"Oh my god oh my god, is that a wrinkle?!"

"You dingbat. Let me see it,' Riley grips her friend's chin, 'you just slept on your face weird, chill!"

Linda reaches to steal Riley's stolen makeup, a successful mission last time Tony invited them to the tower, "I gotta look abso-frickin-lutely purr-fect for my new fam."

Riley rolls her eyes and digs through the stolen stash for lip gloss, "You don't need the looks- you got the personality. Don't forget, if they want a second child, you tell them all about how wonderful yours truly is."

"Aww, Riley,' Linda pouts and wraps her arms around her best friend, 'I'm really gonna miss you. So so much."

The other girl wrinkles her nose, "Don't you get sappy on me."

"Did it have to be Oregon? That's soooooo far away. I can't even keep training here like Violet and Nelli!"

Riley waves her hand, a professional at hiding emotions, "Being here is overrated."

Linda sassily throws her friend a glare, hand on her hip, "I'm not the mind reader here, but I know you're lying and you're going to miss. No one else here is a Swifty."

Riley shrugs.

"Are you serious about coming to visit?" Linda asks.

Riley reaches for the makeup brush with a laugh, "Obviously. As long as you don't blow up your new house."

"Yeah girl! Wait-."

Natasha smiles at the bottom of the staircase, giving Riley one more glance. Adoption days are always bittersweet, "Are you girls coming down?"

"Did Thor make me a cake? I'm only coming if Thor made me a cake!" Linda points firmly.

Natasha laughs over Linda's request, "That was Steve's job. But Thor is here-."

"Yasss!"

The redhead offers Riley a knowing glance, watching as the girl shuts down all emotion and tugs at her tank top;

"I'll miss Linda too-."

"I won't."

Natasha rolls her eyes, watching Riley step out ahead of her.

Clint snaps when he sees Laura up on a ladder;

"What are you doing?!"

She waves him away, contently taping her sign;

"You do you Clint."

Jane moves in from the other room when Barton's yell catches her attention. She huffs a laugh, passing her toddler off to the archer before yelling at Laura herself;

"Get down here, I'll get it."

Agmundr screams. Clint almost drops the child when a shudder crawls up his arm, "I think your kid just electrocuted me. That hurt."

Jane grumbles, having exchanged places with Laura, "Agmundr! I'm right here. You'll live. Clint, I'm so sorry. Thor is trying to train him into a mini-me."

"How is the separation anxiety?" Laura offers her finger to the toddler, trying to play with him, standing beside her husband.

Jane sighs heavily.

Clint scoffs, "She's right there and he's screaming."

"Agent Barton?,' the archer pivots to address one of the kids, seeing her holding two different gift bags, 'Is Natasha more of a black or pink kinda girl?"

"Not pink."

"Cool," she runs off quickly.

Steve enters through the front doors, a tray full of elegantly designed cupcakes in hand, "Agent Barton, Mrs. Barton, Dr. Foster."

Laura admires Rogers' work, "Oh my gosh. Did you make these?"

He nods with a friendly smile, "I did. I found a simple recipe on a tweeterinbook post."

"...Pinterest?"

"Maybe that was it," Steve nods politely, appreciating how extremely kind and patient Laura is with him due to his lack of social media knowledge.

Clint laughs. Jane rolls her eyes. Laura brushes off the peanut gallery;

"Well they look great."

Tony passes through the hallway with a tablet, serving only to encourage Steve's confusion, "Ooh. Cupcakes. Found those on twitterist?"

Rogers gives an enthusiastic nod to address Stark, "Yes! That's what it's called!"

"Troll much," Jane coughs, coming down from the ladder.

Bruce is walking by when Abram demands his attention for a handshake, Banner smiles and shoves his notebook off to the side in order to participate enthusiastically;

"We'll miss you around here."

Abram shrugs. He doesn't like anything emotional,

"Where my new family?"

"They called, they're just running a few minutes late. Which, according to my rules, makes them lose a point or two- but you seem to like them. So they'll get a pass."

Abram laughs, shoving his hands into his pockets. Bruce moves to walk after Tony flips Abram's hat around.

Nina runs from the back, stopping in front of Natasha with her extended arm holding Clint's recommended black gift bag, "Here."

Romanoff gasps with wide eyes, "Oh, for me? That's so nice."

Linda sighs, tugging her blonde braid, "Was I supposed to get you a goodbye gift."

"No, but Bruce and I have one for you in the cafeteria. Don't forget your gloves!' Natasha hugs Nina and holds her hand, leading Linda behind her, 'You both holding up okay?"

Linda shrugs, "It feels weird to be leaving. This feels like home."

She smiles solemnly. Two is the most they've had in a day and Natasha usually disappears after to be alone. Three in one day feels like a complete emotional rollercoaster.

Tony's words trigger a heart tug when he freezes, eyes wide and his voice soft, "Aw no. Nina too?! All my kids are leaving!"

The little one might be emotional when she hugs Stark but Linda is too busy looking for her own, "Where's Thor?"

