Author Note: OMG I have watched Endgames (and Game of thrones the battle of Winterfell) in the same day. Wow I feed my geeky side big time – don't know how I will cope at work tomorrow lol. Now I have the urge to go back and rewrite parts of this story – but I really should try to sleep….

Chapter Seven

"Just give me a little more time," said Tony starting to feel impatience. It was the next day after the attack at headquarters, and everyone was still on edge about the the day before. "I am almost at a break through… just a little more time – that's all I am asking."

"We just got attacked, we have to destroy this weapon before it dose any more damage,"

"Hell no," said Tony at once "If this weapon gets destroyed, Bruce stays a kid. Just give me a little more time…. Pleases…." Tony rarely begs about anything and Fury knew that.

"You have a week, then that weapon has to be destroyed – Banner is only one person. We got to think about everyone else who lives in this damn world." Said Fury "A week – no more…."

Tony walked away and back into the labs and started to work. He didn't know how but somehow he had a week to get Bruce back to normal. Or as normal as he could. Pepper was with Bruce in the morning and because of the scare Bruce had yesterday, Pepper had suggested she and Bruce watched Disney films. Tony would rather skip work and join them - but he couldn't he had a deadline to meet.

….

Tony was busy working for hours on end when someone walked into the room. Tony looked up automatically then went back to work then he realized who was there he looked up again "What do you want?" asked Tony "I though Fury told you that you weren't welcome here."

General Ross gave Tony a stern look, "You need to give the boy over – the boy is a danger to everyone, I heard to turn into the Hulk yesterday…"

Tony shook his head "How is anyone safer with you? You help created the Abomination…" Tony and Ross used to have a business relationship when Tony was more into making weapons and to much of Tony regret he had helped Ross hunting down Bruce when he was on the run. But that was years ago - back then he was just Tony Stark now he was iron man and an Avenger. He was a different person.

"Do don't judge me by my pass mistake, I know the Hulk….I have seen the damage he can do. You once try to help me to capture him,"

"That's was a long time ago and I didn't know the whole story" he still didn't but he now knew Bruce was working for Ross when he had his Gamma accident "I didn't know Bruce. And I didn't know Bruce was dating your daughter which you didn't like." He said "And I know the Hulk – he isn't a mindless monster…"

"Just because you want it to be true – doesn't make it so,"

Tony shock his head. He believe what he told Bruce the night before - The Hulk was just misunderstood, yes he could be dangerous and cause untold damage but really the damage was mainly empty cars and he did more good than anything else. Being in the Avengers seem to almost tame the Hulk down a little.

"What are you going to do with a six year old?" Tony asked and Ross didn't answer "Bruce is staying with me – they is no way I am letting him anywhere near you…you wanted to used him as a weapon... I can't let you do that...…"

"You can't protect him," said Ross "You can't protect the people around him."

"Remind me..." said Tony "When is the last time you spoke to your daughter? she wasn't too pleased about you going after Bruce in the first place. how will she be if I told her you wanted to arrest a six year old Bruce?"

Ross took a step closer to Tony "Keep my daughter out of this..."

"Then stay away from Bruce,"

….

Clint was surprised when Tony phoned him - or maybe he shouldn't been. After the events of the day before and the fact he was looking after Bruce that afternoon "Were are you?" asked Tony then he gave a quick explanation about Ross,

"We just gone for a bike ride," said Clint

"Are you being watch?"

"No," said Clint looking around "Not from what I can tell…."

"Well, get the kid somewhere safe," said Tony

Clint looked at Bruce who was beside him listening to what he was saying with a serious expression on his face "Do you want us back at headquarters?" asked Clint "Because I don't think that be the best idea." They was a silent over the other end "Stark?"

"Holy cow…." Said Tony in a voice that sounded like excitement "I think….. You and Bruce need to get back here….now…." Tony hanged up.

Clint pocket his phone looking puzzled "Tony wants up back in headquarters,"

"Why?" asked Bruce "That was where all the fighting happen…."

"Also where he is working – it must be important,"

"Adults always say things are important even when things are unimportant," said Bruce and Clint had to agree with that.

