𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧

༻ ❁ ༺

13:45 pm

          SEVEN LONG AND mostly silent hours passed before Charlotte finally grew bored of staring at the same four white walls of the lab.

She had thought that observing her dad and Doctor Banner work on isolating the Tesseract's chemical compounds might have been interesting, but she only found herself with a headache. She had a small understanding of formulas and jargon her dad and the doctor were batting between one another, but the majority of such was simply going over her head.

Charlotte soon grew tired of sitting in the lab with her dad and Bruce, so she decides to grab something from the canteen - she hadn't eaten anything since early that morning, and her stomach had begun growling lowly in protest.

"Hey, dad? I'm going to run to the canteen real quick, okay?" She asked, hopping down from her perch on the tall stool she had pulled over to Bruce's work station.

Over the course of the morning, she had found Dr Banner's research and findings on the Cube to be incredibly interesting. At first, Tony had been worried that she would be bothering Bruce, or getting in the way of his work, but the doctor quickly reassured him that she welcome to observe him. He found it incredible that a child as young as she was, had the capability of not only reading, but understanding his notes on thermonuclear radiation.

"Alright," Tony mumbled, not really paying much attention. He was completely engrossed in the readings that were dancing across the multiple screen in front of him. "Straight there and back, okay?"

She nodded in confirmation and hopped down from her stool. Bruce took a moment to quickly observe the young girl's prosthesis; it was one of the first things he had noticed when he came aboard the helicarrier. It was an impressive piece of machinery, and he was quite interested to ask her, or Tony, about it, but it seemed inappropriate. It was no secret that Tony and Pepper went to severe lengths to keep their daughter's ailment out of the spotlight; very little was known about the child - only that there had been an illness involved.

He was simply amazed at how well she must have adapted to her predicament. It could not have been easy at any age, let alone a child, to be in her situation. However, as he watched Charlotte gleefully skipping towards the labs exit, her metal limb lightly clicking against the tiled floor, Bruce felt a sense of stillness crept over him. The simple presence of such an innocent soul, had an immediate effect; he did not feel as anxious knowing the slim likelihood that S.H.I.E.L.D would allow a child on board, if there was the slightest risk of catastrophe.

"Hey, Charlie?" Her dad called over his shoulder, not looking up from the computer screen. "If they have cheeseburgers, grab me one."

"I'll bring you two," She replied, knowing all too well that one would not be enough. Her dad had the eating habits of a five-year-old; however, Charlotte's were not any better.

"That's my girl."

After asking Bruce if he would like anything to eat, to which he politely declined, Charlotte made her way to the canteen. It took a little longer than she originally hoped due to the winding corridors, each looking identical to the precious one.

The young girl stood blatantly out of place in the canteen line among other agents and crew workers. Wanting to get back to the lab as quickly as she could, she simply ordered two cheeseburgers (with extra cheese) for her dad, and a chicken sandwiche for herself with some french fries as a side. Clutching the small white paper bag, Charlotte began to, once again, navigate to winding hallways back towards the laboratory.

After her second left and third right turn, she caught sight if a familiar figure. Steve Rogers was standing in the middle of the hallway, still dressed in his star spangled suit. He had his hands pressed against the frame of a sealed door, as if he was looking for a way go force it open.

What was he doing?

Her mother used to jokingly scold her for having the terrifying ability to walk so quietly, in spite of having a metal foot, that she could sneak up on just about anyone. And so that is what she did; she approached the Captain with such soft footsteps, that even his heightened super-soldier senses could not detect her.

"French fry?" She asked nonchalantly, holding up the small box of fries in her hand. Steve startled, a small gasped left his mouth as he spun around to look beside him. He looked down at her, confused by her sudden presence; once his panicked senses calmed down, he shook his head and politely refused her offer.

"What are you doing, Captain?" Charlotte asked innocently, trying not to smile at the fact the she, a tiny ten-year-old child, had just managed to scare Captain America. Her father would get a kick out of that, she was sure.

