Cat And Mice Old Ones.










Tony looked at Pepper then at Dawn.  "Okay, we're going on vacation."

Dawn grinned.  "It'll be fine.  I'll run the company like you would and if there's a huge problem, I'll text."

They smiled.  "Remember to nag the kids," Pepper said.

Dawn nodded.  "I will.  Especially the younger two who think that they're princes so far."  Pepper smiled.

Cupid appeared, brushing back his hair.  "Hate to interrupt, but I've gotta."  He tapped Dawn on the head.  "Just....don't."

Dawn blinked a few times.  "I'd destroy her."

"And a lot of other people," he said dryly, smirking at her.  "Which would mean you'd get a really long vacation hiding from the US.  Again.  Which is pissing Pops off."

"Can we know?" Tony asked.  Cupid nodded and showed him.  He blinked a few times.  "Hell no!  We'd help her destroy them."

Dawn sighed.  "I don't know what to do about that beyond a preemptive strike."  She looked at Tony.  "That's how I'd handle it, especially when Maria started to play dirty pool by taking the kids."  She felt her lovers nudge her mind and showed them what Cupid had shown them.  Clint had an idea and Natasha knew how to stop it.  She'd take Bucky to do that while Clint played with the kids and pets today.  Dawn grinned.  "Natasha and Clint are helping."

Tony smirked.  "They are a bit devious."  He and Pepper shared a look then he looked at Steve, who looked upset.  "They're going to try to take over Stark from us."

"Why?"

"Because Hill's going to push her luck," Pepper said simply.  She and Tony shared a look.  "We can reschedule the flight."

"We can do that for tonight.  It won't take that long."  Dawn hissed in his ear, getting a nod.  "That might take even less time."  He smiled.  "Let me look into that and talk to those geeks just in case."  He strolled off.

Dawn hugged Cupid.  "Thanks."

"Welcome.  Don't want you to undo all my great work."  He nudged her head with a smirk.  "Your son is being compared to Bliss."

"Philip's not that happy of a baby and he doesn't have wings."

"True."  He went home for a bit.  He wanted to talk to his father.  That had to be his idea.  It was a really bad one because Dawn would defend the family and Stark.  "Hey, Pops, was it your bright idea to try to nationalize and confine Stark?  If so, it's screwed because it'll make Dawn break out in a godhood."

Ares shuddered.  "No, that was Discord's."

"Well, yeah, it would've caused a whole lot.  Especially when they decided to play hardball and tried to take the kids."  Ares stared at him, mouth slightly open.  "Yeah."

"No!"

"Oh, yeah."  He showed him what he had seen.  Ares groaned, shaking his head.  "So....."

"I'll have it stopped," he complained.  "They can't be left free."

Diama appeared behind Ares.  "I warned you."  He spun but she smacked him with her powers, making him not only a pretty young girl, but one wearing a feathered dress in bright purple.  She smiled.  "We could use more smart girls up here anyway."

"This won't stop me," Ares told her.

She cackled.  "Sure it will.  You're not a god of war anymore.  Gods of war aren't little girls."  She beamed and waved then disappeared to tell on herself with Hera.  "Ares was being a mean shit so I gave Fiona and I another playmate."  She smiled.  "Now she's the Goddess of Bad Ideas."

Hera stared at her then pulled her over to spank her.  "Clearly it was already working on you, Diama."

Cupid checked her aura out.  "You're now the Crackhead fairy, Pops."  He grinned.  "Over all the crackhead ideas that happen."  He disappeared before he saw the fit.

Ares growled, which sounded much weaker coming from the girlish throat.  A few of the dogs of war came over to sniff her.  "Get off me!"  Ruby yipped happily and lapped her.  "Eww!  Ruby!"  He got away from her.  "Xander!"

Xander appeared, staring down at her.  "You had *what* planned for my pack?" he asked dryly.  "And since when are you humanity?"

Ares glared.  "I was going to remove it."

"You were going to destroy Tara's relationship and she's still like my sister, and for Thor for that matter."  Ares slumped, shaking his head.  "You're damn lucky she gave you a new godhood."  He smirked.  "Because you're going to be a pageant kid."  He wiggled his fingers and sent him to the mortal plane to be one of those overly fussed at pageant girls.  Xander cackled, going back to his temple with the war puppies of his.  Ares wouldn't get to their training for a few months at least.

Discord had seen it all but she was not going to get in the middle of that feud.  Not even to save Ares from kiddy pageants.  Though she'd definitely take pictures.  A lot of pictures.

***

Zeus looked up and sighed.  "Hera, who did what now?" he called.  She brought in Diama to talk about what she had done.  He glared at her.  "Have you gotten beyond yourself, young lady?"

"Nope.  Because he tried to destroy Gaia's handmaiden's marriage."  She beamed.  "Then Xander made sure that she'd have a good learning experience about real people."  She disappeared, going to Atlantis to help her geeks.  She might even talk a few into becoming balloon geeks because she loved balloons.

"She did what?" Zeus asked, sounding tired.  Hera told him.  Then what Xander had done.  "Pageants?"  Hera manifested a tv and turned it to that show.  Zeus watched and shook his head quickly.  "Poor Ares.  Can we save him?"

"I can't find which one he is.  There's hundreds and Diama managed to mask his godhood while Xander managed to mask the immortality."

Gaia appeared with a smile.  "Yes, I did.  Don't touch my things, children."  She disappeared.  Ares was going to have to deal with a whole lot of bad hair days and 'Dite giving her mother advice about fashion.  Aphrodite cooed at how cute Ares as a girl was.  It was a great thing in Gaia's book.

Zeus shuddered.  "I don't want to know," he decided.  "We'll rescue him in a few years."

Hera nodded.  "No one can go against Gaia's wishes," she sighed, going to find her son so she could watch over her.  Because that was really weird and what she saw of those pageant people worried her.  Who dressed babies up in bikinis to strut on stage like female slaves going to auction?  They weren't selling the children.

***

Tara came out of her meditation, looking at her staring twins.  "I'm fine, John."  He grinned.  Melissa hugged her.  "We have to talk to Mommy Maria tonight so you four need to go visit Daddy tonight."  She sent Phil a text message to that effect.  He agreed it'd be fine and Xander could come get them now if she wanted.  She agreed.  Xander appeared, staring at her.  "You saw."

"I did.  Ares is now a pageant princess."  He grinned.

She shuddered.  "That's evil, Xander."

"Yup."  He gathered up the smaller two.  "Melissa, I need a diaper bag.  John, I need bottle stuff."  They ran to do that.  He kissed Tara on the head.  "Have a good fight."  He took the kids' down to Phil's apartment and to the temple that way.  He closed the door so they couldn't sneak back too.  "Talsa, visitors."

She came out of the kitchen, smiling at the babies.  "It's good to see you with your stepchildren, Lord Xander."

He smirked.  "Tara and Maria need to have a married people talk."

"Sex happens."

"Not that sort."

"Oooh.  Sure, we can entertain the younger ones."  Xander got the kids down to the obstacle course's smaller part.  The balance beams and those parts.  The two older ones liked that and the babies cooed at their happy squeals.  The SGC people in training all looked over.  "Phil's kids."  They nodded and let them have that part of the play area.  "Who put up the basketball hoop?"

"We needed some free time activity, sir," one soldier said.

Xander looked at him.  "Either you have great stamina already or I'm not working you hard enough."

He smiled.  "I'm a milk farm boy.  This is nothing compared to birthing time."

"Cool.  We'll make sure they know that you have good stamina.  It's a good thing."  The young soldier grinned and went back to his run across the obstacle course.  He wasn't the best but he did okay.

"Us?" Melissa asked with a grin and a point.

"When you're big enough you can learn how to do that.  For now, train on this area, Melissa."  She beamed and went back to climbing up and over the balance beam sections.  Xander checked on the twins.  They were getting a bit sleepy but that was fine with him.  When the older two got tired he brought them up to the temple to lounge around in the living room.  That made them happy because he got Nickelodeon for them to stare at.  Their Mommy Tara didn't let them watch it, just PBS.

Xander let Talsa watch over their consumption of the Great Evil One, Spongebob edition.  He did not have that sort of patience.

***

Natasha came back from her mission with a few things, including a letter from the mayor.  She handed that over and shrugged.  "I did not look."

"The other thing?" Dawn asked quietly, glancing around.  There were a few geeks in the hallway getting last minute nagging in from Stark.

"It is handled and others are aware of the problem so it cannot start.  The same as your response is going to be withheld?"

"Unless I need to."

"Good."  She smiled.  "Let me hand these to Stark."  She walked in there, handing him the folder.  "On that plot."  She left, leaving that begging geek praying for mercy from Dawn.

Dawn looked in there.  "Do I not take care of you?"

"Yes," he said with a pout.  "But you'll be doing CEO things."

"And watching the kids.  It doesn't mean I won't fuss over you."  He grinned and left.  So did most of the others.  She opened the letter and sighed.  "Shit."  Tony flinched, she could hear it.  "The mayor doesn't want us to do the spell to return them."  She looked in there.

"Tell Fury."

Dawn created a portal and held up the letter.  Nick Fury grimaced.  "Why?"

"Apparently he thinks that you can use them."

"No, I don't think so.  I'll talk to him in a few days."

"I have to start the prep work tomorrow or it'll be another month."

"Tell them and start it next month," he ordered, then waved a hand.  "Shut that?"  She did that.  He rolled his eyes.  No wonder SHIELD never got anything done these days.  A copy of a folder appeared out of thin air and hit him on the shoulder.  He picked up the pages to look over.  No, he had some problems he had to fix beyond that.

***

Dawn walked up to Wade, handing him the letter.  "The Mayor thinks that we need you guys here and we should put you somewhere safe for now."

He read it over then called some people.  He walked off shaking his head.  He came back to get his coffee.  "Are we waiting?"

"Unless you want to do it on the hellmouth."

"They didn't like that idea either."

"Then yeah, Fury said he'd talk to him but since I have to start things tomorrow he said to probably wait a month."

"We can do that," the phone said.  "Where is the cranky, one-eyed bastard anyway?"

"Africa on a mission before Clint and Natasha killed him," she said dryly.

Wade snickered.  "That was so cute."

"Slightly."  She handed him that folder Natasha had gotten.  "Just in case, so you're warned."

He glanced through it and winced.  "That's going to suck."

"Yeah, it will."  They shared a look.  "Just in case someone tries for the kids."

"I can do that.  Where's the twins?  I miss killing the people trying to stalk them."

"Asgard, helping with Atlantis."  He shuddered.  "But time moves faster up there so they might be adults when they come back."  That got a shiver of dread.  She grinned.  "Exactly."  She got her coffee and walked off.  "Have a better night, Wade."

"You too, Dawn."  He sipped his coffee, going to talk to his new friends on this plane.  The assassins were a bit weird but they had been part of a guild, which blew his mind.  He thought they only existed in games.  Apparently they existed here and they had demon assassins too.  Though, they were very scared of his personal dark, mean angel because she had destroyed them once already.

