Bruce
A freak. A monster. A project. That's all I am. It's all I can ever hope to be now. No one will ever be able to change me back, and no one will ever be able to kill me if he has anything to say about it. No one really trusts me. I have friends, in the bizarre forms of Steve, Stark, Hawk and Natasha... But even they don't really trust me when the big guy's threatening to appear.
They sent in countless students, countless scientists to help me with my work on the Teseract, but they all lived in fear of me and wouldn't tell me anything useful in case they made me angry. None of them could hack it, every one of them was sent back to their school with their tail between their legs.
The only one who stood a chance... was Annabelle. She arrived one morning, her hair slicked back into a ponytail wearing black jeans, a white T-shirt and a black blazer. She looked just like the rest of them, but something was different. She walked with confidence, her pumps padding along the floor. She seemed practical, looked smart, but still happy. She had a huge grin on her face that couldn't be faked, you could see the sincerity in her eyes.
'Hello Dr Banner, I'm your new assistant, Annabelle.' She shook my hand.
'Nice to meet you Anabelle, but before you go labelling yourself, let's give it a week.'
'Why?' She asked, a knowing glint in her eye.
'A lot of people don't like my... Secret... They don't normally last long.'
'Well, Dr banner, I'm not most girls. I know your secret, and I admire you for it. You're a scientist, you tried something no one else would. Yes, you failed, but scientists fail all the time. You don't scare me, and neither does the other guy.' She brushed past me and set her purse on the bench.
I took in her form as she familiarised herself with the room, I realised she was the one... and not just as an assistant.
Annabelle
For months I worked with him taking in every morsel of information he gave. I loved working with him. He was so passionate, so focused, so knowledgeable. I was glad Fury had placed me with him, I may have been trained for combat, but protecting Banner was miles better.
We worked tirelessly on the Teseract tracking its energy, reading its radiation levels and trying to find a way to break into its power for ourselves. We worked with little success, but it didn't matter, we were doing something... Something good, something that helped other people.
We grew closer as the weeks wore on, he began to open up to me. He told me more about his life before the Hulk, about his transformations, about how he feels when he's him. We stayed up many nights with a bottle of wine open waiting on some results. I grew to love him, not in love with him, but more in a friendly sense.
Just as I promised, I didn't fear him. He wasn't a villain. He isn't a villain. He's sick. He has a disease and he needs taking care of.
I finally see him happy now. Now he has a purpose, a friend, a reason to live, a reason not to let him take over.
Bruce
It must have been 6 months after Loki left that shield was attacked again. This time, it wasn't clear what they wanted... They never said, we didn't even know who they were. We learned after they were a gang of anti-heroes. After Loki destroyed New York, people didn't like us, they thought we were villains and evil and stupid.
At the time, all I could feel was the tightness in my chest. I felt green pulsing through my veins and threatening to paint my skin with their sickly dye. Natasha was there, trying to comfort me, but she kept her distance. It wasn't until Annabelle arrived that I finally felt myself relax.
She stood behind me while I clutched the sides of the metal table and looped her arms around my torso holding me tight. I heard Natasha telling her to stop, telling her it wasn't safe... But I didn't want her to stop. She didn't. Instead she came to the front of me ducking under my left arm so she was wedged between me and the table. She hugged me and rubbed my back with one hand, whilst smoothing my hair with the other. She made soft hushing noises and I felt my breathing slow even more. She whispered my name and told me it was all going to be okay, all I could do was groan in recognition.
After about 30 minutes of this, I relaxed and finally felt I was I control again. I lifted my head and looked her in the eye. Still no fear, only worry for me.
Annabelle
It was months until he had another attack. This time, I was too late, by the time I got there, the green had taken over and my friend was gone. In hindsight it was silly, I shouldn't have snuck up on an 8 foot monster... But I did. I came from behind him and gently touched my palm to his arm and uttered his name. He swung round in surprise and hit me across the room, I hit the far wall and the air left me. I crumpled to the ground and stayed there until he turned back.
Bruce
'Where is she?' I had nearly been human again for thirty seconds before I was asking about her.
'She's in the medical wing.' I gasped, and ran towards the stairs to get to her. What had I done to her? When I opened the door I saw her immediately. Her arm was in a sling hanging from the roof and one size of her face was bruised purple. I felt bile rise in my throat and I had to turn away. I couldn't let this happen again. Not because of me.
Bruce
For weeks I felt him in the back of my mind, banging to get out, pleading to let my anger take over. Ever since I had Annabelle transferred he was furious, he wanted to escape.
Finally one evening, I gave up fighting him and he took over. The tightness in my chest grew and then I watched as my hands turned that sickly green. I didn't remember much after that except the feel of the fury I had ragging inside me. I tore through the lab destroying everything we'd worked for. I had the control room reduced to a pile of computers. Then, I went to the living section, I wasn't looking for anyone in particular but the first person I saw... Was her. She looked me in the eye without fear but instead concern painting her face.
As I lurched towards her she didn't run, she didn't even flinch. Only when I seized her up into my arms did she let out a small gasp. When her face reached mine I saw a small smile cross her lips 'Hi Bruce,' she whispered, 'It's ok, it's me I'm here Bruce.' At the sound of her voice, something in me clicked. I suddenly felt the man inside telling me to snap out of it. I let one of my arms catch in the hook behind her knees and the other supported her back. I looked down at her tiny body and the monster started asking
Why is this happening? I'm angry! I hate her!
When I met her eyes again the monster was as good as gone, I leaned down and she kissed me, lightly at first and I growled against her, she slipped her arms around my neck and kissed me deeper. I kissed her back, my lips awkwardly large against her delicate face.
Annabelle
I kissed him and he growled, the monster trying once more to take over. I stood firm (so to speak) and pulled him closer. Eventually, I felt his lips begin to work against mine and I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, I was much closer to the ground and I was now being held by the equally strong Bruce Banner himself. He looked me in the eye and then fell to the floor. I called for him, but his exhaustion was too strong, I wasn't going to get him back just yet.
Bruce
When I woke up, I was back in my room with my wrists tied to the bars on my bed. I squirmed against them, even though I knew they were never going to budge. I looked around the room and saw a figure leaving. It was her. She was here. She turned the handle and was half way out the door when I called to her. 'Belle,' I whispered, she stopped and turned to look at me, 'stay.' I stated simply. She shook her head and closed the door before coming to my bedside. She kissed my forehead and muttered 'always,' into my hair.
I knew it was selfish to keep her, but I needed her, and without her, I'd tear the world and everything I loved apart. She was the only thing that could control me, and I loved that she was the one.