Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers or any of the characters.

Tony's New Assistant (Part 26: Bruce's POV)

Bruce was… content. The anger simmered under his skin at the conditions these people were forced to live in, the conditions he himself was forced to live in, the abject poverty, the dirt, and the disease. But he was also pleased at his ability to help. He couldn't solve the problem, but he could do his best to treat the symptoms.

He could help these people. And these people found happiness all on their own, even without him. He could better their conditions, help them to live a bit longer than they would have otherwise, but they found happiness all on their own.

So maybe he could, too. With the combination of their example and their need for help, he had found himself… content. He worked long days and he slept well afterwards. It was nice.

Which did not explain why he wasn't quite as unhappy as he should have been when he saw the sleek car settled in in the dust outside his shack, with the Caucasian guy in the clean white suit, looking too rich to even know this place existed.

As Bruce approached, he could hear the man talking to the local children surrounding him begging.

"Look. I don't carry cash. For pretty much this very reason, although you are a lot more adorable than most of the people who come begging to me for handouts, I'll tell you that. But how about this, when I get back home, I'll set up a foundation and start, I don't know, a school with a food program here. How does that sound? Sure, you might not like school, but it will be better there will definitely be food. And I'll make sure it has a decent cook attached to it. Maybe some of your folks can get jobs working there, too. I'm sure the Maria Stark Foundation will love this place. JARVIS, are you taking notes?"

"Yes, Sir." A tiny mechanical voice spoke from the man's pocket. It was the voice that confirmed it for Bruce, but it was hard not to recognize the famous Tony Stark.

Stark wasn't who Bruce had expected to eventually find him. "Are you here for me?"

"Ah! Bruce! There you are! It's not nice to make me wait. We have places to be."

Stark grinned at him and opened the passenger door to the car. Bruce began to wonder if he should give more credit to the tabloids that blasted the news of the Stark scion's insanity. He refrained from moving towards either the man or the car.

"So you are here for me."

"Yeah, I have a problem that could potentially use your skills. Well, definitely use your knowledge of particle physics, and potentially use your ability to turn into a giant rage monster. I feel our partnership has potential and you're just not living up to yours."

Stark grinned even wider.

Bruce considered the mad man in front of him: his obvious wealth, his equally obvious insanity, and his nearly overwhelming hutzpah.

This was Tony Stark who had escaped from terrorists, built himself a weaponized flying suit, and proceeded to do the exact opposite of hiding from the authorities who undoubtedly wanted to control him just as they wanted to control Bruce. There would be modern conveniences and modern inconveniences and attacks as well as problems that could apparently use both particle physics and immense destruction. It sounded horrifyingly dangerous and uncertain, and Bruce had been content where he was, before this mad man had come assuming his assistance.

Then he considered the past tense that he had used in his own head. Bruce had been content here. Damn it.

Then he shrugged, and got in the car without bothering to even slap the most egregious of the dust off his slacks. He really doubted Stark cared.

Stark grinned even wider as he closed the door and made his way around to the driver's side.

"Oh look," he said to the kids still jostling for attention around the car. "Apparently I do have cash after all," and he took out a handful of dollar bills from his pocket. He tossed it into the air and as the kids jumped about for the raining bills, he got in the car and started it on it's way.

Bruce watched the situation in the sideview mirror for a few minutes, then said, "I expect you to fulfill your promise of a school here with a lunch program, too."

"Sure, sure. JARVIS is already putting together the paperwork. We just need to get back to my place before my assistant can get himself into too much trouble."

Bruce raised an eyebrow, at the thought of what this man would consider trouble. Then settled back into the seat to try to rest. He had had a long day and he suspected he had better be well rested for what came next.