Bonus: Alternate Situations

Note: Please know that after this is finished, I'll be turning my focus onto the prequel of The Flame. I hope to continue to provide you guys with some content.

-AP

—

#1- Peyton divorces Steve

I couldn't handle the fact he didn't want me, couldn't handle the fact that in my lowest moment, he had left me. It didn't matter how much I loved him. I couldn't be with him anymore. I had everything I needed on him and his affair with Natasha. After I had all that, I hired a well known attorney (thank you, Foggy) and presented Steve with the divorce papers. He threw a fit, talking about how we can solve our problems. But I knew we couldn't. He was distant, he wasn't mine. I knew the statistics of divorces after miscarriages. The affair just added onto that percentage.

Because of his actions (cheating, blaming my miscarriage on me, leaving alone emotionally a wreck), I didn't have to pay him a dime. I didn't want to fight over our darling baby boy so we have split custody. I was no longer Peyton Stark-Rogers, I was just Peyton Stark. Yes it hurt because I still was completely in love with him, but I couldn't bear to be with the man that did that to me in my time of need.

So, you can imagine how super upsetting the whole situation was for me and you can imagine how pissed Tony was. God, if the Avengers weren't broken up before that, they sure as Hell were now. No one could believe that Natasha and Steve would do that to me. I certainly didn't think they had it in them-however I was so wrong.

And that had left me in this situation.

-

#2- Peyton was Blipped.

"Are you okay? Pey, you okay?" Steve asks, his voice cutting through the ringing in my ears as he kneels beside me. I nod, amazed he is alive. He's amazed I'm alive, by the way he's looking at every single one of my injuries. Our reunion is short lived when we hear Thor and Thanos start to fight. Steve helps me up and I weakly stand against him. The cuts on my leg has decided to make itself known and it's making it very hard to stand. The father of my child helps me walk towards Thor, who is now standing alone. Thanos is no where to be seen. Something feelings wrong, very wrong.

"Where'd he go? Thor, where'd he go?" Steve asks, letting me stand on my own. My heart is beating fast and I feel like I'm going to be sick. I'm terrified, one hand going to my stomach and the other going to my neck. I hiss when my hand touches the now extremely sensitive skin around my neck.

"Steve?" Bucky asks and Steve and I both turn to watch in horror as Bucky turns into ash before our eyes, his gun falling to the ground. My mouth opens in shock as Steve walks over and kneels by where Bucky's body should be. Steve looks at me and then at Thor, all of us in shock. My husband quickly gets up and walks over to me as tears run down my face. I can hear Okoye shouting. I don't know what's going on. I look down and my feet are gone. Steve looks down and shakes his head.

"No no no no-Please-God, no! Stay with me! Please Pey-stay with me." My husband tells me,  tears rolling down his eyes. His glove covered hands cup my cheeks. My hand slips down to my stomach and one of his hands move to cover mine.

"I love you. I love you so much. Tell Tony I love him." I cry out, pressing my lips against his. He tries to hold onto me, even though more and more of me is turning into ash.

"I love you too. I love you both." Steve tells me, kissing my face all over.

And that's the last thing I remember.

The next thing I know, my eyes are opening. I feel solid, feel whole. I'm laying on the ground in Wakanda. It's quiet. I can hear Sam calling my name. Within seconds, he's standing over me.

"Come on, baby momma." Sam teases slightly as he helps me up. My hand slips down to my baby bump and it's still there. I look around, looking obviously confused. It doesn't help that my eyes land on a man in a red...cape?

"Look, it's been five years since you were last on Earth. The others need us. I can't really explain more." The red cape man announces and I glance at Sam. He's walking us over to the man. My mind is reeling. Five years?

"I believe him. Let's go. If it's been five years, I'm guessing Steve is aching to see you." My friend teases as the red cape man creates a shimmering portal. Sam presses his fingers to his ear as he says, "Hey Cap...on your left."

