The two mothers hold handheld cameras and aim them at the two children in the middle of the modern living room. One of the cameras is chunky and black. The other is a shiny, thin red one. The picture is a fraction better and captures the blue of both children's eyes better than the first. But neither mother is interested or worried. Neither is materialistic.

The little girl is doing a little dance that children often do. She's too young to really know how to jump. All she can do is bend at the knees and bounce up and down. Her hair is in two messy buns atop her head, little curls breaking free. Her flowered shirt almost reaches her knees. It was a gift that she has yet to grow into. The little boy behind her is not as excited as she is. While his father isn't around, he's discovered that he can jump from the couch onto the plush rug without punishment. And he's testing this theory passionately. However, he catches sight of the camera and he equates that little machine with attention. He runs over on little legs and nearly trips twice, causing the mothers to wince. He reaches the little girl and stands in front of her. This is his spotlight and she's in the way. Realizing that she's been pushed into the background, she sidesteps the mesmerized toddler and reclaims some limelight.

Her mother giggles. "Lydia, show us the song you learned yesterday."

The boy's eyes shoot over to the little girl.

She hops up and down again and her hands clutch at her shirt. "Twinkle, twinkle little star" her voice hits a sweet, childish high note. But after that all words are lost to cute mumbles and humming because with everything she's trying to take in every day, she can't remember the rest.

So the little boy picks it up. "How I wonder where you are!" he shouts and actually jumps an inch off the floor. His eyes are wide and bright and he is alive with the attention.

"Good job Tony" his mother laughs.

Now Lydia is mad and pushes Tony. Her mom scolds her and she points and starts to whimper. It's not fair! He stole her song! Tony doesn't realize what he did wrong and stops to watch the little girl start to have a meltdown. But after she pushes him, he has to take his revenge. He pushes her back and then gets yelled at by his mother. Now both of them are sobbing and their faces are red from whining. Tears stream down their faces. All of it is captured on video by two smiling moms.

In half an hour they are both tuckered out and they fall start to rub their eyes. The cameras are turned off and each child is scooped up by their mom. Tony curls up into his mom's arms and yawns. Lydia is already asleep.

Tony's room is down the hall. It is painted blue with a thousand stars painted on the walls. The ones on the ceiling glow in the dark and no nightlight is needed. His bed has spaceships and moons all across the sheets. Maria Stark tucks her son in and kisses him on the forehead. Lydia is placed on the other side of the bed. It's at least a queen sized bed and even with the two of them on it, there's enough room for two full-grown adults. Rose James kisses her daughter goodnight and leaves the room with Maria.

In his sleep, Tony spreads out across the bed and starts to roll. His arm smacks Lydia but she remains asleep. He kicks the blankets off of himself. Lydia pulls them closer and hugs the pillow with little arms. She's completely unconscious and unaware of the little boy migrating closer and closer to her.

The mothers sit at the granite island and sip from thin wine glasses. "He looks so much like his father" Rose notes with a smile.

Maria nods. "Yes. He's very intelligent too. I wonder what exactly he got from me" she jokes. "Lydia seems to be a good mix of the two of you."

Rose nods. "Yep. She's got my brown hair and Nick's blue eyes. I just wish she wasn't as stubborn as he is. She fights me all the time."

"Tony too." The mothers smile in their knowing way. Their children, like their husbands, are very much alike. The two are often thought to be siblings. And they may as well be for how connected their lives are.

After idle chitchat, the conversations become more serious and their voices, although the house is empty accept for them and their children, lower to almost whispers. "Are you worried?"

"Of course I am" Maria says with a shake of her head and another sip of wine. "I'm nervous every day he leaves the house. Howard is pushing boundaries and there are always people that don't like that or want that kind of technology for themselves. Just look what happened after the Manhattan Project!"

Rose nods in understanding. Many nights were spent sleepless, worrying that her husband would not be coming home. The government had warned them of the seriousness of the project. Kidnapping was a possibility. And then so was assassination. When he returned home, she would dive into his arms and hold him for long periods of time. He held her tightly to his chest. The fear that they would never see each other again was always there.

Things were worse once children were brought into the picture. Howard, developing weapons for the United States, was in great risk in all departments. And with a young son, both parents feared that one day he wouldn't be around to see his son grow and become a man. Tony would need a father to guide and teach him. God only knows how Howard was when he was teenager. Tony would be just as rebellious and flirtatious. He'd get himself into a lot of trouble without his father around to rein him in.

And while Nick had moved from weapon development, the Space Race could hardly be called safe. The Russians would want any kind of information and technology they could get their hands on; even if it was American information. One man had already been approached by a Russian spy at NASA, a man that Nick was familiar with. The spy was taken into custody, but the whole encounter left every uneasy. Especially Rose. She worried for her daughter. While nothing serious had come of the incident, there was always that hint of fear that to get to the head researcher, someone would come for their daughter. This was a fear that both parents shared but neither voiced. It was easier to brush it aside as silly when neither of them thought the other was thinking the same.

So it was decided between husbands and wives that fears were not to be spoken of between each other. The only people they could confide in were the other wife and other husband. Because there is no denial between the two men and two women when they are alone that there is much to be worried about. Their children may as well be growing up as intelligence agents. There is just as much, if not more, danger to their lives every second of the day.

So it's no surprise that within the hour, the mothers are back to check on their children. Rose claps her hand over her mouth to keep from waking the children. Maria is beaming. For on the bed, three year old Tony has inched and rolled his way over to Lydia and pressed his back against hers. Lydia has in turn snuggled up to Tony and curved her body to fit against his perfectly. It would be the perfect picture if the mothers didn't think that the flash would wake them up.

Tony yawns and rolls again. His nose brushes up against Lydia's neck and he breathes against her skin. She tenses in her sleep, the warm air tickling her neck. Yet she doesn't pull away.