While Natasha was waiting for Melody, she was pouring a drink for herself when Bruce slowly walked up to her at the bar. She looked so beautiful, wearing a hugging dress, her eyes downcast, revealing a little glitter in her brown eyeshadow. When Bruce moved to a seat, he took his glasses off and smiled at her. "How did a nice girl like you wind up working in a dump like this?"

Natasha sighed before setting down a glass to pour whatever she had left in the shaker in the glass for him. "Fella done me wrong."

"You got lousy taste in men, kid."

"He's not so bad." She put a cherry in both of the drinks before scooting one glass towards him. "Well, he has a temper. Deep down, he's all fluff." Bruce continued to stare at her, wondering if they were continuing an act or if…she was talking about him. "Fact is, he's not like anybody I've ever known." Bruce took a small sip of his drink as Natasha looked down in thought. Did she really want to pursue a relationship with a member of the team? It could end disastrous, but it worked out for Clint and Melody, right? Why couldn't it work out with Natasha and Bruce? "All my friends are fighters. And here comes this guy, spends his life avoiding the fight because he knows he'll win."

Bruce sighed. Did she really think that about him or could she be talking about someone else? "Sounds amazing."

"He's also a huge dork." Okay, now Bruce knew she was talking about him. "Chicks dig that." Natasha assured once she saw how defeated he looked. "So, what do you think? Should I fight this, or run with it?"

Bruce looked at her panicked. Was she really putting this all in his hands. "Run with it, right? Or did he... Was he..." Natasha let out a little chuckle at his stammering. "What did he do that was so wrong to you?"

"Not a damn thing." She whispered to him. She picked up her drink, seeing Melody hurrying towards the bar. "But never say never."

She began to walk towards her friend, and Melody almost came out with it until she saw what Natasha had in her hands. "Oh, god, is that a raspberry martini? You always make the best."

"Should I make you one or get you another water?"

Melody let out a huge sigh, really wishing she could have one. "Water for the next nine months."

"Oh, Mel." Natasha sighed.

"I mean," Melody spoke while looking down at her body. She couldn't believe this was actually happening. "This is a good thing, right?" Natasha nodded furiously. It was a wonderful thing! "I love Clint, Clint loves me. We're about to get engaged tonight, it's kind of right, isn't it?"

Natasha moved closer to her with a big smile on her face. "So, you're gonna say yes?"

"I mean I was originally, but I don't think I even have a choice now."

"That's true." Natasha whispered before taking a sip of her drink.

"But," Melody got a huge smile on her face, looking back to the bar, seeing Steve talking to Bruce, before turning back to Natasha. "I saw you and Bruce talking. What's going on over there?"

Natasha opened her mouth, but Clint's voice came from behind Melody. "Can I get everyone's attention, please?"

They both turned to him, Natasha giving Melody an excited smile while Melody just smiled at him. This was a long time coming, and she was so glad she could finally say yes to him, and that he was giving him something he had always wanted. An addition to their family.

Everyone had gotten quiet, and turned to Clint, some in excitement, already being able to predict what was going to happen, and some in confusion. "It's so great to be here with everyone, especially with some people I haven't seen in a long time." He flashed a little smile to Rhodey, Sam and Maria who were standing close by. "And I just wanted to use this time to explain kind of how important time is." Melody looked down, feeling herself blush. They sure did take their time. "As most of you know, Melody and I took a lot of time getting to be together. Not a lot of our situations were ideal, but when I look back on it, all the time we spent apart was worth it because I probably wouldn't appreciate all the time we do spend together now as much."

Clint moved towards Melody as she began to bite her lip. Half of her wanted him to hurry up and do it, but the other half of her wanted him to take his time because the poetic justice in that was going to be beautiful. "And since we spent so much time getting together, it's only natural that we spend so much time planning to get married without even taking that first step." There were lots of gasps from the room, now all of them seeing that this was not just a toast.

"Or you know, the first step getting rejected."

Melody had to shut her eyes from Tony's outburst. Clint did the same. He just couldn't let her grow up, even a little bit, without embarrassing her. "So," Clint began as he pulled out the ring box and got on one knee in front of all their friends, family and colleagues. "What do you say, Mel? You want to spend the rest of your life with me?" She just continued to smile down at him, wanting to remember this moment forever. Everything was just so…perfect. "Please don't say 'no' again. My fragile heart can't take it."

Melody rolled her eyes at him before sticking her left hand out, ready to get that perfect ring on her fourth finger. "I guess, Barton." He gave her an irritated smile as he slipped the ring on her finger as everyone else around them began to applaud and raise their drinks up in cheers. Clint was still giving her that little glare, though. "Yes." Melody whispered as he began to stand up. He pulled her into him at the waist again as she let out a bubbly laugh. "I will marry you!" They hugged each other tightly, Melody taking another deep sigh. Everything was really going amazingly for them. Melody felt guilty for it, but as she hugged him and thought about how perfect their lives were, she couldn't help, but think that there was something else just around the corner, ready to poke a massive hole in it.


