Alex studied the schedule for the kids and Gabriella for the day. He would definitely have to get some help from Benjamin this morning. Logistically speaking maneuvering a small army of 10 children, 4 adults and a multitude of large animals was way more difficult it turned out than running an Ambassadors agenda.

Benjamin sat in the kitchen, drinking a cup of tea, as he studied his tablet. He was expecting two deliveries today of some security equipment and the personnel to install it. He had already vetted the two companies, their employees and the delivery service.

The security specialist looked up at the sound of the two oldest and youngest children talking about breakfast who would be cooking and what they would be fixing. Clara came walking into the kitchen heading straight for the coffeemaker, followed closely by Gabriella who walked into the kitchen with the twins, Chris, and Russ following behind her.

The kids all started talking at once about what they wanted to do today after school. In the middle of the chaos of voices and animals the doorbell rang. Bobby and Jason came running downstairs like "the running of the bulls in Pamplona."

Clara yells out "Let your mother get that both of you are running late. Now get cracking."

Gabriella grabbed her glass of tea and went to answer the door. A tall, slender black man, not too thin but more swimmer trim, stood at the door. He had an eye patch over his left eye, and a long black leather trench coat. He looked dangerous, and deadly to the inth degree. Gabriella was glad she had taken on Benjamin Levi as a bodyguard and chauffer, four weeks ago. She figured she wouldn't trust this one as far as Irina could throw him.

Gabriella looked at him and merely shook her head. "Sir, I'm sorry but I already have a driver. But come in out of the cold. We'll get you warmed up, before we send you on your way."

Stepping into the foyer he said, "Ma'am, do I look like a driver to you? My name is Nick Fury. I am here to discuss Agent Coulson?"

He walked past Gabriella and right into Clara who was holding a cup of coffee. She managed to save the coffee from being spilled all over this man. As he came further into the house, he saw the kids and halted mid-stride.

Gabriella was closing the door when she heard, "Ma'am, My name is Steve Rogers. I am pleased to meet you. I'm here with Director Fury, if you don't mind." She looked up to see an all American looking young man, walking up the sidewalk.

She nodded to the young man as he came through the door. He even brushed his feet off on the welcome mat. Rogers held out his hand to shake hers. Thank God she had gloves on; she didn't want to know if he would lie to her, yet. He was better looking than the actor who played the James Bond character. Gabriella turned to see the young man looking around for Director Fury, "Follow the noise, that's where he is." Gabriella said.

In the kitchen Director Fury stared at the six kids cooking breakfast Clara had given him a cup of coffee. Yodie and Irena took one look at Director Fury with the eye patch and screamed, "PIRATE!" happily running around the kitchen. Waving their little hands like the "Pirates of the Caribbean" puppets on the ride.

"Ma'am, do you know Agent Coulson?" Fury said politely enough, yet it still came out sounding like a demand.

Clara looked him in the eye and said "I know of him and his job."

"Ma'am," that was all he got out.

Before Clara said, "My name is Clara Douglas not ma'am, not miss. I'm a mother of two, while I appreciate good manners not when they're used in that condescending tone. Don't belittle me because I am a stay at home mom. Not an Avenger or a secret agent, doesn't mean we don't do our part for the world. So we saved Coulson, he's just one man, what's the big deal?"

"He was dead, now he's not. Clara, maybe you could get your husband. I'm sure that we can resolve this problem?" Quickly Director Fury gulped as Clara came off the stool by the counter to snap at him "I don't have a husband."

The six kids are watching as the three olive trees on the kitchen island, bloomed and bore their fruit in seconds, from Clara's anger. The kids all looked at each other and said in unison, "Ooooh, you made Aunt Clara mad. You're in trouble now."

Rogers, who happened to be admiring the Garden Room, saw trees blooming and bearing their fruit, Kailie sassed, "We are so not having olive loaf for lunch." Picking up an olive that had literally popped off one of the trees and rolled toward her as she and Yodie were cooking the eggs, the teen flipped the olive at the Director.

Then Rogers came walking into the kitchen and saw the six kids cooking and setting the kitchen table. Kailie stared at the perpetually young man as he enters the kitchen and continued to stare at him until Yodie starts tapping her to be helped up on the counter. She easily lifted her younger brother up onto the counter, beside her.

Irena sings that, "I wants bell pepper on my eggs." Kailie rolls her eyes a little as the tiny blond dynamo then starts dancing around the kitchen like a ballerina.

