Tony is a stress case when it comes to counting heads and ensuring they're all staying together. Steve and Svetlana are volunteer helpers for the beach day to give Bruce and Natasha yet another day off post heaving episode that morning.

Tony yells for a headcount at the beach and promptly gives Steve a lecture.

Pepper shakes her head and intervenes with Antonia in her arms, "What Tony means to say is, thank you for volunteering to help us out."

"Svetlana; you can do no wrong. But you,' Tony pivots back to Steve, 'Any kid that goes missing is an automatic blame."

"Tony," Pepper scolds.

Stark replaces the sunglasses on his face and taps a wristband, "I'm in charge of Violet. Brought some tech to slow this girl's roll. And, no matter how hard she cries, no matter how much she begs, nobody removes that bracelet from her wrist or we'll never catch her!"

Pepper is horrified, "Where are her parents?!"

"We are her parents for the day! Natasha told EVERYONE at SHIELD and the Center that it was a beach day. So!"

Steve looks on, arms crossed with an eye on the water, "Well. I'm going to swim, since the kids I'm in charge of are already in the water-."

"You-! You got the boys?! What?! God! Red really screwed me! I have Wednesday Adams and -Luce; What the fudge is that?!"

The Jameson girl smirks and lifts the drink, "I got my bro Brody and soul sister Izzy mocktails! You want one?"

"Yeah?" He reacts as though that should've been obvious.

Lucy snickers with the straw from her coconut drink still in her mouth. She digs back into her backpack for her mom's credit card.

"It's on your mother?! Awesome,' Tony points to Pepper, 'get one for my wife and Svetlana too. Water-wait, nothing, nothing for Cap."

Lucy gives a thumbs up. She'll get one for Steve anyways.

She tugs at her short black meshed kaftan and urges Izabella to follow her back up to the kiosk;

"I've never seen Tony like, so uptight."

Izabella plucks a flower from the hibiscus at the front of the kiosk to tuck it in her hair, "Too many children for him to watch."

Her friend acknowledges the flower, "I think you prefer purple but like, pink might be your color. It pops on you."

"It pops, does it?"

"Yeah just, pop! Just like that."

The cashier demands their attention so Lucy places her order for three more virgin piña coladas.

When the order is complete, Lucy continues as they walk back to the beach, "So, what color would your superhero outfit be?"

Izabella holds two of the coladas, while Lucy juggles the rest, and thinks it over, "Maybe, it is purple."

"Shocking,' Lucy takes a sip from her drink and is already onto more questions, 'Skirts or leggings?"

"Skirt, maybe? Leggings more practical."

"Have you ever dyed your hair?"

"No."

"I would dye really well because you've got that dirty blonde thing going on. Would you pierce your ears?"

"Maybe," Izabella watches cautiously as Lucy skips around her.

"I could totally do them for you if you want! I have two in both ears and it's so like! It's nothing! I'm going to get a new nose ring and Mom and I are getting matching tattoos when I turn 18. Would you get a tattoo?"

Izabella laughs, "Your mom is cool. My aunt? Kill me! Mertvyy - dead."

"Oh wow. That strict?"

"Yeah."

"But she's letting you do the dimension thing and like, go away for a week?"

Izabella shrugs with a cringe, "After Vrach talk to her for so long."

Lucy frowns, hearing her mother's voice in the back of her head, "Okay but like! You're happy, right? Your aunt is nice? She seems nice."

Izabella nods, "She wonderful!"

"Okay! I had to ask because my mom is so passionate about helping abused kids. She has a whole foundation actually. Supposedly! My grandparents rocked and they started this program when my mom was younger-I don't know. But like, yeah."

Izabella nods, curious about her friend's scholastic endeavors being that Lucy never discusses it, "Where you go to college?"

"That's funny,' Lucy laughs and chews her straw, 'I need to graduate first so, who the she-hulk knows! A party city, obviously!"

Izzy finds Lucy amusing. She has no attention span but family is important to her. And she likes to have fun- maybe even break Izzy out of her comfort zone in the process.

Tony takes his drink with a lecture once the girls arrive, "...mm'kay, for future reference don't hand things to me-."

Pepper taps his shoulder, "He's fine. Thank you girls."

Izabella crouches to play with Antonia in the sand and Lucy joins them seconds later;

"What'cha building?"

Antonia mumbles in her baby voice, far too busy in her construction to be disturbed.

Izabella translates, "A castle."

