From The Ice || a Marvel Studios Fanfic

23 - The Funeral

Liberty's P.O.V

One minute she was there, the next she wasn't, but it felt like the world had lost someone of immense importance. Or at least it felt that way for me, which was expected, to some extent.

We all sat in the pews of the church, the stone cold beneath the palms of my hands. Or at least it felt cold to me.

Speeches were made, everyone wore black, but we also all wore an element of red, a choice that my mother had made long ago whilst thinking about this dark time for all of us. "I don't want you all dressed so blankly, funerals are sad enough as it is, plus, I love the colour red, it's a noble colour," She'd said to me once when I was younger before I went under the ice. 

I sat next to dad, who was entirely silent through the whole ceremony, as he sat so still, you'd think he too had let all the air from inside his lungs and let his soul pass on to another world. The only way I could tell he was still there was from his occasional blinking and the single tear that escaped down his left cheek when Uncle Tony took to the podium to give a speech about Peggy.

I also sat there in silence, feeling guilty that I hadn't made as much of an effort to be a good daughter to her, and also to dad. I wish I'd have been there. My face was stern, just as most of the people's faces at the funeral were. But when Tony stood up and opened his mouth to say a few words, my mouth couldn't help but twitch into a small smile.

The world was so used to seeing the Tony Stark that Uncle Tony put out there; the cocky, smug businessman who believed he had all of the answers and not a problem in the world. But the Tony he showed then, as he said his final farewell to the woman who practically raised him, his Aunt Peggy, he looked like he was a child again, the spark of irrational, lionhearted bravery had completely deserted his eyes, and all that was left was the true Tony, the Tony that my mother knew.

Once the funeral had finished, I spotted my dad by the front of the church, next to the glazed wooden coffin, a smiling photograph of my mother when she was young staring out bravely from the frame that dad had placed on the top, along with her signature ruby red fedora hat that even I remember her wearing, sat peacefully behind it. Dad was there alone, just as he had been for most of the ceremony, his hand rested on the top of the coffin as he whispered a few words into the hardwood.

"But, I still owe you that dance," He whispered, another tear falling down his cheek.

It was then that I felt a hand on my shoulder, I turned around to see Aunt Nat and Uncle Tony both stood behind me, Nat had her hand resting on my shoulder. I looked around at them and smiled sadly, Aunt Nat going over to dad to see if he was okay. I was glad that he had a friend like Natasha, I knew that she was genuinely there for him, until the end of the line.

"What you said was lovely, Tony," I said, just trying to make a nice genuine conversation with Uncle Tony, trying to distract myself from spontaneously bursting into tears right here right now. "Mum would've been proud of who you are," 

"Thank's Liberty," Tony replied, and even through his aviator sunglasses, I could see that he had been crying too. "How's Cap doin'?" 

"I'm not really sure, he's been kinda distant lately, which I sort of understand," I replied, looking over to where dad was stood, his head almost resting on Aunt Nat's shoulder. 

"Peggy's death hit all of us hard, he just needs time," Tony then said, resting his hand on my shoulder and looking down at me. Tony knew about grief, I just hoped that he was right about all of this. I hope everything will be fine in the end...