Here we go, Chapter Ten... This one took a while because I ended up playing the Lego Harry Potter games... They're kinda addictive.

AU Marvel Cinematic Universe

History in the Making

Chapter Ten:

The next morning, Buffy walked into the room to find Dawn and Thomas asleep in the bed, Dawn cuddling into Thomas. Buffy smiled, as Thomas opened his eyes. He smiled at her, before slowly slipping out of the bed. "She had a bad dream." he said, looking at Buffy. "She needed comfort."

"I didn't say anything." said Buffy, looking at Thomas. "Pepper told me to come wake you." Thomas let out a small smile, and nodded. "Let your sister sleep a bit longer, it was a terrible dream."

He took a seat at the table, smiling at the people around him. "School's been canceled for the rest of the week, I believe there's gonna be a new public holiday or something." said Tony, as he flicked through the channels on the TV. "It's not everyday the president gets killed on TV."

"Well, JFK's was caught on telly." said Thomas, looking at Tony. "I had to keep dodging the cameras... the Time Agency calling in a favor, I was there to stop a rogue agent committing Temporal Crimes. Turns out he was working with a member of the Pantheon of Discord to bring chaos by stopping the assassination." Thomas let out a small smile. "I called him the Trickster, because he tricked the rogue agent into thinking he would be saving the world if he stopped the assassins. There's a reason people believe there were two assassins, because there was. The first one got killed, it was the Agent that shot the finishing bullet. To withdraw his agreement." He smiled again. "You know that agent as Jack Harkness. He went by a completely different name back then, to be honest with you, I don't even remember it. And I'm not sure if he does anymore." Thomas shook his head. "Can you tell Leanne to meet me in Central Park when she wakes up, please." Tony nodded, as Thomas walked out the front door.

An hour later, Thomas took a seat on a bench pulling out his phone. As he began checking the web, a familiar face sat down next to him. "What happened, Potts?" asked Fury, unfolding his paper. "You called a code red that never happened."

"It did happen, time just got reverted." said Thomas, looking at his phone. "I'm the only one that remembers. The only one in America, at least. There's a family in England who will be going through problems, and I'll be having nightmares for at least a year... I saw unspeakable things." He swallowed. "Look, Fury, whatever you want me to do, I'm not doing it. Not for a while, not for a LONG while." Fury stood up and walked off. Thomas let out a small smile, and returned his gaze to the phone. "You wanted to meet me here?" came Leanne's voice, taking a seat next to Thomas. Thomas looked up and asked "How do you feel about a double date tonight?"

"Who with?" asked Leanne, with a smile. Thomas looked at her and said "I was thinking about asking Dawn." with a smile. "I've got tickets to most of the shows on Broadway in my inbox. I mean, we've lived in New York, what? A year? And we've never once watched a show." He smirked. "That all changes tonight."

"Grab us Wicked tics." said Leanne, with a smile. "I'll text Sash to get her to come to the mall. We need dresses."

"Give me a moment." said Thomas, looking at Leanne before pressing a button on his phone and putting it to his ear. "Hey Buff, I need to ask you something. Does Dawn wanna come see a show with me, Lea and Sasha?"

"Are you asking me permission to ask my sister on a date?" asked Buffy, and Thomas could hear the teasing. Thomas smiled and said "Yes, yes I am."

"You know you don't need it." said Buffy, with a smile. "I'll get Dawn on the line." Thomas smiled, and waited a moment. Before hearing Dawn say "Hello?"

"Hey Dawn." said Thomas, with a smile. "Sorry I left before you woke up, but I needed some air. I had another before I woke for the day." He shook his head. "That's not why I called though, I have something to ask you. Would you like to see a show with me, Leanne and Sasha?"

"Are you asking me on a double date?" asked Dawn, with a smile. Thomas smiled back and said "Do you want it to be?"

"What time do I need to be ready?" asked Dawn, and Thomas could hear her shaking her head. Thomas smiled and said "Pick you up at five. We'll go to dinner, just the two of us, before we head to Wicked."

"This is sounding more and more like a date." said Dawn, in her teasing voice. "I hope you're gonna dress up."

