Updated chapter 12! Hope you enjoy it!

"I'm telling you, you don't need it."

"And I'm telling you, without this, I'm not staying. I won't lie; fighting alongside you guys was a good thing. But I...we need the reassurance, Tony. I'm sorry."

Kara frowns as she walks into the kitchen for a snack, feeling quite a bit peckish after a couple of hours of watching over a still unconscious Sue. Stark is there, still in the armor for some reason, holding his helmet under his left arm. There's someone else new – someone she hasn't met, in the form of a shorter, haggard-looking graying man, wearing large glasses and ridiculously loose clothing. The newcomer is in the process of brewing tea at the stovetop, and startles a bit when she walks in.

Stark nods at her. "Hey Kara. How are our guests?"

She purses her lips. "Still down for the count. Vitals are strong, though." – she says, taking a seat at the island in the middle of the kitchen. "I don't think we've met yet." –she tells the man.

He shakes his head. "Not yet, no. I'm Doctor Bruce Banner."

"Kara Zor-El. Or Danvers, whichever works best in conversation." –she says, extending her hand. He shakes it, gingerly.

"You're the 'Supergirl' I've been hearing so much about, right?"

She nods. "Are you here to check on the patients? I don't think they'll be violent, if that helps."

He turns to Stark, confused. The billionaire snorts. "Bruce isn't that kind of doctor, Kara. That's what I'm flying Helen Cho from Seoul for."

"I, uh...also wasn't talking about that kind of reassurance. Not exactly worried about what people can do to me. Quite the opposite, in fact." –Banner explains. "I'm the Hulk."

Understanding dawns on Kara's expression. "Oh! I am so sorry. I guess I should've paid more attention in school, huh?" –she says, embarrassed. "Your name was probably on half the biology tests I've taken. I just never, y'know, connected it to your face."

Banner smiles, good-naturedly. "That's ok. I wasn't one for public appearances even before the Hulk. And I don't think most people have connected the dots on my relation to the, uh, other guy, either – I've been told my face is really hard to remember."

Kara hums, slightly mollified. "So, you're staying with us, then? Will you keep being an Avenger?"

"Well, that's really up to Tony." –he says. "I don't mean to impose, billionaire or not, but I do have certain...conditions I'd like him to meet."

"Like what?" –she asks, then coughs. "Er, if it's not too rude to ask."

Banner shakes his head. "Don't worry, you're fine."

Stark sighs. "Bruce wants me to create a sort of...countermeasure to the Hulk. In case he goes rogue, he says. Which is kind of ridiculous, if you ask me, considering half the city owes their lives to the big guy, myself included."

"It's still a very real possibility, and you should absolutely account for it. Even the Hulk agrees." –Banner declares, then amends, sheepish. "Well, for the most part."

Kara raises an eyebrow, picking up an apple from the fruit basket. "So, wait...you and the Hulk are separate people?"

"It's not as cut and dry as it sounds." –he admits. "It's more like...a Venn diagram; he and I act and think very differently, but it's not like we have two separate brains. He knows and remembers what I do, and vice versa. The Hulk can understand every bit as much science as I can." –he says, then shrugs. "He just doesn't care much for any of it."

She ponders the description, munching on the apple. "I hope you don't mind me saying, but it's kind of fascinating." –she says. "Don't get me wrong; I understand why you'd be a bit apprehensive, but still."

"You're not afraid of him." –he says, a small but notable twinkle of hope in his eyes.

Kara shakes her head. "Should I be?"

Banner hums. "I'm not sure. They do say you're really strong. How strong are we talking, here?" –he asks, curiosity getting the better of him.

"I honestly couldn't tell you. I sort of...broke every test S.H.I.E.L.D. threw my way." –she says, blushing.

Tony smirks at Banner's awestruck expression. "Kinda makes me wanna see an arm-wrestling competition between the two of you – no offense, buddy, but my bet's on Kara. Maybe throw in Thor, if he ever shows up again...make a party out of it?"

"I bet he'd love that." –Banner says, fondly.

"Well, I'm definitely up for it. It's really exciting to be around people I don't have to fear...y'know, breaking." –Kara eagerly says.

Stark gives Banner an 'I told you so' kind of look. "See? Even if the Hulk were to go a little off-script, and even if Thor were on the other side of the galaxy, we have Kara now. Nothing to fear, buddy."

Banner seems to shrink a little. "I hope you don't mind me saying it, Kara, but I wouldn't leave it all to you." –he says. "You of all people should understand, Tony. You just told me about the modular armor designs you're making, just in case some hyper-specific problem arises. What if Supergirl can't shut the Hulk down quickly enough? What if he beats her? There has to be some kind of contingency."

"I don't think that rabbit hole leads anywhere good, Bruce. Say I build this...Hulkbuster. Say you somehow manage to defeat the strongest woman on Earth. I come in, kick your ass a bunch...then what?"

