"This schwarma is most delicious!"

Thor held up his sandwich as if he were receiving an Academy award. His tablemates merely blinked at him for a beat-surprised at the sudden break in silence. Bruce peered down at his own plate and shrugged, "Eh, it's okay."

The others just gave a nod, although truth be told, the simple meal was like Heaven on Earth to them all, even if no one would admit it. (Except for Thor, maybe.) After just barely coming out of saving the world from an alien menace, Tony suggested that the newly-formed Avengers should take the rest of the day off. And for once in a lifetime, no one had any argument there.

What followed was the most unbelievable sight imaginable to any who bared witness to it…a super soldier, a genius inventor, a demi-god, a modern Jekyll and Hyde, an archer, and a spy…in full battle gear…seated around a table…eating dinner together.

Tony had suggested the schwarma restraunt (after spotting it in the heat of battle, which was a feat in an of itself); literally dragging some of his teammates there, who barely had the strength to even walk. After the billionaire de-transformed out of his suit, and snatched up a new shirt for Bruce (who had morphed back to his scientist-self by then), the rag tag group of heroes finally shuffled their way into the tiny establishment-collapsing into the chairs. In retrospect, they should've found it more than odd that the place was even doing any business, considering how it was half destroyed…but the six lost souls who came together as one were too exhausted to care. It was time for dinner…dinner and healing.

So there they all sat, in a comfortable circle, in companionable silence, as they each dug into their meals-trying to relax and pretend that the world didn't almost come to an end just a few hours before. Or, at least it WAS quiet, until the Son of Odin decided to make his announcement; the first sign that it was okay to talk again.

And Tony, being the king of talking, got the ball rolling when he spotted both Natasha and Clint poking at their own, respective spaghetti baskets. He raised a brow, "If you guys were gonna' get the same thing, why didn't you just order one big plate and share it?"

"Why would we share it?" Natasha wanted to sound annoyed, but it came out as a tired sigh.

The inventor's lips curled up into a half smirk, "Come on. Any two people who get spaghetti gotta' do the puppy thing."

The spy arched a brow, "The what?" She already sort of knew the answer. Her question was more along the lines of asking why Tony would suggest something so stupid.

If the billionaire noticed her glaring, he chose to ignore it, "You know…" Now he WAS fully smiling; pretending to strum a mandolin as he started serenading in his best Italian accent, "Oh this is the night…it's a beautiful night…"

His singing trailed off into soft humming as he glanced around the table. Thor obviously didn't get the reference, and stared at the iron warrior as if he grew three heads. Bruce shook his head-praying the spy wouldn't kill his friend on the spot…yet couldn't keep himself from chuckling. The two assassins simply blinked in confused astonishment; wondering if Stark finally went insane. Natasha turned her head towards Clint, "You still have a tranquilizer arrow?"

The archer stuffed a forkful of spaghetti in his mouth, "Sorry. All out of ammo."

Despite their neutral expressions, there was no hiding the blush on each of their faces. The inventor resumed making out with his sandwich; content with his jokes, but not wanting to push his luck anymore. The whole thing was gulped down in a matter of minutes, yet his stomach still growled for more sustenance. His eyes then fell on a basket of french fries that Steve left untouched.

Speaking of whom, the Captain had his head resting in one hand-eyes blissfully closed. Tony pulled a face; keeping his voice low, "Aww…widdle Cappy's sleepin'…"

Bruce appeared to be worried, until he rolled his eyes at his friend's comment, "I'm surprised more of us aren't."

The inventor shrugged, "Well, he's old, so…"

"Oh, shut up, Tony", Natasha cut him off-giving him the hairy eyeball.

The billionaire put his hands up in surrender. Thor, meanwhile, regarded the blonde with an expression that could only be described as a deep respect. He would've clasped his brother-in-arms on the shoulder, but held back; not wanting to disturb him, "He fought with great honor and bravery. A warrior such as he deserves a rest."

For one moment, Stark's eyes became wistful and his tone serious, "I think we all do, sparky." But almost immediately, his mischievous side took over again, and he stretched his arm across the table; reaching for the uneaten french fries.

The Asguardian did nothing to stop him, but shot him an icy glare, "It is unwise to partake of another warrior's victory feast."

Tony didn't let the warning deter him, "Come on. I'm paying the tab, AND I got blown into deep space. I'm pretty sure he won't mind if I steal a few fries."

But just as the inventor's fingers were grazing the basket, the arm that Steve wasn't using to prop up his head suddenly sprang to life and snatched the bowl away. Everyone jumped at the jack –in-the-box movement; completely taken aback. Without opening his eyes, the soldier popped a fry in his mouth; slowly chewing and swallowing it as if he were relishing every second of its consumption. Only then did he finally crack open one eyelid-trying not to smirk at Tony, since it looked like the billionaire just crapped his pants.

"…I was awake", he sighed, although his slurred voice was evidence to the contrary, "…just restin' my eyes." When no one said anything, his lips formed a thin line, "…old, huh?"

The inventor scratched his head at his earlier jab that he thought went unheard. Quickly, he made his excuses, "What? It means you're wise, right?"

The Captain's face remained stoic, "I'll assume that's Stark speech for 'I'm sorry'." And then, to the surprise of all, he genuinely smiled and pushed the basket toward his friend, "And yes-you may have my french fries."

Without another word, Steve resumed his cat nap, while Tony blinked at the argument that never happened. But soon, he just grinned as he squirted ketchup and dug into the platter-not looking a gift horse in the mouth. For a long beat, the group remained silent; finishing up their meals in earnest. But then Clint looked to the billionaire, as if he remembered something, "So, where did your armor go?"

"It flew back home", the inventor shrugged, as if it were a no-brainer.

The archer raised a brow, "By itself?"

Tony just kept right on snacking; giving him a look. Clint rolled his eyes, "Forget I asked."

And that was the end of the conversation for the moment. But little did the group know, another discussion was taking place in the back area of the restraunt-that being with the help itself. The various waitresses, cooks, and janitors had all holed themselves in what was left of the kitchen-speaking in hushed tones as they cast stunned glances at the gathered superheroes. They had their eyes and ears glued to any TV or radio they could get their hands on; watching the horrifying events unfold within the safety of their reinforced steel pantry. So to say they were shocked when the team of heroes staggered into their establishment and ordered food would be an understatement. They were more than happy to oblige, but they soon left the group alone-merely studying them and debating whether or not it'd be rude to ask for an autograph and/or otherwise butt in on what was clearly a private moment for the supers.

But said supers were obviously finishing up their dinner, so SOMEONE had to go over and clear the table, or ask if they wanted anything else. After much debating, the anxious workers finally decided to send in the waitress who had the courage to talk to them to begin with. She was an older woman, with long, black hair tied up in a braid, and wearing a simple, blue sundress under her white apron. With gentle, but firm brown eyes protected behind a pair of round spectacles, she slowly trotted over to the odd group. If they noticed her approach, they didn't say anything. Never the less, she tried not to look as nervous as she sounded.

"Um…do you…folks need anything else?" she asked; eyes darting to each person as her heart pounded faster and faster. They all looked up at her, and her breath caught in her throat. What does one possibly say to a group of battle scarred superheroes eating schwarma?

Tony was quick to answer; tilting back in his chair so he was looking at the woman upside down, "Yes. A drink, a massage, and a vacation." He ticked each request off on his fingers, then threw in a wink, "How's Hawaii sound?"

To that, the lady actually giggled, but more at witnessing the infamous Tony Stark's playboy suave' in action, "I don't know if I can do that…"

She trailed off from there-arms folded as her eyes suddenly became interested in her shoes. She tried to think of something; ANYthing to say, but came up short. Noting the long, awkward pause, Bruce leaned in to break the ice, "Are you okay, miss?"

"Huh?" the lady almost didn't catch his gentle question, and she stifled another gasp, "Oh yeah, yeah…just…" Letting out a deep breath, she finally let the words come out, "I just…never said thank you…to you all." The heroes were now fully attentive, and her face turned a deeper shade of red as all eyes were on her (save for Steve, who was dozing again). She could've went on about how grateful the city was; how their heroism will inspire others; how she wanted nothing more than to hug and kiss them all and take a million pictures and jump around like a five year old.

But what came out was, "I mean…you gotta' admit, this is kinda' weird…all of you here…" she vaguely motioned to the group, before rubbing the back of her head.

Clint chuckled, "That's putting it mildly…"

The woman's gaze stole a glance at the quiver hanging over the back of his chair, and her imagination went wild over what he could possibly do with it. Most news crews were focused on the ground, so what little she DID see of his talents, offered up all kinds of images in her mind. She was torn from her thoughts when Bruce spoke again, "Speaking of which, why are YOU guys still here?"

The man with the black hair and glasses hadn't spoke much during dinner, and she pondered what his role on the team could've been. But rather than prod, she merely shrugged and answered him, "Oh, well…we all took cover in the back room there…" She jerked a thumb over her shoulder to indicate the kitchen, "…and we're kinda' stuck here right now, so…" She shrugged again, "…nothin' much to do but take care of anyone who comes by."

Thor turned a bit so he was fully facing her-his tone regretful, "We apologize greatly for the destruction that was caused. We-"

But the woman held her hand up to stop him, "No. You all saved the world." Before she realized she was scolding a demi-god, she shook her head and grinned, "You've got NOTHING to be sorry for."

The group collectively gave a soft smile; grateful for her kind words…all except Clint, who turned away-eyes intense, yet looking at nothing in particular. No doubt he was still in a world of guilt over his mind being controlled by Loki. He only turned back to the table when he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he realized it was Natasha-giving him a comforting "it's not your fault" look. Although nothing would ever truly convince him otherwise, the archer still tossed her a thankful smirk.

Just then, the quiet was broken by a soft, but clear snore coming from the far end of the table. All heads turned to see Steve propped up in the same position as before…only now he really WAS asleep, judging by his heavy breathing. The five heroes and one waitress all chuckled; content to let the Captain saw logs. Meanwhile, Tony reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet with practiced ease. But when he started throwing bills on the table, the woman pushed them back; giving him a smile in answer to his raised brow.

"No", she shook her head, "This is on the house." She then glanced around at the destroyed restraunt, "…or whatever's left of it."

The inventor was about to make a comeback, when suddenly, there came the sound of a huge crash towards the back of the building. The lady swiveled on her heel and let out a yell in her panic. Everyone at the table tensed up-Clint and Natasha taking fighting positions and Thor reaching for his hammer, while Steve woke with a start, "I'm awake! What happened? What is it?"

Thankfully, it was just a load of bricks giving way and leaving a large hole in the wall. One of the cooks peeked out from the kitchen and threw an "it's okay" wave towards them. The group let out a collective sigh and relaxed, while the billionaire rolled his eyes at the Captain, "Stand down, soldier. False alarm."

Steve leaned back in his chair again, but not before checking to make sure his shield was still sitting by his feet. The waitress went red in the face, "Sorry…I thought it might be…you know…"

There were no words to describe the creatures that attacked the city, and thankfully, she didn't need to explain, for the team merely nodded in acknowledgement. The Asguardian inclined his head; his voice firm but encouraging, "Do not fret; the enemy has been vanquished." His eyes went a bit darker as he added, "However, if you were to be threatened, said attacker would face the wrath of Mjolnir instead."

The woman raised a brow, "Minnie-what?"

"My enchanted hammer", he held up his weapon for emphasis, before smirking, "And you have my word, no harm shall come to a maiden who prepared such a glorious feast."

The lady had no clue what drove this man to wear a flowing cape and talk like Shakespeare, but at the moment, she didn't care, for his considerate words made her blush even more, "Aww, you're sweet…"

Thor looked about ready to take her hand and kiss it like some real life prince charming, which made Tony pull a face. Natasha was quick to notice and practically stuck her tongue out at him, "What's the matter? Afraid of someone stealing your thunder?" Her eyes flicked to the Son of Odin, and she added, "No pun intended."

The billionaire pretended to fiddle with his wallet, "No, considering that my eyes are only on Miss Potts."

The others snickered-doubtful if the man of iron really could commit to one person. All except Steve, who blinked at the unfamiliar name, "Who's Miss Potts?"