"Don't I always?" asked Thomas, with a smirk. "Don't worry, I'm gonna go get some new clothes." He smiled. "See you in a few hours."

"Yep." said Dawn, smiling. "Bye." The line went dead and Thomas smiled as he stood up. "Right, I've gotta go grab a suit jacket or something... Although, that may just be tempting fate." Leanne smiled, as Thomas shook his head. "On second thoughts, I'm gonna go to my usual tailors. They should be able to get me something less fate-tempty." He shook his head again. "Oh gods, listen to me, I've gone all Sunnydale." He smiled again. "I better get used to it, I'm sure my brain will do it again at some point."

"Sasha and I will meet you at the theater." said Leanne, standing up with an amused smile. Thomas nodded and said "It's good to know I amuse you." with a smile. He was blinking back tears as the memories threatened to emerge. "See you later." he said, before hurrying off.

He stepped into an alleyway, and fell to the floor, letting tears roll off his cheeks. He brought his knees to his head. "You don't always have to be strong, Mr Panhellenios." said a female voice, making Thomas look up. An unfamiliar woman stood there, with bushy hair. "Don't worry, I'm a friend of your father... Well, I will be." Thomas stood up, taking in the new woman. He could see she wasn't a normal human, the smell alone tipped him off on that. She claimed to be a friend of the Doctor, yet she carried a gun on her hip. Underneath a long fur coat. "Who are you?" he asked, looking at her. "You claim you know my father, yet you carry a gun. The Dad I know hates guns..."

"Spoilers Helle." said the woman, smiling. "My name's Melody."

"And I'm Thomas." said Thomas, looking at her. "Although, you already knew that. Look, I've gotta go, got a date to prepare for." Melody nodded, before taking a small owl pendant out of her pocket. "Here, your father wanted me to give me this." said Melody, smiling. "He said it'll come in handy some time soon." Thomas smiled and took it. "Tell him thanks, then." he said, as he put the pendant on. Melody nodded, and walked off, towards a blue box with a man in a tweed jacket and bow-tie standing in front of it. Thomas let out a small smile, before walking off again.

He arrived at the Summer's household about fifteen minutes before he was meant to be, holding flowers. Instead of his usual gray jacket, he had a black blazer over his white shirt, with black jeans. He knocked on the door, and Willow opened it. "Thomas... what are you doing here?" she asked, looking at him. "And why do you have flowers?"

"Willow, let him in." said Buffy, walking to the door. "Thomas, you're early." Thomas smiled, as Willow sighed and stepped to the side. He walked into the apartment, looking around. "I'll go tell Dawn you're here." said Buffy, before walking out the front room. Leaving Thomas alone with Willow. "So, you're the boy Dawn's going on a date with." she said, looking at Thomas. "She has to be back by eleven."

"Will, go easy on him. You know he's better than her last boyfriend." said Buffy, walking back into the room. "Tom, she'll be out in a minute, she's doing her makeup."

"I'm gonna go find Xander." said Willow, before walking out the apartment. Buffy shook her head and looked at Thomas. "It's gonna be a while before she trusts you again." she said, looking at Thomas with a sigh. "I'm so sorry."

"Oh, don't be." said Thomas, looking at Buffy. "She never exactly trusted me in the first place. There's a reason she came after me after Warren. It wasn't till Sunnydale imploded that I believe I gained her trust, only to completely disappear on you lot. She has every right not to trust me, I haven't exactly been very trustworthy in her eyes." Buffy looked at him and shook her head. "You shouldn't say that sort of thing." she said, looking at him. As Dawn walked into the room, distracting Thomas. "Wow." he said, looking at her. "You look amazing."

"You scrub up well yourself." she said, with a smile. "Although, is that the same shirt you usually wear?"

"One of many, I assure you." said Thomas, as he handed her the flowers. "These are for you." Dawn smiled and took them. "Thanks." she said, as Buffy took them off her. "I'll put these in water for you. Go on you two, have fun on your date."

