Hope Mikaelson has been wandering Malivore for who knows how long for sure. That all changes when a portal opens up and spits her out in a world not her own. The Tribrid we all love gets roped into saving the world in crisis and over time, starts to...
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Pepper Stark, Morgan Stark, and Happy Hogan exited their cabin, Pepper holding beautiful flowers in her hand, while her other gripped her daughter's. I let out a shaky breath at the sight of the young girl. I sort've know what it's like to lose a parent that young, as the Hollow took my father away from me more than once.
I didn't want anyone else to go through the pain of it, but that's not how the world works. They made it to the lake, Pepper setting the bed of flowers with an arc reactor on it with the words 'PROOF THAT TONY STARK HAS A HEART'.
I stood a ways away, more in the back. It's not that I didn't want to see everything, but there are so many more deserving people- people who have known Tony for more than a few minutes. People that have saved others numerous times, and people that he loved.
Seeing the flower bed float away though, it made me think back to my mom. The way I felt at her funeral. I let out a small, shaky breath, trying to control the power and emotions that started to well up inside me. A breeze picked up, but merely a small one.
"Pax omnibus qui merentur." I whispered, looking up at the sky with a small, sad smile. Peace to all who deserve it. Natasha, Tony, my mom, Bill, Jackson, Henry, and even my dad. People who, in the end, would do anything for the ones they love, despite their mistakes. People who didn't deserve their fate, but would accept it nonetheless without hesitation if it meant doing what's right.
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I walked into the living room in the log cabin when I heard something, like a sniffle. My eyes looked towards the sound to see a tiny pair of black shoes from behind the couch.
I sighed, moving over to the other side, taking a seat next to the five year-old Stark girl. I didn't say anything, the two of us just sitting there, leaning against the couch as she tried to hide her tears.
"Why?" She finally asked, her voice small as she looked up at me. "Why did he have to go?"
I tried to keep my own emotions under control as I answered, "Because he was a good man." I spoke, looking at the younger girl. "Your dad, I didn't even know him for an hour, and I could already see that he would do anything for the people he loves, like you." She started sniffling again as tears came back to her eyes, "And I know it hurts, it always will. Some days will be harder than others... but eventually you'll remember the good times you had with your father, too. And hold on to those, because it's the key to getting through this."
Morgan broke, quickly wrapping her arms around my neck as she sobbed into my shoulder. I slowly wrapped my arms around her small form, the awkwardness fading away.
In a way, I think we both needed this. "Hey," I spoke, the girl pulling away, her eyes red and puffy, "wanna know a secret? I'm magic."
"You are?" She questioned, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.
"Mhm." I nodded, "see?"
I folded my hands together in front of me, taking a small breath, muttering a spell, "Papilio lux." A warm light shone from my hands, moving and forming into a bright, golden butterfly of light the flew up.
Morgan's eyes watched in amazement, a small sense of peace visibly washing over her. I knew it wouldn't take away her sadness, but she needed a little peace.
"It's beautiful." She whispered, watching as it rose higher and higher before dissipating into the air as it reached the ceiling. She looked at me with a small, sad smile present on her face, "Thank you." She looked around, "I think I'm gonna go back out now."
I nodded at her as she stood, walking out of the room and outside. I moved from my spot on the floor to sit down on the couch. I was seemingly alone in the cabin, just thinking. Thinking about how it could've gone differently when Pepper silently came in, taking a seat next to me.
"Hope, right?" She asked. I sent a small nod, deciding not to speak as I didn't trust myself. "Bruce told me about you." She continued, her voice gentle. "Now, none of us are really skilled with universe jumping, so, um..."
"There's no way I could get home." I sighed out. I knew this to begin with. No one here could help me do that, and I'm not sure I could even do it myself. My fate here, though, was not something I had given much thought about.
"Yes..." she nodded reluctantly, almost regretfully. "But you're still just a kid, Hope, and, well, you need someone to take care of you. And we've found someone- someone who can know your secret and take good care of you." As much as I wanted to argue, to say I would be fine on my own, I knew there was no point, and maybe a part of me didn't want to. I didn't want to be truly alone, especially not in a new universe.
Pepper stood, extending a hand out to me that I took after a moment. She led me out of the living room and outside. A small ways from the cabin stood two people- a woman and the teenage boy from the battle.
"May," Pepper began as we approached, "this is Hope."
May sent me a small smile, and I returned it, not wanting to make her feel worse than she might already. "Hope, this is May and Peter Parker. May has kindly agreed to take you in, and don't worry, we'll help pay for child-support, I guess." I could tell the woman was trying to put on a brave face through the conversation when she really want to start crying about her husband.
"Umm, thanks, Pepper." I spoke, "Why don't you go check on Morgan, make sure she's doing okay?" Pepper sent me a small, grateful smile, sending a nod to the Parkers before turning and starting back towards the cabin.
"So..." Peter began. His eyes were red and puffy from crying, and from the intersection I saw at the battle, I think he thought of Tony as a sort of father figure. "You're from another universe?"
"Peter!" May light slapped the boys shoulder. A small smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.
"Yeah, I guess so." I said as I let out a small chuckle. "And you're a superhero?" I raised my brows.
"Hey, you are too." He folded his arms, a slightly amused expression over his face.
"I'm 90% sure I was just an innocent bystander at the beginning of this." I argued, "I mean, I hadn't even been here for five minutes before an earthquake started outside."
May looked between us with a small smile of her own, and I realized that I already liked these two. And who knows, maybe life will be easier here. Maybe better than if I went home now, five years into the future. Everyone I love would be older, and here, I have a chance to start over.
