-Bruce's Room-
Bruce Banner sleeps in his comfortable bed, smiling as he slumbers, remembering Hulk and Callista's short but sweet conversation. Bruce didn't know Callista that much, but felt he could trust her, as Hulk trusted her, though Bruce had suspicions that Hulk probably liked her as more than a friend... He soon bolts upwards and looks out the window and looks at a blue digital clock that reads 4:33 A.M.
"Oh." Bruce says in response to the time shortly before closing his eyes and going back to sleep.
-Later-
Bruce wakes up again, properly rested this time. He gets dressed and heads to the mess hall, grabbing a tray and having eggs, oatmeal, bacon and sausage for breakfast. He sees the ODST's sitting at their table, who wave at him and motion for him to join them, which he does so without having to think twice about it.
"Hey, Bruce. How'd you sleep?" O'Brien asks as he eats some toast, chewing noisily.
"I slept...pretty good." Bruce says, slightly remembering that he woke up unexpectedly the previous night. He scans his eyes around the mess hall in search of Callista, but doesn't see her. "Um, where's Callista?" He asks Dutch.
"Oh, she doesn't eat in here with us. Guess the others don't like the big strong ones, know what I mean?" Dutch jokingly answers.
Bruce nods, aware that Dutch is referring to Hulk. "Yeah. I, uh...know what you mean."
"Anyway, speaking of the big guy..." O'Brien interjects. "Any chance we'll get to have a chat with him?"
Bruce shrugs as he eats his breakfast. "I guess. I mean, he did save your lives. Plus, you stood up for him when those guys pointed their guns at him."
"Wait." Dutch speaks up. "How do you know what we did?"
"Me and the Hulk...we have the same memories. So, anything he experiences...I remember it when I emerge. The same applies when I...turn, so to speak." Bruce says, his mouth full of eggs.
The moment is interrupted as Callista struts into the mess hall. Like before, she's wearing a tank top and sweatpants. She sits at the ODST's table with oatmeal and toast as her breakfast.
"Hello, boys." Callista says casually, acknowledging Bruce and the ODST's, who were puzzled at Callista being in the mess hall.
"Hey, Cal." Dutch says awkwardly before taking a sip of milk from his cup.
"Hello." Bruce says to Callista, who locks eyes with him.
"Hmmm...your eyes are different from the big guy." Callista says as she looks at Bruce's eyes, inspecting them for similarities to Hulk's eyes.
"Different? D-Different how?" Bruce stammers as he asks.
"Yours are wide, full of anxiety and nervousness. The big guy's eyes are focused, intense...and somewhat hypnotic." Callista says as if she was in a trance.
Bruce chuckles nervously as he eats.
-Later-
Briefing Room
Bruce, the ODST's, and Callista meet the majority of the crew in a large room. A man with a shaved head enters and stands in front of everyone.
"Alright. Listen up. There's an outpost on a Covenant controlled planet. Several humans are being held hostage there. Your mission is clear: to infiltrate the outpost, assess the situation, and clear a path for the hostages so they can be extracted via Pelican. I expect all of those hostages...and all of you fine men, to be on it when it lifts off. Nobody gets left behind. We head for the planet at 0600. That'll be all, troopers."
When the majority of the troops leave, Bruce sighs as he looks at Callista and the ODST's. "A rescue/combat mission. Sounds serious."
"Yeah, but it could be fun. Maybe the big guy will come out to play." Dutch says, obviously hoping that Hulk will help them at some point on the mission.
Bruce silently shudders to himself. He knew Hulk wouldn't hurt his new friends and would be a very reliable ally to the UNSC, but he still wasn't willing to risk Hulk losing control and killing someone, especially Callista.
-Later-
Bruce's Room
Sometime after, Bruce returns to his room, only to see Callista, still in her casual attire, sitting on his bed, her legs crossed in a seductive manner as she looked at him with a sweet smile.
"Hello, Bruce." She says softly as the door slides shut behind Bruce. He was now 'trapped' in the room with her.
