Thank you everyone for your support. I love every one of you!
major-fangirl-inhere17: I'm so happy you do! Thank you :)
Nik1804: I didn't want to hurt poor Steve, but you're right when you say it make things more interesting haha. Steve is still human and we have to remember that. More of her back story is coming up!
addicted2memories: There will be tons more Bruce/Saniya interactions to come!
It took an hour of watching Thor ignore her for Clint to realize the reason why she reacted so badly that afternoon: she was jealous of SHIELD.
The thought was crazy, but it started to make sense the longer she thought it over. Dorie and Saniya were not exactly friends (their relationship was more accurately described as convenient teammates), but Saniya felt a degree of protectiveness of her. SHIELD was slowly taking Dorie away and she felt the need to fight back.
Of course fighting back accidently meant pushing her further away. And to give Saniya some credit, it wasn't just jealousy that made her angry. There was a more rational reason for her attack: Saniya was terrified for Dorie. She had trouble following instructions. What if she didn't obey orders and SHIELD decided Dorie wasn't worth keeping around? A job at SHIELD was one someone had for the rest of their life, whether it ended with them in a ditch or dying peacefully in their sleep.
And who could forget her bitterness towards the organization? They nearly killed her. In some ways, it was a betrayal for Dorie to take the job. Not only treason against her, but of everyone on earth. SHIELD was keeping vital information from every person on the globe. That pissed Saniya off more than the truck incident. If she ever meets the person in charge, she was going to unleash all her frustration on him or her.
A side of her didn't want to apologize, but it was the right thing to do. Dorie wasn't some toy she didn't want to share with the other kids. She was a human being who could make her own choices.
Saniya vowed to call her that night. She still didn't approve of her career, but if she was in Dorie's good graces, maybe she could convince her to find another job before she was in too deep. Saniya viewed the situation as taking the morally high road while at the same time using good ol' manipulation.
Thor roared again at Clint's joke. Saniya held back a cringe. It was childish of her to temporarily hate Clint for sucking up all of Thor's attention. She wasn't his only friend, after all, and she needed to stop acting like it.
She glanced over her shoulder, trying to find a spot where she could join in. Pepper lounged on the end of the couch while whispering into her phone. Tony was probably on the other end of the line. Thor took up a quarter of the couch with his broad shoulders and waving hands. Clint sat next to him and Natasha laid her feet on his lap. She used the rest of the couch for her resting body.
Saniya realized that she didn't fit into the picture. From what she could tell, she was never supposed to be in Stark Tower. SHIELD only put her here to keep Thor's cooperation. A happy Norse god was a helpful one.
"Dagnabbit," Steve muttered under his breath. He was in charge of dinner. Steve chose spaghetti, but he must've never realized that straining the noodles was difficult to do with one useable arm. The super soldier tried to pick up the two-handled pot, almost spilling boiling water on the ground.
She stood up from the kitchen table. Steve looked so helpless, and she was a sucker for playing the hero. "Do you need help?" she asked.
His sharp gaze landed on her. "No, ma'am. I do not," Steve said.
He tried again. This time, he almost burned himself.
This was just sad. Saniya nudged him away and strained the noodles herself. The soldier glared the entire time.
She slammed the pot on a pad. There was no better time than now to confront him for something that had been bothering her for hours.
"I'm not Locky, okay? I'd like for you to stop treating me like I am," Saniya snapped.
Steve blinked. "Pardon?"
Saniya jabbed Steve in the chest. The anger almost fizzled when she felt his muscle. "I know you hate me, but you hate me because you think I'm going to magically turn into Locky and destroy New York again. I'm not him and I never will be," she rambled passionately. "If you're going to hate me, fine! But hate me for me and not the energy junk I give off."
He stared for several moments, then his lips curled into an amused smile. This was the nicest look he had ever given her. Steve was adorable when he grinned. Like a puppy. "Ma'am, do you mean Loki?"
"That's what I said."
Steve shook his head. "You said Locky," he corrected. "His name is pronounced Loki."
Her nose crinkled. She didn't care what his name was. "Is that seriously what you picked out of this conversation?" Saniya questioned. "Because I can rephrase everything for you."
