Chapter 36: Chapter 36: A Changed Future
Nick Fury's eyes widened. "You already know the outcome?" He then slapped his thigh, muttering, "Right, I nearly forgot—you were raised by a witch. Future visions, of course."
He reached for the phone, punched in a few numbers, then suddenly hung up and slammed his hand on the table in frustration. "Damn it! Ross is just a stubborn old warhorse. He ignores S.H.I.E.L.D. at every turn, always brushing us off with ridicule!" He glanced back at Thor, exasperated.
Thor shrugged. "There's no need to stop him, and honestly, you couldn't if you tried. And while his research is bound to cause problems, it actually serves one of your plans."
"Good for me?" Fury frowned, then a realization dawned on him. "You're talking about the Avengers Initiative? Wait—you even know about that?" It was a plan he'd devised after Captain Marvel's departure, originally calling it the "Protector Initiative." He'd told no one about it.
Thor nodded. "The failed experiment will create a monster, and that monster will eventually join the Avengers. There are other heroes in the future too."
Fury's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "So, you know all the potential Avengers already? Just how many are we talking about?"
"Plenty. But remember, even small changes now can lead to massive shifts. Some of these heroes may never come to be if we're not careful."
Thor was right; his presence alone had already set many new events into motion. Taking Maya Hansen away from Earth altered Iron Man's future; the interactions with Natasha had nudged her down a new path. But everything he'd done had been carefully considered; Maya and Natasha would have eventually followed similar paths, with minimal disruption to the core timeline.
But S.H.I.E.L.D. was different. At this point, superheroes were still a divisive concept—a threat to some, a savior to others. Eventually, this uncertainty would lead to the infamous "Sokovia Accords." If restrictions were put in place too early, it might stifle the emergence of future heroes entirely.
Fury understood the risk. He didn't want to lose any potential heroes due to bureaucratic overreach. He already had candidates in mind for the Avengers Initiative, but a leader was still missing. Thor, while immensely powerful, wasn't a permanent fixture on Earth.
"Let's leave the past alone for now." Thor broke into Fury's thoughts. "I came to S.H.I.E.L.D. to confirm something specific. Can you arrange a meeting with Agent Peggy Carter?"
Leaving Fury's office, Natasha led Thor back to the car. S.H.I.E.L.D. had arranged a temporary residence and cover identity for him.
As they walked, Natasha glanced at him thoughtfully. "I'm one of the Avengers you mentioned, aren't I?"
Thor sighed. She was astute, piecing together more than he'd said in his conversation with Fury. He chuckled. "What, you think I treated you well just because I saw your potential?"
She didn't respond, just continued looking at him intently.
Thor's tone softened. "With or without me, you're destined to become one of the greatest Avengers. And when I helped you back then, I did it for you, not Black Widow."
Natasha fell silent, processing his words. After a while, she finally asked, "In the future… does my death mean something?"
Thor's heart skipped a beat. Her insight startled him.
"Yes," he replied, choosing his words carefully. "When everyone else gave up, you kept fighting. And in the end, your determination turned the tide. You sacrificed yourself to save half of the universe."
Thor kept his voice as calm as possible, but it was hard not to feel the weight of that memory. He'd always admired her resilience, but her unremarked sacrifice had haunted him. She was left in a distant, foreign land, her heroic death almost forgotten. The memorial for Iron Man had overshadowed her entirely.
"But that's no longer your future," Thor added firmly, "and it's not the future I want for you. Your destiny changed the moment we crossed paths."
Natasha looked down, then raised her gaze with a small, heartfelt smile. Lifting her wrist, she displayed the Hercules bracelet she wore. "You're right. In my original future, you were just a partner, another comrade in arms. But now…"
She smiled, glancing at the bracelet. "Now, things are different. I have you."
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