Junior Avengers

Chapter One

The Not So Good New Years

December 31st 2013

11:19 PM

When Steve arrived at The Avengers tower, given the title almost two years ago, he could tell by the flashing lights and blasting music that Stark had the party going full swing. Steve was almost surprised he hadn't gotten any noise complaints yet.

Shaking his head, Steve wondered what the billionaire playboy was going to do in a few more months when he had his hands full with a little, squirming baby. Tony just better be glad Pepper was the mother, he didn't think any other women could handle two Starks.

Revving his motor cycle once more, Steve rode it over to the back of the building where the garage doors were. An Avengers Only sign was put up in the bullet proof windows, marking it off limits to the public. After punching in his code and letting the machine prick his thumb, the doors opened upwards allowing him to drive in and park in his reserved spot.

Turning off the engine and pulling the keys out of the slot, Steve swung his leg over to stand after placing the kickstand down.

"Hello, Master Rogers, very good seeing you again. Shall I escort you to the party?," Jarvis' voice sounded as the elevator dinged and the metal doors slid open.

"Oh...yes, thank you..Jarvis," Steve answered, placing his keys on one of the hooks mounted on the wall along with many others, most taken, before stepping into the elevator.

The ride up was awkward for the captain, all the familiarity he had with Jarvis had all but disappeared during the two years he had been on the road. Now, just the thought of a personless voice, A.I or not, watching his every move was enough to make the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

When the elevator stopped at the top floor and the doors opened, Steve started for a moment as the music that vibrated through out the tower got especially louder, making the super soldiers ears ring.

As he let his super hearing adjust to the increased of volume, Steve took in the scene in front of him. It seemed that Tony had turned the Avenger's get together into an all out press party.

Steve toyed with the idea of leaving before anyone noticed him. He had never liked parties, he didn't before the war and he certainly didn't after he was unfrozen.

Turning around to head back into the elevator, debating whether he should head to his floor to try to get some rest or go out and try to find a hotel, he was stopped when a voice to his left shouted, "Capsicle!,"

Knowing there was no escape now that he had been caught, Steve sighed before addressing the source of the voice.

"Ah...Tony, Miss Potts," he nodded to each of them.

"It's good to see you again, Mr. Rogers, and please, call me Pepper," she said, holding out her hand to shake.

Taking her hand in his, he replied, "Only if you call me Steve,"

"I think that can be arranged," Pepper answered with a warm smile.

"Is this where I should be worried about you taking my girl, Cap?," Tony jokingly interrupted, making Steve's ears turn pink and Pepper roll her eyes.

Crossing her arms, she told him, "Tony, I'm having your child, if I was going to leave you, I would have done it already," all seriousness showing on her face.

"Aw..Pep, you wound me," Tony exaggerated, a hand over his heart.

"Speaking of child, congratulations Pepper, I'm sorry I couldn't be here in person when you announced it,"

"That's completely fine," Pepper reassured him.

"Yeah, we understand, traveling around, seeing how the world's changed. You make a Facebook yet, I bet you'd get hundreds of requests, just from being Captain America,"

"Tony," Pepper said, her thumb and fore finger massaging her temples.

"What, people have gotten just as many for much more stupider stuff, trust me I know," Tony joked, but it was lost on the ex-soldier.

"No one could have hundreds of friends Tony, not even you," Steve told him, hands stuffed in his jeans pockets.

Tony sweat dropped, wondering if his friend would ever be able to recognize when he was joking. Brown eyes catching movement over Steve's shoulder, Tony said, "Uh, oh, I see eyepatch heading this way, that would be my cue to go," rapping his arm around Pepper's waist, and turning around to go back the way they came.

"It was nice to meet you again, Steve," Pepper threw over her shoulder, before they were lost in the crowd.

"Captain," Steve turned around a the sound of his title, "Director," he said, before turning his attention to the man standing beside Fury. He was aged, at least in his late eighties if not older, but he was standing straight, in perfect posture, with no assistance. The sides of his short hair was white, while the top was a mild brown. The thing that stuck out the most to Steve, though, was the patch over his right eye, mirroring that of the Director.

"Hello, I'm-,"

"Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America, yes I know," the man said, making Steve shoot a look at Fury. The man was unhelpful and only smirked at the Captain of his Avengers.

