Steve P.O.V

The hulk rams himself, headfirst, into the purple being's rib cage—the bones cracking audibly, making me wince.

He cries out in agony, eyes wide with shock and pain. He releases Callie and I take off running, pulling her to my chest just before the two brawling beasts come crashing to the ground.

I turn, looking back to my companions, "Thor, take her!" I yell.

The God of Thunder spins his hammer above his head and with lightening speed he is at my side, gently taking the baby into his arms.

"Take her as far from here as possible," I breathe, "take her home, to the Avenger's Facility."

With a curt nod, Thor is spinning his hammer, and disappearing into the horizon. I breathe a sigh of relief,

I turn to see the beast straddled over the Hulk and pounding his fists into our personal monster and I find myself, for the millionth time, grateful that the Hulk is obnoxiously resilient. I hurl my shield like a frisbee into the creature's head, sending him spiralling head over heel into the burning building. The building collapses on top of the treacherous creature erupting with a pillar of flame and smoke.

I take the opportunity to free Tony out from under the vehicle. He rises to his feet and we both rush towards the building, preparing to continue the battle but the rubble remains silent aside from the crackling of the fire.

"Where the fuck is he?" Tony yells, and I don't even feel like reprimanding his language.

"Maybe he's dead?" Whispers Natasha tentatively.

"No, the Hulk pummelled him and he was mildly irritated," I respond not taking my eyes off of the space where the creature crash landed.

"I'm going to go find Bruce," she says, my mention of the Hulk reminding her that he had taken off into the bushes shortly after my shield knocked his adversary off.

Once Nat has left and I'm sure she's out of ear shot, I decide it's as good a time to ask Tony what happened  with Pepper and the nanny, but just as I open my mouth the burning warehouse and clearing is plunged into white light. For a moment Tony and I are blinded by the light, it's so bright it's as if a spot light has been blasted directly into our retinas.

Within seconds Tony's helmet has adjusted to the sudden light and he is shouting at me, "it's a spaceship! There's a ship above the warehouse!"

"Seriously?" I gape, pressing my palms into my eyes, urging them to adjust faster.

"Cap come on! Fuck, they're beaming him up!"

I blink hard, opening my eyes and I'm finally able to see a huge air craft that could only be described as a space ship hovering above the burning building. A beam is extended from its bottom and in it is the purple creature glaring at us with hatred. "I'll be back for what is mine!" He hisses, " and next time you won't be able to save her!"

Tony blasts himself up but it's clear that his flying tech is damaged from his earlier fight, his speed is slower than normal and one of his feet keeps giving out causing him to jolt back and forth. I throw my shield but the target swiftly dodges, and I'm left useless on the ground.

Just when Stark reaches the ship the beast vanishes, and the engines ignite, the blast sends Tony hurdling downwards into the flaming building, slamming into the ground in a heap. Before I can do anything the ship is already disappearing into the atmosphere.

I run into the fire finding Tony amongst the rubble, his leg is twisted behind him at an awkward angle, "damn it!" He screams, pounding his fist into the ground, "what am I supposed to tell Callie?" He asks,  ripping his helmet off.

"It's okay, she's safe, that's all that matters," I assure him, "I'm going to have to pull you out of here and then I'll find Bruce and Tash and we'll head home," I say, hooking my hands under his armpits and dragging him like a wounded soldier from the battlefield.

Once I have him resting a safe distance from the active flames I radio Natasha for a pick up and then I sit myself next to him to wait.
"So, since we have to wait anyways," I begin slowly, "what happened? Where's Pepper, and why is the nanny laying their unconscious?"

"She might be dead," says Tony shrugging, "I screwed up. I knew the woman was no good and I let Pepper bring her into Callie's life anyways. I'm not turning out to be such a good dad," he sighs, sounding completely defeated.

"I wouldn't say that, but even the best fathers need help. Move to the Avengers Facility, there are more than enough of us to watch her and with our group of misfits I'm sure we can makeup a half decent parent," I clap him on the shoulder with a laugh.

"I hate to admit it but I think you're right Cap. She needs all of us."
•
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Callie P.O.V

I wake on a surface much softer than I was expecting, I blink my eyes open to see Uncle Bruce's eyes smiling cheerfully. "Well hi there," he says softly, "how are you feeling?"

I open my mouth to tell him that I feel amazing, and happy, and that this is not where I expected to wake up, but instead I blurt "Did I die?"

He chuckles and says, "no sweetheart, you didn't. This is real."

"Oh good," relief washing over me. Bruce gets up from his seat next to me and calls for Tony and Cap.

Uncle Steve comes rushing in and a few moments later Daddy hobbles into my room, his leg is casted up and he's using crutches, and suddenly I find it much more believable that this is not heaven. People don't have broken bones in heaven.

Uncle Steve kisses my forehead viciously and then promptly backs away to give space for my Dad.

He sits himself down in a chair by my bed, "hey kid, how're you feeling?" He asks, softly brushing a lock of hair from my face.

"I'm okay," I reply, "but what happened?" I ask, it's a vague question but I have a million and one questions and this one sums them all up into a single sentence.

"Well," he says slowly, considering his answer carefully, "we took care of him." He replies, I narrow my eyes, he feels nervous, I can tell that much, but why I do not know.
"The nanny will be going to prison for a long, long time." He adds, he opens his mouth to speak again but I cut him off quickly.

"And Pepper?" I raise my eyebrows accusingly at him.

This question seems to take him off guard, but I've been through enough and I'm finished holding back. He takes a moment to answer, and in this brief pause I conclude that this must be why he's feeling nervous, she is afterall—evil beyond all reckoning "she's gone, she won't be coming back," he says at last and I breathe a sigh of relief.

"One more question," I say, feeling my own nerves bubbling up within me now.

"Yes, what is it?" He says smirking slightly.

"When do we have to go home?" I ask, choking out the word home with a sense of dread.

"We're here Callie, we are home." His eyes are soft and kind and I immediately feel a lump swelling in my throat.

I look around the room at my Uncles and Aunt, and my eyes fill with tears, "really?" I whisper through a sob, looking back to Dad.

"Yes baby. You are home."

I wrap my arms tight around his neck and for the first time in my life I find myself sobbing tears of joy.