Young Avengers: Legacy [3]

Dear Dad

Dear Dad,

I know it's silly to be writing to you, after all you've been gone for eight months. Crazy huh. Eight months. And yet, it feels like forever. Let me catch you up on some things since well, you know. Um, as you knew I saw Michael and that was an emotional moment. Fury has been conducting searches for the other kids who were tested on like me, hopefully they were lucky and didn't get stuck with super powers. Hopefully they are normal teenagers.

I visit my mom more often than before. You were right, it did get easier. I felt guilty for not visiting, as I was her only child. But like you had always told me, "take it one step at a time", and I did. I even brought Morgan. She didn't really understand.

Speaking of Morgan, she's just a ball of sunshine. Always requesting burgers, I feel like Happy is always at a Burger King. She is like you dad, she is quite stubborn. If Happy gets her McDonald's or Wendy's, she'll refuse to eat it.

I have one more week of school. Even though Pepper and I had decided to keep your formally adopting me a secret, we went public with it. There were many questions about how I was still a teenager despite not aging during the Blip. Yeah, that's what everyone is calling it. I'm pretty sure you would've thought of something cooler.

Pepper and I came up with some lie, kinda. It was partially true, we said that I had been in the facility as the Avengers when we were planning on going back to time, and somehow my age was reversed by a fault on Scott's part. Pepper had convinced Midtown to allow me to return, despite having graduated from online school five years prior. Her claim was being around familiar faces during my coping would do me good.

And she was right. Sure I kept getting stares by people, because I am a Stark formally and that I was alive during the Blip but also seventeen again. I had plenty of people coming to me asking me questions. I had some telling me you were such a hero, and saying how thankful they were of you. Many wanted to shake your hand, but since you are no longer here I was the next best thing.

In the last eight months, Pepper and Morgan stayed away from the city. They needed peace and quiet. I respected that. I've been living in a penthouse in Pepper's name, Happy comes by every now and then to check on me. So don't worry, dad, I'm not completely unsupervised.

And not only that, but May had been wanting me over for dinners more often. She doesn't like the idea of me being alone in the penthouse but, it's home, I guess. I mean Pepper has said the cabin out of the city is still home for me if I ever wanted to escape for a weekend or longer. I would take up on that offer but, I'm going to Europe for summer vacation.

I mean two weeks, and I know it isn't like the trips you took us on during the Blip. And despite what you thought, I did have fun with you guys. I always treasured the time together, which makes me feel like I may have taken you for granted and I am sorry for that, dad.

Speaking about you, uh Peter isn't handling it well. I mean neither was I, but I'm dealing with it day by day. I still have my off days and I have my better days, but he- Peter, this has been really hard for him. I love him, dad. I love him so much it hurts me. He shut me out, dad. He just sent me a text one afternoon saying we need some time apart. Time apart, funny right? I spent five years away from him, only to get a second chance with him and he wants a break?

Sorry about that, dad. I shouldn't lash out about my boyfriend troubles to you- or lack there of boyfriend issues. I am angry at him for just shutting me out, but maybe if I give him his space he'll come to me when he's ready. Hopefully.

Anyways, I should get going. I always seem to write to you dad when I can't sleep and now it's three in the morning. If you were here, you'd lecture me about the importance of sleep and schooling and then I'd make a smart remark about how you never sleep and is always working with your gadgets. Then you'd say "they're not gadgets, they're important pieces to a new upgrade for my suit.".

I just made myself laugh about that. I heard all of that in your voice. But checking out for the night. I love you 3,000, dad.

Sorry Morgan and I now say it to each other now.

-Emma