Watching the TV screen in their office, Billy shook his head slowly. He was sat on the edge of one of the armchairs, his hands rubbing together anxiously as the news came in. Hughie was sat on the sofa with Annie next to him, his arm around her shoulders. Kimiko and Frenchie stood behind the sofa and M.M. was perched on one of the desk chairs to the side of the sofa. Looking at the screen, they watched on as the presenter spoke with the co-presenter. Alex loitered at the back of his room, lost in his own thoughts on what he should be doing.

"What she did was selfless and I think people have been harsh on her," the woman presenting the news show spoke. "We can't understand how difficult it must have been for her. She had a baby and almost died. She'd been in the media's eye and she's not used to it. She ran away because she was scared…and who can blame her? Having her daughter almost killed her and the press hounded her. She freaked out and I think that's reasonable. How many of us would be able to cope with the pressures of being the wife of the most famous in the world?"

"But she knew what she was getting into," the man responded.

"She had no fucking idea," Billy muttered under his breath to the TV screen.

"Did she? Or did she just fall in love?" the woman retorted. "I am just saying that after what's happened today, perhaps we've been too harsh on her? Perhaps she deserves a little bit of sympathy?"

"What? For standing by her husband who has openly admitted that he thinks supes are better than us?" the man replied and Billy wondered why he was watching this, but there was something about it that he couldn't look away from. "He is going on trial for murder, not to mention he never answered for the war crimes he committed. His wife worked for the UN. She petitioned for change to asylum laws. How can she stay with a man like that?"

"Because she loves him," the woman snapped back. "And let's not forget that all he has ever done is try to keep the people of this country safe. He shouldn't be villainised for that and she certainly shouldn't be. It was a Starlight supporter who got into Vought Tower and killed seven security guards…and after everything Starlight did to Victoria…I suspect this is a step too far."

"Yes, she stood up and diffused the situation before it could get any worse, but the fact is that our country is in this state because of Homelander. He's the one who has done this."

It was Hughie who turned the television off then. Looking to Annie, he could see the hurt on her face. Shaking his head, his arm around her shoulders squeezed her tightly and he shook his head slowly. "She will know that what happened is not your fault," Hughie said to Annie.

"But they're saying I put him up to this," Annie said, pointing to the television. "And I would never do that. I would never want to see her hurt. I love her like a sister."

"And she knows that," M.M. added on. "Vought are just trying to cover their asses and portray you as the villain."

"And they'll be doing a good job for some people," Billy said and Hughie shot him a glare to indicate that was not helpful. Holding his hands up defensively, Billy sat back in his chair. "I'm just saying that the world is divided as things currently stand and Homelander supporters will be even more enflamed…but the important thing is that Victoria knows you'd never send someone to hurt her. My sister might be many things, but daft ain't one of them."

There was a moment of silence then before Billy felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Tugging it out, he looked down and saw a message from Mallory. She wanted to meet him. He frowned and wondered just what she could want from him. He would deal with that message later on, but he had bigger things to worry about at that moment in time. Standing up, he headed to the coat rack and grabbed his long, black coat.

"Where are you going?" Frenchie was the one to ask him.

"Vought Tower," Billy replied.

"Are you insane?" M.M. demanded from him.

"Jury's out," Billy said, straightening out his collar.

Annie shook her head. "Do you think that they're just going to let you walk in there? Homelander will laser you as soon as he sees you. He detests you. You took his wife from him…you helped her escape. You're basically enemy number one."

"I should hope so," Billy said. "Don't want him getting another nemesis and replacing me."

"This isn't a joke," Hughie snapped.

"I'm not joking," Billy said with a firm shake of his head. "She's my sister and, despite everything, he won't hurt me because he knows that if he did then he'd ruin anything he thinks he has with Victoria. He might despise me, but in his own twisted, sick head, he loves her more."

