↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺
ᴏᴄᴛᴏʙᴇʀ 16ᴛʜ, 2015
0 ᴅᴀʏꜱ, 7 ʜᴏᴜʀꜱ ᴀɴᴅ 51 ᴍɪɴᴜᴛᴇꜱ
ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ᴜʟᴛʀᴏɴ

'I've got a dream,' Diana raised her hand from my position on top of the table, singing loudly.

'She's got a dream!'

'I've got a dream!'

'She's got a dream!'

'I just wanna see the floating lanterns gleam,' the now fourteen year-old Diana Rogers spun around the stage, making sure her long wig didn't fly off in the process. 'And with every passing hour, I'm so glad I left my tower! Like all you lovely folks, I've got a dream!'

It may have taken months, a lot of sweat, tears, and other fluids, but here she was. The final practice before opening night of her very first musical. It took a lot of work and most of her time but she believed it was worth every second.

With her family working hard on locating hydra members and the missing staff Loki had during the battle of New York, she had much more time to focus on what mattered. To her at least.

For the last few months when the Avengers had been planning missions, Diana had been running lines. When they were debating on locations Loki's staff could be, she was practising her solos. When they were training, she was perfecting her choreography. And when they were actually on their missions, Diana was at practice. Under the care of Pepper Potts. 

And Diana loved it.

At first it felt strange. She always knew that music was basically flowing through her veins, thanks to her mother, but doing something she loved never felt so... right. Thanks to her family she found something that she actually love and it was something she was also good at.

A sound of snapping went off as the cast finished off the song, turning their attention towards the audience. The middle-aged woman barely looked up from her oversized binder as she proceeded to scribble more notes down, "You were all mediocre at best. I think it will be okay for our first show tomorrow."

Diana let out a sigh in relief as her director continued, "That's enough for now, but don't think you can go home and slack off. I don't care if your lines are memorised, I want them practised and perfected. Don't think I won't break your leg for real if you mess up. Everyone is always replaceable."

The youngest avenger felt her face heat up at the words of Miss. Shaw. Completely surprised by the rather kind compliment from her director. Come to think of it, as they were dismissed, Diana couldn't think of her director saying anything as kind to this group before.

After her tech team helped Diana unhook from the gigantic Rupunzel wig, she quickly got out of her costume and brought it back to the costume department. After signing it back in and changing out of her character shoes and back into her converse, Diana quickly grabbed her bag and went to the hallway where all her castmates rides were awaiting them.

Another part of the academy Diana was found of was the ones at this theatre school who lived off campus, like technically her, had to have guardians physically sign them in and out of the theatre. It may have seemed like a hassle, which her old bodyguard Happy Hogan always grumbled, but she enjoyed the sneak preview they would receive. Hearing them practise on the other side of the stage doors.

Though Diana couldn't help but laugh the one time most of her family was busy. There was some emergency with Stark Industries so the Starks all had to rush to California, then there was a massive hostage situation going on the subway leaving only one person of age able to sign Diana out... Doctor Bruce Banner.

She remembered him being so jumpy and confused as the parents and students alike kept swarming him and giving him praise. Though he soon came around to it, becoming one of her main pick ups.

Though today her eyes lit up at the sight of another man waiting for her, "Dad!" She grinned, running up to him.

He quickly excused himself from conversation with a few other parents and picked his daughter up. Not caring about embarrassing his teenage as he spun her around, "There's my Songbird! How was practice?"

She gave a small laugh as he put her back down, "Pretty good. Still having a little trouble on one high note but Miss. Shaw says to not push myself and do what's most comfortable for tomorrow," she admitted.

Though she couldn't help but feel frustrated. During her big opener there was one single note that was more of a struggle for Diana to accomplish. She of course wanted to go higher than normal to emphasise her character's wants, but every time she tried to get to it right... her voice started to bubble. As if her throat was trying to physically vibrate.

Of course it didn't help that when Colette practiced her scenes she was able to hit the note with ease. Because of course she could.

"Oh. Well you need to do what's best for you," Steve wrapped his arm around her and began leading his daughter towards their car. "Surprised I'm here?"

"Yeah," she chuckled. "Bruce is usually the one to pick me up Friday because of 'tradition'."

Steve playfully scoffed, "Please, Bruce and Tony haven't left their lab since they got that dumb staff."

