Eight Months Later
Steve watched on with pride as Caroline stood and laughed heartily with Sam and Natasha, without realising it she had become part of the team. As and when necessary Lionheart would aid the Avengers on their missions, the months that had passed had brought with them a sense of belonging and self-esteem for Caroline Holland and with the support of Steve she had become comfortable with her 'duel life'. It was hard, sometimes harrowing work and the knowledge of what existed beyond Earth weighed heavily on both of them but for the most part things were good. Even Stark had softened and come to appreciate what Lionheart brought to the mix, quickly coming to the conclusion that she wasn't a threat at all, it hadn't hurt that at their subsequent meeting she had brought him a large pot of Borscht, his absolute favourite! Not that they didn't butt heads from time to time but he wasn't surprised given his relationship with Steve Rogers. Why would his Girlfriend be any different?
And surprisingly they both found that they worked together extremely well! Not that working with Captain America would ever be a problem for anybody, Caroline felt blessed that she got to really see him in action and appreciate for herself the hero he truly was (not that she didn't know already). It pushed her to be better every day.
"Cap," Sam yelled over to Steve, pulling him from his thoughts.
"Yeah?" Steve replied coming to stand by Caroline who was rolling her eyes at Sam.
"Tell Jelly here that she needs to bring in some of that focaccia again, I swear that stuff is made from the angels themselves!" As Sam salivated and Natasha laughed Caroline blushed and punched The Falcon's arm good naturedly.
"Enough Sam!" she told him. "I'm a little busier these days if you hadn't noticed." Sam clicked his fingers in mock surprise.
"Oh yeah that's right, who'd a thought that the Cap's neighbour would end up being the ruler of another dimension?!" Sam spoke wide-eyed and Caroline blanched at his words. At the oddest moments Caroline would find herself missing her old life, her old self. She realised it was like mourning the loss of a loved one, it took time and patience and sometimes it could just hit her in the strangest of moments.
"You need to stop talking," Natasha said quietly and Caroline gave her an appreciative wink, silently thanking her for the backing.
"You know I love you guys' right?!" Sam told them, "I'm just saying, it's pretty crazy!"
"You don't need to tell us that Sam," Caroline answered. "But I appreciate the support, knowing that you preferred me when I simply made bread…" she was pulling his leg but deep down there was still a part of her that felt uncomfortable with her position.
"You know I didn't mean it that way Jelly…" Sam interrupted, suddenly worried he'd hurt his friend's feelings.
"I know you didn't, you just hit a nerve Sam. Honestly, don't worry." Giving him a kiss on the cheek she took hold of his hands. "I tell you what, just for you I'll make some later this week how does that sound?" Sam smiled, embarrassed.
"You don't have to…" he started but Caroline shushed him.
"Sam, please, it's good for me actually." Nodding at him as she spoke she gave him another kiss on the cheek and turned to Steve. "Shall we get going?" she asked him and Steve nodded.
"See you later guys," Natasha said as she herself went on her way and as Caroline and Steve made their way to the bank of elevators Caroline caught Sam admonishing himself.
"He feels bad," she commented to Steve.
"He'll get over it," Steve replied as the doors closed in front of them.
"The others, they have only ever known me like this but Sam? I get the feeling he preferred me before?" Caroline mused and Steve shook his head in response.
"He worries about you, he has a big heart. He just wants you to be okay," Caroline nodded slowly in agreement.
"I guess so," she replied as the doors opened and they stepped out into the foyer. The pair walked towards the main door of the building catching a few stray looks from the passer-by's. It hadn't taken long for other people to work out that Captain Steve Rogers and the woman he was so frequently seen with were an item. "Shall we walk through the park?" Caroline suggested. "We haven't done that in a while," Steve brought his arm round her shoulders as they walked and Caroline found herself wrapping her arm round his waist.
"I like the sound of that," Steve agreed kissing the top of her head. "You know what we should do as well?"
"What?"
"Go to that diner you like," he watched as her eyes widened and sparkled in response.
"With the potato rosti?" she had to make sure he was talking about the right place.
"If that's what it's called?" Steve had no idea what she was talking about, he was just happy she looked so excited.
"You have a deal my friend!" Caroline answered enthusiastically as she veered them both in the direction of her most favourite diner. The park could wait.
Caroline was making meringue, not for anything in particular she just felt the need the whisk the hell out of some egg whites. Whereas before she'd have had to rest her arm after her vigorous whisking now she could keep on going until foamy stiff peaks filled the large glass bowl. It was both enjoyable and strangely infuriating. There was something very satisfying about having a sore arm and sitting down after a long day feeling tired. She missed the families she'd worked for and appreciated her friendship with Doris more than ever who had taken Caroline's return in her stride and didn't even bat an eye even though she knew she'd been fed a load of baloney!
