Awakening

THE ONLY THING I OWN IS AN IRON MAN III POSTER FROM WALMART…that's dented… so leave me alone!

(Guys, yes, I'm still going to be updating HOA while redoing Awakening)

Still Bruce's POV

Penny and I both knew that someone would find me eventually, but she said that she was keeping tabs on people who wanted to harm me…like General Ross.

Penny had also mentioned that an organization called SHIELD was also keeping tabs on me, and she hadn't determined if their intentions were good or not…yet.

I had a feeling that this woman worked for the unknown (to me) organization that Penny spoke about.

I watched her watch me carefully and I said absently but keeping her gaze, "You brought me to the edge of the city, good. I can safely assume the whole place is surrounded?"

I glanced at the thin walls and windows, half expecting people with large guns in SWAT uniforms to burst into the shack at any moment. I could smell and hear them outside, and knew that Hulk would be able to get me out if they did come bursting in, but still. Getting shot at was never a pleasant experience.

I felt myself stiffened slightly as Hulk growled warningly once again, in the back of my mind, ready at a moment's notice to take over if need be.

"Calm down Big Guy…she isn't a threat…yet…" I told him and he sent me a mixture of emotions that basically said, 'we'll see'.

"It's just you and me." She said and I rolled my eyes. Sure we were; I believed that as much as I believed that Penny was normal.

But hey, what was normal anyway? Not to mention that I could smell and hear the guys outside, but they probably didn't know about my hyper senses. I mentally shrugged, it didn't matter.

However, figuring out why this monotone woman was here was a priority.

"So, is your little actress buddy a spy too? Do they start that young?" I asked not really interested in the conversation. I was simply testing the waters and waiting for the agent to make the first move. I didn't need a whole bunch of trigger happy morons trying to shoot me every time I blinked after all.

Spending time with Penny had done wonders for my self-esteem …as well as my self-fear. Though it wasn't gone completely it was considerably less than it had been a few months before.

"I did." She stated and I saw her jaw clench. Oh, bad subject, time for a topic change.

At least the poor kid wasn't a spy-in-training; she was just some girl who they paid off, most likely.

"Are you going to introduce yourself or…" I inquired glancing at her purposefully as I crossed my arms over my chest.

I heard Hulk snort in the back of my mind and mentally smirked. I was handling this quite well if I did say so myself. I could sense Hulk rolling his eyes and I had to stop myself from rolling my own.

There was no need to seem insane in front of the possibly-nice spy lady.

"Natasha Romanoff." She replied simply and I stood up straighter and stopped leaning on the wall almost instantly as Hulk stiffened in the back of my mind.

Penny had complained about a Natasha Romanoff who had been spying on her and her family (she still wouldn't give me names…) a few months back. Chances were, knowing our luck, that this was the exactly same woman. Well at least my suspicions on her alliance with SHIELD were true.

But of course, I wasn't supposed to know anything about them, or her, so I mentally shrugged and decided to play dumb.

"Is that supposed to mean something? Or are you just here to kill me Ms. Romanoff?" I questioned her, as I moved once again towards the wall, with my hands now clasped behind my back. In appearances it would seem that I was doing this to seem less threatening, but in reality it was simply just giving me easy access to the panic button that Penny had given to me. For it was strapped to my wrist.

After a moment and she still didn't answer I decided to try and play a different card. Changing tactics quickly I forced myself to laugh dryly.

"Because believe me, Ms. Romanoff, I've tried that. It's not going to work." I told her humorlessly as Hulk stiffened at the memory of my almost-suicide.

Thankfully that got a response out of the stiff agent.

"No, no… of course not." Her voice became slightly softer and I wondered if the lack of emotion was intentional, a habit, or because of training. For she didn't seem to be completely heartless, just seemed to have a very thick mask

I figured that it was a mixture of the later reasons, but either way, it didn't really matter.

"I'm here on behalf of SHIELD." She told me and I sighed, did she expect me to know what that was? Well I did, but I wasn't about to tell her that.

"SHIELD huh? Hmm, am I allowed to ask who you are and just how is it that you found me?" I inquired, wondering if they had managed to track the Gama Radiation levels that Hulk emitted.

"We never lost you Dr. Banner." Romanoff stated simply with a shrug, ignoring my first question. "We kept our distance and even kept some other interested parties off your scent."

