Chapter Six

They told Bruce, Natasha's Story about his parents divorcing and his mothing moving to England, Bruce seem to take this well and slowing went back to talking again. With the knowledge that is mother was safe seem to make Bruce ask more and more questions. It seem once he started he couldn't stop.

"Can you punch people if they bad?" asked Bruce as he climbed into bed one night.

Tony paused for a moment knowing he had to choose his words carefully. If Bruce's father was verbal and physical abuses towards him, he would have to explain what was classified as a bad person. "Well, it depends on the situation." Said Tony sitting down next to Bruce

"Do you have superhero rules?" asked Bruce "About who you can punch?"

"Yes," said Tony "We can only punch people who want to hurt other…and we only punch them to stop them doing that…" Bruce nodded his head "But Steve and Natasha and Clint would tell you not to punch them and go find them…because children punching other children tend to get into trouble…"

"Are children allow to punch grown ups?" asked Bruce

"In certain situation," said Tony "If someone was hurting you then yes - you have to defence yourself and other people. And if anyone try's to take you away from me and the others.. you are allow to punch, kick and bite them to get away..." said Tony

"Do I punch people when I a grown up?"

"You only punch if you have too – you don't like it very much and that is a good thing…" said Tony "You used you brain a lot more than other people…and that's a good thing too – we need more clever people in this world…"

"People don't like it if you are clever…."

"There's nothing wrong if being smart," said Tony at once "Don't let anyone tell you any differently…" Tony knew the burden of being an gifted child. He himself used to get teased by the other kids for being clever than them - so Tony learn to used humour and breaking rules and mess behaving in school to get expected by his peers. "You know what - knowing things is a great feeling - I don't like not knowing stuff..."

"Daddy don't like it that am clever," said Bruce in a small voice

"Well you dad isn't here," said Tony at once - he really disliked what he had found out about that man "And he is coming nowhere near here. You dad is wrong understand me…" Bruce nodded his head slowly "You are safe here with me and Pepper… and your safe with Clint and Nat and Steve and Thor… "

"And Mr Fury…."

"And Mr Fury," said Tony "And we like you just the way you are. We like you when you a grown up, and we like you now…and we like you even if you turn green…"

"Like a dinosaur…."

"Even if you were a dinosaur…." Said Tony "Now get some sleep..."

…

The next day come and since Pepper was at meeting and everyone was at headquarters' meaning Tony had no choice but to take Bruce with him. The first part of the day went fine as Tony was working on the weapon that changed Bruce, Bruce was sitting at a desk working through a Maths excises book Pepper had brought. Bruce had finished all the books Pepper than brought and read them more than once. And Tony was getting fed up with the random dinosaur facts Bruce would come out with. At lest he seem very happy doing math problems in the lab.

By the afternoon Bruce was being more and more restless. "Can't you just take him for a walk around the building for something? Play a game?" Tony asked Thor who had wonder in. Tony knew he only come in to see Bruce because Thor wouldn't of set foot in the labs overwise.

"Human children are breakable," said Thor

"You been alright – just don't lose him like Cap did….. It's only for a few hours…." Said Tony "Hey Bruce, come here…" the small boy walked over "You will look after Thor for me won't you? Make sure he doesn't burn down the kitchen…he can't cook you know…" Bruce nodded his head- he didn't look like he knew if Tony was joking or not. "Now can you give me your word you will listen to Thor?"

"I will listen," said Bruce at once.

"Good," said Tony "And remember you are only leaving with me…" Bruce nodded his head "Have fun..."

When Thor and Bruce where alone their looked at each other for a long moment, "So, what do you do here all day?" asked Thor, Bruce shrugged "Well, how about a game. Why don't you teach me an earth game?"

"I'm not good at games,"

"I am sure that is not true, they many many games surly there is one you are good at," said Thor "What Earth games do young children play..."

Bruce looked thoughtful "Hide and seek,"

…..

"Seriously what is wrong with you lot" said Tony about an hour later when Thor told him he couldn't find Bruce "I am the most reckless person here and I about the only one who hasn't lost him yet."

"Me and Nat haven't lost him" spoke up Clint

"Oh, give it time," said Tony throwing his hands in the air "We better find where he is hiding before Fury finds out we manage to lost him again…"

Really, thought Tony it wasn't take hard to find Bruce. Since Bruce's attempts at running away he went back to following the rules to the book so he wouldn't of leave the building and he would be hiding in one of the rooms he had been in before. Bruce wouldn't of gone into a unknow room without permission. Tony walked into the unused office Bruce used when they were all having meetings– all was quiet, Tony walked to the desk – one side of the desk had draws and the other side was lager compartment. Tony open the compartment door to find Bruce crammed inside.

