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MISADVENTURES IN PARADISE
i. THE END OF THE WORLD (AGAIN)

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   THE DAYS KEPT PASSING, but Riley was stuck in the same place she was in one month ago.

   A blur wasn't a good enough way to describe the last month. Time inched by so slowly that it was paralyzing. When she was a kid, Natasha was the one who told her to suck it up and get back to work, so that was what she did. She forced herself through the motions. She worked, spoke to her colleagues, trained like the war was beginning again. Everybody kept moving forward, and she tried to, as well, but part of her was still stuck on that rooftop.

   That night followed her everywhere she went. In her nightmares, in her daydreams, in videos of the Flag Smashers. She spent so much time retracing her steps, repeating every line of argument in the back of her head again and again. She thought about it so much that if she tried hard enough, she could see herself outside her body, watching as the conversation grew into a bigger fire. She did not know she and Peter could argue like that. She did not know they were capable of feeling so far from each other despite standing right there.

   What does a break mean anyway?

   Taking a break was the stupidest suggestion she could've come up with. There were so many things she could have said. Should have said. How could she hold her own with bullets firing at her compared to standing in front of the person who saw her when no one else could?

   Those cursed words still hung on her lips. I love you.

   Maybe she got tunnel vision at that moment. Maybe she foresaw a cursed future filled with disappointment drawn by her hand, and she thought she was saving Peter from an endless amount of heartbreak (because all of the gods and their followers know Peter Parker would never be the one to call things off first. He would always put everyone else first. Of course, Riley was the same. Maybe they were always destined for failure. Maybe Peter flew too close to the sun. You just can't have it all in this world).

   But this isn't a failure, that cheery voice in her head would chirp, Give it time! All hope isn't lost! There hasn't been anyone on this planet like you and Peter. It's a break, not a break-up!

   But then that other, more hateful voice would scold, He hates you, and you should never bother talking to him again. You're just like Tony. You wanted to protect him so much that you ended up hurting him. You are your father's daughter.

   Usually, being compared to Tony was a compliment. This time, it was not, and it was why she sought the comfort of her mother before anyone else. Pepper held her with a gentle caress the entire time they talked about the night on the rooftop, the night of loose threads. Her voice soothed Riley's inflamed nerves as she clarified all of the things Peter was likely feeling and how they built up over time, speaking from personal experience and that strange empathetic, maternal instinct. Pepper was always so good at that: patience.

   When Tony pieced together what was going on, the conversation went another route. First, he summoned Riley into his workshop. The workshop would forever be their haven, the place where no one existed outside the two of them. For five minutes, neither person spoke. Then, Tony did that classic hand-on-shoulder-squeeze he always did with her and asked, "Need a hug?"

   And Riley just said, "Yeah."

   Tony and Pepper never forced her to talk, and they never took a side. Riley didn't want them to. Their relationship with Peter was important, too. They only did what they learned worked best for Riley: listen, offer guidance whenever she asked for it. Morgan often joined them, singing songs and bringing her big sister flowers from the garden because she could tell she wasn't feeling like herself.

   Roman was usually with Riley. It was easier being around him because he already knew everything she was feeling. Instead of talking, he reminded her to get out of bed, to drink water, and even dragged her off to do random things like walks in the woods and grocery shopping.

   The support of her loved ones meant the world to her, but it could only go so far. At the end of the day, she could only think about Peter. How did she screw things up so badly?

   She didn't know how insecure she made him feel. All this time, things were so... perfect. Sure, they didn't see each other every single day, but those hours spent together felt like blissful eternities. Life was peaceful with him next to her. She missed him like she missed part of her soul. She missed him like a sun chasing the moon. She missed his jokes, his smile, the way his skin felt against hers. All she wanted was to apologize, give him anything he asked for without question. Because he deserved everything in the palm of his hands, and Riley would rip the world apart if he asked her to.

   But they needed a break.

   More specifically, Peter needed a break from Riley. Peter needed a chance to live happily, and he couldn't do that with her.

   It seemed impossible to balance the weight of two worlds. A choice would always have to be made between herself and everyone else, and she knew she would never choose herself. The only way to choose herself, to choose her own sanity, was if someone forced her into it, and Roman had the perfect plan.

   "I have a plan," Roman announced one morning. "Get up, I have a plan."

   It was the end of the school year, the near beginning of summer. The sweltering heat of the day boiled them through the walls of the cabin, forcing them into shorts and t-shirts. Riley was trying to cool off by laying on the floor of the living room with the fan set to its highest setting.

   "A plan for what?" Riley groaned. "Turning off the sun? Ending world hunger?"

