A/N: Anything you don't recognize belongs to me and anything you do belongs to someone else. :)

WARNING: For Adult Content I made a very obvious line break after which it is safe to read if it makes you uncomfortable.

Sounds cliche, but Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You', makes me think of Bruce and Betty. :'(


Banner'sLove: Let me give you a nickles worth of free advice; Boys (in general, let us just exclude Bruce from this one because he's clearly awesome) are oblivious. You can tell them up and down how much you love them and they stare at you like you speak a foreign language. Listen to someone whose just gotten over a rough 'slap in the face'. One of my other reviewers for Moon River said something sweet which makes a lot of sense. She said that once she started focusing on herself and what makes her happy, her future husband came into her life. So I figure to be happy in a relationship, you need to be happy single. I have this little sign hanging in my room, something I need to remind myself of frequently;

'No Boy Is Ever Worth Crying Over, And the One Who Is, Won't Make You Cry." I hope this helps a little. :/

And as for the planet hulk thing; People are so dumb! I don't know about anyone else but I want more earth hulk! If they go to planet hulk, we'll never see Bruce Banner! *cries* They should let me direct the movies... :P jk.

gunslinger21: It's fun to write Betty. :) I'm so so glad you liked the update. You'll have to watch the hulk movie now, but...like we've said before, Ed Norton is a little disappointing. If you clear your mind and watch it like you know nothing else about Bruce Banner or the Avengers, it's watchable. lol. Hope your doing well. Always nice to hear from you.

E: You NEVER fail to make me laugh. I love those names for Samson. We should write them in a card and mail it to him, this way he can plaster it on his wall and read it every night before bed. 1-800-die-for-a-cause...Girl, I'm still laughing. XD

N The Zombie Girl:

ecotiger: Hello my friend. Thank you so much for the review, it means a lot to me. Leonard is going to have some larger parts later on, not necessarily all good ones, but he will be back. Along with Rick Jones, Angela Lipscombe and of course Jennifer Walters. :)

Marvelmaniac04: I really liked those delete scenes. Why didn't they keep those? It gave us a chance to learn more about Leonard. I'm going to make a video with Brutasha and 'Wonder'. I think it works really well. I'm making another one too, with Bette Midler's 'In My Life'. I can't help but think of Bruce and Natasha when I hear it, talking about the people and things they've done before, and even though they will always love the people they've known before, they love each other more. It gives me all these feels...And you are funny and it's a compliment. :D Be proud of it. There's a little more action 'in the lip department' here. Hope you like it. :)


Chapter 43

Bruce stands in front of the bathroom sink with the towel over his waist, grateful for Betty's sharp sense of direction and suggestion they find a motel. She had run out only moments ago to pick up clothes for him using whatever cash she managed to carry on her.

Banner runs his hand through his damp hair, regretting when he looks into that steamed up mirror. Every little thing seems to have a hint of green, colorful enough to make him sick. He clenches a fist when he feels that monster growling inside. He can practically see the reflection of the green giant in the square frame when he 'hears' him snarl. Bruce shuts his eyes in an attempt to 'turn off' his active imagination, jumping when the memories of the General's attack replay in his mind.

He's doubled over the sink when he takes a shuddering breath, trembling with his eyes shut tight.

. . . . .

Betty shrugs the bags off her shoulder when she comes back into the room, folding her change to fit back into her wallet. Her eyes shift up when she hears his rough coughing;

"Bruce? You okay?"

She can't help but cringe, taking a step towards the bathroom freezing when she hears him throw up. Betty stands near the door ready to walk in until she thinks better of it. She figures he most likely would have prefered to be left alone for the time being.

Betty Ross lingers close enough just in case he needed her, wanted so badly to walk in there and rub his back for him. Her eyes shift upward when she hears a pause, trying to call out to him a second time;

"Bruce?"

She tilts her head when the door cracks open, seeing his eyes slightly glossed over with a toothbrush shoved in his mouth;

"Oh, hi."

"Are you alright?"

