Evil Author Day: The Sword He Draws Part 2 (MCU)
Part 2 of 2. See Part 1 for notes.
~o~
Steve came awake slowly, not at all sure of what to expect. The last time he'd been through this, SHIELD had tried to fool him into thinking no time had passed. That had set him off, and he'd never really calmed down after that.
He listened carefully to the sounds of the room, taking deeper breaths as he tried to figure out where he was. It was quiet, almost preternaturally so. No monitoring equipment, no radio or tv, just the sound of his own heart beating.
"You can open your eyes now, Cap."
Steve turned his head, opening his eyes as instructed to find a familiar face staring at him over the edge of a tablet, a mug of steaming coffee paused mid-sip as his watcher watched him.
"Tony," he breathed out, relieved to have woken up at all, but more so to have his friend there, confirming that things hadn't changed too much.
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Well, looks like Dear Old Dad was right after all."
Steve closed his eyes, feeling like a fool for giving himself away so easily. When he opened them again, it was to see Tony smirking at him. He set the coffee mug aside, along with the tablet, and leaned forward.
"So, a couple of years ago, Howard sat me down to tell me a few things," Tony said. "See, he was worried that the cancer would take him before it was time to retrieve and defrost you. I, of course, didn't believe a word of it. Even after Uncle Grant and Aunt Peg chimed in. But I still sent the expedition out, expecting to find the plane and no Captain America. Imagine my surprise when they came back with a Capsicle."
Steve huffed. "If it makes you feel any better, Howard held a gun to my face until he was sure I was really who I said I was."
"Sounds about right," Tony said as he leaned back in his chair.
"So, where am I?" Steve asked. He pushed himself up just a bit, so he could see Tony better. "For that matter, what's the year?"
"At the moment, you're in Stark Manor," Tony said. "I've had the whole place remodeled since you were here last. New basement levels, a landing pad on the roof. Totally rewired and updated. I've even installed my AI, though Howard wasn't so sure about that part. Say hello, J."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Captain Rogers," JARVIS said. "Should you require anything during your stay with us, you only need ask."
"Thanks, JARVIS," Steve said. He froze when he caught the calculating look on Tony's face. "What?"
"You and I knew each other in your original future," Tony said, a statement and not a question.
"Yeah, we did," Steve said with a sigh. He figured it was pointless to lie to a Stark, so he didn't even try. "And before you ask, I left things out of the story I told Howard because I believed that if I told him too much about his future, that it would change things, and I didn't have the right to mess with his life."
"But you'll gladly mess with everyone else's," Tony shot back. When Steve opened his mouth to explain, Tony held up a hand. "Relax. Howard explained your goal in going back in time. I'm actually on board with the whole 'prevent the universe from imploding' thing."
"Where is Howard?" Steve asked.
"He passed away late last year," Tony said, his voice subdued. "Lung cancer, in case that wasn't clear."
"And what year is it?"
"It's 2010," Tony said.
"But, that's a year early," Steve said. In the original timeline, he'd been found in 2011, just a year before the Chitauri invasion.
"Yeah, it is," Tony said. "Unfortunately, the Army has been sniffing around the Arctic the last couple of years, keeping tabs on the SI expedition. We thought it was better to pull you out early rather than risk the Army finding you."
"Not SHIELD?" Steve asked, confused.
Tony shook his head. "SI partnered with SHIELD on the search, but obviously we weren't the only interested party. SHIELD didn't have the resources to conduct a full-scale search without help, and there was no way Howard was going to let them find you without a Stark being there."
"Was Howard able to clean up SHIELD?" Steve asked. He'd hate to think that, even after telling him about the issues, that he wouldn't have been able to clean up the agency he helped found.
"Oh, yeah, he cleaned up SHIELD all right," Tony said. "It cost them some credibility, so the agency stayed small for a number of years. After 9/11, SHIELD was folded into Homeland Security. With the backing of a large Federal agency, they've grown in influence, but still have that small agency feel. Howard was actually the first director of the rebranded SSR. Aunt Peg took over in the seventies. They've done well with the agency; it's now the go-to in the Federal alphabet soup for all things science-and-supernatural-related, whether it's espionage or law-enforcement."
"Wow," Steve said. "I knew things would be different, but I guess I didn't think they'd be that different. Who's the director now? Fury?"
"His name's Coulson," Tony said. "He's a good guy. Shoots straight, and never asks for things he knows he shouldn't have. There's a guy named Nick Fury that works for CIA; real pain in the ass, but he and Coulson go way back, so he works with SHIELD quite often."
"I knew Coulson," Steve said, nodding. "Well, I met him once, briefly. But from what other people said, he was a good man. Anything else I should know about him?"
"Eh, probably tons, but nothing that's relevant today," Tony said.
"What about the Tesseract?" Steve asked. "Did you ever find it?"
"Yeah, we found it," Tony said. "SHIELD currently has it. We've been studying it off and on for several years. Nothing exciting to report yet, but we have a new scientist on the project that should help speed things along."
"You wouldn't be talking about Bruce Banner, would you?"
"You know him?" Tony asked, one eyebrow raised in surprise.
"I do," Steve said. "I've also met… the Other Guy."
"Ah, yes, Green Bean," Tony said. Steve chuckled; he'd always loved Tony's nicknames for the people he liked, even if he made a show of disdaining them. Wouldn't do to feed Tony already-large ego, after all. "He's actually pretty cool. You wouldn't believe the looks he gets in the lab when he walks in all big and green. The newbies tend to run for the corners until they find out he's like a big, green teddy bear."
"Wait, Hulk and Bruce have integrated?" Steve asked. "How'd that happen?"
"I'm assuming Hulk destroyed Harlem in your original timeline," Tony said. Steve nodded. "Okay, so the way he tells it, Bruce realized pretty quickly that having a ticking time bomb inside him was going to become unworkable sooner rather than later. So, he came to me-science bros, or something, I wasn't really clear about why he picked me-and I put him in touch with Coulson. SHIELD's psychologists helped him deal with his rage monster problem."
"Wow," Steve said. "Anything else you want to lay on me?"
Tony chuckled. "I think that's more than enough for one day. The doctors-and I count Bruce among them; he was instrumental in helping defrost you, by the way-are probably going to have my hide for keeping you up so long."
"I'm not really tired," Steve said, even as he leaned back and closed his eyes. "I've been sleeping for better than sixty years. I'm not sure I need to sleep anymore."
"You just keep telling yourself that," Tony said. He patted Steve on the shoulder as he stood, then reached for his mug and tablet. "Get some rest. If you're feeling up to it tomorrow, I'll show you around the mansion, let you meet some of the gang."
Steve opened his eyes and watched Tony walk to the door. "Thanks, Tony. For everything."
"You're welcome." Tony turned and smile at Steve. "Thanks for not being dead. I'd have hated to get to the crash site only to have you already expired from freezer burn. Would have broken Aunt Peg's heart, and I hate doing that."
"Me too," Steve said.
Tony flipped the switch, casting the room into shadows. Steve sighed and settled deeper into the bed as Tony shut the door. He wasn't sure he'd be able to sleep, with all the information Tony had given him about how different this timeline was, but he pushed it all aside and closed his eyes.
There would be time to sort out all the changes later. He had almost two years before the potential Chitauri invasion. Plenty of time to plan for what was to come.
~o~
"So, tell me what's coming," Tony said.
They'd toured the house, the labs and Steve had even gotten a look at the model for Stark Tower. He'd also noticed that Tony didn't have an arc reactor in his chest, which had led to a whole conversation about the Iron Man suit-which still existed but had been created for different reasons-and the fact that Stark Industries hadn't been in the business of making weapons since the eighties.
Now they were enjoying a late lunch in the kitchen; it was the same room, with basically the same layout, but everything was new. From the cabinets to the appliances to the furniture, there wasn't anything left of the kitchen he remembered from 1948.
"What did Howard tell you?" Steve asked.
"He said something about aliens?" Tony said, sounding more like a question than a statement. "And something about some stones. To be honest, I thought maybe he was just totally high on morphine."
"No, unfortunately he wasn't," Steve said. He sighed as he played with his coffee cup. "Sometime this year, if events have happened the same as my original timeline, we're going to be visited by Thor."
"The God of Thunder?" Tony asked incredulously. "That Thor?"
"The very same," Steve said. "He'll have been exiled from Asgard and sent here, where he meets a scientist named Jane Foster. SHIELD will likely be involved, due to Thor's hammer landing here ahead of him. He's not the real threat, though."
"I can't imagine he would be," Tony said. "Well, actually, I have no idea what kind of threat an exiled god would be. Lay it on me. Where's the real threat coming from?"
"A race called the Chitauri invades Manhattan about two years from now," Steve said. "Partly due to Thor's visit, and partly due to events on other worlds that draw attention here. Basically, SHIELD's work on the Tesseract will attract the attention of an alien called Thanos, who is trying to assemble the Infinity Stones so he can use them to eliminate half of all life in the universe."
Tony stared at him for several moments. "So, this is why you travelled back in time. You're trying to undo what he did."
"Actually, we've already undone the Snap," Steve said. He stared at his coffee cup, feeling the failure to keep his promise to Tony like a lump that just wouldn't go away. He looked up again, to remind himself that Tony was alive and well and sitting right in front of him. "But in the process of undoing it, we lost people. People I'm not willing to let go of."
"You do know you don't get a choice about that, right?" Tony asked. "People die, and it sucks, but we can't always stop that from happening."
"I get that," Steve said. "But the more relevant reason for doing this is to stop the universe from… unraveling. The Infinity Stones-Time, Space-what we call the Tesseract-Power, Reality, Mind and Soul-are what powers the universe. Thanos used them to eliminate half of the population of the universe, and then used them again to destroy the Stones themselves. We need to stop him from doing that. Otherwise-"
"The whole universe will end," Tony said. "Fuck. Okay, I'm officially done judging you for cheating by going back in time. The question is, what else needs to change in order to prevent this Thanos asshat from getting the Stones and blowing up my universe."
Steve chuckled. "I'm not sure it's technically your universe."
"Well, I live in it, so I'm going to claim it as mine, and he can't have it," Tony said. "We should probably read Banner in. His brain is almost as big as mine, and we could really use the help."
"I-yeah, okay," Steve said. It would actually be nice to have other people to lean on and help him fix things.
"Now, there's something you should probably see," Tony said. "Unless you're tired?"
"I'm fine," Steve said, standing up.
"Okay, then," Tony said. He stood up and started walking. "Let's go."
~o~
They entered a lab in one of the sub-levels of the mansion-one that was only accessible after Tony had entered a code on the keypad, plus allowed a scan of his eye and given a voice command. Steve had no idea what might interest him that required such security, so he just followed Tony's lead.
Once inside, he spotted Banner fairly easily. The scientist in question looked up from the terminal he was working at, giving Tony an easy smile. Today must have been a 'Bruce day', as Tony had explained, because he was faced with the familiar brown curls and slight stature of the scientist he remembered.
"Hey, Tony." He shifted his gaze to Steve, and his smile got bigger. "Captain. It's good to see you up and around."
"Doctor Banner," Steve said, reaching out to shake the man's hand. "I understand I have you to thank for helping thaw me out from the ice."
"Well, it was a team effort, really," Banner said. It was cute how he blushed just a little at the show of gratitude, as if he didn't get that very often. He knew from experience that Banner's life had been hard, and that there was a heap of guilt and not much else sitting on his shoulders in the other timeline. It was good to know that Tony had made him feel valuable again. "I'm guessing this isn't just a social call, right?"
"I thought I'd show him…" Tony waved his hand at a door set in the back of the room.
"Yeah," Banner said. They were both subdued, which set off alarm bells in Steve.
Tony crossed the room and went through much the same routine he had to get into the lab they were in. When the door slid open, he turned and gestured for Steve to follow him in. Banner entered right behind him, and the door slid shut. Steve glanced back as it did so, then turned to Tony with an eyebrow raised.
