Until the shower incident.

You still remembered it vividly.

The moment you stepped beneath the warm water and droplets struck your chest, pain exploded through your breasts so suddenly that a scream tore from your throat. Your knees nearly buckled beneath you. Your nipples ached with an unbearable sensitivity that made even the water feel agonizing. You had stumbled out of the shower immediately, confused and shaken, wrapping yourself in a towel while trying to understand what the hell had just happened. Eventually, you forced yourself to clean up using a sponge and a warm wet rag instead, carefully avoiding your chest that remained sore for hours.

Then came the smaller changes; the weight gain, your stomach softening slightly, your thighs thickening, your breasts growing fuller by the week.

At first, you hadn’t thought much about it. You’d been eating far more than usual lately, stuffing yourself with sweets whenever you could get your hands on them. Baking, pastries, candy—anything sugary became your comfort after everything that had happened. After the war. After the deaths. After the trauma. The sweetness filled the hollow ache inside your chest, if only temporarily. And honestly? You had missed human food desperately while traveling with Nolan and Thaddeus across space. Alien cuisine had been interesting, sometimes even good, but nothing compared to Earth’s desserts. Nothing compared to the cupcakes your mother used to bake when you were younger.

Then the nausea started.

And the morning sickness. Throwing up after dinner. Dizziness. Fatigue.

You’d blamed the sugar at first. Too much junk food, an unbalanced diet, lack of exercise. It sounded logical enough. After the war, you had stepped away from being Invincible, letting Bulletproof take over the role while you recovered mentally and physically. It made sense, he had already been filling in for you while you were gone from Earth.

Eve’s idea had been smart.

Bulletproof dyed and styled his hair to resemble yours as closely as possible and avoided speaking whenever he could so nobody would notice the difference. Most fights ended quickly anyways. His speed made it nearly impossible for civilians to focus long enough to realize Invincible wasn’t actually you.

The name stayed alive. The world stayed calm. And you got time to breathe, or at least you tried to.

“I don’t know what’s happening to me, Eve.” your voice trembled as you sat on the edge of your bed, elbows resting on your knees while your hands pressed against your forehead. “My body feels all off. Weaker than normal. I don’t know what to do.”

Eve stood nearby with concern written across her face.

“Are you sure you’re not still sick?” she asked carefully. “I mean… that virus was literally designed to destroy Viltrumite DNA, which is half your genes.”

“No, it’s not that.” you shook your head quickly. “I don’t feel sick the same way I did before. No fever, no dry throat… just weaker. And I keep getting these pains in my stomach.”

“Could it be something you ate?”

“No, I don’t think so. I’ve been feeling like this for weeks now.”

“Okay…” Eve inhaled slowly, running a hand through her hair while she tried piecing things together. “Tell me all the symptoms again.”

“Morning sickness. Nausea after dinner. My whole body feels sore.” your voice lowered slightly at the next part. “I’ve gained a lot of weight too…”

Eve’s eyebrows furrowed. Then slowly, her expression changed. “Okay…” she started cautiously. “Don’t get mad at me, but… could you be pregnant?”

Your entire body tensed instantly. 

Pregnant? No. That couldn’t be possible… right? You hadn’t slept with anyone recently besides Thragg. But that had only happened once, and it had been almost over a month ago. Your hand instinctively moved to your stomach. “Pregnant?” your throat tightened painfully around the word. “Do you really think…?”

“I mean, it makes sense,” Eve admitted softly. “It’s honestly the only explanation I can think of.”

Your breathing started quickening.

“Hey.” Eve immediately sat beside you, placing both hands on your shoulders. “Inhale and exhale. Whatever happens, you have a choice, okay?”

You forced yourself to breathe.

In.

Out.

Again.

“Good,” Eve murmured, rubbing slow circles against your back. “I know this is personal, but… have you been with someone recently?”

“Yeah…” you admitted quietly. “But promise you won’t get mad at me.”

“I won’t.”

You hesitated. Then finally whispered “I was with someone a few weeks ago. Thragg.”

“THRAGG?!” Eve practically shouted, jumping up from the bed so fast it startled you. “Thragg? The same Viltrumite that tried to kill you and your dad?!”

“Yesss…” you mumbled in embarrassment.

“Oookay…” Eve slowly sat back down, visibly trying to process that information. “But… why?”

You scratched nervously at the side of your head. “I don’t know. It just… happened.”

“It just happened?” Eve repeated slowly, then her voice lowered. “Did he... try to do anything?”

Your hand froze. “I’m not sure,” you admitted after a long silence. “He initiated it, but… it was weird. I knew I shouldn’t’ve been with him because he’s horrible. He tried to kill me. I know that, but part of me… didn’t really mind being with him.”

Eve studied your face carefully. “Are you attracted to him?”

You didn’t answer. You didn’t have to. The look in your eyes said enough.

“Okay…” Eve muttered quietly. 

Pink sparks flickered around her fingers as she grabbed an empty water bottle from the desk nearby. Molecules shifted and rearranged instantly until the plastic transformed into something entirely different. A pregnancy test.

“Here.” she handed it over gently. “Go take it. If it’s positive, we’ll go see someone to confirm it. I know a doctor who can help.”

You stared at the white plastic stick in your hand for several seconds before silently heading to the bathroom. The entire time you sat on the toilet, your hands shook. When you finished, you washed your hands thoroughly before setting the test down. Then waited, one foot tapped anxiously against the floor.

“Please…” you whispered under your breath.

Five minutes later, you grabbed the test with your eyes squeezed shut.

“Okay,” you muttered shakily. “Moment of truth.” When you opened your eyes two bright lines greeted you. Positive. “FUCK!” you yelled from inside the tiny bathroom.

Eve burst through the door instantly. “So it’s—?”

“I’m pregnant, Eve!” your voice broke completely.

Eve immediately wrapped her arms around you. “Hey, hey… it’s okay. It’s okay,” she soothed gently. “You still have time to decide what you want to do.”

You buried your face into your hands while trying not to sob.

“I know someone named Sherry,” Eve continued softly. “She helped Dupli-Kate through her pregnancy, and she also helped me when I got an abortion. She specializes in helping superpowered women with… situations like this.”

You looked up suddenly. “Wait.” you wiped away your tears quickly. “You had an abortion?”

“Yeah,” Eve admitted quietly. “A few months ago.”

Your chest tightened painfully. “Why didn’t you tell me? Eve, I could’ve— I feel terrible now. I wasn’t there for you.”

“Nah.” she shook her head gently. “Don’t. You couldn’t’ve done anything. You weren’t even on Earth at the time. Besides, William came with me, so I wasn’t alone.”

“Still, I’m sorry.”

“Hey.” Eve gently grabbed your hands. “Look at me. It wasn’t your fault. I was just stupid and didn’t use protection. I’m okay now, truly.” she squeezed your fingers reassuringly. “But right now, let’s focus on you. I’ll call Sherry and make an appointment. She’ll talk through all your options with you, whether you decide to keep it or not. It’s your decision.”

And that was how you found out that you were pregnant, carrying Thragg’s child inside your womb. You still hadn’t told your mother. Hadn’t told Nolan either. You were terrified of their reactions. Terrified of making the wrong decision. Terrified of yourself. But right now, the person you needed most… was your mother.

You carefully placed the sonogram pictures back inside the folder before splashing cold water against your face, trying to make yourself look somewhat presentable. Then you stepped out of the room and descended the stairs slowly, heart pounding harder with every step. The old Guardians of the Globe moon base had become Nolan’s temporary home after he was no longer allowed to remain on Earth following everything he had done. Your mom had chosen to stay with him regardless, and with the Guardians relocating to a new orbital station somewhere else entirely, this abandoned base gave Nolan the perfect place to stay hidden while still remaining close enough to Earth in case he was ever needed again.

“Mom?” you called softly while looking around the living room.

“In the kitchen, darling!” she answered immediately. The smell of food drifted through the hallway.

When you entered, she was standing over the stove stirring something inside a pot.

“Hey,” she said casually without turning around. “Have you heard from Oliver? It’s been a while. I miss him.”

“No, but mom…”

“Agh, he’s probably still hanging around with that alien man. What was his name again? Albert? Alden? Alan? I keep forgetting.”

“Mom.” This time your voice cracked hard enough for her to notice.

She turned immediately. The second she saw your face, concern flooded her expression. “Sweetie?” she approached quickly. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

You couldn’t speak. Instead, you shakily handed her the folder.

