ax_main | Billy and Goodnight | Takedown, pre-rescue

In the aftermath of the attacks, Billy opts to join X-Force in their retaliation. Goodnight tries to be supportive.

Billy had been checked out by the medical crew. The attack had left him with scrapes and a badly bruised and welted arm, but he was sound. Goodnight had gotten away with even less than that. Both of which were factors in Billy pushing to be allowed on the rescue team going after Alex; the former more than the latter likely was what had Scott giving in.

Billy had retreated to their room after that grim conversation, donning the armor Gilmore had put together for him. Black over black, high-necked to keep anyone from going for his throat easily.

"You'll stay with Pam until we get back?" he asked Goody. His voice was quiet. Billy had been very calm overall since the attack. Almost blank. It was a sight Goodnight was familiar with, but no one at the school understood. It wasn't shock or even determination. Just a lack of feeling.

It had Goody even more twitchy than he would've been anyhow. Still, he nodded. "If she'll let me." His leg bounced, shaking the bed where he sat. His face was pale. "You sure... I mean... I know you wanna go..."

"This is what I've been training for," Billy reminded him. He pulled his hair back into a brutally tight tail, then twisted it into a knot at the back of his head. Less for anyone to grab onto that way. "And we can't let them keep Alex."

"I know it," Goody reasoned, more with himself than anyone else, "but they's plenty of people who can go..."

"They're going to pay for what they did to us." Billy frowned and flexed his injured arm. "And for trying to take you from me again. They're never getting another chance to do that. Ever."

"Please," Goody said, a little choked. "Please take care of yourself. I'm--sorry I can't go." But he couldn't, because he was fuckin' useless.

Billy turned sharply. A moment later, he was on the bed next to Goodnight, hugging him tight. "I'm coming back to you. Promise. You're my everything and I'm yours. I won't ruin that. But someone needs to be with Pam. If they'd taken you... I couldn't live with that. I worry what she'll do."

Goody buried his face in Billy's neck and breathed deeply, taking him in. "I know it. I'll do all I can here. I promise. And I know you will too."

"I can't be scared right now," Billy whispered. "But when I get back...?"

Goody took one more deep breath, then sat up straight, nodding. He let Billy go. "Right. You go ahead on. Fuck 'em up, darlin'."

Those words coaxed a sharp, humorless smile out of Billy. "I love you," he murmured. "And I'm going to give them a knife for every day they kept you in that place."

"True romance." Goody's smile was equally black. "Give 'em an extra for me--and Alex. And don't forget, I love you too. Not ever."