A/N: Hey guys! This is my first Avengers story, and my first story on this site! If they seem a bit OOC, I'm sorry, because I try not to do that.
Rated T for some violence and swearing.
This fic takes place a few years after the movie.
The Rescue
Chapter One - The Anniversary
A gentle breeze blew through the slightly open window. The sun rose over the horizon, casting dawn's light across the city. Some of the early sunlight spread into the pale yellow room, where a lone form stirred in bed. Sitting up, the person watched the sunrise as the dark city began to light up, smiling to himself at the pretty sight.
Turning away from the window, Bruce stepped out of bed and made his way to the living room. All the Avengers had been living in Stark Towers for about three years now. After they had defeated Loki many years ago, they had separated, but had soon all met up and agreed to live in Stark Towers; assembled, just in case there was ever another situation that the Avengers had to fix.
Coming into the living room, Bruce spotted Tony pouring himself a drink, even though it was still early.
"Isn't it a little too early for that?" Bruce asked. Tony turned towards him, smiling.
"Don't you know what today is?" asked Tony, sounding very excited as he hugged Bruce tightly.
"Okay, why the crushing death hugs all of a sudden?" asked Bruce, even though he still smiled. He liked Tony. The man accepted him for who he was, helped to calm him down when he got pissed, helped with many science projects...
He was one of Bruce's only friends.
Tony released Bruce but still smiled. "It's a very important day!" he said again, picking up the glass and taking a drink.
"Uhh, Wednesday?" Bruce asked. Tony pointed to the calendar, and Bruce walked over, reading the date. February 6th. A normal day. Except, there was a small notice on the calendar for that day. A note, written in red and circled, read "Bruce's 2nd anniversery!"
Slowly, Bruce turned towards Tony, who still had the glass in his hand and the same stupid grin on his face.
"The second anniversary...?" Bruce asked, his eyes widening as he remembered the date.
"Yep. It's been two years since you've thrown a fit." Tony remarked, setting the glass down. "Two years since a visit from...'the other guy'."
"Two years? Has it really been that long?" Bruce smiled, glad that he had been able to control himself.
"IT HAS BEEN LONG, AND NOW WE MUST CELEBRATE!" Thor yelled from the hallway.
"Yeah, okay, ow." Tony complained. "Say it louder, I don't think anyone heard you all the way across the universe."
"What are we celebrating?" a voice asked calmly, and a moment later, Steve came out of his room, Thor walking in from the hallway.
"Today is the day!" Bruce exclaimed, walking over to the pair and leading them to the calendar.
"Oh, your anniversary!" Steve congratulated. "How could I have forgotten? It's a very important date!"
"Two years since a visit from our green friend." Thor chimed in, looking pleased.
"Aaand..." Tony continued, looking into the refrigerator and pulling out a cake. "We made sure to have a proper celebration."
"Aaaww...you guys didn't have to..." Bruce began, but Steve stopped him.
"It's important, and we're happy you learned to control yourself." the Captain told him.
The four were about to go to the table and start the party, but a moment later Natasha and Clint came out of their respective rooms, complaining about how "you were gonna start the party without us!".
The Avengers all sat at the table, talking and going on about how Bruce was doing really well.
Bruce was happy. For the first time in years, he was happy to be with his friends, happy to hear them congratulate him...
Happy to just be here.
A FEW HOURS LATER
"It's starting to snow again." Steve remarked, smiling at the white puffs falling from the sky.
"Again?" Tony asked, holding a half empty bottle of beer. The party had been fun, all the Avengers celebrating so much that Director Fury had called to complain, until Bruce excitedly informed him about what day it was.
"Yep." Steve replied, putting on a blue jacket. "I'm going for a walk."
"But Captain, the weather is rather cold at this time." Thor told him, but Steve put on a scarf anyway, picking up his shield.
"You're taking your shield for something as simple as a walk?" Tony asked, staring at the Captain.
"I never leave home without it." Steve replied, looking out the window.
"Isn't that a little obsessive?"
"Hey, you never know..."
Tony rolled his eyes at how Steve looked around nervously before stepping out into the cold outdoors.
Walking along the path, Steve smiled at the snow falling from the sky, watching the white puffs curiously. He turned to walk into the forest, and was met with a blanket of snow that covered the forest ground. Smiling at the sight, Steve strode throughout the forest, enjoying the crunching the snow made when he took a step.
Suddenly, Steve looked down and saw a strange substance in the snow. It was slightly hidden by the newly fallen snow, but Steve could see it: red.
"Is that...blood?" Steve asked to no one, one hand on his shield in case this was a trap. Looking forward a bit, the Captain noticed a trail of it, looking somewhat like footprints. As if an injured person had come by recently.
Following it, Steve looked down at all times to not lose sight of the bloody footprints. Spotting a small layer of vines and trees, Steve pushed through the plants, where he saw a clearing, covered by snow, but still a trail of blood, leading to a body laying in the middle of the clearing.
Steve recognized who it was. He didn't want to. He shouldn't have even helped, or been worried. But he was Captain America, who wouldn't leave anyone behind, no matter who it was. That's why he had been so shocked when he looked up and saw who it was.
"LOKI!"