"NOT MY AVENGERS: PART ONE"

by Kenne Morrison

Disclaimer: All recognizable properties belong to Marvel Comics and their creators. Characters used without permission for entertainment purposes only. Not for profit.

Dedication: To my sister Brandy, your time on earth was too short, and you'll be missed.

Acknowledgments: There are so many people who I owe my gratitude. To my family, thank you for letting me dream my dreams. To my friends, both online and off, thank you for encouraging me to keep writing no matter what. Special thanks to Jason and my family at Special shout out goes to the following: Nikki (you're still a cutie), Nick (Move back here already!), and Loretta (Heya Emma from your Uncle Kenne)

Dear Captain America,

Hi, how are you? I'm fine. My name is Corey Jarmon and I'm eleven years old. I think you are the best super hero ever! I just got a poster of you with all the other 'vengers. I wish I could meet you in person, but my brother, Justin, said you're too busy to meet little boys like me. I understand. You have to keep the city safe from mean guys like Dr. Doom and the Absorbing Man.

But it would be great to talk to you. See, I need your help. I need you to tell my mommy to let daddy come live with us again. She cries at night when she thinks I'm asleep because she misses daddy, too. I know it's not the kind of bad guys you fight, but if you could just put my family back together it would mean a lot. I want my daddy back, so please try to help me. But if you can't, I understand. You're still my favorite.

Love,
Corey

"Okay, class, once you've finished. You can get an envelope from off my desk and write the person's name on the outside. I'll put the letters in a box and have them mailed to Avengers Mansion by this afternoon." Mrs. Reynolds instructed her class as the bell was ringing for recess.

"Who did you write to, loser," a bigger boy sneered as he tripped Corey knocking his glasses off his face, "Oooh, look, four eyes is bug eyes without his glasses! Hahaha."

"Stop it, Ricky!" a tall girl with pig tails shouted as she rushed up to help Corey to his feet.

"Oooh, we'd better go now that you mommy's here," Ricky snickered as he led his group of bullies away.

"You can't let them bother you," Lisa consoled Corey as she brushed dirt off his back, "They're just meany poopieheads."

Corey didn't say anything as they walked to the swings. His face just beamed in a big smile because he knew that as soon as his hero got his letter, everything would be just fine.

"Don't just kick your shoes off at the door and leave them there, Corey. How many times do I have to tell you and Robbie to take your things to your room?" Denise Jarmon lectured her son as she wiped her hands on the dish towel. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes, so go wash up. Oh, by the way, a letter came for you. It's on the table by the front door."

Corey's heart began to race. It had been two weeks since he wrote his letter, so he had been waiting every day to hear back. He threw his books down on the floor as he ran to get the letter. Holding it in his shaky hands, he let out a squeal of excitement as he ripped it open. Hurriedly he read the letter wondering if Cap was going to tell him when he'd be stopping by.

Dear Corey,

Thank you for the letter. It's fans like you that make my job worthwhile. Enclosed please find a signed picture for you to remember me by. Keep dreaming your dreams, and someday you just might become a hero too.

Captain America

Corey smiled and placed the letter against his chest. Cap must be very busy, so he'll write again once he knows when he'll be available.

"Whatcha got there, Squirt?" Robbie asked as he snatched the letter out of his hands.

"Give that back! It's my letter from Captain America. He's going to come here when he can. He just don't know when, so he wrote me to let me know he got my letter." Corey responded as he tried to grab his letter back, but his brother was too tall and quick for him.

"Guess again, Squirt. This is a form letter. I doubt Cap even saw your sad little letter."

"Nuh, UH!" Corey cried as he kicked his brother in the shin. "MOM! Robbie's got my

letter!"

"Robbie, give the letter back to your brother, and both of you get upstairs and wash. And take your things with you!" Mrs. Jarmon responded.

"It's not a form letter." Corey said defiantly as he clutched his now very wrinkled letter. "Cap'll be here soon. You'll see."

But two months later, when Captain America never arrived, it was Corey that saw that it was a form letter. What he couldn't decide was whether it meant Cap never saw the letter or if he didn't care afterall.

"...do you think? Should we try to locate the Fixer, or should we wait for him to show up again?" Iron Man asked as he and Captain America left the meeting room.

