The Legacy | T.W.

Prologue

Mid 2010

I look at the orb in front of me. I've been staring at it for hours.

"You're going to give yourself a headache."

I look over my shoulder at my father. He must've just gotten back from his mission. I didn't even hear him come in.

"I haven't even been looking at it for that long."

"Your mother used to do the same thing when she didn't have an answer for something."

I turn around and look at him. I've been led to believe that I'm the product of a one night stand but I think deep down they loved each other. As much as neither of them liked to admit.

Her death took a toll on him as much as it did me. It's been a few months and I still haven't fully recovered.

It's hard going from seeing her every day to never seeing her again. This is the first time he's actually brought her up.

"I should go back.."

The Fortress of Solitude has been my quiet place. I can't really focus back in New York.

"Kat wants to do a training session with me."

He slowly nods. I get up and throw a portal. I start to walk towards it.

"You can talk to me, Natalia."

I think it kills him that I'm holding in my pain. I started shutting myself out when Kara died. I watched her die right in front of me. It gave me nightmares. And then the same thing happened with Pierre. They both died saving me.

I didn't talk for weeks both times. I didn't know what to say. I also didn't want to burden anyone with my pain.

"I know." I say. "I'm just.. not ready."

Losing my mother is another level of pain. We had our differences but I loved her. I felt it in my chest when she died. The moment I heard her heart stop beating from across the world is when I changed.

"Okay, Tal."

I walk through the portal. I walk down the halls of Charles school. I stop and look at the wall of pictures. The wall contains pictures of fallen X-Men. In the center is a picture of my grandfather. I never met him. He died before I was born. He wasn't an X-Man but he fought for mutant rights.

He and Charles had started the fight for mutant rights. They had been through so much together. My mother loved talking about him. She loved him so much and I could tell how much it hurt her to talk about him. I still loved hearing the stories.

"Natalia."

I turn my head and Charles looks at me from his office. He's the closest person I have to a grandparent. He'd long considered my mother, Pietro and Lorna children of his own.

"Charles."

"Auntie Talia!"

Erika comes rushing towards me. I smile and pick her up once she comes into arms length. I kiss her cheek multiple times.

"My favorite little pumpkin."

She laughs as I put her down.

"Katerina has been expecting you."

"Yeah." Erika says. "Mom says you're late."

"I needed some peace.."

Charles gives me a sympathetic look. I've taken it the hardest of anyone. I haven't seen much of Connor to really speak about his feelings. But Kat on the other hand has taken it like a champ. She's trying to look strong for me and for Erika.

"I should find her."

"She's out back teaching a class with Scott."

I nod and head out back with Erika holding my hand. We pass the tree I planted when I was six. It's grown large since then.

"All things have a purpose." Kat says. "And your purpose.."

She sees me and smiles.

"Is to prove the world wrong. Mutants aren't bad. We are people.. just like them." She says. "My grandfather fought for your rights to be citizens.. do not throw away all of his hard work."

"Class dismissed."

The students turn around and all look at me in awe. They all look to be thirteen years old. They're just kids.

"I didn't think you'd show up."

"And risk getting yelled at by you?" I say. "No thanks."

"Baby, go inside and practice more with Charles."

"But I want to see Auntie Talia kick your butt."

"Now, Erika."

She doesn't fight it. She stomps her way back inside the mansion. I turn around and look at Scott Summers. He is pretty much the leader of the X-Men. He looks like a total ass and he kinda is. I've always respected him.

"Summers." I say. "You got new glasses."

"I kinda had to."

I smile as he walks around me. I broke his last glasses when Kat had me train with the X-Men. She insisted on me fighting each one of them. He was pissed when I kicked his ass.

"Why must you antagonize him?"

I shrug. She sets up a mat for us to train outside. She's so insistent on me practicing my combat skills. She always gets mad when she can't beat me. One of the perks of being trained by Natasha.

I almost got her when my chest starts hurting. My back collides with the mat and it grows hard to breathe. She notices something wrong, kneeling over my body. I put my hand over my stomach. It's like Deja vu.

I throw a portal and force myself up. I run through it. I'm in a field of flowers. I see my father lying on the ground. I run towards him, falling to my knees when I see green stones inside his stomach with a large one in his chest.

"Dad.." I tear out the Kyrptonite. "Please.. don't go."

It's too late. He looks at me and my ears start buzzing. My throat starts to close in as a tear escapes his eye.

"Tal.. I'm sorry."

"Please.." I cry. "Daddy.. I can't... don't go."

"I love you."

I shake my head.

"No.."

His heart stops beating. I look up and see him. I scream as lasers shoot out of my eyes. Alls I see is red.