I do not own any of the named/recognizable characters present. They belong to Marvel. Other recognizable things belong to their respective owners. This was written purely for fun.
"Okay, what's going on?" Steve asked point-blank.
It was after dinner. Bruce was off taking his evening bath, and before Tony could retreat back to the lab, the team and Pepper had cornered him and dragged him into the living room. Now they were all staring at him, waiting and expectant, knowing that something was up.
The four other Avengers had looked suspicious when Tony had informed them at the park that he needed to leave early to get to the laboratory. Since Bruce and his new friend were still in hearing distance, the team had thankfully not asked questions. Bruce had looked curious and mildly worried when Tony had knelt down next to him to tell him the game plan, but he promised to see him at dinner. Tony just had some work to do.
He had worked continuously for maybe two and a half hours before the rest of the group got back from the park and dinner had arrived. Tony reluctantly abandoned his work to go eat with everyone else.
But everyone could tell that something was wrong, despite how hard Tony attempted to hide it. Tony had tried to interact during dinner, but his mind kept drifting back to the latest tests being run downstairs. The others carried the conversation to keep Bruce distracted, and Pepper asked all about the friend the boy had made at the park, but they didn't forget Tony.
When the child went off to go take his bath, everyone immediately turned to Tony, expectant eyes staring him down until Tony followed them to sit in the living room.
That's where they all were now, each of them still staring at him and growing more concerned with each passing second of silence.
Tony sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I thought I finally found a way to reverse the effects of Arnolds' chemical weapon," he began softly. "Bruce let me take another blood sample earlier today, and I left JARVIS running some tests while we were out, and uh…" He trailed off, and he scrubbed his hand over his eyes before he could go on. "Tests are showing that his blood is almost completely back to normal."
There was a long pause in which no one spoke. Pepper, who was seated next to him on the loveseat, reached over and put a hand on his knee. It was meant to be a comforting presence, but it did nothing to soothe the nausea and impending grief flowing through him.
"I'm still running tests on his blood," Tony continued, "but preliminary results say that what's left of the chemicals in his blood will likely be gone before I can even figure out how to synthesize an antidote, let alone test it."
The group sat in another heavy silence for a long moment. Another few heartbeats passed before a voice broke the hush.
"What do you need?" Natasha asked softly.
"I need to work," Tony said, looking up from his clasped hands. His eyes drifted over to Natasha, and then to Steve, Clint, and Thor. "Could you guys keep an eye on Bruce tonight? He's probably going to have another nightmare, so keep him from transforming if you can."
"No problem," Clint said, his face set into an expression of seriousness. "We'll have a sleep over on the communal floor and take watches."
"Thank you," Tony replied, his shoulders barely loosening and a mild relief going through him, but it didn't take away the impending fear that had been hanging over him since the park. "I'll update you guys when I find something out."
A few minutes later, Bruce wandered into the room, already dressed in his pajamas. He immediately paused in the opening of the doorway and looked around the room, clearly aware that something was happening. As his eyes went to Tony, his hands came up to fiddle anxiously with one another. "Is everything okay?" he asked quietly, hesitantly.
Tony looked at the way the boy was clasping his hands, a nervous tic that his adult counterpart also had, and he had to keep the wave of anguish from showing on his face. "We're going to change things up a little tonight," he began once he had mastered himself again. "I have a lot of work to do, so if you're okay with it, the others want to have a sleep over with you down on the communal floor." As Bruce glanced around the room at the rest of the team, Tony smiled. "Sound good?"
Bruce peered back over at Tony, and though it looked like he had questions he wanted to ask, he stayed quiet. Instead, he offered a tiny nod.
There was a moment in which no one moved, but it was broken when Thor stood up. "Have you a book you desire to read tonight, little one?" he asked.
The boy nodded again. "I'll go get it," he said softly.
"Let me assist in gathering any other necessities for our overnight stay downstairs," Thor said, stepping over to the boy. He gave the child a bright grin. "Perhaps we might gather those dinosaur figures?" he posed.
Bruce smiled. "Okay," he said.
Once Bruce and Thor had left the room, the others looked back at Tony. "Give us a call if you need anything," Steve told him.
Tony nodded. "Same to you."
A short time later, Bruce wandered back into the room with Thor, who had the boy's pillow, blanket, toothbrush and toothpaste, four dinosaur toys, and a book in his arms. Bruce had his stuffed rhino hugged close to his chest.
Tony stood up and met the boy for a long, warm embrace. "If you need anything," Tony said softly, "just ask JARVIS. He'll let me know, and I'll be right there, okay?"
"Okay," Bruce murmured with a small nod. They broke apart, and Tony held the boy out at arm's length. "Try not to work all night," the child said softly.
A huff of a laugh escaped from Tony and he drew the boy into another loving hug. "And you try not to let them keep you up all night," he returned. As a quiet giggle came from Bruce, Tony pressed a kiss against the boy's hair. "Love you, kid."
"Love you, too," Bruce replied, and they broke apart.
