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We stayed in the more homely side of Stark Towers and Clint led me to a conference room. There was a big oval table with chairs around it and a beautiful view of the city. Fury was sat at the head of the table, talking to Stark and Bruce who sat to his right. Steve was sat to the left, he turned and gave me a small smile.
"Sir." Clint said as we walked into the room. Everyone's eyes fell on the pair of us and again I felt like the outsider.
"Thank you Agent Barton, Agent Romanov is waiting in coms for you. Hill has a meeting set up there." Fury explained before turning to finish his conversation with Stark and Bruce.
"See you later." Clint said walking out of the room. I looked around slightly confused as Steve waved me over. I walked over to the spare seat by him and sat down.
"Here, it's a briefing pack." Steve said passing me a folder. The thing looked as thick as a novel.
"Thanks." I replied looking over at Bruce who caught my eyes. He looked so guilty. I gave him a small smile and he looked away. "Is he ok?" I asked softly, turning to Steve.
"He will be ma'am. Just a little shaken up. How are you?" Steve asked, his eyes locked on mine. I felt kinda small sat next to Steve but at the same time safe.
"Still lost." I said with a sad smile.
"I understand." Steve said as Fury cleared his throat.
"Miss Flynn, thank you for coming." Fury stated as everyone looked at me. "I wanted to explain what is happening, answer the questions I'm sure you have."
"Thanks." I said looking down at the file in front of me. Fury explained what happened to me. Then told me I wasn't allowed to contact anyone for their own safety. I kept thinking that Helen would think I was dead, and she was pregnant. I just hoped that it wouldn't affect the bump. Then Stark and Bruce explained the tesseract and it's potential. They explained why Loki had it and how he used it.
"Basically it allowed him to brain wash people, and make them do as he said." Fury explained as I looked at the reports. You think he wanted her to react like me? Clint's words bounced around my head and I shivered a little. Did this Loki guy have Clint under? What did he make him do?
"Are you ok Miss Flynn?" Steve asked softly. I looked up and everyone was watching me.
"Yeah, yeah. Just about. All this is a lot to take in." I explained sighing. My mind was swimming in the new information, yet at the same time a part of me was calm and cool about it all.
"We understand that Miss Flynn, but we are running out of time." Fury explained seriously, his one good eye locked on me. "There are a lot of interested parties. They want to know what happened with you, and why. So far we have managed to keep them at bay, but we're not sure how long we can hold them off."
"Parties? What do you mean?" I asked confused, I didn't like the sound of it and by everyone's expressions neither did they.
"SHIELD isn't the only group out there. Other people have heard of you." Tony explained slightly seriously. "But we've called dibs on you." He added with a smirk.
"We want, if you'll let us, to keep monitoring you. Try and figure out what the tesseract energy is doing inside you and why." Bruce spoke up, barely keeping eye contact with me. The whole meeting he barely looked at me, instead diverting the questions I gave him to Tony, or the others.
"These other parties wanna test on me too?" I asked looking at Fury.
"Yes." He nodded without a second thought.
"Awesome." I sighed rubbing my eyes. The reality of the situation was starting to get to me and I felt like I was on the edge about to all into the abyss.
"Miss Flynn, we will keep you safe for as long as we can. I have no intention to just hand you over." Fury stated with a set jaw. I smiled at him, I liked that he was willing to keep me safe. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"Ok, ok so what else do I need to know about?" I asked looking back down at the folder.
"The Avengers." Fury stated with a small smile on his lips. He looked almost proud of me and I had to hide a smirk. Fury started to explain the Avengers with Tony adding lots of little inputs. Every time he opened his mouth Fury would give him a glare. But together they did explain who they were and why they were together.
"Ok, so let me get this straight." I sighed looking at the picture of Captain America, Ironman, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye and The Hulk after the battle in New York. "There's you," I said pointing to Steve. "Captain America, a super solider literally from the 1940's, frozen and thawed out like two years ago? Then Tony, Ironman who helps fund this whole party. Natasha, Black Widow, and Clint, Hawkeye, an assassin and spy who work for SHIELD. Thor the half brother of the demi god Loki, from Asgard and the Hulk?" I asked looking around. Everyone was shrugging and nodding. "And where do you fit Bruce?" I asked confused, his place was yet to be fully explained. The room fell silent as Bruce shuffled a few papers, before looking up and meeting my eyes. I could see how nervous he was.