Diana let out a small cringe just thinking about that vile contraption they brought into our home. A device she had experienced once and never wanted to again. She could still remember crying as Loki placed the sharp end against her chest. The cold and cramping feeling her body experienced underneath the control of the staff as her mind was in a blissful oblivion. Following her leader like a happy slave. What a way to spend your eleventh birthday.

The exact reason she basically refused to ever use the powers the staff had accidentally gave her. It was one thing being put under the violating spell of the staff, but another thing entirely being the one to do it to another person. She may have been young but Diana knew right from wrong.

Diana saw it as a ironic punishment almost. As if the staff was alive and actually mad at her for touching it. Giving her the curse to inflict the same pain she was under for almost a full week.

Just like how the Tesseract was, but in reverse. When she had contact with the cube it gave her the ability to travel, yet mocked her by making the portals only the size of a softball... or a Pocket as was trademarked.

So for everyone's safety and Diana's comfort the staff had been moved to the deepest depths of Tony and Bruce's lab. Able to be studied before Thor would bring it back to Asgard.

"I thought you had a meeting about how you finally arrested Strucker the other day?" Diana asked as they entered the car.

Steve shrugged, "It got pushed back."

"How far back?"

He sighed, sitting in the drivers seat, "Just a couple of days. Don't worry, I'll still be at all your performance. I scheduled them around it."

She huffed in relief, "Thank god!"

He smiled, "You must be excited."

"Mostly nervous," Diana admitted.

"You'll be fine. Your mother was the same."

Her eyes widened, "Seriously? She got nervous?" She asked, almost unconvinced. Everything and anything she was told about the legendary Morgan Stark-Rogers was nothing but perfection. Not a soul, on either side of the war would say a negative thing about her.

Diana wasn't a fan of it however. Yes, it was amazing that her mother was so beloved, but it was as if she wasn't even real. No one could be perfect one hundred percent of the time. There had to be something about her. Some flaw. Some imperfection. Something Diana could relate to.

"Yeah she was," he chuckled as they started to drive. "She would spend hours practicing the songs she already wrote. No matter how many times she preformed them..." he trailed off before smiling again. "You have nothing to be nervous about. If you forget a line, you can just improvise. Like she did."

"Didn't she improvise your first kiss?"

"I will come on stage if you do that," he chuckled before messing up his daughter's perfectly blonde hair. "You've done this before, you'll be fine."

She nodded, "Yeah, I know..."

"But..." dad trailed off.

Her brow raised sighed, "But?"

Steve's hands lightly tightened around the stick shift, "After your play is over in two weeks I have to go away for a while. Help the others capture a couple people."

"What kind of people? Old Hydra people or new Hydra people?"

"New," he explained. "Remember how I told you about what happened to Clint? Those twins?"

"The one who can run fast and the one who was weird?"

"Yeah. Them."

"Ah. Good luck with that."

He pushed her, "If you don't think we can handle a few people with abilities you could always help out."

"Ha! No, I'm good."

"You sure? The world could use our new Lady Liberty once more," he smirked making her push him back. "I'm kidding. I'm kidding," he laughed. "But if you do ever want to help you just have to tell us."

She gave a small smile, "How about I think about it? Give you a proper answer after my show is over."

He shrugged, "Works for me."

It wasn't that Diana didn't want to participate in any fights... okay maybe that was part of the reason, but in all honesty there wasn't a real need for her to fight. She was still only fourteen so why should she fight? She had no one she need to fight for, all the people she had already fought for her.

She technically was the reason they assumed in the first place. Tony Stark only getting involved once he was informed Loki stole her, and Steve fighting to get her back. The Avengers were her protectors.

Needing a small sip of water she went into her duffel bag to grab her bottle before her breathing completely hitched. Scrambling through her belongings as Steve ended up giving her a side glance, "Shit!"

"What's wrong?" He asked.

Diana groaned, throwing her hand to my head, "I left my script in the dressing room... we've gotta head back."

That made him groan in a similar manner that made a dna useless, "Do you really need it? Don't you have like eight copies at home?"

"Yeah I do!" She gawked, "The one I bring to rehearsal, has all of my detailed notes inside of it. I need it!"

He huffed, "If we go back and get it we're gonna be late for the party. Tony's gonna be pissed if we do."

Her eyes rolled, sarcastically, "Oh no. Late to a party where people like us can't get drunk? What a shame."

"Diana, you are fourteen years old. You have no reason to get drunk," he paused. "How do you even know you can't get drunk?"

Her thin lips pressed against each other, "...no reason."

