hope that you can have it."
Victoria let Maeve take hold of her hand, squeezing it tightly and giving her a sad smile. She knew that this was probably the last time they would see each other. Maeve hadn't prepared herself for Victoria to embrace her, arms flinging around her and clinging to her tightly. She startled, her own arms limp by her side before she hugged her back, running a hand up and down her back.
"Look after your daughter because I know you're a good mom. You'll be free from him one day. Just keep hoping," Maeve said and gave her a quick squeeze before untangling herself from her limbs. She kept the smile on her face. "Head back to Evelyn and the penthouse. Don't make him suspicious."
"Be careful," Victoria urged from Maeve.
"You too, Victoria. Look after yourself."
Maeve left her alone in the suite, walking out of the door without looking back. Her smile fell from her face and she steeled herself for whatever was going to come her way in that meeting room.
…
Walking back into Vought Tower, Homelander's arms stayed behind his back, hands clasped together. He whistled to himself as he found Ashley waiting for him in the foyer, tablet in her fingertips. "Your appearance seemed to go down a treat," she said to him. "People have responded well and we're managing to keep the panic at bay for the time being, but I don't know how much longer we can keep people satisfied."
"We'll find whoever this guy is before he does anything else," Homelander informed Ashley. "And Maeve?"
"Oh…she's in the meeting room waiting for you…Noir is there too."
Homelander's eyes widened as he thought about what this meant. "Maeve's already there?"
"Yeah, I walked past her on my way down here," Ashley said to him.
His smile grew. Maeve was there. She didn't know that he knew. It meant that Victoria hadn't said anything to her. She hadn't betrayed him. She hadn't gone behind his back. The elation in his chest continued to grow. He chuckled as they stepped into the elevator and Ashley wondered what he found so amusing. She didn't comment, however, remaining silent and bemused. They rode in silence to the ninety-ninth floor, stepping out into the hallway. Homelander looked down. It was empty except for one solitary figure near the elevator.
"Sweetheart, what are you doing here?" he asked as he saw Victoria stood there, dressed in her long-sleeved denim dress with her white sneakers on her feet. Ashley remained in the elevator, murmuring how she was going to head to her office, doors closing and leaving them alone.
"Don't do this," Victoria urged from her husband and he looked over her shoulder to see Noir walking the opposite direction. "John, please, don't do this. Don't hurt Maeve."
"It's either her or me, Victoria," Homelander whispered, eyes focusing on his wife once more. He lifted his gloved hand up to her cheek and stroked it softly, the motion tender and slow. Victoria reached up for him, her own hand settling against the side of his neck.
"It doesn't need to be that way. Just tell her to leave. She'll go."
"She'll run straight to Butcher and help him. I don't need that," Homelander said with a shake of his head. "But don't worry, darling, I'm not going to kill Maeve. No matter what she's done, I'm not doing that to her."
Victoria's brow furrowed. "You're not?"
"No," he chuckled. "I am going to keep her locked away, however, until I've dealt with whatever threat is coming. Killing her…yes, I should do…she's gone against me…but it would look too suspicious. How would I explain her disappearance? No. I just need to buy time until I've dealt with William."
"You promise?"
"On our daughter's life," Homelander said, holding a hand up. Victoria trusted him then. He wasn't going to risk Evelyn. He wouldn't do that because he adored her more than anything. "This was quite something, Victoria…you…I half-expected you to tell Maeve about all of this, but she's in there. She wouldn't be there if she knew what I knew."
"You were testing me, weren't you?" Victoria checked with him.
He chuckled darkly. "I love you so much and I used to trust you, but too much has happened," he confessed. "I need to learn how to trust you again and you need to earn my trust. You're doing a good job so far."
"I'll take it as I got an A then, hm?" she questioned, voice haughty and Homelander chuckled. She turned her gaze away from him, face turning sour. Moving his arms around her waist, he held onto her, hands flattening into the small of her back as her hips pressed to his. Bending down, he nuzzled against her neck, hearing her breath hitch as his teeth scraped her skin with his kisses.
"Don't be surly," he urged from her.
"You don't need to keep testing me, John," Victoria complained and he dotted soft kisses up her neck and along her jawline. Stopping at her cheek, he closed his eyes and his hand dipped lower down her back to the top of her backside.
"I want to trust you," Homelander said to her. "And this is a good start…so long as you keep proving yourself then there will be no issue…you stay with me and you'll be fine. I promise you that you'll be fine."
She didn't argue with him, knowing that there was no point. She closed her eyes as he finally kissed her, his mouth moving over hers and his hands pushing her tight against his chest. Victoria let him take control, not sure she had it in her to take the lead. He pulled back when he felt a surge of desire shoot through him, longing to drag her upstairs and have his way with her. But he had business.
"You're driving me crazy," he muttered to her once he had pulled back from her, the kiss having taken her breath away. She exhaled sharp pants and she knew exactly what was going on when she had felt the hardness pressed against her stomach. "I'll meet you upstairs soon, alright?"
"Okay," Victoria said with a nod and he ducked down to kiss her again, the motion lingering and slow this time as he tried to calm himself.