"I see, ignoring the fact that you still have yet to tell me just who SHIELD is, I'll ask this: is there a reason behind your actions, or am I just supposed to believe you did it all out of the goodness of your heart." I asked her, my words dripping with sarcasm as my narrowed eyes examined her carefully.

It seemed that Penny had rubbed off on me.

Hulk chuckled at my words, and though he couldn't understand them completely, he definitely understood my emotions behind them.

Romanoff sighed and replied, "SHIELD stands for the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division. We are an agency created by the UN to monitor very… specific situations. Some similar to yours and others…more expected of a secret agency tasked with protection of this planet."

I hummed, happy that she had at least said that much, though technically, she didn't say much at all.

"Also, Dr. Banner, Nick Fury seems to trust you." Romanoff stated and my lips twitched as Hulk huffed.

I wasn't naïve. Penny had told me about the SHIELD Director, and he was anything but trusting. I most likely was a convenient tool, something that he had decided to call upon now that he needed me, and would later toss aside the moment my use ran out.

"But now we needed you to come in." She said not a moment later and this time I did snort aloud. It was just like I thought.

Hulk growled lightly, showing his distaste for the situation, but I calmed him. We didn't need trouble, because trouble for us would eventually cause Penny trouble; and she didn't need it. It has only been three months since she practically died. She had her family had just gotten back on their feet, according to her.

Deciding that I needed to see just what Romanoff would do, I stepped away from the wall, my hands now in my pockets, and the panic button no longer on my wrist, but in my fingers.

I just hoped that it wouldn't be needed.

"And let's just say, for the sake of the conversation," I commented lightly watching her intently as I heard the men outside take a step closer, "that I say no. Then what happens?"

A small smile appeared on the cold redhead's face and she looked thoroughly amused as she responded, "I'll persuade you."

I nodded slightly as I acknowledged her words. So far she had been truthful as far as I could tell, besides the whole, we're alone part. But still, I wanted to be completely sure about her before I committed to anything. I personally liked my life here, Pen visited often, and Hulk and I were getting along very well.

I didn't really want to ruin it.

"And what if the Big Guy says no?" I asked, not really bothered with the way the conversation was going. Her answer was the key, it was what would decide wither or not I went with the SHIELD agents or if I pressed the button.

"You've gone more than a year without an incident; I don't think you want to break that streak." She said walked towards the other side of the room, keeping her distance. Smart.

I snorted at just how wrong her statement was as Hulk snorted.

"Just shows what they know, huh Big Guy?" I thought to him and strong emotions of agreement and amusement was his reply.

I had to give the girl points, she was obviously good at avoiding sticky questions; sadly, those where the reactions I needed. I needed to know what she/they would do if Hulk got out.

"I suppose so, as far as you know anyway." I mused before I snorted again and Romanoff started to look worried. Good. "Besides, since when do I get what I want?"

The three of us were playing a little game, and we were currently stuck in a dance. However, it's hard to play a game when you don't know about the third player; or the fact that there was the influence of a forth involved.

"Doctor, we're facing a potential global catastrophe." Natasha stated, finally getting to the reason that she was there. She pulled out her phone and started typing away, no doubt reporting something about what had just transpired.

I chuckled and sighed as I shook my head, "Ah, you know those I try very actively to avoid. For some strange reason they never end very well for me."

Sadly, Romanoff didn't think that I was funny, for she just ignored me.

"This," Romanoff stated as I walked towards her. She slid her phone across the table that she was now sitting at, showing me a picture of a glowing blue sphere on her phone. "Is the Tesseract."

I raised an eyebrow at her, silently commenting on the fact that she didn't just hand the phone to me, I picked it up in curiosity. It was a strange cube, and even from the small amount of data the phone showed I knew that it was powerful.

But what did this have to do with me?

"It has the potential energy to wipe out the planet." She stated as I pulled out my glasses and slid them back on so I could read the small text better. I usually didn't wear them outside, as doing so usually ended with them getting broken.

I heard Romanoff shift slightly in her seat and I almost stiffened as I heard her knee make slight contact with something under the table. Considering that the table was quite tall and her knees didn't reach it, I could only assume that it was a gun.

Well, that would explain why she would sit there when things started to get heated. She felt safer next to a weapon.

"So what does this have to do with me? What does Fury expect me to do, get the Big Guy to swallow it? Because I have a feeling that I won't be able to do much else." I stated sarcastically and Hulk snorted again, I got the feeling he was saying 'as if'.

