Steve was walking down the busy sidewalks of Manhattan. The streets of the city were pulsing with life, and Steve was pleased to see the resilient New Yorkers already bouncing back from the Chitauri's attack only last week. Whole buildings stood in disrepair; in some places only piles of rubble remained. Scorch marks scarred the roads, and every few blocks stood makeshift memorials to those who lost their lives. Steve remembered how an unnatural stillness had seemed to blanket the wreckage as the smoke cleared that day. A somber and quiet sense of finality had settled over Manhattan and it had unnerved Steve. He had become so accustomed to the city that never sleeps that he was relieved when it began to pick itself up again.

Over the past week, the media had been relentless. Opinions on the Avengers had varied, but everyone wanted an interview. The constant badgering and attention exhausted Steve, so when he saw a news crew stationed in front of a condemned building a little ways before him, he ducked into the first alley he came across. Steve didn't care what news station it was, or whether they supported him or not. He did not feel like talking today. Or ever. The alley led to a residential neighborhood hit hard by the attack. An explosion had blown a crater in the road and yellow police tape marking buildings in dangerous conditions fluttered in the slight breeze. A heavy silence lay over the evacuated street. Steve was the only person on the street…except for one lone figure.

The figure stood in front of what used to be an apartment complex. It now lay in a heap of twisted metal and broken brick. As Steve drew closer, the person became clearer. The stranger appeared to be a young man, standing easily above six feet, dressed in a pair of jeans and a casual sweatshirt. He was tan, with inky black hair. There was a contemplative air about him as he looked at the wreckage.

"Did you live here?" Steve asked as he came to stand next to the man. The stranger jumped at Steve's voice and jerked out of his reverie. His startling green eyes gave Steve a quick once-over.

"I'm sorry I startled you."

"Oh, um… it's fine. I did used to live here, but I moved when I was twelve." The stranger said. Up close, Steve could see that he couldn't be more than twenty years old.

"Steve Rogers." The Avenger said, holding out his hand. The stranger took it, surprising Steve with his strong grip.

"Percy Jackson."

"If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here?" Steve questioned. Percy took his time before answering.

"I've always wanted to blow this building up. It holds a lot of memories. When I heard that this neighborhood got wrecked, I had to come by and make sure the job was done well enough." Steve couldn't tell of the boy was joking or not. Percy must have noticed Steve's expression because he shot him a lopsided grin.

"Eddie is gonna be so mad." Percy continued, chuckling.

"Eddie?"

"The building Super." Percy shoved his hands deeper into the pockets of his jeans. "I don't think his insurance covers alien attacks."

Steve laughed a little at this. He still wasn't sure what to make of this Jackson kid. They stood in comfortable silence for a little while. While Percy continued to gaze at the wreckage, Steve observed him out of the corner of his eye. The boy's stance was relaxed, and yet, there was a tenseness that Steve didn't think a teenager should possess. His face was devoid of emotion. Percy looked every part of the average teenager, but Steve couldn't help but be reminded of Clint or Natasha.

"You're Captain America, aren't you?" Percy said, turning to face Steve. Steve Rogers, indeed Captain America, was pulled from his thoughts, startled at being recognized.

"Yes, I am. How did you know?" Steve asked, but Percy ignored the question.

"Well, I guess I should thank you then, for protecting my city." The boy stuck his hand out once more for Steve to shake and then excused himself, saying he had a meeting at the Empire State Building.

"Wouldn't want to be later than I already am, right?" He said with another crooked grin. Steve just nodded. "See ya around, Cap." Percy parted with a cheery wave, and disappeared down a side street. Steve stood still for a minute more, slightly bewildered by the brief encounter he had just experienced. It had seemed like Percy was, at one moment, serious and thoughtful, and at the next, without a care in the world.

Steve shook his head slowly and decided it was time to head back to Stark's tower.

Percy knew he was going to be late. The opportunity to internally gloat on the fate of his old apartment was too irresistible to pass up though. And then there had been his short conversation with Captain America, which further delayed him.

The attack on Manhattan was still fresh in his memory, and to be honest, Percy didn't know how he felt about the Avengers. Percy had been at Camp Half-Blood, teaching a sword fighting class when a little Aphrodite girl ran up, demanding that Percy meet Chiron at the Big House NOW. When he had bounded up the porch steps, out of breathe from his sprint, he found a group of senior campers already gathered there. Chiron had received a message from an old Hermes camper working for some government agency. New York was being attacked.

Less than half an hour later ten senior campers were scattered throughout the streets of Manhattan, armor hidden under regular clothes. The demigods worked in the shadows, keeping the aliens contained, protecting civilians, and clearing the streets. They were given a few questioning looks, but the Avengers stole the limelight. In that regard, Percy supposed he should be grateful. The campers were able to do their part, and their secret was still safe. And, according to the ex-Hermes camper who now worked as a low-level agent for SHIELD, the agency was still ignorant of the demigods' involvement.

