A/N~ Hello again. I thought now would be a good time to upload the next chapter to give you something (hopefully) enjoyable to read if, like me, you're swimming in feelings after watching the latest episode of Merlin.

Sorry it's been so long since I last updated this story, there's no excuse really. I have been busy with Uni work and other stories, but finally got back to this one yesterday. As I was writing I remembered how much I love creating each chapter, so I'm sure the next one will be up quicker since I've found my inspiration again.

Thanks for the continuous favourite/follows/reviews – you're all amazing. Since this chapter is Bruce, you guessed right, the next one is of course Tony. Many of you seem to have been waiting for him so I'm going to have to pull something special out of the bag. But for now, enjoy this chapter, and please leave ideas about any secondary characters that you might like to see lift the hammer.

Chapter Four – Bruce

The fourth time someone other than Thor was able to lift the hammer it was in one of the least likely settings.

The mild-mannered scientist was in the main lab on the helicarrier. After various different missions Bruce had come to find comfort in this space. It was an area of familiarity with the gentle hum of instruments and machines making a little quiet music for him as he worked.

Not five minutes before the only music he'd been hearing was the quick-paced discussions between Steve and Tony as they argued over battle strategies. Bruce doubted that it could be called music though. He also doubted it could be called an argument.

To an outsider it might seem that way, but as one of the team he had come to notice these subtleties of Steve and Tony's relationship. There was no anger behind their words, only a desire to be right and come up with the safest plan that was the least likely to get anyone injured.

Although their stubborn nature's meant that neither would ever admit it, Bruce knew that Steve and Tony enjoyed each other's wit and sarcastic comments. Tony had found someone who could match his darting tongue with sense and precautions. Steve had found someone who balanced his cautious nature with a little daring.

Their discussions seemed to help them work through any issues, not only in their plans, but with each other.

Steve had been reminding Tony that he was part of a team and couldn't just go solo whenever he felt it was necessary in the middle of a mission.

Tony had retorted that his decision to break off from the group was the only thing that had allowed them to catch the perpetrator.

Thor set his hammer down on the worktop across from Bruce and walked over.

He leaned against the bench near where the scientist was working and studied him for a brief moment before looking back to the conversation.

"Sometimes I do wonder if they just want to talk for talking's sake." He rumbled, chuckling quietly. "What they appear to be discussing on the surface, is not always what they truly deign to talk about if one looks deeper. They find assurance in each other's arguments. It lets them know that by becoming part of a team they haven't lost what made them a hero in the first place."

Bruce stopped working for a moment to glance round, first at the two men in the centre of the room, and then at the Asgardian. He couldn't help but think that Thor was right, and that the God could sometimes surprise them with his insight. Bruce reflected that in moments such as this the prince's astute clarity made his words as much of a weapon as his hammer. He would make a wise King one day.

After they had discussed their way to an even tie, they left the lab to go and change out of their suits. Thor, Clint and Natasha, who had also been present, left with them.

Clint had asked Bruce if he was coming, but the scientist declined saying he had a few tests to finish up.

"Bruce the mission was a success, you can take a little time off you know." Natasha had reminded him archly.

He looked over to see her giving him a rare smile.

"Ok." He had agreed. "I'll finish up this test and join you in a bit."

Seeming satisfied by this response, the two assassins followed Thor out of the lab.

Bruce continued to work quietly and a couple of minutes later a few technicians entered the lab. They began to check over a piece of equipment but he drowned out their murmurings and focused on his task.

The volume of the voices suddenly increased and when they had reached an almost questionable pitch, he turned around.

The four technicians were gathered excitedly around Thor's hammer. Bruce hadn't noticed until now, but the Asgardian had left it on the bench when he came to talk to the scientist. It seemed odd to the brunette that the God would leave such a powerful weapon untended, but he had done so before several times. Its presence in the wrong hands was unthinkable. But it could never fall into the wrong hands, quite literally, as no-one else could wield it, which explained why the blonde was comfortable with leaving it in the weaponry – and apparently in the lab.

Bruce's musings on this were soon proven correct when each technician in turn attempted to lift the silver hammer. And failed miserably.

The scientist returned to his work, shaking his head slightly at their young triviality. It was only when he heard on of them exclaim that they should experiment on it that he turned back to face them.

One woman and three men stood before him and one of the men was holding a prong designed to give off small jolts of electricity at random intervals. They had ignored him up until this point, but as he stood up and took off his glasses they looked up, recognising his presence.

"That doesn't belong to you and I really don't think what you're about to try is wise." He stated, calmly walking over.

The momentary surprise on their faces evolved into other emotions. One of the men looked fearful of him, and the other three looked disdainful. He could see in their eyes that they were repelled by what they knew he had become, and irritated that he had interrupted them.

"Doctor Banner I really don't think this concerns you. Why don't you go and get a coffee?" One of the men asked, but it wasn't posed as a question, and a hint of a thread lingered in his expression.

"As a scientist I think it does concern me. You have no idea how an off-world artefact will react to an electrically charged instrument – especially one that is already predisposed towards electricity."

"If I remember correctly, currents and charges are my specialist field, not yours."

"I wasn't finished. As a scientist this concerns me. But it also concerns me as an Avenger. You're interfering with another Avenger's weaponry, which could be a class two offense against S.H.I.E.L.D and the state if I'm not mistaken."

The man opposite him flinched but still refused to back down.

"Well that alien shouldn't have left it unattended then."

Bruce felt something green twist inside of him. He had heard Thor called an alien before, but never with as much malice. It irritated him almost irrationally. Three of the technicians clearly saw a gleam of green in his eyes as they stepped backwards instantly, bravado gone.

The brash one clearly wasn't going to take the hint and back down. It had been three months since the Hulk had managed to come out of its own control, and four months before that. He was becoming adept at controlling his changes, and didn't want to break that now. So he put his glasses back on and did the only thing he could think of to diffuse the situation.

He reached over and grasped Mjolnir.

He could feel something within him shift in recognition of the hammer, and knew that the other guy had acknowledged the weapon he once failed to lift.

Bruce wasn't really sure he could do it. He knew he was being slightly irrational; he should have just firmly that they should leave the hammer.

But something in him decided he was going to show them. Not just that they should back down, but that they shouldn't speak about a fellow Avenger that way, and they shouldn't underestimate him.

With his glasses firmly back in place, he looked the technician in the eye and lifted Mjolnir from its place.

There was a moment of utter silence where even the machines seemed to go still. As much as he liked it Bruce determined it was one thing he had no trouble breaking.

"I think I better return this to my friend."

With that he left the four of them alone in the lab with only the broken silence for company.

~A~

He found the others easily enough; he could hear Steve and Tony from down the corridor. There was only a moment to register their staggered expressions before he felt an unfortunate blush sweeping his cheeks and quickly extended the hand holding Mjolnir to Thor.

"You left this behind."

Thor was quiet for a moment before letting one of his genuine, frequently-given smiles light his face.

"Thank you my friend."

Their eyes met for a moment and Bruce felt what could only be described as a connection with someone who recognised his worth and understood the burden of unparalleled strength.

The connection was then broken by Tony complaining loudly that they might as well kick him out of the fellowship because he was the only one not to have lifted the hammer.

This was followed by Steve asking what he meant by fellowship, and Tony rolling his eyes and exclaiming that as soon as he had swung the Mjolnir like a lasso, they were watching Lord of the Rings.