Chapter Eight:

Second First Introduction

Steve stepped into the dimly lit medical bay, his eyes completely on the young, pale figure lying so unnaturally still on the bed in the center of the room. He could hear Natasha as she sang lullaby after lullaby, trying to calm the sleeping members of his team. Bruce sat in the chair, his eyes closed with his head resting on Natasha's shoulder. Natasha herself was awake and singing, but she didn't move, nor did she open her eyes at his entrance, almost like she was sleep singing (like sleep walking, but singing).

Clint sat curled up near the window, his eyes closed and chest rising and falling rapidly. Thor sat beside Clint, also out cold with his hammer tucked in his arms like a Teddy Bear. Making sure to stay silent and not wake any of his team, he moved closer to the bed. Pepper Potts sat right beside it, her head angled awkwardly in the corner of the chair as she slept, and clutching Toni's hand in her own.

Steve moved to the other side chair where her free hand was located. There he sat and stared, waiting, hoping she would open her eyes. He had so much to tell her, now that he finally understand his own feelings. Bruce's earlier warning about her possibly not remembering them however continued to ring through his mind. He hoped to God that Bruce was wrong.

"Toni", he whispered as he leaned in close to her ear, "I am so sorry for hurting you. I need you to wake up. I have so much to tell you."

Toni didn't wake and she didn't move. Steve sighed as he closed his eyes. Perhaps he too should get a little bit of sleep. Maybe by the time he wakes, she also would be opening her eyes.

AVNGRS

Steve didn't know how long he had been asleep, but it only took a mere moment for him to wake when the hand he had been gripping tightly in his own vacated snappishly; a loud crashing sound happening seconds later. Jumping, his eyes wide open and his body tense, ready for a fight, he looked around and realized everyone was staring past him. Turning, his eyes widened when he took in the frightened face of Toni Stark, wide awake and literally backing into the corner as far as she could get in the bed.

"Toni…" he whispered out.

She startled like a spooked deer, jumping away from him, her eyes narrowed.

"How do you know me?!" she demanded.

"Toni, I…"

"Steve, stop", Bruce replied setting a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Steve nodded and took a step back. Bruce instead went closer, though the girl continued to try to back up further and further away from the two men, though she also noted others in the room surrounding her.

"Toni, can you tell us your name and age?" Bruce asked.

"You just said it…" she whispered, a bit snappishly; clearly wary of the team as they drew closer.

"Just humor me", Bruce replied, "You're in a hospital and I am one of your doctors."

"A doctor…" she whispered before she relaxed just slightly, nodding, "Antoinette Edwina Stark, but people call me Toni. I'm twenty-one."

"Good. Can you tell me what you remember last?"

Toni glanced around at the team a bit suspiciously, but again nodded.

"I was…" she stopped, frowning, "I was working in my lab with Jarvis on the Mark V suit. I…I can't remember anything after that. Did I have a lab accident?"

Bruce nodded as he stepped forward.

"Yeah you did have a lab accident, but not quite how you remember it. You say you are twenty-one, but see…" he paused, unsure of how to explain, "you were working with me in your lab on an energy stone. The stone became active and you attempted to stop it. It went into your arc reactor and…"

"The reactor?!" she gasped looking down, before her eyes widened, "It's not… but it was… I don't…"

Bruce frowned, confused.

"Toni?" a voice called from the door.

Toni snapped her head up, her entire body relaxing when she saw Pepper standing there with a concerned look on her face.

"Pepper" Toni whispered.

Pepper Potts smiled as she stepped into the room and moved past the others to her friend's side. Toni smiled as the two embraced in a hug before she glanced once more at the five others surrounding her bed, watching with what could only be described as relief, confusion, and concern.

"Pepper, these guys…who are they?"

Pepper paused, glancing at Bruce who nodded. Pepper frowned.

"They are your friends, Toni."

"My…friends…" she whispered, but then her mouth went into a grim line. "Great, now I am hallucinating. Stupid medication…" she whispered out.

