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0.
Pepper didn't know much when She ended up going to watch Bucky and Loki. All she knew was that Tony did something stupid and he had to go fix it. She didn't question it much because that's how about half of their missions started, and she enjoyed time with the two of them.
However, when Hill came over and informed Pepper (while the boys were napping) that the gang had needed to go off the grid, she became quite conerned. Hill said she was on top of it, but that they needed to stay at the country house for a while, that it wasn't safe to come back to the tower just yet.
* * * *
When Hill said that the three of them were needed on the Helicarrier, she almost burst a blood vessel and demanded answers. Hill promised them but ONLY if the three of them got on the damn thing. Apparently there was an entire European town floating in the sky and Natasha had been kidnapped. Hill had sequestered off a space in the Helicarrier that was strictly Avengers and immediate Avenger associates only (meaning Pepper, Loki, Bucky and Hill). There was a kitchen, and she had a scared little boy who wanted his daddy and a very terrified little person who wanted their Dada. So she did the only thing she could think of: She herded her kittens into making cookies.
* * * *
There were three new faces the next time she saw them. Well, two actually. Pietro was in some freaky alien's arms (that she eventually learned was JARVIS turned Vision), a faint golden glow around the two as they rushed towards the medical wing. She saw the rest of her family enter, and Tony and Natasha were instantly in her arms, looking pretty banged up.
"I'm here little ones," she whispered. "I'm so proud of you." Tony merely stuck his thumb in his mouth. Natasha sighed.
1.
Wanda was a hot mess without her brother. She was shaking, and everything around her was red and gently hovering. If it weren't for Vision, she wasn't sure her baby brother would have made it. She watched helplessly as he was slowly pieced back together in that cradle. Fitting, when she thought about it. They said it was going to take about two weeks. She was probably going to go insane in that time, much like she did during their separation while they were prisoners at HYDRA. The only reason she had survived was because her brother was going through the same, if not worse conditions as her. He would NEED her after this.
That didn't make now any easier though. In fact it was harder. She didn't have her buffer to keep her problems at bay and that's probably why she had stolen the scalpel. Not that she really needed it, her own energy beams were enough to burn her skin. But it felt... familiar. It felt soothing, the cool blade against her hot skin.
Bruce's room in the gigantic space was conveniently empty, as they still had no clue where the biologist was. She sat on the couch in the expansive space, and pulled it out of her jacket. she laid it against her skin, and slowly slid it down. She repeated the motion, again and again, until she had a nice stream of blood dripping down her arm. She stood on shaky legs to find the first aid kit when the doors to the lab slid open. It was her brother.
"Wanda," He whispered.
"Daddy," She answered, tears in her eyes.
"Why?"
"You were gone. I didn't know what to do without you! You were.... You were-"
He had her in his arms in seconds. "Angel stop. Come on. We need to patch you up now." Wanda nodded, slipping her thumb in her mouth. He still looked like a wreck, and would probably be spending a lot of time in the regeneration lab, but at least she knew he was back.
2.
Tony felt... embarrassed when he was around Vision. It was one thing for JARVIS to be in charge of everything, and know all his secrets. It was another thing for JARVIS to be a real person who could actually use those things against him or for him or.... play with him. How many times, before anything made sense and it was just him and J, had he wished his AI could cuddle him, and hold him? Hell, he had SAID as much to him. And for some reason knowing that JARVIS had seen him wet himself or the bed or do countless other embarrassing things, it made Tony's skin crawl.
Still, JARVIS had always been more than an AI to Tony. He had been his brother, his friend, his confidant. And so that's why Tony found himself sneaking around the corner, watching his creation closely. What he seemed to forget, which he often did in headspace, was that while he was short, he was by no means tiny like his sister.
"Tony?" Vision said kindly, placing the book on the table beside him. Tony quickly hid behind the wall again. It was stupid. He was stupid. Why was he bothering someone so important? Vision probably had much more important things to be worrying about than playing with Tony and his dad had ALWAYS said-
"Come here little one," Vision said, coming around the corner and picking the genius up. Tony blushed and whimpered and then he remembered he hadn't put on any protection since he got back from dealing with SI and SHIELD crap that morning and why was he so stupid? Vision settled Tony onto his lap and rocked back and forth in the chair gently with him. "Now what's going on, hmm?"