He nods, messy curls above his eyes, "Yeah, I feel a lot better actually,' he holds up the computer chip, 'I had to get my data back."

Her eyebrows lower, his statement finally starting to sink in;

"You swallowed it?"

He shrugs, "Well, you know. The circumstances called for a little improvisation."

Betty's eyes widen before digging through one of her shopping bags;

"Wow...okay so, first things first."

Bruce drops his tooth brush and data card into the sink before catching the heart monitor Betty tosses in his direction. He smirks when he sees it, shaking his head over an item only he would be forced to wear everyday of his life;

"Thanks Betty."

She digs through the bag, tossing a pair of jeans at him next before holding up purple sweatpants. He tilts his head sarcastically, content with the jeans he initially caught;

"You're kidding..."

She smirks, "What? They were the stretchiest pair they had."

"I'll take my chances."

Betty throws a hand on her hip, shaking her head when he slips back into the bathroom no doubt to throw on his pants. She digs through the bag, tossing the empty plastic into a pile. Betty takes a simple hair clip from her collection, whipping her hair up into a high bun. Double checking the air conditioner before standing up to talk with her friend. She makes her way towards the bathroom when she hears the sink running. He glances at her reflection in the mirror when he sees she's standing behind him, drying his mouth with the towel in his grip.

Betty catches him staring through the mirror, just as innocent as the day she met that physicist. She shakes her head, running her fingers over the back of his head;

"I don't know how you've managed it alone all this time."

He smirks sarcastically, lock fallen just above his eye;

"With clippers, usually."

She can't resist any longer, wrapping her arms around his torso. He rests a hand over her wrist, head bowed low when he feels her cheek against his bare back. Bruce shuts his eyes when he feels her lips against his skin;

"Penny for your thoughts."

He rolls his eyes, unable to hold his tongue any more;

"How long have you known Leonard?"

She sighs pulling away gently hoping he'd turn around, knowing he was bound to ask;

"Years. We only started well, getting know each other about a year ago."

Bruce turns around to face her, leaning against the sink while he makes eye contact with her;

"You trust him?"

She nods, feeling guilty, "Yes, but Bruce you know I-"

He shakes his head sympathetically, honest when he takes up her hand;

"You don't have to explain anything to me. Ever. He seems like a good man and he treats you well and...that makes me happy."

Her head lowers, eyes fixed on the gentle way he holds her hand;

"Bruce, I never gave up on you. You don't know how hard it was to read the paper- I couldn't accept it. You don't know how often I thought about you. How badly I wanted things to go back to the way they were before..."

He sighs, subconsciously lowering his forehead against hers with his eyes closed. Betty whispers, rubbing her thumb over his fingers;

"What's it like...when it happens? What do you experience?"

He scoffs almost coldly;

"It feels like someone is pouring a liter of acid into my brain...the sound is the worst, probably next to the throbbing and loss of control."

"Do you remember anything?"

"Fragments. Nothing I can derive anything from."

"But then it's still you...inside it."

He stays stern, heart beating a little faster;

"It's not me."

"In the cave, I felt that you knew...that it knew me. Maybe your mind is in there it's just...overcharged...can't process what's happening. You know Leonard works with people on 'conscious dreaming', helping them direct themselves out of their nightmares even though the conscious brain seems asleep...maybe-"

"-I don't want to control it! I want to get rid of it. It kills people. It almost killed you Betty. And you know I wouldn't do any of those things."

"Of course not."

His head lowers, completely anguished. She manages to free one of her hands, laying it gently over his cheek. Her fingertips run over the light scar under his eye, given to him minutes before the overload of radiation. Her voice stays soft;

"You need to know that I thought about you every day since we parted. I still love you Bruce."

