The Nine Tailed Foxx

Chapter 10

((A/N: No, I haven't forgotten about my other stories. Just waiting on one muse to step back and let others have some time.

A wonderful thanks to my friend Lady Moonhawke, who is also my co-writer, co-conspirator, Idea tester, plot hole finder, monkey wrench thrower, and ghost editor.))

Settling In

Mid January, Avengers Tower, 4 days post arrival….

Once Alexei went down for his nap, Johnny decided to raid the main kitchen for things to bring back until he can put in his own order. Since he was only cooking for himself, it made it easier to get in, locate what he wanted and leave, with FRIDAY's assistance of course.

Over a light lunch, he sketched out a simple household budget. He had to use the Stark Tablet since there wasn't any papers, pens or pencils about. He would scowl from time to time as something he added got changed, usually to a premium quality brand. A layout of the room was downloaded to the tablet at his request so he could redecorate. He gave up with the idea since he couldn't check the furniture out personally and he wasn't sure if he could leave the tower on a shopping excursion to find out. He'd have to put in a request to speak with Ms. Potts to go over what can and cannot be done. So far, other than Clint and Nat, Pepper Potts was someone he felt he could trust to give him the truth. No matter how ugly said truth could get. After he put Alexei down for the night and had his own dinner, he poked through the steamer trunks for something to wear the next day. He'd go through them later.

It took a few days but finally Johnny and Alexei settled into a routine. He tended to wake up about twenty minutes before Alexei woke, giving him time to prep the baby's morning meal and set up the change of diaper and clothes. Once that's done, he put Alexei down on the blanket covered floor and grab his own breakfast. Mid to late morning, another bottle and a change, then down for a nap allowing him time for a bit of a workout and lunch. The afternoon was about the same. Bottle and change, play time, another bottle, another nap and his workout. Evening only changed in the fact Alexei got cereal once more then bath and bed. One last workout, his own dinner, shower and he was sliding into bed. Rinse and repeat.

It was a week later (end of January) when things changed.

Alexei had just went down for his morning nap and Johnny was in just starting his morning workout. Nothing fancy or hardcore, just something to keep himself in shape. He was dressed only in a pair of sleep pants, when a knock on the door interrupted him.

"Foxx, Ms. Potts is at the door."

Getting to his feet, Johnny moved to the door and opened it, one hand pulling the sleep pants a little higher on his waist. "Good morning, Ms. Potts," he greeted. The syntax issue having been worked out. "What can I do for you today?" His eyes darted to the two people standing behind her.

Pepper paused, looking Johnny up an down a moment before sliding back into professional mode. "Good morning Mr. LeFleaur,"

"Please, call me Johnny.. or Foxx," Johnny said with a smile as he gestured for everyone to come in. "Can I offer you anything to drink?"

"Only if you call me Pepper. No thank you," Pepper said as she took a seat on the couch.

Nat moved to stand near by as Clint took up a position near the door.

Johnny glanced at both before refocusing on Pepper. "What can I do for you today Pepper," he asked as he sat down across from her.

"I understand you haven't had a chance to redecorate. I thought we'd rectify that. And take care of anything else you may need," Pepper stated.

Johnny shot a glance in the direction of the bedroom then back to Pepper. "Um.. what about Alexei? I just put him down for his nap."

"Oh don't worry, we shouldn't be gone that long. And if we are, well I've got it handled," Pepper assured Johnny. "So, why don't you go get ready and I'll meet you down in the garage." She stood up with a smile then left.

After Pepper left, Johnny sighed, scrubbing his face. "I don't really get to say no?"

"No," Nat said as she came strolling out of the bedroom. "Hurry up, it's not nice to keep Pepper waiting."

"What about Alexei?" Johnny asked as he stood up and started moving to the bedroom door.

Clint waved a hand.

"Oh… fine."

Twenty minutes later, Johnny exited the elevator wearing one of the simplest of outfits Doom provided. With sunglasses, a scarf and his great coat, he looked like some European aristocrat on holiday, or perhaps an eccentric CEO of a company SI was interested in. Nat, on the other hand was dressed in a black pantsuit, looking for all the world like a personal assistant. Neither one looked very remarkable considering everything that went on in New York City on a daily basis. A few moments later, the elevator opened again and out stepped Pepper in her usual business suit.

Happy opened the door to the car for them with a smile, "Good morning Pepper, Ms. Rushman, sir." Once everyone was in the car, he closed the door and slid into the driver's seat. "Where to this morning?"

"Roche-Bobois first please," Pepper instructed.

