So, just to clarify a few things. This story is based almost solely on the Marvel movies, but a few of the comic things thrown in there.

Enjoy.

I was a mutant, not a very powerful or useful one, but there was no denying what I was.

I had the ability to absorb someone's... energy from their being. I wasn't sure exactly what I absorbed; life force, aura, spiritual energy, but whatever it was, I could take it. I figured at a young age the more fit and young any living being was, the more I could take from it, whereas if I were to steal some energy from an old woman, or a withering plant, I would get barely anything in comparison to taking the same amount of energy from a healthy man in his prime, or a healthy strong animal.

My power never worked on inanimate objects, and as I grew older and studied health sciences, chemistry, supernatural sciences, and biology; I began to make sense of what exactly I was.

At the age of thirteen mutants became known to the public.

As they emerged into the public eye, I was presented with more research of what I was. I was able to seek out and learn more about who I was, and how my power worked. I excelled at all my classes in high school, graduated at the age of 16 and opted out of going to college. My parents, not being around or as loving as normal parents, were not around to care. I spent two years gathering information from my home, working at a retail store and saving every amount of money I had.

At 18, I left my home and bought a one way trip to Washington DC, where I stayed for a few years studying the political views of mutants and my kind.

At 22 I came in contact with another mutant over the internet and bought yet another plane ticket to the United Kingdom to meet with him.

I spent two years with him, letting him teach me certain things about my powers. He had a more general form of mutant powers, passive empathy, regarding emotions.

He had a theory, thinking I had a talent similar to empathy. Where he could sense, read, and manipulate someone's emotions, I could do the same with their energy.

We became close friends, him teaching me certain things about myself, but eventually he had taught me everything I could know, and I deemed it time to move on in search of more information.

I moved around a lot, my life going by in a blur. Eventually I went from trying to learn everything I could about my own mutation, to just trying to get by with what limited resources and money I had. Quite a few times I was resorted to draining people of their energy, knocking them out and emptying their wallets.

Not something I was particularly proud of.

Some how, I had ended up in Africa at the age of 27, after following a rumor I had on a mutant in the area who could heal using energy in the air around her. It turned out she just so happened to not be a mutant, but a very talented healer in a village that the natives thought was blessed with super natural power. Although she was good at healing, her gifts were greatly exaggerated and I decided to move on.

On a particular night, I was walking the shadows of the streets in a tiny populated town, my stomach rumbling for food. I was looking around, trying to find someone who looked like they had a good amount of money in their pockets who happened to be around the empty area I was in.

I noticed him walking around, the only one in the area. He also seemed to be leaving the tiny village, which was perfect. He had a backpack with him. I decided he wouldn't miss a few dollars from his pocket, and I was hungry.

I stood around the corner, leaning against the wall and waiting for him to walk past. When he came into my general vicinity, I tried to focus on him, ready to suck out all his energy and knock him out.

A slow trickle started to pour out of him and into my body, and I saw him stop, curious just a few yards ahead of me He held his stomach, kneeling over. He was probably wondering why he was getting weaker... tired.

In the next second, what was a trickle exploded into a massive rush of energy I'd never experienced before. The man hunched over, letting out an almost animistic growl.

I let out a gasp, unable to control it now. The energy exploded throughout my body, feeling as if electricity were going through my veins instead of blood.

My mind subconsciously shut off my mutation, stopping the flow of power. I cried out, falling to my knees and bring both my fists down on the pavement. I knelt down, eyes closed, body shaking and hyperventilating. I barely registered the fact that my fists hitting the pavement caused the sidewalk to crack and break under them.

I felt like I could demolish an entire city while at the same time feeling as if I was about to throw up and pass out cold on the street.

After a few moments my body stopped shaking enough for me to come to my senses and look up. I glanced at the man with the backpack, who was hunched over still and breathing heavily, his eyes closed. As if sensing I was looking at him, he turned slightly, glancing at me. The expression on his face was a cross between anger and agony. I let out a gasp, trying to stand up. I stood, feeling dizzy and saw my world tilt to the side. I caught my fall with my hand, slamming my palm against a near by fence. It cracked under my hand and I let out a cry, jerking away and falling over on my back.

