A/N: Just wanted to thank AvengerGal, Mrs Capt Jack Sparrow, and Elflien in particular for their support and reviews. :)
Elflien: I like your ideas! Thank you so much! I'm definitely going to consider using them!
So, I probably moved this story along a lot in this chapter, more then I initially wanted to. But how long can you make Betty wait to see Bruce? That would've just been mean. So...anyways...keep your ideas coming. I'd love to read them. :)
Please Please Please review! I really love reading all of your comments! Thanks everyone! Enjoy the update!
Reunion
Stark holds the phone, waiting as it wrung. His eyes rove about his room holding the cell on his shoulder. Tony can see Bruce trying to work, solving equations, reestablishing Stark's models, double checking his previous creations. Every two minutes he'd remove his glasses and rub viciously at his eyes, especially when he thought Stark wasn't watching.
The engineer taps his foot impatiently until Rogers answers his phone, "Hey! Steve, listen I've got a little favor to ask of you. Would've texted but I bet you don't even know what that is."
Rogers could not have sounded more exasperated, "What do you need Stark."
"Well, I'm taking Bruce out for a break in a few minutes probably to that coffee shop down the street. Can you come?"
"Uh, yeah sure. Is everything okay?"
Tony tosses the papers over his desk, "Long story short, Bruce isn't himself. He's been really dark lately to say the least, mentioned the name of some girl earlier this week."
"Oh? Who is she?"
He lifts his feet onto the table, "Anytime I ask, he gets all defensive, just shuts down. I'm telling you, the guy doesn't sleep. Just cries, has some intense nightmares, throws stuff around in a fit and thinks we don't hear him."
"So, you want me to play therapist because you're too embarrassed to ask him why he's going back into a depression?"
"Basically. So I'll meet you in what? 20 minutes?"
"Yeah, that should be fine."
"Okay."
Stark clicks the phone standing back up as he shoves it back into his suit pocket. He takes a deep breath as he heads back into the room where Banner's got his papers uncharacteristically sprawled out over the table. "So, I've got a meeting in about 5 minutes with some girl that came in on Monday. It shouldn't take long but get your jacket because when I come out we're taking a walk."
Bruce frantically stood up once he heard Tony behind him, throwing on his glasses and stacking the papers in a poor attempt to look busy. His fingers slid the edges of the papers placing them in a neat pile before he replied with a lame smirk, "Not today Tony, maybe another time. I've got a lot to do."
"Save it for tomorrow because we're walking. And I'm heading downstairs now, before Pepper calls again. Come on big guy, I'm not leaving you up here by yourself." Tony shuts the lights, leans over and hands Bruce his jacket before exiting the room. Banner remains quiet, reluctantly following behind as he adjusts in his typical dignified attire. Instantly his hands are thrown into his pockets once the glasses are removed, silently following Stark into the elevator.
The billionaire punches a number, looks up, and smiles, "Why do you always look like someone's gonna hit you?...Relax bro, you're scaring me lately."
Bruce shrugs from the corner, replying in a far more mild tone then usual, "Sorry Tony, I don't mean to."
"You look like death right now. Breathe buddy." Tony breathes heavy and loud on purpose in an attempt to 'coach' his friend. Bruce just smirks exiting the elevator behind him. He pushes open the door of Pepper's small office she often kept open for small meetings, "Bruce, can you wait with Pep while I'm in the meeting? I'll be quick."
Banner nods remaining quiet as the door shuts, enclosing him in the small office. He double checks behind him for any sound of footsteps to ensure he's alone before he removes a vial from his pocket. He moves quick, filling his palm with a solid handful of small white circles before replacing the half emptied bottle back into his pocket. He's quick to locate that water system in the corner of her room, ramming the pills down his throat. Bruce lets his face react to the bitter taste left on his tongue as he takes the water parking himself on the chair opposite the desk. He holds his head, thick lock fallen onto his forehead as he brushes off a small amount the remaining powder.
