Welcome to Chapter Fourteen.

I've been toying with this idea for a while now, and I wanted to wait a bit before delving into the newest Marvel movies but…

A plot bunny hit me, and I didn't want to let it go just yet.

You may also be asking why I'm writing this Author's Note like this…or maybe not, but either way there is an explanation for this madness…and this is the reason:

THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR BOTH "INFINITY WAR" AND "ENDGAME"

Now, I'm not entirely sure if I need this disclosure, considering how many gifs and memes there have been from both IW and "Endgame" floating around on social media after the releases of both movies…but I also want to cover all bases just in case someone reads this and has not seen either movie yet. Better safe than sorry.

Technically this is a teaser chapter for more to come. All little details I'm revealing here will be flushed out with time, hopefully any and all questions that come up will be answered as the main story line continues.

As for the spoilers themselves, I think they're very slight – it's basically spoilers for the end of "Infinity War" and the first part of "Endgame", but if you haven't seen either you may want to avoid this chapter.

Constructive criticism is appreciated.

Now, I'm sure if you've come this far that means you have either seen both movies or at least know enough about both to not have anything ruined for you, considering how long it's been since "Endgame" was even in theaters, and not to mention what was addressed in "Far From Home"…if not, you have been warned, and this is your last chance to turn back.

"A Teaser Chapter"

June 2020

Ryder Howlett woke with a gasp, drenched in sweat as he sat up in bed.

"Another nightmare?" Natasha asked groggily, slowly sitting up.

"I'm fine," Ryder assured her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm gonna get some water…go back to sleep I'll be back soon."

Natasha eyed him wearily, and Ryder flashed her a charming smile.

"It's okay, baby, really," He said quietly, leaning down to kiss her on the forehead, "Go to sleep. Everything's fine."

Natasha gave a sigh then settled back into the blankets.

Ryder smiled then got to his feet. Natasha had thrown herself into leading the team, or what was left of it, and she rarely slept as it was.

Before anything else he stopped at the door down the hall from theirs and opened it quietly, peering into the room.

The room had two small beds in it, side by side, along with an overflowing toybox and a small table covered in crayons, coloring books, and blank sheets of paper.

In the beds were two small boys, fast asleep – one huddled under his blanket with only his tiny feet visible, the other's face was blocked by a mass of wavy brown hair, but Ryder could see his pillow was hugged to his face.

The twins were still safe, that was all that mattered to him.

Ryder gave a smile to the two sleeping toddlers, and turned away, not noticing one blue eye had cracked open and was watching him.

He made his way to the kitchen, grabbing a glass and filling it with water, before moving into the office.

He'd left his laptop on Natasha's desk, and he opened the panel, logging in and queuing up the music player. A familiar piano opening filled the air, and Ryder settled in on the couch, sipping his water slowly.

Music had never really been his solace like it had been for…her…but after all that had happened, sometimes it felt like it was all he had left.

It's been a long day without you, my friend
And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again
We've come a long way from where we began
Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I see you again
When I see you again

He could see how the song could be kind of depressing, depending on what you could relate it to. He just never pictured it would be him that would have a situation he could relate it to, but he couldn't help but let his mind wander as he stared at his left hand, slowly curling it into a fist.

Damn, who knew?
All the planes we flew
Good things we've been through
That I'll be standing right here talking to you
'Bout another path
I know we loved to hit the road and laugh
But something told me that it wouldn't last
Had to switch up
Look at things different, see the bigger picture
Those were the days
Hard work forever pays
Now I see you in a better place (see you in a better place)

She'd been warm, solid…he'd reached out to comfort her…he'd squeezed her shoulder…

Ryder jumped when he heard a floorboard creak and his head jerked to the side. He gave a sigh of relief when he saw who it was.

A messy-haired three-year-old stood in the doorway, not even a little ashamed that he'd been caught out of bed at this hour of the night.

"Owen…what are you doing up?"

"You're up," Owen said brightly.

"Yeah, but it's…" Ryder looked at the clock on the laptop and his stomach dropped.

It was after two AM…on June 18th, 2020.

"It's…what?" Owen asked, crawling onto the couch to sit beside him.

"It's uh…" Ryder scrambled for an answer. "It's…my birthday…"

"Happy birf-day!"

Ryder blinked at him, "Thanks…"

"You gonna have party?"

"Uh, no…I don't celebrate my birthday anymore."

"Why?"

