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Chapter Text

Barry will never get tired of this. The speed hero chuckled as he watched Captain Marvel, the big red cheese himself stare right past Batman's head the entirety of the meeting. He seemed to be stuck in his own lalaland, grinning like an idiot at air with his chin propped up on one of his hand. He looked like a poster child where one of those qoutes that says 'dream big' on big bold letters slapped right across the picture.

Of course Barry wasn't paying attention at the meeting as well—you will never make him. He hated attending league meetings with the Bats talking nonstop for hours with his deep monotonous voice, I mean come on! If he wasn't The Batman he would've dropped out cold before he could even finish the words 'let's start the meeting' but as of late, since the Captain had joined the team, he and not surprisingly, Hal—yeah, they're both teenagers stuck in middle age bodies— had begun to actually enjoy the meeting. They found themselves looking forward to each coming meeting just to see what the strange Captain would do next. You can't blame them. No siree! The Captain was an enigma. Often telling them stories about the weird enemies he fought—he once told them he fought a giant chicken that has a very loud 'cock-a-doodle-do' that pales Canary's scream in comparison. I mean, what the fuck right? But the guy seemed honest about it so they just shrugged at the story. 

There was even one time where he and Greenlantern raced (he won of course) towards Captain Marvel after a meeting just to ask him what he was thinking about during one and the good captain just grinned at them, giving them that megawatt smile and told them that he was somewhere in ancient greece. Both of them laughed at that but after many times Batman had yelled at the Captain for not paying attention they started to believe that he wasn't kidding.

And here he was again, eyes unfocused. Barry wondered if his head is already back in ancient greece. The Bat kept talking but his eyes were already on the red cladded hero, already warning him to pay attention but then suddenly, the Captain giggled—he giggled like a freaking child—causing everyone in the room to stare at him with raised brows. Batman cleared his throat and he and Hal both had grins on their faces. It was happening again!

"Captain," Batman called.

"..." 

"Captain Marvel," Batman called again, with a scowl this time.

"Oh! Oh- uh, yes?" Cap finally blinked out of his trance and smiled at the definitely angry man of bats. 

Hal and Barry held their laughs in, elbowing each other behind their chairs. 

The eyes on Batman's cowl squinted. "Are you listening?" he asked slow, mincing each words, making him sound deadly.

"Oh!" Captain Marvel perked up on his chair and laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry, I'm not—but, I totally got it though!" He nodded at the Bat as if prompting him to carry along.

By around this time, Barry and Hal we're already pinching each others legs in order to stop themselves but their shaking was already apparent and Wonder woman who was next to them was rolling her eyes. 

"Dude stop!" 

"No, you stop, asshole!" The two whispered amongst themselves as they twist each others flesh.

Bat let out his signature, scrutinizing 'hmm' at Captain Marvel and they should have known that the Bat would do the opposite of what the Captain had suggested. He refused to carry on with the meeting and prompted on asking the good Captain again.

"Can you repeat what we just talked about?" Batman asked, challenging.

"Of course! Would you like a summary or the whole exact words you said?" The red hero asked cheerfully, tilting his head.

Batman opened his mouth to answer but Cap beat him to it.

"You know what? I'll just repeat everything you said," and that's the start of yet another discussion, completely duplicated from what Batman had said earlier. Word for word. Barry didn't know exactly if every word was what the Bats had said but judging from everyone's gobsmacked faces it's safe to say that he got it down to the very last detail.

"... And that's when you asked me," the Captain ended and that made the Batman's eye twitch and he let out a 'hmm' that sounded like a defeat--

Barry and Hal couldn't take it anymore and finally burst out laughing. Bats could never caught the Captain off guard. Yes, his thoughts were floating and his brain was never with them in the meeting room but he never, ever failed to get everything down right whenever he was asked. That's Solomon's wisdom for 'ya! That's what he always said and Barry almost dropped on the floor when the Captain said the exact same thing at real time. 

"I told you, he's gonna do it again!" Barry elbowed Hal.

"Shut up dude! Shut UP!" Hal had his head slumped down on his desk, laughing himself away to insanity like he had been pumped with laughing gas. 

They were thrown out of the meeting room after that with most of the league telling them to calm down. They were still laughing when they made it out and were just instructed to just ask someone what they talked about right after. 

The laughing duo leaned their backs on the wall and slid down shaking and when they finally "calmed down" Barry looked up at Hal and asked, a devious smile on his face. 

"So who do we ask for details after the meeting?" 

Hal wiped a tear from his eyes and said, "Captain Marvel."

The speedster agreed. "Definitely, Captain Marvel."

Catain Marvel was fun and childish and after that meeting Hal and Barry were already looking forward for the next but that's when everything started to change. 

Just a day after that, a big flash of light was monitored from Fawcett city. In fact, it was so big that you don't need to look at the monitors up in the watchtower— the burst of golden light could be seen from the globe just ouside the ceiling to floor windows of the watchtower. It was massive, as if the sun had touched down on that part of Earth that day. The rays were blinding and it made their jaw hang low as they watched from the window they were currently passing by. 

Everyone didn't know what to feel about that. They didn't know whether to be scared or bewildered. They were scared of course. They were scared for their teammate Captain Marvel who was alone down there who's probably taking all of that. That's what probably prompted all of them to rush to the Captain's aid. The light show wasn't even dying down yet but there were already on their feet. 

"It wasn't an explosion," Batman said as he marched up to all of them taking the lead into the zeta tube. 

Barry lifted a brow. "So it's just a flash of light? A really really bright one?"

"Yes," the dark knight entered the zeta tube and faced all of them, "but we will never be sure until we see what's happening down there for ourselves." The man's white eyes squinted and he disappeared. Everyone followed soon after. 

When they arrived at Fawcett, the whole city was in shambles, parts of building strewn everywhere, roads were cracked and dark smokes were reaching the sky. The light was no more and there, stood at the middle of a huge crater was Captain Marvel, wide-eyed, bruised and looking everywhere, except at them.

"Captain..." Batman called and it caught them off guard when Captain Marvel looked up at them with a blank, stone faced stare. He should be smiling right about now but he wasn't. He was giving them a dirty look like they were bothering him. He looked liked he didn't want to deal with them right now and that alone radiated something heavy from the usually preppy hero. 

Barry saw some of the leaguers took a step back and he almost did. But he reasoned with himself and convinced his brain that maybe something really really bad had happened that was enough to turn their happy collegue into, well... this. 

"Captain, what happened?" It was Barry's turn to ask, walking slowly to the epicenter of the crater as to not startle the already on edge hero. 

Cap let out a sigh and broke the disturbing stare he had been giving everyone. He furrowed his brows instead, looking stressed.

"We saw the light from the watchtower. The satellites didn't detect it as an explosion so we rushed here as soon as possible."

Captain Marvel's eyes widened and he blinked. "Watchtower? Satellites?"

Everyone raised a brow at the Captain at that and that seemed to knock the sense into the said hero.

He cleared his throat and avoided their eyes. "Oh, Uh- of course the satellites." He smiled but it ended up looking like a grimace. The display made Barry do the same (he was not proud of it. He was trying to smile back goddamit!).

"Look," Cap tapped his shoulder but quickly pulled his hand away. "All I can say is that something terrible had happened."

"Terrible, what?"

"What I mean is, not terrible in a way that it affects the people of Fawcett city, it's a kind of terrible that only affects me." He said all that with a strained smile.

"What?!" Barry asked.

"What?" And Captain asked back to seemingly no one. 

"Dude! I'm the one asking!" Barry made wild gestures with his hands it was only then that Cap looked back at him again, pulling himself from staring into nothing but air.

Barry put both hands on his waist and was ready to scold the Captain. Okay, the big red cheese daydreaming was endearing but now's not the time for that. This is getting out of hand.  

Barry was about to open his mouth when Captain started talking. 

Ugh. So this is what it feels like. 

"Look," Cap raised a hand at him. "I cannot tell you everything right now but all I can say is Black Adam came and fought with me. The light you saw was from a lightning he had that struck me." The Captain seemed to wince at that. 

"Now," He pushed a gigantic debris to the side and underneath it revealed a large thunderbolt, sparking and letting out the most golden glow Barry had ever seen, "if you'd excuse me. I have to return this lightning bolt to the rock of eternity." And after that the good Captain flew in the speed of light. Not even adding any further explanation. 

"Return what, to the what now?" Barry asked no one.

"I thought lightning comes from the sky, not from rocks?" Hal slid into his view. 

Barry slid an arm on his green friend's shoulder and pat him sympathetically. 

"Magic, my friend. Magic," Barry added and the whole gang started cleaning up after that. Little did they know that just a few blocks away from them, hidden inside a building that was miraculously still standing was Billy Batson, his blue eyes peeking from the cracks on the wall, watching everything unfold before him.

Chapter Text

3 Hours Ealier

Billy was sound asleep, curled up in several layers of thin fabric that was acting as his blanket with Tawky Tawny in his arms when something bright flashed outside the window of his rickety apartment. It was so bright in fact that he could make out its golden rays even when he had his eyelods closed. 

It's not morning already, is it? He rubbed at his eyes, stretching.

Aw, man. He hadn't been sleeping lately and if he managed to sleep it feels like he slept for only a minute. Well, that was understandable because he slept for only 3 hours a night, his mind too hyper to let go of consciousness and was still worried about the dangers of the world still lurking in the corners, one that he could stop if he only slept the minimun amount each night. But it's strange, he could've sworn he made an exception today. He knew he slept around 10:30 which was really early compare to his usual sleeping schedules—he sleeps at 3:30 in the morning but nah, who's counting? He should have atleast 7 hours of sleep before the sun rises. Is sleep depravation already getting to him?

He spread his limbs on his uneven mattress, letting out cranky noises when a resounding BOOM shook the whole city.

That made him stood right up. Yup, still not morning.

He said to himself when it was still dark outside and the cold still seeped into his bones. He shivered for a moment then raised a brow at his boarded up window. 

"What could tha be?" his small voice was loud against the silence of his empty apartment and the gods seemed to heard his question because another boom came along with an explosion of a golden light just outside. 

Come to think of it, if you really listened to the ear shattering soumd you'd start to think of a thunderbolt. Only that it was stronger... and nearer. 

Billy gasped and bolted right out the door. He ran down a fight of stairs and when he made it out, he saw something in the dark canvas of the sky. It was a yellow light in the shape of a lightning bolt. He would've thought that it was just floating there along the stars if it wasn't for it's golden glow illuminating a hand holding it.  

His eyes widened when he traced his eyes up the hand and onto the very person it belonged to. 

Black Adam.

Billy scowled at the man. He should've known that if there's any day his nemesis would attack his town it will be on the day where he tried to fix his sleeping schedule. 

"Captain Marvel!" he yelled, his voice booming. "Come out and fight me!" He raised his hand before pointing down with the bolt. At the exact moment a large lightning, larger than anything he had ever seen had struck the very land Adam had pointed to. 

That made Billy's hear race. That lightning was not normal. He had been struck with too much lightning to be sure of that. He had to know what that was in the Adam's hand. He already has an idea but he had to be sure. For now, he needed to face him. 

Billy ran behind a group of trees.

He looked around first and when he was sure that no one was there, he shouted the words: "SHAZAM!" a familiar lightning struck him and he felt power surging through him. What came from the smoke after was Captain Marvel, eyes steel on the man in the sky. He flew to face the man.

"Black Adam!" 

The said man turned with a wicked grin already plastered on his face. 

"Finally, you're here Captain. And I'm sorry to say this but today will be the day where I'd finally vanquish you."

Billy furrowed his brows at him. "And why is that?" Billy asked, confused. Adam had told him the same words for many times now but he always fails. He wondered what's different today. Is it the lightning bolt? If so, then why? How? He's a lightning themed hero, surely lightning would be the less than ideal element to beat him.

Adam smiled darkly, his fangs showing. "Here. Allow me to demonstrate!" he said and went on to attack him, slicing the lightning bolt down at him. 

Billy was fast to dodge the assault but Adam came after him again and again. Way too desperate to slice him with that thing. 

Billy Tried to zap him, summoning powerful electicity in his hands and throwing it at Adam but Adam just stood his ground and blocked his lightning with the bolt.

There were sparks of lightning but it immediately died down, the light from its impact got absorbed by the bolt like it was just some golden soup getting slurped away.

Billy grimaced at that.

Okay, so lightning won't work right now. 

Adam made another slice and Billy dodged to the left and punched Black Adam right at his sides.

The man let out a scream of pain as he flew back a few meters away from him.

"That lightning bolt. Is that Zeus's lightning bolt?" Billy asked. "And if it is, how did you get it?"

"Yes, this lightning bolt indeed belongs Zeus and as for the second question, I want you to take a wild guess," his nemesis answered in a sinister voice before lunging at him again. 

He made a move to punch him but when Billy blocked with his forearms, he saw a sliver of gold and retreated back with the speed of mercury. 

When he made it into a safe distance, it turned out his hunch was true, the punch was a fake out and Adam wanted to hit him with the bolt. Why is he trying so hard with that bolt?

He flew back and crashed his whole body at Adam's side making the man crash down into the Earth. 

Adam yelled in frustration and attacked again. They fought for what seemed like hours, exchanging punches after punches and throwing each other at the very moment they could grasp their opponent. Billy tried to steer him away from the city but Adam had purposefully threw him back in the center, even throwing him down and using him as a bat to knock down buildings just to rub the fact in that he wouldn't be going anywhere which made things even more difficult. If the Marvel wanted to minimize as much damage to the city, Adam was there to do more damage than he could ever dream of. Through the entirety of the fight half of Billy's mind drifted somewhere inside him where he could consult the wisdom of solomon.

The task had been proving more difficult now that he was trying to keep up on a fight in the physical world.

"What is Black Adam trying to do with that bolt?" he made his question echo inside him to reach Solomon but no answer came, instead, other lores and details about the bolt flooded into his mind.

There were two bolts. One at the Olympus, right at Zeus's side and one at- 

Billy's eyes widened, shotting up to his opponent.

"Did you get that from the Rock?!" he asked.

"Correct," Adam simply answered and kicked him in the stomach making him roll down the streets below. 

Marvel was quick to get up from the crevices he made from the asphalt and flew up again. The sun is laready shining in the horizon. Where was the league when you needed them? He knew they trust him to handle his own city but it had already been hours! They overestimate his skills of putting down Adam too much. It might sound like a compliment now but it's starting to bite him in the butt. 

"How did you get in the Rock of Eternity?! You were banished!" he yelled back, already starting to panic. The rock is where the enemies of men was sealed not only that but dimensions and worlds were just a door away when you're in there. There were a lot of treasures, curses and strange beings that werean't suppose to be let out into the world. If Adam could access the Rock then...

The man smirked at the creeping doom that was slowly appearing on Billy's face. "I have my ways. And as for the bolt's purpose, you'll soon find out."

Adam threw the bolt at him and he dodged sideways, causing the glowing thing to get stuck on the building behind him, its sharp point burrowing itself deep on the vertical concrete. 

Billy looked back at it for a split second which proved to be a bad idea. Adam was on him on just a blink of an eye before he could even react, Adam clasped a strong hand on his face and sent electricity through it, especially his eyes. He screamed in pain and strong muscles pushed him back with so much force that everything that happened next felt like a blip. 

There was a strong whoosh of air and a boom when his back met the building that's right behind him and all of a sudden, just as the impact of the building travel through him, he felt something sharp pierced his back. 

It was hot and the searing pain came after. Captain Marvel screamed and screamed in agony as Adam refused to let him go, pushing further until the end of that sharp thing made it through his chest where his heart should be and that's when he felt it pierced something. Something inside him. Something more important than a heart. Something important.

The pain grew ten fold and he fought against Adam's hold, kicking and punching, scratching at his enemies wrist—anything to get him off. 

It was the bolt. Captain Marvel thought as a warm light spread through him and burst out of his body, illuminating everything, outshining even the sun. 

It's doing something to me. 

What is happening to me?

...us?

What is happening

to 

us?

???

Us?

He never thought of him as us.

He was one person but still he couldn't help but to talk about someone other than him.

What is happening to me-

us?

Me-

Us

?

?

?

US!

The bolt made it through his flesh and out of his chest. He screamed in pain but then his voice split into two and they were screaming in unison. 

The golden light turned pure white as it peaked, turning the world monochrome for a second and when it dispersed, he felt Adam let go of his hold and backed away, causing Capatin Marvel to wilt like a flower pinned on a wall. 

He didn't know what Adam saw but he was sure he felt something slipped out of him. A weight that was lifted from inside of him. A weight that was never really a burden but an anchor. A weight that was never meant to leave him and that weight shifted from his side and slid down his body. Marvel grabbed at it instinctively and when he had managed to grab a small hand, his eyes widened in shock. 

How could this be?

There, just a few inches below him with only his hand preventing him from falling a 10 storey building was a child. He was looking up at him and Marvel was looking down. Blue irises met another younger, vulnerable pair of blue eyes. It was the very first time Captain Marvel and Billy Batson had met face to face.

Chapter Text

"No no no!" Adam yelled and that snapped Marvel  out of his thoughts.

"You're supposed to die!" he added but Marvel stared at him dangerously and growled. "And where did that child come from? There's no way you could've pulled him out of nowhere, unless—" Black Adam's eyes grew bigger and he started laughing all of a sudden. "All this time, I was fighting a child?!" He directed his question to no one.

"And you would have killed that child!" Marvel yelled back at Adam. 

"I do not care! Getting that boy killed with or without me knowing doesn't concern me at the moment. I might regret it later, but who knows?But now," his dark eyes became sharp as daggers as he stared at Marvel once more, the action making him raise Billy up and tuck him safely in his arms, "now he is separated from you, is he not? Let's just leave the boy out of this and let me kill you!" Black Adam flew towards them, his eyes filled with murderous intent and mouth curved up on a manic grin. Marvel ignored the burning pain on the left side of his chest and pulled himself off of it in a speed that was impossible for the eyes to follow. 

It was painful when he broke free but he paid it no mind and tackled Adam into the ground, causing a crater to form beneath them. 

Adam fell on the dirt, his eyes screwed shut. Captain Marvel stood, not bothering on punching him down in favor of the child he had in his arms, instead, he stomped his boot down on the man's chest, causing him to gasp with all the weight and strength Marvel had put on it. 

"What. Did. You. Do?" Marvel asked dangerously, peering down at his nemesis.

"Believe me, I didn't know this would happen either. I expect it to kill you, not separate you from your host!" Adam tried to pry his foot off of him but failed making Marvel step on him harder, his eyes getting sharper by the minute. 

"Is the wisdom of Solomon failing you already?"  Marvel asked, curiously, tilting his head in question. 

Adam screamed in frustration at him. Perhaps, his wording came out wrong. It wasn't meant to belittle him. He just simply wanted to know. 

A tap on his shoulder caught his attention and he peered down at the blue eyes that was identical to him. 

"I Don't think the Wisdom of Solomon knew this either," Billy answered and they ended up staring at each other, not sure what to say next. The child was blinking at him but he wasn't. Oh, that's right. He was supposed to blink. He remember all of a sudden so he blinked back. That made Billy chuckle at him.

The simple act of blinking seemed to make Billy happy and so it made him happy too. He smiled on his own at the very first time and stared down at Adam once again. 

He was about to open his mouth to ask once more when Adam broke free all of a sudden and went after the lightning bolt. 

Marvel scowled at him and sent a lightning on his way. The man dodged it but it consequently made him crash into the side of the building. 

He looked down at Billy and his expression softened. "Stay here for a moment. I'll be right back," he said. Billy nodded at him and he went after Black Adam. After a little race and crashing down, Adam had made it to the bolt first but Marvel was fast to swat it out of his hand causing  for it to get thrown into a mountain of debri somewhere at the center of the crater where he left Billy. 

"No!" he whispered to himself and he flew down in order to check on him, thankfully, he was alright and thank the gods that Adam took that opportunity to leave and not bother them anymore. 

"Thank gods you're alright!" he said, quickly kneeling down and checking him over. 

"I'm okay," The boy smiled at him but his expression was quick to turn worried. "But you're hurt." He stood on the tip of toes and tapped a gentle hand on the wound on the side of his chest. 

"I'm alright. It will soon get healed." Marvel smiled back. He could never get enough of smiling. It was a strange sensation but it was not bad. It seemed to put Billy on ease. 

He should smile as much as he can.

The boy looked at him, seemingly not convinced but he let it slide, choosing to move onto the next topic at hand. "This is a mess." He spread his arms everywhere. "And we are a mess right now."

"I agree." Marvel nodded.

"Oh and uhm-" 

"What is it?" Marvel raised a brow at him when he looked away and started scratching the back of his neck. 

"The Justice League is probably on their way here  so, that's a problem."

Marvel's smile dropped. He dreaded dealing with the Justice League.

Billy had the foresight to pull him inside a relatively intact building before they arrived and gave him an impromptu script to follow. 

There's not much to say. He didn't receive any instruction other than 'try to leave out that a literal ten year old slipped out of you when you got stabbed by that fancy lightning bolt'. And as for physical action all he have to do was to stand inside the crater and act as if he was looking for something and then act surprise when he "found" the lightning bolt underneath the rubble.

And so, there he was, feeling the presence of his (or Billy's?) co workers got nearer as he positioned himself back at center of the crater. 

He never tried acting. In fact he never had a life for himself to try anything and that one reason is why he was sure he would... mess up (that's what they call that right?) his entire script of the act.

He let out a breath. Looking tired even though he never gets tired. He didn't want to do this and he could feel himself wanting to slouch and just sit on the dust but he couldn't, he had to deal with this. 

And so, as soon as he heard the first footstep, he started acting as if he was searching for something.

"Captain..." That was Batman's voice. It was natural to look at someone when they called you so he turned and stare right up the man. 

Wait. Everyone was giving him strange looks. Was he supposed to bow? Was he supposed to smile? But there was no reason to. They're not Billy. 

The thought made his expression more sour. He didn't want to deal with these people right now. But he had to because Billy needed this. And if it's for Billy, he could try. Yes, he could definitely try. And besides, he could see everyone was starting to grow weary of him and sort of... scared? Judging by the half-step back they were slowly doing. 

He reeled himself in and tried to turn his frustrated expression into something more... tolerable.

Luckily, the flash broke the silence and tried to talk to him. 

This is perfect!

Now that someone talked to him he could move onto the next action planned and that is trying to answer the questions as vague as possible. 

The fast-runner threw some questions on his way but he was caught off guard when the word 'watchtower' and 'satellites' were spoken.

And gods! He must've said that out loud because everyone was raising a brow at him.

Oh, that was right. This was the modern times. Of course satellites and towers on the atmospere of the Earth was common now. He is in a desperate need of adapting right now.

"Oh, Uh- of course the satellites." He tried to save the conversation by repeating the words. He heard from Solomon that it often worked and it was more potent when paired with a smile.

So he did. He moved his lips the way he remembered a smile should be and the flash seemed to mirror it. 

He cringed internally. He didn't looked like that earlier, did he? Why was it easier to smile when he was with Billy and not everybody else?

He couldn't take the tension anymore so he moved on. He was supposed to answer questions but the questions were too slow so he made the answers flow himself. 

He talked and talked and when he heard the runner yelled "Terrible, what?" he knew he had said something wrong.

He tried to correct it by saying that all of the effects were only happening to him. He had to make sure they know no one got hurt but him but that seemed to make everything worse.

Ugh. He almost rolled his eyes.

Humans and their caring. Can't they see he was doing fine?!

"What are you doing?! You're making them worried!" 

All of a sudden a voice in his head spoke to him and he ended up blurting out the word "what?" for everyone to hear. 

"Listen to me, this is Billy"

Billy!

He smiled past Flash' head and drifted away from the conversation. 

His inside felt more lighter and his mood became better just by talking to Billy. 
 
"I am talking to you right now through a telepathy spell. Just carry on as planned and fly out of there."

"Understood." 

"Dude! I'm the one asking!" The flash moved his hand frantically. It seemed like he was starting to get irritated so he had to end this quick.

He went along with their plan.

He acted as if he was looking for something. Done.

He answered some questions. He thought as he finished things up with a simple explanation. Done.

And the finale, he found the lightning bolt. 

He lifted a boulder, grabbed it and flew away. 

Just as planned. He felt happy about his accomplishment that if he wasn't holding an electricuting bolt on his hands, he would've pat himself on the back.

He was flying for about half an hour when he realized that he forgot to act surprised when he found the lightning bolt.

-----

Somewhere on Fawcett, inside a building that was littered by cracks, Billy Batson was face palming himself. 

Chapter Text

Everything wasn't going according to plan. That's what Billy had thought when he moved on from face palming himself to banging his forehead on the wrecked table in front of him. 

"I'm such an idiot," he said, finally resting his head on the wooden platform. 

This wasn't supposed to happened. No one had in this world or even from the ancient times would've known this was possible: him and Marvel, separated. Separated. 

That couldn't be. Billy's breathing started picking up speed. Marvel was him. He was Marvel. Why did—

Billy snapped his eyes shut. He felt like crying. He felt cheated like a child whose toys that were supposed to be theirs alone had been taken. Marvel was the only one he had. Yes, the world may be harsh to him—making him an orphan at an early age, getting thrown into horrible foster homes— but in the midst of it all he had Marvel. He was the one that gives him a reason to get up every morning, he was even the reason he stayed up all nighy. He was the one tgat made him feel needed and impprtant but now that he's separated from him, now that he couldn't use that power anymore, he felt defeated. 

Maybe Black Adam had already won. 

He may not have died but now his life has no meaning.

Solomon wasn't there to guide him anymore. In fact, he thought even if he still have the wise man in his head he probably wouldn't be able to answer his questions either.

Marvel was the living lightning. 

He was magic. He was a gift, a power. Billy didn't know that if they were to be separated that Marvel would be his own person. 

He thought he would just act like Billy when he's in that form but he didn't. He's an entirely new person. 

He seemed to have his memories but he have his own personality. Wait, he didn't really have a real personality, yet. 

It was like he was still recalibrating, getting used to things. 

He didn't know that it would be this hard when the living lightning was given a life of its own. 

Was it alive all this time?

Billy rolled his eyes.

Duh, of course it's alive. It had a collection of memories. But it having a mind of its own never really crossed his mind. 

Was Marvel consciously watching his actions all this time?

Was he judging him?

Do he judge?

Billy dug his fingers in his head and messed up his hair in frustration letting out noises that almost sounded like tantrums. 

If he had a mind of his own all this time then a lot of judgement might've already been passed. 

He knew he was awkward as Marvel. He knew he was cringey but he didn't need to know that his powers were judging him. 

But...

Billy calmed down and looked down at the sleeve of his red hoodie, deep in thought.

Marvel didn't seem like that kind of person.

He was earnest, he was trying (if maybe a little too hard) and he was honest (maybe a little too much).

When Billy had instructed him earlier, Marvel had been eager to listen to him. He looked at him like he was some kind of higher power or something. Marvel was happy that Billy was talking to him, his human half but here he was now, thinking negative thoughts about the magical half.

Maybe Billy had looked at it wrong. Come to think of it, this was the first time, he and Marvel had speak to each other face to face. This was the only time he could talk to his other half and actually get an answer from the said half who had his own opinions and beliefs. 

Yeah, they could work this out but this shouldn't last for too long. This was unnatural and the league would ask for him—Marvel— back at the watchtower. And he knew this could affect the magic balance of the world somehow. He could already feel something in him stirring at the thought of the world magic. 

He had to fix this somehow. 

Ok.

He straightened his back and sat properly, his eyes becoming determined.

First, he had to go to the rock of Eternity. Marvel flying away earlier was just for show, he was actually just floating around somewhere. They needed to go there together and ask the wizard's ghost on how to fix this.

And second, he had to make Marvel stand as him should the league needed him while they were still not back together. 

The first one was easy enough but the second one was what Billy was nervous the most.

Marvel can't act for the life of him. He was good naturedly honest and was way too awkward with his movements around the league(yes, he was calling Marvel awkward which in itself was a bad omen. 'Cause just look at him when he was previously back in that body, he was awkward as heck but he was still better than Marvel!). Marvel was fast at picking up old knowledges but was slow at modern technologies and slang(seriously, he talked as if he was an ancient royalty earlier. Way too eloquent for Billy's liking.) If Marvel suddenly lost his skills in talking like a teenager, Barry and Hal will pick up on it and you don't want those two hot on your tail bombarding you with weird questions. What's worrying of all was Marvel, the Captain Marvel that was once the magic lightning was slow on picking up social cues. He can't read the room for goodness sake and it made Billy want to cry. His image would be broken and that's saying a lot because he didn't have that great of an image as Marvel himself.

This is going to be hard. No, stop it!

Billy shook his head and spoke to Marvel telepathically, calling him back to the building he's in.

They had to start now if they wanted to have more chances in fixing this. 

There was a thud outside and that's when he knew Marvel had just arrived. Billy ran up to him and he only meant to look up at him but Marvel must've minsinterpeted his move and picked him off the ground and hugged him with a huge grin on his face.

Yeah, social cues problems. Billy thought but returned the hug fondly, circling his own arms around Marvel's neck.  

"Hey, ready to go to the rock of eternity?" Billy asked as he broke free of the embrace. 

"Yes," Marvel simply nodded and flew him away. 

They went down to the abandoned subway station and waited for the magical train to arrive. Billy concentrated on its precense as he waited by the sidelines, willing for it to come towards them. When he opened his eyes, the train was already there. There wasn't even a squeak when it stopped or any sound on the train tracks that warned him that it arrived. It was just... there all of a sudden.

Billy smiled to himself. 

Magic.

"Let's go!" Billy said excitedly and took Marvel's hand and ran up to the entrance of the train, pulling the larger man along with him. 

They picked their seats even though there was no one there but them. Billy sat right at the middle of a long row of seat and Marvel, without second thoughts just sat next to him. 

They rode the train in comfortable silence but after a minute, Billy found himself humming a song to himself. He swayed for a bit as he sang and when he dared to glance at Marvel, he could see him smiling contently, a peaceful expression on his face as he kept his eyes closed. 

The sight made Billy smile as well as he continued humming, his voice clear against the empty train and echoing just slightly through the tunnels.

Chapter Text

A few more minutes had passed until the train finally came to a stop.

The squeak (finally the squeak) of the tracks signalled their arrival. Billy and Marvel stood up from their seats and left the train. Billy was pretty excited to be back. The Rock of Eternity had been like a second home to him. The wizard had given him permission to stay when the winter winds had been unbearable and when the CPS was hot on his tail. 

Really it was his safe haven, the only thing missing was for him to put a mat at the entrance that says: home sweet home. 

They stepped out of the train and Billy was about to ran up to it when the sight that had welcomed them made Billy's heart drop to the ground.

The warm light that usual came from the lit torches of the rock had been put out and on its place was a dark and lifeless place that was in a total chaos. Boulders that must have been part of the structure had been strewn everywhere. It was too many and was in different shapes and sizes that you couldn't tell where the entrance anymore, completely sealed off by the wreckage. The remaining standing wall was littered with cracks. There were specks of dust floating in the air and the place smelled like dirt.

"What happened?" Billy asked, looking helpless.

"It must be Black Adam." Marvel stood beside him, his fists tightening and eyes growing dark. "He must have wrecked the Rock when he came to take the lightning bolt."

"This-this can't be." Billy knelt to the nearest rock he could pick up and tried to put together the pieces. "The rock will fix itself, right?" He looked back at Marvel asking for any confirmation, any good news but Marvel looked grim.

"This isn't right." He looked away. "I will say that the rock couldn't fix itself on its own, couldn't put itself together again without the help of someone but it shouldn't be this... dead. It should still have some kind of life in itself. But now, all I feel is cold."

Billy frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked event though he knew it himself. He already knew that the warmth that this place usually gives off was gone, he could already felt the thrum of magic, some kind of heartbeat was getting slower and slower—

Billy's eyes widened and he gasped. "Marvel, help me get in there!" he said, already digging his own way through the debris.

Marvel nodded at him and lifted a single boulder, revealing the entrance. Billy ran towards it and was shocked when more rocks were all he could see just after the opening arch. Marvel got in front of him and pulled the rocks out creating spaces, little by little until they could finally step in. Marvel threw rocks left and right until they made it into the throne room. Fortunately, the room was still intact, untouched by the damaged as if a protective dome was surrounding it.

"Wizard!" Billy yelled when he saw the flickering ghost of the wizard by his throne. He wasn't sitting on it just standing with his back facing the seat. He was still as a statue as he held up his staff with both of his hands.

"Billy!" the wizard took notice and stared right at him.

"What is happening?!" Billy asked.

"Black Adam managed to get in here. I don't know how but he did and he destroyed a lot of tresures, seals and even gifts that came from the gods themselves. He only left one and that was the one of lightning bolts that Zeus had left on my care and even if he did, he stole it and left the the Rock in total ruin." The man's sight travelled around the room and when his eyes landed upon Marvel the look of fear and panic started crawling in on his face.

"How is the living lightning separated from its champion?!" the wizard asked in shock.

"Adam stabbed me with the lighning bolt when I was Captain Marvel and when I opened my eyes, Marvel was there!" Billy answered, starting to feel scared. He looked the wizard right in the eyes but the man avoided his gaze, a realization seemingly forming behind his unfocused eyes. "Please help us fix this this." Billy pleaded.

"No," The wizard's voice was cold that it caught Billy off guard.

"What?" 

"Dear child," the wizard's expression softened but toughened up again in a matter of seconds. "Adam had destroyed a lot of things. Most of those were important pieces that kept the rock alive and thriving with magic. Now that it is gone, I am the only one standing in the middle of it all. I am the only one keeping things intact and judging from my current form, I won't last for long. If I disappeared the balance between magic and reality will crumble until magic will be wiped from existence. Seals would be broken and great disasters will befall many worlds. I will need someome to replace me when I'm gone and now that Marvel is here..." the man looked at Marvel. "With all that magic that was bestowed to him by the gods, all the power accumulated through the years, maybe it would be enough to-"

"No!" Billy yelled. "What are you trying to say? Are you telling me to leave Marvel here and let him stand there, holding all the weight of the world on his shoulders on his own?"

Billy took a step back and whispered when a realization hit him. "You want to keep him here forever?"

Billy didn't know when he had grabbed Marvel's cape but he could feel its smooth texture now against his hand. He held it tighter and tighter, not wanting to let go. 

"Yes, he had to. You have to understand, this is for the greater good," the man added.

"There must be another way. I know you know how to get us back together! Just please tell me how and we'll fix this together."

"And have a child sacrifice himself, trapped here forever?" The wizard shook his head. "I can't have that on my conscience."

"But-"

"Billy, you have to understand, if anyone were to replace me right now, Marvel would be the perfect choice and this is the perfect time to do that now that he's not attached to you."

The words 'not attached to you' had left a painful pang in Billy's heart. It was as if someone just called him out, like someone had finally pointed out the flaw. 

But Billy just couldn't let go of Marvel. They were always together. He was not alone when he was there with him. 

He didn't want him to disappear forever. 

He didn't want to be alone again.

"You- you could still visit him." 

That caught Billy's attention but something in him broke when he saw the wizard's face. That expression he was wearing was the same exact expression the adults at foster care used as a mask whenever they promise him something but ended up not happening. He hated those adults. He distrusts those masks and the wizard was wearing that mask now.

Billy opened his mouth in disbelief, his head shaking left and right slowy as he stared at the wizard he thought he knew. 

"Yes, you could come back here. I promise."

Billy just shook his head at him, tears threatening to ran down his eyes.

"I promise you will love it here."

Lies.

"I promise I won't hurt you again."

Lies.

The wizard's voice echoed in his ears. "I promise you'll see him again."

Lies!

Why would he say that when he knew Billy would get Marvel out of the rock the first chance he get?

Why would he say that he could come back when he knew Marvel was his connection to the rock? Without Marvel the portal that leads to the rock will never open. Without Marvel he simply would not be welcome here anymore.

"Liar! There's always another way and I'll find it!"

"Billy, stop this nonsense-"

"No! I'll never let him go and I'll never give him up, ever!"

Billy took Marvel's hand and ran out of the throne room. He could hear the wizard calling after him but he didn't paid any attention, didn't even looked back. 

They ran to the train and boarded it once again. Billy stared at its window as it started moving, blurring mixture of colors that you wouldn't find inside a dark tunnel. 

Against the passing smudge of pink, orange, yellow and purple; the reflection of Billy's face was looking back at him. He wiped the tears that kept coming and he silently swore to the wizard.

He would fix this himself. He would find another way and he would try his very best to make it in time.

Chapter Text

When Billy said he would make it in time he meant that he would start fixing it right away so that he could make it in time but the universe really loved to get on his way.

Another ping came from his communicator, what was once a request was now a demand that he go up into the watchtower immediately. 

Another ping came and now it was from Batman. The Batman!

Well, what do you know.

Billy sighed. Before he could worry about those things he had to ask a question first.

"How can we fix the Rock?" Billy asked Marvel.

"We have to replace what Adam had destroyed with something powerful in order to restore the balance," Marvel answered.

"Will this be enough?" Billy held out the lightning bolt.

"No." Marvel shook his head. "It may work for some time but not for long."

That's a problem. What could they use to replace the source of magic inside the Rock? First, it had to be powerful to give life to the rock again and second, it must be powerful to last for, like—forever! 

Billy didn't know anything quiet as power as what they needed. Well, there was someone—

Billy looked up and watched Marvel pacing back and forth in front of him, biting his nails. 

But that certain someone is not going anywhere. Billy won't let it. The wizard wanted Marvel. Marvel is powerful so in return, Billy just have to search somewhere else for something or someone as powerful as him. 

"What do I do now?!" Marvel's frantic voice pulled Billy out his thoughts and when he looked back at him, Marvel's pacing had doubled the speed. They were inside a cave right now and his steps had been the loudest thing he had been hearing since they came here. He started doing that when Billy told him that he had to act like Billy. He said that to the man and just like that, he turned into this nervous wreck.

He said he couldn't do it. He said that he has Billy's memories but he couldn't—for the love of all gods— act like Billy and he was freaking out now because everyone in the League will notice it. And apparently, the big red cheese was upset because he had forgotten to act surprised earlier, said he "failed Billy" because he couldn't follow the script. He was so dramatic when he said that that it reminded Billy of telenovelas where the main character says "I failed you, father" on the pouring rain with the most anguished expression and hands on a regretful fists and now he was pouting and sulking so—Yey!

"Hey hey hey." Billy finally stood up and held Marvel down, pinning him in one place (great 'cause he was starting to get dizzy with all his pacing). 

Marvel knelt down to level his height and looked at him, frowning.

"We can do this, okay? You can do this," Billy reassured him. "You just have to talk a little less eloquent-ly and talk more with modern slang. I think that'd be enough to fool Hal and Barry."

"What are these modern slangs you're talking about? I already asked Solomon and he came up with nothing."

"Dude—" Billy put both his hands on each side of Marvel's shoulder's, smacking him like a sandwich, "Solomon's old!" 

"But he's the wisest man I know."

"Then answer me this: does he know the word 'yeet'?" 

Marvel thought for a moment, his brows knitting. After much pondering, he spoke.

"No, he does not." 

"Then, you listen to me and put him down for now."

Marvel just nodded at him.

"Now, come on. I'll give you a refresher course on how to act like me!" Billy said as he pulled Marvel up his feet. He held his hands and as he led him further into the cave, Billy thought of something and looked back at Marvel, a devious grin on his face. "And if everything failed, you could always tell them your brain got stuck in ancient Greece."

Marvel raised a brow at him. "My what now?"

---------

Marvel wasn't too sure about this. Yes, Billy, his human— (no, not his human, that's just making him sound like a dog. He should know, he could talk to dogs. Maybe host would be better?) his host believed in him that he could do this and because of that, he would try his very best. They had practiced for about half an hour, that was the most time they got before the League started marching down to Fawcett City in order to look for him themselves—which was sweet and... thoughtful, if it wasn't for Barry and Hal who always had their noses up in his (their) business. They didn't mean any harm but they were hovering too much. He had to watch out for those two.

Marvel gave one last wave goodbaye to Billy before he activated the zeta tube inside the old photo booth and disappear.

-------

The zeta tube announced someone arriving and Barry's eyes twinkled when he heard it was Captain Marvel. Fucking finally! He and his pal Hal had been standing by the tube for an hour now waiting for the guy. They needed to ask him questions—ahem, "important" questions that everyone seemed to miss and nobody would've thought about it than him and Hal— before the other leaguers swarm the Big red cheese. He wanted to know why he ditched them–yeah, he went to the rock but he never came back and left the cleaning to them, which hurt!—and they needed to know what's up. 

You know? Like why in the hell was he acting so strange earlier? What's with the lightning bolt? And why are you so stressed about it so much?

Speaking of him, the guy just materialized from the tube and Hal and Barry did their usual greetings to the captain which was hugging him fresh right out of the zeta tube. Barry and his green friend already jumped and was on their way on landing a big bear hug on the guy when Marvel let out a startled yelp and swatted them like flies. 

They got slapped out of midair and landed on the floor with an 'oof'. 

"Dude, what is wrong with you?!" Hal was the first to recover.

"Oh my gods! I am so sorry! I didn't intend to do that!" Marvel was already on the floor kneeling beside them.

"That hurt!" Barry said, resetting his jaw.

"So-sorry," Cap looked away, embarrased. "I-it's just that, my brain is stuck in ancient greece," he added and that made both him and Hal laugh.

Barry wiped a tear from his eyes and put a hand on Cap's shoulder. "Don't you hate it when that happens?" he said, laughing. "Oh, man you got me. We'll get you off the hook this time." Barry said and before he could even add anything he was already getting picked up on his feet by the Captain. 

"Do you want me to heal you or–" Cap was raising a brow at them, observing them like specimen when Barry cut him off.

"Dude, you can heal?!"

"Yes, I can. I have magic." 

"Why didn't you do that sooner?! Do you know how many times it could've saved my ass?! The many dates I could've gone on to?!" Hal yelled at Cap.

"Uhm... I apologise?" 

"Dude." Hal breathe.

"Dude..." Barry did the same. There was a beat of silence where Cap was just... blinking at them and when they looked at him weird, he stopped blinking entirely.

"What?" Cap asked. "Did I do something wrong?" he added, now sideways looking away from them.

Hal grimaced at the scene and tapped Cap's shoulder. "N-nothing, man. Calm down."

"Oh ha ha ha." 

OoH. Now, it was Barry's turn to grimace.

That laugh sounded so fake. 

"That's great then..." The big red cheese said then there was silence again. When no one reacted, he stared at both of them Dead. Serious. as if he was saying 'give me a reaction or I'd beat you to dust'. 

"Uhm..." Hal stole a glance him, nervous. "Food?"

"Great idea!" Cap raised his smile back up again, went behind them and started pushing them towards the cafeteria. 

"Ouch," Hal whispered when the pressure of Cap's hand on his shoulder was a little too strong. The man failed to notice it and kept on guiding them.

"Here we are," Cap said in a strained voice—probably because of that too wide fake smile— when he saw the large door of the cafeteria.

He pushed Hal and Barry inside but the man didn't stepped in the room himself. 

"Hey, Cap I thought you're gonna grab food with u—" Barry went after him but Cap cut him off.

"Byeeee," he said through a strained smile and slammed the door on his face. 

"Did he... did he just ditch us?!" Barry asked, sounding hurt.

Hal leaned his ears on the door and gasped. "No he didn't," he said, looking like he just heard the most scandalous gossip in his entire life. 

"What is it?!" Barry was immediately beside him.

"Dude, I just heard Cap called us 'a piece of work'. A piece of work!"

Now it was Barry's turn to gasp. "No, he didn't."

"I know!"

"But we can't really get angry— 'cause it's true, you know" Barry said as a matter of factly.

Hal deflated at what he said. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Before they could even grab a burger and sulk in a corner, their communicators pinged and when they open the messege up, they saw that it was an announcement from the Batman himself. Asking for everyone for a meeting.

Barry and Hal sighed at their comms and went on their way. 

Somehow, Barry had a feeling that this meeting won't be as fun as before. Even with Cap being in it.

Chapter Text

"What a piece of work," Marvel said when he leaned his weight on the door he had just closed right at the flash's face.

He didn't mean to be rude and it's not his fault Barry's face was so near the door when he closed it. 

He sighed when he finally heard himself.

Gods, he sounded like a child.

Why was it hard to deal with humans?

All he wanted was for them to leave him alone. And he knew Billy kept a constant smile on his face but it was hard to keep that on now when every one of them kept on bothering him.

What he wanted to do was just get in the meeting, answer some questions and leave. Is that hard to ask?

Marvel never had this problem when he was with Billy. He handles all the socializing part, while Marvel was really just... there, watching through Billy's eyes without having any thought or say on anything. He never knew he would be thrusted into this kind of situation. The living lightning never had to worry about interacting because he was never meant to be in the physical world. This was never supposed to happen.

To be honest, he felt complete apathy to humanity when he was still formless. It was Billy who made Marvel who he was. He was the kindness, he was the one with the heart. It was the reason why he was the human one between the two of them. But now that he was Marvel on his own, he was scared. He was thankful because Billy had managed to leave a sliver of care and compassion inside of him before they got separated but it was waning and he had to be reminded every single time that it was Billy who he was trying to impersonate, the Marvel with Billy inside of him.

He didn't know what to feel sometimes and sometimes he feels too much. And for some selfish reasons, Billy was the only person who he wanted to show all those human emotions he had managed to scrounged up. He wanted to scoop all those care and love Billy had planted inside him and shower him with it and when someone got in the way of that or even mildly interrupted, he can't help but get irritated.

When Marvel heard someone gasped from the other side of the door, his mind stopped its downward spiral and his eyes widened in surprise.

It was Hal and Barry letting out noises about how he called them pieces of work.

Ugh. They heard that, didn't they?

Marvel leaned his ears again and he could hear whining.

Yes, they definitely heard that and Marvel wanted to punch himself.

This wouldn't happen if Billy was him. He needed Billy's wisdom in socializing right now. Not Solomon's. He was getting tired of this. He needed to get away. 

Marvel quickly stepped away from the door and walked fast in the hallway. Maybe if he made it in the meeting room early, no one would be there yet for a few minutes and he would be alone. But that's where he's wrong. Batman was already there and he kept on staring at him in silence, not even uttering a word. 

"Hello?" Marvel called but he didn't answer so he just moved on and pulled his chair out from underneath the table. The action made a loud squealing noise against the floor and Marvel internally cringed. It sounded like nails getting dragged across a board. If the sound bothered him that much surely it ticked off Batman even more—

He turned his head to stare at him and he was still staring at him with an unreadable expression. Completely unbothered.

Marvel stared at him dumbfoundly but it only succeeded to make Batman squint at him even more.

This is awkward.

They passed the time just exchanging glances at each other, all the hope Marvel had in getting some peace before the start of the meeting already thrown out the window.

‐-----   

The meeting started and just as usual, Barry wasn't concentrating on Bat that was in the middle of the room.

"Hey," Barry pinched Hal's leg discreetly. 

"Dude, ouch!" Hal whisper-yelled at him. "What is it?"

"Don't you think Cap is acting really really... off?" Barry asked, raising a brow. 

"Yeah, since he came to the watchtower." Hal rolled his eyes at him.

Barry hummed in thought as he watched the Captain. What is happening with this guy? 

He was usually awkwardly social but now, he was socially awkward—and a little moody, if that counts. And miraculously for once in a hundred of meetings they've done, he was actually paying attention— paying attention! You could never see him do that before. And this was the very first time Barry saw him steady on his seat and properly sitting—not exchanging which elbows he would put up on the table next, not tapping his feet underneath the table, nothing! His eyes were focused on Batman who's facilitating the meeting and Batman may have noticed this because he was exchanging weird glances with him—especially with him. 

Instead of the usual smile he always had wherever he go, Cap had this serious, 'I'm on a mission' expression on his face. Was he finally growing up? Or was it just Barry the only one who's receeding in mental age? 

"Now, onto the next topic at hand." Batman put more force into his words, garnering their attention. "There had been a recent attack on Fawcett city. We know attacks such as this happens on a regular basis but the attack earlier seemed... different as if Black Adam actually has a purpose instead of just wanting to wreck some things."

Barry smirked.

Leave it to the Bat to be the greatest detective.

"And another matter really concerning was that during the attack, a light had been spotted from Fawcett. Way too massive and strong for it to be just nothing but a mere lightshow." Batman's white eyes squinted as it stared directly at Captain Marvel. "Care to explain, Captain?" 

"Yes." The Captain stood from his chair, a dark look on his eyes as he glared right back at the Dark knight. "Just like what I said before, me and Black Adam fought. And the thing you said about him having a purpose might have just been his over confidence because he got the lightning bolt of Zeus."

"Zeus?" Diana stood up from her seat and looked at the Captain questioningly. 

"Don't worry, Princess," he said with a slight bow of his head and Barry raised a brow at that. Since when did he become so respectful of Diana? Weren't they like —Greek pals?! 

"Black Adam hadn't wrecked havoc on olympus just to get a hold of it. He..." 

His sudden pause made everyone tense on their seats. 

"He got it from somewhere else," he added.

"Where is this 'somewhere else' you're talking about?" Diana asked.

"The rock of Eternity," Cap answered simply. 

"Then, does that mean Black Adam destroyed the Rock of Eternity?" Batman asked, sounding uncertain. It may be because the topic was already leaning on magic and if Barry was being honest, magic wasn't his especialty as well.

"He mostly did," the Captain voiced.

"What do you mean 'mostly'?" Batman raised a brow underneath his cowl.

"Look," Barry saw Captain Marvel's fists tightened, "you don't have to know more than that," the Captain said and Barry almost gasped at his attitude. He shouldn't be doing this! Especially at Batman. Not now that he's picking out more answers for his puzzle. 

"I am the Champion of Magic and The rock is my responsibility, so I'd appreciate it if you'd stop bothering me as I deal with it," Marvel glared at Batman and Batman glared back.

"Well, it sounds to me like you're not fulfilling that role properly."

Everyone audibly gasped at what Batman had said. He just insulted the Captain and it seemed like the man wasn't taking it well.

"Excuse me?" he replied with a sneer that got everyone reeling back in their seats.

"No no no no." Barry was shaking his head at what's unfolding before him.

