" Dick what the fuck!" I exclaimed prying his fingers off of Banner's shirt.

"I should be asking you the same thing," Richard said not taking his eyes off Banner. I stepped in between them , giving him no choice but to look at me. "I went by your apartment to talk, only to find out that you've moved out."

"When I said we would talk Richard, I meant I'd come to you. I didn't mean for you to see I'd moved out."

He blew out a gust of air. "And when were you planning on telling me?"

I stood a deep breath and looked him right in the eye. "Never, I didn't think it was any of your damn business."

He reeled back visibly insulted. A felt a stab of pain in my chest, I couldn't get Richard involved in this mess any more than he already was. " So much for working on us," he said through clinched teeth.

" I have eight months left to live Richard, how much of 'us' were you planning on trying to fix in that little bit of time?" I looked away as I said this, refused to let him see how much it was hurting me to have to hurt him.

There were a few short moments before he spoke again in a voice so soft I barely heard it through the rush of blood in my ears.

" I know what your trying to do Kitty."

I refused to answer.

He turned his gaze to Banner but said to me. " I guess this is it then."

" Yes," I whispered.

"Come by the bar tomorrow and pick up your last paycheck, starting today you no longer work at the Blue Ball bar and grill."

I jumped slightly from surprise, and then nodded warily. "You can't love a dying girl," I whispered.

" Don't tell me what I can and can't do," he hissed turning and walking away.

Under impulse I started after him my hands outstretched when the feel of a hand on my shoulder stopped me.

" Let him go, it's better this way." Banner said.

" How the fuck do you know that?" I snapped still watching Richard's walking figure.

" I do." He said.

I actually believed him. But that didn't stop the tears that were racing down my cheeks.

She was silent for the remainder of the time back to the tower. And when they arrived she hopped out of the car and continued up the elevator without a word. He watched her go not knowing what to say.

Stark was waiting for him in the lab, along with Natasha, when he finally hesitantly opened the door.

" Banner," Natasha greeted.

" Um Hi," he said waving and sitting in his chair. He fiddled with his glasses for a moment, before placing his hands on the keyboard and preparing to type. The knowledge left him then as he stared at the screen then at the keyboard and back to the screen. His thoughts were muddled as he tried to formulate equations in his head. Nothing. The only thing he could think of was the look on Kitty's face as she watched the man he guessed used to be her boyfriend walk away.

You can't love a dying girl…

Sighing he ran a hand thorough his graying hair.

Natasha appeared behind him, her hand gripping his chair as she leaned over to view his screen. He shifted uncomfortably.

" Banner are you ok?"

" Yes…" he answered without hesitation. " Never better," he flexed his fingers over the keyboard. Looked at Natasha whose eyebrow was cocked up, then back at the screen, then back at Natasha all in one moment. " Yes."

Natasha sat on the edge of the desk, and glanced down at him. " Talk doctor I'm listening."

Piper…Richard…please forgive me. I thought as I lay in my new room staring at the ceiling above my head, while "MRMS," blast through the speakers above and around the room. My notebook open and facedown lay on my exposed belly. I'd gone through the list of 100 things, to see if being broken up with showed up on the list.

It didn't. We were working on our relationship, or at least what was left of it. He wanted more than the

" Friends with Benefits," suggested a few months before finding out I only had eight months, and I stopped caring all together. So reluctantly I agreed, knowing in the end that it probably wouldn't work. Today was truth time, although I would have loved for it to be under different circumstances.

It was your responsibility to end it... Right that along with the responsibility of preventing a war I really knew nothing about by helping Fury find Piper.

She's going to hate me…

Tears burned the back of my eyes as I sat in silence staring at the walls, wondering what Piper would think of me when she saw them coming after her once again. They'd given me their word that they wouldn't kill her. Could I trust them. I probably couldn't, but thinking I could was like fresh reassurance.

A knock on my door interrupted my thoughts. Standing in just my bra and underwear I hit the panel and opened the door. Natasha stood in the doorway wearing her uniform.

" Hello…" I said running an arm across my eyes. " I thought everyone already left."

"They did, I stayed behind with Banner to watch the tower."

"More like watch me," I snapped.

She blinked and smiled slightly. "May I come in. So we can talk."

I wanted to tell her I had nothing to say to her, but instead I stepped aside and ushered her inside.

" I thought you were a special agent, shouldn't you be with them."

" They can handle it without me," she said surely sitting on my bed. " What you did back there, it had to be hard."

" No harder than anything else," I said refusing to look at her. " I'm guessing Banner told you."

