Chimney’s leg bounced up and down as Hen drove the ambulance. He couldn’t help his mind wandering from the 21st Century to World War Two.
“Come on. Come on. Where are you, Cap?” Morita mumbled to himself as he walked into another room and noticed Steve wasn’t there.
Steve had been missing for a week, and of course everyone knew what that meant. Bucky barely got any sleep because of thinking about Steve being experimented on. Jim tried not to think about the factory and Bucky being experimented on by Zola. All of the Howling Commandos were traumatized from that happening, even if none of them got experimented on.
Morita froze when he noticed a weird object on the table.
“What the hell is that?” Morita asked himself. He grabbed the weird metal looking thing and he flinched when it started glowing with weird symbols. Circles and lines connected to each other.
Morita barely had time to react before he heard someone behind him. He quickly whipped around and shot the Hydra agent. He felt relieved but quickly realized that the object had been hit with the bullet meant for him.
“What the…” Morita said to himself as a weird looking smoke started to come out of the object. He stared at his hand and watched as it started to turn into stone. “Fuck! Shit! Shit!”
Morita quickly dropped his gun as his whole body turned to stone. He couldn’t feel anything where the stone was and before he could scream for help, he blacked out as it enveloped him entirely.
Chimney pushed away the thoughts as him and Hen made their way over to the car accident patients while the rest of the team handled the small fire.
“Ma’am, can you tell me what happened?” Hen asked as she started to examine the woman.
“Grandpa over there decided to go demolition derby on my bumper,” the woman explained.
“Sir, can you please stop fidgeting for a few minutes while I examine you?” Chimney asked politely, his patience already wearing thin.
“The light was green! That’s when you’re supposed to go!” The older man yelled back. Chimney wanted nothing more than to finish this quickly.
“I got distracted for like a second because of the squirrel that ran into the road,” the woman said.
“So hit it next time!” The man yelled. “It’s a squirrel! It’s life doesn’t matter!”
“Are you having trouble with your vision?” Hen asked the woman.
“I think one of my contacts popped out when he hit me,” the woman said. She glared at the elderly man.
“BP is 170 over 80,” Chimney said before he looked at the guy. “Sir, do you have a history of hypertension?”
“I’m 93, son, I have a history of everything! Respect your elders!” The older man yelled.
“I’m older than you,” Chimney said with an offended tone. Bobby, who was keeping an eye on them, looked extremely confused, as did the elderly man. “I mean, I’ve aged seven decades during this conversation because of dealing with you.”
“Okay,” Bobby said as he stepped in to calm the situation down. He could probably tell that Chimney’s patience was almost completely gone. “Sir, my paramedics are just trying to help you.”
“Well he’s not doing anything useful!” The man yelled. “He wasn’t helpful back in that factory and he isn’t helpful now.”
“Factory?” Bobby asked with a confused expression.
“Back in those cells, when Captain America saved everyone. He left with us. Should have left him there. He’s Japanese! He should have stayed in that cell and blew up with the rest of the building!”
Chimney froze and realized that the elderly guy in front of him had to have been in the factory back in 1943. Not only were there a lot of soldiers there, but there were a few young ones too. They probably just hit 18, and then got trapped in that factory because of Hydra. Thankfully Steve got everyone out, well, everyone who didn’t get taken away to be experimented on.
“Sir-“ Bobby started, already stepping in front of Chimney to shield him from the old racist guy, which he appreciated immensely.
Chimney took in a breath of air and prayed to the EMS gods for some patience. This was going to be a long shift.
——
“Are you okay?” Bobby asked Chimney as he walked up to the island where Chimney was staring at a cup of coffee.
“Yeah,” Chimney said quietly. “I don’t like it when elderly people say that they’re ‘always right’ or when they demand respect just because they’re old.”
“Yeah, I know,” Bobby said. He shifted slightly. “He said he recognized you. He was probably dealing with dementia or something. He is 93. That, or he thought you were someone else. There’s a lot of reasons why he could have said those things.”
“I’m used to racism…for a long time, Cap,” Chimney said. “I don’t know why it hit me as hard as it did today.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t do more,” Bobby said.