"I'm the Hulk. He's the other half of me." He said quietly and quickly, before looking back at his notes. I sat there for a few minutes in total shock. I didn't know what to say. I looked down at the photo's of the Hulk, the things he did during the Chitauri attack, the good he did. I bit my lip as I looked back up at the Doctor. Everyone was silent, watching me. My brain just wouldn't connect the two.
"I need a minute... please?" I asked looking over at Fury. He nodded and I got up to leave. I heard a chair move and saw Steve get up as well. "Right, babysitting." I sighed as I walked out of the room.
"Miss Flynn, this way." Steve said pulling me into a small room, it looked like a laundry room. "Are you ok?" He asked softly. I smirked letting out a laugh.
"Am I ok?" I asked shaking my head as I started to pace slightly. "I can beat the night, I'm not afraid of thunder, I am full of light, I am full of wonder. I'm not going to fall under." I muttered again and again as I paced. Bruce is the Hulk. The Hulk is Bruce. They're the same person. He coursed me to be in this world. He nearly killed me. No Hulk nearly killed me. Not Bruce. He saved my life. But I wouldn't be here... Hulk did this. He set me on this path. I lost my life because of him. He-
"Miss Flynn? Miss Flynn? Flynn!" Steve snapped making me stop pacing and look up at him. His eyes were wide and locked on my hands. "You need to stand perfectly still." He commanded and I followed his gaze. My hands were bright blue, more than just an ora but engulfed in the blue smoke.
"Oh." I said calmly looking at my hands. They were glowing with the blue smoke like ora. I looked up at Steve and gave him a nervous smile. "Don't suppose you could just forget seeing this?" I asked innocently.
"'Fraid not ma'am." Steve said before tapping his ear. "Stark I need you in the laundry room now!" He said before looking back into my eyes. "It's going to be ok. Just... um, stay still."
"What's the matter Cap, forget your suit shrinks in the dryer again?" Tony joked as he walked in and saw me. "Oh." He stated looking at my hands.
"Yeah that's what I said." I said feeling sick. I wobbled and both guy started to move forward then stopped. Both unsure if the smoke like ora would hurt them.
"Flynn you ok?" Steve asked with an arched eyebrow.
"Been better..." I said collapsing into a washing machine and skidded to the floor. The blue was still very much all over my hands. "A lot better." I added as the world started to spin violently.
"Ok Flynn, I need you to keep talking to me." Tony said appearing in my very limited vision. "Bruce we need you here." Tony spoke into his ear. "So, Flynn what's your favourite movie?" Tony asked putting his hands on my knees. I could feel his touch but it felt far away at the same time. Like I wasn't really there.
"I like lot's of films." I smiled back, trying my best to focus on Tony's face, but it was getting harder. My vision was blurry and every time I blinked it only cleared for a few moment.
"Really? Hey did you hear that Cap, I've got a movie buddy." Tony smirked but I could see the worry behind his eyes.
"Great, least now the rest of us wont be dragged to watch them with you." I heard Steve's voice but I couldn't place where. I could hear movement from somewhere but my eyes began to get heavy. The disconnection to my body getting stronger with each passing second.
"Stay with me Flynn, don't close you eyes." Tony said tapping my legs as my eyes drooped more. I felt the touch but it wasn't enough to keep me there.
"No can do. Sorry." I mumbled as my eyes closed. A deep warm darkness blanketing my mind from the thoughts and fears.
I woke back in the hospital room and groaned. My head felt like I had been drinking all night. I sat up and looked around. Bruce was the other side of the room writing something down, he jumped slightly as he saw me wake up. He was so nervous.
"Doc." I said softly. I felt like I had been hit by a truck to boot, breathing hurt just a bit.
"Flynn, you feeling any better?" He asked still from the other side of the room. He looked nervous to come and talk to me. I looked down at my hands and they were just my hands again. What the hell is happening to me? I was just so confused and hurt. Then Bam! Blue hands. Maybe I am dangerous. I sighed.
