"You're gonna have to tell me how this isn't bad, Nick," you snapped, "because all that I can see here is how you manipulated everyone to get your way! Again!"

"I did this because they needed the push, and he needed to step away. "

"Oh, I'll give you a push. I'll push you off the goddamn roof!"

Steve was no less shocked than you were, even as you raged at the two men, he stood silent and staring at Phil as if he had seen a ghost. Steve had dealt with sudden returns from the dead before, obviously, but something about this one left him feeling uneasy, and ultimately like he had been part of a hastily executed prank. He had heard your words through the pounding heartbeat in his ears, but he didn't move his feet until he saw you take a step forward towards Nick with venom in your tone. "Woah, (Y/N), let's calm down."

"No, I won't, Steve," you turned to him, yanking your arm from his grip, "because I'm so sick and tired of being screwed around with. Things are going good around here for the first time in a long time, and then this revelation drops into our laps. Phil," you sighed, turning back, "I love you, I really do, and I'm ecstatic that you're alive, but this...this isn't okay. You have no idea what we've been through in the years since you've been gone." You tried to bite back the tremble in your lower lip, feeling like it was the most obvious thing in the room and taking everyone's attention, until Phil took a step forward to meet you, reaching his hand out for you to take.

"(Y/N), I need you to forgive me. I hope that you all can, because no one invites dead guys to weddings and I don't know how much longer I can stand all work and no play. It makes Phil a dull boy," he smiled mischievously. "I even bought a suit. Do you know how hard it is for a dead fella to get measured?"

"I know what you're doing," you answered between clenched teeth that struggled to hold back your own smile, "and dammit if it isn't working." When your hand connected with his, it was such a familiar feeling from your past that it shook your confidence and resolve to be angry with him. The last time you had seen Phil Coulson, he was lifeless, staring at you with blank eyes; he had taken a bit of your heart with him when he died, and now that he was standing in front of you again with renewed life behind those same eyes, you decided that wasting time with being angry was just too difficult.

"I can't believe that you married Cap," he smirked. "I didn't think he would be your type."

"Jealous?"

"Never did get my cards signed," he deflected with a low grumble, following you as you began to lead him into the building.

"I did. Do you want them back?"

"Shut. Up." he gasped, stopping cold in his tracks. "(Y/N), you're serious? You have my trading cards? But, why?"

"They were important to you, and when they somehow landed in my hands, I felt responsible to keep them safe."

"Can I see them?"

"I was going to introduce you to my kids first, if that's okay?" you smiled, gleaning joy from his own as you watched the excitement build at his anticipation of getting something so rare back into his hands. There was no way for you to have known that this day would ever come, but now that it had, you were thanking yourself for having the foresight to hide those cards when Nick had asked for them back so many years ago.

"But...they're vintage..."

"Yeah, and Nick wiped blood all over them, so they aren't near-mint anymore, sorry to say."

"He did what?"

You waved him off dismissively, dropping him off at the living room so that you could go get his precious cards, knowing that he wouldn't move until you returned. Nick entered the room right behind you, taking a seat across from Coulson, only to find himself on the receiving end of a death-glare that left him feeling a chill in the air around him. "Hey, (Y/N), you need any help?" Fury called out to you, desperation clear in his tone.

