"You have got to be kidding me, Spencer!"

Spencer rolled her eyes and muttered, "You're being dramatic."

Tony glared at her, "I cannot believe you would do this to Copper—to me!" Tony began to pace in front of her; Steve was gone on a mission for the past few days, Nat was off being, well, Nat, and Sam was tracking down leads to find Bucky. Personally, Spencer had doubts about Bucky but she would cast those aside for Steve. It the few months since the Washington D.C incident, it was decided that Steve and Spencer would move back to New York and take up residence at Stark Towers. Sam, surprisingly, tagged along and Tony was more then happy to accommodate the handsome chocolate man.

Nick had gone away to Europe since he decided that the world should believe that he was dead. He burned up a storage unit with private information about who knows what and got the hell out of dodge but not without saying goodbye to goddaughter. He had asked her to join him but she told him that her duty was beside Steve for the time being. She would miss him like hell but eventually, they would meet up again in the near future.

Her father and his special team had been okay during the Hydra takeover but it turned out that John Garret turned out to be a Hydra spy—the man had had a role in raising Spencer and the fact that he was Hydra made her upset with his betrayal. Her heart felt sadness when it was found out that someone, some Hydra spy, murdered Victoria Hand; a woman who also had a role in Spencer's life growing up.

Though Victoria stuck closely to rules and laws, she always had a soft spot for Spencer.

Now, she was gone and Spencer felt the ache it left. Since Shield had been destroyed, her father and his team had to go ghost. Spencer wouldn't be seeing him for some time but whenever he had the chance, he would check in on her.

With such important figures missing in her life at the moment, Spencer decided, after much debate, that it was time to expand her small family. Copper had been her only fur-baby and the recent events made her consider getting the wolf-dog a companion to keep him company whenever Steve or she weren't home.

It was meant to be a surprise for Steve. Steve had told her sometime ago that he had fondness for cats—often feeding alley cats near his flat in Brooklyn back in the day when he was scrawny and adorable. Spencer thought it would be a good way to lift Steve's spirits especially after the whole Bucky thing. So, Spencer went to the local animal shelter an adopted an older cat—she had thought about a kitten but decided a sweet older cat was better suited for the small family. She had to be sure the cat was familiar around dogs though because she certainly couldn't bring a feline home and it not bond with Copper because then it result with her taking the poor thing back to the shelter.

Her first few trips weren't successful but when Steve's mission came up and Spencer went to browse at the shelter, she found the perfect feline.

What she didn't calculate was Tony somehow figuring out where she was going so often and what she had been planning to do. It seemed Tony wasn't fond of cats and claimed one tried to bite his face off when he was younger. When questioned, it turned out he was trying to lure feral cats around his home to domesticate them. Feral cats were feral because they didn't want human companionship or simply didn't like humans so; it was understandable to at least Spencer why Tony was attacked by a feral cat.

Tony didn't agree.

Hence why Tony was barging into her shared apartment with Steve and Sam early in the afternoon; she couldn't bring home the feline home today since the feline hadn't been fixed, so, tomorrow in the afternoon she could pick the new fur-baby with Steve since Steve was due back tonight or tomorrow morning. It was all perfect timing—if Tony didn't ruin the surprise by running his big, fat mouth.

"Tony, you didn't like dogs but yet you made an exception for Copper." Spencer pointed out with an eyebrow arched.

Copper whined—as if agreeing with Spencer.

Tony glared at the dog, "Don't you dare turn on me!"

Copper huffed and curled at Spencer's feet, "You know how Steve's been lately…I figured getting a cat would make him happy." Spencer shrugged innocently, "And I wanted to give Copper a friend."

"I'm his friend!" Tony snapped.

Spencer rolled her eyes, "He needs a friend for when we're too busy doing raids or something!" Spencer elaborated making Tony huff, "And how did you figure out where I was going anyway?" The young assassin questioned with a soft frown.

Tony plopped down on the couch across from her and stated, "I like to keep tabs on everyone. Jarvis informed me that you've gone to a local shelter several times throughout the month so, I got curious," The billionaire shrugged, "Sue me for being a concerned friend."

Spencer scoffed and mumbled, "Stalker."

"I am not stalking!" Tony snapped, "I just want to make sure you're not getting into any trouble. With everything that happened with Hydra…and our plans to start raiding Hydra bases, I got a bit concern, okay?" His voice had lowered and softened considerably which made Spencer back down from hassling him. She wasn't bothered or upset that Tony was keeping tabs on her; she found it endearing, really, but she would like some privacy every now and again.

