Hey ya'll! I hope you enjoy the chapter!
Disclaimer: I only own my oc's. Everything else is Marvel. I worship them.
The next morning I woke up in the SHIELD bunk room. I was squeezed onto the same bunk as Bruce who had decided to hold onto me, and not let go after I made sure he had gotten to bed all right. I slipped out from under his arms and sighed. My foot hit Bruce's jacket I had dropped next to the bed and I picked it up, and pulled the ID card out. I quickly shoved it back into the pocket and grabbed some clothes and my toiletries bag out of my bag before I went to the large bathroom.
One entire wall was shower stalls; the opposite was counters and sinks, so I put the clothes on the counter. There was a closet next to the door with towels in it, so I grabbed one and hung it over the curtain rod of the shower I was going in, and I turned on the shower. When it heated up I stripped and threw my clothes on the counter before stepping into the water. I sighed feeling the warm water wash off the sweat and grime and dried on rainwater from the night before.
As I stood there in the shower all I could see what his face. Him telling me I was pregnant, and that it wouldn't last much longer, him strapping me down to the bed, his smug grin, I leaned on the wall, trying to stop my head from spinning. That face- he had haunted my dreams for years- but that's all he had been before, just a face, now, he had a name, and for some reason that made him all the more real in my mind. I don't think I realized I had been crying until the shower curtain was pushed back a little bit.
"Room for one more in there?" Bruce asked softly and when I didn't answer he stepped into the shower, dropping the towel he had around his waist. "Come here," he said wrapping an arm around me. He pulled me close to him and I wrapped my arms around him, resting my forehead on his shoulder. "What's going on?" he asked softly.
"He has a name." I whispered.
"I know." he said gently.
"Do you know, he's the one who told me, about Kayla?" I asked looking up at him. "He said that he didn't know why they wanted to settle for fifty percent of your DNA, and I didn't know about her- I mean, just that day I had started thinking about it, because I was, you know... Late." I shrugged and he nodded. "But he looked at me and he told me I was pregnant, and then he said- and I swear to god for as long as I live, I'll never forget this- he said 'Don't worry, it won't last long'." I said as tears rolled down my face.
"But you proved him wrong, you had your baby- our baby- and she's upstairs eating honey nut cheerios asking her uncle Tony to make her own Iron Man suit for her, which, if he really makes her one-"
"Don't worry, he won't really..." I paused, thinking about it. "I'll call Pepper." I said and he nodded.
"My point is, you beat him, you beat that Dr. Whatever-his-name-is."
"Fleischer." I muttered and he nodded. "It means butcher." I said and he stared down at me for a moment before I wrapped my arms around him. After a moment he pulled back and looked down at me.
"Feel any better?" he asked and I nodded.
"Bruce," I paused. "I'm sorry about last night."
"Who was I fighting?" he asked and I rolled my eyes.
"Luke Cage." I muttered. "The moment you walked into the house, he knew who you were, and he-"
"He was the one who told Tony where the field was." he muttered and I nodded. He let out a small laugh and ran a hand through his wet hair. "Is he one of them?"
"I don't know..." I shook my head. "I think, he's just... insecure." I sighed. "He was... He wanted to prove to himself he could take you on." I said and he rolled his eyes.
"What happened?"
"You… Hit him with a tree." I shrugged and he frowned, looking at me.
"I meant more, how did it end. Did it end with me hitting him with the tree?" he asked and I laughed.
"Ah, no." I said shaking my head.
"What happened?"
"I'll tell you later." I said as I reached around him to adjust the water temperature. The water warmed up slightly and I wrapped my arms around his neck before pulling him down to meet his lips with mine.
"Has anyone seen the newspaper?" Bruce asked as I poured a cup of coffee.
"I don't care what they say, I want it here." Tony scoffed into the phone.
"Mommy, we're going on a airplane." Kayla said from where she was sitting. "And Thor says we're going to Cal- uh, Calmifornia." she said after a moment of thought.
"That's California sweetheart." I said as I kissed the top of her head.
"Are we going there mommy?" she asked and I nodded. "Just like in the kitty movie?"