"Security precaution," Tony said. "Even though the outer lab is secure, I didn't want anyone getting in who shouldn't."
"What's so sensitive that you need that much security, Tony?" Steve asked.
Tony pointed across the room. "That. Or rather-him."
Steve looked across the room and saw a large chamber pushed against one wall. As he approached it, the hair on his arms stood up. Visible through the window was the face of his childhood best friend; Bucky Barnes, frozen in time, still looking as young as he'd been when they'd last seen each other.
Steve looked back at Tony, so many questions running through his mind, but he couldn't seem to find the words. Thankfully, Tony had never needed anyone to ask questions before he spoke.
"SI found him back in 1983," Tony said. "Well, we found the Winter Soldier Program in a bunker in Siberia. Most of the test subjects were raving lunatics, but according to the records, Barnes here was stable. So, we unplugged Barnes and returned him to the US, and blew up the bunker."
"Were you there?" Steve asked.
"Oh, fuck no," Tony said. "I was in high school. Very briefly, but I was there. No, Howard actually accompanied the retrieval team. I didn't understand why until he explained who Barnes was to you."
"Why is he still frozen?" Steve asked. "I'd have thought you'd have revived him by now."
"We'd like to," Banner said, stepping up bedside Steve. "Our research says they've programmed him into a killing machine, so we're not sure what would happen if we woke him up again."
"You already tried once, did you?" Steve asked, that sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach getting worse.
"We did," Banner said. "It didn't go well. So, he'll stay in stasis until we can figure out how to deprogram him."
"I've been in touch with a friend," Tony said, joining Steve and Banner in front of the chamber. "We're getting ready to transfer him to Wakanda. T'Chaka and his scientists think they may have a way to remove the conditioning. I wanted to wait until we'd woken you up to transfer him, so you could see him before he goes."
"You're friends with the King of Wakanda?" Steve asked. He didn't have to fake his shock; Wakanda had been closed to outsiders for a very long time. Only when T'Challa had come to power had they opened themselves up to the outside world.
"Howard was, actually," Tony said. "They met at a UN function a number of years ago. I spent my summers with them for a while when I was a kid. They've got a way with technology that borders on the preternatural. Dad knew my intellect would drive me to learn all I could, so he partnered with the Wakandan royal family to get me the education I needed. T'Chaka is basically my godfather."
"Holy shit," Steve murmured. "What have I done? I mean, getting Bucky back sooner is a blessing, but how much have I changed?"
"I don't think we'll ever really know," Tony said. "But it's all to the good, as far as I'm concerned. I got to have my parents around a lot longer, and Hydra never got a foothold in a US spy agency. I'll take that outcome over what you described any day."
Steve turned around, eyes wide. "You know? Howard knew? But how? I never said-"
"Howard wasn't an idiot," Tony said, but there was no condemnation in his voice. "He figured out pretty quickly why you'd have him go after an elite assassin-Hydra's favorite toy. The fact that it was Barnes kinda threw him for a loop, but ultimately, he understood that you were trying to save lives. Dad had worked out the formula for the serum; Hydra had Zola's research, but they needed the information that Dad had. No doubt they'd have sent the Winter Solder-that's what they called him-after that research. And the man who had it."
"Jesus," Steve said, rubbing a hand over his face. "I wasn't trying to-I hope Howard didn't think I was holding out on him. Too much knowledge about the future-"
"He understood," Tony said before Steve could even finish the thought. "He even agreed, to a degree. Might have been nice to know about Bucky, but eh, wasn't really relevant in the end."
"I-thank you," Steve said. "For everything."
They stood staring at each other for several heartbeats. It was Banner who eventually broke the silence.
"This sounds interesting. Care to share with the rest of the class?"
"Of course," Tony said, quirking a smile. "You know I share all my best toys with you, right?"
~o~
Steve stood staring at the holographic array in front of him, littered with scribbles and pictures not unlike the white boards he'd seen on television in the old timeline. He'd never admit that he'd gotten the idea from those shows, but he thought perhaps Tony knew that anyway.
In the year since he'd woken up, he'd made it his mission to track some of the players on the board that had been a genuine threat in the previous timeline. It bothered him not knowing where men like Alexander Pierce and Wolfgang von Strucker were. JARVIS had been instrumental in helping find them, and tracking money and influence that those men either wielded or benefited from.
"You know, this is not what I expected from you when you woke up."
Steve turned around to find Tony leaning against the doorjamb of his 'lab'. When he'd first proposed this project, Tony hadn't even batted an eye; he'd just assigned him to a lab next door to Banner's. Steve had turned it into a command center of sorts. The holographic table sat in the middle of the room facing a truly gigantic screen; he'd shocked Tony speechless by not only learning how to use it but suggesting improvements.
The rest of the space held Steve's work area-a large adjustable-height desk and comfortable office chair-a conference table big enough for at least a dozen people, and a sitting area with a large leather couch and chairs. The only reason he didn't spend more time in his lab was because JARVIS was consistently harassing him into dragging Tony and Bruce out of theirs.
"Most people never realized that the serum didn't boost my intelligence," Steve said. "I was smarter than most of the kids in my class growing up. The serum just enhanced my reading speed and gave me a photographic memory."
"That must have been a shock," Tony said. He walked in and joined Steve at the holographic table. "Making any progress?"
"Some," Steve said. "Maximoff, as it turns out, is a really common name in Sokovia. But, I think we've located the right family. I'm not sure when they got mixed up with Hydra, but given that Hydra infiltrated the Soviet Union at around the same time they formed within SHIELD, I can't rule out that they're already on board."
"And it's really that important to prevent that?" Tony asked.
"They were experimented on, Tony," Steve said. "Which is bad enough, but then they turned it around and tortured me and my friends. I'd like to prevent that from happening again, but I acknowledge that it may not be possible."
"I don't have may contacts in that part of the world, so this won't exactly be easy," Tony said. "We may want to partner with SHIELD on this one. If these kids were that easily manipulated by the Stone, they may already have genetic mutations that can be exploited."
"Do you really trust SHIELD?" Steve asked, turning to focus on Tony instead of the screen.
"I trust Coulson," Tony said. "He's always played it straight with me, and not just because of who my father was."
"Then I think it's time I meet him," Steve said.
Tony raised an eyebrow. "May I ask why?"
"There's another asset I want to track down, one that SHIELD may have had contact with," Steve said.
"Someone they had contact with in the old timeline," Tony said. "Okay, I'll reach out and set up a meeting. You're not going in alone, so don't even ask."
Steve held up his hands in surrender. "Wasn't planning to. I wouldn't mind the company, actually. I don't know SHIELD the way you do, and I have no idea who I can trust and who I can't."
"For the most part, the people Coulson has brought in are people we can trust," Tony said. "He respected my dad and Aunt Peg, and so far as I can tell, hasn't made any moves that would be considered disrespectful or destructive."
"And how do you know so much about SHIELD's operations?" Steve asked. He crossed his arms and gave Tony a stern glare.
"You know, that probably didn't even work on Howard, so I'm not sure why you're pulling it on me," Tony said with a smirk. "As for how I know so much about SHIELD, that's fairly simple. I have a backdoor into the SHIELD mainframe."
"You hacked SHIELD?" Steve asked. "What am I saying? Of course you hacked SHIELD. You did it in the other timeline, so I should have known you'd do it here, too."
Tony laughed. "I like knowing everything there is to know, it's true. But as for the SHIELD mainframe, I designed it. Any time they need serious modifications, they call me. Having unlimited access to the contents of their servers is just a bonus, and one I warned them about before they signed the contract."
Steve shook his head, smiling fondly at his friend. "Only you would make unfettered access to SHIELD's top-secret data a condition of your server maintenance contract."
"So, shall I call up Coulson's admin and get us an appointment?" Tony asked.
"Yeah," Steve said. "The sooner the better. We're probably about six months out from the original date of the Chitauri invasion. Right now, it's just you, me and Banner. I have no idea if SHIELD even has a way to contact Thor, and there are others I'd like to reach out to. I want to make sure we have all the help we'll need when the time comes."
"You sound like you're building a team, Cap," Tony said.
"Maybe I am," Steve said. He sighed. "We had one, the last time. I wasn't even sure it would work. We were certainly never invested in each other, much less in working as a team. I'm hoping we can do better this time."
"Well, as long as we're extending invitations to this party, I've got a plus-one," Tony said. "I've been working on another suit for a friend of mine in the Army. His name's-"
"Rhodey," Steve said. "James Rhodes. I knew him. He's a good man, and good in a fight. If you're okay with him joining the… team, I'm glad to have his help."
"I'll bring him over for pizza and beer sometime soon," Tony said. "I figure you two should meet before the shit hits the fan."
"Sounds good to me," Steve said.
"What about this kid here?" Tony asked, pointing to a picture off by itself on the far side of the display.
"Peter Parker," Steve said. He frowned; he still wasn’t sure it was smart to bring Peter into this, given what happened the last time, but the kid had a 'do the right thing' moral imperative that wasn't going to change just because Steve had made some changes to the timeline. So, he'd figured out where the kid was and set JARVIS to keep an eye on him. "He's… well, he was a protégé of a sort. Yours."
"That kid?" Tony asked, eyebrows making for his hairline. "He can't even shave. No way I'd have invited him to the grown-ups table, no matter what his deal was."
"Peter's special," Steve said quietly. "He's really smart-like you. Plus, he's got something going on-some sort of mutation or something, I was never really clear on that and you and I weren't really on speaking terms when you found him-but in a few years, he's going to start popping up on the radar fairly regularly. Fighting crime and kicking ass. They'll call him 'the friendly neighborhood Spiderman'."
Tony laughed. "Well, he's got brass ones, that's for sure. Protégé, you say. Sounds like I need to pay a visit to Mr. Parker. Make sure he's on the right path, or some such nonsense. I never really went in for that shit myself, but I hear it's all the rage with the superhero set."
"Tony," Steve said with a chuckle, unwillingly amused. He thought about telling Tony that Peter didn't make it, that he was dusted along with a whole bunch of other people who mattered to both of them, but decided that would be the height of cruelty. They were making a new future here; no need to dwell on the past. He shook his head, mentally letting all of that go yet again.
"Alright, I'll get us in with Coulson." Tony turned to leave, spinning on his heel to back away as he talked. "And let me know if you want to invite anyone else to your superhero club. I'm sure there's always room for more."
Steve just chuckled, waving Tony off.
He hadn't set out to recreate the Avengers in this new timeline, but he knew they'd need to assemble a team sooner or later, and he had no idea if SHIELD had even had the idea, what with Fury not being the director. Even if the Chitauri never invaded, they weren't the only threat out there. They needed to be prepared, and that started with having people he trusted watching his back.
~o~
"Do you know why Coulson didn't join Fury at the CIA?" Steve asked as they drove to SHIELD HQ.
Ironically, SHIELD had taken over the facility in upstate New York that the Avengers had co-opted in his original timeline. They'd never built the Triskelion due to lack of funds. Steve wasn't exactly sad, as he'd thought that complex was far too over-the-top for a spy agency. Plus, SHIELD's current headquarters was just an hour's drive in Tony's low-slung sports car, which suited Steve just fine.
"The story I've heard is that Fury knew Coulson wasn't cut out for pure spy games, so instead of recruiting him for the CIA, he referred his old friend to Aunt Peg and SHIELD," Tony said. "His loss, SHIELD's gain, really. Coulson rocketed up the ranks. He's the youngest director the agency has ever had, and that includes my father. Why? Wasn't he Director in your timeline?"
"No," Steve said, shaking his head. "Fury was, actually. I never really did trust him, so it's a bit of a relief that he's not in charge here."
"Fury is, by all accounts, a spy's spy," Tony said. "I've never actually met him, but his reputation precedes him into every room he enters, and even some he hasn't. He's deep into black ops and the kind of wet work that'd give a tenderfoot like you nightmares."