The hinges of Pepper's door squeak when she enters her office. Her heels click as she shuts it closed, smile on her face as she addresses her friend, "How are you feeling Bruce?"
He pauses in his teeth grinding and tongue twirling, "Fine, and thanks for the note."
She walks past him, lightly squeezes his shoulder and kissing his cheek. Once she parks in her office chair, Pepper glances up, "Tony will be right back. He's just got to sign some fan girl's newspaper. Hope you don't mind sitting in my company for a few minutes."
He idly bites the end of the plastic cup, throat already feeling raw from an overusage of painkillers. He shakes his head in response to Pepper, "I don't mind."
She flips through her papers handing him a sheet, "Here, indulge yourself. Tony gave me those equations for the fun of it, but for the life of me, I can't figure them out."
Bruce pauses in his nervous knee bouncing as he takes the sheet. With one hand busy, he's already biting the side of his finger nail on the other hand. The CEO of Stark industries spins her chair slowly to the side observing his brown eyed stare inches to the right of where the page ends. Pepper knew if he was in his right mind, it would've taken him less then 4 minutes to complete. Instead, he just stared to the side in a poor attempt to look composed and normal. His mind already taken off to who knows where. Miss Potts hit the silent buzzer, urging Tony to move along in his 'meet and greet' and get back to Banner.
Stark plops into his chair, glancing up at the clock. The girl's appointment had already been pushed later then she originally had scheduled at Tony's persistance. He was beginning to regret not doing it at 7, just to have gotten it over with. He looks at the table, wondering how long it would take. Opening his drawer, he pulls out a sharpey pen in the hopes to save time when the girl finally arrived. At least if she was pretty, his 2 minutes wouldn't be such a waste; he'd just stare at her until she shut up. His thoughts quickly shifted to Banner- It didn't matter how pretty this woman was! His friend needed him right now and this 'fan girl' was doing nothing more then wasting his time!
Tony is quick to set up his 2 minute timer the instant he hears footsteps headed in his direction. She came in walking quickly, dark hair pinned half up and half down dressed in modest and simple attire. There was something appealing about her reserved and awkward manner. He looks at his sheet, resting on his elbows, speaking quickly to get to the point and avoid any formality, "Elizabeth, is it?"
She brushes a stray hair behind her ear, standing tightly to herself, "Oh, yes. I'm Elizabeth. I was hoping to speak with um, Mr. Anthony Stark. Miss Potts said that he'd be here."
He bites the end of the sharpey, eyes wide and slightly concerned as he tried to restrain a laugh, "What? You don't recognize the Iron Man when he's not in his suit?"
Her eyes widen holding out her hand, "Mr. Stark! How are you? Thank you so much for taking the time out for me, I understand that you're very busy."
He breathes a heavy sigh opening his sharpey, "Yes I am, which is why I'm going to ask you to get moving here."
She glances over her shoulder, "I'm sorry?"
He holds out his hand, "Do you want an autograph?"
Betty sighs herself, "No. I mean that's very kind of you but I was just hoping to speak with you-"
"Hon, you've got about 40 seconds."
She breathes heavy, heart beating faster, "Okay...I'm here for Bruce Banner, I mean, I need to speak with Dr. Banner. Miss Potts said that he's under your care and that if I wanted to see him, I needed to go through you."
"Babe, Dr. Banner isn't going to be up for any visitors for a long while-"
Betty widens her eyes, to concerned for her friend to be offended by her nickname, "Is he okay?"
He lowers his voice, "What's your affiliation with Dr. Banner?"
She hugs her shoulders, nervously rubbing her thumb, "Is he alright?"
"Bruce Banner is alive. What are you looking for?"
Betty feels her heart beat racing, "Mr. Stark, I have walked what felt like a thousand miles just to get to New York. I have spent 5 nights in a cruddy motel across the street from a dump. I am tired, I am hungry. All I want to do is see him. Five minutes is all I'm asking for. Please!"
