"It was dangerous. And irresponsible to use the stone! Do you understand what could have happened to our realm?!"

Lucy cringes while Izabella jumps over the demigod's tone of voice.

Thor circles as he lectures the duo sitting outside the compound on a bench.

"Who was the fool responsible for freeing my brother the second time?! Which one of you-!"

"Thor?" Jane catches up to her husband, speaking softly.

Jennifer runs up next, "Don't say a word! Don't answer him. The girls have the right to a lawyer, I'm that lawyer."

Sif begins the count, "They must be made examples for Asgard's sake!"

Thor points, "Yours is responsible for freeing dangerous Asgardian prisoners."

Jennifer opens her binder and clicks her pen, "…do you have proof? Eye witnesses?"

"The prisoners would be happy to confess in order to receive a lighter sentence."

"And. What. Is the standard penalty for said charges?"

"Well! It's a couple hundred years-."

"…behind bars?!"

"Might I remind you,' Thor interjects, 'a mortal's life span is mere seconds to us."

"That is just the first charge,' Sif proceeds as if no one has said anything, 'we have not discussed stolen and lost property of the Asgardian royals."

"The stones?" Jane slowly looks over toward Izabella, who looks at Lucy.

Walters whips her head over to Lucy, "You, lost, those stones?!"

Lucy squirms, "One! Don't be so dramatic, it was one stone. We saved Asgard because of it!"

"She lost one norn stone, two other arguably more important stones,' Izabella shakes her head with nothing but disappointment in her voice, 'Those are impossible to replace. Are you going to tell Natasha you lost them?"

Lucy laughs with her eyes wide, "Not a chance."

Thor lifts a brow, "The Asgardian council will demand justice."

Sif sighs, "We could take up Brunnhilde's suggestion of Warrior Scool. Should Romanoff stay behind, as I assume she intends, there would be an absence in Asgard."

"Such is true. Where is our friend?"

"In the mortal armory with Warrior Romanoff."

"What is this, Warrior School?" Jen asks.

"…a service to Asgard. It might not be a bad option," Jane interrupts.

Jennifer's face drops, her binder following suit, "You think I should send my daughter away. For how long?!"

Sif shakes her head and directs her remarks to Thor, "This mortal's lifespan in servitude would hardly make up for crimes against the crown."

"For life?!"

Lucy shrugs, "I mean, Asgard is pretty cool-."

"Shut up," Jen snaps her fingers.

Tony raises his hand and joins the group, "Have we discussed the charges against Izabella Romanova-Banner yet? I'd like to submit an assault charge."

Jennifer lifts her finger, "Give me a minute! I need to figure out Lucy first."

Izabella crosses her arms and a knee, trying to stay tough even though she's sinking on the inside.

Lucy nudges her, "What is your middle name anyways?"

Tony counts on his fingers, "I want payment for emotional trauma; Anna's severe PTSD, full coverage for the top quality anxiety medication I'm going to have to put her on-."

"Daddy?" Antonia comes running over.

"Not now Half-Pint, I'm trying to sue Izabella. I want-." He does a double take over his shoulder, seeing Anna with his Iron Man helmet on and the visor glitching blue, "What are you doing?!"

"I'm Iron-Girl,' Anna lifts her helmet, 'because of my cool scar? Now I can have a suit too! My science sister is going to build it for me, right Izzy?!"

"No,m he gasps, scooping the helmet off of her, 'No! You're traumatized because of the encounter-."

"What's dramatized."

Izabella can't help herself, "Your dad."

"Ayo," Lucy raises her hand for a high-five.

Tony frowns, his cheeks flushing red with a bit of anger, "The point is-!"

"The point is,' Jennifer holds a grin and tilts her head, 'I think you've lost this one. Your kid looks absolutely fine post encounter. And if you continue to bother Izabella, I'll have your ass for harassment."

"Go mom! Wait! Wait no,' Lucy's eyes widened, 'I need to get paid for babysitting! Don't piss off my employer until I get my check!"

Thor holds his head, "I must discuss this with Valkyrie before deciding upon the fate of the children."

Agmundr runs out next, lifting Brody's glasses up over his face, "Daddy look. I have laser vision!"

Jane scoops up their son's stolen object before Thor can panic, taking the glasses off of his face, "Ooh my smart boy. You need to give daddy some space right now. You're grounded, remember?"

"For what?!"

Jane mouths, "Uncle problems…?"