The portal Sam and I are standing in front of reveals a large battle field and of course we are up in the clouds. My body covers itself in flames as Sam's wings open up. We fly through the portal, seeing that there's dozens of other portals. Immediately, I land beside Steve and Tony, my flames disappearing.

"I was told by the cool wizard guy that it was five years later?" I announce and both of them looked shocked. It really must've been five years later. They both envelop me in a group hug and I'm thousand percent sure they're both crying.

-

#3-Steve doesn't leave.

"Remember you have to return the stones to the exact moment we got them or you're gonna open up a bunch of nasty alternative realities." Bruce reminds Steve as I numbly help Bruce make sure our time machine is ready. Once I'm done tinkering, I move to stand beside Bucky. The ex-assassin gives me a small smile.

"On it, Bruce. Clip all the branches." Steve responds as he closes the briefcase holding the stones, the stones that killed my brother. I look away for a moment. Breathe, breathe.

"She tried you know. To bring back Natasha. Pey really tried to bring her back. I miss her, man." Bruce tells Steve suddenly. I meet Steve's ocean blue eyes as they widen ever so slightly. He didn't know. Of course he didn't know. No one knew but Bruce because Bruce was the only person I told. No one else needed to know about my snap.

"Me too." Steve responds to Bruce, his eyes leaving me for a moment. I turn away from his gaze. Is he mad at me that I'm talking more to Bruce than I'm talking to him? In my defense, Bruce asked me how I was doing after the loss of my best friend and my brother. Steve hasn't. But then again, we don't talk about Natasha.

"You know if you want, I could come with you." Sam says, standing beside Steve. Sam, Bucky, Steve-they've all become as thick as thieves again. Filling the house with noise and laughter, playing with Benjamin-it's a big change. It's a change I welcome. I'm sure in time I'll be joining them. I just need time.

"You're a good man, Sam. This one's on me though." Steve responds with a smile. I get s sick feeling in my stomach when he says that. Something's off. What don't I know? Steve moves to stand in front of Bucky and I. Two of his four favorite people-well what should be his four favorite people.

"Don't do anything stupid 'til I get back." Steve teases his best friend, his childhood friend. Why does Bucky look sad? He's just coming back. He is just coming back, right? That's what we had agreed upon-That's what Bruce had told me.

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you." Bucky responds, his voice kind of full of emotion. They hug each other-Something's wrong and I know that something is definitely off when Bucky adds, "I'm gonna miss you, buddy."

"It's gonna be okay, Buck." My husband responds before turning his attention to me.

I don't know how to react when Steve kisses my forehead, his gloved hand cupping my cheek. I look at him, studying my husband's face. He hasn't shown me this affection in the last few days. Something is wrong, I can tell by his eyes. They're not really looking at me, more like looking through me. I should've asked. I should've but I didn't. I just stay silent.

"How long is this gonna take?" Sam asks as Steve steps onto the platform, hitting a button to transform his suit into the white quantum one.

"For him as long as he needs, for us five seconds." Bruce responds and I stay standing beside Bucky, watching as my husband picks up Mjolnir. Bruce turns his attention to the Star Spangled Man with a Plan, "Ready Cap? We'll meet you back here, okay?"

"You bet." Steve responds, his eyes on me as the mask slides over his face. Everything is fine. There isn't a thing I need to be worried about. Are you sure?

"Going quantum-three, two, one." Bruce announces before my husband disappears. The Hulk hits a few more buttons as he speaks, "And returning in-five, four, three, two, one."

Nothing happens.

"Bruce, what's wrong? Bring him back." I almost snap, walking over to the machine. I was worried. I couldn't lost anyone else. I can't do this. I need Steve-

"Where is he?" Sam asks as I watch Bruce flick a few buttons. I wanted to throw up. My hearing was muffled, like I was underwater. No no no no.

