Author: Black Dragon on the Rocks/animealam

Rating: T

Pairing: Mentions of one sided Steve/Peggy, and Tony/Pepper

Summary: The Universe stared at the boy for what seemed an eternity to him, only to change into a decrepit, dirty alley, and that was the last thing Steve saw before loosing consciousness. The small frail boy banished in a flash of blue flames. Be warned VERY AU Young Time Travelling genius tech savvy Steve.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers, I'm just borrowing them. I'm using a good number of the movie dialogs, even if I added bits and pieces to some of them. So if something looks familiar they are obviously not mine, and belong to their respective owners.

Warnings: NOT SLASH, AU, Completely totally AU, Time Travel, Younger Steve, Violence, Adoption, Smart Steve, Technopaths, Technopath Tony, Technopath Steve, Canon Character Deaths, Minor Character Deaths, OOC-ness, there are quite a lot of movie dialogs which I decided not to change but I did add my own twists and turns to make them a bit more interesting.

Characters: Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, Thor, Nick Fury, Phil Coulson, Maria Hill, Sarah Rogers, mentions of Bucky, mentions of Peggy Carter, mentions of Howard Stark, mentions of Colonel Phillips, mentions of the Howling Commandos, Jarvis, Pepper, Happy, Rhodey

Timeline: Pre Avengers, Captain America: The First Avenger, Avengers, Post Avengers

Author's Note: Huge chapter guys, but it really had no good place to cut it. My updates are still going to be slow, but it does not mean I'm abandoning the story. I just reached the end of what I had previously written, so it's going to take me a bit more to write new chapters.

Thank you for sticking with me, and please have patience. As I said, I'm not abandoning the story.

Total size without notes: 8,445

Keys:

"Speaking aloud."

'Thoughts'

Name: /Mental interfacing between technopaths and/or tech\

Unwelcome visitor

"What do you want Fury?" Tony demanded in a none too friendly tone.

Thor stood up from his chair besides the bed, and moved to stand behind him to offer backup. Even in sweat pants, a t-shirt, barefoot, and without his mighty hammer on hand, the blond Asgardian was still massive and intimidating. It had been an unspoken agreement the previous night, neither of them was letting anyone from SHIELD close to Steve without proper supervision by any of them.

On the bed Steve whimpered. The kid had done that at intervals during the night despite the powerful sedatives. He also did it in between the two nightmares which awakened him fully, and which he should not have had with the amount of drugs going into his system. They had been enough to knock out a hippo.

Tony peeked into Steve's mind and sensed he would be waking up soon. He hated the fact Fury would make him break his promise to the kid. He would not be there to remind him it was still 2012, and he had only slept for a few hours. They did not need Steve tearing up his stitches again because he was too disoriented to know where and when he was. Tony glared at the cyclops even more venomously.

It seemed Natasha realized the same thing, because she stood from her chair—briefly squeezed his arm as she passed him— then moved to the bed. She chose to take his place holding Steve. Tony was relieved Natasha would keep the kid from panicking when he awoke.

Natasha got comfortable on the bed, and pulled Steve closer to her, so his head was resting on her shoulder and under her chin, and she could hold him with both her arms. Natasha ignored her boss' incredulous expression at her actions, and began whispering endearments and soothing words in Russian.

Steve calmed down, relaxing in her embrace as he sighed softly. Stark turned to her, and Natasha was surprised when he sent her a grateful look, a tight smile, and a barely noticeable nod. He could not be there while he dealt with Fury, but was trusting her to take care of Steve in his place, and that was more than she ever thought Stark would trust her. Natasha knew he had not been happy she had turned to be a spy back when he was dying of palladium poisoning, even if she had saved his life. In a way she understood, Stane's betrayal was still too fresh.

"What happened to Rogers?" Nick demanded choosing to ignore Stark's question.

Nick schooled his features to hide the bewilderment at Romanoff's actions, and also to avoid showing how surprised he was at seeing them all take a protective stance around the Captain. It was... unexpected, specially the fact Romanoff had climbed on the bed to soothe the Captain while he was sleeping.

"He broke some ribs at some point during the battle, then he was injured by one of those Chitauri rays, and he kept on fighting," he responded curtly. "After the fight was over the stubborn idiot told us his injuries were minimal, and were healing already thanks to the Super Soldier Serum." Tony knew he should reprimand Steve for it, but seeing as he would have done the same he could not. It would be rather hypocritical of him.

"The Super Soldier Serum was indeed healing him," Bruce reported stepping into the conversation. "Unfortunately, it started closing the wound around burnt pieces of his suit. His body rejected the foreign objects, so they were interfering with the healing, and he developed a fever.

"On top of that he was bleeding internally," Bruce added. "It was necessary to operate to open the wound again, remove the burnt tissue, extract the foreign objects, clean the wound, then close it again. The doctors also took care of the puncture wounds to his spleen and lungs caused by three broken ribs."

"I see..." Nick had had no idea the Captain had been so badly injured. "He seemed fine, until he single handedly, and with his bare hands, decided to make mince meat of a leviathan." He glared at all of them, not that it seemed to have much effect. "Care to explain what that was about? We need the darn things as undamaged as possible for study."

