Here, there, and back again
Author: Black Dragon on the Rocks/animealam
Rating: T
Pairing: None so far, mentions of one sided Steve/Peggy
Summary: The Universe stared at the boy for what seemed an eternity to him, only to change into a decrepit, dirty alley, and that was the last thing Steve saw before loosing consciousness. The small frail boy banished in a flash of blue flames. Be warned VERY AU Young Time Travelling genius tech savvy Steve
Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers, I'm just borrowing them. I'm using a good number of the movie dialogs, even if I added bits and pieces to some of them. So if something looks familiar they are obviously not mine, and belong to their respective owners.
Warnings: NOT SLASH, AU, Completely totally AU, Time Travel, Younger Steve, Violence, Adoption, Smart Steve, Technopaths, Technopath Tony, Technopath Steve, Canon Character Deaths, Minor Character Deaths, OOC-ness, there are quite a lot of movie dialogs which I decided not to change but I did add my own twists and turns to make them a bit more interesting.
Characters: Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, Thor, Nick Fury, Phil Coulson, Maria Hill, Sarah Rogers, mentions of Bucky, mentions of Peggy Carter, mentions of Howard Stark, mentions of Colonel Phillips, mentions of the Howling Commandos, Jarvis, Pepper, Happy, Rhodey
Timeline: Captain America: The First Avenger, Pre Avengers, Avengers, Post Avengers
Author's Note: I know I should not be posting another story when I have two on the way, and I'm stuck with one of them. But frankly I have a lot of plot bunnies lying around in my hard drive. Some have gotten so big they can no longer be called plot bunnies. At least ten of them over 20,000 words, or more (the largest apart from this one is slightly over 43,000) and still growing.
The only reason why I have not posted them is because I'm terrible at naming stories. I mean, I have one Harry Potter story (of way too many) which is over 100,000 words (it's been in my HD since before the Deathly Hollows came out) and I can't post it because I have not been able to name it. Really Untitled 055 tells no one anything about it.
Well, while I was bored waiting in line to do some stuff and going over one of the many unnamed stories I have, finally, FINALLY! I got a name for one. So here it is.
This began as an experiment that went a bit overboard. I had read a story about Tony being able to speak with tech (In AO3 it's called Technopath), and I thought it would be interesting if Steve was actually the one able to communicate with technology.
While still wondering about such a story, I read a couple of stories in which Steve was actually much younger when he enlisted. Then I can't deny liking the idea of Time Travel a lot… And this story came to be.
The story grew, and kept growing, until it became something over 50,000 words just lying there in my hard drive. It's not yet finished, although I did get to finish the movie which is the first Arc. From there it's going to be even more AU than it already was.
This chapter is mostly introductory, as I did not want to fully revisit all Captain America: The First Avenger.
Total words sans notes: 3,636
Keys:
"Speaking aloud."
'Thoughts'
'Name: /Mental interfacing between technopaths and/or tech\'
The beginning
It took him twenty minutes to hack his way into SHIELD's 'supposedly' heavily encrypted databases. Most of that time was due to his slow Internet connection; that a twelve year old with outdated tech hacked them said much about how 'secure' their information truly was. Not that he was an ordinary twelve year old, mind you, but still… those firewalls were ridiculously easy to bypass.
He let his search algorithm do its work. Normally he was not one to break into government agencies, as that spelled TROUBLE with all caps. But he had found an odd blue gem in a warehouse along with three dead people. The credentials of one identified him as a SHIELD agent.
Steve, the boy's name, knew he should not have been there at all. Not in winter and with his mile long list of illnesses and afflictions, but he got bored being cooped up all alone at home. The old warehouse had become a refuge since they moved back from Boston. He had a genius IQ, and last summer he had graduated from MIT with dual Masters.
He actually beat his hero, Tony Stark, who graduated at seventeen, although with a Ph.D. under his belt. It had been thanks to The Maria Stark Foundation that Steve had gotten a large enough grant to be home schooled, and be able to finance his college education. There had even been enough for his Ma and him to move to Boston and live frugally while he attended MIT.
The grant was nearly gone now, and despite his amazing credentials, he graduated from Computers and Philosophy, as well as Mechanical Engineering at eleven after all, Steve could not find a job. Surprisingly it was his health which was the objection, not his age. So his Ma had two jobs during the week, and one during weekends just to make ends meet.
The young boy was hoping to impress someone at SHIELD into hiring him when he returned the blue gem. But first Steve wanted to know if the people at SHIELD knew what it was, because, frankly, he was too curious about it. The small gem looked alien to him, but maybe it was just his over active imagination, hence his hacking into the spying agency for confirmation.
