The flight to New York was awful. All five of them were exhausted and none had taken into account the effect a plane would have on the tiny infant's ears.

Sam had looked up how to help, but most things they found included needing things like pacifiers or cottons balls, things they didn't have. Steve attempted to sooth him by gently rubbing behind his ear, but to no effect. Absolutely nothing they did made poor Jay feel better and he varied from sniffling to full blown howling the whole flight.

When they finally touched down at LaGuardia, Peggy had never been happier to exit an aircraft. Steve followed behind her with Jay and the three of them quickly hurried to Tony and the waiting car.

"Damn Peggy, you're here for what, seven days and suddenly have a baby!" The billionaire exclaimed as he hugged her. "And wow what an adorable one! How's it possible for you to look so much like Steve and be so cute?" He asked waving to the sniffling baby. "Have a hard flight did he?"

Peggy barely managed to avert her shocked expression at his words. It had yet to hit her that last week she had been in a completely different situation and now was not the time to think about everything that had changed.

Instead of dwelling she brushed it aside and focused on the conversation between Steve and Tony.

"Brucey has his lab all prepared to be a pediatric doctor, we'll head there as soon as we get to the tower." Tony was saying to which Steve nodded in agreement.

"Thank you so much Tony. I'll be sure to pay you back for everything."

"Psh!" He waved the words away and pierced the soldier with a heavy look. "Steve, seriously, despite all my joking this is a big thing, and most people wouldn't even try and take it on."

The other man opened his mouth but was halted before he could say anything. "No! I know you wouldn't leave him, but come on buddy! You don't know anything about babies, and you have had no time to prepare. All of us are here to help; we're your family okay?"

Steve nodded sincerely and smiled. "Thank you Tony."

He shrugged it off and grinned in return. "Course! Besides, how else would I win best uncle award!"

"You're dreaming Shellhead!" Clint called from inside the car. "Now come on guys, little Jay needs a checkup and I need sleep!"

Peggy laughed at his affronted expression to the archer's words and moved to follow the latter's request, a grin forming on her lips when she heard Steve whisper to Jay.

"Ready to see your home Jay?"

Bruce really did have his lab transformed. Everything that could be hazardous was gone and the area transformed to resemble a doctor's office. The smile he gave the four of them, Tony, Steve, Jay and herself, as they entered was equal parts comforting and excited.

"How was the flight?" He asked conversationally to which they both groaned.

"Jay hated it." Steve answered for the both of them.

"Jay's his name?" Bruce smiled at the baby that was finally contently asleep. "I like it. It's also not uncommon for altitude changes to affect a child's ears."

"It's short for James." Peggy replied.

"Oh for Bucky."

Steve nodded and shifted the baby in his arms. "How did you want to check up on him?"

Bruce motioned to the chairs over by the balcony doors. "Let's just sit for now, give him a chance to sleep and me to get some base notes down."

They agreed and moved to sit. The scientist brought a notebook with him and rested it against his knees before looking up at the two of them. "I just want to know what you already do first."

"Hydra didn't have too much. They deemed him a 'failure'," he spat the word angrily, "because as far as they could tell he didn't have the potential to be a fully-fledged super soldier. They noted that he breathed like an asthmatic and his hearing was off."

"He seems to understand so much though." Peggy stated. "He looks around and smiles."

"Looks around by moving his head?" Bruce asked in surprise.

She laughed and shook hers. "No his eyes. He actually looks at you if you're talking to him."

He nodded thoughtfully and after a moment said. "It seems that they took a cursorily look at him and decided he didn't fit what they wanted. Too small, possible breath problems, how could that equate to super human."

"What we thought too." Steve agreed. "Is there any way to tell otherwise?"

Bruce hesitated and then nodded slowly. "In a way? I'm going to walk you through all the bodies systems and explain my opinion, as well as explain some genetics okay?"

They both nodded and Tony interjected. "I'll help too! And we will keep it simple, no technical terms or anything just basics so you know what to expect."

Bruce agreed. "What he said. To start out, Jay is actually very lucky that Hydra only did a superficial exam."

"How so?" Peggy asked with an appalled look.

"Well the base of the human body is its skeletal system, and the only ways for them to have tested his are very invasive. They would have drilled for bone marrow, broken a bone, maybe even cut a whole piece out."

A dark look flashed over Steve's face and he glanced down to the baby worriedly. "You'll be able to tell if they did when you examine him right?"

"I doubt they did Steve." He said in a reassuring tone. "It would have been noted. Those tests would be to see the density and strength of his bones and really as an infant there is no way to tell. You had scoliosis pre serum correct?"

He nodded. "Asthma, scoliosis, fallen arches, heart arrhythmia, partial deafness, stomach ulcers, color blindness, astigmatism, and pernicious anemia." He recited instantly.

"Most of those things can't be diagnosed until he is older, but not many of them are genetic. Fallen arches can be and scoliosis is, but neither can really be diagnosed as an infant."

"So there is no way to see what part of Steve's skeletal system he inherited without a torturous procedure?" Peggy verified.

"Correct." Tony nodded. "Take into account too guys, Jay isn't a clone. Only half of his genetics come from Steve, the other half are from whatever egg it is they used."

"What did his file say on that matter?"

Steve frowned sadly. "Just that she was some unknown intelligent woman that they killed afterwards. There really was nothing on her, not a description or name, just an IQ."

"Genius level right?"

Tony's question was met with a nod and he shook his head. "Must have thought that her intelligence could be amplified."

"I don't really understand their thought process honestly." Bruce admitted. "Yes the serum changed you at the genetic level, but who is to say that you passed along that piece of gene. Unless they were able to completely control the chromosomes that went in and even then it's a shot in the dark how they would combine with the eggs chromosomes."

"There isn't a way to tell what systems could be affected then?" Steve asked.

