The Girl Who Can't Be Moved

Chapter Ten

Her hands dug into the side of the building, pulling herself up higher and higher. She didn't look down, she didn't want to have an idea of how high up she was from the ground. Even if she did fall, she knew now for a fact that it wouldn't kill her, but she didn't want to start the climb over.

Stark Tower was ridiculously tall. And big. Just overall gigantic, really.

A blast barely missed her head and she growled, glaring back at some of the aliens that had zipped by, the attack random and unplanned. She found a secure spot and jumped to the next level, hands scraping the ledge. Keep moving to avoid being hit. Alien blasts burned against her armor, leaving singe marks and hurting like no other, although she was fortunate that they didn't penetrate. She was designed to take on human weapons after all, not extraterrestrials.

Again, she jumped to the following level. She was rather fast, especially since didn't exactly scale buildings for a living and she was having fun, in a way. The jumps allowed her power to stretch for once. Allowed her muscles to coil and spring to their capacity, providing abnormal distances. Actually granted her permission to call upon her durability and her strength. She got to make the call as to how far she could go, for the first time that she could remember.

Loki's trademark green had caught her eye, calling her to him while in the middle of a fight. He thought he was safe, up there at the top of Stark Tower. Well, she was bound and determined to dethrone the king. He had hurt so many for his own selfish gain and she couldn't stop her blood from boiling. So, she had finished the goons she was previously engaging and began her climb.

Glass crunched under her hands and feet while there was the sound of her skin scraping the coarse edges of the building. Her skin did not waver, repelling any intended injury as it always did. The wind wipped her russet hair about as she gained tremendous height, jacket flapping about her figure. She was close to her goal, she could see the final level drawing near.

With a secure grip, she kicked against the side of the building, flipping herself over and onto the last floor of Stark Tower. Weapon drawn, she immediately found herself face to face with Loki of Asgard, the god of mischief. She would be lying if she said that her heart didn't jump to her throat but it was shoved back down to where it belonged.

"We meet at last," he smirked. "I have yet the honor of speaking to you directly-"

Bridgette's weapon clashed with his staff, pushing him back into the ruined living room. She was not about to fall under one of his silver tongued spells. Jumping toward him, he deflected her strike but she only tried again. They clashed again and again with him defending and her advancing. Growling, the scepter produced a blue blast that sent her flying back, crashing into the bar at the edge of the room. The remainder of the blast bounced from her to the nearby wall.

"Not one for many words are you?" he asked, brushing off his armor. With a small heave, Bridgette managed to pry herself out of the furniture, some debris falling off her form. Jaw clenched, she rolled her shoulders and adjusted her grip on her weapon. Ready.

"I don't need words to pound you," she threatened.

"Is that so?" he challenged. This time the trickster took the running charge and Bridgette planted her feet, prepared this round. The Tesseract staff connected with her own and she held steady as the god applied pressure, only minor tremors due to receiving the shock from the hit. She smirked up at him, as he was generously taller.

"Not moving this time." Shoving back, she yanked her own staff free and twirled it back so to bring it down in a proper strike. Loki batted it away with a backhanded swing, ripping it from her grip. Blue eyes rounded as it clattered away, rolling to the edge of the building. Gasping, she sprinted and made a dive in order to snatch her specialized tool. The tips of her fingers barely even skimmed it as it made the final rotation, falling down to the action below.

"No-!"

She yelped as another blast struck her, sending her skidding across the damaged floor. It took her a moment longer to recover, breathing hard and skin feeling as if it was on fire. Sure, her skin didn't break upon pressure but she still had nerves that sent electrical impulses to her brain, which was steadily becoming overloaded.

"Not so confident now?" suggested Loki, stepping closer. She sent a glare, feet prepping her to stand but a small blast from the staff snuffed the idea immediately, making her cry out.

"You sonovabitch," she gritted, breathing hard. Sweat was beading at her hairline, face smeared with patches of dirt and she couldn't imagine the tossled state of her hair. He smirked down at her and her skin prickled with dislike, wanting to do nothing more than beat his face in.

"Such language," he tutted. With a quick shove, Bridgette pushed herself back up to her feet, only swaying slightly with her fists raised.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked. The question seemed to put the god off guard for a split moment. The girl rolled her eyes.