"I'm kinda sleepy, but yeah. What happened?" I asked confused and Bruce jotted it down.
"The tesseract power came to the surface. You couldn't handle it that well. We think it was an emotional response." Bruce stated from his spot. The room fell silent for a few minutes while I looked at my hands again. We both knew what the emotional response was to.
"You know, the Hulk, he does a lot of good." I stated still looking at my hands. "He helped save so many people in the attack." I looked up and Bruce was stood perfectly still like a deer in headlights. "You're a good man Doctor Banner." I added with a half a smile.
"I'm not even a man." He admitted softly, shaking his head.
"I'm not sure I'm even a woman any more." I shrugged, and felt the small jolt of pain from my shoulder. "Doesn't mean we can't be good." I added softly.
"The Other Guy, he doesn't understand. Most of the time, he just wants to destroy things. Like at the university." Bruce said slowly walking over to me. "I... he, we just wanted to get to Betty." He admitted looking at his notes as he wrote something else down.
"Betty? Betty Ross?" I asked as the name jumped into my mind. Bruce's eyes darted straight to me, wide and shocked.
"You know her?" He asked curiously. His brown eyes locked on mine as he studied me.
"No, I mean, maybe... the name. I know what she looks like. But... I don't know how I know her." I said rubbing my temple as an ache started to form. "I get bits. Now and again. Nothing ever makes sense." I added shaking my head.
"She, I was close to her once. I just wanted to see her again." Bruce sighed rubbing his eyes. He looked tired again. "The military showed, they started to attack me, then the Other Guy came out to protect me..." Bruce let out a heavy sigh and looked into my eyes. "I am so sorry for what I did to you." He said before looking down at his notes. "If I had known..."
"I wouldn't be here." I said reaching for one of his hands. I took it and he looked at me confused. "You, the Other Guy, set me on a new road. I have no idea who I was before. I could have been a monster, a real monster. But I know who I am now. I help people, or try. I helped so many people like me. I do, did, good. That's partly down to you." I said squeezing his hand. I needed him to understand I was ok with him, ok with the way my life turned out, I hadn't blamed him for any of it. I was just surprised that the man I knew as such a caring, kind doctor was also the creature that made me the way I am.
"Flynn, you don't know who you are because of me." Bruce said taking his hand back. "You might have a family out there, people who care and are worried about you."
"It's been years, and well, with how I am now Doc, it's probably better they think I'm dead." I admitted sadly looking to my hands. Truth was, I had looked, every police station from New York to the boarders, none had a missing person matching me. I thought maybe I didn't have any family anywhere.
"I'm sorry." Bruce said before turning to walk out of the room.
"I really don't blame you Bruce, don't blame yourself." I said making him stop, but he never turned back to me.
"Someone should." He muttered softly before continuing to walk out of the room.
I must have fallen back asleep because when I woke again Steve was looking out of a window in the room. I could tell by his stance he was deep in thought about something and I wondered if Bruce had told him what I remembered.
"Hey Cap." I smirked as I yawned. Steve turned to me and smile.
"Miss Flynn." He said walking over to the chair by my bed. "Feeling better?" He asked sitting down. I shrugged, not really knowing how I felt any more. The world was spinning off it's axis and no matter what I held onto I was spinning away with it.
"I can't shake this feeling of lost." I admitted, looking into his big baby blues. I felt like I could tell him everything and he would understand. There was just something in his eyes. "Twice now I've woken to a world, that I just don't know where I fit into. I just about managed to survive the first time. It was touch and go for months." I paused playing with the sheets. "I tried to kill myself at the lowest point." I admitted just above a whisper. I had never told anyone about that, but sitting there, with Steve. I felt safe to tell him.
"But you didn't die." Steve said taking my hand, I turned to him and nodding.
"Nope, I realised it was a cowardly thing to do." I said softly, letting the sting of tears hit my eyes. "I spent months trying to work out, why I was still alive. Why be here, but only half the person I was. I was so mad at everything." I admitted wiping away the tears. I hated crying or even almost crying in front of people. Crying was a sign of weakness and I didn't need anyone thinking I was weak.
