Finally! It's DONE! So sorry it took so long to get this chapter finished up and posted guys, but life has a habit of getting in the way. Plus, this has got to be the longest chapter I've ever written. Thank you all for being so patient and I will do my best to get the next one posted asasp. Anyway, enjoy! ;)

"More."

"No."

"Come on, Clint. Just one more round."

"Bobbi, I can't," Clint managed as he gasped for breath "I'm tapped out."

"Guess I should've been a little more gentle, huh?"

Clint sighed as he wiped the sweat from his face. "Why'd I let you talk me into sparring with you?"

Bobbi smiled as she helped the archer to his feet. "You're the one that said he needed a workout."

"You didn't have to mop the floor with me."

"Not my fault you're getting soft. So, you ready for another workout?"

Clint groaned. "You're trying to kill me. What is it now? A five mile run?"

"Actually, I was thinking of another kind of workout. Like the one we had last night?"

Clint's eyes perked up. "Oh that workout," Clint smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "I am always ready for that kind of workout."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." As Clint leaned in for a kiss, the two agents were drenched by an ice cold water balloon.

Bobbi groaned. "What the-?"

As the sound of childish laughter echoed through the gym, Clint and Bobbi looked up to see James smiling triumphantly from the air vents. "Gotcha!"

"What happened to you?"

Bobbi sighed as Maria Hill spotted her and Clint as the came out of the gym, their faces covered in red-colored water "James happened. Decided that we needed cooling off after our workout."

"I told you to be careful. That kid has too much Romanoff in his blood. Last week I found at least a dozen remote control toy snakes under my bed."

"Has anyone ever tried to get him back?"

"Don't even think about it!"

Bobbi was surprised by the sharpness in her ex-husband's voice "Don't tell me you're afraid of a ten year-old. Come on, Clint. What's the worst that could happen?"

"The last time that kid got into a prank war, him and Stark nearly flooded the whole Tower," Clint revealed "If it wasn't for Cap those two would still be at it. Bobbi," Clint took her hands in his as he spoke in a pleading voice "I know how competitive you are, it's one the many things I love about you. But please," Clint begged. "Let this go."

As the archer walked off, Maria noticed the look on Bobbi's face. "You're not going to let this go are you?"

"Banner I'm fine," Natasha insisted "Can I go now?"

"Just checking your stitches, it'll only take a minute," he reassured "Just, try not to hit me, okay?"

Natasha sighed. "I told you it was an accident. I don't even remember doing it. When are you going to let it go?"

"When my nose turns green instead of purple."

"We're just want to make you're alright Nat," Steve told her "You were in bad shape when we found you."

"Speak for yourself," Tony scoffed "I'm here to see if I have to make a Black Widow Buster Armor."

"It's been three days Rogers," Natasha reminded "think it's safe to take off the kid gloves." Suddenly, the four Avengers heard a shout that made them all turn their heads. "James!" the spy took off, bolting out of her chair and into the living room. There she found her son sitting on the couch with Sam and Pepper, a scowl on his face as a strange yellow goo oozed down his head. Frowning, Natasha wiped a drop from her son's face and tasted it. "James," Natasha struggled to keep a straight face "why are you covered in honey?"

"It came out of nowhere!" Sam laughed.

Pepper glanced at her boyfriend suspiciously "did you do this?"

"No," Tony chuckled "but I wish I had."

"Uh guys? I think that might be a clue." Steve pointed up to a small flying drone headed back to the lab.

Tony recognized immediately "That's Fitz's toy. Calls them the uh… dwarves."

James growled; his pale blue eyes blazing as the honey trickled down his face. "Must… have… revenge."

Tony smiled. "I think I can help with that."

"Here you go Fitz," Simmons smiled warmly as she handed Fitz his favorite sandwich "Just how you like it."

"Thanks Jemma." Fitz grinned hungrily as he took a hearty bite, his smile morphing into a look of shock and confusion.

"What's wrong?"

"Hot. Hot! Hot! Hot!" Fitz bolted from the lab as fast as he could, running to the kitchen downing half a pitcher of lemonade in one gulp. "Simmons… what did you put in that sandwich?"

"Nothing! I made it exactly the same as the last time."

"So why does it feel like there's a bloody forest fire in my mouth?"

The two young scientists turned around and saw Tony chuckling in the doorway. "Told you it would work."

"Ha!" James hoped down from the air vents, a smug grin on his face "Consider us even."

