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Tony Stark was very fond of his Aunt Peggy. He would visit whenever he could. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for the sweet old lady.Some days Peggy was plainly confused. The past and the present all mixed up. This was not one of those days. She was merely a bit loopy from a new allergy medication. Tony told her how he was getting the whole team, all the Avengers, living together in Stark Tower. An open invitation."That's sweet of you Tony but it's mostly just us old broads now. Too stubborn to let go and rest in peace, let alone uproot and move to New York.""What old broads, Peg?" Tony asked gently. "Venus, Cathy, Emma, Tara, Purdey and me, of course. Avengers one and all." "Peggy, you're saying you were an Avenger?" he humored her.
"When was this?" Tony hated it when her mind played tricks on her like that."After I left the SSR, before SHIELD, I went home to England. Mother wanted me to help train their agents! John Steed was the best they ever had and I helped train him!" Damn this new med was making her talkative as well as drowsey. "It was a shame what happened to Mother. He hated that damned wheelchair.""?"She fell asleep remembering the past. Tony slipped out, quietly puzzling over her words. What if she wasn't having a bad day? AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAV "JARVIS!" Tony called out as soon as he got home. "Welcome back sir," he replied warmly."I need everything you can find on Peggy Carter's career after she left the SSR and before SHIELD. See if she ever crossed paths with a John Steed." "I'll get right on it Sir."Tony gave JARVIS the other names he remembered as well.It took JARVIS longer than expected to find the pertinent information."Sorry for the delay Sir, the information you requested was classified and heavily encrypted. The British government's security protocols have been getting much better lately. I sent the relevant data to your Stark Pad.""Thanks JARVIS. Good work"Tony lost himself in the new data from Peggy's past."JARVIS! Get me the legal department! I want a copyright on the Avengers name and I want it yesterday!" AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAV The next day Peggy recalled the conversation and cursed her hay fever. She had a feeling that things were about to get complicated. She shook her head and reached for the phone."Tony was here earlier. He knows about our Avengers. He's probably doing something impulsive as we speak." AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAV
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Anthea strode briskly into Mycroft Holmes' office and laid a file on his desk. He looked down his nose at the offending folder and huffed a small sigh, "What have the Americans done now?" "It appears that our most secure servers have been hacked. Q branch has already initiated emergency protocals, sir."As he scanned the pertinent facts Mycroft Holmes was perplexed. (It was a rare phenomenon, not to be tolerated!) "Why would anyone be interested in Agent Carter at this late date?" he mused. He thought for but a moment and said, "Clear my calendar, my dear, if you would be so kind, and get me the legal department. Stark isn't going to get away with this!" AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAV JARVIS announced that Director Fury had entered the building. A live feed from the lobby showed Fury to be furious!Bruce left in a hurry. Clint took to the duct work. Natasha faded into the shadows.Fury burst out of the elevator, his coat swirling behind him. "What the hell have you done this time Stark?" he bellowed.Tony looked up after a moment and pretended to pull a pair of patented, noise cancelling ear plugs (StarkPlugs®) out of his ears. "Sorry, were you speaking to me? I didn't hear you." If Fury was going to start off at a full rant Tony wasn't above having some fun at his expense. "If you can put a lid on it for five minutes, I'll explain, or is that too difficult for you?"Tony explained."So when I got home I put JARVIS on it. Seems there was a group called the Avengers in England, in the sixties. Aunt Peggy was part of it. They don't exist anymore but their present day successors could block our use of the name!"I'm doing damage control." My legal team and I are going to make sure that we'll get to still BE the Avengers!"Fury's mouth opened closed several times. Tony would later ask JARVIS to send him the best shots from the surveillance cameras. He was going to put the Director's stunned face on his Christmas cards."Stark, the Brits are going insane trying to trace their security leak back to it's source!"Jarvis interrupted, "There is no trail for them to track Director Fury." He sounded insulted. "I don't leave one.""That's exactly how I knew who was responsible!" AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAV What happened next might have become the legal battle of the century.But it seems that both sides were so busy trying to win at all costs that they forgot the meaning of the word covert.The Powers That Be were not happy.Orders were given. Ultimatums were issued. Pressure points were pressed!But who did what to whom?
