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Chapter Text

It was twenty-fucking-twelve?! Evelyn was beyond any rational feelings of grief. She was outraged. Confused. Heartbroken. It had to be a trick. Serum or not, there was no way a person could possibly survive a frozen coma that long. She's supposed to be dead! Why was this happening to her? This wasn't fair. It was evil. With a sniffle, she tossed the newspaper to the ground and looked back at Fury with a stone like glare. Fury doesnt even look like he cared about the bombshell he was dropping on her. This was just another day for him.

"Get out." Evelyn told Fury.

He was taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"I said get out!" She demanded from him.

"We don't have time for--"

Evelyn erratically interrupted, screaming. "--STOP TALKING! LEAVE! NOW! GO! GET OUT OF MY FUCKIN' ROOM! LEAVE!" She wanted Ms. Peggy and Howard; she really wanted her Ma! She didn't want this man here; she doesn't want it to be 2012. Evie wanted everything to all go back the way it was before! This was horrible -- he was being horrible to her, and he clearly didn't care. And Evelyn started sobbing.

The hospital door opened, and she heard someone storm inside. "Nick! Seriously?! She's just a child!" It was another man. A kinder man. He all but shoved Fury out of the way, and she suddenly felt arms wrap around her, then pull her into a protective hug. Evelyn let it happen. It was nice. He was warm, he combed his finger through her hair, then whispered softly to her. "It's okay, you're okay. No one is going to hurt you. I won't let them. You're safe here."

She hugged the unknown man who was holding her. Evelyn cried. "I want my ma." But, it was 2012, so her mother was dead.

"I know. I'm so sorry." He replied.

Fury just watched them.

Fury tried to rush them along, having the audacity to be annoyed by his attempt to comfort the young Captain, and rolled his eye. "Coulson... the situation, we can't--"

"--the situation can wait! She's just woke up for God's sake, so you're going to give her a minute!" Coulson snapped at Fury, turning to glare at him while making sure to keep his arms wrapped around Evie.

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Fury 'ordered for her consciousness to be restored' only because they're, apparently, going to be invaded by aliens. ALIENS! It's probably the strangest thing anyone has ever said to her... Evie couldn't believe it -- she didn't believe it! It was insane. Agent Phil Coulson, the man that's hugged her, screamed at Fury, protective of Evie. She liked Phil Coulson. They spoke as though they didn't know Evelyn could hear them, perfectly clear, even over the Doctors and Scientists working on her. They're angry too. According to their lead scientist, she shouldn't've been awoken for a few more months... what Fury ordered was stupidly dangerous, especially because she didn't have time to adjust to the current century appropriately, but none of them refused him!? Evie just rolled her eyes at the men and women, and she scowled at them all as they did what they needed to do.

Evie was not surprised no one refused to do the right thing... she has been dealing with the same type of people since she was six years old! They were too scared of what their boss may do to them if they say no; they're too anxious of what their future might hold to say no.

Cowards. All of them.

And Evelyn was a scientific miracle.

The lead scientist smiled at her, trying to be nice, then said. "Normally, I'd order my patients to take it easy the first few days after they woke up, but with -- with recent events and that serum coursing through your veins, I doubt that I'll have to tell you that." He told her like it was supposed to be funny; like he's telling her a little joke, but she didn't find it funny. They're stupid, Evelyn decided. She just stared up at the man, making him very uncomfortable.

For some reason, everyone believed that Dr. Erskine's serum made it so Evie didn't feel any pain... she definitely felt pain.

Pain has been her one constant emotion since she was born... she was premature and very sickly; deaf, blind, brittle bones, anxiety disorder, asthma, heart problems, joint problems, fatigue -- and more. Evie's parents were Irish immigrants, they were in poverty, and they're still suffering from the first war. Her Da landed a job with the SSR. Joseph Rogers was a horrible man, he was abusive and drunk, but incredibly smart, so they ignored his issues to have him as a researcher... Eventually, Joseph joined project Rebirth and was more than happy to volunteer his sickly toddler who was 'going to die anyway'. Evelyn was six. Her mother, Sarah, did everything to stop it from happening but she failed. The SSR became Evelyn's new home. Her dad was, of course, heavily compensated for what they called his 'contribution to the safety and security of our American future'. Evie barely saw her father after that; visitation with her mother was highly restricted.

The next twelve years were torturous. The SSR kept her -- and six other sickly young adults and kids -- locked up in a facility, in New York City. They were kept on a tight schedule. No one was ever never allowed outside; they were not allowed to drink or eat anything the doctors didn't give them; there was no such thing as a birthday, or christmas. They weren't allowed to speak to each other or play games, at all. It was a prison. They even had guards that were signed to them! The guards would follow them everywhere, even the restroom.

Evelyn Grace Rogers was the only subject who managed to survive Doctor Erskine's super soldier serum. . . The other six kids succumbed to their serums. As their only living subject, Evie's life with the SSR got worse...

Then, on December 11th 1941, this great country joined the war against Germany. Evelyn was only fourteen years old.

Her life with the SSR got a little bit better when she met Peggy Carter and Howard Stark. Then, at sixteen years old, she was given that final dose of the super soldier serum. It worked. Some weeks later, Evie became the beloved superhero; Captain America! And the rest was history.

And now she's in 2012. Technically, Evie was eighty five years old... But, she was only eighteen years old. It was so weird.

Everything Evelyn knew was gone, and the planet was being invaded by real aliens.

She really wanted to cry again.

"Captain?" She heard Coulson walk into the room, dismissing their medical team. Once again, they left without question, leaving her alone with the SHIELD agent.

"My name is Evie!" She told him, harsher than she meant too. She liked Coulson, she didn't want to hurt his feelings but it wasn't something she could help.

She hated being called Captain America! Captain America was a character used to manipulate young boys into the military. Captain America was fictional. For nearly six months, Evie was forced to travel all around America, and create propaganda. It wasn't fun. Long hours, no breaks, crap food, and creepy men twice her age who tried to grab her ass whenever she took photographs or signed autographs, while her dancers wore skimpy outfits as they danced and sang on dangerous stages -- their so called manager refused to let the women go to the hospital whenever they fell, or were injured. They would visit real army bases and Evie would be berated by men old enough to be her father, they all threw food at her, laughed at her and she was even mooned (a soldier pulled down his trousers and he showed Evie his ass) at one time... she escaped it by storming a HYDRA base and actually doing proper work. Being Captain America sucked.

"Evie..." He corrected himself, cringing at what just happened. She turned to look at him and he smiled awkwardly, holding up a pile of clothes he brought for her. "I got you a change of clothes, nothing too crazy just a shirt and some pants."

He set them onto the bed. "Thank you."

He nodded at if to say you are welcome, then told Evie. "I'll be right outside if you need anything, and once you're ready we can go." Coulson smiled again.

Evie frowned, confused. "Go where?"

"The Helicarrier." He explained, vague. He then gestured to her clothes and told her. "Get dressed, I will get you something to eat and I'll explain everything on the way." Having no other choice, she nodded. The agent left the hospital room, closing the door behind him. She watched him walk away from the room, then another agent stood in front of the door, guarding Evie -- or making sure she doesn't run away? It's something she doesn't like it, but she was used to it... and Evie couldn't exactly say no. She didn't know where she was, they all had fancy 21st century weapons, and Evie literally had nowhere else to go. She was just stuck here for the time being.

Helicarrier. Evelyn had no idea what that meant, but was assuming it's some kind of helicopter or plane, given the dame?! But, she's seventy years into the future, so it could be anything. It was terrifying.