"He wants you to find it Dr. Banner, it's been taken." She said calmly and leaned towards me, resting her elbows on the table. "It emits a Gama signature that's too weak for us to trace. There's no one that knows Gama radiation like you do. If there was, that's where I'd be."

"Obviously." I drawled, look where my Gamma expertise landed me?

Hulk growled and I was quick to placate him. "No offence Big Guy."

"So, Fury isn't after the Big Guy, he just wants me to track down this obviously powerful glowing cube?" I stated wondering how I got into this…oh right, I followed a little girl. I mentally sighed; little girls that needed help seemed to be a weakness of mine.

"He hasn't told me of any intentions." Romanoff informed me and I sighed again, yeah, not likely to get a straight answer out of her. It would be easier to get Penny to tell me her last name; and I had firsthand experience at how hard that was.

"Oh yes, because he tells you everything?" I asked, though it came out more like a drawl. I wondered if she seriously thought that I would just go with that answer.

"Talk to Fury, he needs you on this." Romanoff stated glancing towards the door as she snatched back the phone that I had set down on the table.

"So does he need me in a cage, or a lab?" I asked seriously doubting that if I went with them, I would be allowed, or able, to walk away again. It wasn't going to happen, and I knew that.

"No one's going to put you in a cage." Romanoff stated in a monotone, and I stiffened at the lie. I could smell it.

Deciding to stop playing around and to kick it up a notch, I let the reigns slack slightly as I snapped, "Will you stop lying to me!"

I let some of Hulks rage flared to the surface provoked by my irritation and loosened control I slammed my fist on the table to release some of Hulk's rage. However, this wasn't the best move as Romanoff was suddenly on her feet and I was staring down the barrel of a gun.

Well, there was the reaction I was waiting for.

"Sorry," I stated calmly, raising my hands above my head and backing up slowly. "That was mean of me, considering that we're obviously still playing nice."

I wasn't even sure where that had come from. I decided to blame Penny. I really have picked up to much from that child.

After a tense moment I sighed, as she still hadn't put her gun down, and stated, "Truthfully here, I just wanted to see what you'd do."

That was partly true…but she didn't need to know that I had also actually been irritated.

Hulk and I were fine.

Hulk snorted and I felt his irritation with the redhead grow as she didn't lower her gun, along with his protective instincts.

"It's alright Big Guy." I told him as I focused trying to get Romanoff put the gun down.

"So, why don't we do this the easy way, where you don't use that, the Big Guy doesn't make a mess, and I don't wake up with bullet shaped bruises on my back." I said calmly as Hulks anger grew…

She didn't lower her gun and I sighed, "Please? Ok, I shouldn't have instigated this. But he really doesn't like guns. They make him agitated, or well… they make us agitated. So please, Natasha?"

I almost bit my lip as Hulk's anger at the agent grew, and I suddenly became concerned. If she didn't put that gun down soon, we were in trouble.

"Come on buddy, calm down…everything's ok…" I tried to keep him calm and it was like everyone was holding their breath.

Thankfully my statement caused her to become confused and she lowered her gun, which caused me to sigh in relief. She brought her hand to her ear and said through a com. "Stand down, we're good here."

I smirked at the fact that I had been proven right, though I wasn't sure why I felt so proud of that. I could hear them breathing and their heartbeats for crying out loud.

"Just you and me?" I chuckled, repeating her words from before. "Be glad I didn't believe you."

Hulk snorted in agreement.

I had to stop myself from sighing again as I moved my hands behind my back and slipped the panic button back onto my wrist. It looked like I wouldn't need it. I was going with them.

But I was still keeping it close at hand, just in case.

Hey all, I know, not a lot of Penny but still. She and her ever growing family will show back up next chapter. Boy, am I pumping out the revamps fast. Or at least, I think I am.

I personally love Bruce, and am glad that Penny gave him a reason to have more self-respect and self-confidence. I also tried to keep him cannon, but personally this is how I see him acting if he did have a bit more self-confidence and respect.

Also did anyone else find it strange that Romanoff expected Bruce to know what SHIELD was straight off in the movie? I mean, aren't they supposed to be secret, at least for some point, wasn't Bruce out of touch with the rest of the world for a long time? That just made no sense to me, personally.

Thanks to everyone.
Cp