He watched Victoria walk away from him and he groaned loudly, hand running over his face. Did she have any idea what she was doing to him? He knew she had to have some inclination and he knew that she was still attracted to him judging by the way her cheeks flushed and her heart raced. He pushed those thoughts to the side and stepped into the meeting room after having adjusted his trousers. Maeve was already there, sat in her usual chair while his interview played on repeat in the background on the screen.
Standing in the doorway, he observed her. There had been a time when he had thought that she would be his everything. He thought that they would have children together and get married. He'd imagined it all. But then she'd pulled away from him. And then he'd met Victoria. That had changed everything. He no longer pined over Maeve. He pined over his wife.
"You think it was Edgar and the Mayor who planned this attack?" he asked, keeping his voice low. "They're trying to fuck with me and make me look ridiculous?"
Maeve turned the television onto mute. She dropped the remote to the side and spoke, keeping her voice even. She wasn't going to plead for her life. She wasn't going to humour him anymore. "Or maybe you're just a paranoid, malignant narcissist who thinks everything is about you?" She questioned, spinning in her chair to face him.
"Mmm," he hummed lowly, "it's not paranoia if they're really out to get you though. And you, Maeve," he said, pointing at her. "You're out to get me, aren't you?"
She chuckled and stood up, arms flapping by her side. "What are you talking about?" she demanded from him.
"William Butcher," he spoke his name, the venom creeping into his tone. "I could smell him all over you this morning when you came in. You really would do anything to hurt me, wouldn't you? So…what are you and William cooking up? You must know about our feud, hm? Victoria said as much. Maybe it was you two who brought that supervillain to town?"
She scoffed and chuckled. "Oh, John," she said his name. "John, come on. You're talking crazy."
"Don't you dare fucking John me," he warned her as she stepped closer to him. He kept his hands tight behind his back. "You're not going to weasel your way out of this," he promised her, walking by her and towards the table. He moved a hand into the air. "You know the real tragic thing in all of this? It's that, more than anyone, I knew what it was like for you," he said, pointing to her. "Swarmed everywhere we went…every little mistake was front-page news, but at least we had each other. We were lonely together. There was a time when I loved you," he said and he saw her face fall at hearing him, mouth gaping and eyes dazed. She almost couldn't believe he thought this. "I loved you before I found Victoria. Was anyone of it even real?"
She moved towards him, her steps soft as she gathered her thoughts, prepared to tell him exactly what she thought. Leaning into whisper to him, her voice was full of force and disgust. "Right from the start, I hated you," she said. "But what's more…I fucking pitied you."
"You're completely and utterly alone. You're getting old and bitter," he snarled back. "You pitied me?" he checked, watching for her reaction. But she remained stoic. "When I have everything that I ever wanted. I have the wife. I have the family. I have someone who loves me."
Maeve scoffed. "You think she loves you or is just scared of you? She's seen who you truly are and one day…one day she'll do better…she can do so much better than you."
He chuckled. "Better than a God?" he wondered. "That's kind of funny, don't you think?"
He spotted Noir out of the corner of his eyes. The man was dressed in all black, ready for the sign. And Homelander was more than prepared to give it to him. "You want to know something else that's funny?" he asked her, brows arching and eyes flickering off to the side. Maeve turned her head over her shoulder, but by then it was too late. Noir had made his move and Homelander helped him to overpower her, subduing her until her world turned black.
….
Evelyn was laid in her cot, Victoria hunched over her as she toyed with the mobile above her. She was trying to get her to settle and go to sleep. Victoria kept checking the clock on the wall in the guest room, wondering how long it would be before Homelander came back. It was half an hour after she left him when he walked into the penthouse. Evelyn had just dozed off, her small fist clenched by her jaw and her mouth slightly parted, eyes firmly closed. Turning on the nightlight, Victoria closed the door to the guest room and left it, carrying the baby monitor. She found Homelander stood at the top of the stairs, peeling his gloves from his fingers.
"I've just gotten her to doze off," Victoria said, keeping her voice soft and low. "What happened with Maeve?"
"She's in a cell downstairs. Don't worry, she's safe and well," Homelander said, pulling his phone from his pocket and showing her the live stream of Maeve. She was dressed in a plain white top with grey joggers, sat up against the wall on the bed. "She'll stay there until I've dealt with Butcher."
"What then?" Victoria asked.
"Time will tell," he only said, moving into his bedroom.
She followed him in, closing the door behind them and setting the monitor down on his drawers. Throwing his gloves into his walk-in wardrobe, they landed on the stool in the middle of it. Victoria stood by the door, finding it slightly strange to be back in his room after spending so long in the guest room.
"This is all a fucking mess," she complained to him.
"You're telling me," he said.
He took his time to sit down on the end of the bed, holding his hand out to Victoria. Stepping towards him, she took hold of it, letting him pull her to stand in between his legs. She remained where she was, feeling his thumb brush over the back of her knuckles. She stared down to him and he kept on looking at the wedding and engagement ring on her finger, brushing a thumb over them and feeling the stones sticking out.
"You know that this supervillain is going to be taking up a lot of my time, right?" Homelander checked with her. "Whoever it is, I get the feeling that Maeve and your brother might have something to do with him."
"I've been wondering that too," Victoria said, playing on his good nature. She felt him tug her down until she was settled on his lap, perching on a thigh and letting him continue to toy with her hands inside of his.
"You have?" he questioned.
