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Chapter Text

Bruce stood as close to the window as he could possibly get as he looked down at all the floors below him and watched all the little people in the city. Stark tower was so far off the ground from here, ninety-three stories in fact, as he was on the top floor.

"When's dad going to be back, Ms. Pepper?" The boy asked without moving from the window. You could see the whole city from here!

The red head woman smiled a little as she looked away from the holo screen with all the numbers that she could barely understand. She was wearing a loose white button up shirt and short shorts, but bare foot. "He should be back soon, don't worry honey."

He nodded against the glass. His dad was going down into the water with his Iron Man suit and redirecting the power so that the tower would run off of the same thing as his suit. And now they were just waiting for it to be done.

Bruce twirled the new purple shirt he was wearing in his hands. Waiting was boring.

Suddenly, the power was all on.

"How's it look?" The red head asked over the speaker and Bruce eagerly went over to see the screens, but frowned when he didn't really understand too much of it.

"Like Christmas, but with more...me," Tony replied over the phone and Bruce giggled a bit at his dad.

Pepper smiled a bit and looked down at the eight year old, but then focused on the business. "You need to apply public awareness and make some declarations. You need to do some press. I'm in DC tomorrow. I'm working on the zoning for the next three buildings; on my flight I'll schedule some conferences for the next week for you."

"Pepper, you're killing me here. Enjoy the moment, remember?" Tony replied to her. "Hey, Doc tell her she has to have some fun."

Bruce watched his dad land on the roof and walk inside. It was so cool how all the little robots worked so in sync and didn't hinder the walking at all! As Tony walked the dark cloths, long pants and sleeves because the suit chafed awfully if you didn't (He and Bruce were working on that though.) were revealed.

"Sir, Agent Coulson of SHIELD is on the line," JARVIS announced as he was halfway done removing the suit.

"I'm not in. I'm actually out," Tony answered smartly, as he made his way over to the screen.

"Sir, I'm afraid he's insistent," JARVIS pressed as Tony picked up Bruce and placed him on his hip in such a classic dad-move that Pepper smirked a little as she looked away from the screen. Tony just stuck his tongue out very maturely.

"Another time, JARVIS," Tony persisted looking over Pepper's shoulder at the screens while holding Bruce.

"Levels are holding steady...I think," Pepper said as she bit her lip, trying to figure out what the numbers meant.

"Of course they are. I was involved," Tony said to a grinning Bruce.

The boy looked at the numbers closely then pointed at one. "What's that one mean?"

"That one, Doc, is about the energy the reactor is giving off and where it's going. Some of it needs to be stored right now because this place doesn't have enough interesting things in it yet," The genius explained, and Bruce got engrossed in the screens again

"So how does it feel to be a genius, Ms. Potts?" he asked, smiling at the woman in question.

"I wouldn't know anything about that, now would I?"

"What do you mean? All of this is because of you?" he exclaimed, tightening his hold on the kid in his arms when his voice got more passionate.

"All of this is because of that," Pepper said as she pointed at Tony's Arc Reactor.

"Give yourself some credit, please. Stark Tower is your baby. Give yourself, twelve percent of the credit," Tony grinned.

Pepper raised an eye brow and Tony's grin faded as he realized he was in in trouble. "Twelve percent?" Bruce didn't look away from the screen as the two adults started to bicker. He had learned it happened a lot.

"An argument can be negotiated to fifteen," Tony answered defensively.

"Twelve percent, and that's my baby?" Pepper asked incredulously.

"I did all the heavy lifting. Literally, I lifted the heavy things," Tony defended as he mocked lifted up Bruce to prove his point, but noticed Pepper wasn't caving. "I'm going to pay for the twelve percent thing later in a subtle way aren't I?" The billion concluded dejectedly.

"Oh, I don't plan on being subtle," Pepper answered, grinning.

"The next building is going to say Potts on the tower," Tony tried to redeem himself.

"In the least," Pepper stated poking his chest above the arch reactor.

"Call your mother. Can you bunk over?" Tony begged and Pepper laughed, while Bruce finally looked up from the screen grinning too.

"Sir, the telephone," JARVIS insisted. "I'm afraid my protocols are being overwritten."

"Stark, we need to talk," Coulson said over Tony's phone, which the genius had pulled out of his pocket while balancing his kid with one arm.

Tony sighed and looked into his phone turning it away from Bruce just to get his own face in the screen, "You have reached the life model decoy of Tony Stark. Please leave a message." Tony said in a monotone voice and causing his companions to laugh.

"This is urgent," Coulson replied straight-faced.

"Then leave urgently." Tony snarked, as the elevator door dinged open to reveal the SHIELD agent. "Security breach."

"Mr. Stark," Coulson greeted then stopped and looked at the kid that was practically cringing into Tony's arm.

