Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers (the comics, movies, characters etc.) or any of the characters; I only own my OC Art.

20. A Symbol of Hope

In the weeks following the Battle of New York, as the press was calling it––the locals simply referred to it as 'the incident'––the city was brought back to it's close-to-typical buzzing ways. Disaster relief organizations had been sent in from around the country to assist in cleaning up the streets and fixing buildings. Grand Central Terminal was still mostly closed now that they had to repair leviathan sized holes and replace dozens upon dozens of windows and repair cracked flooring. The statue of Hermes that typically graced the exterior, just above the clock, had been smashed to pieces during the battle; the city insisted they erect a new statue of the Heroes of New York––the Avengers. But when the team found out about the proposition, they issued a public statement requesting that the statute be of the true heroes that had been present that day: the first responders. So the statue that was being produced was of the firefighters and policemen who had appeared on the scene with such immediacy and had braved their bizarre foes to make sure every citizen they encountered was safe.

TIME Magazine had released an issue purely about the Battle of New York. It gave in-depth first hand experiences, documented what details had been released to the public, and had posed some of the controversies that had arisen once the smoke had cleared, both metaphorically and literally. The cover of that issue was of what was surely to become an iconic picture. Snapped by someone who had been at the Rockefeller Ice Rink, it was Art in the pose that Tony had called 'one of the most American things he'd ever seen.' Art was kneeling in the fountain with water bubbling around her knees, her head was hung, damp dangling about her face in wet strands, hands curled around the pole of an American flag that was embedded in the chest of a dead Chitauri. There were pictures of most the Avengers inside the issue, from phone pictures, to professional grade images, snapped before everyone was pulled off the streets. There was one of Steve standing atop a taxi, head ducked as black smoke filled the street. Amongst other photographs, one of Art cradling Rachel to her chest through the Rockefeller Concourse had been sent in. There were numerous photos of Tony and a handful of ones of the Hulk. An entire section of the magazine was titled 'The Triumphant Return of America's First Super Heroes: Captain America and Lieutenant Liberty.'

All the Avengers were present the day Thor, Loki, and the Tesseract were sent back to Asgard. They arrived solemnly, ready to finally put this nightmare to bed. Loki had been kept in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody and constant watch for the remainder of the time he'd spent on earth. During that time he had been muzzled so he was unable to speak, and no one had been allowed to interact with him in any way. Thor––the only one that everyone was definitely sure could properly handle the trickster god––held a chain that was attached to Loki's cuffs, leading him to their designated spot of departure like a dog. Loki's icy eyes were narrowed and his expression was vastly unreadable thanks to the muzzle. Selvig had shown up with a containment apparatus that could hold the Tesseract and harness its energy to transport the two Asgardians back to their home. Art curled her arm around Steve's as they watched Tony and Selvig carefully settle the Tesseract into the glass cylinder; Steve placed a hand over hers as they watched the two men work together with cautious precision. The faces of the two soldiers were pinched with resentment towards the alien device. It was a relief to finally see the Cube off, to know it was going to be far out of their reach, where it couldn't bother them any longer.

Loki, who stood a few feet off thanks to the amount of slack the length of chain had offered, raised his eyes to stare up at Clint; the sharpshooter remained expressionless, his eyes hidden behind a set of sunglasses. Natasha turned to whisper something in Clint's ear, something that made him smile at the beaten god before them. Loki then turned to the side so he might face Thor… and then turned his head to look straight at Art. She stared right back, expression composed in a look of stern anger. Never again would she have to see his face again. She could live the rest of her life without having to deal with the devil of a man who had dragged the earth through hell as he smiled and laughed on. Now he wouldn't hurt anyone ever again, if what Thor said was true. Something about his expression changed, all of a sudden. Loki's eyes crinkled at the corners, a sure sign that, beneath his muzzle, he was smiling. It was deeply unsettling, a look that didn't match the remaining bruises and cuts that dotted his face. Art's brows pinched together in concern and the crinkling around Loki's eyes smoothed out, leaving his gaze cold and dangerous.

Thor approached his brother, then, Mjolnïr in one hand, the encapsulated Tesseract in the other. Either end of the capsule had handles that both gods were supposed to grasp hold of. Loki and Thor shared a tense, silent moment as the golden haired Asgardian proffered his brother the other handle. Thor had said his goodbyes to the rest of the team earlier, knowing full well that this moment had to be efficient and unaffected. Loki reached a cuffed hand outwards and grabbed hold of the handle, his long fingers curling around the piece of metal. Thor then made eye-contact with each of his teammates, each of his new family members, and nodded in solemn comradeship. Then, with a twist of his wrist, he turned his handle and activated the capsule. Enveloped in streaks of Tesseract blue energy, Thor and Loki shot up into the sky, disappearing into the universe above them.

