The park adventure had been a much needed outing for both of the Banners.
Isabelle had more bottled up energy than Bruce had ever thought possible, and she had dragged him all over, starting at Belvedere Castle, where she made it to the top of the tower less than half the time that it took him. He was thankful for his Starkphone, and the stranger who was more than happy to take a picture of the visiting father and daughter duo, though the young man did seem to give Bruce a second glance as they thanked him and went on there way, like he was trying to place where he had seen the doctor before.
As they walked, Bruce told Isabelle of Seneca Village, the home place of a large community of free Black Americans in the 1800s, which was further off from where they were, but Bruce felt it was an important bit of history he could not ignore the opportunity to educate her on.
It took them close to half an hour to navigate their way from the castle to the Central Park Zoo, Isabelle's other 'must do' for their first trip to the park, though Bruce had promised to make it a habit to bring her more, and Belle even made him pinky-swear.
Bruce had never been able to take her to a zoo before, between working and trying to care for her needs alone, or being on the run, and Isabelle had wanted to visit one for a very long time. He made her hold tight to his hand, both for her safety around so many strangers and to keep her from zipping off faster than he could catch her. She was bouncing as she walked, telling her father facts about lemurs as she hopped along beside him. She had recently decided they were her new favorite animal after a trip to the library ended with a book about lemurs
"Did you know that even though the small island of Madagascar is the only place they are found, there are over a hundred kinds of lemurs?" Belle ask excitedly as Bruce stopped to look at the map, so he could plan their route to the lemurs the quickest. A path of stops on their way well planned, they set off on their tour.
"Which one is your favorite?" Bruce ask, encouraging her to continue to tell him more.
"Eulemur flavifrons, often known coequally as the 'Blue eyed Black Lemurs'." Belle answered quickly. "They are the only primate other than humans to have naturally occurring blue irises. Also their name doesn't make the most sense, which I think is kind of delightful."
At this, Bruce could not help but snort and then burst into a fit of laughter. It was enough to make Belle stop walking and cross her arms.
"What?" She ask, looking up at her father, annoyed.
"Nothing, that was just... You're precious, kid." Bruce said, pinching her nose. "Tell me why Blue eyed black lemurs name doesn't make any sense."
"Because they aren't all black." Belle said after a moment of serious consideration. "They come in solid black, orange with black faces, or solid orange fur. So it really isn't a fitting term. Though true to much of animal science, the name comes from the male of the species, as the males are the ones who are black furred. They are a sexually dichromatic species. Of course there was no thought to the girls when the name was given." Belle explained with a roll of her eyes.
Bruce could not help himself as he started to laugh again.
"What?!" Belle whined, getting more annoyed.
"You..." Bruce tried to talk between laughs as he attempted to stop laughing, and he cleared his throat. "Sorry, its just... You probably know more about these creatures than their keepers, you know that? And you just decided you liked them like... a week ago? You're an adorable little genius." Bruce shook his head. "I bet there isn't another kid in this zoo that could tell me what 'sexually dichromatic' even means."
"What do they teach in public schools?" Belle ask as they started to walk again.
"Not much, honestly. Why do you think you don't go?" Bruce replied, nudging her shoulder playfully.
"Because I'm 'better, faster, stronger'?" Belle reminded him.
"Mostly because you're smarter." Bruce replied with a grin. "Much, much smarter. If I had to guess, you could probably be done with high school in the same time frame your Uncle Tony was, he beat me by a year."
"I could beat that..." Belle mumbled. Bruce chuckled again.
"Yeah, probably. But that isn't the point, is it?" Bruce reminded her.
"LEMURS!" Belle shouted, pulling away excitedly as the got nearer the tropic zone. She came over and Bruce took his phone out, taking her picture of her thrilled face in front of the sign for the lemurs.
