A few years later

"Do I have to daddy?" TJ said as he pouted up at his dad. Tony was holding his hand, standing in front of what was to be his school for the next eight years. He keeled down to him, holding his arms gently. "Yes, you do son. So you can learn." TJ pouted, looking to the ground. "But Clint already teaches me plenty. Why do I have to go to school? Can't I stay home and play with Quinn?" Tony sighed. Kim was driving Quinn to her first day of school. It was a school for gifted children. "Shes going to school to. Remember, shes going to a special school because shes super smart. Almost smarter then daddy. Now com'on, before your late." Tony stood, holding TJ's hand. TJ was taller then his sister (but not by too much) with dark brown hair, mopped on his head and dark eyes matching his fathers,

TJ held his book bag strap, biting his trembling lip. He was a warrior, warriors don't cry. Once they got to the classroom door, Tony heard a small whimper from TJ. He knelled, holding his little shoulders. "Hey, whats wrong?" TJ sniffled, wiping his tears. "B-because Quinn and You and mommy won't b-be here and I'l b-be lonely and forgot about. I want to go home with you." He sighed, kissing TJ's head as he hugged him gently. "Shh it's ok. Your not gonna be lonely and you are never going to be forgotten about. Your going to go into that classroom there and your gonna make as many friends as you can." He gently tilted TJ's head up to look at him. "Maybe even a little girlfriend." Tony smiled, trying to get him to smile. It seemed to work. The one time Tony thanked God his son was like him . Mention a girl and he was ready for anything. TJ nodded. "ok. I'm ready." He puffed out his chest, standing taller. Looking much more confidant then Tony knew him to be. Tony smiled, ruffling his hair. "Thats my boy." He opened the door to TJ's first day of school.

Tony got back to his car, giving a signal to the car behind him (Which had Clint in it) that all was well. He took a moment, letting it sink in that TJ was in school and he won't see him for another five hours. It was gonna be a quiet house for a few hours and he wasn't sure how he liked that. His babies were growing up, soon TJ was gonna be an amazing S.H.I.E.L.D agent when he's older and Quinn, shes gonna be saving the world, he knows that. He felt his eyes water, now understanding every parent on the first day of school. He couldn't let himself cry, it almost felt silly. He knew this day was coming, he knew more important days signifying there growth was coming. But why if it was so silly was his heart breaking? "Tony, you ok?" He nearly jumped hearing Clints voice in the comm in his ear. He let out a shaky breath. "ahh yeah, fine. Just...letting it all sink in." "Yeah, I hear ya. There growing up fast." Tony smiled sadly, wiping a tear away, starting the car. "That they are."

Tony pulled into the garage, wiping the tears from his face. He knew Kim would be just as sad. He had to be strong for her. He saw Clint pull in behind him, he got out with a sigh. It already felt too quiet without Quinn working on something or TJ training. Clint parked, getting out, going over to Tony. "Hey,sure your ok?" Tony nodded, putting on his smile. "Yeah, fine. There just growing up. Gonna have to accept that. Now if you'll excuse me I have a wife to find." Clint shook his head, heading off toward the Gym where he knew Gage would be.

Tony found Kim in the living room, crying into one of the pillows. He sighed, sitting next to her. "Hey.." He spoke softly. She sniffled, turning to him. Her face tear stained. "Tony, our babies..." "I know..there growing up." She cried, leaning into him as he held her, kissing her head. He waited until she calmed to speak. "How was Quinn?" Kim sniffled, looking up at him. "Better then I thought. She was shy but once some kids started talking to her she warmed up." Her lip trembled. "Like she forgot I was there." Tony shook his head. "You know she doesn't. There gonna have there own little lives now and were gonna help them live them." He smiled sadly. Kim spoke. "How did TJ handle it?" He sighed. "Not good. He cried nearly the entire time, giving me puppies eyes, thinking were gonna forget about him. He wasn't making it easy. Know what got him in thou?" Kim looked up at Tony. Tony smiled. "A girl." Kim smiled, starting to laugh weakly. Tony continued. "I might have mentioned he might meet a little girlfriend if he went in there." Kim slapped him playfully with a small smirk. "Don't encourage that." "what? It got him in the classroom didn't it?" Kim chuckled weekly. "He's gonna be a little playboy like you were, you realize this?" Tony paused a moment before smirking, looking away. "Thats my boy." Kim playfully slapped him again.

