Chapter 6

Cadet Natasha Romanoff found her schedule at the Air Force Academy had changed. She was informed that she was placed into a new program in the Cheyenne base that she did not request and wondered if it was perhaps an error for she was simply a first year cadet. Sporting cadet battle dress she stepped into the elevator. Her long red hair was placed neatly in a tight bun just above the collar. Right behind her a man she that never saw before stepped on as well. He was tall, had a youthful rounded face and dark hair and hazel eyes. His wore a blue dress uniform with his ribbon badge on display. He carried the rank of Captain.

Natasha greeted him, "Captain." She gave a salute as she was just a cadet.

"At ease, Cadet." Clint Barton stated. He found it a cadet going into the base unusual. "You going into the SGC?" he asked her.

"I was told to report to Major Samantha Carter." she informed. "I really have no idea what for. They just told me to go here."

"Romanoff, huh." he noticed the name. "Any relation to Anastasia?" he teased.

She admitted, "My father thinks my grandmother is her. I'm really don't know. He got us out of the Soviet Union when I was a baby."

Clint pondered, "Wouldn't that make you royalty if it was true?"

She shrugged, "I suppose. I have no idea if it's true or something Grandma made up. She a little loopy in the head. She got dementia. Kind of sad…" she mentioned thinking of her grandmother.

"Sorry for your grandma." he told her.

She asked, "Permission to speak freely?"

"Shoot." he replied.

"Tell me about your family." she requested. She instantly liked Clint and he seemed like a warm and welcoming soul to her.

"My dad is a former Olympian. He's an archer. He taught me, I got his genes. I won a gold medal a few years back. No wife or kids. Just my dad who is retired." He shook his head, "I can understand the dementia thing. My dad thinks he was an undercover super hero back in the 60's. He claimed he was go out and catch bad guys with the bow and arrow. He called himself 'Hawkeye.' He gave that name to me when I went into competitive shooting."

Natasha started to chuckle, "Your dad thought he was a caped crusader in the sixties. Like that old Batman and Robin show."

He laughed as well, "Yeah…like that."

She admitted, "I don't feel so bad about my grandmother anymore."

"I think every family has that one relative…" he agreed.

The lift stopped and door slid open. Both stepped off. Natasha figured she would bid goodbye to the handsome Major. "It was nice talking to you, Captain…" she looked at his name badge, "Barton."

"Nice talking with you too, Cadet Romanoff." he gave her a warm smile figuring they would be going in different directions.

Natasha looked about and found the indicator, "I'm to report to General Hammond's office." She figured, "That way."

Clint stated, "I'm going there too."

"I suppose we can walk together then." she offered. They began to walk the hallway side by side.

Clint asked, "First year cadet, huh?"

"Yes sir." she agreed.

"I remember my first year." he recalled. "You going to be a pilot or rocket scientist or what?"

"Pilot," she agreed. "It's so cool that you won a Olympic medal and your dad taught you archery. My dad taught me how to fight and shoot."

"What was your dad in the Soviet Union?" he wondered.

"KGB." she replied. "He took me and left when he found about a program they wanted to start that would turn kids into trained assassins. They would take a child and teach them how to kill. They tried to kill him when he objected. So, he took me and ran to Paris where we met up with Grandma and left for the USA. The Soviet Union wanted him dead. He brought state secrets to the US and asked for asylum. Now he works in NASA and here I am…"

Clint shivered, "Worst thing a government can do is steal your childhood and make you into something you are not."

"That's what my dad thought too." she agreed. "Had they managed to kill him…" she shivered, "I don't think I would be here today."

"I bet." he agreed.

They soon arrived at the briefing room. They stepped inside to find a group of men and women sitting around a briefing table. Clint gave a salute, "Captain Clint Barton reporting for duty, sirs."

Natasha copied his lead, "Cadet Natasha Romanoff reporting for duty, sirs."

Thor stood up from his seat and his face lit up. "Clint, Natasha…you're both here." He walked over and hugged them both at the same time.

The pair stood unsure of the strange man.

Sam looked to Jack and suggested, "Their Thor is a hugger."

Tony and Steve both rose to their feet. They understood neither Clint nor Natasha would recognize them. They waited for Thor to pull himself together and release the pair.

Clint and Natasha traded glances for the man who hugged them was a stranger.

Thor apologized, "Forgive me. My emotions got the better of me." He grinned from ear to ear at the sight of the pair.

Loki rolled his eyes, "You are embarrassing me, brother."

Thor shot back, "You embarrass me all the time, brother." He then stepped back and motioned for Clint and Natasha, "Take a seat. We have been waiting for you."

Clint looked to General Hammond who sat with an amused look upon his face. He found this version of Thor more emotional and human than the Thor he knew.

"Permission to sit, sir?" Clint requested.

"Please do," George motioned for the pair to have a seat.

Natasha took a seat next to Clint at the table. She found Major Samantha Carter sitting across from her. She addressed her, "Major Carter?"

She nodded, "Cadet."

