The Long Road Home

Chapter 42:

~Riley's POV~

In one single moment I feel my heart completely stop. There is no more pain, no more hurt. My eyes glance down at my now lifeless human body as Steve cradles it. And then boom, my eyes no longer comfy stair at the sky but are blinking and warm with tears. "She's back!"he cries out. "Riley are you okay? What happened?"

Slowly my green eyes meet his blue ones, tears just pouring from them now. "He's gone."I choke. Steve's eyes soften as he now peers at the ground. "He's gone Steve, my Peter is gone." Just hearing myself say those words shatters me, making me just completely brake and sob. He doesn't say anything and just holds me. My tears soak his uniform but I can't get them to stop. The others look around only to see that hardly anyone was left. They are all gone, Sam, Bucky, Vision, Wanda, T'challa....Peter.

"Come on lets get back to the ship, we are going to have to deal with back at head quarters."Rhody says. Everyone agrees and makes there way to the ship. "Riley?"Natasha's voice calls out. I stop in my tracks and try to hold myself together in front of the assassin. "I'm so sorry honey."she says as she hugs me. "I'm sorry too."I tell her knowing she lost loved ones as well.

We just stand there for a while, embracing the silence and pain. Wet marks appear in my shirt just before she pulls away. Her eyes are red and puffy just like mine. She attempts to give me this smile but it's weakened by the pain. I don't bother trying to return it because my body can't, I can barely hold myself together right now so a smile just won't be happening. Instead I just take her hand in mine and board the ship. Once she takes her seat I make my way to the back to sit alone, my fingers grasping the necklace he gave me.

After hours of sniffles and silence we finally land. Even then no one says a word. We enter the building and glance at one another before parting ways, the feeling of being home setting in. "Do you have a room?"Steve softly asks. "Yeah I do, once upon a time I lived here for a little while." He just nods and I turn on my heels towards my room. Steve seems to follow, apparently his room is right next to mine.

The tips of my fingers brush the cold metal of the handle, hesitant to go in. "I'm sorry about Peter." Slowly my head turns to look at him, "I'm sorry about Sam and Bucky." He nods before responding, "yeah we'll try to get some sort of sleep."and with that he enters his room. I sigh and turn the knob doing the same.

For hours I sit in the edge of the bed and sob. I let it all out and feel every ounce of the pain. It's then I realize I can't stay here. I need to be on my own, so with a very heavy heart I open my window and jump. My wolf takes over as I run down the drive way, only stopping once to look back. Light suddenly appears from Steve's window so I let out a final howl. His face appears in the window allowing me to give a nod farewell. He gives a wave goodbye before I take off again, this time not stopping to look back.