"CEO and smartest, hottest woman on Earth", Tony briefly wondered just how much of his background the solider read into, considering how famous his red headed girlfriend was becoming. But rather than make fun of him, the brunette's smile grew bigger as he thought of Pepper. But it faded again as he added, "Tried giving her a buzz before my little…space adventure."

As always, the inventor tried to act cool, as if almost dying was no big deal, but it was painfully obvious his mind was still haunted by almost getting trapped in another dimension. And even if no one would admit it, they didn't want to imagine what life would be like without their snarky friend. As annoying as he could sometimes be, the world needed his technological genius.

Steve took the initiative and tried to change the subject, "Shouldn't you call her?"

"Phone was in my suit", the playboy shrugged. He thought about it for all of two seconds, then waved his hand as if shooing a fly, "It's okay. I'll just come home and surprise her."

Natasha shook her head at the notion, yet couldn't stifle a smirk, "Oh, she'll LOVE that…"

The others chuckled, including the Captain; happy that his friend wouldn't share his fate and have a loved one to go home to, "Well, I'm sure she'll be happy just to see you-"

But mid-sentence, as he started to sit up in his chair, Steve suddenly let out a painful groan. All eyes immediately turned to him and widened in alarm as his facial features twisted in agony. He hissed in pain as he leaned forward; clutching at his side. Thor put a hand on his shoulder; ablaze with worry, "Friend Rogers, what troubles you?"

But his agony must've been too intense, for he didn't answer. Instead, he merely pointed to his abdomen, which made the waitress peek over the Asguardian's shoulder to see what the fuss was about. The sight that met her gaze was enough to make her gasp and sprint away. The soldier's stomach area was nothing but a huge, bloody patch; a long gash starting at his abdomen and reaching around to almost the middle of his back. His uniform was shredded, which made the others wonder how the heck none of them noticed such a severe injury earlier. Were they all THAT tired to be so ignorant?

Steve finally found his voice, although gritting his teeth as he spoke did nothing to calm the others down, "I'm okay…just a scratch…it just stings…"

Thor's memory flashed back to when he and the Captain were in the thick of things, and an alien laser blast caught the soldier in the side-effectively blowing him off his feet. The thunder god shook his head; trying to keep his friend upright, "That is not a wound to take lightly. You are in dire need of a healer."

Well THAT was certainly obvious enough, but with no transportation or effective way of calling for help, how were they going to get medical attention in the middle of an entire city crying out for it? Thor kept rubbing his friend's back; trying to comfort him the only way he knew how, while silently cursing not having his sash of healing items with him. Bruce quickly hurried to the Captain; his doctoral instincts taking over as he assessed the injury. Steve was losing blood, and fast. No wonder he was falling asleep in his chair.

But just as he was about to make a comment about stopping the blood flow, a voice called out from behind, "We have to put pressure on that wound to stop the blood flow!"

And then, to the surprise of all, the waitress suddenly came jogging back over to the table-a large, white suitcase in hand. The Son of Odin stepped aside to let the woman through, and she knelt down next to Banner; setting the case on the floor and flipping the latches open. Inside was a wide menagerie of first aid supplies. Wordlessly, she grabbed a bottle of peroxide, then reached for a damp towel she stashed in her apron. After pouring the wound-cleanser on the already-wet rag, she rolled it up and used both hands to press it against the bleeding gash.

Steve let out another hiss and the lady drew a breath, "Sorry! Is the pain worsening or not?"

The soldier kept quiet a moment; trying not to focus on the agony as the medicine did its work. But little by little, the gash started to go numb, and soon, all he could feel was the cool, damp cloth against his stomach-a sensation that was practically soothing compared to the immense pain just minutes before. He glanced down at his unexpected rescuer; his muscles relaxing, "It did, but…not now…" He let out a relieved sigh, "…actually feels kinda' good."

The woman finally removed the towel, which had since turned a bright pink, to inspect the wound. It still didn't look pretty, by any means, but at least most of the bleeding had subsided-a sight that made her blink in amazement. Truly, this man WAS superhuman if his wound was already beginning to heal so quickly. But rather than ask why, she simply pulled out some antiseptic wipes to clean her hands as she explained, "I don't know how much good this'll do, but we better patch that up a little before it gets infected."

Despite being worried for their leader, Clint still tilted his head with intrigue, "Didn't know we had a doctor in the house." He regarded Bruce a moment, then added, "Okay, ANOTHER doctor."

Said medical/science expert smiled at the lady next to him, who was fully focused on the task at hand. She clearly knew what she was doing, so he chose to back off and just let her go to work. Sometimes, it was best not to disturb a physician when they were "in the zone" as it were, especially when time was a factor. The woman never looked up, but still answered, "Registered nurse-thirty years."

The team collectively drew a sigh of relief. How lucky were they to have another medical expert on hand to help? Tony raised a brow; the reaction to the irony evident on his face, "And what's a nurse doing waiting tables?"

She shrugged as she patted the scar with a thick layer of ointment, "I was kinda' forced to retire." She then motioned to her co-workers still holed up in the backroom, "Plus, someone has to look after those guys. How do you think we got a better first aid kit here?" She then held up her left hand to reveal it was missing a ring finger, "One incident with the kitchen knife is all it takes."

Clint and Tony noticeably winced-the others just widened their eyes; now curious as to what might've happened to her. She then pulled out a large roll of gauze and glanced up at the super soldier; now fully realizing just WHO she was patching up. Her cheeks began to blush as she mumbled, "Um…I kinda' have to…um…"

She twirled her finger; motioning to wrap the bandages around his midsection. Steve blinked as comprehension dawned, "Oh. Oh sure…"

With Bruce's help, the Captain slowly and carefully slid his chair out to give her space, then lifted his arms. The woman hesitated for only a moment, before wrapping his torso up like a mummy. Throughout the whole process, Natasha and Clint looked on in concern; Bruce included, although he was observing her more like a teacher testing a student. Thor just seemed curious at how Midguardian healing techniques worked, while Tony just had a brow raised-a smirk threatening to show itself. All the while, the lady had to fight to keep her hands from shaking…it wasn't everyday that one got to play nurse to a superhero.

Steve must've sensed her anxiety, for at one point, he caught her peeking up at him. He kindly smiled down at her-expressing his gratitude, to which her face became redder than a tomato, and she turned her head away. Now the group was just amused. Tony broke the tension by pointing to his arm, "You know, I've got some bruises here on my arm if you wanna'-"

"Oh, let Bruce patch you up, you baby", Natasha shot back; annoyed at the interruption. Both Clint and the aforementioned doctor stifled a snort.

At long last, the nurse was finished; tying up the bandages like a Christmas present. Satisfied with her work, she started returning everything to the suitcase, "There. That should hold you for now. Just don't make too many sudden movements."

The Captain lowered his arms and sighed; feeling a thousand times better than when he first came in. He glanced at the waitress again, and thanked the powers that be that the team came to THIS restraunt. If he hadn't of given in to the inventor's insistence, he might not have made it home at all. Grinning, he patted his injury, "Thank you, ma'am."

The lady's glasses were practically fogging up over how much her cheeks were burning…damn, this man was handsome. Humble too. Heart pounding, her voice dropped to a whisper, "…Amy."

The soldier nodded-smile not leaving him, "Amy."

Just then, the room seemed to be getting stuffy, and the waitress rose to her feet; quickly sputtering, "Well…if anyone else needs patching up, just shout. I gotta' get cleaned up first, anyway."

With that, the woman darted back into the kitchen, where a sea of excited, hushed voices enveloped her. Back with the team, Bruce picked up the forgotten first aid kit and set it on the table, where he began passing out bandages and other items to everyone else. Clint and Natasha stayed off to one corner, taking turns helping one another, while Tony rubbed some ointment on his arms; mumbling about "spangles getting all the attention". He glanced toward the back room, "Think she's single?"

The inventor asked no one in particular, but Steve was certain it was aimed at him, "Tony…"

"We all saw how you two were lookin' at each other", the billionaire almost winked.

The soldier rolled his eyes at how much was being read into a simple act of kindness, "Does everything have to be instant with you?"

Stark was having trouble getting the last bit of cream out of the tube, "Hey, sometimes you gotta' run before you can walk."

The Captain balked at such an odd quote… and that a playboy was trying to give him relationship advice, "Where'd you hear THAT?"

Suddenly, Tony set the bottle of cream down and just stared at it as if it would come to life. He never looked over, but still gave a soft answer, "…my dad."

Instantly, Steve's face softened, and he went quiet.

The others just cast sideways glances at the blonde and brunette. Clearly, this was a subject only they understood, and no one dared to intervene at the argument waiting to happen. For a long moment, all was quiet, until the soldier cleared his throat, "Um…I never did quite apologize…for what I said to you. I-"

"No biggie", the inventor put his hand up to stop him. He wasn't one for mushy stuff, and saying sorry was no exception, "Besides, my insults were more clever."

The Captain blinked at such an odd remark, until he realized it was probably just the billionaire's way of saying he was sorry too, and it made him chuckle. Bruce began cleaning up the table as he replied-his voice a bit shaken, "It wasn't just you, it was all of us…I think Loki's scepter might've been doing something to us…"

Thor merely mumbled a simple, "Aye…" It was the first time anyone had brought up the subject of his brother since the battle, and he cringed as he thought back on what he himself had commented…saying how humans were "petty and tiny". How could he say such a thing? Humans were the very people who taught him humility and how sacred life was. Loki had been correct when he taunted that Thor kept falling for the same tricks. He vowed to himself he would never let his brother's dark powers overtake him OR his friends again. It nearly cost them all their trust.

….and it also cost the life of the Son of Coul…

Although Steve agreed with the theory to some extent, he couldn't shake the notion that he'd gone too far with his words; magic influence or not, "Maybe…but still, I-"

Tony interrupted again, "Forget it. It's in the past, and I don't live in the past." He popped an aspirin in his mouth, then offered one to the blonde, "Neither should you."

The Captain stared at the bottle, wondering if the inventor was just referring to their argument, or something more. Either way, he graciously took an aspirin and nodded at him with a smirk, "Thanks."

The rest of the team just smiled and sighed-content that the subject was finally resolved. For the next ten minutes, the six heroes sat in companionable silence; patching up any and all scrapes and bruises they could find. It was no hospital job, but anything was better than nothing at that point.

But just when Tony was about to make a comment about finally hitting the road, a flurry of panicked voices broke the quiet. All heads turned to the gaping hole in the wall that crashed in on them earlier, where Amy and two of her co-workers were staring out at something in the demolished street. The waitress put a hand to her mouth in shock, "Is that a…?" She then gasped, "Oh my God…hey! Hey you! Over here!" She began waving her arms-getting more frantic by the second, "Little girl! Come over here!"

All eyes in the group widened as they realized what the lady was so frightened about. But before any of them could react, Bruce was already hurrying over to where the trio was standing-coming to a stop in front of the hole and instantly spying the person in question. Amy's breath caught in her throat, "Why won't she come over?"

Without any hesitation, the doctor bounded through the opening, and together, he and a distressed Amy disappeared. The others began to worry when the two were gone for almost a full minute, but before they made a move to follow, both physicians returned through the hole…and they weren't empty handed. Quickly, Natasha pulled out a chair so the scientist could sit down, and they all gathered around in amazement at what lay bundled in his arms.

It was a little girl, no more than five years old. Her disheveled blonde hair was tied up in two braids; her yellow T-shirt and shorts caked with dust and dirt. Both her arms and legs were covered in cuts and bruises, and it came as a surprise to everyone she was even alive, considering the place they found her.

All Natasha could say was, "Where did SHE come from?"

"We saw her wandering out there in the rubble", Amy explained; trying to stay calm, "With all that yellow on, she stuck out like a sore thumb."

"What's her name?" that came from Steve.

"She hasn't said anything", Banner repositioned her in his lap, "Didn't even put up a fight when we grabbed her."

Even though they were all inside a building, the soldier still glanced around as if he could see through walls, "Any sign of her parents?"

The waitress just shook her head; fearing the worst. Bruce, on the other hand, cradled the child like a baby bird-keeping his voice low and gentle as he spoke to her, "Hello? Are you okay?" When she didn't answer, he tried again, "Can you talk? Hello?"