Agmundr's chin lowers, "Oh. That."

Bruce comes back behind the curtain, tugging at his shirt collar with shaky fingers.

Natasha replaces his hands with hers and unbuttons what she knows he's fumbling over;

"There,' she snaps her gum, 'You're doing fine. Two interviews down, eight to go."

He shakes, swallowing hard.

"Hey, breathe,' she coaches him, running a hand through his curls, 'Do you need water?"

"I need to let the hulk hash it out with Riley. I've never hated a kid so much in my life-."

Natasha shoves a cool plastic bottle into his chest, "It could be worse."

"I'm so stressed out I'm shaking," he lifts a hand to demonstrate, fumbling over the water next. "You know Tony's got a seat in the back? He's filming everything in the hopes I fall on my face."

"He's still not talking to you?"

"No! He just stares me down- I'm assuming anyways. He never takes off those glasses. It feels like I'm living through 'Weekend at Bernies'."

"Pepper said we're good and that's the opinion I care about. She's mad about Antonia but that rage is targeted at, you know."

"…my girl?"

"Yeah. And Thor is still mad about the stone."

He bites his lip, "I wish we could take the heat from off of them."

She smirks, "They're adults now. We can't fight all of their battles. Just, suck it up a bit longer? Clint is hanging seeing Nathaniel over my head otherwise I'd be out there with you, against Riley's wishes."

He chokes on a sip of water, "I see where I rank-."

The curtain hand appears with a mic on her ear, "Dr. Banner? We are ready for you."

Bruce looks back at Natasha, "I'm going to throw up."

She pecks his lips and takes back his water, "If you get flustered just start talking about Asgardian science. It's just as interesting and relevant to our absence, I promise. Vrach ?"

He turns over the soft grip on his arm.

She tilts her head thoughtfully, "Keep it in English this time?"

"What are you talking about, I have been speaking English,' frowns over her reaction, 'I haven't…I went off…?"

"…you went off a bit. Somewhere between Hindi and Italian."

"Now I'm freaking out! I can't even pick a language- wasparcie !"

"…Was that Polish? Since when do you speak Polish?!"

"Actually, I can say that in 52 different languages."

"'Screw off, I'm married'?"

He's unimpressed, "Come on Tasha! I'm not playing around, I'm stressed out-!"

"Okay. Forget I said anything. I'm right here, Vrach . Keep your eyes on me if you get nervous."

Bruce heads out to the chair with his chin low and his cheeks turning pale.

Izabella hobbles in, arriving backstage with a boot still on her foot. Natasha reaches for her hand when Izabella asks;

"How is he doing?"

The two women watch. Natasha shrugs, "You know; He's miserable."

The younger one snickers, "You two must really want to get back on the team. Riley gave him a bad deal."

"She has me running in some wild boot camp next week in addition to SHIELD training. What's your sentence? After talking to Jen and Thor?"

"No lab, no science play for 6 months. I have to do 60 hours of community service and babysit Agmundr and Agatha when they visit Earth."

Natasha blinks twice, "That's it?"

"Lucy did worse. She actually, you know, freed the prisoners and destroyed the prison."

"Wow. Bednaya plemyannitsa …"

"Tony still hates me."

"He's just mad at Bruce and I."

"No,' Izabella swallows dryly, 'it is because of Anna."

Natasha nods, draping an arm around Izabella's bicep to hug her from the side, "Trust me; Anna is fine. She's obsessed with her scar."

Izabella lets her head fall on Natasha's shoulder as they watch the interview for a moment.

"I am sorry I am no hero."

Romanoff scoffs, rubbing Izabella's arm, "What are you talking about? You're a hero to me. After what you did in Asgard?"

She sighs, "Thor is unhappy."

"Let him throw his fit. You saved us."

"I care too much."

Natasha hugs her young friend tighter, "That's not a bad thing. I will never stop trying to see the good in everyone the way you and Bruce do."

Izabella nods, "I learned that from both of you seeing the good in me."

Natasha smirks, letting her head fall over Izabella's.

The younger Russian lifts her head first over a sudden awareness, " Vrach is going to throw up."

Natasha huffs an exhausted sigh over the lengths they're going to appease the team;

"I'll grab the bucket."

Izabella, Svetlana, Brody and Bruce make up Natasha's cheer squad as she enters into Riley's final boot camp challenge.