I heard the man let out a loud sigh, before seeing him stand up out of the corner of my eye. He pushed his damp hair away from his face with one hand, and slowly turned to look at me.

I started to hyperventilate.

"What... What did you do to me?" I managed to rasp out, sitting up and raising my arm in front of me when he stepped close.

"I could ask you the same thing..." He muttered, looking me up and down, a slight frown on his face. "You don't know what you almost let loose."

His words scared me, although I knew not why and I started to back away from him. I clenched my hands and felt the hard ground crack under them.

He frowned a little more, his eyes darting to my hands. He took another step towards me and I backed away more, managing to stumble to my feet.

"Don't touch me." I glared at him. "Don't... don..." I walked backwards, my feet stumbling over themselves. My head snapped to the side, seeing a group of young teens turn the corner. I debated on calling out for a moment, asking for help, but I stopped, fearing they may call the police. That was the last thing I wanted.

"I won't hurt you." He said, slowly. "I don't know what you did, but I think you should come with me." He held his hand out to me, and I was aware of the kids eying us. Probably wondering what a woman in a defensive stance was doing with a man reaching out to her in a mini crater in the street. "You have some of... of my strength. You can't control it."

I stared at him long and hard, my body still shaking. "Are you..." I cleared my throat. "Are you a mutant?" I whispered.

His eyes crinkled behind his glasses and he smiled. "You could say that."

I glanced at the kids again who where standing there, whispering amongst themselves. I looked back at him and let out a breath. "If you hurt me, I will drain every ounce of energy you have in your body."

He smiled again, although it was stiff. We both knew it was a hollow threat, considering how well that worked the first time.

I took his hand, snatching my back pack off the ground. "Let's go to the railway. I can buy a hotel for us in town."

I felt uneasy about it, but I nodded. If he was a mutant, I supposed I had nothing fear. I was amongst my own kind after all.

After a few awkward silent hours, we managed to reach a big town nearby and he paid for a motel room.

He handed me the keys, his fingers brushing against mine.

A jolt of warm fire bolted through my arm, leaving my nerves tingling. I averted my eyes and snatched my hand away, ignoring the feeling. He cleared his throat.

I reached towards the door knob, and ended up crushing it in my fist. I let out an angry growl as he sighed, pushing the door open himself.

We walked inside and he stood there for a moment, watching me. "Just... uh, just sit. I'll get some tea, okay?"

I nodded, showing I understood. In truth I didn't really feel like moving anyways. My body ached. I sat on the torn, beat up love seat gingerly.

I sat there for who knows how long, hearing him bustle about in the kitchen. Eventually he walked back out, two cups of steaming hot tea in his hands. He handed me one and I cautiously accepted.

I sipped it slowly, watching him sit across from me on the foot rest. I cleared my throat and he looked up at me.

"I... I'm sorry. I was just trying-"

He held his hand up and I ceased talking. "No need. I know how hard it is for someone who's different in this world."

I sat there, not knowing what to say. I was shocked. Without knowing what to say I just introduced myself properly, realizing I didn't know his name.

"My name is Sarah."

He smiled, his eyes crinkling. "Bruce."

Three and a half years later

"Doctor we're facing a potential global catastrophe."

Bruce let out a chuckle. "Well those I actively try to avoid."

Natasha ignored him, and held up a phone before setting it on the table. "This is the tesseract. It has the potential energy to wipe out the planet." He slipped on his glasses, picking up the phone, eye brows furrowing.

"What does fury want me to do, swallow it?"

"He wants you to find it. It's been taken. It emits a gamma signature that's too weak for us to trace. There's no one that knows gamma radiation like you do. If there was, that's were I'd be."

"So fury isn't after the monster?" Bruce wasn't quite sure he believed her.

"Not that he's told me." She seemed calm. Unnaturally calm considering she knew what she was facing. Bruce briefly wondered if it was a front, and for a moment thought that maybe she was actually scared.

"He tells you everything?"

Natasha hesitated before leaning forward. "Talk to Fury he needs you on this."