She changed slowly, Coulson gave her an outfit she'd wear to the gym... she stared at the sweatpants in surprise, she's never actually worn them before. She's usually in skirts and dresses or an army uniform. The SSR would take one look at the outfit Coulson picked out and they wouldn't let her wear it, stating it was 'too masculine'. If they had it their way, Captain America would fight Nazi's in a dress... Thankfully, Ms. Peggy put a stop to that very quickly. Evie looked down at her sweatpants and she started to smile. Coulson gave them to her so casually, meaning there was so much more freedom in fashion for little girls and women, and Evie liked that. She really liked being able to wear pants, not that she didn't love her dresses or skirts, because she did, but pants made moving and fighting much easier. Evie's shirt has the anagram S.H.I.E.L.D printed across it, which was the government organisation that, at some point, replaced the SSR.

Coulson was holding sandwiches and a bottle of water. He looked so happy with himself, it was strangely adorable. "Here, you're probably starving. C'mon, the jet is waiting for us on the roof." Coulson said, barely giving her time to process. Evelyn was practically dragged up onto the roof of their building. Its probably the sleekest jet she'd ever seen. It looked like an alien space ship, or something Stark made.

She couldn't help but stare at the vehicle in amazement. "That thing's a jet?!"

Agent Coulson chuckled and nodded his head. "A lot's changed in seventy years." He told her. He didn't mean for it to come out like a dig, but Evie felt it. She started to frown again, another wave of sadness washing over her and Coulson grimaced. He was not very good at this; dealing with children -- especially teenage girls...

Had he known, from the start, that Evelyn was a teenage girl, he probably wouldn't have volunteered to become her handler, as cruel as it sounded. Phil, and the rest of the world, was led to believe Captain America was a brave twenty-six year old woman from Brooklyn, who refused to sit on the sidelines while the man she loved was fighting HYDRA and Nazi's... he now sees how ridiculous that fairytale was. He knew the truth. For nearly seventy years, the government -- the very government he dedicated his life too -- have all been lying about who Evelyn Rogers really was, and Coulson was pissed! Looking at her now, she couldn't be more than eighteen years old. Once the truth comes out, the entire world was going to go ballistic. The past seventy years -- all of their progression in society, decision making, etc. -- was built on a massive lie. This won't end well.

Evie walked onto the jet, very cautiously, she watched her surroundings and made sure every person on the jet was visible. In twenty seconds, Evelyn knew their jet inside and out. She took a seat relatively close to the cargo ramp, and she refused to buckle into the seat, opting to holding the belt instead of fastening it.

Once the jet was in the air, Evelyn went straight to demanding answers from the agent in front of her. "What's going on?!" She asked him, refusing to take no for an answer. She was getting her answers!

Coulson grabbed something, and pushed a button, and it lit up. Evelyn leaned over him, watching in awe as he touched the screen and many different things began to happen. Whatever it was, it looked like a television. Agent Coulson was smiling, amused by her reaction and he explained to her. "It's a computer." Evelyn gasped at that. Surely he was lying?! It was far too small to be a computer. Howard was the only person she knew who had one, and it has taken up an entire room! She could remember Colonel Phillips yelling at him for 'wasting' so much money on it.

"That's a computer?"

Coulson hummed, nodding his head then he explained. "It's a computer. It can also take photos and videos, and you can use it to talk to people. You can watch shows and movies on it. It plays music too."

Evie pouted. "You're making fun of me."

"I promise, I'm not." He swore to her, and then he gave Evie the suspicious looking computer. He opened up a top secret file. "I'm sure that you'll recognise this." Evie's eyes widened, seeeing the blue cube.

"HYDRA's weapon." She whispered. Evie hated that thing. It's powerful and deadly, and it killed Johann Schmidt. She lost in during her final battle, on the Valkyrie.

"Dr. Stark fished it out of the ocean when he looked for you." He'd explained to her, softly, knowing that it was way too early to start talking about everyone Evie loved and lost. The history books, and Howard Stark himself, portrayed the two of them as friends... there were rumours that they were more than that, obviously that was not true. Howard was like a father to Evie. He meant everything to her. Howard was one of the only people in her life who did not hurt her, didn't want to use her or give her impossible expectations. When Evie was with Howard, she could be a normal kid. Evie knew he was dead now. There's no possible reality where Howard would not be there, if he knew that she was still alive. So, Howard had to be dead.

Evie grumbled, annoyed. "Should've left it in the ocean." There was a brief moment of silence, when she suddenly wondered. "Is this the reason why I was woken up?! Did something happen to the cube?"

"It was stolen from us." Phil replied while using a finger to turn the electronic page of their small computer. He showed her a blurry image of a sickly looking person in golden and green leather, holding a what looked to be some sort of sceptre. "This is Loki. Loki's from another planet, called Asgard. Two years ago, be nearly levelled a town in New Mexico, because his older brother, Thor, was hiding there... It ended with them, and all of their friends, leaving Earth for their home planet."

"And now Loki's back..." Evie commented. She, experimentally, touched the screen and turned the pages, skimming over the digital file that Coulson's given to her.

He nodded, repeating. "Now Loki's back." Coulson went on to explain everything he was ordered to tell Evelyn, and a little bit more. He wasn't going to keep her in the dark, especially given how new she was to this world. Any little misunderstanding or mistake could get her hurt, or killed... it was something he would like to avoid if possible. Evie was going to need all the help she could get.

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An hour into the flight, and Evelyn already knew everything she needed to know; it's going to end terribly. Aliens would invade, a lot of people will be hurt and killed, and she'll be forced back into a prison. Evelyn wanted nothing to do with it. She wanted nothing more to do with Captain America or with SHIELD. She was no longer going to let anyone control her. This brand new century could be Evie's fresh start -- after the Loki situation was dealt with... Evelyn didn't exactly have a choice with that.

In the files that Phil gave her, was some information about men and women who she would be working alongside;

Dr. Robert Bruce Banner. A scientist who was trying to recreate Dr. Erskine's serum and, unintentionally, turned himself into a monster. He was labelled as a mad man, discredited and disgraced, and destroyed downtown Harlem, before running away and hiding from the government. No one has seen him since 2005... SHIELD knew exactly where he was, unsurprisingly. He was a good man, before the Hulk. Bruce was well liked and well respected, almost married to a wonderful woman. And that was all taken from him. She couldn't help but feel guilty about it. She felt like it was all her fault. If they knew the truth about who she was, maybe Dr. Banner would've succeeded and not become Hulk!?

There was Natasha Romanoff, Agent of SHIELD. Black Widow. Another agent was actually sent to kill her, but they chose to make a different call and she became an agent for SHIELD. Before that, Romanoff was a child assassin in Russia, trained by The Red Room. An organisation that took girls and turned them into killers. Dreykov was her 'papa'. She nearly threw up while reading the file. It was horrific. Thankfully they ended the red room, and rescued all of the girls, which included Nat's younger sister, Yelena Belova. Most of those girls now work for SHIELD, or have retired into normal, civilians lives.

... and she thought the SSR was bad.

Then she saw the name 'Stark' written on a file and she almost had a panic attack. It's Anthony Edward Stark. Iron Man. He's the son of Howard Stark... in another life, she would've called him 'brother' and that broke her. She took time looking through his file -- Tony was definitely his father's son. He was an egotistical, genius with a love of women, parties and alcohol. But he's a good man, despite the mistakes he has made. After what happened to him in Afghanistan, Tony has started to turn his life around and correct his mistakes. He's taking responsibility and actually helping the world, rather than blowing it up.

Evelyn was most nervous about meeting Tony Stark. What if he doesn't like her? If he wanted nothing to do with her? What if Tony believed all those fictional stories about her?! What did his father tell Tony growing up? What did Ms. Peggy tell him? Did Tony know her Ma and Da before they both passed away? Half of her wanted to track him down and lock Tony in a room until he told her everything, while another part of her wanted to runaway and hide.

This was very scary. It wasn't the aliens, or the 21st century that was causing her anxiety to worsen... it was Tony Stark.