"You asked too much," Natasha said from the bed before Stark could, deadly glare fixed on her boss.

She started carding her fingers through Steve's rather soft hair in a soothing manner, while she held the teen close to her protectively. Steve sighed still asleep, but she could tell he would be waking up soon. The Super Soldier Serum should be taking care of the sedatives now he was not receiving a continuous dose.

The Director looked at her surprised. Natasha supposed Fury found it strange to see her soothing someone... so tenderly. It was not in her nature to do so. But Steve needed it, needed to know he was not alone, needed to be reassured there were still people who cared what happened to him, and who would keep him safe when he was not able to do so himself.

To her surprise Natasha discovered yesterday her shockingly strong protective streak was no longer just focused on Clint, his family, and Stark. She still did not know how the idiotic genius managed that, but she was rather... fond of Stark, even when he exasperated her at times—to the point of wanting to throttle him. Not that she let him know, it would only give him an ego boost, and if that thing got any more hot air Stark was going to end flying without the need of a suit.

Yesterday, after learning the truth about Steve, Natasha made the choice to protect him, from anyone, even SHIELD. It had not been only her, though, the others had made the same choice, and she had actually been shocked to discover to what lengths Stark and Banner were willing to go to do so.

Even when Stark had practically just met Steve a couple of days ago—as opposed to knowing Captain America all his life thanks to his father—the billionaire had decided to actually adopt the teenage soldier, and co-parent with Steve's mother to protect him and keep him out of SHIELD's clutches.

The woman was gone, but the engineer was still going to go through with the adoption. Natasha could not say she disapproved after seeing how well the Cap responded to him. Not just that, but Stark actually surprised her by showing he could be supportive, caring, and gentle with another human being.

It had not escaped her notice the man had not had a clue of how to be supportive, or felt comfortable doing it, but he did his best, and it helped soothe Steve. The young Captain whimpered softly again, and she pulled him closer as she switched to French.

Natasha knew Fury did not speak the language, but Steve did. It was in his file, and he had apparently learned it because one of his Howling Commandos—Jacques Dernier—was a Frenchman. She knew he was awake, his back had tensed slightly, but he had not moved or opened his eyes. Steve was probably assessing his situation before revealing he was awake.

"I asked too much?" Nick was bewildered.

"He was already messed up when you found him, Fury," Tony growled as he leaned against the foot of Steve's bed. "He was a soldier in a very cruel war, that alone is enough for PTSD. But it was not just that.

"Steve had just lost his brother in all but blood less than a week before going after the Red Skull, and then he chose to sacrifice himself for his country. The Capsicle believed he would die when he crashed that fucking plane!" Tony exclaimed.

After doing something similar less than twenty-four hours ago, he truly understood how that messed up with one's mind and emotions. He truly had not expected to survive, and odd as it was, Tony made his peace with that.

Finding out he did survive left him more messed up than he had been, and frankly it was only his desire to keep Steve safe, and later to offer as much comfort as he could, which had kept him from dwelling too much on his own PTSD. It really was a miracle he managed to sleep at all, and without nightmares at that.

Steve: /You're still calling me that nickname?\ he asked still sleepy, but not as disoriented as he had been the previous day.

The Super Soldier Serum was clearing the drugs from his system, but frankly, even if they did not put him to sleep, it was all he wanted to do. Just... close his eyes and sleep, and not wake up. But not like when he was frozen; that... that had been... different. Steve had died then, and the process had been terribly slow.

Tony: /You have to admit it's amusing, kid, but I'm using it mostly for Fury's benefit. Stay awake, Steve. You're not alone, we're all with you, and when you're feeling better I'll organize a mind meet, so you can get to know other technopaths,\ he said sensing the imminent depression. Then sent him a mental hug. He was going to have to find a good therapist, and perhaps a grief counselor for him.

"Instead he ended in suspended animation"—Tony went on like he had not just spoken mentally with Steve—"and awoke seventy years in the future to find he had lost everything! Then SHIELD 'rescues' him," he used his fingers to air quote the rescue part, "and ends fucking him up even worse!" He actually snarled, and was surprised when all of his team mates seconded it.

"Look, I ordered Kraft to leave him alone," Nick defended himself, eyeing the men, and one deadly woman, with reservation. It did not take a genius to see they were in protective mode. All of them, and in that group there was not one who was not deadly. "The motherfucker was not supposed to come within fifty feet of the Cap. Believe me, Stark, I did not approve any kind of experimentation on him. I would never have."

"Liar," Natasha called him on it, and Fury startled. "You authorized for some samples to be taken BEFORE he regained consciousness." At her last words she could almost feel the animosity being directed at her boss from the others.

Stark was practically vibrating with barely contained fury, his eyes darting towards the suitcase with the Mark V. Clint crossed his arms, displaying his muscled biceps. He was actually very good at hand to hand, which most people would not believe since he was for all instances and purposes a sniper. Thor summoned his hammer, and Bruce's skin took a hint of green. There would be little left of Fury if they attacked.

Natasha just directed a piercing glare at her boss, then kept carding the fingers of one of her hands through Steve's very soft hair. After the doctor had checked him this morning, she instructed the nurses to give him a sponge bath to clean away the grime and sweat from the fight. They did it before they took him off the sedatives keeping him asleep.

