Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers or any of the characters. They belong to MARVEL and the incredible Stan Lee! That being said, I'm interested in prospects of a co-ownership of Loki. ;) I also don't own the song "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole. Now onto the story!
The first chapter is set roughly at the beginning of the Avengers. I wrote it before I saw the Avengers, so I can see where there are a few things that might now be 100 percent cannon. The second will be shortly after Captain America.
Thank you and happy reading! Kitty2399
New York, 2012
Tony was happy to finally talk to Coleson. He didn't know enough about this mystery man. He was always around, but never around enough. He wanted more answers from him, more answers about the S.H.I.E.L.D. Program. It felt like there was so much to S.H.I.E.L.D. that was being hidden from him.
"So what do you want to talk about Mr. Stark?" Coleson asked with his typical half hearted smile.
"Nothing in particular boss. Just wanted to know more about the program." Coleson gave him a suspicious glance. "Really! That's all! I know you're not used to me following the rules, but I figured as long as we're all playing on the same team, I can be a good boy and play fair with the the other kids."
Coleson's suspicion didn't waver much, but he was willing to show Tony what he was asking for. "Fine Mr. Stark. Let me show you some of our training facilities- Actually..." He looked at him with a little caution, then decided to go for it. "I have something I think you should see. Follow me."
Coleson decided to take Tony to somewhere even he hadn't been in a while. This was a risk and quite a walk, but he was willing to take it. As they made their way through countless corridors and down various flights of stairs, they made their way to a section of the base that looked much more aged than any of the other sections.
"Not that I don't enjoy that fact that S.H.I.E.L.D. is as big as LAX, but where-..." Suddenly, Tony's heart started pounding, and his eyes widened. They made it to a green doorway with the heading "STEVE ROGERS MEMORIAL BASE". He just stood there for a second. This is not what he was expecting from a few questions with Coleson. His mouth became dry, his hands got clammy, and his eyes were fixed dead on the heading of the doorway. He cleared his throat before asking. "...Does Rogers know about this place?"
Coleson typed a password into the entrance pad, the only thing around that took the base out of the 1940's. "No. Not yet."
Tony heard the doors unlock and Coleson open the door, waiting for him to walk in. As the doors opened, he could hear music playing in the background. "Unforgettable."
"What?"
"Nothing." Tony straightened his stance and made his way through the doorway.
The base was unbelievable. He had no idea S.H.I.E.L.D. was this old or had this kind of information. For some reason though, it made him angry too. It made him angry for Steve. Coleson saw the way Steve was suffering and he didn't show him this part of his life. He had to have been here before.
It chilled Tony to think that Steve looked the same in this room in the 1940's as he did now. "Why did you take me here?"
"Why do you think Mr. Stark?" Coleson could see that Tony and Steve were having trouble getting along. Maybe if he showed him a piece of his Steve's old life, he could better understand him.
"Here..." Coleson had trouble opening the next heavy door that hadn't been opened in a long time. "This room you're going to like."
Tony wasn't a fan of the childish show-and-tell routine, but even he couldn't help but walk into the room with a sense of wonder he hadn't experienced before. He took in a deep breath as he walked onto the balcony of an old laboratory. In the middle of the room was a round steel cylinder, big enough to hold a man, with tables covered in vials next to it.
"What the hell is that?" Tony asked as he followed Coleson down the stairs to the middle of the operating room.
Coleson smiled slightly as he answered, "This is your father's work."
Tony stood in awe as he noticed the etching of "STARK" along the side of the steel orb. He was at a loss. His father never told him about "The Super-Soldier" project or that he worked with a "Steve Rogers". But then again, why would he? Howard Stark didn't talk about his past work with anyone, let alone his son. Tears slowly rimmed his eyes as he continued to look over the project. "I had no idea."
"I know Mr. Stark." Coleson tried to be reassuring, even protective of him. He didn't dislike Tony, it was just hard to reach him sometimes. And that's why they were here. "This project was brought to your father early in his career, and... it also ended early in his career. He might have just wanted to forget about it."
"Why would he want to forget about this?" Tony looked up at him with confusion and awe.
"This project ended in tragedy. A hero fell, and most people didn't want to stick around to see what came from it. Your father was different. He searched for Steve for years. He checked in with us about Steve until the day he died. He had hope for a miracle for Steve, but that kind of hope is hard to have when everyone shouts back the contrary and more likely answer to your questions. I believe it was at this time that he found the element in your chest piece."
"...The element I created?"
"The one you duplicated Mr. Stark. With all do respect."
Tony grabbed his chest, feeling for the light from his reactor. "So... Steve, he..."
"Mr. Stark, without Mr. Rogers, a lot of this wouldn't be possible. Without your father, it wouldn't be possible. You are involved in something bigger than you could ever imagine, and I promise, it is only going to get bigger from here."
Tony took a breath and started walking around the lab, observing the room around him. It was old and dusty and dark, but still beautiful. There was something to it. He knew he could stay here for hours and learn and build, maybe even learn from his father. That's what it was about this place. His father. He could feel him here.
Coleson took a step toward him, "Are you okay?"
"Why the music?" Tony could hear the music playing again in the background of the lab. It was constantly playing. How long had it been on? "Unforgettable. Why Unforgettable?"
Coleson seemed a little wary to answer the next question, he didn't know how much he should be sharing about the other members to Tony, but he was willing to take the risk. "Um... I believe it was the choice of one of Mr. Rogers old coworkers."
"Who?"
"Peggy Carter was her name I believe. She started listening to it when it came out a few years after Steve... well. She and your father searched for him their whole lives. They never gave up on him."
After a bit of silence between the both of them, Tony cleared the knot in his throat and was back to his easy, sarcastic self. "Well, can they take the damn song off repeat? I swear, if anyone worked down here now, they'd start breaking the vials." He smiled at Coleson, who looked less than amused, and then began making his way back up the stairs. "So is there anything else you wanted to show me?... Hey..."
He looked behind him to find Coleson standing back where he was before. "You coming?"
"Mr. Stark. I need you to understand something. We are bringing Mr. Rogers back to reality slowly. This is a really difficult process for him, and it will be on OUR TIME when we decide to show him this place or tell him about your father or Ms. Carter. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"
Tony was upset with this decision, but nevertheless, he answered, "Sure chief..."
They walked back up the stairs and made their way out of the base in silence. It wasn't until after they made their way through some of the more modern looking halls, and they were back out of the 1940's that they could breathe again.
"So anything else you've got to show me Coleson? Thor doesnÃt have any brothers, does he?" Tony chuckled to himself as they made their way through.
