One Year Later

Caroline knocked on Doris Macleod's door loudly with one hand as she balanced the Pavlova in the other. It was late autumn and the colder weather was closing in, Caroline's long skirt, brown boots and oversized jumper reflected the autumnal colours of the large trees outside that lined the street. She'd let her hair grow longer than she normally allowed which left her in that strange position of not really knowing what to do with it so ultimately piled it up on top of her head and hoped for the best.

"Doris!" she shouted becoming inpatient. Knocking once more she contemplated leaving the Pavlova outside the old lady's front door but thought better of it. Either a neighbour would commandeer the pudding or she'd be inviting furry little critters into the building. Just as she was about to turn and leave the door opened.

"Hello dear," Doris greeted her and Caroline smiled tightly.

"Hello Doris, here, just wanted to drop this off." Practically pushing the meringue into Doris' arms Caroline was already saying goodbye and skipping down the corridor before Doris could react.

"Thank you!" she heard Doris shout after her and Caroline shouted back, nearly tripping on the stairs as she went.

She was late.

Breezing down the steps of the building Caroline instantly regretted not putting on her coat, leaves rustled under her boots as she made her way down the street towards the subway. There was a little kiosk that sat halfway between her apartment and the subway and Caroline always stopped to buy either a paper or gum. Dan Oates who owned the kiosk was an avid Anglophile and asked her any number of ridiculous and fun questions almost every day. She'd bought him a small book a while back, 'The Complete History of the British Isles' and since then he'd learn and then recite some little fact or other to her.

"You're running late today Miss Holland," he commented with a smirk as she picked up a paper.

"Yes Mister Oates, thank you for pointing that out." she said sarcastically but was distracted by the roar of a motorcycle pulling up against the curb.

"Need a ride Miss?" Caroline couldn't help but bark with laughter at the 'All American' sounding Steve. The uniform kind of tipped it over the edge also.

"Well, I am running late?" she mused and it was Steve's turn to laugh. Turning back to Dan Oates she pulled some money from her purse and handed it to him. "Mister Oates?" catching his attention she watched as the man's gaze flicked between Steve and herself. "Mister Oates?" she said again.

"Is that?" Dan Oates mumbled as he took the money Caroline was offering him. Caroline didn't say anything, instead she skipped across the sidewalk and jumped onto the back of the motorcycle, her arms naturally wrapping round Steve's waist. Steve pulled on the throttle and revved the engine of the bike as Dan Oates brought his hand up and saluted him. "Captain," Steve grinned and saluted the veteran.

"Sir," and with that he rode off.


Coming to a stop Caroline pulled herself off Steve's bike and waited as he came to stand beside her.

"Thank you," she whispered to him before he brought himself down to kiss the top of her head.

"Your welcome," he answered.

"A perk of knowing a Superhero?" Caroline joked, "I may never ride the subway again."

"I like to help where I can," pushing him back towards his bike Caroline watched as he tapped his shield almost lovingly before getting back on and turning the key in the ignition.

"Be safe," she told him, the shield on the back of his bike indicating he was 'going to work'.

"I'll see you soon," he said as he rode off. Caroline stood and watched after him not noticing the villain known as Thunderball launching a wrecking ball in Steve's direction. Caroline screamed in horror as she watched Steve being knocked from his bike, flying through the air and coming to land unconscious on the ground. Without thinking she ran towards him, her hands hovering over his face.

"Steve?" she whispered, not sure what to do.

"This is the end!" Thunderball shouted with glee as Caroline looked up to see him stalking towards them, his wrecking ball swinging and ready. Her eyes frantically searched around, onlookers were stood frozen, watching in horror as Captain America lay lifeless. Scrambling across the tarmac Caroline ripped the hero's shield from his bike and bringing it up and over the pair of them, selflessly put herself between the fallen Captain and his attacker.

Thunderball launched his wrecking ball once again and whilst the shield was indestructible, Caroline wasn't and the shock from the blows began to inflict terrible injuries. She held on for as long as she could until the last thing she remembered was seeing Black Widow and The Falcon appear alongside her before she fell into darkness.