She gazes at Steve Rogers and after helping Yodie off the counter she tells the little ones, "Ok you two now where the gathering baskets are. Go to the garden and get the bell pepper, and absolutely no olives." With that Yodie follows Irena as they head for the atrium, Director Fury and Rogers see a large mountain of fur get up and shamble after the kids. It takes a moment for them to recognize what they are seeing and they both jump.

All the kids start chuckling under their breath at the startled reaction to Zef, as she leaves the kitchen with the two youngest children. "Where did the ladies go? Where is the redheaded lady? She was right in front of me. I watched her, she just disappeared." said Steve.

Walking out of the Garden Room Gabriella looked at the two men; she was sipping her sweet iced tea. Director Fury was staring at Clara as she came back in from calling the rest of the kids to come down for breakfast. She saw his face when it finally occurred to him that he might have bitten off more than they could chew. Irena came walking in with a basket full of tomatoes and Yodie has a basket full of different colored bell peppers, both children were smiling.

Gabriella took both baskets shaking her head. Turning back towards Director Fury she said, "I think that it is time for you gentlemen to leave my family alone." There was a loud knock on the front door. The twins were headed to the door when Cara yelled out, "Finish your breakfast, we're already fifteen minutes behind. Move it people!"

Gabriella walked towards the door smiling to herself about Clara mimicking a drill sergeant; she opened the door and was pleasantly surprised to see Agent Coulson. "Well you're looking better, you could barely walk out of here the last time I saw you, Phil. And you brought company with you this time as well."

Agent Coulson just stared at Gabriella with a shocked expression. The other man looked back and forth between the two waiting for the older man to snap out of his shock. Coulson meanwhile was staring in disbelief at the woman he had convinced himself had merely been a hallucination from lack of oxygen.

Finally the other man stepped forward with his hand extended to introduce himself, "I'm Clint Barton, Ma'am. We've been ordered here by Director Fury. May we come in?"

Gabriella nods and takes his hand firmly, she starts slightly as Benjamin Levi steps towards her and the door, he whispers, "We're going to need a butler if you keep insisting on answering the door." It takes several tries to get Coulson to come in out of the cold. It wasn't snowing yet, but the agent was standing so still he could have been an ice sculpture.

She gives Benjamin a defiant grin as she leads the men towards the kitchen. Benjamin strode confidently in between them, his hand near the small of her back but only guiding not actually touching. Agent Coulson was following her closely, so as not to lose her.

By the time they were all back in the kitchen, there were three animals, two wolves, one bear, ten kids, Benjamin, Alex, Gabriella, Clara, Director Fury, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Barton, and Agent Coulson. Clara was the one to speak first, "Gentlemen, whatever it is that you want to speak to my sister about it is going to have to wait."

This time Director Fury interrupted her. "Ladies I think we got started on the wrong foot."

Clara interrupted with a sneer, "What was your first clue? Was it the crowd of kids, the shambling mass of beasties, or the angry plants? Maybe it was just the general lack of welcoming. Or how about the fact that you barged into our home without an invitation, Director Fury? Assumed the alpha role, thinking that you know what is best for the little women."

Gabriella said, "Whatever you're here for it's not as important as getting my children off to school. Plus, I'm not going anywhere with any of you."

Clara chimed in with "You need to do the same thing all the delegates, scientists, and Ambassadors have to do to see Gabriella, make an appointment. Talk to Alex, he can take care of you right now or he can tell you when she will be available to see you. She does have a very tight schedule after all." If her tone of voice didn't give them the clue she her next statement did tell them her preference. "Otherwise you know where the door is. Hit It!"

She went walking into the Garden Room, calling back, "Kids eat your breakfast. NOW!" The male wolf, Fenris' head went back with a baring of teeth that looked menacing and proud at the same time. He practically pranced as he followed Clara into the garden room as if to say, "Yep that's my human."

Phil leaned over to Director Fury and suggested "It would be best to set up an appointment to see Ms. Wallace, sir."

Director Fury answered, "I'm thinking that maybe I should see both ladies without the two men present." With that Benjamin lifted his eyebrow, and both men stiffened subtly, but Clint and Steve still noticed.

Alex who was in front of them said, "You won't be getting near this family without a true invitation again. It will be by appointment only and at least one of us will be present."