"It's over," murmured Art, staring up into the sky. Steve slipped his hand into hers and gave her fingers a squeeze.

"Thank god for that," Bruce sighed, pushing his hands into his pockets. "So… I guess that's that, then, isn't it?"

"Well, I mean, we'll all still be around; and, without a doubt, Fury will call us back to action soon enough," Tony reassured. "But, till our next Avengers dinner party… I suppose it is, uh, goodbye."

The next few minutes were composed of goodbyes and promises to get together before the world needed saving again. Art wound her arms around Clint's neck, her fingers curling against the grey hood of his sweatshirt. She smiled as the sharpshooter curled his arms around her waist, one hand firmly sitting between her shoulderblades. At the beginning of the whole ordeal they'd just become comfortable with calling one another friend; and now, that bond felt undeniably strengthened. Art's eyes fell shut and she ducked her head so her chin rested on his shoulder.

"Don't you dare make yourself a stranger," she threatened with a fond laugh. Clint chuckled as they stepped out of the embrace. He kept both of his hands solidly placed on her shoulders, smiling at her broadly.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Artie. Any time you wanna have a chat, give me a call or shoot me a text," he told her. Then he chuckled and squeezed her shoulders. "I'd love to be the first person to get a text from Lieutenant Liberty." Art shook her head, a smile still stretched across her lips.

"We'll see how technologically competent I end up being." She reached up and squeezed one of his hands. It was very likely that he would soon be called away on a mission, and, perhaps, she would be too. While it wasn't a permanent goodbye, it could definitely be goodbye for quite some time. "Keep yourself safe, alright, Clint?"

"Same goes to you, Artie."

Once goodbyes were exchanged, Steve and Art slipped onto the motorcycle that Steve had purchased the week before. He prefered motorcycles to cars; most of it had something to do with the two wheeled vehicle being his main mode of transport during the war. But besides that, motorcycles had a sense of timeless freedom that he relished. Tony watched as Art swung her leg over the seat and situated herself behind Steve, winding her arms around his waist.

"You're a brave woman for wearing a dress and heels on that thing," Tony commented, gesturing to Art's lovely white dress and russet colored Mary Janes. Art chuckled and let her shoulders rise and fall in a shrug.

"Thank you. Though, that's not the most brave thing I've done on the back of a motorcycle," Art informed as she and Steve stepped into the warm sunlight the rest of the team was basking in. Tony arched an eyebrow and pushed his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose.

"Sounds kinky."

"Not if it involves me driving through the window of a HYDRA truck. I trust that we'll be seeing you sooner than we think?"

"So long as you live in this city, you'll not be rid of me," Tony informed as he slipped into his sports car. Art felt Steve chuckle, and could practically hear him roll his eyes. He then pushed the kickstand up and started up the motorcycle, letting the engine growl to life. Tony raised a hand to give them a sharp, brief salute. "Captain. Lieutenant."

"Mr. Stark," Steve responded with a nod of his head.

Steve pulled the motorcycle away from the curb and started down the street. The day was pleasantly warm and beautifully sunny, and that only added to the suddenly light feeling that filled the two on the bike. The Tesseract was gone, the fighting was done, and the day was beautiful. Both were smiling as they trundled towards home without much of a care, for the first time in since they'd woken up in the modern age. Art rested her chin atop Steve's shoulder and turned her head to kiss his cheek. She then shut her eyes and let the warm breeze work its way through her hair, relishing the blessed moment of freedom that had been bestowed on them.

OOOO

A handful of days after Loki and the Tesseract had departed earth, Art was called into the S.H.I.E.L.D.'s New York headquarters. Once she'd arrived, she made her way to the training center, which was two floors beneath street level, and found Fury waiting for her. Without so much as a greeting, he nodded for her to walk with him. Art followed without a word or protest, walking with a very militaristic stride that was juxtaposed by the clicking of the heels of her Mary Janes.

"Lieutenant Knoll, in light of recent events, I've decided to make both you and Captain Rogers a proposition. I want you to keep up doing what you're doing––want you to keep leading, keep fighting, keep doing what you two do best––keeping the peace and bringing the unjust to justice," Fury informed as they walked, passing training rooms and locker rooms. Art looked over her shoulder at him, a slight furrow present between her brows. It was a surprised furrow, one that was accompanied by a thrill that ran down her spine.

