BOOM! ONE SHOT FOR YOU!
1973 Vietnam War
Balancing the three-year-old on her hip while examining the top secret file in her free hand was something Amelia Howlett had become used to in the Stark Household. Since Howard was always working and Maria was busy trying to keep the company afloat, and even though the toddler had a nanny? Amelia always liked playing with Tony when she had the time.
"Anthony," The doctor sighed when Tony tried to hit the file out of her hand for the third time. Looking over at him, she rolled her eyes and put down the file and gave the boy her full attention. "So... Tell me what you've learning."
The little boy beamed and started talking about all the things he learned and what he did that day. But as he talk, Amelia's mind wondered. Wondered to a time where she and her brothers were together and she was unbelievably happy.
But as she was nearing memories she had refused to think about, the little boy place his hand on her cheek. "Aunt Amy? Why do you wear a ring?"
Looking down at her left hand that still work the engagement ring Steve had given her thirty years ago, then looked up at Tony with sad eyes. "Because I don't have the courage to take it off... You see, someone very special gave me this ring and he died."
"The same person that daddy tells me stories about?" He asked.
"Yeah," She smiled, putting the boy down. "Captain America... Now, how about you build me something that will blow my mind? Hmm?"
Anthony beamed, clapping his hands and running over to his playroom. Watching him leave, Amelia picked up the file once more.
It was about a field agent that went AWOL and it was the woman's job to determine his punishment. Apparently the field agent shot the intended target without question them first, then continued to shot another two Shield agents...
Before she could make a coherent thought about the agent, the phone rang. Looking up at the yellow phone, the doctor sighed. She knew that no one else would answer the damn thing, so she walked the five feet and picked it up.
"Hello?" She asked, flipping through the folder again.
"Amy?" It was her twin brother; James.
Closing the file, Amelia raised an eyebrow in confusion. "James? What's wrong? I told you never to call me unless-"
"I need you to come get me..." James sounded exhausted and on edge. "Amy, it's bad."
Forgetting about the crazy field agent, Amy was already thinking about how she was going to rescue her brother. "Where are you?"
"Africa." He said, giving her the cordinates of his whereabouts.
Nodding, Amelia sighed. "James? Stay out of sight and stay safe..."
"You got it." James hung up.
Amelia ran to Howard's office, not bothering to knock when she entered the room. The inventor was intently tinkering with something on his desk. "Howard, I'm going to need your plane."
"What?" He finally looked up, looking confused. "Why do-"
"James, he needs me to get him." She replied.
He didn't reply... Howard knew that when it came to her brothers? Amelia would have taken his plane with or without his permission. "Fine, but I don't want any bulletholes!"
Laughing, the doctor closed the door and ran for the garage, taking the Harley-Davidson motorcycle; Amelia raced to get to the Stark private plane.
Walking through the crowded streets at night, Amelia was walking towards the exact coordinates that her brother gave her. They led to a run down shack near the edge of the jungle, it was obvious that no one had lived in it for years which made it the ideal meeting place because no one would think to look there.
Knocking on the old door, Amelia waited until it opened to reveal her twin brother. He was covered in dirt and looked around warily. Smiling up at him, the doctor hugged James. "It's good to see you."
"You, too." He sighed, hugging her back. "We should go, I'll tell you everything on the plane."
Taking a step back, she nodded and lead him towards the car she had apprehended and waited them at the outskirts of the town.
James didn't talk the whole way, only looked around expecting to be attacked at any minute... Only on the plan did he visibly relax. Amelia had him wash up and change his clothes before he came to sit next to her.
It was thirty minutes before the twin brother that sat back down, he leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.
"James, tell me what happened." Amelia whispered, watching his eyes slowly open.
He sat up and rubbed his face. "It started in Vietnam..."
It took almost two hours for James to tell her the whole story and when he was done? He looked over at his twin sister. Amelia was staring down at her hands, shaking her head in disappointment. She loved her brother, but to hear what Victor had become? She would be lying if it had suprised her...
Looking up at James, Amelia smiled sadly. "You have two choices... Live with me and the Starks or I can drop you off somewhere."
"Like hell I would live with Howard," He sighed, then shook his head. "Canada. That sounds like a good place."
"Okay," She nodded, taking her twin's hand. "Promise you'll call if anything happens."
"I promise." James' squeezed her hand.
They landed hours later and Amelia insisted giving James money to help him start out.
"Two thousand dollars?" He raised an eyebrow, putting the money in his pocket. "Don't you think that's a bit much?"
