Wanda and Pietro continue to laugh and assist each other with their new glowing jewelry as I turn the iPod on the dock on. The room turns from a silence only broken by laughing to music. I hum to the tune and move from the kitchen to the lounge area, only bumping into one couch as I move. I briefly chuckle. The room is completely dark, only vaguely illuminated by the glow sticks and a faint brightness coming through the windows. Small lights outside brightening up the compound as the Earth begins to slip into darkness. The world seems to be quieting down yet again despite the upbeat music and our laughter filling the room. It feels as if a peace resides over the Avenger's HQ.

I find my feet carrying me over to one of the windows, which provides a view across the green lawn draped in an illuminating glow from the setting sun. Around the compound are small lights, mostly there in the lawn to illuminate landing areas for Quinjets. It almost looks like the sky is here on Earth, on the lawn of our home.

Home.

I crack a smile as I continue to peer out the window. I think it's the first time I've referred to this large building, filled with agents and superheroes as a home. I've never really had a home. Home used to just mean a place that I thought I'd never have until I was adopted into this crazy dysfunctional family the world knows as The Avengers. And even then, home meant the team. Wherever they were, that was where home was. But now I have an actual roof over my head and a nonbiological family. Which, for me, is two large leaps and bounds in my life.

The room quiets around me as the tune changes from a quick beat, to a slow, soothing one. It's so cliché but it just couldn't have been better timing. And when I feel a hand rest on my shoulder, I don't feel that immediate reflex of 'attack first, questions later.' I just feel...safe. I turn my head to find a smiling Wanda, who's hand slips from my shoulder to my arm before she also looks out the window. I feel a familiar arm drape over my shoulders only a moment later. And so, the three of us stand in a comfortable silence enjoying the view as we watch a group of recruits jogging in formation across the yard, being led by an officer in the dying light.

"It's so odd, right?" I quietly whisper in the air, my eyes never leaving the outside world. In my peripheral vision, I can see both the twins look at me, waiting for me to continue. "The three of us, damaged outcasts, oddballs...here, now, as Avengers. With a home. A family even. Probably something none of us thought we'd ever get again, but yet, here we are. The ultimate underdog story newspapers write about." I let out a quiet chuckle as I finish. I turn my head both directions to see the twins' faces. Wanda has more of a relieved, happy facial expression. Pietro has more of a pitying one. I imagine it's the result of our earlier conversation from a few days ago.

Then, just like that, the moment is ruined.

A door is opened, a grunt is heard, and the lights are switched on. All three of us turn sharply as our eyes quickly find the source of the disturbance — a questioning looking Stark. His eyes dart around the room for a moment before they find us. "Who- no, you know what? What's going on here?" He asks as he steps into the room. His face is that of which can be compared to an unamused father as his hands are tucked away in the pockets of his suit pants. I stifle a laugh and clear my throat.

"Oh you know, just having a typical funeral after party." I comment, copying him as I place my hands in my pockets. Oh, I know it's a terrible joke considering that Steve had left earlier for a funeral but I just can't help it. My sense of humor is just too distorted.

"Very funny." Stark shakes his head.

"Oh yeah, it was. Read your eulogy and everything." I smirk.

"Well if this is my funeral after party, it sucks. And I want a copy of that eulogy so I can burn it and make you a better one." Tony pulls one hand from his pocket and points at me before he moves to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of whiskey. "Oh, you guys wouldn't happen to know anything about, oh, I don't know, one of my suits going missing, do you?" This question causes my smirk to turn into a grin.

"Well it's not like we could have your funeral without something to bury, now could we?" I comment and look around the room with a false disinterest. A sigh comes from Stark as he looks down at the counter before looking back up at me.

"How'd you do it?" He asks in exasperation.

"I bet a few of the rookie recruits a couple bucks they couldn't break into your lab and steal a suit." I hear a few snorts of laughter behind me. "And now I owe some rookies a couple bucks."

"And-" He begins again, straightening up and grabbing his glass as he does so.

"Did we TP the Quinjets in the hanger and the back lawn? Yes, we did." I answer confidently. My smile grows when I see Stark shaking his head before he downs the drink in his hand. "I mean, what did you expect? The parents leave and of course the kids are gonna get rowdy."

"I need to teach you guys better pranks. And how to throw an actual party, because this is just depressing." Is Stark's reply as he sets his glass down on the counter. I open my mouth to reply before Vision phases through the ceiling, landing on the floor in the middle of the room. I can already tell Wanda's facial expression is exasperation while Pietro probably rolled his eyes. My jaw shuts tightly when Vis does land as I watch him closely. The android inspects the three of us with interest, probably taking in our appearances — covered in glow sticks.

"Sorry to interrupt, but has anyone watched the news recently?" He questions, his gaze shifting from us to Stark.

"No...why? Should we have?" I ask, moving towards one of the TVs in the room. Before I reach one, Stark pipes up.

"FRIDAY, turn the news on." The room lights up with the news on all the televisions. The group of us, minus Vision, move to the closest screen and watch. My attention becomes divided when I feel my phone buzz in my back pocket. I pull it out but my eyes remain fixed on the TV as 'Breaking News' flashes across it. The news cuts to a wide-angle view of the UN building used for the signing of the Accords. But, that's the thing. About three of the building's floors are enveloped in a dark, billowing smoke. Windows are blown out and emergency services are crawling all over the scene. My jaw drops and I can't find it in me to look away now.

"STEVE!"

The phantom scream rings through my mind. A vivid flashback of Lagos overtakes my brain suddenly and I'm reliving the hellish mission. The bomb going off, the building exploding before catching fire, debris raining down on innocent civilians, and the lives lost. I stumble backward a step. My free hand lifts to cover my mouth as I stand in a shocked silence. Stark and the twins seem to be having similar shocked reactions. It becomes hard to breathe and it feels like my throat is swelling closed as all the worst case scenarios flash across my mind.

Natasha, lying in a pile of carnage.

Dozens of people crushed under debris.

Lives lost.

I force myself to turn away from the screen. I don't know if anyone's looking at me or if they're still shocked into a stillness. I just know my feet are carrying me away from the horridness. It feels like a recovering wound has just been viciously ripped back open. The flood of emotions is almost too great. Before I get too far, cold hands land on my shoulders and my eyes come back into focus. Vision stands in front of me, looking concerned. "Iris? You look pale." He says matter-of-factly.

"I just- I'm- Yeah. I just need a minute." I tell him faintly, my wide eyes shifting from Vision to the floor. "Please excuse me." I manage to utter. The in-the-flesh-AI easily drops his hands from my shoulders and steps aside to allow me passage. Quickly, I remove myself from the room and begin to jog through the compound. I don't know where my target is. I just know I need to go somewhere. Somewhere away from all the death. Somewhere quiet.

Just when I thought the world was finally settling down...

I slow to a walk as my feet hit something soft. I quickly realize I've managed to leave the building. The back lawn. A sudden tiredness washes over me and I come to a halt. I look up at the dazzling stars in the sky. "Why do these things keep happening? Maybe Vision was right." Realizing I'm still holding my phone, I shake my head to try and snap out of my daze. I notice the alert on my phone is important. I'm quick to send the information to Steve.

Looks like our missing person, isn't quite missing anymore.