His eyes momentarily widened. "No, ma'am. I apologize if that was the impression I gave you. I understand the point you made, and... it's valid."
That was close enough to an official apology to soothe her anger. She nodded with satisfaction. "The sauce is boiling over," she pointed out. The Captain was quick to pull if off the stove. "Do you need any more help?" she offered.
"No," he said. There was no thank you, but at least the glares stopped. The effects of her confrontation were instantaneous.
Saniya sat back at the table. There wasn't a second of peace before Jarvis called out her name. A mix of relief flashed through her. Sitting in silence with her thoughts as her only company was not how she liked to spend her time.
"Yes, Jarvis?"
"Dr. Banner is currently working in the lab. It would be appreciated if you would encourage him to come to dinner," Jarvis said.
She glanced over to the Avengers. It seemed like a lot of their time was taken up by the huge television. None of them were paying attention to Jarvis or Saniya.
"Why doesn't someone else get him?" she asked. "They would have an easier time getting him up here."
"Quite the opposite, miss. Perhaps a new point of view will convince him to take a break."
Since she didn't want to sit there until Steve finished dinner and no one —other than Jarvis— was making an attempt to talk to her, she figured there was no harm in seeing the doctor. The worst that could happen would be him saying no.
"I'll do my best," she told the AI.
"That's all that is expected of you."
Saniya rode down to the floor with the labs. Several Stark employees passed by with arms full of papers, but other than that, the floor was empty. And the few that did pass her gave her a swift nod and a 'good afternoon'. She assumed it was the clothes that made her look important enough to not ignore. It was a shame that Pepper wanted them back.
Bruce was in the same lab as in the morning. There were several more coffee cups than she remembered. The previously lifeless screens were buzzing with information. One had a double helix model and another was scrolling with thousands of names. He sat at a counter looking into a microscope. Even from at the entrance of the lab, she could see the clear slide with a large circle of blood.
She cleared her throat then stepped further into the room. Bruce glanced up.
Saniya pointed upwards. "Steve's almost finished with dinner."
He rubbed his eyes under his glasses. "No thank you," he replied then peered through the microscope.
Jarvis didn't send her down here to accept his 'no' so quickly. Saniya moved so she was right next to him. "You sure?" she drawled. "It's probably going to be soap-opera worthy. You won't want to miss that."
That got him to look away from the slide. He cocked one eyebrow. "Soap-opera worthy?"
She nodded. "I'm guessing it will be more like an intervention than dinner."
His forehead creased. "An intervention for Tony?" Bruce's eyes twinkled with faint amusement. Saniya nodded again, even though she wasn't sure if the billionaire was going to show up. It caught the scientist's interest, so she was going to run with it. "He isn't going to like that."
She tapped his ankle with her foot. "That's why you need to be there. You have this calming vibe around you."
A shy smile broke out on his face. Bruce ducked his head. "I've never heard anyone describe me as calming," he admitted. "I normally cause more stress than relaxation."
Saniya didn't know why he thought that. The tone of his voice was so smooth it could make a baby fall asleep in a matter of minutes. Plus, he had an almost boyish charm to him, despite what the salt and pepper hair implied about his age. He was the epitome of calming.
She tugged his arm. "C'mon," Saniya insisted. "You've been in the lab all day. You have to eat something."
There was little protest on Bruce's part. He allowed her to pull him out of the lab and into the elevator. Jarvis immediately brought them back to the living floor where the Avengers were just starting to be seated. She claimed the spot next to Thor before anyone else could. The way he beamed at her made her wish she had a sibling growing up. She imagined this was what it felt like.
"I'll get Tony," Pepper sighed. She disappeared into the hallway. Steve scratched his green cast with a scowl.
Saniya absently twirled spaghetti around her fork. Just as she brought the utensil to her mouth, she realized no one else had touched their dinner. Well, except for Thor, but did he really count? He also eventually noticed the absence of eating and set his fork on the table.
Natasha cleared her throat. She brought her hands into a steeple. "Bruce, have you finished analyzing the blood samples yet?" Her tone was refined and controlled. She meant business instead of nice small talk.
He rested his hands under the table. "Not yet. The system takes a while to compare the DNA." His eyes narrowed slightly. "I've been meaning to ask how SHIELD has all that data."