…

"I can't get him to his right age yet," said Tony he was talking to the other Avengers and Fury. Bruce was also there listening carefully "But I will be able to age him up a little bit – a few year's maybe…."

"How much is a few?" asked Natasha

"Ten or Eleven," said Tony he looked at the boy watching "The same age…." He trailed off but everyone knew what he was talking about. Bruce would be around the age he way when his mother was murdered.

"Can you do it in one go….just Zap?" asked Thor

"This is science not magic," said Tony "It may be safer for everyone if you do this in stages…." Bruce put his hand up like he was in school. "Bruce?" said Tony

Bruce looked at Tony "If I'm bigger, won't the big green guy get bigger too?"

"Yes – but that's a good thing, we want that to happen," said Tony, Bruce put his hand up "Yes?"

"Will it hurt?"

"Maybe a little," said Tony truthfully.

Bruce look like he was thinking "If I am bigger – I could punch the bad guys from yesterday. Tony said you can only punch people if they are hurting other people….i can't because I'm small…but if I was bigger…I can help,"

"You don't have to punch other people," said Natasha

Fury closed his eye for a moment. "How many stage will they have to be?" he asked

"The first stage has to be the smallest one," said Tony "maybe four or five – or many be just the two. But it can't be done in one go or in the same day. We can do the first stage tomorrow…." Tony paused for a moment "And I have to tell Pepper first – because she will make me sleep on the couch if I do not tell her….."

….

"Do you know how the deal a pre-teen who witness a murder?" asked Steve once the others have left the room leaving only him and Tony "We might have a few more Hulk problems on our hands…"

"The only Hulk problem we might have is when we age him up." said Tony as he worked "His body might see it as a threat. But part from that…"

Steve frowned "You don't think it be a problem?"

"Bruce's problem when he was younger is repressed anger," explained Tony "And I mean really really repressed anger…. So when he had the whole gamma accident thing happen it got all linked up to that anger…..So the Hulk might be an issue – but if Bruce is going to be like how he was that ten or eleven years old we going to have an pretty unemotional close off depressed kid…." Tony looked up at Steve "I had looked in to his mental heath reports…."

"Will he remember us when he ages?"

"I don't know, this sort of thing has never happen before. We are going into this blindly…"

…

It was late in the evening and Tony and Pepper were discussing that plan for the next day. "It'll be better if he was wearing the bigger clothes before he changes," said Pepper

"And what if he turns into the Hulk?"

"Bring spares," said Pepper simply "After this – how long will it take to age him up again?"

Tony shrugged "If this small leap work well – they maybe I can get him back in a bigger leap – but if they are issues it will have to be in stages – or at least until he's a legal adult."

"Do you want a drink?"

Tony shook his head "No," he did want one but reading the reports about Bruce's father he couldn't bring himself to do it – not with the kid close by asleep or not he didn't want to scare the kid again. "I will have loads after this is over." He saw Pepper giving him a look that told him someone was behind him. He turn to see Bruce standing there quietly. "Hey Bruce – it's rather late…. Are you alright?"

"What if making me ten year old go wrong?" asked Bruce "It might blow me up!"

"That won't happen," said Tony walking over the went down to Bruce's eye level. "If they was a change of that happening – I wouldn't let you anywhere near it."

"What if you make me too old?"

"That won't happen, I won't let it..."

"Promise?"

Tony smiled "I promise, is they any other questions?"

Bruce nodded his head "When I am Ten, can I stay here still?"

"Of course you can, do you think I would like you stay with Thor?" asked Tony "Don't worry so much kiddo, you are stuck with us…."

….

The next day everyone was in one of the labs. "Okay Buddy," said Tony "Are you ready?" His eyes meet is a nervous six year old eyes. Bruce nodded his head. "One, two, and three…."

The ray of light hit Bruce and he fell on the floor. As he grown his skin keep changing between his normal skin colours to green. Then an older Bruce sat up – like Tony had said he looked about ten or eleven,

"Hey," said Steve being the closest "Hey Bruce – do you know who I am? Do you know where you are?"

Bruce looked at Steve for a moment like he was trying to place a face. "You're Captain American," said Bruce he looked around the room "And this is the superhero labs…."

Tony laughed "Stage one complete," he said to himself.