Bruce went over to Pepper and gave her a hug. She drew him in and held him for a long moment before pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Good night, Bruce," she said gently, her voice full of affection. "Love you."
Bruce happily let himself be held. "Love you, too," he said.
They broke apart and Bruce followed the other four Avengers toward the elevators. He paused and looked back at Pepper and Tony, who had returned to the loveseat. "Good night," the boy said softly.
The couple both smiled. "Good night," Tony replied.
"Sleep well," Pepper added.
With one final, almost uneasy look over his shoulder, Bruce and the rest of the team disappeared behind the elevator doors.
Once everyone else was gone, Tony released a long breath and ran a hand through his hair again. Pepper reached over and rubbed her hand along his back in consoling motions. They stayed like that for a long time, neither of them speaking.
"What can I do to help?" Pepper finally asked softly.
Tony glanced briefly over at her before he looked back down at his hands. He reached over and took hold of one of hers. "I really don't want to think this way—"
"Tony," Pepper said faintly.
He shook his head. "I really don't, but…but if I can't fix him, how…" He paused to swallow the thickness in his throat, and Pepper tightened her hold on his hand.
"He can stay here, Tony," Pepper promised.
"I'm not giving up," Tony declared. "I will figure this out, one way or another, but I-I just…" He blinked back the sudden sheen of wetness in his eyes, but his voice betrayed him, and Pepper immediately moved closer. The tightness in his throat doubled as her arms wrapped around him and she held him, very similar to the way she had held Bruce not five minutes ago.
"I love him," Tony said softly, reaching up to let one of his hands rest on her forearm. "I can't stand the thought of losing him, but I hate the thought of losing Bruce." Even without specifying, it was clear he meant Dr. Banner, who the child was supposed to be right now.
Pepper remained quiet for a few tense heartbeats, still holding him in a tight and comforting embrace. "Honey," she breathed quietly a moment later, "how long have you been feeling like this?"
Tony struggled to swallow again. "A while now," he whispered, like admitting it any louder would make it a crime, "but not like this. Not when the possibility of actually losing him was this real."
He paused for a moment and glanced over at her. "He can stay here?" he asked.
"Of course he can," Pepper replied easily. "I love him too, Tony, but…"
As she trailed off, Tony's hand shifted down her arm until their fingers were interlaced. "What?" he asked, sounding grim.
Pepper drew a breath. "As much as I love him and would hate to see him go, I want him to be happy." She paused, and when he felt her free hand against his cheek, he looked at her. "I know you miss Dr. Banner," she went on. "I do, too, but will you be able to look at this little boy without seeing what we've lost?" she asked. "I don't want him growing up in that shadow, with the guilt that he isn't that person anymore."
It was a real concern, and Tony drew a deep breath before answering. "I want him to be happy," he agreed, "and I would love for him to have his second chance here, with us. But," he glanced down at the ground and then back at her. "But we had both agreed that we weren't ready for kids. I…I don't want to force this on you."
"I'll be far more upset if you give him away," Pepper replied, giving him a light squeeze. When he managed a huff of laughter past his tight throat (which sounded almost suspiciously half like a sob), she pressed a soft, loving kiss against his temple. "This is all still hypothetical," she reminded him gently, "but should I start looking into some paperwork to adopt him? Just in case?"
Tony drew an unsteady breath in through his nose and let out the air in a long sigh. "Don't put together anything yet," he answered softly, "but…but it couldn't hurt to start doing some research."
"Alright," Pepper said quietly, and the solemn tension settled over them again. "Don't work yourself ragged tonight," she said.
"I won't," Tony replied. "My A-game is needed, and now isn't the time to take stupid risks."
He leaned over and pressed a kiss against her lips, and they disentangled. They both stood up and they embraced for a long moment before they went their separate ways.
"Run it again," Tony said without looking up from the microscope.
"Yes sir," JARVIS replied again.
The distinct lack of snark from the AI made something in Tony's stomach harden into an uncomfortable weight of nausea. All of the bots had been incredibly helpful and on their best behavior. They must have sensed his seriousness and understood the gravity of the situation. Each time they did something he requested without question and without error, it only reminded him of what was at stake.
Tony returned his focus to the slide of blood he was looking at and delicately applied just a drop of the solution he had synthesized around one o'clock in the morning. He couldn't see the chemicals like this, but he realized almost two hours ago that he had a different obstacle to overcome.
He watched the antidote mix with the blood sample, holding his breath and hoping that this would be the one to actually—
But before his eyes, Tony saw the blood cells turn a vibrant and unnatural green, twitching and growing and fighting the antidote.
Again.
Tony breathed another curse and pushed away from the microscope, frustration and dismay settling in him once more. Instead of shoving the microscope off the table to release some of his tension, he pulled in a long breath and reached for his mug of coffee. He took a sip.
It was cold.
With a snarl, Tony hurled the cup at the nearest wall. The shattering of glass and the splattering of coffee was satisfying for only a handful of seconds, but the frustration and hopelessness immediately seeped back in.
