a/n: been sick last few days so this update comes a little late. now i have to catch up on near a whole week of veterinary classes so the next update may be delayed as well, please forgive
(shameless plug: Winter Soldier was AWESOME!)
Chapter 2
Bruce had always liked New York. As a kid, he sometimes went there to visit an aunt or an uncle, he couldn't remember which. The city erupted with life. It was Christmas time back then and the tree in Central Park was the most magical thing in the world to him. Back then, he would have given anything to be in New York. Since? Times had remarkably changed.
The first time he entered the city in his split personality, he was fighting a giant mutant red abomination that was supposed to be his own body double. In the process, most of Harlem was demolished. The second time he returned was via falling out of a heli-carrier while he was attached to a jet. A warehouse took the brunt of that hit. And the very last time, he rode in gallantly on a borrowed scooter and assisted in demolishing an alien invasion, Thor, Loki, Grand Central Station, numerous office buildings, and more monster aliens than he could care to keep track of.
While that time may have been more beneficial than not, it still left a painful reminder of what he was capable of doing. And if Thor couldn't stop him, an alien from a realm so powerful the entire planet bent to his whim, then nothing on this world or any other could.
Going out with Tony or Clint, even Steve beside him, was expected; it was normal. It made him feel safe and, in some ways, in control. But to be stuck like that? Sitting on the outside looking in was a kind of abandonment Bruce was getting used to not feeling. Tony was right, it wasn't an often occurrence, but it happened now. Bruce pressed his back against the glass walls and looked out over the city of New York. He swallowed back his inhibitions and prepared to take that one big step forward.
On a whim, he reached over and tugged the door handle again but, as yet, Happy was not about to let him back in. A few confused workers clustered around the entry, staring at Bruce. He ducked his head and decided to escape from the glares while he still had the chance. At any point, that mob may just mutiny and Bruce was not inviting a recreation of mediaeval times.
The rain wasn't falling too hard but it was enough to be a bother as he dodged through the umbrella-laden foot traffic. It was prime time for workers commuting to their daily grind. Adding to the fact Bruce didn't want to be out to begin with, the jarring public, and the rain he was already gearing up to have a miserable first morning out. Where he planned on going was another good question he couldn't rightly answer. Steve's passing suggestion of a coffee was the only place he could think of that was both close by and dry. He was thankful for the cash Tony at some point slipped into his pocket.
The place was called Monday Mornings. It was a particular Thursday morning favorite of Clint and Miss Romanov for the unofficial "Bagel Thursday" holiday. Tony and he had gone along once or twice when Natasha was still in town so he knew the way.
The corner shop was teeming with people inside and out. The ones standing outside were beating their umbrellas while, inside, most squeezed into one line or another. Service seemed fast. Even though the pack of people was less than he bargained for, Bruce was willing to brave it on this one day out.
He stepped through the door...
And ran right into a woman.
She turned into his chest with a billfold overfilled with papers in one arm and two cups, stacked top to bottom, in the other. Her hair was a frazzle of brown, her collar half buttoned, coat askew, and an unwrapped power bar was sticking out of her mouth. Bruce imagined if Velma from Scoobie-doo had an updated wardrobe, she'd look a lot like what stood before him now. The cups tipped back against her blouse and the papers went flying. All at once, there was a general breakdown right at the doorway of Monday Mornings.
"Crap, hold on! Wait! Just stop moving a second and let me grab this." Bruce struggled to right the woman. First he grabbed the billfold and placed it under his arm. Both leaned down to grab the paper stacks together, only succeeding in crashing heads. She shot up, the back of her head connecting with the bottom of a table which made her fall forward. Bruce snatched her in free fall and whatever remained of the coffee cups hit him after first rebounding off the floor.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry! Here let me get that!" Velma scrambled to her feet and grasped a handful of paper towels off the counter. She passed them, in copious amounts, up and down Bruce's arms and hands. By now she was soaked, the floor plastered in whatever paperwork was once wrapped up in her billfold and the men and women attempting to get in or out were interrupted in that trek.
Bruce stilled her hands. "Hey, it's ok. Follow me a sec and move out of the way for the people."
Taking his advice, they moved. Bruce took her folder and they pressed sideways into a small corner near the front entry. Velma held on to the fists of napkins.
"I'm so sorry." She continued, trying to smooth her blouse. "I was just running to work. It's my first day. My boss told me to grab him a coffee on the way in and I was just so flustered, I—"
Bruce stopped her. "Hang on. You're making it worse. Hand me those." He took the napkins from her hand and grabbed a few more offered from a couple at a nearby table. Bruce shrugged out of his over shirt and used the back of it to wipe off his hands. He swung it over his shoulder and took one of Velma's hands to work the coffee off the jacket.
"Where do you work?" he asked.
"Stark Industries." She replied. "Well, I did. It was day one. Today was day one. I'm late so this is probably the last day too."
Bruce grinned. "Yeah, well, maybe not. I kinda know the place. You could say I work there too."
