July 2009
When Steve awoke he was perplexed everything looked different. The hospital he was in appeared to be made of a great deal of vinyl and a great deal of electronic devices, the only time he’d seen more was the day of Erskine's experiment. A black man with an eye patch stood at the base of the bed.
“Welcome back Captain Rogers, you’ve been MIA for 12 years.”
“I’ve what?”
“Don’t worry we called Tony. He’s on his way.”
“Who’s Tony?”
The man’s eye hardened. “Captain, do you remember who I am?”
Steve just stared at him. He wasn’t sure what the hell was going on. “Sir I’m sorry but I’ve never met you before in my life.”
“Do you know what year it is?”
“Well, you said I slept for 12 years so I’d say it’s 1956 if I can do the math correctly.”
The man sighed. “Captain I think you have amnesia I’m going to get the Doctor.”
“What is it like 1960 or somethin’?”
The man shook his head.” No Captain, it’s 2009.”
Fury intercepted Tony Stark who was running through the shield facility. “Stark. Hold up a minute we need to talk.”
Tony tried to get past the director. “Look Whatever it is can wait- I need to see Steve.”
Fury stepped in front of him again. “That’s what we need to talk about. Tony, Steve has retrograde amnesia. He doesn’t remember anything after his original MIA in 1945.”
That seemed to get to the Omega. “He doesn’t…” Tony felt ever insecurity he had creep over his heart. “He doesn’t remember me or….”
“No our Doctors are hoping, seeing his family will bring something back.”
“Coulson is picking up Peter now from Midtown high.”
Steve was up changing trying to find the dials on this color TV to change the channel when Doctor Anders returned. He thought it was swell that an Omega could be a Doctor in this new world he woke up in. “Steve, Director Fury and I have some people we’d like you to meet.”
Director Fury returned with a handsome omega that was in his late thirties.
The omega seemed to be surprised and scrutinizing every inch of the super-soldier.
Fury placed a hand on the omega’s shoulder. “This is Tony Stark.”
Steve stepped forward with his hand held out for a handshake. “I’ve been told I should remember you. I’m sorry. I don’t remember.”
“It’s okay. At your age I’m surprised you remember anything, Cap.” Tony said smirking as he shook Steve’s hand. “Although I have to admit you’re still the handsomest ninety year old I’ve ever seen.”
Fury rolled his eye. Steve blushed and struggled to compose himself for a minute. Was Tony flirting with him? “Um… Mr. Stark, how do I know you? The only Stark I know is Howard.”
Tony began moving about the room. “Yep, that’s my old man. I graduated from MIT when I was fifteen. Went to work at my dad’s company. Dad housed you after you came out of the Artic. So I guess you could say we were roomies.”
“I’m surprised Howard let me stay. I mean an Alpha in a house with an Omega they’re not related to usually causes trouble.”
Tony grabbed the remote from the side of the bed and flipped the channel. The remote got Steve’s attention as he quickly looked back and forth between the TV and the Remote. “Wasn’t a problem, as I was married and had my first son four years later. What’s the matter Cap? Never seen Star Wars?”
“Star what?”
“Cool. Empire Strikes Back. It’s an old classic.” A voice at the door said.
Steve turned to see a teenager with Tony’s dark eyes and build. His hair was lighter and jaw line a bit more square.
“Peter.” Tony warned.
The boy was all smiles. “Mr. Captain America, sir. It’s an honor to meet you.”
“Like wise, Peter, was it.” Steve shook his hand. The kid positively radiated happiness. Steve smelled a waif of Omega with faint traces of another Alpha. For some reason, the smell instantly made Steve and to protect the boy. Tony apparently smelled it at the same time because he stepped closer and pulled the boy's t-shirt collar over only to find a large fresh hickey.
“Peter! Who on Earth did this?”
Peter jerked away. “Dad! It’s not a big deal.
“Not a big deal!” Tony was glaring daggers at the boy. “You’re fifteen! Not a big deal my ass. I’m not stupid you know any harder that would be a mating bite and… I can tell whoever gave you that was behind---.”
Tony suddenly grabbed Peter and pulled him into the hall with both of them facing away from Captain America. “Were you having sex?”
“Dad!” Steve could see the family resemblance.
“Just please for the love of God tell me you used protection.”
“Are we really having this conversation now!” Peter hissed.
Steve just looked to the ground this conversation was incredibly awkward, and it wasn’t like going into the hall did anything he and Fury could hear everything. Fury, however, appeared to be un-phased by the conversation.
“Are you really going to embarrass me in front of Captain America?”
“You’re embarrassed! I’m the one who’s got a fifteen-year-old skipping school to go be had by what’s her name.”
