How do you heal?

Chapter 83: It's My Party

About an hour into the party Annie stood at the island, pouring herself a drink, as she looked around the room full of her friends laughing, talking and eating. She never really enjoyed making a fuss about her birthday but as she had blushed scarlet while everyone sang happy birthday before cutting the cake she had felt content being fussed about for once.

"Having a good time?" Nat asked and she slinked up next to Annie pulling her from her thoughts.

Annie nodded. "Surprisingly, yes." She smiled and looked around the room again. "Can I ask you something though?"

"Shoot." Nat popped the top from a beer and took a swig.

Annie hesitated a moment before lowering her voice. "Where's, uh, where is Bucky?"

Nat took a deep breath before answering. "In his room. He wasn't on the guest list, which he understood."

Annie nodded again and turned, grabbing a plate and filling it before handing it and another beer to Nat.

"What's this for?" Nat asked but took the items and watched as Annie worked out what she wanted to say.

"Dinner. If you're willing to take it to him."

"Just dinner?" Nat asked, eyebrows raised.

Annie looked around and grabbed another small plate that already had a piece of cake on it, handing it to Nat. "Dinner, because it's still my job to make sure everyone is fed and," she looked at the cake. "A thank you for understanding."

Nat smiled softly before she turned and headed down the hall and Annie looked back out over the party. No one deserved to go hungry and while she felt bad that Bucky was in his room while the party was going on she could admit she was glad he wasn't out here. This room was full of people she cared about and that cared about her in return. No weird histories or past arguments, just happiness.

"Are you really over here avoiding your own party?" Alex asked as she came to lean on the counter beside where Annie stood.

A huge grin broke out on Annie's face as she leaned down with Alex. "No, just getting a refill and appreciating the wild journey that is life."

"Ain't that the fucking truth." Alex said, stabbing a piece of cake and bringing it to her mouth.

"Thank you, by the way."

"Than ou fo wha?" Alex garbled around her cake.

"This." Annie gestured toward the room. "The surprise, getting everyone together, even Iris."

Alex raised a brow. "Uhm, I had nothing to do with this beyond decorating this afternoon and prepping the spare rooms for me and Sam and Iris."

Confusion hit Annie as she straightened. "If not you then..."

"Road Runner. He did everything including convincing Wanda to plant brain seeds."

Annie looked across the room to where Pietro was sitting in a cluster with the Bartons and Asgardians laughing before winking at her when he caught her staring at him. She reached up and grasped her necklace before lowering her gaze to the counter.

"Why do you look so sad?"

Annie shook her head and looked back to Alex. "I'm not, I just can't believe I'm lucky enough to have not one but two friends as amazing as you and Piet. That anyone would do something like this for me..." She trailed off.

Alex watched as Annie looked back toward Pietro as she continued to fiddle with the ring on her necklace, longing in her eyes, and she knew it was time. "You know you are the most oblivious person on the planet right?" Annie just turned back to her with a questioning gaze. "I love you immensely but I didn't plan this party for you because I thought you would hate it. Pietro planned it because he's head over heels for you and wanted to do something big for you."

Alex saw a small spark of excitement in Annie's eyes before she shook her head. "No he's not, we're just friends."

Alex finally stood and glared Annie down. "Yes, you are just friends but he wants to be more and has for quite a while."

Annie just stared at her, mouth agape. "No, he didn't...he never..." Again she trailed off having trouble believing Alex's words.

"You're the only one who doesn't see it, Honey Cakes, and he is not subtle. But since all his flirting has been lost on you for nearly the last year don't be surprised if he finally uses this grand gesture as an excuse to make an actual move tonight." With that Alex grabbed her cake and headed back to the crowd. She took only two steps before she paused. "Oh and you are as good for him as he is for you so do us all a favor and skip the mommy issues phase, okay?"

After a few minutes of Annie standing there stunned, Pietro walked over to join her.

"You okay, Солнышко?" He asked as he stood behind her and rested his head on her shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm good."

"Good, because once the Starks, Happy and the Bartons leave here shortly I have another surprise for you."

She turned and looked up at him as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Oh yeah, what's that?"

"I may have turned the heat in the pool up and had Tony stock that new bar he put in down there so the rest of us cool kids can have a night swim like we did after the rave last year."

Annie smiled. "All that's missing is music."

"Oh no, I also borrowed some speakers from one of the labs and set them up. Music will definitely be had."