"I said it before and I'd say it again," Marvel started again his voice getting dangerously low. "You don't have to know more than that."

"Captain Marvel, I need more answers." Batman countered. "You could never know. Maybe this could potentially affect others in the long ru-" 

"I'LL deal with it," Captain Marvel cut him off with so much venom in his voice it made everyone in the room hold their breaths. 

Barry was staring at the scene before him with wide eyes and he could see Hal doing it too. He had never seen the Big red cheese this irritated before. He was even staring Batman down right at this moment. He never thought the guy had an angry bone in his body. But now... 

Sometimes because of the Captain's cheery and childlike attitude Barry forgets that he was one of the League's strongest. But now, now he was just reminded yet again of how ruthless the Captain can be and it didn't even need to happen during a fight against a supervillain. Just watching him now stood all tall and strong and towering was enough to recalibrate his brain. What is happening? Why was he in a sour mood all of a sudden?

After an uncomfortable span of silence Wonder woman was the first to call Captain Marvel out, telling him that they should deal with this as a team, that he doesn't need to shoulder all the burdens but she was immediately turn down by him. Everyone in the room just got put down by Captain Marvel until finally, Batman ended it.

"Captain!" The Batman's shout resounded in the room and that shut everyone up. "I don't know what's happening with you right now but this is not the way to go about it. We just wanted to know what is wrong. You have not been acting like yourself since you fought Black Adam."

Batman must have said something wrong because right after that, Captain Marvel became completely still and Barry even thought he had stopped breathing. His experssion started going through different phases of emotions until it finally settled with panic. His eyes widened and he looked around frantically as if he was surrounded by his enemies.

"... not acting like myself?" He heard Cap muttered under his breath with fear blooming in his eyes. "I-I'm sorry," he said lastly before bolting out of the meeting room. 

Everyone was left stunned at what they had just witnessed and their eyes were left trailing after the Captain, watching as his cape disappeared out of view as the doors closed in on itself.

"What just happened?" Hal voiced the question everyone had in their mind but unfortunately, the only one who could answer that already left the room. 

Chapter Text

Billy was sitting crossed legged on the cracked asphalt ground just outside the photo booth that acts as his own zeta tube as Captain Marvel. This place was really convinient, not only did it hide him well but also no one goes into this particular part of the alleyways. It was way further back in the alley. You're gonna have to climb over a chainlink fence and walk past mountains of crates and dusty boxes in order to get a glipmse of the old booth. He even added a "warning high voltage" sign just outside the fence. You never know, maybe it could add more into the defense of this place—even though it was totally fake. 

He was smiling to himself, putting down the two slices of pie he bought with his stashed money as he waited for Marvel to arrive. 

And what do you know?! Billy perked up from his seat when he heard the silent whirring of the zeta tube transporting someone back. He didn't have to wait for that long after all. 

When Billy saw a familiar red appear inside the booth he picked up the two plates of pie and immediately started talking.

"Hey! How did it go? I have some pies here that I'm sure you'd like–"

Billy's sentence was cut off when Marvel suddenly lunged at him and enclosed him in a hug. 

"I'm sorry. I think I... messed up," he said apologetically, his voice merely a whisper as he knelt with the embrace. 

"Hey," Billy put down the plates he had on his hands and retuned the hug. "What happened?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.  

"I'm sorry. It was all that you had asked me to do but now I may have ruined your reputation even more."

Billy laughed wholeheartedly. "What's this talk about my reputation? You know I don't have the best one!" Billy joked and when he broke free of the hug, the expression on Marvel's face made him pause.

It was the look of total and utter defeat. It was as if he had disappointed his greatest heroes, as if he betrayed someone he cared about—as if... he failed Billy. 

Billy stared up at Marvel.

Marvel looked vulnerable. How can someone bestowed with the gifts of Gods could be this vulnerable?

He's so used of seeing himself as Marvel as being strong and powerful but he never stopped to ask how Marvel was doing now that they got separated. He was doing this all alone. 

He never failed Billy and he shouldn't have to feel that way.

All of sudden, something clicked inside Billy's head.

All the mannerisms. All the questioning stares and weird questions about the smallest things.

Everything felt new to Marvel. He didn't know what to do without someone guiding him. He was learning the smallest of things and was easily scared of disappointing anyone when he failed to follow an instruction. 

Billy held Marvel's face with both his hands. 

He couldn't believe that he was just starting to realize this. 

Marvel was just as much of a child as he is.

He was never at fault. He was...

"You are born today," Billy's words cut through the silence as he pulled Marvel in and touched their foreheads together. "This isn't your fault." 

Marvel didn't say anything and just stared at him, his once worried eyes turned into something more assured and then turned into something more contented.

Billy smiled at that. "That marks today as your birthday, then." Billy giggled and held up the slices of pies. "August 15. Happy Birthday!" Billy smiled once more.

"Birthday?" Marvel asked, confused.

"Uh huh." And Billy just nodded at him. Marvel stared at the pie, then at him, then to the pie again until he finally took it, a smile finally blooming on his face. 

"Thank you," he said. 

"Don't worry about it! It should have been a birthday cake but apple pie is all I've got." Billy stared at the pie as if it could turn into a cake.

His expression made Marvel laugh. He lifted his spoon up and took a bite of the pie and smiled with all his teeth. "I think apple pie is fine." 

They talked about their day after that. Billy told other stories and Marvel accounted his meeting with the league and once in a while they would slip in what they wanted to do in between conversations. 

Laughter echoed in the alleyway as they feast on the simple meal they had. It was nothing but a pie but somehow at that moment, it became the best tasting pie in the world. Billy liked this moment. This moment of stillness while they let the world go round and worry about its own problems. This moment where he could talk to a part of himself he never knew. That's when he made a promised to himself to make Marvel experience new things just as what a completely capable newborn could do. He wanted to show him things and maybe— even though already instilled with Solomon's wisdom— he could learn something new from Billy.

Speaking of experiencing something new, Billy just know what to do. He scraped up enough money again from his already almost empty piggy bank and dragged Captain Marvel to the nearest icecream stand. Billy might've brought him to an ice cream parlor if he had the money but this is all that he has now and it was only enough for small servings of icecream—the kind that you could buy from those passing ice cream vehicles but they have an icecream stand here because it's Fawcett and they had to be weird for some reasons. And that said stand looked more fancier than any icecream parlor he had seen only a lot smaller. 

"Two please!" Billy asked the man tending and was given a more than reasonable amount of scoops of vanilla icecream, not even minding that the literal Captain Marvel was there behind Billy. 

Thank the Gods for Fawcett City. Weird things doesn't even phase the people anymore and that's a good thing seeing that this particular place was always attacked by the strange and unimaginable beings.

"Here ya go!" Billy handed Marvel one of the icecream cones and he just stared at it.

Billy laughed at his confused face. "The very first time a baby taste ice cream is very special, you know," Billy said.

"But I'm not a baby and I already have memory of you eating this particular type of icecream" Marvel said, pouting.

"Of course you're not a baby, you just made it into the 'very first time' category and yeah, you have a memory of "tasting" it but you never really tried it yourself."

"I guess I don't." Marvel smiled at him and tasted his icecream. He took a small lick and when his eyes grew wide in surprise.

Billy elbowed him. "Better than you remember, isn't it?"

Marvel hummed as he took in another mouthful.

"Maybe next time I could take us to an actual icecream parlor and we could share a very very large serving," Billy said, making a gesture with his hands to visualize how big the icecream they could get.

"That sounds good. Maybe I can help save up?" Marvel asked, not really sure what he was talking about.

Billy giggled. "That's silly. There's no way you could find a job while in that costume."

Marvel shrugged "We'll find a way," he said simply, his expression soft.

"Yeah..." Billy let out a breath and stared at the direction Marvel was looking at. "We'll find a way."

The day went on like that. Billy would show something to Marvel and Marvel would just... marvel at the new thing, eyes starry and mouth shaped in an 'o'.

They went to the park and they stared at Captain Marvel's statue. They eyed it with so much intensity that the statue itself might as well leave in too much self conscious because of their incessant, undignified staring.

"What do you think?" Billy raised a brow at it, his fingers rubbing his jaw as if he could find a beard there.

"It's... embarassing." Marvel looked away.

"Dude— I know! But we can't really take it down—Fawcett City gifted it to us!" Billy threw his hands in the air but then, had a thoughtful look when he realized something. "But are we sure you're the one embarassed? Maybe you just feel that way because you once saw it through my eyes, what if..." Billy gasped. He grinned and turned to Marvel with a devious look in his eyes. "What if you really like it and just shy to admit it." 

"No, I don't!" Marvel's face turned red. "It really is embarassing, I mean just look at it," Marvel made exaggerated hands and pointed at it. "There's a version of me standing in the middle of the park, grinning a little too much for my liking!"

Billy burst out laughing at what he said. He couldn't disagree to that, he thought as he hugged his stomach laughing hysterically.

"It really is that funny, huh?" Marvel chuckled at him.

"Hey hey hey," he tapped Marvel's arm and pointed at the statue. "Do that pose! Do that pose!" he asked, sounding winded. He really wasn't expecting him to do it but when Marvel did it out of nowhere, Billy let out a spit rain and doubled over, laughing.

They would go on the streets after that with Marvel randomly posing the same pose the statue had and Billy would roll over laughing. It was a torturous experience as they made their way to the zoo where Marvel was called to take care of a tiger who got out of its cage but it turns out, there was nothing that needed to be taken care of.

The tiger just wanted to be cradled like a baby for a sec before getting brought back in its cell.

The gesture gathered a chorus of "awws" and "oohs" from the audience when Marvel begrudgingly did that. After that, Billy finally hold onto Marvel's cape and pulled him into his favorite diner. 

They have something important to do.

------

The bell on top of the door rang and Betty was about to say her usual greetings when she paused. There, standing by the door was none other than the little deliquent Billy Batson. He had in his hands what seemed to be a white fabric with some parts of it stuck in the door. The other end seemed to be just outside but it refused to show itself.

"Hey Betty," Billy said and pulled on the white fabric. The bell rang again for the second time and who came in next made Betty's jaw drop on the floor. 

The fabric the little twerp was holding actually turned out to be a cape and at the end of it was The Captain Marvel, looking embarassed as he tried to make himself look smaller.

"I hope you're still up for that photo," Billy said and the boy smiled at her sheepishly. 

Betty blinked, her mind restarting again. Oh, is this what is this about? 

"He-hello," the Captain greeted after Billy, making a circling motion with his hand as if he was wiping a window.

He looked stiff as hell but who could blame him? He had a kid holding him hostage.

Betty recovered from her initial shock and smiled, some sort of pride radiating off her.

"Well, what do you know. Billy Batson, finally managed to snag a photo with the Captain himself," she chuckled as she rummaged the cabinet underneath the counter, looking for her camera. 

"Hmp!" Billy crossed his arms. "The guys said I couldn't do it, let's see what they'd say now that I actually got to have a picture with him."

There was a flash all of a sudden and Billy looked at her with a betrayed look in his eyes.

"Betty! we weren't ready!" The kid yelled and Betty snickered.

"Aw, but I really think that pose you two did earlier was great!"

"Do it again, please!"

"Nuh uh. You only get one try. Come back after a few days after I developed it."

"Aw, come on!"

Betty smiled fondly as she watched the boy had a mini tantrum in front of her. She kept her camera close as she did so. It really was the perfect pose, she wasn't kidding about that and maybe some day, the kid would be grateful that she took a photo of that exact moment. 

Chapter Text

Billy said all of those things, all of those plans and promises that he forgot that he and Marvel would be back together after all this. They weren't supposed to be separated. They weren't, but now that they were, he gave Marvel a lot to look forward too, things to experience for himself as himself even though he would soon be absorbed back into Billy. 

Why did he do that? He got carried away by the moment. Now, he felt bad becuase all of those might not become reality. But he can still try right?

Billy felt even more guilty when Marvel looked back at him smiling from his excited rambling about what they did earlier.

Nope! Billy stood up. He'd try his best (it feels like he's been saying that a lot lately, but he swore he would.) He'd just stop thinking about it and enjoy the ride. There are plenty more things he could show Marvel along the way so there's really nothing to worry about.

The sun was already gone and they were camping back inside the cave they came out earlier.There was a small flame in the middle of the cavernous space they're at, covering their surrounding with orange dancing light. The moon had helped out with the lighting too. The place had small peeping holes enough that it could get the light of the moon in, mixing thin rays of blue into their light.

Billy was starting to nod off, sleep already creeping up on him but he couldn't. Not right now. He finished mixing the potions he had been brewing for some time now and downed it in one go. 

The thing was too bitter that it made him let out choking noises, his throat not letting the bitter thing get past its barriers. Thank goodness he managed to swallow it before Marvel gave him a slap on the back.

Just as the potion made it into his system, Billy stood straighter, his senses going clear again and the sleep leaving him. 

"I'm okay," he told Marvel when he looked at him worriedly. The potion worked! Now he won't need to worry dozing off the entirety of the night.

"Alright. I'm heading out," Billy said, putting on his red robe and covering his head with the hood. They said the robe could enhance your control of your magic which was perfect because he kept on exploding stuff from putting too much magic on it. He never really tried it until now so he hope it works or else all the prescious magical stones that he used to traded it for will be all for nothing.

"I guess I should be going too," Marvel said, standing up. "Batman called for me specifically. He said that there's a problem only I would know how to fix. I hope this conversation won't be as hard as earlier." He sighed.

"It's gonna be alright." Billy tapped his arm. "And I'm gonna be down here to try and contact other sorcerers to ask for help. Maybe a few of them might know something."

"Are you going to be alright?" Marvel looked down at him worriedly. "What if they find out our connection to each other?"

"Nah," Billy limped down a hand at him, acting nonchalant. "All they're going to see is a strange child wearing a magic cloak asking about magic questions. They wouldn't be able to trace you back to me."

Marvel looked unsure but nodded nonetheless. "Alright, then. I'll see you later." And at that, Marvel flew away. 

Billy stood there with his hands on his waist for a few minutes before he started getting to work himself.

"Alright. Let's get started, shall we?" He stretched his arms and let his knockles pop. After that, he snapped his fingers and Tawky Tawny in teddy bear form appeared out of thin air.

"I'll be borrowing that for a sec," Billy said as he pulled out a strand of blond hair out of Tawny's shirt pocket. 

He started gathering some candles and put them on a circle. He drew some symbols no one would understand other than him and after that, he took out a knife and drew some blood out of his fingertips, letting it drop in the middle of the circle right where the hair was. 

The whole preparation took him almost 10 minutes but now that it was done, he could start chanting and pour some of his magic into it.

Billy marveled at his handywork first and after a satisfied nod, he closed his eyes and started speaking in ancient forgotten language. The circle started glowing and he smiled when he felt the spell activate.

He opened his eyes and watched as the portal opened up and swallowed him.

First stop: John Constantine.

-----

Batman contacting him personally more than once in a matter of one week felt concerning. First, was understandable because it was for a meeting but now, he wasn't sure. Was he just lying about some problem that he could only fix and just really wanted to corner him and barrate him with questions?

Yes, he admits that he had been a—what do they  them?— a major asshole earlier and he would gladly apologise for that now if that's what Batman wanted. 

He had been in a bad mood earlier and it was his fault for not being able to control it. Batman was just... overwhelming him too much with questions earlier. It's not like he didn't want to answer, it's just that he just couldn't. Billy was trying to find a way out of this in his own way and he respected that. Billy was a strong child and he was perfectly capable of being independent and when Marvel had been given to Billy, they faced their problems together. It was just the two of them, although he never really interferred, he still took pride by being in Billy's life. And Marvel wanted that now as well. Just him and Billy working together to solve a problem. And if him telling the Justice League what had transpired in The rock earlier would only get in the way of that, then he wouldn't do it. He'd hold them back for as long as he can.

Of course, the thought of Billy still being a child never left his mind so he left a small space in the back of his head to reconsider what Batman had said. Batman's offer of help might not have been pleasantly thrown at him but he would keep it in mind for Billy's sake.

Everything he'd do is and always will be for Billy.

He took a breath, feeling the cool air enter his system.

He was actually feeling a lot better now. All those time that he spent with Billy earlier had lifted up his mood and he thinks he was now ready to face them. 

He just hoped they wouldn't question how strange he was acting again.

When Batman told him that he wasn't acting like himself earlier that had been the last straw.

What exactly did "himself" look like to the others?

Well, for one, it was surely wasn't him and two, if they were pertaining to someone then that'd be Marvel with Billy inside him.

But Billy's not here. And honest to gods, he really did try his best earlier to act like Billy. But as soon as Batman had said those words, it was like a slap to the face he couldn't take, so ge left.

It opened his eyes that he wasn't acting as Billy enough.

So, if that's the case, then he'd try again. He just hope everyone would still give him another chance after that little outburst he did back in the meeting room.

Marvel let out a long sigh before he stepped into the zeta tube. 

No, he need to think more positive. Billy was always optimistic and that had reminded him that not everyone was out to get him.

Marvel held that in mind as he stepped in the zeta tube and got transported. 

When the zeta tube announced his arrival, he left the space with his guards up, his eyes scanning the room before stepping out. He can't have those two getting slapped down by him again when they try jump in for a hug.

He looked around with a raised brow and when no one fell on him, his brows relaxed. 

Aww. No hug greetings? 

Now, he just felt disappointed.

He hoped he didn't scare off Hal and Barry too much. He was quiet fond of them and was pretty much cool (yes, he learned some slang) with them hugging him. Maybe just don't do it sneakily especially when he's deep in his thoughts?

Marvel shook his head, clearing his mind of his surprise that the commonly packed room was empty. 

He had to get to Batman now. And he hoped he was telling the truth when he said he was asking for him.

Marvel was instructed to meet the man in the meeting room and when the door hissed open, three sets of eyes stared at him, startled at his arrival.

There, at the middle of the room, just by the big table was Batman, Zatanna and John Constantine talking amongst themselves in hushed voices. They stopped and looked at him with weary eyes when he stepped in. 

"Batman, you called for me?" Marvel nodded at the Dark knight.

"Have you not calmed down yet?" Batman raised a brow at him and Marvel almost gasped at the man.

How rude. It was as if Batman was asking a toddler if he had already calmed down from his tantrums. Yes, Billy told him he was just born but he was not a child. He was never one.

Marvel took in calming breaths and thought about the fun things he and Billy had done for the day and smiled. "No, I think I'm calm now. I'm sorry about my outburst earlier, it just kind of—came out," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Batman hummed at him acknowledgingly and finally stepped aside to fully show the two visitors they were having.

"These two were actually the one who asked for you to come," Batman said and without warning Constantine lunged at him, hand waving by his head like a hysterical mother.

"Magic has gone bonkers, mate!" The blond man pointed at his face like he had made a crime.

Marvel raised his hands in a surrender and showed him a strained smile. "What seems to be the problem?" Marvel asked. 

"The hell?! Aren't ya supposed to be The Champion of Magic?! Isn't the Champion supposed to know if magic had stopped working—"

"Magic had what?!" Marvel repeated, his voice raising in surprise. 

"It's true Captain," Zatanna stepped forward, avoiding his eyes. "All the sorcerers, seers and anyone who practiced magic in the whole world can't seem to use magic, including us." Zatanna pointed at her and Constantine both.

"I could only puff a smoke out my hands at best. A smoke! Even though I clearly ask for a fuckin' light!" Constantine added, panicking probably over something not being able to light his own cigarette with his own fingers.

Marvel rolled his eyes at him. 

"Ya better fix this!" Constantine glared at him again and Marvel glared back.

"And I will. If you'd just give me some time—" Marvels words were cut off when a golden circle appeared on the floor and what came out of it was none other than...

Billy!

The boy was raising both his hands in triumph probably because of a successful transportation spell but when the light dissipated from around him and revealed the Justice league meeting room, he went still and slowly turned around to meet them.

Billy let out a nervous laugh.

"Is this a bad time?"

Marvel internally slapped himself in the face.

Chapter Text

This is a disaster. When Billy told him earlier that he's heading out, Marvel never would've thought he meant this! I mean, it was alright if he wanted to meet up with Constantine but the gods and fate chose to throw them off the cliff and made coincidences of him being here and consequently, bringing Billy here as well.

"Pretend you don't know me!" 

Billy yelled inside his head and Marvel was quick to look away. Maybe a little too quick that it was already borderline suspiscious now that the Batman had been giving him side eyes.

"What's a child doin' here?!" Constantine yelled pointing at Billy incredulously. "Does anyone know this child? Hey, whose kid are you?" Constantine faced Billy.

"No one, sir!" Billy answered too fast for Marvel's liking. He briefly looked at Marvel's way and Marvel looked away even more. 

"No one? And how did you managed to make a teleportation spell? There ain't no magic!" Constantine crossed his arms.

"Really?" Billy blinked. "But I'm using it just fine."

"Then how the hell can't we use it, then?!"

Billy shrugged. "Performance issues?" 

Marvel made a spit-rain from where he was standing and Zatanna started shaking in laughter.

He get it okay? He was catching up.

"Why, you little—" Contantine said but he was interrupted.

"Wait wait wait! I may be still able to use magic because I came from Fawcett City! Maybe there's a place there that still allows you to use magic," Billy said and his eyes met Marvel for a split second. 

Marvel nodded slightly. He gets what Billy was trying to do. 

"You wanted him to come with you."

Marvel whispered his thoughts inside Billy's head.

"Yes," Billy answered.

If that's what Billy wants, then he'd go along with it. 

"Like a spring of magic, huh?" Constantine raised a brow and faced Marvel. "What do you think, Captain?"

Marvel smiled. Yes, this is going great.

"Yes, I think he's right. Fawcett is a place teeming with magic. It is one of the most magical places in the world."

"Come on, I can show you," Billy said, looking up at Constantine. Constantine hummed and was about to agree when Batman spoke up.

"You still hasn't answer our question: why are you here?" Batman asked, squinting.

Marvel got nervous for Billy. Everything was going smoothly. Why does the Dark knight had to ruin it?

Billy raised his hands in surrender, laughing sheepishly. "I-I was just practicing my teleportation spell. I must've teleported here because I've thought of the Justice league before the spell started up."

"Hmm," Batman touched his jaw. "Is that how teleportation spells work?" he asked Constantine.

"There's hundreds of ways to make a teleportation spell and I think visualizing a certain place and what it signifies is also one of those," Constantine answered. "Yeah, I think the kid checks out. But kid, I swear if you turned out to be a demon from the depths of hell coming to get me, I'd deck ya the first chance I got." He sneered at Billy and pointed an accusing finger.

Billy waved his hands, feigning innocence. "Not a demon not a demon." 

Marvel stepped towards them. "I can come with you to be safe." Marvel offered and Billy smiled at him.

"Nice idea! If I can wink at you right now I'd do it but Batman really has his eyes on me."

"No problem. Happy to help," Marvel answered with his mind.

"Keep me safe from him or keep him safe from me? 'Cause neither of those sounded good," Constantine said and Billy giggled.

"Aww, you scared? 'Cause it's understandable if you are, I mean between the two of us I'm the only one who could use magic and if something bad were to happen, you've got no choice but to hide behind my back," Billy mocked with his high pitched voice. 

Constantine grunted. "You're a little devil, aren't cha?" he said, utterly defeated. "Yeah, let's bring the champion of magic along. I'd rather him protect me than a scrawny kid who resembled a magic wand."

"Hey, I'm right here!" Billy said, clearly insulted.

"You're gonna protect me Captain, right?" Constantine looked back at Marvel, his eyes droopy and his eyebrows raised. 

"Are you drunk?" Marvel asked as they started walking towards the center where Billy was setting up another teleportation spell.

"Hardly." Constantine walked with them towards the circle slouching. The light engulfed them after that, and they were back to Fawcett city.

------

The kid's portal wasn't too shabby. They made it to Fawcett in one piece. John honestly thought that he'd be missing a limb after they stepped out of the magic circle, but he wasn't.

He looked back at the glowing circle. Damn, that's actually one good portal—of course, he wouldn't tell that to anyone, especially the kid. God knows, it'd just make the kid's head bigger. He already had an ego bigger than his balls, John wouldn't let it swell into the size of a planet. 

John's brows creased as he still stared at it. 

It was well made and a powerful one too. He moved his eyes towards the night sky, wondering if he could see the watchtower from Fawcett city.

Actually... a little too powerful. How could a kid, with a still small reserves of magic in their system could teleport from Earth to Space and back again?

"Now... onto the topic at hand," John slid his hands inside his pocket, grabbing one of his stashed magical explosives gems, just to be safe. "Who the hell are you?" John turned and gave the boy a dark glare.

The boy stepped back for a bit but collected himself and stared right back at him. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. John Constantine, I am Billy." He placed a hand on his chest and tried to smile at John but it fell flat. 

"And I'm sorry. I didn't really brought you here to show you a place where you can still use magic. I brought you here so that I could talk to you."

"Fuck this shit." John started backing away. "I'm outta here—" He was just about to scram when his back hit something solid, muscular and tall.

John's eyes grew wide. 

Holy hell.

"I'm sorry, I can't let you leave until you talked to us," the big red cheese said and John grunted. He was in on this?! He should have known.

This decline of magic is really making him act like an idiot too. 

"You one big liar," John spat as he stared up at Captain Marvel. "You said you didn't know the kid!"

That seemed to caught the Captain off guard, his serious expression morphing into a look someone does when they were scandalized.

"I didn't say anything so it was technically not a lie," the big red cheese said. 

"Ah, tryin to save yourself ha? And you?! What do you have to say about yourself, twerp?!" 

"Yes, I really did lied earlier. Me and Marvel," the kid eyes moved to Marvel and back to him so fast that John found it weird, "we know each other. I'm actually his apprentice."

"Uh huh." John raised a brow. Yeah, not gonna fall for that but it's not like he could beat the truth out of these two so he'd just pretend he believes it.

"We just wanted to ask you something," the kid added. 

"Sure sure. Fire away," John said, pulling his hands out of his pockets and flicking his fingers at the kid. The faster this goes the earlier he can go home.

"Okay, do you know anything something powerful that could potentially power something?" The kid grimaced at his own words and John did the same things as well.

He wasn't sure where they're going with this.

"Something powerful? Well you've got one right here!" John took a step back so that him and Marvel was standing parallel to each other. "This guy's pretty fucking powerful," he pointed at Captain Marvel who just looked away, "he's The champion of Magic for godsake! Just plug him in wherever you needed him."

"No!" the kid yelled. "It couldn't be Marvel."

"Jeez, kid what do you want from me?" he sighed. He doesn't really want to do this.

"Let me take it from here." Marvel raised a hand and walked forward to face him. "I'm going to be honest with you," he started, eyes hard and serious. "The Rock of Eternity is dying."

"What the hell are you saying? It's the Rock, source of all magic, there's no way it's dying!"

"But it's true and we needed something powerful to charge it up again."

"Charge it up?" John brust out laughing. "What is it– some kind of phone or something?!" He kept on laughing hoping they would do the same but no one really laughed after him. The two were just... staring.

Okay.

John stopped. 

This is serious.

John finally took them seriously and stood straigther. His eyes who were once glazed over were now focused and alert.

"I thought the Rock itself was magic? It's very being is magic, how could it die? Who did it?" John asked, his voice steady.

"Black Adam did," Marvel said, his voice grim. "He got into the rock somehow and destroyed the whole place. He even destroyed parts of it that is integral to the flow of magic."

"Holy..." John ran a hand on his hair.

"And I didn't know the rock could just die like that. I just found out yesterday when the wizard finally confessed it to me. He said that there are certain parts that powers it and it was not actually the rock that gives off magic to the world. So we really need something powerful to replace those important parts. Something that it can suck power from, one that'll last long and even better—forever."

"Damn, mate. I-I'm not sure if I know anything that matches the description of what you need. There are some artifacts that's powerful enough to wipe the world out but I don't think it'll be enough to become a power source for that long."

"That could help and could also buy us some time. Could you tell us what that is?" Marvel asked, his eyes pleading.

"It's the hell diamond and I have it in my house of mysteries. I could give it to you but you're gonna owe me big time."

Marvel nodded at him absentmindedly.

"But," John took a step forward and put a hand on Marvel's shoulder, "if you're really desperate and focused more on "someone" other than "something" I may have a candidate for that."

"I already told you Marvel's not it!" The boy took a step and glared at him.

"Calm down, devil spawn. It ain't gonna be him." 

The boy paused. "Then who?"

"Well Black Adam, of course," John proposed. "Didn't he use to be a Champion? And even if he's not anymore he's still got the powers—I'd say that's bullshit but whatever." He shrugged. 

"Black Adam being the new source already crossed my mind," Marvel said and both John and the boy stared at the man. John was raising a brow at him while the boy looked betrayed.

"You thought of this but didn't tell me?" The kid asked Marvel, even has the guts to look hurt.

The man in question hang his head low. "I didn't tell a soul about what I had in mind because I know it will be hard—impossible, even. Black Adam will put up a fight and even if we succeeded and put him in the rock as its new power source, there's no telling what he would do there. We could chain him down at best but I don't think it would hold him down forever. He may even destroy the place even further."

"You've got a point," John nodded. "If we can't use him then there's really nothing I could recommend at this point." John shrugged and started walking away. "Sorry, mate! I guess you're gonna have to look for answers someplace else." 
 
"Wait!" 

John growled at the tiny voice. He was already fully turned away from the two and the pipsqueak was just asking his own questions now?!

"What?" John rolled his eyes but turned to face the boy nonetheless.

"If you uh-" the kid started acting shy all of a sudden, looking away and playing with his fingers. "If you— for example got separated from your magic and that magic ended up having a life of its own, how are you going to fix that?"

John raised a brow. "Where are you goin' with this?"

"No, wait what I mean is—if you got separated from your power, how can you rejoin yourself with it again?"

That's a strange question. John knew this was happening to someone related to the kid and he's just trying to make it sound theoretical. But nah, it's not like he could ask the kid to be honest. It's not like the kid would do it ever. But John knew no magician would ask a strange question without any reason so he tried to answer it as best as he can. 

"Honestly... I don't know." Both Marvel and the kid paused at his answer. There was silence for a few moments before he spoke again. "And don't worry, I won't tell anyone about all this." He nodded at them and finally went on his way.

John slid a cigarette between his lips and held out a finger near it. He visualized a fire on that said finger and when something actually did lit up, John smiled to himself. 

"Well, I'd be damned. You could really use magic around this place."

Chapter Text

Billy was staring sadly at the space where Constantine had left. Something in his eyes looked defeated, it was as if those blue irises where searching for answers, worrying about the future. 

Marvel watched him from the sidelines with him being completely unaware. He couldn't take seeing Billy like this. He looked so broken.

So, Marvel did what anyone would do at that moment and tried to cheer him up.

"Hey," he laid a hand on Billy's shoulders, pulling him gently so that they could meet eye to eye. "Everything will be fine. There are still a lot of sorcerer we could ask."

Billy looked at him, biting his lips. There were uncertainty underneath those eyes but still, it sparkled when he heard Marvel's words. "You think so?" he asked, his eyes pleading.

"I'm sure of it." Marvel nodded and gave him a reassuring smile. Billy smiled back.

"Then, there's no time for sulking! I need to move onto the next sorcerer I know!" Billy announced enthusiastically and Marvel was happy he could hear that energy in his voice again.

Billy pulled the hood up to cover his face again and started making another portal.

"I'll see you at the cave later, bye!" Billy said. He made one last wave and the portal teleported him out with its light.

Marvel stopped waving. "Goodbye," he said in a whisper as his smile left his face. 

-----

These past few day had been difficult for Bruce— and Captain Marvel surely wasn't making it any easier. The man had been acting strange since the day he fought Black Adam and a very bright light had almost engulf half of the Earth. 

Granted, the Captain was strange in his normal days but now he's stranger than usual. 

He was planning on asking Constantine about it, maybe he knew something about magic that ticked off the otherwise cheerful hero but before he could even do that, he was already got snatched away by a kid in a robe and when he tried to move onto with Zatanna, she had already left, probably slipped out of their sight when the odd exchange of mockery had happened between Constantine and the kid.

He could never ask Marvel now. Not now that his mood is sour. It's not like he could ask him properly when he was in a good mood. You could ask him about the weather and he'd answer you with pancake recipes. There was no getting through with that man. 

Bruce heard the door hissed open behind him.

"Clark," he acknowledged.

"You're sulking," Superman said. He probably has a grin on his face right now.

The thought made his eyes twitch. "I'm not."

He heard him hum. "No, you totally are."

Bruce squinted his eyes in irritation his own reflection staring dangerously back at him. "Do you want me to send you back to outer space for another mission?" he threathened.

"Nope!" He let the 'p' pop just to piss him off even more. "There's only so much Clark kent could use as a reason for a leave."

Bruce sighed at him and finally turned to face the man.

"I heard Captain Marvel had been causing troubles?" Superman raised a brow.

"When did he not?" Bruce answered with his gravelly voice.

"Aw, come on. You know he means well."

"I know," he said with much pressure on his voice. "It's just that he's witholding informations. It's making everything harder for me and the league, Clark."

"Where is he? Maybe I could try to talk to him." Superman started looking around as if he could see through walls and just find Marvel next door.

Batman let out a breath. 

This room is lead lined for god sake.

Maybe he could let Clark handle this for now. Now, that he's back, maybe some sense of oneness would come back to the team. He's usually the one who's better at talking to people, not him. 

"He's in the training room," he answered after much pondering.

"Great!" Clark smiled like a golden retriever, ready to catch a bone. "I'll go to him then."

Bruce nodded and followed after the man without even asking.

He needed to know more and if Clark had somehow managed to get something—anything— out of Captain Marvel, he had to be there to hear and see it for himself.

The two of them finally arrived at the training room and when they stepped in, they saw Green Lantern and the Flash by the door, staring curiuosly at Captain marvel.

Batman followed their gaze and saw Marvel in the middle of the room. He was floating a few inches from the floor and he had his legs crossed while sitting. His eyes were shut tightly and his brows were knitted together in too much concentration. There was some kind of golden bubble surrounding him as he floated in the air and Flash went ahead and question that.

"I wonder what's that shield for?" The speedster asked, raising a brow. 

Batman looked at the Captain, then to the two wide eyed idiots in the corner of the room.

"Hmm... probably to keep the two of you out," he answered simply and the two looked at him with hurt in their eyes, their mouth open and closing, not even knowing what they could throw back at him.

The reaction made a small smile appear on his lips.

"Supes, are you hearing this?" Flash pointed at him.

"Uh huh." Superman chuckled, looking up at Cap. "Loud and clear."

That managed to make the two look even more hurt and take a step back.

As much as Bruce wanted to keep this going and quip more sarcastic insults that will make Alfred proud, now is not the time for that and they still have to get something out of the Captain.

"How long has he been here?" he asked Green lantern.

Green lantern shrugged. "I don't know, maybe half an hour? An hour?"

"Okay." Superman nodded and took a step towards the floating hero. "Cap—Captain?" he called, almost touching the golden shield. "May I speak with you?"

They waited for a bit but when the Captain didn't even stir, Superman tried again.

"Cap?" Superman made a move to touch the golden shield but before his fingers could even land on it, a strong pulse came out of Captain Marvel, knocking them on their feet.

Training equipmets got turned over and the lights went out as a golden, almost transparent pulse travelled through the whole place. Bruce's hair on the back of his neck stood on its end when he felt it passed through him, paralyzing him with its sheer pressure when it crawled up his back and down his feet.

They heard someone gasped loudly as if they were pulled out of water and when they looked at what's in front of them, they saw Captain Marvel, his body already straightened up, floating in the middle of chaos as he shone in his gold and white cape. He was staring down at them as if he was a god that descended up from the heavens to judging them. Small sparks of electricity surrounded him but all of a sudden, even with all those display of power, his blank expression immediately crumbled.

"Cap? Is everything alright?" Superman was the first to ask, already recovering and pulling Bruce up. 

The light in the tower returned and Captain touched his boots down the floor, his back facing them.

"Captain Marvel," Bruce called as well but was quickly taken aback when the Captain turned to face them and there were tears running down his face.

He was regarding them warily and he was breathing heavily. 

"I don't think I can save him," he blurted out on a whisper, his voice sounded so broken, so regretful that no one didn't know what to think of it.

Even Bruce's brain was turning out blank.

"Who can't you save, Captain?" Superman took steady steps towards him. "Maybe we can help."

Marvel looked down, prompting more tears to fall. "You can't. Not anymore."

"What—" Bruce was about to ask more questions when Captain Marvel gasped all of sudden, clasping a hand on his heart as if someone had stabbed it. His eyes grew wide and he fell to his knees. 

"Captain!" Superman held him up before he could even hit the floor. 

Marvel's breath was sputtering as if air from his lungs were having breaks in its continuous flow. Marvel's eyes became hard, the regret and sadness weren't there anymore, instead it was replaced with anger. There was a feel that came out of him all of a sudden. A feeling you get when you messed with a cub and now its mother is out to get you, a heavy feeling that someone gives you when you messed with something that belonged to them.

Marvel wiped the tears from his eyes and pushed Superman aside, walking away from them with a newfound determination that felt dangerous. 

He marched to the door with his fist tightened by his side. He threw it open and before the door could close in on itself he was already gone in a blur of light.

Chapter Text

Billy needed to find more answers. Yes, Constantine had already given them some but it was risky to owe him after they got what they need, especially now that it was Marvel who spoke to him. Of course the adult sorcerer would ask for something great of The Champion of Magic. Although good, Constantine wasn't really the upstanding citizen kind of guy. He was sketchy as heck and Billy wouldn't be surprised if he was hiding skeletons in his closet. But even with all of that, he was still a good guy and he was one of the sorcerer Billy knows that has a wide range of resources and connections. It was the reason why Billy asked him first.

He hoped he could weed out everything in one go knowing that Constantine was one of the best but now that even that best couldn't give him a reasonable and less risky answers— he had no choice but to look for someplace else.

He will keep Constantine's words in his mind but as long as he can try to find some other alternatives, he'd pushed it back, only to be pulled up to the surface should an emergency, desperate situation arise. 

Right now, Billy was on his way to intercept yet another sorcerer. He was called the Wanderer. He doesn't use magic to fight off evil and meddle with everyone's problem, he just uses it to get by in his everyday life. He just uses it for his necessities while he travel by foot and live in the forest (like camping gears for campers!). But even though he uses magic for measly things, it'll be your biggest mistake to challenge him in a magic fight. 

Billy heard of stories about the Wanderer taking down demons, archangels and even other magic users with well known names just because they won't leave him alone. Granted, the guy gives three warnings before he get pissed off and went ballistic but come on! You can't keep him out of the list of world's most awesome sorcerers.

That's why Billy chose him next. If there's any reasonable magic user it'd be him. Just thinking about it made Billy grin and add little skips on his steps.

"Hello," Billy called when when he stepped out of his magic circle and into the moist earth of a relatively big swamp. 

It was still nighttime and the only light source Billy could depend to was the moon who, was surprisingly uncovered by the thin tress with curved branches.

You're probably wondering how he found where the Wanderer lives. Well, for Constantine, he had to use a hair he got from him before—yeah, he managed to pluck a hair out of those blond locks once as Captain Marvel. The guy didn't seem to notice, he looked drunk—to teleport him to where he was but for the Wanderer, all he needed was to track down a certain magical signature unique to the man himself. 

Billy managed to familiarize it because he once went in the last known location where the Wanderer had fought one of his enemies. He kept the Wanderer's magical presence on his mind and as Billy stared at a world map, he poured everything he felt when he was in the presence of that magic and voila! The pendulum pointed him right here.

"Is anyone here?"Billy called out again. "Mr. Wanderer?" 

Billy saw an old tent by the group of trees, almost hidden, covered with leaves, shrubbery and webs. It was just plain luck that he passed by it, but it was strange, there was no campfire. Did the Wonderer perhaps use heating stones instead of fire?

Billy took a step towards it and he smiled when he saw a figure hunched over just outside of the olive green tent.

"Sir, excuse me–" Billy screamed when the figure jumped at him and tried to bite off his fingers. He managed to dodge at the last second by throwing himself on the ground but that proved to be a bad idea because now that thing was looming over him, drooling, saliva almost hitting Billy's face.

It was not the Wanderer. Atleast, not anymore. The towering creature in fromt of him looked like a man in his 50's or atleast used to look like one. He had red hair and curly beard but his eyes was that of a cat. It was yellow and the slits in the middle were red. Half of his face where the man ends and the thing starts was in a deep color of brown. It looked like an almost burnt flesh but that flesh has fur on it, dark green, as dark as the murky water in the swamp it lived next to. 

"You— you're not the Wanderer." Billy scooted as far away as he can. "Not anymore." He shook his head in disbelief.

That fight. That last fight. The Wanderer must've lost—died, even. But nobody really had the luxury to meet him in person so everyone must've assumed he won that day, packed up and left just like he always did. He was one of those people. He thought he got out unscathed. That was why he didn't hear any more new news about him. It was because he was dead and his last opponent took over his body. But it can't be. 

The Wanderer was a powerful wizard. And if he was as powerful as Billy knew he was and he was still defeated by this creature that could only mean one thing...

The monster swiped a claw at him and he rolled to the side, hiding himself in the thick bushes.

That monster is powerful and he did not stand a chance—

Billy yelped in surprise when something grabbed the back of his robe and lifted him out of his hiding place. 

It was the monster and he was now dangling a few feet in the air, staring face to face with it.

The monster opened its mouth wide. So horribly wide that it could fit Billy in and Billy panicked. He screamed and summoned a a fire blast from the palm of his hands and directed it at the fanged mouth of the monster.

The monster screeched in pain as it burned and Billy used that opportunity to ran away but before he could even took a step, the orange light that was illuminating his back from the burning creature had disappeared and the thing was in front of him in the blink of an eye.

Billy raised a shield between the two of them but the monster just simply stretched its clawed hands at it and it shattered like glass, grabbing Billy by the neck and slamming him hard on the ground.

Billy gasped as air got knocked out of him and even if he tried to take it all back, he couldn't because the monster had its hands on his neck and restricting his airflow. Billy choked and coughed and sputtered. He tried to kick, tried to put electricity on his hands and electricute the monster's wrist but it wouldn't budge.

At his very last ditch effort, Billy recited a levitation spell in his mind amlnd both him and the monster started floating in the air. 

The burden in his neck got lessened because of the absence of gravity pushing him down but the monster made up for it by squeezing more. 

The sky rumbled, the small specks of clouds swirled and Billy, with all his might summoned a lightning from the sky.

There was a loud crash and the lightning descended on them. He gasped when the monster let go of his neck and fell to the ground.

As much as Billy wanted to stay on the air, he couldn't, his magic was already depleting and he landed in the ground too.

He knelt for a second catching his breath but when he heard something rustled by the leaves again, he knew, he just knew that that monster was just lurking in the shadows.

He couldn't teleport anymore. That takes a lot of magic and a lot of time to make. All he could do now is try to get away by any means necessary.

Billy looked around, struggling to breath, his eyes scanning the shadows that seeemd to have multiplied around him. He couldn't see anything past it until something flickered in the dark and the monster came jumping out from it.

Billy screamed and scrambled up his feet. He willed himself to fly and his remaining magic lifted him up the air. He smiled, he was almost away from the swamp where the monster live, the misty forest below him was starting to look smaller and smaller until something struck him from the back. 

Billy froze in horror when he realized what it was.

There was a claw as big as a pipe lodged on his back and its other end came out of his stomach. He looked down as a trickle of blood dripped down from his mouth. 

No monster was connected to the ends of the claw. It was simply thrown after him. 

This... sucks, Billy thought as his vision turned black and felt the air rushed past him.

------

Marvel got teleported into a swamp. At first, he didn't know why the magic would teleport him there. But when he looked up and saw Billy bloodied and falling from the sky, he knew what to do.

-------

Superman had managed to race both him and Green Lantern towards the portal Captain Marvel opened with the Flash right behind them.

They didn't know where it led. They could be teleporting themselves to their death right now, but who cares. Surely, the Captain won't teleport himself to the depths of hell, no matter how sour his mood seemed to lately.

Batman had thought of that but deep down he was really hoping it wasn't the case. So just imagine his relief when they were transported back to Earth, down a generic swamp. 

But that was where he was wrong again. There on the "generic" unassuming swamp was an obviously enraged Captain Marvel with what seemed to be a half man, half monster kind of creature.

He could see him holding a boy in his arms. His cape was bloodied and Batman's own blood grew cold when he realized that that blood belonged to the boy. 

Marvel gently placed the boy on the ground, saying something that they couldn't quiet hear. He placed himself between the massive catlike monster and the child and when the said monster tried to grab the kid, the The captain punched it away with a single fist.

The monster got flung into the other side of the forest and when it skidded to a stop, it roared at the Captain and to everyone's surprise, Captain roared back, the whole place shook at the intensity as it created a gust of wind that swayed the trees down to its roots. It was so loud that it made their ears ring and almost made Suparman pass out.

The Captain didn't let on after that and attacked again, moving in what seem like a speed faster than the speed of light. He was at the other end of the swamp at one second and the next, he was in front of the monster. His one massive hand grabbed the monster by its neck. He slammed its body on the ground and threw punches after punches until the earth started splitting open and at the very last blow, he sent electiricity through his fist and pounded on it with all his might. His fists met the ground and a burst of light spread as the electricity exploded, so strong that it lit up the night. It spread far and wide and once it receeded, no monster stood up from the crater on the ground anymore. It stayed down, limp and nothing but a dead weight.

They had second thoughts about approaching the Captain after that. He could see the reluctance in everyone's eyes as they watched the Captain from behind the almost uprooted trees. 

Everyone was onedge but when they saw the Captain knelt on the ground and scooped a bleeding child into his arms, all those thoughts went away and they ran towards him.

There was a golden glow that came out of his hand as he tried to hoist the limp body up his chest. He was cradling the boy so much, Batman was afraid he's going to break him.

"Billy." They heard Marvel called and when the boy didn't stir, his voice even got louder. "Billy!" He yelled, gently tapping the boy's cheek.

"Captain, we can help—" Batman was about to land a hand when Marvel snapped at him.

"DON'T TOUCH HIM!" he screamed like a wounded animal, showing all teeth.

Everyone took a step back, afraid of agitating him even more than he was now. That was when Batman just got a better look of the boy. That boy. It was the same robe wearing boy that got teleported to the watchtower. He never had the chance to ask if he was acquinted with the Captain but now, with all the trouble the Captain went through, it was clear as day that they knew each other.

"Captain, we just want to help." Superman took a step forward, his voice steady but gentle.

Marvel glared at them as he placed a hand on the boy's stomach again, letting out a golden glow to that certain part.

It was a horrible sight.
 
The boy was pale, there were streaks of blood trickling down his lips even though Batman could already see that the wound had already closed up. Marvel's hands were trembling while drenched in red, his cape that used to be white now splattered with the same color as he used the cloth to cover the boy's body from the cold.

"I-I already healed him but he's still not waking up," Marvel said, his voice frantic and eyes searching for any injuries that might've been hidden on the boy's body.

"We should take him to a hospital—" The Flash recommemded but was quickly turned down.

"No!" The Captain yelled hugging the child more into his arms, tucking him deeper to the lightning symbol on his chest.

"Why not?" Batman's voice became hard. He won't stand aside and let a child get denied of his medical needs.

"He can't. He's," Marvel's eyes momentarily looked down at the boy, "he's too important."

Important? 

Batman squinted an eye. Something about those words rubbed him the wrong way.

Marvel continued on speaking. "He shouldn't be separated with me. I already made that mistake and I won't let that happen again."

That garnered raised brows among the group.

"Important? Are you relatives or something?" Green Lantern asked.

Marvel seemed unsure of himself at first but then answered them once more. "Yes, we are," he said. He took a deep breath and looked them in the eyes. "He's my son."

Chapter Text

Marvel watched Billy's sleeping form, making sure that his chest was still rising and falling. He just couldn't hep himself from staring too much. He felt like if he looked away Billy would somehow stop breathing. He already made trouble for everyone earlier in the medbay when they had just arrived with Billy. Everyone was frantic, the doctors grabbing everything they need as Marvel went round and round inside the room with Billy in his arms, bumping everything on his way. He even punched a doctor out when he saw him pricked Billy with a needle and he drew blood. Thankfully, Superman was there and catched the man before he could even hit the other side of the room and Marvel was told to behave after that. Like he was a child. He was acting as Billy's father for gods sake! But he still took it in a stride and just simply sat on the chair by Billy's bed. 

He didn't let them hook Billy up in IV fluids or any heart monitor. He could look after him by himself all he wanted for them to do was check Billy out for any more injuries his magic somehow missed.

Now, everything had died down. Some of the League members came and go but he didn't paid them any attention. The last of them just left a minute ago.

Marvel let out a breath.

Finally, they're alone. 

Marvel held Billy's hand and squeezed it.

He had been meaning to do something for himself but never had the time to do it. But now, he finally can.

Marvel inhaled and exhaled and the air around him seemed to hiss.

Finally, he could take a deep dive into his mind.

Marvel closed his eyes and everything was gone.

When he opened his eyes again he was back in the moment where Billy and the wizard was arguing in The Rock of Eternity.

There were shouting and words were getting thrown back at each other, dust was raising from the ground and the whole place was gathering more and more cracks by the second.

Marvel travelled the plain as if he was a ghost going past through everything, not even disturbing a speck of dust in the air as he passed by. He stared at his past self who was just standing behind Billy—listening, observing.

When the wizard had said that he was the key to return the rock to its former glory, he almost took a step forward right there.

But then Billy went in front of him and used himself as a barricade to keep the wizard away from him.

Marvel watched his other self took a step back, a worried expression settling on his face.

He was fine with staying in the Rock forever that was his duty as the living lightning but when he saw Billy's back trying to shield him away from his responsibilities—a thought had made its way into his mind.

Right now, he was not just the living lightning. He was Marvel. The Marvel that Billy made in order to fulfill his heroism and do the act his pure heart wanted him to bring out into the world. He was Billy in a way that no one understands. Billy may not belong to him but he belonged to Billy and if there's a greater priority he have now, it was Billy. 

That was when Marvel started to make a decision for himself. Maybe he can get away from his duties. Maybe he didn't have to fulfill it. Afterall, who could really wish for that kind of ending? All alone, sitting on a throne with all the weight of the world weighing you down that you couldn't even take a single step; ultimately powerful, yet still weak as you could only watch and not help.