"Diana."

The girl scoffed, avoiding the question. Not mentioning the time Natasha gave the girl her first drink at father's last birthday party, "Can't we just get my binder or not?!"

After turning around and a six minutes drive back to the academy she rushed back inside. Bypassing security altogether.

Once she made it to her dressing room she reached for the door before hearing a few girls laughing on the other side. Making her remember decorum, just about to knock before a person spoke on the other end, "Oh my god, I was cringing so fucking hard."

Another chuckled, "My toWeR!"

The girl completely froze as she heard the chuckles on the other end of the door, "Did any of you see her tripped over her wig during tech week?"

"Which time?"

"Look, I get that I got ensemble, but there needs to be a better casting committee when it comes to leads," one murmured. "It's getting ridiculous by now."

Another scoffed, "Well like what do you expect? They call it a stunt casting for a reason. They only gave her the part so people would actually buy tickets. Last year the sales were next to nothing."

"I heard Tony Stark was now funding the set designs, so no wonder why they picked her."

"Ugg! Go figure, the rich girl getting what she wants because of daddy's money."

"Is that why the set is so detailed?!"

"Yeah?" Diana could hear the venom in the voices. "Didn't you ever wonder why the production is being recorded for television? It's not because we're good. It's because the First Lady Liberty's daughter is preforming."

The second girl agreed, "A girl who doesn't even go to this school got the lead after her first audition. Did you really think she got it because she was good?"

Diana could hear a hum, "I heard Colette called her out. Ended up getting called a bitch and everything."

"Well good for Colette, Diana needed to hear it. You see how confident she is? Girl needed the reality check

One then groaned, "I just feel bad for Colette, don't you?"

"Yes!"

"Oh god that poor girl!"

"Well I mean she got understudy so you can only hope," the chattesist replied. "She was more qualified anyways. And well you never know... it's only a matter of time before Diana gets kidnapped again. Maybe we'll all get lucky and it'll happen tonight so Colette will get to preform."

Diana's jaw completely dropped as she removed her ear from the door. The scarred hands had to physically close her mouth as she brought them to her face. Forcing herself not to cry at the conversation she overheard.

Anxiety took ahold of her mind as she started to overthink. Is that what everyone thought about her?

She knew Colette did, she made it abundantly clear she thought Diana was only here because of nepotism, but everyone else had been so nice to her. Was she too trusting or were they right?

Could Diana actually sing or were people just telling me what she wanted to hear because of who she was? Because of who her mother was? Was she just some damsel in distress that the world gave whatever she wanted?

Tears started to prickle her eyes as fog began to cover her glasses. Quickly wiping any sign of crying away, she started to walk back to the car in a much worse mood. She didn't need her special binder after all.

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

ᴏᴄᴛᴏʙᴇʀ 16ᴛʜ, 2015
0 ᴅᴀʏꜱ, 3 ʜᴏᴜʀꜱ ᴀɴᴅ 31 ᴍɪɴᴜᴛᴇꜱ
ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ᴜʟᴛʀᴏɴ

The overwhelmed teen's hand reached down to fix her stockings. Grimacing as her long braid moved forward to whack herself in the face during the process. She huffed and moved it back in place as she continuously tried to keep herself from screaming, "Can I go back to my room now?"

Steve looked over to his child as the elevator doors opened, "We literally just got here," he chuckled.

"Yeah, but I really don't feel like I'm in the mood for a party right now. I need to prepare for tomorrow."

"You've been practicing for months Diana, you need to take a small break."

She shook her head, "Dad, a small break is going to the washroom, not going to a loud party the night before," she gestured to the obnoxious sight before them.

The penthouse looked to be crowded beyond hell. There must've been an age requirement over thirty to get in though. As many old people were drinking and laughing at god knows what while the music blasted around throughout the room.

"Oh come on my Songbird, you love parties," Steve reminded her.

Her lips went into a fine line smile, "I guess."

He practically dragged the stressed out girl towards the bar. He tried to explain that a longer break would be healthier for her mind as cramming could burn her out. Which was probably correct, but she was in fact to stressed out to care. So she grumbled as Steve took her to where Natasha was, mixing a variety of drinks and handed him two glasses.

"I know you're upset Glenn didn't show up with Colette tonight, but we can still have fun."

"Yeah, what a shame," she rolled my eyes. "She's at home studying for tomorrow as well, dad. There's a reason I'm acting like this."