Confused, your mother opened it carefully. The moment she pulled out the sonogram pictures, her eyes widened. Silently, she turned off the stove. Then she grabbed your hand and guided you towards the couch. You sat down beside her while tears continued spilling uncontrollably down your cheeks.

“I’m sorry, mom,” you whispered fearfully.

You expected anger. Disappointment. Shock. Instead, she immediately pulled you into her arms.

“Why are you apologizing, sweetie?”

You buried your face against her shoulder. “I-I don’t know…” you admitted between shaky breaths. “I’m scared, mom. Scared of what I did. Scared of what to do now. Scared you’d be disappointed in me.”

She gently ran a hand through your hair. “Nonsense,” she said softly. “I could never be disappointed in you for something like this.”

You looked up at her.

“You’re an adult,” she continued. “You’re old enough to make your own decisions and choose what you want to do with your own body.”

“You’re not angry?”

“Of course not.”

You sat up straighter, your thumb brushing nervously over her hands. “Mom… I’m scared. I don’t know what I should do.”

Your mom inhaled deeply before asking softly. “How do you feel about it?”

“I’m not sure,” you admitted quietly. “Part of me wants to keep it… but with the kind of life I live, always leaving for missions and putting myself in danger… I don’t think I could ever be as good a mother as you were.”

“Oh, darling.” her expression softened instantly. “When I found out I was pregnant with you, I was terrified too.” she smiled faintly. “A normal human woman carrying the child of the world’s greatest superhero.” her fingers squeezed yours gently. “I thought about everything that could go wrong. Whether you’d inherit powers. Whether those powers would hurt me someday. Whether our lives would ever truly be normal.” she brushed your tears away lovingly. “But I chose to have you anyways. And I’m so glad I did.”

Your lips trembled.

“You became the most wonderful thing in my life. My little superhero. You’re kind. Gentle. Selfless. You throw yourself into danger to protect people no matter the cost.” she laughed softly. “And maybe this is me selfishly wanting grandchildren, but… I think you should keep it.”

More tears spilled down your face.

“But if you decide not to,” she continued immediately, “I will support you regardless. Completely. You are not alone in this.” she squeezed your hands tighter. “You have me. Your father. Eve. Oliver. All of us would help you however we can.”

Her words shattered something inside your chest. 

“Mom…” you sobbed before throwing your arms around her tightly. “Thank you.”

Your mother kissed your forehead lovingly. “You’ll always be my baby daughter. You never have to thank me for loving you.”

She gently wiped away the tears still clinging to your cheeks. “Now go take a warm bath and come downstairs for dinner. The food’s ready.” her smile softened. “Afterwards, we can continue talking about what you want to do.”

You nodded weakly, trying to steady your breathing while wiping at your swollen eyes. Your mother gave your hands one last reassuring squeeze before standing up from the couch and heading back toward the kitchen, leaving you alone with the crushing weight in your chest. For a long moment, you simply sat there in silence. The sonogram pictures still rested on the coffee table in front of you, the blurry image now feeling heavier than any weapon you had ever held in your hands. Your gaze lingered on the tiny shape curled inside your womb.

His boots echoed a loud thump every time Thragg took a step, pacing in circles around his office. The sound bounced against the metallic walls of the ship, mixing with the quiet humming of machinery around him. Every time he thought about it his blood boiled hotter.

The Viltrumites on Earth were still failing their mission.

Most of them had taken on a single mate to reproduce with. Why, Thragg thought bitterly, why just one? Why not multiple? He had been perfectly clear with his command. Infiltrate the human population, find as many suitable mates as possible to procreate with, but under no circumstances interfere with human affairs or allow themselves to become attached. Humans were breeding stock, nothing more. So imagine Thragg’s surprise when report after report showed the same disappointing pattern. Viltrumites settling down. Starting families. Growing attached. Even General Kregg had disappointed him. When Thragg confronted him about disobeying orders and saving humans during an attack in London, the man had the audacity to apologize. Among that group of weak insignificant humans had been a woman carrying his child. A woman he claimed to love.

Love.

The confession alone nearly sent Thragg into a blind rage.

Why was this happening again? Thragg’s thoughts drifted years into the past. Back when Nolan had first been sent to evaluate Earth and determine whether humans were genetically compatible with Viltrumites. Nolan had once been one of the empire’s greatest warriors. A conqueror responsible for bringing hundreds of planets under Viltrumite rule. Every mission report filed under his name had been nearly flawless.

Then he stepped foot on Earth, and everything changed. He found a human woman. A weak, fragile creature that somehow made him soft. Made him forget his mission. Made him feel. And now the same thing was happening to his soldiers. Was this some kind of defect in their DNA? No. That couldn’t be possible. Viltrumite DNA was pure. Superior. Perfect. And yet…

Thragg sighed heavily, trying to focus on logic instead of the irritation burning inside him. Since birth Viltrumites were taught that they were the strongest beings in existence. The weak were meant to perish so the strong could thrive. Everything belonged to them by right of power and nobody would ever take it away from them. Nolan had understood that better than most. He conquered planets without hesitation. Destroyed civilizations. Slaughtered armies. Yet the moment he arrived on Earth the man changed. Maybe humans possessed some strange influence over Viltrumites. No. That sounded ridiculous even to him. Humans were weak creatures. Temporary. Fragile. Some were born with abilities, yes, but none came close to the power of a true Viltrumite.

Then came the reports of your birth. A daughter, half human half Viltrumite. 

Thragg still remembered the interest he felt while reading through your records for the first time. For a hybrid your accomplishments were extraordinary. The things you achieved at such a young age by Viltrumite standards bordered on perfection. Your strength. Your adaptability. Your intelligence in combat. Everything about you exceeded expectations. Then came the time for you to officially join the empire. To go to Viltrum and fulfill your rightful place among your people. But every single time… you refused. Every time you said no. It was infuriating, so the empire resorted to a more direct approach.

Conquest.

A warrior over a thousand years old who had never once lost a battle. And somehow… you defeated him. Not once but twice.

Thragg narrowed his eyes slightly at the memory. Argall’s blood flowing through your veins had to be the explanation. Nothing else made sense. Then his thoughts slowly drifted somewhere else. Away from your accomplishments. Away from your heritage. Towards you. It had been over a month since he last saw you. Since the time you both spent together inside his headquarters. Since the night you occupied his chamber.

Thragg’s jaw tightened slightly.

In the moment you had managed to take control over him. And he allowed it. A foolish mistake. A weakness he would never repeat again. Yet despite himself, he found his thoughts wandering back to those moments far more often than they should. The conversations. Your defiance. The way you spoke to him without fear. Before, your interactions had been brief and insignificant, but Thragg found himself strangely entertained whenever you were around. He wondered where you were now. Who you were with.

Just days ago he received another report regarding your condition. Hormonal spikes. Physical weakness. Elevated stress levels. Of course he knew all of this thanks to the chip he had implanted into your back while you slept deeply beside him in his bed.

A smirk slowly pulled at the corner of his lips.

His plan had succeeded. 

Many of his operations were failing, but at least this one had gone exactly as intended. You were carrying his child.

Thragg scratched thoughtfully at his jaw, satisfaction swelling inside his chest. After the child was born he would take them. Raise them properly. Not the way Nolan raised you. His child would understand Viltrumite superiority from birth. They would obey him. Follow Viltrumite ways. Help restore glory back to the empire. And one day, when the time came, they would inherit the throne of Viltrum itself.

Thragg’s heart skipped slightly in anticipation. He could hardly wait to meet his child.

But before that could happen there were still problems that needed to be dealt with. Nolan. Thragg’s expression darkened immediately. The others could never discover Nolan was Argall’s true heir. If they did the throne would pass to him instantly. That could never happen. Nolan needed to die. And with Nolan gone, the title would eventually pass down to the child. A child loyal only to Thragg. You complicated things however. Thragg did not necessarily wish to dispose of you, not yet, especially not while you carried something so valuable. And if the child proved worthy after birth… perhaps he would allow you to bear more, just in case. Maybe eventually you would come to your senses and understand the importance of what he was trying to accomplish. But if not… if you continued clinging to humanity the same way Nolan had then unfortunately you would have to be disposed of as well, just like your father.

You stared at Allen and Oliver with a sour expression, trying your best to compose yourself. The moment you heard the news about the attack in London you had nearly lost your mind. 

