Slowly but surely Holly started to form her own little niche in the tower and it didn't take her much time at all to learn the different Avengers habits and tastes and use them to her advantage. Whether she was in the gym with Steve, or cooking for the entire "family" it felt like she was beginning to belong. Of course, Tony was still actively trying to catch her doing something fire-worthy but even he was slowly being won over by her fetching of donuts and coffee that were left places he would find them. Natasha hadn't let on at all that she was warming up to Holly and, though he put on a good façade, Holly knew that Clint at least knew she was trustworthy. While doing laundry one day she had found his hearing aids and made sure they were alone when she returned them to him. Clint had been visibly shaken that she had found them but she waived his worries away and promised him she wouldn't say anything. She kept her word and she always would. She'd betrayed enough trusts in the past.

Holly was immersed in her book one night when a swift knock on her bedroom door pulled her from the plot. She set the book aside and opened the door cautiously. Standing on the other side was her favorite red head and she was wearing a huge grin on her face.

"Pepper?"

"Holly! Come watch a movie with us!" Pepper demanded and waived her arm towards the living room. Clint, Natasha, Tony, and Steve were all arranging themselves on the various living room furniture with blankets and pillows. Holly smiled.

"Sure. Let me get a blanket." Holly dashed back to her room quickly and grabbed her black, fuzzy, throw blanket from the foot of her bed. She shut her bedroom door behind her and looked around for a comfortable spot to sit in. She set her blanket on the couch and was about to sit when she realized they were missing someone.

"Where's Banner?" she asked.

"In his room. He wasn't having such a great day so he turned in early." Tony said as he sipped his drink. He was wearing a loose pair of Iron Man pajama pants that Holly raised an eyebrow at. He was so vain.

"Did anyone ask him if he wanted to watch the movie?" she asked and Tony just rolled his eyes. Holly placed her hands on her hips and walked towards Bruce's room.

"He wants to be left alone!" Tony called after her with that 'I know everything' voice that got under her skin. She ignored him of course and made sure to knock lightly on the doctor's door just in case he had a serious migraine.

At first there was no reaction to her knocking but after a minute of peace she heard muffled movement. She chewed on her bottom lip suddenly apprehensive of what she might have unleashed on herself. The way the others talked about Bruce's bad days made him sound like a force to be reckoned with but she had never seen him give more than scathing glares when he was upset.

"Dr. Banner?" Holly spoke quietly when she heard muffled footsteps approach the door but nothing happened. Suddenly the knob turned and the door opened just enough for Holly to see Bruce's face.

"Yes?" he responded in a gravely voice. His hair showed signs of being restlessly raked through and there were dark circles under his eyes. There was a short mess of stubble across his jaw and something about the darkness of his eyes made her swallow before speaking.

"I just wanted to let you know that we're having a movie night-"

"I already told her you were having a bad day!" Tony yelled in their direction over his shoulder. Holly's nose curled up in distaste and the rest of her comment came out with an air of annoyance.

"…and I wanted to invite you regardless of your bad day."

"I see." said Bruce whose lips had quirked into a small smile at Holly's reaction to Tony. He drummed his fingers on the back of his door and looked towards the living room where everyone was assembled. He looked down at Holly and sighed.

"I guess I could join you all." Bruce said leaving his door open as he stepped away to grab a blanket. Holly was extremely surprised and took a few steps back to allow him more personal walking space. She couldn't help but grin as Bruce emerged from his dark room and walked with her to the couch. Tony looked completely taken aback when he saw Bruce follow her into the circle of comfy armchairs. Pepper, who was sitting beside Tony on a loveseat, smiled at Bruce.

"How nice of you to join us Bruce." Tony looked at Pepper then cleared his throat and smiled at his friend.

"Thanks. So what are we watching?" Bruce asked looking at Clint who was fiddling with the electronics.

"Anyone have a problem with Eurotrip?" Clint asked.

