Locked in her cell, Lucy has her eyes closed, humming songs to pass the time. Her laces untied and her arm is sore from an injection- presumably to dull the abilities she still doesn't understand.

Lucy is prepared enough to snap her wrists free with a creative shoelace trick. Being the daughter of a NASA astronaut/government agent who turns into a wolf and She Hulk means you start learning these sorts of things at 5.

"Hey."

She jumps, the whisper catching her off guard. She's waiting for him hit the bars and yell at her for singing/talking…again.

"Is a balcony center seat just as good as orchestra?"

Lucy is thoroughlyconfused by the question. She sniffles away a tear, "What?"

The SHIELD agent turned guard releases and exhausted sigh;

"My daughter is turning 13 and she wants to go see Phantom of the Opera. I heard your reference and… you sound like…. an expert on all things theater, so is an orchestra seat worth the price…"

Lucy squints and moves to hold her cell bars,

"I mean...nothing beats orchestra but if you get some big head that sits in front of you…-Wait, you have a daughter and you still volunteered to kidnap a bunch of children?"

"We were told you're dangerous."

Lucy rolls her eyes, "I guess that's true. So, why Phantom? Why the creepy-stalker-story? I have some issues."

"Issues?"

"It's not the best example of women empowerment in my mind," she braves up and quotes her mother, who enjoys dissecting musicals when she's not green or lawyering people around, "but don't get me wrong, it's a classic and I'd see it a third time. You should take your daughter to work this week. I'll corrupt her with my she-hulk-abilities…You don't look impressed."

He quietly turns back to facing away from her.

"I guess I'll shut up now," Lucy wipes her nose on her wrist and pivots to go back to trying to climb the bars and softly singing her songs.

Maybe questioning someone who could turn around to shoot her was a bad idea.

Thor arrives after most of the mob has already retreated, hammer in hand and ready for action.

Most of the dust settles when the last car drives off. Seeing how his entertainment is off for the day, Hulk calms down with Natasha's help.

Tony and Pepper land, with her removing her helmet;

"I came as soon as I heard."

Natasha moves for the center next, eager to account for all of her children. She looks over the mob on the staircase all huddled together.

A very disoriented Bruce follows her inside, clutching his stretched pants at his waist.

He leans up against the wall for support, "Lucy where's Lucy. I don't hear her…"

Tony is beside him, helping him stay on his feet as he yells louder, "LUCY. We have a Lucy?!"

Violet is rattled, "She was talking to the bad guys."

Natasha squints, "What do you mean talking to the bad guys, did they take her? Where is Riley?!"

"Dr. Banner!" Rogers interrupts before Bruce can get another word out. Steve is carrying Izabella bridal style while she shivers.

Bruce gasps over her injuries, the amount of blood on Steve's shirt and over Izabella. He kneels alongside them with no time for questions, "Med kit- I need a med kit!"

"You need a shirt, Chewie," Tony quips.

Bruce snaps and clutches a pressure on his 'daughter', "She's bleeding out Tony! Med kit! Now!"

He scrambles, now aware of the urgency, "On it!"

Brody meets his sister with Svetlana, sitting on his knees, "Izzy!"

Izabella's aunt holds her face and whispers in Russian against her ear, holding back tears.

"It's okay,' Bruce tries to reassure the tearful and trembling girl, 'You'll be okay. I've got you."

Izabella nods, putting all of her trust in the man who has never once let her down since they've met. He knows everything, he's always there for her. Why wouldn't he know how to regain sensation in her hands?

"Riley Park-Proctor! Where is she?!" Natasha yells and closes her eyes.

"I'm here, thanks for caring," Riley calls from the entrance, looking dark with her eyes clouded. She stands beside Clint, Maria and a suited up Nick Fury.

Natasha inhales when she carefully lifts Riley's chin with two soft fingers to see her vacant stare and the damage done to one her prodigee, " Bozhe moi ."

The girl senses the emotions of fear and concern from her mentor. Natasha has always been her favorite, a mother when she's not feeling herself. Knowing she's looking and feeling nothing but empathy causes her to mumble;

"I did something you told me not to do. It was stupid."

Clint looks up with a pause. Steve does the same and the two men give each other a subtle glance. It's Riley's story to tell and the fact that she'd rather not throw anyone under the bus for it, accepting some responsibility, shows enormous growth in Barton's mind.