"He needs me in a cage."

"No one's gonna-"

"STOP LYING TO ME!" Bruce slammed his palms on the table, face contorting in rage. Natasha jumped back, startled and snatching a gun from under the table. Immediately Bruce backed away, smile on his lips.

I'm sorry that was mean; I just wanted to see what you'd do." Natasha's body tensed, while Bruce raised his hands slowly. "Why don't we do this the easy way where you don't use that, and the other guy doesn't make a mess. Okay, Natasha?"

There was a second of silence before Natasha held a hand to her ear. She had looked scared.

"Stand down. We're good here."

"Just you an me?" Bruce let a smile tilt his lips.

Natasha looked wary and leaned away from him. In a moment Bruce turned serious.

"Potential catastrophe, huh?" He fiddled with his hands for a moment. "My wife. She doesn't get involved."

Natasha seemed surprised. "Wife?" Bruce mentally kicked himself for saying that. "The mutant you've been traveling with, is your wife?"

He regarded her for a moment, before inclining his head. "Not legally I suppose, but we were married by a priest, in a church, and that counts more then some government paper. Going on three years now."

Natasha nodded, more to herself then him. This was interesting. She'd have to make sure to update some files when they got back.

Bruce interrupted her thoughts.

"She doesn't get involved. She has nothing to do with any of this, and her powers are of no use to you."

Natasha looked at him, and smiled ever so slightly. "Of course."

I smiled, tears in my eyes. "I'll miss you."

He kissed me, his hand cupping my cheek. "I'll miss you too."

"Don't you get hurt out there Bruce." I smiled, holding on to him and shaking. "I don't know what I'd do with my life without you."

He sighed deeply, air filling his chest as he pulled me to him. "I love you Sarah. Don't worry, this'll be over before you know it. These people will take you away, they'll make sure you're safe, okay?"

I nodded, clinging onto him.

"It's an impressive cage, not built, I think, for me."

"Built for something a lot stronger then you." Fury didn't skip a beat.

"Oh I've heard. A mindless beast, makes play he's still a man. Did you know his wife has a very interesting mutation?" Loki smiled, looking at the camera. "It's very useful."

Fury ignored his jab.

"How desperate are you?"

Loki and Fury continued talking, but all eyes were looking towards Bruce now, not at the screens. He was frozen to the spot.

Bruce ambushed Fury almost immediately after he had left.

"Her plane landed safely twelve hours ago. Two agents escorted her to a prepaid hotel. She's perfectly fine." He assured Banner.

"I want an update right away. Call your agents. I want them to check up on her."

Fury inclined his head, regarding the man. "Okay."

He took out a cell phone, dialing an unknown number and putting it on speaker phone. It rang a few times before a man answered.

"Sir?"

"Are you still stationed out side Sarah Banner's hotel?"

There was a long pause. Bruce felt like he was going to have heart attack. "Yes sir."

"Is everything fine there?"

"She hasn't left the apartment all day. No one in or out."

Bruce felt his breath leave his body in relieve. He was about to ask to talk to her, when Fury nodded to himself. "Keep it up. Make sure she's safe." and promptly snapped his phone shut.

Bruce nodded, relief spreading throughout his body.

"Sir, what should we do about the video we got off of Loki?"

Fury closed his eyes, sighing. "Nothing. Don't let Banner see it, don't let him know. The last thing we need is the Hulk on this ship."

Agent Hill pressed her lips in a tight line, glancing at the floor for a moment. "He will find out eventually. I'm surprised he didn't figured out that call was fake."

"After the world is out of immediate danger, and the tesseract is safe. We must put national security over personal need. I want no record of that video on our system. File it away somewhere. Not even Agent Romanov can know."

"We don't even know what happened to the tesseract or her for that matter, sir."

There was a long moment and Fury closed his eyes, sighing. "It killed her. There's no way she survived that."

I was crying. It hurt all over. I just wanted it to be over. I wanted it all to be over. I couldn't even use my powers, it hurt just to try. Who were these people? What did they want with me? I sobbed, blood trickling down my lips.

The man above me raised his fist again.

