The hero of DC and Marvel

Escanor POV

I stepped out of the ground bridge with the kids trailing behind me.

"Okay, that was the coolest thing I've ever seen," Alex said, eyes wide. "How does that even work? Does it rip space, bend space or is it like its own mini-dimension?"

"Sorry, I honestly don't know. You'll have to ask Ed," I told him. "He's the one who built it."

"Well, however it works, it's incredible," Chase added. "A working teleporter… unreal."

"That's just one of his little inventions," I said with a laugh. "Wait until you meet his AIs."

I led them on a tour, cafeteria, training rooms, even the beach. At last, we reached the dragon's nest. Goliath raised his massive head, and all the kids froze in awe.

"Your boss has a freaking dragon!" Molly gasped.

"Haha, yes," I chuckled. "And believe it or not, he's just one of the pets. Ed also has dinosaurs. Talking ones."

Gertrude's head snapped toward me. "He what? He has dinosaurs?"

"Yep. A few of them, actually. And trust me, not one of his pets is normal. The only normal one on this island is Ruby's dog."

Confusion washed over their faces, but before they could ask, Ed's so-called "pets" started showing up, Pikachu, Ace, Appa, Agumon, Courage, and Rex (Ruby's dog). They all gathered in front of Goliath's nest like it was some kind of meeting.

"What's going on?" Nico whispered.

"I… don't know," I admitted. I stepped closer. "Excuse me, would one of you mind explaining why you're all here at once?"

Agumon padded forward, surprisingly confident. "Hello, you must be Escanor. I've heard about you from Pikachu and Ace. This is our weekly meeting of the Super Pets."

"...Super Pets?" I repeated.

"Yes. Pikachu and Ace were the first members after Ed summoned them. He gave them a mission: protect the island. Each of us has a role. Some patrol the forests, others guard the base. Today, Courage and I are being assigned our jobs. And I promise you—we will not fail. We will protect this island with everything we have."

The kids all stared like they'd walked into some Saturday morning cartoon.

"I see," I said slowly. "So Ed actually knows about this?"

"He should. He's the one who gave Pikachu and Ace the mission," Agumon replied.

"Alright then. Carry on. I won't interrupt your… council."

I stepped back, shaking my head. Of all the strange things I've seen in this world, this one definitely ranked high.

Then I noticed something odd. Ace was nose-to-nose with old Lace. The two of them just stood there, staring intensely at each other. And then… I swear I heard music.

What is love? Baby, don't hurt me… don't hurt me… no more.

Alex fumbled with his phone. "Uh, sorry! My bad. This thing keeps doing that." The music cut off.

But Ace and old Lace bolted straight into the woods without a word.

"Where are they going?" Molly asked.

I sighed. "I don't know… but I've got a pretty good guess what they're about to do."

Ed POV

I was in the meeting room with Peggy and Sage, going over tomorrow's plans. Kimiko was going to be attacked by the Winter Soldier, and we were making sure every detail lined up so nothing went wrong.

"Everything looks solid," Sage said. "Kimiko will be at the abandoned building where she usually takes her breaks during patrols. She'll have backup, Anissa, Steve, and Bang, but she insists on going toe-to-toe with him first before they step in."

I nodded. "That tracks. Her pride won't let her sit back when Hydra only sends one man after her."

"Agreed. Also, Pietro, Wanda, Lorna, and Marcos' mission starts tomorrow too," Peggy added. "But… Ted, Ice Bear, and Panda want in on a mission as well."

I blinked. "Why?"

Peggy shot me a look. "Because, and I quote it's time for me and my brothers to help those poor mutants, look badass doing it, and maybe get paid a little extra. Oh, and he said all that while holding that shotgun you gave him."

I groaned. "Yeah… maybe giving him a magic shotgun wasn't my brightest idea."

"Ya think?" Peggy deadpanned. "Thankfully Panda and Ice Bear promised they'll keep him in check."

"Alright, fine. I trust those two. Let 'em tag along," I said. "Anyway, how's Flint's family settling in?"

Sage smiled faintly. "Pretty well. Flint's been training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber with Bang, and Keemia's working with All Might to control her powers. Honestly? That girl is a prodigy. She's learning and adapting faster than I expected, like a fish to water."

"That's good to hear," I said. "And the city?"

"Stable so far. Mutants and scientists are settling in nicely. No incidents, but I'm keeping a close eye on it."

I let out a breath of relief. "Proof right there that humans and mutants can live together. Just goes to show, racism's always been pointless."

Peggy gave me a small smile. "Agreed. Anyone with a brain knows that. But Ed… there's something else I need to bring up. It's about the Winter Soldier. And Ruby."

That caught my attention immediately. "Ruby? How the hell are those two connected?"

Peggy pressed a button, and files pulled up on the screen. "Hydra's been trying to make their own super soldier. They picked Ruby for their program because they believed she had the highest survival odds. I always wondered why—so after we got hold of the Winter Soldier files, I dug deeper. And I found something shocking."

The screen displayed her findings.

My jaw dropped. "...No fucking way."

Peggy nodded grimly. "Bucky is Ruby's biological father."

I stared at her, stunned. "Okay, gonna need you to explain how the hell that's possible."