Rolling her eyes, Amelia smack her brother on the head. "I have more money than I need!"
James hugged her tightly and laughed. "I'll miss you..."
"I'll miss you, too." She sighed, pulling away from her brother and pushed him towards the stairs. "There will be a car waiting for you... Stay safe!"
James nodded, turning and walked away without another a word. She only turned around when Amelia couldn't see her brother anymore.
'Where to next, Ma'am?" The pilot asked.
Taking in a breath, she walked back inside the plane. "Let's go home..."
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When Amelia got back to the Stark household, she was exhausted and needed a shower. But her day wasn't over... She found Howard in her bedroom, just sitting on her bed.
"So, what happened?" He asked.
Groaning, the doctor walked towards her closet and started to undress. "You don't wanna know, and there is no way I am going to put it on Shield record... But I am putting the name William Stryker onto the watch list."
Howard got up and leaned against the walk-in-closet doorway while the doctor changed. "That bad?"
"You have no idea," She groaned, pulling on the short sleeping gown. "Let's just say if I could? I would put Victor on the Kill On Sight list."
"You know this is going to come back in chew you in the ass?" The inventor sighed, rubbing his forehead. "What you've told me about Vitor? He wont give up that easily."
Nodding with a sigh, Amelia turned and walked past Howard. "Then just pray that he stays away..."
"Okay, but if he does come back? You can't use Shield resources at all." He said matter of factly. "You would risk exposure."
"I know." Amelia rolled her eyes, pulling back the covers of her bed and glared at Howard. "No, get out. I do need sleep before I return to work."
Howard laughed, shaking his head and walked towards the door, then he stopped. "Amy... Do you think I'm a good dad?"
The question suprised Amelia... Never Howard was so up front with his feelings. It was true that he could take more time with his son, even pick him up or just simply play with him. But the doctor knew that he was trying to do his best, the only way he knew how. She knew about his little project with the 'Key of The Future' city.
Smiling up at him, Amelia nodded. "I think you're doing fine... Goodnight."
"Goodnight." He walked out the door.
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The next morning, Amelia was awaken by someone jumping on her bed. Groaning, she opened her eyes to find that it was Tony; giggling like a normal little kid. Amelia couldn't help but grin as she caught the toddler and started to tickle him.
"Stop! Stop!" He laughed, squirming under his aunt's attack.
Finally stopping, Amelia wrapped her arms around Tony and kissed him on the cheek. "What are you doing waking me up so early?"
Tony pouted, looking a little hurt. "Aunt Amy, it's my birthday..."
She had completely forgot it was today... Faking a gasp, the doctor acted confused. "Was that today? How old are you? Ten?"
"No! I'm four!" He laughed, lifting up four fingers. "Did you get me any presents?"
"Of course!" She laughed, getting out of the bed with Tony still in her arms. "But, you first have to tell me what you've been doing for the past four days!"
Tony grinned and wiggled out of his aunt's arms, taking her hand he dragged her towards his playroom. Opening up the door, in the middle of the room was a circuit board. "I've been building this for awhile now! I'm glad that I finished it today!"
"Today?"
"Yeah, I stayed up so I could finish it!" He grinned, watching Amelia intently.
All she could do was stare at the toddle, then she broke into a grin. "Anthony, you are truly a genius."
Tony laughed, then asked about his presents. The doctor chuckled and lead him to her office where she was hiding his gift. Amelia had bought him a completely new, state of the art tool set. He was practically bouncing at the sight of it.
But, before Tony could play with his new tools, his nanny came to get him ready for the day's activities.
Six Years Later
"Can you see?" Amelia glared at the man who had tried to hit on her the fourth time in a row. "Because I don't wear this engagement ring for nothing!"
The man who stank of beer leaned closer and grinned. He spoke with a thick New York accent, his hand clenching onto Amelia's thigh. "That don't be a thing to me, darlin'! I can show you-"
Grabbing the man's wrist, the doctor twisted it behind his back and slammed him onto the bar. "I am taken! And to someone who is far better than you."
The man tried to shake her off, but Amelia had too strong of a hold of him. He wasn't going until she decided she wanted him to... Luckily after a moment, Amelia released him and walked away.
She wasn't at the Stark household tonight... She wasn't fond of drinking in front of Tony; it would set a bad explain.
She found her car easily, climbing in and driving back to the mansion she called home. At three in the morning, all the lights but Howard's lab was off. Amelia parked in the garage and made her way to the one please she found herself on this particular day.