"Pull yourself together!" she admonished herself. Feeling sad wasn't and never had been Caroline's default position and she told herself there and then as she grabbed a handful of lemons it was wasn't about to be now. She'd worked too hard over the last year! "Now, I've already got some pastry in the freezer so let's get on with it before Steve gets home!" smiling to herself she already felt better. Who said you couldn't be a good neighbour and ruler of another world at the same time?!
A couple of hours later and Caroline knocked on Doris' door.
"Caroline!" Doris shouted her as she opened her door, a beaming smile spreading across her face.
"Hi Doris," she greeted her friend warmly.
"Come in, come in." As Caroline walked into the apartment she felt tears threatening to fall, a part of her ordinary life she initially thought she'd lost wasn't at all and it was the most wonderful thing in the world. "Now, tell me what you've been up to? I want to hear all about it!" the old lady asked as Caroline stood with the pie in her arms.
"Well…"
Steve walked into their apartment later that evening and shouted out to Caroline as he always did, hearing her reply from the living room he made his way down the hallway and turned the corner to see Caroline levitating about a foot from the ground as she changed a lightbulb.
"Not sure I'll ever get use to that?" Steve muttered and Caroline laughed, coming back down to the ground and walking over to him.
"Sorry," she told him before bringing her arms up and around his neck. Pulling him to her she gave him a deep passionate kiss and Steve lost himself in the moment. When they eventually pulled apart he looked at her incredulously.
"Good day?" he asked bemused seeing the beaming smile on her face.
"Really good!" she answered as she pulled him with her to the kitchen. Noticing the table was set as he walked by Steve could already smell the fantastic food he hoped they were sharing for dinner.
"I'm glad to hear it," Caroline proceeded to tell him all about her day and he listened with keen interest. Their conversation didn't stop even when they were carrying pots of vegetables into the dining room and sitting eating their dinner. Even when they were clearing up and she was stood washing the dishes and he was sat on the counter watching they both talked and talked about their day, what was happening at work, downtown and the latest goings on with 'the team'. It felt like old times for the both of them. Steve stopped what he was doing when heard a song come on the radio that had been playing quietly in the background, smiling to himself he took hold of Caroline's hand who was facing away from him. Pulling her against him and bringing his hand up with hers he watched as she realised what he was doing and smiled in return.
"We haven't done this in a while," she commented and Steve agreed.
"We haven't, nice though." He told her.
"Very nice," Caroline said as her hand softly lay on his shoulder. "Do you remember our first date?" she asked.
"As if it was yesterday," Steve told her lovingly. "You took my breath away."
"I was scared out of my mind," she told him honestly.
"You still take my breath away," Caroline pressed her lips together to stop her from crying. Both of them fell into a comfortable silence as they danced in their living room slowly to the music and as Caroline's head lay on his chest she wanted time to stand still and live in that moment for the rest of her life.
As they sat cuddled on the sofa Caroline settled in closer to Steve.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"You really need to stop doing that," he told as he kissed the top of her head.
"But I won't, so there's that." Laughing Steve's face became serious again when Caroline turned to face him, the look of desire evident on her face.
"I love you Caroline," he told her earnestly.
"I love you too."
"Jarvis, let's call it a day." Tony turned off the screens in front of him and made his way up the steps towards the elevator.
"Yes Sir," Jarvis replied.
"Remind me to run those additional diagnostics tomorrow." He mumbled as stretched his arms above his head.
"Yes Sir, Sir there is a security breach on level three." Tony lifted the small pad in his hand and threw his fingers across it to display video from the level.
"How many?" he asked as he watched the masked intruders.
"Five Sir, do you wish me to contact the local authorities?" Before Tony could answer a flash of light appeared on the small screen and another figure appeared just as the elevator came to level three. With a flick of his wrist the thin metal band that sat on Tony's wrist began to grow into his powered exoskeleton and as the doors opened he took in the sight before him.
"Hey fellas," he greeted the intruders and then turning to Lionheart he nodded his head. "Ma'am," Caroline bowed her head as he watched him approach one of the men. "I appreciate you being here but I really don't need the help," he started but before he could finish his sentence the man before him disappeared and reappeared behind him, slamming him into the wall opposite. Caroline tutted before swinging her sword above her head and felling the man in front of Tony. "On second thoughts," he added watching Lionheart in action.
"They can teleport, keep your wits about you," she told him before stalking off.
