Okay, so real fast, just a couple of quick notes. My story Liesmith is not abandoned, it's just that I'm having some writers block on that one, and also on SCSALDM. But I've got a new story as well. But it's just a two shot, and I've already finished it, so yeah. I know, I know. Like I needed another story when I haven't completed Liesmith yet. Also, BTdubs, Loki is a part of the team in this fic. It's not explained, it just is. And this is because I just cannot write a single Avengers or Thor-Verse fanfiction without Loki. Not one. But who would want to?

Disclaimers: I do not own the Avengers, or anything belonging to Marvel. So basically, any character or thing that you recognize isn't mine. The only thing that I created is the storyline. Enjoy it!

JoAmazing~

The Avengers had a dangerous job. A very dangerous, destructive job that often involved burns, broken bones, exhaustion, headaches, sore throats, large bruises, deep cuts, and pretty much any other sort of injury you could think of. Not only that, but their dangerous, destructive, harmful job was dangerous and destructive and harmful mentally as well as physically. This brought about nightmares, mental breakdowns, flashbacks, reactions to trauma and even the occasional psychotic episode.

So it was no surprise, perhaps, that the Avengers often needed a doctor. And it wasn't really all that surprising that none of them really liked hospitals, trusted the physicians there, or had enough patience to stay in medical facilities for very long.

The first time Thor had been taken to the hospital, he had knocked out three doctors with a large concussion and his entire right arm broken and he had to be sedated, only to wake up again and summon Mjonir, breaking several hospital walls, and then promptly escaping to the Tower. Tony had given him a hard time about the lawsuits and bad press, Steve had argued with the god about needing injuries taken care of so that they could all be one hundred percent, and Loki had been too furious for words over the disappearing act, but Thor would not go back.

Natasha's first visit had come about because she was shot twice, once in the shoulder in once in her knee. Upon waking up she calmly demanded that she be let out, despite her pain, and slipped out through the window when they wouldn't release her. The team went frantic for a brief while when they heard she had disappeared, but they found Natasha in her bedroom, trying to take care of the injuries herself. They had a talk about safety to her as well, but Natasha was adamant. Apparently, hospitals were one of the best places to kill people.

Clint's visit had been rather horrible and ended up with about twenty people on the roof trying to talk Clint out of jumping off of the building while he yelled that they were idiots, and he wasn't to about to jump. Because his leg was practically shattered from falling from a really high height and he was only standing because he was boss and ninja like that, as he said. And then he had climbed down the hospital walls, taken a cab, and promptly passed out upon reaching the Tower. Clint didn't trust the 'creepy jerkish' doctors, and also hated the color white. Oddly enough.

Steve's visit had been a little more mundane. He ended up in the hospital after getting a sound beating, ending up with several broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder. After waking up and breaking a doctors nose in pure reaction, Steve stayed as long as he had to, but he was not happy about it. He left as quickly as he could, and said that he did not want to go back. Which the hospital was pretty happy about, as Clint and Tasha had stationed SHIELD agents outside his door, Tony had hacked into their security cameras with ease, and Thor and Loki refused to use the waiting room.

Tony's first visit to the hospital as part of the team was downright horrendous. He had, of course, been sacrificing himself for the sake of humanity again and ended up with third degree burns over most of his body and metal fused to his skin. He was also in a coma for nearly a week. When he woke up the first time he freaked out so badly that he had to be sedated, and then he woke up the second time and it all went down from there. Not paying any attention the team and Pepper, Tony demanded he be let out, tried to get up, and threatened everyone (including the team.) He ended up trying to buy the hospital and fire all the doctors, and when that didn't work Tony hacked into the computers, put JARVIS on it, overrode protocols and had JARVIS fly over the Iron Man suit so that he could put it on and leave. Once again, the team freaked out before Bruce found him passed out in the workshop, Dummy and You trying to take care of his many injuries. They all decided that bringing the inventor back to the hospital wouldn't help anything, considering that Tony would just freak out again.

