So I'm not totally happy with this. Not at all. I had real trouble writing this. I just couldn't seem to get my brain into gear but I wanted to get something out so yeah. Its kind of a filler just to get me over to the next chapter which hopefully should be better :o)

And to the lovely guest reviewer, no I don't hate you! Don't cry :o(

DISCLAIMER:
I DON'T OWNAVENGERS.

Chapter 4

Bruce was still trying to get his head around everything that had happened yesterday. He'd expected to go to Stone Brook, see if Dr Harper's research could help with The Other Guy, then go back to New York , back to the mansion he shared with the rest of the team and spend the weekend hiding away in his lab. Everything changed though, the second Ivy sat next to him.

He hadn't planned to offer her help. He just wanted to talk to her, work out if she was telling the truth or if she really was just ill. He held back his judgement though, right up until the first panic attack. For a second his mind went blank as he watched her struggle for breath, her eyes unseeing, then he felt a pang in his chest. It took a few minutes but he finally brought her back. When he saw the real fear in her eyes he knew everything was real. He'd seen the same look in his own eyes too often for him to doubt her. It was then he realised he couldn't leave her there any longer.

After his visit yesterday he spent the rest of the afternoon trying to convince Dr Harper to release Ivy from Stone Brook. It hadn't been as easy. The doctor wasn't convinced Ivy was ready for it and was extremely reluctant for Ivy to leave with Bruce, considering they'd only just met. Somehow he'd managed it though, pulled some charm from somewhere like Tony said. He even stooped to promising another research grant to the women, something he inwardly cringed at. It was too much of a Tony move for him and while the guy was his best friend, he wasn't exactly someone he aspired to be. He was still shocked it worked when he came to collect Ivy this morning.

As he saw her stood on the steps, duffle bag at her feet with red puffy eyes and Neil clinging to her arm, he was prepared for her to have changed her mind, but the determined look on her face showed her she hadn't. He'd given her a hesitant smile as he got out of the car and walked around to the steps. Ivy had watched him silently as he took her bag and placed it in the boot of his rental car. When he turned back around Ivy had her arms wrapped tightly around Neil, both were crying.

Bruce turned away, resting his back against the drivers side door. He tried not to pry but he couldn't help but hear.

"Do you really have to go?" Neil croaked out.

"No," Ivy sniffed, "I could stay…but then I'd never know if he really could have helped me. What have I got to loose?" She said lightly but Bruce could hear the fear in her voice. "I'll write I promise."

"And email and Phone?"

She laughed a little. "And email and phone. If I'm brave enough to use a computer that is." She teased and in return received a small giggle from Neil. There was a slight pause, then she sighed. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too." He whispered, letting out a small sob.

"Hey its ok. You never know, I might be back next week."

"No." Neil said and Bruce could feel his eyes on him. "I really think he'll help you."

"I hope so." Came the quiet reply.

"Hey! And you'll get to meet the superhero's!" Neil said suddenly, a grin evident in his voice.

Ivy let out a small laugh, "Neil you know superhero's only exist in comic books. "

"You'll see. I'm always right." He informed her.

"Yeah yeah. You should go back inside. It looks like its going to rain."

"Ok, Ivy."

For a minute they were silent, Bruce figured they were hugging again, then he heard Neil say a soft goodbye before the front doors clicked as they were closed. He turned around to see Ivy wiping her cheeks with the sleeve of her jumper. When she caught sight of him looking she blushed and made her way down the stone steps and over to the car.

"Hey." Bruce smiled, glancing over the room at her.

"Hi." She opened the door but didn't get inside.

"Erm, so I have a plane waiting to take us to New York."

Ivy frowned a little. "You have a plane?"

Bruce laughed a little. "No. Well actually it's a jet but its Tony's." He'd a good couple of hours last night talking to Tony on the phone. Tony had been hesitant at first but Bruce wasn't giving up, so his best friend had given in and offered him the use of his private jet.

"Course." Ivy said faintly and got in the car as the rain started.

0O0O0O0O0O0

Twenty minutes into the flight Ivy had discovered she was a victim of air sickness. After the discovery she'd spent the next twenty minuets in the bathroom, only returning a short while ago, with a slight green tinge to her face, and promptly flopped out on the sofa. Every few minuets she'd move her face, trying to find a patch of cool leather, then go still again. At a rather pitiful groan Bruce glanced up from his research notes.

"Alright over there?" He asked gently.

"I'm dying." Came the muffled reply.

Laughing gently Bruce stood and made his way to the bathroom. Grabbing a flannel that held an embroidered TS in the corner, he ran it under the cold tap then rung it out and folded it into a long rectangle. Making his way back to the seating area he gently moved Ivy's hair and placed the flannel on the back of Ivy's neck. She tensed slightly then relaxed as the cool material soothed her skin, letting out a soft sigh.

"Better?"

"Mmm. Thank you." She moved her head to the side so she could watch him sit back down.

For a few seconds their gaze met, neither one of them willing to look away. Bruce felt his cheeks heat up and he cleared his throat. "I should probably explain about the other people that live in the mansion."

"Mansion?" She asked, brushing some hair from her face.

"Hmm? Yeah. You er, didn't see that?" He asked awkwardly.

"No. I mean I saw parts I suppose." She said slowly. "Manly the lab though. Occasionally the kitchen. Can't say I was really paying attention to the surroundings." She admitted.

"Oh." He said then shook his head slightly. "Well we live in a mansion. Originally it was Tony's family home but some stuff happened." He said carefully, he knew Ivy didn't believe the stories about them, so it was something he wanted to approach carefully. "He kind of donated it to the people I work for."

"So you and Tony live there?"

"Yeah along with some others." He smiled. "There's Steve. Clint and Natasha, and occasionally Thor."

"Like the God of Thunder?" She moved to sit up then thought better of it and laid back down.

Bruce grinned a little. "yeah, like him. He's not around much. Its mainly, Tony, Steve and me. I'm surprised you haven't 'seen' Steve."

She shrugged a little and reached up to turn the flannel over to the cold side. "It was rare when I saw Tony to be honest." Ivy let out a small sigh. "So do the others know I'm coming?"

"Tony does. He was going to tell the others himself. I didn't want things to be awkward when you turned up." He explained. He'd been in two minds about the others knowing without Ivy's permission. In the end though he told Tony to go ahead and call them. He figured it'd be an easier transition for Ivy if they knew the facts before hand. Luckily he'd received a text from Tony this morning saying that the others were ok with Ivy coming back with him.

Ivy was quiet for a while and Bruce was starting to feel like he'd done the wrong thing when she finally spoke. "Thank you." she said softly. "Not just for that. For everything."

He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and smiled. "Your welcome Ivy."

O0O0O0O0O0O0

Like I said up there ^^ I'm not happy with this but thanks for reading anyway!