A/N: Sorry for taking so long! My plot bilgesnipe ran away for a while there, and I have only recently managed to bring them back home. Hopefully this makes up for the wait!
"Thanks, Bruce, for doing this on such short notice." Pepper said as she pulled her coat on. Bruce shrugged.
"No problem. I think we'll get along fine." He glanced over at Maddie, who was peaceably gnawing on the teething ring in her playpen. "You both deserve a night out." Tony came into the room, straightening his tie.
"If by night out, you mean excessive publicity, and a benefit dinner, yeah, this is going to positively romantic." He said, leaning down to kiss Pepper. Bruce stepped over to the playpen. Maddie stared up at him, trying to decide whether he posed a threat or no. She apparently thought he was all right. Tony and Pepper both walked out the door, leaving Bruce with Maddie.
"So, I guess it's just you and me, now, kiddo." Maddie stared at him with wide eyes. She raised her arms up as though she wanted to be picked up, so Bruce complied, rather than make her cry.
"Hey, little girl. It's okay. They're gonna come back really soon." Maddie sniffed pitifully. Bruce saw a photo album sitting on the table, and carried Maddie over to it. Maybe looking at pictures of her mommy and daddy would make her not feel so scared. He set her on his knee and flipped through the book. A picture of Tony and Pepper on their wedding day was the first page. Maddie put a small hand on it.
"Ma-ma!" she cooed. Bruce grinned.
"That's right. And who's this?" he asked, pointing at Tony.
"Da! Wock-a-woll" she squealed, clapping.
"Dad, yeah. What was the last thing you said?" Maddie stared at him a second, and repeated slowly, in a manner oh-so-similar to Tony:
"Wock-a-woll!" Bruce had to stifle his laughter.
"Rock and roll?" he asked. Maddie grinned. Bruce shrugged and turned the page.
"Okay, so do you know this guy?" Maddie shook her head. Bruce shifted her in his lap.
"Okay, his name is Thor. Can you say 'Thor'?" Maddie looked confused for a moment.
"For." Bruce nodded and pointed to the man in green and black standing next to him.
"Who he?" Maddie asked. Bruce grinned.
"He's a puny god." Maddie cocked her head to one side, trying to comprehend it.
"Puny dod?" Bruce nodded.
"His real name's Loki, but if you ever meet him, call him 'puny god', okay?"
" 'kay." Maddie slid down from Bruce's lap and toddled over to her bookshelf, and came back with a couple different books. Bruce gladly took them and began reading to her.
Later when Tony and Pepper came back, they found Bruce asleep on the couch, with Maddie sprawled across his chest.
"I should really take a picture of this…" Tony said contemplatively. Pepper elbowed him in the ribs.
"But it's so sweet…" She considered it a moment. "Yeah, you should."