New York, 2012
New York was in the middle of a war against a group of aliens working for Loki. At the time, the Avengers had assumed that Loki was the mastermind behind the entire operation, but now we knew that Thanos was the one who had orchestrated the attack.
When we exited the Quantum Realm, the 2012 Avengers, complete with colorful costumes and deadly weapons, stood in a circle ready to take on the Chitauri.
"You guys look so... young," I commented, staring with interest at their past selves. My eyes found Nat, and I couldn't tear them away. Her short, slightly curled red hair and skin-tight outfit transported me back in time. I remembered this so well; how worried I was when she joined the team and tried to save the city, and her disappointment at my initial refusal. It had taken Fury until after the battle to convince me to become an Avenger.
I had to force myself to remember that this was the past; an investigation that we couldn't compromise. We had a job to do that didn't include revealing ourselves.
"All right, we all have our assignments," Steve reminded us, taking charge as usual. "Two Stones uptown, one Stone down."
We all watched as the aliens destroyed the city, staring like it was the first time we'd seen it even though we were pretty sure how the situation would end.
2012 Hulk ran past us, smashing everything in his path, including one of the aliens. He almost looked excited that he got free license to tear things apart. One of the other aliens ran away, desperate not to be caught in his line of fire.
Banner looked at his past self, a violent, erratic world away from the person he was now, and grimaced, covering his face with his hand.
Steve looked at Banner. "Maybe smash a few things along the way."
Banner made a face. "I think it's gratuitous, but whatever," he said, while ripping his shirt off so he'd be mistaken for his 2012 counterpart.
He gave a pathetic growl, punching a small dent into a nearby car. Then he picked up a motorbike with great care and threw it against the wall, an uncomfortable frown on his face as it made contact, creating a small crashing sound.
"You two should go," I said to Tony and Scott, who needed to be in Stark/Avengers Tower to get the Tesseract, while Steve and I took care of the scepter.
"Right," Tony nodded, pressing a tiny concealed button that caused his Iron Man suit to form around his body. At the same time, Scott pressed a button on his suit that made him shrink – it was like watching someone become invisible before your eyes. He climbed onto Tony's shoulder.
"Be careful, okay?" Tony warned me. If all went according to plan, we wouldn't see each other again until after I faced Kilgrave. "I kinda need my wife around, y'know?"
I smiled, playfully rolling my eyes. "Don't go all soft on me, I'll be fine. We'll both be fine." I promised him. "I love you."
Even though I couldn't see his expression, I could picture the exact face he was making at me. Then he took off into the sky with Scott clinging to him for dear life.
When they were gone, Steve and I began to walk in the direction of the Tower, being careful to stay inconspicuous.
"Have you thought about what you'll do when this is all over?" I asked him, taking in his comical costume, a replica of the one that he'd been wearing in 2012. "You know, whether you and Nat will start things up again? Or whether you'll go somewhere... else?"
He raised an eyebrow, slowing his pace slightly. "You really believe this will work, don't you?" he asked. "That we'll get Natasha and everyone else back?"
I nodded fervently. "And so do you, or you wouldn't be here. Don't avoid the question."
He sighed. "I... I don't know. I haven't thought about it."
I raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You haven't stopped sneaking glances at the 'Peggy Compass' since we came to you with this plan."
He subconsciously tapped his side, where he'd been keeping the compass, and tried not to blush. "It's not something I want to talk about."
"Because you think you'll never see her again?" I persisted curiously. "Or because... now there's a way that you can?"
He kept walking, avoiding eye contact with me. "When I came out of the ice, the only two people I'd ever been able to count on were gone. I never imagined I'd see Bucky again, but I did, against all odds. Rogue, I'm not crazy enough to believe that I could get Peggy back, too."
I looked up at him, to see a distant sadness present on his face.
"Steve, we'll have the Time Stone," I reminded him gently, nudging him with my shoulder. "If being with Peggy is what you want, after all this time, then it's not crazy to find a way to do that." I shrugged my shoulders. "If Tony was stuck in the past, I'd do it."
"Even if it meant leaving everyone behind?" he asked curiously.