The demigod smiles with his own introduction, excited to see his favorite and wish her well on her 'journey'.

Steve waves down Natasha who isn't exactly in a conversational mood, "I brought the cupcakes."

"Did you bring a date?"

He laughs it off, "Funny, Romanoff. Can I do anything else."

She shakes her head, lips pursed. Rogers shifts uncomfortably, wanting to help cheer up his sad teammate but unsure of how to go about it.

"Violet's here," Clint announces, as if somehow telepathically he knows Natasha will be happier with one of her favorites around.

Izabella is steadily trailing alongside Banner, doing anything and everything he needs help with. She's waiting for her next task when the doorbell rings. Leaping at the opportunity to answer, she pivots instantly and moves from his office through the noisy hallway and to the large doors.

She unlocks the front with Banner's passcodes and permission- he can never be too safe and when it comes to the Center, he's a bit excessive about the security measures. Thanks to his paranoia and Stark's engineering, it serves to be the most secure complex in New York City.

Izabella answers with a smile, recognizing the large green figure at the door with her flashy sunglasses and green pocketbook;

"Hey girlfriend! Is Doc around?"

"Yeah! Follow maybe."

Lucy is mesmerized when she enters, a large backpack slung over her shoulder and held up by her two fingers. She snaps her gum;

"This place is sick!"

Izabella offers a hand, "Hi! My name is Izabella."

The Jameson girl snaps her gum, analyzing the figure standing opposite her, "I'm Lucy. Wait, you do that, sick thing with your hands. Mom told me."

Izabella's head tilts over her new friend's eye color. It seems so familiar. She clasps her fingers in front of her, "Yes-."

"Can you do it? Like, now."

"Well, no."

"You gonna show me 'round?! Never been here."

"Jen,' Bruce gasps, taken back in complete shock to see his cousin in the hallway, 'What are you doing here?"

"Eh,' she reaches to give him a long hug, 'I was bored. Finally had a weekend off and thought Lucy and I would check in on you. I hope it's not inconvenient- we got a hotel-."

Tony invaded the conversation, "That's dumb. You're staying at the tower."

"We're fine, really."

"Come to the tower."

Natasha moves in and enjoys a typically emotional Jennifer Walters bear hug.

The She Hulk lifts her sunglasses, "What's going on with the sign, what's happening-."

"Oh it's, just adoption day. We have three of the kids moving out," Natasha answers casually.

"I see. Hi Steve," she waves and Rogers moves to join the group up front.

Bruce tucks a hand in his pocket, "I'm happy to see you, I just wasn't prepared."

She nudges his shoulder, "It's summertime. I Lucy would enjoy a weekend in the big apple. You remember how we'd spend summer together! We'd sit in that-."

"-Hot and gross library-."

"Wellll past closing-."

"Aunt Susan would freak out."

"Was she ever not freaking out?"

"Well-" He'd defend his guardian until his dying breath, even if she was a little odd.

"May she rest in peace,' she mumbles, feeling immediately guilty for insulting a dead woman, 'I missed you Doc!"

He can tell she's withholding. Bruce is happy to see his cousin but between the random phone call earlier in the week and a surprise visit, he knows something is up.

She's clearly uncomfortable elaborating with the small mob that surrounds them so he tries to put his curiosity aside, "Well I'm happy to see you and Lucy."

"Don't fuss over us. It sounds like this is a really big day- I'm so sorry I didn't know-."

"It's okay-."

Natasha smiles and points to Lucy's hair, "I like the blue."

The girl smiles back, trying to be cool even if she wants to run up and down the halls and explore every room, "Thanks! Is your red real? Just curious-."

Romanoff scoffs, "If you consider a permanent physical change as a result of superserum and chemicals real-."

"Do you not see my mother…"

"Okay, then yeah. It's real."

"That's sick."

Izabella looks toward the physicist, much calmer and quieter when she questions, "'Sick'...?"

Tony answers for her, "She means 'it's cool', 'it's great,' 'it's awesome'-. We need to go party it up! There's a spiked lime soda in the cafeteria with my name on it."

"Tony!" Steve glares.

"Who can give Lucy and I a quick tour? I haven't seen this place yet," Jen asks with a smile.

Rogers offers, "I can. This way Bruce and Natasha can focus on the adoptions-."

"Actually, I wouldn't mind hosting a tour. Steve, you can help Bruce for a minute can't you?" Natasha pivots abruptly.

"Of course…"

Bruce tugs his curls and checks the tablet in his hand, "Do you-mm."

The optimistic grin and eagerness in Rogers to help reminds him of Izabella; well meaning but not entirely necessary.

He scrambles for a job, "Here, can you hold this? And. Izabella, can you maybe, help show Lucy around?"

He turns to head back to his office, trailed by the Captain while the Mikhailov girl catches up with Natasha, Jen and Lucy.

Lucy nudges her, "I like your skirt."

" Spasibo ! Thank you."

Riley stumbles into the girls, brushing herself off over the clumsy collision;

"What are you? Your eyes are wild looking."