"Phil! Come in," Pepper greeted the agent and he looked away, distracted.

"Phil?" Tony asked with a raised eye brow at their chumminess while holding Bruce tighter to reassure him that the agent wouldn't take him. They would have sent someone more terrifying than Coulson to get the Hulk.

"I can't stay," Coulson said as he denied Pepper's offered glass.

"Um...his first name is Agent," Tony said cheekily and smiled as the kid managed to get out a smile.

"Come in, we're celebrating," Pepper offered generously.

"Which is why he can't stay," Tony replied as he put on a very fake smile. "Doc, doesn't like strangers. It would kill the moment." Bruce nodded into his arm shyly.

"We just need you to look this over as soon as possible," Coulson said as he tried to hand over a file to Tony who simply readjusted his grip on the boy.

Tony shook his head and said, "I don't like to get handed things."

Pepper smiled "But I love getting handed things." She took the file from the SHEILD agent and turned to Bruce. "Sweetie, your dad needs to look at this," she explained to the boy, who nodded and let Tony put him down. The billion heir took the file unwillingly, not opening it, while his son merely coward behind his legs.

Tony looked to the man. "Official consulting hours are between eight and five every other Thursday," he snapped as he placed an arm around Bruce's shoulders, making sure the kid knew he was safe. He didn't need SHEILD taking him away because he turned green in Coulson's presence.

"This isn't a consultation," Coulson replied smoothly.

"Is this about the Avengers?" Pepper asked and then realized what she asked. "Which I know nothing about," she hurriedly explained.

"The Avengers initiative has been scrapped." Tony said as he took the file with him and went to his work table, pushing Bruce along in front of him. Bruce had to stay conformable. No green. He put the kid on his chair and continued to play with his files as the boy watched.

"I didn't know that either," Pepper helpfully interrupted, glad Tony was keeping Bruce away from catastrophe.

"Yeah, apparently I'm volatile, self-obsessed, don't play well with others," Tony counted off while Bruce giggled.

"That I did know," Pepper replied with an apologetic smile towards Coulson who seemed to be ignoring the elephant in the room thankfully.

"This is no longer simply personality profiles," Coulson explained calmly.

"Ms. Potts, a moment?" Tony called Pepper over.

"Half a moe," Pepper said to Coulson, holding up a finger and went over to the desk.

"You know, I thought, we were having a moment," Tony said, still fiddling with his screens.

Pepper made a face. "I was having twelve percent of a moment," she replied coldly, then turned more serious. "This seems like something serious. Phil is shaking."

"How would you know that? Why is he Phil?" Tony asked, stopping his work for a second before continuing again.

"What's all this?" Pepper asked looking confused at the screens, successfully distracting the billion heir.

"This is… this," Tony explained as he enlarged everything that was in the file. Screens of all the Avenger's to be profiles, pictures, videos, and printed documents were there for all of them to see. Captain America's daring feats. Hawkeye's mission logs. The Black Widow's statistics. Thor of Asguard's myths and legends. Iron Man's videos and press. And finally all of the Hulks headlines, which Tony quickly turned off before the boy could see. No need to scar him for life. Or draft his son into a war.

"I'm going to take the jet to DC tonight," Pepper said, staring.

"Tomorrow," Tony replied distractedly.

"You've got homework, and a lot of it," Pepper replied.

"Well, what about Bruce?" Tony asked as he turned to look at her.

"Tony," she sighed then she whispered in his ear so the boy couldn't here. "Bruce's file was on here. They want him to. If you don't go with this then they might just take him." Well, that certainly made up Tony's mind.

"Square deal, I'm on board," Tony replied out loud so Coulson could hear.

"Any chance you're going to LaGuardia?" Pepper asked Coulson as she walked with him to the elevator.

"I can drop you," Coulson agreed as they exited the room, leaving Tony with Bruce to look at the files and the Tesseract. Tony picked up Bruce, who was still engrossed in the files, sat on the chair, and then put the kid on his lab.

Bruce looked up at Tony. "Why did you take mine down?" the child asked curiously while pointing where it used to be.

Tony sighed. "They want you and the big guy to be Avengers, Doc," Tony explained as he put back up Bruce's file. No point in hiding what he had already seen.

"Oh," the child stated then paused. "The other guy thinks it would be good."

Tony raised his eyebrow. Every time he had talked to the jolly green giant, he was against anything that could put Bruce in danger. This certainly seemed dangerous. "And why does he think that?"

The boy yawned widely and snuggled closer to his dad. "He thinks he could help people. I think he likes protecting people," he explained sleepily. "But only nice ones like you, daddy."

The man smiled. This kid was probably the only one who had ever called him nice without lying through his teeth. He was about to say more when he noticed the kid had fallen asleep on him.

Well, he could leave Bruce there until he finished reading about this Tesseract thing and put him to bed when he went downstairs. No need to move yet.

