Chapter 1
"I am Iron Man," Kathleen repeated, trying to make her voice sound more manly as Tony Stark sat across from her in the restaurant he had closed for them. The entire place was eerily quiet, and Kathleen could almost imagine the scene Miss Potts would cause once she found out, Tony had left the conference to eat with another woman.
"I thought it sounded very heroic," Anthony said, as he leaned back in his chair, "and it would piss off that suit who looks at you like you're the one who hangs the moon and the sun."
Kathleen shook her head at his words and the way he slouched into the diner booth. The California sunlight filtered in through the windows, casting a warm, golden hue over the scene.
"Besides," Tony added, twirling a fork lazily between his fingers, "I saw the face you made when that guy said he came from S.H.I.E.L.D. Seriously, who came up with that name?"
"Peggy Carter and Colonel Phillips, most likely your father too," Kathleen replied, her tone matter-of-fact, to hid how she despised that name.
Tony's eyes flickered with the sharp, intelligent glint that reminded her of Howard, but there was a disarming charm in Tony's gaze, something his father had never quite mastered. "And they didn't think to invite Miss America to the discussion?"
Kathleen rolled her eyes, though a small smile tugged at her lips. Tony had a sharper knack for uncovering vulnerabilities than Howard ever did. While Howard had been a visionary, Maria had been the one with true social awareness. Had Maria Stark been allowed, she would've made a formidable politician. Kathleen's life might have been harder if she'd had to contend with that level of savvy.
"I wasn't very interested in the war after the Valkyrie went down," Kathleen said softly, her eyes momentarily glazing over with memories she'd rather forget. "Honestly, if James hadn't enlisted, and Steve wasn't so obsessed with joining, I might've dropped out of nursing school and become a librarian, let it all pass me by."
Tony shot her a knowing look, his expression not one to be fooled easily. "Liar. I've seen Father's files—ones I now care enough to read. We both know you didn't agree with the politics after the war. You and Dad were on the same page that once people found out, well…" Tony gestured vaguely at her with his hands, his eyes scanning her from head to toe.
Kathleen leaned back, letting his gaze linger on her without protest. The California weather allowed her to wear a simple navy dress that skimmed her figure—not too tight, not too loose, just the right fit to not stand out. She had dropped her sunglasses on the table when they began to eat. It was a look made to be forgotten.
"…you aged better than fine wine," he remarked with a smirk, but there was a seriousness behind the compliment.
Kathleen Rogers—the now almost mythic sister of Captain America and fiancée of Sergeant James Barnes—should have been nearing ninety. Yet Kathleen looked far from old. On a good day, with the right hairstyle and makeup, she could pass for mid-thirties.
"I can only imagine the uproar from the Colonel and the higher-ups if they ever found out Dr. Erskine tested a variant of the serum on me," Kathleen mused. "Worse, this one was no Captain America replacement."
"No super stamina?" Tony quipped, raising an eyebrow suggestively.
Kathleen shot him a look but couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. "I wouldn't mind a shapeshifting ability, to be honest. But alas, all I got were a few mutated genes."
"So, you're a mutant?" Tony leaned forward, genuine curiosity lighting up his eyes.
"Enhanced human," Kathleen clarified with a slight shrug. "It's likely I'm somewhere in between and the serum enhanced those genes. It could explain why it worked on Steve the way it did and went… differently with Red Skull. And it failed in others."
"Is that Xavier's theory?" Tony asked, his voice more serious now.
Kathleen studied this boy for a moment, a wry smile forming on her lips. This boy. He looked older than her now, but Kathleen remembered young Tony—those curious, sharp eyes peeking over drafts Howard left lying around.
"You're well-informed, Anthony," she said, her voice soft but amused.
Tony scoffed. "I hate being called that."
Kathleen's gaze softened as she scrutinized him more carefully. The makeup barely masked the cuts and bruises. His eyes, shadowed with exhaustion, told a story of sleepless nights, while his body moved as if it were functioning purely on stubbornness.
"Are you going to rest, pretty nurse, or do I have to call Barnes?"
"James awake, Morita?"
"Doesn't shut up about you,"
Kathleen shut away the memories and turned her attention back to Howard's son. "How are you truly, Tony?" she said, her voice gentle, almost maternal. "You need rest,"
His brow furrowed, and sarcasm laced his voice as he replied, "I thought that social work degree only serve to put me on McCarthy's blacklist. Or should it be a red list?"