***

Dawn looked at her wife that night across the table.  Clint had a surveillance detail uptown tonight.  It was just them, the kids, and dinner that Dawn had made.  "So," she said quietly, glancing at where the kids were eating.  "Callia, you have to eat the cauliflower, not feed it to your brother.  It's too big for them to eat."

"Fine," she pouted.  "I don't like it."

"You do so.  You have since you were seven months old and I had some pureed for you.  It's the same white trees only no cheese sauce."

"Do we have cheese sauce?"

"No, sorry."

"Then why did you make stuff that needs it?"

"It doesn't *need* it," Dawn said firmly.  "You want it to be on there."  Callia slumped but ate for her.  "Thank you."  She looked at Natasha again.  "So?"

"It's stopped.  Tara and Maria are having a discussion tonight from what Coulson said about him having the children tonight."

"Can we visit?" Callia asked.

"Nope.  Uncle Xander has Auntie Tara's kids."

"Shoot.  I miss you living in their building."

"Again, sorry.  Someone set fire to the gym, dear."  She nodded she had heard and finished her dinner then turned to help Chris and Liz eat.  Liz was at least eating solid foods but Chris was still eating bottles.  Dawn looked at her.  "I can only hang onto that for so long," she said quietly.

"Outing it should be a last resort, not a plan to put into action," Natasha countered.  Dawn nodded she knew that.  "If they try again then you will."

"The Mayor decided I can't do that spell to send them back."

"We'll figure that out as well."

"We hope."

"We will.  Even if we have to go to Sunnydale to do so."  She finished up, not saying she would've liked cheese sauce too.  Dawn gave her a look so she smiled and took a kiss.  "You slave over the stove very well for our family," she said in Russian.

Dawn beamed at her.  "I try," she agreed in Russian.  "They're in the twins' room, right?"  Natasha smiled and nodded.  "Callia, come help load the dishwasher.  I have to feed Philip since I can hear him fussing."

"Are you going to feed Chris too?" she asked.

"No, that's Pepper's job, not a Dawn job."  She picked up Philip to stare at him.  "It's all right."  He still fussed.  Liz smiled and waved at him.  Philip still fussed.  "Maybe you have some colic."  She took him to the bedroom to breastfeed him while Natasha and Callia loaded the dishwasher.  Natasha got to bottle feed Chris while Callia made sure Liz finished her dinner.  So it was good for the night.  Very quiet until Clint got home.  He came in and took off his quiver and bow, staring at Natasha.

"Early night?" Natasha asked.

"Yeah.  Guy got busted by the NYPD."  He shrugged and came over.

Callia looked and smiled, snatching something off his neck.  "That's not nice," she said in a sing-song voice.  "It means Auntie has to destroy you."

"Yes, it does," Natasha said.  A small arrow flew past them to embed in the man's arm.  He fell over in a faint.  "Sedative.  Nice choice, Dawn."

"Thanks, dear."  She came out with Philip, who was still fussy.  Natasha took him to burp.  "He only got one side."  She kicked the body over.  "Let me take him to the basement."  She floated him up and off, taking him down there to tie him up.  They could deal with him after the kids were in bed.  His illusion necklace and fake fingertips were nicely gathered.  She sent a thought at Xander about that.  He sent back it might be part of the same plot he wasn't sure but he'd send Phil to question him.  Dawn shrugged and said the kids were still awake.  She went back up there after making sure he couldn't get free, and grinned at the kids.  "I think it's story time."

"Movie or book?" Callia asked.

Dawn looked at the date on her watch then at her niece.  "You're still grounded all week long."

"Shoot."  She pouted.  "But staying with you is a special treat."

"Not really."  She smiled.  "Remember, we helped you get grounded instead of beaten to death."

"Good point."  She settled in with a book.  "I'll read."  They nodded that would be fine and let her read to the kids.  Philip quit fussing to squeal at her for it.  Callia looked at him then at her aunts.  "You had a book nerd."  She went back to reading since they were laughing.  Finally the kids went down.  Philip got to finish his dinner while Natasha went to help Phil interrogate the person.

***

Dawn smiled at the board meeting that had been called by the board the next morning.  "Good morning, everyone."

"Why are you here?" one demanded.

"Because custody of Callia devolves to me when her parents are not here.  They're on vacation."  She smiled.  "Callia?"  She came in with her tablet.  "I'm her aunt," she said snidely when they all looked confused.  "Her next of kin and the one that takes custody of her by her father's will."

"What about her mother?" one sneered.

"Buffy died on Asgard.  Her will left me custody of all her children."  She smiled as she sat down, putting Callia next to her.  "It's time you learned how to run the business for when it's your turn."

Callia looked at her then at the people.  "Only nine more years."

"Nine and a half.  You have to be eighteen unless we're all dead and you're declared emancipated," Dawn corrected.

Callia nodded.  "Okay, I'd like that even better.  That way I have more time in the lab to create instead of headaches like Aunt Pepper."  She smiled.  "Why did we call the board meeting today?"

"The board is putting forth a motion to remove the CEO from her spot," one said.  "Which you can't stop."

"Well, technically, I can."  Dawn pulled up things.  "See, when Obadiah was around, he made you guys not really effective by making you advisory."  They read that over.  "No board has overturned that.  In addition."  She put up another one.  "That means that you're not being paid for it.  Thirdly," she said, adding one.  "This was done when things got a bit hairy recently because of public opinion.  Tony moved it back a privately owned company, without a need for a board of directors.  The SEC agreed with him."  They all glared.  "That was within the last ten months.  You all got that notice at the last two meetings and it has been in effect for a while now."  She highlighted a date with a fingertip.  "It went into effect six months ago."  She looked at that.  "Beyond all that, I'm pretty darn sure that Stark's fiancee and future wife is ahead of all of you."

Howard faded in, looking at the papers.  "Who did that?"

"Obadiah before he went evil and attacked Tony, which would be after he had him kidnaped because Obadiah was selling weapons to terrorists," Dawn quipped with a smile.

"That Ten Rings thing," Howard said.  Dawn nodded.  "Can I see the files on that?"

"The non classified ones on Obadiah and the investigation?  Yes.  I'll let you see them in a few minutes in the privacy of the office."

"That's fine, Dawn.  You're a lot more perky yet mean than I thought you'd be."

She smiled.  "Yes, I am."  She looked at them.  "I learned very well from Tony and Pepper."  She smiled.  "Now, about this motion that you don't have the power to make or enforce?  Did you want to talk about it more?"  They stomped off.  "You have a great day and motion adjourned."  She sent a text message to Tony with the video of it so he'd know.  She and Callia went back to the office so Dawn could show him those files.

Howard read them over, shaking his head.  "I can't believe he turned on the family that way."

"Greed, Howard.  Pure greed," Dawn said quietly.  "Thankfully she'll never have anyone like that.  Right now, the admin is family."

"It is and it's good," he said, looking at her.  "Where's your son?"

"With Mommy Natasha today.  She was going to see what's wrong with my mother."

"Is she sick?"

"No she's been acting a bit strange recently.  So I sicced Natasha and the baby on her."  She smiled.  "Mom loves the grandchildren."  He shook his head.  "Fury's supposed to be back today sometime."

"I'll float over to see him.  Nick always was a spitfire even for being one of them."

Dawn stared at him.  "It may've been acceptable in your day but these days, such racial sentiments are wholly unacceptable unless you're wearing a sheet."

"No, I fought against them too."  He grimaced.  "Things are weird today."

She shrugged.  "Welcome to the modern world.  All six billion and some-odd people in it."

"Is that when my son got the thing in his chest?"  Dawn stared at him.  "I'll ask my son.  That way you don't have to violate a confidence."  He floated off thinking about things.   The guys in plasma and shield design were having a meeting so he floated in to see what they were doing.  They ignored him but he was used to it.  Most scientists didn't want to consider spirits outside the kind you drank.

Dawn got back to work with Callia helping.  That way she knew what was going on when it was her turn.

***

Maria Hill walked into the testing lab.  "By order of SHIELD, this experiment is shut down."

"No it's not," Howard's ghost said.  Maria ignored him.

"This isn't what we gave you a grant for."

Dawn strolled in, alerted by security when she got there.  "They didn't get a grant from SHIELD, Maria.  All external grants have to be approved by Stark or Pepper and there's no paperwork on them getting one.  Considering we did a check after the intentional accident thanks to some external grants, I think you'd better back down."

"SHIELD protocol...." she started.

Dawn laughed.  "Since when has Stark International been part of SHIELD.  You only have one employee in common and he doesn't take a paycheck from your people.  I think you had better leave the building, Agent Hill.  Before we have words."

"SHIELD is responsible for SI," she said.

"No, you're not.  Stark International is a privately held company.  We have no outstanding stock for SHIELD to have bought.  We have no mandatory board of directors that could be influenced by SHIELD.  For that matter, Stark International is a family business.  Which you're an adjunct to."  Maria looked furious.  Dawn stared back.  "I believe you were asked to leave this private place of business before you were thrown out, Agent Hill.  Because if you do not I'm going to make you very miserable.  Because I can derail all the reorganization effort without a single bit of power or a weapon.  Now, please go."  She waved at the guards staring from the doorway.  "You have a pleasant day, Agent Hill."  Maria stomped off.  She looked at them, seeing the sweat.  "I don't know," she admitted.  "I'm going to interrupt his vacation over this."  They smiled.  "JARVIS, please forward the video from that meeting to Tony's phone?"

"I already anticipated that need once she was gone.  I believe he's asleep as he's not answering it."

"That's fine.  Let me know when he does."  She looked around.  "We have all the safety procedures we'd demand and all that?"  They nodded.  "Then let us know how it goes, people."  She strolled off, going up to the office.  Natasha was waiting with the baby, who Callia was reading to.  "So?"

"Your mother believes that your stepfather left their bed due to her delivering your sister," she said in Russian.

Dawn grimaced.  "That's not what ended her relationship and during the divorce they found out he'd been having them since before the wedding."

"Apparently that was what changed their relationship and she did not want to get in the middle when ours had to struggle back."

"I didn't know we had to struggle."  She smiled.  "If so, I was awfully sore a few times for no reason."

Natasha smiled.  "I told her that."  She looked around.  "What happened?"

"Maria just announced that SHIELD had taken over the company."

Natasha nodded once.  "Present it."

Dawn thought at Clint, who said the same thing.  And that he was going to punch her in the nose.  She said to go for it.  She smiled at Callia, then at Natasha.  "Is he back yet?"

"Not for another two hours."

"Then we have some time."  She settled in with the head of Legal and her wife to go over what exactly she was going to be serving the director when he got back from his hiding from Clint and Natasha.  Callia and the baby were happily cooing at each other until Beya came to get them.