Howard had made this room for her, taking that worn out suitcase and making it into a room. He made it a secret room so no one would find it... Walking to her room and to the back of her closet; Amelia pressed the back wall and it revealed a room.
It was filled with pictures and the mementos, even Howling Commandos gadgets. It was filled with whiskey and vodka, anything to keep her drinking.
Picking up the thirty-year-old picture, Amelia sat down on the couch she had placed in the room.
It was a picture of Steve and her... Bucky had taken the picture without them knowing.
Amelia and Steve were sitting in the back of the jeep, laughing at Dugan who just finished telling them the story about his date with a woman named; Scarlett.
It was her second favorite picture of Steve, the first being before the serum; the man that made Captain America.
Every year, Amelia found herself in this room... The day Steve died.
"I wonder if you can heal from a bullet to the head," A man laughed from behind her, firmly place a gun to her temple.
She didn't even hear them come in... Amelia straightened and took another drink from her whiskey. "Who do I have to pleasure of meeting?"
"Amelia," A voice called out to her, making her heart freeze. "What did I tell you about talking to strangers?"
Her hand tightening on the glass, the doctor turned to face her brother with a glare. "Victor..."
Smirking, the older brother walked forward, revealing the older looking man behind him. "Why the face? Don't you miss me?"
"After what you did?" She growled, feeling the gun press harder against her skull. "James told me everything and honestly? I'm ashamed to call you my brother!"
"That's a little bit harsh," The older man said, walking over to stand in front of Amelia, smiling. "I'm William Stryker and I have a few questions for you."
Laughing sarcastically, the woman crossed her legs. "Well, I don't have any answers. So, you should be on your way."
In the blink of an eye, Stryker looked towards Victor and suddenly her older brother was in front of her; with his hand around her throat, cutting off her air supply.
"Where's James?" Stryker asked, his face serious now.
Grabbing Victor's wrist, Amelia shook her head. "I don't know."
The man sighed and looked around the room, his eyes landing on the picture of Steve. "Victor wasn't lying... You were Captain America's old flame! What a shame he had to die... But that's the cost of war, losing valuable weapons."
Amelia thrashed, clawing at her brother's arm. Her reaction made Victor laugh and squeeze tighter. "You always got edgy when your precious Steve is brought up! Man... I wish I was the one to put him in the grave!"
All she saw was red... Burning Victor's skin under her palms causing him to let her go with a scream, but before she could do anything? The man behind her shot her through the heart.
Amelia slumped to the ground, trying to catch her breathe.
"One last time, where is James?" The older man smiled.
Clenching her jaw together, Amelia didn't say a word. Only glared at her older brother and he glared back. "She's not going to talk... She's stubborn like that."
The man who shot her, walked around the chair. "Then he must be somewhere he will always go back to."
"Or least expect," Victor suddenly grinned, turning to the older gentleman. "Canada, that's where he is."
He and the other man nodded, then looked back at the bleeding woman. They agreed to leave before Stark came to check on her. Victor didn't even give her a side glance before walking out.
And all Amelia could do was glare at his back, and trying to heal her wounds.
Thirty minutes later, Howard found her in the secret room and basically had a panic attack. Even then Amelia was completely healed, it was like she didn't want to be healed that she wanted to die.
Howard cradled her in his arms, putting pressing onto the wound. "Come on, Amy! You gotten heal yourself! If you don't, you'll die!"
"Victor betrayed me," She choked, blood tainting her lips. "He'll kill James..."
"But that doesn't mean you should die!" The inventor argued back, trying to think of the fastest way to a hospital. But realized that there was no possible way that plan would work, so Howard would just try and convince her. "What would Steve do? Huh? He would never forgive yourself if you let yourself die!"
Amelia just stared at him, tears spilling down her face. It was so rare for Howard to bring up Steve around her, it was a taboo. She swallowed, thinking about what he said and started to heal herself. "I miss him, Howard..."
"I know." He sighed, hugging her to him. "We all do..."
Fully healed now, Amelia stood up and walked towards the door; not looking behind her too see if Howard left or not.
That was the day that the doctor truly tried to move on with her life.
Before any one asks why I'm not continuing this or anything... Amelia knew that she couldnt help James/Logan at all, there was no way should would be able to get there in time. She also knew that she couldn't risk Stryker getting a hold of her powers. But I may post some more one shots of Amelia's life during the seventy years and everything. :)