Athena Erskine was beautiful and bold. A female scientist in a world of men. Athena lived every day outnumbered but not outsmarted. Athena had to force her way into every room. So that she could demonstrate how much brighter, she is than all the men...
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Athena was sat across Steve's lap. There wasn't anything particularly sexual about the act. It was just that, at that moment, they both needed some physical assurance that they were both okay.
Athena's head was resting on Steves's chest as she listened to his heartbeat. Assuring herself that he was safe and all was okay. Steves's head was resting on top of Atehnas as he stared off into space.
Fury stood in front of the team. Or what was left of the team. Tony was sat around the table from Steve and Athena. The rest of the team were scattered to the wind. Natasha was comforting Clint as he left mind control. Bruce had Hulked out and gone missing, and Thor had been sent off in the Hulk's cage. And they had no idea where Saklauss was.
Fury looked down at the cards in his hand, a mournful tone to his words.
"These were in Phil Coulson's jacket. Guess he never did get you to sign them." With that, Fury threw the blood-splattered cards at Steve. They were the trading cards that Coulson had been so proud of.
Athena looked at them. They were covered in the blood of a good man. A man who had hoped for a better world and had been killed because of it.
"We're dead in the air up here." Fury carried on once the cards had sunk in. "Our communications, location of the cube, Banner, Thor. I got nothing for you." As Fury carried on talking Steve lent forwards to pick up a card. "Lost my one good eye. Maybe I had that coming."
The card showed Steve in his original costume. Tin shield in hand as he saluted the camera.
"Yes, we were going to build an arsenal with the Tesseract. I never put all my chips on that number, though, because I was playing something even riskier." As Steve and Athena looked at the card, they listened to Fury talk, and Athena ignored the blood vignetting the card. "There was an idea, Stark knows this, called THE AVENGERS INITIATIVE." At this, Athena looked up. "The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people and see if they could become something more. See if they could work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles that we never could. Phil Coulson died still believing in that idea, In heroes." The moment Fury said heroes, Tony came to his feet. Walking off before anybody could say anything, "Well, it's an old-fashioned notion." Fury told them.
Athena turned to look at Fury. " Well, I'm old-fashioned." Athena told him, "I may not be a hero, but I can do what needs doing."
✯⍟✯
Athena had dragged Steve into the room they were staying in for a nap. Athena had mentioned that she was feeling tired after facing a surprise attack and nearly losing Steve. Steve, being ever the gentleman, had offered to join. Hoping that it would send Athena off to sleep quickly. After some persuasion, Athena had taken him up on it.
Steve had, of course, fallen asleep as he spooned. Athena assured him that she was okay and he wasn't dead after falling out of the Helicarrier. The one problem was that Steve wasn't that sleepy. Yes, he had dozed for a bit. But now he had to get up and start planning on how to take down Loki and avenge Phil Coulson. Gently extracting himself from around the Sleeping Athena, he had left her to it and gone to find Stark so that they could start planning.
The one problem is that when Stark and Rogers came up with a solution. Steve had to go wake up his sleeping girlfriend, making Steve feel guilty.
When Steve returned to their room, he gently pushed open the door to see Athena's body wrapped around his pillow and her head resting on it as she breathed in his scent in her sleep. Steve's heart leapt at the sigh as he thought about how loving Athena was towards him. Even in her sleep, she sought out his scent. The one problem is that it made Steve feel even more guilty to be waking her up.
Steve tiptoed to the bed where Athena was sleeping. Steve lowered himself down so he was sitting on the bed. Gently Steve placed a kiss on Athens temple. "You need to wake up, love," Steve murmured. Placing a kiss on Athens's cheek, he slowly made his way around her face. gently asked her to wake up each time. By the time Steve had gotten down Athena's cheekbone, he could feel her stirring. Placing a final kiss on Athena's nose, he moved up. Letting Athena sit up.
"What time is it?" Athena asked Steve as she stretched her arms over her head.
"It's 2 love," Steve murmured. "But that's not why I'm here. We think we know where Loki is."
Athenas shot a started look at Steve, "Where is he?"
"New York," Steve told her, "we think he is going to Stark Towers. We are going after him." Steve told Athena. "We need you to get suited up, then meet us in the Quinjet."
Athena nodded. Placing a kiss on Steves's cheek, Athena ran to get suited up. Making sure that she had her guns strapped and secure around her body. Athena then headed off to the Quinjet. Walking up, Athena could see that Steve and Natasha had just arrived with the man they had previously been looking for. Clint.
Looking around at Steve, he wordlessly nodded his head. Athena warily approached the stranger, trusting Steve. Sticking her hands out, Athena introduced herself. "I'm Athena Erskine."
"Clint Barton," the other man introduced, shaking Athena's hand.