Marvel realized that if he wanted to be with Billy he had to be the most greedy person in all of existing realities. He had to wish more than any child. He had to want more than any tyrant king. 

"Are you sure about that decision?"

There it was again.

Both Marvels stared at the wizard.

He was looking at Billy but at the same time, he was looking at Marvel as well. 

The wizard's voice echoed in their mind again.

"Are you really going to let everything get destroyed for the sake of your selfish desires?"

Marvel watched as his past self glared daggers at the wizard.

"I will take Billy's side wizard and there's nothing you could do to change my mind."

"But he is just a mere child! You know better than to follow his commands."

"He is not commanding me!" Marvel past growled. "He never did. He is a pure hearted child, who loved too much to a fault, who cares too much even he himself is hurt. He doesn't need to tell me to follow him. I would gladly do it myself. I will stand by his side and I will stay with him."

He saw the wizard's face crumbled, all the color leaving him as he paled at what his past self had said.

"I do not answer to you anymore."

That was the last thing he told the wizard before Billy held his hand and ran out of the rock along with him. 

"You will regret this, living lightning!" 

He saw himself looked back when the wizard's voice inside his head came booming, a glimpse of doubt in his other self's face bloomed at the enraged look the wizard had been giving him.

"You will return and I swear if you did, it won't be as easy as this."

Came the last menacing remnants of the wizard's voice as it finally disappeared and they finally boarded the train.

Marvel heard train tracks squeal as it started up and finally left the place.

There was only silence after that. Even Marvel's breath was echoing in the entire dome of the throne room at how silent it was. 

Everything was on a pause. The wizard was standing frozen by his throne, the icy blue light of his staff never ceasing to give off the exact amount of glow and the destruction seemed to have halt from there.

Marvel travelled his eyes everywhere. 

He didn't notice it before but the statues of the enemies of man were already starting to crack open and everything passed this room was in a brink of a collapse. 

There was no fiery light from the torches that kept the place feel alive anymore, the only thing that's keeping the place from falling into a complete darkness was the wizard's staff but even that was already too weak. Just like its owner and just like the entirety of the Rock of Eternity.

Marvel knew that if this memory could still move, he knew that that lignt in the wizard's hand would be flickering on and off and evetually start to fail him. The magic that he stored in his very soul would fail him too and after that...

Marvel stepped closer to where the wizard was standing. He stared at the wizard's eyes with uncertainty and sorrow and before he knew it, his knees had already dropped to the floor, kneeling in front of the very person who had been assigned as his guardian. 

Because of this, Billy got hurt and he knew it won't stop there. More will come and sooner or later, it will get to them. 

Did he do the right thing?

Was it so wrong of him to want something?

All he wanted was to make Billy happy but is his happiness really more important than his safety and the fate of the world?

Was he having second thoughts?

Was he regretting his decision?

Marvel opened his eyes with a start and his eyes quickly searched for Billy. When he found him still laying in bed he visibly relaxed.

All he wanted was to stay with Billy and he was even willing to throw Adam under the bus just to do that.

That was why he went in the watchtower earlier just to meditate on it. To make his mind's eye travel through time just to watch the life that Adam had led when he was still renowned as champion. He was sure that everything he'd see was dishonorable and terrible, that it'd make him sactificing the man more justifiable but what welcomed him had shattered all of his expectations and put a crack on the evil that was forever etched on the mental picture he has of Black Adam.

What welcomed him when he opened his eyes were small hands grabbing his face and calling him father in a very loving way.

What welcomed him was a beautiful woman smiling at him warmly and landing a soft kiss on his cheeks.

They were calling him, beckoning him towards a balcony where the people were looking up from below and when he finally stepped on that place and the servants happily parted the curtains, cheers had erupted everywhere. Celebrating him. Celebrating Adam. But the Adam there didn't took all the credit. He pulled his wife next to him and circled a large arm around his two boys. 

They were a perfect family. He was a perfect ruler. He was loved by everyone. He laughed louder and spoke more enthusiastically about his plans for his kingdom and his people. He was there for everyone but when tragedy struck him, no one was there for him.

His sons died out of unknown causes. The once loud halls that was filled with laughter and chatter had gone quite. His wife took the pain and suffering by heart and so, she perished soon after.

He had begged the gods to bring them back but he only received cryptic orders in return.

He thought if he had somehow fulfilled all of it, they'd bring his family back from the dead. But when he had done all their bidding and everything was finished, nothing happened.

There was silence in his heart. There was only silence between him and the gods and he was left on his throne alone and waiting. Until he can't anymore and he started wrecking havoc on a wide scale that it shook the heavens and ultimately had him banished and his title as the Champion revoked. 

Marvel knew of a way to put everything back in its proper place and with him ending up with Billy at the very end.

He can use the lightning bolt back on Adam to separate his own living lightning from the mortal hidden within. Marvel could then use his power to condense the said lightning into nothing but a ball of pure energy and he could just leave it back in the Rock of eternity and everything would be back to normal as a result. But the process would kill Black Adam, the mortal Adam that had been inside the living lighting for thousands of years. Time will catch up to him and he would crumble into a pile of dust.

It should be easy, right? If he was as greedy as he thought he was, such task would be nothing but a simple chore. 

But its strange.

Even with all the wanting, the sinister planning, the selfishness. 

Why can't Marvel do it?

Why can't Marvel push himself to sacrifice his mortal enemy?

Maybe it was becuse he saw what his past was like, what kind of family he had lost.

Maybe it was because he still believed in the goodness that's inside Adam.

Or maybe it was because of the absolute fact that even if Black Adam died, his soul would never be reunited with his family.

He let out a shaky breath as he cupped Billy's hand with both of his own, raising it as if he was in a deep prayer. 

Adam's sins were too massive to a fault that he would not be welcome to the realm of spirits. He would be stuck somewhere with the punisher of gods, turturing him, punishing him for eternity for all the things he'd done.

He would never be able to hold his sons hands.

He would never be able to feel those tiny fingers against his face.

He would never see his wife smile at him.

He would never be able to hug his family at the end of the line.

Marvel had tried to find a solution during his meditation.

He had wondered if the gods would somehow forgive Adam.

He had wondered if he vouched for the man's soul that they would let them be one with his family.

But that was unlikely to happen.

It was too late and so he uttered the words: I don't think I can save him anymore.

He didn't want to kill him.

He didn't want to sacrifice Black Adam but he didn't want to take in the responsibily either.

He wanted to be with Billy but he doesn't know how to do that.

What should he do now?

He can't ask Solomon.

He can't ask Billy.

He can't ask the wizard.

Somebody...

Anybody...

Please tell him what to do.

Chapter Text

It was dark. Billy thought when his senses started coming back to him. He tried to command his body to move but the only thing he could feel right now was his eyelids and it was heavy as if his body was telling him to go back to sleep. 

He couldn't feel anything past his eyes down to tips of his feet. He felt like he was floating. But that was impossible. He couldn't feel air swirling around.

He managed to make his brows twitch at the thought. 

"Oh, you're awake?" He heard Marvel's voice inside his head. He was about to will himself to open his eyes when Marvel stopped him.

"Wait! Don't open your eyes yet. Act as if you're still asleep," Marvel said and Billy was starting to get the feeling back in his hands. He could feel a large hand enclosing his own, squeezing him reassuringly.

"Well, it's too late for that now. I already moved!" he argued.

"Just act as if you were just stirring in your sleep."

"Oh—alright."

Billy let out a sigh internally and let out a little noise, even giving his limbs a little wiggle to sell the point.

"Why does my back feel so soft and plushie? My mattress never felt this good."

"Uhm..."

Billy could feel his very spirit frown at Marvel's tone.

"That's because you're not back home." There was a nervousness on the man's internal voice that Billy's heart started racing.

"Is this— Am I in a hospital?!"

"No!" The hand squeezed but kind of got loose for a second. "But sort of. Just a little off brand from the names of the hospital we got from Earth and it kind of have the Justice League name on it."

"We're on the watchtower?!"

"Yes."

"Oh, I think the kid's waking up!" 

Billy heard a voice that sounded a little too excited just outside of his fake sleeping body.

"Wait... is that Barry?! Is the Justice League staring down at me?!"

"Only some of the founding members, but yes."

"That's even worse!"

"Okay okay. Listen." Marvel tapped his fingers on Billy's palm. "Before your heart starts beating too fast and Superman gets suspiscious, I just want to tell you what happened earlier so that we could get our story straight."

"What happened earlier?"

"Well, you got attacked by The Wanderer who's body got taken over."

"Uh huh. That I remembered."

"And..."

"And?"

"And I told them that you are my son."

"You WHAT?!"

Billy let out an angry grunt at that that he got worried his cover would get blown.

"You look 25! You don't look that old to have a 10 year old son! You could have just passed as my brother!"

"I can just tell them that I'm actually thousands of years old and— do we really have to worry about that? Most of the justice league members already think I'm older than I look, ancient, even."

"..."

"Billy I needed them to help you at that moment. I don't want them to put you in the hospital because the CPS might come after you and I know the League, they won't just let a random child into the watchtower. So I did what I had to do and told them you're my son."

Billy pressed his fingers into Marvel's hand. 

"Yes, telling them you're my brother has its benefits but you being my son is the best option. In that way, I will remain incharge of your wellbeing and the League would have no say over my decision."

"Yes..." Billy let out a breath, feeling the tension leaving his muscles. "You've got a point."

"That, and I was really on a panic earlier."

Billy laughed inside his mind. "I knew it." He could feel his inner voice giggling at Marvel. 

He felt something warm spread inside his heart when Marvel laughed back.

Every huff of laugh he released felt like beats of electricity gently drumming his body.

"But don't worry. I won't try to contol you as your "parent". You could just act the same as always and I'd just be there, trying to look as fatherly as I can— probably just only when the League is around."

He could feel Marvel's soul cringed at that and Billy laughed again

"That's the limit my acting prowess could do."

"Yeah yeah!" Billy could've wiped a tear from his eyes if this was happening in physical world but it wasn't so he just assumed his soul did it for him. "You're not that great of an actor, by the way."

He felt Marvel's hand shook but the tension on it was keeping it still. This guy's probably holding his laughter in. "Now, that's just hurting my soul."

Billy laughed again and when he calmed down, he could feel that large, gentle hand shift and landed on his forehead, rearranging strands of hair. 

"So, you got everything down?" Marvel asked, his voice has that fond ring to it.

"Yes. You, father—me, son."

He could feel a burst of breath from above him when Marvel tried to control a laugh but ended up becoming a snort.

"Well, if you put it that way, then I guess we're ready now. You can open your eyes," Marvel finally said and when he parted his eyelids and let the lights flood into his eyes, Captain Marvel was there, parting his hair on his forehead with a smile on his face. 

"I see you're awake." Marvel started and Billy knew that was his que.

Billy stretched his limbs on the hospital bed he's in and blinked, doing the act of waking up for the second time but no one really has to know...

Billy smiled back.

No one really has to know but him and Marvel.

Chapter Text

"What happened..."

"Hey, what should I call you? Quick!" Billy demanded rapidly in Marvel's head.

"Uhm... father?"

"No, too old."

"Papa?"

"Eh."

"Dad?"

"I already have a dad and that's my real dad. So the dad word is already kinda belonged to him."

"Understandable, but now, I ran out of options. How about a greek word for father?"

"..."

"Too much?"

"Too much."

There was a radio silence for a moment and Billy's brain had to recalibrate.

"Oh, how about pops?" Billy asked.

"Pops? Isn't that what you call the old man across the street?"

"Yeah, but I heard other kids use it to for their dads as well."

He heard Marvel internally sighed. 

"You're just using that so that that old man would pop up inside your head everytime you'd call me pops, aren't you?" 

"Yes, sorry. It's just that all those words reminds me of my dad and it feels like I'm replacing him if I called you with any one of those names."

"Hey, it's alright. Pops it is, then."

"... pops?" Billy said outside of his head. Their conversation might've been long but in reality, it took only a split second. Billy made it that way and now he was smiling in triumph.

"You just got attacked by the Wanderer whose body was taken over by a demon."

Billy's eyes grew bigger. He geniunely felt shock. He thought it was just a monster. But a demon... What's a demon like that doing here?

They had to talk about this in private later but now... he had to act.

"Oh my gods," he threw his arms open and enveloped Marvel in a hug. Marvel made an oof sound but gladly took it. "That was scary! Thank you for saving me, pops!" 

"It's alright, uh—son." Marvel awkwardly patted his back. 

Okay, totally not awkward. Billy's definitely the only one doing the acting around here.

"You're a bad actor too."

"Zip it!"

Billy gasped when his eyes met the Justice League by the door. They were just... standing there like puppies waiting to be called in and Barry, oh Barry, he looked like he was going to melt where he stood. Is that what they look like? Do the look too sweet?

"Is that the Justice League?!" Billy asked, his voice reaching a high note.

Billy felt someone other than him cringed.

"Billy, that's too much. Turn it down a little bit."

"But I have to sell my acting!"

"Yes." Marvel's smile looked like it hurt. "I mean, it's not everyone but you've got most of the founding members."

Billy made his eyes sparkle.

"Is that Superman? Hey, Mr. Superman!" Billy waved at him. "And Wonder Woman, and Batman and— sorry, I don't know who that red and green guys are," Billy teased and he smirked at Marvel.

"Please, don't."

"What?!" He heard Barry and Hal screamed in a chorus, two set of footsteps marched up to them until a red and green head was popping by Marvel's side.

"There's no way the Captain never mentioned us!" Hal looked so offended and Barry was just there next to him, arms crossed and nodding angrily.

Billy giggled all of a sudden and that caught both the adults off guard.

"I was just kidding," Billy smiled at them. "I just said that so you two would rush over here. It's nice to finally meet the two of you in person, by the way." Billy grabbed both of their hands and shook it.

The two was taken aback at what he did that he ended up shaking hands with statues who had their mouths open.

"I'm Billy, by the way," Billy added and that seemed to pull them out of their trance.

"Why, you little rascal," Barry smirked as Billy let go of them.

"I see you raised a prankster," Hal said and Marvel laughed. He stretched out an arm and ruffled Billy's hair.

"I guess I did."

------

Clark watched the father and son exchange with a smile. Them finding out the Captaim has a son had been a surprise. Well, it never really sinked into him that that boy was not just any civilian kid until Capatin sent a man flying across the room.

There as a crash and he had to catch the man but then when he finally catched the poor doctor that's when he realized that—damn! Captain is a dad. He was a dad who was greatly worried about his son that he accidentally—he hoped—thrown someone away just because he couldn't understand anything that's happening around him due to the panic and stress about his son's wellbeing.

It was nice to see the trademark mega watt smile of the Captain again. But Clark was starting to think that that smile was now only reserve for his son. He keptt on noticing how the Captain frowned whenever they get in the picture. It was like he was a petty child who didn't want to share his toys. But maybe that's just how he is with his son.

The kid being here felt like a breath of fresh air. The tension between the team and his own had had been lifted as soon as he opened those bright eyes of his and started giggling. The kid was even more of a prankster than the infamous pranksters of their team. He was able to outsmart Hal and Barry earlier and that made everyone laugh.

There's no doubt that he was the Captain's kid. 

His name—what was his name?

Oh, Billy.

Billy really does look like his dad. It was like Cap was looking at a mirror everytime he faced the kid. They both had blue eyes, black hair and dimples on their smile and Clark couldn't help but feel warm and fuzzy inside at how close the two looked.

But even with all that, he hoped that Cap hadn't kept his kid a secret. If he didn't then, Billy might've been a part of the Justice League family from the very start.

Would they not have met Billy if he didn't almost die?

The thought sent goosebumps on his back.

It was a scary thought but by the looks of it, the Captain never had the intentions on announcing the existence of his son. If he hadn't been gravely injured, if Cap had more choices, then, maybe he would've still tried to cover up the truth. But Clark was happy that that wasn't the case and they were now enjoying the kid's company.

Where was his mother though?

Why did he ended up hurt in the first place?

Surely, Captain wouldn't send his son to dangerous places even though he has magic, right?

Was this just a slip up or Cap's parenting style really was the problem?

No—

Superman shook his head.

His collegue may be childish and a bit goofy somethimes but he knew, he knew it too well that he wouldn't purposely put his son in danger.

That was why they're here in the first place. That was why Cap had swallowed his pride and already blurted out the Truth. That was why he accepted their help.

But by the looks of it, the boy needed more help aside from his injuries. He looked scrawny and thin— like Superman can whistle without his powers and the kid would just get blown away.

He needed to eat more. 

Is the Captain working on this? Or was he too focused on magic?

If that's the case, then, it wouldn't do. 

Kids need more attention. No matter how much magic and knowledge you give to them, it won't fill their stomach and help them physically grow. Well, atleast the boy, was socially adjusted and smart in his own ways.

But clark couldn't help but think how lacking the Captain with certain things.

Just earlier, he saw thet he just snap away the blood out of the boy's cloth. Was that how they live? Is the automatic, magic, cloth cleaning powers used too much that the Captain didn't even bother to buy his son new clothes anymore? 'Cause Clark could tell that those hoodie and pants were really old. There were parts where the colors were already fading and the hems of the hoodies was already coming apart.

Do they do this to their house too? Do they live in a house and not a magical cave?

There were hundred of questions running in Superman's head that he was already starting to looked past everyone.

Maybe he shouldn't hang out with Bruce too mich. He's infecting him with his overthinking and over deducing things around him.

He can't be paranoid around his teammates. Especially Cap who was one of the kindest person he knew.

He was just a father trying to get through life with his magical son and their magical problems.

Clark shouldn't judge.

Although, he would keep an eye out in case they needed more help.

Superman took a step forward, it was finally his turn to speak to the kid.

"It's nice to meet you, Billy. How are you feeling?" Superman offered a hand and Billy's gladly shook it with both of his own with a wide grin on his face. The kid seemed like he tried to give him a firm shake but Superman ended up feeling nothing not even any kind of pressure. 

Was he still feeling weak? Or was it just him and his hard as steel flesh?

"I'm feeling alright now, Mr. Superman, sir," the boy said in a cheerful voice, "Although, I still kinda feel a little drained." The boy added as his eyes startes to look more droopy.

Clark was right and he was about to hover at the kid to ask him to lay down but the Captain beat him to it, already by his son's side.

"I think i can help with that," the big red cheese said as he laid a hand on Billy's forearm and Superman watched in astonishment as the two began to glow in a soft golden light.

He could feel the warmth the two were radiating and Clark could see from where he was standing how the boy smiled in relief, his body gaining energy so that he wasn't relying on the pillow behind him to prop up his back.

The light slowly disappeared and the boy smiled bright at Marvel. It was as if he was ready to bounce around the room with his newfound energy.

"What was that, Captain?" Diana asked.

"Oh, it was magic, your highness."

Superman raised a brow at that. Marvel's not the type of person to call Diana by his title. In fact, nobody in the league calls her that. No one treats her like royalty because she was the one who told them that they're all equal. Come to think of it, Captain Marvel had also called Diana "Princess" during their last meeting.

"I gave Billy some of my magic. His reserves were almost drained because he used too much magic earlier," Marvel added.

One question in Clark's mind that he wanted to voice since the very start was: why did Cap let his own kid just go wherever he pleased?

Believe him, Clark wasn't the type to say yes to strict parenting but, there should still be atleast some limit and rules made in order to prevent all of this.

Now, he's just starting to think Cap is irresponsible which he really wasn't trying to and again—its probably because of Bruce's influence on him that he was starting to think this negatively.

There was a strange pause between the two all of a sudden, odd glances had been exchanged before the smile on Cap's face disappeared.

Clark was taken aback when Cap looked back up at them with weariness in his eyes. "Hey, uh—Can you give us a minute?" he asked. "Alone?"

The mood of the room shifted from happy to uncomfortable in a blink of an eye but no one had dared to point it out.

Batman just nodded at that and instructed them all to leave the two alone.

Superman  left with the others and when was about to part ways with everyone, Batman whispered something under his breath.

"Don't eavesdrop on them, Clark," he heard the Dark knight said and that's when he knew that all this time, he and Bruce was thinking the same thing. And it was just Bruce's respect for the Captain and his son's privacy the only thing that's stopping them from ever getting answers to the questions they had in their minds.

--------

Billy waited until he couldn't hear their footsteps anymore before started talking.

"So what happened to the Wanderer?" He asked, something horrific creeping up inside of him.

Marvel stared at him with knitted brows, his eyes glazed with worry. 

"He's dead, Billy," he said, grabbing Billy's hand and squeezing it.

Billy squeezed back.

"We couldn't save him," Billy said, his voice small and sad. The Wanderer was one of the most peaceful sorcerer he knew and he had wished to meet him in person for a long time but fate thought it would be a funny joke to present him to Billy as a half demon half corpse that wanted to kill him.

"His last opponent must've killed him and wore his flesh," Billy said.

"Yes, it had only been a day since it happened."

Billy's heart dropped to his stomach. He whipped his head to face Marvel, fear and confusion stirring his expression in so many ways.

"What do you mean a day?" Billy asked in a whisper as if the walls could hear them and whisper it back to the dead. "His last fight was just a week ago. I made a mistake by using his magical presence from that day to find him. I must've read a mixture of his magic and the monster he had fought. That's why I got sent there."

"Billy, listen to me." Without letting go of his hand, Marvel stood up from his seat and sat beside him in a hurry. He leaned his face near Billy's own and whispered back, making Billy's skin crawl at what might come next. "The Wanderer just died yesterday, just around the time that we got back from the rock. It was no ordinary monster, it was a powerful demon. Do you think..." Marvel paused. "Do you think maybe one of them had followed us back?"

Billy's breath got stuck on his throat. The "them" Marvel was talking about could be just anything that came from the rock. The brothers djinn, nightmares, curses... demons.

But that was impossible. The last time they were there, the seals were still holding up. How‐

"I-I don't know. And if that's real then that means it was my fault." Tears started running down his face and Billy buried himself in Marvel's chest. "It's my fault, Marvel." Marvel encircled his arms around him and he was glad he did. He felt safe in his arms and he needed that safety especially now. But Billy knew even Marvel's embrace wasn't enough to protect him from the sins they've done. The conscience that was slowly pounding its way into his very soul. This was on him. How did he not notice a demon from the rock had followed them back? How did he not felt its presence roaming the Earth? He was even stupid enough to have mistaken it as The Wanderer. Because of him the Wanderer was dead. One of the most peaceful and earthloving sorcerer was gone now. The world could use someone like him and now he was gone. 

He killed him.

He felt Marvel ran his hand on his hair. His soft voice shushing him and his thoughts. "This is not your fault. If it was anyone's fault, it's mine." 

He felt Marvel's jaw gently touched the top of his head as he rocked him back and forth. "It's not your fault. It's not your fault," he repeated like a broken record on Billy's ears but Billy knew better than to believe those. He knew it was his and there's no changing that now.

"What do we do now?" Billy asked as he looked up at Marvel and Marvel wiped the tears out of his eyes.

"For now, we can give the Wanderer a proper burial."

"You kept his body?" 

"Yes," Marvel nodded. "I asked Batman to leave his body to me so I stored it somewhere safe."

Billy sniffed and after a beat of silence, Billy spoke. "Let's do that, then."

Marvel had led him out of bed after that. They stood in the middle of the medbay as he summoned a portal right beneath their feet. Billy closed his eyes as a flash of light surrounded them, when he opened them again, he was back at the swamp. 

"Let's go," Marvel beckoned him to follow and he did. When they arrived on a relatively dry land, Marvel opened a pocket dimension, stepped in it and came out with The Wanderer's limp body on his arms.

Billy used his magic to carve out a tomb out of a large rock next to the hole Marvel had created. 

Marvel was about to lower the body on his own but Billy ran by his side and grabbed the Wanderer's ankle, helping Marvel out.

Marvel looked at him curiosly but Billy's eyes never left the Wanderer's body. "Please let me help," he said and Marvel let him do his thing, helping him out in lowering the body into the dirt.

It started raining after that but Billy never stood up from his kneeling and kept on pushing dirt into the grave. Most of them had turned into mud now but he didn't care, didn't stop. He kept on dropping them down the hole until it was barely noticeable and if he had tears in his eyes, no one noticed it because of the rain. 

"Do you think more would follow?" Billy asked as he finally stood and left a single flower on top of the heap of mud.

"Yes, and it would get worse from here," Marvel added, his voice getting clearer as the pour of the rain started getting slower. "They could even come after us."

Billy hugged Marvel's side, his eyes never leaving the tombstone with the word "here lies The Wanderer" written on it as Marvel wrapped an arm around his shoulder in return. 

"I think it's time to tell the League," Marvel's voice cut the silence and Billy could only nod as the fog rose and swirled around them.

Chapter Text

Captain Marvel and his son, who apparently, was named Billy was walking hand in hand in the hallways when Oliver finally found them. Dinah had been up on his ass about it—said she wanted to meet the kid. He can't blame her though, she loves kids and so does Oliver. And apparently, the whole League was also on the search for the father and son, hoping to have a chance meet the little Captain Marvel Jr. themselves. In fact, they were all scattered in the tower right now, playing a cat and mice with these two. And lucky for him, he was the one who found them first and the victory was his for the taking. Oohh... he'd annoy the hell out of these two and maybe smother the brat if he had the time.

He turned on his comm and contacted Black canary, whispering to it fast so that no one would take notice of their exchange. "Baby, come here, fast! I found them," he said and clipped his communicator back to his costume.

"There you are!" Oliver greeted, his voice booming to get the two's attention. He actually did and the two looked at him with matching blue eyes. But it was strange. They looked kinda sad.

"Uh..." Marvel frowned at him. "Is there a search party going on?" he asked suspisciously. 

"Oh, you have no idea," Oliver said mischeviously and slapped the Captain hard on his back.

Ouch. That one actually backfired. That slap should hurt Cap, not the other way around.

He hid his little wince of pain and directed his eyes down to look at the boy who in return blinked at him before giving him a grin.

"Ohhh..." Oliver bent his knees to meet the boy's eyes. "Is this the little Captain Marvel jr?"

Marvel was about to answer but he cut him off with a startling laugh.

"Are you kidding me?! Why'd I even ask, it's like I'm staring at mini you!" He pointed at Cap with both hands and Cap just stared at him. Bored.

Atleast the kid had laughed in his father's stead to save this ultimately dying down conversation.

"You're funny, Mr. green man!" The boy pointed at him like he was a prize in a fun fare.

"Mr. Green man?!" Oliver's eye's almost jumped out of its sockets. There's no way Captain Marvel's kid didn't know him. He's the Green arrow for godsake!

"Save it Oliver. The kid's just messing with you," another green man popped out from the corner (it was green lantern) and Oliver stared at him, wanting him to leave.

He stared at the guy as if he was saying, "dude let me have this moment" but the idiot failed to read his messege and stepped in anyway.

"He got us and Barry earlier, that little prankster," Hal said, standing next to Marvel and propping up an arm against the man's shoulder as if he was a shelf or something.

"Hey, I almost got him!" Billy whined at Hal and Cap just laughed at his son's antics. 

"Billy, I want you to meet Oliver Queen, you also know him as Green arrow." The big red cheese finally introduced him

The kid smiled brightly at him and offered him a hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Oliver. I'm Billy."

Oliver chuckled as he shook the boy's hand. "So I've heard. Your dad here is a friend of mine," he added.

"I know. He's a handful isn't he?" The kid smirked at him and Oliver couldn't help but to laugh again.

This kid got spunk!

"I know, right!" Oliver said, holding his stomach.

"Oh, what have we here? I'm not late to the party, am I?" Dinah just appeared out of the corner, a smile already on her face.

"No, you're not ma'am and if there's anyone who would arrive late, it would be the Flash."

"Hey, did someone just insulted me?" Now it was Barry's head that popped up from that same corner and everyone laughed at him.

"Baby," Oliver walked towards Dinah. "I thought I told you to not tell anyone!" he whisper yelled.

"Ugh," Canary just rolled her eyes at him. "You're really underestimating our collegues when it comes to detecting news. I literally answered you under my breath earlier but I still got find out! But never mind that, 'cause now," she crept closer to Billy like a big momma bear asking for a hug, "I got a kid to smother!" she said and the boy giggled when she scooped him in a hug and roared as if she was a literal bear munching on the kid.

Welp. There she goes.

This was Oliver's idea but now he just got left in the dust to watch them gather around the boy and his over protective father. 

There were giggles and jokes and comeback jokes as they talked among themselves until they heard something grumbled.

"Barry, didn't you just ransack the entire kitchen?!" Hal slapped Barry at the back of the neck.

"Stop slapping me!" said the speedster and he slapped the Green lantern back at the speed of light.

"Sorry, it was me." Their eyes went down when they heard the voice coming from a one particular Billy.

Marvel bent his knees to talk to his kid. "Oh, sorry. I forgot that you haven't eaten since yesterday."

"Yesterday?! Dude!" Barry yelled and Marvel was taken aback.

"It's not my fault. Magic problems happned and it must've slipped out of my mind," Marvel said and faced Billy again. He scooped him up in his arms and started marching towards the kitchen. "Now, what do you want to eat?" he asked his son, a small smile on his face. "I can make anything. I can even cook dishes from ancient Greece."

Him, Barry and Hal audibly gasped at the revelation.

"You could do that?!" Oliver asked.

"Yes?" Marvel raised a brow at them.

"And you didn't tell us?" It was Hal's turn to speak as they all tried to keep up with the Captain's wide strides. 

"I'd like to try one of those," Barry added and Oliver could already see saliva forming on the speedster's mouth.

Ugh... Barry.

"Alright," Marvel said kindly that he almost sounded like a mom who just made up her mind about what she would cook from her cookbook. "I'd cook enough for everyone."

"Yey!" The two idiots cheered in unison, him included.

------

They were all staring at Cap's back with wide eyes. Never in Oliver's life did he thought that the man could cook.

I mean, look at this guy, he was slicing vegetables without looking and mixing sauces within a single blink. He moved with the finesse of a seasoned chef and the grace of a mother that had been put in the kitchen. He was even humming a song for godsake!

Well, he for one, couldn't wait to taste what the Captain was cooking.

He said it was a dish even served to kings in the early days of ancient greece. 

Oliver's mouth was already watering just thinking about it and the aroma in the air certainly didn't help.

Hmm... ancient food, he thought as his mind started floating, imagining what the taste would be like. 

"So kid," Oliver's mind was pulled back to reality when Barry spoke up. He, Barry, Dinah, Hal and Billy were all sitting in a long table and Barry was the one nearest to the kid. "How old are you?" he asked.

"I'm ten," the boy answered brightly.

"Did your mom know that your dad brought you up the Justice League's watchtower?" Flash smirked.

"Uhm, no." The boy looked down. "My mom's... dead."

"Oh." He heard Dinah said from behind him. The smile got wiped out of their faces and Oliver punched Barry's side.

"Ouch!"

"You deserve that."

"But it's alright though." Billy looked up again. His eyes glanced fondly at Cap then back to them. "I have my pops with me." He smiled.

There were Aww's coming out of their mouth and Oliver was doing it without him knowing.

Damn it! Why do this kid have to be this adorable?!

"It's done!" Marvel announced in triumph and everyone held their breaths as he carried a large pot of food into the head of the table. 

Marvel gave each of them servings before he  finally sat down himself. 

The food was steaming hot but Oliver already dug in and when it touched his tongue, he melted in his seat at how good it was. 

Everyone had the same reaction that it made the people around them turn their heads, twitching their nose towards their food.

"Hey, it's ours!" Barry shooed them away. "Ours! Go find your own food!" 

The people walked away pissed after that, some still lingered hoping to get handed out something but Barry just glared at them to leave. 

"I cooked a lot, you know?" Cap said, looking confused when Barry was already hogging the pot all to himself.

"Well, we have Barry on the table. I guess that's pretty self explanatory," Dinah said with sass and everyone laughed at that.

"Hey, why do I always get to be the butt of the joke?!"

"'Cause you're an idiot, that's why!" Hal answered still sputtering on his food from too much laughing.

"Hey—you're an idiot too!"

"Alright!" Oliver stopped them before they could start a riot. Jesus he just wanna enjoy his food. "That's enough," he yelled at the two and that seemed to deflate them back into their seats but Barry was on it again, grinning like an idiot.

Oliver internally sighed. He guessed the Flash's mood changes as fast as his running.

"What I wanna know is," the speedster started, leaning his elbow on the table, "how many kids did Cap have." He stared at the poor man whose was obviously starting to feel uncomfortable. "Hey Cap how many kids do you have? Did you have one every hundred year or so?"

Captain Marvel chocked on a potato and his kid started laughing hysterically.

"Barry, that's a rude question to ask," Dinah reprimanded, her brows knitting as she stretched out a hand and pat the Captain on the back. He was still coughing violently at this point that Oliver was starting to get worried that a piece of vegetable got stuck on the hero's throat. "Even more so now that a child is present," she added.

The boy wiped a tear from his eyes. "No, I'm alright," he said, winded.

Marvel finally recovered and slammed a fist on the table. 

"How rude! Billy is an oy child and Jenny is my one and only true love!" The Captain yelled, frowning and he proceeded on crossing his arms while pouting.

The kid was quick to follow up and slap his father's back. "Yeah, his one true love!" he screamed with his balled fist in the air, looking like an angry mob condensed in a small body. "That's my mom!" he paused and the two exchanged looks. "Definitely, my mom!"

Oliver snorted at the weird pause but just let it go. It's just a kid.

"Now, does that answer your question?" Dinah raised a brow at Barry.

"Yes," he looked down, ashamed but then, perked up again. "Oh, and her name was Jenny?" Barry grinned his jokester grin again.

"Ooh, Jenny~," Hal wiggled his brows and Barry followed soom after. 

They soon proceeded to bully the Captain after that. Voicing out "Ooh, Jenny," as if they were preteen girls teasing their playmates in the playground about their crush.

Oliver felt sorry for the Captain who had his face buried in his hands— but just like his son who was patting his back while laughing at him at the same time, Oliver couldn't give a damn.

They all laughed at the Captain, their voices filling the large cafeteria, their stomachs full and their hearts content. 

------

"So, how did it go?" Superman asked Dinah before she could even sip her ice cold water. The idiots were already gone and out the cafeteria, leaving her there while they parade the kid in the hallway on Barry's back with his dad face palming himself at the very back of the procession. She didn't want any part of that anymore. Believe her, she doesn't shy away from acting silly once in a while but what the boys were doing were on another level of idiocy. 

Boys will be boys I guess. Poor Marvel though. The guy just kept on getting bullied even by his own son.

"As you can see," Dinah moved her eyes towards the entrance of the cafeteria, still eyeing the convulsing shadows of the merry band that just went out. "Everything went great." She sipped her water. "It was fun."

"Did you fed the boy?" Superman asked and Dinah paused. Oh, that's right, Superman specifically asked her before all this to get some food into the thin child. 

"Oh, sorry. "She looked away, grimacing. "I kind of forgot but," she pushed on before the man could explode into a big blue mother hen "His dad did."

"Oh." Superman blinked, not really sure how to react.

"Even made enough for us AND it was good." Dinah started walking towards the man of steel. She slapped a hand on his shoulder and met his eyes. "You should've joined us earlier instead of hovering around like a ghost."

Superman went silent, furrowing his brows.

"The Captain's parenting skills were not as bad as you think, you know," Dinah added before finally making her exit, taking her glass of water with her.

-------

"Oh, hey, Bats!" Oliver tapped Bruce by his shoulder when they past each other in the hallway. "The Captain wanted to tell you something."

He stopped walking at that, the archer finally grabbing his attention.

"Why?" he asked.

Green arrow hummed but then shrugged soon after. "I don't know—said he had to be the one to tell you something. He's just around the corner; his usual spot where he stare at space for hours. He's currently doing it with his son," he said.

"Hmm..." Batman squinted. What could be the Captain wanted to tell him? Asking himself is futile now, he might as well go there and find out.

"I understand." He nooded at Green arrow. "I'll go to him."

"Great!" The man hoisted another arm up his shoulder and Bruce gave him a glare. "His kid is great, by the way. Bye!" he said in a hurry and raised his arms in surrender before stumbling out into the halls.

Batman sighed and shook his head.

Sometimes he wondered if he's the only adult in the tower. 

He could never get them to act their age but... 

He started walking again. A smile forming on his lips.

It's not like it was hurting anyone.

And besides, it keeps the workplace lively so he'd let it slide.

He turned a corner and when he saw the people he was looking for, he couldn't help but to stop and stare for a second.

Both father and son were staring at the large window that viewed the vast space and the Earth below. They were sporting the same awestruck expression on their faces as the canvas of stars and dark plane became their background. Marvel had his son on his arms who was in return, circling a hand behind his neck while the other was touching the glass window. 

The two radiated something divine that Batman almost thought they were glowing. 

"Oh, Batman..." 

Batman's mind got sucked back into the present when the Captain finally took notice of his presence and turned to face him with his son still in his arms.

Batman was taken aback when two pairs of blue eyes stared back at him with fear, as if they were both deers caught in headlights. Like the inevitable was here and they couldn't hold it back any longer.

"Can you gather everyone for me?" Captain Marvel smiled at him but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I have something to confess."

Chapter Text

"Do you mind? I'm going to put this little tiger back in my quarters," Marvel asked Batman as he ruffled Billy's hair.

And all of a sudden, as Marvel's hand ran through his hair, flashes of memories came flooding inside Billy's mind.

There was a flash. A man was looking down at him. He couldn't see his face at how bright it was but he could see his teeth showing in a smile. The man's hand was holding his and he opened his mouth to call him:

"Little tiger."

Billy paused but he tried his best not to show his surprise in his face. It seemed to work because Batman didn't seem to keep them for long. He just nodded at them and let them through.

"I'll see you at the meeting room, then, Captain," Batman's deep voice rang out as they started moving.

Marvel nodded slightly. "I'll be there."

When they finally arrived at the room that was assigned for Marvel, the man quickly locked the door and put him gently down the floor.

"Hey," Billy called, pulling on his cape. 

"Yes Billy?" Marvel was already on his knees, ready to listen. Marvel had been doing that a lot lately and it's making Billy wonder if the hero's knees is starting to get sore doing it often. But then, he's got the gift of the gods and he's practically invincible so maybe his worries were actually invalid.

"You just copied my dad earlier," Billy said, looking down. He may not remember his dad completely or picture his face as clear as day but he still has remnants of memories. It may be waning through the years but it was still there. And earlier, Marvel had just reminded him of a new memory, something important that only him and his dad shared.

"Yes? I took what I can from the memories you have of him," Marvel answered but then he started to furrow his brows. "Why? Did I do something wrong?"

Billy didn't want him to think that way but he really needed to say this. "Please don't do that. Don't try to act like my dad. There are certain moments that the two of us only share."

Panic was starting to creep on Marvel's face, he's starting to look like a little kid who did something wrong and was waiting for the inevitable scolding but Billy won't do that. He would never do that to Marvel. 

"Hey," he bumped his shoulder to Marvel's side and the man looked at him. "I want you to act like yourself. You don't have to measure up to anyone. Just be you and let everyone think what they want to think." Billy smiled at him. "Yes, they might think our Father and son dynamic is weird but who cares? I don't give a shit."

Marvel chuckled at that. "Language."

Billy rolled his eyes at him and smirked. "Now, you're starting to sound like a dad."

Both of them laughed at that. There was a light feeling in the air for about a minute but then, when everything died down and they were left staring at the gray ceiling.

"Today's the day we tell the league what's happening with the Rock, huh?" Billy broke the silence.

"Yes, it is," Marvel simply answered.

Billy still couldn't look him in the eyes and kept on blinking up.

"Please don't tell them about our separation yet," he asked all of a sudden, his voice small. "The problem with the rock is already massive, I don't want to add up on it by basically telling them that they let a child into the league."

"I won't if that's what you want," Marvel answered with a voice that's almost whispered.

Billy's eyes finally left the ceiling and turned to look straight at Marvel. 

"Thank you," Billy said, a solemn smile etched on his lips.

Marvel nodded and stood up, looking down at him with the signature smile Billy knew he always had when he was Marvel himself. "Always welcome," Marvel said and Billy giggled.

"Wow... that smile almost looked like our signature smile," Billy teased and Marvel blushed.

"Can't you praise a little better?" He pouted and Billy giggled even more.

"Sorry, that's all you'll get for now," Billy said as he hopped on the bed.

"Now, you're starting to make me nervous," Marvel said worriedly, running a hand through his perfectly slicked back hair when it came back in its place perfectly, Billy raised a brow.

"Wait wait wait." Billy beckoned Marvel to get near him and Marvel did as he's told. When he was right in front of Billy, Billy stood on the bed and ruffled Marvel's hair with both of his hands and it still came back in its place perfectly! "Dude, your hair is like—eternally blessed to be immaculate!"

"Yes?" Marvel ran a hand at it again and looked up as if he could see his own head. "I noticed."

"Damn..." Billy let out a breath as he stepped back from Marvel looking at him up and down as he touched his thumb and pointy fingers by his  chin, looking like a designer beholding their model. "This is what I would've looked like if I grew up tall and buff. You're like— everything I wanted to be!"

Marvel gave him an incredulous laugh and laid a hand on his head, bending his hips just to tell him the words: "And you're everything I need to be," with a gentle voice.

He then proceeded to hug him after that. It started loose but then it became tighter and tighter but Billy didn't complain about it and hugged him back.

"I will be the one leading the meeting for the very first time," Marvel said, his voice tickling his ears. Billy felt Marvel's fingers wrung the back of his shirt. "Wish me luck," he added.

Billy snuggled deeper by his neck. "Good luck."

--------

When Hal entered the meeting room, he was surprised to see Captain Marvel standing in the middle while Batman was the one sitting.

It made him pause in front of his seat. What is happening?

This was the very first time he saw Batman sat on one of these chairs. And what's more shocking was that Captain seemed to be the one who will be leading the meeting.

This was a first for many things and Hal didn't know what to think of it. Batman took notice of him and glared.

"Take. A. Seat." He commanded with irritation in his voice.

"Oh, oh! Of course!" Hal stumbled with his words and grabbed a seat as fast as he can. 

There were only three person in the meeting room: him, Batman and Cap. It was too silent and awkward that he cursed himself for being so early. Sometimes he wised he was Barry. Always late but never fashionably late but hey, it saved him from moments such as this.

There was nothing to stare at really. He couldn't stare at the large monitor—there was nothing on display yet. He definitely couldn't stare at Batman or else he'd get his soul sucked in so he chose to stare at the Captain who's standing in the middle of it all. He had his back against them as he patiently waited for everyone to arrive. He was standing tall with his head help up high and hands hidden behind his back. He held himself like a noble as he stood and Hal couldn't help but notice how his cape had shimmered even in the dimmest light.

It was the first time Hal had saw the Captain looked so... immaculate. Like somehow the fact that Cap being the avatar of the gods was believable.

It was easy to see now without all those goofiness and silly faces. Was Cap acting goofy on purpose so that everyone won't regard him as a threat? Was he a serious person trying to be goofy for the sake of him leveling with others? Or the goofy personality was the real him and he was just serious now because his son got caught up in all this mess?  

Hal couldn't really tell. The man had been acting weird these past few days.

Marvel must've felt his eyes on him and turned to meet his face. "Thank you for coming," Marvel nodded at him.

"Welcome." Hal saluted back at the Captain and when he blinked he realized that the three of them weren't the only ones that was there and the room was already packed.

Hal's brow raised. If a lot of the leaguers were already there then why did Cap only addressed a thanks to him?

Holy shit! 

Hal gasped and stared right back at the Captain who subtly smirked at him before turning away.

No way!

Hal's mouth was left wide open.

He did that on purpose.

-----

The meeting finally started and everyone was staring at each other, also taken aback by the fact that Captain was the one who would be leading them.

"It's nice to see that's everyone is here," Marvel started and Hal saw a glimpse of John and Zatanna in the corner as well.

His eyes blinked at that. It was rare to see the team's magic speacialists in these meetings so finding them here means something important is about to go down.

And well, they're talking about the Captain who's clearly magic so of course they'd need his magic team there.

"Thank you for coming." Hal looked at Cap again. "And I'd like to apologize about my actions on the last meeting we had. What I did was immature and uncalled for. But I didn't call you all for this meeting just to apologize. I am here to tell some things."

Cap looked away and everyone leaned in their seat in anticipation. 

"What I said back in Fawcett: when I said that something terrible had happened but it would only affect me—tha's a lie, " Cap said, his brows furrowing and his expression dark. "Everyone and everything is affected."

"What exactly happened, Captain?" Batman asked.

"Black Adam destroyed the Rock of Eternity when he stole the lightning bolt."

No one really reacted to what he said except for the Magic users and Wonderwoman. Zatanna could be heard gasping at the revelation and Constantine sporting a worried look in his eyes. Wonderwoman stared at Captain in shock. She looked like she wanted to stand in her seat and march up the front but she stopped herself and let him continue.

"It is barely alive now, and the wizard who is keeping it that way is starting to fade away. That's why the magic in this world is starting to disappear and sooner or later it will completely vanish and the monsters, demons amd curses that was once sealed by magic would be unleased into the world."

 Diana slammed a hand on her desk and stood up fast, knocking her chair back in the process. "Then, we must fix it right away!" she said in a booming voice.

Marvel nodded affirmatively. "In order to fix it, we must find something as powerful as the wizard to replace him should he finally fade out of existence. It could be anything, really. Ancient artifacts, magical gems—either powered by good or evil— even weapons from the gods."

There was a pause and Cap, Zatanna and Wonderwoman all collectively glared right at John Constantine.

"Hey, don't look at me!" John waved a hand frantically when he finally noticed that every eyes in the room was on him. 

"John," Zatanna called. "Among all the magic users, you are the one with the most resources. You have the house of mystery and there's probably more magical items inside of it."

"I ain't giving you shit!" John spat. "And what are you planning in giving me in return, huh? And pipe down, Batsy. I dont want to hear you say cash!" He ponted at Batmam who just glared at him in return.

"We sorcerers don't use money as currency, we trade with blessings, and curses, and potions and spells. But in my case even with all of those put together, it will never be enough. Those are prescious artifacts for gods sake and I aint handing it to no one. Even you Zatanna." He glared at the female sorcerer.  

He pulled a cigarette from the inside of his coat and lit it with a regular lighter. "So consider yourself all alone," he said before he put the cigarette in his mouth and start walking out of the room. He purposely passed by Captain Marvel just to prove a point, but strangely, the Captain just let him do as he pleased and didn't stop him.

"The fate of the world depends on it!" Wonderwoman yelled after him.

"Nah," he threw his hands nonchalantly. "I don't care. I can leave this reality if I want to anyway."

The door closed behind him and all eyes were back on the Captain again but Hal was taken aback wewn he turned and he saw anger written on the Captains face. It was a silent kind of anger, like it was a boil hidden skin deep and you try to hide it but its remnants still managed to rise to the surface. But just as fast as Hal had laid eyes on it, it was fast to disappear. He just blinked and it was gone. And Hal was left to wonder if he was just imagining it and it was just a trick of the light.

"What now, Captain?" Wonderwoman's voice rang in the silence and Hal's mind was pulled back to reality.

"I could still try and find something on my own," he said.

"I'll help you out, Captain." Zatanna volunteered.

"How much time do we have?" Superman asked, his voice filled with worry. 

"About a week or so," Marvel said and the worry and fear spread in the entirety of the room. 

"Then, all of us will help you," Batman stood from his seat. What he said was a statement. It was not up for debate and they really couldn't do anything about but to follow.

Chapter Text

Marvel was about to leave the meeting room when Batman appeared out of the shadows out just to stare at him.

"Is there something you need, Batman?" Marvel asked through a grimace. He really didn't have time for this now.

"I just wanted to tell you that Billy is allowed to stay here for as long as he needs," the man said simply, not even adding any more explanation. "And also, I wanted to thank you for finally opening up and telling us the truth."

"It's nothing, don't worry about it," Marvel said in a hurry raising a hand in front of him. He was already starting to walk away when Batman started talking again.

"But that wasn't the entire truth, was it?" 

Those words made Marvel stop in his tracks. 

Marvel furrowed his brows and he turned to look back at the man. "What are you trying yo say?" he asked, his voice starting to have an intensity to it.

Yes, it wasn't the entire truth. He left the part where he, the living lighning and Billy, his host got separated. He couldn't just march up there and tell them that they let an actual child into their ranks. 

That was what Billy feared the most. He feared the the day that the League would find out and throw him away. He feared that the people he had learmed to finally trust would turn their backs against him just by being a child. 

He was just doing what he was destined to do. It was what he needed to do as the Champion of magic and he didn't want other heroes telling him what to do and restricting him just because they were born a few years ealier than him.

Of course, Marvel would protect that information the most. No one would understand anyway if he told them that part of the story. They might even look at him with disgust for using a child as a host. He just knew that they would separate them even more. It was already hard now that their soul had been split up. He didn't know what he'd do if he and Billy just got even more separated with an actual physical distance keeping them away from each other. It'll drive him crazy!

"What I'm trying to say is that you're still keeping something from us. Something that is vital to make this mission work." Batman's voice became hard and venomous, challenging his earlier tone.

"How do you know that its vital? What even is this "vital" thing you're saying—"

"Billy."

That one single word made him stop talking. His eyes widened in surprise at how Batman could clearly pinpoint all the things that could tick him off. He was gets too close to the truth and by the looks of it, he would only get closer and closer until he finally got it and make things more difficult for him and Billy.

"I struck a nerve didn't I?" 

He still couldn't talk.

"Why, of all that people that could get attacked by a demon that it ended up attacking Billy? Why was he there? Were you making him do all your biddings? Using him as your own little errand boy?" Batman squinted at him and Marvel had to deny it. He had to. because he never really did any of those things.

"No! I-I would never—"

"What are you planning, Captain?"

"I-"

"What are you doing behind our back—"

"I don't know!" Marvel yelled but it ws too late to realize that he did. Batman was already staring at him with wide eyes and slightly opened mouth. He could see that he was already coming up with a plan to subdue him should he attack him. He could already feel all the thoughts that are rushing underneath those white eyes. 

Marvel let out a breath and took a step back, looking away. 

He can't look at Batman now. He was getting too close. Way too close that it's starting to become too haed to get away.