“You being there helped, even if nothing you said stopped the guy from yelling. Thanks,” Chimney said.
Bobby smiled and went to respond but got cut off by Buck.
“Woah woah woah. Check this out,” Buck said as he ran over and adjusted the grip he had on his phone. “I was looking into the factory the old guy mentioned and Captain America and I found out there was this guy named Jim Morita who was there. And he looks a lot like you. At least he does to me. It’s kinda a little blurry, but when you’re blurry you look like this picture.”
Bobby snickered at the blurry comment. Buck showed the picture and Chimney stayed still. Eddie glanced at the screen before Bobby and Hen looked at the picture.
“That’s crazy, right? It’s not just me? This guy looks exactly like you,” Buck said.
“Wow, I can see it,” Eddie said.
“He’s my grandfather,” Chimney said slowly. Everyone stilled and stared at him.
“Wait really?” Buck asked. Chimney nodded. “Oh, that’s so cool. He was apart of the Howling Commandos and they were on a team with Captain America. That’s so cool, Chim. Did your grandfather tell you any cool stories about World War Two? Or Captain America? You know, he’s my favorite superhero. I mean, I like Iron Man too! He’s cool. But if I had to pick a favorite superhero that wasn’t Captain America, I think I’d pick Black Widow because she’s so badass.”
“Buck,” Eddie hissed as he elbowed him.
“Maybe some other time,” Chimney said quietly as he got up and walked away.
——
Chimney spent the last twenty minutes downstairs staring at the wall until he registered Bobby next to him.
“You okay?” Bobby asked calmly.
“Yeah,” Chimney said with a nod. He made his way towards the loft with Bobby trailing behind him.
“I was thinking about Tinkerbell,” Buck said, causing Eddie to start laughing. “And I was thinking about what talent we’d all be. So I did some research.”
“You did research on talents from Tinkerbell?” Ravi asked.
“Absolutely,” Buck said. “Athena would be a Scouting-talent fairy. They basically protect Pixie Hollow from dangerous stuff, like wasps and hawks and other things. She’s a cop and she protects people. Bobby would be a Kitchen-talent fairy, because those are the fairies that cook. They can even use their magic to flip pancakes. Chimney would be a Storytelling-talent fairy, because he likes movies. Eddie would be a Fast Flying-talent fairy, because he’s the fastest runner.”
“That’s my talent?” Eddie asked with a laugh.
“Yes,” Buck said with a smile. “Hen would be a healing-talent fairy, because she wanted to be a doctor and she likes helping people. Jee Yun would be a Garden-talent or Light-talent fairy, because she likes anything and everything colorful. Karen would be a Light-talent fairy, but specifically a Star Counting-talent fairy. I didn’t even know those existed. They count the stars, and it reminded me of her being a rocket scientist. You know, stars and space. Maddie would be a Healing-talent fairy, because she likes helping people, and she used to be a nurse too. Oh and Ravi, I think he’d be an Animal-talent fairy. I couldn’t think of anything for Christopher and Denny though.”
“Wow, you really put some thought into this,” Bobby said from behind the kitchen island.
“I thought you’d be a Dust-talent fairy because you remind me of, like a senior Dust Keeper. But then I found out that there’s a Kitchen-talent so I changed my mind,” Buck said.
“Senior?” Bobby asked, causing Chimney to snicker.
“Wise,” Buck corrected. He smiled innocently and Bobby rolled his eyes amusingly.
“What about you? What would your talent be?” Hen asked.
“I think it would be the Storytelling-talent, because I like talking about things that I like,” Buck said. “Or a Storm-talent fairy, because of being struck by lightning.”
Buck noticed Eddie flinch slightly and grabbed his hand. Chimney pulled out his phone to make notes.