***

Dawn strolled into Fury's office after teleporting over.  "We have an issue."

"Already?" he said, hanging up his jacket.  "I just barely stepped in."

"Feel really lucky that Stark wants me to present this in person instead of in the press."  She handed over the envelope.  "You've just been served with a lawsuit that covers ten counts of endangering myself and my family.  I wouldn't have done this if your people hadn't just tried to take over my niece's future business, but you guys played hardball so I will."  She smiled and disappeared.

Fury read it over, grimacing.  "Hill, what happened earlier?"

Joyce walked in.  "She's getting an ice pack since Clint just broke her nose over her trying to take over at Stark earlier, sir."

Fury looked at his assistant.  "Excuse me?  What happened?"  She replayed the video Dawn had sent her at her request.  Fury watched it and nodded.  "That's not what I  wanted her to do and it's not what I want from Stark.  Who gave her that order?"  Joyce shrugged.  "Are we going to lose you?"

"I'm peeved for many reasons.  Why would I leave?"  Fury waved the papers.  "I heard.  Dawn has been sitting on that for a while now, Director.  The sad fact is, she hadn't had to kill a human until you let out who she was."  She walked off.  "I'm still deciding otherwise.  I have some groveling to do with my daughter anyway."  She looked in there.  "By the way, I'm leaving twenty minutes early."

"That's fine, Summers.  Call if you're not coming in tomorrow," he complained.

"I'd never leave on that short of notice unless it was something that was blatantly endangering my child, like the time that didn't happen when someone was going to capture Dawn and her unborn son."  She put on her jacket and left for the day.

Fury considered that.  "That sounds like someone changed time again."  He texted Coulson about that.  The one he got back that said 'it did happen but I do not know the details' wasn't going to make him any happier.  He had him come back for the day.  "What do you know about what Hill did earlier?"

"Not a lot.  I know that Ares had the original idea to put Stark under military or SHIELD authority.  I know he got punished for it by being made into a young girl by Diama and then a pageant princess by my spouse."  Fury shuddered.  Phil smirked slightly.  "Indeed."  He looked at the admin area when he heard the elevator door open.  Then he looked at Fury.  "I know that Cupid warned that something worse might happen," he said more quietly, making sure he put up a privacy shield.  "Apparently this was the lesser backup plan."

Fury shook his head.  "I did not order that."

"Maria's loyal to you, sir, but there's people above you still."  He shrugged.  "I know we have the kids again tonight."  He went back to his office.

Fury looked out there, finding Hill at her desk.  "Hill, a moment please."  She walked in.  "Shut the door."  She did and stood stiffly.  "Explain yourself."

"Sir?"

"We do not want to take over Stark."

"Orders came down that we were to take over Stark, sir, and that his vacation was an opportune time."

"From?"

"The president."

Fury stared at her.  "He doesn't run SHIELD.  I do."  She flinched and winced a bit.  "You also got us sued.  We're being sued for more than our yearly budget because of the way things have happened."

"By Stark, sir?"

"No, not by Stark."  She took a deep breath.  "I want that order.  I want everything on it.  With any luck, I can talk Summers into dropping this suit."

"Why is she suing us?"

"Because she never had to kill a human until we announced who she was, Agent Hill.   Then she had to keep killing humans, which isn't really something she adores," he said dryly.  "Not to mention her little kidnaping thing to Romania that happened because someone found out who she was."  She winced at that, shaking her head slightly and looking down.  "So, get me everything on those orders.  Today.  Because if I need a sacrifice to appease Stark, then so be it."  She nodded and did that.  Fury wanted to throw a fit.  He had avoided one death sentence to come home to another.

***

Maria walked up to their apartment and tried to get the door open.  Her key didn't fit.  She stared at the lock then knocked.  Tara opened the door.  "Why did you change the lock?"

"Because you tried to hurt my family," she said.  "Lock changing is the universal symbol of 'you did bad things'.  I'm sorry, Maria, but you hurt my family.  I can't put up with that."  She shut the door gently.  "Your things are in the storage area on the corner.  The key's in the mailbox in an envelope with your name on it."  She clearly walked off and Maria heard the telltale sound of her crying.

Maria slumped, going to get the envelope.  She apparently needed to find a hotel room for a few days.  She also needed a very long think about her allegiances.  Because she had screwed up more than she thought was possible.

***

Stark turned off his phone, looking at Pepper and Steve, who were cuddled up with him to watch what had happened.  "Dawn sent a text message that she did hand over the papers on that lawsuit and that Fury was back."

"That's fine," Pepper agreed.  "I think she should've done it after they got free of Romania.  That way fewer people would've tried things."  Steve nodded, cuddling between them.

Tony put an arm around them.  "Want to cut this short?"

"Dawn will call if it's an emergency," Pepper said.  "Maria can't do much else.  Fury would've stopped her.  Whoever she thinks is calling the shots above him is seriously in trouble.  I got one from Tara that said she had changed the locks.  I sent back a virtual hug and that she did the right thing with the way Maria had endangered her and the kids."

Tony nodded.  "Agreed."  He looked at Steve, who shrugged slightly.  "Why was my dad interested in business things?"

"He asked me about Obadiah once," Pepper said quietly.  "I told him it was bad and he had turned on the family."

"Dawn said he asked and she had shown him the investigation files but nothing else."  They snuggled together around Steve.  "This is not the vacation I was expecting."

She smiled.  "It'll be fine, Tony."  He nodded that was true.  They went back to cuddling and working it out between them.  They had to be tighter.  There was stress and it needed to be gone.

***

Dawn smiled at her mother as she was let up by Clint.  "Hi, Mom."  She kissed Clint and handed him Liz, who giggled and hugged him.  "She's been pouty all day long."

"You missed me," he teased with a grin.  She grinned back, showing her new teeth.  "Hey, another one.  You're nearly ready to eat steak, kiddo."  He walked her off talking to her.

Dawn finished with the bottles while Natasha finished dinner.  Philip was on a bottle tonight.  Chris was on a bottle tonight.  Callia was pouty.  "I'm sure they'll answer you later, Callia.  They're doing vacation things."

"Fine."  She put her tablet down and came over.  "Can I help cook, Auntie?"

"You can pull a stool over and I'll show you."  She did that and watched what she was doing.  "Joyce, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Natasha.  Fury looked more resigned than pissed off."  She looked at her daughter.  "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it would've made you cry," she said.  "And because lately you haven't wanted to talk to me."  She stared at her mother.  "I have no idea what that was about but I asked Bruce nicely to screw it out of you."

Joyce blinked.  "That's very blunt in front of the children, Dawn."

"After earlier, I'm in a blunt mood, Mom.  Sorry."

"No, it's all right."  She took her up to the roof to talk with her.  Callia got to feed the babies, which she enjoyed doing. 

Natasha smiled, glancing at her until Clint came back out.  "We have to pick up the twins and Sean tomorrow."

"That's fine."  He took a kiss and smiled, Liz under his arm.  "Dawn?"

"Roof."

"That's fine."  He put Liz down.  "You, go play with the toys."  He pointed.  Liz looked and squealed, running over to grab them.  All of Callia's pets were with them.  Including the spoiled bunny that Loki was staring at from a bookshelf.  Clint petted their cat, getting a startled cat look for it.  "Yes, I pet you."  The cat nuzzled his hand and let him pet him.  He sat down.  Liz climbed up with a book to make noises at while pretending to read.  Clint took it to read to her.  She liked that and smiled at him.  He stiffened, looking up.

Natasha turned off the stove.  "Let me go check and tell them supper's nearly done."  She grabbed something subtly on the way to the elevator.  She got up there and found Dawn slightly wounded and her mother-in-law panicking.  "Dawn?"

"Just a bad graze," she said between gritted teeth.  "I'm trying very hard not to kill someone, Natasha."

"I have no such qualms."  She looked and found the sniper.  Too far away for her pistol.  "Joyce, inside.  Take Dawn with you."  They did that.

"Natasha," Dawn ordered.

"In a moment."  She was staring at them.

"Fuck this," Dawn muttered and threw a spell at the idiot.  He went up with a scream as the fire ate him.  It worked itself out and stayed in his body until he was a set of crispy remains.  She panted, looking at Natasha.  "You're not getting shot today.  I will lose it."

Natasha smiled and kissed her.  "You will not lose it.  We will help you keep your temper."  They went down to help Dawn clean up, Natasha making sure the kids didn't see the injury.  Callia watched them.  "She slipped and fell, Callia."

"Uh-huh."

Joyce called her boss.  "Director, some sniper just shot at Dawn," she said once she was on the elevator.  "No, we couldn't reach him the normal way.  He's a bit of charcoal on top of the building to the west I think."  She rubbed her forehead.  "Yes, that one.  Thank you."  She hung up and rested her head against the wall then called Bruce.  "Someone just tried to kill Dawn, Bruce," she said quietly.  "Thank you."  She relaxed.  Bruce could get there within twenty minutes.  She stayed in the elevator until it went down to let him onto it, and he hugged her hard until they came off.  "I hope you don't mind that I invited Bruce, kids."

"It's no problem," Natasha promised.  "I can add more pasta."  She did that and stirred the pot of water.  She and Bruce shared a look.  She nodded at the bedroom.  "Philip has colic."

"I have a pretty good hand at that," Bruce said, heading in there.  He tapped lightly on the door before walking in.  "Hey.  Colic, huh?"  He shut the door.  She nodded at her arm and the bandage on it.  He peeled up a corner then taped it back down.  "Add some pressure."  He wrapped a bandage around it to add some pressure and took Philip to cuddle.  He quit fussing and snored at him.  He grinned.  "You just wanted some guy time?"

"Apparently.  He did the same thing to Daddy."  She held her arm, wincing some.  "This is not good."

"We'll figure it out."

She nodded.  "Yes, I will."  He looked at her.  "It's clearly against me.  Screw 'em."

"We'll figure it out," he repeated.

"Sure."  She relaxed until her arm quit bleeding.  Then Bruce changed the bandage and they put Philip down so they could eat.

***

Tony got a head's up from Rhodey.  "What do you want today, James?" he muttered, thumbing open the message.  He read it and sat up, rereading it.  "We're off vacation.  The president is trying to take Dawn out."

"Why?" Pepper asked, sounding tired.

"She's apparently dangerous."

"If you make her react, yes.  If not, she's not," Steve said through a yawn.   He stretched a bit.  "Can we help?"

"Yes, we can."  Tony called him.  "What do you know, Rhodey?"  He listened to him say he was in the middle of the Pentagon.  "That's fine, we have to talk about that new tank shielding anyway."  He got up and cleaned up, having himself brought there by the Stark beaming satellite.  He smirked at him.  "Take me to lunch?"

"Gladly."  They walked off together.

"How did he just appear!" one of the MP's demanded.