But the girl said nothing. Her blue eyes just kept staring into space; looking at everything and nothing-her breaths heavy, as if she just ran a marathon. He snapped his fingers and waved his hand in front of her face…she never even blinked.

"…she's in shock", the scientist said at last.

Amy looked about ready to cry, but she steeled her resolve and patted away to get something, "Poor little thing…"

The gathered supers merely stared at the tiny girl; wondering just how far away from home she was…where her parents could possibly be…or if they were even still alive. And they themselves had witnessed so much horror-so much destruction…how was that all going to appear in the eyes of a child? A child wandering the streets, all alone…no wonder she was stunned into silence, and no doubt she'd be carrying the scars for the rest of her life.

But she WAS alive, and at the moment, that was the most important thing…and it was times like this that the newly-formed Avengers were reminded as to why they were called together to begin with. It wasn't just to fight battles, or to save the world…

…it was to save the innocent. Innocent people like a little girl, who wouldn't have had a chance to grow up if they hadn't of become a team and driven off the alien invaders.

Just with their eyes, they all made a silent, but collective agreement. There were bound to be plenty of disagreements and arguments to come as they gained their footing as a unit…but one thing that would never again be called into question, was if they could work together or not. Even if life made them go their separate ways, they would always be ready to unite again…for the sake of the innocent.

Had the situation been any different, Bruce wouldn't have particularly cared for having a child so close to him, given his…condition. But at the moment, all his mind's eye saw was a patient, and as he gazed up at his teammates, it seemed the only thing they saw was a doctor who could help her. Tony especially-the first one to truly recognize him as a person and not a monster…who convinced him that the world needed him-both sides of him.

Said scientist was about to find out if his gut feeling was right, "Anyone got any smelling salts?"

"No", Amy returned to the huddle of sorts; a clean, damp rag in hand, "Let's get her cleaned up. Maybe some cold water will bring her out of it."

Banner held the girl steady as the woman began wiping all the dirt and debris off the child's face. But a few moments into cleaning her up, the kid finally started to blink; her already-heavy breathing getting exponentially faster. No one else seemed to notice, save for the scientist, who began wrapping his arms around her torso-bracing himself. The only thing he mumbled was, "Get ready for a fight…"

The team had no time to ask what he meant, for the storm hit them like a ton of bricks.

One moment, the girl was stoned away with nothing but a rigor mortis face…the next, she was screaming at the top of her lungs; her arms and legs a furious blur as she punched and kicked and swatted at some horrifying, unseen force that was long since defeated. The waitress and the five other supers jumped back in surprise-now realizing the doctor's earlier warning. She had finally come out of her daze…and still thought she was in danger.

Had this happened just a few days ago, any one of them would've been concerned (or more like frightened) that the child's violent actions would trigger an unwanted change in Bruce. It didn't help that she unceremoniously slapped her rescuer clean across the face at one point. But ever the one to prove just how much control he now had over his other half, the doctor didn't even blink, or let up on his vice-like grip. Even more amazing, his voice still remained even and calm as he tried to get through to her, "Hey! Hey! It's okay!"

Although she kept struggling, the screaming stopped, and he kept trying, "It's okay..it's over. Calm down."

Little by little, the girl began to relax. She was still panting, but at least she wasn't fighting for her life anymore. Banner began to rock her back and forth; stroking her head as he soothed, "Shh…it's okay. The scary stuff's over…you're safe now."

At long last, the child breathed a sigh and practically collapsed in on herself. She then buried her face in Bruce's chest and heaved quiet, but heavy sobs. And the scientist, for his part, just let her release all her emotions-stroking her back and mumbling comforting words to her. All the while, the rest of the team just blinked; totally dumbfounded at the scene playing out before them. None of them had ever seen him look so…fatherly before, and needless to say, it was more than a bit jarring at just how sweet and gentle the man truly was. Natasha, in particular, thought back to when she first witnessed his transformation on the helicarrier…the small, but clear look of fear and guilt in his eyes before the Hulk totally took over…and she came to reason that if THIS man was the soul inside the beast…maybe the "other guy" wasn't so horrifying after all.

Amy folded her arms, utterly amazed, "Looks like you handled that from experience."

Banner was resting his chin on top of the kid's head, and muttered, "It's not my first rodeo…I'm a doctor too."

The waitress nodded her head, "Ah, I was wondering who you were." An eyebrow arched in curiosity, "So, you're like, the team medic or something?"

Said medic debated how he should answer, "…something like that."

Tony finally broke the long bout of silence among the rest of the group, "Why yes, he is. One of the best." He gave an approving thumbs up, "And we're lucky enough to have him."

The scientist stared at his friend in surprise-touched at his kind words, before his cheeks began turning a bright pink. It wasn't often that Frankenstein's monster received a compliment.

But before he could give a retort, the girl chose that moment to finally lift her head up and stare at the man who rescued her. Although tears still rolled down her cheeks, her big, blue eyes were now filled with curiosity rather than fear. Bruce, in turn, smiled down at her; taking special care to choose his words carefully and pretend that the earlier tantrum never happened, "Well, hello there. Glad to see you're okay. What's a pretty little girl like you doing in a place like this?"

The simple question caused the blonde to take in her surroundings, at long last. Slowly, she turned around, only to find five imposing super heroes staring down at her, intently. She let out a gasp and swiveled; shoving her head in the crook of Banner's arm like an ostrich. Trying to keep the mood light, he chuckled at her shyness-patting her on the back, "It's okay. We all just want to help you." At that, she poked her head up again, and he continued, "I'm Bruce, and this is Amy, and these are my friends." He motioned to each person, to which the group tossed in a few waves of their own; playing along with trying to keep her calm. He then begged the question on everyone's mind, "What's your name?"

For the longest time, the child didn't reply, and it was unclear whether she was debating if it was okay or not to answer, or if she was still in shock. But at long last, she rubbed at her eyes and muttered, just barely audible, "…not supposed to talk to strangers."

"Ah", the scientist winked at her, "But I told you who I was. So we're not strangers anymore."

The girl seemed to consider the logic, then mumbled, "…Katie…"

"Katie", he repeated-smirking, "That's a pretty name. Katie who?"

She sniffed while trying to dry her tears, "…Katie Power."

"Katie Power", the doctor nodded, "It's nice to meet you."

She still looked a bit confused, and turned around to face the team of heroes again. Only this time, she slowly took in each one of them; committing each face to memory. The man in the red, white, and blue suit practically oozed warmth and friendliness-the red haired woman and the man next to her both kind of looked like ninjas-the big, blonde man who needed a haircut was wearing a cape just like in a comic book…and the man with the moustache…

And then, to the surprise of all, her face burst out in a huge grin as she pointed directly at the billionaire, "I see you on TV all the time! Are you Ironman?"

For the first time in a long time, the inventor was put off at someone so blatantly pointing him out, although he chalked up his hesitation to the remark coming from a five year old. But ever the suave one, he raised a brow and shot her his signature smirk and wink, "You, my dear, are one smart kid. And yes, I'm the one and only Ironman. Hold your applause."

Normally, the others would've rolled their eyes in annoyance, but all were willing to let his ego slide this time, since it was helping to break the ice. Banner took the cue and added in, "See? We're friends. We're all friends."

Katie giggled; realizing that if Tony Stark was here, then these other people in the weird outfits must be special as well. She turned back to the scientist, "Are you a superhero too?"

Now it was Bruce's turn to hesitiate, "Well, I…um…"

"Of course he is", Tony butt in, "In fact, he's the most powerful of all of us. He's-"

"-a doctor", Banner abruptly finished the sentence-shooting the inventor a warning glare. Before the girl could notice, he turned back to her with a smaller smile, even though his pained eyes betrayed him, "I'm just a doctor."

The child tilted her head as she considered his answer, then perked up, "Oh…okay. Well, that's sorta' like a superhero. My dad's a doctor too."

"Really now?" Bruce found the comment more than convenient. It was a prime opportunity to finally make some head way into finding out what exactly happened to her, "Were you with him today?"

She nodded, "Yeah, my sister and my brothers were off from school, so my mom and dad took us to the park. We were playing hide and seek."

Internally, the gathered adults were more than alarmed. The nearest park from where they were at was nearly a mile away. Wherever her family was at, they'd probably have no clue where to even begin to look for her. But the scientist put on his best poker face so as not to worry her, "That sounds like fun. What else did you do?"

Up until that point, Katie's tone had been mostly lighthearted. But very quickly, her expression became noticeably more melancholy as she tried to think back, "Well…I'm a really good hider…and Alex and Julie couldn't find me…" Pretty soon, an increasing fear began to rise both on her face and in her voice, "…and then it got really loud…and then the ground started shaking…I tried finding them, but…"

She trailed off as a shiver went up her spine; unpleasant memories starting to return. But as scared as she was, Banner knew they couldn't stop now, "What happened?"

Katie started curling up in a tight ball; lip quivering, "…these scary things started flyin' around…I tried to get back to my mom and dad, but…but I got lost…" By now, she was shivering in fright, "…and then the monsters got closer, and…I ran away…and…"

Tears had begun to roll down her cheeks as she could go on no longer. Bruce gently put his hand to her face-wiping away her tears with his thumb, "…and then what?"

The girl shook her head, sobbing, "…I don't wanna' talk about it…it's too scary…"

The doctor stole a glance up at his teammates, and they, in turn, looked just as concerned. What sort of things could this girl have possibly seen to make her fall into a horrified shock? All the same, the last thing any of them needed was for her to have a relapse, so Banner consoled her as he patted her on the back, "Okay…you don't have to if you don't want to."

Katie tried to dry her tears as a new thought occurred to her, "Is my dad gonna' be mad at me for getting lost?"

"No way", Amy shook her head; confident that the child's folks would just be happy to have her back, "You did the right thing."

The kid nodded, but her voice grew even tinier, "…I hope they're okay…"

The adults very much wanted to hope and believe that her parents and siblings survived the catastrophic event relatively unscathed…however, they still didn't want to promise anything, in case the worst DID happen. Ever the professional, Bruce replied, "We'll find them. It'll be just like playing hide and seek again." He clasped her small hand in his, "You can stay with us, okay?"

She still appeared very worried, but it was clear she'd rather stay with the nice doctor taking care of her than go wandering out in the scary streets by herself. She mumbled, "…okay."

The scientist gave her hand a gentle squeeze and smiled reassuringly. It was their first rescue since the aftermath of the disaster, and something told them it was far from the last. But having it be a little girl gave them all extra hope that the days to come would be alright. Hard, for sure…but they and the rest of the city would get through it together.

Amy broke the silence when she leaned in to be at eye level with their new charge, "You want something to eat, honey?"

Said child lazily shook her head, "No thanks…" Her voice started as a sigh, but ended as a sleepy yawn, "…I'm kinda' tired…and cold…"

On instinct, she began to settle in Bruce's arms-finally giving in to her exhaustion. And the doctor, for his part, did nothing to stop her, "I'm not surprised. We all had a scary day today."

She merely gave a tiny nod; her eyelids drooping. It was then that Thor suddenly sprang to action and removed his flowing, red cape. He held it out to his friend and spoke in a, surprisingly, quiet voice, "Here, child. You may cover with this."

Steve couldn't hide his grin at such a cute act of generosity, especially coming from someone who was so rough and loud most of the time. The scientist as well had to raise a brow. But he didn't question it. Instead, he took the cape with a thankful nod and wrapped it around the girl's tiny frame. Oddly enough, the material was very soft, even though it was a bit worn from the previous battle. But Katie didn't seem to mind at all, and lost herself in the warm blanket of sorts as she closed her eyes and muttered, "Thanks, mister…"

She let out one more yawn, before nestling into the crook of Banner's arm. Half a minute later, all that could be heard was her steady breathing-signaling that she'd fallen straight to sleep. For the longest time, everyone could only stare in amazement and a mix between pity and amusement. But finally, Tony broke the quiet when he shrugged, "…guess we're stickin' around for a bit…" He tilted his head and gave a lopsided grin, "…and of all the times to not have my phone…this picture is gold."