Nick scans the room, and Maria's hands are behind her back while she follows him;

"Did you seriously miss three months of my calls, Romanoff?! And not think to check in?"

"In Red's defense, her phone was bugging out all summer," Tony mumbles, holding Banner's kit.

"I was a little busy," Natasha looks up with a sarcastic glare, moving in toward Izabella next.

They're large lacerations on her small bands that Bruce is working hard to fix. He gives her a dosage of pain medicine, a bit of numbing cream, and tells her to breathe. The redhead rubs at Izabella's shoulder when she can get to them.

"Did we find Lucy?" Bruce asks as calmly as possible, trying his best not to show anxiety or stir up Izabella.

Riley addresses their missing friend before Natasha can ask again, "They took Lucy. She gave herself up for me and Violet."

Bruce pauses in his stitching and looks down at his hands with nothing but guilt for leaving her unsupervised, trying to breathe through his rage while Izabella is so dependent on him remaining in a calm state,

"Where."

Silence.

Bruce hits the floor, a shade of protective green crawling his arm when he channels his anger at Hill, "Where, Maria?!"

Natasha taps his shoulder, "I'll find her."

"I shall accompany you," Thor lifts his hammer, fully prepared to fly off.

"No, both of you,' Maria starts, 'need to stay where you are."

Clint is still clutching his arm, with Garrett sitting comfortably beside him;

"You're the one with all the info, you wanna share it with the rest of the class?!"

Fury interrupts, "SHIELD is suddenly only interested in using the kids as weapons."

Bruce grumbles, "Of course."

Natasha holds his shoulder once again.

Maria steps forward, "It's three bad eggs. HYDRA infiltrators- what's left of them- who have worked their way up the rankings and have taken over. Whatever they say, goes….it's not SHIELD, it's HYDRA.

"I will remove your infiltrators," Thor retorts with confidence.

"They have sympathizers all over the world. This could get ugly and fast."

Natasha touches her lip, addressing Violet's parents with a head tilt, "There are also hundreds of innocent people in SHIELD who don't know any better."

Violet's mom shrugs, her Venezuelan accent thick, "We cannot be the only ones still doing good."

Maria sighs, "Unfortunately you can't know anytime soon. Your IDs won't work after 24 hours. They saw you fight against them so prepare for a lockout and a burn notice. For Violet's sake, I'd take a long and quiet vacation if I were you. Which is why I need to get back there before my boss gets suspicious."

Natasha grinds her teeth, "You threatened to take away everything I've worked for here. You lied to me, when I was sick and dying, no less. And now you expect me - all of us, to move on and believe everything you're saying."

Fury is finally registering her words, confusion in his stare, "Dying…"

Tony lifts a hand, "She's fine. She's recovered."

The look in Maria's eyes is pained when she addresses Natasha, "I had to. You would've done the same."

Natasha takes a breath, trying to reconnect with her friend and find the honesty in her stare.

Maria splits her focus between Fury, Barton and the redhead, "No amount of apologizing is going to make up for what I did to you, to all of you...especially Fury. I hope to earn back your trust."

Clint points to his shoulder, "Well you shot me and my kid saw you doing it, so that'll take a while…"

"And she's hiding my cousin's kid from me, I don't think I need to remind you that it's a bad idea to piss off two Hulks? So. I won't ask you again, Maria,' Bruce threatens one final time, his eyes turning green, 'Where is Lucy."

She grabs her jacket from off her waist, touching the cut on her temple, "I'll find out where they're keeping Lucy and tip you off when I can. Stay low for now. I'd move the kids to the tower."

"Can we trust you?! Riley, do the thing!" Tony points.

Riley throws her head back, brushing the hair from her face, "Yes! My god! Stop asking me to work! She's not lying…!"

Maria smiles appreciatively, momentarily forgetting that Riley can't actually see it and heads for the door at the same moment it swings off its hinges to reveal a very angry green skinned She Hulk quickly followed by a suited up James Rhodes beside her.

"Where is my daughter!"

Jen asks for Lucy through her teeth, rattled over receiving a call to action the team has only seen once before.

Her missing cousin is one thing, but losing her daughter only a year later is no doubt reason enough for her greener color.