" Only a little," she smiled. " The things we do for those we care about," she softly.

"It seems like I've been doing more than usual ."

" I understand," she said.

" Will they kill her?" I asked bluntly turning finally to face her. " When they find her?"

She didn't blink as she said. " No. Not immediately."

" Right…" I said. Reassurance…

" I brought you something," she said changing the subject. " A kind of welcome to the team present." Standing she walked out and reentered holding a folded leather suit, with black lace up boots on top. I reached for it slowly, giving her my " are you serious" look while I did so. I unfolded it revealing a suit that was similar to hers, only without the Shield enigma and belt.

" I'm a prisoner, I wouldn't exactly call that part of the team," I said. She's trying to gain your trust Kitty. You're here to save your sister, nothing more nothing less.

" After what you just did, I consider you to be."

I looked at the suit again then at her, then without thinking I started to pull the suit on. It molded onto my thin frame almost perfectly as if made just for me, and the shoes and gloves fit perfectly. I did a 360 in the mirror, checking myself out. I didn't fill it out nearly as well as Natasha or Piper, but it did do a good job of emphasizing the little curve I did have. Then picking up my notebook I scrabbled through the pages until I found the one I wanted.

I scribbled out #89- Dress like a superhero written in Piper's handwriting.

" Piper's not evil…" I said softly folding my notebook. " She has a reason for doing what she's doing. She always does."

Natasha nodded. " I know. We all do."

There was a pause then in before I decided to speak again. " Thanks for the outfit. I know people who would give up their left ball and tit to be a member of the Avengers."

" You've sacrificed enough, you deserve it."

I examined myself in the mirror again, perking up my butt and flexing my bicep. With a little work in the gym I could defiantly fill out the suit more. That is if I could exercise without the risk of falling over.

" I would say thank you," I replied, " If you guys weren't half responsible for my current suffering."

" Fair…" Natasha started but quickly cut herself off. She pressed a hand to her ear. " Yes, yes, I understand." She turned to me. I glanced over at her, one eyebrow raised.

" What is it?"

" They have your sister."

" Where is she?" I demanded as I stormed down the hall, Natasha close behind. I'd surprised myself with how fast I'd jumped up at hearing the news. I rushed down the hall around two corners into the meeting room where everyone was assembled.

They were talking when I arrived, more like arguing it seemed and I did not hesitate to interrupt them. On the screen Fury stood within the frame silent and serious.

" Where is my sister?"

They all stopped and stunned. I repeated my question more urgently this time. Pepe grabbed me moments later, lifting me off the ground and attempting to pull me from the room. I struggled, flailing in his arms, resorting to biting at the last minute to get free.

Fury voice boomed through the speakers " Let her go," he said and Pepe immediately released me.

" Your sister is currently being held in maximum security until all information has been secured."

" How did you catch her?" I asked.

Captain American stepped forward then, " We didn't have to, she surrendered."

I shook my head, that didn't sound like Piper at all. She never gave up, or gave in to anything or anyone. " I want to see her," I said.

Fury shook his head, " Negative."

" What? You can't…"

" I can and I am," he said. He turned his gaze to Pepe still standing behind me, "Agent Brocker please gather Ms. McMillian her time is done here."

He reached for me again, and I moved from his grip. " Please just let me watch you guys talk to her," I begged.

Fury started to answer back, to reject me, when Banner stepped forward. " I'll take care of her afterwards."

Fury raised an eyebrow.

Banner continued, " I'll make sure she's debriefed and escorted home."

" Fine," Fury said, sounded the lease bit satisfied with the decision, " Agent Brocker your assignment stands."

Pepe nodded and came in to stand beside me. He started to take my arm when Banner pressed his hand to the small of my back and mumbled, " It's alright, she won't run." More to me than to Pepe, and I nodded slowly to agree with him that I wouldn't.

They started the live feed, with shone on a hologram screen at the far end of the meeting room table. I sat down next to Banner and glanced up, ignoring everyone else but the screen. Piper sat hand cuffed, dressed in a pink tee that read, " Blond is the new Black," and faded jeans. Her fingers beat against the metal table as she hummed the lyrics to 20 Finger's "Short Dick Man." She appeared so casual, as if she were waiting in the lounge of a doctor's office. Not nearly as hectic as I had been. It made me wonder just how many times Piper found herself in situations like this one, and how she'd managed to get herself out.

Without realizing it I whispered her name under my breath, and just as abruptly she stopped singing and looked directly at the camera, her blue eyes unreadable. And I suddenly got the sense that her look was for me.

The door to the room she was in opened and Fury walked in. Behind him a different set of agents than the ones he used to intimidate me.