For once, everyone had to agree with him on that. The sight of the normally nervous-looking doctor appearing totally content as he cradled a child in his arms, snuggled up in a red cape, was utterly adorable. The waitress chuckled, "He's got a point. You DO look pretty sweet there." A pause, and then, "She feels safe around you."

Bruce went completely red in the face as he regarded the little girl, and sputtered, "…she'd be the first."

At those simple, yet pained words, most of the group hung their heads in a bit of shame over having completely misjudged this man and his control over his other half. All except Tony, who kept breaking the sullen mood with his constant, smart ass, "I told you so" grin. And what made it even more frustrating for everyone else is that they found it hard to argue with him; Tony HAD recognized this side of the scientist long before anyone else did.

But as for the waitress, she was obviously completely in the dark over who and what Banner truly was, and raised a brow at his odd remark. But before she could inquire about it, there came the sound of shuffling feet and a group of hurried voices. But they only turned fully when there came a shout of, "Hello out there!"

All eyes darted towards the front entranceway, to the sight of five people stumbling through the double doors. Two of them held the doors open, while two others helped the fifth person, who was suffering from a bad limp. A woman, who had held the doors open, glanced around, "We saw lights on. Anyone here?"

Amy held up a hand and called out, "Back here, folks!"

The odd quintet seemed more than relieved at hearing a friendly voice, and they started in the direction the waitress had called from. As they slowly made their way over, their ragged appearance became more apparent. All of them had varying degrees of bumps, cuts, and bruises, and were covered from head to toe in dirt. But the man with the limp was the most concerning, since he clearly couldn't put any weight on his right leg at all. Thor and Clint were quick to grab some chairs, at which point the group of survivors finally took a good look at just who they were keeping company with, and nearly jumped back in surprise. Although Tony Stark was the only one they knew by name, they had watched the battle unfold on TV, and did a double take at seeing the other warriors all gathered together. Thankfully, Amy had long since gotten over her nervousness, and waved the citizens over with a smirk, "It's okay. Come and meet the superheroes."

The quintet accepted the seats offered by the Asguardian and the archer with much grace, and simply stared, awe-struck. Banner, on the other hand, was already diagnosing the various injuries, even while being seated with a sleeping child in his arms. Four of them would probably only need some stitches, but the limping man definitely needed a splint of some sort. The waitress seemed to have the same prognosis, for she turned to the scientist and whispered, "I'm not sure how much is left in that first aid kit…"

A shortage of materials was nothing new for Bruce. He shrugged, "It's okay. I've worked in worse conditions than this." He then turned to Amy and raised a brow, "Can you be my nurse?"

It was more of plead than a question. But the waitress was more than happy to oblige as she winked, "It would be my honor, doctor."

From there on out, the next hour was nothing but a flurry of activity as the heroes were stirred into action again. They had started to turn to Steve for guidance, but Bruce (without even really realizing it himself) quickly took command, exerting the unwritten, "doctor's orders overrides everything else" rule. And in any case, the soldier was still nursing a serious injury, so he let himself be sat back down in a chair, before the scientist handed Katie over to him. The girl truly was exhausted, for she never woke up, or even twitched as she changed hands. And although the Captain felt guilty at not being able to assist his team much, having to watch over the child more than made up for it. Meanwhile, Tony and Thor were put on moving man duty, and within a few minutes, they had every table and chair rearranged and lined up to better accommodate a large number of injured people.

It was perfect timing, for it wasn't long before more citizens began trickling into the restraunt; drawn to the lights and activity like moths to a flame. Apparently, the humble schwarma joint was one of the few establishments to still have any power or running water, and as word began to spread, more and more victims started to crowd the building-stories of survival being passed around as they waited for treatment…or to sneak a peek at the superheroes who saved them all.

Bruce and Amy, for their part, found themselves running around as if on a sugar rush, trying to treat as many folks as possible, while still remaining calm and orderly. It wasn't long before the contents of their first aid kit were close to empty, so the doctors tasked Natasha and Clint with heading out and scouting the nearby buildings for more supplies. Since the secret agents weren't too fond of publicity, they were both more than eager to leave the crowded restraunt and go on a simple scavenger hunt. And if they found anyone else in trouble, they'd know exactly where to send them for treatment.

Steve could only sit back and watch all the hustle and bustle with both familiarity and curiosity. Familiarity, in that the restraunt now looked more like an army medical tent, and he was no stranger to those. Curiosity, in that it was interesting to watch Bruce in his full on doctor mode; assessing injuries at lightning speed and reassuring patients with a simple, comforting smile or gesture. For someone who's anger and excitement triggered an unstoppable transformation, the physicist worked pretty well under pressure, strangely. For two hours, the solider rested as best he could-answering any questions that came his way to the best of his ability…all the while humming a tune as he cradled Katie, who's head was tucked between his shoulder and chin. He asked any patron if the child belonged to them, and every adult sadly shook their head, before commenting at how cute they looked together. It made the Captain wonder…if things had worked out with Peggy…if he would've made a decent father…

He was pulled from his thoughts when the little girl suddenly began to stir; yawning and rubbing her eyes as she awoke from her nap. She blinked in confusion-expecting to see her scientist friend, only to find the blonde soldier smiling down at her instead, "Hey there; you're awake. Feel a little better?"

She gave a lazy nod, before looking around; surprised to fall asleep in a quiet room, and then wake up to a crowd of excited people, "Where did Doctor Bruce go?"

Steve had to chuckle at her immediate concern for her new friend, "Don't worry. He's right over there."

He pointed towards the opposite end of the restraunt, and Katie could just make out the familiar head of black hair with glasses attached weaving in and out of the injured crowd. Instantly, her face lit up, "Okay!"

Before the Captain could say anything else, Katie practically sprang out of his lap and made a beeline for her target. She draped Thor's cape over her head, and due to her small stature, the fabric dragged behind her like a bridal train. So much so, that the soldier found it amazing that no one stepped on it as she ran away.

Speaking of the Asguardian, he was busy assisting a crippled man to a waiting chair, when he turned to see, what appeared to be, a tiny, red ghost sprinting right at him. Noticing it was his own cape doing the floating, he realized who it was, and he crouched down; his arms spread eagle. Before the girl could stop herself, he intercepted her, "Be careful, child! I am overjoyed to see you have awakened, but you must tread with caution."

She slid the fabric off her head to stare him right in the eyes; confusion evident. Just then, Tony passed by-trying in vain to get a cell phone to work (no doubt "borrowed" from a generous citizen). Without looking up, he replied, "Might wanna' lay off the Shakespeare speech, sparky."

The Son of Odin shot the inventor a glare as he passed. He then turned to face the girl again, only to find she was holding out his cape-all rolled in a messy ball-grinning from ear to ear, "Here's your superhero cape back, mister. It was really comfy."

Needless to say, Thor was more than a bit miffed at having his cape all rolled up and wrinkly. But he just couldn't be mad at such an innocent, polite kid. So he gave her a smile, "You are most welcome. A young maiden deserves special treatment."

She blushed at his kind words, before standing on her tip toes and wrapping her arms around his neck in a thankful hug. He froze for only a moment, before patting her on the back in return. This time, Tony DID bother to stare at them, and he slowly sulked away, looking as if his mommy didn't give him a cookie. Meanwhile, the child peeked over the thunder god's massive shoulders, and spotted the object of her affection. Quickly, she broke off the hug and jogged over until she was standing right next to the scientist, who was busy examining someone's leg. When he didn't look up, she leaned in, "Doctor Bruce? Can I help?"

Banner jumped at the voice, and swiveled to see a girl with golden pigtails done up in braids, just a foot away from him. He smirked, "Oh, hi Katie. I didn't know you were up." He then turned back to his work as he sighed, "Um…no. I don't think there's anything you can do, really."

She dug the toe of her shoe into the floor; pouting, "But I wanna' be a superhero too."

Her pitiful tone caused the doctor to pause and fully take her in. On the one hand, he couldn't afford to have a kid get in the way at the moment. But conversely, she wasn't trying to be annoying. With all these other people helping each other, it was clear in her eyes that she wanted to make a difference too. Pretty admirable for a five year old. So he scanned the room; trying to think of anything she could get involved in, when an idea came to him, "Okay, um…you see my friend, Steve, over there?"

He pointed and she followed his gaze to see the spangly Captain she had abandoned a few minutes ago-still sitting in his chair. She nodded, "Oh yeah. I was sleepin' with him."

Bruce blinked at her choice of words, "…I wouldn't exactly word it like that, but okay…" And for the first time in ages, he stifled a laugh. But his eyes were still serious as he explained, "Um…he got hurt pretty bad, and he's kind of lonely over there. Why don't you keep him company?"

The child stared at the soldier long and hard, who did seem to appear pretty sad. By the look on her face, she accepted her assignment full heartedly, but her tone said otherwise, "Okay…"

The scientist took the hint, then added, "If you do need me, I'll be right over here."

She brightened at that prospect, "Alright!"

Back with Steve, the Captain tried to hold back a groan as a fresh wave of pain seared his injury. Although, thankfully, he wasn't in agony like hours before, so clearly, both the super serum and Amy's handy work did the trick in making his healing process go faster. But he still wasn't quite ready to be dancing an Irish jig just yet. He tried making himself useful by attempting to contact S.H.I.E.L.D. via his blue tooth communicator, but apparently, Nick Fury and the gang were still trying to get the helicarrier ship shape again, for all he received was static. If only there was something he could DO…

The answer came in the form of Katie bounding up to him; determination gracing her features as she put her hands on her hips, "Doctor Bruce says I have to keep you company."

For such a simple request, the girl was taking it so seriously, and it made Rogers smile, "Well, who am I to not follow doctor's orders?"

And so it was, for the next half hour, a super soldier from the 40s found himself holding a conversation with a modern five year old girl. He asked about some of her hobbies and things she liked, but when she started mentioning TV shows and certain songs-all of which went over his head-it made him wonder, "how sad is it that a kindergartner knows more than I do?" But he remained focused, even as the cooks started passing out snacks to everyone. The second a bowl of french fries was dropped in front of the two blondes, Katie dived into it-utterly ravenous. Between bites, she asked him about his own family, to which he wasn't sure how to answer her, or if at all. He never really knew his dad, and he lost his mom when he was ten…and Bucky was the closest thing he had to a brother…

She blinked at his long silence and mumbled, "…are they lost too?"

It was more than intriguing how perceptive kids could be. And he didn't want to say anything that would further upset her over her still-missing parents and siblings. But as he glanced out across the restraunt; watching as Bruce treated patients, Thor escorted people in and out, and Tony cracking jokes…he realized that maybe he still had a family after all. He shook his head, "No, I…I think I found them…"

She smiled for him, but it melted to a frown just as quick, "…I hope they find me…I don't like hide and seek anymore…"

The girl slumped in her chair, and the soldier scrambled for something to say. His eyes fell upon a box of crayons one of the cooks had given her…and it soon gave HIM an idea. Turning over a place mat to the blank side, he snatched up a crayon, "Tell you what. Why don't you tell me what your mom looks like, and I'll try to draw her for you. Maybe we can find her that way."

Katie perked up at that prospect, "Okay!" She then slid out of her seat and crawled up Steve's leg until she was sitting in his lap so she could see the paper better. He couldn't help but blush at such an intimate action, but none the less, it made his heart swell; even more so to dip into his hobby again. He started with a rough base for the head, but beyond that…

"So...what does she look like?" he asked; prepping himself to filter directions through a pre-schooler's description.

Said child scratched her chin as she thought, before shrugging, "She kinda' looks like the lady with the pretty red hair."

She must've meant Natasha. Well that seemed easy enough…only his potential model was nowhere to be found at the moment…

…until there came the sound of familiar voices coming from the entranceway.

Rogers glanced up from the placemat to find the aforementioned spy and Clint guiding a new batch of people into the restraunt. The archer was also carrying over three first aid kits in his arms, to which Bruce snatched them up gratefully and disappeared again. But the sight that really caught the Captain's attention was the fact that Natasha was actually holding someone's hand…and said someone was none too shy about it.

"Really, ma'am, you don't have to go through so much trouble. I'm fine", the gentleman, with hair as red as hers, was shooting smirks at her the whole time.