Chapter Text

Bruce and Tony were chilling at the top of Stark tower. SHEILD had contacted the billion heir this morning and requested that he relocate to their helicarrier to help locate the Tesseract and be on site with the Avengers. They also requested Bruce accompany them for 'safety purposes.' Tony was suspecting their intent wasn't as innocent as it seemed, but a floating airplane, helipad thing sounded like as safe as anywhere to keep the kid while he was out avenging or whatever it was Avengers did these days.

The pair had a large duffle bag between them plus the portable Iron Man case and repair center. It never hurt to be prepared, which the genius already was as he was actually wearing his Iron Man suit at the moment.

Bruce was staring up at the sky waiting for the plane to come down and get them. He was a bit nervous about staying at SHIELD headquarters, but had been reassured by his dad nothing bad would happen. He trusted him and so did the other guy.

"Tsk, tsk, SHEILD is late to their own party," Tony pointed out to Bruce.

"Maybe they changed their minds?" the boy asked hopefully to his father. Tony squinted at something far off in the distance.

"Nope, sorry Doc." He pointed to the left off in the distance where a small dot could be seen getting closer. "Something wicked this way comes."

Bruce smiled a little at that, bracing himself for the SHEILD agent.

The Agent they sent, Maria Hill, was nice if not a bit strict. She gave a disapproving glare at Tony and a tight lipped smile at Bruce.

"Stark, they want you to rendezvous with Captain America and the Black Widow in Germany. Loki has been sighted there. The coordinates have been sent to you."

"Yeah, I got those, listen can we talk over there for a sec." He gestured a few feet away.

Maria nodded and they went out of earshot from Bruce who watched their conversation curiously. It was strange to say the least. Iron Man seemed to do most of the talking with the agent nodding every once and a while. It didn't last too long though.

Tony finally nodded, walked back over, and then kneeled down in front of Bruce, the metal armor making a strange noise as it made contact with the ground. "Doc, Agent Hill is going to take up to SHIELD's base. It's this giant flying helicarrier thing, trust me you'll know it when you see it. Anyway, I'll meet you up there in a little while I just have to take care of a few things first."

The agent had already given the duffle to someone to take into the plane and had people moving in the Iron Man station in now. She began to walk over.

"You're not going to be there?" Bruce asked, now completely terrified. "But what if something happens?"

Maria Hill came up behind Tony. "Agent Hill promised nothing would happen, so it will be fine. You two will be fine, Doc. I promise," Tony stressed.

"O-okay," Bruce agreed hesitantly. All of a sudden he was in a hug that was not tight because of the armor, but was comforting none the less.

"Alright Doc, I'm going now but you'll be fine with Hill. I'll be back ASAP," Tony said as the helmet clicked down over his face. He stood up and launched himself into the sky, waving before he was out of eyeshot.

"The plane's ready, Banner," Agent Hill told him and motioned for him to get on. Bruce followed tentatively and sat in the seat she told him was his.

"You can just call me Bruce, Miss Hill," Bruce said shyly, while clicking in the safety belt.

She gave him another small smile, and then nodded to the pilot to take off. "Alright, Bruce." After a stretch of awkward silence the agent spoke. "Do you know where we're going?"

He nodded. "We're going to SHIELD."

"Correct. Do you know why?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Dad said it's to protect me," the boy answered slowly.

"But you don't think so?" she prompted, and he shook his head.

"No, I think you want to watch the other guy."

"You mean the Hulk?"

Bruce nodded in answer, and then elaborated. "I know people don't trust him, but he wants to join your team thingy. He wants to help people," the boy confided in her.

She looked surprised but before she could answer they had already arrived in a landing bay of the helicarrier. The both easily unbuckled and left taking care of the plane and the other stuff to the crew.

"Follow me," Agent Hill ordered. "We're going to the control station." Bruce followed along behind her though all the long hallways and avoided all the SHIELD agents eyes that pasted them and wondered why a child was here. He didn't like people staring at him.

Finally, they made it to the control room where a guy with an eye patch was watching over a large computer bay. A table was set up right behind him.

He turned and caught sight of the agent and the boy. "Hill, hold the fort."

"Yes sir." The agent walked down the steps to the computer bay to make sure everything was on track.

"Banner, take a seat." Bruce sat down hesitantly at the strangely shaped table, his feet not touching the ground. "Can you entertain yourself until everyone arrives?" Bruce nodded and pulled out the weird phone thingy his dad had given him and started to fiddle with it. The screen looked like a hologram but it worked exactly like an IPhone. Tony said it was a Starkphone, which were only custom design.

Fury nodded, satisfied that the child wouldn't break anything important, and went back to watching over the ship.

A little while later two men entered the hanger. Both were blond, buff and wearing strange outfits. Bruce immediately looked up from his game to see if his father was behind them, but they were missing a snarky billion heir.