"We'll be back by midnight." said Thomas, smiling. "Have a good night at whatever it is you're doing." Buffy nodded, before walking out the room. Dawn smiled at Thomas, who said "Let's get going, shall we." as he linked arms with Dawn. "Our carriage awaits."

Half an hour later, they arrived at the restaurant, laughing. "I don't believe you." said Dawn, looking at Thomas. "That's a lie. There's no way you're Sherlock Holmes."

"Well, no, but I inspired Arthur." said Thomas, with a smile. "I called myself the Detective when we met. He happened to be in Dorset at the same time as me and a work partner... We were chasing an artifact which caused people to see a monstrous hound. I'm surprised it took him so long to write that one. I pulled a police badge out of my pocket and... He wasn't a bad detective himself." Thomas let out a smile, as he opened the door to the restaurant. They were greeted by a waiter. "Do you have a..."

"It's under Stark." said Thomas, smiling. "A table for two." The waiter nodded and led them towards the back of the restaurant. Thomas smiled at the waiter as they sat. "Can I get you any drinks while you look over the menu?" asked the waiter, with a smile. Thomas went to speak only to get cut off by Dawn saying "A bottle of your finest wine."

"I'll have to see some I.D." said the waiter, looking at Thomas. Who smiled and took out a black wallet. He handed it to the waiter, who looked at it and said "Everything appears to be in order, I'll have it sent over in a moment." Thomas smiled, and pocketed the wallet again. Dawn looked at him and asked "How did you get away with that?"

"I used my Driving License from Sunnydale." said Thomas, with a shrug. "I keep all of my identities paperwork, never know when they could come in handy."

"Crafty." said Dawn, shaking her head. "So, what are you gonna do when you graduate?"

"I miss my detective days, so I'm probably gonna set up a branch in New York." said Thomas, smiling. "Although, I may take a few classes at one of the colleges nearby. If I can be bothered, it's not like it'd be much of a challenge. I'll probably set up my detective agency through S.H.I.E.L.D, as much as I hate owing them anything." He let out a smile. "But enough about me, what have you been up to since I left. I'm sure something fun must have happened during your stay in Cleveland."

"Yeah right, no apocalypses since Sunnydale." said Dawn, shaking her head. "Cleveland was boring." She sighed. "Only way I'd ever go back is if something big, and I mean Sunnydale big, happens with the Hellmouth. And that'd only be if Buff let me."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that." said Thomas, with a smile. "The only way something on scale with what happened in Sunnydale would happen again is if there was a big congregation of evil. Like pure evil. Or pure good... like if there wasn't a balance of good and evil..." He frowned. "I'm not explaining that well, am I?"

"I understand." said Dawn, with a smile. "You're saying that if there's just demons and vampires, or just slayers, the hellmouth would implode. But as long as there's a balance, we don't have to worry."

"Wow, that's pretty much exactly what I was saying." said Thomas, smiling. "The only person who actually understands me is Tony, and he probably has the same IQ as me."

"I'm taking that as a compliment." said Dawn, smiling. As a different waiter brought over the wine. Thomas looked up and instantly stood up. "I'll be right back, Dawn." he said, looking at Dawn. Before looking at the waiter. "Can I talk to you in private, I have something to ask you to do." The waiter looked at him and nodded as they walked off towards a private corner.

"Not tonight, Mia." said Thomas, glaring at the waiter. Who smirked and transformed back into Gupta. "I don't care if you chose any other night, just NOT tonight."

"I didn't fool you at all the other week did I." said Gupta, smirking. "But I won't back off."

"Oh you WILL." said Thomas, looking her in the eye. "And if you do, tomorrow, I will give you your rings back. Just please leave me alone."

"I want my actual rings, not some knock-offs." said Gupta, looking at him. Thomas nodded and said "Meet in Central Park at one in the afternoon tomorrow. Bring as many guards as you feel you need. I'll be alone." Gupta nodded, before walking off. Thomas shook his head before walking back towards his table.

He took a seat and smiled at Dawn. "Sorry about that." said Thomas, with a small smile. Dawn looked at him and said "Who was that? There's no way you were just asking about the specials."

