Kansas4
The door closed behind the doctor leaving Gin thoroughly confused. What did doctor Banner do? He wasn't in trouble was he? He came back in a few minutes later looking irritated but still somewhat cheerful.
"I didn't get you in trouble did I?" said Gin
Banner smirked and she could see that he had a wicked sense of humor.
"No I just needed to clarify a few things with Fury, nothing to worry about" said Banner
She got the feeling he was hiding something from her but she wasn't sure what.
"who is Fury?" said Gin
"That guy, with the eye patch. He's the head of Shield" said Banner
He was rolling a piece of equipment that had been sitting in the corner closer to the bed. She watched him plug it in and power it up.
"what is that?" said Gin
"It's another one of Tony's inventions the Stark med scanner, it's a combination of an X-ray and an ultrasound" said Banner
"I'm going to use it to take a picture of your bones through those casts of yours" said Banner
"Oh! Ah why? Wouldn't it take months for the bones to heal? "said Gin
"Ordinarily but you remember I said something about a side effect?" said Banner "Ah yeah" said Gin, with a squeak in her voice.
"Relax it's not something bad, besides if you were going to die from the radiation you would have symptoms. Nausea, bleeding, stomach cramps, at the very least a rash you've got none of those. In fact radiation usually destroys cells and impedes healing" said Banner
Or turns you into a giant green rage monster thought Banner. She stared at him in shock.
"You on the other hand are doing the exact opposite" said Banner
The machine was humming softly and ready to go.
"Huh? What makes you say that?" said Gin
Banner flicked open her chart.
"This part right here that states and I quote, extensive facial lacerations, you don't have a mark on your face and no scars either" said Banner
Her mouth dropped open in shock and Banner picked up the wand like apparatus. He held it just above the cast on her right arm and slowly followed it to her shoulder. He stopped at the shoulder and typed something into the keyboard on the device. Slowly an image began to form on the screen but before she could see it completely Banner blocked her view.
"Amazing" said Banner
"What's amazing?" said Gin
She tried to crane her neck so she could see the monitor.
"Your bones seem to be reconstructing about three to four weeks ahead of schedule" said Banner
"What?" said Gin
"Relax it's a good thing, it just means you won't need this contraption in a few more days, rather than a few months which would be the normal time frame" said Banner
He looked worried about something but she had no idea why. Wasn't healing really fast a good thing? She certainly thought it was. He must have seen her trying to see the screen and turned it towards her so she could view it. He pointed to the screen
"See this part here, it's where the break is but as you can see there is new growth already forming" said Banner
He sounded slightly excited as he motioned with his hands
"Your bones are literally pulling themselves back together, like broken glass repairing its self, it's amazing" said Banner
When he looked up she was literally staring at him in shock.
"Ooh sorry, that was rude wasn't it?" said Banner
Gin nodded yes.
"Forgive the enthusiasm still a bit of a science geek it seems, don't worry I'll try not to run too many tests. Believe me I know what it feels like to be used as a guinea pig" said Banner
She wondered at that comment, but was grateful that she had at least one person looking out for her interests.
"So you get some rest and we'll do some blood work just as soon as I can get those casts off, in the mean time I'll check on what they plan to feed you because you should be able to handle solid food by tonight" said Banner
He gently patted her arm folded up her chart and shoved it into the slot at the end of the bed. She eyed the chart after he left as if the manila folder would divulge its secrets without her picking it up. She wanted desperately to know what it said beyond massive facial lacerations, which she obviously didn't have. Could they have been wrong when they put those in her chart?
Then again she wasn't awake for most of the time so it could have been possible she was more injured than she knew of. Come to think of it they had adjusted her pain mediation a few hours ago and it had yet to wear off. That was odd usually the ache would be unbearable by this time and it was only mildly achy, more like when she had the flu once, than like a bunch of broken bones. Just what the heck was going on?
For the next few days all she saw was Bruce. He would run tests and joke with her about the littlest things; then go quiet when she mentioned anything about her family or friends. She was beginning to worry that something had happened to them and he was reluctant to tell her. He didn't seem like the deceitful type but then again she didn't really know him that well.
Fury was leaning over the console reading the report when Coulson found him. He looked up at Coulson as he walked in.
"So you were right, good work agent" said Fury
"What about the girl?" said Coulson
Fury glanced at the monitor for her room. She was laughing at something Banner said again.