Clint went to the training room, already hearing the sound of fists against a punching bag. He walked in, seeing Gage going at it on the punching bag. "Hey.." Gage stopped, looking at him. "Hey." "How you holding up?" Gage raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" Clint sighed, walking toward him. "I mean you and the little princess never leave each others side and it's her first day of school." Gage paused, looking away. "I don't like it. I can't be there to protect her." Clint smirked. "Is that really it?" Gage gave him a small glare. "Dude. Stop." Gage hated how lost he felt. He was always with her in the lab or watching cartoons along with her brother, now he has no idea what to do. He went back to the punching bag as Clint walked over to his bow and arrows, doing some practice shorts. Tony had installed an archery section in the gym for him, with targets moving and non moving.

It was a long quiet day and it felt like it was dragging. Tony was in the lab, spinning in his chair. He was bored out of his mind. He calibrated all his suits, put up new software in them, fixed all the bugs. He groaned, feeling like he had no life. No, he does but there at school. His children are his life. TJ often would ask the hard questions without thinking, just curious but with a hint of that spunky attitude. Like he's almost saying "I know you know the answer so don't lie" Quinn was always working on equations for her suit, drawing the diagrams onto notebooks or running around with Gage playing "Avengers" which he found to be just too adorable.

Finally two o'clock rolled around, JARVIS alerting them to pick up the children. Tony nearly bolted from his lab chair, going upstairs to get his coat. Everyone else seemed to do the same, Clint and Gage springing to to life from there training, going toward the garage. Kim got her shoes on, going to the garage as well. Soon everyone met in the gargle, with the same knowing smile. They all missed them terribly. Those kids are there lives. They did the same as before Kim and Gage went to Quinns school and Clint and Tony to TJ's school.

Tony waited outside his car, Clint next to him, arms crossed, keeping watch as school let out, all the kids running to there parents or cars or busses. Tony looked around for his boy then paused, seeing him. Clint snickered, seeing it to. Tony raised an eyebrow. "Well I'll be damned." TJ, who was crying he wouldn't make any friends at school, was scared he would be left behind and forgotten, was holding hands with a little girl, talking to her with a familiar charming smile. Clint smirked. "He's definitely your son." Tony gave Clint a look. Kim was never gonna let him live this down TJ saw his dad, waving before kissing the girls cheek, running over to his dad.

Tony chuckled, kneeling down to him, hugging him. "See you got a girlfriend, whats her name?" TJ looked back at her. "Uh...umm...I don't remember." Clint gave Tony another look and Tony leaned his head against TJ's tiny shoulder. He was never hearing the end of this. This was most definitely his son. He sighed, smiling, standing, now holding his hand. "Lets get you home cassanova."

Tony parked in the garage, before he could turn the car off TJ was already out of the car, running upstairs. He groaned. "TJ no running!" He facepalmed, knowing he didn't hear it. He heard Clint chuckling next to him.

Kim and Gage were walking in the door with Quinn who looked relived to be home. She just turned five in the spring. Her hair grew but it was often kept back in a low ponytail. She always wore jeans, converse and a science or music themed shirt with a hoodie. She was holding her moms hand when TJ ran in, Kim stopping him before he could run into the living room. "TJ, what did I say about running?" TJ pouted, looking up at his mom. "That I could get hurt." "That's right. No running in the house. You do it again and you'll be in trouble." Quinn snickered as he started to walk away with a little pout. Gage ruffled Quinn's hair. "What are you laughing at." Quinn looked up as her mom started to walk into the kitchen. "He got in trouble." Gage knelled down. "It's not very nice to laugh at someone when there in trouble." Quinn pouted. Gage grinned. "But if they deserve it..." Quinn slowly started to smile before turning into a full, bright grin, getting the message.

TJ suddenly came to Quinn. "Quinn, wanna play video games with me?" Quinn looked to Gage for permission. He nodded. "Go ahead, just remember you got homework." She smiled, running into the living room with her brother, sitting on the floor in front of the TV, setting the game up.

Tony walked into the kitchen, arms around Kim as she started to get food out to prepare for dinner. "Hey angel, whats for dinner?" "chicken, mashed potatoes and veggies. I'm getting the chicken out so it can marinate. How was TJ's first day of school?" Tony smiled, looking away, going to the coffee machine. "Well, better then expected. " Kim raised an eyebrow to him. "Better then expected?" Tony sighed. "Yep." Kim smiled, leaning against the counter. "care to elaborate?" Tony looked up before looking away. "Well, he may have..maybe ...sorta made a girlfriend...whom he doesn't remember her name.." Kim gave him a blank look before shaking her head and pointing a spoon at him, "Those are your genes. He's gonna be exactly like you, both of them." Tony groaned before smiling sheepishly to her. "Think you could handle three mes?" Kim laughed lightly, shaking her head. "I can try."

AN: Welcome to season four! :D reviews are welcome