"You can't take me to jail." Sheila screams as she's dragged away.

"You tried attacking a judge and the defendant in your lawsuit, we sure as fuck aren't going to be letting you off with a slap on the wrist and being told not to do it again. You're looking at serious jail time Lady."

"Nooooo."

"Dumb cunt," the bailiff snorts as she's placed in the back of the police car. "What the hell did she think was going to happen?"

"But she's special, everybody should do what she wants." A clerk snorts as she finishes the last of the paperwork and hands it to the police officer. "Women like that are too stupid to live."

"How did it go?" Tony asks when Xander and Dawn return to Stark Tower.

"Willow's mom tried attacking the judge when he told her I wasn't the reason Willow didn't go to Oxford like she wanted, then she broke away from the bailiff and threw a water pitcher at my head. Her case was threw out of court but my case against her is going forward. She's looking at serious jail time according to the judge."

"What a stupid woman." Pepper snorts. "She didn't want a daughter, she wanted a perfect little robot who would obey her every whim."

"Exactly."

"Dawn, do you have lessons you need to work on while you're here?"

"Yes, and I have papers I need to write for exhibits at the museums I'm going to be visiting."

"Xander?"

"I'm going to be doing a little shopping while we're in New York. And visiting my own museums."

"When do you start MIT?"

"Two weeks after Dawn starts classes."

"Books and supplies?"

"They'll be arriving in a couple weeks after we get home. I signed up for four classes, Dr. Stark and Blake wanted me to go for a full semester but I can pick up more classes after this if I finish them before the end of the semester. I won't have the books or supplies for the classes until after the end of the semester, but they have e-books on the computer for me to use."

"And when are you lot going to be taking classes."

"When hell freezes over." Clint says as he walks through. "Me and books, not mixy. Ask Coulson, he had to keep the teachers from shooting me in classes at SHIELD."

"I said the same thing, now look at me." Xander rolls his eyes.

"I've been thinking about it." Steve says slowly. "There's still a lot I need to learn about the 70 years I was frozen. And Bucky's in much the same boat for all that he was awake some of that."

"The Russians weren't much for keeping me appraised on current topics." He snorts as he walks in. "Stark, can you help me with my arm. I think I have a small piece of grit in here somewhere." Tony grabs a kit and starts working with Bucky on his arm.

Doc Savage looks around the small town they've driven into in late November, Tony Stark is waving his arms around as he points at everything. They walk to a large building, finding scattered seating areas in the room.

"Jeez kid, what happened?" Clint asks, coming over to Xander Harris who sitting on a couch with his leg out in front of him on a footstool in a cast. He's got a bandage on his head and from the way he's shifting in his seat, more bandages or bruises under his clothes.

"Some damn drunk driver ran a red light and took out my car as I was driving in Portland last month. Broke my leg in two places, broke three ribs and cracked five more, sprained my wrist, and totaled the car. It was a POS but it was paid for. He's whining about how life isn't fair because he's got to pay for everything since he was driving on a suspended license and his insurance told him to shove it up his ass when they dropped him like a hot potato. He's gonna sue, they gotta pay for his car. That's why he had insurance."

"And yours would only pay the blue book value."

"Yeah. And wouldn't touch the medical bills. Or pay my lost wages. So I'm suing." He moves in the chair and hisses.

"Pain pills?" Doc asks.

"Damn things don't do a damn thing for me."

"I'm like that, I had two teeth pulled a couple years ago and I didn't think it did anything until it wore off." Clint says.

"And morphine or anything stronger knocks your ass out."

"Or you're like Tony and it makes you higher than a kite and you have to be locked away for your own good before you create something that will destroy the world. . .or everybody's sanity." Rhodey says dryly. Bruce moans. "Yeah, word of advice. If he's that bad, lock him in the padded room and toss something in to distract him. Something that won't cause the world to end if he tinkers with it."

Meanwhile Nathan Stark is smirking at Neal Caffrey. "No copying or forging anything while you're here Caffrey."

"Where's the fun in that?" He smirks. Then yelps as Peter swats him on the ass. "Will you behave?"

"Neal, will you come over here?" Doc asks. He's sitting by a man a few years older than Neal to Peter's eye as they walk over.

"This is Jarod. . .Greene?"

"As good a last name as any and they haven't found my family yet." He shrugs. "This is the young man you think might be another pretender?"

