(I do not own most of the characters in this story. Most of them belong to MARVEL. Also, I own none of the music, references, and videos I may use in this story. Full credit goes to the rightful owners.)
{([<Announcement at the end of this chapter>])}
"WE! ARE! RUNNING!" Sam Wilson yelled when he saw that more than half of the teenagers where walking. I realized that I've been calling people over 13 "children"or "kids". Sorry about that. It was just sad watching them grow up. Wow I sound like a stereotypical parent.
Steve stopped running and turned to face Sam. "Sam." He said as Sam stopped to look at him. They were running around Avengers Faculty in Upstate New York. "Don't you think you're being a little harsh?" The Captain noticed his daughter slowly walking up to them. She was having trouble catching her breath, her face was paler than a fresh coat of white paint. She felt like she was going to be sick.
"No." Sam answered Steve while watching the rest of the teens. "WHAT DID I JUST SAY?" Some of them started to run again while the other made no attempt to.
"Emily," The blonde's blue eyes filled with fear as he studied his daughter. "Are you okay?" He hopped she didn't have any of the sicknesses Steve had when he was skinny. Emily just nodded her head, not looking at her father. Steve knew she was lying. Like father like...daughter (I know it's like father like son but whatever, same thing) they were both terrible at lying.
Soon, everyone caught up to the leaders of the run. "Can we take a break?" Julia asked while holding her side. "Break?" Sam scoffed. "In the military we didn't have 'breaks'."
"But we're not in the military." Julia whined.
"You all wouldn't last one hour." Sam mumbled. Steve gave Sam a looked. "Alright," Steve said. "That was a good run!" Sam raised an eyebrow at the word 'good'. "You guys ran five laps around here, which is about the size of a national baseball field." Steve smiled, trying to make everyone feel better. "Everyone can go inside and take a break, cool down." Everyone quickly walked inside the building.
Sam and Steve looked at the tried teenagers once they were inside . Clint and Natasha came up next to them. "This is sad." Clint crossed his arms. "They're all under than 20 and they can't even stand up straight. They looked like they've been drinking." Clint quickly turned his head and asked, "Steve?" Steve shook his head and gave him a 'really' look.
"Your two's turn." Sam laughed. "Good luck getting them to do anything."
"Steve, Sam," Natasha spoke up. "What did you two do as training during your time serving?"
"We ran a lot and did many push ups." The Star Spangled Man with a plan said, remembering when he could barely do a push up. Natasha grinned. "Oh, this will be fun." She said sarcastically.
"Uh, guys." Bruce said as he rushed into the room. "You're going to want to see this." He rushed back out of the room. Everyone followed just to see a new reporter talking about The Avengers last week in New York. "New York went up in flames last week and once again, people are questioning if The Avengers saved us or made things worse."
The tension in the room grew fast. Everyone had a stern look on their faces. "While Iron Man and Thor flew around the city, all the other Avengers and some kids were helping people get out of burning cars." They're teenagers lady c'mon. As she spoke, pictures of the teenagers appeared on the screen. "Some of these children, who look to be over 12, are assumed to be the children of The Avengers." A picture of Emily was next to a picture of Steve, next was a picture of Torun next to a picture of Thor. There was no need to put a picture of Lucy next to a picture of Tony because everyone already knew who Lucy Stark was.
"Well I guess Nate doesn't look like me then." Clint said.
The lady continued to talk crap about how they did nothing. Steve couldn't take anymore, he went up to the T.V and punched it. Causing the audio to cut off, the screen the crack, and his hand to be filled with pieces of glass and covered in blood. "I couldn't take it anymore." He simply said as he moved a few strands of blonde hair away from his eyes.
Everyone's eyes went from his eyes to his hand. "I'm fine." He said. "But that was not okay." He pointed to the broken T.V. "Are we going to let some news reporter talk about us like that? Or are we going to do something about it?"
"Well if we get Tony to sue-" Clint started but was cut off when Nat hit his shoulder.
"We're The Avengers." Steve said. "We protect people. We save people." Everyone looked down at the ground, listening to his words.
"Which is why we all should be training." Nat spoke up. "Come on Clint." The Russian spy said as she left the room, Clint followed behind her.
The day continued on.