She leaned forward. "Really? With Mr. Chadlowski's department? I'm up for the secretarial post with—"
Bruce finished with her second sleeve and had just looked up to her face when their eyes met. She stopped talking. The little face of big eyed innocence crumbled into a haphazard disappointment. Her body deflated.
"Bruce Banner?" she asked.
Bruce nodded. "Hard to hide this charming face, I guess."
She worked the buttons on her jacket and removed it. Beneath it, the pink sleeveless blouse was staining brown. "Should have known my luck."
Bruce took the jacket from her. It was then he noticed the symbol on the billfold he carried. It was one of a hawk (or at least that's what Hawkeye would argue), some said it was an eagle. Either way, it was the distinct depiction of a member of SHIELD.
"Hmm." Bruce said. "Working on Level Three? First day?"
She gave him a sidelong look. "Not anymore. How's that for blown cover. Don't even get inside the building and I run into Bruce Banner on a street corner. My C.O.'s going to ream me for this."
Bruce chuckled. "Look at it this way, least it was me then Stark. Think he's a little sick of SHIELD infiltrators since Romanov broke his heart."
The woman smiled. "Black Widow. I think it's required."
"Probably. If Barton found you out though—" His eyes rolled a little at the thought.
They stood apart for a few minutes, not doing anything but just looking at each other. Now that her act was interrupted before it could start, Bruce could see she was a little more strong jawed then Velma from the Scooby crew. He handed her suit jacket back.
"So, I'm guessing the Miss Relark on your name badge is a little skewed from reality?" he said.
"Not my first pick." She replied. "I screwed up a snatch and grab a little bit ago. My C.O. decided this was a formidable circle of Hell for my crime."
"Working for Stark was a circle of Hell?" Bruce asked. After the words left his mouth he instantly understood the reasoning behind it. "Never mind, don't answer that."
"Morrissey."
"Excuse me?"
She grabbed her file from him and tucked it in her arm. "Helen Frances Morrissey. My parents managed to get both names in before they died. SHIELD does appreciate their little orphans."
"Hey, I didn't mean to—"
Morrissey patted his arm. "Thanks, it's ok. And thanks for cleaning me up. And sorry about destroying your morning. I think I'm going to go off into a dark theater and cry or something."
She slid past him and headed into the far end of the restaurant. She'd given up on actually eating something by this point and continued out the door. The rain was coming down heavier now. Adding that to the coffee stains and she'd be soaked down in no time.
Bruce looked over at the counter and gauged just how long it was going to take before he had a decent shot at breakfast. Given how his morning was already going and the overwhelming claustrophobia he was now experiencing, he decided the best recourse was to do something completely unplanned.
He threaded his way through the doorway and took a few minutes in the rain to track down just what direction Morrissey had gone in. He trotted up behind her, in time to catch a few more papers that wiggled their way out of her stuffed binder.
"Just losing yourself all over the place." Bruce said.
Morrissey spun around. "Oh, Dr. Banner!"
"Bruce." He corrected.
She took the papers. They were relatively useless now given everything they'd been covered in. She found a trash can and strode right up to it. In went the entire portfolio. After that her jacket, then a few wads of papers from her pockets, a plastic badge—"You never know how much you take with you for a job until you really start to unload."
Bruce strode up beside her. "I couldn't imagine. The last real job I had I pioneered in gamma radiation and I think half the world knows how that turned out."
She snickered, looking up at him. "So is that you confirming an employment with Stark Industries?"
Bruce shrugged, wiping the rain from his eyes. "Can I plead the Fifth on that one?"
"I could always give you some truth serum." She replied.
"I've got a better idea. How about we head to that diner, dry off, and actually eat some breakfast? It's the least I can do for ruining yours, and Tony's paying." Bruce said.
Morrissey looked over at the inviting warmth just inside the windows. Then she considered Bruce for a much longer minute. "I'm not due to check in until late tonight."
:(:):(:):
Bruce twisted the bottom of his shirt to release the hold of rainwater. By the time Agent Morrissey and he made the decision to go to the diner, the sky had opened up in a torrent. They hadn't even reached the door before they were wet to their underclothes. Both signaled an apology to the waitress, who shrugged like the last thing she had to worry about in life, was them getting the carpet wet.
Being that breakfast in this place was a sit down event, most of the booths were empty. The concrete jungle outside had little time to waste in the non-grab-and-go part of town. They took up a spot in a corner and proceeded to delve into menus and breakfast. Over that, came conversation which became an unexpected pleasantry Bruce never anticipated he'd be having, let alone enjoying. When he made the split second decision to chase after Morrissey, he wasn't sure why. In his head, he told himself it was because he felt bad for the girl. He had ruined her job before she even started and maybe he owed her something for that. But sitting in the booth across from Agent Helen Frances Morrissey, there was a little piece of Bruce reminding him of an all-too forgotten fact: He was the Hulk second and a man first. And that man was attracted to this girl. Letting her just take off would have stopped something before it started.
Her brown eyes flicked to his over her lemonade straw. "Dr. Banner?"
