iii. 𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 - 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐥

𝟎𝟎𝟕

2 Days Later

Everett drummed her fingers on her knees as the Quinjet thrummed in the background.

"Calm down," Clint said, a hint of laughter in his voice. "They're going to love you."

Everett met her brother's eyes. She choked back the tears that welled up in her eyes. She swiped at them, trying to maintain control.

Clint grabbed her hands and rubbed her knuckles. "I told Laura about you. At least the stories from when you were a baby. And I told her about Leipzig, and how I found out that you were the sister I had lost." Clint's eyes glistened. "My family is yours. And they have told me so many times that they want to meet you. So don't turn into a self-conscious teenager four years too late."

There was a weighty pause as Everett studied her fingers.

"How old was I when I was taken?" Everett asked softly.

Clint's eyes widened, not expecting the question. "Five months."

Everett's hands shook, but she cleared her head of the things she didn't want to think about. She couldn't let the ice take over again.

The Quinjet landed softly, and Everett grabbed her backpack and duffle bag.

Clint walked down the runway and dropped his bags at the sight of his children running towards him, he swooped Lila and Cooper up and hugged them. Everett could see the tension melt from his muscles. Nathaniel came next, wrapping his small arms around his dad.

Laura walked towards Clint, and Everett focused on the ground as they reunited.

Everett felt a tug on her hand and jumped back.

Green eyes, so like her own, focused on her.

"Are you Aunt Everett?" The little boy looked at her with curiosity. There was no fear in his eyes.

Everett nodded, too unsure to say anything.

"It's okay." Lila Barton stood a few feet away and had a smile on her face. "You're home now."

Everett let out a small laugh. "Thank you."

Cooper Barton and Lila Barton each held out a hand to her.

Everett accepted them and felt her heart settle into a new place.

This was home. And this was her family.

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1 Week Later

Everett stood in her black jumpsuit in the Stark-Potts living room, watching a projection: Tony's final message.

Everybody wants a happy ending, right? But it doesn't always roll that way. Maybe this time. I'm hoping if you play this back, it's in celebration. I hope families are reunited. I hope we get it back. And something like a normal version of the planet has been restored. If there ever was such a thing. God, what a world. Universe, now. If you told me 10 years ago that we weren't alone, let alone to this extent, I mean, I wouldn't have been surprised, but come on. Who knew? The epic forces of darkness and light that have come into play. And for better or worse, that's the reality Morgan's gonna must find a way to grow up in. So, I thought I'd probably better record a little greeting in the case of an untimely death. On my part. Not that death at any time isn't untimely. This time travel thing that we're gonna try and pull off tomorrow, it's got me scratching my head about the survivability of it all. That's the thing. Then again, that's the hero gig, right? Part of the journey is the end. What am I even trippin for? Everything is gonna work out exactly the way it's supposed to.