"Ha," Steve said. "The Howling Commandos were essentially the first Special Forces unit in the Army. We did things like wet work long before that became a thing."
"You know, you continuously surprise me," Tony said. "It's kind of refreshing."
Steve chuckled. "Well, I hate being a cliché, so I'll take it."
"In the interest of fair play, you gonna tell me who you want Coulson to find?"
"I'm looking for someone SHIELD might have had contact with," Steve said. "If Coulson has a way to contact her, I'm hoping he'll be amenable to reaching out. We may need her help."
"Are you talking about the Black Widow?" Tony asked.
"No," Steve said. Natasha had become a friend, but he'd never been very comfortable with the way Fury had used her to manipulate people, especially Tony. "Natasha's a spy, and even given her skillset, I'm not sure it's a good idea to include her in our plans."
"Don't trust her, do you?" Tony said. Steve shrugged. "Well, it might interest you to know that she's actually with the CIA and not SHIELD. Coulson's team found her and brought her in from the cold, but she actually moved over to the CIA to work with Fury several years ago. It's a better fit for her skills, honestly. She and Fury are a fucking nightmare that the US is only too happy to turn loose on our enemies."
"Well, that explains why I didn't find her in the SHIELD database you gave me," Steve said.
"Barton would probably be a good fit, though," Tony said, seemingly offhandedly. "He's the best marksman in the Federal pantheon. Better than Ian Edgerton, and that's saying something considering how many confirmed kills that man has. You probably saw his file in the database. Codename Hawkeye."
"I know Clint," Steve said. "Well, I knew him before. He's good in a fight. Has good eyes and good instincts. I'd definitely want him on the team." Steve paused. "We should probably talk about what we're going to do with this team. I mean, I doubt it's a good idea to form it under the auspices of SHIELD. Any one nation or agency having that much control over a team of… superheroes, for lack of a better word, is a bad idea. Not that I have a better one, honestly. That was always your bailiwick."
"Bailiwick?" Tony said, smirking at Steve as he pulled up in front of the building.
"It's a word," Steve said. He stepped out of the car and looked at Tony over the roof. "I can't help it that your education is sadly lacking."
"Ha," Tony said, pointing at Steve. "I'll have you know I graduated from MIT. Twice. No, three times."
"Were you too drunk to remember the last one?" Steve asked. Tony joined him on the other side of the car and they walked into the building together.
"The first one, actually," Tony said. "By the time I got that one under my belt, I realized that drinking my way through college wasn't going to help when it came time to actually remember any of what I was taught. So, I buckled down and earned two more degrees, stone cold sober. College pretty much sucked after that."
Steve could only laugh.
They were met at security by a familiar face. "Stark. Wasn't expecting to see you so soon."
"Legolas!" Tony said as he shook hands with Clint. "I've got some new prototype arrows for you. Remind me to grab them from the trunk before we leave."
"Exploding tips?" Clint asked hopefully.
Tony laughed. "What is it with you and blowing things up? No exploding tips, but one of them is an EMP. Should come in handy in urban areas."
"Could probably use one to take down a vehicle," Clint said. He pointed to Steve. "Is that…?"
"Captain Rogers, yes," Tony said. "Cap, meet Agent Clint Barton."
The two shook hands. Steve had to fight the feeling of déjà vu that smacked him between the eyes on 'meeting' his friend. "Agent Barton, good to meet you."
"You, too," Clint said. "Phil's gonna shit a brick. Come on. I'll take you to him."
Clint escorted them to a large office on the other side of the campus. There was a large, floor-to-ceiling window along one wall, with a large wooden desk in front of it. A conference table dominated the other wall, and a small sitting area was tucked in near the windows.
Standing near the couch was Phil Coulson, looking very much like he had the last time Steve had seen him. Steve had met him the day he died, and despite the passage of time, it was like a punch to the gut to see him alive and well. He stumbled a bit, and Tony shot him a concerned look, one he waved off with a slight shake of his head. He'd have to explain later, because Tony wasn't going to let that go. Hopefully by then Steve would have a handle on his shock.
"Director Coulson, meet Captain Steve Rogers," Clint said. "Captain Rogers, Director Phil Coulson."
Steve suddenly felt underdressed. Tony had come in one of his handmade suits, made from a special blend of Kevlar fabric that he'd been testing for possible sale to anyone who needed an extra layer of protection. Coulson was dressed in an immaculately tailored suit, much like the one Steve had last seen him in.
Steve, on the other hand, had come in khakis and a plaid shirt, with his leather jacket thrown over the top. He hadn't wanted to wear a suit since that just wasn't his style. He wondered if that was a poor choice, right up until Coulson opened his mouth.
"Captain, it's a genuine honor to meet you," Coulson said, shaking his hand. "I've been a fan of yours for years. I've been collecting Captain America memorabilia since I was a kid. I've got a complete set of trading cards, as a matter of fact. Slight foxing, but otherwise in near-mint condition."
Tony was practically choking on the laughter he was struggling to hold back. Steve shot him a quelling look, then refocused on Coulson. "I'd be happy to sign them, if you think that's something you'd like."
"I'd be happy to have you sign them, Captain," Coulson said. The smile on his face was worth a little awkwardness, Steve thought.
"Then we'll plan for it the next time we meet," Steve said.
"Stark," Coulson said, shaking hands with Tony. "Please, sit down."
"Do you want me to…?" Clint asked, pointing a thumb at the door.
Coulson glanced at Tony, who just shrugged and looked at Steve, who just shrugged back.
"Have a seat, Barton," Coulson said. He turned back to his two visitors.
Coulson indicated that they should all sit on the couches. Steve appreciated that he wasn't using his desk as some sort of power play the way Fury used to. Dealing with Coulson was probably going to be much easier just for the fact that Coulson was more authentic.
"Do you mind if I bring in my Deputy?" Coulson asked.
"Fine by me," Tony said.
Coulson pulled out a cell phone-one that look a lot like the starkphone Tony had given Steve when he'd first landed in 2012-and typed a quick message. A minute later, Maria Hill walked into the room. She looked much the same as Steve remembered, if perhaps slightly less stressed out. She was wearing a pantsuit, with her hair pinned up in some sort of fancy twist. Steve had barely noticed her in his original timeline, but today it struck him just how beautiful she really was.
Coulson introduced Maria, who merely raised an eyebrow, then they all settled on the couches.
"So, what can SHIELD do for you, Captain?" Coulson asked.
"First, you can call me Steve," he said.
"Then please feel free to call me Phil," the Director said. He glanced at Tony, a frown edged with mirth on his face. "Tony usually does."
"I've got a question to ask you, if you'd be willing to answer," Steve said.
"I can't promise I can give you answers," Coulson said. "Especially if we're talking about classified information."
"I understand that," Steve said. "I'm looking for someone you may have had contact with. Have you ever encountered Carol Danvers? She's also known as Veers by the Kree."
Tony was staring at him in surprise, and Coulson shared a look with Clint and Maria, clearly wondering how he'd come into the information about Danvers.
"We've had dealings with Captain Danvers," Coulson finally said. "What's your interest in her?"
"That's a bit complicated," Steve said. He glanced at Tony, who gave him a subtle nod. They'd talked about what they could tell Coulson about Steve and his true mission. Ultimately, they'd decided to limit the information they gave Coulson and SHIELD, not because they didn't trust him, but because if that information fell into the wrong hands, the consequences could be devastating.
"We've come into some information that suggests there's an alien threat headed for Earth," Tony said.
"You're kidding, right?" Clint asked, then waved Tony off when he started to speak. "No, of course you're not. Just-fucking aliens. Again."
"Barton," Coulson said, slight warning in his tone. "How did you come into this information, if I may ask?"
"We received a message from a friend at the Kamar-Taj," Tony said.
"The Masters of the Mystical Arts?" Maria said, joining the conversation for the first time. "I thought that was just a myth."
"They're actually a very nice bunch of lunatics," Tony said. "And before you ask, they seem certain something's coming. I'm not in the habit of believing people who call themselves sorcerers, but we're talking about aliens. I'd rather err on the side of caution. I have to live here, after all."
"What's the catch?" Clint asked.
"My priority is the survival of this world," Steve said. "I'm not interested in quid-pro-quo. I have information I'm willing to give you that will help protect this planet. All I ask in return is that you act on this information. Not to be melodramatic, but the fate of the universe is at stake."
"And he's on the up-and-up?" Maria asked Tony. "Not an imposter or mildly psychotic?"
"I wouldn't have brought him here if I thought he was nuts," Tony said. "My father told me he thought it might be possible for Steve to survive the crash, under the right conditions. Personally, I always thought he was the crazy one. Obviously, I was wrong."
Coulson looked at Steve. "You've always been honest in your dealings in the past. The fact that you survived the crash only to be held in stasis for over half a century hasn't changed your character."
"Thank you, sir," Steve said. Tony had suggested that they inform Coulson that they'd found Steve not long after he'd woken up. He had a feeling that not springing it on him along with the rest was a wise choice. "And Captain Danvers?"
"She did leave us with a way to contact her," Coulson said. "It's for emergencies only, but I think an alien invasion qualifies. Do we know why they're interested in Earth?"
"They're actually going to be drawn to Earth by the Tesseract," Tony said. "So, if you've got any of your scientists playing with it, you might consider locking it up in a vault, just in case."
"Hmmm," Coulson said. "As a matter of fact, Doctor Eric Selvig just started a series of experiments with it. He's showing some promising results, but if you really think it's that dangerous, we may need to suspend his project. At least until we know for sure if this invasion is really going to happen."
"There's no guarantee that these aliens haven't already noticed," Tony said. "So, I'd suggest a shielded vault if you have one. If not, I can recommend someplace secure."
"I'll let you know," Coulson said. "We currently have it at an offsite lab, so it's as secure as we can make it. But it's a powerful artifact, so secure is a relative term."
"Did you friends tell you anything else?" Clint asked. "Maybe a place or how many aliens we can expect to come knocking on the door?"
"If they're targeting the Tesseract, it's a good bet they'll start wherever it is," Maria said. "Our lab is heavily shielded, but we have no idea what type of sensing equipment this race has, so our shielding may be useless."
"Still, better to be safe than sorry," Coulson said. "Have Selvig and his team secure the Tesseract and report back when it's done. We can evacuate the facility once the artifact is secure, and leave only a minimal force behind to guard it."
"If you need any help making sure it's secure, give me a call," Tony said. "I can review the security protocols and make some recommendations."
"Thanks, Tony. We may take you up on that," Coulson said.
"If you can reach out to Thor, that might also be a good idea," Steve said. "I'm not sure if you have a method of contacting him, but it can't hurt to have him on stand-by."
"I agree," Coulson said. "He did leave us with a way to contact him, but he said it might take time for any message to reach him."
"Let's hope he left the answering machine on," Clint said.
Coulson shot Clint a quelling look before refocusing on Steve and Tony. "Anything else you need to tell us?"
"You mean that's not enough for one day?" Clint asked.
Tony laughed. "No, I think that about covers it. If we come across anything else we think you should know, we'll pass it along."
"Sounds good," Coulson said. He stood, and the rest followed. Holding out a hand, he shook hands with Steve and Tony. "It was good to meet you, Captain."
"And you as well, Director Coulson," Steve said, smiling. "I hope we'll get to work with each other more in the future."
"I'd like that," Coulson said. Steve found the blush that stole across the man's cheeks entirely charming. "Maria, would you escort our visitors out. When you get back, we'll talk over our options. We've got some work ahead of us."
"Right," Maria said. "Gentlemen, if you'll follow me?"
They walked with her out to Tony's car, chatting about the weather and the newest Cuban restaurant in town, of all things. After they shook hands, Maria headed back inside; Steve watched her walk away, wondering how he'd never noticed how striking she was.
"Looks like someone's interested," Tony said over the roof of the car.