"Yeah," she admitted. "It just seems a bit too coincidental…but whoever this guy is…it just makes me wonder if maybe there is something going on. Like I said, this is all a mess."
"When have our lives never been anything but a mess?" he wondered from her and she chuckled at that, nodding her head as she let it rest against his shoulder. Homelander startled at her wanting to be close to him, but he didn't complain. He kept his chin by her forehead and Victoria hoped that she was doing enough to make him happy with her.
"You've got a point," she agreed and he shuddered as her hair tickled his neck. "I just want it to end, John. I want all of this to end."
"It will, darling," he said to her and she suspected he had a different understanding of what ending it looked like. "I will make sure it does. It will be us four and Ryan and we will be a family."
"Do you think you'll ever find out where Ryan is?"
"I think one day I will," he assured, voice dipping softer. He kissed her on the forehead, arm slipping around her waist. She closed her eyes and felt her body rise and fall with his soft breaths. "It'll just be us, Victoria. It will always be just us."
…
Victoria woke up the following morning to Homelander already having gone from the apartment. He had left her a note to tell her that there had been a development with the supervillain. She hadn't pushed him on it, but she had gone to find Annie. She was due to give a media appearance with Homelander later that day. She took Evelyn with her, pushing her in her pram down the corridors of the Tower before coming to Annie's suite. Knocking on the door, she waited patiently for Annie to answer.
"Hey," Annie said, greeting her.
"Hi," Victoria said. "Homelander's downstairs at Crime Analytics."
"I know, I've had Ashley tell me to meet him at the TV studio later today," Annie said and ushered her in. Shutting the door, she turned the radio on, music playing lowly to try and soften their voices. Once she was in, Annie bent down over Evelyn's pram, her fingers tickling the baby's stomach. "Hi sweetie, look at you."
"Want to hold?" Victoria asked.
"Always," Annie said and she picked Evelyn up, holding her against her and beaming down to her. Moving over to the sofa, she sat down and Victoria settled next to her, kicking her sneakers from her shoes and curling her legs beneath her body.
"You've heard about Maeve, right?"
"I went downstairs and asked Ashley where she is. She said nothing, just that she's in rehab which we know is bullshit," Annie declared.
"If I tell you what's going on, you need to promise me that you're not going to do anything brash because I've been thinking…I think there's a way we can get you out of this…away from the Seven and away from Homelander and forced to be his co-captain."
Annie's brows furrowed and she sat Evelyn up in her lap, playing with the little girl's hands as her back pressed to her front. "What do you mean?"
"Maeve is downstairs in the same cells you were held in that time," she said to Annie. "But you can't break her out because then he will know that I told you. He says that he doesn't intend to kill her, but I don't know if I trust him."
Annie scoffed loudly and Evelyn gurgled in her lap, making the supe move a hand to pat her back gently. "Why would you trust him after all of this? He's obviously going to kill her and so we need to get her out."
"You can't," Victoria said, "but what you can do is draw attention to her being missing."
Annie frowned. "And how do I do that?"
"You…you would need to go against Vought," Victoria said. "You're famous, Annie. Your fame protects you and people listen to you. You have influence and Homelander knows that he can't touch you because of it. He knows that there's only so many members of the Seven he can make disappear and you definitely aren't one of them. If he hurts you…does anything to you…then he loses what he wants. He loses people's adoration."
"You want me to go against him?"
"I think it's the only way you can get out of here and away from him. You have the power. You're strong enough not to need him or Vought," Victoria said. "All you need to do is tell the world that Maeve isn't really in rehab. People will believe you. The police can check the rehab centre…and when they see she isn't there…a search warrant for the Tower. It can all be done, I promise. From a legal perspective, Vought can't get away with it…but we need to be smart."
"I mean…I don't know…I know that we can't stay as we are, but this…you seriously think I have that influence?"
"He won't touch you," Victoria said confidently, "not when the media's involved. He daren't do anything that makes himself look bad, just other people. I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to, Annie. You need to be comfortable with it. If not we can come up with another way to get Maeve out."
"If I go…if I leave the Seven…then what happens to you?"
"I stay here."
"How long do you think you can stay here for before he turns against you?"
"So long as he thinks I'm innocent then I'm safe. Last night…he came to me and I think we're both fine. I slept in the same bed as him and persuaded him that I was trying to work things out for the sake of our marriage," Victoria said, remembering how she had ended up under his thick duvet, his arm around her waist as she kept her back to his front. She'd tried to sleep, eventually drifting off in his hold when all she wanted was her own space and bed.
"I can't leave you alone here," Annie decided on saying.
"I won't be alone forever because we both know that Billy's going to do what he can to stop him," Victoria said. "I can handle him. I can handle Homelander on my own, but so long as you're with him then people think he has allies."
"I mean…I've thought of it…the idea of going to do that interview later and sitting next to him…pretending we're fine and working together…it's destroying me. Being in this building and working with Deep…A-Train…I don't think I can do it for much longer. Do you know that Deep has gotten rid of nearly everyone working in Crime Analytics for speaking out against Homelander?" Annie asked. "The company is crumbling and I've wanted out for a long time. I just didn't know how to get out or if I had the power to get out."
"You have more power than you know, Annie," Victoria promised her. "But whatever you decide, you know I'll support you even if I can't say so publicly. And if you do decide to leave then you need to take Alex with you. He can't stay here."