"I am supposed to report to you." she told her.

"I know." she agreed. "Everything will be explained to you."

She sat at ease wondering just why she was called into the base. No other cadets she knew of was called in. She wondered if there was some kind of issue. "Is there something I did wrong?" she asked.

"No," Sam assured her. "We will explain everything to you."

She sat back and waited for some kind of explanation.

General Hammond started, "Captain Barton and Cadet Romanoff. You are about to be debriefed on the highly classified information. Captain Barton, Cadet Romanoff…" he paused and admitted, "I'm not even sure just where to start." He looked at Sam and Daniel for assistance.

Sam figured, "Probably should start with the multi universe theory." She looked to Tony for agreement.

Stark agreed, "Might as well since Thor can't contain himself."

Natasha and Clint traded glances wondering if there was some kind of joke unfolding.

Sam started, "Have either one of you heard of the multi universe theory?"

Clint shook his head, "Nope!"

Natasha nodded, "I over heard a few other cadets talking about it. Something about duplicate versions of earth all existing in the same space. I really didn't follow but that's what I gathered."

Sam nodded, "That's a very basic version. There can multiple universes, all existing at the same time and each version of earth can be very different of exactly the same. For example, in one universe you can be an Air Force cadet and in another…something completely different…like royalty…" she spoke straining for a comparison. "Usually, those other realities do not cross over but it is possible with advanced technology. Technology so advanced it's alien in nature. Half the people sitting at this table are from an alternate universe."

Clint and Natasha looked over the faces at the table rather wide-eyed.

Tony spoke up, "That would be my reality. Me, Captain Rogers, Thor, Loki and Peggy Carter are all from that other universe. In that other reality, we know both of you. You were both part of something called the Avenger Initiative. Thing is, there is a slight time issue. In that other reality it's twenty years into the future. I know that's a lot of take in and comprehend. We're trying to explain this to you step by step so you understand and we don't sound crazy."

Clint admitted, "This is sounding pretty crazy to me."

Tony let out a deep sigh. "I know it's confusing. Time and reality travel isn't something one normally has to deal with."

Steve Rogers added, "Look at me! I was frozen in a block of ice for seventy years, thawed out in the future and then used time travel to go back in time and then an alien mirror to cross over realities." He confessed, "I'm not sure I can explain that if I tried."

Jack assured, "I followed that."

Steve felt better, "Thank you, Colonel."

Clint asked, "Okay…you guys are talking about aliens and alternate realities. Am I correct?"

Sam gave a firm nod, "Yes."

Tony figured, "I knew you two could follow it."

Natasha asked, "Is there a hidden camera? Are we on that TV show?" She looked around for signs of a prank.

Tony huffed, "No! This is not a joke. You are not on Candid Camera."

Jack grinned, "You got Candid Camera too, huh?"

Tony replied, "Yes! There is a lot in your reality that is just my reality. Only thing I found different is some name brand spellings."

"Such as?" Jack asked.

He replied, "Your Jif peanut butter is spelled with two F's."

Jack looked at his friends, "It's spelled with two F's?"

Janet nodded, "I think so. Cassie prefers Peter Pan so…I'm not sure."

Sam explained, "That's normal. In any reality you can find similar things that are slightly different."

Steve suggested, "Like Clint and Natasha. Here, they have a total different life but they are the same two people."

Thor spoke up, "I'm way different here."

"Or you can find things completely different." Sam agreed.

Clint asked, "So…why are you even telling us this? We're not who we were in this other reality you guys claim you came from."

Tony stated, "It's not just us who came here. There is an enemy who came here as well. Thanos! He wants to take over and rule this universe. You guys helped us stop him in our universe."

Thor admitted, "We need all the help we can get to stop Thanos. He is starting to build a new army here. We need you both. When you were Avengers, you were both mighty warriors. Clint, you cannot miss a target. Natasha, you can take down a man twice your size. We need you."

Natasha stated, "I'm just a cadet. I'm only seventeen. I'm not whoever you think I am."

Tony agreed, "I know! But we know what you are capable of."

She became hesitant, "I'm not so sure about that."

Thor stated, "Your alternate self sacrificed herself to stop Thanos. Even if I returned to my reality, she would not be there. Here and now you have an chance. Don't let that sacrifice be in vain." His crisp clue eyes swelled with tears, "I beg you…please."

For Natasha her average day in her average life ceased to be average. She felt pulled to help. "I would like to help. I'm not sure what I can do to help though."

Jack stated, "You will receive training." He looked at his team. "It's a start."

Teal'c agreed, "I shall train her."

"Sounds good, T." he agreed.

Natasha requested, "Permission to ask a personal question."

Hammond gave a nod, "What is it Cadet?"

"What's that thing on his forehead?" she pointed to Teal'c.

He explained, "A symbol of enslavement to a false god."

Loki beamed, "Unlike the Goa'uld, I am a real god."

Tony rolled his eyes, "You got the shit beat out of you by a hulk."

Loki soured, "It was not a fair fight."