Steve stood up from his desk chair to check on the thermostat. It was getting very cold, and he rather not risk pneumonia again. It was awful, and they could ill afford another hospital stay. He frowned at the thermostat. The room should be warm and toasty, but it was not. It appeared to be working, still he should probably check it.
The young boy turned to look for his tool box and gaped. The blue gem was beginning to glow eerily. It illuminated his Iron Man and Captain America posters. His Ma always said he looked WAY too much like his hero, specially on the photos before the serum when he was a scrawny man. He was even named after him, Steven Grant, and his Dad's last name was Rogers.
The gem's light was becoming brighter when his search displayed a result. So he moved back to his desk, temperature forgotten for the time being. His search located a blue cube of unlimited energy known as the Tesseract. Some nut case Nazi scientist had used it during WWII to make weapons.
Johann Schmidt, was the name of the scientist. He was also known as the Red Skull, who had been actually the leader of HYDRA and Captain America's enemy to be precise. His hero had gone down with Schmidt's plane to save America from several bombs.
According to the information he was reading, the Tesseract was found in the Arctic Ocean's floor several years ago by Howard Stark, but they had not found either the Captain, or the HYDRA plane. Steve downloaded the information about the Cube, and erased all tracks of his 'visit'. He rather SHIELD did not discover he had been snooping around their mainframe. He truly did not fancy a visit from them, or the FBI's Cyber Crime Unit.
Steve turned off his desktop, thinking about making a sandwich for lunch, repairing the thermostat, checking why it was so cold, and a bit over the Cap's life. The last thought was the predominant one when Steve accidentally touched the glowing blue gem. Blue light surrounded him, and what could only be a portal opened in the middle of his bedroom.
The Universe stared at him for what seemed an eternity to the boy, only to change into a decrepit, dirty alley, and that was the last thing Steve saw before loosing consciousness. The small frail boy banished in a flash of blue flames.
1941 - 1945
Awakening in 1941 had been a shock worthy of a hospital stay. Thankfully he met James 'Bucky' Barnes, who at the time was already twenty-three. Bucky took pity of him, because Steve did not want to go to a hospital, even if he would probably die without treatment, and end in an orphanage.
So Bucky lied through his teeth, and convinced the doctors Steve was actually an adult of twenty-two. He kept him out of the orphanage. The older man had been orphaned when he was fifteen, and been separated from his younger sisters, so he knew from experience it was not a good place for someone with such a frail health as Steve's.
He had told his new friend and protector his real age not sure if he was messing too much with the time line. But after his invaluable assistance Steve did not want to lie to him. Besides, he was sure Bucky would not have believed he was eighteen, much less the twenty-two Steve Rogers was supposed to be. The doctors only believed him because Bucky swore they had grown up together since they were twelve.
Once he was out of the hospital Steve went to live with Bucky, and the little boy began planning how to get himself a valid identity and documents so he could 'exist' in the past. He also needed a background story, which was not that hard to get since he knew by heart Captain America's story… And Steve had come to the conclusion he was, or at least would be in a few years, the same person as his hero.
Steve had taken art classes while studying at MIT, so it was not all that hard to forge himself a fake birth certificate saying he was twenty-two. His feelings about it were ambivalent, for one Steve was proud of his work, it was, if he said so himself, very well done.
On the other side Steve felt bad, because he was doing something illegal. He was faking official documents, but Steve truly could not tell anyone he was a time traveller, not even Bucky. Of course he did not look twenty-two years old, but to anyone who asked Steve told them it was because of his ill health. Surprisingly everyone he met bought the excuse with no questions.
It was his luck that a few months before he arrived to the past there had been a fire in the Registry's Offices and many books had been lost. They were still getting people to present their documents to make new books. Steve simply presented his fake Birth Certificate, and that was it. Steven Grant Rogers existence in the past was properly documented and verifiable.
Besides the Birth Certificate, Steve also found a way to test out of High School. This could also be used as proof he was indeed older. From what he knew of the time it was extremely uncommon for anyone to test out before actually going through the required study years.
To support himself, and help Bucky with the expenses, Steve initially started doing odd jobs. Mostly he repaired electrical appliances and vehicles. He had always been very good with numbers too, so he also helped do the books for a few family businesses in the neighborhood.
Work wise Steve actually made a name for himself, and people started to not only seek him out when they had some appliance broken down, they recommended him to family, friends, and co-workers. Steve always knew what was wrong with the appliance because of his affinity with technology. Anything with a chip had talked to him back home.
