Florence Peggy Rogers.
That's my name. It's old-fashioned, I know, but I sort of like it.
Nonetheless, most people just call me Reni.
Except for my dad. He calls me Florence, or Flo.
While we're on the subject of my parents...well. My parents.
Many stories have been told about that amazing supersoldier Steve Rogers who fought valiantly in WWII...then sacrificially crash-landed an enemy plane into vast, frozen nothingness, was frozen for 70 years, then unfrozen and brought back to modern life to fight with S.H.I.E.L.D.
Those stories have also contained the story of Steve Rogers' true love, Agent Peggy Carter. But those stories...well, they've only told half the story.
Steve Rogers, the supersoldier also known as Captain America, is my dad.
And what most people don't know is that shortly after he was frozen and reportedly died, my mother, Agent Peggy Carter, was in a submarine battle with the leftover fragments of HYDRA. My mother was sucked out of the submarine somehow (how that happened, no one is sure even now--my mom doesn't remember any of it) and become frozen herself. The crazy part about all this is that years later, when they found my dad, they also found my mom. But they kept her finding a secret, almost as much of a secret as my dad's finding.
My mom was unfrozen seven months after my dad was. He often describes that time as the worst seven months of his life. When finally they were united, they were married--it was quiet and quick but meaningful. Nick Fury kept it hush-hush for the most part, even from the rest of the Avengers for a little while. Most of them took it well when they were told. Well, except for Tony. Tony seemed a little bit taken aback at the fact that my dad could find a wife. But then again, Tony isn't the kind of guy who could commit to a wife.
They had me soon after they were married. Life's been pretty quiet since then. My life hasn't been endangered because of any big threats to earth and the Avengers or anything--after all, they took care of Loki--what other major villains could there be out there?
So what's it like, being an Avenger's daughter?
Well, it's different. I can definitely say that!
In some ways, I'm your normal 13 year old girl.
But in a lot of ways, I'm not. I'm not like other girls my age in that I'm totally uninterested in boys, tip-top fashion, or social stuff. I guess when you are around superheroes...those things seem puny and minor.
I don't go to a "normal" public school. We often travel all over the world, so I'm either taught by some special person within S.H.I.E.L.D., by my parents, or, occasionally, by a private tutor, although that doesn't happen much because there are few tutors we trust.
My parents told me about the Avengers and about their past when I was pretty young--I'm an only child, and my parents are always telling me I'm really mature--so I guess I knew enough to keep my mouth closed about it. It was all very confusing at first, but now I get it and it's old news--just part of our family history.
I spend a lot of time around Natasha, Dr. Banner, Tony, and Clint. Thor has returned to earth a few times but has been away for a few years now on some business in Asgard, the kingdom he now rules--I'm hoping that he stays out there in outer space because I've concluded that wherever he goes, Loki usually comes with him. I get along with the rest of the Avengers pretty well, and I'm sort of accepted into their circle. I have different ways to connect with each of them.
It's easy to get along with Clint--well, relatively easy. Clint is a guy of few words, and he's smart and quick-thinking, but he's also pretty laid-back. When he opens his mouth to speak, you know you better listen because it's got to be something important.
Dr. Banner is very calm and gentle--that is, when he's not the "enormous green rage monster". I've only seen him that way once--and that was from afar, as dad hurried me out of the way. Bruce is always up to some kind of research, and sometimes he has me help him with his experiments. He sometimes refers to himself as my mentor, which I think is pretty neat.
Tony is...well, Tony. He's arrogant and self-centered, but I'm stubborn and spunky. I think we both know our boundaries.
Natasha is probably my favorite one in the group. She's quick-thinking and determined, and boy is she brave. She's always open to teaching me new combat moves. She and my mom get along well.
And Nick Fury? Well, he never talks to me, or even acknowledges my prescence unless it's absolutely necessary. But, for the most part, I don't mind that. The dude kind of scares me.
So yeah, I'm living a pretty great life. My dad is extra protective of me, but I don't mind that. I think he realizes how close he came to losing my mom and I, and he just wants to keep us safe.
My mom is very smart and daring--just like she was back in the old days. But there's something different now--maybe it's her motherly instincts, but she's less...I don't know...harsh? That's not the right word. She's less cool. That's it. At least, she's not cool to me. She hugs me and shows affection--she's more warm. But don't get me wrong, she's just as feisty as ever. She can still pick up a gun and top just about anyone at S.H.I.E.L.D. And when she's asked to step in and help, I get glimpses of how awesome she must have been in WWII. I love those times.
OoOoOo
One day in 2025, 13 years after the Avengers defeated Loki.
I walked into the conference room where the Avengers normally met. There was no one there except for Maria, also known as Agent Hill, who was looking through some files. She had replaced Agent Coulson after Loki's stint and now was Fury's head assistant.
"Hey Maria," I called as I headed for the mini-fridge.
