Chapter 4

By: MysticFantasy

.

.

No one failed to notice that Steve seemed a little more up beat as they walked down the sidewalk. He was actually smiling.

Not his regular Captain America smile that he would give the public but an actual happy smile. One they had yet to see while he was in their time.

I'm going to feel like a real jerk when we find a way back to the future. Tony thought.

"Man, this place seems so...deserted. Compared to New York in 2012." Clint exclaimed.

"Not as many cars in the streets, more people walking, manners...Completely different." Natasha agreed.

"This is a lot better than the crazy way New York is in the future." Steve said. "Less complications."

"Hate to say it but I agree with him." Clint said. "Maybe we should all stay. We could form SHIELD. What do you think Nat?"

"Keep Fury from being director is tempting." Tony said. "But no. None of us can stay."

Steve bit his lip to keep from saying anything. He wanted to tell Tony that he was going to stay here no matter what.

This was his time. The time that he'd been born into and grew up in. This was his rightful home.

Not the confusing and technology ruled future.

"Hey." Tony said in amusement as he walked over to a shop window.

Steve lightly smirked. Past, present or future, Tony was still drawn to whatever precious technology was around.

In this case, the 'newest' model tv.

"Man, what a dinosaur." Clint mused and noticed Steve giving him a playful glare. "No offence Cap."

"None taken." Steve chuckled.

"It's amazing to see how things have changed." Natasha said before they continued their way down the street.

"You're telling me." Steve agreed.

The four came to the corner and noticed they were now standing in front of a grocery store.

"Since we're going to be stuck here a while, we may as well supply ourselves." Tony said.

"Might as well." Steve said. "I don't ever get to see my apartment again. After tomorrow I'll be in London and then sent off to be in the war."

"Good. Let's go grocery shopping." Tony said then lightly shuddered. The three felt themselves grin. Tony was not the person to do his own grocery shopping. This was probably the first time that he would ever have to pick out his own food.

They walked into the store and Steve right away recognized it to be the same one he's gone to all his life. First with his mother when he was young and then with Bucky when he was older.

"Wow. Look at these prices." Clint mused looking at the bread that was priced at ten cents a loaf.

"And you called this expensive at one time." Tony said as he grabbed a few loafs and placed them in the shopping cart Natasha was pushing.

"Not anymore." Steve said as they continued down the aisle with Tony and Clint gathering food items and placing them in the cart.

"Will it seem weird if we're getting this much?" Natasha asked seeing that the cart was nearly half full.

"If I'm recognized, no." Steve answered as they made their way to the dairy section.

"Good." Tony said placing a few cans of evaporated milk in the cart. "Boy, this is going to be interesting to taste."

"Don't worry. I had to learn a few tricks with that was avalable." Steve said.

"Sweet." Clint mused as he carried a few wrapped packs of steak and placed them with everything else.

When the cart was totally full, and Clint now having to push it because of the weight, the four headed to the available check out.

Steve supressed a smirk when he saw the surprised look the cashier had when she spotted everything in the shopping cart. It wasn't every day when someone could walk into a grocery store and leave after purchasing a full carts worth of food.

With the food totalled and placed in bags, Tony offered to pay since he claimed he would never get another chance like this again.

In total, the groceries came out to a total of sixteen dollars and twenty two cents.

Being use to handing any amount of money over, Tony casually handed the woman a twenty dollar bill.

"Why is she looking at him funny?" Clint whispered as he held onto a few bags.

"It was really rare for someone to hand over that big an amount of money at one time." Steve answered as Tony collected his change and reunited with the group.

"She was looking at me funny." he said as he took bags from Natasha and they began their way back to the apartment.

"It wasn't every day four people would walk into a store and buy enough food to last them three months and afford it." Steve said.

"What was the most a small family could afford?" Natasha asked as they walked around a corner and spotted the apartment close by.

"Weekly...about four, maybe five, dollars." Steve answered. "And that was stretching it a bit."

"Wow." Clint said in amusement. "And here I thought that a coffee from Starbucks was cheap."

Steve lightly smirked as they walked up the stairs of the building. Upon reaching the right door, the soldier unlocked it and they all entered. They then went into the small kitchen and put everything away.

When all of the food was put away, Natasha saw Steve gazing at the open fridge where Clint was putting away the last of the food.

"What is it?" she asked.

"That's the first time I've ever seen the fridge full." he answered.

"Hey, understandable." Tony said. "Times were tough during the Depression."

"Yeah, they were." Steve said.

"Anyway, we should now concentrate on how we can find those AIM agents. If they were brought here like we were." Tony said as they moved to the living room.

"Any chance they would try to team up with Hydra?" Clint asked.

"Possible." Steve answered. "Hydra is the only force known on the planet that has technology more advanced than America right now. If they go to Schmidt, tell him what's going on, then who knows what will happen. The future that we came from may not exist or..."

"Or Schmidt could find a way to stop you." Natasha stated. "With the AIM agents here, and knowing about your discovery in the ice like a lot of others, they could tell Red Skull about everything that happened."

"With that kind of information, they could stop the only threat to them." Tony continued. "The only way to prevent the time line from getting destroyed in any kind of way is if we find those guy first."

"And if we can't?" Steve asked.

"Then we'll look into other options. Options that may get a little strange when we face them." the inventor answered.

"You mean, having to go talk to Howard and my past self." Steve figured.

"You guys might have to talk to my father. Knowing that he'll have a son one day may cause a change in time. Of course that might happen anyway if someone sees that you suddenly have an exact identical twin that came out of nowhere."

"Then we'll have to head to London as soon as possible." Steve said. "It's possible that the AIM agents may go there first. When I had infiltrated the Hydra prison camp, I discovered a map that had locations of other factories. Right now, my past self should be leading those men toward the American camp. Tomorrow they'll be there around ten in the morning. The AIM agents could try to stop me from giving the information of the factories."

"Then London it is." Tony declared. "Let's rest today, talk a little more, eat and figure out a battle plan by tonight."

"Can I get out of this stupid suit then?" Clint asked.