• • •

FIVE YEARS LATER

• • •

THE ALARM SOUNDED as the back doors were blown open. The five men ran out of the bank and went into the alleyway where their getaway truck was located.

"Move your asses!" One of the robbers yelled.

The driver entered the front seat and the rest of the criminals entered the back of truck. He floored it, and they sped out of the alleyway and onto the street.

The driver kept his eye on the road as he kept his foot on the gas pedal. Then in a flash, a figure flew into the front seat and pushed the driver out through their door with it. He landed on the sidewalk and was knocked unconscious.

The unmanned truck swerved and hit a light pole, totaling the vehicle. The four robbers came out of the back in a daze and looked around.

Ahead of them, they saw Specter, in his orange and black glowing suit.

"Christ! Shoot him!" One of them exclaimed.

A robber raised his pistol, but Specter used his enhanced speed to run up and kick the man into the side of the truck. Another criminal swung his arm at Y/N but he parryed the hit, grabbing the arm and flipping the man onto his back hard.

The man, who seemed to be the leader, had enough time to take out his gun and shoot three shots at Specter, but the hero used his intangibility to evade the gunfire and simply shot an energy blast at him. The gunman flew back and crashed into a phone booth.

The last criminal, a fairly young guy, dropped his weapon and surrendered. He got on his knees and put his arms up.

"Don't hurt me! Please." He pleaded, then took it further and laid on his stomach.

Y/N didn't respond and just looked at the man. He wasn't going to hurt him, but was going to make sure he stayed there until the authorities came.

It didn't take long, and police officers arrived at the scene. In the area, bystanders also stood on the sidewalk with their phones out.

"Thank you, Mr. L/N." An officer said walking up to him, then he put his hands on his waist, "Feels like we say that a lot nowadays."

For the last five years, Y/N had been a hero in the city of Chicago. People see him as a symbol of hope in the times after the decimation.

It also felt nice that nobody treated him as a criminal for siding with Captain America and going against the Accords. Everybody seemed to have forgotten about it, or they just didn't care anymore.

"It's not a problem, officer. I'm just doing what I can." Y/N replied, then started to walk away. The officer lightly grabbed his arm to get his attention again.

"We appreciate you. Really."

Y/N gave a simple nod, then turned back around and flew out of the area.

• • •

Y/N STOOD ON THE ROOF of a building, looking over the edge onto the street. He looked farther, and saw the Navy Pier. He remembered how he took Wanda there during their trip to Chicago years ago.

He hoped to do it again after that time...they just never had the chance to.

His watch began to ring, and Y/N facepalmed at the realization that he forgot about his meeting. He activated the communicator on it, and placed the watch on the floor. He stood tall and got in frame of the hologram, where he saw Okoye, Natasha, Nebula, Rocket, Carol, and Rhodey in their separate windows.

Rocket had already been speaking, and finished his statement when Y/N appeared on the call.

"Sorry I'm late." Y/N apologized.

"Don't be." Natasha replied, "It's fine."

"It was an infectious garbage scow." Nebula added to Rocket's statement from before.

"So, thanks for the hot tip." Rocket turned to Danvers.

"Well, you were closer." She replied.

"Yeah. And now we smell like garbage."

Natasha decided to ask Okoye about her situation, "You get a reading on those tremors?"

"'Twas a mild subduction under the African plate." She answered.

"Do we have a visual? How are we handling it?"

"Nat. It's an earthquake under the ocean. We handle it by not handling it."

Natasha gave a nod, then turned to the young man, "Y/N. Things going well where you're at?"

"Same old, same old. Yesterday I flew an old lady's stalled car to her house. It was a nice change compared to the gang and robbery related things I have to deal with."

"This kid gets to have all the fun while me and the cyborg are handling Carol's garbage?" Rocket chimed in.

Natasha ignored the raccoon and faced Danvers, "Carol, are we seeing you here next month?"

"Not likely."

"What? You gonna get another haircut?" Rocket asked.

"Listen, fur face. I'm covering a lot of territory. The things that are happening on Earth are happening everywhere." Carol exclaimed, "On thousands of planets."

"All right, all right." Rocket looked down, "That's a good point. That's a good point."

"So you might not see me for a long time." Carol added.

"We appreciate your work, Danvers." Specter told her.

She gave a nod of thanks as Natasha began to speak, "All right, well...this channel's always active. So if anything goes sideways...anyone's making trouble where they shouldn't...comes through me."

"Okay." Okoye said.

"All right." Rocket replied.

Danvers turned to Rhodey, "Good luck."

Okoye, Nebula, Rocket, and Carol signed off. Y/N and Rhodey still stayed on the line, with the young man turning to the older one.

"Where are you, Rhodes?" Y/N asked.

"Mexico." He replied, and Natasha listened in as he continued, "The Federales found a room full of bodies. Looks like a bunch of cartel guys...never even had a chance to get their guns off.

"It's probably a rival gang." Natasha responded.

"Except it isn't."

Y/N looked down, "It's Barton."

Clint had gone off the grid for the last few years ever since he lost his family to the decimation. He'd been brutally murdering cartel members and criminals around the world.

Specter wondered if he could've gone down that road instead. Him and Barton were both trained agents, both were assassins, both had people they loved and lost. Only thing that differed was their way of cleaning up the streets.