He shook his head and ignored her tone, "No. They aren't here because of a family emergency. There's a difference. But we can still have fun! Tony even brought a karaoke machine. Hey, maybe we could sing something together tonight!" He grinned. "Wouldn't that be fun?"

She tried not to show it but she couldn't help but cringe, "Yeah... I don't think that's the greatest idea tonight."

"What? Why not?" He frowned, "Don't you wanna see your old man serenading the crowd?"

The girl gave a half smile, "I don't really wanna risk losing my voice tonight, but I won't stop you from singing anything," she tried to cheer him up.

"By myself?" He playfully scoffed, "Oh yeah I'll definitely go up there and sing Hamilton by myself."

"That's the spirit! Can I leave now?" Diana asked in an overly excited tone.

"No!" He matched his daughter's energy, making Diana groan, throwing her head backwards.

He just rolled his eyes and handed the teen her signature drink of coke in a wine glass, "Just stay for a little longer, okay? Tony made sure kids are at the party tonight. You've been working too hard. Try to mingle a little." He gave the girl's hair a quick ruffle before walking over towards a group of old vets from the rotary club he and Sam were a part of, "Just take a breath and relax."

Diana let out a small sigh and looked around the room, "Yeah. Mingle..." she said, clenching the glass a little tighter.

It wasn't that Diana didn't like parties, it was that she just wanted to be perfect for tomorrow. She didn't have the time to sit around and mingle with people. She need to make sure this performance is magnificent. There couldn't be any stuttering, no blocky delivery, no stiff movements and of course no voice cracks.

She glanced down at her phone that read 8:15 and tried not to scream. The sun had just set and the party looked to be just starting to become in full swing. If Diana were to stay until... let's say 8:30, she could easily sneak back to her room and rehearse until 10:30, eleven at the latest, and be prepared to head in for nine the next morning.

Scanning the area Diana was able to locate what she already knew was set up especially for her and the other kids. A large table overflowing with different types of sweets and cakes. There were a few girl's crowded around the table dipping things into the large chocolate fountain who looked to be having fun. Diana hated to say it but Tony always knew how to throw a party. That bastard.

Fifteen minutes. Just entertain them for fifteen minutes and then she can go back to my room. She could do this. She could do this.

She couldn't do this. It was not even ten minutes into her attempt before she decided it was enough.

It wasn't that the kids here were annoying, they actually were very nice, it was just impossible to have a conversation with the stress of next day. After the third question the kids asked about the battle in New York Diana excused herself and slowly crept towards the elevator.

Her eyes scanned to see if anyone was watching and thankfully Steve was busy talking to Thor, Maria and Rhodey. Natasha and Bruce were awkwardly flirting by the bar and Tony was entertaining some of the party goers. Perfect.

But sadly her runaway skills weren't perfect yet, "And where do you think you're going?"

She huffed and turned to see Sam smirking at her, "How long did you try and mingle with the others?" he chuckled.

Diana rolled her eyes, "I don't know... two minutes?"

He gave the teen deadpan as he swirled his drink, "And weren't you the one who was complaining about having no friends a year ago?"

"All the kids here think I'm weird and only want to talk to me about the Avengers and our fights. I don't have the focus to deal with it right now."

Sam gave a lopsided smile, "Diana sometimes that's how you make friends. It's a give and take system. You've got to talk about their interests in order for them to listen to yours."

"Shouldn't it go both ways?" The girl swirled her drink, "They seem to be annoyed when I mention anything to do with my musical."

He seemed to have no rebuttal, simply giving me an unamused look as he sipped his beer.

"Come on Sam, I need to practise. Colette isn't even here because she is preparing for tomorrow as well."

"When aren't you practising Didi? I haven't seen you do anything but study in that binder since you got the part. You need to pace yourself," he told the girl. "Cramming all that info in your head is just gonna make you burn out and forget everything tomorrow."

"But if I don't I'll forget something and I'll look like more of a fool than I already will."

His brow raised, "A fool? Is the wig really that bad?"

"What? No! The wig is amazing, I mean it literally lights up when I sing," Diana shook her head, "What I'm trying to say is I need to be flawless tomorrow. I can't afford to make any mistakes. I'm already not... well liked in the cast."

"You're not what?"

Her fingers trailed against her temple, "Sam, it's already suspicious enough that I got the lead in a school play that I don't attend. If I mess up it'll prove I only got the part because of who I am. I can't let that happen."