Natasha who had been listening from the back whipped her head up at that sentence and stepped forward.

"Ms. Stark", she greeted.

The others glanced at Natasha in confusion. Why was she calling Toni by that title? It was soon explained when once again, Toni seemed to relax just slightly, though not completely when she took in the others appearance.

"Ms. Rushman", she replied, "You look…different."

Natasha nodded.

"Bruce here will explain. Contrary to what you are obviously thinking, things are not as they seem to be."

Toni looked at each person, taking in their expression and body stance before she turned back to Pepper who nodded, smiling reassuringly.

"Alright then…" she whispered with a sigh, "Let's hear it."

"Alright Toni", Bruce said as he sat on the end of her bed, "The jewel went into your reactor and it knocked you unconscious, but it also…it made you younger."

Toni narrowed her eyes.

"You are saying I was physically sent into the past?"

"Right", he nodded, "your body and mentality were made younger."

Toni nodded, breathing out slowly. That was a lot to take in for anyone, but luckily for them she was a genius and knew it was possible, what he was telling her, though improbable.

"This still doesn't explain things", she whispered out before her voice steeled and her eyes became determined, "Who are you."

"We…" started Steve, stepping forward, "are a group of superheroes known as the Avengers. We work together. I am Steve Rogers, Cap…"

"Captain America", Toni interrupted, looking him up and down with a frown, "hardly what I expected."

Steve swallowed, unsure if that was a compliment or not. By the look on her face, eyes narrowed in what he assumed to be anger and … was that guilt? He suspected it was the latter.

"R-Right", he stated before moving on to Bruce, "This is Bruce Banner aka The Hulk."

"Banner…" Toni whispered, eyes bright and a small smile tugging her face, "I have read your works doctor. Most impressive."

Bruce smiled, remembering the first time she said that to him on the helicarrier.

"Thank you. The feeling is mutual, Ms. Stark."

Toni smiled. "Toni, please."

Bruce grinned. "Toni then."

Toni nodded in affirmation before she glanced at Natasha, who stiffened before quickly stepping forward.

"Natalie Rushman aka Natasha Romanoff. Black Widow", she stated.

Toni looked her up and down before nodding.

"Natasha then", she whispered, but Nat got the feeling even now, Toni was angry about having been lied too. For Natasha, it felt odd considering she and Toni had finally put those ill feelings behind them only just recently and now this happened.

"I am Thor", Thor replied when her eyes connected with his. He tipped his head forward, smiling. Toni smiled back.

"Norse god Thor?" she asked.

He nodded. "Aye", he replied.

"Hmm", she hummed, before looking to Clint who had stayed in the back.

Clint stiffened before stepping forward.

"Clint Barton. Hawkeye", he replied a bit coldly.

The others in the room were confused as to why he replied in such an unfriendly manner, but Barton was having issues of his own. Toni was his best friend and the fact she couldn't remember him really hurt. He couldn't help but feel odd about how to go about treating her now, as a complete stranger.

Toni stared at him for a moment and for a split second, Clint wondered if she recognized him as a small smile seemed to flitter across her mouth, but then that second vanished and she turned away from him. Clint didn't stick around long after that as he headed out for some fresh air.

AVNGRS

Toni was a lot of things, but stupid wasn't one of them. As soon as she opened her eyes and took in the five people surrounding her bed (let's not forget the one clutching her hand in his sleep), she had nearly panicked. She didn't recognize any of them, but they obviously recognized her as they began calling to her.

A man stepped forward, past the blonde who had been grabbing at her. This man was shorter than the first, with parted brown hair and green eyes. Square rimmed glasses sat on the bridge of his nose as he took a seat on the end of her bed. She watched him like a hawk, waiting for him to even try and hurt her. She wouldn't have that if he did.

"Toni, can you tell me your name and age?" he whispered.

She blinked. Didn't he just say it?

"You just said it", she whispered back.