"When are we going to start the raids anyway?" Spencer asked quietly. The subject was touchy for her since one of their targets had been on Baron Strucker—the crazy asshole who experimented on her. Clint was on board, precautions were being made for Hulk, and there was even word from Thor that he would join in these raids as well.

"Maybe in the next few weeks," Tony gave a light shrug, "Hey, should I expand my business into cats then?" Tony questioned out of the blue and it made Spencer smirk. Not surprisingly, Tony's dog food and toy business had skyrocketed and had become very popular as of late. Spencer had a feeling that Tony would like the new companion though he would never admit it if it were to be true.

"Maybe," Spencer mused softly, "Cats are known to be pretty picky though," Spencer told him.

Tony smirked, "I like a challenge."

Spencer rolled her eyes, "Shawarma?" Spencer suggested with a grin.

One thing that made Steve and Spencer happy as hell was going back to their Shawarma joint and chowing down on Diao's bomb Shawarma—Sam ended up loving it as well and who wouldn't? In some ways, this was Spencer's vacation until the world needed saving again. She could enjoy for as long as she could though.

"Sure," Tony smiled, "Jarvis, can you put in our usual order for Shawarma?" Tony spoke out loud and it didn't take long for the A.I to respond back.

"Right away sir," Jarvis responded in a cool voice.

"Have the pills been helping with your nightmares?" Tony asked her in a more delicate tone.

Spencer nodded, "Yeah," Bruce had developed pills to help her mind block out the nightmares—how Spencer couldn't explain or know, but she was very thankful, "I haven't had one nightmare since I started taking them." Spencer smiled softly.

Tony was happy to hear because it had become noticeable, too. With all the sleep she was getting, Spencer didn't look so haunted anymore. Though, it did concern Tony that she hadn't regained her advanced healing abilities'. There were a lot of theories on why but Spencer just brushed it off.

Spencer would never admit out loud but losing her healing abilities did scare her. What if her powers and abilities were slowly fading? What use would she be to the Avengers without her powers? Spencer flinched slightly at the thought. They called her Shockwave but what was Shockwave with the shock?

She was trained assassin and a pretty damn good one, but…Perhaps she had become too reliant on her powers instead of her natural assets. She would need to start stepping up her training—just in case she did lose her powers eventually.

"Thoughts?" Tony voiced since he had been watching her the entire time.

"I'm thinking of names for our cat." Spencer lied swiftly and grinned, "I think I know a good one but since Steve is tagging along, I had some ideas on what he'll end up naming the cat." Spencer mused to Tony.

Tony scowled, "Something Lord of the Rings related."

Spencer laughed and nodded, "Definitely."

Tony rolled his eyes, "If you're going to end up getting me a pet, let it be a tiger or something." Tony sarcastically replied, "I always wanted one." He got up and started rummaging through their pantry, "Jesus, how much junk food do you go through?" Tony demanded seeing the pantry stocked with chips, candy, cookies, and all the good types of junk food.

"We're three grown adults and we like our snacks." Spencer defended with a wide grin.

"I thought Sam was on a diet?" Tony turned to look at her curiously, "We're workout buddies and if I find him cheating, I'll clip his wings off."

"Sam takes his cheat days very seriously," Spencer mused with a fond smile, "That man can pack away a lot of food."

With Tony subdued about Sam potentially cheating on his diet, Tony continued on with looking through the kitchen with sighs and grumbles about our lack of healthy food. "Jarvis send someone to go grocery shopping—use Pepper's shopping list. These adults eat more like teenagers." Tony sent her a scathing look.

"Yes, sir," Jarvis replied.

Spencer groaned, "Tony, the whole point of being an adult is doing whatever the hell we want and eating whatever we want! Don't force us into your healthy lifestyle just because you're miserable and we aren't!"

Tony held out a familiar yellow and red bag and dangled it over the trash can, "Should I?" Tony threatened as Spencer jumped up on her feet with wide eyes. "You can eat however much junk food you want but you have to at least eat some home-cooked meals, Spencer, don't you think maybe that's why your healing is gone? Your body is full of poisonous chemicals from these!" He waved the bag of her beloved Flaming Hot Funyuns.

"Put it down! Those are my favorite!" Spencer whined with a pout.

