Back Before the Start of Us (on hold)

Time is taking its sweet time

He placed the stack at the head of the table as the kids awkwardly stood to the side and picked up the first piece of paper on the pile.
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"Well looks like the kids were right. Leopold Danger Stark aged 15. Parents: Anthony Stark and Virginia Potts. I didn't actually believe you when you said your middle name but it's written right here. Odd choice." Coulson said.

Tony didn't know how to feel. Every butterfly in the world had migrated to his stomach making his insides turn over. But he also felt sickeningly happy. Him and Pepper were going to be okay. He was going to be okay. He had a kid who, by the looks of it, had turned out okay. Maybe he had a right to be happy about this.

"Uh next... ah Morgan Ginny Stark aged 13. Parents: Anthony Stark and Virginia Potts."

Morgan's head was spinning. It was all too much. They had been rushed around through endless corridors, across the building, shoved into a room full of people who should have known who they were and then dragged back through corridors only to have to listen to the same information all over again.
For once she was thankful for the sand in her ears and the ocean roaring in her head. For once it was a welcome distraction.
She could feel her dad looking at her. His gaze burned a hole right through her skull, turning the sand to glass and the ocean to steam with the weight of it. It was so heavy. She could feel it weighing her down, slowly but surely. God Morgan wished he would just look away. She would take the pain that came with the roaring ocean in her head over this a thousand times. Because at least then she would have her dad looking after her. A dad that actually knew who she was.

Coulson took his time with moving through the stack of papers proving that each of the kids were exactly who they said they were. When he finally stopped speaking the walls were cracking with the tension in the room. Everything was painfully silent. Two thousand years ticked by and still nobody spoke. Coulson cleared his voice.

"So, does anyone have any questions for the kids? Or do the kids have any questions for us?"

"I have a question," Charlotte spoke up, "how are you planning on helping send us home? I'm sure our parents are working on something from their side but it's always good to have a back up."

"What do you mean, from their side?" Coulson asked.

"The future. Like we said." Noah added, backing up his sister.

"You don't really expect us to believe you do you? I mean time travel is incredibly far fetched. DNA results that have been tampered with are much more likely." Clint was having none of it. There was no way those kids were who they said they were. No test was going to prove or disprove anything.

"He's right. What if they're part of HYDRA and are trying to take us down from the inside." It was the first time Bucky had properly spoken since the kids had arrived. He had no problem voicing just how little he believed the story of these children.

"How could you say that? There are DNA tests to prove that these are our children."
At least Tony were on their side. They needed him if they had any hope of getting back to their parents.

"I agree with James. These kids are here for a reason and I don't think it's anything good. It never is." Wanda's voice was quiet and rough but it managed to shock everyone into silence. It had only been several days since she had last spoken, not the longest stretch of silence by a long shot, but her voice croaked out like it hadn't been used in decades.

"I understand why you guys are so distrusting but give the kids a chance. Maybe they have a better explanation for how they got in here."
Steve. Always the voice of reason.

Every head in the room snapped to stare at the kids. Because yes, surely they had a better explanation for being there than accidental time travel. Surely they just accidentally found their way inside or were looking for help. The DNA results were a joke and so were the kids, all set up by someone to play a prank on the Avengers.

If only the answer were that easy.

"We were telling the truth." Katia said, chin tilted up and unwavering confidence in her voice. Just like her dad.

"About the time travel?" Bruce pressed. He still hadn't taken a side but he really would love to believe that time travel was possible.

"Yes. You have to believe us." Morgan pressed.

Tatum could feel the buzzing in her head start back up and this time it was angry.

"We don't have to believe anything. It's ridiculous!"

"Clint! At least hear them out!" Natasha countered.

"No Nat. We've already heard them out when they told us their story about time travel. I don't buy it. We need some sort of proof. Other than DNA results!"

"Stop shouting!" Immy's words were drowned out by the others.

"DNA results are plenty of proof are they not? Banner has told me a bit about how they work." Thor asked, confused at why these people so easily dismissed the words of children.

"Thank you Thor. Yes they are." Tony gestured dramatically to where Thor was sitting.

"No they aren't. HYDRA could easily have hacked into the system or something to fake them. If we go with Barnes and Wanda's theory." Clint wanted to argue with Tony forever. It was such a good way to blow off steam.

"Hey! We aren't lying! And we aren't part of HYDRA whatever that is!" Charlotte yelled.

The argument was swelling and surging like the sea before a storm growing louder and less disciplined by the second.

"See! If you were our kids you would know what HYDRA was. We would have told you that!" Clint was full on yelling now.

Tatum's buzzing was growing angrier and louder, building and building into some hideous thing inside of her. It was a dragon unfurling in her chest, mutilated by her fears. She had never realised how much anger was inside of her. It felt like it was going to explode through her skin. Her soul was on fire, burning hot and bright. She would no longer keep her mouth shut. Because right now, the anger might be useful.

"Everybody, shut up!" Bright blue electricity was crackling between her fingers and in her eyes. As soon as the words left her mouth, everybody fell silent.

"Stop. Shouting. Look, we are telling the truth. Whether you believe us or not is up to you. But arguing is going to get us nowhere. We have no idea what HYDRA is but we are your children. Because, for the record, you guys never speak about what kinds of things you fought back... now. It's not our fault we don't know." Even after Tatum had finished, nobody spoke for a good minute.

"So-"
Clint started but Nate cut him off.

"I think we, meaning us kids, should step outside for a few minutes. Give us all some time to cool off. If you don't trust us, Coulson and Maria can come out and keep an eye on us."

"I think that's a good idea." Natasha said and Steve nodded in agreement.

"Wow today really is a strange day. First time travel and then Nate had a good idea. Two phenomenons in the same 24 hours. We really are blessed."

"Well Leo, it's great to see that your sarcasm is still intact. And as you can tell from that statement, so is mine." Katia snarked

"And isn't phenomenons a bit of a big word for you?" James teased as the kids plus Coulson and Maria all headed outside.