"You think he'd want to leave you alone?"
"I think he won't have much choice. If he goes with you then he's protected…two supes speaking out against Vought is powerful. But if he stays here then Homelander…he already hates him…I just want both of you safe. I want you away from him."
"And if this plan doesn't work? If we go and Soldier Boy doesn't kill Homelander, then what happens?" Annie wondered as she shifted Evelyn in her lap, the little girl squirming lightly. Annie moved her fingers through her thin, dark hair, brushing it gently down. "You're stuck with him and you have no one here."
"But I know that you're all away from him and I have Evelyn…I keep my daughter and this baby inside of me," Victoria said, hand moving to her stomach that she swore had begun to swell again. "I keep them safe and that's my number one priority. I have to stay with them because we'll never be free until he's gone. It's the only way."
"I don't know," Annie whispered, smelling the top of Evelyn's head and inhaling that lovely baby smell. "I need time to think on it, but I'll do what I can to free Maeve now that I know what's going on and I'll do it without dragging you into it."
"Thank you," Victoria said gratefully. She stood up, stretching her limbs as she moved, arms going above her head. "I should get this one outside. We're going to go and get some fresh air while it's quiet. Homelander doesn't want us wandering away from the Tower while Soldier Boy is out there. I figured that I could give him what he wants…keep him happy…"
"Might be for the best just for the time being," Annie agreed and also moved to stand up, folding her arms over her chest and observing Victoria as she took Evelyn and lowered her back into her pram. A part of her wondered if this was Victoria acting or if a deeper part of her still longed to make Homelander happy. Annie didn't push it, knowing that they'd just fall out if she did and she didn't want that. What she did want was for all of this to go away, but that only happened if she acted. She guessed she had a choice to make.
…
Looking at Soldier Boy, Billy wasn't entirely certain what the best course of action was. He had managed to persuade him to come back with them to the motel after he had gone to see Crimson Countess. Annie had turned up at the final moment with M.M. arguing with Hughie about him taking Temp-V and being left in the dark. She had gone, leaving Hughie and Billy with Soldier Boy.
The supe was dressed in a dark blue baseball shirt and had emptied a load of fast food onto the table in the motel. The bed was unmade and the room smelt of greasy food and alcohol that Billy had provided him, longing to get him on side. The motel room was dark, but not entirely as dingy as some that Hughie had stayed in before.
"You know that we need to have a chat about this team up," Billy said, remaining stood up as Soldier Boy sat at the dining table, swigging down a gulp of whisky straight from the bottle. He held onto the neck of it, leaning back with his legs spread wide and his posture screaming that he was the alpha male in the room.
"Why the hell would I need a team up? The last one handed me to the Reds," he declared and Billy suspected there would be some apprehension.
It had been lucky that he had found the supe at Crimson Countess's trailer, but even luckier that he had agreed to go with them. Hughie sat on the sofa, perched on the back of it, feet resting on the cushion. He suspected if his dad saw him then he would tell him to sit properly, but he was still feeling wired after another dose of Temp-V.
"And we got you out of that little pickle," Billy pointed out, moving a few steps around the room and turning the air conditioning on. "We found Crimson Countess and delivered her like a fucking Christmas turkey and I even sorted Gunpowder for you."
"Am I supposed to be impressed by that?" Soldier Boy questioned and Hughie looked to his shield, wondering if he could pick it up with his supe abilities. Dropping down from the sofa, he moved a hand over it as Soldier Boy continued talking. "That's like killing Emmanuel Lewis," he chuckled.
"Yeah, well, he grew up a bit since you last saw him," Billy said.
"Hands off the fucking shield," Soldier Boy demanded as Hughie started to struggle to pick it up.
He let go of it, realising there was no chance of him lifting it. Soldier Boy continued drinking as Billy resumed his proposition.
"You want payback on Payback, don't you?" he checked with him. "Well, it just so happens that we," he moved an arm around Hughie's shoulders, "are experts in exterminating supes. You see, it's a whole different world out there now, son. We're here to help you find your way."
"I can find my own way," he responded, unwrapping a burger and taking a large bite out of it.
Hughie folded his arms over his chest. "Are you sure?" Hughie asked. "Do you know what a GPS is or Bluetooth? Or, I mean…the internet?"
Soldier Boy chewed down on his burger, an amused look forming on his face. He swallowed and pointed to Hughie. "You made that up," he said.
"No, no, no," Hughie said quickly, feeling Billy's gaze on him and silently plead with him not to mess this up. "They're all real words and you need those to find them. You need us."
"Kid's right," Bill said, taking a seat across from Soldier Boy on the dining chair. "All we ask is that you add one more name to the list."
Soldier Boy put his burger down and extended his arms. "Who?"
"A right cunt named Homelander," Billy said.
Soldier Boy nodded his head thoughtfully. "I've seen pictures. Who is he?"
"He's the new you," Billy declared.
"No one's the new me, pal," Soldier Boy retorted. "But why him?"
"Let's just say you're not the only who wants payback and I have someone counting on me."
"Who would that be?" Soldier Boy questioned. He looked amuse for a second as he started hypothesising. "Is it your girl? I've seen the two of them on magazine covers…Homelander and his wife. She's pretty hot, I'd be pissed off if he was fucking my girl."