Her lips curled into a devious smirk. "It wasn't all acquired with consent if that's what you want to know."
Bruce gulped and his gaze fell to his lap. "That's what I was afraid of."
Saniya stopped her eyes from rolling. This just placed more basis in her mafia argument. Illegal information to do illegal things. SHIELD was now another word for crime organization in her head.
Tony rounded the corner. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Steve, who returned with a vicious glower. Pepper nudged the billionaire with her elbow. Tony winced.
"Alright, listen up, Capsicle." Steve stiffened. "I'm sorry for busting up your arm," Tony apologized. He rubbed his hands together. "Now, let's eat!"
"Tony," Pepper protested. "This isn't just about hurting Steve." She led him to the chair at the head of the table. Her hands massaged his shoulders. "We came to talk to you about your latest pranks."
His eyebrows drew together. Suddenly, he jumped from the chair. "Oh no. This is an intervention," he stated. "I've had plenty of those from Pepper to know when I see one."
Clint rocked his chair back. "You've gone too far, man."
Pepper ran her hand down Tony's arm. "Sit down," she urged gently. He remained standing and Pepper didn't push any further. "We just want you to stop with the pranks."
Tony rolled his eyes. "Come on, they're fun!" The group stayed silent. He waved his hand. "All of you have a giant stick up your butt. Lighten up!"
Bruce frowned. He absently moved his silverware with his fingers. "It started out lighthearted, but now you're actually hurting us."
Clint nodded. He held out his fingers as proof. "That thing with the remote nearly burned my prints off!"
Pepper linked her hand with Tony's. "Steve doesn't need further explaining, I hope. And remember what happened after your saran wrapped Bruce to his bed? That floor was almost finished and he completely destroyed it."
Bruce grimaced. "Sorry."
She smiled. "Don't be sorry, Bruce. It wasn't your fault."
Tony's jaw clenched. "It was my fault then, is that what you're trying to say? All of this is my fault?"
Steve slammed his fist on the table. The silverware rattled. "It is your fault, Tony. It's about time that you take responsibility for your actions."
"I saved New York!" he barked. "I saved this entire city! Don't you think I deserve to have a little fun every once in a while without being blamed for every bad thing that happens in this tower?" His face paled several shades. "I was the one who stopped New York from being the Chernobyl of North America!"
Natasha calmly folded her napkin. She was the only one unfazed by his yelling. "Calm down, Tony. We can't have a rational discussion with the way this is going."
Steve readily agreed. "You have to calm yourself."
"I don't take orders from you," Tony sneered at the Captain. His eyes turned cold. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go somewhere none of you are not because I can't stand to be here any longer." He stormed towards the elevator, the entire time Pepper calling out to him. Tony ordered Jarvis to shut the elevators right before she could get in with him.
Pepper stared blankly at the closed door for several moments. "I'll... talk to him. I will," she told the Avengers plus Saniya.
Something made her think that talking to Tony about something was easier said than done. Pepper knew that, the Avengers knew that, everyone knew that. Obviously bringing the group together to confront him didn't work. Maybe the billionaire responded better to one-on-one chats. But then again, she didn't know him. Who was she to say what Tony needed?
"That went well," Clint muttered. He pushed a meatball across his plate.
None of the Avengers made a move to go after Tony. Not even Pepper, who sat down at the table. Without so much as a discussion of what to do next, everyone started eating.
It struck a chord with her when she realized no one was chasing after him. Her mouth screwed into a sour frown. "Isn't anyone going to go after him?"
They shared a look. Pepper sat her silverware on the table. "Tony needs time to calm down. He needs his space sometimes," she said. Despite her all-knowing tone, her shoulders slumped with worry.
"I just think that someone should make sure he is okay," Saniya protested. "People don't storm out of rooms because they're fine."
"Jarvis will alert us if anything is wrong," Natasha reasoned. "He's just being Tony. He'll be fine."
Her fingers ran over the tick mark on her wrist. "But he can override Jarvis. Right? He created Jarvis, so he should be able to do that."
"That is correct. He can override any of my actions," the AI confirmed.
Thor immediately picked up on her thought process, on the unspoken words. He peered towards the elevator. "Are you suggesting that Man of Iron will be in some sort of trouble?"
