Altered - A Marvel AU

Chapter 16 - Femme Fatale

Steve's POV

I was boxing in the gym I usually went to, I didn't know why, but it felt as if time had turned back. There was no trace of mine and Bucky's friendship, his contact information from my phone gone, our recent letters and texts disappeared. I woke up in the gym I used to work out at in Brooklyn on the cold, hard floor and instantly memories of my time with Megan flooded my head. I don't even know why I was remembering her now, now of all times, whatever happened between us was gone and couldn't be brought back yet my heart still yearned for her.

It was at that time that Nick Fury approached me, similarly to how he did around 10 years ago when he came to tell me of a nuisance that ran amid our country, namely Loki. I turned to look at him and I kid you not, he said the exact words he said to me that day, "Trouble sleeping?" My mouth immediately formed words without me having to think about it, "I slept for seventy years, sir. I think I've had my fill." I didn't know how or why I was forming the same dialogue as I did back then, but it was happening. "Then you should be out, celebrating, seeing the world." I stopped punching the punching bag, unravelling the tape off my hands and sat on a nearby bench.

"I went under, the world was at war, I wake up, they say we won. They didn't say what we lost." I said, again my mouth forming words without my mind's consent. "We've made some mistakes along the way. Some very recently." Fury was serious, his tone holding an edge to it. "You here with a mission, sir?" I asked, "I am." I nodded, "Trying to get me back in the world?" I asked, Fury shook his head, "Trying to save it." He held up his hand showing images of destruction along a pathway, buildings rumbled to the ground, a man in a black suit with golden eyes stood under a hovering woman wearing a black suit, her back was turned to me so I couldn't make much out. "The world has gotten stranger." Fury said, I nodded, "No stranger than when I was alive, sir."

"There should be a package for you in your apartment, it will tell you the location of our next meeting." I nodded, I already knew who would be there and if time was turned back, I couldn't wait to see Tony and Nat again. Maybe this whole time shift wasn't such a bad thing after all, perhaps in 10 years I could once again repair my relationship with Megan.

I packed up my punching bag and found my way to my old apartment, looking at a package sitting on my dining table. I picked it up and saw the location of where I was supposed to meet Fury and the rest of them, although I was already aware of that. If I remembered correctly, I reached into the package taking out my Captain America suit, feeling the nostalgia course through my body. I looked to one side of my bedroom where my shield sat, I picked it up, "It's time." I said to no one in particular.

***

In the plane, we sat around a round table, Natasha gave everyone wary looks while Tony played with some sort of toy in his lap, Thor was also here which differed from last time. Nick raised our attention to the screen where a news report was on, "A woman and a man are seen destroying government property, burning "Avengers, come." into the ground. What does this mean? Who are the Avengers? Who are these mystery people? The woman's name is Femme Fatale. The woman is seen exuding a black powder with gold and silver specks as she destroys every building. How is this possible?" Nick turned down the audio.

The video showed a young woman wearing a black jumpsuit with intricate gold and silver details, I assumed she was Femme Fatale. She leaped gracefully from one building to another, every move of hers was calculated and precise unlike the man who just spread carnage. The woman was more precise about which building to destroy, and I noticed it wasn't just random. It was buildings that she knew for sure didn't have people in it, it was obvious she didn't want to kill. "She's choosing buildings that don't have people in them. She doesn't want to kill or harm anyone." Nat beat me to it, everyone nodded. "I can try to talk to her." I offered, I didn't know why but something about this woman attracted me. Fury looked as if he wanted to argue, but then he nodded, "That might be beneficial, she might listen."