And although her tone was serious, Nat's amused face said otherwise, "Let's let our doctor be the judge of that."

"Whatever you say, superwoman", the man shrugged as he adjusted his crimson sunglasses…and cherry red walking stick.

Ah…this man was blind…that explained the hand holding.

But that DIDN'T explain 'Tasha's chuckle, or the angry glares Clint kept tossing at the man in question, even if they went unseen. Clearly, some conversation had gone on between the trio, and in all likelihood, no one would ever dare to ask the pair of assassins what it entailed. Said spies then spotted the soldier sitting at what was the last table to have empty seats still, and quickly shuffled their new "friend" over to join him and Katie. Amazingly, the man seemed to navigate the sea of heads effortlessly, until he was sitting himself down in the chair next to Rogers.

Nat and Clint were right behind him, and the red haired Russian clasped a hand on the blind shoulder, "You just wait here until the doc checks you out."

"Thanks", the man nodded; collapsing his cane so he could stash it in his jacket pocket-settling in for a long sit, "Does my beautiful rescuer have a name?"

Normally, such flattering comments wouldn't have fazed her much, particularly when it was usually enemy agents and megalo maniacs dishing them out as an insult to her skills…but to hear it coming from the average citizen, and so sincerely…needless to say, it was a refreshing change of pace. Despite his blindness, she smirked regardless, and opened her mouth to answer him.

But Clint was quick to cut her off, "It's Miss Romanov". He folded his arms; looking like a cat ready to pounce, "Just stay here, sir."

He then rolled his eyes and stormed off, to which Natasha shook her head, as if thinking, "what a baby." The blind man tilted his head, but wasn't put off by the brush off, "I take it someone's jealous?"

She continued to watch the archer, but still answered, "For someone who sees better from a distance, he has a hard time seeing harmless flirting."

"Maybe he shouldn't see with his eyes then", the man raised a brow.

At that observation, the spy fully faced the man she rescued. He said nothing more-merely gave a knowing smile, and she returned it in kind, "Just sit and stay."

"Yes ma'am", he chuckled.

She then finally regarded Steve, who glanced between the two with the biggest "did I miss something?" expression. He definitely appeared to be a lot more stable and alert than before, which was a relief. Katie was situated on his lap, as if she were meeting Santa Claus. Up went the agent's eyebrow, "So…what are you two working on?"

Admittedly, the soldier looked odd clutching a box of Crayola crayons. His face flushed, but the girl beat him to the punch, "He's gonna' draw my mom!"

Natasha cocked her head; puzzled, "Really? I didn't know you were an artist."

"Been drawing since I could pick up a pencil", Rogers shrugged, "Went to school for it too. Probably would've made a career out of it, if…"

He trailed off and just motioned to himself as an explanation, to which Nat nodded in understanding. Yet, she couldn't help but be thrown at how such a battle-hardened soldier kept such a peaceful hobby…but the more she thought, the more it seemed to fit him perfectly. On the field, he was all business, but off…that was another story entirely. Many boasted at seeming to know everything about him-he WAS a legend after all…but it was now apparent that the team knew next to NOTHING about him; not what lied under the surface anyway. Perhaps it was high time they all had a true face to face talk.

Ironically, her timing couldn't be better, for the Captain cleared his throat, "Um…actually…I kinda' have a favor to ask." His face turned totally pink as he stuttered, "Katie said her mother looked kind of like you, so…you wouldn't mind…modeling for me…would you?"

Steve was practically sinking in his chair-appearing just like a little boy, and it nearly made Natasha laugh. Not only was the super soldier NOT a ladies man, by any means, but a living legend wanted to sketch her…no one had ever done that for her before.

So the spy was content to pull up a chair and take a comfortable position; eyeing the soldier like a cat, "Ready when you are."

Rogers said nothing else; merely tried to calm his beating heart as he got to work. Katie was quick to interject, "My mom smiles a lot. Can you smile bigger, please?"

Nat chuckled through her closed lips; mumbling, "Clint tells me that all the time."

For the first few minutes, the whole table was silent; letting the soldier work in peace. Despite holding still, the spy glanced down at the paper-watching a face slowly but surely take shape. And every so often, her eyes would meet with his, to which it was clear he was holding back an anxiety attack.

And then Katie just had to break the quiet when she stared up at the Captain and whispered, "Why are you gettin' so sweaty?"

He froze. She looked confused. Nat released an ear to ear grin, and the blind man burst out laughing. Poor Rogers just wanted to melt through the floor and disappear. He busied himself with tearing the paper off another crayon, while the man in the sunglasses sought to break the tension. Even without any working eyes, he could tell his tablemate was embarrassed, "So, who do I owe the pleasure?"

The soldier turned; nearly forgetting someone else was sitting with him. When he didn't answer right away, the man held his hand out; smiling, "Matt."

Well, at least he now had a name they could attach to him. The Captain figured he should do the same and gave a handshake, "Steve."

Katie bounced up and down in her seat, "He's a superhero!"

Rogers and Natasha briefly glanced at one another; both debating if the child should be exclaiming such things so blatantly…but frankly, the soldier was still in his spangly outfit, and Nat was strutting around in a ninja suit, so it wasn't like they were hiding anything. Matt just raised a brow, "Really now? Sounds like there's all kinds of super people crawling out of the woodwork today." He nodded towards the open doorway, "Good thing too; from what I hear, it's a regular science fiction novel out there."

"You can say that again", the Captain shook his head, while carving out more details to his artwork. But he gave the little girl's shoulder a nudge, before winking at her, "And what happened to not talking to strangers?"

"Well, you're my friend", she folded her arms as she explained, matter of factly, "And if he's your friend, he's my friend too."

"Makes sense", Matt chuckled, "And who are you, princess?"

She grinned, "I'm Katie."

"Nice to meet you", the man paused as he considered something, before his face became more concerned, "Are your folks around?"

The child grew quiet, and for a moment, she sunk deeper into Steve's lap, who patted her shoulder. She then mumbled, "…no…I got lost, and…"

Matt's lips formed a frown as she trailed off, and he nodded in understanding, "Ah, I see." He exhaled a sigh, "Well, if it helps to know, my friend and I got separated too…he's always getting himself lost."

The girl scratched her head; getting an idea, "What's he look like?"

The man shrugged-his tone light, "Beats me."

She blinked-totally confused. The Captain was just finishing up the facial portion of his sketch as he replied in a hushed voice, "This gentleman's blind, Katie."

The girl fiddled with one of the braids in her hair as she blushed, "Oh…"

"Doesn't mean I can't SEE", Matt was quick to clarify. He tilted his sunglasses down for emphasis, revealing green eyes clouded by a white film. A second later, the crimson shades were up again.

The child was puzzled, however, "What's that mean?"

The red haired man tapped his chest with his thumb, "It means that there's some things you see with your heart."

Katie really wanted to understand, but just couldn't. Rogers, on the other hand, smirked, "I get you. And…what do your 'eyes' tell you now?"

There came a pause as Matt thought. But finally, he muttered-completely serious, "…change is coming…A LOT of change…"

Steve shook his head, "You can say that again…"

The man fully turned in his direction, "You make it sound like a bad thing." The soldier balked at being so negative, but his table mate continued, "Whoever these superheroes are, they really started something. I can hear it buzzing through the crowd…six people who saved the world…" His tone was awed, but his focus was clear, "…and who knows…maybe they'll inspire others to do the same."

He flashed an odd smirk, as if he knew something the others didn't, which made both Steve and Natasha stare at him as they considered his insightful words. Was the news of their heroism really spreading that fast? Were they all going to become household names like Tony Stark?

Speaking of whom, the billionaire suddenly appeared behind the Captain-shutting one eye as he did his best Nick Fury impression, "Ah yes. You have become part of a bigger universe. You just don't know it yet."

Steve nearly jumped in surprise, "When did you get here?"

"The Widow's not the only one who can pull a James Bond shtick", he winked at Natasha, who rolled her eyes. He ignored the brush off, "Clint's got his arrows in a twist, so I came over to investigate. So what party are you guys having?"

The spy inclined her head towards Rogers, "He's trying to draw Katie's mom to identify her."

"Which, by the way", Steve cut in, "All I have left to do is the hair." He glanced down at his tiny judge, "What does her hair look like?"

That proved to be a bit of a challenge, as the girl's response of "very short and pretty" offered no description. She tried drawing it herself, but the end result looked more like spaghetti. Thankfully, a woman with a similar style eventually passed by, and he quickly sketched in the rest. His work finished, he held up the drawing for all to see, "There. Does that look like your mom?"

The child's eyes lit up, "Yeah, yeah! That's her!"

The lady on the page was a perfect copy of Natasha, save for the blue eyes, and reddish-blonde hair done up in a different style. But the intricate lines and shading were so utterly amazing; it was like looking at a photograph. And it was done in CRAYON no less! For once, the spy was at a loss for words. He said he was an artist, yes, but…she didn't realize he was THAT good, "Steve, that…that's…"

Tony finished for her; just as shocked, "…that's…insanely good…that's like, Alex Ross good."

The Captain raised a brow; the reference lost on his part. The inventor waved off his confusion, "A comic artist."

Rogers nodded-accepting the short explanation, "Well, to anyone willing to look, hopefully, this'll help them out a bit."

"What will help out who?" Clint chose that moment to finally rejoin the group. After having to help Bruce to explain to Thor how Earth medicine didn't involve magic runes and healing incantations, he was more than anxious to hook up with Natasha again. Anything to get her away from that guy who kept hitting on her. He came to stand next to the spy and found himself staring at her exact likeness…sort of. He tilted his head, "Pretty good…but her hair doesn't look like that."

He motioned to Nat, and she nudged him, "I was a stand in for her mother." She pointed to Katie, and the archer nodded in realization.

Matt grinned, "Looks great to me."

Steve almost thanked him, before remembering he was blind, and the whole table half groaned/half laughed at his joke. But in all fairness, Stark poked Rogers in the back, "Seriously, though, that IS pretty incredible. Don't let a talent like that go to waste."

The solider was understandably thrown at such a kind and sincere remark coming from Tony. Not wanting to ruin the moment, he took his advice to heart and smiled up at him, "Thanks."

By then, the little girl had returned to her own seat, and she gently clutched the picture in her hands as if it came from the Lord Himself. Although she still smiled, it was obvious in her eyes that she was still worried about her family, and she would've hugged the picture if she could. The others watched her silence with varying degrees of pity, at a loss of what else to tell her.

So, instead, they all chose to take a quick break-listening to the overhead radio and the continuous music wafting from it. It had been playing since the heroes first arrived, but it was only now that they bothered to really notice. At last, Steve made a curious comment, "Don't they have the emergency broadcast system?"

Tony shrugged, "Well yeah, but…there isn't exactly a section in the handbook for an alien attack."

That was understandable. One could figure that there was so much action and kayos erupting throughout the city, that all the radio stations were now just on autopilot; playing music in a vain attempt to keep everyone calm until the news crews could get their information straight and their act together.

The current song was coming to an end, and the first few cords of the next one started up. And then everyone at the table nearly jumped when Katie suddenly gasped; her eyes wide, "I know this song! My sister plays it all the time!" She then leaped out of her seat and trotted over to the solider-tugging his sleeve, "Mr. Steve, will you dance with me?"

Rogers did a double take, "Huh? Oh…oh no, I couldn't, I…"

"Pleeeease…?" the girl gave a puppy dog pout.

"Well, I…" the Captain rubbed the back of his head; his cheeks blushing, "I can't really…dance…"

His voice trailed into a mumble, and Tony leaned in, "What?"

Steve sighed; speaking more clearly, "…I can't dance."

Natasha and Clint seemed genuinely surprised. Matt kept a poker face. But Stark grinned with the most sinister "instant blackmail" expression one could muster, "The great and heroic Captain can't dance?"

Rogers knew the inventor would never let him hear the end of it, so he tried to not make it a big deal as he simply shrugged, "Never learned how…someone was going to show me, but…"

His sentence went unfinished, and his three friends glanced at one another; wondering if the subject triggered a memory of some sort. But the child scrunched her nose in concern-not liking to see her new friend unhappy. So she gave him another nudge, "I'll teach you! My sister and I dance all the time!"