(Or should that read, But whom did what to who?) AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAV Mycroft Holmes got home late. He loosened his tie, unbuttoned his waistcoat, and poured himself a stiff drink. The glass had barely touched his lips when there was a call on his private line."Mycroft Holmes.""Hello Mummy, is everything all right? I wasn't expecting..." He was quickly cut off."Yes, Mummy.""No, Mummy""Of course I was going to inform you Mummy.""When?""Sorry Mummy, I was only...""I know it involves family, Mummy.""Yes Mummy, I'll head out first thing in the morning.""Sherlock!?! Yes Mummy. If you insist.""Yes, Mummy. Good night Mummy. I'll see you tomorrow."Mycroft downed his drink like it was water. AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAV With JARVIS to assist, Agent Coulsin finally got them all on Stark's private jet. It was like trying to herd cats. Nobody wanted to be there. The universal reaction had been, "England?!? Why??" Phil didn't have any good answers. They had all been "invited" to attend some posh wingding. By invited, read ordered. He had no idea why. Tony knew why. Pepper spent the flight trying to pull him out of an epic sulk.Natasha and Bruce sat way in the back. Clint apparently slept the whole flight. Fury still looked furious. He hated being manipulated. Steve Rogers tried to calm him down.Thor didn't need an aircraft to travel on Midgard but enjoyed spending time with his Lady Jane.Mid Atlantic, Pepper got Jane and Tony talking about the physics of interdimensional portals. Eventually Bruce was drawn into the discussion.Darcy had no idea why she was on a private jet headed back to England but she was determined to enjoy every minute of it! Who wouldn't enjoy all this eye candy?Phil was very grateful that they'd be by passing customs. This lot didn't go anywhere unarmed. AVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
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MEANWHILE, ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF GOTHAM, AT STATELY WAYNE MANOR.... ***Oops!******"Wrong fandom!*** Meanwhile, outside of London, at the Holmes Manor, preparations were underway.By the time The Avengers had arrived Tony finally filled them in a little. Ruffled feathers were soothed a bit when they saw their accommodations.Bruce shuddered at the thought of the destruction the other guy could cause here if he lost his temper.AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVSherlock had thought that John Watson would not be welcome at a family conclave, so he had categorically refused to leave Baker Street without his blogger. Long story short, John had been coerced into coming along.Mycroft had sat tight lipped and silent. Sherlock had sulked for most of the trip. John wondered what he'd gotten himself involved in this time.John had felt like he was sitting on a powder keg and one wayward spark would set it off.The manor was a hive of activity when they arrived. Sherlock raised an eyebrow. John noticed his interest and breathed a sigh of relief.Mycroft unbent enough to inform him that Mummy had previously scheduled a reunion of some of her old friends and colleagues. There would be a reception later that they'd all be expected to attend.Guests were being shown to their rooms as they arrived. The butler butled and caterers scurried. AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAV John and the brothers were shown to the library instead of to their rooms. Mrs Virginia Holmes had called for things to start as soon as everyone was present.John greeted Mrs Holmes with a smile. She was a formidable woman and not someone he'd ever want to cross. Mycroft and Sherlock each kissed Mummy on her cheek as they entered."Doctor Watson, first, I apologize that my sons' behavior made it necessary for you to be brought into this. Second, I'm sure you understand, knowing my sons, that all of this falls under The Official Secrets Act."John nodded. On occasions like this he sometimes wished that Mycroft hadn't increased his security clearance after the Adler and Baskerville cases.Mrs Holmes continued, making introductions. "This is my sister, M." she gestured to a short silver haired woman. "Q is my youngest son." The man in question had Sherlock's dark curly hair and his height. He also wore dark framed glasses. "Anthony Stark is my nephew. His late mother was my sister, Maria, and this is my cousin, Margaret Carter." The woman in question was very elderly and was being hovered over by Mr Stark."To say John was startled would be an understatement. He had been unaware that there was yet another Holmes brother. And the infamous Tony Stark was related