I thought carefully about his question. "If I didn't have Nati, then yeah, maybe. I don't think there's anything I wouldn't do to be with Tony, no matter where he was."
"You're married," he immediately dismissed. "It's not the same thing."
I shook my head. "Marriage doesn't equal love. I'd go back for him because he's the love of my life... is Peggy yours?"
He didn't answer, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration, as we finally got to the tower.
"I got our scepter in the elevator, just passing the 80th floor," Tony informed us through our earpieces.
"On it," Steve replied, pressing the call button. "Head to the lobby."
We watched in silence as the elevator travelled towards us.
"Any idea how we're gonna pull this off?" I asked him warily. If we couldn't get the scepter, then the whole purpose of the mission was over.
Steve stared straight ahead, achieving the same stoic look that his 2012 counterpart constantly wore. "I have a plan."
Suddenly the elevator doors opened, and we saw the suitcase that held the scepter being guarded by a group of agents, including Rumlow and Jasper Sitwell. They were Hydra agents posing as S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Captain," Sitwell greeted him, unable to hide his surprise. "I thought you were coordinating search and rescue?"
"Change of plan," Steve informed him, as we stepped into the elevator, standing in the middle of the agents.
Rumlow turned to me, an amused look on his face. "Since when are you doing the 'superhero' thing, Rogue?"
"I'm not," I answered immediately, trying to remember how 2012 Rogue would have responded. "Just following the secretary's orders."
"We just got a call from him," Steve continued where I left off. "I'm gonna be running point on the scepter."
Immediately the atmosphere inside the elevator completely changed. What was once calm and professional had abruptly become hostile. Part of me wondered if we were gonna have to fight our way out.
"Sir? I don't understand," Sitwell asked, looking as skeptical as his voice sounded.
Steve's resolve didn't waver. "We got word there may be an attempt to steal it."
"Sorry Cap," Rumlow responded indifferently, not sorry in the slightest. "Can't give you the scepter."
I looked down at the suitcase in his hands, dragging my eyes up slowly to stare at his face. After a second of avoiding eye contact, he could no longer ignore me. His eyes unintentionally looked into mine.
"You should give me the scepter."
Instantly his eyes glazed over, and he held the suitcase out. "I should give you the scepter."
I hadn't been able to use my mind control in an exceptionally long time, it was insane how good it felt to actually put it to good use.
"What do you think you're doing?" Sitwell asked, watching me in disbelief as I took the case from Rumlow and held it firmly. He grabbed his phone from his pocket. "I'm gonna have to call the director."
"That won't be necessary, trust me," Steve said. I'd never heard him command such authority before. He leaned over to Sitwell, and whispered into his ear, loud enough that Rumlow and I could hear.
"Hail Hydra."
I worked hard to replace my shocked expression with a blank face. Sitwell looked from Steve to me.
"You too?"
I shrugged, not meeting his eye because I was sure that an accidental laugh would escape. "What can I say? After all, I am a rogue."
The elevator doors opened and Steve and I stepped out. The agents made no move to stop us, almost frozen in surprise until the doors closed, when my façade could slip, and I let out the laugh that had been bubbling in my chest.
"You are a genius. A freaking genius!" I complimented Steve excitedly, handing him the case. "How did you even come up with that?"
Steve shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant even though there was a smile on his face. "Well, back then we didn't know who was in Hydra and who wasn't. My guess is, they didn't either."
I nodded; this made sense. "But how did you know that they'd believe it? I mean, Captain America being a secret Hydra operative is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my entire life... and we just travelled through time."
"It's always the person you least expect," he said, the proud smile still on his lips. As we walked towards the lobby, we heard a commotion through our earpieces.
"That wasn't supposed to happen, was it?" Scott asked.
"Oh, we blew it," Tony confirmed, sounding winded.
I frowned nervously, pushing the earpiece further in. "Guys, is something wrong? Did you get the Tesseract?"
Neither of them answered, which only worried me further. But as we rounded the corner, Scott and Tony were no longer our biggest problem.
Steve's eyes widened.
"Oh, you gotta be shitting me."
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Next chapter, Rogue runs into some very familiar faces.
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