The soldier was still hesitant, but the billionaire raised a wise ass brow, "Come on, Cap. You're not gonna' deny a lady a dance, are ya'?"

Steve considered his words, even if they were meant more as a joke. He then glanced down at the girl still hanging on his arm. She could never understand what was truly upsetting him. All she saw was a person who needed to be happy, and damn if she wasn't trying her best. How could anyone reject such an innocent face filled with so much gumption?

Well…his muscles were getting pretty stiff from sitting in the chair for so long…and her determined pouting was undeniably sweet. So he made his decision-he'd do it…for her. He smiled down at her, "Wouldn't dream of it."

The Captain then slowly rose from his seat; being mindful of his injury. Katie hopped up and down in excitement, before clasping his giant hand with her two tiny ones. She boldly led him over to a space on the floor where there wasn't any people, before taking his hands in hers and standing on her tip toes. Clearly, this kid was used to dancing with people twice her size, and she didn't seem to mind in the slightest. She merely grinned up at her spangly partner as she started to sway in time to the music, and soon, he was following her lead; focusing on the lyrics and the beat so he could shut out all the people who were no doubt staring at him.

Give me a second, I…I need to get my story straight

My friends are in the bathroom getting higher than the Empire State

My lover, she's waiting for me just across the bar

My seat's been taken by some sunglasses asking about a scar

And I know I gave it to you months ago

I know you're trying to forget

But between the drinks and subtle things

The holes in my apologies

You know I'm trying hard to take it back

So if by the time the bar closes, and you feel like falling down

I'll carry you home

Tonight…we are young

So let's set the world on fire; we can burn brighter than the sun

Tonight…we are young

So let's set the world on fire; we can burn brighter than the sun

By then, the two were completely lulled into the rythum; dipping and swinging from side to side. The little girl giggled in delight, and the soldier had to marvel at her courage to be able to dance without fear…and with a total stranger, no less. All the more inspiring for him to not care who was watching and be content to just enjoy the moment…to enjoy living, just like her…it's what Peggy would've wanted him to do. His lips split into a grin as he suddenly lifted the kid off the floor and gently spun her in a circle, making her squeal.

Natasha hadn't smiled so much in a long time-watching the two unlikely dancers with amusement. She was pulled from her stare when she felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned to see Matt was standing next to her; palm outstretched.

"Ms. Romanov, may I have this dance?" he flashed an inviting smile, "To celebrate the world not blowing up?"

The spy glanced over a moment-Clint was busy getting a drink. A tiny trace of disappointment crossed her features, but she soon hid it away-his loss then. She tilted her head towards Matt, "Yes, you may."

She smirked and took his hand; guiding him to a spot near to Steve and Katie, and soon, the two red heads were swaying along.

Now I know that I'm not all that you got

I guess that I, I just thought

Maybe we could find new ways to fall apart

But our friends are back, so let's raise a cup

'Cause I found someone to carry me home

Tonight…we are young

So let's set the world on fire; we can burn brighter than the sun

Tonight…we are young

So let's set the world on fire; we can burn brighter than the sun

Clint finished downing his third glass of Pepsi, and turned around, only to nearly spit out his drink. Natasha and the blind man were hand in hand; rocking back and forth, seemingly without a care in the world. He stole a sideways glance at Bruce, who was watching the scene in a mix of joy and puzzlement. His eyes darted between the archer and the red heads, and he shrugged as if to say, "well, aren't you going to do something?"

Matt ultimately answered the unspoken question when he turned in Clint's direction and spoke slyly, "You know, for someone who I overheard has great eyesight, you can't seem to see what's going on right in front of you."

The archer nearly slammed his glass down on the table next to him-it was on now. He stormed over to the red heads; trying to remain as calm as possible, "…okay, that's it. Can I cut in?"

Nat raised a brow; silently replying, "Oh, NOW you notice me." The man in the red shades dropped his arms, before backing up and bowing, "After you."

The spy just rolled her eyes, before locking hands with the archer and continuing right where she left off. Matt, on the other hand, trudged back to his own table, where Tony stood waiting-jaw wanting to hang open, "You, my friend, are a man without fear."

Said courageous man chuckled, "Just making sure the archer doesn't miss his mark."

The inventor blinked in curiosity, like facing an equation that couldn't be solved. He then peered down at Clint's shuffling feet, and he just had to open his mouth, "Hey Robin Hood. Where'd YOU learn to dance?"

The archer smirked; knowing full well his reply would most likely put him in the dog house, but at the moment, he didn't care. It was time for some payback at his target choosing another shooter, "Not all of us had a ballet teacher to help us."

Nat stepped on his foot, and he feigned agony. This time, the billionaire DID drop his jaw, "Ms. Romanov…YOU took…"

"Talk, and I'll pirouette your ass into last week", the spy practically snarled. Tony took the hint and backed off a few paces, making Matt burst into laughter-Clint included. But she still stayed entwined in his arms, so he took it as a good sign.

Carry me home tonight…just carry me home tonight

Carry me home tonight…just carry me home tonight

The world is on my side; I have no reason to run

So will someone come and carry me home tonight

The angels never arrived, but I can hear the choir

So will someone come and carry me home

Tonight…we are young

So let's set the world on fire; we can burn brighter than the sun

As the two sets of dancers continued to twirl around-celebrating that they were all still alive, a crowd had begun to gather around the makeshift dance floor. Not a soul spoke a word; too entranced at the odd group. A woman in a cat suit locking hands with an archer, and a little girl being swung around by an old fashioned superhero. Clearly, this day couldn't get any more amazing…or surreal…or weird.

Tonight…we are young

So let's set the world on fire; we can burn brighter than the sun

So if by the time the bar closes, and you feel like falling down

I'll carry you home…tonight

Natasha and Clint slowed to a stop as the song ended; their eyes locked on one another. Steve and Katie ended much more abruptly, with him setting her back down, and her hugging him around the legs. And then, all at once, the entire restraunt erupted in thunderous applause-a few whoops and hollers thrown in. The soldier nearly jumped; remembering he was being watched, and his face turned beet red. The spies took it much more in stride, and merely smiled, before returning to their table. From somewhere in the crowd, Amy yelled out, "That was the most adorable thing I've ever seen!"

A few people were clapping; Tony included, "For someone who said they can't dance, you're not half bad…better than Clint, anyway."

The archer responded by half-punching the inventor in the gut as he passed by. The Captain wondered how sincere the compliment was, but smirked, regardless. It was just nice to finally face his fear, even if his partner was only five, "Well, I had a good teacher."

He motioned to the little girl still hugging his leg, and he glanced down. Although she was still smiling, her eyes had gotten a bit misty. He knelt down to her level; face full of concern, "Hey…are you okay?"

She started to nod, but then thought better of it, and shook her head, "…I miss Julie…" No doubt, the dance reminded her of her older sister…AND her current predicament again. She tried her hardest not to cry, but her voice cracked, "…I wanna' see my mom and dad…"

She practically fell into Rogers' arms; shoulders shaking as she softly sobbed into his chest. He embraced her in a hug-his face remaining stoic, but inside, his heart was ready to break. Just how many more families were separated…or worse, broken? He was no stranger to seeing death and victims crying out for lost loved ones; in a war, that was a given…but that certainly didn't make it any easier to witness. He peered up at his comrades-silently pleading for help. How much longer could they keep this girl preoccupied?

Clint tried to put on a hopeful face, "Cheer up, kid. They're out there somewhere." Katie turned to face him at his comment; tears still trickling down her cheeks. The archer may have been through hell and back, but he still couldn't stand to see a child upset. Spying a bowl of fruit nearby, it gave him an idea, and he winked, "Here, check this out."

There were two apples and three oranges in the bowl, and one at a time, he swiped them up-rolling them up and down his arms before tossing them in the air. Before long, he was juggling all five pieces of fruit; throwing a few winks and hand waves in between. The little girl was still having to calm down from her earlier outburst, but at least she wasn't crying anymore. She really wanted to laugh at his antics, but she just didn't have the heart to yet. But when Steve patted her shoulder, she forced a tiny smile, "You're really good, mister."

Clint pulled a face and tossed an orange at her. She caught it, which DID make her giggle a bit. Tony, on the other hand, raised a brow at him, "I thought you were an archer."

He eyed the inventor; once again wishing he had a tranquilizer arrow, "I CAN have more than one talent, mister genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist."

Stark faltered at his own words being used against him, "Touche'."

For a finale, Clint tossed all the fruit in the air at once, then quickly grabbed the bowl and expertly caught all the falling food; throwing in a few twists and turns in between. Katie clapped for him and he took a bow, before explaining, "I used to be in a carnival. Comes with the territory. It's where I learned to shoot."

The archer wasn't too sore about admitting his origin. Apparently, he thought his current status of being a bad ass made up for it. At least, that's what Tony assumed, but it didn't stop his double take, "You were a carnie? Excuse me while I go in the corner and laugh."

Clint looked ready to rip Stark's face off, as the inventor sauntered away, laughing through his teeth. But the ex-carnie made sure to get the last laugh, as he palmed an orange and took aim at Tony's backside. Before anyone could object, he fired his projectile-hitting the billionaire square between the shoulders with a resounding splat. He nearly jumped ten feet in the air; swiveling around to face his attacker. Natasha smirked, "Now THAT was funny."

Tony faced Steve; arms open, "Come on, Cap. Didn't you say you hated bullies? Kick his butt!"

Rogers had since taken his seat again with Katie and Matt. He shook his head, grinning, "Sorry, Stark. I've got a child with me. Plus, you can't expect everyone to fight your battles for you."

The soldier was saying it in that "father knows best" kind of way-all he was missing was a newspaper and tobacco pipe, and that just made the inventor even angrier. It was then that he spied a group of guys across the room, shooting darts, and a light bulb went off. Clint suddenly felt like showing off? Fine; two could play at that game.

The trio of survivors had been going at the board for the past hour, and suffice it to say, most of the projectiles ended up in the woodwork rather than the target. That is, until the billionaire sauntered over and unceremoniously plucked the darts, "Here. Let a pro show you how it's done."

The three guys stepped back, and one by one, Tony took careful aim and threw the tiny spears at the bullseye. Although none touched the shiny middle dot, more than a few came awfully close. All n' all, it was far better than anything the trio had managed, and he flashed a smirk and wink.

But the archer was far from impressed. He walked over to the board and quickly removed the darts, "Gimme' those." With his free hand, he swiped a full glass of water off a table; chest puffing out a bit, "Here's how the 'carnie' folk do it."

He motioned for Stark to give him some space, before readying himself. And then, to everyone's surprise, Clint fully turned his head away, closed his eyes, and then began to slowly drink the water. With his other hand, he began shooting the darts…and one by one, they filled up the red dot in the middle of the target…and by the time his drink was finished, all six darts were stuck in the bullseye. For a long moment, the gathered group just stared in shock, until they started clapping. From somewhere in the back, Katie shouted, "That was awesome!"

Tony folded his arms; nearly going as green as the Hulk with jealousy, "Show off…"

The archer raised a brow at him, but smirked, "Look who's talking."

Natasha had kept quiet through the entire argument, and for once, she was glad she did. She had to let out a quiet chuckle-relishing someone (especially Clint) upstaging Stark for a change. It was more than hilarious to see his ego put in his place. But her thoughts were broken when there came a loud whistle, and the whole restraunt quieted down to face the new person standing in the open doorway. The man appeared to be in his late 20s, sporting a bit of a spare tire. His brown hair and suit was disheveled, no doubt from the insanity going on outside. He glanced around-eyes vigorously searching for someone, "Hey! Matt! You in here?"

Said blind man answered the worried call with a wave and a shout, "Back here, Foggy."

The man let out a relieved sigh, before marching over to his friend. He threw his arms open; his face a mixture of anger and worry, "Where the hell have you been? I've been lookin' all over town for ya'!"

Matt feigned glancing around, before motioning to his seat and smirking, "Right here."

Foggy shook his head, "Very funny. Of all the times for you to pull one of your disappearing acts on me…" By then, he was seeing red, and he rubbed his eyes, before exclaiming, "I mean, I know your hearing's better than average, but you're not a freakin' daredevil, alright?"