Steve turned around and opened the car door. "I barely knew her in my original timeline. I'm wondering if I missed out on something."
Tony threw his head back and laughed.
~o~
Steve hated being right. At least, he hated being right about this.
Almost six months after their conversation with Coulson and SHIELD, the Chitauri invaded. Events didn't unfold exactly as they had in Steve's original timeline, but they'd been ready for the invasion and had defeated the Chitauri, just as he'd hoped.
Now, all that was left was the clean-up. Not exactly easy, but they'd caused far less damage this time because Loki had chosen SHIELD headquarters to set up his portal device due to the arc reactor Tony had built for the facility. He'd delayed construction on Stark Tower, knowing that it would be too appealing a target for Loki; they'd wanted to avoid nearly destroying Manhattan, and with SHIELD HQ being far from the city and in a more rural area of New York, they'd done what they set out to do.
Danvers had answered their call, and Thor had shown up just after Loki took the Tesseract, just as he had the first time. But without the infighting and hostility-and knowing that the Mind Stone in the scepter was actually stoking all of that bad blood-they were able to gel a lot quicker. That turned out to be the difference, and allowed them to turn the tide of the battle a lot sooner.
"It was a glorious battle, was it not, Captain?" Thor asked as he stepped up beside Steve.
Steve had retreated to the rooftop deck of Tony's mansion to look at the mostly-undamaged Manhattan skyline and enjoy the fact that they'd won the battle, even if they had yet to win the war.
"It was something," Steve said. "I'm just glad we came out of it unhurt."
"I feel I owe you an apology," Thor said quietly. "If it were not for my brother, your world would not have been at risk."
"Loki is just as much a victim in all this as the people who got hurt," Steve said. "The scepter was controlling him even as he was using it to control others. When he's finally free of it, he's going to need a lot of help. Can you make sure he gets it?"
"I will see to it that Father does not punish him for what has transpired," Thor said. "It is the least I owe you for not killing him when you had the chance."
Steve took a deep breath and turned to Thor. "I'm not in the habit of killing victims, Thor. Your brother has done terrible things, but ultimately Thanos is more to blame than Loki. There will come a day when we face off against Thanos; I've made it my personal mission to see him dead for all the havoc he's wrought in the universe. He's planning to assemble the Infinity Stones so he can destroy half of all life in the universe. The consequences would be… devastating. I can't let him do that."
"Then I shall join you in your endeavor," Thor said. "Thanos is no god. He does not have the right to decide who will live and who will die. If we must kill him to stop him from completing his quest, so be it. I will not mourn such a man."
"Thank you," Steve said. "Just remember, aim for the head. The bastard can survive pretty much any body blow, and we really don't need him living to fight another day."
Thor laughed. "I will take your advice to heart, Captain." He slapped Steve on the back, nearly knocking him over. "I must take my leave of you now. I am to return Loki to Asgard to face our father's justice. I will see to it that he is taken care of. Our mother, especially, will not want to see him harmed for acting against his own will."
"That's all I ask," Steve said.
He held out a hand; Thor slid easily into a warrior's handshake, grasping Steve's forearm with a firm grip without trying to crush the bones of his arm. Steve nodded at the other man, and Thor nodded in return.
As he watched Thor walk away, he wondered if his words would be enough when the time came. He knew he could call Mjolnir should he need it; he'd done so during the battle with the Chitauri. Thor had merely grinned at him, as though he'd known all along that Steve was a good man for whom the hammer would do his bidding. He just hoped it would be enough to change their fates.
Tony stepped up beside him, handing him a beer as he turned to look out over Manhattan. "So, I saw you chatting with Thor. He doing okay?"
"He's upset about his brother," Steve said. "And I think a little relieved that someone else sees his brother as the victim he is. I think he'll make sure Loki gets treatment for what the Mind Stone did to him."
Tony turned around and leaned on the railing, facing the terrace. Steve leaned an elbow on the railing beside him, glancing at the rest of the team as they sat around the firepit, drinking and laughing and enjoying the victory. Rhodey, Banner, Barton and Danvers were there, along with Coulson and Maria. It was strange, how familiar and yet so very different it all was. The group had changed slightly, but at the same time the relief at having won the day was exactly the same.
"You sure about keeping the Tesseract here on Earth?" Tony asked.
"No, I'm not," Steve said. "But leaving it on Asgard is just asking for trouble. It's not as secure as they think it is. And there are things coming on Asgard that will make it even less secure. You sure it's a good idea to give the Wakandan's both the Stones?"
"I trust them more than I trust myself," Tony said. "They're not going to experiment with it, and they have the best chance of anyone on this planet to hide it away from prying eyes. When Thanos comes looking for them-and he will-we'll be able to set the time and place for the battle. Apart from our new little superhero club, I trust the Wakandan warriors to have my back. It'll be fine."
"I believe you, Tony," Steve said. "And I trust you. But that's three Infinity Stones on Earth. I just hope it won't backfire on us."
"If we need to, we can call on the Ancient One, though I'd rather put that meeting off for as long as possible," Tony said, shivering slightly. "That woman gives me the creeps."
"She's… interesting, that's for sure," Steve said. "She offered to help us, if we needed it. At least, the Ancient One I met in the other timeline did. I have to believe she'd make the same offer in this timeline."
"Not sure invoking that voodoo that she do is all that necessary," Tony said. "Hopefully she won't lecture you for changing the timeline, or some such."
"That was partly her idea, so it would be a little hypocritical for her to lecture me," Steve said.
"Alright, I'll leave that in your hands, then," Tony said. "Now, what say we rejoin the celebration. I hate being a wallflower at my own party."
Steve just chuckled. "If you're planning to try to drink me under the table, I have to warn you I can't get drunk anymore. My body metabolizes alcohol too fast."
"A fact for which I am deeply sorry," Tony said. "Getting blind drunk so I won't remember what it was like to fly through one of those Leviathans sounds like a really good idea right about now."
"Hmmm," Steve said as they walked across the terrace to rejoin the rest of the team. "Sounds like I need to reach out to a friend. He's a counselor with the VA. We could probably use someone like him around here."
"Oh, fuck no," Tony said. "I hate shrinks."
"He's also a former Air Force Pararescue jumper," Steve said. "He was part of a project that used wingpacks instead of parachutes."
"I think I remember something about that project," Tony said. "Wait, is this a guy you know now, or a guy you used to know back in the old timeline?"
"The old timeline," Steve said. "But I'm sure we'll be friends again in this one. He's a good guy; I think he'd fit in well around here."
"Give me his name and I'll look him up," Tony said. "If nothing else, I want to see this wingpack in action. J, see if you can dig up the plans and get started on fabrication."
"As you wish, sir," JARVIS said.
"Let's hope he's also interested in becoming a superhero," Steve said sardonically.
"He's gonna love it," Tony said with all the considerable bravado he could muster.
Steve laughed as they rejoined the group.
~o~
Steve stood at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the New York Sanctuary, overwhelmed by the sense of déjà vu. The last time he'd been to visit the Masters of the Mysterious Arts, it had been to return the Time Stone and confer with the Ancient One. If events had played out the same in this new timeline, she'd been gone for a year and he'd find Doctor Strange as the new Sorcerer Supreme.
He really had no idea how Strange would react to his visit, or if he'd even be willing to talk. But Steve felt like he had to try. He needed to know if the timeline was stable, and Strange was the only one he could ask. Otherwise, all the effort and pain he'd gone through would be for nothing.
He took a deep breath and walked up the steps. Just as he reached the top of the stairs, the doors swung open. Steve shook his head, chuckling quietly. It seemed no matter who was in charge, they were all the same.
He entered the foyer and just stood, arms crossed, waiting for someone to come to him or-and this was more likely-move him to the room of their preference for this meeting. After several long minutes, a portal finally opened up. Steve resisted the urge to step through it; eventually it moved to him, transporting him to the Ancient One's office.
Instead of the female sorcerer, he found Stephen Strange standing in the room, arms crossed as he stared Steve down.
"Captain Rogers," Strange said, inclining his head in acknowledgment.
"Doctor Strange," Steve said. He dropped his hands to his sides. "I'm hoping you'll be willing to answer a question for me. Probably more than one, but I'll start with one."
"And if I refuse?" Strange asked.
"Look, it's not like I can make you talk to me," Steve said, huffing in frustration. "And I know you could just… move me someplace else if you don't want to. But I've come a long way, and I need to know-I just need to know."
"You need to know if the timeline is stable," Strange said.
"Yes, I do," Steve said.
"Time is a very peculiar thing," Strange said. "No one should have too much knowledge of events outside their own lifetime. Such knowledge can be dangerous."
"Yeah, well, I'm not exactly as young as I look," Steve said.
"No, you're not," Strange said speculatively. Steve raised an eyebrow. "You have time magic clinging to you. And the magic of my mentor as well."
"Then you probably know that I'm not originally from this timeline," Steve said.
"Yes, I do know," Strange said. "She helped you change time. Sent you back through time using the Time Stone. Why?"
Steve tucked his hands into his pockets. Even all these years later, it was still hard to talk about the events that led to him going back in time.
"Because Thanos got ahold of all six Stones and snapped half of all living beings out of existence," Steve said. "Then he used the Stones again to destroy the Stones. He said it was because he didn't want to be tempted to use them again."
"But destroying the Stones would destabilize the universe," Strange said, frowning in apparent consternation. "Which is why the Ancient One used the Time Stone to send you back. So you could change time-create a new timeline-and potentially save the universe."
"Yeah, that about sums it up," Steve said. "She told me that if I used the device we created to travel through time, I wouldn't be able to affect the timeline. The only way to make changes that would stick would be to use the Time Stone."
"Which means she believed that your reasoning for travelling back in time was sound," Strange said.
"She did," Steve said. "So, do you believe me?"
Strange stared at him for the space of a few heartbeats. "I do."
He swept his hand through the air, the gesture so similar to the Ancient One that Steve felt a momentary pang of regret for her loss. The timeline spun out in front of him, extending from the bright beginning much the way it had the last time he'd seen it. His eyes followed the timeline all the way across the room as it flowed away from them. The far end was still chaotic, but instead of a mass of grey, there were some bright yellows, reds and oranges twining through the grey. There was a branch extending from the main timeline, but it was an opaque grey, as though it were simply… fading away.
"So, it's okay?" Steve asked quietly.
"It would appear that the timeline is stabilizing," Strange said. "This branch is fading. I suspect within another year or two it will be completely gone."
"Why so long?" Steve asked. He'd thought that the old timeline would simply disappear once disaster had been averted. Of course, they hadn't actually stopped Thanos yet, so maybe that was why.
"Events have yet to unfold that will completely destroy the old timeline," Strange said, confirming Steve's speculation. "As long as you are able to prevent Thanos from gaining control of the Stones, the old timeline should completely disappear."
Steve closed his eyes, the relief of knowing they were so close almost too much. When he opened them, it was to find Strange watching him, open curiosity in his eyes.
"Can you tell me if we'll succeed?" Steve asked.
"Future knowledge is dangerous," Strange said. "As you well know."
"Yeah, I do know," Steve said. "I've tried to be judicious. About who knows what I know and how much they know."
"As well you should," Strange said. "Knowing that, I can tell you that there are paths forward that will end with you successfully stopping Thanos. There are also paths where you will not succeed. You must be prepared to make the choices that will lead you down the correct path. And though I cannot tell you what those choices are, I can tell you that you are on the correct path. If you say the course, you will succeed."
"Thank you," Steve said. "We worried that keeping the Stones here on Earth was dangerous, but I can't see letting them leave the planet. At least here, we have a measure of control over when and where we face Thanos."
"Setting the terms of the next engagement is critical to your success, Captain," Strange said.
"And if Thanos does come here, can we count on you to help?" Steve said. He glanced at the Time Stone, encased within the Eye of Agamatto.
"I and those of my Order are tasked with protecting Earth," Strange said. "We will be ready when you call."