She had kept watch while they bathed him. Natasha wanted to make sure none of the two women and one man got too handsy. They were professionals, and Stark might be paying them handsomely, but no one could deny Steve had a body to die for, and it would be tempting to paw him when he was not able to protest. Luckily for them, the nurses had been indeed very professional, and their hands did not stray.

Her other hand rubbed gentle circles on Steve's back. Natasha had felt him tense at her words, and she wanted him to calm down. In French she reassured him those samples were destroyed, but she wanted Fury to own his actions, and come clean about them. The other men in her team clearly understood the language, as they went from murderous to just plain furious.

"You will have those, and the ones the maniac took, delivered to us ASAP Fury," Tony's tone broached no argument, "Once we have them, Steve can choose whichever method he desires to destroy them."

"Listen, you asshole, you're in no position to demand anything from SHIELD," Nick bristled, and he glared at Romanoff. What the fuck was wrong with her? Why had she revealed classified information, specially something she was not supposed to know?

"No Fury, it's you who are in no position to refuse. You have already fucked up. You let that psychopath passing for a doctor get his hands on Steve," Tony pointed out. "You are NOT keeping ANYTHING your mad scientists took from him without his consent, period."

"The Hulk won't be pleased his warning was not heeded," Bruce said mildly—while leaning on the bed he had slept on—yet allowing a hint of the Hulk's displeasure to show.

"Doctor Banner," Nick began rather shocked at the threat.

A very valid threat. The other prisoners in the detention block were terrified out of their minds, and not just of the Hulk. The idea of even being in the same building with Captain America if he so much as had a paper cut sent them into hysterics. He... did not blame them, not after he saw the results of the Hulk's very clear threat.

"You knew Kraft was a psychopath, and as unscrupulous as they come, with absolutely no regard for the rest of the human race, and on top of that he was obsessed with getting super soldiers, at ANY COST," Bruce pointed out voice hard as steel, skin and eyes with a greenish tint, the Hulk growling in his mind wanting to come out to make his point. "Hell, Steve was not even his first victim, nor the second, or the tenth. Yet you did not make sure he obeyed your orders, Director."

"Doctor Banner..." Nick tried again to protest, not wanting the Hulk to make an appearance. He definitely did not want a repeat of what he did to Kraft, Wilkins, and Frampton. Specially not with him on the receiving end of the punishment.

"One of my regular assignments was to infiltrate Kraft's labs—the four SHIELD provided, not including the helicarrier, and the one at his place—and rescue whoever he had managed to lure into his clutches." Clint chose to speak. "I've rescued several new recruits, Junior Agents, as well as homeless kids and teens from those labs, Director.

"They were all still alive, but it does not mean he did not kill others. I'm certain that psycho had good methods to dispose of any bodies resulting from his experiments. Unfortunately, I was never able to catch him in the act, Sir," and Clint really regretted it

"Four labs, Barton?" he said slowly.

How the fuck did Kraft get four labs, and without him knowing about them? Nick only sent two teams, one to secure the one in the New York Offices, the only one he was aware SHIELD provided for him, besides the helicarrier since Coulson took care of that one. The other team he sent to Kraft's house, where he knew the man had another, less equipped lab.

The information Barton provided was not good, and much as he did not want them to know he had not been aware of something for once, Nick decided it was more important to secure the other three labs. He took his phone and dialed his second.

"Hill," he began once she picked up the call. "Kraft had three more labs than we were aware off, question the prisoners, and get their locations. I want to know who else knows about them, and who the fuck authorized those labs without informing me. Then send a STRIKE team plus a team of regular agents with some biological sciences background to secure each of them.

"Make it clear, Hill, under threat of being delivered to the Hulk for punishment, no one is allowed to touch any samples taken from Captain Rogers"—he turned to the Avengers, who were still glowering at him—"would it be acceptable, Doctor Banner, if you collected the samples? It is my understanding you're also a biochemist." Perhaps this should start appeasing them, but particularly the doctor.

Bruce turned to look at the other Avengers, and got a nod from them, then he answered Fury. "Yes, that would be acceptable. I want access not only to Kraft's research notes, but those from your scientists working on the samples you authorized. I need to be certain no samples were used in any way."

"That... can be arranged," Nick granted even if he was not too happy about disclosing so much to a non SHIELD party. "The ones we took were all destroyed"—they all glared at him, clearly not believing his words, even if they were actually the truth—"when Loki destroyed our installation in the Mohave Desert.

"We had the biosciences labs in the compounds' annexes. The samples were stored there, and we barely had the time to evacuate most of our personnel. But there was no chance to take everything we had stored. I chose to give precedence to Phase Two," he admitted.

The four of them looked at Romanoff for confirmation, and there actually appeared to be some type of communication between them all. Then Romanoff nodded, eyes going back to Rogers, she resumed her gentle carding, and after some soft spoken words in French she actually kissed the blond's forehead.

Fuck! They were actually attuned enough with each other for non verbal communication. He really was not sure whether to be pleased by it, or... afraid. Nick had wanted that kind of cohesion between them, as it would make the Avengers a better and more efficient team.