"I don't know. He blew right by his time stamp. He should be here." Bruce tells us, his voice full of worry. There was tears in my eyes as Bruce tried in vain to bring my husband back. I stumbled backwards.

"Bring him back!"

"I'm trying!"

"Bring him the hell back!"

And then, he appears. On that platform. I run to him, wrapping my arms around him. I hold onto him tightly, like he might turn into dust. I sob into his chest, the emotions from all of the previous losses hitting me right then and there. His arms wrap around me.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm here. I'm here." Steve murmurs to me, rubbing my back. And I'm glad-I am so fucking happy he's here. I'm so happy that he is with me.

-

#4- Neddy doesn't make it.

"We can see a head. You're going great." Dr Garcia exclaims, motioning for me to push again. I scream as I push, feeling so utterly spent and weak after I stop. Pepper has such a big smile on her face. You're fine, sestra. You're doing perfect. Tears roll down my face, but I don't think they're from pain. I push again, using all of the built up anger and sadness and just everything to keep me going. After another contraction hits, I push with everything I have left and I know I've pushed my baby out because the doctor holds him in her arms.

But he isn't crying.

The doctor and a few nurses rush to the other side of the room after cutting his umbilical cord, surrounding him. My heart is beating fast as I try to sit up, but I'm sort of forced down by a nurse as another doctor delivers the placenta. I think someone asks if I want to keep it, to which Pepper immediately shakes her head and they move to go throw that away.

"What's wrong with my baby?" I ask, looking at the doctors and nurses for some sort of answer, but they don't answer. Pepper holds my hand, trying to distract me. Tears roll down my cheeks and the room is just so God damn quiet. I look up at Pepper, "Why isn't he crying?"

"I don't know." She responds and God, it seemed like he was silent for hours and hours. I hated it so much. The nurses clean me up and take my feet out of the stirrups. My heart is being squeezed and my chest just hurts. They rush out of the room with my silent baby.

After an hour, the doctor returns. By herself.

"Mrs Stark-Rogers, it seems that one of his lungs were underdeveloped. There was nothing we could do." She tells me, her voice thick with emotion. I didn't think my heart could break anymore, but I was wrong.

"You-You told me he was okay. That he was healthy." I manage to get out, even though it feels like I'm getting stabbed in the throat. The doctor clasps her hands in front of her.

"We couldn't see anything that was wrong with his lungs. I'm so sorry. I'll give you some time to take in this information." And like that, she's gone and it's just Pepper and I. I sob, tears rolling down my cheeks.

I just wanted to be happy.

-

#5- Lilith messes with Peyton and Bucky's minds.

I was there, standing on street in New York City. That was until I felt nails dig into my brain and then-then I was gone.

There's a baby crying. There's a baby crying loudly. It forces me to leave the warm comfort of my bed. The hard wood floors are cold against my feet. The entire house is freezing, like if someone had left every window open during a blizzard. I can't remember what I was doing before. I feel like I have always been here. You have.

I get up, walking through the dark, cold house, following the crying noise until I reach the unfinished nursery. I push the slightly ajar door open, walking to the crib, which is now in the middle of the room. Hanging over the crib is a mobile, which is you know normal. Babies kind of need them. Although when I invent closer to see the figures, I see that they're all what is left of the Avengers with nooses around their necks.

I want to get away, but I can't as I look at every hanging person. Wanda's eyes are wide. Thor's eye sockets are charred, eyes gone. Bruce's green body is also burnt, the Hulk hanging from a thicker rope. Sam's head is bent at an unnatural angle, shield on his arm. Clint's heart has been ripped out and there's arrow jutting out of his eye. Bucky is missing his arm and his throat is also slit, body covered in blood. Peter's face is frozen in horror, his suit is ripped and his body is bloody. I'm hanging in the middle, the center of it all. There's a devious smirk on my face and my eyes are pitch black. A crown of flames sit upon my head and I'm covered in blood. This is what is going to happen, you know that don't you?