Watching the girl from the security feed has been entertaining to say the least. One minute she's standing on the bed to try reaching the ventilation vent above it, just to flip upside down and start swinging on the bars.

Licking the cell bars, mimicking King Kong rampaging across New York and rambling on about mindless murder documentaries doesn't seem all that intelligent-or Hulk-like. And seeing the rambunctious teen bite at the lock was the last straw.

Maybe more so than Lucy's Cell Block Tango routine…

"Lucy,' the Director takes a recalibrating breath as she enters the room, 'My dear, I need you to tell me exactly what it is that you can do."

The Jameson girl quickly abandons her dance, hugging her elbow behind her back, "Um, y-know...Hulk, stuff. Smash and roar and stomp on the ground, that sort of thing..with a shirt on!"

"What triggers your transformation- what are you made of?"

"Heyyy! You sounded like Aunt Nahhh-I ain't not never!"

"What?!"

"My friend from the Center! She does that weird thing with her 'R's' and stuff, are you from Russia?"

"Ukraine," she admits pointedly, swiftly rolling her eyes.

Lucy nods to herself, "Oh. France."

France?! What?!

The Director pinches the bridge of her nose with limited patience, "What is inside of you, Lucy?"

"Bones, blood..my organs…"

Lucy pushes to the edges of her shoes, not feeling as tough as she did when she had her friends fighting at her side. Her eyes fall over her shoes, counting the ridges in a moment of distraction.

"Lucy!" The Director snaps, growing impatient.

The teen jumps, her eyes wide.

Maria intervenes, standing beside the dominant figure truly believing she's helpful;

"Ursula? Maybe she's nervous. The inhibiting injection that you gave her-."

Ursula looks to be in disbelief when she focuses on Hill, "It was not an inhibitor. You were there for the briefing...I wanted to see what she could do!"

"Actually,' Lucy tries to be quick on her feet, needing a moment to collect her thoughts before continuing, 'Like, I…"

"If you tell me that you've lied-."

"I haven't! Like! Maybe I'm just- I'm. Um. Next generation and all that. Maybe my DNA looks a little different."

"Bruce Banner is your father…yes or no."

"Yes," she lies.

Maria's eyebrows furrow, unaware of their previous conversation.

"And who is your mother?" Ursula pushes.

"Uh,' Lucy shifts, smart enough to do the math in her head and to avoid saying Natasha or things could get weird, 'Lizzy Rose."

"Ross?" Maria offers voluntarily to cover Lucy's butt.

"Yeah, Elizabeth Rose Ross. That's where… my, middle name comes from, yeah! Lucile Rose Banner. My mom wanted to name me after her….mom? Obviously that's her mom. No one else knows that so don't look it up! It's like! It's like the full names your parents yell when they are mad. They are Mom and Dad to you, right? You don't even know they have names until they're mad at each other, you know? 'Elizabeth Rose Ross, you were in my filing cabinet again' or 'Robert Bruce Banner you're not listening so I'm going drinking with Cli- I mean, my biology friend Cleo."

"Cleo…"

"Yeah,' Lucy thinks for a moment, 'So what's your middle name? I could give you one. My mind has created this whole scenario for you-You should see my head...or maybe not... It's some kind of dark tunnel of instant and immediate doom on a repeat, right. Have you ever gone to like, an amusement park? Maybe? You don't seem like the fun type but anyways! It's like some roller coaster ride I can't get off of! Like! The breaks are broken and my little car? Yeah, I am totally, completely off the track for the big first corkscrew and the final dip with no control- just ahh Like that, debating if I should fling my hands around in glee or grasp the handles. And the park doesn't even have insurance or a liability form people sign, so their butts aren't covered when they're sued. And the baggy- you know the baggy? In front of your seat? Where, they want you to throw your wallet right? Well I listened for once and put mine in there, except! The zipper wouldn't shut so- now! I'm dead because the coaster is broken and my school ID went flying so no one can find my body! My dad is all like 'Where's my baby' right? And he wants a funeral but scratch that because there's more lawsuits and a lot of paperwork- snowglobe style just boom! Paper explosion. And there's a musical interruption about it- tap dance, of course! And then years into the future they identify the scraps across the globe and it's like 'well she didn't have an ID so we have a really screwed up Jane Doe what should we do with her little itty bones?' And then they're like 'well she had a fish she really liked in third grade so let's bury her with the fish.' But they misprinted the fish's name on like, his headstone because I WASN'T THERE TO BURY HIM! SO, then, my thumb remains get laid to rest next to the wrong fish and it wakes up as a ghost lion fish that haunts my ghost dreams- not to give you torture ideas by the way I love lion fish but like! Like. And like yeah like, that's it. That's my brain. That's what my mind is like. In black and white."

