Hey guys! Here's another update for you! Throughout my story I have been getting fantastic support, which is great! But I have been noticing that there aren't many reviews, like last update there was none. The only way I know if I'm doing something wrong or right is if I get feedback, so it would be awesome if you want to to leave a review :) I'll never be the type of author who says I need this many reviews if you want an update, but I would appreciate a little more feedback if possible.
I hope you guys enjoy this chapter
++++TRIGGER WARNING ++++
In the last bit of the chapter two people experience a panic attack. If this will trigger anything for you, PLEASE DON'T READ IT. At the end of the chapter, I will have a summary of what is learned in that part for those who skip it. Also, I have never experienced a panic attack myself and wrote off of my research. If in any way I portrayed it wrong, please pm me and I can fix it.
Bruce stared at the hole in the floor, along with the other parts of the ruined lab. No part of the room was spared from the Hulk's tantrum. It was completely destroyed; all of Tony's renovations gone to waste.
Once again, he managed to ruin everything.
Everything was still a blur, but he recalled bits of Saniya crying and Tony being chased by the Hulk. He specifically remembered the feeling of Saniya wedged in his palm and the thoughts of how easy it would be for him to crush her. She was so fragile; it would have been so easy to reduce her to nothing but pieces.
Bruce shuddered. When he woke up, he knew he came close to killing her. Too close. But when he saw the security footage of the whole event, the Hulk's actions —his actions— seemed much more real. Saniya was practically begging for her life. Thankfully he actually listened, but he couldn't shake her tears from his conscience. It was one more thing to feel shame and guilt for.
He pried a piece of Tony's suit out from the plaster of the crumbling wall. There was an indent in the shape of the suit, and that wasn't the only one. Bruce came close to seriously hurting Tony as well. His suit wasn't made for Hulk-like attacks, so he was greatly outmatched. The billionaire was idiotic for trying to fight him. He should have just let the Hulk be.
Everyone should leave the Hulk alone. He was too dangerous to be around others. But leaving the Hulk alone in turn meant leaving Bruce alone. He clenched his fist. Maybe that would be for the best.
"Saniya's been asking about you."
Bruce sighed and ducked his head. His shoulders slumped. "Tell her I'm sorry. I would tell her myself, but I don't think she'd want to see me."
Tony sighed over the intercom. "And they call me a drama queen. You'd be wrong there, big guy. She's refusing to see any sort of doctor unless they're you."
He opened and closed his hand. All he could see was the Hulk's large hands clutching her small torso. Bruce squeezed his eyes shut. "Is she hurt?" he asked.
"Nope. Not at all. She just needs a basic examination to make sure she's not internally bleeding or anything like that. Think you can handle that?" Bruce didn't answer. "I'll even stay there the whole time. You know, as comic relief."
"I don't think this is a good idea."
"You're overthinking this."
Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose. "I nearly killed her. It's best if she doesn't see me."
"To be honest, I don't think she would care if death himself spat on her face last night. She wants to see you."
Bruce doubted that. How could someone possibly want to see the person who nearly brought them to their early grave? It didn't make sense to him, and he didn't think it ever would.
"It'll be ten minutes, tops. You don't even have to talk to her. We're in the same lab as before." Bruce made no move towards the elevator. "Hey, and just so you know, nobody's mad. Especially not me. I know you were worried about that the most considering that you did destroy several months of work."
Bruce winced. Tony meant well, but sometimes he said the worst possible things.
There was a dull ache in his chest. No matter how much it hurt him, he had to see the damage for himself. He had to at least try to fix all the pain he had caused.
Plus, if Bruce was anything other than the Hulk, he was a doctor. It was one of the few labels he had that he was proud to call his own. And as a doctor, it was his duty to help the sick and the injured, no matter how much he dreaded it.
Thor gave Marsha a huge grin, who returned it with a shy smile. He placed an arm over Saniya's shoulder, nearly crushing her under his huge muscles. "I see the resemblance between you two. It is uncanny."
Tony, who was repairing his suit with a small electrical tool, lifted his head from his work. "Duh. They have the same face." He cautiously regarded Marsha before returning to the arm piece.
Thor rocked Saniya back in forth in a comforting motion. She raised an eyebrow but didn't comment on his actions. "I hope one day you have a bond as great as my brother and I's." His eyebrows drew together. "Before he began his quest to rule and became unwell," Thor corrected.
He leaned too far to the left and she winced. Marsha's eyes widened. "Does it hurt? You know, where it grabbed you?" she asked, quiet enough for Tony not to hear her voice.
Saniya shook her head. "Nope. There's not even a bruise." Lies. All lies.
Marsha believed her. She curled into a ball and chewed on an apple Saniya stole from the kitchen. Thor frowned, gaze falling to her side. He wasn't as easy to convince.
