Hey ya'll, I'm so glad you seem to be liking the story so far! Here's chapter two, and I hope you like it just as much!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers. I only own Minnie, Kayla, and the dog.
Nick Fury walked through the hallways of SHIELD, his leather jacket billowing out behind him, a look of pure anger on his face. Most people who knew him well enough knew to stay out of his way at this point. He stepped into a room full of monitors and he moved to the middle of the room, so he was in view of all of the monitors and they all could see him. "What is this fifty state initiative crap?" he demanded as he held up a folder.
"Director Fury, you seem more than willing to continue to not know where your agents are at all times, you also continue to evade our requests to know the location of SHIELD agents-"
"It's the right of the SHIELD director to decide what information gets released and what doesn't." Fury said looking sternly at the woman who had spoken.
"The public has a right to know who lives next door. Joe and Jane Everyman are more and more concerned with who their kids are playing with, who their coworkers are, and with some of those... People and their abilities to hide what they are, it makes it harder for people to know who they can and can't trust."
"Not to mention the fact that you still won't address the Hydra issue."
"Hydra was able to survive for seventy years underground until they decided they wanted to make themselves known again. Now that we know them, they're trying to go underground again; we have agents working very closely with Hydra."
"If you know what they're after, why don't you utilize that and smoke them out?"
"They are not after Dr. Banner, we feel they believe his DNA is too unstable. They want something else. They want his daughter."
"The Hulk has a child?" one of the people asked and he looked at them.
"Dr. Banner has a child who has shown no similarities to her father in any unstable way." Fury said and cocked his head slightly.
"Director Fury, you haven't met Norman yet have you? This is Norman Osborn."
"I know who he is, what I don't know what he's doing here."
"Norman has been approved by the government to develop a new organization, one who shares our concern over this mutant issue."
"Dr. Banner, is not a mutant. His condition is the result of an accident."
"An accident that was caused by a team trying to do exactly what Hydra does."
"Dr. Banner has never and will never work with Hydra." Norman grinned at Director Fury's cold stare.
"And how do you know that director?" he asked and Fury looked at him.
"Ask him yourself, SHIELD will not be responsible for what happens to you." Fury said icily.
"By all means Director," Norman grinned. "But you'll have to tell us where he is first." Director Fury turned and started to walk out of the room. "Either you tell us, or our agent finds out, it's your choice Director." he called out after Fury.
Bruce looked up as another one of his students stood up, the unmistakable scraping of the chair legs against the cool tile floor as they walked over to his desk. He shouldn't have been surprised it was Amanda Sorrenson, the girl practically wrote down everything he said from the moment class started to the moment it ended. He wouldn't be surprised if she wrote down everything anyone said in class, making him picture a job of court transcribing in her future. She uncertainly set the test down on his desk. He raised his eyebrows as she quickly grabbed her pencil and erased an answer then filled in a different bubble, and put it down again.
"You sure?" he asked and she nodded. "You have a book?"
"I have three." she answered quickly. "Why, did you want one?"
"Go sit down and read Amanda." he said softly and she walked away as he looked back at the lesson plans he was writing up for the next week. Over the next forty minutes he continued his weeklong lesson plan and the rest of his students finished their tests. "Everyone finished?" he asked standing up, five minutes before the class ended. They all looked up at him and he nodded. "Okay, don't forget, you've got to do the questions on pages 236 though 237, I want long answers, not just writing "Because that's how it works"." he looked at a student who sniggered lightly. "And if you have any questions, I'll be here after class." the bell rang and everyone stood up, getting their bags and walking out of the classroom, he noticed Amanda biting her lip looking concerned. He gave her a smile and she smiled back, before she paused, letting everyone walk out of the room. "Amanda, you can't change another answer." he said and she shook her head.
"No, that's not it Mr. Roberts." she said softly. "Um, I was wondering what you knew about mutants?" she asked and he frowned lightly. It was lunch, so he didn't have to worry about another class coming in and interrupting them. He went to the door and closed it before he returned to his seat.
"Is there something you want to tell me Amanda?" She nodded tearfully and he leaned across the desk. "Amanda, I'm your teacher, I'm here to help you." he said softly and she nodded again, before she sighed, and stood up, she moved away from the desk, and moved to a clear spot of the room where she had room.
She looked at him intently before he noticed her face starting to turn masculine, her hair from strawberry blond to dark brown, and became curly and slightly graying, not unlike his own. Her chin pointed and her eyes turned dark, her face becoming a face he hadn't seen in years, and seeing it now in his classroom, he could feel his heart pounding, his head started to ache, he could feel the other guy pushing forward, his fists clenched-
"Stop!" he said quickly, standing up, and slamming his hand on his desk. She changed back, her hair growing out, her face softening, and changing back to the normal girl he had gotten used to seeing every day.