Bruce could not help but be in awe of his daughter, the perfect mix of nine year old kid and genius. He was willing to admit that, in everything he had done in life, making sure she got to be a real kid, even if she was a somewhat lonely one, was one of the things he did right. He knew it was something both he and Tony had been denied, and he had made her the promise on the day she was born that he would give her the best life he could possibly provide.
They had been through some major ups and downs, but seeing her run through the tower carefree, especially now that she had Pixel hot on her heels, or watching her practice her ballet, or even now as she bounced around the zoo, Bruce started to feel like maybe he was doing okay keeping that promise.
At least until they got to the grizzly exhibit.
Central Park Zoo had almost no animals that would be what you could consider 'dangerous' in traditional terms, mostly meaning things like lions and tigers, but they did have snow leopards and grizzly bears.
Belle had continued to tell Bruce random things about lemurs as they visited the other animal exhibits, and had just started to explain how lemurs lived in mostly matriarchal family groups, circling this point back to her issue with the naming of the blue eyed black lemurs, when they heard a commotion start ahead. They had just left the snow leopard habitat, heading toward the large brown bears when the sounds of screaming and people running caught their attention at the same time.
Instinctively, Bruce scooped Belle behind him, and cautiously took a few more steps forward, confused and wondering what was happening, and if anyone needed help. He was, after all, a medically trained doctor as well as physicist and chemist. He held a hand behind him, keeping Belle in place.
"What is it?" She ask, popping her head around to get a better look.
"Not sure." Bruce answered honestly. His hearing was no better than average, but he then thought about Isabelle's, and he turned and knelt down at her. "Hey, I need you to listen and see if you can hear what is happening?" Bruce ask gently. "Do you think you can pick all the noises apart, or are there too many?"
"I'll try..." Belle said quietly. Bruce held his hand out and kept her relatively behind him, her hand clasped tightly in his, as they cautiously moved a bit closer to the screams. Belle closed her eyes and listened for a minute or two, then looked up at her father. "Someone is bleeding, a woman is begging someone to help, and to call 911." Belle reported.
Bruce swallowed, looking at his now very scared child. He knew he could help if he could get there, but he also did not know why the person in question was bleeding and if the danger was still present. Belle seemed to know he was thinking, because she tugged at his arm.
"Daddy, you gotta help them." She pleaded. "The woman said he's dying."
Quickly, Bruce glanced around. He saw a large rock on some grass near the walkway, and he pulled her over to it.
"Climb up here and have a seat. If anyone comes up to you and tries to get you to go with them... you know, a stranger, not park staff, run. Find someone who works here." Bruce said firmly. "Otherwise, you wait here for me."
"Yes, sir." Belle nodded. She clambered up the rock and perched atop it, and once Bruce was satisfied she was secure for the moment, he ran ahead in the direction of the screams and people running away were coming from.
Bruce wasted no time, following the sound of the woman that he guessed was the one Belle had heard, once he was close enough to hear her. He ran in the direction of her voice until he found her, kneeling on the ground beside an older gentlemen, whose blood-soaked uniform identified him park employee, who was in a growing pool of blood. Bruce knelt down and took his button down shirt off, leaving him in his under t-shirt so he would have better room to work. The woman, another park employee, was covered in the man's blood and she looked terrified but relieved to see someone had come to help.
"I'm a doctor." Bruce explained, as he gently moved her hands from the wound. "Tell me what happened." Bruce noted that the man still had good, somewhat steady breaths, but a weak pulse.
"We were just releasing a new bear into the exhibit, run of the mill. He was supposed to be knocked out- I don't know what happened. We'll have to put him down now..." The woman was crying, but did a good job keeping her composure enough to tell Bruce what was going on.
"Bite or claws?" Bruce ask, trying his best to use his shirt to clear the wound were he could better see what had happened. The flesh was badly torn on the man's upper arm, and Bruce could see bone.
"Claws, I think. It happened really fast, but I don't think there was any biting." She explained. Bruce looked up at her and tried to assess her as well.
"What is your name?" He ask, still in his softest, calmest voice.
"Shonda." She replied in her own, shaky one.