as well? John could almost feel his IQ dropping in comparison.Mycroft inclined his head to greet M, Q, and his elder cousin. To his own cousin he simply stated, "Stark," with no inflection while Tony rolled his eyes."Mycroft, Anthony, I expect you to both be civil!" Mrs Holmes snapped out.Sherlock thought, that perhaps, he wasn't going to be bored after all. This kept getting better and better!"Anthony, you found out about our Avengers from dear Margaret and as a successful businessman your first thought was evidently to secure exclusive rights to the name through legal channels. Then Mycroft, in an uncharacteristic knee jerk reaction, responded in kind. Both of you determined that neither would get the prize. Ridiculous behavior unbefitting your intelligence and heritage."The original Avengers, who were active in the 60's, were founded by my Uncle Rudy with a fair amount of assistance from Agent Margaret Carter," here she gestured to her cousin.M took over. "Over the years clandestine Agencies merge, grow, change or simply fade away. Acronyms and code names abound. Our Uncle went by Mother." I hold a position that is a direct descendant to the one he held, now shortened to just "M.""The two of you will cease all of this legal wrangling immediately! If we'd had any objections to Director Fury using the name for his Avengers Initiative we'd have stopped it ages ago," Mrs Holmes declared."You don't have the right!" Mycroft couldn't help but exclaim as Tony smirked in victory.Mummy shut them down with a look. "I have every right! This is basically a family matter and I'm pulling rank! The two of you are cousins. Did either of you even attempt to contact the other and use your words before getting attorneys involved? No?Mycroft Holmes and Tony Stark both suddenly looked rather shamefaced. Two of the most powerful men on the planet hanging their heads like naughty little boys in the face of her displeasure."It! Stops! Right! Now!"She stood, glaring at them until they both made the necessary cease and desist calls."Good, now that that's all settled I need to oversee preparations. This debacle caused me to increase the guest list quite dramatically at very short notice." She took M and Peggy with her. AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAV After the women left, Sherlock explained more to John. "I deduced my family's history while still a child. Mummy's maiden name is Lake. She was a Colonel, with a group called SHADO. It merged with UNIT some years later. M runs MI6 and Q here is the youngest quartermaster they've ever had. All of our family works directly for the government in some capacity. All rules and regulations," he shuddered. "Tony and I are the exceptions."Growing up in America, with an American father, and losing your parents at such a young age, you didn't have the opportunities I did to ferret out old family secrets Tony.""I know what MI6 is, and I've heard of the UNified Intelligence Taskforce, but what's shadow?""SHADO," Mycroft said dryly, "Supreme Headquarters: Alien Defense Organization."Tony saw John's eye twitch. "Surely you don't have a problem believing in aliens after what we went through in New York? SHIELD knew, UNIT too""Don't forget Torchwood!" Sherlock threw in as John was asking what Shield stood for."Sherlock! How long have you known about them?" Mycroft was fuming. Harkness had been a thorn in his side for too many years."Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division," Tony crowed simultaneously.John rubbed the back of his neck. Who came up with these names? In the military nobody tried to force acronyms to form words. IEDs and MREs. Normal pople didn't either. SSDD, TGIF, WTF and even WWJD came to mind."Mummy's reunion lets her old cronies in clandestine capers keep in touch." Sherlock smirked."This time she's also invited a fair selection of those currently active with various agencies. She's going for more transparency evidently, feeling that if we all know who everyone is that there'll be less chance of something like this happening in the future," Mycroft glared at Tony Stark."Is it safe to have so many of them gathered together in one place like this?""Do keep up John, with this lot, security here is better than at Baskerville." AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAV
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When Sherlock and John entered the main hall after freshening up, the festivities were already underway. They found a quiet spot and Sherlock identified the various players to him, sometimes making wry observations. The detective also informed him which covert organizations people belonged to.John's head was still reeling! ========Later as they were circulating a tall, bald, dark skinned man with an eye patch came up and slapped his flat mate on the back. "Sherlock Holmes! I didn't know you'd be here. You're looking much better than when we ran into each other in Eastern Europe.""I could say the same of you, Director Fury. This is my friend John.""Sherlock and I met while I was hunting down HYDRA and he was tracking Moriarty's web. Our goals were aligned for a time.""If it wasn't for Nick I would have got captured in Serbia. We blew up their compound and barely made it out in time."========Mrs Holmes brought Tony over to a group that included his Aunt Peggy. She took his hand fondly. "Let me introduce you to the Avengers," she said with a twinkle in her eye. There was a dapper man with a mane of wavy silver hair, an umbrella balanced on his lap. "This is my old friend, John Steed.""Wonderful to meet you old chap! Peggy here is always bragging about you," he said with a wink. "And these lovely ladies were all partners of mine at one time or another. Venus Smith, with a singing voice beyond compare. Cathy Gale, a lethal beauty. Mrs Emma Peel, who knows everybody worth knowing. Tara King and Purdy, my two favorite protégés.""Well hello ladies!" Came an approaching voice. "Captain Jack Harkness, at your service.""Stop it Jack," Virginia Holmes said firmly."What? I was just saying hello."There was a roguishness about the man that Tony recognized despite the vintage WWII clothes the man was wearing. Picking up on a nonverbal signal from his Aunt, Tony steered Jack away. "I think you'll enjoy meeting my friends." ========Steve Rogers looked up and did a double take at the man walking over with Tony. "You look exactly like Jack Harkness! But I met him during the War. Any chance you're related?""Cap!" Jack said as he embraced his old friend, "It's me! It's a long story, but it's really me."The rest of The Avengers gathered around Steve. Jack turned up his megawatt smile and proceeded to charm the entire group paying particular attention to his old friend.========Across the hall, Ianto Jones turned away and snagged a drink off the tray of a passing waiter. Toshiko Sato placed a hand on his arm in understsnding. An attractive woman snagged another drink and offered it to Ianto after he downed the first one in short order. "Here you go. I saw the look on your face," Eve Moneypenny, said. "Let's grab a couple of seats over here so we can talk. Let me guess, you're attracted to someone who's larger than life and flirts with outrageous abandon, right?""You know Jack?"She shook her head. "I know James Bond." She looked over at a dangerous looking man in animated discussion with a stunning ginger.Toshiko spoke of Owen who slept with every woman on their team but never gave her a second glance.Before too long their little group was joined by Phil Coulsin, Anthea, John Watson, Pepper Potts, and Darcy Lewis. The drinks kept flowing. They had the common experience of knowing devastatingly handsome people who took them for granted."They only notice I'm there when the coffee runs out.""He abandons me at crime scenes and carries on whole conversations when I'm not even in the flat.""He blows off important business meetings that he's sworn he'll attend and expects me to pick up the pieces.""We've known each other for years. He flirts outrageously, sleeps with everyone and yet never notices me.""He thinks it's just a case of hero worship.""He runs the British government but can't keep his schedule straight without me.""It's all about Thor.."========Captain America and Captain Harkness fondly remembered USO shows and war bonds and The Howling Commandos. Steve told of being frozen under the ice for decades and of everyone he knew being dead or aged almost beyond recognition. Jack shared his secret and how he always out lived everyone he cared about and always would.=========Phil, Ianto and John got into a good natured argument over who twirled their coat with the most flourish, Nick Fury, Jack Harkness or Sherlock Holmes. Bruce Banner who couldn't help overhearing put in a bid for Loki.========M, Fury and Mycroft traded tips for keeping their minions in line and dealing with rogue elements. 007, Stark and Harkness may or may not have been mentioned.========Pepper and Anthea hit it off, debating which designer heels were the most comfortable to wear, and how a well designed dress made idiots of most men. Natasha agreed to that but amended it to all men.