Katie scooted a bit closer to Steve; shuttering at the man yelling at her new friend. Matt, however, just let his buddy vent; keeping up a smile, "…I'm glad you're okay too."

Foggy just blinked-a flash of guilt crossing his features for letting his anger get the best of him. He then let out a heavy sigh, "…eh, come on. Let's blow this joint, before I get all mushy."

The man in the shades nodded in agreement; unfolding his walking cane as he did so. He rose from the table-turning in the Captain's direction, "Nice meetin' you guys." And knowing the girl was there, he gave a thumbs up, "And don't give up hope, kid."

He then allowed Foggy to help lead him out of the restraunt. Clint, for his part, was more than happy to see him go, and Tony, noticing this, nudged him. As the pair passed the two superheroes, Matt let his hand brush the table; scooping up a dart and throwing it over his shoulder. The projectile hit the bullseye dead on, and the inventor and archer could do nothing but stare in total amazement. The red head tossed a wave in their direction, "Take care of the lovely Ms. Romanov for me."

Meanwhile, Bruce and Amy were still hard at work-tending to the wounded. It seemed now that most of the people filing in were just coming to get patched up, then went on their way to begin searching for lost friends or family members. And that was perfectly fine with Banner; the restraunt was getting a bit overcrowded anyway, and pretty soon, Clint and Natasha would have to be sent out on another supply run. He only paused in his work when he noticed the waitress wasn't rushing around anymore. Instead, she was staring at the hole in the brick wall that crashed in on them earlier…or rather, she seemed to be looking beyond it; thinking about something. The scientist came up next to her, "What's on your mind?"

The lady sighed, "…I'm probably going to have to find a new job." She was obviously holding back tears-clearly, she loved where she worked, "I don't think we can afford to keep this place open…insurance won't cover an alien invasion."

Had the situation been different, she would've laughed at such an absurd statement. But instead, she choked back a sob, to which the scientist patted her shoulder as his only support. This was one wound he couldn't fix…

…but it seemed one individual thought differently. The two doctors glanced up when they noticed the blind man and his friend pass them by on the way to the exit, only the red head was coming toward them. He stopped in front of Amy, before digging through his coat pocket, "Maybe I can help, ma'am. If you folks run into trouble, give us a call."

He then politely handed her a business card, to which she studied the bold and clear typing: "Nelson and Murdock-Lawyers for Hire."

She looked up again, only to find the two gentlemen were already leaving. But none the less, she smiled and waved, "Thank you!"

She'd never get to know if the red head heard her or not, for Thor's booming voice cut through the entire building like thunder, "Friends! I believe your rescue teams are finally arriving!"

All at once, a cheer erupted in the crowd, along with some claps and sighs of relief. The Son of Odin held up his hammer, "I shall clear a path so they can pass."

He then disappeared through the hole in the wall (which, strangely enough, was much better suited for his tall stature than the actual front door). Steve began to rise from his chair; calling out, "Need a hand?"

Amy held her hand up, "No. You're still hurt." His wincing only emphasized her point, "Walking around is fine, but I wouldn't trust you lifting anything yet."

She then walked away to fetch another first aid kit. From there, Bruce felt it safe to talk, "She's right…I'll go." He took a deep breath; his eyes serious, "…I could convince the…'other guy' to help."

Suffice it to say, his teammates were more than taken aback at the doctor's sudden boost in confidence. Did he really just say he would be WILLING to transform? The others glanced at each other; wondering just how much of a hold he had on his alter ego. Ultimately, Natasha made the decision, "Thanks, but…these people need your other talents here."

Banner pondered if the spy was just saying that because she was possibly still frightened of him…but by the tiny smirk playing across her lips, he gathered her words were sincere…to a certain point, anyway. So he simply returned the smile, nodded, and whisked away to tend to a new flock of patients. She gave the archer a glance and motioned to the door, "Clint and I can go."

The ex-carnie stretched and popped his neck-break time was over. But he made sure to raise a brow at Tony, "You COULD help."

"Suit's in the shop, remember?" the inventor didn't make a move, "Besides, if the press starts hounding the place, you're gonna' need MY special skills too."

Clint couldn't argue with that. The billionaire DID have a way with words, and keeping the paparazzi at bay-no doubt used to the attention. Never the less, the archer remained stoic, "Just don't embarrass us."

"Wouldn't dream of it", Stark waved him off, "If you don't want any attention, I can just say I did all the work."

Clint's lips formed a thin line, "…I never said I was THAT camera shy."

With that final warning, he and Nat exited through the hole; spotting emergency vehicles of all shapes and sizes, from police, to medical, to fire, less than fifty yards away. Every last alarm and siren was blaring full blast-their flashing lights acting as a beacon in the waning sunlight. Thor was only a few feet away-already getting to work on smashing through the larger pieces of rubble and concrete. So the two spies followed suit by picking up the smaller pieces they could manage and forming a pile off to the side. For the first couple minutes, the trio carried on in companionable silence-inching closer and closer to the rescue crews (who were doing much the same on their side of the blockade). It was then that Natasha took a good look around-immediately noticing that a large portion of the debris around them had already been cleared away. Putting two and two together, she faced the Son of Odin, "Is this what you've been working on this whole time?"

"Aye", the Asguardian answered as he swung his weapon at an unforgiving piece of concrete, "I could not prove my skills useful in the feasting room, so I sought to clean up the destruction my brother wrought."

Well that explained where he had disappeared to all those hours. But Natasha was still puzzled, "All by yourself?"

For the first time, Thor's shoulders sagged as he let out a bitter sigh. Even Mjolnir seemed heavy in his grip as he surveyed all the damage to the city. When he spoke, his voice was wracked with guilt, "…I deserve to carry this task alone. It is my fault that-"

But the red haired spy cut him off; not liking where his speech was headed. Before he could attack another piece of debris, she stepped in front of him-eyes set like stone, "How is this your fault? Loki may be your brother, but you didn't do any of this. It was him, and him alone. Understand?"

He didn't look convinced, and more a moment, the area they were clearing seemed more like an old fashioned jail yard, where chained criminals would be chipping away at stones as punishment. Is that what the demi-god thought this was? A punishment? Punishment for what? Nat pointed right at him; her finger touching his chest plate where his heart was-her voice firm, "Do NOT start playing the self blame game, because I've seen too many people lose their sanity because of it."

For a long moment, Thor merely stared at his comrade-taking in her words. Of course he felt guilty-Loki was his brother. He was responsible for his safety and well being. So not only did the Son of Odin let down his sibling and his family, but a whole entire realm as well…and yet, what the spy said WAS also correct. Loki was the direct cause of all this kayos. He'd given him plenty of chances to reconsider; to give up his mad quest for world domination, and the trickster ignored each and every warning. His own arrogance defeated himself. The Asguardian then peered over at Clint, who hadn't spoke a word, but it was painfully obvious in his eyes that he knew exactly what Nat was talking about. No doubt he was suffering in his own world of guilt over the atrocities he committed while his mind was taken over…but a certain red head must've given him the same speech, since he found the strength to carry on.

"Red in the ledger", as the spy had put it. There'd be no wiping it clean-blood is a stain that can never be washed out…but it was safe to say the entire team agreed that saving the world could definitely atone for some of it. They just had to move on and try to not make the same mistakes-it's all one can do.

Clearly, these Earth people had more to teach him, and although Thor could never completely shake the feeling of remorse, he still nodded at her, "…your words are most wise…thank you."

"Just looking out for one of our own", Natasha smirked, causing the thunder god and the archer to grin along with her.

But Clint frowned just as quickly; his eyes darkening as he muttered, "What's gonna' happen to him anyway?"

It was plain as day that he wanted nothing more than revenge for what was done to him. The Son of Odin considered his question, then raised a brow, "I am unsure…but I can say for certain he is fortunate to be facing my father and not you."

Now THAT made Clint smile.

The odd trio then resumed their smashing and digging-the rescue crews now just a few yards away. A comfortable silence resumed…and yet there was still one more weight on the archer's shoulder. He turned to the spy-out of Thor's earshot, "Hey Nat…about what happened back at the restraunt…I…"

"It's fine", she waved him off; tossing a large rock, "Besides, I've had guys fight me, but not OVER me in a long time."

She smirked and winked; still getting some amusement out of how her partner had to unexpectedly defend himself AND her on a much different battlefield. Clint turned away; suddenly finding interest in a piece of rubble-his face beginning to blush.

But their tiny moment was quickly shattered when the Asguardian called out, "Friends! Come quickly!"

Instantly, the two secret agents rushed to Thor's side, who was frantically tossing away debris as if it were cardboard. They were about to ask what the problem was…until they heard a soft, but clear moan coming from under the pile…

…there was a person trapped underneath…

All at once, Natasha and Clint were kicking and tossing away rubble almost as fast as Thor, hoping they'd reach the victim in time. Little by little, a form began to take shape…a foot…an arm…a hand reaching out…and then…

The Son of Odin smacked away the last obstacle with one fell swoop, and the person finally came into full view. It was a teenage boy; no older than sixteen. From his scruffy brown hair down to his red and blue converse sneaker (one was missing), he was completely covered in dirt, ash, and bruises. The Asguardian made a move to scoop him up, when the kid let out another groan and began to sit up. He tenderly touched a bloody gash on his forehead, mumbling, "…I'm gonna' feel this in the morning…where's an asprin when you need one…?"

The trio could only glance at one another; completely stunned that not only was this young man alive, but able to talk and relatively unharmed-considering the circumstances. Natasha blinked, then raised a brow, "Um…kid…are you alright?"

The boy glanced up at his rescuers; finally noticing them. Needless to say, he was just as thrown at seeing a ninja woman, an archer with no arrows, and a mythology book come to life. But not wanting to be rude, he answered her question, "…other than eating dirt, yeah…I think I'm fine."

He slowly staggered to his feet, and Clint held his arm out to help balance him, "What's your name kid?" If this was going to turn into another Katie deal, they might as well make introductions now.

The teenager brushed himself off; trying in vain to make himself presentable again. But he still replied with a short and simple, "Peter." Looking down, he discovered his missing shoe, then unceremoniously kicked off the other one.

"What did you do that for?" Clint asked.

The boy shrugged, "Well, to quote Doctor Who, I'd look pretty daft with just one shoe, now would I?"

This kid just had a building dropped on top of him, yet still kept a sense of humor…the archer liked him already. He gently patted him on the back-mindful of any injuries he might have, "I think you're gonna' be just fine. There's an ambulance right over here."

But Peter didn't seem to focus on the trio anymore-instead glancing around the destroyed city-his expression turning even more worried, "Oh my God…"

"I realize this is a difficult time for all of us", Thor tried to keep him from panicking, "But fear not, for we-"

"Where is he?" the teenager cut him off; swiveling around-looking in all directions as the horror suddenly came back to him.

"Where's who?" Natasha was puzzled.

"That kid", Peter began circling the area they were standing in; eyes fearful, "The kid that was here. Where is he?"

Now the archer was just confused, "What kid are you talking about? We've been out here digging for who knows how long. All we found was you."

Pete was now on the verge of panic, "There was a little kid here-a boy. He didn't see…he was going to get crushed…" He paced around; trying to remember, "I…I jumped…pushed him out of the way, and then…everything went black."

The three superheroes shot each other stares-attempting to piece together what happened to this poor kid. If their hunch was correct, this boy had committed a sacrifice play to save another…only WHERE was the other?"

When they didn't say anything, Peter dropped to his knees-exhaustion mounting, "Oh God…" His eyes were on the verge of tears, "Please tell me he's still alive…that I did the right thing…"

Clint dropped to one knee and clasped the teenager's shoulder-his tone sympathetic, "Kid…from the sounds of it, what you did was pretty damn amazing…you did your best…but…"

His speech was abruptly cut off, when just then, there came a joyous shout of, "He's over here!"

All four heads turned at the voice, and through the haze of smoke and dust, a boy who looked to be about seven years old was jogging toward them. His brown hair was disheveled-his blue T-shirt ripped to shreds, but his face held only a smile as he waved to someone behind him, "Over here, quick!"

Off in the distance, a feminine voice called, "Okay Jack, we're coming!"