"Let's wait to see what he does next. We're not even sure he's behind it or not." Cap replied as they walked down the hall to the front foyer. It had been another long week with one crisis after another, and Steve was looking forward to a quiet evening alone in his apartment reading a book. After saying goodbye to his teammate, Cap opened the front door and prepared to leave.

"Uh, sir. There's a letter here I think you should see." Jarvis called to him before he got all the way outside. After a short sigh, he walked over to the butler and picked up the letter on the silver tray the butler carried. "There's no address, Jarvis. Where did this come from?"

"It was one of the letters written by local students for a class project. We get them at least three or four times a year, and since the Avengers are so busy, we have staff who read them and reply to the students so they feel special. But, a senior staff member saw this letter and felt you needed to see it. It's not the usual sort of fan mail we receive."

Cap began reading the letter as Jarvis spoke, so he didn't hear the full explanation. When he read the boy's wish, his eyes got big as he fumed, "Why did I see this sooner! This was two months ago!"

"I'm sorry, sir. They sent out a form letter to the little boy a few weeks after the letter was sent, but it wasn't until today that someone caught the nature behind the letter."

Cap's nostrils flared as he threw the letter down as he marched back into the main part of the mansion. A few minutes later, having gotten directions to the boy's residence, Cap strode through the mansion in a fury.

It was only when he was a few blocks from the Jarmon's apartment that Cap considered how to handle things. Deciding that the direct approach was the best, Cap strode up to the Front door of the Jarmon's brownstone. When Mrs. Jarmon answered the door, he bowed his head in respect and asked, "Excuse me, maam, but is Corey home?"

Ms. Jarmon's eyes grew as big as saucer plates when she opened the door to find a costumed superhero at her front door, "Umm, yes, please come right in," she replied as soon as she regained her ability to think and speak.

"Who's there, mom?" Corey asked as he came into the doorway. As soon as he saw Captain America, he grinned wide. "YES! I knew you'd come sooner or later. What took you so long?" Grabbing Cap's hand, Corey led the hero into his living room.

"Sorry it took so long, son. There was a mix-up, but I came as soon as I read your letter."

"And did you bring daddy, too? Is he waiting outside until you've talked to mommy first, huh?" Corey's heart began leaping in his chest. His dream was about to come true. His favorite hero was here to help his family be a family again.

"Corey? What did you do?" Denise Jarmon said as she looked at Cap with horror and embarrassment in her face, then she shrieked as she realized fully what he'd asked, "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"Maam, can I speak to your son alone for a minute?" When the woman just stared at him with a blank stare, Cap took Corey by the shoulder and walked him outside. Corey kept looking between his mother and Cap until they got outside. Then the look on his face spoke volumes about his confusion. Cap bit back his emotions as he tried to explain to his little fan why he wasn't a miracle worker. "Corey, I'm afraid there's been a little misunderstanding. I'm not here to bring your parents back together. I don't think anyone can do that except your mom and your dad. I've come to let you know that I got your letter and that while I wished that I could help, this just isn't something I can help you with. Sometimes when two people who love each other but can't work things out, they have to go their separate ways rather than make their lives miserable."

"But... but..." Corey tried to speak but his eyes began to fill up with tears and his throat closed up for any sounds except for sobs. He didn't even realize for minutes as he cried that Captain America had pulled him close and was letting him cry on his shoulders. After the tears and sobs stopped, Corey wiped his nose, "But mom cries herself to sleep every night and sometimes she calls out for daddy in her sleep."

"I understand, son. Sometimes when we lose someone that we love, we miss them. But I'm sure that your parents tried very hard to make things work. It's just sometimes it doesn't work. It's not your fault, though, and I'm sure that they both love you just as much."

After an hour, Cap felt that Corey could understand as much as he was capable of understanding. So, Cap tousled Corey's hair as he got back on his bike. "Remember, you're a hero too. Stay strong and keep your spirits up," he advised as he crank his bike and drove away.

"He said, 'Stay strong and keep your spirits up,' then he crank his bike and drove away." Corey relayed his encounter with his favorite hero to a small group of his classmates.

"No way, Dorkus." Ricky retorted as he smacked Corey up side the head.

"Uh, huh, Cap's the greatest!" Corey defended himself. After a few months, he began to accept that his parents weren't getting back together, but it didn't matter as much because he knew that as long as Captain America and the Avengers existed everything would work out.

End of Part One
(Be sure to come back because in the next part, Corey meets more of his favorite Avengers, namely Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, and the Vision.)

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