She wasn't sure if she could handle it.

There were several other personnel files, but none as detailed as these three were. Would they be reading her files too? Was Evelyn finally going to be revealed to the world? Can she be herself again? Despite the fear she felt, it was also so exciting.

"Eta, twenty minutes!" The pilot yelled to her and Coulson, so Coulson joined Evie again, trying to not instantly bombard her with questions. He looked anxious.

"What?" Evie finally asked, frowning.

He shuffled awkwardly, refusing to meet her gaze for more than a minute, then he confessed to her. "Nobody knows you're you're eighteen, or that we recovered you a year ago. Fury kept it locked tightly. So, you're gonna get a lot of attention when we land on the Helicarrier... I need you to prepare yourself for that. I'm going to try my best to be with you, as much as I can, but given what is happening, I can't 100% guarantee that... This computer has been programmed with everything you'll need, so if you have questions and I'm not with you, you can just look it up on here." Evie didn't like that. She was being thrown in at the deep end, and they're expecting her to swim like an Olympic athlete... But, Evelyn nodded her head anyway, reassuring Phil that she would be okay, even though she knew she probably wouldn't be.

Those twenty minutes went by fast, Evie could heart her heart beating erratically as they got a lot closer to the Helicarrier, which happened to be this humongous battleship which happened to fly.

The landing was rough, Evie felt like she was going to somehow stumble and fall over the edge, and lose herself in the sky. She didn't like it. She HATED heights. She hated rollercoasters, and that's what this felt like. Coulson just kept smiling at her, reassuring her that she'd be okay.

... She kind of wanted to punch him for it.

Agent Romanoff was the first Avengers that Evelyn met. Yes, they had a name for their team; the Avengers. It's a ridiculous name but, apparently, it had some lovely meaning to it.

As expected, Natasha saw her with Phil and looked him with obvious confusion. Natasha had no idea who she was. Evie shuffled awkwardly, instinctively moving closer to Phil as Romanoff walked closer to her. "Who's this?" She demanded from Coulson. There was no introduction; no polite hello, just suspicion and worry for Evelyn. Agent Coulson looked like he did not want to answer that question, which seemed to annoy Agent Romanoff. She gave Phil a hard and intimidating stare in an attempt to scare him into explaining who this child was. Understandably, she did not like the answer. When the words 'Captain America' left Agent Coulson, the redhead reacted with silence. A silence which Evie was very familiar with, as that was what Ms. Peggy did whenever Bucky or Howard did something to annoy her. It was something she usually found funny, but now she was on the receiving end of one and she really didn't like it.

They started conversing in Russian. They were arguing. Natasha was pissed, while Phil was trying to explain and calm Agent Romanoff down, but he was only making her angrier. Evie, herself, was starting to get annoyed, listening to them bicker like she wasn't there. "I'm not a child!" Evelyn told the agents, in perfect Russian. Their heads snapped towards her in shock.

Natasha gaped. "You speak Russian?"

"One of the girls I worked with during the USO tour was from Saint Petersburg. She taught me." Evelyn said, with a shy shrug. She could pick up languages quite easily, and the SSR absolutely loved her for it.

Natasha hummed. "How old are you?"

"Eighty-five." Evie quipped.

Agent Romanoff smirked at her, amused by her. "Oh, you're eighty-five years old?" Technically speaking, she was. Natasha looked at Coulson, crossing her arms.

"She's freshly eighteen years old." He told her, without hesitation. Uhm, traitor! Evie looked at Phil and she scowled at him, in a way which made her look a lot younger than she was already... Agent Romanoff was speechless, she couldnt believe the girl in front of her -- the literal child -- was Captain America, famous world war two hero?! It was insane. This was insane!

Natasha looked very upset. "When--"

"--we can discuss it all later." Phil cut her off, which meant they can discuss Evie when Evie wasn't standing next to them. Reluctantly, Natasha agreed.

"I'll kill him." She still threatened, referring to Director Fury. She was going to kill him. How dare he recruit a teenager?! Natasha began to walk away -- well, she began to storm away, while cursing in Russian. It's like being in Peggy Carter's presence; she was intimidating and yet, you cannot help but love her for it. Phil turned to face Evie, looking rather nervous again. Though, it's no surprise as they could hear Natasha's voice coming from inside the Helicarrier, demanding the "one eyed bastard" to talk to her about their youngest recruit.

He laughed anxiously. "So... that is Agent Romanoff. Give her time to cool off and I'm sure she'll be happy to take you under her wing." He promised, not sounding so sure with that statement. Thankfully, she got distracted by another person; Doctor Robert Bruce Banner, aka the Hulk.

Banner was wondering around aimlessly, fidgeting, flinching when anyone got too close. It was very noisy, Evie called out to him but he couldn't hear, she started to walk and shouted. "DR. BANNER!" Bruce jumped out of his skin and he stumbled when he turned around, almost losing his balance. Instinctively, Evelyn held out her arms to catch him, cringing. "I'm sorry."

Bruce took a moment to collect himself, then the scientist looked at Evie and he froze, visibly confused by her presence. "I-- uhm-- ... th-thank you... sorry but who are you?" He wondered. She didn't look like whe belonged on the Helicarrier, but he recognised her. Annoyingly, he could not figure out how he knew her.

"Evelyn Rogers." She introduced herself.

His eyes popped out of his head when he heard that name... Evelyn Rogers!? That's just not possible, because Evelyn Rogers died in 1945 and Rogers was nearly thirty years old, while this girl couldn't be much older than sixteen years old. But, looking at her, there were definitely similarities -- they basically had the same face! Bruce's eyes narrowed, taking a better look at her and he leaned a little closer, and his jaw dropped. This was Evelyn Rogers. Captain America! HOW IN THE HELL COULD THIS CHILD BE CAPTAIN AMERICA? Everything he knew was a lie?! It was infuriating. It's embarrassing... Doctor Bruce Banner, the so called 'expert' on Project Rebirth.

"You're-- I'm sorry but how old are you?" He asked, hoping to not come off as too aggressive or agitated. That look on his face suddenly made her feel awkward.

"I'm eighteen." She told him.

"Eighteen." He repeated, almost inaudible to everyone. Dr Banner was having an 'oh shit' moment. A little smile curled across his lips and he let out a breathy laugh. He just realised exactly why his serum failed -- the research that he was following was targeted towards a teenager; a child... so, his measurements were incorrect. If he'd known the truth, he would have known to make the appropriate adjustments. Bruce would've created something brilliant, if not for their governments seventy years worth of lies about Project Rebirth. Progression in science -- in humanity -- was stalled by this! If the truth came out years ago, this planet could've easily been several years ahead of where they were currently. This was maddening. And poor Evie! He could not even begin to imagine the pain which she has been through... for Bruce, having that serum was the worst pain he'd ever felt, and he was almost thirty. She would have been about sixteen years old. It was enough to stir the Hulk awake.

"Eighteen." She repeated, with a smile.

After a brief moment of silence, calm fell over Bruce and the Hulk fell back asleep. He questioned Evie. "Don't take this the wrong way but, uhm, how are you here?" His cheeks began to turn pink and Bruce scratched at the back of his neck. Evelyn Rogers was supposed to be dead! So why was she currently standing next to him?!

"Oh, uh, SHIELD found me, frozen." She explained to him. Bruce was fascinated. Cryogenesis!? Dr. Erskine's serum in her veins saved her. He desperately wanted to know more about, well, everything.

"An-and what are you doing here?"

Evie shrugged. "Aliens."

Bruce's eyes widened. "You're not-- you're not going to fight for SHIELD, are you?!" He asked, horrified by the thought of Evie getting involved in the war Fury started.

