Chapter no 9

The night turned to day and soon Tony wasn't the only one awake and working in the tower (except the security that is). But unlike most people, Time wasn't worth more than a casual glance to Tony. What was time anyway but a man-made concept? He could work the same way during the darkest of nights as he did in the brightest of days, plus it wasn't even that obvious if it wasn't for Jarvis announcing the time every few hours, silently indicating that Tony should go to sleep.

Not yet, he still had work to do. Sleep wasn't worth stepping away from the newest model of his suit, this one with back up oxygen, and he needed something to allow him to summon the suit remotely. He was almost done with the structural design just an hour more and-

"Tony? Jarvis said you have Alyssa down here?" Bruce walked in rubbing his eye with the palm of his hand, his other hand holding his glasses." I know you want to spend time with her but this is not the way she needs her.." His slightly chiding tirade trailed off when he reached the point from where the sleeping child was clearly visible. "...sleep. Huh." He tilted his head looking at Alyssa.

Tony raised his eyebrow resting his chin on his hand, "You were saying?"

Bruce looked sheepish, he ruffled his hair, "I didn't see her and sorta-" He looked at a loss for words.

"Panicked?" Tony cut in helpfully. He eyed the fellow scientist knowingly, now he knew what Tony felt like when the kid pulled the disappearance act. Though this time, unknowingly, Tony was the person who lured her in not Loki.

"Yes," Bruce put on his glasses. Tony hid back a smile seeing the 'Zen Sloth' T-shirt Bruce was wearing, so he liked Tony's gift after all.

"How long has she been down here? I put her to bed myself." Bruce leaned against the desk which Alyssa had occupied last.

"Came in about 1-ish in the morning, dropped to sleep half an hour later. She was apparently 'worried' ." He made air quotes with his fingers while simultaneously rolling his eyes pretending he didn't care for the gesture. The kid was so...so kid-like and innocent that it was just ridiculous.

Ridiculously, feelings. It's just that, this sorta thing just didn't happen to Tony. He could count people who worried about his eating habits of all things on one hand and still have fingers left.

"Makes sense. She asked me about you our times before finally agreeing to go to sleep, which she obviously didn't" He shook his head staring at the sleeping kid with a fond but exasperated smile. Tony Hmm-ed in reply.

For a while, Tony worked and Bruce stayed silent.

"The structural design is complete sir. The newest model will have increased mobility of 12% with the revised adjustments. Oxygen supply should allow for flying on higher altitudes."

Some tension left Tony's shoulders as he realized he wouldn't have to worry about suffocation in the suit ever again.

If Tony had looked he would have seen Bruce's eyes moving from Alyssa to rest upon his slumped form with something akin to pity and understanding in his eyes. If Tony had looked he would have joked until the thought of his near-death experience left both his and Bruce's mind.

But Tony didn't see so none of that happened instead it was Bruce who distracted him with casual observation," She needs more pajamas. She has been sleeping in that one for days."

"Well, you're the one who wouldn't let me buy her all the stuff I wanted to.", Tony pointed out.

"Because, " Bruce stressed the word, "You wanted to buy a whole wardrobe for her. The last thing she needs-Tony she'd be overwhelmed plus we have no idea what's gonna happen once people find out about her. And they will." He added seeing Tony opening his mouth to interrupt.

Secrets had a way of spilling, especially the ones that you wanted to stay hidden. And if your secret was a three foot five inches tall kid, well then the chances were that it wouldn't even last a month. After all, they couldn't keep her inside forever.

"She does need pajamas though," He continued lightly, not wanting to touch that particular can of worms, ", and a few more sets of clothing." He once again stressed on 'few'.

Tony pointedly rolled his eyes, took out his stark phone from the pocket of his sweatpants and with quick taps placed the order, "Done, it'll arrive in an hour or two."

Bruce refrained from commenting on it not being that urgent of a task and went to get the kid. It couldn't be comfortable sleeping on the sofa.

He gently shook Alyssa's shoulder, "Time to get up, Alyssa. Let's go upstairs. Then you can sleep for a while longer. Okay?" Alyssa smacked her lips together a few times before licking them and absently nodded.

She peered at Bruce with half opened eyes as she slowly got up. She leaned against him with a jaw-breaking yawn. Bruce stood up and placed his hand on her back to guide her, Alyssa pretty much sleepwalked to the elevator with him, her steps unsteady and eyes almost closed.

Bruce looked over his shoulder at Tony, "Come up for breakfast, okay?"

"I'll be there for the delivery." Tony absently said, already back to work.

Bruce shook his head and walked into the elevator with Alyssa.