For the first time in months, you had almost put the Invincible suit back on. You had been halfway to your room before Eve stopped you, reminding you that in your condition you couldn’t just fly across the planet and throw yourself into another battle. As much as you hated admitting it, she was right.

Thankfully the situation had already been handled by the time the news reached you. Some mysterious figure had stepped in and saved the day before things became even worse. Still… that didn’t excuse Allen’s and Oliver’s incompetence. They promised they would watch over Earth. Promised they would protect people until you were ready to return as Invincible again. But clearly that promise meant nothing.

“London was nearly leveled during that battle,” you snapped angrily. “Where the hell were you guys?!”

Allen and Oliver immediately started talking over each other.

“Well, the thing is—”

“We were with Tech Jacket on some alien’s spaceship he had just met. We weren’t THAT far from Earth but we lost communication.”

“I mean everything turned out okay, right? Hopefully nothing too horrible happened but—”

“I don’t mean to sound argumentative, but I’m technically not on-call here, you know.”

You let out a frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of your nose before shutting your eyes for a moment. “I’m sorry,” you muttered quieter this time. “I shouldn’t snap at you guys like that. It’s just… It’s hard not to feel useless right now. Sitting here while people get hurt and not being able to do anything.”

Allen and Oliver exchanged glances.

Then Allen spoke more gently. “I get it. I mean… I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now with the pregnancy and everything, but I know it’s probably tough.” his eyes drifted towards your healed arm. “I’m honestly just glad your hand recovered. Last time we saw each other it looked awful, and you still had that mechanical replacement attached to it.”

Your gaze lowered to the hand you shattered while stopping everyone from attacking Dinosaurus. The bones had healed, the scars faded, but the memory still stung.

“How’s the little guy doing?” Allen suddenly asked, glancing to your stomach. “Is it a boy or a girl?”

Your hand instinctively moved over your belly—the same hand you once broke protecting someone else. Your stomach was still small enough that nobody would notice unless they knew what to look for. Still, your palm rubbed gently against it, almost subconsciously trying to feel the tiny life growing inside you.

“I’m not sure. It’s still too early to tell.” you looked back at Allen. “Do you… want to touch it?”

Allen’s single eye widened instantly in excitement. “Can I?”

You giggled faintly and nodded.

The massive alien carefully knelt down in front of you, placing one enormous hand gently against your stomach like you were something fragile. Then, almost immediately, tears welled in his eye. “I can’t wait to meet you, little guy,” he sniffed emotionally. “Sorry I won’t be here to see you being born.”

“That’s alri— wait… what do you mean you won’t be here?”

“Oh. Right.” Allen slowly stood back up. “I forgot to mention that.” his expression softened slightly as he looked at you. “We actually came here to say goodbye. We stayed long enough to make sure you were safe and out of the Viltrumites’ hands. Now that everything’s settled, we need to return to Talescria. I’m sure there are many important matters waiting for me there.”

“Oh.” your voice came out quieter than intended. “Okay then. I guess I’ll see you later.”

Before Allen could answer, Oliver suddenly grabbed the sleeve of his shirt.

“Allen, can you give us a minute? I need to talk to my sister.”

“Huh?” Allen blinked. “Oh. Yeah, sure.” he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck before heading to the front door. “I’ll wait outside.”

The door shut behind him, leaving the room suddenly quieter.

You looked back at Oliver. “What’s up?”

Oliver hesitated for several seconds before finally speaking. “It’s just…” His voice cracked. “You could’ve died.”

Your expression softened immediately.

“You almost DID die,” he continued shakily. “And it would’ve been my fault. I could’ve killed you.” tears started filling his eyes. “I never should’ve brought the Scourge Virus to Earth. I was only thinking about protecting everyone else from the Viltrumites and… I’m sorry.” then suddenly Oliver lunged forward, wrapping his arms tightly around you.

You immediately hugged him back. “It’s okay,” you whispered gently. “I’m fine now. We’re okay.”

Oliver buried his face into your shoulder. “If losing someone feels like this… If this is what it feels like when someone you love almost dies… then maybe I was wrong about everything.”

Your chest tightened painfully. “Oh, Oliver…” you slowly pulled back just enough to look at him properly, wiping tears from his face with your thumb. “This is exactly what I’ve been trying to tell you.”

“I know…” he whispered, lowering his gaze towards the floor shamefully.

“It’s okay. I’m here now.” you gently squeezed his shoulder. “I forgive you. But please remember this feeling the next time you fight someone. Remember the consequences. Remember what mom always tried teaching us.”

“I know…”

You smiled faintly at him. “I’m glad you finally understand.” A small silence settled between you both before you spoke again. “Speaking of mom… have you told her you’re leaving again?”

Oliver immediately winced. “Not yet. I haven’t had time to visit her at the moon base.”

“Well, make sure you do before leaving, and give her a hug for me too, okay?”

“Okay.”

“And keep me updated on whatever happens in Talescria.” your smile weakened slightly. “I’m gonna miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.” Oliver hugged you tightly again, burying his face into the crook of your neck. “I’m gonna try visiting after the baby’s born, I’m excited to become an uncle. I think it’s gonna be a girl.”

You laughed softly. “Oh, do you now?”

“Yes.”

“And how exactly can you tell?”

Oliver shrugged confidently. “I just know.”

You smiled warmly. “Well… I guess we’ll find out in about eight more months.”

Neither of you seemed eager to let go. Eventually, you pulled apart and grabbed his hand, guiding him to the front door. The moment it opened, Allen was standing there talking with Eve. Both of them turned towards you. Final goodbyes were exchanged quietly before Allen and Oliver slowly descended into the air, lifting off the ground together.

Eve stepped beside you, crossing her arms. “At least I got back in time to say goodbye,” she said casually. “I got to London just in time to see them dragging the Flaxan leader off to prison.” she smirked slightly. “I have suuuch amazing timing, right?”

You barely heard her. Your eyes remained fixed on the sky as Allen and Oliver disappeared farther into the distance. Smaller and smaller, until eventually they vanished completely beyond the clouds. The silence felt strangely heavy.

Your hand slowly drifted down to your stomach again. Everyone kept leaving. Oliver. Allen. Soon Eve would probably return to hero work full-time too. And you… you were staying behind. The world was continuing forward without you in it.

A cold breeze passed through the open doorway, making you wrap your arms around yourself instinctively.

Eve glanced at you from the corner of her eye. “You okay?”

You continued staring at the empty sky for a few seconds longer before finally answering. “…Yeah.” But even you could hear how uncertain that sounded.

Nolan sat quietly on the couch, his hand resting over your mother’s shoulder. His thumb brushed gently against the fabric of her shirt while his gaze remained fixed on the stars outside the moon base windows. 

He still wasn’t entirely sure what to call her anymore. By Viltrumite standards, mate would’ve been the correct term. But Nolan had changed. Grown beyond those customs. Wife maybe? No, that felt too intimate now. Too personal. Perhaps once, before everything happened, he would’ve proudly still called her that. Before he tried conquering Earth. Before he shattered her trust. Before he nearly killed you with his own hands. No. He wasn’t worthy of calling himself her husband anymore. Partner? Yeah, that sounded better. Not cold enough to dehumanize her, but not close enough to pretend things between them were completely normal either. Partners. Companions. 

Nolan’s fingers slowly brushed across her shoulder again as Cecil continued speaking from across the room.

“You know, we never really got the chance to talk after your daughter got sick.”

Nolan remained silent.

“You tried taking over the planet for like… what, a minute? Then suddenly grew a conscience and left.” Cecil shrugged casually. “Since then all you’ve really done is help Earth. Fighting in the Viltrumite War, trying to stop Allen from bringing the Scourge Virus here…” he crossed his arms. “Honestly, I was pissed when I found out you were keeping your motives for this planet.” A faint smirk tugged at his lips. “I’m supposed to be the secretive one. That’s my thing.”

Nolan finally spoke. “I have many regrets,” he admitted quietly. “That period of my life was not one of my proudest moments. But where exactly are you going with this?”

Cecil sighed. “Personally? I can move past what happened. But the rest of the world won’t.” his tone grew more serious now. “What you did was public, Nolan. Hundreds died. People remember the fight between Omni-Man and Invincible. They remember the original Guardians of the Globe being slaughtered. There has to be some form of punishment for that.”

Nolan already knew where this conversation was going.

“So I’ve decided on exile.”