The crowd had left by now, so it was just a few insiders who stayed behind at the tower. Melody was in Clint's lap on the floor as everyone else sat around the coffee table, laughing and talking, and of course, drinking. It was getting really hard for Melody to pretend at the moment. Clint was twirling one of the chopsticks in his hands as Melody shoveled some more noodles in her mouth from the take out they ordered. "Oh, hey," Tony spoke, grabbing everyone's attention. "Who has read How to Love and How to be an Emotionally Damaged Person."

Both Clint and Melody almost spit out their drinks. They knew it was getting popular, but they didn't expect any of the Avengers to read it. "Who wrote it?" Bruce asked, curious from the title.

"No author." Steve spoke while shaking his head. "They wrote it anonymously."

"Okay," Maria spoke while laughing. Well, Melody thought, this is what she gets for anonymously publishing a book, people will mock it right in front of you. "I don't even read self-help books, but this one, I felt like she knew me."

Both Clint and Melody slowly turned to each other with wide eyes. "How do you know it's a she?" Rhodey countered while leaning in to look at her from across the table.

"Oh, come on," Natasha scoffed. "Only a woman would be able to openly admit she is emotionally damaged."

Everyone laughed out when Tony turned to look at the two now trying to look as normal as possible. "Have you two read it? What are your thoughts?"

"Um," Melody began while looking up in thought. She had to come up with a lie and she had to come up with one quick. "I got a copy when I read all the reviews, but I haven't gotten a chance to crack it open yet."

"Are you kidding?" Steve laughed. "It's super short you can read it in a day."

"Changed my life." Maria encouraged.

"Or are you just like the author, and you're not able to admit you're emotionally damaged until it's too late?"

Melody gave her friend a long eye roll. Oh, if only she knew. "I'll read it tomorrow then, sound like a plan?"

"I'm telling you, Melly." Tony spoke while shaking you're head. "That book will drag up some stuff you really don't want to think about, but it will make you a better person on the end."

Melody nodded, wishing she could look at him like she was interested, but she just wasn't. She had been there and done that when she wrote the damn thing. "I have a feeling it already has."

Tony gave her a weird look at that comment, but the conversation continued on as it did before. Somehow, they had all got onto the reoccurring conversation topic of Thor's hammer. "It's a trick." Clint scoffed.

Melody rolled her eyes as she looked to him. He just couldn't let one magical thing happen, could he? "No, no," Thor chuckled as he and Steve clanked their drinks together. "It's more than that."

Melody then looked over to see Bruce and Natasha leaning close to each other, whispering and bumping knees. She got a big smile on her face before taking a drink of her water. She was so excited this was going to be happening soon. "'Whosoever be he worthy shall haveth the power.'" Thor let out a little laugh as Melody just continued to shake her head. This was definitely the booze talking. And she thought he was actually sobering up. "Whatever, man! It's a trick."

"Please, be my guest." The whole room got quiet as they turned from Thor to Clint, wondering if he was really gonna take him up on it.

"Come on." Of course, Tony was going to be the first one to egg him on.

"Really?" Clint questioned as Melody got off his lap, leaving him with the choice to go up there or not.

"Yeah." As soon as Thor said that, Clint bolted right up and moved to the hammer.

"This is gonna be beautiful." Rhodey laughed before taking a sip of his beer.

"Clint, you've had a tough week." Tony told him. Sure, this was her fiancé and Melody should have been on his side no matter what, but she really doubted he was going to pull this off. "We won't hold it against you if you can't get it up."

Everyone began to laugh, but Melody gave a sly look to Natasha before speaking. "I can assure you, he gets it up." Tony's face got straighter than ever before as Clint shrugged, knowing that was correct. Natasha was the only one who knew she was referencing to her pregnancy, but that didn't stop everyone else from laughing at the joke.

Clint then turned to look at Thor, the smile from Melody's compliment still on his face. "You know I've seen this before, right?" Thor shrugged, knowing that no matter how hard he tried, he still wouldn't be able to lift the hammer. Clint pulled all he could, but it didn't even budge which made Clint chuckle before looking back to Thor. "I still don't know how you do it!"

"Smell the silent judgment?" Tony asked Clint, his face still unchanging from what Melody had said.

Clint put out his hand as he began to stumble back to Melody. "Please, Stark, by all means."

Tony stood up and unbuttoned his blazer just when Melody had pulled Clint down by the leather jacket, and he laughed about it. Melody gave him a little kiss, loving the sound of his laugh. "Never one to shrink from an honest challenge." Tony moved to the hammer, placing the handle around his wrist. "It's physics."

