Notes: CC, oh yeah. You know that Scott would have loved for this exact thing to happen for him, and he's just so pleased. And Barney... my heart really breaks for that kid, honestly. He has been trying to be a tiny adult this whole time and I just want to wrap him up and tell him that he doesn't HAVE to be. He's allowed to be a kid!

And Arly, HI! Right now, as I'm posting this, you're finally into Book Three and I don't know what you're gonna do when you catch up. Die of anticipation, probably :P Seriously, though, your reviews are making me grin SO HARD. I'm loving it!

Chapter 10: Hank Pym Is Going Down

When Clint and K got back to the tower, Clint was still in a great mood. He bounded into the tower and positively attacked the first Avenger he saw — not even caring for the moment that it was Tony he was hugging as he declared "best weekend ever!"

"Hi, Tony," K said, passing them by before Clint let go and bounded off to pass her by.

Tony shook his head, clearly unsure what was happening. "So, I take it things went well?"

"It did," she said, nodding. "Very smooth — easier than I thought, too."

"Mom adopted me and my brother both," Clint announced proudly.

"And you … have been wearing that same t-shirt since Friday," K said, scrunching her nose up at Tony. "You do need to take breaks. Hose off..."

"Hank and I are this close to a breakthrough on the AI we're working up," Tony said, grinning at her.

"Does he smell as badly as you do?" she asked. "Do I need to ask Pepper to help you scrub down?"

Tony laughed and shook his head. "Not that I'd turn it down. Or do you want to do that part?"

"Ask Pepper? I already said I would," she replied. "You're not looking for a mom to make sure you get behind your ears are you?"

Clint snorted at that. "Now you're momming everyone!" he teased.

"You like it," she said. "And I didn't say I'd do that for him." She turned to face Tony. "Come on. Grab a bite with us if you can't clean up without help. I know you have to be hungry."

Tony smirked. "Okay, that much is true. Jan did come in this morning and make sure there was coffee…"

"In your pretty pretty princess of the tower mug?" K asked.

"You know, I'm very attached to that mug now," Tony said, the smirk widening.

"I'm so glad to hear it," she said.

"Mom and Jan and me had a lot of fun making it," Clint added.

"I bet they did," Tony laughed as he walked with the two of them to the kitchen.

Clint grinned as he climbed up to sit between the two adults and pour himself some cereal. He was still clearly riding the high of the whole weekend, and he kicked his feet on the chair where he sat, though K was still simply smiling lightly, much more relaxed about it — but also obviously pleased with how things were going.

"So what's this massive break-through you two are so close to?" K asked, stirring her coffee.

"An AI program that surpasses anything else that's out there in the field right now," Tony said with a grin.

"Tony, everything you make surpasses the field," she said dryly.

"Good point," Tony laughed. "Seriously, though. This — this is big. The artificial, learning intelligence should help us not only with our work but with our team." He held up his hands as he gestured excitedly. "Just picture it — we'll be able to get to the bad guys before they even know we're aware of them!"

"Sounds like an exercise in laziness ... get a robot to do your job…" She stopped and turned his way. "Just … tell me it's not a girl-bot."

"Please, if I needed a girl-bot, I wouldn't have the reputation I do."

"Keep hiding away with Hank without showering, and you will need a girl-bot," she said. "Unless you start showering with Hank… poor Jan."

Tony shook his head at that. "Yeah, no. Hank's not my type."

"Plus, Jan likes him a lot," Clint added.

"Yeah, don't go stealing nice girls' boyfriends, Tony," K said.

"Like it would be hard to steal Jan," Tony said. "The way Hank's ignoring her…" He rolled his eyes.

"Maybe someone should have a talk with him," K said, dropping the tease and turning his way.

Tony leaned back and matched her serious expression. "You think we haven't all at some point tried to get Hank to pull his head out?"

K smirked at that then nodded. "Then maybe … it's the wrong talk."

"We've all tried to talk to Jan too, but she's way beyond logic," Tony chuckled.

"Tony, women don't usually care for logic. I thought you knew that. She's not married yet. Ask her out."

Tony blinked at her. "What?"

"Ask. Her. Out. Show her a good time doesn't involve waiting around for someone to decide to take five minutes to pay attention to her." She let out a laugh. "I know you're interested. So don't … do that face."

Tony spluttered for a second before Clint snorted. "Yep. That face."

"K, I have to live with everyone on the team. I'm not — okay, I know my reputation and everything, but I'm not a monster. I'm not going to get in between—" Tony said.

