AN:
I wrote a one-shot for Canada Day and it would be shameful as an American to not write one for Independence Day.
WARNING: I use a mix of code names with first and last names. (and nicknames)
R&R!
Happy birthday, Captain America!
Happy birthday, America!
Warnings are things that help many people survive. A tornado siren can quickly alert people that a cyclone has formed and that it would be best to find shelter. A police alert can tell people about escaped convicts that they should avoid.
Likewise, in today's world of aliens and other dimensions, seeing a group of individuals known as the Avengers meant one thing. Run for your lives the Armageddon of today has arrived and is being fought as we speak! Please exit the danger zone calmly.
When this warning was given people's survival instincts kicked in and they left. As soon as the danger was dealt with they emerged to thank their heroes for A) saving them, B) existing, C) putting their lives on the line for strangers, or D) all of the above.
So it was completely normal for the team to have random people come up and thank them with smiles on their faces. Completely normal unless they weren't suited up and had not been fighting. People- other than high level S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and VERY important government figures- had no idea who they were off of the battlefield. The only one whose identity was known was Stark and that was only since he revealed whom Iron Man was not that long after he donned the suit. This fact made the situation they were currently in be quite worrisome.
The day had started off in a semi-normal fashion. It would have been another average day for the team (though average meant that they trained to improve their skills) if it weren't for the fact that it was their captain's birthday and the 4th of July. While Rogers may have wanted for this to have been a secret, Stark made it very difficult to keep it that way.
Stark had a tendency to hack into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s database "for fun." He justified this by saying that he was just showing them the errors in their firewall. Needless to say, Fury did not approve of his actions.
On one of his escapades into the virtual realm of top secret files he found out the most interesting fact that Captain AMERICA was born on AMERICA'S Independence Day. He took this information and proceeded to do the "mature" thing: annoy Steve 24/7 by laughing about how patriotic he was and how it was such a coincidence. This only got worse when Stark started to question if it was actually a coincidence and refused to accept Steve's protests that it had always been his birthday.
The information then spread to the rest of the team which lead to Stark and Barton coming up with conspiracy theories about how his birth date was changed. They took it so far as to march into S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters demanding an explanation. Fury then harangued the two for coming up with such a stupid theory and proceeded to tell them that this was actually a coincidence.
After all of the drama was over Steve's birthday was added to the calendar and wasn't thought of again until the Independence Day sales started. Debates about what the party should consist of went on until it was finally decided that they would have a simple cookout and then go to Central Park to relax while watching the fireworks.
When the 4th arrived they ate and then went to the park with Director Fury and Agent Hill. The team was fine with Hill being there but Fury's presence was disapproved until he mentioned that he would be the one dealing with any damage they caused.
The group then accepted him and were in the middle of a conversation when a young man ran up to them. This is when the day turned strange.
He was fairly tall, with bright blue eyes, golden hair that had a strange cowlick, a Hollywood smile, wire rimmed glasses, and a bomber jacket.
They looked at him for a few seconds before he started talking to them rapidly. "Oh my God! I'm finally getting to meet you guys! Wow! The Avengers! Y'all have done sssooo much for m-America and I just wanted to thank all of you! So thanks! Oh! Happy birthday, Captain!"
The Avengers then blinked at him in shock before shifting into battle positions. This man knew too much personal information on them by simply knowing who they were without their suits on. As they faced him defensively his smile faded a bit.
"Stand down," Fury commanded the team as he walked over to the blond man. "Alfred, I think you went off the handle a little too quickly for them. Why don't you introduce yourself?"
The man- Alfred- turned to the weary group with another smile. "Yo! My name is Alfred F. Jones! Otherwise known as the United States of America!"
At this statement Fury facepalmed. "I thought you were supposed to keep it a secret, America!"
"Technically I am. But the hero can trust other heroes to keep his secrets!"
The team continued to look on in shock until Stark stepped up. "Wait. You're telling me that this guy thinks that he's America and you believe him?"
Fury glared at him. "Yes I do."
"How are we supposed to believe that?" Romanoff asked.
"Why don't I prove it to one of you?" Alfred (America?) asked.
Steve stepped forward. "Okay. Let's see if that's the truth."
"Cool, dude! Now just look into my eyes."
Steve didn't know why he trusted this man, but he did as he asked before being swept into a torrent of memories.
