Chapter Seventeen
Klara supposed she should not have been surprised when the announcement came close on the heels of Alice's examination results. Almost the day after her healer's license arrived at the Tower (a week early, due to some creative negotiation on Tony Stark's part), Captain Rogers called everyone together for a strategic meeting, making it officially known that Alice and Klara would now be accompanying the team on any missions that might require their assistance.
"Up until now, we've been working independently of each other," Captain Rogers said, Maria Hill standing at his side, "That changes today. Hydra is still a very real threat, and we have no idea if or when something like the Incident in New York might happen again. I don't want to leave our defenses up to chance and luck. Fate threw us together. It's up to us to make it work."
Dr. Banner looked as if he might speak, but Mr. Stark cut him off.
"Veronica will be up in the air by next Tuesday so you have literally no excuses, Banner."
"Um, I'm pretty sure I have all the excuses," Dr. Banner disagreed, "My greener half doesn't exactly play well with others, and it's not like we can just ask him to cooperate."
"Why not?"
Klara was as shocked as anyone to hear her own voice utter these words. The others turned to stare at her and she clasped her hands in her lap, willing herself not to look away.
"I...believe we've developed a bit of a rapport these last few weeks. I wouldn't mind asking him in the least."
Clint Barton snorted, and Captain Rogers gave him a sharp look. Dr. Banner looked mostly puzzled.
"You wanna ask the thing that tries to kill you every week if he wants to come out and play nice with the other kids?"
"If he wanted to kill me, Dr. Banner, he would have done so by now," Klara replied, glancing around the room for any support, "I'm not saying I can garner his cooperation, or even that he will understand what I am asking. But I see no reason not to try."
"Introducing the Big Guy to others in a controlled environment is probably the best way to do it, honestly," Stark agreed, allowing Klara to sit back and release the tension between her shoulder blades, "We could file in one at a time, see how he plays with the big boys, and give Klara a chance to work with him after he's been exposed to outside stimuli. I could even work up a simulation with some thugs and put us all in a room together, see if he can tell who the good guys are and if he's willing to work with us."
"Good," Captain Rogers said, nodding in Klara's direction before he turned to the next item of business, "Clint, I want you and Alice up in the air on a regular basis, target practice."
The color drained from Alice's face at such an alarming rate that Klara feared she might faint. Captain Rogers' expression softened into a sympathy that was just a touch short of understanding.
"I know your main function is med support, Alice, but you're also our backup pilot. If there's an emergency, you should at least be familiar with the guns."
Alice set her jaw and nodded, despite her obvious discomfort. Clint Barton put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed.
"If I might ask," Lord Thor said, sitting forward, "Why this sudden interest in our teamwork? Not that I don't appreciate the efforts, of course, and I understand the importance. But I can't help wondering if there might be some further insight into the location of the Chitauri scepter?"
Captain Rogers and Miss Hill exchanged a glance, and the captain gave her a small nod of acquiescence.
"Not the scepter exactly," she said, keying up some information on her electronic tablet and handing it over, "But we have received intelligence concerning the Treehouse."
"The who-what-now?" Mr. Stark asked, trying to get a peek over Lord Thor's shoulder. Klara couldn't blame him as she herself leaned over, hoping for a glimpse of this new information. Lord Thor agreeably angled the screen so that she could see and, consequently, Stark could not.
"The Treehouse," Miss Hill repeated, "It's a SHIELD base located in the jungles of the Misiones province, Argentina. It was lost in the Hydra takeover and we haven't been able to recover it, due to the...nature of the compound."
"Survivalist training," Captain Rogers clarified, as Lord Thor finished his perusal of the information and handed the tablet to Mr. Stark to examine, "Truly remote, accessible only by air. You either survive out there, or you don't."
"Talk about getting thrown into the deep end," Stark muttered, paging through the report, "But I'm guessing we found a way in?"
