SpaceKatss: Thank you so much! I'm following the HBO strategy of releasing each chapter like an episode of Succession or The White Lotus
jh831: Thank you for the kind words!
Two days later.
It was currently after dinner and everyone was in the living room watching TV.
A rerun of "Star Trek: Next Generation" was playing.
Everything almost seemed… normal.
The bruises and injuries were beginning to heal for Lila.
She could see out of her right eye now.
However the nightmares had returned with a vengeance.
She hardly slept at all the past few days.
Images of her losing her Aunt's grip suspended over the mountain.
Her impacting the bottom.
The guilt she felt was crushing her to the point she physically felt it.
Over the past few days, Lila was spending all of her time with her family.
Trying to make up for the lost time the past five years.
The loss of Nat still remained heavy over everyone's heads.
Her parents told her that they told her brothers.
Well they told Cooper the full story since he was old enough to "understand" and was mature enough to handle the loss.
Nate… was still too young to really understand.
In fact, none of them could understand what really happened, she thought.
Space, time travel, fighting aliens.
The Stones.
Science fiction had become reality Her dad to a point but that was about it.
She was currently sitting next between her parents. Her brothers on the other couch.
She was browsing her phone on stories related to the attack and recent events.
The media headlines were dominated on Tony's death and sacrifice but there was nothing on Nat's death.
She was disappointed but she knew her Aunt would have preferred it that way.
What she didn't notice was both her parents noticing how she was glued to the headlines.
And that she wasn't sleeping. Sharing each other worried glances.
"Warp five, Mr. Crusher…" Lila heard from the TV and looked up.
"Engage…" she saw the stars fly by at light speed and she choked out a breath.
Dropping her phone.
"Sweetie…" her mom said nervously.
Clenching her hands with hers.
Images of her and Nat jumping in the Benatar unwelcomingly filled her mind.
"Honey, it's me. Just take deep breaths. One, two…" Clint said gently.
She nodded knowingly.
Going through the same routine for her panic attacks her Aunt taught her to calm down.
Clint turned off the TV quickly.
After what seemed like an eternity although it was only a minute she managed to regain control and nod.
"Are you okay Lila?" Clint asked worriedly.
She nodded again silently.
"C'mon, let's get some tea." her mom said and helped her up.
She let her walk her out of the room and into the kitchen.
She sat down at the kitchen table as her mom turned on the ceiling fan light.
Laura turned on the kettle and sat down across from her.
"This isn't your first attack, is it?" she asked sadly.
"No." Lila said with a shake of her head.
"They began after…" she said but swallowed uneasily.
"We lost the first time." she began.
Looking into her mom's eyes.
"Auntie Nat was always there for me. Helping me through them. The nightmares. Trying her best to help me grieve." she said and took another sip.
"Time moved on which helped I guess. But it really didn't, and then… We did that…" she said while pointing back to the TV with her thumb.
"Jumping, going to other planets. Fighting aliens. Its all real." she said with shuddering with unease.
Shivering in her hoodie and leaning back in her chair.
The kettle began to steam and her mom got up to pour two mugs.
Placing two bags in them to give one steaming cup to her daughter.
She took it with both hands and took a sip.
Laura nodded, trying her best to understand but felt helpless.
A moment of silence filled the room before she thought of an idea.
"How was Auntie Nat as a…" she began but Lila finished her thought.
"As a Mom?" she asked and Laura nodded.
She smiled faintly.
"She was like you. The only person who could even be you. " she answered.
Laura smiled proudly.
"Even though she promised in the beginning she didn't wanna replace you she modelled herself after you. And after we thought there was no way to get you back. Years later, I did see her eventually see her as my mom." she said and Laura heard the guilt in her voice.
Placing her mug down and scooting over to the chair next to her.
"Lila, sweetie. I'm not mad or jealous you saw Auntie Nat as your mom. We were gone… for a long time." she said while grabbing her hands.
"In fact I'm glad you had her. So glad. And I know she depended on you as much you did her. I'm so happy it was her who adopted you. She loved you. All of you. She always had a soft spot for kids. And I know she saw you three as her own." she reassured her.
Wiping a few tears from her eyes.
"I know. She told me." Lila replied with tears in her eyes as well.
Clint walked in, getting their attention.
"Are you okay Lila?" he asked with worry.
"I am now, dad." she answered honestly.
He reached down to hug her and kiss her on the forehead.
"When you're ready to talk about anything both of us are here but I do know a thing or two about fighting aliens." he let her know.
"I know. And I will." she said honestly.
He looked to his wife who let him silently know she was okay now but Lila's phone began to vibrate in her pocket.
Pulling it out she saw "Happy Hogan Stark Industries" on the screen
. Frowning, not recognizing the name but answered it because of Stark.
"Hello…" she greeted as her parents listened on.
"Uh, hi. This is Happy Hogan. Is this Lila Barton Pepper told me you are close with them and that this is the number to reach you?" she heard him ask.
"I am. It's nice to meet you Mr. Hogan." she said kindly.
"Call me Happy, please. Uh. I'm sorry for calling late but I'm arranging the funeral of Tony Stark and Pepper and Morgan are asking you if you're willing to attend." he asked.
"Of course. I'd be honored to. How is Morgan doing if I may ask?" she asked worriedly.
"She misses her dad." Happy said and Lila heard the sadness in his voice.