"Really?" she asked. Fury clasped his hands behind his back and offered a nod, the two slowing to a stop so she could properly take a moment to consider the offer.

"I've offered Rogers the same. We're just waiting for your answer, now."

Art lightly gnawed on her bottom lip, considering the proposition that she was being presented with. She didn't have to ask to know that Steve had said yes, and he'd likely said it in a heartbeat. They had both agreed in the weeks following the Battle that the most they'd felt at home in months had been when they were in places like S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, or the quinjet, or in the fight. It had something to do with the timelessness of the militaristic feel that had been present in all of those places. Their lives had been comprised of such an atmosphere for so long when they'd been fighting in the forties, that to have spent months in civilian life had felt… strange. They were used to early morning wake-up calls, used to giving orders and making contingency plans, used to putting their lives on the line as explosions shook their bones. What they weren't used to was going to the grocery store at the beginning of every week, hailing taxis, jumping at car horns, and making small talk with people they didn't know. Albeit, she would admit being out of the fight was a welcomed change… it was lovely to get a taste of what Art had left behind when she left for the war, but it had all changed and all become so different… yet when S.H.I.E.L.D. had called for her aid, when she'd been back in action doing what she did best… she had felt more at home and more comfortable than she had aimlessly wandering Central Park. Art had always known it was her calling to protect and defend; if anything, Loki's invasion had only solidified that feeling.

"I would be honored, Director Fury, to take you up on this very kind offer," Art told him in a regulated––but thankful––tone. "I will do everything in my power to protect this country…" she trailed off, eyes wandering from Fury's face as she gave something thought. She had become so accustomed to saying 'country' in a phrase such as the one she'd just said. But, in light of recent events, she thought that, perhaps, she could dare to say a bigger word. "... This world and its citizens."

Fury's lips twitched into what might've been a smile, but it was fleeting; but the slight crinkle at the corners of his eyes let Art know that it had, indeed, been a smile. He nodded for them to start walking again as he said, "We were hoping you might say that. And, in those hopes, we went ahead and commissioned a specialized weapon for you." Art arched an eyebrow with confusion tugging her lips down into a frown. "I take it you saw the TIME Magazine edition about the Battle?" Art nodded slowly. "So then you know that you made the cover; and whether you like it or not, that picture is gonna be famous. It's gonna be one of the first things that people who heard 'Lieutenant Liberty' are gonna think of. So, vamping off that picture, we decided to make you a specialty weapon."

Art stayed silent as she thought over every inch of the mentioned picture. What about it would warrant a 'specialty weapon?' Then, after thinking over the small details, she returned to the glaring obvious, returned to what the picture was actually of. Her, kneeling over the dead body of a Chitauri that she'd killed with the pole of an American flag. Both of her brows shot upwards and a little laugh tinkled in the back of her throat.

"Are you trying to tell me that you're making me a flagpole?" she deadpanned as they stopped in front of a door. Fury punched in a code and smirked, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

"Not exactly."

The room beyond the door reminded Art of Howard's workshop back in London. What solidified that thought was the fact that Tony was sitting atop one of the work benches, turning a gun over-and-over in his hands. She suspected that it was someone else's workshop seeing as Tony only ever did his inventing in Stark Towers––or, Avengers Tower, as it was soon to be called––but he seemed perfectly at home surrounded by all of the tech and half-made objects. When Fury and Art passed through the door, Tony set the gun aside and hopped off the table, putting a metal case where he'd previously been sitting. He smiled at them and raised a hand in greeting.

"Ready to see what I've got in store for you, Artie-Tartie?" he asked, unlocking the case he'd brought with him. Fury gestured Art forward, and as she walked towards the billionaire, she smirked and smoothed out the fabric of her skirt. A strange sense of déjà vu came over her and it caused her smirk to turn into a smile.

"I've always gotten nothing but the best from you Stark boys," she pointed out. "That vest Howard made me was a godsend." Tony snorted and cast a look over his shoulder.

"I could've made it better––but let's wait to debate who was the better inventor. Take a gander." Tony tossed something silver and cylindrical her way, the object blurring through the air. As she caught it, Tony leaned up against the workbench and crossed his arms. "It's not vibranium, unfortunately, but it's the strongest stuff I could get hold of."

Art looked down at what she'd snatched out of the air. Quite simply, it was a thin metal tube with two buttons on its side––one was rectangular and the other was circular. It fit in her grasp comfortably and was about as tall as a twelve ounce can of soda. She turned it every-which-way, trying to look more impressed than she felt. "It's… a tube. A… metal tube…" Tony rolled his eyes and waved his hands at her in a 'back-up' gesture.