"Nope. You sit there and see if you can figure out how many ways Phil can come up with to kill you before I get back. When he's done, I have a few of my own to add."

~~~

A few hours after reuniting Coulson with his precious Captain America trading cards and hearing every excruciating detail about them, it was time for everyone to gather for the bachelor and bachelorette parties that were so desperately needed. Phil was completely right, all work was making everyone pretty damn dull, and a night out was just what was needed to break the pattern of work and drama that had plagued the group for far too long.

Tony and the boys were heading out to a chartered boat for the night, claiming that if they put more distance between themselves and land, there would be less trouble that they could get into. Sure, it was Tony's usual reasoning coming into play, but you didn't believe it for one second; Steve had assured you that there weren't any plans that would risk arrest or bodily harm, but you knew this group too well, and had sent Anthony and Grant as your eyes and ears for the night.

Pepper, on the other hand, wanted just a quiet night with the ladies, at home with a few great bottles of wine and nothing but relaxation and maybe some really juicy gossip. Being the fiancé of none other than Tony Stark, having survived so many years at his side as employee, confidant, and off-and-on girlfriend, she knew that she had earned one last shot at something simple, and this would be it. You decided it best to appease her, and even though it was turning out to be a really lovely evening, it just wasn't where you wanted to be.

"Hey, Brooke?" you called out to your daughter, eyeing her from across the room.

"Yeah, Mom?" she answered quickly, walking up to stand next to you with her drink in hand. It was a strangely bright concoction with an umbrella resting along the glass's edge. You knew that she wouldn't dare accept a drink with alcohol in it, but you had also believed that your son wasn't ready to start dating not so long ago and look at how that was turning out.

"What's in your glass?"

"Virgin daiquiri. Aunt Nat made it for me."

"Hmm," you murmured, brow raised in curiosity, "let me give that a try."

"Mom, seriously? Do you think that she's gonna give me alcohol? I'm twelve."

"No, of course not," you covered, taking the flamboyantly colored drink when she reluctantly handed it to you. "I just wanted to try it. It's been a while since I've had anything virgin."

"Ew, Mom, no!"

"What? No! No, that's not...that's not what I meant!" you stammered, practically spitting out the drink before you could finish. "Okay, nevermind...just go."

"Thanks for not spitting in it," she huffed, turning away to leave you alone once again.

Looking around the room, your leg bouncing with pent up energy that was desperate to be released, you felt the walls closing in on you. It wasn't the group of people that you were with, because you knew everyone and found the friends of Pepper's that you didn't know so well quite easy to get along with; it was the atmosphere that was killing you. You felt like it was slowly sucking the life from your body with each passing minute, and if you stayed there any longer, this bachelorette party would become a wake. A glance around the room allowed you to find Pepper right away, and you wasted no time in making your way to her.

"Hey, Pep? I think I'm gonna tap out. I feel like I should check in on the boys before the night's over. Since I'm standing up on Dad's side and all, I can use that as an excuse to be sure they're behaving. I've got Anthony and Grant with them, but you know that those boys can be easily bought for their silence."

"I love that idea," she smiled widely, leaning in for a quick kiss on your cheek, "because between you and me, I've been worried about what they've been up to all night."

"Great, I'll let you know right away if we need to plan any punishments."

~~~

"FRIDAY, bring me in stealth," you commanded, shifting yourself uncomfortably as you flew into Manhattan inside one of suits and towards the dock where Tony's boat was to have launched. He had made this suit for you specifically, but even with the dimensions made to fit, you just couldn't get settled in right and wondered how he found the thing to be like a second skin when he used it. The display before you shifted, changing from an outline of city streets to coordinates of the boat and a clear path ahead of you; you snickered to yourself at the sight, wondering why you would even need to see it when FRIDAY had more than enough control of where you would land.

"You'll be out of stealth mode once you're within visual range, miss."

"Well, yeah, obviously. I just don't want them to see me coming."

"What is it that you're hoping to see?"

"Nothing," you smiled to yourself, "I'm sure they're all behaving. I just like to have the element of surprise." When the A.I. didn't respond further, you couldn't help but feel a little bit of judgement from her; you knew that it wasn't true, but her silence was eating away at you. It made you realize that she was pretty much spot on in her deductions. "Okay, fine," you huffed, "I know these guys, okay? Trouble follows them, and when it doesn't, they make plenty of their own. You know what I'm talking about, right, FRIDAY?"

"I have worked with Mr. Stark long enough to identify that pattern, yes, miss. It is likely a wise decision on your part to make an appearance."

"Thank you, I appreciate that. No...wait, you said that way too readily. What do you know?"

"I...I...didn't mean to say...I don't know what you mean, miss."

"FRIDAY?"

"I'm bringing you in for landing," she deflected, "Captain Rogers is awaiting your arrival on the main deck." Steve's smiling face lit up the screen before you, and as much as you loved to see it, you knew that FRIDAY was merely using him as a distraction to get you off topic.

"We will talk about this later," you warned in a quiet hiss. "I swear, you're turning into Jarvis..."

"Would you like a soft landing miss, or shall I just allow you to go it alone and risk skidding off of the side of the boat and into the ocean?"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry! Soft, please."

A few seconds later, your feet connected with the smooth deck floor easily, gripping it despite the sprays of water than left it a little slippery and slightly dangerous if FRIDAY hadn't accepted your apology for comparing her to her predecessor. Even if your feet had lost their security, Steve was in front of you with his arms open to accept you as soon as the suit released you, smiling as if you were saving him from something that he didn't want to be a part of, and it only raised your suspicions that something was going on.

"Okay, let's have it," you greeted, hugging him quickly before pulling back with a skeptical glance. "Who's done what?"