Banner grimaces, turning off the stove. "You do what you need to do to keep people safe."

Stark scoffs. "You're asking me to create a way to kill you, pal. That's not something I'll ever do, even if the Hulk turns on us."

Kara clears her throat. "Well, I think it's a good idea." –she says. "This 'Hulkbuster' concept, I mean. If I were ever made to do bad things, I'd want to be stopped, too."

Stark frowns at her. She holds up her hand before he can protest, looking at Bruce. "However, there's really no need to talk about putting you down. Even the Hulk has his limits, right?"

Banner grumbles. "If he does, no one's found them."

"So, let's discover them. I can help, Doctor Banner. I don't mind sparring with your alter ego. Especially if it means you find some peace of mind."

The deceptively frail-looking man seems to consider this, his eyebrows drawn together in thought. He pours himself a cup of tea, and offers another to each of the other Avengers. Stark declines, but Kara accepts hers, immediately downing half of the scalding liquid.

"Okay." –Banner says, finally. "We'll design it together."

Stark grudgingly nods. "I guess getting to say 'Iron Man smash!' is worth it."

She smiles. "This'll be fun, guys! You'll see."

"You are entirely too happy about the idea of getting pummeled by the Hulk." –Stark says, amused. "I'll leave you two to whatever it is the strongest people on Earth do in their free time. I gotta go see the President about a thing."

He slips on the helmet, which secures itself around his head, then walks out of the kitchen. Soon enough, the roar of jet boosters rumbles outside the Tower.

Banner spares a small smile for her. "So, what does the strongest person on the planet do in her free time?"

Kara snorts. "I don't know about you, but I eat. Abundantly. Rao, I'm starving."

He laughs. "Yeah, I get that. Brunch?"

"Definitely brunch."

Brunch is surprisingly entertaining; she leads Bruce to a nearby deli shop incongnito and orders the most monstrously caloric meal she can find for them both. Doctor Banner, meek and awkward thou he may seem, is a pleasantly fun conversationalist, all wry humor and sarcastic jabs. It's not hard to notice the undercurrent of depression and self-destructive tendencies – and she'll be asking Stark about Avenger policy regarding psych evals and counseling going forward – but the doctor seems to have a handle on his issues, for the time being.

She learns that he's fresh off an extended stay in India, following a globe-trotting escape caused by his fight in Harlem last year. He also reveals that the woman he considered to be the love of his life has recently married someone else – someone decidedly not harboring a giant, green persona with terrible anger management issues. He also says that, before becoming host to the Hulk, he went and got 7 PhDs.

Kara's pretty sure that says about as much about his ability to plan a career as it does about his enormous intellect.

In return, she answers some of his questions about Krypton. She's not really comfortable, talking about its destruction, but she can talk about their culture. She talks about the joyous feeling of Rao's light on her skin, about Krypton's ancient rivalry with its sister planet, Daxam, and about life as an heir to the Noble House of El. She remembers the joy she felt at Kal-El's birth, and the sorrow that followed Astra and Non's sentence of exile in the Phantom Zone.

By early afternoon, the two return to the Tower for a debriefing session with Rogers. The Captain is waiting for them in the conference room, still in-uniform.

"Doctor Banner." –he greets, offering a hand. "I'm glad you decided to stay on."

Bruce smiles wryly, returning the gesture. "Well, from what I hear, you guys are a little...understaffed at the moment."

"Hopefully not for too long. Might be we get a certain arachnid-themed partner soon, right Kara?" –he asks, crossing his arms.

Kara blanches. "Um...I can explain?" –she says, meekly.

Rogers shakes his head. "No need, I caught yesterday's news. I am not happy that you and Stark decided to go behind my back on this." –he says, then sighs a bit. "That being said, I do trust that you know what you're doing. You and I both know Spider-Man's been avoiding me, anyway; if you're the one who can actually get through to him, then that's just how it is."

Kara nods. "Do you...still want me to offer him a spot on the team?"

"Just let him know he has our full support. We can figure the rest out once he's old enough to make that kind of decision."

"Alright."

Rogers grabs his belt buckle. Kara can't picture a more representative image of authority than that. "Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about our guests."

Kara raises an eyebrow. "Did they wake up? Is Sue still invisible?"

"Mr. Grimm did. So did Mr. Storm, but he's not willing to talk unless his sister is present." –he says. "I think you're right, Kara. These guys are good people put in a bad spot. Ben wouldn't say much about their circumstances, and he definitely wouldn't tell me how they got their powers, but he did defend the rest of the gang – even offered to take full responsibility for their actions, just so they could go free."

Banner frowns. "We, uh, keeping prisoners now?"

