I stand behind the couch where Morgan and Pepper sit in a simple black dress. I stand there with my arms bracing myself on the back of the couch looking at my dad's hologram, a tear rolling down my cheek.
'Everybody wants a happy ending, right?' the hologram was saying. '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 ten years ago that we weren't alone, let alone, you know, to this extent, I mean, I wouldn't have been surprised. But come on, you know? The epic forces of darkness and light have come into play. And for better or worse, that's the reality Maya has already seen way too much of and the reality Morgan's gonna have to 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. I mean, not that, death at any time isn't untimely. This time travel thing that we're gonna try and pull off tomorrow, its—its got me scratching my head about the survivability of it all. That's the thing. Then again, that's the hero gig. Part of the journey is the end.' The hologram gets up walking towards the camera. 'What am I even trippin' for? Everything's gonna work out exactly the way it's supposed to. Which means,' the hologram looks right at me, 'I love you more than you love me, and you know it, kid.' The hologram bends down to look at Morgan. 'And I love you 3,000.' The message ends. I hold in a sob. A string of pain hiding in the back of my throat.
After we watch that, more people started showing up. I hadn't really talked to any of them since it all happened, not really wanting to. I waited upstairs until everyone was here. It was easier that way. I then walked down the steps, Pepper spotted me and walked over.
'People have been asking for you,' she said, her voice soft.
'Who?' I ask, tears already threating to slip from my eyes.
'Steve, Wanda, Rhodey, some guy named Scott,' she listed. 'Oh, Thor. Well, he asked for "Mini-Stark" but still.'
I smile slightly, blinking back tears. 'I'll get to everyone.'
'There's a talking racoon,' she also said. 'Over there.' She pointed towards a corner. I recognized Quill, Drax, and Mantis. As well as Nebula who I met up in space. Pepper told me she helped my dad when they were stuck in space. I nod at Pepper and walk over to them.
'So, you travel with a tree and a racoon. Why am I not surprised?' I said as I got up to them.
'Who are you calling a racon?' the raccoon said.
'I am Groot,' the tree said.
'Cool it, you two,' Quill said. 'She's been through enough.' He looks at me. 'I'm sorry, Maya. About everything. Your dad was a good man. He grows on a person.'
I nod, swallowing the frequent lump in my throat. 'Thanks, Quill.' I turn my attention to Nebula, who was trying to sink into the wall. 'You're Nebula, right?' She nods. 'Pepper told me what you did for my dad. I'm sure he appreciated the company. Thank you.'
'Tony was a good man,' she said.
'Yeah, he was,' I agreed.
'Maya,' Pepper said from behind me. I turn to see her standing with a teen that I didn't recognize. 'There's someone I want you to meet.'
I nodded my goodbye at the group and walked over to Pepper.
'This is Harley.'
'The Harley?' I asked, shocked. 'Like when I was 13, the kid my dad talked about for like two days?'
'Yeah, that's me. He talked about you a lot too,' Harley said.
Pepper smiles at me before walking away. 'You made an impact on my dad,' I said. 'Helped him out. Thank you.'
'Yeah, well, he was my hero,' Harley said.
'He was everyones',' I said; looking around the room. Morgan came running over to me all excited about something. I kneel down to her height. She warmed up to me quickly.
'Mommy said we can have cake when this is all over,' she said, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
I smile at her and try not to break down right there. 'Really? We have to hold her to that, okay?' She nods. 'Now go watch your mom to make sure she doesn't try to get out of it.'
'Okay!' she said, excited. She runs back through the crowd as people move out of her way.
I stand back up with a small smile on my face as I turn back to Harley.
'She seemed to warm up to you nicely,' he said, smiling slightly.
'Yeah,' I said. 'She is five and dad told her all kinds of stories.' I wipe a stray tear off my cheek.
'Miss Stark,' came a very familiar voice to my right. Both Harley and I turn to see T'Challa standing with two women. Harley smiles at me before slipping back through the crowd.
'Your highness,' I said, turning to him.
He smirks slightly. 'I don't believe you have met these two. This is my sister Shuri, and this is Okoye.'
'Nice to meet you both,' I said, smiling at them.
'I'm sorry for your lost,' Shuri said.
'Thank you,' I said. I turn back to T'Challa. 'Thank you for coming.'
'Of course,' he said. 'Tony was a good man. He did much for all of us. He deserves to be honored.'
'Yeah,' I said. 'Yeah, he does.'
The three of them smile at me and walk away. I take a deep breath as I look around the rest of the room. Clint and I locked eyes. He was with his family. I smiled at him, and he nodded back at me. I was too scared to go over to him. My visions blurred with tears, and I scolded myself as I blinked them away. I scanned the room until my eyes landed on Scott. He was talking to a girl I didn't know, and I decided to pay him a visit. When Steve told me everything I missed, the only one I had seen since the battle, he told me Scott was the one to give them hope. I wanted to thank him.
'Scott Lang,' I said, making him turn. 'What a surprise.'
He smiled, smally, at me. 'How have you been, Maya?'
I shrug. 'As well as any of you. Maybe a little worse.'
'Hi, I'm Hope,' the girl said. She held a handout for me to shake and I do. 'I'm so sorry about your dad. It's never easy losing a parent.'