========Thor and Mycroft commiserated over troublesome siblings========Over by the fireplace, where they appreciated the extra warmth, Oscar Goldman and Dr Rudy Wells were catching up with Agent 99, of CONTROL, and Illya Kuryakin and April Dancer from UNCLE. Oscar, Rudy, Illya and John Steed toasted Napoleon Solo, Mother, and other fallen comrades.April, and 99 waxed nostalgic about the Mod styles of their youth and complained of the the rampant sexism they'd had to endure. Peggy Carter said they'd had it easy compared to what she'd faced both during the War and after. Steed's partners chimed in and pointed to him as having been better than most for the times but still sexist. Steed had called it chivalry.========Virginia, M and Peggy got caught up on family. Peg asked if their spouses were here. They looked each other and said, in unison, "Our husbands prefer to have plausible deniability!" Then they laughed.========James Bond, Natasha Romanov and Clint Barton were debating the pros and cons of various martial arts.========The Kingsman contingent, Mycroft, Ianto and John Steed all could have stepped out of an issue of GQ magazine. They bemoaned the general lack of manors in today's society.Eggsy Unwin discovered that Steed was a failed Kingsman candidate. He'd refused to shoot the hunting hound he'd trained from a pup. Eggsy could relate.=========Phil Coulsin, Harry Hart, Sherlock Holmes, Steve Rogers, Nick Fury, Tony Stark and Jack Harkness compared people's reactions to them returning after being missing or presumed dead. They ranged from hugs, tears, joy, incredulity, disbelief, anger, fear, and rage.Meanwhile, Ianto Jones, Eggsy Unwin, Pepper Potts, John Watson and others looked at the same issue from the opposite perspective. ========Toshiko Sato, Q, Tony Stark and Merlin got hip deep in techno babble. There was talk of introducing JARVIS to Mainframe========Sherlock and Jane Foster were discussing something completely incomprehensible.========Bruce Banner and John Watson struck up a fast friendship with Rudy Wells. They compared being doctors in India, Korea and Afghanistan. They swapped stories of working without adequate equipment and supplies and how good it felt to know you'd made a difference. Rudy had anecdotes about his time with a MASH unit in Korea. As medical men, they also voiced a shared concern over the apparently frail health of some of the other guests, wondering how they'd managed to make the trip at all.========Eventually things wound down. People headed to bed and staff began cleaning up. Ianto was glad that the Torchwood contingent weren't stuck being the Reunion Faires like they'd been the Wedding Faires for Gwen and Rhys.
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After breakfast, the Holmes relatives reconvened back in the library. John shared the health concerns he'd observed with Dr Banner and Dr Wells.Peggy voiced that she was now worried that under medication or with the progression of her Alzheimer's that she would babble classified information at an inappropriate time."I'll come to these reunions of yours Virginia for as long as I possibly can. I miss the old gang. It's hard being unable to share most of my life with anyone because so much of it is classified. Anthony, you have the rest of your team. Sherlock you have John and your brothers. M, Q and Mycroft, you're all still active and have coworkers and friends that have clearance. The rest of us are retired and scattered. It gets lonely at times."With the combined intellect of those present they quickly came up with a plan.The Holmes clan, John thought, powerful, brilliant, bickering, oft times infuriating and geniuses all.Tony took point. "There is a pressing need for a safe secure place where they can get together, even live together if they want to. Basically a high tech assisted living situation. Two locations eventually, London and New York. It will be fully funded by Stark Industries and the Holmes Foundation. For right now there's plenty of room in the Avengers Tower."We haven't been able to come up with a suitable name yet, though." Tony lamented. "It should be obvious and obfuscating at the same time.""Please don't!" John muttered. "With all of the acronyms floating around here already, it's enough to give an entomologist nightmares!""John! You really are the conductor of light that Sherlock claims!" Tony exclaimed. "I now have the perfect name!"?????"Senior Years - Nursing, Daycare, and Retirement, Office of Member Entomologists!"?????"You can't be serious!" several voices shouted at once.But he was. AVAVAVAVAVAVAVAV And that's how the original Avengers and their friends invaded New York, moved in on their namesakes and acquired StarkHolmes SYNDROME.
STARK Industries
HOLMES FoundationSenior
Years -
Nursing,
Daycare, and
Retirement,
Office of
Member
Entomologists