Hey ya'll, here's chapter 45, we're getting closer to finding the cure! I know so many of you are dying for the cure to happen, well, it's coming... Maybe. =D Just kidding, it's coming, it's just not an overnight thing, you know? Anywhoo, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Disclaimer: I totally own Marvel... Oh yeah. No. I don't.
Tony had been surprisingly overprotective of me the whole time I was recovering from surgery. He even insisted on doing a full background check- including hacking into their SHIELD personnel file- on the physical therapist that I would be seeing before deciding if he approved or not, so it was really no surprise when he found out I had a meeting at SHIELD about a half an hour before my meeting, while I was calling a cab, there was a knock on the door. I looked over at it and laughed as Kayla went running to the door. Felipe was in the kitchen with Amanda, having decided to teach the girls how to make cupcakes while I was gone.
"Mommy, it's Happy!" Kayla called as she came back. I smiled at her and then looked up at Happy who was walking in.
"Tony said you needed a ride." he informed me and I nodded as I hung up my phone.
"That's true." I replied as I put my phone in my purse. "He tell you where I'm going?"
"He did."
"Well okay then." I smiled, and then looked at Kayla. "I'll be back a little later sweetheart. Mind Felipe, okay?"
"Okay Mommy." she agreed before holding her arms up to me. I was about to hand my crutches to Happy s I could pick her up, but he walked over and picked her up easily making her giggle and me smile. I kissed the top of her head quickly, and he put her back down as Amanda walked over.
"I'm fine." she said to him and he chuckled lightly before I hugged her.
"Keep an eye on her, listen to Felipe, and why don't you call your boyfriend?" I asked and she blushed lightly.
"Well we kinda talked late last night." she shrugged and I raised my eyebrows at her making her smile.
"We're gonna have a talk later." I informed her and she laughed before I waved to Felipe.
"Bye Felipe, I'll see you soon honey." I said to him and he waved from where he was presetting the oven.
"Have a good meeting." he replied.
Happy took my purse and helped me into my coat before I picked up my crutches and walked with Happy to the elevator. "Where did Tony send you during all of the craziness?" I asked him and he looked at me.
"I was head of security at Stark Tower. Make sure no undesirables got in, that sort of thing."
"Well they could have picked better, Rhodey and I both got in, him on multiple occasions."
"I said undesirables, not people who know how to shut down entire computer systems." he said and I smiled at the thought.
"So I've been caught." I sighed and he smiled.
"I wanted to help you." he told me.
"I know Happy. And you did, you didn't call the cops."
"I just-"
"We all did what we had to." I told him as I laid my hand on his arm.
"I'd never have let her get that close to you Kid." he said to me and I smiled before the elevator stopped.
"Thank you Happy." I said to him as we went to the front doors. The Doorman held the door for us and Happy went to get the car, when he pulled it around he hopped out and held the back door open for me, taking the crutches so I could get in the back. He put them in the trunk for me before getting into the front and driving me to SHIELD Headquarters in Time Square.
We pulled up to the parking garage and I punched in my SHIELD ID code, and pressed my thumbprint to the screen next to it, before the gate opened. We pulled up to another gate and I rolled down the back window, and I showed my badge and ID to the guard who opened the gate. When we got inside the parking garage I smiled seeing Steve waiting for us inside. He opened the back door for me and helped me out of the car while Happy got my crutches.
"Call me when you're done." Happy told me and I nodded.
"No problem." I smiled at him before taking my crutches and following Steve. "Where is he?"
"We've brought him to one of the interrogation rooms downstairs." he informed me as we walked to an elevator. Steve hit the down button and then looked over at me. "How are you doing?"
"I'm okay. I'm glad to be home."
"Are the girls okay?"
"They're glad to be back as well." I nodded and he smiled. "How are you doing?"
"Well," he said after a moment of thought, as we stepped into the elevator and he hit the floor we were going to. "It's nice not to be called Captain Canada anymore." he admitted and I laughed. "I don't see how it's funny."