"Pretender?" Bruce asks. Clint and the others are right behind him. The whole story about Jarod's abduction by the Centre is told and Phil Coulson is shaking his head. "How did this not get picked up by SHIELD?"

"They've kept it quiet for years. Ms. Parker's mother tried getting some of the kids away from them and was killed for it. You might be one of the ones she got away. I know they were missing about five children by their own records before I got away with my simulations. The only Pretender I know for sure if Angelo. . .and he's so badly damaged by what has happened to him he's got a child's mentality."

"If they found them they'd probably have no more of a normal life than the potential Slayers that were rescued when they took out the Watchers Council." Xander says from his corner of the room.

"From what you have said, yes. They spent their entire lives training, the others would have spent their lives running simulations."

"It would explain how you can easily slip into different personas for a case."

"And why the government couldn't find anything on me before I was eighteen. All I remember is a series of different homes and different names."

Dr. Stark taps his feet and glares at Xander over crossed arms until the younger man takes the pills he hands him and drinks the glass of water.

"You are as bad as Carter about taking medication when it is needed."

"It doesn't do anything for me, why take it?" Clint chuckles and nods.

"Children, you are prescribed drugs for a reason." Dr. Stark says blandly.

The others begin appearing and they settle in groups to talk and catch up on things, people moving from area to area as conversations change.

"I would not be able to stand being the only tech in the lab." Danny says as he looks over at the playpen where Evelyn and Michael are babbling at each other.

"I'm used to it, I can run my lab the way I want it. Madam Director tried giving me an assistant once and it blew up big time since she couldn't be bothered to do a background check on him. He'd been fired for falsifying results, Tony's the one who found out what he was doing."

"And of course he wanted revenge?"

"Yep. He framed Tony for a murder. He's back rotting in prison and everybody yelled long and loud at the stupid bitch for not even checking his background. She was already smarting from the backlash for trying to get everybody to dress preppy yuppie like she did."

"That was stupid."

"She wants in Gibbs pants again." Across the room McGee tries desperately not to snicker at his boss's look. "He's not interested so she's shoving her weight around until she gets her own way. . .or somebody takes her out because she's causing so many problems."

"Classes?"

"Got in eight on the computer, being off thanks to the leg there wasn't much else to do." Xander sighs. "I have a 3.82 GPA. . . .which according to U of C Sunnydale's records was better than Willow's." Dawn sniggers from the area where she's talking with Harry, the twins, Ron, Neville, Spike, and Giles. The three current Hogwarts students are looking at Professor Giles and Mr. . . .Spike. They're still not quite sure what to make of the two men who had brought them out to see Harry and the twins that weekend.

"How are your classes coming?"

"Good, I can't believe that we're going to be graduating from Hogwarts in June. It seems like yesterday I walked on the train for the first time." Ron says. "Studying for our NEWTS is taking up all our free time. Especially with all the extra classes on the new tests."

"Ron Weasley, willingly studying." Harry smirks. "The power he knows not." The twins laugh.

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbles. "It took me a while but I finally grew up."

"Did the countersuit against Willow's mother get settled?" Tony asks.

"Yes, the mental health professionals all agreed, she's not mentally ill she's just a hateful bitch who wants to control the world. Her remaining speaking tour was cancelled when the news she had that fit in court reached people. I won't see a dime of the money but she's going to be working menial labor in prison for her entire sentence to pay off her fines and court costs, plus this judgment. She tried declaring bankruptcy like the so called rich and famous thinking it would get her off the hook. . .wasn't so and she quickly dropped it when she realized she'd be poor if she did that. And she'd still have to pay the judgment." Clint sniggers.

"So which side?" Xander looks over at Drs. Stark and Blake.

"Both," Tony sighs. "They told me when I was younger, in a drunken argument."

"We never wanted you to know." Allison pats his shoulder. Tony puts his hand over hers.

"I know, you two are more my real parents than Howard and Maria." The others look at them. "Howard was magically adopted, he is another one of Dumbledore's kids. And Maria was a muggleborn student at Hogwarts who caught Dumbledore's eye." Nathan says. "Tony was magically adopted when he was born."

The others sigh, moan, or silently swear. "So are you magical?"

"Yes, but I prefer science."

"Which just proves you were meant to be a Stark."

