Outside New York, nestled between a tranquil lake and a sprawling forest, stood a simple, unassuming duplex villa named Bourne.
Few knew this was once the home of Iron Man – Tony Stark.
After the Thanos War and the devastating "Blink" event, coupled with the loss of both Kyle and his father, Howard Stark, a disheartened Tony retired from his role as Iron Man. He married Pepper Potts, and six months later, they welcomed a daughter, Morgan Carl.
Yes, Morgan didn't bear the Stark surname. Instead, she carried the name of her godfather, Kyle.
As Tony explained, "To me, my godfather was more than just a father figure. And since he had no children of his own, naming Morgan after him felt like the right thing to do."
Howard Stark, before his passing, had wholeheartedly approved. The Stark family had long been an unofficial part of the Carl Family, dating back to World War II. With the Stark legacy seemingly extinguished, carrying on the legacy of the Carl Family felt fitting.
…
Present Day.
Snow gently fell outside the Bourne villa, the crackling of a fireplace warming the living room.
Tony, dressed in casual black with streaks of white at his temples, sat on the couch, playing with an Iron Man helmet alongside his daughter, Morgan. Pepper was in the kitchen, preparing lunch, and the atmosphere was filled with warmth and contentment.
Suddenly, the doorbell chimed.
No AI assistant announced the visitor. Tony and little Morgan exchanged amused glances. Tony scooped up Morgan and headed towards the door. "Let's see who's come to visit at this hour," he said.
"Maybe it's Uncle Happy," Morgan giggled.
"He's running Stark Industries now. He'd barely had time for a visit," Tony chuckled as he reached the door. He opened it and froze, surprised by the sight of two familiar faces. "You two?"
"What's wrong?" Steve teased. "Can't I come for lunch?"
Natasha winked. "Or are we disturbing your peaceful afternoon?"
"You two…" Tony shook his head and stepped aside. "Come on in."
"Captain! Aunt Natasha!" Morgan greeted excitedly.
"Such a good girl," Natasha smiled, brushing the snow from her shoulders as she and Steve entered the warm house.
Tony, Steve, and Natasha settled onto the living room couch. Tony placed Morgan on the floor and ruffled her hair. "Go ask your mom to make three cups of coffee."
"Can I have four?" Morgan asked mischievously.
Tony grinned. "Of course."
Morgan bounced off towards the kitchen, her laughter filling the room. Steve and Natasha couldn't help but smile.
Tony turned to his friends, his expression turning serious. "I wasn't expecting you two to drop by. Is something wrong?"
"No," Steve shook his head. "We were just out for a walk, and…"
"Today's a bit special," Tony finished, his gaze softening. "It's the godfather's birthday."
Natasha looked at him, slightly surprised. "Tony, I thought you tried not to think about it."
"I do," Tony admitted with a bitter smile. "But I can't completely shut it out." He leaned back on the couch, his voice heavy with emotion. "I'm sure people all over the world are remembering the godfather today. But I won't."
"Tony…" Steve's voice was grave.
Tony's eyes welled up. "I don't believe the godfather is truly gone. Not in the past, not now, and not in the future."
"How can you say that?" Steve asked, his voice laced with disbelief.
"How could the godfather die? He would have faced any challenge head-on, crushed any enemy that dared to stand in his way!" Tony clenched his fists, his body trembling slightly. He took a deep breath to calm himself. "I don't just think it; I believe the Carl Kingdom still believes it."
"I never imagined Kyle losing a battle," Steve admitted. "If anyone was going to fall, it should have been me."
"But five years have passed," Natasha said softly. "We need to accept this reality, accept the loss of our leader, and try to move forward."
"I know," Tony nodded, his gaze fixed on his friends. "Even though you both retired from active duty, you've been quietly supporting S.H.I.E.L.D., contacting Captain Marvel and the Guardians of the Galaxy, searching space for the missing."
'The Lost Ones.'
The term had become synonymous with the millions of humans who were randomly teleported across the vast expanse of the Marvel Universe by the "Blink" event.
"Unfortunately, the results have been minimal," Natasha admitted helplessly. "The universe is immense. Finding even a fraction of the Lost Ones feels like an impossible task."
"I know," Tony said, unsurprised.
The Lost Ones included heroes like Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Falcon. Tony's data analysis revealed a grim reality: even superheroes teleported to different realms within the Nine Realms remained unaccounted for after five years.
Bringing back the Lost Ones would require a miracle, perhaps the power of the six Infinity Stones.
But those Infinity Stones had been utterly destroyed in the battle between Kyle and Thanos.
So this was a hopeless situation.
A heavy silence descended upon the living room, broken only by the ringing of Steve's flip phone.
"This is Steve Rogers," Steve answered, holding the phone to his ear. As he listened, his face, etched with the lines of experience, shifted from solemn to surprised, then to a look of sheer shock.
Tony and Natasha exchanged bewildered glances.
After a moment, Steve lowered the phone, his eyes wide with disbelief. "We might be able to recover everything we've lost. The Lost Ones, even Kyle!"
"What?" Tony and Natasha exclaimed in unison, their disbelief palpable.
…
Meanwhile, in the X-Men universe, at the Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.
The wooden door to the principal's office burst open, startling Professor X, who was seated in his specially designed wheelchair. "What is it, Jean? You're all grown up now, you shouldn't be so reckless."
Jean ignored him, her gaze fixed on Professor X. "Professor," she asked, her voice trembling slightly, "did he… has he been here recently?"
Professor X paused, understanding the unspoken question. "He did, about a month ago," he replied calmly.
"It was him, wasn't it? He asked you not to tell me," Jean pressed, her lips trembling.
"You should know why he wouldn't want you to know," Professor X explained gently. "He came and left quickly. I don't know where he went."
Jean's long blonde hair swished as she turned and ran out of the office.
"Jean!" Professor X called out telepathically, but she ignored him, rushing out of the building, her movements filled with a newfound urgency.
"Jean…" Professor X sighed, a faint smile gracing his lips. "You've already missed twelve years. There's no need to deceive yourself any longer."
(End of Chapter)
I have finished translating this fanfic, IMUC (I Am In Marvel With Unlimited Cards) and have posted all the advanced chapters on Patreon (Last Chapter -- 706). (/c/marvel6395). You can read all the advanced chapters there.