"Man that took forever! Like they really weren't gonna give up were they?"
"I don't even think they heard us honestly, they looked pissed off-"
"Billy! Darla is right here." Mary scolded.
"Okay okay. Sorry Darla, don't repeat that please."
"I won't, I promise."
"Okay, anyway they looked mad like they had been waiting for us to show up."
"I've noticed they all seem ready for us to foil their plans now."
"Yeah I know, we all show up and they're like 'we've been expecting you' and pull out the lasers which don't even hurt, you'd think they'd learn by now."
"You sound like you want to get hurt Freddy." Billy said laughing.
"No! That's not what I-"
"Hey, guys were here now, should we turn back?" Mary asked gesturing towards the house.
"Uh I guess."
"Shazam!" All of them said in sync signalling 6 lightning bolts to shoot out of the sky transforming them back. The only problem was that while they had been focused on the conversation they had they hadn't realized that Rosa and Victor had been watching through the window confused on why there were superheros right outside their house.
When they saw who it was now standing outside their jaws practically dropped and they sprinted downstairs and out the door to retrieve their children.
______________________________________
This talk that was happening right now, they had had it coming for a while.
When Darla and Eugene woke up from a nightmare every few nights it was pretty much inevitable. Billy even had nightmares about the battle, as did Freddy. The only difference was that they didn't get Rosa and Victor involved in them. Eugene and Darla did because they were small and needed an adult to comfort them which was understandable. It wasn't just them either though.
Mary would often sneak off during the night to patrol and when she got back the two older adults would be waiting and she would quickly make up the same lame excuse that she had went to a party which usually resulted in a lecture. Pedro would tell them inconsistent lies about where they all had gone if they went out. Freddy would just laugh nervously if they confronted him with anything related to it. Billy was a pretty good liar but they had this coming. It wasn't exactly supposed to happen like this but their parents were far from stupid and would've figure it out eventually.
Now all of his siblings looked to Billy for reassurance, even Pedro and Mary. It made him a little more stressed out than before knowing he would have to lead them in this but he didn't mind all that much. It meant they trusted him and that made him happier than anyone could ever know.
He looked up to their foster parents and watched Rosa pace back and forth throughout the room while Victor stood with his arms crossed in front of them.
"Were you planning on telling us anytime soon? Were you even going to tell us at all?!" Victor asked with a seemingly disappointed expression on his face. Billy wasn't effected by the disappointment and looked him in the eyes. He was used to it by now.
"We were going to tell, at some point. I just didn't think it was the right yet." He opted on saying. Victor didn't look amused with his answer and Rosa just glanced at him.
"Yeah," Freddy started, chuckling nervously a bit at the weight of Victor's glare.
"I mean it'd be a pretty weird conversation to bring up. 'Oh hey mom, dad, by the way were superheroes who've been kicking butt and fighting crime for the last 5 months.'" He tried to hold a smile under the two piercing glares of Rosa and Victor but found he couldn't and instead looked to the window. Billy was greatful Freddy had taken the attention off him but now he was still at loss for what to say next. He hadn't exactly thought this through yet. Darla fortunately, also decided buy him some time.
"Are you mad at us?" She asked innocently, but on the verge of tears. Mary brought her arm around the girl's shoulders comfortingly. It was very rare for Rosa and Victor to ever actually get disappointed with them but for that reason it always made it so much worse.
"No querido, we aren't mad. We are just shocked and wish you had told us this sooner." Rosa reassured in a calming voice, which allowed all of the Vasquez children to relax somewhat.
"I wanted to tell you guys! I swear I did, but Billy said no!" Eugene burst out suddenly. Billy felt a little betrayed by that statement but he knew it was true and there was no point in denying it. Pedro had his back though and gently nudged Eugene in his side with his elbow. Eugene only looked at him for a split second before realizing what he'd done.