The man in the patriotic outfit caught sight of Bruce at the table and gave a startled group of surprise. "Why is there a child in here?"

"On Asgard children do not start training that small," Thor, god of thunder, put in while stroking his chin observing the child. "What is your name child?"

"I'm Bruce," he said shyly looking up at the taller adults standing around the room from his chair, slipping the phone in his pocket.

"Bruce Banner?" the Captain asked, surprised. Surely, this Hulk Agent Coulson had told him about was older?

"Mmhmm," the boy said warily while looking down at the hem of his shirt. But then he looked over at Fury, still watching over the computer bay, with a strange green glint in his eyes. "Where's my dad?"

"Relax, Banner," the director ordered. "He should be on his way up." Bruce closed his eyes and started to breath in and out slowly. They were safe. He was safe. Everyone was fine.

The man turned to address Thor and Steve, not acknowledging Bruce's near panic attack. "I take it Loki was brought in?"

"Yes, sir," the good Captain answered respectfully. Thor simply inclined his head.

"I have to go insure he's secure. All of you stay put until I return or there will be consequences," he threatened. Then he left, barley acknowledging Agent Romanov as she came into the room silently.

"Are you alright?" the smaller of the blonds asked Bruce as his eyes were shut tight and he was mouthing to himself.

"I'm fine," he managed to get out quietly, although he wasn't sure who he was talking to.

"Alright then," the super solder answered, not convinced, but they needed to move on. "We need to figure out why Loki let us find him."

"He was a distraction and was able to get the key to get Agent Barton into the lab holding Iridium," the assassin immediately explained.

"Was he successful?" Steve asked. Natasha just nodded curtly.

"He went out with the whole stash."

Before more words could be exchanged, they were interrupted by the video feed from Loki's cell.

"It's an impressive cage. Not built, I think, for me," the trickster purred with a grin at Fury who couldn't be seen on the screen.

"Built for something a lot stronger than you," Fury pointed out. Bruce felt a hitch in his breathing and closed his eyes tightly. They were safe, they were fine, and nothing is going to hurt them. No cage was going to be put around them if they stayed like this.

"Oh, I've heard, the mindless beast. Let's pray he's still a man. How desperate are you? That you call on such lost creatures to defend you?" They were safe. They were fine. No one was going to hurt them.

"How desperate am I?" the eye-patched man answered. "You threaten our world with war, you steal a force you can't hope to control, you talk of peace but you kill because it's fun. You have made me VERY desperate. You might not be glad that you did."

"Oh, it burns you to have come so close, to have the Tesseract, to have power, unlimited power. And for what? A warm light for all of mankind to share? And then to be reminded of what real power is..." Loki purred at the director who merely cocked an eyebrow.

"Well, let me know if real power wants a magazine or something," Fury said dryly as he walked away.

As the feed ended, all the present Avengers looked away from the screen holding the criminal awkwardly, and Bruce's legs started swinging nervously in his chair.

"Loki's going to drag this out," Steve began, breaking the silence and taking up his role as leader. "So, Thor, what's his play?"

Thor crossed his arms before acknowledging the super soldier. "He has an army called the Chitauri. They aren't of Asgard or any world known. He means to lead them against your people. They mean to win him the Earth. In return, I suspect, for the Tesseract."

"An army," Steve asked skeptically, "From outer space?" Oh lord, hadn't he heard of enough crazy things today?

Bruce looked up from the table shyly. "So he's building another portal? That's what he needs Eric Selvig for?" he asked quietly.

"Selvig?" Thor asked quickly.

"He's an astrophysicist," Bruce replied still quiet and playing with the hem of his shirt. "My dad told me about him." He looked down at his lap again.

"He's a friend," Thor said, explaining his outburst to the boy who nodded.

"Loki has him under some kind of spell, along with one of ours," Natasha spoke up, straight faced.

"I want to know why Loki let us take him. He's not leading an army from here," Steve said, redirecting his team away from unimportant topics of the moment.

"I think Loki's crazy," Bruce put in helpfully, still playing nervously with his shirt.

"Take care how you speak, child. Loki is beyond reason but he is of Asgard. And he is my brother," Thor said in warning.

"He killed eighty people in two days," Natasha deadpanned.

"He's adopted," Thor defended pathetically.

"Why does he need Iridium?" Bruce put in, remembering the chemical name being mentioned somewhere earlier.

Tony Stark walked in with Coulson and said to the group, "It's a stabilizing agent, Doc." Then he turned to the SHIELD agent and said, "All I'm saying is take a weekend and I'll fly you over. Keep the love alive." Coulson just gave a forced smile and motioned Tony to the rest of the group.

Bruce's face, which had been a bit forlorn and sad suddenly brightened considerably. "Dad!"