Unfortunately, at the moment they were rather hostile against him, and SHIELD. It was never a good thing to be the object of their individual animosity, together... Well it did not bode well for him or SHIELD. Loki was proof enough of what happened when someone angered all of them.

"As soon as the labs are secured send a quinjet to Stark tower to pick up doctor Banner, Hill," he instructed his second in command.

"I know where the labs are, Director," Clint informed him. "I can give you their locations. If Bruce agrees, I can fly him to them once they are secured. I just need a helicopter, or a quinjet."

"Barton..." Nick began. It was not that he did not trust the agent, but... He had been possessed by Loki less than twenty-four hours ago.

"That would be perfect, Clint, thank you," Bruce said pleasantly with a smile that was bordering on a smirk at his fellow Avenger, and which Clint returned. "The Other Guy and I would feel more comfortable with someone we trust at our back."

The message was clear, and he was pleased Fury understood it. Clint was clean of Loki's influence, the Other Guy smelled it, and he could actually accept the archer, as well as the other Avengers. Although Bruce could tell his favorite was the Cap.

"Very well," Nick nearly growled in exasperation. He really was beginning to regret getting this bunch of misfits together, they went from completely dysfunctional, to shockingly cohesive, and overprotective in too short a time. "I'll have a quinjet land on Stark's helipad. Barton, you need to provide Hill with the addresses."

"I need a phone, Tony, do you have one I can borrow?" Clint asked the billionaire.

"The coms you used yesterday have enough range to reach Hill on the helicarrier," Nick informed him.

"In that case, I'll be back in a moment," Clint told them going into the bathroom for some privacy. The others would take care of keeping Fury from the Cap while he was gone should it be necessary.

"Kraft, Wilkins, and Frampton won't be bothering the Cap anymore. The Hulk took care of them," he decided it was better to tell them, "and terrified out of their minds all the staff Kraft had working for him on board the helicarrier."

"We know." At Fury's surprised look Tony explained. "The Big Guy himself told us. Well, he actually told the Cap he did not have to worry about them, but we all heard."

Nick narrowed his eye, "The Hulk actually spoke to the Cap and informed him what he did to those motherfuckers?"

He was having a hard time understanding the fact the Hulk was so... protective of the Cap, and... communicative. But perhaps the green monster's words had reminded Rogers of being raped, even if it was to tell him the bastards were gone, and they were the reason why the Captain went berserk on the Leviathan.

"He broke." Which to be truthful Nick was kind of expecting to happen sooner rather than later.

"He did," Bruce confirmed. "I don't know why, but the Other Guy is very fond of Steve, and so far Steve's the only person he's willing to not only listen to, but protect as well." Well, that was not entirely correct, as the Other Guy would listen to and protect Betty too, but that was something Fury did not need to know.

"So the green asshole told him after the battle, and the Cap broke," he said slowly.

"No, he did break, but the Hulk told him before the battle," Tony corrected. "You can see just what type of man Steve is by the fact he kept himself together long enough to do his duty." And he could not help but look impressed, look which was echoed by his fellow Avengers.

"He actually looked relieved, and grateful when the Hulk told him he offed those bastards," Clint said coming out of the bathroom. He had secured a quinjet to be stationed at Stark Tower for their use.

Nick raised an eyebrow at that piece of information. "So you all are aware of what Kraft did to him?" he asked and received curt nods in return. "Romanoff and Thor were with me when I issued the order for Kraft and his... minions to be detained, and I know you would tell Barton," he said to her, "but I have to wonder how you and doctor Banner found out about them, Stark?" He narrowed his eye at the billionaire. He suspected Stark had hacked their servers and obtained the information from there, but confirmation would be a bonus.

"There was a high quality CCTV camera in that room, Fury. It recorded everything," he snarled with barely contained anger. On the bed Steve gasped and whimpered.

Steve: /You saw? You actually saw what he did to me? You saw how weak—\ he began only to be interrupted by the older technopath

Tony: /No, Steve don't go there,\ he advised the kid.

Steve: /—I was?\ he went on ignoring Tony. /I couldn't escape, I couldn't... I couldn't fight them!\

Tony: /You are NOT weak!\ he stressed, his tone firm, /it's not your fault you were not able to fight them. You're blameless, Steve,\ he said with complete conviction in his mental tone. Technopaths could not lie to each other when communicating mentally, and he was hoping knowing he was not lying would help Steve. /Believe me, you did nothing wrong, kid, and there's nothing to be ashamed of.\

Tony: /It's them who were at fault, them who were the beasts. It's not your fault at all! There's nothing you could have done against that paralyzing pen. Believe me, I know. Not only did I design the thing for the army, it was used against me to steal the Arc Reactor while I had it in my chest. \

Tony: /There were only a few prototypes of that pen ever made, and I thought they had all been destroyed since it was rejected by the Pentagon, but they keep popping about.\ Stane must have stolen some of them, and perhaps included them in his double deals. Because he could not think of any other way those pens would still be around.

Steve: /You made that thing? Why? Why would you make such a horrible thing?\ he asked aghast.