"I mean it's not Billy's fault, he was trying to keep us all safe and I could have told you guys anyway." He corrected. Victor did seem a little amused now by their ability to stick up for each other but overall he still wasn't very happy.
"Were sorry. We should've told you guys sooner, and that's on All of us not just Billy, but we had good intentions by it." Mary told them glancing around to each of the others who nodded in agreement. Victor sighed and uncrossed his arms.
"Rosa and I need a few minutes to think things through, we'll be in the kitchen." Victor told them before striding out of the room. Rosa nodded and gave them another glance before following Victor. They both halted in the kitchen, allowing Victor to lean against the counter.
"Rosa what are we supposed to do?" He asked, running a hand across his face. It wasn't hard to see how stressed out they were at this moment, of course none of the kids were here in this moment.
"I'm...not sure. I mean I don't exactly like the idea of them going out every night and putting themselves in these dangerous situations, but you know if we try to stop them they'll just do it anyway."
"You're right, but we also can't just let them run wild throughout the city. We aren't able to protect them when they're out there."
"I know, I know..." Rosa bit her lip, thinking about what they could do.
______________________________________
Billy sat in the long silence anxiously. The guilt was slowly starting to eat at him. They were going to kick him out, and not just him Freddy, Darla, Pedro, Mary, and Eugene too. He wouldn't have minded as much if it was only him, sure he would've been heartbroken, they were the only people who he had actually taken the time to get to know and enjoyed being around. He felt at home here, but he was disposable and if they couldn't handle him or they didn't want him that was their choice no matter what he said or did, but the fact that they were going to get rid of his siblings....and because of him. That tore him apart inside, he didn't want his siblings to suffer because of him. They had been fine before he showed up but of course he came and screwed up everything for them. They probably hated him now.
Freddy was different, sure he was anxiously waiting for Rosa and Victor to return too but he didn't carry as much weight on his shoulders as Billy did. He knew it wasn't just Billy's fault, it was all of theirs. Plus he also knew Rosa and Victor would never turn them away no matter what they did. This would be no different. Sure they were probably confused on what to do right now as most parents who found out their kids were superheroes were, but he knew it'd be fine. Eventually they'd learn to accept it and it would become apart of their life.
Darla being the sweet innocent girl she was, was already thinking of ways she could make it up to Rosa and Victor. Rosa had said they weren't mad but that didn't mean they weren't sad that their own kids hadn't trusted them enough to tell them. The truth was they did trust Rosa and Victor more than anyone else, but they had thought they would be protecting them by not telling them. On top of that, they knew with how much their foster parents cared for them they'd only be concerned about their safety and they'd most likely not let them out again. These were things Darla had definitely not thought of on her own but she'd understood then when they'd explained it to her, 'Safety first'. Although now she just wanted to see Rosa and Victor happy and not at a loss for what to do.
Eugene hated confrontation, it came from no one wanting him around and ignoring him constantly. Of course when Victor and Rosa had come along they had changed that. They showed him what it was like to be accepted and wanted around and he enjoyed it, he enjoyed the way they actually listened to him when he started rambling about the newest games the same way Freddy rambled on about superheroes. Even though he had a curfew on how long he could play the video games and had to be outside for at least an hour everyday he enjoyed living with them. So when Victor had given them the look that told them he was disappointed in them, Eugene had jumped at the chance to get him out of it. He didn't even realize he had sold Billy out until Pedro had elbowed him. It was true, he had told Billy numerous times that it would be better if they told their parents and Billy had said no and gave him valid excuses for each time but they were in this together. So obviously right now he was feeling Pretty guilty for not telling Rosa and Victor in the first place and for also blaming Billy.
Mary being the oldest out of the children, knew it was more logical not to side with anyone and to think about what both sides of the story were. She knew keeping an open mind about the situation would help resolve it quicker, though this one was a pretty big deal. Most parents don't have superheroes for kids, and find out six months later only because they had accidently transformed in front of them. It just wasn't normal and she could only imagine what was going through their parents minds but she also was more acquainted with their reasoning for Not telling them in the first place. She knew whatever the outcome was it couldn't be too bad, they had reasonings for doing what they did.