"Dad?" Steve practically choked out as the boy jumped out of his chair and ran over, embracing the stuck up billion heir, who in turn picked him up and carried him back over to the group.

Tony looked over at the soldier over his kids head raising an eyebrow. "You know, his father," he elaborated. "Surely they had these in the forties," Tony sighed, exaggerating.

"I know what a dad is, Stark!" the blond snapped, and then looked at the two helplessly. "But he's so," an adjective didn't seem to come. "And you're so…" he gestured helplessly. Thor and the SHEILD agents didn't seem to be much help as they just stood and watched it go down.

"Apparently they don't give you brains with your super serum," the billion heir pointed out drily.

Bruce frowned a little bit and interrupted before Steve could get another word in. "Why does the portal need to be stabilized?"

"So the portal won't collapse on itself like it did at SHIELD a couple days ago, kid. It also means the portal can open as wide and stay open as long as Loki wants."

Tony made his way over to the bridge still carrying Bruce and looked around. "Raise the ships mast and release the valves," the genius snarked. The agents working the computers on the lower deck all looked at him as if he grew a second head then turned back to their screens shaking their head realizing that a second head would be more normal compared to some of the things happening in their work space.

Tony pointed to someone, easily shifting Bruce with all the practice he'd had, and declared, "That man is playing Galaga! Thought we wouldn't notice, but we did." Bruce giggled as he realized his dad was right and he man quickly closed his game, denying it.

Looking back and forth between each of the computer monitors Fury used he covered his left eye while readjusting Bruce yet again. "How does Fury even see these?" He questioned as he lowered his hand and started fiddling with the screens.

"He turns," Agent Hill replied straight-faced.

"Sounds exhausting," Tony answered still staring at the screens. "The rest of the raw materials, I'm sure agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily," the billion heir stated, strangely being the one to bring the conversation back on topic.

"Doesn't he need something powerful to start it, dad?" Bruce asked curiously. Tony nodded distractedly as he carefully installed a bug on SHIELD's computers without anyone being the wiser.

"When did you become an expert in thermal nuclear astrophysics?" Agent Hill questioned skeptically.

"Last night. The packet? Selig's notes? The extraction theory papers? Am I the only one who did the reading?" Tony questioned the group at large as he made his way back over.

"Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?" Steve asked, irritated that Stark was being cryptic.

"He would have to make the cube really hot," Bruce replied shyly, holding on to his dad's shirt.

Tony nodded "Doc's right. He'd have to heat the cube to 120 million Kelvin just to break through the Coulomb barrier. Unless, Selgiv figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunnel effect."

"Then he could just use any reactor, right?" Bruce answered happily.

Tony nodded happily, looking around at everyone shaking his head sadly. "Why is it that only the eight year old can speak English?"

Steve raised an eye brow. "Is that what just happened?" he questioned.

Fury walked in at that moment interrupting whatever scathing comment was about to be said. "Stark, I want you to attempt to track the cube, not patronize people who actually do what they're supposed to."

"Aye-aye, captain," Tony said smirking as he saluted Fury mockingly with one hand. "What should I do after that, oh great and fearless eye-patch wearing leader?"

"I'd look at that stick of his," Steve put in, "It may be magical but sure works a lot like a HYDRA weapon."

"I don't know about that, but it is powered by the cube. And I'd like to know how Loki used it to turn two of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys," Fury agreed.

"Monkeys?" Thor asked confused, "I do not understand."

"I do!" Steve straightened in his chair with a smile, unbearably excited. "I understand that reference."

Tony rolled his eyes, and was about to say something that would probably make the patriot cry when Fury spoke just in time. "Hill, I want you to escort Stark to a lab." He saw Bruce clutch his father's arm tightly. "Stark, make sure Banner doesn't get into any trouble." The boy smiled happily

Agent Hill nodded and gestured for the two to follow her. Surprisingly, the snarky genius left without comment to anyone as he was too busy explaining to Bruce how they were going to tract the Tesseract using its Gamma radiation. The agent who was playing Galaga made sure no one was looking and resumed playing his game.

Chapter Text

It had been a little while since agent Hill had left the father and son in the lab. Tony was currently trying to explain how they were using the technology in the room to an eager Bruce who was sitting on one of the lab tables swinging his legs excitedly.

Once the program to track the cube was running and there was no more shiny toys to show off Tony hopped up next to the kid on the table, putting his arm around him.

"We need to talk, Doc," the genius told him, uncharacteristically serious.

The boy leaned into his dads arm more and played with the hem of his T-shirt. "About what?"

"About this 'Avenger' thing, kid." The billionaire hugged him tighter to his side. "You're not part of it."

"No, I'm not," the child agreed easily, surprising his father who thought this would be more of a fight. "The other guy is."

Tony shook his head, squeezing the boy even tighter to his side. "No. He isn't."