"What he's done here...what he's been doing for the last few years...I mean, the scene that he left...I have to tell you, there's a part of me that doesn't even wanna find him." Rhodey stated.

Natasha looked down at her desk, trying to hold back tears. Hearing how her close friend had fallen so far pained her.

"Well, then you find out where he's going next." She grabbed a piece of her sandwich and took a bite.

"Nat..."

She continued to chew, her eyes watering, "Please?"

Rhodey sighed, "Okay." He turned to the younger man and gave a nod, "L/N."

He signed off, and it was just Y/N and Natasha. She began to cry, and he didn't like to see her upset.

"He's not too far gone. We'll find him. He needs to know that we're still here for him." Y/N spoke.

Natasha nodded, appreciating his optimism. Then, they both heard a voice in the room.

"You know, I'd offer to cook you dinner...but you seem pretty miserable already." Steve said, which garnered a small laugh from Natasha.

"Cap." Y/N greeted through the hologram.

"Y/N. Good to see you."

"Speaking of dinner, I can fly over and bring some deep dish pizza."

The two chuckled before Steve responded, "It's fine. Don't need to waste your mileage on us."

Y/N smiled. He looked at the time and noticed it was getting late, "I have to go. I'll talk to you both later."

"Goodnight, Y/N." Natasha bid farewell.

"Have a great evening, son." Steve added.

Y/N signed off, and picked up the communicator and placed it back on his watch. He jumped off the roof and flew away.

• • •

BACK AT HIS APARTMENT, Y/N walked over towards his sofa as he reverted back into his civilian form. He plopped himself on the couch and sighed.

Turning his head, he looked over at a picture frame that he had on the coffee table. It was a photo of the New Avengers team that they took soon after they formed. Y/N, Wanda, Sam, Natasha, Vision, Rhodey, and Steve all wore their suits and gear, standing in the training room.

He gave a somber look, gazing at Wanda, Sam, and Vision in the picture. He put the frame down, and opened up the laptop he had on the table. It was about 6 'o clock in the evening, so he didn't think it was too late to call.

He opened video-chat, and after a few moments of ringing he was answered on the other end.

"Hey, Y/N. Didn't think you'd call tonight." Pepper spoke while in the living room.

"Just wanted to see how my favorite kid is doing."

Tony walked into frame from behind the couch and looked into the camera, "I'm actually fine, thanks for asking."

"You're not even my favorite Stark, Tones." Y/N chuckled.

"Ouch. I'll get you back for that." Tony replied, then called over his five year old daughter, "Get over here, squirt! Your no-so-friendly-ghost uncle is on video."

Morgan ran into frame, taking the laptop from her mother as Pepper went off to the kitchen with Tony.

"Y/N! Hello." She greeted.

"Hey, kiddo. Sorry I called so late."

"Dad said I can stay up late if I told mom to make hamburgers instead of lasagna tomorrow." She replied, "So I did."

"Uh, I don't know what you're talking about." Tony said out of frame.

The exchange got a chuckle out of Y/N. Morgan continued, "Are you coming over soon?"

"Yeah, you just won't expect it. I'll even bring some pizza."

"Yay!"

Tony wiped his hands with towel and walked over to the couch, "Okay, move over. Let me talk too."

He sat beside Morgan and got into frame. Y/N lightly smiled seeing the father and daughter together.

"How are things in the Windy City?" He asked.

"Is it still windy?" Morgan chimed in.

"Everything's fine over here." Y/N replied, "Things couldn't be better."

They could be, though. If everyone was here. If Wanda was.

"Morgan, time to brush your teeth and get ready for bed." Pepper walked over to her, "Daddy's deal is a no-no for me."

"Aw." She droned out before turning back to the screen, "Good night, Y/N."

He smiled, "Night, Morgan."

She left with Pepper and Tony stayed on the call.

"I heard about the bank robbery a few hours ago." Tony began, "Could've been stopped with less infrastructure damage but I digress."

Y/N laughed, "It was just a streetlight and a phone booth."

Tony grinned. For the last five years, he's seen what Y/N has done in Chicago. It made him proud, seeing the young man going out of his way to help the little guy. It reminded him a lot of Peter Parker.

Tony thought Peter could've learned a lot from Y/N. But he was gone. That bridge had been burned.

"Have you spoken with Cap lately?" Y/N asked, snapping the billionaire out of his thoughts.

"Not in a bit. I don't think the old man knows how to use FaceTime still." Tony looked at his watch and saw the time, "Man, I need tuck Morgan in. A part of me knew Pep wouldn't have gone along with her staying up late."

"She's the head of the house. Not you, Stark." Y/N chuckled.

"Ain't that the truth." Tony replied, "Talk to you later, kid."

They bid farewell, and Y/N signed off. He closed the laptop and went into his room. Turning on the lamp, he saw the framed photo of him and Wanda in Central Park that he kept on the dresser.

Beside it was an envelope. He kept it there for the last few years and hasn't moved it. It contained the deed of the property in Westview that him and Wanda were supposed to be at. With how things were now, the banks and governments in a frenzy, nobody was able to take the property from him and it was still his.

He doesn't think he'll be able to go there though. What's the point? He'd be all alone.

Y/N walked over to his bed and laid on it. With a deep inhale and exhale, he closed his eyes and tried to go to sleep.