Pedro didn't mind all that much that they had been caught, he cared of course but he figured it might be for the better that Rosa and Victor knew. Although he had never argued with Billy when he had said not to tell them. It was a good idea, keeping them safe and from worrying but since they had found out by accident he didn't see how it was a big problem. He loved his foster family and if anything this would only bring them closer together in time. He was the silent observant type though and right now he knew it was tearing them apart individually from the inside. He could see how Billy was internally panicking, and how Darla and Eugene were both feeling guilty most likely for different reasons. Freddy was just anxious to see what the outcome was and Mary was trying to be the reasonable one in the situation and see both sides. It was funny to Pedro really, mostly because he had expected all of their reactions knowing them for a reasonable amount of time now. That said, he knew Rosa and Victor would work it out and none of them would be in any real trouble.
______________________________________
Rosa and Victor reentered the living shortly, both coming back with serious looks on their face. Though their stances let everyone know they were still shocked and unprepared. Everyone else prepared themselves for any punishment that could come.
"Okay, so obviously this is a big deal." Victor started with.
"And we're guessing there's most likely no way you can just quit. Even if we tell you to." Rosa added. All of them nodded.
"So... We decided, If you guys are to continue this then you need keep us updated on everything. And we mean Everything, I wanna know when you're leaving, what happened while you're out, and when you'll be back."
"Also I think it'd be a little more helpful to us if you guys could give us some insight how you got these powers in the first place."
"Oh, it's Billy's fault.... I worded that wrong..." Freddy corrected himself.
"Okay apparently tonight is blame Billy night, but that's definitely not what I meant by it. Billy got the powers first by some crazy old wizard dude!"
"WHAT!?"
"Okay no, that's not what happened. I mean yes but no. I was on the subway and all I remember was it going super fast and then I ended up in some place called the Rock of Eternity-"
"Which is our super cool lair." Freddy added.
"Anyway, there was this guy there and he said he was a wizard and started telling me his whole life story and then made me hold his staff and say the magic word and yeah. Then I told Freddy, because I figured he'd be the one to know what to do."
"Yeah and then we found out he has all kinds of awesome powers!"
"But then a supervillian showed up and everyone else found out and the only way to stop him was by giving them powers so I did and basically we've been a team ever since." Billy finished with.
"Um what kind powers do you guys have?" Victor asked uncertaintly.
"Oh! Darla has superspeed, Pedro has superstrength, Eugene has electricity generation and manipulation, Mary has enhanced intellect, I got flight, and Billy has all of our powers but all of us are bulletproof and fireproof!" Freddy said in all of one breath.
"So... Your like superman?"
"Yeah exactly! Except he has laser eyes, and he's an alien, and he has a lot more experience, and he's an adult wait... What if he isn't? Anyway close enough."
"Okay Freddy calm down, I think we should probably give them a few seconds to process all of this."
"Right. sorry."
Rosa smiled at how excited Freddy was. Billy coming to live with them was one of the best decisions they had ever made because ever since he'd been around she'd noticed everyone had seemed a whole lot happier. Now she knew why. He had given then each something to focus on and be happy about, even if it was a little dangerous.
"Your not going to get rid of us right?" Billy asked quietly. Though everyone in the room turned to look at him.
"What? No of course not Billy. I promise you, nothing will make us ever even consider that." Rosa responded immediately noticing how much more relaxed he looked by her answer, though there was still tension.
"Like I told Darla were not mad, and even if we were we would never think to do that to any of you. We love you all too much for that." Victor nodded to Rosa's words and they all smiled. It was silent for a few moments after that until Freddy ruined it.
"So... Were off the hook?" He asked, completely ready to head on up to his room.
"Oh no, definitely not. Your all grounded."
"Saw that one coming." Eugene commented, sighing.