"This has nothing to do with your reputation, Mr. Stark," K said before she tapped her nose. "I know. Things."

"She knew Barney had a crush on the pretty acrobat at the circus that way too," Clint said helpfully.

Tony just chuckled at that and shook his head. "I'll think about it."

"Tony, no," K said, pushing her coffee away. "No thinking for you. Stop that."

But that just had him laughing. "Can't — not sorry — makes me millions when I use this big beautiful brain of mine."

"True as that may be, you miss your best shots when you overthink women."

"Think that's how I missed snagging you before Wolverine got there?" Tony teased.

"Oh, absolutely," she said, nodding.

"Well, now I'm going to be thinking about that all day," Tony said.

"And not your automatic intelligence?" Clint asked.

"Which … you might have needed to use if that was the way it had gone," K had to tease.

"Oh come on — you're not too attached to Logan, right?" Tony said, grinning wider.

She stood up and headed toward the sink with her mug. "Well, I'm not married. But I don't think you're too interested in two boys in the package either, so …"

Tony shook his head, still chuckling. "Missed opportunity," he said as he got up as well.

"Overthinking," she said, shaking her head. "Now you'll never know how I'd get you out of your lab when you needed a break."

"Oh, but now I really, really want to know," Tony said. "You can let Clint play with Thor if you want to keep it secret from little ears."

"Hey," Clint said, his arms crossed and clearly not liking the tenor of the conversation.

"Why don't you just think about it," K said. "Come on, Clint … I'll bet Thor will give you a parade when you tell him about your brother."

"Thor says his brother will probably give us presents too," Clint said, his eyes as wide as his grin. "And I asked Jan, and she said that could be either really awesome or really bad. Which is kinda cool."

"I want to meet his brother," K said. "Dark-haired Norse god could be fun to come up with pranks with …"

"He is the god of mischief. That's what Thor says," Clint said. "He says Loki pranked him lots."

"I like him already," she agreed as they headed toward the living room area. "Dark and handsome. Can't beat it."

"Nuh-uh." Clint said, shaking his head. "Blonde and amazing is better."

"Well, there is a single exception to every rule, and you are that exception," she said, ruffling his hair.

"Barney has red hair, so he's the redhead exception, right?"

"The one and only redheaded exception," she agreed.

"Right, yeah, 'cause Jean is real pretty, but she's with Scott," Clint said with a little giggle. "And they're gonna have another redhead, I bet."

"Well that's just my tastes," K said. "I wouldn't be surprised if you fell for the lighter-haired ones … so you match."

Clint shrugged. "Maybe," he conceded. "But I'm only seven; I don't know about that stuff."

"I am not pushing," she promised, hand over her heart.

But as they got into the living room, it was clear that there was a little … disturbance on the far end of the room where Jan and Hank were quietly arguing. K could hear every word, but all Clint could do was read Hank's lips.

From what Clint could see, Hank was complaining about Tony taking a break when there was so much work to be done — and Jan was trying to get him to follow Tony's lead. Which… was not what Hank wanted to hear.

Clint glanced over at his mom, who looked like she was poised to step in if she had to, but when Clint saw the way Hank had his hand in a fist when Jan put hers on his arm, he didn't even think about it before he was already halfway to the two of them.

Of course, when Clint got there and saw the angry red lines on Jan's arm where Hank's fingers had been, he tuned out K telling him to get back and all but climbed in between Hank and Jan, his chin out and his hands in fists as he blurted out, "Don't you touch her."

"Clint," Jan said in almost a breath. "It's fine."

"I can't get anything done with these distractions," Hank said, clearly furious by that point, though Clint was more concerned about how hard he was holding onto Jan's arm. "He's not even your kid, Jan. We could be getting some real work done, but you and Tony would rather waste your time playing house and chasing the next rabbit!"

"What are you talking about?" Jan asked, shaking her head. "Hank, you need to take a break."

"You don't get it," Hank snapped her way, which only had Clint flinching and standing further in front of Jan, who was trying to push Clint back with one hand.

Tony and K both started to move forward as well. Tony tried to keep himself in front of K, though it was clear he had no idea how to even … stop whatever was happening, especially when it seemed like Jan trying to keep Clint out of the argument was only making Hank more frustrated.

"I'm going back to the lab," he said, finally letting go of Jan's arm and all but sneering her way. "You can stay here and play with him — until he leaves and you remember we actually have important things to do."

