Chuck was pressed so close to Rhodey, he was almost sitting in the large man's lap. "It's gunna be a'ight, okay El?"

Everything will be fine, I grunted at him. It was more for me than him, I had to feel like I was doing something to help.

"It'll be fine,"

I'll be good as new in no time.

"All in no time."

"Hey, kid." Rhodey interrupted "I know someone who will have your pet fixed up in a jiffy." He tried consoling, but it didn't help. If anything I would say it just reminded him he had climbed into a taxi with a complete stranger. He scooted further away from Rhodey but still kept a comforting hand in my flank.

I could see his fight or flight responses turning on. I had to do something quick or he would do something stupid. Like jump out of a moving -speeding- car, out of impulse -like that's done any good for me before- so I licked Rhodey's hand. It seemed to work and Chuck relaxed into the grimy seat.

Chuck watched me intently. I closed my eyes and released my tense muscles, leaning more into Rhodey. I'm going to take a small nap, I whined to no one in particular.

"No, no, don't do that, El, don't go to sleep." I snapped my eyes open, he was right I couldn't close my eyes, last time I did, it was supposedly forever. I couldn't help it though, even I had to admit I was losing more blood to Rhodey's shirt than I should be. I hadn't eaten for months, I was lacking the nutrition required to heal. While the blood flow was slowing down, it wasn't slow enough not to worry about it, let alone the bone sticking out of my leg.

I brought my eyes over to Chuck's and locked them with his. If I had to focus on something it was going to be Chuck, he was my mission. Suddenly Chuck was gone and I was moving. I grew scared and panicked, I cried out against the force taking me away from him, I moved my front legs weakly. Chuck, Chuck, CHARLIE!

"El, El! I'm here." He yelled and I grew my bearings. Rhodey was running into Stark Tower, Chuck following close behind. The doors were pushed open forcefully and loudly. Everyone in the lobby stared but Rhodey went straight to Tony's personal elevator. I was never allowed on the elevator, no one was. There was something special about it that had Tony only allowing Pepper to use it, and apparently Rhodey.

"Star Wars," Rhodey said when we got close and the doors opened, I was going to have to make fun of Tony for that one later.

"Jarvis! Bring us up."

"Sorry sir, I need the activation code to run the elevator."

"Do I really have to?" Rhodey whined.

"Sir requires it." The doors to the elevator closed.

"It's an emergency Jarvis! Tell Banner to be ready with medical equipment and not to tell anyone."

"Done, you need the code to start the elevator."

He gave the elevator wall puppy dog eyes.

Chuck pulled on Rhodey's pants once again, "Please Mister, El needs help."

"Tony-" mumble mumble mumble.

"I'm sorry Mr. Rhodes I did not understand."

"Tony kicks my ass at being a superhero." He said loudly, clearly.

"Elevator activated."

"Bring me to Banner, now." He barked. The elevator jumped into action and flew up at a speed I didn't think possible. We were eighty floors up and out of the box in seconds.

Rhodey went straight into the lab with Chuck firmly attached to his pant. The lights were all dimmed with one bright bulb over Bruce's work table. Bruce stood there with an agitated look on his face, eyes flashing green. When he turned and saw Rhodey with Chuck in tow his eyes widened.

"What, in the hell, were you thinking?" He said in a scarily calm voice. I cowered further into Rhodey's arms and Chuck moved closer to his leg. "Bringing a dog in here like that! A dog is bad enough, but a German shepherd? He will go nuts! You know how he is, you've seen it!"

Rhodey's head collapsed to his chest in shame then lifted in determination. "It's-"

"She's-" Chuck squeaked.

"-hurt and needs help, we can send them on their way when it-" he cleared his throat, "-she's all patched up."

If Bruce didn't recognize me I must have looked like shit. Rhodey brushed passed Bruce and set me as gently as possible on the table. "Look at her leg," Rhodey said firmly. "Look at it!" He yelled when Bruce turned his head the other way.

This concerned me, something fucked up must have happened if Bruce refused to help someone as innocent as a kid. Bruce, I whined, help him.

"Bruce," Rhodey tried again, more desperate, still he didn't turn.