Percy had expected to find himself content with the way the events had played out, yet he found himself oddly dissatisfied. Working behind the scenes was tiring. It bothered Percy that he had sacrificed so much for the sake of the world and that humanity was still blissfully unaware. The son of Poseidon quickly cut off that line of thinking though. Giving up the three years and counting of relative peace he had acquired since the Giant War for fifteen minutes of fame was not worth it. Percy had Annabeth and that was enough.

Percy darted into the lobby of the Empire State Building. He fought his way through the crowded room, earning several nasty looks from disgruntled tourists. The security guard behind the desk didn't look up at him as he slapped his hands on the wood.

"I need to go up to the 600th floor." Percy said in between heaving breaths. He had run the last several blocks to make up for time.

"No such floor, kid." The guard flipped the page of his book lazily.

"Oh, c'mon man. We do this every time!"

"Do I know you?" Percy growled under his breath. He did not have the patience for this right now. The glass of water sitting on the desk began to shake slightly. Noticing the water, the guard finally looked up at Percy. He narrowed his eyes.

"Actually, now that I think about it you do look slightly familiar." Percy just held out his hand and the guard rolled his eyes. "What fun are you?" He said, and plopped the key into Percy's waiting palm.

Without another word Percy hurried into the elevator and slid the key into the correct slot. His foot tapped as the elevator rose slowly. The music was as terrible as always. Percy found it somewhat comforting though. Regardless of that fact that his entire life had changed, the atrociousness of the music hadn't. The doors of the elevator opened at last, and Percy took a moment to admire Olympus. Annabeth really had done a spectacular job. Then the moment passed and Percy was once again running through the streets toward the Olympian throne room.

He slid the elaborate doors open and attempted to slip into the throne room unnoticed. No such luck. Every eye was fixed on him as he strode quickly to take his place next to Annabeth. In the back of his head, Percy noted that Annabeth's disapproving glare matched her mother's exactly. However, he felt that he shouldn't point that out, for his own health. Percy waved sheepishly.

"Perseus Jackson, I must thank you for finally joining us." Zeus boomed from his throne. Percy blushed. Athena tsked and Apollo gave him a subtle thumb up.

"Sorry." He muttered.

"So, what were we called here for?" Annabeth asked as she took Percy's hand in hers. Zeus opened his mouth to speak, but it was Hermes who beat him to it.

"We have news, news of possible complications." Around the throne room the gods and goddesses, most of whom were present, shifted uncomfortably. A cold ball of dread formed in Percy's gut. He tightened his grip on Annabeth's hand.

"What kind of complications?"

Tony was simultaneously fiddling with some spare parts and stuffing his mouth with food when Steve walked into the personal kitchen at Stark tower. Tony glanced up from his tinkering briefly.

"How was your walk, Cap?" He asked. Steve eyed the food laid out in front of Tony with distaste.

"Really, Tony, pizza and wine, and isn't it a little early to be drinking?" He said. Tony scoffed.

"1. Don't judge, I get cravings. 2. It is never too early to drink. You're just sore because you can't get drunk." The billionaire said, and took a long swig from the wine bottle to emphasize his point. Steve was about to retaliate, when Bruce Banner walked in, holding a newspaper.

"Tony, its ten a.m. isn't that a little early to be drinking?" Bruce said. Tony threw his hands in the air.

"My God, would everyone give a rest today!" He cried in exasperation. Bruce decided to change the subject.

"Have a look at this." The doctor said, throwing the newspaper down on the kitchen counter with a satisfying thud. Steve and Tony leaned in to look at the front page. The paper was dated from this morning. A single headline graced the front page. The picture under it looked like a movie poster. A lone figure dominated the scene. It looked male, but only his back was visible. He was crouched in a defensive stance, and in one hand, he held a sword. The figure was facing off three of the Chitauri; in the background, the smoking streets of New York were visible.

"What is this?" Tony asked, shocked.

Bruce only shook his head.

"What kind of complications?" Percy repeated, his voice low and tense. He watched as Hermes rose from his throne, shrinking down to human height as he did so. Wordlessly, he handed Percy a newspaper. With growing dread, he took in the picture. He felt slightly nauseous. Even with only the figure's back visible, Percy could recognize himself. Turning his attention to the headline, he slowly puzzled the words out.

"What is this?" He asked when the meaning became clear.

Annabeth only shook her head.

In large bold letters the headline read: New York's Unsung Hero?

Hey, guys. So, this is my first crossover and I would really appreciate some reviews on how it looks so far. It starts out kind of slow, but I need to build the background up a bit first. Any comment would be great! Review! Thanks