49 Legacy

[Date: December 2022]

Maeve walked into the surprisingly clean apartment with trepidation and a bit of dread.

"So what brings your royal highness to visit little old me?" Butcher's gruff voice asked and Maeve couldn't help but scowl. "Didn't happen to finally get your hands on some V did you?"

"No security is still tighter than a drum. You look like shit, not eating again?" She eyes his dark circles under his eyes and thinning frame. 'Christ he probably lost another stone!' she thought.

Billy scowled in return and went to the kitchen and pulled out a whiskey bottle from one of the top cabinets and two glasses.

"The bloody pills keep the seizures away but cut the hunger right out makes everything taste like stale cardboard." He said and took a sip of the caramel liquid.

"Not whiskey I see." She remarked.

"No, not whiskey." He gave her a cocky smirk "Whether it's the V, the pills or the booze one way or another I'm slowly wasting away, might as well make it all three." He said and handed her the second glass.

She took it, put it to her lips and took a small sip. They both stood in silence for a brief moment enjoying the sensation of the drink.

"Have you visited Hughie?" His demeanor darkened instantly.

"Bit hard to do with the monitor." He said and tapped his ankle.

"Like that could stop you." She couldn't help but sarcastically remark.

"Well, wouldn't want to make Malory look bad. She went to bat for me on this one." He took another strong swing of his glass turning away back to the kitchen counter.

She felt a surge of annoyance at him.

"You should go. Doctors said it's a miracle he even regained consciousness, they say it could be any day now. Annie's there every day, even M.M showed-"

"YES I FUCKING KNOW!" he said slamming his glass down on the counter shattering it.

Maeve watched as Butcher suddenly stopped and took a deep breath. "I know. I know. Ok. I will." He said with finality.

"Now you're not really here to nag me about my absence from visiting hours, I got enough of that from Frenchy and Kimiko, nor do I see a magic cure all vial in your hands so why are you here?" He asked as he started to clean up the broken glass and spilled contents.

The sense of anxiety overtook her again. This was the moment she had dreaded for the last week but he needed to know.

She took a quick breath and steadied herself.

"No, you're right. I'm here to tell you that I'm pregnant."

He stopped and paused for a moment then turned to her from the kitchen counter.

"Well, congratulations." He said. "Seems to be that tis' the season." He remarked and she couldn't help but give him a questioning look.

"Kimiko broke the news two weeks ago. Haven't seen Frenchy happier…" He paused "Or more scared than ever."

He went and threw the shards in his hand in the trash. "But I am quite curios" he said turning back to her "How'd that happen?"

Now Maeve felt annoyed and put her hands on her hips in her signature pose. "Do I have to explain the birds and the bees to you? Do you want the Disney version or Animal Planet?" she let her sarcasm show.

"Cheeky!" he responded back. "But you and Elena…well two flowers don't work that way usually you need a stinger in between."

"Obviously." She remarked.

"Now who's the lucky fellow?"

She paused, raised her brows and slightly inclined her head as if you point at him.

Maeve saw the exact moment as realization came into his eyes.

"I'm the stinger?" he said more as a statement than a question.

"By process of elimination, I hadn't slept with anyone in months before and no one after." She affirmed.

"Fuck." Was his only response. He tried to hide it but she could see conflicting emotions struggling for dominance in his eyes.

She saw that she didn't know what to say so she continued.

"William" she said bringing his attention back. "I'm going to keep it. I hadn't thought I was going to be a mother in a long time but now that it's happened." She paused.

She wasn't sure how to express the feelings she's felt ever since realizing she was pregnant nor could she properly explain the process of how she came to the decisions.

"Well I just feel like it's the right way to go." She paused again. "I'm telling you because it's the right thing, because you should know, because well-"

"Because I might kick the bucket any day as well. Because it's unlikely I'll see the birth of my own child." He said and stopped.

They both stared at each other in silence for a moment.

"Right fucking mess this is." He finally said.

"Does Homelander know?"

Maeve felt a surge anger and annoyance permeate her being again. Homelander, Homelander, it always came down to Homelander with Butcher.

She was annoyed at Butcher for bringing him into this and she was annoyed at him for being right to ask the question.

'How will Homelander react to her carrying Butcher's child?' …that is if he ever found out it was his. She couldn't get a read him anymore there were to many changes that happened in both him and Vought but she didn't feel that Homelander will take any action against her.

"I don't know. I haven't told him so I don't think..."

"Good." He said firmly. "You don't know what that crazy cunt might do. He might hurt you both out of spite."

"He might." She acknowledged. "But I don't think so, something's changed in him, spending time with…Ryan …changed him, I think." she said hesitantly, she knew there were unresolved issues between Butcher and Ryan so she quickly continued "Besides Vought wouldn't waste the marketing opportunity."

Butcher scoffed.

"They'll parade you around like a prized mare, the pregnant 'Icon', superhero mommy, Christ I can see the billboards now." He said.

"Probably." She said her tone resigned. "I won't be able to acknowledge that it's yours. The PR would be a disaster."

He was silent for a split second.

"Probably for the best. I'll be surprised if Vought doesn't imply Immaculate Conception to begin with."

She smiled. "I'm sure someone in marketing will at least suggest it."

"Do you know what it is?" he asked cautiously. She shook her head.

"No not yet. Maybe in a week or so once I do the tests."

He nodded, eyes understanding silently looking at her.

A moment, then two, then three passed as they stared at each other until he finally broke.

"Now what?" he asked.

She took a moment more, unsure of where to go.

"I guess, now you know." She said her shoulders feeling lighter. "Nothing else really."