"Oh Steve," I giggled, happy I had my crutches to support me. "I know you get annoyed with him, but that's just Tony's way of showing he does care." I looked at him; he shook his head and looked at me.
"Just a little old fashioned I guess." he said.
"Oh please, like you guys didn't tease each other about things back then." I shook my head. "Things are different Steve, but they aren't that different."
"It's just... Stark, he's relentless. He's so much like his father." he looked at me sharply as soon as he said that and I looked up at him with a knowing smile.
"Don't worry Spangles," I said, using one of Tony's many nicknames for him. "I won't tell him you're homesick."
"Thank you Minnie." he said softly and I patted his arm. We stepped out of the elevator and he led me down the hallway.
"You can't hold the fact that he isn't Howard against him." I told him and he nodded. "I know it's hard Steve, but Tony really does care about you." We walked through doorways, and past security checkpoints, until we got to the interrogation rooms. "Next time," I joked as we got there. "We're holding the interrogation in Fury's office. It's closer to the elevator, and it's intimidating the moment you walk in there." I pointed out and Steve smiled.
"I am sorry about this, I can have them bring you a wheelchair." he offered and I waved a hand at him.
"We'll see how I'm feeling after this." I told him and he nodded as he held the door open for me. We walked into the adjoining room and I looked into the interrogation room. "He looks like shit." I blurted out when I saw Dr. Fleischer. He looked exhausted, he hadn't shaved in awhile, I suspected they were keeping him from sharp things, and he was recovering from a black eye by the looks of it. "Who hit him?" I looked to Clint who looked at Steve who looked at his shoes.
"I don't want to talk about it." Steve said softly and I shook my head with a small sigh.
"It was a pretty great swing." Clint said and Phil rolled his eyes.
"Well what do you expect?" he asked as if the idea of Captain America throwing a bad punch was ludicrous, which it kind of was.
"Hey," the door opened and I smiled at Natasha who smiled seeing me.
"You going in with me?" I asked and she nodded.
"We thought it would be best to keep the Cap away from him for a little while. Though we might get more information out of him if we call your husband."
"My husband doesn't know I'm here." I said to her and they all looked at me. "I mean, he knows I'm here, but I said I had a meeting with Fury."
"You lied to him?" Clint asked and I nodded hesitantly.
"He's got enough to worry about, not to mention Betty is hanging around the lab again." I sighed darkly.
"You sure you want to go in there?" Steve asked and I nodded.
"It's not my first rodeo." I said and noticed Natasha was holding a cane.
"Here," she said as I handed my crutches to Steve and took the cane. "I know the doctor wanted you to wait to start using a cane, but it looks better for the interrogation." she said and I nodded.
"Let's do this." I said and she nodded. We went to the doorway and Phil started recording as Natasha opened the door. I put my weight on the cane as we walked into the room, Dr. Fleischer had looked up, and started to look away, but did a double take when I walked in.
"I can honestly say I wasn't expecting to see you." he told me and I nodded.
"I can honestly say I wasn't expecting to be here." I informed him. "But, apparently we need to talk."
"You're expecting me to talk?" he scoffed. "After everything that has happened, you expect me to just sit here and tell you everything?" he scoffed. "You're even more deluded than I thought."
"I don't expect that." I said as I sat down, relieving the pressure on my knee. Natasha took the seat next to me as I folded my hands in front of me. "I don't expect you to tell us everything, that would be stupid. No, what I expect from you is to tell us where the drive is."
"That's what you people want to know?" he asked as he looked from me to Natasha with a frown.
"Well, yes." I nodded. "It's got the full information on what it is you did to change me completely. That information could make or break someone." I shrugged and he straightened up slightly.
"You're saying it worked?" he asked looking interested and I frowned.
"Of course it worked." I said and he nodded thoughtfully. "You didn't know it would work."
