Awakening

And I'm back! Hope you enjoy the chapter! (Oh and You&I Defending happened during the timeskip at the beginning of the chapter)

Time continued on, as slowly everyone got used to living in the Tower. There were a few instances where heads and egos clashed, but that was to be expected. Dad and I had to get used to people being around, wanting access to the lab, sometimes even dragging us away from science and/or music to eat and sleep.

Insania didn't come around as often with the others around, but she still appeared at least once a week with Hel and dragged me some place fun, either it was in this realm or another they really didn't care.

Phil got Tony and I back for our pranks, just like he said he would. He had even gotten Jarvis on his side and we were forced to listen to Jarvis talk in a high pitched squeaky female voice for days and the worse part was that they had done it on one of our little science-so-lets-not-leave-the-lab-for-days episodes. (Pepper made us build a bathroom, kitchenette, and lounge in the lab for said episodes) It had been rather awful, and nothing we could do would fix it. Jarvis was choosing to torment us, not being forced to.

Somehow, that whole situation had convinced Barton that Jarvis had a sense of humor and helped him get over his fear of the AI. Which was good, though it made freaking him out harder, though I'm always up for a challenge.

Sadly, one thing that hadn't gotten better as September bled into October, was that Dad still had problems leaving me alone. Sure, he was fine if Mortem was with me, or Bruce or one of the Asgardians, but besides that…

Yeah, he was starting to get really paranoid about my safety. When the Avengers had gotten called in to a situation in Texas, one of the few times they had been assembled since NY, I literally had to teleport him out of the Tower and into the middle of the sky before he left.

Of course after that I had to deal with idiotic thieves, but Dad didn't need to know about that.

Loki seemed to have recovered from the incident with Fati well. I had actually hid with his kids for a few hours till Dad calmed down after I dragged his cocoa, which I never did again. Adayna was happy that their family was more or less back together, since Hel came around more that they were on Earth, and all of the kids were happy to have their father (and mother for that fact) back.

Thor was almost always on Earth, either in the Tower, or at the Manor. The Tower was completely restored, and improved, only two days before the rest of NY was as well. Every Avenger had their own floor, as well as Jane, Darcy, and Selvig. The three of them even had their own lab. Dad had turned one floor into a guest floor, which was where Loki and family stayed when they came over. Fury was given his own private corridor on the guest hallway, and Phil had his own floor. Bruce loved the Hulkproof lab, and the Hulk exercise floor that was right below his own. Hulk loved his play rooms as well, though I still took him out into the wilderness to let off some steam and play at least once a week.

Our new housemates slowly realized that there were some things in the Tower that they couldn't change, and one was that something odd was always going on. Whether it had something to do with me, Mortem, Hel, or Insania, some weird, crazy new experiments, or even loud blasting music, the Tower was never calm.

Especially not in the middle of the night.

Someone was always up in a lab, and since most of the Tower's inhabitants had...less than pleasant lives, nightmares and odd sleeping hours were normal. Which was why no one had lectured me about drugging Dad that one time, which was nice.

The Council seemed to let up on Fury, though they still observed everything. That may or may not have had something to do with Dad messaging them all, by hijacking their personal computers, and visually showing them him draining their bank accounts and pulling up some rather awful skeletons they had been trying to keep hidden before erasing it all, and leaving only a warning.

Fury had become one of us, he and the Avengers (which included Phil and the scientists) belonged to the Starks now. And no one messed with us, or those who belonged to us.

But all in all, the month at Stark Tower (Dad and I were discussing renaming it to Avengers Tower and moving SI) was pleasant, and slowly, but surely, my prediction came true.

We became more than just commands and warriors. We became family.

Third POV
Week after NY Incident.

"Sir, Mister Odinson and family are here." Jarvis said as Loki, Adayna, and the kids all poured out of the elevator, chatting and running around happily.

"You could've said something sooner Jar!" Tony exclaimed as he finished setting up the large projector in the Movie room.

Jarvis however didn't respond, feeling to happy with himself to justify his actions. At that moment Clint, Bruce, and Steve all walked into the room, multiple large bowls of popcorn in their hands.

"Loki, Lady Adayna." The Captain nodded in greeting as they both took some of the bowls out of his hands. It had taken Steve about four days of constant correction to get him to stop calling Loki, Mr. Odinson.

"Captain," Adayna greeted with a nod, causing Steve to smile just a bit.

"Like I've said, call me Steve." He replied and Tony snickered as Steve walked right into the very thing he had been avoiding.

"Then call me Adayna." Loki's wife replied with a mischievous smile.

"Where's Penny, Tony?" Bruce asked as he settled down next to the two Co-CEO's, giving them a large bowl of popcorn in the process.

Tony shrugged, not really knowing where he daughter was as Pepper replied, "I have no idea."