Romanoff is ready to take the loudspeaker from Riley, who is sitting comfortably up in the booth while she tortures Natasha in Russian.

Natasha circles the field, addressing Steve;

"Now what? I have to beat you? That should be easy."

He shakes his head with a grin while she swings her tired arms;

"Nope! You have to fight him."

Clint enters for the first time all day in a pristine battle uniform.

Her head falls, exhausted and beaten down from the six hour day she's already had to endure, "Oh come on…"

Natasha doubles over for a breath and points to Thor with a raised thumb, "I already kicked his ass."

The demigod calls back from the corner while Jane tends to a wound on his face;

"And what a wonderful ass kicking it was!"

Natasha grimaces, talking through her teeth, "How many more?"

Clint is enjoying this, snickering to himself.

Natasha addresses him next, wiping the sweat from her forehead, "This isn't a fair fight."

"You're correct. You should be thanking me for talking Riley out of having you battle her."

" Bozhe moi !" She blurts out her response louder than intended, hugging a cramp at her side.

Clint waits for her to take the first swing and open up a fight that's evenly matched despite her exhaustion.

He wastes little time before pushing her buttons.

Natasha can sense his reservations no matter how slight and pushes past them.

The spies nonverbally challenge each other to go harder.

She targets his feet, he moves in for her blind spot.

Clint hits the ground first, tackled by Natasha with a knee against his chest.

He looks so proud for losing the first point as his chin lifts up toward the bleachers;

"Third row from the front."

Natasha lifts up her eyes to spot his family; Laura and Garrett and a smaller boy who she assumes to be Nathaniel. The Barton family are all 'clapping' in sign language with their hands raised.

Clint chuckles, tapping wrists. She's distracted, choking her best friend who begs for air to make his remark;

"When you're finished destroying me, you should go hug your godson."

It's a crappy motel suite- Lucy's description - a 'gift' from Jennifer- where Tony decides to help Rick retrace his steps.

The first time Rick and Bruce interact, he jokingly calls him 'dad', which earns a glare from Natasha.

Bruce admits he knows 'a' Rick- not that Rick.

Even still, the suite makes for a great lab. And the motel owner is more than happy to provide the heroes with a workspace.

Misplaced and not opposed to returning, Rick accepts Tony's help in getting home.

"Ow ow ow," Rick whines over a wire Bruce glues to the side of his head.

"Sorry," Bruce says half-heartedly.

His apology is to address a knowing Izabella in the corner. He's fully aware of their flirtatious remarks toward each other, protective over the younger woman.

Tony refuses to acknowledge, staring only at his screen and speaking only to Rick;

"I think we found your world. About eh, a five minute warp away. We'll have our transporter prepare to send you home."

Rick Jones eyes Izabella, shrugging his shoulder, "You just needed some coordinates to send me home? Is that it?"

Izabella waits until Tony pivots away and Bruce circles the screen to address Rick.

She shrugs, arms crossed, "Points of reference. It is a brain game."

He nods, "And, there's no chance you'd come with me to Earth 16?"

Bruce silently glares above the frame of his glasses.

Izabella smirks and shakes her head, "No. I do not think that is, where I belong."

Rick's face drops, biting his lip, "Will you come visit?"

"Maybe," she mutters coyly.

"Well my dude! I believe this is where we part," Brody enters and extends a hand for Rick to shake.

"It's been real," Garrett adds, holding Riley's arm behind Brody.

"Right,' Rick scoffs, 'has anyone seen my guitar."

Darcy enters, "I've got it, bud! I got you!"

Izabella stretches her sore fingers, testing a spark, "Are you ready to go?"

Rick takes a breath, sitting in his chair when he takes his guitar, "I…"

"I made it,' Lucy announces boisterously as she enters the makeshift lab, 'Traffic was shit but luckily my dad doesn't believe in speed limits."

"They're just ways for the government to control us. I'm fully capable of using my own judgement when driving, thank you very much," John Jameson flings his keys needlessly, standing beside his daughter.

Valkyrie lifts her finger, "And I'm here as Asgardian security to supervise the criminal until her sentence has been decided."

Rick groans upon learning the father is just as chaotic as the daughter, "Yeah, I'm ready now."

Izabella tests a stronger energy, "If um. If you ever need us, you know where to find us."

He laughs, "Is there a, Yellowbook for realms I can find somewhere?"

"What's a Yellowbook?" Garrett asks Brody who shrugs.

