Chapter Three

Quote: Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting

Pepper was shocked when Tony arrived back shirtless to the apartment with a child in tow that was wearing his shirt. Living with Tony she kind of expected the unexpected but this didn't seem to enter her mind of what Tony could do.

"It's been one heck of a day," explained he noticed Pepper looking at Bruce "Oh, Bruce got turned into a kid…and doesn't remember being an adult so he staying with us till we can figure everything out….Right Bruce?" Bruce didn't looked to happy "He's not feeling very chatty at the moment..." commented Tony

Pepper blinked for a moment stunned. "Have you eaten Bruce?" she asked faintly and the boy nodded his head "Well, let's set up the spare room…you look sleepily…." It was almost ten in the evening and for any young kid that was late. "Do you want to help?" Bruce nodded his head again.

Tony watched as Bruce walked with Pepper and run his fingers though his hair – maybe he was taking on a to big challenge – he didn't know the first thing about looking after children. He heard Pepper talking to Bruce – but he couldn't hear if Bruce was answering the questions or not. He didn't know what he was doing but what other choice was there? Where else was the kid going to go? He walked to one of the spare room and stood in the doorway as Pepper made the bed while Bruce was trying to stuff the pillow into the case.

Pepper saw that Tony standing looking awkward "Tony, why don't you find a spare toothbrush and show Bruce where the bathroom is?"

Tony didn't even think about that. "Sure," he said "Come on Bruce…." Bruce handed Pepper the pillow and followed Tony out of the room. Tony led Bruce to one of the bathrooms and dug around in one of the draws "I know we have a spare toothbrush in here somewhere….A-ha ….here it is…." Tony handed it too Bruce "I'll wait out here for you then you can get some sleep…" Bruce nodded his head and closed the bathroom door quietly. And soon he was out again Bruce looked at him wordlessly "Let's find Pepper shall we?" Tony lend the way back to the bedroom.

"Are you ready for bed?" asked Tony Bruce nodded his head "Do you have a bed time story or something?" he asked Bruce shook his head "Lights on or off? he asked, wasn't most children was scared of the dark or had a night light or something.

"Off, Mr Stark…." Said Bruce in a quite voice.

"Are you sure?" asked Tony and Bruce nodded his head. "Call me Tony, kid." remined Tony, he had the growing feeling to give the boy a hug – but he had a feeling Bruce won't like that. The kid looked uncomfortable and nervous and giving his a hug might cause more problems "Okay and if you need anything me and Pepper are going to be up a little longer so you come a find us...goodnight Buddy…"

Tony and Pepper left Bruce alone and walked into the living room. "You should of called me, Tony," said Pepper as soon as she thought she was out of hearing distance. "You should of gave me some sort of warning, you can't just spring this on me..."

"I know, I know…" said Tony holding his hands u[ "But everyone freaked out…Bruce freaked out…then everyone started to freak out if the Hulk will appear…but he is a six year old kid and scared six year old kid…so can we keep him?"

Pepper signed "We can't make him go somewhere else now, he seems pretty quiet kid…I though he have more questions." Pepper looked concern.

Tony shrugged at little "He doesn't remember us…I don't even think he really believe what we are telling him." Pepper picked up her jacket and bag. "Where are you going?" question Tony

"He can't go around in your oversize shirt," Said Pepper simply "He needs something he can wear that will be more comfortable. And this is not going to get sorted overnight is it….I will be back soon,"

Once Pepper was gone Tony walked to the spare room and knock on the door before looking inside. He could just make out Bruce sleeping his eyes looked red like he had been crying. The kid had waited till be was alone to cry "We will figure this out somehow," said Tony sadly before he close the door "Somehow…."

Pepper come back with five shirts, a few pairs of jeans, underwear, trainers, a set of pyjamas and a jumper. "How long do you think it going to take? Do you think he need toys or books or something what does he even like?" asked Pepper "What do six year old boys even like?"

"He mentions dinosaurs to Fury…" said Tony not really knowing what else to say - what could he say. "We'll ask him in the morning. I'll check on him and he's out like a light…" he paused for an moment "I just want to wake up and this all be a bad dream…"he said to Pepper "How am I going to fix this?"