Bruce glanced at Tony in question but he just shrugged again. "She was in the lab earlier, and knew that tonight was movie night, she'll be here. She's probably with the girls or Mortem."

"And you aren't concerned?" Bruce asked hesitantly, having noticed Tony's slightly paranoid behavior regarding his daughter recently.

"Actually, Sir now has a tracking device that we can trace even in different realms. So, if he wished, he could know exactly where Miss Penny is or who she is with." Jarvis informed everyone, his voice echoing his amusement as Tony scowled at him and Pepper looked slightly scandalized.

"Tony!" The red head exclaimed as Barton and Rogers shook their heads in fond disbelief.

"What?! She agreed to wear it!" Tony protested as Loki and Adayna shared a look. They had a feeling that Penny only agreed for her father's piece of mind.

"Only to keep you from having a mental breakdown whenever I leave the lab."

Everyone turned around to see Penny now sitting in the back row of seats, curled up on Mortem's side. Her eyes were glittering playfully and though Mortem's face was his usual blank look, Loki and Tony were able to spot the amusement hidden in his silvery orbs.

Tony huffed as everyone else burst out laughing.

That was the scene that Phil walked into, and he instantly shook his head.

"I don't want to know." He said before plopping down in a seat.

"So, what movie are we watching tonight?"

Week and a Half after NY Incident

"You sure that he doesn't need to spend more time in reflective solitude? A week and a half on Midgard is hardly a lengthy solitary confinement." Loki remarked casually as he and Penny walked along the beach of the island that Odin had been saying on.

"Oh shut up Loki," Penny sighed fondly. "Whether or not you want your father to return to Asgard, he does regret what he's done to you over the years, and recently, and I believe that he has learned his lesson."

Loki opened his mouth to argue but a piercing stare from those emerald eyes kept him silent.

"Besides," Penny said offhandedly, a mischievous smirk on her face. "If he does indeed revert to previous attitudes...I'm not above siccing Insania on him for another lesson."

Loki laughed loudly at that, the anger he still felt towards Odin fading slightly as Penny cheered him up. Being a father himself now, he had no idea how Odin had managed to alienate him so much as a child. Sure, he wasn't Odin's by blood, but he had known no other father. Loki knew that not all of Odin's actions regarding his childhood was intentional, but they were still just as harmful. It still hurt, all of those centuries being under his brother's shadow in the eyes of everyone on Asgard (besides E're's, but it had only gotten worse after he died). But at least now he had his own family to keep him strong, and his brother no longer being such a pigheaded idiot helped as well.

"Why am I here again?" Loki asked after a few moments of silence, causing Penny to roll her eyes.

"I've told you, Odin would like to apologize. I hadn't even made that an acquirement for his return to Asgard, but I am proud of him for wanting to." Penny stated simply causing Loki to look at her with a raised eyebrow.

"You weren't going to let him return until he apologized, you just never told him that." Loki reasoned with the semi-Immortal. He knew E're well, no matter what form he/she was in.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Penny said simply, though it was rather obvious to the God of Lies that she had planned it out like this.

"Fine, let's just get this over with. Somehow Adayna and Hel have convinced the children that we must travel to an amusement park before the chill sets in; and I, of course, am being unwillingly dragged along." Loki dawdled in an attempt to change topics and gain some sympathy from the older being.

Penny just laughed, wrapping her arms around her midsection as her eyes squeezed shut.

"Oh poor you," She teased him after a moment. "But I know you too well Loki, you're looking forward to the trip as much as Hel and the boys are."

"I'm afraid that now it is I who knows nothing of which you speak." Loki sniffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Sure ya do," Penny chuckled as the followed the path into the jungle and towards the small cabin. "You just keep trying to convince yourself of that."

The rest of the stroll the two continued to tease one another, building another bond of top of the one of boy and uncle, a bond of companions and friends.

(And that night, Odin returned to Asgard, a older but better, man.)

Day after Odin returned to Asgard; Week and a Half after NY Incident

Penny, Bruce and Tony had just been dragged out of the lab by to very stubborn redhaired women who were very good at ignoring the protests of the Avenger's resident scientists.

"But we were almost done!" Tony was still whining to Pepper as she pushed her boyfriend down onto the couch for movie night. "If you had just given us twenty more minutes…"

"I already have you three forty extra minutes!" Pepper scolded the man as Bruce and Penny silently made more alterations to the schematics of the machine they were building, using the small Starkphone that Pepper had missed in the confiscation.

"It's movie night, that means science is on hold until afterwards." Natasha stated as she swiftly pulled the phone from Penny and Bruce's grasp, causing both of them to glare at the spy.

Movie night had started out as a 'few times a week' bonding experience, but then it had evolved into a nightly occurrence (as long as everyone was available). Not only was it fun, kept the team close, and have everyone an excuse to relax, but Tony, Penny, and Barton were also using these nights to submerge Thor, Loki(when he and sometimes the kids joined), and Rogers into current pop and classic movie culture.