"Just trying to get my bearings." Steve responded quickly, hoping that the young girl would not register that he had brushed off her question. "Where's your dad?"

"In the lab with Doctor Banner."

"Oh," Steve nodded. He should have known. Where else would the two scientists be on board a super high tech aircraft. "Well, I don't think you should be walking around here by yourself."

"I'm not by myself. I'm talking to you." She replied simultaneously shoving a small handful of fries into her mouth.

The Captain could not help the sigh and eye roll that followed.

She has Howard's sarcasm, that's for certain.

Steve nodded and quickly turned his attention back to the locked door in front of them. Charlotte watched him for a moment, flicking her eyes between the blonde man and the door.

"Hey, Steve? Can I ask you a question?"

"Uh, yeah," Steve nodded, turning his attention back to the girl. Charlotte had since moved from his side and was currently perched in an alcove, her feet hanging over the edge of the bench.

"Did you know my grandfather?"

The question took Steve by surprise. Since waking up, he had not been granted with a lot of time to really think about those he had left behind - S.H.I.E.L.D's prime focus had been on forcing him to adjust to the modern world.

"Yeah, I knew him." Steve nodded.

"Really?" Charlotte practically beamed at him, a genuine smile. "What was he like?"

"I only knew Howard for a couple of years, but during that time, I found him to be a good man. A very good man, and a even better scientist." Steve pressed his lips into a thin line. "Your father will have more stories than I do."

Steve noticed how the girls shoulder slumped and her whole demeanor altered.

"He doesn't like to talk about him." She replied, somewhat sadly. "I don't think they liked each other very much."

"Oh." Steve could not think of anything else to say. He shuffled from his left to right foot, feeling somewhat awkward, "I'm sorry about that."

"It's okay," Charlotte responded with a small shrug. She looked up at the Captain, a small smile on her face. "He talked about you a lot - my grandfather. I never met him, but that's what my dad said."

"He did?" Steve hummed. Since waking up, he had been made aware of the events that took place during his comatosed state. In the months and years that shortly followed his disappearance, Howard Stark arranged countless numbers of search parties to thoroughly search the icy wasteland of the Arctic. However, ultimately as the years passed by, the world's, and Howard's hopes of ever finding the missing Captain dwindled and eventually disappeared altogether.

As Steve glanced down at the young girl, and found her to be watching him with kind eyes and an innocent smile, he could not help but sympathise for her. It was apparent that she loved her family dearly, even her grandparents whom she never met.

"I respected your grandfather a lot. He was an incredibly smart and talented man." Steve motioned for the two of them to take a seat on a bench hidden within an alcove. She girl hopped up on the bench beside him, tucking her brown lunch bag by her side. "You know, he designed my first shield. In fact, he designed the serum that was given to me, so in reality, he made...me."

Steve's voice trailed off for the final word. It was true - he would not be where he was today if it was not for Howard Stark. There was a lot that steve had to thank the scientist for, and unfortunately, it was evident that he would never get the opportunity.

"Grandpa made my leg," Charlotte chipped in suddenly from beside him. "So I guess that, in a way, he made me too."

Steve was confused for a moment, but Charlotte extended her leg in front of her and twisted it slightly, giving Steve the opportunity to gaze in awe at the intricate mass of wiring that was held within the sleek metal frame. He instantly recognised the material.

"Is that Vibranium?"

Charlotte nodded, enthusiastically. "Grandpa was designing limbs like mine to help veterans and injured soldiers, but he never got the chance to actually do it. But my dad found the designs and made me this." She explained, tapping a finger to her metallic knee cap, her short nail making a hollow tink.

"This is remarkable," Steve muttered, taking in each small detail; he marveled at the way the metal framework melded together, bending and contorting with each small movement.

"Were you born like this?" He asked abruptly without thinking, before quickly checking himself. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that."