Tony: /I made it to save lives Steve! It was supposed to be used to avoid gunfights, and to protect hostages during kidnapping situations. But people have been misusing it, and perhaps that's the reason why it was not approved. I'm really sorry it was used on you Steve, I really am.\ His mental voice was coated with regret.

Steve: /I see... much like my own weapons and what SHIELD planned to do with them.\

Tony: /Yeah kid. I really need to know where that bastard got the paralyzing pen, unfortunately the Big Guy killed him before we could question him.\ This conversation took only seconds, so there was no visible lag went he went back to demand explanations from the cyclops.

"What's wrong with your people, Fury? Aren't there security personnel watching the cameras? Those bastards kept the Cap for over twelve hours! How—" At his words Fury actually startled and recoiled as if he had been punched in the gut.

"WHAT?" Nick could not help to exclaim in complete disbelief. "Twelve fucking hours?" It should not have been possible! Someone should have noticed! There clearly were more people involved, and unfortunately the Hulk killed Kraft.

"—come no one noticed what was happening in detention block 5DZ?" Tony went on ignoring Fury's outburst. "And by the way, don't bother looking for the video. JARVIS deleted it from your system along with any copies in existence, including the backups.

"He made sure not even your best I.T. people would be able to recover it. JARVIS guards the only remaining copy"—there was no more secure place for it, his AI would keep it safe—"which is only waiting for Steve to tell me what he wants to do with it."

Tony: /Do you want me to tell him what else they did besides collecting samples and torturing you?\ he asked. They all knew, but it was now up to Steve to decide who else would, and how much, specially since those who hurt him were already dead.

Steve: /I think he knows, or at least strongly suspects it,\ he said shuddering a little.

Natasha immediately began telling him soothing words and held him a bit tighter. Steve sighed, but soaked up the comfort, he had been so long without it. Bucky was a very good friend, but he was not that good at comforting people. He really sucked at it to be truthful—not that he was any better—but Bucky had tried, and in the end it was what mattered.

Tony: /Yes he probably does... That animal, Wilkins was a sick pervert. But he was also an idiot, he chose to taunt Agent and Romanoff, and Agent,\ he could not hide the pain thinking about Coulson caused. His death was too recent, and he was… fond of the agent. /was your number one fan. He did not let anyone bad mouth you.\ Steve whimpered, and Tony felt how ashamed the kid felt. He sighed and gave him another mental hug.

Tony: /No need to feel ashamed Kid, it's not your fault,\ he repeated, and would keep doing it until Steve believed it. /Believe me, I know, I've been through that as well.

Tony: /Now, let me tell you Romanoff is one woman I'm NEVER pissing off.\ He mentally shuddered. /She castrated Wilkins in a very painful way. So, your call, do I tell Fury if he asks?\

Steve: /You can tell him if he does,\ he agreed.

"Stark, you have no right to remove evidence from our mainframe," Nick snapped at the meddling billionaire.

The fact Stark chose to remove the video, and do so in such a thorough manner was very telling. The video was clearly worse than Wilkins hinted at. The fucking annoyance had the gall to just shrug.

"I will need a copy of that video—"

"No you don't," Tony said firmly. "The fucking bastards are dead, they mention no one else besides the three of them. So you don't need it as evidence.

"If you want to know what happened during the time the motherfucker"—he snarled the word—"had Steve I can tell you, he agreed to that much. But Bruce and I are already two people too many who saw what happened."

He glared at the stubborn billionaire, although he had to admit being surprised at how protective of Rogers he was. Nick had not expected it, in fact, he thought the opposite would happen. He did know Howard's parenting left much to be desired, and he had compared his son to Rogers often. Howard always found his son to be lacking.

"Very well, I want a report, in writing Stark, of the video contents. It must be annexed to the case files to justify detaining the assholes, their initial confessions are not enough." He kept glaring.

"Only if Steve agrees to it," he told Fury mulishly, knowing well the one eyed spy was not going to be happy with his response.

"Very well," Nick practically growled.

Fuck, but Stark was in protective mode, something Nick knew so far not even Potts, or Rhodes, had ever elicited before. At least not to the extent the genius was showing at the moment.

Nick knew Stark was a whole different magnitude of dangerous from Romanoff or Barton, exponentially capable of causing more damage to SHIELD than his two best spies together should he ever deemed them his enemies. So far they had managed to coexist and cooperate, albeit grudgingly on both their parts.

Unfortunately for SHIELD, the infuriating asshole was acting worse than an overprotective parent on high alert. Something Nick suspected would happen if the idiot ever reproduced. He knew Stark would do his best not to be such a bad parent as Howard had been.

Some mental calculations led to the shocking revelation that even if Rogers was indeed twenty-six years old—which Nick was seriously doubting since he found the birth certificate—Stark was actually old enough to have spawned a young man Rogers' age.

The asshole had been rather precocious and active since he was fourteen. But the least SHIELD, well the world actually, needed was Stark acting like Captain America's surrogate helicopter parent. Which in his case the helicopter part might be quite literal. Or worse, instead of helicopters there might be robotic Iron Man suits. He suppressed a shudder at the thought.

"Now, I'll send a team to transport Rogers to one of our medical faci..."

