Holding onto Hope (mlb/marvel crossover sequel)

2

I initially freeze. I am not as scared or as petrified by something or someone as I am of him. This... thing takes control of my nightmares, brings me back to my fake reality that I was in for so long.

It takes away all of my happiness, and turns it into something awful.

"Um, hello Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng. Who is this?" He looks at me, then over at Tony, and he gasps. "Y-your Tony Stark." Tony nods, but stays quiet.

"Oh Adrien, this is Marinette. Don't you remember her from school?" Sabine asks, not sensing the tension and absolute fear radiating off of my body, making it slightly shake.

"Wow, Marinette, it's been so long, I didn't even recognize you." I am staying silent, completely frozen. Tony slightly elbows me, and I stare into the horrific green eyes that I used to love.

"Y-yeah. It's been awhile." I turn back towards my parents, and say in a tight voice, "well, I have a plane to catch. I have to go." I begin to make my way towards the door, but Adrien grabs my arm and I completely freeze, not even breathing.

"We should catch up sometime. I haven't seen you for so long." I want to say no, but I can't think. I can't think. "Maybe. I'm pretty busy though. I-I'm sure you are too." He smiles, and nods. "If I can convince my father to let me hang out with you, then yeah. I would love that."

I take a deep breath, but something he says catches me off guard. "Wait, your dad is still in charge of you?" He seems embarrassed, but answers with his hand on the back of his neck.

"I'm not allowed to move out until I'm 20." I make an 'o' shape with my mouth, but Tony knocks me out of it by lightly tapping my arm, and the fear comes rushing back.

"Ok well, I have to go. I have a plane to catch. I-I have to call...someone, I just, I have to go." I wave goodbye to my parents, and rush out the store. A few seconds later Tony follows suit, but Adrien opens the shop door, freezing me again. "And Marinette," he says, his voice kind. I turn my head slightly, and he says, "I like your hair long like that." I nod, and soon Tony and I are walking in silence to the airport. That's the thing I like about Paris. Everyone walks.

"Are you o-"

"No."

"Do you want to ta-"

"Not right now."

"Are you going to let me finish a sentence?" He asks, and I let out a humorless laugh. Nothing can seem funny to me in this moment.

"We can talk when we get home. I don't think that I am going to fly on the plane. I need some time to think. Besides, if I fly I'll probably get home a little bit after you." I say, distant and distraught. "You just need time." He says, not like a question. I still nod, and I walk into an alley.

Another good thing about Paris; there are a lot of hiding places.

"Alright kid. I'll see you at home." I nod, and allow my true form to show.

I have changed since the last time I was like this. My hair is shorter, just past the middle of my back and slightly wavy as if it were in braids, and my outfit has changed too. I am wearing a tight white top that wraps around my frame, making my collar bones stand out and showing off my upper figure. There is a small line of skin that is visible in between the shirt and the long, flowing black skirt that fades to white I am wearing. It reminds me of something that a fairy would wear. (I'm thinking of the skirt that Maleficent wears in the second movie when she wakes up after being rescued.) My shoes are strapped, and black. My eyes are different too. They are both completely white.

My wings are bigger, from just above my head to just barely brushing the ground. My wings change color, which I hate, depending on the mood I'm in. If I am in a good mood, they are all white. the darkest imaginable black if I am in a bad mood. Right now, they are completely black. I am still beautiful; the image of perfection. Yet I hate it. I hate how I look. How I am.

I look over at Tony, and he nods. I begin to fly, and I up into the clouds so then no one can see me. As I fly, I think. How is it possible that he is alive? I killed him. I felt as he crumbled in my hands and died. I felt his heart stop; I hear it.

How is it that my worst fear, my nightmare, has come true and back to haunt me?

I continue to fly, silently panicking. How? How? How?

I end up zoning out, solely focused on the fact that he is alive, so I don't notice when I accidently pass New York. I am in Salt Lake City, Utah, when I realize that I passed it. Did I really zone out that long?

I just sigh, and land on a crane. They are rebuilding something right now, but they aren't using the crane currently because it is so late. By the looks of it the sun is about to set in only a few hours. I decide that instead of flying back I am just going to open a portal, so I do. I open one right inside of the front door at home, and hop through. I close it, then I make myself look human again. I hear Pepper and Tony upstairs, probably getting Morgan to bed, so I make my way up there.

As I step into the doorway of the baby's room, I see the three of them standing there, looking absolutely perfect together. The amount of joy and happiness radiating off of them is incredible, and I suddenly feel jealous. They are so happy. They love each other so much. I ruin that picture. I wish that I was Morgan, just a baby who doesn't have a care at all, and has the world waiting for her at her feet. Her future will be bright and happy, and she will be entirely safe throughout all of it.

I am jealous.

Pepper notices me, and motions for me to come in. I do, and smile at my little sister. She is an angel. Her little coos, her laughter, even her cry is precious. Even if I am jealous, I can't help but love her. She has everyone wrapped around her little finger. I gently take her from Tony, and slightly wave my hand in front of her. I show my power of creation, and bright colors like gold and silver and white dance in front of her eyes. She smiles her toothless smile, and reaches up to touch the magic.

When her hand swipes through it, it disappears. But I hold my hand in front of me, in a fist, and she lightly taps it. When she does, I open my hand and the sparkling colors return, just instead of them just being right in front of her, they fill the ceiling with their path, slowly moving around. Pepper turns off the lights, and the magic begins to glow. She laughs at this, and I laugh with her.

I slowly rock Morgan, and when she falls asleep I continue to hold the perfect child in my arms.

"Pepper," I mumble, keeping my voice low so it doesn't wake my sister. "round up the avengers. Somehow, Adrien is alive."