Athena - Scouting
Bobby - Kitchen
Buck - Storytelling or Storm
Chimney - Storytelling
Christopher -
Denny -
Eddie - Fast Flying
Hen - Healing
Jee Yun - Garden or Light
Karen - Light (Star Counting)
Maddie - Healing
Ravi - Animal
—
Bucky - Tinker (because he likes fixing cars)
Bruce - Animal or Garden (he likes gardening)
Clint - Scouting (spy)
Natasha - Scouting (spy)
Pepper - Queen Clarion (she’s the boss of Tony)
Peter - Tinker (likes MacGyvering things)
Sam - Kitchen (likes cooking)
Steve - Art (likes drawing)
Thor - Storm (obviously)
Tony - Tinker (he’s an engineer)
Chimney smiled at his phone. He glanced up and saw Buck waving his hands at the lamp on the table.
“Uh…” Chimney said awkwardly, sliding his phone in his pocket.
“He’s trying to use his electricity superpowers that he doesn’t have,” Eddie said, not looking up from the magazine now in his hand.
“Ah, okay. Have fun,” Chimney said with a laugh.
——
“Okay but if you had to pick a favorite letter, what would it be?” Buck asked Eddie as everyone waited for the waiter to come back with the bill.
“A favorite letter? Um…B,” Eddie said.
“Because my name?” Buck asked with a smile.
“No, because I couldn’t think of anything else,” Eddie said. Buck made a squeaking sound and Eddie and Bobby laughed quietly.
Chimney pulled out his phone when he felt it vibrate.
Avengers Group Chat
Tony Stark: Cap’s at therapy because he’s old and traumatized and his phone is off so he won’t respond in the group chat. Movie night tonight to get Capsicle and Terminator culturally educated. Any ideas?
Natasha Romanoff: Ghostbusters
Clint Barton: WHO YOU GONNA CALL????
Clint Barton: THE AVENGERS
Sam Wilson: Cinderella
Bruce Banner: Alice In Wonderland
Peter Parker: 101 Dalmatians
Tony Stark: Why did all of these suggestions turn into Disney movies?
Natasha Romanoff: Haven’t you noticed that everyone is intelligent separately but once we’re together we all share a brain cell?
Clint Barton: And Natasha has it.
Bruce Banner: True
Clint Barton: Wait don’t you have like a million PhDs?
Bruce Banner: 7
Chimney: Top Gun
Sam Wilson: That’s a good one. You coming for movie night tonight?
Tony Stark: I’m sending a Quinjet and a car to pick you up whether you like it or not. You’re coming to movie night.
Chimney: Can we watch Top Gun?
Natasha Romanoff: Yes
Chimney: I don’t have a shift tomorrow. I’m coming to movie night.
“Who are you texting?” Hen asked.
“The Avengers,” Chimney said nonchalantly as he looked at his phone screen before everyone stared at him. He realized what he said and instantly panicked. “I mean, what. I don’t know the Avengers. That’s crazy. I gotta go.”
Chimney quickly ran off away from the table.
——
Chimney stared at the ceiling of the Avengers Compound.
“You okay?” Steve asked.
“Yeah,” Chimney said quickly with a nod. “You? Did you like Top Gun?”
“Yeah, it was a good movie,” Steve said. He sat down on the couch.
Chimney checked his phone and saw texts in the group chat. He had turned his phone off before the movie started, and he was extremely thankful given how many texts there were.
118 Group Chat:
Evan Buckley: If we were characters in Alvin and the Chipmunks, I’d be Alvin. Hen would be Simon. Chimney would be Theodore. Eddie, Karen and Maddie would be the Chipettes. Eddie would be Brittany. Karen would be Jeanette. Maddie would be Eleanor.
Eddie Diaz: WHY AM I ONE OF THE CHIPETTES?
Evan Buckley: It’s the vibe you give me
Hen Wilson: Who would Bobby be?
Evan Buckley: Dave
Athena Grant: That makes sense.
Bobby Nash: I miss when we weren’t in a group chat and I didn’t get random texts from Buck’s brain at random hours.
Hen Wilson: Who would Ravi and Athena be?
Athena Grant: Pick your next words wisely, Buckley.
Evan Buckley: I’m going to get some sleep.
Ravi Pannikar: WAIT WHO WOULD I BE??
Chimney looked over at Steve still staring at him. He huffed and shoved his phone in his pocket.
“I…I’m remembering the war again,” Chimney said quietly.
“It’s the anniversary of you turning to stone. That’s gonna probably bring up memories,” Steve said hesitantly.
