❝Whatever happens, just know that I never stopped trying.❞
. . .in which she must do whatever she can to protect the world and what's left of the ones she loves.
[BOOK THREE]
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★ ★ ★
3 YEARS AND 2 MONTHS AFTER DECIMATION
AUGUST 16, 2024
★ ★ ★
Marlena stared at the bright computer screen with tired hazel eyes. She was absolutely exhausted, but that was her own fault. She had the choice to stop everything she was doing in order to get a bit of sleep, but she refused to quit until she had everything done. After so many years, Marlena had finally been given the chance to live life as normally as a psychologically damaged Avenger could live. She finally had the chance to make things right, and that was exactly what she was going to do.
"You've been sitting in front of that screen for almost four hours now," Steve said to Marlena from his place against her bedroom door frame.
Marlena didn't turn to look at him; all she focused on were the words printed on the screen. "What's so wrong about that?" she asked him, her voice low.
"For one, you're working on a research paper that isn't due until January," Steve scoffed as he pushed himself off the doorframe and started into the room. He hadn't seen her so concentrated on a task in years, but he figured schoolwork served as a bit of a distraction for her. It was because of that reason he suggested she start back to school. Not to mention, he wanted her to find a way to have the normalcy she longed for. "For two, it's your birthday and you're locked away in your room when you could be spending time with the people that love you."
Marlena only frowned and stopped typing. She looked at the date sitting in the corner of her laptop screen and shook her head. It was, in fact, her birthday, but the last thing she wanted was to celebrate it. The last time she celebrated her birthday—or any holiday for that matter—had been before Thanos made his unwelcome appearance on her planet. Each year after that, Steve always suggested having a celebration of some sort, and each year Marlena hadn't been one for celebration. She didn't feel comfortable celebrating the fact that her life continued on while a handful of those who made that life worth living were forever indisposed.
"I really don't want to celebrate my birthday, Steve," Marlena said quietly as she slowly began typing again.
Steve let out a breath and closed her laptop, eliciting a sigh from the brunette. "I get that, I do, and I've politely backed down each year you say that exact same thing, but I can't ignore this year."
Marlena pressed her lips together and looked up at him with a raised brow. "And what exactly is so special about this year?"