"Are you hurt Shonda?" Bruce ask, and the woman shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "Hey- you did a great job holding pressure on the wound. I know this looks like a lot, but he hasn't lost enough blood to die from it, and from the looks of the wound, if we can get him out of here in time, his arm can be repaired."
Shonda nodded and waited for Bruce to finish looking over the man, who she identified as 'Frank'.
"How long have you known Frank? Is he diabetic? Anemic? Heart Patient?" Bruce ask. Shonda shrugged, and Bruce sighed. "Okay, I don't see a bracelet, which at his age is common for people to wear when they have a health issue, but let's check his wallet just in case. Can you get it out for me?" Bruce ask, and Shonda did as she was told, but found nothing of use.
"Frank was- is- Three months from retiring." Shonda said as Bruce waved her back over.
"We're going to get him to that, okay? He's not dying yet, he's passed out from blood loss... Just focus. I need you to help me." He held his phone out, which smeared with Frank's blood on his hands. "Call 911, make sure someone called in this chaos. Tell them you have a doctor on scene who was just here today and has no supplies, but that I am going to control bleeding." Bruce instructed, and she did as she was told. Bruce held pressure on the wound with one hand, with the other he brought his discarded shirt to his mouth, and gripping one side in his teeth he ripped it into strips, which he began to bind the wound with the strips of cloth.
Bruce bound the wound very tightly, and the second strip as he cinched down made the man grunt out in pain.
"Hey Frank!" Bruce said, still keeping his voice calm and even, "Can you hear me, bud? My name is Dr. Banner, and I am a guest at your zoo here today. I'm just trying to help you until we can get you to a hospital."
Frank groaned out again.
"Come on Frank, wake on up and talk to me." Bruce pleaded, but he did not open his eyes. Bruce patted gently at his cheeks, then popped open an eyelid.
"EMS said they were pulling into the zoo now." Shonda reported, kneeling back down beside the two men.
"Hear that Frank? More prepared help is on the way!" Bruce said, keeping his voice optimistic. Other members of the zoo staff had started to gather, and Bruce looked up, trying to keep an ear out to the chaos. He noticed some of them were holding rifles, and his blood ran cold. He stayed, kneeling with Frank until EMS arrived and he gave full report as they took him away, and he declined their request for him to ride along with the patient, explaining that he had been at the zoo with his young daughter. They left and someone from the zoo came over and spoke to Bruce.
"We can't think you enough... Doctor...?" The zookeeper, a much younger man than Frank, ask.
"Banner." Bruce finished. "I'd shake your hand but..." He held up his blood stained hands. the zoo keeper smiled in a small, queasy sort of way and nodded.
"Of course, Dr. Banner. This way, its just right over here we have a break room. You can go wash up and I'll get you a shirt to change into. You look like a medium." The zookeeper, whose shirt identified as 'Zac' said. Bruce nodded and thanked him for the opportunity to wash up.
Bruce found the men's room and stripped out of his blood stained t-shirt and began trying to scrub the blood off of his hands and arms. He heard two other men just outside in the breakroom speaking, and the sound of a rifle being loaded.
"I cannot believe in this chaos, they lost the freaking bear..." One said.
"Well, I hate to ever have to harm any of our animals, but we better go put him down..." The other agreed. Bruce felt like he might pass out, but he immediately ran from the bathroom and started back to where he had left Belle.
Silence had all but taken over where Belle was sitting. She could no longer hear the fearful shouts of the zoo visitors, or the woman pleading for help, which she took as a good sign that her dad had found them and was, in fact, able to assist them. So she sat atop the rock she was told to wait on, alone in this area of the zoo as most of the visitors had ran and kept running. Zoo keepers had come through, ushering the crowd toward the exit, but as they had not noticed the little girl on the rock, she did as she was told and stayed put.