“Yeah. And some random racist guy from the factory back in ‘43 remembered me today and said I should have stayed there and blown up so that didn’t help my PTSD,” Chimney said. Steve’s eyes opened wide. “I don’t wanna talk about it.”
“Okay,” Steve said quietly.
“Maddie is enjoying being alone with Jee Yun and spending some mother/daughter time together,” Chimney said. “And I’m spending time with a whole bunch of superheroes.”
“Hey, you can join anytime you want,” Steve said with a smile. “I know you like the 118 and I’m glad, but if you ever want to join full time, instead of going on missions occasionally like you do now, there’s a spot open.”
Chimney smiled.
“Thanks, Cap. But I like being a firefighter/paramedic,” Chimney said.
——
“Dispatch, 118 is on the scene, 8th and Alameda,” Bobby said into the radio as Chimney and Eddie went over to someone on the ground.
“Five cars and one bike. Yikes,” Eddie said to himself. “All right, how are you feeling, sir?”
“I’m just happy I wore a helmet,” the man said with an anxious smile.
“Feels like you have a broken fibula,” Eddie said.
“My left leg took the brunt of the hit. I was able to ride out of it.”
“Must be some kind of bike. What happened?” Eddie asked.
“I was just cruising on my steel frame. That idiot over there swerved into the bike lane. He hit me and then veered into that oncoming car. He was driving like a crazy person!”
Chimney quickly got up off the ground and went over to the car. He instantly smelled alcohol and broke into a coughing fit. Enhanced senses had their downsides at times.
“Or like a drunk one. It smells like a distillery in here,” Chimney said before he coughed again.
“You need a coroner?” Bobby asked.
“Nope, he’s still alive. Pulse is strong with this one,” Chimney said. He made his way to the passenger side to get a better angle to treat the patient. “LAFD, can you hear me? Sir, can you hear me?”
Chimney rubbed the man’s chest.
“No response to sternal rub,” Chimney said. “I’m gonna take his vitals. We need to cut him out and transport him ASAP.”
Chimney reached into his bag to grab the blood pressure cuff. He felt the vibrations from the car and instantly started to panic when the car started driving.
“Woah woah. Do not do that,” Chimney said. The car hit a curb and Chimney tried to grab onto the ceiling. “Oh my god.”
Chimney frantically tried to buckle his seatbelt in but noticed it was broken.
“I did not survive getting shot at by Nazis to die in this car!” Chimney shrieked. He tried to stay in the present but his mind started going into a flashback. He shook his head and closed his eyes, hoping that that would help.
It didn’t.
“Oh my god! What the fuck!” Morita yelled after collapsing on the ground. He frantically started patting himself down to search for his skin being stone but didn’t find anything. “What the hell just happened?”
“We got Cap! I repeat, we got Cap! Everyone get out now!” Bucky shouted over the radio.
Morita quickly grabbed his gun and ran out of the room. He took a sharp turn and screamed when he ran into Dugan.
“Am I dead?!” Morita yelled.
“No, but we’re gonna be if we don’t get out of here,” Dugan said before they started running out of the base.
“Fuck fuck fuck, I’m going crazy,” Morita said to himself as they ran out of the base.
Chimney opened his eyes and immediately screamed when he saw Buck in front of the car on a bicycle.
“LAFD!” Buck screamed as he shook his hands.
Chimney felt the breaks slam and put his hands on the dashboard. He frantically got out of the car once it stopped and crawled onto the grass.
“21st Century. Los Angeles. Fire department. 118,” Chimney mumbled to himself as he panted. He hugged the ground. “Sweet ground. I love you, grass. Los Angeles. 118 fire department. I’m a paramedic with the 118. It’s the 21st Century. No Nazis. I’m okay.”
Chimney rolled over and leaned against a tree. He continued panting and mumbling to himself.
“21st Century. Los Angeles. 118,” Chimney mumbled before he closed his eyes.
Eventually Chimney looked up to see Bobby kneeling in front of him. He violently flinched and banged the back of his head on the tree behind him.
“Hey, are you with me?” Bobby asked softly.
Chimney shook his head, his eyes watering slightly.
