DISCLIAMER
I do not own Avengers in any way

Chapter 3

Ivy paced her room almost without realising. She knew the things she dreamt were real, of course she did, but coming face to face with Bruce left her mind reeling.

She glanced to the small clock on the bedside table. It'd been an hour and a half since she'd seen him in the corridor.

Why was he here? She wondered for what felt like the hundredth time when it hit her. He'd been talking to Dr Harper. Had she told Bruce about Ivy's stories? Is that why here was here? He was a scientist, Ivy knew that much. Maybe he was here to take her away, back to his lab…

Ivy shook her head, stopping the thought instantly. She knew Bruce. Well. She didn't know him really but from what she'd seen he was a decent man. He wouldn't do that to someone. Would he?

She groaned, turning around and flopping face first on her bed when she heard a soft knock on the door. She froze for a second before rolling over onto the back and resting her hands on her stomach, trying her best to look casual.

"Come in." She called.

"Hello, Ivy." Dr Harper smiled, closing the door behind her. "I just wanted a check on you."

Ivy watched her carefully, taking in the worry lines on the older woman's forehead. "Why wouldn't I be doc?" Ivy asked, turning her gaze to the ceiling.

"You seemed shocked to see Dr Banner here, Ivy." Dr Harper pointed out, taking a seat on the wooden chair next to Ivy's small desk.

"Hmm." Was Ivy's reply. "This isn't a session is it? I don't have another one for another two days." Ivy said, slightly defensive. She didn't want to talk about Bruce to Dr Harper. He was a secret she was happy to keep between herself and Neil. She didn't want to share him with anyone else.

"No it isn't a session." Dr Harper replied, using a soft, even voice that annoyed Ivy more often then not.

"Well then." Ivy rolled over to face the wall.

Dr Harper let out a small sigh. "Ivy the reason I'm here is because Dr Banner has requested to speak to you."

Ivy's eyes widened. What? "Why?"

"He says it's a private matter." Ivy could hear the distaste in the doctors voice.

Ivy nodded slightly, looking down at her hands as she thought it through. It could be a disaster. Seeing him again, talking to him could go horribly wrong. She might not be able to handle it. She'd kept herself clear of interacting in anyway with her stories, whether that was watching the news or deliberately searching for it online. Coming face to face with one, and not even a one off story, could push her too far, she was completely aware of that risk.

But on the other hand…She'd finally get to see him properly. Get to speak to him. She wanted him to look at her and acknowledge her exsistance instead of looking straight through her.

Maybe if she met him the stories would stop? Ivy felt a chill as the thought went through her head. She didn't want them to stop. Seeing him was the only time she felt normal. Ironic considering the circumstance, but non the less, that's how it made her feel. She knew it was bad. That she almost depended on seeing him. It wasn't healthy but she didn't have the will power to try and stop. She didn't want to. Not like she could anyway.

"Ok." Ivy said, sitting up. "I'll meet him"

O0O0O0O0O0O0

In the end it was decided, thanks to Ivy's stubbornness, that the meeting would take place by the lily pond. The rain had stopped and the sun was trying to break through the clouds, she could think of no better place for their first official meeting.

Ivy waited five minutes before slowly making her way out side. As she passed her reflection in one of the hallway windows she sighed, taking note of the bags under her eyes and frizz in her hair. Well, there was nothing she could about it now. As she got to the door that led to the grounds she paused and peered through the glass and was instantly hit with nerves.

He was there already, sat on the wrought iron bench she usually occupied, his back to the big stone building behind him. She watched him fidget for a few seconds before she took pity on him and made her way out. She walked over to him slowly, trying her hardest to look casual while inwardly she was so nervous she was debating running back to her room and hiding under the duvet. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.

Bruce looked up as she came around the side of the bench and his intense gaze made her falter slightly. Blushing she looked down and gently moved to sit next to him, grateful he'd wiped the bench of rain drops.

"Thank you for meeting with me. I know its unusual…" He trailed off.

Ivy looked at him and found herself smiling slightly. "That's an under statement." She muttered. "Why did you want to meet me Bru- Dr Banner?" She asked, playing with a thin cord bracelet on her wrist.