"Mmhm," replied Maria absentmindedly.
I heard the door open and looked up to see Dr. Banner enter the room, Tony behind him.
"Yes, I know that that formula has been 'disproved' before, but one more try wouldn't hurt, right?" Apparently, the two were engaged in a strong discussion. And apparently, as always, the talking was mostly done by Tony.
"I mean, think of all the things we could do, Banner!"
"It's Doctor Banner to you, Tony."
Tony stopped for a moment. "Why only to me?"
Dr. Banner ignored this last comment. He glanced at me and smiled. "There's my favorite pupil."
Tony looked at me and rolled his eyes. "Oh, is the kid allowed to call you Banner?"
"Certainly not," Dr. Banner replied. "It's mandatory that she either call me Dr. Banner or Bruce!"
Tony scowled. "You never let me or anyone else call you Bruce!" He looked at me again. "What is it, day of hearts?"
I looked down. My shirt had a heart on it, I was wearing a heart necklace and bracelet, and my shoes--converse--had blue hearts on them.
"Yeah, you didn't get the memo?"
Tony rolled his eyes. Sometimes I wondered if those eyes would roll right out of his head. And sometimes, I'll admit, I wished they would.
"Here, you can borrow this," I replied, tossing him my bracelet. He caught it, held it between his forefinger and thumb, then dropped it on the table as if it were a piece of toxin. I grinned.
Natasha and and Clint entered the room now. Clint immediately walked over to me, opened the mini-fridge, pulled out a soda, and sat down, clearly in some kind of deep thought and talking to no one.
Natasha examined the room in one sweeping glance and said, "Reni, where are your parents?"
"I think they were stopping off to report something to Fury."
Natasha looked up at Agent Hill.
"Maria called us in here."
"Yes, I did. But I want to wait until everyone's here." Maria's voice sounded strange. "And Fury ordered you all here, too. He said it couldn't wait."
Everyone looked up at this. Tony from his still heated discussion with Dr. Banner, Clint from his soda, and Natasha and I from our conversation.
"It couldn't wait?" Clint looked at Natasha, then back at Maria.
Tony sat there, stock still for a moment, then shrugged. "I'll bet he just wants us to approve some kind of...software or something."
"I doubt it." This was Natasha's reply. I sensed that something was serious, so I chose not to interfere. I simply listened.
"Well, Fury himself should be here in a few moments to discuss it with you." Maria's voice sounded firm, and everyone knew that that was a signal for everyone to be quiet until Fury arrived.
What seemed like an agonizing eternity--but what was probably no more than fifteen minutes--passed, and soon Fury came in, leading my parents. Everything had been nauseatingly silent as everyone sat around, absorbed in their own thoughts and presuppositions. Now they rose as Fury held up a hand. "I know, I know you're dying to know what's going on. Sit down and we'll talk."
Everyone took a seat around the long conference table in the center of the room.
I looked up at my parents, but they weren't looking at me. I could tell they were totally preoccupied. I tried to fade into the background as much as possible.
Fury looked up at Maria. "Make sure all security precautions are taken so that the selected members of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers--" he glanced at me, "are the only persons who hear this report. No one is to speak of this to anyone who is not currently in this room. Understood?"
Everyone nodded.
"Thirteen years ago, we defeated Loki and his intergalactic army. Since then, we have not heard a peep out of them, and to be honest, that has scared me more than a thousand threats because I know from experience that silence from an enemy does not mean surrender; it means plotting."
I took a deep breath and seemed to feel everyone in the room do the same thing.
"Loki has left us alone for some time. But rumor has it that he has sent an evil force into the world once again. No, he himself hasn't come, he's sent someone else. We don't have enough information yet to tackle it, but I'm warning all of you to be on your guard."
I looked at the different faces at that table. For the first time in his life, Tony didn't seem to have anything to say. Dr. Banner looked quietly at the glass table before him, just staring at it, examining it. Natasha and Clint seemed to watch Fury's face for signs of any untold information. And my parents? Dad looked concerned. I can think of no other way to better describe it than concerned. My mom seemed to be just taking everything in.
No one spoke for a long while. Finally, my mom spoke up. "Do you have any more details?"
Fury shook his head. "Agent Carter, if I did, I would've already told them."
Dad looked up. "How do we know that? Don't think, Fury, that we have forgotten what happened on your boat-ship years ago."
Tony nodded. "I have to agree with Steve."
I raised an eyebrow. Tony agree with dad? This had to be something serious.
"I think we all know that when details need to be told, I tell them." With this rather cold ending note, Fury rose and exited the room. Maria stood up. "I'm sending you all a file to refresh you with Loki and his prevoius plots."
"As if we couldn't already remember them?" Clint raised an eyebrow. "Agent Hill, you forget that we fought them, blood and sweat."
Maria nodded. "Just going through the motions." Then she followed after Fury, leaving the team alone, deep in thought.