Chapter 17
In the next months both Rogers settled into their new occupation and time period. With Clint's constant monitoring of Annie, the two had grown quickly into friends which developed into a sibling relationship. The sharpshooter often teased Annie for her lack of experience with technology and misunderstanding of references. Annie would direct mirrors and screens to reflect potent light into Clint's eyes as revenge. With wasn't long before she introduced him to Steve and the archer had doubled the fun, though he was more cautious with Steve knowing that the enhanced man had the ability to destroy him.
Annie hulled herself up the 4 flights of stairs cursing Steve for not demanding a ground floor apartment as she did every time she had to drag herself up them. Or he could have found one of the many buildings with the wonderful invention, the elevator. He probably didn't even notice the hike, she grumpily thought to herself. Or had to wear heels up them.
She was not in the mood for exercise today or most days. This is where she greatly differed from her genetically enhanced brother who insisted going for a morning jog, every morning. She supposed his occupation did require a certain fitness level but he was a super soldier for goodness sake! It not like he was waste away without exercising for a day.
Though today she was more evasive to exercise than she usual as Clint had been absent from work for the past weeks and she had run into trouble with her computer. She was too worried that it was such a simple issue that it would be suspicious to ask help from someone who was unaware of her real identity and age. She resolved to sit at her desk fiddling hopelessly with the accursed rectangle. It frustrated her to no end, no matter how easy it make certain tasks. It was breaking every week and completely halted her work when it did.
Now she had used up all of her energy attempting to fix the computer and wanted nothing more than to beg Steve to make dinner so she could pass out. Her plans were foiled when no answer came from her calls once she had entered the shared apartment. He didn't have a mission scheduled today.
She longingly looked at the couch as she past it to explore the kitchen for signs of the elusive Steve. There was nothing except a small single sheet of paper clamped onto the fridge by a commercial magnet.
Annie frowned knowing what this meant. The note read in hasty print, 'Fury needs me. Will be gone for a while. Don't eat my chocolate ice cream! Love Steve' Annie frowned at the brief note. Steve did often get pulled away for missions but he would give her what information he could and an estimation of the duration, a better one than 'gone for a while'.
Annie never liked the empty feeling that accompanied the apartment when Steve was absent. Annie didn't particularly like being alone and wasn't at all used to it growing up in a house with two rowdy boys. There was a pang as she recalled Bucky, not completely healed from his death.
With Clint suddenly up and leaving the office a few weeks ago for his mystery surveillance assignment and how Steve's abrupt exit Annie felt alone and bored.
Out of revenge for Steve leaving her without a sufficient reason she dug through the freezer and manoeuvred the carton of ice cream out past the multitude of unidentified frozen food. She wasted no time in shovelling the sugary, cold contents into her mouth with a spoon. The sweet taste of the dairy product and defiance was short lived as the soundless home reminded her of the ones who left and those she missed. Her treacherous mind continued returning to the most painful, Bucky. The common hollow felling returning.
"Well done," the sternly dressed man commented, the phrase missing sincerity.
The Winter Soldier opted for simply staring at the man, knowing that they didn't expect or want him to respond. He didn't even offer a nod but continued his icy stare.
The man turned away and travelled purposely through the door that locked the Winter Soldier into the sparse room. The durable but well-functioning door slide to an effortless close, a firm snap at the end signalling the lock in place.
The Winter Soldier had no desire to sit or move but stood where he was. He had just returned from a mission. One that allotted him to dispose of a threating character. Why he was and to what he was threatening he wasn't told and he didn't ask. There was no need to. HYDRA told him who to kill and he killed them. His job offered no complexity. The most intricate part of his days was his incoherent mind.
The Winter Soldier was not released from the icy pod often but when he was free of the preserving freeze blurred images drifted through his thoughts. One had stubbornly taunted his thoughts. But as frustrating as the vague image was as it remained just outside of clarity he didn't wish it gone. He found a strangely comforting aroma that surrounded the image, or memory. No details were visible but the Winter Soldier could identify it was a person. They were bathed in warm light as yellow hair rolled about their shoulders. He couldn't decide the shade, a topic that he had deliberated over for a while. He had settled on a rich tone that was not too dark but not unnaturally light. He liked the idea of it being a honey or golden colour but he wasn't sure such a shade of natural hair existed. He hadn't seen it present on any of the men or woman that roomed the halls of HYDRA.
