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Day 1: Bearing The Bolt
The cold cut him to the bone. He couldn’t quite bring himself to care though. All the aches and pains of the past 24 hours felt so trivial now. His hands were clean. Naturally. Nothing from Captain Marvel transferred to Billy. Still, he stared. Clean. Yet, he could still feel it.
Billy squeezed his eyes shut and hugged his knees to his chest. He could hear Freddy puttering around the train station. A sniffle echoed through the carriage every now and again. They couldn’t bring themselves to speak. The day’s events weighed far too heavily on them for that.
A lump sat painfully in his throat. He couldn’t bring himself to cry again though. What right did he have? If he’d only been faster… better… Evan would still be-! A sob slipped out despite himself. Billy shook his head roughly, pressing his clenched fists against his teary face, as if he could hold back the torrent through sheer force of will. A hand placed itself gently on his shoulder. Billy felt Freddy gingerly lower himself to the ground and sit. He didn’t let go then but rather pulled him close, embracing the other boy. Billy couldn’t bring himself to resist and went easily. He unfolded his curl and hung on tight. There was no stopping the tears now. Freddy seemed to agree, a wet patch growing steadily on his shoulder.
For a while, there was only the sound of their grief.
Then Billy couldn’t take it anymore.
Finally, he broke the silence.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” The words spilled out of him.
He ached with regret.
“No, no. It’s not your fault, Billy. You didn’t do this,” Freddy sounded pained.
“But I didn’t save him.” If only he’d been faster, better…!
“Y-You tried...” Freddy hiccuped, tears streaming.
His fingers gripped tight to Billy’s shirt, unwilling to let go. As if worried Billy would disappear if he did. Gone, like Evan…
“It wasn’t enough.” Billy whispered. ‘I’m not enough.’
He couldn’t banish the thought.
What good was he, as a hero or the Champion of Magic, if he couldn’t even save his friends? Maybe the Wizard should’ve chosen someone else…
He certainly didn’t feel worthy right now. He felt small. Weak. Helpless.
Billy wanted to be angry, he wanted to scream. Anything but this.
He felt… useless.
The great Champion of Magic… and he couldn’t even stop a mugging.
It didn’t matter he was fighting Sivana at the time. Or that he’d been on the other side of the city. Nor that the only reason he knew about it was because Evan’s sister, Evelyn, had come running during the fight’s cleanup.
He’d raced off at once but… If he’d just gotten there sooner! Maybe… maybe Billy could’ve done more than hold Evan seconds before he passed.
He’d held out hope.
Appeared in Fawcett’s Emergency Room so quickly it’d startled the occupants.
To their credit, they’d hurried to action. But he already knew.
Evan was gone. Not even magic could save him now.
Captain Marvel waited for what felt like eons for the verdict. Long enough for Evelyn to arrive. She took one look at him and screamed.
Covered in Evan’s blood, far too numb to think of removing it, Cap’ couldn’t blame her.
The staff tried calming her but it was no good. Losing that much blood… Evelyn was young but not stupid. She’d spent far too long on the streets to not know what that means. He only reacted when she turned on him.
“How could you! How could you not save him?! You’re supposed to be a hero!! How could you let him die?!!” He flinched at each recrimination like it was a physical blow.
Her screams turned into keening as tears ran down her face and a nurse held her close. Sobs came soon after. A doctor had been approaching, face grim and set, presumably with news, but had stopped to watch the commotion.
Cap locked eyes with him.
The man shook his head.
Billy stopped breathing.
Tears brimming, he turned to Evelyn who was shaking and sobbing but met his gaze. “I-I’m sorry.” He choked out.
Evelyn cried harder.
Turned her face into the kind nurse’s shoulder and began to wail. Evan had been 13. Evelyn was only 9… and she’d just lost the last of her family forever.
The Captain couldn’t bear to meet any eyes after that. He pulled on the speed of mercury and sped through Fawcett till he found a discreet alleyway to transform.
“Shazam!”
Billy fell to his knees as the smoke cleared and hurled.
Which is how Freddy found him. Then, questioning him all the while, half dragged him to the station.
It was only when they’d arrived had Billy summoned the courage to break the news.
Freddy was devastated. Angry. Heartbroken.
Evan had been their friend, after all.
Hours later, and here they were.
Billy knew he should be finding the one responsible.
That he should bring to justice his friend’s killer.
But he could hardly think straight.
He took a deep shuddering breath.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Billy let out a groan. Of all the times…
“Freddy, I-. “ He interrupted.
“You don’t have to go Billy. After everything that’s happened today-!”
Billy swallowed down the lump in his throat. He wanted to cry again.
“I… I do.”
Freddy glared at the floor. He couldn’t blame him either.
Billy didn’t want to go.
But if he could just… do one thing right.
It’s the Champion’s duty to protect. He couldn’t fail again.
Billy clenched his jaw and stood, communicator in hand.
“I’ll be back.” Freddy said nothing. He didn’t need to.
Billy understood.
But he couldn’t stop.
No matter how painful things got, no matter how much he lost. He couldn’t dishonor the dead by adding even more to their ranks.
He had to bear this burden.
Another day, he would hunt down the culprit. Bring Evan’s murderer to justice. Get closure for Evelyn and watch over her. He would make this right.
But for now?
With a heavy heart filled with determination, he set out to do his duty as not just a hero, but as Champion.
He may not feel worthy, but he was chosen. So long as he drew breath, Billy would fight to do good.
Billy ran to the streets and screamed the magic word.
Captain Marvel took to the skies.