The next morning Xander is wheeled out in warm clothes to watch a pickup quidditch game with Harry, Ron. the twins, Charlie, and John Sheppard against a mixed team from Eureka. General O'Neill would be outside with him enjoying the fresh air but he's undergoing physical therapy after his second knee replacement surgery.

"Damn, I can't imagine flying through the air on a broomstick." Clint says, looking over at the game with a shudder then turning his attention back to Xander and Dr. Stark. "Bad enough Stark flying through New York in his suit. Where is he anyway?"

"Either hiding from Allison's lingering mood swings or tinkering with his suit. He brought out a new version when you came out that he wanted to test. While he can't do it in New York or Malibu, he can here." Almost as if he'd heard him, Tony comes flying through. . .not under his own power from the way he's going. Numerous wands set up a cushioning spell before he hits the ground.

"Should have let him bounce." Clint mumbles.

"Jo would beat us if we did any more damage to the town." Harry snorts as they go back to the game. Clint shudders and quickly nods, Jo reminds him way, way, way too much of Natasha in a mood.

Dawn looks out the window a few weeks later. It's Christmas Eve and while they have a tree and presents neither of them are really in a celebrating mood. She looks over as the home helper comes out of Xander's bedroom after helping him to bed.

"How are you doing Dawn, I know it's been a rough year with losing your mother, sister, and Xander being hurt." In addition to a home health aide he's also a trained psychologist who knows about the supernatural and has been talking with the pair about all that's happened the last couple of years.

"I'm . . .coping. I also knew we'd lose Buffy one day, being the Slayer is a automatic death sentence and she's already died once. But Mommy should have had a nice long life and died surrounded by family, friends, and having got her grandkids high on sugar then sent them home to their parents with a smirk." The man chuckles despite himself. "Unfortunately it's often the ones who have everything to live for that are taken from us too soon."

Dawn nods. "Harry should have been raised by his parents with a number of younger brothers and sisters driving him nuts. Same with Neville, the only difference there is Neville's parents are still alive. All any of us can do is remember those we've lost and take things one day at a time." the man nods and pats her on the shoulder before he heads to his house. Thankfully he only lives a block away so coming in to help Xander get ready for the day and again to help him with a bath and bed isn't that far out of his way.

"What is this place?" Reed Richards asks in late March after they've gone through a security checkpoint and pull into a parking lot. It's been years since they had to show ID.

"Global Dynamics, giant think-tank run by the DoD. Eureka's a company town. They've got the best and brightest here. . .and the craziest."

"Coming from you that might say something." Johnny Storm snorts as they walk towards the front of the building, making sure their badges are on full display.

As they walk into the building an explosion can be heard.

"Coming from me that is saying something." Tony says. "Xander, what are you doing covering the front?"

The young man at the desk looks up from the comic he's reading. "Fargo's with Dr. Blake yelling at people and Dr. Stark dragged Larry off to deal with the first explosion, he's probably staring at whoever caused this new one." A nearby 'woomph' and Xander sighs, grabbing a nearby fire extinguisher and putting out the flames in a room.

"Don't make me put you in the corner." he says. The scientist ducks his head and goes for cleaning supplies to clean his lab. "Soooo." He puts the pin back in the extinguisher and puts it next to him. "Here on business or pleasure?"

"Bit of both. This is Reed Richards and Johnny Storm, two members of the Fantastic Four. We've got something we need to talk with my grandparents about." Reed and Johnny stare at each other. . .grandparents? "And shouldn't you be working in a lab making lighter plastic for spaceships?"

"They've got a test running on this latest batch of material so I'm off until we know either way so I'm subbing in other areas and getting in classes. Rumor has it some other companies are trying to take our discoveries but we've got it patented and they're howling to anybody who will listen about how they've got to give it to them."

"Yeah, that sounds like some big business." Tony snorts. The elevator opens and Dr. Blake and Fargo walk towards the group. She stares at the scientist cleaning his lab.

"Not again." She complains.

"Yep, I told him don't make me put you in a corner." Sticking the comic in his laptop bag he heads down the hall to a room to get in a couple classes.

"Not that I don't mind you showing up Tony but. . ."

