Unforgotten

Chapter 1

    You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who does not remember that day in New York. The day the Avengers became known. I myself was 16, and remember it very clearly – I was living in a dormitory, an all-girls school, at the edge of the city. We looked out our windows, hardly believing the sight before us. Aliens, huge metallic structures coming through a hole in the sky. Fire. Screaming. And the people, the saviors of our world, putting themselves right in harms way. Some people around me criticized, some were in awe. I personally felt sick to my stomach.

My uncle was the one in the red suit who, by the end of that extraordinary day, fled through the giant hole, and came seemingly crashing back to Earth. I had no idea if he was dead, or alive, and I remember being frozen in place, part of me thinking I needed to run, the other part wondering if my Aunt Pepper would want me to stay where I was, apparently out of harm's way. In the end, I ran.

    I was 4 when the car my parents and I were in was hit by a truck on an icy road, and crushed. I was the only survivor, my parents both perished at the scene. I remember screaming for them, running on the wet road toward the car before a fireman pulled me back. I had a cut across my forehead, of which the scar I still carry. I was transported to a local hospital in Los Angeles, where I the next clear memory I have is of my Aunt Pepper, my mother's sister, gathering me in her arms, and telling me it was going to be alright. I remember my blood soaking through the bandage and damaging her white shirt, and me crying harder because of it. She took my face in her hands and told me,

    "Paige. Things can be replaced. People can't. You are my people."

    That thought has always stuck with me. I went to live with her in New York after my Mom and Dad were laid to rest, and my life changed forever. I met my Uncle Tony, the famed Tony Stark. A genius, playboy, and philanthropist. Eventually Iron Man. And the love of Aunt Pepper's life.

    There was so much that Aunt Pepper was involved in, I came to find when I came to New York. Tony made her the CEO of Stark Industries, there were a few insane battles that Tony had to fight, my Aunt Pepper became full of fire. I am the person I am today because of her, yet when I turned 14, I approached her and let her I know I thought it best I went to boarding school so I was one less burden to her while she ran Stark Industries. She cried - and agreed, but would only let me go to the best in New York, so that I wasn't very far away.

    It was because of this close vicinity to my Aunt Pepper and Stark tower that I came to know the misfits that made up the Avengers. The first time I met Nick Fury, I was terrified. He disregarded me, it seemed, but always kept a close eye on me whenever he spoke to my Uncle Tony. Tony was aware of this, and dismissed me quickly from the room on the weekends I was home. I was thankful. Natasha Romanoff was with Nick Fury often, and I found a closeness with her I had not found with any of the girls I had met at my school. When I was home, she would often stop by Stark Tower, and we would sit out on the balcony, casually discussing the hardships of growing up without parents, carefulness in choosing friends, and staying off the radar.

It was through her that I eventually met Clint Hawkeye Barton, and Bruce Banner, and Captain America. Steve Rogers was so apologetically polite, I laughed at him more often than not. He and I both shared a love of Big Band music, though not many people knew it.

    I knew my Aunt Pepper worried about my association with the Avengers, but with my Uncle Tony as Iron Man, and a 'consultant' for SHIELD, it was hard for her to keep me from being a part of that portion of her life. Even Agent Coulson made an appearance now and then, and he was the one SHIELD officer I liked. Sometimes he even drove me back to school after a weekend home, though none of my schoolmates had any idea the life I truly lived. Phil was just the chauffeur that worked for Tony Stark.

   

    That day in New York, after seeing Iron Man fall, I ran through the back door of my dormitory and made a beeline for one of the rich upperclassmen's BMW's. I broke the window with my elbow, unlocked it and quickly hotwired it, then drove as quickly as I could on the backroads to Stark Tower. I have often thought to myself since, I should have thanked Uncle Tony for teaching me that little trick.

    By the time I arrived in the parking garage, I ran inside to find the team in the main room, with Thor and another man dressed in green leather shackled, with the team attempting to collect themselves. Aunt Pepper wasn't there, but Tony saw me and strode toward me. I felt a wave of relief spread over me.

    "Uncle Tony . . ."

    "You can't be here, Paige." I opened my mouth but couldn't speak – I just remember the shackled man turning his eyes to me, and I stopped dead in my tracks. His mouth was covered by a contraption, keeping him from speaking, and golden shackles were on his wrists, but his face turned toward me. We locked eyes – his were a deep blue, so deep, I felt as if they could look into my soul. They were angry for a moment, then it seemed as if they faltered. I looked away as my Uncle Tony grabbed my arm, pulling me back toward the bedroom hallways.

    "This way, now." He said, and I turned to look back at the man by the bar. He was still looking at me, until Thor pulled him away.

    "Who is that?" I asked, as my Uncle Tony pushed me in my bedroom.

    "Loki." Was all he had said before shutting the door.

*Author's Note* PLEASE READ
    First, I have to offer my thanks to all of my fellow authors out there that inspired me to write again. I have not written a story in almost 20 years. I had a writer's block that lasted that long, when writing was something that I used to live for. I used to write 'fan fiction' before there was a name for such a beast, and I am beyond grateful that I have found fellow artists who are like-minded.
    That being said, I must admit that this story is the product of a very rough few months personally - I found solace in the characters, and poured my heart into the words you will read. I have taken liberties with creativity, followed some timelines from Marvel, and basically written what came to my mind. I appreciate comments, but please be kind. I will be adding chapters as I edit, and the end of this story is unsure at this time. I have run into writer's block (again!!), as well as started a new job, which has left me little time at home with my thoughts.
    Again, thank you all for your support, your own artistry, and for being there, whether you knew you were or not!