"We have reason to believe the complex is due a supply shipment in the next few weeks," Miss Hill said, "We're waiting to hear back on our intel, but if we successfully disable and take over the supply run, there's a chance we'll be able to infiltrate the compound using the airdrop, piggybacking the quinjet in on stealth mode with the rest of the team."
"But we need to be able to coordinate," Captain Rogers emphasized, "And for that we need practice. This is one of the last remaining vestiges of Project Insight, it'd be nice to get it squared away."
"And it looks like there's chatter of possible intel into where the other Hydra thugs are holed up," Stark said, his eyes flying over the report, "Could lead us to a last big push."
"And information on the location of Loki's scepter," Lord Thor said, looking pensive, "After all this time."
Klara's eyes dropped down to her clasped hands. The chain at her neck tugged, but she resisted the urge to touch it, taking a long, deep breath instead. When she looked up again Alice was watching her with a little furrow in her brow. She gave her a tentative smile when their eyes met, and Klara returned it in what she hoped was a reassuring way.
"Team training starts tomorrow at 0800," Captain Rogers said, "We'll take it to the Dungeon. Klara, you'll start off with the Hulk, make some re-introductions."
Klara met his eyes and nodded.
"Of course."
She caught the flash of a smile at the corners of his lips, but he turned away far too quickly for it to materialize fully. So why did she feel as if it had lingered somewhere on her skin? She brushed the feeling away under the pretense of pushing a lock of hair behind her ear and something whispered in the back of her mind.
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed,
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed.
She caught Clint Barton's steady gaze on her from across the room and pushed Loki's voice from her thoughts.
Alice woke up the next morning with the beginnings of jitters in her stomach, but she tried to keep it from Bruce. He would ask too many questions that she wasn't quite prepared to evade. He glanced at her once over breakfast when she knocked over her coffee and swore violently, but he didn't say anything until they were in the elevator headed down to the Dungeon.
"You're gonna be great, you know."
Alice froze up. How did he know? Had she said something, given it away somehow? She didn't think so, surely not, he would've been through the roof by now if he actually thought-
"Clint'll have your back," Bruce went on, oblivious to the flurry of her panicked thoughts, "I know you don't like guns, Alice, and I get why, but it's good to know how they work if you're gonna be behind the controls."
The tension bled out of her in a rush. The guns. He was talking about the guns on the quinjet, about her assigned target practice with Clint. She had almost forgotten about that actually, and she swallowed down the knot of anxiety the thought gave her and forced a smile.
"Right," she said, and cringed at her poor word choice, "I mean, yeah, I know. I get it. It's fine. I'm fine."
Bruce smiled and leaned in to drop a kiss to her temple. She pushed away the tiny prick of guilt in her gut. She was doing the right thing. She knew she was.
The elevator chimed and the doors slid open. Everyone else was already waiting, and Alice felt Bruce tense at her side. She took his hand and squeezed as they stepped out together, but he didn't relax.
"Alright, good," Steve said, turning to the rest of the team, "Klara, once Bruce changes, I want you to go in and talk to the Hulk, get him as calm as you think we can reasonably expect. You're a better judge of that than the rest of us, but Tony's gonna keep an eye on the readouts from here for a second set of eyes."
He nodded to Tony, who didn't even look up, typing a rapid-fire series of commands that brought all the equipment online. Bruce slipped out of Alice's grip to begin the process of stripping away his loose outer clothes, and she had to bite the inside of her cheek not to say anything inappropriate. Humor was turning into her coping mechanism of choice. She was spending way too much time with Tony.
"When you're ready," Steve said, still speaking to Klara, "Raise a hand to signal. I'll be first today, I want to see what we're dealing with. If that seems to go well, we may bring in one of the others, but I wanna start slow. We don't want to overwhelm him."
Klara nodded. Alice clenched a fist and held her tongue. She couldn't say anything, not while Bruce was still within earshot. As he was stepping into the bright white room, he turned to lift a hand to her with a wan smile. Alice felt another prick of guilt and barely managed to return the wave before Thor pushed the thick steel door shut, sealing it off with a flick of his wrist. She waited for Bruce to get settled, his eyes shut and hands folded, brow furrowed in concentration. Then she made sure the speakers were flipped off and turned to Steve.