   "A plan for getting you out of the slump you're in," he corrected. "Think you can have a single conversation without the usual level of sarcasm?"

   "Only if you can talk without the usual level of stupid."

   To say Riley hadn't been in the greatest mood this past month was an understatement.

   Then again, Roman hadn't been in the greatest mood his entire life, and he was currently on his second lifetime.

   "I'm gonna let that slide because you're having a heart boo-boo," Roman taunted. He sat on the floor beside her. "I know you're going through a weird time, but I think the only way you're gonna feel better again is if you find something to keep yourself busy. I mentioned it to Tony and Pep, and they agreed."

   "I'm always busy," Riley complained. "Last summer, everyone said I was working too hard. This summer, everyone thinks I'm not working hard enough. Can I get a break!?"

   "Yeah, that's actually sort of what caused your problem— Ow!"

   "You can't make jokes about my mistakes until the expiration date's passed, you dickwad!"

   "I don't even know what that is!"

   "You will if you don't get to the point faster."

   "You're an extremely disturbed child, you know. Look, my point is, you always thrive when you're focused on something. And I don't mean that act you've been putting up for the public. I mean something that actually matters," Roman said. "I got a call this morning about a job that I think is perfect for you. He said it was an Avengers-level threat, but between you and me, I think he was just saying that to get you onboard faster."

   Riley begrudgingly sat up, brushing her hair out of her face. "Alright, I'll bite. Who, where, and why?"

   "Nick Fury, Europe, something about evil Elemental beings from an alternate dimension that could destroy the planet, along with the rest of the universe."

   "WHAT!?"

   "I know it sounds intense, but listen, they've already got a guy who's been through this exact situation in his universe. Name's Quentin Beck. I don't know all the details, but they're already halfway done with the job. This Beck guy knows what he's doing," Roman assured. "Still, they're calling in for extra assistance. Fury was insistent that he needs you because you're a whole army packed into one person."

   "Hold on, what?!" Riley panicked. "Why didn't he call sooner!? That sounds like a big deal!"

   "He did. You kept sending him to voicemail," Roman said. "So, he called me last night. I didn't feel like arguing with him, so I just told him you'd be in Europe by tonight."

   "But if this is an Avengers-level threat, both of us should be there. I need to start making calls. Bucky and Sam probably aren't busy. Maybe Strange and Wong are free, too. Who else isn't retired? It's so hard keeping up these days," Riley went on. "We all need to be briefed and prepped and how the hell am I supposed to get Bucky's arm through a metal detector—?"

   Roman firmly grabbed her shoulders. "Calm down, woman. I can't go because I've got the Belmont trials to deal with, and someone's gotta be here in case the U.S. magically falls apart while you're gone. I really don't think this is as serious as Fury claims. He's got that Beck guy already. If he has both of you, he could probably take over the world. Get what I'm saying?"

   "But—!"

   "This is a good plan, Riley. Trust me," Roman promised. "This will be good for you. You can stop thinking about Peter for a little bit, and you'll feel like yourself again after saving the day for the billionth time. Seriously, you're kind of a pro at this, so it shouldn't be that hard anyway. Think about it. You need this."

   Part of Riley wanted to keep arguing against it, but he was right. She'd already spent an entire month debating if she should call him, waiting if he would call her first, and reliving that night on repeat. She was drowning herself in her own sorrows, and it wasn't accomplishing anything. The right thing to do was get out of the house and do what she did best.

   She needed to save the world. Again.

   She didn't know which was crazier: The fact that she was going to save the world to get over a heartbreak, or the fact that she was so used to having to save the world that she could attribute her motivations to getting over said heartbreak.

   Besides, it brought her some comfort knowing her family and friends would all be at home, safe, far from the action, far from Europe, far from the end of the world. This was just a little vacation. A business trip. She would leave and return with a clear head. She would go back to normal, and maybe someday along the line, perhaps a year or so from now, she could reach out to Peter and rekindle their friendship.

   It seemed like a good enough plan. Maybe not perfect. But it was good enough.

   "Alright, fine," Riley said. "But if anything goes wrong while I'm gone—"

   "I'll drag your ass back home. Don't worry. I've learned from the best. I've got it all under control." Roman wasn't the emotional type, but there was a certain gentleness to his smile as he nudged her. "Go save the world, kid."

   She smiled at the sentiment, then said, "You know I still have to pack, right? And like, fly there? On a plane?"

   Roman rolled his eyes. "For someone so smart, you're an idiot. Dum-E already packed your shit, and I'm about to astral project you to Europe. Any final words?"

   "Wait, what?"

   One short argument later, and Riley Stark was in Europe, not yet realizing that this work trip would soon get a lot more complicated.