"That's the second time you've called me by my name." He said, not sounding all that curious though. "I can't say it's the usual reaction I normally get from fans"

"You have fans?" Ivy asked without thinking. When she realised she laughed sounding a little uneasy to her ears. "If you haven't noticed Stone Brook isn't exactly a spa. I doubt anyone's reactions here would be what you consider 'normal'" She tried to focus on the water lilies in front of her and not look at him.

"Point taken." He said, tilting his body slightly to face her. "So tell me Ivy, what brings you to Stone Brook?"

She could feel his eyes on her and bit the inside of her lip, a habit she'd had since she was little. "I'm crazy." She said after a few awkward moments.

"You don't seem crazy." The reply came instantly.

"Yeah well, I hide it well." She said, glancing at him. "You haven't answered my question. Why did you want to talk to me?"

"You haven't answered my question either. Not truthfully at least"

Ivy let out a frustrated sigh. "At least its still an answer, which is more then I can say for you doc."

Next to her Bruce let out his own sigh and ran his hand through his hair, something Ivy thought was a nervous gesture. "You have a point, again." He said, with a small smile that made the butterflies in Ivy's stomach flutter more. "I wanted to meet you because you intrigued me." He looked out to the pond and Ivy took the chance to study him. For the first time she'd noticed he'd shaved, something she found herself pouting over for a split second before wiping the expression from her face. He still had dark circles under his eyes, something that hadn't changed the whole time she'd been dreaming of him. "But," His voice cut through her thoughts, making her jump slightly and look back at the pond. "But if I'm completely and utterly honest with you, something I really want to be." He said quickly. "The reason I wanted to talk to you, Ivy, is because I spoke to Neil."

Ivy was vaguely aware of the nervous crack in his voice but she didn't pay it any attention. She clenched her fists, digging her nails into the palm of her hands. "He told you didn't he?" She asked lightly refusing to look away from the pale pink lily that sat on the other side of the pond.

Bruce was silent next to her. Ivy was starting to think he'd left when he spoke again. "Yes."

As he uttered the words Ivy felt the world around her spin. How could he? How could he betray her like that. And to Bruce of all people? She thought Neil was her friend. Why would he do this to her? She trusted him with her most precious secret and he told. God, Ivy would rather him have told Dr Harper. She would rather go through countless sessions and medication than this. She never thought Bruce knowing about her would be an issue. It hadn't even crossed her mind that he'd ever be here, sat next to her, knowing about her…It was too much. He'd tell everyone. They'd take her away. She'd be nothing more the an experiment to them

A pain shot through her chest. The edges of her vision started to blur and darken as she struggled for breath. Through the loud pounding of her heart she was aware of a soft but firm voice talking to her and a cool gentle hand on the back of her neck. Images of stark white labs, creepy doctors and needles flashed through her mind. Ivy recognised the taste of salty tears on her lips and lent over, clutching her stomach. A hand reached for hers and she gripped the cool fingers, trying to focus on the voice she could hear.

"Its ok, Ivy…Breathe in…Hold it…Now breathe out." The voice said. "That's it…"

Slowly her breathing calmed down, the chest pain disappeared, her vision cleared. And although she felt pretty sick, she preferred it much more to how she was a few minutes ago. As the pounding in her ears went silent she remembered where she was and exactly whose hand was on the back of her neck.

Glancing down she saw Bruce's hand in hers, their fingers entwined, she swallowed hard, her heart picking up the pace again, this time for a totally different reason. For a few seconds she let herself enjoy the feeling of his large cool hand against hers. Moving her hand from his she straightened, his cool touch disappearing from her neck. Pulling the sleeves of her jumper over her hands she wiped her cheeks, ridding her face of tears. "What did he tell you exactly." She asked quietly. "Be honest, please…" She added, even quieter.

Bruce was quiet for longer then Ivy was comfortable with. Hesitantly she looked at him to find him watching her, a touch of concern in his eyes. "He told me that you have "stories". That sometimes you dream things that make you sad," He took a deep breath, "But that the dreams you have about… about me make you happy."

