The Book of Life

Disclaimer: Idont own the Avengers or MARVEL (If i did i would be in the Bahamas right now)

Colonel 'expletive' Fury

Last Chapter

"Stop!". Tony powered down the arm and everyone turned to face a straight-faced Agent Phil Coulson stepping calmly out of the elevator "eh security breech" Stark said redundantly.

"By order of SHIELD you are requested to stand down and you Ironman are expected to report to the Helicarrier it is currently headed to your location".

Past

Bruce Banner

Bruce returned to what he knew after the battle of Manhattan. He'd found himself a little room in the in the Nepalese village of Gaunshahar and had spent his time offering his services to the people in the village. It was late at night when he came for him. Bruce was naturally a light a light sleeper. His childhood and every moment since had only aggravated this trait.

So, when the hulk roared to life in the back of his head he was up like a shot. He shoved himself away from the clay floor grabbing a knife from beneath his pillow. He heard a snort of amusement to his left and whirled around to meet the blue serious eyes of Clint Barton. Clint gave him a lopsided grin.

"I'd put down that down before you hurt yourself Dr Banner"

Bruce groaned in pure frustration "I told Fury that my business with shield was done"

"Since when does Fury take no for an answer?"

"and if we say no?"

"it's a matter of world security"

"and if we still say no"

Clint placed his hands up in mock surrender. "I suppose you could turn green man, but I don't think you want to damage this merchandise" he said gesturing towards his face.

Bruce took in Clint's appearance. The archer had a split lip and faint bruising around his neck "the merchandise seems damaged enough" he deadpanned in unsaid agreement. "Where is your back-up" he said as he was ushered hastily out the door.

Clint turned and keeping low ran by the back of Bruce's house with the man himself at his heels. Not for the first time that night Clint asked himself what the hell he was doing. This was crazy with a capital C. He wanted to turn to Bruce and explain everything that was going on. The man deserved it. Instead he replied "Back-up only slows me down". "Or tries to get you killed" a snide voice in his head gleefully supplied.

Clint pushed the voice back as he jogged at a steady pace through the fields towards the foot of the mountain. The tall grass whipped around his legs, and he could hear Bruce's ragged breathing behind him. They finally reached the foot of the mountain after forty minutes. Bruce collapsed in an exhausted pile. Clint sat down beside him feeling his bruised ribs twinge as he did so.

"You know for a man who beat the God of Lies to a pulp your awfully out of shape". Clint passed the doctor a flask of water from his pack.

"That wasn't me, but if you want to meet the thing that did, make me run another mile" Bruce panted gripping the gun-metal grey flask tightly.

Clint was taken aback. "Was that a joke? Did you just make a joke?"

"Stranger things have happened" was the reply "like a spy showing up at my house at two in the freaking morning for a midnight run." Oh, Bruce was pissed, that was so not good.

Clint held out his hand placatingly. "look I can explain everything, but not right now". The archer reached into his pack and produced two sleeping bags. Bruce raised an eyebrow thoroughly unimpressed. "Trust me you'll be singing my praises tomorrow"

Bruce was awoken again at the much more reasonable hour of five O clock. He opened his eyes slowly and smiled. Kneeling beside Clint's sleeping bag was Natasha. The partner's heads were stuck together as they whispered quietly to each other in Russian. They were both smiling and it was mesmerising to see the stoic redhead express so much gentleness. When Clint threw back his head in a full bellied laugh, he was awoken from his day-dream.

Bruce sat himself up. "What's so funny?"

Natasha turned to him and smiled. "I was just telling Bird-brain how Stark reacted when I called him this morning"

Bruce was confused. One, Natasha was smiling at him. Two, if this problem needed the entire gang back together, Bruce doubted there was anything worth smiling about. He opened his mouth to ask why the hell he was being brought in when he heard it. Clint stood up his entire body was rigid. "The shows about to start" the archer remarked.

