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"Everybody wants a happy ending, right? But it doesn't always roll that way. Maybe this time."
(Y/N) sat in the couch of her living room with her eyes set on a recording she had found saved inside one of Tony's old helmets. She had felt this sense of deja vu after the last time she had found a recording of this kind, yet this was completely different. She had set the helmet in a particular angle so the projection would be positioned in the right corner of the room for everyone to see.
"I'm hoping if you play this back, it's in celebration," he continued. "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 was ever 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 been surprised but come on, who knew?"
"The epic forces of darkness and light that have come into play," (Y/N) brushed away any tears that escaped her eyes as her daughter pulled her closer. "And for better or worse. . .that's the reality Morgan's gonna have to find a way to grow up in."
Her eyes trailed up to Morgan, who was innocently watching the recording with an expression that even (Y/N) couldn't decipher. It was hard to break the news to her ( if she tried remembering how that went she might break down ) but Morgan was a smart girl. She comprehended life and death to an extent of someone her age might have.
"So, I thought I'd probably better record a little greeting in the case of an untimely death. On my part," Tony's hand moved to point at himself. "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. Then again, that's the hero gig, right?"
"Part of the journey is the end."
Rhodey, who was sat on one of the living room's loveseats, couldn't stop his tears. Happy was somehow in a state of shock and couldn't bring himself to express anything in his face.
"What am I even tripping for?" Tony's projection got up from the chair he was sitting in and stepped in front of it. "Everything's gonna work out exactly the way it's supposed to."
His eyes lifted to stare off into one person in particular, as if he knew she would be watching. The sight of her father's eyes staring back at her made Morgan cower back to her mother protectively. All (Y/N) could offer was a hand of comfort and brushed the loose strands of hair out of Morgan's eyes.
"I love you 3,000."
With that, the hologram disappeared.
(Y/N) thought that would've been the worst part of her day — having to see her husband in such a vividly way only to be harshly reminded that he was gone — but it wasn't. Having to face at least a hundred people waiting outside of her home was surely worse. But (Y/N) couldn't cancel at the last minute. After all, it was the funeral.
She stepped outside and walked down the steps with Morgan clasping onto her hand tightly due to the dozens of unfamiliar faces. In her hand she held onto a wreath that Pepper had made the day before, doing her best to avoid looking at it properly afraid she might cry. Happy, Rhodey and Pepper were trailing right behind her, but Steve and Thor decided to give them some space before following after them.
(Y/N) weakly smiled in gratefulness at the people she spotted over the row, the others bowing their head as a form of respect. She could feel all of their gazes in the back of her head as she made her way over to the small dock of the lake with the wreath feeling heavy in her hands.
She leaned down on the dock and carefully placed the wreath on the lake, watching how it floated in the dim green water. In between the flowers stood the symbolism of her husband, the first gift she had ever given him, also a reminder of how her story with him started. His old arc reactor, with the words Proof that Tony Stark has a heart emblemed around it.
"Say goodbye to Dad, honey," (Y/N) crouched down to Morgan's level, her arm wrapping around her entire small body.
Morgan waved her small hand. "Bye, Daddy."
(Y/N) sniffled as she saw the wreath drift away further in the lake, doing her best to contain her emotions. Behind her, Rhodey and Happy pulled each other into a side hug for some sense of comfort. Pepper was drying her tears with a tissue, composing herself when the men brought her into their embrace. Steve was behind them with his hands in his pockets, thinking any sort of 'what if' scenario in which he could've taken Tony's place and the Stark family wouldn't have been broken apart.
Peter Parker and his aunt May were watching from the sidelines, the woman placing a comforting hand on her nephew's shoulder because she knew this took a huge toll on him. Bruce and Thor wanted to be there for (Y/N), but they decided to stay back. Stephen Strange and Wong were right behind them, both remaining with stoic expressions.
The Pym family and Scott Lang were a few feet away from the others. Although they weren't exactly close to the person who had passed away, they decided to assist anyway to show respect. Hank Pym, the one with the harshest history with the Stark's, decided to show up much to people's surprise. All he said is that he felt like he owed it to an old friend.
The Guardians assisted too, some with lowered heads and the others staring straight forward. Mantis was rocking from side to side, a peculiar way of hers to show respect for the deceased. T'Challa wore traditional black clothes but had minuscule purple details engraved on the sleeves, Okoye and Shuri on either sides of him. A few steps behind were the Barton's, where Clint had his hands on top of his two oldest's shoulders and Laura had her hands through their youngest's hair.
