Heeeyyyy, sorry it's been a month – I just got done with Big the Musical and then went right off to Nebraska for the International Thespian Festival and so I wasn't writing much. At least, not on this. So I'm back! Limited time only! Rejoice!

He'd never seen Hermione so torn up with that much guilt and worry. She looked as though she were physically sick. He'd taken her to a smaller living room and sat down with her and just held her while she blamed herself again and again. He finally pulled away and told her that it certainly was not her fault, it was Loki's. They'd both been surprised when the door opened and Steve and Natasha walked in, although the two didn't look surprised in the least.

"I saw you two when you visited," Steve began, "At the café? You probably should've looked more closely." He sat down in an armchair as Natasha stood, biting the inside of her cheek and thinking. "How long have you two been married?"

"Erm," Hermione blinked back.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Steve asked instead, looking at them curiously.

"If I got locked away because of the Other Guy, what would've happened to them?" Bruce questioned, "What would they do to Natalie? She's three, she would be treated like some experiment."

"Why aren't you the Other Guy right now?" Steve asked.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "Hermione. She calms me down. Although, honestly, I'm a little on the edge right now." Hermione's hand found his and she weaved her fingers in between his, smoothing her thumb down the side of his hand.

Steve nodded slowly before Natasha spoke up, "It's going, slowly, but it's going all the same."

Hermione pursed her lips and stood, making her way to the door, "Well, let's speed it up a little then."

"Hermione, what are you doing?" Bruce asked as he stood and followed, Natasha and Steve sharing glances before walking after them, following the couple to the living room, where Hermione opened up some sort of panel and reached in to grab at wires. "Hermione!"

"Hey, hey, what is she doing?" Tony asked, coming off of the elevator and looking slightly panicked.

"Keep your trousers on, Stark, I'll fix it as soon as we find my daughter," Hermione decided.

"Sir, the search is speeding up remarkably," Jarvis declared.

"Ever the tone of surprise," she hummed, lying on her back and sticking the upper half of her torso into the cavity.

"Sir, it's narrowing down," Jarvis announced.

"Give me time, I'm not done yet," Hermione stated as Tony walked closer and closer to her legs.

"Alright, British chick, where'd you come from, what gives you clearance to touch my stuff?"

"I'm from England, and I think I have enough clearance because my daughter is kidnapped," she said, pulling out enough to glare at him before going back to the wiring.

"We've found her, sir," Jarvis announced as Bruce turned to the screen, one small blip showing that his daughter was somewhere in the Atlantic ocean.

"Oh my god," he mouthed, seeing Hermione come to his side and stare at the screen before turning to him and looking at him with very wide eyes.

"Bruce," she began before she saw him nod. She sighed before reaching out her hand to the screen, muttering under her breath before vitals appeared. They both released a breath when it showed Natalie alive and safe for the moment.

"What the hell did she just do?" Tony asked loudly.

"What, never seen a witch before?" Hermione asked in a tone of false innocence.

"A witch?" the entirety of the room asked, even Jarvis.

"Yes, Hermione Jean Granger, Brightest Witch of Her Age, Golden Girl, blah-blah-blah, meaningless titles all around," she sighed before turning to Natasha, "What are we going to do?"

She pursed her lips and opened her mouth until Steve began to speak.

"Thor, Stark, Natasha and I will go and get her," Steve decided.

"Excuse you, Captain, but do you really think I'll just sit here and let you go without me?" Hermione asked, raising her chin and staring defiantly back at him.

"Look, you're the only one who can keep the Other Guy away," Steve tried to reason.

"I'm also probably the only one who can take down that insane psycho who has my daughter!"

"Take care how you speak," Thor said as he stepped into the room, hammer in his hand, "He is my brother."

"Your whackjob of a brother has my daughter!" she argued, "She is three years old, she is afraid of monsters in her closet, and she is being held captive by the man who attempted to eradicate the human world as we know it with an army of aliens. If any of you think I'm going to sit back and let you fight over my daughter, then you have another thing coming!"

"She does have a point," Bruce stated with a frown, "I'd feel ten times better if she went."

"Wait, what, what's going on?" Tony asked, looking between Hermione and Bruce and Natasha and Steve as Thor glanced curiously between the two groups. "What's Bruce talking about?"

"Hermione and I are married, and Natalie is our daughter," Bruce sighed, "We kept it a secret because of what people might've done to Natalie if anyone thought there was a possibility of her being part Other Guy."

"You're married?" Tony practically shrieked, gaping at him before he sighed and frowned back.

"Yes, I'm married and I have a daughter who is currently in another man's possession, so therefore I am on edge and will not enjoy being yelled at," Bruce glared, "After she's home and safe, then fine, we'll all sit down and talk about our feelings. Hermione, if you promise to stay safe, I'll be fine with you going."

"Great, I'm all for taking down mad men with magical powers," Hermione hummed, taking her wand out of her pocket, "It'd be like déjà vu."

"Wait, what?" Steve asked, following her curiously as Natasha and Thor followed, Tony giving Bruce a wary glance before walking towards where his suits were stored.

Bruce took a deep breath and let it out slowly, sitting down on the couch and clasping his hands, biting the inside of his cheek.

Baby be okay?

Bruce blinked before sighing and resting his forehead against his hands, "I don't know." He paused before looking up and grimacing, "Please, let her be okay. Let them both be okay."

I know it's crap for an extra-long absence but at least it's something.