Shh, don't hate me.

Bruce had started to like Thor once they got to know each other better. He was friendly, yet rather at a loss when it came to most things on Earth, but would grin and encourage anybody when they were down. However, he did not like how Thor was sitting on the couch in Stark Tower, Tony fixing a drink as they both grimaced at him as he walked in.

"Holy shit, what happened now?" he sighed, looking between them as they almost sighed in sync and Tony took a swig from his drink.

"Apparently Loki only took a break up at Asgard," Tony sniffed, "Broke out and came back down here, although this time without an army, so we're thankful for that."

"But he said something about a child before he left, and I am worried," Thor shifted nervously on his seat, "We have checked everywhere on Asgard, and no child is missing there."

"But there are a numerous amount of children on Earth," Bruce insisted, "Thousands of missing child reports. It'd be impossible to figure out where Loki would've taken one. By the way – why would he want a kid?"

"Yeah, that's what I'm saying, a majority of them are brats," Tony nodded.

"You were probably remembering from when you were a child, Stark," Natasha remarked, making the three turn and look to her, Clint, and Steve as they walked in, Pepper bringing up the rear with a clipboard and a small BlueTooth device, talking to someone and scribbling things down.

At Tony's questioning look as Bruce greeted Steve and the others, Pepper looked up at him, "I thought they could help. There's a kid out there missing, Tony – all the help possible. Oh, yes, hello, this is Pepper Potts, and I was wondering if you could help me in a new case that has come up."

"We do not need help to track down Reindeer Games," Tony sniffed indignantly, "We can handle just fine."

"Last time, it took all of S.H.I.E.L.D. to find him," Clint offered.

Tony blanched slightly before continuing, "And we handled it just fine. Look, the technology here far surpasses Fury's. We just get the list of names Pepper's writing down, throw it into a database, and match it with the date that Loki broke out of prison."

"Then what?" Steve asked as Bruce's phone began to ring, making him look and grimace at Hermione's number. He glanced back up at everyone before walking off a little and flicking it open.

"Hermione, now isn't the best time," he whispered.

"Bruce, he took her," she replied frantically, making him freeze and gape out the window, "He-he came in and he took her, I couldn't stop him, I didn't have time, I don't know what to do – Bruce he has our baby."

"What?" he asked, making the others stop and look at him worriedly. "No, no – what?"

"I called Harry and George, they've got the whole Ministry on it, but Bruce I don't know what to do," her voice shook.

"Come to Stark Tower," he said slowly, "We'll find her." He hung up once he heard her promise a few minutes, making him forcefully breathe before whirling around when someone touched his shoulder.

"What happened?" Tony questioned, holding his hands up in surrender, drink still sitting on the counter.

"He took Natalie," he answered back, seeing Natasha pale and her eyes widen as everyone else shared curious glances. "Hermione's daughter. Professor Granger, she was going to be called in with us, but she stayed behind for her. He took her. I told her to come here; she'll be here in a few minutes."

"Were you close?" Clint asked.

Bruce nodded stiffly and Natasha eased up to him and set a hand on his shoulder, trying to keep any and all tears from falling out.

"Sir, there's a frazzled young woman wanting entry," Jarvis announced.

"Let her in," Pepper and Tony chorused, Bruce walking to the elevator and waiting until the doors opened and Hermione appeared. Her hair was disheveled, she had tears running down her face, a cut on her forehead and a cut on her lip bleeding, looking at Bruce with very wide eyes before she stepped into his arms and broke down, Bruce holding her and hugging her and rocking her a little.

"It'll be alright, Mrs. Granger," Steve promised, making Hermione look up at Bruce before nodding slightly.

"I just – I didn't have enough time to – he was there and then they weren't and I didn't do anything," Hermione said, her voice still shaking as she gripped Bruce's arms to steady herself.

"It's not like you could've done anything," Clint tried. This only made Hermione's eyes water more and step further into Bruce's chest, as she could've done something, and so that only made her feel ten times guiltier.

"What does your daughter look like?" Pepper asked softly.

"Uhm, black curly hair, brown eyes, slightly tanned skin?" Hermione answered.

"Jarvis?" Tony asked.

"Running it now, sir," he answered. "How old?"

"Three," Bruce and Hermione answered.

"Do I need to contact a husband?" he asked.

"No," Hermione answered again, "That isn't necessary."

Steve's eyes widened, as well as Thor's, and they turned slightly to Clint in alarm, who had Natasha look at them sternly to keep them quiet.

"Don't worry, Professor," Tony stated, patting her lightly on top of her head, making her look at him curiously with a small frown, "We'll get your kid back."

"Beforehand, I'd like to apologize for Tony," Bruce stated, making her snort a little and lean into him more. He hugged her once again and leaned in to mutter in to her ear, "It'll be fine, Hermione. We'll get her back."

He only hoped he was right.