Chapter One
2015
The mousey haired woman stared through the glass where the scientists of HYDRA waited for her to demonstrate her skills. It was her own damn fault. She was so stupid. Charlie should known have something was going on. What did a rich, handsome twenty-five year old want with a plain, fresh out of highschool girl. For goodness sake he had the pick of the best looking - not to mention older women however he picked her, making her feel so freaking special that she couldn't resist his allure. Her friends told her, warned her about her boyfriend, but she didn't fucking listen. People were right, love makes you blind. Her perfect beau was a HYDRA agent, Charlie was just his mission. He publicly dumped, saying she wasn't the girl for him and he could do better. Red hot anger running through her veins, she yelled, "Well, you can go fuck yourself! I hope never have the displeasure of seeing your face!" Humiliated she sprinted home but even before made it to her doorstep a hand pulled her into a dark alley. The next thing she knew someone was covering her nose a chloroform soaked cloth and she was out like a light. She was so scared when she woke up, Charlie remembered how she screamed till her throat was raw, asking why. Finally the love of her life showed up and explain how her DNA was ideal for the serum to work. He needed to draw attention away from him when his girlfriend mysteriously disappeared so he broke her heart where everyone can see the whole ordeal, cutting off all ties with her. It hurt at first to think that she gave everything him, sometimes when she thought about his smile or their sweet moments together, her brown eye would grow misty.
The hatred followed.
She was incredibly naive and dimwitted to think that happy story book endings existed. Charlie should have listen to what her mother said. She could almost hear her mother's grating tone, "Get your head out of your ass, Charlotte, life's not a fucking fairytale. Be ready for disappointments, there's no prince charmings waiting to safe you. Only pretty faced liars, baby girl, don't be too stupid enough to be fooled."
For five years Charlie survived on her angry and with the hope she would get her revenge on the godforsaken organization that ruined her life. She wanted to prove to herself she was smart and strong enough to use what she was given to her advantage. She grinned at one of the doctors, today would be the day.
"Asset, exercise maneufer ten-one." An accented voice ordered through the speakers.
Charlie rolled her stiff shoulders. They were idiots if they thought they could control her. 'Big mistake...' The woman closed her eyes, feeling the kinetic energy flowing in the room. She was their happy accident. Hydra was trying to replicate their success with Wanda Maximoff, instead they got her, woman who could manipulate energy.
"Proceet vith zee presentation." Wolfgang von Strucker announced with a slightly irritated drawl.
Charlie took a deep breath, this was it, she only had one chance if she failed they would never trust her again. She turned to the mannequins set up in her observation room. Focusing on the rubber human figures willing the molecules to vibrate faster until the mannequins burst into blue flames. Charlie opened her eyes to face the panel of high ranking Hydra members noting their impressed expressions.
Dr. List looking very proud of himself, addressed his audience, "As see gentleman the asset displays pyrotechnic abilities as a result of the serum. Much different from the other female asset, Scarlet Witch, but nevertheless useful."
The group was so engrossed with their discussion, they never noticed the hairline crack on their precious protective window, separating them from her.
"Does she have any more valuable talents?" One of the men asked.
"Of course." The Baron stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world before looking back at her. "Execute Project Alpha, Maneufer zero-five. Proceet vith kaution."
Charlie nodded, "Yes, sir." Waiting for the guns in both sides of her room to release a string of ammo. She heard the unforgiving noise of bullets heading towards her.
The HYDRA members' eyes widened as the petite woman merely lifted her hands and half of the bullets dropped to the floor while rest were redirected into the half burnt mannequins. Suddenly two more guns emerged from the floor, shooting five discs at her. She brought her hand into a fist, destroying the two plates as she used the three to decapitate the mannequins.
It was a hard feat, putting a show for the dignified members of HYDRA while trying to create a small yet strong enough explosion to distract the bastards and bust open the window.
"Amazing!" The someone exclaimed, "With her and the Maximoff twins we will accomplish many things. Tell me doctor how does the subject do such things."
The Strucker said nothing in response but gave Charlie a commanding look of expectancy. She cleared her throat, "Permission to speak, sir?"
"Permission grantet. Proceet sie das vith zee explanation."
She tilted her head at the HYDRA member, "It's quite simple actually, middle school level science. Kinetic Energy. In the split second, the bullets were flying I controlled the molecules in the air and inside the object. With this gift, I can destroy and reroute energy at any time, bending it to my will. Oh, and this too-" As soon as Charlie said those words, bright lights appeared from her side of the window blinding the Hydra members while she vibrated the molecules in window till it shattered, hitting the people in the front row sits.
Charlie ran, not caring if she cut her feet on the glass shards, ignoring the bullets passing by her not even trying to use her power to redirect the projectiles. She was so close to being free just couple more feet, turning at the corner she reached the research chamber where they kept all the experimental subjects. At the very back of the dreary cold room was the twins, Pietro twitching in a corner becoming a blur once in awhile, in the other observation his sister was levitating two blocks red energy visible on the tips of her fingers. Both of the Maximoffs looked at her feeling her gaze on their person, "я желаю вам удачи мои друзья" [I wish you good luck my friends] Charlie yelled before disappearing into another corridor.
Tears of frustration filled her eyes knowing she would be leaving the two behind. The brunette tried talking the twins out of their vendetta against Tony Stark but who was she to judge, she only survived because she wanted to personally burn HYDRA to the ground, to use their weapon against them. Minutes into her run a revelation struck her, she doesn't know where the exit was. Charlie didn't even plan where she would be staying after her escape since she obviously can't come home to apartment. God, she was so unprepared. Nervous and scared, she entered the first she saw. A glowing blue scepter was sitting in the room, the weapon that gave birth to her power.
"Ah. I see you found zee tesseract."