Piper didn't turn to him, just continued to stare at the camera.

" Piper McMillian," Fury called.

" Stand 5125 heat seeking, analyzing tracking camera, class A-" she paused scrunching her eyelids at the camera, " Model C."

" She's good," Stark noted.

" I did not come here to discuss camera's Ms. McMillian," Fury said."

Piper turned to him, giving him the same look she had given the camera, " No of course not Mr. Fury, you are here to discuss where the doctor is," she said. "Then when I refuse to tell you, you will then reveal that you have my sister, when I tell you I don't care, you will then proceed to take that file, in that hot agent's hand," she pointed a pink painted nail at the agent, "and read to me all that my sister has done over the past ten years to keep me out of prison." She tapped her nail against her chin, " Like the time I was arrested for the third time in row for shoplifting," she chuckled, " And Kitty slept with the Sheriff's son so he'd erase the file and the charges."

I felt my breath catch; I thought she didn't know about that, I thought I was doing such a great job hiding it all these years. How long had she known?

She glanced at the camera again, her eyes once again meant for me, " Oh sorry Kitty, was I not supposed to know about that?"

I glanced down, letting my hair fall over my face.

" Or maybe you're going to relay all the foster homes I've been to. Like the one with our foster Dad who insisted we call him Uncle Nick, who would take me to the grocery store so that I could steal shots of cheap liquor for him. And threaten to send Kitty away if I ever told. Or-"

" Enough," Fury barked. And Piper's face mocked surprise. "We will skip the familiarities then, since you seem very well acquainted." He stepped forward, placed both his hands on the either side of the table and peered at her with his one good eye, "Where is the doctor."

"Twenty feet," she said.

Fury raised an eyebrow.

" Under the city," she said. When Fury didn't answer, Piper leaned back in her chair and fixed him with a amused gaze, " You don't like to beat around the bush, I like that. Ok." She glanced up at the camera again and smiled. The sort of smile I knew all to well. It twisted at its end's mercievciously, and hinted at the badness to come. " God that trait is so typical in in short dick men."

Then the camera shut off, blocking our view.

" Piper-"

BOOM!

The wall beside us exploded in a blast of light, fire and glass. I flew backwards hitting the metal door that led to out of the room. Smoke clouded my vision and I could taste blood as I attempted to sit up, my head spinning from the effort. My right shoulder throbbed in pain as I stood, and when I ran my fingers of my left hand over it I could free the imprint of misplaced bone.

Gritting my teeth I braced myself against the wall and limped forward through the clouds of smoke and fallen plaster that made vision impossible. My foot caught on something halfway and I tripped against the body of Pepe, half covered in debris and bleeding from the head. I couldn't tell if he was alive or not, on my hunches I pressed both hands against the block of metal and wood on his chest and pushed.

Pain shot up my shoulder as I struggled to free him. I could hear gunshots in the distance and the faint sounds of grunts and falling bodies. I cried out Natasha's name in a desperate plead for help. She appeared moments later, forehead bleeding from a cut and hands shaking, but overall ok. Her eyes were wide and fierce as she bent down in front of me.

" Are you hurt?"

I shook my head, and pointed to Pepe to distress to speak properly.

" I need you to run."

" But…"

" There's no time for buts." She snapped reaching into Pepe's pocket and pulling out a gun. She placed it in the holster at my hip. " Find Banner, I'll handle them."

Them…I glanced up. Men were coming down the hall, dressed in blue suits that were tight against their frames, covered in metal plates that curled around their exposed muscles like body armor.

Standing I limped down the hall, the gun in the holster a sick feeling in my gut.

Another explosion shook the building, causing lights to blink and more smoke to fill the halls. I turned another hall where the smoke was lighter and I could actually see in front of me. A figure approached through the thin line of smoke, holding the wall and coughing. I withdrew the pistol and aimed ready to fire.

When they saw me they put up both hands in surrender.

" Kitty. Put down the gun, it's me Banner." I lowered the gun slowly, hesitantly. He took a step forward. "Where's Natasha?"

" She's back there…holding them off…they killed Pepe…the explosion…" I couldn't get my words out clearly through the pain of my shoulder and the smoke in my lungs. Banner's hands touched my side, then came up, his fingertips were covered in blood. I touched the spot as well, rubbing my fingertips up against something hard and brittle. Pain shot through my side then as I took hold of the object and pulled. Glass…

" We need to get you out of he-"

The familiar whizzing sound of a bullet glided past my cheek, then buried itself in the wall behind us, only to explode on impact. Sending a barrage of glass and metal surging forward. I was thrown against the wall once again, but this time instead of falling I was being held upright by Banner.