"Thank you," Steve said again. "That's all I can ask."
~o~
~o~
Steve came awake slowly, not at all sure of what to expect. The last time he'd been through this, SHIELD had tried to fool him into thinking no time had passed. That had set him off, and he'd never really calmed down after that.
He listened carefully to the sounds of the room, taking deeper breaths as he tried to figure out where he was. It was quiet, almost preternaturally so. No monitoring equipment, no radio or tv, just the sound of his own heart beating.
"You can open your eyes now, Cap."
Steve turned his head, opening his eyes as instructed to find a familiar face staring at him over the edge of a tablet, a mug of steaming coffee paused mid-sip as his watcher watched him.
"Tony," he breathed out, relieved to have woken up at all, but more so to have his friend there, confirming that things hadn't changed too much.
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Well, looks like Dear Old Dad was right after all."
Steve closed his eyes, feeling like a fool for giving himself away so easily. When he opened them again, it was to see Tony smirking at him. He set the coffee mug aside, along with the tablet, and leaned forward.
"So, a couple of years ago, Howard sat me down to tell me a few things," Tony said. "See, he was worried that the cancer would take him before it was time to retrieve and defrost you. I, of course, didn't believe a word of it. Even after Uncle Grant and Aunt Peg chimed in. But I still sent the expedition out, expecting to find the plane and no Captain America. Imagine my surprise when they came back with a Capsicle."
Steve huffed. "If it makes you feel any better, Howard held a gun to my face until he was sure I was really who I said I was."
"Sounds about right," Tony said as he leaned back in his chair.
"So, where am I?" Steve asked. He pushed himself up just a bit, so he could see Tony better. "For that matter, what's the year?"
"At the moment, you're in Stark Manor," Tony said. "I've had the whole place remodeled since you were here last. New basement levels, a landing pad on the roof. Totally rewired and updated. I've even installed my AI, though Howard wasn't so sure about that part. Say hello, J."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Captain Rogers," JARVIS said. "Should you require anything during your stay with us, you only need ask."
"Thanks, JARVIS," Steve said. He froze when he caught the calculating look on Tony's face. "What?"
"You and I knew each other in your original future," Tony said, a statement and not a question.
"Yeah, we did," Steve said with a sigh. He figured it was pointless to lie to a Stark, so he didn't even try. "And before you ask, I left things out of the story I told Howard because I believed that if I told him too much about his future, that it would change things, and I didn't have the right to mess with his life."
"But you'll gladly mess with everyone else's," Tony shot back. When Steve opened his mouth to explain, Tony held up a hand. "Relax. Howard explained your goal in going back in time. I'm actually on board with the whole 'prevent the universe from imploding' thing."
"Where is Howard?" Steve asked.
"He passed away late last year," Tony said, his voice subdued. "Lung cancer, in case that wasn't clear."
"And what year is it?"
"It's 2010," Tony said.
"But, that's a year early," Steve said. In the original timeline, he'd been found in 2011, just a year before the Chitauri invasion.
"Yeah, it is," Tony said. "Unfortunately, the Army has been sniffing around the Arctic the last couple of years, keeping tabs on the SI expedition. We thought it was better to pull you out early rather than risk the Army finding you."
"Not SHIELD?" Steve asked, confused.
Tony shook his head. "SI partnered with SHIELD on the search, but obviously we weren't the only interested party. SHIELD didn't have the resources to conduct a full-scale search without help, and there was no way Howard was going to let them find you without a Stark being there."
"Was Howard able to clean up SHIELD?" Steve asked. He'd hate to think that, even after telling him about the issues, that he wouldn't have been able to clean up the agency he helped found.
"Oh, yeah, he cleaned up SHIELD all right," Tony said. "It cost them some credibility, so the agency stayed small for a number of years. After 9/11, SHIELD was folded into Homeland Security. With the backing of a large Federal agency, they've grown in influence, but still have that small agency feel. Howard was actually the first director of the rebranded SSR. Aunt Peg took over in the seventies. They've done well with the agency; it's now the go-to in the Federal alphabet soup for all things science-and-supernatural-related, whether it's espionage or law-enforcement."
"Wow," Steve said. "I knew things would be different, but I guess I didn't think they'd be that different. Who's the director now? Fury?"
"His name's Coulson," Tony said. "He's a good guy. Shoots straight, and never asks for things he knows he shouldn't have. There's a guy named Nick Fury that works for CIA; real pain in the ass, but he and Coulson go way back, so he works with SHIELD quite often."
"I knew Coulson," Steve said, nodding. "Well, I met him once, briefly. But from what other people said, he was a good man. Anything else I should know about him?"
"Eh, probably tons, but nothing that's relevant today," Tony said.
"What about the Tesseract?" Steve asked. "Did you ever find it?"
"Yeah, we found it," Tony said. "SHIELD currently has it. We've been studying it off and on for several years. Nothing exciting to report yet, but we have a new scientist on the project that should help speed things along."
"You wouldn't be talking about Bruce Banner, would you?"
"You know him?" Tony asked, one eyebrow raised in surprise.
"I do," Steve said. "I've also met… the Other Guy."
"Ah, yes, Green Bean," Tony said. Steve chuckled; he'd always loved Tony's nicknames for the people he liked, even if he made a show of disdaining them. Wouldn't do to feed Tony already-large ego, after all. "He's actually pretty cool. You wouldn't believe the looks he gets in the lab when he walks in all big and green. The newbies tend to run for the corners until they find out he's like a big, green teddy bear."
"Wait, Hulk and Bruce have integrated?" Steve asked. "How'd that happen?"
"I'm assuming Hulk destroyed Harlem in your original timeline," Tony said. Steve nodded. "Okay, so the way he tells it, Bruce realized pretty quickly that having a ticking time bomb inside him was going to become unworkable sooner rather than later. So, he came to me-science bros, or something, I wasn't really clear about why he picked me-and I put him in touch with Coulson. SHIELD's psychologists helped him deal with his rage monster problem."
"Wow," Steve said. "Anything else you want to lay on me?"
Tony chuckled. "I think that's more than enough for one day. The doctors-and I count Bruce among them; he was instrumental in helping defrost you, by the way-are probably going to have my hide for keeping you up so long."
"I'm not really tired," Steve said, even as he leaned back and closed his eyes. "I've been sleeping for better than sixty years. I'm not sure I need to sleep anymore."
"You just keep telling yourself that," Tony said. He patted Steve on the shoulder as he stood, then reached for his mug and tablet. "Get some rest. If you're feeling up to it tomorrow, I'll show you around the mansion, let you meet some of the gang."
Steve opened his eyes and watched Tony walk to the door. "Thanks, Tony. For everything."
"You're welcome." Tony turned and smile at Steve. "Thanks for not being dead. I'd have hated to get to the crash site only to have you already expired from freezer burn. Would have broken Aunt Peg's heart, and I hate doing that."
"Me too," Steve said.
Tony flipped the switch, casting the room into shadows. Steve sighed and settled deeper into the bed as Tony shut the door. He wasn't sure he'd be able to sleep, with all the information Tony had given him about how different this timeline was, but he pushed it all aside and closed his eyes.
There would be time to sort out all the changes later. He had almost two years before the potential Chitauri invasion. Plenty of time to plan for what was to come.
~o~
"So, tell me what's coming," Tony said.
They'd toured the house, the labs and Steve had even gotten a look at the model for Stark Tower. He'd also noticed that Tony didn't have an arc reactor in his chest, which had led to a whole conversation about the Iron Man suit-which still existed but had been created for different reasons-and the fact that Stark Industries hadn't been in the business of making weapons since the eighties.
Now they were enjoying a late lunch in the kitchen; it was the same room, with basically the same layout, but everything was new. From the cabinets to the appliances to the furniture, there wasn't anything left of the kitchen he remembered from 1948.
"What did Howard tell you?" Steve asked.
"He said something about aliens?" Tony said, sounding more like a question than a statement. "And something about some stones. To be honest, I thought maybe he was just totally high on morphine."
"No, unfortunately he wasn't," Steve said. He sighed as he played with his coffee cup. "Sometime this year, if events have happened the same as my original timeline, we're going to be visited by Thor."
"The God of Thunder?" Tony asked incredulously. "That Thor?"
"The very same," Steve said. "He'll have been exiled from Asgard and sent here, where he meets a scientist named Jane Foster. SHIELD will likely be involved, due to Thor's hammer landing here ahead of him. He's not the real threat, though."
"I can't imagine he would be," Tony said. "Well, actually, I have no idea what kind of threat an exiled god would be. Lay it on me. Where's the real threat coming from?"
"A race called the Chitauri invades Manhattan about two years from now," Steve said. "Partly due to Thor's visit, and partly due to events on other worlds that draw attention here. Basically, SHIELD's work on the Tesseract will attract the attention of an alien called Thanos, who is trying to assemble the Infinity Stones so he can use them to eliminate half of all life in the universe."
Tony stared at him for several moments. "So, this is why you travelled back in time. You're trying to undo what he did."
"Actually, we've already undone the Snap," Steve said. He stared at his coffee cup, feeling the failure to keep his promise to Tony like a lump that just wouldn't go away. He looked up again, to remind himself that Tony was alive and well and sitting right in front of him. "But in the process of undoing it, we lost people. People I'm not willing to let go of."
"You do know you don't get a choice about that, right?" Tony asked. "People die, and it sucks, but we can't always stop that from happening."
"I get that," Steve said. "But the more relevant reason for doing this is to stop the universe from… unraveling. The Infinity Stones-Time, Space-what we call the Tesseract-Power, Reality, Mind and Soul-are what powers the universe. Thanos used them to eliminate half of the population of the universe, and then used them again to destroy the Stones themselves. We need to stop him from doing that. Otherwise-"
"The whole universe will end," Tony said. "Fuck. Okay, I'm officially done judging you for cheating by going back in time. The question is, what else needs to change in order to prevent this Thanos asshat from getting the Stones and blowing up my universe."
Steve chuckled. "I'm not sure it's technically your universe."
"Well, I live in it, so I'm going to claim it as mine, and he can't have it," Tony said. "We should probably read Banner in. His brain is almost as big as mine, and we could really use the help."
"I-yeah, okay," Steve said. It would actually be nice to have other people to lean on and help him fix things.
"Now, there's something you should probably see," Tony said. "Unless you're tired?"
"I'm fine," Steve said, standing up.
"Okay, then," Tony said. He stood up and started walking. "Let's go."
~o~
They entered a lab in one of the sub-levels of the mansion-one that was only accessible after Tony had entered a code on the keypad, plus allowed a scan of his eye and given a voice command. Steve had no idea what might interest him that required such security, so he just followed Tony's lead.
Once inside, he spotted Banner fairly easily. The scientist in question looked up from the terminal he was working at, giving Tony an easy smile. Today must have been a 'Bruce day', as Tony had explained, because he was faced with the familiar brown curls and slight stature of the scientist he remembered.
"Hey, Tony." He shifted his gaze to Steve, and his smile got bigger. "Captain. It's good to see you up and around."
"Doctor Banner," Steve said, reaching out to shake the man's hand. "I understand I have you to thank for helping thaw me out from the ice."
"Well, it was a team effort, really," Banner said. It was cute how he blushed just a little at the show of gratitude, as if he didn't get that very often. He knew from experience that Banner's life had been hard, and that there was a heap of guilt and not much else sitting on his shoulders in the other timeline. It was good to know that Tony had made him feel valuable again. "I'm guessing this isn't just a social call, right?"
"I thought I'd show him…" Tony waved his hand at a door set in the back of the room.
"Yeah," Banner said. They were both subdued, which set off alarm bells in Steve.
Tony crossed the room and went through much the same routine he had to get into the lab they were in. When the door slid open, he turned and gestured for Steve to follow him in. Banner entered right behind him, and the door slid shut. Steve glanced back as it did so, then turned to Tony with an eyebrow raised.