“WHAT?!” your mother shouted instantly, shooting up from the couch. “You can’t seriously expect us to live in this moon base forever!”

“I’m not expecting you to do anything,” Cecil replied calmly. “You can live wherever the hell you want. Nolan, however, stays here.”

“You can’t actually be serious—”

“It’s okay,” Nolan interrupted softly, placing a hand over hers to calm her down. “I deserve worse for what I did.”

Your mother looked at him in disbelief.

“I can’t let Nolan walk freely on Earth,” he explained. “If people discover he’s back it’ll be chaos. Some heroes would probably attack him on sight. You think Immortal’s gonna react well to seeing Nolan again? Guy’s an asshole, but honestly he’s earned the right to hate him.” He pressed several buttons on his wristwatch absentmindedly. “So here’s the deal. Nolan stays on the moon base. Every time you want to visit Earth, use disguises and the teleporter. You want to see your daughter? Have her fly up here. But Nolan cannot remain on Earth permanently.” Then Cecil smirked slightly. “Oh, and I’m gonna need rent eventually.”

Your mother glared at him.

“As you already know, there’s still a Viltrumite ship hanging around not too far from here.”

Nolan narrowed his eyes. “What are you asking me to do? Confront them? Thragg made the terms of the truce perfectly clear.”

“No, not that.” Cecil waved a hand dismissively. “Just keep an eye on them. Be Earth’s first line of defense if anything happens. Simple enough.” The portal behind him flickered open. “Check the place out. It’s pretty comfortable. Need furniture? Supplies? Anything else? Let me know and I’ll have it sent over.” Then with one last glance towards them he added, “It’s a nice place.” And with that, Cecil stepped through the portal and disappeared.

Silence settled over the moon base. Nolan watched your mother and approached her slowly before gently pulling her closer into his arms. “So…” a faint smile tugged at his lips, “looks like we’re all alone now.”

Your mother laughed softly despite everything. “Whatever will we do to pass the time?” she teased, resting her hands against his chest.

Nolan leaned down towards her, preparing to kiss her but suddenly a loud crash. The windows exploded inwards violently. Glass and metal erupted throughout the room as the pressure inside the moon base shifted instantly. Nolan slammed hard against the floor while your mother screamed. 

When Nolan looked up, Thragg stood inside the destroyed room. At the corner of his vision he could see your mother desperately gripping onto a ladder, struggling not to be sucked out into space through the shattered opening. Nolan reacted immediately. He lunged forward, smashing his forehead directly into Thragg’s face before rushing to your mother and pulling her to safety. But the second he turned back Thragg grabbed him by the legs. Both men shot violently through the broken opening and out into open space. 

Nolan shoved Thragg away furiously. “Why are you doing this?! I thought we had a truce! She could’ve died!”

“That woman means nothing to me,” Thragg responded coldly.

“But why attack me at all?!” Nolan demanded, slamming Thragg backwards. “We had an agreement! I pose no threat to you!”

“No threat?” Thragg sneered before punching Nolan hard across the face. “So you truly have no idea then. Before you die, you deserve to know the truth.”

The two hovered above the moon as Thragg began speaking. 

“Viltrum was once a paradise for many millennia. That changed when Lord Argall was murdered by The Betrayer… Thaddeus.” his tone dripped with bitterness. “Argall had many heirs, all hidden throughout the empire because our enemies were too numerous. But after his death chaos erupted. The heirs disappeared. Civil war spread across Viltrum. The weak were culled. Violence consumed the planet. Eventually we emerged stronger than ever before. And I was chosen as Grand Regent. I led our people through ruin. Through famine. Through the first Scourge Virus itself.”

Nolan listened silently.

“I searched for Argall’s heirs for years, but after the Scourge outbreak I assumed they were dead.” his eyes narrowed. “I felt as if I had earned my throne. I held our civilization together while everything collapsed around us. I was a better ruler than Argall himself. Still, I kept Argall’s skull beside me. A reminder of how easily power could be lost.” Thragg’s expression twisted with disgust. “Then I discovered the truth.”

Nolan frowned.

“I learned it after your daughter was infected with the Scourge Virus. Scientists examined her blood because of her unusual resistance to it.” Thragg’s tone sharpened. “At first I believed her human DNA explained it, but I was wrong.”

Nolan’s eyes widened slightly.

“I compared her blood to Argall’s genetic records.” Thragg’s voice became almost venomous. “You are Argall’s heir, his son. You, the same man who allied himself with your father's muderer. The same man responsible for destroying our homeworld.”

Nolan remained speechless.

“I murdered every scientist who worked on her case, I could not allow anyone else to discover the truth. I could never allow you to take my throne.”

Nolan clenched his teeth violently before throwing a punch directly into Thragg’s jaw. “I don’t CARE!” he shouted. “I don’t care if I’m Argall’s heir! I don’t want your empire! I don’t want your throne!”

Thragg groaned, wiping blood from his mouth. “That doesn’t matter,” he growled. “I cannot allow anyone to stand between me and my legacy.” Then suddenly he lunged forward. “You and your daughter vastly underestimate how outmatched you truly are!” Thragg roared while hammering punch after punch into Nolan. “If either of you understood the difference in our strength, you would simply lay down and die!” Another punch. “Here is your opportunity to correct that mistake!”

The two Viltrumites collided brutally against one another. Nolan kicked Thragg away. Thragg answered with a barrage of punches directly into Nolan’s skull. Bones cracked. Blood scattered across space. Nolan headbutted him in return, but Thragg continued overpowering him effortlessly. And just like he promised Thragg proved himself leagues above Nolan. Punch after punch shattered Nolan’s face apart until fractures spread through his skull and his right eye finally burst from the damage.

“It was I who kept our civilization alive!” punch.

“I drove our empire further than Argall ever could!” punch.

“I held our people together after the Scourge Virus!” punch.

“I earned my command!” punch.

“I deserve to lead!” 

Thragg raised another fist. “I am what our people NEED!” Another punch. “I do not care what your bloodline entitles you to!”

Another. “You have earned NOTHING!” Thragg reeled back for the final blow. “All you deserve is death!”

But suddenly a hand grabbed his wrist mid-strike. Thragg froze. Behind him stood General Kregg. Alongside Lucan, Anissa and Thula. His most trusted warriors.

“What?!” Thragg snarled furiously. “Explain yourself, General Kregg!”

The moment Thragg turned away, Nolan seized the opportunity and slammed another punch directly into his face, sending him flying backwards.

“This man seeks to steal my throne!” Thragg shouted the lie desperately. “This is an assassination attempt!” Or perhaps it wasn’t even a lie anymore, perhaps Thragg truly believed it. “I am your Grand Regent! And yet you dare interfere?! You would preserve HIS life over mine?!”

Anissa stared at Nolan. “You found Argall’s heir?”

“And he is WEAK!” Thragg spat immediately. “Look at him! He is not worthy of—”

Everything stopped, silence filled the void. Then all at once, every Viltrumite attacked Thragg simultaneously. Fists crashed into him from every direction.

“It was never Argall’s strength we followed!” Anissa shouted while striking him. “It was his wisdom!”

“The fact you cannot understand that proves how foolish we were to ever follow you!” Kregg added angrily.

“You will die for this betrayal! I invoke the Rite of Execution!”

Then Nolan’s voice echoed from behind them. “No.”

Everyone paused.

Nolan struggled painfully to his feet despite the horrific state of his body. “Let him live.”

The moment Nolan stood upright, every Viltrumite immediately lowered onto the moon’s surface. And one by one they bowed before him, their new leader. 

After receiving the news of what happened at the moon base through a frantic call from your mother, you flew there immediately. The moment you arrived and saw the damage your stomach dropped. Thankfully your mother had only suffered minor injuries. A few cuts, bruises, soreness around her neck from nearly being sucked out into space—nothing life threatening. Your father however… he looked horrifying. The injuries Thragg inflicted on him were brutal even by Viltrumite standards. Massive trauma to the skull. Fractures across his face. His right eye still bloodshot and swollen from the damage it had sustained. Thankfully Viltrumite DNA accelerated healing immensely, otherwise Nolan would’ve been dead long ago.