"It's why they woke me up." She told him. Why keep it a secret? She wasn't the one who has been lying to the entire world for the past seventy years. The fault was theirs, not hers. She agreed to help with the Loki situation, she never agreed to be their best friend and make things easy.

"What?!" Hulk was peeking out, sensing Banner's anger and discomfort. Coulson took a step backwards, taking Evie too.

Chapter Text

Tony's first instinct was to go and find her. Tony wanted to retrieve Captain America, to hopefully lay her to rest, with her loved ones. He sent his suits to Rogers' known last location, only to find it surrounded by S.H.I.E.L.D. They were already excavating the crash site. Tony was too late to help her... S.H.I.E.L.D already commandeered the Valkyrie and stole her corpse.

That was over a year ago, now.

Tony tried, but he couldn't find out where S.H.I.E.L.D decided to hide Evelyn's body and the Valkyrie. They'd gone completely dark; completely off the record. Tony had JARVIS and satellites scouring the earth, but they were hidden. It was aggravating. He did not give up, obviously. He was not going to give up until he had answers.

He kept JARVIS on the lookout, while he learned all he could about Project Rebirth and Evelyn Grace Rogers. To say he was horrified was a huge understatement.

The more he learned about SSR's Project Rebirth, the angrier Tony became. Doctor Erskine was using rats first when Johann Schmitt experimented on himself and he became Red Skull... When Doctor Erskine escaped to the US, he continued with his experiments but on terminally ill children. It was their hope they the serum will cure them. When a no name scientist gave up his chronically ill daughter... According to Dr. Joseph Rogers, Evie was going to die soon anyways. They didn't seem to have an issue with using a little girl, even after Sara Rogers threatened them. They were at war and needed super soldiers. Evelyn was moved into their facility. Joseph was compensated generously then practically disappeared, whilst Sarah Rogers fought for her daughter, but she was ignored.

Joseph labelled Sarah as 'mad with grief' and told their neighbours that their young daughter died due to her sicknesses... no one questioned him. Her list of ailments was longer than the US constitution.

She would not see her mother again until she became Captain America... and Tony now understood why his Grandma Sarah was so depressed, and why he was never allowed to be round Sarah unsupervised; Howard was scared she'd reveal the truth about what they did to her daughter.

It was breaking his heart.

Although, he hadn't told anyone what he was doing for fear that S.H.I.E.L.D might find out and make Evie disappear. Tony  couldn't risk it. He didn't even tell Happy, Rhodey or Pepper -- and they were Tony's family. But, this was something he had to do alone, until he could secure Evelyn.

If somebody ever did this to his boy, Tony would kill them. He would not hesitate to do it, either. Peter was his everything. He can't imagine the betrayal and guilt Sarah was feeling. Peter James Stark. He's only eleven years old. It probably won't come as a surprise, with Tony's reputation, that Peter was the result of three-nights-stand with a woman named Rachel Parker. She was an up and coming geneticist, whom worked for Norman Osborn. Rachel gave up custody to Tony, but was still involved in Peter's life until her death in 2009. She has an older brother, Benjamin, who was helping Tony to raise Peter, alongside his wife, May. And, of course, Pepper, Happy and Rhodey. Tony liked to refer to them as The Full House. Get it? It was a lame joke but it always made Tony laugh. The were an unconventional family, but so content with one another and Peter's happy. Tony cant imagine what his life would be like if he didn't have Peter, it made him sad. His son was a gift. Children were miracles to this big, ugly world. Its why reading Evie's life story made him so angry.

Evie did not deserve that. Those children killed because of the SSR didn't deserve that. Tony wanted justice -- he wanted to avenge them. They've gotten away with it for way too long, and Tony was not going to let them. Tony genuinely doesn't care what may happen to his dad's credibility and reputation or to S.H.I.E.L.D! Everyone needed to know the truth. It's the least of what those innocent children deserve.

"Sir, Agent Coulson is calling you." That's the fourth time today! It's really starting to irritate Tony. The billionaire sighed.

Tony instructed. "Ignore it."

"I am afraid he is being rather persistent." JARVIS told Tony. "He is on the elevator." He warned, earning an annoyed tut from Tony. He was quick to hide his research, so that the agent could not see it. There was the familiar ding of his elevator door opening, and Phil Coulson stepped out. It was evident, by his no nonsense attitude, that this was to be a business meeting.

Coulson greeted Tony with a nod, and he held out his hand but Tony did not shake it. "Agent. What do you want, I am busy?!" Tony greeted him with hostility. The last time they were together, Coulson literally threatened to taser him and watch super nanny while he seizes on the ground. So, he wasn't exactly happy to see Coulson.

"We need you to come in."

Tony snorted at the sheer audacity of that demand. "Work for S.H.I.E.L.D?! No thanks." His days with them were over.

"This is not a request." Coulson told him, handing over an iPad of information that Tony would need to know. Tony refused to take it, so Couldon set it onto the table in front of him. Unbeknownst to Coulson, he just had contact with a years worth of research about Evie and Project Rebirth. Things Tony knew, but shouldn't.

"Thought I didn't qualify for S.H.I.E.L.D?"

He shrugged. "That doesn't matter now." That got Tony's interest, what the hell was happened for S.H.I.E.L.D to come to him? Why were they now ignoring Romanoff's rather insulting evaluation of him.

"What's the threat level?"

Couldon pursed his lips, thinking, then he told Tony. "Let me put it this way... if we lose, there is a high likelihood that Earth and humanity will no longer exist. Stark, this is all hands on deck! Everything you need to know is in that computer. Fury's expecting you on the Helicarrier no later than tomorrow." He warned Tony. Before Tony could respond, Coulson had already turned around and started walking back towards the elevator. He wasn't going to let Stark argue with him, so he left. Tony was a studious and a very nosey man, so he wouldn't possibly resist that computer and, by the end, he will want to help. His feelings towards S.H.I.E.L.D and Director Fury would not matter once he knew why they were trying to recruit him.

Coulson was gone before Tony picked up the small ipad. He has JARVIS download it all into his own system, and S.H.I.E.L.D data suddenly appeared all around him in blue holograms. It was a lot of work.

"J, a summary would be nice."

And so, JARVIS gave Tony a summary of what Coulson gave him. Apparently, Loki -- an alien God from space -- stole a blue, magical cube from S.H.I.E.L.D, which his father found after the war, whilst he was searching for Evelyn. For nearly seventy years, S.H.I.E.L.D have been using a blue alien magical cube to develop weaponry and other such stuff... experimenting on something they clearly didn't understand, and they'd accidentally opened a portal -- Loki came out of it. Loki killed S.H.I.E.LD agents, kidnapped a few others and stole the cube from Director Fury. Now, they're somewhere, doing God knows what?! So they needed to find him -- and the people he kidnapped and enslaved -- steal back the cube and then stop an invasion. They were forming the Avengers, aka the team that Tony does not qualify for. S.H.I.E.L.D wanted Iron Man, but not Tony Stark.

Tony's gonna help. Not because he liked Fury, or wanted to work with S.H.I.E.L.D, but because this gave him the perfect in. There was no way he was going to allow Fury to keep the cube once they have it back, nor was he going to let some alien would be king destroy his home. Also, it would allow him to find out what they're doing with Evelyn and the Valkyrie.

Tony also happened to like Dr. Erik Selvig and can't, in good conscience, let him be a prisoner to some psychotic, genocidal alien. But, first, Tony needed to get Peter out of the city and somewhere safe.

