Everyone moved about the jet, Steve and Thor making sure that the scepter was secure while Bruce was listening to his music to calm back down. Taylor had hooked Clint up to an IV and knocked him out, trying to keep him out of pain as best she could. Natasha had a brief word with Taylor, checking up on Barton, before moving onto Bruce sitting down in front of him. Looking up he took off the headphones.

"The lullaby worked better than ever." Natasha said.

"Wasn't expecting a code green." Bruce said uncomfortably.

"If you hadn't been there, there would have been double casualties." Natasha pointed out. "My best friend would have been a treasured memory."

"You know sometimes exactly what I want to hear isn't exactly what I want to hear." Bruce said with a grimace.

"How long before you trust me?" Natasha asked.

"It's not you I don't trust." Bruce replied.

"Thor report on the Hulk." Natasha said.

"The gates of hel are filled with the screams of his victims." Thor smiled proudly. Bruce groaned burying his head in his hands as Natasha shot Thor a hard look. "But not the screams of the dead of course, wounded screams maybe whimpering, complaining, tails of sprained deltoids…and gout."

"Gout? Really Thor?" Taylor questioned with a raised eyebrow and shaking her head before looking to Banner. "No one was killed by the Hulk or as a result of the Hulk." Natasha sent her a thankful nod while Bruce took in a breath calming down much more. Taylor nodded back as she reached down into a bag next to her seat pulling out some colorful yarn and her knitting needles. She had taken up knitting as a way to calm down after battles and had quite the assortment of knitted goods. "No worries Banner."

"Hey Banner, Dr. Cho is on her way from Soul, is it ok if she set up in your lab?" Tony asked from the pilot's seat.

"Uh, yeah, she knows her way around." Bruce nodded.

"Thanks, tell her to prep everything, Barton's going to need the full treatment." Tony said.

"Very good sir." JARVIS replied.

"JARVIS, take the wheel." Tony said as his seat moved back.

"Yes sir." JARVIS replied. "Approach vector in locked."

"Feels good." Tony said looking over to the scepter then looked to Thor. "You've been after this thing since SHIELD collapsed, not that I haven't enjoyed our little raiding parties."

"No, but this…this brings it to a close." Thor said.

"As soon as we find out what else it's been used for." Steve said with a dark look. "And I don't just mean weapons. Since when is Strucker capable of human enhancement."

"It wouldn't be that hard really. With most humans carrying dormant mutant genes from what Cheshire told me, he'd just have to find a way of jump starting them." Taylor commented as she eyed the scepter. "I guess the scepter was the key to unlocking them."

"Maybe…" Tony commented. "Banner and I will give it the once over before it goes back to Asgard." Tony said to them, looking to Thor. "Is that ok with you? Just a few days and a farewell party. You're staying right?"

"Yes, yes, of course." Thor replied with a smile. "A victory should be honored with revels."

"Yeah, who doesn't love revels? Captain?" Tony looked to Steve.

"Hopefully this puts an end to the Chituri and HYDRA." Steve replied then smiled. "Yes, revels."

-0-

The jet came in for a landing at Avengers tower and the medical team came in taking Barton away while Maria entered the jet. The majority of the team exited the Jet as well eager for some rest and relaxation after all of their hard work.

"Labs all set up boss." Maria informed Tony.

"Actually he's the boss." Tony gestured to Steve who was talking to Taylor. "I just pay for everything and design everything and make everyone look cooler."

"So basically you are the equivalent of the Producer, make-up artist, and costume designer." Taylor smarted off.

"Did I ask for nut shelling?" Tony rolled his eyes.

"No charge." Taylor winked.

"What's the word on Strucker?" Steve asked Maria as he and Alice joined her.

"NATO's got them." Maria answered.

"The two enhanced?" Steve asked as they moved out of the ship.

"Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, twins, orphaned when a shell collapsed their apartment building." Maria showed him images of the twins and the building on her pad. "Sakovia's had a rough history. It's nowhere special, but it's on the way to everywhere special."

"Their abilities?" Steve asked.