Tony grabbed the boy and pushed further from Steve’s room. “Go! We’ll talk about this at home. While I go fill out the paper work, you call Happy to pick us up.”
Fury finally spoke. “Good Luck with that family, Captain.”
“What do you mean?”
“Stark is your emergency contact on file. His home is also your last known living address. Lucky Stark has an excessive amount of rooms and kept all your old stuff-well what isn’t on loan to the Smithsonian. Doctors think returning to some semblance of your old life, will help you get your memories back.”
Steve nodded. “Tell me have they always been like that?”
Fury stood from the chair he’d taken. “Those boys have had a rough couple of years.”
“It have anything to do with the fact that Stark’s chest glows?”
“It has everything to do with it. Stark’s husband, Obadiah Stane, paid to have him killed and abducted so he could take over Stark Industries. Only Tony survived by putting a ridiculously powerful generator in his chest and killing Obadiah. Tony’s kids only know half of that story though. They think terrorists abducted Tony. And Obadiah died in a tragic airplane accident.”
“Why would he have kids with a man like that?”
“He didn’t, well, Peter the boy you met, his father was one of my best soldiers. Tony married him when he was eighteen.” Fury paused. “He went missing on one of your missions. Tony’s other son… is a different story.”
Fury turned to leave the room and pointed up to the TV. “Peter is right, that’s a classic.”
Steve looked up in time to see the protagonist say He told me enough, he told me you killed him. The robot looking man replied No, I am your father. Followed by an over dramatized scream. Steve sat and watched until Tony returned. Really he thought how bad could it be to have your father return from the dead.
On the long list of surprises of the day, finding out that the Stark Mansion was now Stark Tower wasn’t even in the top ten- barely on that list was finding out the living floor of the tower talked. Jarvis was what Tony and Peter called the disembodied voice.
Tony instructed Peter to give him a tour of the penthouse, which the kid was beyond happy about, he was literally climbing up the walls. (This ability was probably second).
“So this is the kitchen. You might want to get a mini-fridge if you want to keep anything for yourself, there is a list on the fridge whatever you want Pepper, that’s dad’s PA, she has stuff delivered every week. I have my snacks ordered and put into my own room cause no one in this house remembers to write anything on the list but me, and they steal leftovers. The coffee machine is over there. We have one in the lab but don’t touch it cause dad makes coffee that is more grounds than coffee. And he’s particular about his lab. Actually don’t touch anything in his lab. Actually don’t go in his lab.”
The kid finally appeared to take a breath for a second and smiled up at Steve. “I just have one question. What is a mini-fridge?”
Peter blinked at him trying to comprehend what the man was asking.
Before he could explain this to the Captain, a pair of rolled-up socks collided went on a collision course for Peter’s face. Peter simply ducted out of the way; Steve’s reflex was to catch it.
The Alpha looked in the direction from which the projectile had come. A boy about twelve was staring at him from the balcony of the next floor holding some kind of potato gun.
“Come get your laundry.” He said loading another pair of socks into the gun.
“Dude, can’t you see I’m busy.” The younger boy fired again, this time Peter caught the socks.
“Busy is too old for you.” The younger boy fired again. This time Peter caught the socks his face turning red.
“Du.. Psh.. what?...Do you even realize who he is?” Peter gestured wildly.
“Uh no. but unless he’s gonna get your underwear off of the dyer, Dad’s gonna pitch a fit.”
“I will do it later, I promise. Look, Dad told me to give the Captain a tour.” Peter whined.
The younger boy looked un-phased. “I promise you the next thing I load into this is gonna be a dirty pair of underwear.”
Steve opened his mouth to run biohazard control, but Peter chucked the socks back at his brother and heads for the stairs. “I hope all Alpha’s aren’t as disgusting as you as a tween.”
Steve gave Peter a small smile as he left. “We all get a bit gross. Though I never threw underwear at someone.”
Steve was slightly amused by Peter’s younger brother, who propped his gun over his shoulder. The boy was staring Steve down, as if challenging him. It was kind of adorable this pre-pubescent alpha thinking he could protect and take care of his brother and Tony.
“You a new SHEILD Agent assigned to protect us?” He said.
“Not assigned, but I’ll still protect you all if need be. What’s your name, son?”
“Harley. And I don’t call me son. Only my Father got to call me that.” Steve leaned back against the counter as Harley descended the stairs. “What’s your name?”
“Steve. I’m sorry to hear about your Father. I was about your age when I lost my dad.” He held his hand out to the boy.
Harley aimed his gun at Steve. “Thanks. Before I decided if I want to like you, you after my dad’s company or money?”
