Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers or any of the related characters in this fic. I only own the original characters I decide to include and any original plot ideas.
A/N: Before we get started, just a few notes.
First, I've just started my first year of graduate school, so updates may take a while. I do have the story arc outlined and random bits of chapters already written. It's just a matter of finding time to connect those bits. I have every intention of finishing this story, so stick with me (and maybe hit the follow button on your way out)!
Second, this will diverge from the canon after The Avengers and IM3. I'm not sure where they're placing Thor: The Dark World chronologically, but it will not be included in this fic. I just saw it tonight and, as I expected, both Thor and Loki wind up in different places by the end of the movie than where I've already planned for them being during this fic. EDIT: I now know T:DW is supposed to take place the November before IM3, so this fic is officially AU (not that it wasn't going to be). Due to timey-wimey stuff I may or may not explain later, the Convergence and all related events (basically all of T:DW except for the first few scenes) hasn't happened yet in my fic's timeline.
Finally, the plot is mainly driven by Bruce, but the entire team will be featured. And as stated above, Loki will appear as well. All pairings follow MCU canon with the possibility of some Clintasha later.
"Dr. Banner," JARVIS's cool tone sounded from the ceiling of Bruce's lab.
"Yes?" Bruce was in the middle of work in his lab at Stark Tower. Well, after the battle of New York and several months of construction, it had become something more like Avengers Tower. Tony had set aside sleeping quarters for each of the heroes to use as they pleased. It wasn't like they were living there, but if one of them was in the Tri-state area it was not uncommon for them to crash there for the night. Bruce used it most often, since he worked in the building, in a lab on one of the lower levels. He routinely would lose track of time as he worked and would wind up crashing in his quarters instead of venturing across town. Even so, he continued to pay rent for a tiny apartment just above Chinatown, no matter how many times Tony insisted he should just live in the Tower. Bruce could be stubborn when he wanted to be and living rent free in the Tower sounded a little too much like charity for his liking. When he was on the run, he had spent months at a time dependent on begging on the streets. Now that he had a steady job there was no way he'd take advantage of his friend like that. Never mind Tony was the one paying him to do this steady job in a lab that really was "Candyland."
"Your presence is requested in the Penthouse suite," JARVIS informed.
Bruce raised an eyebrow, but did not question the AI as he saved the file he was working on and made his way to the elevators. He could use a break. No doubt Tony wanted to show him something. The man usually came down to the labs to do it though; he'd burst in, not minding the glare for interrupting Bruce's work, and begin talking as if Bruce would instantly know to what he was referring to when he said "It's not liquefying," or "I built a log."
When he got to the top of the tower though, he wasn't instantly grappled into a conversation as he had expected. Instead he was greeted by a peculiar sight. Steve, who had been staying at the Tower for the past week, was presently bent over a small, pink form. Pepper was hurrying over with one of the many medical kits stashed on every floor. Tony was grumbling to himself, his face lit up by a screen above his desk.
The pink form stirred as Bruce approached. It was a young girl, ten years old or so. Bruce had no doubt what her favorite color was, judging from her bright, frilly dress and bows in her dark hair.
"Dr. Banner!" Steve sounded relieved, "She hasn't been responsive, but she's only been out for a few minutes."
Bruce nodded as he took the med kit from Pepper and knelt by the girl's side, "Where did she come from?" Normally, Bruce would have thought it was Steve being Steve again; taking an injured girl to the Tower was not out of his character. Taking an injured girl to the top floor and not the medical bay, however, was.
"She appeared out of thin air," Tony glared at the readouts on his screen, "Or according to this, she teleported here."
Bruce suddenly understood the frustrated look on Tony's face. Loki's attack three years prior had opened all of their eyes to the fact that there were some powerful abilities out there, but they hadn't had to deal with anything remotely supernatural since. Teleporting either meant advanced science or more of this unexplained "magic." It also meant the Tower could be infiltrated at any time. Bruce had the sudden feeling he would not be getting much sleep tonight.
"Let's move her to the couch," Bruce suggested after failing to find any physical wound on the child.