"What changed?" Steve asked softly. He was so content to listen to me speak, it was nice to have someone to offload onto. I smiled a little at Steve then bit my lip, remembering why I was still alive.
"It was the night I tried to kill myself." I admitted looking back to the sheets. "I had found a room in the hospital, no one ever used. I had a knife and I was running a bath." I paused as I remember just how desperate I was to end it all. "I heard a voice. It was another patient. She had been in a car crash, lost pretty much 50 years of her life. But she had faith in God. She was singing." I said smiling at the memory of her sweet voice. "I still remember the words." I smiled sadly. "I can beat the night, I'm not afraid of thunder, I am full of light, I am full of wonder. I'm not going to fall under." I sang softly, my voice no where near as good as hers had been. She had been a gospel singer at her local Church.
"The words you were chanting before." Steve pointed out and I turned to him with a smile.
"Yeah. Her voice, it was beautiful and her faith was so strong. She was convinced that we were all alive for a reason. We just needed to keep the faith and find out what." I said smiling sadly at the memory.
"Maybe you were destined to be here?" Steve suggested softly. I shook my head.
"I don't know any more. I used to think I was here to help others like me." I admitted and shook my head with a laugh. "Now I just think the worlds trying to kill me slowly." I said softly looking away.
"Hey, hey look at me." Steve said tugging on my hand. I turned and looked at him, his big blue eyes locked on mine. "I've seen things, I might have been frozen for years, but I know. I know a strong heart when I see one. The heart of a fighter. Miss Flynn you are here to fight, and we will fight with you. Every step of the way." Steve said squeezing my hand. I smiled softly.
"You really do understand, huh?" I asked smiling at him. Steve flashed me a perfect smile.
"Waking to a world you don't understand? Yeah, I'm pretty much the master of that ma'am." Steve smiled. I was glad that I wasn't the only one struggling. It was comforting to know that a Super Solider like Steve was having trouble. Least I think comforting was the right word. I knew I could turn to him no matter how weird I would sound. He would get it.
"Do you know if I'm allowed to get up?" I asked softly, changing the topic as I was getting too emotional for my own liking.
"Stark said you needed to sleep here tonight, but he was sorting out a room for you up with us." Steve announced and I looked utterly confused.
"But I'm dangerous." I blurted out, knowing all to well that my hands would probably light up again. I still had no idea what they could do or how dangerous I could be to other people.
"We all our." Bruce said appearing in the room. He looked better, like he had slept. "But you're safer with us, than down here. Plus, Tony has this movie marathon planned..." Bruce said rolling his eyes. He seemed lighter than before. I wondered if our chat had helped. I hoped so because Bruce really was a good man.
"Yeah you told him you like films." Steve laughed a little at a joke I just wasn't getting.
"Is that bad?" I asked confused. The pair traded a look and laughed louder. "What?" I asked innocently.
"You'll see." Steve said before rubbing my hand and standing up. "I'll let you rest. See you up there tomorrow Miss Flynn." He added with the same perfect smile.
"Night Captain." I smiled as Steve passed Bruce and walked out of the room. "You ok?" I asked as Bruce checked a few monitors.
"Me?" He asked confused, his glasses slipping down his nose. "I think you've got it the wrong way round Flynn." He laughed a little. He was so much lighter than before and it was nice to see.
"Maybe, but, I just... I don't want it to be awkward round us. Doc you might not realise this, but the Avengers, all of you, you're pretty much all I have at the moment." I admitted looking down, feeling way too vulnerable in that moment.
"Flynn, I... we are ok." Bruce said thinking about his words. A warm smile crossing his lips as he thought about it more.
"Good." I smiled as Bruce rubbed my shoulder. Bruce left and I spent the rest of the night reading about the Avengers in the folder Fury gave me, I noticed Tony had scribbled down things in it too. His notes made me giggle as I read through them. They were definitely something different. What have I fallen into? I thought closing the book and getting some rest.
So I hope you all still enjoy the story, please review it and let me know what you think! I love hearing from you guys, seriously makes my day seeing I have a review! (I'm that sad, yes...)