"I could comment on how you use sarcasm as a redirect from the true problem," she teased gently.
Tony's eyes turned serious, the playful glint fading. "I wasn't expecting an old friend of my father's to go all the way to Afghanistan for a kid she barely knew."
He hid his feelings well, better than most, but Kathleen recognized the loneliness behind his bravado. Aside from Xavier's school, there weren't many places where she could stay for more than a handful of years. She knew loneliness very well.
"Not that I managed to do anything of great use," she replied, a hint of regret in her voice, "but you're Howard's kid. That means something to me, Tony."
"Thank you," he said, the sincerity in his voice touching her. But it didn't take long for his trademark wit to resurface. "So, shall I call you Aunt Kathy? Cousin Kathy might be more believable."
"Miss Potts might like me more if you do that," she shot back, a playful smile threatening to break her serious facade.
She almost laughed at the discomfort that flickered across his face, like a boy caught with his first crush.
"What do you plan to do now?" he asked, changing the subject.
"Despite my tensions with S.H.I.E.L.D., I've found I get along better with Fury than any other director—apart from Peggy, of course. I might get a good ID and stay in the country for a few years."
"You can be my secretary! I can be much worse than Howard Stark," he quipped, a playful gleam in his eye.
She chuckled softly. "I was thinking something quieter, away from the bigger cities. I might find a teaching job somewhere."
"That sounds utterly boring," Tony protested, pouting. "I could buy you a penthouse in New York if your Brooklyn heart finds the West Coast too… well, West Coast."
"I have my own money. I haven't sat down and done nothing since the fifties," Kathleen retorted.
"I thought you were busy getting arrested for protests to work for a living," he teased, a lopsided grin on his face.
Kathleen glared at him, but he only shrugged his shoulders, unfazed. "Father left many papers about your whereabouts."
She shook her head, almost fearful of what Howard had written down. The memories were too painful, and she was far too much of a coward to go through them. "I have some distant family in Ohio I might visit."
"I thought your parents were Irish immigrants," he replied, genuinely puzzled.
Kathleen tried to keep her expression neutral, fighting against the melancholy that threatened to surface. "James' family."
.
.
Kathleen entered the auto shop, the sound of her heels echoing in the surprisingly calm space. The soft click-clack of her shoes had the desired effect; a man straightened his back and turned in her direction. She noticed the way he blinked, no doubt confused by her unexpected appearance. Whether it was the high-heeled sandals, the short, wrapped red mini skirt, or the fact that everything about her screamed not a woman who frequented auto shops in Lima, Ohio, she couldn't tell. The man's gaze sharpened, catching her off guard.
Sharper was a surprise. She had expected a range of expressions but never one so keen from Burt Hummel. His gaze was also very must fixed on her face.
"I was looking for someone to help me with my car," she said, adopting a damsel-in-distress tone. James always teased her that she could try acting if nursing didn't work out. "It's making a strange noise and it—"
"Kate?" the mechanic interrupted, recognition dawning in his eyes. Kathleen's heart stopped. "You're Kate, right? Elizabeth's cousin?"
The mention of Elizabeth Barnes Hummel struck a chord deep within her. Even after eight years, she could still see the shadows of grief etched on Burt's face. She fought the instinct to touch the simple chain around her neck.
"You look the same," Burt said, suspicion lacing his words.
Kathleen forced a smile, though it felt brittle. "Actually, it's Kathleen. I didn't expect you to remember me, to be honest."
Burt scoffed lightly, a flicker of warmth breaking through the tension. "You were the only person who didn't offer pretty words at Ellie's funeral. Instead, you gave me some of the best advice on how to care for Kurt."
Feeling touched, Kathleen leaned against a nearby worktable, the rough wood grounding her. "It's a long story."
"Old George Barnes used to tell fascinating stories in his later years," Burt reminisced, his expression softening. "Ellie was the one who took care of her great uncle. Some of the stories we already knew, of course, but others were fantastical, seeming almost impossible. Like a movie." A short, amused smile flitted across his face. "I was also a boy in school once. We had a picture of you in my history book."
She huffed in response. "You could barely see my face." And she was a blonde. Famously.
