Chapter 22

Izzy slapped the cell phone down on the bed. Damnit! As if things weren't complicated enough, now she had the added burden of dealing with an unpredictable operative.

During her daily update with command, she had relayed what Ruby had revealed about a Hydra operative in custody at the campus. After she described the woman, she had been transferred to another handler and had to repeat everything. Then she had been told to confirm the identity of the prisoner and report back ASAP.

She had also been told to hold off on triggering the interference modules that she had spent the last few days scattering across the campus. This new wrinkle was really screwing with her carefully laid plans. What was worse was that she couldn't formulate a new plan until she knew what was going on with this mystery woman and what, if any, part she would play.

A tentative tap at the connecting door between her and Ruby's rooms broke her train of thought.

"Shit," she muttered, slipping the phone under a pillow just as the door swung inwards to reveal Ruby's tearful face.

"Ruby, sweetie," Izzy sprung off the bed and rushed to the door to pull her friend further into the room, "what's wrong?"

Ruby's face collapsed in anguish, "I don't know what I'm doing wrong!"

Izzy guided her to the bed and pushed Ruby down onto it. Once seated, she hugged her friend tightly. Ruby was so brilliant, yet so fragile because of her father's brutal dismissal of her abilities. She let the younger woman cry on her shoulder until the sobbing turned into sniffles, the she pushed Ruby away to search her face.

"Tell me what happened."

She listened intently while Ruby described how angry Bruce had seemed over the last two days. Apparently, the device installed on the charm bracelet was working as advertised. Set at a frequency too high to be detected by a normal human, it had been designed specifically for the hearing of Dr. Banner's alter-ego. Though untested, it was believed to stimulate the Hulk enough to bring him closer to the surface, but not quite enough to incite his appearance. By what Ruby was describing, it was effective. She would have to report it on her next call.

"Oh, honey," she crooned, stroking Ruby's hair, "I'm so sorry. I never thought he was the one for you, but I certainly didn't want to see you hurt."

"I just wish I knew what I was doing wrong," Ruby sniffled. "On moment I think he's going to kiss me again, then he's irritated and snapping at me."

"I don't think it's anything you're doing," Izzy assured her. "Men can just be jerks sometimes for no reason at all. And for someone his age to be single? Well, I think you're just now getting a good taste of how much of a jerk he really is, that's all."

"I guess," Ruby didn't sound convinced.

"Look, those days you spent together running from Hydra? Those were extreme circumstances that pushed you guys close together under stressful conditions. Then he saved you as the Hulk on several occasions. The mind does funny things under stress. Think about Stockholm syndrome."

Ruby nodded miserably, "I don't think I can do this, Izzy. How can I be in the same room with him day in and day out like this?"

Izzy took her by the shoulders and gave her a slight shake. Looking directly into her eyes, she said, "girl, you got this. You're stronger than you think. What you're doing is too important."

Ruby returned her stare, then sat up straight, "you're right. I need to stop thinking about me and start thinking about saving the world from Hydra."

Izzy forced a smile, "that's my girl! And if Bruce keeps being a jerk, I'll punch him in the face."

Ruby giggled, "that might not be the smartest thing to do."

Izzy smiled, "yeah, I might only get to do it once, but it'd be worth seeing the look on his face before he goes all mean and green."

Both burst out laughing and Ruby threw her arms around Izzy, "you're the best!"

"I know," she laughed back, happy that her plan to drive a wedge between the two geniuses was working.


Despite Izzy's assurances, the rest of the week was still miserable for Ruby. Most of the time, she was alone in the lab, working diligently on the theory of everything. Sometimes Bruce would show up to check on her progress, but most of the time he stayed away.

Progress on the theory was slow but she was getting somewhere. As she worked, fragments began to fall into place, and she felt like she was on the verge of a breakthrough. Only one white board remained blank and soon she would have to ask for more. The room was getting a bit crowded, but she didn't mind. It was still better than her office at the institute.