By the time they returned to the Tower late in the afternoon, the trio had gone to half a dozen high end furniture stores before Johnny finally found what he liked. They also visited another dozen or so stores ranging from fashion clothing to what could be called normal everyday apparel to baby stores. Both Pepper and Nat found it amusing that Johnny flat out refused to consider, let alone buy, anything that fell under the heading of 'SuperHero merchandise' (Avengers, Fantastic Four, etc) for either Alexei or himself. Instead he chose simple single color, animal related or classic icon related clothing for Alexei. For himself, he chose more neutral colors or bright, jewel toned clothes that complimented his skin tone and hair color.

Nat looked up from her phone as they pulled into the tower's private garage. "Clint has Alexei up in the common room. He said the delivery people have already put everything together, so all you need to do is decided the placement."

Johnny just nodded. His head felt like someone was using it as a taiko drum. He had discovered, thanks to this little outing, that his control of his spatial awareness was severely screwed up. Small groups he could handle. Pepper, Nat and a salesperson or two, he didn't even twinge. But once they left the high end, exclusive stores behind there was more people about. There was at least a two paparazzi that had a field day when they tried one of the Malls. He didn't even make it a hundred feet past the doors before he was forced to stop. Pepper had acted quickly, sliding an arm around his waist as she moved under his arm. She had guided him to a relatively secluded service hall. Nat had, of course, played lookout. When Pepper had offered to have the Mall opened privately for him, he refused, claiming it was just as easy at this point, to just shop online and have it delivered. After Happy assured them he would see to the packages, the trio piled into the elevator.

Johnny didn't notice till it was a little too late that his floor had been bypassed for the common floor. He would have honestly stayed in the elevator if Pepper hadn't grabbed the front of his coat and hauled him out. He was then directed to where Clint was sitting on the floor playing with Alexei. Shedding the coat, he draped it over the arm of a couch, ignoring the person sitting on it. Turning, he took two steps backwards before bridging into a handstand. He hand walked, perfectly balanced, to where Alexei was.

Clint rolled to his feet, amused at what Johnny was doing, and meandered to where Pepper had joined Tony on the couch. "How'd it go?" he asked in curiosity.

"Good, until we reached the mall," Pepper answered, ignoring Tony's raised eyebrow when she snagged his drink and took a sip before handing it back.

"Oh?"

"Ummhmmm," Pepper didn't elaborate, just smiled when Alexei's cooing and gurgling turned to laughter.

Johnny had dropped down so he was on his knees leaning over the baby, fingers running lightly over his sides and stomach before catching an arm or leg and blowing raspberries. He ignored when tiny hands grabbed fist fulls of hair, then yanked and flailed in excitement.

"He's good with Alex," Steve commented from his place at the bar.

"Alexei," Nat corrected with a smile as she poured hot water into a tea cup. She added a dollop of honey and a couple of tea bags. The strong scent of mint wafted up. "He does have experience," she added as she stirred. "Granted, not as much as Clint."

"Alexei…." Steve conceded. "Hearing or reading about it is different from seeing it," he added, watching as Johnny scooped the baby up before rolling onto his back and holding him in the air above him. He himself, had very little experience in dealing with infants and most of that was before the war.

"So, whether or not you find Bucky, are you planning on being part of his life?" Nat asks, leaning on the bar as she makes a second cup of tea, this one for herself. She glanced to Pepper, who was speaking softly into Tony's ear about something. When she slid her eyes to Tony, he looked like he was only half listening as he did something on his phone, but she knew he was giving Pepper his full attention. "How's your side?" she asked, switching topics.

Steve ran a hand down the side in question. "Good. Fully healed." His own eyes going to Pepper then to Johnny who was sitting up now. His expression shifted from the normal open and friendly to 'on the job' neutral as he remembered the circumstances under which he got the injury in the first place. "What was his skill set with the HYDRA cell?' he asked, thinking tactically for a moment.

Nat thinned her lips as she considered Steve's question. "Distraction, infiltration, recon, and retrieval. Plus a few other, less valued skill that should not be overlooked," Nat answered.

"Fury was here within 12 hours of his arrival. What does he want with him?" Steve turned to look at Nat, blue locking with green over the rim of a tea cup. "We all made a deal, Natasha. No more secrets between us."

Slowly Nat sipped her tea as she debated with herself over how much to tell Steve about. She lowered the cup after finishing the tea. "Seeing for himself, if Johnny is a suitable candidate for a recruitment program, based on both mine and Clint's recommendations. Clint's actually offered to sponsor him if he accepts."

"And if he turns down the offer?"

"Incarceration at one of the facilities designed for supers," Nat admitted.

"What happens to Alexei if that happens?" Steve pressed on, turning to watch Johnny's interactions with the others. He noted that the young man seemed to still not interact with Tony on the same level as he did with Clint and Natasha. Pepper was on an entirely different level it seemed.