"There was always a chance it wouldn't work. The blood sample of yours we had was pretty old, so-"
"Wait, blood sample, what blood sample?" I asked.
"Your neighbor convinced you to donate blood very soon before Le- Before you were brought back out of hiding." he hesitated saying her name and I filed that little reaction away in my brain.
"You tracked down the blood I gave?" I asked and he nodded. "You had no idea if it would work or not."
"No." he said simply. "That's what's so ingenious about it." he smiled and I looked at Natasha, before dropping my hands to my lap, I pulled my gloves off while he spoke. "Think about it, to be able to change people, to change the little imperfections."
"Perfection is all you Germans seem to think about." Natasha said and he scoffed.
"Like the Russians don't think about it too. You're the closest they've come to it." he said and looked her over. "And even that is questionable. But think, if a mutant can be created, theoretically, once could be destroyed." he said and I put my bare hand over his, holding his down to the table.
"Theoretically?" I asked and he looked at my hand with an open mouth before looking up at me again.
"Oh, this is- Ah- I see why they chose her." he laughed, and he licked his lips. "It was never guaranteed to work, that's why Norman brought in Dr. Banner's father, because he was crazy enough to try it, and apparently to make it work." he said as he tried to pull his hand away. I held it in the same spot.
"We need all of the information regarding what you did to me." I said darkly to him as he tried to pull his hand away a little harder.
"Look, I uh, I put it all in my computer, every step, everything we did, its all there." he said quickly.
"There's information missing." Natasha said. "There's empty files, someone moved it."
"And you think it was me?!" he asked as he tried to pry my hand off of his wrist. "Please, Mrs- Mrs. Banner-" he started to look very faint so I let go of his hand. He put his head in his hands and Natasha slammed her hand on the table making him look at her with a jolt. "I didn't touch the files," he said. "They were some of my best work, why would I move them?" he asked.
"Who else had access to your computer?" I asked and he looked at me with an uneasy glance before he sighed.
"No one, just..." he paused. "Just the people in the lab." he looked at us. "I swear, I'm telling the truth." he said as Natasha looked at him darkly. He looked at me and I stared at him for a moment before I stood up, taking my cane, I stepped to the door and he watched us. "That's it?" he asked and I nodded.
"Unless we find out you're lying. I'm sure Captain America would love to take another shot at you, and I know my husband hasn't gotten his quality time with the good doctor." I pointed out and he winced.
"Mrs. Banner?" he asked as I got to the door. I paused and looked back at him. "Leona?" he asked almost looking hopeful.
"She's dead." his face fell and he sighed, before looking to Natasha who shook her head. "I did it." I replied and he stared at me for a moment before he nodded.
"And Norman?" he asked sounding disgusted.
"Same as you." I replied and he nodded before he looked away. "Agent Barton will be in to take you back to your cell." I told him before I left the room. When I got into the adjoining room I noticed first off that Phil was gone, and that Clint was gone.
"They went to track down the agent they had inside of the lab."
"Chloe Kenner." Natasha said to me. "She was going by the name Laura Robinson. She was like me and Clint, she was good. I never would have thought..."
"I know." I said softly. "Just concentrate on finding her." She nodded and I ran a hand through my hair before looking at the German doctor in the other room. Hopefully his chattiness would continue, because at this rate I was ready to throw him in a lab with Tony and Bruce.
Anna Marie stood in front of the Stark Tower looking up at it as the wind whipped her hair around her face, people walked by, ignoring the young girl before she sighed, and walked to the doors. A doorman opened them and she stepped though, looking around before she spotted a check in desk. She walked over to it and waited for the pizza guy in front of her to get the go ahead to go up before she stepped up to the desk where a pretty blonde woman with a little too much eye shadow was smiling a very big, pearly white smile at her.
"Hi, welcome to Stark Tower, can I help you?" she asked as she looked Anna over.
