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Peter stood at the edge of the lake, watching the wreath of flowers float into the distance. He thought of the crystal cased arc reactor, with the inscription- “Proof That Tony Stark Has A Heart.” Tears flowed freely down his face as he thought that no one who knew Tony needed any such proof. Anyone who knew him- really knew him- knew that he had the biggest heart of them all. When he loved, he loved completely, passionately, giving his entire being over to the thing, or person, or people that he loved.
He was startled out of his reverie by a tiny hand slipping into his and pulling softly to get his attention. He looked down at the tiny girl and smiled at her. Everyone had done the same all day long. She was impossible to resist as she walked solemnly through the mass of people all here to give their final farewells to her father, the hero who had sacrificed everything to save the universe.
“You’re Peter.” It was a statement, not a question, and she stared up at him with big, brown eyes opened wide as she met his gaze.
“And you’re Morgan,” he replied quietly. “I'm glad to meet you. I wish we had met another day, though.”
She watched him silently a moment longer, then lifted her arms in a mute request to be held. He picked her up without thinking twice; her weight was nothing to his enhanced strength. She clung to him like a limpet; he couldn’t have put her down if he wanted to. He didn’t want to though. He hugged her close as he watched the breeze ripple across the surface of the lake, one hand running soothingly over her back in large circles. She rested her head on his shoulder for some time before she spoke again.
“Don’t be sad, Peter. Daddy loved you 3000, just like he loved me.”
Peter’s arms tightened around her for a moment as her simple words knifed into his heart. “I loved him 3000 too. I wish I could have told him.” His voice was little more than a whisper. That wasn’t something he should be confessing to this little girl, but something about her made him feel like he open up and say anything and she would just smile and pat his hand and tell him it was alright. Which was ridiculous of course. He was, well, not quite an adult, but he was the responsible one, the one who should be comforting her, not the other way around.
Peter was so lost in his sorrow that he barely heard her whisper in return, “He knew.”
They stood together a moment longer before Morgan’s stomach growled. Peter set her down when she squirmed and kneeled next to her when she tugged him down.
“Go on,” he said gently, “Why don't you go find Happy? He’ll known what’s for lunch.”
She nodded and started to turn toward the house, but stopped and looked back at him. “When I'm grown up, I'll marry you. Then you won’t have to be sad anymore.” With that, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek, then turned and made her way through the crowd, looking for Happy.
Peter just stood there shaking his head in bittersweet amusement as he watched her. He waited until he saw Happy take her in hand before he turned back to his quiet contemplation of the lake.