A Natural Progression | Shazam

Chapter 36

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He woke up with a gasp, eyes snapping open, and air flooding his burning lungs.

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The first thing he saw when he woke up was a cavernous ceiling. The demigod gasped, sucking in air and staring at the stalactites covering the ceiling above him. 

"Wha...where... where am I?" he muttered to himself, wincing in pain when he attempted to move. 

"The Rock...?" he breathed, pushing past the pain flaring in every part of his body and the swimming of his head.

"Slow down there, Captain, take it slow," a familiar voice said as a warm hand was suddenly against the small of his back. The demigod let out a shaky breath, eyes screwed shut against the pain. 

The familiar hand helped him to sit up and lean against the wall, serving to stabilize the ebony-haired man somewhat. Captain Marvel opened his eyes again, surprised to find Alfred of all people standing in front of him.

"A-Alfred?" he winced, pain shooting through his abdomen. 

He grabbed it suddenly, gasping from the heat in his core. When he breathed out, a curling spiral of golden light came out. "

Well that's working..." he muttered to himself before looking at the aging butler. 

"W-where..." he glanced around. While he may have been in a medical bed in a sectioned-off room, hooked up to an IV no less, there was no denying that ceiling.

"The... the Batcave?" he questioned softly as Alfred held a glass of water out for him. He glanced at it before meeting the man's eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by the butler.

"Your father, along with the others, are currently trying to track down Morgaine and Circe," he said, pushing the glass into the man's hand.

Cap did a double-take, choking on the water before swallowing and staring at the butler with wide eyes. "Wait, you-"

Alfred's mouth turned up slightly. "Your father told me. They explained what happened...what they saw."

The raven's eyes flicked down, staring at his legs and gripping the glass tightly. Guilt wracked his frame, biting at his heels. 

They knew. 

They knew he'd lied to them. 

They knew he wasn't everything he said he was. 

There was no way they'd ever trust him again...his mind shifted towards the League. 

Would Bruce tell everyone? 

What would they say? 

He already knew he could kiss his position goodbye; there was no way they'd let him stay after he lied to them for so long.

He sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. His mind, the traitor that it was, whispered something to him that caused him to tear up. 

They probably hate you now.

Marvel clenched his eyes shut, vaguely feeling the glass shatter in his palm as his hand curled into a fist. 

He drew in a deep breath, unaware of the room around him, before it finally hitched and the tears collecting in his eyes finally slid down his cheeks. 

He brought a hand to rub at his face, nails digging into his scalp as that one traitorous thought echoed through his head.

They probably hate you.