"You know, she wasn't wrong," Tony stated after Agent Morse had conveniently let herself out after giving her spiel.
"What about?" Steve asked.
"That we're going to be needed again," he replied. "The world has seen what we can do. There'll be those that'll be itching to try their metal against us, to see exactly what we're made of."
"So, what, you're saying that we need to band together? Stay here in New York so that we're ready to take on all comers?" Bruce asked.
"It's not a bad idea," Tony replied.
"Yes, it is! For me, at least. I've now broken two New York suburbs!" Bruce stated, the despair clear in his voice.
"Doctor Banner, Bruce, I've seen the footage, read the reports of what happened in Harlem. And I've now fought beside you. On both of those occasions, you were working to bring down the bad guys," Steve pointed out.
"What? You're saying that the other guy … the Hulk's some kind of hero now?" Bruce asked.
"Seems that way," Natasha replied. "You may not enjoy turning into the Hulk, but the Big Guy has a lot to offer."
"What is the deal between you and the Hulk?" Harry asked cautiously.
"I was involved in an accident some years back," Bruce replied. "Ended up being hit with a high dose of gamma radiation. It should have killed me. Instead it transformed me into the Hulk. Now, whenever I get too stressed or too angry or I simply release the anger that I'm constantly feeling, I change into … him."
Harry and Hermione shared a very pointed look.
"We might be able to help with that," Harry stated cautiously. "No guarantees, of course, but …"
"You think magic might help?" Bruce asked incredulously.
"Potions actually," Hermione replied. "More specifically, a calming draught. There might be others and it'd wouldn't be a permanent solution, but the possibilities are there."
"I did tell you not to underestimate the magic of the seidhr," Thor stated. "Sorry, wizards and witches."
"This is what I'm talking about. We need to stick together, to use each other's strengths to enhance our own," Tony said. "Sure, go off and do your own thing, but we need to come back together."
"To train, to know each other's fighting styles," Steve added. "If we're likely to be called up to serve as a team, then we need to know how to work as a unit."
"I've already started to work on plans to revamp the tower. I've got ten levels of R and D already, adding in a couple for training and some quarters for everyone should be a snap," Tony said.
"You want this tower to be our … what, Headquarters?" Clint asked.
"With 'Stark' written in big letters on it?" Natasha asked incredulously.
"It doesn't say that at the moment," Harry smirked.
"Actually, I was thinking of putting 'Avengers' on it. Assuming that that's alright with you guys," Tony said.
"I think we could live with that," Natasha replied on behalf of everyone.
"It'll take a while to get it done, especially with all of the work that needs to be done out there, which'll be the priority for now," Tony pointed out, waving the hand holding his now-empty tumbler in the vague direction of the window. "You guys are invited as well."
"Thank you, but I have a job in London," Hermione said.
"It's a little far from my apartment and my law offices," Matt pointed out.
"Well, whatever, you've got time to change your minds," Tony said absently.
"Avengers Tower," Clint mused. "I like the sound of that. It's got a much nicer ring to it then Stark Tower ever did."
"Oi! I invite you into my home and all you're going to do is insult me? That's not kosher," Tony protested.
"I would have thought that it was a requirement of living here, being all snarky and insulting," Pepper said.
"Right, party's over. You lot are corrupting Pepper too much," Tony declared, eliciting a round laughter.
ooo00ooo
Thor gave one last look around the circle of people that surrounded he and his brother.
These people were allies, his teammates, his friends. In the short time that he'd known them, he'd grown fond of them. They were different than the Lady Sif and the Warriors Three, his usual companions, but for all that, he would not give them up for anything.
Erik Selvig was the first that he made eye contact with. His one regret was that he was unable to see Jane this trip, but Erik carried a note that he promised to deliver as soon as possible.
The seidhr were both there as well, a term that he had no problem using within his own mind, at least. He had fought alongside one and the other he had come to suspect had a mind every bit as sharp as Jane's.
And then the rest of the Avengers: Steve, Tony, Bruce, Natasha and Clint. It had truly been an honour fighting alongside them all.
While he didn't know how long it would be before he was able to return to Midgard, Thor vowed that it would be soon.
Then, with one last nod to them all, he turned the handle of the device that Bruce and Erik had created and felt the pull of the tesseract's power taking them home.
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