"I'm sorry." she said quickly and he shook his head.
"No, no, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..." He moved over to her and put his hand on her shoulder and led her back to her seat.
"I change into what my opponent fears most." she said softly and he nodded.
"I gathered as much." he said softly as he went to the sink in the corner and filled two plastic cups with water. He brought them back to his desk and handed one to her.
"Who was I?" she asked and he sipped his water as he sat down. Her green eyes shone with curiosity as he set the cup down.
"My father." he admitted.
"Then that's something we have in common." she said softly.
"Amanda, do your parents know?" he asked and she looked down bitterly.
"I lost my mom when I was a kid." she said softly.
"Something else we have in common." he said gently.
"And my dad isn't exactly the type I can talk to about these things."
"Is there anyone you can talk to about this?" he asked and she looked at him.
"I was always told I could talk to my teachers." she said softly and he nodded.
"No, of course you can." he said and then cleared his throat. "I mean, long term, someone who can help you figure everything out. I understand high school is difficult, and now you've got this to manage on top of everything."
"I lose control sometimes." she said and he sighed sympathetically, knowing how that felt.
"Amanda, trust me, you're not as alone as you think." he said and she looked at him with a frown.
"How would you know?"
"From years of experience." he said and her gaze softened.
"I'm sorry Mr. Roberts." she said and he nodded.
"This is my home phone number." he said as he wrote it down. "If you ever need to talk or anything, call me." he folded the paper and she took it with an appreciative smile. "I have a friend I can call, maybe he'll know someone you can talk to." he continued and she smiled gratefully at him.
"Can I hug you?" she asked and he sighed before he nodded. She smiled and walked around the desk as he stood up and let her hug him tightly.
"Thank you so much Mr. Roberts." she said and he nodded as he patted her shoulder.
"Now go eat your lunch." he said to her. "You've only got about fifteen minutes."
"Thanks again Mr. Roberts." she smiled as she walked out of the room.
Friday evening I woke up with a start, the phone was ringing. "Hello?" I mumbled into the phone, only to hear a female crying. "Hello?"
"Is Mr. Roberts there?" the voice asked and I turned to Bruce who was sleeping with his arm draped over me as usual.
"Honey." I shook his shoulder. "Honey." I shook him a little harder.
"What happened? What's wrong?" he asked as he woke up.
"I don't know." I said as I handed the phone to him.
"Hello?" he asked, running his hand through his hair. I sat up and clicked the light on. "Amanda? Amanda, calm down, what happened?" he listened for a moment, and then nodded even though the girl couldn't see him. "No, where are you? Where? Okay. No, don't move, I'll be right there." he said and handed the phone to me.
"Bruce, what is it?" I asked as he got out of bed and pulled on his discarded boxer shorts from earlier in the evening.
"One of my students is a mutant." he said as he grabbed a pair of jeans and a sweater. "She lost control in front of her father and he threw her out." he said and I put my hand over my mouth.
"Oh Jeeze." I said softly and he nodded.
"Yeah, uh, she's gonna stay on the couch, okay?" he asked and I nodded as he shoved his feet into some shoes.
"Of course, go get her." I said and he nodded as he grabbed his keys. I heard Kayla wake up and start crying in the other room so I got up and pulled on my underpants and my favorite purple shirt of his and some yoga pants.
"I'll be back in twenty minutes." he kissed me quickly.
"Go." I said as he walked out of the bedroom. I went to Kayla's room and calmed her down by calling Dallas into the room. He hopped up onto her bed and curled up next to her, I rubbed her back and sang her a song and soon she fell right back to sleep before I went to the linens closet and grabbed some sheets, a blanket and a pillow and brought them downstairs to the couch. I pulled out the couch bed and made it all up when I heard the garage door opening.
"Dr. Banner is home with a young girl." Jarvis said and I nodded.
"Thank you Jarvis." I said.
"Perhaps it would be best if I try not to talk while she's here?"
"Yeah, for now that would be good." I said. "And if you must, it's Roberts." I reminded him.
"Of course, Mrs. Roberts." he said and I smiled before the garage door opened. Bruce came in with a half drenched, still crying young girl who looked to be about sixteen. I walked over to her and moved the hair from her face; I frowned seeing a split lip and large bruise on the left side of her face.
"I'm s-so sorry M-Mrs. Roberts." she hiccupped through her sobs and I shook my head.