"I don't know what I'm doing myself," Marvel whispered and Batman gave him an understanding look. "I don't know where any of this are going anymore. I'm just doing what I can while I still can. So please just... leave me and Billy alone." Marvel willed himself to be strong enough to gaze back at the man again. 

He gave him a steeled look and Batman's face was back to it's initial blank expression again and Marvel really didn't know what to do anymore so he just turned away and leave. 

Marvel can't stay there anymore. He already wasted too much time. He still has other business to attend to.

--------

John would never get used to using a regular old lighter to light his cigarette. The darn thing is a pest in his pocket and a waste of thumb motion.

He grunted again as he failed to light it up. 

This would be his second cigarette if this thing finally lit. Up!

Ah. Finally.

The lighter finally sparked and out of it came a little dancing flame. He was lowering his cigarette on it, ready to burn the tips and finally puff a smoke when someone approached him from behind.

A large hand grabbed his shoulders and it was too late when he finally realized that the golden light that surrounded him was actually a portal. 

"Oh, fuck m—" 

The light engulfed his very being and everything turned white.

-------

When he opened his eyes he was in his house, on his sofa. It would've been comfortable if he was sitting on it and not bound to it.

"Really?! Binding me in my own chair inside my own house—just how much more insult are you planning on throwing at me..."  he glared at the man before him. "Captain?" he ended in a dark note. 

The Champion of Magic looked down at him with his tall might and hard eyes. He was looking at him as if he was an insect that he could easily squish if he wanted to. Which was probably true but that was besides the point!

He thought the Big red cheese was a bucket of sunshine not a downgrading, kidnapping, (was it still kidnapping if you got taken only to be put in your own house though?) asshole of a guy.

"Constantine," the man acknowledged back. He had said John's name with a sneer as if it was disgusting and John wanted nothing more but to punch the guy.

"Let me go you twat or I'll stick the Justice league up your ass!"

"You can scream all you want, no one will hear you."

"Oh, so that's what you're planning, huh? You called for a meeting so that you could set us all up and kidnap me! I bet the world's fate isnt even at stake now-"

"What I told earlier was the truth and only the truth!"

He heard a voice rang in his head.

"Jesus, who put the speakers in my head?!"

"You won't shut your mouth so I went directly inside your head. So if you don't want that happening again—you will listen to me."

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw something purple moved and John knew who exactly that was. He smiled on himself. Ha! no one will hear him, huh? 

Let's see if she didn't hear this!  

"Orchid! Hey, Orchid!" The personified avatar of the house of mystery walked over towards where he and the Captain was, face totally blank. 

"Be a dear and help your master out, would 'ya?" Constantine asked. Orchid's eyes moved to the Captain, then, to him, then, back to the Captain again before she settled staring straight ahead and walked back to where she came from. 

"Hey! Hey, come back here, you little—" John was about to bite back when she interrupted him.

"I do not wish to get reduced to splinters by the Champion of Magic, so if you would excuse me." She curtly bowed at him.

"Hey, I am your master. You listen to me!" John struggled against his binds.

"You did give me free will, did you not?" The woman said as a matter of factly and turned towards the Captain. "Please, continue," she told him and finally left the room.

"Why you you sassy, little twat! I'll take away your privileges after this! I swear to everything that is hol—"

"John Constantine," Marvel cut him off but John relented.

"What?! Is this about me not giving up all my prized possessions? 'Cause news flash: that's normal human behavior!" he screamed at the man, thrashing. "What are you gonna do about it? Smite me? 'Cause I'm pretty sure now that the rock is in a complete ruin, there's nothing you could give me that could measure up to what you're asking! So I'd really appreaciate it if you'd take your immaculate cape and asshole attitude out of my hou—"

John stopped his outburst when Cap marched up to him with heavy footsteps and dropped a heavy hand right by the right side of his head, holding the back of the sofa to corner him. 

Cap held his eyes with fiery gaze as he started speaking again, his every words told slow and heavily. "All I want is for you to listen to me." 

John couldn't answer back.

"Listen to me just for now," he said. "I'm here to give you an offer."

John's eyes picked up on that. What could he possibly give him—

"My knowledge," the Captain started and that caught John's attention, "everything that I know back from the ancient times to the present, all that I've learned on my own and all that had been taught to me—magic or not will be given to you."

John raised a brow at that.

Now, that was enticing.

"How are you gonna give it to me?" he asked. "I mean, with all those knowledge anyone would go crazy if you tried to put even a drop of those in their heads."

"I will make you a tome. In there, every knowledge that I have will be written. The words will only show itself to you and no one else but in exchange, you have to give us what we need."

Marvel stepped away from him and John was left blinking in surprise. Million thoughts had run itself in his head in that short momemt.

Thoughts that says that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Thoughts that are freaking out because— holy shit, that's practically all the knowledge in the world and cominng from the Champion nonetheless. Thoughts that are pretty much leaning to say yes.

John sighed in his seat and finally gave in. 

This guy got him.

He finally let go of his frown and smirked at the Big red cheese. 

"Well, they say knowledge is power, so I might as well take it."

Chapter Text

"You will regret this, living lightning!" The wizard's enraged face flashed before his eyes. 

The icy blue light of his staff flickered as different shades of darkness and light swirled around him, voices whispered at his ear, menacing, low and influencing, going round and round until it created a tornado with him in the middle. 

The voices celebrated his successful rebellion against the wizard. They congratulated him from breaking free. They wanted him to laugh with them as he watch the wizard's own demise but that wasn't what he wanted.

He shook his head slowly as smiling faces formed around him, they were nothing but a dark mold from the darkness around him with golden slits for their mouths and eyes. They were staring at him, engulfing him until he couldn't see the wizard that was in front of him.

He didn't want this. 
 
He never wanted this.

Yes, he wanted to be free. He wanted to be his own person but he never wished for anything evil to befall on the old, wise man. Was him turning his back from his duty already considered as evil?

He was just being selfish. That's all.

Humans do that all the time.

Was he not allowed to be like the humans?

Against the dark mist that's circling him, splotches of light appeared and there was Billy smiling. There was Billy holding his hand. And there was Billy looking up at him with eyes that believed in him so much.

He stretched out a hand towards the images.

It was all he ever wanted.

Was he not allowed to have this?

Please just let him have this.

Just as his hand could almost grasp Billy's, the images disappeared and he was back inside the swirling cyclone again, unable to see anything.

His breath picked up its pace and he screamed. "Wizard!" he yelled with all his might and the dark cyclone dissipated. The shadowy mist died down until he finally found himself back in the throne room face to face with the wizard.

He wasn't moving. It was the same image in his memory that was frozen in time.

He was just standing there, tall and proud with his staff with an already fading light.

Marvel approached the man slowly. Taking small steps up the stairs to his throne.

His face was stone cold, his eyes looking at far away but Marvel knew somehow that those eyes was searching him. Those hard but worried gaze were for him just as much that it was for Billy.

Marvel's face crumbled and tears started falling from his eyes. His sobs matched the sorrow of sons who had betrayed their father because it was probably true.

The wizard was like a father to him. He was the one that kept him company for thousands of years while he was waiting for the person to become his champion. Marvel remembered faintly how the wizard held him in his arms while whispering him the promise of finding what's best for him. He was like a father who wanted what best for his son. That was why it took him this long to find the chosen one. 

He always wished the best for him and now...

Marvel knelt in front of the wizard and bowed his head on the floor, his tears dripping on the cold rock below as he refused to meet his eyes.

"I'm sorry for everything. And I know that it would be selfish of me to ask this but— please don't come after us yet." He lowered his head even more.

"I never asked for anything and I will never ask for anything again. Just please let me have this this."

"... Marvel."

"Please give me more time."

"Marvel, wake up."

"Please don't take Billy away from me."

"Marvel!"

Marvel's eye's opened slowly and when his sight cleared, he could see Billy looking down at him with a worried expression on his face. When he looked around he saw that they were on a couch by the large windows where you could see the best view of the Earth amd the space that surrounded it. 

"What?" Marvel asked as he felt small hands wiped something away from his face.

"I think you were having a bad dream," Billy said.

"I fell asleep?" he asked.

"Uh huh." And Billy nodded at him.

"And I dreamt?"

"You ask me. You're the one dreaming." Billy raised a brow at him but then started worrying again. "I-Is everything alright?" he asked.

Marvel blinked and quickly wipe at his face. His sleeves came back drenched after that.

He was crying? Marvel asked himself and he could've forgotten about the dream if he didn't wonder but it was in his head again. The dream about the wizard. He could tell that to Billy but he didn't want to worry him so he just pushed all the images of the dream at the back of his head and went back to his usual mood.

"I'm alright. It's just a dream," he said,shrugging.

Billy looked like he wasn't buying it but let it go, not wanting to push him. "Okay," he said, still side eyeing him. 

Marvel avoided his eyes and looked down. When he found a massive book on his lap, that's when he remember that he was teaching Billy how to read latin earlier. He must've fallen asleep. "Wait," he raised a brow, "I slept on latin?"

"Dude, I know!" Billy chimed in. "That's like your favorite language and you dozed off." Billy touched a finger on his jaw, checking him out. "Maybe you're gettin' old."

"What?!"

Billy laughed at his scandalized expression and the sound also made him laugh. 

"Come on," Marvel said as he circled an arm underneath Billy's shoulder. "Let's get back to learning." Marvel was already all smiles and was about to flip a new page of the book when a certain blond man just came out of nowhere.

-----

"Well, Lookie here," John started when he saw the father and son cuddled up on a couch, sharing one large book that's in the Captain's hand. "If it isn't the Captain abd his little twerp?" John greeted but he was met with Cap's pissed off 'I'll give you 3 seconds before I flatten you up' glare.

Well, shite. Looks like he came in the wrong time. He just remembered now that the Captain had specifically told him not to approach him when he was with Billy which was what he was definitely doing now and Captain certainly wasn't happy about it. 

My bad, John thought as he slighty shrugged at the Captain.

"What'cha got there, kid?" he asked as he slowly walked towards them. Might as well continue. He'll only succeed on making this more awkward than it already is if he just scram out of there.

"Oh, my pops is teaching me latin," the kid said, all bright and starry eyes as he tried and failed to lift the massive old book.

John chuckled. "Good for you," he said but then, he raised a brow at the kid. Now he knows why this kid has a dam sized reserve for magic. His freaking dad was the Champion of Magic! But that still doesn't explain why the kid still can use magic though. 

He looked at Cap again who's still pissed and now showing teeth. 

Nah. Obviously, daddy-o here was handing him some more magic so he could use it for his little party tricks.

Cheeky brat.

"Hey, mind if I borrow your pops for a sec?" he finally asked the kid once he made a comfortable of amount of conversation.

That'd be enough to not look suspiscious, right?

The Caltain told him earlier that he would give him this tome of knowledge but there's a catch: John had to tell the justice league first that he, now and forever would be willing to share his presciuos, presciuos things with them for the sake of the world.

He just did that before he went to find the Captain and oh, how funny had everything turned out. The Batman almost had a hard attack at his change of heart and Zatanna stared up at him as if he was a knight in a shining armor(or maybe that was just his imagination). Batsy almost didn't want to accept it because he said and quote on qoute with his bat voice: "It sounded suspiscious"  and it was. He can't blame anyone in thinking that. Hell, even his own doppleganger would commit suicide if he watched this.

But now that he did his part of the bargain, there's no point in prolonging the inevitable. He wanted his hands on those sweet sweet knowledge now.

"I don't mind," the kid answered and that was John's cue to pull Cap up his ass and lead him somewhere more private. 

"Did you already do your part?" Cap asked as he stared at him dead serious. 

"Yeah! already did!" he screamed in a whisper. "Now, hand it over."

"I changed my mind," he said and John almost screamed right then and there.

"The fuck are you sayin?! There are no take backs in this business. I ready gave you what you want—"

"And I would give more," Cap cut him off, his voice dangerously low.

He locked the door behind him and stared right at John's eyes.

"You're crazy," John said.

"I know but I have to do this now. I have a feeling that this plan might fail."

"What do you mean the plan witll fail?! We already got a foolproof plan and John fucking Constantine is already on board so what could go wrong?!"

"EVERYTHING could go wrong as long as no one knows the whole truth," Cap said with a hardened voice and John's breath was caught up in his throat.

"What do you mean the whole truth? You just ran speakers in my head going all champion-y on me about you telling the truth and nothing but the truth. What is it now?!"

No one spoke for a minute until John broke the silence again, voice merely above a whisper.

"You've lost your mind, Cap," he said in a worried voice but Cap just stared at him and smiled solemnly.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you but it was my humanity that I've lost."

"What?" John tilted his head in confusion.

"Right now, I don't really feel any love or compassion. I feel empty and I really feel like I could snap your neck for disturbing us earlier," Cap's said and John felt terrified at how the man calmy the man spoke as if he had not just confess of wanting to snap his neck. "The only thing stopping me is the ideals that Billy had left inside me of how a hero should be and even that..." He looked away as he laid a hand on the lightning on his chest. "Is already fading away," he added.

"Billy is the only one keeping me from going astray. He was my heart and he was my humanity."

John shook his head, still not getting any of this. "Where are you going with this?"

The captain stepped near him, enough for a whisper to heard.

"I want you to listen to me. What I'm about to tell you is something no one in the league knows."

John whispered, afraid that Superman or even stray spirits might hear them.

"Why are you trusting me with this?" he asked.

The Captain simply nodded at him. "Because you're the most trustworthy person I know."

And that was the start of the long and grueling process of the Captain telling him the story of how him and Billy came about as Captain Marvel. How the wizard had chose Billy to be his host and how the same wizard had refused to help them get back together when they got separated by Zeus's lightning bolt that Black Adam had wielded against them.

It all makes sense now. 

How Captain Marvel was so overprotective of Billy. (Well, if he was the boys father him being overprotective would be passable— but he's protectiveness is on a different level on this one. It was almost passing the line of obssesiveness and possesivenesa) how Billy had the largest magic reserve than any magician John had ever met and how the both of them had this weird connection that John couldn't really figure out from the very start.

So this whole time, he was actually only talking to the living lightning in the form of the Champion of Magic. He was never in his full form. He was split in two but Cap never really asked him for help for that part. Instead for something entirely different.

"I want you to do something for me should this all fail," Cap said.

"I told you it's not gonna fai—" he was taken aback at the expression the hero had on his face. It was the look of helplessness, of pleading, just asking for once that John to listen to him.

And he gets it. John gets it so he nodded his head in silence and let him continue.

"Should this all fail..." The man looked sideways and collected himself. He then looked up at John again and with a steady voice he said: "I want you to help me capture Black adam."

John gave the man a viscious smirk. "Now, we're talking."

-------

Did Marvel do the right thing by implementing that alternative?

He didn't know but John Constantine sure was loving it.

At the very end his greed won him over.

All of the conscience and empathy he once had for Adam was thrown out the window.

He had decided that he would put what he wants first. 

And what he wants was to stay with Billy and  if he needed to sacrifice Black adam to do just that, then so be it.

"Oh, hey Marvel!" he made a turn in the corner and Billy was there, smiling and arms in the air. Marvel chuckled and hoisted him up in his arms. "So, how did everything go with Constantine?" Billy asked and Marvel smiled at him.

"Everything went fine."

Chapter Text

Bruce was staring at his computer, its screen showing him a live footage of Captain Marvel and his son by the common area. They were doing nothing out of the ordinary. Just laying on the couch and reading something from an abnormally huge book. The kid looked at Marvel as if he was the whole world and Marvel did the same if a liitle too much. 

These past few day had been a blank canvas for Bruce. He loved knowing everything to the point of obsession. He tried to control it but he guessed the itch to know more was built in him. He prided himself in knowing all of his collegues secret identity the first day they met, he pat himself in the back for successfully finding their weakness and creating contigency plans for each heroes in case they turned rogue or was mind controlled but all of those things were nothing and thrown into oblivion when it comes to Captain Marvel.

He had a file made for the man but all he has written there was his Hero name: Captain Marvel and the vague descriptions of his powers which were "powers of the gods" whatever that means. If he tried to make the Captain to elaborate more he'd just fly off to somewhere or start a new conversation with another person who's nearest to him and was certainly not Bruce.

The man was slippery, he didn't even gave him a chance to find his weaknesses. If he didn't know the extent of his powers then there's no use in creating contigency plana that could fall short short at amy moment when the Captain pulled out new stunts.

The man was a mystery. Maybe he didn't have a secret identy and he's simply just: Captain Marvel but if that's the case, then how did he raised his son? Surely, he needed identifications in order to get a job or live in a nice residence. Was he letting his kid fend for himself? Or was he providing to him through... magical necessities?

He wanted answers and no one was answering his questions. Of course, he can scour the globe and find the answers for himself but the questions that Captain Marvel had been avoiding these past few days could only be answered if he asked a question and they replied to the said question. It's not a matter of if it is researchable it's a matter of being listened to and being respected and trusted enough to be given a proper answer.

The Captain's colors had been showing these past few days. Well, Bruce wasn't sure if it was the real him or this was just the result of the Captain being stressed now that the end of the world is nearing and he's the only one who could fix it. The big red cheese had become less of a goofballl but more of a ticking time bomb. He could snap at you at any moment and you wouldn't know if that golden lightning would hit you in the back at any time. His usual cheerful and childlike attitude was replaced with something more... unstable. For Bruce, he was still acting like a child but the kind of child who knows everything yet know nothing about the small things like respect for example and carrying a conversation. It was the complete opposite as before. Before, Captain was chidlike in a sense that he didn't know about big things like taxes and voting but knows a lot about the latest trends and could always mingle with everyone.

Everything had been strange.

Maybe magic really was messing with the Captain's mind—now that it's acting all crazy and all.

And then, comes his son. Billy.

Billy is a bright kid. If the Captain had lost his briliant these past few days, the kid had make up for it with his energy and open excitement. He seemed to brigten up every room he comes in and he could best even the biggest pranksters in the team.

He was yet another mystery.

Batman sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

His file—yes, Bruce made a file—was nothing but a picure with a single name attached on it.

The only picture he had of the boy was a screenshot he took from the security cameras he found in Fawcett which are grainy at best. And underneath the picture was only his name: Billy.

Just a first name. No middle name. Not even a last name.

Should his last name be Marvel?

Batman raised a brow at the thought.

Maybe. But he would never be sure if the kid never tell him.

The Captain had been protective of his kid. Too protective even. He just threw a whole human being across the infirmary just because the man had tried to give Billy IV fluids and take this; that man that he threw was a doctor who wanted nothing but to treat the kid. But there he was, growling like a big dog.

He was thankful Superman was there though. Because if he wasn't, who knows what or who Cap could've thrown next.

Bruce's eyes regarded the monitor again and continued to watch the father and son until Constantine came into the feed.

At that moment, the Captain's face turned sour and he looked at Constantine as if he culd eat him alive.

There goes the temper again.

Constantine looked like he ws talking to the Captain. Regarding the kid for a second then focusing on the man again.

Bruce couldn't hear what they're saying and he squinted his eyes at it as he found himself turning up the volume—

"What are you doing?"

"Flash!" Bruce's heart almost jumped out of his chest when he turned and the speedster was already behind him, looking over his shoulders.

He quickly turned off his computer but he knew it was already too late. The loudmouth had already saw what he was staring at and he was preparing himself for an earful.

"Dude I saw that!" He pointed at Bruce. "You're going back to that phase again where you get too obsessed with mysteries that you start to watch it every single day. And I know most of those 'mystery' is Cap."

Bruce didn't answer and just squinted at the man.

"I just need more information on him."

"No. You're not only digging up information about him but also his son. That's creepy man."

Bruce glared at the speedster.

"If you knew that the kid was here yesterday while not claiming any connection to the Captain then, maybe you'd see my point."

"What?" Flash was taken aback. "The kid got here yesterday? How did he got in here? Did his dad bring him here for a tour or something?"

"No, he magically teleported himself in front of me, Constantine, Zatanna and the Captain. And even though he was standing in front of Captain Marvel he never mentioned that he was his son and Caprain Marvel sure as hell didn't even try to claim it." He stepped forward to meet the Flash in the middle. "I want you to ask yourself as to why they did that. Why do they have to keep it a secret when everything was already laid in the open?"

The speedsper couldn't talk.

"I wanted to ask them these questions so that my confusions and suspiscions would end but now that they kept on evading everything— its starting not to look good for them. They were doing the dodging too much that I'm starting to think that either they are hiding something or they are not really related."

"But Bats. You saw those two. They are very close and they look exactly alike." Flash pointed at the monitor that had already turned dark.

"Then, I've got no choice but to lean more on the 'they're hiding something' option." Bruce walked past Flash and went back to his computer viewing the feed again. What he came to was Constantine rejoining the other two. It looked like he left for a brief moment and with the Captain too—seeing now that the hero was resettling back down the couch.

Damn it. He just missed yet another clue.

He cared for them. He cared for the Captain and he cared for his kid too. But he has an entire team counting on him so he couldn't play favorite. If you're suspiscious, you are suspiscious. Bruce can't put the lives of the entire League at risk by not knowing everything completely.How would they plan? How would they coordinate? How could they work as a team if one of their teammate was leaving an important information off the equation.

"Why do you think Constantine changed his mind?" He finally asked the other question that was bugging him.

The man just marched in an hour ago pleasantly announcing that he would now be willing to help out the League. That they could take whatever they wanted.

He clearly remembered the man saying the complete opposite back at the meeting room but now he turned a complete 360.

Something is going on here.

Batman's eyes squinted at the thoughts forming within his mind.

Flash hummed, his head tuned towards the ceiling. "Maybe it's because he realized he's fucked."

Bruce hummed in irritation. Not really the answer he was looking for. He was about ready to dismiss the speedster when he added more.

"Remember when he said he doesn't care because he could just jump into another reality anyway?"

Batman raised a brow at him.

"Well, maybe he went home and was like 'shit I forgot I couldn't use magic anymore!' and now he couldn't do that escape to another reality thing and had to swallow his pride and help us because if he didn't he'd be toast just like the rest of us."

"Hmm..." Bruce touched his jaw in thought.

"Ridiculous bit it makes sense, considering his personality."

"I know right!" The man chuckled and there was silence after that.

The always super energized speedster couldn't take the few seconds of silence and finally cleared his throat.

"Uhm, he's 10 by the way," he said out of nowhere.

"Who?" Batman raised a brow. He knew who it was. He was just messing with him. Of course there's no 10 year old in their ranks and the only one who could ever fit that age is—

"Billy, man. We're just talking about him." The man pointed back at the screen dramatically where the father and son were now playing catch... electric... ball?

Batman blinked at the weird display but kept on listening to Flash.

"And he's an only child and his mom's name was Jenny—deceased," the man added, counting everything he said on his fingers.

"Why are you telling me this?" Bruce asked.

"I saw you stressing over the kid's file. Thought it'd cheer you up if you've got something other than a picture and a first name."

That kind of hurt his pride. Someone had saw the work that he's not the most proud of and it was the Flash of all people. But the guy never meant anything bad about it so he'd let it slide.

Bruce tilted his head at the Flash and smirked. "So you're snitch?" 

"Wha—dude! I'm trying to contribute here?!" The man spluttered like a scandalized middle aged woman and Bruce would never get tired of it.

He hid smie as he turned his head back at the monitor and began typing the informations given to him.

"Relax. You're not in trouble," Batman said to him, finally calming him down.

"Don't expect me to share any more than that, Batsy. I only chose to share the things that wouldn't do any harm."

Wouldn't do any harm or these are the only ting you know? Bruce asked in the back of his mind but chose not to voice it out in fear of making the man convulse in an explosion of tantrum.

"I understand." He nooded at him. "Thank you," Bruce stared back at the file he had made for the kid. It was starting to not look so empty now. "What you gave me means a lot."

Flash flashed him a smile and gave him a thumbs up. "Always welcome."

Chapter Text

Black Adam gazed upon his kingdom down below from the balcony he was standing on. Khandaq is dying as magic slowly got sucked out of its soil. The crops that his people had poured all their blood and sweats into had died before it could even get harvested. The few plants that littered the streets had wilted and turned sandy yellow. Now, Khandaq is mostly sand. The air they breathe was starting to get dry and stink and it won't be too long before it would be impossible to breath in.

This was his fault.

He destroyed the Rock and the important pieces that kept it alive and now, him and his people were paying for it.

Khandaq is one of the most magical country in the world. It has its roots connected directly to the source of magic. That's why it thrived for thousands of years but now that the rock is in shambles and in a desperate need to save its power, its taking back its blessings from the land—all for the sake of it not dying.

He did this. And he knew how to fix this permanently but he won't. He won't even try to lift a finger. Because if he did, that means he's admitting his defeat to the champion. And who is he to worry about the fate of the world? It has its current champion, is it not?

So he will stick to his small altrenatives. A temporary way to keep his country alive—and that is to feed his own magic to it. He had been doing that for these past few days. 

But it was strange. It was starting to lose its effectiveness. As if the rock had noticed that there is still something powerful in Khandaq and chose to saction power from there—from him.

He may not want to admit it, but in the back of his mind there was already a voice that says that this method won't last for long.

It is only a matter of time.

But... 

Desert wind blew on his face. It felt drier than ever as it reminding him that it needed to be fed now. 

Khandaq wasn't the only place that was closely tied to the rock.

On the other side of the world, more fantastic and less of a desert than Khandaq, the city of Fawcett stood. 

This phenomenon might be happening to that place as well. 

If so then, how are they dealing with it?

He knew. He just knew deep in his soul that they're dealing with this far better than he was because they are more favored by the gods. Because the Champion resides with them.

What about his people? Don't they deserve to get something better than this?! Yes, he was a rebel against the gods but these innocent lives doesn't need to suffer for it.

He just wanted to rule over this land, protect it and make it's cogs work in the same way it used to back in the ancient times.

What he wanted was simple and he had to work hard for it while Marvel didn't even have to try.

Black Adam sneered at the face of the Champion that flashed on his head. His feet started to get farther away from the balcony he's standing until he was now in the air, overlooking everything from above.

He had to see for himself what is happening on the other side. And if he happen to find out that things are going smoother there, then, he'd destroy it.

He'd gladly burn it into the ground and take the one thing that kept the blessing coming back into that place.

An image of a boy in red had made its way into his mind and he smirked.

Victory will be his for the taking. 

He gave his people one last look before rocketing off into the sky and flying past the speed of light.

-----

Billy and Marvel was back in Fawcett city but what was supposed to be a happy fly over the with Billy on Marvel's back turned into an investigative search.

Everything was starting to die. The sky was pale, the absence of blue and silly shaped clouds was noticeable by everyonne who was used to gazing upon it every day the sun comes up. What once was a place bursting with greenery and different colors of flowers were now in a shade of dark brown as everything starts wilting. 

Billy never knew this could happen to Fawcett. The flowers were always in bloom and the grass were always green wherever you planted them but now, all that's left were balding earth and bent stems—even the trees were hanging low and he didn't know it could do that! Fawcett was known as the city where plants stayed alive the longest and where spring touches first. It was blessed by the gods of agriculture and Persephone adored it so much that she always made this place her priority whenever it was time to thaw the ice of winter.

What's happening?

It felt like the magic was running away...

Billy lowered himself onto a lawn and touched the dead grass. 

Or the magic was getting sucked, but no—

Billy's frows furrowed. He concentrated even more and the fuzz started getting clearer.

He gasped when he finally found out what it was.

The magic wasn't trying to leave this place. It wasn't getting sucked—it's flow was getting restrained, letting only the smallest amount touch everything around them in a desperate attempt to divide equally all the minimum amount of magic that the rock had been handing out.

"The rock is getting weaker," Marvel said as he knelt beside him. 

"It's already dying," Billy whispered in a fearful tone.

"But," Marvel landed a gentle hand on his shoulder to keep him grounded. "It's trying to live," he added as he touched the grass as well, a thoughtful expression on his face. "It's doing its best to stay alive."

"What do we have to do, Marvel?" Billy's voice shook. Billy felt hopeful at Marvel's words. The rock was trying to keep itself alive but at what cost? That's where the dregs of fear originates from inside him. It knew that it was dying so it was trying to restrain its flow to the world. The restraining alternative was a mercy to Fawcett because Billy knew, he just knew that somewhere in the world there was an unfortunate place that the rock had chosen to  suck its much needed energy from. It was getting greedy but at the same time, selfless. It's taking more than ever but then, still gave away even parts of itself just for everything to get a share of magic.

This was their fault. And they had to fix this fast. But Fawcett won't last long if they leave it like this. They had to do something even if it only succeded on delaying the inevitable.

"We can give this place some of our magic to get it relatively thriving again," Marvel recommended, touching his fingers on his jaw in thought.

"That!" Billy ran to him and grab a hold of his arm. "We can do that!

Marvel frowned, his face dark against the dimly lit sky.

"But it would only be an alternative. Just a temporary fix. The problem lies within the rock itself."

"But we have to do something now. We can't let everything die in Fawcett. This is our home."

"But is it smart to waste our magic now that were preparing ourselves to face every monster that might break out of the rock?" 

Billy paused, his blue eyes widening in shock.

He has a point.

Yes, they have a huge amount of magic inside them but that could still ran out and would need some time to gain it back again and a task such as sharing their magic to the whole city of Fawcett is a sure way do end up just like that.

They would be relatively weaker if the mosters chose to attack after that or even at the exact moment. They'd be toast if the latter happened.

But...

Billy looked around again.

Should they really let this place die?

What should his priority be?

Keeping Fawcett alive? Or fighting monsters that weren't even there yet?

What should he do?

He blinked and looked up at Marvel.

What would Marvel do?

Marvel sighed and ruffled his hair. He seemed to have read his mind when their eyes met.

"Let's save Fawcett." He smiled at him. "Just like you said, it is our home and home should always be our first priority. Let's leave all the monster fighting to the League if we eneded up drained. I know they can hold out on their own long enough until we come back to full power."

Billy's face lit up and he gave him a little side hug. "Thank you.".

"Anything for you, Billy," Marvel replied, giving him a fast side hug. "But I want you to step aside and let me be the one to do this."

Billy let go of the hug. "But we can do this together—"

"No, I don't want you to get drained of your power," Marvel said, worry lacing his tone. He looked at somewhere and smiled as if he had just caught an answer from side eyeing a dead tree. "You could be my backup. Like a reserve should bad things start to happen."

Billy knew he was just saying that so that he would step aside and let him handle all of that on his own. But he knew Marvel was more than capable of doing it on his own. So he just let it go and nodded. Marvel nodded back at him. He turned his eyes back to the earth he was leaning a knee on and laid both his hands on it.

He said something in latin and all of a sudden, he started to glow. The air around Marvel seemed to thrum with magic. Beating in a rhythm the same as his heart. His cape rose from the ground as it glowed pristine white against the gold that's surrounding him. There was a beat of power again and suddenly, the light that only encircled Marvel spread far and wide, reaching the far corners of the whole city.

Billy gasped as it past underneath his feet and stayed there. The gray skies became darker as it contrasted itself in the light that came from below. It looked like night had dawned on Fawcett city and the starry skies had dropped on its earth. But instead of dotted lights that has its different colors, everything was in gold. 

Dust particles in the air twinkled as it levitated. All the bent branches stood straight from one end to the other, flowers bloomed and the air felt fresh again.

Everything was starting to heal and Billy was there to witness it. It was glorious and filled him with so much joy until Marvel gasped in pain and everything fell. 

The light recedded back towards the center where Marvel was kneeling and the trees that are starting to stand up came back to its hunched over form. 

"Marvel!" Billy shouted as he ran towards him.

He could hear him sputtering as if he was having a hard time to breath, as if someone was gripping his throat, holding on tight.

When Billy finally made it by his side he saw that he was gripping the center of his chest where the lightning lies. Its light flickered as Marvel desperately grabbed onto it.

"Marvel what's wrong?!" Billy asked, his hands hovering just above him, afraid to let it fall in any part of Marvel's body for the mere reason that it might hurt him.

"Billy I—" Marvel looked away but then looked ahead again, newfound determination filling his blue eyes. He let his hands fall on the earth again and willed himself to stop letting out choking noises.

"I'm alright." He looked at Billy but what Billy saw in his face was nothing but pain and he was just hiding it underneath those those burdened smiles.

"No, you're not!" Billy screamed but Marvel didn't listen to him and started pouring out his power once more.

"Stop!" Billy screamed but he refused to listen to him and that was when he finally realized  something was wrong. The flow of Marvel's magic had shifted somehow. 

Instead of him to be the one giving it, the ground seemed like it was the one sucking his power. The golden glow rushed down towards the earth at an alarming speed that Billy started fearing what might happen next, what might happen to Marvel. What it might do to him.

"STOP!" Billy screamed with all his might as he tackled Marvel's arms away from the ground.

The transfer stopped and the light left.

"Billy, what are you doing–"

"Stop it!" He growled at Marvel. "You are not giving magic to the rock, you're letting it drain your powers. There's a difference in giving and having something taken away from you and from what I'm seeing, the rock seemed to be doing the latter." 

Marvel's eyes grew wide. He was looking at him in shock as if his biggest secrets had been find out.

"The rock was trying to suck you back in!" Billy threw his hands in the air. He shifted from where he's at in order to stand right in front of Marvel. "Why didn't you tell me?!" he scolded as he held up his hands and placed it on both of Marvel's cheeks. "Are you doing this for my sake? Because if it is, then it clearly wasn't helping." 

Marvel looked down. "I'm sorry. I just want to do something good for you," he whispered.

"It's not good if it affects you in a bad way!"

"But what about Fawcett? Who's going to—"

"I am," Billy cut him off. Marvel's eyes stared at him with shock and worry. "I'll do it." 

Marvel was about to say something but he beat him to it. "And no, I don't want to hear about it," he said in a steely tone.

"Just..." Billy sighed and touched their foreheads together. "Just let me do this. I can do this. I know I'm enough to bring the life back into this city. You be the back up for now. And once we return to the watchtower I will let you heal me and dote on me like the father and son were are." Billy gave Marvel a smile and he was relieved to get the same.

"Alright." Marvel sighed and finally stood up. "But I will stay beside you through the whole process."

Billy gave him a double thumbs up. "Wouldn't have it any other way," he said with the brightest smile before lowering himself to the ground. Marvel stayed close to him, standing by the background.

Billy took a deep breath in and when he let the air out of his system, latin words got carried out with it, passing by his lips and shaped by his tongue. He said the same thing Marvel said and everything started glowing.

Light bathed the whole place. Everything was  in gold but then, there was an impurity against the golden glow of the whole city. There was a dark figure hovering and that dark "thing" just swooped down and grabbed Billy.

Chapter Text

"BILLY!" the very earth shook when Marvel screamed Billy's name. Black Adam just took him.

His host.

His champion.

His Billy.

Marvel's breath picked up its pace and just as fast as everything happened, the fear in his face tuned to pure blinding rage. He gritted his teeth and his eyes darkened at the figure up the sky.

How dare Adam take Billy away from him. 

He'll pay for that.

His lips pressed into a thin line and the earth shattered as he took off in a fit of power.

------

"Batman, there's something happening in Fawcett city," Cyborg said as he just entered the room. 

"What is it," he asked, raising a brow behind his cowl. Fawcett city? He thought Marvel and his son came down there for a quick patrol. They said that it would't take long and Batman was skeptical about what they said earlier so he chose to watch over them through security camera feeds that he could hack through on Fawcett. He watched for some time what the father and son would do, he even thought that he might get something out of it but they only seemed to be having fun. Bonding, laughing and flying with Billy on Marvel's back. He had deemed it unnecessary to watch anymore so left it at that.

It seemed like he left too soon. He should've stayed for a bit longer.

"I detected a strong power signature coming from the city" the man said as he typed something in and showed him the monitor. "And when I pulled up the security footage from Fawcett I saw this." 

He played something and Batman's eyes widened at what he saw.

A light powerful enough to engulfed the whole city. The golden glow turned into a one giant dome of power that covered everything in it and even illuminated the places that surrounded it. It recedded after what seemed like an eternity and when it did, a dark blur seemed to have passed one of the cameras of the city.

"Cyborg enhance that footage," he commanded as he pointed at a one particular video recording a one part of town.

Cyborg did what he was told and paused it. He scanned the blurr and when the poxels rearranged themselves what came out of it was...

Batman was already on his feet before Cyborg could confirm it. Batman pulled his comm out of his utility belt and contacted the Captain.

"Captain," he called but no one answered but still he chose to continue. "Black Adam is in Fawcett right now. Get Billy out of there." There was a certain hardness in his voice, a tone that was only reserved when kids get caught up in dangerous situations.

He admits that the light was concerning. It looked identical to the light that they saw a few days earlier. There were questions that had to be answered regarding that. About what caused it, where it came from, what's it's purpose and why did it seem like it was happening more often now that The Captain was acting weird. 

He shook his head.

He'd ask questions later but for now, Billy comes first. He knows that there's bad blood going on between the Captain and Black Adam and the boy didn't have to get caught in the middle.

Black Adam seemed to be someone who would be petty enough to use a child just to earn himself a victory and Batman hoped it will never come to that.

There was a scratching on the other side of the line. A slight cackle then Captain Marvel's voice came through. "Black Adam took Billy!" he screamed in a fearful tone and Batman's heart dropped to his feet.

Batman didn't need any more explanations than that.

"Hold on. The League will be joining you soon," he said in a steady voice before storming out of the room, ready to gather the others.

---

When they arrived at Fawcett, Black adam and Captain Marvel were battling to death. Billy was tucked underneath one of Adam's arms and Marvel was trying to get a hold of him, making him a play a twisted game of chase with his son being the ultimate price.

The earth shook as pushed themselves off it and the sky boomed as they flew back on it. Thunder rang out from everywhere as they exchanged punches after punches, sending powerful wave of pure energy on their way, making even the strongest tree kneel in its intensity. It was a battle of gods and Batman doesn't know when they could step in.

-------

Marvel almost had him. He almost had Billy in his arms if it wasn't for Superman soaring into the sky at the wrong moment and the wrong time.

He screamed in rage as he backhanded Superman, sending him falling straight to the ground.

Wonderwoman had already tried. Green lantern had already gave his two cents and Cyborg had already wasted canons on Adam. 

He had already let them meddle but it only managed to stretch this fight even longer.

He can do this on his own.

Do not get in his way.

He gritted his teeth again as he launched himself at Black adam. He threw a fist back, powered with lightning. It was about to connect at the man's head but he just tilted. He just tilted it!

Marvel's eyes became feral at the act. It felt like a total insult to him and he screamed as he threw another punch. Black Adam dodged again and it made Billy yelp at how fast he moved.

It made Marvel held his breath and reminded him that he needed to end this now.

"Adam!" he screamed as he powered up his fist again, making his right hand cackle with electrity. It glowed golden as he approached Adam in a blinding speed.

"This move again?" the man taunted him but he kept on going, fast approaching the man with his fist targeting Adam's face. "You never learn from your mistakes are yu--"

At the very last second, Marvel shifted and dropped his fist by his side. He let the electricity ran through his body instead and tackled Adam with everything he's got.

Black adam was caught off guard and before the impact could send him flying, Marvel slipped his other hand on Adams side and grab a hold of Billy's robe, peeling him off from the man.

"Billy!" He hugged Billy as he settled into his arms.

"Marvel!" Billy hugged him back and Marvel landed him on the ground where batman was standing.

"Please keep an eye on him," Marvel asked the Dark knight and he nodded at him, putting a hand on Billy's shoulder and pulling him back.

He gave Billy one last glance before be flew back towards where Alack Adam had landed. The man was already trying to get back on his feet when Marvel zapped him with both hands. Black Adam stumbled again and got down on one knee, already covered with bruises and scratches.

"Why are you doing this?" Marvel asked as he approched him. Marvel was already planning on sacrificing Adam and this act that he just did just makes everything more easier for him to do just that. "I thought your problem was only with me. I thought I'm the one one you're supposed to kill now that Billy and I got separated." He can't tell him about the plan. Not yet. He would just find out about it once Marvel had already struck him with a bolt on his chest. "WHY are you trying to take him away from me?!" He grabbed the man by his neck and stared at him dead in the eye as he lifted him off the ground.

It was useless. This won't hurt Adam. They don't need air. They don't need to breath but Marvel felt that this move was necessary. He needed to look the man in the eye and there was no better way to do that than this.

Marvel was taken aback when Adam laughed all of a sudden. "It's nice to see this side of you. Is that me resurfacing from deep within you?" The man smiled at him maniacly and Marvel paused. 

Thats not true. 

He was sure the wizard had erased every remnants he had of Adam. It was made like that so he would never get associated with his sins. So that everything he did won't happen again, so that there would be no evil in the good. Black Adam couldn't be part of him any more. 

That's impossible.

"Is that my obsession I see?" the man taunted. 

"Stop."

"Is that my greed that you're using to justify your sins?"

"Stop!"

The man tilted his head. "I never knew you have this side within you. Tell me, are you enjoying this?"

Marvel shook his head. "Stop it!"

"Do you love the feeling of finally being in control?"

"How does it feel to be me?"

The man paused, thinking. "Maybe it wasn't really my influence that's making you act this way—it was you."

That made marvel pause, his eyes widening in  fear.  

"Maybe the living lightning was the one that is evil."

No no no no. 

"Maybe that's why you need a good hearted soul to balance it out."

"It all makes sense now! You're meant to destroy people's lives and now you're doing it to Bill—."

"STOP IT!"

Everything shook at the intensity of his voice. It travelled a great distance before settling down and silence rang out again.

"I don't know what you want Black Adam but I will make sure to do everything in my power to stop you," he threatened. "I will protect those who are around me and I will restore balance to the world. So why don't you go back to where you came from and let me do my work ?Everything that's happening to Fawcett city is also happeing in Khandaq and it would benefit you and your people if you just leave us alone and let us fix this."

Black Adam remained silent but there was already a recognition of surrender on his face.

Marvel threw him to the ground and Black Adam held his neck as bruises start to form on it but he didn't complain. He just stood up again, turned away and finally left. 

He went back to the center of the city after that, apologizing profusely to Superman at what he did. He was forgiven surprisingly fast with the man telling him that it was alright. That it happens especially if their own children got involved.

As for Billy, he knelt down on the dead grass yet again and resumed what he'd been doing earlier. 

Light spread on Fawcett city once more. But it was softer this time. The thrum of magic felt like a lullaby and the the Justuce League stared at the display with wide yes.

Plants became lively again, the sky became clear and even injuries got healed. Everything happened and righted itself befoee them but Marvel was left there in the coner with his insides in a twist. The poison that Adam had spouted at him earlier still hurting him, rooting itself in his mind and staying there like a heavy weight.

Marvel stared at Billy's back.

The reach of Billy's light was far and wide but it failed to shine a light to the growing darkness inside Marvel's mind.

Chapter Text

Everything was muffled.

"... Captain."

It was as if his head was submerged in water and his mind was full of static, not really making sense of anything.

"..."

He could hear someone speaking but he couldn't make out the words. It had been like that for a few mimutes now and someone was pacing back and forth but all he could see were a splotches of colors moving about.

"Cap."

What were they talking about again?

"Captain!"

"Constantine," Marvel finally blurted out. The words started making sense again and the haze parted leavimg him staring at the blond man and his hand feeling the warm sensation of Billy's that was back on the bed of the infirmary again.

"Yes?" Constantine asked. He must have not realized that he stopped listening a long time ago. He looked disheveled and his eyes were wide. He might've been sharing his doubts and fears about the risks of their mission. It was a shame that Marvel wasn't really present. He might've comforted the man and explain more things to him but... he wasn't really listening. 

"Do you think..." Marvel squeezed Billy's hand. "Do you think that I'm acting like Black Adam?"

"Wha—? No," the man answered incredulously but then, he thought for a second and added: "well, you've been acting a bit more moody lately and had been a little bit more brutal with your battles," the man's voice trailed off when he saw Marvel's horrified expression, "but come on. It was never near Black Adam's attitude. Black Adam's a bitch and you're just," he grimaced, "getting there."

Marvel furrowed his brow at the blond, trying tk interpret what he really meant with those crude words. Marvel made a mistake. He shouldn't have asked Constantine. He was never the right person to ask things such as this. But it was not like he could ask the other leaguers about this either— but he said he was getting there. 

He was almost like Black adam.

Was he starting to act like him now that Billy wasn't inside him anymore? Was he reverting back to the attitude of the host that came before Billy because Billy wasn't there and his insides were looking for some kind of model and Black adam was the nearest and latest it could find?

That thought scared him. 

It might be true.

Or it might not be true and Black Adam was just messing with him.

But that man. Marvel couldn't help the rage that burned inside him as he thought of how Adam had planted those seeds of doubts inside him.

He doesn't want to be like Black adam. He'd rather die.

He was trying to act like Billy for gods sake.

Yes, maybe what Adam had said was not true. It was impossible. When the wizard had took him away from Black Adam, everything that could be realated to the very man was erased from his system.

That was why viewing Adam's memories through his eyes was such a hard task.

There were blockage and walls that kept him from going in there. But it was still possible. 

Marvels eyes widened in panic.

What if that was the case for his personality too and him peeping through the cracks for Adam's memories had just let the flood gates open. 

No it can't be.

He was just messing with his mind. And things such as these makes the idea of sacrificing Black Adam should the plan fail look less daunting.

But can he do it?

Today is the day.

If it comes to it... Will he be able to do it?

He wasn't sure and he didn't want to think about it. He'd worry about it if the time came but for now that their initial plan was still possible, he'd try to push it back in the depths of his mind.

"Can you just be the one to tell the League about our plan for this mission? You can do it, right?" Marvel asked, not even meeting the man's eyes as he kept staring at the distance.

"But wouldn't it be better if it would be the two of us? I mean—us two would only be the one carrying this mission so it would be very convincing and helpful if the only two participants were there to—"

"Just..." Marvel interrupted him, something painful crawling in his expression. "Please do it. I have to stay here until Billy wakes up." He tightened his hold of the boy's hand and Constantine might've saw what he did because he just let out a sigh of defeat.

"You know you're actimg like a child, right?" the man asked, the exhaustion seeping through his voice. 

"Well," he finally met Constantine's eyes and tried to smile. "I was born yesterday."

--------

"I'd say he's pretty fucking powerful. 7 out of 10," Everyone in the room turned their heads when they heard Constantine remarks as he made his way in. Barry, Hal, Superman and Batman were already inside the meeting room, staring right up the massive monitor, replaying and pausing the video of Billy, Cap's kid using his powers back in Fawcett while they wait for the others to arrive. And Barry gotta say, that's one powerful kid.

He really is Cap's son with all that power. I mean, damn, Barry's starting to get jealous. How come a kid have this much power—he was shining in that monitor like a fucking supernova and Barry was pretty sure he wasn't only one whose eyes are starting to dim from staring at that raw display of power for a very long time. All they see in the footage was a small red dot that was the kid then Boom! Sudden gold explosion.

Gold.

Gold.

Gold.

Holy, glorious golden light. It healed the earth of Fawcett and even healed them—heck, Barry barely had a scratch and the kid's power still healed him. What he did was godly, that's what. And Constantine here just went ahead and gave the kid a backhanded compliment and gave him an inadequate score and Barry, as the one who had experienced what the kid could do first hand, wouldn't let that happen.

"Pretty powerful?! He's very powerful. And what's with that score John?!" Barry burst out yelling at Constantine's face, his hands in the air defending the poor boy. "If you're going to score someone, especially the kid who singlehandedly healed a whole city, the least you could is do it right. I'd give the kid a solid 10 out of 10 for what he did!"

"Nah, favoritism." John rolled his eyes at him.

"Favoritism? There's no competition, man. He is the only kid that one of my collegues had that I was allowed to know," Barry looked over at Batman who was brooding at the image, "oh yeah, there's Robin but come one, Billy'd just probably blast him to rainbow dimension.

Batman hummed in irritation at what he said but he didn't give him much attention.

"Well, he is Cap's kid," Hal piped in. "Cap's powerful because he's some champion of rocks of course Billy would be powerful too."

"It's The rock of eternity, idiot. Stop calling it like it's some kind of side street pebble." John sneered at Hal and the man just chuckled back.

"Oh, that reminds me—hey supes," Barry called. "How's your cheek?" Barry asked and both him and Hal started laughing.

Constantine wanted to join in the fun too and quickly asked. "What, what is happening?" He raised a brow at them.

Hal wiped a tear off his eyes. "Superman here got backhanded by Cap." He pointed at Superman and the man itself looked away blushing and as if on cue, Constantine started laughing too. Too loud that it powered over Hal and Barry's.

"Ha ha ha. Very funny guys," Superman deadpanned at them. 

"Why—" Constantine inhaled a lot of air, "why did that even happen?!" he said, his voice merely a squeak from laughing too much.

"Well, I sort of got... in the way?" Superman gave them a painful smile and the three of them laughed again with Constantine already having a mini heart attack at how hard he was gripping his chest.

"Please stop," the big blue boyscout pleaded but that only succeeded in tickling their funny bones even more and they fell on the floor. 

------

They calmed down after that. Every Leaguers were already in the room minus Cap for obvious reasons. And as everyone was just about to sit on their chairs and was still mumbling about their day to day activities, John started with a slap on the table, told them that they weren't needed and that saving the word is a two man mission and ended the meeting there.

Everyone stared at the blond man with wide eyes and hanging jaw as he left the room with a stride.

No added explanations.

No elaborate plans.

Nothing.

Just the fact that it was him and Catain marvel were the only ones needed to save the world.

There was a beat of silence, then, chaos ensued. 

Chapter Text

Billy started blinking and in between the flashes of darkness and colors and darkness again, he could make out Marvel's face, looking down at him, a smile forming on his lips.

"Hey, there," he said and Billy was finally awake.

"Marvel!" Billy sat up all of a sudden, "What's happening? Did we save Fawcett? Is the mission about to start? Did I miss anythi—" Billy asked in rapid succession but Marvel laid a gentle hand on his arms and tapped slowly.

"Hey, hey hey." He grabbed Billy's attention. "Everything's alright now. We saved the city," he said in a gentle voice and suddelny, Billy started to feel the fatigue again and went back to laying down in bed.

"Thank goodness." Billy breath a sigh of relief and Marvel raised a hand directly on Billy's chest, letting a golden glow come out of there, showering down on him.