"I wanna go in."
Steve raised an eyebrow at her.
"And you couldn't say that before, because...?"
"You know damn well why," she snapped, but then took a breath and tried to rein it back in. It was just nerves. It wasn't his fault.
"Captain Rogers," she tried again, trying her best to sound as reasonable as she felt, "The man in that room is, quite possibly, the love of my life. And I acknowledge that, in some circumstances, my judgment might be clouded concerning his well-being and my own. However, beyond our personal relationship, we are supposed to be working together, as a part of a team. And that team is going to include a very large part of Bruce that I've never even met. I think it only makes sense that I am, if not the first, then at least the second person in that room, if only because he knows me. If Bruce and the Hulk are in any way linked, then some part of him, however small, must know me. Even if I don't know him yet."
Steve watched her carefully while she spoke, a little furrow in his brow that Alice couldn't read at all. When she'd finished, he quirked his head to the side.
"Have you told him this?"
Alice felt a flare of indignant fury and she crossed her arms over her chest.
"I've tried," she bit out, "But he's completely unreasonable about anything having to do with the Other Guy. And I know that if I can get in there, just once, I can prove that there's nothing for him to be scared of. Tony, back me up."
Tony's eyes remained stubbornly fixed to one of the computer readouts, but Alice glared daggers into his back until he finally gave in with a sigh.
"She's right," he said, turning around and leaning back against the bank of computers, crossing his arms, "Bruce Banner is one of the most brilliant men I have ever had the pleasure to work with, but I've been watching these two dance around this issue for years and, quite frankly, he's an idiot. He's ruled not just by fear, but by guilt and self-loathing. He will never willingly consent to have Alice in the same room as the Hulk. He doesn't even like that they're in the same building."
Steve sighed, but he was already shaking his head. Alice could feel what little control she still had over her temper slipping away.
"Alice, it's not that I don't agree with you," he said, "We all need to learn to work together. I just don't think the best thing for this team, or your relationship, is to start sneaking around behind each other's backs."
"Look, I don't like the idea of going behind his back any more than you do-"
"No, Alice," Steve said, with a stern finality that made Alice want to deck him, "I'm sorry, but not this time. Not like this."
And with that Steve turned his back on her and walked over to Klara, who was being fitted with her panic button. Alice felt both of her hands clench into fists, her face burning. She felt like a kid who's been told they can't have another piece of candy. Summarily dismissed. She took a step and opened her mouth, not even sure what she might say, but knowing it was going to be very angry.
Someone grabbed her elbow, holding her in place. She glared up at Clint, who was giving her a hard look and shaking his head, pulling her back toward Tony and his bank of computers. She jerked her arm out of his hand, but she kept her mouth shut. He was right, it wasn't going to do any good to argue. Tony glanced at her but didn't say anything, adjusting a knob on one of the panels. Alice crossed her arms and sulked as the door opened and Klara stepped into the Dungeon.
Klara wasn't surprised in the least that the Hulk was a little more uneasy than usual. He actually roared at her when she entered the room, something he had not done in several weeks. But he did not charge at least. Instead, he fell back and regarded her with a distrustful expression.
"Hello, my friend," she said, keeping her voice steady and soothing, "I suppose you already know that today is special."
He snorted and shuffled, but did not approach.
"There are those who would very much like to speak to you, my dear."
He made a distressed sound that was not quite a growl and narrowed his eyes.
"No, no," she said, stepping forward and crouching to touch the floor, a gesture they had established as a peaceful stance, "You know them. In the past, you fought by their sides, in defense of Midgard. Do you remember?"
He furrowed his brow and snorted again. He was settling, not quite so tensed at the shoulders. Klara smiled.
"They would like to ask you to fight beside them once more. To bring balance to their world. I believe you can help them, my friend. Will you prove me right? Will you allow them entry?"
