Long Way From Home

Speaking of... music

Pepper was overjoyed as she baked. "So mom," Peter cleared his throat, "MJ and I were thinking of Spring in Holland."

Pepper sat down, "Okay… why are you telling me this? Are you asking permission, Peter?"

"No, it's just that we need a singer, and we were hoping you know some…" Peter admitted.

"Why not ask your sisters to do it?" Pepper asked. "I'm pretty sure they won't say no… right?" Pepper smirked at the couple.

"Mom!" Peter scolded.

"What, Pete?!" Pepper trying to sound innocent and failing miserably.

Peter shook his head and went over to sit in Anya's table. Anya looks up from her yogurt, "What?!"

"I'm in trouble, Anya—"

"Always a good start to a conversation." Anya sat back leaning on the chair.

"Seriously Anya!" Peter frowned and breathed, "I need you guys to sing at my wedding … in May 27th Holland."

"I'll check my schedule…" Anya sighs before going through her notebook, "looks like I'm free, that day, sure." Anya sees Mary, Kelly, and Louna, "We have a gig on the 27th of May in the Netherlands."

"What song?" Mary asked.

"I'll send it to you…" Peter said gratefully, "and oh yeah, Anya, will you please do a speech?"

Anya frowns, "Either I sing or I deliver a speech, one of the other… Peter… I'm never doing both again."

Peter huffed and walked away. Kelly sat down, "Harsh Anya."

Anya sat up, "Please… have you—"

"I did," Mary nodded, "and I found this." Mary sent the file to Anya's laptop.

Anya scrolled down the document. "Kelly?"

"It's all valid …" Kelly smiles.

"Louna?"

"Already done," Louna put a stack of checks on the table, "just need your autograph and I'll mail it…"

Anya signed the checks. "Here!"

"Are you sure about this isn't the whole point of it is to teach them a lesson…" Cassie walks by.

"To teach the individual a lesson," Anya corrected, "why should the family suffer? 'The sins of the father should not be the responsibility of the child.' -King T'Challa (2027). The families are also victims."

"How?!" Steve walked in and demanded.

Anya stood up, "Can everyone please listen up?" Everyone's eyes turned to look at Anya, as she continued. "Unpopular opinion," clasping her hands together, "Hydra workers' families are also victims of Hydra."

Murmurs from the older Avengers and former S H.I.E.L.D. agents, as Anya sighs, "Kelly, Louna, Mary, and I were kidnapped when we were teens by villains who faced our relatives, and lost. Seems unfair and yes, it is; however, I'll be the first one to say, life is never fair. These people are innocent, their only guilty of being related to a person that worked for Hydra. So, I asked again, why should we punish them?"