The Avengers Next

Chapter 1: The Beginning

Fifteen year old Emily Rogers ran a hand through her soft blond curls as she considered the options she had here... Okay, maybe it wasn't life or death, but really, being called to Fury's office was just as much as a heart-pounding experience as anything. He wasn't always the most welcoming man.

A few minutes earlier, Emily had been doing her usual routine, training in the Shield practice gym with some of the other Junior Agents for two hours before returning home to meet her dad for dinner. Today, just as she clicked the top button of her stop watch down to examine her new record for laps around the gym (which she was rather pleased with her results, by the way), but her triumphant smile soon faded when the Fury's strict voice echoed throughout the building over the all-call, "Emily Rogers to my office immediately, thank you." If she thought she should be impressed with her running time, she should've pulled out her stopwatch again just to record the fraction of a second in which all eyes were on her. Her cheeks blushed pink, but she held her head high still. She wasn't the most confident girl in the world, what teenage girl was, but she really did try. The blond clicked her stopwatch off and flung it into her gym bag. She swept up her things and hung them on her shoulder before hurrying out of the room.

The twisting hallways of Shield might be confusing to someone who was unfamiliar with them, as they all looked the same, but Emily was practically raised in Shield. Sure, Steve did work a lot, but determined to keep a close bond with his daughter, he simply let her tag along. She liked it then, and still did. The years of training really helped her become one of the best in her age division, and she was able to find almost anything within Shield HQ without getting lost. 'Almost' is said because there isn't a single person who knows of EVERYTHING that happens at Shield. Maybe except for Nick Fury. That might be why he was so intimidating.

After not too long, the teenager reached the office of Fury himself. She creaked the door open slowly and peered inside. Fury sat behind a large desk, or at least it appeared to be a desk of some sort, with several holograms projected above it. As Rogers stepped closer, she realized that the holograms were files. They included her own, her best friend Beth Stark's, and all of the other Avenger's children's. "Sir," Emily asked politely, stepping behind the desk alongside him. He glanced over at her briefly, acknowledging her appearance for the first time, though he seemed to already know she was in the room.

" Do you know what this is," he asked, an eye brow raised. Emily tilted her head to one side thoughtfully, "They're files... But why are you using them? Why us?" "Because you're ready now," the Director stated simply. Confusion was almost too obvious in Emily's soft hazel eyes, "Ready for what, Sir?" Nick Fury smiled as if he'd been waiting for that question all day, and swiped all the files to the side, replacing them with a different hologram. It simply read three words, 'The Avengers Next'.

Emily's eyes grew wider than usual, and she bit her lip to keep her jaw from dropping. Was he serious? Was she getting to be a part of a team of heroes just like she'd always dreamed of?

"We want you to lead it," Nick told her, "The Avengers Next." "M-me," Rogers stammered, dumbfounded, "Why me?"

"Your father lead a group of extraordinary people," Fury stated, and Emily nodded as he spoke, "People who aren't afraid to risk anything to save the world from threats most of us can't even imagine. The world will always need people like this, but the thing is, it's becoming more dangerous. More and more villains are getting word of the Avengers, wanting to challenge us. This is no longer a job for six people. We need a new team to be there, to be ready whenever the Avengers need them. And who better, than their own kids? You, Emily Rogers, were chosen to lead because your father recommended you for the job. Don't let us down." With a nod towards the door, Fury added, "You're dismissed."