Billy didn't like the idea of it, but he knew it was true. The reason why Victoria was still alive despite betraying him numerous times was because he really did love her and he clearly thought that she loved him. Billy wasn't entirely sure what his sister felt. He never pushed her on her feelings. She claimed to hate Homelander. She said that she'd moved on with Alex. But there was a niggling feeling inside of Billy that doubted her. He worried that Homelander had gotten his claws so deep into her that a part of her couldn't stop loving him, despite the fact he was a monster.

He didn't understand it and he didn't like it. He knew that his sister didn't trust easily. She had no reason to. But she had trusted Homelander. She had loved him before she knew the truth of what he was.

"I still don't know if this is a good idea," Frenchie confessed and Kimiko nodded her agreement with him.

"Disagree," Billy said. "And as the only one around her who comes up with good ideas, I'm going."

No one bothered to fight Billy anymore. They knew that there was no point because he made his own mind up and was as stubborn as a mule. Leaving the office, Billy walked down the staircase. He got to the fourth floor before he heard Alex shout after him.

"Wait," he demanded and Billy stood on a step and turned his head over his shoulder. He peered up as Alex moved down the staircase.

"You're definitely not coming," Billy said to Alex. "Homelander might let me live, but you wouldn't be given the same courtesy…you were sleeping with his wife."

"I know I can't come," Alex replied. "But at the rally the other night…Victoria said some things and I don't think she meant them. She told me that she didn't love me and that we'd been a mistake. I know she was lying. I know she didn't mean it. I just need you to make sure she's alright…no bullshit…no letting her fake a smile…and tell her I know she didn't mean what she said."

"I'm no messenger boy," Billy retorted.

"No, you're an asshole who has a problem with manners," Alex said and Billy's lips arched. He couldn't help but smirk. He knew that Alex had a fiery side to him, but he rarely saw it. For the most part, he seemed quiet and contemplative. "But I happen to love your sister and I think we both have that in common."

"I guess so," Billy agreed with him on that point.

Alex didn't bother to chase after him as he walked away. Billy continued moving down the staircase, wondering just what he would find when he came to the Tower.

…

"John, it's not right," Victoria complained.

She had left the medical ward of the Tower and was back home. She'd had dinner with Evelyn and Ryan. They'd told Evelyn that she'd just had an accident and hurt her shoulder. Ryan had been more difficult to tell the truth to, but he'd told them that he knew something had happened. They'd been on their school trip when the news had come in that there had been a shooting at the Tower. Ryan had hugged Victoria tightly before he'd gone to bed and told her that he was happy she was alright.

John had taken the kids to bed, insisting Victoria stay on the sofa and relax. She had watched him carry Evelyn in his arms, handling her delicately like she might break in his arms. Ryan had followed him and had been telling him about his day as they climbed the staircase to the bedrooms. Once the kids were settled and in bed, Homelander carried the baby monitor downstairs. They had just bought Evelyn a bed to sleep in, but Victoria still insisted they keep an eye on her. He set it down on the coffee table and saw that Victoria was watching the news.

"It was one of her fanatics," Homelander responded to his wife, sitting down next to her despite having all of the sofa to spread out on. His thigh brushed hers and his arm draped over the back of the sofa. Victoria had her legs curled up beneath her and was still wearing a loose tee and joggers with thick white socks. Her hair was tucked behind her shoulders and she'd taken her makeup off when she'd used the bathroom earlier.

"But it wasn't like she had gone to him and told him to do this," Victoria said, defending Annie. "I know you might not like her, but she…she was a good friend to me when she was here, John. She looked after me."

"And then betrayed us," John said. "She went against the Seven. She went against me."

"She didn't," Victoria said. "She just…she just did what she thought was right and you chased her out. You didn't need to have a vendetta against her. Please…this isn't fair…what if someone tries to hurt her out of retaliation?"

"Then it wouldn't be our problem," Homelander said with a shrug, his bottom lip over his top lip.

"She's my friend."

"No, she was your friend," Homelander replied. "You don't need her anymore."

"And you get to make that decision, do you?" Victoria snapped at him, unable to stop herself.

