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4. 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭

Steve and the kids woke up early to set the house up for todays party. They made Tony to stand guard inside my room.

"Sorry mom, but I cant let you go unless I got the okay from dad." Tony stops me, arm out.

"Seriousl Tony? Im your mother."

"I swore to-"

"Your dad, yeah yeah." Tony runs out of the room and I went to take a shower. The hot water hit my body, no matter how hot it is, it would never seem to harm me. Due to my powers, the hot never bothered me. I couldn't burn myself. The bathroom was all steamy as I walked out.

I wiped the fog off the mirror and started to get dressed. Natalie had picked out my outfit for today and was proud of it. As I walked the mirror, there was something strange. I glanced back and half of my face was gone, all bone, dark, hallow. It was looking at Death again. I quickly closed my eyes and opened to see nothing. I held my cheek and laughed it off.

"You're just seeing things Crystal." I whispered to myself. Its all in my head. I made my way downstairs and the kitchen smelled good, pancakes. The kids and Steve smiled as I popped around the corner.

"Happy birthday mom!" The kids yelled and hugged me.

"Thank you so much!" I kissed their heads. Steve smiles at me and made his way to me.

"Happy birthday doll." We shared a kiss.

"That's disgusting." Tony gagged and sat down on the table.

"Hey, you'll be the same way when you find your person." I gently pushed his head and joined him. Nat and Steve put the pancakes on the table and sang a little happy birthday to me. "Thank you guys, really."

"No problem mama." Tony smiles. Natalie looks at her watch and threw a orange slice at Tony. "Nat!"

"We gotta go, love you!" Nat drags Tony out with her and all we hear was the door slammed. I gave Steve a look and he just shrugs.

"Probably a surprise."

"You know I hate surprises." I hid myself with my hands.

"It was the kids idea." He reached for my hand. I never celebrated my birthday since my dad passed. We shared the same birthday and just celebrating it felt wrong in a way. Im here and he isnt. "Just, relax. Its your day."

"My day." I sighed.

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As the day went by, the kids kept coming in and out of the house as Steve and I cleaned up the house for the party tonight.

"Hey mom?" Natalie came up to me with balloons. I turned around from the photos and looked at her.

"Yes?" She had something on her mind, playing with her hands, kinda being a little jittery. "Nat?"

"Im bring over a friend, his name is Dean, please don't be embarrassing. I just dont want-"

"To think you're weirder than you already are?" Tony comes in, jumping on the couch, having some blueberries. Nat's eyes turned purple, clenching her hands in a fist. "Tell me, does he know that you got powers? And how freaky you are? What are you gonna do when he faints when he sees you use your powers?"

"Enough Tony." I gave him a look and he stayed silent. "Dont pull anything tonight."

"Can't promise-" I shot another look at him. "Yes ma'am." I clapped my hands and headed out of the room and into the kitchen.

The night had started, we planned on having the party outside in the yard, so Steve put on the string lights, set up the long table and finally put up that speaker that Happy gave us one year. Pepper and Morgan came in, then Rodes, then Happy, Sam, Bucky and last but least Dean, Natalie's guest. When Dean came in, everyone went quiet, Tony smirks as he thinks that this is going to up in flames.

"Mrs and Mr Rogers, its a pleasure to meet you." Dean comes up, handing me flowers, shaking Steves hand.

"The pleasure is ours, please, make yourself comfortable." Natalie turns red and brings him into the home and showed him around. He looked over Nat's shoulder as she showed him our family photos, explaining our family, my dad, her aunt Nat and aunt Wanda.

"Can we scare him?" Bucky leans over to me. Steve was all in.

"Too soon." Sam said. "We gotta let him in the family and then scare him. Or we can just look at him until he gets uncomfortable."

"God you guys are children." I rolled my eyes and headed to Pepper and Rhodey. "Thanks for coming."

"Its no problem. It feels like that one year were Tony was so drunk and pissed all over his suit, you were so young, it was just like it was yesterday." Rhodey placed his hand on my cheek. He has been there since day one, he's such a great guy. "God have you grown."

"Thanks Rhodey."

"I remember you on your 10th birthday, it was..." Pepper was snapping her fingers, trying to remember. "Hawaiian theme, i put a lot of work on that party." I remember that one, the first birthday that my dad showed up to, in years. "I never saw you so happy when Tony came in with your pet turtle, what did you name it?"

"Frankie." We all cracked up. Morgan and Natalie called out for Pepper, she excused herself and went inside. I watched Dean looking at the photos, grabbing them, examining them in a way. I felt a bad vibe but it could be my mothers instinct. I walked inside and stood behind him. "Hello Dean." He jumps a bit, clearing his throat.

"Mrs. Rogers, sorry, just admiring. What a lovely family you have."

"Thank you. Say Dean, what was your last name?" He thought about it.

"It's Zimmerman, it was my mothers. My father thought it would be a good idea to keep her name live on, he thought his was just too, evil for a good boy like me." I don't know, this sounded fishy. The boy looked so familiar, so.

"Mom, Dean." Natalie waved at us. Nat had to push me out, sitting me down. Pepper and Morgan came in with the cake and everyone started to sing happy birthday. I started to tear up.

"Say cheese!" Pepper said as she made, Steve, Natalie and Tony move in closer for the photo. Steve had his hand on my shoulder, Tony and Nat on my side.

"Cheese!" We put on a smile. The candles were still on, Steve bends down and whispers to my ear.

"Make a wish." I looked the flame, wishing one thing and one thing only. My dad. It was his birthday too and it was different not celebrating with him. Happy birthday dad. I blew out the candles and everyone clapped and smiled. Natalie kiss my cheek as she hugged me and Tony did the same, wrapping his arms around me.