Rick tries one more time, "Can I get your phone number, Izabella?"

"Goodbye, Rick," Bruce grins numbly from behind his computer.

Izabella match her mentor's expression and gives Rick a jolt of energy from her fingertips to evaporate him back to his world.

Lucy spins, addressing her teammates, "Anyone up for drinks?"

"Me!" Valkyrie yells.

"Lucy's are on me,' Tony finally speaks up, looking at Lucy, 'Get some mocktails for Peter and Violet. Are you going with her Riley? Help Valkyrie supervise."

The girl groans, still on Garrett's arm, "I guess."

Tony wiggles his credit card, biting his lip mis grin when he offers it to Lucy.

Jameson's eyes widen over his offer, "No way."

"Two each only! Yes? As long as your dad is cool with it…?"

John reaches into his pocket to light a cigarette, "She's an adult, she can make her own choices…I'll supervise."

Riley laughs out loud, her head thrown backward, "God! I feel so safe right now."

Darcy hip checks Riley, "I got you! I'm coming too!"

Brody points, "Okay, now we're safe. Darcy won't let anything happen to us."

Lucy takes the card, "Come on Riley! It'll be fun. Izzy?"

Tony has a grip on Izabella's arm, tilting his head toward the door when he addresses the other kids;

"Give us a minute, she'll be right out."

Bruce lingers, eyes on his 'daughter'. Izabella reads the room, calling gently for her mentor to leave;

" Vrach?"

Banner listens and leaves slowly, hesitating to shut the door behind him when he hasn't heard from or been able to read Tony yet.

Stark swallows, ensuring there's enough time for a tension to build and for the door to close.

"I don't hate you,' he starts, softly, 'I hate that you remind me of them."

She stays as serious as ever, "I know. I think."

"You know or you think? They're two different things."

She accepts his council, picking at her fingers once he frees her arm. She reaches for a necklace she realizes she no longer has.

He sighs and looks her in the eye, "You're as impossible to read as they are."

" Vrach and Natasha?"

He thinks up a snarky comment within a second and decides against it, "I treated you like an adult when you weren't. I put a lot on you these past few years. And. I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"I don't do the feelings thing, but if I'm being real for a second, I think you triggered me. You act like him and there are days when you look like her. I should've been looking after you. Not pushing you away."

"I understand why you did."

"That doesn't make it right. I was so afraid you'd lose someone else I loved…I should've been coaching you through it,' he shifts, tugging on his jacket, 'Anyways. When are you going to apply for the open scientist position at my New York facility?"

She swallows hard, tugging at her fingers. With her eyes low she mumbles under her breath, "When you stop being petty about their sudden reappearance and talk to your science friend again..?"

He frowns and gives her a look of pure disgust, "Unnecessary Izabella Natalia-Robertanovna Mikhailova. That one hit below the belt."

Izabella nods, holding her hands behind her back, "Good."

She waits in a moment of silence before continuing;

"I know you missed him. And that you believe in second chances. Pepper gives you chances every day."

"I-…What did you just say?! Izzy,' he gestures dramatically, 'I'd have to swallow my pride and stop being 'petty'. Do you know me at all?"

Izabella smiles softly and shakes her head;

"I do. Better than you think. We traveled the world together. You pulled my brain apart in Russia."

He takes a breath. There's a moment of raw emotion before his deflection. His walls are coming down and he needs them back up;

"Why did you hit my kid?"

"I was fighting with Lucy. My shot missed. I am sorry."

He crosses his arms, looking her over.

Izabella stammers, holding her elbow, "I never meant to hurt Anna. If it helps, she was..influential in my decision to push forward. She is just as much responsible for saving Asgard as I am."

"Poor Violet still thinks she spun time around," he snickers.

"I will not tell her if you do not."

He scoffs, "I won't."

Izabella lifts and holds her shoulders up, "What if you gave Vrach the New York position?"

Tony lifts an eyebrow, "Why? Do you have a better science offer somewhere else?"

"No-."

"If it's about lab PTSD-."

"It is not."

"Good. Because you should get back to the lab. It would make your 'dad' happy."

Izabella huffs through a half laugh, sniffling to wipe the blood under her nose from warping Rick minutes prior;

"If you hire Bruce, then your a lot is full."

Tony reaches to steal a tissue from a nearby box and offers it to the girl, "There's always room in the budget to make room for another intern."