"That was Gupta, but it's waiting till tomorrow." said Thomas, looking at Dawn. "She was rather easy to get to go away... Then again, we used to be friends, a long time ago." He shrugged, as he took a sip of his wine.

At 7:30pm, the two left the restaurant and caught a cab to the Gershwin Theater. Where Leanne and Sasha were waiting for them. "Did you have a nice dinner?" asked Leanne, as Sasha and Dawn talked. Thomas smiled at her and said "Yeah, it was great." He looked around, with a smile as he noticed three familiar faces, stood with an unfamiliar one. Two adult men, and two teenage girls. One of the girls noticed him and waved. Thomas waved back, as the girl pulled the others towards him. "Hello Rachel." he said, with a smile. "Leroy, Hiram." He looked at the other girl. "And who are you?"

"Uncle Tom, this is Quinn." said Rachel, with a small smile. "She's my friend."

"We're more than friends, Ray." said Quinn, taking Rachel's hand. While putting her other hand on her stomach. "I'm not embarrassed, you know." Rachel smiled slightly, as a teenage Latina walked over to them, holding bags of sweets. "That line was way too long." she said, grumbling. Before handing Quinn a bag of Dots. "If it was for anybody else, bar Brits, I would never had agreed to get your sweets. Be glad you're pre..." She managed to cut herself off as she saw Thomas and Leanne. "Oh, hello. I'm Santana."

"Thomas, and this is Leanne." said Thomas, with a smile. "Well, it was good to see you, but we should go rejoin our friends. Well, I say friends... Lea's girlfriend and my date."

"Yeah, we won't keep you if you have dates." said Leroy, with a smile. "Girls, why don't you go with Hiram and get our seats." The girls nodded, as they walked off with Hiram following. Thomas turned to Leanne and said "Yeah, why don't you get our seats as well." before handing her three tickets. "Tell Dawn I'll be right there." Leanne nodded with a smile, before walking off. Leaving Leroy and Thomas. "Why is it you always look younger whenever we meet each other again?"

"I moisturize." said Thomas, with a wink. Before smiling. "In all serious, I don't age like you lot. I'm a lot older, yet look younger."

"Are you still doing the detective thing?" asked Leroy, smiling. Thomas smiled and said "I had to go back to school, but sometime in the next few years I hope to get back into it."

"You're still doing it though?" he asked again, looking at Thomas. Thomas smiled and said "Depends on the case, really. I haven't really done any detective stuff in a few years."

"There was a weird murder in Lima, our department can't figure it out." said Leroy, looking at Thomas. "I was hoping you'd come help."

"I'll be there tomorrow." said Thomas, with a smile. "Sometime after one. Unless somebody goes back on their word. Which is very likely." He let out a small smile, before sighing. "I'll see you in Ohio tomorrow."

"Well, we're out of Lima till the end of the week." said Leroy, with a smile. "We promised Rach we'd come here while the school's shut. But I'll ring ahead and tell my department to expect you and your partner tomorrow."

"Sure." said Thomas, with a smile. "So, I'll probably not see you till I decide to come to Lima in the future, which may not happen, no offense and all that."

"Non taken." said Leroy, with a smile. "I hope next time will be a social visit, not a work thing." Thomas smiled back, before Leroy added "We should probably get back to our families, see you around Thomas."

"See ya around, Leroy." said Thomas, before walking off.

He managed to get through the first act and the interval before all hell broke loose during the second act. The theater suddenly went dark, completely dark, making Thomas groan. He slipped the other five rings out of his pocket and putting them on his left hand. He stood up, and smiled when the ring on his thumb sent out a flash of light, making the light return to the room. Revealing Gupta in the middle of the stage, looking exactly like Elphaba, cackling. Thomas looked at Dawn and said "Looks like I can't put it off till tomorrow after all."

"Just go." said Dawn, looking at him. "You're a hero."

"I am so not." said Thomas, before jumping onto the stage. "Oi, Elphaba!" Gupta turned to face him, and smirked. "You can not stop me, Wizard."

