"You were right. It is armor."

Phil tried not to smile at Hanna's high pitched voice as she whispered to Francis. He pushed the sleeves of his workout shirt up to his elbows.

Natasha caught her hair back into a ponytail. "What do you mean armor, Hanna?"

Hanna looked up from where she was pulling off her shoes, her bouncy ball trapped under one knee. "Phil's suit is his armor. Francis said so. He's all..." She waved a tiny hand in his direction. "Softer now."

Francis looked at her out of the corner of his eye and then turned his head to look at Phil. "She doesn't mean that in a bad way."

Phil did smile then. "I know." He lifted Hanna when she put her arms up, because he had agreed with the rest of the adults that reinforcing anything the kids choose or wanted for themselves was very important. He sat her down on the mats. "Remember what I said?"

She nodded and rolled her ball between her palms. "Don't make sharp noises. Don't go inside of the square." She pointed to the square in front of them. "And no using what I learn unless I'm practicing or it is an emergency."

Francis settled beside her and Phil nodded at them both.

He moved out to the middle of the square and waited for Nat to finish kicking off her shoes.

Steve settled behind the kids. "You know I wasn't ever given lessons in hand-to-hand combat beyond a small amount in training and actual fighting. Do you mind if I watch as well?"

Phil shrugged. He knew he was going to go down. It was just a matter of how fast.

Natasha grinned at them. "Sure, Cap." She moved in and Phil tensed up, ready for the first attack.

Clint adjusted his quiver's strap and started again. He tried to let his mind clear until it was just his target and the arrow he wanted in it, but it wasn't working. Oh, he was hitting the targets. It just wasn't bringing him the normal peace it usually did. He let his arms drop with a sigh.

"Perhaps a poptart will bring you a measure of happiness, my friend."

Clint turned and accepted the poptart from Thor. It was cooling fast, so Clint broke it open and handed back half of it. "I don't think poptarts can fix this one, buddy."

Thor set down on the low wall that separated them from the range itself. "Perhaps not." He cocked his head. "What is worrying you so?" He ate the poptart half in one bite.

He packed away his bow as he chewed. He swallowed and dropped to sit next to Thor. "I suddenly have a kid. Well, two. And what the hell do I know about raising children? I'm not even certain I'm a person most of the time, you know?"

Thor took an arrow from the handful Clint had set on the low wall. "No parent feels secure in their ability to rear their children." He turned the arrow so the point tapped the floor between them. "Only you can find worth in yourself." Thor held out the arrow to Clint. "Should it help, I believe you are more than the arrows you launch."

Clint took the arrow. "Thanks." He frowned. "Why do you go visit Foster instead of asking her to come here?"

"My Jane is busy with her research." Thor looked wistful. "If travel between this realm and Asgard is to be restored, Jane's research must be completed."

Clint nodded. "I thought your people could rebuild the Biforst."

"They will." Thor stood and offered his hand to Clint. "It will take time. As with all things."

Clint let Thor pull him upright. "You're right. Let's find more poptarts. They do bring happiness."

Thor laughed and clapped Clint on the shoulder. It stung like hell, but at least Thor seemed lighter as they headed for the kitchen.

Bruce frowned as he caught the fabric Tony tossed at him. "What is this?"

"Just try it on and see if it fits."

"Tony."

"What? Is it the purple? Betty said it was your favorite color, but then she smirked so I probably shouldn't have listened to her." Tony touched a control on his screen. "Seriously, Bruce. Try it."

Bruce grumbled as he changed into the purple pants. "Well?"

Tony grinned and turned a screen more towards Bruce. "See? It should stretch and shrink with your changes. And it'll keep you warm. Right, you're warm enough right now?"

He looked down at his bare knees. He was warmer than he would have expected. "Still purple."

Tony laughed. "Purple looks good with green." With a wink, Tony slapped him on the shoulder. "It isn't like you need to be manlier while you are green."

Bruce huffed. He pulled on the lower hem of one leg and smiled as it stretched. He let it go and it returned to being snug to his leg. "Can it handle fighting?"

"Not really sure." Tony shrugged. "We'll keep carrying spare clothes. I designed them to wear all day, under normal clothes, so if it starts to itch or bunch wrong...Well, I'll just send you the file and you can make adjustments."