"Even?" Fitz repeated in between gulps of water "for what?"

"For dropping a honey bomb on me."

"What? That wasn't me!"

"Don't play innocent," Tony scolded "we saw your little drone fleeing the scene of the crime."

"Fitz didn't even have his DWARVES last night," Simmons disputed "You did."

"What? Who told you that?"

"Bobbi," Simmons and Fitz marched toward the Mockingbird as she sat cuddled up on the couch with Clint, with James and Tony behind them "you've got some explaining to do."

"About what?"

"James just tried to kill me by loading my sandwich up with enough chili pepper to make a small bomb," Fitz stated "all because somebody used my DWARVES last night."

Clint sat straight up. "Tell me you didn't."

"Well-,"

"Bobbi."

"Hill and I had to something."

"What?" Clint flinched as the Black Widow walked "you dropped that honey bomb on my kid?"

"Ooh, you're in trouble," James gloated "She's using her mamma bear voice."

"Barton," Natasha spoke in a cold tone as she gave the archer a Russian Death Glare "were you in on this?"

"Nope," Clint held up his hands in mock surrender "I had absolutely nothing to do with it."

"Bobbi, I can't believe you."

"Simmons, I know you're upset."

"Of course we're upset. You didn't include us."

"What?"

"We graduated the academy our freshman year," Fitz reminded "you know how many nights we spent cooking pranks we never got to pull?"

Those sound like fighting words," said Tony.

Clint wrung his hands over his face "Not again."

"Rule one," Tony informed "all pranks must be nonlethal and low on the injury scale. Rule two; Bruce and Pepper are off limits. We don't want the other guy getting involved and if Pepper gets caught in the crossfire, lot of Avengers are going to be homeless. Rule three, first team to surrender loses."

"We have got to Hill in on this," said Bobbi.

"Go ahead," Natasha shrugged "you're still going to lose."

"Lose what?"

Clint let out a sigh of relief as Steve walked in "You're kid's trying to start another prank war."

"James,"

"Aw, come on, Dad."

"I know that you can get a little lonely being the only kid here," Steve acknowleged "but Bobbi, Fitz and Simmons aren't here to-,"

"Rogers, do you know what you're problem is?" Natasha interrupted.

Steve sighed. "No, but I'm sure you'll tell me."

"You're too strict. You need to loosen up. Have some fun."

Steve frowned. "I have fun."

"Which is why you're going to help put those SHIELD agents in their place."

Steve blinked. "Nat I-,"

"Think of it as family bonding," Natasha went on as she wrapped her arm around James "besides," the Black Widow gave the soldier her famous smirk "all work and now play makes Stevie a dull soldier."

Steve sighed as he looked into Natasha's eyes, knowing full well that he could never say no when she looked at him like that "Alright."

"Good. Now that just leaves,"

Clint looked around and found all eyes looking at him "Oh no."

"He's an Avenger," Natasha stated "he's with us."

"He was also a SHIELD agent," Bobbi countered.

"Not anymore. Plus he's my best friend."

"He's my boyfriend."

"You girls don't have to fight over me," Clint chimed in "I'm more than happy to sit this one out."

Bobbi wrapped her arms around him as he attempted to get up from the couch "It'd be like old times Clint," she whispered "like when we first got married."

Clint's eyes perked up "Yeah?"

"Foul!" Tony declared "No fair offering Barton cookies."

James frowned. "When did Bobbi make cookies?"

Bobbi offered Clint a flirtatious smile, the kind she always gave him when they were together and wanted to get him alone. "Does Hawkeye want some of Bobbi's cookies?"

Clint gulped. "Uh-huh."

"Barton, be strong," Tony encouraged "don't let the cookies control you."

"What cookies?" James repeated "I want some."

"Sorry kid. Those cookies are strictly for Uncle Clint."

"Bobbi," Clint's voice wavered as she ran her hands across his chest "this isn't the part where you threaten to lock down the cookie jar, is it?"

"Only if you join Romanoff's team."

"That figures."

"But, if you join my team, I'll you a batch of special cookies," Bobbi added "like the ones we had in Dublin."

Clint's eyes widened at the mention of their honeymoon, his heart quickening. "Bobbi, you're not playing fair."

"Oh, I know," Bobbi leaned in close as she put on a seductive smile "but all's fair in love and war, baby."

