The events that led to the attack on the city of Manhattan left major parts of New York in ruins. A hole had opened up in the sky and let loose an armada of aliens. Led by none other than the envious, power hungry demigod with a personality complex to boot; Loki. After stealing the tesseract from Shield's base of operations he hijacked some of the best minds their headquarters had to offer. Then he set his plan into action, with the use of Professor Erik and his knowledge of dimensional plains he was able to construct a portal in which then later was able to release the creatures later known as the Chitauri.

Even though Loki had managed to separate the Avengers and seemingly knock them down a few pegs. I guess you could say that reindeer games had dashed their hopes of winning. All was at a loss. But with a last ditch effort they managed to pull off the impossible. Even use a nuclear missile to their advantage to take out the mother ship. At the end of the day the newly formed Avengers defended and saved everyone. Loki's motives were still unknown other than the fact that he was aiming for complete world domination.

After all of the craziness that went down it was a wonder the city was even still standing. In retrospect it was in better shape than if it was nuked off of the face of the planet. Sure some buildings were demolished, the streets were torn apart but the city was safe at last. Other than the Chitauri body's that remained as well as a few huge space lizards. The newly formed Avengers could count this as their first ever official victory as a team.

After the battle, Thor took his troublesome brother Loki home to Asgard to be tried for his crimes in attempting to take over the Earth. The Allfather was not proud in the least bit though Loki could honestly care less. He was the god of mischief after all. It was his pleasure to cause trouble. Even if it was just to destroy or enslave another world. It wasn't a mystery as to why since he couldn't rule over his own. Or what he at least thought was his own.

Tony figured rather than to have a huge monument located in the center of New York with his name plastered on the front if it. It would be put to better use as the head quarters for the newly form team of misfits. Or in his words a playhouse for the super wanna be hero freaks. The world however will soon know them as the Avengers.

Even though he would never admit it, the jealous prince taught him something very valuable about himself. That selfishness can be the cause for such a disaster. Although Tony was notorious for being a self centered rich boy he had managed to disband most of his foolhardy habits through team work.

A near death experience can really open someone's eyes to a bunch of different things. One which may be the cruel truth is that humans are weak creatures. They can't stand up to something like what happened the other day. It was a god send that opened their eyes and will forever change their view on how they see the world. They needed to be protected and for some reason he felt there was still more trouble to come. Countless enemies would appear and try to disband their heroic attempts in keeping the peace. But they had to try.

It's funny in a way; even after all of this he never would have imagined himself working well with others. That is unless of course he was the leader of the so called team then maybe. But he didn't care about that, if anything he's just happy to be the benefactor of the group. He was just happy to be a part of the team even though in the beginning it seemed more like a chore than a duty. If it meant anything they really did come through in a time of need and it felt great having a common goal for the greater good. And even though they didn't know each other they managed to pull it off and saved lives. If that doesn't call for a drink than I don't know what does.

...

"Tony maybe it would be a good idea to slow down a bit. I mean just take a break and relax for a while" Bruce was referring to the drink he was in the process of making, which in this case would be his fifth one. Even if he was a rich boy with a high tolerance for alcohol it would still be in his best interest to let up a little. After all drinking yourself into oblivion was not always the best way to party.

"Oh the Incredible Hulk is telling me when I've hit my limit," Tony said jokingly as he began to shake his mixer containing God knows what. The look on the other face however was in distaste. Tony was already hard to deal with sober. Damn near impossible when he's drunk. Whenever he did get that way he had a habit of joking around more than usual. His favorite activity to date as far was poking fun at Banner. Up until he could provoke a reaction out of him. Being he could keep his emotions so well in tact after all. It wasn't such an easy task but it still entertained Tony to try.

"Tony how have you not keeled over from alcohol poisoning yet? I know most that expensive stuff has to be pretty potent." Bruce added sarcastically, knowing full well that it would take a lot more then drunk teasing for him to strike a nerve. Not to mention the other loved playing along. It was a test of whit's and Tony had pictured himself the comedian of the group when in fact it wasn't all that hard to make one smart ass remark after another. Especially for one with the mentality of a genius like himself even when pit against someone just as smart.

"He being a rich boy and all he'd be able afford another liver if he needed to. It's no big deal." Clint scoffed from his seat on the far side of Natasha. Bruce just rolled his eyes at his snide remarks. He figured he was too good to be playing along in this childish game. "Well no one said anyone in particular had to be the funny one." Hawkeye was the one to give him props for a least trying. Thor only joined in once he saw the awkward look on his face when he was denied laughter.