"Wouldn't be so sure." said Thomas, with a slight smirk. Only to get blasted backwards, right into the backstage area. Where the director was stood. "You can not be on the stage!" he said, glaring at Thomas. Who simply looked at him and said "If I don't, you'll be toast. Elphaba is not Lindsey. She's actually evil." before walking back out. "Let's do this right, shall we." he said, before holding his hand up to the audience. The ring on his thumb glowed again, and five versions of him suddenly appeared on stage. "Oh so clever." said Gupta, shaking her head. Before firing blasts out of her hand, hitting all five versions of Thomas. Four fizzled out, as the real Thomas was sent flying towards the back of the stage, causing the rings to fly off his finger and right into her left hand. "Oh, look, I have all ten again." she said, smirking. "You failed, Wizard."

"Oh, Elphaba." said Thomas, walking towards her, through the ruined set. "Do you really believe I need the rings to defeat you?" As he said that, Gupta sent a lightning bolt towards him, which he redirected straight back at her with a simple wave of his hand. She was sent flying into the crowd, hovering above them. "Eleka nahmen nahmen! Ah tum ah tum eleka nahmen! Eleka nahmen nahmen! Ah tum ah tum eleka nahmen!" she chanted, sending different blasts flying towards him. He just smirked and brought his hand up, absorbing the blasts. Before sending them back towards her, making her fall, frozen. Thomas ran to stop her falling on people, only for her to disappear in a puff of smoke. Thomas looked around, before having his arms and legs clamp together, as if under strong gravity. He couldn't move, and felt himself floating towards the stage where Gupta stood. "Oh, you underestimate me, Wizard." she said, looking at him. "As usual."

"I never underestimate you, Elphaba." said Thomas, trying to focus. She smirked and said "I wouldn't bother, defying gravity is impossible."

"Oh, everybody deserves the right to fly." said Thomas, smirking. "I'm through accepting limits 'cuz someone says they're so." Gupta scowled, before blasting Thomas backwards. "Enough. I don't have time for this." she said, before walking away. Only to find Thomas standing in front of her. "You know I can't just let you walk out, Mandarin." he said, looking her in the eye. "And you really shouldn't let your concentration get broken. Then again, I've always know how to rile you up. Using song lyrics in a normal sentence is easily the best way." He winked, as Gupta lifted her right hand. "Move, before I make you." she said, glaring at Thomas. Thomas just looked at her and said "I'd like to see you try." Gupta smirked, before disappearing in a puff of smoke again. Thomas shook his head and said "Now, that's just not fair." He chuckled slightly. "Then again, you've never been one for playing fair, Gupta." He let out a small smile, before disappearing on the spot.

He reappeared in his seat, smiling. "That was quite a show, wasn't it." he said, surprising the girls. They all looked at him and Dawn pulled him into a hug. "You're fine!" she said, grinning. "I was so worried."

"I'm more durable than I look." said Thomas, with a smile. "Although, the show's gonna be finished now... and S.H.I.E.L.D'll be here anytime soon. So much for our date..." Dawn looked at Thomas confused. Thomas let out a small smile before adding "It'll take me a while to get S.H.I.E.L.D to leave me alone, without giving them any idea what actually happened here. Because they're idiots who don't need to know half the weird stuff that happens in this town. Nay, this world."

"I'm staying though." said Dawn, looking at him. "No way around it, you're stuck with me." Thomas smiled, before noticing that everybody was getting up to leave. "Lea, tell Coulson to meet me on the stage." said Thomas, taking Dawn's hand and walking off. Leanne nodded, before walking off the other way, with Sasha.

Outside, a black van pulled up as Leanne and Sasha walked out of the theater. Agent Coulson stepped out of it, with a pair of sunglasses on. "Is Mr Potts in there?" he asked, looking at Leanne. Leanne looked at him and said "He somehow knew you'd be the one Director Fury sent."

"Well, I appear to be the only one Mr Potts will be civil with." said Coulson, with a smile. "Other than Agent Barton and Agent Romanoff. But they're both on assignment right now."

"He's on the stage, but don't expect to get anything out of him." said Leanne, with a small smile. "He doesn't trust S.H.I.E.L.D as far as he can throw Director Fury." Coulson nodded, before walking into the theater.