"The Kitty movie?" Clint asked slowly and she looked at him with wide eyes before turning to me.
"Mommy I wanna watch the kitty movie!" she gasped.
"Okay baby, let me get my laptop." I said and she grinned.
"Clint will you watch the kitty movie with me?" she asked and he looked at me. I shrugged and he looked at Bruce who was frantically motioning to him. Kayla looked at her dad and he instantly stopped and smiled at her. "Please?" she asked with her large brown eyes.
I could see Clint break when she did that, Steve was avoiding her eyes, he had caught on quickly, Amanda was biting her knuckle trying not to laugh and Natasha was watching him curiously. "Sure," he nodded, trying to sound casual. "I'll watch the uh, kitty movie." he said slowly.
"What's the kitty movie?" Natasha asked as I poured some sugar into the coffee.
"It's this movie from the 90's called 'Cats Don't Dance'." I rolled my eyes. "It's one of her favorites."
"Daddy, will you watch the kitty movie with us?" Kayla asked looking up at him.
"I- uh..." Bruce looked to Tony, silently pleading for help. Luckily Tony seemed to be in a generous mood because he stepped in.
"Actually kiddo, I need to steal daddy for a hour or so to help me out with some stuff." Tony said quickly clapping Bruce on the soldier. "Hey, you're good at this stuff," Tony said handing me his cell phone. "Get them to get my plane here."
"I better be good at 'this stuff' I did it for how long? When do you want it?" I asked taking the phone.
"Yesterday!" he said as he led Bruce to the doorway.
"Hi, who am I speaking to?" I asked into the phone, relief flooded over me as I recognized the name. "Well, Albert, it's Minnie... That's right, Ms. Strong!" I said with a smile. "Except I'm married now. Yeah, that's right." I laughed. "I have a daughter too. Yeah. Two actually." I said as I chatted with the guy. "So, look, Albert, about the plane- Okay. Well I really don't see how that's a problem. Right. Albert, come on." I said and he slowly gave in. "As soon as possible please." I said before I smiled again. "Okay Albert, you too. Bye." I hung up the phone and tossed it back to Tony. "That's how it's done." I said and he rolled his eyes as he put it into his pocket.
"Minnie," Jessica, Luke's wife walked into the kitchen. "Can I talk to you?" she asked and I nodded as I followed her.
"What's going on Jessica?" I asked and she sighed.
"I want to apologize for what happened last night. Luke just told me about it, and I am so sorry. I can't believe what an idiot he is sometimes." she shook her head as she crossed her arms. "You had every right to put him in his place."
"Yeah." I said softly. "Uh, look, I get that he's you know, Power Man and everything, but it's kind of risky looking for fights like that." I said and she looked at me curiously. "The minute he heard Bruce's name I could practically see the gears spinning in his head. When Tony asked him about empty fields, he knew why we were looking for one, Bruce just wanted to let off some steam, it's good for him I think, and no offence, but Luke came there with the sole purpose of fighting." I shrugged. "Hulk wouldn't have fought him if he didn't think I was in danger, which I'm guessing your husband picked up on."
"What did he do?" she asked and I crossed my arms. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"I'm fine." I shrugged. "He dragged me away from Hulk, screaming about how he wasn't my husband right then, and shoved me behind him. Bruce- Hulk- isn't too big on me being manhandled, and when he saw me fall, he kind of freaked out. I know, not the best reaction, but this is the Hulk we're talking about." I shrugged. "Anyway, Luke knew what he was doing going to that field, and neither my husband nor I appreciate the blatant manipulation on his behalf."
"I completely understand." she nodded. "And I shudder to think what would have happened if there was anyone else there," she shook her head. "Luke, he just doesn't get when enough is enough sometimes." she sighed.
"Yeah I noticed that." I nodded and she sighed before she wrapped her arms around me in a hug.
"I'm so sorry." she sighed and I awkwardly patted her back.
"It's alright." I said before she finally let go.
"When are you guys leaving?" she asked and I sighed running a hand over my face.
"I don't know, sometime today, the plane should be here soon." I muttered.