He slowly stands up eyes never leaving hers. He stays focused slowly opening the door that leads towards the hallway, "Give me two New York minutes."
Stark knocks frantically at Pepper's door, breathing heavy when Bruce opens it. He looks past his friend, "One second Bruce, Pep? Can you come here a minute?"
Pepper nervously stands up, following Tony into the hallway. Stark covers his mouth, "The little miss wants to see Brucey."
She crosses her arms, "What did you tell her?"
"I told her Bruce wasn't up for visitors."
"He's not. What does she want?"
Tony glances over his shoulder, "She just wants to talk to him. Listen, her name is Elizabeth. Is that Banner's 'Betty' ?"
Pepper widens her stare, "How am I supposed to know?!"
"I was supposed to meet Steve at the coffee shop in the hopes he'd work the truth out of Banner but she's here, and she's being extremely persistent about it."
"You don't want to dig up dirt Tony. You don't know who she is or if she's 'the Betty', you don't know how they left off with each other, if their friends, close friends, enemies."
Stark crosses his arms, "Well, it would help if you would have asked him about it!"
"Bruce has barely said a word! He's looking at the equations you gave me like I handed him a horror novel!"
"Well what am I going to do?!"
"Your friend is a mess right now! Just tell the girl to get lost."
Betty held her hands together lightly tapping her lips as she waited patiently for the owner of the tower to return. Her knees crossed, her foot bouncing in a nervous rhythm. She widened her hopeful stare the instant Stark reentered into the room.
Tony keeps his head down, parking himself in the chair. He knew how determined she was, sympathizing with her if her intentions were as pure as she made them out to be. His mouth opens slightly, "Elizabeth."
She leans forward in anticipation. Her heart pounding, her head feeling dizzy and light-headed.
Stark would've cursed the instant his door reopened, half-expecting Pepper to appear and throw Betty from the room. Tony grips his chair, color disappears from his cheeks the second Banner opened his mouth, "Steve is on the ph-."
Bruce could feel his hands go numb, his throat go completely dry, his knees ready to give out, brown eyes locked onto Betty's. His heart beat speeds up, mind running in a million different directions as he stands frozen in the doorway. Betty didn't move. Her eyes just as wide as his, cheeks flushed a vibrant red as she trembles lightly. In his eyes, she hadn't changed a bit. There was no place to hide, no desire to run, or even say another word.
The moment Betty heard his voice and saw him walk in without a warning, her body went numb. Her eyebrows lifted when she saw him, the only reason for traveling thousands of miles from home and living on nothing more then $40. He'd put on a little muscle since the last time she'd seen him, or at least toned what was there from daily activities. His perfectly irresistable curls and expressive brown eyes were exactly how she remembered them. She could see things taking a toll on him; never ending stress, worry, emotional trauma, and low self-esteem just to name a few.
Her lips parted as she slowly stood up from her chair, ready to follow him if he tried to run, "Bruce..."
He took a slow step forward as Stark took the phone from him, "Betty. What are you doing here?"
Tony held the phone to his ear, eyes on their uncomfortable reunion, "Steve! I can't talk right now I'll call you back!"
The girl kept her eyes on him, nervously shifting her weight. She shrugs her shoulders, biting her lip. Her arms wrap around his neck as she plunges into a kiss, tears in her eyes, "Oh Bruce!"
Banner quickly wrapped his arms around her waist, returning her love as he shut his eyes abruptly. His throat thickened. He didn't care if she was married, wanted to kill him, ready to kick yell or scream. Betty was in front of him. The only girl in the entire world who could make him feel halfway normal. They tugged at each other, both on the brink of tears holding onto one another as if it meant their life. Neither one seemed to care that Tony was still in the room, engulfed in their own passion and an over-whelming feeling that was unidentifiable.