“You’re okay,” Bobby said calmly.
“It’s the 21st Century,” Chimney said quietly.
“It is,” Bobby said slowly.
“My head hurts,” Chimney said, knowing a tension headache was forming. He flinched and tried not to think about the rebar and car accident.
“You’re okay, Chimney,” Bobby said softly. “You’re safe.”
Chimney rubbed his eyes and looked around. He flinched when he saw the car in the road and an ambulance.
“I hate PTSD,” Chimney said tiredly before he leaned against the tree behind him.
“I’m sure everyone does,” Bobby said. Chimney huffed out a laugh. “Wanna talk about it?”
“No,” Chimney mumbled. Bobby nodded.
“Want me to sit with you?” Bobby asked.
“We have a job to do,” Chimney said.
“You’re important too. Besides, it’s been handled,” Bobby said.
“Thanks, Bobby,” Chimney said tiredly.
——
“You okay?” Maddie asked, noticing Chimney staring at the coffee table.
The entire 118 was at a barbecue at Bobby and Athena’s house, and instead of enjoying himself like he should be, Chimney’s brain decided to have his PTSD kick in. His hands shook slightly.
“Chim?” Maddie asked again.
Chimney looked up and smiled when he saw Maddie.
“Yeah, bad day, that’s all,” Chimney said quietly, pointing to his head.
Maddie was the only one who knew who he was and how old he actually is. Chimney knew he wanted to tell her after she got pregnant, because he didn’t want to trap her in a relationship, especially after Doug.
Chimney smiled again when Jee Yun ran over.
“Daddy, daddy,” Jee Yun said with a smile. She climbed on top of him.
“How my favorite girl?” Chimney asked.
Jee Yun yawned and proceeded to fall asleep on top of him. He laughed quietly as Maddie sat next to him.
“Me too, kid, me too,” Chimney said with a tired expression. He turned towards Maddie. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Maddie said with a smile.
“Hey, since Maddie isn’t drinking, you can,” Buck said as he walked over with a beer.
“I can’t get drunk,” Chimney said. Buck froze and Bobby stared from across the room. “I mean…I can’t get drunk if I don’t drink, which I won’t…obviously.”
“Right…” Buck said with a confused expression.
“Why don’t we go bother Eddie?” Maddie said as she got off the couch to distract Buck.
“Oh I love bothering Eddie,” Buck said with a smile. They walked away and Chimney sighed.
Chimney rubbed Jee Yun’s back and stared at the coffee table again. His eyes were glazed.
“I can’t tell anyone,” Morita said to himself as he paced around the same rock he’s been pacing around for the past twenty minutes. “I turned to stone. How is that even possible? I hallucinated, I had to have. Steve has enough to worry about after being experimented on for a week. And Bucky’s been experimented on too. Shit, the SSR is gonna want to run tests if they find out. I can’t…”
Morita started to hyperventilate again. He knew the SSR would want to run tests if he told anyone. He can’t be experimented on, especially by his own people. He’s traumatized at the thought of Bucky having been experimented on. Then Steve. He can’t be experimented on too.
“I can’t tell anyone,” Morita said quietly.
“Chimney?” Bobby asked.
“Bucky?” Chimney asked, his voice scratchy. “I-I mean, Bobby. What’s up?”
“You’ve been staring at my coffee table for fifteen minutes. It’s not that interesting,” Bobby said.
“Well to be fair, I have a two year old asleep on me so I kinda can’t move,” Chimney said with a grin.
Bobby sat on the chair next to the couch and sighed.
“Are you okay?” Bobby asked seriously.
Chimney nodded.
“If you ever want to talk, I’m here,” Bobby said.
“Thanks,” Chimney said quietly. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and grabbed it.
“Everything okay?” Bobby asked.
“Yeah, it’s just my paycheck from Tony Stark,” Chimney said nonchalantly. Bobby froze. “Uh…I talked to Steve years ago. Captain America. You know my grandfather served.”
Bobby nodded.
“And then I happened to check my bank account while I was there and Tony was behind me and said my bank account was ‘sad and depressing’. So I get weekly payments from Tony Stark,” Chimney said awkwardly.
