Here it is! Remember this is the edited (shortened version) of Chapter 1 for my third book.
So I hope you enjoy this!!
-AnnaBeth.
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Epilogue: Chapter 1 of, "Stand Together."
Breath in.
Breath out.
Breath in.
Breath out.
It's not rocket science.
As long as you don't stop breathing.
I clinch my right hand to keep it from trembling.
"You don't have to do this," Steve says.
"Yes. Yes I do," I reply.
Steve sighs,
"I don't want to hurt you," he says.
"Ready?" Tony asks.
"Let's do this," I say nervously.
"Go!" Tony yells.
Steve dives into action. His right arm attempting to force my left one down. Using whatever strength I have left I push my hand harder against his. But Steve is a super soldier, so he flattens my arm in less than three seconds.
"I told you he was the master at arm-wrestling," Beka says crossing her arms.
Steve, Beka, Tony, and I are sitting in the Helicarier's agent lounge, waiting for Peter to bring us snacks.
I rub my white fingers,
"Yeah. You're a beast, Steve. Literally you took the blood out of my hand," I say.
Steve smirks as he leans back in his leather chair. The seats in the lounge are nice. Really nice. I sit across from Steve, my chair a replica of his. A metal table rests between our two seats.
Tony and Beka sit on a couch that Tony and Steve moved closer to the table.
"Where's Pete?" Beka asks, "we sent him out for food like twenty minutes ago."
As if on cue Peter runs into the room.
"Found him," I say.
"Yeah, yeah. You're a genius," Peter mumbles throwing all sorts of snack items on the table, "let's see, I got snickers, popcorn, bananas, beef jerky, and a whole lot of kit-kats. Did I miss anything?" Peter asks as he grabs a banana and sinks in middle of the couch.
"You forgot cake," I say.
Steve, Tony, and I burst into laughter.
Beka and Peter stare, obviously confused, at us.
"It's an inside joke," I say.
"Okay. On the less koo-koo side of things," Beka says standing and grabbing a snickers, "Did you know that....."
"We don't care," Peter says groaning.
Beka slaps Peter's arms.
"Oww!" Peter howls.
We all laugh.
"By the way, where's Director Fury?" Peter asks.
"He's um...." Tony coughs awkwardly, "cleaning up the press from....you know," he says.
Our light mood drops drastically.
I do know. One month ago Loki Laufeyson gave his life for the city of New York....well, really me.
We don't talk about it much. We almost died that day. Steve and I experienced some....traumatizing moments.
The problem is, the city of NYC is still pretty shaken up. Fury has been in numerous press conferences over the past four weeks. There was no damage left in the city, but there was some damage on Liberty Island.
You see, when Loki sacrificed himself for us, his life renewed the city, but it didn't reach Liberty Island.
Sadly, the Statue of Liberty suffered the loss of her left arm. So she still holds the torch, but bye bye right arm.
According to Tony, no pedestrians on the island died. Many were wounded but the only real death was Loki.
I feel tears forming in my eyes. My hands are still a bright pink from where they were burnt. Loki healed the charred parts but pink remnants are still visible.
"What I want to know, is where Clint is," Beka says, "he said he would teach me how to shoot a bow."
"I know he left about an hour ago," Steve says.
I giggle on the inside. Clint Barton, A.K.A Hawkeye, is at Stark Towers, visiting his wife, Natasha Romanoff Barton.
The thing is, I'm the only one that knows Clint and Natasha are married. Actually, I'm not supposed to know that information. Not even Nick Fury, the leader of S.H.I.E.L.D knows this secret.
But the bigger secret lies in Natasha. S.H.I.E.L.D thinks that Nat is on a top secret mission for Pepper Potts, Tony Starks assistant and as of a few months ago, fiancé.
Natasha Romanoff is six months pregnant.
Clint told me where he was going today so it's my job to cover for him. He left
"I think he went with Derrick somewhere," I say.
The door opens revealing Derrick.
