Butcher and Madelyn stared at the boy. To Butcher, he thought he was looking at the living proof of Becca's trauma. Madelyn, however, was paralyzed by a different kind of horror.
She knew all about Ryan. She had visited the house in the suburbs. She knew exactly what Ryan looked like, and this was not him. She had no idea where this boy came from, or what Vogelbaum did to get her into this mess.
"Look at him," Homelander said. He stepped behind Erasmus, resting a hand proudly on the boy's shoulder. He flashed a wide, bright smile. "Isn't he just perfect? Madelyn, Billy... meet my son. Erasmus."
"John... what is going on? What is happening?" Madelyn asked. Her eyes darting from the detonator in Butcher's hand to the teenager holding her baby. "Please, John."
"I went to visit Vogelbaum earlier," Homelander started, his tone casual, almost conversational as he walked toward Madelyn. "Because he told me my son drowned in his mother's blood. And you told me he died in a miscarriage. So, I went to Jonah to squeeze the truth out of him, and I found this." Homelander squeezed Erasmus's shoulder. "My son. He hid him from me for all these years."
"John... Homelander, I swear I didn't know," Madelyn pleaded. "I swear to God, I didn't know about him."
"I know," Homelander whispered as he brought his face close to hers. "That is probably one of the few true things you've ever told me. You didn't know about Erasmus. But you knew about my other child. By Becca. And you never told me. You promised me no more lies, so I ask you now: where is my son, Madelyn?"
Madelyn closed her eyes. "He is kept in a highly secure, fake suburban neighborhood located just outside Fort Wayne, Indiana."
"Was it so hard to be truthful with me?"
"I shouldn't have lied to you," Madelyn sobbed. "I now know you don't need protection. I'm so sorry... would you please tell him to take Teddy outside?"
"Erasmus," Homelander said. "Take Teddy outside. I will follow you in a minute to get our family back."
"Nobody is going anywhere!" Butcher shouted. He raised the detonator higher, his thumb white-pressed against the switch. He was trying to claw back control of the situation, even though he could see the math had changed. Madelyn wasn't the leverage he thought she was. Not anymore.
Erasmus didn't even blink; he was sick and tired of all this pointless play. He didn't look at the C4 or the man holding the trigger. He simply walked right past Butcher, the crying infant cradled against his chest, and headed for the door leading to the porch.
Stepping outside. He realized he wasn't used to this. Even during his lowest points back when he was with Supersonic, he had never been forced to act a part like this. He deeply hoped this was a one-time thing, though he knew he needed a plan on how to carry himself if this became his new normal.
He looked down at the baby, who had finally grown comfortable in his warm embrace. The sight immediately brought him back to Jonathon. He realized that this was the very first time he had actually held a human infant without the intention of consuming it.
The infant felt incredibly soft, fragile, and slightly warm against his skin.
Suddenly, a violent explosion tore through the air behind him. The sudden shock caused the newly calmed Teddy to burst into tears once more. Turning around, Erasmus watched as Homelander hovered into the air entirely unharmed, holding an unconscious Billy Butcher tightly in his grip.
Homelander dropped Butcher onto the lawn and looked at his son. He couldn't help but feel a strange sensation; the boy showed absolutely no fear, no hesitation, and no flinching in the face of such raw violence. Wasn't Vogelbaum supposed to be proud that his son was gentle and kind?
"Aren't you afraid?" Homelander finally asked.
"Afraid of what?" Erasmus asked, his focus shifting as he tried to calm the annoyingly loud, crying baby assaulting his ears.
"From all of this," Homelander said, gesturing vaguely around them at the destruction.
"No, not really. I don't know who these people are," Erasmus replied smoothly, looking up. "And besides, you're my father."
You're my father. That sentence repeated itself over and over and over in Homelander's mind. What did that actually mean? Did it mean he could do whatever he wanted, and Erasmus would never object because he was his father?
Did it mean he finally had unconditional loyalty? He needed to know, but he couldn't ask. He already looked weak enough for one day. He could only ask for another one of those hugs. It was weird, especially with the boy he had just found after shedding all those tears, but he simply couldn't get enough.
Erasmus looked at Homelander's open arms and asked, "What?"
"Come give me a hug."
"Here?"
"Yes!."
"No, dad, that's embarrassing. We are in public."