"I think that entirely depends on you. If you step up, you'll be given custody more than likely. If not, he will be given to a specially selected pair of former SHIELD agents to be raised and watched. Remember, Alexei was conceived and born in a HYDRA facility. No one knows what, if any, part of the serum used on Bucky was genetically passed along. We don't have anything to make a comparison with. We're not even sure if he might become a mutant like his mother."

"Alright, let's go hypothetical for a few moments," Steve countered as he turned to face Nat fully, arms crossed and resting on the bar top as he leaned towards her, keeping his voice low. "Say I do somehow, for some unknown reason, become part of Alexei's life. An adopted uncle, let's say. Sure, I can tell him all about the biological donor's life, but I can't tell him anything about his father's life. Right now, Johnny IS his father. He was there the day he was born according to the files. He has had a hand in caring for him and raising him as a true parent would. When, not IF, Bucky returns, will he even want anything to do with Alexei? I don't know if he will or not. You don't know it either and you had a close, personal relationship with him at one point. Or as close as a KGB raised and trained assassin could have. For all we know, Bucky could see the child as a threat and do what he was trained to do to remove a threat. For all intent and purpose, Mirela Montrovnyah and Bucky Barnes are both victims of rape. No, the most I can be to Alexei is someone who occasionally works with his father, that's it." He stood up and headed for the elevator. "Sorry Pepper, Tony, I'm suddenly not in the mood for a team dinner." When he got there, the door was opening to allow Bruce to step out. He nodded a greeting, but that was it as he stepped into the now empty car.

Nat dropped her head into her hands. "Damn it..." she whispered softly. She realized exactly when she had made the mistake of pushing the issue and like last time, it came back and bit her on the ass. She didn't react when an arm slid around her waist, pulling her into a one armed hug. She leaned into Bruce as she lifted her head. "Hey. Would you mind if we skipped team dinner?" she asked.

Bruce looked around the common room, noting Pepper and Tony on the couch, from the looks, discussing something. Clint and Johnny were a little further away on the floor with the baby. "Sure," he answered, then glanced at the second tea cup. "Who's tea?" he asked.

"Oh.. it's for Johnny."

Bruce just nodded. With his arm still around Nat's waist, he guided her towards the elevator. He'd seen Clint wave so he knew that Pepper would be informed.

"And then there was four… well four and one-eighth left," Tony piped up after the elevator door closed. He shifted, leaning forward on the couch as Pepper got up. "So, Legolas…. no clue what to call you just yet other then baby daddy….looks like team dinner is a bust tonight, plans?"

"Furniture arranging," Johnny said with a shrug as he held Alexei's hands, allowing the baby to stand, somewhat wobbly, as he continued to coo, make spit bubbles and in general vocalize.

Clint shrugged, "Finding something to eat that doesn't involve my own cooking."

It was Pepper that decided to take charge. Handing the teacup to Johnny she sat down once more next to Tony. "Ok, how about this then. While I watch the baby, I'll order take out and you three arrange the furniture to Johnny's liking. Then maybe find something else to do afterwards when Johnny's put the baby to bed."

Johnny savored the mint tea as he listened to Pepper's plan. Shrugging he was hardly in the position to refuse any help or deny anyone, especially her or Tony, access to his rooms. "That's fine."

"Hey, I don't have to cook and moving furniture isn't an issue," Clint commented as he held Alexei in his lap, holding a toy for him.

"Do I have to?" Tony mock whined. "Come on, that's physical labor… I don't do labor….you know that." He was grinning though. "And only if you include some Shawarma."

"Hmm.. Rat on a stick...," Johnny added with an amused smile.

"Did you just say Rat on a stick?" Tony asked. "That's just… ew.. seriously, rat?"

Chuckling, Johnny shook his head. "I once attended a Ren Faire. One of the 'taverns' at the event sold what they called 'rat on a stick'. It was actually beef, lamb, pork, and goat meat ground up and formed into mini-meatloaf that was baked on a bamboo skewer."

"Goat isn't that bad. All depends on how old it is before it's slaughtered and how it's cooked. Not a huge fan of lamb though," Clint commented.

That was how the four of them ended up in Johnny's room, eating Italian takeout from Cantellines and comparing strange and/or exotic foods they've had experience eating. It seemed that Tony was in the lead simply because Clint couldn't tell about ninety percent of the places he traveled that had exotic or strange food. So of course, when the topic of travel was touched upon, Clint was once more falling behind. Pepper surprisingly enough tied with Tony on travel.

"And speaking of traveling…" Pepper started as she slid her chair out to stand up. "Gentlemen, it is time I call it a night. Stark Industries does not run itself." With that comment she gave Tony a pointed look. All three men stood up with her. "I hope you had an enjoyable day for the most part Johnny," she said as she accepted a quick hug from him before accepting a longer one from Clint.

