Chapter Text
Chapter 1:
Her name is Annette Hebert.
Wife to Daniel Hebert, mother to Taylor Hebert. Her best friend is Zoe Barnes.
She lives in a home on the north side, simple, two stories, two bedrooms, one guest room, with a squeaky step on the front porch that they haven't fixed.
It needs a new coat of paint and by next week the lawn's got to be mowed...
But those worries were for later.
Right now she had to attend to business concerns. House concerns could wait.
She looked through the warehouse, watching as the workers unloaded the cargo crates and trailers of their load.
Her wonderful husband, Daniel stood just ahead of her, clipboard in hand as he made sure everything was right on schedule.
She walked up behind him, arms wrapping around his waist as she placed her head on his shoulder. “How's it looking?”
“All good so far.” He smiled, holding the clip-board up for her to see.
She passed her eyes over it, seeing a lot of checkmarks and numbers. She could make sense of it if she tried, but administration was always more his thing.
She offered him a kiss on the cheek. “Well I'm glad everything-”
A screech of tires interrupted her mid sentence, the flashing blue of police lights illuminating the front of the warehouse
The workers all paused, looking in confusion.
Annette smirked.
Show time.
She stepped away from her husband as he gave a resigned sigh. She winked in his direction, the absolute picture of innocence.
Daniel glared.
“Oh shut up. You love it.” She laughed.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, looked away from her... and smirked at the approaching cops.
More specifically, the approaching prosecutor, plus cops.
Honestly, it looked like a bunch of little ducklings trailing after their mother. A mother duck with a vindictive streak a mile wide.
“Hebert!”
“Brandish, love.” Daniel smiled cordially. “How have you been? Oh, I'm sorry. It's Mrs. Dallon isn't it? Oh. No. Wait. District Attorney Dallon, yes? I must say the change from civil to criminal suits yo-”
“Shut. Up.” She...well... she brandished a piece of paper. This is a search. We know you've got drugs coming in this shipment.”
“Sweetie, if I really wanted to bring in drugs I'd just drive up the free-way. The docks are so cliché for this sort of thing.” He smiled, playing his part to a T. He looked up, behind Dallon as the cops spread around. He gasped, and all but shoved the clip-board into Dallon's chest before marching past her.
“Oh I am such a huge fan!” Danny gushed, marching right into...Lady Photon, shaking the startled heroine's hand. “Could we take a picture together! My daughter won't believe me when I tell her this tonight. You're her favorite I think.”
The look...on Brandish's face...
It only got so much better when Photon's hesitant voice answered. “Ummm...yeah sure.”
“Sarah!”
“What- I-”
“Now Mrs. Dallon, it won't do you any good to be jealous just because your sister's prettier than you.”
“She is not prettier than me!”
Now Lady Photon was crossing her arms and glaring at her sister.
Sometimes Annette really loved her husband...
…
At least until she realized he was flirting with another woman right in front of her.
Then she joined Brandish in glaring, with a raised eyebrow, crossed arms and tapping foot.
And Daniel ignored her...
Oh you are so sleeping on the couch tonight!
(X)(X)(X)
It was hours later, after the cops had thoroughly searched the warehouse and found only crates upon crates of Teddy bears, lined up to be delivered to various children’s charities, that the Heberts stepped into their car. She drove while Daniel waved at Brandish and the police, receiving a wave in return by Lady Photon as they left.
With autographed photo of him and Lady Photon in hand, they set out for home.
Then he stopped smiling, letting out a shaky sigh. “Jesus H. Christ!”
Annette laughed. “Who knew those drama classes in college would be paying off in dividends.”
“Good lord-” He shook his head. “Woman's damn paranoid.”
Annette raised an eyebrow. “No she's not. We are bringing in drugs through the docks.”
“That's your version. Mine is that she's fucking paranoid. Why? Because I'm not goddamn Marquis!”
“But you play me oh so well! I'll have to remember to flirt with Lady Photon next time I'm out.” She laughed, shifting the bones under her skin before setting them back to place.
He offered a long, suffering sigh. “Just promise me that you won't flirt with Manpower or Flashbang. I'm not sure how I'd handle that.”
…
…
…
“Honey... I'm not hearing that promise... Honey?”
(X)(X)(X)
As Annette Hebert walked up to her home, with its slightly faded paint, slightly higher than ideal grass and squeaky front step, she found herself smiling softly.
Home.
Sure, she was the head of a lucrative criminal empire and had enough people, powered and unpowered, at her disposal to give any of the other gangs a solid run for their money, with enough revenue to buy ten houses like this. But this was home.
And she was so glad to be home.
Danny stepped out of the car, picking up the bag of groceries as she got the keys to open up.
“Taylor! We're ho-”
The usual shout she was about to say was thoroughly cut off as she spotted her fifteen year old daughter sitting on the living room couch...with Emma...looking nervous...holding hands.
“Hey Honey what's-” Daniel stopped, looked at the scene and moved to turn flatly around with “I think I left a bag in the car-” before she gripped his bicep, turned him around again and shoved him into the door ahead of her before locking the door behind her.
'I didn't make her by myself!' She glared at his sulking profile.
Then, putting on her best game face, she smiled megawatt bright, deciding to take this issue head on and be as supportive as possible.
“Hi honey! How was school today?”
Yup... totally head on. That was her. Unstoppable.
“Mom...Dad. I have something to say.”
Why can't her daughter be more like her?
She licked her lips, as Daniel moved to put away the groceries, looking anywhere but at them.
Sleeping. On. The. Couch. Forever.
…
…
Oh god...and Emma too. What was she gonna tell Zoe? She was her best friend but...she didn't think either of them wanted their daughters romantically involved with each other. That'd just be awkward as all hell.
“What is it honey?” She smiled, keeping that game face firmly planted on there.
Wait? Did Zoe know and not tell her?
Oh that bitch!
Her shit list was getting rather long with her best friend and husband doing their best to get on it.
“IhavebugcontrolpowersandIwannajointheWards!”
It all came out in a rush and Daniel let out a half gasp, half sigh, half shout combination. “Oh thank god!”
Annette took a minute to process her statement though. Starting with the first half, as Emma offered Taylor a comforting hug.
Her daughter had powers...
Her little owl had powers...
Her Taylor had powers!
She could become a lieutenant! Learn the Business! Piss off Brandish! No! Even better! Piss off Glory Girl! That would annoy that paranoid bitch even more! Annette was...
Oh! This was the happiest day of her life!
…
Just as soon as she murdered whoever made her little girl trigger.
But that could come later! Right now she had to examine the second half of Taylor's stateme-
She blinked. The second half hitting her like a freight train. Derailing the careful picture she'd been painting in her mind about tomorrow and all the days to come until it was little more than burning, slagged remnants of her hopes and dreams.
She blinked again.
The words came out before her brain could catch up with her mouth.
“You're sure it’s not that you're gay?”
Taylor and Emma stared at her as if she'd grown a second head.
“No...Why on earth would you think that?”
…
“Please?” She tried again.