Belle had started to worry as time continued to pass, but she knew once she heard the sound of an ambulance siren that someone would be taking over soon and her dad would come back for her. She tried to see what was happening from her vantage point up higher, but could not quiet see over an ice cream stand, so she decided to stand up on the rock.
She could almost see, and she pushed herself up onto her toe tips, as she had learned to do in ballet class. She leaned a bit, where she could see the ambulance, but she lost her footing and went sliding down the back side of the large rock, where she found out what everyone else had been so scared of- and just what had hurt the man she'd heard the woman screaming about.
Over against the fence was a large grizzly, who looked nearly as startled to see the tiny girl as she did to see him. She let a small squeak of terror slip, before covering her own mouth with her hand to keep herself quiet, but it was too late. He had noticed her for sure, and was advancing slowly toward her.
Belle squeezed eyes shut as tightly as she could, willing herself closer to the rock, and to not move at all. She hoped if she was still and quiet enough, the bear would lose interest in her and continue on his way.
The bear moved closer, his sniffing noises and grunt like calls making it hard for Belle to not simply run, but she knew bears were known to run nearly as fast as she could, and she didn't know if she for sure could outrun it, though she had read that they some seemed to enjoy giving chase.
The bear was a mere ten or so feet away now, and gave a growl at Belle, who still refused to move or open her eyes. She silently pleaded for a miracle, for her father to come back... when a large 'thud' right in front of her jarred her to the ground. She opened her eyes and gasped a bit, finding herself shadowed over, before scooting further away from the fight she assumed was coming.
Hulk had landed between her and the bear, and two were having a bit of a stand off. He held a hand back behind him, waving Belle back the same way Bruce had earlier in the day, and Belle got up and ran around the rock and over toward the park staff building. Belle sat down on a bench outside and closed her eyes, listening.
The bear growled and then bellowed at Hulk, who returned the bellow. The bear laid his ears back and stepped backward, but not breaking his eye contact with Hulk. As the bear stepped back, Hulk stepped forward. This continued until the park staff found them, and one man disarmed and stayed with Belle, while the others ran ahead.
"Hey little one." The man said, kneeling before Belle, "You lost?"
"Waiting on my dad." She replied quietly.
"Do you know where he is? Maybe I can help you." The man said, and Belle gave a polite smile.
"He's cornering the bear for your friends." She replied in her most casual voice. The man's eyes grew wide as he looked over where they could see Hulk had the bear backed against the fencing.
"Your... Your dad..." The man stammered, his facing growing pale.
"Yep." Belle shrugged. Both she and the man jumped as another loud object landed on the far side of them. Belle looked up to see that the Iron Man armor had just landed. The man who had been attempted to help Belle looked utterly shocked, his mouth hanging open. Iron Man came over and also knelt down beside Belle.
"Hey, Uncle Tony." She said, looking up. Tony popped open the helmet on the suit.
"Saw the news. You okay?" Tony ask, taking Belle's chin carefully in his hand, turning her face so he could look her over. She pulled away and gave a small laugh.
"I'm fine." She explained. "Dad was helping the man the bear attacked, and I was waiting up on that rock, where he told me to stay." Belle pointed for Tony to see, "I didn't know the bear was still loose. Actually I didn't know what happened at all. I slipped and fell back on the far side of the rock, and the bear was over there, walking the fence line. It saw me, and I was afraid it was going to come for me... Then dad landed between us."
"Thank God for that." Tony breathed, relieved. He stood and looked over toward where Hulk still stood, keeping the bear at bay. A single shot split the mostly silent air, causing Tony, Belle and the zookeeper to all jerk with surprise at the force of the sound. "Hey, you good here? I should probably go and try to talk him down..." Tony said, gesturing over his shoulder.
"Actually, I think I'd be better for that." Belle pointed out. Tony looked his niece over for a moment, then tapped twice on his chest, causing the suit to open and Tony stepped out, and he held his hand out for Belle.
The zookeeper, who still seemed to be in shock that Belle was Hulk's daughter, couldn't move as he gaped after them, awestruck.
