Happy Tuesday my lovely readers!
Disclaimer: I do not own any Marvel characters that may be used or any storylines or arcs.
Claimer: I only own the character Elizabeth Jones (Lowri Jones and any other names she uses) and her story past, present and future.
Recap
"What can I do for you?" Maria asked.
"Steve's got Strucker up in the castle. And we've got the sceptre." Lowri reported happily.
"That's good. Awesome. I'll get NATO over there and they can take care of Strucker. Bring the sceptre with you. I'm sure Thor will want to keep his eyes on it at all times." Maria said, she glanced down at her hands. "It's best not to have Strucker on te jet with you, who knows what Stark will do to the guy. Heck, who knows what you will do to him."
"Hey, I've got more self-control than Tony." Lowri pointed out. There was a small thud behind her and Lowri turned her head, she spied Bruce walking in, now back in human form and he was pale and shaky.
"Yeah, but Stark wasn't the one injected with a serum made just for him that altered his memories into something completely different and horrible that took months to recover from and is still suffering from it." Maria reminded her. She typed furiously on her phone in front of her.
"Yeah, well, I can hold a grudge really well." Lowri said firmly. "Clint's been hurt. But I've got him on painkillers and I've wrapped him up."
"Nothing serious?" Maria asked, glancing up at the screen.
"No. He'll recover." Lowri replied.
"Good. Okay, NATO is on their way. Find out if Strucker is restrained or not, will you?" Maria asked.
"Will do." Lowri replied, she turned from the screen and pressed the button on her wrist. "Steve, is Strucker restrained?"
"Restrained and unconscious. He won't be making any trouble any time soon." Steve replied quickly. Lowri turned back to Maria with a smile.
"Restrained and knocked out." Lowri informed.
"Good. Tell Cap to get out of there. NATO is closing in. They'll get Strucker and any stragglers." Maria said, she glanced down at her phone again. "Hang on. I gotta go. Our mutual friend is calling."
Maria hung up quickly and Lowri turned from the screen.
"Steve, you can get out of there. NATO is on their way." Lowri said over comms.
"Thanks. Meet on the jet." Steve replied.
As Lowri turned to face the rest of the group, Tony walked in, still dressed in his Iron Man suit but the mask was off so everyone could see the smug grin on his face. He held the sceptre in one hand and he passed it to Thor straight away, making one of this terrible jokes as he did so.
Lowri looked at the sceptre with resentment. The sceptre has only given her pain in the past and she still carries the scars to this day. Thor placed the sceptre into the glass case that he had brought with him and he placed it on the table just by the door.
"Finally." Thor said as he closed the case.
Steve was the last to make an appearance, he looked out of breath but happier than he has done in a long time. He still held his smile as he headed for Clint to check up on him.
Tony took the controls of the jet and got them into the air swiftly. Bruce took seat away from everyone else, listening to his classical music as he tried to get his body back to normal after the Code Green.
Lowri took a seat close by the cockpit and she could look out the window. Her feet were aching and the muscles in her calves needed to be stretched out but she was just happy enough to sit down. Her eyes caught onto Steve on the other end of the jet and her mind went wandering.
Why had Steve sent her away all of a sudden in the castle? What did he see?
Steve was on his feet, his back facing her and he was checking the drip attached to Clint's arm and Nat was watching carefully.
Thor was standing over the sceptre with his arms crossed and he was staring down at it, intent on keeping his eye on it at all times. Literally.
"Hey Banner, Dr Cho is on her way in from Seoul. Is it okay if she sets up in your lab?" Tony called out.
"Uhh, yeah. She knows her way around." Bruce called back.
"Thanks." Tony called out. "Tell her to prep everything. Barton's gonna need the full treatment." Tony added, this time talking to Jarvis.
"Very good, sir." Jarvis replied.
"Jarvis, take the wheel." Tony said as he pushed back away from the cockpit and he pushed himself off the chair.
"Yes, sir. Approach vector is locked." Jarvis said. Tony stepped off but he paused when he spied Lowri sitting by herself.
"Hey. What's up, Ri?" Tony asked, he fell into the seat beside her and nudged her shoulder with his, bringing her out of her half-trance.
"What? Oh, hi." She said, looking at him and blinking rapidly.
"Please tell me you weren't dreaming about Cap's muscles." Tony said as he settled back against the wall. "I think I'll need Barton back on his feet to shoot me with one of his arrows if you are."