Tony whimpered. "S'dumb," He tried. Those words came out okay.
"What is love? If you're involved I doubt it's dumb," Vision said. Tony hid his face in Vision's chest, which made the creature smile. "Would you like a story?"
Tony nodded shyly. Turns out Vision's story ideas were as good as JARVIS's had been, because before long he was giggling at the tale of the silly bear that decided to go to the circus. They eventually ended up on the floor with some blocks and Tony was having so much fun that he forgot he wasn't in a diaper or even a pull-up and... oops. He gasped, trying really hard to stop but he had needed to go for a while and it wouldn't stop and no no no no no this wasn't happening!
"Shh, Tony," Vision cooed.
"I'm sorry!" He cried. "I-I d-didn' mean to and I'll clean it up I promise and-" Vision was hugging him before he knew what was happening.
"I believe the phrase is, 'accidents happen,'" Vision said. "I should have changed you when you first came in. Come on, how about we go play in the bubbles?"
Tony sniffled. "You're not mad?"
Vision patted his head. "I've been looking after you for years, you silly duck," He cooed. "Now, bubbles?"
Tony nodded shyly. "Bubbles."
3.
Clint was beside himself. Natasha had been keeping up with Bruce, but she wouldn't tell him ANYTHING. She wouldn't tell him if Bruce was coming home. She wouldn't tell him where he was, or if he was in one piece or ANYTHING and he missed his daddy. He'd already lost one. To lose two would definitely kill him. Especially since he kind of realized, somewhere between hiding out in the old house and defeating yet another army of robots, that he maybe had more than just Daddy/Little Boy feelings for Bruce too. And he wasn't sure what to do with them or who to talk to because he always talked to BRUCE about this stuff!!
He found himself in Bruce's lab. It was untouched since they left for Africa, save for the little bloodstain on the couch from Wanda. He didn't know why he was here until he saw the doll house. It was the special one, the one that made his feelings and words easier. He hadn't been little since they got back, but maybe... maybe grown-ups did this too?
He felt silly for even trying, but he dug out the bin with all the toys, and set it up. He took his specified doll, but... he wasn't sure what else to do. He picked up the doll they always used for Natasha.
"Naaaat! Why won' you give me any info?" Clint made his doll ask.
"Because I don't know anything! Stop bugging me," He made Natasha's doll say, complete with a fake, shrill voice.
"You do so, stop lying!" Clint's doll said. "I know when you lie. You know something, don't you?"
"Nuh uh!"
"Yeah huh!"
"No!"
"Yes!"
"Fine! He doesn't love you and he never did and he's not coming home Clint! So just... Just...." He couldn't even get the words out. He started sobbing and he curled up in a ball and that's how Natasha found him.
"Is he at least alive?" He finally hiccuped.
"Yes. He's trying Clint, but he's not got a lot to work with," She said, running a hand through his hair.
"....Natasha?" Clint said after some time.
"Yes?"
".......I think I might like him."
Natasha smirked. "Daddy owes me a new doll," She said. "He's liked you for a while, you know."
"Then why-"
"He thought you didn't feel the same way," She shrugged. "He wanted you to come to him, and he didn't want to force it Clint. You're both idiots sometimes."
"....Is he at least okay?"
"Yeah," Natasha lied easily. She hadn't heard from Bruce in two weeks, and her gut told her something very bad had happened. But she decided Clint didn't need to know that yet.
4.
Between putting Clint back together, trying to get find Bruce and get him back home, and deal with everyone else, Natasha thought she could just ignore everything she had been feeling. She thought maybe if she just ignored her feelings about Tony and Pepper, that maybe they would go away. It worked long enough when she was on her own after the Red Room. Feelings were dangerous, especially the ones she was feeling. Not only that, but she felt them for TWO people at the same time. That definitely wasn't right. It was only supposed to be that way for one person. Maybe it was just because Tony was so close to her. Yeah, that could work, right?
But it didn't. Clint kept nagging her about how she felt and Loki kept trying to truth-spell it out of her. Seems tonight that worked, because he had managed to charm her drink. It only took fifteen minutes before she couldn't censor herself. Loki giggled, and Thor shot him a warning glare.
