(Telling Pops)

"Look at me Virgil. Just tell me why you did it." Robert looked down at Virgil sitting in front of him, his gaze hard and unflinching "Well?"

"I… I don't know." Virgil lied through his teeth, then let out a sigh 'Okay, that sounded way too lame. Actually, I do know, but it's kind of hard to explain."

"Try."

Virgil breathed a sigh and stood up to meet Robert at eye level "Look Pops, there is something I've been thinking about telling you for awhile. I do wanna tell you, but you've gotta promise me you're not gonna freak out."

"Virgil, when have you ever known me to freak out? Don't answer that." Robert looked down at him, and his gaze softened every so slightly "You're serious about this aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am."

"...Alright, I'll keep my cool." Roberts sat down on the bed and motioned for Virgil to go ahead and speak "I'm listening."

"Okay… Pops, I was there when the Big Bang happened that night."

"...I'm listening."

"I didn't get involved in any gang stuff if that's what you're thinking. Well I mean, this one guy did offer me, didn't really make it sound like I had a choice, but I bolted the minute the cops showed up, but not before the gas went off and I got hit with some of it. Next morning, I got up and I was… different."

"You mean… you're a Bang Baby?"

"Yeah, but I'm trying to do good with it. It's not something you wanna go spreading around though, and that's kind of part of why I ran today."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning… this…" Virgil stood up and unleashed a small surge of electricity in a few of his fingertips "I'm Static, Pops. The only other person that knows is Richie. And I keep the costume in my backpack, so when she asked to see what was in it…"

"...I see." Robert stood up, then let out a sigh "Shelving that for a minute, let's talk about this whole thing about you being a superhero. I'm not really sure how I feel about this. I mean, the idea of you going out there and facing danger like those other Bang Babies almost every single day."

"To be fair Pops, I've been doing it for awhile now, and not to brag, but I'm actually pretty good at it."

"Yeah, but I didn't know about it before, and now that I do…"

"It sounds like you don't want me to be a superhero anymore."

"I guess I don't."

"...Oh."

"But you were given these powers, and you're gonna have to decide for yourself when and how to use them. For me to stop you just wouldn't be right."

"Thanks Pops, you know you're the best."

"Appreicate that. And Virgil?"

"Yeah?"

"You're grounded."

"...Yeah that figures."

"It's either that or you tell Sharon and Trisha."

"...Grounded it is. But seriously, thanks Pops." and then they hugged.

A/N:

This is something that I had been stewing on for at least a few days, and then decided to put into a document. Static Shock is one of my favorite DC cartoons, ight up there with Teen Titans, but in all honestly, Pop's Girlfriend is my least favorite episode of the series. I've just never been very fond of it like some of the others, mainly because of Virgil running away from the cops and getting grounded, so I decided to write this out and see how it would play out if he came clean to Robert as to why he did so in the first place.

Just for the sake of being clear, this is a oneshot, and I have no intention of expanding beyond it. I'll leave the future of this AU up to the viewers.