Strange jerked awake in a cold sweat. His dreams had been disturbing. Arkham Asylum had been consumed by flames, the sounds of explosions and screams coming from inside. He'd remembered reading about it in the news a few months back.

Apparently, the Asylum was ripe with carefully concealed corruption. It was no wonder no one ever really got cured in there. Someone had planted a bomb inside; the patients who weren't killed in the fire escaped. None of the occupants had been recaptured, but none had made a public appearance either. It was an eerie lull in Gotham crime.

The article had not done justice to the horror.

In his dream, he had seen Batman rush into the flames time and time again to point those who wished him harm to safety. How he had not left until all the remains had been identified and paid for them all to be buried, any family they had flown in.

He shook his head and began his meditation. The vision began once more.

Damian stood on the doorstep of the Stark Mansion with a duffle bag slung over his shoulder.

It had been several months since Tony had bought lilies for Pepper, but since then Mr. Underhill had run many more errands. He and Bruce Wayne were often seen together and their friendship had grown quickly. Tony had been to Wayne Manor many times now and met much of the extended family. Grayson, Babs, Tim, Alfred, even Gordon were now privy to a secret not even the Avengers knew.

But that was going to change.

Damian had insisted on coming for moral support. Tony would never admit it, but he was grateful for the little spitfire. Plus, he was interested to see what havoc Stalker would reap on the Helicarrier.

Fury had received a phone call last night that left him sorely tempted to yell at the top of his lungs, in joy or anger it was hard to tell.

Instead, he had settled for his most steely tone. "Stark, I have half a mind to lock you up right now."

"Yeah, I should have called you earlier."

Earlier? "Just how long have you been alive?"

"Eh, a while?"

Fury could almost hear the shrug.

"Just get what's left of the team together. But send Bucky over first; I have something I need to tell him."

Bucky sat alone in "his" room at the new Avengers Tower. It wasn't really his room; it had been Vision's and Wanda had given it to him. Neither of the men had bothered to decorate it.

Fury had called, saying the team was needed at the Helicarrier. But Bucky was supposed to wait for someone here. He could do that.

Bucky sharpened his knife, head hung low and shoulders sagging. Even so, he was certain no one had knocked. The first indication someone else was present was when the door to his room opened.

Bucky looked up and dropped his knife.

"Bucky, I owe you an apology."

Tony Stark sat down on the bed next to him. "I held you responsible for something that was outside your control and made you feel worse. You already suffered enough; I had no right to rub it in your face. I made your life hell and you continued to look out for my family. So thanks."

Bucky just continued to stare. This was by far the weirdest hallucination he had ever had.

Tony blinked. "Wow, that was easier than I expected." He turned to look at the soldier.

"Did Pepper put you up to this?"

"Nah, it was one of my millionaire friends."

"Which one?"

"Guy by the name of Bruce Wayne…"

"Bruce Wayne?" Bucky laughed. "Wow, this really is the weirdest hallucination I've ever had!"

The hallucination shoved him off the bed.

Bucky blinked up at him from the floor. Then he lunged up and grabbed Tony by the shoulders, shaking him roughly.

Tony blinked. "Are, are you crying?"

"I killed you. If I hadn't killed your parents, you and Steve would still be friends. If you were friends, Thanos would have never gotten the Infinity Stones…."

"Whoa, whoa, how does that have anything to do with Thanos? Cos is us fighting equals half the universe dying, it would have happened a lot sooner. Now, I've got to tell the others."

"I'm gonna kill Rhodey for not spilling!"

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"He doesn't know, does he?"

"..."

"YOU ARE TELLING THAT MAN IN PRIVATE! YOU DO NOT LEAVE YOUR BEST FRIEND THINKING YOU'RE DEAD LIKE THAT!"

"I suppose you would know…"

"I'm calling him now and you are going to apologize to him as soon as he gets here. Got it?"

"Stalker said you would say that."

"Who?"

James Rhodes looked at his phone. Fury had summoned as many of the remaining Avengers and Associates who were available to the Helicarrier. That rounded out to a grand total of six. Of the founding members, only Hawkeye and Hulk were planetside.

Ronin was dead and Hawkeye was back. Rhodey remembered meeting up with Clint and finding him back in his old purples.

"Tasha never really liked what I was doing as Ronin. It was too violent, with too little value for life. She never said it directly, but I could tell she missed the old me. While I can never go back to the man I was before, I can definitely throw that sorry excuse of a vigilante in the trash. It's my tribute to her." Clint had explained.

The man was still in mourning, but it was good to see him smiling, hear him laughing and cracking jokes again. Widow wouldn't have wanted him to mope; she died so he could have his family back and live again.

Tony wouldn't want Rhodey to give up the fight. But he didn't feel like being War Machine anymore. Thus why he'd sent Fury to voicemail.