"How did you manage to fit in there?" asked Tony

"I'm hiding…" said Bruce

"Well you did a good job and Thor gives up so you win…." Said Tony "Come on – out you get." Tony helped Bruce get out of the compartment

"Is Thor cross?" asked Bruce, stretching his arms

"No, why would he be cross?" asked Tony "He just bad at playing hide and seek. Maybe next time teach him snakes and ladders….we must have a box somewhere…. I have to find it…." Tony grinned at Bruce. Maybe he should find a chess set and get Bruce and Steve to play against each other - he would bet that Steve would lose.

"So...I can't play hide and Seek any more?" asked Bruce

"Did I say that?" asked Tony "Just don't play it with Thor..."

…

Later in the afternoon the Avengers were getting ready to leave headquarters for the day when the alarms started going off making them all jump and the worker started to run, Steve took change "Natasha – get Bruce somewhere safe," he ordered and Natasha got hold of Bruce's arm and quickly took him away.

"Is that a fire alarm?" asked Bruce as their hurried alone a corridor. Bruce was finding it hard to keep up with Natasha and almost tripped over.

"No," said Natasha looking around her all the time "Someone here who shouldn't been,"

"Are they bad?" asked Bruce

"I think so," said Natasha – she knew getting Bruce got of headquarters would be difficult – she open a door of a cleaner closet and took Bruce inside. "You have to stay here – and don't come out until we come and get you…" said Natasha she could heard the fighting.

"Please don't leave me,"

"I've have to help," said Natasha as she heard the fighter getting closer. She then noticed Bruce was being to breathe more heavily like he did then he was trying not the change into the Hulk. Before she could speck and try to calm down Bruce door was busted open and Natasha knew she had no chance of doing so, especially since the door clashed into her and Bruce.

Natasha was wise enough to get out of the way of the Hulk – she get the communicated "We having a code green….." she said to warn the others. She knew she couldn't stop the Hulk at the moment. The Hulk was smaller than normal but still bigger and stronger than an adult human. This Hulk seemed more clumsy than she had ever seen him - and an clumsy uncoordinated Hulk was an dangerous.

….

The fight happen quickly and it was soon over. Tony waste no time going to located were Bruce was now, Natasha had told him that he had change back to normal – Tony could see were the Hulk had smashed the walls and doors at lest he found Natasha and Bruce. Bruce seem to be wearing someone gym clothes as soon as Bruce saw Tony he rushed over and hugged him tightly that took Tony by surprise. Since Bruce turn into a child he had not wanted any form of hugs or anything. Tony picked Bruce up and returned the hug "Hey Buddy," said Tony "It's alright – it's all over now."

"The machine?" asked Natasha

"Safe," said Tony simply "It seems they though we were gone..."

They made it back to one of the undamaged rooms Bruce still won't let go of Tony. "Do you want to go?" asked Steve to Tony.

Tony nodded his head – he wanted to be part of the meeting but he had to take Bruce away. He knew Fury told him to explain the Hulk to Bruce but he didn't know how he would do that. Now he had to talk to a six year old about that.

…

Once Bruce had a shower and got dress in more fitting clothes Tony was unsure how to talk to Bruce about this. "What do you remember when he alarms went off?" asked Tony

Bruce was busy building with the Lego bricks "It was loud, and everyone looked worried," said Bruce "And I could heard the fighting… and….it's was noisy and people were yelling." Bruce didn't look at Tony "Am I monster?"

"No," said Tony at once

"Daddy said I am,"

Tony was getting more angry at Bruce's father, what kind of father would called their six year old son an monster? Tony moved onto the floor with Bruce "That's not true, that's not true at all. If you were a monster why do you think you are my friend? You are a hero…"

"I don't feel like a hero,"

"It's a hard job to do. With your extra power…..it's hard to control…." Tony paused for a moment "Shall I tell you how you got your power?"

"Yes," said Bruce

Tony paused for a moment trying to think of the right words. "You are a scientist, very clever one. You were doing an experiment and it went a little wrong… so sometimes when you get angry you turn into the Hulk.."

"Hulk?" question Bruce

"That's what the green guy is called," said Tony "Have you got any questions?" Bruce shook his head "Oaky Buddy, if you have any just ask and I will try to answer them…" Tony picked up some Lego and started to build knowing Bruce would ask more questions

"Do you like the me or the hulk?" asked Bruce

"Both," said Tony "I like Hulk because he is strong - a lot stronger than any other avenger... and I like Bruce because he is one of the smartest people I know... and we can invented things have long science talks that no one else understands..." Tony looked at Bruce for an moment - "What do thing about the Hulk?" he asked

"He's scary..."

"He's just a little misunderstood," explain Tony "I tell you something - The Hulk saved my life before... you saved my life... you are a hero...and a pretty cool on at that..."