"He's got increased metabolism and improved homeo-stasis and her thing neuro-electric interfacing, telekinesis, Mental manipulation." Maria listed off and Taylor took note of Steve's confused look.

"Basically he's really fast and she's weird." Taylor told him and he made an 'oh' face as he nodded.

"Well they're going to show up again." Steve said handing the pad back to Maria.

"Agreed." Maria nodded. "File says they volunteered for Struckers experiments." Maria commented. "It's nuts."

"Right, what kind of monster would let a German scientist experiment on them to protect their country." Steve said as he and Taylor walked into the elevator punching in their floor.

"We're not at war Captain." Maria replied.

"They are." Steve replied as the doors shut.

-0-

Tony walked out onto the balcony bracing himself against the railing as he looked over the city, his vision coming back into his mind. He took a couple of deep breaths before pulling out his phone and dialing rapidly. Every ring of the phone caused him to tense, waiting for an answer.

"Hi gramps!" Rhea answered the phone, and Tony felt relief flood over him.

"Hello Rhea, how's my favorite mechanic?" Tony replied, making sure he sounded happy.

"She is awesome. I made a wind up dancing ballerina out of clockwork parts, very popular amongst the kids here." Rhea replied telling him all about the toy ballerina she had made that actually danced for her. "And I crashed one of the hover boats I upgraded. Apparently they can't take the speed…yet, I'm working on it."

"That's my brilliant girl." Tony smiled.

"Yes, yes I am. Hey, I finally got dad to agree to let me go to high school on earth next year." Rhea said happily and Tony was once again blow away by how fast she was growing up.

"That sounds great." Tony replied. "You're mom made him didn't she?"

"Yep." Rhea nodded.

"Speaking of your mom, where is she?" Tony asked leaning against the railing.

"She's in the garden with pops, I'll take her the phone." Rhea said making her way down the hall, weaving between people as she did.

"Who's on the phone sweetheart?" He heard the voice of Loki ask.

"It's grandpa, he wants to talk to mom." Rhea replied.

"Oh…" Vanessa took the phone.

"Rhea, come play with us!" Some of Volstaggs children came over to her pulling them into their game.

"Hey dad, what's up?" Tony took in a breath, just hearing her voice filled him with ease. "Dad…are you ok?"

"I'm fine, just…wanted to see when you could come to visit again." Tony replied.

"Next week actually, we have to go to Vanahiem for diplomatic reasons then we're coming in for a visit." Vanessa answered, still sounding concerned. "Dad…"

"That's great kid, so I'll see you next week, we'll take Rhea to Disney World or Disney Land, maybe even both." Tony cut her off, not wanting her to worry. "See you then. Give my love to Rhea and tell Loki how lucky he is, bye kid."

Tony hung up quickly before she could say anything, taking a deep breath and gathering himself. He slipped back into his cocky attitude before heading back inside to go see how Barton was coming along. Vanessa looked down at the phone in her hand in concern after her father had hung up so abruptly.

"Love?" Loki took her hand. "What's wrong?"

"Dad was just acting strange." Vanessa said in concern. "Well more than usual anyway."

"I'm sure he's fine." Loki comforted her wrapping his arm around her shoulders as they watched Rhea playing with the children.

"I hope so." Vanessa said as she leaned into Loki with a sigh.

-0-

Taylor wondered up to the medical room looking through the glass floor as the crowd control robots came in for repairs. She took note of the damage they had suffered with a thoughtful look. Obviously they had been less than well received by the people they were trying to help. Bruce entered the room across from her looking down at a pad while Stark was coming down a set of stairs.

"How's he doing?" Bruce looked to Stark.

"Unfortunately he's still Barton." Tony replied.

"That's terrible." Bruce said seriously.

"That poor man." Taylor shook her head with a pitying look.

"He's fine, he's thirsty." Stark went on.

"I'm on it." Taylor held up a tray of drinks in her hand as she started up the stairs leaving the science bros to their work. She found Barton lay out on a table with a machine buzzing around him repairing his skin almost instantly. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Barton took the drink taking a long pull through the straw.

"Sure he's going to be ok?" Natasha asked as she leaned over looking into the machine. "I'm telling you this guy really brings the team together."