"Physics." Melody spoke before nodding, finding it very hard to believe that he would be able to lift it.

"Right, so," Tony began, completely ignoring Melody and turning to look at Thor. "If I lift it, I then rule Asgard?"

Thor nodded, his unamused face not falling. "Yes, of course."

"I will be reinstituting prima nocta." Everyone made a gross sound, not wanting to imagine what Asgard would come to under Tony Stark's rule. Tony tried to lift the hammer, but still, nothing happened. Tony looked around, slightly embarrassed that he talked it up so much and he couldn't do anything. He stepped away from the hammer, getting an idea and stepping away. "I'll be right back."

"You can't just do that!" Melody yelled to him.

"I'll be right back!" He reiterated as Melody sat back down, looking to Clint with an irritated smile at what her uncle was doing.

Tony came hurrying up the stairs from the workshop with two metal hands. Everyone began to complain and tell him it wasn't fair as he tossed the other one to Rhodey, and they both went to the hammer while powering up the hands. They both positioned themselves on the handle before pulling it up with all of their power. It still wasn't budging.

Rhodey turned to Tony, irritated while still continuing to pull. "Are you even pulling?"

"Are you on my team?" Tony asked him, offended.

"Just represent." Rhodey growled out as Tony looked up at him, shocked that he was telling him that. "Pull."

"All right," Tony spoke, getting focused again. "Let's go."

"Who's next?" Clint groaned out, getting bored with the two trying.

Melody looked to Natasha, still sitting close to Bruce. "Hulk."

Bruce looked up at what she had said before shaking his head. "No, I'm fine."

"Oh, come on." Melody spoke, squinting her eyes to get a good look at him. "You know you're curious."

Bruce turned back to Natasha who shrugged, not really caring if he tried or not. She wouldn't feel any less for him. Bruce also knew he wanted to impress Natasha. He stood up and everyone began to get excited and began to clap. When he pulled on it, nothing budged. Everyone's biggest fear was that he was going to Hulk out right there. He finally let go of the handle with a growl as everyone watched him, thinking that the Hulk out of all of them would definitely be able to move it. Natasha gave him a tiny shrug before he moved back to sit with her.

That's when Steve stood up and went to the hammer. "Go ahead, Steve. No pressure." Tony told him as he clapped him on the back.

"Hey," Clint spoke, turning to look at Steve right when he reached the hammer. "Tony got two iron suits to help him, why don't two super soldiers try?"

Steve gave Melody an excited look before she stood up. "I'm down."

They both adjusted their grip around the handle, Steve's hands going on first and Melody's just a few centimeters above his. Clint watched them, knowing that if no one could pick up that hammer, Melody could. On the count of three, both Steve and Melody began pulling, and the hammer moved just a little bit. It was barely anything. If you blinked, you missed it, and Melody and Steve didn't even realize it. Thor and Clint did though. Clint was proud while Thor was panicked.

They finally let go in defeat, making Thor laugh, but Clint just wanted to know who it moved for. Steve or Melody? "Nothing."

The two moved to sit back down, and Bruce turned to Natasha, pushing his hands in her direction. "And, Widow?"

"No, no." She chuckled before taking a sip of her beer. "That's not a question I need answered."

"All deference to the Man Who Wouldn't Be King," Melody rolled her eyes at Tony's references. "But it's rigged."

"You bet your ass." Clint got up from the floor and clapped Tony on the back before moving to the other side of the room to get another drink.

"Steve," Maria called while pointing to Clint. "He said a bad language word."

Steve sighed as everyone laughed, and he turned to Tony. "Did you tell everyone about that?"

"The handle's imprinted, right?" Tony asked Thor, completely ignoring his uncle which made Steve roll his eyes. "Like a security code. 'Whosoever is carrying Thor's fingerprints' is, I think, the literal translation."

"Yes." Thor spoke as he stood to his feet as Melody got up to join Maria on the couch. "It's a very, very interesting theory. I have a simpler one." Thor grabbed the hammer off the table and gave it a little swirl. Everyone was in awe of how none of them could pick it up, but he did it with such ease. "You're all not worthy."

Half of them laughed and the other half booed until a piercing sound came in the room. Everyone put hands to their ears as it continued when Tony pulled out the remote to control the tower, trying to see what went wrong.

There was a sound coming from behind the stairs, making them all turn around and stand up, trying to see what was happening. One of the Iron Legion bots was stalking towards the group, but it wasn't totally repaired. It's arm was hanging and it was walking with a slight limp as the lights in the eyes continued to flicker. "Worthy?" The word slithered through the air, sending a chill up everyone's spine. "How could you be worthy?" Clint and Melody shared a brief look from across the room before looking back to it. They had to keep each other safe no matter what. That's when Clint began to slowly walk to her. "You're all killers."