"She's one of us now, until I say otherwise. I've already upgraded her status" said Fury
"Good, how's her progress" said Coulson
"She shows no signs of turning green or anything else besides healing really fast" said Fury
Coulson shrugged
"Could still be useful, Stark's here by the way" said Coulson
"Wonderful, I'll deal with him. You tell Banner to go ahead and move her to one of the bunks" said Fury
Dismay passed briefly across Coulson's features.
"Relax, he seems calmer around her for some reason, you should be fine" said Fury
Coulson gave him a doubting look but Fury was already leaving the room before Coulson could reply. He checked the assignment log and noted they moved her to the level four block.
With a half sigh part groan Coulson headed for the infirmary.
Along the way he stopped at acquisitions and picked the girl up a change of clothes. Bruce had been jealously guarding his charge like an overprotective guard dog since he got here. Having her walk down the hall with an open backed gown was sure to get someone seriously hurt.
Between the efforts to find the tessaract and his duties with the girl Coulson doubted Bruce was getting much sleep. It was something that didn't bode well for everyone onboard, if he was sleep deprived. The girl being on level four would put her closer to the labs and where Bruce was working. She wouldn't be able to be in there alone, not without someone with a higher level clearance overseeing them, but hopefully it would keep the big guy in check.
Coulson reached the infirmary and headed for her room. The other agents that were near her when she arrived were all back on their feet now, all of them healed rather quickly just like the girl. Some of them should have died but they didn't and they owed it all to this girl, for that reason alone she already commanded quite a bit of respect on the base. Coulson opened the door and found the girl alone in the room.
She had grown tired of waiting to see what was in that folder and she knew Banner wasn't likely to show her. He had detached her from the traction contraption the day before so she could finally move. Well sort of she still had a cast on one leg and a wrist. Banner did promise that they would come off in the next few days.
That is why she was currently crawling down the bed to grab the folder. She had her hand on it, when the door opened. She looked up and met Coulson's smirking face.
"Curious?" said Coulson
"Ah yeah, just a little" said Gin
Coulson pulled it out of the pocket.
"Here read it you've got clearance now" said Coulson
She eagerly took it from his hand and flipped it open. She got past the first line when what he said sank in. she looked up to find him staring at her.
"What do you mean I have clearance now?" said Gin
Coulson smirked again.
"Fury decided to grant you access, your part of Shield now" said Coulson
He sounded excited but she was shocked
"Just who decided she wanted to join Shield?" said Banner
He was standing in the doorway. Coulson shifted and nervously eyed Dr. Banner for some reason.
"Bruce, you remember Phil don't you?" said Gin
"Yeah I do" said Banner
"She can always leave if she wants, but Fury figured she would want out of this room" said Coulson
His hand was slowly lowering to the weapon at his side.
"Well he figured right" said Gin
She turned towards Coulson with a smile on her face.
"Great, I was supposed to show you to your new quarters and I brought you these" said Coulson
"Quarters? I haven't released her from my care yet" said Banner
Gin glanced at Bruce for some reason his voice just dropped an octave. She took the clothes from Phil's hands
"He doesn't expect you to, she's simply being moved closer to where you're working and the clearance allows her to be in the same room if necessary" said Coulson
Bruce was glaring at him and Coulson, for some reason looked a bit terrified but he hid it well.
"Oh that's great isn't it Bruce, now you can finally get some sleep instead of working all the time" said Gin
Bruce had been opening his mouth to say something to Coulson, but her words caught him off guard.
"How did…?"said Bruce
"I know that you haven't been getting enough sleep?" said Gin
She shrugged
"I'm a bar tender. I've learned to recognize those subtle little hints that someone's had enough, or not enough in your case" said Gin
She slid her legs out of the bed and picked up the clothes. She reached for her crutches.
"Now turn around" said Gin
Bruce moved forward to help her and she waved him off.
"Both of you"said Gin
Bruce gave her an exasperated look, until the stubborn look on her face had him turning around. They waited until the door closed before turning to each other. "How long has it been?" said Coulson
"A few days, relax I 'm used to losing sleep" said Bruce
Coulson gave Bruce a worried look.
"So where is my room?" said Gin, as she came out of the bathroom
"Ah this way" said Coulson
Bruce hovered as they made their way down the hallway with Coulson in the lead. They turned several times and crossed what looked like a flight deck. Gin stopped briefly to stare at the planes because they were like nothing she had ever seen before.