Benjamin added, "I'm hiring a butler, if I have to go through Ivan or Xin Wei Huang. That way it will be a little more well-rounded in the household. I already emailed them, when these last two showed up." +

Gabriella exploded, "What do you mean you have e-mailed them? You have overstepped your position in this household, Benjamin."

Benjamin grinned back calmly this time, "Actually, Gabriella, as Head of Security I have the last say in this matter. But if you want I'm sure Ivan could make you see reason." Gabriella looked over at Benjamin and shrugged her shoulders. She knew Ivan would be on Benjamin's side.

Yodie chirped "He can't have his nose in the air; mommy will send him packing before he knows what hit him." The boy glanced at Gabriella, thinking that no one noticed she was still in the kitchen.

Anthony said, "We are a working family." reminding everyone of the equal division of chores. Alex watched the by play, he was considering how to keep the ladies lives as close to normal as could be had in this household. He was going to have to work with these women to ensure their safety better. He had been warned that they had strong wills and were stubborn to a fault. He was going to work on that slowly to get them to come around to Benjamin and his way of thinking.

Alex started to walk out of the kitchen. He was going to distract these men from the family, get them to follow him to the office. He had Gabriella's schedule on his tablet; really he just wanted them away from the family. The advisor turned back towards the men still standing in the kitchen and said, "Gentlemen if you will follow me, we'll look at her schedule to see when her next opening is. About how long do you need to see her? That could be a concern between the children, her work, and doctors' visits."

It took them a few minutes to get out to the office in the cabana that he and Gabriella shared. It was a large pool, and cabana with changing rooms, and a large media room. Alex showed the men to the office he shared with Gabriella, watching as Director Fury and Agent Coulson entered the office.

Alex told Barton and Rogers they could wait in the cabana or media room but not to go off the concrete for their own safety. He said casually "The rest of the animals are roaming the house and yard.

Barton asked, "The rest of the animals? How many animals do you have? What kind of animals?"

Alex looked at the man and replied, "Nothing you can play with. Believe me; I've seen what one animal can do to the human body with one swipe of its paw. It's not a pretty site and you won't be walking away from it afterward. If you survive it."

Alex turned back towards the office and saw Director Fury looking at his desktop. Coulson was looking at Gabriella's desk; she had a strict clear desk policy. She always put away her files in the safe or a locked drawer before she left the office. There was little to see anyway she didn't even have a calendar on her desk. Whereas he always had a calendar on his desk but it was empty because he kept all of that information on his tablet.

"Now, Director Fury, I'm afraid Gabriella doesn't have an opening today." He said studying the device. "I hope you understand she is a very busy lady, she could not spare more than two hours with you, but if you can tell me how much time you would need to finish your business with her I will do my best to help you."

Director Fury grows angry and said, "Son, Do you know who I am? I am the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D."

Alex chuckled at his statement. "Director Fury, do you know who she is?"

Director Fury turns towards Coulson who could only shrug his shoulders at his superior. Fury answers, "No. I don't know who she is; all I do know is that she is a citizen of the United States."

Alex smirked at the comment about the U.S.A. "Well isn't that a kicker, you don't know the half of it. And doesn't that make you wonder, Agent Fury."

Director Fury stares impotently for a minute at Alex, before sat "Is there anyway the ladies would be willing to see me this weekend?"

Alex stares right back at him and smirks, "You don't have a family do you? These ladies spend more time with their family than without. Weekends are too precious to be spent away from the kids." Alex looks on his tablet again. "This coming Wednesday at 9 a.m. she has an opening at that time if you want it Director Fury, but no more than two hours. I'm afraid you will have to wait almost six months before she can spare you more time within one day. The ladies are booked solid after that."

A glint off of the water catches Alex's eye, he looks out at the pool and sees one of the tiger's in the pool with Barton. The liaison stood and called Gabriella on his phone to tell her about the problem in the pool. "I thought that you would have adults working for you, Director. If they are, they don't follow instructions very well."

He noticed that the other man had taken off most of his clothes except his pants; Barton even had taken off his boots. "Oh, great he is playing with Katya, that's not good. If she is pregnant, Gabriella is not going to like this." Alex continued as he went back to his desk and thoughtfully studied his tablet.

"Now gentlemen, Gabriella has a prior engagement in about an hour. Director Fury, do you want me to reserve those two hours for you on Wednesday?"