"Uh, I need to talk to Tony Stark." she said softly.
"Do you have an appointment?" the woman asked and Anna shook her head.
"No, uh, I'm here about what happened a few weeks ago, the whole Norman Osborn thing..." she said hesitantly. "I- I need to talk to him about-"
"I'm afraid you're going to have to make an appointment sweetheart." the receptionist said and Anna sighed.
"Look, it's important, he'll want to see me." Anna insisted. "Can you please call him? Please?"
"I'm afraid Mr. Stark is not to be interrupted without an appointment." she said pointedly and Anna sighed darkly.
"Does the name Rogue mean anything to you?" she asked and the blonde man who had been walking by paused mid step, before turning to look at the situation unfolding right there.
"Look, young lady, Mr. Stark is very busy, he can't be disturbed by every little girl who says it's important. If you need a quote, contact his assistant, if you need a paternity test, contact his lawyer, in either case, it's not something Tony will be seeing you about personally." she said. The blonde man who had stopped rolled his eyes before clearing his throat.
"Anna, Sweetie!" he said as he approached with a smile. "It is so good to see you again!" he said as he walked over to her and carefully wrapped his arms around her.
"You too…" she said as she slowly returned the hug, her voice laced with confusion.
"Just play along." he muttered in her ear, before pulling back. "I totally forgot you were coming in today! Tony will be so happy to see you again!"
"Well, not according to some people." Anna said and he waved his hand.
"Oh honey, don't you worry about it." he said as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and looked at the blonde whose smile had disappeared, and was staring at the two darkly. "Oh, Adriana, honey, she's fine, don't worry about it." he said before he walked over to the desk and got a visitors sticker and put it on Anna's chest, before he wrapped his arm around her and walked her toward the elevator. "Now, Sweetie," he was saying loudly. "You have got to tell me all about that cutie pie you've hooked up with, and tell me, does he have a brother? I'm kidding of course!" he said as he pressed the elevator button. When the doors slid open he led her into the elevator and the doors shut."Lab 12 please Jarvis."
"Right away sir." a voice replied and Anna jumped slightly.
"Alright Kiddo," the blonde man said as he let go of Anna. "You're Rogue huh?" he asked and she nodded. "Well, my name is Dallas, and I'm Minnie's best friend, and the fairy godfather to her children." he explained.
"It's nice to meet you." she said and he raised an eyebrow as he looked her over.
"I can understand why you agreed to help with the testing." he said finally. "You were promised a cure."
"I was stupid to think they'd have a cure." she said softly.
"No, you were hopeful." Dallas said and he put his hand on her shoulder. "And someday they may have a cure. But I think you really need to ask yourself, is what you are something you want to change with something you refer to as a cure? A cure makes it sound like you're sick, which you aren't. You're just different pumpkin. That's like people saying I can be cured because I happen to prefer to dress girls up rather than strip them down." he shrugged. "It's changing who you are."
"I never wanted this." she said and he nodded.
"I never wanted this either." he said. "But I am who I am. And you are who you are."
"Then why do you want Minnie to be changed back so much?" she asked and he smiled gently.
"Because it's not who Minnie is." he said. "You know how to use your power, you're part of a team, and you are trained. Minnie isn't."
"She's trained. She's on a team."
"She was trained by an assassin, not a mutant. She was part of a team briefly, but now the only team she's part of is Team Banner. Her team is her family, it always has been." Dallas explained. "And I'm not saying that you shouldn't take a cure if one is invented, if you know in your heart of hearts that it's right to do so, and it's what you want." he clarified. "I'm just saying, what they're doing here, it isn't so much of a cure, as it is a reversal."
"I was part of making her this way." she said. "Amanda was nice to me, and if I can help her mother in any way, I want to." Rogue replied.