"Over my dead body!"

"Fuck no!"

"Don't even think about it!"

"No way in hell!"

"The Son of Rogers isn't going anywhere!"

Tony: /JARVIS, I urgently need a Power of Attorney where Steve grants me the right to make medical decisions in his place. Ask Steve to mentally sign it once it's done. Then send it to my phone, modify the date and time to match yesterday's about an hour before the portal opened.\

JARVIS: /Right away, Sir. Do you want me to contact Mister Rutherford so he has a copy in his archives, and ask him to validate it for you?\

Tony: /Do so J, tell him I need for him to confirm the time and date of the document.\

Nick actually had to take a step back at their response. All five were practically up in arms. The men had arranged themselves protectively around the bed, and Natasha... Hell Natasha had wrapped herself around a visibly shaking Rogers—who had curled up into a small ball—protecting any vulnerable areas with her own body.

The Cap's response left him shaken, and he could not understand it. Because Nick could actually hear very soft whimpers coming from the younger man, letting him know the Captain had probably been awake for some time, and had been listening to the conversation.

Rogers clearly still needed medical attention, so why would they refuse it? But above all, the Cap's reaction left him disheartened. He was truly broken, Nick had hoped the Leviathan might have been just something to cope, but to actually tremble at the mention of going to medical?

For her part Natasha was whispering in French to Steve, trying to reassure him. They were not going to let anyone take him back to SHIELD, specially not to medical. He was safe, they would protect him. She would shoot Fury if she had to.

Nick could only stare because Romanoff had produced a gun from fuck knows where, which she had trained right between his eyes. He knew she rarely missed at such close range. "What the fuck? Why are you against Rogers getting help?" He demanded trying to hide how surprised and concerned he was by their response.

"Kraft was a medical doctor besides being a biochemist, Director," Clint reminded the man in a very cold, and hard tone of voice.

"He was not the only one obsessed with recreating Project Rebirth at SHIELD," Natasha added, "or did you forget the reason why Coulson"—and his breath hitched a little, at the mention of his handler and friend, Natasha told him last night what happened to him—"was stationed in his room while he was unconscious?"

"If you think we're going to allow any of them another go at Steve you're insane," Bruce told him.

"The SHIELD has already done much harm to the Captain, it will not be allowed to continue," Thor boomed as he glared at the Director.

"I have a Power of Attorney, signed by Steve, granting me the right to make any medical decisions for him if he's not able, Fury," Tony told the one eyed spy.

JARVIS had just informed him he already had the document drafted, and ready to be signed. At the moment the AI was letting Steve read it. Tony knew the kid would sign it. As soon as it was done JARVIS would email it to Rutherford.

A mental signature could replicate one made with a stylus on any electronic document. The others were staring at him shocked at this, and he was sure they were going to ask when they had the time for something like that.

"You have a WHAT?" Nick actually gaped at hearing Stark's words.

"You heard, Fury, Steve granted me the right to make decisions for him if he's incapacitated..."

"YOU?" He asked bewildered. "Don't make me laugh, Stark. Why would he give you that power? Hell, when did you have the time to get something like that?"

"Yes me. He asked me if I would help him in this capacity back on the helicarrier, before we left for New York," Tony told them as his mind was making things up in a hurry. At least to his ears it did sound plausible. A quick look at Bruce reassured him. The physicist gave him a tiny nod, and a barely there smile. "We were going into a fight, and he had no one to ensure his well being if something happened to him which left Steve unable to decide for himself.

"He DOES NOT trust SHIELD, Nick," Tony stressed. "But specially Steve does not trust your medical personnel will treat him humanely," his words made the one eyed spy start and actually show some shock. "Frankly neither do we, and they earned the distrust.

"Your so called 'doctors and scientists' don't see him as a human being. To them, Captain America is a laboratory experiment they believed themselves entitled to," Fury tried to protest. "Don't even try to deny it, we all know that's true.

"Kraft was not the only unscrupulous psycho you have in your science and medical labs. I'm certain you still have a bunch of them around. So as the person to whom Steve entrusted with his well being, I say he stays here, where he is safe. My personal doctors, and medical staff, are quite capable of taking care of him.

"They are the best you will find, they signed confidentiality contracts, but above all, they will NOT attempt to take samples from him, and I can be certain of that because JARVIS monitors everything in the tower. Anyone tries anything against Steve, and he will know. He will react accordingly should it be necessary."

"While I'm no medical doctor, I do know enough to attest to these people's skills," Bruce said. He had learned much about medicine since he began working on the Super Soldier Serum, and later while he was on the run.

"There is absolutely no need to send the Cap into hostile territory again, which will only make it harder for him to properly heal. Being stressed only makes things worse," Clint pointed out.

"Barton, what the fuck are you talking about?" Nick stared at the archer not understanding where he was going.

"Are you all really that stupid... Sir?"—he added the last as an after thought, which he knew would anger Fury—"Did you never listen to... To Coulson fanboying about Captain America? Or read his dossier? Hell, this is even in the biographies and the comics! The Cap HAS. ENHANCED. SENSES," Clint stressed. "His hearing included.

