Bruce Banner stared at the computer screen, utterly frozen with disbelief at what he had just read. His mind was swimming, and the Other Guy was getting restless. His hands gripped the countertop so tightly that his knuckles were pure white.

"Now do you understand why I wanted her to stay here?" Tony said quietly.

The doctor took his glasses off and placed them down on the counter, holding his face in his hands.

Tony noticed a green tint to the doctor's skin, and he pulled him away from the counter. "Calm down, big guy. It's okay. She's safe here. She's just down the hall a little bit."

"How could parents do that to their child?" Bruce rasped, trying to keep himself in control. After living with an abusive parent of his own, he always got upset when he heard another story about someone being abused. It always sent a terrible feeling through his gut, and of course, the Other Guy didn't like it too much either. He couldn't Hulk out here. Not with the Avengers so close. Not with Lennon so close. He couldn't.

He heard Tony pouring a drink and he looked up at the billionaire. "Drink. You'll feel better." Tony handed one of the glasses of scotch to him, which Bruce gladly accepted. He took small sips, but downed the glass in seconds. Tony refilled it willingly.

"How long is she allowed to stay here?" Bruce asked the billionaire, staring down at his glass.

"As long as she wants."

Bruce's head snapped up. "You're serious?"

Tony shrugged. "I already said you were, and I'm not about to let your girlfriend go back home. Plus, Pepper would have a fit." He replied.

Bruce attempted to suppress the deep scarlet blush that flooded his cheeks. "She's not my girlfriend, Tony."

"Yet." He muttered just loud enough for Bruce to hear.

The doctor groaned. "Tony, even if I was... Interested in the girl, she's twenty six."

"So? She's legal."

"She's much too young for me!" He exclaimed.

Tony rolled his eyes. "That's all you're worried about? The fact that she's younger than you?" He asked, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I'm old enough to be her father!"

"Bullshit, you would have been like… ten!"

"Tony, even so, I could never..."

"Because of the Other Guy?"

Bruce paused, then bit his lip, looking down at the ground. He took a sip of his drink, not wanting to look up at his friend.

Tony understood. Bruce was worried about hurting Lennon. If he lost his temper with Lennon too close, he could kill her. It was why he avoided close friendships. He could hurt someone. On more than one occasion. Tony wondered if he should send Pepper away for the same reason. If something happened to her because of him, he'd never forgive himself. The only reason he didn't make her leave was because he loved her. He loved her too much to send her away. It was selfish, but Pepper was the only one that kept him from losing his mind sometimes. Tony understood his friend's dilemma.

The billionaire sighed, putting his glass down. He put a hand on the doctor's shoulder. The man looked up at him with sad eyes, obviously unaffected by Tony's feeble attempts to give him an encouraging smile. "There's nothing wrong with not wanting to be alone. Besides," He looked around, making sure no one would overhear him. He leaned closer to Bruce's face and lowered his voice. "I think she digs you, Banner."

Bruce laughed quietly, drinking more from his glass.

Three hours and many glasses of Tony's expensive scotch later, the two men were laughing like toddlers in the lab. The other Avengers made their way upstairs to tell Tony that they were going to bed, only to find the men playing Monopoly on the floor.

"Baltic Avenue, Stark, pay up!" Banner slurred.

"You fuck." The billionaire groaned, throwing the money at the doctor.

The other Avengers looked quizzingly at one another, then back at the men on the floor. Clint cleared his throat, trying to get their attention.

The men looked up at him, both of them obviously gone. "What?" Tony asked innocently.

"Did... Did you get him drunk?" Steve demanded.

Tony smirked. "Maybe." He stammered before the two men burst into laughter, snorting and snickering away until their sides hurt.

"And you did not think to invite us?" Thor asked, looking sad that he didn't get to partake in the drinking.

"You guys can play if you want!" Tony replied.

Bruce giggled drunkenly. "The only rule is Tony can't be banker, because he cheats."

"I do not!" He protested.

"You pulled three five hundred dollar bills out of nowhere!"

"I told you, they were under my other bills!"

"You lying sack of shit." The doctor laughed.

Natasha, though amused by the situation, shook her head. "You all should go to bed. Pepper just got home, Stark, I think she's waiting for you in your room."

Tony immediately got up. "Night Banner. Night guys!" He called as he left the room.

Banner looked back at the Avengers with a drunken grin. "I win."

The others laughed.

"Come on, Dr. Banner. Time for bed." Steve said, pulling him to his feet. "You know where your room is, right?"

The doctor nodded, then stumbled off toward his room. "Goodnight!" He said to them as he passed them.

"I can't believe Stark got him drunk." Natasha was saying.

"Stark can get anybody drunk." Clint replied.

Before heading to his own room, Bruce quietly walked to Lennon's room. He wanted to check on her. He opened the door quietly, peaking inside to make sure she was asleep.

Lying peacefully under the blankets, Lennon was sleeping blissfully, the soft sound of her breathing being the only noise in the room. Her face was peaceful. She stirred in her sleep, making the doctor smiled. She looked so young in her sleep. So innocent. So sweet. Her almost luminescent purity intrigued the doctor, and he felt the urge to lie down beside her. He couldn't tell if it was because of the alcohol or he was just that crazy, but he wanted to.

Lennon muttered something unintelligible in her sleep, making Bruce chuckle quietly as she curled deeper into the expensive bedsheets. He didn't want to wake her. With one last glance at the woman, he silently left her room and stumbled across the hall to his own.

Once in bed, he stared up at the ceiling, thinking about Lennon. She really is beautiful... He thought before drifting off to sleep.