Kathleen remembered hugging James tightly, her face hidden in his shoulder, leaving only her body visible in that infamous photo with the Commandos. She hated that picture; and no doubt that was why it was the one that remained for history.
Taking a leap of faith, she extended her hand toward Burt. "Kathleen Rogers. Please, Kate or Kathleen is more than enough."
"Burt Hummel. But I guess you already knew that," he replied, shaking her hand firmly.
.
.
"Kurt thinks I'm seeing someone," Burt confessed as Kathleen helped him set the table.
She had been in Lima for the past week, and between Barton's farm being a little more than an hour away from the city and Burt keeping her somewhat entertained during her visits to the shop, she was starting to see the move to Lima as something worthwhile. It would stop Anthony for sending more properties to buy in California and New York.
"And you thought the best way to put that to rest was a dinner with the three of us?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Burt chuckled, a warm sound that filled the room. "Yes. This way, you can introduce yourself, and he'll put it to rest."
Kathleen rolled her eyes, ready to voice her thoughts when the front door swung open with a bang. A voice, clearly displeased, echoed through the shop. "Mr. Shue is leaving to become some accountant or something! There will be no more glee club, and I—" The voice halted abruptly as Kurt stepped inside, his eyes widening when he spotted her.
"You are her!" he exclaimed, taking a moment to process the scene.
Kurt was tall and slim, with chestnut brown hair and Elizabeth's striking eyes, complemented by the defining jawline that ran in the Barnes family—though Kurt's was softer than James's. Kathleen cursed herself for still feeling this way after all these decades. Perhaps Dernier had been right all those years ago when he told her she should let go of the past and not remain trapped in memories.
"You are… young and beautiful," Kurt said, raising an eyebrow as he looked between her and his father. Kathleen couldn't help but hide her smile as Burt flustered his attempt as a reply. "Nice dress."
"Thank you, Kurt," she said, offering him a warm smile, seizing the opening he had given her. "And I'm not your father's girlfriend. We're actually short of related—on your mother's side."
Kurt seemed momentarily taken aback, his expression a mixture of surprise and curiosity. Kathleen wasn't entirely sure about revealing her true origins to such an impressionable young man. Tony was already working on making her an ID that identified her as Elizabeth's sister, but something stirred within her at the thought of lying to Kurt. Still, after her experiences with the last two Commandos' descendants she had met—both hell-bent on joining S.H.I.E.L.D.—she wondered if she should encourage such behavior.
"I've met all my aunts," Kurt said, his tone skeptical.
"You should sit down, Kurt," Burt interjected, attempting to diffuse the tension.
.
.
"That dress does have a fifties housewife cut to it, with a modern twist," Kurt finally said, and Kathleen couldn't help but laugh.
"Wait… you can sing, and you said you were a teacher," he added, his curiosity piqued.
Kathleen could see the question forming in his mind before he even opened his mouth. She braced herself for what was coming next.
.
.
She looked at the youths on stage. They had talent, energy, and a palpable sense of happiness that was infectious. Kathleen wasn't used to teaching high school, much less in America. When was the last time she had spent more than a year in the States? The answer eluded her, slipping through her fingers like grains of sand.
A sad part of her wondered if it had been before the Red Scare that sent her packing to France, exile from the country her loves ones died for. Afterward, she had come to meet little Tony, and to check on the Commandos and James's siblings and nephews, but those were quick trips. Not even Xavier could convince her to stay in his school to teach; the X-Men were a world she had no interest in getting involved with, especially given her complex past.
But perhaps it was time to change that. Perhaps, she could start over in this small town.
Author's Note:
Hello everyone. Thank you so much for reading this story that marks my 8 years return to Fanfiction and Glee/Avengers. I hope you have liked it. This will one of the three (for now) Glee stories. Anastasia Romanoff/Rachel Berry story will be re-written and I also have a Glee focus story about an OC that is Rachel's cousin that will mostly follow glee canon (some, I get to pick and choose) but that I hope focus a bit more in the personal instead of the musical. It would mean the world to me if you also gave those a shot… They will both be publish today/tomorrow
Also, for those interested, I imagine Kathleen as Rebecca Furgerson. I plan on creating a story board on Pinterest as soon as I can.
As for reviews, they are always welcome, as are PM. I will reply to both.