"After spending more than three months wearing Captain America pyjamas while unconscious and conscious, I think I've had my fill." Lowri said, rolling her eyes at Tony.
"I admit, that was partly my fault." Tony said, he raised his hand and grinned cheekily at her.
"I'm pretty sure it was you, 100%." Lowri said, "You're a freaking billionaire and you made me wear Captain America merchandise. Until Nat stole your card and got me some normal clothes."
"Okay, okay. Fine. 100% my fault." Tony laughed. "What are you thinking about?"
"Stuff." Lowri replied.
"Come on, you can tell your god son." Tony said, "I still can't believe Dad did that."
Lowri laughed and looked up at Tony with a smile on her face.
"Your Dad was crazier than you, Tony." Lowri said, "I'm thinking about today, actually. When Steve and I got into the castle, everything was going great. We were working together but then, he sent me away, back to the jet. And I don't know why."
"Because he's Cap. He has his own motives, right?" Tony asked, he smiled at her. "Maybe he saw something that he knew you might not have liked. Maybe he protected you. That's what he does. Typical Cap."
"That was strangely nice of you, Tony." Lowri said slowly, she looked at him with a curious look in her eyes and he smiled in reply.
"I'm in a good mood. Anyway, I'll let you get back to dreamland." Tony said, "Just don't dream of Cap's muscles, alright?"
Tony got up and he tapped her shoulder familiarly before heading off in the direction of Thor and Steve, both of whom were now looking down at the sceptre.
Before Lowri could turn her gaze from the three men, she spied Tony gesture her way and she sighed before looking away.
Tony can never keep his mouth shut.
Lowri looked out of the window but she was on edge. She knew that if Tony had told Steve what she had said, then he'd be on his way over to talk her through it.
And she was right.
Steve stopped right in front of her and looked down at her with a worried look in his eyes. Lowri glanced up at him and offered him a small smile.
"You feeling alright, Ri?" Steve asked, hooking his thumbs through his belt loops and leaning back slightly. His smile was soft and warm at the same time. Lowri liked his smile.
"I'm fine, Steve." Lowri said softly. Steve looked relieved for a moment and then he took a seat beside her. Their legs brushed as Steve settled back and she felt a blush creep onto her face.
"My feet were killing me." Steve sighed as he leant back.
"It's been a hard day, eh?" Lowri asked, laughing gently.
"Oh, yes. I'm glad that all of this is over now." Steve said, "But, Tony's throwing a party this Saturday."
Lowri pulled a face and groaned.
"That's not going to end well." Lowri said, "I like to consider myself a veteran of Stark parties."
Steve laughed and he leant back against the wall but he kept his eyes on her.
"So, did you ask Tony for advice?" Steve asked slowly.
"I would never ask Tony for advice." Lowri said firmly.
"It's just… Tony just mentioned something to me just now…" Steve trailed off and Lowri quickly snapped up the pause.
"I told Tony that I was confused, that's all." Lowri said gently, she looked away from Steve and her eyes settled on Clint, lying on the table and dozing off. Nat wasn't at his side though, she was sitting rather close to Bruce.
"What are you confused about, Ri?" Steve asked as a serious look came onto his face.
Lowri looked back at him and for a second, her eyes searched his but then she dropped her eyes to her lap and she chewed on her bottom lip.
"Why did you send me away when we were in the castle?" Lowri asked, she looked back up at him. "What did you see?"
"Strucker." Steve answered straight off. Lowri's eyes widened at the sound of the name but she kept her calm. "I didn't want you to see him. I didn't know what you would do once you saw him, I mean, you might have relapsed. And you're doing so well."
Lowri glanced down at her hands in her lap and a smile came onto her face.
"Thank you, Steve." She breathed. She looked up and reached out one of her hands, she slipped her hand into his and squeezed. "Thank you. I'm not too sure what would have happened either. I don't think I've ever seen him when I've been conscious."
"I'm sure that you would have freaked out on him." Steve laughed, "And then you would have freaked out on me because I would have stepped in to try and stop you and we've been down that road before, and we both know how that turns out."
Steve looked down at their hands and he smiled.
"Well, I can promise you now that I will never ever freak out on you again." Lowri said with a smile, "Unless you do something that requires me to freak out on you."
Steve gripped her hand tighter, lifted her hand up, he clasped her hand in both of his and squeezed gently.