She shook her head. "I'm just suggesting that someone should check on him."
Bruce pushed his plate away. The meal was barely touched. "I'll find him," he announced. "He'll be less likely to yell at me."
Clint twiddled his knife between his fingers. "Please no Code Green, alright?"
The doctor gave him a wry smile. "I've gone three weeks without an incident. I don't plan on breaking the streak just yet."
Bruce left the table to find Tony in the large tower. Steve and Thor occasionally glanced at the elevator but made no move to follow him. The table reverted back to what it was like before Saniya spoke up.
Her heart empathized with the billionaire. She once had been in his position —not the exact situation, but similar in the way people brushed them off— and it didn't feel good.
The Avengers must not have realized how much indifference hurts other people, or perhaps they thought not making a big deal out of it was the easiest thing to do. Whatever it was, they weren't being very good teammates. She expected more from them.
Saniya pressed the phone to her ear right as she shut the last drawer in her room. Dorie had to be home by now. Every night at eleven she would sit in front of the tv, chewing gum and playing snake on her phone. She was a creature of habit. There was no way Dorie would not know she was calling.
If she didn't answer, then she was ignoring Saniya. Hopefully, she wouldn't do that. She needed a chance to explain herself.
The dial tone stopped. "... Saniya?"
She breathed out in relief. Dorie answered. That was more than she expected. "I shouldn't have freaked out at you this afternoon," Saniya confessed as she plopped on the bed.
There was the typical smack of gum. "Yeah, you really shouldn't have," Dorie responded.
She rolled to her stomach. "It's just that—"
"Oh boy, here we go."
"Shut it. I'm trying to explain myself," Saniya spoke into her now working phone.
A long pause of silence passed before Dorie said anything. "If this is a calmer repeat of our fight, then please just save it."
"It's not," Saniya interrupted. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to form sentences in her head that wouldn't make Dorie hang up. "I'm scared. I'm really scared," she admitted. "From what I can tell, SHIELD isn't this giant ball of honesty and good intentions. What do you even know about them?"
"I have a low clearance, so of course I don't know much. I do know that they are trying to help. That's enough for me."
That was something Natasha stressed when Saniya first heard of the organization. SHIELD was there to help, they were the good guys, etc., etc. "Help who? Corrupt politicians? Orphan children? Nobody's really clear on who they are helping,"
Dorie laughed at her. It was mocking, but not mean. "This is so you to get worked up about this," she chuckled. A couple hours ago she was yelling at Saniya for hating SHIELD, but now she was amused by it. Saniya bit her lip to keep herself from pointing out the contradiction. "They help anyone who needs it. That's all they're obsessed with. First day on the job and they have me looking over this professor's notes. Apparently they're trying to stop the impending Armageddon."
"Wait, what professor?" Saniya asked out of curiosity.
"Just some guy in India. He refused to work for SHIELD for some stupid reason and now I'm filling the spot as the research consultant until someone more qualified is found."
Saniya shook her head, even though Dorie wasn't able to see her. "Should you be telling me this? This feels like classified information."
"You're the one who asked. Plus, it's just basic information," Dorie retorted. "It's not like I'm telling you anything juicy like how Agent Klemmer might be plotting to murder you like she did with that one guy."
"Dorie, stop talking!" Saniya nearly yelled. If her phone was tapped, Dorie's most likely was too. SHIELD was listening, whether they liked it or not. The last thing she wanted was for Dorie to get in trouble for saying too much. She was so concerned with the information slip that it almost didn't register that someone was trying to kill her until the last second. "She's trying to kill me?" she squeaked.
Dorie shuffled something in the background. "Not yet. She's dead set on you being part of Hydra. Keeps yapping that the Greek mythology book in your apartment is a sign and a bunch of other conspiracy crap. She's been doing deep digging on your past. Agent Klemmer has a big grudge against Hydra."
Her hand ran down her face. "Should you really be telling me this?" Saniya repeated.
"Nope!" Dorie chirped. "But if someone was possibly plotting to murder me, you'd do the same." She sighed. "Just be careful, okay? Whether we agree about SHIELD or not, I don't want you dead."