"Yes, you're taking over the world, good for you," she answered for him. "But anyone can see that you're just a kid with daddy issues and that someone else is bullying you. You're known for stirring the pot-adding to the trouble, but not taking the crown yourself, according to the books. So who's the real bad guy? Because it sure as hell isn't you."

There seemed to be a flicker of an emotion of some sort, but as his grip tightened on his weapon, the look was willed away. "How admirable of you, to try and deflect the focus on myself and my powerful allies while the true conflict lies within you, Bridgette Erskine."

Her heart actually stopped.

"Oh yes, quite a few people have breached the confidentiality that is your file," he continued, words finding leverage finally due to her continuing pallor. "What a heavy past you bear-"

Letting loose a roar, she struck the god across the face, sending him backwards. Chest heaving, she approached him again and he evaded her reach. She turned her burning eyes to him. He knew. He knew everything. He may as well rip her armor open.

"Are you afraid?" he mocked. She dove at him again and he flickered away, nothing more than a doppleganger. "Afraid that they will find you again? Afraid that they will take you away?"

"Shut up!" she shouted, failing to smother her panic. "You don't know anything! They could be coming for me right now because of you exposing me!"

"Oh, but I do know. I know it all." She ran at the god once more, anger and fear clashing internally within her. She didn't see his smirk. It didn't register to her that she was falling for his silver words that were meant to provoke. Maybe she didn't care that it was dangerous. No, she knew that she didn't care. All that mattered was taking down that god.

Her fist connected with his face when the scepter blasted, hitting her fully exposed middle. Her knuckles had connected, for just a moment, not nearly long enough before she was drilled into the back wall.

Loki smirked at his good work, the dazed girl slump against the imprinted wall. He rotated his jaw slightly, the sting lingering from her punch. Quite powerful for a slight build girl. Well, he suppose that was due to her serum, the one that scrambled her genetics and turned her into the armored lady. Letting loose a breath, the god turned to face the unfolding war again when the floor tremored beneath him.

"What now?" he muttered to himself.

There was a vicious shudder underfoot as the Hulk made himself known, jumping onto the god's landing. Also, there was a slender silver bar in his hand but it received no attention. The green beast opened his mouth in a roar, threatening Loki without proper words. He stomped toward the dark haired Asgardian, ready to smash him to the ground when he spoke out.

"Enough! You, all of you, are beneath me! I am a god, you dull creature, and I shall not be bullied-" His words fell on deaf ears as the Hulk's gaze found the quiet figure of Bridgette, crumpled in a pile of rubble. Anger spiked quickly and he grabbed the god by his leg, like a toothpick in his grip. He then proceeded to slam Loki of Asgard into the floor. The sound echoed throughout the broken room.

Back and forth. Back and forth. He paused once to check his work and then bashed him again for good measure. Breathlessly stunned, Loki remained in his personalized crater, looking up at the ceiling with his eyes wide from shock. Unmoving.

"Puny god."

Exhaling heavily and dropping the slender weapon he had caught on his way up, the Hulk made his way over to the girl, stepping on the god's chest for good measure. His dark eyes narrowed as he studied her. She wasn't moving and her eyes were closed. This bothered the Hulk, as to why he wasn't quite sure as he stepped closer. He reached out to grab her, but stopped short. This time, he took care to be gentle as he extended his hand to her. She was very small right now. Very small next to the gigantic Hulk. He didn't want to break her with his big green hands. So he took time as he scooped her up out of the rubble.

"Bridgette..." he muttered, her name easier now. It was nice to say her name. The Hulk liked her name. Liked this Bridgette girl. She was limp in his hands, like a doll. A worn doll, tattered and beaten over the years. Her jacket was ruined, patches eroded away from the fighting, the fall and the alien level attacks. Her face was dirtied and hair tangled as well.

"Bridgette," he called again. She had to wake up, Hulk wanted her to wake up. The pad of his thumb brushed her cheek, tilting her face slightly and he received no reaction. His breathing started to shorten and heave as emotion coiled within him. Anger, a familiar burning sensation. Angry that they hurt her. Sadness too. Sad that she was hurt. Hulk could feel Bruce's sadness ebbing through to him, dampening the hot anger. No, he didn't like being sad. Angry was much easier. Angry didn't hurt like being sad did. Sadness hurt a lot more than anger.