"Tony."

Tony looked up from his screen. Bruce caught him up into a hug. Tony sucked in a breath and stood still.

"Thank you, Tony."

"Oh." Tony blinked and brought up a hand to pat Bruce on the back. "You...you're welcome."

Thor picked up Hanna as she held her arms up for him to do so. "Will you tell me the story of Lady Hanna?"

She pushed the ball that bounces against his chest. "I said I would." She cocked her head. "Unless you just said that so you could talk until I had gone to sleep?"

He smiled. "I wish to hear your story." He carried her to the couch in the room that held the growing chicks. He sat them down. "I am ready to listen."

She giggled, scooted to the edge of the couch, and bounced her ball. "I was smart. That's why I thought they picked me. I could figure things out real fast." She looked up at him.

Thor nodded and tucked her hair behind her ear.

She blinked and continued her story.

Bruce looked down as Francis tugged on his elbow. "Hey, you okay?"

Francis put his bouncy ball up on the table and rolled it around between his hands. "I'm...okay. I just..." He abandoned his ball and buried his head in Bruce's side. "Please don't make me go back because I upset you."

"Oh." Bruce twisted and pulled Francis up into his lap. "Oh, Francis." He gathered the boy to his chest. "I'm not making you go back. Ever." He grabbed up the bouncy ball and headed for the chicks' room.

He only paused for a moment when Bruce saw Thor soothing a sobbing Hanna. He sat down next to Hanna's feet. "Trade with me?"

Thor took Francis from him and Bruce turned Hanna around so she was crying into his thigh. Natasha appeared and frowned at them both before producing a brush she handed to him and a comb she gave to Thor.

Bruce gently brushed the hair back off Hanna's face. Out of the corner of his eye he watched Thor carefully combing Francis' hair. Hanna tucked her bouncy ball tighter to her chest.

"I really wish Clint had hooked you two on a plush toy instead." Bruce made another pass with the brush.

Natasha glowered at him. "Her holding a teddy bear would just make you want to cry harder."

Tony appeared. "JARVIS says Hanna's temperature is raising."

Bruce felt her forehead even though he knew it wasn't a good way to tell if she had a fever. Tony knelt down in front of them.

"Hey, kiddo." He touched Hanna's chin. "I'm going to stick this in your ear for a second. It'll beep. Okay?"

Hanna whimpered and nodded before turning to put her face against Bruce's leg.

Tony was gentle and quick. He frowned at the reading. "Crap." Natasha snatched the thermometer from him. Tony smiled at Hanna. "It'll be fine. You'll be okay."

Bruce kicked him lightly to keep him from starting to babble. "We should put them to bed."

Francis thrashed and grabbed at Thor. "No! I don't want to be left alone."

Hanna's hand tightened in his pants. "Stay with you."

Bruce rubbed her back. "I just thought you'd be more comfortable in your bed is all, Hanna."

She scratched at her ribs. "Not alone?"

Natasha disappeared.

Tony patted both of the children's ankles. "No, kiddo, not alone." He looked at Bruce "We could just bed them down in the movie room."

Bruce nodded. Keeping an adult with them would be easier if they were in one place. "Any idea what it is and if we're going to get it too?"

Tony shrugged. "Not yet." He picked up Hanna.

Bruce grabbed up Francis' bouncy ball and helped disentangle Francis from Thor enough that Thor could stand. They moved the children into the other room.

Clint watched Coulson stretch. "You hurt yourself sparing with Nat?"

"No." Coulson winced as he put weight on his arms to move into the plank position.

"Want to rephrase that, sir?"

"No." Coulson flopped over onto his side and looked over his shoulder at Clint. "Be quiet."

Clint covered his mouth and laughed a little more. "Sorry."

"Uh huh." Coulson sat up and rubbed at his chest. "Damn it."

Clint moved in and pressed the heel of his hand to Coulson's back. "Here." He worked on the scar where the normal skin hit scar tissue. "Feels pretty even."

"The medics did some emergency stitches before they declared me dead."

"Ah. No wonder." Clint looked up as Nat came into the room. She bowled him over and sat on him. Clint was moderately used to this sort of thing from her. "Yes?"