His face scrunched up, "You got the part because you applied yourself."

"They don't think that," she dramatically shrugged. "So if you'll excuse me I'll be in my room-"

"Wait. Diana- hold up," he swerved himself in front of the girl. "Just a second," he placed a hand on Diana's shoulder. "Steve and Tony had nothing to do with you getting you that part."

"Yeah, but that doesn't stop people from saying that."

"To hell with them!" He told the stressed out girl, "Let them think what they want to think. The only person's opinion they need to worry about is their own."

She only gave him a flat look as he continued, "Do you like coke?"

She confusingly nodded, "Well yeah? It's the best drink out there."

He shook his head, "Nope. I think it's disgusting. The best drink is orange juice."

"Orange juice?" She turned her nose up, "Why on earth would you think that's good?"

"Because it's my opinion," he explained. "Everyone has different likes and dislikes. Not everybody is going to agree on things. The only person that opinion truly matters is your own. Do you think you can sing?"

She shrugged, "I guess so."

"Great because I think your amazing but my opinion doesn't matter," he told Diana. "So, do you think you deserve the part of Rapunzel?"

She shrugged again, "I think I do. I auditioned, got a call back, and did all the work to prepare for tomorrow."

He snapped his fingers and pointed to her, "Exactly. That's the only person's opinion to focus on. To hell with the others!" He wrapped his arm around the Songbird and raised his beer in the sky.

"Yeah..." she blushed as people began to stare at the two of them. But soon the words of Sam Wilson finally sank in. Nobody's opinion mattered but her own; and people already thought it was weird to begin with, so why the hell should Diana Rogers-Stark care what they think about her?

But then again no shit she was weird. She grew up isolated. Her only friend inside Shield was killed when she was little and she could mind control people. To hell with others opinions!

"...yeah... Yeah!" Diana slowly raised her fist in the air.

Sam laughed and squeezed the girl he considered a little sister into a side hug, "How about the two of us hit the karaoke machine? Nothing too strong to damage your pipes, but a nice slow duet would be fun."

"Oh that sounds exciting," she smirked as he led her towards the stage.

Maybe a small break really would do some good.

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

After a few hours of dancing, eating and leaving all the stress of tomorrow at the door, Diana had finally found a spot to rest with her family. Thankfully the party eased up around ten. Sam had to leave after their third round of chocolate covered twinkies, since he had some missing persons case to follow.

She rested on the couch in her father's arms as he conversed with a few others across from the pair. While Clint and Maria sat on the floor playing with a pair of drumsticks and Natasha and Bruce continued to flirt.

Diana's face was against her father's side. Falling half asleep as he rubbed her back, continuing to talk to a kind womens named Dr Cho.

She assumed she must've overdid it on the dance floor with Tony since she felt her eyes beginning to droop, but that quickly ended when Clint spoke up, "But, it's a trick!"

Thor simply chuckled, "Oh, no. It's much more than that," he and Steve clinked their beers.

"Uh, 'Whosoever be he worthy shall haveth the power'!" Clint deepened his voice as he mocked the legend of Thor's mighty hammer that sat on our coffee table, "Whatever man! It's a trick."

"Well please, be my guest," he motioned for the spy to try.

The chatter ceased as everyone looked towards the hammer. Tony quickly began to add fire to the situation, "Come on."

"Really?" Clint asked with a drunken smirk.

Everyone in the room seem to be a bit tipsy. The only ones that seemed fully aware was the Rogers pair, as Steve couldn't get drunk and Diana wasn't allowed to have anything. As far as he knew at least.

"Oh this is gonna be beautiful," Rhodey rubbed his hands together as Clint approached the hammer.

"Clint, you've had a tough week, we won't hold it against you if you can't get it up," the others chuckled.

Clint swayed as he fully got infront of the hammer and pointed to the god, "You know I've seen this before, right?"

Thor simply smiled as Clint grasped handle and tried to lift it, resulting in him, simply grunting in frustration when nothing happened. After a few moments, he gave up to save the little dignity he had left, "I still don't know how you do it," Clint chuckled.

"Smell the silent judgement?"

Clint playfully scoffed and challenged my uncle, "Please, Stark, by all means."

Tony put down his glass and stood up before unbuttoning the top layer of his suit, dramatically, of course, "Oh, here we go," Natasha snickered.

"Okay."

"Uh-oh."

"Never one to shrink from an honest challenge," Tony smirked slipping his hand through the strap. "It's physics."