In the past, the tech was not as advanced, but he still 'felt' things. Steve never told anyone about his 'gift', which he believed might be a mutation, not even his mother. Although he had investigated about mutants, and learned the X gene manifested in puberty.
Tech had 'spoken' to him since he could remember. In fact, he had ignored humans for a long while as a kid in favor of talking to tech. The doctors had told his mother he was autistic, which was later proven he was not.
It had not taken a genius, which he was, to realize He was the one destined to become Captain America. So Steve had to ensure he was selected for Project: Rebirth when the time came.
Meanwhile he had to live up to what was known of the Cap before the war. Not that it was much trouble, he did hate bullies, and was never one to back down. His knowledge of Tai Chi thankfully kept him from landing in the hospital most of the time. Although it did not save him from getting beat up if he did not get the bully fast, or there was more than one.
Tai Chi, along with Yoga were practically the only forms of exercise Steve had been able to practice because of his ill health. He was lucky Yoga was actually becoming a fad in certain circles in New York City, so he also earned a decent amount of money by teaching Yoga to Socialites. Bucky teased him about his… Pretzel like exercises, but did not complain, much, since it brought them good money.
Not all was good though. His many illnesses nearly killed him a couple of times because he did not have the proper meds. The medical field was not as advanced as it would be in the future. Steve lamented not paying attention to Biochemistry when he was still studying, the knowledge might have helped him to develop something to help ease his health problems.
What he did design was a much cheaper electric nebulizer, as well as a bulkier version of an inhaler. Both helped with his asthma immensely, although the meds available were not quite what he was used to.
Since inhalers had not existed before, and he did not know when they first came to be, Steve decided to patent it, as well as his much cheaper nebulizer. He supposed if it was meant to be he would be able to do it, if not, well someone else would come with the idea later. But in the meantime he would have something to help keep him alive.
The boy was surprised when he was granted the patent without any trouble. Then with luck on his side Steve managed to get a company interested in commercializing both his ideas. Contracts were drawn and he got a good sum of money for his invention, and he actually got a part time job in their labs.
The money from the contracts sure made life a little easier, and allowed him and Bucky to pay his ever accumulating medical debts. The inhaler and nebulizer opened the gates of his creativity, and Steve invented many things along with some he had already created back home. He patented everything.
A few of his inventions could only ever be produced in his future, once the tech had advanced that far. But he knew well what his destiny was, and Steve was not willing to let his technical knowledge be wasted.
It had taken Steve a lot of effort, and sacrifices to finish his schooling. To prove to everyone he could obtain his Master titles despite being so young, and having such a frail health. Steve was determined to leave his mark, and not just as a soldier. He knew some of his creations had been used and became common in the future.
Steve had been there to hear the news about Pearl Harbor, and Bucky had wanted to enlist as soon as the USA entered the war, but decided to wait because that winter Steve got very ill. He also waited the next year, and was finally drafted in February 1943. The army realized Bucky had potential as a sharp shooter and he got some extra training.
By the time he was drafted Bucky was confident Steve could survive on his own and everyone thought him to be an adult. So there was no risk of him ending in the orphanage. Bucky knew Steve had been stubbornly trying to enlist, and had been rejected due to his many health issues.
The older man was actually glad Steve was rejected. War was no place for a fourteen year old kid, specially one as ill as Steve usually got. Bucky tried his best to convince him to stop his attempts to become a soldier, and for a time he had thought he managed.
Bucky knew Steve was way too smart, frighteningly so. He was convinced his little brother in all but blood would contribute more to the war effort if he put that brain of his to work on designing better weapons or gear. In fact Steve had already done so, one of his helmet designs, and one for the radios where already being used.
When Bucky went to basic boot camp, Steve kept the small apartment where they lived. He worked for a couple of advertising agencies who liked his artwork, and they had been giving him a steady requests for illustrations. Plus he did some work for the Physicists at Columbia University, where Steve knew they were about to finally split the atom.
All things considered, Steve was very proud of what he had accomplished, and knew his mother would have been too. It did break his heart to know he was not going to see her again, to know he was not going to survive the war.
Steve tried to avoid thinking about his sacrifice for his country. He did not want to die, and if he could change things he would, but he rather not create a paradox and would do what he must in the end.
In his sparse free time, Steve had decided to learn as much as he could about tactics and strategy, as well as field medicine. He was sure going to need them. So he spent a lot of time in the library.
The World Exposition of Tomorrow came along, and he accepted the double date with Bucky. Which was more like he was acting as a chaperone. The Expo was very interesting, and let him know just what the people thought would be available in the future, and he compared it with what he knew was actually available in 2012.
