Authors Note: I have the best friends ever! Because of them you will not only be getting this but so much more! I won't say much more here but I will say that this is just the beginning. I still own nothing. Reviews are loved!

10. The Solder and The Monster

It was four hours until someone finally mentioned Midnight to Reilly. But it wasn't Tony or Pepper. It was Steve.

Tony had always been very protective of his twins, as such he understood that they would need to learn how to defend themselves. So he had Steve teach them hand to hand combat since they were ten. Eight years later they had regular sparing sessions with him or, if they were in trouble, Natasha. Steve had always been a very direct person and Reilly knew he was thinking throughout their entire session. When it was over he finally spoke.

"Is this what you really want?" She knew what he meant but feigned ignorance anyway.

"What do you mean?"

"Midnight. Being a hero. Twenty two years ago I would never have believed your father was a hero, yes I knew he was Iron Man but I didn't see him as a hero. Before New York I told him he wasn't one to make the sacrifice play. He proved me wrong. I saw you make that play for your brother a month ago, but are you ready to make it for others. For people you don't know, may never meet again, are you ready to lay down on that wire and let someone step over you?"

She looked him up and down. He kept his eyes trained on hers. She tapped her arc reactor thoughtfully.

"Dad thinks this is what set me onto the idea of Midnight?" Steve nodded.

"He's wrong. Midnight has been an idea of mine for a long time now. She didn't come about simply because of the attack. A.I.M. gave me the push to fabricate the suit, but I've had the plans for years. Dad came back one time when I was twelve and he was hurt. He had a piece of the armor lodged in his arm. He had been helping the fantastic four fight Dr. Doom remember?" Steve did indeed remember that. Tony had nearly bled out.

"That was when I made the plans. I realized Dad couldn't do that alone. I think he knew then, he never let me see him hurt again. But when I got shot, well after, I realized it's not always dad. There are people out there without armor. And there are people who would take advantage of that. I don't like people like that, and the Avengers can't do it all." Steve smiled.

"Good. You know I used to have a friend who would have liked you. His name was Abraham Erskine." Reilly smiled and left so Phil could start his session.

She needed to make a stop off in her father's lab but was a bit reluctant to do so. She wasn't sure she wanted to run into him just yet. She knew what he would tell her. He would tell her to shut down her project. He would say it was too dangerous. She would have to call him a hypocrite. It was true, he had been Iron Man her entire life and wasn't going to stop anytime soon.

"JARVIS?"

"Yes Miss Stark?"

"Is dad in his lab?"

"No Miss Stark. Your father is currently in his room with your mother. I believe they are discussing your recent activities as."

"MUTE!" She sighed and entered her father's lab. Tony was indeed absent but the lab was not empty. Dr. Bruce Banner was standing at one of the screens in his typical purple shirt and jeans. He glanced at her over his glasses and paused when he saw who it was.

"Hello Dr. Banner." She internally cursed. She had a bad habit of calling him Dr. Banner instead of Bruce when she knew she was in some kind of trouble.

"Hello Reilly. What did you need? Your Dad's talking to your mom." She nodded.

"I need to borrow a few of Dad's tools. My mini precision saw is on back order and I can't find my rivet gun. He won't mind." She smiled and quick stepped to the work bench. It was covered in various materials.

"Dummy!" The machine in question turned in her direction and chirped.

"What is all this? That's dad's project, that's scrap, that's an old coffee mug. Where are dad's tools?" The machine whirred and pointed to a different bench that was also a mess. Reilly sighed.

"Why did you move them? You know I sometimes wonder why he's never dismantled you and soaked your motherboard." Bruce laughed. Reilly glanced up grinning.

"He was threatening that a while ago. I think Dummy may be his verbal punching bag. Can we talk?" Reilly's smile faded, she hopped up onto one of the counters and settled down.

"Sure Bruce, what's bothering you?"

"It's not what's bothering me, this is about you. Well Midnight." Reilly rolled her eyes.

"Oh don't start we all know. Who else would it be? Are you sure about this?"

"Yes I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because being a hero isn't all it's cracked up to be. You should know that more than most. Being a hero is difficult, it's time consuming and it consumes your life. Remember your graduation?"

Reilly scowled. She did indeed remember that. At age 16 she and Phil had graduated magna cuem laud and had tied for valedictorian at MIT. They had been a year younger than their father when he had graduated. But at the beginning of the ceremony there had been an emergency at Stark/Avengers tower. The other Avengers had tried to deal with it alone but the Crimson Dynamo had gotten into JARVIS's systems and Tony had no choice but to leave in the middle of Phil's speech, he wasn't there for Reilly's. She had understood but he had felt he had to make it up to her. So he had bought her a brand new Viper.

"Yeah I remember."

"That's what it's always like. Sometimes it's worse. You've known me for 18 years and you've met the other guy. You've seen what he does. What I do as him. Is that what you want?" Reilly held up her hands to stop him.

"Gonna stop you there Bruce. See here's the thing. My graduation, I understand why he had to go. I get it, I'm over it. But there's a huge flaw in your logic here, several actually. See you and the Other Guy, well you talk about it like he has never helped you. I've been there in the room with the Other Guy. I've been there when you changed, both to and from. And the Hulk isn't what everyone makes him out to be. You and the Hulk are connected and you both have something in common. You want to help. That's what nobody understands about you and him. He doesn't hurt because he wants to, yeah he smashes, but in the 18 years I've known you I have never seen him smash without reason. Without someone provoking him, hurting him or one of his family. Yes I consider you family, so he's my family too. And from what he did to that scientist I'd say the feeling is mutual. Bruce I've known you my whole life and I know you better than you do sometimes. The Hulk is the basis of what all super heroes are for. We help when people are hurt. That's what we do. So yes I know what I'm getting into and I'm ready for it."

Bruce stared at her for a moment processing all she had said. She thought of both sides of him as family, no one had ever said that to him. He knew the other Avengers considered Bruce Banner as family but no one had ever included the Hulk in that. He couldn't help smiling.

She hopped off the counter and grabbed the tools she was looking for. She grinned at him and waved as she went to the doors of the lab. She left still smiling and he grinned and whispered after her.

"Thanks Rei."

Four minutes later every light in Stark tower went out at once.