The next morning they all sat down at the breakfast table eating some toast. Bruce was now wearing the new clothes Pepper had brought for him. Bruce still wasn't in a chatty mood but that wasn't surprising. "So," said Tony "Fury want you to see a doctor today…"

"But I'm not sick Mr….Tony….." said Bruce with a little bit of panic in his voice.

"I know you're not," said Tony "But we want to make sure you are alright - you see getting turned into a child is a very complex thing..."

Bruce frowned as he looked down at his toast stubbornly "You can only go to the doctors if you are very sick or very hurt…." He said at once "Doctor cost a lot of money and they ask a lot of questions…."

Tony smiled a little maybe little Bruce had a phobia of Doctors. Pepper looked concern what Bruce had said "Well, we have to do what Mr Fury say… he kind of our boss and he knows a lot of people who could help us to get you back to being an adult again…." Bruce still didn't look sure "And Fury will pay the doctor to look after us so that's nothing else to worry about."

Bruce was still frowning "Is Mr Fury in the army Mr Tony?"

"Not quite…." Said Tony "He's way better than that. How about afterwards we get ice cream? " Bruce looked unsure but nodded his head. Maybe that is what he thought he should do.

"While you and Tony are off to the doctors," said Pepper "We don't want you to get bored here. What toys do you like to play with?" Bruce looked back down at his toast "Come on... what's your favourite?"

"I like my dinosaurs…" said Bruce sounding unsure.

"What other toys to you like?" asked Pepper trying to press for more answers. Surely the kid liked more than dinosaurs.

"I got some Lego…" said Bruce slowly

Pepper nodded her head "Dinosaurs and Lego….what about books do you like reading?"

"Miss Smith said I am good at reading," said Bruce looking at Pepper - looking more alert than before "I'll get books from the library in town…the rule is I can take three books out…. But I'm allowed to take five, Ms Samson said I could."

"What books do you like?" said Pepper

"I like science books," said Bruce at once "But I have to read boring books at school…."

"Well good thing you're not in school." Said Pepper calmly she looked at the time "It almost time for you two to go…."

Tony also looked at the time, it was earlier than he would normally leave but normally he didn't have a kid with him. "Pepper has a point," he said standing up "Alright if you are finished – go and do you teeth and got to the bathroom, be back here in ten minutes…" Bruce walked up the hall and out of sight. "This must be really strange for the kid, I mean one moment he was at home and next its years in the future and he doesn't know anyone…."

"It's strange for everyone," said Pepper

"I think you should come as well, he seems to like you more than me." Said Tony "He barely talks to me... He just dose what I tell him to do... he even talked to Fury more than he said to me…"

"Fury is more of an authority figure." explained Pepper "Or maybe he just trying to work out what kind of person you are."

"Are you ready?" asked Tony when Bruce come back.

"Yes Mr Tony,"

Tony shook his head but didn't corrected him being called Mr Tony was better than being called Mr Stark, "Let's get into the car. Maybe we should play I spy what do you think? Do you know how to play I spy?" Tony try to remember if he ever played I spy at six years old.

"I only played that once, Mr Tony," said Bruce as he follow him to the car.

"Well," said Tony "We can make this the second time…."

The journey to Avengers headquarters went more quickly as they play I spy. Tony was hoping that getting to play a game with Bruce would make the kid trust him more. Once they arrive Bruce looked at the building "Are we going to see real doctors or science doctors, Mr Tony?"

"Both I think," said Tony he parked the car and they got out of the car.

"Why are there doctor were you work Mr Tony?"

"Because we are a lot of superheroes here and sometimes we needs doctors. You saw me in my super suit didn't you…" said Tony simply.

Bruce was frowning almost like he was thinking hard. "But why do I work here? I know I'm not a superhero…..I know that…."

This was going to be difficult to explain "Well, you very clever and you help us because of that….. Not all hero fight…..sometimes hero are the ones who dose all the thinking…." Said Tony come on. They walked inside and saw that Natasha was waiting for them. "Morning," said Tony

Natasha pay no attention to Tony and just smiled at Bruce "Hey, Bruce…."

