At the Tower, Tony carried Emmaline in while Steve carried her bag.

"And this, Emmy, is the common room," said Tony. "Want to explore?"

Emmaline nodded. When Tony set her down and she immediately began to toddle around, her tiny form disappearing around the furniture.

"I'm going to go put her stuff in her room," said Steve. "Did you ask JARVIS to order everything she would need for her?"

"Yes," said Tony.

"Thank you."

Tony went towards the kitchen, calling over his shoulder as he did.

"Ducky, do you like juice? I'm getting something to drink and if you like juice, you can have some of Barton's. He always has juice. Do kids even like juice?"

There was no response but Tony didn't actually expect one anymore.

"Hey, how did the kid hunting go?" asked Clint, dropping out of the vent.

"I'm not sure you should call it kid hunting," said Tony. "It makes it sound so morbid. And it went well."

"So Steve found the one and he isn't spoken for?"

"Nope."

"Then how could it have possibly gone well?"

Before Tony could answer, a small form came hurtling into him. He looked down and found Emmaline plastered to his side, shaking and sobbing softly.

"Ducky, what's wrong?" asked Tony, scooping the child up and rocking her gently. "Sh, sh, it's alright, it's okay, I've got you."

"Barton, what did I tell you about bringing home strays?" said Natasha, marching into the kitchen before freezing.

"Wait, you actually got a kid?" said Clint, looking torn between laughing and being shocked. "I thought Steve wanted a son!"

"This is Emmy and she's mine," announced Tony, glaring at Clint. "Emmy, did you meet your Aunt Natasha? I told you, she's scary but awesome. I promise, she won't hurt you."

Emmy shook her head and tried to burrow deeper into Tony's chest, still crying almost silently.

"Sorry," said Tony softly, looking apologetically at Natasha. "Pretty sure she's been mistreated by at least one woman, possibly more. It's not personal."

Natasha nodded, her eyes still firmly on the child quivering in Tony's arms.

"I thought Steve wanted a son," stated Natasha after a moment, walking over to the cupboard and pulling out a cup.

"Why is everyone so focused on the fact that Steve didn't get exactly what he said he was looking for?"

"Because Steve is the only one who showed a real interest in getting a child."

"We don't have to take this," said Tony haughtily. "Come on, Emmy, I'm going to show you my workshop."

Tony made a quick retreat to his sanctuary and set Emmy down just as the door shut behind them. Tony sat on the floor next to where she stood.

"So this is my workshop," said Tony. "At least, this is one of them. And you are welcome here any time; it's never off limits to you or Steve. I'll have to program your signature and make sure JARVIS knows to let you in. The only rule in here is that you can't play with the tools. A lot of the things I have in here are dangerous and while I don't think you can reach most of them, I also don't want you playing with them and getting hurt. Understand?"

Emmy nodded seriously.

"Good. Now that being said, I'm more than encouraging you to learn how to use the tools, just with proper supervision until you're a bit bigger. Dummy! Come here!"

There was a slight whirling and then the one armed bot rolled into view, inspecting the tiny human next to Tony with interest. Emmy, for her part, seemed just as taken with the bot, not displaying any of her previous shyness and walking right up to the moving metal, touching it with a soft hand, grinning when Dummy beeped in happiness as the touch.

"Dummy, meet Emmy," said Tony, smiling at the two. "Emmy lives here now. She's mine but that doesn't mean that Daddy loves you any less, so don't get all pouty like I know you do when I bring home a new friend. And don't make her any smoothies! Emmy, if Dummy tries to give you anything to eat, don't take it."

Emmy smiled and promptly climbed onto Dummy.

"Dummy, be careful."

Tony watched the pair roll around the workshop as he went to work making sure that the most dangerous items were out of reach of Emmy.

"JARVIS, make sure that any of the tools you can control are off unless Emmy has proper supervision or permission to use them," said Tony.

"Of course, Sir," said JARVIS. "And might I say congratulations on acquiring a daughter."

Emmy eyed the ceiling warily.

"That's just JARVIS," explained Tony. "He runs the tower. If you need anything and I'm not around, just ask him. Or wait, you don't talk. Hm, well this will be interesting."

"Tony, are you down here?" called Steve.

"Clint and Natasha were being mean," replied Tony.

"Yes well, you did sort of spring a kid on them," said Steve reasonably.

"If you're going to be all logical then you need to leave the workshop. This is a place of creativity and genius and I will not have you spoiling that with your logic."

Steve chuckled and wrapped his arms around Tony's waist from behind, resting his chin on the top of Tony's head, both of them watching the newest, most unexpected member of their family.

"She's beautiful," whispered Steve.

"She's intelligent," replied Tony.

They stood in silence for a while, connect to let their heartbeats sync up and the general noise of the workshop fill the silence.

"Tony, what I say next is only out of curiosity, so don't go taking it the wrong way," said Steve. "Why did you pick her? We've met lots of kids and while I know you haven't been overly excited about the idea of adopting, you haven't hated any of them. But you also haven't liked any enough to mention it. Why her?"

Tony studied Emmy for a long moment, watching the way she inspected everything, interacted with Dummy, seemed to take in the world around her, and was totally silent.

