In the deep

Goodbye

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The day of the funeral you were nervous, you knew everyone from the compound was going to show up and support you. Dr. Lee and a few nurses from the clinic were coming but other than that your mother didn't really have anyone. Her parents had passed when you were just a baby and she was an only child so there wasn't any family for you to try and get into contact with. You wanted her to be remembered for the good stuff not that she was tortured mentally.

Throwing on a long black dress and a black over side cardigan it was the only things you had that would work with your injuries and suitable for a funeral.

All of the Avenger's were waiting for you in the living room all dressed in black as you slowly descended the staircase and used your crutches to get closer to them. You could see Bucky flinching out of the corner of your eye on alert ready for when you needed his help but you were stubborn and wouldn't let him help you.

"I want to uh- thank you guys for all coming with me. It really means a lot." You smiled weakly at them.

"You're family and we take care of family." Steve smiled to you.

Tony waited behind the rest of the group with your bag in his hand. "The cars are here."

Tony slid into the back of the town car with you that the funeral home had sent to bring you to the grave side. You didn't opt for a funeral in a room since there wouldn't be many people to show up so you figured you say goodbye in the cemetery. Steve, Bucky and Nat all rode in the car behind you and Rhodes was with Bruce in the one behind them.

Tony was adamant about separating everyone just in case Hydra tried another attack. Or maybe it was to get Bucky to separate from you. You knew he didn't like the idea of the two of you together.

The ride to the cemetery was short and you were shocked to see so many cars, there had to of been another funeral going on.

Tony helped you out of the car and walked slowly next to you as you struggles with the crutches in the soft grass. As you neared the grave site you could see all the people huddled around your mothers casket. You had no idea who any of them were.

"Tony I don't know these people." You looked up to him almost in a panic like you were in danger.

"No but your mother did." Tony smiled to you. "She affected a lot of people's lives."

There was a whole life of your mothers that you didn't know about. She rarely ever talked about her life before you and when she did her memories were usually diluted with things that weren't real. Telling fact from fiction was a struggle most days with her.

You sat in the front row of the service, Tony sat to your right and Bucky on your left. The rest of the team filed around you as the preacher began his service.

He talked about the facts of your mother, where she was born and her school life, he talked about how she is in a better place with her family before her and she wasn't in pain anymore. The usual stuff from funerals. You just stared at the closed casket that held your mothers body while the preacher droned on.

You were surprised when Tony stood up and made his way over by the preacher. He planned on giving her eulogy.

"I met bugs, bugs is what I use to call her, in uh college. We were both the young kids on campus so we became fast friends. At first I hated her because she was smarter than me." He let out a small chuckle as his gaze reached yours. "But she gave me the greatest gift I could ever receive. She was a complicated woman even in her younger years but she was the kindest and most forgiving. I remember one time we snuck off campus together with fake IDs just before our last semester at MIT and bought cases of beer then we snuck into one of my dads labs and rewrote all the formulas for some of the experiments. To most people that sounds quite boring but it was the best time I ever had. I uh-would like to open up the floor to anyone who would like to share stories about her."

You knew Tony cut his story short with the fear of crying in front of everyone. You could see the wetness in his eyes daring to roll down his cheeks.

"I met her when I was ten, she worked at the gas station and she use to have me bring in my homework while she was on break and she would tutor me for free because my parents couldn't afford it." A large bearded man stepped forward beside Tony.

Another man stepped forward and spoke. "She use to come into my restaurant when she was pregnant and help me with my taxes and accounting for free, she use to say it was her duty to keep me open for the pie we served."

A small fragile woman came forward by the other men and looked to you. "Your mother would come to my house every Sunday when you were little and help me with odd jobs around my house after my husband died. I was a lot younger then but I didn't know how to fix anything but she taught me."

One by one every person who stood behind you came forward by Tony and told small stories about your mother. The ways she impacted their lives in such small ways. It was the most beautiful way to send off your mother.

Back at the compound the entire team sat with you in the living room drinking tea and eating some of the finger foods that Tony had delivered for after the funeral. You didn't really feel like eating but you knew the second you refused food everyone would be at your side trying to force feed you. Plus the pain meds you were on made you nauseous if you didn't put food in your stomach before hand.

You sat propped up on the corner of the couch with your legs draped over Bucky's lap holding onto your coffee mug taking your pills down. As soon as you swallowed them your head started to being on the worst headache of your life. Bringing your fingers to your temple you rubbed the side of your head and grunted in a low dull pain.

Bucky's head snapped towards you. "Hey you alright?"

"Yea, I've just got the worst headache." Your body began to feel cold but you could feel sweat starting to bead on your forehead.

Bucky looked over at your pale face and began to worry, he brought the back of his hand to your forehead. "Jesus you're burning up."

"I'm fine, it's probably all the medication B." You tried reassuring him but you knew you were not fine.

Most likely and infection but you didn't want anyone to panic. Before you could excuse yourself Tony was at your side feeling your forehead and helping you towards the lab to run tests.

"I'm fine really. It's probably from the meds or a slight infection." You told Tony as he helped you into a chair in the lab.

"Jarvis I wan full blood work done up." Tony ignored you and began tying on the computer next to you.

Bucky, Nat, Steve, Bruce and Rhodes were all standing around you worried as Tony took a blood sample from your arm. Your vision started to blur but you did hate needles so you chalked it up to that and your body began to shiver but the sweat came at your fore head.

"B I don't feel so good." You tried focusing your vision on him but he began to disappear as you passed out in the chair.

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I know its short but its for a reason
RB