"I'm Tony fucking Stark, how do you think I did it?" he asked.  The MP backed away slowly.  He smirked.  "Some of us are geniuses."  He walked off with his best friend.  They went to O'Neill's office for a few minutes to check with him.  Tony handed him his phone, getting a nod at that message from Rhodes.  Tony wrote down what had happened.  Rhodey wrote down a better report.  Tony smirked at him.  "Good."  He strolled off.  "So, this tank shielding?"

"General Alabasin isn't in today," O'Neill said.

"That's fine.  I like DC."  He went to talk to people he knew.  It's sad that Loki gave him less problems as the first husband than the present administration did.

***

A reporter bounded up to Dawn the next morning.  "What do you say about the fact that your boss was gathering support yesterday, Miss Summers?  Is he running for office finally?"

"I have no idea what Tony was doing.  He's on vacation."  She felt that prickly feeling and looked around.  "Move," she ordered, moving the reporter.  They got shot at and nearly hit.  She handed her the baby.  "Inside, no one but who's mine touches him."  She nodded, ducking into the entryway.  "All the way inside."  Wade came out and looked at the person.  "Wade!"

"No, I'll handle this."  He grinned.  "You go do Dawn things, my Mean, Dark Angel."  He pulled his sword with a wicked smirk.  "Hi, how're you?  Wade Wilson, better known as Deadpool."  He leapt at the shooter, who managed to scream, barely.

Dawn hurried inside, taking the baby back.  "Philip, you good?"  He cackled.  "I know, you probably need a diaper change."  She looked at the guards.  "Clint has them."  He nodded, sending some of their guards over to help the agents.  Dawn looked at the reporter.  "Thank you for your help.  As for Tony running for office, no idea.  Ask him?"

She nodded.  "Who was that?"

"I don't know.  Yet."  She smiled.  "When I do, they'll be confessing."

She nodded.  "Okay, can't wait."  She slowly backed out and ran for her life.  She had forgotten Dawn was a scary person too.  Just like her spouses.

Dawn looked at the head of security.  "Anything else exciting happen today?"

"The ice cream shop is having a buy one, get one half off sale."

"No thanks.  I've still got a few extra pounds."  She walked off, taking him upstairs.  "I would've left you home with Daddy but he can't feed you," she told her son.  She changed him once she got upstairs.  She found someone in the office and stared at them.  "Director.  Was that person yours?"

"No.  CIA."

"Pity."

"Probably not."  He stared at her.  "Are you okay?"

"My temper is climbing alarmingly at the moment.  Who the fuck is doing this?"

"You're standing in the way of them getting Stark.  Stark was working on something last night?"

"I was having dinner last night after being shot at."  She put the baby down then turned to face him.  "By the way, the illusion sucks.  Those of us with skills can tell."  The illusion dropped and the guy lunged at her.  Dawn broke him in a few places.  She stared down at him.  "Now, what are you doing?"  She called security up.  They winced when they answered it.  Dawn removed the illusion device.  That made them happier.  Not the NYPD when they came to pick him up.  Dawn looked at the guy who leaned in.  "Who was he?"

"CIA.  So's this one."  He grinned.  "They're pitiful, really."

"They said I'm in the way of them taking over Stark."

"Isn't Stark in the way of them taking over Stark?" Wade asked.

"He's not here.  He's on vacation."

"Ah!"  He nodded.  "Want me to take the mini me there?"

"Please.  Clint can handle him."

"Gotcha."  He took the baby and the manpurse.  "C'mon, mini me.  Let's go talk to the Daddy.  Maybe he'll let me challenge him for your mommy again."

"Wade, please!  Clint made it so good it took *hours* and I was too sore to move the next day, twice in a week."  He whimpered.  She smiled.  "I have a few I'm going to introduce you to though."  She grinned.  "Nicely mean and all that."

"I could like that."  He took the baby, talking to him all the way home.  No one dared to come near him or the baby while they walked home.  The baby squealed and babbled baby noise back at him.  It was as close to his beloved little talking boxes as he got recently.  He looked at the 'window' he usually saw that led to other places.  "I really need to get me one of these.  That way I can pass on the boxes and other things."  He went back to babbling at the baby.

Dawn looked at the officers.  "This is the third incident in two days."

"We have nothing on the other two," the officer admitted.

She smiled.  "SHIELD picked up the one last night and Wade just handled the one outside for me."

"Oh, that mess.  Sure," he agreed, nodding slightly.  "What did you use to set him on fire, Miss Summers?"  She manifested a finger of flame.  He shivered.  "At least he didn't set the building on fire."

"No, I'm that good."  She made it disappear.  "Who was he?"

"We think he was CIA as well," the head of security said.  "Your mother sent over a report, ma'am."  He handed it over.  She read it and he could see the temper brewing.  "Let's clean up this mess, guys.  Please?  I'm sure she's got things to do as the fill-in CEO."  They nodded and cleaned up the mess.  Dawn was swearing and throwing a lot of things by the time they made it onto the elevator.  The officers winced.  The head of security shook his head.  "This is pretty mild," he said quietly.  "Should've heard it after the last time someone put a bomb in the offices."

Howard appeared, staring at her.  "Women in my day didn't know that sort of language."

Dawn stared at him.  "I'm apparently inconvenient to someone's plans for your former company, Howard Stark.  I think I'm allowed to vent."

"Sure," he said, floating backwards.  "Why are you glowing green?"  He was a bit scared of Dawn.  He'd seen some amazing things in his days, but she usually beat it all.

She pulled it in.  "Don't ask that question." 

He nodded.  "Okay, I can do that.  I saw that Green Lantern comic thanks to my granddaughter."

Dawn let out a bitter sounding snort.  "No, I don't have a ring like that."  She spotted Bucky hovering just out of sight.  "What's up?"

"Are you okay?  That's the second attempt to take you out and we're not used to women who handle those things."

"It's the third.  Someone tried to shoot me last night and got my arm."  He blinked at her.  "Other than that, no.  I'm going to finish my temper tantrum then I'm going to find out who's doing it and make them fucking miserable."  He backed up a step, nodding.  She smiled.  "Take Howard to find out who did that?  JARVIS, help them figure out who did it so I can see if I can ruin them too."

"I can do so, Dawn.  We can go to the gathering area in the other tower, Agent Barnes."

"Just Bucky, JARVIS.  Please."  He walked off.  He wondered if Steve had seen her like this because now she reminded him of Peggy Carter when she was having a temper.

Howard floated after him.  "Why the green glow?" he asked his former compatriot.

Bucky shrugged.  "No one tells me the important or secret things yet."

***

Dawn appeared in the office of Fury, staring at him.  She held up a picture.  He nodded slowly.  "Came up with the plot to nationalize and take over SI.  Also, was one of the leaks that gave my name to the Romanians and the Russians."

He swallowed.  "That means that suit would have to get into the open."

"Yes, it would.  Or I can ruin him in other ways."

"No, this is more expedient and it'll mean we can organize differently, like we need to but were being blocked from doing.  You need a guard though."

"I have two."

"You need real ones that aren't hovering over the kids in the family," he ordered.  "I want Barton and Romanoff on them.  They're more vulnerable."  She relaxed and nodded.  "Want...."

"No clue.  Wade's helped."

"No, I meant an agent who was sane, Summers."

She shrugged.  "I don't know.  Are there any I can actually trust in your organization?  Beyond Phil?"

"Yes.  The new one there is."  He smirked.  "Work?"

"I avoided a snatch attempt."

"Great.  I'll send someone to Stark."

"Sure.  I'm in the second tower, up in the Avengers only area."  She disappeared from there.  She had a heavy bag over there that needed some punching.

Bucky watched her.  "Your form sucks."

"I know."

"Want to spar instead?"

"Sure."  She took off her jacket and tossed it over a chair then her heels.  He attacked and she kicked back.  This skirt was above her knee so it wasn't hampering her too much.  He knew not to underestimate her this time.  It was good to wear the stress out.

Nick Fury made a call.  "It's Fury.  I need agents to guard Summers.  Someone thinks she's *dangerous* and in the way."  He listened.  "That'd be fine.  She trusts them because her spouse does.  Thank you."  He hung up and leaned back.  "Summers, take the day off."

"I'm safer here," she said, looking in at him.  "Bruce is in the labs."

"Good."  He nodded.  "Get my PR person up here and Legal."  She called them both up.  He handed over the envelope.  "It will have to come into the open because one of the people that took what we had stored is behind the new attacks on Stark and Summers."

They looked them over.  "She was taken a lot before," the head of legal noted.

"She only had to stab them lightly and most were because of her sister's job," Fury said.  "We asked though Coulson."

He nodded, going through the other parts of it, wincing some.  "Why were we responsible for the Romania thing?"

"We're the one who announced who she was.  Before then she was our on-call witch with Tara.  No one identified her from the battle out there.  All they saw was a brunette in a chainmail tunic.  Then we identified her to the World Security Council."

"Okay," the head of PR said, taking it to look over.  "So we're not going down alone."

"No, if we do, he can keep attacking Stark and Stark will bite.  If she doesn't.  She's trying very hard not to appear to be dangerous."

"We can work on that," the head of PR said.  "We can announce it today and say that we're not going down alone.  We're going to bring the others that were in it with us because it will lessen our liability."  He looked at his counterpart, who nodded that was reasonable.  He was drafting a legal response.

Fury looked at him.  "If it goes on, we settle.  We did fuck up.  It will let us organize differently under ourselves instead of as a stepchild to some other agency."

"I can see that."  He nodded.  "A tenth of that?"

Fury shrugged.  "I don't know.  Work that out with Romanoff.  She's the nastier spouse of that trio."

"I can do that, Director."  They left together to make the statement.  Fury sent the files on the kidnaping by Romania, the brainwashing, and the other issues.  Including the current one.  That made one hell of a press conference.  Even Stark admitting he wanted to be the president wouldn't be quite as big of a press conference.

***

Dawn came out of the office that night to reporters.  "People, it's been a long day and I need to go feed my son.  Can you move?" she demanded.

Clint strolled over.  "C'mon."

"You're with the kids."

"Ethan's with the kids."  He smirked slightly.  "They adore him."  He walked her off.  "People, move.  I will use deadly force if you touch her or me."  They backed off.  He got them into the limo Happy had waiting.  He looked at her and took off the fake face.

"I knew it wasn't him.  He's taller."

"Suck it up," Ethan complained.  He relaxed.  Happy was looking back.

"Happy, this is Agent Hunt," Dawn said.  "Ethan, this is Happy Hogan, Stark's driver and sparring buddy."

"Hey."  He waved with a slight grin.

"Sure," Happy decided.  "Home, Dawn?"

"Wherever we're at tonight, Happy.  I have no idea.  I have a pounding headache from the flashbulbs and missing lunch."

"You need to eat," Happy reminded her.  He took them home.  The building had the security grates down and more reporters there.  Ethan pulled on a ball cap low so no one would get a good look at him and got out first, helping her out and inside.  She let them up, meeting Benji in the elevator with Liz.  Happy went back to the building and hid after an email to Tony.