Chapter Text

When hearing your Papa scream "THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE! LOKI'S DEAD!" at the top of his lungs, it's only natural to listen into the conversation. How could he not!? His Uncle, Loki, fell from the Bifrost over two years ago now -- suicide -- and everybody watched as his body crystallised. Jotun's couldn't withstand the pressure of space, and he died. They all saw him die! So, it's definitely not something that Hali should overhear getting called into question!! It's just a cruel thing for someone to do. Hali was close with his uncle; he helped raise Hali. Both of his parents -- Thor and Sif -- were often too busy with their 'royal duty' to give him the attention he needed. Hali was usually left in the care of his nannies or uncle, and he much preferred his uncle Loki. He loved his parents, and they loved him too, obviously, but Asgard came first, always. It got better as he got older -- he was now able to join them, wherever they needed to be -- but he would much prefer to spent his days with Uncle Loki.

Unfortunately, it was not uncommon for fraudsters to use Loki as a means to get money or power from their family, but it's Heimdall who was telling them Loki was alive -- and he was saying it in front of his Grandmama! He had to be speaking true, otherwise he risked losing his life... lying or deceiving his grandparents was an act treason, and punishable by death. It didnt matter who he was to the royal family.

( Heimdall was married to the Lady Eir, the Goddess of healing, King Odin's sister).

"It's true, I have seen him." Said Heimdall. "All-mother, the young prince still lives."

Frigga turned away, overcome, one hand over her stomach and the other covering her mouth. Odin reached his arm out to offer her some comfort, but Frigga lightly pushed him away, Frigga did not want to be touched at the moment. It's no secret Loki was her favourite. His betrayal of the realm and his death absolutely broke her. Frigga was the Goddess of motherhood, so you can probably imagine the toll this took on her. To find out Loki was actually alive, and God knows where, it's terrifying for Frigga. The guilt and self-blame that she felt was almost suffocating.

Hali couldn't stand it. He pushed through the doors, a little harsher than he meant too, and everyone turned to face him. He ignored his grandparents and parents, in favour of Uncle Heimdall, and demanded from the Gatekeeper. "Loki is still alive?!"

Heimdall didn't know what to do. Should they be having this conversation with Hali in the room? By Asgardian standards, he was still just a boy. He wasn't even ninety years old yet. Still a teenager, really.

Thor moved closer. "Hali, my boy--"

"--I won't leave!" Hali interrupted his Papa, knowing exactly what he would say. Hali turned back to Heimdall, and he repeated to him. "Loki is still alive? ANSWER ME!"

"Hali!" His mama scolded him, as though he was a child. "Do not yell at your Uncle! Heimdall is not the bad guy here!"

Hali huffed. "Apologies." The Gatekeeper didn't take it too personally, this situation was causing some high emotion. Finally, Frigga turned back to face Heimdall with a look of pure desperation, tears running down her cheeks. The hall fell silent as the All-mother walked towards Heimdall, and grabbed his hands into hers, pulling them up towards her chest so that he felt how rapidly her heart was beating.

"I must see him." She pleaded with him.

Heimdall hesitated, then he told Frigga. "My Queen... Loki isn't in a state of mind which a mother should ever see."

But, Frigga insisted. "Old friend, I must. It has been over two years, I must see him. Please, he is my son. My youngest son! If this was Axl or Erik, I wouldn't keep them from you." Ouch. That was a low blow.

There was a stare down, Frigga came out on top. Heimdall sighed in defeat, and he nodded his head, agreeing. Then, he took a step away from the royal family, and he began to elegantly wave her arms around and golden dust started to appear out his hands, swirling round like it was dancing. It was beautiful. Heimdall's eyes mirrored that of the dust, his power taking over as images began to appear before them. It's astral projection, Heimdall was allowing them a glimpse of his powers. They were now able to see whatever he sees. They were seeing through his eyes. And, much to their shock, they were taken to Earth -- or Midgard, as it's commonly known here on Asgard. Why the Hel would Loki be on Midgard?! He absolutely HATED Midgard. Nothing was making any sense!

They're in the Stuttgart Museum, Loki was stood in front of the museum and dressed in 21st century clothes, with a sceptre that was disguised as a cane, he walked up to the entrance of the gala. There was a very lavish gala going on, an orchestra playing, which was interrupted as the Head Doctor walked up to the mic, smiling. Outside the museum, guards stood in their positions. One of them was stood on top of the roof, scoping. He then heard a THWACK and he looked down. One of his guards was shot with an ARROW. He raised his gun, but he was shot dead, by an arrow. An archer -- a man named Clint Barton, enslaved by Loki and his sceptre -- and a crew arrive at the doors of the locked science building. Clint took something out of his pocket and held it up to the doors, waiting patiently.

What the hell was going on?!

"Darling, you do not need to see this." Sif told her son, not wanting him exposed to this level of violence. Hali rolled his eyes. He's the freaking God of wrath, he could handle seeing an arrow shot into a chest!

"I am not leaving." Hali said, stubbornly.

Frigga's lip quivered, staring at the mist. Loki looked absolutely terrible. Pale, with dark circles below his eyes, his hair was greasy, and he was covered in bruises and dried blood. Loki was a clean freak -- he HATED dirty and grime, and anything that made a mess. Loki took his hygiene and health seriously. He refused to even hold Hali when he was a babe because of how sticky he could get.

It shattered something in Frigga. "By the norns, he-- he looks... broken." She knew her son, she could see past the magic.

Inside the gala, Loki started to walk down the stairs and headed towards the Doctor in charge, as he made his way near to the stage he flipped his cane and he attacked the guard who noticed him, knocking the man out. Chaos erupted. Guests began to run out of the museum. Loki grabbed the doctor and flipped him over onto a marble table. He then pulled out an optical torture device and plunged it into the doctor's eye making the Doctor screamed out in pain. Suddenly, Clint's instrument began to form a holographic eye, and the facility's doors open. He walked in and found in a cabinet, a glass thermos with a cylinder of iridium.

As the crowd ran away, Loki slowly walked out and materialized in his golden armour and horned helmet. The police arrived and with no hesitation, Loki blasted the patrol cars, and flipped them over. Terrifying the humans. Loki smiled , pleased, and he told the people, calmly. "Kneel before me." The people ignored him, and another Loki had materialized, and another, and another. He blocked all the people from running away. He grinned. "I SAID KNEEL!" He screamed at them, and everybody knelt down .

Who was this?! Frigga was horrified into speechlessness. This was not her loving son! Yes, he loved playing his tricks and pranks, but it's never been deadly before. Loki once tried because he realised how bacon was made! What happened to her sweet boy since he has been gone?!

Odin tried. "Frigga--"

"--please, my love, do not." Said Frigga, a tear spilling down her cheeks. "This isn't my Loki -- MY Loki could not do this!"

"Mama, we do not know what horrors he has faced after he fell." Said Thor, hoping that she might take off those rose tinted glasses she wore with Loki. Frigga had a particularly soft spot for her youngest.

Frigga replied. "Then we must help him." She wasn't going to lose him again. Loki would come back to Asgard, back home, and Eir will heal whatever was wrong.

Loki was chuckling, extending his arms as if he was embracing the audience, and he spoke. "Is not this simpler? Is this not your natural state? It is the unspoken truth of humanity; you crave subjugation. A bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity... You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel." He chuckled, slyly. They stared up at him, they were frozen in fear; terrified to move just in case this powerful being did something even more cruel.

When, suddenly, an elderly German man refused to kneel. "Not to men like you!" He told Loki, unafraid of him, spitting at Loki.

" There are no men like me. " Loki insisted , cocky, but the older man argued with him .

"T here are always men like you. "

Loki clenched his jaw. " Look to your elder, people. Let him be an example." Loki was about to execute him with his sceptre as the light glowed blue. Just as the energy beam was about to shoot out, a body fell out from the sky, standing protectively in front of the elderly man, when they all saw the shield of Captain America -- which the world had not been seen in nearly seventy years -- blocking the attack , knocking Loki down onto his ass.

Dear Gods... they were afraid. Were they about to watch their Loki kill somebody?! Frigga desperately wanted to look away, but she couldn't, Frigga couldn't take her eyes off of her youngest son.