Billy smiled at the warmth the light gave him, he could already feel his energy going back to him as Marvel's magic flowed into him and mixed with his more human version of magic.

"You've used too much earlier so you collapsed," Marvel explained and Billy just hummed in reply, too content to open his mouth and break his peaceful smile.

It was peaceful and he was about to get swallowed back by sleep when the door in the medbay opened up all of a sudden and Constantine came marching in.

"Heya, champ!" the man greeted too excitedly for Billy's liking. It was like he was sucking out his energy again.

Constantine, Billy deadpanned in his mind.

"Did you already told the team?" Marvel asked him and Billy stared at Marvel with a questioning frown, not really sure what he was talking about.

Why didn't he know this?

He want in!

"Yeah and hold onto your hats, we might have company." Just as Constantine said that, door burst open for the second time and there, standing by its frame was the main heroes of the Justice league, looking at Constantine menacingly, especially Batman who was in front of the group and who was already wearing his trade mark "I'm watching you" squint.

"Constantine, you need to explain why you and Captain Marvel were the ones who's only going to do this mission," Batman said and Billy gasped.

"You won't take me with you?!" Billy asked Marvel, his expression hurt.

Marvel looked down at him with understanding in his eyes as if he was a teacher imparting  knowledge to him. 

"Billy, me and John need to do this alone. There isn't really anyone we needed. I would be there to let him into the rock and protect him and he would be there to put all the powerful artifacts he has on the rock and see which works," he explained.

"But what if nothing works?!" Billy yelled, gripping his blanket tight.

Doubt flashed on Marvel's face but it was soon replaced with steely resolve and determination. "Something will work. This will work. I know it," he answerd in a steady voice and finally faced the team.

"I'm sorry for not telling you all of this sooner but all I really need is Constantine. I would like to lessen the amount of casulties as much as possible by only bringing the person who is vital for the mission. I don't want to admit this, but all of you being there would just be chaotic and I don't want to crowd the whole place now that it's already mostly collapsed," Marvel explained, already feeling sorry and rubbing the back of his neck. 

"Are you sure you can handle it?" Billy grabbed Marvel's arm.

"Yes." And Marvel nodded. "Yes, I can."

Marvel turned his head again but now only to face Batman. "I would really appreaciate it if you would give our plan a go, Batman," he said, asking for permission. 

Batman was silent for a few seconds but he nodded eventually.

"If that's what you think is best Captain then I see no reason to stop you. But me and the League would be on standby in case anything happens. Make sure to keep communication open."

Marvel smiled at the Dark knight. "Got it."

-----

Billy held Marvel's hand as they walked all the way to the zeta tube that led to Fawcett city. Everyone had told him to stay in bed but Billy refused to let Marvel leave without him being there. He had to be there to atleast watch him step into the tube. He atleast needed to be there to send him off with a good word. So, despite everyone's protest, he never let go of Marvel.

Billy could feel himself tightening his hold on Marvel's hand but he didn't care. He knew Marvel didn't mind it too.

He had let his gaze linger on the large window they passed on the way there. Looking up and down, all you can see is the darkness of space but it was saved by the small twinkling of stars. The sun was far beyond there, too bright to stare at, blinding to even see with a squint. The Earth below was rotating ever so slightly, making the sun rays hug the sillhuette of the globe. The Earth's half was traced with the light of the sun while the other laid in darkneas. It was a peculiar sight to see. But it was always better than any of the magical stuff that Billy had saw. This was a natural occurence unlike with magic where you could not question things—sometimes, you weren't even allowed to.

It was beautiful.

Billy shifted his eyes so he could see his and Marvel's reflection and he smiled when Marvel was there, staring at the same thing he was looking at with the same smile on his face. That's when Billy knew that he was paying attention and was probably being silently amazed by the phenomenon happening before him just like Billy was.

"Do you think it's already morning in Fawcett?" Billy asked in a whisper, his eyes never leaving the window. He didn't need to turn around, everything he wanted to see was on the the glass. On the outside, the space laid bare to witness and on the reflection, Marvel was there smiling—two of his most favorite things dispalyed for him to see at the very same time.

"Yes, and I think that's its already the middle of the day down there."

"Hmmm.." Billy hummed in content. "I bet Betty is already cleaning up the tables the lunch people had just used."

"Lunch people?" Marvel chuckled, Billy could see his pealry wihite teeth match the whiteness of the far away star.

"Yeah, the construction workers who usually have lunch around 11: 30 and leaves at 12," Billy explained.

"Oh, I remembered those guys. Do you think they'd see our picture?"

"Hmm, I think it is not developed yet but when it did I'm sure it'd shut them up for good." Billy laughed as he imagine the men's reaction once they saw a picture of him amd Marvel. They were the one who always made fun of him for being a Marvel "fanatic" while having nothing to show for it. So, that's why a deal had been settled— a deal that if he get to have a photo with the Captain, they'd stop teasing him and they'd treat him for lunch and he gets to seat on their table. Their table was very special. It was reserved only for them everytime 11 o'clock comes around and Billy wonderes how fun it would be to eat with them and chat. They seemed like cool people. 

"I bet it will and I can't wait to see it," Marvel replied.

"Oh, yeah, you could come with me in the diner to really sell the idea."

"That's a good plan," Marvel smiled melancholy at him, but the reflection of his face and the display of stars got cut off once the window had ended, so Billy turned his head to stare right at him.

"It is," He smiled at marvel, squeezing his hand as if they were making a secret promise right there. "And I for one, can't wait. Just..." Billy paused, he could already see the zeta tube "Hurry back... okay?"

-----

"Constantine, you know what to do, right?" Marvel asked out of nowhere now that they were already in the darkness of the subway and was waiting for a train that John knew wouldn't come unless it's magical.

John sighed. "Yeah, do plan A and should plan A fail," he looked at Marvel with half lidded eyes," proceed to plan B."

Marvel nodded at him, already content with his answers.

There was a beat of silence until suddenly, a rustling sound came from Marvel's side and whem John stared at the guy, he saw him had one of his hands dunked inside a mini portal, looking for something until he pulled out a white cape that closely resembled his.

"I want you to wear this." Marvel threw the cape at him and John reluctantly catched it. Once it was on his hands, he didn't make any move and just stared at it as if he was offended by the fabric—well, it really was offending cause capes weren't really his thing— and stared right back at Marvel, raising a brow as if saying; Really?! in a dramatic, unbelieving way.

"It'll keep the rock from building a defense against you," Marvel finally explained.

"Defense against me? What am I an intruder or something."

"Yes." The man nodded.

"With Billy, he doesn't need any of those because he was my host and the rock is already familiar with his presence but with you," he winced and look at John up and down, "you'd be lucky if the statues chose to take a bite out of you and not throw you into an alternate reality where your going to suffer forever." 

Oop. He doesn't like the sound of that.

"I get it, I get it." John finally put it on and as if on cue, a squeaking sound rang from the train tracks .

In a blink of an eye, a train was waiting there right in front of them. His eyes widened at how out of place it was. It was painted in smooth black, glistening in the minimum light they had down in the dark tunnels. It has red in some parts and the door was circular instead of the traditional rectangle. 

"Holy hell..."

"Get in. This will get us there," The Captain said and he nodded absentmindedly. 

He was about to step in when a resounding boom rocked the whole place. Dust rained down on them as signs that's on top of the tunnel squeaked on its hinges.

Another one came again and this time, it sounded more like a giant's footstep stomping on the streets above.

"What in the hell is happening?!" he yelled as he tried to look up through flickering eyelids, trying to see through the raining dirt. 

"John," Marvel called, the alarm on his voice evident.

"What?!"

"You're going to have to do this on your own," Cap's voice  was hard and his eyes were serious.

"What are you talking about?! You just told me earlier that there's monsters and demons lurking in the rock!"

"Well, those monster and demons I've told you about are already here!" he yelled back and that made John shut his mouth. Dread filled his insides as he stared at the worried expression that started to seep through the brave mask that Cap was wearing.

"Please. I'm counting on you," the man pleaded. "Proceed with the plan, tell me everything that's going on. I have to help out the others contain all the threats on the surface."

John couldn't speak. This was supposed to be a two man mission and he was pretty confident before because he got the champion of magic by his side but now...

But now all the risks and threat of this becoming a one man mission was starting to fill him with dread. 

"Please Constantine, I'm sorry everything didn't go according to plan but we're going to have to deal with it now as it is. I  know you could do this and Billy might not agree to it but...you're the best sorcerer that I know."

John's eyes widened.

What was he saying?

"You don't really think I'd believe that, do you?" John asked, his bows furrowing as things start to collapse around them.

"I do, actually."

John's breath got caught in throat and he laughed all of sudden. 

God he's scared.

God, he's fucking terrified. But its too late to turn back now.

He might as well laugh in the face of death and in front of the the one who probably caused it. 

He was never the best sorcerer. He knows it. He had messed up a lot of things, he had thrown people in the depths of hell. He hd tried to redeem himself by helping those in need, even becoming the Justice league's fucking magic consultant.

He was just a consultant alright but fate had laughed at his face and decided promote his position into hero which he wasn't.

But he's just human and he can't really fight fate.

If it made fun of him by making him the hero then he'd make it choke on its own saliva by being a good boy and doing just that. Because John Constantine was known for being a rebel that one who never follows the rule and pattern but for now, he'd go the opposite way and finally do what asked him.

'Cause fuck it! There's nothing better to do than raise a middle finger at fate and doing the unexpected.

So, even though slightly shaking and consfused as hell, John willed himself to step towards the waiting train. 

He gave one last look at the captain and saluted. 

"I'll try to do my best, Captain" John said and the door closed on him. The train started to move and the dark tunnel outside turned into a plethora of bright colors.

John knew he'd regret doing this. He'd regret playing a hero and acting all brave. 

He knew he'd regret it but he can't find himself to care.

Not anymore.

Chapter Text

"Sorry about the flower, I just kind of picked it from the side," Billy said as he heard something big approach from behind him. Although it sounded monstrously big, Billy didn't bother to turn and see who it was. He knew who it was and that person didn't mean any harm.

"It's alright. It is for a friend anyway," The voice from behind him said. It took several more steps towards him until the Swamp thing was standing right next ro him.

They both stared at the grave before them, letting the wind pass by and ruffle the remaining petals of the flower Billy had put on top of it.

"Swamp thing." Billy nodded his head at the gurdian, acknowleging his presence.

"Billy Batson," Swamp thing nodded back, "I heard a lot about you. I also know what you did back in Fawcett. You brought the life back to all the dying plants in that place and for that, I thank you."

Billy smiled, still eyeing the earth before him. "It's nothing, really. You don't have to thank me."

A comfortable silence passed between them begore Billy spoke up again.

"You knew the Wanderer?" Billy asked.

"Yes, I do," said Swamp thing. "He was one of the few good people who took good care of the green. He was closest to nature than any sorcerer I know and he was my good friend." Swamp thing closed his eyes for a brief moment, reminiscing the times he and his friend had before opening his eyes and staring down at the grave again. "That was why he live by the swamp—so that we could talk whenever we want."

"If you're that close," Billy paused, a thought forming behind his eyes. He turned to look at Swam thing, "then, why didn't you save him? Why didn't you do anything when a demon took over him and chased me around?"

"Child, as much as I want to help during that time, I couldn't. It was as if some kind of force was pushing me back down into the earth, bounding me there."

"Was it because of the demon?"

Swamp thing looked down at him, blinking in thought. "Probably."

Billy hummed in reply.

"Shouldn't you be up in space, with the heroes?"
Swamp thing asked all of a sudden.

"Uhm," Billy looked away. "I left. I guess I needed fresh air. It's been a little suffocating up in the tower."

"I understand," Swamp thing simply answered and there was silence again. "But it seems like your peace won't last long. Someone is heading this way."

"What?!" Billy's eyes widened at that. He knew he created a different kind of portal to get here. It was the door kind of portal. He made it that way to save energy and time. He didn't want to draw another symbol on the ground so he made that instead. Someone must have found the door he used when he left it open. 

"Billy," someome called and Billy's blood ran cold. It was Batman! Gods, why did he even asked who may have followed him. Of course it would be Batman. 

Batman emerged from the shadows casted by the trees and when his eyes landed on Swamp thing, he quickly pulled out a batarang, ready to throw it at the guardian.

"No, wait!" Billy ran in front of Batman and used his body as a barricade between the two. "It's alright. He won't hurt us. He's..." billy peeked behind him. He didn't actually scream good guy with all his big body and hanging vines and all but still— "He's a good guy." On second thought: "Just don't try to piss him off by ruining his plants," Billy added fast. 

He can't have The dark knight and the guradian of the green fighting just because Batman had insulted a few trees and accidentally hit a bush when he threw that batarang.

Batman raised a brow at that but chose to follow his advice. He reluctantly put his batarang back in his utility belt and regarded Swamp thing with his blank white eyes.

Swamp thing did the same and none of them uttered a word.

When Batman's eyes landed on the grave, he started questioning Billy. "Is that where you buried the man that attacked you?" he asked in his trademark low voice.

"Yes," Billy nodded, looking back at the grave. "And he didn't mean to attack me. He was just possesed and I was the only one who happened to be there so," he shrugged. "We all know what happened."

"I've been meaning to ask you about that, Billy," Batman said as he took small steps towards him.

"I want to know why you ended up here and I wanted to know why you and your father didn't tell us about your connection when we first met." Batman knelt in front of him and levelled his eyes with Billy's. "Would you be willing to give me some answers, Billy?" The man tilted his head at him. His voice was gentle. Beckoning him to just lay everything down and let go of all his burdens. But Billy couldn't. No matter how much Batman ask him nicely he wouldn't let his and Marvel's secret out.

They couldn't know that Billy wasn't really Marvel's son. They shouldn't know that they had let an actual child run around inside the watchtower with the body of a demi god doing hero stuff. It'll completely change the way they see him as Marvel and they would even look at the Marvel now with disdain for taking a child as his host. He didn't want that to happen. 

He didn't want to get kicked out of the League.

He and Marvel would proceed to find a way to get them back together as soon as they finished fixing the rock. So he can't afford to get find out now or ever if that's possible.

He want to do his hero stuff along side people who has the same mission as him. He wanted to stay with his newfound family that was the Justice League.

He didn't want to get separated with Barry and Hal. They were goofball buddies and he sure as heck didn't want them to treat him differently when they found out that he was a kid. 

'Cause if it happened, then they wouldn't act as buddies anymore. He would just be the baby of the group and they would be walking on eggshells from then on, watching out so they wouldn't say anything inappropriate, to keep everything "pg" and if he knew Barry and Hal well, he knew they'd go as far as make that "g".

He will never be ready to tell Batman the truth. Maybe when he turned 18 but that was still a big maybe.

Billy nervously wrung his fingers together. "I-I'm sorry. I can't answer your questions. I'm so sorry."

Batman didn't say anything and just nodded and he was about to stand up when Billy grab a hold of his cape and pulled him back down so they could talk eye to eye.

"Mr. Batman?" Billy asked in a small voice.

"Yes?"

"I know that you've been watching me and my pops this whole time."

Batman's eyes grew in the slightest of ways before settling blank to its previous unreadable expression.

"Please stop trying to find things out about me and my pops. I know that we make things harder that way but I assure you, these secrets that we hide are not big enough to hurt the others. It was just some things between us."

Batman, regarded him for a few second. "But," he paused and his gaze became soft all of a sudden, "will it be hurting you?" he asked gently and Billy shook his head, smiling.

"Of course not." He took a step back and looked at Batman as a whole. His relaxed shoulder, his kneeling form, his out of the ordinary soft expression. He really was good with kids and Billy might've told him everything then and there but wasn't like any kids. He was the champion of magic and although he didn't have the powers bestowed to him by the gods right now. He can power through it—the courage of Achilles not needed. "Everything is alright," Billy said lastly and he gace the dark knight a smile.

Much to Billy's surprise, the man smiled back at him, giving hum a little satisfied hum. "You know, you're more mature than your father," he said and Billy laughed.

-----

Batman was staring down at the grave that Billy and the Captain had made. It might've looked fresh if the rainwater hadn't flattened it down. There was a lone flower decorating its surface and a simple grave stone marked only by the name The wanderer.

Bruce didn't know if this will suffice or if they had to make the man a death certificate but then again, he was magical and maybe this is the way sorcerers prefer to go; just buried like olden times with carved out name, no paper trails or anything. Just... memories.

If only things were that easy. 

But they were still alive and to live is work hard for every single day that you've been given.

He had been working hard. Maybe a bit too hard considering that it was a child who actually told him to calm down.

He had been working himself up too much lately. Hyper focusing on the magical father and son too much that he was starting to ignore his whole team.

He should let go it now.

There's no point in finding out more.

The Capatin had already given him informations that are important for the mission and that would be enough.

He didn't need to meddle anymore.

He trust the Captain would do the best thing for his child and he trust Billy, a boy who's full of wisdom for his age. 

It's time to stop this obsession. 

Batman felt a weight had been lifted off his chest and he was breathing freely again. The pressure of his worries are gone and he wasn't holding his breath every other second aymore.

He turned to look at Billy who was peacefully staring at the grave, his hair slowly getting parted from his face as the wind breeze and his small hands holding his.

"I think we should go back now," Bruce said beckoning the boy to walk with him towards the direction he came from. He knew he had left a lone door in the middle of the swamp somewhere.

The boy nodded, eyes still not on him. "I think we shoul—"

That was when everyhing seemed to pause.

The kid stopped midway into his sentence, even the creature next to him looked taken aback at something. The air went quiet, making the smallest breeze as if it was aftaid it would get find out. The rustling of the leaves stopped and the sound of wildlife around them had disappeared. It was as if something turned off a switch and now, the horrors of it was starting to appear on Billy's and the the monster's face.

"Billy, is everything alright?" Batman broke the silence, his voice was low but it still managed to sound like a shout. 

The boy looked aroumd frantically, his eyes searching things that weren't there. "Something's wrong," he whispered. "I can feel it."

Batman just stood there, not really know what to do. It seemed to be something only magical users can detect and him being a non magic user deemed him useless in this situation.

"Swamp thing," Billy called the creature. "Can you tell me where it's coming from?"

The thing—Swamp thing?—hummed in thought and looked at them both. "There's no need for me to tell you. I can show you where it is," Swamp thing said and just like that, the vines in its body started crawling down on the ground and circled him and billy, creating a ball of green with them trapped inside. Bruce was about to make a move and get out of there but Billy squeezed his hand, telling him to stay. So, even though his whole instincts were teeling him to run, he stayed and let the vines swallow them whole. 

When the vines parted and let the light in again, they found themselves umin an alley. Batman doesn't recognize this place. It was too bright for Gotham, way too bright that even this alley looks like a ray of sunshine compare to a random steet in his city.

Batman looked around. Nothing really seemed out of the ordinary. It was an ordinary alley. It was sandwiched by two semi large warehouses and trashcans littered its path, at the very end of the line, a brick wall was there, making it a dead end.

"Where are we?" Batman asked. 

He heard Billy gasped. "Fawcett city."

Chapter Text

At first, Billy was a bit disappointed with where Swamp thing had dropped them off. It looked like he made a mistake. They were simply teleported here, in Fawcett city, facing a brick wall. 

Nothing was out of the ordinary and he was starting to think that Swamp thing was just pulling a prank—until it happened. 

The silence he felt in the swamp with the guardian had spread here—no, it felt like—

Billy's eyes widened. 

It felt like it came from here.

He should still be able to hear the gentle thrum of magic in the air and the mumblings of the spirits fumbling in nature but he can't. 

The flower that made it through the cracks of the pavement had its life essence pulled back in itself as if it was trying not to get detected. 

Everything was trying to hide. Everything was on mute but all of a sudden, all of those broke and a resounding boom came from somewhere and everywhere.

It was so loud that it made Billy cover both of his ears and fall down on the ground. Batman was there in front of him, kneeling, asking him but he couldn't understand what he's talking about because that boom just turned into a loud chanting but then, it became clearer and it started to sound like a battle cry; all of them screaming with excitement of what's to come. The thump of thousands of feet marching came next and it was getting closer and closer. There was clanking and banging of metals and when he opened his eyes... there was snarling.

"Billy, get down!" Batman threw a batarang at the monster that was in front of them and used his body to shield Billy, diving on top of him to keep the blast from hitting him.

The device pierced the eyeless monster's skin and exploded in itself, throwing him and Batman a few meters away from the brick wall that was now thorn open. It was as if something from the other side had pushed the parts of the wall brick by brick until they created a wide enough arch that could fit them. The lining of the arch was glowing purple and when you squint your eyes at the center, you could see something in it: a deep cavernous place where purple crystals were mounted on its walls. The crystals failed to give off enough light that the place looked liked like it was shrouded in perpetual shadow. It looked damp and dripping with something thick and dark. It was like an entrance to a place unknown.

Billy gasped. "The seal broke." 

"I thought we still have a few days before that happen?" Batman asked, crouching between Billy and the portal, holding his batarangs in both hands.

"Yes, we do!" Billy's breath hitched in his throat. "We're supposed to still have more time. We should still have more time. I-" He looked the man in the eye, fear and panic blooming on his expression. "I don't know what's happening." He let out a shaky whisper and stared at Batman's eyes again, asking what they should do now. What can they do now? 

Batman was about to answer him when another boom came from the portal. Their eyes quickly searched for it and when they finally saw it, it had tripled the size. It wsn't even occupying the brick wall anymore. It was getting bigger and reaching for the skies. 

The purple rift in reality got bigget and bigger like it was tearing the sky open and when it stopped, a rumbling sound came out of it, then, the rumbling turned into some kind of rhythmic beat until something came near the opening of the portal and when Billy saw a knee as high as a two storey building, he finally realized what those sounds were. It was the sound of a large being approaching. Those were footsteps, booming and cracking everything it stepped on and now, that said foot was already peeking out of the portal and Billy didn't know what to do.

His mouth was hanging open, his eyes were wide and the foot's descend was not stopping and it's coming towards them. It was already getting darker and darker as it covered the sun on their heads. They tried to get away but whatever they do, they can't outrun its shadows. Batman scooped him up into his arms and fired  his grappling gun to the opposite of the road and before he knew it, the wind was passing by his face at how rapid Batman was making the hook retreive them, but it was still not enough. They were getting overshadowed by it. It's gonna crush them and they couldn't get away—

All of a sudden, a swarm of vines made a protective shield around them, stopping the giant's foot from squishing them but it won't last long. It was already starting to give out.

"Billy, I can't hold it much longer," the vines spoke and its voice sounded so much like Swamp thing. "Hurry and make your escape."

Billy didn't need to be told twice. He jumped down from Batman's arms and stumbled on to the ground, going down on all four. He didn't have anything he could use to write the symbols so he grabbed Batman's batarang from his side and cut his fingers. Blood dripped on the concrete and he started to draw and write. Cut after cut, the blood splattered everywhere. Batman was already hovering above him but he didn't care. There doesn't seem to be enough blood coming out of his hands to finish the symbols. 

He was already starting to panic and his blood was getting everywhere.

"No!" He dropped a few on a perfectly fine symbol and he had to wipe it away again with his sleeves.

He was biting his lips in frustration, breaths coming in faster and the shield was starting to feel like it was suffocating him.

He made one last cut and made a circle while dragging his bleeding fingers around the spot where Batman stood. He encircled all the symbols in a one final compact, ran in the middle and clapped his hands together.

Please take us somewhere safe!

Golden light surrounded them and before the vines collapse on itself, they were already out of there.

--------

"Who was on monitor duty!" Batman was already yelling when they made it into the watchtower. Him and Billy came marching out of the golden light of his portal the first moment they came and now they were no nonsense making their way to the monitor room. 

Billy was told to stand aside and let the others take a look at his injuries but he didn't care. This was more important and so he kept on walking, tightening his hands into a fist, not caring if it made the blood drip out faster.

"I am," Cyborg answered, he was already out of his seat and standing in front of the monitors, his body was stiff and he had his guards up but his eyes held something strong.

Batman gritted his teeth. "Didn't you see what was happening in Fawcett? The monsters the Captain had warned us about were already attacking and what—" 

"I really saw it, Batman," Cyborg interrupted him. "I know. That's why I already gathered the others." Just as Cyborg said that, everyone started pouring in.

First came Wonderwoman, then, Super man, followed by Green Lantern and Flash with the other members of the League not far behind.

Billy's eyes widened at how fast these people had gathered and with no questions asked. This was the reason why he loved being in the Justice League: the willingness, the resilience and the unity. It always amazed him to see all of it in a group of heroes called the Justice League.

"Nice work, Cyborg." Batman nodded at Cyborg before finally facing the group, his eyes scanning everyone. "The monsters and demons that The Captain had warned us about are already here so we are going down there and hold them off for as long as we can until Captain Marvel and John Constantine finished the mission. We thought we still have much time. But now..." He turned his back and looked up the giant screen where chaos was ensuing and people are running in a panic. "That's not the case anymore. So, I want everyone available down on Fawcett with me, now. We must stop these creatures from hurting people and stop them from ever leaving that place."

"I'm coming with you," Billy took a step forward and everyone gasped as they laid their eyes on him. He knew they were seeing a child—a bloodied one at that, but Billy won't let those thoughts of him linger in his mind. He can do things that others can't. He can help them in his own way. He just needed them to give him a chance to lend a hand as Billy insteas of Marvel.

"We can't let a child into the battle field," Wonderwoman was the first to speak, eyeing him with a worried expression. "And you're clearly hurt." She pointed at his bleeding fingers. "You should get that fixed."

"I can handle myself," Billy said. He snapped his fingers and just like that, his injuries were gone. Everyone gasped at what he did but he didn't mind them and stared down anyone who dared to look at him with uncertainty. "Is there anyone here other than me who could use magic? 'Cause as far as I know, every magic users in the world can't use magic so that makes me your only magician." That shut everyone up and so, Billy continued and pointed at the screen. "And what do you think those monsters are? Punches and blasts won't be enough to bring them down—they're magical so we need to fight magic with magic. I can do the magic part and you guys could bring in the punches and other stuff. But I know even with all our powers combined, the best we could do is keep them from ever leaving the city. That's how powerful they are but that was all we needed to do because Marvel and Constantine are already on their way to the Rock right now. We just have to hold them off and you will all have a better chance of doing that if you let me come with you." Billy placed a hand on his chest and looked up at Batman. "Please, let me come with you."

Batman stared at him for a moment before giving him a smile.

"Very well, then. If that's what you think is the best way to go about it, as the only able magic user of the team," Batman looked into the crowd and nodded at someone, "then, we will let you come with us."

Chapter Text

"My lasso is from Hestia and my metal bracelet is from Hephaestus," Diana said as she eyed the boy curiously. The child had been checking over her weapons this whole time. He said he had to make sure of something, that "something" Diana didn't know. He just kept on staring at her weapons and touching it as if he was checking its quality.

"Hmm.." The boy said as he rubbed his thumb and pointy fingers at his chin, his brows furrowing in deep thought. "I see." He nodded.

Diana blinked at him and bent her knees to meet his height.

"What do you see, Billy?" She tilted her head at him, a fond smile appearing on her lips.

"I see that it had been blessed by the God and goddess that you've mentioned but," he touched both of Diana's weapons again, "something is interrupting its flow."

"I-I didn't know that," Diana said as she furrowed her brows. What could that mean? Would it affect the performance of her weapons in battle? That couldn't happen. Especially not now that they are going to face otherworldly beings.

"Oh, it's no problem, really." The boy smiled at her and closed his eyes, his hands still on both weapons. All of a sudden, the boy started glowing. The golden light he emitted traced the silhuette of his body until that golden line travelled into her lasso and bracelet. Diana started feeling warmth from her wrist where her bracelet was and somehow, it made its metal feel more stronger and reliable. It was as if she could stop a canon with just one bracelet in front of her. After the light dissipated, she grabbed her lasso and stretched it. It felt more sturdy than before and the strands that were starting to get loose in its twist had tightened again. Its every fiber had taken a new shine like it was brand new, the feel of it had become smoother yet still allowed you have a strong grip on it. This was astonishing. 

"It's done." She went back into staring into Billy's brilliant blue eyes. He was regarding her with a smile. "Now, you wouldn't have to worry about the lasso breaking and that bracelet cracking."

Diana looked at her newly upgraded weapons again before stretching an arm and landing a gentle hand on the boy's cheeks. "Thank you," she said.

The boy leaned into the touch and smiled at her. "You're welcome."

Diana smiled at the boy with so much love that he might as well be her son.

The Captain had raised a good child.

------

"Miss Zatanna."

"Huh?" Someone called her name. At first, Zatanna thought she was just hearing things but then, she turned her head and when she looked down, she saw a kid smiling up at her.

This kid. Wasn't he the Captain's son? Billy?

She just heard about the rumor but never really had the chance to meet the boy in person. She respected the Champion of magic too much to just barge in and say 'hey, I heard you have a son. Mind if I kidnap him for a sec?' on the very first day so she waited for her turn but that never came but now that it was already happening she suddenly didn't know what to do. 

She was impressed by his little speech earlier and was—even though she didn't want to admit it—intimidated by his level of power. She didn't know being the son of the Champion could give you this much magic. It was just crazy! Even now that the kid was still standing a few meters away from her, she could already feel the intensity of his magic in the air, making everything around him vibrate and create a semi transparent ripple that traced the shape of his body like what happens to air near a flame.

He was odd. 

She though it would be awkward meeting him but now, all she felt was... familiarity? She knew that was a strange feeling but it felt like she knew this kid a long time ago. There was this light feeling around him that made her feel comfortable; comfortable enough to be somehow moody and sour that a kid had managed to surpass her power levels. 

"You can't use magic, right?" he asked innocently.

And there he goes reminding her of her uselessness. Really' why did she even went when Cyborg called everyone in.

She knew she would be powerless and was really thinking that it'd just be a waste of time to go to this meeting because they would probably end up going to battle anyway and she wouldn't be able to come because she didn't have any powers— but somehow, in the back of her mind, something was yelling at her to go. Telling her to step into the zeta tube that she accidentally passed by on her way home and hurry up to the watchtower. She didn't know why she's here but she knew something brought her here and this might be that.

Zatanna finally let out a breath and gave the kid a smile. "I sure can't kid." She chuckled. 

"Can you please give me your hand." The boy asked' offering his hands at her. Zatanna stared at it questioningly but then' a voice in her head had hinted her to just take it and who was she stop that? The voices were not be hers. The fate was the one doing the talking and she's just human so who was she to go against it? Unlike, John, she actually believed in fate and the good path it tries to lead the others to. So, what the heck! Might as well get this over with. She grabbed the kid's hand, Billy said "here you go,"  and all of a sudden, something strong surged through her. She gasped in surprise as the golden glow of the boy spread up her hand, crawled up onto her shoulders until it covered her whole. 

Everything felt right again, as if a weight had been lifted inside her and she could breathe. 

"I gave you some of mine. Now, you can use magic again," the kid told her and he let go of her hand.

Zatanna didn't say anything back and proceeded on staring at her hand that Billy had touched. She could still feel the initial shock his power that had given her. It felt like she'd been submerge in cold water at an alarming speed at how fast it it awaken her and how massive the amount he gave her. 

"I know you probably wanted to go home earlier but I can still feel that you wanted to fight, so I gave you those," the boy paused, worry seeping into his features, "I didn't gave you too much didn't I?" He grimaced. "Or did I transfered it too fast?"

Zatanna laughed.

Well, he sure did gave her too much and made everything too fast but she knew the boy would feel guilty about it if she told him, so telling a white lie might not be so bad.

"No, kid. You did alright." She ruffled the boy's hair and he giggled. "Thank you."

She can finally fight alongside the team. It was a good thing she listened to whatever that's calling her.

Magic really was strange but she wouldn't complain, not now that she got her own.

----

"Hey kid, I see that you've been giving the others some magical abilities." Barry rushed to where the Billy was at and was now asking the kid giddily as if he was a kid himself. "How about me? What magic can you give to your favorite speedster?" 

Billy giggled at him. "You don't need magic, silly. Just be yourself and use you lr crazy speed to defeat the enemy." Billy made running gestures to potray him. 

"Well, how about me, though?" Hal just came out of nowhere and pushed him aside.

"Well, you don't need magic as well. Just do what you always do and use your imagination for that ring,", the kid explained through a smile.

"Na aw. No magic for Green Lantern?" the man pouted and Barry elbowed him, that got the kid laughing at both of them.

"Oh, alright," He took a step towards them and grabbed their hands. "I'll give you something."

"Yes!" Both of them cheered.

"But," the boy reprimanded. "I'm only doing this because it you, guys." He started leaning in and whispered: "Just don't tell the others, okay?" He winked at them and just like that, all three of them started glowing and when the glowing stopped, they started checking each other out.

"Whoa!" Hal said, whoawing at nothing but his hands—really, theres nothing worth woahing about, he wasn't even glowing anymore!

"Okay, what did you give us?"Barry asked, excited.

"It's a one time shield against anything magical," the kid announced all proud with both his hands on his hips.

"One time? Aw man," Hal deflated. 

"Come on. It's a great power up," the kid defended frantically, moving his hands in the air. "It can shield you from any magical blast. The monsters could breath fire at you and you would still leave unscathe."

"Uh, we could dodge?" Barry raised a brow.

"Well that's why it was a one time thing becuse it's meant to save your ass when you failed to do so— uh" The kid slapped his palm up his face. "You know what, I can take it away if you don't want it." He raised a brow at them.

"Oh no no no." Both of them shook their heads.

"We appreaciate them now, okay?," Barry raised a hand in surrender. "No need to drop the ass word on us and take away our power ups."

Hal chuckled. "Yeah, kid. we really appreciate it."

"But, how about you?" Barry raised a brow at the kid. "What do you get?"

"Well, I know a lot of spells and I got this!" the kid pulled out a sword with a stone at the ends of it out of thin air and raised it up like it was some kind of prized possesion.

"Uhm," Barry blinked. "I think it's got just a little," he pointed at the rock empaled to it, "rock" stuck at the end." He was lying, the rock was nowhere near small. it was massive. Bigger than his head and it looked solid and heavy.

"Oh, that's because its the sword of Arthur," the kid shrugged and both Barry and Hal's jaw fell on the floor. 

"Sword of Artthur? As in the sword in the stone?!" Hal asked.

"Yep!" the kid said.

"I thought it was just a fairytale."

The kid laughed. "That's what we wanted you to think."

"What? How good would that be against the monsters and demons and such?" Hal asked ,raising a brow.

"Oh, really good," Billy nodded. "It can slice through anything and can vanquish any evil. It is a sword of a true king afterall and it only works for me." 

"Don't tell me," Barry ponted at the kid, his eyes wide in disbelief. "You're like the new king Arthur or something?"

The kid didn't answer and just grinned at him. He just changed the subject instead and left the question lingering in their minds.

"Now that I see that we're ready," the kid dropped the rock on the floor, stepped a foot on it and finally pull the sword out. He pointed the sword upward like a proud warrior and said: "It is time we go into battle!"

Batman nodded at all of them, giving them the final affirmation.

"Miss Zatanna!" Billy called from the other end of the room and Zatanna raised a thumbs up from the opposite side she's standing on.

They knelt down in unison and clapped their hands together in a prayer. The symbols around the large room glowed and as the golden light met at the middle, it burst everywhere until everything turned white and they could see Fawcett city beyond it. 

Chapter Text

It's now or never, Billy thought as he took a deep breath and pulled his red robe out of thin air. He draped it on him and tied the front into a ribbon just above his chest.

The light had lowered into the ground and just like that, everyone started screaming as they ran into the battlefield. Billy took the skies with Superman and Wonderwoman by his side. He screamed a battlecry as he raised his sword and sliced through an incoming monster. 

There was a whoosh as its body split in the middle and shadowy smoke parted as he continued to ascend with his sword glistening in the sun's light. 

The battle was here and it's going nowhere.

They are going to hold it off as best as they can and for as long as Marvel and Constantine needed.

-------

The place looks like a piece of shit, that's what. 

That was what John thought as he first saw the Rock from the window of the train and that was still his thought when he stepped out of it—only tripled this time.

He was promised a big cavernous hall but all he arrived to were a bunch of cracked boulders stuck on top of each other trying to make a makeshift house that could collapse at any moment. 

Dust was in the air and the cracks in the remaining walls were so big, you could wedge your arms in it and could still pull it out no problem.

This is the source of all magic?

He looked around, really disappointed. Even if it could fix itself right then and there and show him what it initially looked like, he knew he still wouldn't be impressed. It's just... a cave and not grand one at that.

John crinkled his nose as he breathe in dust. 

But no matter how simplistic it looked, it's still the Rock of Eternity and he had to respect that. This was where he suck his magic out anyway and he was only allowed to visit this place just so he could fix it and now, he'd do just that.

A resounding boom had him stumbling on his feet towards the unstable entrance held up only by random boulders as its foundations. He knew he should be running the opposite direction. He knew he's going into a deathtrap but he couldn't stop. Not now that he's already inside with his head getting rained down by dust, not now that he'd already passed the halls with thousands of doors in its walls and certainly not now that he made it into the throne room with monsters surrounding a big dome of blue light and... fuck! Those monsters just heard his footsteps didn't they? A hudred pairs of red eyes found him and the looks they gave him started with curious "Oh, look! A brit sorcerer! I wonder what he's doing here?" to hostile, "get me a piece of that European meat!" in a matter of seconds.

There was a beat of silence and John was about to step back when one of the monsters let out a shriek and pointed at him. Suddenly, the room turned into chaos and he almost tripped on himself running to the opposite side of the dome shield.

"Shit!" John yelled as he dodged blasts that were meant for him. Another monster moved on a speed too fast for his eyes to follow. John put his fists up against it, looking around, until a warm breath touched his neck and he came face to face with a giant cyclops.

Its eyes started glowing and—

"Fuckin' hell!" John ran away and dodged at the last second, taking a dive on the floor and covering his face.

He thought there would be no monsters in this place anymore. That was what Cap had specifically told him. That was the only reason why he agreed to be here in the first place. It was already dangerous being here alone in the first place but now, he's sure as hell dead with all these monsters swaming him.

"Wizard!" he called out the the man inside the shield who was just standing there, trembling with his staff.

"Do something!" he yelled and the wizard met his eyes but the damn bastard was going to look away again until he added: "Captain sent me to help you out. So unless you want to stand there forever, trembling like an old coot— go ahead and help me out!"

The wizard stared at him with uncertainty and he gritted his teeth as punched out a monter on the nose. "There's no help without Jhonny! Let me in, you fucki—"

And just like that, the dome spread towards him, passing through him when it touched his silhuette until he was inside. It pushed the monsters aside as if there were rejected by it and now, John was staring back at his previous battleground, wide eyed and breathing heavily.

"Took you long enough."

The wizard's trembling form looked up at him as he leaned more of his weight to his staff. "I could say the same thing to you and the Captain," he said and suddenly his eyes took on a somber expression. "So, he never went back. Impudent child," the man added under his breath but even though it was an insult, John had a feeling that it wasn't. It was dissapointment not for the Captain but disappointment for the fact that he couldn't make it to the Rock.

The wizard left the middle of the dome where he was standing on and started walking towards his throne, each step looked like it was painful for his body but he kept on going. It was like the man was giving it his all just to do that task, like he knew it would be his last so might as well sit.

The man finally reached the top of the steps and sat, releasing a breath as he did so. His head tilted upwards, eyes staring far away as he held his gaze at the ceiling of the Rock. 

"I can't hold out much longer. I tried but this is my last straw." He moved his head and stared down at John. "Tell me, what thing are you going to use to replace me once I'm gone?" the man asked, his voice weak.

"Well, I've got some things in my house of mystery," John answered, pocketing his hands.

The man's eyes grew at what he said. "The house—the house of mystery?!" Then, he started laughing all of a sudden. "Oh, child," he tilted his head at John condescendingly, "there's nothing in that house that could keep the entire universe from collapsing. But..." he looked up again, straightening his back on his throne. "I've already seen several humans defy the odds, so you're welcome to try." The man said. He raised his staff and dropped its tip against the floor again, making a resounding thunk. Blue light spread from the space that the wood had met the ground and a beat of power surged in the entire place. The light travelled in wave, knocking John off his feet until the wave reached the outside of the shield and extinguished all the monsters there, turning them all to dust.

After that, the wizard let go of his staff and let it roll on the floor. The dome of blue shield went down and the whole place started shaking.

"Do what you must," he said and a magic circle appeared at the middle of the room. 

John didn't even bothered replying and ran in the middle, pulling sort of things from his trench coat. 

"Hell diamond!" he yelled as he took out a crystal that has red flames trapped inside it and placed it on the floor. The magic circle took on a brighter light but then, the crystal broke all of a sudden until it got grinded into dust.

John yelled at what happened. That was the hell diamond! It could destroy the world but the place just took one sip of it and it was grinded into dust!

John shook his head and tried again. "The king's eye," he placed a golden eye on the circle and it burned into nothing but crisps.

He pulled another. "Satan's horn." It cracked under pressure.

"Fairy's globe."

Turned to dust.

"Eternal flame"

Got put out.

"Heart of ice."

Melted.

John pulled at his hair in frustration and made his ring glow, calling onto a connection he had on Earth.

"You won't take anything, huh?!" He screamed at the whole place. A smirk had took over his frustrated expression and he raised his hands in the air as the house of mysteries appeared right above his head. "Well, how about the entire house of mystery, you sucker!" 

He screamed and brought his hands down and the house started falling. There was a rumbling as the house' edges rubbed against the Rock but it didn't kept it from going going down. It was only an inches away from the magical circle and John was about to find out its worth when—

"ENOUGH!" The wizard suddenly took up his staff and the dying light of the magic circle returned to its flickering vigor. 

The house stopped its descend and John stared up at the man, his mouth sneering at how pissed he was.

"What?!" John screamed. "I was doing my best to save the world, okay!?"

"I know—"

"Then, what did I do wrong now?!"

"You did nothing wrong!"

"Then what?! 'Cause right around that moment, I was ready to give it my all—"

"Because it It will never be enough!" The wizard's voice shook the place and John was left staring at the man with wide eyes and mouth hanging open. 

John's brows furrowed. "What do you mean it will never be enough?" he asked in almost a whisper, all the fight in him getting drained at how helpless the wizard looked.

His expression was mellow and sad as if he was begging John to stop. Just stop... this. Not anymore. It looked painful that John was starting to feel like a piece of garbage.

"Everything you brought, everything you had never had the enough power to keep everything together. It will last for a day at best," the man painstakingly explained to him. He looked down and closed his eyes. It was the look of total and utter defeat.

John's breath picked up its pace and his heart started beating faster in his chest that he's already starting to feel its thrum in his throat. 

This couldn't be. The wizard had given him a chance but he couldn't give something that would even be nearly enough. He humored him even though he knew this will fail from the very start. How fucked up was that?

Maybe deep inside, the wizard was still hoping that something will take away the burden from his hands. Maybe deep inside, he wanted to believe that there's something out there that he might've missed that could replace him.

But there was nothing. 

John looked down, his eyes finding the floor of the Rock more blurry than ever. His hands tightening into fists.

"Go now." the wizard's voice pulled him out his mind. The old man was already walking down his throne and going back to the middle again.

"But, I can still try—" John tried to reason but the wizard cut him off.

"Unless you want the universe to end in a span of one day, then, I suggest you go now!" the wizard yelled and he pushed him back. 

"But... " John whispered but another dome was raised between him and the wizard but instead of monsters, it was now meant to keep him out.

"Wizard!" John held a hand against the shield. "I know you won't last long either!" He pounded a fist against it. "Why are you doing this?!"

He thought the man wouldn't hear him but suddenly, the wizard's head raised itself up from looking down and his eyes met his. The man gave him a sad smile before uttering the words: "It's for a son's happiness, I guess."

Chapter Text

The battle raged on. Monsters on all fours roam the earth, winged demons with horns infested the skies and a giant made of stone was rampaging in places the other monsters had missed.

If the monsters down there were already getting trampled over by the non-flight heroes, the giant would throw a boulder at them. That's what happened in the skies as well. If Billy and the others were already about to corner them and obliterate them in a one fell swoop, the giant would let out a mighty roar and throw them few meters back enough so that the winged creatures could escape. It was frustrating and Billy was starting to get exhausted, his magic was also depleting fast. Barry had already used up his shield so he didn't need worry about an extra place to focus his magic on but Hal still had his so he was still expending some of his magic on Hal without the guy knowing. Billy didn't regret it. It proved itself useful when it saved Barry's life earlier but he just hoped he still has more magic for everyone. He already spent some of it on Wonderwoman's weapons and the magic he gave to Zatanna already ran out so he kept on transferring some to her secretly just to not make her feel bad. Everything was sucking him dry and he's starting to think that he couldn't keep this all up anymore.

He started panting all of a sudden, the sword in his hand started to feel heavy and his flight pattern was getting lower and lower—even now that he was only staying still beside a cloud, he could still feel himself descending slowly. Dark spots appeared on his vision. He let himself blink for a second and when he opened his eyes, the sky was getting farther and farther and the air was already whipping past him.

He was falling! 

Billy's eyes widened and he willed himself to fly. A golden glow enveloped him but it flickered and died again, failing to halt his descend.

He was free falling again but now faster than ever. The ground was getting closer and everyone was too busy to take notice of him. He could scream but he didn't want to be a bother to the others. They were already too busy fighting the monsters. Maybe he could just create a shield—

That thought proved to be a failure when the bubble of gold he created shattered with just as much as wind pressure touched it. 

No! He's screwed. He couldn't escape this. He just wish. He's here!

Billy shut his eyes close, still feeling the air past by him at an alarming speed, screetches of monsters were getting louder and louder and he could already smell dust

He just wish he's here with him.

Marvel! He screamed inside his head and all of a sudden, his descend stopped as a gentle arm swooped him from the air and carried him up again.

Billy opened his eyes again and what he saw was a lightning bolt glowing on someone's chest and when he looked up— "Marvel!" Billy screamed in delight and hugged the man's face, touching their cheeks together.

"I'm so glad you're here!" he said, still not letting go.

"Me too, Billy. Me too," Marvel said, too busy returning the hug. 

"So, did you do it?!" Billy pushed away from the embrace to look at Marvel excitedly. "Is it done? Did you save the world?!"

Marvel let out a worried 'uhh' and he looked away for a second. "Not yet. I let John go into the rock alone," he said and Billy's eyes almost fell out of its sockets.

"You let him what?!"

"I had to let him go alone and help you out! If I didn't come here then you would've fallen to your death just now!" Marvel explained and Billy shut his mouth at what he said.

"You're right but," he furrowed his brows at Marvel. "Do you think Constantine could handle it?" He asked worriedly.

"I think he can. He's one of the human beings I know who tries the hardest," Marvel said.

Billy was quite for a second. It wasn't an affirmation but not a denial either. Billy didn't know what to think but if his other half thought it's worthwhile to trust Constantine then, he'd trust him too.

"Alright, then." Billy nodded. "Now, help us defeat this thing," he said and he smirked as he pointed at the giant behind him.

"Of course, we can even do it together if you want," Marvel said, already smiling.

"Yes, I'd like that." Billy smiled back. "Just like old times."

Marvel nodded and held his hand, transferring some of his magic to him. "Just like old times." He smirked.

In a blink of an eye, they were rushing in the skies at the speed of light; whipping past clouds and breaking the sound barrier as ultrasonic boom came after them. They were approaching the monster fast and Marvel's fist was at the ready while Billy's sword was already flashing before him.

"Marvel! Make a way for me! I need to get to its heart and pierce it with my sword!" Billy instructed with his mind and he felt Marvel's mind conmect to his.

"Got it!" Marvel said. He leveled himself with Billy and flew on top of him, completely matching up with his pace. Marvel's shadows covered him and as they were nearing the giant, Marvel pulled back his fist and punched a whole right on the its chest. The monster roared in pain as it stumbled. The hole on its chest got bigger and bigger as it crumbled and before the giant could swat them away with its hand, they already made it in. 

Darkness surrounded them, cracking and rumble travelled the abyss that they were in but they kept on flying on a straight line. All of a sudden, the sword started glowing white and as soon as it casted a light on the giant's heart, Billy was already launching himself at its direction with Marvel hot in his tail.

Billy screamed. He raised his sword up on his head and when he swung down, a loud clang echoed around him and magic exploded everywhere.

"Marve—" Billy held out a hand but he got swept away by the explosion, leaving Marvel grabbing at nothing but air until he was unceremoniously thrown as well.

"Billy!" Marvel screamed but he couldn't see him. Dust was everywhere, almost making the ground below look like heaven with brown clouds. 

Marvel heard a scream and he tried to fly towards it but when it suddenly got cut off and was followed by a thunk, his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he dropped like fly.

Chapter Text

Superman saw Captain Marvel fell from the sky so he rushed towards the man to check on him. There was no apparent reason why he would fall just like that. Nothing hit him strong enough to knock him down. He knew it would take more than an explosion to knock the Captain down. It was as if he just shutdown, that's what Superman had thought, not really expecting to  see anything when he landed but when he did and he looked at down at the red hero, he was  taken aback at how dead he looked. His limbs were limply sprawled on large chunks broken concrete, his eyes were white and his mouth was slightly open.

"Captain!" He rushed towards the man's side and knelt beside him.He was about to lay a hand on his chest when the Capatin who already looked like a corpse spoke all of a sudden.

"Please, save him first," he said, his eyes still white but his right hand was raising, pointing a weak finger at something.

Superman furrowed his brows. He turned towards the direction the Captain was pointing and when his his eyes adjusted to the dust, he could see Diana on the other side. She was on her knees and she has someone small on her arms.

"Help, please!" she screamed and Superman used his superspeed to get to her fast. He was about to speak to her but what he saw in her arms made his blood ran cold.

"He's not breathing, Clark." Wonderwoman stared up at him with fear in her eyes, cradling a limp Billy by her chest. "He's not breathing!" she screamed at him as if demanding something and Superman took a step back, his eyes growing the same size as hers. He didn't know what to do.

He...

He couldn't hear any heartbeat, anymore. 

Superman held up a hand on his mouth.

Oh, God. What—

"Step aside!" Cyborg stepped in out of nowhere and used his hand as a makeshift defibrillator. 

A shock of electricity came and the boy's body jolted but nothing happpened.

Cybory shocked him again.

Still nothing.

