They guys, thanks for such a positive reaction. Remember, if you ever have an idea, just PM me. Oh, and in one of the Avengers deleted scenes, it shows that Peggy wasn't dead, just probably really old, 'cuz Steve was contemplating whether or not to call her.

Disclaimer- I do not own the Avengers, nor am I making any money off of them.

Warnings- Angst. Getting into some serious angst, like, whoa. Trigger. IDK, I've have never lost a relative, so I have never mourned anyone. So if I don't depict sorrow correctly, I'm sorry. However, I know everyone deals with sorrow differently. In a couple of days, I'll be serving in mass at a funeral. I've actually never been to one. Ok, enough about death…..

Chapter 12- Will You Love Me

No one spoke. Bruce lay unconscious on a seat, but his bleeding stopped. Due to his regenerative abilities, he would probably wake in a couple of hours. He was always exhausted after transforming. But this case was different.

He had just lost the most precious person in his life.

Captain America stared at the doctor. Steve had lost everyone he had ever cared about. Peggy wasn't dead, but she was around ninety years old. Not to mention Bucky…..

Steve mourned on the inside. But the world was so different; he didn't have time to show it. He missed them everyday. Memories of them were brought back every time he saw something familiar, almost like a trigger. Those were the times that he would go straight to the training room and ruin a couple of punching bags.

One and a half more hours until arrival. They had already been in the air for a good two hours. He watched the doctor. He had seen good soldiers go wrong because of losing someone. He just didn't want to see that happen to Bruce. He had already endured so much, Steve wondered if this would be the final blow. He just wanted to tell Bruce that it would be ok, but he couldn't. Because most likely, it wouldn't.

(CHANGE POV, SAME TIME)

Bruce was aware of the whirring sound surrounding him. His body ached too much to open his eyes. Oh yeah, the battle. Slowly, he was vaguely aware of someone talking.

"- so we can't let that happen again. Any sign of depression or suicide, you speak up. Bruce already has suffered too much. We can't let what happened today ruin him."

Why were they talking about him? What had happened today?

"What was her name again?"

"Elizabeth Ross, more commonly known as Betty."

It hit Bruce like a tidal wave. His hands quickly went to his head and his nails dug into his skin as he slowly curled up, trying to make the pain go away. He grinded his teeth as it all came back.

The sight of her dead body lying bloodied on the cement. How it was his fault she was dead, and there was nothing he could do. His head and heart ached as the truth resounded in his head like an echo.

She's gone, and she's never coming back.

Never.

Never.

He slowed his breathing, forcing himself to thing of anything else. He felt a strong hand on his shoulder, and heard Steve.

"Bruce, can you hear me? Are you alright?"

After a couple of seconds Bruce was able to manage to groan "yyyeeaah." He sat up as the pain slowly subsided, noticing everyone watching him. He hated the look sympathy and worry they all had on their faces.

"You good?"

Bruce tried to act as if it was nothing. "Yeah, just a killer headache. That usually happens after the Other Guy comes out."

Natasha raised a skeptical eyebrow, but Bruce said nothing else. He could feel all of them trying to silently watch him and communicate with each other. They weren't really doing a good job. Bruce nearly laughed as he watched Thor try to join the silent conversation. Thor would frown, his brow furrowed. Finally he couldn't hold it in.

"Dear friends, what in the nine realms are we trying to convey secretly by not talking?" He whispered, which was the equivalent of loud talking for normal people. Everyone turned red, glaring at Thor, while Tony simply face-palmed.

"Nothing Thor, we're just trying to see who is the best at looking suspicious without blinking," Tony said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

It then became silent again, and Bruce laid his head on the back wall, closing his eyes. Maybe the world would be better when he opened them.

Bruce sat on the floor, trying to clam down. He was back in his room in the middle of the night, and the others were sleeping. On the floor, he tried meditating, trying to get her out of his head. But he couldn't.

It's my fault. I killed her. Because of me, she's gone. God, why can't I just die already! I killed her! I KILLED her! I KILLED HER!

Bruce, in one quick movement, punched the wall as hard as he could, a large thump resounding off of the walls. He could feel the bones under his skin crack, but he didn't care. What was the point if they would just heal the next morning?

Bruce stood up and walked to his bathroom. He gripped the sink, then looked up at the mirror.

He saw his weary face. And his bloodshot eyes.

I'm lucky. Most people would cry their hearts out. I know how to control it.

Or do I?

For a quick flash, Bruce saw Hulk's reflection. But when it showed Bruce, his eyes were green.

I loved her. And now, I'll never be able to tell her. I'll never hear her laugh again, or see that smile. She'll never know how much she really meant to me. And now I'll never be able to know that there is someone in the world who loved me, at some point.