Opps.
"Hey guys," Derrick says.
"Where's Clint?" Beka asks, "wait. I already know the answer...you have no idea," she says.
My eyes widen. I forgot Beka has mind reading abilities. I have to get out of here.
I force a laugh,
"I'm gonna go find, Clint," I say jumping of my chair and dashing for the door.
"Christy, wait!" Steve calls.
I run out of the room before Beke has time to read my thoughts.
I stand in the hallway and wait for Steve.
Three.
Two.
One.
"Christy, what was that?" Steve asks as he bursts into the hallway.
"I thought. You and I needed to....take a walk," I reply.
He folds his arms together,
"Okay...what's up?"
Turning, I start to walk,
"Nothing. It's just...boring in there," I say.
Steve runs to catch up with me,
"Is this about...last month?"
Phew. That's a great excuse.
"Yes," I say, "it's been hard. You know with Thor, Bruce and all."
Thor was so upset when Loki died that the day after he and Jane Foster left for Asgard.
Bruce Banner, after he shrunk from Hulk size, somehow concocted a virus in his liver. He's currently in the infirmary, waiting for a cure...or a transplant. But as long as he stays calm, Bruce will be fine.
"Have you heard from your dad recently?" Steve asks.
He's talking about Phil Coulson. My real father. For nineteen years I beloved I was Christy Romanoff. Then when Loki attacked New York the first time, I found out I had been lie to my whole life.
My full name is Christy Elizabeth Coulson. I'm twenty years old, have blonde hair and blue eyes.
It may look like I'm normal on the outside, but on the inside, I'm different. I have powers, which yes, makes me a superhero. I fight...fought along side the Avengers, and S.H.I.E.L.D, who despite the lies, showed me how to live.
I shake my head,
"I talked to him three weeks ago, but he kind of disappeared after that."
Steve nods,
"How is Beka taking the whole, cousin thing?"
Oh yeah, Rebeka Johnston is my cousin. Her mother was my father's sister. We rescued Beka from Loki when he kidnapped her thinking she was me. Her hair is short and black now but when Loki first met her, she looked identical to me.
"I think she's taking it well. I'm the only family she has left," I reply.
Suddenly, my earpiece beeps like crazy. Freezing I look at Steve.
"Turn it on," Steve says.
Rolling my eyes, I reach up and turn the earpiece on.
Agent Maria Hill's voice shooting through the speaker,
"Rodgers, Coulson, get up here now!"
"Hold up!" I say, "where here?"
I hear Hill scoff,
"Flight deck. It's Barton and Potts."
Potts. Pepper.
Natasha.
My beating heart races and I dash down the hallway. I don't even wait for Steve, because I know he will follow.
It feels like ages before we reach the flight deck. Hundreds on ships line the deck so it's hard to spot out Hill.
"There," Steve says grabbing my arm.
Turning, I see where Steve points. An unconscious Pepper Potts is being carried out of a jet while Clint sits on a wooden crate, talking to Hill. Blood stains Clint's clothes, hands, and hair.
I think my heart skipped a beat as I run over to Clint's side.
Clint Barton is like my brother. He helped Fury raise me, along with Nat.
"...it was so sudden. I parked the jet, entered the building and...." Clint pauses when he sees me.
"Where's Natasha?" I ask.
Tony, Derrick, Peter, and Beka finally arrive.
"Pepper!" Tony screams when he sees her pale, bloody, limp, body.
Clint doesn't answer.
"Where's Natasha!" I yell, demanding an answer.
Clint meets my gaze as a single tear slides down his dirty face,
"Natasha's been kidnapped."
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A/N: Okay. Please remember that this is a sample of the real chapter 1. When I post this for real, it will be a lot longer.
What do you think?
That's basically the plot for my third book, although you have no idea who the villain is:)
Mawahaha:)
Lol.
Okay! That's all.
The third book, "Stand Together" is posted:)
-AnnaBeth
2/8/2014.