"She's not my wife," Billy responded and Soldier Boy gave a knowing smirk, taking another bite of his burger.
"Sister," he settled on and Billy's silence confirmed it for him. "So he got your sister knocked up and married her. You really want to kill him for that? In my day, we'd have just taken the guy outside and given him a beaten."
"He's done worse than that," Billy said, not entirely comfortable with getting involved in the conversation. He didn't want to discuss his sister and her situation, but he needed Soldier Boy on side. "Let's just say he's made her life a living hell and I need to get her away from him."
Nodding thoughtfully, Soldier Boy put his burger back down on the table. He leant back and held onto the bottle of alcohol. "So she's a broad who needs rescuing, huh? And you've gone to all this trouble to save her."
"She's not a broad," Billy responded. "She's a well-respected doctor who is in way over her head." He felt an anger take hold of him at the idea of someone talking about his sister as though that was all she was when he knew she was so much more.
Soldier Boy chuckled, holding a hand up defensively. "Easy there, buddy," he urged Billy. "I know better than to get in between a brother and sister. I'll help rescue the pretty little lady and kill the supe. Could never resist a gal with a good rack."
"If we're going to be working together then you need to watch how you talk about her," Billy said and Soldier Boy chuckled, finding it almost adorable that Billy thought he was threatening.
…
Homelander had asked Noir what the hell was going on as soon as the CCTV had confirmed that it was Soldier Boy responsible for the explosion. And then he had ran. His only friend in the Seven had gone. Was he that scared of Soldier Boy? He'd listened to the Deep explain how it might be for the best if he went to find some of the members of Payback considering that the night before Soldier Boy had killed Crimson Countess. Maybe he was after revenge on his team? Homelander didn't know, but he had told the Deep to go and find the TNT twins. He 'd gone back to the penthouse, hoping to find Victoria there.
But it was empty. She'd left a note on the coffee table. In the gardens with Evie for a walk. Back soon x.
Sighing, he dropped the paper back to the table and walked further into the apartment. He looked at her desk that was gathering dust considering she hadn't been working for months. Glancing at it, his eyes widened and shimmered with tears. He began to wonder if he was in too deep. He was going up against Soldier Boy. There was no one in Crime Analytics to help find him. He was relying on the Deep, for Christ's sake. Maeve had turned against him. Butcher was out to get him. He knew it was only a matter of time before Starlight tried something. It was all getting too much and to top of it, Ashley had been complaining about share prices.
"Why the long face, tiger?"
Homelander heard the voice and he knew instantly who it was. It was the same voice that had been with him when he had been growing up. His gaze slowly shifted from Victoria's desk and the photograph of him, her and Evelyn on it.
"What if I can't handle him?" Homelander worried, sounding so unsure. "I mean, if Noir ran…"
"You can handle him," the man in the mirror spoke, looking ten times more confident than Homelander felt. "You're the top of the food chain. Hey, hey…when we were kids, alone in the bad room, I got us through it, right?" His reflection smiled back to him.
Homelander nodded. "Always. No matter what."
"No matter what," his reflection echoed, hands clasped in front of him. "And now, I'll get us through this. Just as long as you and me stick together."
"But…what if Edgar's right? What if it was a mistake to take over Vought?" Homelander fretted. "And…and…and I am just talent and they all know I'm a fraud?"
"What do you care what a bunch of mud people think?" he questioned, stepping forward. "Come on, what's the real reason. I want to hear it."
Homelander looked down to the ground. His reflection grew agitated, snapping loudly at him.
"Say it!"
"I want them to love me," Homelander confessed.
"Yahtzee," he responded, pursed lips and head held high, almost as though he was prepared to lay into him. "Only it never seems to work out, does it? Madelyn…Maeve…Stormfront…even Victoria."
"No," Homelander said quickly, shaking his head at the man looking back at him. "Victoria does love me. She told me she did and I know that I can trust her. I know it."
"You really think if she had the chance to take your daughter and leave that she would turn it down?"
"Yes."
"You're being blinded by her. She might love you, but she will never choose you. You know that the time will come when you need to make a decision…when you need to decide what to do about her. You can keep her…but she makes you weak. You know that."
"She accepts me."
"She will never completely accept you and you know that. Why did you keep so much of yourself hidden from her to begin with?"
Homelander kept silent, knowing that he was telling the truth. He bowed his head again, face contorting and tears falling down his cheeks as he thought about his wife and what she meant to him.
"You know why," the mirror continued taunting him. "It's because there's a part of you that is still human."
"No," Homelander said with a shake of his head.
"Mm-humm," he retorted. "A dirty, shrivelled, anaemic part of you that still mewls for approval, and love, and a perfect family, and aww boo-hoo-hoo," he said, voice getting angrier with each listed item until he pretended to mock cry, fists clenched and moving to rub his eyes.
Homelander looked down, the tears streaming down his cheeks now.
"Look at me, tiger," the mirror continued speaking, voice now slightly softer. "We got to cut that part of you like a cancer. And if that means keeping Victoria then so be it…but you keep her on your terms, not on hers. And then, well, then, my boy, you will be who you were always meant to be. Pure. Clean. Like marble."