Dawn looked at Liz.  "Hi, what're you doing?"

"Hi," she cooed, waving at them.

"She's riding the lift," Benji said with a smile.  "Are you all right?"

"Thumping headache."  They got off and Liz ran for Clint, pouncing him.

"Some day we're going to teach you to play football, Liz," Clint said, looking back at her.  She grinned.  "Dawn, are you all right?"

"Headache."  She drank some water and came over to sit next to him, cuddling in.  "No son?"

"He's napping."  He grinned.  "Just went down."

"Then I need to pump."

"We can do that."  He kissed her temple and frowned, licking her skin.  "I think you're sick."  He pointed.  "Bring that over?"  She floated it over, but the path was wobbly and it nearly made a circuit of the room.  "Yup, you got given something."  He tested her with the machine in there.  "Looks like.... maybe a sedative of some sort."  She nodded, slumping against him.  "Great."  He drew some blood, even though Christopher growled at him for it.  "She's sick and needs me to; you stop it," he ordered.  He handed it to Ethan.  "The Stark infirmary.  Doc'll do it for her."

"Sure."  He sent it over via special courier.  One of theirs, not one of SHIELD's.  He came back up.  Clint got called a half-hour later and they delivered some antibiotics with the doctor.  Who came to check her over.  They got Dawn into bed to rest and let them handle it.  Ethan and Benji set up a better surveillance system around the house.  Natasha had Callia with her since she was most wanted of all the kids. 

The pets were in the apartment lounging.  Natasha finally came back with Callia and it was better.  They had been at a totally protected spa while someone asked her questions.  Callia had a new haircut, a new manicure and pedicure, and smelled like flowers.  She plopped down to talk to the kids and pet her animals.  They crowded because they had been worried about their human.

It was cute and domestic, something Ethan couldn't really handle all that often.  Though it was nice that Clint Barton was quickly becoming his alter ego.  Hawkeye was a deadly, dangerous, smooth man who was not scared to push his way into something if he needed to.  Since Natasha was back, he could go do some of his more quiet work.

***

Fury looked up as something thumped onto his desk.  "I know you still want to kill me over Deadpool," he complained, looking up.  A letter floated down and he sighed.  "I heard.  I'll talk to him tomorrow.  It'll take an extra month but he is protective of her."

"He flirts with her.  He wants my son and my wife," Clint said dryly.  He tossed down six ID cases and a wallet.  "Those also wanted my wife and kid.  Pity."  He disappeared again.  Him being in the vents meant that he didn't smite Hill.

Fury looked them over.  "Why does the CIA want Stark?"  He called someone who'd know, Stark.  "Six CIA agents went after your PA, Stark.  Why?"  He listened.  "I knew that part.  Why CIA?"  He listened, not letting himself relax.  Stark knew, and was handling it.  It'd be on the news tomorrow.  "Great, thanks."  He hung up and ignored his third email from the president.

Loki appeared.  "I could fix this whole snafu with one quick thing," he said with a smirk.  "I could even be generous."

Fury looked at him.  "I'm not giving you any of my people, not Dawn, not the kids, nothing.  So don't even ask.  I'd ask your brother first, or Summers herself to fix it."

"Hmm.  Well, they're going to try to say that she's guilty under the superheros act as she's not part of a team."

Fury smirked.  "That won't work.  It won't go through.  It won't even be started to go through.  If it does, then she gets to take the gloves off.  Today, she barely unbuttoned them and adjusted the fingers."

Loki took stock of what was happening.  "What is that?"

He smirked.  "That suit?  Something she's been holding onto for a few years now.  I didn't know.  A lot of people didn't know.  Now... it's helping."

"If she could do without a spouse for a year or so...."

Dawn appeared in a flash of green light and a rumble of the building shaking.  "Excuse you?  You want to do *what* to my spouses?"

"Are you ill?  You're usually more subtle, chit."

She smirked.  "I learned from your son.  He and Spike were my major role models in my early, formative years."

"Spike?" Loki asked.

"The master vampire Spike, also known as William the Bloody?"  Loki shuddered.  She smirked.  "As a matter of fact, Dru loves me.  She'd *so* love to have me and Xander.  She's really fixated on Xander and somehow she can tell what I am."

"It's because you're glowing so very well," Fury said.

"Shut up, ferret man."  Fury shut up.  Dawn stared Loki down.  "Let's just stop all the shit to inconvenience my family, my pack, and Stark.  Okay?  Humanity doesn't need this.  I don't need this.  I'm sick at the moment and I really don't need this," she finished with a growl because Loki was smiling.  "And no, I'm not pregnant so I can use magic again.  A lot of magic since I had to stockpile while pregnant."  She started a glowing spell around her hand.  "Do we wanna find out?"

"I don't believe that'd hurt me, Dawn."

She touched him on the shoulder and he screamed.  "Really?"  He couldn't move, she had him frozen, and it was burning him.  She moved closer, moving from her fingertips touching him to her whole hand.  "You fucked with what's mine.  You nearly got my son killed.  You want to move against my spouses.  Do you really want me to move into a vengeance demon job?  Because I can go offer my services.  D'Hoffryn likes me.  I'd be a great admin assistant for him too."  Loki was trying to get away.  She moved her hand then patted him on the chest.  "I'm not the bitch to be fucked with anymore.  After the first few attacks, I stopped getting scared and got really, really mad.  I've reached my point of 'I'll be damned' to quote your son."  She stared at him.  "Do you really want to push me past that line to see what I'll do?"

"No," Loki said, stepping away from her.  "Did you ascend?"

"No."  She smiled.  "Did you expect one of the Keys to go into my son?  Because it didn't."  He gaped, shaking his head.  She grinned.  "All but one future Key child will be female.  Sorry!"  She waved.  "And that one, it'll probably be my grandkid.  But hell, before then, I'll let Xander turn my kids into warriors before I let them go to you.  I'll let them go to Strife or Janus first."  Loki pouted.  "Tough.  You fucked with me."  He took a swing but she blocked it with the soul sword she manifested.  He blinked at it then at her.  She smiled.  "Figured it out by accident while pregnant."  She reabsorbed it.  "Now, anything else?"

"I believe we should test you for godly powers," Phil said from the doorway.

"Even if it's temporary, when I have a daughter it'll go away when that extra Key goes into her," she said, staring at Loki.  "Which will make her a low powered witch."

"Good point."  He walked in.  "Father-in-law."

"Philip," he snarled.

He grinned.  "Xander, did you have a message for your father?"

"Yes, I did," he said as he appeared, smiling at him.  He laughed.  "Coyote said hi.  And by the way, it's that time again.  All you chaos gods are going to end up under my mate for at *least* a year."  Loki's eyes went wide and he started to shake his head.  "Yeah."  He grinned and let the chaos urges slip out in a dramatic, flashy, world altering way.  He smiled.  "Sorry, Dad, but have fun doing chaos to help humanity for a change.  Or I could make it easier on you and let you join Ares for a bit."

"What's he doing?" Fury asked.  Xander created a portal to show him.  Fury's eye opened and he stared at Xander.  "That's evil."

"You give my mate too many hours and he never has time to fuck it out of me."

"Amen, sister," Dawn sighed.  "I know that feeling very well."  She stared at Loki.  "Though, could've handled it, guys."

"Shut up, Dawn," Xander said.  "Say thank you."

"Thank you, big brothers."  She hugged them both.  Then she grinned at Loki.  "By the way, to add to that.... as I'm actually a power of Creation, which does include chaos, which kinda does make me a kid of it...."  She laughed.  "You're hereby blessed with the future protection of my children.  The future Key Children will need a guardian on the darker side too.  That way both sides are watched and watching."  She smiled her sweetest, most evil smile as she let that blessing go.  "So.  Mote.  It.  Be."  A gong rang, shattering a few windows in the admin area.  Loki screamed and fell to his knees as the power hit him.  He panted, staring up at her, glaring up at her.  "Since I have seven of them now, you might wanna leave Clint and Natasha alone too."  She grinned.  "They've got some fucking to do to get our next kid sometime in a few years."

Loki hung his head.  "You have cursed me unfairly."

"Ya fucked with me," she reminded him.  "That makes you fair game."

He looked up at her.  "That's evil."

She leaned down.  "Only when I'm pushed to it, Loki.  If you hadn't pushed me, I wouldn't have to find a dark hole in my soul to pull things out of.  I could totally ignore that most of the time until I had to spar out urges.  But you chose to push me there.  Now, reap what you sow."  She patted him on the head with a grin.  "You're going to be a great godfather."  Loki shivered at the thoughts that gave him.  "My son will need to learn how to be sneaky, silent, and deadly anyway.  Just like his daddy and other mommy are.  You'll be a good backup teaching that to him.  Then, when he's old enough, he'll take over SHIELD to make sure it works best."

Loki swallowed, staring at her.  "You have great dynastic plans."

"It's either that or go back to the place where we found the ambrosia supply in China."  Loki groaned.

"They moved that to China?" Xander demanded.

She grinned and showed him.  "Isn't that ambrosia?  Or is that Nectar?"

He looked.  "That's an ambrosia fountain.  Discord accidentally moved one while she was pregnant with Strife.  We've got to move that out of there."  He sent a thought at Apollo.  He yelped, gathered a few gods, and moved that fountain back.  Xander hugged her.  "Thanks."

"Welcome."  She grinned at him.  "I kept Natasha from drinking from it."

"She'd be a very mean god."

"She's a love god in many ways," Dawn quipped with a happy grin.

"You so need laid," Xander complained, hugging her.  "You really are like my warped little sister with the way Dad torments you and you fight back."

"Yes, she really is," Loki said flatly.  He got up with a groan, glaring at Phil for daring to help him.  "I will retreat now and see if we can end the problem that has gotten my *godchild* nearly harmed," he said between gritted teeth.

Dawn hugged him.  "Any help would be appreciated.  Thank you."  She kissed him on the cheek and healed the burn.  He stared at her.  She stared back.

"Women are more devious.  It comes with the hormones," Xander quipped once Loki was gone.  "That's why I'm surprised Dad didn't want to stay a girl."

Phil looked at him.  "We'll have a nice, long night together since Tara has the kids again, Xander.  Sir, I'll be off tomorrow."

"Yes, you will, because I don't need that thought."  Xander beamed and waved, going home with Phil.  Fury looked at Dawn.  "You done?"

She shrugged.  "Damn I hope I can be?  I'd like to just be Stark's PA most of the time.  You guys won't let me."

"You do some of it yourself."

"Because I have to."  She disappeared, going home.

"I had no idea that was an ambrosia fountain," Natasha said.  "Though I would hate being a love goddess."

