"So you and Lewis huh?"

"What about us?" Bruce frowned, not looking away from the screen. Today he was in the open lab on the top floor of R&D working with Tony. It hadn't stopped Darcy from coming and offering to grab him lunch and Tony also since she was going anyway. He had to admit that it was nice to know that someone thought of him even when he wasn't right next door, it had been a long time since he had had someone who seemed to care about him that much.

Darcy seemed to genuinely take pride in helping them all as well, it was something that she could offer that a lot of the other lab assistants didn't. Common sense. It was a rather big flaw with scientists, tons of intelligence and very little common sense.

"Well other than that fact you're the only person that seems to be able to touch her, she seems pretty cuddly with the Big and apparently, warm, fuzzy, green giant." Tony said, pulling up a screen and waving his arms at the image of Darcy clinging to the Hulk like a lifeline. "Since when does the Hulk do hugging?"

"She's been afraid for years, her mother died Tony, the only person she could stand to touch her. She's been without human touch for years." Bruce pointed out. "It's natural that finally being able to have that again would make her a little emotional."

"She hasn't been completely without contact, she shakes hands with people and Pepper kisses her on the cheek when she sees her." The billionaire contradicted.

"That's not the same thing." Bruce said shaking his head. "I know you read her file, she told me you knew."

"You're enjoying it too aren't you?" Tony asked shrewdly. "Having someone around who isn't afraid of you, like at all? In fact for the first time ever, someone probably likes the other guy more than they like you because he's not trying to have sex with her."

"I not tr-"

"But you've thought about it, come on, I bet you've thought about it." He insisted. "You've gone years without too, gotta be hell on the urges, you can't be blamed for thinking it."

"I've...Darcy and I aren't like that." Bruce sighed, wiping his hand across his face. "Yes, the thought may have occasionally crossed my mind but I don't intend to do anything about it, I'm old enough to be her father for a start." He noticed Tony's flinch and frowned. "Don't look so horrified, you've actually slept with girls young enough to be your daughter, not just had the thought."

Tony stayed silent for a moment, staring again at the image of the Hulk holding the small woman close, before shaking his head to clear any stray thoughts.

"Ignoring the age thing, the last thing Darcy needs is to develop an unhealthy attachment to just one person." He said.

"On that I would have to agree." Bruce nodded. "Just letting one person in is a big step but actually improving her condition permanently will require her letting other people have her trust. You seem very concerned about this."

"Can't I just be a concerned citizen every now and then?" Tony asked innocently, flicking the image away and shutting the screen down.

"Yes, but rarely." Bruce narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "It isn't even me you're getting all concerned about, it's Darcy..." Suddenly the tense reaction to his age made sense in a very horrifying way. "No...that couldn't have gone unnoticed... That's why you're pushing so hard for her to trust you? Was this your version of warning me off?"

"No." Tony said quickly, too quickly.

"To which part?"

"All of it, no to everything." He replied. "Forget I said anything. Jarvis? Wipe the past ten minutes from the security footage."

"Of course Sir."

"I can't believe it, how long have you known about this?!" Bruce demanded, getting up and approaching Tony, who now looked like he'd rather be anywhere but here.

"Only since the attack last month. She was treated here, which thank god for that or S.H.I.E.L.D. would be all over this." He explained. "When they ran her blood to get her type, Jarvis alerted me to the situation. I took a hair sample to confirm it, which it did."

"You didn't tell her." He stated flatly. "You can't not tell her!"

"How the hell am I supposed to tell her? What do I say? Hey, looks like we have some DNA in common, sorry I didn't know you existed?" He snapped.

"What on earth is going on in here?" A female voice asked from the lab entrance.

Both men tensed and turned to face her in unison but her question was met with silence and Bruce just pointed at Tony.

"Don't start smashing!" Tony blurted out, noticing how tense his friend now was.

"He saved your life, he can smash whatever he wants." She said softly, moving to hug the fluffy haired scientist. "Hello, Bruce."

"Hi Pepper." He returned. "I think I've about run out of mileage on that excuse now, though."

"He's still here, that excuse will never run out." She smiled, leaning over to kiss Tony lightly on the lips. "Now, what were you two just discussing?"

Another silence followed.

"I can ask Jarvis, technically I am the CEO Tony, you know I will find out." She warned.

"Darcy." He blurted out. When no other words followed Pepper looked towards Bruce for more information.

"Oh no, this has nothing to do with me." He said, raising his hands in surrender.

"Of course it does, you're the one having inappropriate thoughts about the girl." Tony retorted.

"Tony, Darcy is twenty-five years old, I've known you to go younger." Pepper deadpanned. "By a long shot."

"Not the point."

"I think it would really be better for you to tell her, she might even be able to help." Bruce found himself pointing out, getting involved despite saying he wouldn't.

"Traitor." Tony accused.

"Hello? You're making me out to be a dirty old man and I haven't done anything!"

"Boys!"

"She's my daughter!" Tony blurted finally. "Biologically speaking."

"Oh." Pepper mouthed. "You're sure?"

"Ninety-seven point three percent certain, Miss Potts." Jarvis spoke up.

"And she doesn't know?" Pepper asked.

"I didn't even know!" Tony exclaimed in frustration. "I had a baby, a child, a teenager and now an adult! I missed the lot, didn't even know it had happened!"

"She doesn't know." Bruce added. "She would have said something to me or the- Hulk or even maybe Jane Foster if she knew. She wouldn't have come here if she knew."

"You have to tell her." Pepper said seriously.

"And say what?"

"How did you find out? Did you read her file?" The woman asked narrowing her eyes.

"Yes but that wasn't how I found out." He waved off. "When they ran her bloods after the attack it popped up."

"You've known a month? You didn't tell her? You didn't tell me?"

"In my defence it was one hell of a shock for me." He murmured.