"Yes and no. Like I said with the skeletal, unless you want invasive torture you'll just have to wait and see as he grows. First time he falls from a high distance could answer the strength; first broken bone could tell us how fast it would regenerate."

"X-rays would do nothing too." Tony continued. "All that would show us is what his bones look like currently. Later on we could X-ray his growth plates, see how big he could potentially grow?"

"Most of his body would be like that right?" Steve asked.

"Pretty much yeah."

Bruce nodded with him. "He's just like any child. We have no way to see how his endocrine system will mature, or if puberty will cause a surge of serum enhanced hormones. If that does happen his entire biology could change, not just what normally does as we grow."

"What Brucey just said includes his reproductive system as well. I mean, did yours change?" Tony asked his smirk growing at the soldier's blush.

"Tony."

"Hey now! I'm not asking if it got any bigger or anything, just like did you well, for lack of better terms, get more curious?"

"You could have just said libido." Bruce muttered and his partner scientist just waved him off.

"I didn't really pay attention." Steve stated his eyes anywhere but on Peggy and she had to fight back a blush of her own. "Honestly though guys, puberty is years away and so many things could come up between then and now. All we want to know is; is our son healthy?"

He shot Peggy a sheepish smile at his choice of words and she gave him a subtle nod. If he was Steve's he was hers too and nothing would change that.

"Of course." Bruce stood and held his arms out. "Think I could see him?"

He assented and stood as well, gently passing Jay over to the scientist. The movement woke him and he blinked wide blue eyes open and stared up at the doctor.

"Well hello there little guy. I didn't mean to wake you."

Jay stared at him and then cooed quietly and wiggled slightly in his grasp, his little arms rising out in front of him.

"I see what you mean by responsive." Bruce stated guiding them over to a cushioned table top and gently sat him down. "He seemed almost interactive. How old did you say he was?"

"Five weeks."

Bruce shot him a surprised look and then looked back down to the baby. He gently disrobed him from his makeshift clothing and lightly tickled his stomach. Jay squirmed again and kicked out his feet with a delighted sound.

"He is more aware then a typical child his age." He continued checking his reflexes, all of which were exceptional. "Not only that but he has greater muscle control then he should as well."

"Serumed?" Peggy asked.

"The muscles probably. He shouldn't be able to control his body as well as he does." Bruce answered as he examined his eyes and then ears. "The awareness, well that could merely be high intelligence. Steve is very intelligent and if the woman was a genius that wouldn't be a surprise. His eyes are completely perfect, no sight defects, but I see what they mean with the left ear."

He looked over at them. "It does appear that his inner ear isn't completely formed, but it isn't enough to make a huge difference. He could either have a hearing aid, or just ask people to repeat themselves sometimes. It isn't a big issue."

"It's something we'll wait until he can put his input into." Steve agreed.

Bruce just hummed in response, his attention on the sounds coming from the stethoscope in his ears. He pulled away and smiled at them. "He could have asthma as well, his breathing was slightly more labored then it should be but that could be the drastic change in climate, the plane ride, or even a result of his entire life."

He took his blood pressure and oxygen levels, explaining to the two of them what he was doing as he was going. Everything else looked completely normal and once he was finished with the entire external examination he gave them both a serious look.

"Two more things. I'd like to take a little bit of blood to test many things. His white blood cell and platelet levels will give more of an insight to his immune system and his healing factor and the red blood cells could help with figuring oxygen levels."

Steve glanced over at her and she nodded instantly. "Please do Bruce. Knowing is better than not."

"Alright do you want to come and hold him? Give him a bit of a distraction?"

She moved in an instant and lifted him into her arms with a huge smile. "Hi Jay sweetie! This is your Uncle Bruce, he's going to use an ouchy needle for just a moment so we can make sure you're healthy okay?" She explained as Bruce gently held his arm and went about the process. "It's okay sweetie." She then cooed as he began to whimper and cry. "It's okay to hate needles, ask your daddy. They aren't his friend either."

Steve nodded enthusiastically in agreement. "They're pretty sucky huh? Don't worry it'll be over quickly."

His crying subsided when Bruce moved away with a little vial of blood and the tourniquet band in hand. "Sorry about that. He did really well; I'm beginning to be sure he has an above average intelligence."

"Like his awesome Uncle Tony!" Said man exclaimed. "Man Brucey, you made him cry. You won't be winning best uncle anytime soon!"

He rolled his eyes fondly and then smiled at the little family. "One more thing, his food. What did you feed him on the way here?"

"Apple sauce." Peggy answered.

He gave another surprised look. "And he digested it okay?"

Steve shrugged. "We think so? He burped, and passed it fine. I didn't see anything abnormal?"

"The fact that he was able to is abnormal." Bruce explained. "A child this young is still normally on liquids, breast milk, or formula. His system must be more advanced then generally is. His metabolism could be higher too. How much did he eat?"

"One of those little plastic cups."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Okay my suggestion is that you start with the average amount of formula for a five week old and see if he's still hungry and then slowly up the amount of formula, or even add mashed baby food, as he needs."

"Sounds good to me." Steve agreed smiling at him.

"You guys do understand I am not actually a pediatrician right? Or even technically a medical doctor? You might want to get a second opinion."

Steve shook his head. "No Bruce, there is no one else I trust more then you."

"I agree." Peggy stated after him.

The smile he gave them was the widest she had ever seen on his face. "In that case, it's my professional opinion that you guys have a perfectly healthy, very intelligent and special baby that likely will continue to show us ways in which he is extraordinary."

They both looked down at the little boy with his head sleepily resting against Peggy's shoulder and grinned. "Thank you Bruce." She said happily.

"Excellent!" Tony exclaimed. "Hard parts over, who wants to see what Uncle Tony bought?"