Loki looked up, facing his attacker and he was stunned to see a young woman in an odd uniform. She was gorgeous, tall, lean and blonde, standing confidently while the men and women ran away. She tilted her head, and smirked, while she sassed Loki. "You know, the last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing."

Loki stood up , and pursed his lips and he said, questioning the attacker. "They have sent a child after me? I'm a little insulted."

She scoffed at him, full of attitude. "Firstly, I am eighty-five. Secondly, if you are going to invade another planet, at least do some research! I'm Captain America, bitch!" She  cussed at him. She really hoped someone was recording this one their tiny computer so that the whole world could see.

Hali laughed, then he awkwardly covered it up with a cough as everybody turned to look at him. He really shouldn't laugh, but this was funny -- and she's so stunning.

Hali pressed his lips together, flushing with embarrassment. "... It-it's not funny."

No, it was. It was very funny.

Lady Sif gave her son a knowing look, a smirk, and Hali refused to meet her eyes.

The Quinjet arrived on scene. A machine gun was pointed at Loki. Agent Romanoff called out to him, very sternly. "LOKI! Drop the weapon and stand down!" Loki looked at her and scoffed, then he sent a blast of blue energy up at the Quinjet... Thankfully, Natasha maneuvered out of the way just in time, which gave Captain America time to throw her shield at Loki and they began to fight each other. Loki managed to get the Captain onto her knees and he aimed his sceptre at the base of her neck.

... and now he was fighting a literal child, not much younger than Hali! His beloved nephew! They really couldn't believe it.

" Kneel !" Loki sneered at her.

"I'm not really into that." She sassed Loki, again, trying to be as loud as she possibly could be. She kicked her leg and knocked Loki out of the way. Loki then grabbed her and Loki flipped her over, forcing her back onto the ground . The Captain jumped up, and was about to attack again when they all suddenly heard AC/DC's 'shoot to thrill' through the Quinjet's speakers.

Another voice spoke up. "Agent Romanoff, did you miss me?" Pausing their fight, they looked up to see Iron Man, he blasted Loki right onto the ground then landed with his iconic hero pose. He stood up, pulling out every piece of weaponry his suit had, then lowered his helmet. Tony challenged Loki. "Make your move, Reindeer Games." Tony lowered his arms when Loki raised up his hands and surrendered. " Good move. "

The Captain was staring at Tony like she just saw a ghost. Looking rather anxious. She swallowed, stammering. "Dr. Stark."

"Book 'him, Danno." Tony grinned , cutely .

The Captain cocked her head in confusion and said. "My name is Evelyn." The man in the Iron suit sighed , disappointed, then he moved, taking the Asgardian into custody.

Heimdall's golden dust slowly started to dissipate and his eyes dulled. They stood there, far too stunned to speak, needing to process what they've witnessed. Then the Asgardian King turned to his son and he ordered him. "You're to go to Midgard, and you are to bring Loki home."

Thor didn't hesitate. Hali was going too.

Chapter Text

Tony Stark was here, they'd apprehended Loki and Fury was currently screaming at Evie. They were flying back from Germany and Captain America was trending all over the net, already! Evie's plan -- whatever its supposed to be -- was actually working?! Suddenly, the whole knew Evie was alive, and Captain America had returned. Evie's calling it a win; the world security council was calling it a PR nightmare. As you can imagine, they'd questions for Fury -- they had questions he couldn't answer! So, he was not happy right now. And, instead of interrogating Loki, as he should be doing, he was yelling at an eighteen year old. It's not a good look... that anger only seemed to get worse when Evelyn, unfazed by his ire, started to rummage through the jet to find something to eat. She needed nearly twenty thousand calories a day, and Evie hasnt eaten since Coulson made her the sandwiches, so she's hungry and getting a little light-headed. But, Fury didn't really care about what she needed.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" He practically screamed. Fury scoffed in disbelief. "Are you even listening to a word I've said?!"

Evelyn shrugged and sassed Fury, having clearly taken a disliking to the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Evie huffed at him, petulantly. "What, am I not allowed to eat now too?! I am a Super Soldier, not a freaking robot! I have to eat a lot'a food!" Tony snorted a laugh, not even bothering to try and hide it, earning himself a nasty look from Fury, whilst Agent Romanoff looked away and tightly pressed her lips together, and Loki watched with intrigue, who in the Hel was this little girl?! Loki kind of liked her when she wasn't kicking his ass, with little to no effort... she was a curious little thing.

Fury looked ready to jump through these holograms, to strangle Evelyn. "You think you're funny?!" Fury snapped at her.

Evie smiled at him. "Hilariously so."

Fury continued to raise his voice at Evie, and he berated her. "D'you have any idea that damage you have caused with that little stunt you pulled back there?!"

Evie giggled. She actually giggled at Fury, and asked him. "Has the president called yet? Wait -- who even is the president? I'm pretty sure it isn't Frankie anymore." Tony was grinning now, and openly laughing.

Agent Romanoff explained to her, eyeing the darkening clouds. "Franklin Roosevelt died April 12th 1945. The President, now, is a man called Barack Obama. Elected in 2008." Tony nodded in confirmation.

Tony helpfully added. "He's a black man."

A black man was president?! WOW. Evie's eyes lit up. "Wow, really?! That's amazing! We've come a long way in 70 years." She hoped he was a good president, she now wondered if there have been any female presidents whilst she was frozen in ice?! What other changes have happened in the time she was sleeping?! Coulson has yet to tell her anything important about their planet... Evelyn only knew what she has seen; improvements in tech, progression of women's rights, segregation obviously was not legal anymore! They were just in Germany! Confirmation that they won the war. Everything was bigger, brighter, and more expensive, but she liked what she's seen so far. Of course, that might change in a few days, after learning more about the 21st century. But, so far, Evelyn didn't have any complaint... except S.H.I.E.L.D, they sucked, and she hated Fury.

"Forget the president! What you did down there was way over the line!" Fury tried to chastise her, crossing his arms, scowling at Evie for her defiance.

Evelyn rolled her eyes and she explained to Fury. "I was just introducing myself."

Fury laughed, humourlessly. "Was you?"

"Yup." Evelyn nodded. Shrugging, she told Fury. "Sounds to me like you didn't do any research about Captain America before you put her out in the world... I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, but she was never good unless there was a script to follow. You know what artists are like. According to her SSR file, Captain America was an uncontrollable, public nightmare. Far too Irish, and far too liberal, with dangerously feministic views that will corrupt young girls... stopped letting her speak in public all together after she got caught speakin' Gaelic, screamin' at a Cop." Evie grinned, very proud of herself, and that reputation she was starting to build for herself back in the 1940's, before freezing in ice.

Her da was finally out of her life, she got to see her Ma, and the Howlies gave her the confidence which she so desperately needed! Evie started leading missions to fight HYDRA, and somewhat live outside the SSR, and she started to say no. Evie started fighting back and yelling at those who tried to control her -- Evie finally had some people who wanted to protect her, people who actually loved her, and Evelyn became a stronger person. Unfortunately for the SSR, she became a PR nightmare. The SSR couldn't control Evie completely anymore, because she was no longer the frightened six years old! And she was not going back to being the little girl; scared of her own shadow, ever again! That was not who she was anymore; who she ever should have been! A new century, meant a new start. This time, she was going to live her life, how she wanted too! Maybe, she'll even go back to proper school. She was very smart, so she could do it!

Tony was grinning, he nudged her elbow, friendly, and said. "Well I, for one, happen to really like this version of the Captain."

"Evie." She gently corrected him, smiling. "My name is Evie. Evelyn. I will even take Lyn. But, Captain America isn't real..."

He pursed his lips. "Noted."

Tony needed to do some more research, because this was all as sketchy as fuck?!

