Right off the bat, let's get one thing straight: I have no idea what's going on here. I wrote this in one sitting, and I don't really know where I'm going with this. If you have questions, leave a review or PM me and I'll do my best to answer! I might not have good Internet access, but I will answer reviews as soon as I have the chance.

Also, I was planning to post this on a later date, but my plans have changed, so here you go!

Steve Rogers is eleven years old when the world falls apart. He has clear memories of that horrible green glow, hovering over every object and person.

His mother hadn't survived that night. He remembers her screams, as whatever that green glow was had tried to change her – and failed.

The glow had changed him, had changed so many people. He had been small, and sick. Now he's a 'perfect physical specimen', or so the scientists had told him.

He hadn't stayed there long. Those scientists had wanted to do something, and he had run. He ran until he came back to his old neighborhood, and had pounded on Bucky's door.

"Bucky?"

"Steve?'

The boys hug. Bucky pulls back first. "Are you okay?" He asks, searching Steve's face. "The Glow – are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Steve assures him. "In fact, I'm better than fine! I don't get sick anymore!"

Bucky looks him up and down, frowning. His eyes flick out to the street. "Steve, get inside," he hisses. He grabs the younger boy's arm and pulls him in, slamming the door closed. "You can't just go walking around anymore," he says quietly. "It's dangerous – come on. You need to see something."

Bucky leads Steve down to the basement of the Barnes house – which is more of a floor all on it's own. "Things are gonna change, Stevie," he says quietly. "I don't know how long we can stay here."

"We?"

Bucky pushes open the door. Half a dozen heads snap up, six bodies poised to run.

Six kids, all around their age. Steve turns to Bucky in shock. "Who are these?"

"These are kids like you, Steve." He says calmly. "These are the kids affected by the Glow."

It's been two years since that day. Steve is thirteen. They train with their Glow abilities – their superpowers. Bucky is their way to the outside – the adults aren't safe anymore. Only Bucky, unaffected by the Glow, can safely go outside and get them food, water, and the other things they need.

There are seven of them. Steve, with generally enhanced senses and strength. Sam Wilson, who manifests metallic wings, and trains fiercely to keep in shape. Clint Barton, who had rejoiced at his eyesight and precision, which helps his archery. Natasha Romanoff, and her stealth and agility. Peggy Carter, with eidetic memory. Tony Stark, again with enhanced memory, and a strange, glowing core in his chest. And Thor. Electricity crackles around him, shocking them when he gets emotional.

Together, they are the Avengers.

But then, everything goes wrong.

They had been in the main room of what used to be the Barnes house – they don't know where the rest of the Barnes family is, even now. The window had burst into shards of glass as three sharp cracks had sounded – gunshots.

"Go," Steve yells, scrambling to grab what weapons they had gathered. They had known this day was coming. The city had fallen into more and more chaos and crime as the Glow-affected began to figure out what they could do.

Bucky has a tranq gun, crouching next to the fridge, Clint and his bow beside him. Thor lifts his hands, prepared to send electricity at anyone who comes through the window.

But it isn't the window, despite what they had thought. The door bursts inward, and a group of older, mean looking teens makes their way inside. The leader, a young man with tattoos making his skull-like face turn a lurid red, looks around. "Shout all you want, children," he says in an accented voice. "Just let us take what we need and we'll be gone." He nods to Natasha. "Put the guns down, miss."

Steve stares at Nat in shock. The only guns the Avengers have are Bucky and Peggy's tranq guns. But the redhead is holding a pair of revolvers, looking completely at ease. There is steel in her eyes. No, she isn't planning to put down her weapons.

Red Skull nods to one of his henchmen, who moves faster than Steve would have thought possible. In less then three seconds, there is a knife against Bucky's throat. Steve feels his heart rate jump. Bucky's eyes have gone blank – he's staring into the distance, lips moving in silent prayer.

Red Skull's henchmen move quickly, ransacking their home. They take anything that catches their eyes, filling their bags quickly. The whole time, the Avengers stand silently. They don't have a choice. Bucky's life is on the line.

One by one, Red Skull's lackeys move back to their places behind their leader. A quick nod, and Bucky is released. Steve races forward to grab his friend. There's a line of blood on Bucky's throat where the knife had bit into the brunet's skin. "You okay, Buck?"

"Steve?" Bucky asks, and there's real fear in his eyes. A tear works down his face. "It's okay. I've got you," Steve assures him.

"Well then," Red Skull says pleasantly. "You children stay right here. Just a few more minutes, and we'll be ready."

"What do you want?" Tony demands, dark eyebrows lowered. "You've already taken our stuff."

"My duty is to purge the abomination of the Glow from this earth," Red Skull snarls. He glances at something around his wrist. "And in a few minutes, the six of you twisted superhumans will be gone."

Wait. Six?

Steve's question is answered when Peggy suddenly appears behind Red Skull and slams the butt of her gun into his skull, and the room devolves into chaos.

There are gunshots, and the crackle of electricity, and then with a whump, the room explodes into flame.

"They've got a pyrokinetic!" Clint shouts. "We've gotta get out of here!"

Red Skull's goons have already fled, leaving their unconscious leader behind. Peggy grabs Thor's arm and pulls him towards the broken window. Clint and Natasha are right behind them. Sam gathers what supplies they have left, and then he's gone.

Now only Tony, Bucky, and Steve remain. Tony is coughing, deep hacking wheezes that leave no time to get air back into his lungs. The heat is getting worse by the second. "Get Tony out," Bucky commands. He grips Steve's arm with an almost feverish intensity. "I'll be fine. It's just a few minutes, go!"

Steve nods. He loops Tony's arm around his shoulders and helps him towards the window. Thor is waiting for them. He sucks in a breath of fresh air, and is about to go back for Bucky, when there is a snap, and then an explosion as the extra propane they keep for the power outages and camp stove explodes.

Steve is thrown the rest of the way out the window, and Sam catches him. He stares up at the house, now completely in flames. "Bucky." His voice catches. "Bucky!"

"Steve, there's nothing we can do," Peggy says sadly, tears on her own cheeks.

"No," Steve whispers, staring at the burning house. "No!"

He's failed.

He hears the crack as the heat begins to overwhelm the propane cans. He stumbles through the smoke, slipping and burning his left arm, though he doesn't really feel it. Basement. Stay low.

There is an explosion, and he is thrown. His head strikes the ground and everything goes dark.

So. No idea where I'm going with this. Thanks for reading, and again, if you've got any questions, let me know and I'll try to answer them!