Memories

9. Is anything real anymore?

Peter POV:

I started to see her more often in the mirror. I think 2 days past. I am not sure. I was busy trying to communicate with the reflection in the mirror. She was alive. I knew it! I was sitting in my bed, bouncing my leg impatiently. Waiting for her reflection to appear. Then I heard my door scrape open. "Kid? You all, right?" He sounded worn out. "Yeah. I'm fine." I said impatiently. "No, you're not. May says you have not come out of your room for 2 days. And on top of that she said she heard you speaking to someone. When she tried to open the door almost instantly it was slammed shut and she couldn't open it again." He told firmly. "ummmmm........................."

I was too busy staring at the mirror to care.
Mr Stark then walked in front of the mirror causing me to jump up and try and look around him. "KID!" I finally looked at him. He looked worn out. Massive bags under his eyes. His face looked so hollow, nothing behind the eyes but sadness. "Now you listen to me here. You cannot let grief consume you. I know it is hard. Believe me." His voice breaking at the last part. "But Mr Stark, why would I be grieving when she isn't dead! She is right there! In the mirror! I just need to get her out!" I exclaimed, pointing at the mirror. "PETER! Do you know how crazy you sound?" He shouted out, causing me to jump. "I know it's hard to admit she's gone. But she is. you need to get realise that the - b-body you found was hers and nothing will change that! Do not make it harder than it already is. You can pull yourself out of the hole. You can still make it. Do not do this to yourself........ please."

He was crying. Tears streaming down his face while shouting, making his face even more red.
He grabbed me by the shoulder and firmly shoved me down on the bed. Wiped the tears on his face and spoke. "Kid, you're not well. You need to rest, eat, and go for a walk. Refresh your mind. Start going back into school. But until then I- I need your suit." He said hesitantly. "What! No Mr Stark, I am not ill! She appears in my mirror................. look I know it sounds crazy; I know! But trust me! She is not dead! She's out there somewhere!" I exclaimed, all frantic. "PETER! YOUR NOT WELL!" He took a deep breath, then looked me in the eyes. "Kid please. It is not a punishment. I am doing it for you and your health. Please." He held out his hands waiting for me to give him the suit.

I hesitated...... then went over to my wardrobe, grabbed my suit, and gave it to him. "Thanks kid. It's for your own good."

Tony POV:

The compound was so lifeless without her. Just empty, echoing hallways with no life. Me and pepper barely spoke to each other. We ate alone, at the fear if we start talking, it will eventually lead to talking about her. It hurt so much thinking about her. And yet I could not stop. Y/n. She was the most beautiful, fun, and sarcastic kid I had ever met. She was wonderful. And to think I was not there in her last moments to say goodbye. I would never sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw images of her screaming in pain. Alone. To die.

My life felt so pointless. Every day I went for a walk down to the gardens. There must be at least a pile of flowers there by now. It had become part of my routine. Go for a walk down to the gardens with her favourite flower. A yellow rose. I do not know why she liked yellow. It was a horrible colour on anyone or anything. But it was still her favourite colour anyway. And it always looked good on her.
Then after I went down to the gardens I would walk to her room. Look at old photos. Old teddies. Every single one had a memory behind it. And to think she was not even mine. Yes, I raised her. But her true family was Wanda.
I decided to visit pepper. It had been a week since we spoke. The last time being the night we found out she was-.

"Hey Pepper." I forced a fake smile on. "Hey. She did not even look up from her computer screen. "wasn't today the day you were visiting the kid?" She said unenthusiastically. "Yeah......." I whispered, trailing off. "How was he?" Not meeting my eyes at all. "Umm. I made the decision to take his suit. Everyone deals with grief differently. He has managed to convince himself; she is still alive. And living in the mirror.........." I said knowing, talking about her would be a hard topic. "Oh...." She still had not looked up from her screen. "I'm sorry........... for everything."

She looked up at this.
I walked up to her desk. Both of us on either side of the desk. "I'm so sorry. I was not there. I was grieving......... but that does not excuse that I left you at your most vulnerable. You needed me. I- I needed you...." I looked her dead in the eye. My eyes started to gloss over. I walked over to her side of the desk. Bent down and hugged her. She did not hug me back at first. But as she relaxed into it, we stood up and both stood there hugging. I could hear her stifled cries into my shoulder. Then I mumbled into her hair "god. I'm so sorry pep." I Kissed her temple. We stayed like that, in the support of each other's arms. My daily routine, turned into OUR daily routine. We started talking more. Eating meals together. It started to get more comfortable talking about her. It started to get better again. We started to stop moping around and got our heads in gear. She would not have wanted us to spend the rest our lives isolating ourselves from other people.

That was the least I could say for Peter. He got worse. Never sleeping properly. Still had not left the house. May said she went in there when he had dozed off. He was sat with his head limp uncomfortably off the side of his chair. In front of the mirror no less.

Poor kid. He is fallen too deep. He had not gotten out. He was stuck. In a dark. Deep hole of grief.