The team and Cassie were busying themselves amidst what used to be the training room of the Avengers mansion, press ups, practicing their powers, anything to pass the time in what blatantly was not a training session but an attempt to call their parents.

Billy had taken off his cape and was standing next to Teddy, clutching his hand while Teddy stroked a comforting thumb over his knuckles, and when no one was looking, leaning down to nip Billy's ear.

"Hulkling, break it down," Patriot said, pointing to the door.

"How?"

"I thought you had super strength."

"I thought you had super strength," Teddy countered.

"Stand back," Billy cut in. "Maybe I can short out the security system." Teddy gave one last squeeze before stepping back to give him space.

Billy shot a huge steam of lightning at the door of the training facility, but to no effect.

"Then again, maybe I can't."

"What if you use you other powers?" asked Patriot.

"What other powers?" asked Cassie.

"Eli!" exclaimed Billy.

"What? You used them to stop the growing men."

"Yeah, but -"

"Do you want your parents to find out you're a super hero?"

"No."

"Then do something. Teleport us out of here. Make the door disappear. Anything."

"You can make doors disappear?" inquired Cassie.

"Um... it's complicated."

"No, it's not," interrupted Eli. "Hulkling has other powers too."

"Eli!!" growled Teddy.

"Eli, now is not the time," Iron Lad said, trying to calm down the whole situation.

It took a while for Eli to calm down, but in the end Iron Lad – Nathaniel – laid a hand on Cassie's shoulder and asked her, for her first official act as a Young Avenger if she would help them get out of there.

"Okay... but how?"

Nathaniel explained that if she could grow, she should be able to shrink as well.

"But then how would I get you guys out? Was anybody watching when Iron Man typed in the security code?"

"I was," came a female voice that wasn't Cassie's.

"Kate!" squealed Cassie and launched herself into a hug.

"I thought you left."

"Not without you giant girl," Kate teased.

"Thanks for the save Kate," Nathaniel said.

"Can we go please," muttered Patriot. "Before the Avengers call the cops and/or our parents?"

"Don't worry Patriot," retorted Kate. "The Avengers won't be making any calls for a while. They're too busy talking to Kang."

The shock in the room was palpable.

"Come on," Kate gestured towards the exit. "I'll tell you on the way."

"Way where?" Patriot asked.

Kate didn't reply until they reached a kind of locker room where Kate told them their gear was stored.

"Well, first Kang threatened to kill Jessica's unborn child, then he shot Cap and Iron Man with a laser rifle; but yeah, when I left then were just talking."

"We have to get up there," Nathaniel said, determined.

"You're not going anywhere," replied Patriot.

"Why not?"

"Because," said Teddy. "If Kang sees you -"

"He won't. He's looking for a 'young Kang', and I'm Iron Lad."

"Then what are we waiting for?" asked Kate from behind them. They turned around and drew in a shocked breath in unison.

"Who are you supposed to be? Hawkingbird?" Patriot asked.

"Gee. You don't like my outfit? I'm hurt."

Kate was costumed up in Mockingbird's mask and battle staves, Swordsman's sword, a quiver or arrows, a bow and more weapons that Billy couldn't even begin to count.

"Come," said Kate, together they ran to where the Avengers were, but stopped short and hid behind some rubble in time to see that Jessica Jones was in her Jewel costume and was definitely not pregnant. Billy's blood boiled at what he saw, Kang had taken away her child.

"All right Kang -" said Cap.

"Cap..." Jessica cautioned.

"We'll give you the boy."

Iron Lad gasped and together they drew back into the mansion, protecting their leader, and into the tunnels underneath the mansion.

"I'm so sorry Iron Lad -" Cassie said.

"It's okay Cass," Iron Lad replied, and Billy saw them bump their hands together.

"- not it's not. The fact that Cap is willing to just hand you over to the most despicable villain in Avengers history -"

"Easy Cass. Iron Lad kinda is Kang," Teddy cut in.

"Yeah but he's the young Kang. The good Kang."

"And I intend to stay that way. There's no way I'm going back with him."

Billy could sense what was going on between Cass and Nathaniel and bumped his hand against Teddy's, smiling and gesturing with his head at the couple.

Teddy squeezed the hand and brought it up to his mouth to press a kiss on the knuckles, grinning when lightning surged up Billy's arm.

"So where are we going?" Billy asked.

"This way," Kate and Eli said simultaneously and pointing in opposite directions. Billy could swear he saw something between them as well. Or it could just be the mood that Teddy always put him in whenever he was around.

Iron Lad checked the map of the mansion installed into his software.

"So," Kate began, turning her attention away from Eli and onto Nathaniel. "If you don't become Kang... everything changes?"

"I suppose it would have to. Right?"

"So the mansion? Jessica's baby? It's all just... gone?

"I guess so."

"Then I'm sorry, but... maybe you should go back."

"Kate!" Cassie exclaimed.

"He can't!" Billy seconded.

"I'm just saying..."

"Kate," Nathaniel said in his usual patient manner. "If you found out you were going to become... Adolf Hitler, wouldn't you do everything in your power to make sure it never happens?"

"Of course, but – did you see the colour of the sky up there? And the look on Jessica's face?"

"Maybe Kate's right," Teddy inserted. "If you went back would you have to become Kang the conqueror?"

The argument continued for a while. The team hypothesised and philosophised until they could no more until Eli reminded them that they were a team, they were meant to stick together.

"We follow Iron Lad," he said.

And they did, following him down a corridor he said led to the front gate.

Nathaniel shifted a huge trap-door and climbed out, Billy followed after Teddy. Once out of the hole he immediately got the gist of the conversation. They were handing over Nathaniel.

"I came to the Avengers for help," he growled, furious. "I won't make that mistake again." With that, he launched himself into the air, speeding away.

Kang offered to go after him but Iron Man declined, saying that he should say here where his colleagues could keep an eye on him, and launched himself after Nathaniel.

Billy watched in slow motion as Teddy hurled himself at Iron Man, catching his leg and holding on. Shit! Shit! Shit! Shi-

Billy saw Iron Man blast Teddy off.

"HULKLING!"

Teddy fell through the air, and Billy shot off after him. Too late to stop the impact.