Disclaimer: I do not own Avengers or any Marvel characters. I'm just borrowing them.

Note: This story is a continuation of The Family We Gain, The Captain and the Widow, and The Soldier and the Spy. This won't make any sense unless you read those first, or at least The Family We Gain.

"Mommy will you tell me a story?"

"Sure thing sweetheart," Sarah Barton said with a soft chuckle. She pulled her daughter's blankets up under her chin and smoothed the soft blond locks that fell into the child's face.

"I heard story!" a voice declared from the doorway. Sarah turned to see a number of children crowding the door. From Torunn, the oldest of the children, to Sarah's own darling daughter Stephanie, the children all loved the stories that Sarah would tell them. Torunn beamed at Sarah. "Can we listen too Aunt Sarah?"

"All right kids, gather round." Her older students looked in the room with questioning faces. Sarah nodded in approval. "Sassa, why don't you sit with me and Stephanie?" Sarah asked. The blue-eyed little girl peered up at her. "Come on sweetheart. Your father has told me that you fall asleep at story time. Come here." Sassa climbed into Sarah's lap silently. Sarah kissed the silky black hair and rubbed her back lovingly. The ten year old was the spitting image of her father. She came to live with Sarah shortly after some turmoil in Asgard had made it necessary for the Princes to remain there for a time. It had been a few months and neither brother had time to visit their daughters.

The kids took up spots around the room. Torunn climbed onto the bed and snuggled in next to Stephanie. The older blond smiled excitedly at her younger friend. Anthony Stark, or better known as the notorious mischief-maker AJ, settled down on the floor next to Sarah's sons Barney and Howard. The three were theorizing on which story Sarah would tell tonight. Henry Pym, Jr., or Pym as most of the kids called him, settled in against the footboard. Azari, the son of King T'Challa and Storm who had been attending school in America for a number of years now, found a comfortable place to crouch on top of one of Stephanie's short bookcases. Frankie Barton and his cousin James Rogers settled in against Stephanie's beanbag chair. They both acted as if they were too old for stories but secretly enjoyed it when Sarah told her tales.

Cassandra "Cassie" Lang plopped down on the floor next to the bed and looked up at Sarah with an amused smile. Nearly an adult now, Cassie had heard nearly all of Sarah's stories over the years but she never tired of them. Sarah's words would create such vivid pictures of the past that Cassie felt that if she closed her eyes and opened them again she might be standing in the middle of a battlefield watching a battle unfold. Elijah "Eli" Bradley took a seat next to her. The young super soldier had rarely heard Sarah tell her stories to the children. Rumor had it she was amazing so Eli decided to listen in to see if it was true. Kate Bishop was just interested to hear which of the missions or events in Sarah's life would be told this time around. Last week's story had been about a trip to WWII.

"What story would you kids like to hear tonight?" Sarah asked curiously.

"Tell them about your wedding day!" a voice shouted near the doorway. Sarah turned to face the door as Johnny Storm strolled by. "That was a fun event. Oh, Aaron just touched down on the helicarrier. I'm out for the night. I'll see you bright an early for training."

"Goodnight Johnny." He waved to the kids and walked out. The students laughed at the behavior of one of their teachers. "Well would you like to hear about the wedding day?" Sarah asked. The response made Sarah smile. The kids were always curious about any good story she had. "All right, it was oh about ten years ago I suppose. The day started with an emergency call out at four in the morning," Sarah started.

"Are you kidding me Fury? It's four in the morning!" Tony complained at the Avengers and company assembled at the helicarrier. "And we have a wedding in a few hours!"

"I'm sorry Stark but there's an emergency. Sarah you can go back home or work coordinator with Coulson, your choice," Fury said glancing at the pregnant woman. One look from Aaron and her father silenced any objections that had started in Sarah's throat. "Looks like Emil Blonsky has some friends that broke him out." Fury looked over at Bruce who froze up at the thought. "After he was broken out, it seems his benefactor injected a few others with Hulk juice as the techs call it. The Abomination is currently tearing apart the bases in New Mexico with his new friends. Contain and detain." The group let out a growl and turned for the door.