"Nicholas Fury, ex Director of S.H.I.E.L.D, don't suppose you remember me," the man said, holding out his hand, that Steve shook.

"That's quite a grip you got there, Mr...Fury," Steve said, not sure what to call the man that shared the same name as the director.

"Yes, we share the name, I think it may be becoming a family name," Mr. Fury said.

At the confused look Steve gave both of them, Director Fury decided to step in on his father's fun.

"Captain, this is my father, you actually fought with him once or twice during the war,"

'Oh, I- I'm sorry, I don't remember, there are still memories I'm putting together, but I'm sure they will come to me some day,"

"Hmm." Mr. Fury grunted, Steve couldn't tell if he was pissed about being forgotten or not. Now he knew where the Director got his poker face from.

"Well-," Steve started, but was interrupted by a high pitch scream.

11:26 PM

The voices kept fading in and out, as Pepper stood beside her boyfriend. Tony was currently talking to some of the few press that was allowed up here, oblivious to her inner struggle.

Bringing a hand down to her stomach, she caressed the small bump that was there. Just starting into her fourth month, it was just beginning to show enough for her to start getting stares whenever she was out in public.

Feeling a sharp pain where her hand was covering, she let out a short breath, massaging the spot hoping it would sooth whatever was happening.

"...per, Pepper, you okay?," Tony's voice brought her out of her fog.

"What?," she asked, blinking rapidly a few times

"Are you Okay, you're as pale as a ghost, Pep," Tony said bringing a hand up to her cheek, "You're burning up, why didn't you tell you weren't feeling good?," Worry shone in his eyes.

"Didn't..didn't want to ruin your party," She answered breathlessly.

"Forget the party Pep, you're health is more important, it's not just your's anymore,"

That caught Pepper's attention, but she doubled over in pain before she could say anything, "Ow...owowowow, what is happening," She asked, her face scrunched up and gritting her teeth, she felt Tony's arms around her not letting her fall to the floor.

Looking around, Tony caught sight of a red headed women, "Natasha!," he yelled, breaking up her conversation with Clint, as both looked his way.

"Pepper, what's wrong?," Natasha asked, jogging over with Clint on her heels.

"Don't you think I already asked her that, call an ambulance!," Tony shouted.

Narrowing her green eyes at him that flashed with danger, Nat turned her attention to Clint, "Call 911,"

"Pepper, where exactly is the pain?,"

Tony had no idea how the two shield agents were being so calm through all this. All his nerves were shot, and for once in his life he had no idea what to do. He didn't want to face what was happening, he was getting a family and a small chance to be normal. He didn't know what he or Pepper would do if that was ripped from them before they even got to experience it.

Pepper's shrill scream brought him back to the present and his eyes widened at what he saw.

Blood. Lot's of blood, covering the bottom of Pepper's dress. Between what he was seeing, Pepper's scream and the crowd that was slowly gathering around them, he was froze in shock.

"The ambulance is on it's way," he heard Clint say.

"Were not going to have enough time, we need to get her to a car, I'll drive her to S.H.I.E.L.D's medical center," Nat said, getting up from where she was crouched beside Pepper. "Tony, TONY!," Nat's voice once again made him come to attention, "We need to get her to the car, Now!,"

"Right, right," he said. Eyes wide, Tony scooped Pepper up bridal style and followed Natasha as she parted the sea of people that were all gawking at them and having the nerve to take pictures he was sure would end up on the front page of the paper in the morning.

All he could do was give a silent plea to the heavens that everything would be alright.

Once the three were out of the room, Steve took charge of the mess that was left behind. Looking around at all the people that had started talking all at once, he screamed over them, "OKAY, PARTY OVER, EVERY OUT," effectively catching their attention with his Captain voice, as Tony called it. Weather it was true or not, it work as people started shuffling toward the elevator that Jarvis had opened.

Running a hand through his blonde hair, Steve thought, 'I knew I should have gone to find a hotel,'

11:39 PM

Natasha was feeling like she just got back from a long, hard mission. Bone tired and in need of a hot shower and a warm, soft bed. Sadly that wasn't the first thing that greeted her when she arrived back at the tower. What was waiting for her was six worried and anxious faces.

In the communion living room on the third floor, was were all the Avengers, minus Thor and Tony, had gathered to wait on news of their friends. The news that was her job to deliver.