His eyes stay soft when he reestablishes eye contact, finding it hard to believe the words that slip from her mouth. There's a lump in his throat when he leans forward, tugging on her sweet lips with his own. His heart rate picks up instantly, melting over affection he's been deprived of for years. He feels like crying when she tugs back, wrapping her hand around his head to pull him closer. He reaches a hand to her neck, craving the warmth from her tender embrace whether or not he should. Betty throws her arms around him, laying her head on his shoulder. He buries his face in the crook of her neck, rubbing her upper back with his hand when he whispers;

"I missed you Betty. There were days I felt like I couldn't last another minute without seeing your pretty face or just hear you talk about some bizarre fact. You've...been the only person in my life whose never hurt me. You are always on my mind Betty, I love you."

Her eyes close, hardly aware of the silent tear that slips from the corner. She plants a soft kiss on his cheek, fingertips reaching up to play with his rebellious curls, before she goes back for his mouth.

Bruce just wanted time to stop with them so close to each other, wanting nothing more than to just hold onto her forever. Betty feels him tug back, wrapping a hand around her head to keep her steady. She takes a step back, laying her hands over his bare shoulders when they start to move back into the other room.

Miss Ross loosens her grip, not wanting to come on too strong for her fragile friend. She pushes back before she's willing to give him more control when she remembers how he generally dislikes too much contact. Betty slips a hand onto his wrist, shocked when his gentle hands touch the sides of her face in between kisses.

Her heart is pounding at the thought of him running on his own, stuck hiding in cities she didn't even know existed. And Bruce didn't deserve to be treated that way. He was too sweet, too gentle to be hunted like a criminal. Betty knew he'd been through enough even before they first met, wishing he could just catch a break from the hell that always seemed to surround that tender physicist.

Betty's eyes are closed when they their bodies slowly lower over the mattress. She keeps a hand on his cheek to steady the kisses while he holds himself on top of her. Banner presses his hands underneath them for support, too wrapped up in the moment to think about control.

Their hips meet each other in a gentle motion, so caught up in their passion to pay attention to his heart monitor. Her hands lay over the sides of his face when he moves a second time, feeling that intense pooling in his gut he's only felt once before. Bruce can barely pay attention to his own feelings when he looks at Betty, realizing just how much he needed that pretty biologist in his life. She was his bright spot; in his mind, the only reason he had for living with those dark memories of his past and current hell he could never break free from.

Bruce lays a hand over her thigh when she wraps it over his waist, wanting to get a little closer to her lover. He grinds into her between kisses, practically begging for a little love she knows he needs. Betty hugs him close when she hears his breathing change, running her hand through his hair when she hears him make a noise relating to a little discomfort. She removes a hand from him so as not to overwhelm him with too much touching.

He lays his wrist on the pillow above them while he kisses her neck, hearing the monitor slowly picking up speed. He moans, breathing heavier when he finally looks at the flashing numbers. Bruce buries his face in her neck, agonizing a little when he hears it beeping a little louder. He hugs her close while grinding a little softer in an attempt to slow it down. He can feel her arms snake around his lower back, kissing him one more time before he frantically goes to remove her hand from off of him;

"Wait! Wait..."

She groans when he lifts his chest from off of her, pinning her hand to the pillow to keep it off his warm skin. She's panting when she whispers;

"What?"

"We can't do this."

Betty nods when she sees the pain in his eyes, wanting nothing more than to just wrap him back up into her arms;

"It's okay I want to-"

"No...no,' he pushes up onto his hands, panting when she lays a hand on his cheek, 'I can't."

He takes her hand off his cheek, holding onto her wrist when she lays it over her abdomen. Her eyes are wide, searching his body language for some sort of explanation. His head lowers, lock fallen just above his eye;

"I can't get...too excited."

Her eyes meet his after she hears the monitor stop with it's pesky beeping;

"Not even a little excited?"

Bruce studies her face, wanting to lay back down and just prove his love to her. He releases an exasperated sigh, frustrated with himself and that thing inside him. He's eyes close when he buries his face in her shoulder, ready to burst into tears.

She tenderly lifts her hand over his back when she sees his anguish, gently rubbing over those sore muscles;

"It's okay..."

He whispers while he trembles, still nuzzled in her shoulder;

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry."

"Bruce, it's okay."