"You did this, didn't you?" Natasha growled at him. Loki teared up, fearing they were going to either get eaten by Natasha or spanked by Thor, and they honestly weren't sure which option was worse.
"Why, Loki?" Thor asked firmly.
"She won't talk to anyone!" Loki whimpered.
"Because it doesn't make SENSE! I shouldn't WANT to be in love with two people!" Natasha said, before her hands flew over her mouth. She blushed, before running from the table. This wasn't fair and she was going to lose everything and the tears started before she could stop them and she ended up curling into a ball on the big comfy bed she and Mommy and Bubby shared a lot lately. She cried and cried and cried and this wasn't how it was supposed to happen!
* * * *
"So how DO you feel?" Tony asked Pepper. Dinner had fallen to shambles and Bucky was currently sitting with Loki in time-out. The two were pretty much inseparable, especially when one was being punished. They both hated to be alone.
"I think.... I think I'm with her on this one," Pepper said calmly. "I love you both. I have for a while, and I don't think that's going to change any time soon."
Tony smiled. "Me too. Come on. I know of a certain little girl who needs cuddles," He smirked, holding his hand out to Pepper. They climbed the stairs in unison, and the sight in their room made their hearts ache. Natasha was a snotty, teary mess in the middle of the bed. She really thought they were going to hate her for feeling this way. Tony and Pepper shared a look, before sitting on either side of her.
"Nat," Pepper said delicately.
"Go away!" She whimpered, hiding behind her hands.
"Nope, not happening," Tony said. "Come on, my words are shaky today Nat."
"Come on princess," Pepper said, running her fingers through those precious red curls. "We're not mad. You're entitled to feel the way you feel. And you know what? You're not the only one baby. I've known I've felt this way for quite a while. Since you first started coming over to play."
"And I've known since we first met," Tony added.
Natasha looked up hesitantly. "y-you both mean it?" She asked softly, her voice raspy from all the tears.
"Yup," Tony and Pepper answered in unison, before placing kisses on either of her cheeks.
"So... now what?" Natasha asked.
"....We do what feels right," Tony shrugged. "But no threesomes." Natasha giggled.
5:
"Da?" Loki whimpered. "Do you really have to go?"
"Yes little one," Thor murmured, holding his little close. "If I am to keep you safe, I must go back and figure out what the stones mean."
"If Thanos finds you though..." Loki shuddered, sucking their thumb. "He'll kill you Da."
"He will have to find me first," Thor reassured the baby. "And from what Heimdall says, there may be some others up there to help me. They are mighty warriors, much like our friends here."
"It won't matter. Thanos will find you and hurt you if you touch his stones Da," Loki explained. "Thanos always ALWAYS gets what he wants! I don't even know why he hasn't found me yet!"
"Shh, Little one," Thor murmured, rocking his now sobbing little. Clearly there were bigger forces at play then he realized. Mayhaps he needed to visit with Dr. Selvig before he truly departed for Asgard...
* * * *
Loki watched as Thor left. He knew he was at least going to visit Dr. Foster and Dr. Selvig before he set out on his true quest, which he supposed delayed his brother's inevitable demise. Still, Thanos has vowed to get what he wanted. Be it Loki, the stones, or anything else. It was around this time that he also noticed a car driving up the path. Loki's eyes widened at who was inside the truck.
She parked it, taking out a bag from the truck bed, and marched up to the house. She held a stack of papers in her hands, crinkled from having been handled so much. She visibly shook, and it was clear she hadn't slept well.
"Is this where the Avengers currently reside?" She asked.
"Who want's to know?" Loki quipped, not too keen on this girl just yet. She handed over her driver's license and the stack of papers, showing her SHIELD clearance.
"Please, it's about Dr. Banner," Betty Ross begged, tears in her eyes. Loki's head snapped up, and he led her inside. Steve and Maria were the only ones currently awake, sat at the table with coffee. Maria's eyes widened and she quickly stood, striding over to the two.
"Dr. Ross, what are you-"
"It's about my father," Betty hiccuped. "I have reason to believe he's got Dr. Banner."