"Bruce is going to look at it," she whispered to him. "Don't worry about it."
His hand tightened around her shoulder. "Are you sure about this, Lady Saniya? I do not wish for you to be frightened. I've bandaged my fair share of battle wounds and may be able to help."
She rolled her eyes. "I'm not scared of Bruce," she repeated for the fifth time today.
Thor nodded. "But what of the Hulk?"
Flashes of him crushing her body and throwing her through the window buzzed through her mind. The look of anger on his face was so intense. It still frightened her to think about. The Hulk was like nothing she had ever seen.
She shrugged. "Honestly? I'm more than a little scared of the Hulk. Bruce is harmless, though."
The Asgardian looked at her with something that was strangely close to sympathy. "The longer I have known the doctor, the more I've come to realize that the Hulk and him are two sides of the same person. They are not separate entities."
Before she could reply, she was drawn to the opening elevator. Bruce looked horrible. There were dark bags under his eyes and he was dressed as if he threw on the first clothes he saw on his bedroom floor. His shoulders were hunched and his eyes skipped around the lab like a nervous deer.
Thor glanced between her and the scientist, trying to tell her something with his eyes. She gave him an odd look, not getting the message. He slipped off the examination table, bringing Marsha with him to show her the tablet Tony gave him. The Asgardian made sure to stay close enough in case he needed to intervene. It was a sweet but unnecessary gesture.
Bruce refused to look at her as he trudged closer.
"Hey, Bruce," she greeted.
He bobbed his head in return.
Her foot tapped on the leg of the table. "Are you okay?"
Bruce frowned and let out a dry laugh. "I should be the one asking you that question." He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Where did he hurt you?" Bruce scanned her body for injuries, still refusing to look at her face.
Saniya gestured to her rib cage. "Just around this area."
He hovered by her side. Bruce gestured an upwards motion with his hands. "Can you... lift your shirt please, unless you want to go somewhere with more privacy?"
"Here's fine." She watched his facial expression. "It's a little bad, just a warning." Bruce gulped.
She slowly lifted the side of her shirt, revealing a long string of bruises in the shape of large fingers. They were a dark purple and ran along her entire ribcage. Saniya angled her body so Marsha was completely blocked off, not that it mattered. Thor was doing a good job of distracting her.
Bruce's expression fell. The blood ran from his face. "Does it hurt to breathe?"
"Not really. It only hurts when I move my upper body," she replied.
His blinked rapidly. The expression on his face was the closest to devastation. It took her a couple of seconds to realize that Bruce was close to crying.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't... I'm sorry," he tried to say but failed.
Saniya became confused. Did Bruce actually feel bad about everything that happened? She didn't understand the entire situation, but from what she could tell, Bruce didn't have any control over the Hulk. If he had no control, then that meant it wasn't his fault. He shouldn't feel sorry for hurting her. She wasn't blaming him.
But there he was, moments away from shattering the stereotype that men couldn't express emotion. As much as she loved breaking stereotypes, she didn't want to see him cry. He was too good of a person to feel bad about this situation. Especially when he didn't hurt her on purpose.
So, she did the only thing she could think of in the moment: she hugged him.
He was as rigid as a board and tried to back away. Saniya didn't let go, even when his torso bothered the bruises on her ribs.
"You don't have to hug me back," she told him, "but you can't stop me from hugging you."
And that's how they stayed for a full minute, Saniya clinging to an awkward man for an awkward amount of time. He never moved his arms from his side. Tony looked up from his work and gave her a thumbs up. Apparently she was doing something right. Since Bruce didn't make any other attempts to escape from her arms, she deemed the hug a success.
She pulled away, but still clasped onto his shoulders to keep him from running away. "We're friends, right?"
He blinked, dazed from her embrace. "If you want to be friends with me, then yes, I suppose so."
Saniya smiled. Bruce looked at her like he was just hit hard on the head and was moments away from unconsciousness. "Awesome. So, what's the diagnosis? Are my ribs broken or am I fine?"
She lifted up her shirt again. He fixed his glasses and leaned down to have a closer look. Bruce reached his hand forward, then stopped. "May I?"
"Go ahead."
With a shaky palm, he gently pressed the pads of his fingers to the skin around one of the bruises below her bra. He lightly pressed down. "Does this hurt?"
"No."
Saniya scrunched her face when he prodded one of the bruises. He removed his hand like her skin burned him. "Did that one hurt?"
Her shirt dropped back down. "A lot, yeah," she gritted. The place that he touched hummed with pain.
He rubbed his hands together. "I wouldn't say their broken, but I can't know for sure without an x-ray. I doubt they're even bruised. Either way, ribs tend to heal by themselves after a few weeks. The most I can do is give you some pain medication." His eyes watched her carefully.
She pursed her lips. "Maybe something to help me sleep. I can manage through the day. Pain is good for the soul, after all."
