Swan Song ✧ STEVE ROGERS [✓]

91 - A Bittersweet Ending

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 like 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 ten years ago that we weren't alone, let alone, you know, to this extent, I mean, I wouldn't have been surprised. But come on, you know? The epic forces of darkness and light that have come into play. And, for better or worse, that's the reality Morgan's gonna have to find a way to grow up in.

So I thought I'd probably better record a little greeting... In the case of an untimely death on my part. I mean, not that, death at any time isn't untimely. This time travel thing that we're gonna try and pull off tomorrow, it's — it's got me scratching my head about the survivability of it all. That's the thing. Then again, that's the hero gig. Part of the journey is the end.

...What am I even trippin' for? Everything's gonna work out exactly the way it's supposed to.

I love you 3,000.

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The days following the battle went by quickly for Raevanna. She returned to Elyon with Steve for Alaneo's funeral and to tell everyone about the baby. Thankfully Diana went with her for support, but as Raevanna had suspected, only Erissa and Maeve were truly happy for her. Everyone congratulated her, yes, but Raevanna could see the disdain and anger in many of their expressions. It was a reminder to Raevanna that no matter what happened or how much progress was made, no one except her family would truly accept Steve as she had.

But Raevanna didn't care anymore. Frigga and Diana had been right - it didn't matter if the other faeries didn't accept the fact that Raevanna was pregnant. They weren't her only family. The team was just as much her people as the faeries were, and that was what was important.

Still, as happy as she was to be with Steve, and for the battle to be over at last, it was a bittersweet ending, since Tony's funeral was taking place three weeks after the final fight. Raevanna's heart hurt over the loss of so many friends during their journey to bring everyone back. But that was part of the job, she realized. In order to gain some, they had to lose some.

So as Raevanna stood outside the Stark cottage with Steve, she was silent as Pepper carried a wreath out of the house to the gathered heroes, who were waiting outside for the intimate funeral. Without a word, she laid the wreath on the lake, and on top of the wreath was Tony's first arc reactor, which Pepper had framed with the words "Proof That Tony Stark Has a Heart" back in 2008 — the year it all began.

Pepper, Morgan, Tony's friend and former chauffeur Happy Hogan, and Rhodey all watched the wreath float across the lake, with every single one of the heroes invited watching behind them: Raevanna and Steve; Diana, T'Challa, Shuri, and Okoye; Peter Parker, his aunt May Parker, and his girlfriend Catarina Borello; Thor; Bruce; Doctor Strange and Wong; Scott, Hope Van Dyne and her parents Janet Van Dyne and Hank Pym; Peter Quill and the other guardians, Nebula, Rocket, Groot, Drax, and Mantis; Clint and his family; Wanda; Bucky, Blake, and Sam; Secretary Ross; Carol; and Maria Hill and Fury.

After the funeral, Raevanna walked out to the riverside, leaning against a tree as she stared out at the forest. She wished Natasha was here for this. She wished her friend was here to see that they had won.

"Hey, Twinkle Toes," a voice said.

Raevanna turned around, smiling when she saw Blake walking towards her. "Hey, Old Lady," Raevanna replied. Then she embraced her friend in a warm hug before she leaned back and regarded Blake fondly.