Author's Note: As a Marvel fan, I adored the classic MJ from the comics and I truly found it awesome Kristen Dunst's Mary Jane from the initial film trilogy. But Zendaya as MJ is cool as well.

P.S. Iron Man 3 is just around the corner.

Also…a big happy birthday to Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange)! :)

I don't own Avengers or its characters. I only own Riley Stark and other OCs that appear in the story.

Take on the World

Chapter 14: Interactions

"And voilà!"

Riley grinned in delight as she finished decorating her batch of cinnamon buns with lots of icing.

The young brunette wore a blue floral top and red white striped skirt with grey tights and pink sandals.

After putting away her oven gloves and apron, Riley placed two cinnamon buns on a plate and prepared a cup of chamomile tea before placing the beverage on a yunomi; a traditional Japanese style of teacup.

She then presented the treat she prepared to Bruce, who sat on one of the chairs in the kitchen.

"Here you go, Uncle Bruce."Riley remarked."Some homemade cinnamon buns with a cup of chamomile tea."

"Thanks, Riley."Bruce thanked.

Riley took a seat to sit on the opposite side of the table as Bruce started eating one of the cinnamon buns, only for the scientist to immediately love the sweet roll created by the Stark heiress.

"Do you like it?"Riley asked.

"It's great."Bruce praised before his smile shrunk a bit."Just…"

"What is it?"Riley said with a hint of worry."Did I put too much sugar?"

Bruce shook his head.

"No, Riley. Your cinnamon buns are great."Bruce assured."It's just my mother used to bake these treats on the days after my father…would get out of hand. The two of us would sit and eat them together and she would tell me stories about treasure hunting and adventure in far away wonderful lands."

Riley became silent at Bruce's declaration.

She learned recently that her father's science bro didn't have a happy childhood.

Bruce was the son of Dr. Brian Banner, an atomic physicist, and his wife Rebecca.

Although Rebecca deeply loved Bruce, who returned her affection, Brian hated Bruce and was driven by an insane jealousy of Bruce for being an object of Rebecca's love. Further, Brian believed that his radiation work had altered his DNA and given him a mutant son. These factors led to Brian abusing Bruce physically.

One of the people who helped Bruce cope with Brian's tantrums was his paternal cousin Jennifer Walters, with whom Bruce used to spend summers in the public library reading for hours, losing themselves in books.

Bruce's life reached a turning point when Brian murdered Rebecca and he was placed in a mental hospital. After that, Bruce was raised by his aunt and father's sister, Susan Banner, who understood his great pain and rage over his childhood sufferings. Susan raised Bruce with love and care, as if he were her own child. However, Susan never wanted to deal with her brother after what he had done to Bruce and Rebecca.

Bruce, grew up as a highly withdrawn, intellectually gifted youth, in fact, a child prodigy. In later years, his intelligence caught the attention of the United States Army and he was recruited to develop nuclear weapons under the authority of General Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross.

Though Riley could clearly see by looking into Bruce's eyes that he had suffered deeply from his father's abuse.

"Sorry if I brought back any bad memories."Riley apologised, her voice mixed with a hint of guilt.

Bruce smiled and simply ruffled Riley's hair.

"Don't worry about it, Riley."Bruce assured."Though I heard eating something sweet usually makes people feel better."

Riley simply nodded at Bruce, silently decided not wanting to question Bruce on things linked to his past.

The brunette then began eating her own cinnamon bun.

However, there were various questions swooping around Riley's head.

Bruce's speech, behaviour and personality were nothing like the Hulks.

While Bruce was calm, quiet and intelligent, the Hulk was loud, grumpy and a little dim.

"Something on your mind?"Bruce asked.

Riley blushed in embarrassment, realising Bruce understood her expression.

"Well…Uncle Bruce."Riley said, being careful with her words."I just…I was thinking. I was wondering…"

"How I am so different from the Hulk?"Bruce finished.

"Y-Yeah."Riley replied with a sheepish smile."Sorry. I guess it's a hard topic for you."

"It's okay."Bruce replied casually before taking a sip of tea."A lot of people have questions about my transformation onto the Hulk. You're one of the few people in the world that doesn't view him as a monster."

Riley slowly munched on her cinnamon bun as she listened carefully at what her father's science bro was going to say.

"The Hulk and I share the same body. But we are not the same person. We share this body and whenever I got angry, I turned into the Hulk and I would only turn back when he calmed done."Bruce exclaimed as he stared at his reflection on the yunomi's beverage."At the start, the Hulk was nothing, but a raging monster. His only thought was to attack anything and everything near him. And during that time, I would blackout. Sometimes I would get memory flashes of what happened when Hulk was in control. But other than that? Nothing."