He mumbles, too worried his cheeks are reddened from the hidden tears to look back at her;

"I tried to tell you Betty, how much I cared...I wrote you letters-"

She nods, biting her lips while she rubs the back of his neck;

"I got them."


~. *. * . * . * . * . *~. *. * . * . * . * . *~. *. * . * . * . * . *~


"Sir, it's Blonsky."

General Ross makes his way through the facility, shocked when he sees his soldier up and ready for another battle;

"Nice to see you back on your feet soldier."

He smirks, "Thank you Sir."

He crosses his arms, "How do you feel?"

Blonsky narrows his focus, thinking about the same person Ross is;

"Pissed off and ready for round three."

Ross turns around, seeing half his assembled crew in the lobby when he makes his way back out to talk to them. His assistant hands him a file;

"Federal is already monitoring phone, plastic, and Dr. Ross's web accounts, and local PD's have been put on alert. They'll pop up somewhere and when they do it comes straight to us."

The General growls, voice expressing his clear agitation;

"They won't just 'pop up.' He make it five years and got across borders without making a mistake and he won't use a damn credit card now. If he was trying to escape he'd be long gone...he's looking for help and that's how we're going to get him. We don't know where they're going but we know what they're after and we knows he's been talking to somebody. You've all got copies of that correspondence to this...'Mr. Blue'. There are only a few hundred people in the world who have what he needs so figure out who they are. He's going to one of them."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Betty just watches while he sorts through her stuff, hugging her knees into her chest when he shakes his head over her electronics;

"Basically, we can't use any of this. Cause they can track all of it. Don't even turn the phone on, that's a dead giveaway."

She smirks almost sarcastically, pointing to the small cylinder;

"My lipstick? Can they track that?"

He's too nervous to pay attention to her sarcasm, handing her back the $70 and small camera;

"Here, you can these. And your makeup."

She shakes her head;

"This 'Mr. Blue'? From New York?...We can't get there on 70 bucks."

Bruce sighs, "It's possible but...not quickly enough."

Betty tugs at the small chain around her throat, freeing it from around her neck before handing it to him. He knows what she's thinking eyes wide when he refuses to take it;

"No! It's the only thing you have left of her...No Betty."

She shrugs, tender smile over her face, "It's okay, we'll get it back."

. . . . . . . . . .

Bruce lays a hand on Betty's shoulder when she walks outside the pawn shop with a bundle of cash in her fist;

"You emailed him your data?"

He nods coming out of the gas station with a set of keys in his hand;

"Using that guys account. I paid him a $20, is that enough?"

She smirks with a head shake, "You didn't owe him anything."

He lifts his eyebrows, glancing over his shoulder cautiously as they make their way up to the battered old pick up truck;

"He's helping a wanted man, I figure I owed the guy something. And what do I owe you Miss Ross?"

She smirks, brushing a stay hair behind her ear;

"Nothing. I volunteered."

Betty lays a head on his shoulder when she gets to the car, taking the keys from him;

"If we're heading into New York traffic, I think I should drive...,' her head lowers, 'Bruce, it's been worse than this before right?"

He nods without a second thought, tugging on his button down;

"Much worse."

. . .

It's hours before his eyes flicker open, sitting in the passenger seat and beyond disoriented. Betty takes a hand from off the wheel and lays it over his;

"I thought I should let you sleep."

He mumbles, glancing out the window when he realizes they're stuck in heavy traffic;

"Where are we?"

She smirks, "Getting close."

He looks around, opening the door to stand up and look out over the honking horns and crowded streets. His eyes glance up at the toll booth a long way ahead, spotting uniformed officers standing at the toll gates looking at faces.

He ducks down to call for Betty;

"We've got to go."

"Go where?"

"We've got to get out, come on."

Her eyes widen, clearly unfamiliar with the life on the run;

"Right here? Now?"

"Yes, come on."

She panics a little, climbing out to meet him;

"This is crazy."

"I've got you Betty, it's alright." He reaches out to grab her hand, leading her through the honking cars and bumper to bumper traffic and disappear off into the distance.

