Guardian Angel | Steve Rogers

19

The next four years flew by. Visiting Nat and Steve at the compound, checking in with the rest of the team as they either went back to their homes or traveling to other planets. She stuck around, but could barely hold a conversation with Steve. Leaving or ending the conversation short if it tried to be anything other than surface level. She convinced herself that there was nothing between them two anymore, and to keep her distance from Steve to lower the chances of getting her feelings hurt. Again. Being friend zoned by him was not surprising but disappointing as they had so much history, but now whatever complications they had were history. So, she stopped herself from seeing him again a year after they made up.

Her relationship with Thor was interesting. When she would visit New Asgard, she ended up going on a drinking binge every time she saw him, feeding into his grief and anger, but one day she had enough. Lecturing her brother that this isn't how he should be spending his life knowing that there were others who didn't even have a chance. Leaving him drowning his sorrows in beer, sternly telling him not to speak to her until he got his act together. It seemed like the only joy she had in her life was spending time with her goddaughter. Morgan Stark, Tony and Pepper's beautiful five year old daughter. Every few weeks she got to visit them for the weekend. Watching Tony and Pepper raise Morgan, feeling apart of the family, grounding herself and feeling grateful for what she had. On her way out of the city to see the Starks, she found herself making a stop at a group meeting. Standing right outside the room, leaning against the wall hearing a familiar, deep and raspy voice. 

"That's those brave little baby steps we gotta take... to try and become whole again, to find purpose. I went in the ice right after I met the love of my life. Woke up 70 years later. You gotta move on. Gotta move on." Steve spoke up. She could hear the defeat in his voice. 

Biting her lip, she walked away, not even peeking inside to look at him. That was it, she thought. He was right, she had to move on. 

"You're late. You said you were gonna be here at 8 this morning." Tony scolded Arden as she walked in the door. 

"Yeah, I got sidetracked." She answered lowly, shutting the door behind her. 

Tony and Pepper looked at each other, noticing the tone of her voice, but Pepper shook her head at him. 

"Arden!" Morgan ran in the living room towards her. 

She dropped her bag, dropping down to her knees opening up her arms to hug the little girl.

"That is Aunt Arden to you, squirt." She greeted her, making Morgan laugh. "How's my favorite person ever?" 

"Good. Will you have a tea party with me?" Morgan pleaded, tugging her arm. 

"Hey, where's my invitation?" Tony asked his daughter. 

"Daddy, tea parties are for girls only." Morgan shook her head, pulling Arden into her play room. 

"Since when?" Tony countered. 

"Since today!" Morgan argued back, and Arden laughed as they walked away.

After finishing their tea party inside, Morgan grew bored, running outside to play in her tent outside. Arden needed a break from small chairs, and joined Tony and Pepper in the kitchen. Peeking out the window to keep an eye on Morgan.

"Tony, can you go get Morgan for lunch?" Pepper asked, and he nodded, walking outside. 

"So, were you late because you went to go see him?" Pepper asked Arden, referring to this morning. Arden scoffed, leaning against the kitchen island beside Pepper.

"Yeah." She sighed, telling Pepper the truth.

"Did you go inside this time?" Pepper added, tossing the salad.