"Watch out!" Steve shouted, pushing Clint and Natasha out of the way as a jeep landed where they'd just been stood. Tony looked up, terrified, to see The Hulk lifting another car and aiming at them. He dove out of the way at the last minute, before running over to help Clint pull Steve out from under the crushed car. Steve was unconscious and an awful amount of blood spilled down his face as they continued to try and free him
The Hulk roared again angrily, charging forward at them
"Bruce!" Betty shouted again, distracting him long enough for Clint and Tony to sling Steve's arms over their shoulders and drag him away from the wreckage
Natasha watched Betty closely as she said something she couldn't hear. Their surroundings began to dissolve around them as the Hulk cried out...
The four superheroes found themselves back in the expansive grey nothingness... With one very absent friend
XxX
Chaos erupted in the medical room as the Hulk appeared, roaring at the scientists stood beside him, the bed Bruce had previously occupied was thrown to the floor as the Hulk turned and charging at Doctor Hart, who was in handcuffs and about to be lead down to the containment cells.
Hill was fast, and took down the Hulk with a well timed tranquiliser dart just as Hart fainted...
"For someone who likes to terrify people, he can't hold his own" Maria commented, nudging his unconscious form where it lay on the floor with her foot, desperate to kick him a little harder but deciding it would be unprofessional.
The Hulk had already given way to Bruce, who was out cold on the floor.
"Friend Banner! You have returned to us!" Thor shouted happily, running over
"He'll be out of it for a little while yet Thor, help me get him over to the bed"
XxX
"W-what happened to Bruce?" Steve asked, suddenly waking
"That's what I'd like to know" Tony muttered, looking round at the miles and miles of nothing
"But we didn't do another full cycle... I thought that's how this was supposed to work?" Clint asked
"It was just a theory, I guess we're not playing by the rules"
They were still discussing whether the fact that Thor and Bruce were no longer here anymore was a good or a bad thing when it all started again...
Their surrounding morphed into what looked like an old, run down operating room. The four of them found themselves strapped to uncomfortable metal chairs; their hands, feet and arms bound, their heads secured in place and each wearing a mouth guard. They barely had time to comprehend who's dream they were in when a machine was flipped on and they each felt excruciating pain coursing through them. The electric shocks built in waves, easing off slightly before intensifying once more. The lights flickered as the machine drained the old building of its power
"That is enough" came a distant voice of a man, who stepped out of the shadows;a man they all recognised from Clint's nightmare earlier; Ivan Petrovitch
"You shall no disobey me again" he instructed harshly, before turning to nod and someone and the machine was flicked back on.
Tony felt the overwhelming urge to just give up, and as someone who had actually died before; he could honestly say this was much, much worse
The machine was flipped off again, thankfully. As Ivan paced back and forth in front of them, Clint struggled to glance over at Natasha, knowing there was nothing he, or the others, could say to her to help her
Her knuckles were white as she clenched her fists, breathing heavily; she had to remind herself over and over that this was no longer her life, she'd made it out, it wasn't real... Over and over; she knew it wasn't real, knew Ivan was dead; she'd killed him herself, but she couldn't shake the nightmares as easily as the others. She was in deep, being dragged down deeper and deeper while her nightmares consumed her
A garbled shout came from Tony's direction as Ivan headed back towards the controls. He knew what was coming, and he couldn't take it...
Natasha suddenly panicked about what the electricity could do to his arc reactor
She closed her eyes and forced herself to focus. She missed the malicious smirk on Ivan's face as he switched the machine back on as she worked hard to filter out the pain, concentrate her life now; her team, her home, Clint...
The next thing she knew Clint was shaking her shoulders, worriedly calling her name. They were back where they'd started; hardly an improvement, but at least she'd survived this time
"Wow, they really did a number on you" Tony commented sympathetically
Natasha climbed to her feet and took a short walk away from the others
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" Tony began
"It's okay Tony. She just needs a minute to be alone" Clint reassured him, knowing she'd have walked away whether Stark had said anything or not. They'd all seen more of her past than she'd ever willingly let them
XxX
Back on the hellicarrier, Bruce was finally coming round
"Bruce? Bruce? You're awake!" Darcy shouted a little too loudly, causing him to grimace and cover his face with his hands
"Right, sorry, volume down. Got it"
"What happened?" he asked looking round, disappointed that his friends weren't also awake
"Jane's working on it, but she could probably use your help"
Bruce nodded, climbing to his feet and following Darcy to another room where Jane was trying to explain something to a confused looking Pepper
"Oh thank God" Jane said in relief as Bruce entered. He smiled shyly before looking at the piece of paper in her hand
"What we got home skillet?" Darcy asked, jumping up to sit on the desk
"As far as I can figure out, the Hulk wasn't so happy with whatever was going on in your head. He dragged you out" Jane informed Bruce
Bruce nodded sadly; "I was going to hurt them, I had no control and the more I tried to stop, the closer I got... How are the others?" he asked, quickly changing the topic
Pepper shrugged; "They're pretty beaten up" was all she said, her eyes glancing back to Tony who, only moments ago, had been shouting and writing in pain. His heart racing along with the others'
Writing in Italics is spoken in Russian, but since they're in Natasha's dream, the others can understand it too