Homelander just nodded his head, agreeing with what he was hearing as the door to the penthouse opened. He rubbed his eyes and tried to cover the fact he had been crying. He sniffed and wiped his hand underneath his nose, gasping for breath. Turning to the door, he watched Victoria walk in, pushing Evelyn in front of her.
"Hey," she said, cheeks tinged from the brisk walk. "You wouldn't believe the commotion in the foyer. Apparently Noir's gone?"
"Done a runner," Homelander confirmed with a nod of his head. "We found out it was Soldier Boy who caused the explosion and Noir must have freaked out and ran away. I don't know why, but he's gone…left us alone. He killed Crimson Countess too."
"Soldier Boy?" Victoria checked. So he knew. He noted her heart rate increase, but then she spotted his face. She saw that his eyes were wet and his cheeks splotchy. "Have you been crying?" she asked from him, leaving Evelyn in her pram and stepping towards her husband. Lifting a hand up, she brushed a tear from his cheek and he saw concern cloud her gaze. "John, what is it?"
"Nothing," he said firmly, not wanting to appear weak in front of her. He didn't need her to see him like this. He was strong. He was unstoppable. He brushed her hand away and turned back to look out the window, nose wrinkling.
"You can tell me," Victoria said to him, watching his back. She felt a sense of rejection, not entirely sure why she was bothered. She tugged at the hem of the denim skirt she wore, a striped black and white jumper tucked into it. It was baggy enough to fit over her growing stomach.
"I said it was nothing," he said, tone snappier than he intended for it to be.
Victoria chewed down on her tongue, tempted to walk away and leave it. But she didn't. "You know, you've seen me cry more often than I can count," she pointed out to him. "When I told you all of my secrets…my childhood…everything that happened to me in the past…and you never brushed me aside or told me that I was being pathetic. You let me cry and you stayed with me."
"I'm not like you, Victoria."
He kept his back to her. Victoria let out a deep breath. She could walk away and forget this. She could let him wallow in his own misery. But, for some reason, she wasn't leaving him. She moved slowly; footsteps tentative until she was stood beside him.
"You're still allowed to have feelings," she replied. "You're allowed to be upset and there was a time when you would have told me what was upsetting you. Remember that day when you had to film your fake childhood? You didn't push me away then."
"Things were different back then," Homelander retorted. "We were different back then."
"True, but you can still tell me what is going on," Victoria said.
But he shook his head. He turned to look at her, shrugging his shoulders. "Nothing is going on. I need to go. I have the interview with Starlight."
"Alright," Victoria said, realising that he wasn't going to tell her anything. She remained where she was and he swept from the room, not even bothering to say goodbye to her or Evelyn. She knew something was amiss, but unlike all of the times before, she wasn't prepared to go to him and find out what. She wasn't going to chase him. She wasn't going to beg him not to close her out. She had tried to find out what was going on, but he didn't want to tell her. She wasn't going to stay indebted to him.
…
"Ever heard of a thing called Herogasm?"
Victoria frowned. She had watched some of the interview with Annie and Homelander on the television, but then she had gone for another walk. She was finding herself going stir crazy in the Tower, but she knew that things would slowly come to a close. She had been in the garden when Alex had found her, dressed in jeans and a navy blue shirt. He had white sneakers on his feet, hair slicked back perfectly.
"Not your typical greeting, I'll grant you that," Victoria said and he sat down next to her on the bench, content that they were out of sight. There were no cameras in the orchid, trees lining the wild woodland area. Victoria left Evelyn in her pram, pushing it back and forth slowly.
Alex chuckled. "I just got a call from Annie. She said that she's heading there with some guy called M.M."
"He usually works with my brother," Victoria said. "Why is she going there?"
"They think Soldier Boy is going to be there. She didn't say why. She told me about Maeve though…and your idea."
"You think it's crazy, don't you?"
"I think it's actually a very good idea," Alex confirmed to her with a nod of his head. "It's smart. Starlight is more popular than Homelander. She has millions of followers. She has a voice. She doesn't need to be silent."
"I just…the idea of Maeve locked in a cell just a few hundred feet from us…it doesn't sit right with me. Ashley has sanctioned it, obviously, but we all know she's just Homelander's puppet," Victoria declared and Alex nodded, agreeing with her. Victoria's brows knitted together as she realised something. "If Annie is with M.M. then Homelander isn't at the interview and-"
"-Don't worry," he interrupted her. "Ashley said that Homelander had flown off. He claimed he needed some time alone. The interview was a disaster."
Victoria let out a deep breath. "What happened this time?"
"Didn't watch?"
"I'm struggling to watch him these days…spouting shit about the media making stuff up and causing chaos," she said with a roll of her eyes. She folded her arms over her stomach as Alex leant back, hands on his thighs. "I assume he did something similar today?"
"You assume correctly," he confirmed for her. "I don't know, I feel like I'm trying to help, but it's like I'm not doing anything of use…just sitting around and waiting for something to happen."
"Alex, just knowing that you're on our side is more than enough," Victoria promised him, letting a hand rest on top of his. He looked down to it before he flipped his palm over, his fingers slipping through hers, closing around them and enjoying the feel of her in his grip. "You know that we probably shouldn't be out here together, right?"
He chuckled deeply. "Knew you were going to say that."
"Just trying to keep you safe," she responded.