"Jane, Darcy, and Selvig aren't here!" Tony protested as Penny sighed in defeat and summoned a large bowl of popcorn, while also mentally informing Mortem and Hel that movie night was starting.

"They don't have to be here." Pepper informed Tony, "They're at a conference this weekend!"

"Oh yeah, and Pointbreak decided to accompany them." Tony muttered to himself as Barton and Bruce chuckled.

"Are you going to shut up and watch? Or do I need to gag you again?" Natasha asked, causing Penny to burst out laughing at the memory.

Let's just say that Natasha didn't like it when Tony decided he needed to correct or comment on everything that goes on in these films.

"Shutting up now!" Tony exclaimed, zipping his lips before pouting. Hey, it wasn't his fault that the science in most sci-fi's caused him to twitch!

Everyone settled into chairs and couches, knowing that Phil and the others wouldn't mind if they missed the movie, as long at it wasn't Star Wars or something along those lines.

Just as the film started playing, Jarvis paused the movie as the elevator dinged open, and Rhodey walked out.

He blinked at the sight of most of the Avengers and co sitting around the large, HD projection screen.

"Platypus!" Tony exclaimed happily and was instantly across the room, pulling his friend into a one armed hug. "Why didn't you tell me you were in town?"

"I told Jarvis yesterday that my flight was landing at six, I guess he just decided not to inform you." Rhodey shrugged, not surprised at the AI's behavior. Jarvis did like pranks as much as his creator did after all.

"Jarvis, you could've told me Rhodes was coming!" Tony whined to his creation, as everyone else watched with great amusement.

Bruce had put the pieces together, as Penny had talked about Rhodey in the past. Natasha already knew the man, and Barton was thinking about how to prank the newest guest of the Tower.

"But then I wouldn't have had the opportunity to see that look of surprise on your face Sir, and I so rarely have the chance to surprise you." Jarvis replied cheekily, causing Tony and almost everyone else to roll their eyes.

"Hey Uncle Rhodey!" Penny called out across the room with a wave, being too lazy to actually get up.

"Hi Pen." Rhodey chuckled, "I hope you haven't been driving Pepper too insane."

"Who? Me? I'm sure you're mistaken, Uncle Rhodey." Pen replied happily as she flicked popcorn at Bruce.

"Oh, I must be mistaken. It must be Tony's other daughter who loves causing mayhem." Rhodey replied sarcastically, causing Barton to fall off of his chair in hysterics.

"Tony, don't you think you should introduce Rhodey to everyone?" Pepper asked, drawing everyone back in and giving Tony a look.

"Right," Tony nodded, dragging Rhodey forward. "Everyone, this is Colonel James Rhodes, but call him either Rhodey or Platypus! He's been able to put up with me the longest, we met back at MIT and somehow he hasn't run away screaming yet!"

This caused a few chuckles to echo around the room as Rhodey push Tony just lightly.

"That's because you haven't let me leave." Rhodey remarked in a calm and composed tone, though the twitching of his lips gave him away.

"Anyway, Rhodey, these are the Amazing Avengers and Company, also known as my Tower-mates and the people who won't let me blow myself up in the lab when it's movie night." Tony pouted playfully as the girls all rolled their eyes. "That's Capsicle, the quite spry old man who some call Captian America, though he'll ask you to call him Steve. Other there is Legolas, also known as the One who Inhabits the Air Ducts; though SHIELD'll tell you his name is Hawkeye and he'll say he's Clint. The lovely lady on his left is Tasha who you already know. Though I should mention that she knows more ways to kill you with her thumb than all of SHIELD and the US Government put together, there is a reason why people don't anger the Black Widow. You know Pepper of course, and Pen. Pointbreak, also known as Thor, is at a astrophysics convention with his girlfriend and her colleagues, so you'll meet them later. Loki and his family aren't coming tonight as they're at an amusement park for the weekend. Phil also isn't here, as he has more people to babysit than us, the poor poor man. Last but not least there's my Science Bro Brucie! Sadly, Pen somehow met him before me, but you already know that! We like making things explode in our lab and call it science. I'd introduce you to Hulk, Rhodey Dear, but I don't think the Capsicle would let me."

Tony looked over at Rogers hopefully who was already shaking his head.

"He can meet Hulk later." Rogers said firmly, and Bruce nodded.

"It's nice to meet you, Colonel, a friend of Tony's is a friend to all of us." Steve said as he stood and shook hands with the airman.

"It's my pleasure Captain," Rhodey replied, "and call me Rhodey, or even James."

"Steve then." The Cap nodded and the others moved forward to introduce himself.

"He's handling them all rather well." Mortem stated to Penny as he appeared next to her, stealing some popcorn in the process.