"Where are you going?" she asked and I sighed before I shrugged.
"...Not sure." I smiled. "I should go check on Kayla." I said before I turned to the doorway. As I stepped to the kitchen Jessica caught my arm. I turned back to her and she swallowed.
"You aren't the only one who's had to make hard choices for their family." she muttered and I nodded catching her meaning.
"I'd leave." I said softly, hardly above a whisper.
"It's not that easy." she replied.
"Making the choice is the hardest part." I said to her. Her eyes met mine and we stared at each other before she turned and started moving to the stairs. "So when are you expected to call them?" I asked and she paused on the stairway.
"I was expected to call them as soon as I know something. As of such, I didn't exactly need to call them. Some storm chasers saw the fight last night, their video and all information was taken this morning, and they're on their way here."
"How much time do we have?" I asked and she cleared her throat.
"Well I may or may not have told them that you took a trip to Bruce's childhood home, and Luke may or may not be causing a huge traffic accident as we speak, making it impossible for them to get here anytime soon. But if I were you, I wouldn't linger." she said as she continued up the stairs. "Good luck Mrs. Banner."
"Thanks." I muttered before I turned and went back to the kitchen. "Get your things, we're leaving." I said simply as I picked up Kayla.
"What's going on?" Bruce asked with a frown as Tony looked up from his phone. I walked to the basement, everyone following as I told them what Jessica had told me.
"Well the plane won't be here for at little while, I don't know how a traffic jam can put them off for that long." Steve was saying as we grabbed our things quickly.
"In the meantime we avoid getting caught." Erik said as if it were obvious- which it kind of was.
"You said they're in Dayton right?" Bruce asked as he zipped up his bag.
"That's what Jessica said. They think you're there." I replied as Kayla handed me her pyjamas and I quickly put them into my bag. "Sweetie, go get mommy and daddy's tooth brushes."
"Should I get Amanda's too?"
"Hey kid, go crazy, get everyone's toothbrushes." Tony said in a semi snide tone of voice he used when things weren't going his way, making Bruce and I look at him quickly.
"Tony," I said before Bruce had a chance to speak. "I know you're stressed because things aren't going to plan, I know this because I know you, and I know how you get," I continued. "But so help me god if you snap at my daughter again, it'll take much more than the Hulk to stop me." I said and he looked at me for a moment before he nodded.
"Kayla, I'm buying you a pony!" he shouted and she ran in from the bathroom looking excited.
"Really!" she asked, holding all of the toothbrushes she could find.
"That's right kiddo." he said and in her excitement she dropped them all.
"You're also buying everyone new toothbrushes." Natasha said rolling her eyes as she picked them all up and threw them in a plastic bag.
"Dr. Banner, isn't this generally your area of expertise? Not getting caught?" Steve asked suddenly.
"Yeah, I've adapted to it." he said as he looked at Steve.
"Well, do you have any advice?" Steve asked and Bruce nodded.
"Yeah I do actually. Cell phones, everyone." he said and everyone walked over and slowly handed him their cell phones. "Thor, if you would." he gestured to the phones. Thor stared at him for a moment, before catching his meaning. Within a flash, every phone was nothing but small pieces of plastic shards. Even Tony's 'indestructible' cell phone stood no chance against Thor's boot heel. "No cell phones, nothing they can trace." he said. "That means no credit cards, and no ID's." he said easily. "Also, uh, Natasha," he gestured her closer. They spoke closely and quietly for a moment before she nodded and gestured to a spot on her arm. Clint seemed to realize what they were talking about because he quickly joined the conversation.
"That's the one part of the job I don't get." Amanda muttered as she pulled her jacket on.
"What's that?" Steve asked and she looked at him with a semi pained looking expression.
"Oh Steve." she said softly. "If you don't know, I'm not going to tell you."
"Most SHIELD agents are chipped big guy." Tony explained as he looked sadly at his former cell phone, Erik took some of the bags and announced he was going to start up the RV.
"Chips?" Thor asked. "What has fried potato slices got to do with this?"