Now you stood among the masses of gathered Viltrumites inside the ship after Nolan had officially been crowned emperor. The atmosphere around you felt strange. Tense. Nolan stood at the center of the room addressing everyone. He spoke about how he never desired to rule Viltrum, but he also refused to abandon the responsibility that came with his birthright. Some Viltrumites still viewed him as a traitor for changing his ways, but according to Nolan that no longer mattered. Now they all needed to change as well. For far too long the empire focused solely on conquest while ignoring the suffering of the people beneath them. Entire civilizations rotted under their cruelty while Viltrumites convinced themselves strength alone justified everything. Nolan admitted that Thragg had been correct about certain things. Especially about repopulating the Viltrumite race. Allowing Viltrumites to integrate with humans had changed many of them, himself included. Earth had shown them another way to live. A better one. He spoke about how they should embrace those changes instead of fearing them. That Earth could become something more than a conquered planet. A place for Viltrumites to finally flourish peacefully.

“To move forward,” Nolan finished, “we must stop viewing compassion as weakness.”

Silence followed, but suddenly everyone shouted. “All hail Emperor Nolan!” The cheers erupted loudly throughout the ship.

Nolan looked exhausted more than anything. “Thank you,” he said quietly once the room calmed. “Now if you’ll excuse me… I’m going to need a few days to heal.”

“This is so weird,” you muttered to yourself.

One by one the Viltrumites began leaving the ship, flying back to Earth and their new lives. You watched them disappear into the distance, curiosity slowly taking over your thoughts. What kinds of lives did they all live now? Did they actually settle down? Did they have families? Children? Jobs? The thought almost made you laugh. Kregg joining a biker gang somewhere in Arizona. Lucan working some boring office job during the day while secretly hosting a late-night local television show at night. Anissa gave off the energy of someone who lived in Florida and visited the beach every weekend. It was strange imagining Viltrumites trying to live ordinary human lives. 

Then unfortunately your thoughts drifted somewhere else. Towards him. Towards Thragg. What kind of life would the two of you have lived if he had chosen differently? Would he have settled down with you somewhere on Earth? Maybe in your parents’ old house, or perhaps somewhere isolated far away from everyone else. Would he have stayed or would he have abandoned you and continued sleeping with other women, uncaring about the children he left behind? Your chest tightened painfully at that thought. Part of you hated yourself for even imagining those scenarios. Still… the idea of raising your child with both parents present sounded nice, normal. But you knew Thragg, or at least enough of him. He was not the type of man who cared about others. Everything always came second to his obsession with power and ruling Viltrum.

You sighed heavily, forcing those thoughts away when your mother approached you.

“How are you doing sweetie?” she smiled warmly. “I’m glad to see you.”

“Mom.” you immediately wrapped your arms around her carefully. “I’m doing okay, but how are you? Are you hurt anywhere? Does anything still hurt? Because if it does I can—”

“I’m fine, really.” she reassured gently. “My neck’s a little stiff, but give it a day or two and I’m sure it’ll be okay.” she squeezed your hands reassuringly before placing one over your stomach. “And how’s my grandchild doing?” her hand rubbed gently over your belly, trying to feel the life growing inside.

“Good,” you smiled faintly. “Baby’s greedy though. All she wants are cheesy turkey ham burritos.”

Your mother laughed softly. “That’s… oddly specific.”

“I know. Could be worse though. Could’ve been one of those weird peanut butter pickle sandwiches.” you shrugged.

“She?” your mother suddenly repeated, pausing.

“Oh. Right.” you smiled a little at the memory. “Oliver visited before leaving. He wanted to apologize for everything with the Scourge Virus. We talked for a while and he mentioned wanting to be here when I give birth.” then you laughed quietly. “He also said he had a feeling the baby’s a girl.”

“And what do you think?”

“I don’t know…” your hand rested over your stomach. “I kinda hope he’s right, but honestly I wouldn’t love the baby any less if it turned out to be a boy.”

Your mother looked at you proudly. “Have you thought of any names yet?”

“No… I haven’t really had time.” you admitted quietly.

“Well, whatever you need help with, I’m here. Even if I’m stuck on the moon. I’ll just use the teleporter Cecil gave us. You’re not alone in this.”

Emotion suddenly tightened your chest again. “Thanks mom…” 

You tried your best not to cry again when your father approached, resting one hand on your shoulder and the other over your mother’s.

“There she is,” Nolan smiled faintly.

“Here I am,” 

Immediately after your stomach twisted anxiously. You needed to tell them about Thragg. 

Your heartbeat quickened instantly. “There’s… something I need to tell both of you,” you muttered nervously. “About the baby’s father.”

“Oh.” both of them spoke at the same time.

“Come on,” Nolan motioned gently. “Let’s sit first.”

He guided both of you to the living quarters of the ship. The room was beautiful in a cold unfamiliar way. Massive windows overlooked the endless stars while another planet rotated peacefully in the distance.

“So,” Nolan sat down carefully, still visibly injured. “What is it you need to tell us?”

You stared down at your hands immediately, nervously picking at your nails. A horrible habit whenever anxiety overwhelmed you. But no matter how terrified you were, they deserved the truth.

“Around a month ago… maybe closer to two…” you started quietly. “Shortly after I recovered from the Scourge Virus, I saw someone outside my window.”

Your parents stayed silent.

“I followed them because they said they needed to discuss something important. They started talking about how impressed they were with me. Everything I accomplished. My strength.” your throat tightened painfully. “And then…”

You paused, because saying it aloud would make everything real. They would immediately know who you were talking about. 

“…they told me I was related to Argall.”

Nolan’s expression shifted immediately.

“The baby I’m carrying…” you forced yourself to continue. “…is Thragg’s.” The silence after felt suffocating.

Nolan’s face dropped instantly. “And you didn’t think to tell me any of this sooner?!” he snapped.

“Honey—” your mother immediately placed a hand against his chest.

“I’m sorry!” you cried quickly. “I was scared, okay? I was terrified of telling anyone.” Tears immediately started spilling again. “I felt like I betrayed everybody.” you buried your face into your hands shamefully.

Nolan closed his eyes, inhaling deeply before slowly exhaling. “I’m sorry, daughter. I shouldn’t’ve reacted like that. It’s just… with everything that happened…” he rubbed his face tiredly.

“It’s okay dad. You have every right to be angry at me.”

“I’m not angry,” he clarified quietly. “I’m worried. Thragg is dangerous. Unpredictable. I don’t want him hurting you. Or the baby. His obsession with Argall and the throne is what caused all of this. The moment he discovered our bloodline he likely realized he could use your child as a puppet ruler.” Nolan clenched his jaw. 

You remained silent while tears continued falling endlessly.

“Oh, darling…” your mother moved beside you immediately.

Both your parents wrapped their arms around you. And for the first time in days, you truly let yourself break down completely. You clung tightly onto them while sobbing into their shoulders. They hadn’t abandoned you or rejected you. Even after learning who the father was.

Your mother rubbed your back gently. “Like I’ve told you a hundred times already, we are here for you.”

“We’re your parents,” Nolan added quietly.

“We don’t care who the father is,” your mother continued. “As long as the baby is healthy and safe with us, that’s what matters.”

“Thanks…” you wiped your tears against your sleeve.

Nolan suddenly scratched awkwardly at his jaw. “I do have one question, though I’m not sure this is the best time to ask.”

“What is it?” you looked at him with red swollen eyes.

“…Do you uhh… have feelings for him?”

The question hit harder than expected. Did you love Thragg? You had asked yourself that same question countless times already. Why did you sleep with him? Why didn’t you push him away harder? Why did part of you pull him closer instead? Yes, physically it felt good, sex usually did. But even afterwards… even after learning his intentions… you still decided to keep the baby. You knew what kind of man he was. Cruel and violent. Obsessed with power. So why did keeping the child feel right? You and Thragg barely knew each other. And yet… you found yourself thinking about him constantly. Wondering if he’d ever try seeing you again before the birth. If he’d be present during labor. Or worse— If one night he would simply appear beside the crib, take your baby, and disappear into space forever.

“…I’m not sure,” you answered honestly. “No… I don’t think it’s love. I don’t know him well enough for that.”

Nolan studied your face quietly before nodding. “I understand, emotions are a complicated thing.” Then after a brief pause he asked, “Would you like to see him?”

Your eyes widened instantly. “See him?”

Nolan nodded.

“He’s downstairs. Before I exile him… I thought maybe the two of you deserved one final conversation.”

You inhaled slowly while thinking it over. “…I think I want to see him.”

“Alright.” Nolan carefully stood up. “Come with me. But if anything happens, call for me immediately. I may not be in the best shape right now, but if he tries anything I’ll be right outside the door.”