Caroline blinked away the heavy sleep and pulled herself up slowly, looking down at her hands she felt the strange sensation of remembering nothing and everything at the same time. She remembered being on the street, Steve lying on the ground, her picking up his shield yet she couldn't remember what occurred before that. It was then that she looked around and realised she was sitting in a ring of standing stones and there was a man stood watching her.

"Where am I?" Caroline asked, bringing herself to stand. Strangely she wasn't scared, the place almost feeling familiar to her. The hues of blues and purples that surrounded them made her feel like she was stood in the cosmos itself.

"You are on Otherworld, I am Braddock." Caroline creased her brow in confusion, it felt like only a second ago she'd been using all of her might to protect Steve, each blow against his shield shuddering through her, yet here she stood without a scratch. Feeling stronger than ever in fact.

"Otherworld?" she repeated.

"I am Captain Britain but it is time to pass the mantle on to another." Braddock took a step towards her and Caroline took one back in response.

"Wait! I don't understand, where is Steve?" she asked, panic rising in her gut.

"You are the saviour and rightful heir of Otherworld with the innate right to wield the sword…" Caroline's head was spinning.

"Stop!" holding out her hands and closing her eyes Caroline saw only Steve. "Just answer me one question, is he alive?" she asked Braddock.

"Yes, you saved him." He told her, "and now you must take your rightful place."

"Rightful place?!" Caroline shouted, "I have no place here! I don't belong here! I don't know where here is, my name is Caroline Holland…" Pinching her nose Caroline looked around her. "Look, I don't know what's going on here but you can just stop, I need to see Steve. Please, just let me go alright?" Even as she said the words she knew it wasn't a game, she knew it wasn't someone playing mind tricks or she was asleep or any other number of possibilities. She knew it was real.

"Pinner," Braddock uttered. "From the Le Pinnere family, a 15th century pin maker. Your history is rich Caroline Pinner, it's what brings you here now. You had to die to reach your destiny."

"I died!" Caroline repeated. "I don't want to stay here, I don't want that!" she said pointing to the large sword in Braddock's hand. "He thinks I'm dead?" Walking towards one of the stone pillars she felt herself being thrown back to the middle and when Braddock put his hand on her shoulder she threw it off with such strength that Braddock flew through the air, landing gracefully on his feet however he smiled sympathetically. Her hands glowing caught her attention, and turning them over in front of her she looked to Braddock once more. "This is real?" she uttered.

"You know that it is. Your Father knew who you were and what your future held, that's why he kept you in sight, out of the hands of others." Caroline stared at him in disbelief, it was all too much and she felt sick to her stomach. "You have a choice, a choice between The Sword of Might or the Amulet of Right. You may return to your world but you must protect Otherworld from any enemy that arises." Caroline turned from him and closed her eyes, her life up until that point passing through her thoughts like a series of pictures.

"That man? The one who attacked Steve, is he an enemy?" Braddock nodded and Caroline felt her fists clench tightly. Within her heart she instantly sensed that if she were to protect Steve, protect anybody, she needed to choose the sword. It was calling to her and without questioning she stepped forward and bowed her head. "If I don't choose?" she asked.

"You know that not to be your choice." Braddock replied. "Let me show you." he told her as he brought his hand up to her cheek.

"Show me what?" Caroline asked as he cupped her cheek with the palm of his hand.

"Everything," he told her as Caroline's mind was filled with the entire history of Otherworld, past, present and future. Screaming she fell to her knees, the knowledge she now possessed consuming her entirely.

"I choose The Sword of Might," she whispered all sense and logic disappearing from her thoughts. It was her truth and she was accepting it with all her heart. She had nothing to lose.

"So be it," Braddock replied bringing the sword up and resting it on her shoulder. "Henceforth you will be known as Lionheart, rightful heir to Otherworld, defender of the Multiverse." Coming to stand Caroline felt as if all the Universe's light flowed through her. Taking the sword from Braddock Caroline felt the power course through her veins and a glow emanated from both her and the sword. "Choosing the Sword signifies that you have chosen the path of ferocity," Braddock told her. "…and will wear the fiery British cross as a mask, protecting you from your foes." Caroline's clothes disappeared and were replaced with a formfitting black suit of armour, emblazoned on the front was a gold lion with blue tongue and claws, walking past but facing the observer. The enemy.