Bobby laughed.
“Are you serious?” Bobby asked with a laugh.
“Yes,” Chimney said before he showed Bobby his phone screen.
Bobby’s eyes opened wide. He blinked them a few times.
“Yes you’re reading that correctly,” Chimney said.
“This is $15,000,” Bobby said slowly.
“Yeah. I get them weekly and I’ve been getting them for…two years,” Chimney said. Bobby stared and pulled out his phone to do the math.
“Um…$1,560,000 is two years worth of money,” Bobby said.
“He’s a billionaire and I have embarrassing stories about Steve Rogers. He’s more than willing to give me money,” Chimney said with a laugh. “I can’t stop the money, so I’m putting the money into a college fund for Jee Yun. I told Maddie when she was pregnant that new parents should do therapy funds for their kids so we’re doing that too.”
“Very thoughtful,” Bobby said slowly.
“I take $5,000 and put it into the college fund, $5,000 and put it into the therapy fund, and I take $5,000 and put it into my account. Maddie and I have separate accounts still since we’re not married,” Chimney explained. “Plus I’ve gone on Avenger missions before so I get money from tha-“
Chimney froze when he saw Bobby staring.
“I…I’m kind of like a…part time Avenger. I’ve gone on a few small missions, no big deal. So I get money from that too,” Chimney said slowly. “Anyway.”
Bobby rubbed his temples from the stress headache.
“Is that why you seen…stressed and traumatized?” Bobby asked hesitantly.
“One of the reasons,” Chimney mumbled. “I…I’ve been through a lot, and maybe I’ll tell you about it at some point.”
“Okay,” Bobby said with a nod.
——
“The mom’s name is Connie Allen. Her kids were in the car when it started to roll. She panicked and threw herself under the car to stop it,” Athena said as the 118 followed her to the car.
“She used her own body as a speed bump?” Buck asked.
“Chock the wheels, cribbing and an airbag,” Bobby said. “Hen, check on the kids and make sure they’re okay. Chimney, check mom’s vitals.”
“Copy that,” Hen and Chimney said at the same time.
Bobby crouched down next to the woman.
“We’ll get you out of here in no time. Just try to relax and breathe slowly,” Bobby said.
“My kids. You have to get them out of here,” Connie said anxiously, her voice cracking.
“Your kids are being taken care of. Hen is a really great paramedic and she’s making sure they’re okay. The cops are making sure they can’t see anything,” Bobby said calmly.
“No, I mean he’s coming,” Connie cried. “You can’t let him. Please.”
“Okay,” Bobby said calmly.
“Pulse is 90, BP’s 140 over 80. And her lungs sound clear,” Chimney said. “Starting a line of morphine for the pain.”
“Raise the car,” Buck called out.
“As soon as she’s clear, Chimney and I are gonna pull her out,” Bobby said.
“Clear,” Eddie said, prompting Bobby and Chimney to pull Connie out from under the car.
“Nice and easy. Let’s get these legs splinted and ready for transport,” Chimney said to himself.
Chimney turned and saw a car pulling up.
“Oh god no,” Connie whispered. “No.”
“Your ex?” Bobby asked.
“No, not yet. You can’t let him near my kids,” Connie said.
“Connie!” The man yelled as he ran over. Bobby quickly stepped in between them. “Is she okay?”
“Your wife’s been in an accident and we’re assessing her,” Bobby said.
“Toby, Sammy, come with me,” the man said as he looked over at his kids.
“No! He hits us! He hits me. We were trying to get away,” Connie said.
“She’s delirious,” the husband said.
“No,” Connie said.
“Connie, you need to relax,” Chimney said nervously.
“Your kids were involved in the accident, so they need to be checked out,” Bobby said calmly.
“Those are my kids and they’re coming home with me,” he said.
“Cap, she needs to be transported,” Chimney said nervously.
“No, I’m not leaving!” Connie said anxiously. “No!”
Bobby nervously turned to Athena next to him.
“Sargent, what do we do?” Bobby asked.
“You can let me take my kids,” the man said.
“Ma’am, have you reported any incidents of domestic abuse?” Athena asked Connie.