"Looks like an ant hill to me but sure! Let's go with castle! Great job Antonia!," Lucy claps.

Tony crouches to dump a little sand on Anna's head. She reaches a small hand up and frowns at him dramatically;

"Daddy no!"

"That face is all your mother's..It wasn't me, it was mommy!"

She doesn't believe him and huffs, returning to her building. Pepper crouches next, brushing a hand through her daughter's hair to remove the sand with a heavy sigh, rolling her eyes at her husband.

Izabella reaches into her own to offer the hibiscus, "Here Anna; I have pink present for you."

Antonia reaches to her mom with the flower in her hands, with wide beady eyes. The girls all chuckle while Pepper mutters, "Is that going in your hair? What do we say?"

"Pweaaassseeeee!"

Lucy brushes her side and wrinkles her nose, "The sand feels weird."

"East coast," Tony mumbles.

"It's gross."

"It's…different."

"I should've brought my longboard!"

"That would have been fun," Izzy looks disappointed.

"You should come to Cali sometime-."

"Hey Izzy,' Brody comes running up, damp from the ocean, 'there's a bunch of really cool shells down by the water."

His sister takes the half clam, checking over the inside, "Thank you, Brody."

"You're gonna paint it aren't you," Lucy mutters.

"Probably," she chuckles.

"Ice, fire and rain?"

Izabella swallows as if she's been cornered, uncomfortable over being called out on her dark art; her way of coping with her inexplicable 'visions' upon coming to New York.

She hates the reminder, hoping it's a glitch in her system that Bruce can wipe and fix. The same way he fixes every other technical glitch. That works on people too…right?

Lucy nods awkwardly with a click of her tongue, "Soooo. Do you wanna goooo, look for some more? Ooh! We could all go play volleyball as a team!"

Brody scoffs as he walks back toward the water, "Nobody wants to do anything with you Lucy, sorry. Garrett and I will play though."

Izabella stands and brushes off her purple skirt for a coverup, "Shell hunting first?"

"Shell hunting it is!" Lucy stands with a hop in her step, "Hey! Let's poke Riley on the way-."

"Be nice to her," Izabella's wrist already captured by Lucy as the elder drags her along.

"Riley Park!"

Riley mumbles with her sunglasses on and a celebrity magazine in her hands to read up on her favorite musicians and K-Pop artists;

"No."

"What are you reading? Ooh! Music awards!"

Riley groans and scrambles to hide her magazine underneath a Black Widow beach towel.

Izabella crosses her arms with a sweet grin over the towel design.

Riley rolls a tongue over her teeth and reads Izabella's mind with an answer to the question she doesn't have to ask;

"It's Violet's, I know you're curious."

Izabella arrives at the lab the next morning with blushing cheeks and a flower in her hair. Natasha smirks, her elbows up on the counter while she waits for Bruce to see it first.

The physicist is oblivious so she addresses their young friend;

"I like the flower."

Izabella bites her lip, "Thanks."

"Does it come with a story?"

The girl shrugs and sits quietly in the chair behind Bruce, "No."

"How was the beach? Did you kids have fun?" Bruce asks when he finally acknowledges her.

Izabella nods, "We play volleyball and we beat the boys."

"Yes! I'm so proud,' Natasha wants to trigger Bruce, so she pries, 'Did anyone sweep you off your feet? Lead you down to the ocean for a kiss?"

Izabella blushes, "Um…no."

Bruce looks over his shoulder, eyes narrowing.

Now that Romanoff has him right where she wants so she keeps talking, "Brock is pretty cute."

The doctor looks like a father who has just had his daughter stumble home after curfew, a lecture on the tip of his tongue while he just quietly listens to the girls.

Izabella nods, "Yeah. Michael too."

"Oh! So you like Michael."

"Maybe," she brushes her hands over a nearby book, disappointed to finally have a minute and talk with her mentors and to find that they are not alone.

"Kissing him could be magical," Natasha continues.

The fact that they continue in English to discuss sets Bruce off. 'Magical', Natasha doesn't use the word 'magical'.

This is Natasha, the woman who thought love was for children….and Izzy and Michael are children...Fat chance he'll let anyone date Izabella before she's eighteen anyways- Bruce stands and lays his papers on the desk with a glare;

"Okay! Back to work. Izzy, are you ready to test?"

She nods, refocusing on Natasha. Maybe once his wife is cured Izabella will be able to confide in Banner.

