Chapter 7: Avengers on the Hellmouth

******Where We Left off******

Nick was not expecting this. "Excuse me. Did you say Dr. Banner is currently in your hellmouth in Ohio? How? Why? How did the Hulk end up in such a place?" he asked Buffy, his mind whirling with too many questions.

"I don't know how he got there. Faith says that his presence is having some weird effect on the hellmouth. He's stirring it up. She's been battling him for the past two days, and she just realized today who he was. She thought he was just a new demon," Buffy explained.

Tony was busy consulting with JARVIS to find out how Bruce ended up in Ohio. "According to what JARVIS has found out, Bruce spoke at a college in Oberlin. He rented a car and drove there from the airport. He made it to his speaking engagement, so he must've run into trouble on his way back to the airport," Tony explained.

"He must've ran into some vamps," Xander said. "They got him all riled up."

Nick Fury didn't like going into a situation where he didn't know all the players or how to control the situation. "We'll have to assemble a full team. The Hulk is never easy to deal with even without all these new variables," Nick said.

"I already have a team in place. They are more than equipped to deal with the situation," Buffy said coolly. She wasn't about to let the government try to take over her hellmouth. Even if she was technically retired.

"Banner is one of ours," Nick said flatly. "We are going in."

Buffy stepped up to him. "Listen, you don't know what a hellmouth is or the situation we will be walking into. Your people are not prepared to deal with this. Mine are," Buffy said. "I've seen what happens when the military tries to get involved in fighting demons. It never ends well."

"Just exactly who are your people?" Nick asked, raising an eyebrow.

Buffy looked over at Xander as if seeking his advice. He gave her a slight nod. She sighed in resignation. "I told you that Willow was a powerful witch. Well, she used the magic from my scythe to turn all potential slayers in the world into slayers. Five years ago, when I shut the hellmouth in Sunnydale, slayers all over the world were awakened. When a new potential reaches sixteen, she comes into her powers. We've been gathering them up and training them ever since," Buffy revealed.

Nick and the Avengers all looked slightly startled at her words. "You're telling me that you have an entire army of slayers that are as strong and gifted as you are?" he asked, trying to conceal his excitement.

"No one is as gifted as Buffy," Xander said with a grin.

"Don't even think about it!" Buffy warned.

"What?" Nick asked.

"You are not getting your hands on my slayers without my permission!" Buffy said firmly.

"Just how many slayers are we talking about?" Nick asked.

"That's not important now," Tony said, interrupting. "We need to get to Ohio, so we can get through to Banner."

"Do you think you can?" Nick asked. He pulled out his cell and sent a text.

"I'll do my best," Tony said.

Buffy looked at Xander. "Should we tell Willow?" she asked.

"Well, if you don't, she'll be pissed, but I don't think you'll need her. Not with the superfriends here lending a hand," he said, smiling at Captain America and company.

Buffy looked at Tony. "How soon can we be ready to go? It would be better to deal with your friend before the sun goes down. We don't need to deal with the vamps that will come out on top of all the demons already in the mix," Buffy said. She looked at Clint. "Bring your wooden arrows just in case."

He grinned. "Sounds like fun," he said.

Natasha got to her feet. "I've always wanted to meet Dracula," she said with a cool smile.

"I've met him. He was a bit full of himself," Buffy said airily.

Xander had to bite his lip to quell his instinctive desire to defend his temporary master. He grimaced. "I'm going to go catch Will up to speed," he said. Tony nodded and waved him off.

Agent Hill came into the room. "What can I do for you, sir?" she asked Nick.

"We have located Banner. He's not in control. We need to assemble a team. We will be dealing not just with the Hulk but with demons and other creatures we've never encountered. Prepare the team," Nick told her. The agent nodded and turned to carry out his orders.

"So these demons, can they be killed by normal means?" Steve asked Buffy.

She nodded. "Normally, I go for the heart or cut off their heads," she replied.

Steve nodded. "Good to know," he said. He never thought enlisting to fight the Nazis would one day lead him to battling aliens. Now he found that demons really did live in this world. His grandmother would probably be quite proud to know that his time going to Sunday school hadn't been entirely wasted.

******Oberlin, Ohio—the Hellmouth******

Faith groaned in frustration. "A storm front is moving in! The sun is disappearing," she said to Robin. "We may have the vampires coming out."

"The Hulk has ripped up all the trees shading the area," Robin pointed out.

"It won't matter if the sun isn't shining," Meredith pointed out. Meredith was one of the only Ohio natives on Faith's team. She was older than most slayers and a mother. She was a thinker more than a speaker, so Faith always tended to listen when she talked.

"Buffy is on her way with Tony Stark. He's a friend of the Hulk's," Faith said.

"My husband will be pissed if I don't make it to pick up the kids," Meredith said as she beheaded a demon that was trying to take a bite out of Zara, another slayer.