Tony lead Belle over, and the zookeepers at first tried to keep them back, but after realizing who Tony was, allowed them through to his fellow Avenger.
Hulk still stood over the bear, eyes keenly watching for any sign of movement from the body, even as zookeepers cautiously came around him to inspect the body. Many gave brief words of thanks to Hulk, both for today and for saving them and the zoo during the invasion. Hulk had given small nods and grunted replies, but never let his eyes leave the bear.
Tony cleared his throat, however, and caught Hulk's attention. He turned sharply, seeing Tony had Belle with him, and she gave a small wave. Hulk seemed to relax all over, and Tony let go of Belle and let her step forward.
"Hey, Pa," She said holding her hand out, "Sun is getting low..." She continued in a sing-song voice. Tony noticed the change in how she addressed him, from 'dad' or 'daddy' to 'Pa', and he wondered if that was specific to Hulk. Hulk allowed her to lay her tiny hand in his large green one, and she smiled up at him. "Thanks for saving me. I didn't mean to go off the rock, I slipped." She confessed. Hulk smiled back at her and nodded, before letting her hand go and stepping back. He winced as his body began to twist and shrink until Bruce was before them, and he slumped against the rock, breathless.
"Hey Princess." Bruce said, as Belle came and curled into his lap.
"Was the man okay?" She ask quietly. Bruce kissed the top of her head.
"He will be." Bruce replied. Tony came over and also sat down on the ground. Bruce looked over at his friend and raised and eyebrow. "How did you even get here?"
"The news, man." Tony laughed. "Its like a fifty second flight in the suit."
"Thanks for coming." Bruce returned, also laughing.
"Well, seems like you guys handled it perfectly." Tony complimented. "That is what I call team work. Patching up the victim before hurting down the baddie? Awesome." Tony gave a little 'chef kiss' gesture in the air.
"You know how we do..." Bruce rolled his eyes. Tony dug into his pocket and pulled out a protein bar, which he unwrapped halfway and handed to Bruce.
"It isn't nearly high enough calorie, but it is the highest the make, and it should do until we can get you home." Tony said as Bruce took a large bite.
"Finks" Bruce thanked him through a mouthful.
A man in a suit not unlike Tony often wore approached them, along with the zookeeper, Zac, who had a t-shirt in hand.
"Dr. Banner, Mr. Stark..." The man said, offering his hand first to Tony, then to Bruce to shake. "I am Wesley Orville, the zoorunner here. I want to say thank you both, we were very lucky you were here today." he said, looking at Bruce with a large smile.
"I didn't really help..." Tony sighed.
"Oh no. I mean, it is an honor, Mr. Stark, don;t get me wrong. But Dr. Banner, you saved a wonderful employee's life, and your counterpart, Mr. Hulk, he saved countless others backing that grizzly down until my people could get there." Mr. Orville elaborated. "We owe you a great debt. Is there anything we can do to repay you?"
Bruce sat for a moment, thinking. Normally when people said this, he told them that no, he didn't need a reward. But he looked down at Belle, who was sitting quietly, waiting for the adults to talk.
"Well, I understand if the answer is no..." Bruce said, looking up at Mr. Orville. "But my daughter really, really loves lemurs. Could we possibly come another day and meet them? Up close?" Belle perked up and looked at her dad excitedly.
"Of course!" he replied in a large, booming voice. "Any time you like!"
"And here is that t-shirt I mentioned before, Dr. Banner." Zac said, stepping forward. Belle slid from Bruce's lap to the ground beside him so he could shrug the shirt on.
"Thank you." He laughed. "I can't believe I got to meet Avengers today!"
"Thank you again." Mr. Orville said. "I've called for the Zoo Trolley to take you back to the gate."
"And I have Happy in a car up front, waiting with a protein shake. And a mint chocolate milkshake for Belle." Tony said with a wink. "Come on, lets go home so you can rest."
A bit more action, as requested. I hope you all enjoyed this addition.
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