Hello again, everyone out there. I'm back with another Avengers story. Hope you enjoy this very intriguing crossover with that galaxy far, far away. This is the third story in my Enigma series. The unanswered questions about Enigma's past will be answered. So, here we go…

Disclaimer: Any characters or places that you recognize are the property of Marvel and Lucasfilm (both conveniently owned by Disney). I am just borrowing the characters for your reading entertainment.

Origins

Chapter One:

Memories Relived at Night

New York City

February 2013

"By the power vested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife," the justice of peace announced to the couple standing before him. "You may kiss your bride."

Marissa Hermann, codename Enigma, looked on as her two best friends in the whole world shared their first kiss as a married couple. Natasha Romanoff, the infamous Black Widow, offered her a rare smile and an even rarer hug, Clint Barton, known to the world as Hawkeye, shook hands with the other witness in attendance after they signed the marriage license. Steve Rogers offered the man a pat on the pack and hearty congratulations before he turned to the ladies.

"Congratulations, Natasha. I wish you happiness."

"Stop being so formal, Cap," Tasha admonished him. "But thanks anyway."

Marissa spared a glimpse at Steve, Captain America. When he wasn't the Star Spangled Man with a Plan, he still cut a strong figure in a polo shirt and khakis. A tingle of heat wormed its way down her spine as she drank in his image.

"I know that look, Enigma," Clint whispered to her. "You are lusting after the Cap."

"Go whisper sweet nothings in your wife's ear," Marissa snapped softly at him.

Clint didn't take the bait. "You know what, maybe Nat and I need to lock you in a broom closet, see what happens. Or force you to admit your feelings, like you did to us in Alabama."

"Lock me in a broom closet and you might not have all of your limbs when I find you."

Clint just grinned wider and moved back to Natasha. He whispered something to her.

"We'll see you two later. Don't get into anything we wouldn't," Natasha waved at them with a coy smirk.

"What was that about?" Steve asked as the newlyweds left the courthouse.

"Nothing," Marissa said quickly. "So, we have time before we have to be back to the tower. What do you want to do?"

"It's just after two. Neither one of us got to eat lunch."

"Sounds good to me. How about some pizza?"

"Cajun?"

"You got hooked on Cajun food when we were in Louisiana!" Marissa exclaimed, recalling their first mission to locate stolen chemicals in Leesville.

"I liked the jambalaya," Steve admitted with a grin.

"Okay, so Pierre's on third?"

"That sounds good to me," Steve said as his stomach rumbled.

Marissa chuckled in spite of herself. "Okay, let's get you fed, Cap." She grabbed his hand and led him to her baby. Her car was a 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 convertible. It was a gift to her by Professor Charles Xavier. "A unique car for a unique individual," he had told her.

"I really need to modify her a little. I just might ask Stark for his input on the technology."

"Might?" Steve echoed her as he got in the passenger seat.

"I'll think about it. Or just ask JARVIS."

"That's more like you," he commented as Marissa pulled out of the parking garage.

"Funny how well you know me," she commented mostly to herself.

"Yet sometimes I feel like I don't know you at all," Steve added turning in his seat to look at her. "I don't know anything about your childhood. Do you have any siblings? What do you do for fun? What did you want to be when you grew up?"

"What childhood? Marissa retorted. "Mine ended when I was five."

"Five?"

"My parents were killed, and I was put into Hydra by Baron Zemo. You know all too well how vile Hydra is."

"I have a few ideas," Steve commented. "Do you remember anything about your life before Hydra?"

Marissa thought for a moment. "I loved anything to do with space. I wanted to be an astronaut. I remembered watching a space shuttle launch."

"You were a dreamer," Steve commented. "I always wanted to be a soldier like my parents. I got my wish, but it wasn't what I expected."

"Yeah, I read your file after I found you in the ice. You were the figurehead for the war bond effort?"

"I was serving my country. That was all that mattered."

"That I can understand. Duty. Honor. Sacrifice."

"Yeah."

The rest of the ride was silent.

The night was foggy. Marissa wasn't sure what was going on, but she was scared. She was in an unfamiliar place, but it felt comfortable. It was as if she should know where she was. She was crying in a corner, clutching her favorite toy. She was just a child. She didn't know what was going on.

There were shouts and cries of terror around her. Marissa cried harder. Someone raced toward her. "It's okay, Rissi. I'll take care of you."

It was another girl, a few years older with flaming red hair and eyes green as emeralds. She put her arms around Marissa and tried to keep her silent.

Marissa felt safe with this girl. Was it her sister? She cried silently as she clutched her stuffed bear.

Then, there was a great loud explosion. A shadowy, evil man shrouded in black approached from the explosion. A strange looking man with a red face followed. Marissa and her sister knew these strange men were bad.

Her sister pushed her back into the corner. She shouted something and tried to fight. Then, she calmed down and let the men take her.

Marissa felt strangely sleepy. As she closed her eyes, she heard a deep cackling laugh…

Marissa bolted awake from the dream. She knew the man with the red face. Red Skull, Baron Johann Schmidt, was the man who helped train her to become Enigma. He was the one who took her from her real parents.

But who was the black shadowy man? Baron Zemo? Where was she? It had to be some repressed memory from her past. It felt too real to be a fantasy. She had too many questions. She wouldn't be getting any more sleep until she mulled these thoughts over.

Marissa pulled a robe over her sleepwear and padded out barefooted to the kitchen she and Steve shared. She heard moans coming from Steve's room. Apparently, she wasn't the only one having nightmares.

She scrambled to his room and peeked into the doorway. Steve had thrown off his covers, leaving his bare chest covered in a thin sheet of sweat. Marissa saw him thrashing about, muttering something about "taking it in to the water."

She realized he was reliving the day he crashed the Red Skull's jet into the water. She could relate. What the heck was that memory about she dreamed? She slipped inside.

"Steve?" she whispered as she approached his bedside, trying very hard to ignore the fact that he was bare chested and that the temperature had risen a few degrees since she entered.

"Steve?" she called again. "You're having a nightmare. Come on, wake up."

She sat down on his bed gently to not startle him. "Steve?"

"Marissa?" he muttered, still asleep. "No, I can't lose you, too."

He doesn't want to lose me? Marissa echoed. What did he mean by that?

Marissa reached out and touched him on the arm. "You won't lose me, Steve. Not if I can help it. You've got to wake up though." She gave his arm a shake. "Come on, Steve. Open those eyes. I'm still here."

"No, don't leave me."

"Steve!" she said a little louder, gripping his arm tighter. "I'm right here!"

He bolted awake. "Marissa?"

"I'm here, Steve. You were having a nightmare. I heard you and came to check on you."

"I'm sorry. You didn't have to do that."

"It's okay. You would've done the same for me. Besides, I had a nightmare too. More like reliving a bad memory. What about you?"

"The day I went under." He seemed reluctant to elaborate. "I lost everyone that I loved. I don't want to lose another person I care for. Not if I can help it."

Marissa smiled gently. "Don't worry. I'm not giving you up without a fight. You're stuck with me, Cap."

That broke the ice. They continued to talk well into the night about their nightmares until they fell asleep once more, this time in each other's arms.

This time, the nightmares stayed away.

Author's Note:

Ooh, a little Cap/Enigma moment there! Budding romance or trouble brewing for these two? Only I know, and I'm not ready to share yet. Next up, you find out who the mysterious sister is. Any guesses who she could be?