"Security precaution," Tony said. "Even though the outer lab is secure, I didn't want anyone getting in who shouldn't."
"What's so sensitive that you need that much security, Tony?" Steve asked.
Tony pointed across the room. "That. Or rather-him."
Steve looked across the room and saw a large chamber pushed against one wall. As he approached it, the hair on his arms stood up. Visible through the window was the face of his childhood best friend; Bucky Barnes, frozen in time, still looking as young as he'd been when they'd last seen each other.
Steve looked back at Tony, so many questions running through his mind, but he couldn't seem to find the words. Thankfully, Tony had never needed anyone to ask questions before he spoke.
"SI found him back in 1983," Tony said. "Well, we found the Winter Soldier Program in a bunker in Siberia. Most of the test subjects were raving lunatics, but according to the records, Barnes here was stable. So, we unplugged Barnes and returned him to the US, and blew up the bunker."
"Were you there?" Steve asked.
"Oh, fuck no," Tony said. "I was in high school. Very briefly, but I was there. No, Howard actually accompanied the retrieval team. I didn't understand why until he explained who Barnes was to you."
"Why is he still frozen?" Steve asked. "I'd have thought you'd have revived him by now."
"We'd like to," Banner said, stepping up bedside Steve. "Our research says they've programmed him into a killing machine, so we're not sure what would happen if we woke him up again."
"You already tried once, did you?" Steve asked, that sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach getting worse.
"We did," Banner said. "It didn't go well. So, he'll stay in stasis until we can figure out how to deprogram him."
"I've been in touch with a friend," Tony said, joining Steve and Banner in front of the chamber. "We're getting ready to transfer him to Wakanda. T'Chaka and his scientists think they may have a way to remove the conditioning. I wanted to wait until we'd woken you up to transfer him, so you could see him before he goes."
"You're friends with the King of Wakanda?" Steve asked. He didn't have to fake his shock; Wakanda had been closed to outsiders for a very long time. Only when T'Challa had come to power had they opened themselves up to the outside world.
"Howard was, actually," Tony said. "They met at a UN function a number of years ago. I spent my summers with them for a while when I was a kid. They've got a way with technology that borders on the preternatural. Dad knew my intellect would drive me to learn all I could, so he partnered with the Wakandan royal family to get me the education I needed. T'Chaka is basically my godfather."
"Holy shit," Steve murmured. "What have I done? I mean, getting Bucky back sooner is a blessing, but how much have I changed?"
"I don't think we'll ever really know," Tony said. "But it's all to the good, as far as I'm concerned. I got to have my parents around a lot longer, and Hydra never got a foothold in a US spy agency. I'll take that outcome over what you described any day."
Steve turned around, eyes wide. "You know? Howard knew? But how? I never said-"
"Howard wasn't an idiot," Tony said, but there was no condemnation in his voice. "He figured out pretty quickly why you'd have him go after an elite assassin-Hydra's favorite toy. The fact that it was Barnes kinda threw him for a loop, but ultimately, he understood that you were trying to save lives. Dad had worked out the formula for the serum; Hydra had Zola's research, but they needed the information that Dad had. No doubt they'd have sent the Winter Solder-that's what they called him-after that research. And the man who had it."
"Jesus," Steve said, rubbing a hand over his face. "I wasn't trying to-I hope Howard didn't think I was holding out on him. Too much knowledge about the future-"
"He understood," Tony said before Steve could even finish the thought. "He even agreed, to a degree. Might have been nice to know about Bucky, but eh, wasn't really relevant in the end."
"I-thank you," Steve said. "For everything."
They stood staring at each other for several heartbeats. It was Banner who eventually broke the silence.
"This sounds interesting. Care to share with the rest of the class?"
"Of course," Tony said, quirking a smile. "You know I share all my best toys with you, right?"
~o~
Steve stood staring at the holographic array in front of him, littered with scribbles and pictures not unlike the white boards he'd seen on television in the old timeline. He'd never admit that he'd gotten the idea from those shows, but he thought perhaps Tony knew that anyway.
In the year since he'd woken up, he'd made it his mission to track some of the players on the board that had been a genuine threat in the previous timeline. It bothered him not knowing where men like Alexander Pierce and Wolfgang von Strucker were. JARVIS had been instrumental in helping find them, and tracking money and influence that those men either wielded or benefited from.
"You know, this is not what I expected from you when you woke up."
Steve turned around to find Tony leaning against the doorjamb of his 'lab'. When he'd first proposed this project, Tony hadn't even batted an eye; he'd just assigned him to a lab next door to Banner's. Steve had turned it into a command center of sorts. The holographic table sat in the middle of the room facing a truly gigantic screen; he'd shocked Tony speechless by not only learning how to use it but suggesting improvements.
The rest of the space held Steve's work area-a large adjustable-height desk and comfortable office chair-a conference table big enough for at least a dozen people, and a sitting area with a large leather couch and chairs. The only reason he didn't spend more time in his lab was because JARVIS was consistently harassing him into dragging Tony and Bruce out of theirs.
"Most people never realized that the serum didn't boost my intelligence," Steve said. "I was smarter than most of the kids in my class growing up. The serum just enhanced my reading speed and gave me a photographic memory."
"That must have been a shock," Tony said. He walked in and joined Steve at the holographic table. "Making any progress?"
"Some," Steve said. "Maximoff, as it turns out, is a really common name in Sokovia. But, I think we've located the right family. I'm not sure when they got mixed up with Hydra, but given that Hydra infiltrated the Soviet Union at around the same time they formed within SHIELD, I can't rule out that they're already on board."
"And it's really that important to prevent that?" Tony asked.
"They were experimented on, Tony," Steve said. "Which is bad enough, but then they turned it around and tortured me and my friends. I'd like to prevent that from happening again, but I acknowledge that it may not be possible."
"I don't have may contacts in that part of the world, so this won't exactly be easy," Tony said. "We may want to partner with SHIELD on this one. If these kids were that easily manipulated by the Stone, they may already have genetic mutations that can be exploited."
"Do you really trust SHIELD?" Steve asked, turning to focus on Tony instead of the screen.
"I trust Coulson," Tony said. "He's always played it straight with me, and not just because of who my father was."
"Then I think it's time I meet him," Steve said.
Tony raised an eyebrow. "May I ask why?"
"There's another asset I want to track down, one that SHIELD may have had contact with," Steve said.
"Someone they had contact with in the old timeline," Tony said. "Okay, I'll reach out and set up a meeting. You're not going in alone, so don't even ask."
Steve held up his hands in surrender. "Wasn't planning to. I wouldn't mind the company, actually. I don't know SHIELD the way you do, and I have no idea who I can trust and who I can't."
"For the most part, the people Coulson has brought in are people we can trust," Tony said. "He respected my dad and Aunt Peg, and so far as I can tell, hasn't made any moves that would be considered disrespectful or destructive."
"And how do you know so much about SHIELD's operations?" Steve asked. He crossed his arms and gave Tony a stern glare.
"You know, that probably didn't even work on Howard, so I'm not sure why you're pulling it on me," Tony said with a smirk. "As for how I know so much about SHIELD, that's fairly simple. I have a backdoor into the SHIELD mainframe."
"You hacked SHIELD?" Steve asked. "What am I saying? Of course you hacked SHIELD. You did it in the other timeline, so I should have known you'd do it here, too."
Tony laughed. "I like knowing everything there is to know, it's true. But as for the SHIELD mainframe, I designed it. Any time they need serious modifications, they call me. Having unlimited access to the contents of their servers is just a bonus, and one I warned them about before they signed the contract."
Steve shook his head, smiling fondly at his friend. "Only you would make unfettered access to SHIELD's top-secret data a condition of your server maintenance contract."
"So, shall I call up Coulson's admin and get us an appointment?" Tony asked.
"Yeah," Steve said. "The sooner the better. We're probably about six months out from the original date of the Chitauri invasion. Right now, it's just you, me and Banner. I have no idea if SHIELD even has a way to contact Thor, and there are others I'd like to reach out to. I want to make sure we have all the help we'll need when the time comes."
"You sound like you're building a team, Cap," Tony said.
"Maybe I am," Steve said. He sighed. "We had one, the last time. I wasn't even sure it would work. We were certainly never invested in each other, much less in working as a team. I'm hoping we can do better this time."
"Well, as long as we're extending invitations to this party, I've got a plus-one," Tony said. "I've been working on another suit for a friend of mine in the Army. His name's-"
"Rhodey," Steve said. "James Rhodes. I knew him. He's a good man, and good in a fight. If you're okay with him joining the… team, I'm glad to have his help."
"I'll bring him over for pizza and beer sometime soon," Tony said. "I figure you two should meet before the shit hits the fan."
"Sounds good to me," Steve said.
"What about this kid here?" Tony asked, pointing to a picture off by itself on the far side of the display.
"Peter Parker," Steve said. He frowned; he still wasn’t sure it was smart to bring Peter into this, given what happened the last time, but the kid had a 'do the right thing' moral imperative that wasn't going to change just because Steve had made some changes to the timeline. So, he'd figured out where the kid was and set JARVIS to keep an eye on him. "He's… well, he was a protégé of a sort. Yours."
"That kid?" Tony asked, eyebrows making for his hairline. "He can't even shave. No way I'd have invited him to the grown-ups table, no matter what his deal was."
"Peter's special," Steve said quietly. "He's really smart-like you. Plus, he's got something going on-some sort of mutation or something, I was never really clear on that and you and I weren't really on speaking terms when you found him-but in a few years, he's going to start popping up on the radar fairly regularly. Fighting crime and kicking ass. They'll call him 'the friendly neighborhood Spiderman'."
Tony laughed. "Well, he's got brass ones, that's for sure. Protégé, you say. Sounds like I need to pay a visit to Mr. Parker. Make sure he's on the right path, or some such nonsense. I never really went in for that shit myself, but I hear it's all the rage with the superhero set."
"Tony," Steve said with a chuckle, unwillingly amused. He thought about telling Tony that Peter didn't make it, that he was dusted along with a whole bunch of other people who mattered to both of them, but decided that would be the height of cruelty. They were making a new future here; no need to dwell on the past. He shook his head, mentally letting all of that go yet again.
"Alright, I'll get us in with Coulson." Tony turned to leave, spinning on his heel to back away as he talked. "And let me know if you want to invite anyone else to your superhero club. I'm sure there's always room for more."
Steve just chuckled, waving Tony off.
He hadn't set out to recreate the Avengers in this new timeline, but he knew they'd need to assemble a team sooner or later, and he had no idea if SHIELD had even had the idea, what with Fury not being the director. Even if the Chitauri never invaded, they weren't the only threat out there. They needed to be prepared, and that started with having people he trusted watching his back.
~o~
"Do you know why Coulson didn't join Fury at the CIA?" Steve asked as they drove to SHIELD HQ.
Ironically, SHIELD had taken over the facility in upstate New York that the Avengers had co-opted in his original timeline. They'd never built the Triskelion due to lack of funds. Steve wasn't exactly sad, as he'd thought that complex was far too over-the-top for a spy agency. Plus, SHIELD's current headquarters was just an hour's drive in Tony's low-slung sports car, which suited Steve just fine.
"The story I've heard is that Fury knew Coulson wasn't cut out for pure spy games, so instead of recruiting him for the CIA, he referred his old friend to Aunt Peg and SHIELD," Tony said. "His loss, SHIELD's gain, really. Coulson rocketed up the ranks. He's the youngest director the agency has ever had, and that includes my father. Why? Wasn't he Director in your timeline?"
"No," Steve said, shaking his head. "Fury was, actually. I never really did trust him, so it's a bit of a relief that he's not in charge here."
"Fury is, by all accounts, a spy's spy," Tony said. "I've never actually met him, but his reputation precedes him into every room he enters, and even some he hasn't. He's deep into black ops and the kind of wet work that'd give a tenderfoot like you nightmares."