“Okay…”

You followed Nolan through the massive halls of the Viltrumite ship. The place was enormous. Cold metallic walls stretched endlessly in every direction, illuminated by pale white lights lining the ceilings. The deeper you traveled into the ship, the quieter everything became. You found yourself wondering if Nolan had been here before; maybe all Viltrumite ships were simply built the same way. 

Eventually the atmosphere changed. The air grew colder. Sharper. Sterile. Large metal doors slid open automatically with a soft hiss. Inside was a massive chamber lined with high walls and dim lighting. The scent of antiseptic mixed faintly with blood and metal. At the far end of the room—Thragg knelt restrained against the floor.

“I’ll give you both privacy,” Nolan said quietly. “Call if you need me.”

You nodded. Then slowly started walking towards Thragg. Your heart pounded harder with every step. You spent the entire walk trying to decide what to say. Tell him about the baby? Ask why he broke the truce? Why he attacked your father? Why he cared so desperately about ruling Viltrum? But deep down you already knew the answers. So instead… you just kept walking. 

The closer you got, the worse he looked. Thragg remained kneeling with heavy restraints locking both his arms and knees in place. Though honestly, part of you knew he could break free whenever he wanted.

Cuts covered his face. Bruises darkened his skin. One eye swollen purple and red. The sclera of his right eye completely bloodied from burst vessels. Even after being beaten and restrained, he looked terrifying. 

Your footsteps echoed throughout the room. Thragg slowly opened his eyes and smirked.

“Well, well…” his voice came out rough and hoarse. “I expected Nolan to walk through those doors.” his smirk widened slightly. “But this… this is much better.”

“Thragg,”

“What brings you here?”

You stared at him silently for several moments. Millions of questions filled your head moments ago. Now none of them came out properly.

“…Why?”

Thragg tilted his head slightly. “You’ll need to be more specific.”

“Why help me after I got infected? Why try killing me after? Why break the agreement? Why attack my parents? Why do you care so much about ruling Viltrum? Why did you—”

Your throat closed painfully. Tears spilled down your cheeks again. For several minutes Thragg said nothing. He simply watched you cry.

“Answer me!” you suddenly shouted, stomping your foot hard enough for the sound to echo violently through the chamber.

Finally, he answered. “It was nothing personal.”

You stared at him in disbelief. “Nothing personal?!” anger exploded through you instantly. “You tried killing me! You tried killing my mother! You tried killing my father! How is that NOT personal?!”

“Had it been another heir in your position, I would’ve done exactly the same thing.” Thragg replied coldly.

You wiped your face furiously. “But why…?” your voice came out smaller now.

Thragg looked away briefly. “Because I earned it. Because I believed it was the only way to ensure our people’s survival.”

“Bullshit!” you snapped immediately. “And you know it! You saw what happened when Viltrumites started living on Earth! They were happy! They had families! Peaceful lives! So why destroy all of that?!”

“Because that is our way, It is how we were raised, I was raised.”

You squeezed your eyes shut tightly, trying desperately to keep yourself composed. “I had hoped you might’ve changed,” you admitted quietly. “I thought maybe after the baby was born… maybe things would be different.”

Thragg stayed silent.

“Maybe we could’ve been something, us three. Maybe there could’ve been no more fighting between us.” you stared down at your belly. “My father never wanted the throne. I don’t want it either. You could’ve kept ruling like before and maybe eventually …maybe eventually you would’ve seen things differently.” you laughed bitterly through tears. “I really thought maybe we could’ve been a family.”

Silence followed.

Out of nowhere Thragg started laughing. Low at first, then louder. His entire body trembling with amusement. “You thought I was going to change?” he laughed harshly. “That we could become a family?”

Your body slowly went cold.

“How cute. How naive.”

You didn’t move. Didn’t breathe.

“I have lived for thousands of years,” Thragg continued cruelly. “And you believed I would change because of you?” he sneered. “Because of an unborn child? How stupid are you? Maybe I overestimated you.”

Your lip trembled violently, a metallic taste filled your mouth from biting it too hard. Every word shattered something inside you. And the worst part—Part of you knew he was right. But you refused to let him see any more weakness. 

Slowly, you straightened your back and turned around, but before leaving you stopped one final time. “It’s a girl,” you whispered quietly.

Thragg went silent.

“I know you just said you don’t care…” your voice cracked again. “But I thought you deserved to know... Goodbye, Thragg.” you hurried towards the exit before he could answer.

The doors slid open immediately as you approached. Outside, Nolan still waited nearby. The moment he saw your glossy eyes he stepped forward.

“Hey, are you okay—”

“I’m fine,” you interrupted immediately. Your voice sounded hollow. “I just… need to be alone right now.”

And before he could stop you, you continued walking through the endless halls of the ship, not even knowing where you were going anymore.

You sat on the soft couch, staring out the large window into the endless ocean of stars. Your legs remained crossed, bouncing repeatedly without stopping, another old habit of yours. 

The room around you was quiet. Too quiet. A small table sat in front of the couch with a box of tissues resting on top, dozens of crumpled papers scattered all over the surface and floor from how much you had been crying.

It was honestly insane how badly pregnancy messed with your hormones. Before all of this, you barely cried. Not during sad animal videos. Not after getting terrible grades at school. Not even after horrible fights. You always bottled everything up instead, swallowed the emotions down quietly and dealt with them alone. Sure, you felt sympathy, but you never really knew how to properly process negative emotions yourself. And now… now you even cried because a dog looked cute.

Your mother had checked up on you shortly after you stormed out of Thragg’s room. She didn’t pressure you, didn’t ask too many questions. She simply sat beside you, offered you a warm cup of tea and gently rubbed your back while waiting for you to calm down enough to speak. 

Eventually you told her everything. How you confessed. How you told him you hoped things could’ve been different between the two of you. How maybe somewhere deep down you believed the three of you could’ve become something close to a family. And then how he laughed directly at your face. Told you those thoughts were fantasies. Naive fantasies. Maybe it was your fault for expecting anything else. Thragg was the strongest Viltrumite alive. A man raised since birth to believe compassion was weakness. Viltrumites were taught from childhood that nobody truly mattered. That attachments only made them weaker. That the strong should destroy the weak and continue climbing higher no matter who suffered beneath them. 

They knew conquest. Violence. Bloodshed. But not love. Not real happiness. Not genuine connection. At least… that had once been true. Things changed after they arrived on Earth. You hadn’t heard of any Viltrumites causing destruction lately, so you assumed most of them truly settled into human life. They found families. Relationships. Bonds with people.

For the first time in their lives they experienced what it felt like to care about someone else instead of constantly isolating themselves trying to prove they were stronger than everybody around them.

That’s what happened with your father. Nolan changed because of your mother. Not because someone forced him to. Not because he was weak. But because loving someone softened him naturally. 

Seeing the other Viltrumites slowly changing too made you believe maybe… maybe Thragg could’ve changed as well. Why not? So you gave him the opportunity. And he laughed at you for it. Like it was the funniest joke anyone had ever told him across the entire galaxy. The humiliation still burned deep inside your chest. And honestly… you knew it probably always would.

A shaky breath left your lips as you curled further into the couch. Suddenly a low vibration traveled throughout the ship. You looked up to the window. From the other side of the Viltrumite vessel, massive metal doors slowly opened. 

A figure stepped out into the darkness of space before taking flight. Even from this far away you immediately recognized him, the man that had just broken your heart. Your father mentioned what his punishment would be. Not execution, exile. Fitting, honestly. Thragg cared more about the empire than anything else in existence, and now his punishment would be watching it slowly become everything he hated. Watching Viltrumites grow attached to humans. Fall in love. Raise families. Learn compassion. Learn to feel.

He flew farther into space before suddenly stopping. Slowly he turned back around, taking in the viltrumite ship one last time before he left. His eyes eventually landed on you. Even from this distance you could feel it. His gaze. His eyes locked onto the tiny window you sat behind. Onto you.

Neither of you moved.

You wondered what he was thinking. If he regretted anything. If he cared even a little. If hearing you say the baby was a girl affected him at all. But Thragg remained unreadable as always. After several long silent seconds, he finally turned away again and disappeared deeper into space until darkness swallowed him whole.

Gone.

Your chest ached painfully. Slowly, your hand drifted down towards your stomach again, rubbing gentle circles over the small bump beneath your shirt.