"May want to call him. It's going to be a long day!" Faith said. The Hulk hadn't tried to actually kill any of the slayers, but he'd managed to break some bones of more than a few. Whenever they got too close, he'd chuck a tree at them or send them flying with a swift kick or hit. Faith had called in the reserved team. Normally, though, if an apocalypse was brewing, there were enough signs foretelling that they were prepared with enough bodies. They'd been unprepared to deal with the Hulk and the affect he was having on the demon population.

"I think the cavalry has arrived," Robin said, pointing at two small planes coming their way. He had sent Xander their location, so they weren't surprised to see the incoming birds. "Xander said Tony Stark was bringing SHIELD and some of his friends."

"Great, amateurs with guns going to show us how it's done," Faith said sarcastically.

"My husband may forgive my lateness if I get an autograph from Captain America," Meredith said with barely suppressed excitement. "Do you think he's with Buffy?"

"Please, he's such a throwback!" Zara said with disdain. "I'd totally take the Hawk guy. He's yummy! I always did love Robin Hood!"

The girls snickered and watched the planes descend. Faith called in her slayers. She had a bit over thirty that weren't injured. Nearly ten were out commission. With the reinforcements coming with Buffy, Faith expected they would manage. There were more normally stationed at the hellmouth. However, things had been so calm lately that Faith had given several some R & R time. Others, she had sent to Giles. The rest she'd sent out to various other hot spots across the country. Naturally, things would get interesting while her numbers were low.

When Agent Hill set the plan down a few yards from where they could spot the Hulk, Buffy got to her feet. Fury had brought a team of his agents in the second plane. Buffy tried to tell him it wasn't a good idea, but he wouldn't listen. No matter how skilled or well-trained a person was, they usually were ill-prepared to deal with demons. When everyone filed out of the plane, Buffy looked at Fury and said, "Tell your guys that a knife would be more effective than a gun if they get up close and personal with any demons. Bullets won't kill vampires, and sometimes they won't work on the demons." When he nodded in acknowledgment, she turned to Steve. "Captain, get your men to flank the Hulk on the east. Faith will bring up the west. Banner and I will come in directly from the north." She turned to Tony. "Do you think you can get through to your friend?"

"I hope so," Tony said.

Clint surveyed the women who were not far from the Hulk. They were all engaged in battle. "These are all friends of yours?" he asked, impressed. Women of all different nationalities and sizes were engaged in battle. They looked so young. A few couldn't have been eighteen. He wasn't sure he liked seeing such young women put themselves in such danger. However, they seemed adept at handling the various monsters that seemed to be everywhere. Where were they coming from?

Buffy nodded and pointed. "The one with the scythe is Faith. She's in charge of the slayers now. The guy fighting next to her is Robin, her lover and a son of a slayer. He is perfectly human and has trained all his life to fight vampires," she said. She looked at Xander.

"Don't worry about me. I'll stay in the back, guarding Mr. Fury," Xander said with a grin.

"Some of these girls seem barely eighteen," Clint observed.

"At least five are under," Buffy said with a shrug. "I was sixteen the first time I stopped an apocalypse. And I didn't have an army of slayers helping me. Just Xander, Giles, and Willow. She wasn't a witch then."

"And Angel," Xander reminded her.

A smile played around her mouth as she nodded. "And Angel," she said softly. She and Angel had a love that had been sweet and innocent the way all first loves should be. It was just Buffy's bad luck that things turned so tragic. They both had accepted, though, that it wasn't meant to be. Angel would always have a part of her heart as she would his, but they both knew friendship was the best they'd ever have with one another.

"They look like they know what they're doing," Steve observed.

"Impressive," Tony agreed. "Well, let's get this party started!"

Buffy smiled and started forward into the fray. She had a battle ax with her. Natasha was a step behind her. Immediately, they were attacked. Buffy watched Natasha, who fought with twin blades. After a few seconds, she relaxed. The Black Widow knew how to fight dirty, so she would be okay. However, the soldiers Fury had brought weren't as prepared. Buffy shook her head—they weren't her problem. She fought her way to Faith.

"Welcome back, B," Faith said with a grin. She threw the scythe at Buffy, who instinctively caught it and handed off her weapon to Faith.

The weapon, as always, filled her with power and confidence. She grinned. "It's like I never left," she replied. She swung the weapon and beheaded a demon. "I need you to move the girls to the west of the Hulk. Captain America is bringing his team to cover the east."

Faith snickered. "You're running in lofty circles these days, B," Faith said.

Buffy grinned. "Green doesn't become you, Faith!" she said. The two moved back to back as they began the familiar dance.

Tony had encased his hand only in a piece of his Iron Man gear. He used it to burn and take down any demon that came across him. He found himself dunking and moving out of the way more than he did exchanging blows. He knew he was vulnerable without his suit. Instead of feeling fear, he felt exhilarated. Not wearing the suit limited his options, but he liked knowing that he was more than just a suit.

Nick Fury stood off to the distance to watch the scene. His eye took in every detail. The organized synchrony of Summers and her slayers was impressive. She used her scythe like it was an extension of her body. Then she surprised him when she casually handed it off to another girl, who used it just as effortlessly. He frowned and looked at Xander. "I don't understand. Why did she toss that magnificent weapon to another?"

