Tony landed on the Tower sky deck and headed inside, the automated systems removing his armor as he entered through the balcony. "Where's the kid?"
"Bruce has him in the lab," said Pepper "Tony, do you think this kids could really be from the future?"
"Come on Pep, don't tell me you're actually buying that," Tony scoffed "Honey, he's a fanboy. He probably snuck in when the janitor wasn't looking. Stan is almost up for retirement."
"Then why can't JARVIS find any record of him?" asked Pepper.
"I have searched all school record, NSA, FBI and former SHIELD databases and have uncovered zero information pertaining to this young man. Theoretically sir, this child should not exist."
"He says that we're his godparents," said Pepper, the panic rising in her voice "Tony this kid knows things. Like, extreemely personal things. He knows how I like my coffee, Thor's favorite PopTarts, Bruce's favorite book. He named twenty different Iron Man armors off the top of his head, some that JARVIS says you haven't even designing yet. Not to mention that the only evidence of this guy that we do have, is a video of him appearing under Steve's bed in a flash of light."
Tony blinked. "Now I'm concerned," and he quickened his pace to the lab.
James sat impatiently on the top on the lab table, waiting for Bruce to look up from his computer screen. "So, do you me believe now?"
"I'll let you know as soon as my head stops spinning," Bruce murmured.
"So where's our time traveling fanboy?"
James smiled as his godfather came into view as he entered the lab. "Hey Tony."
"Hey kid. Listen, how about I give you an autographed photo of the two of us, and then I'll have a limo drop you off at home?"
"I live here," said James "seriously, why won't guys believe me? After all the stuff you guys have see, this can't be that hard to believe."
"He's got a point," Pepper agreed.
"Tony, you need to see this," Bruce said, clearly stunned by whatever he was looking at.
Tony walked over by the computer screen and looked at he monitor. He let a curse slip out and Pepper swatted his arm.
"Not in front of the kid," she whispered. "So what are we looking at here?"
When James here gave us his orb I started running some test," Bruce explained "and found some residential traces of radiation. Low level gamma waves and chrono-waves."
"What are chrono-waves?"
Theoritcally," said Tony "they're markers of a temporal displacement."
"Otherwise known as known as time travel," Bruce finished. "and this thing and James are covered in them So is Cap's bed."
"Did you check the findings?" Tony asked.
"Checked and rechecked," Bruce confirmed. "This thing, this orb is a time machine."
"Told you," James said smugly.
"Can you guys get him back?" Pepper asked.
"It won't be easy," Bruce admitted. "This thing is light years beyond the Earth and the Chitauri."
"I give it a week," Tony said confidently "two tops before we can get this pint-sized Delorean up and running."
"So what do we do with-?" Pepper motioned at James sitting on the lab bench.
"Parents?" Tony suggested.
"He's from the future," Bruce whispered "his parents probably haven't even met yet."
"There's got to be somewhere we can send him."
"None or his relatives can or will take him because he doesn't exist yet."
"A: I know you guys are talking about me," James said slightly annoyed "and B: I don't need you guys to send me anywhere. This is my home," he repeated. "My parents are Avengers. You guys are my family."
"Yeah, I believe you mentioned that already," said Tony "quick question, what kind of idiots parents would want me to be your godfather? Clearly, they have to be aware I'd spoil you."
"Don't answer that!" Bruce interrupted quickly "Listen Tony we need to operate on a need to know basis," he said intensely "anything this kid tells us about his life could greatly impact the future."
"Good impact or bad impact?" Pepper asked.
"There's no way to tell," said Bruce "Learning details about the future could cause the Avengers to stop global disaster before it happens or accidentally set off the next Ice Age."
"Got it," James said as he made a swiping motion with his hands "no talking about the future. In that case, I'm going back upstairs to watch TV," the ten year-old hopped off the table and proceeded to head for the living room "I'll try not to spoil any shows you haven't seen yet- Ow!" James screamed as he bumped his foot on the leg of a workbench and he swore in a foreign language. The adults' eyes locked in on James he felt his face redden "What I do?"
"Where did you learn to curse in Russian?" Pepper asked.
"My mom," James told them "she never said it was a swear, but I guess that's why she always whispered it."
Tony's eyes narrowed. "Kid, just out of curiosity,"
"Tony," Bruce warned.
"Shut it Banner, we're all thinking it"
"Thinking is a lot different form confirming."
"Yeah, well I doubt that this is going to cause an Ice Age. Kid, what did your mom do before she was an Avenger?"
"She was a SHIELD agent" James answered. "Why?"
Tony grabbed a tablet from the table and bent down in front of James, knowing that he was on the right track "Kid, I'm going to show you a couple of photos of some lady SHIELD agents, and if you see your mom, just point her out okay?"
Tony started with handful of random agents: Bobbi Morse, Victoria Hand, Sharon Carter, one simply known as Skye, but James didn't identify any of them.
"That's here," James pointed at an image of a red haired woman with fair skin, full lips and a pair of hazel green. Natasha Romanov. The Black Widow. "That's my mom."