The boy named Jack caught up to the quartet first; staring in awe at the trio of heroes, before unexpectedly glomping Peter, who returned the hug, "It's you! Are you okay?"

"I am, thanks to you!" the boy grinned.

A minute later, another group of four approached them much more cautiously. It was a family, comprised of a mother and father, both red heads, and two kids; a blonde haired boy around age twelve, and a red haired girl, who looked to be roughly ten. They stared at the supers for only a moment, before Jack took priority over all else. The boy pointed at the teenager, "Guys! He's the one who saved me!"

The father of the group slowly walked up to Peter (who had since stood up again); looked him up and down, then pulled him into a bear hug-his voice quivering, "…how can I ever repay you for saving my son?"

The teenager blushed, "It's no problem, sir." He jerked his thumb at the trio behind him, "And besides, they saved the world, not me."

"But you saved the only thing that mattered in the world to us", the man countered.

"He's right", Clint smirked, "Don't short change yourself, kid."

The unexpected hero blushed-not used to the complements. The man smiled, "What's your name, son?"

"Peter", he replied, "…Peter Parker."

"Well, Mr. Parker", the father folded his arms, "If you need a place to stay, then come with us."

Pete waved a hand, "Thanks, but, it's okay. I've got an aunt who's probably worried sick about me. I really should get back to her."

Natasha called out, "Not until you get checked out first." But as athorative as her tone was, she couldn't help her heart from welling up with a twinge of pride as she thought back on Matt's cryptic words.

…six people who saved the world…and who knows…maybe they'll inspire others to do the same…

Was this the kind of heroics he was talking about? Was Fury right when he said they weren't the only heroes out there? Just what kind of can of worms had they opened up?

She was torn from her thoughts when she took another long look at the mother in the group…and suddenly, something familiar clicked in her brain. Those eyes…that hair…

The spy leaned in and whispered to the archer, "Hey…isn't that the woman from Steve's picture?"

Clint looked the woman up and down-trying to remember what the drawing looked like…and realization dawned on him as well. Just then, the mother in question shuffled towards the trio-her face deep with worry, "Excuse me, but have any of you seen a little girl?" She tried to keep her voice from wavering, "She's five years old and has blonde hair. Her name's-"

"Katie?" Clint finished for her. At once, the woman's eyes became as wide as saucers; her husband and children all gasping. The archer merely nodded-lips forming a grin, "I think you'll wanna' come with us."

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"Katie?"

The little girl was busy coloring with Steve, when she heard her name being called…and the voice made her freeze, "Mom?"

Faster than an eye blink, she vaulted from her seat and ran for the door; a surprised super soldier trying to catch up to her. A woman with reddish-blonde hair had come in with her family in tow…and the second she locked eyes with the girl with the braids, her emotions went into over drive, "KATIE!"

"MOM!" the blonde rushed forward and practically tackled her mother, who had begun to cry; happy beyond words that her youngest daughter was alive. Her father and three older siblings soon came up from behind and joined in a group hug-smothering to the point that Katie wasn't even visible anymore. But even while being encased by five bodies, the little girl still managed to squeak, "I'm sorry I got lost."

Her mother never bothered with wiping her tears, "It's okay. We're just glad you're safe." She finally released her daughter and examined her for any injuries, "Are you hurt?"

Katie shook her head, "No. Doctor Bruce and Mr. Steve took care of me."

The family followed where the child was pointing, and up walked the Captain and Banner-both wearing relieved smiles at seeing their tiny friend reunited with her folks. It went without saying that the group had to give a curious stare at the soldier's…interesting outfit-no doubt he was related to that trio that led them to the restraunt. Noticing the stares, Rogers motioned to the scientist, "It's Doctor Banner you should thank. He's the one who really saved her."

Bruce's face turned a bright pink at the comment. The mother appeared ready to kiss him, "I don't think we can ever thank you enough."

"It's no trouble", the doctor shifted on his feet, "But if you don't mind me asking, how did you folks get here?" He pointed at Katie, "She told me you were in the park, and the nearest one's a mile away."

Mrs. Power motioned to her oldest son and other daughter, "Alex and Julie remembered the direction where she ran off. When we saw all these people coming here, we thought we'd stop and ask." She heaved a sigh, "Thank God we did."

"Are all of you alright?" Bruce prepared himself to ready some more medical supplies.

The mom shrugged, "A little worse for wear…but thanks to a few heroes, we're okay."

Said supers felt it best to not ask. The mother then faced her youngest again, "We better get going. Our car's totaled, so it's going to be a LONG walk home." She turned her attention back to the soldier and doctor, "Thank you SO much."

The duo knew full well just how much gratitude was behind those simple words. Banner held up a hand, "Really, it's no big-"

He never finished his sentence, for the little girl suddenly sprang up and hugged him around the legs. He was taken aback for only a moment, before he knelt down and returned her loving gesture. She mumbled in his ear, "Bye Doctor Bruce."

She sounded like she was ready to cry…and he, admittedly, didn't want to see her go either, "Take care, Katie."

After a long moment, she finally released him, only to immediately round on the Captain and hug him just the same, "Bye Mr. Steve."

He patted her back; trying to keep his voice level, "Good bye. Thanks for the dance."

And then, as if by magic, he produced the drawing he had made for her; placing it delicately in her waiting hands. She flashed one more smile, before rejoining her family. They all nodded once more as a thank you, then turned to leave; locking hands so as not to lose each other again. Both Steve and Bruce watched them go-staring until they were a speck in the distance…until Katie turned and gave them one last wave. They waved back.

The soldier didn't turn, but he still spoke, "…you miss her already, don't you?"

The scientist continued to smile, but his eyes began to water, "…yep."

By then, Thor, Clint, and Natasha had returned, with a banged up Peter and an army of emergency vehicles in tow. The Asguardian gazed out into the street along with them-spotting the Powers easily, "Aye. But a battle is made more victorious when a young one can be returned to their family."

"Couldn't have said it better", Rogers grinned. But soon, his expression turned serious, "Speaking of which, maybe it's time you checked on your brother. Make sure he's not giving S.H.I.E.L.D. any trouble."

The Son of Odin gave a solemn nod, "Aye. I must start making preparations for our departure from your realm." Although, by the look on his face, he wasn't quite ready to leave his new home yet, "I will meet with you all again at dawn."

His comrades nodded in agreement, and with that, the Asguardian stepped out into the street; swinging his hammer at lightning speed. When ready, he let Mjolnir go, and the force carried him off into the sky. Steve merely stared up at the clouds; shaking his head, "…I'll never get used to that."

Bruce's lips formed a thin line, "He's got perfect timing. Here comes the paparazzi."

Right on cue, along with the EMT's and police, a flock of news reporters and TV crews began surrounding the building. All the roads leading to the restraunt-turned medical center-turned superhero hang out had been blocked all day, so now that the paths were finally open, every major network was ravenous for a piece of the heroes who saved the world. His heart beginning to pound, the soldier turned to the scientist, "I think it's time for us to go."

But the doctor held his ground, "Not me. I've still got people here to patch up."

Rogers blinked in shock, "You're staying?"

Bruce glanced around at the various medical teams piling victims into waiting ambulances. They couldn't possibly carry all these people at once, and what if more injured showed up while they were gone? He nodded; eyes determined, "The other guy doesn't mind."

He gave a knowing smile, before disappearing into the crowd. Steve was about to say something, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He only had to turn his head to see it was Tony, who muttered in his ear, "Robin Hood and the Spider are in the back with Amy. Go out the side door with 'em. I'll meet up with you guys at the tower. Jarvis'll get you whatever you want."

The Captain had no time to ask how Stark discovered a secret, back exit, or what his game plan was, "What about you?"

"I'll handle the peanut gallery", he replied without hesitation, "This is MY territory."

The soldier and the inventor merely had to glance at one another to know that everything was going to be alright. With a final mutter of "good luck", the Captain then slinked his way through the crowd like a star spangled ninja-making it to the back kitchen area, where an exhausted Natasha and Clint were waiting for him; quiver and shield at the ready. There'd be no telling what sort of people they were bound to run into, but after today, facing a few nosey reporters would be a cake walk. They were a team now, and they were ready for anything.

The archer breathed a sigh, "You ready, Cap?"

Said leader shrugged, "As I'll ever be."

Amy had been holding the door open with her foot; sneaking occasional glances into the street, making sure the coast was clear. But now that the trio WAS ready, it more than pained her to see them go. Truly, this was, without a doubt, the most amazing day of her entire life, and she wanted to make sure they knew it. She beamed at each one of them; her heart doing the talking, "I don't know what to say. We can't thank you all enough."

"Thank YOU, ma'am, for letting us stay here", Steve smiled; patting the injury she bandaged up for him, "Among other things."

The waitress blushed, "Come back any time you like."

The trio smirked at one another, before finally making a quiet exit. As they passed her, they each muttered a quick thank you and goodbye, and the soldier inclined his head as if he were tipping a hat that he didn't have. The three supers then disappeared into the evening dusk; the stunned ex-nurse watching them go with a pained smile. She only turned around when she heard frantic shouts of, "It's Ironman!" and "Mr. Stark! Can we get a word?"

Amy slowly crept back out of the kitchen, only to find the billionaire standing in the front entrance of the building, acting as a human shield to keep back the tidal wave of reporters and flashing cameras. But clearly, he wasn't fazed by all the attention as he quipped, "I've always got plenty of words-which ones do you need?"

A microphone was shoved in his face, "Is it true that the attack on New York was of other worldly origin?"

The inventor put a finger up as if he were correcting a child, "If you're asking are we alone in the universe, no-we're not. I saw it. You saw it. We all saw it."

A ripple of excitement burst across the crowd. Stark figured Fury wouldn't mind him just telling the truth. The battle that happened today couldn't exactly be written off as a few bottle rockets.

A new question was thrown out, "Does this mean the world is in danger still?"

More than a few heads turned-a few more began to worry. Best to put the crowd at ease before they all panicked, "The world is always in danger. BUT, the immediate threat has been taken care of."

The reporter who started the whole wave of questions spoke again, "And what if another threat like this happens again? What if the armed forces isn't enough? Who else can we count on?"

A hushed silence befell the news crews; the tension so thick, one could cut it with a knife. But Stark didn't keep them waiting long as he stated simply, "…the Avengers."

Immediately, the chatter started again. A woman called out, "Is that the name of your team?"

This time, Tony DID need a moment to think. To think back on how his whole life had changed in just a matter of a few years. From building the suit, to Fury approaching him, to having to become part of a team…to become part of something greater…to become part of the mightiest fighting force the world had ever known…

…and to be able to eat schwarma with a super soldier, a demi-god, Dr. Jekyll, a spy, and an archer…to watch Steve dance…Clint and Nat flirting…Bruce healing people…and him joking about it all, as usual.

For one second, Dr. Yinsen's words rang in his mind-"the man who has everything, yet has nothing."

But not anymore…he finally DID have everything. He had the most important thing of all. They ALL gained the most important thing of all…

A family.

"It's not MY team…" he said at last, "It's OUR team…and yes, that's our name."

The first reporter raised a brow, "And where are the Avengers now?"

"Recuperating", Tony nodded, "Gettin' patched up-taking a breather, so it might be best if you give us some quiet time, know what I mean?"

He threw in a wink, trying to lay on the old Stark charm. He doubted it would keep the paparazzi away, but at least he gave it a shot. Another person chimed in, "And when will you all be back?"

Tony smiled, "…whenever the world needs heroes."

From then on, the news crews began peppering him with all kinds of other questions-asking for juicy details about the new team, to which the billionaire was happy to oblige. The waitress just looked on in amusement; shaking her head. Typical Tony Stark. Peter had come to stand beside her-his head wound now stitched up. Gawking at the mad crowd of reporters, he sighed, "My boss back at the Bugle's gonna' be pretty mad when I show up in his office without any pictures."

Amy didn't face him, but continued to smile; her heart confident that on this day, the world had changed forever…and possibly, for the good.

"I wouldn't worry…I think we're going to be seeing them around here a lot more often."

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Cookie points to anyone who can list off all the "guest stars" and Easter eggs in this. There's a TON.