Steve agreed and began to lift the girl, until she let out a loud gasp and sat straight up. "Eeep!" She let out a tiny sound as she looked around her. She stood easily, brushing invisible dirt off her dress. "That meanie! You can't just throw a girl anywhere you want! He could have ruined my dress!" she said to no one in particular.
"Miss?" Steve got the girl's attention, "Are you alright?"
"Hm?" the girl looked at him. "Oh. Yes. I am." She fiddled nervously with her a set of ribbons sewn into her skirt as the four adults stared at her.
"And?" Tony snapped out of his stupefied countenance into a more smug tone. "Is there a reason you've decided to pop into existence in the middle of my living room?"
"Oh. Yes." She looked between the three males in the room. She seemed to grow a few inches as she puffed out her chest and placed her hands on her hips, "Which one of you is the Hulk?"
Bruce slowly stood and shuffled backwards in what he hoped was an inconspicuous attempt to put distance between him and the girl. Years of paranoia had taught Bruce that people looking for his green side were generally not friends. It was best to stay cautious, even with a child. A certain spy had taught him that one. "Why?"
Instead of answering him though, the girl removed the pair of lacy, pink gloves that adorned her hands and carefully tucked them into a pocket. She then reached out a bare hand to Steve, who still knelt beside her, her small fingers clasping around the soldier's own.
"Oh. Okay!" She grinned and let go of his hand. Then she was gliding over towards Bruce. No, not gliding. Floating. The girl had not grown a couple inches; she was literally floating a few inches above the ground. "It's you!" She stopped in front of Bruce and offered her hand to him instead. Bruce raised an eyebrow. "It's okay," the girl chirped, "It won't hurt."
"What won't?" Tony crossed the room, placing himself between the girl and Pepper. He looked ready to tackle the child if need be. The girl ignored him, still looking expectantly at Bruce. Tony didn't back down, "Look missy, you can't just teleport in here, somehow determine who the Hulk is by holding Cap's hand and then say something won't hurt and then expect us to believe you."
Steve seemed to have the same idea. He stood, placing a hand on Bruce's shoulder, silently directing Bruce to stand behind him. The girl pouted, and then sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine!"
She floated taller, to match the adults' heights. "I," hands on her hips again, she grinned proudly, "am here to kill the Hulk!"
Her announcement was met with stunned silence.
"Uh. You realize the Hulk is nine feet tall, has giant muscles, and can squash you with one foot?" Tony asked. "I mean, the sheer intensity of your pinkness might make him hesitate, but…"
"I'm not stupid," the girl stuck her tongue out at the billionaire, "I'm not going to destroy him by fighting."
"Then what do you plan on doing?" Bruce asked softly.
She beamed at him. "Just grab my hand and I'll show you!"
"He's not going to hold your hand and skip around the room after you threatened to kill him," Tony said.
"What?" the girl looked shocked, "I'm not going to kill him! I'm going to kill the Hulk!"
Bruce frowned. The others looked just as confused and skeptical as he was. Was she saying she could separate him from the Other Guy?
The girl was growing impatient and sighed, "It really is quicker if I show you. Here." She floated with surprising speed around Steve to Bruce's side. Then she reached out with both hands towards Bruce's face. Bruce instinctively caught her hands with his own as he leaned away, but the moment his skin met hers it happened.
The sensation felt a bit like being underwater. Pressure was suddenly building in his head.
And then he was back in the lab at Culver University, trying to comfort Betty with a smile and a wink. The experiment was only just starting but then the pain was starting and the green was starting and the confusion and panic and anger were overpowering and—
Nothing.
Bruce blinked. The penthouse came into focus again. He had fallen to his knees. Pepper was beside him, calling his name. Steve and Tony were each gripping one of the girl's arms, dragging her away.
"Bruce? Are you alright?" Pepper's eyes were wide as she searched his face.
"Y-yeah," Bruce swallowed and slowly nodded, "I'm fine. I'm just… I'm fine."
Tony shot him a disbelieving look before rounding on the child. "What did you do?" he growled.
"What I told you!" she giggled. "I killed the Hulk." And then, despite the iron grip both men had on her, she faded, like smoke, until nothing was left but empty air.