Loki's first hospital visit as part of the team was worse than even Tony's. He was practically covered in deep cuts and bruises, had many broken bones, was exhausted from overusing magic, and was sick and yet Loki did not pass out. They had the god hyped up on enough medication to kill a rhino, just trying to get him to sleep, but apparently, Loki didn't do well on meds. He freaked out. Screaming, crying, and thrashing around, apparently unaware of where he was or who was there. Of course, it hardly helped the hospital staff that the rest of the Avengers (seeing the strong and cynical Loki freak out) soon lost it themselves. It was all Bruce could do to keep everyone sane. Tony and Thor both demanded that Loki be moved to the Tower, where only doctors that were approved by Tony, Pepper, SHIELD, Heimdall (on Thor's insistence), and the New York police department were allowed to go anywhere near Loki. Once Loki was in the right mind again, he was so relieved and tired out that they all agreed right away. No more taking Loki to the hospital. Period.

And as far as psychiatrists went, it was out of the question for all of them. The Avengers laughed at the idea of needing help with mental problems. Thor and Loki had trouble seeing the purpose of a psychiatrist; apparently in Asgard people were either perfectly fine or they were dead, and they couldn't understand trying to work through mental problems instead of just dying and getting it over with. They had all been pretty appalled at the general idea, but when Loki challenged them they all had to agree that they didn't want to be useless or insane anymore than the Asgardian warriors.

So, without real doctors and hospitals, but with their dangerous, destructive, harmful and potentially catastrophic job, coupled with their horrible, painful and traumatic back-stories that generally left them all mentally and physically hurt and exhausted, they ended up needing Bruce quite often.

Despite his frequent insistence that he wasn't that kind of doctor, Bruce often ended up treating injuries, taking care of illnesses, or just listening while his team-mates talked about problems. He didn't often join in fights with the team, and typically only saw the aftermath of things. A few instances stuck out amongst all others.

One time, the door of the rec room was thrown open, and Steve and Tony were carrying a thrashing Natasha between them. Apparently, she had gone into some kind of fit after being held in a torture room. Tony and Steve had no idea what to do, and Clint, Loki and Thor (part of the frontal attack) were all still fighting. Tony and Steve had dragged Tasha back to the quinjet and flown her home. Bruce managed to get Natasha to sleep, and talked to her about the whole thing in the morning. When she met the rest of the team, she was the same calm girl who they all knew and loved, without a trace of fear or weakness. Everything went back to how it had been and everyone was greatly relieved. Clint had his arm around Natasha for most of the day, Thor sparred with her, Steve kissed her on the cheek and blushed, she bantered with Loki, and she even agreed to Tony's idea of watching a movie.

After the day was over, she came and smiled at Bruce. "You really are something, Dr. Banner," she said. "Thanks."

Another instance involved Tony, who had gotten badly injured in a fight. Thor had carried him back. They were all a little worried about Bruce Hulking out and injuring Tony further when he saw all the damage, but they didn't know what else to do. Loki couldn't even use his healing magic, because he'd exhausted his magic supply already, which he was furious at himself for. Bruce treated Tony as best as he could in the mechanics room, and he thought he did alright. Tony was soon up and saying clever quips, although he was still a little weak, and Bruce immediately talked to him about installing some sort of hospice so that he could treat people properly. Tony agreed readily. The whole next week, the mechanic was annoyed, because no one would leave him alone. Everyone smothered him, even Loki, trying to make sure he was comfortable, well, and sure of the fact that he didn't need to kill himself to get jobs done. Finally, Tony had shouted at them and retreated to his labs. But when Bruce followed him, he seemed happy with the quiet company and clapped his hand on Bruce's shoulder.

"What would I do without Brucey?" He said, as if to himself.