Chuck couldn't handle it anymore, he ran up to Bruce and pounded at his thighs. " 'elp her! El needs help, and I need her."

He tilted his head slightly toward Chuck and his eyes softened at the boy. Bruce walked to the table with no further protests. He looked at my leg without a flinch, "I'm going to have to reset it." He said to no one in particular, maybe it was a warning for me.

He pulled on my leg abruptly, placing my leg slowly back into its natural position. I cried out in a way that almost sounded human. Rhodey and Chuck both covered their ears, Bruce made no response.

Bruce seemed to pull medical tools out of thin air, cleaning my leg and wrapping it in no time. I wanted him to recognize me, to wrap me in a warm hug, to tell me that it's all going to be all right. But the friendly figure was now haggard and worn down, like the world was on his shoulders. He patted my head wearily and wrinkled his nose, with a wry smile he looked to Chuck. "She needs a bath."

Chuck giggled at Bruce and ran to him. The larger man let out a loud 'oof' at the contact then blushed. "Thanks so much Mr. Banner!"

"C-call me Bruce." I wagged my tail, happy with the interaction. I turned my attention away from Chuck and the two men. I needed to see why Bruce didn't recognize me. Rhodey, I understood, Bruce, not so much. I had lived with the man for a year.

Knowing Bruce the only reflective surface of the whole lab would be a microwave or a mini fridge. He wasn't vain, not like Tony. Tony's lab was covered in reflective surfaces, any chance to make sure he looked sexy -his words, not mine- with grease and oil on his face.

I opted for a microwave, for reasons that are unsharable, it made more sense than a fridge. The search for the microwave didn't take long because I found something better, the glass doors.

Idiot, why didn't I think of that right away? I berated myself.

However, my personal attack on my own self esteem didn't last long as my jaw dropped open.

I looked like a hound that crawled out of hell, and by crawl I mean dragged. I looked like I had dug myself out of my own grave, I looked zombie like.

My fur was sticking up in matted clumps. The tangles would take weeks to get rid of. In some places I had bald patches where fur had been pulled out or scratched off. My back, in particular, had thin hair making it look like I was balding. In reality that is where I was burned by a falling beam, the hair had never grown back properly. My legs looked horrible in particular, cuts and scrapes lined up and down in my fur. Mottled bald patches made it look as though someone had thought it would be funny to draw clouds on my legs.

I was covered in blood.

Not just in the stuff from my broken leg. The whole front of my chest was a bloody and matted mess. Dried trails of blood ran down my forelegs. There were also trails coming from around my snout, it looked like my mouth had leaked blood at some point, or like I had murdered some poor unfortunate soul.

My skin hung off my bones like a loose shirt, my skeletal frame noticeably visible. It looked like I hadn't eaten for months, maybe I haven't.

"You're the hulk? You're my third favorite superhero! Well I guess second now." My eyes found Chuck immediately after his exclamation. Bruce blushed again, ever bashful. "It was Captain America first, then Manhattan Mutt, but my sister said Manhattan Mutt went to heaven, so now you're second."

Maybe it was Chuck's bluntness, or the mention of the Manhattan Mutt, but whatever it was it caused Bruce to turn away from Chuck and Rhodey. He gripped the edge of the table I was positioned on, creating hand sized dent.

At the sound of crumpling metal Rhodey wrapped an arm around Chuck's midsection and dragged him out of the lab, completely forgetting about me. The doors slid shut behind them cutting off a frantic "EL!"

Both of Bruce's eyes were closed so neither were twitching, but there was a ferocious foot tap echoing throughout the room. His face was right in front of mine, he was so close I could see his nostrils flare with each anger filled breath.

Abruptly his eyes popped open, straight into contact with mine. He jumped in surprise, bright green rapidly fading from his irises. In that moment he let go of the table, which creaked in relief, and took short, quick steps away from me and the table.

"I'm crazy," he muttered to himself and ran out of the lab, presumably to his level.

I was all alone.

What a great reunion.


AN

Hey!

Sorry to those of you that reviewed and didn't get an advanced copy, I'll send you next week's chapter.

Now, I'm curious, why do you guys like this story, why do you chose to follow it?