" Show yourself!" I coughed in the direction of the gunshot. I could not see completely through the smoke and dust but I knew it was her.

How could you have been so stupid Kitty…

" Kitty," she said moving closer until she was in view. Her pistol was aimed at my head, and her stance told me she was ready to ludge at any moment.

" Will you shoot me Piper?" I asked holding out my arms. " Go ahead, make it easier for me. You already know how much I want to die."

Piper narrowed her blue eyes. Then without a word lowered her gun until it was at level with my thigh. Her finger twitched against the trigger.

Banner stepped in front of me then. I pressed my hands against his shoulders and tried to move him out of my way. When he wouldn't budge I yelled. " Stop trying to be a fucking hero. She will kill you."

" No she won't," he said. " She can't."

" What the fuck are you talking about?" I asked trying to move around him. Piper shot. The bullet surge through the air then buried itself in Banner's head, before coming out the other end and hitting the wall behind us and once against exploding. He dropped like rock, his blood pooling on the ground.

" Banner!" I shouted running towards him. I fell beside him, panting my hands moving desperately trying to find a way, any way to stop this from happening. Piper had actually killed him, with no hesitation.

" Get away from him Kitty," Piper replied.

" Shut the fuck up Piper. Why did you shot him? Its me you want."

She ludged forward then and grabbed me pulling me to my feet with amazing strength, before running down the hall. I struggled trying to run back to where Banner lay, preferring him to Piper, my own flesh and blood.

She continued pulling me through the smoke and debris, moving over obstacles that would otherwise be obscured to her vision by smoke. Her hand was tight against my wrist and I could feel her urgency, her need to escape.

"Piper…why are…you…doing this?" I cried my breath leaving my chest in short erratic burst. My heart pounded so hard against my rib cage it hurt.

Piper tightened the grip on my arm until I could feel her nails biting through the leather of my suit.

" Your friend he's-"

An inhuman roar surged down the hallway its force so loud and strong that my eardrums pounded and my body shook in raw fear. I froze, and Piper stopped.

" What was that?" I asked.

She withdrew her gun, reloaded, " Have I ever told you Kitty, that you have horrible taste in men," she said casually as if we were drinking coffee instead of standing in the middle of a burning building.

" Piper what the-"

The ceiling exploded then just feet from where we stood, the plaster raining down on us. I covered my head and eyes opening them when the dust had settled and I could see clearly.

Piper stood pistol in hand, pose braced for action in front of a very angry Hulk.

" Piper!" I yelled standing abruptly only to fall back down my injuries finally taking a toll on my body. When she refused to answer I turned my attention to the burgling green mash of flesh and muscle in front of me. The burgling green mash of flesh and muscle and that used to be Banner.

Banner is the hulk…Banner is the hulk…I would have been excited at the news, if I weren't in my current predicament.

Piper on the other hand glanced at him with the same warily, unimpressed look she'd given Fury. Then she grinned, her lips forming a mischievous smile that spread from one edge of her face to the next. Her eyes twinkled with ill intent.

He roared at her then, the sound so loud my ear drums popped. I winced. Then he started to charge. Not thinking I stepped in front of Piper and stretched out my arms. He paused just feet in front of me, and I glared at him, trying to appear brave and fearless when I was two second away from wetting and shitting myself.

Its Banner…the nerdy scientist guy you played spoons with this afternoon Kitty…see you can kinda tell by looking into his rage filled eyes…

That didn't help.

" Piper!" I shuttered. " You should get out of here."

" Here's our ride," Piper said, and I took my eyes off Banner long enough to see Piper shooting an exploding bullet into the window ahead of us. I crashed, sending glass everywhere I moved to cover my eyes. Piper grabbed my hand in the confusion and swung me around forcefully until my feet lifted off the ground and I was flung through the air.

I have always found Piper's decisions to be incredibly stupid. From stealing almost everything she could get her hands on, including people, getting into fights, pissing off a secret organization, blowing up buildings. There seemed to never be any end to the dumb shit she did.

Honestly I don't know why I'm still surprised; she'd always been this way. I should have known it was only a matter of time before I would be involved in it all. Captured, nearly tortured and forced to live with a group of people who believed they were Gods (or at least one of them did, the others were just weird).

I should have guess that Piper's antics would lead me up to the movement where my life flashed before my eyes, as I was thrown out of a window by a laughing Piper, I should have known this and yet, I did not. And I was going to fall 500 feet to my death because of it.