When I awoke, Bruce, Fury and Tony were at my bedside. I had no idea how I got into a bed, how I'd become dressed again or how long I'd been unconscious.

"Hi," I said quietly, my voice hoarse. I cleared my throat and it got better. "How did it go?"

"Well you did it." Bruce replied.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Cage held up."

"Thanks to Freya and a huge amount of luck." My senses were dulled by pain and the need to sleep, but I could tell Fury was not pleased.

"I knew it would," I shrugged.

"Nevertheless, Miss Krueger, you cannot just experiment with Dr Banner whenever you like."

"He was the biggest challenge," I replied. "I wanted an insider's perspective, and Dr Banner was nice enough to oblige me."

"Don't do it again." Fury warned, turning and swooping out of the medical bay. Bruce and I stared at each other for a moment before Stark cleared his throat.

"I think I'll leave you two to… debrief." He scurried out after Fury.

"So, what did you think of him?" I asked.

"What?"

"I assume this is the first time you've really seen him up close. The Big Guy doesn't seem the type to waste a lot of time with mirrors."

"Not unless it involves breaking them," he answered wryly. "It was unnerving, to see someone else as me…"

"That is not you, Bruce. Like you said, you're in the back of mind and he's in the back of yours."

"What did you think of it?" he asked nervously.

"It was… unreal. It did hurt, like you said, but the power and strength and confidence I felt, like nobody could stop me if I decided to do… anything. It was terrifying. I don't like to court power, Bruce, it's never appealed to me. I'm French, we're much more laissez-faire."

"So you didn't like it." He concluded.

"No, I did, which is why I don't think I'll be doing it again recreationally." I looked at him for a while longer before asking, "What did he think? The Other Guy?"

"He was jealous I think. He wanted me to turn so you and I could spar." I laughed, and he relaxed marginally. "I… it made him see you as less of a puny human, I think."

"Oh yes?" I asked, interested. "So does it make him easier to control around an equal, instead of Thor, who could be construed as a threat?"

"It's different." He conceded. "You should rest—it'll hurt for a while yet."

"Of course. Will you- will you come back later?" I was suddenly nervous, and I had no idea why I was asking such a thing.

"I'll probably work a while longer. When you wake up, why don't you come find me?" he said with a kind smile. I nodded, laying back down. I think I was asleep before he even left the room.

When I woke a few hours later, the clock read quarter to eleven. I was alone in the infirmary and most of the lights were turned off. I slid to my feet carefully, finding my shoes tucked neatly beneath the chair at my bedside.

I caught a look at myself in the mirrored front of a medicine cabinet and cringed. I'd had my hair in its usual curly ponytail, but now my bangs were askew and my ponytail was loose. I pulled it out and shook my head, then retied my ponytail and sighed. That was as good as it was going to get until I could get back to my room.

Strangely enough, I wanted to check on Bruce before I went to change—to make sure he wasn't wallowing in self pity, I suppose. Tony had let slip the physicists' propensity for it. I pulled on my trouser bottoms, hoping to straighten them out, and left the infirmary.

I didn't run into anyone until I got closer to the middle of the base. There were a few lab assistants wandering around Bruce's lab when I walked in, trying to make as little noise as possible.

"Catharine," Bruce gave me his most guarded smile when he saw me.

"Hi," I replied.

"How're you feeling?"

"Fine. Sore, but fine. How are you? Not feeling badly still are we?"

"A bit," he admitted. "But I'm glad to see you're okay."

"Me too. Anything I can do to help?"

"Oh, no, don't worry about it. I think everything is under control."

"You're sure?" I asked. "Because if I can be of assistance and help you get a few hours' sleep tonight, tell me now."

"I'll sleep, I promise." He smiled.

"Yeah, yeah yeah. I'm going to get cleaned up. When I'm done I'll come check on you, but I better fine this lab dark, Dr Banner."

"No promises," he replied. I laughed and left the lab, heading to my room for a well-deserved shower. Honestly, it was no wonder Bruce was so tired all the time, I felt horrible.

I spent a fair amount of time washing my Hulk experience off me— the big guy sweated A LOT, and I'd been asleep for most of the day which made me feel gross. When I got out of the shower, my eyes felt heavy and even the task of staying open seemed too painful. I pulled on a pair of grey sweatpants and my black S.H.I.E.L.D t-shirt and brushed my teeth (again, slept all day— ew.)

When I went back to the lab, the lab assistants were gone and Bruce was standing at his computer with his back to me.

"Hi," I said, making my way over to him. It was only when I drew level that I realised he'd fallen asleep, on a stool, staring at a website on Titan Eternal history. With a little smile, I jostled his shoulder. "Bruce, wake up," I said sweetly, running my hand down his back.

"Wha—" he said, looking up at me adorably sleep rumpled. "Oh, hey," he said. "What's up?"

"You were asleep," I informed him, barely holding in my laughter. "Come on, Doctor, I think it is time we both go to bed, yes?"

"Yes," he nodded, sliding off the stool and following me in the direction of the sleeping quarters.

The next morning, I was eating breakfast with Natasha when the emergency alarm went off.

"PROXIMITY ALERT. PROXIMITY ALERT." A rough techno-voice said over and over. With one look at my friend, we were up and heading in tandem for the door.

"What the hell's going on?" Fury was demanding when we entered. Steve was in his sweats on the other side of the room, obviously having left mid-work out.

"There's someone in the field on the east side, sir," Maria said, tapping into the external security cameras. "Seems to be human, definitely not Thanos."

"Well, it would be too much to ask that he come down here without any fanfare to fight us like a man." Tony said as he walked in, entering his opinion without being asked, as usual.

"He is not a man," I shook my head. "He's an Eternal. The guy's got serious ego issues."

"You should know what that's like, Tony." Natasha said sweetly. Turning to Fury, she said, "Sir, Barton and I can go out and collect him."

"No," the Director replied. "I need you two in here to observe the interrogation. Send an extraction team in full armour gear," he ordered Maria.

"Yes sir."

We all gathered around portable monitors to watch a six-man team in full metal plating toting AK-47s approach the man in the field, push him to his knees, hand cuff him, and nearly drag him toward the building.

Fury waited until they'd cleared the front doors, then looked at me. "Miss Krueger, it seems we'll have use for you earlier than I thought."