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When Piper offers to go with Henry to grab lunch for everyone, he is suspicious. Sure he misses his sister, and misses spending time with her. But that’s why he is in Swellview this week, despite worrying over what Missy may get up to while he’s gone.
When she gives him a hug, and says how much she’s enjoyed seeing him, he’s a little freaked out. They’re about to get into the car, and he physically steps back and grabs her shoulders to look in her eyes.
“Are you okay? What’s wrong?” His hands tighten on her shoulders as he looks her up and down. She rolls her eyes and swats at his hands.
“I want to tell Jacob,” Piper looks away from him as she speaks, hesitant in a way that sets Henry on edge. He tries to think of what she could be telling Jacob about. His stomach sinks in dread at the possibilities.
“Tell him what?” A heart pounding thought comes to mind, “Are you pregnant?” Henry’s voice raises in pitch, his hands tightening on her shoulders. He looks her up and down, not sure what he’s looking for, but wanting to see that she’s okay. Her face changes, more relaxed as she swats his hands away.
“No, I’m not pregnant,” She sounds indignant. “We use protection, and I’m on the pill,” Henry is relieved, but also feels like he now knows way too much about Piper’s sex life. His mind is racing trying to figure out what is wrong. He goes to ask another question when Piper continues. “I want to tell him about Kid Danger,” She sounds so hopeful, and Henry turns to the car needing time to think. A hundred reasons to say no are running through his head, but Piper knows them. She has never asked to tell anyone after he emphasized to her the importance of their secret identities.
“Come on, let’s get going,” Henry says, needing more time to think. Turning the idea over in his head, trying to figure out why Piper would ask this of him. Sure they’ve been dating six months, but that’s a long way off to him becoming part of the family.
She follows him into the car, but doesn’t let him ignore the question.
“I know secret identities are a big thing, but Kid Danger is dead, Captain Man is retired, and most of your old villains are either reformed or retired.” She explains, not yet starting the car. He feels her gaze on him, and he doesn’t know how to answer her. She’s right, and he didn’t have a secret identity in Dystopia, but he changed his name. Was on the other side of the world. Now that he has a secret identity again, now that he needs to protect Missy and her family, the idea of telling Jacob has a lot more risks.
“Piper-” He starts, and she keeps going.
“Please, I know it’s a lot, but I trust him.” She almost begs. He closes his eyes trying to figure out why this is so important to her. She mentioned Jacob when she visited over spring break, but it didn’t sound that serious. But, seeing them this week, hearing her plead like this, it makes it so much harder to say no.
“It’s not just that,” He takes a deep breath, trying to put his roiling thoughts into words. “I never intentionally told someone until our parents. Missy-”
“I’m only asking about Kid Danger, not what you’re doing in Newtown.” She offers. It’s sweet, but Henry knows, if they tell Jacob that much, they’ll tell him everything.
“ But I didn’t tell people, not because I didn’t trust them, but because of how dangerous it was.”
“Exactly. Was.” She emphasizes the past part, “The heroes in Swellview are different now. Captain Man retired over two years ago.” Her voice softens, her vulnerability breaking Henry down, “I know I’m asking a lot. But this is important to me. I don’t want to lie to him,” Henry glances over to see Piper hiding behind her hair. There is hurt in her voice, and Charlotte mentioned she and Jacob had argued. He remembers so vividly how hard it was to continually lie to everyone. How it became second nature. The space it put between him and the world.
“You love him that much?” The question slips out, but Henry doesn’t try to take it back. It feels reckless, years of protecting the secret rearing their head. But Kid Danger is dead for a reason. The hope on Piper’s face when she looks at him, makes him sure of his decision.
“I do,” She states it with absolute certainty. Henry nods his head mostly to himself, confirming that he’s really going to do this, and watches as Piper’s face lights up.
“How did that happen?” It’s a rhetorical question. Mostly a joke. Mostly. Henry reminisces on just how much Piper has changed since they left Swellview. How much they both have.
“He hears me. We started talking and I thought he would get annoyed and leave. He didn’t, and I am so lucky for that,” Piper smiles softly. Henry can’t help a small grin, remembering Jacob saying almost the exact same thing at the beginning of the week. He lets out a breath, unable to say no, knowing how much this means to her.
“I need to talk Ray into it,” He says, but Piper is already grinning, and launches herself over the center console to give him an awkward hug. He lets a small smile grace his face and he hugs her back.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” She says, as she pulls back, starting the car and pulling out of the driveway.
“I still have to convince Ray,” It’s a thin veil of defense, and Piper knows it, because her smile doesn’t diminish at all.
While Piper orders the food, Henry calls Ray. It takes a bit of convincing, but retirement has made Ray lax, so Henry is able to get him to agree. Then Danger Force finds out, and says they’ll share their identity, then Missy finds out and begs to visit the Man’s Nest. He catches Piper up on the plan as it turns into a whole thing, and she coordinates, through Henry, to confirm the plan. He still feels uncertain about the whole thing, but Schwoz can always rebuild a mindwiper if Jacob decides to betray Piper’s trust. Henry won’t even feel bad.