Something akin to a smile rose on his face but fell immediately. "I would have to disagree with you on that. Do you need anything else?" he asked.
Saniya rocked her feet back and forth above the ground. "You're still going to be my doctor, right?" His eyebrows furrowed. "I don't think I can handle one of the SHIELD doctors."
Bruce shifted in his spot. His eyes looked everywhere but at her. "Tony has a lot of contacts. I'm sure he can find you a different doctor who isn't affiliated with SHIELD."
Her jaw slackened. "Is this your way of telling me to get lost?" He looked up in surprise. "I like you, Bruce. I think you're a super nice guy. If you don't want to be my doctor anymore, fine. But if my opinion means anything, I still want you to be."
His shoulders sank. That was when she finally noticed that Bruce was far past devastated. He was plain defeated. "It's not a good idea for anyone to be around me."
She tapped his leg with her shoe. "Who cares if it's not a good idea?" Bruce tilted his head. "As long as people want you here with them, that should be enough."
Bruce pressed his lips together with a weird expression on his face. He shook his head. "You have an interesting perspective." Saniya smiled. That had to be some sort of compliment. Bruce cleared his throat and moved out of her reach. "I'll have someone send you some pain medication before you go to bed."
"Thanks," she chirped.
He held her gaze for a second too long and her heart fluttered. Bruce mumbled a goodbye then left. As he walked to the elevator, Saniya found herself staring after him.
She tried to figure out how a man like Bruce could hide the Hulk inside of him. There seemed to be room to put a rage monster among his mild-mannered personality. Maybe Thor was right. The Hulk and Bruce weren't two different people and instead two sides of one person.
It confused her to think about, but on a deeper level, it... sort of turned her on. That was sort of embarrassing to admit to herself, but it was true. She had always been a bit of an adrenaline junkie. As long as she controlled the situation to some degree, she'd willingly throw herself in front of a car if it meant she'd get a few seconds of fun. And now that she was almost sure that if she saw the Hulk again, he wouldn't pummel her into dust immediately, she was looking forward to their next interaction.
Of course, she was still shaken from their last encounter, but one of the greatest thrills of life was overcoming fear. Her blood buzzed with excitement the longer she thought about it.
And even freakier to her than her weird fetish —if one could call it that—, she felt the beginnings of a crush stitching itself together. She knew it was only be a matter of days before she'd throw herself all over Bruce.
If anyone asked her what made her think of Bruce as anything other than a friend, she would say it was the Hulk, oddly enough. To be honest, she wouldn't have thought much of the scientist romantically if there wasn't a part of him that excited her. But now that she knew that there was a sliver of him that made her blood rush faster (albeit due to fear), she was prepared to hold on tight.
She stretched out on the couch, Thor sitting by her legs and staring with wonder at the television. The local news was showing a video of a dog park that was just built outside of the city. Dogs ranging from Great Danes to Chihuahuas pranced across the television.
"Look, Lady Saniya! That beast must be smaller than my hand," Thor pointed.
Her eyebrows raised. Even by 'Midgardian' standards, that was one tiny dog. "I didn't know dogs came in that size."
The news anchors returned to the screen.
"Now wasn't that adorable, Richard? It is free of charge for all residents. The city just asks people to have their dogs vaccinated and to keep a close eye on their animals. This new dog park is sure to make many animal-lovers happy."
"Right you are. On a less cheerful note, there has been a tragic event in Lithuania that has garnered attention from all over the world. Seventeen people, including six children, have been found brutally murdered in an abandoned barn. More on this story is Janice Vernon outside the crime scene."
Saniya groaned and reached for the remote. "Too depressing. I bet I can find something on Animal Planet with dogs."
Thor's face brightened. "I would very much enjoy seeing this planet of animals." Marsha, wrapped in a cocoon of blankets, silently nodded in agreement.
Just as she flipped the channel, her phone began to ring. Saniya looked at the caller ID. Dorie was calling.
A part of her felt guilty for completely forgetting about her, but there was really no reason to think of her ex-coworker. She just didn't come up. But now that she was calling, Saniya was happy to hear from her.
She pressed the phone to her ear as Thor was hypnotized by a documentary about the evolution of wolves to house pets. "Took you long enough to call," she joked.
"Not my fault. I'm super busy. Just calling to let you know that I'm not dead. SHIELD hasn't murdered me for being useless yet."
Saniya propped herself up. Her nose wrinkled as her ribs ached in response. "Yet?"
"They're sort of asking for the impossible from me," Dorie explained. She sighed. "Agent Klemmer is going insane. She keeps saying that you almost killed her with some gas and that you're Hydra and will come for us all. I'm pretty sure she officially went off the deep end."
She rolled her eyes. "It was nonlethal. She wasn't even close to dying."
