The Leo Luna (An Avengers Fan-fiction)

Chapter Twenty-Six: Returns

In books a lot of the time, the main character begins their journey of whatever the books going to be about at a specific place that will hold much symbolism throughout the story, and as that character changes and grows, they usually return back to that place at the end of the story, with a new perspective of things, differing from that of which they had when the story began. It can be a good change of perspective, or a bad one, but almost every time, something is seen differently.

In some cases, sure, it's a place, because places never leave, which can make things simpler. But, in my case, it's a person. But, some people never leave either, so I guess it's okay.

When I first met Steve, I was alone, scared, and confused about everything that was happening to me at the time. I remember him being the first one to reach out to me, and the first one I truly began to have trust in, because he made me feel less alone. I never knew what it was like to have a man who cared about me because my father never did the way he was supposed to.

I used to wish he had a lot. I used to wish a lot of things for myself, but then I realized something: I realized that wishing was selfish.

No matter what, I can't change the decisions the people around me have made. If I could now, I wouldn't. If I was a character in a book, and I had a new perspective after my story was complete about my life, I wouldn't wish to change the events of it anymore. I would just live the best way I could, and try and make the best out of things.  That's all we can do as people. I've learned to completely accept that.

I've also learned that to live, you need to care. Sometimes we say it's easier to just go on and not think about our decisions, or how they effect anyone but ourselves, but they do. If I hadn't broken protocol the day John Moon captured the team for example, who knows what could've happened to them. Sure I broke my ankle and almost died, but I learned that caring for the ones that I trust is better than living without them. I may not be sure about a lot of things I do, but I've never been more sure about anything else in my life on this one.

I learned that you only make a few good friends in your life time. I know who mine are, at least I do right now. I learned that family are those who put you before them every time, and that family is even harder to find then friends.

I have a family now. A good one. One that didn't take years to find and love. Only a few months.

I knew I'd find him in the gym. That's where he always goes when he needs to think, and based off what Bucky said, he was in deep thought.

My stone let out a piercing heat within me due to my nervousness of the situation, but I didn't even flinch.

I made my way to the door of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s gym for training, and sure enough the sound of someone smacking what was surely a punching bag was heard throughout the corridor leading up to the room. I hoped I was interrupting something too serious. Even if I was, it was too late since I found myself opening the door anyway.

My eyes scanned the room, and the events taking place inside.

I saw one punching bag, that now had sand leaking out of it from at least four different areas on the floor in the back of the room, forty's music playing through the IPod in the corner of the room, and a very focused Steve working on yet another punching bag. I noticed that there was a closet full of extra ones in the back of the room. I guess he had a feeling he'd be needing them.

I don't think he heard me come in through the blasting music of his IPod, which he had told me that he quite enjoyed using now, and wished he had them back in the forty's.

He continued hitting the bag, sweat trailing down his back and the side of his face that was slightly visible to me from where I was standing. I could see that he was in deep concentration.