"I don't want you dead either," she admitted. Saniya pressed the phone tighter to her ear. "You need to be careful too."
"SHIELD won't hurt me."
"Don't give them a reason to. Keep your head low and follow orders."
Dorie sighed. "Saniya, quit it. I'm fine."
Saniya rubbed her temple with her loose hand. "I'm worried, okay? I'm fucking worried. Humor me, please."
"You're worse than my mother. At least she was happy for my career change," Dorie mentioned bitterly. "I'll be careful. I promise. Oh, before you go, SHIELD is paying our rent now. That might change after they realize that you're the most normal person on this planet, but we're living for free for a while."
Well, at least they had the courtesy to do that. Her opinion of SHIELD grew slightly higher. "What about the restaurant. Has he fired me for not coming in?"
"I haven't been back to that stink hole, but from what I can tell from the voicemails, we're both seriously fired."
Dang it. Maybe Tony would let her borrow a computer for job searching. Once SHIELD let her go, she would need some source of income. Saniya had enough money to survive a month or two unemployed —provided she move into a shelter or sell all her furniture— but it wasn't an ideal way of life.
"There's several job openings in SHIELD if you're interested," Dorie teased, knowing exactly the direction her mind went.
Saniya rolled her eyes. "No way. I'm never working for them." She moved the phone to her other ear. "Call me later this week so I know you aren't dead for telling me about Agent Klemmer."
"Whatever keeps you calm. Bye."
"Bye."
Saniya woke up on Thor's floor, her face smashed against the soft carpet and feet halfway up his bed. Her back was curled in an uncomfortable 'u' shape. Saniya rolled her legs off of the bed and quickly regretted that decision. Every inch of her spine screeched in protest.
Thor snored on. It was doubtful that he knew she was here. He was a deep sleeper.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his hammer sitting on the floor by his nightstand. Saniya smirked. He'd never let her hold it before, always brushing it off with sentences like 'it's too heavy for you' and 'you don't want to hold it, anyways'.
Her fingers brushed against the handle. A small crackle of electricity jumped between the pads of her fingers and the hammer. It felt alive.
She circled the weapon. There was an odd vibration coming from it. It wasn't one she felt with her body, as it wasn't actually vibrating, but she felt it with her mind. It reached out to her, mocking her with a challenge it knew she wouldn't win. Saniya shook her head. Hammers aren't alive nor do they mock people. That was crazy.
Saniya touched the handle again. Then, she pulled with all her might.
It didn't move an inch.
She tried again and it didn't move.
Thor picked it up so effortlessly. It couldn't have been that heavy. Sure, he was a buff Norse god, but that didn't mean the hammer weighed a million pounds. She could do this.
"Come on, come on, come on!" she growled as she pulled the hammer again.
"I regret to inform you that you are not worthy enough for Mjolnir."
She jumped at Thor's voice. Saniya looked up at him. His hair was tangled around his head, much like hers, and his eyes were drooping. Thor was sitting up in the bed with an amused smile on his face, halfway stuck in dreamland."What do you mean by I'm not worthy?" She placed her hands on her hips.
"What do you mean by I'm not worthy?" She placed her hands on her hips.
Thor rolled out of bed and lifted the hammer. There was no effort on his part. "It means... that you are not worthy of the hammer," he responded.
"That hammer is wrong," she said. "I'm plenty worthy." Thor broke out into a chuckle. Saniya couldn't help but smile too. She slapped his arm. "I am," she insisted.
He ruffled her hair. "I believe you, Lady Saniya. Perhaps Mjolnir is wrong about your worthiness," Thor joked. His head lolled back. Sleep was threatening to claim him again.
"Miss Ramakrishna, I see you are awake, though not in your proper room," Jarvis commented.
She turned her head towards the ceiling. "I sleepwalk."
"I am very aware. There are several videos in my database of you wandering the halls last night. Captain Rogers was kept awake because of your pacing."
She winced. She was bothering him even when she was asleep. "Tell him that I'll try not to sleepwalk in front of his door again," she said with the slightest bit of sarcasm.
"As you wish. Dr. Banner is in the labs if you wish to finish your examination. He is ready for you at any convenient time."
It was better to get it done at that moment than procrastinating. Saniya stood while rolling her shoulders. "I'll be down in a jiffy."