Suddenly, the crying starts again and I look down into the crib, barely remembering that's the reason why I came into this room. I am expecting to see Neddy, since this is his crib, but no one is there. There's no baby, just a lot of blood. The blood pours out of the crib and sloshes onto the floor. I can't move-Why can't I move? The blood covers my feet, covers the wall. The blood crawls up the walls, painting the room red. It devours the room.

"You could've saved me. You could've." Tony's voice taunts me and I turn my head, seeing my charred brother sitting against the bloody wall, his brown eyes on me, "If you were better, you could've."

"You let me die. You sent me to Vormir to die." Natasha purrs, her broken body appearing on the floor. I feel sick. Her limbs are at unnatural angles, eyes wide as she speaks, "Why did you do that, sestra?"

"I'm glad I left you. You're a monster." Steve appears in front of me, glaring at me. Tears run down my face as he snarls, "Fucking whore. I wish you would've died when Tony and I found you in the fucking tub."

"You let us die. Why would you do that?" Tony asks and I shake my head. My brother is glaring at me.

"I didn't! I didn't let you die!" I cry out and Steve grimaces at me. He walks over and grabs me by my neck. I gasp for breath as he lifts me off the ground, my legs helplessly kicking. Those blue eyes were full of so much hate. It terrified me.

"No one will miss you.  No one cares about you. You should do it." Steve taunts and I try to pull his fingers away from my neck, but I can't. Dark spots cover my vision before he throws me hard. I land on a bed, gasping for air. I quickly realized that I was no longer in that bloody nursery. Instead I was in an all pink room, a child's room. My room. My throat closed up as the door opens and Obadiah Stane walks in. I'm frozen and I can't breathe. I can't move-I was never able to move. I'm too scared-I'm petrified. He locks the door behind him, all of his actions illuminated by my Disney Princess nightlight. Tears run down my cheeks and I shake my head. I can't scream. I never could scream. I'm a little girl again, a little girl too scared to do anything.

"Remember, don't make a word." He tells me, undoing his belt. My mouth opens in a silent scream-

-

Bucky also, was just seemingly fighting against the mixture of HYDRA and Lilith's followers. Then he felt those claws take across his mind and then-the the world around him melts away. It is suddenly replaced by a church.

"You had sex with my wife." Steve's cold voice tells Bucky suddenly. They are both dressed nicely and Bucky realizes that they are standing at an altar. It's Steve's wedding, he quickly realizes, and Bucky is the best man.

"What?" Bucky asks as Steve turns to look at him. There is so much hate and disgust in the blond man's eyes that it makes Bucky's stomach churn. Steve chuckles, shaking his head.

"You had sex with my wife. I told you to take care of her, not fuck her. That's the mother of my children and you really just swooped in, huh?" Steve continues on his tirade, running a hand through his hair. The wedding music stops, the whole event coming to a screeching halt. Steve turns his head, which makes Bucky look in that direction as well. Peyton is standing there, dressed in a big wedding gown. Black streaks are running down her face.

"Steve, please." Her voice is soft and light, but still carries over to them. Slowly, like she's floating in air, she makes her way down the aisle.

"You slept with him. You cheated on me." Steve snaps at her, lashing out. His large hand wraps itself around her throat. She claws at his hand. Bucky's eyes widen, pushing at Steve.

"Steve-Steve, let her go." Bucky begs, his worried eyes glancing at Peyton who is turning blue.

-

#6-Peyton dies.

As soon as those arrows landed in my chest and abdomen, I knew I was a goner. Even so, I still had energy to slam my sword upwards through my sister, piercing her heart. Clint dropped his bow as soon as she was dead, free of her spell. He looked at me with wide eyes as I stumbled, letting go of the sword. Rhodey caught me before I fell. The pain finally got a chance to erupt from my wound, bringing tears to my eyes. Through my tear filled eyes, I could see Clint still standing there, in complete and utter shock. It's fitting that he's the one that kills you, isn't it?