"Yeah, what's a team without its mascot?" Taylor said teasingly getting a dry look from the archer.

"There's no possibility of deterioration." Cho told her as she looked over the readings. "The nano-molecular-functionality is instantaneous." Cho walked over to the machine as Bruce walked in. "His cells don't know they're bonding with plastic."

"She's creating tissue." Bruce said in amazement while Taylor looked on in wonder.

"This is brilliant." Taylor said as she watched the machine work, the tissue appearing on Barton right before her eyes.

"Thanks." Barton smirked, flexing his muscles.

"It's even recreating the flabby parts." Taylor went on, shooting him a smirk of her own.

"Cute, real cute." Barton rolled his eyes.

"If you brought him to my lab the regeneration cradle could do this in twenty minutes." Cho told them impressing Taylor even more.

"Oh he's flat lining, call it." Tony said as he walked in with some more drinks.

"No, no, no, I'm going to live forever." Barton corrected him sarcastically. "I'll be made of plastic."

"Clint Barton, codename Ken." Taylor commented.

"You'll be made of you, Mr. Barton, your own girlfriend won't be able to tell the difference." Cho assured him.

"Well I don't have a girlfriend." Barton replied.

"That I can't fix." Cho said before picking up her pad. "This is the next step Tony, your clunky metal suits will be left in the dust."

"Well, that is exactly the plan." Tony replied. "And Hill and I expect to see you at the party this Saturday."

"Unlike you, I don't have a lot of time for parties." Cho said loftily as she turned back to her pad. "Will Thor be there?"

The Avengers all looked around at each other, eyebrows shooting up at the doctor's comment, although Tony seemed more amused than anything else.

-0-

"You're doing great." Taylor commented as she and Steve moved around the room in a simple waltz. Taylor was by no means a dancer, but when compared to Steve she was an expert so together they had been learning simple dances. He had commented that he wanted to learn how and Taylor had offered to help him along.

"Thanks." Steve grinned glancing down at his feet.

"Hey, eyes front soldier." Taylor teased causing Steve to look back up at her with a sheepish smile.

"Sorry, it's hard not to. I'm afraid I'll step on your toes…again." Steve replied.

"Don't worry about it." Taylor reassured him, though wincing slightly in remembrance of having to soak her swollen feet the first time they had practiced. In the beginning there had been many a mishap on both of their parts ending in someone hoping on one foot cradling the other. "Do you want to try the spin again?"

"Maybe just a simple dip?" Steve offered and Taylor nodded. Steve moved her around the box step one more time before lowering her into a gentle dip.

'Please don't drop me, please don't drop me, please don't drop me….' Taylor chanted in her head.

"You going to bring her up anytime soon?" Tony questioned as he walked in causing Steve to startle letting go of Taylor who landed on the carpeted floor with a thud.

"Ow!" Taylor complained.

"Taylor I am so sorry." Steve helped her up shooting Tony who was at his bar a dirty look.

"It's fine." Taylor grumbled also giving Tony a look.

"Hey, no looks, not only is this my tower, but you're in the shared living room." Tony defended himself as he poured a drink.

"Unfortunately he has a point." Taylor sighed. "So how are things coming with the scepter?"

"Slowly." Tony rubbed his face as he launched into a long scientific explanation of why it was going slowly only to stop short when he saw the blank stares from the Captain and Taylor. "It's just…really hard…."

"Ok, that I got." Taylor nodded as Tony groaned.

"I'm going back to Bruce, he understands me." Tony said before making a dramatic exit.

"I think we've practiced dancing enough for today." Steve said as Taylor rubbed her back where she had hit the ground. She was still sore from her encounter with the speedster.

"Good idea." Taylor plopped down on the couch in front of the large TV. "How about some movies?

"Sounds good." Steve nodded and at Taylor's request Jarvis queued up Ghost Busters for them to watch, Taylor taking up her knitting again. By the end of the movie Steve was decked out in a blue knit cap and scarf with some iron man socks on the way at Tony's request. The team had already become use to her knitting ways and all had quite the collection of her creations.