"If he can handle Dad for almost twenty years, he can handle just about anything." Penny replied as Rhodey was talked into joining everyone for the movie night.

"I suppose that's true." Mortem stated with a shrug. "After all, anyone who can put up with you for a lifetime or two can do the same."

"Hey!"

Two Weeks after NY Incident

Finally, things were starting to slow down in the Stark lab. NY and the Tower were completely repaired/rebuilt, the media storm was finally starting to calm down, Odin had returned to Asgard, Rhodey had met the Avengers and co, both Fury and the Council had agreed on one of the blueprints Tony and Penny had supplied for upgrades and repairs for the Helicarrier (after three days of arguing), the Helicarrier was actually docked at the moment for said repairs, and the Council had been mostly appeased so Fury wasn't in as much of a bad mood.

Tony and Penny had also finished blueprints for various SI upgrades, including ones for the Holo-balls, the Starkphone, the Stark-let (StarkTablet), shields for government buildings, etc. They had also had gone over and approved the blueprints for the two other Stark Towers that were being constructed in the US.

Since they had managed to get so much done, they had a bit of free time on their hands.

And that was why they were finally able to implement operation Anger Relief.

Tony and Penny were sitting back to back in the middle of the lab, the air filled with hundreds of holograms as they both worked on their part of the operation.

Floating to the left of Penny's head was the live feed from each of the Council members, and from the Council room where Fury was meeting with them.

On the right of Penny was a long continuous string of coding that Penny was making swift work of.

"Ready?" Tony asked as he finished the final touches to his own programs. Even though Jarvis didn't have a physical body, he was also technically right next to his creator and 'sister', ready to go when they were.

"Yes, Sir." Jarvis intoned the same time Penny said, "Fired up and ready to execute Daddy!"

The video feed of Fury meeting with the Council was enlarged, as as soon as he stormed out of the room, Tony exclaimed, "Go!"

Almost instantly, every member of the Council found their computer screens to be black, and they all worried just slightly.

Then, as one, their screens sprang to life, strings of code resembling the Matrix rolling down their screens. Some tried to turn off their computers, others just banged on the technology, but nothing would change it.

Soon the lines of code slowly formed a since sentence across the screen, each vertical line vanishing and leaving a letter behind one at a time.

You shall leave Director Fury alone. He is not your puppet for you to play with. He is the best person for his job, and if you continue your harassment, we shall be...displeased.

-Anthony and Penella Stark

Penny and Tony had both agreed that it would be better to threaten them together, since they already knew that Pen existed. (Sadly, since SHIELD knew, they knew.) But it just made it better. Since all of the Council's webcam's were still active, Pen and Tony watched as all of the member of the Council threw hissyfits, trying to regain control of their computers while yelling, threatening, and cursing the Stark duo.

With a nod from Tony, another message popped up on screen, and all of the Council members still.

You should not take us lightly, World Security Council. We can make your lives miserable, end them, destroy them; do whatever we wish with a few words. Do not doubt us. There is little we do not know, and we know everything about every single one of you.

Suddenly, all of the Council's screens were flooded with personal information regarding the member the computer belonged to. Social Security number, names, aliases, bank accounts, job info, mortgage info, blackmail, evidence of crimes (both faked and real), family members, and a bunch of things that the Starks 'shouldn't' know.

Penny and Tony then enlarged the window showing their bank accounts with Jarvis pulled up a window of the law enforcement and FBI database. At the same time, all of their accounts were drained dry as each member saw charges and warrants for their arrest appearing on the databases. Their 'crimes' were different for each person, some for rape, murder, large scale theft, serial murders, large scale arsenic, and even conspiracy with terrorists. Tony had even discovered that some of the 'crimes' were true!

All of the members had about a minute to panic/faint/yell before the account balances were restored, the warrants erased. Their computers were returned to normal, no evidence of anything happening at all, besides the simple warning that would remain on their screens for the next 14 hours.

This is your only and final warning. Fury is ours, do not anger us.

- You-Know-Who Duo

After that, the Council backed down a lot. Fury was suspicious, but he could never prove anything as the Council refused to speak about the incident, and the Starks were admitting to anything.

Though Fury seemed rather pleased, considering he turned up about two days after the incident with two large cheese cakes and had stayed for movie night.

All in all, everyone was getting accustomed to one another, and used to the normal insanity that was in every Stark household.

And Penny's odd little family grew once again.

Hey everyone! This chapter was done a bit differently than the others, but I wanted to have all of those scenes without having each be it's own chapter. Hope you all liked it, we're getting so close to the end I'm getting giddy! I have no idea how many chapters we have left exactly, but it's not going to be very many more.

Anyway, Review my wonderful peoples! I love you all! XD
Cp

(PS: this would've been up yesterday but I got sucked into watching the Hobbit part 1&2 with some friends...over six hours of Hobbit….and we never even got to the third part!)