So, this story will be a collection of one-shots, short stories and drabbles, all featuring Bruce in some way of aid to his fellow-Avengers.
Some of these chapters have been written a long while back (some dating as far back as the first Avengers-movie...), so those might feel slightly outdated. But, I promise, future chapters to the story will be more "recent", and will include links to Infinity War and Black Panther.
This first chapter is one of the old ones, set during the first Avengers movie. This chapter takes place just after Clint has had his 'cognitive recalibration'.
So, I hope y'all enjoy this story. All favs, follows and reviews are highly appreciated ;-)
Somehow he was often the one tending to his injured fellow-Avengers. He wasn't as skilled as the medics from S.H.I.E.L.D., he was aware of that, but Bruce knew enough to successfully aid with almost any injury. Mostly he would find himself prodiving first aid until professional medics took over, but sometimes he was the appointed doctor while the other medics attended to ones more seriously injured.
Bruce didn't mind, he actually kind of liked it. It made him feel of some use in the team, apart from smashing and breaking everything as 'the other guy'.
So these are the stories of Dr. Bruce Banner and the times things did not fully go according to plan for the Avengers.
The moment her fist connected with his face, she knew that this was the hit she had been waiting for.
Natasha punched Clint in the side of the head, causing him to swerve sideways and head-first into a metal railing. She felt a sting of guilt as she heard him groan in pain.
Clint tried to regain his footing, but that proved difficult as the hit left him dazed. He made a half-hearted attempt to stand, and immediately sank back to his knees as his legs would not yet carry his weight.
Natasha watched her best friend with a mixture of concern and caution. It looked like he was beat, but it could just as well be a trick. After all, he was under the influence of the God of Mischief.
Finally Clint managed to get some grip on himself. He remained on his knees and slowly turned towards Natasha.
"…Tasha…?" He sounded weary, as if he had just woken up from a deep sleep.
Natasha was uncertain of what to do next. She could see the blue glow of Loki's mind control leave Clint's eyes, but she was not one to take chances. Not even with her best friend...
Natasha balled her right hand into a fist and lashed out with all the strength she had in her. She hit Clint square in the jaw, causing the archer to lose his balance and fall backwards onto the metal grid they stood on. He groaned softly, before consciousness fled him and he went completely limp.
Natasha stood paralyzed. She heard the other Avengers shout all kinds of things into their comms, but she only had eyes for her friend lying at her feet.
"Can someone send Dr. Banner to me, as soon as he's cooled off?" she said into her earpiece when she found her voice again. She scared herself with the weakness of her own voice.
"Are you injured?" Steve's reply followed almost instantly.
"No, I'm fine" Natasha answered quickly, "I've got Clint".
A meaningful silence fell over their comms for a few seconds.
"I'll get Banner to you as soon as I can" Tony said determinedly.
Natasha turned her attention back to Clint. The archer was out cold, but definitely still breathing. Good, at least she hadn't killed him. A bruise was starting to form on the side of his face, and a thin line of blood trickled down from he corner of his mouth. Natasha knelt down next to him and gently placed a hand on his chest.
"I'm sorry I had to do this" she whispered.
"Agent Romanoff!" Natasha was startled by half a dozen armed S.H.I.E.L.D. agents running in her direction.
"Are you hurt?" one of the agents asked. The other agents instantly aimed their guns at the still unconscious Clint lying on the floor.
"No, I'm fine" Natasha waved away their concern.
"What about him?" the agent asked.
"I don't believe he is a threat at this moment" Natasha answered. The agent made a gesture to his men to take their weapons off the stricken archer.
"We will take him to the medical ward" the agent said.
"No" Natasha stopped him, "take him to my cabin".
"Ma'am?" the agent asked somewhat confused, "Isn't he in need of medical attention?"
"He sure is" Natasha answered, "but as long as we cannot determine with certainty whether or not he is still under Loki's mind control, I believe it is best to keep him away from others. Therefore, take him to my cabin".
"Yes, ma'am". The agents did as they were told without any further protest. Two of them grabbed Clint by the armpits and dragged him away.
When Natasha returned to her cabin, she found that the agents had laid Clint down on the bed with his wrists and ankles tied securely to the bed-frame. He was still very much unconscious and the bruise on his jaw was slowly darkening from blue to black. Natasha sighed miserably and slouched down in one of the chairs.
"Romanoff" it suddenly sounded through her earpiece.
"Stark?"
"I've got Banner, I'll be with you in a minute" the billionaire answered.
Tony had indeed not been lying. Just over a minute after his message he appeared at the doorstep of Natasha's cabin, followed closely by Bruce. The doctor still looked quite dishevelled and dirty, like he had only just regained his usual form, but did not waste any time and headed straight for Clint.
"You did this to him?" he asked Natasha with a slight smirk, after having a first look at Clint's condition.
"Not funny" she bit back.
"Sorry, I didn't mean…" Bruce quickly apologized. Even though he never finished his apology, Natasha knew it was sincere.
"It's okay" she muttered.