"Just humor me", the man replied, clearly amused, "You're in a hospital and I am one of your doctors."

"A doctor…" she whispered before she relaxed just slightly, nodding, "Antoinette Edwina Stark, but people call me Toni. I'm twenty-one."

"Good. Can you tell me what you remember last?"

Toni glanced around at the team a bit suspiciously, but again nodded. She didn't trust them, but if what they were telling her was the truth, they deserved to know.

"I was…" she stopped, frowning. Why did everything seem hazy? "I was working in my lab with Jarvis on the Mark V suit. I…I can't remember anything after that. Did I have a lab accident?"

The man nodded as he leaned forward.

"Yeah you did have a lab accident, but not quite how you remember it. You say you are twenty-one, but see…" he paused, seemingly unsure of how to explain, "you were working with me in your lab on an energy stone. The stone became active and you attempted to stop it. It went into your arc reactor and…"

"The reactor?!" she gasped looking down, before her eyes widened. The silver lines from the palladium poisoning were gone! "It's not… but it was… I don't…" What the heck had happened?! Did they cure her?

The man frowned, confused and about to say something else, when the door opened to the hospital room.

"Toni?" a voice called from the door.

Toni snapped her head up, her entire body relaxing when she saw Pepper Potts standing there with a concerned look on her face. Finally, someone she knew.

"Pepper" Toni whispered.

Pepper smiled before she wrapped her arms comfortingly around Toni. Toni smiled as she felt the warmth and safety of her friend in this room full of strangers. Speaking of strangers…

"Pepper, these guys…who are they?" she whispered, once again glancing around the room with trepidation.

Pepper paused and looked around the room much like Toni had done before she looked down at her, frowning and basically flowing with concern. "They are your friends, Toni."

"My…friends…" she whispered, but then her mouth went into a grim line. This had to be a trick. Or maybe…maybe a dream. Yeah, the palladium medication. This had to be a side effect or something. "Great, now I am hallucinating. Stupid medication…" she whispered out.

To Toni's surprise, the woman in the back of the room moved forward and her eyes widened as she recognized the face behind the mess of red curls.

"Ms. Stark", she greeted.

"Ms. Rushman", she replied, "You look…different."

The woman nodded, her former long red hair gone in place of short curls. Her usual professional clothing replaced by a leather body suit. Just what the heck was going on?!

"Bruce here will explain. Contrary to what you are obviously thinking, things are not as they seem to be", Ms. Rushman or whoever she was, replied.

Toni looked at each person, taking in their expression and body stance before she turned back to Pepper who nodded, smiling reassuringly. Toni supposed she could as least listen.

"Alright then…" she whispered with a sigh, "Let's hear it."

"Alright Toni", the man named Bruce said, "The energy stone I was talking about before went into your reactor and it knocked you unconscious, but it also…it made you younger."

Toni narrowed her eyes. Was that even possible?

"You are saying I was physically sent into the past?"

"Right", he nodded, "your body and mentality were made younger."

Toni nodded, breathing out slowly. That was a lot to take in for anyone, but luckily for them she was a genius and knew it was possible, what he was telling her, though improbable. Then again, most things about her were improbable.

"This still doesn't explain things", she whispered out before her voice steeled and her eyes became determined, "Who are you."

"We…" started the blonde from before, stepping forward from where he had been leaning against the wall, watching, "We are a group of superheroes known as the Avengers. We work together. I am Steve Rogers, Cap…"

"Captain America", Toni interrupted, looking him up and down with a frown. This was the man her father had always told her about throughout her childhood. This was the man she had failed to live up to. This was the man who she partially blamed for every issue she had with her parents. Annoyed that he seemed to be so concerned about her health, she tightened her resolve and hid her fear and self-loathing. "Hardly what I expected."

The man… Captain America, swallowed nervously. Why was he nervous around her? Had they met before? Oh that's right, Pepper said they had and that they were friends. She highly doubted she could be friends with Captain America. The very idea was practically impossible.

