A/N: Well, after all that emotional stuff, time to have a little fun, hm?

It's really interesting reading all of your comments and what people are enjoying and want to see more of. Some people want more Pepperony, some people want more Avengers, some people want more action, some more Happy and JH. I'm trying to do a bit of a taste of everything to whet your appetite for this story and where it is going because I've decided there is going to be a sequel. LOL After all, what's a Marvel story without a franchise, right? ;)

I had a ball writing this chapter, and I hope you'll have the same reading it. As always, comments are like not expected, but greatly appreciated and help the chapters keep coming at a steady rate. :D

Chapter TEN

Two weeks later things had settled back in some semblance of normalcy. Well, as close as a group like the Avenger's was going to get. Pepper was back to full strength, much to Tony's great relief and she was working to put together her security detail. He'd managed to talk Bruce, Thor and Steve into basing themselves at what they now called the Avenger's Tower and things were settling into a routine of sorts. Pepper's security was still of paramount to concern to him, but Tony had put something into place which made him feel a little more relaxed about her moving around without him. Right now though, Tony had decided on a new project and that new project was staring back at him warily in the purpose built training room.

"This isn't a good idea," Bruce warned him as they faced off, Tony already in his Iron Man suit.

"No, it isn't," Tony agreed readily, his helmet was slid back, faced exposed, as he tried to talk the other man into coming to the party, "because this is a great idea, Bruce."

Thor and Steve watched from the viewing station above. "I'm going to enjoy this," said Steve in satisfaction as he looked down at the two men below.

Thor gave him a sideways look. "That is not very noble-minded of you, Steve Rogers."

"I've had my fill of Frosty the Snowman and Grandpa jokes," said Steve dourly. "I'm ready to see Stark get that smart mouth of his handed to him. Come on, Thor, don't tell me you don't feel the same way. He's always got something smart to say about you too."

"Why should a bear worry about the mosquito buzzing around its ear?" Thor replied.

"Because it feels really good to splatter it with your giant paw after it's been so annoying?" Steve countered.

Thor made a face, conceding the point.

Steve looked back down at the two men below, leaning on the guard rail. "Twenty bucks says Iron Man doesn't move as fast as Tony's mouth and the Hulk crinkles him into a metal ball in five minutes."

Thor considered the bet. "I will accept your wager, Steve Rogers, and place mine on him lasting no longer than six minutes."

Steve arched an eyebrow. "Six?"

Thor indicated the confined space of the training room. "Tis a limited space, Iron Man will temporarily have the upper hand with increased mobility against the beast."

"You're on," said Steve and the two men shook hands.

Tony ignored the peanut gallery above them, instead focusing on the reluctant man in front of him. "Now, I know you've been all about controlling Bruce Banner in the past," said Tony, "but I think you're going about it the wrong way. It's the other guy that has to get some practice in at self-control, not you. Just think if the Hulk could be trained to be a little more, umm, shall we say, directed in a fight, and less indiscriminately smashy, how great that would be?"

Bruce scowled, clearly not convinced.

Steve shook his head. "Oh, the sweet irony of Tony Stark giving lessons on self-control," he noted wryly.

"Mayhap he read of such things in a book," Thor pondered.

"If he picked up that book, it was only because there were naked women on the cover," said Steve dourly.

"Come on, Bruce," Tony cajoled him, "you're already wearing the giant pants."

Bruce was indeed standing there clutching a large pair of stretch pants to his body to prevent them falling down around his ankles.

A boyish glee lit up Tony's face. "I say, time to fill 'em." He gave Bruce a curious look. "Quick question in relation to the pants issue, B. When you change into that rather sizeable other guy, does that mean everything on your body-"

"No," said Bruce shortly.

Tony pulled a pained expression. "Ouch, that's got to hurt if you lose your pants in the heat of battle, what with that whole proportion thing being out of whack. It's probably a real good thing you don't remember your time as the other guy, if that's the case."

Bruce didn't look amused. "I mean no, I'm not talking about the Hulk's genitalia with you."

This only made Tony more intrigued. "Is that because you don't know what happens to it, or is it because you've got a Ken doll situation going on?"

"I want to change my bet," said Steve quickly. "Fifty bucks says Bruce just clobbers him and has done with it."

Thor chuckled. "I would give you thy wager to see that, Steve Rogers."

Bruce was glaring at Tony. "You're making the other guy angry."

"I know, I know, I won't like you when you're angry," Tony sighed. "We've all heard your catch cry."

"Less talk, more pulverising," Steve called out from above them. "This is exciting as watching paint dry."

Tony waved them away. "If you're not here to help-"

"We're not," Steve shot back.

Tony kept talking. "Then keep your opinions to yourself."

Steve had news for him. "You're going to die."

"What did I just say?" asked Tony in exasperation.

"That's not an opinion, that's a fact," Steve said with a smirk.

Bruce pulled a face. "Steve is right. I've got no control over the Hulk. He could destroy this place and kill everyone here."

Thor crossed his large arms across his even larger chest. "I do not believe your beomuth could kill me, Bruce Banner."

