The Trial of Bruce Banner

Spies (with enemies)

"Good morning you two," Jen cheerily adds to the table by laying another stack of waffles in the middle of it.

Natasha rubs her forehead and checks in on Rebecca who is swinging her legs and happily stuffing her face with a syrup loaded fork.

She sniffles and tiredly kisses her daughter's head, still in a robe, "Morning malyshka. Morning Jen."

"How did you sleep?" Walters questions her cousin.

"What's sleep," Bruce mumbles as he enters behind them and heads for the device he's left out on the countertop the night prior.

"Daddy!" Rebecca abandons her meal and runs to hug her father.

"Hi Becks," he rubs her back, distracted by text messages.

Jennifer settles at the table and dishes up a waffle for a quiet Natasha Romanoff, "Ah, we're in the daddy-is-better phase."

"We're always in the daddy-is-better phase...thanks Jen,' Natasha takes a plate, 'you didn't have to cook this much."

"Oh, it's not just for you all. I'd grab what you want now because I'll finish all of what's left. I plan on being green for most of the day, just in case."

"Great," Romanoff whispers, concerned over how the guest bathroom ceiling dips in height and is usually hit by the green giant at least once per visit.

"Sit down Bruce," Jen lectures with a firm expression.

"In a minute, Jen," he answers.

She hits the chair next to her, "Bruce! Phone down. Ass down."

"Jen," Natasha shuts her eyes.

She cringes, "Sorry. Don't say 'ass' Beckster."

Rebecca is back in her seat with a fresh mouthful when she blinks up at her aunt.

The redhead stabs her first piece of waffle until she's distracted by the doorbell and aggressive knock.

Max barks and charges for the door.

Bruce immediately looks up with a jolt of energy, eyes wide.

"I'll get it," Natasha moves to stand.

He silently protests and gestures for her to stay put as he heads down their short hall and to the door.

Jennifer groans and shovels food into her mouth, "Co'e g'een?!"

"It's Clint," Bruce answers, out of sight and around the corner from the kitchen.

Natasha exhales and sits back, realizing only then how she was holding her breath.

The front door creaks open as the guest enters their home with soft greetings.

The spy stands up from the table and addresses Jen, "I'm going to shower. Thanks for breakfast."

"Mmhm!" Walters is chugging water to wash down her frantic response, offering a thumbs up.

"Uncle Clint," Rebecca leaps up and into Barton's arms.

"Hey kid! Ooh! Waffles."

"Take some. Nat didn't eat hers," Jen exhales, wiping her mouth with her wrist.

Clint nods and heads over after replacing Rebecca on the ground.

"Is Laura here?"

"Yeah," Barton tilts his head and stays quiet for a moment to let the whispers in the hallway travel for a second.

"Uncle Clint, I show you something," Rebecca darts for the living room.

"Ooh! Okay," he sits at the table, addressing Jennifer with a whisper, "How is she how's Nat."

Jen lifts a shoulder, chewing an ice cube from her orange juice, "I have no idea. She got in late last night."

"From Fury?"

Jen nods.

His fingers fold, maintaining eye contact, "How's it lookin'? From your side?"

Walters takes the ice from her mouth with her fingertips and refuses to answer now that Rebecca is back.

Clint refocuses his attention on the microscope she's sharing, "Wow, that's so nerdy."

The child giggles, "I put bugs there."

"You put bugs there,' Clint looks halfway confused, 'okay then."

"Yeah."

"This doesn't look like target practice."

She giggles, "No."

"Rebecca,' Laura lowers herself down to the ground, 'how are you my sweetheart?"

"Good," she indulges Laura with a hug, showing off her toy.

"Very cool. I love your pajamas. How cute are they? What's on those? What are they?"

"Ladybugs," Rebecca checks by lowering her chin, forgetting what she's wearing.

"I love ladybugs."

"Me too. And spiders. And cat-pillars. Inververes."

"Invertebrates," Jen translates needlessly.

"Should we get the etymologist changed out of her syrup-covered pajamas and into her lab wear before she makes a mess and touches everything and causes daddy to go green," Bruce deadpans, scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah," Rebecca drops her toy and walks over to her father, reaching for his hand.

"Geez, your fingers are sticky- I'll be right back," he addresses their company.

Laura glances toward Clint once they disappear up the staircase, mumbling, "Where's Nat?"

"Shower," Jen points upward.

"So,' Clint addresses the table, 'with them gone, what's the actual plan here?"

"Optimism," Jennifer crosses one arm over her chest, "I can work a judge."

"We need a plan B for when they,' Laura tilts her head, 'come after the kid."

"You've never had issues with yours."

"It's different,' Clint sits back in his chair, rocking into the back legs, 'the government likes me...for now."

Laura frowns in his direction, "What do you mean for now..."

"Don't look at me hon, you're just as full of secrets."

She shrugs, ready to move on, "If they need to evacuate to a safe house."

Jen scoffs, "I mean they'd probably just come to L.A. with me."

Laura shuts her eyes and elaborates, "If you need a safe house option, not in a big city, we can help. I know we're not blood but we might as well be."

"It's not that lawsuits don't keep me in business- they do. And it's not that I don't enjoy helping family, I do. But this is time away from work and my job? I'm not exactly paid when I help Bruce out so I just need to make sure that you're aware of the risks associated in having any contact with them so that I'm not dealing with yet another lawsuit after-."

"We're spies with enemies, Jen."

"We've had worse," Clint adds numbly.