"Callista. H-Hello. Um, what are you doing here?" Bruce stuttered nervously at the beautiful Spartan.
"I thought you'd want to spend some time with me before the mission. Or, to be more accurate, me and the big man." Callista says as she props herself on the bed with her elbows.
Bruce chuckles nervously as he joins her on the bed. "Why do you want to spend so much time with the Hulk?"
"Because I owe him my life. I would've died on Heian if it wasn't for him, Bruce. He could've just let that Brute's Gravity Hammer crush my head, but he didn't. Doesn't that tell you that Hulk isn't a monster?" Callista couldn't explain it, but she felt...admiration for the jade giant. She didn't know if Hulk felt the same, but she intended to find out. "So...Bruce, could he spare a moment to talk? Please?" She asks, giving him her version of the sad puppy face. Needless to say, he couldn't resist.
Bruce sighs in submission as he gets off the bed, looks at her and slowly transforms. Moments later, Hulk stood in Bruce's place and looked at Callista with a smile.
"Hey, big guy. I missed you." Callista says softly as she taps an empty spot on the bed for him to sit down next to her as Hulk made a sound that was the equivalent of a chuckle as he sits next to her.
"Hello again, blondie." Hulk says with a light smile as he looks at her, taking in her almost exotic, beautiful appearance. He looks into her eyes, practically falling into a trance as the same happens to her.
Callista couldn't understand what she felt whenever they were alone. Whatever it was...it drove her crazy. "Hulk..." She tries to say, but is unsure of how he will react.
"Hmmm?" Hulk asks as he continues to look at Callista.
"I was wondering...if you were planning on going on the mission with us?" Callista mentally facepalms herself. She wanted to confess her feelings to him, but she felt it'd be an inappropriate time to do so.
"Mmm...Not really planning to stay on this boring ship while you have all the fun." Hulk says in a mumbling tone.
Callista chuckles lightly at his answer. "Yeah, I, uh...I knew you'd say that. Like hell am I leaving you here. The planet we're going to is filled to the brim with Covenant. We're gonna need your strength to even the odds, buddy."
Hulk grins. "This'll be fun."
"Look. Just...be careful. Okay?" Callista asks. Hulk nods in answer.
"I'm always careful." Hulk says as Callista gets off the bed and looks at Hulk.
"Well, I'm off to bed. Need to rest for the mission tomorrow. You should too."
Hulk nods as he gets up as well and hugs her gently. "Good night, Callista."
"Good night, Hulk. Sleep tight." Callista says sweetly as she leaves the room and heads to her own room and lays down in her bed, swiftly falling asleep while Hulk does the same, turning back into Bruce as soon as he falls asleep.
-The Next Day-
0600 Hours
Bruce wakes up to the sound of stomping feet running through the hall and an announcement stating the Pelican in now loading up. Bruce rushes to get dressed, as Hulk ripped his shirt, though his pants survived, due to them being made out of a fabric that stretches whenever he transforms. As soon as he puts a shirt and a pair of boots on, he joins the UNSC troops as well as the ODST's and Callista, who line up outside the Pelican. After their commanding officer gives a speech, everyone enters the aircraft and sits down, though the commanding officer pulls Bruce aside.
"That monster or whatever he is...he better know whose side he's on now."
"Sir, I will do my best to keep him in check, but I make no promises." Bruce says nervously.
"Get in the Pelican." The commanding officer says. Bruce nods as he does so, conveniently sitting next to Callista, who hides a smile from the others. Soon after, the Pelican launches from the ship, heading towards the planet.
-Covenant Controlled Planet-
Abandoned Refinery
A large refinery has been overrun by a joint Covenant-Brute alliance. Several people are forced to sit in a circle as an Elite notices the Pelican dropship. That same Elite yells into a communication device as several Banshees soar through the air and fire on the Pelican.
"Everybody out! Out, out, out!" The commanding officer yells as the Pelican sustains multiple hits. The troops and ODST's leap out and open fire on the Covenant, downing many Grunts and Brutes within seconds, though several troops were killed by Elites as well as a few Brute Chieftains, swinging their Energy Swords and Gravity Hammers, respectively.