"Enough, Barton."

I jumped at his voice, looking up as he emerged from the shadows. Fear crept in my belly. He patted the camera, sitting on a tripod next to him. "This should make an interesting video for your companion." He smiled, looking at me. I wanted to throw up. "I'm sure it'll get him quite stirred up."

I looked up at him, blood trickling in my left eye. I desperately wanted to wipe it away, although my hands where bound. The man sent Barton away, which I was glad for.

"You know, I never would have thought of this, until Barton told me the nature of your... condition."

I nearly laughed at that, but even that hurt too much. A man I didn't know, walked up with a large brief case. "Ah. Here it is." The main man smiled, laying his palm on the case. "Time to see if this works."

He opened the case and continued talking. I think he just liked the sound of his own voice. Or maybe it was for the camera. "You're weak enough, that you have no control over your condition." He looked appreciatively into the case. My mind was too fuzzy to fully comprehend. "In all honesty, I wonder if you'll even make it." He turned toward me, kneeling in front of me. "I guess we'll see, right?"

When I didn't respond, he smiled widely again. In the next moment he took a spear, and cut a deep gash across his arm. He didn't so much as wince.

I was too weak to fight the hand as it grabbed the back of my neck, tilting my head up. The man in front of me, the one with the cut arm, held his arm to my lips. I sputtered and coughed as blood rushed into my mouth. He was surprisingly calm, keeping his wound to my lips as my mouth filled with his blood and I had no choice but to swallow.

It was disgusting, and I coughed several times.

After several mouthfuls, he pulled his arm away, tucking it to his side. I gasped, a weird feeling spreading throughout my body. One of his men took a syringe and injected me with another dose of his blood into my arm. I winced, struggling anew against my bonds.

"What... what did you do?" My voice was weak and hoarse. It was almost like, I could feel his blood going through my body. My heart sped up so fast I thought I might be having a heart attack. I had his blood in my system, but my body seemed to be rejecting it.

"It'll all be over soon."

The man took the case, and removed a glowing cube from the box. I stared at it, uncomprehending. He smiled, gazing down at the object with lust. He slowly looked at me, and put his other hand on the top of my head, thumb resting on my fore head. I felt a weird form of energy start seeping from his hand.

In a moment, the energy increased momentously, and I gasped out loud. My mutation kicked in automatically. The last I felt this kind of power... was when I met Bruce. Whatever he was doing, it was amplifying my mutation. It was absorbing it all; my mutation out of control.

In the next instant he plunged the cube of light into my chest.

I screamed. I couldn't do much else. Just... scream. It hurt. More then anything I've ever felt.

The man in front of me was gasping, face contorted in pain. Somehow, through that pain, he still seemed to have a smile on his face.

It wasn't long after that that I blacked out.

He fell to his knees. He wasn't expecting that to hurt. He'd wanted to use his magic and blood to amplify her powers, but he didn't expect her to draw his magic out of him. She more then absorbed it, she took it into her body.

Loki backed away, his men helping him up before he pushed their arms away. He didn't seem to care.

The woman was convulsing, thrashing around. Loki told one to turn off the camera, as he picked up his spear. In truth he felt really dizzy and weak, but he didn't believe in showing weakness in front of his men.

He stood, breathing heavily and walked up to the women. He wasn't lying to scare her. He truly didn't know if she'd die because of this. He knew she probably would.

She was still convulsing, her head lifted towards the ceiling, mouth foaming. In a second, her skin started to blister, burning from the inside out. Her eyes glowing blue, mouth open.

Loki reached out, placing the spear against her chest. Power seeped from it, into her. It seemed to stabilize her slightly, being in contact with the spear.

He wasn't sure how'd she'd turn out, but he nearly felt giddy at the thought of all the things this new weapon could do for him.

If she survived that is.

"We're a time bomb."

"You need to step away." Fury took a step forward.

"Why shouldn't the guy let off a little steam?" Tony remarked.

"You know damn well why. Back off!"

Bruce regarded the two men as they bantered, meeting eyes with Steve when he glanced at him. He looked back and forth between the two men.

"Everything special about you came off a bottle."

