What You Wish For

Chapter Five

Word count: 974

A/N: Sorry this has taken a while. Portal 2 consumed me. And then Uni.

Once properly debriefed by S.H.I.E.L.D, they set off in the direction of LA to track down Meredith West. The stress was starting to show on the team. By the time they would have gotten there, Bruce would have been gone over 24 hours. Who knew what a crazy, cut out your heart, psychopath could do in that time?

Tony was sitting tensely in the jet. He had thought that sitting would help him relax. He was wrong. Sitting mixed with his constant thoughts of Bruce left him thinking about the last time they were sitting together.

Well, Bruce wasn't sitting exactly, he was straddling Tony, though practically sitting in his lap, as they made out against the headboard of the billionaire's bed like teenagers. Their mouths fitted together, broke apart, then refitted in a delightful tangle of breath. They could sit here for hours, just doing this, until Tony gently swiped his lounge across Bruce's lower lip, pulling out an encouraging sound from the doctor who repeated the favour. Hands roamed respectfully, reverently, across backs, sides and chests, skitting through hair and gently stoking faces. It was enticing and comforting all at once, suspended on the brink of needing more. They withheld the urge until it became too unbearable and had to kick up the intensity, hands travelling further and further downwards until it became too much. Then Bruce, calm but panting, would do his usual and retreat off the bed with a smile. Tony wished that he had Bruce's level of control, but wished more that Bruce had less. Still, he let him go, throwing him a casual smile, telling him that yes, it was alright, yes, we can take things slow, I don't mind. And he meant it, really. He wanted more, thirsted for it, but Bruce came first. It was the first time in all his life that Tony Stark, textbook narcissist put a single individual before himself. And he'd do it time and time again. It was one of those moments that made you realise what exactly true love was.

Sitting in the jet, waiting while Bruce could be in any sort of trouble was making that impulse control wane fast.

Tony had been good so far, taking things logically, forming plans and getting intel. But he really just wanted to go on a rampage that would make both Thor and the Hulk proud. To rip up endless amounts of buildings and cities until he found him. To use his repulsion beams on the bastards who had done it. To go back to the days when he didn't care who was hurt, as long as he got what he wanted.

Tony abruptly stood up, opened the door to the jet and let himself fly out. He would scout ahead, he reasoned. Sitting was certainly not helping matters.

The rest of the team let him go. Tony was not fooling anyone. Natasha and Steve exchanged looks in complete understanding. They would have to be careful with Tony, they couldn't let his emotions hurt their case or make him miss some sort of vital evidence. They were both methodical, professional people. Yes they had emotions, but they had learnt to control them, they knew that if they wanted to find their lost comrade, then they would have to be cool and sharp. It hadn't slipped by them how much better Tony had become when he was with Bruce, even more than he had been with Pepper. Less impulsive, more clear headed. Slightly more scheming, they'd give him that, but he had turned into something good. Something good that had always been there, but covered by layers that only Bruce could peel back. They could feel him slipping back to square one. Natasha mentally prepared herself for another drunken Ironman/Ironman face off.

They continued to fly in professional silence, each glad that none of the others were particularly talkative, until Tony's voice filtered through over his comm unit.

"Guys. Something's been here before us."

True to his word, when the jet arrived at the high rise there was a big smoking hole in it. People down below had stopped their cars, though the lack of screaming indicated that it had happened a while ago. Police were at hand, calming the amassed citizens, keeping reporters busy and helping to evacuate workers from the twenty story building. They landed near the impact site, the familiar smell of burning and rubble wafting in their nostrils. Steve made enquires about the damage, and was relieved that no one was killed.

The hole was on the twelfth floor of the building, and they took the fire escape up, running when Tony swore and ordered them up here faster.

Steve gasped when he saw what was smeared across the glass panels of West's office and Clint raised an eyebrow. Natasha stared at it for a second before turning to Tony.

"Do you think it's a message?"

Tony nodded. "I'm having JARVIS analyse it now. Not that he doesn't have enough to do already" he quipped, pale faced, glancing at the drying red blood on the door, dripping viscously in the shape of a heart.

The robot butler's voice sounded out from Tony's comm. His electronic voice sounded hesitant.

"Sir, I have analysed the blood. I'm afraid it belongs to Mr Banner."

Natasha reacted first, stepping back from the blood. Clint followed suit. Steve looked at them in askance, and they quickly explained the danger of Bruce's blood. He quickly stepped back too.

Tony just stared at the heart. His mouth was set, but his light brown eyes betrayed him. He looked fragile; as if the blood had come from his own body. He swallowed harshly.

"What do we do now?"