Suddenly, thunder and lightning rumbled, almost hitting the jet, and Natasha used it as an excuse to hang up the call. Fury's big head was no longer in hologram form and there was finally some silence in the jet, until even more thunder rumbled and turbulence started affecting the jet. Tony was suddenly so happy he chose to keep his suit on as he'd probably be on his ass right now... turbulence was no joke. Evie managed to catch herself, grabbing onto a handle and keeping herself from falling over, while Loki -- poor, sweet Loki -- was quite literally chained to his seat. They've wrapped him up like a present. He wasn't going anywhere (unless a certain blonde prince appeared and ripped him free).

"Sorry!" Romanoff called out an apology, finally levelling out the S.H.I.E.L.D jet.

There was a calmness again, Evie moved and she eyed Loki. She didn't get him. His surrender was easy. He had been pulling his punches. It made zero sense. So, Evie commented, quietly. "I don't like it."

"What?" Asked Tony, and he followed her eyes. "Rock of Ages giving up so easily?" Evelyn didn't know what that meant. Tony chuckled at her confusion, but didn't give her an explanation, which was annoying.

Evelyn sighed. "I don't remember it being ever that easy. This guy packs a wallop."

Tony snorted a laugh. "Packs a wallop?"

"What? Do people not say that anymore?" She wondered, suddenly feeling very self conscious with the way she spoke. Was she using the wrong words?! Evelyn hated how far behind she was... everything was so new to her! She recognised nothing.

He shrugged, teasing. "Old people."

"I am old." She told him.

That made him laugh. She was barely 18 years old. "Your nap doesn't count. You're eighteen years old. Practically a baby!"

Thunder and lightning nearly hit their jet, again, making it shake violently. "Where's this coming from?!" Romanoff huffed in annoyance, starting to get really irritated by this random weather. And then even more thunder and lightning rumbled, and Loki jolted. This did not go unnoticed.

Evie smirked. "What's the matter? Scared of a little lightning?" She sassed the God.

"I'm not overly fond of what follows."

What the hell did that mean?!

Suddenly, out of nowhere, blinding light struck their jet and something landed on top of them. Before they could react, the doors were pried open, with ease, and a large blonde man appeared. Where in the Hell did he come from?! Behind him was a younger man, a brunette. The duo just came onto the jet like it was theirs. They headed straight to Loki. The blonde took Loki by the scruff of his neck and pulled him out of his chains, effortlessly, whilst the younger man guarded them. For only a moment, the man and Evie locked eyes before they flew -- yes, flew -- away from them! Evelyn, Natasha and Tony were left dumbstruck. Did that really just happen?!

Tony grabbed his helmet, huffing. "Great, now there's these guys." He's frustated.

"Are these those Asgardian Fury was so worried about?" Evelyn asked, assuming.

They were beautiful... she recognised the blonde as Thor, the Asgardian Prince that Loki was after in New Mexico; the reason why the town was almost destroyed. The other Asgardian was also present during the New Mexico incident, but S.H.I.E.L.D didn't know who he was as Doctor Foster and Co were refusing to say. The younger of the arrivals was incredibly beautiful. He was very tall, and lean, with two different coloured eyes (one blue, and one brown). Evie saw him for only a few seconds, but it felt like a lifetime. She was speechless. Evelyn almost forgot where she was, why they were there, when Evie heard the Iron Man suit moving. Tony was heading over toward the broken doors, getting ready to jump off to chase after Thor. "DR. STARK WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! We need a plan of attack!" She yelled, trying to stop Tony from doing something stupid -- like jump out of a jet to run after some Gods.

He smirked at her, cockily. "I have a plan. Attack." And he jumped out of the jet. He was chasing after the three alien Gods.

Evie huffed, rushing to find a parachute.

"I'd sit this one out, Evie." Said Romanoff, having seen her rush to find a parachute, to help. "These guys come from legends, they're basically Gods!" She warned.

She shrugged. "Yeah, well, I'm an atheist."

And Evie jumped out of the jet.

Somewhere in the mountains, Thor threw Loki on the ground as they landed on the the mountains and Hali touched down by his father, staring at Loki in surprise. Loki really was still alive. Hali couldn't believe it. Thor raised Mjolnir, overcome with his emotions. Loki's alive. Thor clenched his jaw, lowering Mjolnir with a huff, then he demanded. "Where is the Tesseract?!"

Loki laughed, sitting up. "I've missed you too." He grinned, then cocked his head to his nephew. "Hello again, sweet nephew. My, how you have grown." Loki was awed by his changes. Hali couldn't respond, he was too heartbroken; too scared to say a word... Hali felt betrayed by Loki. Despite whatever horrors Loki's likely faced in the past two years, Hali felt betrayed by him. It was a common misconception that as the God of wrath, Hali was an angry man, who loved violence and blood, he wasn't and he didn't, but he could... he could ruin this planet by losing his temper. He could split the earth in two... he doesn't want to do that. He didn't want to hurt anyone. In truth, he was a very calm, introverted and passive. His Mama was a War Goddess, and his Papa was the God of Thunder, so they've created quite the powerful child.

"Do not talk to him!" Thor growled. "You talk to me! WHERE IS THE TESSERACT!"

"Uncle... please." Hali begged, Hali's voice cracking, finding some courage to speak. For a moment, Loki's humorous persona faltered and there was a flicker of guilt in his eyes, but that was quickly masked.

Loki turned his anger towards Thor. "You should thank me... With the Bifrost gone how much dark energy did the All-father have to muster to conjure you here? Your precious Earth." Thor suddenly dropped Mjolnir, causing the mountain to quake. He picked up Loki. His brother. Although Thor was pissed for what he's done, this family was everything to Thor.

Thor cupped Loki's cheeks, tearing up. "I thought you dead." Thor's voice cracked.

"Did you mourn?"

Of course they mourned him!

"We all did." Thor promised him, his eyes pooling now, his tears threatening to fall. "Loki, my brother, my heart broke thinking I'd never see you again. Our father--"

"--Your father!" Loki said, he shoved Thor away from him and walked away. "He did tell you my true parentage, did he not?"

Thor didn't care about that. He didn't care that Loki didn't share his blood. Loki was his brother, period. "Loki, we were raised together, we played together, we fought together. Please. Do you remember none of that?" Thor asked, his voice cracking again, struggling to swallow a lump in his throat, begging Loki to come home; leave this mortal planet so that they might live happily again. Thor can't leave Loki here, he cannot let him do whatever it was that he was planning on Midgard.

Loki whipped around, sneering at Thor. "I remember a shadow." He snapped at him in anger. Loki ranted angrily. "Living in the shade of your greatness. I remember you tossing me away, throwing me into the abyss. I WAS AND SHOULD BE KING!" He screamed at his brother, stalking towards Thor. Hali quietly took a step away from them, giving his Papa and Uncle space to talk to one another. They needed this.

Thor scoffed in disbelief, he questioned his brother. "So you take the world that I love as recompense for your imagined slights. The Earth is under my protection, Loki." Thor warned Loki. As much as he loved his brother, he wasn't going to give him the Earth. He was not going to allow Loki to destroy this planet.

Was he blind? Could Thor have missed it all these past thousand years?! He didn't know... in Thor's eyes, they lived a rather idyllic lifestyle. They had everything. They were apart of one of the most powerful families in the cosmos. Yes, there were a few times where Thor was favoured, but he was the firstborn son; the heir to their home. He was Odin's favourite child, but that did not mean Loki was neglected, or forgotten by him because he wasnt. Loki was Frigga's favourite child. She doted on him. And while Thor was spending hours in the Study Hall, learning about the laws and ways of the realm; the dos and donts of society, Frigga was teaching Loki how to master magic; having adventures with their mother, and playing games... From Thor's point of view, it was Loki who had the normal childhood; the childhood that every child should experience; fun loving and free-spirited, while he was forced to sit through the council meetings, politics, battle training... it was him who would be yelled at for eating with the wrong fork.