"She's mine," said Tony after a moment. "I can't explain it, Steve. I didn't even notice her when I first sat down. She didn't say anything, she ignored me at first. And then she gave me this picture and I was talking to her and she looked at me as if I was the most important thing in the world. And then she wanted me to fix her robot and she had tools, Steve! Tools that I'm pretty sure were thrown out at some point but she somehow saved, and she listened and asked questions and I didn't mean for it to happen and I can't even really explain it, but she's mine, Steve. I like her."

"I'm proud of you," was all Steve said in reply.

By dinner, a booster seat had been delivered amongst other things so Emmy joined the team for the meal at the big table. Tony sat her in the seat next to his, Steve sitting across from them as usual making faces to make Emmy smile, and Clint sat on the other side of Emmy. Natasha sat at the head of the table and Bruce was at the other end. Thor was off planet.

Emmy studied the room, eyed Natasha wearily, but as soon as she started getting fidgety Tony would lay a gentle hand on her shoulder and she would look at him. He would smile and ask her a question. Steve put a plate of cheese noodles in front of her with a little fork. Emmy stared at it and waited.

"Hungry, Emmy?" asked Tony.

Emmy blinked up at Tony but didn't verbally respond, opting instead to glance down at her food and back at him, almost fearful.

"Do you like mac and cheese?" asked Tony, suddenly doubtful. "I thought every kid likes mac and cheese. Clint loves the stuff and he's more of an overgrown child than I am. But if you don't like mac and cheese we can make you something else. And by we, I mean Steve. I don't cook. I cook less than Natasha and I already told you how much she cooks. So, do you like mac and cheese?"

Emmy nodded, her eyes never leaving Tony's face, looking at him as if he held the secret to life. Tony furrowed his brow like he always did when he was trying to solve a particularly difficult puzzle, then his expression cleared as understanding dawned on him.

"Emmy, that plate is yours," said Tony softly, pointing to the plate but looking right at the child. "That fork is yours too. All that food is yours. You don't have to eat it if you don't want to but no one else is going to take it away unless you are done. Understand?"

Slowly, Emmy nodded and turned back to her food. Next to her, Clint signed something to Natasha across the table. Emmy studied the hand movements for a bit before taking her fork and clumsily feeding herself.

"She's observant," commented Bruce to Steve. "Does she talk at all?"

"I haven't heard her speak yet," said Steve. "The woman in charge said she didn't talk at all."

"She was an idiot," snarled Tony.

Natasha raised one delicate eyebrow but chose not to comment. The tone Tony used was one he reserved for the Ten Rings or HYDRA, not to be taken lightly. She make a note to pay this woman a visit later in the evening.

"So did you pick her because she doesn't talk and you never shut up so she's forced to listen to you?" teased Bruce.

"We bonded," sniffed Tony. "Right Ducky?"

Emmy nodded eagerly, her face lighting up at the endearment. She liked Tony a lot. The man was funny and energetic and said naughty words and liked her back.

After dinner, Tony and Steve went to put their new daughter to bed. Her bedroom was next door to theirs. It had a small bed already assembled in it, airy blue walls, a huge picture window, and dresser recently stocked full of clothes for the little girl. Emmy grabbed Tony's hand and pulled him around the room, pointing at each thing in turn and listening as he explained what it was and that it was hers. Steve leaned against the doorframe, smiling fondly at the two and falling a bit more in love. Tony may have doubted his own parenting abilities but Steve never had.

"Do you want to pick out your own pajamas or do you want Papa to do it?" asked Tony when at last the pair ended at the dresser.

Emmy thought for a moment, eyed the dresser that towered over her, then pointed at Steve.

"Emmy has spoken!" laughed Tony. "Papa, pick out something nice for her please. I'll get her teeth all brushed."

Steve couldn't stop the warm glow that radiated from somewhere in his chest at the sound of Tony referring to him as Papa. He liked the ring to it.

By the time the two made it back into the main bedroom and got Emmy changed into her new shark footie pajamas, the girl was yawning and lifting her arms up for someone to pick her up, which Tony did without hesitation.

"She's got you wrapped around her little finger," teased Steve lightly.

"Emmy, you want Papa to read us a story?" said Tony, ignoring Steve as best he could though the smile playing at his lips gave away the fact that he had heard his husband just fine.

Emmy nodded and allowed Tony to settle her in bed, tucking a soft green blanket in close and pointing to the stuffed dog near her pillow.

"That's yours too, if you want it."

Emmy looked at him, then Steve, then the dog, then back at him.

"Yup," said Tony, answering the question he could see in her eyes. "All yours. You don't play with it or anything. I didn't really know what you liked but I saw it online and thought you might enjoy it, so I got it. It's a problem I have, I buy things that I think people will like or I make them things. It's how I show affection. You'll get used to it."

Steve chuckled but pulled out a book about a princess and a jester and a unicorn named Roger. It wasn't very good in Tony's humble opinion but he hadn't read too many children's books either, so he would have to gather more data before making an honest judgment.

"We'll be in the room right next door if you need us, okay Ducky?" said Tony softly when the story ended.

Emmy nodded.

"Good night, Emmy," said Tony, kissing Emmy's forehead.

"Good night, Emmy," said Steve, also kissing Emmy's forehead. "Sleep well."

It wasn't until after midnight when Steve and Tony were both asleep in bed before the Avengers Alarm went off.