Dorie stayed silent for several seconds. "What? Don't tell me you actually beat her up?"
"I didn't beat her up," Saniya protested. "I just sprayed her in the face with something that made her go unconscious. Natasha gave it to me."
"Whoever Natasha is, I freaking hate her for making her crazier than usual. Agent Klemmer's been bugging me constantly about you. She won't leave me alone."
That got her attention. "She hasn't threatened you, right?" Dorie remained quiet. "Dorie Hughes, so help me—"
"Get off my case! She's visiting a therapist, so it doesn't really matter, does it?" Dorie snapped. Instead of being thoughtful and asking what was making her so edgy, Saniya went into defense mode. Which, in retrospect, was not the best response.
Marsha jumped as Saniya replied harshly into the phone. "Of course it matters! If someone is threatening you, you don't sit there and take it. Tell someone who can get her fired!"
"I'm not rocking the boat, so shut up about it!"
She rolled her eyes. "No way—"
"Let it go otherwise I'm hanging up on you."
Saniya bit her tongue from saying something she would regret. "Fine. I'll let it go," she gritted through her teeth. "What are you working on?"
Dorie sighed. "I can't tell you—"
"Technically I'm SHIELD now. That Director Fury guy just blackmailed me to work for you guys."
"What?" she gasped. "Congratulations!" The worst part was that Dorie was completely serious. "Wait, why?"
While she could explain to Dorie all about her abilities, did she really want to do that over a phone that Tony pulled a listening device out of? And there was the more important question of if she even wanted to tell Dorie.
There was one thing she was sure of, though: she couldn't speak about it over a phone.
"Can't talk about it now," she rushed out. "I'll tell you later."
"Why can't you talk about it now?"
She curled her toes into the carpet. "You know why. SHIELD might be listening in."
There was the sound of a mug smacking down on a table. "I'm sort of sick of this attitude you have about SHIELD. They're helping people."
"They haven't been helping me," Saniya tried and failed to keep back a scathing tone. Thor finally looked away from the television, his face creased with worry. "All SHIELD has done is hurt me, so excuse me if I don't easily trust them."
"You're so... annoying! There, I've said it! This whole thing you have against SHIELD is just you making excuses to hate them!"
Saniya scoffed. Thor placed a hand on her shoulder, but it did nothing to calm her down. "They're valid excuses!"
"I don't think they are," Dorie said with a stiff tone. "I can sort of understanding not liking them at first, but now it's getting ridiculous!"
Marsha's eyes widened as Saniya sputtered a swear word into the phone. "All they've done is hurt me and others! I cannot believe that you can't see that!"
"I do see that, but nothing is black and white, Sani," Dorie growled back. "SHIELD does more good than bad."
"Bull—"
"I can't talk about this with you. You never listen. Just don't... don't call me," Dorie said.
Now was the point in the argument where she knew she was right but felt completely guilty. Saniya let out a long breath. She let the argument get out of hand, and now she offended one of the few people on her side. Maybe this was one of those times it would have been better to stay quiet.
She clutched the phone tighter in her hand. "Dorie, I didn't mean—"
"Goodbye. I'll call you next week," was Dorie's indignant reply. Then she hung up.
She groaned into her hands. "Why can't we just have a civil discussion about SHIELD for once?" Thor patted her on the head in the same way as the dog trainer on the tv just did to a black lab.
Marsha tugged the blanket higher on her body. "How long have you two been friends?"
She bit her lip. 'Friends' was never the word Dorie and Saniya used to describe their relationship, but they had a sort of bond that couldn't be ignored. "Almost five years, ever since we were both hired to work at the restaurant."
"New York's Best," Thor proudly proclaimed. His lips curled into a pout. "I miss dining there."
Saniya smirked. I don't, she thought to herself. It was a bad restaurant with poor hygiene standards, but she wasn't about to break Thor's happy thoughts about the place. She did have a heart, after all.
"Well," Marsha started, "if you have been friends for so long, a small argument won't change that." More like two large arguments. "You'll be able to talk it out."
She sounded so hopeful. Marsha was a lot like Thor in that way. They both were so innocent and optimistic. Saniya envied that part of them as she wasn't so hopeful about the turn Dorie and hers 'friendship' were going.
Marsha hid a yawn behind her hand. Saniya poked her with her socked foot. "Go on. Get to bed, sleepyhead."
She murmured a quiet goodnight before heading back to their room.
Thor watched her with a careful expression. "Ugh, I really don't want to talk about it. It'd be better to forget it even happened. Can you turn up the volume?" Saniya asked.
Though he looked like he wanted to talk about it more, the dogs won his attention. He roared with laughter as one of the dogs licked the camera. In all honesty, Saniya didn't find it that funny, but found herself giggling with Thor.
Thor always made it easier to laugh.