He snapped out of whatever reverie he'd sunk into. "Hmm? Oh, sorry. Bruce. Call me Bruce."
"Bruce then. Enjoying the view?"
Bruce laughed and nodded. "Sorry. Sometimes I stare. It's an old science habit, I'm told. Too used to observation."
"For a second I just thought I had a bug on my face or something." She replied.
"You know," Bruce leaned back in the booth, pushing his empty plate to the center of the table. "I don't do this much. Actually, I don't do this ever. It's been a long time since—well. What I mean to say is this conversation has been enjoyable."
She twirled the straw around the ice in her cup. "I don't do this much either. I've been in training the last four years. Iraq and Afghanistan three years. So that's what? Seven years of solid," she let her hand come up and fall soundlessly to the table. "I don't know. Apparently I'm just not cut out for all this spy stuff. You know Agent Barton and Agent Romanov. Going through basic, that's all I was looking to be. They are legends at what they do. No exit strategies? That's just insane."
"Harsh standards." Bruce said. "Not that you can't do it. From what you've told me, you sound very dedicated. But those two… they wouldn't be what they are without the people that supported them along the way. You think Barton had it easy becoming the only man in the world who could shoot an arrow through a Twinkie seven buildings away?"
She snickered again. "No, I suppose not."
"That's right. He had one hell of a childhood and a lot of men to pick him up afterwards. Like Agent Coulson. I doubt Clint would be anywhere except a gutter knowing, now, everything Phil did for him. Sounds like that C.O. of yours is a real hard case."
Morrissey shrugged. "That's one way to put it. And thanks, I know that was your attempt at flattery and cheering me up. I appreciate it."
Bruce propped his legs up on the bench beside her. She disarmed him in a way few people could. For one, he was naturally cautious of any new person attempting to enter his life. For two, she was a secret agent. That didn't always have a good ending according to his track record.
More than that was his attraction to her. She was strong, spunky, vulnerable, and she knew exactly who he was and what he could do and yet she did not run at the sight of him. Not a lot of people could claim that upon first meeting him. Then something else entered Bruce's thoughts. He had considered it, dismissed it, but now that little nagging feeling just would not go away.
"Hey look, if this is all just some SHIELD ploy to get close to me or to get another in with Stark, just tell me. In fact, you don't even have to say anything. I don't really know what I'm thinking." Bruce pulled out his wet pocket cash and dropped it on the counter for the waitress.
"But, Bruce, wait!"
"Good luck with that CO." He said.
Morrissey placed some extra money down for her meal and a bigger tip then rushed out after him. He'd forgotten his over shirt on the back of the chair and grabbed it on her way by. She called his name, not expecting him to stop. He was nearly jogging back toward the Tower by the time she was out of the diner but that didn't stop her from running after him.
"Bruce! Dr. Banner, please, wait! You forgot this!"
Bruce heaved a little. Just that short jog was enough to do his lungs in. He felt out of shape. Lazy days in the lab were not helping his physique. The rain had stopped pounding and most of the clouds were moving on to reveal a surprisingly blue sky hidden above them.
Morrissey stretched her hand out to return his plaid shirt.
"Hate for you to lose that lumber jack motif." She said.
Bruce looked at it, wondered to himself if it was bugged now, but took it back anyway. He could always throw it in the trash later so as not to insult her.
"Thanks." He said.
"Look, I'm sorry if I said too much there." She told him. Her hands were in her pockets. It was a tight fit the way the rain had them flattened and snug. Bruce knew he stared at those pants long enough to be inappropriate.
"I just wanted you to know that I'm not. SHIELD, I mean. I mean, I am SHIELD. But this wasn't like a backup plan or anything and I didn't mean to spill those coffees on you or have you invite me to breakfast, but I want you to know that I didn't mind spending time with you because, well, I kind of liked the attention. And I liked talking with you...and, there I've said it."
Bruce chewed on his bottom lip. He looked back to the glistening edges of the Tower calling him home. His hands twisted around the collar of his shirt. Good judgment said he was lonely. He was out for the first time in weeks and looking at a girl, and said girl was cute and attractive. She was making it obvious she was interested in him, so what was the hold up?
"Promise?" Bruce asked. "No tricks. Serious business happening here?"
She raised her right hand. "I, Agent Morrissey, do solemnly swear that I have no ulterior motive in my pursuit of your attention."
Bruce looked back at the Tower. There, was safety, refuge, sanctuary. Here, he was treading in waters he hadn't dared step in since Betty and he split.
"You know what?" Bruce sighed. "Stark always says I need to get out more. How much time do you have before checking in?"
"Tonight, nine-o-clock I need to report to my C.O. that I did not get the Stark job." She replied.
"You know where I haven't been in a while?" He turned and grabbed her elbow in his hand. Together, they walked across the intersection towards 5th Avenue. "Central Park."
"Are we walking the whole way?"
"Yup. Gives me a chance to convince myself how stupid I'm being for doing this."
so there is chapter 2! those may remember Agent Morrissey from Bagel Thursday, i figured using a recycled OC isn't too bad:)