"R-Right", Steve stated before looking back to the man called Bruce, "This is Bruce Banner aka The Hulk."

"Banner…" Toni whispered, eyes bright and a small smile tugging her face. She knew Banner. She had studied about him and read his works. He was amazing. "I have read your works doctor. Most impressive."

Bruce smiled.

"Thank you. The feeling is mutual, Ms. Stark."

Toni smiled back in a friendly manner. "Toni, please."

Bruce grinned. "Toni then."

Toni nodded in affirmation before she glanced at Natasha, who stiffened before quickly stepping forward, obviously noticing that Toni wanted to know her part in all of this.

"Natalie Rushman aka Natasha Romanoff. Black Widow", she stated.

Toni looked her up and down before nodding. So she had lied? No surprising, but… it hurt.

"Natasha then", she whispered.

"I am Thor", the giant man with blonde hair replied when their eyes connected. He tipped his head forward and Toni smiled at him. Something about the man made her immediately relax.

"Norse god Thor?" she asked, realizing what he said his name was.

He nodded. "Aye", he replied.

"Hmm", she hummed, before looking to the final stranger in her room. This one stayed in the shadows, but he seemed to have been watching her closely the entire time. It made her nervous, but also something about him tugged at her memory a bit. Just who was he?

The man walked stiffly towards her, though remained a few feet away as though scared to get to close to her. She wondered why?

"Clint Barton. Hawkeye", he replied a bit coldly.

Toni stared at him, the name tugging at her subconscious. Clint Barton… did she know him from somewhere? The way his eyes searched hers…so hopeful…she couldn't help but smile at him, wanting to reassure him. He seemed to relax a bit when she did, but the noise of the blonde sitting down beside her drew her attention and when she glanced back, the brunette was gone.

AVNGRS

"Toni?" Pepper called as she walked back into the room, hours after her waking.

Toni looked up from the tablet that had been handed to her by Bruce. Jarvis had kindly made sure to upload all the files he had on the avengers so that she could read through and learn about the others more, hopefully awakening her lost memories. "What is it Pep?"

Pepper smiled as she neared the side of the bed, "I just talked to the doctor. He said other than the amnesia and the whole, de-aging thing, you look healthy and ready to leave."

Toni nodded. During the past few hours, she had been reading extensively on Shield when they explained to her that was whose care she was currently in. Toni didn't like not knowing about something regarding herself and her friends. In this case Pepper. She needed to know everything there was to know about the organization in case she ever needed to take emergency action against them. Luckily, Jarvis seemed more than willing to tell her everything she wished to know. He even showed her a few videos she had from her time before the de-aging, including the lab video in which the incident took place. It still stupefied her that it had altered her to such an extent. That being the case, was the stone still within her arc reactor?

The thought often drew her to peer at the reactor, but it continued to glow blue with no sign of anything foreign sitting within it.

"Ready to get out of here?" Pepper asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"Yeah I guess. Where are we going?"

"Avenger tower. Formerly Stark tower."

"Hmm…I always thought of building a tower. Glad to hear I did", Toni replied smiling, "do I still own the Malibu house?"

"Oh yes, you go there often to get away", Pepper nodded as she pulled the wheelchair towards the edge of the bed. Toni glared at it with disgust.

"I am not getting in that", Toni declared.

Pepper narrowed her eyes.

"You are or Steve said he would carry you."

Toni gulped. Captain America… yeah, no…she could handle the wheelchair.

"Fine", she sighed and Pepper smiled, partially. It hurt her to see Toni couldn't remember how close she had become with the blonde Captain. It was obvious Steve and Clint were suffering more than most of them with the recent turn of events.

Toni didn't notice Pepper's sudden mood change as she sat down in the chair, irritated at having to be pushed around like an invalid.

"Onward Potts", she yelled, pointing forward.

Pepper rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help the fond look that came over her. This girl…what would she do without her?

The question was not one she wanted an answer to anytime soon.