Altered - A Marvel AU

Chapter 29 - Friendships

Third Person (omniscient narrator)

Hannah had been worried sick, she had been searching for the past 2 years in hopes of finding where her best friend had disappeared off to. Ava was over for the weekends, she went to NYU and Hannah could barely see her. The rest of her friends and her all went to Manhattan College, so at least she was close to them.

Hannah had made a sickening and frightening discovery and she called all her friends over to discuss it with them, once everyone was situated in her room she took a deep breath, hoping tears wouldn't spill out. Abdul walked to her and took her hand, holding it close to his heart, "Just talk, babe." He said and Hannah nodded. "I know where Megan is." Immediately a frenzy of questions arose from her friends, "Where is she?" Ava asked, her face contorted with pain because none of them had seen their bestfriend for over 2 years.

Hannah got out her remote and turned on her television, the screen showing the same news coverage she had been staring at for the past week now. They all inched forwards as they saw an anchor talk about mass destruction. "What does this have to do with Megan?" Deanne asked and Hannah shushed her, "Just look." When the picture of the villaness known as Femme Fatale showed up they zoomed the camera in on her face and that's when everyone gasped.

"Megan's a villain?" Arnie asked, his face clearly portraying confusion, "How is that even possible?" Christian asked and Hannah shrugged, exasperated with all this new information. "I don't know, but apparently she's joined forces with the Avengers." Ava shook her head incredulously, "This doesn't make any sense." Hannah remembered the promise she made to Megan but she couldn't contain herself any longer, "Mr. Grant is actually Chris Evans who is actually Steven Grant Rogers who is actually Captain America." She immediately clamped a hand over her mouth, feeling guilty of breaking her promise with Megan all those years back.

"I'm sorry, who, what, when, where?" Ava asked, her perfect eyebrows creeping up her face until they were practically blended with her hairline. "That's why he looked familiar." Deanne muttered and Kylie and Simi nodded earnestly. "I'm going after her." Hannah muttered and Ava held up a hand, "Hannah, if she wanted to be found, she would've told us. It's for the best if we leave her to be." Hannah knew that Ava's logic was right but she was still so heartbroken after losing her best friend. "Still, I'm flying to New York City, what about you guys?" At first no one said anything, but then everyone nodded in perfect synchrony.

***

Megan sat on the couch in the Avengers living room, her feet in the air as she hung upside down. Natasha was sitting next to her, animatedly telling her what had happened while she was at Asgard. "Steve was totally freaking out, you should've seen him, he was like a love sick puppy." They all burst out laughing and Steve grumbled, "I was not, I don't even love her." "Suuurreeeee." Nat snorted.

Suddenly they heard a doorbell ring and Megan flew off the couch, "I'll get it." "Show off." Nat muttered and Megan stuck her tongue out at her. She went to open the door and she gasped in utter shock. Hannah along with the rest of her friends stood there, Hannah's mouth lifted from one side as a one-sided smile. "Hey Meg." She said and Megan almost cried, "Oh gosh, it's really you guys." Ava jumped on Megan, crushing her in a hug that took the air out of her windpipe, "BITCH, WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!"

Just then Tony came blazing in with his suit halfway on as he and the rest of the team ran in behind him, "What, what's wrong?" Tony asked, struggling to put on his helmet and Megan laughed. "Avengers, these are my friends, guys these are the Avengers." Megan said and smirked as she saw her friend's jaws drop. "Any of you single, because I'm up for grabs." Ava said, walking towards them and Arnie pulled her back into his chest, "No you're not." "I was just joking." Ava mumbled and Arnie shook his head, clearly not convinced.

"Would someone like to explain what the hell is happening?" Nat asked as she stared at Megan's friends group, "Couldn't have said it better myself sister." Ava grumbled and they both shared a look of understanding. "Uhm, guys," Megan looked towards the team, "Can you give me a few minutes with them?" Nat nodded in understanding, "Yeah of course." She grabbed Tony's arm who was wiggling his eyebrows at a giggling Deanne. "Heyyy, I'm still getting my mojo on." "Do that in my room, now come on." Nat dragged everyone away and Megan motioned her friends to join her in the living room for what was to be an incredibly long talk.

***

"Faaz is dead." Ava whispered as tears fell from her face and Megan nodded trying to keep her own emotions at bay. "God Meg, I'm so sorry." Hannah said, wrapping her arms around her best friend. Megan took a deep breath to compose herself, "It's alright, at least he's in a better place." She could almost feel her brother smiling down at her from whatever afterlife he was in. "Yeah, I guess that's true." Deanne choked out and Aaron held her close to him, wiping her tears away. "I know you guys cared about him like he was your own family." Megan whispered and Ava nodded furiously, "Damn right we did!" She broke into tears again as Arnie whispered into her ear, rubbing her back.

"But let this be a lesson to you guys, I can't involve you in my life, it's too dangerous. I'm sorry but you have to cut ties with me." "But... How can we just do that, you're family Meg." Hannah cried and they all nodded through their own tears. "I'm sorry, this is the way it has to be." Hannah took a deep breath, trying to give her time away from her hiccuped breaths, "But... I don't want to lose you." "You have to." Megan whispered and Hannah shook her head, "Please, please, please don't make this harder than it has to be." Megan pleaded and they all looked up to see her own grief-stricken face. They knew better than to push her, she was truly broken at this point.

"I'll always love you." Hannah whispered as she hugged Megan tight and kissed her cheek, Megan motioned for all her friends to join in what was to be their last group hug together. "I'll try my best to visit you guys when I feel there's no danger but for now, it's goodbye." They all nodded and slowly dispersed from the Avenger's base leaving Megan feeling more empty than ever. That was quickly dissipated though when her team walked through the doors and gave her words of comfort. "Who wants to play Beer Pong?" Tony asked and Megan laughed, making her way to the game room with the rest of her new family.