Avengers: The Last Airbender

Chapter 30: A Disheartening Aftermath

The news of Phil Coulson's death weighed heavily on everybody's shoulders. Steve and Tony were the only ones would could meet up with Fury as they gathered around the table in the main control area of the helicarrier. Fury takes out a pack of trading cards. "These were in Phil Coulson's jacket," he says tossing them on the table; a few cards a blood splattered on them, "Guess he never got you to sign them," he said to Steve who picks up a blood-splattered card with a disheartening look. "We're dead in the air," Fury further informs them, "Our communications, location of the cube, Banner, Thor...I got nothing to say...Lost my one good eye." There was a moment of sullen silence before Fury spoke again, "Yes, we were going to build an arsenal with the Tesseract," he admits, "I never did put my chips on that number though cause I was playing something even riskier." "There was an idea. Stark knows this," Fury explains, "Called the Avenger's Initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people; see if they could become something more. See if they could work together...see if they could fight the battles we never could. Phil Coulson died still believing in that idea...In heroes." With that, Tony could hear no more and left without uttering a single word. "Well it's an old-fashioned notion," Fury dismisses.

"Leah?" she hears her name, tied to some restraints on a bed, her thoughts swirling all over the place. "Leah, calm down," Aang's voice brings her to focus, "Take deep breaths, you're going be okay. Loki can't control you anymore." Leah shakes her head in an order to clear her mind, "You can't possibly know that," she sighs, finally calming down, "First this guy saves me then he tries to use me the same way the Fire Nation tried to use me, but with more words and less fists. I thought he could be trusted." "It could have happened to any of us," Aang comforts, taking off the restraints. "Did he get away?" Leah asks with no emotion. Aang nods his head sullenly. Leah shuts her eyes for a brief moment, "He still has Sokka in his grip." "We'll get Sokka back," Aang assures, "Is it okay if I asked what it felt? The mind control I mean." "It's like everything that I was naturally against was crammed into my brain," she replies, "and once it was all inside, it made sense in some sort of twisted way. Deep down I knew it was all wrong, but it felt right and logical." Leah looked as if she was full of guilt, "Sokka and I told Loki about you. He wanted leverage...I couldn't stop myself." "It wasn't your fault," Aang tries to reassure her, "It wasn't you, it was all Loki." "Maybe it was," Leah says, "I'm not so sure. When he pressed that scepter towards my heart, I saw what could happen if his plan succeeded...or more like what I wanted to see. I saw myself getting back at those bastards that took my mother away from me." Aang is silent before he speaks, "Leah, I know you mentioned what happened to your mother. What happened to your dad?" Leah takes a minute before she replies, "After mom died, dad turned to the bottle as a means to cope with the loss. We went to visit my grandparents six months later. He left without me the next day and never came back," her eyes became moist, "to this day I don't know where he is, or even if he's still alive." Aang doesn't say another word, not knowing what to say in this sort of situation. "It doesn't matter now," she soon dismisses, "Right now we need to work on finding Loki again. He's going to make his move soon and we need to be there when it happens." Aang nods as she gets up from the bed. "You sure you'll be alright?" he asks with genuine concern. "I'll be just fine," she assures, "I've been through worse." "If you say so. Hey, why don't I introduce you to somebody?" "Who?" "Someone I've been told you've admired for the longest time."

"Was he married?" Steve asks Tony, referring to Phil as they over the pit that once held the glass prison. "No," Tony replies, "There was a cellist, I think." "I'm sorry," Steve looks down, "He seemed like a good man." "He was an idiot," Tony simply says back. "Why? For believing?" "For taking on Loki alone." "He was doing his job," Steve reasons. "He was out of his league," Tony scoffs, "He should have waited." "Sometimes there is no way out Tony." "Right, I've heard that before." "Is this the first time you lost a soldier?" "We are not soldiers," Tony says practically through his teeth, "I'm not marching to Fury's fife." "Neither am I," Steve says, "He's got the same blood on his hands as Loki does. But right now we need to put that behind us and get this done." Tony nods, knowing Steve is right. "Now Loki needs a power source," Steve further goes on, "If we can put together a list-" "He made it personal," Tony interrupts. "That's not the point," Steve finishes. "That is the point. That's Loki's point," Tony reasons, "He hit us right where we live. Why?" "To tear us apart," Steve answers. "Yeah, divide and conquer is great, but he knows he has to take us out to win, right?" Tony further explains, "That's what he wants. He wants to beat us, he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience." "Right," Steve realizes, "I caught his act in Stuttgart." "Yeah, that was just previews," Tony goes on, "This is opening night. And Loki, he's a full-tilt diva right? He wants flowers, he wants parades, he wants a monument built to the skies with his name plastered..." Then it hit Tony. He knew exactly where Loki was going next, "Son of a bitch," he mutters as Steve looks at him expectantly.

------------------Slight Time Skip------------------

"Time to go," Steve says once he found Clint and Natasha. "Go where?" Nat frowns. "I'll tell you on the way," Steve replies, "Can you fly one of those jets?" "I can," Clint quips in. "You got a suit?" Steve asks. Clint nods an yes. "Than suit up."

Steve walks out of the room and nearly bumps into Aang and Leah. The moment Leah sees Steve her jaw practically drops open. "Oh my god," she says in a whisper, "You're Captain America, that's Captain America. I'm actually meeting Captain America." "You must be Leah Connors," Steve says. "He knows my name," she says excitedly to Aang, "It's nice to meet you Captain, my grandparents and I are big fans of yours." Unable to contain herself she throws herself into a hug with Steve, "That's good to know," he strains from the squeeze of a hug, "And you can just call me Steve." Eek, I'm on a first name basis with Captain America," she shrieks. "Uh, Leah," Aang points that Steve needed to breath so Leah pulls away. "What are you orders Captain?" Aang asks. "We're heading out," Steve explains, "Time to suit up." he walks away. "We're going to fight alongside Captain America," Leah says as if this was too good to be true. "Looks like you're feeling better already," Aang notices. "Well meeting a long-time hero of yours is an ideal remedy I suppose," Leah says shyly then walks away. "Where are you going?" Aang calls out. "I gotta take care of something first," Leah answers,  "I need to find a phone."

Once Leah found one she dialed the number for her grandparents house in Texas. It went straight to voicemail so she left a message, "Hey, Grandpa," she begins, "It's me, Leah. I know I've been gone for six weeks or so and I know you and Nana are scared for me. I want you to know I'm alright and you don't have to worry about me. Those stories mom used to tell me when I was little are true, all of it. I'm saying this because I probably won't be coming back home for a while, there's a war going on in that world mom lived in and I have to help end it. Right now I have to stop a war here before it destroys the planet. I love you...both of you. Oh and before I go...I got to meet Captain America and I'm going to fight alongside him. If I can I'll be sure to get his autograph for you guys." With that, Leah hangs up and prepares for battle.

Aang and Leah catch up with Steve, Natasha, and Clint as they head for the nearest jet in the hangar. Once they board, and agent tries to stop them, "Hey you guys aren't suppose to-" "Son, just don't," Steve interrupts.

"Sir," Agent Hill approaches Fury, "Those cards...they were in Agent Coulson's locker, not his jacket." Fury looks at the cards in his hands, "They need the push." "We have unauthorized departure from Bay 6," an agent announces on the PA system. Sure enough Fury looks outside to see Tony flying in his Iron Man suit with a jet following. "They found him," Fury says, "Get out communications back up, do whatever you have to do. I want eyes on everything," he instructs To Agent Hill. "Yes sir," she responds.