"No, uh, Thor," I picked up a SIM card from the floor and held it up. "This is a chip, in the technical sense. The ones Natasha and Clint have are much smaller, but this small bit of technology keeps tracks on where you are." I explained.
"And how do they intend to stop the signal?" Steve questioned.
"I've got it." Tony said suddenly. Everyone looked at him and he quickly opened his bag. He dug around to the bottom before pulling out a small black box and opening it.
"Colantotte bracelets?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Similar," he said pointing to me. "Actually, it's something I've been working on for the new suit, I've been working with the GPS thing again, however I've developed this one to override any similar GPS frequency, that isn't something like Train navigation or anything like that so the suit can find me faster. Let me tell you, we had a couple of incidents with these little babies, huh Bruce?"
"The wind tunnel?" he asked and Tony shuttered, rubbing his face at the memory. "Put them on," he said to Natasha and Clint. He handed one to each of the spies who put them on over their forearms. "That should work for now, but when we get up in the air, Bruce, how do you feel about performing surgery at twenty thousand feet?"
"About as good as I feel at the idea of being twenty thousand feet in the air." he muttered.
"The RV probably isn't a good idea. If Jessica told them about us, she probably told them about the RV." Amanda piped up.
"When the kid's right she's right." Tony said.
"The RV is our only option right now." Natasha said. "We'll ditch it when we get a chance."
"What are we going to do about getting a car?"
"Nat and I have been on some missions and done some things we weren't too entirely proud of, I can get us a car no problem."
"I think we should discuss this in the car." Steve said quickly and I nodded.
"Agreed." Thor said as he helped pick up the rest of the bags.
"I was getting a little worried." Erik said when we finally came out of the house.
"So what are you saying, we just steal a car?" Steve asked, his morals seemed bruised at the idea of stealing a car.
"I've got it." I said suddenly and everyone looked at me. "Find me a pay phone." We ended up at a gas station and I put a few dollars into the pay phone, and after blocking the number I dialed a very familiar number, and pressed an extension.
"Stark Towers, R&D please-"
"Sergio, don't you dare put me on hold!" I shouted at Dallas, using a fake name he liked and he paused.
"Cordelia, is that you?" he asked using the fake name I used when we went clubbing.
"Yeah, it's me," I said into the phone. "Look, I don't have time to explain, but I'm in Ohio, and I have the biggest hankering for Pinks." I sighed.
"Well, I know this guy, totally adorable, he has a great ass, I think you'd love him- I know I do-" he said and I smiled, and gestured to Clint who was standing guard over me while I made the call. He quickly handed me a paper and a pen.
"Go on," I urged him to continue.
"Well, he's got this friend who runs a plant out your way. His son Tony is this total party boy type who always likes to go on impromptu trips to Vegas for the weekend. In fact, I think he's got a trip of that sort planned for this afternoon. If you hurry, and I ask nicely, I'm sure he would let you ride along on the company jet."
"To Vegas?" I asked and he sighed.
"Bright lights and the big city. I know how much you love that." he responded.
"Oh yeah, I love it." I replied.
"And I assume the company jet is on its way to pick you up at your current location?"
"It is." I said and he chuckled.
"It's so sad when these things get so confused. I'll take care of it, the jet will pick you up in Vegas." he said before he cleared his throat. "Cordelia?"
"Yeah Sergio?"
"I miss you."
"I miss you too." I sighed.
"Say hi to Love Bug for me and my little Bitsie Minnie, and my little firecracker."
"I will so long as you say hi to tall dark and handsome." I said. He laughed and then gave me the address of where to go. "Thanks for everything sweetheart."
"Come home soon. Firecracker is going to die when she sees what I did to her room."
"I will. I have to go, don't you have people to put on hold?" I asked and he laughed.
"Love you Delia."
"Love you too Serge." I said before hanging up.
"Dallas?" Clint asked and I scoffed with a small smile.
"Of course." I said and he chuckled.
"What's the plan?" he asked and I handed him the paper.
"We need to go there." I said and he nodded.
"What's there?" he asked and I smiled.
"Our ticket out of here." I answered.
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