Chapter 3 : Broken and dysfunctional

A/N: I would like to thank everyone who reviewed my last chapter: Avengers Fan, Linzerj, Radwoman, Web of Obsidian, Dark Universe and Andrewthegreat1. You guys made my day. Also, I apologize for the shorter chapter, and I have to say that this is not my best work. But trust me, the next chapter will be much better.

Without further delay, let's move onto the next chapter, shall we?

I don't know when I got the idea to start a 'journal' because I was never good with words.

Yet, here I am, with an empty notebook, a new purple pencil and a mind filled with thoughts, emotions and problem that need to be dealt with.

...This can help me deal with it, right?

Maybe it will help me deal with the constant fear, nuisance and feeling of not being able to control him... to control it...?

Then again, maybe this is just a waste of time.

Maybe it won't help me... But what else can I do but try?

...It seems that that's the only thing I ever do.

Try.

And never succeed.

Bruce Banner

We're all in this alone.

Many would disagree with these words.

Many would say that we are not alone in this big world. They would say that we have family, friends, lovers and even enemies.

But if you think about it, if you really think about it, you realize that we are really all alone it this, whatever this is.

Not everyone will feel that loneliness. Some people have those dear to them, to help them cope with cruelness and emptiness.

Yet, there are those who are not that fortune. Those who were abandoned, who had no one to rely on, who were truly, really... all alone.

The time in Stark Tower passed slowly and painfully. Three days after the whole 'moving in' thing, and nothing changed. There was no improvement in their behavior, bonding and getting used to having someone to rely on.

And it was all because each one of them was alone, or used to be alone. They didn't know about other way of living. They only knew about loneliness and solitude, and it was hard to get used to having someone you can talk to or let them watch your back.

But they had no idea how crazy things will get in the near future, and that they will need someone they can lean on.

The whole S.H.I.E.L.D base was in chaos. Groups of agents were rushing around, obeying the orders and doing their best to help in any way.

In the middle of that chaos, a single figure was standing out. He was dressed in black, with his hands on the computer screens and an eye patch covering one of his eyes. His face was pulled into a serious grimace, but to a trained eye there was something far bigger behind that grimace.

Nick Fury was furious.

"Sir, do you think it's a good idea to call the Avengers? They still didn't-..."

"I know, Agent Hill, but if the situation continues like this, we will have no choice but to call them. We cannot risk the safety of the world for their bonding time. But that's not the priority now. I want Team 1 and 2 working on the civilians and hostages, while Team 3 tried to take down the enemy." Without casting a glance at the arriving agent he typed something into the computer and watched as the screen changed, showing the various news feeds of the whole event.

"Team 1 and 2 are on the line, Sir, but we have a problem. Team 3 is off the radar. We can't find them and there is a possibility we lost all contact with them."

"Damn it! Tell Team 1 and 2 to search for Team 3 when they secure the civilians. If we don't fix the situation in a few hours, we are calling the Avengers."

"Yes Sir!" With one last glance towards the Director, agent Hill dashed away from the scene, shouting for other agents to follower her, while the thoughts in her mind flashed at the speed of light.

If the situation continues like this, we will need the Avengers.

But will they be ready?

His days became monotone.

Get up, eat something, go to lab, work until late in the evening and then go to sleep or just continue working until your eyes burn and your whole body screams for rest and sleep.

That was pretty much it. And he was used to it. He loved working on his suit, thinking about new weapons for it and new designs with cool colors.

Yet, it didn't give him any satisfaction.

It was like his mind was too occupied with other things and he couldn't enjoy doing the things he love.

And he was right.

The whole situation in the Tower, with his new guests, was getting to him. The constant pressure of having to smile, joke and be cheerful around them was making him tired, and all his free time was spent on sleeping and recovering so he can pretend to be happy for one more day.

Usually, he would have to pretend only to a few persons, like his employees and his other workers. And sometimes he even had to pretend in front of Pepper because he didn't want to worry her even more.

But he always knew that he had a safe place, his own sanctuary where he can be himself, where he can stop pretending, stop smiling and just be what he wants to be. Even if that means drowning his sorrow in some expensive alcohol.

"Sir, Director Fury is on the line, asking for you." Jarvis interrupted his train of thoughts and Tony jolted at the sudden voice present in the room. His eyes focused on the screen in front of him, as his mind wondered off a few minutes ago, and he saw Fury's name on the screen.

"I got it Jarvis." He said quietly, barely audible for the A.I. to hear it and he answered the call.

"Eye-patch! How can I help you?" In a second his voice became cheerful, but that mood didn't reach his eyes. He was too tired to mask it and he was thankful that he was alone in his lab, and not actually in front of Nick Fury.

"Stark, we need you to come it."

He was surprised by that statement.

When he returned the call, he expected Fury to complain about how slow their progress is (or rather non-existing), to yell at him for some prank he did or to just complain, like he usually did.

But the seriousness in his voice made Tony freeze for a second.

"What for?"

"Situation with hostages. The enemy is a scientis gone mad. He closed his whole lab and threatened to let out a deadly virus. We sent three teams, two returned. One is lost."

"And you need us for..?"

"Find the team. Rescue them and bring the enemy to us."

Tony wanted to decline. He wanted to argue, to yell, to say that he has other things to do. But a part of him wanted to help.

After the whole thing with the nuke and him almost dying, something snapped in him. He suddenly wanted to help. He wanted to be the hero, although he knew he wasn't one.

He was nothing, but he wanted to pretend. He wanted to pretend that he can be a hero like others. Even for a small amount of time.

"I will tell the others. We will be at the helicarrier in an hour."

Before he could realize that he just said, the line went dead and he continued to stare at the small phone.

He had just agreed to go on a mission.

And he did it in the name of the whole team.

Surprisingly, it all went smooth.

Or as smooth as it can go with a bunch of dysfunctional people.

Tony immediately gathered them all in the living room and told them the news.

And as he expected, they weren't pleased.

It took them twenty to stop yelling at each other and finally move. Each one of them had their own doubts, but somehow, they managed to put that aside, for others' sake.

Bruce seemed to be the one who disliked the idea the most as he had a moment of pure panic when they asked him to come too. He kept repeating that they won't need a 'mindless beast that only causes chaos'. But with a few kind words from Steve, they all gathered their stuff and in an hour they were in the meeting room at the helicarrier.

It took them only about fifteen minutes to get the mission info and soon they found themselves suited up and on the plane as they were being transported to the last place where the enemy was seen.

They were scattered across the plane, lost in their own thoughts as they waited for the arrival on the scene.

In the far corner of the plane, Bruce was sitting on the ground with his glasses off, in his lap, and his eyes shut tightly. His chest were rising and falling slowly and steadily, and from time to time he ould crack one eye open and glance at his teammates, before going back to his breathing exercise.

Tony was pacing back and forwards in his suit, with his visor opened and his face pulled into a frown as he listened to Cap's endless ranting. It was clear that the good, old Captain was getting on his nerves, but surprisingly he managed to control himself.

The two assassins were sitting on a bench in their own corner, sitting still and in silence as they played with their weapons and kept an eye on the rest of the team, while Thor stared at his hammer with a lost look in his eyes.

They didn't speak the single word as they left the tower and they all kept their distance from each other, only nodding or smiling falsely at someone's words or joke.

The complete silence lasted through the whole flight, until Captain got up, and fixing his shield said:

"Suit up. We arrived."

A/N: Well, there. I think I can do much better, but for some reason this was painful for me to write. But I promise the next chapter will be much better. This was just a little introduction, and from the next chapter the whole story will develop and the things will start moving.

Please review because reviews make me happy and give me will to write! :D

Horizon.