As he had learned about Captain America's history, Steve tried to enlist four times before that time. He had changed his birth place and age, just to see if he could fool anyone. He was rejected for medical reasons, besides no one with eyes had believed he was anywhere near five feet eleven inches high, as he wrote in one of his forms.
He was surprisingly of average height for his real age of fourteen, but in the weight department was where there was trouble. Steve was way too skinny. At least twenty pounds underweight. He tried to keep a decent diet, but being ill often did not let him keep the weight. Still, the height along with the lack of pounds on him, gave Steve the scrawny look he needed.
At the Expo he tried again, and there was where he met Doctor Erskine. The rest was history, literally. What was never mentioned was the fact the good doctor knew Steve was not really the twenty-four year old he pretended to be. Although he never guessed exactly how old Steve really was.
The doctor believed him sixteen. Had he known his test subject was actually fourteen, Steve would have been rejected as candidate for the Super Soldier Serum. The doctor also knew his IQ was way above the norm, perhaps up par with Howard Stark's, but decided not to mention it since the serum was probably going to improve it.
War was an ugly thing, and Steve could not deny it terrified him. Any childish innocence he had was destroyed with his first insubordination act, the rescue of the 107th. He was forced to grow up fast because of what he saw, and what he had to do to rescue those men.
Steve had had to kill. Knowing the history, and what had to happen did not prepare him for when he actually had to do it. But he could not hesitate, he had to act and think later.
The young kid could not allow himself the time to freak out, or feel regret. His first priority was to get those men to safety, specially Bucky, whom he loved like an older brother, and to survive the ordeal.
Once he was back, and submitted himself for disciplinary action for going AWOL, Colonel Phillips waved it off. He was then transferred from the USO to the regular Army and the SSR's command.
Bucky had been grateful for the rescue, how could he not? But he was furious with Steve for allowing people to experiment on him, and not content with that, he had enlisted when he was not old enough to do it.
The row with Bucky was epic, and while somewhat private, a few people did learn the truth about Steve being a minor. Not that it was actually an unheard off occurrence, many youths had done the same. He was not the only one, and the Army had turned blind eyes on some cases. They were in desperate need of able men.
Colonel Phillips, and the Howling Commandos did find out, and agreed not to mention the subject again. They believed him sixteen, and Bucky did not disabuse them of that notion, even if he was not happy, he knew there was no turning back for Steve.
The Commandos even agreed to become part of Steve's team despite knowing he was much younger than them. They all owed him their lives and freedom after all, but their full respect only came after working with him on several missions.
Steve proved himself to his men, and commanding officer as a worthy leader, and a superb strategist. He always did have a plan, several actually, and learnt his people strengths so they could take advantage of them. He also knew their weaknesses and was able to include ways to compensate during missions. Each of his plans were executed with precision.
The Commandos actually forgot he was a kid most of the time, unless Jim, and Bucky decided it was time to lighten up the tension. His knowledge of science and mechanics made him an invaluable ally, so they always included him when planning a prank.
When not on missions Steve trained, as he had only received a token instruction while preparing for the Super Soldier Serum. He became a very good shot, and once he got the shield used his quick mind to calculate trajectories to make it ricochet against objects or people.
The shield became a very efficient, most of the times non lethal, weapon besides protection. He practiced with his shield every day without fail unless they were on a mission.
On the rare free time the Commandos had between missions, a few times due to injuries, it became a common occurrence to see Steve tinkering with the vehicles, the radios, a few tanks, and even a type writer or two. He was good at what he did, and the mechanics began seeking him out when they had vehicles they could not fix.
He became friends with Howard Stark, who was happy to find someone he could talk to about his projects, and who could actually understand what he was saying. Then there was Peggy, and oh boy, he had the mother of all crushes for her.
As time passed Steve came to the conclusion he could not change much, or anything really. Erskine's murder, Bucky's and his own deaths. He did the best he could to make everything worth it. He took as many HYDRA goons as possible, and gave his all to take down the Red Skull; although it was the Tesseract which did it in the end.
The Tesseract opened a portal much like the gem did when it sent Steve to the past. It disintegrated Schmidt before pulling his ashes into the immensity of space and closing the portal. Steve could not help but feel lucky it had not happened like that for him, and it allowed him to do good instead, even if he got separated from his only family.
His last act was speaking with Peggy and saying goodbye. It was not easy, but he had known nothing would come of his crush for her. He really was too young for Peggy, she needed an adult not a teenager posing as a man.
Contrary to what Steve had expected crashing the plane was not so difficult, perhaps because he had time to accept his fate. He had known, the moment he arrived in 1941, how he was going to die, and when.