Thomas, meanwhile, stood on the stage, overlooking the seats. Dawn was stood behind him, watching him. He spun on the spot, smiling. As he heard "Thomas, we need to talk."

"Hello Agent Coulson." said Thomas, with a smile, before adding "I'm not coming down, you'll have to come up here."

"I'll just sit in the front row." said Coulson, taking a seat in the middle of the front row. Thomas took a seat on the edge of the stage. "So, who's your friend?"

"None of S.H.I.E.L.D's business, Coulson." said Thomas, with a smirk. "But if you must know, I was on a date. Can we wrap this up quickly?"

"That depends on how quickly you tell me what you want S.H.I.E.L.D to know." said Coulson, smiling. "I understand you told Fury you wouldn't be doing anything for a while."

"I won't let innocents die because I decided to be passive." said Thomas, with a shrug. "The person who did this, her name is Gupta. I wouldn't bother searching her name, I've had everything on her deleted from online sources. And the only written articles are in a locked vault underneath my first house in England, which was demolished in a small attack by the Ten Rings. The vaults still there, but I'm the only one who knows where it is." He shook his head. "Not important. But Gupta, she's got ten powerful rings. They're extraterrestrial in origin, sent down to Earth in the early 1st century. They were scattered among ten sorcerers... who when they died, they put each one in a temple. In the early 1900s, the leader of the Ten Rings, who at the time was a General in the Chinese army, found one of the rings. Which led him to the nine others." Thomas shook his head again. "Once again, not important. All that matters is, two years ago, just before the whole Iron Man thing, I took five of those rings from her when she lured me, Leanne and Happy to a small park in Malibu. But tonight, she got those back..."

"Is she gonna be a threat?" asked Coulson, looking at Thomas. Who just looked at him and said "If I thought she was, I'd have delivered you her files a long time ago."

"No you wouldn't." said Coulson, looking at him again. "You don't think S.H.I.E.L.D can take her on."

"Of course I think that." said Thomas, looking at Coulson. "You've proven inept at taking on the Iron Monger, the Asgardian Destroyer and, if I've read the files right, that Latverian guy... those explorers with powers, what were they called? You know, the ones led by that guy with the stretchy limbs."

"The Fantastic Four." said Dawn, speaking for the first time. "Xander made me, Buffy and Willow visit the Baxter Building... it was a nightmare."

"The points taken, we don't have the powers you lot seem to." said Coulson, ignoring Dawn. "Tony has his suit, Thor's a demigod and the Fantastic Four were blasted by cosmic rays causing some sort of mutation." Thomas shrugged, before standing up. "If you don't mind, we've got a date to get back to."

"By all means, I'll be in touch tomorrow for your debriefing." said Coulson, standing up. Thomas smiled as Coulson walked off. As he reached the door, Thomas shouted "Oh, I'll be investigating a murder tomorrow! Good luck debriefing me." The door shut and Thomas smiled before turning to face Dawn. Who asked "What do you mean you'll be investigating a murder tomorrow?"

"I miss the thrill of solving a crime." said Thomas, shrugging. "One of the men Leanne and I were talking to earlier, he's the Chief of Police in Lima. They had a weird murder that's baffled them and want me to have a quick look." As he said that, his phone went off. He took it out of his pocket and saw an unknown number ringing. He frowned before putting it to his ear. "You're speaking to Thomas, state your name and intention."

"This is Leroy, Thomas." said Leroy, making Thomas smile. "There's been another one, you should go straight away."

"Tell your people to expect me in half an hour, and I'll be bringing a friend." he said, before putting the phone down. He looked at Dawn, who had her hand on her hip as she said "You think I wanna come with you?"

"Well, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. But that's not the point..."

"In that case, hold tight." said Thomas, smiling, as he took her hand. The stage soon changed into the front room of Dawn's apartment. "Pack some clothes, and change into something you don't mind getting blood on." said Thomas, with a small smile. "I'll be back in ten."

Sorry about the whole 'Wicked' part, I was listening to the soundtrack while writing the last part of this chapter... I'll be starting on the Avengers part soon, got one or two ideas for it.