Ivy felt the world start to close in again and she shut her eyes tightly, trying to concentrate on the breathing. His cold hand was placed on the back of her neck again.

"Breath…Hold…And out…Just like before…That's it…" Bruce's soft voice rang in her ears. Desperately she focused her attention on him and felt her breathing start to even out. "Ok?" He asked, once she was calm.

She nodded slightly then looked down, trying to hide her face.

The man next to her sighed and removed his hand from her neck once again. "I'm so sorry Ivy. I guess I didn't really think this through." She felt his eyes on her and couldn't help but look at him, meeting his gaze.

"That's obvious Doc." She forced a smile. Her fight or flight response was starting to kick in. Actually, running away seemed like a pretty good idea right now but a quiet voice in her head told her to suck it up and brave it out. "So what now? I guess now you know what a freak I am you'll want to take me away…"

"No! God no, Ivy." He replied quickly, turning to face her more, he was almost sideways on the bench now. "I know this is weird and overwhelming for you. I really do Ivy." Ivy saw a sad look flicker through his eyes. "I'm not taking you away. Not like that. I don't want to run experiments on you or lock you up in a lab." He said knowingly.

Ivy's face flushed. "He really did tell you everything didn't he?"

Bruce chuckled softly. "Not everything. Just the basics."

"Still too much." She sighed, slumping back against the bench and brushing some stray strands of hair from her face. "If your not going to take me away then why are you here?"

"I'm not going to lie to you Ivy. When Neil told me I didn't quite believe him but your…stories, wouldn't be the most unbelievable thing I've seen or heard about. Believe me, this is nothing on the grand scale of things-"

"Its not nothing to me!" Ivy glared indignantly and stood from the bench. She felt a smug satisfaction when Bruce's eyes widened and he jumped slightly. "This is everything to me, in the worst possible way. This is my life! My really really messed up life."

"Shit, I didn't mean it like that!" He ran a hand over the back of his neck. "What I mean is that your not a freak. Your not alone in…in being different. You have more company then you realise." He looked at her with a soft understanding look. "I'm here, not because I think you a freak or that you'd make a good lab rat, but because I get it. I get what your going through. You have no reason to trust me, I know that. I want to help you Ivy."

Ivy watched him, feeling some of the anger and fear melt away. Carefully she sat back on the bench, mirroring his position and facing him. "Help me?" She asked quietly. "That why I'm here. To get help."

"But its not working is it?" He held her gaze. "The drugs, the therapy, none of it works does it.?"

Reluctantly she shook her head. "How can you help?"

"I'm not going to promise you anything Ivy, I still don't know the full story remember, but the idea of leaving you here…" He trailed off, his eyes flickering down for a second before looking back at her. "If you'll give me the chance I can try and help you control it." He laughed to himself. "I know a thing or two about control."

"This is absolutely mental, you know that?" She said seeing a slight movement in her peripheral vision. Glancing to her left she saw Dr Harper stood in the doorway, watching them.

Bruce followed her gaze. "I know." He looked back at her and his smile made her cheeks flush . "Its not exactly what I had planned today."

Ivy laughed slightly. "Yeah I guess not." She looked back over to the pond. She couldn't even begin to wrap her head around what was happening. "So, if I agree to this…what happens?"

"Well," he started, "I guess you'd come back to New York with me?" He hesitantly said.

"You haven't thought this through at all have you?"

"…No." He replied sheepishly. "I'm kind of winging it. Not something I usually do." He added quickly then let out a sigh. "God, this really is mental."

"Yep." she nodded. "Utterly and completely mental. Least your in the right place."

Bruce let out a deep laugh and shot her a smile. "So?"

Ivy looked down at her hands. She was petrified at the thought of leaving Stone Brook. The last 6 years she'd built up an unhealthy cocoon there, shielding herself form the outside world. Could she really just give it up like that? There were so many What Ifs running through her head but she knew none of them were a good enough reason to say no. She knew the stories would never stop but if there was a chance to at least control them…well then she'd be stupid not to agree. It was sudden and she hardly knew Bruce but she knew the risk was worth it, if only just to find some peace. Looking back up at Bruce she gave him a genuine smile.

"Sure, why not?"