Hello all! This is an updated version of my Steve/OC story, Wreaking Havoc! I was unhappy with the opening and such so I decided to rewrite it. I hope you enjoy!
As always, all I own is my character. Everything else belongs to the MCU and Disney.
The flight home from Sokovia is relatively quiet. Steve and I stand with Thor, watching over Clint. Natasha moves from her best friend's bedside to go talk to Bruce, who's busy unwinding from being the Green Not-So Friendly Giant by listening to opera music.
Thor walks away from us to observe Loki's sceptre and Steve kisses my forehead while I watch Tony fly us to the Avenger's Tower. My mind slips far away, to the last time I was in Sokovia.
"Cousin, do not run so fast. I cannot keep up!" Pietro cries out in his native language, the language my parents taught me from birth.
"Pietro, you've always been slow." Wanda responds, laughing. "DA, hurry!" She calls to me, and I pass by my youngest cousin in a flash.
"Keep up, kids!" I call, laughing.
In the park ahead of us, our parents stand together, waiting. My mother smiles at me, arms open, beckoning me to come to her.
"Dani?" I hear Steve asks, pulling me away from the memory. "Are you alright?"
"I'm okay. It's just… I haven't been to Sokovia since I was eleven. Before. Before my parents died." I whisper, and he wraps his arms around me tighter.
"Thor, report on the Hulk." I look over at Nat, smiling at her amused tone. Steve walks over to observe the sceptre
"The gates of Hel are filled with the screams of his victims." Thor announces. Bruce groans and Nat throws him an incredulous look. I cover my mouth to stifle my laugh. "But not the screams of the dead. No, no, wounded screams." Steve looks up as Thor attempts to correct himself. "Mainly whimpering, a great deal of complaining and tales of strained deltoids and... gout."
"Thor." He looks at me. "Stop talking."
"Hey Banner!" Stark calls, and we look to him. "Dr. Cho is on her way in from Seoul. Is it okay if she sets up in your lab?"
"Uh, yeah, she knows her way around."
"Thanks. Tell her to prep everything." Tony says into his headset. "Barton's gonna need the full treatment."
"Very good, sir." Jarvis complies.
"Jarvis, take the wheel." Tony stands, putting the quinjet on autopilot.
"Yes, sir. Approach vector is locked." Jarvis announces. Tony gets up and the two of us walk over to the sceptre, standing with Thor and Steve.
"Feels good, yeah?" Iron Man asks. "I mean you've been after this thing since SHIELD collapsed. And Dan was rescued." He winks at me and I snort. "Not that I haven't enjoyed our little raiding parties, but…"
"No, but this… this brings is to a close." Thor finishes for him.
"As soon as we find out what else this has been used for." Steve points out. "I don't just mean weapons. Strucker was dealing with human enhancements."
"Prick." I mutter under my breath, and he kisses my temple.
Tony nods. "Banner and I will give it the once over before it goes back to Asgard. Is that cool with you?" He asks Thor, who nods. "Just a few days till the farewell party. May 2nd. You're staying right?"
"Yes, yes, of course. A victory should be honored with revels!" The Asgardian announces.
"Yeah, who doesn't love revels. Captain? Jupiter? What does my second-favorite couple say?"
"Hopefully this puts an end to the Chitauri and HYDRA. So yes, revels. Unless - did we have plans?" He asks me, smirk on his face. "May 2nd, I mean. Nothing important?"
I laugh and kiss his cheek before turning to Tony. "As long as Steve and I get the day to ourselves, a party would be a fun way to celebrate our one-year anniversary."
Tony groans. "Ugh. You two are disgusting."
"Mhmm, sure, because you aren't like this with Pepper." I quip back, and he makes an offended noise.
The rest of the trip back I rest, head on Steve's shoulder. He wakes me when we land in the hangar, Natasha rushing off with Clint and Dr. Cho. Maria Hill walks into the quinjet, passing Thor as he carries the locked sceptre out. "Lab's all set up, boss." She tells Stark, who's playing with the controls.