Bruce nodded vigorously into his side. "He wants to be. He wants to show everyone that he isn't a monster. He wants to prove that he's better than what they think."

Tony sighed and ran the hand not around Bruce through his own hair. "It's not safe, Doc. Neither one of you can go."

"It's safer for him than it is for you!" the child answered stubbornly. "The angrier he gets the more powerful he is. And he can heal really really fast. Iron Man can't do that." The boy paused. "And he wants to talk to you."

Tony looked down at him to see the brown eyes looking up at him. "Alright, bring the jolly green giant out."

"Hey!" Steve yelled from the hallway, apparently eavesdropping. "Are you nuts?" he practically screamed as he stormed into the room, surprising Bruce enough that he merely huddled against Tony and repressed the green.

"Maybe the big guy should hibernate a little while longer, Doc," the man sitting on the counter said as he glared at the Captain.

"Is everything a joke to you?" Steve asked heatedly.

"Funny things are," Tony replied snarkily, holding Bruce too him and rubbing his arm reassuringly.

"Threatening the safety of everyone on this ship isn't funny, Stark," the Boy Scout glowered. "No offense, Banner," he added briskly at the last minute.

"Why would everyone be in danger?" the boy asked curiously from behind his dad's arm.

Steve looked pointedly at the small boy for a second, and then addressed the adult. "I saw what the Hulk can do, Stark. I don't think it's safe on an aircraft thousands of feet above sea level."

The blond man immediately looked toward the boy as he let out a little whimper and clutched his head. "He really doesn't like being called an it," the boy warned the super soldier.

Tony leaned down and stage whispered into his ear. "Relax, big guy, the big bad Boy Scout won't pull anything." He stopped pretending to whisper and looked at the now startled man in the doorway. "And I'm sure he wouldn't want to sound like an ignorant idiot by presuming that all things SHIELD tells him are right." Bruce seemed to relax a little at that and his legs started to swing slowly again.

Steve had that angry look on his face again. "Are you implying that they're manipulating my opinion?"

"You're not as smart as I thought if you don't see it, Spandex," the billionaire stated dryly.

Steve seemed at a loss for words, but didn't look like he backed up Tony's points.

"Oh, you think they're not?" he question scathingly. "Why did Fury call us in? Why now? Why not before? What isn't he telling us? I can't do the equation unless I have all the variables."

"You think Fury's hiding something," Steve stated slowly.

"He's a spy," Tony pointed out. "Captain, he's the spy. His secrets have secrets. Even the kid noticed!" Bruce nodded hesitantly, but didn't elaborate.

"Banner?" Steve pressed.

Bruce looked uncomfortable, but spoke quietly as he leaned even more on the billionaire. "Dad's building runs on an arch reactor. It's good for the environment and it's safe energy." The boy paused choosing his next words carefully. "But why didn't SHIELD call him in on the Tesseract project if everyone is trying to make clean energy? Why are they even trying to make energy in the first place?"

"I'll look into that once my decryption program finishes breaking into all of SHIELD's secure files," Tony said as he took out his phone from his pocket and checked how the progress was.

"Wait, did you say-" Steve started to protest but was cut off quickly.

"JARVIS has been running it since I hit the bridge. In a few hours I'll know every dirty secret SHIELD has ever tried to hide."

"And yet you're confused as to why they didn't want you here?"

"An intelligence organization that fears intelligence, historically not awesome."

"I think Loki is trying to wind us up. This is a man who means to start a war. And if we don't stay focus, he'll succeed." Steve said trying to get the other man to see the seriousness of the situation. "We have orders, we should follow them."

"Following isn't really my style," Tony replied, looking down at the phone once again to see how long it would take.

"And you're all about style, aren't you?" Steve practically seethed.

"Of the people in this room, which one is A, wearing a spangly outfit and B, not of use?" Tony replied harshly.

"Isn't this just a little weird, Mr. Steve," Bruce asked trying to ease the tension from the two adults.

Steve looked between the father and son before turning to leave. "Just find the damn cube."

"You know Doc, my dad used to go on and on about him," Tony said once the door shut behind Steve. "I think they should have just kept him on ice."

Bruce looked up at his dad who was staring at the door pensively. "How is JARVIS hacking the system, dad?" the boy questioned. That seemed to do the trick as the billionaire launched straight into an explanation of how it was happening.

…

"Look! JARVIS is done!" Bruce called out to his dad who was over on the other side of the lab, checking the Tesseract tracking.

The two went over to one screen and Tony lifted up Bruce to see it better. "Well, that certainly doesn't look like an energy project," the billionaire stated redundantly as they looked over the noted and blueprints for the Tesseract project.

Fury suddenly barged into the lab, coat flaring and eye angry. "What are you doing, Stark?"

"Uh, kind of wondering the same thing about you," Tony replied still engrossed in the documents on the screen and holding tightly to Bruce.