You swallowed hard before whispering softly. 

“It’s fine.”

Your voice cracked slightly.

“We don’t need him.”

Tears welled in your eyes again, but this time you smiled through them.

“It’ll just be the two of us.”

Your hand pressed more firmly against your belly.

“Mommy’s here. Mommy will take care of you.”

A warm smile slowly spread across your face despite everything. Despite the heartbreak. Despite the humiliation. Despite him leaving. Because no matter what happened now… you still had her, and she still had you.

“I can’t wait to meet you, my sweet girl.”

Dividers by: @\bhavihelps

Note: Well now that I made a part 2 I might as well do part 3 and finish the story

Let's get the obvious out of the way, this interaction is a clear parallel to Nolan's fight with his own son.

Guess it runs in the family.

As a rite of passage, Nolan is expected to fight both his parents on his 18th birthday. His parents will then evaluate his performance throughout, and if it's to their standard, he will be allowed to live and be initiated as a soldier, coming of age. This is a ritual that every Viltrumite must go through.

The level of brutality in their attacks are normal. They also gang up on him and create an unfair fight, which is realistic preparation for what Nolan will encounter in the future. Though his father doesn't pull his punches, his mother is noticeably more vicious. When Nolan's father expresses satisfaction, his mother rejects it and instead makes what is arguably an attempt to kill Nolan.

Viltrumites take, 'I brought you into this world, and I can take you out', very literally.

Now, it's Mark's turn to be an adult.

When Nolan starts fighting Mark, he begins in this manner. He gets cocky that Mark even thinks he can harm him, and is quite violent with his attacks. Mark's physical and mental pain doesn't outwardly bother him, and Mark's attempts to appeal to him emotionally are unsuccessful. Nolan also psychologically traumatizes Mark on purpose by causing human deaths and verbally trivializing humanity and his family. This 'kill switch' is Nolan embracing his Viltrumite side, which he gets from his mother.

Nolan's father represents what will eventually grows into Nolan's human side. This comes out in the other half of the fight, concluding with Nolan sparing Mark's life just as his father had spared his. There were cracks in his behavior that made him softer than most by Viltrumite standards. However, his kindness was by no means overt.

[Nolan instinctively reaches for his father but is not helped.]

In this flashback, we see Nolan taking after his father from the very beginning, whether he realizes it or not. When educating the Viltrumite children, he focuses on a girl who is initially struggling to answer.

Her hesitance is a reason to kill her, which he verbally reminds. He considers it briefly, but he ultimately does not go through with it, sparing her life.

Both Nolan and his father are considered weak by his mother, and there are likely many other instances where they showed behavior that indicated weakness.

"You are just as pathetic as he is. I hope to never see either of you again."

Viltrumites do not have typical family structures and are paired up only for the sake of reproduction. Family members have no emotional commitments to each other and any childcare is an investment into the future of the empire.

Nolan is abandoned by his mother when he turns out to not be the son she wants. He will never see her again. She is free to kill him and leave at a moments notice, she can simply have another child if she wishes. Considering their lifespan, this is not a significant cost of their time. Children are trained and tested from birth, and should be discarded the moment they're deemed defective. You can always start again.

Does this sound familiar?

"What's seventeen more years?"

When Nolan realizes that Mark is not going to join him in his quest to control Earth, he considers him defective. Many are attached to lost causes simply because of the time and effort they've put into it already, but Nolan remarks, boasts even, that this is not a problem for him. Mark is too injured to continue fighting at this point, and yet, he is continuously beaten.

Nolan is no longer teaching Mark, he is no longer punishing him. He is killing him, and that's his right as a parent.

After Nolan leaves Earth, he has a difficult time working through his emotions and even desires to give up his life. As part of his own version of healing, Nolan starts a new family.

Despite not intending to replace Mark, and still loving Debbie, this upbringing where commitment isn't prioritized is why Nolan finds it so easy to start afresh. He is happy with his new life and is able to settle in quickly without guilt surrounding his old family. At this point in the story, Nolan doesn't intend to see Debbie ever again. It takes him later to process that he still misses her, and to feel regret for leaving her.

Returning to Mark and Nolan's fight, the very last scene is easily the most poignant. It's one of the most iconic dialogue exchanges to come out of the whole show.

Nolan is desperate to convince Mark that his resistance to occupation is pointless. He reminds him of the length of his lifespan and that he will outlive every person he is trying to protect. He tells him that Earth will eventually fall and be forgotten. He asks him, "what will you have in 500 years?", with the implied answer being nothing and no one.

Nolan already knows what it's like to lose everything...

...and it's genuinely not what he wants for Mark.

This is not a mere hypothetical. This is a lived experience that traumatized Nolan. If that can happen to Viltrum, then Earth must be pre-destined for doom, in his eyes. He sees himself in Mark, who never even considered what could happen to his home in the next few centuries.

"You, Dad. I'd still have you."

Nolan is so devastated by this response that he can't continue, and it shifts the entire course of his life from that point onward.

Nolan did not have his dad.

Deep down, having his father may have been the one thing Nolan wanted. It may have been the single thing that would have made Viltrum's extermination bearable for him.

When Nolan discovers that he is dead, we see a moment of shock. He only gets a few moments to process this information before throwing his body away, having to move on to his next task unemotionally. Nolan is forced to let go of him, maybe reject him, see his father as someone who was weaker than him and succumbed. Whatever kindness was in him did not get him anywhere, right? Nolan can now rise above that and be greater.

Nolan's grief may have resurfaced in this moment with Mark. Nolan now has to confront the fact Mark loves him, even with all the suffering he's caused him. Mark also expects to be loved back. That's what it means to be his father.

Nolan taught him that.

As much as Nolan wants to ignore it, being on Earth caused him to grow into a person capable of compassion. This was the side of himself that he showed to Mark all those years, and he's now realizing that it was his true self, not an act.

Nolan has internalized for centuries that he can always be better. He is great and can be greater. He grew up with one image of what that should look like.

For the first time in his life, Nolan considers something else.

This.

____

To anyone who liked this analysis, I think a fic I wrote a year ago is worth a read :) it is an introspective character study on Nolan surrounding the topic of rape and Viltrum's society.

Acts are not described. This is not graphic. It is a wider exploration of the concept in relation to Nolan's psyche.

Still, please be mindful of the topic <3

The same way this is my first analysis, that fic was my first one in the fandom, thought I have written more fics after!

The first splatter of Nolan's blood hit the cracked concrete like a misplaced brushstroke, too vivid, too alive against the gray wreckage of the training arena. He'd dodged too slow this time, your fist clipping his jaw with just enough force to split skin, not bone. Not yet.

His tongue darted out to catch the crimson dripping from his lip, eyes flashing something reckless beneath the sweat-slicked strands of his hair. "You're holding back," he taunted, spitting red onto your boots. "Or are you just weak when you’re distracted?"

You saw the flicker in his expression, the way his throat bobbed when your fingers flexed, the way his breath hitched just before you moved. He wanted this. Not the fight. The other thing. The thing neither of you named when you trained this late, alone.

Your next strike wasn't a feint. It was a hand around his throat, slamming him into the nearest pillar hard enough to crack the steel supports. Nolan gasped, but his legs were already wrapping around your waist, heels digging into the small of your back like an invitation.

"You talk too much," you growled, tightening your grip until his pulse hammered against your palm. His laugh came out ragged, choked, delighted. "Prove it," he dared, bucking up against you with all the grace of a feral thing caught in a trap it never wanted to escape. The heat of him was obscene through the torn fabric of his uniform. You could feel every hitch of his ribs, every stuttered exhale, proof that for all his bravado, he was just as ruined by this as you were.

With a snarl, you wrenched free of his legs and stepped back just long enough to tear your pants open, the fabric splitting like wet paper under Viltrumite strength. Nolan's eyes dropped instantly, dark with something that wasn't surrender. "On your knees," you ordered.

He hesitated, just to piss you off, just to make you work for it, before sinking down slow, dragging his nails down your thighs on the way. The scrape of his teeth against your hipbone was barely a warning before he bit down, hard enough to draw blood.

You yanked his head back by the hair, forcing him to meet your gaze. His mouth was smeared red again, but this time it wasn't from the fight. "That how you want to play?" you hissed. His grin was all sharp edges and hunger. "You tell me," he taunted, licking his lips clean. "Or are you scared I'll ruin you first?"

