Altered - A Marvel AU

Chapter 17 - Mistakes

"Are you sure you're alright?" Atlas had done several body checks just to make sure I was fine from all over, although being a goddess, all my injuries did heal fairly well. "Atlas, I'm fine." My words sounded muddled because of my state at the time, Atlas took me in his arms, leaning in to press a kiss. I held up a hand, "Woah." Atlas looked hurt, "Do you not like me?" I shook my head, "No, it's not that." Although after seeing Steve again today, that might've been the case, "Kronos will kill you if he sees you fooling around with me."

Atlas sighed, "I guess you're right." Kronos stormed into my room at that time, looking back and forth between me and Atlas. "You really are a whore." "Excuse me?" My eyes burned with hatred towards him. "The minute I break up with you, you decide to sleep with my general." "I did nothing of that sorts." But Kronos wasn't having it, "And you, Atlas, I gave you opportunity and you defy me." Atlas sighed, "My Lord-" Kronos held up a hand, "Silence." He looked over at me, "You think I can't kill those close to you or destroy them, well let's test this theory shall we."

Kronos held up his hands, slowly spreading them apart, I looked in horror as Atlas's skin broke into pieces, trying to stay on his body but falling apart due to Kronos and whatever spell he was working. Atlas bellowed in pain, trying his best to keep his body together, but Kronos was too strong for him.

I pulled at Kronos's arm, "YOU MONSTER." I screamed, he smiled at me, "You say that as if it's a bad thing." I desperately clawed at his arm, my eyes swimming with tears, my heart burning with hatred and anger. "Please." I pleaded finally, falling to my knees, "Remember that position, dear." Disgust filled me and Kronos took one last deep breath, his hands turned to fists, his eyes smoldering red with gold in them, he spread them as far as he possibly could and Atlas screamed in pain, exploding into golden dust that littered itself all around my room.

I was still, just sitting there looking at the gold dust drop, my eyes still formed tears but that was about it. I felt like I couldn't move, like I was paralysed, that is until a shadow dropped over me. I looked up to see Kronos standing over me, "Time for my fun now." I sneered, "You seriously think I want to sleep with you after this." Kronos flicked a finger, "Oh, it doesn't matter what you want."

He grabbed me roughly by my arms throwing me onto my bed, he climbed on top of me. I struggled underneath him, squirming around and wriggling like a fish. But faint gold chains whipped themselves across my body, holding me firmly in place. Kronos kissed me and I retched into his mouth, his eyes burned with anger, he choked me bad, enough to constrict all air from my airways, "Do that again and you'll pay."

He put a hand under my shirt, feeling my skin and I struggled, "NO, NO." I screamed, but that didn't seem to have any effect in Kronos. I struggled until I finally remembered something, "I can kill you, I'm the most powerful goddess, born before you, I can make you choke on your own Ichor." That sent him off of me, he looked at me as if realizing the truth in my statement.

He calmly retracted his chains and walked out of the room without saying a word to me. I curled up on my bed, ready to cry when I instantly blacked out.

***

Steve's POV

We all huddled in the infirmary, SHIELD nurses helping us disinfect and clean out our wounds. Natasha limped in, supporting her weight on crutches, "Yikes she got you bad, huh?" Tony's voice piped up, Natasha shrugged, "Should get better soon, if not then oh well." Tony hissed as a nurse applied rubbing alcohol to a gash on his shoulder, "At least your head looks better." Natasha gingerly ran a hand over her head wound, "I guess, yah." Thor grumbled, pacing the room, he seemed to be the only one left unscathed, "Who is she?"

Everyone turned their attention to me, I shrugged. "C'mon Cap', clearly you two have history." Tony said and everyone mumbled in agreement. "Sorry to disappoint you-" "NO, okay. Just no. You know her and we need to know how and possibly all the information you can give us about her." Natasha said sternly.

I felt myself get mad, "Look, I don't have to answer to any of you." Bruce looked up, "Oh really? I think you do, we almost lost our lives today because of that damn woman, so we better get answers." Everyone looked just about ready to kill me, I couldn't blame them, I didn't want to get Megan in trouble but she did just hurt all of them pretty badly. "I'm sorry." I managed, my voice croaking at the words.

"She obviously means something to you." Everyone looked up in time to see Fury enter the room, I nodded slightly. He sighed, "Look Cap', you can't hold on to her, she's in the wrong. The world needs to be rid of such people, capture her or kill her, it needs to be done. She obviously doesn't want to listen." I felt my fists clenching, I tried incredibly hard to keep my tears at bay, I couldn't lose myself in front of these people. I was a Captain, I needed to reassure them, not let loose my feelings.

"With all due respect Sir, she is a valuable asset to the team if we can employ her." I managed through clenched teeth. Maybe she felt sorry for me, or maybe she truly believed it but Natasha spoke up, "She is powerful, having someone like that on our team can help us get rid of the gold-eyed monster." Everyone nodded. "Fine, then one more time you'll talk to her Captain. If she doesn't listen, then I'm afraid capture or death is the only option." I nodded, trying to work out in my head how to approach her.

After the talk, Natasha walked to me with my temporary room onboard the SHIELD plane. She was quiet at first, but she eventually got out with what she was, I presumed, holding in for so long. "Do you love her?" I sighed, "Do I love her? Do you want the real answer that might scare you or a fake answer that will reassure you?" Natasha let out a short laugh under her breath, "You know, it feels weird but I sense this friendship, bond between us. Like we've been friends for a long time. It makes no sense since we just met, but still."

I shrugged, "It's quite possible." Again, the hall became eerily quiet, with just hums of engines whirring here and there, "Does she love you?" I bit my lip, trying to keep my emotions in check, "I'm not sure if she still does. It feels like she hates me." Natasha shook her head, "I've seen a lot of fake love throughout my life, once have I seen true love. She was trying her best not to hurt you, the panic in her expression when she saw you fly back said everything. Plus, she cushioned your fall and she tried her best not to hurt us badly. With her powers, I'm sure she could've killed us."

I frowned, "I don't know. Maybe she just doesn't want to hurt anyone. I mean I know her, she has a pure heart, I don't know what made her join forces with evil." Natasha furrowed her eyebrows, "She said something about you leaving her." I shrugged my shoulders, clearly baffled, "I have no idea what she's talking about." Natasha sighed, "Well, life is short, make amends with her, I'd love to have another girl on the team to be friends with." I smiled at her, "I'll try."