Chapter Thirty-Four - Waiting
Mikaela sits on the roof of the facility. The darkness around her is quiet, but painfully so. She has never felt exhaustion like this.
"He's out there, somewhere," Rocket murmurs darkly. The glass of his bottle clinks as he sets it on the roof.
"Coward," Thor snaps quietly, taking another swig from his own bottle.
Mikaela sighs to herself and looks away from them, failing to ignore the constant, ruthless pain in her chest. "So, he doesn't even want to control the universe, after doing all that?" she asks, frowning into her lap.
"You forget, little computer, that he is noble and his mission was just," Thor says, his voice dripping with bitter sarcasm. "He is too honorable to want to rule this mess he left behind."
She closes her eyes for a moment, breathing deeply. When she opens them again, she leans in to her telescope and resumes her search of the stars.
Where are Tony and Peter?
"Ten days," Rocket says. "They don't know I came to Earth. What if they're alive, up there, and they think he got me too?"
Mikaela hears a loud smash behind her, and knows that Thor has launched yet another of his empty bottles away from him.
"I had just accepted my place as King of Asgard," he mutters. "We had become something more than we had been before. And he tore us apart!" The end of his shout is punctuated by another smashing bottle.
"Hey, take it easy, you'll wake up the people who can sleep," Rocket grunts.
Mikaela takes her eye away from the telescope and rubs her forehead.
"Anything?" Thor asks. She can hear it in his voice that he doesn't expect a good answer.
"Nothing," she replies.
"Maybe we just have to accept that they can't get back because they're dead or don't have a ship or don't know we're here, and move on," Rocket rants. "Save us from all this damn waiting."
The thought of it makes Mikaela feel sick. "We just need to figure out a way to get a signal out there that your friends can pick up," she tells him. "Maybe that pager of Fury's is transmitting something they can hear."
He makes a small scoffing sound, and Mikaela can't blame him - she didn't think she sounded very convincing either.
"I should have gone for the head," Thor mumbles bitterly.
Mikaela and Rocket glance at each other. They know there's nothing they can say to Thor to change his mind; they've already tried a hundred times. But he isn't the only one feeling guilty.
Mikaela replays the moment she fought Thanos over and over again in her head - she has done since day one. Tony is one of her weaknesses, and somehow Thanos knew that. He played the card, and she walked right into it, like a goddamn idiot. Eleven year old Mikaela would never have been so distracted by something as simple as a voice; but she has people she loves now, and she has to accept that it makes her vulnerable.
"If only we'd been more prepared," she says, more to herself than the two sitting nearby. "We could have all come together, we could have made a better plan."
"There's no point thinking like that," Rocket says dismissively. "Where's it gonna get you?"
"Do you think we could get a second chance?"
The words surprise Mikaela as much as the other two. She hadn't realised the question had been brewing inside her until the words spilled out.
"How?" Thor asks, his voice quiet and sorrowful.
Mikaela shrugs, rubbing her forehead. "I don't know. Maybe we could find the Stones and-"
"Hey, you wanna try take the power of all six Infinity Stones at once," Rocket scoffs, "I'll hold your jacket."
Thor looks at her for another moment, but then drops his gaze and returns his attention to his alcohol.
Mikaela blinks and looks up into the stars again.
If there was a way that she could use the Stones to undo what had been done, she'd do it in a heartbeat.
Where are Tony and Peter?
xxxxxxxxxxxx
Mikaela stands in the massive kitchen at Xavier's school, plating up dinner for the kids lined up waiting. They take their plates with a "Thanks" and a smile, but their sadness is palpable.
"Hey, kids, why don't you take your food and watch a movie with dinner, huh?" Storm suggests cheerfully, her smile lighting up her face when she sees their positive reactions. They rush out of the room, loudly debating which film they should watch and why their opinion is best. Mikaela has to hurry her plating up when she spots the stragglers bouncing on their toes impatiently for their food, eager to follow their friends.
Hank enters the room after the mass has left, chuckling to himself at their behaviour. "It's good to see them happy," he says in his deep voice. He walks over to Storm and Mikaela, putting a furry, blue hand on Storm's shoulder as he leans in to sniff the food. "Mmm, smells wonderful."
"Sit down, I'll get you a plate," Mikaela says.
She serves up three last plates and they sit down together at the small table in the room - the larger ones being in the dining room. For a moment, they eat in silence, reluctant to speak and bring the mood down.
Eventually, Mikaela has to do it. "So, how's the town seeming now?"