Ursula looks deep into her dishonest eyes, blaming the twitches on the child's clear tendency to be easily distracted.

Maria tries to connect with the odd golden color of Lucy's irises when she speaks, as if the long ramble hadn't even happened mere seconds ago.

"We're going to take a few tests,' Ursula stands slowly, 'There's a gene which confirms whether you are a Hulk or not. In other words, whether or not you are of any value to me at all. If I discover you have been lying to me, our deal is voided and you will be replaced by your friends from the center and you will remain here. Choose your next moves, very carefully. Do you understand?"

Lucy nods, "Yeah! That's, great. But, like, why do you need tests? Don't you see the resemblance? I whine, he whines, and I'm smart-."

"Miss Banner! Confirm you have heard the words I have just spoken to you."

"Yes ma'am," she tucks her chin with a blush.

Ursula adjusts her suit, "Good. Is there anything else-RELEVANT TO THE CURRENT TOPIC of discussion, that you wish to tell me?"

Lucy shakes her head, missing her mother and the arms of her real father.

The Director walks in time with Maria, shutting the door behind her.

Hill prods gently over the intense focus in her boss' stare;

"Share your thoughts."

Ursula tilts her head, "I am completely.. bemused, how two of the world's geniuses could've created THAT?"

Maria laughs to herself, the same could be said for John and Jennifer if the Director weren't mistakenly referencing Bruce and Betty;

"She is creative."

"Now, are we absolutely one hundred percent positive, she is not Agent Barton's daughter? She did have a bow…"

Maria shoots the idea down, not before slipping a laugh, "I see why you'd ask, but no. Definitely the daughter of a Hulk."

The door where Jennifer and Bruce are 'talking' may be shut but their feud is loud enough for the kids and the rest of the team to hear.

Natasha is pacing, determined to let the cousins-practically-siblings work it out without her intervention.

Hearing the chaos isn't entirely ridiculous considering Jen's current state, and Bruce seems understanding. When that unmistakable hitch in Jennifer's voice replaces her rage, and that dreaded pause follows, she needs to stop eavesdropping for her own sake.

She pauses in her pacing, knowing exactly why the room suddenly goes quiet. Her heart breaks, looking over the children-her children- huddled in the common room. She can feel the loss, not as much as Jennifer by any means, but it's there. Lucy is practically her niece and she's grown accustomed to talking about dance with her, entertained by her dynamic with Bruce and how she'd act as though she owned the place. Natasha likes her contagious smile and laugh. And seeing Izabella without her friend attached at the hip feels equally out of place.

Natasha visits her next, adjusting the blanket over Izabella's shoulder while she sleeps on the sofa next to Alex. Romanoff traces her fingers gently over the bandages that wrap around her hands, angry over Riley's apparent blindness and now Izabella's trauma. Guilt swarms through her core while she bites her cheek. No matter how badly she's tried to, she is realizing that can't protect the kids from everything.

JARVIS calls for Stark, announcing a new arrival that leaves all of them suspicious and glancing at the door. The kids look up to the adults, concerned.

Tony stands after idly sitting for so long, "Get a scan for me, JARVIS?"

Thor stands as if he's ready for battle and Rhodes follows suit. Natasha makes a call after recognizing the man on the screen, on one of Lucy's many video calls;

"It's John."

"John who- oh! Jen's John," Tony hits a button on his wristband.

Romanoff heads to greet the man once the elevator opens. He's tall with lean muscle, holding a somber expression when he asks for 'Jenny'.

He's presumably recognized the motley crew in front of him without a necessity for introductions when he only wants his wife and missing daughter.

Natasha points, "She's with Bruce. First door on your right."