"Spencer," Tony warned.

Spencer rolled her eyes with a groan, "We're just so lazy to cook!" Spencer whined again.

"You're mostly always home, Spencer," Tony countered with exasperation, "Try another excuse."

Spencer growled at her annoying friend, "I'm on vacation and I don't want to cook then I don't have to!" Spencer gave a light Hmpf! For added effect.

Tony sighed, "Right, I totally forgot about your so-called vacation," Tony rolled his eyes and set her beloved bag of chips back into the pantry, "What kind of vacation you are having? You know, I could book you a flight to Fiji or something—somewhere where people actually vacation too." Tony remarked.

"And leave poor Sam and Steve to fend for themselves? Nah, I like lounging around in PJ's with Copper and dealing with annoying middle-aged billionaires." Spencer remarked with some sass and sat down at the kitchen counter. Tony leveled her with a calculating stare—the young woman can see the wheels in his eyes turning.

"Oh god…" Spencer muttered.

"Okay, I have an idea," Tony stated after a few seconds.

"No," Spencer stated.

Tony ignored her, "How about I hire a chef to come and cook for you guys? How does that sound?" Tony suggested with a strange twinkle in his eyes.

Spencer narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him, "I don't know how I feel about strangers coming into my personal space." She told him.

"They won't be a stranger," Tony reassured her.

Spencer stared at him, "Is it you?"

Tony smirked but shook his head, "No, someone else."

Spencer pursued her lips, "Nat burns water…Clint can't even make pancakes right…" Spencer muttered, "Thor?" Spencer perked up.

Tony snorted, "Thor loves junk food just as much as you do."

Spencer cocked her head to the side, "Bruce?"

Tony nodded with a grin, "He's been taking cooking classes the last few months. He makes a decent home-made cooked meal. You know how much of a homebody he is and since he's comfortable being around you the most, I figure it'll get him to brag about him food. He makes an awesome Pasta Alfredo." Tony's eyes looked almost dreamy.

Spencer smiled and was surprised that she liked the idea of Bruce coming in and cooking something. Bruce distanced himself from the group a lot though it wasn't his fault since he had been pushing people away for quite some time. There was a lot of fear in Bruce and Spencer couldn't act like she knew what he was going through but she could help him become more trusting at least with the group.

"Okay," Spencer agreed, "As long as Bruce wants to and I don't want you forcing him into cooking for us," Spencer added hastily.

Tony scoffs, "I would never—okay I would." He quickly changed his tune when he saw the glare on Spencer's face.

Spencer smiled, "Good, now, want to watch a movie while we wait for our food?" Spencer asked going back over to the living room, "How about the new Jumanji movie?" Spencer asked since she rented it last night on Redbox. She had rented it to watch with Sam but Sam ended up leaving when a sudden lead popped up.

"Sure, I love Kevin Hart and The Rock." Tony grins grabbing several bags of chips from the pantry and dropping them onto the living room table.

"What about your diet?" Spencer mused.

"It's my cheat day," Tony smirked.

It was the next day and Spencer was happily pulling Steve through the streets of New York towards the local animal shelter. Steve, although very tired, was eager to see what had Spencer so excited. She had told him very little and hadn't taken no for an answer when Steve protested that he just got back from a mission.

Steve smiled watching as Spencer was basically bouncing on her feet with a giant smile on her face—whatever it was had to be worth it if she was so happy. "Do I get any clues?" Steve tried for a hint but Spencer shook her head in reply.

"Nope, you might get a clue once we enter the place," Spencer told him.

Steve chuckled and let Spencer drag him along. It didn't take the duo to get to the local animal shelter. Steve was perplexed when Spencer pulled him into the shelter, "You're not going to abandon me here, are you?" Steve teased.

Spencer gave him a dry look, "No, you're way too old—they'd probably put you down." Spencer teased back with a grin.

Steve snorted as Spencer went up to the counter, signed in, and took a seat in the lobby. There seemed to be several others waiting too but Steve wasn't sure for what. "Are we getting a tour or something?" Steve asked as some of the people noticed him right away.

"Maybe," Spencer smirked.

Steve watched curiously as people were called up and given their animals—medication was given as well. Steve turned to look at Spencer, "Did you adopt another dog?" Steve asked with surprise. He hadn't heard anything about getting another dog.

Spencer mused, "Maybe."

