Doctor Stark (C. Barton)

Epilogue

*Time Skip - 10 Months Later*

Mercedes still had nightmares about the fight, especially the part where she had watched her father die in front of her eyes. She still missed him more than anything in the world. Only hours after she lost her father, she found out from Clint that Natasha was gone as well. The woman had sacrificed herself for him and the soul stone.

She wanted him to see his family again, and he had been blessed to get the chance. A month after the battle with Thanos, Pepper held a funeral for Tony. Mercedes cried a lot, but she had the chance to bond with her sister. She had also had the chance to hear her father's voice one last time. It hurt, but it made her feel just a little bit better.

The next day, Mercedes made sure that Natasha was given a funeral. It wasn't big, but it happened. Later that evening, Steve went back in time and returned the stones, but he had decided to stay back in time with his old girlfriend, Peggy Carter. Mercedes didn't understand why he did that, when he had caused so much drama between Mercedes and her father for his best friend Bucky.

Bucky was now technically on his own, but Sam checked on him sometimes. Bucky had apologized to Mercedes, and promised her that he'd always remember what he did, and that it would always haunt him. He told her that he knew it wasn't a good excuse to blame HYDRA, and that he was taking responsibility for what happened. She had started to forgive him, and in doing so, she was helping him take a step closer to recovery.

A month after losing her father and best friend, Mercedes found out that she was pregnant again. She had kept it a secret from almost everyone, but she couldn't keep it from Clint or Pepper. She was excited to tell them the news, and they were more than excited to know it.

Over the months of her pregnancy, Mercedes worked with forgiving Bucky and helping him with his recovery. She also spent a lot of time with Pepper and Morgan, since she had missed so much time with them. Whenever Peter wasn't busy with school, Mercedes talked to him over video call, or invited him to stay with her and her family a few days or weeks at a time. He was honestly close to becoming her new best friend.

When Mercedes found out she was having a boy, she felt like this was a sign. She didn't know what kind of sign, but she knew it was a good one. Pepper, Morgan, Happy, Rhodey, Peter, Aunt May, Thor, Dr. Banner, Sam, and even Bucky had been invited to the baby shower. Bucky didn't show up, because he felt like it wasn't right for him to be there, but he did send a cute little gift for the baby.

Only a couple months later did Mercedes have the baby. He was a handsome little boy, and he looked exactly like his father, except for the curl dark hair on top of his head. When Mercedes seen him, she knew immediately what she was going to name him. She asked Clint if he was fine with it, and after getting his answer, they had chosen a name; Anthony Roman Barton.

The moment that everyone was introduced to little Anthony, the nickname of Mini Tony was formed. Everyone used the nickname, but it seemed to fit the baby well. He was almost exactly like his grandfather, and that made a smile appear on Mercedes face a lot of times. She missed her father, but it was like he had blessed her and Clint with Mini Tony when he passed.

Mercedes slowly began to start dealing with her nightmares in a more healthy manner, instead of staying up late at night trying to avoid them. The nightmares would never disappear, but at least she was slowly starting to get the rest she needed. Clint also often had nightmares about the battle with Thanos, as well as the moment he watched Natasha fall to her death. That moment would be forever etched in his mind, as well as the moment Mercedes broke down in sobs when her father died.

Mercedes and Clint helped each other when they could. Pepper and Morgan often stayed close to Mercedes and her family. Tony had given Stark Industries to Mercedes, but the woman decided that Peter was more suited for the job. She signed the papers, giving Peter the company the moment he turned eighteen.

To her, Peter was a Stark, even if he didn't have the same name as the rest of them. Mercedes loved her little brother, and she wanted him to succeed in everything he set his eyes on. If she had to do anything for him, she would, because she couldn't lose him like she had lost her father.

Her family meant everything to her, even the extended family that she didn't see often. She hoped everyone was getting what they wanted out of life, even after they had lost so much. She wanted everyone to see that losing someone wasn't the end of the world, even though it sure felt like it.

Mercedes would forever miss her father and her best friend. She would never forget about them. The pain she felt over their loss would always be there, but at least she still had the rest of her family. If it wasn't for Clint, she never would've been able to sleep again after losing Tony.

Her children were her everything, and they made her want to get better. They made her want to be happy, even when it hurt. She would do everything she could to make them have a happy, healthy life. She was never going to let them forget Tony or Natasha. Every day or night she would tell them stories about the people she lost, and she would see the smiles on their faces and it would bring joy to her heart.

The ones they lost would always be in her heart, but she wouldn't let that end her life. The pain would always be there, but she had to learn to live through it, if not for her, then for her family...

The
End