"Ha," Steve said. "The Howling Commandos were essentially the first Special Forces unit in the Army. We did things like wet work long before that became a thing."
"You know, you continuously surprise me," Tony said. "It's kind of refreshing."
Steve chuckled. "Well, I hate being a cliché, so I'll take it."
"In the interest of fair play, you gonna tell me who you want Coulson to find?"
"I'm looking for someone SHIELD might have had contact with," Steve said. "If Coulson has a way to contact her, I'm hoping he'll be amenable to reaching out. We may need her help."
"Are you talking about the Black Widow?" Tony asked.
"No," Steve said. Natasha had become a friend, but he'd never been very comfortable with the way Fury had used her to manipulate people, especially Tony. "Natasha's a spy, and even given her skillset, I'm not sure it's a good idea to include her in our plans."
"Don't trust her, do you?" Tony said. Steve shrugged. "Well, it might interest you to know that she's actually with the CIA and not SHIELD. Coulson's team found her and brought her in from the cold, but she actually moved over to the CIA to work with Fury several years ago. It's a better fit for her skills, honestly. She and Fury are a fucking nightmare that the US is only too happy to turn loose on our enemies."
"Well, that explains why I didn't find her in the SHIELD database you gave me," Steve said.
"Barton would probably be a good fit, though," Tony said, seemingly offhandedly. "He's the best marksman in the Federal pantheon. Better than Ian Edgerton, and that's saying something considering how many confirmed kills that man has. You probably saw his file in the database. Codename Hawkeye."
"I know Clint," Steve said. "Well, I knew him before. He's good in a fight. Has good eyes and good instincts. I'd definitely want him on the team." Steve paused. "We should probably talk about what we're going to do with this team. I mean, I doubt it's a good idea to form it under the auspices of SHIELD. Any one nation or agency having that much control over a team of… superheroes, for lack of a better word, is a bad idea. Not that I have a better one, honestly. That was always your bailiwick."
"Bailiwick?" Tony said, smirking at Steve as he pulled up in front of the building.
"It's a word," Steve said. He stepped out of the car and looked at Tony over the roof. "I can't help it that your education is sadly lacking."
"Ha," Tony said, pointing at Steve. "I'll have you know I graduated from MIT. Twice. No, three times."
"Were you too drunk to remember the last one?" Steve asked. Tony joined him on the other side of the car and they walked into the building together.
"The first one, actually," Tony said. "By the time I got that one under my belt, I realized that drinking my way through college wasn't going to help when it came time to actually remember any of what I was taught. So, I buckled down and earned two more degrees, stone cold sober. College pretty much sucked after that."
Steve could only laugh.
They were met at security by a familiar face. "Stark. Wasn't expecting to see you so soon."
"Legolas!" Tony said as he shook hands with Clint. "I've got some new prototype arrows for you. Remind me to grab them from the trunk before we leave."
"Exploding tips?" Clint asked hopefully.
Tony laughed. "What is it with you and blowing things up? No exploding tips, but one of them is an EMP. Should come in handy in urban areas."
"Could probably use one to take down a vehicle," Clint said. He pointed to Steve. "Is that…?"
"Captain Rogers, yes," Tony said. "Cap, meet Agent Clint Barton."
The two shook hands. Steve had to fight the feeling of déjà vu that smacked him between the eyes on 'meeting' his friend. "Agent Barton, good to meet you."
"You, too," Clint said. "Phil's gonna shit a brick. Come on. I'll take you to him."
Clint escorted them to a large office on the other side of the campus. There was a large, floor-to-ceiling window along one wall, with a large wooden desk in front of it. A conference table dominated the other wall, and a small sitting area was tucked in near the windows.
Standing near the couch was Phil Coulson, looking very much like he had the last time Steve had seen him. Steve had met him the day he died, and despite the passage of time, it was like a punch to the gut to see him alive and well. He stumbled a bit, and Tony shot him a concerned look, one he waved off with a slight shake of his head. He'd have to explain later, because Tony wasn't going to let that go. Hopefully by then Steve would have a handle on his shock.
"Director Coulson, meet Captain Steve Rogers," Clint said. "Captain Rogers, Director Phil Coulson."
Steve suddenly felt underdressed. Tony had come in one of his handmade suits, made from a special blend of Kevlar fabric that he'd been testing for possible sale to anyone who needed an extra layer of protection. Coulson was dressed in an immaculately tailored suit, much like the one Steve had last seen him in.
Steve, on the other hand, had come in khakis and a plaid shirt, with his leather jacket thrown over the top. He hadn't wanted to wear a suit since that just wasn't his style. He wondered if that was a poor choice, right up until Coulson opened his mouth.
"Captain, it's a genuine honor to meet you," Coulson said, shaking his hand. "I've been a fan of yours for years. I've been collecting Captain America memorabilia since I was a kid. I've got a complete set of trading cards, as a matter of fact. Slight foxing, but otherwise in near-mint condition."
Tony was practically choking on the laughter he was struggling to hold back. Steve shot him a quelling look, then refocused on Coulson. "I'd be happy to sign them, if you think that's something you'd like."
"I'd be happy to have you sign them, Captain," Coulson said. The smile on his face was worth a little awkwardness, Steve thought.
"Then we'll plan for it the next time we meet," Steve said.
"Stark," Coulson said, shaking hands with Tony. "Please, sit down."
"Do you want me to…?" Clint asked, pointing a thumb at the door.
Coulson glanced at Tony, who just shrugged and looked at Steve, who just shrugged back.
"Have a seat, Barton," Coulson said. He turned back to his two visitors.
Coulson indicated that they should all sit on the couches. Steve appreciated that he wasn't using his desk as some sort of power play the way Fury used to. Dealing with Coulson was probably going to be much easier just for the fact that Coulson was more authentic.
"Do you mind if I bring in my Deputy?" Coulson asked.
"Fine by me," Tony said.
Coulson pulled out a cell phone-one that look a lot like the starkphone Tony had given Steve when he'd first landed in 2012-and typed a quick message. A minute later, Maria Hill walked into the room. She looked much the same as Steve remembered, if perhaps slightly less stressed out. She was wearing a pantsuit, with her hair pinned up in some sort of fancy twist. Steve had barely noticed her in his original timeline, but today it struck him just how beautiful she really was.
Coulson introduced Maria, who merely raised an eyebrow, then they all settled on the couches.
"So, what can SHIELD do for you, Captain?" Coulson asked.
"First, you can call me Steve," he said.
"Then please feel free to call me Phil," the Director said. He glanced at Tony, a frown edged with mirth on his face. "Tony usually does."
"I've got a question to ask you, if you'd be willing to answer," Steve said.
"I can't promise I can give you answers," Coulson said. "Especially if we're talking about classified information."
"I understand that," Steve said. "I'm looking for someone you may have had contact with. Have you ever encountered Carol Danvers? She's also known as Veers by the Kree."
Tony was staring at him in surprise, and Coulson shared a look with Clint and Maria, clearly wondering how he'd come into the information about Danvers.
"We've had dealings with Captain Danvers," Coulson finally said. "What's your interest in her?"
"That's a bit complicated," Steve said. He glanced at Tony, who gave him a subtle nod. They'd talked about what they could tell Coulson about Steve and his true mission. Ultimately, they'd decided to limit the information they gave Coulson and SHIELD, not because they didn't trust him, but because if that information fell into the wrong hands, the consequences could be devastating.
"We've come into some information that suggests there's an alien threat headed for Earth," Tony said.
"You're kidding, right?" Clint asked, then waved Tony off when he started to speak. "No, of course you're not. Just-fucking aliens. Again."
"Barton," Coulson said, slight warning in his tone. "How did you come into this information, if I may ask?"
"We received a message from a friend at the Kamar-Taj," Tony said.
"The Masters of the Mystical Arts?" Maria said, joining the conversation for the first time. "I thought that was just a myth."
"They're actually a very nice bunch of lunatics," Tony said. "And before you ask, they seem certain something's coming. I'm not in the habit of believing people who call themselves sorcerers, but we're talking about aliens. I'd rather err on the side of caution. I have to live here, after all."
"What's the catch?" Clint asked.
"My priority is the survival of this world," Steve said. "I'm not interested in quid-pro-quo. I have information I'm willing to give you that will help protect this planet. All I ask in return is that you act on this information. Not to be melodramatic, but the fate of the universe is at stake."
"And he's on the up-and-up?" Maria asked Tony. "Not an imposter or mildly psychotic?"
"I wouldn't have brought him here if I thought he was nuts," Tony said. "My father told me he thought it might be possible for Steve to survive the crash, under the right conditions. Personally, I always thought he was the crazy one. Obviously, I was wrong."
Coulson looked at Steve. "You've always been honest in your dealings in the past. The fact that you survived the crash only to be held in stasis for over half a century hasn't changed your character."
"Thank you, sir," Steve said. Tony had suggested that they inform Coulson that they'd found Steve not long after he'd woken up. He had a feeling that not springing it on him along with the rest was a wise choice. "And Captain Danvers?"
"She did leave us with a way to contact her," Coulson said. "It's for emergencies only, but I think an alien invasion qualifies. Do we know why they're interested in Earth?"
"They're actually going to be drawn to Earth by the Tesseract," Tony said. "So, if you've got any of your scientists playing with it, you might consider locking it up in a vault, just in case."
"Hmmm," Coulson said. "As a matter of fact, Doctor Eric Selvig just started a series of experiments with it. He's showing some promising results, but if you really think it's that dangerous, we may need to suspend his project. At least until we know for sure if this invasion is really going to happen."
"There's no guarantee that these aliens haven't already noticed," Tony said. "So, I'd suggest a shielded vault if you have one. If not, I can recommend someplace secure."
"I'll let you know," Coulson said. "We currently have it at an offsite lab, so it's as secure as we can make it. But it's a powerful artifact, so secure is a relative term."
"Did you friends tell you anything else?" Clint asked. "Maybe a place or how many aliens we can expect to come knocking on the door?"
"If they're targeting the Tesseract, it's a good bet they'll start wherever it is," Maria said. "Our lab is heavily shielded, but we have no idea what type of sensing equipment this race has, so our shielding may be useless."
"Still, better to be safe than sorry," Coulson said. "Have Selvig and his team secure the Tesseract and report back when it's done. We can evacuate the facility once the artifact is secure, and leave only a minimal force behind to guard it."
"If you need any help making sure it's secure, give me a call," Tony said. "I can review the security protocols and make some recommendations."
"Thanks, Tony. We may take you up on that," Coulson said.
"If you can reach out to Thor, that might also be a good idea," Steve said. "I'm not sure if you have a method of contacting him, but it can't hurt to have him on stand-by."
"I agree," Coulson said. "He did leave us with a way to contact him, but he said it might take time for any message to reach him."
"Let's hope he left the answering machine on," Clint said.
Coulson shot Clint a quelling look before refocusing on Steve and Tony. "Anything else you need to tell us?"
"You mean that's not enough for one day?" Clint asked.
Tony laughed. "No, I think that about covers it. If we come across anything else we think you should know, we'll pass it along."
"Sounds good," Coulson said. He stood, and the rest followed. Holding out a hand, he shook hands with Steve and Tony. "It was good to meet you, Captain."
"And you as well, Director Coulson," Steve said, smiling. "I hope we'll get to work with each other more in the future."
"I'd like that," Coulson said. Steve found the blush that stole across the man's cheeks entirely charming. "Maria, would you escort our visitors out. When you get back, we'll talk over our options. We've got some work ahead of us."
"Right," Maria said. "Gentlemen, if you'll follow me?"
They walked with her out to Tony's car, chatting about the weather and the newest Cuban restaurant in town, of all things. After they shook hands, Maria headed back inside; Steve watched her walk away, wondering how he'd never noticed how striking she was.
"Looks like someone's interested," Tony said over the roof of the car.
Steve turned around and opened the car door. "I barely knew her in my original timeline. I'm wondering if I missed out on something."