"You left him in one of SHIELD's safe houses, surrounded by SHIELD agents who probably saw nothing wrong with reporting from within their apartments," Clint pointed out and Fury had the grace to look slightly abashed. "I'm sure he found out from them there were electronic bugs at his place, and from what Natasha told me, he's smart enough to have found out what they were. Tell me I'm wrong?"

"No, he actually developed quite the skill at disabling the things," Nick admitted. "Some he simply disconnected, others he fried somehow."

"And that told your 'amazingly' capable spies nothing?" Tony scoffed. Fury clearly chose not to respond, but Legolas was on a roll, so he went on ranting.

Tony: /Good job disabling those bugs, Steve, and don't worry we'll keep you safe.\ He could feel the kid was trying to get himself together. That was a good sign.

"The Captain was surrounded, Director, as well as in what he could only consider hostile territory. His every move in his 'supposed' safe place was being watched, AND. HE. KNEW. IT," Clint stressed. "That alone would put anyone in our line of work in survival mode, never mind a soldier just fresh out of war.

"Add to that the fact he happens to find himself in what to him has to be a foreign place"—well they now knew Steve was a time traveller, and quite familiar with their world, but that was something Fury did not need to know—"do you think the Cap actually got a moment to rest, get a proper night of sleep, or allowed himself to grieve for the people and the life he lost?"

The two psychologists who were aware of the Captain's case expected a break down. They were certain it was inevitable, and they were concerned there had not been any signs of it. Instead the young man had been adapting at an astounding rate, although now Nick knew it was in part because Rogers was a genius who could probably compete with Stark and Banner, and could be as much of a pain in his ass as Stark could be.

Someone in survival mode, and with Rogers vaunted stubbornness, as well as strength of character, would push everything aside to the best of their abilities, and adapt so they could escape. They would do anything in their power to avoid breaking, until the threat was dealt with, and they felt safe. But clearly even Rogers had limits.

"Look, I'll have the psychologist see to him once he's at Headquarters," Nick told them hoping it would reassure the team. By the groups' forbidding expressions, he could see his words had the opposite effect.

"What part of not sending the Cap into hostile territory did you not understand, Nicky?" Tony asked with a growl. "He is NOT going back to SHIELD period."

"We are NOT his enemies," Nick stressed.

"The SHIELD's people foul actions bespeak of unfriendly intentions, Son of Fury," Thor chose to speak. "They speak of conspiracy, treachery, insubordination, and disloyalty. The SHIELD has treated one of Midgard's bravest warriors so dishonorably.

"I cannot help but question what the SHIELD's intentions towards my brother in arms are? Your people know not he was found, they know not your Captain America was alive. Only Bruce, the Son of Stark, and myself are not with the SHIELD.

"Had Loki's foul deeds not caused death, destruction, and endangered your people, we would not know either. The Son of Rogers would have had no one to speak on his behalf, no shield brothers and sister to offer protection, and to have his back when he is unable to defend himself.

"How is this any different from being a prisoner, Son of Fury?" His tone was disapproving, and disappointed. "Knowing this, what assurances do we have your rogue people will not attempt to hide and harm him again?"

Thor levelled a very dubious look at the Director, staring down at the midgardian, and looking his most regal and commanding despite being dressed in such informal clothes. He towered above all of them, and used it to his advantage.

"If indeed they were rogue in the first place," he added making it clear he had his suspicions. "Make no mistake, Son of Fury, I Prince Thor, Son of Odin the Allfather, and heir to the throne of Asgard, have placed Steven Son of Rogers as well as the Avengers under my protection." He stood tall, proud, and forbidding. "They have earned my respect as the formidable warriors they are in their own right," he added sparing a slightly sheepish look at each of them. He did not want to undermine their merits. They all looked surprised, but nodded at him in acceptance

"He won't be safe at SHIELD, and you know it, Sir," Natasha spoke from the bed. A bit shocked at Thor's pledge of protection. By his body language she could tell such things were not done lightly where he came from. "But the Cap is well protected here. He has good medical attention as well, and I'm sure Stark will find him a trust worthy therapist to help him if he agrees to see one."

"Captain America has to go back to SHIELD," Nick insisted, "as the replacement for the SSR, he belongs to us..."

"I belong to no one but myself, Director," Steve growled finally getting himself together. He disentangled himself gently from Natasha giving her a tiny smile in thanks, and gingerly sat up to glare at the one eye Master Spy and manipulator.

Pulling himself together had not been easy because the pain of his mother's death, along with everything he had been through was nearly drowning him. But the support and protectiveness of his team mates did help, much more than he initially thought. He was not alone, and they made it clear to him, and to Fury.

They were fighting for him, just like his mother had fought to remain alive—with all she had—so she could ensure his protection. Defending himself was the least he could do to let them know he appreciated their efforts.

"Neither the SSR, SHIELD, nor the Army own me," he said looking the man straight in the eyes. "Doctor Erskine made sure it would be so, and there is a document signed by President Roosevelt guaranteeing the Army, SSR, and any other agency would respect my basic human, and constitutional rights.

"Several historians have seen it, and wrote about it, so it won't be easy to make it disappear. I am a human being Director, not a lab rat, a weapon, a toy, or a... breeding stud"—Steve could not help shuddering at the thought, and Fury had the grace to cringe—"Assuming otherwise means you consider me a slave, and that has been banned since the late 1800s."