Aaron strolled over to his soon to be wife. "I love you sweetheart. I'll be back soon, I promise." He wiped away the tear starting to form in the corner of her eye. "See you at the wedding."

"You come back safe," she whispered before hugging him tenderly. He smiled and kissed her cheek. He knelt down and kissed her stomach next.

"Be good for Mommy," he whispered to his unborn children. "Daddy will be home soon." He stood and left her behind. Coulson walked over and held out an earpiece for her. She thanked him and slipped it in. He gave her the briefing packet before turning away.

"I'm sorry Sarah," Fury said as she made to pass him on the way out of the room. "I-."

"I swear to God, Fury, if my Aaron or anyone dies on that team, I will tear out your eye." She gave him one of her sideways glares. "One day. One day out of the whole Goddamn year I wanted peace for me and my family as I got married but you send them on a mission! What about the X-Men? The Fantastic Four? They could have gone!" Sarah left the Director in the silence of the conference room. He looked at the floor sadly. He hadn't bothered to tell her he had already called in those two teams who had then requested backup. He had tried to prevent all this.

Tim Dugan the Third walked over to Sarah as she glanced at the monitor screens. He held out a coffee and she took it in silence. He stared at the screens himself. "You going to be all right?" Tim asked her.

"I don't know," she replied before sipping the drink. Sharon Carter came up next to her and put a hand on Sarah's shoulder.

"It'll be all right," Sharon insisted. "Don't be too hard on the Grouch; he's got all four teams in on this." Sarah looked at Sharon sharply. Sharon snapped her fingers at one of the SHIELD lackeys around them. The status of each of the teams popped up. "He tried."

"Now I feel like an ass," she grumbled. Sharon chuckled at that. "I have a feeling we're going to have to reschedule the wedding. Again."

"What was the cause last time?" Tim asked as he bent down to look closer at a screen. "Let me guess." He paused. "Aliens?"

"Yes. The Malekith incident," Sarah replied. Tim cringed at the memory. He had been part of the team that went to England to help with the cleanup. It had not been a pretty sight.

"Avengers are on scene," someone called. The trio walked over to Coulson's side. Sarah could only cringe as she saw her family being thrown around by the Abomination.

"Sir we have incoming!" Maria Hill yelled. Fury looked at her sharply. "Three jets and five missiles!"

"Evasive action. All stations operational!" Fury looked at Sarah. "I want you safe. Sharon, take her." Sharon and Tim dragged Sarah out of the room. They made it well inside the ship before the first blast hit. Sharon broke Sarah's fall.

"Sharon? Sharon!" Sarah cried. The younger blond was unconscious on the floor. Tim drew his pistol and fired at someone coming down the hall. Sarah drew Sharon's pistol and joined in. SHIELD agents swarmed behind them long enough that Tim and Sarah were able to remove Sharon from the scene. Sarah handed Sharon off to Tim.

"Get her to the infirmary. If this is an invasion I want my suit," Sarah told him. Tim looked like he was going to argue but Sarah already started to run off. She slid into the suit room and keyed up her suit. She already had on the sync suit Tony had redesigned for her. With practiced ease, she pulled on the gauntlets, locked down the shin guards, clipped on her belt, and threw on her shoulder unit that expanded to protect her neck and the bottom of her face.

"J, you in the suit?" Sarah asked as she took hold of her weapons.

"Yes ma'am."

"Status of the helicarrier?"

"Enemy infiltrators headed your way ma'am." Sarah let out an annoyed growl before charging out of the room and into the hall.

"This was supposed to be my wedding day!"

Four hours later, Sarah found herself arguing with a doctor.

"I'm fine Doc! It's just a broken arm." The doctor leveled a glare with her. "And a few broken ribs. You seriously can't hold me here all day. I've had a bad enough day already." He pointed at the wheelchair in front of him. She swore at him before sitting down in the wheelchair. He was carting her off to whatever room she was supposed to stay in tonight on the ground base. The helicarrier had taken heavy damage in the fight forcing it to land. She, along with the rest of the injured, had been moved to a nearby SHIELD hospital. Instead of going home to the Tower for treatment, she had to get it here.