"Ugh..." The Hulk perked at the sound, bringing the Bridgette girl closer for examination. She stirred slowly, lifting a hand to touch the back of her head. "Oh sweet Jesus, that hurt like a bitch."

"Bridgette..." he called, voice deep and resonating in the spacious room. It took her a moment for her to focus in on his voice and she looked up at him, free hand against his own. As soon as she recognized him she smiled up at him. Hulk liked it when she smiled at him, like he wasn't a bad guy. It made him...not angry...

"Hey, big guy," she greeted with a friendly pat. "How goes the fighting?"

"Hulk smash," he reported. She gave a short laugh and smiled at him again. He almost smiled back, the corner of his mouth tugging upward.

"I'm sure you did," she said. Hulk placed her on her feet where she swayed for a moment, his hands encircling her to keep her steady. "I'm good, I'm good. Thanks though, I think I got it."

A gleam caught her eye and Bridgette made her way over to the silver bar, gasping at the sight. Her weapon! Swaying only slightly, she stepped over Loki's immobile form and picked up up, giving a twirl. She couldn't but smirk over at the god's paralyzed status, served him right. The Hulk walked-well, more like stomped to the balcony's edge, to where the ongoing battle could be clearly seen. The girl followed suite, looking up at the green beast who glared at the enemy.

He didn't fight her. He didn't hurt her. Could Bruce see this? See how the Hulk acted? Because she could see him, could see Bruce Banner past the green skin and the large stature. There was just something about him, them, that was just uniquely Bruce. The jawline, his eyes, the grey hair mixed at the temples, little features that just stood out to her.

"Want to jump?" she asked. The Hulk smirked down at her and she grinned, taking the lead.

The fall from Stark Tower was exhilarating at first, much higher than the building she had jumped when she was younger. She could see the Hulk's massive form falling next to hers and they crashed onto the street below, ground quaking. Before she even got the chance to recognize her surroundings they were showered in alien gunfire. She brought up her arms to protect her face and eyes, only able to see glimpses, nearly blinded by the light.

The Hulk roared, taking the attacks directly, tough hide seemingly able to withstand the force rather well. Bridgette cringed as the blasts hit her. They had them completely surrounded and were unleashing their full force. Her armor burned under their pressure, wanting to deflect the hits but being unable to fully function. Yet her skin wouldn't split, though it did singe and her nerves were screaming, drowning her senses. A yell of pain broke free followed by the Hulk's roar. They couldn't even move away, the attacks from all angles pinning them to their spots. Bridgette's legs buckled due to a well aimed hit and she dropped to her knees.

"I can close it! Can anyone hear me? I can shut the portal down!" came Black Widow over the communication.

"Do it!" came Steve Rogers.

"Hurry!" added Bridgette, yelling to be heard over the blasts.

"No, wait!" said Tony Stark.

"What?" yelped the girl. She struggled to reach her weapon, the movement slow and difficult. As soon as her hand wrapped around the slender bar, she gave a yell of effort, pulling it forward quickly and deflecting a blast.

"Stark, those things are still coming!" argued the Captain. She swung at a few others, sending them back at the Chitaurians that encircled them. Take that!

"I got a nuke coming in-and I know just where to put it," explained the Iron Man.

"Tony, you know this is a one way trip," warned Captain America. Bridgette took a hit to the side of her face, sending her back to the ground. The Hulk continued to roar and try to swat at the blasts like the girl was doing, or reach up and grab the closest Chitaurians.

"Tony-be careful!" she managed to communicate.

"Thanks, kid," he gave a breath of a laugh.

She yelled again as the onslaught lessened none, forcing her flat the ground, her tool useless in her hand now. Hulk roared and his footsteps quaked the ground as he moved to cover the girl. The hits stopped coming and she lifted her head slowly to look up at him, vision slightly blurry. The Hulk had his back to the Chitaurians, taking most of the damage as he stooped over her, some hits slipped past and only nicked Bridgette but the majority was generously relieved. Her blue eyes were wide in surprise and worry as he was still roaring out. From the pain, from the anger, she didn't know.