"Sorry I'm late, Brucie. It's been a morning from- heck," Tony mumbles with a baby spoon in his mouth, Antonia on his hip and holds her small oatmeal bowl.

"You look like shit," Clint finally speaks up from the corner in a round of solitaire.

"Watch the language. Kids are present," Steve scolds.

"Guess it's time for me to leave.." Barton questions Natasha.

She shrugs, "You should know where we're going."

"I'll just drive through the dimension and if you get lost, you can call me on that fabulous Stark phone of yours." She scoffs. He stacks his cards and makes his way to the door with a salute, "Fill me in later."

Lucy catches the door when it swings open, knocking her in the head;

"Geez! You good?," Clint immediately feels bad for knocking her in the head in the loudest accidental thunk of the month.

Even Natasha cringes.

"That's gotta hurt," Tony addresses the noise.

She doesn't seem phased, plowing through to take her favorite spinning chair and talk with Izabella.

Stark snickers to himself, trying to get his daughter to eat more of her oatmeal while he comments on Lucy, "That kid is a tank."

"Are you concussed?" Barton is hovering to ensure the kid he's just bashed in the head is alright.

The girl blows her bangs from her forehead, spinning in her chair, "I'm totally fine! I'm so great!"

"Shouldn't you ice it?" he insists.

Bruce reaches for a pen with a light on the top, calling over Lucy, "Come here for a second."

"What? Why? I'm fine."

"I know, just come here. I'm going to check your eyes…"

"They're fine."

"-for concussion signs-."

She laughs, "I don't have a concussion."

"Lucile, your mother will murder me if you get a scratch on you and I don't do anything about it- just come here, please."

"Okay, okay! Calm your butt Uncle B."

She takes her time, scooting in her favorite chair toward Bruce. She loves the wheels- too lazy to stand up. He waits, checking the light on his pen to ensure it won't hurt her eyes when she has an ADD moment;

"Hey Uncle B? Have you ever realized your initials are like, Bed and Breakfast? You could open one! It would be like, 'B.B by B.B' on the front door."

Bruce looks up with a pause and a furrowed brow, his eyes meeting hers. He twists his jaw- she doesn't need an exam, busy swinging her legs and looking up at him. She's clearly proud of herself.

He abandons his instrument, "She's fine."

"I brought a gizmo for you, Izzy," Tony addresses the box on the table. The Mikhailov girl stands and moves to open it, locating a thin and elegant silver chain with a small crystal sphere in the middle.

He smirks, "Classy right? I figured my tech gift to you was a bit overdue. It'll help you channel where you wanna warp."

Izabella puts it on eagerily while facing Natasha, who scolds her, gently, in Russian for her to turn around and watch where she's aiming her hands at.

"Test it on Lucy-," Tony can barely finish his statement.

Bruce panics, "Stop."

Lucy jumps up excitedly, "I volunteer! It sounds sick!"

Steve steps forward, "I'm the test run. A quick one second trip. As long as Izabella doesn't send me somewhere apocalyptic."

Mikhailov squirms a bit over Steve's remark in reference to her suspicious dark drawings. She glares- almost resembling Natasha with her Russian staredown.

Romanoff leans, "What did I miss?"

"Nothing. It's an uh," Steve clears his throat and focuses elsewhere, deciding against prodding the child in a full room and to focus on the mission at hand, "Any last minute advice, Dr. Banner?"

Bruce shrugs, "It's a little disorienting. Keep your eyes closed during the transport."

"Alright then...Miss Izabella, whenever you're ready."

Natasha jumps back into the counter and taps the spot next to her for Lucy to sit and watch.

With a determined finger wiggle from Izabella and a gentle nod, she gets Steve's last minute permission before using her mysterious green energy to evaporate the Captain.

Bruce stands beside Izabella, she follows his numbers and coaching, extending her hands with a deep breath to bring Steve back.

Rogers stumbles a bit upon arrival, looking exactly the same.

Romanoff leans forward, "You alright, Cap?"

He nods, "It worked...New York is a strange city."

"What it look like?," Izabella asks curiously.

Steve tries to process his one second encounter, "Well…It was an alleyway so I didn't see much, really. A lot of lasers? 'Techy'? Is that a word? It was reminiscent of when I first woke up-."

Tony rolls his eyes, "No one cares."

Antonia goggles and claps her hands with her eyes on Izabella, "Do magic!"