"What?" Lowri asked, she eyed him carefully and a smile grew on her face.
"I like it when you're like this." Steve said softly.
"Like what?" Lowri asked, she kept her eyes on him.
"When you don't hold out on me." Steve said slowly, "It's like how we used to be."
"Oh, just kiss already!" Nat yelled from across the jet. Lowri caught sight of a smirk from the Russian before she turned back to Bruce.
Steve flushed slightly and he looked away from Lowri but she saw the blush.
"Are you blushing?" She asked with a smile. Steve looked back up at her and nodded as he shrugged his shoulders. "I thought we were past this?" She asked teasingly.
"Evidently not." Steve confirmed.
Lowri smiled and she looked at their hands, she felt much more comfortable as herself now that the serum that Hydra had made just for her was finally out of her system and she was passed all the side effects.
"It's exhausting when I hold back." Lowri admitted. She looked up at him and a small smile came onto her lips. "I never intentionally did either. It was like, a battle going on inside my head and I couldn't distinguish between the two of them." Lowri caught sight of the look on Steve's face. "But it's not like that anymore."
It had taken Lowri a full month for her to be able to look at him without flinching from fear, she still saw those Hydra images in her head now, months later. It took her a further two months for her to stop referencing him as 'he' or 'him'. That was almost six months ago and Steve has always been careful around her.
Lowri admired Steve for that and for his never-ending patience.
She and Steve were still chatting as the jet landed in the Tower. Steve released her hand and stood up as Tony began to lock down the cockpit and as Clint was surrounded by Dr Cho and her team and then rolled off, with Nat following behind shortly.
"Lab's all set up, boss." Maria called out as she stepped into the jet.
Lowri slowly got to her feet and brushed herself down. She looked up and locked eyes on Steve, who was facing her with a smile on his face.
"Oh, actually, he's the boss." Tony said, pointing to Steve, who had his back to Tony because he was looking at Lowri, Steve turned around and looked at Tony. "I just pay for everything and design everything and make everyone look cooler."
"You wish." Lowri quipped.
"I saw you holding hands with gramps." Tony said, pointing a finger in their direction. Lowri rolled her eyes and Steve chuckled. He stepped over with Maria beside him.
"What's the word on Strucker?" Steve asked.
"You're so observant, Tony." Lowri replied with a smirk, she stepped closer to Tony. "You could have kept your mouth shut."
"One of my many quirks." Tony remarked as Lowri stepped off after Steve and Maria.
Steve and Maria headed down the ramp and rounded the corner, heading through the locker room.
"The two Enhanced?" Steve asked as Lowri caught up with them, they rounded a corner and headed for the elevator, just through the small locker room.
"Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. Twins." Maria stated, she passed over the tablet she held over to Steve and he swiped over. "Orphaned at the age of ten when a shell collapsed their apartment building. Sokovia has had a rough history. It's nowhere special but it's on the way to everywhere special."
"Their abilities?" Steve asked, he looked at Maria but then as Lowri approached, he looked at her and passed over the tablet so she could have a look.
There was footage of a young man and a young woman protesting and there was a bombed-out building. The young man looked exactly like the one she saw in the forest earlier that day.
"He's got increased metabolism and improved thermal homeostasis. Her thing is neuroelectric interfacing." Maria replied. She spied the blank looks. "Telekinesis, mental manipulation." There were more blank looks. "He's fast and she's weird."
"Weird, as in able to move things with her mind? And change things too?" Lowri asked, she got a nod from Maria. "They got their abilities from Strucker and Doctor List?" Lowri asked, looking up from the tablet.
"Yes." Maria said, "All the intel that Stark got indicates that it was the sceptre and some of your DNA that gave them their abilities."
"My DNA?" Lowri asked. "My DNA was used in those experiments?" She was appalled.
She turned away from Maria and Steve, she faced the elevator and pressed the button, shuddering inwardly.
"They're gonna show up again." Steve said as the elevator arrived and the doors opened. Lowri quickly stepped in and Steve got in beside her.
"Agreed. File says they volunteered for Strucker's experiments. It's nuts." Maria said.
"Right. What kind of monster would let a German scientist experiment on them to protect their country?" Steve asked jokingly. Lowri quickly looked up at him with her mouth open to protest.
"We're not at war, Captain." Maria said carefully.
"They are." Steve said seriously as the elevator doors closed on them. Lowri leant back on the wall of the elevator and looked up at the ceiling.