When DUM-E rolled over with a broom and paper towels, Tony sighed. "No, DUM-E, I'll get it," he murmured, standing up. "Go back and help U," he instructed once he took the cleaning materials from the bot's claw.
DUM-E clicked and lightly pinched the sleeve of Tony's t-shirt in a comforting motion before obediently returning to work. Tony swallowed the thick emotions in his throat caused by the gesture and got to work cleaning up the mess of his fit of rage.
He worked for a few moments in silence, but his mind wandered. "J," he said.
"Yes sir?" the AI immediately replied.
"How is everyone on the communal floor?" the engineer asked softly.
"Young Bruce was awoken from a nightmare roughly twenty minutes ago," JARVIS reported dutifully. "He and Agent Romanov are currently reading together until he falls back asleep."
Tony stared at the mess of soggy paper towels and broken glass for a moment in silence.
"Sir," JARVIS began hesitantly, "perhaps you should—"
"I'm fine," Tony said, blinking from his thoughts and returning to getting the mess cleaned up.
"I'm sure, sir," JARVIS replied soothingly, "but the next batch of results are not due for another forty-five minutes. Perhaps you should take a brief break."
Tony finished cleaning without responding. As he was dropping the paper towels and glass into the trash bin, he heaved an exhausted sigh. "What time is it?" he asked.
"It is three forty-four in the morning," the AI answered.
Tony nodded to himself. He glanced around the lab, where DUM-E and U were working diligently with the blood samples. The microscope behind him was motionless with his latest failure. The entire scene was far too calm, and it was a disturbing contrast with the turmoil and chaos within Tony.
Finally, he stripped off his thick gloves. "Wake me up in half an hour," he ordered.
"Yes sir," JARVIS replied, sounding vaguely relieved.
Just before seven o'clock in the morning, the lab doors opened. Tony glanced over to see Pepper walking in with two mugs of coffee in her hands.
When she saw him—or more specifically, the grim expression on his exhausted and haggard face—whatever comment she had been about to make died in her throat. She wordlessly set the cups down as he stood up, and then they were embracing, holding each other tightly. Tony buried his face into her neck and her arms tightened around him.
"Nothing is working," Tony finally breathed against her throat. "Every time I think I have something, his blood fights me. And if I try something, the chemicals that are left in his blood—just fractions of what was there before—disappear. No matter what I do, I-I…I can't fix him."
Pepper didn't say anything, opting to instead just hold him.
"I don't think there is a way to fix him," Tony continued. "J and I can't find it. I'm not going to stop looking, but…" He drew a deep breath and finally pulled his face away from the comfort of her neck to look at her. Her expression made him swallow thickly. "…but maybe it's time we talk to Bruce."
"He's still asleep," Pepper said, stroking one of her hands down his cheek. "According to the text I got from Natasha a few minutes ago, he had another nightmare last night and it took him a while to fall back asleep. Do you want to wait until after he eats?"
"Yeah," Tony mumbled. That would give Bruce more time to enjoy himself with everyone else…and it would give Tony more time to sift through his emotions so he could deliver the news without possibly breaking down. He could do that in front of Pepper, but not the rest of the team, and definitely not in front of Bruce. "Yeah, let's let him eat with them, and then we can tell him."
Right around ten thirty, Pepper and Tony stepped off of the elevator and onto the communal floor. The sounds of clinking dishware and voices greeted them. They stepped around the corner and came upon the living room, and Tony felt himself smile genuinely for the first time since yesterday.
The team had transformed the room into a massive blanket fort, just like the one that had inhabited the penthouse living room when Clint had first babysat Bruce, all those weeks ago. The size of the thing was impressive, but if it had to hold four adults and a toddler, it had to be big. One of the blankets that must have been the entrance to the fort was pushed aside, and two small dinosaur toys stood on either side of the opening, like tiny plastic guard dogs. The sight made Tony huff a laugh.
He looked toward the doorway to the kitchen when he heard Steve, Clint, and Bruce laugh at something Thor said, and he couldn't help but feel that familiar warmth that had gone through him each time he had felt that familial sensation that the little boy had brought to this group of people. It made the nausea and sorrow inside of him fade just a little to be reminded of the happiness this four year old had brought to them.
It was such a treasure to listen to Bruce laugh freely. In the weeks in which the child had been with them, Tony had heard the little boy laugh more than he had ever heard his adult counterpart laugh. The free, open smiles that Tony had fallen in love with had always been woefully missing from Dr. Banner's face.
It caused Tony deep heartache to have potentially lost Dr. Banner, but if he couldn't be brought back, he'd be damned if he couldn't give this little boy a second shot at happiness.
With new resolve, Tony gave Pepper's hand a squeeze and strode forward. "Knock knock," he called.
The conversation in the kitchen paused at the sound of his voice, and Tony led the way into the kitchen.
