𝒩𝑜𝓌 𝐼 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝓈𝒽𝑒'𝓁𝓁 𝓃𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓂𝑒 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃 𝒶𝓈 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝓇𝓊𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝓌𝒶𝓎
Audelia Motter and Tony Stark had each other's backs through thick and thin. But after the abduction of the billionaire in Afghanistan by the Ten Rings...
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Audelia knew this was going to be hard. They all knew it would be hard. They never expected Aurora's crying to be one of the hardest parts.
"I added his stethoscope," Pepper voice was low as it cracked, Audelia's hand running up and down her friend's back as tears ran down her own cheeks. Aurora was wrapped tightly between them while Tony stood off to the side with Happy and Rhodey, Morgan wrapped up in his arms. "He, um...he didn't use this one anymore but it was his first one. He got it in medical school."
"It beautiful, Pepper," Audelia whispered, looking down at the memorial sat in Pepper's hands.
Aurora gripped onto Audelia's leg tighter, crying harder now as she ran a hand over her daughter's head, trying to calm her. There was nothing she knew she could say, though, to ease this pain. Only time could do that.
A voice cleared behind them as the group turned. Steve and Natasha stood behind them, dressed in black while Steve's hand rested on her back.
"You didn't have to come," Pepper managed to say, sending them small smiles. Steve saw right through it, leaning out and squeezing her shoulder before looking to Audelia.
"We wanted to be here, and we're not the only ones,"
As if on que, the entire team descended from inside of Audelia and Tony's house, moving down toward the lake behind them where they stood on the dock. Deli's breath caught as Tony grabbed onto her hand, giving it a squeeze.
T'Challa was the first to step forward, looking between Audelia and Pepper as Okoye stood behind him.
"I did not know him well, but any man brave enough to sacrifice everything is a warrior in my heart," T'Challa reach forward, taking one of Pepper's hand and one of Audelia's. "Nathan was a warrior, and a hero. And though we all may not have known him the way that you did, we would not be here without him."
Both women smiled at the king, appreciating the words. T'Challa took the chance to kneel to Aurora, cupping her face in his hand as she tried to slow her crying.
"Your father was one of the bravest men on this earth. Keep your chin up, little one,"
Aurora gave the king a shy smile, giving an awkward bow that everyone couldn't help but laugh at.
The team all kept their distance, spread out along the back lawn. Peter Quill stood with the rest of the guardians, Sam and Bucky standing with Wanda off to the side. Scott and Hope stood with their families as Peter stood with his Aunt May. Carol, Maria Hill and Director Fury brought up the rear.
Right behind them stood Bruce and Thor, their heads bowed to the ground. Steve had one hand on Audelia's shoulder in comfort, the other resting on Natasha's back as they stood with them. Tony's arm was wound around Audelia's back, Morgan cradled between them as Happy and Rhodey stood with them.
Aurora held onto both of her mother's, only letting go of Pepper to allow her to place the memorial onto the lake and push it out with the current.
The bed of flowers floated away from them and further into the lake. Sat atop was Pepper's late addition of Nathan's stethoscope, laid in front of a picture of their blended family.
That picture leaned against that grey and gold helmet, the one that Nathan's should've gotten to wear. In their eyes, he was an Avenger, and he always would be.
Audelia brought Pepper into her side, holding tightly to her family as they all looked out onto the water, silent as they remembered the man that allowed them to be there.
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