The package arrived exactly two hours later and true to his word Tony showed up soon after it did. Bruce was putting the dishes in the dishwasher while Alyssa was playing with the projections again, she'd slept for another hour before getting up for breakfast.

Bruce didn't stop her from gathering things for her own breakfast (Fruits and Milk, she couldn't stomach bacon or eggs first thing in the morning) but he made sure to keep an eye on her and he insisted on cutting the fruits making it clear that knives were dangerous and yes, he knew that she knew how to use them but that was not the point. She didn't need to do it when an adult was near and she definitely wasn't allowed to do it when one wasn't. She could eat the fruit that didn't need to be cut up if she was alone.

"Goo' Morning, Mista Ro-Tony." Alyssa grinned at him, her eyes squinting a little.

"Good Morning, Kid," Tony didn't mention that since he didn't get any sleep or coffee last night, it was more like 'dead exhausting morning' for him. "Did you see the stuff that came for you?" He inclined his head towards the package laying on the table in front of the couch (which he had replaced with the exact same one yesterday) He plopped on one of the chairs near the table.

Her eyes widened a bit, "That's for me?"

Tony nodded, contemplating whether or not he wanted to get up and sit on the couch instead, it was much more comfortable than the chair but it'll require getting up. He was still deep in thought when Bruce handed him a plate and he shockingly accepted it. It was only a second later when he was raising the grilled cheese sandwich to his mouth that he realized Bruce had handed him the place. And he hadn't felt the bone-deep discomfort that he usually did. Huh.

He took a deep gulp of the burning nectar of life that Bruce had placed near him and decided to put this thought away with all the things he needed to think about later (along with why he hated when Bruce reminded him of the kid's stay was temporary.)

"You can open it, Alyssa." Bruce gently guided the kid towards the package. Tony barely stopped a yawn from breaking through, his eyes watered a bit but he blinked it away rubbing a hand over his slightly stubbly jaw. He felt exhausted all the time now, maybe it was because he hadn't got a decent sleep for days. Since the inva-since that day really.

The kid who was looking for a green light apparently quickly began to open the package with Bruce helping her whenever she got a bit stuck and then-

"Is that Iron man pajamas?" Bruce sounded bewildered.

Tony grinned, "The hulk ones will arrive tomorrow, personalized ones take time."

The kid was staring at the red Iron man shirt in her hands with a slightly open mouth.

"Tony," Bruce was trying his best to hold back a smile holding up an iron man onesie but Tony could see right through it, "when I said clothing-"

"Can I wear this now please?" Alyssa finally spoke up, hugging the pajamas to her chest excitedly. Her smile was so wide, Tony wondered if it hurt her cheeks. But that was the best sorta smile, wasn't it?

"They're pajamas, Alyssa," Bruce said but Tony knew he didn't have the strength to say no to those happy smiles.

"Its still morning, can I? Please oh please." Alyssa was almost bouncing on her feet. Tony chuckled, she looked so pleased with her argument.

Bruce sighed, "Sure go ahead. It won't hurt anyone."

She circled the couch to run into the bathroom with the clothes, it seemed like she couldn't even wait to go to her room.

"Whipped," Tony sing-songed a few minutes after the kid was gone.

Bruce raised an eyebrow, "You're one to talk."

Tony opened his mouth to defend his reputation but a blur passed him by. Alyssa stood next to the box looking all shy and adorable. She then grinned and posed putting her hand on her waist, "Now I'm the Robot."

Tony let out a laugh.

The top was a perfect hot red colour with the same design as the iron man chest plate (Almost same, but Tony could see the differences no one could) The arc reactor was shown as a small circle of white light (Blue, it was supposed to be blue!) But Alyssa looked so happy that Tony reigned in his comments.

"Quite the look, you've got there Sabrina," He winked at her, Bruce shook his head at their antics and opened a pack that he had ordered.

He signaled Alyssa to come near him and handed her a notebook. Alyssa tilted her hear with a curious expression, "This is a workbook," He explained, "Have you started school, Alyssa?"

"No, not yet." Alyssa shook her head. She was supposed to start this year actually.

"Okay, then. I want you to do a little every day so that you're not too far behind when you finally go to school. "

Tony made a face, there Bruce goes again. Implying how she'd have to leave soon.

"Okay. Can we watch Wall-e? "

"Well, "Bruce looked hesitant. " I have some reading to do, so how about you do some of your workbooks and then we can watch wall-e."

Alyssa looked down at the notebook she was holding and nodded her head.

"See ya Mista' Tony", she said to Tony who looked half asleep.