(Memory-verse 'Steve's thoughts')
Steve turned around as he took in his surroundings. He was in a field with a young boy and an older man. The man was crying while the boy was comforting him. He started to approach the pair but the memory changed.
He was now in a house with the same pair. The boy was older but the man was unchanged. The boy was smiling as the man gave him toy soldiers. Steve looked closer at the boy. 'The boy was Alfred! But the clothes and decorations…they weren't like any he had seen outside of a museum.'
The memory changed again and this time Alfred- now a teen- was facing against the man.
'The uniforms look like something out of the Revolutionary War. '
Alfred rejected the man as his brother. The man ran up to shoot him but ended up dropping his weapon.
The images he saw showed the teen go through multiple wars and change. The teen became a young man as he fought against others and himself. War raged on. Enemies became friends. Friends became enemies. The cycle kept on repeating itself. Throughout all of this the man tried to be a hero. He often suffered for it, but he kept trying.
(End)
Steve gasped as he came out of the memory. What he saw weren't just the memories of Alfred F. Jones. They were the memories of America. Alfred was America. "It's true. He is who he says he is."
The rest of his team looked taken back.
"So you're America," Clint stated as he started to nod in acceptance. "I've heard more peculiar things."
"I'm not sure if that's a good thing," Bruce muttered before straightening up. "I believe the captain. If he says you're America, then you're America."
Stark, Romanoff, and Thor were next to express their viewpoints.
"This is weird, but okay." Tony said.
Natasha shrugged. "There's enough proof for me."
"You speak the truth and are indeed America. Since this is so, I believe I am right to say: happy birthday!" Thor finished.
Everyone (except America) looked at him with deadpan expressions on their faces.
"How is it that the Asgardian managed to remember that and the Americans plus one Russian forgot?" Tony asked.
Having no explanation for this they all ended up saying happy birthday to America instead of answering.
America smiled at them before yelling, "Thanks dudes! And there's nothing that could be a better present than having a bunch of other heroes to help people out and be my backup!"
He then looked past them and waved at a blond trio that had come up to the sidewalk behind them. "Hey! Mattie, Iggy, Frenchy! When did y'all get here?"
"We just arrived," the shortest of the trio stated. "Now hurry up or you will be late to your own party."
"That's not something a hero would do!" America turned back to the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. "I've got to go. Hopefully I'll see all of you again. Thanks again for all you've done and have an awesome rest of your birthday, Cap!"
America started to head to the trio before turning around and giving the captain a quick salute. Steve quickly found himself returning the gesture.
"And you as well, America."
OMAKE:
"So who were the people you were talking to back there, America?" Canada asked as they walked to one of America's houses.
"The Avengers and a couple of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents."
"What?" England questioned.
"Yeah. Awesome, right? We talked about the birthday of heroes."
"…I am guessing this means that they now know who you are."
"Of course they do!"
"You are lucky it's your birthday."
"Aww. Is that your way of saying happy birthday?"
"Sure."
"Angleterre just has problems admitting his feelings. He was being such a tsundere when he said he didn't want to come," France added.
"This bloody holiday makes me sick!"
"But you are not sick now. Since you are unwilling to say the actual words I will tell him happy birthday for both of us. Joyeux anniversaire, Amérique!"
"I thought we established that you were supposed to speak English three days ago!"
Canada sighed next to America. "There they go again. Bonne fête, America."
"Thanks, bro!"
The dysfunctional group ended up arriving late to America's own party. Luckily, they were in time for the fireworks.
"Ha! Your little hurricane didn't stop these fireworks, Artie!"
"For the last time, that is not my storm!"
AN:
Some of the history in the memory-verse is from APH. The rest is just stuff I remembered from my history classes.
The omake is completely random and has references to my story Bonne fête, Canada!
Actually, this entire story is random. I would like to thank my wonderful friend Herondale for allowing me to spin off ideas on her. You know I'm talking about you. Thanks!
The hurricane that is mentioned was once Tropical Storm Arthur. It has escalated to a category 2 hurricane and will prevent some 4th of July celebrations from occurring. (as of July 3rd)
Translations:
Angleterre= England
Joyeux anniversaire, Amérique= Happy birthday, America
Bonne fête= Happy birthday
Feel free to tell me what you think in a review and PM me if you have a request for me to write.
Thanks for reading and Happy Independence Day fellow Americans!