"Wait, where are we headed?" she asked. The rooms were behind them as they walked. She saw the sign for the cafeteria and raised a confused eyebrow. The door opened and Steve was standing there in his uniform. The doctor parked the wheelchair and smiled.

"Well we couldn't let the bride miss her own wedding," the doctor said with a chuckle. He held out a hand to help her up. Steve and the doctor managed to get her standing even as the tears started to flow. She looked at who was there and barely held in the tears.

Peter was leaning on Loki for support. He was sporting a nasty leg wound it looked like. Her boys smiled at her from their place in the group. Luke, Danny, Ava, and Sam were all holding ice packs to various injuries. Sharon and Tim were seated in wheelchairs next to the rest of the young people. They smiled at her despite the pain it caused Tim at the split lip he sported.

Nearby Clint was holding Bobbi close to him while she adjusted her arm in a sling. Bruce was helping Natasha remain standing. Her mother looked beat up and there was blood splattering her uniform. Natasha gave her a weak smile as Natalia snuck over and held her up on the other side. Tony had his arms wrapped around Pepper while sporting a few cuts. Thor was trying to shake the ash from his hair. Buck was leaning on Bucky sporting a few nasty bruises. Rhodes was thanking Fury Jr. for an ice pack when she walked in. The Pyms and Scott Lang were all exchanging ideas but stopped when they came in. Carol Danvers and Jennifer Walters were trying to rid themselves of the disheveled look they both had.

Nearby Logan stood with Laura and Rogue. The trio looked a little worse for wear but not bad all things considered. T'Challa was holding his wounded Storm close and murmuring reassuring words into her ear. Gambit weaved his way through the crowd to stand with Rogue. The Summers brothers were being doted on by Emma Frost. Hank McCoy stood alongside Kitty Pryde, Juilee, and Bobby. Professor X wheeled up next to the group and glanced at his students and friends in worry.

Phil was helping Maria into a seat as she nursed what looked to be a broken leg. The Fantastic Four gathered around them, all four looking a bit roughed up. A number of other superheroes and agents gathered there in the cafeteria, all looking worse for wear but smiling at the young bride.

At the end of their make shift aisle stood Director Fury, SJ, and Aaron. Fury's coat was half burned off and he sported a black eye but the old man was smiling nonetheless. SJ, with half his suit burned off, was holding Aaron up while trying to keep hold of two rings in his hand. He glanced at Aaron and then back at his sister to make sure Aaron was ready for their marriage. Aaron's hair was coated in ash. He had burns on his arm covered by bandages but his uniform showed the damage. She could see the bandages under his uniform and the blood on his pants. Her beloved Aaron looked like hell.

Some of the girls, Sarah always said Natalia started it, started to hum the bride's march as Steve led her down the aisle. The tears followed freely as she walked the aisle with Steve. Fury smiled as they got to the front of the aisle.

So what if their day hadn't started out too good. In the end, they still ended up married.

Sarah looked about at the children around her. She had added in details about the fights and the battles waged. She spoke of the way Fury had wrestled ten men to the ground with ease. She gave the children what they wished, a good story with a pretty happy ending.

Sassa was asleep in her arms. Stephanie was sound asleep on the bed. Pym had dozed off a few minutes before. A number of the other children looked quite tired. She sighed and stood up with Sassa in her arms.

"I'll take her," Torunn said.

"Thank you Torunn."

"Will you tell us another story tomorrow night?" Torunn asked as she took Sassa into her arms.

"Sure thing," Sarah reassured her. "All right kids, let get you all off to bed."

"I'll take Pym to his room," James said coming up. "Good story sis."

"Thanks little brother. Sleep well." She watched all the kids stumble groggily out of the room. She had the house AI JOCASTA tell her when they were all in bed. Meanwhile she took her sons to their room and tucked them in. She kissed their heads gently and turned the lights off.

The school was quiet as she made her way down to the kitchen. The rest of the students had long since gone to bed leaving Sarah up all by herself. She knew that Laura and Natalia were sleeping already. Buck was off on a mission somewhere in South America. While she felt that the silence was a little unnerving, she enjoyed a bit of time to herself.