"Um, please tell her and Mrs. Stark that I'm thinking of them and that we'll be at the funeral. Thank you Happy." she replied.
"Of course. I'll send you the date. Thank you Ms. Barton." Happy said before hanging up.
Lila took a deep breath.
"Sweetie…" Laura said gently and she looked up to her.
"I'm fine. It's just uh, Mr. Stark's funeral." she said sadly.
"You two were close?" Clint asked and she nodded.
"Yeah. He's nice. He helped me with my bow. He helped pay so I could to MIT in the fall." she said but yawned.
Her parents looked at each other nervously.
"I think I'm gonna try and get some sleep tonight."
Lila did sleep restfully that night and that next morning received a text from Happy with details about the funeral for Tony Stark that would occur next week at his cabin.
It was late in the morning and Laura had taken her sons with her to go grocery shopping in town and run some other errands.
Lila was walking down the hall upstairs to her parents room.
She hadn't seen her bow or sword since she got back and she couldn't explain why but she felt drawn to them.
Cracking the door open she saw her bow against the dresser but her sword and Glock nowhere in sight.
She heard footsteps coming up the stairs and turned around to see her dad walking around the banister.
"Lila…" he said surprised, not expecting her.
"Sorry, I just. I don't know. I thought I wanted to shoot but now…" she rambled while he walked up to her.
"It's alright. Couldn't help but notice that wasn't my bow." he said with a smirk.
She smiled.
"It's mine. Yours is kinda… in the bottom of a crater. With some of our stuff." she said and shifted awkwardly.
"That's fine. It doesn't matter. What's it made out of?" he asked curiously.
"I made it out of nanotech. Mr. Stark helped me." she shrugged her shoulders.
"Nanotech huh?" he asked amused.
"Yeah, its stronger than carbon fiber. I figured nobody made a bow out of one." she replied.
"I still can't believe you're going to MIT. That's just amazing!" Clint beamed with pride.
"I uh also got into fencing and well… you know…" she said quietly about her sword and Clint took a deep breath
. "I know and you're old enough to make that choice. Already made that choice." he said knowingly.
"I think it's too late now." she said sadly.
"Your maybe seventeen now but your still a kid. You have your whole life ahead of you." Clint promised her.
"I know. I know." she repeated herself.
Clint heard his daughter still unsure about the statement but peaked around her and inside the room.
Seeing sunlight stream in.
"Well if you're up for it you wanna head outside?"
She agreed and the two walked out of the house.
Lila looked around, seeing the farm like how it was after all the hard work Clint put in to making the farm look normal.
She was carrying her bow and he had the quivers as they walked towards the target.
Just like they did before…
She was still nervous about shooting her bow again after the battle.
And with her dad.
A part of her wanted to but another louder part was telling her no after what happened.
They settled in front of it and he handed her an arrow.
"So, do you need any tips?" he joked with a smile.
"I think I'm good." she smiled back before knocking the arrow.
Knocking it back and closing her eye she fired, easily hitting the bullseye with ease.
"Not bad Hawkeye." Clint said proudly.
"You should see my arrows dad. But uh I kinda used all of them…" she said while scratching the back of her head.
"We can make some if you want?" he offered, trying to cheer her up.
"Yeah, I still have the designs in my head."
So the two spent the rest of the afternoon in the barn making Lila's arrows.
Clint, like Laura was trying to make up for lost time.
He beamed with pride though with how creative and smart his daughter was.
But he and her had something planned for that evening for Natasha.
He informed Lila about it gently and to prepare her but she led him know it was okay.
And so when the sun was setting that evening the family dressed in black and made their way to the front yard.
In the same spot where the original graves were was a small single one with Natasha's initials engraved on it in the garden as the sun began to set.
Surrounded by the same Lily's.
Clint told Lila he was working on something special for Natasha and her memory but this was just for them.
They settled in front of it and Lila took a deep breath.
Preparing herself.
"Lila, sweetie. Do you want to go first?" Laura asked gently.
"Sure." she managed to nod and took a few steps forwards.
She knelt down and clenched the grave.
"Hi, Auntie Nat…" she began.
"I don't know what exactly to say but we did it. You did it. We got everyone back. It wasn't without its challenges. Mr. Stark had to sacrifice himself like you did. I still miss you. It's only been a few days. Mom and dad, Cooper and Nate miss you but you did it we won…" she said while beginning to cry.
"I still love you and only wish I could tell you just how much I appreciate what you've done for me. I'll always love you Auntie Nat…" she choked out at the end and stumbled upwards.
She sniffed and wiped her eyes and walked back to her family.
They hugged her.
She crying into her mom's shoulder while her dad clenched the back of her head tightly.
The teenager struggled to regain her composure but managed to.
"Thank you, for this." she thanked her parents.
"It's the least we could do. What she did for you. For us. For all of us." Clint said proudly.
"I'm glad you saved her." she thanked him, surprising her parents who shared a look which she noticed.
"It's okay. I know." she whispered so her brothers wouldn't hear.
"Well, uh I am too." he replied smoothly.
She stood next to her dad and watched her mom step forwards and say her emotionally goodbyes.
Then her dad who took the longest, seeing him cry at the end.
Then lastly by Cooper who was joined by Nate who was still too young and innocent to understand.
The first but sadly not the last funeral the family would bet attending that week.
