Hero [L.L]

Chapter One Hundred Twelve

Five years later

Eden walks into the prevalence room holding two sandwiches and walks over to Natasha who sat at the table talking to the rest of the team. She quietly sits down and takes her sandwich, eating it as she listens to their individual updates. None of which would lead to any good news. But she admired Natasha's hope, though she had no idea how the woman had held on for so long.

Eden had given up hope long ago. It had been a long five years, the hardest of her life. It had taken a lot for her to return to a 'normal' life. But after intense therapy, extreme training, and thousands of self-help books she found herself somewhat ok. She no longer felt as though she was dying, the pain had lessened to a dull throb whenever she was reminded of him. Some days were fine, she would laugh with Natasha and joke about Steve's beard phase. Other days were bad, she would be locked away in her room with horrid panic attacks. But overall she was ok. Her hair had grown a few inches and now fell past her shoulders, she quite liked it short these days. She had gotten a nose piercing a few years back and had replaced it with a ring which she loved. She had also gotten two tattoos, though Natasha did not approve she didn't much care. On her right wrist, she got an 'L', simple but precious. On her collarbone she tattooed their favorite poems, reminding her of the sweet phrase they used to say, "I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart) for as long as men can breathe and eyes can see". She loved it, whenever she would miss him she would repeat those words, it brought her comfort.

Though she hadn't changed much physically, her personality was much different. She had grown stronger mentally and rarely showed her emotions. Eden developed a nasty habit of using sarcasm as a defense which Natasha hated. She no longer held fear in her heart, and she was prepared to put her life on the line for anything, death was no longer a scary event, she would welcome it. This frightened the two teammates she lived with.

"I'd offer to make the two of you dinner but it seems like you're already miserable," Steve Rodgers says causing the two to lookup at him in shock, he didn't visit as much after he got his own apartment and moved away.

"what are you doing here?" Eden asks

"came to visit some friends"

"well clearly your friends are fine" Natasha states taking a bite of her sandwich

"you know I saw a pod of whales on the way up here"

"in the Hudson?" Eden asks in shock

"yep, cleaner water"

"if you're about to tell me to look on the bright side I'm about to hit you in the head with a peanut butter sandwich"

"sorry force of habit, you know I keep telling everybody they should move on and grow. some do but not us"

"if we move on then who does this?" Natasha asks

"maybe it doesn't need to be done"

"I used to have nothing, and then I got this. this job, this family, and I was better because of it. even though they're gone I'm still trying to be better" Natasha admits as tears fall down her cheeks, Eden is quick to grab her hand tightly and leans her head on her shoulder.

"good thing we all need to get a life"

"you first" Eden smiles

They fall into silence as a notification pops up in front of the two, Natasha dismisses it however a voice rings through the office. Eden stares at the video in shock as she recognizes Scott Lang aka Antman. She hadn't seen him since Steve broke up the team to save Bucky Barnes. Her blood runs cold and she stands to her feet instantly and enlarges the video so they could see better.