The face that the hair framed wildly was pale with a vibrant blue dotting the eyes. The part that the Winter Soldier liked the most was the smile, or at least he thought she was smiling. Pink lips stretched into a grin. This grin was not one of cruelty or victory that he knew from HYDRA but one of something light and pure that he couldn't place.
It seemed to not matter the amount of times the Winter Soldier was wiped. The agony of the process unable to steal the cloudy woman for long. Her presence permanent in his mind.
In the many hours spent in the room, without entertainment or purpose his vacant mind would concoct theories of who the beautiful figure was or had been. A winning one was that he had known her once in a time forgotten. He could not remember his past but if she had been in it it must not have been bad. But a theory he liked was that she was an angel who had decided he was worth watching over. The light of the image heavenly and the figure angelic in feature. This image was all that he questioned but he did question it a lot.
Days spanned on and although it was not the longest Steve had been away for but Annie felt unnerved. She decided to watch the television to distract herself. It was a retreat for most people in the 21st century and would work just as fine for her. Unfortunately what she saw on the news channel the television projected was not distracting in the slightest.
The chaotic scene of New York light up the screen as individuals in strange suits zipped past the camera attacking some strange creature that appeared humanoid but definitely did not fall into the category of human.
She continued to watch as the scene only got more frenzied as some enormous, skyscraper-sized reptile-like creature glided through the air tearing at buildings. Annie's eyes darted across the screen with her heart sinking as she saw her brother in his old Captain America suit battling with one of the hostile aliens. As the creature nearly got a hit in her nails dug into the lounge cushion just about splitting the fabric.
Annie stood up deciding that she wouldn't torture herself watching this and hoping Steve would be fine. No. She was going to find him.
Steve reclined in the plastic chair of the debris filled shawarma restaurant. He did not particularly enjoy the taste but with the amount of energy he had exerted, he needed food. He lazily munched on the exotic food and stood as the rest of the Avengers did.
They had experienced a chaotic few days as a crazed man claiming to be a god ravaged Germany and then New York and by extension the entire planet. In the process a top secret SHIELD facility had been destroyed, Clint had been kidnapped and brain washed and Steve had found himself in a group of mismatched heroes.
After consuming a fair amount of the foreign food the assassins, billionaire, scientist, Norse god and war hero trudged to the large, elaborate helicarrier with the detained trouble maker. What they had not expected in their return was for the opened bay doors to reveal an infuriated Annie.
Steve stiffened having forgotten about his sister in the chaos. Curious and confused glances were shared amongst the avengers at the fuming figure waiting for them. Their discovery of Steve's nervous reaction only stimulating more confusion. It was odd seeing a man as large as Steve frightened by a small woman.
A lanky agent rushed down the ramped door that was now horizontal with the ground. He dribbled up to Steve blurting, "I tried to stop her but she is very persistent…and angry."
Steve offered what comfort he could to the blubbering boy, "No you were right to do so. This is my fault."
Tony watched in mixed confusion and excitement as Steve neared the aggravated woman. He followed behind shamelessly to watch the events unfold. A childish grin stuck on his carefully manicured face.
"Annie, I-I'm sorry it didn't call you but this was-and then it was," Steve fumbled over his words looking for a satisfactory excuse, but there was none. Steve knew that if the situation was reversed, Annie's sudden and explained absence would send him crazy.
Her brows remained creased and her lips tilted down. Annie asked, "Are you hurt?" she had been looking for major wounds but found none. Steve shook his head. Then without a word she punched him in the stomach, the contact was violent but as not hugely painful for Steve.
"What the hell did you think you were doing? You just up and leave and then I see you on the news fighting some crazed villain and aliens!" Annie exclaimed breathing heavily.
Steve placed his arms on Annie's shoulders attempting to calm her down but she had a right to be frustrated. "I know Annie and I'm sorry for that. I was needed and I didn't want you to be put in danger," Steve admitted softly.
