In the crisp autumn air, Terra's hair whipped around her face making her stop. Upon stopping, though, Terra noticed Stark Tower and her nerves struck up inside her making her legs feel like fresh jelly she used to buy from her high school's cantine.
The building was fairly intimidating, considering it made Terra feel even smaller than she already felt. The fifteen year old swallowed nervously as her mind raced with the crisp events that had occurred beforehand leading her up to this point and to the Tower.
(Flashback)
Smoke seemed to be all she could smell from the building she was in front of. Usually you wouldn't expect a fifteen year old to want their mum and dad, but Terra was terrified. All she could think about was where her parents were. She couldn't find her mum or dad.
Aliens had her cornered, ready to push her inside.
All of a sudden, a man was pushed out of the window and Terra was seemingly forgotten as the aliens raced towards him.
Covered in red, white, and blue, Terra realised that he was Captain America.
Three feet away from her feet sat a cowl, and it seemed to fit the Captain's costume. As the Star-Spangled man fought off the aliens, Terra took this opportunity to grab the cowl.
Even after the Captain had defeated the aliens, he'd distanced himself quite away from Terra and it was now the police force and fire department's time to whisk her and a few others to safety.
With all her force, Terra made a move towards the Captain and attempted to give him the cowl, but an officer spun her and guided her away.
"Wait!" Terra had pleaded.
"Ma'am, follow us please." The officer said. So she had shut up and listened.
She'd been guided to an empty subway and there seemed to be a large quantity of people there, none who resembled her mother or father. They left her to go home while they went to the grocery store before the invasion had begun.
She seemed to feel as if she was going insane in the cramped spot she'd wedged herself into. People started screaming around her and Terra collected a meagre amount of bravery to push to the frount and look at the destructed city. A little boy sat crying in the middle of the street and towards him was an alien, walking at a quick pace.
Pushing through, Terra ran out into the street and clipped the cowl to her belt. In a fluid motion, she picked up the boy and held him close to her shoulder. Trying to ignore the fact that the alien was running after them.
Darting to an alleyway, Terra set the small boy down and grabbed a steel pole nearby. Now was the moment that Terra thanked her parents for enrolling her into a martial arts class and she'd become a black belt. A lucky coincidence.
The alien fired its gun at her as she stepped into the street. Sidestepping, Terra hit him across his helmet making him stumble. With all her strength, she leapt up and stabbed his skill. Shuddering, he died. She took his gun.
She shot down two more aliens, turning just in time to see Iron Man take what seemed like a missile up into a portal.
Not even seconds later, all remaining aliens dropped dead. She dropped the gun and took him to the group of adults which were taking the youngsters they'd found somewhere safe. Now she wandered to a hospital. And there she could rest.
Walking in, she collapsed. A person seemed to place her onto a stretcher where she saw another woman through her half-closed eyes.
She fell asleep.
(End flashback)
Taking in a deep breath, Terra walked towards Stark Tower. Terra had to do this. Her parents were dead. Killed- no, murdered - in the alien attack.
It'd been a month and she'd been placed into an overcrowded girl's orphanage.
All she had was the clothes on her back, a single photo of her family and the Captain's cowl.
She walked into the tower. A secretary sat at the front desk. She looked up with a smile.
"What can I do for you, sweetie?" she asked.
"I have something to return." Terra said, producing the cowl.
She picks up the phone, talking to someone called Pepper by the sound of it.
"We have a young girl here, Pepper, who says she has Captain America's cowl."
"I'll take a look. Send her up?" Terra hears a sweet voice say.
The secretary hung up and turned back to Terra.
"Take the elevator up to floor thirty-two and then turn left, sweetie."
"Thank you!" Terra smiled briefly.
Once she arrived at the correct office, a red-headed woman sat her down and the couch and took the cowl from Terra.
"I was cornered by the aliens and he distracted them... But then he forgot his cowl." Terra explained.
The red-head, Pepper, looked at it.
"It seems like the real one to me! Tony tells me that Cap's been asking if S.H.I.E.L.D has it. I'll get Tony up here, okay?"
Terra gave a half-nod, half-shrug.
"JARVIS."
"Yes, Ms Potts?" A robotic, almost, voice asked.
"Can you get Tony for me?" Pepper asked, "I think I got Cap's cowl for him."
"Yes, Ms Potts."
A few moments later, Terra saw a man come to the door. Terra placed him quickly in her mind as the one and only Tony Stark.
"Here's the cowl." Pepper stated.
He looked at Terra.
"Thanks kid, Capsicle's been looking everywhere for this." Tony smirked, then examined her clothes. "Where are you livin', kid? And your name might do, too."
"Sundance Orphanage, and I'm Terra." She answered in a monotone. He seemed to grimace.
"I'm sorry, kid."
Terra dismissed him and went back to the orphanage to get in her bed in the room she shared with two other girls.
The next morning, with a bold sun blaring in her eyes, Terra was sat outside and her roommate came out. Strangely making Terra go and see Mrs White, the head of the orphanage.
Terra saw Mrs White, who simply smiled, and then introduced her to a man named Captain Steve Rogers.
Captain America.
"Thanks for returning my cowl." Steve said.
"It was no problem." Terra shrugged.
"You're going to grow up to be a fine young woman. You've a lot of integrity." Steve said, noticing her cheeks blush usually like his own would if he was in the same situation. "Tony says that if you need anything, feel free to drop by the Tower."
"Oh... Thank you, sir."
He smiled, going to leave.
"Steve?"
He looked at her.
"Thank you for your service."
He smiled again.
"You have a heart to give."
She smiled now, too.
Her parents would indeed be proud of her right now.
Editied by: J. [-undertaker_] (Wattpad)