"FRIDAY, scan her. Please." Rhodey commands, his faceplate sliding up as he kneels beside me. I touch my chest wound, pulling away fingers covered in bright red blood. So much blood in my life-so much-too much. I've been through too much.

"One arrow landed in her left lung, the other in her stomach. She needs to be taken to the hospital immediately." The AI informs us as I cough hard, the taste of iron filling my mouth. I shake my head, looking at my teammates-my family. I know it's too late for me-I just know. Is this what Tony felt at the end? Just content with your death?

"We won't get there in time." I tell them hoarsely and honestly, tears rolling down my dirty face. My hand reaches out to grab ahold of Rhodey's hand. My remaining brotherly figure grips my hand, as if he's trying to tether me to this world. I'm sorry, Rhodes. I'm so sorry.

"We aren't going to let you die, Peyton." Bucky tells me, also moving to kneel beside me. I turn my head to look at him, shaking my head slightly. You're so smitten with me, Barnes. I'm sorry I'm making you hurt more.

"You're not letting me do anything. I know I'm not going to make it. Barton never misses. I've been running from death from the beginning and it's time to maybe stop." I say softly, blood now covering my lips. I try to smile at him, tears pouring out of my eyes. Peter moves to sit beside Rhodey, tears rolling down his cheeks. Oh, kid.

"Mrs Stark-Rogers, you're going to be okay, okay? Just let us take you to the hospital, please. You'll be okay." The teenager's voice cracks and I turn my attention to him. I give him a watery smile.

"I'm sorry we keep leavin' you, kid. I really am. Don't be too sad over me. None of you be sad over me." I murmur before coughing hard again, spitting up blood. I smile, flashing my probably red teeth, "Taken out by a fucking arrow. Such bullshit." My smile quickly fades as my fate settles in. It's okay, it's okay-My babies-I can't leave them, not yet.

"Please tell my babies how much I loved them. Please. I love them so much, I really do." I beg, looking at all them. Wanda turns her head away from me, her body shaking with her sobs. Someone console her, please. I struggle to take in another breathe. I grip Rhodey's hand as he leans down to kiss my blood and grime covered forehead. You need to take care of my babies, Pepper, and Morgan. Please.

"We will, Pey. We will." Sam assures me and I turn my head. It hurts so much, God, it hurts and I want to stay-I want to stay. My body is too weak, too tired. So I look up at the sky. I'm sorry I'm giving up, Neddy and Benny. Mommy's just too tired. I've been through too much.

"It's okay, Pey. You can go. Tony, Nat, Steve- they're waiting for you." Rhodey says softly, smoothing out my hair as tears run down his face. I don't have the energy to speak anymore, I can't open my mouth. I look upwards, hoping for that light. I hope-I hope that my good deeds outweigh the bad ones.

It's been a great run, I suppose. And I don't have much a choice.  So I do it.

I just let go.

-

There's a slight smile on her face as she takes in one last breath. Her green eyes focused on the sky as her body stills. Rhodey carefully reaches forward and shuts her eyes, closing them for the last time. He leans down and kisses her grime covered forehead. Tony had told him to take care of his litter sister and Rhodey had failed him.

An hour or two later, Pepper and Happy both ran out of that lake house as soon as the remaining Avengers drove up in whatever cars they could get their hands on. As soon as she saw the look on Rhodey's face, she let out the most bone chilling scream. Happy immediately wrapped his arms around her as her knees gave out. Rhodey let that damn suit fall off of him as he rushed to his friends, his family that he had met through the Starks. Pepper sobbed loudly into Happy's suit jacket, holding onto him

Wanda wrapped her arm around Peter as his shoulders shook, tears rolling down his cheeks. She didn't bother wiping away her tears as she tried to console the teenager. Sam watched in shock as tears rolled down Bucky's cheeks. The slightly shorter man wrapped his arms around the Winter Soldier, pulling him close. Sam knew that Bucky needed someone. It wasn't Sam's place to ask what had happened between them. Bruce wandered off, the large green man disappearing onto the trees. He was hurting too much.