He nods, the initial introduction reminding her of Clint. A little guarded and clearly valuing his privacy. He's built a bit like Lucy is with clearly toned biceps and broad shoulders underneath his NASA uniform, of which has no doubt caught Steve's eye and earned him immediate respect.

Natasha, being the spy that she is, already has him pegged. She imagines he's the sort of father Lucy will run to when her mom's answer is 'no' when she wants to go out for the night- The sort of dad who will turn a scholastic grade with a big red 'F' into an 'A' with the right pen and who, without a second thought, covers Lucy's butt when she screws up.

Romanoff curses a dead Ivan under her breath and answers checks her SHIELD device for a coded text from Maria;

"Fury?,' she shows him first, 'We need to move."

The ex-director huffs through his remark, ready to divide the team, "We need sufficient protection here."

Stark looks over his shoulder toward a sleeping Pepper with Antonia huddled in her arms, "I'll stay."

"I'll stay as well," Rhodes offers without a second thought.

Thor steps beside Natasha, signaling his desire to fight.

Clint taps his arm and twitches his head towards Garrett, ready to protect his son and recover a bit. Steve weighs his options, his focus on Izabella when he chooses to stay and protect the kids as best he can. Even if punching a HYDRA agent would be extremely satisfying.

Natasha contorts her mouth, "I'll get the cousins."

When the door opens to reveal the duo and John, Jennifer is in Bruce's arms, crying over his chest. This isn't the first time they've held onto one another as if their lives depended on it.

Natssha bites her lip;

"I heard from Maria."

Jennifer brushes a hand through her dark almost green hair and over her face;

"I'll kill her!"

"Jenny," John calls her back and touches her shoulder tenderly.

"I know that base better than my own apartment,' Natasha offers, 'and I have a plan."

It's not just the Center, the kid's home that has been attacked- but hers as well. Natasha's work is her life, a part of who she is. It's personal. An attack on SHIELD is an attack on her.

Lucy has grown accustomed to the silence when, to her surprise, a guard breaks with a question, "Did you live in the Tower?"

She wipes her nose, playing off tears, "Yeah."

"Do you know Thor?"

"Yeah? I know all of the Avengers."

"What about Thor's diet and exercise regimen?"

Lucy snorts, "Pop tarts and waffles?! All day every day my friend!"

"Huh. Maybe I should try that."

"I don't think it would give you the godlike affect you're looking for."

The guard frowns and turns his head away.

She taps his shoulder, unable to keep a secret and bored out of her mind, "Do you want more gossip about the Avengers? Cause like, I've got plenty! Uncle Tony? He likes to try on Aunt Pepper's heels sometimes. He says they make him feel tall."

The guard shouldn't respond to that but he can't help it, "You're joking."

"You didn't hear it from me," Lucy smiles innocently.

The other guard coughs through his question, "Is it true Thor's married…-actually, never mind."

Lucy hangs her arms outside the cell bars, "Yeah. His twins are monsters. Trivia for you; his hammer has its own bed and blanket."

"What's the dirt on Captain America?' the other asks, 'My wife is obsessed and I'd like to knock him down a few pegs…if that's even possible."

Lucy tilts her head, "Uncle Tony and I think he's secretly married to this soldier guy he's obsessed with. He acts all, like, ace, but he has this guy's picture up in his bedroom. Won't stop drawing him in his sketchbook. Bucket? Buddy?"

"No way."

"Yeah man! He gets really touchy if you ask about him too. So, shhh."

The other man seems to believe it. He laughs and pokes the guard on the opposite side, "Tony's observant. He caught me playing Galaga once... What dirt do you have on the Black Widow?"

"You should see her alcohol cabinet, let me tell you-! It's only outmatched by her Arsenal...She does have a hulk plush."

"Black Widow owns a plushie?"

"She needs someone to sleep with while Unc-My dad is working until 5am. I went through her room once and found it. Along with a bomb. And a whole bunch of syringes in their drawer…it was weird. I think my unc-I mean my dad might be suppressing the hulk. Not healthy."

There's silence after that...

"Who starts the most fights at the tower?" The younger man asks.

"Clint."

"Who ends them?"

"Pepper. So Clint hides in the vents right?"

"Right."