Another instance involved Loki. The temperature had risen to the highest it had ever been in New York, and Loki, being a Frost Giant, didn't do well in such heat. He was struck with a high fever, and was laid up in bed, dreadfully sick. It was the weakest any of them had seen Loki since his breakdown at the hospital, and everyone was a little unnerved by it. Thor had hardly left his brother's side, although Loki was hardly aware of his presence. The thunderer was uncharacteristically silent as he wiped Loki's brow with a cold cloth. Natasha and Clint 'kept their distance,' but Bruce heard from JARVIS that they'd often sat in the vents, worried and watching carefully. Steve kept trying to contact Asgard, hoping that the Allfather would be of some help. When he got no response from the king or the queen, he was protectively furious. For his part, Tony was frantic. He bought so much chicken soup, fever reducing medicines and ice packs that Loki was drowning in them, and he furiously tried to figure out any information on Jotuns that could help. Bruce had done what he could for Loki, and eventually the heat wave died and Loki (though still weak and shaky) started getting better. Bruce didn't think Loki had realized how much the team cared about him until they all temporarily moved into the hospice, watching movies and asking him day in and out whether or not he needed anything. Bruce had thought Loki would've been annoyed like Tony, but he seemed to relish the attention, especially from Thor. At the end of a day, when the others were all asleep, Loki had sat up and looked at Bruce for a second.

"Dr. Banner?" He'd said, voice sleepy. "Thank you for helping me. It was really most kind of you." Loki then hesitated, nervously playing with his blanket. "It is nice… That you care enough to treat me. I am… thankful. For you."

And then Loki had turned red and tried to bring things back into normalcy by calling him a foolish mortal and rolling his eyes at Thor, who was asleep on the floor by his bed and holding his hand.

Honestly, despite how hard it was to try and take care of the stubborn Avengers, Bruce held onto moments like that. The feeling of being wanted and needed. Just like a parent, when their kid tells them 'I love you' or 'thank you' Bruce felt appreciated. Loved. He hadn't felt that way very often before the team, so it was nice to know that they wanted him. So he kept doing it, despite how difficult his team members could be, and despite the fact that he really wasn't qualified for that sort of thing. Because his friends needed him, and that was enough.

So even small things, Bruce tended to. Steve looked upset, so he talked to him. Natasha had frowned, so Bruce tried to make her laugh. Thor fought with Loki, so Bruce told the thunderer that they'd make up. Clint had gotten a cut on his head, so Bruce tended to it. Loki had retreated into his shell, so Bruce tried to coax him back out again. And Tony, who needed Bruce perhaps more than anyone, Bruce stayed with. Even when Tony made him mad, even when Tony hurt his feelings, even when Tony acted selfishly, Bruce stayed at the Tower, told Tony they were still friends and always would be. He was stable, where others were erratic and prone to taking back their word or giving up on the inventor. Bruce provided Tony with a constant feeling of being wanted, just like Tony and the others did for him.

And he found that it helped. Not just with Tony, but with everyone. Bruce wanted Tony around, and the inventor didn't drink so much, drive so fast, or act so selfishly. Bruce wanted Natasha around as well, and she started opening up more, not hiding so much, and started to trust. He wanted Clint around, and the archer wasn't as moody, obnoxious, or self-indulgent. Bruce wanted Thor around, and the god tried to control his temper, or not act rashly, or not say insensitive things. Bruce wanted Steve around, and the captain tried to be more understanding, less stubborn, and more easy-going. Bruce wanted Loki around, and the trickster acted more like the kid he still was, not putting up so many walls, not relying only on himself, and letting others be close to him.

Of course, it wasn't just Bruce. They all worked together, making each other feel important and cared for. And that was what made them such a great team. They wouldn't fall to pieces, because they needed the team and the team needed them. They would never give up, because they knew that the team would be there, and they had to hold on for their sake. Everyone worked together, and Bruce knew that he wasn't some all-important guy that everyone adored. He knew that the team would survive without him.

But Bruce also knew that when Tony was depressed, he came to him. When Loki needed an outlet about problems with Thor, he came to Bruce. When Thor needed to talk about problems that he thought would upset his brother, he came to Bruce. When Steve, or Clint or Natasha needed someone to talk to or help them work through something, they came to Bruce.

So he couldn't ever leave. He couldn't seclude himself. He couldn't keep his distance. The team would freak if they ever heard Bruce thought of killing himself again, but Bruce never thought about it again. Because it would hurt the team too much. And he couldn't abandon them.

Not when the team needed him.

So yeah. That's my story. Pretty cool, I think. It's a two-shot, so there's another chapter. Just click that little 'next chapter button.' Click it. Click it now. While you still like the story. It's like, the highlight of the story. I hope you liked this chapter, though. Follow, favorite, review. And then watch those updates. Cause we still got one chapter left.

JoAmazing~