Title: Daddy's Girl(s)
Series: My Father's Child
Author: Vashti
Fandom: The Avengers (MCU), BtVS
Character(s): Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles, Dawn
Rating: PG/K+
Summary: Buffy's bio-dad has a special place in her heart, so when he's in danger she wants to be where he is.
Length: ~700 words
Disclaimer: Only the words are mine, and that's probably up for philosophical debate.
Notes: Uh...post BTVS 5.16 "The Body" and pre-Season 7, but it's not really set anymore specifically than that.
Notes2: Written for the 2016 August Fic-a-day ficathon. I thought it would be a oneshot. Ha.

"I need to find Bruce."

When she glanced at the book covered sofa to see if anyone had heard, or even been paying attention, Buffy found that her friends were looking at her like she'd grown a second head. Which she hadn't! And never had, thank you very much! Scowling at Willow and Xander, she snapped a very snippy "What!?" before turning back to the television.

Luckily for them both, Giles appeared. "I couldn't help but overhear...You need to find Bruce? Who is Bruce, pray tell?"

"Why thank you for asking Giles. I'll be happy to tell you." She shot her friends a dirty look.

"Bruce is-"

Dawn shot into the room, ponytail swinging around her shoulders. "Buffy, have you seen the news? We have to find Bruce."

Willow and Xander both groaned. "Not you, too," Willow said for them both.

Looking from person to person with wide eyes, she went from concerned to annoyed in a minute flat. "What!?"

Xander leaned into Willow. "The resemblance is uncanny," he muttered.

Eyes narrowed, Buffy choose to ignore the aside. "Giles, Bruce is our bio-dad."

"Technically your bio-dad," Dawn interjected.

"Technically," Buffy agreed, "but since Dawnie's made from me and Hank is the Jerk King of Jerklandia, we decided Bruce is really both our dad."

Eyebrows making a real attempt to climb into his hairline, Giles asked them if this mysterious "Bruce" knew about Dawn's true identity.

The sisters shook their heads. Looking at Buffy, Dawn said, "I didn't know he was back in the country."

"He didn't tell me either, this time," Buffy said. Directing her attention to Giles, she said, "Anything Bruce knows about Dawnie comes from the monks. We've kept in touch, but I'm not even sure I was in double digits the last time I saw him."

She smiled fondly. "I still can't believe he came looking for me after finding out Bio-Mom hadn't told him she was knocked up."

Three sharp What!'s rang out across the room.

Speaking for the group, Xander said, "Uh, Buff, that's not a very nice way to talk about Joyce."

Eyes narrowed she said, "Uh, you guys, I'm adopted, remember? Mom isn't my bio-mom, either."

"What!?"

Dawn slapped Buffy's arm.

"Ow!" Buffy rubbed her arm. "What was that for?"

"Oh, please. Like that hurt. And I thought you told them!"

"I meant to. I mean I thought I did! I guess something more important always came up."

"Buffy!" came from four different corners (okay, three since Willow and Xander were researching together on the sofa) of the room.

"Look if it wasn't midterms it was Snyder. And if it wasn't Snyder it was evil dates from hell—"

Xander shuddered. "Literally."

"And if it wasn't evil dates it was this year's Apocalypse. I'm sorry me being adopted kinda slipped my mind. Besides," Buffy said, shrugging, "Mom and the-person-formally-known-as-Dad have been my parents since, like, forever. Bruce is almost like that really awesome Uncle you keep up with through AIM."

Willow perked up. "He chats? Or chatted? Chatting not being the medium by which modern teens communicate today."

Buffy and Dawn nodded slowly. "Oh yeah. He's super nerdy. We used to AIM all the times," Dawn said. "I'm still not sure how Buffy is his spawn."

"Hey!"

Dawn threw her hands up. "I'm just saying."

"I'll—"

"So!" Giles interjected before the sisters could really get going. "Your biological father. Why do you think he is in trouble, and how do you know that he's back in the states if you've been out of contact?"

Lower lip firmly in her teeth, Buffy turned to the television and brought up the volume. Sounds of fighting and destruction filled what had been the quiet research space. "Where is that?" Giles asked.

Dawn answered. "New York City."

"And how do you know your father is…is there if you haven't spoken?"

A roar poured out of the television set, almost too loud for its speakers.

Dawn and Buffy shared a look. "Um, because my bio-dad's Bruce Banner."

Xander shot up. "Your biological father is the Hulk?"

"Only if you make him angry."

"Only if you…" Xander sank back into his seat.

Ignoring him, Buffy turned to Giles. "So. How quickly can we get to New York?"

Fin[ite]