City of Heroes

Family Ties

My father is in the kitchen when I get back to the apartment that evening. It smells like food and I can hear something sizzling from the stove.

"You're coming in late," he says to me.

"So?" I say back. I didn't used to be this sassy... well at least not towards my father. But after the Genesis Labs ordeal a rift was created between us. I can't look at my dad without being reminded that he lied to me my entire life about secretly running a biotech weapons laboratory. That he was the one who sent all those monsters after the Hero. That he thought of the Supers, my friends, as disposable and nothing more then weapons. That he is the reason all those people died.

I miss the days when our biggest disagreement was what time to set my curfew.

My father ignores my comment. "Did you have a good day?"

"Yah." Monosyllabic answers seem to be my norm lately.

"I made dinner tonight. Mexican food. Your favorite."

Ever since Genesis Labs went up in flames my dad has been home a lot more than usual trying to get back his health. He still has his cover company Reyes Inc. that he owns but someone else is in charge of running it.

"Okay."

I watch my father move to set the table, carefully maneuvering his wheel chair around the kitchen. I feel a twinge in my heart and my face softens.

"Dad, I can do that," I offer. It kills me to see him like this. It may sound cheesy but I used to think of my dad like a superhero growing up. Sure every kid thinks that at some point but my dad could actually live up to it. He was always composed, always in charge, always knew what he was doing. I wanted to be just like him.

"I'm not completely useless you know," he says with a smirk.

I glance at the wheelchair and blush. "Yah I know. But I want to help." I grab the plates and tableware and beginning laying out the two place settings.

A couple of tacos aren't going to fix things but he is trying. I guess I could try too.

We begin eating and my dad asks how my day went and how my friends are doing and all that typical parental smalltalk. I mention how I saw the Olympian Squad this afternoon at lunch.

"I don't like them. They shouldn't exist," my father says, "All our work was destroyed in the fire and only a few employees besides myself and Mr. Flowers knew the process. The rest were killed."

There's a heavy silence. Piper was one of the scientists in charge of making supers who died in the fire. My father hasn't been taking her death well.

As if reading my thoughts my dad adds, "I was going to propose you know."

I stop mid-taco to gape at my father. He really loved her that much? I have conflicting feelings. As much as I disliked Piper I'd never want her dead. But I wouldn't want her as a step mom either.

"Oh." I say, back to the one word answers.

My father shakes his head. "Sorry, I shouldn't be talking about Genesis Labs so much. I know that's what caused you to hate me."

Or maybe he should.

"Avoiding the conversation isn't going to make anything better," I say with a soft smile, "And I don't hate you dad. I hate that you lied to me."

He nods. "I know and if I could take it back I would."

But you can't.

"I have something else for you, besides the food," my father says.