Thor furrowed his eyebrows. "What is a jiffy? I am not familiar with that term."
"It just means a really quick," she told him.
A part of her wanted to take this moment and tell Thor to give her more attention, to not ignore her like yesterday, but that was horrendously selfish. Something a selfish, passive-aggressive friend would do. Sure, she was both passive-aggressive and selfish, but that didn't mean she could act like it.
Saniya tapped her fingers on the door frame, right before she exited the room. "Do you wanna smash things with your hammer after I get back? she suggested. "I think I saw a watermelon in the fridge."
Thor blinked his eyes back open. "Whatever you think... is... best," he yawned. He was bound to fall asleep at any second. Saniya took that as a yes. She skipped back to her room. Thor and Saniya (the best friend duo) was back after a minor hiatus.
Dorie was kind enough to label the box with her clothes. When she opened it, though, she realized that Dorie hadn't bothered to fold them. It was better than nothing, Saniya supposed. She picked out the least wrinkled shirt and jeans to wear. The rest needed to be ironed.
The trip to the labs was uneventful, except for catching a glimpse of sweaty, shirtless Steve returning from the gym. She didn't understand why he bothered to go with a broken arm, but she was glad for it. His body was glorious, like staring at a gladiator returning from a fight. Saniya nearly burst out laughing, however, when she noticed the fist-sized bruise on his sternum. It looked like Natasha's handiwork.
The lab seemed the same as the last time she was there. Bruce was in the same spot, this time leaning over a holographic projection of the tower. He looked busy.
"I can come back later," she offered.
He looked up from his work. His hair was disheveled, making his curly locks messy. Had he slept since she last saw him?
Bruce slit his hand through the hologram. The image disappeared. "No, now is perfect." He curled his left hand around his right. "Do you mind if we skip the routine check up and go right to the blood work?"
Saniya sat on the table. "What? Wanna get me out of here as soon as possible?"
"Yes," he sighed. He slipped a pair of latex gloves over his fingers. Suddenly, his eyes widened. "No, no! I didn't mean it like that. You're nice company. There's just a lot of work to do, that's all," Bruce rushed out.
She leaned back. He was blushing. Cute. "I'm just teasing, Dr. Banner." Saniya noticed the needle and other supplies in his hand. "What are you planning to do with my blood?"
Bruce made his way to her. "Analyze it. See if it gives us any answers." He straightened her arm then prepared to tie a tourniquet. "May I?"
"Is SHIELD going to have my blood after you?"
His brown eyes turned downward. "I'll have to send it to them, yes."
Saniya threw her head back in frustration. Now or never. She preferred never, but SHIELD wouldn't let that be an option. "Just do it," she groaned.
Bruce was methodical with his approach. He tied the tourniquet quickly then instructed her to make a fist. His gentle fingers skimmed her arm until he found a vein. Bruce pulled her skin taut with two fingers while his other hand held the needle.
"There might be a slight pinch," he warned. Saniya refused to look down as the needle was inserted. She kept her eyes up, tracing each strand of his hair with her gaze.
His eyebrows furrowed. "You don't like needles?"
"Hate them," she strained.
Bruce thought for several moments. "Tony has agreed to stop the pranks," he told her.
Saniya's eyes widened. Her face turned down to face his. "Really? What did you say to him?"
His gaze flickered from her face to her arm. "Why do you assume I said anything?"
She tapped his leg with her swinging foot. "Come on. Of course you convinced him. If anyone can, it's you." Saniya caught his questioning look. She resisted the urge to tap him with her foot again. "People value your opinion around here. You seem level headed and smart, so why wouldn't he listen?"
Bruce pushed his glasses back. "I'm not sure about level headed, but thank you."
"Give yourself mo—" she yelped as he removed the needle "—re credit."
He shrugged. "I did say a few things, but Tony came to the decision himself. It's a big step towards being somewhat responsible." Bruce dumped the needle in a biohazard waste basket and placed the vial of blood in what looked like a mini fridge. "When you feel ready, we'll measure the radiation in the Hulk tank."
