The Soldier's Daughter

The Jr. Avengers

I'm used to being... shall we say, "restricted" so being chained to the inside of a titanium truck, with a metal vest and leg and arm cuffs across from seven SHEILD agents who point guns at me is actually rather...  relieving.  It's a freedom I haven't felt in quite some  actually, comparatively.  Agent Hill stands before me with a hypodermic syringe glaring at me blankly.  "I hope you'll understand why we must keep track of your whereabouts and listen in on all your conversations."

She doesn't sound as though she hopes that at all. In fact she doesn't particularly sound as though she cares one way or the other.

I laugh.  "Absolutely who wouldn't want SHEILD to implant a detonatable computer chip in the confides of their flesh to grow like a cancer never to be removed?"

I said it with the sweetest of smiles but she doesn't seem pleased and infects the needle roughly into my first finger squirting the advanced chip into my skin.  As she draws it out I cringe a little but determine to laugh it off.  As she turns her back however the chip takes root and begins the locking process shooting strands of some kind of wire into my finger that wrap themselves around my veins.  It burns like hell and I try not to grunt but can't help grasping my wrist and banging my head back against the truck wall, and stomping my boot on the floor stiffly.  make that pain go- I feel the wires nudging about inside the finger and gulp down a most undignified cry breathing heavily as the gadget settles at last and I can relax drawing a jittery breath and trying to regain my cool.   Hill smirks at me over her shoulder, and I grin weakly back.

"I'm guessing you enjoyed that."

She turns her face away from me and refuses to answer but I make a personal note that she'll be on the top of the kill list when I get free.

The truck goes over a bump and I'm guessing we've entered official SHEILD territory.

Our truck slows to a stop and one of the guards unlocks my vest from the wall and my legs and arms from my seat thought they're all still strung together as though I'm some kind of  enlarged Pinocchio wishing to be a real boy...

As I'm lead by my procession down the steps of my vehicle I catch sight of the young Avengers standing there in a row.  My little patriot stands among them, her blond hair pulled into a practical bun, stiff chest, rigid form, red-white-and blue costume, all ready to to do a salute.  I do one as I pass her but her clear blue eyes hold only dignity as she watches me and honor- and curiosity.  That's an improvement from her father anyway.  My mood is ruffled from seeing her so I continue down the line without further exhibition and wait patiently at the end as director Furry speaks to the children.  They are a lot older then the last time I saw them which was what?  Three years ago? My patriot is shapely and her face has grown thinner and more defined, her set lips have blossomed yet there is still that irresistible naive charm about her and fiery purity.  That makes me want to break her heart and let her break mine.  We could kill each other and have more fun then we could by staying alive apart from one another.  I almost smile as I remember that in the three years that she's been my own I have been nothing in her mind but a reckless fiend.   I burn to make her see my heart in all it's coal black richness.  The ashes-what's left of the once vibrant palace and her castle can come crashing down to sink into the mire of my world.  The blackness of my reality couldn't even put out her light but it would dim it step by step- I should like to protect our little lies, our little fantasy...  in a clean castle of illusion and games.  Where I can see my patriot really believing the lies I tell her.  In a lie so sweet it could kill.  Could she really love me?  I might die to see her do that. 

With that my shackles are removed and the children face me.  A boy and girl who look alike both wear leather jackets- beside them stands a thin as a rod- nerdy boy who looks at me with his hands shoved into his pockets.  Tall and proud among these earth younglings stand the fiendish son and daughter of my alleged brother, both in Asgaurdian armor, and lastly my patriot in her American suit.  She makes the rest of them look like stars in the middle of a sunny day- and she's the sun.

The proud leather jacket girl steps forward and begins to mouth off to me.  "First thing you should know is that girl over there is our boss.  And then we're your boss."  And she pokes my chest for emphasis.  "We're a team except for you.  You're our ally and you will do as we say- when we say- and do nothing besides breath and pee without express permition from the captain.  Got it?"

"Yeah!" the boy laughs, throwing his jacket back and putting his hands in his hips.  "And she'll make you do it to.  And if you do much as annoy her- you'll have me to answer to."

I smile.  "I'll keep that in mind."

The jacket boy points to himself.  "Well now that we're all here, introductions are in order I do believe.  "I'm Jr. Stark, Anthony by name, and my sister Beth's the one who told you what's what.  I assume you know Thor's children."

I nod courteously at Edward Thorson who tactfully ignores my existence.

"Luke and Anya Barton are a proud part of the team," Stark Jr. elaborates "...but have been deployed."

"Ah," I deduce. "...the son and daughter of our favorite hawk-eyed human?"

"And Agent Romaoff," Stark's girl adds.

I smirk.  "I might have guessed."

Ignoring my statement Stark's boy goes on. "...that thin boy there is our beloved scientist and resident nerd, you can call him Sam Banner and last but not least-" and he throws his arm around my patriot's shoulders.  "Em-"

"Emily Rodgers," I finish, stepping forward and lifting her hand to the consternation of Stark's boy.  I kiss it for good measure figuring they can file that away as chivalry or whatever the hell they want.  I step back and her blue eyes watch me.  "My, my," I laugh.  "It HAS been a long time.  The last time I believe-" she shoots me a look...  Of course.  I made her swear not to tell of our interaction.  And of course she kept her word.  Revealing it now would stamp her a liar.

It gives me private delight that I may well have been the instigator of her first big lie.  But what hurts is that her honor bound her to keep it.  She never in all these years has betrayed that trust.  I don't know why but it hurts.  Just my luck, I'm drawn with passion to her because of the way she hurts me- yes I think that's what real love is- its what I've always known it to be- the people who have the greatest power to hurt you.  Why do I court pain?  Perhaps I'm tired of hiding from it.  Perhaps pain feels a little like home.  The life I've always known.  And perhaps I'm feeling a bit homesick just now...

"Earth look that different from whenever you were here last?" Beth snaps, grabbing my arm and pulling me away from her beloved captain.  Jr. Stark throws his arm around my patriot again.  The rat.  He really thinks a brat like him could deserve her brilliance?  Just because he's a popular rich punk?  God- by the way she smiles at him it looks like he's weazled her into believing it too.

"Well, captain," I say with a mocking bow.  "What are your orders?"