"A distinguished medal from the Senator, that's quite the achievement,"
"You won a World War, shut up,"
Lottie and Tony shared a laugh as they sat together in the lab of Tony's Malibu home once more. Lottie gingerly sipped on her coffee, watching as Tony's grabbed a few of his things and threw them into the box that sat on the table in front of them.
"So, this tower, is it nice?" Tony looked over at her with a smirk.
"Stark Tower is the most drop dead gorgeous thing you will ever see, besides yourself of course,"
"Oh, now you sound exactly like your dad," Lottie scoffed, trying to hide her laughter underneath it all. Tony's smirk softened into a smile as he looked over at her.
"You don't have to come with Pepper and I, you know? Fury said he'd be happy to have you at SHIELD headquarters while you train,"
"You can't get rid of me that easily, Stark. I told you already, we're family," Lottie leaned back in her seat, taking another sip of her coffee. "Besides, I bet no one at SHIELD is going to make ridiculous bets with me and catch me up on television music, and movies like you will."
"Okay first off, you will never win that bet because you're never getting into one of my suits," Lottie only laughed at Tony. "And secondly, you bet your ass no one else will. They'll show you the stupid BS like Twilight. I'll show you AC/DC and Queen."
"And Game of Thrones,"
"Of course, I've got to introduce you to your twin," Tony watched her for a moment as she staring down at the magazine in her lap, flipping through the pages while sipping on her coffee. "That thing you told me about, the weird stuff going on with your head?"
"You mean me seeing the future?" coffee now placed on the table, Lottie looked up at the man before her.
"That. I went through a lot of dad's old files on Project Athena," Tony began putting more things into his box as he explained to Lottie. "What they were able to do to your mind is remarkable. I don't think it can ever be replicated. They enhanced every function of your brain to the point where you can learn just by watching, and in any situation your brain is thinking over any and every possible outcome. I'd have to run some tests, but I think because your brain is so advanced and is thinking of all these outcomes, it's able to pinpoint and actual outcome. But from what you've explained, it only happens in situations of danger. You have a sixth sense for danger, I guess."
Lottie pursed her lips, nodding along as she looked down at the magazine before her.
"A soldier from the 40s who can see the future when in danger. That's fun,"
Tony couldn't help but laugh at her comment, and her laughter soon followed along. Tony stole a glance down at the file that sat on the table in front of him, before finally picking it up and bringing it to Lottie, placing it on the table in front of her.
"Dug this out of the archives for you. Thought you might want it,"
The word classified sat atop the manila folder, but Lottie could still see the words written below it. Project Rebirth.
She flipped open the file, a fond smile crossing her lips as she gazed down at the photo that sat on the top of the file. Gently, she brought the black and white photo closer to her as she looked down at her Steve, young and skinny little Steve that never backed down from a fight.
"I always told him and Buck to live boldly," Lottie;s voice was soft and quiet as she looked up at Tony. "Guess it's time I take my own advice. Thank you, Tony."
"You really love him, don't you?"
"I'll never stop,"
Tony looked at her for a moment, watching as she looked as the photo of Steve, followed the the photo of a young Howard Stark and Peggy Carter that sat below it. He tore his eyes away, clapping his hands.
"Alright, enough of that depressing shit. I've got another surprise for you,"
Lottie pulled herself from her chair, following Tony to the section of the garage that housed his suits. He looked down at her questioning glance with a grin as he pressed a button on his watch, the floor opening up in front of them as the platform began to rise, and Lottie's eyes widened.
"Tony-"
"You need an upgrade, that 40s fashion isn't going to keep you safe. So, if you're going to be a SHIELD agent, then you need a suit," Tony looked away from the suit on the mannequin before them, looking to her with a smirk. "Try it on."
Tony Stark couldn't deny the smile on his face as Charlotte Watson emerged in the suit he had made for her. When he first met her, he didn't even want to look at her. She carried too many memories of his father, happy memories that he never got to have. But even after such little time, she was right: they were family.
"So, what's your final consensus Emilia Clarke?"
"It's more than I could've ever asked for,"
Lottie grinned as she looked down at herself. The suit was formfitting but breathable, reminded her of her old uniform, but upgraded all the same. She let her fingers dance over the star that sat on her belt, the star that meant more to her then some would ever understand.
"Thought that star was a big staple, didn't think I could get rid of it," Tony told her, before reaching into the box beside him and tossing her something else. "Try that too."
Lottie caught the mystery object, turning it over in her hands to see if was a simple eye mask.
"A mask?"
"Where your eyes are, it's actually just a clear screen. It's got Jarvis and everything that my helmet can do built into it. If you're gonna fight in the 21st century, then you've gotta be prepared with it all."
As Lottie placed the mask on her face, watching with wonder as the screen before her lit up, she couldn't control the smile on her face. For the first time since waking up, she felt like she belonged, like she could actually be okay with living out of her time, even if a piece of her heart would forever be buried in the ice.
◼ ◼ ◼
"Director, our doctor's are giving him one last look over. We've also found an apartment we can put him up in for now,"
"Good, let me know when it's all done,"
Nick Fury sat at his desk of SHIELD headquarters, looking down at the pictures of Steve Rogers that sat on the desk in front of him. One was taken just as they fished him out of the ice, and the other when he had finally woken up just a day before.
Phil Coulson was standing in the doorway of the Director's office in glee. First, he had met Slate, and soon he was going to get to meet Captain America. Both of his childhood heroes, back from the dead. It was truly a miracle.
"Man, Charlotte is going to be over the moon to hear about this, isn't she? She's not going to want to focus on her training, she'll be so excited,"
"And that's exactly why we aren't going to tell her,"
The breath caught in Agent Coulson's throat as he looked at his superior with wide eyes.
"Director? I don't under-"
"This world is getting crazier by the minute," Director Fury rose from his chair, walking toward his office window as Coulson sat back, watching him silently. "I should've known that the world wouldn't stay this simple, Danvers was enough proof of that years ago. We've gone so long without needing The Avengers Initiative, but after New Mexico I'm realizing that we are not prepared for what's out there. If I need the Avengers, I need Slate and Captain America. The Captain needs to warm up on his own time, and Slate needs to be focused. Neither of them will be prepared if they find one another."
Coulson couldn't deny that he was heartbroken as Director Fury looked back at him, not emotion on his face.
"Neither Charlotte Watson nor Steve Rogers are to know about the other until I say so. Is that understood?"
"Yes sir,"
◼ ◼ ◼
Yes, that just happened. Who else wants to slap Fury across the face for keeping Stottie apart? BECAUSE I DO AND I WROTE IT!
Honestly, I can't even begin to tell you how much I actually love Tony and Lottie's relationship, I think you guys are really going to love the story line I have planned for the two of them going forward, and I can't wait because chapter thiry means THE AVENGERS!