Connie anxiously shook her head as best she could with the neck brace on.
“No. I was always too afraid to,” Connie said, her eyes watering slightly.
“Because nothing ever happened,” he said.
“Legally there’s nothing I can. He’s their father,” Athena said to Bobby. “I’m required to give them back to him.”
Chimney watched anxiously as Connie continued talking. He quickly ran in front of the man and stopped, creating a barrier between the man and the kids.
“Chimney, stand down,” Bobby said reluctantly.
“Are you sure they’re your kids?” Chimney asked.
“Excuse me?” The man asked.
“I’m just saying they don’t share much of a resemblance to you. They’re much better looking,” Chimney said. “When’s the last time you were with a woman you didn’t hit-”
Chimney got cut off by a punch to the face. He fell on the ground and smirked when Athena and a few other cops arrested him.
“You baited me! What the fuck-“
Chimney smiled as Bobby helped him off the ground.
——
“So…officially I need to give you a warning,” Bobby said after Chimney sat down in Bobby’s office. “But unofficially, I should have thought of that before you did. How’s the face?”
“I’ve been tortured before, I’m okay,” Chimney said as he fidgeted with the rubber band in his hand.
Bobby stared and Chimney innocently smiled. He blinked his eyes a few times.
“What were you thinking?” Bobby asked slowly.
“What would Steve Rogers do? That’s what I was thinking,” Chimney said.
Bobby huffed out a quiet laugh.
“You sure there isn’t some kind of…underlying issue we need to talk about?” Bobby asked hesitantly. “Like how you’ve been…tortured before apparently?”
“I was born in 1919 and I age slowly and I served with Captain America during World War Two,” Chimney blurted out. Bobby’s eyes opened wide. “I mean what? That’s…that’s crazy, that’s…”
Chimney quickly got out of the chair and ran his hand through his hair with a shaky hand. He took a few breaths. Chimney collapsed onto the couch behind him and rubbed his temples, his ears ringing slightly.
“So…how have you been?” Chimney asked Steve.
“Oh, you mean the month I’ve been in the 21st Century? I woke up. Aliens invaded New York. I’m on a team full of spies and superheroes, one of which is an actual god. Howard Stark’s son, who is older than me, invited the Avengers to stay at the Tower. And you’re alive apparently and haven’t aged,” Steve said. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. “I’m sorry, I’m just a little stressed out, that’s all.”
“It’s okay to be stressed out,” Chimney said quickly. “You’re allowed to need time to adjust to 70 years of changes to the world. You’re allowed to grieve and be pissed off and be sad.”
“How are you alive?” Steve asked, quickly changing the subject from his own feelings.
“Yeah…I kinda…turned to stone…during the war…” Chimney said awkwardly. Steve’s eyes opened wide. “I didn’t wanna tell anyone.”
Chimney flinched when he registered Bobby in front of him.
“Okay…that’s…information,” Bobby said slowly.
Chimney nodded anxiously.
“I didn’t wanna tell anyone but I can’t keep secrets,” Chimney said before laughing slightly. “Do you believe me?”
“Aliens invaded twice already and superheroes with superpowers exist. I believe you,” Bobby said. “If you told me this a few years ago I’d have you checked for a concussion.”
Chimney smiled. His eyes watered slightly and he quickly wiped away the tears.
“Who else knows?” Bobby asked gently.
“The Avengers. Maddie. You. That’s it. My PTSD has been getting bad. It was fine and I was dealing but then I found out Steve was alive, and then Bucky got rescued from Hydra after being tortured and experimented on for 70 years and he’s finally safe now-“ Chimney cut himself off and took a breath. “I keep thinking about turning to stone.”
“What?” Bobby asked.
“I turned to stone during World War Two and have been aging slowly since. I’m part alien,” Chimney said nonchalantly. Bobby continued staring. “Please don’t tell anyone about this.”
“I…I won’t,” Bobby said seriously.
“Thank you,” Chimney said.
“Part alien, huh?” Bobby asked slowly.
“It’s complicated,” Chimney said before him and Bobby started laughing.
“I would assume,” Bobby said with a laugh.