Part Five

That monster—Jennifer Walters—had shaken her. Not just the idea that she'd survived the encounter, but that she'd held her own. Carly pulled herself together, straightened her vines. She passed through the woods until she was back to the clinic. She slid up a tree so she could see over the wall. Jennifer was back, wearing new scrubs, looking over her dwindling supplies, counting every Q-tip and bandage.

She-Hulk had challenged Carly to be better. Even her primitive monster brain had scoffed at Carly's situation. Carly snapped her fingers. "I know what I can do. I'll get those damn supplies for her. Then she'll know I'm serious about being a better person."

Carly spent the night in the jungle, playing with a couple monkeys and a wild dog she encountered. She could just disappear, never have to bother with people again. But she had something to prove. After taking half the next day plus the questioning of a few innocent bystanders, but Carly finally located José and his posse in a watering hole a town over. There was no chance of a subtle approach when you're a walking hedge, so Carly simply strode up and covered the building with vines so no one could escape. She strode into the bar, pushing the vines aside, and faced a dozen guns and knives facing her. Looked like José had patched things up with the man who had struck him; the fellow slumped in the corner, holding his own bleeding head. Carly felt no inclination to heal him.

José held his hand up to his reunited fellows. No question who was in charge now. "Let me guess. None of these weapons can hurt you."

Of course they could. No one likes to be shot. Blow her head off, and something terrible would emerge. She held up her hands. "I just want to talk. Truce?"

José waved his men down. "What?" He led her to a corner. They sat in a booth.

"I talked to that woman. And…um…her friend. The Green Monster."

"You saw the Green Monster? What happened?"

"Oh, just the usual. She hit me, I hit her. Strong words were exchanged. For a monster, she's unusually perceptive. And wicked strong." A monster who could also throw biting insults was rare.

"But you survived."

"I'm a Bad Guy. We're hard to kill. But that's not want to talk about. The Clinic, they need supplies. We're going to get them. I need men and trucks."

José smiled. "Oh sure, Chica Verde. Please, include us hombres in your superbeing games. I'm sure none will get hurt."

Carly slumped. "There are kids literally dying in the clinic that could be easily treated. I could call my own organization for a drop, but that comes with so many strings your head would spin. Besides, I hear there are hostages."

José shook his head. "You are worse than that man over there who kicked me. You take from them, they take from us, you leave, we die. Please, Chica. We don't need help. Now, go, let us enjoy our cervezas in peace."

Carly eyed the drinks. "Beer?" Damn she could use one after her encounter with She-Hulk. "You mind setting me up?" Maybe a couple beers might get José in a fighting mood.

"Chica wants a drink with José? Coming right up."

He waved to the barkeep and soon provided her with a cold one. All the eyes in the bar were on her.

He eyed her as she took a sip. Cold and smooth. "Be right back," said José. Carly sipped her beer, tried to smile at the patrons. He returned with a straw hat and a local woven smock. "Maybe less conspicuous."

She placed the hat on her head, but her tendrils began slipping through the straw until the hat was part of her head. The smock didn't fare much better.

"Oh, Chica. You have a disease."

"I'm a living vegetable," she said. José smiled at her.

"That abrogada, she has a disease, too. She has a cousin, he's trying to help her. Maybe he can help you. And your story? Where you get this disease?"

Carly took another swallow. "They were trying to make another Captain America. It didn't work. Well, it worked, but with side effects." Her plant hand grew some roots into her glass and sucked down the rest of her beer. "Oh, come on." She wiped her naughty hand on her vine-infested smock.

José rose, took her glass to the bar, had it refilled, and returned it to her full. "Why do wish to help this woman? Help us? Guilt?"

Carly sipped the beer, keeping her thirsty fingers away from the rim. She caught some tendrils sneaking under the floor of the bar, seeking the tap, and forced them to return. Frustrated, they began sniffing around José's legs. "I never miss an opportunity to do good. But most of the time, it goes really bad."

José caught the tendrils against his leg. "What is this? Are you picking my pockets?"

"No, I—" Carly closed her eyes and swallowed. She knew why the tendrils were crawling to him, what had been on her mind since she first laid eyes on the gorgeous man. She beckoned José closer and whispered in his ear. "I haven't had sex since I became a walking forest. And I'm horny as hell."

Carly leaned back, biting her lip, trying to look anywhere but in José's face, afraid of seeing the revulsion he must have for her. Finally, she looked at him. He was still wide-eyed.

"Chi-ca Ver-de! Your tendrils, so naughty."

She shrugged, then sucked down half her beer.

José looked around. "Is it even safe?"

"We'd use protection."

"I mean—" he waved a hand to her vegetation.

"I don't even know. All I know is that I'm kept all alone, I can't even talk to people, and I have no friends."

José eyed her. He slapped the table. "Yes. We shall do it." He waved for more beer.

"I thought we could—" Carly nodded toward the door, not willing for the moment to pass.

"Ah. Chica want José now." He looked around. "Okay. I know a place nearby. Come. You, you, stay here and watch him." He took her hand and led her out of the tavern. They walked down the street, a hundred eyes staring at them.

José led her into a barn, shut the door behind them. He pushed her against the wall, his hands ripping away the smock, his lips finding hers. She pulled off his shirt, unbuckled his belt, heat racing through her, desire pulsing her leaves. Her fingers gripped his muscles, her hands ran along his back.

When his pants dropped, she wasn't disappointed in what she saw.

"Oh, Chica," he said. He moved down from her mouth to her throat, but then struggled to find her breasts.

"They're there." She tried to help push vines around. His lips found a nipple and she gasped. She wanted him so badly she was ready to explode. She held him to her body, her vines wrapping around him.

"Whoa, whoa," he said.

"Sorry, sorry. Please, José, don't stop."

He went lower. She moaned in anticipation. He hands moved down below. "Chica, where is it?"

"Oh, keep searching."

"Ow!" He took his hand out. "There's thorns in there." A drop of blood was on a finger.

"No, no, it's fine." Carly reached down, encountered a thicket. "Dammit. Come on."

"I don't think your body wants this," he said.

"It does! It does! I can just rearrange." She pushed the hedges around. "There. Just, get in fast."

José tried to put a hand between her legs, but vines wrapped it. "No, Chica. There is no way in."

"Dammit! Wait, let me just turn around."

"No, no. This is too weird." José backed off.

"José, please." Carly collapsed on her butt. "I can control it."

"I no think you can. I think it controls you."

Carly pounded the hay with fists, fighting the tears of utter frustration.

José knelt next to her, reaching for his patch. "I think what Chica needs is man who will take it slow. What they say? Committed relationship. Love. Not quick roll in the hay."

Carly sniffled. "Thanks, José, for trying to sleep with a pathetic monster girl."

José pulled on his pants, and then sat down next to her. "You'll find the right man. Someone with super power maybe. Then, when you're more comfortable with your sexuality and understand your body, it might be easier to engage in meaningless, unfulfilling encounters."

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "Thanks, José."

"Or perhaps you prefer the girls?"

"No, I'm very happy with the…how do you say…penis."

"Ah. Say. Would Chica be happy if I helped get those supplies for the clinic?"

"You would do that?"

José nodded. "I feel sorry for pathetic monster girl."

"Join the crowd. But thank you." Carly rearranged her flowers and vines, creating some semblance of order. José was right. It would take a man of infinite patience to be with a woman of her special…qualities. But it did hearten her that he gave it a try. Maybe her future wasn't completely bleak.