a/n: Introducing the latest!

Here is the timeline previous to this storyline: Might be best just to read Bagel Thursday as this is the loose sequel to that. But if not, what you have missed out on is: Clint is 80% deaf, the team lives in Stark Tower, right after he became deaf during a mission in Egypt he was sent out on a mission in Baltimore where he was introduced to a female agent. That agent was taken and nearly assaulted by the target before she killed him. Clint is now learning to life his life being deaf while Banner and Stark work to update his hearing aids. I'm sure that's not all the information you may need, but its a start!

Prologue

"Come on, it's just two steps. You're inside, then you're outside. You spent, how long, just in the middle of nowhere with zero incidents; why is this still a problem?" Tony was saying.

"Yeah, it's just New York. Every time I come here it's just rough. I always break something. It doesn't matter what; it could be a bright shiny day and a rickshaw could jump a curb and, BAM!, I'm losing my shirt." Banner replied.

"I highly doubt a rickshaw will suddenly be transported outside the front door just to hit you. You are very good at controlling that and, frankly, I think you need to explore this half of yourself."

"Half nothing. It's either all of me as Bruce Banner, or all of me in a big old green monster thing. I broke New York more times than I can count. I'm not sure I have many fans out there."

"Watch any television or shop in the kid's section of a Macy's catalogue and it'll tell you different." Tony turned over to Clint and Steve with his hand gesturing to them. "Right? You try and tell him that the world will not suddenly fall apart the minute he steps outside."

Clint was quick to take the offering. "Actually, statistics show that 80% of all accidents occur in the home."

Tony shrugged as if his point had been made entirely valid.

The still unsure Bruce remained hovering back and forth in front of the rotating door.

It was another morning at Stark Industries and, like all other mornings, a familiar scene was repeating itself in front of the turn style doors of the office building. Bruce Banner, scientist and part time Hulk, was refusing to take even so much as a single step into the New York streets. Tony Stark, eager to broaden his friend's horizons, was cajoling, bribing, shoving, and reasoning his friend into submission. For months, all of the convincing in the world got them nowhere. Bruce was not leaving. Tony was giving in and back to work they went.

Steve shifted uncomfortably. He wasn't quite sure what he could add in this situation. "Bruce, you'd been good for so long out on your own in way more populated places than this, from what I've heard. You should just go get a coffee or something if you want."

Bruce was more fidgety than Steve had ever seen him. Th first time they met they were in the midst of a war room situation and the last real conversation they'd had was over a few rolls of shwarma after said war. Since then tête-à-têtes were limited.

The doctor was nodding at their comments. He seemed to understand it, taking it in with the same breath that gave him a sturdy set jaw. He turned on his heels and headed for the turn style door. The receptionists at the counter half stood from their seats. Happy, by security, even leaned over the desk. Bruce paused for a moment by the door.

Then he stepped in. Around he spun and out he came . . . back inside the Stark Tower.

Clint threw up his arms. "Crap! Bruce, that was so close! You were right there!"

Bruce scampered inside as if all of New York was on his heels. "I did it. It counts. I went."

"It does not count." Tony said. "And Mr. Arrowhead over there is not helping. Here, I'll walk out with you, will that help?"

Bruce nodded against his chest, his hands clenching and unclenching each other. Tony and he entered the door and turned around in a few circles. Bruce was on the outside and now that Stark was in the door with him, he was refusing to get out at all.

Clint chuckled as he watched the antics. "Every morning," he reminded Steve. "there's an office pool going on with the receptionists to find how long it takes to get him out. Have you paid in yet?"

"Yeah, I lost ten bucks on guessing last Tuesday." Steve said, folding his arms. "How long is this going to go on for? I mean, it's not like he has never in his life been in a major city before. The guy hid out in Canada and hiked his way pretty much to the Arctic Circle."

"And then crossed a few oceans on top of it. You aren't telling me something I don't know and he doesn't know. Y'know what I think?"

Steve raised an eyebrow.

"He's just doing it to pester Tony. Tony's not happy unless he can fix something. If he thinks Bruce is agoraphobic, maybe it'll keep him from trying to hitch Bruce with one of the secretaries. Kind of like how Nat keeps trying to set you up."

Steve chuckled. "You knew about that?"

"Spy, remember?"

They watched the two spin and spin around the turn style door. Tony shoved Bruce out the door inside of the Tower. After another lengthy pep talk, they reentered the revolving door with Tony on the outside this time.

They both got out together.

Bruce tried jumping back into the building door, but Tony fought him on the sidewalk over it. Bruce backed off, lifting his arms in surrender and even walked a few paces away. When Tony let his guard down, Bruce rushed the door again. They laughed and grappled like a pair of children.

Steve nodded understandingly. "All right, I'll buy it. Agoraphobic."

Clint shrugged as he headed back into the main lobby and scrambled up one of the columns to the almost imperceptible ledge poking out from the corner. It had become his unofficial guard post over the security desk. In some ways he was like a perfect gargoyle up there all by himself.

"Oh, here's something then! Run Tony!" Clint exclaimed.

All attention was drawn to the warring couple outside. Tony slid into the entry and wedged his body in the door preventing Bruce from getting inside. But, true to Stark form, one single revolving door was not enough for the lower Tower. Once Bruce realized he couldn't enter one way, he went running for the next. Tony shot out of his own door yelling at Happy.

"Lock it! Lock it!"

Happy locked the front doors.

Bruce pushed with all his might. He raced to the other side and pushed against those doors as well. He was trapped on the outside with no way to get in...that is, unless he became green and built a new entry for himself.

Tony stood across from him waving. "Bruce, this is for your own good. Go out and just get some fresh air."

The look on Bruce's face was enough to garner sympathy from a crying clown. "Is this really such a good idea?" Steve asked.

"He's fine!" Tony replied. "Fresh air would do him good."

"But shouldn't he be avoiding, well, stress? Isn't this pretty stressful?"

Stark turned away from Bruce's fists pounding on the glass and his pleading puppy-eyes begging to be let back in. The entire scene was made even worse when the rain JARVIS promised that morning decided to descend from the heavens.

"No sympathy." Tony replied. "We leave him to his sorrows. We must be gentle but firm with them at this age and if that doesn't work, smack them across the head with a newspaper. And frankly, Bruce has survived on his own all over the world in some of the crappiest locations on the planet! I don't see why New York will be a problem." He continued walking past Steve to the upper elevators. On his way past the security post, he called up to Clint.

"You going to hang up there all day?"

"Entertaining so far." Clint replied.

"Well keep one of those eyes on Rocket's-Red-Glare. Don't let him play with my stuff."

Clint chuckled, offering a salute. "Will do, boss."

"And don't let Bruce in! Cat's gotta get loose and roam a little."

So that's the intro! stick around for chapter 1 and tell me what you think:)