"They used General Hale's egg, genetically modified it, and injected it with Bucky's sperm," Peggy explained. "The result wasn't a perfect super soldier, but Ruby was far above the rest of her class, smarter, faster, stronger. Almost superhuman. If she had kept training under Hydra's methods, she might've reached near-super soldier levels. Not quite Steve's level, but closer than anyone else."

I leaned back in my chair, still reeling. "Man… first Steve, now Bucky. People are really desperate for super soldiers."

Both Peggy and Sage froze at that.

"Wait, 'first Steve'?" Peggy narrowed her eyes.

"...Shit. Didn't mean to say that out loud."

Her stare sharpened. "Ed. Talk. Now."

I rubbed my temples. "Okay, but you've gotta promise not to be mad. Specifically, not at me. Because I didn't know how to tell you guys."

Peggy crossed her arms. "Start talking."

So I did. I told her everything I knew about the Frost kids, their origins, and my theories on how they came to be. Peggy's face shifted through a storm of emotions until it finally landed on pure heartbreak.

"Steve's going to be crushed," she whispered. "Five kids out there… and he wasn't there for any of them."

I sighed. "I'm not gonna lie and say they had easy lives. But Emma have them now. They're safe. They're happy now."

Peggy shook her head. "That won't make it easier. He'll still hate himself for missing it. I need to go."

And just like that, she stood and left, leaving me and Sage in silence.

Peggy Carter POV

a few minutes later

I sat on the edge of our bed, gently rubbing Steve's back. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, his expression a mix of sadness and shock. Ever since I told him the truth about his children, he hadn't said a word. I stayed by his side, waiting for him to break the silence.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low and heavy.

"You know… I always wanted to be a dad."

My chest tightened.

"I always swore I'd be better than my father," he continued, eyes fixed on his hands. "He was a drunk. Couldn't hold a job. He took it out on me and my mom. I hated him for that, for putting all his failures on us. I promised myself I'd never be like him. I wanted to be like my mother instead… kind, steady. I dreamed about it, teaching my kids how to play catch, taking them to ball games, raising them with a strong heart. Didn't matter if it was a boy or a girl, I just knew I'd love them."

His voice cracked. "And I broke that promise. I wasn't there."

"Steve, you couldn't have been," I said softly. "You were frozen in the ice. There was no way—"

"I know." His eyes finally met mine, raw and pained. "But it doesn't stop it from hurting. It doesn't stop me from thinking about the years I missed… about the fact I couldn't be their father."

Tears welled in his eyes. "Peggy… I would've been a good dad. I don't care if they were mutants or not. I would've been there. I would've given them the love I never got."

"I know you would have, darling." My voice trembled.

He hesitated, then asked the question I was dreading. "Can I meet them?"

I froze. I didn't want to say it. Didn't want to be the woman who kept a good man from his children. But I had to. For his sake. For everyone's safety.

"As much as I want to say yes… you can't, Steve," I said, my throat tight. "They may not want you in their lives. They already have their mother. Their childhoods were brutal, scarred by what humans did to them. If they tried to read your mind and uncovered everything about Sanctuary, about us, it could put everyone here in danger. And Emma Frost, she isn't our ally. Not yet. I'm sorry, love, but it's too risky."

Steve turned away, his head dropping. His eyes closed, and I saw the tears slip down his cheeks.

"I understand," he whispered, voice broken.

That was all he said.

I slid my arms around him, holding him as tightly as I could. Even now, even knowing it wasn't his fault, I could feel the guilt pressing down on him. In his heart, Steve Rogers still believed he was abandoning his daughters.

Ed POV

I sat on the rooftop of the GCPD, Gotham's skyline stretching out like a jagged scar under the night. Dani stood beside me in her new hero outfit, black with red accents, visor gleaming faintly in the streetlights. She looked every bit the part of a young hero.

"Are you okay? You've been quiet this whole time," Dani asked, tilting her head. "And that's… unusual for you."

I forced a smile. Truth was, my mind hadn't been on Gotham at all. It kept circling back to Steve and Peggy, and how I dropped the bomb about his kids. I still hadn't told Ruby about Bucky. She'd been doing well lately, especially after befriending Amora, and I hated the thought of shattering that progress. Finding out your dad is the Winter Soldier? That's the kind of thing that could break anyone. Sometimes, I hated being the one holding all the secrets.

"I'm fine," I lied. "Just… a lot on my mind. What about you? How's the suit, comfortable?"

Her visor glinted as she nodded. "Yeah. I love it. Thanks for listening to the color accents I wanted."

"Of course," I said. "It's yours, you've got to be happy wearing it."

Her armor wasn't flashy, but it was tough: adamantium weave for durability, integrated HUD with night vision, heat signatures, and a city map. On top of that, I'd given her my Danger Sense, durability, and flight, powers I didn't really need thanks to my own upgrades. Dani had the tools to survive Gotham.

image here

Still, she sighed. "So how long are we supposed to wait? We've been here at least forty minutes."

I smirked. "Oh, he's been here for a good thirty already. Studying you. Isn't that right, Batman?"

The shadows shifted. Batman and Robin stepped forward, silent as ghosts. Dani jumped, spinning around.

"What the hell—?!" she started.

"Rule number one of being a hero, kid," I said, smirking at her reaction. "Always be aware of your surroundings. Especially in Gotham. You'd be surprised who's already watching."

Batman loomed in front of us, Robin at his side, both sizing us up. And for the first time tonight, he wasn't the one holding all the cards.