"Dad." Melody spoke instinctively as Clint had finally made it to her side.

"Stark." Steve added, almost as breathy as Melody's, but a little stronger.

"Jarvis," Tony spoke into the remote, his voice low, not understanding how this could have happened.

"I'm sorry." The robot continued, everyone remained to stay rigged from fear. "I was asleep…or was it a dream?"

Melody looked over to Tony urgently, not knowing what to do about this thing. "Reboot Legionnaire OS." Tony spoke again, keeping his voice low, but more urgent this time. "We got a buggy suit."

"There was this…" They all turned back to the robot, the same concerned face as before. "Terrible noise…and I was tangled in…in…strings." He sounded like he was truly shaken by this dream, making Melody lean down and pull one of her daggers out of her boot. "Had to kill this other guy." After he said that, Clint and Melody's hand clasped together, more afraid. "He was a good guy."

"You killed someone?" Steve questioned, his eyes focusing on the thing even more.

He let out a dark chuckle. "Wouldn't've been my first call, but down in the real world, we're faced with ugly choices."

"Who sent you?" Melody finally asked, done with his little riddles.

He looked to her specifically, already knowing so much about her. "'I see a suit of armor around the world.'"

Tony, Bruce and Melody each got even straighter before sharing looks with each other while everyone else turned to Tony, recognizing his voice. "Ultron." Bruce whispered, breaking the brief moment of silence.

"In the flesh." He announced grandly. Tony gulped, and so did Melody. One of them did this. One of them added something, and they weren't sure which one it was. "Or no, not yet. Not this Christmas." Everyone began to slowly grab their weapons, taking this thing as one of the worst threats they had seen since HYDRA. "I'm on a mission."

"What mission?" Natasha asked as Clint continued to look from both Ultron and Melody. She knew what this was, and he couldn't understand how; unless…she made it.

"Peace of our time." Right when he finished his sentence, other Iron Legion robots burst through the wall, going towards all of the Avengers. Steve kicked up the coffee table and jumped down as everyone else ducked for cover.

Maria was able to shoot one while Melody threw a dagger at another, making it to the couch where she had placed a few daggers underneath. Tony and Rhodey ran to get their suits, and Rhodey was thrown into one of the floors below. Thor began to swing his hammer, knocking out a few robots in the process. One of the robots began to chase after Clint, making him duck under the other couch as Melody stabbed it in the head.

Another explosion rang out, Natasha and Bruce jumping over the bar to hide there. Bruce landed on top of Natasha, her looking to him worried, remembering the last time an explosion broke out with all of them there. "Don't turn green." She pleaded.

"I won't." He promised while shaking his head.

One of the Iron Legion bots grabbed Loki's scepter just as Melody ran up the stairs. Steve jumped on the thing's back, holding it in a choke hold as he punched the head. Melody took a deep breath, knowing what she wanted to do to the thing, but Steve was getting in the way. Just then, it backed Steve into one of the walls, forcing him to let go and fall to the floor.

Melody continued up the stairs just as Clint dodged out the way and fell hard on glass. Melody climbed over the railing, taking a deep breath before jumping on the robot's back. Melody began working on the robot's interface with her knife. "Melody!" Steve called out from worry as he looked up at her.

Tony got up, noticing what he was looking at. "Mel!"

"One second!" She called, almost getting it.

On the ground, Tony just kept looking up at her helpless, but Steve threw Thor a robot so he could smash it with his hammer. Then Clint found Steve's shield off to the side, throwing it to Steve just in time for him to decapitate it. In that second, Melody had deprogrammed the robot, falling with it, landing on the stairs and going down a few steps. "Melody!" Natasha screamed, terrified for what was inside of her as well.

"That was dramatic." Melody threw the robot off of her and began to sit up as Natasha ran to the steps to help her sit up. "I'm sorry, I know you mean well," Both girls looked up from their spot on the floor back to Ultron. What the hell did this thing want? "You just didn't think it through." Bruce also showed up next to Melody, both him and Natasha helping her up. "You want to protect the world, but you don't want to change it." Tony's eyes were still fixated on Melody. She could have been seriously hurt because of this thing he thought up. This thing he successfully made. "How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to…evolve?" Ultron picked up one of the discarded robot carcasses, making it high enough so everyone in the room could see it. "With these? These puppets." He crushed the head, making a shiver go up everyone's spine. "There's only one path to peace. The Avengers' extinction."

Right when he finished the sentence, Thor threw his hammer into Ultron, making him bust into what seemed like a million nuts and bolts. Everyone looked to each other, not quite sure what to say, everyone was confused, but Tony, Bruce and Melody felt guilt. Silence engulfed the air until one more thing came out of Ultron's mouth. "I had strings, but now I'm free."