Bruce Banner loved the frozen foods aisle. Not because he was a sucker for packaged peas or ready-to-eat Spring rolls. It wasn't about the frozen Indian Snacks there- the 'paneer tikka' or 'aloo' patty.

It was just so nice and cold. A welcome respite from the heat that surrounded him, outside and within. Maybe S.H.I.E.L.D should build him a huge refrigerator, he thought, as he pushed his wobbly shopping cart in the frozen foods aisle of Calcutta's largest departmental grocery store. Maybe the icy coolness could solve his little green problem, he thought, and chuckled.

Calcutta was a mess, but it felt like his mess. He looked around him and saw two excited shoppers rushing through, muttering something about Pepsi. He remained at his favourite spot, pretending to read the label of the frozen curry in his hand. He smiled to himself thinking of all the gleaming, luxurious hotels he had stayed at, and the State-of-the-Art lab he once worked in. He had grown so used to this current location that all those comforts seemed to be from a previous life.

He looked up from his curry packet and saw a woman standing next to him, trying to reach a box of frozen french fries. She was wearing a pair of skinny jeans and a pink tunic with a peacock embroidered on it. Her arm stretched out to the top shelf, partially covering her face from his view. She seemed too fair, too rosy to be from Calcutta, where the harsh sun caused a bronze complexion. She wasn't pale, nor did she have that redness that most tourists did when they experienced the heat. Her attire was similarly confusing. Skinny jeans were a western staple, while the tunic looked native. Who was she?

Realizing that he was holding the same packet of frozen curry, he hurriedly dumped it in his cart and moved towards her, pretending to look for french fries too. She had managed to get hers, and her head was bent as she read the label on the packet. Her hair were falling over her face and Bruce noticed how long they were. Waist length, almost. And their mocha colour suddenly made him crave a cup of coffee, steaming, with cream and…

She looked up at him.

Green eyes, so clear, they seemed to glow. For a moment, Bruce couldn't think.

"'Hi! Another fan of the french fries?' she said, grinning and waving her packet of french fries at him. Bruce smiled in response. At least he hoped he was smiling and not leering, as he suspected he was close to doing. Maybe he should say something...

'Actually, I haven't ever tried them. Any good?'

She laughed and said, 'An American who lives in India, and doesn't depend of frozen french fries for nutrition? Impressive.'

She spoke to him with an easy familiarity, like she knew him for years. Was she flirting with him? His own social skills were pretty rusty, so he couldn't tell. He really didn't want to overanalyse and embarrass himself. 'How can you be sure I'm American?'

'Elementary, my dear Watson. Your accent.'

Bruce was a little taken aback. He thought he didn't have one anymore, after all his globetrotting. Surprisingly, this mysterious girl was able to pick it up from his English so casually, and despite his 'adventures' all over the world, he couldn't identify her accent. She could have been from anywhere.

'You caught me. Where are you from?' Bruce tried not to show how curious he was for the answer.

Suddenly, he heard some music. And, since it didn't sound like violins, he suspected it wasn't just in his head. Was it some rock song? Led Zeppelin?

The girl reached into her pocket, looking embarrassed, and pulled out her ringing cell phone. Her cheeks were looking even rosier by her slight blush. Was it embarrassment over her choice of ringtone, surprise over the call, or something else?

'Hello...WHAT? No, Phil, you know weddings are big deal with my family. No, you- It's not like it is with everybody. Believe me, you don't know what torture I will have to face it I miss the wedding of my- Phil, it's my first vacation in ages! What is the rush- ok, no need to be sarcastic. I'll try to fly out tomorr- Fine, today- No, not immediately. I need to say bye and pack some important things. That's the the final deal, Phil. Cool, then, see you on the super-secret helicarri-Ok, I won't say it out loud. Bye.'

Bruce heard every word she spoke and again tried, unsuccessfully, to identify her accent. And without realizing it, he fervently prayed 'Phil' wasn't her boyfriend.

'Sorry about that! That was my boss having a fit' she said. 'I guess I have to return to my job earlier than expected so, I gotta go. BTW, what's your name?'

Bruce was still processing her sudden words, so he responded automatically, 'Bruce'.

'It was really nice to meet you! Enjoy your french fries, Bruce from America!' And before he could say anything to stop her, she broke into a sprint and vanished from the store. Bruce was left standing next to her abandoned shopping cart. He looked at his hand and realized that it was numb from holding the packet of frozen french fries. His mind was similarly numb. He cursed himself, wishing he had stopped her somehow, finished their conversation. That girl- How could he not ask her name? - left him with so many questions. Who was she? Where was she from? How did she know so much about accents? Was that really Led Zeppelin playing as her ringtone? Why was he so intrigued by her? And her eyes...

Where had he seen that shade of green before?

A/N: A story about my favorite Avenger! And an OC that matches his awesomeness! Get set for a roller coaster worthy of blowing the socks off the Hulk! Reviews make my day :-)