"Hank—"

"I don't want to hear it!" Hank snapped back, turning with a glare and a backhand that it was clear Jan didn't see coming, even if Clint had and had tried to stop Hank by grabbing his arm. Which really just left Hank with a terrified kid holding onto his wrist and glaring up at him as Jan looked shocked.

"I said don't touch her," Clint said, his voice shaking badly — and in the silence, the obviously fearful tone practically echoed in the tower.

There was no way Tony could even begin to move fast enough as K growled out a clearly furious 'helvete', as she darted around him, followed by an almost hissing stream of obvious cursing in Swedish before K landed the first hit on Hank — an almost identical backhand, if not for the adamantium boost to it. The crack echoed the room and had Hank staggering backward away from Jan — as Clint tried to push Jan away from Hank and was already muttering about taking care of her and getting her some ice or something to help.

"Vad är det for fel med dig?" K almost snarled out, her hands in fists as she stood over him. "Har du en döds önskan?"

"I don't speak whatever language you're speaking," Hank said, glaring up at her. "I speak plenty, so pick one I understand and get out of my way."

K let out a frustrated sound at that and grabbed him by the front of his shirt just to slam him back into the floor hard enough to bash his head against it.

"K…" Jan was wide-eyed as she watched the scene unfold. "It's — it's fine."

She turned to glance at Jan, a finger pointed her way as she shook her head. "Nej, det är det inte. Du gjorde inte något fel."

"She says no," Clint whispered to Jan. "I know that one. Just… just come on. If you wrap up some frozen veggies, it's like an ice pack…" He grabbed her hand to try to pull her along — which was right about when Logan walked in, fresh from Japan.

It wasn't hard to figure out what was going on, from the way K had Hank on the ground to the look on Tony's face or the mark on Jan's or the obvious fear on Clint's as he kept trying to get Jan away from Hank.

"The hell happened?" Logan asked, though from his expression, it was obvious he had a fair idea — and he was just looking for confirmation. He dropped his bag at his feet and started forward slowly, waiting for someone to explain.

"I told him not to touch her," Clint said angrily — since K clearly wasn't communicating well at that point. He was still half standing in front of Jan, though by that time, Tony had gotten there to put a hand on Jan's back and try to direct her — and Clint — away from the fight already unfolding ... if you could call it a fight.

"Jan?" Logan said quietly. "You alright?"

"I'm fine," Jan said softly, though she didn't seem to have noticed that Clint was now holding her hand. "Really."

Logan tipped his head to watch Clint and get his attention before he signed out: get her out of here.

Clint nodded at that and gave Jan's hand a squeeze. "I'm getting you some ice, okay?" he said, and with Tony pushing and Clint pulling, Jan eventually got out of the room.

Logan took a few steps toward K, who was making a point to hit Hank any time he tried to push her away or even step past her. "I think you made your point," he said quietly. "Maybe — just for a second — calm down so you can tell me what happened." He looked at the scowl on Hank's face. "Then if he's still being an idiot, I'll close the door on my way out."

"She's overreacting," Hank spat out.

K gestured to Hank with one hand. "Jag kommer inte lugna mig forden idioten."

"I don't know Swedish," Logan said. "It's not for him. It's for me."

She let out another frustrated sound and turned on her heel to get away from Hank, hoping that distance would do her some good. Which left Logan alone with Hank for a moment. The two men watched her head off, still muttering in Swedish under her breath. But the moment that Hank opened his mouth to say something, Logan grabbed a hold of him by the throat and slammed him against the nearest wall. "I'm not sure what she was telling you, but let me make it plain: you so much as look at anyone cross-eyed around here — especially Jan — and I'll throw your ass through the window."

"We just—"

"I don't care."

Hank glared for a moment and then let out a noise. "Fine." He shook his head. "Fine. I didn't want to be in a crowd anyway."

Logan let him go and took a step back, still unblinking as he watched him straighten himself up.

In the meantime, K had gone down to the kitchen, where Clint and Tony were trying to help Jan. Seeing her at least being attended to by someone that was being gentle started to take the edge off, and after she let out a long breath, K made her way over to get a cup of coffee before she sat down across from Jan, watching her and looking for anything else that had gone wrong.

Jan looked up when K came in and frowned. "Where's Hank?"

K paused and shook her head. "Logan."

"Logan won't let him get off the hook," Clint said. "He's got a problem with people who hit kids and girls. He told me so."