"What was it like?"Riley asked curiously.

"At first I agreed with everyone else, that the Hulk was a monster and needed to be contained."Bruce admitted."But unlike the Military, I wanted to cure the gamma in my system. Destroy the Hulk before he caused any more destruction. But then I learned that I did have a consciousness inside the Hulk's mind. And after our first fight with Abomination in New York, Hulk and I left the city. Afterwards, I made my way to another safe house. There I practiced many forms of mediation to help me prevent the Hulk from coming out."

Riley placed her half eaten cinnamon bun on her plate.

"Say Uncle Bruce didn't you have any friends that actually tried to help you with dealing with the Hulk?"Riley asked.

Bruce took a few sips of his chamomile tea before responding to the Stark heiress.

"Just a few."Bruce answered casually."But the ones closer to me are Rick Jones and…Betty Ross."

Riley noticed there was a sudden glimpse of happiness on Bruce's face at mentioning the Head Scientist and Professor here at Culver University which made her realise the woman was someone special to him.

"Your girlfriend?"Riley guessed with a small smirk.

Bruce simply chuckled at Riley's question.

"You could say that."Bruce replied."But I haven't talked to her since the battle of New York."

"Then why don't you go and visit her?"Riley suggested."I am sure she would be very happy to see you."

"You think so?"Bruce asked.

Riley nodded in agreement.

"Absolutely."Riley remarked."You helped save the world from an alien army and beat up a puny horn head. You are one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes."

A grateful look appeared on Bruce's face.

"Thanks, Riley."Bruce thanked."You're a great kid."

Riley smiled shyly at Bruce's respond.

"I get that a lot."Riley answered.

(A Week Later)

At Midtown West Middle School, Peter was among a group of students attending Captain Warren's seminar.

Captain George Warren was a prominent member of the New York City Police Department and Gwen's father.

He revealed that the students will be paired up and go on a police ride-along.

"Time to choose partners for tonight's police ride-along."Captain George exclaimed."Remember, this is an educational endeavour, a front row seat at how the police operate, not a social activity. So no arguments over who rides with whom."

Captain George then gestured to his hat that had mini sheets of paper inside.

"Names are in the hat."Captain George declared.

Flash was the first one to come forward and take out a sheet of paper which revealed he was to be partnered with his best friend, Hobie Brown.

MJ was up next to learn who was going to be her partnered with on the event.

"Gwen Warren."MJ read.

Gwen glanced at Riley and gives her an apologetic smile, but the brunette simply smiled understanding she didn't always have to be partnered with her best friend.

Ned was up next and saw he was going to be partnered with Liz Allen.

After a few more students, Riley was the last one to pick her partner.

"Peter Parker."Riley read.

Peter smiled sheepishly while Ned playfully nudged his arm.

"Yikes."Flash mocked smugly."Tony Stark's daughter and the stuck-up egghead? How did that happen?"

Riley gives Flash a glare.

"I'd rather have no friends than be friends with the school bully, Thompson."Riley insulted.

Peter, Gwen, MJ, Ned and the other students immediately burst out laughing at Riley's declaration while Flash glared at the Stark heiress.

Soon, the partnered students were each taken in a police car that was going to take them to a crime scene.

Gwen glanced at MJ, who gazed out the window which showed the busy street of New York.

The blonde haired girl never saw MJ interact with the other students at school since she preferred to read her books than trying to establish friendships.

But that didn't she couldn't try and have a conversation with her.

"My dad."Gwen complemented."The great Captain Warren. He can be overprotective, but he means well."

"Of course, he does."MJ said simply.

"What's your dad like?"Gwen asked."ls he one of those workaholic types that says, ''l'll talk to you later, honey,'' but never really does?"

"I haven't actually heard from him for a very long time."MJ replied.

Gwen bit her lip at her mistake.

"Sorry."Gwen apologised.

MJ simply shrugged before giving Gwen a smile.

"It's fine."MJ replied."But at least I have my mum there for me."

Riley and Peter sat together as two police officers drove them to a road in Manhattan.

"Hey, Riley."Peter said, making Riley look at him."Thanks."

"On what?"Riley asked.

"For what you did."Peter admitted.

"I couldn't just stand there and let Flash make fun of you."Riley responded and frowned a bit."I don't like people who think they're above everyone else."

Peter chuckled. "True. Who would anyway?"

Riley smiled at Peter causing him to look at his right as a small blush appeared on his face.