"Hey, hands off. Mine," he said making a face at Clint as he slid his arm around Pepper's waist. "Don't worry we can show ourselves out," he added as he guided her to the door. He yelped when he got pinched hard on his side. "Ow.. why.. oh.. right," he said at Pepper's look. "You now have access to most of the gym, certain areas are still restricted unless you've got an escort," he glanced at Clint then back. "No getting your hopes up to take popshots with that slingshot of yours either. Even with Robin Hood there the range is still a no-go." He was out the door before anything could be said.

"Pepper is the true boss around here isn't she?" Johnny asked as he started gathering takeout containers.

"Yep," Clint replied as he helped.

"Since you haven't said your farewell, I'm guessing you wish to speak to me about.. things," Johnny hazarded a guess.

Clint just smiled, "Got it in one Kid." He glanced up at the ceiling, even though it wasn't necessary. "FRIDAY, please activate my privacy protocols."

"As you wish Agent Barton." A short pause before the AI continued. "Protocols are now enabled."

"Thanks," Clint automatically replied.

Once the leftovers were put away and the dining table cleaned off, the pair settled in the living room area. Clint spoke mostly, about what Johnny faced in the near future due to his involvement with HYDRA, unwilling or not, and about the jobs he pulled during that time. He explained in barebones, no nonsense words exactly what would happen if he turned down the recruitment offer.

"And if, somehow, I managed to run… taking Alexei with me…. and found sanctuary in another country that doesn't have extradition?" Johnny asked. He wasn't a fool, but he did want to know the answer to a 'what if'.

"You're not even near the top of the priority list we has, but one day someone would be assigned to take you out. Even if you managed to find a place in the heart of Latveria," Clint said, dead serious. "I like you so far kid and I'm known for taking chances on who I pick to recruit."

"Not much of a choice is there?"

"No. There isn't."

Leaning an elbow on the chair arm, he tapped a finger against his lips in thought. He was honest with himself in the fact he knew he had only himself to blame for most of his troubles. There was one or two situations that wasn't his fault, but still. "How long do I have to think about it?" he asked, then held up a hand. "Wait… what, exactly, would I be getting into if I said yes? A lab rat to be experimented on? An expendable bit of cannon fodder to be thrown in front of the first thing that came along?"

"I can't tell you that, but I can say that no, you won't be experimented on and Agents are very seldom viewed as expendable," Clint answered, remembering a few assignments to take out rogue agents. "You'd start out like anyone else that gets recruited. Basic training and assessments to place you. From there, advanced training if you qualify, further schooling if you wish." He watched Johnny, noting his body language. "No secrets either kid. You have to come clean about everything to keep it from coming back and biting you, and therefore us, on the ass." That got a twitch. The kid still had secrets, but who didn't in this line of work?

"Is it possible to request specific type assignments?"

Cling chuckled as he sat back, leg crossed over a knee and an arm thrown over the back of the couch. "You can request all you want, but that doesn't mean you'll get it."

Johnny hummed softly, "No kills if possible.. that's what brought me to SHIELD's attention in the first place," he said as he tapped his chin before nibbling on a nail. "So… how long?" he didn't think there was much else that needed to be clarified that wouldn't be explained later.

"I'd say until this shit blows over or is dealt with," Clint shrugged one shoulder. "Can't say so don't think too long on it."

"What about Alexei? If I say yes, what happens to him?"

That was hard to say, Clint thought. "We will do everything possible to ensure he is taken care of if something happened to you."

"No, I mean.."

"Kid, he is yours in all but blood. We will see to it that, in every way possible, he is yours. To be honest, there's a very slim chance the sperm donor will try to claim him, but to anyone's knowledge, the guy doesn't even know he has a kid, let alone gave permission for his to be used. But that's a fact in any situation like this," Clint admitted.

With a sigh, Johnny rubbed his eyes then temples. "Let me think on it."

Clint nodded, accepting the answer as he stood up. "I'm not expecting an answer right away," he said as he headed to the door. "I should call it a night as well, no telling what will happen or when it will happen. FRIDAY, end privacy protocols."

"Privacy protocols have been disabled."

Clint nodded, as he opened the door. "Oh, I expect to see you in the gym tomorrow when Alexei goes down for his mid-morning nap. No excuses and you'd better be prepared to work your ass off. Good night," he said as he left, closing the door behind him.

Getting up, Johnny wandered around the room in thought as he locked the door, checked to be sure everything was put away and turned out lights. Once in the bedroom, he checked on Alexei before moving to the floor to ceiling, wall to wall windows. He stared out at the city beyond the glass, letting his thoughts circle like a snake consuming its own tail. The movement of a bird passing the window broke him out of his thoughts. There was nothing he could do about it, except get some rest. Tomorrow will take care of itself, no matter what he did. He turned away, stripping his clothes off before sliding between the sheets. The lights, already dimmed, turned off completely.