Avengers Stories //Oneshots//

Time Travel

Howard felt himself grin as he plugged in the last wire to his machine, under Maria's watchful eye, of course. She never let him into the lab by himself since the last incident where he's been thrown across the room my an explosion. The sound of light feet walking around remind ed d him that his son, seventeen year old Anthony Edward Stark, was there too.

He aimed a rod toward the clear back wall and after making sure both Tony and Maria weren't in front of it, hit the button and watched as the air sparked and a portal opened.

His time machine is complete.

Steve Rogers walked through the blue portal. His family gasped behind him, not only at Steve Roger's but at the two kids coming in behind him, two boys.

"Whoa...Howard?..." Steve asked.

"Rogers!" Howard yelled, grinning, then he started to shoot off questions as his brain came up with them. "What year is it where you're from? Are those two your sons? When were you found? Who found you?"

"Whoa, slow down." Steve chuckled. It struck Howard that he didn't even seem fazed with this event. His clothes are also different than the 1940's style. They looked expensive. "How about we sit?"

They did. The boys sat on either side of he Captain, taking in everything. They looked a little familiar...

"Are these your kids?" Maria asked.

"No," the blonde huffed a laugh. "But if I'm right, you'll meet their father soon  enough. He's very protective."

Steve went on. Explaining of the Avengers (only giving code names, of course, but Howard would want to meet this Iron Man guy.), aliens, battles, wars. Howard couldn't help but get hung up on how many times Iron Man had nearly died sacraficing himself for the entire world.

"Could you tell us more about Iron Man?" His wife asked, curious. Tony is still in shock, mouth agape and staring at Steve. Howard couldn't blame him.

"Of course, madam." Steve said, looking up in thought. "He started out arrogant. He was never really comfortable with what he was doing, always had that sense something was going on, he told me, just never wanted to find out what. He was betrayed, nearly killed three times over the span of a few months by someone he trusted. After that, him, me, and the others came together to fight an alien invasion. Some.... spats, mistakes, took place. We all broke it off for a while, but it's all good now. He's a family man, has a wife and kids," he ruffles the hair of the ones by his side, the meaning clear. "He is only Iron Man when absolutely needed. His old age is getting to him, even if he doesn't say anything."

"You said we'd meet their father," Howard gestured to the kids. "So I'm assuming you mean... Iron Man?" Excitement bubbles in his chest.

"Tony." Steve said. Howard thinks he's talking about his son, as the future probably knows about him, but he's not even looking at the teenager. He's looking at where another portal has opened up. A man steps through, designer pant leg and shoe first, and then a suit, then black hair, then a face...

"TONY!?" He and Maria exclaimed in sync.

The man, his son in the future, ignored them, heading straight over to Steve. "Peter, Harley, what did I say about time travel past 9 pm?"

"Don't do it?" They said meekly.

Tony raised an eyebrow. "No. Don't do it without me or while Peper is in the house."

He grabs their hands, gently. Howard now sees what Steve means by aged. His son has grey hair and a wrinkled face. Probably in his fifties.

His future son grumbles under his breath about children giving him grey hairs before pulling them and himself through the portal with a shouted, "I'll be back later!" Over his shoulder. Steve soluted, smiled, and then followed them through the portal.

There's silence for a moment as the portal collapses in on itself. Complete utter silence as, for once in his life, Howard has nothing to say.

Then....

"I'M GOING TO BE A SUPERHERO?!"

Howard is proud.