Dawn kissed her.  "You're a great love goddess.  You were Bucky's first real love.  You were mine and Clint's first real love."  She hugged her.  "Philip already loves you more than me because he never whines at you, just snuggles you.  You do the lust goddess job very well too with how you make people lose their minds and souls to try to possess you, which you then use to get things from them that you need for the job.  Or with us, you just drive us nuts with it."  She took another kiss and smiled.  "You're the best love goddess ever."

Natasha was blushing.  "You... are clearly fevered," she said, checking her forehead.  "Clint, she's fevered."

"I feel the same way, Nat.  Including that Philip loves you best."  He leaned back and grabbed her to pull her down for a kiss.  "You're a great love goddess to us."  She was still blushing.  "But if she has a fever, you can help her go nap if you want."  Natasha walked Dawn into the bedroom, still blushing hard.

Callia sighed.  "I want that when I get older."

Clint looked at her.  "When you're closer to needing a decent date, we'll be talking to a few of our spy friends that have kids so we can introduce you to people who'll put up with your genius urges and knows what it's like to be the kid of a hero.  Plus they'll have more manners than you do."

She grinned.  "That might be nice but they can't have moron cooties."

"No, they won't.  We'd beat that infection out of them."

"Cool.  Thanks, Uncle Clint."  She hugged his leg and got back to coloring for Liz and Chris's amusement.  Though the Tony cat was trying to capture the crayon.  She looked at her cat, who batted her on the nose.  "I love you too, Tony cat."  He ran off.  "Just like Daddy, you run from lovies.  Auntie Pepper must jog a lot to get him sometimes."  Clint stifled a snicker and shook his head, going to check on the baby instead.  "When are the twins coming home?"

"Tomorrow.  When it's less dangerous.  We sent them an email."

"Okay.  I miss my sissies and brother."  She looked at the other two.  "Though it's nice I'm older than you two and you won't be suddenly raised on Asgard so you're older than me too."  She hugged them and got back to it.  She looked around.  "Natasha kitty, get down from on top of the ceiling light.  You're not Ceiling Cat."

Clint looked at her.  "I'm not even going to comment."  He shook his head, handing her some juice.  The babies got bottles of juice too.  It made them happy and content for a few hours.  Which meant more quiet time until the next problem cropped up.

***

Tony reappeared later that night.  "It is fixed.  Mostly because Dawn just cursed Loki to the godparent of her future kids."

Steve choked, shaking his head.  "Is Clint all right with that?"

"I texted him and he said it was better that he was protecting the kids than bothering them.  That and she swore up and down that Natasha's really a love goddess in disguise."  He laid down on the lounger beside Steve, smiling at Pepper.  "But it is fixed.  Loki's no longer having issues.  No one else is prompting issues.  It'll hopefully be quiet once the board figures out that Dawn was right."

"Will we see problems from them?" Pepper asked.

"No, I made myself clear."  He smiled.  "Though someone did ask if I was going to suddenly start a political career again.  I pointed out I could never be president, it took too much time from you, the kids, and my robots in the lab.  That Steve or you would have to be president."  She smirked meanly at him.  "The reporter nearly drooled and wanted Steve.  Sorry, Pep."

"It's better anyway," she said dryly.

Steve shook his head.  "Nope, no thank you."  Tony kissed him.  "You didn't tell them I would, right?"

"No but there's been Stark/Rogers election shirts for the last few Avengers fan conventions as a joke."

"No, I don't want to be a politician.  I'd never get anything done."  Tony hugged him.  Steve shuddered.  "That's such a bad thought, Tony."

"Dawn suggested Pepper as the president and me as VP," he offered.  "Then you'd have to be the mistress we sneak into the White House."

Steve looked up at him.  "I'm not a mistress.  You can't sneak me anywhere."

"I know.  The last time I tried to sneak you the robots got all huffy about it."  He looked over at Pepper.  "She's glowing."

"I noticed."  They smiled.

"I'm not pregnant.  It's a tan.  Thank you."

"Fine," the guys said together.  She laughed but they came over to sit with her on the extra wide, heavy duty lounger that could hold up to a thousand pounds of activity.

***

Callia looked around the office the next morning when they all came in.  "Auntie, someone redecorated."

Dawn walked into the office and looked around.  "Huh.  JARVIS, who redecorated?"  No answer.  "JARVIS!"  He cleared his throat.  "Who redecorated?"

"Mr. Stark said to redecorate."

Dawn looked up.  Then she called Tony.  "JARVIS sounds weird."

"I do not," he said.

"We'll be there in ten minutes," Tony said.

"Thanks."  She hung up.  She looked at the kids.  "Settle in."  They curled up on the couch together, Callia flipping pages of the magazines for them.

Tony, Pepper, and Steve appeared.  "The beaming satellite is not programmed right because we went to Malibu," Tony said.

"Huh," Dawn said, pointing.

Pepper looked then shook her head.  "Not my tastes."  She checked.  "We're in Stark Tower A."

Tony nodded.  "JARVIS?"

"Yes, Mr. Stark?"

"Andrew!" he bellowed.  He came jogging off the elevator a minute later.  "What is going on?"

"We have no clue.  Our lab had to gotten into by breaking the lock.  Most of them have.  We have no idea what's going on."

"I didn't get a single call last night," Dawn said.  Clint and Natasha came off the elevator with two officers and an agent.  "Do you have any idea what happened?"

"No," Clint said.  "But they might."

"Sir, the owner of the tower...." the agent started.

"Is standing right here," Dawn said with a point at Stark. "It's his company, his tower, his name on the tower."

"There's apparently been a legal order, Miss Summers."

Dawn laughed.  "Really?  By a board that has no legal rights?"  The agent winced.  "Beyond that, we would've had to been notified, correct?"

"Yes, but...."

"No, no buts," Dawn said.  "Who?"  She held out a hand.  "Now."  She snapped.  He handed it over.  "They're not on the board," she said, reading it over.  "Stane's got a relative?"

"No, he doesn't," Tony said.  "Dad!"  Howard faded in.  "Anything on this?"

"No.  For that matter, that man is not a Stane by any means or relationship.  I've been talking to the judge, son.  As of right now... who redecorated?"

"No clue," Dawn said.

"We'll fix it," Tony said.  "Which judge?  And why weren't we notified?"

"They said they did."

"No they didn't," Dawn said.  She smiled at the officers.  "You can't be here.  There's classified materials here."  They winced.  "Have a nice day, guys."  They fled.  She looked at them.  "Okay, I've had it.  Who is he?" she asked the ghost.

"I have no idea."

Dawn pulled out her tablet to do a search on the name, shaking her head.  "He's gotta be an alias."  She looked at Tony and Pepper then at Steve.  "Go find Bucky, make sure he's not flashing.  He's had a few flashes that I've caught."  He nodded, taking Natasha to do that.  She looked at Clint.  "Babysitting?" she asked, sounding hopeful.

"Of course."  He took Philip and kissed her.  "Have fun destroying him and let us know who he really is."  This took subtle business sort of destruction, not their versions.

"Cool."  She, Tony, and Pepper got taken to where the judge was, getting directions from Howard.  They walked in with Pepper in front, followed by Tony then Dawn.  It was the proper hierarchy.

Tony smirked at the man.  "Obadiah Stane had no relatives when he died from attacking me in LA."  The judge sighed and slumped.  "For that matter, he had no relatives out to about four or five generations and his will was very specific that he left some things to a mistress or two and a college.  That was severely cut down by the damage judgement against his estate for the attack he started."  Dawn pulled that up for him.  The judge took it to look over.

"How would you know?  Were you one of the mistresses?" the other man asked snidely.

Dawn snapped his picture and ran it through the various databases.  "I know I've seen you before."  She smiled when it came up.  "Huh, you're a dead man."  She showed the judge.  "I believe that's the same man by a different name?"

"That is," the judge agreed, reading over that file.  "How did you get access to that?"

"I have access to that," Tony said.  "Because we do our own background checks whenever agents show up.  We've seen too many that wanted to steal and sell secrets."  He took the tablet to look over.  "Looks like he worked with the agents who were trying to kill you the other day, Dawn."

"It does," she agreed, taking her tablet back.  The man lunged at them with a knife.  Dawn blocked him then shot him.  "No, I don't think so."  She stared at the man bleeding on the rug.  "And how has your day been today?" she asked with a slight smile.  "I am part of Stark Security because I am their personal assistant.  It's part of the job."  She put her gun up, looking at the officers in the doorway.  "Trying to attack my boss with a knife."

"Ma'am, you're not allowed to carry weapons into a courthouse," one said.

Dawn stared at him.  "Actually I am.  I have permission due to many kidnaping attempts."  She pulled up a copy of that on her tablet.  "I keep a copy with me."  She held it up so they could see it.

They blinked and stared at her.  "Why?" one asked.

"Because I've fought off the Russian mob and others for the last five years because they were impressed when I fought back.  That's the more mild one.  There's been a world leader sort, there's been a few cults, a few cult leaders, a few idiot agents, half the CIA recently because they wanted Stark International for themselves. A lot of problems over the last few years."  The officers looked at the judge.

"Even with presidential permission."  Dawn showed him that form.  He blinked.  "Oh, I see.  It does specifically state you are not to unarmed at any given time."

"No, I am not."  She put it away.  "I'll just beat him next time if you want though."

"Please," the judge said.  He looked at Stark.  "You have a very strong secretary."

"She's more a life manager because she gets nagging rights," Pepper said with a smile.  "And babysitting rights."

Dawn grinned.  "Callia has taught them how she colors and reads."  They smiled at her.  She grinned back.  She felt the demon taint and stared, her head tipping slightly to the side.  "Huh."  He looked at her.  "Margan clan?" she asked in the common trade tongue.  His eyes bulged.  "Dawn Summers," she said, holding out a hand.  "Little sister to Buffy."

"Then they clearly underestimated you."

"Many people do.  They see the pretty and forget to check for brains.  Which comes in handy in business."  She smiled.

"I bet it does."  He looked over the forms.  "He's not related?"  They shook their heads.  "Can we do a lineage on Mr. Stane just for form's sake?"

"Sure, if you unseal my tower and let me kill whoever virused my AI and redecorated," Tony said.  The judge winced.  "Because they will be paying for it, not us."

Dawn was doing the lineage for him.  "Which one was he, Tony?"  He looked and selected it.  "Ancestry-dot-com."  She let the judge see.  "Only child registered to his parents.  One parent was an only child, the other's sibling died childless."

"Obadiah had a vascetomy to make sure none of his harlots got knocked up," Pepper said.  "It came across the office desk as a health insurance problem, Your Honor."

He grimaced.  "I see."  He went back over the forms.  "He said you're not working in the national interest, Mr. Stark."

"I do a lot in the national interest.  I help as Iron Man, I and my staff of scientists have more patents than any other company.  Some for weapons, some for other things.  Recently we've been working on preventative measures, things like shields, body armor, those sorts of things.  We also have a technology division that puts out things like the tablets," he said with a point at Dawn's.  "Or the Starkphones."

