A/N

Rant mode: engaged.

Guys, I think I need to explain something to you.

Two people can cuddle and have it ONLY be cuddling, nothing more, even if they are dating. I'm sorry, but I'm not making Taylor pregnant or anything. What you saw last chapter was just a cute little cuddle scene for comfort because Clint's sweet like that. No bedrooms were involved and all clothes stayed on.

Rant mode: disengaged. Sorry about that.

Chapter 14

"On your right!"

Boom!

"Great! Now fifty points if you can shoot that-"

Boom! Boom!

"Yeah…that."

I laugh as my dad pouts on my holoscreen. We were in the forest surrounding the house, and we were testing my reflexes and aerial combat skills with Beta II. My dad and I were communicating via comm, and he was awarding points based on the difficulty of the target I was assigned.

"Dive and snag that one on your three o'clock."

I dive and flip into a tight spiral curve, arching my back to fire at a branch that was in my blind spot.

"Good! Now, there's a clearing coming up ringed by trees, try and do a supersonic circle and cut a laser trail, then rise so I can get a visual on you."

I nod to let my dad know I heard him as I enter the clearing. I adjust a few controls and start in a circle around the clearing, feeling my suit pick up speed until I'm a black and purple blur leaving a sonic boom behind. I fire up a wrist laser and let it slice through the base of the ring of trees. All the trees are down or falling within three seconds, and I dart upwards just before the last one smashes down.

"Dad, you got a visual?"

"Confirmed. On your five o'clock."

I spin to see a red glint waving about five hundred yards away. I fly towards him – at a normal speed, as we head back towards the main house.

"We should trademark that, you know." my dad says as our suits are being disassembled and collapsed.

"What?"

"That supersonic thing. Like 'Hulk smash', but…'Beta blast'…or something."

I roll my eyes as I lift my suit. "That is the cheesiest name I have heard. And I'm dating Clint. You can stamp a trademark on it if you want, though."

"Stamp a trademark on what?" Bruce asks from the couch. The team has somehow converged in the living room while we were gone.

"This awesome move Taylor just did! Jarvis, pull up her video feed, outside point of view."

I roll my eyes again as the T.V. flickers to life. "Well, you all can bask in my glory if you want, but I've got a god to help hunt down." I duck to avoid the popcorn kernel thrown at my ear.

I reach my room, deposit my suit, and grab a Stark tablet off my nightstand before returning to the living room.

I'm greeted by the sight of five superheroes gaping at the T.V. while the sixth has a smug grim on his face. I just shake my head and smirk as I settle onto the back of the couch that Clint and Natasha are sharing. Time to get back to work.

A~A~A

Two hours later sees the Beta Blast belong to me, t-shirts and mugs ordered because of this, four new Loki hideouts investigated, and all turn up empty.

I sigh as I power down the tablet and head down to the tiny lab, intent on finding a way for me to wear my bow and suit simultaneously.

I pull up the diagrams of Beta I and my bow side by side. I can't expand the back of the suit at all, it would ruin the aerodynamics completely, but I can't wear my bow anywhere else.

Unless…

"Jarvis, can you get Clint down here with his bow please?"

"At once, Ms. Stark."

I nod as I lean back into my chair and pull up a new hologram and start forming my idea.

"You called, my lady?"

"Actually, I didn't, Jarvis did, but let me see your bow."

I gently take his bow as I explain my idea. Clint's bow can collapse down to about a foot long and be clipped on a belt. Given the machines and brain at my disposal, I'll bet I can make it smaller.

"-and see this gap here? Where the lower back curves us a bit?"

"Yeah."

"Well, that's just enough space for my bow, if it collapses the way I want it to. Now, how does this work?"

Clint takes his bow back and shows me the arm motion used to create the force to unfold it. I nod attentively as I study the way the joints and hinges move, the gears already spinning in my head.

As soon as he is dome, I turn back to where my bow lays on a table and pick up a screwdriver.

"Stay if you want. If you don't, I don't care."

Clint nods and settles himself up in a vent to watch my brain at work.

I just turn on the radio and let my mind fly.

A~A~A

"Eureka!"

I jump up and do a double fist pump as I take in my masterpiece.

The center of my bow now folds in half, the limbs folding in half as well before tucking themselves around the grip. Once the bow is fully unfolded, little metal plates about an inch square secure themselves over the various hinges to make sure that my bow will not cave on my in the field. The string coils nicely on top of the bow itself. I added a button and a few springs to unfold it, because I don't want to have to make the exact same gesture each time I need my bow. I also added trigger buttons for the explosive, gas, and beacon arrows, not unlike what Clint has on his bow.

The bow, completely folded, is now a slightly circular piece about five inches in diameter. I clip it to the back of my belt, calling the suit and subconsciously holding my breath.

I laugh with glee as I realize the suit has folded around me with no complications whatsoever.

I let the suit disperse as I unclip and unfold my bow, sending the diagrams to my dad, asking Jarvis to relay news of my discovery to him. I turn and start to clean up the tiny lab.

"Ms. Stark, Sir congratulates you on your discovery, but says you and Mr. Barton may want to arm yourselves because an alert has just gone off in Utah regarding Mr. Laufreyson's whereabouts. Ms. Romanoff is prepping the Avenger's jet in the yard."

I nod and sigh, folding and clipping my bow back on as I join Clint in the vents.

Once outside, I let my suit encompass me as Steve and my dad go over the details of the lead.

Eventually, we all board our trademark jet.

Beehive state, your hive is about be very busy, very soon.