"No, honey, there's nothing to be sorry about." I said as I pulled her into a hug. She hugged be back and buried her face in my shoulder. "Bruce, go put the kettle on." I said to him and he nodded as he moved to the kitchen and I could hear him filling the pot with water. "Come on, let it out." I said softly as she cried. "Amanda, right?" I asked and she nodded. "I'm Emily, is this all you have?" I looked at her clothes and she nodded again. "Well, come on, let's get your cleaned up." I said as I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and led her upstairs. I brought her to our bedroom and into our bathroom, where I left her for a moment. I returned with a pair of my pyjama pants and a tee shirt and handed them to her. "Bring your clothes downstairs and I'll wash them tonight, okay?" I asked and she nodded. "Come downstairs when you're ready." I said and she smiled lightly at me.
"Thank you Mrs. Roberts." she said.
"You can call me Emily Sweetheart." I said and she smiled a little more before I left the bathroom and went downstairs.
"Where is she?"
"She's changing." I said and he nodded. A few minutes later Amanda came downstairs and I walked over and took her wet clothes. I brought them to the laundry room and put them in the wash before I returned to the kitchen as Bruce turned off the stove. He poured cups of tea for the three of us and I opened the tea drawer. He claimed putting them in a drawer was safer for me. I generally tended to agree with him on that. "Do you want to talk about it?" I asked her softly as I sat across the table from her. She looked at Bruce and he nodded.
"I- I'm a... I'm a mutant." she said softly and then sighed.
"Feels better saying it doesn't it?" Bruce asked and she nodded.
"Yeah." she said with a small sigh. "I'm a mutant, and I was really, really stressed tonight because next week I've got a huge test in Mr. MacDonald's class-"
"History." Bruce looked at me and I nodded.
"And I was trying to study but my dad kept making me do things all night, and I started to freak a little, and I just- I just wanted him to leave me alone." she said as she looked at the table top with a frown. "And he wouldn't stop pestering me, and he kept coming into my room, and I- I didn't mean so, but I saw what it was and I changed." she said softly. "And I think I started towards him, because I remember changing back, and he was backed up against a wall, and when I changed back, he- he hit me." she muttered, lightly touching her cheek. "And he told me to get out, he started to shout and threaten me and I just took off." she looked back up at us. "I didn't mean to." she said. "I just wanted to study."
"Honey, there's nothing wrong with what you are." I touched her arm. "You just need to learn how to control it. Trust me." I smiled.
"Amanda, you should get some sleep." Bruce said as she yawned. "We can figure everything out in the morning, okay?" he asked and she nodded.
"Thank you for letting me stay here Mr. Roberts." She looked at me. "Thank you Mrs.- Emily." she said and I smiled.
"We'll figure everything out tomorrow." I said softly and I hugged her. She hugged me back before I showed her to the couch and then told her where the downstairs bathroom was. When Bruce and I got upstairs he changed to his pyjama pants and left his tee shirt on, and climbed into bed with me.
"So..." he said softly and I sighed. "What do we do?"
"Well, Phil is coming over tomorrow." I said and he groaned softly.
"I forgot about that." he muttered.
"Maybe he'll have an idea." I shrugged and he nodded.
"I hope so." he said and I leaned up and lightly kissed his chin as he wrapped his arm around me.
"Good night baby." I said softly and he looked at me before he kissed me gently.
"Good night." he said. I don't think either of us got much sleep for a few hours, a thunderstorm had rolled in and was making quite a bit of noise when Kayla ran into the room, and pulled on Bruce's arm.
"Daddy." she whispered. "Daddy!" she whispered impatiently.
"What now?" he opened his eyes.
"Kayla, baby, what's going on?" I sat up as Bruce lifted her into the bed.
"It's okay." Bruce said softly as I looked over at them. I sighed and then smiled lightly at Kayla.
"Baby, what did Mommy say about thunder?"
"It's the gods way of going from one place to another, but Mommy, Stevie Monroe says that's sacrilegious." she said sounding worried.
"Baby, there are many gods." I said as I settled down in the bed next to her. I wrapped my arm around her and looked at Bruce with a small smile. "And one day maybe Stevie Monroe will meet one of them." I sighed. "But not with that attitude." she giggled and I smiled at Bruce who shook his head with a smile.
"Did you ever meet a god Mommy?"
"Sure she did." Bruce said as he lay back down. "So did I."
"Really?" she looked back at him with wide eyes.
"Yup, he was there when we got married." he said and she looked at him, then to me.
"Story?" she asked and he shook his head.
"Not now Kayla. Ask in the morning." his voice trailed off as he fell back asleep.
"Go to sleep princess Kayla." I said softly and she sighed before lying back on the bed.
A minute later Dallas came running into the room after another clap of thunder and lightning. He whined, and then jumped onto the bed before curling up at the bottom.
Kayla fell asleep and I thought about the girl downstairs before I slowly drifted off, another clap of thunder hit and I smiled lightly as I thought about the god I'd have to tell Kayla about tomorrow.