"You're supposed to be locating the Tesseract," Fury stated hotly.

"We are," Bruce put in, looking over his dad's shoulder. "The model's locked and we're looking for the signature now. When we get a hit, we'll have the location within half a mile." The boy pointed to one of the monitors to prove his point.

"Then you get the cube back. No muss. No fuss," Tony began lifting up the hand not holding the kid to scroll further on the screen. "What is phase two?"

Steve suddenly entered the lab again, but this time his angry face was directed at the director of SHIELD as he slammed down a weapon on one of the tables. "Phase two is SHIELD using the cube to make weapons. Sorry, the computer was moving a little slow for me."

"Rogers, we gathered everything related to the Tesseract. It does not mean-" but Fury was cut off.

"I'm sorry Nick, what were you saying?" Tony asked as he enlarged a screen showing them a blueprint of a gun made from the power of the cube.

"I was wrong director. The world hasn't changed a bit," Steve stated pointedly. At that moment Thor and Natasha walked in.

"Did you know about this?" Tony accused the female SHIELD agent as he pointed to the screen.

"You want to think about removing yourself from this environment Banner?" Natasha asked Bruce, ignoring Tony's question.

"Why would he leave? You invited him here," Tony pointed out, squeezing Bruce just a bit closer.

"Loki's manipulating him," Natasha stated.

"And you're not?" the eight year old accused.

"Doc's got a point," Tony said. "But, first, I'd like to know why SHIELD is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction."

There was a pause before Fury pointed at Thor. "Because of him."

Thor looked confused. "Me?"

"Last year Earth had a visitor from another planet. And had a grudge match that leveled a small town. We learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly...hilariously, out gunned." Fury explained grudgingly.

"My people want nothing but peace with your planet," Thor defended.

"But you're not the only people out there are you?" Fury demanded. "And you're not the only threat. The world is filling up with people that can't be matched. That can't be controlled." Bruce shivered a little bit and held on tightly to his dad.

"Like you control the cube?" Steve asked sarcastically.

"Your work with the Tesseract was what drew Loki to it, and his allies," Thor pointed out angrily. "It is a signal to all the realms that the Earth is ready for a higher form of war."

"You forced our hand. We had to come up with some-" Fury spat back at the demigod.

"Nuclear deterrent, because that always calms everything right down," Tony snarked, butting back into the conversation, as he stood Bruce up on a table so he could cross his arms.

"Remind me again how you made your fortune Stark?" Fury asked hotly.

"I'm sure if he still made weapons Stark would be neck deep-" Steve began.

"Whoa, how is this now about me?" Tony asked, looking at Steve for the first time and taking a couple steps closer.

"I'm sorry, isn't everything?" Steve questioned innocently.

"I thought humans were more evolved than this," Thor interrupted.

"Excuse me! Did we come to your planet and blow stuff up?" Fury demanded.

From then it turned to chaos. Steve and Tony kept arguing while Fury and Natasha ganged up on Thor. Bruce just hugged himself tightly, and he fell down into a sitting position and closed his eyes. They were safe it was fine.

"You speak of control, yet you cause chaos," Thor mocked.

"STOP!" Bruce finally shouted over all the din. Everyone turned to look at the child standing on the table. "Stop fighting, please," the boy begged clutching his head.

"You need to step away," Fury ordered Bruce.

"Why shouldn't the kid let out a little steam?" Tony asked angrily.

"You know damn well why! Back off!" Steve shouted at him.

"Oh I'm starting to want you to make me," Tony replied getting in his face.

"Yeah, big man in a suit of armor. Take that away and what are you?"

"Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist."

"I know guys with none of that worth ten of you. I've seen the footage. The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play. To lay down on the wire and let the other guy crawl over you."

"I think I'd just cut the wire," Tony snapped back.

"Always a way out. You know you may not be a threat but you better stop pretending to be a hero."

"A hero? Like you? You're a laboratory experiment Rogers. Everything special about you came out of a bottle."

"Put on the suit. Let's go a few rounds." Steve said darkly into the billionaire's face as they were now almost nose-to-nose.

Thor laughed loudly. "You people are so petty. And tiny."

"Yeah, you guys are a team," Bruce said quietly from his seat on the table, drawing the attention of a few to him for a second.

"Agent Romanoff, would you escort Banner to his..." Fury began.

"Where? You rented his room," Tony said, distracted from the super soldier as he looked toward Fury.

"The cell was just in case-" Fury began again, only to be cut off by Bruce who was now standing on the table looking very very angry and definitely a bit green.

"In case you needed to kill me! But you can't, I know my first dad tried!" That silenced everyone pretty quickly. "He got mad and he put a gun in my mouth and pulled the trigger!" The normally quiet boy was waving his arms now as his voice got higher. "And the other guys spit it out!"