Hank sighs and briefly removes his glasses to rub his eyes. "Not any better, anyway," he replies, giving her a tense smile while he returns his glasses.
"Some people kind of look like they've been investigating the estate," Mikaela says, her fork moving her food around aimlessly. "I'm thinking I should take some of the technology from the Avengers Facility and bring it here, to stop intruders and stuff. Just in case."
Storm sighs and looks off in the direction the kids went, listening for a moment to the sound of their movie starting. "I hate this," she finally says. "Thanos didn't discriminate - we all lost people. You'd think their empathy would be kicked up a notch, at this point."
"They're scared and confused," Hank replies. "They can't see past their own losses."
"Well, if they try anything, they're going to get their asses beat, losses or no," Mikaela grunts.
Storm gives her a disapproving - but amused - look and shakes her head. "How are things at the Facility, anyway?" she asks, frowning curiously.
Mikaela puts her fork down to rub her face. "They're as okay as they could be, I guess. Steve and Natasha are working on keeping an eye on the world, Rhodey's with the military, Bruce is trying to keep Thor busy so he stops wallowing all the time, and Rocket is," she pauses, shrugging, "Lonely, I think."
Where are Tony and Peter?
"And you?" Storm asks gently.
Mikaela looks up to meet their gazes. Her heart clenches painfully and her thoughts zip to the dark places she strives so hard every day to stay away from. "I'm okay," she says.
"Mikaela-" Storm begins, but Kitty hurries into the room and interrupts her.
"Hey, sorry, you'll never guess who I bumped into in town," she says, breathing quickly.
Mikaela stands up immediately, frowning, noticing Kitty's dishevelled state. "What happened?"
Kitty leads them outside and points up the driveway, where a lone figure stands. Mikaela groans loudly, but she follows Storm and Hank towards the gates anyway.
"You miss me?" Pyro smirks at her when they get within earshot.
"You look like shit," Mikaela replies.
It's true - his clothes are dirty and rumpled, and she's sure there are flecks of blood stained into the material.
"We were mid-raid when people started vanishing," he explains, sobering up a little. "We lost more than they did."
"Where's Magneto?" Storm asks, crossing her arms.
Pyro's expression falls even further. "Nobody's seen or heard from him since everything happened," he says.
"So, you're jumping ship again?" Mikaela asks, quirking an eyebrow at him.
He gives her a look. "No, I'm here on behalf of the group of mutants I've managed to gather on my way here."
"You want to come back?" Storm asks, frowning sceptically.
Pyro looks at her for a moment, then nods. "Our numbers took a hit," he says. "There are a lot of mutants out there still who don't want anything to do with you, but I've rounded up those that see the strength in numbers and the wisdom of a truce."
"A truce?" Hank repeats, sharing a look with Storm.
"We know what we need to sacrifice to come back," Pyro nods. "But we're willing to do it, at least until things settle down again. Go back to normal."
Mikaela knows what their answer is going to be. She and Storm had hoped that this would happen.
"You can set up camp on the grounds," Storm says. When Pyro starts to reply, she cuts him off. "But, we're having some trouble with the towns near here, and I don't want your people provoking them or giving them incentives to attack. We have kids here, and I'll protect them before I protect any of you."
Pyro looks at her, and Mikaela can see the respect in his eyes. "We're happy to be your line of defence against anyone stupid enough to come hunting."
Mikaela raises her eyebrows and nods approvingly. "I can set up shit around the walls, and these guys can put out patrols or something around the grounds to make sure everything's okay. If anything, it would give you more time to get the kids evacuated if worse came to worst."
Storm nods her agreement. "How many people do you have?"
"Just over a hundred," Pyro replies. "The majority of the Brotherhood wanted to continue on without Magneto."
"Say what you will about Erik, but he at least kept his mutants in check. Without him, who knows how far they'll go," Hank says.
"I'll need to keep an eye on them," Mikaela muses. "Would you give me their names, or would that feel too much like betrayal?"
Pyro meets her gaze and smirks. "Every man for himself. I'll tell you about the more prominent figures, the ones who'll have most likely taken charge."
xxxxxxxxxxx
Where are Tony and Peter?
Mikaela is curled up on the sofa with Vanessa, sharing a blanket and a bottle of wine. Some stupid movie is playing on the TV and the curtains are drawn shut, even though it's 2pm, because everything outside and everything else on TV is depressing and a constant reminder of their loss. Every so often, Vanessa sniffs into the blanket and wipes her eyes.
"Who was that raccoon you came by with last week?" she asks suddenly. Her voice is hoarse and quiet, but there are traces of amusement in it.