"That's what I want to hear." Dallas said. "Jarvis open the doors." the doors opened on a floor and Dallas led Rogue to a room, and scanned an ID card before opening the door. Tony was working on a sequence on a touch screen computer while Bruce was typing on a laptop, his glasses were perched precariously on the tip of his nose and he looked up when Dallas and Rogue walked in.
"Is today take your daughter to work day?" Tony asked. "If I had known I'd have borrowed one of yours." he said to Bruce who scoffed.
"Get your own daughters." he muttered as he took his glasses off. "What's up Dallas?"
"Love bug, this is Anna Marie," Dallas said as he put his hand on Rogue's shoulder. "You may also know her by the name Rogue." Bruce and Tony both looked at each other when he said that before looking back at the girl.
"I know it's kind of my fault what happened." she said to Bruce. "And I want to help."
"Good, because we were just talking about the possibility of tracking down Minnie for a blood sample. Since your blood was used to make her, come on in and roll up your sleeves!" Tony said cheerily as Bruce stared at the young girl. She looked at Dallas who nodded and then walked over to Tony while Bruce walked over to Dallas.
"Have you spoken to Minnie?" Bruce asked and Dallas shook his head.
"No, but I know Felipe is with your girls. He's teaching Amanda how to make cupcakes."
"She just came in, on her own?" he asked, ignoring what Dallas had just said.
"She came in all upset wanting to talk to Tony, so I brought her up." he shrugged. "She seems like she really does want to help."
"Yeah." Bruce nodded, not looking away from the young girl. "Have uh, have you seen Betty?"
"Don't call her that." Dallas said suddenly and Bruce looked at him curiously. "Call her Dr. Ross please. I don't like her hanging around and its worse when you call her Betty. Especially after last time."
"Did you hear the full story?" Bruce sighed and Dallas nodded.
"Of course I did, doesn't mean she's getting invited to the baby shower."
"Baby shower?" Bruce asked and Dallas grinned.
"I already told Minnie, but Felipe and I are going to adopt." he grinned. "Once everything is calmed down of course." he waved his hand quickly and Bruce smiled.
"Guess we'll have to hurry up with this cure huh?" he asked and Dallas nodded.
"Of course. Oh, and don't worry, I'll still be the girls fairy godfather."
"Of course." Bruce laughed.
"And you'll be my baby's godfather." Dallas smiled and Bruce looked slightly surprised.
"I- Really?" he asked and Dallas nodded.
"Of course Love Bug." he replied, before looking at his phone. "Oh, got to go, Pepper's calling me. Bye bye Anna, have fun!" he called to her and she looked back at him, and waved slightly.
"Hey Banner, I could use your help seeing as you used to do this to yourself all the time." Tony called and Bruce sighed before he walked over and took the needle from Tony and found a good vein in Anna's arm to use.
"You'll feel a slight pinch." he warned her, happy to see Tony had wiped down her arm with alcohol pads already. He pushed the needle into her arm and attached a vial, letting it collect blood.
"Dr. Banner." Anna said softly and he looked up at her. "I'm sorry."
"I know." he said softly.
He knew it wasn't her fault what happened, that she had gone to those people in hopes of getting help for her condition, but a small part of him still couldn't help but think that if she hadn't gone to them, he would be able to touch his wife without worrying about decimating an entire city.
For now he wasn't going to keep thinking like that though, he was going to work on finding a cure.
Got some Rogue action there, because I know you guys love her, and we're inching closer and closer to the cure.
Has anyone else noticed that Steve seems to have a small crush on Minnie? Someone pointed that out to me, and I don't know if I should address it in the story or not, seeing as she is as in love with Bruce as she ever was, and vice versa. I think I'll save addressing it for my next story- Whoops, did I just say that? Oh well, I guess I may as well tell you, I'm in the process of writing two more stories, a Captain America Story, and a Clint Barton story, both of which take place in the same universe. I don't know which one I'll post first, but I'll keep you updated.
Please don't forget to review! Let me know what you think about Steve's little crush, I'd like to know if you guys think about that.