"Of course they can," Tony muttered as he picked himself up from the floor. The men began to attack the pair and it was only through Caroline's talents with her sword and the ability to shield Tony whilst he drove himself into the assault that eventually two of the men disappeared through a portal and left their comrades where they lay.
Caroline breathed heavily and found herself kneeling on one knee, her head coming to lean on the hilt of her sword. Tony just let himself slide down the side of the wall behind him and let his armour retract from his face.
"Friends of yours?" he asked exhaustedly and Caroline shook her head. "Do you mind telling me who they were and why they were here?" he said looking to Caroline.
"I don't know?" she answered as she came to stand and placing her sword on her back stood in front of him.
"You don't?" Tony asked her surprised. "Sure knew a lot about them," he added bringing himself to stand in front of her.
"They're not from here, they're from my realm." She answered him, still not particularly fond of his tone of voice.
"And they infiltrated my building…?" Tony looked at her expectantly.
"I don't know?" Caroline answered again, looking around for any clues she might find.
"You don't know much do you?" Tony said but Caroline had already lost interest in him and had knelt beside one of the fallen men. Pulling his sleeve up she saw the tattoo immediately. "Nice ink, motorbike bang or something?" she heard him say from her behind her.
"Or something," Caroline muttered as she began to walk away.
"Wait!" Tony shouted after her and when she stopped and looked back at him he gulped, the fiery cross mask and black armour terrifying in the dim light of the room.
"What Mister Stark?" Caroline asked sternly.
"Thanks," he whispered.
"Your welcome," Caroline answered calmly.
"How did you know they were here?" Caroline looked to the floor and then back to him, it was a question she was already asking herself.
"I felt it," she answered.
"You felt a disturbance in the force?" Tony quipped and Caroline looked at him stony eyed, inside she couldn't help but laugh. Not that she would ever let him know that.
"Or something," she replied once more before walking away from him.
"They took it," Tony muttered as he watched the video back of the other night.
"What?" Steve asked coming to stand by him, his eyes travelling to Caroline who was stood opposite, her arms solemnly crossed in front of her and her face dark with thought. Sam sat in the corner quietly, watching his friends carefully.
"An energy source," he answered Steve. "Why do they want it?" Tony looked up to Caroline, already knowing she knew far more than she was letting on.
"I've been feeling it for a while, someone is trying to open a portal to the realm of the Crimson Dawn. They must have needed more energy." Steve looked at Caroline with so much concern in his eyes she felt sorry for him. She had brought this on them all somehow, her presence on Earth allowing opportunists a chance to mess with Otherworld and the temporal dimensions. She felt like she was being torn apart and had no idea what to do.
Tony opened his mouth to speak but stopped himself and waved his hands dismissively.
"I'm not even going to start asking you what you're talking about!" he said exhaustively. "Well they've got it, so what do we do now?" Tony asked the room.
"You do nothing," Caroline replied as she began to leave but Steve taking hold of her arm stopped her. "This isn't your fight Steve," she whispered to him ardently. "They knew they would find the energy they needed from Stark because I was here, the magic that consumes me leaves a trail for those who wish to use it."
"This isn't just your fight Caroline, that's where you're wrong," he answered bringing his head down and towards hers. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes and somehow found herself smiling.
"I can't get rid of you can I?" she teased and Steve laughed quietly.
"I'm afraid not."
The young boy watched as one of the warriors entered the room holding what was clearly the elixir in his hands.
"We did it, we managed to get it." He said excitedly as the old man took it from his grasp and hurried over to his wife who lay breathless on her bed. Whispering calming words into her ear he held the vial to her lips and urged her to drink.
"Will it work?" the boy asked.
"It will work," the old man answered. "It will give her life again," he added quietly.
"But at what cost?" the warrior asked watching the portal increase with energy behind the large paper dragon. "We have used magic ourselves that is beyond our understanding, what exists outside of our world?"
"Bruce located the source of the power surge," Tony said as he passed a small electronic pad to Caroline.
"Where is this?" she asked still not entirely familiar with the city.
"Chinatown," Steve answered as he looked over her shoulder.
"I'm coming with you, I want my tech back." Tony told them as they made their way outside.
"Fine, I'll meet you there." Caroline nodded at the pair, not happy that Tony Stark was tagging along but she knew Steve would keep him in check and she had bigger fish to fry. The portal was now open to the Crimson Dawn. She knew that if it were to remain open enemies of Earth would take the opportunity to pass through it, shooting into the sky the two men watched after her.
"Did you prefer it when she just made cookies or does that do it for you?" Tony asked Steve who didn't even turn to look at him and simply walked away.