She heard the front door open and shut as she drank a cup of hot chocolate. His arms wrapped around her slowly a few minutes later and he kissed her neck tenderly. Sarah smiled fondly and turned her head to look back at her husband. Thanks to an accident five years prior, the young Archer was forever locked into the age he was, just like his wife. Aaron had a new cut over his eye but looked relatively unharmed.

"How did the mission go?" she asked turn around in his arms to face him.

"It was long and boring," he replied. He dropped his head down onto her chest. "I'm just glad to be home. Kids in bed?"

"Yep. They got to hear the wedding story tonight." Aaron chuckled at the thought. "You should go to bed."

"Then you're coming with me," he informed her. "I want my wife in my arms tonight." Sarah chuckled and led him up the stairs to their room. He threw his clothes on the dressed and pulled on a pair of slacks. They climbed into their comfortable king sized bed and shared a late night kiss. "Sleep well Sarah."

"You too Aaron. I love you." He smiled and buried his face into her back. She heard him drift off to sleep shortly after. His soft snores lulled her to sleep not to long after that.

It was hours later that the hairs on the back of Sarah's neck stood on end. She removed Aaron's arms from her waist. He looked up at her groggily.

"What?" he asked.

"Something feels off. JOCASTA?" Sarah asked standing up.

"We seem to have a guest ma'am. It appears to be Junior." Sarah and Aaron shared a knowing look before climbing down the staircase to the foyer. Steven Junior, who had gone from SJ to Junior in the past years, was closing the door as they arrived. His arm was wrapped protectively around his ribs as the lights turned on. He looked over his shoulder at them and smiled.

"Hey," he chuckled. "Sorry if I woke you. Dude Aaron you look like hell."

"I just got home a few hours ago. You hurt?" Aaron asked as they reached him.

"A bit." There was silence between the trio as they made their way to the elevator hidden in the fireplace. The elevator came to a stop on one of the shiny levels of the medical wing of the underground base beneath the school. The lights flicked on as they made their way to one of the exam rooms.

"Any news?" Sarah inquired as she retrieved the medical kit.

"Skull is planning on attacking the school within the next week or so. He hasn't told me when. He just told me to stay at the school and when he attacks to grab James." Sarah's hands faltered as she pulled out bandages. "I have no choice Sarah."

"This is starting to become a very risky gambit here," Aaron pointed out. "I mean they're just kids. Sarah maybe we should stop this operation. This is just getting to personal." Aaron helped Sarah with taking care of Junior.

"I want to finish this," Junior insisted. "We've invested almost ten years into this Sarah. You can't expect me to leave it be."

Sarah refused to meet his eye. She had been thinking much the same thing. The first few years had been spent working Junior into Skull's inner circle. Now Junior was in the circle and damn near Skull's second in command. They were so close to taking him down; they just needed the right moment to put a bullet in the base of head. But something in her told her they had to stop. This was getting too close to the chest and to home. Sarah's mind drifted to her children, her three little miracles.

"Sis?" Junior asked hesitantly.

"I need some air," she muttered before swiftly walking away.

She was halfway across the foyer headed for the stairs when the front doors were blown into the building. She yelled out as the heavy door smashed into her from behind and pinned her to the staircase. She managed to move some and looked behind her to see the Red Skull and a number of his lackeys standing in her foyer.

"JOCASTA!"

"Defense protocols activated. Danger level red."

"Sarah!" She looked up the stairs to see Laura headed her way. Aaron and Junior appeared in the hallway and attacked the HYDRA men. Laura came up next to her and cut the door away enough that Sarah could push it up. "You all right?" Laura asked.

"Protect the kids," Sarah hissed throwing the slab of door at three HYDRA soldiers. "Go!" Laura hesitated but took off anyway. Natalia ran down the staircase and threw a gun to Sarah who slid down the banister to join the fight.

A metal shield flew by her head as she battled. She spotted her father and the rest of the Avengers on scene, including Pepper who was wearing one of Tony's armors surprisingly. Natasha reached her oldest child and handed her another gun.