Tony kisses her cheek, "No, you avoid the magic. Magic can be very dangerous."

Natasha crosses her arms, frowning, "Why would you bring the baby to test day if it's 'dangerous'?"

"Hold my kid, Red. I wanna see Banner's numbers," Tony passes off Antonia, ignoring her first question.

Natasha takes the baby as she wraps her small arms around her.

Bruce checks in before finalizing another set with Izabella, "Steve? Are you good to go again?"

Steve nods, happy to help, "Whenever you're ready."

Izabella bites her lip and wiggles her fingers, inhaling and exhaling to calm her energy and channel with her new Stark crystal.

"I'm taking Alex while you're gone?" Clint asks, lingering in the door.

Natasha nods, shifting Antonia in her hold, "Yep."

"Where is she going, Svetlana's?," Clint points to the back of Lucy's head.

The redhead shrugs, "She can stay here at the Center in Linda's old room."

"What?!" Riley calls, hiding somewhere nearby in a hallway.

Natasha shares a knowing glance with both Bruce and then Clint. She climbs off the counter and leaves Antonia with Tony.

"I need a moment with my other 'daughter'."

Riley is the champion at suppressing her emotions and even though Romanoff has that same skill, the girl can easily pick up on the stress, confusion, and overall anxiety in Natasha.

"…I'm just not myself lately. And this, this will help."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Riley sits outside on the bench, equally stubborn and requiring just as much of a hunt to finally force a seated conversation.

Natasha shakes her head, "I'm sorry. I didn't want you to worry."

Riley swings her foot, "I hope you find a cure and stuff."

"I will,' the redhead nods, 'and I'll be back here before you know it."

"And you'll take Lucy back when you return?"

Natasha nudges her young friend, "It's not like she's here to replace Linda. You know that right? Linda is still a part of this family. Lucy is just…borrowing her room while we're away. You know, Linda's sent a letter-."

"It's okay. I don't want to know…" Riley avoids to hide her pain.

"Hey,' Natasha calls softly, 'As soon as I get this whole SHIELD mess taken care of, and can stand up for more than an hour, I promise you; your file is at the top of the adoption bin. I trust Fury to resolve this issue, and when he does? We're going to find you a family."

Riley forces a huff, "I thought we were a 'family'."

"Don't sass me," Natasha rolls her eyes, it's as if she's looking into the mirror at her younger self. Stubborn and guarded and yet eager for acceptance and a place to call her own.

According to some 'simple' research, Elizabeth Ross 2.0 should be somewhere in the New Mexico of the other Earth. So a quick warp to another universe and a flight- assuming that's the method of preferred transportation for longer travels- and they should be able to find her quickly. Mikhailov could in theory do another warp fairly easily provided everything goes as planned.

Izabella is practicing in spurts, toying with the green energy in one hand while she clutches the crystal on her necklace with the other. If Svetlana would stop hugging for just a moment, Izabella could rehearse with the nearby plant the way Bruce keeps asking her to.

Lucy eyes Steve's shield as she heads to the field, "Ooh! Can I throw it? Plleeaassseee?!"

Rogers stands in front of it protectively, wondering what he's gotten himself into as the Center's primary caretaker for the week, "I'd rather you didn't."

Riley picks at her nails and the rest of the kids are all waiting for Natasha who steps out of the Center with Clint.

"I'm here!," She stumbles a few steps.

Bruce releases an exasperated sigh over the bottle in her hand. Even Clint looks drained.

When Tony hugs Pepper and Antonia goodbye Bruce scratches his head, "…What are you doing?"

Tony takes his place up beside Natasha, Bruce and Izabella, "I'm coming with you."

"I really don't think-."

"Let'im come,' Natasha slurs and she's too drunk for English, 'He'll keep us razvlekali. "

"Okay,' Bruce carefully takes the bottle from Natasha, 'We want Elizabeth to help us so I need cooperation. She's quiet and orderly and this is going to scare her off so can we have a little respect and a little class as we breach another universe... Maybe we can try and act like adults?"

That last part is clearly directed at Tony and Natasha.

Izabella nods, hanging on his every word though she's the last person he's worried about.

Natasha looks about ready to fall over and not from her illness, precisely. Tony is grinning and the size of his duffle says he's packed for more than a week.

Clint huffs an exhale, taking his spot with Laura and waves to the departing crew in pure amusement, "Good luck."