Her appetite hadn't returned either. Sure it was just nerves, she picked at the food she forced herself to eat, but as the week wore on, it was getting harder and harder. By the end of the each day, her garbage can next to her desk was full of the meals she just couldn't bring herself to eat.

Her mid-day swim was the only thing she truly looked forward to each day. She was up to ten laps now and had a group of trainees that joined her, including Andy. As she worked out and ate less, the bit of extra weight she carried melted off, and soon she had to go down a size in swimming suits. Her other clothes were fitting loosely, and she would have to replace them soon also.

After her laps on Thursday, she sat on the edge of the pool with Andy.

"A group of us are going into town tomorrow night to catch a movie. Want to come?"

"I don't know," she hesitated. "Is it even safe for me to go out?"

"I don't see why not," he shrugged. "You'll be with a bunch of us, so if anything happens, we can protect you."

"That's the point," she looked up at him. "I don't want you to have to protect me at all. I don't want to take the chance of anything happening to put people in danger."

"Fine," he looked up at the sky, thinking. "How about this? I'll ask the director about it. You know how he is. If he lets you go, then he thinks there's no danger. Will that make you feel better?"

"Yeah, I guess."

He grinned, "good. Then it's a date."

"Wait," she blushed, "you didn't say anything about it being a date."

Andy leaned closer and brushed a strand of wet hair out of her face, "my bad."

As he pressed a kiss against her lips, she leaned into him. His lips were firm and warm. Cupping the back of her head, he deepened the kiss. He tasted like chlorine and sunshine. But her stomach didn't do flip-flops like it did when Bruce kissed her. It was nice, but not earth-shaking. Breaking the kiss, she pulled back.


Bruce stalked across the campus, his hands in fists by his side. The meeting had been a disaster. The Hydra operative that Clint and Bucky had brought in early Saturday morning had confirmed their worst fears: Hydra already had a spaceship capable of intergalactic travel. The only ray of hope was that they were still struggling with integrating human and alien technology.

In light of that, and the fact that SHIELD already had a fully functioning craft that they were keeping secret for the time being, Fury wanted to pull the plug on Ruby's research. There was no point in it now; both SHIELD and Hydra had FTL capabilities through alien technology. Bruce had argued that they should let her finish what she started. That it was important for humans to figure it out on their own and eventually create their own technology. The theory of everything lay at the heart of everything.

There was another reason he had argued to let her continue. She needed to. If they just dumped her and what she was trying to do because it didn't matter, it would be a devastating blow that she might never recover from. Even as irritated as he was with her lately, he just couldn't let that happen.

Bruce had suggested making her a SHIELD, or perhaps SWORD, asset. Both organizations needed people of her caliber. Fury had said he would take the suggestion under consideration and agreed to let her continue her work.

So why was he still so angry? He had attributed it to stress, especially when the headaches got worse. At first, getting away from Ruby had helped, but as the week progressed, it has grown worse. Now he couldn't even escape when he slept.

He headed back to the lab to check on her progress, knowing she would be at the pool for her daily swim and the lab would be empty.

Unconsciously, he veered towards the pool. As he neared, he could hear splashing and laughter from the group of young people that now frequented the area this time of day. A low growl rumbled through him as he surveyed the crowd, looking for a familiar blonde head, only to stop dead when he sighted it.

She was kissing that idiot trainee that was following her around like a lost puppy.

Bruce saw red. Then he saw green as he gave way to his rage.


A splash drenched them with water as another trainee called out, "get a room!"

Laughing, they kicked water at the offender.

"Will you go out with me to a movie, Ruby," he smiled at her.

"Yes," she smiled back, not sure how to break it to him that he was never going to be more than just a friend.

"Now, it's a date."

She started to giggle but froze as a guttural roar drowned out all the nose around them, followed by screams as people scattered in terror. Andy pulled her to her feet, and she looked up as a very angry Hulk stormed into the pool area, throwing lounges and tables out of his way.

Ignoring the fleeing trainees and agents, he thundered straight for the two of them. Andy pushed Ruby behind him and faced the angry green giant.