Steve laughed. He liked this little punk. “No, I can promise that isn’t what I’m here for.”
The younger alpha replaced his weapon on his shoulder. “Yeah? Then what are you here for?”
“Doctor’s said I have amnesia, I don’t remember the last sixty-five years. So I guess I’m here to get my memories back.”
“Dude, You’re like thirty tops- I call bullshit.”
“Harley, watch your mouth.” Tony said as he walked in and started digging around in the fridge. “And believe it or not, he’s ninety-one.”
Harley dropped his gun onto the counter and hopped up on a stool. “How is that possible?”
Tony pulls out a piece of cold pizza. “A great health plan and supplements, provided by a Jewish-German national that fled Nazi Germany.”
“What like Captain America?”
“It’s a good thing you’re pretty.” Called Peter from the second floor. “Cause you didn’t get the brains.”
Steve held out his hand again. “Captain Steven G. Rogers. Aka Captain America.”
Harley actually looked impressed as he shook the Captain’s hand. “J. Harley Stane. Dad’s like your biggest fan he owns most Captain America memorabilia.
Tony quirked his mouth but kept chewing.
“Like half the stuff that is in the Smithsonian exhibit is Dad’s collection.” Tony coughed as his youngest continued. “Though he said he kept most of you’re personal stuff here.”
Steve turned to Tony. “You have my stuff?”
Tony nodded. “Most of your notebooks over the past few years. Um, some other personal items.” Tony waved him to follow. Harley trailed behind.
“So what was it like to fight Nazi’s?” Harley asked as they followed Tony through to the storage room.
“Like fighting any bully.”
“Never had a bully. Try again.”
Steve gave Tony a look. “You don’t remember right now but you did a lot of anti-bullying campaigns in the nineties. My first dance with my mate was at one of the charity events.”
They continued walking and finally came to a bedroom with a few dust-covered boxes. “This is the stuff I thought you wouldn’t want shown off in a museum. Seemed to personal.”
Steve nodded “Thank you for keeping all this.”
Tony nodded and started for the door. Harley didn’t move. The omega nudged his son’s shoulder. “Leave him be. This is personal.”
“He can stay if he wants. Might help me remember if I can tell someone stories about things right.”
Tony gave Steve a slight smile. “Maybe.”
Steve started through the boxes. The first thing he found was a Brooklyn Dogers baseball cap. He pulled it out and put it on Harley’s head. “How bout that, Dogers still around?”
Harley looked away to hide the sadness in his eyes. “Yeah. They're in LA now. I used to go to Mets games. I’m not a big sports fan, but dad used to take me and I guess it was cool.”
Steve tried to reassure him. “My dad took me too. It gets easier with time. And hey maybe you and I can go together one day and just remember our dads.”
Harley kinda smiled. “I’d like that.”
Steve continued to dig through his tuff. he mostly found old photos of him and Bucky from the ’30s. They a few of his early sketch books. Then there was nothing. He told Harley a few stories about German and how Bucky died. About how many times that Bucky saved his ass growing up.
Harley left to go grab them drinks.
Steve closed the box and moved on to the next one. He grabbed the box and moved back to the old couch.
The time jump was staggering. The first box was the 30’s and 40’s the next box was from the 90’s. The first thing Steve pulled out was some several black rectangles with white cogs imbedded into them. The labels read Christmas of 94’ and 95’. Steve would ask Tony about it later.
The next thing he pulled out was a picture album. The first one was of him with several S.H.I.E.L.D agents, it looked like a unit picture. Most of the faces didn’t ring any bells. But Steve recognized a much younger Tony Stark. He wasn’t much older than Peter leaning against Steve’s shoulder. The date read 1991.
Steve flipped to the next page. It was of young Tony covered in mechanical grease up to his elbows in some kind of machine. He looked amused and like he was about to do something he shouldn’t.
The next picture was of Steve with grease in his hair and all over his face looking very un-amused. Tony was laughing in the background. Even though he didn’t remember it they seemed like they were really close.
A few pictures later, was one from some formal event. Steve, Tony, a much older Howard and a woman that must have been Howard’s wife were posed together in a picture. A news clipping with the same picture and an Article about the Capt. America anti-bullying league fund raiser was on the next page.
Steve had to admit Tony looked like the kind of omega that wouldn’t have given him or even Bucky the time of day back when. Hell, Tony was very attractive now after having two pups. But as a young man, he was a bombshell. Steve had seen less attractive omegas painted on the side of planes.
There were pictures of family skiing trips, Steve was there and so was Tony. The vast majority of the pictures were of Tony. Steve would almost swear in this life he couldn’t remember whoever was behind that camera was very much in love with Tony. Steve looked over in the box but the camera was missing.
