Chapter 4: The Sting of Relief

The doctor had been awoken by the warm kiss of sunlight. Combing his fingers through his unruly hair, he sat up and stretched, golden streams hitting the wall adjacent to him. He was surprised; it'd been a while since he slept the whole night through. Taking a look around his room, he lifted a brow, impressed. The room was perfectly furnished. There wasn't too much, and there wasn't too little. Wonderfully subtle and functional, exactly how he liked it. A shame he couldn't stay.

Another door off to the side led to a large bathroom. The floor was of expensive tile, the sink counter smooth with marble. The tub could easily be mistaken for a Jacuzzi… he swore three people could fit comfortably in there—"Good afternoon, Doctor Banner." Startled, Bruce nearly jumped out of bed. He would never get used to Jarvis. "Afternoon…?"

"Yes, Doctor. Mr. Stark wished for me to inform you of his whereabouts as soon as you woke. You can find him on the 91st floor. He is working." Thanking the AI, Bruce headed for the bathroom and freshened up.

After a hot shower, the doctor felt better. The emptiness he felt before waned ever so slightly. He both loved it and hated it. He loved it because if only for a fleeting moment, he didn't feel alone. He hated it because in loving it, he may grow attached; his walls would crumble. What then? Having changed into gray slacks, a buttoned teal shirt, and a pair of black oxfords, the doctor finally headed downstairs.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, Bruce was greeted by pure, unadulterated noise. Rock blared from the overhead speakers, the air practically trembling with music. Turning, the engineer lifted his face shield visor, and smiled. Noticing the doctor's discomfort, he turned the music off. "Hey. You rest well?" The doctor nodded slowly, carefully. It was an odd concept. Lowering his visor, Tony continued to work. Curious, Bruce stood beside the engineer. "What exactly are you working on?" Gesturing with a gloved hand, Tony explained. "Oh, just making a few modifications to my suit. I'm hoping to make space travel possible in the thing, but it's turning out to be a real pain in the ass. There're a shit ton of factors to consider, facets to augment, yada, yada…" Bruce removed his glasses and set them on the table in front of him. He couldn't help the smile tugging at his lips. "And you… want my help...?"

"Just need a fellow genius's input." Tony lied. He knew exactly what he was doing; he was merely being selfish. What he had interest in, he would remain attached to, much like Pepper, much like his work, much like Bruce. And if it kept the other from eyeing the exit, then damn it, he would say whatever he needed to. Grabbing a small bag, he offered it to Bruce. "Gummy worm?" "I haven't even had breakfast." "Of course you haven't, it's noon." Tony mocked.

Bruce smiled a sincere smile. If only for a moment, he had forgotten that all this was temporary. Reaching into the bag, he pulled out 5 of the gelatin candies. One by one, they went into his mouth, and once they were gone, he went for more. Before he knew it, the bag was empty. "Sorry," the doctor mumbled, "I forgot about my sweet tooth…"

Tony raised an inquisitive brow. "Curiouser and curiouser… You're more impulsive than you lead on. I gotta bring more sweets around you."

"…Let's just get to work."

"It can wait. I'll go make you some brunch."

"You don't have to-"

"But I do. Or rather, I want to. Besides, Pepper will be home any minute. I might as well whip somethin' up for the both of you."

Removing his gloves and visor, Tony headed downstairs. The doctor decided to take a look around. As expected, it was perfect. A single large window allowed natural light in, also giving a nice view of the city. The chrome themed lab catered to every scientific need. A screen just beside him showed the image of the prototype suit and all its basic functions. Observing the engineer's work, he began to wonder why Tony started such a project now. He thought back to last night's call from the Director. Perhaps this was what Fury had requested of Tony.

The doctor took a seat in a nearby swivel chair and kept his eyes to the ceiling, staring at nothing in particular. The fleeting moment of happiness had passed, and he had come to his senses. He hated it… and he loved it.

…

25 minutes later…

"Sir, Miss Potts is entering the Tower."

"Perfect! Tell her where I am, will you?"

"Of course."

A few minutes later, Pepper had arrived, and was greeted with a kiss. Wrapping an arm around her waist, Tony walked her to the kitchen counter. "Hey. How was the flight back?" He headed to the stove.

"Oh, it was great! Something smells good."

…

Brunch was, to say the least, uncomfortable. Tony had insisted that his two favorite people eat together. Neither Pepper nor Bruce spoke a word to each other, except for the usual formalities. Bruce knew Pepper was afraid, and Pepper knew Bruce felt guilty, but neither could address the obvious. Their body language, however, said it all. Tony couldn't stand uncomfortable silences.

"So… are we just gonna stay quiet the whole time?"

Stealing a few nervous glances at Pepper, the doctor decided his company wasn't needed. He hurriedly finished his food and headed to the sink. "The food was great," he said, cleaning his dishes, "but I think I'll stay in the lab." He was gone before Tony could object. So much for bonding.

"That went well."

Pepper visibly relaxed in her seat. "I'm sorry, Tony. I don't doubt Dr. Banner is a good man. It's what he turns into that bothers me."

"If you recall, I was the one that provoked him that day." Tony defended.

"Whatever you did or said isn't justification enough for nearly getting yourself killed."

"It's funny… you two sound alike."

"Then why don't you take our word for it and leave him be?"

"Well, for starters, I found the man trying to kill himself. Again." Pepper said nothing. Tony continued. "Yeah. Which is why I really hoped the two of you could get along for a while… You know, until he's… better. Please trust me when I say nothing will happen." Placing a reassuring kiss on the woman's forehead, he took a seat. "On a happier note, how did the meeting go?"

…

Fear.

It was there in Pepper's eyes, glaringly clear. Bruce hated it. It was too familiar a sight. There was a very small handful of people he could trust, thanks to fear… But he couldn't blame those who were afraid. The man was a living, ticking time bomb; suppressed emotions always bubbled and raged below the surface. He could only forget his anger in the company of those he cared for. Yet those he cared for always ended up hurt. Whatever helped him, he couldn't have. Agitated, he paced back and forth, tugging at his curls. Why the hell was he even dwelling on this? Despite his efforts, his mind returned time and time again to these dark musings, like they just didn't want to let him go. He stared at his palms, wondering if that tinge of green he saw was real.

"Are you alright, Doctor Banner?" The AI chimed in. "It seems you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety."

"I suppose Tony told you to monitor me." Bruce sighed, shoulders slumped. "I'm fine."

"Very good. Please don't hesitate to ask me for anything."

"Thanks." After calming himself, the doctor had retrieved his glasses and snuck another look at Tony's prototype. The design, as always was flawless. He began to wonder why Tony even needed him for this.

"Great, isn't it?" Bruce jumped at Tony's voice; he hadn't even heard him come in. "I don't know why I hadn't started it sooner." Draping an arm over the doctor's shoulder, he too, marveled at his work. "Shall we begin?"

"I really don't think I'd be of much help. This is perfect as it is."

"Well… yeah. I know. But someone to talk to would be nice. And besides," stepping away, Tony grabbed something from a nearby cabinet, "free gummy worms."

AN: Hands up if you get the gummy worms reference ;) Don't be afraid to leave a review 3