a/n: Oh...this one's a little short.

Chapter 3

When Bruce started this day the same way he started every other, he never expected to end it with a beautiful woman wrapped in his arms. He still had trouble trusting his eyes, still having to reach out and run his fingers down the line of her spine, or trace his thumb across her cheek bones. She was still there, in his grasp, real. Reservation was a difficult emotion to overcome. It kept pulling him back, grounding him in the fact that this could not possibly be real. There was no way that he had fallen this hard, this fast, in a perfect fairytale moment.

First, they endured the coffee shop run-in, breakfast at a diner, and a warm stroll in Central Park before the rain chased them under a stone arch. There they waited, arm in arm, for the rain to pass. Standing became tedious, so they sat instead. She was cold, so was he. They embraced. They looked at one another and, at last, a kiss.

Electricity spread like lightning along his face and arms. The world erupted and fireworks burst in the air. His hand grasped her hair, she twisted slightly into him. Time itself crawled in their moment of unbridled, unhinged passion, Summer love in all its glory hitting them like a thousand of Cupid's arrows.

The stars lifted for a moment from their eyes as a pair of hoof clops interrupted them. Like ashamed teenagers Banner and Morrissey shot to their feet to meet a mounted patrol. The officer was surprised to see that the entwined lovers he was interrupting weren't just a couple of kids.

"Hey, folks, I know it looks like the tunnel of love in here, but do me a favor and break it up." The officer said.

"I am so sorry." Bruce said, tucking his shirt in. How did it come untucked? Morrissey was buttoning the top of her blouse. A lump filled his throat. Did he really almost do that? Here? "I don't know what's wrong with me, I've never done anything like this before. I swear."

The officer shrugged. "Hey, look. I get it. Just don't keep getting it here. Find a hotel or something, the rain let up."

When had the rain stopped? Bruce wondered. He squeezed the muscles of his arms as if to ascertain their size beneath his shirt. He felt normal, he didn't feel green, and how had that possibly happened when his biggest love life road block was the permanent Hulk threat excitation aroused. Bruce smoothed his hair, looked for his glasses. Morrissey handed them over. Morrissey fished one heel out from behind him and began strapping it on. She was so flustered she couldn't speak.

"Yes sir, will do. Wait, no I mean won't happen again. We're heading home."

"Home?" Morrissey asked, bent over strapping on her heel.

"My place. The Tower. Or dinner. Is it dinner time? I think I lost my watch." Bruce looked around them. He found it on Morrissey's wrist. She slipped it off with a blush and he put it on.

The officer couldn't help laughing. "All right. Wherever you're going, don't let me catch you at it. Have a fun evening, folks." He tapped his horse and they clopped away through the tunnel.

When he was out of sight, Morrissey collapsed onto Bruce, laughing hysterically. Bruce could do little to stop her as he was doubled over too. They'd been under there for more than an hour. It felt like no time at all. They'd eaten a quick lunch supplied by one of the many roach coaches littering the park. They weren't really in the mood for dinner. Time was getting away from them, however, and if Morrissey had to check in by nine they were in danger of her missing that time frame unless they got moving.

He helped her into her shoe. She gave him back his plaid shirt, and together they struck out at a steady lope through Central Park. They were still fighting laughter all the way, making running at all a comical feat in itself. They didn't want to part. The last thing in Bruce's mind was to set this girl in a cab and watch her drive off into the city with no way of expecting them to be together again. Today was risk taking day. Today was a day he was prepared for everything. Today he stepped out into New York City and destroyed nothing. He was invincible.

"Do you have to go? In person?" Bruce asked. They were standing on a corner by the Columbus Circle. Night was just beginning to set in as the sun was blocked on the horizon by the building spires. Bruce had her hand in his. He wasn't willing to let it go.

"Yes, in person." She told him. "It's not far. My C.O.'s going to give it to me for blowing cover so quick."

"Blame me." Bruce said. "My fault I bumped into you."

She lifted their hands, pressing her lips to the back of his. "Probably get it worse for that."

"Should I come with you? Call it a character witness." She threw her head back and laughed. "Don't laugh, I could. Besides I think you still owe me dinner."

"Owe you dinner? Oh what is this mine ears doeth hear, Horatio Hornblower?"

"I got breakfast, you get dinner. Fair trade."

"I never said—"

He couldn't help it. Today somehow his inhibitions were gone. He was free. He was out. And this day was not going to end right now if he had any say in it. He pulled her body to his, threaded his fingers through her hair and silenced her with a kiss.

:(:):(:):

Tony was standing in the kitchen with a bowl in one hand and a jug of milk in the other when he saw them go by. Bruce was on his feet, but barely. Morrissey was off her feet. Her ankles were crossed around Bruce's back their faces were intertwined along with their arms, hands, bodies, and pretty much everything else. As they made their stumbling way past the kitchen, they ran into the random half column Pepper placed in the hall for decoration. Whatever was on it fell off. Bruce laughed, Morrissey moaned, and down the hall they continued to skitter until they were out of sight. Tony poured milk out of his bowl and onto the counter as he watched the shocking progression. His attention flipped to Pepper who was sitting on the couch with a sleeve of Oreos.

"Did you just?" Pepper let her voice trail as her finger pointed at the hall.

"I did just." Tony replied.

"He said he met someone." Pepper affirmed.

"I assumed it was someone like old or dead."

Pepper gave him a look.

Tony shrugged. "I don't know about you, but I'm having JARVIS run a back ground check."

Pepper sniggered.

"He's my friend. It's what friends do. Besides, I better hop on it before the Hawk rolls out of his nest and finds a random chick in the place. He might just try to kill her if his hearing aids aren't in." Tony took a paper towel to the counter where the milk overflowed. Whatever 3 a.m. cereal bowl he'd planned to make no longer mattered.

"Should we just go wake him up and warn him?" She asked.

Tony smiled. "Nope. I kinda want to go spying. My Brucie is growing up."

Pepper straightened out across the cushions of the couch. "Tony, after watching that I can pretty much guarantee what they are up to. And I don't want to see it on one of your spy screens."

Tony stood over the back of the couch. "Yeah, be like some weird Avengers' porno. That is not G-rated."

"I don't think what they just did in your elevator is G-rated." Pepper pointed out, popping an Oreo into her mouth.

Tony's face twisted. "Oh dear God. I'm bleaching it."

in the words of my editor: Wow! Morrissey is...easy

ah, sometimes a girl gets crazy. and who can resist Mark Ruffalo?