His large, dark eyes searched her face for several moments. Then he jerked his chin toward the door and Klara smiled, rising to her feet and lifting a hand toward the side of the room that contained the disguised window. There was a long pause, and then the hiss of the pneumatic seal. She heard the cautious approach of footsteps, but she did not turn to meet them, her eyes fixed on the wary expression of the Hulk.
"Good work," Captain Rogers murmured and Klara felt a glow light the center of her chest. She stamped it down viciously and clasped her hands behind her to give her more stability.
"It is his doing, Captain. Hulk does nothing that he does not wish to do."
At this, the Hulk snorted and made a sort of lunge at them. Captain Rogers gave a backward jerk, but Klara only smirked and stood firm. Hulk retreated again but returned her smirk.
"None of that, dear," Klara said, in mock severity, "Captain Rogers has only just arrived. Allow him at least a word before you dismiss him."
Hulk huffed and turned his attention back to the captain, who moved forward cautiously and crouched down as Klara had done before. She was impressed at his intuitive understanding of the gesture. Demurely, she stepped to the side, giving them the semblance of privacy while still remaining within easy reach should she need to step between them.
"Do you know me?" Captain Rogers asked, his voice calm and steady.
Hulk let out a rumbling growl, but he lowered himself into a mirroring crouch, pressing one large hand to the floor and meeting the captain's eyes intently.
"Do you know why I'm here?"
Hulk grinned, made a fist, and slammed it into the floor so hard the walls shook. Captain Rogers didn't flinch this time. In fact, he was smiling.
"That's right," he said, "Smash. Will you work with us?"
Hulk rose to his feet, slammed his fist to his chest and roared, a deafening sound that made Klara wince. Captain Rogers rose to his feet too, still smiling.
"Good," he said, "We'll need-"
The seal on the door hissed again and they both turned to look.
Alice was standing in the doorway, her dark eyes fixed on the Hulk. The door shut with a firm thump behind her and Klara felt Captain Rogers stiffen. She put a hand on his arm.
"Wait," she whispered, "What's done is done now. Wait."
He tightened his jaw, but he did not speak as Alice took a tentative step into the room. She moved forward with the slow reverence of one who finally has the culmination of a great quest within sight. She passed within an arm's length of Captain Rogers without even an acknowledgment, and Klara tightened her grip on his arm. He hadn't relaxed in the slightest.
The girl crouched before the Hulk, pressing her hand to the floor as if she might draw strength from it. He, on the other hand, was unnaturally still, no shuffling, no shaking of his head. Klara was not even certain he was breathing. His large eyes had not left Alice for even a moment since she had appeared.
"Hey, Big Guy," Alice said, her voice low and shaking slightly, "You know who I am?"
There was a long pause. And then he very slowly crouched down again, but instead of pressing his hand to the floor, he pressed it flat against his chest...over his heart. His eyes never wavered from Alice's face. The girl smiled.
"That's right," she said, sounding relieved, "That's right, buddy. It's so good to finally meet you."
A rumble came from the Hulk's chest and he lowered his hand to the floor, staring at Alice curiously like a child might look upon an adult they have admired from afar. He leaned forward, as if to get a better look...then snorted violently and shook his head, jerking back and making all of them jump. Alice tumbled backward and tried to scramble upright. Hulk roared and swung wildly, clutching his head and looking for all the world as if something were hurting him. Captain Rogers moved more quickly than Klara might have thought possible, hauling Alice to her feet and trying to drag her back toward the door, but the girl resisted.
"No, wait, it's okay!" Alice shouted, pulling uselessly against the captain's grip, "It's okay, it's-Bruce, stop fighting him!"
Klara had been moving in, intending to soothe Hulk if she could, to change him if she could not, but at the mention of Dr. Banner's name, he whirled and roared, sending Klara back a few steps to avoid his swinging fists. He slammed one into the wall behind him and then slammed his shoulder in as well, pushing against the wall, as if an inward force were working to restrain him. And Klara saw the truth of Alice's words. Dr. Banner was in there, fighting for control, and it was doing nothing but enraging his other half.