Bruce gave Coulson a worried look that Gin caught but didn't say anything as she hobbled away. Coulson held open what looked like a small cabin. The bunk looked like it folded down from the wall and a metal locker like closet was on wall. A small desk with what looked like a laptop was next to it and everything was made out of a gunmetal grey metal. It looked nondescript and utilitarian, in short military.
"We took the liberty of placing your purse inside the locker, you can set the lock combination to anything you would like" said Coulson
"Thanks Phil" said Gin
He smiled in response. She hobbled over to the desk chair and calmly sat down. "What are you doing?" said Bruce
"Sitting at my new desk" said Gin
Bruce frowned at her.
"You should be resting, on the bed" said Bruce
Coulson had quietly withdrawn leaving the two to talk.
"I've done enough resting, you take the bed" said Gin
Bruce laughed and shook his head.
"I can't do that, you need…"said Bruce
"My doctor to not collapse on me, now rest" said Gin
She pointed to the bed like she was scolding a particularly errant child. Bruce reluctantly sat down
"There satisfied I'm sitting, but I'm not going to be able to sleep" said Bruce
"Lay back and I'll sing to you if you wish" said Gin
Bruce chuckled but reluctantly leaned back on the bed.
"Sing to me huh, never had anyone offer to do that before, you any good?" said Bruce
Gin smiled and sat back.
"You'll have to decide that for yourself" said Gin
She chose something soft and something her mother used to sing to her when she couldn't sleep. Coulson was walking away when the first soft strains of Scarborough faire stopped him in his tracks.
People turned and stopped what they were doing to listen. By the fourth refrain Bruce was snoring softly in her bed. She let the last note die. Movement in her doorway made her look up.
It was Fury, he had a relieved look on his face. She raised her finger to her lips to keep him from waking Bruce. He simply nodded in her direction and walked away.
She leaned back in the small chair and eyed the laptop for a moment. Then opened it and turned it on. She was hoping it had internet access, and that it wasn't encrypted so bad that she couldn't get through to look things up.
They were hiding something from her and she wanted to know what it was. It took her a few minutes to even find the browser because it was one she had never even heard of. In fact none of the apps on the system were familiar including the computer's manufacturer.
Frowning she typed a few basic search queries into the search engine and waited. Music groups she liked, movies she had seen, actors she liked, nothing was coming up. It was as if they didn't exist in this world. Companies that she had done business with, her cable television provider, cell phone service, even her electric company didn't exist.
On impulse she typed in her address and it gave her information about a dam collapsing. She was about to return to the search engine to see if her Facebook page even existed when a word on the screen caught her attention. The word was Wilford. She scrolled up the page and read what it said. When she got to the photos she almost slammed the laptop shut. Her town was gone, was that what they had been hiding?
"Have you figured it out yet?" said Bruce
His soft voice made her jump.
"Figured out what yet? And you're supposed to be sleeping" said Gin
"I did, thank you by the way. I don't think I've ever had anyone be concerned about me before" said Bruce
The statement was so sad she wanted to hug the man. He slid his feet over the side of the bed
"You have a beautiful voice by the way and a hard bed" said Bruce
He stood up and stared at her. He looked sad for some reason.
"Figured out what?" said Gin
Bruce nodded and took off his glasses, cleaned them and returned them to his face.
"Richards calls it the multi verse theory" said Bruce
"Richards?" said Gin
"Mr. Fantastic, he's a scientist, anyway the theory is that the universe isn't singular. That several of them exist in tandem like mirror images but with noticeable differences in each one" said Bruce
She nodded, she was getting what he was saying
"Like if someone other than Steve jobs started Apple or Ray Kroc made the decision to not buy McDonald's" said Gin
"Exactly, do you see what I am getting at" said Bruce
"Sort of are you trying to tell me I'm in another dimension?" said Gin
"That is precisely what he is trying to tell you Ms. Smythe" said Fury
Gin was beginning to wonder if the man spent his spare time skulking around the halls, waiting for the opportune time to interrupt, or simply to scare the heck out of someone.
She opened her mouth to say more when the sound of booted feet interrupted her. A huge group of guards rounded the corner. There were at least six of them and between them they were escorting a man. His hands were bound which meant he was a prisoner, but he didn't seem fazed by it one bit.
He passed by her room and turned in her direction. His gaze must have lingered on her for a little too long, because one of his guards shoved him forward when he paused. He smiled in her direction. Bruce stiffened beside her and Fury stepped between her and the door. Odd it felt like they were guarding her for some reason. Fury stepped out of the room as they passed and followed the group to wherever they were taking the man.
"Keep her here" said Fury