She laid down so her feet were draped over Thor's legs. Saniya rested her head on the couch cushion, blocking out the thoughts of whose butt was there last.
"How much longer of these amusing videos?" Thor asked.
"It's a marathon. It'll last all night," she told him after a yawn.
Saniya stayed up with Thor for another hour before she passed out on the couch. At two in the morning, he woke her up after laughing at a golden retriever dressed in a tutu. After grumbling her dissatisfaction, she fell back asleep.
Sometime during the night, Thor placed a blanket over her. Shortly after, the blanket was unintentionally draped across the kitchen sink and Saniya had sleepwalked back to her bed. Marsha, who also had a fitful night of sleepwalking, ended up at the foot of Saniya's bed.
Saniya winced in pain when she woke up from a sharp poke. Marsha's bony knee jutted into Saniya's back and her arm was pinned under Marsha's back. Great. They ended up as a human pretzel again.
Her eyes began to focus on a purple fabric hovering over her. She blinked several times until Agent Musa's face became clear. Her face was emotionless and she was dressed in all black. The only color on her was the purple of her hijab and a silver SHIELD pin.
"Good morning, Ramakrishna," Agent Musa greeted in a monotone voice.
Saniya rubbed her eyes. "What are you doing in my room?" She glanced at her surroundings to make sure she was actually in her room.
Agent Musa lifted her chin. "From now on, every morning you will wake up at seven o'clock. Put on clothes you are not afraid to be sweaty in." Before she could respond, Agent Musa left the room.
A jolt of rebellion rushed through her. There was no way she would be bossed around this early in the morning by a complete stranger. Agent Musa would have to wait fifteen more minutes before Saniya could even process orders. Her brain needed the time to rest. So, following that train of thought, she closed her eyes.
That was, until Agent Musa literally dragged her from bed.
"I'm up!" she yelped as her body thumped to the floor. Marsha, a lot like Thor in another way, continued to sleep.
The corners of her lips twitched into what could be described as an 'almost smile'. "Do I need to repeat myself? Every morning you will wake up at seven o'clock. The easiest way to gain perfect self-control is to start with basic bodily functions." The agent ruffled through her drawers and threw her a sports bra and the first tank top and shorts she saw. "You're wearing this."
Saniya looked between the clothes on the floor and Agent Musa. "I can dress myself."
"I know. But every action has its consequences. For not waking up immediately, you lose your freedom of choice."
She raised an eyebrow, which Agent Musa met with the same expression. "Holy crap, you're serious." Saniya picked up her clothes. "Okay, I'll go along with this just this once, but only because I'm too tired to do anything else." She jabbed her finger.
Agent Musa nodded, her face now void of emotion. "Be out in two minutes." With that, she finally left Saniya to change in peace.
Saniya reluctantly pulled her clothes over her body. This must be when she would start her training. No longer could she block out the ever looming dark cloud that was SHIELD as it would now be constantly shoved in her face.
At least she was one step closer to getting out of this stupid tower.
Okay, so the tower wasn't stupid, she had to admit. It was actually quite amazing, but she wanted freedom.
She kept glancing at the door, half expecting Agent Musa to barge in claiming she took too long to change. Some part of her wanted to see if that would happen, but Saniya was still too dazed from her hours of sleep to function completely as her stubborn self.
Saniya left her room, closing the door softly behind her. She froze when she reached the entryway of the kitchen.
Agent Musa plopped several eggs straight from the pan into a blender, along with several pieces of Bruce's tofu bacon, a slice of buttered toast, and apple slices. Clint looked particularly thrilled to press the 'on' button. The strange mixture of foods swirled into a disgusting sludge of chunks.
He waved. "Morning," Clint yelled over the blender. It flipped off and Agent Musa poured a glass. The... breakfast smoothie... crawled at a snail's pace into the glass. Clint pointed to the disgusting concoction. "This is your breakfast."
"Nope. That is not going to happen." She shook her head.
Agent Musa gave her a disapproving look. "Do you remember the last page of your employee application?"
Ah yes, the employee application she sent in several hours after the Hulk fiasco, the one she spent two hours reading through. Saniya felt like banging her head in the counter. There was one particular line that stuck out to her. During training, all orders given by your supervising officer must be completed if they do not interfere with previously established moral obligations.
Stupid Saniya. She should never have signed that document.
"The first step to self-control is to manage your bodily function," Agent Musa explained. "In this case, you must control your gag reflex."
She folded her arms. "This is just so you can have a good laugh. How does this relate to training in any way?"
Clint hid a snicker when Agent Musa sent him a Natasha-worthy glare.
"There is no gain without suffering."
Saniya stomped her way over to the glass, making sure they knew exactly how unhappy she was about this. "There is literally nothing I can gain from this experience," she grumbled.