Jan nodded softly. "Yeah, I know." She shook her head, the shock slowly transitioning into anger, especially seeing how upset K was and how Clint was still clearly not okay, with a frenetic sort of nervous energy. "I'm fine, guys. He's just — he's lucky I didn't have my suit on."

"Skitstövel," K muttered.

Clint giggled. "Oooh, I know that one too. It's naughty."

"Taught him yes, no, and swear words, I see," Tony said, smirking and shaking his head even as he handed Jan an ice pack.

"Basics," K said finally — though her accent was easy to hear.

"Yeah, good to have you back," Tony said. "Too bad Thor wasn't there to translate…"

"I was here … I just get … tongue-twisted." K pointed a finger his way. "Hush."

"It was pretty spectacular," Tony said. "Not that I blame you, mind you." He sat down beside Jan, still with a hand on her shoulder as she kept glaring harder and harder.

"I try not to get that mad," K said.

Clint nodded, though he wasn't moving from Jan's side either. "And when you do… look out," he said.

"Sorry," she said, mostly to Clint.

"I'm okay," he said, though she knew he was lying by the fact that he was shaking a little, enough that he couldn't sign.

K got up and sat on Clint's other side and rested a hand on the center of his back, and he leaned into her a bit, still holding tight to Jan's hand — which was clearly helping him more than her.

"I'm sorry, Clint," Jan said, her eyes flashing. "I'm sorry you got in the middle. He shouldn't have—"

"He shouldn'ta hit you," Clint insisted, his chin up and his eyes flashing to match hers.

"And you shouldn't need your suit to defend yourself," K said quietly.

Clint nodded. "Mom says it's important to be able to do stuff without weapons. Like… like kicking people in the shin."

Jan couldn't help but smile. "I know how to do that much. Steve makes us train for just about anything."

Logan came in a short moment later, and when he did, he was quick to give K a kiss and messed up Clint's hair before he even said hello. "That was kinda cute … the whole … no English thing."

K gave him a dry look at that. "Oh, shut up."

"He's not wrong," Tony said with a smirk.

"Now you're just trying to piss me off to do it again," K accused him, though she leaned on Logan as she said it.

"WIll it work?" Tony asked. "Because I'm not willing to hit anyone to get you there, but if I can talk you into it…" He smirked and let the sentence hang.

"It's a lot harder to do," she said, smirking right back and shaking her head. "You're horrible."

"Yeah, but not a skitstövel," he said, in a passable imitation.

"I wasn't talking about you, snuskhummer," she said, chuckling to herself.

"What's that one?" Clint asked.

"You want the literal translation or the rough one?" K asked.

"Ummm, both?"

She sighed. "The basic intention behind it is 'pervert', but actual word for word, it's 'dirty lobster.'"

"Kinda fitting," Jan said with a small smile Tony's way. "Red armor, dirty boy…"

K gestured toward him. "See?"

Tony just shook his head, still laughing to himself. "I won't argue it — only because Jan likes it."

Clint smiled and leaned over to Jan. "I betcha you could ask for anything right now and you'd get it," he teased.

"That would be taking advantage," Jan whispered back.

"So?"

Jan laughed and ruffled his hair. "Aww, I love you too, Clint."

Clint grinned and leaned back slightly, finally letting go of her hand to snuggle into K and close his eyes. "I don't wanna stay here if Hank's staying," he whispered to K.

"School starts soon anyhow," K said as she rested her hand on his head.

"Can we bring Jan too?"

"That's up to her," K said. "But I could teach her some Swedish if she came …"

"We should take her anyway," Clint said. "If she stays with Hank… he'll do it again, I know he will, Mom."

"I don't think Tony or Steve or Thor would allow it." K said.

"That's right we won't," Tony said, his tone a little harder than Clint was used to hearing. "Soon as we're done here, I'm locking him out of my labs."

"I already had a couple words with him," Logan said.

"Probably scared him," Clint said, smiling up at Logan without picking his head up much from where he was snuggled into K.

"Little ol' me?" Logan said, shaking his head. "No."

Clint smirked. "Uh-huh." He put his head back down and snuggled into K's side, obviously shaken but not about to run anywhere — not when he was also trying to help Jan too.

…..

Translations from Swedish:

"Vad är det for fel med dig?" - "What's wrong with you?"

"Har du en döds önskan?" - "Do you have a death wish?"

"Nej, det är det inte. Du gjorde inte något fel." - "No it's not. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Jag kommer inte lugna mig forden idioten." - "I won't calm down for this idiot."