Then Steve flipped the page and there was an ultrasound of Peter. The next picture was Tony throwing up in a toilet flipping the camera off. Several more pictures of various things Tony reading a kids book to his very swollen belly.
There was a picture of an exhausted Tony holding a tiny newborn baby, Peter, Steve assumed. The last picture in the album was of Howard holding Peter and Steve with an arm around him and a ridiculous cigar in his mouth.
Steve couldn’t figure it out-where was Peter’s father, Tony’s mate?
He pulled and old sketch book out of the box next. He quickly flipped through it, until something caught his eye. It was an intimate drawing of young Tony, laying shirtless on the very couch Steve was sitting on fiddling with some piece of technology. Oh god, he had been in love with Tony.
“Peter’s gotta Crush, Peter’s gotta crush!” Harley danced around the living room.
“Would you shut up? I do not! I just meet him.” Peter continued to fiddle with his camera.
Harley responded in a mocking voice. “Oh Captain, sure I’ll give you tour last stop is my bedroom.”
Peter chucked an empty film canister at Harley. “Shut up. It’s not like that!”
Harley flopped over the back of the couch so that his legs ran up the back. He was quiet for a moment before asking his brother. “You gonna lay like this on the couch and pretend it's his shoulder.”
Peter dropped the camera. “What? No! You’re disgusting. I don’t like him like that okay. You just don’t get it.” Peter flicked his brother’s ear.
“Dude, you were totally checking out his arms in the kitchen.”
“I told you. It's not like that.”
“Oh yeah. Then explain it to me?”
“What are you explaining to him, Pete?” Tony said as he drank juice straight from the cartoon in the kitchen.
Peter opened his mouth to answer but not before Harley spoke up. “He’s got the hots for Captain America.”
Tony spit juice across the island and coughed. “He better fucking not!”
Harley sat up and grinned at Peter. “Busted.”
Tony marched over and sat down in front of both his sons. “Har, Steve- Captain America- was my mate, he’s Peter’s father.”
Harley looked stunned. Then turned to Peter. “Okay so why were you checking out his arms, if you knew, creep.”
Peter smiled. “He used to carry me under his arm around the house. I was just wondering it he could still do it.”
“Oh… I get it, dude, I miss my dad too.”
A few minutes later Steve walking to the living room.
“Any memories come back?” Tony called out. Steve shook his head.
Tony stared at him for just a second. “Tell you what how about we go out for Chinese.”
Harley groaned. “Are we going to that fancy place in China Town?”
Tony shook his head. “We’re going to Chu’s. Maybe that will jog Steve’s memory.”
Steve followed Tony and the kids down to the garage and past Tony’s lab. They piled into a new Audi Q7 and headed out. It didn’t take very long for Steve to realize they were headed to the Williamsburg Bridge.
“Tony, if you’re thinking that Brooklyn will help me remember, it has probably changed to much to be any help.”
They drove to Greenpointe. A little mom and pop shop named Chu’s sat on the bottom floor a building surrounded by very expensive looking stores. The inside was lit with fluorescent lights and the booths were made of hard light blue press wood.
Steve looked up at the illuminated menu and said a silent thank you that there were pictures. But he still didn’t know what anything was.
“Tony, I have no idea what to order. And I don’t have money in my wallet.”
“Steve, relax, we eat for free here and I know what you like, even if you don’t.”
A second later a little old Chinese man, steve assumed was Chu, came from the kitchen. “Mr.Stark” was the only thing Steve understood out of the next few exchanges between Chu and Tony.
Finally, he gestured to a seat. “He’s got us.” Tony Said.
Peter called something after the man. Chu laughed and gave Peter the thumbs up.
They grabbed drinks from the fountain and slid into a booth with Harley and Peter against the wall.
“So you speak Chinese?” Steve asked.
“Fluently, along with Japanese, French, Russian and Italian.”
“Same but with German and Spanish.”
Tony rolled his eyes, “It’s not a completion Capt. Besides, I hardly think your Italian counts as fluent.”
Steve smirked. “Do you and I have a lot of conversations in Italian?”
“Di solito sembrava una confessione appassionata.” Tony smirked.
“Wait, are you Catholic?” Steve said ignoring Peter and Harley flicking straw wrappers at each other.
“I am my mother was Catholic and Italian. Is that a problem?”
“No. No. I know the Italians were oppressed. And I have no problem with Catholics, I mean I was raised Catholic.”
Tony smirked. “Steve, I know. I know ever thing about you even if you know nothing about me.”
But I want to know. Thought Steve.