"The body armor is available to police?"

"It will be once it finishes my testing.  I demand high levels of testing on anything like that.  It's gone through the standard levels but we add other tests including acids, magic, things like that which they might run into during something huge."

"That sounds really good," the judge agreed.  "Shields?"

"For around buildings and the like when there's a real battle," Tony said.  "So we can't be slammed into it and neither can anything else."

"The city would have loved having those before."

"We had all that we had done in use during the battle with the Chitauri, Your Honor.  They went on high risk targets like a few hospitals."

"That's more than reasonable and good for humanity.  The filed forms also state that you're selling weapons again?"

"No.  SHIELD has stolen a few," he said dryly.  "Which we've complained about but they're under my watch for it.  No one else gets any.  The team gets some now and then."

"It says specifically that your assistant has been selling some?"

"No, his assistant sold one to lure an arms dealer who was taking hostages while she was hiding from the US," Dawn said bluntly, staring at him.  "When her spouses freed the hostages, Dawn made sure she got it back so it could not fall into the wrong hands.  It's still hidden in a storage area somewhere."

The judge blinked.  "Why did you need ordinance?"

"I won it playing poker.  It was meant to be a gift to my husband and wife, but we needed it to stop the cranked up weapons dealer who thought he was so hot that he took half an embassy and a group of nuns hostage."  She sighed at the end.  "It was the fastest way to get the hostages free and get them in there to handle things that no one else wanted to because his bad habit of being high on meth while playing with guns."

The judge shuddered.  "I can only imagine.  So you did but you did get it back?"

"Yes.  It's presently in storage.  We have a few closets with some weapons stored because we've been attacked a few times."

"We have some at the Tower in a closet," Tony said.  "In case I can't pull something out of storage when we have a huge battle that happens without warning."

Dawn nodded.  "I do let them use them for that."

The judge stared at them.  "Are you people for real?"

"Did you expect the people who dress up in costumes to save everyone's butt to be like everyone else?" Dawn asked.  "I mean.... he dresses in a techno suit full of weapons to save humanity, Your Honor.  Of course he has weapons around the tower for the suit.  It never gets out of his control or his sight, outside the ones that SHIELD had stolen by industrial espionage, which did get stopped."

The judge stared at her.  "Why do people want you?"

She smiled.  "Because they think I can help them do things.  Or a few wanted a perky, popular, fashionable, mean wife.  They were wrong to but they lusted for the wrong things.  This last few days it's been people who wanted the company and I'm the one who is the next in line to watch over their kids if something happens to them."  She shifted and moved a shoulder.  "Ow.  Sorry.  Needs to pop."  She blinked at him.  "They thought I was in the way so we've had a few attacks."

The judge nodded.  "Perhaps you need to see someone about your persecution problem?"  Dawn pointed at the guy on the floor.  The man blinked.  "He was aiming for your boss."

Dawn looked down.  "Wanna name your target?"

He blinked at her.  He had met her sort during his training.  He knew being good would get him treated.  "There's a bounty on you three.  Sixty thou on Potts, two million on you and Stark because you're considered harder."   He looked up at her.  "Can I have some medical attention?"

Dawn shook her head.  "That's really improper grammar.  I'll ask my spouses if they'll take you though."  She texted Natasha, who said they were coming for him.  "Good news, the wife is coming to get you looked at."  She smiled at him.  The agent shrank away from her.  She smiled at the judge.  "I'm pretty sure she's coming with other SHIELD agents, Your Honor."

"Your wife is in SHIELD?"

"Yes.  She is."  She smiled.  She checked with Clint, finding him talking to someone.  "Howard, who's that near the kids?"

He looked and shrugged.  "No idea but they're armed and not real happy to find him guarding the kids.  Who're in the bathroom.  I should go bother them."

Dawn raised a hand, giving Tony her tablet and phone.  "I'll be there, boss.  If you need me, call."  She disappeared, heading there.  When she landed, the people in there stared.  One pulled a gun.  Dawn let her instincts slip fully.  They were not happy dead agents after all.  Dawn looked around and kissed Clint with a smile.  "Kids okay?"

"Kids are fine.  I was doing okay."

She smiled.  "I needed some stress relief."

"You're getting some later," he assured her.

She smiled.  "Cool!"  She went back to the courthouse, straightening out her skirt on the way.  "There, less rumpled."  She walked into the judge's office, taking back her phone and tablet.  "All fixed."

"Thank you," Pepper said with a smile.

Dawn grinned back.  "I didn't even have to get mean."

The judge looked at her.  "How did you disappear like that?"

"Stark has a beaming satellite," Tony said.

"Isn't that SGC or whatever only?" the judge demanded.

"I upgraded it," Tony said with a smug little grin.  "They know we have it.  It let O'Neill upgrade theirs."

The judge stared at them.  "I should shut down the company in the interests of public safety."

"I'd just start a new one with the same people," Tony said bluntly.  "Without the now honorary board of directors to nag me about things."

"Honorary?"

Dawn pulled up those forms.  "Done by Mr. Stane so they couldn't interrupt his plans, Your Honor."

He read them over, slumping.  "Fine.  Then this whole filing is moot."

"Thank you," Pepper said with a smile.  "We'll go straighten out the honorary board later."  She walked off.

"I can still rule that your company is a hazard to the public," the judge warned.

"Yes, but that would be illegal," Dawn said.  "And I'd just restart Stark International my own self.  With the same people."  The judge glared.  She stared back.  "Only I'd probably move them all to England or something."  She smiled.  "Which would mean a lot of high tech, high paying, high research jobs out of the US.  If they wanted warmer weather I could move them to Guatemala.  I have ties down there."  The judge shook his head.  "If you're sure?  I can give myself a raise if I do that.  The baby needs new clothes anyway."

"Go away," the judge ordered.

"Yup, we can do that," Tony agreed happily.  He walked off.  "England, Dawn?  Really?"

"They're friendly allies, could use the economic boost, have nice estates we can convert to the new company headquarters.  They have some good colleges.  I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be playing the games like we've seen recently.   And hey, maybe Philip can find a nice young woman with manners to settle down with.  One that wants to do nothing but have grandbabies and garden or something.  So can Callia instead of some bad boy of science that'll break her heart and probably give her an STI someday."

"He'd better not," Tony quipped.

"Babies are the biggest sexually transmitted infection," Dawn quipped.

"Yeah, not allowed anyway," Tony said.  "I don't need grandkids."  Pepper was giggling.  They walked out into a press ambush.  "I hate having to come back from vacation to all this, people, so get out of the way before I let Dawn shoot you."  They backed down and got out of the way.  Someone came jogging up the stairs toward them with a clipboard.  Tony stared at her.  "No, I don't want any."

"Certified letter, sir, not a court summons."  She handed it to Dawn, who read it and signed then took the letter.  "Thank you, ma'am."  She ran off again.

Dawn looked at it.  "We'll scan it for letter bombs back at the office."  Tony nodded that was fine and they got into the car together.  Dawn relaxed, handing them bottles of water from the mini bar.  "Happy?"

"Yeah, Dawn?"  He put down the window between them.

"Hey, Ethan."  She handed over the letter.

He felt it, nodding.  "Very thin wires from what I can feel.  We'll see."  He put back up the window.  "We're going to save your husband from the kids.  They're mobbing him since the twins are down."

"I told them we'd come get them when things got better."

"They needed some adult talks," Happy called.

"Okay, I can do that," she decided.  She looked at Pepper, who grinned.  "Wanna help?"

"I can, yes.  I did good with yours."  Dawn smiled and nodded.  They got back to the tower, finding more press.  They got out and Pepper paused to make a statement about fools and their stupid ideas.  Then she came up with them on the elevator.  Callia ran out and pounced as hard as she could.  Liz ran out squealing to pounce too.  They squatted down to hug them, then Chris since he was pouting.  He grinned at them then went back to adoring Clint.

"I'm going to teach you the bow," Clint told Chris.  "It'll be good for you."  He took a kiss from Dawn.

"Don't expect me to do that," Tony joked.  "My tongue's got a busy schedule."  Pepper pinched him.  He sat on the couch, letting the kids crawl all over him.  "Where's the twins?"

"Other tower for safety reasons," Clint said. "I would've had them take the kids but they had that pacing in angst look."  He took another kiss.  "Natasha's still blushing."

"Cool."  She winked and strolled off.  "Let me talk to the twins.  It looks like the order forms for the new furniture materialized on my desk."

Pepper got them to look over.  "Hell no I'm not paying for the glass monstrosities, especially at that price."  She called them to see who had ordered them and have them bring back their original furniture when they took this crap back.  She hung up and sat beside Tony, letting the kids play with her for a bit since Tony looked exhausted.

Callia looked at him.  "We can nap together with the pets.  They'll be back here tonight."

"That'll be good for them.  Where's all our geeks?"

"In Malibu for their safety," Clint said.  "We sent them after the first attempted attack on our roof."  Fury came off the elevator.  "Did the press leave you alone?"

"No," he complained.  "I nearly shot a few."  He looked around then at Stark.  "Redecorating?"

"No, someone tried to do it on us."   Pepper handed over the notes.

"Why is a regional director of the FBI redecorating your office?" Fury asked.

"It's a multi agency plot to piss us off so much that we destroy the old company, let Dawn restart it, and then move us all to England," Tony quipped.

"It's not a bad idea," Pepper said.  "We could create a whole campus-like area.  Put shield design in their own building so they quit bothering others.  Put the plasma lab and other fissionable labs out there so they can test their designs the easy way."

"A college cafeteria?" Tony suggested with a smile for her.  She nodded, grinning back.

"Please don't," Fury ordered.  "That would cause a lot of headaches and a lot of international non-cooperation."

"She promised if she has to leave Stark due to bullshit getting too deep, she's taking Andrew, Jonathan, their wives, and setting up to rival you anyway," Clint said with a grin for the Stark family.

"We'd buy them out within a year," Tony said, smirking back.  "She'd be a subsidiary."

Dawn came off the elevator shaking her head.  "The girls are almost fifteen, Clint."  He shuddered.  "They're wondering about boys.  Again."

"Did you look at the cut?" he asked.

"I did.  It's not infected.  It's well treated.  She said Thor won't look at her now.  Apparently he blames himself for some strange reason."

"We'll get him over it," Steve said, coming over with Bucky.

"Those girls are little teasing hellcats," Bucky told Dawn, who smiled back.  "Are you sure they're not yours?"

"No, Philip's my only natural child.  They're mostly like their mom though."  He groaned, nodding slightly.  She smiled at the kids following them.  "Diana, quit trying to hide the scar on your cheek."  She kissed over it and healed it.  "You won a battle you weren't meant to be in, when you were half trained at best, and it was with the same creatures that killed your mother and father.  The fact that you only got one scar and it was from another semi-trained warrior, that's fantastic."

"It's still ugly," she said.