They make their way through the streets, finally reaching the Hudson River. Betty makes her way up to an older man with a motor boat, paying him off to give them a quick ride across the body of water into New York City.

The couple eventually find themselves on the sidewalk. She flips through her papers, double checking the map in front of them;

"Long way uptown. Subway's the quickest."

He lifts his eyebrows, sarcastic smirk on his face;

"Me? In a tight metal tube underground with hundreds of other people in the most aggressive city in the world?"

She nods, biting her upper lip;

"Let's get a cab."

. . . .

By the time their aggressive driver makes a turn on two wheels, Betty's regretting her suggestion, holding Banner's hand when she hears his pulse monitor beeping as loud as his heavy breathing. Her eyes widen;

"Breathe! Breathe!"

Bruce and Betty find themselves falling forward when he slams on the brakes. The dark-haired physicist can't utter a word, climbing out of the taxi as fast as he possibly can. He's pacing the sidewalk in an attempt to calm down when Betty climbs out behind him.

She screams through the passenger window at their 'driver from hell';

"Are you out of your mind!? Don't you give a shit about the living breathing people in the back of your office on wheels-"

He smiles in an attempt to flirt with her, "What's the matter baby? You no like a good ride?"

Betty lifts her foot into the rear panel as he takes off, startled by the tone in her voice when she screams even louder;

"Asshole!"

Bruce gives her a look, gentle voice making an attempt to calm her down;

"Betty?"

She whips her head around, eyes still as wide as soccer balls. He smirks;

"You know, I can show you a few techniques that can help you manage that anger-"

Ross softens her voice to a normal level, never cross when she talks to him but still clearly frustrated over the cab driver who could've made him transform;

"You zip it. We're walking."

. . . . . . . . .

The Generals assistant glares at her computer, grinding her teeth when she searches desperately; her last resort. Her eyes widen when she sees the name on the screen;

'JR Sterns Cellular Biology.'

The links take her to Columbia University, leaving her running down the hall. She bursts into the General's office, voice sharp when she tells him;

"They're going to New York!"

Ross puffs from his cigar, eyes wide over the news.

. . . . . . . . .

Betty boldly takes a step forward when they reach the lobby of the science building, recognizing Professor Sterns;

"Excuse me, Dr. Sterns?"

A clearly overworked scientist smiles politely looking for the girl who called his name;

"Yes dear?"

She nods, keeping Bruce right behind her;

"I'm sorry to bother you. I'm Elizabeth Ross."

His eyes widen, offering a friendly handshake;

"Dr. Ross! My goodness...I read your wonderful paper on synthesizing nucleotides! To what do I owe the..."

She smiles, resting a hand on Bruce's shoulder;

"Actually, there's someone I'd like to introduce you to..."

Banner smirks, "Mr. Blue?"

Sterns widens his eyes, big smile over his face;

"Mr. Green!? Oh no, we've got to move this one into my office. Come, follow me."

Betty walks along side him as they make their way through his cluttered laboratory. He's rambling quickly, too excited to process his thoughts and talk at the same time;

"This is...this is amazing. It took some work let me tell you, we've never tried to concentrate the trimethodine a tenth of what you peak exposure correlates with. That you survived an event like that to stand here and discuss this...it has something to do with Dr. Ross's protein primer capaciting the cells of course, but it's beyond my reckoning...we could study it for years."

Betty shifts her focus onto him, slightly concerned, "But, you think you've got the concentration right?"

"Well yes...on paper anyway. And my cell saturation will make sure we don't miss any spots...but...even if we hit the levels right, I can't promise this will cure you. It might only be an antidote to suppress specific flare ups. When you have one of those, um, 'spikes'...is the experience extreme?"

Bruce stays diplomatic, "You could say that."

Sterns crosses his arms, studying Banner's frame;

"You know, I wondered what it would look like...a person with that much power lurking in him. Nothing could have surprised me more than this...young man shaking my hand. I uh- I do have to tell you something about these concentrations? They carry extraordinary levels of toxicity. If we're over by even a small integer, the residual could kill you."