There was a tense silence between the two of them and they refused to back down. Homelander's hand on the back of the sofa gripped onto the cushion tightly and his teeth ground together. He drummed his fingers on his thighs and Victoria watched as his jaw tensed. She started to uncurl herself from where she was sat on the sofa and wanted to move.

"Sit down," Homelander said in a low voice.

"I don't want an argument," Victoria said and she continued to stand up.

"And you think I do?" Homelander demanded from her.

"I don't know," Victoria confessed. "Because you seem to think that you can control who I'm friends with and that's not fair. I can't see Daniella because she's working on the case against you. I can't see Annie because you've declared her an enemy. You hardly let me see my brother. Do you know how alone I feel? I had friends, John. I had a life…and I get that things aren't ideal. I know that. But I need more. I'm not asking to go and spend time with my friends, but I just want them to be safe. I just want that for them. Is that too much?"

Homelander's brows knitted together at that and he cocked his head to the side. He moved to sit on the edge of the sofa. "Am I not enough?" Homelander wondered from her. "I'm here for you, Victoria. I look after you. I got you a job. I gave you a daughter. I brought Ryan to live with us. I love you…and is that not enough? You think you need your friends?"

Victoria was unable to believe what she was hearing. She shook her head slowly and wondered if this was going to turn into a full-blown argument. She didn't want it to. She wanted to be fine with him because the alternative was annoying him and that scared her. She didn't know what he would do.

"You want to talk about being enough?" Victoria asked him. "Really?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

She let out a shrill laugh. "It means exactly what you think," she said. "I was never enough for you, John. I was never enough for you to give up this life…and we could've done that…years ago we could've done that before the truth came out. I wanted a life away from Vought. I wanted a life with you. But you never wanted that. I wasn't enough and look where we are now…you're going on trial…the country is divided…my brother is dying because he took too much Temp-V. Everything is a mess."

"A mess that I am going to sort out," Homelander defended himself.

"Are you? Because I don't know if you can," Victoria replied.

"I'm the Homelander. I can do anything," he said to her.

And he didn't see that was the attitude that scared her. His belief that whatever he did, there would be no consequences. And that was because there hadn't been. He'd gotten away with so much in the past and no one had any idea. No one knew who he truly was and Victoria doubted they ever would. She bit down on her tongue for a moment and closed her eyes. She let out a deep breath.

"I don't want to fight," Victoria said to her husband. "I just want you to stop persecuting Annie. Have Vought say that she had no idea what was going to happen. Tell the truth."

"People will still speculate that she had a role in it."

"Then let them speculate, but at least we'll have done the right thing," Victoria said. "John, please. I'm trying here. I'm trying to be the wife you want me to be…just…can't you do this one thing for me?"

Homelander looked to her and he knew that she thought she could worm her way out of this. She just had to look at him with her doe eyes and he was putty. He hated how weak she made him. But then he guessed he could play this to his advantage somehow. He could go on TV and say that they had no evidence Starlight was involved. He could sound genuine. But he wouldn't dispel any speculation from anyone else that she had been involved. At least he'd keep Victoria happy and he found that was all he ever tried to do. He just tried to keep his wife happy.

"Fine," Homelander said to her.

Victoria's eyes widened in surprise. Homelander chuckled and stepped towards her, his hands taking hold of her waist and holding her gently as his chest brushed hers.

"You thought I'd say no?" he asked her.

"You haven't exactly been keen to defend her in the past."

"I won't defend her. I'll just say we have no evidence she was involved…but the police are still looking into the case," Homelander replied. "And if you ever think that you're not enough for me again…just remember everything I've done for you…for us. I love you. You're my wife and the mother of my child. I would burn this whole world down to keep us together."

And she didn't doubt that he would. He moved his head down then and Victoria closed her eyes as she felt him kiss her. He lifted his hand up and stroked her cheek, his thumb roaming over her cheekbone and his other hand moving to cradle her neck tenderly. Victoria tilted her head slightly and he deepened the kiss, his mouth moving forcefully over hers. She scrunched her eyes shut tightly and tried to think of something else. He moved his hand slowly down her neck and she felt his fingers move along her chest and cup her right breast in his grip. Homelander moaned into her mouth before tearing his lips from hers and kissing along her cheek and to her neck as Victoria tried not to pant at his hand running down her stomach and slipping under her tee.