"That is a weapon only a slayer can wield. She pulled it from a rock kind of like King Arthur. It's ancient and calls to them in a way no other weapon does," Xander explained. "Although it's technically Buffy's, she's not selfish with it. She left it with Faith the last time we visited. All the girls get a chance to feel what it's like to fight with it."

Nick wasn't sure he understood, but he nodded. He watched as Buffy and Stark approached Banner.

The Hulk surveyed the new arrivals. All the new people made him antsy. However, the presence of his friends did register. He roared a greeting to them. He watched as Tony approached following a girl. The girl captivated him. For some reason, she seemed different than the others. There were so many of them. He didn't really know why they were there or why they kept fighting all those irksome little demons. He watched as two twin demons jumped in front of her. One knocked Tony to the ground. The girl kicked out and knocked one to the ground. Then she pulled out a knife and stabbed the other. It fell. He watched as a weapon was tossed to her. He roared his approval as she sliced one of his irritants in half. That she was friend and not foe registered through his rage filled mind. He gave his Hulk smile and roared a greeting as they drew nearer.

Tony got up and approached the Hulk. "Hey, Big Guy. What are you doing?" Tony asked with a smile.

The Hulk roared another friendly roar and kicked a demon that dared get too close to him. Tony grinned. "How about we let Banner take over now, so he and I can go get a drink? I don't really find the Buck-eyed state all that entertaining," Tony said. He noticed the Hulk still as if seeking to obey his request. Before he got very far, however, they were interrupted.

"Watch out, Tony!" Buffy yelled.

Tony was knocked down once again by a demon that seemed to weigh a ton. He squirmed until he could reach the knife he also had brought. Grabbing it, he maneuvered until he could pull it out and began stabbing at the demon.

Nearby, Natasha and Clint were back to back fighting off demons they'd never faced before. "I'm experiencing some deja vu," Clint said as he let another arrow fly.

"It's like New York but even weirder," Natasha said. "At least they're on the ground. Makes it easier."

She got hit in the face by a demon and winced. "Then again, it makes it easier for them, too!" She kicked out and knocked the demon back. Clint let go another arrow and pierced the ugly thing.

Faith looked over at Captain America, who was effortlessly fighting two demons at once. She admired his form. "Now he can fight with me any time!" she exclaimed with a grin. She watched one of his men get speared in the stomach by a demon's large claws and winced. "Captain! Your man!" Steve turned to help his fallen man. "Robin, we need to move closer to the Hulk and push back the demons surrounding him. I'm not sure if they're trying to worship at his feet or kill him. Either way, they're making him angrier."

Robin nodded and called out orders.

The Hulk reached out and knocked the demons back who had surrounded Tony. He reached out and picked up his friend.

"I'm okay, Big Guy," Tony assured him. He wiggled until he got his arms free. "You can put me down."

Suddenly, it began to rain.

"Great!" Buffy said in disgust. She looked up and saw the sky get even darker. "This is not good! It's dark enough to bring out the vamps!"

Tony patted the Hulk's hand. "Set me down please," he said. "Gently!" The Hulk obeyed and sat him down.

No one seemed immune to the demons' attacks. Nick and Xander were a few yards away from the thick of the battle. A stray demon came up to them. Xander had a sword, and Nick a gun. Nick shot the demon a few times, but it only served to make it angry. The demon was about seven feet tall. It had horns and a thick neck. It used its powerful arms to hit Fury in the face, and he hit the ground hard. Xander moved in front of him and swung his sword. The thing was too tall to easily reach its head, so he settled for whacking off its arm. It screamed in rage.

Nick Fury jumped to his feet in time to see Xander battle the demon. The young man's courage was impressive. However, it was obvious he didn't have his friend's technique with a sword. Nevertheless, he managed to cut of the monster's arm. Then the rain began coming down in torrents.

"We've got to fall back!" Xander shouted. He stabbed the sword hard into the demon's stomach and pulled it out. Then he turned and moved to Fury's side. "It's getting dark."

"It's not even four o'clock," Nick said. "It's not dark."

"Dark enough to bring out the vampires," Xander said knowingly.

Faith groaned in disgust as she saw the first wave of vampires began creeping out of the nearby forest. They were cautious, testing the effect of the dim sunshine. Thunder roared. "Things are about to get really ugly!" she called out to Robin. He looked grim.

Nearby, Buffy braced herself. "The vamps have decided to join the party," she informed Tony.

Tony glanced in concern. Then he looked up at the Hulk. "We're never going to get Banner back if these attacks don't subside," he said. "He's fueled by rage. As long as he's angry, Banner can't take over."

"I think he's about to get very angry," she said. She ran to join her sister slayers as the mostly vanquished demons were replaced by vampires.

Tony blanched. He looked up at his friend. "Don't you wish you'd stayed in New York?" he asked.

The Hulk roared. Those annoying ankle biters were back. Just seeing them fueled his rage. He clenched his fists, prepared to do battle.

*****To Be Continued*****