He was retired. He was paralyzed from the waist down. There was no need for him to get back in that suit full of painful memories and answer the call.

His phone buzzed.

The caller ID was Bucky Barnes.

Rhodes picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, forget Fury's message and get your butt to HQ."

"Bucky, I…"

"Trust me, you don't want to miss this."

"Bucky…"

"Pretty please?"

"Fine."

Rhodey blinked. Maybe he should go see a shrink, because hallucinating wasn't healthy.

How did he know he was hallucinating? It was the only logical explanation for why Tony was standing outside the door begging to be let into Avengers' Headquarters.

"Come on, Stalker, let me in. Bucky, be an adult. Don't let the teenage boy boss you around. What do you mean you firewalled and barricaded the door?"

Tony paused and looked behind him. "Oh, hey Rhodey." and went back to talking on the phone. "I swear if I have to melt down the door and hack the security system, I will take you straight home. You hear me, I said do you hear me? Hello?…" he pulled the phone away from his ear, a look of fury and disgust on his face. "He hung up, the little…"

"Tony?" Rhodey asked.

Tony turned to look at him. "Oh, right. I'm not dead. Surprise." There was an awkward pause. "And you're not dead, too. That's good. How has not being dead been for you?"

"It's been fine, thank you." was the steely reply.

"Your welcome. I'd invite you inside, but I myself am not allowed in until I apologize to you."

"That's quite the situation your in, Tony. So what are you going to do about it?"

Tony kinda glanced around and folded his arms moodily. "Apologize to you, I guess."

"Good choice. I can't wait to hear it."

"I'm sorry for being a selfish idiot and not informing you immediately of my not dead status." Tony turned back to the door. "Now can I come in?"

"That it?"

"I already met my quota of decent apologies with Bucky earlier today. If you want one, come back next year."

"Well, Banner, Barton, Wilson, and Maximoff are expecting one as soon as you show up." said a new voice.

"Honey Bear, this is Stalker. Stalker, this is Honey Bear."

"Rhodey, meet Damian Wayne." Bucky clarified from the doorway.

"That's what I said."

Rhodey turned to Stark. "Stalker? Why did you give a kid…." Damian grinned. It sent shivers down Rhodey's back. "You know what, never mind."

When Wanda asked what kind of mission it was, Fury answered "Diplomatic".

When Clint asked where the other representatives were, he said "He'll get here on his own in the next 24 hours or I'll have Danvers drag him here."

Banner asked what the stakes were. Fury didn't answer.

Still, it was odd that they had the rec room all to themselves.

And then Tony walked in.

"You all seeing this, or is it just me?" Hawkeye asked.

"If by it, you're referring our supposedly dead comrade, then yes." Falcon answered.

There was crying and hugging and laughing, and Tony even managed to make a sarcasm-free heartfelt apology. Sam glared at Bucky who just gave him a shrug and everyone was happy.

Little did they know that danger stalked the halls of the Helicarrier.

Damian Wayne was ready to breed chaos.

The first bullet bullseyed Fury's eye patch.

The foam nerf dart pinged off it harmlessly enough. The assailant had come from behind the ceiling tiles, but pulled back before he could be seen. Fury assumed it was Clint.

Until fifteen minutes later when the archer was hit by a barrage of wickedly fired projectiles.

Barton was amused.

Fury was not.

Especially when he learned Stark had brought an unauthorized child aboard who had gone on to recruit both Hawkeye and Barnes into his impromptu Nerf War. No agent was safe; doing paperwork was nigh impossible.

It did not help that Fury had yet to catch sight of said child.

Not even when he was caught in the crosshairs of a food fight. Or when he stumbled upon a game a laser tag on the command deck.

While Fury was furious, Damina was making friends.

It was friendship at first barrage with Barton. The kid was an excellent marksman and Clint was greatly enjoying having an accomplice as they waged war together. Bucky had asked to join them on the second day.

The Hulk found Damian a little odd but trusted Tony's judgment. Falcon was keeping his thoughts to himself, but there were times when he was watching Damian, that he saw a soldier in child's clothing. It worried him. Wanda found Damian endearing. Especially when the agent who said Vision was just a machine showed up outside her door hanging upside down from the ceiling, gift-wrapped, and signed "Stalker".

Things in Gotham were relatively quiet. Not many supervillains had done much of anything and the most exciting part of Batman's night was the inevitable low life trying to collect the bounty on Lex's head. He and Foxglove had many pleasant talks and she thought Lex would be waking up any day now.

All attempts by the Robins to find out who Bruce was meeting with had been thwarted. They suspected he was actually dating someone. Especially when he came home with a small smile and Alfred had a knowing twinkle in his eye. It had been more than three times and they were all starting to panic, though none would ever admit it.

It was peaceful.

Like the eye of a hurricane that inevitably passes.