"John," she gasped his name.

"It's alright," Homelander whispered against her skin as he pushed her to sit back down on the sofa, fingers finding the edge of her strapless black bra and running along the cup's edge. She shuddered as he knelt between her spread legs.

"My shoulder," she reminded him.

"I won't touch it," he promised her. "Just give in, Victoria…I know you want to…I can smell you…just let me touch you…"

"It aches, John," Victoria said, lying to him just a bit to keep him away. She bit down on her tongue as she heard him huff and she saw the annoyance on his face. And so she acted quickly. She lowered her mouth to meet his again and her own hand slipped down the front of his suit and she felt the bulge in his pants. Homelander moaned at the feeling of her hand and he reached for the hidden fly in his pants, tugging it down and slipping her hand underneath.

…

Victoria stood in the shower, trying to get her mind onto something else. She had been warned not to get her bandage wet and that was proving difficult as she tried to wash her hair. What had happened in the living room hadn't been what she'd planned. Thankfully, Homelander had seemed pleased with her when she had finished and he'd zipped his pants back up and she'd wiped her hand on a tissue before chucking it in the bin. He'd kissed her tenderly and thanked her before letting her go and shower. A part of her had been worried that he would have urged her to her knees in front of him and she didn't know if she could do that.

She felt dirty. She felt like a fraud. She kept telling herself that she was doing what she had to do to survive and keep him on side so that it would keep her friends safe. But was it just that? Was that the only reason why she was doing what she was doing? She wasn't sure she could answer that. Her entire relationship with Homelander was more complex than she could explain to anyone. She imagined the only person who understood was Maeve, but she was gone now. She was living a quiet life somewhere and Victoria hoped she was happy.

Finishing off in the shower, Victoria climbed from it and changed into her silk pyjama shorts and tugged on the short silk top that went with it. She tugged a brush through her hair and let it dry naturally. She headed back downstairs to grab her painkillers. Homelander had stayed downstairs while she'd showered, his pants slightly uncomfortable, but he didn't know if he could go upstairs and sit on the bed while she showered.

Moving down the stairs, Victoria frowned as she heard hushed voices. And then she realised who it was. Standing in the doorway was her brother.

"Billy," she spoke his name.

"Vicky," Billy responded and Homelander groaned.

He knew that coming in between the two siblings never went down well. Plus, looking at Butcher, he knew he hardly had any time left and that made him almost pity him. In a way, he respected Butcher. He was the only one who had never truly been scared of Homelander. His heart rate never jumped. His breathing never increased. Plus, he knew how distraught Victoria was going to be when Butcher died, despite the fact he'd never been a great brother to her.

"Your brother dropped by to check you were alright."

"But the cunts downstairs refused to let me up until I told them I'd go outside and talk to any camera crew who would listen to me about how they weren't letting me visit my sister," Billy said.

"Turns out William here is rather fond of a little blackmail," Homelander said.

"Not the only one, am I?" Billy retorted.

"Alright," Victoria said, holding a hand up and wanting to diffuse the situation. She didn't need her brother getting into a shouting match with her husband. "John, can I talk to Billy for a few minutes?"

Homelander seemed annoyed at that. He didn't like the fact she was basically trying to dismiss him in his own apartment and in front of her brother. But she looked at him with a pleading glance. "Please," she added on.

"Fine," Homelander said. "Trust me, by looking at him, he doesn't have long left anyway."

"Long enough to keep making your life a living hell," Billy said gruffly.

"Oh, I look forward to that," Homelander promised him. "A pleasure as always, William."

Moving to the staircase, he paused in front of Victoria for a moment. He moved a hand to her hip, feeling the silk of her pyjamas underneath his grip and he bent down to kiss her chastely. He heard Billy's breath hitch at that and for the first time in a long time, he knew he'd gotten to him. Victoria also knew what he was doing. He was trying to get a rise out of her brother.