Banner seems less than concerned, almost hoping it will take his life and end the misery. Betty's eyes widen, more afraid than either of them. She'd love to slap him for his next comment, clutching her cheek as if to say, 'that's what he's worried about?'

"Sterns, there's a flip side to that...if we miss on the low side, if it fails, it will be very dangerous for you."

"I've always been more curious than cautious Mr. Green. So...we're all agreed?"

Betty glances at Bruce who looks back at her. There are tears in her eyes when she nods, knowing this is what he wants; Freedom... no matter what the cost.

. . . . . . . . . . .

"Banner is the target. Snipers have the point. Delta in backup. If we make it before they move we'll have two tries. If we can't take him inside, we'll try for a shot as he exits. Under no circumstances is banner to be engaged directly. If we can't get a shot we fall back and let him go."

Blonsky makes a face;

"Not much of a rematch."

She narrows her focus;

"1.5 million people within a five mile radius. You want to fight that thing here?"

She gives Ross a look, nodding towards Blonsky whose been acting stranger and stranger since his second dose of chemicals;

"You sure about your boy?"

The General nods, "I need a dog that can hunt. If we do this correctly, I'll never have to let him off the leash."

. . . . . . . . . . .

Betty hates the look of the table Sterns is trying to urge Bruce to lay on, disturbingly looking like a set-up for a lethal injection. Even though he's more nervous than she is, familiar with the little set-up from a battle with someone who attempted to pry him open, he takes a deep breath and follows instructions.

Betty leans over him when he unbottons his shirt and hands it to her;

"Think of all the money I'll save on wardrobe if this works."

She chimes in quickly, tempted to run a hand through his thick hair;

"Yeah but money can't bring you back if it doesn't."

His eyes soften, watching her tearfully shift her focus when she hugs his shirt against her chest. He sighs, eyes wide when he pleads;

"Promise me you won't stay and try to help me if this starts to go bad."

"Oh Bruce..."

"Promise me you'll run or I don't do this."

She nods half-heartedly, feeling his gentle hand over her cheek;

"Promise me Betty."

Ross jumps a little when Sterns shoves an I.V in each of his arms, strapping her friend to the cold table. He looks so vulnerable to her, leaving her stomach in knots. She tries to stay supportive, watching his vitals no matter what else is on the screen. Unlike Banner, keeping him alive is the only thing she cares about, hulk or no hulk.

Sterns has his antidote ready, hovering over him to shoot Bruce with a ton of electricity. He barely gives him a chance to analyze the situation before plowing ahead. Banner's eyes dilate instantly, unable to breathe through the pain while every muscle in his body starts straining against the straps. His whole body spasms, green starts in his eyes, muscles expanding at a rapid pace when he cries out in pain. Every bone and muscle in his body is begging for mercy. Every memory of his father's cruel abuse replays in his mind as his body changes.

Betty covers her mouth, never seeing a transformation for herself. Sterns gasps in awe;

"My God!"

Betty watches the man she loves, writhing on the table, tortured in front of her while he howls in agony.

The table starts to buckle underneath when he growls, cringes in his large green frame after freeing himself from some of the restraints. Betty jumps onto the table over him in a panic, resting her hands on his chest, searching for those expressive eyes;

"Bruce! Bruce stay with me!"

Sterns bites his lip, worried his antidote won't kick in soon;

"Dr. Ross..."

She stays focused on her lover, watching him slowly and painfully starting to revert back. Betty would like to think the chemicals are working, though she's starting to realize it's her calm and loving nature that seems to get him to change.

Betty runs her finger down the lock just above his eye, leaning over him when his eyes finally open. She knows he's still afraid, drenched in sweat with worry written all over his face;

"It's alright. You're alright. It's over."

He smirks, looking into those pretty eyes of hers. He's too exhausted from the experience to pay attention to the way she's straddled over his hips, hovering over his torso. It's as if he's home again, feeling safe whenever he's close to the girl he loves so much;

"Betty..."

She smiles back, tenderly kissing his forehead.