She stared up at him examining his response and enveloped him in a hug once she deemed it worthy. Steve stepped back to maintain his balance but turned the embraced happily.
They were interrupted by the smug tone of a dark haired man with a groomed beard, "This is a lovely moment and all but who is she?"
Annie pulled away from Steve to study the man. He wore a dinted, beat up metal suit with an illuminated circle on his chest. He man looked her up and down which unnerved Annie and irritated Steve.
The man invited himself forward, greeting, "Hi. Tony Stark," and inquired to Steve, "Is this your girlfriend Capiscle? It hurts that you didn't tell us. I thought we were getting close." He continued in the same taunting tone, not allowing anytime for Steve or Annie to respond, "I honesty have to ask, what do you see in this old grandpa?"
Annie crossed her arms at the ridiculous allegations Tony was sprouting but she could have some fun with this, "Well at first I hated him but he grows on you. It was mainly our similar age really."
Tony smirked, "You know this man is 95 right?"
Annie returned the smirk as she nodded. At this Tony's thick, dark eyebrows furrowed as he tried to figure out how this young woman was in her 90s.
Annie decided to help worrying that Tony would hurt himself, "But then I stuck with him out of a shared genetics."
Realisation flooded Tony's eyes as they widened and turned to Steve, "She's your sister? But she is dead, it was in the news- wait no SHIELD, hello," Annie watched Tony dart through realisations before ending with a suggestively toned greeting.
Steve pulled Annie further away from Tony and authoritatively stated, "She is off limits." Tony was pleased at the reaction his interest got from Steve. He was super protective like he had predicted. By this time the other Avengers were surrounding them, interested in the occurring events.
Annie looked about the small crowd and sighted her favourite archer. They made eye contact as she shouted "Clint!"
She ran over and hugged him tightly, missing him from his almost month of absence. She heard a cry of outrage from behind, "How come bird brain knows her!" Annie rolled her eyes knowing it was Tony.
Annie smiled at the older man with the bow strapped to his torso, "So you're on a team with my lame brother huh?"
His mouth tugs to the side, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure he's the leader." Annie laughed with earnt a frown from Steve.
Clint turned to the red headed woman behind him and stepped out of the way so Annie was facing her now. "Annie this is Natasha, Natasha this is Annie," Clint introduced. They shook hands pleasantly as Clint added, "I had to adopt her under my wing because she's so hopeless."
Annie whipped to Clint, "You try understanding all these crazy appliances after 70 years in ice."
"Annie", Steve's voice rang out. She turned to view the anticipant expressions of the final two members of Steve's new team. "Annie this is Bruce and that is Thor, and that's Loki behind him." Steve first gestured to a wild haired man with glasses and clothes that did not fit and tattered pants. He welcomed her with a quiet and slightly awkward, "Hey." She returned his greeting.
Then he pointed to the largest gentleman Annie had ever seen. His deep voice boomed, "Greetings Lady Annie, delight to meet you."
"Pleasure is all mine Thor", She happily replied quite liking the loud man and his calling of her a Lady. He had wide spanning shoulders and golden locks that also formed a beard. Annie held in her laugh at Thor's extravagant crimson cape. Annie had to lean to the side to view the lean man behind Thor. He also sported a cape but there was nothing to laugh about with this man. He looked battered and bruised all over with a complexion that was too pale and sickly with black hair.
Annie stepped closer to him confused as to why he had a mussel on. Thor stopped her with his huge hand, "I would not get too close Lady Annie, he is my brother but he is still hateful and dangerous."
Annie looked to the lowered, sad, blue eyes of the armoured man. She offered a warm smile at the man, uttering, "I hope you two work it out."
He offers a weak smile, "As do I."
"We should get on the helicarrier," Steve projected and the team started to move wearily. Annie strode up beside Steve. He smiled down at his sister; a soft expression had replaced her furious one.
Steve recalled his note and questioned, "You ate all of my ice cream didn't you?"
A wicked grin grew on Annie's face, "Of course." Steve sighed, not expecting any less. "What's with the bright suit?"
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