"Put on the suit. Let' go a few rounds."

Thor laughed. "You people are so petty... and tiny.

"Agent Romanov, would you escort Doctor Banner back to his-"

"Where?" He paused, holding his arms out. "You rented my room."

"The cell was just in case-"

Bruce interrupted him, growing agitated. "In case you needed to kill me, but you cant. I know I tried." He paused, looking around the room a moment, gauging everyone's face. "I got low. I didn't see an end so I bullet to my mouth and the other guy spit it out. So I moved on, I focused on helping other people, I met my wife. I was good, until you dragged me back into this freak show and put everyone else here at risk." Anger welled up in his chest at the thought of his wife. "You wanna know my secret agent Romanov, you wanna know how I stay calm?" There was a moment of hesitation in the room before Steve spoke.

"Doctor banner, put down the scepter."

Bruce glanced down, shocked. When had he picked this up? That's when the computer across the room started to beep, and he was distracted.

"Sorry kids, you don't get to see my party trick after all."

"You located the tesseract?

"I can get there faster-"

"The tesseract belongs on Asgard, no human is a match for it!"

Natasha sat next to Barton, and snapped her head up to meet his eyes. "Don't." She stated. "Don't do that to yourself Clint. This is Loki. This is monsters and magic, and nothing we were every trained for."

Barton continued. "Loki. He get away?"

"Yeah. Don't suppose you know where?"

Barton shook his head slightly. "Didn't need to know. Didn't ask." Nat got up, walking to look out the window of the door, Barton sat up, reaching for some water. "He's gonna make his play soon though- today."

Natasha turned abruptly. "Then we gotta stop him."

"Yeah? Who's we?"

Natasha shook her head, keeping her eyes level with his. "I don't know. Whoever's left."

Clint looked away, thinking. "Well I... If I put an arrow through Loki's eye socket I'd sleep better I suppose."

She walked over, sitting next to him again. "Now you sound like you."

He looked up at her. "But you don't" It didn't slip past him that her face tensed up and she looked away. "You're a spy, not a solider. Now you want to, wade into a war. Why? What did Loki do to you?"

Natasha looked at him a moment, unsure what to say. "He didn't... I just." She looked away, letting her voice trail off.

"Natasha..."

"I've been compromised. I got red in my ledger. I'd like to wipe it out." Clint nodded in understanding.

They sat in silence before Clint sighed to himself, taking another drink of water. Natasha noticed.

"What?"

Clint shook his head. "Loki had me do something terrible."

Natasha felt her eyes go hard. "Clint, I told you-"

"No, you don't understand." He interrupted her. Natasha looked at him, waiting for him to continue. "Banner's wife."

He saw understanding come across her face. "Is she dead?"

Clint shook his head slowly. "I'm not sure." He sat there, staring down at his hands. "He had me tie her to a chair and beat her to a bloody pulp." He let out a breath. "She begged for me to stop..."

Natasha sat next to him. "That wasn't you."

Clint let out a shuttering breath. "I know..." He paused. "He sent me away after I was done. I heard her screaming not long after that. I don't know if she's alive. Didn't ask."

Natasha nodded, licking her lips.

"We tell no one. Not until this is over with."

Natasha stared at the woman before her, a flurry of emotions going through her body.

So this is what became of Banner's wife.

The woman stood, or rather hovered in the air above the roof in the contraption Loki had built. Her hair was whipping around wildly across her face in the wind, and her eyes shone blue, opened wide in horror.

Her mouth was opened in a silent scream, tears leaking down her cheeks, cooling the fire of her skin and leaving black marks in their wake.

It didn't look like Tony was coming back. Captain America gave the order.

"Close it."

Natasha thrusted the spear through her heart, and if possible her eyes opened wider, a scream finally erupting from her lips. Natasha fell to the ground as a wave of energy erupted from her. She continued in a never ending scream.

Natasha gaped at the woman, who was still frozen in the air, energy pouring out of her.

All in all, Natasha wished Loki had just killed Sarah.

What he'd done to her was a fate worse then death.

Prologue is done. :) Please leave a review!