The kid avengers

Contagous

"Erm Pepper! I think we have a problem!"

"What is it Phil?" Pepper asked, trying to get the mud off Clint's face as he squirmed and tried to escape.

Phil held up Bruce; "he's got chicken pox!"

"Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure!"

"But he can't. Where would he have caught- Clint! Come back you still have mud in your hair!" She sighed as he disappeared out the room.

"He was playing with those kids in the sand box at the park the other day."

"Oh but if he has them, then the other kids are bound to..."

"Pepper?" Clint had reappeared in the kitchen.

"What is it Clint?"

"I have funny red spots on my arms - look! And they itch R-E-A-L-L-Y bad!"

"Damn it!"

"I wonder if any of them have had them already"

"Knowing our luck; I doubt it!"

It only took three hours until four of the six children were exhibiting various symptoms. Bruce, Natasha, Clint and Tony all were covered in itchy red rashes. But Natasha also had an extremely high fever and Tony was suffering from a terrible headache. Steve had apparently had the chicken pox when he was a child and Thor seemed to have some sort of Asgardian immunity; the two helped take care of the younger children. Pepper was extremely thankful for this as Maria was away for the day on SHIELD business and Coulson was trying to comfort Bruce; who had become extremely agitated and cried everytime Phil tried to apply calamine lotion, he continually ripped off the mittens Phil had put on him in order to stop him itching and just would not settle anywhere but in Phil's arms.

Pepper was largely preoccupied by trying to keep Natasha in a luke-warm bath; it was the only way to keep her temperature below 39 for any length of time. Natasha had other ideas; she wanted to be in bed watching a film with Clint and the others, but she was far too hot. Pepper, knowing how scared Natasha got when faced with the prospect of going to the doctors, she wanted to get her temperate under control as soon as possible. But if she wasn't better soon; Pepper would be left with no choice; she was dangerously hot.

By the time Maria had gotten back to the tower things weren't going well at all. Tony had locked himself in a dark room, refusing to come out until his headache had passed. Thor had pinned Clint's arms down to stop him from scratching while Steve fed him soup for dinner. Coulson looked well and truly flustered, holding Bruce who was screaming; both covered in pink calamine lotion. While Pepper had resorted to climbing into the bath with Natasha in order to keep her in there; they were both fully clothed and soaking wet; Pepper's arms hugging the young girl tightly while she cried.

Maria felt guilty for having to have left for the day. And went right to work at fixing things. She took Natasha from Pepper, allowing them both to change into some dry clothes; Maria ran off to find an ice pack and sat Natasha on the sofa; ice pack on her head and a bowl of soup to eat.
Maria then forced Thor to release Clint from his grip; allowing the young child to sit with Natasha while he finished his dinner. Pepper reappeared and started cooking dinner for the five people in the tower who weren't currently ill.

"Can we have spaghetti Pepper?" Thor asked with a smile.

"Sure we can"

"Would you like some help?"

"That'd be great thanks Steve"

Next Maria went to check on Tony. He had the pillow held tightly over his head, curtains closed and light off. Poor kid. Maria handed him some asprin and a drink of water and waited for him to take it before she left.

Lastly: Coulson and Bruce. They did look a sorry pair. But finally Bruce was sleeping, and Phil could go and get changed out of his calamine covered suit.

Three hours later; Maria slumped exhausted on the couch between an equally exhausted Pepper and Coulson.

"We are so not cut out for this!"

"You're telling me!"

"At least Thor and Steve are still healthy!"

It was true, the three of them couldn't imagine having to take care of six children if they were all ill.

Tony and Bruce had both gone to sleep in their room, and Clint and Natasha had gone off on the couch after their dinner. It wasn't long until the three adults were fast asleep on the other sofa; Thor took great advantage of this turning the tv over to watch football, while Steve covered them with a blanket, smiling fondly.