Charlie spun around; manipulating the energy emitting from the weapon to protect her while the minions of HYDRA pointed their guns at her.
"I expect betzer from you, Charlotte." Strucker commented as if he knew she would try to go against him.
"Piss off, Baron!" She crudely shouted, running out of the room through the open balcony.
"Do not let zee asset ehscape!" Wolfgang commanded.
The HYDRA soldiers jumped into action, Charlie's light brown eyes grew determined and she gathered more power from the scepter. She knew couldn't escape and if she did it wouldn't be true liberation, HYDRA would just drag her back to her godforsaken cage. The only way she would be free from HYDRA's clutches would be death but if she had to die then she would be bring them with her. Charlie gathered as much power as she could, releasing it on her would be attackers. The blue energy did what she intended it blasting the Baron and his men against the cobblestone wall however due to the momentum of her attack it sent her tipping over the edge of the railings.
Charlie's mouth opened in silent scream till a blue light blinded her vision.
Then nothing….
1928
A little dark haired auburn girl was trudging along the snow covered sidewalk in her red boots when several boys came out of the alley.
"Keh. Punk don' know when to give up." One of the older boys complained while fixing his hair.
Michelle scurried to find a hiding place, she knew those boy were trouble. Billy Davies and his gang were the local bullies of the neighbourhood. The grey eyed girl tried her best to avoid them especially after the incident a couple months ago when they were making fun for being able to read fairly well for her age. She was just sitting on the swings with her book when they approached her started calling her a brainiac. Of course she replied with, "At least I'm not an eleven year old still stuck in grade four!", as a result she received a face full of dirt and her favorite book destroyed. It happened two years ago and for a fact Michelle knew Billy still held a grudge against her for insinuating that he was stupid. He was one of the reasons why she was being homeschooled and her uncle felt that she would be safer staying away from the street where Billy would be waiting for her.
His friend threw an arm around, "But did you see the look on his face when you gave him your right hook."
Billy laughed, "Let's bounce, Imma freeze my ass off here."
Their voices slowly faded into the howling winds of winter. Michelle emerged from her temporary safe haven to check on the person who was unlucky enough to cross paths with Billy and co. She wrapped her beige coat tighter around her petite body and cautiously entered the shady alley. She heard someone groan in pain, finally coming across a bloody faced boy huddled in a dirty corner. Michelle knelt down attempting to lean him to a wall to better examine his injuries, so focused seeing the damage through all the blood, she didn't notice blue eyes staring at her in a sleepy manner.
"Who. .'re y-you?" He croaked
.
"H-hi… I'm not going to hurt you but I think… you broke your nose." The nervous girl sputtered while helping the boy to stand. Michelle lead them to an empty park bench, carefully placing the injured boy onto the sit. She looked at his face, 'It's already swollen'
"Um, I can… fix it if you want…" She shyly said as she played with her gloved hands. "But it's okay if you don't want to…"
"...what?" The small boy confusedly asked, head still spinning from the amount of punches he took.
Michelle cleared her throat, "Your nose, it's crooked but I can fixing it if you'd like..,"
He touched his injury before flinching of the position of limb, "If it wouldn't trouble you, Miss."
The auburn haired girl barely held back her giggles from escaping, whoever this boy was, he was utterly adorable, "No, it no trouble at all. I apologize in advance though this will hurt." She explained as she gently grasped the broken appendage.
"Okay on the court of three, one." With a quick snap of her wrist, the boy's nose was back in place.
"Ahhh! What happened to, two and three." The boy exclaimed while Michelle searched for a clean patch of snow. She gathered the snow onto her white handkerchief, walking back to her patient and placed the makeshift ice pack onto his face.
"Oh, my name is Michelle LeClair."
"...Steve Rogers…" The boy mumbled, nervous a girl was actually talking the time to talk to him yet extremely happy he had the cloth filled with snow to hide behind.
"Well, it's a pleasure to meet Steve even if it's not on the best circumstances." Michelle scrunched her face in confusion, "I wonder… What did you do to make Billy blow a fuse?"
"Billy stole something for my neighbour. She's real old and it was from her husband so I had to get it back." Telling his explanation with such passion that she couldn't help but admire the brave boy.
"Well, you're a sweet gentleman for doing that Steve." Michelle dryly stated, giving a hand him to stand up, "But it's still mighty stupid of you."
Steve sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, "You sound like my friend, he thinks what I do sometimes is pretty stupid."
Michelle grinned and the two walked in silent companionship.
"Um…", Steve awkwardly started, "I've never seen you here before. Are you new to town?"
The girl shook her head, "Actually I lived here for most of my life but am homeschooled so I never really got around much. Most of the time I help with my uncle's garage."
Steve thought for a moment, "Your uncle's Ollie Conners?"
She dumbly blinked several times, "...Yes, how did know you?" Grey eyes looking at him curiously.
"I saw him at the school office asking about homeschooling programs."
"Oh, small world." Michelle quietly commented, gazing up at the sky she said, "It's cold, do you want to get some hot chocolate."
Steve lowered the hand holding the ice pack now covered in blood, nodding shyly, "Yes and I'm sorry for ruining your handkerchief."
Michelle laughed good naturedly, "It's okay, us small people should stick together."
The boy huffed, "I'm not short." He mumbled, pouting to himself.
She laughed again.
Forgetting that she was Charlotte Dean, a twenty- first century woman stuck in the body of a ten year old girl living in a time that wasn't her own.
A/N: I know Charlie/Michelle seems so... Mary sue and unstoppable but you have to remember she had five years to learn and practice her powers plus with her determination to get revenge, it's a dangerous combination. You know the saying, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," and she was pretty scorned if I do say so myself. But I'm not trying to make her "all powerful" so do warn me if she starts. That's all I have to say...
Bye-bye