"Reed is working on something I remember Grandpa complaining about. Reed Richards, this is Dr. Allison Blake, one of the heads of GD with Dr. Nathan Stark and Fargo out there." Reed tells what he's been doing with a few quiet words and Allie picks up the phone, Nathan coming into the office fifteen minutes later. Larry takes over the desk and Fargo settles down to handle the details of cleaning those two labs and replacing anything that will be needed.

'Woomph'

Nathan smirks as he finds Xander with the scientist standing in the corner, his nose pressed in the wall as he calmly asks what the fuck is his malfunction? Allison takes over the lecture and Xander goes back to the room and his interrupted class.

"Xander, labs for your classes?" Nathan calls.

"Next week. Fargo's got the schedule."

He nods and they walk back to the office.

"Labs?"

"Xander is going for a dual degree in chemical and mechanical engineering, he's not really at a stage where he has projects that they'd be doing in class but he's working ahead so when he does come to those classes he's got everything already done."

"Do you need to help?" Tony waves a hand at the room.

"Nah, Allie will make him regret his stupidity without raising her voice." A sleepy babbling in the corner has Nathan taking his latest daughter in the bathroom to change, settling in her chair and giving her a bottle from the refrigerator. Tony sighs.

"You should be having children of your own." Nathan looks at him over his glasses.

"Pepper's two months pregnant."

"Awww, congratulations." Allison says coming into the room. "Have her call me for a baby shower and whatnot. How is she handling work?"

"She plans to take leave starting her ninth month and be off two months after she delivers. I told her she could have more time off than that but she's afraid I'll do something stupid." Tony pouts as Johnny Storm tries not to cackle. Nathan just smirks. "Thor's promised me an Asgardian Valkryie nanny to protect Pepper and the children. He's sure that this is just the first of many."

"That's why we have Emily. Carter has Michael and Allie had baby envy." Nathan smirks. "You weren't kidding about Steve and Johnny looking alike." Nathan looks at the younger man.

"Lord Starkweather, I seek a boon of protection from those that might harm me, my sister, and the child she carries if this knowledge is released."

"Granted." Nathan says as Reed stares at Johnny. He hadn't told anybody that Susan was pregnant.

"I went to magical school in New York." He says. "There's a reason why I look so much like Captain America, I'm his clone. Created by the great Albus Dumbledore in an attempt to recreate Captain America, but under his control. I don't know if you're familiar with what's going on in the European wizarding world."

"Our town Sheriff is one of Dumbledore's grandchildren, we have a son of his who was a CSI in Miami, he stole him from his life and left a golem in his place to die in a jewelry store robbery. We have another grandson of his who Dumbledore thought was a klutz and stranded on a deserted island with the people on the sightseeing boat with him for a number of years, sabotaging their attempts to leave. They only managed to escape when his attention was elsewhere and he whined in a scroll about how his fun was spoiled."

"You know of his 'affection' for muggleborn female students?"

"The young man you met earlier is the youngest of the adult children, the youngest of them all is not quite eighteen months old and adopted by the town sheriff. He also took in Harry Potter, the hero of the wizarding world. A group of us took out Voldemort last summer." Johnny nods in satisfaction. "When he couldn't find the superserum in my blood I was sent away. You don't seem too surprised to hear this?"

"You are not the only product of Dumbledore's breeding attempts. He took his own daughter and bred her to one of the teachers at the school, using potions to speed to pregnancy to three days. The baby did not appear magical at birth and he used a time turner to send the baby back to be adopted. While not a wand witch, she is a nature path witch. He stole multiple children and placed them with other families after making sure nobody remembered them. One of them turned out to be the second Potter son, Harry's uncle."

"Susan is another one of his children, our mother stole me and her when she finally escaped him. He'd kept her for breeding stock. Her name was Sally-Anne Perks."

"You're too old."

"Mom stole a time turner when she escaped. . .after nearly gutting Dumbledore with a sword. He'd said that she'd left the school after their second or third year but she'd been a captive at the school all that time. Escaping back in time she made her way to Gringotts and the Goblins sent her to America. She eventually ended up marrying our father when I was two and Susan five."

"Is Susan magical?"

Before he can answer the floo across the room springs to life, revealing a goblin. "I am sorry to . . ." his voice trails off as she looks at Johnny Storm. "That is not Mr. Rogers."

"No I'm not. My name is Jonathon Storm."

The goblin swears and asks him to keep the floo open as he scurries off.