Tony threw his head back and laughed.
~o~
Steve hated being right. At least, he hated being right about this.
Almost six months after their conversation with Coulson and SHIELD, the Chitauri invaded. Events didn't unfold exactly as they had in Steve's original timeline, but they'd been ready for the invasion and had defeated the Chitauri, just as he'd hoped.
Now, all that was left was the clean-up. Not exactly easy, but they'd caused far less damage this time because Loki had chosen SHIELD headquarters to set up his portal device due to the arc reactor Tony had built for the facility. He'd delayed construction on Stark Tower, knowing that it would be too appealing a target for Loki; they'd wanted to avoid nearly destroying Manhattan, and with SHIELD HQ being far from the city and in a more rural area of New York, they'd done what they set out to do.
Danvers had answered their call, and Thor had shown up just after Loki took the Tesseract, just as he had the first time. But without the infighting and hostility-and knowing that the Mind Stone in the scepter was actually stoking all of that bad blood-they were able to gel a lot quicker. That turned out to be the difference, and allowed them to turn the tide of the battle a lot sooner.
"It was a glorious battle, was it not, Captain?" Thor asked as he stepped up beside Steve.
Steve had retreated to the rooftop deck of Tony's mansion to look at the mostly-undamaged Manhattan skyline and enjoy the fact that they'd won the battle, even if they had yet to win the war.
"It was something," Steve said. "I'm just glad we came out of it unhurt."
"I feel I owe you an apology," Thor said quietly. "If it were not for my brother, your world would not have been at risk."
"Loki is just as much a victim in all this as the people who got hurt," Steve said. "The scepter was controlling him even as he was using it to control others. When he's finally free of it, he's going to need a lot of help. Can you make sure he gets it?"
"I will see to it that Father does not punish him for what has transpired," Thor said. "It is the least I owe you for not killing him when you had the chance."
Steve took a deep breath and turned to Thor. "I'm not in the habit of killing victims, Thor. Your brother has done terrible things, but ultimately Thanos is more to blame than Loki. There will come a day when we face off against Thanos; I've made it my personal mission to see him dead for all the havoc he's wrought in the universe. He's planning to assemble the Infinity Stones so he can destroy half of all life in the universe. The consequences would be… devastating. I can't let him do that."
"Then I shall join you in your endeavor," Thor said. "Thanos is no god. He does not have the right to decide who will live and who will die. If we must kill him to stop him from completing his quest, so be it. I will not mourn such a man."
"Thank you," Steve said. "Just remember, aim for the head. The bastard can survive pretty much any body blow, and we really don't need him living to fight another day."
Thor laughed. "I will take your advice to heart, Captain." He slapped Steve on the back, nearly knocking him over. "I must take my leave of you now. I am to return Loki to Asgard to face our father's justice. I will see to it that he is taken care of. Our mother, especially, will not want to see him harmed for acting against his own will."
"That's all I ask," Steve said.
He held out a hand; Thor slid easily into a warrior's handshake, grasping Steve's forearm with a firm grip without trying to crush the bones of his arm. Steve nodded at the other man, and Thor nodded in return.
As he watched Thor walk away, he wondered if his words would be enough when the time came. He knew he could call Mjolnir should he need it; he'd done so during the battle with the Chitauri. Thor had merely grinned at him, as though he'd known all along that Steve was a good man for whom the hammer would do his bidding. He just hoped it would be enough to change their fates.
Tony stepped up beside him, handing him a beer as he turned to look out over Manhattan. "So, I saw you chatting with Thor. He doing okay?"
"He's upset about his brother," Steve said. "And I think a little relieved that someone else sees his brother as the victim he is. I think he'll make sure Loki gets treatment for what the Mind Stone did to him."
Tony turned around and leaned on the railing, facing the terrace. Steve leaned an elbow on the railing beside him, glancing at the rest of the team as they sat around the firepit, drinking and laughing and enjoying the victory. Rhodey, Banner, Barton and Danvers were there, along with Coulson and Maria. It was strange, how familiar and yet so very different it all was. The group had changed slightly, but at the same time the relief at having won the day was exactly the same.
"You sure about keeping the Tesseract here on Earth?" Tony asked.
"No, I'm not," Steve said. "But leaving it on Asgard is just asking for trouble. It's not as secure as they think it is. And there are things coming on Asgard that will make it even less secure. You sure it's a good idea to give the Wakandan's both the Stones?"
"I trust them more than I trust myself," Tony said. "They're not going to experiment with it, and they have the best chance of anyone on this planet to hide it away from prying eyes. When Thanos comes looking for them-and he will-we'll be able to set the time and place for the battle. Apart from our new little superhero club, I trust the Wakandan warriors to have my back. It'll be fine."
"I believe you, Tony," Steve said. "And I trust you. But that's three Infinity Stones on Earth. I just hope it won't backfire on us."
"If we need to, we can call on the Ancient One, though I'd rather put that meeting off for as long as possible," Tony said, shivering slightly. "That woman gives me the creeps."
"She's… interesting, that's for sure," Steve said. "She offered to help us, if we needed it. At least, the Ancient One I met in the other timeline did. I have to believe she'd make the same offer in this timeline."
"Not sure invoking that voodoo that she do is all that necessary," Tony said. "Hopefully she won't lecture you for changing the timeline, or some such."
"That was partly her idea, so it would be a little hypocritical for her to lecture me," Steve said.
"Alright, I'll leave that in your hands, then," Tony said. "Now, what say we rejoin the celebration. I hate being a wallflower at my own party."
Steve just chuckled. "If you're planning to try to drink me under the table, I have to warn you I can't get drunk anymore. My body metabolizes alcohol too fast."
"A fact for which I am deeply sorry," Tony said. "Getting blind drunk so I won't remember what it was like to fly through one of those Leviathans sounds like a really good idea right about now."
"Hmmm," Steve said as they walked across the terrace to rejoin the rest of the team. "Sounds like I need to reach out to a friend. He's a counselor with the VA. We could probably use someone like him around here."
"Oh, fuck no," Tony said. "I hate shrinks."
"He's also a former Air Force Pararescue jumper," Steve said. "He was part of a project that used wingpacks instead of parachutes."
"I think I remember something about that project," Tony said. "Wait, is this a guy you know now, or a guy you used to know back in the old timeline?"
"The old timeline," Steve said. "But I'm sure we'll be friends again in this one. He's a good guy; I think he'd fit in well around here."
"Give me his name and I'll look him up," Tony said. "If nothing else, I want to see this wingpack in action. J, see if you can dig up the plans and get started on fabrication."
"As you wish, sir," JARVIS said.
"Let's hope he's also interested in becoming a superhero," Steve said sardonically.
"He's gonna love it," Tony said with all the considerable bravado he could muster.
Steve laughed as they rejoined the group.
~o~
Steve stood at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the New York Sanctuary, overwhelmed by the sense of déjà vu. The last time he'd been to visit the Masters of the Mysterious Arts, it had been to return the Time Stone and confer with the Ancient One. If events had played out the same in this new timeline, she'd been gone for a year and he'd find Doctor Strange as the new Sorcerer Supreme.
He really had no idea how Strange would react to his visit, or if he'd even be willing to talk. But Steve felt like he had to try. He needed to know if the timeline was stable, and Strange was the only one he could ask. Otherwise, all the effort and pain he'd gone through would be for nothing.
He took a deep breath and walked up the steps. Just as he reached the top of the stairs, the doors swung open. Steve shook his head, chuckling quietly. It seemed no matter who was in charge, they were all the same.
He entered the foyer and just stood, arms crossed, waiting for someone to come to him or-and this was more likely-move him to the room of their preference for this meeting. After several long minutes, a portal finally opened up. Steve resisted the urge to step through it; eventually it moved to him, transporting him to the Ancient One's office.
Instead of the female sorcerer, he found Stephen Strange standing in the room, arms crossed as he stared Steve down.
"Captain Rogers," Strange said, inclining his head in acknowledgment.
"Doctor Strange," Steve said. He dropped his hands to his sides. "I'm hoping you'll be willing to answer a question for me. Probably more than one, but I'll start with one."
"And if I refuse?" Strange asked.
"Look, it's not like I can make you talk to me," Steve said, huffing in frustration. "And I know you could just… move me someplace else if you don't want to. But I've come a long way, and I need to know-I just need to know."
"You need to know if the timeline is stable," Strange said.
"Yes, I do," Steve said.
"Time is a very peculiar thing," Strange said. "No one should have too much knowledge of events outside their own lifetime. Such knowledge can be dangerous."
"Yeah, well, I'm not exactly as young as I look," Steve said.
"No, you're not," Strange said speculatively. Steve raised an eyebrow. "You have time magic clinging to you. And the magic of my mentor as well."
"Then you probably know that I'm not originally from this timeline," Steve said.
"Yes, I do know," Strange said. "She helped you change time. Sent you back through time using the Time Stone. Why?"
Steve tucked his hands into his pockets. Even all these years later, it was still hard to talk about the events that led to him going back in time.
"Because Thanos got ahold of all six Stones and snapped half of all living beings out of existence," Steve said. "Then he used the Stones again to destroy the Stones. He said it was because he didn't want to be tempted to use them again."
"But destroying the Stones would destabilize the universe," Strange said, frowning in apparent consternation. "Which is why the Ancient One used the Time Stone to send you back. So you could change time-create a new timeline-and potentially save the universe."
"Yeah, that about sums it up," Steve said. "She told me that if I used the device we created to travel through time, I wouldn't be able to affect the timeline. The only way to make changes that would stick would be to use the Time Stone."
"Which means she believed that your reasoning for travelling back in time was sound," Strange said.
"She did," Steve said. "So, do you believe me?"
Strange stared at him for the space of a few heartbeats. "I do."
He swept his hand through the air, the gesture so similar to the Ancient One that Steve felt a momentary pang of regret for her loss. The timeline spun out in front of him, extending from the bright beginning much the way it had the last time he'd seen it. His eyes followed the timeline all the way across the room as it flowed away from them. The far end was still chaotic, but instead of a mass of grey, there were some bright yellows, reds and oranges twining through the grey. There was a branch extending from the main timeline, but it was an opaque grey, as though it were simply… fading away.
"So, it's okay?" Steve asked quietly.
"It would appear that the timeline is stabilizing," Strange said. "This branch is fading. I suspect within another year or two it will be completely gone."
"Why so long?" Steve asked. He'd thought that the old timeline would simply disappear once disaster had been averted. Of course, they hadn't actually stopped Thanos yet, so maybe that was why.
"Events have yet to unfold that will completely destroy the old timeline," Strange said, confirming Steve's speculation. "As long as you are able to prevent Thanos from gaining control of the Stones, the old timeline should completely disappear."
Steve closed his eyes, the relief of knowing they were so close almost too much. When he opened them, it was to find Strange watching him, open curiosity in his eyes.
"Can you tell me if we'll succeed?" Steve asked.
"Future knowledge is dangerous," Strange said. "As you well know."
"Yeah, I do know," Steve said. "I've tried to be judicious. About who knows what I know and how much they know."
"As well you should," Strange said. "Knowing that, I can tell you that there are paths forward that will end with you successfully stopping Thanos. There are also paths where you will not succeed. You must be prepared to make the choices that will lead you down the correct path. And though I cannot tell you what those choices are, I can tell you that you are on the correct path. If you say the course, you will succeed."
"Thank you," Steve said. "We worried that keeping the Stones here on Earth was dangerous, but I can't see letting them leave the planet. At least here, we have a measure of control over when and where we face Thanos."
"Setting the terms of the next engagement is critical to your success, Captain," Strange said.
"And if Thanos does come here, can we count on you to help?" Steve said. He glanced at the Time Stone, encased within the Eye of Agamatto.
"I and those of my Order are tasked with protecting Earth," Strange said. "We will be ready when you call."
"Thank you," Steve said again. "That's all I can ask."
~o~