-

"If you're watching this, I'm no longer here. I'm sorry. I-I've made multiple tapes like this throughout my life. The first one I made was in 2005 when I was going to go on my first mission....I'm getting off track here. If these videos were released correctly, than this is the video that will be shown at my funeral or at least before then. And I know-I know this is hard day and-" Peyton stops talking, covering her mouth as tears roll down her cheeks, "And I can't make that better. Ben, baby, I'm sorry. I know that today is going to hurt you and it'll hurt your brother. I wish you didn't have to go through this. I love you so much and I didn't want to leave you. I never ever want to leave you or Neddy. I need you to know that, okay baby?"

She pauses again, covering her mouth once more to silence her sobs. She takes in a shaky, deep breath.

"You and your brother, you two are sleepin' upstairs. God, I wish I could just throw away this whole tape and hold you two close. You two are the best things that have ever happened to me. My two beautiful babies...Mommy loved you so much. Just know that, both of you." Peyton says, a smile on her face, "Baby, why don't you and Morgan go outside? I need to talk to the adults okay?" Maria Hill silently offers to take them outside and she does. Peyton pauses for a moment, wiping her tears with a tissue.

"I hope none of you are upset with me and if you are, tough shit because I'm not coming back." She tries to lighten the whole situation, and it makes Pepper sob-laugh. Peyton fiddles with her tissue before she speaks again, "I need you guys to make sure those boys have a good childhood, a good life. They don't deserve to go through the shit I went through when I lost my parents. Pep, I know it's a lot too throw my kids at you, but you're such a great mother-Please take care of them for me, please. "

Pepper wasn't surprised by the comment. Peyton had mentioned it to her after Steve had left and came back as an old man. The mother of two wanted to make sure her children were taken care of and made sure all the details were clearly laid out in her will. The holographic Peyton paused, looking at something that the others couldn't see. Her lips were pressed into a firm line.

"I am so grateful for you all, for the impact you have made on my life. I'm not going to go into detail about that now. You guys are all getting your letters or whatever this bullshit is. Don't cry over me, please. I-I'm with some people that have been waiting for me. I love you all."

-

It's a dark and gloomy day when they lay Peyton Annemarie Stark-Rogers to rest. Her funeral mass is held in the same church as Steve's, the same church that Tony had walked her down the aisle. The same church that Benjamin was baptized in. She might've gotten her powers from Satan, but she gets a full Catholic mass. And it seems like everyone is there. People are crowded into pews, even more outside.

A large portrait of her sits beside her casket, the blonde was beaming in the image. Her hair carefully curled and styled, as usual her lips were painted red. Framing the images were bright white peonies-God, there was so many flowers surrounding her body, many of them having ribbons saying from what family they came from.

Thor, Sam, Bucky, Rhodey, Peter Parker, and Scott Lang carry the casket down the aisle and to the hearse. Pepper and the children follow, Neddy in her arms. Happy is walking beside her, holding Morgan's hand and Morgan is holding Benjamin's. Nick Fury follows after them, Maria hot on his heels. Peyton Stark-Rogers' weird little family.

Peyton Annemarie Stark-Rogers is laid to rest beside her brother. There isn't any room for her beside Steve and her will clearly stated she wanted to be with her parents and older brother. One of her mother's pearl necklaces was around her neck as well as Steve's dog tags. Her vibranium wedding band on her finger. Pepper had picked out her dress, a simple white dress that made Peyton look a little sweeter.

It's raining by the time they lower her into her grave. The people surrounding her grave all cover themselves with umbrellas. The Stark family was reunited at last, all together in death. Benjamin suddenly reached out and grabbed ahold of Bucky's hand when thunder booms in the distance. Bucky is, of course, shocked, but holds the boy's hand regardless.