When the couple walked into the kitchen, he found five pairs of eyes immediately fall on him. There were conflicting emotions to be found of each of their faces, but when he focused on Bruce, he saw that there was both happiness and worry battling in his eyes at the sight of him.
Tony swallowed and smiled over at the boy. "Good morning," he said. "Did you have fun with everyone last night?"
Bruce hesitated for a moment before he returned the smile with a small one of his own. "We played a game and read together," he answered softly.
At the table with the child, Clint smirked and looked at Tony. "Kid is a natural at Rummy," he said, lightly nudging the boy with a friendly elbow. Natasha, who was sitting on the other side of the boy, smiled and reached over to lightly ruffle the kid's hair. Both actions prompted a soft giggle out of the toddler as he swatted away Clint's elbow and Natasha's hand.
A warm smile touched Tony's lips at the sound and sight of it.
From where the Asgardian and super soldier were standing at the sink, Steve glanced over. "Have you guys eaten yet?" he asked the newcomers.
As Tony thought about the piece of toast he had managed to choke down under his girlfriend's watchful eye, Pepper smiled. "We ate upstairs," she replied.
Her eyes returned to Bruce and her smile turned more affectionate. "Would you like to head back upstairs so you can get changed?" she asked, noting that the boy was still in his pajamas.
When Bruce twisted in his chair to glance over at Steve and Thor, the captain smiled and waved his hand. "We can take care of the dishes, Bruce," he said reassuringly. "You can go on."
"Okay," Bruce said quietly before he slipped out of his chair. "Is it okay if I go grab the things we brought down last night?"
"Absolutely," Pepper replied with a smile. "I'll help you carry them back upstairs."
The comment made Bruce pause in the doorway to the kitchen and he looked up at her before he glanced back questioningly at Tony.
Pepper caught where the boy's focus was and gently fixed one of his errant curls back into place. "Tony will meet us upstairs," she told him.
When Bruce glanced away from Pepper and back to him again, Tony offered the kid what he hoped was a reassuring smile. The boy knew something was up. "I'll be there in a few minutes, kiddo," he said.
Bruce didn't respond, but he offered a tiny nod before he finally slinked from the kitchen with Pepper.
With the two of them out of the room, Thor and Steve went back to washing the dishes. Natasha and Clint both stood up and moved in opposite directions, the spy moving toward the counter and the archer moving toward Tony.
Clint guided the engineer to the table and all but forced him to sit down. As Clint sat back down in his chair, Natasha returned to the table with a mug of freshly poured coffee and the sugar dish.
Tony gave a nod of thanks and went about preparing his coffee. No one spoke, opting instead to listen to the movement and low conversation between Pepper and Bruce in the next room.
It wasn't until they heard the ding of the elevator and the doors shutting that the others returned their attention to Tony.
Under the weight of everyone's stares, Tony focused on his coffee. He swallowed and drew a deep breath before he could find the will to speak. "I've tried everything," he said softly without looking up from the surface of his drink.
No one immediately had a reply.
Tony looked up to watch as Steve and Thor abandoned their spots next to the sink and came over to the table, where they both sat down. Thor sat down across from Tony while Steve took the chair on the engineer's other side.
The five of them sat in silence for a moment longer before Steve reached over and placed a hand on his shoulder. He didn't say anything; he just let his hand rest solidly on Tony's shoulder, grounding and comforting in one go.
Tony felt the emotions in his throat thicken again and his chest clench, and he struggled to swallow. "Pepper and I are gonna tell him what's going on in a few minutes," he finally went on in a tight voice, eyes returning to his drink. "I've already talked to Pepper about this, but…but we're planning on letting him grow up here, with us."
"So you plan to foster the boy?" Thor asked in a somber tone.
"Depending on if Bruce is okay with it, we're actually looking into the adoption route," Tony answered softly.
When no one answered for a moment, Tony glanced up from his coffee. He saw that they were all still staring at him, mixed emotions on their faces, but they all looked almost…almost proud.
As he was still deciphering their expressions, Thor gave him the sincerest, most heartwarming smile Tony had ever seen grace his regal features. "He could not have finer parents than you or Lady Pepper," the Asgardian said, each syllable laced with an honesty that made Tony's already aching chest tighten further.
Unable to handle the sincerity of the demigod's expression, Tony gazed back down into his drink. "I'm still going to keep looking for a way to bring back Bruce, but…but I think if there is a solution out there, it is somewhere further down the line from now. All of my tests have come back negative. There…" His grip on the coffee mug tightened. "We may never get him back."
The silence that hung over them for the next handful of seconds was heavy and stifling, but a heartbeat later, the hand on Tony's shoulder gave him a light squeeze.
When Tony glanced over, Steve's expression was one of subdued determination. "If the only thing we're able to do now is keep this little boy happy and healthy, then we'll do what we can to help."
"All of us will," Natasha vowed.
"You bet," Clint affirmed.
"Hear, hear," Thor proclaimed.
At the vehement promises from each of his teammates, Tony found the feeling in his throat thickening and a smile creeping to his lips. "Thank you," he said softly, afraid that if he spoke any louder, his voice would waver with the cascade of emotions rushing through him.