Tony grimaced, annoyed at the continual interruptions. "That's great, David Lee Roth, we're all very happy to hear that. Now, can I get back to training?" He didn't wait for an answer, simply fixed Bruce with a determined look. "Bruce, the Hulk is amazing, I just want to make sure said amazement is directed at the bad guys and away from us."

"And you really think you can train the Hulk?" asked Bruce sceptically.

"Absolutely."

"And if you're wrong?"

"That happens so rarely, it's hardly worth worrying about," said Tony blithely.

"Alright," said Bruce reluctantly, "but if this goes badly-"

"It won't," said Tony confidently. He activated his Iron Man helmet so his face was fully enclosed, his voice becoming vaguely metallic sounding. "Come on, Bruce, let that bad boy out to play."

Bruce shook his head. "I think you're going to regret this."

Tony jetted a little way up into the air and hovered in front of Bruce. "I never regret anything, it's a life choice decision on my part."

Steve shook his head. "Famous last words if I ever heard them."

Bruce's lips thinned. "Alright, you asked for it."

The others watched as Bruce's frame tensed, muscles straining and quickly taking on a green hue as they grew at an incredible rate. Bruce's transformation into the Hulk only took a couple of seconds, his body bulging out into knotted muscles and pure instinct.

Tony watched him transform, unable to help being amazed every time he saw it happen. The Hulk towered over him, a heaving mass of green muscle and mindless destruction. Tony smiled up at him. "I'm not going to lie, Bruce, every time you do that, I get a little bit moist."

The Hulk made a guttural sound and swatted at where Iron Man was bobbing in front of him. Tony made it out of the way just in time, but that only seemed to infuriate the Hulk. He roared and charged at Tony. Again, Tony just managed to get out of the way in time. Not so the wall, which took the brunt of the Hulk's instant rage. Concrete and metal shattered and spewed everywhere and the whole room shook as it absorbed the impact from the Hulk's charge.

"Okay, buddy," said Tony, hovering in the air behind him as the Hulk lumbered to his feet, "we all know it's not easy being green, but how we find you a happy place to go to, hm? Some place you feel safe and secure and less homicidal."

"Stop talking, noisy man," the Hulk warned him with a low growl, eyes narrowing as he watched Tony dance around his head. He snarled and picked up a block of fallen concrete and hurled it at Tony, who blasted it into smithereens with his hand blaster.

Tony held up his hands. "Come on," he cajoled the rampaging beast, "you must have some kind of happy place, a sandy beach, a babbling brook, an enormous green woman? Just go to that place and breathe. Out with the red, in with the blue."

The Hulk gave an ear splitting roar, the force of his breath blowing Tony back against the far wall while Steve and Thor were forced to grab onto the observation railing as the platform rattled beneath their feet. Steve widened his stance and called out some advice to Tony. "Just a thought, Tony, but that breathing thing isn't your friend. Don't use it again."

Tony shook his head to clear the ringing in it and was just in time to see a huge, green fist heading directly for him.

"Hulk kill!" screamed the monster as he looked to grind Tony into the concrete.

Tony jetted out of the way to avoid the Hulk's fist but his opponent was too quick for him, using his other hand to grab at Tony's leg. The Hulk started to swing Tony around and around so fast that he became a red and gold blur until he let go and Tony hurtled into a wall.

Steve grinned. "Now, there's the price of admission right there."

"Are you hurt, Tony Stark?" Thor called out. "Do you require our assistance?"

Tony's head was still spinning violently from having essentially just participated in a hammer toss competition with him being the hammer. "No, I got this," he said unevenly.

"Are you watching a different fight then we are?" asked Steve sceptically.

"Move, Tony Stark!" Thor barked at him.

Tony still had trouble focusing but the Thunder God's urgent command had him engaging thrusters and blasting upwards. The Hulk had charged at him while he was lying there and once again Tony had narrowly avoided being crushed by the brute force of his fellow Avenger. The wall, already damaged from Tony's impact gave way and a huge section gave way and fell into the joining room.

Tony grimaced to see the sight. "Oh man, Pepper is going to be pissed." It was the room Pepper had dedicated to showing a sizeable portion of Tony's highly expensive art collection in.

The Hulk stood up in the brightly lit room with its walls littered with priceless artworks and shook his head, dislodging concrete dust and metal shards.

Tony fired a couple of distracting blast at the Hulk's shoulders and chest. "This way, Jumbo, we don't want you in there."

The Hulk batted at the blasts as they bounced off him, the action seeming to only make him angrier. He picked up the entire wall which he'd just broken through and raised it above his head, not caring about the expensive artwork hanging off it. "Hulk smash stinging man!" he raged, preparing to throw the tonnes of metal and concrete at Tony.

Just then Pepper stepped out of the elevator into the scene of utter carnage. She gave a little gasp of surprise as she saw the destruction and then another one when she saw the Hulk, practically standing over her with a huge wall raised above his head.

"Pepper!" said Tony urgently, his whole body tensing. "DON'T MOVE!"