Antony stood in the doorway, his red-and-blue suit gleaming beneath the office lights.
There was a hint of exhaustion on his face—carefully performed, just believable enough.
"You…"
Jessica's voice trembled.
For a split second, she wanted to rush forward and punch him square in the face.
The next second, she wanted to crash into his arms and cry until she couldn't breathe.
In the end, she did neither.
She snorted, folded her arms, and put on her best I-don't-care expression.
"Well, look who finally crawled back from the missing persons list," she said coldly.
"I figured you died somewhere in deep space. I was about to turn your office into a bar."
"Sorry to disappoint," Antony replied with a grin as he walked in.
"Alien food's terrible. Had to come home."
"Where the hell have you been for over a month?!"
Jessica grabbed the badge off her desk and hurled it at him.
"Do you have any idea what this month's been like for me?
Do you know how vicious those boardroom fossils are?
Do you know how much of a disaster that goddamn reality show has been?!"
Antony caught the badge effortlessly, still smiling.
"Perfect timing," Jessica snapped, her voice shaking despite herself.
"I quit. I'm done. This is your mess—clean it up yourself. Pay me what you owe me. I'm going home to my apartment to sleep."
She shoved past him, fighting through the agony raging inside her.
She couldn't let him see her like this.
Like a monster.
Like a ticking bomb.
"Jessica."
Antony didn't move aside.
He grabbed her wrist.
"Let go!" She struggled, but his grip was iron.
"Your hand's burning up," he said quietly, the humor gone.
"So what? I have a fever. Let go!"
"You're in pain," he said.
That single sentence shattered her defenses.
She stopped struggling.
Antony gently removed her sunglasses.
Her eyes were bloodshot.
A faint red glow burned beneath them.
Her face was drawn and pale—painfully so.
Antony sighed inwardly.
Showtime.
His expression softened completely, layered with guilt so convincing even he almost believed it.
"I'm sorry, Jessica."
He raised a hand and brushed her cheek.
The coolness of his fingers brought her a sliver of relief.
"I came back too late."
Her eyes reddened. She bit her lip hard.
"Why… why did it take you so long?"
"I was looking for a way to save you," Antony said quietly.
"That thing inside you—it's dangerous. And Asgard… Asgard couldn't fix it either."
"So I broke into Odin's forbidden library.
I got placed under house arrest.
I made a deal with Loki.
I fought Dark Elves."
He paused.
"Eventually…"
A golden apple appeared in his hand, gleaming under the lights.
"I found a way to suppress it. Not cure it—but it'll ease your pain."
"Antony… you idiot," Jessica whispered.
She finally broke.
She slammed into his chest and wrapped her arms around him.
"Trust me," he murmured against her ear.
"Hold on just a little longer. Soon… I'll pull it out completely."
"Then you'll be free."
"I believe you…"
Her voice faded as dizziness overtook her.
Her knees buckled.
She didn't hit the floor.
Antony caught her.
One arm around her back, the other beneath her knees—he lifted her effortlessly.
"Put me down…" she protested weakly.
"Don't move."
He carried her to the couch by the window and sat down, letting her rest against him.
Jessica hated this.
She was Jewel.
She was Hell's Kitchen's toughest survivor.
But she couldn't hold it in.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, buried her face against his chest, and sobbed quietly.
Fear.
Pain.
Loneliness.
Everything she'd bottled up finally spilled over.
Antony said nothing.
He just gently patted her back.
A long time passed before her breathing steadied.
She suddenly realized how vulnerable she'd been and pushed herself upright.
"Enough," she said sharply, wiping her face.
"You're back. My temp job's over. I'm going back to Brooklyn."
She turned to leave.
"Wait."
Antony placed a hand on her shoulder, his expression serious now.
"You can't."
"What?"
"War is coming, Jessica."
"The bastards causing you this pain… they're here."
Her heart skipped.
"They're coming for you," he said calmly.
"Or more accurately—for what's inside you."
"It's called the Aether. A weapon used by a species called the Dark Elves to destroy worlds."
"If you go back to Brooklyn now, your apartment won't last thirty minutes.
Your neighbors. That stray cat downstairs. All dead."
"And…"
He stepped closer, taking her hand.
"Vought needs you.
Those kids on the show need you.
And I… need you."
"This isn't just about saving yourself.
It's about saving the world."
"That's what Jewel does."
Jessica looked at him.
The pain was still there—but something stronger held her up now.
"Fine."
She picked up her badge and clipped it back around her neck, eyes sharp again.
"Let's do it. And when we're done killing alien scum, you owe me double overtime."
"Deal."
-----
The Next Day
A media storm swept across America.
White House Press Room.
The press secretary stood at the podium, solemn.
Behind him—side by side—the U.S. flag and Vought International's logo.
"As many have suspected," he announced,
"Vought International's founder and leader of the Seven—Homelander—has been executing a top-secret space operation, authorized directly by the President."
The room erupted.
"During this mission, Homelander uncovered critical intelligence: a hostile alien force known as the Dark Elves is preparing a full-scale invasion of Earth."
"This marks the second existential threat humanity has faced since the Battle of New York."
"But rest assured," the secretary raised his voice,
"President Ellis has authorized Vought International and its superhero division to take full control of Earth's defense."
At the same time, Vought and the White House released a pinned video.
In it, Antony floated in the stratosphere—Earth stretching blue and endless behind him.
"I'm back."
Just four words.
It was enough.
"Popularity gained +31,252!"
"Popularity gained +26,525!"
"Popularity gained…"
The internet exploded.
"I knew it! Homelander didn't die—he was scouting space!"
"Aliens again?! And somehow I'm not scared at all."
"This is what real presence looks like—while some 'agency' is still filing reports, Homelander's already fighting in orbit!"
The stage was set.
And the world was watching.
--------------
T/N:
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