Oddly enough, Tony was the first kid finished. And he didn't skip any part of the bedtime routine. He chose the Lion King, and I was brought back to the first time I watched it with him.

"Okay guys! Who wants to make a pillow fort?" I ask, animatedly rubbing my hands together for effect.

"Me!" Clint and Natasha shout at the same time. Even as little kids they were always in sync.

"I would." Bruce answered in his usual calm.

"ME!" Thor bellowed.

"Whoa. Inside voice please!" I say.

"Mememememememememememe!" Tony yammered, his smaller body still holding the same enthusiasm as his older self.

"Me." Steve said in his tiny voice.

We all scrambled to grab our sleep things and built the fort in about fifteen minutes with the help of some kitchen chairs. After it was all said and done, we climbed in to watch the movie.

It was at the part where Mufasa just died. No matter how many times I have seen this movie, I cry at this part. I started thinking about little Simba all alone, and then the tears started coming. What if I can't take care of my family, and they end up all alone stuck in children's bodies? What will the world do without them? my despairing train of thought began, and by this time I was sobbing. I couldn't help it. The reality that this could be permanent was crushing me.

"Bef? Why awe you cwying?" Steve asks and Tony pauses the movie.

I bitterly chuckle and try to wipe the ever-flowing tears off my face. "Sorry guys. This part always makes me cry. And then it made me think about how our current situation might be permanent." I confess.

"Beth, it's probably not..." Bruce begins.

"But what if it is?" I argue. "I can't exactly be a stay-at-home mom at seventeen, taking care of six little superheroes. I'm just worried, that's all. Sorry for ruining the movie." I apologize.

"You didn't ruin the movie Beth." Bruce assured me, grabbing my hand with his tiny one.

"Yeah. It's okay." Natasha said and grabbed my other hand.

"We bewieve in you, Bef." Steve encouraged.

"You're a great older sister." Tony said. "Even though you're supposed to be a little sister."

"Thanks guys." I say, my heart getting all fuzzy. "Let's finish the movie, shall we?" I suggest and clear my throat, and Tony presses play.

We were able to finish the rest of the movie without any more crying. I was just about to send them off to their rooms, when an idea occurred to me.

"Who wants to have a sleepover in here? You guys can have a mosh pit on the floor while I take the couch." I suggest.

"Yeah!" they all shout, and it didn't take long to spread out the blankets. I tucked each of them in.

"Goodnight Tony." I say.

"G'night." he mumbles, sleep already winning him over.

"Goodnight Bruce." I say.

"Goodnight Beth." he replies.

"Goodnight Clint. Goodnight Natasha." I add.

"Goodnight." they reply at the same time. Jeez that was getting creepy...

"Goodnight Thor." I say.

No one replies. Guess he's already out.

"Goodnight Steve."

"G'night Bef." Steve whispers.

I get comfortable on the couch. I sneak a peek at the clock. It reads 9:00. That's not too bad,I tell myself and sleep claims me as well.

I'm woken up by a tiny hand poking me on the shoulder. "What?" I whine, my voice all scratchy from sleep. "You know where the fridge and bathroom are..."

"I...I had a bad dream..." Clint mumbles. "It was really scary."

"Oh." I simply say, immediately feeling bad about how I acted when he woke me up. I moved to a sitting position. "Do...do you want to talk about it?"

Clint responds by climbing on the couch and scoots next to me. "Well...Natasha and I were doing a mission. We were killing all the bad guys. But, one snuck up behind her..." he narrates, and is closer to bawling with each word. "And...and he got her...I couldn't...I couldn't save her." he finished, and began sobbing these horrible, wracking sobs. He wasn't loud; the sobs convulsed through his tiny body as tears ran and ran down his face.

"Oh Clint..." I say and pull him onto my lap and rock him back and forth, rubbing his back. It broke my heart. A little kid shouldn't have to feel these kinds of emotions. "Clint, Natasha is okay...she's sleeping right next to you. You and Natasha will always be partners and go on missions together and save the world. You are such a strong and brave boy; you won't let her down." I comfort.

After a couple minutes, his sobs subside and he climbs out of my lap and lies next to Natasha, wrapping his arm around her little waist. She snuggles closer to him, and he smiles, his eyes closed and about to drift off.

I smile at the pair. I thought it was funny that they as kids were so affectionate, when as adults it wasn't like that. Even with all of their adult memories, the other ones didn't question it. Kids are funny little guys, I thought, and fell asleep again.