"Okay, I think that's the last box," Lucy declared, heaving her armful down onto the kitchen counter. She looked around the pristine space, rolling her eyes at the sound of bangs and crashes from upstairs. "Sounds like the boys are having fun."

Sue Storm shared her grin from where she was sorting cutlery. "So long as nothing gets scorched in his excitement, I think this place should be livable in another couple of hours," she agreed cheerfully. "I still can't believe Liv and Johnny managed to get a brownstone like this as a second home here in New York. The prices on this street are extortionate."

Lucy snickered, glancing around to make sure no one else was near enough to hear her. The teens had plumped for staying at Steve and Lucy's place with the animals for the day, but everyone else was at the Storms' new Brooklyn second residence, working together to make the place habitable for the rapidly expanding family. Well, the adults were. Martin, Alexei, Maria, and Lianne had been let loose in the room that had been set aside as a playroom for them with paint, brushes, and overalls, allowed to decorate it as they liked. Liv was wandering between the bedrooms, making sure there was a decent supply of clothing for everyone kept here, and Steve and Johnny were being manly with screwdrivers and hammers, putting up beds and various other D.I.Y. furniture. She still lowered her voice before speaking, though.

"Don't tell either of them, but Tony paid for it," she intimated to her sort-of sister-in-law.

Sue's jaw dropped. "You're kidding"!"

"Nope." Lucy grinned, opening up the last box to start unwrapping the crockery. "Liv mentioned to him that they were looking for somewhere in Brooklyn big enough for their family to stay in more regularly, and a couple of hours later, I got an email with a list of places from Pepper. The second they decided they wanted to see if they could put a bid in on this place, I emailed Pepper back, and we got the deeds through the next day, all bought and paid for. He's a moron, but he likes Liv enough to be nice."

Sue snorted with laughter at Lucy's evaluation of Tony Stark. "Yeah, well, don't tell Reed, but he's paid for most of the furnishings," she confessed, sending Lucy off into gales of laughter. "Every time Johnny mentions paying us back, I change the subject."

"The things we do for family, huh?" Lucy chuckled, looking instantly guilty as her twin wandered into the kitchen.

"What did you do?" Liv asked curiously, sinking down onto one of the chairs at the table with a relieved sigh. As wonderful as being pregnant was, she was looking forward to not being pregnant by the end of the month. It was getting uncomfortable, carrying a whole other human being around all the time.

"I bought you a complete kitchen," Lucy offered innocently, ignoring Sue's less than helpful snickering as she hefted the pile of plates as evidence.

"You really didn't have to," Liv pointed out with a faint smile. "We could have fitted out the place ourselves, eventually."

"But this way, you don't need to worry about it, especially with the baby coming so soon," Sue countered. "Besides, why shouldn't we help out' We don't see you guys often enough, and with a second house here, you'll be far more comfortable to come and visit on your own terms without squeezing in with either of us."

"We will pay you back, both of you," Liv started, but was quickly interrupted by Lucy.

"Not a chance, kiddo," she informed her twin cheerfully. "Suck it up and take it like a man. It's a big ol' present from us to you, so shush and jus enjoy it."

"What she said," Sue nodded in agreement, collapsing her own box. "All we're waiting for now is those couches to arrive, and you guys will be completely moved in."

"And the groceries," Lucy added.

Liv's mouth fell open. "When did you do grocery shopping for this place?" she demanded, genuinely shocked by how much her sister and sister-in-law were doing to get the brownstone family-ready.

"Oh, me and Fliss went online yesterday and did it," her sister informed her, waving a hand to dismiss the surprise. "It'll be a big order, but it's mostly stuff that won't perish, so when you pop in and out, you'll mostly only have to get stuff like milk and bread."

"Well, that settles it," Liv declared. "You're all going to have to let us have you 'round to dinner, or take you out. If you're not going to let us repay you, it's the least we can do."

"You're not cooking for thirteen or more when you're this close to popping," Sue told her firmly. "Save it for next year, when everything is a little more under control. Trust me, you're gonna struggle enough to cook for yourselves when the baby comes."

"That's why Fliss is taking cookery classes, after all," Lucy added. "So she can look after you guys for once. Enjoy it while it lasts, that's what I say."

A thump from upstairs made all three women look toward the ceiling, each trying to work out whether it had come from the playroom, or one of the bedrooms on the level above that. The loud laughter that followed pinpointed it for all of them.

"Sounds like Steve has his hands full," Sue commented, putting the kettle on to make a pot of tea.

"Are you kidding?" Liv laughed softly. "Johnny isn't that bad. He's probably just a little over excited about working on a project with Steve, that's all."

"To be fair, it doesn't take much to make Everlast excited," Lucy snickered, and yelped as her sister reached out to spank her backside. "What' It's true! The man has a hard-on for all things Steve Rogers-related!"

"Not as hard as yours," Liv smirked, laughing out loud when Sue gaped at her. Johnny's sister hadn't really been in close proximity with the twins before.

Lucy laughed. "Hey, I'm his wife, I'm allowed to get hard for him," she protested. "Wait, that doesn't sound right ..."

"I really don't want this level of insight into either of your sex lives," Sue chuckled, rolling her eyes at the sisters. "Even if one of you wasn't sleeping with my little brother."

"Oh, come on, like you don't want to brag about sleeping with Mr. Stretchy," Lucy teased her, delighting in the blush that spread over the other woman's face.

"No comment," Sue muttered, trying not to giggle at the good-natured ribbing going on.

"Mama?"

Both Lucy and Liv looked around at the voice, but it was Alexei who wandered into view, his face, hair, and overalls liberally splattered with paint. Liv smiled, opening her arm to her son as he came over to her, leaning into her side. "What's up, buttercup?"

"Nothing," he admitted with a shy smile. "I just wanted to see you, and Maria is busy painting flowers in her corner."

Touched, Liv hugged him affectionately, heedless of the paint that smeared onto her cheek and clothes. "Well, it's lovely to see you," she told her son, grateful that the other two mothers in the room were busying themselves with other tasks. "We're about to take a break. Maybe you and the others should wash your hands and faces, and take off your overalls, before you get Dad and Uncle Steve down here to be social, what do you think?"

Alexei grinned, nodding cheerfully. "I think so! I'll go and do that!"

As the little boy scurried off back up the stairs to round up the rest of the family from their various pursuits, Lucy smiled to herself.

Just a couple of years ago, she would never have imagined her sister as the proud mother of three young people, with another on the way. She had always thought Liv would be slow and cautious, to the point of inaction, and yet now look at her. Married with children, a dog, and now two homes - thanks to the brother who was still pretending he didn't really want anything to do with them - Liv was the real success story of their little family. She had gone from a shy, lonely young woman, to an active, loving wife and mother, in less than five years. Lucy had a feeling that, no matter where the Storms eventually chose to settle down for good, so long as Liv was ruling the roost, it would always be home.