Your first day back home at the compound was just like any other; your body healed as fast as it always did and you were back to work, starting with the team meeting and Steve's endless diatribe of events around that world that he was keeping a sharp eye on, followed by groans of complaint that half of the morning was already over with everyone walking out before he was done. Well, not quite everyone. Tony had quickly caught wind of what you and Steve were planning to do with the kids, and he didn't like it one bit; in true fashion, he had no problem with telling you so in no uncertain terms, either.

"I can't believe that I'm taking Steve's side on this. This is a mistake, (Y/N). A mistake so goddamn stupid that I can't understand how it came from my own child. I thought I had passed down at least some of my intelligence."

"Hey, watch it," you snapped, fully offended, "that's uncalled for. Besides, it wasn't my idea. The kids came to me, and I agreed."

"Same difference," Tony huffed. "No matter who came up with this, it's reckless and a terrible idea. They have no business in training. None."

"They need to be able-"

"Don't preach that protection bullshit at me, (Y/N). I came up with that speech, so save your breath."

"Actually," Steve interrupted quietly, his hand up to halt Tony, "I came up with that speech before you were born, so let's give credit where it's due, okay?"

"Fine," Tony relented, "whoever came up with it, I don't really care. You guys are out of your minds to believe that they're ready to even think about training. There's no way that I'll ever sign off on them being a part of the Avengers. Not until they're adults, and maybe not even then."

"Dad, we've already said everything there is to say, and you're the one who told me that we need to be ready. I trust your instincts, and if trusting them means that something could come that could put my kids in danger, you had better believe that I'm going to make them ready to fight back. You're lying if you say that you wouldn't do the same for me."

"I wouldn't."

"Liar."

Tony knew that you were right, but he couldn't get his mind to form the words for his voice to agree. He started to reconsider that maybe he shouldn't have said anything to you in the first place, and that maybe his instincts were wrong. But they rarely were. It wasn't worth just ignoring the alarms that were sounding every time he saw another clue or another sign of the dangers that were out there awaiting you all. He hated this part of himself; the part that was likely born of anxiety, but always proved valid. He hated it because it meant that his family was about to see something that he couldn't even understand how to fight against. "Fine, so since I can't talk you out of this, how are you two going to go about it?"

"I'm throwing them in the deep end," Steve sighed, taking his tablet in hand and pushing the chair back to stand with a heavy shove. "We're taking them out on a mission later today to see who can swim."

~~~

"Oh, you guys! He's adorable!" Wanda squealed, running to the door to meet Natasha and Clint as they arrived with their new son for his first day home from the hospital. She held out her hands expectantly, waiting for his mother to willingly place the infant within them, squealing even more when she finally had him in her hold. "He's so little! It's been so long since we've had a baby here!"

"Wow, Wanda, settle down," Clint laughed, "I didn't know your voice could get that high."

"Mmm, you smell so good," Wanda sighed, her face all but buried in the blankets that surrounded the little one, breathing his scent in deeply as she hummed contently. "I want one."

"Well, this one is ours," Natasha answered happily, "but maybe if you ask (Y/N) nicely-"

Clint nearly choked on his own laugh, sputtering into a cough at the idea that anyone would dare ask that of you after all that you had already done. "Jesus, Nat, she's not a baby factory! She's finished. That oven is closed for business, remember? She said she was done after Allie, so this guy was a miracle in more ways than one. But that does lead me to another question," he smirked, "you and Vision thinking about making one? Can he even do that?"

"Clint," Nat hissed under her breath, "that's none of your business."

"Sorry, but haven't you ever wondered?"

"No, not even one time."

Wanda gave one more little kiss to the boy's head before reluctantly handing him back over to his mother, pushing the pain in her chest away at the feeling of loss in merely losing contact. It was a conversation that had never come up with Vision, and it really never could as far as she knew. It had been such a taboo topic that she never thought to question if it could be discussed. They had taken part in the upbringing of your three on multiple occasions, and it seemed like he actually enjoyed what they were doing at the time; he had his share of misunderstandings, sure, but he was a quick learner with everything she had taught him. "We haven't ever spoken of it, no," she sighed sadly, "but do you think that there might be a possibility?"

"Wanda," Clint smiled, taking her hand gently, "if there's one constant around this place, it's that anything is possible."

~~~

There were no amount of medications in the world that could calm your nerves in this moment, sitting in the co-pilot seat of the jet next to Steve as he took you and the team to a mission that was supposed to be a quick trip, but it carried far more risk than ever before. Your three kids sat behind the two of you, each of them likely even more worked up than you were. You wouldn't allow this to be just the five of you, however, knowing that one wrong move would put you and Steve into incapacitation if the kids needed you, so Peter and Vision were called to join in.

"I can't believe this is our first lesson," Anthony whispered to Brooklyn, sitting at his side. "I was thinking we would start out with something slow, like hand-to-hand at least."

"This is your assessment," Steve broke in. "I need to see how well you can hold your own so I can put together your training plan. Any other problems back there?"

"No, Dad."

"Excuse me?"

"No, Captain," Grant corrected, giving Anthony a hard slap with his hand. "Hey, this is official business, Ant. He's not Dad here."

"You guys, I think I'm gonna throw up."

"Woah, Brooke, no just breathe slower," Anthony urged, hurrying to kneel in front of her. He put a hand on her cheek and tried to calm her down, but he felt himself instead taking on her anxiety on top of his own. "Brooke, come on, let me in. Try to help me out, alright? We're going to be fine. They aren't going to let anything happen to us, you know that."

"This is too soon," she argued, "we have no business here, Ant. Grandpa was right. What are we doing?"

Vision had been listening in to the conversation, watching the three at a much deeper level, listening to the pounding of their hearts and the tight strain of their breathing as their panic began to grow. "You are doing what you asked of your parents, children. Did you not take into consideration what that fully entailed?"

"We thought we did," Grant answered for them.

"Anthony is correct, in that your mother and father will not let harm come to you, but they will also stand back and allow you to prove your worth in this request. Do not be disillusioned. This is in no way easy for them to do, and they take no pleasure in putting you into this situation. Their fear greatly dwarfs that which you are feeling."

Brooke sat up, taking long breaths to try to bring her head back together and to clear the nausea away, allowing Anthony in so that he could help when she couldn't do it herself. "Ant, is he right?" she asked her brother quietly. "I don't want to do this to them."

As he was about to answer, he could feel the jet's path shift and the change in pressure inside the cabin as it lowered to the ground. They had arrived and they were stuck. Anthony exchanged a hesitant look at his two siblings, knowing that there was no turning back now, and if they were to speak up and ask to stay behind, they would never be trusted to do anything like this again. This was the shot that they were asking for, and they had to grow up quick before the door could open.

"Alright team, we're here," Steve announced, standing as the jet came to its final rest. "Suit up."