The Dark Antihero | Avengers: Endgame [6]

Chapter 21

"Everybody wants a happy ending, right? 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 of 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 twelve years ago that we weren't alone, let alone to this extent, I mean, I would've been shocked. But, come on, who knew? I certainly didn't. The epic forces of dark and light that have come into play, and for better or for worse that's the reality Nat's gonna have to find a way to grow up in. So I thought I better record a little greeting in case of an untimely death on my part. Not that death at any time is untimely. What am I saying? This time travel thing we're gonna try and pull off tomorrow, it's got me worried about the survivability of it all," 

The hologram version of Ellie stood up, leaning against the tree and tilting her head back.

"Honestly? I never expected for it turn out this way. Strange, he...one out of fourteen million. That's tiny. But me dying? That's so much higher. I'd credit it to stupidity, but Rogers would probably tell me I was self-sacrificing or something like that. I don't know. What we're trying--it might not work. And if it does...we don't know what will happen. We might find the finale of our lives. Then again, that's the hero gig. Part of the journey is the end. Who am I kidding? Everything is going to work out exactly the way it's supposed to,"

She looked back down, smiling. "I love y'all a million," the hologram faded away, but I continued staring at the space where she had been standing. I slowly looked at those around me, taking in their grief. The tears in their eyes, the frowns on their faces. The devastation in their faces.

The regret. They didn't want this. They thought she was too young. She was too young. It shouldn't have been her. But it was.

And there's nothing we can do to change that. I took a shaky breath as we all moved into a line, allowing Mr. Barton and Mrs. Romanoff to pass by with two wreaths. One had Ms. Barton's original leg on it, with the inscription Proof that Ellie Barton is a hero inscribed on a ring around it. The other carried the late Mrs. Romanoff's wedding ring, with the inscription Proof that Natasha Romanoff has a heart on the ring around it. They gently set the wreaths in front of two graves.

                               Here Lies                                                             Here Lies
               Eleanor Peyton Barton                           Natalia Alianovna Romanoff
                  September 9th, 1998                                             June 1st, 1984
                   October 17th, 2023                                          October 16th, 2023
               "A hero is someone                                             "A hero is someone 
          who was given his or  her life                       intent on making the world
    to something bigger than oneself."                a better place for everyone."

At the front, stood the widow and the childless father. Behind, stood the rest of the Bartons. I could spot a small redheaded child that looked like she was Ms. Barton's daughter. Behind the Bartons stood Steve, who had a hand on a girl's shoulder, his other hand rubbing a man's back. Behind them were Peter and May, with the former looking devastated.

After that, it was the Banners, Dr. Banner with his arm in a sling and a mixture of grief and regret on his face. Then I stood, next to Thor with a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. Dr. Strange, an Asian man, and an Asian woman stood behind us, a look of regret on Strange's face. Behind them were Scott, the Wasp, Ms. Van Dyne, and Mr. Pym. Then the Guardians, consisting of Rocket, Groot, Mantis, Nebula, Yanvi, Quill, and Drax.

Behind them were the Wakandans, T'Challa, Okoye, Shuri, and Ch'tasi. Then a mixture of individuals, including a dark-haired young woman, a blonde, a black-haired woman, a woman in a wheelchair, and a weedy teenager. Then Wanda, Bucky, his little sister Becca, Sam, and a young man whose name I believe was Tom. After that was an individual who I believed was named Olive, an old friend of Ms. Barton's. Behind them were an older woman with dark hair and a tall black woman with curly dark hair.

Standing on the steps was Danvers, her hands clasped at her hips. And finally, standing on the porch, was Director Fury. I felt disrespectful, like I didn't belong. I was a villain surrounded by heroes. I wasn't supposed to be here.

I didn't even know them that well. I had met them, but the people surrounding me were their families, their loved ones. I was just a random girl who met them a few times. When the wreaths had floated out of sight, I stepped away from the others, letting them speak and offer condolences. As I stood near a tree a good distance away, I saw a green snake sunbathing near my foot.

I smiled down at the reptile, remembering Thor telling me a story about Loki when he was younger. God, I missed him and his stupid smile that I refused to admit I found rather sweet. How long had it been? Ten years. He's been gone a decade.

It's felt like so much longer. That brief meeting in the Soul World felt like a punch in the gut. A taunting from the universe. "Long day?" I glanced to the side, seeing Barnes standing there. "Oh, long ten years," I sighed.

"Thinking about a loved one?" he asked. "I wouldn't say loved one, but yes," I admitted. "Were they nice?" he asked. "Oh, he was a complete ass. But still..." he put a hand on my shoulder, and I looked down. "We gotta move on," he told me.

"But I don't wanna move on. I wanna go back and for nothing to have changed," I whined softly. "I do too, trust me. But we can't do that. This is what life has given us, and we have to make the most of it. Whatever that means," he said. "O-Okay. But...how do I do that?" I asked him quietly. "Well, what makes you happy?" he asked. "I don't know. He made me happy, I think, but now he's gone," I whimpered.

"Well, there's gotta be something. You just have to find it,"