"Physics!"

"Right, so, if I lift it, I then rule Asgard?" Tony asked.

The god nodded and took a sip of beer, "Yes, of course."

Steve's nephew nodded, "I will be re-instituting Prima Nocta-" he grunted as the hammer didn't move. "I'll be right back."

Diana's head tilted when her cousin returned with his armoured hand, "I don't remember this in my physics textbook," she mumbled as Tony tried to lift the hammer with his tech.

Soon Rhodey grabbed his armored hand as well and the pair began to bicker as the hammer stayed firmly on the coffee table, "Are you even pulling?"

"Are you on my team?"

"Just represent! Pull!"

"Alright, let's go!"

Bruce was next, having both hands firmly gripping the handle while his feet were on the now dirty coffee table. He started to roar as he let go and threw his hands in the air, pretending to change into the Hulk. Diana couldn't help but laugh at his constipated looking face and threw ber hand over my mouth as the others watched, "At least someone thinks I'm funny," he scoffed while sitting back down.

Steve then sighed and stood up making the rest haze him, "Let's go, Steve, no pressure."

"Come on, Cap."

Diana clapped for him, "Come on dad, make me a princess."

"The girl who hates the media wants to be a princess?" Tony jokingly pushed his cousin.

She laughed and pushed him back, "Come on Tony, I'm still a girl. What girl doesn't wanna be a princess?"

"Asgard already has a princess, young one," Thor chuckled.

Her brow raised in a mixture of jealousy and confusion, "It does?"

Thor then began to smile, "I have a niece, Princess Frigga."

"Is she single?" Diana asked without hesitation.

The lot suddenly sobered up as they stared at the fourteen year-old, "Diana... you're-"

"She's a princess, dad," she deadpanned. "I do like both and so is she single? The heir I'm assuming?"

He chuckled and took another sip of beer, "Oh she's the heir alright, but much too old for you. Twenty in midgard years."

With a frown Diana huffed as Steve ruffled up his daughter's hair before walking up to the hammer and beginning to pull. The small sound of metal clanking against the table made everyone lean forward. Diana noticed Thor's eyes open wider than a starving man's mouth when the hammer slightly lifted off the table before back onto the granite.

"Boo!" Diana shouted as Steve only gave a smile and a shrug.

Thor just laughed and took a long drink, "Ha ha! Nothing."

Then Diana jumped up and walked over towards the table, giving her father a high five on her way over, "Show 'em how it's done, Songbird."

"Okay let's go!"

"You've got this kid! Make our family royalty," Tony cheered her on.

Diana chuckled, and grasped the handle and gave it a large tug that did nothing. Staying completely still as some of the others chuckle. Though as she was about to throw one of her tantrums, throwing her hand behind my head, she felt something. The ribbon holding her braid in place.

"So... I just need to lift it off the table to become queen, right?" She asked as proceeded to fumble with her braid.

"Yes. Yes, little lady," Thor snickered at the question.

Her red ribbon finally came undone as her long hair fell out of its design. Taking the opportunity to wrap it around the handle, "Great!" She smiled. Pulling the ribbon up with one hand, making the hammer lift off of the table.

The room went crazy as Diana stared at Thor emotionlessly. Challenging him.

"What?!"

"My god!"

"THAT'S MY COUSIN BITCHES!"

She dramatically curtseyed to the crowd, "Feast your eyes on me, Diana Rogers-Stark, the first of her name, the daughter of Steve Rogers and Morgan Stark-Rogers, cousin of Tony Stark, heir of Stark Industries, the second Lady Liberty and now Queen of Asgard!"

Tony, Clint and Rhodey all bowed as her father started to burst into tears laughing, "We are not worthy!"

"Meet your new Queen hon."

"Uh, huh," Thor only smiled at the child's antics. "Hold the handle."

Her smile suddenly flatted, "No..." she slowly put the hammer back down as the others finally caught on to the trick she had just pulled.

"How did you even do that?" Dr. Cho asked in astonishment.

"Physics," Diana gestured to the ribbon. "No one can lift the hammer, but they can lift anything attached to it. For example my ribbon that was tied to Thor's hammer."

"That's my girl," Steve kissed his daughter's cheek as she sat back down. "That's my girl," he pulled her close.

"Smart child, still not worthy," Thor grinned into his beer. "Not many have done that before, but you are not the first."

"I'm still keeping that title of Queen though," she pointed to him.

"Are you now?" He titled his head.