Cybory was now gritting his teeth and tears were already falling down Diana's eyes, not paying attention to the bolts of electricity that travelled up to her from refusing to let go of the boy's body.

"Come on, kid," Cyborg pleaded. He ran another shock and again and again until the kid had finally, finally, took in a breath again. 

The boy started with a loud gasp and Diana was already on him, wrapping him in an embrace and holding on for dear life.

"Thank god, thank god," she repeated those words like a broken record as she ran a hand on the boy's face, planting a kiss on his forehead when she parted his hair.

Everyone seemed to start breathing again. But for Captain Marvel, it was a literal thing as he started taking in air as soon as the kid had awoken.

Nobody heard it but him so he was the only one who gave the Captain a questioning look as he rose up from the ground.

------

John knew the wizard told him to leave and be gone already but he refused to do that. For how long can he keep this all up? A week? How was that better than his one day?! He just put extra days on top of his one day. You still know the world will end during that one whole week and you'd live your life in fear of what's to come that you wouldn't be able to live in that short period of time— you might as well take the one day and just get ot all over with. 

They needed a permanent solution and they needed it now!

Plan B it is, then.

John gritted his teeth as he used the limited magic the Captain had given him for emergencies. He needed to contact him now and trying to contact someone across different realities takes a lot of magic so he knew that this connection probably won't last for more than two minutes. He had to drop the bomb on the Captain and hang up so that he can save some magic for himself. You never know, maybe those monsters will come back and he sure as hell won't rely on a false hope that the wizard would let him in that safe haven of his again.

"Captain!" he yelled.

Make it through!

No one answered.

Make it through the fabrics of reality, damn it!

"Captain Marvel!" he yelled again and he breathed a sigh of relief when he finally felt it connect.

"Constantine, what is it?" he asked, his voice hard and serious.

"Plan A didn't work. We proceed to Plan B!" John punched the shield beside him. He leaned down as if Marvel could be found on the ground and let out the loudest scream he ever did in his life. "GET BLACK ADAM OVER HERE, NOW!"

---

"I understand." Superman heard Captain Marvel said. It was as if he was talking to thin air and before Superman could even squint at it, Captain Marvel was already shotting himself up towards the sky and flying in a speed that's much faster than his.

They were all left on the ground looking up and wondering where he was going.

Monsters were still crawling out from the dimension they came from, the Justice League was still fighting them off, people were running around—the chaos continued and he didn't know when it'll end.

Chapter Text

Black Adam was alone in his throne room. It was quiet. The curtains on the balcony near him was fluttering in the wind that made it in the palace. He had already asked the servants to put out the fire of the candle lamps and torches that adorned the wall and the ceiling—only the rays of moonlight was his light source and he found it beautiful. He knew of someone who loved the moon once but he couldn't remember who it was. He didn't know if it was his wife, his eldest son, or his youngest son. He couldn't tell. His memories about the past were already failing him. The memories of his family that he tried so hard to hold onto were already slipping away. 

A look of sorrow made its way on his features as he looked up a giant portrait that he had on the wall beside his throne. It was painted with vibrant colors—the clothes of the people who were in it were gloriously white and behind them was the rising sun that they loved to watch together. It was a portrait of his family excluding him. All he wanted was his wife and sons to be painted on it so that if he ever felt lonely, he could just turn his head and see their smiling faces but... what is there to see if it was blank? 

He couldn't remember how they looked like anymore. 

He tried so many times to describe their faces to a painter but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't utter a single word describing how they looked like. It was only silence between him and the aritist and the paint on his brush had long been dried.

The painter had promised to come back should he remember anything but he didn't know if it would ever happen. Maybe he would never call the painter back into the palace again. There's just no way that he'd get a glimpse of their faces in his memories anymore. It was gone.

Adam tightened his fists behind his back on the onslaught of emotions that rushed through him. He could feel his nails digging into his palms but he couldn't care less.

Sometimes he thought maybe he should just make a reimagine of how his sons would look like of they were given a chance to grow up. He thought maybe that they'd look like him, only with softer features and less pointy ears but he stopped the idea. Maybe his boys would look like their mother more if they lived their lives past boyhood and turned into men but he couldn't really tell, he had nothing to compare himself to to tell who his sons took after.

When he looked inside him, even in his heart, his wife's face comes up empty. But he knew though, that his wife was beautiful. She was the most beautiful he had ever seen. He knew it in his heart—only his mind wouldn't give him the picture he asked for.

How I miss you so much.

Adam took in a shaky breath as he stretched a hand towards the portrait but before he could even land a finger on it, the wind shifted behind him.

"Marvel," he said with disdain in his voice, turning his head for a little bit until he could see his red suit. "What a pleasant surprise. What do you need me fo—" He didn't even get a chance to finish his sentence when Marvel was flew towards him, his fist ready to connect to his cheek. 

He managed to dodge but the wind pressure pushed him back and with a grunt, Marvel pulled back for yet another punch and that's when he realized that his back would hit the portrait behind him should the punch land again.

"No!" he screamed but Marvel's fist was already coming in for a swing. He grabbed Marvel's wrist wuth a gritted teeth and stirred him away, landing them both on his throne instead. His back hit his throne and its rock crumpled and broke, scattering its large chunks on the smooth floor. He soon followed it as he was thrown down by the force and he was left staring up at Marvel who was floating a few inches above him, looking down with a dark look in his eyes.

"I asked you before and I'd ask you again, Marvel," he wiped a blood from his mouth. "What do you need me for?!" he asked with venom in his voice.

Marvel didn't blink, didn't even changed the condescending look on his face. "I want your power, Adam," Marvel said in a cold voice as he held out a hand in front of him. Thunder boomed from somewhere, a lighning strike had landed itself before him and on his hands now laid the thunder bolt that Adam had once stole. "And in order to do that," Marvel held it tight in his hands and electrity surge from everywhere, flowing from every direction; its golden veins meeting in the middle where Marvel was and he raised the bolt up on his head. "I'm going to have to kill you," he said and Adam's eyes widened as Marvel brought it down on him.

"MARVEL!" Adam screamed as he watched the bolt got lower and lower to meet his chest. He quickly got on his feet and grabbed the tip of the bolt and pushed back. 

They soon took off into the air but Adam got the upper hand by pushing himself off the floor and ultimately driving the Captain straight to the ceiling where he was now trapped and Adam seized that moment to use the bolt against him. 

He pushed with all his might, finally getting it away from his chest and touching its sharp tip onto the lightning bolt on Marvel's chest. There was grunting and both of their hands shook as they fought off each others strengths. 

"I should've finished what I started. I should've killed you in front of tha child!" 

The bolt was already making its way past Marvels suit but the Champion held on. 

"That child!" Marvel screamed at his face, his stoic expression now turning rabid, "is Billy and I refuse to let anything get between us! And I will get rid of everything, everything in order to do just that!" He growled at Adam and all of a sudden, his hand grabbed even the tip that Adam had, tilted it sideways and let it stab his own shoulder. Adam let go of the bolt in shock and Marvel used that opportunity to backhand him right in the face, making him fall to the ground. 

"You love your throne room so much, don't you?" Marvel asked menacingly as his sillhuette got closer and closer and when the dust settled, Adam's eyes widened when he found Marvel's face was already up on his. "I know of a place where there's a nice throne room just like this." He gave him a smile that didn't reach his eyes, a smile that never belonged on the Champion's face when he still had the boy as his host. It was a dark, evil smile that Adam wore all the time and it was horrifying to see it currently on Marvel's face.  

He made a big mistake. He shouldn't have separated him the tow souls. He shouldn't have deprived the living lightning of its host. If he hadn't, then, this shouldn't have happened. This was horrible. It was like he was looking on a mirror only to see the personification of horror staring back at you. He didn't like what he saw. He grew to tolerate what he saw in himself but this, it's a different kind of awful. It was smiling back at him, thanking him yet wanting to end him. What had he brought into the world?

Adam shook his head slowly, realizing the error of his ways, the consequences that he was now facing.

"I really don't want to kill you, so why don't you just come with me?" Marvel held out a hand, offering to help him up, the other still holding the lightning bolt threateningly by his side. "You're going to have to stay there forever, but hey, you've got your throne. You can sit on it for all eternity." Marvel joked and Adam was left speechless.

"Come on," irritation started to seep into his voice, "it's not like your throne is any different from the one in the rock." 

Adam couldn't believe what he was hearing. He thought Adam would come back to the rock for a mere throne. This man of a child thought that he loved his throne room so much because of his massive chair made of rock and lavish architecture that surrounded it. But it was not. He loved it because of the hope that he has that he'd see his family again. That was why he kept that portrait in case that he remembered something. He was hoping that he would be able to add something on that blank part of that canvas someday, hoping that maybe someday, he'd be able to complete the puzzle that was his family's smiles and graceful features.

That was why he loved this part of the palace so much. It was never a symbol of power but a symbol of hope and before he could stop himself, his eyes were already moving to look at it, taking small glances past through Marvel just to have a glimpse of it and it was the worst idea he had ever did. Marvel noticed him; noticed how his eyes regarded something precious and feared for that thing's safety. Marvel's eyes hardened and Adam's breath hitched when Marvel followed his gaze and his eyes landed on the portrait too.

"So, that's it?" Marvel asked. "That's what makes this throne different from the rock?" Marvel took a step towards it and Adam was left alone in the crater he fell onto, unable to do anything as he helplessly watched his mortal enemy got closer to his most prized possession.

"It's just a portrait," Marvel said and Adam almost ran towards it when Marvel reached out a hand but stopped when he ended up touching it gently. "Just a portrait..." He repeated and Adam was taken aback when his his voice took a sudden turn and started sounding like a whisper. He watched as Marvel's face went from slack to conflicted and ended up on an expression that looked like sorrow. His eyes became unfocused for a moment until it came back in the present again and stared right back at Adam. 

There was silence until Marvel spoke again. "Tell me, Adam— we're both selfish, were both greedy, but how come we're not alike?"

Adam stood up with wide eyes as he stared at Marvel. A soft wind blew between them, gently moving a strand of hair on Marvel's face as he looked at Adam with eyes that were searching for answers. 

Marvel, what had happened to you?

Adam knew Marvel had Solomon's wisdom so why was he asking him of all people. The rebel, the banished champion—of all the pure and kind people in his life, why ask a tainted man like him?

"You are not selfish," Adam found himself answering. "You are not greedy. You are unsure of yourself. Impulsive— throwing a tantrum everytime you don't get what you wanted. You let yourself get stirred to different directions, thinking that maybe, you might be able to stumble upon a path that's right for you. You have a lot of idea but confused on what to carry out. You are not like me." Adam paused and he let out a breath when he realized something. "You are a mere child."

Marvel let his hand fall down by his side, letting go of the portrait. He looked at Adam with vulnerable, pleading eyes and what came out of his mouth froze Adam right where he was standing.

"Would you..."

"... Allow me to grow up with Billy?"

Adam couldn't answer. His mouth closed and opened. He couldn't say yes because if he did, then, that means he was agreeing on taking on the responsibility of taking care of the rock forever. But if he said no, everything that Marvel was showing him; the fragile questions, the innocent wondering—everyting would shatter and they would pound each other to the ground again. It would be an endless cycle but Adam was just a human and humans were known for their greed. Marvel was practically a god and gods could do no wrong so if he turned out as the sinner between the two of them again, he'd gladly take it just to stay in this plane of reality where his family's memories resided. 

"No," Adam answered and Marvel's eyes grew. A broken look had crept on his face as everything he'd ask for fell apart. "I'm sorry, Champion but I won't do that. Only one of you gets to grow up and we both know that it's Billy," he said and all of a sudden, a single tear fell from one of Marvel's eyes. He didn't move from where he was standing, he didn't blink—he just kept on staring at Adam.

"He's going to need to grow up without you by his side," Adam added and there was a beat of silence.

Nothing moved for a moment. The air stilled and Adam kept his gaze on Marvel and when Marvel's tears reached the ground, everything happened in the blink of an eye.

Marvel launched at him, his one hand outstretched towards Adam. Adam tried to dodge but he failed and Marvel held his head against his palm. 

Marvel squeezed and the pressure built up on his temples and when Adam saw a glimpse of golden lightning— he closed his eyes and waited for the bolt to stab his chest but it didn't happen. Nothing pierced itself on his flesh, there was no blood, no pain—instead, something sparked in his mind and a memory resurfaced:

A memory of his wife and children laughing by the balcony, pointing at the rising sun; a memory of someone calling him and pulling him along; a memory of hearing someone talk about the random things they plan to do—it was a certain memory of him and his family on a one specific day where the sunrise was exceptionally bright and beautiful.

The hand stopped pulling him and when the figures looked back at him, tears started welling up in his eyes.

Their faces were as clear as day. His youngest son had round cheeks and missing a tooth at the front of his teeth; his oldest son had a mole under his left eye, his curly hair going in every direction even if it was already braided back and his wife was as beautiful as ever with her slightly slanted up eyes with irises the same color as honey. Her hair was wavy and framing her face in an adorning way. Adam couldn't even pay attention at the sun at how he kept on staring at them.

They told him to stop and stare at the sun but he couldn't and he just laughed and scooped them all up in his arms and just how fast the laughter started, it quickly died down as he was returned back to the present, opening his eyes to stare up at Marvel who was looking down at him with a  pained expression on his face.

"You're irredeemable, Adam," he said and just like that, the lightning in his hand disappered and he flew away, leaving Adam crying on his throne room with a smile on his face.

-----

Marvel flew away. He flew as fast as he could and as far away the wind could take him. The wind whizzed past him, whistling in his ears. The smell of sand was everywhere, clouds were nowhere to be found and tears couldn't stop flowing out of his eyes. He knew, he knew from the very start that this would be difficult.

He tried to be as bad as Adam, thinking that maybe if he acted as evil as him the voices in his head that screamed at him not to do it would finally quiet down but it didn't. It just kept on getting louder and louder. It screamed at him when he pulled out the lightning bolt, it scolded him when he swung it down at Adam and it shrieked when he almost grazed his enemy's chest but then he saw the portrait and everything halted.

It was Adam's family and he was reminded yet again why he didn't want to do it in the first place so he just tried to reason with him, trying to get through to him by pleading and shamefully asking like a child but he still got a no.

He was powerless against it. He couldn't do anything about it. He knew he lost. He knew that as a hero, he had to own his defeat and get it over with but why did it hurt?

Why was he the one who gets to sacrifice himself? Adam didn't know what his family looked like but he gave the memory back to him. But what about him? Adam got what he wanted, what about Marvel? Shouldn't he get a consolation price for doing something good? He just reunited a part of Adam with his family, couldn't the gods give him a special treatment for that?

Why was no one coming to get him and taking him away from all this mess? He couldn't rely on Billy for this. He's on his own and he tried to solve it on his own. He really tried but he ended up getting the short end of the stick and now, he's going to be the one who...

Marvel screamed and he let himself crash into the sand below. The sand parted away from his body and when he rose up, he rose up screaming in pain, in hurt. Tears kept on coming and he grabbed at nothing but sand.

"Why does it have to be me?!"

"Why can't it be someone?!" He sobbed, his heart ached and he grabbed at his chest, finding the lightning emblem there and he wanted nothing more but to pull it off. He dug his nails around its jagged edges, pulled with all his might, scratched at it but it won't come off. The duty. the responsibilty of carrying the weight of the world was carved into his his soul and he wanted nothing to do with it anymore. He wanted it off. He wanted someone to pull the symbol out so he could just be Marvel and stay with Billy. 

He just wanted to be with Billy.

Why was everyone and every thing working against him?! 

He tried to be good. He tried to be a friend. He tried to be a father. He tried to be a hero. Why couldn't anyone see that?! Why was this only happening to him?!

"Please, someone help me!"

"Anyone, please help!"

"Billy..." His knees gave out underneath him and he stared at nothing but miles of miles of sand. "Please, help me."

"I don't want to go."

Chapter Text

Why did Marvel just left like that? He didn't even ask if I was okay, those were the words that ran inside Billy's mind as he watched Marvel flew into the sky with sad, lonely eyes. 

His head was held up by Wonderwoman, still snuggling him close and looking down with teary eyes, thanking the gods but he couldn't care less. All he had his eyes on was Marvel and his fast disappearing red. 

Something in Billy felt betrayed when he just up and left like that. It would've been okay with him if he knew where he was going and if he allowed Billy to help but Marvel didn't gave him any of that, just kept his back turned and didn't even gave him a simple wave goodbye. He was with the League and was even babied by freaking Wonderwoman but it was strange, though—he still couldn't help but to feel alone. It was as if the people who were hovering above him were just smoke and they just past through him. 

His lips pressed into a thin line. 

He would've loved to get cradled by Marvel even if it made him look like an infant. He would've preferred that instead of getting left behind like this. The bitter feeling inside his chest stayed until everyone had started getting hauled up back into the watchtower through Cyborg's boomtube; it stayed until wonderwoman had demanded him to come along with her and he refused, telling her he won't leave the spot he's on until Marvel, his pops return; and the bitter feeling grew stronger when Mavel finally returned.

Billy frowned as he watched Marvel approach and knelt beside his lying body. He couldn't move yet because of how bad he fell but when Marvel finally met his face and looked down at him worriedly, he tried his best to look comfortable and wipe the frown off his face.

Billy gave him a few seconds of silence, waiting for him to tell Billy what he did and where he went but he didn't. What he said instead was: "Sorry, I couldn't come to you sooner," and Billy's frown got even harder to hide. 

He didn't want to get angry at Marvel. He really didn't but with Marvel keeping his mouth shut like this, not telling him anything even though he clearly gave him a chance to do so, made it hard.

What had he been hiding from Billy? 

Was this a one time thing or...

Fear started seeping into Billy's eyes but he looked away before Marvel could notice it. 

The fact that Marvel could be keeping a secret from him this whole time and working behind his back scared him.

They were supposed to be a team and even though Billy was not that powerful anymore, even if he didn't have the power of gods, he still wanted to help. Marvel still allowed him to help, right? He didn't think of him as a burden, right?

Billy kept on asking questions after questions inside his head even if he knew no one would answer them. Well, Marvel could if he connected their minds but even so, it was still a matter of "if he would" answer Billy. Billy didn't try to do it though. He didn't know how he'd react if he did just that and Marvel actually refused to answer him.

"Why can't you come to me sooner?" Billy blurted out of nowhere, still frowning and looking to the side, avoiding Marvel's eyes.

Marvel scooped him up in his arms and thanked Wonderwoman for looking after him. "Billy, I-" he stuttered and Billy looked at him, waiting for something.

Marvel looked away for a moment, seemingly collecting his thoughts before looking back with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"I had to take care of something," he said and he just wasted another chance. "I'm sorry," he added with a pleading tone.

Billy just crossed his arms at him and looked away. "Sure," he said shortly and refused to say anything more than that.

Marvel might have sensed his frustration because he became reluctant while circling an arm around Billy's torso. He stopped himself for several times, his hand going back and forth in the air but gave up and finally proceeded on doing just that—blanketing Billy with his warmth and his chin gently touching the top of his head. He held him like that for a moment as if he was savoring the feeling of their togetherness and Billy saw the lightning on his chest shone brighter. 

Even if he's angry at Marvel at not telling him the truth, even if Marvel kept a secret from him, he still couldnt help himself but to snuggle closer. 

He loved this warmth; it was familiar, it was safe, and he wished it could stay like this forever.

That was what Billy had thought before he let himself relax and finally close his eyes. 

----

Everyone was in shock. Their eyes were about to fall out of its sockets at how wide they stretched it and their mouths were hanging open.

When the Captain had called for an emergency meeting and they came in nursing their wounds, they didn't expect him to give them a new plan; they never expected that plan to be him sacrificing himself to stay in the Rock of Eternity away from his son, never to be seen again; and they certainly didn't expect the Captain to voluntary recommend to get every memories of him get wiped out of Billy's head.

Everyone was out of their seats immediately after that, protesting and calling him out for being too cruel and being a bad father, and Hal was ashamed to say that he was one of those people too.

He knew that it was for the good of the world. He knew that there were lives at stake. But it was Billy. A kid who's so bright and has a life ahead of him. A kid who deserved to have his dad by his side throughout that life. He can't do that. Captain can't do that do that to his own son.

There must be another way. He said it was his duty but maybe he was way into his head and too proud to admit that his title of "Champion of Magic" also had the word "dad" attached to it. 

"You asshole!" Hal screamed at the man through gritted teeth. "How could you even think of doing that to your own kid?!" 

"I will not stand for this, Captain!" Diana was the one who followed next, slamming a hand on the wooden table enough to rattle it.

"Please try to understand," the man said, his brows furrowed and his head still low. "This is the only way."

"Understand?! How the fuck would we understand?!" Barry pointed at him. "You are going to abandon—"

"I TRIED EVERYTHING I CAN, OKAY?!" Everyone was silenced when the Captain overpowered their voices. "Believe me, I tried," he said, his voice gradually growing weaker as he shook his head slowly. "I-I... really tried." His voice broke all of a sudden, and Hal instinctively took a step back, finally regretting what he said earlier.

"Do you think this is easy for me?!" The Captain finally held his head up and when their eyes met his, they were taken aback when they saw streaks of angry tears flowing nonstop on the Captain's face. He was gritting his teeth, his expression was hard but his eyes held frustration not at them but... at himself. "You are not the one who's going to be left behind, alone on that cold rock— I am! I will be the one losing a son. I will be the one losing Billy. I'm the one who's sacrificing everything here so why do I get to be the villain?!" The room shook at his voice and no one dared to answer him. No one can.

"So, please..." Hal's eyes slowly got even wider as he saw what the Captain was doing. "I beg of you," the Captain dropped on his knees and lowered his head on the floor, "please, just help me out one more time."

There was a beat of silence as they tried to make sense of what the Captain was doing in front of them and just like a ball dropped, chaos ensued around them.

People were already on their feet trying, holding out a hand as they approached the Captain—Wonderwoman was already there, pulling on the Captain's arms to try and pull him up; everyone was swarming towards the front, apologise mixing together but everything paused when they heard a little voice came from the open door.

"Marvel..." the voice called. "What are you doing?"

Chapter Text

Billy woke up on the same bed he had used for the third time now inside the medbay. He pouted. He seeemd to be visting this place more lately and he was not fond of that idea. 

He moved his head to look down at his injuries and when he saw that it was still there, he frowned. 

Hmp! He didn't even heal me, he thought unhappily as he eyed the bandage covering his right arm and the gauze that's unceremoniously plastered on his left cheek. He could feel that he has more scratches on his body than he could see but he tried not to look for it, too scared on what other kinds of wounds he would find. He was already feeling too sore after hitting his back and the nape of his neck on his fall earlier, he didn't want to add onto that by doing twisty gymnastics just to search for more damages that had been done to his body.

He glared at the ceiling. He's not paralyzed now, is he? He asked himself as he tried to wiggle his toes and fingers. Thankfully, it moved and the fear of being crippled forever got wiped out of his mind. He couldn't imagine Captain Marvel being on a wheelchair once they were back together. Ugh. No—

He winced. 

Maybe he would still be able to heal Billy even if he got paralyzed. Marvel was just that powerful.

And speaking of him, where was he?

He was spoiling Billy too much with his hugs, and hand-holding, and being there when he woke up that it made Billy dependent on it now. He was searching for it now. He might be pissed at the big baby but he's not the kind of person who would shy away from any form of physical affection as long as he's close to the person and Marvel sure as heck close to him like—soul bounded close; and he was looking for him now. 

Billy kicked the blanket off him and hopped out of bed.

Oof! That might've been a bad idea because now, he could feel his ribs creaking. 

He winced for a second, letting the feeling pass until it bled into nothing. As soon as it disappeared, he started walking out of the infirmary, letting his feet drag him anywhere but here. He'd meet Marvel sooner than later, anyway. That's just how it worked when he lets his intuition take the wheel.

So, that was the start of Billy's mini adventure inside the tower. He made it past the cafeteria, the training room, the place where the view of the stars was best, even in the monitor room—no one was there. It was as if the whole place got deserted and he was forgotten up here in space. Did an alien invasion happen when he was asleep?

He hoped not. So, Billy continued his walk, now finding the determination to look for others. He kept on looking, walking here and there. He should've been able to find even a single person by now but strangely, he still couldn't find anybody. There should be people scattered around these halls; it was the busiest part of the watchtower afterall, but...

Billy paused, finding himself on his way to a certain room.

If there was one place where everyone would be in right now, it would be the meeting room. It was the busiest when it was in use but it was the quietest when it wasn't. He just hoped it would be the former rather than the latter. 

He grew closer and closer to the place and when he started to hear voices, a smile etched itself on his lips and he started walking faster. It's alright. He'd just take a peek by the door and if he saw Marvel in there, he'd leave him alone and wait for him outside, and if he wasn't then, Billy would continue his little stroll and search for him someplace else. Maybe go back to the swamp? Oh! Or maybe Fawcett! Billy let out a small giggle, a little too excited for his other planned destinations that he failed to listen to the words that filtered out of the small opening of the door. Billy stepped closer towards it, peeking an eye in with a mischevious smile. He was giddy and was just about to hum his way in when suddenly, that very same smile fell off his face when he saw a red blur drop on the floor. 

There, in the middle of the room was Marvel, silencing up everyone when he suddenly just... grovelled in front of them

Billy couldn't speak for a moment, his mouth was hanging open and his breath was sputtering in his chest.

What was Marvel doing?! 

Why was he begging like that?!

Billy couldn't hear what his thoughts were saying, not anymore. All he could hear was the pounding in his chest and his breath quickening. There was a ringing sound coming from everywhere and before he knew it, he blurted out the words: "Marvel," and everyone's eyes were on him.

Everyone stared at him shocked. It was as if he caught them commiting a crime, like their lives were flashing before their eyes but Billy couldn't care less. He wanted to know why Marvel was doing... that. He wanted to say—

"What are you doing?" Billy's voice rang out in the silence. It was weaker than he intended it to be but Billy didn't care. He kept his eyes glued on Marvel who was still on the floor as he took slow, small steps towaeds him. His eyes were as big as saucers and his hands were right in front of him as if he was trying to grab at something in the the dark.

"Marvel," he called again, now getting closer but Marvel still didn't move—didn't even look at him. All of a sudden, Billy's confusion and dangerous curiousity turned into anger and he started seething at the man. "Marvel! I asked you—what the hell are you doing?!" Billy rushed towards him and everyone that's hovering over Marvel parted. Billy clutched on his arm and pulled as hard as he could. 

"Do you have no shame?!" Billy pulled but he didn't budge. "How could you do this?! What were telling everyone?! Have you been going behind my back this whole time?! How could you! How could you!" He proceeded on kicking and punching Marvel's side but he remained silent and scooped Billy up in his arms without uttering a single word.

Billy thrashed in his arms, still kicking and punching and pushing his face away. "How could you! How could you!" He kept on repeating those words and he knew he was already causing a scene but he didn't care. There were supposed to be father and son, right? If they were then he'd get the most out of it now. It was not a weird sight seeing a child go wild in their father's arms anyway. "How could you, Marvel! HOW COULD YOU—"

"BILLY!"

The room shook and everything froze...

There was also nothing new in seeing a child got scolded by their parents, Billy thought as he stared up at Marvel with wide, fearful eyes. It was natural, a common occurance. Being scolded happens all the time—but why did it scare him so much? The sudden raising of Marvel's voice startled him, it rocked his very core. He didn't know he could do that and when he did, reality hit him with full force. He yelled at Billy and he was now looking at him with anger and disappointment in his eyes. 

That can't be. Marvel never yelled at him. He never get angry at anybody, especially to Billy. Why? What did he do? He just wanted to know what's happening. He just wanted to get included. Why—

Billy's lips started wobbling and tears welled up in his eyes. Marvel's enraged face that was looking down at him had become more blurry and unrecognizable until it turned into a mosaic with his tear filled eyes. 

He tried to stop the tears from falling with all his might. He didn't want to show weakness, not in front of the League but what Marvel said next had been the final nail in the coffin.

He looked down at Billy, his eyes were cold, his mouth was pressed into a thin line and under his breath, he uttered the words:

"You disappoint me."

And that... was the final straw. The tears that Billy had fought back so hard earlier had burst out of the cracks like a broken dam. Tears fell rapidly down his face and on Marvel's chest, making the red of his suit even darker.

It hurt.

It hurt hearing Marvel say that. 

It hurt hearing those words come out from the better version of yourself. Billy knew he had been useless, he had a sneaking suspiscion that maybe Marvel had thought that too but now that he just called him a a disappointment, it was clear now that he knew what Billy was from the very start: a burden. He must've kept it inside him for a very long time. He might've suffered through things alone because he knew Billy wouldn't be able to help him. 

Billy was sorry. 

He was sorry now.

He didn't mean to be so useless that Marvel had to hide things from him.

Billy's painful screams filled the room, his very being laid bare for everyone to see: just a child throwing a tantrum—former Champion but now, just... Billy. 

He didn't mean to look like this. He didn't mean for anything of this to happen. He just wanted to help but he couldn't do that if Marvel won't let him. 

He was making a scene and just like what Marvel had said, he was a disappointment. He was all that but why was Marvel still hugging him? Why, even after uttering all those words were he still holding Billy close to his heart? Why was he carding his fingers through his hair if he was what he said he was? Why was his gestures were still ever so sweet and loving?

Billy couldn't understand.

Marvel's hands around him were gentle but his embrace was getting tighter as if he wanted Billy to hug his cry out, as if telling him, "I'd hug you for as long as need if that's what will make you feel better." It was all so sweet and fatherly that Billy was starting to see who the better actor was between the two of them. This was all unfair. Why couldn't he get mad at Marvel? Why couldn't he resent him even the slightest bit? Atleast let him be angry at him even just for now. He begged the gods to give him the strength of wrath, the courage to confront Marvel but then, he felt Marvel's breath shook and the slightest forehead bump he gave Billy and he wasn't so sure anymore. 

He didn't know what to do anymore. 

"Please consider what I told you." He heard Marvel addressed the others. "Sooner or later, you all are going to have to chose which side you're on. Now please—excuse me," he said lastly before Marvel started walking away, carrying him out.

Billy kept on crying after that and Marvel just kept on walking. There was no one in the hallway and for some reason, the stars weren't as pretty to look at as before. It was just two of them now and Billy had never wished to be with someone else rather than Marvel.

Chapter Text

Diana watched as Captain Marvel carried his son out of the room. His eyes were hard and piercing as he walked out, determined to look straight ahead instead of them. 

He had just scolded his son in front of the whole League. She sympathized with him because his son chose to get angry at him despite having no idea how the Captain was hurting and how he was facing the most difficult choice in his life right now but Diana couldn't help but relate with Billly, too. There was nothing more painful than a parent calling you a disappointment. She should know—her mother had uttered those words at her once and how she wished she could forget that day.

But that was not the matter right now. They had to talk about what the Captain had told them; his offer to sacrifice himself, the offer to erase his whole existence from his own son's memories for the reason that it was convinient. 

They all had to talk and they had to do it quick. The Captain didn't seem like he'd wait for them. He looked like he had already made up his mind and that it didn't really matter if they go against it. He'd still do it. He just wanted to know their opinions.

But Diana still held out a hope that if she gathered enough vote that go against what the Captain wanted to do, everyone would get together and try to— or even force Captain Marvel to stop. If she gathered enough no's maybe it would be enough to be a guiding whisper to the Captain's ears. 

Diana finally made up her mind and with a steely resolve, she turned her head and looked everyone in the eyes but what she saw just made her crumble. Everyone already looked like they gave up. Like they had already resigned themselves to what the Captain had told them and was just waiting for it to happen.

Diana's breath hitched. She didn't want to believe it. Maybe she's just over interpreting things. She had to ask and talk with everyone—that's how conflicts were always solved after all. So, against her better judgement to stay silent and listen to her horrrible intuition, Diana stepped herself up and stood right at the front.

"We must discuss what the Capatin had told us about," Diana started, making her voice boom so that it could reach even the far corners of the room. Her teammate's heads that were hanging low had risen for a moment in order to meet her eyes. There was a small fire there she could see. Maybe she could just—

Her mind came into a halt when that fire died before she could even utter a single word. Barry who was always bright and enthusiastic was now hunched and looking down, Superman couldn't look her in the eyes—even Batman had that silent, tired look in his white glares.

"There's nothing to discuss about, Wonderwoman," Barry said, his voice weak that it almost didn't reach her.

"What do you mean?" Diana's brows furrowed. "This is a very important matter. I want to ask for a vote whether we should or should not let Captain do this. Now, who's with me?" Diana raised a hand but nobody followed.

"Stop it, Wonderwoman," Hal said, looking at her for a second then side glancing the next, "it's already over."

"No, it's not over," Diana corrected him. "We are still here. We can find another way."

"You already heard the Captain said that he tried everything. He was the best when it came to this but he still ended up..." Superman stopped himself from saying his words, his fists were balled by his sides and Diana just stared up at him with pleading eyes—asking that someone, anyone to help her out. She just needed even one of them to be on her side.

"Batman?" Diana called and everything seemed to pause.

Everyone in the room held their breaths and when Batman spoke, it felt like a knife cutting through everything even her very soul. 

"I'm sorry." That was all he said and Diana took a step back. She couldn't believe she was with a bunch of cowards! How could they not stand up for a comrade needing help? And what's worse, a child's life and how he would live it depends on it. Marvel wasn't just a man they worked with. He a friend, a brother to her and a father to Billy. Although blessed with the powers of gods, he was still a father who was trying his best to get through life. He may have the wisdom of Solomon but Diana saw him struggle to understand his child when he needed to. He may have Achilles courage but she saw him feared for his son's life. He may be strong but she saw him fall when his son took a hit. He may be all of that, but he was still the plain old Marvel they
knew. 

"Cowards! All of you!" she pointed at everyone, screaming her lungs out. "How could you do this to Captain Marvel who was the kindest of all of us?! How could you separate a child from his father!? How dare you call yourself a hero?!"

"Diana, enough!" Bruce called but she didn't let him stop her.

"No!" She yelled at him, approaching his seat. "There must be another way. There will be another way of we just work together." She pleaded as her eyes started to sting. She gritted her teeth tighter in order to stop her lips from wobbling as she stood in front of the man she respected. If there was anyone who would understand her, it would be Bruce. She had watched him get through tragedies by only using his will and sheer determination, he even cheated death whenever he was at heaven's door. Surely, he could do something about this. He was a miracle worker after all.

"And what would working together would bring us, Wonderwoman?" She was taken aback by his question. "Yes, we could delay it and try to look for alternatives. We already know that the Captain had let go of Black Adam willingly simply because he knew he can't make him. We also know that Constantine had already used up most of his resources by throwing everything at the Rock and see what sticks—he was even willing to give up the whole house of mystery in order to succeed. But do you know what the wizard had told him?" Batman glared at her and her eyes widened, not wanting to hear what the man was about to say.

"He told him to go home, Wonderwoman," he spatted. "He told him to go home because nothing is working out. Now, imagine if we do that as a group? We'd just be delaying the inevitable and we would just let the monster roam free in the streets for far much longer. More people would get hurt and the infestation would even reach even the other cities. That's all we can do, Wonderwoman. We can only delay the inevitable. That's about it."

"But... " she shook her head.

"Meeting's over," Batman said. "I want everyone out now," he commanded and everyone rushed out without second thougths.

Everyone went out except for Bruce. He remained on his seat and when the last set of footsteps rang out, he stood up and pulled his cowl off his face. 

"I'm sorry, Diana," he said. She could finally see what he's feeling now. He's just as devastated as her. It was easier to read him with his cowl off like this but he never showed his face to anyone other than a few selected others. One fact that drives him to do that was the need to hide his identity but aside from that, there was still one reason why he never showed anyone his face: he feared that people would take advantage of his expressive face. He was not the kind who express openly. He was not the best at expressing what he's feeling on his face by any means but he was expressive in his own way that even the single twitch of his eyebrows meant that he was intrigued, the smallest upward curve of his lip meant that he was smiling and the smallest droop of his eyes meant that he was sad—and that was what he was doing now.

His mouth remained the same thin line as it always was, his brows unnoticebly furrowed but his eyes, it said millions of things:

I'm sorry.

We can't do it.

Let it go.

And that was when Diana finally broke down. She tried to cover her mouth to repress a sob but the sound still came out. The muffling didnt help, she still sounded as pained as ever.

She closed her eyes as she felt more tears fell and she was almost surprised when Bruce wrapped her in a gentle embrace. Almost.

She could feel him gently place his hand on her back and ran it up and down, whispering words in her ears that sounded Greek. It might've said 'I'm sorry' if his pronunciation weren't horrendous but Diana appreciated it. She really did. If it was Bruce, she knew she could show him this side of her, she could show that she was weak, too. Maybe she could even speak the thoughts in her head out loud.

"Please don't let them do this to my brother," she finally said, her voice coming out in a whisper. "You can't do this do my brother. He has a child. Such a sweet child. How would I look at that bright smile again and not think of the horrible things that we had done to him? I can't."

"We're all going carry the burden, then. We're all going to see that smile and smile back as best as we can and we will watch over Billy and love him as our own to atone to our sins."

Diana couldn't speak. She just let her tears fall and hold onto the man she trusted most.

"You're going to be a great aunt, Diana" Bruce said.

Diana let out a breath. "And you're going to be a great father, Bruce."

Chapter Text

Billy was alone in the medbay, sitting on the bed he grew to love 'cause really, any matress was better than the one he had at home. He wouldn't admit that to anybody of course—'cause you know, if he did it'd kinda imply that his living situation was kinda not at its best right now. 

Billy winced at the idea of the Justice Leangue finding his apartment. Superman would have a heart attack if that happened. He valued the livelihood of his collegues too much that he couldn't help but to check on them and ask innocent questions about how everything was going and such. Superman even tried to made him slip up with all those questions. He'd ask things like: "how's the other dimension doing?" to know if he's some kind of eldritch being taking the form of Marvel, or "how's school?" which made Billy choke on his meal. He didn't mean anything much about it, it was just a harmless joke but oh boy, how he hit too close to home at that one time. It made him panic so much that he immediately shut down the idea, telling them that he's some kind of immortal Greek citizen and not some random college student—or an elementary(if they stoop too low). 

And that was when the betting table began. He was amused by it and pretended he didn't know just to mess with everyone's head. He would drop made up facts about him here and there and those idiots would take out note pads and violently scribble something and walk away— and before he knew it, it was already one of the options on the bet. 

They thought he was a time traveller.

They thought he was some unknown god.

 Someone thought he was a Kryptonian.

And some... thought he's an electric eel that grew limbs. Like—really?! Who made that bet? 

Nobody really came close to the truth.

Billy was Marvel and Marvel was Billy. It's as simple as that. 

Marvel was a kid and even now that they got separated, he's still a kid. But what he did earlier surprised Billy. He sounded like a real parent disappointed to their son and that fact made the words he uttered hurt even more. Billy was scared of adults who raise their voice at him. He never had good experiences with those. He knew that if the adults start raising their voice, a punch would come down soon... or a belt... or a hammer—

But this was Marvel. He wouldn't do that. He just got carried away that's all, and Billy sort of got carried away too. 

Billy hugged his legs to himself and laid his head on his elevated knees, eyes looking past the headboard he's staring at. 

But even so, he couldn't help but still feel bitter about everything. Marvel was hiding something and now that he knew it, he could feel something stirring in the air, like the cogs of machines were turning and someone just flipped a switch and a machination came to life. To what purpose? He didnt know.

But Marvel is here now and he could ask him. 

Billy turned his back even more towards the door when he heard light footsteps approach him. It stopped for a moment and after that, the mattress behind him shifted, telling him that Marvel just sat next to him.

"Billy?" Marvel called, his voice was weak. "Can we talk?"

"We can, if you tell me the truth," Billy said, crossing his arms.

There was silence for a moment but, then, he said: 

"Alright, then."

Billy was taken aback when Marvel just agreed with him without a fight. He thought this would be another argument but now that it was not and Marvel was going to spill everything, Billy felt a smile crept on his lips and he quickly turned to face Marvel.

"Really?!" Billy asked, his eyes sparkling with hope.

Marvel nodded and smiled at him. "Of course. Now..." Marvel cleared his throat and scooted closer to him, circling an arm around Billy's shoulders.

Billy snuggled deeper into his chest and hold onto the hand that was dangling on the other side of his shoulder, now feeling good more than ever. Finally the truth. Now, he won't be left behind anymore. Now he can help. 

"Let's see..." Marvel looked ahead thinking and Billy raised a brow at him. That was weird. You don't need that much thinking while telling the truth; you just blurt it out. 

"First of all, you're not a disappointment, Billy. The truth is, I am the disappointment. To you. To the wizard. To the Gods."

Billy's eyes widened. How could Marvel say all this with a smile on his face?

"Between the two of us, you're the better half. You are always the good, Billy. I'm just... me."

"What are you saying?! This isn't what I asked you!" Billy grew irritated and pushed Marvel away. Marvel let go him but he remained right next to him.

"When we got separated I was so scared. I have feared of what might happen to us now that we're not living us one but you know, as time pass by, I grew to love it; meeting you eye to eye, going everywhere with you hanging on my cape— that would have never happened if we never got separated. I knew it was a curse but secretly, inside my heart, I counted it as a blessing."

"What are you doing?" Billy asked but Marvel kept on talking.

"I really enjoyed that very first icecream I've tasted." Marvel laughed. "And the pie you gave me tasted funny but it was okay. I would love to try it again just to pinpoint what's wrong with it."

"What's gotten into you?"

"After you said that my hair was eternally immaculate, I kind of got curious and tried to see if I can ruin it. But it turns out that I can't! Can you believe that?!"

"Marvel."

"I always don't know what to do, Billy. But you're always there to point me to the right direction. You are innocent but not naive, a fighter but never a warrior, a nobody but you will always be someone to me." Marvel's eyes started to get glossed by tears but he kept on smiling. He held out his hands and touched Billy's cheeks, gently beholding his face.

"What is happening, Marvel?" Billy asked with fears in his eyes, he was getting scared. He didn't know what's happening. Why did he sound like he was saying goodbye? That's silly. Marvel isn't going anywere.

Marvel didn't answer Billy's question instead, he gave him a knowing smile and as a single tear made it out of his eyes, he uttered the words: "You... are the best thing that ever happened to me."

Billy's eyes widened. He was about to grab Marvel's hands on his face to hold him in place when Marvel immediately stood up and turned away walking.

"Marvel!" He held out a hand to try and grab on Marvel's cape but he missed. Something in Billy broke when he watched his hands ran though the fabric of Marvel's cape, unable to grasp, unable to pull him towards him. It scared Billy so much that he bolted out of the room to chase after him.

"Marvel!" he called but Marvel didn't look back at him. He just kept on walking and he was getting farther and farther away and Billy couldn't reach him anymore.

"MARVEL!" Billy tried to grab him again but John caught him out of nowhere, pulling him to the side and stopping him from getting any closer to Marvel.

"Got'cha!" John yelled in triumph as he kept Billy from moving, his biceps curling around his torso. Billy kept on calling Marvel's name but he wasn't looking back at him. He couldn't even hear him and this british sorcerer was holding him down and keeping Billy away from him!

Rage boiled up inside Billy and he blasted John in the face full force with his magic.

"Let me go!" Billy screamed and a blinding light threw John against the wall. 

Billy ran after that, running as fast as his little legs can go. He had to get to Marvel. He had to ask him. Billy was starting to pant and his aching bones were already screaming at him to stop but he didn't care, all he cared was catching up to Marvel so when he turn a corner and saw a glimpse of that white cape again, his heart skipped a beat as a reluctant smile appeared on his lips.

"Marvel!" 

Finally, finally Marvel stopped walking and turned to face him. 

"Billy," he said as he wiped something off his face. He immediately knelt down on the floor with open arms, welcoming him in a hug.

Billy gladly took it and ran up into his arms, wrapping him in the tightest embrace he could ever give him.

"Please don't leave me like that again," Billy said as tears started flowing out of his eyes. His voice was muffled by too much burrowing into Marvel's chest but he didn't care. He knew Marvel wouldn't mind and he knew Marvel loved his hugs so much that he would stick around for it. "I won't get mad at you again, I will be nicer from now on, I will do anything you ask—just please, please don't leave me." More tears ran down his face. "I don't even know why I'm saying any of this. This is silly." Billy laughed as he shook his head. "You're not even going anywhere yet I'm here already asking you not to leave—" Billy paused, his eyes finding Marvel's identical blue ones. "You're not leaving me, right?" he asked. "You're not going anywhere... right?" Billy offered him a smile and Marvel smiled back but then, that smile started falling apart.

All of a sudden, Marvel's expression crumbled and small whimpers came out of his lips as tears came flooding out of his eyes. He held both of Billy's hands and enveloped it in between his. "I'm sorry," he said as he struggled to keep his hands from shaking. "I'm sorry," he added as he touched both of their foreheads together.

Billy furrowed his brows. He was confused. Why was Marvel doing this? Why was he crying so much? 

"Marvel, what—" Marvel pulled him into another hug but this time, it was tighter than before. Billy was surprised at how sudden it was, at how much need he gave off as he wrapped his arms around Billy and hugged him like there's no tomorrow. It was suffocating, it was tight, it was like Marvel never wanted to let go, and Billy didn't want to either so he let it be but then, when he was just about close his eyes and find solace in their embrace, a hurrying footstep had caught his attention. 

When he looked back, he saw that it was Constantine approaching them fast.

"Marvel, I think Constantine is after me," he whispered. "We have to get away—"

Billy was taken aback when he tried to wiggle out and Marvel's hug became even more tighter. He tried it again and the crushing arms around him drew him even closer. What once felt like an embrace now felt like a cage, trapping him. 

"Marvel. Hey, Marvel! I told you—" he tried to push him but he couldn't, "he's after me. let's get out of here!"

Marvel didn't listen to him and kept on holding him in place. Billy kept on asking and pleading for them to get out of there and when that didn't work, he started thrashing in his arms and that's when he realized something. 

Fear started seeping into his eyes and when he looked up at Marvel, that fear turned into betrayal. "You." Billy furrowed his brows at him, his voice weak, merely a whisper. "You're in this, are you?"

Marvel didn't answer and Billy started screaming. "Let me go, Marvel! Let me go!" he screamed at Marvel but he just laid a hand behind his head and pressed Billy's face towards the crook of his neck, pinning him there.

Marvel started running his hand through Billy's hair to try and calm him down but he refused to do so. He fought back with all his might; scratching, pulling away, head butting him but nothing seemed to work and all of a sudden, like a lullaby to an upset child, Marvel started whispering.

"Stay still, Billy. Stay still," he said with a pained voice and Billy wanted to comfort him and ask him but it was all too late to even think of that. Constantine had already catched up to them, his hands already stretched out towards Billy's head.

Billy looked over to Marvel but before he could even see his face, a blinding light rained down on him and after that, there was nothing but darkness.

"Goodbye..."

"... My little champion..."

Chapter Text

"Billy..." John shook Billy but he didn't respond.

"Billy?" 

Oh no. John's eyes widened as he laid his eyes upon what the kid had become.

When he came back to the infirmary to check on the kid, he didn't expect to find him to laying there on a vegetative state with his eyes open and unfocused. He wasn't moving and he didn't blink for a long time that it scared John and made him come in running in the infirmary, grabbing the kid by the shoulders and sitting him up. But like a puppet that had its strings cut off, he just wilted in that position and John had to support his back with his hand just to keep him upright. When John called onto him, he didn't speak, his face remained slack and emotionless. When John shook him, his arms just fell off from his lap and hang limpy by his side. SHIT!

John quickly scopped him up his arms and bounced him up and down like a baby, tapping a hand behind his back but he still wasn't responding. 

"Oh, god." John put a hand behind the kid's head and pulled his face back just to look at him. It didn't change, he still looked like a comatose patient with his eyes open and mouth slightly ajar.

"Oh god." He kept him close again, leaning a face on his cheek to feel his warmth. "Oh god. What have I done?" The kid felt cold. Why does the kid feel cold? "Kid, wake up for me, will you?" he tapped his head. Nothing. "Kid." 

"..."

"Kid?"

John's breath started to come in quicker, the hands that he's using to support Billy started to shook. 

"Bilky?" His voice broke, but still, no one in the room but him heard it.

Did he over did the spell that erased the kid's memories? No that can't be. John knew he had complete control of what to erase. Was the kid's memories of Marvel that important? Was erasing it enough to make him act this way? God. What did John do? Please stop making the kid act this way. It's scaring him.

"Please..." John whipered, raising Billy's head to the crook of his neck thinking that maybe it would help his voice reach the kid. "Just say something for me, kid. Do it for good ol' Jhonny, hm?"

Silence.

"Kid?" 

"..."

"Billy?"

All of a sudden, the silence in the room got interrupted when the door burst open and Wonderwoman came marching in.

"Billy?" she called, looking around. "Billy!" she called again and when her eyes found John and her gaze landed on Billy, she screamed hysterically, covering a her mouth with her hand as she ran towards them.

"What did you do?!" she screamed at John as she aggressively took Billy away from his arms, shaking him like a ragdoll.

"Billy?!" She shook the kid by the shoulder enough to rattle his teeth. It pained John to see the desperate things she's doing that he had to look away. 

"Billy!" 

She leaned an ear on his chest, she pushed the hair off his eyes, she pinched his cheeks. "BILLY!"  Somehow she still wasn't convinced that she heard a heartbeat so she drove her ear at Billy's chest again. 

"DIANA, STOP!" he finally screamed at her and she froze.

She stopped shaking Billy and her head turned towards John slowly and John had to step back when their eyes met and all he saw in her blue irises were fear for Billy and contempt for John.

"You..." Her voice shook as she slowly curled her arms around Billy, hugging him to her chest protectively. "You went through with it without us. How could you?!" Her eyes started to look betrayed and John couldn't take it that he had to defend himself.

"It was what the Captain had wanted!" he bit back.

"Then, you should've waited for us!"

"And what good would that do?!" What he said got her reeling back, shaking her head at him. "What good would that do, princess?! Tell me!"

"I-" she paused. She opened and closed her mouth but no words came out. 

"See!" He poined at her accusingly. "You can't think of a good reason at the top of your head. I know that if we waited for you people you would meddle with our judgement, that you would make things more difficult, heck! I even have a fucking feeling that you'd try to stop us!" Her eyes widened at that.

