chasing waterfalls [Peter Parker]

~31~

I walked into the kitchen to give Nat some time to talk to Rhodey. I didn't know what they were talking about, but judging by the tone of her voice, it wasn't anything good. I know Nat was trying to be strong and keep it together for me and the rest of the team, but it had been a long five years. I placed my hands on the counter and looked out the window. 

Ever since Tony and I came back from Titan and the rest of the group faced Thanos, we had been trying to find a way to bring everyone back. But without the stones, it would be almost impossible. 

I heard the door open, and I turned my head to see Steve walking through the kitchen. 

"Is Nat in there?" He asked, and I nodded. 

"Yeah, she's talking to Rhodey." Steve looked over into the next room and started walking over. I followed him, keeping a far enough distance so that it didn't seem like I was following him. Nat had her head buried in her hands, and I could tell that she was crying. 

"You know, I'd offer to cook you dinner..." Nat looked up at Steve, her eyes red and puffy. "but you seem pretty miserable already." I tried not to laugh as Nat jokingly glared at Steve. 

"You here to do your laundry?" 

"And to see a friend." Nat leaned back in her chair.

"Clearly, your friend is fine." Steve looked down at the jacket in his hands and started fiddling with the button. I sat down in the chair that I was in earlier. 

"You know, I saw a pod of whales when I was coming over the bridge." Nat smiled, raising an eyebrow. 

"In the Hudson?" Steve nodded. 

"There's fewer ships, cleaner water." I rolled my eyes. Leave it to Steve to find the silver lining in even the most depressing situations. Nat folded her arms.

"You know, if you're about to tell me to look on the bright side" she looked at the half-eaten sandwich on the table. "I'm about to hit you in the head with a peanut butter sandwich." I chuckled. Steve smiled and walked over to the table.

"Sorry. Force of habit." He set his jacket down on a chair and sat down. Nat pushed the peanut butter sandwich over to him, then looked at me. I smiled sympathetically back at her. Steve folded his arms and sighed. "You know, I keep telling everybody they should move on and grow. Some do. But not us." I looked down at the table. I hadn't even gone to school because I couldn't move on. How do you move on after loosing your two best friends and half the people in your class? Nat shook her head. 

"If I move on, who does this?" 

"Maybe it doesn't need to be done." Nat sighed, looking from Steve to me. 

"I used to have nothing. Just me and Nixie." She gestured to me. "And then I got this. This job. This family." She looked down, wiping the tears from her eyes. "And I was better for it. We both were. And even though they're gone, I'm still trying to be better." I looked down at my phone, which had a picture of Peter, Lily, and I on it. I had made it my lock screen about six years ago, and I just couldn't bring myself to change it. Steve looked from Nat to me, then back to Nat. 

"I think we all need to get a life." Nat chuckled. 

"You first." 

All of a sudden, the screen lit up, and Nat swiped it over to view it. Then the speakers started. It was a video. 

"Oh, hi, hi! Uh, is anyone home?" On the screen was a man outside the front gate with an orange van. "This is, uh, Scott Lang. We met a few years ago at the airport... in Germany?" Nat, Steve, and I perked up. As soon as Scott said it I recognized him. "I was the guy that got really big. I had a mask on. You wouldn't recognize me." Steve stood up.

"Is this an old message?" 

"Ant Man? I know you know that?" I looked at the video. 

"That's the front gate." 

"I really need to talk to you guys."