Chapter 3: Steve
Steve took the stairs up through the levels of Avengers Tower. He knew the others would be on the living area floor and he felt no great desire to be there with them right now. The visit to Bucky's grave had left him in want of solitude.
He had just reached the lab level landing when the sound of breaking glass rang out.
Steve left the stairs quickly and silently, moving along the wide hall until he reached the open door to Stark's lab. The lights were off inside, but he could still see the shadowy figure moving across the room from the shattered window to the central workbench as he peered in.
The steady beeping of the pager sitting on the bench drew Steve's attention momentarily. Fury had shown it to the team the other day, explaining that it was a contact device for emergencies given to him years ago by an enhanced woman who lived in space. Coming from Fury, Steve believed it. The guy simply didn't say things that bizarre unless they were true.
And the blonde woman now crossing the lab, clad in a red-gold-and-blue suit, certainly fit the description. She picked up the pager and clicked it off, then turned the device over in her hands. "I'm here, Fury," she said quietly. "Now where are you?"
Steve stepped forward into the room. "A more pressing question is why didn't you knock?"
The woman spun to face him, raising her fists. Her hands glowed with a fiery light. "Where's Fury?" she demanded.
Steve started to raise his hand to point at the floor above.
It was a mistake. The woman clenched her fist and a blast of fire shot across the room towards Steve. He dodged the plasma by inches, shock flooding through him. Fury hadn't said anything about his friend having fire powers.
Before he could make a move to defend himself, the woman flew across the room and slammed him into the wall. She raised a glowing fist to his face, expression deadly. "Where's Fury?"
"He's right behind you, Carol," Fury said from the doorway. The woman spun to face him as he finished, "And he'd appreciate it if you didn't blast one of his Avengers to smithereens."
"Fury!" the woman exclaimed. She let go of Steve and rushed over to the former SHIELD director, throwing her arms around him. "It's so good to see you again."
Fury chuckled. He seemed okay with the hug. "It's only been twenty years," he replied. "How's life amongst the stars?"
The woman stepped back. "Life's good. How's ol' C-53?"
Fury sighed. "Not quite so good. I'll tell you all about it, but first I'd like to introduce you to the man you almost killed. Captain Marvel, meet Captain America." He gestured to Steve.
Steve held out his hand and Marvel took it. "Steve Rogers," he said. "It's good to meet you, Captain."
She smiled. "Carol Danvers. Sorry for trying to blast you."
"No problem." Steve could tell Danvers was sizing him up, so he felt no qualms about doing the same. From what he'd see, she had a habit of taking the less diplomatic course of action. Everything about her dared you to take her on and lose. Steve was glad she was on their side, but he hoped she'd prove a little less trigger-happy in the future.
He wondered what she saw in him during that brief moment of eye contact. The brokenness? The emptiness that consumed him whenever he stopped pushing onward for a second? Maybe he didn't want to know. He released her hand and looked away.
Danvers turned back to Fury. "You called me."
"I did." Fury started towards the door. "We were beginning to think the pager was broken, but I didn't want the team to leave without you."
"Team?" Marvel queried.
Fury smiled. "Come upstairs and I'll explain."