Izabella takes it and nods, accepting the elbow he offers, "What about Peter Parker?"

"You really don't want to work for me…Maria gave you a SHIELD offer didn't she?"

"No! Maybe?"

Tony waits until she's composed, shaking his head, "Shall we go catch up with your rowdy siblings?"

Natasha wakes up first in that same hotel. The Banner's have a small room above so long as they're staying on Earth.

She stands to turn on the water for the shower- blinking when the water squirts up into her eye.

It's cold, still.

Her phone rings, sitting over at the sink. It's hogging their lone outlet to charge her device loaned from Fury for the week.

"Clint?" Natasha asks upon reading the caller I.D.

'We have a guest room here at the cabin. Laura and I talked last night and we were wondering if you and Bruce wanted to crash for the weekend?'

She bites her fingernail, "We wouldn't want to be an inconvenience?"

'You'd be a big one but you and your husband and the dog of yours could also help me on the farm. What do you think?'

"I think we should take you up on that offer before you change your mind."

'I'll send you the address.'

She looks down at the tile, "Thank you, Clint."

'You bet.'

Natasha ends the call on the flip phone, watching Bruce stand from their bed to investigate a note slipped under their door.

She mentally prepares for a fight and tip-toes over as he tiredly fumbles with the letter.

Alex stirs from the ground, his tail lazily wagging.

Banner settles on the edge of the bed with the Stark pressed, gold foil letterhead.

Natasha sinks slowly beside the disheveled scientist in some baggy pants and a gray tee;

"What is that about?"

He tugs his messy hair with a nervous chuckle, "I have an interview in three hours with Antony Edward Stark."

"Signed 'Virginia Potts'?"

"No. Signed Tony."

"You're lying," she's conscious of her eyes potentially bulging and retracts them.

Her fingers steal the invite from his fingers to confirm everything for herself.

"Dr. Banner! Welcome,' Peter Parker greets a decently dressed Bruce Banner first, leading him down a long corridor, 'Mr. Stark is expecting you."

"Right,' Bruce shakes his hand and fiddles with his shirt buttons, 'What was your name again?"

"Peter! Peter Parker, doc. Doctor."

"Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Peter nervously hits the buttons in the elevator and taps his wrist. "I'll um! I'll let the boss know you're here. Sir. Doctor. God you're such a legend and I met the hulk already but I haven't met you and I so many questions about gamma sir, I mean doc-!"

Bruce nods with a gentle smirk, "It's alright, Peter. Breathe."

He takes a breath, "Right! Breathing."

Tony is preoccupied with the computer in a dirty tank top with a screwdriver in his mouth when he yells to address his guests;

"You can go now."

Stark kicks a wheeling chair over toward Peter.

Bruce catches it and nods toward Parker to signify that he's able to handle it from here.

"Lock the door, kid,' Tony asks as nicely as possible and switches his focus to Bruce, 'what are you standing around for? I need help with the compressor."

Bruce shrugs off his jacket with a light laugh and immediately moves to unbutton the top of his shirt.

He freezes to take in the space; it feels like home. Unorganized and chaotic, a far cry from Jane Foster's lab;

"This place is a mess."

Tony waves his screwdriver, "You should see my primary location in Malibu. The tech is to die for but it looks like a hurricane hit."

Bruce moves into action, holding a piece of plastic in place for Stark to work on his project.

Tony scoffs, "Why are you all dressed up?"

"I-.' Banner scrambles for words, 'thought this was an interview…?"

"What's your five year plan?"

"Well I uh…I'd like to readjust to living at sea level again. Find a place for Tasha and I. You?"

Tony folds his fingers into his palm and addresses the computer, "Can you run the numbers and see if a 10% increase in hydraulics would make this thing go faster?"

"On it," Bruce rolls his tongue over his cheek and moves for the computer, squinting to read.

"Is $110 an hour to start a hard enough kick in the nuts?"

Bruce laughs, completely mortified, "…That hurts a lot, yes. Given my education and experience-."

"Great. You'll start at $110 with room and board credit to cash in for the wife, the dog. We'll talk again in 90 days about a raise when we see if you're still around slash interested or if I've scared you away yet. What do you say?"

His eyes flick upwards, to spot an extended hand in his direction.

A job is a job and it's a good one.

But Tony's offering more than a job- it's a peace offering.

He's trying to move on in his own way.

Bruce accepts Tony's offer with a firm handshake and a sincere, "Thanks."