"Just like vacation all over again eh sweetheart?" Natasha laughed as she took out another intruder.

"Agreed."

"Your father wants us to grab Natalia and go protect the kids. He sent Junior too." Sarah's heart stopped them. She tore away from her mother and dragged her sister up the stairs.

"Grab James," Sarah snapped at Natalia as they ran with Natasha close behind. "Grab him and hide!"

"Sarah what is going on?"

"No Uncle Junior! No!" Sarah then heard a sound she had only heard one other time, Stephanie screaming. Sarah ran faster and crashed into the door of the safe room. Junior stood over a severely beaten Laura. Laura's eyes flickered up to Sarah as she entered. Sarah let out a feral growl at the sight of her terrified daughter.

"Now you've done it," AJ muttered before Sarah leapt at her brother. She wrestled Junior to the ground and slammed her fist repeatedly into his face.

"Sarah, get off your brother!" Natasha yelled.

"Junior did that to Laura," Natalia countered.

"Talia I gave you an order!" Sarah snapped. Natalia grabbed James and hauled him out the door. "Mom, take the rest!" She was suddenly flipped over by her brother who delivered a sharp blow to her jaw. Sarah countered with a knee to the groin and her hands slamming into his ear. The kids were clear by the time the pair made it to their feet.

"Move Sarah or I will hurt you," Junior threatened.

"You could always let me capture you," Sarah countered.

"Sarah, move," Junior pleaded.

"No."

"Fine." Sarah ran at him again but he pulled the one thing she thought he would never do. The paralytic covered bullet ripped through her chest. She staggered immediately as the paralytic took hold. Junior caught her and lowered her into the rocking chair. "I'm sorry Sister but I will complete the mission. I am sorry." Sarah saw it before Junior heard the whiz of a knife in the air. It hit him in the lower back. He turned and shot blindly. If Sarah's vocal cords had been working, she would have screamed. Stephanie collapsed in a heap on the ground.

"What have you done?" Natasha demanded from the doorway. Junior fired again and Natasha fell just outside the door in the hall. He walked out casting a tearful glance at Stephanie. Sarah heard the distant shout of James in the hallway. She heard James scream Natalia's name just after another shot went off. She then saw James pointing a gun at his own brother just outside the doorway. James shot Junior in the shoulder and told him if he didn't leave the next one would be in his heart. Junior did the smart thing and walked away.

Sarah had cleared most of the paralytic from her body by then. She crawled across the floor to Stephanie's side. "AARON!" Sarah's cry was heard throughout the school. "BRUCE! SOMEONE!" James was trying to stop the bleeding. Stephanie's chest was red with blood. Sarah's darling little girl looked up at her with tears.

"Mommy," she whispered.

"We're going to fix you up, I promise," Sarah insisted. She shook intensely as she forced herself to her feet and picked up Stephanie. James continued to put pressure on the wound as the other kids came to help Natasha, Natalia, and Laura. Sarah and James stumbled through the halls to the foyer stairs. The fight was just ending. Aaron looked up the stairs as Sarah's legs failed. Pepper caught her and lowered her to the ground. The Hulk shrunk down to Bruce and ran up the stairs.

"Oh my god," he whispered staring at Stephanie. "Who?"

"J-Junior," Sarah cried. She kissed Stephanie's forehead. "Someone help her please!"

"Mom, Talia, and Laura are hurt too," James whispered as Steve reached them.

"Pepper, take Stephanie to the hospital. Tony, take Sarah. They're both treading a fine line. Go!" Bruce ordered. Pepper took Stephanie while Tony took Sarah. The pair rocketed off to the SHIELD hospital as SHIELD medics pulled up on scene.

Natasha stumbled down the stairs into Steve's arms. Through her tears, she told him what had happened as they waited for the medics to climb up to them. Talia and Laura were shipped off together followed closely by Natasha and Kate.

"Daddy," came the frightened voices of Aaron's sons. He looked down at them crying already. "Are Mommy and Sissy going to make it?"