From his place on the sofa, Bruce's eyes moved back and forth between them, nervous and worried. "…am I in trouble?" he asked softly.
After wrapping up with the team down on the communal floor and collecting himself, Tony took the elevator back up to the penthouse. His gut was still roiling and there was still a lump in his throat, but that was about as good as he was going to feel.
Pepper had appeared in the opening of the hall and gave him a brief look, silently asking now? Tony had drawn a fortifying breath and gave a nod.
From where they were sitting in front of the boy, Tony offered him a smile. "No, you're not in trouble," he replied reassuringly. "We need to talk to you about something very important."
Bruce didn't relax at all with the platitude. "Does this have to do with your work from last night?" he inquired.
"It does," Tony confirmed. He paused for a moment, and when Pepper gently laid her hand on his knee, he drew a breath to give him the strength to continue. "Bruce," he began.
"It's my blood, isn't it?" the boy asked before he could continue. As Tony and Pepper traded a quick glance, Bruce drew his knees up toward his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs. "You're still having trouble."
Tony took another deep breath. "Bruce," he tried again, "you know the chemicals I've been trying to figure out?"
"The chemicals that changed me?" Bruce asked quietly.
"Yes," Tony said. "Well, the blood you let me take yesterday was…different from the blood I've been taking," he explained. He swallowed and wanted to look away, but he forced himself to focus on the four year old. "The chemicals have nearly disappeared completely."
Bruce stared back at him, so Tony saw when a hint of understanding began to appear in his eyes. "What does that mean?" the boy asked in a small voice, like he was dreading the answer—or like he already knew.
Tony wet his lips, buying himself a moment to ensure that he was as put-together as he could be. "I'm going to keep working, but…but it's possible that I can't change you back."
Bruce's eyes widened, and he didn't say anything.
Tony watched him, looking for any kind of reaction. "We'll leave it up to you, but Pepper and I were talking, and if you want, we'd love for you to stay here with us, just like we talked about a few weeks ago when you asked. That hasn't changed at all, Bruce. You would have us, and Steve, and Clint, and Natasha, and Thor. We'd all be here for you, Bruce, if you want to…to grow up here."
"It's your choice, Bruce," Pepper added gently. "We'd love to have you here, but more than anything, we want you to be happy."
"We do," Tony agreed, wanting to make sure Bruce understood.
The child stayed silent for a long time, looking slowly back and forth between the two of them before he finally glanced down. "…y-you can't fix me?"
"I'll keep working on it," Tony promised gently, trying so hard not to let his own emotions mix into his words, "b-but all of my tests are pointing toward no."
Bruce didn't lift his eyes, but he slowly began to shake his head. "No," he whispered. He shook his head again. "N-No, I…I-I can't stay."
Tony felt his chest tighten in tandem with the hand on his knee. "Bruce," Pepper said soothingly, her voice gentle despite the tight grip she had on Tony's knee, "you know you are more than welcome to stay here—"
"No," Bruce said again, cutting her off, "I-I can't be me. I h-have to change back."
"Bruce," Tony said, nearly pleading as he tried to calm both the boy and the beating of his own heart, "I don't think—"
His sentence was cut short when Bruce shook his head again and finally looked up. "No," the four year old said. Tony's heart broke when he spotted the tears standing in the boy's eyes. "He has to come back! H-He was finally starting to feel better. I…I-I can't take that from him. I can't!"
As Bruce pulled in a quivering breath, Tony and Pepper immediately moved in unison to sit on the sofa next to him. The child melted into their shared embrace, and they all curled together.
"Bruce, what happened isn't your fault," Tony pressed, his voice tight. "You can't blame yourself for being like this."
"B-But he was getting better," Bruce protested again. "Almost every dream I've had with you or Pepper or everyone else has felt better t-than the old dreams. He's getting better. I-I don't think he's so a-angry or lonely or sad anymore. I can't take that from him. It's his life, not mine."
After taking a nearly hiccupping gulp of air, the toddler looked up at Tony, tears still swimming in his eyes. "I'm not supposed to be here. I-I should be him."
Tony swallowed the thick lump in his throat, but for several seconds, he couldn't find his voice. He hugged the child all the more tightly until he could find the words to go on. "Bruce, I'll keep trying," he finally managed, "but nothing I've tried is working. The chemicals are going to vanish soon, like within hours from now, and nothing I've tried has worked."
"But as the chemicals have gone away, I've been having more grown up me dreams," Bruce pointed out. "If the chemicals disappear, won't I change back?"
"I don't think it's that simple, Bruce," Tony replied softly.
"But what if it is?" the boy pressed, looking up at Tony again. "What if—" His eyes widened. "What if Hulk is the reason why the chemicals have been going away?"
"I think that's what's been happening, on some level," Tony admitted. "The chemicals vanished drastically since our trip to the beach."
