Hope Found

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Hope POV

People stand before me. Meaningless lives. Death is inevitable and everywhere. Only the foolish live. I walk towards them to deliver their mercy when they begin talking. Words are useless, meaningless just like life.

"Hope, fight it! Change the emotion!" one says as I grow closer. There is no emotion. Emotions are petty and worthless just like words, just like life.

"Hope," another calls. "Remember our sleepover with Pietro? We built that fort and it took Pietro five times to finally pin the sheets right. We stayed up too late and fell asleep telling ghost stories. When we had to wake Pietro up, you had the idea to pour water on his head and he jumped up and looked crazy." Memories only show pain nothing more nothing less. To forget is bliss. To die is to forget. Death is inevitable.

"Remember when you beat Clint at his favorite video game for the first time? You were so excited that you jumped up and down and skipped around the living room."

"Then we ate ice cream in the kitchen and I ate it to fast so I got a brain freeze. You got worried that my brain was actually freezing but once I explained it to you, you didn't believe me until you ate too much too fast and got one." I falter slightly. Why do I recognize their words? I do not know them. Lives and memories are meaningless. The chilling calm returns as I continue forward.

"Remember when I read the note lady Natasha left on the back of Sir Clint and kicked him as it commanded? You seemed to find that very enjoyable."

"Remember when we went shopping? You were amazed at all the colors and different types of clothes. You didn't really know what you liked until you saw that dress. It had short sleeves and flared at the bottom. You said it made you feel like a princess. Tony's having that party next week and you were going to wear it. You were so excited to show it off." An image of a dress flashes through my mind. I stop walking. But as soon as it appeared it was gone replaced by lifeless gray.

"Remember when we got attacked and I got shot? You couldn't understand why I did it. I did it because I care about you. I wanted to protect you and keep you safe just like everyone else." I hear three bangs in my head and see a flash of the man bleeding on the floor. I feel a weight begin to grow in my chest. This man should have died already. It shouldn't bother me. Death is inevitable. It is a mercy.

"Remember when you felt the sun for the first time in years? Steve laid you on the balcony and you laid there for an hour just enjoying the warmth of the sun. Every time you go outside, you always take a moment to appreciate the sun because you know what it's like to be without it." I glance up at the sun he spoke of, it did provide warmth but that makes no difference in the face of death. Death is inevitable. I feel the black energy grow around me wanting to complete its purpose: to provide death.

"Remember when you first got here and you didn't understand kindness or love?" asks another man walking toward me. "We gave you medical attention, a comfortable bed, your very own room, and your freedom. You didn't understand why we did it. But it's the same reason Clint took those bullets for you and the same reason you risked your life to heal him. We are a family and that means we would do anything for each other, we would give anything for each other, even our lives." Family. The word makes the weight grow. It is suffocating. The energy lashes out toward the man but another one pushes him out of the way.

"Stark!" shouts one of the girls. I feel his energy draining away. This is how it should be. Death always comes. It cannot be stopped. It is inevitable.

"This black emotion is not you, Hope. You are caring and funny and full of life. You are free and will never have to go back to living in a cage. You will never have to use your powers against your will. You are still a kid and should get to be one. You should go shopping, have sleepovers, and play video games. You have a family now. You will never be alone ever again. It's time to go home." Home. I stare at the man. I know him. But I don't know anyone. Memories are irrelevant, emotions are irrelevant, life is irrelevant. Suddenly the weight in my chest grows and it is as if a switch turns on in my brain. I feel the name on my lips before the chilling calm could stop it. The name I have never said before.

"Dad?" I hear myself ask in a small voice. Memories flash through my head. I see myself smiling, crying, and laughing. I see myself in a cold cell and then in a warm home. I see my friends, no my family, the avengers. But each memory is pushed back by the darkness. I slowly feel the black being pushed out by something else. It starts in my chest and grows. It feels warm and bright. It not only pushes the darkness away but I feel it pushing the darkness out of my body completely. I look down and see my hands are holding golden energy again but it is brighter this time, almost blinding. I can no longer feel the black emotion and know it was gone for good. I release the golden energy into the air and let the sparkles fall. The grass seems to grow brighter and the sunlight seems warmer. I look at the people in front of me. As the sparkles hit them, I can see the exhaustion fade. I look at my family and I feel my biggest smile yet fill my face. I run towards them. They surround me and hug me tight. I know then that I am never letting go. I know then that I am home.