Bruce looked up and saw an army jet scream overhead and his home for the past five weeks went up in flames. He flinched, instinctively trying to hide himself when Natasha laid her hand on his shoulder. "It's Ok Bruce look"

Tony was not having a good day. First his fiancé leaves him. Then, he gets called up at twelve at night and told the army is gunna bomb Bruce to high heaven. As he flew easily beside the bomber he smiled to himself as he saw the pilot recoil from shock before quickly making a U-turn and fleeing. Tony turned as well, he had about an hour before reinforcements came pouring into the scene. He had to get Buce out of here.

Bruce was in shock. First, he's forced to leave his home, then his home is blown up and now Tony was here. He turned to the two spies who were looking altogether too pleased with themselves. "Explain". "I'd love to hear this explanation myself Banner" Tony's voice cut in as he landed next to him. "good to see you again buddy, you to love-birds"

Clint grimaced and took a deep breath. "we were in town on an unrelated mission when we caught wind Ross had permission from higher ups to bring Bruce in"

"Shield sent you to rescue him? Then why'd you call me?"

"not exactly"

"how no exactly Natasha?"

The redhead continued "Fury felt that if banner was exposed to the kind of danger Shield protected him from he'd could be brought in as an asset"

Tony clenched his jaw. He could feel the anger rising inside of him. "so, let me get this straight SHIELD allowed an army assault. For what? To turn Bruce green?"

Bruce felt sick to his stomach. "they know me Tony, if I hulked in the centre of that village I could kill anyone". A glance at Clint and Natasha told him that was the point. He spoke softly as the pieces finally slotted together in his head "I know I can't kill myself. Without the original super soldier serum, a cure is impossible. My only option with the army after me would be containment, I'd go to them willingly to be locked away"

Bruce felt himself panic as he talked it through to himself "now that Ross has gotten an inch he'll take a mile and Shield can't be trusted, I need to run, I need to get out of here fast"

"aannd that's why I waited for you to get here" Clint stage whispered to Tony as the Doctor started scheming. "he's already forgotten we exist." He nudged Natasha "go see if you can calm the good doctor down". As Nat moved on Tony turned to Clint intent on getting the full picture. "I understand Bruce's side of it but where do you two fit in" The archers face darkened.

"Myself and Natasha have a new handler. he tipped us off that there was something serious going on in the village. We did a little digging and came across this plan"

"He just told you that?"

"Oh god no. He tried to place me in that village, a simple drop-off to be made to an operative in the village at precisely five o Clock."

"First non-suicidal mission i've been given in months so i knew something was up."" Clint smiled grimly at the ground and Tony raised an eyebrow "Does your handler often try to kill you?" he half joked half asked.

"Never this blatantly" came the calm chilling reply.

Sticking a pin in that reply, Tony walked over to where Natasha was sitting on a mumbling Bruce to keep him still. "Times up, Bruce your coming home with me" was all he said as he swept the doctor into his metal arms and turned to Natasha. "if you two lovebirds ever need a couch to crash on you know where to find me." She nodded.

As he and the now sleeping Bruce flew over the Atlantic Ocean in his private jet Tony called up Jarvis on the Stark pad.

"J, open up the floor under mine we're about to have a jolly green guest, and tell Ms Potts we have a new employee for the R+D department if she's not too busy sticking her tongue down Rhodey's throat that is."

"Already done Sir" came the AI's disapproving voice

"that's great and one last thing J"

"yes sir"

"Arrange a meeting with Colonel 'better have a good explanation' Fury. We have a protection program to discuss."

During the meeting SHIELD had politely asked Bruce to stay on as an employee. Tony had rejected the offer on his behalf by telling Fury he could kiss the hulk's jolly green behind. He had then informed Bruce that he had a job waiting for him and for Bruce's own safety had refused to take no for an answer. It was four weeks after the scientist had moved in Tony had woken up to find two battered and broken spies asleep in his living room.

Clint and Natasha Barton-Romanoff

Tony approached the back of the couch cautiously. When he'd entered the room in search of scotch he'd been alerted by Clint's heavy breathing. Clint was lying half naked on his leather couch. The archers left leg and arm were encased in plaster-of-Paris. One of his wrists was concealed in thick bandages, but the other was red-raw from rope burn and his face was an indistinguishable mess of bruises and cuts. In fact, tony only recognized the man by the petite red headed body that was curled into the protection offered by the archers uninjured arm. Natasha was better off than her partner from what Tony could see of her behind Clint's attempt to shield her frame. However, a closer inspection on his part had shown a large cut on her forehead and a small bruise on her cheek.