Chapter Text

Everyone in the room froze with their eyes on the small child perched on top of the table in front of them. His brown eyes were wide and they had a crazy glint that, if inspected closely, definitely looked a bit green. Tony's mouth opened like he was about to speak, but he seemed frozen in his silent state.

"Banner," Steve started hesitantly, when it seemed like no one else was going to speak, but he didn't have anything else to say, so he merely trailed off helplessly.

Before the super soldier, or anyone for that matter, could figure out what to say next, the small boy turned to him with all his fury directed at the blond haired, blue eyed hero. "And you! You, need to shut up!" the small boys voice seemed to swell with rage and grow deeper as he continued. "You think you're so great with your stupid shield, and fancy suit! You think you're better than us!? You think you're normal!? You think you're good!? You're no better than anyone in this room! We are ALL freaks here! Welcome to our freak show, everyone!" Then the boy started to sob openly, a heartbreaking sound that didn't sound right coming from a child.

However, the cries were muffled as soon as they started. Tony pulled Bruce against him in a tight hug. The boy's face was pressed tight into his father's neck as Tony grabbed him off the table with an arm to support him and another one in the boy's brown curls. The hand in his son's hair moved in slow methodic circles that did nothing for the sobbing child.

"Get out."

When Tony's soft-spoken words weren't followed he looked up from his son to them, and showed how much of Bruce's rage was not from the monster.

"Get the Hell out of here!"

Fury glared at Stark's angry spoken words as the director crossed his arms. "Not a shot in Hell, Stark. We need to keep Banner under control. Prepare the Tranqs, Romanov." The last part was addressed to the somber face assassin off to the side who was glancing quizzically at the broken family in front of her. "Now, Romanov!"

"I do not think that is the best idea," the agent explained slowly as she continued to scrutinize the family, and Tony nodded enthusiastically.

"I never thought I would say this, but I agree with Miss Latin," Tony said as he continued to massage Bruce's head, whose sobs were fewer than before.

"No one asked your opinion, Stark." Fury turned on his agent. "And you're not here to question orders."

"Banner is already relaxing, putting him in a harsh environment could counter-act that," she pointed out with her emotionless mask firmly in place.

That was, of course, when it all went to Hell.

A jolt ran through the entire ship. Natasha fell through the grating on the floor, and the rest of the group was thrown to all corners of the room.

"What did you say about a harsh environment, again?" Steve questioned, a bit of trepidation in his voice as he picked himself up. Fury was already out the door relaying orders and so was Stark with Bruce clinging to him like a Kola.

Tony sprinted through the Hellicarrier, around all the chaos that the agents created.

"What was that?" Bruce asked as he clung on tighter.

"I think it was one of the engines," Tony explained as he maneuvered them through the narrow and crowded hallways, now rubbing Bruce's back in an attempt to keep the boy's green protector at bay for a little while. "Don't let him out yet," he ordered, his pace never slowing. "It would be hell for him to get through these hallways."

"But he is going to come out, right?" Bruce questioned, sharp as a tack.

Tony made an incomprehensible grunt as he made the last turn into the storage bay where his suit was being kept. The man slowed his pace and came to a halt. He placed the child on the ground, but didn't let go of his shoulders. "I need you to stay this color for a few more minutes. I need you and him to do that. Can you do that, doc?" Bruce nodded vigorously. "I'm going to put my suit on, I want you to listen to this," he took his earpiece out and placed it in Bruce's. "while I get ready, okay?" Bruce nodded again and Tony gave his shoulders one last squeeze before going to done the Iron Man suit.

At first, all Bruce could hear was static on the line.

Finally, he heard the Director over the line. "Hill!?"

"Engine 3 is out!" She reported in a frantic voice. "Can we fix it?" She asked anyone who was listening.

"The turbine looks intact," a voice that Bruce didn't recognize answered. "But it's impossible to get out there and make repairs while we're in the air."

"If we lose one more engine, we won't be," Agent Hill replied quickly. "Somebody has to get outside and patch that engine."

Fury spoke again. "Stark, you copy that?"

Bruce wasn't sure if he should respond.

"Stark!?"

"He's putting on the suit," Bruce answered quietly. "But he knows an engine is down."

There was a pause on the line. "Fine," Fury answered. "Tell him to get his ass in the air as soon as possible." Fury moved on. "Coulson, make sure the detention cell is in lock down. And then get to the armory. Romanov?"

"I'm okay," she reported.

Bruce felt a metal hand on his shoulder and looked up at his dad's face behind him. Bruce removed the earpiece and handed it to him.

"Thanks, Doc."

"They want you at engine three, that's the broken one."

The man nodded as he put the earpiece back into his own ear. "We have a lot to talk about later, but for now, stay here." Bruce looked like he was about to argue, but Iron Man was already gone.