"Oh, actually, he's the boss." Tony points at Steve, who snorts and helps me stand. "I just pay for everything, and design everything, and make everyone look cooler."
"Please, I don't need you to be cool." I sass, and he politely flips me off.
"What's the word on Strucker?" Steve asks.
"NATO's got him."
"The two enhanced?" Maria looks at me, then answers Steve's follow-up question.
"Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. Twins." She shows him her tablet, and I let out a breath.
"What is it?" My boyfriend asks me, concerned.
"They're my cousins. I haven't seen them… well, in years. Not since I was eleven. Their, uh, their parents died the same year as mine." I tell him, rubbing my arms.
Maria nods, continuing. "They were orphaned at ten, when a shell collapsed their apartment building. Sokovia's had a rough history. I'm sure you could give us the full rundown." Hill looks at me as we walk off the quinjet. "It's nowhere special, but it's on the way to everywhere special. No offense."
I smile, despite the heaviness in my chest. "No worries. It's true."
"Their abilities?" Steve asks as we walk towards the elevator, passing storage containers of weapons.
"He's got increased metabolism and improved thermal homeostasis. Her thing is neuroelectronic interfacing, telekinesis, mental manipulation." I nod along, understanding what she's saying, but Steve throws her a confused look. "He's fast and she's weird." Maria clarifies.
"Well, they're gonna show up again." My boyfriend replies, looking back down at the tablet. The elevator opens with a beeping sound. "Agreed." Hill tells him, taking my hand and squeezing it in comfort before releasing me. "File says they volunteered for Strucker's experiments." I blink in shock. Why would they? How could they? "It's nuts." She finishes, taking the tablet from Steve and remaining outside the elevator.
"Right." Steve leans over and presses the button for our floor. "What kind of monster would let a German scientist experiment on them to protect their country?" He asks, referring to his own history.
"We're not a war, Captain." Maria tells him.
"They are." I respond, and the doors shut. I let out another loud breath and cover my eyes. "God, this is insane."
"Hey. Talk to me. Don't shut me out." Steve pulls me into his arms, and I nuzzle under his chin.
"It's just… Pietro and Wanda, they lost their parents in 2002, just like me. I tried to get them to move to America, but the court ruled against it. And when I finally could, those damn aliens invaded and HYDRA took me. But what if I tried harder? What if I visited them instead of burying myself in SHIELD?" Tears start to slide down my face. "I failed my family, Steve."
"You listen to me." He lifts my chin to look at him, the elevator reaching our floor. The doors open but we remain inside. "You didn't fail anyone. They chose to be experimented on. Even if they came to America, HYDRA would've gotten their hands on them, simply because they are your only living relatives. Rather than working with, they would have been tortured just like you." He leads me off the elevator and towards our living room, sitting us both down on the couch. "You did the best you could for you. That's what matters, in the end. We can find them, if you want. Talk to them."
I nod and he wipes away my tears. "Thanks, handsome." I sniffle, then rest my head against the star on his chest. "I'm sorry for -"
"You didn't do anything wrong. And considering the fact no metal was harmed, you're safe from Stark's wrath."
I laugh and sit back up, running a hand through his short light brown hair. "I don't know what I'd do without you." I kiss his lips gently, smiling.
He pulls his head back and his left hand reaches over to play with the ends of my green hair. "You'd be just fine."
"You know what would make me feel better?" I ask, smirking.
He makes a face. "Let me guess; a bubble bath, Chinese food, and a Star Wars marathon."
"Mhmm." I smile. "You know me so well."
"Kind of have to. It's almost been a year."
I grin with him, then stand, taking his right hand in mine. "Why don't you get the bath started, and I'll open that bottle of Rioja Sam sent us."
"Sounds perfect. I love you, doll."
"Love you more, babe."