"I don't know what you mean," he smiled, and maybe it was your skewed interpretation, but he wasn't covering very well. When your only reply was to look at him like you were trying to read his mind with a furrowed brow, he laughed at your attempt and pulled you in for another hug. "Seriously, doll. Everyone's behaving. You can let Pepper know that she didn't need to send a scout and go enjoy your girl's night."

"She didn't. I'm standing on Dad's side in the wedding, so I should get to enjoy the party too."

"Really?" he coughed uncomfortably, looking back over his shoulder quickly before returning to you. "Um, well, yeah...I suppose that's okay."

"Steven Grant Rogers, what's going on?"

"What?"

"What?" you mocked. "You seriously suck at lying. Please, stop trying."

A loud roar of laughter exploded from the scene behind him as if on cue, leaving him with no other defense than to squeeze his eyes shut in hesitation as he released his hold on you to let you pass him by and to join the group of your teammates and family gathered on the deck. They were all crouched down and looking at something together, but the circle that they had formed around whatever it was had left you unable to see it.

"Hey, (Y/N)!" Scott finally stood to greet you. "Banner tried on the suit and shrunk down so we could see what happens if he Hulks out!" Scott smiled widely and innocently, having no idea what he was about to create.

"You're not serious," you whispered, pushing into the group to see. "Who's genius idea was this?"

"Bruce's!"

"No shit."

"Did he do it yet?" Steve called out, hurrying to your side as to not miss anything. "I wonder if he'll let me pick him up. How weird would that be?"

"Yeah...weird," you muttered absentmindedly, waiting for Bruce to make his transformation. "Aren't you worried that he'll rip the suit, Scott?"

"Nah, I called Hank first. He thinks we'll be okay...oh! There he goes!"

The crowd grew louder again as they watched their cohort begin to growl and change into the greener version of himself; the suit stretched at the seams and looked as if it threatened to break, but just as it hit the point that you thought it couldn't take any more, his growth stopped. Steve pushed gently past you and knelt down, sliding his hand beneath his friend and allowing him to take a few steps up onto his palm.

"Check it out," he said quietly, his eyes wide with awe, "I'm holding the Hulk. This is so cool."

"Hand him over," Tony broke in, stopping for a quick kiss on your cheek before holding his hand out to Steve. "Hey there, tiny science bro," he chuckled, bringing the Hulk up closer to his face to see, "you're so cute at this size, little fella. I could just put you in my pocket."

Apparently the Hulk didn't agree, and his tiny feet charged forward, jumping from Tony's hand and onto his shirt collar; his shrunken green hand shot up and punched Tony in the side of his jaw, the force enough to topple him back and onto the boat deck with a loud thud. The smaller Hulk kept a tight hold of his friend's shirt as he fell, rolling away and running off to somewhere quiet so that he could transform back to Banner; or at least you had hoped that's what he was doing.

"Well, damn," Tony sat up, rubbing his chin, "no one is ever gonna believe that I wasn't drunk for that. You're all my witnesses."

"I didn't see anything," Steve shrugged, looking towards the group, "did you Barton? Parker? What about you, Sam? Nothing? Jeez, Tony, it sure sounds like a drunken imagination gone wild to me."

"You're a real son of a-" Tony halted, his forehead wrinkling in an inebriated confusion at the urgent alert from the watch on his wrist. He gave it a few gentle taps on the screen to bring it to life, groaning when he recognized the familiar emblem of the U.N. projected from it. "Well that's just lovely," he groaned. "Sorry guys, the party's cut short."

"What is it?" you stepped forward, offering a hand to help him up. "I hope it's something that doesn't require sobriety, because you've got less than half a team right now." You gave a quick scan around the group of partygoers and realized that you were actually giving them all far too much credit. "Or, you have Steve, Buck, Pete, and Thor. Everyone else is wobbling too much to be trusted."

"I can still go," he argued, "I've got FRIDAY to hold me steady."

"Are you nuts?"

"Jury's out."

"Dad, you're getting married in two days. There's no way in hell that I'm letting you go because no matter how dangerous this mission could be, it's nothing compared to Pepper's wrath if anything gets in the way of the day she's waited for longer than any woman should really have to."

"Hey, that's not fair-"

"Dad, seriously," you laughed meekly, watching over his shoulder with a glance as Steve went into business mode, "the woman waited for you for three hours just to make an omelet that should have taken one. She has the patience of a saint, but everyone has their limits."