Forbidden Connections

The Funeral.

As he faded away, his hand fell from her face. "Dad... Daddy, please don't leave me, I'm not ready," she pleaded, shaking his arm in a desperate attempt to revive him. She longed to use her magic to heal him or bring him back, but it was futile. "DADDY, PLEASE COME BACK!!" she yelled, tears streaming down her face as she was pulled away from the body by someone. She struggled and fought to return to her father's side, crying out, "No! Let me go!". Batman finally managed to restrain her, taking the blows to his chest as she flailed, until she finally collapsed in exhaustion, hugging him tightly, overcome with grief. Batman entrusted Eve to Spider-man, as they shared a connection through their friendship with her father. Overcome with emotion, they embraced, with Eve's tears flowing freely and Peter trying to hold back his own. Tim approached and offered to take Eve, which Peter nodded to, and Eve was passed into Tim's care. Later, at Tony's funeral, Eve watched as Steve, Bruce B, Clint, Bruce W, Clark, and Diana carried the casket to the grave. As speeches began, Eve stepped forward, with Peter by her side for comfort. She took a deep breath and started to speak, her voice trembling. "I want to thank my dad... for being my hero... for being the hero I didn't deserve..." Her words were interrupted by tears, but she found the strength to continue. "Everyone, thank you for being here today. My dad was an amazing person, a true hero in every sense of the word. He may have been Iron Man to the world, but to me, he was simply Dad. His kindness, generosity, and infectious enthusiasm inspired me every day. He taught me to be brave, to never give up, and to always strive for greatness. I'm so grateful for the time we had together, for the memories we made, and for the lessons he taught me. My dad may be gone, but his legacy lives on through me, and through all of you whose lives he touched. Thank you, Dad, for being my hero, my mentor, and my best friend. I love you, and I will miss you forever. I'll always be your bean.." As Eve stood over her father's casket, tears streamed down her face, and she whispered a final goodbye. She tossed a rose onto the coffin, and her sobs grew louder. Peter embraced her, offering comfort as she wept on his shoulder. Tim also tried to console her as she struggled to come to terms with her loss. One by one, the mourners filed past, sharing their condolences, but Eve couldn't shake off the feeling of responsibility, wondering if she could have done something differently. The funeral ended, and the crowd dispersed, leaving Eve alone with her thoughts. The weight of her grief felt crushing, and the silence was deafening.

As Happy drove Eve home, she gazed out the window, watching the crowds gathered on the sidewalks, their signs and banners a blur. The car pulled up to her complex, and the guards efficiently cleared a path through the sea of reporters, their questions firing like rapid-fire bullets. "Who'll take over Stark Industries?" "Will you be the next Tony Stark?" "How will you cope with this loss?" Eve ignored them, her eyes cast down, as she hurried inside. The door closed behind her, shutting out the chaos, but the questions lingered, echoing in her mind like a challenge she couldn't shake. Eve, still reeling from her father's passing, became a recluse, hidden from the world. Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. The only time she ventured out was for school, but even then, she was a shadow of her former self. She continued to protect the city as a hero, but her secret identity remained hidden. Eve's personal life was in shambles; she barely slept and neglected her medication. Tim, understanding her pain, gave her space, but even he couldn't reach her. Bruce, still vigilant, refused to let her speak to anyone, further isolating her. As the days went by, Eve's emotional struggles deepened, and her once bright light began to flicker in the darkness. Eve's isolation took a toll on her relationships. Tim, though understanding, felt helpless as he watched her slip away. Her friends and classmates whispered about her absence, speculating about her well-being. Even the Avengers, her extended family, couldn't reach her. Bruce's silence enforced her solitude, protecting her secret but suffocating her soul. As time passed, Eve's grief hardened into numbness. She went through the motions, a hero by day and a ghost by night. Her once vibrant spirit, crushed by the weight of her loss, longed for a lifeline to pull her from the darkness. Little did she know, a new threat loomed on the horizon, one that would shatter her fragile existence and force her to confront the very heart of her pain.