They were sound asleep and clearly exhausted judging by the fact that they hadn't been alerted immediately to his presence. He walked around the couch whispering a curse as he stubbed his toe on a pile of bags by Clint's head. Tony knelt to inspect the bags trying to make sense of just what exactly was going on. There were two Shield issue duffle bags, a battered briefcase he assumed held guns and Clint's beloved bow and arrows, bent beyond usage.

Tony looked up sharply as he heard a rustle of movement beside him, but stopped dead at the horrifying, stomach- turning sight that met his eyes. There written in sickening precision on the otherwise unblemished skin of the mans shoulder, like a crack in cement, was the word TRAITOR. Tony felt himself gag. He recognised, that, the way the first few letters trailed crazily off to either side was a sign their owner had struggled. He'd been awake when they cut into him.

He moved his shocked brown eyes up a fraction to meet the exhausted green orbs of Black Widow peering out from behind her husband in all but name. From this angle, he could see the black eye, purple and angry on her pale skin. "We'd like to accept your invitation please Stark". Tony had simply nodded. He didn't have the words to express himself in that moment. He rose from his knees and walked over to the conveniently located (in this case) bar and poured two scotch on the rocks. He returned and handed one to Natasha who had untangled herself from Clint seamlessly, not waking him.

"Jarvis, open up the floor beneath brucie's for two please and start working on the 3D models of the Bow designs I updated last week" he said softly, and Natasha smiled in gratitude before throwing her drink on her head. He quickly swapped the empty glass out for the fresh one to Natasha's surprise.

"You look like you need it more than me" was his response. She grimaced at the reminder and knocked the second one back even quicker.

"Short version?" he asked.

"Mission gone wrong" was the woman's reply "Our handler was a manipulative arsehole, his back-up wasn't there and I barely got to him in time."

He took the glass without a word and headed for the elevator. "Your room will be ready in the morning Tasha, til then enjoy my couch" he stalled at the elevator doors "and by the way keeping your guns in a black briefcase is very cliché.

He stepped into the elevator but was stopped by the sound of a broken, cracked but still amused male voice. "Hey Tony!" He turned around quick to see the archers bronzed hand pull his partner out of sight behind the back of the couch "the briefcase is where she keeps her toys, not so cliché now huh?" The door slid shut to the sound of a slap and a shout of "Ow, Nat, break rib number four why don't you!?". Tony stared at his reflection on the metal of the elevator door for a moment before coming to a decision on what he'd just witnessed.

"I need a drink."

Luckily, he had a bottle hidden in his workshop for just this occasion. He called out the floor number for Jarvis and added "J, arrange a meeting with Colonel 'needs to keep his employees on a leash' Fury, regarding the renegotiations of two very particular contracts of employment, and the termination of several others."

The meeting gained Tony two new houseguests and lost several people their job.

Phil Coulson

Phillip Gregory Coulson had died by Loki's hand. After the excitement of the battle they had all taken his death in different ways. Clint still had nightmares where he was the one pushing that dreaded sceptre through his mentor's chest. For Natasha, Tony had to spring for a new Loki themed boxing bag. That piece of equipment had quickly become a fan favourite. Thor had returned to Asgard with promises that Agent Coulson would be merry in Valhalla. Although none of the Avengers had known of the existence of Darcy at that point in time, the passing of Phil, coupled with the disappearance of Thor had broken the woman. Of course, all that made his return more miraculous.

It was three months after the spies' arrival. As part of Tony's deal with Fury the tower was now their permanent residence. Clint had been pronounced physically fully recovered by Bruce earlier that week. The archer had been advised to take a few weeks' relaxation before stepping back into the field. It was a testament to how exhausted the archer was that he took the chance to be out of the field like a drowning man clings to a buoy. Now Shield just needed to produce a handler that met Tony's high standards.