Cut to the damaged Pelican, which spins out of control and crashes. Bruce and Callista grunt in response to the impact as they rush to undo their harnesses and exit the Pelican wreckage. Immediately springing into action, Callista fires her assault rifle at several unshielded Elites while Bruce takes cover behind a crashed Banshee. Moments later, as she keeps firing, an Elite strikes Callista across her stomach with its Energy Sword, striking a nerve in Bruce upon seeing his beloved friend get hurt. The veins in his forehead bulge as his eyes turn into their more recognizable shade of bright green as he transforms, roaring in rage as he strikes the attacking Elite with a devastating right punch, shattering its shield and killing it instantly.
"Yeah!" Dutch yells in celebration upon seeing Hulk emerge.
"Oh, you guys are so screwed!" O'Brian exclaims as he executes an Elite with his SMG's.
Hulk roars once more as he charges towards the Covenant, kicking Grunts into the stratosphere, hurling Elites absurdly far distances, and beating the Brute Chieftains to death with his bare hands and their own Gravity Hammers. "Hulk is strongest one there is!" He yells loudly, his face aimed at the sky.
Callista smiles behind her helm as she leans against a large rock, her hand covering her stomach wound. After killing a majority of the enemy forces, Hulk rushes over to the wounded Spartan.
"Callista!" Hulk says urgently as he kneels down to look at her wound.
"I-I'm fine. It's, urgh...just a scratch." Callista lies, obviously too injured to continue fighting.
"You're bleeding!" Hulk argues.
"Hulk..." Callista tries to talk, only to be interrupted by Dutch, who walks over and kneels down.
"No, the big man is right. That injury is too severe. You have to sit the mission out, miss." Dutch says in a unusually polite manner for an ODST.
"Yeah. Besides, it looks like we're not finished yet." O'Brian adds, pointing out more Elites and Brute Chieftains heading their way. Hulk's eyes dart in the direction of the approaching army.
"Leave it to me." Hulk says in a growly tone as he slowly walks towards the Elites and Brutes.
"Hulk, no! They'll kill you!" Callista beckons Hulk to stop what he's about to do, but he doesn't listen.
"Hulk smash!" He roars out as he leaps 12 feet into the air and slams his massive fists onto the ground, sending unnaturally powerful tremors through the planet, taking out a great majority of his enemies.
"Wow...!" Callista exclaims, beyond impressed by Hulk's vastly superior strength. This soured however, as an Elite quickly fires a Needler at Hulk, embedding several of its ammunition into Hulk's chest.
"Arrgghh!" Hulk roars in pain as he swiftly pulls the crystal-like objects out of his body and crushes the Elite's head with a mere squeeze before he can get another shot off. Hulk turns around, the area clear of Covenant. Much to the survivors' shock, the wounds he sustained healed instantly.
"You-You j-just..." Callista stutters, still taking in Hulk's ability to heal.
"He healed. Within just a few seconds..." Dutch adds.
"Yeah, I heal quickly. Now, what do you say we get those people over there out of here before more of those stupid aliens show up?" Hulk asks, directing the others' attention to the hostages, who are quivering in fear at what just occurred before them.
Dutch nods as he motions the civilians over as he pulls out a small radio. "Pelican 2, this is Dutch of the ODST Helljumper group. Our primary Pelican is down and we got wounded in desperate need of evac and medical attention. Get here ASAP. Over."
After a few seconds, a receiver responds to Dutch's report. "Okay. Understood. Pelican 2 is inbound. ETA, 2 minutes. Over and out."
Dutch nods as he puts his radio away. "Two minutes, and we're outta here."
-2 Minutes Later-
A new Pelican lands a few feet away as Hulk carries the wounded Callista in his arms and puts her on a gurney placed in the Pelican. Hulk taps her shoulder as he rushes out to help the civilians onboard along with wounded troops. Once everyone is onboard, the back door of the Pelican closes as everyone sits down. The Pelican soon lifts off and leaves the planet and heads back to the Destroyer.