"Hey lighten up a bit Bruce I'm messing with you. Is it so wrong to live a little? After all the crazy things that went on yesterday it's nice just to have a little time to relax you know? And I promise you I won't drink myself to a new liver. That is if it makes you feel any better." He finished his sentence by placing a fresh paper umbrella in a new colorful drink.

"Do what you wanna do. It's none of my business. Just enjoy yourself if that makes you happy." Bruce grumbled thinking the man was too high up on his ego and just tap dancing on his nerves. Probably not a good idea but Tony just loved to push other people's buttons to see how far he could get away with it, even if he wasn't exactly the right person to be doing it to. But hey he's drunk right, that means everybody's a target.

Even so something was bothering him. Although Bruce was playing along it was hard for him to hide his concern. He always felt like he never had or needed anyone to look out for him. He'd always been able to care for himself he had to after what happened to him. After all he had no other choice. Not much in the world could actually harm him. But he liked to watch over others the only ones who he felt actually accepted him for what he was as well as who he was. Not just the monster but as the man. He pictured himself almost as some sort of guardian angel in some ways, probably more of an arc angel in other ways. He narrowed his brows slightly, figuring it wasn't right to joke around about serious matters like that. He'd always had a tendency to jinx things.

"Why thank you my sweet prince in green. How about you Captain, ready for another drink? I'll make you one if you want." Tony tilted his drink towards the blond sitting on the couch before taking a sip. "I make a mean daiquiri. Any flavor you want."

Steve looked up at the other in the bar and shook his head. "I'm fine. I'll just stick to beer, can't get drunk anyway so no big deal." He'd been unnaturally quiet all day and Tony was about desperate to get anything out of him, even a chuckle would be nice. Being a downer doesn't suit him well, from all he's heard he should be the light of the party. Telling an old war story or something, it's weird seeing him so quiet almost like he's lost or something.

Maybe he's still thinking about what happened to Coulson. It was unbelievable that the imp got the best of him. It's to think we'll never be able to hear his sarcastic remarks anymore; the man was a great agent and an even better man. He died with upmost honor. The world will just be a bit bleaker without him in it. His death however was in no way meaningless, it may have been the deciding factor that would finally bring a bunch of misfits together. They did after all, especially when the world needed them most and someone had to be avenged.

"Alright Mr. Sour Puss you can be like that if you want, it doesn't hurt me one bit." He said with a snob taking another huge gulp as he walked out from behind the counter and plopped himself on the couch. Natasha swirled her martini and sighed, sharing occasional glances with Bruce from where he sat across from her on the other couch the other blushing before looking away in embarrassment. It was quite an entertaining sight since Thor enjoined the squabbles of normal people. He chuckled and took another swig of the fine aged Asgardian whiskey from a jeweled silver flask.

"Thor, you look like you're enjoying yourself quite a bit over there." Tony said with a smug grin painted on his face.

"This idea of romance you humans have on Earth is so subtle compared to that of Asgard. Jane is the complete opposite of how normal people how you say 'flirt'. When I first met her she hit me with her metal carrier. Now that's a woman." He finished with a smile.

Steve and Natasha looked up at the blond with raised eyebrows, Tony only laughing at the far end of them. Clint shared in on the chuckle; Bruce just shook his head then looked at his glass of water. He could see his reflection on the liquid. Every time he'd move it'd ripple slightly, distorting the image.

"What's wrong Bruce?" Steve asked. "You look a little out of it."

"Oh its nothing, it's just so many things have changed all at once. It's a little overwhelming or at least for me it is. I went from helping sick families in a Third World country where no one had no idea who or what I was, to being recruited by the very people I've spent most of my days trying to avoid. Then to turn into the other guy that I've been keeping locked up for so long out of the safety for other people but this it was the exact opposite. But in the end it really didn't even matter now did it." Bruce said sulking in his seat a little bit.

"Hey it's not so bad. We're all a bunch of freaks here and besides you've somehow managed to learn how to control the shift. You're a hero now not a monster you helped save the lives of hundreds of people. Hell maybe even the whole planet from that power hungry god." Steve finished his sentence as if someone had dripped a bitter poison on his tongue.

The thought of that little pipsqueak getting the best of them almost brought his blood to a boil. He was never afraid of him. He was just another bully trying to pick on an innocent bystander. People like that needed to be put in their place.

"Hey!"

"No offense Thor but your kid brothers got a few kogs missing from his machinery up stairs and the only go I believe in wouldn't be a battle crazed race of barbarians, again no offense Thor." Steve quickly retaliated, not meaning to insult the man but rather to speak him mind. Which he'd always did.