"Nat," Clint said, being the first one to see her. He got up from where he was lounged sideways in a chair, his legs dangling over one of the arm rest, and walked over to her.

Facing her, Clint placed his hand on her upper arm, and silently asked if she was okay, which she gave a slight nod to. It was one of the things she liked most about her relationship with Clint, most of the time there was no need for words, they knew each other well enough to be able to read each other's silent ques.

"Is Pepper okay?," Steve asked from where he had stopped pacing in front of the flatscreen.

"Pepper is going to be fine," Natasha told them, seeing the relief flood their faces, until Bruce asked, "What about the kid, that was a lot of blood, was there a miscarriage?,"

Taking a deep breath, Nat answered, "Yes, at least the start of one, they don't know if the child's going to make it, so Pepper and Tony are staying the night at Shield's medical,"

"My god, poor Pepper," Janet said, a hand over her mouth, as Hank put an arm around her and she laid her head on his chest.

Wasp had grown fond of Pepper since her and Ant-man had joined the Avengers back in 2012, not even a month after they defeated Loki. They had even become friends over time, with Natasha quitting the Avengers back in October, Karen didn't have many female superheroes to talk to, so Pepper became her go to girl.

"I don't know about you guys, but I don't really feel up to watching the ball drop tonight," Natasha said, turning around and heading back to the elevator with Clint following. Hearing a chorus of soft goodnights as the doors slid shut.

Natasha laid her head on Clint's bare chest, his fingers threading through her messy red hair.

"What a great start to the year, huh?," She said, looking up at him, with a sad smile.

"Well, it wasn't all bad," he smirked, moving to where she was laying on her back under him.

He gave her a quick kiss, before trailing them down to her chin, then neck.

Natasha stretched out giving him more room, grabbing both sides of his head and bringing him back up to her face when he had gotten to the top of her own bare chest.

Letting his lips meet her's again, she pulled back and smiled coyly, "Sorry, but no round two tonight,"

Giving a breathy laugh, Clint yielded, "Okay, okay," content to lay his head on her shoulder, breathing in her scent.

"Why don't you come back to the Avenger?," Clint asked after a while a silence.

Groaning, Natasha covered her eyes with the palms of her hands, "Clint, not this again,"

"Won't you just consider it, what's so bad about being part of a team for once, actually having people who care about you?,"

"Love is for children, Clint, and that's what would happen if I stayed, It would give me a weakness for my enemies to exploit,"

"But, this isn't a regular team, it's a group of superheroes, who know how defend themselves,"

"Not for long," at Clint's confused look she continued, "Let's face, most of the Avengers are going to end up finding someone, and starting families, and that's great, for them, but you and I can never have that, we're Shield agents, top of the line. We have done things that the other's couldn't even dream of,"

Clint sat up and wiped a hand over his face, "Clint-,"

"I get what your saying Natasha, but I don't agree with it. I think we could do it,"

"Do what?,"

"Have a family, an Avenger family, and maybe even one of our own," he told her with pleading blue eyes.

"No," the Black Widow stepping into Natasha's place, no emotion showing on her face.

"Nat," Clint brought a hand up to reach for her, only for her to sit up, bringing the light brown comforter around her. Letting her feet touch the cold wooden floor she stood up, picking up her strapless black bra and underwear from where they were thrown down at the foot of the bed. Putting them on underneath the covers, she said, "No, Clint, I will not risk the lives of our friends, let alone an innocent one of a child, just because you want the perfect, white picket fence family,"

Throwing the covers off her she grabbed her red, strapless dress and black shawl. Putting them on, she grabbed her black high heels and headed for the door.

"Nat, where are you going?," Clint asked.

"To my room, and you won't have to worry about me any more, I'll be gone before morning," Slamming the door behind her, she left Clint alone in the bedroom that had stopped being just his for months.

"You idiot," Clint said to himself, before laying back down, knowing sleep would evade him this night.

Meanwhile, the rest of New York is watching as the ball drops, 5...4..3..2..1 Happy New Year.

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year, even if it is a couple days late, hope your New Years Eve was better than The Avengers'. Poor Guys XD

This is a rewrite of my first story, Junior Avengers, and as you can, hopefully, tell, things are going to be different. I've added some more characters from Marvel and the parents of some members the Team have changed. But, you'll just have to wait to find that out.

The Winter Soldier and any other Marvel movies that are coming out after that haven't happened yet.