Chapter Eight

"It may take a few days for the weapon to recharge and used again," said Tony – he stood in Nick Fury office shortly after ageing Bruce up a few years "You need to give me more time – it has works…I can get Bruce back…but it cannot be done in under a week…"

Fury saw it was working – he had even talked to the Ten year old Bruce. But the risk of the weapon was great. He felt he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"The older Bruce is the better handle of the Hulk," said Tony trying to get Fury to see this was the right choice to make. "And I think it best if we can skip the teenager years..."

"If they is another attack – I will not have another choice," said Nick "How long will it take?"

"I can't say," Said Tony "I mean I hope only one more time – but like I keep saying maybe not…. It's too early to tell if they any side efforts…."

….

Tony found Steve and Bruce playing a game of chess. By the looks of it Bruce was winning – not that Tony was surprised. "Are you alright to stay here a bit longer?" asked Tony. Bruce nodded his head but didn't speck – but Tony wasn't surprised consisting the situation of their present and Bruce's past. "I got some work to finish off…"

Once Tony had left Steve and Bruce carried playing chess – it was a game they played when the Avengers first got together to pass time. Steve couldn't talk about modern things back then, couldn't begin to understand the modern science and find it hard to connect with his new team mates outside work. Bruce was in a way one of the easiest to talk too – maybe it was they share experience with dealing with people from the military and being part of a science experiment. Later they began to do chess competitions between each other but these soon stopped as Steve realised Bruce was too good at the game.

"Who taught you how to play?" asked Steve realising he didn't know.

"A teacher at school," said Bruce in almost a matter of fact voice.

"They must be a good teacher," said Steve, Bruce just shrugged his shoulders – maybe school is not a great place if you were highly intelligent, have a hard home life. Or maybe like this Tony had said the day before this Bruce repressed his emotions so much so he seem almost emotionless. "Or maybe not,"

"They okay," said Bruce

"Just okay?" asked Steve, Bruce nodded his head. "This must be confusing for you."

"Maybe just a little," said Bruce

"Have you got any questions?" asked Steve knowing being young and confused maybe cause unnecessary fear. And if Steve could avoid as many problems as possible for the next few days then he could feel like he was doing something useful.

"You lied,"

"When did I lie?" asked Steve frowning to himself.

"You told me my mom lived in London – but that's was a lie…." Bruce spoke in a flat and almost disinterested tone. Steve found this a little unnerving – it was easy for Steve to see that Bruce could have gone down another route in life. Maybe at ten year old Bruce was at the crossroads of were he was heading.

Bruce had a point – they did lie to him about his mother. "We didn't want to upset you," explain Steve. "We did what we though was best – do you understand?"

Bruce looked at the chess board and took his next move, "Is my dad is prison?" he ask not looking at Steve

"I was told he died years ago now," said Steve seeing no point in sugar coating or telling him another story.

"Are you telling me another lie?"

"No, kid… no more lying alright."

….

Natasha and Clint were updating each other about their different uncover jobs. "Is Ross still being a problem?" asked Natasha – while she was finding and watching old owned of the weapons, Clint had been keeping a close eye on Ross.

"Fury keeping away for now," said Clint "But he is watching – I don't think he will be foolish enough to arrest a child." Clint paused for a moment "Maybe we should have taken him to a safe house or something."

"You are worried," noted Natasha

Clint have his head a small nod "No one knows how long it would take – he might be ten for a few more weeks. And we can't protect the weapon that long – something is going to happen…. I can feel it…." Clint always trust his gut feeling.

"We can do this," said Natasha

Clint smiled a little "When do our plans ever go to plan?" he asked "And we know what this weapon doses – it alter your cells… your DNA….And since Tony has been working with it to help Bruce….who knows what it would do now…"

"Well we better make sure we don't find out," said Natasha

"I'll got a feeling this is going to get a lot worse before it will get better,"

…

It was late at night and Pepper and Tony were relaxing – or Tony was trying too. "You been working hard for weeks," said Pepper

"Yeah that's because my best friend got turn into a child," said Tony "And ever since then I had to keep auguring with Fury about not destroying the weapon, trying to keep Bruce safe and making sure someone is watching him all the time…."

"Maybe now he is a little older, it will be easier."

"I hope so," said Tony

Just then they was a shout and Tony and Pepper jumped up at once and rushed into the spare room. "He's having a nightmare," said Pepper she looked like she wanted to rush forward but she hesitated as Bruce's veins were changing from green into his normal skin colour. Tony also paused he knew he couldn't deal with an angry Hulk without his suit. Once it seem Bruce was waking up Tony move forward.

"Hey Bruce," said Tony rubbing the boy shoulders "Bruce, it's alright it's just a nightmare,"

Bruce's eyes snapped open at he saw Tony and he started to talk very fast – so fast Tony couldn't understand what he was saying. "Hey Bruce…tell me again… this time slowly…."

Bruce took some deep breaths "The army was chasing me….with guns…they were really cross and…they make a monster like the Hulk…but it wasn't the hulk…." Said Bruce. Tony blinked at that, for a moment he was speckles but Bruce carried on talking "And…. and…aliens attack…and they're not friendly…"

"Hey it's alright…." Said Tony

"Are they real…they seem real…. They not just dreams are they?"

At this point Tony wished Bruce wasn't as smart as he was. "Yeah, that happens when you are bigger…." Said Tony "But you beat the…. Bad guy the army made…." Tony had almost said monster but change his mind quickly. "And you help fight the aliens in New York….you fight them with me and the other avengers….and we won…."

"That was the Hulk,"

Tony paused for a moment "The Hulk helps to fight the battles…the big things we cannot fight on our own." Said Tony "And you and your big brain help with all the background stuff… help me make better suits for one thing…."

Bruce looked up at Tony "But the hulk….is dangerous….and angry….has he hurt people…."

"He hurts the bad guys," said Tony he looked at Pepper who had hidden a look of worry from her face "How about some hot chocolate and we can all get back to sleep?" Tony didn't know how – but somehow Bruce was regaining his adult memories – but Tony's concern was Bruce was still mentally ten years old he might not be able to handle them. Tony felt guilty – what if he messed Bruce up?