Dawn shrugged.  "It's not that huge.  I can teach you how to cover it up if you want me to."  She nodded, hugging her.  "I know.  I have a few of those.  The one on my neck especially."

"Scars like that are badges of honor," Clint said firmly, staring at them.  "It means that you survived.  We had to pound that into Dawn's head a few times, we can help you with it too."

"At least no one will want you to model," Tony said.  "They hate any imperfection.  Even if it's barely noticeable, because I didn't really notice it even before your aunt healed it."  Diana hugged him.  He patted her on the back.  "It'll be okay."

"See, and Tony's an expert on women," Dawn said.  Tony kicked her on the knee.  "Hey!"

"I'm an expert at flirting and staring at women.  I still don't understand you."

Dawn grinned.  "I'm better than any ordinary woman."  Pepper laughed.

"You can be," Tony said.  People came off the elevator.  "Who're they, Dawn?"

She went to check and had to shield herself and the office from the bullets.  "I don't think they're here to do the furniture like they said."

Clint got two of them and Fury got the other.  "I've had enough," Fury said, stomping over to deal with them.  "Who the fuck do you think you are to be upsetting SHIELD adjunct members?"  They stared at him.  He smirked.  "Yeah, I'm back now."  One tried to move to reach his earpiece but Fury snatched it and listened.  "No, I don't think they can abort.  But we'll be talking in person in a little while."  The link got cut.  He had brought agents to fix this.  Because he wasn't stupid, there was more than one higher up involved.  Fury looked at Dawn.  "England?"

"Safe, friendly ally country.  Lots of open areas still.  Could use good tech jobs.  Has a few good colleges."

Fury nodded.  "Not a bad idea."

"Or we're all moving to Guatemala and I'm taking over the district as the protective overlord sort."  She grinned.  "Then there'll be no more problems."

Fury shivered.  "I did not want that thought, Summers."

"Dawn, quit giving people bad ideas," Clint ordered, kissing her on the head.  "You can give us bad ideas later."

She smiled.  "Does that mean I should find you a spot within my own personal pantheon?" she teased with a smile.  "With Natasha as a love goddess, would you like to be my personal warrior god?"  She moved closer to him, letting him moan and kiss her.  "You are one hell of a warrior and most war gods were seen as objects of lust and yet very, very hard."

He shivered.  "We'll talk about that later and about future kids."

She smiled. "Some day we'll have a daughter like me."  She winked.

He stared.  "It will?"  She nodded.  "Huh.  Wanna work on that tonight?"

"If it happens, it does," she reminded him then kissed him again.  He growled.  She smirked.  "Though, you may get to see me and Natasha playing with that necklace."

"No, that's fine."  He kissed her again.  "We'll figure that out."  She strolled off.  He took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

Tony pointed.  "Bathroom, Barton?"

"Yeah, I think I need it."  He walked that way.

"Wow," Pepper moaned, looking at Tony.  "Though I can see Natasha as a love goddess.   She inspires it in many."

Tony nodded.  "At the very least a lust goddess."  He cleared his throat and crossed his legs, letting Christopher have his lap for now.  That way the girls weren't on it.  Steve was bright red.  "Well, Barton does call her a dick teasing sith," Tony quipped to break the quiet.

"Yes, she is," Steve said, still bright red.

Bucky swallowed.  "I can see Natasha as a lust goddess and a love goddess," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.  "Damn.  Now I know why you compare her to Peggy, Steve."  He walked off.  The twins were giggling and crowding Steve to hug him.  Dawn was a huge tease and her nieces were just as bad.  Sean appeared looking tall, strong, and manly in a way that made most guys feel inadequate.  "Did they feed you a lot of Wheaties, kid?"

Sean grinned.  "Lots of good, clean living and Daddy's excellent warrior genes."  He strolled off.  "Office?"

"Yeah."

"Sean!" Dawn chirped and hugged him.

"Auntie."  He hugged her back.  They walked off together.

Tony looked up at Sean.  "Way to make guys feel inadequate, Sean."

Sean blushed but shrugged.  "Can't help the great genes, Uncle Tony."  He grinned.  "Uncle Rodney said you had to find me a real math and physics book.  I'm grounded because one of the female geeks pounced me."

Dawn looked at him.  "Do I need my sword?"

"No, Auntie, it was something I was wondering about.  I'm sixteen.  I've had my manhood hunt.  I said it was only wondering about things.  She wasn't great but she did teach me a few things.  Including that I need to do more workout time on the weight machines."   He looked at his uncle and then the one coming out of the bathroom.  "Can I have the bigger boy talk with you two?  John blushed.  Ronon tried but he admitted that women never pounced him at home."

"Sure, we can do that," Tony said, taking Chris with them.  "Girls, you can have girl time with Pepper and Dawn."

"Sure, Daddy."  Callia waved and grinned at them then looked at Pepper.  "I'm jealous.  My baby brother is model pretty and older than me."

"I'm jealous of how pretty Sean is too," Pepper said with a smile.  "But you have half the same genes so you'll be just as pretty, Callia."

"Are you sure?"

"Yup," Dawn agreed.  "There's no ugly Summers kids, even if you're not part Asgardian warrior."

"I'd miss having Daddy as my daddy if I was.  He's really neat and he likes machines.  I'd go nuts on Asgard without JARVIS, the robots, or machines.  They have more magic than science and that sucks."  She hugged her twin sisters with Liz, who was more than happy to cuddle.  Philip too.

***

Diana was running over for ice cream.  The kids all wanted ice cream and if Callia was getting some while slightly grounded again, oh well.  They were kids!  She ran into a reporter and ducked her head so the hair covered the scar her aunt had healed.

"Dear, what happened?  You look much older?"

She looked at her.  "We had to go back to Asgard to help with Atlantis being displaced by the demons.  They needed locals to help with the language issues and to help make trades.  So we went home for a bit and told our aunt afterward.  She's agreed to let us go but we have to come back each weekend."

"With the time difference....."

"Two weeks to a day so we're a bit older."  She smiled.  "Sean just had his manhood hunt.  We're doing ours in the next few months."

The reporter smiled.  "You'll be stunning young women soon."  Diana blushed.  She looked at the scar then smiled.  "It doesn't mar your beauty, dear.  Quit hiding it.  If shallow people have to stare at a barely noticeable scar then they're pathetic and can't see real beauty."  Diana was now bright red and whimpering slightly.  She grinned.  "You have fun with your family."

"Ice cream," she squeaked with a point.

"It's not healthy but it's good for kids now and then.  Go ahead.  I'll make sure the skanky tabloid reporter doesn't jump you."  Diana smiled and ran to the ice cream shop.  She went to distract the other reporter.  "They went back home to help Atlantis."

"So they're older?  Will their aunt quit being such a bitch to protect them?"

"Probably not."  She grinned.  "Dawn is highly protective of what's hers."

"Yes, she is," she sighed.  "She's still not lost that baby weight."

The first reporter snorted.  "It's all in her cheeks.  It'll fall off in a few days.  She's got to keep it for a bit because she needs to put those people back.  The ones that came through that portal during that fight?" she prompted.  The other reporter shuddered.

"It'll be next month.  The mayor doesn't want us to go back," Wade said as he walked past them.  "Pity because that means I get to kill people who stalk the twins some more."  He grinned.  "Diana, want some help carrying?"

"Sure.  Sean's talking with Uncles Clint and Tony about big boy things and girls."  Wade helped by grabbing one of the cone carriers and they went back to the office.  Dawn smiled and pointed so they went to sit with the others in the break area.  The pets had been brought back and it was great fun in there.  Diana told her twin what the reporter had said and got hugged for almost being made to *model* again.

Wade walked off, not thinking about what sort of modeling he'd like the girls to do.  That was going to be mean to his poor mind.  He looked at Dawn.  "You're not going on vacation soon, right?"

She smiled.  "Yes we are.  Next weekend, the girls, Pepper, and I are going to Barbados for the weekend."  He slumped.  She patted him on the wrist.  "You can get people who stalk Sean for a bit."

"If I was bi, I'd take Sean.  He's mean like you and a dick tease."  He walked off shaking his head.  He didn't have a passport so he probably couldn't go to Barbados with them to ...protect them.  Or whatever.

Dawn smiled.  An IM popped up from Tony telling her to quit dick teasing other assassins.  She typed back that they were all going to the beach for a weekend next weekend then went to tell the girls.

Down in the lab, Clint looked up at the ceiling then at Tony.  "Are you letting Pepper go?"

"I can't stop Pepper from doing anything.  All the girls are going.  Is Philip?"

"No idea.  Probably since he's still on the tit."

Sean let out a tiny whimper.  "I don't want those thoughts about my aunt."  He rubbed his ears.  "Eww!  Uncle Clint!"

"Sorry, kiddo."  He patted him on the back.  "We'll have a guy's weekend next weekend."  Sean nodded and pushed the bad thoughts out of his head.  Thankfully there were no beaches on Asgard.  You'd freeze your ass off if there was.

His father would be so upset with the thought of the twins in bikinis.  Or Callia.  He hated how the twins used to run around half-clothed.  He was the older brother and the little witches needed to put on more clothes, just like his father would want.

***

Dawn tried on a bikini that night, staring at herself.  "I look like I'm in a porno," she said, staring at her highly exposed chest.  This used to be a modest bikini.  Now.... not so modest.  Clint leaned in and stared at her.  "Trying them on before we go to Barbados."

"Uh-huh."  He walked in and shut the door behind him.  Philip was giggling on the bed.  "Hey, kiddo."  He kissed Dawn.  "Put on something less slutty looking?"

"Clint, this was the less slutty looking bikini," she said, looking at him.  "Natasha, I look like a porn ho," she called.

Natasha walked in and paused.  "Yes, you do.  That was your most covering one before."  Dawn nodded.  "We need better tops."

"I have a flabby ass, I should get something more covering."

Clint stroked a hand over her hip.  "No you don't.  There's no cheesecake here, Dawn.  It's very firm."

"It jiggles."  She looked at him.  "I didn't used to have a booty like rap guys talk about, Clint."

"No, you didn't, but you do now and damn I'm blessed."  She swatted him but grinned.  "We'll get you two new ones."  She tried on another one and it was barely able to clip together.  He stared.  "That's beyond pornographic."

"They said breastfeeding would make you go up a cup size but still."

Clint nodded, still staring at her chest.  "Yes, it did."  He shook himself.  "The kids are still up."  Dawn kissed him and pulled on one of his older, soft sleeveless t-shirts and some jammie shorts, taking Philip out there with her.  Clint looked at Natasha.  "I'm not drooling, right?"

"Not visibly.  Am I?"

"No, but it looks like you've been sucking on your bottom lip again."  He kissed it and they went to spend time with the kids.  He did have good priorities, even if he did want to see if she did indeed have the booty jiggle she claimed she had.  Dawn's curves could be appreciated later though.  When the kids couldn't hear.

The End.


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