Bruce had taken to long walks after the battle of New York, at first to help people who had been injured by the battle, people who had no money for medical services, or simply didn't trust the government after all that.. hell. He had needed some way to clear his guilt ridden mind and without the big guy all he had was his medical skills. His patient numbers had quickly diminished, however he never did stop those walks. Something about the eerie quiet of a city early in the morning calmed him. So he walked.

This particular morning, Bruce was out earlier then normal. The sun was barely over the horizon, casting shadows through the thick fog that enveloped the streets and muted his footsteps. He hesitated, something about that fog seemed unnatural.. Shaking the cobwebs from his head, he kept walking, trying to ignore his paranoia, after all, he had yet to run into anyone out this early.. Turning the corner to head back to the Avengers tower he barely heard the panicked beg of a girl sitting on the sidewalk. Beggars were normal, it was New York after all, but something about her voice made him stop and crouch down, his eyes going wide with what he saw.

The girl was barely recognisable as such, her head buried in the hood of an oversized sweatshirt, but the bruising on her face caught the fluorescent street light as she mumbled at him again. "Please.. help.." Bruce pulled out his phone and the girl panicked, struggling to her feet, "No. No police.. Avengers.. help.. protect.." She collapsed before she could get the rest of her explanation out and Bruce sighed, his good nature getting the better of him.

"Guess it won't hurt to let her rest up back at the tower.." he stooped down and picked up the girl, barely containing a shocked gasp as her hood slipped off her face. Her hair was nearly all gone, blisters and scabs covering her skull, the small amount of hair left matted with dried blood. Her face was covered in dozens of bruises, some fresh, most in various stages of healing. He hurried back to Avengers tower, carefully cradling the too-light girl in his arms, nervous to discover what other injuries lay beneath her ragged clothes.

She woke staring at a white ceiling, her body plastered in bandages, and realised she couldn't move her arm. Blinking again, she glanced down. "A cast.. guess Loki got carried away with the injuries.." She half smiled to herself at the thought, as another sensation filled her mind, "Shit.. the pain dampening spell is wearing off already.." She struggled to sit up, a door opening somewhere to the left of her.

"Please lay back down, I won't hurt you." The soft spoken voice of Bruce Banner filled her ears and she lowered herself back to the bed with a groan as the doctor walked into her sight. She had lucked out, originally the plan had been to go straight to Avengers tower, but that had risks, namely the automated system calling an ambulance before she could explain herself. On her way to the tower she had caught a glimpse of the kind doctor, from there it was a simple matter of draping her beaten body in his path. Banner was known for aiding the unfortunate after all.

"Hello? Can you hear me?" The doctor was speaking to her and she realized she must have spaced out. She nodded her head, wincing slightly at the motion. "You really should be in a hospital.."

Widening her eyes in feigned panic she violently shook her head, immediately regretting the decision as an involuntary groan escaped her lips. "No hospital.. not safe.."

A puzzled expression crossed Bruce's face and he paused, then asked her the question she had been anticipating, "Why isn't it safe? I can call the police to give you an escort if-"

"No police I want the Avengers, they beat him before so they'll save me from him right? They gotta mister.. please take me to them.. please.." Her voice trembled with practiced emotion, but Bruce fell for it as she knew he would, she doubted any of the Avengers -save Romanoff - could see through her act.

Bruce didn't like what the small girl was implying, but he knew he had to ask, "Loki? He did this?" The look on her face was enough of an answer, even before she managed to give him a scared nod. He breathed deeply, struggling to keep his composure lest the beast show himself. He couldn't believe it, yes the guy was manipulative and questionably evil at times, but to beat a child to near death.. he let the thought go, turning back to comfort the girl who had started crying, doing her best to stifle the sobs with her free arm.

"Okay, okay, you're okay. I'm Bruce Banner.. can you please tell me your name?"

"Ro-rosalie.. where are we..?" She looked around, finally calming down some after he had stopped mentioning police.

"Avengers tower, I work here and Tony added a whole slew of guest rooms and medical labs when he fixed it up so I figured.." he trailed off, Rosalie didn't need to know all that, "You'll be safe here, I promise."

"Avengers tower.. are they here? The Avengers?" Hope crossed the small girls broken face and he nodded, not surprised that she didn't realise he himself was an Avenger, after all the public mostly focused on the other guy.

"Tony's upstairs, asleep still, Cap and the others are out on missions right now though." He frowned slightly upon noticing how she winced as she breathed, "Are you in pain?"

"A little.. but I don't need anything for it.. I.. I need the pain.." she finished with a whisper.

Bruce sighed inwardly, Loki had really done a number on her, that's for sure. Knowing it was in her best interest he put a light sedative into her IV when she wasn't looking. He hated to go against his patients request but in her state she needed rest and that wouldn't happen with the amount of pain he could tell she was in. After Rosalie drifted into a deep sleep he headed upstairs.

"Jarvis? Is Tony up yet?"

"Yes, sir."

"You didn't tell him about the kid yet did you?"

"You asked me not to, sir" came the metallic reply.

Right, he had forgotten about that. He had assumed at first the kid had been mugged and wouldn't be staying long but.. with a certain trickster involved he knew she was right, no hospital would be safe if Loki decided he wanted her back.