Hiding In Plain Sight

Epilogue

Two Months Later...

I stepped out of the car and breathed in the fresh air. My family wasn't far behind me, with Clint already running ahead to find the perfect spot for our picnic, with Sam hot on his tail.

The sun shines bright above me, finally peeking out from the cloudy sky. The light must have been a sign that things were changing for the better. I saw my reflection in the car window and thought about what had happened to bring me here, to this moment.

It has felt like the adoption had just been yesterday. I mean, it was still pretty hard to believe that I would've been taken in by Tony Stark himself. But here we are, and I couldn't have been happier.

After he had asked me and arrived at the orphanage, we signed papers and made it official. Sarah and Troy Games were soon arrested and found guilty in court. They were sent to jail to stay there for the next twelve years.

Of course, Sarah fought till the very end, eventually killing herself a week later. Her ex husband lasted a little bit longer, but soon confronted his inevitable death about three days after Sarah.

It didn't faze me that much, that they were gone forever. They had had it coming for a while now.

The other kids were sent to other homes throughout the city. Mr. Stark- no, Dad and I had personally checked those places to make sure they were going to be okay. He even gifted them a phone and told them to call if there was a problem.

They also sent me updates about themselves, or when they got adopted.

And let's not forget about Henry.

He had been given a proper funeral a few weeks after my adoption. I could still remember every detail, and I didn't intend to ever forget.

All the other orphans went to pay their respects and I got support from the avengers. It was my fault he was gone, I just couldn't protect him from this cruel, cruel world.

Henry hadn't hurt a soul, but that didn't stop anyone. His life was taken without hesitation. He had kept me sane back at our old home, with helping me with chores, meals, and cleaning up my own blood.

Henry was too good for this world, but the good people have to die too. Just like May had, perhaps they were too good for even the world. It just couldn't handle them.

His funeral was small and private, with only about twenty people there anyway. It was decorated with ornate white roses and tulips. Green ivy and warm yellow lights strung up above a picture of Henry an the rows of chairs. It was also outdoors.

I had swallowed away my tears and stepped up to the podium at the front near the framed picture. I looked at it for a second, before then turning my attention to the note cards in my shaky, sweaty hands.

I tried to wipe them off on my pants, but then decided last minute to put the speech, that I had spent hours on, back into my pockets.

Taking a shaky breath, I looked over at the audience standing in front of me, searching for the balled up emotions I'm my heart.

"Henry was special to all us. He was definitely like a brother and my best friend at the same time. He was always there for me, and the other children around us," I nod to the kids sitting in front of me with tears pooling in their eyes.

"He made it worth getting up and pushing on, putting one foot in front of the other. Henry taught me that everyone has motivation, you just have to hunt for it.

"We're here today to remember Henry Adler, a boy who dreamed, who lived and laughed to his heart's content.

"We're here to acknowledge his loss and look up to his accomplishments, for everyone can learn from his set example, for being a kind person.

"Thank you," I finished with one big sweep of my hands, looking out at the crowd assembled on the green lawn.

A few more people spoke after me and then the funeral was over.

Back to the present, we now stood on a very similar landscape. 'We' being most of the avengers and my boyfriend, Wade.

While they set up the picnic blanket and the portable grill, I went up to the top of a nearby hill. Sitting down, I watched the sun as it gradually glided below the horizon marking the end of the day, and the start to a new one.

Wade sat next to me and watched the sky with me. He squeezed my hand and whispered, "You know, it's going to be okay?"

I nod a yes and then look down at my family. Nat was arguing with Dad about something, looking scary like usual. Wanda and Clint were talking loudly with Sam. Steve and Bucky sat side by side, hand in hand, eyes looking into the others. I think there was something they weren't telling us...

"I love you, Peter."

"Thank you, Wade, for everything. I love you too."

We both leaned forward for a kiss and I noticed Steve doing something similar with Bucky. Oh I was so going to mess with them later!

Life was good.

***

"Do you want pickles or a lot of pickles?" Clint yelled while slapping a sheet of lettuce on his burger, making his food a foot high stack with red, green, and... Blue?.

"What's up with you and pickles, Legolas?" Tony said while examining a pickle, as if there was a microscopic cell on it.

Clint and Nat looked at each other for a second before she spoke up awkwardly, "What happens in Budapest, stays in Budapest, Stark."

Everyone chuckled even though they were confused.

I put a bun on top of my completed burger and saw Dad do the same. "What is a pickle, mortal?"

Thor's question made me and Sam choke on our food. Natasha answered him in a sarcastic manner, "Pickles are highly explosive bombs developed by the Caddo Indians and Winston Churchill in the late 1500s."

Thor eyed the pickles suspiciously before Steve whispered something in his ear. He still didn't take any chances though, as he shuffled further away from the nearest person.

That person was Rhodey, who yelped and dropped his plate. The plate flew through the air as we watched in what seemed like slow motion.

Before it made impact with the ground, I shot a web out of pure instinct to catch it. The plate still landed on the ground, but the food landed perfectly, keeping it safe and secure.

"You're Spider-Man?"

"What the hell?"

"Language, Rhodey!"

I looked around at the startled avengers. Tony, Natasha, and Wade were holding in their laughter. The others noticed and asked, "You knew about this?"

"Uh huh, we did. You should've seen your faces, wanna see a picture, Capsicle?" Dad was wearing a pair of sunglasses which I know had AI technology. 

"Surprise, I guess?" I finally say and check my phone, giggling at the photo Dad sent me.

"Damn, kid, I guess you were hiding in plain sight this whole time," Steve said, and I smiled at the thought.

**And that wraps this up! Next chapter announces my next book + the first chapter and a huge thank you.

I hope you like the speech I wrote, it might be pretty bad, but whatever.

I tried my best to include Spideypool and Stucky in this as well, by popular request.

Hoped you enjoyed reading, commenting, and voting on my terrible writing!

Love ya 3000! (◍•ᴗ•◍)❤
      
༼ つ ◕‿◕ ༽つ hugs for all y'all

Words: 1297