Mikaela smiles to herself. "His name's Rocket. He's part of a group of aliens called the Guardians or something, they go about saving the galaxy and shit."
"I didn't really register the fact that it was a fucking raccoon at first," she laughs. "I thought you'd gotten a dog or something."
"If dogs could talk, drink, and shoot," Mikaela shrugs. She glances at Vanessa and chuckles.
"Saving the galaxy, huh?" Vanessa murmurs after a moment. "That's intense."
Mikaela nods, breathing deeply. "Very intense."
"I keep forgetting that this is something that happened all over the universe. I keep forgetting it's not just our planet. Not just me."
Mikaela reaches out to hold Vanessa's free hand, squeezing it comfortingly, because she can't think of anything to say.
"Have you heard from Tony or Peter yet?" Vanessa asks, sniffing.
Mikaela stares at the TV screen, but doesn't really see it. "No," she replies quietly.
Vanessa squeezes her hand now, because there's nothing that can be said.
A few hours later, Mikaela leaves the apartment and walks out onto the street. Her brain shuts off and her feet move, leading her through the city of their own accord. She is so tired, so tired because she can't sleep, so tired because she barely eats, so tired because 99% of her day is spent wondering, praying, waiting. And every day, she hears nothing. Every night, she sees nothing. And each day is a day further from when she last saw the two most important people in her life.
"I'm so sorry, but do you have any change?"
The voice brings Mikaela back to herself. It's growing dark now, and she's managed to make her way into Queens. The woman who spoke is sitting on the steps to, what appears to be, her home. Her clothes hang off her, her eyes red from crying, her movements sluggish.
Mikaela glances around and spots an ATM. "Give me two seconds," she mutters distractedly, and crosses the street to it.
She presses her hand against the machine, checking her surroundings for onlookers, and connects to the technology. She has noticed more than a few well-off people in this world retaining their wealth, despite everything that's happened, all the charities that others are pouring their money into, and the thought of taking their money for the people they should be sharing it with brings her a small joy. These days, a small joy can make all the difference.
She walks back over to the woman, who stares at her with apprehension and disbelief, and hands over the wad of cash. "Take care of yourself," she says, smiling uncomfortably when the woman's eyes fill with tears.
She has to walk quickly to avoid the oncoming gratitude, wondering what the woman would think if she knew it was stolen money.
Before long, she finds herself standing at the foot of Peter's building. She lifts her eyes to gaze up at his floor, wondering what the apartment looks like inside, now that no one is there to live in it. At least May doesn't have to worry about Peter.
She walks on for another while, losing track of time again. She feels like she does this now, on Earth, wandering around like a lost puppy, waiting for her family to come back for her. But she can't let herself think about it too much - because, if she does, she thinks she'll just have to lay down on the ground and never get up again.
Her feet stop again, and this time she finds herself in a graveyard. She knows this place. She's seen him come here before; she's been here with him before.
Her chest tightens.
She moves quietly through the headstones, knowing the way, knowing the stone she's looking for.
Religion has never been something she's put much thought to. She doesn't know what to believe, or whether she even wants to believe anything. When she came here with him, he had laid down some flowers and touched the headstone, had said, "I miss you", and then stood silently for a while.
"I don't have any flowers," Mikaela says, standing awkwardly before the grave, her hands shoved inside her pockets, her cap low on her head.
She looks around her to make sure she's alone. Is talking normal? Is that what people do?
"I hope you don't mind that I came by myself."
Is he even there to mind?
Mikaela sighs and rubs her forehead.
"I guess Pete's kind of an astronaut now," she says, giving a short, humourless laugh. "He, em, went up into space on an alien ship."
She winces and pulls her hands out her pockets to cross her arms over her chest. Is she being an idiot?
"Tony was there, though, so, I'm sure he's safe."
She glances around her again.
"But, they haven't come back down yet. I guess they're having too much fun up there to come back yet. Must be awesome. They'll be excited, the big nerds."
Her heart clenches. Her eyes sting.
"It would be good if they came back, though," she mutters. "It's just a bit rude staying up there, isn't it?"
She sniffs and closes her eyes.
"I wish they'd come back. I miss them. I miss Peter."
She has so many things to say.
"I'm sorry about May."
Her voice breaks and her eyes snap open. Her feet are moving before she even realises she needs to leave or she'll have a panic attack. Her sniffs are aggressive, her hands angry as they wipe the tears away. She needs to get away from here.
But where are Tony and Peter?