"Bruce," he yelled, "what are you doing?"

Punching a hole in the concrete, the Hulk stopped just a few steps away and roared at them, his breath forcing them to stumble back from its force. He punched another hole in the concrete, smashing the edge of the pool.

Andy backed away, pushing Ruby as he went.

"What's wrong?" Ruby asked looking around Andy at the Hulk fearfully. She had seen him this way before, but it had never been directed at her. Not even when she had kicked him.

"I don't know, but we need to get out of here," Andy told her, never taking his eyes off the Hulk.

"Running will just make it worse," she said quietly.

As the two backed away, the Hulk advanced, continuing his assault on the concrete as he went. When they reached the edge of the area, Ruby stumbled over the lip as the concrete gave way to soil and went down on one knee. Andy turned to give her a hand up, but the Hulk was there, flinging him away from her like a doll. He thudded to the bare ground a few yards away and lay still.

"Andy!" Ruby screamed and tried to run over to him, but the Hulk caught her up in his large hand and lifted her off the ground and hugging her to his chest.

Ruby suddenly felt like Fay Wray in the classic King Kong movie as she dangled off the ground.

"Please don't climb a building," she pleaded.

"Dr. Banner put her down!" a voice said from behind him.

The huge Avenger turned to face three smaller members of the team: Falcon, the Winter Soldier, and Hawkeye. Director Fury stood with them.

"I don't know what's going on with you but put the girl down and we'll figure it out together," he repeated his order.

"Girl mine!" the Hulk roared.

"Yes, and we're not going to take her away from you," Fury held out his hands. "But you're scaring her."

"Girl mine!" the Hulk growled.

Ruby swallowed her fear and stroked the hand that was holding her, "yes, Bruce, I'm yours. Put me down, please. I promise I'm not going anywhere."

He leaned down to look closer at her and she reached up to touch his face. He reared back from her hand and snarled.

"It's okay, Bruce," she said soothingly, "just put me down."

Slowly, he lowered he to the ground. Once her feet touched, he released her, seeming calmer. Ruby patted him on the chest and leaned her head against it, hearing his heavy heartbeat under her cheek.

"Thank you…," she started, but something nearby exploded like a firework, making the hulk spin away to swing at the men that had closed in.

"No!" she yelled, "back off!"

"Cease fire!" Fury yelled at the same time.

Another one went off, but closer this time. The hulk roared in fury and launched himself at the men, throwing Ruby backwards into a broken table in the process. She fell hard, with her arm under her. When the bone crunched, she screamed in pain.

At her scream, the Hulk broke off his attack, throwing the Winter Soldier at Falcon to knock him out of the sky, and turned back towards Ruby. As he lumbered over to where she lay prone on the ground, Fury commanded everyone to stand down and stay back.

Pushing the table aside, he crouched by her, lifting her up. Her arm sent sharp shooting pains through her with every movement.

"Please stop," she pleaded. "You're hurting me."

Gently for such a large creature, he laid her back down and stood up. Backing away from her, he turned and looked at the men standing several feet away.

"Dr. Banner," Fury said, "we need to see how bad she's hurt. Will you let us?"

"Ruby mine," the Hulk said in a lower voice.

"Yes, she's yours, but she's hurt."

He looked at Ruby laying on the ground, cradling her broken arm, tears running down her face, then turned away. Walking away from the pool, he ignored the men as he left the area and disappeared from Ruby's line of sight.

"Keep an eye on him and don't let him leave the compound," Fury told Hawkeye.

"Okay, don't let the super strong-giant leave," the man answered with an ironic twist of his lips. "I'll make sure I ask him nicely."

"I'll come with you," the Winter Soldier volunteered.

"No," Fury stopped him, "he doesn't know you, so let Hawkeye go alone."

Hawkeye sighed, "I'd rather be shooting arrows at aliens."

Ruby smiled at his comment then tried to sit up, groaning when the movement jostled her arm. Her stomach rolled with the pain.

"I think I'm going to be sick."