𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐈-𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐎, avengers¹

𝐱𝐱. avengers...

.ೃ࿔*:･𝐱𝐱. avengers...

𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐀 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐇 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄, and Ingrid found herself grappling with a deep and consuming uncertainty. Despite her initial denial and fierce belief that her father would return, doubts began to creep in. The silence, the lack of any sign of his return, weighed heavily on her heart and mind.

She vividly recalled the moment she had received the news: the Hulk hadn’t turned the quinjet around as expected, and there were murmurs among the Avengers of the possibility that he might not come back. Ingrid had fiercely resisted these claims, her determination to hold onto hope acting as her only lifeline.

But as the days turned into weeks, and then into months, the silence became harder to bear. The once vibrant memories of her father's reassuring presence started to blur, replaced by the deafening absence that now filled her life. She found herself questioning the reality of the situation, trying to reconcile her hope with the growing fear that she might never see her father again. The weight of the uncertainty gnawed at her, making it harder to stay positive as time went on.

Ingrid's mind was a tumultuous storm of questions and fears. How could he leave her? Was there something she had done that had pushed him away or made him think he couldn’t come back? The uncertainty was suffocating, and the guilt of not having answers gnawed at her like a relentless predator. Each day without word from him felt like a betrayal, a wound that refused to heal.

She replayed their last moments together over and over, searching for any sign or clue she might have missed. The doubts and fears only grew stronger as time passed, each unanswered question adding to the weight of her anxiety. She recalled their final conversation. Was there a hidden meaning she had overlooked, a message he had tried to convey?

Still, Ingrid had tried to focus on the future. She plastered on a fake smile as she and Steve approached Natasha, who was standing alone, lost in thought. Steve broke the silence with a hint of humor. "You want to keep staring at the wall, or do you want to go to work? I mean, it's a pretty interesting wall."

Natasha raised an eyebrow. "I thought you and Tony were still gazing into each other’s eyes," she joked, though there was an edge of weariness in her voice. They continued towards the group of Avengers waiting for them.

Steve handed Natasha a tablet. "How do we look?"

"Well, we're not the '27 Yankees," Steve said, his tone both serious and light-hearted.

Natasha took the tablet and examined the data. "We've got some hitters."

"They're good. They're not a team," Steve replied.

Natasha’s gaze shifted to Ingrid, who walked quietly nearby. "Let's beat 'em into shape," Natasha said, then turned to Ingrid. "How are you holding up?"

Ingrid forced a smile. "I'm better," she said, but it was clear she was struggling.

Natasha hesitated, considering whether to share the news Fury had confided in her. After a moment, she decided against it. "Glad to hear it," she said instead.

They reached the top of the staircase, looking down to where Rhodey, Sam, Vision, and Wanda were waiting.

"Avengers..."