"Don't be long," Homelander urged from her and winked before moving up the staircase.

"That fucking smug-"

"-Billy," Victoria interrupted him as he stepped forwards and she moved her hand to his chest to stop him from advancing any further. "He's upstairs and probably listening. We both know you're not going to do anything so don't be stupid. Use your brain for once."

Billy remained stood in front of his sister, his glare on the staircase. He shifted from one foot to the other and finally lowered his gaze to meet his sister's.

"I think you inherited all of the brains in this family," Billy said to her.

"I don't doubt it," she responded. "Now, do you want a drink?"

"Have you got scotch?"

"Somewhere in the drink's cabinet," Victoria confirmed with a nod of her head. "Follow me," she demanded and Billy followed her into the kitchen.

"Do you have pyjamas that do more than act as scraps of clothing?" Billy wondered and Victoria rolled her eyes.

"I was going to bed," she defended herself. "Plus, there's nothing wrong with these pyjamas. But if the thought of them offend you so much then help me put this on."

She grabbed a big sweatshirt from the back of one of the dining chairs. Her brother helped her tug it over her head considering she couldn't lift one of her arms. He saw that it had Durham University written across it, but the letters were slightly faded. Victoria managed to grab a bottle of scotch and pour her brother a glass. He sat down on one of the stools at the breakfast bars. Victoria stood the other side of the worktop.

"I probably should've called you to let you know I was okay, but I can't remember your number," Victoria said to her brother.

"I keep changing phones and it's not as if I wouldn't have come down here anyway," Billy replied to her. "I needed to see you in person and make sure you were alright. What the hell were you thinking? Standing up in front of a nutjob like that?"

"I was thinking that I could diffuse the situation."

"You could've got yourself shot."

"A lot more people could've died if I didn't," Victoria replied. "Evelyn was in the nursery in the Tower and I just thought of her. I didn't want him to go and hurt her…try and use her against John."

"What have I told you about calling that cunt by an actual name?"

"Not to do it because it pisses you off," Victoria said and her brother sipped on the scotch. "But I promise you that I'm fine. How's everyone else holding up? What were you doing the other night at the rally?"

"Free country, Vicky," Billy said to her. "Well, for the time being anyway."

Victoria rolled her eyes at her brother. "Can you be serious for one minute?" she demanded from him.

"I am being serious," he defended. "We went to see what was going on…not like your husband can be trusted and he's now working with Neuman. I'd ask if you had any idea what the two of them are plotting, but I imagine he's listening from upstairs and wouldn't take kindly to you betraying him."

Victoria shook her head. "I don't know what's going on," Victoria defended herself. She didn't actually know what Homelander was doing with Victoria Neuman and a part of her was happy not to be involved or know. "I'm not involved in the campaign and I don't want to be."

"No, you're just too busy single-handedly taking on terrorists," Billy said.

"What the fuck is your problem? Did you just come here to snap at me?" Victoria demanded to know from her brother. Billy downed the rest of his drink and he shook his head. Letting out a loud sigh, he looked his sister in the eye and realised that he maybe wasn't dealing with this as best as he could.

"Do you know how I felt when I saw the footage from the CCTV of you standing across that man? I was scared for you. All I want to do is keep you safe and I know that I'm failing, Victoria. I know that I haven't gotten you away from the maniac upstairs…but then you risk yourself. You go and risk yourself like that."

Victoria realised that this was Billy's way of telling her that he was scared for her. He had been scared. Victoria sighed and moved a hand to rest on top of her brother's. "I'm sorry that I freaked you out," she said to him. "But I had a daughter in this building when he was there and…I'm her mother…I could never risk her."

Billy understood that. He knew because he knew that he would do anything for Ryan. He slipped his fingers into his sister's and squeezed them tightly. "Just promise me you're not going to make it a habit of running after terrorists, alright?"

"I think I can safely promise that," Victoria promised her brother.

