The Man My Father Always Talked About • A CAPTAIN AMERICA STORY

9

~9~

Clara officially met Clint before the four of them walked towards the quinjet. Clara noticed a young man standing guard before he tried to stop them. "You are not authorized to be here..."

"Son..." Steve started, holding his hand up for him to stop, "...just don't." The young man got out of their way before they boarded the ship. The ride was quiet while Natasha and Clint flew them to the city. Steve and Clara sat quietly in the back, not knowing exactly what to say. They only stared at each other the entire time until Steve broke the silence. "Are you going to be okay?" He asked. "I mean with your arm and all..."

"I'll be fine." She answered. She looked over the seats to look at Natasha. "I was trained by the best."

"Good." Steve smiled under his helmet. "Maybe after all this is over we can maybe...I don't know..." Steve hesitated. "We could grab some dinner or something?" Steve noticed Clara's expression and tried to take it back. "Or not, I mean..."

"Dinner sounds great," Clara smiled. As soon as she said it, the ship shook and started to drop out of the sky. It dove towards the street, making Clara's grip tighten on her seat. "You all good back there?" Clint asked.

"Never better!" Clara called back. The back of the jet opened and Clara and Steve walked out to meet Clint and Natasha. While observing the damage already done, a giant shadow covered them. Clara looked up and saw an alien ship flying over them. "Well this isn't going to be easy." Clara mumbled.

"Stark, are you seeing this?" Steve asked.

"I'm seeing, still working on believing. Where's Banner? Has he shown up yet?" Clara heard her brother say through the ear peace.

"Banner?" Clara asked.

"Just keep me posted. Jarvis, find me a soft spot." Tony said.

"Those people need assistance down there." Steve said. As the Chitauri soldiers landed near them and began firing, Steve covered Clara with his shield. She looked over it and aimed at the aliens. She and Natasha shot at them till they died before more showed up.

"We can take care of this. Go!" Nat said.

"You think you can hold them off?" Clara asked Clint.

Clint looked at her and smirked. "Stark," He readied his bow. "It would be my genuine pleasure." Clara nodded before looking over the bridge. Her eyes widened when she heard the sound of a bomb. Grabbing Steve's hand, she jumped of the bridge, an explosion following them. Steve and Clara raced over to the plaza, jumping over dozens of exploding cars and pushing past civilians, telling them to evacuate.

Clara saw the cops continuously firing at the flying chariots. "It's pointless!" She yelled at Steve before he jumped up in front of the police officers.

"I need men in these buildings. There are people inside that can run into the line of fire." Cap instructed, pointing in the directions that they needed to go. "You take them through the basement or through the subway. You keep them off the streets. We need a perimeter as far back as 39th." He finished.

"Why the hell should I take orders from you two?" One of the cops asked.

"Do you know who we are!?" Clara asked over the explosions. Suddenly, an explosion came up from behind the two. Cap blocked an energy blast that was shot at them with his shield while Clara shot her pistol at one of them. Two Chitauri soldier attacked them, the cops watching in shock as the two fought them off. Clara kicked the Chitauri in it's stomach, if they even had stomaches. When it stumbled back, she shot it in the head. She looked at the officer that questioned them, raising her eyebrow. He looked at them in awe, then turned to the other officers.

"I need men in those buildings, lead the people down and away from the streets. I need a perimeter as far back as 39th." He ordered, making Clara roll her eyes. The two continued to fight, Clara shooting them and hitting every target. Steve would steal a few looks at her, making sure she had the upper hand and that she wouldn't get hurt. Clara on the other hand was having a grand ol' time, beating up and killing the Chitauri soldiers. She never felt so useful. Every time Tony was in trouble or needed help, she wasn't even considered because Tony wanted to protect her. But now, now she can actually help people. After what felt like hours of fighting, the team, other than Tony, grouped together on the street.

"What's the story upstairs?" Steve asked.

"The powers surrounding the cube is impenetrable." Thor answered, gripping his side before rolling his eyes.

"Thor is right." Tony said over the comms. "We gotta deal with these guys."

"How do we do this?" Natasha asked, catching her breath and reloading her gun.

"As a team." Steve replied.

"I have unfinished business with Loki." Thor said.

"Yeah, get in line." Clint rolled his eyes as he counted his arrows.

"Save it," Steve cut Clint off. "Loki's gonna keep this fight focused on us and that's what we need. Without him these things could run wild. We got Stark up top, he's gonna need us..." Steve stopped when they heard a strange noise. Clara turned and saw Banner riding up on a small motorcycle. He stopped before looking around at everyone, then at the city.

"So, this all seems horrible." He said, observing the mess that New York was.

"I've seen worse." Natasha said.

Bruce looked down like he was embarrassed. "Sorry."

"I think we could use a little worse." Natasha said, making Clara smirk.

"It's good to see you Bruce." Clara said, squinting as she looked from the doctor up to the destroyed buildings.

"Stark? We got him." Steve told Tony, pressing the comm in his ear.

"Banner?" Tony asked.

"Just like you said." Clara replied, a small smile playing on her lips as she wiped the sweat off her brow.

"Then tell him to suit up. I'm bringing the party to you." Tony said. He turned the corner, a giant ship following him.

The Avengers stood in shock before Natasha spoke up, "I...I don't see how that's a party..."

Tony in his Iron Man suit flew down to the street as a Chitauri ship followed it, barreling down the street like a train that keeps building and building its intensity. Bruce looked behind him and began to walk towards the monster. "Now might be a good time to get angry doctor." Clara stated.

"That's my secret, Stark. I'm always angry." Bruce's body started to swell and stretch and harden as it turned green, the doctor's body quickly becoming the Hulk. Iron Man flew over them before he fired a rocket, hitting a soft spot of the ship. It blew up, shooting off flaming pieces of metal down onto the team. Steve raised his shield above him and Clara, deflecting anything from hitting them. When the the area cleared, they stood up as a team, Tony flying overhead, Hulk roaring, Clint notching another arrow in his bow, Thor swirling his hammer in his hand, Steve tightening his shield, and Natasha and Clara reloading their guns. The Avengers stood united and for the first time officially, the Avengers assembled.