Clint grabbed the coffee table as Bobbi started nibbling on his ear, his knees tuning to Jell-O. "I'm sorry guys. I just got her back."

Natasha scowled "Traitor."

"Don't worry baby," Bobbi told Clint, wrapping her arms around him "I'll protect you."

"I hope so. She scares me."

"Are you out of your mind?"

Tony sighed as Bruce scolded him after learning of the prank war. "Calm down, green man."

"Tony, we're supposed to be working."

"Who said we couldn't have fun? FYI, I do my best work mixing business with pleasure."

"Of course you do."

Tony smiled as he took a sip from his water bottle, his face shifting from smug confidence to one of shock and surprise. "What's wrong?" Bruce couldn't quite make out Tony's words with the bottle stuck still pressed to his mouth, but he had to guess, it sounded like he said he was stuck. Bruce quickly grabbed the bottle from Tony's hands, only to find the billionaire's lips connected to spout. The bottle was frozen solid. "What the-?"

The two Avengers turned around and saw the two SHIELD scientists snickering like school children. Fitz grinned triumphantly as he and Simmons high-fived. "Thank you, Donnie Gillies."

"How's your tongue?"

Tony sighed as Steve brought up FitzSimmons' prank. "It's still numb," he replied with a heavy lisp. "So how are we going to get those jerks back for messing with my scotch?"

"Already done." James hoped down from air vents next to his mother, a mischievous smile on his face.

Natasha recognized that look in an instant. "What did you do?"

"You'll see. In about three….two…,"

Steve jumped as a girlish scream rang out through the Tower. "What was that?"

James smiled. "I put a stink bomb in Nana Hill's room."

"Morning," Natasha walked into the kitchen, Steve and James already sitting down for breakfast.

Steve took one look at her and his eyes widened. "Hi."

Natasha grabbed herself a cup of coffee and sat down between them. "It's not polite to stare Steve."

"Was I starring?"

"Just a little. But since you're sweet on me, I'll let it slide this time." Natasha smiled as Steve blushed, then noticed the look on her son's face. "James, what's wrong?"

James looked at his mother with awestruck eyes, memories of a little girl with bouncy blonde curls and sparkling green eyes danced in his head. "Curlytop," he whispered in Russian

Natasha frowned. "What did you say?"

"Uh Nat," Steve swallowed nervously as he chimed in "did you something with your hair?"

"My hair?" Frowning, Natasha walked into the living room and screamed as she looked into a mirror. "Why is my hair blonde?"

"We're going to die."

"Clint will you relax?" Bobbi told him "it's just a game."

"You don't understand. Natasha loves her red hair. I have been with her on at least a dozen covert ops and it always. Stays. Red. She will change the style, the length and shade, but never the color. And you just turned it platinum blonde!"

"We had to do something after the stink bomb they put in Hill's room!"

"When she finds out she's gonna,"

"Barton!"

"Oh no," Clint paled as Natasha came marching into the living room with Steve and James on her tail. "Tasha, this was not my idea. I tried to talk them out of it I sw-," Clint was cut off as Natasha lunged at him, grateful that Steve was there to pull her back at the last second.

Natasha gave Bobbi a vengeful look, the Mockingbird's face set in a confident smile while the Black Widow gave her a Russian Death Glare. "You're going to pay for this."

"Little help?"

Steve and Natasha looked up to find James dangling from the air vent. Steve smiled as he reached up and helped his son down. "You're losing your touch."

"Am not! This stupid thing got stuck."

Natasha's eyes widened as she recognized the bag on James' back. "How did you get Clint's quiver?"

"Uncle Scott taught me how to burglar."

"You have an uncle who's a burglar?"

"Ex-burglar. And he only stole from bad guys"

"Remind me to hurt him when you get back."

"Mom, don't be mean to Uncle Scott," James snickered "he's just a little guy."

"Anyway, why'd you take Robin Hood's archery set?" Tony asked.

James offered a mischievous smile "Ever seen the movie Birds?"

Natasha gave her son a questioning look "Have you?"

James quickly put his hand behind his back and crossed his fingers "No ma'am."

Clint was alone in the gym, taking practice shots during a brief moment of piece in the Tower. He had just fired an explosive arrow when he saw it: a bird perched in the rafters. A pigeon. "Where'd you come from?" he asked. Soon another one appeared. And another. And another. Clint didn't know what was going on, but whatever it was, it had James written all over it.

