"HOMELANDER WAS RIGHT. YOU ARE A FUCKING RAT." A-TRAIN TOLD HER, ANNIE FACING HIM AS HUGHIE STUCK BEHIND. A-Train's heart was pounding, the man keeping still. "Oh, and you're the jailbreaker? Are you fucking kidding me?" A-Train asked once he saw Hughie, scowling. "Turn around and walk away, A-Train." Annie demanded, the man laughing. "I got this. Go." Annie whispered back to Hughie, the man staying put. "No. I'm the one he wants. I'm not leaving you." The two stayed in silence, Annie turning back to A-Train.
"Please, just go." She spoke, watching A-Train sweat stood still as he readied himself. Annie sighed, making her eyes glow as A-Train exhaled the pain from his heart. Hughie stood to the side, Annie taking the energy from the lights above as A-Train cracked his knuckles. He ran to the side, dodging Annie's blast, doing the same again. Annie stayed silent, continuing to shoot at him as he continued to dodge it. A-Train was able to rush to her, shoving her away as Hughie fell from the light.
He towered over them both, panting heavily. The lights went out, Annie groaning as Hughie stood up. "Hughie!" She called, watching A-Train face Hughie. "You killed the only person I ever loved." The former began, beginning to cry. "I didn't kill her." He spoke, A-Train's breathing laboured as he exhaled sharply. "I know. I did." The two watched him, Hughie's face falling. "But it was your fault." A-Train's heart pounded, gripping Hughie's shirt. The man flinched, A-Train's heart becoming unbearable as he shouted in pain, seeing two of Hughie.
His heart started to beat faster before it stopped, A-Train falling down. "Holy shit." Hughie spoke, Annie standing up. "What?" She asked, the two rounding A-Train. "I-I think he's having a heart attack." Hughie spoke, the two watching A-Train pass out fully. "Oh, fuck. Okay." Hughie felt the man's pulse, glancing to Annie before beginning CPR on A-Train. "One. Two. Three. Call an ambulance." He told Annie, the woman shaking her head lightly. "He'll never stop coming for you." She spoke as Hughie nodded. "I know." He repeated CPR, Annie huffing before pressing a button on her suit.
"This is Starlight. I have a code 78-65. A-Train is down. I think he's had a heart attack." She knelt down beside Hughie. "You have to go. I'll take over." She spoke, Hughie continuing CPR- "Hughie, go! Or else you'll get caught." She reminded, Hughie leaving quietly as she continued CPR. Madelyn glanced at Billy from her seat, C4 strapped around her as he held the trigger. A familiar sound occurred, the two staying silent as Homelander walked across the roof. "Well, well, well. About fucking time. I know you can see me through the ceiling."
Madelyn watched the man hold up the trigger. "You try to kill me... and my trigger finger goes soft." He spoke to the ceiling. "Now... why don't you stop playing rapey Santa... and come down and join us?" Billy asked, Madelyn looking back to see Homelander walk in with her baby. Billy's brows furrowed, the man shushing Madelyn. "Take it easy. We don't want to upset Teddy, right?" He asked, Madelyn gulping. "What are you doing?" She asked, Homelander pointing the baby so he looked at her.
"Hey, look: Mommy." He put on a voice, walking past Madelyn. "You all right?" Billy watched his normal voice come back, Madelyn shaking her head. "No-" "Madelyn..." Homelander began, Billy watching the two. "Take him upstairs-" "All good. I got it." Homelander smiled, bouncing Teddy in his arms. "I got it." He faced the two with a smile, looking to Billy. "Billy Butcher. You don't mind if I call you Billy, right?" He never answered, Homelander continuing none-the-less. "You are pretty darn impressive. I mean, especially for, you know, one of you. See, even now," Madelyn never took her eyes off of her baby.
"most people standing where- where you are would be pissing their pants, terrified, but you... sure, your heart's pounding, but you're not afraid." Teddy began to cry, Homelander ignoring him. "It's anger. That's a new one for me." He shrugged, Madelyn gulping. "Homelander, will you please take the baby upstairs?-" "All because of your lovely wife Becca. Right?" He asked, ignoring Madelyn also as she inhaled shakily.
"Okay. Let's cut the bullshit, huh? You know that we, uh..." Homelander demonstrated a thrust. "Uh, bro, not my fault, okay? She came onto me. It happens-" "Will you stop?" Madelyn snapped, Billy glaring at Homelander. "It's the fame, you know. They get crushes. There's nothing I can do about it." Teddy began to cry more, Billy closing his eyes briefly. "But what I will tell you is, she was a hell of a lay." He laughed out in recognition, rubbing Teddy's back as Billy looked back at him with a squint. "She came three times, hmm?"
Homelander asked Teddy, looking back to Billy. "Three! All right, little man, have a little lie-down." Billy watched the superhero, his nostrils flaring. "Good boy." Madelyn looked back to see Homelander not take the baby away. "I want you to take him out of here." She reminded, getting ignored once again as Homelander neared Billy. "But that's not really it." Homelander sighed, hands on his hips. "No, no, no, no. It's more than just that." He rounded Madelyn, the woman sweating.