Bruce waved the apology away and turned his attention back to Clint. He carefully placed two fingers against the archer's neck and felt for a pulse. It was slightly elevated, but strong and regular, as was his breathing.
"Well, I don't think you've killed him" Bruce said. Tony, still standing in the doorway, chuckled softly. Natasha made a face at the doctor.
"What did I do to him, then?"
"I am sure you gave him an impressive headache" Bruce answered.
He ran his fingers along Clint's jaw and carefully inspected every inch of the bone.
"It doesn't look like there are fractures to his jaw" he continued, "I'll give the wound to the side of his head a few stitches, but I don't think he needs anything further".
"Bruce?" Natasha decided to finally ask the question that was bugging her, "right before I dealt him the final blow, it looked like… he had gone back to normal. Like Loki's domination had left him…"
Bruce mulled her words over before he answered.
"There is a possibility" he said thoughtfully after a little while, "it's called cognitive recalibration".
"What is that?" Natasha asked.
"Think of it as pressing the reset button" Bruce explained, "temporarily pulling the plug on a faulty machine".
"And how did I achieve that?" Natasha still did not completely understand.
"The blow to the head, loss of consciousness" Tony supplied, who apparently had gotten the gist. Bruce nodded in agreement.
"So I really did see it? I wasn't just seeing what I wanted to see? Natasha sounded slightly hopeful.
"It's hard to tell for sure until he wakes up, but there is a very real chance that he will be himself again" Bruce said.
"What do we do now?" Natasha asked.
"He's holding on well on his own" Bruce answered, "I'll start an IV to keep him hydrated and I'll get some ice for that jaw. Other than that we can only wait until he wakes up".
Natasha was by Clint all the way. It never crossed her mind to leave him alone for just a second. She was going to be there when he woke up and she would be the one that would be seeing whether or not he was right again. Just her. No one else. For she was the only one who knew what, or rather who, was waiting for him outside of the Avengers.
A soft cough from behind her, suddenly startled Natasha. She spun round in her seat and found Bruce standing in the doorway. After he had started Clint on the IV, he had left the room and had not gotten back until now. It was impossible to determine for how long he had already been there, watching her.
"I came to check on him" he said softly, looking slightly embarrassed that he had startled her.
"He's still out" Natasha sounded worried, "it's been two hours, shouldn't he have woken up by now?"
Bruce walked over to Clint and placed a hand on the archer's chest to feel his breathing. His hand rested there for about half a minute, before shifting it to Clint's neck to feel his pulse.
"Not necessarily" Bruce answered Natasha's question whilst keeping an eye on his watch to register the archer's heart rate.
"He's still doing fine" Bruce added, "I guess you just hit him pretty hard". He dared to give Natasha the tiniest of smiles, but knew she did not really appreciate him saying this. And indeed, Natasha's cheeks flushed slightly red.
"Yeah, well, I just hope I didn't give him any brain damage" she said darkly.
"I doubt it" Bruce said with a real smile now.
For a few moments there was silence between the two of them.
"Are you sure you are alright here, all by yourself?" the worry in Bruce's voice was genuine. Natasha nodded at him and Bruce turned around to leave.
"But… you can always stay if you want to" Natasha added quickly. Bruce knew this was not much of a choice. If Natasha said things like this, it was equal to a plea for help, withou having to actually ask for it.
"Of course" he said and sank into one of the vacant chairs in the room. He would sit with her. If that was what she needed right now, than he would be there for her.
It was over an hour later, when Clint first showed signs of waking up. He groaned softly and stirred under the blanket that was covering him.
"I'll give you two some privacy" Bruce said softly and stood up and left the room. He wasn't sure whether Clint would want him there at this moment.
The archer fitfully rolled his head to the side and took a few deep, shuddering breaths. Natasha watched him anxiously. She still was not convinced that she had been right in seeing that he was normal again, so she kept a slight distance from him.
Clint slowly regained more and more consciousness, until he finally opened his eyes and wearily stared up at the ceiling.
"Clint…?" Natasha tried carefully. The archer slowly shifted his gaze in her direction.
"Hey" he breathed out, "why are you looking so scared?"
It was only then that Natasha noticed she had been holding her breath whilst awaiting her friend's state. She chuckled in relief, for so far Clint seemed fine.
"Sorry…" Natasha spoke softly, "are you feeling okay?"
"Hmm" Clint answered, "impressive headache, but I'm glad I no longer have Loki messing with my head".
"So he's…. definitely gone?" Natasha asked.
"Yeah…" Clint gently touched his forehead where him banging his head into the railing had caused a large bruise, "but I don't remember Loki hitting me on the head".
"He didn't" Natasha answered a little embarrassed, "I did. According to Bruce that is what made you right again".
Clint stared at her with a frown on his face. "Thanks…. I guess".
"Well, you attacked me first!" Natasha defended herself, at which Clint chuckled audibly.
"I promise I won't do it again" he said a little mockingly, "can we be friends now again?"
Natasha smiled at him. "No matter what you do, we'll always be friends".