Wanda, Bucky and Sam were apart from the others, staring at the lake like the rest of them. Sam patted Bucky's shoulder as a way to show comfort for the situation, since he was the one left with a single regret out of the three. All Bucky could do to hide his regret and guilt was stuff his hands inside his jacket's pockets so no one could see the metal arm hidden underneath the fabric.
Harley Keener distanced himself from everyone else in the funeral. He wasn't quite sure why he received the call, since it had been a long time since he had heard from the billionaire, but a pet of him was thankful that he did. Not everyone knew his tie to Tony, but he preferred to keep it that way. Charlie Vaughn stood beside him to remain separated from the others, an arm wrapped around his wife's shoulder. He barely knew his brother-in-law, but he knew he had to come to show respect.
Maria Hill and Secretary Ross were too close to the porch, staying back for different reasons. Carol remained stoic on the steps of the cabin, watching her friend from afar. The blonde felt like she had no place at the front of the line with (Y/N) anymore, as if they both had completely different lives and distanced themselves in the process.
And at the very back of everyone else stood Nick Fury himself, watching the scene from a respectable distance. He was there for the loss of someone he dared to call an ally, or a friend even, but he was also there to support another. He had watched this couple from their beginning, and now he was observing their end.
(Y/N) had all those people behind her showing their support and respect for the great loss she had suffered, but she had never felt so alone.
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As everyone bid their farewells and their monotone 'my condolences' to her, the house began to feel more empty. Morgan was distracted outside on the porch with Happy since (Y/N) didn't want her around the gloomy aura of the house. The front door opened and close to signal another exit from one of the guests, making (Y/N) take a deep breath before someone else walked through the door. The sound of heels clicking against the hardwood floor echoed throughout the quiet house and (Y/N) turned around to come face to face with Pepper.
"Hey," she said in a soothing voice.
(Y/N) could only nod in response.
"My ride's here, and Happy's coming with," she spoke calmly, a warm smile coming through. "Call me if you need anything, okay?"
"I don't want to bother you," (Y/N) shook her head in disagreement immediately.
"Well, I'm not asking you to, I'm telling you," Pepper responded in a much firmer tone. "(Y/N), you're gonna need some help — "
"But that's just it, I don't need help," she cut in.
Pepper's eyes softened and she raised a hand to place on her shoulder. "(Y/N), what you experienced is traumatic. Morgan just lost her father. It would be reasonable to ask for help."
The words reminding (Y/N) of Morgan's loss made her eyes sting. It just made this pain much more difficult than it already was. She lifted her head up to stop the tears from falling down her cheeks because she didn't want to cause a scene in front of Pepper and to not ruin her makeup.
"Remember all those years ago, when I recommended you my doctor?" at the question, (Y/N) nodded and that allowed Pepper to continue. "Its time to give her a call. I can arrange an appointment, just so you're getting through this the right way."
(Y/N) stared back at Pepper like she had done something astonishing. "You're too good for me, Pep."
"That's just what families do for each other."
Pepper didn't hesitate twice before pulling (Y/N) into a much needed embrace. Over the past 48 hours, all (Y/N) had received were awkward pats in the shoulder or side hugs, not a single drop of affection at this level. It made her want to cry all over again.
"Are you gonna be okay while I'm gone?"
(Y/N) didn't get to open her mouth to voice her opinion.
"Never mind that, I'm staying here."
"Pepper — "
"I'll tell Happy to go on without me," she answered. "I'll stay here with you."
(Y/N) smiled warmly at the gesture and Pepper copied the action. Although she was happy to receive some company and help with Morgan, (Y/N) couldn't still quite shake the feeling of uneasiness in the back of her mind. She couldn't quite understand it, but she felt a residing ghost in her home, breathing down her neck like in those movies. That inexplicable feeling that she's being watched coming to the surface when she saw all those family pictures hanging on the walls of her home.
How could (Y/N) continue living in this house, now that one of the two people that made it a home was gone?
im so sorry lol.
the inner conflict that i added in some of the characters in the funeral is going to have an explanation, just you wait. this series is wild.
also, what do you think y/n's reaction to steve leaving would be like? would she be happy or bitter about it at some extent ?
-see you soon, bex <3