Robin's Cousin

epilogue

Pietro's POV

One Year Later

The Hall of Justice should be a happy place, but I don't enjoy coming here as much as I should. Standing outside the massive building, I was about to take a step towards the doors when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see the sad smiling face of my cousin Dick, Artemis and M'gann not far behind him. I sighed, looking over my friends. "Are you ready for this?"

"The question is, my friend, are you?" I turned to the side to see Kaldur and Roy approaching with Wally and Jason.

I nodded definitively, once again facing the building. "She deserves this, I'm just glad they finished the statue in time for the anniversary."

"Do you have the stone?" Jason asked, causing me to roll my eyes and smirk.

"No." I drawled, pulling the necklace with the stone attached out of my neckline. "I forgot the entire reason we were coming here today."

"Hey, no need to get snippy, QS." Jason held his hands up in surrender, a sad smile coming on his face. "I wish she were here to see this."

"If she were here then we wouldn't be doing this, moron." Roy snorted, dodging Jason's elbow. Roy nodded at me. "After you, she was your sister after all."

I gulped, opening the door with shaky hands. We were greeted with a blast of cold air and a mix of Justice Leaguers and Avengers. Natasha Romanoff came up to me, a knowing look on her usually unreadable face. "Hello, Pietro. Long time no see. Are you ready?"

"Of course, Nat." I smiled softly, hugging the Russian closely. I pulled out of the hug when Tony Stark approached. "Stark."

"Hey, I know this is poor timing, but I was just wondering if you had reconsidered my offer-"

"No. My answer will always be no. You are not going to run tests on the stone." I snarled. "How dare you, Stark?"

"Pietro, think about it, okay? Just think about." Stark said as he walked away. I glared after his retreating form.

The nerve of some men...

Batman approached me with Black Canary at his side. "Today is the day. Are you ready to see the tribute?"

I nodded, walking over to the covered statue at the far end of the hall. M'gann used her telekinesis to lift the tarp off and I gasped, tears springing to my eyes as I saw the ruby statue of my sister, surprisingly accurate giving the material it was made of. Tears sprang to my eyes as I reached my hand out to touch the statue's face, my heart aching as much as it did the day she died.

Why did I think I could do this?

I choked back a sob as I clutched the necklace tightly, bringing it up over my head and into my palms. I looked down at the gemstone, watching the two blood red shapes still entwined in their battle as they were a year ago. I let out a wobbly smile, lifting my arms and placing the necklace gently on the statue, the stone resting where the heart would be.

Not being able to take it anymore, I collapsed in a puddle of tears, letting out an anguished screech. Dick was by my side in an instant, his own tears streaming down his cheeks. I could sense the presence of my friends and teammates as they all huddled around me in a supportive group hug, all of us a mess of sobs and emotional agony.

I was the one to break away, stumbling over to the plaque that was at the foot of Wanda's tribute. I smiled when I read what it said, knowing Natasha wrote it and that Wanda wouldn't have had it any other way.

Wanda Maximoff. Scarlet Witch. Avenger. Honorary Justice Leaguer. Professional Ass Kicker.

She laid down her life for yours, so don't waste it.

Looking up at my sister's statue, I could've sworn I saw a shadow of smirk on it's lips. I mirrored it with my own as I whispered. "Don't worry sis, I won't."

fin.