"You're the most un-curious person––press the button, Lieu." After shooting him a look from under her lashes, she let her thumb skim over the button that was set into the side of the tube. "And, uh, you might want to… hold it away from your body," Tony interjected quickly. Art slowly extended her arm and arched an eyebrow as if to ask if she'd correctly done as he had asked. "And hold it horizontally." She twisted her wrist to the side so her knuckles were facing the ceiling. "Now you can push the button."

Her thumb pressed against the rectangular button and, almost immediately, either end of the tube opened and ejected more tubing that clicked and locked into place to form a staff. On either end, the tips were painted with bands of red and blue, with a band of silver dividing the two. Art stared at it in surprise, mouth falling open. Well, at least there wasn't a flag dangling off the end of it. She tentatively turned her wrist from side-to-side, testing the weighting––it was fairly light, but weighted enough to hurt if struck.

"That is definitely impressive," Art mentioned, setting one end of the staff on the ground. Length-wise, it stood at about half a foot over her own height. "What does the second button do?" She'd asked quietly, mostly to herself, but then she looked to Tony with an expressionless look. "If it ejects a flag out of the top, I will punch you."

"I'd thought about it, but I thought that Capsicle's suit was all star-spangling you needed." Art rolled her eyes and Tony smiled. After clicking the circular button, the bottom half of the staff retracted to leave it at half its length. "It can deal some serious damage if you swing hard enough and it can withstand up to three hundred pounds––but I'd still be cautious because that's a rough estimate. I've been thinking it might need a little something else… like an option to electrify the metal or something. Give it a little 'oomf,' you know?"

"That would certainly be shocking," Art deadpanned, smirking at her own horrible pun. Tony groaned and pulled a face, shaking his head––he liked to believe he was the best at making nicknames and puns, and this was only proving his point. "Maybe a grip would be beneficial." Tony hummed and nodded, rubbing at his chin, eyeing the device that he'd been asked to create. Art turned her attention to Fury and gestured to the staff she held. "You do know I… have never trained with anything like this."

"We're well aware; which is why we're sure that you'll be taking the time to familiarize yourself with it," Fury told her. Art had re-extended the bottom half of the staff and twirled it around a bit, pulling a face of indiscernible expression.

"So… I'm learning to use this because the public is going to expect me to use something like this?" she asked. There was a slight tinge of what sounded like concern in her voice. Fury spread out his arms and took a couple steps forward.

"Yes, and no. You're a public figure, Lieutenant, and you have been for a very long time. There are certain expectations that you're being held to. Yes, we want you to have the staff, but we want you to have it because, to those you saved at that ice rink, it represents a moment of hope. That's what Cap's shield represents, that's what you both represent. I don't think the public is going to expect you to use anything but the pistol and machine gun you've been pictured using since your first depiction in the Captain America comic series. But they'll damn well make a connection between that staff and that flag pole. Besides that, it's just another weapon to have in your ever-growing arsenal," Fury told her, his tone of voice stern but simultaneously inspiring. It was the sort of voice one would use to give a pep talk in a more solemn situation.

Art stared up at the top of the staff at the bands of color. Red, silver, and blue, just like the rings on Steve's shield. Perhaps her apprehension about the new weapon had to do with the fact that it was a change. Change was something she'd become well acquainted with, but it was still difficult to get a grasp on. But change was necessary, it was a part of life, and she and Steve were living examples of how hard change could be on a person. But sometimes change happened for the better. Sometimes the necessity of it was outweighed by positive affects that it could have. Art turned her back on the other two in the room and began to tentatively test the movement range of the staff in her hand. She made slow, smooth swings, careful not to hit anything on any of the surrounding tables. Holding it in both hands, she glanced over her shoulder at Tony, who was watching her with a contemplative look.

"If you end up electrifying this thing, you better make sure that the handle is insulated."

Afterword: I admit, this isn't my favorite chapter, and I had a lot of trouble writing it. 'Cause it was too early to introduce Steve and Artie's fight, and I couldn't think of much to happen between the last chapter and when they'd send Loki back to Asgard. So, next chapter will be more exciting, more fun, and we'll probably get to see a more tense side to the StArt relationship. Also, the staff was just something that I came up with on a whim, so I don't know if I'll keep it or not. She might use it for a while and then get rid of it if it doesn't end up working out. I dunno. Let me know what you guys think about it.