"See ya kid,"

She then ran up the stairs to her room, probably to do her work.

"No running on the stairs, Alyssa!" Bruce called out after her but she was long gone.

Tony turned towards Bruce to go to say something about the workbook and how parent like he was acting but Bruce cut him off by raising a hand.

"Just don't Tony," He pinched the bridge of his nose, " You're sleep-deprived. Please go to sleep."

Tony stood up, "Fine," He huffed, "But I am doing it because I want to, not because you told me to Brucey Bear." He then turned away with a flourish and strode to the stairs to go to his room but it probably would have looked more impressive if he wasn't yawning and his eyes weren't red.

Bruce shook his head, leaning back in the chair he was sitting on.

Bruce looked up from his Stark pad due to a sound. He could feel the telling stiffness in his neck indicating that he must have been working for quite some time, it was easy to lose himself in work when he wasn't worried about being captured... He gently massaged his neck to ease away some of the tension. He looked towards the elevator to see who had come in since Tony was sleeping.

"Hello, Doctor Banner." Steve Rogers stepped into the penthouse. Bruce looked him over, taking in tension in his shoulders that wasn't there the last time Bruce had seen him.

"Captain," Bruce nodded towards him in greeting. "Hope you don't mind me saying this but you look run down."

Captain leaned against the couch, he cast a fleeting glance at the glass shelves in the kitchen which no longer housed a line of alcoholic drinks (Those were now hidden in a compartment below the counter easily accessible to Tony, not so accessible to a kid). Then he turned his eyes towards Bruce.

"Yeah, Its been a rough couple of days," He tiredly

Bruce placed his tablet on the table in front of him, "The assassin." He simply said.

Captain stilled, " Yeah," He finally answered. He looked a bit confused.

"Clint told me," Bruce answered the unspoken question.

"Of course. Right." Steve shook his head," I just wanted to let you and Stark know that we'll be going underground for some time. Me and Miss Romanov. " He crossed his arms in front of him.

Bruce remained silent. He didn't know what he could say. Did he wish him good luck or offer his help?

Steve kept staring at the box on the table like it held answers to all his dilemmas, "The assassin, " He finally spoke again, "He's good-too good." A pained expression showed on his face. "He-Well, he disappeared before we could do much but Nat thinks we may have a trail. We're going to follow it." The expression was gone the next second and Steve's face closed off again.

There was a sound of footsteps, Bruce looked towards the stairs. Alyssa still in her Iron man Pajamas, was running down the stairs. She was hugging her workbook to her chest.

'No running on the stairs!" He almost said again but she stumbled to a stop at the bottom of the stairs on seeing Steve. Immediately the smile wiped away from her lips.

"Hello," Steve visibly softened his face and smiled in greeting.

Alyssa stared at him for a while then she turned to Bruce. "I am done with my workbook,"

She held out her book "Can I watch Wall-e now?"

"Sure thing, kid."

But Alyssa didn't move to sit on the couch to watch the movie. She turned her eyes towards Steve again who was confused to see that she was almost glaring at him. She narrowed her eyes, which would be cute if the other two members weren't so perplexed.

"I think I'll have some juice first." She strode off into the Kitchen.

Steve looked surprised and confused. Bruce shrugged, he had no idea why Alyssa was acting like that. He finally decided to say what he was dreading, "Do you need any help?" He mentally prayed that they didn't.

"No. No thank you." Steve held up his hands." Just letting you know, " He shrugged, focused on the conversation again, "Shadow work isn't really Stark's style and the last thing we need is the Hulk showing up when we are undercover, no offense. "

"None taken," Bruce almost let out a breath of relief. "Get in contact when you're done with the mission?"

"Sure thing." Steve let out a small smile and extended his hand, Bruce shook it. "See you soon, Doctor. "

"See you, Captain."

With that Steve stood up and walked towards the elevator again, the last thing Steve saw before the elevator door closed was bright green eyes glaring at him again.

Hello again, my lovelies! Here is another new chapter for you guys. Your response to the last chapter was frankly so enjoyable. I enjoyed reading all of your answers and I answered as many as I could. Since it was so much fun, here are some more questions *Grin*

1) Why do you think Alyssa is glaring at Steve? (Since Bruce and Steve have no idea so I'm asking you guys)

2) Who do you think is the assassin (pretty sure most of you have guessed it) and if you have an idea, what do you think is going to happen to them?

Thank you once again for all the reviews, I'm looking forward to reading your response. Let me know what you think of the chapter.

-Marey

P.s, You can check the progress of updates for different stories on my profile.