"And I turned into Hulk lots of times there," Bruce added. "What if I turn into Hulk again? Wouldn't that make the rest of the chemicals in me go away?"
Tony thought about it. Each time he had tested a new antidote on a small sample of the child's blood, it triggered a transformation of his blood cells, and when Tony ran a test on the changed blood, JARVIS hadn't been able to detect any of Arnolds' chemicals present.
"Maybe," Tony finally said, "but the risk of eliminating the chance to find an antidote will go way up."
"Or it will turn be back into grown up me," Bruce countered. "Hulk's supposed to protect me, right? He won't let something bad happen."
Tony stared down at the little boy, who seemed so adamant about this. "It's a huge risk, Bruce," he finally said. "It's way too big of a risk."
Bruce glanced down at his hands and seemed to shrink in on himself a little. "I know," he whispered, "but…but testing and science haven't fixed it. Maybe it's time to take the risk, before the chance is gone."
Tony thought about the tests he had run on Bruce's blood overnight with the potential antidotes. He thought about all of the test results received from JARVIS, where each scenario resulted in the complete removal of the chemicals, but was accompanied by the unknown effect as to if Bruce changed or stayed a child.
There were way too many variables, but Bruce did have a very valid point: nothing else had worked, and they were running out of time.
With a great amount of difficulty, Tony swallowed and looked back at Bruce, who was still staring down at his hands. The boy lifted his head when Tony put a gentle hand upon his knee. "It's your choice, Bruce," he said solemnly. "I…I don't know what will happen if you transform, but…but it could be the last time we see you as you are now."
Before Bruce looked back down, Tony saw fear flash through in his eyes. He and Pepper held him all the tighter, and the toddler leaned into both of them a little more for comfort. "You're right," Bruce whispered, his voice small and frightened.
The boy then drew a deep breath. "But I have to try."
There was a long pause of silence between the three of them as the boy's decision sunk in. Tony swallowed thickly. "JARVIS," he began quietly without withdrawing from their embrace, "have any of the latest tests come back?"
"Yes sir," the AI answered gravely after a beat of hesitation. "I'm afraid the results are all the same."
Tony felt a weight sink hard into his gut, and he closed his eyes before he hugged Bruce a little tighter. "Okay," he breathed. "If it's what you want, we'll give it a shot."
Tony stood back and watched Bruce pet DUM-E and U like oversized metallic dogs. His heart was heavy, and his throat and chest both felt tight. He was holding Bruce's stuffed rhino perhaps a little too forcefully, but he couldn't help it.
He didn't think this was going to work. The only major change to have come after a Hulk transformation was the child's eyesight, and that had changed several transformations ago. If the burst of gamma radiation with each transformation was fighting the chemicals in his blood, why hadn't there been more physical changes? He had far more questions than he had answers, and Bruce's blood seemed better suited for science fiction than real life.
There weren't enough answers, but he had enough to believe that this wouldn't work.
But it was Bruce's choice to try. He had to respect that.
Tony came out of his grim thoughts when Bruce returned to his side. Tony handed him his stuffed animal, which was instantly hugged to the kid's chest. The child then took hold of Tony's hand and turned to glance back at the two bots still in the center of the lab.
He felt his heart break when Bruce waved at them, the motion filled with finality, and Tony squeezed the boy's other hand.
They left DUM-E and U in the laboratory and went to the elevator in grave silence. Neither of them could think of anything to say as they took the elevator down and down and down.
As they were being lowered, Tony glanced down at the child's reflection in the doors. His heart crumbled further when he saw the look on the boy's face. He looked downright scared, but the determination on his face gave him an air of someone much older than four years old. Now more than ever, he looked like his adult counterpart, and it sent stabbing pains through Tony to see such a stark reminder of who they were losing.
Bruce blinked from his thoughts when Tony knelt down next to him.
Tony let his hands rest on the kid's shoulders and they met each other's eyes. The fear in those chocolaty brown orbs made Tony want to just draw the kid in, but he drew a breath and overcame the urge. "You don't have to do this," he said softly. "None of us will think less of you."
Bruce ducked his head. "I have to try," he whispered back. "If I don't try and you never find a way to fix me, I… I don't think I could live with that." He breathed in a little shakily and looked back at Tony. "I have to try."
The determination in the boy's voice was clear, even if his statement shook a little with his fear.
A long moment passed between them. The kid was set in doing this.
Tony swallowed and pulled the boy in for a hug. "Okay," he said tightly as Bruce pressed against his body, seeking the warmth and protection and comfort and love he needed right then. Tony wrapped his arms around the child's body and pressed a kiss to his messy curls.
The elevator started to slow down, and Tony held the toddler a little tighter, as much for Bruce's sake as his own. "Ready?" he asked in a low voice as the elevator slowed to a stop.
He felt the shaky breath Bruce took before he nodded. They both held each other for a second longer before they unwillingly broke apart and took hold of each other's hand again as the doors opened.