"He's got a whole man cave in the ceiling. He goes up there when he's annoyed with his son or Laura is threatening to punch him in the face for refurbishing the cabin again."

"I miss that guy. I haven't seen him in a while."

Lucy snickers, "Hey, do you guys like your jobs? Working for SHIELD and stuff?"

They look at eachother. One shrugs. The other squirms, "I mean ...it's fine. Doesn't pay well."

"No dental insurance...but it's a job," the other mumbles.

"Huh,' Lucy lays her head over her arms, 'Is it boring?"

"...it gets a little old when you can't beat Maria Hill for the employee of the month bonus."

"What do y'all think about HYDRA? Do they have a retirement package?"

The two men look at each other, completely confused, and then back at Lucy.

The Jameson girl shrugs, "What?! I'm in High School! I need career options! Also what's up with the Octopus logo? I thought it was a..y'know...hydra?"

The base is secure but Natasha knows how to get inside without a hitch. Having Jen around is the complicated part, even more so when she has shown no interest in reverting to her human form.

Thor would be easily recognized along with her so they stand watch. John and Bruce are headed for the cells while Natasha and Nick move in to look for the director.

Maria gets her cue and after separating from her boss, swipes her card and inadvertently lets them in. She officially defects, loading her weapon and fires at the security cameras which allows Fury and Romanoff to enter from the back as unnoticed as possible.

The director isn't hard to pin down for the trio. A twist of the arm and a few threats to shoot is all it takes for her to comply. Maria's attempt at retrieving any info is useless- it's been destroyed.

By the end of the altercation Natasha is done, pulling the other names with a play on words and gets a full confession and three successful arrests in a matter of minutes. Maria's reassurance for the organization is brief. Some quit, immediately handing over their badges and immediately evacuate.

It's a little disappointing for the newly energized Black Widow who doesn't bother going after the defectors, preoccupied with the missing blood drawn from Lucy along with information on the meta children.

"My office," Fury says simply, while Natasha and Maria follow to clear out his remaining locked up information.

Bruce and John search the halls for Lucy. John turns the corner with his weapon raising over a scream.

Bruce and Hulk work in unison when he harnesses his strength to focus on breaking down the door at the hinge, quick to relax and breathe when it swings open.

"Daddy?!" Lucy yells when she spots John, comfortably lounging on the floor outside her cell.

She has a half eaten slice of pizza in her hand to match the guards.

The girl twitches and refocuses on Bruce for the sake of her captors, "Oh I mean-! Dad! Daddy-o. What are you doing here?"

John lowers his weapon and sighs as if he should've expected something like this. He lays a hand on his hip and looks back at his daughter as if he's picking her up from soccer practice;

"Are you ready to go home?"

The guard on her left smiles with a wave, his mouth full. The other nudges him;

"Is she cleared to leave?"

"Unless you wanna wrestle the Hulk?" John threatens and points to his friend who can go green on command.

The guard fumbles, "Yeah, she's good to go!"

Lucy stands and brushes off her hands with one another, "Bye guys! It's been real! Hope your daughter enjoys Phantom."

The one lifts his device, "Already ordered the tickets! Balcony, first row."

"Great!"

The guard points to Bruce, "Your daughter is fun."

Banner's eyebrows lower in confusion, "Thanks?"

John has to usher the both of them out. She jumps and gives her real dad a hug once he closes the door, "That was fun! Being captured isn't so bad."

"Don't tell your mother. At least make it sound like we wrestled? Or else she'll never forgive Natasha for keeping her outside. Were you drugged, Lulu?"

"Nah! I feel great! Refreshed and ready for caffeine,' she hugs him again, 'It's great to see you, dad! Where's the Hulk, Uncle B? I'm not worth switching for?"

John looks mortified and Banner's eyes are huge.

The physicist mumbles, "So, you weren't drugged? Or tested on…"

"One prick to the finger and a shot for the sake of Ursula's science project but I'm fine."

"Wha…hold on,' Bruce freezes to quickly look her over, 'No torture? No scratches?!"

"Just from the battle. I'm still hungry, dad."

Bruce is a little jealous of her indescribable luck when he addresses John, "How?! That's never happened to me."

John laughs, "Maybe that's her power. You should see the 'courtroom' she sets up to debate grounding. Half the time, Jen and I forget what she did in the first place."