Clint shrugged. "Eh, I don't know. At least after Agent Musa's done with you, you'll be able to eat literally anything." Both women glared at him. "Goodness, agent, I'm complimenting your training style."
Agent Musa looked stuck between pride and disdain. "My training style is much more than being able to eat gross food." She forced the glass up to Saniya's lips. "Drink."
It couldn't taste that bad, so she saw no harm in drinking the weird mix of food. It was a typical breakfast, just in a different form than she was used to.
The second it touched her tongue, she gagged. She would have stopped right away if she didn't see Clint looking at her like he expected her to quit and make a fuss out of this. Sure, she was seconds away from doing just that, but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction. Saniya plugged her nose and chugged the rest in record time.
She slammed the cup. "What else you got?" Saniya wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
Agent Musa reached in the fridge and took out one of Pepper's fancy yogurts she left behind from the move. She gave it to Saniya, who immediately began eating it. It was much better than what she just had.
"Once a week I will be in charge of your training and will give Agent Barton a strict schedule to keep to. At the end of each day, he will report to me about your progress," Agent Musa told her. Clint nodded, oddly serious for once. "Until Dr. Banner gives the okay, we will only work on lower body strength."
Saniya licked the last of the yogurt off the end of the spoon. "And how long will this training last? Two weeks?"
Agent Musa let loose a rough 'ha'. "Two years at the least." She curled her pointer finger as a sign for them to follow her. With a posture and grace that put even Natasha to shame, Agent Musa waited in the elevator.
She hopped into the elevator with Clint by her side. "I am not going to train for two years." Saniya's lips curled into a frown. "I am not living in this tower for two years!"
Clint leaned against the side of the elevator. "It's not constant training for two years," he explained. "It gets less busy as time goes on. Nah, I think you'll only be here for maybe one... two more months until they give you a trial run."
Just as she was about to ask what her trial run would be, Agent Musa interrupted her. "Don't worry about that now. Only focus on today." The agent looked at her from the corner of her eye.
The doors slid open to reveal a large gym, complete with a boxing ring and an assortment of gym equipment. A large boxing bag was in the corner with spare bags stacked next to it. One treadmill was connected to a clear screen, the same one as in the labs. And, like every gym she had ever went to, it reeked of sweat.
Clint wrinkled his nose, but played it off by itching his nose. "Congrats. Stark gave you access to the gym. Keep this up and you'll have unlimited access to anywhere in the tower," he teased.
Saniya didn't hide her distaste. Not even a half hour after she woke up and she was being forced to work out? She couldn't even bother to find the strength to pretend to not be annoyed.
"It smells awful in here," she muttered. "I don't think I want access to this floor."
Agent Musa clapped her hands. "Welcome to your first day of hell."
"This is the WORST!"
For the third time since she stepped on the treadmill, Agent Musa made it go faster. Her legs were nearly swept out from under her.
"Complaining only makes it go faster," Agent Musa warned for not the first time.
Clint observed with his arms crossed. "In case you didn't catch on, this is how much of your training with her will go: if you do something she doesn't like, she'll make up some sort of punishment."
Saniya gulped for air. She wondered if she would be able to hop off the equipment without Agent Musa murdering her as 'punishment'.
Clint faltered. "Heya, Musa, I know you like to push people to their breaking points then punish them for breaking in the first place, but don't you think we should give her a break? She's about to drop dead."
Thankfully, the agent agreed with him. She glanced at her watch. "Ten more seconds. Ten… nine… eight… seven… six… five… four… three… two… one…" She pressed a button and the treadmill gradually grew slower. "Walk until your heart rate goes back down."
Saniya rolled her head back in pain but did as she was told. Exercise had a way of beating out the stubbornness in people. "Water... I... need... a lot... of water."
Clint raised a water bottle to her lips. The sweet release of the liquid soothed her burning throat.
She bent her head. "Just pour it on me. I don't even care anymore."
He did as she said. The water soaked into her hair and shirt, but oh did it feel so good. "Huh, not much of a difference from before," Clint remarked about her sweaty locks. All she could muster was an angry stare.
After several long minutes of forcing her legs to move in a slow walk, she finally felt like she was back to normal. Her lungs didn't feel like they were in the middle of a forest fire, for one. The numbers, indicating her heart rate on the screen next to them, grew lower and lower to a steady resting heart beat.
Steve walked into the gym with a towel hanging off of his shoulder. He gave the three a courteous nod before heading to his own space by the punching bags. Her heart rate jumped a little as she watched Steve strip off his shirt, revealing toned muscles that should be illegal.
Clint rolled his eyes while Agent Musa blinked rapidly. When she saw Saniya was staring too, she gave her what seemed to be a friendly smile. The two women did their best not to look over as Steve thumped the punching bag.
Saniya bit her tongue. God, he was so hot, even if he was a bit stuck up to her.