Thor worshipped Loki, always has. Thor thought the world of him. It hurt that Loki would say he tossed to the side. He tried, he really tried. He would've jumped after him, diving into the darkness of space to protect Loki, but Odin's hold on him was far too strong. He struggled against Odin but he was too late, and Loki was gone.

Thor tried his hardest to involve him in all aspects, especially with his best friends, but it was rather difficult to do when Loki constantly belittled the things he liked to do for fun and taunt his friends. And they didn't share too many hobbies with each other. Where Thor was athletic, Loki was academic. Thor liked to be outside while Loki preferred to be in the library. As Thor grew, he was given more responsibilities and duties; more council meetings, more training, more lessons in being King. And then Thor was married and having a child was seen as the most important thing he was supposed to do, and now Hali would go through the very same thing as him.

So, he just couldn't understand why Loki suddenly hated him and their family. Why he was suddenly so resentful of Asgard and the upbringing they had. They have lived for more than a thousand years and never, not even once, has Loki brought it up before... if Thor had known, he would have done something much sooner. Thor would've done something -- anything -- to make it so Loki was comfortable, and felt safe. He just wanted to help.

Loki laughed at him, and he taunted Thor. "And you are doing a marvelous job with that. The humans slaughter each other in droves, while you idly threat. I just mean to rule them. And why should I not?"

This angered Hali, he didn't recognise the man in front of him. "Because this is not your home! You have no rights here! This is how you think King's rule?! You are not a King, Uncle! You are an invader, nothing more. You clearly miss the truth of ruling, a throne would suit you ill." Hali spat.

"You think yourself above them."

Loki snorted a laugh. "Well, yes."

"Who are you?" Hali scoffed, frowning at Loki. "Who is this imposter than stands before me, because he is not my Uncle?! My uncle, my most favourite person in all the known world, he would never do this." There was a moment of silence, and they stared at each other, and then Loki's lip curled up in disgust while his eyes slowly dragged all over his young nephew.

"You're pathetic." Loki told him.

Hali flinched. Never has Loki used such language with him before. He was taken aback by Loki's insult. "Brother--" Thor tried, but Loki angrily shoved his brother to the side and walked away from them, towards the edge of the mountain they were currently standing on.

Loki turned, red in the face, and he yelled at them. "I have seen worlds you've never known about! I've grown, Odinson, in my exile! I have seen the true power of the Tesseract, and when I wield it--"

"--Who showed you this power?!" Thor interrupted, just as angry, challenging Loki. "Who controls the would-be-king?"

"I AM A KING!"

"NOT HERE!" Thor screamed, rushing to his brother. Hali worried that they might start to fight. Instead, Thor cupped Loki's cheeks, tearing up, and Thor begged him. "You give up the Tesseract! Give up this poisonous dream! You come home."

"I don't have it." Loki confessed, truthfully, and he explained. "You need the cube to bring me home, but I've sent it off, I know not where." Thor huffed at him.

"You listen well, brother. I--" Suddenly, Thor was knocked off the mountain by Iron Man, who tackled him mid-flight.

Hali gasped. "PAPA!"

"I'm listening." Loki quipped, and Hali's head snapped towards him, angrily. The God of mischief and lies smiled. "Little nephew." He started, sweetly, wanting to manipulate the God of wrath to his side. But, Hali wasn't falling for it.

Instead, he punched Loki in the face and send him crashing to the ground. "Do not talk to me, imposter." Hali spat at him.

Loki deadpanned. "Ouch."

He turned away from his uncle, wanting to find his Papa and rapid attacker. Thor and Tony crashed into the forest, the two of them stood up, but kept their distance from one another. Tony opened the mask of his helmet, and Thor scowled at Tony, and warned. "Do not touch me again!"

"Then don't take my stuff."

Thor rolled his eyes at the man in metal, and he warned. "You have no idea what you're dealing with."

"Shakespeare in the park?" Tony sassed then, in an overly exaggerated accent, he mockingly bowed at Thor. "Doth mother know you weareth her drapes?"

What an odd man.

"This is beyond you, metal man. Loki will face Asgardian justice!" Thor insisted, he was getting frustated with the human.

"He gives up the cube, he's all yours. Until then, stay out of my way -- tourist." Tony's helmet clamped down and began to turn away from him when, in one quick move, Thor picked up Mjolnir and knocked Tony clear across the trees, before Tony could even charge up his suit to attack. With a pained huff, Tony rolled onto his back as, up on the mountains, Loki watched on in amusement while Hali grinned, cheering for his Papa. Thor swung Mjolnir, and he summoned a ray of energy. Tony, now on his feet, system charging up energy from his hand boosters and the two weapons collided, sending them both on their ass. But then Tony flew back up, and knocked Thor into a tree trunk. Still kneeling, Thor had lifted Mjolnir, calling on thunder and lightning, then shot life threatening bolts at Tony's suit. Tony crashed back.

A new voice, JARVIS, spoke to him from inside his suit. "Power at 400% capacity."

Tony smirked. "How about that?"

He fired away, using his hand boosters, pushing Thor onto his knees. The two of them began to rush towards each other, meet in the middle and shoot up into the air, and battle. Tony grabbed Thor, and he elbowed him, smashing him into the side of the mountain. Thor jumped off of the mountain, taking Tony with him and they crash back down, smashing into almost every tree possible. Tony yanked Thor up when he grabbed Tony's hand boosters then started to crush them, with his bare hands, but Tony quickly charged as much energy as he could and shot Thor's face. Thor fell back, losing his stance and Tony headbutted him -- it did nothing... so, Thor did the same thing to him, and Thor sent Tony clear across the forest.

Tony flew back at Thor, grabbing him by the arm and cape, and swung him into a tree. Thor looked up, ready, and he ran at Tony, all patience out the window. Tony swung at him and he missed, giving Thor the momentum to grab him, lift him, then smash him down, hard. Thor summoned back Mjolnir to his hand and, hust as he's about to swing the hammer down, Tony uses his hand boosters to skid away and trip Thor over, which was very funny. The Asgardian stood up, looking for Tony, but Tony crashed into his back, forcing Thor over. The men turned to face each other, ready to pounce again when, suddenly, a familiar looking shield bounced off their heads, then ricocheted back to its owner. Evelyn Grace Rogers. Evelyn was stood on top of a felled tree, glaring at the men.

"HEY! That's enough!" Evie yelled at them both, annoyed with their behaviour. They were acting like children. She jumped off of the tree, and walked closer to the two men. They towered over her. And Evelyn turned to Thor, really hoping to just calm things down. "Now, I don't know what you plan on doing here--"

Thor cut her off. "--i've come here to put an end to Loki's schemes!" He repeated, he was getting incredibly frustated.

"Then prove it! Put the hammer down."

Tony cringed at that, shaking his head. "Oh, bad call, Evie! He loved his hammer."

Thor backhanded the Iron Man, losing all tolerance, and raised Mjolnir. "YOU WANT ME TO PUT THE HAMMER DOWN?!" He leapt high into the air, raising Mjolnir and Evie instantly crouched down, using the shield to protect herself, and held up her shield. Thor violently brought down the hammer, smashing it against the shield and a massive implosion of light reacted to the vibranium shield, creating a large shockwave that blew up everything that stood within a mile of it, including Evelyn, Thor and Tony. Up on the mountain, Loki and Hali were safe from the blast.

Tony stood up, looking around like 'holy shit.' Laying right next to him was Steve, who never took his eye off Thor as Thor looked between the two humans. Evelyn scowled at the men. "Are we done here? Or should I go find some measuring tape and we can take this contest up a level?" Evelyn sassed the two men.