"Hey," said Bruce shyly

Natasha lend them thought the corridors to a small room with a doctor there that Tony seen in the building many times before. This doctor looked nervous and that made Tony feel uneasy – a lot of people were uneasy around Bruce due to the Hulk – but Tony hadn't even explain the Hulk to the kid yet and didn't know how he was going to do that.

Tony and Natasha stay with Bruce while they check him over, check his height and blood pressure and took his blood. Bruce seemed calm thought out all the test and room interested at the machines that were in the room. The doctor didn't ask many questions and all the questions he did ask Bruce just nodded or shook his head.

The doctor walked out of the room. Bruce turn to Tony "Is he a new doctor?" he asked

"Why do you think he is new?" asked Tony a little amused, Bruce just shrugged "No his not new,"

"Fury wants to speak to you," informed Natasha to Tony. Tony nodded his head he knew Fury would want to speak to him again. He was the one who had taken the role of guardian over Bruce. Natasha turn to Bruce "Do you remember Clint from yesurday?" Bruce nodded his head "Well, he just so happen to find a bike. Though you and me could do some races. What do you say?"

"Were did Clint get a bike from?" asked Tony

Natasha pay no attention to Tony "Once Tony is done he will come a find you. Meeting are boring…. I haven't ridden a bike in years so I need some to bike with…."

Bruce turned to Tony "Can I Mr Tony?"

"Sure thing buddy – have fun…." Bruce gave him a small smile before leaving with Natasha. Tony signed to himself before going to find Fury.

Tony soon found Fury in an office look out of his window. Tony walked over and looked over to see Fury was watching Natasha and Bruce riding the bikes along the grass outside. "So you don't want to lock him up somewhere?" asked Tony looking out of the window.

"We don't want to lock him up – but we want to limit the risk to everyone else…." Said Fury "You know how much damage the Hulk can do… you are willing to deal with the Hulk if he does come…."

"You know as well as I do the Hulk is only an issue when he is attack," said Tony as clearly as he could. The Hulk was uncontrollable if Bruce change unwilling.

"Have you gave him rules?"

"Not yet…"

"Give him clear guidelines to follow…." Said Fury "And I want someone with him at all time… also you need to work out how to get him back…checked the work the other scientist are doing…." Tony nodded his head" Fury paused for a moment while he watch Bruce and Natasha on the bikes – it look like Natasha was trying to teach Bruce how to ride his bike without hands that ended up with Bruce almost crashing.

The doctor walked in and passed Fury a file before walking out. Fury read the report "He seem healthy – and his blood still contained a dangerous level of gamma raoidoation…."

"I could of told you all that."

"Have you got a plan if the hulk appears…or if he falls and cuts his knee? How will you deal with that?"

"The same as our normal plan – we deal with it if it happens" said Tony

Fury didn't look too impressed with Tony "You may want to explain the Hulk to him as well," he added

…

Natasha and Bruce were still riding the bikes around the grounds of the Avenges headquarters when Steve come over.

"Are you two alright?" asked Steve

Natasha looked at Bruce and nodded her head "I've lose a few races…. I need to practice at bit more it seems."

"I haven't ridden a bike for over fifty years," said Steve he saw the confused look on Bruce's face that looked almost comical.

"Do you want to try?" asked Natasha challenged getting off the bike and handing it to Steve. Steve took the bike wordless Natasha looked at Bruce with a smile "We would like to see this."

Steve got on the bike and climb on his wobble a bit before finding his balance and rode in a circle before stopping in front of them "What do you think? Think I did well?" Bruce nodded his head politely

"You were wobbling like jelly," come Tony's voice as he walked towards them. "Well, I have finish my chat with Fury and now I need ice cream…. Come on Bruce?"

"It's still morning?" come Bruce reply

"It's been an ice cream kind of day," said Tony with a wink "you can ride the bike again soon…. come on…." Tony and Bruce walked away. Bruce turn around to give Natasha and Steve a quick wave.

"I still can believe this is all real," said Steve as he watched them walk away

Natasha nodded her head "Hopefully they can get Bruce back to normal sooner rather than later."

"Do you think Tony can cope with a kid?" asked Steve with concern.

"He seems to be managing that the moment," said Natasha fairly "And Bruce seems to listen to him… but only time can tell."