Rogers shakes his head. "It's not like that, Doctor. They can go whenever they want; I just asked them to stay until Doctor Cho arrived and we'd made sure things are safe for them."

The doctor hums, backing down. "I could get started on analyzing their vitals. I'm definitely not that kind of doctor, but I can still try and interpret the results. See if they tell us anything about the origin of their powers."

Rogers nodded, then looked pointedly at Kara. "I'll stay with Sue while you do that. I'm sure she'll talk to me once she wakes up." –she says.

"Ow." –Sue mutters, suddenly reappearing.

Kara looks up from her phone, nearly floating from the surprise. "Oh! You're awake!" –she exclaims. "How are you feeling?"

"Well, my head's still on, so that's a plus." –she jokes. Sue swallows thickly, prompting Kara to hand her a glass of water. "I...feel kinda foggy. It's, uh...hard to keep myself visible."

She nods. "That'd be the power dampeners in the room. I think Tony said it's a mild nerve agent he and S.H.I.E.L.D. came up with. It's not harmful to humans, but it's supposed to make it harder for you to concentrate enough to effectively use your powers."

She ponders this. "That's smart. I bet you're immune to it, too."

"Yeah, it just smells a little funny to me. Like...coconut. And rust, for some reason."

Sue spares a smile, then winces. "My head is killing me. My neck hurts a bunch, too."

"Well, that's definitely on me. You fell unconscious when I punched through your barrier, and then got a few burns when I contained the bomb around your neck. Should've ripped that collar off and thrown it into the stratosphere. I'm sorry."

Sue shakes her head. "Don't worry about it. Like I said, at least I still have a head."

Kara nods carefully. "You definitely do."

"I've never had a force field fail on me before." –she confesses, slowly sipping on her water. Kara gets the distinct impression that this isn't the first time she's been in this position. "They've thrown everything at me, y'know? Bullets, missiles, grenades...even a tank shell, once. And you just...punched it, right open."

"I never thought it'd knock you out." –Kara says, sheepish. "I should've thought it through a little more."

"You saved my life, Supergirl. Let's leave it at that."

She nods. "Right. But please, call me Kara. Kara Danvers."

"Susan Storm. Sue will do." –she says, offering a small smile. "What about the others? Johnny and Ben, are they okay?"

"They're fine. A little more beat up than you, but they're up and about, a few rooms over."

Sue looks around the place – half containment cell, half hospital room. "Where are we?"

"Avengers Tower. We're waiting for a doctor to come in and give you the all-clear."

The bedridden blonde nods, then closes her eyes, exhausted. "They told us we might see you there, y'know? The Avengers. They said it might be too high profile for you to ignore."

"Who's 'they'? And why risk something like this, if they knew we'd notice?"

Sue winces. "I don't know the specifics. None of us do but Reed. As for your other question...I don't think they knew what to expect from you. Iron Man going around, blowing bad guys up is one thing; a whole team of people like him? That's new. That's dangerous."

Kara raises an eyebrow. "Who's Reed?"

"He's my husband. Reed Richards. I guess you could say he's our...leader. Or at least, he's the only one the people behind all this will talk to."

"Why wasn't he with you? And what can you tell me about the other two, Johnny and Ben?"

"Johnny's my brother. Ben is my husband's lifelong friend." –she says. "Reed's powers are very useful, but his real strength is his mind. He hangs back while we do the jobs."

Kara crosses her arms. "How and when did you get these powers?"

"It's a long story." –Sue warns.

"I've got time. Got nowhere to be until sunset, actually."

She sighs. "Alright. Do you...know anything about cosmic energy?"

Kara shakes her head. Sue nods, like she expected as much. "I'm not surprised. It's barely recognized as a theory by the scientific community, much less a widely known or accepted phenomenon."

The blonde smiles fondly. "Reed's always had a mind for science, y'know? It's why I fell in love with him in the first place. Late nights crunching numbers to cheap, microwaveable dinners and Carl Sagan's Cosmos on the background...but the kind of knowledge he deals with has always been considered 'fringe science' – the kind of theories that get you laughed off a stage, no matter how much evidence you present."

"Are you talking about like, cryptids or something?" –Kara asks.

Sue scowls. "No, nothing like that. It's...things that we can document but modern science can't explain yet. Cosmic energy is thought to be a simple amalgam of high energy subatomic particles moving through space at relativistic speeds, but the way it interacts with matter can't be explained away as something so simple." –she explains. "You've seen what we can do. If we'd been exposed to what mainstream science understands as cosmic rays, we'd simply be dead, not...whatever we are, now."

Kara hums. "And your husband thought he'd solved the mystery?"

"He did solve the mystery. Or at least, confirmed and measured the supernatural effects of this kind of energy." –she says, clearly proud. "Reed's been obsessed with the concept ever since he witnessed an Einstein-Rosen bridge as a kid."