"It's okay. I don't mind talking about it," Charlotte shrugged and gave him a small smile and waved her hand, dismissing his concern. "When I was two years old, I got sick; I couldn't stand up. My mom took me to the hospital and they found blood clots in my leg. My parents were given a choice. It was either this or-," She paused for a moment, motioning to her leg; her voice trailing off near the end.

Steve did not need to hear the end of the sentence to understand the gravity of the situation. Initially, he had not noticed the girl's disability. Having grown up with his own plethora of ailments, both physical and medical, Steve felt a sense of genuine pity for the young Stark. He may have only known Charlotte for a day, but he could not possibly begin to imagine how someone as young as she was, could have gone through such an amount of trauma, and still a positive outlook.

"They made the right choice, but it really shook them, especially my dad. I suppose that's why he is so protective over me."

Steve nodded slowly, taking a moment to appreciate the obvious love and devotion Stark had for his daughter; granted he gave the impression of an arrogant and selfish man, but underneath that exterior, the captain could tell that there was nothing that the billionaire would not do for his daughter.

༻ ❁ ༺

Charlotte knew that she had to get back to the lab sharpish, unless she wanted her father sending a search party out to look for her. It was almost fifteen minutes after the time she said she would be back with their lunch.

As she quickly scurried down the corridors, retracing the same route she had taken less than thirty minutes ago, the young girl hurried to make her way back to the lab. However, as she rounded her third right corner, she came to the realisation that she had taken a wrong turn somewhere alone the line.

The girl was now in an area of the helicarrier that she did not recognise. It seemed significantly darker and a lot quieter than that other corridors she had wandered through. Nevertheless, she continued to walk at a brisk pace, fearing the scolding she would undoubtedly receive from her dad - not only for being late in returning to the lab, but also due to the fact that she had eaten one of his cheeseburgers.

Nearing the bottom of the corridor, she found that it was a dead end; yet as made to turn around, she heard a flurry of raised voices and quickening footsteps. Panicked, thinking that her dad had finally sent all available agents looking for her, she quickly swiped her all access card against the keypad of the nearest door and ducked inside the vast and noticeably colder room. The door slid shut quickly, creating a hefty slam as it sealed closed behind her.

"And who might you be?"

The girl let out a small and startled yelp and she spun around with a hand on her chest; she could feel her heart thundering under her ribs. Behind her, was a glass cell, a rather impressive looking cylinder contraption. Inside the cell was a man; someone she did not recognise.

A shaken exhale breezed past Charlotte's lips as she watched the taller man turned around with a sly smirk on his face, his piercing eyes sought hers immediately. As soon as he laid eyes on her, the smirk quickly vanished. 

His long black hair was slicked down the back of his neck, reaching his shoulders before curling upwards at the ends. His clothes were like nothing that she had seen before - coarse, dark leather trousers and a matching tailed coat with intricate emerald and gold detailing; he looked quite regal, she thought.

"My parents told me not to talk to strangers." Charlotte retorted somewhat bravely, although her trembling hands would not give that impression. He smirked and shook his head, a small chuckle escaped his thin lips.

"Your parents are correct; they raised you well," the man told her, his voice was like silk. It flowed freely and was dripping with elegance and charisma. "I am Loki, of Asgard."

The God noticed how the child's entire stature shifted at the sound of his name. He smiled slightly at that before his icy gaze fell upon her once more. "You have heard of me."

It was as if she had suddenly lost the ability to speak; her mouth simply opened and closed slightly as she stared at the tall and imposing man before her.

"You are afraid." Loki said simply, a brief look of triumph flashed across his face.

Charlotte swallowed thickly, her throat felt constricted. She was about to respond, but knew that whatever response she could muster would have been the meekest and most pathetic sound lie. Before she could mutter a single sound, the door sealing her inside the room slide open suddenly, revealing a unamused Phil Coulson, a stoic expression plastered across his face, yet concern and anger pinched at his brow.

