A/N: Okay, I decided to make this into a mini-series. Prepare to have your feels invoked. Credit of the lyrics go to Nightwish, from 'A Song of Myself- IV. Love'

...

I see a slow, simple youngster by a busy street, with a begging bowl in his shaking hand.

Trying to smile but hurting infinitely. Nobody notices.

I do, but walk by.

Scott was taking a walk to clear his mind. He spotted a boy no older than ten sitting on the sidewalk with a bowl in his hands for collecting money. Scott walked past him. New York was not the place be a bleeding heart.

'What if that were Cassie?' The image of his daughter fending for herself on the cold, unforgiving streets filled his mind and it pulled at his heartstrings. He turned back around and knelt down next to the boy.

"Hey, kid. What's you name?" The child gave him a glassy-eyed stare and tilted his head.

"Food?" he asked. It was clear that he was not all there. Scott pulled a candy bar from his pocket and the boy took it, trying to eat it with the wrapper still on.

"Here, let me help you with that." He held his hand out but the boy shrank away in fear.

"It's okay, I won't hurt you. My name is Scott." The boy looked at him before giving him the candy bar. Scott opened the wrapper and he snatched it away, devouring it in seconds as if it was the first time he had eaten in days. Judging by his appearance, it very well may have been.

"More?" Scott looked sadly at him.

"Come on, I'll take you to get a decent meal," he said, holding out. The boy looked at his hand, then at him.

"Take it." He took Scott's hand he stood up. He took the kid back to the Tower to get him something to eat. There were a few comments but mostly the Avengers felt sympathy for the child. Bruce gave him a check up and found that he had been subjected to years of abuse and neglect. Whether it was before or during his time on the streets, it was impossible to tell but Bruce helped him to the best of his ability.

Since the boy wasn't sure of his own name, Scott renamed him Hank and adopted him as his own. Cassie took to him as if he had been her brother her whole life. Hank had spent so much time on the street that it made it difficult for him to trust adults but if Cassie trusted this man, it told him that he could trust him too. Every day, Scott spent a little time with Hank, teaching him. He had a basic knowledge and understanding of most things but he thought at a different level than most children his age. Scott was ever patient with him.

Hank couldn't remember the last time he had this... A home, a family that loved him, food to eat every day and he felt... What was the word?

Oh... Right.

Safe.