She nodded, "You said I'd be Queen if I could lift it off the table. You never said how."

"Damn. She got you," Tony laughed.

He sighed, "You'd make a fine Lady of Asgard."

"Queen of Asgard," Diana corrected him.

He leaned forward, "How about a princess and we call it a day?" Thor's hand was out for a handshake, one that the girl quickly took. "Deal," she quickly turned to her father and whispered. "Dad, I'm a real princess now."

"Good for you, my Songbird." He rubbed her arm.

"This is rigged," Tony loudly proclaimed.

"You bet your ass," Clint patted Tony's back.

Maria let out a gasp, "Steve, he said a bad language word," she used her beer to point at the assistant.

Diana couldn't hold it in and let out an obnoxious laugh as her dad groaned, "Did you tell everyone about that?" He asked Tony.

Tony ignored her father and went back to drilling the god, "The handle's imprinted, right? Like a security code. 'Whosoever is carrying Thor's fingerprints' is, I think, the literal translation?"

"Yes, well that's, uh, that's a very, very interesting theory. I have a simpler one," Thor stood up and flipped the hammer around as if it were weightless. "You're all not worthy."

"Boo!" They all began to boo and jeer the god.

"That is so mean-" Diana suddenly gasped as the sounds of what she could only assume was microphone feedback made the lot of them quickly cover their ears.

'Worthy...?' a distorted voice echoed throughout the penthouse.

Small metallic footsteps were the next thing follow. Turning around the avengers stared at what looked to be one of Tony's broken Iron Legion bots. Staying still as the device limped towards them, 'No, how could you be worthy? You're all killers.'

The ones still sitting slowly got to their feet as Steve stepped in front of his daughter, "Tony?"

Tony quickly pulled out a device and tried to contact Jarvis as the bot continued to speak, 'I'm sorry, I was asleep. Or... I was a-dream?'

"Reboot, Legionnaire OS, we got a buggy suit," Tony tapped his device.

'There was a terrible noise... and I was tangled in... in... strings,' the bot looked down at the variety of broken and tattered wires coming out of its body. 'I had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy.'

"You killed someone?" Steve fully pushed Diana behind him.

'Wouldn't have been my first call,' it said. 'But, down in the real world we're faced with ugly choices.'

"Who sent you?" Thor asked.

The bot took a simple moment before playing a recording of Tony Stark's voice "I see a suit of armor around the world."

Bruce then let out a gasp, "Ultron?"

'In the flesh. Or, no, not yet. Not this... chrysalis. But I'm ready. I'm on a mission,' Ultron told the Avengers.

"What mission?"

Ultron tilted his head, 'Peace in our time,' it said before everything went to hell.

The walls explode as several Iron Legion bots barge into the room. Steve kicked the coffee table up, protecting the two of them from the closet bots attack.

Thought it still sent the Rogers pair backwards, causing Diana to roll under one of the couches, "Diana!" Steve screamed as she looked up to the couch and let out a sigh in relief when she saw one of Natasha's energy guns right in front of her face.

She closed her eyes and began to open and close her fist, "Okay body I know you haven't been a big fan of the whole portal thing, but if you could just... make them bigger, it would be much appreciated!"

Diana flexed my hand out making only a small blue spark occur for only a moment. She let out a few choice words before grabbing the emergency glock, "Okay then, guns ablazing it is."

Taking a second to breath Diana waited for the right moment before rolling out to help her family. They began to slowly shoot them down, avoiding all their advances, all while the bots kept repeating the same words, 'We are here to help,' over and over again.

Running behind the bar Diana was able to grab her father's shield he put there after showing it off at the party, "Dad!" She screamed to him before throwing his shield, allowing him to take out one of the last bots.

'That was dramatic,' Ultron scoffed. 'I'm sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn't think it through. You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to... evolve?'

Ultron limped over towards a dismembered Iron Legion bot, 'With these? These... puppets?' He crushed the Iron Legion bot's head like it was nothing, 'There's only one path to peace: The Avengers' extinction-' before he could finish Thor's hammer made it's way through its body.

The light in Ultron's eyes began to flicker as the hypnotically smooth voice began to eerily sing, 'I had strings, but now I'm free. There are no strings on me, no strings on me.'

As the bot's voice faded the silence in the room grew. Nobody dared to speak as they looked around the charred and messy space they called home.

"What in the walking dead-terminator was that?!" Diana shouted to the quiet family.

•••