I nod at her, another tear rolling down my cheek. 'Yeah, well...I'm just glad he knows he did it. Thank you for coming. I know you didn't really get along with my dad,' I said to Scott.
'Of course, Maya,' Scott said. 'He may have thrown me in jail, but he turned out to be a good man. A good dad.' I nod in agreement.
I smile a little before walking away from them, making a beeline to the kitchen. There was nobody in there and it was quiet. I close my eyes as I lean against the counter.
'You know you still look the same for five years,' Steve said from behind me.
I smile as I turn around. 'Can't say the same for you though, can I?'
'Ouch,' he said, also smiling. 'I'm glad you can still joke, Maya.'
Sam and Bucky had walked in with him, keeping their distance. I wipe my face again, really getting tired of crying for no reason in particular. 'Hey Bucky. Sam. So glad you came.' My voice was sarcastic.
'Still don't like me, do you?' Sam asked.
My voice turned serious as I said, 'I'm glad you came, Sam. It means a lot. It means a lot all three of you came.'
Sam didn't seem to know what to say to that and just nodded. Steve smiled sadly at me and I wanted to brush away his concern.
'Have you seen Wanda?' he asked.
'No, I want to though,' I said, shaking my head.
'I can go find her for you if you want?' It was a question. Like he was asking for permission.
I nodded to him and the three of them left the kitchen. It took about 30 seconds until Wanda came walking into the kitchen, pulling me into a hug before I could say anything. I buried my head into her neck as I started crying. I knew she was doing the same thing, her head buried in my hair. It was a bear hug. A hug full of hurt and numbness. The two of us cried together about everyone. About Vision, Nat, dad. The 5 years we were gone. Everything that has changed. Grief flooded from both of us, and I was suddenly very, very grateful for her. For her comfort and friendship.
'I'm so sorry,' she mumbled through tears, after who knows how long.
'I'm sorry too,' I mumble into her shoulder. 'So, so, sorry.'
We both pulled away, wiping at our eyes. Pepper came in a second later.
'It's time, Maya,' she said. I nodded and followed her out of the kitchen, Wanda behind me.
Pepper let me carry it as I stood on her right, Morgan on her left. I stare straight. On top of the wreath is my dad's first arc reactor, which Pepper had framed with the words, "Proof that Tony Stark has a heart" way back when. We get to the dock and Pepper, Morgan, and I bend down as I place it gently into the water. I stand back up and backup so I'm next to Rhodey. He puts a hand on my shoulder, pulling me to his side. I watch the wreath float away and I take a deep breath so that I don't cry.
After a while of silence, people started talking again. Trying to keep away from Peter for unknown reasons to my brain, I walked over to Bruce and Thor.
'So, we get Hulk and Bruce in one now, huh?' I said when I got in front of them.
'Mini-Stark,' Thor said, smiling, but it doesn't reach his eyes. 'It is good to see you. It has been too long.'
'Yeah, Thor, yeah it has,' I said. 'It's been too long since I've seen both of you. What are your plans once this is all over?'
'I am going into space with the racoon and tree,' Thor said. 'I am not cut out for this Earth stuff. I will miss you, Mini-Stark.'
'You can just say Stark now, Thor,' I said, trying not to cry anymore.
'It will always be Mini-Stark,' he said definitively and walked away. I turned my attention to Bruce.
'You got a lot bigger than I remember,' Bruce said.
'So did you,' I said, smiling.
'Yeah, well, best of both worlds,' he said. I nod and my focus goes to someone behind them. My smile falters.
'Excuse me for a minute,' I mumbled, walking around them. I walk up to Strange and see him prepare himself. 'One in 14,000,605 chance, right?'
'I'm sorry about your dad, Maya,' Strange said. 'I know what I said, but he really was a good man. A good father.'
I nod, unable to stop the tears flowing down my cheeks. He was nice enough to not say anything. 'Thank you for coming, Strange. I understand.' I walked away before he could say anything else.
I faltered when I saw Ross. Anger consumed my chest and I tried to press it down. I didn't want him here. He didn't deserve to be here. He had no right to be here. Maria Hill walked up to me before I could walk any further.
'He's not worth it, Maya,' she whispered. She put an arm around me, steering me to the porch where Fury stood. I nodded to Danvers when we passed, and she did the same. Neither of us needed more than that and I was grateful. I leaned on the porch next to Fury, with Hill on the other side of him.
'We thought your dad wasn't a good participant for the Avengers foundation,' Fury said. 'Thought he cared too much about himself, that he wasn't a team player. He's proven us wrong so many times, but this one takes the cake.'
I smiled as more tears fall from my eyes. 'He always liked proving people wrong.'
'He did,' Fury said. 'I never doubted him for a second after the Loki thing.' There was a second of silence. 'Have you talked to everyone?'
'Everyone but Clint and Parker, I'm pretty sure,' I said.
'You should talk to Clint,' he said. I looked at him. 'He needs to know you're okay.'
I look out, seeing Wanda and Clint down by the lake shore. I walk off the porch and down towards them, standing next to Wanda.
'You know,' Clint said, 'I wish there were a way—that I could let her know. That we won.' He looks at us. 'We did it.'
'She knows,' Wanda said. She looked at me and put an arm around my shoulder. 'They all do.'