Then it hit her so hard that she nearly tripped.
"What happened to Steve's cast? I could have sworn he still had it on," she asked.
Clint raised an eyebrow. "He got it off yesterday while you were talking with Fury."
Agent Musa, filling out a calendar of training exercises, didn't stop writing as she asked her question. "Ramakrishna, did you honestly not notice? I was told he carried you down an elevator shaft. That's something you can't exactly do with a cast on." She struck her pen on the front of the treadmill. "You can stop now and begin stretching your legs. Same routine as the beginning of the session."
Saniya did as she was told. She flopped to the ground and reached for her toes. "I wasn't thinking about it, so no, I didn't notice."
Agent Musa hummed with displeasure. "Agent Romanoff did mention this in her report," she murmured.
Her eyebrows drew together. "What? That I don't look at Steve's arms often?"
"No. That you're hopelessly unobservant." Agent Musa glanced at the calendar and made some last minute changes. "Agent Barton, it's now your job to change that."
Clint took the calendar for the month of September, glancing over it briefly. "Aye aye."
Agent Musa nodded. "I'll see you next week." She gave Clint a stern look. "I expect you to follow my schedule. If you make any changes, contact me first." Before he could respond, Agent Musa turned around and was heading towards the elevator. Within seconds, she was gone. Saniya wasn't the only person she did the disappearing act to.
She stood, now that the coast was clear. "Huh. I'm not sure if I like her or not."
Clint tossed her a protein bar. The wrapper was off in a matter of milliseconds. "I get that. Everyone loves a strong, independent woman. She's just a little... callous with her approach to training." He stuffed his own granola bar in his mouth even though all he did was stand there. "But you know, she's one hell of a trainer. The best around," he said between bites.
She finished chewing. "Fury said that normally the people who make the referral are the ones who train that person. Why isn't Natasha training me, then?" Saniya clenched and unclenched her hand. Her fingers were tingling for some reason.
Clint dramatically glanced over his shoulder. "I'll let you in on a secret: Nat isn't perfect."
"No way," she deadpanned.
He shook his head. "She's one of the most impatient people on this planet. No way would she be able to teach someone with zero experience in self-defense or espionage. She'd kill you." The last sentence was said so seriously, that she didn't doubt it until Clint chuckled. "Just kidding. She wouldn't kill you, just maybe strangle you a little. Nothing serious."
Her heart began to beat slightly faster and it felt like there was a weight on her chest. Saniya coughed, trying to make the feeling go away. "Then I'm glad I have you and Agent Musa instead." Saniya fanned herself with a sweaty hand. "Is it hot in here or is it just me?"
(A/N Potential trigger warning from this point to the end of the story. Summary is in an author's note in the bottom)
Clint frowned. "You don't look so good, kid."
"I don't," she gulped in a large mouthful of air. "feel... good..." Saniya struggled to fill her lungs, resulting in short, gasps. Her skin prickled with chills, as if she was utterly terrified. "I... can't... breathe," she rasped.
"Whoa!"
Her legs were giving out from under her so Clint helped lower her to the ground. She tried to move her body, but it wasn't cooperating. Every time she tried to speak, her breath was stolen from her chest. All she could do was hide her face in her shuddering legs. She barely registered that Steve ran over and was speaking to Clint.
All she understood was the word Bruce.
"B-Bruce," she stuttered. God, her heart was beating so fast that it was sure to burst from her chest.
"Doctor Banner has been notified," Jarvis said. "He has advised you to try and control your breathing."
Saniya balled herself into a tighter ball. That was easier said than done. Steve did his part of calming her down by telling her over and over that everything was okay. Unfortunately, it didn't stop her body from freaking out.
Clint said something about a panic attack. She frowned. This couldn't be a panic attack. It couldn't be. Saniya wasn't in a panic. Well, now she kind of was since her body was out of her control, but there wasn't the distinctive fear she imagined that came along with panic attacks. There was a feeling in the back of her brain that felt like raw terror, but it was foreign. Like it wasn't even her emotion. Something other than her was making her body act this way.
Her shoulders relaxed slightly when she heard Bruce's voice. Saniya forced herself to meet his brown eyes.
His hands rested on her arms. The warmth from his body calmed the muscles in her biceps. "You're okay, you're going to be okay. Try to match my breathing, alright?"
She shuddered a nod. Her breathing needed to slow down; she had to control her breathing. Without much thought, she hurled herself in his arms and pressed her head against his chest. Bruce awkwardly patted her back as she hugged his waist. Saniya nearly cried as she buried her face into his shirt.
Her body was shaking so much. Was she having a seizure? What was wrong with her? They kept saying 'panic attack' over and over, but that wasn't true. It couldn't be. She'd never had one before, so why she have one now?
"Dr. Banner, I am aware that this is poor timing, but Ms. Elliot seems to also be suffering through a panic attack and is in need of assistance," Jarvis said.