Review replies!

shadowhuntingdauntlessdemigod: They did finally say it! I've got an idea that each movie sort of helps progress their relationship to the next level, sort of strengthening it and whatnot. And I'm very happy that you enjoyed the shawarma scene! I'm excited to get to CAWS, but we've still got a handful of chapters till we get there––'cause we've gotta see Steve and Artie's first actual date, and maybe a mission or two. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!

weasleylover10: The bit about Leo in Ant-Man was, hands-down, one of the moments that really got me laughing. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, even if it wasn't as cutesy––or at all cutesy––as the last one. Thanks again!

LMarie99: I'm glad you loved it! Hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!

darch ben: Thank you! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

grapejuice101: I'm happy you're looking forward to CAWS. I am too, I can't wait to get started! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!

The Redshirt who Lived: StArt cuddling=too cute for words. We're gonna get more cute StArt moments before Winter Soldier begins so they're relationship is really solidified before they go through the emotional torture of the next movie. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!

RJNorth: I had a spur of the moment need to have her reference something and surprise everyone, and thought, hey, why not Jurassic Park? It's considered a classic, and I think she'd rather enjoy it. Matt and Foggy should be in the next chapter, so I'm suuuuper excited to write that up! And then we'll meet some Agents of SHIELD peeps at some point, too. I'm still trying to figure out a good name for the next installment of this story––I've had an idea, but I don't think it fits anymore now that I've really planned out CAWS. So that's a work in progress, ahaha! Art majors are difficult––I'm FINALLY over all of my confusing school related mix-up stuff, so I get to get started on all that good fun. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!

shugokage: I'm glad the arc came to a good close! I thought that it was a good moment to end that bit of the Avengers arc and start a new one for Art and Steve's relationship. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!

Nik1804: More fluff is to come, I promise! Ahh, the plans I have. When I sat down to think about where the shawarma scene fit in I really did just go 'wait… they really just went to get shawarma as everyone is, undeniably, in cleanup mode?' So I thought it would do well for them to actually talk out whether or not they should go get it. The feels will be strong and, I have to say, there will be a lot of moments that are just show up out of nowhere; Winter Soldier is gonna be a real rollercoaster. We will see Rachel again, probably in an interview next chapter. And I think Artie would totally apologize to those she hurt, especially since that's going to be something nagging on her conscience for a very long time. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you again for your lovely review!

Jo: That's one of the things that I thought was kinda odd about the first Avengers movie––Thor is definitely quite smart, and quite intellectual, but he seemed––to me at least––a tad dumbed down. So, I thought it would be nice if he was the one to suggest that they 'feast together as friends.' I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!

Leopard Feather: I've already got stuff for Age of Ultron planned out––such as worst fears, little arguments, relationship progressions, and all that jazz. Still got a little ways to go till I get to write it, but, oh, do I have plans! I'm very flattered to hear that you think that Artie is one of the best integrated OCs into a Captain America fic. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!

sarahmichellegellarfan1: I had a blast writing the last scene of the previous chapter. An 'awww' inducing moment indeed. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!

A Hobbit: I'm glad you've been enjoying the story! I can't wait for Winter Soldier either… the feels will be real and, ahh, the plans I have! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!

wickedgirl123: I figured that the first time they said 'I love you' would be incredibly adorable and very private, so that's what I strove for, and I'm glad it read well! Winter Soldier, as I have been hinting at and warning, is going to be an emotional rollercoaster. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!

Changer of Reality: I'm glad you've enjoyed the story! Thanks again!

The girl with no life: The Jurassic Park reference––I'm glad that people enjoyed it, I was worried it would seem too out of character. And the ending scene has been one of my favorite moments to write! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
tkczombiepe: Clint and Art have definitely got a special friendship, and I'm gonna explore that as the stories go onwards. It's kinda gonna be like a Buck and Steve sort of relationship, I think––being mischievous and all that goodness. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!

sPaRkzZz: I'm very happy to hear that you enjoyed the stories enough to devour them, as you said. You are very much welcome, I have had such a blast being able to share this story with those who are willing to read it. The Winter Soldier is, probably, my favorite Marvel movie, and I have so many plans for it! I hope that you'll stick around to read more; thanks again!

And thank you to those who have added this to their favorites/follows; it means a lot!

And that's it for now. Next time, we'll probably see our sweet dumpster ninja Matt, and tensions may begin to rise. I'm hoping to update before I depart for the UK in a week, but, if not, it should be up shortly after I arrive. Thanks again for taking the time to read, everyone! You all rock!

~Mary