Bruce and Sean were working in the lab. Sean spoke up "Dad, when are we going to tell them."
"Tell them what?" Bruce said, not taking his eyes off of a test tube.
"Who killed Howard." Sean whispered.
Bruce looked at his son and thought to himself. Suddenly Tony and Steve came into the room.
"Dr. Banner." Steve nodded his head.
Bruce nodded his head. "What brings you two here today?"
"We were kinda hoping you knew that answer already Doctor." Tony crossed his arms.
Bruce was confused. "I- I don't-"
"Do you and Sean know something we don't?" Tony asked.
Sean's brown eyes went wide with fear, he quickly tried to walk out of the room without being noticed, but he failed.
"Sean," The Captain noticed him. "Tell us what you to found."
Sean stood there, frozen. He knew he had to tell them. "We found out who killed Howard." The Brit spoke soft and slowly.
Tony's eyes darted at Sean. "Who." He said eagerly. Sean looked at his father. Bruce looked at Steve and Tony and said, "A man named Johann Shmidt."
"Red Skull." Steve said as he narrowed his eyes. "He's dead." He snapped.
"So were you, Johann Shmidt-" Bruce started, but was cut off by Steve.
"His name is Red Skull don't call him anything else."
"...Red Skull..." Bruce said, "Fell into the ice like you and Bucky."
Natasha, Clint, and Thor came into the room, not daring to say a word. "He didn't fall he got evaporated when he touched the tesseract." Steve protested, he didn't want to believe that Red Skull was still out there.
"Yes, he was evaporated," Bruce said. "But his ashes had to fall somewhere. They probably fell into the water, froze over, someone dug them out, and recreated him."
"But who?" Natasha said, quickly catching on.
"Who's diabolical enough to?" Tony said sarcastically but there was still anger in his voice. "Who would bring the dead back to do more killing? Who would raise an army just to destroy us?"
"Loki." Thor looked at the ground.
"What's with your brother and wanting to rule over every living thing?" Clint asked with sarcasm in his voice.
Thor answered, clearly not understanding Clint's sarcasm. "He want's the power he never got, the worship he'll never get."
Bruce spoke up, "Here's the thing, we, Sean and I, believe that Loki didn't just bring back Red Skull."
"And who do you think he also brought back?" Clint asked.
Bruce looked down, not wanting to meet eyes with anyone, especially Steve. "Every H.Y.D.R.A agent ever."
Everyone started to train everyday from then on. The teenagers got better. A month had passed.
"Jenny," Sean warned his younger sister. "How many times do I have to tell you,S.I.Ts are our friends, not something you can break." The two were training their fighting skills, when Jenny took it a little too far.
"But he-"
"Is your friend." Sean cut her off.
"He told me to 'come at him' so I did."
"Jenny you broke three of his bones." Sean said with a little smirk. Jenny was left speechless. Sean shrugged his shoulders and put his arm around his adopted British sister and hugged her.
Soon everyone could run around the Faculty without getting separated. "Come on guys! We can do this just one more lap!" Emily shouted.
"We need some inspirational music up in here!" Julia laughed.
Nate started to sing/yell, "YOU'RE THE BEST AROUND! NOTHING'S GONNA TAKE YOU DOWN! I THINK THATS THE WORDS!"
Everyone started to laughed. "Guys lets all be Rocky!" Lucy suggested. Soon everyone, but Torun and Jenny who didn't know who Rocky was, started singing that Rocky song.
"GETTING STRONG NOW!" Nate yelled as everyone laughed.
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I don't think the world is sold
I'm just doing what we're told.
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Hey Guys! I am soooooooo sorry for not posting this chapter for about two weeks now. If you go on my page I have the whole story as to why I couldn't post until now. I promise I will get my act together! It's just a little hard because I have school and violin practice and now softball all on top of that but I promise to keep writing because I love writing. I wont be doing a question of the week this week because I'm late.
Counting Stars is by OneRepublic and the lyrics above refer to when the news reporter lady was talking about The Avengers and how they didn't really work together. Every though no one says that the doubt themselves they were thinking that some people just don't believe in The Avengers. The Avengers don't think "the world is sold" and the teenagers are "Just doing what they're told"
Anyway I hope you all are having a great day and keep having one! BYEEEE!