When she didn't speak and didn't try to correct what he said, John knew he struck a nerve. "So," John looled at her with defeated eyes  "I was right. You wanted to stop us." John couldn't believe it at first, his gaze was regarding her with uncertainty—with questions but when she refused to answer it, that uncertainty, that defeat slowly turned into rage.

"What?! Say something, princess! Were you or were you not? Are the others in on this?!" he started taking wide steps towards her, towering over Wonderwoman, making her take slow steps back. "Oh, and let me guess, Batman is on your side, is he?!" John scoffed. "Well, OF COURSE he would! You two had always been—"

A slap landed on his face all of a sudden. It was so strong and crisp that it whipped John's face to the side, leaving a hot sensation that then quickly turned to a sharp sting. 

John found himself staring down as he raised a hand to grab at his aching cheeks. It hurt. But nothing could hurt more than the fact that he messed the kid up. Nothing hurt more than your own teammates looking at you like you're the villain when you were just trying to help. He should be appreciated for being the one who took all the burden and did all the dirty work. He should be thanked because he didn't mind being tainted just to keep the others pure and squeaky clean. They weren't the one whose mind was starting to crumble on itself right now, they weren't the one whose conscience were killin them for what they did. He was the one who took something important from the kid, he was the one who ultimately turned Billy into... that while they were just there, popping in and complaining, judging him the very moment they laid their eyes on him. Why couldn't they give John even a little consideration?! He's dying here.

John let his hands fall to his side all of a sudden, all the fight in him leaving him.

"That's it," he whispered in the air, not really wanting it to reach anyone. "I quit," he said.

"What?" Now Wonderwoman started looking surprised as if she didn't just contribute to him making this decison. He wanted to glare at her, stab her with his angry, hateful gaze—you know what? John's gonna do it, 'cause fuck it! He already got slapped, might as well get it over with and end it with a punch. He raised his head again, preparing a sneer to throw at her but then, his eyes saw Billy first and his expression softened. 

All of a sudden, John started to have second thoughts about leaving. He couldn't leave the kid like that. He couldn't take looking at the kid's state right now— how the kid's limbs were all limp, all pointing to the ground no matter how hard they try to bundle him up; how the kid's eyes never met theirs, how it was staring at something far away. John wondered what he's looking at. Was he trying to search for something? Did he have a feeling that something was taken away from him? Was he searching for that something while never really knowing what to look for? Was he... trying to look for Marvel? 

Just thinking about the name pained John so much that an onslaught of emotions displayed itself on his face. There was hatred for his teammates, hatred at himself, hatred at Marvel but he knew he couldn't really blame him so John started to feeel sad all of a sudden. He started to imagine how lonely Marvel would be in that Rock and now he just felt that loneliness as if he was him. Atleat Billy won't feel it. Atleast he would be clueless about everything that happened. Ignorant is a bliss but he's afraid that will nener be the case for res of them. They will carry all the memory along with them; all the memory they had of Marvel that should've been Billy's, all the stories of the fights they fought with the Captain will remain a secret, and they will never forget the day that they let all those memories slip right through Billy's head. 

So depite all of that— despite of knowing that John was the one who brought it all down upon the kid, should he allow himself to stay? He knew he needed to leave but something in him wanted to watch over Billy. Maybe he could stick around and when the kid recovered he'd disappear off the face of the Earth. Maybe that will work—

His eyes found Wonderwoman fierce ones and suddenly, reality hit him like a truck. Her eyes told him: "this was all his fault!" that "he didn't deserve to be in Billy's life" and unsurprisingly, John agreed to it. So, instead of giving her the death glare he had promised earlier, he just gave her a smile; a closing remarks for all that he'd done. His own blue iris meeting her own kind of blue ones. He gave one last message to his gaze saying, "take good care of him" and Wonderwoman completely understood,  nodding at him absentmindedly. And so, just like that, John turned his back against them and exited the infirmary, opening the doors back to his house of mystery, never to be seen again. 

Chapter Text

1 year later, August 14

His name was Billy Batson. He was adopted by Bruce Wayne, he has an aunt named Diana Prince. She said that they're really not blood related so he didn't really know how that worked and as for his parents? He was told that they died in an accident a year ago. He got into a car crash with them and was hit pretty badly in the head. That was why he couldn't remember anything when he woke up. He went to the same school with Damian Wayne; Bruce's son. He didn't really get along with him. He was kinda stabby and murder-y for a kid that's almost the same age as him. Well, Damian wasn't really Bruce's only son (much to Damian's disappointment) there were others like Jason, Dick and Tim. And thank god Bruce chose to have them before Damian because if he didn't then Billy might've bled out to death in a random guest room in the mansion somewhere. Only those three were the ones who could really stop Damian. Well, Bruce tried. He tried his darn best but the kid seemed to be having too much fun defying his father. But Alfred though—if Bruce could make the three oldest boys follow his commands, and those three boys could stop Damian, well, all those power pales in conparison to what Alfred held in his hands. Alfred ran the entire house. They kneel before him. No one really talks about it but Billy knew he was really the one incharge even Bruce will fold if Alfred told him to. That was why he tried to get to the old man's good graces.

You couldn't blame him. He had the built in instincts to sniff who's the strongest and stick with them in order to survive.

Other things he found out about the occupants of the Wayne manor was:

Tim was the most nerdy one. He loved using his brain to practically anything and he's the sleep deprived resident of the house.

Jason was... difficult. Sometimes he was like a villain with a heart of gold and sometimes he was just straight up villainous. But he never tried to mess with Billy though, he just... looks at him and tells him to not get stabbed by Damian and walks away.

And Dick—Dick was his favorite. He could hang onto that man like a koala and he wouldn't mind it. He was the one who—the only one even—makes the best jokes. He was sociable and he's Billy's personal shield against Damian. 

Just like now, at the dinner table when Damian was giving him the stabby eyes.

"Hey Damian," Dick said raising a hand up to cover the angry boy's eyes. "Stab the steak not the Billy."

"I'm vegetarian, Grayson!" He slammed a hand on the table. "And no, I do not want to stab Billy anymore. I already moved past that." He tilted his head and tried to smile at Billy but ended up looking like a fanged grimace. 

"Dude," Billy sounded bored. "Stop trying too hard, Alfred's not here," he said with half-lidded eyes and Dick laughed.

It was just the three of them at the table. Not all of Bruce's kids stays here anymore and Bruce could only really eat with them during the weekends. He was too busy with work and stuff.

"Shut up, Batson!" Damian said, gritting his teeth. 

"Okay, shutting up shutting up." Billy raised both hands in mock surrender. 

"Oh, you guys are a riot!" Dick said, smiling with his teeth, too amused by their argument. "Billy, I can't wait to guard your room tonight!" he added and Billy was reminded yet again that Damian could really stab him with that steak knife at his sleep.

He already almost did that too many times and when he was asked why, he always answered with: "I wanted to check what Batson's powers are" whatever that means.Which was weird. Did he think he'd magically have some superpowers if he tried to get Billy's life in danger? Well, someone's watching too many superhero movies.

"Eh." Billy shrugged. "You don't have to do that anymore. Damian doesn't really want to stab me." The smaller boy squinted his eyes at him. "I hope. "

"I can beat you up," Damian said.

Ugh. He already said that many times that Billy wasn't fazed anymore. 

All of a sudden, Billy had a bright idea. He sat up straighter and beamed at the boy. "Hey, you know where you can beat me up?!"

Damian raised a brow. 

"In a video game!" Billy announced (did this kid really expect him to pull him into a ring and get it over with?). "Tim just brough in a new one. Wanna try it with me?" Billy smirked, he knew how to get Damian on his side. "We can even even beat Tim's best scores if you want," Billy said but be weren't really asking that. What he was actually communicating was: "Hey, wanna watch Tim spiral down in insanity when he found out that we beat him?"

And Damian, like the little devil he was already got the messege. "You're on," he said, a smirk forming on his lips.

-------

It was already 10:30 in the evening when Alfred walked into the gaming room and asked the two of them to sleep. 

Damian groaned at the man but Billy just gladly took it and went on his way, he was startingt to feel kinda sleepy anyway.

"Good night, Damian. Good night, Alfred." Billy waved with his one hand while the other was rubbing his eyes.

"Good night, Master Billy." Just like always, Alfred was the only one who answered him but he kinda saw Damian nod so it wasn't that bad. The small gesture actually made Billy smile as he walked the winding halls of the manor.

He and Damian was finally starting to get along. It was a slow and gradual process but it grew and it was still growing until now and he couldn't ask for anything more than that.

Billy walked into his room and hopped on his bed but for some strange reason, even if he tried his best, he couldn't sleep.

After for what felt like hours staring up at the ceiling, Billy furrowed his brows.

He thought he was sleepy earlier. How come he couln't sleep once he's already on his bed?

While he stare at that ceiling though, Billy couldn't stop thinking about pie. An apple pie to be precise.

That was oddly specific, he thought as he stared at the ceiling hard. He wanted a food but he wasn't hungry.

He turned his head to the right to look at the clock on the wall. It was 11:56, nearing midnihgt. It would be August 15 soon.

"I have some pies here that I'm sure you'd like–"

"I'm sorry. I think I... messed up."

Billy gasped when flashes of light came into his head. 

He couldn't see what it was. It was too bright but he knew someone was there, their face obscured by the light. 

There were paper plates getting passed around.

A large hand gently took it and there was someone... smiling.

"I think apple pie is fine." 

Billy sat up all of a sudden, his breaths were coming in fast but came out stuttering. 

What was that? Were those memories? If it was, then who was the one smiling at him? 

He knew that smile. But he couldn't remember it, he couldn't even picture it properly but there was a flash and for a split second it was there, hidden in his memories.

"Who are you?" Billy asked in a whisper, his eyes unconsciously staring at his sheets. He whipped his head up to look at the time again.

11:58

He got up from his bed and went out to look for an apple pie.

----

It's 12 am and Alfred was making his final rounds around the manor when he heard a commotion in the kitchen.

He hurriedly approach the sound of glass clattering and hinges of fridge opening and closing and he was surprised when he found Billy there.

"Master Billy," he called. "I believe it's way past your bedtime."

The boy didn't react to his sudden appearance. Instead, he just slowly turned his head and let go of the door of the fridge, his eyes dazed and looking past Alfred. "Alfred?" he called in a small voice. "Do we have an apple pie?" 

-------

"An apple pie?" Bruce asked, raising a brow at Alfred. It was the very first report he heard early in the morning and it was already giving him a headache.

He couldn't understand why Alfred needed to tell him this. Billy can have anything he wants while he's under Bruce's care. If he wanted an apple pie, then, Bruce would buy him one, even better—he could ask Alfred to make one. 

"I don't see anything wrong with Billy asking for a pie, Alfred," he told his butler.

"At 12 am, sir?" He raised a brow at him.

"Hmm." He thought for a second. "Maybe it's just a craving."

"... And he was pretty out of it." 

"He was?" Bruce whipped his head fast to look at Alfred. The man never called anyone 'out of it' unless they're bleeding out, having a panic attack or getting delirious from too much pain. 

Maybe this was serious. 

Billy was Magic afterall. But he still couldn't understand why all of this was tied to a pie. 
Maybe the kid just needed a break. The ony place he had been going since Bruce had took him in was the hospital, the school and the manor. Of course they tried to take him to different places but the kid refused but maybe, maybe he'd be willing to get out if a certain someone took him. Someone Bruce knew who really didn't have the best track record but good with the kids still. He quit the League a year ago yet he was still a pain to everyones side but he was better now, even stopped his smoking habit.

Bruce thanked Alfred about the news and as soon as he was out of earshot, he pulled out his phone and calld someone.

It took a while before the one on the other side picked it up but when they finally did, a small smile appeared on Bruce's lips. "Constantine," he said. " How does a day with Billy sounds?"

Chapter Text

Batman asked John how a day with the freaking Billy Batson sound. You ask him how it sounds? It sounds like a disaster that's what! He already quit the Justice League for godsake but for some reason Batman found his number— the very number of the only phone he kept in the house of mysteries and the one that Orchid guards with her life whenever he went on a drunken rampage inside the house. What a funcking coincidence, ey? Of course he has an insider that keeps track of John but even though he felt betrayed by his own house he couldn't find himself to turn down what the man had offered and well, he couldn't really back down now. He was already at the park in Fawcett where they agreed to meet and he was now walking back and forth, dreading the very moment that he would see the kid. Blasted feet. Just a few minutes ago, John didn't really want to come but he still kinda want to and before he could even contemplate more, he was already drawing himself a portal to Fawcett city and before he knew it, he was already stepping on it  like an impulsive fucking kid.

What could he even tell the kid when he meet him? He couldn't just go up and say: "Hello! I'm John Constantine. I'm the one who erased Marvel from of your memory even though you clearly didn't want me to. But it was cool though, 'cause I did it to save the world."

The kid would suddenly remember how to use magic and blast him of he did that. 

Batman had recommended for him to tell the kid that he was his father's friend. Bleagh, like the kid would believe that. He looked like a fucking hobo for godsake. The kid would probably ran back into their fancy car the very moment he saw John or worse; he'd think that The Bat was trying to get rid of him. But even so, even with all those unpleasant thoughts the kid might think of him, John couldn't help but to feel excited to hang out with the kid. John had left him before and this was his chance to make up for that so you better believe he'd try his darn best to make this the best day ever. 

God! He's starting to sound like a kid.

John pulled the lollipop out of his mouth and glared at it. Maybe sucking on too much lollipops instead of smoking cigarettes had finally turned him into a kid. 

Nah, it doesn't matter. John popped it back in his mouth and sucked on it with bored eyes. This is better. It's not good to smoke around kids anyways. 

A sleek black car finally pulled up by the park and John knew it was his cue to approach them when Bruce stepped out of the car and nodded at him.

John stood by the door and when the brat stepped out of the car, he immediately raised a brow at John. "Are you trying to get rid of me?" He asked bruce and John burst out laughing.

The kid watched as he douled over and Bruce just looked at him with unimpressed eyes.

"Oh my fucking god!" John wiped a tear off his eyes. "I was just thinking about that kid." John took a breath and stared right up the man wearing a fancy suit. "And yeah, Brucie, Are you trying to get rid of this kid by randomly dropping him off in a park with a stranger? I didn't know you had it in you, man.You're awesome!" He gave Bruceman a thumbs up and he just glared at him.

The kid laughed all of a sudden. "I like him, he's funny," he said as he looked up at his adoptive father.

Bruce smiled back at Billy and finally introduced John. "Billy, this is John Constantine. He was your father's friend and he offered to hang out with you for the day," The man said and John's mouth almost fell to the ground.

Offered?! Since when did he made an offer?!

"He also know your father more than I do. So, maybe you could find out more through him," Bruce gave him a warning look. 

Yeah, yeah, he knew the schtick. Give the kid enough but never too much. 

He nodded subtlely and Batman bent on his knees to level with the boy's height. 

"Are you alright with that?" he asked sincerely, meeting Billy's eyes. 

The kid smiled at him and nodded. "I think I am." He took a small glance at John. "I think he's alright, a little drunk but still, alright."

"Hey, I'm not!" John protested and the kid laughed again. He turned to fully face John and held out a hand.
 
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Constantine. I'm Billy."

"Yeah, yeah." John rolled his eyes but shook the kid's hands nonetheless. "Let's just get this over with," John said.

After a quick goodbye and exchange of hugs, Bruce finally boaeded his car and left Billy completely in his care.

They were both silent after that, just standing around, blinking like idiots as stray leaves pass by their faces. 

"So," the kid started. "What now?" 

-----

They went to the amusemnet park after that. The kid kept on pointing at rides that will make even the the heaviest drinkers throw up. He should know, he just emptied his stomach in an ice bucket he found somewhere near the foodcourt. It was a godawful feeling. He could feel he bacon he ate for breakfast coming out of his nose. He'd rather throw up from drinking than from taking a shit ton of rides. He was miserable and winded and everything was still spinning but the kid, like the devil child he was just kept on laughing at him whilst patting his back like an old drinking buddy.

Seriously, what is this kid getting up onto?

His other half already gave him a hard time, he didn't know that this pipsqueak half could do the same. 

"Hurry up, John! We need to go to the teacups next!" The kid started pulling on his coat. Jesus. Give him a break. He wasn't even done throwing up yet.

John felt his eyes almost rolled up in his head. "Please..." He hugged the bucket onto himself. "No more spinning," he pleaded.

The kid grinned at him like the devil. "Oh, come on, we're just getting started."

"Why you—" John pointed an accusing finger at him but had to put it down fast as another wave of vomit raise up from his mouth again.

The kid grimaced and ran up to him to pat him in the back again. "Okay, okay, I'm just messing with you. No more rides," the kid said, suddenly, finally looking sympathetic. 

"Thank fucking goodness." John melted on the bench they're sitting at. 

"But," the kid added. 

John grunted. "What? What is it again?" he asked sounding so miserable with himself. 

"You're gonna have to win me a price from one of those games," the kid said. His grin was massive as he stared at one of the game booth by the corner of the park. John followed where his eyes were pointing; it was one of those games where you pop a balloon with a dart. 

Easy enough.

John could just cheat; just move to air a little bit to get a bullseye and then they're out of there.

"Sure sure." John waved a hand nonchalantly and the kid beamed at him. Before he knew it, the kid was already taking his bucket away from him and pulling him towards that game. 

"Don't rush me kid," John said, his voice sounding dead tired. This was a mistake. This kid will kill him.

"No, we have to hurry. What if someone won before us and took that tiger," the kid whined.

"What tiger? I dont see one roaring." John squinted his eyes and glared at random people passing them by.

The boy giggled at what he did. "It's not a real tiger, silly. It's a stuffed toy. Look!" Billy pointed at it as soon as they arrived at the game booth.

It was a simple tiger stuffed toy wearing a white and green checkered suit and a black hat. It was cute but John couldn't help but to raise a brow at it.

Something about it felt off and as John stared at it, it kinda felt like it's staring back at him too.

"John," the kid called and he blinked.

Nah, he ain't gonna let a toy spook him! If that's what the kid wants then that's what he'd fucking get.

John paid for a shot and held the dart in his hand. He closed one eye and let go, sending a gale of wind along with it and in a split second, a balloon popped and the kid cheered.

"Yes!" John said triumphantly, raising a fist. He still got it. Cheating still runs in his veins.

"We'll get the tiger for that, mate!" He boasted at the store owner and pointed at the said tiger.

The clerk just blinked at him boredly and gave the tiger to him with a shrug. 

"You're awesome John!" The kid cheered, already bouncing on his feet.

"Damn right I am!" John stood taller. He could pat himself in he back for that one. He did honest work; cheated a man at his own game, made the kid happy, the world is a wonderful place. "Here you go, kid," John said, handing Billy the toy but he was taken aback when the kid grabbed his whole arm and hugged it along with the tiger. 

He was now hugging the whole limb and he looked like he was enjoying it. "Thank you, John," the kid whispered and John almost didn't know what to say but he was known to have a machine for a mouth so he managed to wip something up.

"I think you only meant to hug the toy kid, not my arm," he said, dumbfounded.

The kid hummed and hold onto him a little longer. "It's not a mistake." He gave him a content smile. "I really meant to do that," he said as he finally separated himself from John's arms. He held the tiger with ine hand while the other still hold onto him. The hug now turned into a holding hands. John didn't mind though. The kid seemd to thrive with physical affection and he also noticed that Marvel seemed to do that often when was still there. He used to hold the kid any chance he got and now that he's gone...

"Hey, John." the kid's small voice pulled him out of his mind. 

"Yes?" 

"Do you like apple pies?" The kid asked and John raised a brow at that. What's with the sudden mention of pies? He thought it was weird but kids are weird so he might as well stoop down to their level of weirdness. He was weirder than them when he was drunk anyway.

"I do, actually," John cleared his throat. "I know this guy named Clark, he used to share all the pies his mom baked, I happen to stumble upon one of her famous apple pies and it tasted amazing. And yeah, I think that was when I really grew to love them." 

There was silence. Too silent that John had to look down to see if the kid was still there and when he did, he saw the kid looking up at him, his eyes curious; filled with wonder but most of all, questions. It was a sad kind of question judging by how melancholy he looked. He looked like he was asking to be told something but he didn't really know what and how to ask for that something.

The kid pulled at his coat not to try to steer him someplace else, he was pulling at the fabric as if he was trying to feel its texture between his fingers, how it looked like as it balled up and return to its draping position as soon as he let it go. 

"John?" the kid called again and John almost held his breath when he saw the kid's eyes slowly went out of focus. 

"Yes?" 

"Can you... smile for me?"

John was bemused by the request. First he's asking about a pie and now, he was asking for a smile? What is happening to this kid? John really didn't want to try and smile, he was only good at grimacing and frowning but it seemed like the kid really need it right now, so he will give it his best.

"Like... this?" John gave the kid a smile and suddenly, the smile on the kid's face fell.

"It's not you," he whispered as he slowly took a step back, a haunting look on his face surfacing as he shook his head at John. 

John furrowed his brows, already starting to get scared at what the kid was doing. "What do you mean, kid?" He took a step closer to the him but the he just stepped away further . 

"It's not you," he said again.

"He-Hey, kid," John knelt down quickly and grabbed the boy by his shoulders but the he didn't react to his touch. The colors on his face was draining quickly and no matter how John tried to get his attention, his eyes remained unfocused.

"It's not you."

"Kid!" John was shaking him now. 

"It's not you."

"Stop that!"

"It's not you it's not you it's not you it'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouitsnotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snityouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouit'snotyouitsnotyo—"

John slapped him.

"BILLY!"

Chapter Text

"BILLY!" Something heavy whipped Billy across the face and when he came to, the sound of a crisp slap already echoed from where they're standing.

Billy stopped talking immediately as he held up a hand towards his cheek. It hurts. 

Billy bit his lips and as soon as the haze that covered his sight disappeared, it was yet again blurred by threatening tears.

John looked at him with fear in his eyes, already uttering apologies, saying sorry again and again but he couldn't stop it anymore and tears finally sprang from his eyes and he started to cry.

"Why did you do that?" he asked as he held his reddening cheeks and John said sorry again.

This wasn't fair. Why was he crying? Why was he messing up John's conscience? This was not John's fault. He knew he wasn't crying because he slapped him—he could take that much. He was crying because of the emptiness he felt inside him. He kept on feeling it everyday like a heavy pang of pain inside his chest, piling up until he couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't tell this to anyone, he didn't want to look vulnerable in front of anybody but he knew, a very long time ago that he allowed himself to be weak infront of someone but he couldn't remember who that person was anymore. He couldn't find him. He needed him now but Billy couldn't find him. He couldn't see him fully in his memories. He couldn't even keep a single word he said in his head. He wanted to remember even a single thing about that person before he could even open his eyes every morning— a voice, a sensation, even the way he laughed would have been nice to retain in his memories but whenever he open his eyes, everything was just... gone. He couldn't take this out on anyone but then, the slap came and he finally found a reason to cry.

"It hurts, John," he sobbed at the man. "Why does it hurts so much?"

The man didn't try to answer and just looked at him with sad, sorrowful eyes.

"Why do I have to feel this way everyday?"

He couldn't believe that he almost convinced himself that John was the one he was looking for. He was already counting the hints, he was already fitting John's face into that faceless silhuette but when he saw John's smile something in him broke.

It wasn't the same one.

It didn't seem right and it didn't feel right—not even close.

The smile he knew was bright yet reluctant, soft but sure. It was warmer than anything he had ever felt and he couldn't find it anywhere. He thought he could see it on John but it was all just wishful thinking. He just felt like an idiot, already feeling comfortable with a complete stranger, hanging onto him just because there might be a slim chance that he finally found the person that he was looking for. But he was wrong and how shameful it was.

More tears fell from his eyes and he gritted his teeth as he glared at John. "Why can't you smile better?!" he screamed at him but the man remained silent. 

"Why can't you be more kind?!"

"Why cant you act more shy?!"

"Why cant you be more gentle?!"

"Why cant you be more warm?!"

"Kid I—

"WHY CAN'T YOU BE HIM?!"

John pulled him into a hug and when he felt John carded his hand through his hair, Billy cried even more at how familiar it was. Someone used to do this for him before, someone who had a bigger hand yet a lot more gentler than John. It felt safe and strong and somehow he knew it would protect him but that was gone now and no matter how hard he looked for it, no matter how hard he tried to grasp the memories in his hands, it always slipped away. It was running away from him and he didn't know how to chase it.

"I'm sorry, kid," John whispered to his ears. "I'm sorry."

Billy returned the hug and burried his face deeper into John's chest. 

"It was my fault. I shouldn't have slapped you," John said but somehow Billy had a feeling that he wasn't really apologizing for that.

------

Billy had finally calmed down. They decided to take a time out from all the fun and games for now and just sat on a bench, watching people pass by them—well, it was only Billy who was doing the watching now because John stepped out for a bit, he said he had somewhere to go to but promised to be back as soon as possible. Billy didn't mind. He preferred being left alone after making a scene earlier. He just felt sorry for John who was the one who had to deal with it.

Billy sighed up to the sky. It was alomst sundown and the orange tint in the sun rays was on its peak. It touched his aching cheek and left a golden glow there. Billy looked around. He loved sundown. It always colored the surroundings in a thin film of gold, it was the line that the day cross in order to become night and it made him feel peaceful for some reason. He may not be able to see the sunset from here but he knew it looked beautiful. Just imagining the sun meet the horizon as it slowly hid away; its round circular body getting cut off as the moon rise above it. It was an amazing sight and Billy couldn't help but smile as he pictured it in his mind.

"It's beautiful isn't it, Tawky Tawny?" Billy asked the stuffed toy next to him. He named him Tawky Tawny. It just sounded appropriate for some reason.

Not long after that, John was already looming in the distant. His back was against the sunlight, covering his face with shadows. 

"Hey." Billy smiled up at him. "Did your errand went well?"

John regarded him for a second, staring down and not taking the seat next to him. "It did actually and," he started to rummage the inside of his coat and pulled out something rectangular out of it, "I also meant to give this to you."

He let it drop on Billy's waiting hands and Billy gave it a puzzling look. It was quite heavy and it was wrapped in newspaper. The wrapping was sloppily made like it had just been done a minute ago. 

Billy looked up at John, raising a brow at him but the man just shrugged and sucked on his lollipop. "Go on, kid. Open it. We ain't got all day."

"Okay." Billy nodded and teared the cover up. He pulled paper here and there until it started to unveil... his own face and a certain someone.

Billy's eyes widened and when he ripped it open completely, what met his eyes were two smiling faces. One proud and one shy.

There, on a photo framed in wood was him and Captain Marvel, the hero who disappeared. They were standing side by side. Billy had his head up high, his one hand on his hips while the other tightly holding onto the hero's cape. He was smiling proudly with all teeth while Captain Marvel had a reluctant smile on his face and a slight blush on his cheeks. He was hunched over as if he wanted to hide behind Billy but he failed miserably due to his massive built.

Billy laughed as his vision started to become blurry.

This was ridiculous. He didn't remember being a Captain Marvel fan. He was more of a Superman fan but he got a photo with the Captain first instead of the man of steel.

Billy's hold on the frame became tighter and tighter as his shoulder began to shook from laughing too much.

This is idiotic.

Childish.

Small droplets of water made it onto the glass, magnifying their smiles.

This was uncool in so many levels but at the same time, it was wonderful. It was beautiful, it was sweet and it was oddly familiar. It was everything he had been searching for and more. He loved it.

He loved it so so much.

He shouldn't be crying over a photo. This is stupid. Why was he doing stupid things on this very specific day? Why did he feel like he should be doing something like sharing a pie with someone or eating cheap icecream or even playing with a tiger—whatever that was. Everything felt like a dream. He was starting to question if it was even a memory but he felt it in his soul, in his heart...

He hugged to photo onto his chest.

It was real and nothing could take those moments away from him, just like this photo. He was happy it found him. He won't let it go again.

Billy looked up at John and smiled through the tears. 

"This looks stupid. Thank you."

Chapter Text

The bell rang and Betty prepared herself for yet another customer.

"Welcome to Betty's diner! How may I help you—"

"How much for that photo?" said the man that had just came in as he pointed at a certain photo collecting dust on the counter. Betty's eyes widned and she quickly knocked the photo down.

"It's not for sale, sir," she said, sternly.

Great. The sun is going down, the customers are going to pour in soon and this british guy is already asking for the impossible—

"That's Billy right?"

She paused, her breath stopping for a moment.

"What did you say?" She furrowed her brows at him.

"The kid in the photo. That's Billy and I can give it to him. A little bird told me that you meant to do that for a very long time now."

Betty's mouth opened in shock. "Billy's alive?!" her voice broke. "Where is he? Is he alright?" She whipped her head in every direction but when she couldn't find Billy anywhere, she  gave the man a pleading look. "Can I... see him? Please?"

The man groaned at her and clicked his tongue in irritation as if she was the biggest waste of time he had ever met.

"Nevermind." He started to walk away but she grabbed his hands. 

"Please. I'll give it to you free. Just please let me see him, alright?"

The man didn't speak.

"Please let me see little Billy again."

The man pushed her hands away but she only tightened her grip. He gave her unimpressed looks because of that but she didn't care. "Listen, the kid got into an accident and had amnesia. Even if he saw you, he won't remember you"

Something in her chest hurt at what he said and the grip of her hands started to get looser.

"I really prefer him not meeting anyone who were related to his past to avoid confusing him even more."

Betty perked up at what he said. She just found her chance and would grab it. She tightened her grip once more only this time more determined than ever. "Can I atleast see him from a distant? Please... I won't go any closer."

The man looked at her, still unconvinced. 

Her eyes started to sting and she bit her lips.

"Just plase... Let. Me. See. Him." She tried to make her voice hard but it ended up sounding so weak. Now, she could only hope that the man would take her offer.

She met the man right in the eye and when half-lidded eyes stared back at her, she almost thought she didn't make it until a small whine escaped his lips.

"Alright." The man shooed her hands away and she just laughed at it.

"Thank you."

----

It was sunset and it could've looked more beautiful of she was on the beach but she wouldn't trade this sight for anything.

There, sitting on one of the park bench was Billy Batson, alive and smiling up the sky.

Betty covered her mouth. She had to stop herself from calling his name. She also had to stop herself from lettibg out a cry from her lips as tears started to fall. He was as childish as ever,  talking to a toy like it was a real human being and grinning at anything that he found beautiful. He still loved wearing red hoodies and his smile was as bright as ever. She would trade anything in the world just to be allowed to ran up to him and enclose him in a hug and spin him around but she made a promise and she couldn't take any more step.

The blond man stood next to her, beholding the same sight. 

"Keep your promise, okay?" he said, his voice surprisingly soft. "I'm gonna go there and give him this." He held out the photo in his hands and Betty nodded.

"I promise, I won't move an inch from where I'm standing," she said as tears continued flowing. 

"See you then," said the man and he started to walk away but Betty stopped him.

"Wait!" she said and she ran up to the man and gave him a hug. He tensed up from the sudden contact but he relaxed soon after. Betty let out a breath, her eyes closing for a second. "Thank you," she whispered. "Take care of him, okay?"

"I will." She felt the man nod against her shoulder and after that, she finally let go of him, just stepping aside as she watched his back got farther and farther away until he arrived to where Billy was.

She found herself standing there for hours. Watching over the two with a smile on her lips and tear tracks on her face.

The kid totally loved the photo, she thought as she watched Billy hugged the frame to himself. 

"I told you that pose you did with the Captain was great," she whispered to the air, her voice not reaching who it was intended to.

-----

When Alfred parked the car outside the manor, Bruce didn't expect John Constantine to step out of the car as well.

"John, what brought you here?" he asked as he watched Billy exit the car. Bruce furrowed his brows when he saw the boy hugging a photo on his chest, refusing to let even Alfred take it.

The sorcerer didn't speak yet and chose to step closer to him before he start. "What do you think made the kid act this way all of a sudden? I thought he had already recovered?" the man asked in a hushed voice.

Bruce thought for a second. Nothing really significant happened. Billy just did what he usually do; wake up, go to school, go back home. Did something happen in between any of those? What was Bruce missing? He just asked for an apple pie out of nowhere and everything went down hill from there.

"I don't know. He was acting normal these past few days," Bruce answered.

"Did something triggered him?" John asked, eying the kid as Dick met him outside.

"Are you sure the magic you used on him wasn't fading away? What if it was already losing its power?" Bruce raised a brow at Constantine.

He didn't really know anything that much about magic. An effort to learn more about it had been done but right now, all those effort proved to be useless. Bruce still has a lot to learn.

Constantine looked at him incredulously, his mouth opening and closing before finally being able to form coherent words. "Are you saying my magic is failing me? Cause that is impossible, Batsy." The man paused, touching his chin in thought. "No matter how strong the magic the kid has, it's impossible for him to break it so there's only one reason why this is happening."

"And that is?" Bruce waited.

"Something reminded him of Cap. Something that was tied deeply to both of them. Something they shared."

"But, we can't really know what that is, can we?" Bruce said, letting out a sigh. 

This was hopeless. The least they could do now was to let it pass. That's what got them through the first 5 months of losing the Captain anyway and Billy during those months—Bruce's hair still stood on its ends whenever he remembered how the kid looked dead inside those few months. He wasn't speaking, he just kept on staring into space and he would just cry out of nowhere. He would summon thunder and lightning unconsciously enough to rock the whole manor everytime he had a nightmare and Bruce had already lost count on how many times he had to pull Billy down everytime he levitate himself towards the ceiling. Everything happened too much that they thought that the kid remembered something somehow but when they asked him why he was crying, he always told them that he didn't know. He didn't even notice he was crying until someone pointed it out.

He never wished for that to happen again.

"Hey, look!" Bruce whipped his head when he heard the kid's voice. He was standing on the tip of his toes, holding up the photo for Bick to see. "I had a picture with Captain Marvel!"

Bruce's breath hitched when he heard that name and he quickly whipped his head to glared at Constantine.

"I thought I told you not to give him too much," he said through gritted teeth.

The man glared back. "I didn't. I never gave him any information about that photo and he never asked. Kid's just content staring at it."

Bruce looked at Billy again.

"I didn't even know I was a fan. But this photo is here, so I guess I was!" he cheerfully said to Dick who bent his knees so the kid wouldn't have to stand on the tip of his toes anymore. 

Dick gave him a smile but Bruce could tell it was fake. "That's great!" Dick said, keeping the enthusiasm in his voice. "You two looked great in that photo!"

"I know right!" Billy said and Dick stared right at Bruce with a pained expression as soon as the kid turned his back.

Dick's gazes asked him a lot of questions—asking what they should do now, asking how he should react seeing the kid this way; parading the last last picture of him and his father took before he disappeared. The sadness in his eyes told him: "That's his father, Bruce. He was looking at him but he has no idea", and Bruce's heart broke for Dick who knew the truth and for Billy whose everything was taken away from him. Everyone in the League knew the truth. They carried the burden of those memories everyday. It was heavy and painful but he couldn't help but feel bad for Billy. Everyone knew but him and he was smiling at those "everyone" not even knowing that they were the one who denied an important part of his life from him. 

"What should we do now, Bruce?" John spoke all of a sudden, his voice was weak and his eyes never leaving the kid. There was a haunted look on his face as he watched Billy. "I can't watch the kid be this way. I just—" He covered his eyes and turned away. "I just can't."

Bruce could say that he felt the same way but he kept it in himself. He should be the strongest among all of them. Everyone was counting on him. He couldn't break down. It'd just cut the strings of the elaborate facade that they worked so hard to weave. He couldn't be the one to break that. He couldn't be the weak link.

"Don't call me again unless it's absolutely necessary," Constantine said, turning his head but not enough to see him.

Bruce tilted his head at the man. "The call I did for you was necessary." He turned his eyes away from Constantine and watched Billy again who was already busy telling stories to an over excited Dick and an unimpressed Damian. He felt a small smile creep on his face. "It made Billy smile, did it not?" 

No one answered but he knew Constantine was still there.

"It's good to have you back. Thank you, John."

------

John was walking home when he felt like going back to smoking again. Sucking on candies wasn't helping anymore so he might as well return to his nicotine addiction and get it all over with. Fuck his lungs!

He pulled a cigarette from thin air, put it betwen his lips and summoned a flame on his fingertips.

He was about lower his cigarette on flame when all of a sudden, a tiger's roar put the fire out.

"Oh, fuck m—"

The tiger ran up to him and after that everything was black.

"Hey, hey hey."

Some kind of massive paw tapped his face and he twitched his nose at it.

"Don't close your eyes on me. I don't look that bad," said the voice. It was deep yet humorous. It kinda sounded old but not grandpa old, more like a fun uncle type of voice.

John opened his eyes. Oh, the blackness was just him holding a blink for a very long time. He was not knocked out and tied to a chair somewhere. 

"Don't compare me to that man of a child Captain Marvel," the voice said and—what? Did he say that out loud? Fuck.

"Yes, you did," said the voice and when John turned his head towatds its direction, he almost tripped on his feet. It was the same fucking tiger toy he got for the kid, the one wearing the checkered green and white suit and the silly hat! He knew that toy was the devil!

"Hello, John Constantine." The tiger tipped the same hat at him and gave him a fanged smile. 

"What the fuck is happening?" he asked, hysterically. "How did you find me?! I knew that stuffed toy looked suspicious as hell! You're goddamn possessed!"

The bipedal tiger looked at him with unimpressed eyes. "Sir, I assure you, I am not possessed and forgive me for using some of your hair without your permission." The tiger pulled golden strands of hair from his shirt pocket and showed it to John but was quick to put it back again, "I needed it to pinpoint where you are."

"You're a fucking pervert keeping that much hair!" John pointed at the animal.

"It was not me who plucked those out of your head, though." The tiger started looking at his claws, flicking a finger at it as if he had his nalis done at the salon. "It was Captain Marvel who still had Billy as his host. I'm surprised you didn't feel it—'cause you know, they pulled quite a lot."

"What do you want from me?" John changed the topic he didn't to talk about that shite. He might've been dead drunk when that happened. He really should stop going to the watchtower while drunk.

John paused all of a sudden. Shit! He just asked the magical creature what it wants, didn't he? Ugh! He didn't want to get used by another being stronger than him again. He was so tired of that, John thought and he found himself dreading what the tiger might say next.

"Relax, Constantine." He started walking towards him but John took a step back and when he tried to run away, he found himself trapped in a dome of some kind, making them invisible to the others and keeping him in. "I'm only here to give you something," the tiger said and he grabbed John's hand. He tried to fight it but of course, he would lose in those mighty paws. It's paws for godsake and a big one at that. "Here." John blinked when the tiger just slid something solid between his palms. "Do what you always had in mind, hellblazer."

John's uncoiled his fingers and when he saw a golden subway token there, he furrowd his brows at the tiger.

"That coin will get you somewhere you needed to go. It's a one time only so use it wisely." The tiger finally turned his back at him and started walking away, giving him a small wave of goodbye. 

John was left dumbfounded when the creature left, he was left staring at the spot it was standing just a few moments ago. The magic dome had long since been brought down and people were akready starting to flood the street he was in but no matter how crowded it became, no matter how many people had bumped on him amd pushed him out of the way, John coyldn't care less. He held on his hand the all the solution to his problems. It was the final part of the puzzle that he never though he'd get. But now, it was just ceremoniously slipped right through his palms and he could finally do it.

They could finally go back to the rock. 

He could finally set things in motion.

A manic smile slowly etched itself on John's face as he started to look ahead, his hand clasping tightly on the token, not letting it go.

----

"Zee."

Zatanna groaned and rolled over to the right side of her bed.

"Hey, Zee!" 

Zatanna said somwthing gibberish under her breath until he realized that someone was talking to her while she was asleep. In her bedroom. That was locked.

"Tsalbdniw!" She sat up fast and let out a blast of wind from her hand. There was a  surpised Woah and when her eyes adjusted in the darkmess, she saw that it was none other than John Constantine, ducking away form the path of her blast, shielding his face.

"John!?" she screamed surprise. "What are you doing in my room?!" she asked the man who was standing a few feet away from her, his back turned against the window she had left open to let the moonlight in. 

"Hey, Zee. It's been a long time," he said and started looking nostalgic all of a sudden but Zatanna put a stop to it but throwing a pillow at him.

"Hey hey hey, calm down pillow monster. I just want to ask you something." he said, shielding himself from the onslaught of pillows she threw.

"What is this "something" you want to ask me?" she asked, still on the look out and ready to throw anything other than pillows should the idiot try to do something suspicious.

The man moved his hands away from his face. 

"Our failed plan just became possible."

Zatanna's eyes grew at ghat.

"Something happened, Zee. We could finally do it. For the kid."

"Are you sure?" Zatanna couldn't believe it after all this time...

"Do you think I'd risk going up to your room in the middle of the night to tell you such a twisted joke?"

Zatanna shook her head at him fondly. "I can't believe this is really happening." She couldn't help but feel happy, so happy that she could cry.

"Well, you better believe it. So... "John stretched his hand closer to her, the other garbbing onto the frame of her window, the wind blowing on his hair and framing his smiling face. "Wanna do this together?"

Zattana laughed and jumped out of her bed, her pyjama slowly turning into her magician suit as she stepped towards John and finally taking his hand. 

She smiled at him as they were both bathe in the light of the moon. "How could I not?"

Chapter Text

Nephthys wasn't allowed to enter heaven but her sons were so it made her happy that atleast her boys wouldn't have to suffer.

Nephthys didn't live her life as pure as them when she was young so it was understandable that she didn't belong up there. So, with a heavy heart, she pushed her sons into the gates of heaven, commanding them to stay within its golden walls for her sake. But then, a few thousand years had passed and she saw her boys again, walking up to her barefoot against the filthy earth of the purgatory, their eyes shining as soon as they saw her.

She wanted to got mad at them. She wanted to yell at them and point them back up to heaven. She wanted to tell them how ungrateful they were, how they were wasting all the sacrifices that she had done for them by doing this and by letting go of their rights to heaven. She wanted to do all that, but instead, she ran up to them with open arms and embraced them in a tight hug. 

As soon as their arms met, they were crying and she was kneeling on the ground. She knew she was letting them suffer here if she allowed this. She knew that she was letting them throw away the golden opportunity of a peaceful afterlife by letting them stay but couldn't let go. She couldn't even if she wanted to. Somewhere inside her, she was thankful that they thought of this. She was happy that her boys had left heaven just for her. It was as if one of her prayers had been answered and if she thought she was selfish, she just kept it to herself and uttered the words: "I love you" instead.

Once again, their family was reunited and now she was only waiting for one. 

------

"Your husband will never be able to get here!"

A hundred year or so had passed and a man had come down to the purgatory. He was strange. He was different and he was alive! And he even came with a woman.

Nephthys blinked when that said woman pushed the golden haired man aside after he said something she couldn't understand. 

"She couldn't understan you, John!" she said with irritation on her face. "She speaks khandaqui."

"Do you know how to speak that language, then?" the man asked.

"I don't." The woman shrugged and the man looked taken aback. "But we can always talk using body language. That works?"

The man rolled his eyes at her and groaned. "Sure. You're welcome to try." he said and when he pointed towards them Nephthys took a step back, hiding her sons behind her.

Why of all peole in the purgatory were they looking at them? They were well into the crowd of people. She was sure she and her sons were blending in with them just fine. Yes, she may be staring a little too much but the others were staring too—only she was the one who's actually trying to be discrete about it.

She thought they were talking to some other people at first and that their voices were just typically loud but now that tneir eyes never left hers and they were now taking a step forward towards them, it was starting to be clear that they were after them. 

Fear spread on Nephthys's face and she was about to run with her sons in each of her arms when the woman called out to her.

"Nephthys!" she called and Nephthys slowly turned her head to see her. That was her name. How did they know her name?

Nephthys faced them properly this time but still kept a safe distance between them.

"Please come with us," the woman told her, pointing at herself. "We will get you out of here." She added but Nephthys couldn't understand so she just shook her head at her, waving a vague motion in front of her lips and hoped that the visitors understand that they weren't really meeting the language they needed to  understand each other. 

"Please. Come with us!" She made a begging motion with her hands and pointed up before pointing at Nephthys and the man she's with. Nephthys was confused at first but then, she started to add things up. Were they asking her and her sons to come with them? She was only half sure at firsf but when she adedd: "We will take you to Black Adam," she froze. 

That name. She said Teth Adam. 

"Teth Adam?" she asked the woman, wanting her to repeat it again, begging secretly that she heard it right. The woman immediately nodded at her with a smile.

"Yes! Teth Adam, you" she pointed at her, " and your sons" she pointed at the boys, "reunited," she said and ended with her clasping her hands together.

Nephthys's eyes widened. Was she—Was she saying that they could reunite them all? Her and her sons together again... with Adam?

Nephthys couldn't be too sure. So, incase that she got it wrong, she tried to motion with her hands herself, her eyes starting to sting as she tried the words together. 

"Nephthys..." She raised her right hand. "Teth Adam." She raised another and with pleading eyes, she put the two beside each other, signifying what she wanted to say: together.

Would they be able to do that? She didn't even know these people to begin with but something in her was telling her that it was alright to trust them. That this was a once in a thousand year opportunity and that she had to take it. She just hoped that she's getting through to them—

It turned out that she did got through to them. The woman grabbed her hands all of a sudden, holding it tightly together and with a solemn smile, she nodded at Nephthys.

-----

It was a peaceful day on Khandaq, it always had been that way since Marvel had chose to sacrifice himself and stay on the Rock
forever. Black Adam couldn't help but wonder if Marvel was giving his kingdom more blessing than before. It had been thriving a lot recently. Corns grew in a rich tint of gold. The air they breathe was cool even though they live in a dessert and the waters that ran the rivers were crystal clear than ever. He's giving away too much or maybe he's just showing off how mighty and powerful he was and telling Adam that he practically controls the world now.

Adam shook his head.

Marvel wasn't that kind of person. He should stop thinking negatively about the man from now on. But still, it was a daunting task to do. He's used to in giving backhanded comments about the Champion for thousands of years that it kind of felt like it was already a part of his personality. It couldn't be help. He'd just have to do it slowly and see Marvel for he was; a misunderstood child, too immature to think that he could save everyone well—he did save everyone except for himself.

All of a sudden, a familiar fizzling sound of a portal opening came from behind him, followed by large heavy steps that seemed to rock the whole palace. Adam sighed and faced it only to see Constantine and another female sorcerer stepped out of it. They were panting and disheaveled and even though they hated and tried to distance themselves away from Adam as far as possible, they still ran towards his direction and seemed to have hid behind his back.

Adam watched what the two did with curious eyes and when he looked ahead again, that's whne he knew why they were acting this way.

A devil golemn was coming after them and now, they were using him as a wall.

Adam sighed at the two and they both just looked at him with pleading eyes with apologise already lingering on their gazes.

Adam rolled his eyes at them and glared back at the golemn who was fast approaching.

No matter. It was a small fry after all.

The golemn finally stepped out of the portal and came running towards him. He felt them flinch at the booming steps of the giant but Adam didn't move an inch; he just sneered at the golemn, raised a hand and flicked it back into the portal it came from.

The golemn screetched as it was sent flying back, landing its back on what seemed like redish sand in the other end, throwing a tantrum like an infant.

"Care to close it?" Adam asked irritatingly and John Constantine hurriedly stood beside him, making strange hand gestures with sparks of gold encircling his fingers. 

"I got it," he said, struggling. He turned his hand like turning a knob and just like that, the portal closed right on the golemn's face.

There was a beat of silence as the three of them stared at the spot where the portal had closed. They held their gaze for a second before finally, Adam spoke.

"What is the meaning of this, John Constntine?" he asked impatiently.

"Oh, fuck. Well..." The man scratched the back of his neck. "Me and Aatanna here came from the land of the dead to retrieve something but that devil golemn sort of followed us back 'cause you know, I'm not really hot with the demons and monsters down there. So, thanks for getting that off our back. It's been following us like a turd since we passed by hell." 

Adam raised a brow at the crude words.

"That doesn't answer any of my questions," he said.

He really wanted to pound these two to the ground and get it over with but he just made a vow to try and become the better version of himself so maybe he wouldn't do that. Not now atleast.

Adam was about to ask another question when Constantine's eyes, landed on the portrait of his family that he had by his throne. The man's gaze lingered on it for far too long tha tAdam had sunbconsciouly become protective of it, tightening his hands into fists by his side as he sneered at the man.

"Hey, nice painting," Constantine said. Constantine seemed to be waiting for an answer but when Adam didn't gave him any, the magician's eyes left the painting to stare at him. "But you know what?" The man smirked. "I've got something better."

Adam didn't like were this this was going but he couldn't help but to listen. "So," the man tilted his head at him. "Care to make a deal?" 

Chapter Text

There was a smile.

Flash.

It showed someone small wearing a red jacket being scooped up by someone wearing the same tint of red. Their teeth were showing, behind them were blinding lights that casted shadows over their eyes, making them unrecognizable.

Flash.

The light behind them flickered and when it returned, it became the dark canvas of space, dotted by stars with the earth rotating in the middle.

Flash.

They were not facing Billy anymore, instead they had their backs against him, overlooking the stars. The smaller one pointed at something. He whispered something to the man but Billy couldn't hear it and they laughed.

Flash.

Someone held out a hand.

"Pops."

Someone grabbed it.

"Billy."

A large hand dug onto a red fabric.

"You are everything I needed to be."

A lightning emblem shone on his face. 

"Stay still, Billy."

"Stay still."

And then... there was darkness.

"Goodbye..."

"My little champion..."

--------

Billy sat up from his bed, panting and heart almost leaping out of his chest. 

He stared blankly at the sheets of his bed, trying to make sense to what just happened. It was a dream, he thought as he creased his brows.

"It was juat a dream, right?" he asked but he knew no one woud really be able to answer that. He would forget about it in the morning. All the little details he saw, the tone of the voice he heard, the scenery— Billy rased his head and his eyes widened whem he saw his drawings. There, tacked on the board right in front of his bed were different renditions of the images he saw on his dream: him, holding hands with the man in red, staring down at what seemed like a tomb; them,  standing side by side in a park, pointing at a statue; and another where the man had him hoisted up in his arms and they were floating in outer space. Or, Billy thought, maybe he meant to draw them staring at the stars together through an extermely wide window.

