Chapter 21
Over the next week, I tried to tell Charlie what all happened while he was gone, but I failed miserably every time. The first thing I told him was the funeral. I told him what happened in the accident and how I’m walking again; I told him about how Tony let me paint the compound, how he helped me through a panic attack, and how I’m still not 100% sure it all happened.
Clint and Natasha picked us up the day before the funeral. I got to see Laura and the kids again, and got a big hug from Laura. I introduced them to Charlie, then we were off.
I don’t remember much of the funeral. We went to the lake house again, and since there was no body, Pepper sent a wreath out on the water. Afterwards, there was a reception in the house. I finally got to meet Bucky, Sam, and Peter. I was helping Pepper and May with dishes in the kitchen when I saw a photo of Tony and Peter. I couldn’t help but pick it up.
“He loved Peter so much,” Pepper said. I looked at her, and she was smiling. “He wasn’t going to help them, but then he saw that picture, and I think it reminded him of what he could get back.” We heard a plate fall and shatter on the ground. We both turned around at the same time to see Peter standing there, looking completely white.
“Peter-” May said, but he ran off. She tried to run after him, but I stopped her.
“Can I try something?” she nodded with tears in her eyes, and I took off, making sure the envelope was still in my pocket.
I found him tucked between the bed and the wall in Tony and Pepper’s room. He was curled up into a ball, crying silently. I sat down in front of him and grabbed his hands.
“This or that. First one, squeeze your right hand. Second one, squeeze your left.” He stared at me and nodded. “Pancakes or waffles?” Right. “Movies or tv shows?” Right. “Movies or Music?” Left. “Sunrise or sunset?” Left. “Park or museum?” Right.
“Thank you,” he said after about twenty minutes. I nodded, still holding his hands.
“He gave me a letter for you. Do you want it now, or-” he nodded vigorously. Still holding onto his right hand, I let go of his left and pulled the letter out of my pocket. I got up to give him some privacy, but he squeezed my hand.
“Stay? Please?” I nodded and sat back down as he read the letter. As soon as he finished, he leapt into my arms for a hug. “I miss him.” I wrapped my arms around him.
“I know. I lost my parents when I was younger, and it hurt like this, too. They were in a car accident on their way to pick me up from school. I didn’t get to say goodbye.”
“How do you deal with it? I mean, I lost my parents, too, but I was really little when they died, so it doesn’t really bother me.” I sighed.
“I talk to people. I paint. I write.”
“You paint?” he asked, pulling away from me a little bit. I smiled and nodded.
“Yeah. I actually painted the bedrooms at the compound. You should come see them sometime.” He finally smiled and nodded.
“I’d like that.” I gave him my number, and we walked back out to the kitchen.
***
The next day, we were back at the compound in the hangar. Steve was standing on the platform in the red and white suit, and he was holding Thor’s hammer, Loki’s scepter, and a briefcase which held the stones. I stood next to Charlie and Bucky, who gave me a smile.
“Alright, Steve. You know what you need to do?” Bruce, who was standing at the computer, asked. Steve nodded.
“Put the stones back where and when we got them. Don’t be seen. Get in, get out.” Bruce nodded
“He’s time traveling,” Bucky said in disbelief. I chuckled.
“Yeah, yeah he is,” I said, knowing that I had the same reaction the first time I watched it happen. Bruce counted down, and Steve disappeared. A minute later, he came back, and we all let out the breaths we were holding.
“You good?” Bucky asked after Steve got off the platform.
“Yeah, I’m good.” Steve turned to Sam. “I got something for you. Come on.” The two of them walked to the main area of the compound, leaving everyone else in the hangar. I looked over at Bucky, who was smiling.
“What’s going on?” I whispered to him.
“You’ll see.” Sure enough, Sam walked back out to the hangar a few minutes later holding Steve’s shield. He looked completely shocked, like he couldn’t believe he was actually holding Captain America’s shield. Steve came out behind him, absolutely beaming. I looked from Bucky, to Sam, to Steve, then I understood; Steve gave Sam the shield. I walked over to Steve while Sam walked up to Bucky, who gave him a hug.
“What are you gonna do now?” I asked. He looked over at Clint, who was also smiling.
“I don’t know. I mean, I still have the apartment in Brooklyn, but some quiet would be nice, too. Missouri sounds nice.” I looked up at him and smiled.
“I agree. What about Bucky?”
“We’ll still see each other, but I think he wants to be with Sam. Going from fight to fight, that’s not what I want anymore. I think Bucky needs something that he can do. Being with Sam, helping him when he needs it, that’s what he wants.” I smiled and looked over at Sam and Bucky, who were still hugging.
We went our separate ways the next morning; Rhodey stayed in DC, Bruce stayed in New York, Thor went back to Norway, Natasha went to find her sister, then she’d come to Missouri, Sam and Bucky went to New Orleans, Rocket and Nebula went back to space, and Clint, Steve, Charlie and I made the trip to Ohio to pack up and load everything into our vehicles before moving to Missouri.
Once we finally got settled in Missouri, Laura made all of us dinner. While we were eating, I could feel her eyes on me.
“I’m sorry, Alex. I know I keep staring at you, but you look just like someone I went to camp with as a kid.” I froze; Mom grew up in Ohio, so there’s no way she knew Laura, right? “You probably don’t know her, and I might be losing it- it was so long ago- but-”
“What was her name?” I asked.
“It started with a ‘C’ I think. Maybe Catherine, or Caroline. No, it was-”
“Callie,” I finished.
“How-”
“My mom,” I said, smiling. I couldn’t believe it; mom went to camp one summer when she was a kid, and it just so happens that it was the same camp Laura went to.
“Really?” I nodded. “I have pictures. We can look at them after we eat.” I smiled and nodded.
I don’t know if I believe in a god. I don’t know if there’s some higher power that determines what we do, who we meet, where we go, or anything like that. All I know is, fate has a funny way of showing itself. When I met Clint and Laura seven years ago, I never could have imagined that it would lead to this. Charlie and I have something closely resembling a family again, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.