"I thought we were watching Bruce Almighty?" Steve asked from the kitchen.

"We decided to save that for when Thor comes back. We figure he'll get a real kick out of it." Natasha called back to him. As the movie started playing through previews Clint joined Natasha on the sectional part that was big enough for 2 people to sleep on. Steve distributed big bowls of popcorn to Tony, Clint, Bruce, and kept one for himself. He took a seat next to Clint and Tasha leaving only 2 available seats: one next to him and one next to the arm rest. Holly took the seat next to Steve, leaving the other for Bruce since that seat had a footrest and reclining capabilities. Steve's seat was able to do that to and he instantly offered Holly his seat but she declined. He then offered her some popcorn which she did take him up on. As the movie started everyone got comfortable under their blankets and the talking died down signaling a good start to the first Avengers movie night.

Apparently everyone had had a long day because when the movie finally ended Holly found she was the only one awake. She silently got up from the couch and turned off the TV before making her way around the sleeping bodies to collect the popcorn bowls. She threw her blanket over her shoulder and paused to admire the scene. Clint and Natasha were snuggled close together on the sectional- Natasha snuggling up to him for once. Pepper had fallen asleep in the crook of Tony's arm, her head resting beside the arc reactor which gave her face an eerie glow. Both Bruce and Steve had their chairs fully reclined and they looked comfy enough but Steve's blanket was actively trying to escape him. Holly knelt to spread the blanket back over him, making sure to tuck it under his ankles before moving away from the couch towards the kitchen. She set the bowls on the counter. She could do them tomorrow- she didn't want to wake any of them. Holly turned to move to her room when a sound made her turn back around. It was a sound she knew all too well- the whimper of someone in pain.

Holly crept back into the circle of furniture and looked for the source of the tortured sound. Steve was peaceful as were the two assassins. Tony stirred a little in his sleep but he merely held Pepper closer to him and grumbled in his sleep. Holly looked down at Bruce as his face contorted in pain- a look that tightened Holly's chest. She had once found comfort in that look- triumph. Now it only brought her shame. Bruce groaned again and grabbed at the couch in his restlessness. Something was obviously tormenting his rest.

'Must be a nightmare. He'll be fine.' Holly thought as she turned to walk away. Then he gasped for air and Holly cursed under her breath. She couldn't leave him this way- it was against her better judgment. She swallowed hard and moved back to her seat beside Bruce who appeared to be fighting on unseen foe. She placed her hand on one of his arms lightly and sighed.

"Dr. Banner? Can you hear me?" the Avenger turned towards her when their skins met and for a second he seemed at peace but, a few moments later he was groaning again. His skin was hot under her hand as she started to stroke up and down his arm in a soothing manner.

"Bruce, it's okay. Everything is okay. You aren't in any danger." Bruce grumbled under his breath and turned his body towards her.

"No more running?" came his low gravelly voice. Holly's heart jumped into her throat and she fought to beat it back down. What would he know about running?

"No more running." she assured him. The man smiled in his sleep and sighed in relief. Holly lingered on the couch beside him until she was sure the nightmare had passed. Her mind raced as she watched the rise and fall of his chest.

He had been running? For how long? What from? Who was after him? Why was he here now if he was running from someone…or something? Holly chewed on her lip and stared at his face. Was it possible that someone might know just what she had been through the past couple of years. She hadn't had anyone to talk to since she had gone off the grid and escaped him. Not even her sisters had made contact with her and that pained her more than anything. Their escapes had been a group "project", why shouldn't they keep in contact? Holly's training silenced that train of thought instantly. They would ignore her to protect her just in case one of them got caught. You can't be used as a bartering chip if no one knows where you actually are. Holly ran a hand through her hair then and touched Bruce's arm again before getting up and heading to her room.

"Goodnight guys….Sweet dreams Bruce…" she whispered from her doorway before she closed the door and climbed into her own bed.