The Tragedy of Mary Jane Stark

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The following day there wasn't much to do at the Stark cabin. Morgan was finger painting on the kitchen table, Pepper was outside in the garden, and Peter and Mary were laying on the living room couch together. Not saying much but rather just scrolling through there phones. The silence was broken when Peter stumbled upon a news article.
"Wait there was a memorial for Steve at the Smithsonian yesterday?" Peter said as he continued to look at his phone.
"Wait what?" She said taking the phone as Peter handed it to her. "Why is his shield in his section of the museum. It belongs to Sam." Mary said sitting up. Peter and Mary both looked at eachother with confused faces. "Hey Pep!" Mary called.
"What is it." Pepper said from outside. She was in the garden by the kitchen window.
"Did you know they were hosting a memorial for Steve at the Smithsonian yesterday?" Mary said walking towards the open window.
"Yeah. It was really just to put the shield in the museum. We weren't invited." She say looking up at the window.
"How come Rhodey and Sam went." Mary questioned.
"Hey, w-why don't we go uh go swing around New York today." Peter said trying to distract her. He could tell she was getting upset. Mary just ignored him and waited for Pepper's response.
"Probably because they are part of the military I don't know Mary." Pep said looking back down.
"But why is his shield in the Smithsonian? It belongs to Sam!" Mary said slightly raising her voice.
"Mary," but Pepper got cut off.
"Steve specifically gave it to Sam. Sam is in Steve's words 'a Good Man' the same thing Dr. Erskine said to Steve. I've read the files on his super soldier experiment!"
"Mary," Pepper tried to say again.
"Don't tell me it's Stark industries property! Cause it was Steve's and Steve gave it to Sam. Pep we can't take that shield away from Sam. It's not Stark industries to give away. Dad gave it back to Steve, it was his possession and he left it to Sam!"
"Mary Jane Stark would you just listen to me!" Pepper shouted. Mary got quiet. "Stark industries never owned the shield. We did not give it to the Smithsonian. I'm sorry we didn't get invited okay?" Pepper said standing up now.
"Well... If it wasn't Stark Industries, who took it and gave it to the Smithsonian?" Mary said looking confused again.
"No one took it away from Sam, Mary. He gave it the museum himself." Pepper said getting quiet now.
"Why would he do that? Steve didn't give it to him just for Sam to give it away. Sam was given it to continue the legacy of Captain America." Mary said quietly.
"I don't know why he gave it up. Maybe he didn't feel like he could fit in Steve's shoes. It's a lot of responsibility, the symbol of Captain America. Maybe he just isn't ready." Pepper said grabbing her hand through the window.

"Well Steve obviously thought he was ready." Mary said folding her arms.
"I'm sorry Mary. It was Sam's choice." Pepper said, staring for a second then turning back to garden. Mary rested her head on Peters shoulder.
"Let's drop this okay? Nothing we can do." Peter said grabbing hold of her hands.
"I thought Sam would be there to uphold the title of Captain America. I just don't understand."
"Well it's not like there going to be a new iron man, right? Maybe it's a good thing to leave Captain American to rest." He said quietly.

"Your right. That was a lot of Steve to ask of Sam. But That does sound like a good idea, swinging around New York I mean." She forced a smile.
"We could pretend like nothing changed." He smiled. "Swing around New York like we used too."
"You leaving me on random roof tops to fight bad guys." Mary smirked.
"Yeah well, that's not going to change. I'm still going to do that. Come on I'll swing us over." He said pulling her lazily away from the window.
"Okay let me grab a sweater, it's always so cold when you swing." She said walking towards her room.
Mary came back and grabbed Peters hand, him already wearing his spider suit and they tried to walk out the door.
"Mary, where are you going?" Pepper said walking from the side of the yard.
"We were going to go swing around the city for a little bit." Mary said pointing towards Peters suit.
"What? You promised to watch Morgan for me again tonight. Peter honey you don't have to stay, go patrol. But Mary I need you to watch her for me, you told me you would!" Pepper said dusting off her hands.
"Oh shit I forgot I did. Uh well I guess I'll have to stay. Go uh go stop some bad guys." Mary said awkwardly turning to Peter. "Go get em tiger."
"Oh yeah okay of course. I can stay back if you need me too?"
"No go! I know you hate skipping patrol. Morgan and I will be fine." Mary said giving Peter a peck on the lips before letting go of his hands.
"Im sorry Mary. I just can't leave Morgan. I'm actually going to get ready right now." Pepper said holding the front door open for Mary.
"No it's fine." Mary said.
She felt nervous, she had never had one on one time with Morgan. Peter was always there or Pepper. Peter was better at talking to kids.

                                        *
"There are hotdogs in the freezer or you can order something online. Be good both of you!" Pepper called out as she was hastily walking towards the door. She was late.
"We will!" Mary and Morgan said in unison. Mary turned to Morgan.
"So what do you want to do tonight?" Mary asked. "Want me to row you out on the boat. Or we can build a puzzle- wait where are you going."
"I want to look through the picture book." Morgan said walking towards a cabinet, Mary following her.
"What picture book?" Mary said as Morgan pulled out what seemed to be a photo album.
"This one. Tell me who these people are." Morgan said handing Mary the book. Morgan grabbed her hand and pulled her to the couch to sit. "Daddy never let me look at these with him. It made him sad."
"Oh uh okay." Mary opened the front cover. The first picture was of Tony pushing Mary on a swing. She couldn't have been more then 8 at the time. "Well that's Dad and me."
"That's you?"
"Yeah when I was a little older than you." She turned the page. Picture of the Malibu mansion and the other a picture of Mary on Tony's shoulders next to the ocean.
"That's you and daddy again?" Morgan asked.

"Yep." She flipped the page. It was a picture of Mary in Stark Tower. Well Avengers Tower at the time. She was in the middle of playing battle ship with Natasha.
"Who's that." Morgan said pointing to Nat.
"That's Natasha. Have you never met Natasha? I would have thought dad would have let you meet her?"
Morgan shook her head no. "Who's that." She pointed to the other picture. A picture of Tony and Thor.
"That's Thor." Mary flipped the page. It was a picture of Ned Peter and Mary taken at a distance. Happy must have taken it. They all looked to be 13. No one was looking at the camera they seemed to be reeled into a game of cards.
"Who are they." Mary said pointing to the two boys.
"Well the boy with glasses is Peter when we were younger. And the other boy with braces is our friend Ned."
"Peter wears glasses?" Morgan asked.
"Not anymore." They continued to flip through the pages. Natasha and Steve were littered though the book. They slowly started to get closer to the day they all dusted. Until Peter and Mary stopped showing up.
Mary looked at Tony and Peppers wedding pictures. It looked small. Doctor Strange's friend Wong was there. There were two empty seats towards the front, well they had picture frames in them. Of Peter and Mary. God Peter was so un-photogenic.
"Heh Dad did have us at his wedding after all." Mary said to herself.
"Why does Peter look so scary in all his pictures." Morgan asked and Mary laughed.
"He's just really bad at taking pictures of himself."