Not My Avengers: Part Two
by Kenne Morrison

Disclaimer: None of the properties you recognize belong to me. They belong to Marvel Comics or their respective owners. I am using them WITHOUT permission for entertainment purposes only. Not for profit.

Dedication: To my sister, Brandy Turberville (1978-2005), your legacy lives on in your daughter and the family who loves you so.

Acknowledgment: Once again, my family and my friends are awesome for their encouragement and indulgence.

Dear Hawkeye,

My name is Corey Jarmon. I am twelve years old. I'm a student at Rockefeller Middle School. Our school project was to write to a member of the Avengers. This year, I chose to write to you.

I just wanted you to know how cool I think you are. You don't have flashy powers like Wonder-Man or the Scarlet Witch, but you're just as much a hero. You also probably get lots of jokes because of your trick arrows, but I think they're cool.

Also, I don't know if you are going to be in the parade this Avengers day or not, but if you are, I just want you to know that I'll be looking out for you.

Hope this letter finds you doing good.

Your friend,
Corey

P.S. I was very sorry to hear about Mockingbird. She was very pretty and cool, too.

Corey carefully folded his letter just as the bell was ringing for the end of the day. His teacher, Ms. Kringston, smiled politely up at him as she took his letter and added them to the stack. As he walked out of the classroom, he was joined by his best friend, Lisa. She had grown even taller over the summer, so she was hunched over to try and hide her height. She clutched her books to her chest as she adjusted her glasses.

"I hope my letter gets to the right person, this time," Corey said as they left the building. Lisa nodded in agreement.

"So, loser, which of your precious heroes did you write to this time? Did you write to your boyfriend, Captain America?"

Corey didn't even have to turn to know that Ricky, his own personal bully, was coming up behind them. Scrunching up his nose to keep his glasses from falling, he sped up hoping that Ricky wouldn't decide to chase them. It was only when he'd reached the curb that he realized that Lisa was still standing there pointing her finger in Ricky's face.

"Do you know what your problem is, little man, you're jealous that Corey has hopes and people he looks up to. He has people that he admires and respect. Who do you have? A drunk father who's never at home, and a lazy mother who watches t.v. all day."

Ricky pulled back his fist as if to swing at Lisa, but before he could, the school principal showed up, "Ahem, is anything the matter here, children? No? Then run along. This is a school, not a hangout."

Ricky glared as he walked away. When Lisa caught up with Corey, his eyes were as big as saucers, "He was about to pummel you. Why did you say those things to him? It only makes him worse."

"I'm not scared of him, and neither should you," Lisa said as they got on the school bus.

Corey took a seat and started to think. What would his heroes do in a situation like this? Well, Cap would probably tell him that it was best to ignore the bullies, they'd eventually go away. However, Hawkeye would definately tell him to stand up for himself. At that moment, Corey wasn't really sure which answer he agreed with. I guess that's why they're the heroes and I'm not, he said to himself.

"Mom! Hurry up, we're going to be late. I want to be up front for the parade," Corey whined as his mother finished with the breakfast dishes.

"You just hold your horses, little man. We still have two hours before the parade starts."

"But I told you. If we don't get there first, I won't be able to see anything," Corey stamped from foot to foot as he fiddled with the zipper on his jacket.

"Oh, all right, you win. Let's go," Ms. Jarmon said as she wiped her hands and put on her jacket. All the way to the car, Corey pulled on her arm trying to get her to move faster. His heart was racing with excitement at seeing so many of his favorites in one place at once. He had always been an avengers fan, and he loved every incarnation of the team. He even liked the team with Captain America, Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Thor and Gilgamesh, though he crinkled his nose whenever Gilgamesh came on the news.

"Will you look at the rack on Ms. Marvel? She's huge!" A teenaged boy remarked making Corey's ears grow red.

"Yeah, she's stacked!" another teenager agreed. Corey stepped a little to the right away from them. It's not like he'd never heard anyone mention parts of a human body before, but today was a special day, and it offended him a little that these boys were thinking in that way about the Avengers.

"Can you believe that guy?" A man was saying off to Corey's right. When Corey looked up at the man, he noticed the man looked like he would rather be any where else but here. It wasn't until Corey saw the little boy on the man's shoulders that he understood why the man was there if he didn't want to be. "I mean, if I slapped you around, they'd have me arrested. And even when I got out, I'd never get a parade in my honor."

"Now, Harold, I'm sure the Giant-Jacket feels very sorry about what he did," a short woman said.

"Hmmph, they're nothing but a bunch of phonies anyway. I bet you that punk playing Captain America isn't even old enough to remember the Vietnam War, much less World War II," the man said as he screwed up his mustache in a grimace. The young boy on his shoulders was bouncing up and down oblivious to his father as he watched the balloons and the floats.

For half an hour, the man droned on about all the shortcomings of the Avengers until Corey couldn't take it anymore. "Excuse me," he said as he tugged on the man's jacket, "Whenever you decide to put your life on the line to protect people you've never even met, then you can say bad things about people. Okay?"

Amazed with his own courage, Corey flinched in expectation of a physical blow from the man, when no blow came, he decided to move away from him. As Corey started shoving his way down the street trying to find a good viewpoint without jerks distracting him, he heard the man tell his wife, "Kids these days, they just don't know how to respect their elders."

"Excuse me, sir, but I believe you should learn to respect the future," a familiar voice called out before Corey had gone very far. It was coming from the street, so Corey turned just in time to see Hawkeye, The Vision, and Scarlet Witch talking to the man he'd just spoken to.

"Son, can you come back here a minute," the Scarlet Witch asked looking at Corey with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. Corey gulped as his feet suddenly felt like they were full of lead. He couldn't believe that not only were the Avengers standing right before him, but they were actually speaking to him. He almost forgot his encounter last year with Captain America, but that felt different because he had always felt that Cap was more real to him than some of the others. Even now, he had to resist the urge to reach out and grab onto The Visions arm to see what a metal body felt like.

"I believe you owe this boy an apology for stepping all over his dreams," Scarlet Witch said as soon as Corey made his way up to them. Corey heard a slight accent to her voice, and he had to mentally recall where she was from. Her accent gave her voice a musical quality that Corey found soothing.

"Hump," the man grunted as Hawkeye stared at him waiting for his apology, "You want me to apologize for the truth?"

"No," The Vision said, his mechanical voice sounding like he was talking from inside a metal cannister, "We want you to apologize for being inconsiderate. You came to a parade where other people have come to enjoy themselves, and you stand there like you want to rain on the parade. Then when this young fella stands up to you, you treat him like he doesn't have the right to say anything. We want you to apologize for saying things that aren't your place to say."

The man opened his mouth with a look of indignation like he wanted to tell the heroes off, but one look at Hawkeye cracking his knuckles and the Vision's emotionless face changed his mind for him, "Sorry, kid," he squeaked before he cleared his throat, "Didn't mean to spoil your fun,"

Corey just nodded as he stood there staring at the heroes. After a moment, all three heroes nodded as if satisfied and after a wink, a nudge or a handshake for Corey, the three returned to their float and carried on.

"I just can't believe your luck," Lisa said as she walked up to him. "Last year, Captain America, and now them?"

"I know, they're the greatest."

End of Chapter Two

In Chapter Three, Corey learns a valuable lesson when he continues to stand up for his heroes when he himself comes face to face with the Masters of Evil. And you'll never believe who comes to his rescue (Well, maybe you will, but it sounded dramatic, no?)