And right now there are people in the world celebrating Lordknowswhat when Betty is DEAD! How could anyone be happy?!

I loved her more than she ever knew. She made me feel safe, like I would be able to live another day.

And I killed her.

It was my blood. It was my radiation. It was me. MY fault. God, I'm such a MONSTER!

Bruce, not even holding back, punched the mirror, glass shattering. He could feel the shards embedded in his skin, and watched as the glass pieces clattered to the floor. He looked at the razor sitting on the sink. Two swipes, and he might not have to deal with life anymore. Or, the Other Guy would come out.

Before he could make a decision, there was someone knocking at his door.

Bruce took a deep breath, walked to the door, and opened it.

Steve stood at the doorway in a t-shirt and sweatpants. "Can I come in?"

Bruce nodded, afraid that if he talked, he might just burst. Whether from tears or anger or both, he wasn't sure. They both sat on the large bed, almost looking like two girls at a sleepover. Steve was looking straight at Bruce, while Bruce looked down.

"Are you alright? I heard quite some…smashing… for lack of a better word. And please don't act like you are okay. I know you might not like to hear this, but truth is always preferable," Steve said seriously, but a small chuckle escaping him.

Bruce remained silent for a moment. "Then, no, I'm not okay. There, I said it. Now what else do you want me to say?"

"I don't want to make you have to say something. I just want to help." Steve pulled a paper out of his sweatpants. He unfolded it to reveal a beautiful drawing. He handed it to Bruce, a small smile etched on his face. " Margaret Carter, better known as Peggy. She's in her nineties now, but back then…."

"You loved her."

Steve nodded. "When I woke up from the ice, I found out she was still living, but was so old that she…She was having problems remembering things. She had something they told me, it's like Altim..Alzim.. I don't know. It feels like I lost her, even if I haven't really. But I don't want to go visit her because I'm afraid she won't recognize me at all."

"Alzheimer's."

"Yeah, that's what they said," Steve said with a tinge of sorrow in his voice. "They said she wouldn't remember anyone from her past. So I didn't visit her."

Bruce continued to stare at the drawing; he could see how Steve would have fallen in love with her. " I'm sorry. It's becoming more common everyday, with still no cure. Did you draw this? It's really quite good."

Steve nodded. "I had a picture of her in my compass, but it went down with the ship. I've never shown this one to anyone."

Bruce reached over to the bedside table, opened the drawer, and pulled out two pictures, handing them to Steve. One was of Betty in her teaching days, cut out of a newspaper. She was wearing a sort of lab coat, writing something on a chalkboard. The other was a real photograph, although small, it held as much meaning as a giant one would.

It was of Bruce and Betty standing in the snow, both of them bundled up. Bruce had one arm wrapped around Betty's waist. They were both smiling the best, happiest smiles Steve had ever seen. Bruce looked so…happy and….alive. There was something in Bruce's eyes in the picture, almost a new kind of light. Like the kind of light that a teenager in love would have in their eyes, that sheer joy. And Betty was really beautiful, her hair was a rich brown her eyes blue. Her face was pale, but her nose and cheeks were red from the cold. He gave the picture back to Bruce, who stared at Betty's face, slowly stroking it.

"Bruce, I know what you're going through."

"Do you?" Bruce muttered quietly. "Steve, you didn't kill Peggy. You didn't give her Alzheimer's. I killed Betty. It's my fault she isn't still alive!" It was then that Steve noticed the tears rolling down Bruce's cheeks. Steve, not knowing what else to do, wrapped his arms around Bruce, hugging him.

"Bruce, it's not your fau…."

"Yes it is!" Bruce said, anger creeping into his voice. "If I wasn't such a monster, she would still be alive." His voice started breaking from both grief and anger. Steve could feel the doctor's body shaking from the tears, each breath becoming difficult for him. "And now…now she's…gone. Forever."

Steve felt terrible. Bruce had too much pain in his life. And he was blaming himself for her death.

"Bruce, listen to me. You are not a monster. We all love you. And I know that even though we will never be able to replace Betty, we, the Avengers, are still your family. And we will never leave, ever."

Bruce had his head burrowed in Steve's broad shoulder, and felt a bit of gratitude at those words. "Steve, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't feel so bad for myself, when you've lost everything. I have no right."

Steve felt disbelief hit him. "Bruce, you have every right. She was your wife for god's sake. But please, don't ever think that you are a monster in any way. We love you Bruce. And we all hate to see you like this. If you ever need to talk, you know I'm here."

"Thanks."

Betty, why did you leave?

Reviews? Please? For the longest chapter I've ever written?