"Glad to hear it," he said. "And you're sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," Victoria promised him. "And you? How're you feeling?"

Billy shrugged nonchalantly. "As well as I can," he said to her. "Annie's back at the office shitting her pants because she thinks you hate her."

Victoria shook her head slowly. "I know she'd never send someone to kill me," she replied. "Can you just tell her that? Tell her that I know and she has no reason to worry…and that I miss her a lot…more than I can describe."

"Might edit some of that, but got the gist of it."

"You're an asshole."

"Yes, I am, but I am still your brother," Billy retorted.

"I wouldn't want to change that."

"You sure? Because I haven't been the best."

"No, but you're okay," Victoria said and Billy's lips arched at that. He shook his head slowly and Victoria moved around the worktop and held her arms out. Her brother embraced her to him and she rested her cheek on his shoulder. She closed her eyes for a moment as Billy ran a hand up and down her back. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," Billy said. He didn't want her worrying over him. He never wanted her to fret over him after everything he'd put her through. "And you…I wish we could see each other more often. I don't like not seeing you."

"I don't like it either," Victoria said to him and she wanted to ask him so much more, but she knew they couldn't speak freely. "I might be able to come over one night. You could cook dinner?"

"You know I can't cook," he scoffed.

"Fine, you can order pizza. I'm sure you can do that," Victoria said and she pulled back and Billy curled a finger under her chin and he looked to her intently.

"I'm not going to stop trying," was all he said to her and Victoria just nodded once.

"Just keep yourself safe," she urged from him. "I'll see you later, alright? You should go…thanks for coming and just tell Annie we're okay."

Billy nodded and kissed his sister on her forehead. She walked him to the door and he left. He didn't want to leave without her, but he knew that he had to. Homelander was loitering upstairs and there was no chance he was going to let Victoria just leave the apartment. Once he was gone, Victoria turned the lights out in the living room and kitchen after taking her painkillers and then she went upstairs to bed, taking Evelyn's baby monitor with her. She set it down on the chest of drawers in the bedroom and saw Homelander sat up in bed. He had changed out of his suit and was shirtless, reading a book Victoria had left on the bedside table.

"Your brother really does hate me, doesn't he?" Homelander asked, but he sounded amused at that.

Victoria wanted to ask him how he could be surprised by that after what he'd done. He had raped Becca. He had ruined Billy's marriage. He had taken Ryan away. He had married his sister. What was there to like about him?

"I don't think he's going to be inviting you for Sunday dinners," Victoria declared and she tried to shrug out of the sweatshirt she was wearing, but struggling. Homelander slipped from bed and Victoria saw that he was just wearing his boxer shorts. He helped her tug it over her head and tossed it onto the chair in the corner.

"You alright?" Homelander asked her.

"Just took some of the painkillers," Victoria said to him. "And I'm ready to go to bed. I think I could sleep for days on end."

"Then get some sleep," Homelander said and he tugged the quilt back and she climbed into bed. Laying on her back, she tried to get comfortable so that she was putting weight on her shoulder, but it was proving difficult. Homelander climbed into bed on the other side of her and laid on his side, the backs of his fingers running up and down Victoria's arm as she turned her head to the side to look at him.

"You know that I will always be there for you," Homelander said to her.

"I know," Victoria replied and he kissed her goodnight before turning the light out and bathing the room in darkness.

…

Billy left the Tower in the middle of the night. Tugging his phone out from his pocket, he scrolled down to Mallory's number. Dialling it, he pressed the phone to his ear and headed towards the nearest subway so that he could get home.

"Butcher," she greeted him.

"Mallory," he responded. "What can I do for you?"

"We need to talk."

"Then talk."

"Not on the phone…in person," she responded. "I might have something, Butcher. It's big."

Billy stood still and frowned. "How big?"

"Big enough to kill Homelander," she replied and a smile arched on Billy's face.

"Tell me more."

...

A/N: Season 4 is coming! So excited! Please do let me know what you think and if you are still interested as we head towards season 4!