"Like hell are you a monster." She began, she felt his eyes on her and she wanted to stop talking but she didn't. "There's only one monster in this lift and it's sure as hell not you."
There was a silence that hung in the air between them like a knife.
"And I don't think the Maximoff twins are monsters either. They're young, scared and easily moulded. They don't know what they're doing or what the consequences are for their actions." She added, just to kill the silence.
"So, you think there's hope for them?" Steve asked.
"Of course. There's hope for anyone who's been in Hydra's clutches." Lowri said, "They just need a little disciplining." She pulled at the neckline of her suit and groaned quietly.
"The suits can get a bit much, eh?" Steve asked, the elevator dinged as it reached Lowri's floor and she pushed herself from the wall. "I don't think you're a monster, Ri."
Lowri pulled up short in the doorway of the elevator and she turned her head to look at him.
"The difference between you and me, Steve, is that you can control yourself. I can't because I don't know where this came from." Lowri said, she stepped out of the elevator and disappeared into her room.
Lowri still had the tablet from Maria, so after she showered and dressed in comfy clothes and fixed herself something to drink, she sat on the couch overlooking the impressive looking city and read through the reports.
What Maria said was right, when Strucker and List gave her that injection, they'd also taken DNA samples from her, enough to experiment with several times it seems before getting the right mixture to bring out all sorts of powers in different people.
"Hey, Lowri?" Lowri looked up at whoever was standing in front of her and found it was Steve. "Have you eaten?"
"What? No, I don't think I have." Lowri answered, she put the tablet aside and looked up at Steve as he spotted the glass tumbler beside her on the couch. He picked up the glass quickly and sniffed it.
"Whisky?" Steve asked, a slight smile came onto his face.
"Bourbon, actually." Lowri said, she got to her feet and took the glass tumbler off Steve. "And I wasn't hungry when I fixed this drink. But I am rather peckish now."
"Well, that's a good thing. Tony's ordered pizza. They're eating in Bruce's lab now. I came to find you because you were missing. Clint's alright now." Steve said.
"I was looking at the tablet Maria gave us. It turns out that Strucker and List used my DNA in loads of experiments to get the right mixture of something that kick starts the mutation process." Lowri said, "It's a lot of information."
"Strucker can't do that to anyone anymore." Steve said firmly, he sat down beside her and his eyes searched hers.
"I know. But, Strucker's taken a part of me to experiment with and to make someone entirely new." Lowri said. "I can't get my head around it."
Steve took the tablet from her hands and turned it off, he turned back to her and held both her hands in his own, making her look him in the eyes.
"Strucker can't hurt you anymore." Steve said firmly, he pulled her hands closer to him gently. "I won't let that happen anymore."
Lowri ducked her eyes.
"I just feel violated." She said slowly, "These kids, they're like a part of me now."
"We'll tackle them when we get to it, but right now, you need some food." Steve said, he got to his feet and he pulled her up with him. He dropped one of her hands and then began pulling her to the elevator.
"Wait, my drink." Lowri said, looking back at her tumbler with a little bit of bourbon left.
"You can have it later. It'll still be there when you come back." Steve said, he pulled her though the door and into the waiting elevator and up to the main floor where the labs were based.
There were four different pizzas all spread out on the floor with everyone else on the floor too, even Clint who was now fully healed.
All Tony could talk about was the party, he was definitely more excited for it than everyone else. He instructed everyone that they could invite whoever they wanted.
"You can even invite the oldies, Ri." Tony said, looking at her. Lowri looked up from her pizza and pulled a face.
"Sorry to kill the mood but most of my old friends are either six feet under or stuck in a nursing home." Lowri said.
"Wow." Nat said slowly. "You know how to kill a party."
"That's my job." Lowri said with a smile.
Since Thor was staying for the party, Tony and Bruce managed to work it out with him so that they could run a few tests on the sceptre, to see what Strucker had done with the sceptre.
As the hours dragged on, Lowri felt the time weighing her down and all she wanted to do was sleep so, she excused herself and headed back for the elevator with Clint calling out that she was old.
All she wanted was to lay back in her bed and relax. Her body was still sore for the numerous hits it took earlier that day.
Regardless of how sore she was, Lowri was back in the gym early the next day and the day after that, determined to get stronger.
Thank you to all who has read my stories!
I will update next week :)
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