"That's uh…" Ryder sighed, "That's a story for a later time."

"Why?"

Ryder rolled his eyes, "Because I'm getting too distracted by your hair…it's getting crazy kid." He ruffled Owen's hair, earning a scowl from the toddler. "That's the Howlett side of you…messy hair is in our nature."

"Like Grampa Logan?"

"Exactly like Grampa Logan," Ryder chuckled, "Except for the sideburns…we leave those for him."

Owen giggled, "Grampa's fuwwy."

"You could say that," Ryder added. "But why are you up? You should be asleep."

"Heard you," Owen told him. "Came to be with you."

"That's very thoughtful," Ryder smiled, "But you need your sleep…"

"Why you up?"

Ryder chewed on his lip, "I…I had a bad dream."

"Was there a mons'er?"

"Nah, monsters don't scare me," Ryder said. "I fight monsters with your Uncle Steve, remember? They're no match for us."

Owen bobbed his head a bit at that response, then asked, "How else am I like a How'ett?"

Ryder shook his head, "The messy hair…the tendency for insomnia—"

"Whazzat?"

"Insomnia?"

"Yeah."

"You can't sleep, or you have trouble staying asleep," Ryder explained.

"Like me without my plate?"

"Exactly," Ryder nodded. "Also, that tendency you and your brother have to pronounce your R's like W's…apparently that's a hereditary trait too."

"Hew-ed-it-tawy?"

"Close enough…yeah it means you got it from the Howlett side," Ryder nodded.

Case had gone through a period where she couldn't pronounce certain letters. He could still remember her calling him 'Wyder', or sometimes even years later when she was in a rush saying 'Bucky Bawnes' or 'Steve Wogers'.

He frowned slightly; he'd never heard Owen slip this much before. His answer came quickly when the little guy let out an enormous yawn.

"Hey, buddy, maybe we should—"

"If you're gonna start throwing middle of the night parties, I'd at least like an invitation."

Both Ryder and Owen looked up at the doorway.

Natasha's red-and-blonde hair was a mess – the image made Ryder cringe on the inside, he was happy she was finally growing it out – and she was carrying another toddler on her hip, almost identical to the one that was sitting with Ryder. "You know how it works; one goes missing the other has to go looking."

"Sawwy Noah," Owen said sheepishly.

"S'awight," Noah responded drowsily with his head resting on Natasha's shoulder, he looked ready to pass out.

"Alright, that being said," Ryder announced, hauling Owen into his arms and balancing him on his own hip, "It's bedtime…for both of you."

Owen gave a slow nod and nuzzled into his shoulder.

"For the three of you," Natasha said pointedly, turning on her heel and heading for the twins' room.

"Yes ma'am," Ryder mumbled, hugging the sleepy toddler tighter against his side.

They reached the room in moments, Natasha easing Noah into bed, the boy so tired he fell back asleep on the short walk into the room.

Ryder tucked Owen into his own bed, pulling the covers up to the boy's chin as he cuddled with his odd, lopsided pillow. As he closed his eyes, Ryder pressed a kiss to the messy hair and joined Natasha at the door.

"Uncle Wyder?" Owen yawned.

Ryder turned to face him, "Yeah, bub?"

The boy sat up and reached inside his pillowcase. He stuck his tongue out as he worked something out of the pillow – it was a metal plate…a silver metal shoulder plate with a red star etched into it. "Do you want my plate?"

"Naw, buddy, I'll be okay," Ryder gave a weak smile as he took the plate and put it on the nightstand. "Plus, I've got your Auntie Natasha to help me sleep…I'll be okay."

Owen gave a sleepy nod and cuddled into his pillow, soon fast asleep like his brother.

Ryder closed the door silently and turned to Natasha, who was looking at him with concern in her eyes.

She knew what day it was, why it was hard for him.

He pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly.

"I'm sorry, Ryder," Natasha whispered, squeezing him just as tightly. "I'm sorry we couldn't…"

"Stop…please…" Ryder winced, burying his face in her sleep-mussed hair. "Please…I don't want to think about it…"

Natasha gave a nod and just held onto him, opting to remain silent as Ryder continued to mourn what he lost, even two years later.

Because that was all he really had left of two of the people that had meant the world to him…a music playlist, an old shoulder plate, and a set of twin boys that had inherited Case's messy brown hair and Bucky's ice-blue eyes.

Goes without saying I do not own any rites to "See You Again" - belongs to Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth.
And...what did you think?