"So you're telling me you found a kid half-dead on the street and brought her here?" Tony rubbed the bridge of his nose, it was too early for this. "And why couldn't you just call an ambulance like a normal person?"
"Loki-"
Just then, a very worn out Hawkeye stumbled into the kitchen where the two sat, making straight for the coffee pot, "What's this about our favourite psychopath?"
Tony about spat out his own coffee "He hurt a kid? God.." Bruce went to open his mouth again, but Tony waved his hand, turning to Clint "Tash' come back with you?"
"She should be around here somewhere.."
"Or behind you." All eyes turned to the corner of the room, none of them had heard her enter, "So what's this about Loki and a kid?"
Bruce sat down, he looked more stressed then normal, which was saying something. "I found Rosalie this morning, about a block out from here and barely conscious, she begged me to take her to see the Avengers, that it wasn't safe, before passing out on me.."
...
"She's asleep downstairs.." he finished lamely.
"So a beaten up kid approaches you on the street looking for the Avengers and you just take her word for it?" Nat asked, "I get wanting to help a kid, I do, but how do you know she wasn't mugged and just made the story up to meet us?"
"She has a point Bruce, we've had fans try to get in the tower before." Tony had heard enough, the last thing they needed was to babysit some fan who had a bad turn of luck, he felt for the kid, but life happened and they had more important things to deal with.
"Please.. just.. could you at least talk to her Nat? It's hard to explain but.. I just know she wasn't lying." Bruce twisted his hands together, and sighed in relief as she nodded curtly.
"Well that's settled then." Tony dumped an unhealthy amount of liquor into his already spiked coffee and downed it. "I'll pay for the best hospital care, okay Brucey?" Not waiting for an answer, he walked out, his mind already on other things.
"Sorry to interrupt you Miss Romanoff but Bruce wanted me to tell you the girl's awake."
"Thank you Jarvis." Natasha set down the report she had been filling out, grateful of the distraction.
...
"Please don't be too rough on her Nat.." Bruce fretted, he had been waiting nervously for her outside one of the many medical rooms.
"I won't." She responded curtly before entering the room.
A small, shriveled heap of a girl met her eyes, propped up on a few pillows, her skull wrapped in bandages, a cast on her right arm, and her face.. the bruising was extensive, and Nat was suddenly glad she had such a strong stomach. "He-hello?" God, her voice sounded as broken as she looked.
Natasha swallowed, but didn't let any emotion betray her thoughts as she sat next to her bed. "It's Rosalie, right? I've come to talk to you about what happened, okay?" A small nod, "Who did this to you?"
"Doctor Banner said.. said he'd tell you for me.."
"I need to hear it from you, okay? As much as you can remember." Natasha allowed a soft smile to enter her face "It's okay, you're safe here."
"He.. he did this.. said I wasn't behaving.. said.." the girl choked up, tears coming to her eyes.
"Who?" Nat let a small amount of sharpness slip into her voice, instantly regretting it as the girl flinched.
"Loki.. he... he did this.." more tears flowed across the girls face but Nat could tell she was hiding something, she just couldn't place a finger on what.
"Why would Loki hurt you? What were you doing near him in the first place?"
"He just.. appeared.. he was badly hurt so my mom decided to help him, we didn't realize who he was until it was too late.." Rosalie wiped her face with her unhindered hand. "After seeing on the news.. Mom tried to call the police.. but.. he.. he.."
Outside the room Bruce paced nervously, he hated leaving a patient in her condition alone and he had heard stifled crying earlier. After what seemed like an eternity Natasha walked back out, her face grim.
"She's not lying about Loki, but she is hiding something.. what I can't tell. I can't read her Bruce. One moment she's panicking and the next she seems like the answer was drilled into her head.. but she really seemed to believe what she had been saying.. it just makes no sense."
Natasha let out a sigh, and Bruce swallowed. If it was getting to Nat this badly, then something was truly wrong.
"Should we bring SHIELD in?" He asked, hoping she would say no, the girl had already been through enough.
"Not yet, you know how they are about anyone who they think has contact with Loki, and she is only a kid after all."
Bruce sighed in relief, "Well I better get back to her, I didn't have time for a full check up earl-"
A piercing scream stopped their conversation short and Natasha reached for her gun as she ran back to Rosalie, Bruce quick on her heels.