"What happened when you would get sick?"

Clint flinched. Then he tensed. "They are starting to feel bad? That's fast."

She punched him in the pectoral muscle. "Do not avoid the question."

"Okay, sorry." He looked at Coulson watching him. "I was left alone to get better."

She backed off. "No one watched you."

He sat up and shrugged. "Why would they? I'd either get better or die."

Coulson made a sound of rage and stomped off.

Clint blinked. "What did I say wrong?"

Natasha ran her fingers through his hair. "Nothing. Come on."

He followed her to the movie room. They'd gotten the kids laid down and The Lion King was playing softly. He touched each of them in turn. Hanna was hotter. She whimpered and flopped her arm out of the blanket. He ignored Nat whispering to each of the adults in turn and climbed in between the kids.

Coulson pulled up the location files and started mapping them out. JARVIS gave him helpful information on which ones appeared to be shut down. That started, Phil filled out all the forms to countersue the Centre through the Council's internal systems. Then he filled out more forms to secure children's benefits through SHIELD.

"Francis wants you."

He looked up at Natasha standing in the doorway. "Me?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Yes, you."

"Uh." Phil digitally signed his name to another form. "Okay, I'll be right there."

"Good."

He glanced up as he shut off the screen, but she'd already disappeared. Phil stopped in the kitchen for two of the fruit juice popsicles in the plastic tubes. He cut off the top ends and took them with him to the movie room, where he figured everyone would have gathered.

He handed Bruce one of the tubes for Hanna and then sat down next to a miserable looking Francis. "Here you go." Francis blinked at the popsicle like he'd never seen one. Which, Phil realized he probably never had. He nudged the bottom to get the ice up out of the tube. "You suck on the ice."

"Oh." Francis took it from him and tried it. "Oh, neat."

Hanna made a hand motion that Phil recognized as 'thank you' in ASL.

"You are welcome, Hanna." Phil held still as Francis wiggled around until his head was against Phil's hip. He managed not to flinch as Stark suddenly stuck a cold thermometer into his ear. "Stark, I can still tase you."

Tony smiled, checked the screen, and then ran an alcohol swab over the tip. "We're all exposed, so might as well get used to it."

"Hmm." Phil couldn't really argue with that. He watched Francis slip his hand into Clint's limp one. "When did he fall asleep?"

Natasha handed him another popsicle. He didn't comment that it looked like she'd opened it with a knife.

"About the time his head hit a pillow." Bruce smiled shyly as he took a popsicle from Nat. "He slept in my lab for a couple of hours this morning."

Tony took a popsicle with a leer. Natasha stomped on his foot and then grinned when he yelped. "Dum-E tried to lift a blanket into the air duct this afternoon, so I'm going to assume that wasn't Agent Romanoff."

Natasha flipped him off from where she's settled next to Thor, who was eyeing his popsicle like it would attack at any moment.

Bruce chewed a bit of ice. "As long as he is sleeping."

They all nodded at that.

Betty hefted Hanna as she cried pitifully. "She's not getting hotter?"

Bruce carried Francis into the huge bathroom. "No, neither of them are, but she's starting to scratch at her ribs more."

"Maybe chicken pox, then?" Betty eased Hanna down onto the edge of the tub. "Why are we the ones doing this?"

"Uhm." Bruce sat Francis down and helped hold Hanna while Betty worked off her clothing. "It might be because they don't want me at the hearing about the Centre and SHIELD suing each other over the children."

"Oh. That makes sense." She lifted Hanna into the water. "Honey, I need you to put your head on the edge of the tub. Just for a minute."

Francis fought them, so Bruce finally just put him in the tub clothing and all.

"Oh." Francis' eyes came open. "Sorry."

Bruce touched his sweaty hair. "Its okay, Francis."

Hanna rolled on her side and Betty held her head up out of the water. "You are good. I like you." She patted Bruce's forearm. "You need more hugs."

Betty looked at Bruce. He gave her a wan smile. Then he put his hand on top of Hanna's. "Thank you for that, Hanna. Stop pretending me now, okay?"

She whimpered and closed her eyes. "Can't."

"Okay. Don't worry about it."