"Don't worry, Homelander's not coming back here anytime soon…not if he's going after Soldier Boy."
"You never did say what Herogasm was, you know?" Victoria pointed out, silently content that maybe they were safe for just ten minutes. All she wanted was just ten minutes with him where she could talk to him and they could be themselves.
"Oh, right, yeah," Alex said. "Apparently it's a massive supe orgy."
He watched her reaction, seeing how she stammered. Her mouth formed a perfect 'oh' and her eyes widened, frown lines forming on her face. Alex laughed at her, the noise heartfelt as he tried to keep it down low. He didn't want anyone to hear them, no matter how secluded they were.
"An orgy?" Victoria asked from him.
"Yep," he said, with a pop of his lips. "I've heard rumours about it. The TNT twins host it every year and most supes end up going either once or twice in their life."
"So have you ever been before?" Victoria wondered, glancing to her lap and Alex found it quite amusing how she wouldn't look at him. He held onto her hand, thumb running over her knuckles and he couldn't help but tease her for a few moments.
"Would you be jealous if I had?"
"No, I'd just maybe recommend checking if you had any STD's, especially if you weren't safe. I'd assume you were safe, though?" Victoria asked, not giving into his bluff. He laughed at her again and nodded his head.
"Thanks for your concern," he said to her before she finally clocked something.
The frown lines were back on her forehead, eyes meeting his again. "Did you say TNT host it?"
"Yeah, those two from Payback," he confirmed.
"Shit," Victoria said, realising what was going on. She kept hold of Alex's hand and she shifted on her seat, turning so that she was angled towards him. "So, Billy had this plan, right? He was going to free Soldier Boy and help him hunt down members of Payback. Apparently they gave him over to the Russians who tortured him. He was going to help Soldier Boy get revenge in return for him…you know…killing Homelander."
Alex nodded thoughtfully. He guessed that would make some sense. "So that's why Soldier Boy is at the massive orgy. He's gone to get the twins."
"And Annie has gone to stop him because she knows what Solider Boy could do. I mean, how many people are likely to be at an orgy? If he uses his powers then it could be a blood bath…worse than what happened in the city."
"Yeah," Alex agreed. "Shit, I should go and help her. I need to get there."
"I should come too," Victoria said. "If Billy is there then the chance is that John will be there too."
"Why would he be there?" Alex asked.
"Because he knows that Soldier Boy killed Crimson Countess. I imagine the chances are that he's looking into everyone else from Payback…figuring out that Soldier Boy is going after them," Victoria said and stood up, dropping Alex's hand and taking hold of the handles of Evelyn's pram.
"If Homelander is going to be there with Soldier Boy then that's what we want," Alex said to her.
"Billy is there too, Alex," Victoria said to him, shaking her head and starting to push Evelyn, Alex jumping up and walking alongside her. "John will kill him…and I can't let that happen…I can't let the two of them fight each other. I need to come with you."
"Victoria, I don't think this is a good idea. You should stay here and wait until there's news."
"No, I shouldn't," Victoria said firmly and Alex took hold of her by the wrist, stopping her from walking any further. He turned her around to face him and saw nothing but determination there. "Alex, you can either drive me and stick around or go on your own with me following. It doesn't matter."
He huffed at her. "Has anyone told you that you're annoyingly stubborn?"
"Quite often," she nodded her head. "Come on, I need to leave Evelyn at nursery and then we need to go."
…
Driving towards the location Annie had text them, Alex kept a hand on the wheel of the car he had taken from Vought, his other hand moving to his phone that was in a holder by the door. He pressed down on the map, seeing that they were just twenty minutes away from the house. He'd changed into his supe costume while Victoria left Evelyn in the nursery.
"Stay close to me, alright? I'm not letting you out of my sight," Alex said forcefully.
Victoria had been fidgeting in her seat ever since they'd gotten into the car. Alex had kept his foot steady on the accelerator, only cruising slightly over the speed limit. Time was of the essence and he knew that more than anything. His grip on the steering wheel was tight before he glanced over to Victoria for a brief second, noting how she was playing with the ends of her hair, chewing her lip. He shifted his hands, moving so that he could let his free hand go to her thigh. She looked down at it as he gave it a soft squeeze and then picked his hand up to hold onto hers. He kissed the back of it gently and Victoria leant back into the seat.
"If this is it…if this is what we've been waiting for…"
"Don't play the what if game, Alex," Victoria urged from him, letting him keep hold of her hand, grateful for his comforting touch. "I've done that before and it's never given me a happy ending. We need to wait and see what happens."
"You know I hardly sleep, right?" Alex asked from her. "I lay in bed at night and I wonder what you're doing just five floors up…if you can't sleep…if he's hurting you…if you're thinking about me…all of these scenarios are going round in my head and I don't know how to stop them."
Victoria squeezed his hand tightly. "You don't need to worry about me."
"But I do," he retorted. "I do because I care so fucking much. It's like not being close to you…being able to talk to you…it just makes it hurt even more. I don't know. I just wonder if I'm feeling things that are too strong…that you don't have."
"I do," Victoria promised him, her voice soft and gentle. "Alex, I think about you so much, longing to be able to go downstairs and just sit with you…laugh with you…but I know that if I let myself think about it then he'll know. He'll know that it's not him I want to be with and I can't do that. I can't risk it because it's not safe yet and so I pretend…I pretend that I want him whenever he kisses me or whenever I try and comfort him…and it's not. I don't want that."