Marsha. For the first time since this began, her heart slowed down a beat. Marsha.
Somehow, she knew Marsha was the answer to her condition. It made perfect sense to Saniya, but she knew that if she tried explaining it to someone else, it would be utter nonsense. It explained everything, though. The feeling of fear in the back of her mind wasn't her emotion, so there was only one reason that this could be happening. Plus, it was too much of a coincidence to ignore.
Marsha was the one causing her panic attack. And at that revelation, the connection between Marsha and Saniya separated just enough for her body to calm down.
She struggled to keep her feet under her. "Marsha... I need..." The words still were struggling to get out.
Bruce helped her stay upright. The space between his eyebrows creased. "Marsha will be okay. She isn't alone up there."
Saniya shook her head. He didn't understand. "Marsha... now..." She forced her breathing to match his. Although it wasn't close to his slow breaths, it was better than before. The weight on her chest lifted slightly. "I need... to help... her," she hiccuped. It won't stop unless she helped her.
With her nails were still digging into Bruce's purple shirt, she dragged Bruce towards the elevator with her. The scientist steadied her on her wobbly legs, looking very unsure. Clint and Steve stared, uncertain of what they could do to help.
"Maybe you should sit down," he suggested. "You can't help Marsha if you don't help yourself."
Her breathing was back down to as if she just finished a light jog, but a light hum in her mind told her to breathe faster. She was supposed to match Marsha, not Bruce, but she refused to go back to the panicked state she just took herself out of.
"I'm fine... really," she said.
His eyes widened. She pressed the up button and the doors slid open. "You're really not, Saniya. You just had a panic attack— you're having a panic attack."
"Jarvis... take me to... Marsha." Saniya pressed her head back to his chest, focusing on the slow in's and out's. Focus on Bruce. Just focus on him. "She's the one... causing this. It won't stop... unless I help her."
The trembling in her hand calmed to a small twitch. She wasn't the one scared; she wasn't the one having a panic attack. Her body was just copying Marsha. Saniya repeated this in her mind until she was sure without a shadow of a doubt that her body was reacting to Marsha's feelings, not her own.
"It's—"
"I know what I'm talking about," she said between a long inhale. "Trust me on this."
The elevator opened. Next to the large window was Marsha staring up at the sky in horror. Her short breaths were louder than Thor's calm words and she was oblivious to Natasha's reassuring pats on the back.
Saniya stumbled to her, Bruce holding her up as best as he could. She dropped to the ground next to her sister and engulfed Marsha in a hug. Marsha shook in her arms, muttering something about the sky.
Bruce's mouth fell open. "Oh my god, what is that?" She followed his gaze to the sun. It was slowly turning green and morphing into the shape of a... person. Saniya's chest seized up. Was this another alien invasion? If it was, then it was a weird one.
Marsha bawled into her sweaty tank top. "I can't stop," she cried repeatedly between her uneven breaths.
Saniya held her closer. "You're okay, just match my breathing," she said in the same tone Bruce used with her. Marsha continued to cry. "Marsha, you can do it," she whispered. She felt a slight nod as they rocked back and forth.
The longer they stayed in that position, the less the sun looked like a green person. It wasn't until Marsha was completely calmed down when the sun was back to normal.
Marsha latched onto her like she was covered in glue. "I'm sorry," she whimpered.
Saniya rubbed small circles on the back of Marsha's neck. "You don't need to be sorry."
She shook her head. "I couldn't stop it. I never can. It just happens."
Saniya pushed Marsha's tear-soaked hair behind her ear. "Everything is okay now. You don't have to be sorry."
Bruce rubbed his hands together in a nervous habit. "Thor, please tell me you have some idea what is happening, because I have no clue." He shook his head. "The sun isn't supposed to change shape. That isn't normal and I'm sort of freaking out." With his right hand tensed, he measure his pulse.
Thor frowned deeply. He knelt down to lightly pat Marsha's back. That managed to bring her sobs to a small whimper. "I do not know, but I know someone who may have all the answers."
"Who?"
He stood with an odd expression on his face. "My brother, Loki, may know. He may be able to give us answers about everything." Even about their abilities, was the unspoken sentence that they all picked up on.
The room fell silent except for Marsha's tears. Suddenly, Natasha nodded. Her face darkened. "You might be right. I can't believe these words are coming out of my mouth, but we need Loki's help."
For those who skipped the panic attack scene:
Marsha experiences a panic attack after another incident. She accidentally makes the sun morph into a green man as in accordance to Hindu theology. Because of an unknown connection between Saniya and Marsha, Saniya experiences the panic attack along with her. With Bruce's help, she finds Marsha and calms her down. Thor plans to talk to Loki to find out about the sisters' abilities and their connections to each other.
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