They stepped out into the underground gym, where everyone else was waiting for them. The four other Avengers and Pepper all turned and looked at the pair, and Tony felt Bruce's grip on his hand tighten.
Pepper had gone ahead of them to inform the rest of the team what was happening. With Bruce's permission, she had brought them down to the gym so they could speak with the boy before he tried this one last experiment.
Tony led the way over to the group. He wordlessly accepted the stuffed animal from Bruce and reluctantly let the boy's hand go so Bruce's hands would be free.
Once Pepper and Tony had stood aside, Thor was the first one to kneel down. Bruce went to him, and the two wrapped their arms around each other and shared a long embrace.
"Do you recall that first evening we spent together," the Asgardian asked, "when you told me you were not brave?"
Bruce gave a tentative nod.
Thor smiled, and the two broke apart just enough so he could see the child's face. "What you are doing now is perhaps one of the bravest feats I have ever witnessed," the demigod said, brutal honesty in each and every word.
A smile lit up Bruce's face, and the two embraced again.
When they broke fully apart, Natasha was next to envelop the child into a long hug. "You are so strong, Bruce," she said softly, "to be making a decision like this. It shows such courage and conviction." She gave him a light squeeze. "We can all learn a thing from you."
As she broke away, Clint immediately scooped the boy up. A surprised laugh escaped from Bruce as he was lifted, and then he was happily returning the embrace the archer was giving him. Clint hugged the boy close. "No matter what happens, kid, we will always have your back. Got it?"
Bruce nodded against Clint's neck. "Got it," he replied.
Clint smiled, gave the kid a gentle squeeze, and then handed him over to Steve.
The boy wrapped his arms around the soldier's neck as Steve held him close. For a long moment, neither of them spoke, opting instead to just hold each other. Finally, Steve drew a breath. "I always knew you were a responsible little boy," the captain said softly, "but I never realized how selfless you could be." He hugged the kid a little tighter. "You are such a good person, Bruce."
When Steve gently set Bruce down, the boy was still smiling a little bashfully. Tony counted it as a win that Bruce didn't feel the need to protest anything that had been said about his character, and when he spotted the tears standing in Bruce's eyes, he realized why. They weren't tears of fright or shame; they were tears of happiness, of affection and love.
It still amazed him to see just how far the child had come in their time together.
As Bruce returned to Tony and Pepper, Steve looked at the engineer. "Do you want us to stay?" he asked softly.
Tony thought about it for a moment. He understood why Steve asked the question, since there was the slim chance that Hulk would do something, but he wasn't particularly worried about that.
Besides, it wasn't his decision to make.
Tony looked down. "Bruce?"
The boy stayed still for a moment before he looked down and shook his head. "That's okay," he whispered.
Tony glanced back at the others, who all looked solemn again before they each offered a good luck. They headed to the elevator to return to another floor to await what happened next.
Once it was just the three of them, Tony and Pepper knelt down and enfolded Bruce in their arms in a loving embrace. None of them said anything for several minutes, opting instead to just enjoy this for the moment.
Finally, Tony inhaled a shaky breath. "No matter what happens," he whispered, "we love you. We love you so, so much, Bruce."
"We do," Pepper reaffirmed, lightly carding her fingers through the child's curls. "With all our hearts."
When they heard a sniffle, the couple held the boy a little tighter. Bruce sunk into the protection and love they offered, soaking it in.
"I love you too," Bruce replied in a quivering voice. "I…I-I don't even know how to thank you for being so nice to me, f-for taking care of me and loving me. For…F-For wanting to be my new Mommy and Daddy if this doesn't work. I-I love you both so much."
"You don't need to thank us for that, Bruce," Pepper replied gently, and judging by how tight her voice sounded, Tony knew that there were tears in her eyes.
There were some in his eyes, too.
"And no matter what happens," Tony said softly, "we'll keep doing those things. We love you too much not to."
Bruce pressed more into them again, and they all held each other in a pensive silence.
Several heartbeats later, Bruce drew another shaky breath. "…c-can you both stay with me?" he asked in a tiny voice. Despite the boy's determination to do this, he was obviously terrified.
It made the ache in Tony's chest hurt even more and made his heart crumble. "Of course," he managed to say past the lump in his throat and the weight behind his arc reactor.
A minute later, Bruce drew a fortifying breath and the three of them finally broke apart. Bruce looked frightened, but there was resolve in his eyes. He gently picked up his stuffed rhino, which he must have dropped before they had all embraced. After giving it a long hug, he met Tony and Pepper's gaze.
Without saying a word, Bruce stepped away from them and across the gym until he was maybe fifteen feet away. He carefully pulled off his glasses and set his toy down on the mat. His shirt was pulled over his head and gingerly laid out in a way that made Tony want to go over and hold the boy and never let him go.
The child's shoes and socks come off next, and once he was half naked, Bruce looked back at them. His expression is grave and scared, but he inhaled deeply again and sat himself down a few feet away from his things.
Tony and Pepper watched silently as Bruce adjusted himself in tiny increments before he was settled in a relaxed lotus position with his eyes closed.
