The Seventh Avenger - (Marvel x OC)

CH 2.40 The Epilogue

"Have you seen him?" Peggy Carter asked, trying to keep her emotions in check.

"Not for weeks" Maria sniffled softly. She'd been slowly creeping towards getting better, but being at her best friend's funeral...that had torn all that progress down. "It's not like him..."

"It's only been a month...give him time" Peggy tried to force a gentle smile.

Rebecca Black anxiously walked over and sighed. Peggy and Maria's eyes drifted to her. "He won't answer my messages" Becca looked down to avoid them seeing her with any feelings other than her usual cockiness. "I liked Carol" she sniffled, this whole disaster bringing back memories of her sister and her death. Rebecca hurried away before her emotions got the better of her.

Maria looked over at the group she'd arrived with, Erica wiped her cheeks with a tissue, Sam was trying to put on a happy face for Monica in her lap, and Ophelia was sitting down with her face in her hands. "This isn't right."

"What isn't?"

"We can't even tell them what really happened."

"I know" Peggy sighed.

"Can't you, I don't know, unredact it?"

"There are some things that even the director of Shield can't do."

"They deserve to know, Peggy, everyone does...Carol died trying to save people and--and now people think she made some stupid mistake and got herself killed."

"I'm sorry" Peggy swallowed her emotions.

"A fucking training exercise?! I can't take it" Maria quietly exclaimed and tears trickled down her cheeks. "I can't be here" Maria's heart rate climbed.

"Maria?" Peggy called out as Maria walked over and grabbed up Monica after quickly thanking Samantha.

"I have to go" Maria spoke swiftly, she'd been there a few hours...a few hours too many. This never should've happened. If she had just convinced Carol not to do it. If she had tried again...done more...fought harder...maybe her best friend would still be alive.

Peggy stood outside the front door to Andrew's house and took a deep breath. She didn't know what to expect or what she'd find inside...she didn't even know if she wanted to find it.

Peggy walked in and Mavi immediately walked around the corner expecting her person to have finally returned but her tail dropped slightly when she noticed it wasn't who she'd been expecting. She still wandered over and allowed Peggy to gently rub her head.

"Andrew?!" Peggy yelled, hoping desperately for an answer.

"Director Carter" a robotic voice replied.

"Hello, Hayley" Peggy smiled weakly, it wasn't who she'd been hoping for, but she'd take anything she could get.

"It's not good, ma'am."

"Where is he?"

"The lair, ma'am."

Peggy made her way through Andrew's bedroom where Chewie was sleeping on Carol's side of the bed just below her pillow and slowly walked down the stairs. Her heeled shoes made a distinctive noise as she carefully transversed in the dark.

"Andrew?"

Still no reply.

Peggy reached the floor and flipped the lights on. Only one light struggled and flickered on, barely illuminating the room.

"Why are you here?" Andrew's voice asked coldly.

Peggy looked around in horror at the trashed lair. The screens had been broken and were scattered around the floor. All the lights on the ceiling were either shattered or no longer on the ceiling and weapons were all over the room. It looked like a tornado had blown through and trashed everything.