"I don't know," Aaron cried before falling to the ground. His sons fell into him and hugged their father. The Avengers gathered all the children of the school up and checked for injuries. Over the next few hours they moved all the children and a bit of their belongings to Avengers Mansion where the children would stay until the school was rebuilt.

It was Peter Parker who took on the mission of driving the emotionally compromised Steve, Clint, and Aaron to the hospital to see the girls. When MJ told him who was calling for a ride he didn't hesitate to come. The four of them couldn't make it to the Avengers level of the hospital fast enough in the elevator. The doctor met them at the elevator door.

"How are they?" Steve and Aaron blurted out at the same time.

"Natasha and Natalia are both unconscious from blood loss but are steady. We've put them in the same room. Sarah is already awake and is wheeling herself down to see Stephanie." The doctor paused at that moment. Aaron's legs started to quiver. "Stephanie experienced severe blood loss. It's a miracle she survived as long as she did. She's in the ICU. The bullet went through her lung and nicked the heart. She'll be out for quite some time I suspect. We hope that she will make a full recovery but whatever drug all four of them had in them, it took a good bit out of Stephanie before it cleared her system. You can go see her. Last room on the right." Aaron shoved past him and sprinted down the hall. He skidded to a stop in front of the door and looked in.

Sarah was barely standing next to the bed. Her body was shaking from the effort to remain standing. She was sobbing while smoothing Stephanie's hair.

"Sarah," Aaron whispered. She turned to face him.

"Aaron," she cried and fell into his waiting arms. They stood there crying in each other's arms while staring down at their youngest child wondering if she'd live to see Christmas just a few weeks away.

"He may be my brother," Sarah whispered into Aaron's chest, "but he will pay for this Aaron. He can claim it was for the mission but I'm going to make him pay." Aaron nodded silently. He kissed her temple gently. He personally intended on throwing Junior in a cell and torturing him for a few days before he'd even consider accepting an apology. This went beyond the mission they had set forth to do years earlier. Now the growing fear that maybe, just maybe Junior had switched sides became a very real possibility. Before he feared that Sarah would never doubt her brother, but now he was certain she did. He just hoped that Junior was in agony of shooting his niece wherever the man was. It was what he deserved.

Junior winced as the whip ripped across his back for the fifteenth time. He bit his lip to keep any noise from escaping. The Red Skull chuckled before bringing the whip down again on the young man's back. Sixteen J. Just four more, just four more. The mantra he had been using to count down gave him little comfort as the seventeenth one hit where he had a hole in his back. He barely smothered the yelp that wanted to come out. He'd give his niece credit, she was good with a knife. The eighteenth hit came and he wished he at least had his feet on the floor. His arms were strained from the pressure of being hung by his wrists off the ground. The burning in his wrists was starting to hurt. The nineteenth hit came. He could have cried out in happiness knowing his punishment for failing the Skull would soon be over. The last hit came and Junior let his body relax.

The chains holding him up opened up soundlessly. Junior crumbled to the ground with a grunt. His arms shook as he pushed himself up off the floor and looked at the Skull. Schmidt chuckled at the annoyed look on the young man's face. Schmidt threw Junior his shirt and a bottle of scotch.

"Clean yourself up boy. I'll let you heal before I send you on your next mission. Consider it part of the holiday spirit." The look Schmidt gave Junior told him he was going to hate himself when the next mission came. He left Junior to his thoughts thankfully after muttering something about useless help in German.

The walk to Junior's new quarters was a long and silent one. He sent a hateful growl at any agent that dared look him let alone talk to him. One of the nurses tried to ask if he needed help with his wounds but he yelled at her to mind her own damn business. That alone told the rest of the base to steer away from the man. Junior had no patience for dealing with people today. Not after the events of today. Not after what he had done.

He glanced at the bathroom when he walked into his new room. He wanted to be home in a warm bed with his sister tending to each of those marks on his back with her gentle hands. Instead, he was in this cold room left to tend to his back all by himself. He knew he should take a shower to get all the blood off him before taking care of the wounds but something else was weighing on his mind. He knew he shouldn't but he had to.