"Riley, this Lucy. She Hulk daughter," Izabella introduces the twosome but Riley crosses her arms, "So you're a kid hulk."

Lucy laughs and tugs at her fingers, "Actually I'm just a dancer. No cool powers or anything- what do you do?"

"I read thoughts. Feelings."

"Woah! That's sick,' she drops her bag, 'okay okay! I'm thinking of a number between 1-10 go!"

Riley rolls her eyes, "That's not how it works."

"What am I feeling?"

The girl stammers, for the first time unable to breach the mind of the half stranger in front of her. Stubbornly she makes up her answer on a whim;

"You're weirdly excited to be here. You probably have some hyper, can't pay attention thing-."

"I LOVE YOU! That is so on point! O.m.g, like! Sick!"

"What's sick?," Violet sneaks up behind Izabella.

Garrett crashes next with Brody and it's back to introductions.

"Yeah,' Riley shifts in boredom, 'my best friend is kinda getting adopted today so I'm gonna go to her party, now? Weird, strange, borderline Valley girl-."

"I'm your best friend!" Violet pouts.

Riley sighs and spares a smile, reaching a hand behind her, "You're right, what was I thinking."

"Bye! Nice to meet you!,' Lucy pivots to Izabella, 'Everyone here is so chill. I'm totally digging this vibe. What's your deal Brody?"

"Laser vision. You're probably nerdy like your family?"

Lucy bounces, "Actually! I failed fifth grade, like, five times- not five- but still."

Izabella lifts a fearful eyebrow over Lucy's scholastic confession. Brody just laughs;

"I've never heard of that in my life,' he points to the patches on her backpack, 'Is that your mom in a witch hat?"

"Ha! No. That's Elphaba."

"Elphaba?"

"Wicked…?! Seriously?! The best show on Broadway? You're in New York, how do you not-! KNOW! The legend-! And now you're all looking at me like I'm the insane one,' Lucy breathes through her teeth, 'Anyway! Garrett right?"

The boy nods, addressing her camo sweats, "Nice pants- sorry that was weird-."

"Thanks dude! You're so nice."

Izabella huffs a laugh, not expecting Lucy to drape such a heavy arm over her shoulder and be so overly friendly.

"How long are you- I mean are you staying?" Garrett asks awkwardly.

Brody slaps his forehead, "Tongue tied my brother?!"

"Maybe if you didn't keep me up so late to game!"

"You live in the woods! When you have WiFi, we need to use it to the fullest!"

Lucy listens when Jennifer yells down the hall, releasing Izabella, "Whoops. Mom wants me. We're falling behind here, cousin!"

Izabella smiles and runs up toward Natasha and Jen with Lucy at her side.

Natasha has her head down, pausing in her clean up. She's in the corner nibbling on her own crumbled cupcake. With Clint and Thor outside entertaining the kids, Bruce offers her a smile and sits beside her.

Her eyes flick up and then back on the clump of chocolate between her fingers.

It's a modern space and the air is turned up on high due to the 80 degree weather outside. Her jaw twists with a laugh,

"I want them to go and grow and move on. I'm just being selfish."

Bruce looks over, shaking his head over Barton's gift, "I love how much you love these kids. How they mean a lot to you."

She glares, her mouth full, "You're going to sit there and tell me you didn't cry when your buddy Abram walked out the door?"

"They mean a lot to us," he chuckles.

She fiddles with another crumble, "What's going on with Jen?"

"I don't know,' he tugs at his fingers nervously, 'She wants to grab dinner with me, just the two of us if that's okay-."

"Are you asking me if I can watch Lucy?"

"No, actually she's hit it off with Izabella, so Svetlana is going to take Lucy with them to a movie."

"Your other wife,' she reaches for the vodka, smirking over his glare, 'I'll see what Clint is up to. Do you think Lucy has powers?"

He's thinking, head pulled all the way back against the wall as they sit on the white wooden bench, "Do you think that's what's going on? That she wants us to train her?"

She shrugs, "Would you?"

Banner answers abruptly, "Not if she's a hulk. I told you from day one, I was not going to have that, not here with the other kids."

"You let Jen in."

"That's different."

"Well,' she nods, 'It is Jen's daughter we're talking about. I don't think she'd be too out of control."

He reaches to tug behind his neck, biting at his cheek, "She's loud- Have you met her mother?"

Natasha laughs, "I've been way too nice in giving you the quiet ones."

"I like quiet."

"You're taking Riley this week...Lucy would definitely push you out of your comfort zone."

"I don't see it-."

"I do."

"If that is what Jen wants- I mean this is all speculation right? You're the spy, you tell me."

She shakes her head, "I have pretty good intuition. That's exactly what's going on."

Natasha pauses her chewing to check an incoming message on her phone. Her nose wrinkles in immediate confusion;

"Maria just texted, SHIELD needs us to pause all adoptions immediately."

"What does that mean?"

"Hold on,' She swipes upward, quickly standing to make a call, '…she's not answering."

"Try Fury?"

"I'm on it...go catch up with Jen. If it was an emergency, they would've called. We'll talk later."