"Dr. Banner," Klara snapped, perhaps more harshly than she had intended, "I'm going to ask that you release my friend now before you do damage to yourselves."
The thing that was not quite the doctor, not quite the Hulk turned a glare on her and roared his frustration and rage. Klara clasped her hands behind her and narrowed her gaze.
"Alice is safe," she said, in as confident a tone as she could muster. She had not actually heard the door to the room open, but she was certain Captain Rogers would have gotten the girl to safety by now. "And you are making things worse. Allow me to fulfill my duty, to you and to him, and this will all be over in a moment."
He snorted and narrowed his eyes at her. But then he slowly relaxed his grip upon the wall and dropped down, down to the crouch of peace and he was Hulk again, in truth. Klara dropped down with him, only an arm's length from touching.
"I'm sorry, my friend," she said to him, "We will try again another day."
She held out her hand to him and he flinched back from her.
"Accuse me thus: that I have scanted all,
Wherein I should your great deserts repay,"
He let out a sharp breath and examined her hand. Klara turned so he could see it from all angles, while she continued her recitation.
"Forgot upon your dearest love to call,
Whereto all bonds do tie me day by day;"
He furrowed his brow, then slowly, ever so slowly, he lowered his hand down to meet hers. Klara smiled and ran her fingers along the length of his hand, down his forearm, across his palm, ending with just the tips of her fingers on the tips of his own. The magic fled, retreating up his arm and across his body with a shudder. He groaned and dropped to his hands and knees, rocking through slight movements as one who wishes to stretch a sore muscle, until finally, Dr. Banner sat up, peering at Klara with the look of a man defeated by betrayal.
"Where is she?"
Klara got to her feet and reached for his hand
"Come. We will find out together."
He gave her hand a skeptical look, but he eventually allowed her to help him to his feet. Klara felt the last remnants of magic flee at her touch and he shook his head as if clearing away a stray thought. The gesture reminded her very much of Hulk, but she did not dare say so.
Dr. Banner had been steadily strengthening with continued practice of his change (though it still consumed much of his energy), so he was able to walk from the Dungeon under his own power. Klara stayed nearby, but he seemed wholly focused on his objective, namely to reach the door, which opened at his touch to the sounds of shouting.
"You had no business being in there!"
"You had no business keeping me out!"
Steve sighed and rubbed his face in frustration, but Alice felt no sympathy for him. He had no idea what it was like, living with a man who refused to give you access to such a huge part of himself. He had no clue-
"Alice, it's not even that you put yourself in danger, which should be enough," he said, "It's not even that you went behind the back of a member of this team, which is worse. The real problem is that I gave you a direct order and you deliberately disobeyed me."
"I am not one of your soldiers, Captain."
"Yes, you are!" Steve shouted, and Alice had to take a step back from the force of it, "And if you want to be a part of this team, I need to know, without any doubt, that you are going to obey an order if I give it to you. Otherwise, you could get us all killed!"
"If you had just listened-!"
Alice felt her breath escape her as if someone had punched her in the gut as the door to the Dungeon swung open, and Bruce was standing there, one hand supporting him against the door frame. Her heart sank down to her toes.
"Come on, Bruce," she said as if continuing an argument they hadn't even started yet, "You know you would have never let me in otherwise. Things would have been fine if you just..."
Bruce shut his eyes and Alice trailed off. With what looked like a tremendous amount of effort, he pushed away from the door frame and started walking. Alice thought he might walk right by her without saying a word. She was prepared for it, braced for that pain. But instead, he took both her hands in his and pressed his lips to her knuckles.
"I'm just glad you're okay."
Then he turned, gathered his discarded clothes, and got into the elevator, letting the doors slip shut behind him. Alice hadn't thought she could feel any worse. This was worse. This was so much worse.
A/N: I'm still not sure how I feel about this chapter. It was important to me, and to the story later on, but I'm not sure I executed it in the best way :) Let me know what you guys think. Next week is one of my favorite chapters in the whole story, so that's something to look forward to! See you then!