They stayed quiet and watched, and Tony reached over and took hold of Pepper's hand. Their fingers tangled together, and Tony realized Pepper was just as worried about what was going to happen as he was. He gave her hand a light squeeze and felt it immediately returned.
Seconds passed into minutes with no change. Neither Tony nor Pepper looked away from the boy for even a moment.
Several minutes later, they both jumped when Bruce slumped a little with a sigh and opened his eyes. The boy glanced briefly at them, and Tony was terrified for a second that he was about to ask them to leave.
Instead, Bruce looked up toward the ceiling. "JARVIS?" he asked.
"Yes sir?" the AI responded.
"Can you play some ocean sounds, please?" Bruce asked, still looking up at the ceiling.
"Of course, sir," JARVIS replied. Immediately after, the gym was filled with the soothing sounds of waves crashing against a shore, interspersed with the random calls of sea birds.
Bruce smiled. "Thank you, JARVIS," he said softly. His smile faltered and he glanced down at the mat in front of him. "Thank you for everything."
"You are most welcome, Bruce," the AI replied, and Tony could hear the tenderness in his voice.
Bruce nibbled on his bottom lip for a moment before he glanced back over at Tony and Pepper again. "It's hard to concentrate without the beach noises," he explained.
"Whatever you need, Bruce," Tony said faintly.
Bruce smiled again, full and genuine with just a hint of nostalgia. "Thank you," he said in a quiet voice. He then relaxed into his meditative position again, his eyes slipping shut.
With the sounds of the beach now drifting through the air, Tony and Pepper sat silently, watching Bruce meditate. Neither of them let go of the other's hand, clinging to each other as the sense of foreboding and unknown swept over them.
When Bruce's shoulders began to loosen and his head began to dip slightly, Tony's grip on Pepper's hand tightened.
The next several minutes seemed to last a terrifying lifetime as nothing else changed. Tony saw no hint of green staining the boy's fingertips of any other part of his bare skin. Bruce only continued to breathe deeply, his face slack and his eyes closed.
Maybe he was having trouble transforming… It hadn't taken this long on the beach, not after that first time Bruce had willed himself to change into the Hulk. What if something was wrong? Maybe he was still scared. Maybe—
Tony felt something in him freeze when Bruce's brow suddenly furrowed.
The worried "Bruce?" got caught in his throat when he spotted the tinting of green beginning to appear on his fingers—
—which were trembling.
The transformations in Malibu had been nearly seamless, and while there had been some tension, the boy had never started trembling.
Something was different.
Something was wrong.
Tony felt his chest tighten with panic as Bruce's hands clenched into shaky fists. The boy drew a quick breath and leaned forward a little, like he was curling in on himself. Green flashed over his bare skin, and his multicolored face was pulled into a grimace of pain.
"Bruce!" Tony called as Pepper grasped his hand tightly. From the corner of his eye, he saw her other hand shoot to her face and cover her mouth.
Tony was halfway to his feet when Bruce uncurled just enough to lift his head. The child opened his eyes and met Tony's panicked stare with bright green irises. He looked terrified, and Tony wanted to call this whole thing off. He looked like he was in pain, and Tony wanted to scoop the boy up into his arms and never let him go.
He looked determined, and Tony had never felt so scared in all his life.
Bruce stared at him as the muscles in his back and shoulders began to expand. Pain flashed through his bright green eyes, but he never looked away from Tony.
Tony could see tears standing in Bruce's eyes, and his own instantly grew wet.
The boy took a shuddering breath. "I love you," he said, his voice tight and thick with pain and emotion, but it was his own. It was the same high-pitched and innocent voice Tony had waited days to hear when Bruce had first been changed. It was the same adorable voice Tony had grown to love since he had first heard it.
It shook Tony to his core. "Bruce…" he said again, faintly.
Bruce's eyes lingered on him for a second more before he slammed his eyes shut and curled up again, forcing the transformation on.
With a painful shout, the boy's tiny green body exploded outward. Muscles expanded, bones snapped and grew and healed into a new frame. The boy's body grew and grew in the blink of an eye, defying every law of physics in terrifying splendor.
When the body stopped growing, he was larger than life. The calming ocean sounds were now accompanied by heavy breathing like a bellows, air going into the now massive chest before being exhaled. The breathing made the massive back of the being before them heave with every enormous intake of air.
A second later, the full-sized Hulk uncurled fractionally. His green face was set in a way to say he was still in pain, and he almost looked dazed. Hulk pulled in another gigantic breath, and then promptly collapsed with a heavy thud.
And then the giant green body began to shrink, muscles deflating and losing their green coloring as it faded away into pale skin. Bones creaked and reset again as the transformation continued. It sounded painful, but it only lasted a few seconds.
When it was over, the limp body lying on the ground fifteen feet away was not a child, but a man.
Tony felt the tears standing in his eyes overflow and begin rolling down his face.
Dr. Bruce Banner was back.
And Bruce was gone.