Steve's eye twitched with some irritation, "Spencer…" Steve warned.

Spencer pinned him with a stare that meant business, "Shut up and stop thinking. You're going to ruin the surprise." She hissed at him before they called out Spencer's name. Spencer jumped up on her feet and accepted the large, brown box with holes in it. Steve walked up from behind her—the nurse gawking at him before Spencer demanded her attention.

Spencer handed the box to Steve, "Go sit down and stop distracting people." Spencer shooed him off and added, "Give them a good name." Spencer turned back to the nurse to ask questions as Steve awkwardly walked back to his seat and felt something stumble within the box. Was it a dog? Why would it be in a box—Oh.

Steve hastily opened the box and was greeted with a ginger cat with lovely green eyes. Steve had to reframe his mouth from hanging open. The large ginger tabby meowed up at him as a greeting though it looked like the tabby was sluggish. Steve's heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest and he glanced up and saw Spencer nodding to whatever the nurse was saying.

He didn't deserve such kindness from her—not after being gone for so long.

He felt tears prickling the corner of his eyes as the tabby meowed again. He latched the box close as Spencer said her farewells and thank you to the nurse. Steve stood up and walked towards her, the box left on his seat. "Hey, you okay?" Spencer asked seeing his expression—it was one she hadn't seen before.

Steve reached out and pulled her into a tight hug—not caring of the people watching. "Thank you," Steve muttered into her shoulder, "For everything," Steve said through his voice did crack a little.

Spencer felt very happy—to the point of almost feeing high. She embraced Steve back and said, "You deserve it, Steve, you deserve any happiness you can find." She told him with a warm smile. They decided to take a taxi back to Tony's tower and Spencer was tell him how Sam had been sent to go grab cat stuff earlier and hopefully everything would be there when they got back. Steve hardly paid attention, Spencer could tell because Steve was too captivated by the ginger cat in the box.

The ginger tabby seemed to really like Steve and seemed very friendly. Spencer watched Steve pet the cat with a fond smile and Spencer knew it had been very worth it. They arrived at the tower, paid the man, and hurried inside to get to their apartment. Spencer was surprised to find Tony and Bruce inside with Sam.

"Wow, a greeting party for our new feline friend?" Spencer smiled as Copper happily greeted her—though his eyes wandered to the box held possessively in Steve's grasp.

"We were curious and I quite like cats." Bruce smiled upon seeing her.

"Well, let me put this one away," Spencer looked at Copper, "Can't have him stressing the cat out so soon after surgery." Spencer beckoned Copper to follow her into her room and locked the canine in. She could hear the dog huffing in annoyance and that made her smile.

"Any names?" Sam asked.

Spencer could hear Tony grumbling, "My poor dog, what did he do to deserve being locked in a room?"

"He just had surgery?" Bruce asked.

"He had to be neutered." Steve explained as he opened the box and pulled out the long ginger cat, "And I've been fiddling with names." Steve sheepishly stated looking like kid ready to show off his new pet. Spencer stayed back and watched with a fond smile as Steve put the cat down and it immediately went to greet the three other men with friendly meows.

Tony was almost immediately softening up upon receiving attention from the feline.

"And have any stuck?" Bruce asked.

"I think one has," Steve grinned widely, "I think I'll call him Frodo."

Tony groaned, "I knew it!"

Spencer laughed, "I think we all did!"

Steve glared at everyone since it was well known that Steve loved any Lord of the Rings related, "He looks like a Frodo." Steve muttered as Frodo waltzed up to Steve and curled into his lap. It was a beautiful awe moment for everyone in the room. Steve seemed to be glowing right now and Spencer felt as if she had just saved the world again.

Frodo would fit right in.

"So, I've decided to dabble in cat food," Tony announced soon after which was no surprise to anyone. It seemed Tony was now a cat person.

These were the moments that made everything worth it; all the fighting and saving the world led to these small and precious moments. Through all the pain, blood, and tears it was all very worth it to see her favorite people smiling and laughing without any cares.

Spencer would continue to fight for these moments though they were fleeting; she would fight to ensure that there would be more moments like these in the near future.

I just had to throw in a cute chapter before we dive into Age of Ultron. I re-watched the movie and boy, it is tense! So, I added some cute fluff before Tony manages to screw it up! Peitro is definitely speeding in to the next chapter, yay! I can't wait to write out his reaction and Spencer's reaction!