Natasha stumbles and takes the vodka back from Bruce. Izabella lifts her hands and positions herself with a breath.

"Wait,' Lucy yells, runs and wraps her arms around her friend one more time, 'okay, now you can go. Take care of Uncle B and Aunt Nat."

Svetlana interrupts right after with one more hug. Brody smiles and offers quick reassurance.

Izabella takes a breath and settles in her stance beside Bruce who is ready to coach her through the entire process. She's focusing hard, a green mist gradually encircling them. Her hands are straining but she's optimistic, cringing slightly when she adds more force.

The look on Lucy's face distracts Izabella- the yellow in her eyes glowing under the green mist.

With a tightening of her neck she panics over the visions she's seen in her hands before. The morbid outcome and the horrors that she knows include her best friend, her sister-cousin…

Cap's shield is destroyed, Thor is dying, Antonia is covered in blood and Lucy- the girl with the brightest golden eyes Izabella has ever seen- is in the rubble, caught up in all of it somehow…

"Kid! You wanna get us out of here?! Before the Black Widow comes out?" Tony yells presently.

Izabella opens her eyes and finds herself stuck in a world she doesn't recognize, amid an extremely peaceful scene. She jumps back slightly over the large green Hulk busy playing catch with what look like two smaller ones.

She looks around and her eyes bug out at the toned gray skinned larger woman;

"Don't listen to him, Skaar! Throw!" The bigger Hulk yells with a laugh.

Izabella is confused, scrambling to reset her abilities.

"Dad!" One of the smaller Hulks picks up a ball.

Natasha sobers up immediately after putting the pieces together, looking ready to murder someone no matter how tightly Bruce is holding her;

"Who the hell is she?!"

"I don't know!" Bruce yells defensively. "I have never seen her in my life!"

"I want to ask the hulk!"

The hulk inside of Banner grumbles, causing Bruce to mutter under his breath;

"Will you shut up?!"

Natasha glares, jaw agape.

Bruce panics, "Not you-! I'm sorry!"

Izabella warps them as fast as she can. This time the foursome land in the middle of what resembles the past, ducking as a Chitauri creature charges above them.

Tony yells, "Look it's me! About to save everybody's ass. Man, my suit looks dusty...Wait! You can time travel?!"

"It's clearly another world you idiot,' Natasha points to her presumed doppelgänger, jumping off Steve's shield, 'It looks like I'm a taller brunette in this world. What do you think Bruce? More your type? Or would you rather I tint my skin gray?"

He growls and rolls his eyes, avoiding her glare. Izabella grits her teeth and tries one more time, nerves beginning to get to her.

This time they land in New York, a high tech city as explained by Steve. It glows even in the daylight with its clean streets and tall buildings.

The girl bends at her waist and pants, wiping the tear and blood down her cheek;

"I do it?"

"Nice,' Tony lifts his sunglasses, ready to nerd out in this fabulous world of advancement, 'Does this look familiar Brucie?"

Banner pivots, taking in the buildings, "Well. It's not Russia. Same vibe though."

Natasha's arms are crossed when she smiles smugly, "Should we expect to see Hulk and his adorable family here as well?! Any other wife you suddenly forgot to tell me about? More surprise children who come knocking on our door asking for 'Daddy'?!"

Bruce stammers with frustration, "I don't know what you're talking about…"

Hulk seems to disagree, fighting Bruce over seeing he has a better future elsewhere. Banner cracks his neck hoping to slap his alter ego in some way.

Stark snickers, he'll poke Banner about it later, "So! Transportation?! Or is Izzy up again?"

"Right, we should get going.."

Romanoff looks somewhat satisfied to see that Bruce doesn't have all of the answers, "Feeling a little lost?"

Bruce circles, brushing by Izabella with a shoulder squeeze in gratitude and leads Natasha through, "This way. Izzy is on a break until her ears stop bleeding, it's too risky after that many warps and…the extra adult-."

"Why'd you leave this place again? Was Russia this nice," Tony mutters.

Natasha stops to locate and chug a shooter from a hidden pocket, "Ya zadolbalsyaa."

"You don't need that," Bruce takes it before she can finish and tosses it into a nearby disposal that absorbs it.

Izabella's curiosity is piqued as she watches, refocusing on the present to stop her trembling, "How?"

Tony wraps an arm around her shoulder to lead her along, "Come on now, focus-Woah! Is that a holographic prosthetic on that guy?!"

The two stop in awe, both wondering how it works.