"You think I'm responsible for her death, don't you?" He asked, Billy saying nothing. "So now you have a hostage that- that I care about, right? Someone I love." Madelyn felt the man stroke her hair, the woman flinching. "So, what's the plan... from here? Uh, what do you want?" He asked, Billy staying silent. "A confession? What's the endgame?" He watched Billy take a step forward. "I'm just gonna hurt you. I mean really fucking hurt you, and that will be good enough for me." He finally spoke, Homelander humming. "So, you don't really want anything, per se?" He asked, nodding to Madelyn.
"You just want, you want to blow her up in front of me. Right?" Homelander continued speaking, laughing when Billy didn't deny the claim. "Wow, fuck. Uh..." The man stammered. "You are dark, and I kind of like it." He complimented, Madelyn looking up. "Will you please take Teddy upstairs?" Her tone was crooked, the woman starting to cry. "It's okay." Homelander assured, stepping ahead oh the woman. "Just answer one question for me. Just one."
Billy glanced over to the man, watching him hold his hands behind his back. "How do you know?" He asked, shrugging. "I mean, you must have some rock-solid proof, right? That it was actually me who killed your wife. You must have it. So what is it?" Homelander asked, Billy clenching his jaw. "Share. We're all very interested." Billy didn't say anything, Homelander humming. "Now's not the time to be strong and silent. Go for it." He whispered, Teddy beginning to cry again.
"Are you telling me that this whole thing is based on fucking- fucking feelings? On a hunch?" Homelander asked, Billy not looking the man in the eye as Teddy cried. "Will you please take him upstairs-" "Madelyn, hold on." Homelander shushed the woman, her not complying. "Take him upstairs!-" "Shut the fuck up!" He yelled, the woman doing as told quickly. "Excuse me." Homelander told Billy, facing the woman. "You promised no more lies." He spat, crouching to meet eyes with her. "You fucking promised me." Billy's head tilted at them.
"You and Vogelbaum should have got your stories straight. They were so close." Homelander seethed, Madelyn terrified. "So fucking close, but there was a few little details that were different. So I went back to Vogelbaum, and I managed to squeeze the truth out of him. The real truth." Homelander nodded, Madelyn inhaling shakily. She started to cry, leaning her head against his. "Yeah, that's it." Billy watched the man kiss her forehead. He whispered to her, Billy not being able to figure out what he said. "I'm so sorry. I never should have lied to you."
Madelyn cried once they separated, Homelander nodding. "I know now that you don't need to be protected. I'm so sorry." She sobbed, sniffling. "Will you please take Teddy upstairs?" She asked, Homelander exhaling deeply as he stood up straight. "Did you ever really care about me?" He asked, Madelyn nodding quickly. "You mean everything to me-" "No. No, no. I mean everything to your job." Homelander corrected, Billy squinting at the two.
"You care more about that fucking baby than you do me." Homelander spat, Billy confused as Madelyn immediately disagreed. "No. I love you. I swear, I love you. I love you." She spoke, Homelander humming. "But?" He urged, Madelyn sighing. "Tell me the truth, or I walk out right now." She looked up at him again, Madelyn stuttering for the words. "I'm scared." She spoke simply. "I'm scared of you." Homelander's head tilted. "What?" He asked, Madelyn huffing. "I said I'm scared." She spoke, Homelander nodding. "Of?"
"Of you. I'm scared of you." Madelyn answered softly, Billy glancing between the two. "Thank you." Homelander held her head, rubbing their foreheads together fondly. "Thank you for finally being honest." The two kissed, Billy awkwardly stood behind the two. They separated, Homelander kissing her forehead once more before facing her. Billy's brows furrowed as Homelander's eyes glowed, shooting lasers into Madelyn's eyes. She gasped, her brain being burnt before she died peacefully, Homelander letting her face go.
He sighed deeply, blinking away tears as he faced Billy again. "Now... what was that plan again?" He asked, watching Billy smile. "Oh, well." He shrugged, letting go of the detonator as the room blew up.
∞
BILLY WOKE UP TO THE HARSH SUN, REALISING HE WAS IN SOMEONE'S YARD. Homelander appeared above him, a smile on his face. "Wakey, wakey." He put his hands on his hips, Billy squinting. "Hey, buddy. You were out for quite a while." Homelander hummed. "You can thank me for, uh, saving you sometime later, but, for now," Billy stared up at the sky, feeling cuts on his head sting. "time to get up. Come on. You're gonna love this." The man urged, Billy hearing a door open. Glancing awkwardly, he saw a boy staring right at him. "Mom!" He called, Homelander smiling.
"Wow, look at this handsome devil. Hey, pal." He greeted, Billy very confused as he pulled himself up. "You know who I am?" Homelander asked the boy, watching him nod. "Homelander." He nodded, Billy watching the two as Homelander laughed. "Yeah, that's right, but... you know who else?" Billy's face fell, meeting eyes with Rebecca Butcher. She stared at the man, the two in silence as Homelander nodded to the boy. "No." He answered truthfully, Billy panting.
"Becca?" He asked, Becca stuttering- "Mommy didn't tell you. Well..." Homelander stepped forward. "I'm your father, and we are a family." Becca sighed, Homelander cupping the boy's head. Becca just looked at Billy, the man watching the boy's eyes glow.
∞...