They got them washed, dried off, and put into clean clothing. Hanna clung to him. Betty managed to pry her away long enough for Bruce to get his phone out of his pocket to text Tony.

Tony reined himself in during the meeting in a way he wouldn't have if it had been a Board of Directors meeting. He was quiet about his hacking, making sure not to let anyone know what he was doing. Steve was giving him little looks every once in awhile, but Tony ignored that as much as he could.

Coulson was laying out another point of the Charter, whatever that was, and how it sided with the Avengers on the person status of the children.

Tony got a text so he opened it. It was from Bruce saying he knew why pretenders were left alone while they were sick. Tony thought about it. He glanced at Clint who looked ready to fall over. Tony texted back that it could be worse, Tony could be with the kids instead of Bruce.

The hack into the Council's network completed and he sent pictures of the ones arguing non-person status for the children to the rest of the Avengers. Then he stood up.

Everyone went quiet slowly.

He drew his mouth to one side as he cocked his head. "I'm done playing nice guy." He hit the button to virus smash the Council right down into the Triumvirate. "You are responsible for the people that made those children suffer my kidnapping. That is plenty enough reason for me to kill you all. Luckily for you, Captain America leads the Avengers. So." He smiled. "We're just going to dismantle your organization instead." He hit the activate button for his second virus and watched smugly as all the screens blanked out.

"Tony." Steve didn't sound all that mad at him.

"Cap." He turned and looked at Fury. "We're busy. Don't call us unless it is the end of the world."

Fury smiled.

Tony took that for a nod of approval, not that he needed one. He gathered up his teammates and grabbed Coulson by the arm to make sure he came along. The rest of the helicarrier still fled from the man, which suited Tony's mood just fine.

When he got a text telling him he wasn't funny and when were they getting back, Tony was able to answer without breaking his phone. He looked over the rest of them. Clint was sleep on Coulson's shoulder. Steve was silent in the co-pilot seat while Natasha piloted. Thor was leaning back against the wall of the quinjet with that look he got when he wasn't the one doing the flying.

Tony nodded at Clint. "When he gets sick what does he normally do?"

Coulson raised an eyebrow at him. "He retreats into one of his nests."

"Basically he hides alone until it is over?"

"Yes." Coulson glanced down at Clint's head. "The one time I pried him out of his nest he was delirious for two days."

"You think he was delirious or unable to keep from pretending?"

Coulson blinked and looked thoughtful.

Bruce handed Tony a clingy Hanna the instant he got into the room. "How did it go?"

Tony frowned as Hanna started mumbling equations under her breathe. "Fine."

Natasha pushed Hanna's hair back from her face. "If 'fine' is Stark hacking a supposedly unhackable network and acquiring video of members of the Council and then texting stills of them to the rest of us? Yes, it went fine."

Tony stuck his tongue out at her as she went to check Francis, who was weighing down Betty. He smiled as Bruce. "I think I impressed them."

"If by 'impressed' you mean monumentally pissed off, yes, you did." Coulson eased Clint down into the nest of blankets by Bruce. Clint grunted and shivered.

Steve spread a blanket across Clint. "Have we figured out what they have yet? It looks like measles." Everyone turned their heads towards Steve. He looked at them and ducked his head. "Sorry."

"No." Tony checked the various test results that were ready. All negative. "Another hour before we know for sure. You think it is measles?"

Steve shrugged. "Looks like it so far. They don't have the rash yet, but that's just a matter of time." He pointed to Hanna. "She's scratching her ribs, not her belly." He touched Francis' jaw. "They aren't swelling up, so it isn't mumps."

Tony didn't question it. He wasn't the one from a time before vaccines. "Is that good or bad?"

"What?" Steve looked at him. "You never had measles?"

"Oh." Right, before vaccines. Tony pulled up a wiki for vaccines. "In the sixties they started vaccinating for it." He handed the tablet to Steve.

"Oh, wow." Steve paged through the wiki. "No more smallpox? That's swell." He paused and looked up at them. "Wait. Why would they infect them with measles? It normally doesn't kill the child."

Tony took the tablet back and started hunting through the files he'd gotten to try to see why. The rest of the team, the awake ones at least, started arguing over his head.