The Valiant (The Seventh Avenger)

Chapter 87

"Happy birthday to you,

happy birthday to you,

happy birthday dear Morgan,

happy birthday to you!"

Morgan blows out the two candles on her cake, with the help of Tony of course. She giggles and smiles at the three of us, everyone applauds around the room at the two-year-old. Happy and Rhodey stand next to me and smile.

"The two of you are close?" Rhodey asks and before I know it Morgan runs over to me so she would be picked up. Her giggles erupt when I make a face at her and she grabs my face to make them stop.

"I'd say we're pretty close," I say between my closed cheeks. The two of them laugh and I look back at Morgan. She still makes me fill with pride when I look at her. "Right, Morgan?"

"Right!" She squeals. I laugh along with her and set her back down so she could go by Pepper.

"You look good, Grace," Happy says, before he continues he sends a look to Rhodey, "but you also look tired, is everything okay?"

Without a second thought, I nod my head. I'm fine, I have my purpose and so far I believe I am fulfilling it. But at the same time, I haven't. I found only half of it and my other half is to bring everyone back. No matter what the cost is at this point. It has been almost three years now, three goddamn years since the snap happened.

I'm nineteen now and it still feels strange to even be considering myself an adult. The past two years did not go by that quickly, they were slow and torturous for me and Loki since we both know that eventually, the silence in the world will go away... someday. Somehow, Loki and I managed to keep our relationship a secret, despite me having some moments where I almost gave it away when I was talking with Tony or Pepper.

I watch as Morgan runs around with some of the kids who are not much older than her. She was the youngest here though and it hurts to see her be. The number of babies dropped by ninety percent after the snap. So many schools closed and the economy dropped. The snap can still be seen affecting the world to this day and it is terrifying.

"How are you guys doing?" I question the two of them disrupting their conversation. "It's been a while, what I haven't seen you guys since the wedding?" It's been three years since I've seen anyone from my team, it has been too long. "How is everyone doing?"

Rhodey shifts uncomfortably on his feet and Happy only offers a smile. The pros and cons of looking into their minds to find out what is going on flashes in my head. In the end, I decide not to. They are keeping it from me for a reason.

"Everyone is doing fine, missing you, of course," Happy blabbers. Whatever they're not telling me has to be serious for the two of them to be acting like this. They know I notice it which only causes them to be more nervous.

"Is it Clint?" His name popped into my head and it makes the most sense. He is the one that makes the most sense, of course. I remember his shouts when he found his family gone before I got jolted to the next person.

"Yes and no," Rhodey begins, gesturing with his hands, "Clint has been dealing with the loss of his family in a really... bad way. Nat and Steve are still living in New York, Thor is somewhere in Norway, and everyone else is in space helping the other socializations get back into order."

I nod my head, I should have figured everything they just said before now but my shoulders still sloop at the thought of how they are handling this. I wish I could be there to help them through this.

"Please tell them all I say 'hi'," I pause considering what else I should say, "and tell them to stop by if they need anything."

Both their heads nod and I walk away. I got enough information from them to know everyone else's lives are basically shit. I weave through the crowd, some people tap my shoulder and I send them a smile. There is only so much I could take of seeing the people I failed. I throw a pill from my pocket into my mouth before walking up the porch and into the house.