Where could that be? He never went to space and he knew there was no fancy screen here in Wayne manor that could turn into that starry display. There was no way. No matter how rich they were they would never waste their money on that. 

Billy found himself turning his head when he saw the light of the moon reflect on something. It was the picture him and John brought home from Fawcett and Billy gasped when he realized that him and Captain Marvel resembled the two figure in his drawing so much. He stood up immediately and grabbed the photo off his bedside table and held it near his drawings. He flipped though pages and pages of different drawings of him and the red man being together and as he stared at it, something in his mind clicked like a puzzle rearranging itself. He started to replace the red man with Captain Marvel and everything started to make sense and make no sense at the same time. 

Him and Captain Marvel—not just man in red— watching the stars.

Him and Captain Marvel standing in front of a tomb.

Him and Captain Marvel flying in the sky together.

How could this be possible?

Was he that much of a fan that he used to hang out with the Captain that much? How was he just remembering that just now? Why? Why was he asking himself too many questions about it?  Why was he obssessing over it too much that he kept on drawing these things? All it looked like to him were a child's drawings using crayons with funny proportions but it was saying something. It had a story behind it. Every one of them was made with a purpose but Billy didn't know what that is.

Billy gasped all of a sudden when he felt a pang of pain in his head. He stumbled and he accidentally let go of the photo when he instinctively hold onto his head.

It was too late when Billy realized that he let go of it. He opened his eyes when he heard the sound of glass shattering and something solid hitting his feet.

"No no no." Bilky shook his head and he quickly knelt down, not paying attention to the shards of glass on the floor. He tried to pick it up but the shards were keeping him from grabbing it, too scattered and covering the entirety of the photo. "No!" he yelled and in a sudden burst of frustration, he dove his hand straight down the shards of glass, throwing some of it to the side just to grab the photo.

Something warm ran down his hands but he didn't care. Billy was now holding the photo on his hands again and he smiled, his eyes missing the droplets of blood dipping down the floor. 

"Thank goodness," he breathe a sigh of relief and hugged it to himself but then, the warm sticky fluid started sticking onto his clothes and when he looked down, that was when he realized that he was actaully bleeding and it was now getting wiped onto the photo.

Billy gritted his teeth and clipped the photo in between his two good fingers and slowly walked out of his room, on a mission to clean up his mess before Alfred finds out.

He closed his door as quietly as he could and walked tip toed with the photo still in tow. He didn't want to get caught but after a minute of going around trying to find a broom, a towel and a trash can, he realized that no one was there in the manor. It was awfully quiet. More quiet than it had ever been. His footsteps, even though already tip toed and light was loud against silence—he couldn't even hear a snore coming from Dick's bedroom (which was suspiscious because the man snores like large hibernating bear every night). He eventually decided to check on him just to make sure he didn't die in his sleep or something but when Billy knocked and turned the knob open, there was no one there. He even tried his luck and went into Damian's room just to find it empty as well.

The house was empty; no Alfred was making his early morning rounds, the lights were still off and the only light source he had was the weak lighting the still-absent sun was giving. It was still dark outside but the line where the sky and the horizon meet was already starting to get illuminated in light yellow, signifying that it would be morning soon, but even so, he knew around this time, someone should already be up. The light from the lamp Bruce had in his study should be bleeding onto the hallway by now and Alfred should be around there somewhere but there was nothing.

"Where is everybody?" he asked but of course, no one answered and he cringed when his voice bounced back to him loud and piercing.

It was like he was completely abandoned. Well, he wouldn't complain, he was left in a gorgeous manor anyway but he just couldn't help but feel excluded because of this. He just hoped that they would come back soon.

Billy finally walked away from Bruce's study and went straight to the supply closet he knew Alfred had hid somewhere at the back of the kitchen. He ended up smudging some blood on the doors he had pushed open earlier so he had to clean that too.

He was already on his way to the kitchen when he heard something. It was a sound of plates clattering and some kind of knife agaisnt something fragile. When he finally turned and ran up inside, he saw Alfred standing by the kitchen counter, slicing a pie—an apple pie to be exact. 

"Alfred!" Billy called, a smile already on his face. Finally, he found someone.

"Oh, Master Billy," the old man said but he paused and Billy almost ran away when Alfred's eyes turned hard when he saw his bleeding hands. "What happened to your hands,  Master Billy?" he asked and Billy chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his neck which was a bad idea because he ended up wiping some of his blood there. Oops. 

"I uh—" He looked away. "Kind of cut myself trying to get this photo back from the shards of shattered glass," he answered and Alfred just raised a brow at him.

He started getting nervous but the man just walked away and grabbed something from one of the cabinets. When he came back, he was holding a first aid kit, making sure that he positioned himself beside Billy, beckoning Billy to give him his bleeding hands. 

"Sorry," Billy said and gave the old man his hands who then started cleaning it.

"It's alright, Master billy," he said. "Just..." Alfred paused and looked at the bloodied photo that Billy had put down on the counter. "Please be careful next time."

"Okay, I understand." Bilky nodded and Alfred continued on cleaning his wounds. After what seemed like a few minutes of silence and when Alfred was just about done, Billy spoke. 

"So," he started already tapping his already bandaged up fingers on the counter. "What are you doing here, Alfred?" he asked and the man humored him. 

"I was preparing the pie you have been asking these past few days." The man chuckled. "I thought I could take a slice and see how it taste before handing it to you in the morning but now that I see you're awake, I think it'd be best if we share this pie together," Alfred said and pulled the pie that was on the edge of the counter closer to them. He grabbed a knife and made several slices. One for Billy and one for himself.  And even though Billy hadn't said "yes" yet, he was already handing a slice to him.

"Shall we?" he raised a brow at Billy and Billy giggled and happily took it.

"How could I say no to you Alfred?" Billy said and took a bite off it and was immediately awed at how good it tasted. There was a clattering of cutlery then, silence again. It was peaceful sharing a meal with Alfred like this while the Manor was still dark and almost everyone was still out.

It was relaxing and Billy found himself smiling as he took the final bite off his apple pie.

"Where do you think the others are?" Billy asked.

"Oh, they stepped out for a bit— they had some business to attend to," Alfred simply answered but then, stared at him for a secomd longer before looking ahead again. "Is the pie to your liking, Master Billy?"

Billy was surprised at the question. Of course everything Alfted cooked was good. Why did he even need to ask?

Billy furrowed his brows. "Of course it is. You're an amazing cook!" Billy affirmed but the old man didn't seem convinced. "Why?"

"You still seemed to be looking for something, like my pie lacks one ingredient and you can't find it in the taste."

"What?!" Billy's eyes grew. Did he looked that way earlier!? He swear he loved it. "No! It's great, it's just—"

A cheap looking slice of pie placed messily on a paper plate flashed in Billy's mind.

Someone handed it with a smile.

"Happy Birthday."  

Billy blinked and he had to recalibrate his brain in order to answer Alfred properly. "It just doesn't have the same taste as the ones you get in a cheap bakery, you know."

Alfred raised a brow at him. "A cheap bakery?" he said and oh god he sounded so insulted that  Billy had to backtrack.

Billy raised his hands in the air and waved frantically. "I-I didn't mean that there's anything wrong with you're—".

"Master Billy," Alfred cut him off and Billy stared up at the man. 

The man met his eyes and his gaze softened.

"It's alright. I guess I could never measure up to the ones you had in your memory," Alfred said with a sad smile on his face and Billy's eyes widened.

"How..." Billy paused, unsure. "Did you know what I was looking for was from my memory?" he asked, bewilderment seeping onto his features as he stared up at the butler who just knew everything.

"Well, it was not just a craving, I figured out that much when you got up at 12 am in the morning just to find some even though you knew we didn't have any. You're not really the type of person to just go ahead and look for what you wanted. You never even ask us if want or need anything but when this pie had gotten into your mind, all those irrational fear of asking for us for something went away. It was like you were really focused on that thing and that you badly needed it. But I knew from the start that I could never match my cooking with the one you're asking for because it was not just the pie you're looking for, it was the person you shared it with."

At that moment, everything paused. Billy's breath hitched in his throat and he almost couldn't talk.

"The pie you gave me tasted funny but it was okay. I would love to try it again just to pinpoint what's wrong with it."

"I..." Billy's voice broke. "I think you're wrong, Alfred."

The man stared at him with blank eyes, calculating something he couldn't see. Billy was about to just let it go and chalk it up to Alfred being his observant self but then, he uttered the words: "If I'm wrong, then why are you crying?" and everything fell apart.

"What—" All of a sudden, Billy started to feel the warmth on his cheeks, how something wet had ran down from his eyes and left a streak towards his chin and when a droplet fell on his waiting hands, that's when he realized that he really was crying.

Billy started whimpering, raising both his bandaged hands to try and wipe his tears off but it wasn't working. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm so sorry." He tried to wipe again but the tears kept on coming like a waterfall. Everytime he got something off, it was replaced by yet another one. This was embarassing. Why was he doing this? Why didn't he even noticed the tears before it came? If he did, then he could've stopped it. He didn't want to burden Alfred with all of this but still... 

"What is happening to me, Alfred?" he asked with blurry eyes. He couldn't even see Alfred properly anymore. He couldn't see how he looked, he couldn't see if Alfred was mad at him for crying out of nowhere, he couldn't see if he was irritated, he wasn't even sure if he was still there. Maybe he was only staring at a wall now and it was just his tears that made it looked like there was a human blob there. He really was starting to feel alone and Billy was about to welcome the idea when suddenly, that vague silhuette moved and something soft landed on his cheeks. 

The silhuette kept on wiping and wiping until his vision cleared up again and there was Alfred, holding a handkerchief up his face and already giving Billy a sad smile before he could even find him.

"I'm sorry that I haven't been with you during the nights you cry like this," the man said with a sorrowful voice and Billy shook his head. He didn't want Alfred to apologize. It wasnt his fault. He just cries out of nowhere, that's it. If there was anyone who should be apologizing, it should be Billy.

"I've always wanted to be there and wipe your tears but me being the butler of the family put me on the very far back of that list. First, there would be Master Bruce."

Billy remembered the nights where Bruce would know when to knock on his door and hug him to sleep.

"Next would be Master Dick."

A memory of Dick holding his hand when he cried in his sleep flashed in his mind.

"And if he can, Master Damian would be there, too."

Billy laughed. Yes, Damian had been there, glaring at him whenever tears just sprang out of his eyes. He would just cross his arms at Billy and throw a perfectly good handkerchief at him. The reason why he carried those around? Billy didn't know.

"And at the very end of the line, there was me— and I was thankful today that we get to be alone together. I can atleast be there for you while the other's cant." The man smiled at him, happier this time. "I'm glad that you came into our lives, Billy," he said his name without the "Master" at last and Billy tackled him into a hug. He encircled his arms around the Alfred and hold onto him as tight as he could. It was warm and it became even more warmer when Alfred hugged back, his fingers finding Bilky's hair and gently running it through its strands.

"Thank you, Alfred."

"There's no need to thank me, Master Billy," the man whispered. "If there's anyone you should be thanking right now, it would be them," Alfred said and as if on cue, lightning flashed from outside and as soon as it landed, thunder boomed and rocked the whole manor.

"What..." Billy couldn't finish what he wanted to say. He was rattled by it but Alfred didn't even gave the slightest reaction to a literal lighntning hitting the front of their house and shaking them like a giant had jumped down from the sky. He gave the old man a questioning gaze, asking him what's happening but he didnt answer, instead he just extended a hand and pushed Billy forward— prompting him to go to the direction where the lightning hit.

"Go," he said in a hushed voice and even though a little shaken and confused, Billy nodded at him and ran to towards the front door of the manor. He didn't waste any time thinking what might he might see outside and just grab at the knobs and threw the doors open. The double door opened with a slight squeak and once it parted right at the middle, Billy froze when he saw the Justice League standing ouside... waiting for him.

There was Superman, Batman, Wonderwoman, Black Canary, Flash, Green Lantern, Green Arrow and a man he knew as Black Adam and behind them, where a golding ring of light remained standing, stepped out John Constantine. 

Billy let out a brethe. "John?" he whispered in the the air with wide eyes that seemed to reflect the glow of the portal before him.

John met his eyes and he smiled. "Hey, kid," he said, his back still illuminated by the bright yellow of the portal. "Wanna meet someone?" he asked right after that and Billy had to hold back yet another sob. 

He tightened his fingers into a fist and pressed his lips together.

Why did it feel like he was waiting to be asked that question for a long time?

Why did all of this bizarre things in front of him felt normal?

And why was he looking forward to meet this "someone" so much?

It felt like he had prayed for this very moment and now that it was happening, it was making his heart skip a beat.

Billy sniffed and fought off the wobble of his lips.

"Don't go crying on me now, kid," John said, taking a step forward towards him. He knelt to match Billy's height and pulled out a white fabric with golden trimmings out of thin air, draping it on his shoulders sloppily. "It took quite a long time but..." He pulled at the fabric one last
time and smiled when he saw how Billy looked in it. "We can finally bring him home. We can finally bring him back, Billy. So," he held out a hand for Billy to take, "are you in?" he asked and Billy smiled. 

"Yes." Billy took his hand and hold onto it, squeezing it tight. "Please take me with you."

Chapter Text

Right when they stepped into the rock, a booming voice rang inside John's head telling him why he brought Billy there. It sounded pissed and the intensity was enough to make him kneel on the floor.

John held his head as the Flash helped him up. "It's nice to hear you in my head again, Captain," he smirked but that was when he realized he did something wrong when a door appeared on the wall out of nowhere and sucked Billy in a gust wind.

"No!" John screamed and tried to reach Billy's outstretched hand but he missed by a few inches and only managed to graze his finger before he eventually got sucked in. Everyone in the League was flabbergasted at what happened, staring at the spot where Billy had been standing earlier with wide eyes and open mouths.

John stared at it too, his mind trying to make sense of what happened until it finally clicked and he became pissed. He gritted his teeth in rage and stood up, marching up into the direction he knew where the throne room was. 

"That's it!" he said, his voice hard and his nose almost fuming. 

He had worked his ass off just to land them this one oppprtunity and the idiot Marvel just separated them from the kid just so he wouldn't see him. God, John hoped Billy was just locked in a room somewhere inside the Rock and not back in Fawcett. He only had one golden coin that acts as a pass for this place and he already used it. He didn't know if he'd get another chance. He specifically remembered the tiger telling him it was a one time only and he knew he was being serious when he said that. That idiot of a demi god better not do that or he'd beat his ass!

John arrived at the hall where the throne room was but he was taken aback when a door was placed in there. It used to be an open space but now it was all closed up. 

"Oh, now you bring the doors up?!" he yelled at the massive double doors that had intricate carving of gods and battles won by heroes of the early days. It was glourious yet John kicked it without a care in the world. "Had a little renovation, ey?! Let me in you, fucker!" he said and he was surprised when it actually creaked open. It opened up to the same throne room he remembered but instead of an old man sitting on the throne, it was Captain Marvel. He was holding a staff on one hand, while the other rest on the arms of the throne. He was not wearing his hero costume anymore, instead of his signature red, he was wearing white and instead of a suit he was wearing a greek nobleman's toga; its white fabric with gold trimmings was draped from his shoulder and flowed smoothly down his body. He was wearing those ancient sandals and he had a golden wreath around his head. There seemed to be a brilliant white light that had been following the man's silhuette and John's eyes widened when he realized that he was practically staring at a god but... it was strange though. No matter how powerful and divine he looked, John couldn't help but to think how lonely it was to be up there. He couldn't imagine being put on a pedestal so tall that you had no choice but to look down on people. You couldn't reach anyone no matter how hard to hold out a hand and no one would be patient enough to look up for that long. All of a sudden, the rage and anger that was building up inside John evaporated out of his body as he stared up at Marvel. He looked angry from his throne but John knew that if he uttered even a single word about Billy he'd start to crack.

He's just a child who was given all the power in the world.

"John Constantine," Marvel's voice echoed everywhere, a hint of irritation resounding from his tone. "Why are you here?" he asked with a glare and John humored him, shrugging as he heard the others approach from behind him.

"Nothin'." John looked to the side eyeing his ex teammate's surprised expression when they saw how Marvel looked like a god now. "I'm just here to reunite you and Billy—which you ruined by the way!" John pointed an accusing finger at him and everyone in the League gasped at how casually he treat Marvel who could probably smite him with a single wave of his hand.

John knew he should be intimidated but he couldn't bring himself to do that. No matter how different he looks now, no matter how he looks more like a god than a hero, John couldn't seem to treat him differently. He was still Captain Marvel; the childish emo living lightning he knew. He saw him before and he still saw him now. He would not be fooled.

There was silence for a moment that John had to look back up at Marvel just to see if he was still paying attention but John was taken aback when he saw that the anger was not there anymore, instead, it was replaced with worry and fear.

"You know that's not possible anymore," Marvel answered, his voice careful. "Me and Billy would not be allowed to be together again."

"Well." John sighed. "I don't see you running away so I don't really see how it's impossible," John answered and Marvel froze. 

"But I can't. You know I can't," Marvel said with an almost pleading tone and John rolled his eyes at him.

"Kid, do you really think I came unprepared?!" John pointed hysterically at Black Adam. "You think I brought this guy here just for display?!" he asked, sounding extremely insulted.

Marvel's expression hardened again and he gripped his staff tighter  "Blak Adam? You know he would—"

"Don't worry, I made him a deal that he couldn't resist," John said. "I got him his family and I made a deal with him that he would be with them forever should he agree to stay in the rock."

The demigod stared at him in disbelief, not knowing what to say. "I—"

"What can I say?" John shrugged. "If you can't bring the guy to his family then you bring the family to the guy," he said and Marvel stared right at Adam.

"Are you sure about this?" Marvel asked Adam and Adam simply nodded.

"It was all I ever wanted and if it meant that I get to stay with them for all eternity, then, I don't mind staying in the rock and be its guardian forever." Adam met Marvel's eyes and gave him what seemed to look like a smile. "Go on, child," he said with a solemn voice, closing his eyes in submission. "Go and grow up with that boy. It was all you ever wanted, right?"

Marvel's breath shook and as he slowly nod his head, a stray tear fell from his eye. "Am I-Am I really allowed to have this?" he asked. "Am I really allowed to be happy now?" 

Adam walked past John and climbed up the few steps that led to him. He nodded at Marvel and gently slid his hands on the the staff that Marvel was holding. "You are now," he said as he finally pulled the staff away from Marvel's grasp. 

Light spread in the room all of a sudden, stripping Adam off his dark suit and into that toga that Marvel had earlier. When the light left, Marvel was staring right at him with wide eyes, still couldn't believe that this was really happening but Adam just raised a brow at him and pushed him back. "Go," he said and as if waking up from a dream, Marvel blinked awake. He thanked Adam under his breath and immediately took off running.

"Now that I held up my end of the bargain, it is time you do yours," he heard Adam said and John nodded as they watched Marvel got farther and farther. 

"Aye, mate," he said and threw a bottle right at Adam. He felt his magic on the bottle being released and even though John kept his back turned he knew Adam's sons and wife had ran up to hug him and that Adam was crying in happiness as him and his family was finally reunited. 

John smiled to himself as he focused again on Marvel. He heard Marvel whispered Billy's name and when he was just a few meters away from the door, the said door threw itself open and right in front of it, standing right at the middle was Billy Batson, already staring up at Marvel. 

-----

When the doors flew open, Billy didn't expect it to open up to a man wearing some kind of white fabric around his body; he didn't expect for the said man to give him a sense of familiarity he hadn't felt before and he didn't expect for him to... look so sad.

The man, he looked like Captain Marvel but only in a different attire. He looked like one of those greek gods and Billy couldn't help but to notice how they had the same eye color, the same dimples on their cheeks and the same shade of black on their hair. 

It was strange but he knew he know this man from somewhere but he couldn't pinpoint where it was.

Yes, he knew he might've been one of his biggest fan and he might've met the hero more than one time but was that really it? Why did it feel like he was still missing something?

The man started sobbing all of a sudden, kneeling in front of him and holding onto his shoulders to steady himself. He's strange, Billy thought. He was the one who had a throne, he was the one who was all mighty and powerful but why was he the one kneeling in front of Billy? Billy couldn't understand how a man like that could still be this sorrowful but suddenly, his thoughts came into a halt when Captain Marvel opened his mouth and called him in his name.

Billy's eyes widened.

That voice. He knew that voice.

"Can you, call me by my name again?" he asked and through the tears, the man said "Billy" again and as soon as his voice reached Billy's ears, memories started flashing into his mind.

"You're not a disappointment, Billy."

"Stay still, Billy,"

"You are born today."

"Happy birthday!"

"You... are the best thing that ever happened to me."

The blur parted from the images that he kept on seeing from his dreams. He finally saw that it was him, giving Marvel a piece of pie.

"August 15. Happy birthday!"

Him, trying to ruin Marvel's hair.

"Dude, your hair is like eternally blessed to be immaculate."

There was Marvel, smiling at him.

"Wow... that smile almost looked like our signature smile." 

"Can't you praise a little better?" 

A giggle.

A hug.

Just the two of them gazing to the starry space. 

Their hands letting go of each other.

"Hurry back... okay?" 

Billy realized that Marvel never answered when he asked that question.

He never said he'd be back home again and it hurt. Why did he left him like that that?! That wasn't fair. Did Billy do something wrong? If he did, then he should've just told him. He might've been able to fix it. Wasn't leaving him for that a little too much?

All of a sudden, Billy burst out crying, letting out gibberish words, as tears rushed down his face. "Why did you do that?!" he screamed at Marvel.

"Why did you left me?!"

Did you hate being with me?

"I wanted to see you but you locked me in a room!"

I wanted to be with you but you drove me away.

"I came all the way here and you won't even look at me!"

I wanted to see you.

"I hate you! How could you do this to me?!"

Please, let me see you.

Marvel pulled him into a hug all of sudden. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry." Billy felt his tears fell on his neck as he held him close like his life depended on it.

"You jerk!" Billy hugged Marvel back, screaming by his ears. "You idiot!" He dugged his nails on Marvel's back. "You asshole!" Billy hold onto him even tighter. "I've missed you so much!"

"I missed you, too, Billy," Marvel said rocking him and planting a kiss on his head. "I missed you more than you could ever think." 

"Please don't do that again. Please don't leave me again."

" I won't. I promise." He felt Marvel nodded and and Billy sobbed even more. "We'd celebrate your birthday together from now on. I'll help you save up money for that fancy ice cream you told me about and we'll watch the stars together. I will never leave you again."

Billy nodded on his shoulder, digging his chin on his flesh. 

"Thank you..." he whispered in Marvel's ears. "Thank you for coming back to me."

Chapter Text

"So, you're telling me you guys aren't really father and son?" Barry asked as he stared at both of them. 

After the tears and hugs, Billy and Marvel just spilled the beans on everyone. There was no use in keeping it a secret anymore. It'd just be easy to come out with the truth and release the burden on their shoulders. In that way, him and Marvel could start to work on gaining the League's trust again should they started getting mad at him.

Billy nodded and he tightened his hold on Marvel's chest, too scared of what they might think.  

Billy started to look apologetic as Barry waited for his answer. "Sorry, no." Billy shook his head and everyone's eyes widened. They looked betrayed, shocked and kind of sad but no matter how hard Billy looked, he didn't see anger in any of them.

"It was the best I could think of at that time," Marvel said. "I'm sorry for lying. All I wanted was to keep Billy next to me and..." Marvel winced. "I wanted to get you guys off our back," Marvel added and Barry and Hal gasped.

"Dude, you just told us to mind our own business in a less insulting way!" Hal pointed out but grinned all of a sudden. "Welcome back!" he said, acting all giddy and sparkly eyes.

Marvel and Billy was taken aback by their reaction. They both looked at each other with raised brows, confused as to how they were not mad. Marvel's questioning eyes asked Billy, "Is this real?" and Billy's pout answered, "Yes, definitely real."

"So, you're the moody one that me and Hal tried and failed to get along with?" Barry asked, pointing at Marvel.

Marvel furrowed his brows at him. "Am I moody?" he asked.

"YES!'" Hal and Barry yelled im unison but this time, Superman chimed in with them.

Both Billy and Marvel laughed at the three hysterical adult. "Sorry," Marvel said. "It seemed like Billy took all the optimism with him when we got separated."

"So, you two are separate beings, then?" Wonder woman took a step forward, tilting her head at them.

Billy hummed in thought. Explaining everything to them would be difficult but that didn't mean it would be impossible. He just had to go about it in a more simplistic way. "We used to be one; I used to be Marvel and Marvel used to be me but..." He furrowed his brows at Marvel. "Now that we got separated and he became his own person, I don't know how that would work if we got back together—if we got back together."  

"Oh, there's nothing to worry about," Marvel said with a smile. "My consciousness would just mix with yours and you could talk to me inside your head whenever you want and as for our separation, I already found a way how to reverse the effects of the lightning bolt."

"You do?" Billy asked. He thought it'd be another long and gruelling search for answers but if he know it now then... "How?"

"The wizard knew of a way to reverse it since the very beginning but chose not to tell us. But now that I happen to hold all the wizard's power and became his replacement for some time, I was able to access all the forbidden knowledge that he had."

There was a beat of silence and Billy waited for yet another question coming from the League but when nothing came, he was the one who asked instead.

"Are you guys not mad at us?" Billy's voice was small, his eyes scanning the room to look at each and one of them.

Unsurprisingly, Batman was the one who took the lead and answered Billy's hammering question. "We would never get mad at you, Billy—" His eyes found Marvel. "and Marvel, too. We are just disappointed and a little hurt that you didn't think that you could trust us."

"I understand." Billy nodded. "All of you deserve the truth and me and Marvel are now willing to tell you everything you need to know. No more secrets."

Batman smiled and shook his head at him. "You don't have to tell us everything right away. You two deserve to rest and have this moment for yourselves. We can take things slowly. We'll always be right here whenever you're ready," he said and Billy smiled back.

"Thank you." 

"So," Marvel stared at Billy, grinning ear to ear. "Are you alright with us rejoining right now?" he asked.

Billy nodded but then, a thought popped inside his head. "I am, but I'd really miss this." He pointed at how Marvel was holding him up his arms and how Billy was snuggling by chest. He'd really miss being able to meet Marvel's eyes and the presence he gave when he's right next to him. He really got used to being able to grab Marvel whenever he's scared or when he simply just wanted a cuddle. It would be a shame to lose all of that. "I would never be able to hug you again when we got back together and you would never be able to live as yourself. I still wanted to show you a lot of things while you were still, you know—you." Billy avoided his eyes in embarassment of everything he said but Marvel just chuckled at him and lifted Billy's chin up to stare right at his eyes.

"I know a way to separate us if we wanted to," Marvel gave him a mischevious look and Billy's eyes widened in excitement.

"The lightning bolt!" 

"Yes," Marvel nodded and Billy giggled, hugging his neck. 

Billy turned his head to look at the Justice League and he grinned at them. "This is how I transform, guys. Watch and see," he said. Marvel lowered him to the ground but they still kept their hands together, standing side by side. 

Marvel poured his magic out, uttering something in Latin. Golden glow started to trace his body until it spread towards their joined hands and Billy started glowing too. Billy closed his eyes as he felt Marvel's power flowed and mixed with his; reaching his mind, his heart and even his emotions hidden deep inside. When he opened his eyes the light burst everywhere, symbols rearranged itself on the floor until a magic circle appeared beneath their feet. Marvel said another Latin and nodded at Billy. Billy nodded back, they both looked up at the ceiling and with a booming voice, they said: "SHAZAM!" 

The whole place shook when a massive lightning fell on them. Waves and waves of energy travelled in the air and everything was engulfed in a blinding white light. Every one in the League took a step back with their eyes closed and when everything settled down and they dared themselves to open their eyes again, they were met with Captain Marvel— stepping out of the smoke.

He didn't have his white toga anymore. He was back in his hero costume but it was a little different than before. The lightning on his chest of bigger and brighter, the red on his torso were decorated with more gold lines and the white of his cape was replaced with gold. His blue eyes sparked with golden electricity and his radiant, megawatt smile was back.

"Hey, guys!" he said, his eyes twinkling with wonder like that of a child. He rose into the air, overlooking them all. "It' nice to meet you again. I'm Billy Batson and together with the living lightning, I am Captain Marvel."

------

"Ready?" Billy giggled as he pointed the lightning bolt down onto his chest. When felt something in him gave him an affirmation, he raised the bolt up and drove it into his chest. A flash of light covered the whole house of mystery and what came out of it was Marvel, already grinning at him. 

"What's happening?! What's happening?!" John stumbled into the living room, going round and round as he held a plate of food on one of his hands. When he saw both him and Marvel, he groaned. "Ah! There's two of you!" He sneered at them and rolled his eyes but both Marvel and Billy just chuckled at him. "You know, I will never get used to you two doing that," he said and his eyes perked up when it landed in the plate on his hands again. "Oh and yeah—turn back now, you two!" He pointed at them. "I only made breakfast for one and Marvel is a big eater and I ain't gonna have it!" he scolded, swinging the plate in the air too much that Billy got worried that the eggs and bacon would slip out of it.

Billy recovered from the sight and laughed. "Sorry, John." He shrugged. "We wouldn't be having breakfast today."

"What?!" John yelled at them, looking like he was insulted and Billy couldn't blame him. John took pride in the foods he cooked especially now that he's just starting to learn and every dish he managed to make was a miracle and Billy loved tasting them, he really did—even though he knew he was only a test subject and one really wanted to be John's guinea pig so the Barry and Hal just fed him to the sharks— but he couldn't eat some right now. He had a place to go.

"Why?" John asked, taken aback and Billy looked at the sorcerer turned housewife with a symphathetic smile.

"Me and Marvel are going to Betty's diner," Billy explained. "We're gonna surprise her by bursting through the door saying 'hey, I finally remember you and I'm sorry for disappearing from the face of the Earth for a year but I'm back now and I wanted to thank you for this wonderful photo of me and Marvel'" Billy said giddilly, his mouth running a mile per minute  with his hands already finding its way on the said photo and modeling it for everyone to see. 

"Uh huh." John raised a brow at him and Billy's smile became mellow and nostalgic. He remembered how that photo had got him through the tough moments of his life. He remembered having a bad night and crying himself to sleep but once he laid his eyes on it, he could suddenly let himself rest into a bliss. He turned the photo around so that it was facing him.

"This photo really helped me out a lot." He ran a hand in the smooth glass of the newly bought frame. "And I wanted to thank her for it."

John was silent for a moment that Billy started to think to he left but when he raised his head to search for him, he was still there, standing beside Marvel with both of them sporting a solemn smile on their faces. 

"Go on, then," John nodded towards the door. "Hurry up before I changed my mind," he added threateningly and Billy stumbled on his feet laughing.

"I really appreciate it, though!" Billy said, scrambling to put on his red hoddie. "That breakfast—" he pointed at the plate fast. "And everything you cook, I liked it. And you're cooking is not as bad as everyone thinks!" he added and John's mouth opened in an airy gasp.

"What—who said my cooking is bad?!" he asked, running after Billy and Marvel who was nearing the door. 

"Uhm.." Billy looked up, staring at fhe ceiling for a moment he then gave John a smirk when he turned his head slightly to throw him a look. "Pretty much the entire Justice League," Billy said menacingly and John started to look possessed in too much anger.

"Well, fuck them all! I'll poison all the food in that cafeteria of theirs!" he swore and Marvel and Billy chuckled. 

"I won't tell if you won't." Billy winked at Marvel and Marvel shook his head fondly at him. 

"I won't either but it'll probably keep the whole Justice League down for a day," Marvel humored him.

"Oh, let'em be! We can protect the entire universe with just us for a day." John crossed his arms but then pouted to the side, blushing a little bit. "Let's leave Zatanna out of it though," John said and that made them burst out laughing.

Oh John, you're so obvious. 

"Sure," Billy gave him an "I know you're crushing hard on her" look and John gave him a death glate. "Well, then," Billy finally opened the door and stepped a foot outside, "you can give that breakfast to Orchid, for now. I know she'd love it. Bye!"  He slipped a hand in to give him a wave goodbye before shutting the door behind him, smiling at the man's shenanigans. 

It had just been a month—a literal month—since Billy and Marvel got back together and the truth was revealed to the entirety of the League. There had been fights that's disguised as a "friendly" discussion between adults. 10 meetings were held—imagine that!— in a span of one month with some of it excluding Billy, hundreds of debates had been made; all for the sake of finding out who's better suited to take care of Billy now that they knew he was Captain Marvel. 

Wonderwoman offered to bring him to Olympus to meet Zeus and be the best big sister ever, Superman promised to feed him the best food with some of his ma's famous pies and live in the most peaceful place on earth; a farm. And of course, there was Batman, (yeah, apparently, Bruce was Batman) who didn't really need to offer anything because he was his legal guardian at that time but still did because he didn't want to lose to Diana and Superman. He offered to double his allowance, double the niceness of Damian towards him—much to Damian's dismay— and double the luxury of literally everything! Billy didn't know what to think of it at first. Barry was still waving him in with a promise to let him stay up late and a lot of candies but we all know that's a bad idea so that's a hard pass. 

All Billy wanted was to live in peace—not spoiled rotten or overwhelmed with too much love he knew he was never given before. It would be too much of a change and Billy knew he wouldn't be able to stomach it. All he was looking for was a companuon and he found it in Marvel but they wouldnt just let it be "only" Marvel becuse they knew that they were practically the same person and he couldn't really provide for him. He needed another adult but all Billy wanted for that adult to do for him was to be his friend, a casual pal—not Barry and Hal, too casual, too chaotic that it'd kill Billy in overdose— that was all he needed.

Imagine just how grateful he was when he found it in John. He just strutted in the watchtower one day, swearing his way in while still being respectful and greeting Billy the loudest. He could talk everyone down with his tongue and no one could fight back to his less than ideal attitude and Billy thought that it was perfect. He was a compassionate guy when needed to be and he wasn't the type to look down on people, he's just a little too honest but Billy could live with that. He could definitely live with that. 

So, much to everyone's dismay, he chose to stay with John while still promising to visit Wayne manor from time to time. He had a magical teleporting house that would be perfect for Billy should he need to go to Fawcett at any given time. He was a fellow magic user like him and even though he wouldn't admit it, Billy knew he started cooking because he was there. He kept on saying that he was just experimenting and that he was doing that because he was bored, that concocting potions and poisons wasn't that much of a hobby for him anymore. Billy took his reasons with a blank face with his mind screaming "just come out and say that you've accepted the role of a single mother already!" knowing full well that he was just denying the fact that he wanted to feed Billy with his own cooking. He made the effort every single day and Billy made sure to compliment him everytime. He was just acting like an airhead, pretending ignorance so John wouldn't feel weird. John was just like that. He hated being praised to the good things he'd done. He's weird like that. 

The few weeks that he had been with John had been a blast and whenever he needed to play around with someone his age Damian was always there— it's a win-win a,d Billy was now living his best life.

Billy threw a glance at the house before it disappeared, waving at it, knowing full well that Orchid could see it.

----

John sighd as he watched the door closed and felt the house shift to another location. That kid was too energetic this early in the morning, well, it's not like he wasn't like that every. Single. Day. But he's more at it now than before. 

"What am I supposed to do with this now?" he asked no one, staring down at the plate he was holding but then he rolled his eyes when he saw something move in the corner of his eyes.

He groaned when Orchid came out of the shadows, already giving him a wide, innocent smile.

"I heard there's something you wanted to give me?" she asked and she went on full "blink blink" starry eyed on John that he wanted to smash his head on the table. 

He groaned once more, finally handing her the plate. "Here," he said, defeated. "You can have it."

She gladly took it and gave him the widest grin she could even muster and —ugh! John couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't bear hanging out with the mostly clueless avatar of the house that betrayed him countless of times before—granted, some of it was for the sake of John's wellbeing but still! He still has that memory of her betrayal where she refused to untie him when he got kidnapped. He might as well just leave and go after the kid and watch him from afar 'cause he's his guardian and that's not creepy or anything.

"I'm heading out," he said to Orchid and she just waved at him goodbye, the smile on her face ever so bright before he closed the door and teleported to where the kid went.

-----

He was teleported right outside the diner, just like where the kid said he'd be. How was he sure that the kid came here, you asked? Well, John might've put a tracking spell on the kid on the first day he moved in—whoops!

The diner looked the same as it always did. The large potted plants outside were as green as ever, with few little flowet buds sticking out; its large glass windows were squeaky clean that you could see the neatly arranged tables and chairs inside but something was strange and John had to squint an eye at it. 

It was still dark inside when he knew this place should already have its light on before the sun could even rise. No people were coming and going and no Betty was busy taking orders by the counter and puncing in numbers in her register.

What is going on?

John walked towards it and when his eyes found the door, a look of shock and sadness spread on his face. There, in the middle of the door just where the sign "we're open" should be was a note saying a finaly goodbye. it said:

After being passed down for three generations, our diner will close its doors permanently today. The current owner has finally found her passion and is now on her way to pursue her dreams. Thank you all for your support and patronage all these years.

-Betty.

John's brows were furrowed as he finished reading it.

"Oh no," he whispered. "Sorry, kid."

----

Billy was running. He was running so fast that he didn't know where he was going and Marvel had to steer him towards the right direction.

When he found the diner empty, he didn't really think much of it. He thought that maybe, Betty was just running late or maybe she was just buying some ingredients for the day. Billy thought that he could wait by the door to help her with her groceries but when he walked towards the door, already set on waiting for her, his eyes laid upon the letter that Betty had left. 

It was not the usual, "sorry, we're closed" but a letter telling them all that she was closing down the place for good, that she was leaving to pursue something. Billy was horrified when he read it and never in his life had he ran this fast just to catch up to someone. 

He prayed that her letter was just left a few minutes ago. He begged the gods that the word "today" that's written on the letter meant this day and not yesterday. He wished with all of his being that he could catch up to her, to see her one last time; to show her that he was okay; to atleast send her off with a final goodbye. He didn't want her to leave thinking that Billy still didn't remember her, he didn't want her to leave thinking that he'll never come back.

So, he ran and ran until he saw the nearest bus stop because she had to be there, right? Please, gods, let her be there. He would trade anything, anything just to to get to see her again.

-------

He finally made it and his thought came into a halting stop when he saw a familiar yellow rubber shoes sticking out of the bus stop. It was tapping in a rhythm of a song he knew she loved. The owner of that shoe was currently surrounded by mountains of suitcases that he could hardly see her face but even though he couldn't see her fully, even though all he could see was a messy bun sticking out from above, he knew deep inside him that it was...

"Betty!" Billy called and suddenly the tapping of the shoe stopped and the figure stood up immediately, throwing the bags that's on her lap to the side and when her face popped out of the waiting shed, Billy's breath hitched. It was Betty.  She was staring at him wide wide eyes, her expression unbelieving of what she's seeing.

"Billy?" she whispered, trying his name on her tongue. "Billy?!" she called again and this time, Billy nodded with a wobbly smile.

"Billy!" Betty ran up to him and Billy did the same, meeting her at the middle. She opened up her arms at him and he jumped right in, hugging her so tight, her shirt was starting to wrinkle.

"Betty, I missed you," Billy whispered as he felt something wet fall on his shoulders.

Betty nodded against the crook of his neck. "I missed you too, kiddo," she said while sniffing.

"Where are you going? Why did you closed up shop all of a sudden?" Billy asked, refusing to let go and she didn't either.

"I'm going to France. I just received an internship from a well respected photographer. I decided that I like taking pictures, Billy. So I made the choice to chase the dream of becoming a photographer," she said and Billy finally let go to stare up at her.

Even though there were tears threatening to fall down his eyes, he just kept on smiling. "You do love taking pictures and I really love the one you took of me and Captian Marvel. You might not know it, but it helped me got through the difficult times in my life," Billy said.

Betty sniffed again and laughed, running a hand on Billy's forehed to push his hair aside. "Oh, I might have an idea what you did with that photo. I have a feeling that you cried all over it."

Billy laughed all of a sudden, shaking his head at her fondly.

"You're gonna be a great photographer. I just know it," Billy said.

"Thank you." Betty smiled at him and leaned down to land a soft kiss on his cheek. "I'll come back as soon as I can, Billy," she said and all of a sudden, visons of the future started flooding Billy's mind:

A vague image of someone smiling, holding a golden trophy.

A finger wearing a diamond ring hidden behind a white veil.

And a baby, giggling on a crib.

Billy was silent for a moment but after that, he renewed the smile on his face. 

"You're really good at capturing the greatest moments of my life, Betty. Can you..." he stared up at her and she blinked at him expectantly. "Do that again for me? Let's take a picture together."

Betty chuckled at him and ruffled his hair. "Of course, anything for you," she said and stood up to set up her camera in front of them. 

They were already settling down on the waiting shed when Billy perked up. "Oh, can we add more people in the photo?"

Betty looked at him strangely but she nodded nonetheless. "Okay," she said and Billy quickly stood up and pulled Marvel out of his hiding spot which was a tree that wasn't really doing a great job of hiding him but Betty was surprised to find that Marvel was actually there, so he guessed it worked? He let him sit and ran back towards the group of trees this time. He went straight to the bushes and pulled out a very shocked John out of the leaves. 

Billy grinned. This guy really thought Billy didn't notice him there. Well, too bad for him 'cause he got him now.

John was stumbling on his feet and mumbling words but Billy didn't pay too much attebtion to it and pulled him back to the waiting shed and when they arrived, two set of eyes that looked like deer caught in headlights stared up at them. Billy laughed at their expression and gave John his seat.

"Alright, on three," Betty said, pressing something on her camera. She ran back to her seat fast to make it in time. Billy was next to her and on Billy's left was Marvel and on Marvel's left was John.

They all did their own pose and when Betty said "say cheese," Billy pulled her into a hug with the widest smile he could muster. A flash shot at them and just like that, their smiles were  preserved in that photo forever.

----

"I'll keep in touch," Betty smiled at him as the bus opened up behind her. "And," she booped his nose and made a funny clown sound, "I'll show you how the photo turned out once I come back."

Billy laughed but then, ran in for another hug. "I'll miss you, Betty," he said, his voice muffled by her stomach.

He felt a hand ran through the hairs on the back of his head. "I'll miss you too, kid," she said and finally pulled away from the hug. She climbed up the steps of the bus and glanced back at him with wet eyes and a wobbling smile. "Goodbye."

------

Billy ran away crying after that Betty had left and Marvel thought it was strange how hard Billy had kept his tears away as Betty and him exchanged their goodbyes. He was never the type of person to hold back his tears, not when he was with a person he's comfortable with. So, what changed now?

John was about to run after him but Marvel raised a hand at him, stopping him on his tracks. 

"I'll handle it," he said as he nodded to John. He started running after him, the task not really asking for much effort because no matter how fast Billy ran, his steps will always be smaller than his. What felt like a sprint to him was just a brisk walk to Marvel and the fact that it happens fascinated Marvel. He loved how Billy's footprints were smaller than his, how he would never be able to duplicate those light steps even if he tried.  They were the same yet so different. Just like now where Billy was crying while Marvel left still struggling to understand why such action was needed right at this moment.  He still couldn't understand human emotions that much but he would try his best for Billy's sake. He could rely on Solomon's wisdom for now, but he knew someday, he wouldn't need to use his head to work with his heart. Someday.

Marvel quickened his pace when he saw something lit up behind the trees. It was a portal and he could see Billy crying on the other side, standing in front of a familiar tombstone with his sleeves right up his eyes. 

Marvel was fast to step into the portal before it could even close.

"Billy?" he called as he took careful steps towards him. He was still crying and sobbing into his forearms and Marvel was about to call him again when all of a sudden, Billy tackled him into a hug.

Marvel hugged him back, relishing the warmth Billy gave off and the feeling of his small arms wrapped around his waist. "Billy, what's wrong?" he asked, running a hand through the mess of hair on the top of his head. 

"She's not coming back anymore, Marvel," Billy whispered and Marvel held his breath. "I saw her future. She became a renowned photographer, she got married and had a child but..." Billy's eyes welled up with more tears. "None of those showed that she came back, Marvel." He felt him grabbed at the fabric of his suit and Marvel's brows furrowed as he held Billy close.

He couldn't bear seeing him like this. If he could do something to make him stop crying and hurting right now, he'd do it. But he knew the only thing that would make him stop crying was to bring Betty back but her future was already set in stone. She became successful in life. She lived her dreams. He couldn't take that away from her. It was not her future to stay in a diner passed down to her. She was not the kind of person to just accept something when she knew she could do better. 

She made her own destiny and Marvel couldn't and wouldn't meddle with it and he knew Billy wouldn't want him to either.

Was that why Billy held back his tears earlier? How painful it must've been to keep on smiling as you send someome away, knwing full well that they won't be coming back. He could have stopped her at that time but he didn't because he knew it was what's best for her. He had to let her go. He could hope that she would come back but everything depends on her now and if Billy saw that she never came back to Fawcett city then, that was that.

Marvel started feeling something painful in his chest and he closed his eyes. He tried to understand it. It was the same pain he felt when he left Billy for the Rock, it was the same thing he felt whne he held Billy down just so John could erase his memories. 

Something in Marvel's mind clicked and tears fell from his eyes. He knew this feeling now. It was pain, it was the "hurt" humans felt when something important to them disappeared. It was painful than any physical pains but Marvel allowed himself to feel it. He wanted to feel human like Billy. It was the only way to share all the burdens he had and if it is what it would take to understand him more, then, Marvel would take it. 

Among all the pains and sorrows that Marvel had felt for Billy, nothing came close to the pang in his heart when he heard Billy spoke once more with a voice so broken and small. 

"She's never coming back Marvel," he said and Marvel hugged him tighter.

He willed himself to speak and ask for more wisdom and courage but nothing really helped so at the very end, Marvel was left with himself, He asked himself what he could say right now, what he would say and not the gods in his head. He searched his heart for once instead of his head. He didn't touch the infinite knowledge to find a solution this time, he relied to himself and let his emotions guide him and suddenly, the words just formed itself and he said: "She may never be coming back but that doesn't mean you'll never see her again."

Billy became quiet and he continued. He let his magic flow in the air and ran through his hand that's holding Billy together. He searched his future and every probability that may come and he smiled when he saw something:

It was a vision of Billy, all grown up. 

He was almost as tall as Marvel and he was smiling as bright as ever and from somewhere, Marvel appeared and they both called out the name of the wizard, turning them into one.

They landed into a foregin country. There was chaos and villains destroying buildings but amongst the running and panic, they saw a woman in her mid 30's. She was wearing her hair in a tight bun and wearing a yellow shoes that stood out from the dust. While the people were busy running, she was standing aside, helping everyone she could. She helped pulled out an elderly out of the rubbles and handed the little girl the doll that she dropped. 

She looked around, still looking for people to help until their eyes met. 

He saw himself waved at her and she waved back with a smile. 

"You'll see her again, Billy. Someday." He patted Billy's back before they let go of the hug. His eyes stared up at him with hope, shining beneath the tears. 

"Promise?"' he asked and Marvel knelt in front of him, wiping a tear off Billy's face. 

Marvel smiled. "I promise."

There was a comfortable silence between them before they embraced once more. 

"Thank you," Billy said at the crook of his neck.

"You're welcome," Marvel replied and before the could even start on another topic, the heavens shifted and suddenly, the house of mystery was floating above them. 

John's head was already sticking out the front door of the house, waving down at them.

"Oi! Kid, Marvel! Come with me! You're needed at the Watchtower, now!" he called with his voice fighting to be heard from being high above them and his hair flipping onto his face as wind rushed past him.

Billy wiped his face squeaky clean and held Marvels hand. Marvel smiled down at him and Billy smiled back. "Shall we?"' Marvel asked, squeezing Billy's hand slightly. 

Billy nodded at him. "Let's go," he said and they both flew up to the house and used the zeta tube inside.

When they arrived at the Watchtower and their names were announced by the tube, two figures were already running towards them before they even stepped out. Those two turned out to be Hal and Barry, both already sporting a grin on their faces with both arms stretched wide open. 

The two was surprised to find both Billy and Marvel being there but Barry quickly recovered and had already thought of something. "Ooh! Double hug? No problem!" he said. He gave Hal a look and the two split up. Barry went straight for Marvel, jumping up on him and holding on like a koala while Hal scooped Billy in his arms and slapped his small body on Marvel's side, making now the four of them attached to each other like a one big hug monster. Billy giggled as he gladly went along and Marvel laughed as well, circling both arms around the ball of human bodies and titling them all up in the air. 

Marvel loved this. He was glad Barry and Hal had thought of this kind of greeting. He'll never get tired of this and there's still plenty of moments where he'd get to share this hug with them. 

-----

"What's going on?" Billy asked as him, Marvel, Barry, Hal and John walked the Watchtower hallways. The whole place was empty. There was no one there except for the four of them. 

He looked up at Marvel who was contented holding his hands as they walked, he was even humming at how in peace he was. Was Billy the only one who's lost here?

Is this another interrogation?

Hal, Barry and John didn't answer either and just continued walking beside them that it was starting to look suspiscious. They could be pulling a prank but... Marvel was there. Billy raised a brow at Marvel who was now dodging his eyes. The League knew never to mess with him whenever Marvel was around if they didn't want to get fried, so what's the catch?

They were nearing the monitor room and Billy could see from afar that it was dark in there.

Okay, totally not creepy.

"Hey, guys," he called as they stepped inside the room. "Are you possessed or somethin—"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BILLY!" All of a sudden, the lights turned on, confetti exploded into the air and he was surrounded by smiling faces. 

Billy was taken aback, not really sure what to say. He stared at everyone, scanning his eyes around the room where the cut out letters of Happy Birthday was actually spelled: "Hapdy Brithday!" and where most colors on the christmas lights on the wall were almost out and flickering unnaturally. There was a bunch of chips and burgers still in plastic wraps scattered on the table and at the middle of it was a large pie that Billy didn't have any idea how it was made. 

Amongst the silence, he started laughing all of a sudden, doubling over and holding onto his stomach.

"This party looks so bad that it looks good," he wiped a tear off his eyes.

He grabbed the birthday boy hat at the corner of the room and put it on his head. His eyes met everyone and with a smile, he said: "Thank you... for everything."

The End