A few weeks later, it became the funeral for all people died. Penny, Luke, Penny's parents and Hope. And the Avengers had a press conference to go to the day after. Tony went to Penny's funeral with James Rhodes, who also been friends with her parents. Steve, on the other hand, went to Hope's funeral with Natasha, Wanda, and Bucky.

At Penny's burial, Tony and James Rhodes watched her in her coffin, go under. Tony felt guilty that this had happened. He felt the most responsible. He let this happen. And he hated Steve with a passion. He caused this. He caused two girls to die. Parents to die. It's his fault.

Tony looks her tombstone and sighed. Rhodes walked over to him and tap on his shoulder.

"Hey, man you ok?" Rhodes asked him.

"I'm fine. I just... I felt like I could have done better, you know. I felt like this is on me. Just like with Ultron. I felt like I created a monster."

"Hey. Don't think like that. It is not your fault. You had to do what you had to do. Period. Steve just doesn't see that."

"I know. This is his fault in the first place. If he hasn't brought her here, nothing of this would have happened. It's his fault." Tony said. "And I have to clean his mess."

"As usual."

------

Meanwhile, after Hope's burial, Steve stares at her tombstone, trying his hardest not to cry. It was getting close to summer and it looks like a pretty sunny day. Natasha walked up to him an stand beside him. And patted him on the back.

"Hey, Cap." Natasha said, receiving silence. "The sun is finally showing. Finally." Natasha chuckled.

Steve didn't follow. He just stares at Hope's grave, woefully. And full of guilt. He really cared about her. And he killed her. Cold-blooded. And he can't take it back. He broke her promise.

Natasha looks at him, aching. She can see that Steve was hurting. It was hurting his soul. She sighed.

"This isn't your fault, you know? You had no other choice." Natasha says.

"Did I?" Steve said back. "We.. we could have helped her."

"Steve... you and I both know that that's a lie. There's was nothing we can do. She was far gone." Natasha said. "It was too late."

After saying that, Steve snapped. "No. No, it wasn't. I was supposed to take care of her. To love her. To protect her. And now she's dead! She's dead and it's my fault. It's my fault that her friend die. Innocent children. Parents. It's my fault that she became what they say she is. It's on me." Steve cried. Natasha started to cry as well.

"Look, I know that you're upset but Steve, you honestly can't blame yourself for what happened. Because it's not. You're not the only person that suffering. Ever since she died, I can't stop thinking what would I have done? But after a while, I finally realized that it doesn't help anything. All it does is makes you feel more guilty. So stop blaming yourself for what happened and move on."

"I can't..."

"Why not? Steve, this is not like...." Natasha says before realizing what he's really guilty about. "Bucky. You think it's going to happen to him."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Steve said walking away.

Natasha then reached out and grabbed his wrist. "Steve..."

Steve stares at her, wanting her to let go. But she didn't. Instead, she pulls him into a warm-hearted, well-needed hug. Steve then starts to cry his heart out.

"I'm sorry." Steve cried on her shoulder.

"Me too."
------

The next day, the Avengers had a press conference for the press. In New York. Steve, Bucky, Sam, Natasha, and Clint was already there. Tony was running late.

When he got the building, he ran to the nearest elevator that he could find. The door was about to close but he puts his arms between the closing doors.

The door then opened. He felt relieved. And walked in. There was a lady standing next to him. She was wearing glasses and a button-up shirt and skirt. She seems young. And to Tony, she seems familiar. So he tapped on her shoulder and said:

"Hey, have we met before? You look familiar."

The girl turns around and sees the man, shocked. "Mr. Stark?!"

It was Penny's sister. Only the living sister. She was alive.

"Jennifer? Jennifer Jones?" Tony called. "I thought you... you were dead."

"Yeah. When it happened, I had something to do."

"Oh. Well, I'm so sorry for your loss."

"Thanks. Me too. Yeah, it sucks, even more, when you never got to say you love them." Jennifer said crossing her arms. "Besides, they're the best of parents. I mean they kicked out their own daughter for being pregnant at 17 years old because she didn't want an abortion."

"Wait... you're pregnant? With who?"

"Yeah. It's with this douchebag quarterback player who told me to screw off when I told him."

"Oh. I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, you said that already." Jennifer then said as the elevator stops to her floor. Tony followed her.

"I know. I just am. You don't deserve this. Penny didn't deserve this." Tony said before Jennifer turned around to slap him silly.

"Don't you dare say that name!" Jennifer spat out. "You have no idea what I been through. K'? But I'm not a victim. And I am not going to let her be a victim."

Jennifer sobs her eyes out. "Someone has to pay for what happened. I let a mutant into her life and now she's dead. Not that it matters in the least to you. You think you fight for us. You just fight for yourself. Who's going to avenge my sister, Stark? She's dead... and I blame you."
------

Meanwhile, the press started to ask the Avengers some questions. And started to take pictures. Starting with Steve.

"Captain Rogers! What do you have to say about this tragic event?" One of the journalists asked loudly.

Steve sighed and went over to the podium. "What do I feel? I feel like another innocent life has been taken away. Parents of two children that Mr. Stark was good friends with. Who I was good friends with. Children. Innocent children. They were so young. They even didn't make it to their graduation. They'll never get to go to college. Get married. Having kids. Watch them grow. They will never have that. It makes you realize how grateful it is to be alive and well. And I am so sorry for the people who lost their loved ones due to that tragic day. I wish it was me. They didn't deserve this. No one should deserve this. One of the girls was someone... I was supposed to take care of. I promise her that no one would never hurt her again. I broke her promise. This is on me. So behalf of me and the Avengers, we are so terribly sorry for your loss. You know what? The 40s was no joke. And I thought today's time would be different. But it's not. If not that, it's worse. But sometimes, we are going to have failures. But we can change. And hope for a better tomorrow."

THE END...