Clint sat clutching a cup of coffee at the kitchen counter, with Nat sitting faithfully at his side. Bruce was relaxing with his favourite cup of herbal tea and Tony was sat upside down on an armchair working on new designs for a deep underwater suit. They were all roused by their separate day-dreams by Jarvis "Sir-?". The unsure uncharacteristic hesitance in the AI's voice was enough to have them all glancing at the ceiling. It was then the elevator doors swished open and a familiar figure walked in.

Bruce squeezed his cup to his chest, Tony dropped his Stark Pad on his face in a move that would be funny in any other situation and Clint stood up. His face was pale and his fingers were clenched tightly into fists as he stared at the man before him. Natasha held his elbow to keep him back, her face was carefully blank. Bruce looked across at Tony to meet a pair of the same disbelieving eyes. The billionaire was stunned speechless.

Meanwhile Clint, Natasha and Phil were still having a staring contest. The agent himself looked relatively different, wearing a pair of straight legged denim jeans and a maroon sweater. His brown hair was greying slightly at the temple and he held his left arm was held protectively over his chest, but otherwise he appeared healthy.

"Well?" Clint spat out his jaw clenched "there's a story here somewhere?"

"Long story short," Coulson replied his voice still the calm comforting presence it had been four months ago, "Not Dead"

"SHIELD lied then?" Natasha broke in, she was as white as a sheet. The agent answered with a nod.

"I suppose you're here on Fury's orders, in hopes of getting us back under his thumb" Tony said distrustfully.

Phil didn't take his eyes off Clint "Actually Stark he wanted me to head a team on the other side of the country".

"And?" Clint voice wavered in question, his eyes practically screamed that he still believed he was in some sort of twisted dream.

Coulson took a step forward to look the archer directly in the eye and smiled grimly at him. "and I told him that if he fucking thought he was going to keep me from my family, that stupid eyepatch of his was clearly cutting off circulation to his brain."

That broke the dam and Clint practically threw himself at the man, grasping him in a hug. "I'm sorry, I'm so fucking sorry Phil" the archer broke down. The man in question said nothing just pulled him closer.

Phil looked up at Natasha who was still standing perfectly by the kitchen counter "Daughter" the word fell effortlessly in perfect Russian and the spy was quick to join her partner and mentor in an embrace.

Bruce heard Tony speaking softly beside him "Jarvis open up the floor beneath Katniss and Salt we have another guest, order pizza for dinner, arrange a meeting with Colonel 'dead when I get my hands on him' Fury and for Thor's sake order a suit" he turned to Bruce and the rest of the room "Never mind coming back from the dead, Agent in Maroon and denim is just not natural." The laughter bounced off the walls and continued well into the night with Tony making copious amounts of jokes, that had led to a surprising nickname.

The resulting meeting snagged the Avengers a new Shield liaison officer that was more than a little biased. Which as you can see worked out well in the long run.

Present Day

"Stop!". Tony powered down the arm and everyone turned to face a straight-faced Agent Phil Coulson stepping calmly out of the elevator "eh security breech" Stark said redundantly.

"By order of SHIELD you are requested to stand down and you Ironman are expected to report to the Helicarrier it is currently headed to your location".

"Is what I'll say in about ten minutes, far too late to stop Tony from leaving with Rogers' body" the man smiled at the gobsmacked group of superheroes (and Darcy) in front of him.

"Jeez Frankie you just about gave me heart failure"

"You have a heart Stark?" Coulson questioned with a grin. The room was filled with a round of giggles (Darcy), small smiles (Bruce and Natasha) and even a 'here here' from Clint. As Bruce's eyes wandered around the room he remarked to himself that these completely different individuals had become an interconnected family

Authors Note

My sincerest apoligies for the late update. In my defence when i said the 30th of december i forgot about christmas (that does happen). take these 3000+ words as a late Christmas present.

In all seriousness i would like to thank everyone who has reviewed, followed, favourited or even read my stories. This is my first fanfiction so to see real actual people are reading what im writing makes me feel so good so thank you !

Next Chapter should be out on the 20th of January (I'm on Placement in hospitals that month so that is a soft deadline :))

Hope you enjoy! Casually taking over the world