Upon seeing him, it felt as if she could suddenly breath again. Charlotte released a shaky breath Coulson glanced between the trembling child and the smirking god. "Miss Stark, come with me." 

He held out his hand as a clear indication for the child to stand by his side. Without so much as a mutter, Coulson briskly pulled Charlotte from the hostile room.

Once they were outside of the room and almost at the end of the seemingly everlasting corridor, Coulson felt the small hand that was encased in his squeeze his fingers firmly. Coming to an immediate halt, he stooped down to one knee in front of her, and placed a hand on her shoulder. With his other, he kept her trembling fingers pressed tightly into his palm.

"This area is off limits, Charlotte; you know that," He said sternly. "What were you doing in there?"

He was taken aback somewhat when the girl suddenly lunged forward, wrapping her arms around the older man's neck; she buried her head into his chest, her breathing was shallow and shuddered as she hastily drew short breaths.

"It's okay, you're okay." Coulson quietly soothed her, placing a hand onto her back and holding her securely to him. In the five years that he had been acquainted with the Stark's, he was not oblivious to the fact that Charlotte had managed to worm her way into his heart. If ever there was a time that Mr. Stark was not around, he felt a overwhelming urge to protect her.

"Did he hurt you?" Charlotte shook her head, sniffling against his suit. "What did he say to you?" 

"Nothing," she whispered, knowing that the agent would surely pick up on her obvious lie. She never had been very good at lying. "He said that I was afraid."

Phil sighed, flicking his eyes back to the door that kept the god concealed from the rest of the helicarrier. What could the god possibly benefit from tormenting a child? 

"Are you?" Phil asked softly, keeping his tone gentle. "Are you afraid?"

Charlotte glanced up at Phil Coulson with soft eyes. Her green orbs were glassed over with a thin sheen of tears. She licked her lips subtly before whispering, "Yes."

༻ ❁ ༺

Loki smirked.

Or rather, he smiled.

As anticipated, everything was going according to plan. The beast was amongst them and the Odinson thought he had everything under control. What was more, is that the naive child truly believed that she was safe.

All his life, he had believed Odin to be a useless father.

Strangely, Loki found himself taking pity upon the child. Her father had been careless enough to involve his daughter in what would surely be a suicide mission or the billionaire's own downfall. How pathetic and predictable could these narrow-minded Midgardians get?

Nevertheless, the child was merely a pawn - they all were.

During his brief confinement, he had been watching her closely. The girl was nothing like Stark. She may not have been a genius, according to what he could tell. Granted, she was superiority more intelligent than any other child her age, however, she was not of the same caliber as her father. At least not yet, anyway.

However, as Loki noted her keen and sharp eyes, he also noticed her emotionally immature curiosity, which most young Midgardians share. Despite the fact that the little girl lacked the intellectual quotient to be considered a genius, she was teeming with an emotional quotient, making her an easy target for what was about to unfold.

Stark would come to regret ever involving her in this world.

Stark would be left with nothing, for Loki intended to take everything he owned. Stark would be distraught, and vengeance would enrage and dominate him.

Yet, the God of Mischief did not care.

For what has a father got to live for, once everything he holds so dear gets taken away from him?

༻ ❁ ༺

author's note

so, remember a few chapters ago when i said that i would be giving charlotte a break from the trauma and drama?

yeah, me too. well, it looks like the god of mischief has other plans.

also, a nice little bonding moment for steve and charlie - the cuties!

what is this? an update after four weeks of nothing?

going to admit, i hit a real writing block with this chapter, which is why it just seems to jump around a bit between sections. i hate the ending of the chapter. i know it's bad, so please don't come at me :')

don't worry, this won't last - i think i'm out of my rut now :)

i am going to be going through this story and changing the layout ever so slightly, so please ignore the onslaught of notifications you may receive.