"I still can't believe Romanoff so mad about the hair dye."

Bobbi shrugged. "What can I say? That girl loves her red locks the way the Director loves Lola."

Simmons laughed. "I guess so. So where's lover boy? I don't think I've seen you two apart since you got back together."

"In the gym. Stark had some new trick arrows he wanted him to try out."

"Wait," Simmons "you said Stark made them?"

Bobbi's eyes widened. "Uh-oh," as if on cue, Clint silently walked into the living room, covered in feathers and bird droppings "What happened to you?"

Clint spit out a mouthful full of feather, his eyes blazing. "Where's Fitz?"

"In the lab. Working on the orb," Simmons informed

"He by himself?"

"Last time I checked."

"Good I need to borrow his DWARVES."

Bobbi watched as Clint marched out of the room and smiled. "He is so hot when he's angry."

"Hey," Natasha smiled as she sat next to James at the table "What are you working on?"

"Figuring out the next prank," he said, not looking up from his notebook. "I want to win."

"Any good ideas?"

"Nothing yet. I wish Torunn was here. Then I'd come up with something."

"Who's Torunn?"

"My best friend," James informed. "She and I do everything together."

Natasha frowned. "She?"

"Hey, have you guys seen my shield?" Steve asked as he walked in. "I can't find it anywhere."

Natasha glanced at the soldier nervously "You don't think Clint,"

Steve frowned as he came to Natasha's realization "He wouldn't."

"I found it," James announced as he struggled to carry his father's signature weapon. "It was under the couch cushions."

Steve sighed. "Thank goodness."

"Wait," Natasha stated as a question rang through her head. "Why was it under the couch cushions?"

Just then, two of Fitz's dwarves appeared, unleashing a barrage of paintballs. Steve quickly put up his shield, guarding, the three of them as they attempted to get away. As the small family made their way to the exit, two more dwarves dropped down and flanked them. Soon three more DWARVES appeared, cutting off their only way of escape. They were done for.

"Happy?"

Clint smiled smugly as he and Bobbi watched Steve, James and Natasha huddling together as the DWARVES unleashed multicolored paint balls upon them. It took a lot of convincing for Fitz to let Clint borrow his drones. Even more so to let Clint drive. But it was worth it "Very."

"Took me three washes and two bottles of dye to get Bobbi's bottle blonde mess out of my hair" Natasha scowled "Now I have to get paint out of it."

"They got us good," Steve admitted.

:But we'll get them better," James promised as he rummaged through his backpack "Time to bust out the secret weapon."

"What secret weapon?"

"Uncle Peter."

Tony frowned. "Uh kid, who's Uncle Peter?"

"Avenger, grew up in Queens" James explained "and the absolute goofiest grown-up I've ever met. Which is why he gave me this."

Tony inspected the object in the little boy's hand: a strange wrist gauntlet with a collection of small capsules filled with a milky white substance "Okay, I'll bite. What's it do?"

James smiled. "Something amazing."

Fitz and Simmons looked up from their work as Clint, Bobbi and Maria entered the lab. "What are you guys doing here?"

"JARVIS called," Clint informed "said you guys figured out the orb."

"We haven't uncovered anything," Simmons disputed "we just got back from lunch."

Bobbi frowned. "So the computer lied?"

"Oh, programs can't lie," Simmons corrected "according to Aslow's laws of programming,"

"Uh, guys," Maria cut the others when she noticed a concerning fact "where's Banner?"

Suddenly, the lab exploded, a strange white substance erupting from under FitzSimmons' lab desk. It sent the agents flying, only to be caught and suspended in the air, the strange sticky coils covering the entire lab. Simmons shrieked. "What is this?"

Fitz groaned as he struggled, surveying the scene as he fought to break free. "It's like a giant spider web."

"Well, well, well," Tony smiled smugly as he walked in with James by his side. "Kid, I don't who your Uncle Peter is, but I like him."

"Stark!" Clint glared at the billionaire as he hung upside down "get us down!"

"No problem, Robin Hood. Just as soon as your little lovebird here to surrender."

"Not going to happen."

Tony shrugged. "That's fine. We'll just let you guys get yourselves down."

"They'd make some really good practice dummies," Natasha thought aloud "all strung up like that."

"You wouldn't" Maria disputed.

Natasha tilted her head and smirked "Wouldn't we?"