"Why do I feel… power?" Caroline whispered.

"You possess the power of the sword, to protect and to conquer. Each bearer of the sword harnesses the power in their own unique way." Braddock explained.

"I want to go back, I need to go back." Caroline told him and Braddock nodded.

"You have many enemies Lionheart, you may bring danger to the one you love. Do not forget where you come from Lionheart and what you must protect. There is more truth here than any other world you call home."


Two Weeks Later

Steve had been stood in their apartment when he noticed the letter sat on his bedside table addressed to him. Ripping it open his hands trembled when he saw the handwriting.

Dear Steve

I love you and I hope you can forgive me for what I'm about to say. Firstly, I'm safe, please believe me when I tell you this. Secondly, I miss you so much but there's something I have to do before I can return and I hope that when I do you can forgive me. Your whole life you knew what you wanted and you achieved it, it's one of the things I love most about you. And when it was taken away you made a new path for yourself, a new life. For a long time I thought I knew my path and then I met you, you changed my path for the better and I would never want any of it to be different. I didn't know this but there was a path ahead of me greater than I could have ever imagined and to be whole, to be able to live and love you still I need to travel this path alone for a time. I hope you can forgive me and know in your heart that you are my soul and my everything.

I love you

Caroline

Steve looked up to see Sam walking towards him.

"Hey man, you okay?" folding up the letter and putting it in his pocket Steve smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, hey listen I'm going to be gone for a while." He told his friend.

"Gone?" Sam asked, creasing his brow in confusion.

"Stay safe Sam," walking away Steve took a deep breath, his hand tightening around the letter in his pocket. He'd wait, he'd wait a lifetime for her.


Gloucester, England

"John?" Caroline stopped behind the crouched man tending his garden, "John Hoyle?" without looking up the man grunted in response. "Braddock sent me," that wasn't entirely true but Caroline needed to know whether or not this man was who she thought he was and by the way he stopped digging with his trowel and turn to peer up to her she was in no doubt that he was.

"And you are?" he asked gruffly.

"Caroline, Caroline… Britain." Not knowing why she chose to give him a false name she waited for him to stand and approach her. Seeing the long hemp sack tied tightly at the top sitting on her back John Hoyle held out his hand.

"Nice to meet you Caroline Britain," the pair shook hands and then wordlessly began walking towards the large country cottage. It was an idyllic setting and even though it was situated in a more rural area than where Caroline had grown up it was quintessentially British and Caroline almost felt like she was home.

"I need you to teach me," she started.

"Teach you what?" John asked.

"How to fight," she answered simply.

"You're already aware what the Sword of Might also allows you to do yes?" John asked her and Caroline nodded slowly.

"I've felt it, I felt it from the beginning. The energy, the shield I can create."

"Then why do you need my help?" John replied.

"Because I don't want to rely on magic, I want to be able to control where the weapon goes, I want to learn how to use the inertia from the blade swinging to direct it. How do I invest my entire body into moving this weapon?" John stopped and turned towards Caroline, looking into her eyes he searched for her true purpose.

"You want revenge," he told her.

"He wanted to kill the only person I've ever loved, isn't that enough?" Caroline bit her tongue to keep her emotions in check.

"What about your path? Your destiny?" Caroline laughed bitterly.

"I don't have one, not until I've done what needs to be done." She told him stone faced.

"Does he know?" John asked, "Who you are now?" Caroline shook her head. "Why?" he asked her quietly.

"Because I don't know who I am, not yet anyway." John didn't say anything, he had trained many warriors in his time on this world and others. They all had their reasons, their stories.

"I'll teach you," he told her simply.

"Thank you,"

"Don't thank me," he interrupted her and began to walk ahead leaving Caroline more determined than ever. "Not yet."