"So what is it like?"Peter asked.

"What?"Riley said.

"You know being Iron Man's daughter?"Peter questioned.

"Well…it's really cool as you and everyone else thinks, Peter."Riley exclaimed with a smile."Though the paparazzi is sort of annoying sometimes."

"I can imagine."Peter commented.

"You know despite being popular and rich as well as having a dad for a super hero, I wouldn't taking a normal job in the future."Riley admitted."Like becoming a photographer for the Daily Bugle?"

"And hang out with its loudmouth, irascible, egotistical and gruff publisher?"Peter chuckled.

Riley simply shrugged in respond.

"I am sure it wouldn't be that bad."Riley stated."But then again, the last thing my dad would want me to do is become a superhero like him."

This caused Peter to become surprised.

"Really?"Peter said with a curious smile."He doesn't want you to become the future Iron Girl?"

A soft chuckle escaped from Riley's mouth.

"I am only his daughter after all."Riley informed."But if I become a superhero in the future, I know with great power comes great responsibility."

As Riley and Peter talked with each other, first police officer glanced at his comrade.

"Are we on a ride-along or a "ride-along" ride-along?"the first police officer whispered.

The second police officer simply shrugged in respond.

Captain George brought the students of Federal Reserve Bank of New York to Midtown West Middle School, where a robbery scene had taken place.

"A robbery?"Flash scoffed with a yawn."How exciting."

"It can't be worse as your cheerleader team."Gwen sneered.

Flash rolled his eyes at Gwen.

The police officers questioned people that worked in the bank to find clues of the masked robber that stole the money from them as Riley carefully took out her iPhone to enter a small password 'CARBONELL' on an App at what appeared to have some droid logo on it.

Then a tiny ladybug-like robot carefully flew out from the right pocket of her jacket before going up the ceiling of the bank to look for clues.

The ladybug's cyan blue eyes scanned the area and in a couple of seconds, it found the whereabouts of the robber.

After checking her iPhone for a brief moment, Riley went up to Captain George.

"Say Captain Warren are there any police officers around Washington Street?"Riley asked.

"We have four police cars around that location."Captain George replied."Why do you ask?"

"I hear the man you're looking for is eating at Burger King."Riley admitted.

Captain George raised an eyebrow at Riley.

"You're going to have to trust me on this one."Riley insisted.

Captain George simply nodded at the brunette before taking out his phone to contact his men at Washington Street.

Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff, in their civilian guise were enjoying a milkshake together in an anachronistic soda shop in Brooklyn.

"Well, what do you think?"Steve asked.

"C'mon. C'mon."Natasha chuckled."Don't rush a sophisticated palate."

Steve used his own straw to slurp a bit more of the milkshake that he and Natasha were drinking.

"Wow. You win, Steve."Natasha praised."My work for S.H.I.E.L.D. has taken me all over the world and that is without a doubt. Not just the best milkshake in Brooklyn. But in the whole darn planet."

Steve smiled at Natasha's respond.

"Told you, Natasha. There's a reason this place has been open since I was a kid. Wayback before World War II."Steve remarked."And you had to walk uphill both ways to go to school, right?"

The Sentinel of Liberty nodded at his comrade.

"I have spent a lot of time exploring my old neighbourhood since…"Steve started.

"Since you de-thawed?"Natasha finished.

"I was going to say 'Returned to active service', but I get your point."Steve replied.

Natasha took a sip of the milkshake with her own straw before speaking to Steve again.

"What do you think of Riley?"Natasha asked.

"Tony's kid?"Steve said."Well, she's kind, intelligent, mischievous and surprisingly multilingual. A great baker. Other than that, she is not afraid of being around heroes or standing up to a villain."

Steve gives Natasha a curious look.

"Why do you want my opinion of her?"Steve questioned.

"I think she'll make a great agent for S.H.I.E.L.D."Natasha admitted and smirked a bit."She wasn't afraid of interrogating Loki or being around him when he took her to Starks Tower to activate the portal."

A chuckle escaped from Steve's mouth, remembering the funny video that Riley actually showed him and the other Avengers after eating her cookies.

"You know you'll have to ask Tony for permission to train her."Steve reminded.

"I know. I think I'll wait until she's officially a teenager."Natasha suggested."She's quite smart when it comes to science and gadgets. But I think she can be more than just an Oracle. Agent Coulson believed that as well."

"That's true."Steve agreed.

"But good things come to those who wait."Natasha stated."And that is what I intend to do."

Steve and Natasha smiled back at each other before they continued enjoying their milkshake.