Seeing Kara's confusion, she coughs. "Thor's preferred method of transportation? The uh, Rainbow Bridge, Supergirl."

"Oh! Yeah, I've seen the video."

"...right. Reed was...present for one of the Asgardians' earlier visits, some twenty years ago. No idea who it was, or what they came here for, but Reed saw it happen: a wormhole, right before his eyes. Science couldn't explain it yet – and it still can't, no matter how much Doctor Jane Foster might want to say otherwise – but Reed developed this theory along the years that there was some kind of unknown force at play. He spent years trying to prove it, crafting the theory, but...well, he couldn't gather any evidence. No one would support his experiments, and he eventually ran out of money and patience."

"Then," –Sue shudders, "he met Victor."

Kara frowns. "What's wrong?"

"Supergirl, there's something seriously wrong with that man. I've only ever met him the one time, and it's still disturbing to think about. He's...tall, handsome, well-spoken, but...there's something in his eyes. It makes my guts twist just remembering." –she explains, hugging herself. "Victor, he heard of Reed's research. He had a similar theory, and he was willing to fund some serious experiments."

"Like what?"

The blonde sits up a bit. "Do you remember how the government tried – and miserably failed – to explain away the New Mexico incident?"

"Thor's fight with the Destroyer, right? They said a satellite fell on Puente Antiguo, I think. Tried to play it off as an accident, but there were too many witnesses talking, too many videos already out."

Sue nods. "It was a total PR disaster, but there was some truth to the lie. A small spacecraft did fall to Earth that day, with us inside."

Kara's eyebrows shoot up. "Rao. You were up there, studying the Rainbow Bridge."

A small, proud smile blossoms on her face. "Like I said; Victor was willing to fund us. I don't know how he managed to put together the shuttle, much less launch it into orbit, but he did. He disguised the whole thing as a satellite launch, and off we went."

"He must be incredibly wealthy." –Kara mutters. "Thor was on Earth for barely a month. How did you even know when the Bridge would form?"

Sue shakes her head. "I honestly don't know. Reed said Victor could somehow...predict it, but he didn't believe it, and neither do I. In any case, Victor's coordinates put us way too close to the Bridge, and the beam struck our spacecraft. Obliterated it, really, leaving us with no chance of regaining control of it. To make matters worse, we'd been bathed in cosmic energy – our bodies were changing before our eyes. We managed to pack into an escape pod before the vessel fell, but...well, the damage was done." –she says, surprisingly bitter. "Reed and I have tried everything we could think of, but our conditions are, by all accounts, irreversible. I'll have to live life constantly thinking about not turning invisible. My brother might never be able to touch anyone without burning them. And Ben? God...he got it the worst. His own mother wouldn't be able to recognize him."

Kara purses her lips. She's glad they survived, but to change so drastically..."I know it's not the same, but...I kinda get it. What you've been through – not the accident, maybe, but the changes."

"What do you mean?" –Sue asks, skeptical.

"I wasn't always this strong." –Kara confesses. "Back on Krypton, I was more or less the same as a regular human. Kryptonians, we were genetically engineered to adapt to new environments – when I landed on Earth, I changed. Every little move I made could suddenly break people. I'd lose control and float, having to hang on for dear life or risk flying off like a stray balloon. And don't even get me started on the heat vision...I know your situation is objectively more difficult, but I want you to know that it helps, having people around who get it. People whose lives were changed, like yours were – like the Hulk, like me. We're here for you."

Sue looks down at her hands. She turns invisible, leaving only the somewhat comical image of a floating hospital gown and bedsheets. "You're right; it's not the same. You still get to look like you. Whatever people say about you, the one thing they can't hold against you is your appearance." –she says, tired. Kara winces, but Sue reappears with a small smile on her face. "That being said, the hell we've been through...it's only been a bit more bearable knowing my loved ones were with me every step of the way. And now that you guys saved us from it, I'm ready to pay it forward." –she says, resolute.

Kara nods, serious. "Who are we going after?"

Sue falters, but doesn't stop. "The name of their organization is Centipede. They...collect people like us – people with powers. They call us 'Enhanced'. They picked us up after the crash, which I can only assume means Victor is in league with them. They've...employed us, ever since – we collected other Enhanced, stole company secrets, served as test dummies for their inventions. Like I said, only Reed knows any names." –she admits. "But I do know where to find out more about them, though."

The blonde points out the room, to the New York skyline visible from the room. Kara scowls, instantly recognizing the obsidian monolith in the distance. She's only just visited, after all.

Lena's going to have a lot of explaining to do.

As always, thank you for your attention! Make sure to comment or message me if you have any questions about this story. Look me up on Twitter as Darthkvzn or Tumblr as darthkvznblogs if you'd like - and on Ko-fi, as Darthkvzn, if you like what I do and have a buck to spare.

Until next time!