He found his League communication device buried under some of his gear in the room. He sat down on the bed and activated the screen. He debated who to call for information. He wanted to call and apologize to Laura. He loved her and he had beaten her near death to complete his stupid mission for Schmidt. He then thought about Sarah. She would probably be in the hospital in bed right now. He winced remembering he had shot his sister and their mother as well. He knew he couldn't call her. Steve would just tell him to come home and face the music. It had to be someone on the League. Someone that would know exactly how everyone was. He swallowed and called Aaron hoping his brother-in-law would at least give him the chance to speak.

Aaron picked up on the first ring. "You have a lot of nerve!" Aaron hissed into the phone.

"Aaron shut up," Junior snarled right back. "Please just," he took a deep breath, "tell me I didn't kill them."

There was a sigh on the other end of the line and Junior heard a door closing. Aaron answered softly which meant he wasn't completely alone. "Laura's already walking. Natasha was just sent with Talia to the Avengers Manor for rest. They were stable enough to move to the medical wing there. They called in the Doc to take care of the wounded. Sarah's well enough that she threw a doctor into a wall already despite collapsing immediately after. She's passed on at Stephanie's bedside right now. Cried herself to sleep." The last four words had the biggest impact on Junior. He swallowed as the tears brimmed in his eyes. He had to clear his throat a few times before he managed to ask his next question.

"Is Steph going to be all right?" The heartbreak was evident in his voice. He could practically see Aaron debating on tell him. "Aaron please I need to know."

"They're not sure," Aaron confessed. "They don't even know how she made it to the hospital alive. The bullet went through her lungs and nicked her heart. The paralytic did the most damage." Aaron could hear Junior sobbing from his end of the line. He felt no sympathy for his brother-in-law. "Your sister has sworn vengeance against you. If I get my hands on you, well you won't see daylight for a few days but that will be the worst of your problems if I get ahold of you. The whole family is out for your head. Fury put you on his secret most wanted list. This plan to take Schmidt down, Junior we're all done. This was the last straw. We can't risk anymore on this. I'm sorry. No one in the League will give you shelter. We won't help you either. If you come home now and explain maybe it won't be bad but if you stay on this suicide mission you're in it alone." Aaron paused and Junior heard a sharp intake of air. "Shit! No Sarah! Go sit with Stephanie. No!" Junior flinched as he heard a fist connect with what he suspected to be Aaron's cut and he started to swear up a storm.

"The next time I see you," came the deadly voice of his sister, "I will make you suffer for what you have done Junior. If my daughter dies there is not a thing in the Nine Realms or any dimension that will be able to save you from my wrath. You stopped being my brother when you pulled that trigger." Sarah then hung up on him.

Junior sat on the edge of his bed in stunned silence. His sister had essentially told him he had just written his own death warrant. Tears dripped off his face and landed on his pants. He knew a few things for sure. He could never go home. He could never face them again. If his niece died, he'd give his sister the bullets and tell her to give him the same wounds so he could die as he had killed her. He deserved no less than that fate.

The screams passing agents heard were blamed on his wounds but were none of the sort. No, Steven Grant Rogers, Jr., was screaming in agony over the fate of his dearly little niece. His angelic niece he told stories to when she couldn't sleep, that darling little girl that looked up to him for as long as he could remember, the niece that he might have killed. He screamed until his throat was raw and he coughed blood onto the floor. He fell to the floor and cried.

What have I done?

So, one hell of a way to start off a story eh? Took me long enough to figure out just how I wanted this story to start, and yes there's a reason why there is such a large time skip between this and the previous story. I just couldn't see putting the kids in this really young.

Anyway I have a small problem. I need to add in more student characters at the Avengers school that Aaron and Sarah run. So if you have any suggestions I'd appreciate them. I added three other Marvel characters in for the school type combo and gave Loki a daughter. I also added two more people to the Avengers team, you'll see them later on. If you have any suggestions or characters I will be happy to get them from you for use.

So I expect the next up date will either be this weekend or during my Christmas break, depends on how much my Personal Finance homework will give me issues.

Please review, I'd love to hear suggestions and your thoughts. I'm not going to write ahead like I did with the last story, promise.