"I'm fine," she decided. Saniya jumped off the table, only to stumble into Bruce's side. The only thing keeping her from completely falling was his arms. "Sorry," she apologized. Saniya straightened herself. Her head throbbed from the blood loss, but it quickly subsided. "I'm fine now."
Bruce cleared his throat. His hands lingered by the spot she fell on. "Do you need help?" he asked as she walked towards the glass enclosure.
"No. I don't need any help."
She yanked on the handle. It didn't open. Saniya was willing to bet that she didn't have access to this part of the tower either. Bruce tugged the handle and the door flew open. Her stomach rolled. Smart people do not enter cages they can't get out of.
Her foot held the door open. "You'll let me out, right?"
Bruce flicked on a panel. "Of course." He stroked the nape of his neck. "Are you claustrophobic? If you are, I'm sure SHIELD has other devices to measure—"
She shook her head. He interpreted her hesitance as something else. "I'm not claustrophobic." I just don't trust you to let me out. Saniya mentally scolded herself. Bruce had done nothing to deserve her distrust. With that in mind, she stepped into the Hulk tank.
Her hands pressed against the thick glass. The view through the clear wall was distorted and bubbly. Maybe this wasn't glass after all. "So this thing measures radiation?"
Bruce tapped something and a device spun above her. "That's not its only use, but yes."
The whirling grew louder. She wiped her hands against her jeans. "Is this thing safe?" Saniya hoped it wouldn't give her cancer or anything.
"I wouldn't put you in it if it wasn't," he answered.
Data flashed on the screen. An outline of her body appeared with bright red and orange streaks around her. Bruce frowned. Whatever he saw, it was not good. Saniya suddenly regretted getting into there in the first place, despite knowing what was going to happen. This just validated SHIELD's decision to keep her prisoner.
The device above her grew quieter until it was nothing more than a hum. Bruce tapped the screen several more times then looked up at her. His expression was the same as when she first arrived at Stark Tower: she was a puzzle to figure out.
She knocked on the glass. "Can you let me out now?"
Bruce broke his stare. He pulled open the door. Saniya immediately took three large steps from the enclosure. "Any other tests I need to go through?"
"No, that's all for now."
Saniya let out a sigh of relief. She was free for the time being.
The program was almost completed with the DNA analysis. It was moving much faster than any device used by the United States government. Bruce couldn't help but wonder how much help this would be if it was opened to the public. Crimes would be solved much faster with the quick DNA analysis. So many criminals would be caught.
But, like all good things, SHIELD had to hoard it.
There were only fifty names left with high match percentages to the blood that rained from the sky in Texas. He was confident it belonged to one of those people, but he had been wrong before. It was better to keep an open mind than to make premature decisions.
Bruce removed Saniya's DNA and inserted it into the database through a series of codes. The computer chimed when the upload was complete. It was a miracle hers wasn't already in the program as it had several billion samples in the database.
"Bruuuuuce?"
He dipped his head. Last night, Tony claimed the pranks was a distraction. From what, he wouldn't tell, but it was important to him. Important enough to push away his teammates.
I can't be alone with my thoughts, Bruce. I need this. I need to keep doing something!
Bruce shivered at the desperation in Tony's voice. In return for stopping the pranks, Tony needed a new distraction, which involved bothering Bruce while he worked.
The screen blinked on with life. Tony's face lit up the square. He was wearing his suit while doing... something. He hoped it wasn't anything illegal.
He straightened his back. "Please tell me you're still inside the tower," Bruce pleaded.
"Relax, I'm just a couple floors above you. Who knew that construction is much quicker in my suits?" Tony bit the inside of his cheek. "What do you think? A light calming blue or tan for the personal lab?"
"Tony."
"Pepper would like tan. More professional and that sort of stuff, but I'm feeling the blue."
"Tony."
The billionaire nodded his head. "I agree. Blue it is."
"I need to work," Bruce protested. "In peace."
Tony rolled his eyes. "You work better in chaos. I'll gladly provide that."
Bruce sighed. "I have a lot to do and I can't do it with—"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You gotta figure out what's wrong with our personal Loki enigma, those readings are off the charts, by the way, and you have to figure out why clouds rain blood. That's a lot for one person."
Bruce knew he had a point. "I could use some help."