The punch landed before he could finish the sentence, snapping his head to the side with a wet crack. He reeled, caught himself on one hand, and laughed through the fresh blood dripping from his nose. "Finally," he gasped, spreading his thighs wider. "Now fuck me before I change my mind."

You didn't give him the satisfaction of an answer. Just dragged him up by the hair and shoved him face-first into the pillar, the impact shuddering through his frame. His breath hitched when you kicked his legs apart, the rough grind of your cock against his ass drawing a ragged sound from his throat.

"You wanted this," you reminded him, spitting into your palm before slicking yourself up in one rough stroke. His answering groan was half pain, half something desperate as you shoved in without preamble, the tight clench of him almost enough to make you lose it right there.

Nolan's fingers scrabbled against the cracked concrete, his knuckles white with the effort of holding himself up as you set a brutal pace. Every snap of your hips drew another choked sound from him, the wet slap of skin on skin drowning out whatever taunt he might've mustered. You leaned over him, biting down on the juncture of his neck and shoulder hard enough to taste copper. "Still talking shit?" you growled against his skin.

He tried to laugh, but it came out as a broken moan instead. "Fuck you," he managed, pushing back against you like he couldn't help himself. The way his body yielded to yours, the way he arched into every thrust like he was starving for it, you'd never seen anything more pathetic. Or more perfect.

Your hands found his hips, fingers digging in hard enough to bruise as you dragged him back onto your cock, deeper, rougher. The sharp gasp he let out was music, better than any praise, any surrender. You leaned in, lips brushing the shell of his ear. "You're fucking shaking," you murmured, voice thick with something between disgust and awe.

His thighs trembled against yours, sweat and blood slick between your bodies. When you reached around to wrap a hand around his throat again, his pulse jumped wildly beneath your palm. You tightened your grip just enough to hear his breath stutter, just enough to feel the way his cock twitched against his stomach, leaking untouched.

"You're sick," you breathed, and Nolan's laugh was wet, ruined. "Yeah," he panted, rocking back onto you with a filthy grind. "And you're still inside me."

You dragged your free hand down his spine, feeling the muscles clench beneath your fingers as you dug nails into the ridges of his vertebrae. The sharp hiss he let out dissolved into a groan when you thumbed over the bite mark you'd left earlier, smearing blood across his skin like war paint.

His throat worked under your palm when you squeezed, just enough to make his vision blur, just enough to make his cock jerk against his stomach in a helpless spurt of precome. The choked noise he made wasn't a word, wasn't a protest, just raw, animal need.

You fucked him through it, relentless, until his legs gave out and his forehead hit the pillar with a dull thud. Nolan's fingers scrambled for purchase, blunt nails catching on cracks in the concrete like he was afraid you'd let him fall. You wouldn't. Not yet.

His blood smeared across your knuckles when you dragged your hand from his throat to his hair, twisting tight enough to make him whimper. "Look at you," you muttered, watching his eyelashes flutter against his cheeks. "Fucking wrecked."

He bared his teeth in something that wasn't a smile, panting like a wounded thing. "Still—" he gasped, hips jerking weakly against yours, "— still standing."

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, comes shopping with you in a grumpy mood—while giving every person who walks past the strangest looks imaginable, staring at them until they're completely out of sight.

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, still hasn't figured out how weaker people end up getting the front of the line. Never—absolutely never—ask him to hold a spot in line for you. "Nolan, can u hold our place in line?" While you're picking up another box of cereal and examining it, he says, "Yeah I'll handle it." You watch in horror as he walks toward the line—and before even reaching the very front, he rips off the head of the man standing there and throws it at the others like a ball, with deadly force. After that, you had to run. And you might have thrown up quite a lot too. Which made him think you were pregnant.

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, keeps up with your endless demands nonstop. To an extremely annoying degree. You'll try to find a reason to get mad at him, but before you can even continue, he'll already fix the problem. "Damn it Nolan, what are these stains on the carpet!?" With a neutral expression, he'll tilt his head slightly toward the carpet—then in the next second he's moving right in front of your eyes, already holding a brush and before you can even close your mouth in surprise, the carpet is completely clean.

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, will take care of the baby during the nights and early mornings instead of you. Afterwards, he'll complain about how tired he is—just so you'll give him some attention. (Honestly this might a bit more for women but you could have get the baby in other ways too. I'll leave it to your imagination.)

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, even tries to steal the baby's attention time. "Nolan, cut it out—you two aren't even on the same level." As you try to get past his body to pick the baby up from the bed, he keeps stepping in your way, mimicking your movements and blocking you. "As long as it's cared for enough to survive, the rest doesn't really matter." he insists. According to him, no one dies from a lack of affection. But at the end of the day, the one who's actually needy for your affection is him.

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, turns the playful ass slapping you started into a full on competition. Whether you're doing chores, walking outside, passing by him or lying down in bed—everywhere, that hand will land at least once, smacking you hard enough to make your flesh jiggle.

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, reads travel magazines to learn the meaning and usefulness of different places—so that every night, he can take you somewhere new and romantic.

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, almost blew the brains out of the person in front of him just because they argued with you.

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, will read the books you're reading—even if he's not actually interested in them. While doing it, he'll complain that it isn't worth his time and that he could be doing far more important things, but he'll still keep going. Then he'll come back to you with criticisms about the ending of the book, and the two of you will end up talking about it.

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, offers to carry you in his arms whether you can fly or not. Your body warmth and knowing you're in his arms—helps calm the nerves that are constantly on edge.

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, once made you soup using a nicely packaged laundry detergent he found in the bathroom—just because your food smelled good while you were cooking. Thankfully, you didn't die.

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, can't stand your family but because you told him you'd reward him, he'll behave with respect, as if a Viltrumite commander were standing right in front of him.

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, buried your neighbor's head in the garden soil like an ostrich—just because they asked if you needed help because of Nolan..

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, will join you if you offer while you're doing housework—and then complain that you're not doing it correctly. Even though he has no idea himself. And no, he refuses to admit that.

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, is quite selfish and deeply loyal to his ideals—so whenever arguments break out, he"s gotten into the habit of ending them with his charm when it comes to you.

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, will shamelessly open the door and walk right in while you're in the bathroom or on the toilet.

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, almost drowned you in the bubbly water while washing your hair during a bath you were taking together. It might have traumatically reminded you of how your mother used to wash you when you were a kid. "I was just curious how long you could hold your breath," he said in defense after dunking your head down like a bucket and keeping it there until your air ran out. In reality, he wants to take you back to his home world, so he wanted to learn how long you could hold your breath…

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, doesn't understand money or the concept of buying things. He just picks up whatever he wants and walks off as if everything is free. And you end up trying your best to protect the poor shopkeepers who attempt to stop him—from everything except the deadly glare he's throwing at them behind your back.

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, absolutely loves discount days like an old lady. It's the perfect time for him to lightly smack someone and get away with it without anyone holding him accountable. In that kind of crowd, you probably wouldn't even notice.

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, keeps thinking that the fabrics in the human world don't even deserve your beauty. He'll watch with great interest and curiosity as you show off every outfit you try on, almost like you're putting on a little performance just for him.

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, has broken so many beds with you that he can now find the furniture company's address with his eyes closed. They probably see you two more often than they see their own families. "How are you even still alive?" That's what you heard while signing the document they handed you, just before the employee pulled his hat down even lower over his head.

Nolan, the husband you half-reluctantly married, is so competitive in board games that he could drive a person insane. "No, you can't arrange the damn cards in numerical order and throw them down all at once!" He stubbornly pushes the cards you shoved aside back to the center, a ridiculous frown on his face. "Yes, I can. They're all the same color. The rules say so. Don't be rebellious.", "I'm not being rebellious, Nolan! And do you realize you read the rules wrong-" "You must obey the rules, Y/n." You grimace at the military look he throws at you. Your hands move in the air awkwardly, not even sure what to do with them. "You…fine then, Mr. Know It All Frowny Face. Tell me, why exactly did you make a move like that?" His expression softens, as if he thinks you've already accepted your mistake. He waves his hand knowingly in the air. "Obviously according to military order. They're all the same color, can't you see? Soldiers are like that too." 1, 2, 3, 4...you stare at all the red cards with tired frustration. You really wanted to slap this guy. And yet even though you know every game will end like this, you're always the one who suggests bringing out the board games. Because you've seen that pure, beautiful emotion in his eyes and at the corners of his lips.