As Director Fury looks out at Barton he realizes that this man had been speaking to him over the noise of Barton and the tiger. He turned to see the man. "I was hoping to see them before then and for a longer period of time. What do they do for a living?"

Alex replies with, "That is need to know, Director Fury, and you don't need to know." Alex looked outside at the pool area.

All the kids were now standing poolside, watching in fascinated amusement as Gabriella held out a towel to Barton. She was screaming over the kids, trying to get them off to school and Barton out of the pool with Katya following him out more sedately. "Katya go get in your own pool or you could have gone in the garden room's waterfall. Agent Barton, what were you thinking? That animal could have killed you." she scolded.

Barton stared at the tiger named Katya longingly, "Yes, ma'am, but she just looked like she wanted to play."

Gabriella looked at him and then at the tiger, "You're as bad as my kids." she muttered.

Steve steps forward and says, "Yes, ma'am. Agent Coulson says that quite a lot about Agent Barton. How many of these kids are yours, and how many animals do you have here Ma'am?"

Gabriella looked back over her shoulder to see Fury and Coulson looking out at the commotion at the pool. "That is a personal question about my family, Mr. Rogers but I think I'll answer you anyway. They are all mine. As for the animals they are part of the family, so I don't think I'll tell you, right now."

She kept looking at the cabana, "Agent Barton please go get dressed. Kids go finish getting ready for school now, before Aunt Clara hits the door screaming. Please guys, I don't need her off her game today."

Gabriella walked into the cabana office with Alex, Agent Coulson and Director Fury. "I'm so sorry to leave this with you, Alex, but could you help Clara get the kids off for me. Please. Director Fury, I'll see you when?" She looked at Alex. Her liaison informed her, she had an opening this coming Wednesday at 9 a.m.

"Will I see you then, Sir?" The look on Alex's face told her that she had scored what was needed to get these men off the property faster. She wanted the answer before she left them at the house. Gabriella walked over to her desk and unlocked the middle right hand draw and withdrew two files in binders. She glanced at the contents of both and taking them with her, locks the drawer as she prepares to leave.

"I need your answer before I leave, Director. So I'll know if I have to prepare my neighbors for the interrogation by your people. Plus down here they shoot first and ask questions after their sure you're down for the count."

Fury looked at her, with a scowl of suspicion, "Are you threatening my men, Ms. Wallace?"

She chuckled at that comment, "No, Director. Fury, I don't control my neighbors, but maybe if you warn me, I can tell them not to be alarmed by your agents hanging around digging into their trash, and peeking over their fences. Then again this is the South; they might just get shot anyway."

Gabriella headed to the door, but turned back to say, "You know this is the only way you're going to get near my family and me, right? Just admit it, and take the next step into the unknown."

Director Fury was a man who liked to project a degree of cool menace and intimidation. Amused she could tell she and her family were definitely throwing him off his game. She smiled and pressed, "Take the appointment Director Fury, now before I leave. Otherwise I'll make it impossible for you to see my family and me again."

Fury looks at Coulson who shrugged yet again at the woman before them. "I'd take it, Sir." Coulson finally answered.

There was a knock at the door and Benjamin stuck his head in saying "Gabriella it is time to go, if you don't want to be late." Taz who sat right outside the door rumbled at the tension inside the room that was spilling out. She turned away to leave, Fury hurriedly agreed that he would take the appointment.

"Good, now you will have to provide lodging for yourself and your entourage. We can't allow anyone to stay here just out of proprieties sake for the young ladies. We may be able to supply you with a meal….." Alex was explaining to Director Fury. With that said Gabriella walked out the door.

As she walked by on her way to say bye to the kids and Clara, Agent Barton stopped her. "Ma'am, Is there any way that, if I was off duty, I could come by and play with your animals again."

She grinned at him, but shook her head, "I don't think that would be a good idea. You see Agent Barton; the animals are for the children, not for the adults to play with. I need that protective instinct in case of emergency for the children's sake."

Gabriella was stunned by the devastated look that crossed Agent Barton face. "I understand ma'am." He said and turned to walk away.

Gabriella sighed, "Agent Barton." The man turned back and honestly, that pout should be registered as a lethal weapon. Yodie and Irena should take lessons from this guy. "When are you off?"

She had won this round but at what price. She was going to have to think about what Clara and she had done in greater detail. Was their sanity worth this game?