Tony glowed. In fact, he appeared relieved. "And you have the best man for the job right here. Someone needs to stay on task while you're ogling Saniya. Don't try to hide it. I saw the security footage."
He nearly choked. Bruce's eyes grew wide while Tony's smirk increased. "I wasn't... I didn't... I wouldn't... I am not ogling her."
"It's understandable. She's a hot piece of property," Tony mused. "When's the last time you've been with a woman? Since Betty?"
Bruce's face heated up. He turned his head back to the screen of flickering names. "Women are not property," he chided.
Tony winced. "Poor choice in wording, I'll admit that. How long, Brucie?"
His head dipped towards the table. "It's been... a while since Betty, but I can't be with Saniya if that's what you're suggesting. I won't do that to her. To anyone."
Tony's lips twitched. "I'm not telling you to date her. I'm telling you to bone her." Bruce gave him a very stern glare. The billionaire flinched. They both knew the Other Guy wouldn't let that happen. "Don't you at least want to ask her out or something? Expand your horizons? You're so lonely in your lab-cave."
Bruce rubbed his hands. "I'm a man, aren't I? She's attractive, but I can't do that to her. It wouldn't be right." He faced the screen again. "I'm not going to talk about this any longer, Tony."
Tony groaned in frustration. "Fine! Continue to live like you're in a museum for the rest of your life. See if I care!" There were several moments of blissful silence before Tony broke it again. "What about if it was someone else? If I found someone you liked good enough would you stop living in your 'look but don't touch' world?"
He held back a long sigh. Tony didn't get it. The ones he loved weren't in constant danger in his presence. He didn't have to always be aware of everything going around him, for fear that it catches him off guard. Tony just didn't get it.
There would never be a significant other in his life. Bruce was still hesitant on the thought of friends. The more time someone was around him, the higher chances they had of being killed. It was hard enough to deal with the strangers he hurt while he was the Hulk, but if it was someone he loved? Bruce doubted he would be able to deal with it.
"Please stop—"
The DNA analyst beeped. Two names were up on the screen. One with a 100% match and the other close. A large red pop up came up. 99.9% chance of relation.
Bruce's mouth fell open. Oh, Saniya.
"What? What is it?" Tony blabbered.
His fingers itched to delete everything. "Is SHIELD monitoring your computers?" Bruce asked.
"Not anymore," Tony answered. "What is it? Never mind, I'll just see it for myself."
"So if I delete this, SHIELD won't know?"
Tony had the same reaction as him as the information flashed inside the visor of his suit. "Shit. Why did Natasha let her in my freaking tower? She's related to cloud-blood lady!" He shook his head. "SHIELD won't notice, but why don't you want them to know? This seems like something they need to know. If Saniya has a sister who can make it rain blood, then I vote to tell Fury."
Bruce quickly deleted everything involving Saniya's DNA, making sure to leave no trace behind. "They will make her a prisoner if they see this, whether or not she's normal. We have to give her some benefit of the doubt and let her explain herself first."
Tony narrowed his eyes. "You're giving Loki #2 the benefit of the doubt?"
He rubbed his temples. "No. I'm giving Thor's friend the benefit of the doubt." Bruce felt a headache growing. "Have you noticed anything strange, weird, not normal about her?"
The billionaire took that into consideration. "Nothing crazy like magic or that crap. Okay, I'm fine with leaving Saniya out of this mess for now until she shows the slightest sign of crazy, but you're not keeping that Elliot girl from Fury. This is next level insanity that has to be dealt with people with loads of guns." He blinked. "Wow. I never thought I would be advocating to tell SHIELD anything. Jarvis, remind me to get my yearly checkup."
Tony was making a lot of sense about telling someone who could handle the situation better than them, which sort of scared Bruce. The day Tony was the rational one would be the day the world was ending. "We'll tell Fury about Elliot. Until we figure out if there's anything freaky with Saniya or not, we have to keep her out of it. For Thor's sake."
"For Thor's sake," Tony muttered. "Will you call Fury or shall I?"
"I can. He'll want to hear it from me."
Bruce prayed that he wasn't giving Saniya more credit than she deserved. As long as she was normal, everything was going to be fine. God, he hoped she was normal, otherwise he just made a huge mistake by covering her tracks.