#Nolan realized he loves Debbie a lot sooner

[stubz]

House of Gold

They were playing heroes or as Mark called it "training" for when he would inherit Nolan's powers. Secretly she was hoping that he wouldn't get them for quite some time, she knew Nolan wouldn't ever make him do anything, he was 6 for crying out loud! But Cecil was another story.

She was attacked by the evil Doctor Pain, Nolan's face at being dragged into this would make her laugh for weeks, and was just rescued by Omni-Boy.

Now the evil Doctor Pain was inside making lunch as punishment for kidnapping Omni-Boy's mom while the two of them were sitting in the backyard.

"Mom?"

"Yes hon?"

"Do you think I'll be as strong as Dad when I get my powers?"

"I don't know," she truly didn't. From what Nolan said there was a chance that he wouldn't get any powers. "But what I do know is that you'll be just as brave as him. And kind, and gentle, and-"

"And famous!" She laughed, pulling him into a hug. "I'll be so famous I'll have my own action figure and movie! And I'll be rich!"

"Well then. Omni-boy, will you buy me a house of gold? And when your famous will you still take care of me when I grow old?" she teased.

"Yeah! No, even better! I'll make you queen everything so that you'll also be famous." he sounded so sure that she believed him for a moment.

"Queen of everything?"

"Yeah, you can rule the world and make everyone nice so that no one will ever be evil ever again. But if they do then I'll beat them up and throw them to outer space! I'll protect you."

"And what about me?" Nolan hovered over them holding a tray of sandwhiches.

"You can also be mom's bodyguard!"

"Why not king?"

"But mom's the boss."

She laughed and they ate their lunch on the grass. She smiled as she watched Nolan trying to wipe Mark's face clean of the mayonnaise and mustard on his face. Mark whined and squirmed but she could see the smile he was fighting off.

Maybe she didn't need a house of gold or be the Queen of everything. All she really needed was her husband and son.

She knew that something was going on with Mark but no matter how much hinting and prodding she did he wouldn't talk to her. Hopefully Nolan was doing better.

"Mom?" he poked his head in. She hated how small and quiet he sounded, like he was 6 again and had a nightmare rather than 14.

"Come here." She hated how weak she sounded. Hated how sad he looked whenever he saw her. Hated that she wished it was anyone else who was in her position. Goddamn you cancer. God-f*cking-damn you.

For a while they just stayed quiet. Mark holding her as gently as he could, Debbie holding him as tightly as she could.

"...how's training with dad?"

"...good, I can land now."

"Well thank god for that, I don't have to worry about my garden anymore now." his ghost of a smile is small victory for her.

"Yeah...I, its...good."

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." she lets go of his back to hold his face in her hands. Thumbs rubbing up and down under his eyes, right hand smooths back his hair, eyes looking down at him nothing but all the love she has for him. Just like when he was little.

Just like he was little he crumples and gives in to her silent ask of trust.

"I just, its just, how can I be a hero when I can't even save you," at last the first tear falls and his last attempt of staying strong breaks. "I have these powers a-and so does dad but, but what good are they if you can't be saved." he buries is face in her chest. Wet with tears that just won't stop.

"Oh, Mark, oh sweetheart."

"I said I'd protect you! Your supposed to be with me, your supposed to embarrass me with dad when I get a girlfriend! Your supposed to teach me how to drive! Your supposed to live!" she's crying now too.

"I'm sorry. I know its not fair honey, God I know. But, but sometimes that's just life...I wish I could tell you that I know everything is gonna be alright but I can't. I can't but I can tell you this. I'm not giving up, okay? You look at me when I'm talking Mark Grayson."

She forces his face up and looks at him. 14 years old and he's learning how to fly. 14 years old and he's training to be the next Omni-Man. 14 years old and his mom is dying. At 14 years old he should be learning about algebra, training for soccer, with a mom who's not dying.

"I'm not giving up and your not either. Your not allowed to give up. Even when I'm gone your not allowed to."

" . . . I won't. I'll save you, I'll cure you of disease."

Neither of them notice Nolan standing outside the hospital room listening in. And not anyone, Nolan included, noticed the way his fists clench nor the red of his eyes.

The last thing Debbie Grayson saw was her son and husband standing over her crying.

The last thought going through her head wasn't her love for them. Nor was it regret. And most certainly not fear of what would happen next.

It was the thought that this was the first time she's ever seen her husband cry.

The first thing Debbie saw was her son and husband hovering over her crying.

The first thought going through her head was how heavy Mark had gotten.

The second thought was a sense of deja-vu. The third thought was to register what Mark was saying.

"I did it mom, I did it. I saved you. I cured you of disease."

"Wha." she really needed some water.

Nolan helped prop her up and handed her some water. He kept his hand on her lap.

"My people, the Viltrumites, saved you. We now have the power to cure any disease, you and Earth will never be sick again."

The days after were strange but happy. Apparently she couldn't receive the cure for quite some time, 5 years to be exact, and had to be frozen.

Mark and Nolan visited her everyday for as long as they could but as per an agreement with Grand Regent Thragg they must aid them with their enemies. Enemies that Nolan vaguely talks about and Mark waves off as nothing.

She asks where Cecil is as well as the Guardians of the Globe. Nolan says they've been relocated. She asks Mark about William and any other friends he has. He says William is good and he sees them everyday and briefly talks about a group of people he's trying to bring over their side.

Finally she's discharged and is brought to a mansion with staff and nurses. Nolan refuses to let her stay anywhere else, she deserves the best. Mark smiles, teasing her about how would she prefer a house of gold.

There are things she still finds odd. How the staff freeze up and quiver whenever someone makes a mistake. How they never touch her more than they have to and never make eye-contact with her. How they bow to Nolan, Mark, and the people wearing white bodysuits.

How she can't watch the news or anything that came out after 2021.

She confronts her family about it and wishes she didn't as she looks at the screens showing the state of world. Their city in ruins. People lying dead in the streets. Ships sinking in the Atlantic Ocean. The world burning and it's all because of her.

"After you...died Dad told me more the Viltrumites and how they could cure you. At first I didn't want to do it but I told you I wouldn't give up and so I didn't.

I know it looks bad but its not really. We make it as painless as possible for those who refuse to join and treat those who do with kindness and respect.

We never kill anyone under 18 or pregnant and take in the kids we find and...hey, don't cry mom. Look at Melissa."

Melissa, her cook, the only one brave enough to talk to her.

"She was hurt by one of our patrols and as an apology we took her in, we gave her food, shelter, medical aide, a home. And now she has an income, wife, and two beautiful children. All because of us."

She's sobbing now and would be on the floor if not for Nolan holding her. Holding her so gently and lovingly with the same hands that have killed millions.

Her son, her baby boy, with a head count in the thousands kneels before her and takes her hands into his. She used to be able to cover both of his with her own.

He smiles her a bright cheery grin that has his eyes twinkle.

"You asked me to buy you a house of gold, I got you one. You asked me if I'll take care of you when you grow old, I will protect you and care for you forever. I said I'd cure you of disease and now I say I'll cure you of your mortality. I said I'd make you Queen of everything and I meant it," he stands as Nolan gently places a fur shawl on her shoulders. "You can make everything here even better and you, me, and dad can live ever after happily."

They hold her close. Both of them smiling and feeling content while utterly oblivious to the turmoil of guilt and fear Debbie Grayson feels towards her husband and son.

#long fic #invincible #no beta #listening to house of gold after watching season 2 ep 8 hit different #Nolan realized he loves Debbie a lot sooner #Mark gets powers at 14 #Debbie is the turning point for Mark going full viltrumite