"What the striped man says is true. You are an ideal contribution to this team, even if you're just as barbaric as an Asgardian warrior." He finished his sentence by raising his fist in admiration. There were few in the universe that could impress the God of Thunder. Let alone he'd find one of them to be on what he had always thought to of been a little insignificant planet he'd otherwise overlook. There was much here that impressed him not just a giant in a little man.

"Hey look at it this way. If the tesseract had never of been stolen you wouldn't have been able to meet this awesome guy." Tony smiled and pointed his thumb at himself.

Bruce chuckled somehow feeling a little better than he did. Probably because he had hardy known any of these people for more than a week and they were comfortable around him. He never thought that there would be anybody who would accept him, being a freak and all. He liked the feeling of acceptance. It had been so long since he felt like he actually had a purpose. Or even at home, like he had friends that were more like a family to him. That cared. "Thanks guys. I needed that."

"Hey don't get all sentimental on us now. I don't do gushy." Tony stated, finishing off his drink.

"Oh it's not that. It's just I guess I forgot how it felt to be treated like a person and not something that'll just level a house or fend off an entire army." Bruce admitted, swirling his water once more before taking a sip.

Natasha arched her eyebrows at the last comment he'd made. If anyone understood how he felt it was her. The only reason she was born was to become an assassin with absolutely no emotion. So is to never get attached and potentially fail a mission. That was her entire purpose in life, to serve. For once she was beginning to feel exactly the way he was describing. Like she belonged and wasn't just a battle ready pawn. Perhaps she was regaining what little emotion she had left.

She stood from her seat without a single word and set her drink down on the end table, turned and walked off towards the bathroom. Just because she wasn't a loud to show emotion didn't mean it wasn't there, hiding just underneath the surface. It was her strength, even if she was told it was to be a weakness. It gave her a reason to continue doing what she did best to escape the past and work towards something worth it, for herself and no one else.

But she was actually happy here. That mission to collect the big guy and rally up a team of misfits was the best thing she could of done. Spending most her time as a solo miracle informant was what she thought was her expertise. Who knew she'd work so well with a team of untrained, unqualified, undignified bunch of outsider. But in introspect she has glad things turned out the way they did.

She looked at herself in the mirror and smirked at the thought of working with this group even longer than she had anticipated. Now that Tony decided to generously donate the tower to the cause; the Avengers initiative. She was going to see a lot more of them in the near future. She was ok with this. She just kind of had the feeling she didn't really belong. After all her and Clint were on a completely different level compared to the rest. But they needed the knowhow as well as the authority. They were after all the most qualified to handle things in hazardous situations.

"What's her problem?" Tony said a little too loudly. He was always a loud drunk, subconsciously wanting to be the life of the party. In some cases he was but with this lot it seems like no one really wanted to celebrate at the moment. It was a bummer but I guess for some reason there were always things that need to be done, unfinished business as you will. Post battle contemplation just a bunch of stuff. As well as things he just couldn't understand.

"It's fine Tony I just need a moment." Natasha she said from around the corner. She had the acute hearing of an owl which was a must when she needed to hear an interrogation taking place in room all the way on the other end of the hall. Tony on the other hand shrunk a little not expecting the Black Widow to hear him from where he was. She always made him nervous, ever since first meeting her.

He thought it best to leave her alone. After working with her a few times before the actual Avengers got together he learned it was never a good thing to be on her bad side. He was a person that learned from trial and error but she was one he didn't want to test. Almost like a chemical experiment that had to be taken cautiously or else it could potentially be hazardous and life threatening.

"Well in any case are you ok now Brucey? I mean you have us now don't you?" Tony smiled his rosy red cheeks reflecting his level of maturity but he was being as sincere as he could. This meant something. That they all cared for him even though they didn't know him all that well or of what he'd done in the past. Maybe they did and didn't even care. But one thing was true. That even though you can have a checkered past that you are in control of your future and what you make of it. Love the sinner not the sin or even the monster.

"I mean your words must have struck close to home for Widow over there. She was practically trained to disregard her own feelings for the sake of some mission. The most of us are considered outcasts you're not the only one. What all have our faults and antics but we we're all here for a reason. We help people even though we've all had shady pasts." Out of all the idiotic things he'd said all day, that remark was by far the wisest he'd heard from Tony all day. It was the truth; all of them were considered broken birds without the wings to fly, although together they could soar however far they wanted to. I mean look at what they accomplished just a few days ago. They worked as a team for the first time and together they saved everyone. And that was something to be proud of.