"Uncle Clint," James smiled as he activated small device in his ear, summoning a flock of pigeons into the room. "Your friends are back."

Clint paled. "Bobbi, tap out."

"Clint!"

"You don't know what those little demons are capable of. Wave the white flag!"

I have more of those web capsules," James threatened "We can hit you guys with them at anyplace, anytime."

Bobbi looked into the eyes of the others and sighed. "We surrender."

"Woohoo!" James and Tony high-fived as the ten year-old jumped up for joy "Avengers rule!"

"Now get us down from here."

"Oh, we can't cut it," James disputed "but it dissolves in an hour."

"Until then," Tony waved goodbye as he gave a sarcastic smile. "Feel free to stick around."

"I have to admit, this was fun."

Natasha smiled at the super soldier's confession. "Like I said, all work and no play makes Stevie a dull soldier."

"Yes, I remember it well."

"Consider it part of your education of the 21st Century"

Steve smiled. "I remember the first time you said that to me. Thought we'd be going over laws and current events. Instead, you showed me some of your favorite movies and took me shopping.

"Somebody had to get you out of those old man clothes."

Steve laughed. "You were always breaking into my apartment."

Natasha glanced at him. "I didn't break in all time."

"I'm pretty sure I can count on one hand the amount of times you came into the front door."

Natasha chuckled. "Yeah well, you took too long getting home."

"I remember one time, we were a De Niro film," Steve reflected "and he started making this big speech. And you had this real relaxed look on your face. Like, you were starting to fall asleep but you wanted to stay awake and finish the movie. That's when I knew."

"Knew what?"

"That you trusted me."

Natasha's lips formed into a small smirk as she looked away, her cheeks becoming surprisingly warm. "You flirting with me, Rogers?"

Steve shook his head. "Just being honest."

"Well your honesty is starting to sound a lot like flirting."

"Can't help it," Steve replied bashfully "I just want you know the truth."

"And what's that?"

Steve looked at her and smiled. "That when do get together, whether it's for a night or for the rest of our lives," he added hopefully "I'm going to give you every reason to stay."

Natasha looked into Steve's eyes, his pale blue orbs sparkling with romantic optimism "You seem pretty confident."

Steve let out a slight chuckle at the Black Widow's response "I know you better than you think, Nat." Natasha gave the soldier a surprised look, the sincerity of words catching her off guard. He really thought he knew her. Natasha opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off when a phone rang. Sighing, Steve apologized as he answered his cell. "Hello? Peggy."

Natasha didn't know why, but the mention of Steve's first love made her uneasy.

Frowning, Steve glanced at Natasha nervously "Yeah she's here." Steve's eyes widened as Peggy talked on the other end "Really? Okay." Steve handed the phone over to Natasha "She wants to talk to you."

Surprised, Natasha took the phone and brought it to her ear "Hello?"

"Miss Romanoff? I'm Peggy Carter," the elderly woman greeted "I've heard quite a lot about you."

"I've heard a lot about you too. Steve speaks very highly of you. If don't my asking, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Oh, I just wanted to talk to the woman who's stolen Steve's heart."

Natasha blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Oh surely you must have noticed," Peggy insisted "Why, he's perfectly smitten with you. The way his eyes sparkle whenever he talks about you; he never looked at me that way, I can assure you. "

"I-,"

"Oh, don't worry Miss Romanoff. There's no hard feelings," Peggy assured her with a laugh "I'm just glad Steve has found someone. He deserves to be happy. And being with you certainly makes him happy."

"But,"

"Miss Romanoff, would be so kind as to do a favor for me?"

"A favor?" Natasha repeated.

"Take care of Steve for me?" Peggy asked "He needs people in his life that will be there for him. To help him when that weight of the world he loves to carry starts to get too much for him to bear on his own." Natasha could not believe what she was hearing: Peggy Carter giving her blessing. To date Captain America "Oh and one other thing Miss Romanoff," Peggy added "Take Steve dancing, will you? I think he's finally found the right partner."

"How'd it go?"

Peggy laughed. "I think I gave your mother a good push in the right direction. How were things with Grandpa Dugan?"

"Perfect," James confirmed "they didn't suspect a thing."

Peggy chuckled. "I think you and your sister should be just fine from here on out. Though I think your father coming to save your mother may have worked in your favor. Do let us know if you need anymore help and please write us before you leave," Peggy reminded "I do so love your letters."

"I will Grandma." James promised "I love you."