"The Super Soldier Serum..." Nick began only to be interrupted again, which he realized was actually a good thing, or the rest of the Avengers would have murdered him.

"Has been paid in full," Steve stated firmly, and his team mates glowered at Fury. "I paid with my life, Sir."

"You were found alive Rogers, in suspended animation," Nick pointed out and the look on the young man at those words sent chills down his spine.

"Hypothermia is no fun Director, specially not when you are enhanced like I am. It takes a lot of time for it to take hold, long enough for the Super Soldier Serum to heal a couple of bullet holes, and broken bones.

"But once it did, I was unable to move by the time the Valkyrie sunk," his eyes looked haunted. His team mates gasped at hearing his words, and clustered close to him. Natasha held him, and the other all touched him looking horrified.

"You drowned?" Bruce asked in a horrified whisper.

"You were conscious?" Nick asked aghast voicing the question he could see reflected on the others' faces.

"The position your men found me in should have clued everyone of that fact, Sir. I had been piloting the aircraft, that means your people should have found me on the pilot's seat," he pointed out.

"But you were not. You were actually lying down, with the shield close at hand." The young man simply nodded.

"I knew no help was coming, Fury. So I accepted my fate, I did what I had to do, and gave my life for this country and the world, Director. I would do so again without a second thought if it ever came to that. But what I did does not mean I would do so for SHIELD.

"You made me feel like a prisoner as Thor pointed out. Made me feel bullied, and I. HATE. BULLIES," he stressed looking at Fury in the eyes. "You made me realize the world, but specially the human race, has not changed much in nearly seventy years. What's worse, SHIELD does not remind me of the SSR, AT ALL.

"By your actions, and those of your people, SHIELD reminds me more of HYDRA," his words made the Director recoil like he had been punched in the gut. For their part the Avengers all startled. They had not truly seen the similarities until that moment but now they could see them, and it left them all deeply disturbed.

"Why would you say that Rogers? We were founded to protect the Earth, not to overtake it." He stated, because he actually believed his words, and was convinced that was what SHIELD was doing.

Nick did not admit aloud how deeply the young man's words disturbed him. Specially because Rogers had lived when both the SSR and HYDRA had been at their peak. The young Captain knew what he was talking about because he had been there. Because he had experienced both first hand.

"Let's make a list, shall we?" Steve said. "You had the Tesseract and wanted to make weapons, you actually did build several prototypes. HYDRA did that under Schmidt's and Zola's direction.

"You allow amongst your ranks scientists who see nothing wrong with experimenting on human beings without their consent. As Clint mentioned, I was not the only one. Zola did that with the Allied Prisoners of War.

"You, personally, may have treated me decently, but SHIELD as a whole has treated me more like I'm your enemy, not an ally. I was HYDRA's and its leader, the Red Skull, sworn enemy.

"Your World Security Council saw no problem with bombing a city with several million innocent civilians, and which is also the financial heart of the country. They, for some unexplainable reason, chose not to exhaust all other options first. Because, where were the Army, and the Air Force? They could have worked on containment while we tried to stop Loki.

"I crashed a plane full of bombs headed this way, one of them literally had New York City's name on it." The silence in the room was heavy as everyone mulled his words. He let them sink in then added. "I will never be a SHIELD agent, Director. Not after yesterday's nuke."

Nick sighed, and passed a hand over his face. The comparisons were chilling, and he could not deny feeling deeply disturbed; specially because the SSR had actually recruited several HYDRA scientists after the war due to Project Paperclip. Arnim Zola being the most prominent of them.

"Will you consider remaining a member of the Avengers Initiative, and perhaps take on a role similar to Stark's for SHIELD? He is a consultant." He tried to at least keep the young man loosely affiliated with them.

"Yes, I will remain an Avenger. The initiative is different from SHIELD... Perhaps we should not be a part of SHIELD, maybe just allies..." He trailed off. It was just an idea, and it required much thought as well as research before anything came off it.

"You know, Capsicle, that's actually a very interesting idea," Tony mused, and he could see the other Avengers were thoughtful as well. He was surprised Fury had not vetoed it right away. Instead he seemed to be mulling the idea as well.

"Indeed it is," Nick said surprising everyone in the room. "Think about it Cap, discuss it amongst yourselves, and prepare a proposal for me. Sooner rather than later. I will work on something on my side as well."

If there was anything to the comparison the Captain made between SHIELD and HYDRA, then it was better to keep the Avengers as consultants and not full members of the agency. Just in case some action was needed from people who were not compromised.

Nick knew he would have to start an investigation on Rogers suspicions, but it must not be openly. In fact, it must be kept from anyone at SHIELD with the exception of a very few trusted agents including Hill, and the Avengers. Those agents Hill, Coulson, and himself had personally recruited—unlike the Avengers and Hill, they would not be informed of what they were doing—. It was Rogers who noticed the pattern after all.

Author's Note: In case you're wondering who said what here's the list.

1. Tony.

2. Clint.

3. Natasha.

4. Bruce.

5. Thor.