"Bruce! Stop it!" she shouted. Hulk gave her a look that clearly stated that he wasn't going to move. It was his decision. Breathing hard, she pushed back up to her feet and stepped closer to the gamma beast so to be heard clearly.

"Bruce!" she called. Dark eyes found her, teeth bared from the pain he was undergoing. "Throw me!" He didn't react, staring. She gestured to herself and then to the aliens, yelling each word to be heard.

"Throw! Me!"

The giant green hands scooped her up and before she knew it she was sailing. Glaring, she kept her grip tight on her weapon and slammed into the first alien with a mean swing. Wasting no time in double checking, she jumped from his vehicle to the next, dealing the same fate. She was sure to move quickly, hopping from one floating aircraft to the next with her impressive jump and swinging as hard as she could so that they were down with one hit. The formation started to break up, falling apart due to the girl who wouldn't stay down. They started to turn on each other in attempt to shoot her, but by the time they fired she would already be on the next craft, an annoyingly moving target. Now with her acting as the main distraction, this allowed the Hulk opportunity to jump and smash those nearest to him, their firepower not enough to keep him still anymore.

Bridgette went to jump to the next transportation when Hulk went to swipe at the very same one. She hardly had the time to gasp when his fist sent her to the ground, street rubble flying up at her contact. The noise was becoming muted, blurring altogether with her vision, yet there was still a ringing in her head that was painstakingly loud. She was on her back, not moving as she looked up at the sky. The black rip in the sky and she could see the Iron Man rocketing upward with the nuke on his back, following the bright blue Tesseract beam. Then he vanished into the darkness.

Moments ticked by...more than a minute dragged and they could all hear the Captain give the order to Agent Romanov.

"Close it up." Bridgette closed her eyes, body throbbing with pain as she tried to sit up. Something flashed at the corner of her eye and she looked up quickly and she gasped. There was a wave of alien screams as they all started to fall from the sky, dropping dead left and right. The leviathans crashed as well, taking over streets with their massive bodies. It was all ending, they were winning. Stark did it.

"Hey, I can see Stark!" she called over the com. Her brow furrowed as she studied his falling figure. "Guys, something's not right..."

"He's not slowing down!" added Steve. Bridgette shoved herself to her feet, doing her best to make her way over to the others, stepping around the dropped Chitaurians. She could see Thor winding up his hammer so to fly to the rescue, but someone beat him to it.

Hulk jumped fantastically high, snatching the Iron Man and using the nearby buildings to slow down, the glass and metal flying from where his hand was ripping through. The returning fall only took a moment, the ground shaking underfoot as the Hulk landed and set Tony Stark on the ground. The face of his mask was gone and he was clearly unconscious. The arch reactor in his chest was dim, the light gone. Panic began to swell in her chest. Was he dead? He couldn't be dead. He was Tony Stark, the Iron Man. She couldn't cope with another death. She just couldn't.

"He's not breathing," noted the Captain. The same look of quiet distress was clear on everyone's face as they waited for something to happen. For him to wake up.

Then the Hulk roared, so loud and so suddenly that everyone jumped, startled. There was another gasp and Tony's eyes snapped open, the light restored to the arch reactor. Bridgette grinned, so excited that she could've laughed if it didn't hurt so much.

"What the hell?" he asked, regaining his breath. "What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me?" The girl laughed aloud, ignoring the throb in her chest from the action.

"You wish," she told the genius.

"We won," reported Steve, smiling a bit as well. He lifted his fist slightly in a cheer.

"Alright. Hey. Alright. Good job, guys. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day. Have you ever tried shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I wanna try it," he rambled. Bridgette couldn't wipe the victory grin from her face, thrilled that her teammate was alive.

"Hell, I'll try anything. I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving," she added.

"We are not finished yet," spoke up Thor, still serious. Right. Loki.

"Then shawarma after?"

The god of mischief barely managed to pull himself out of the floor, entire being resounding with pain. Cuts split all over his face and he was bruised in places he didn't think could bruise. He had just barely pulled himself up onto a step when he heard the pulled of a taunt string. Slowly, he looked back to see the entire force of the Avengers glaring at him. The Hulk, Hawkeye, Black Widow, The Iron Man, Ricochet, Captain America, and his brother Thor.

"If it's all the same to you...I'll take that drink now..."

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