The Adventures of the Stark-Rogers

Chapter Six: Ned's Unfortunate Birthday

Ned sighed closing the house door behind her and dropped her house keys on to the table next to the door. She toed off her shoes and dropped herself on the couch. It had been another year without her full family. Another birthday without her family.

She turned on the couch, facing the tv instead of the ceiling and thought about the first time she got to meet her dad after the snap.

'A bright light came from outside. Bruce, Rhodey, Steve, Natasha, Rocket, Thor, and Ned went outside to check what it was. Though they had a small clue of what it would be.

Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers, was holding a large spaceship and bringing it in. The ex-Air Force soldier glowed yellow as she carried the spaceship as if it were nothing. She gently placed it down with one hand. Everyone held their breath as the door opened with a satisfying 'psh'. The stairs came down and from the ship appeared Tony Stark -looking fairly sick- and a blue skinned robotic looking alien.

Everyone smiled brightly at the two as the came down. Everyone too excited to see a certain hyperactive almost 17 year old boy missing.'

Ned groaned at the memory. She turn on her back and tried to close her eyes so maybe the memories would escape but they wouldn't.

'"We lost, Steve! You said we'd do that together but we didn't!" Tony argued. "We lost! And-" Tony's eyes watered. "I lost the kid." He cried.

Nobody had mentioned his disappearance in hopes of him being alive and well and asleep on the ship.

And with that Ned broke down again. She had lost all her siblings all in one day.

"Tony..." Steve said, unsure as to how to respond. He knew it wasn't Tony's fault that Peter got dusted.

"No! Don't 'Tony' me!" Tony yanked syringe and tubes that were attached to him and walked wobbly towards Steve. Everyone moved to help him get back but he just pushed them off. 'Do you know what's it like seeing your boyfriend turn to dust in front of you? Or have your damn son cry telling you he doesn't want to go?!"'

Ned groaned once again.

Why won't the damn memories go AWAY?! She thought to herself. Wasn't it bad enough she had to grow up, go to school, live without her full family?

There wasn't a Mari to talk about celebrities with.

There wasn't a Peter to make meme references with.

There wasn't a Harley to ensue chaos and make their dads regret life decisions.

There wasn't a Bucky to throw magnets at with her siblings.

There wasn't a Dr. Strange to tell them to stop when they would run around the Sanctum.

There was no one.

Half of life as they knew had disappeared.

Ned groaned for the fiftieth time that day. It had been almost two years. She should just move on.

But how do you move on from family? She would think.

Before she had time to overthink everything, the front door opened and closed.

"Ned?" Tony's voice came from the front door, only fifteen feet away from the couch.

"In here, Dad!" Ned responded from the couch, not bothering to get up.

Tony followed the voice and entered the living room of the cabin. He chuckled when he saw Ned. "Tough day?" He asked.

Well, it's my birthday and my siblings are dead and you and dad won't talk and above all that: math is hard!