"What do you want?" Alex asked.
"If you'd have asked me months ago I'd have told you that I want the John back who I fell in love with," Victoria said. "I wanted what we had…but now…now everything has changed. It changed when you walked in and I got to know you. I want to go on that first date with you. I want you to take me to that karaoke bar and sing 'Rock My Kiss'…I want to be able to spend time with you and know that we can be happy."
"And it's not him? You don't want him?"
"No," Victoria said honestly.
"Because I get that what you have with him is complicated and I don't want to play second fiddle."
"It wouldn't be like that," Victoria assured him. "You're not second fiddle. You're completely different to him and that's the best thing I could ever want. But you know that I have Evelyn…another baby on the way."
"Evelyn is the most adorable baby I've ever seen and I come from a family where I have eight nieces and nephews," Alex said to her and she chuckled. "And that little boy or girl inside of you…I'm sure they will be no different. If you think you having two kids is going to deter me then you don't need to worry."
"Two kids isn't easy."
"I gather that, but you're still not deterring me."
Alex nodded his head thoughtfully, knowing that they were talking in hypotheticals. He felt her continue to grip his hand, her hold tight and her head bowed. He smiled softly at the thought of walking down the street hand-in-hand with her. He imagined cinema trips, taking her to dinner and even going to soft play centres with her kids. That didn't bother him. He'd be happy to do it and he would care for those kids as best as he could.
"You know, it's a shame we're off to split this orgy up," he commented, trying to lighten the tone. It seemed to work as Victoria moved her free hand to hit him across the arm and he laughed as she blushed.
"I don't like what you were insinuating just then," she commented.
"Well…I'm just saying…it could have been interesting."
"If you're into swingers then I hate to tell you that you're barking up the wrong tree."
"Ah, you're more of the wine them and dine them and then woo them type," he said.
"Hopefully you'll find out," Victoria said.
"I hope so too," Alex said and turned left down the private drive, slowing the car down as he witnessed the sight in front of them. Victoria's mouth dropped open and the car came to a halt. She climbed out and Alex copied her movements, the two of them meeting around the front of the car. She spotted a yellow car zoom past them, other people running quickly away from the scene.
"Holy shit," Victoria whispered, looking at the crumbled house in front of her.
Dust rose up from it, the noise of yells and wails filling her ears. There were people injured everywhere, in various states of distress. Blood seeped out from bodies and there were bodies strewn around, some missing limbs and some split open. Victoria covered her mouth with her hands, Alex looking on and wondering if he had ever seen anything so horrendous. Bricks were scattered around, parts of furniture around them along with broken glass from the windows.
"We were too late," Victoria said.
"You don't…do you think…he was in there?" Alex asked, wondering if they had gotten to Homelander.
But then she looked to a figure floating down from the sky, stars and stripes on his cape billowing in the wind. Turning to Alex, she shook her head and bolted forwards, tripping over debris and struggling to stand on her feet. Homelander stood in the midst of it, looking straight ahead and preparing to go in. Victoria called out to him, voice hoarse.
"John."
He froze, recognising that voice instantly. Turning to look to her, he saw her and then saw that Supersonic was behind her. His jaw clenched as she stood in front of him, reaching for his arms with her hands to steady herself.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, voice colder than she had expected.
"I…I figured out that Billy was working with Soldier Boy…don't do this...don't hurt him..."
"How?" Homelander asked her, the question so simple but the answer evading her. He looked to her and he knew. He knew precisely that she had been keeping things from him. He chuckled darkly. "You knew all along."
"I…not that…"
"Don't fucking lie to me," Homelander snapped at her, a hand going to squeeze her chin. "I thought that I could trust you. I thought that you wanted to make this work, but there will always be secrets when it comes to your fucking brother. But not for much longer. I'll make sure of it."
"Hey, get off her," Alex was there in an instant, hand going to Homelander's wrist and pulling it from Victoria. He barely moved him, but he gave Victoria enough room to slip from his grip. Homelander turned to Alex, eyes burning red as Supersonic prepared to clap his hands together, figuring that would give him enough time to get away.
"And you two are together."
"He was just driving me here. He wanted to help," Victoria defended, standing in front of Alex as she saw Homelander's eyes glimmer. The noise of people's cries continued to echo around them, but the three of them were trapped in each other's glares.
"Help? He's just trying to get under your skirt and you…you'd probably let him because I see right now that I've been a fucking idiot. I've been a blind idiot because you…everyone was right…you're my one downfall…but not anymore. We're done playing these games, Victoria. You're mine and mine alone. The sooner you realise that then the better it will be for everyone."
"John, no, it's not what you think," she said to him, shaking her head quickly.
"I'll deal with you later," Homelander promised his wife and then turned his glare to Alex. "And as for you," he drawled and noted the man about to clap his hands after pushing Victoria to the side, but Homelander's eyes continued to glow, the beams moving from them and towards Alex, Victoria screaming loudly and knowing that the game was over.
…
A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger! What do you think might happen? Having so much fun writing this and I hope you enjoy it - as always, would love thoughts, ideas and hypotheses!