Hello dear readers!

Thank you to all you reviewed this story, it always makes my day to read your comments!

Here is a new chapter, finally. For those who've been following this story for a while, thank you for your patience!

Chapter 23 closes Part 1 of Bruce's adventures. Part 2 is in preparation but there might be some delay before I start posting the next chapters. Of course, I will finish this story as promised, but I want to take some time to advance on the second part before I start posting again. So please be patient with me :) Thank you for reading this story until then.

Here is chapter 23, I hope you'll enjoy it!

Chapter 23

The End of the Beginning

"This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."

Sir Winston Churchill.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Have you ever been cold?

I'm not talking about the kind of cold you know will pass. Winter is ephemeral. No matter how hard, no matter how tough, no matter how dry, you know you just have to go through because if you just wait for it, the cold will disappear. Wait for the car heat to settle in, wait for your body to relax inside your home, wait for your dozens of covers to create the warmth you need. If nothing else, wait for Summer. Then the cold is just a memory.

But there is a kind of cold that doesn't pass. The evil kind. Have you ever felt that one? It lasts and goes inside your bones and you know, no matter how many sweats you pull on, no matter how many teacups you hold in your hands, you just know, it won't be enough. You'll still be cold. Cold has settled in, it is all you can see, and Spring is just a meaningless word.

I'm not talking about an emotional coldness. No, I'm talking about a physical, tangible, harsh cold that leaves you shaking inside out.

That one is terrible because even the best of news will leave you shivering and giving a ghost of a smile. Because stretching the mouth even more means having two points of your body getting further apart when you know you need every one of them to be as close as possible to one another. Not that it would chase the cold away but we humans are hopeless fools, always holding on to our Pandora's box, hoping when that's all that is left.

Have you ever felt that Cold?

Unfortunately, those who do rarely have good news. Life isn't fair like that. No, it adds to the burden of the poor of our world, bad news over bad news feeding into the despair.

Bruce knew of such cold. When Dad doesn't have a job to go to, there comes a time when Mommy can't pay for the heater. When that's in Summer, that's okay, because the Sun fires its rays all day long. But when that's in Winter… Bruce isn't a hopeless fool. He knows there's nothing he can do to chase the cold away. Oh, how he hates that cold! More than tomatoes, than homework with Dad, than Dad staying at home for days.

So, when he woke up that morning in a strange city, without Mommy by his side, strange cars running by him, people screaming and smell attacking him, the worst wasn't being lost. No, it was the cold that was starting to attack his bones.

At least he was used to it. Since Mommy wasn't there, he first needed to try to keep the cold away until she found him, 'try' being the key word here. Bruce had realized a long time ago fighting the Cold was useless, but when it came, Bruce had noticed he tended to think less. Or less quickly at least. So as soon as the Cold started to pierce him like millions of needles, Bruce knew he needed to walk. Every once in a while, he would realize he didn't remember how many streets he had crossed or how many doors he had counted, because he was feeling funny, a little bit like everything was in an invisible fog, but walking was better than standing still so Bruce went on.

He felt himself wake up when he heard a car door closed violently by a woman who marched quickly away from him. There was no one in the street, Bruce doubted she had seen him, he was good at not being noticed.

She hasn't closed the door with a key was Bruce's first real conscient thought. It was a long shot, but… we never know. Bruce went to the car, sending quick glances past him, on his left, right and in front of him. No one in sight. He ran by the right-hand side back door and took his chance. The door opened and Bruce rushed inside. It wasn't ideal, but the woman had just left, the car was still warm.

This is the stupidest idea you ever had, Bruce, kept on scolding the annoying inside voice that had kept him alive until then. But Bruce was cold and his feet hurt. The car was warmer than outside, it would do for just a couple of minutes. He just needed to rest…

His brain was still active, despite the exhaustion. Neurons ran out, firing a response as the muscles of his body relaxed and settled in the relative warmth of the car. However, the signals left too late. Before they arrived at their destination, allowing his thought to form, Bruce fell asleep. He thus didn't hear what should've made him leave: the woman is going to come back, you idiot!

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The first thing Bruce hears is someone singing. It takes him a few seconds to recognize the voice as feminine, a few more to know he trusts the owner.

He keeps his eyes shut. He doesn't know if it's because he's too tired to open them, too scared or too comfortable within the dark of his closed eyes.

The voice keeps on singing. He can recognize the words now. In the few seconds of pure bliss, listening to the beautiful voice, he hesitates. Mommy? No, Anna-Grace… But isn't it the same? Yes, and yet no… There's something different with this voice. Not better nor worse. Just different…

"Bambino?" the voice asks.

He opens his eyes and sees her, sitting in a chair by his bed. He doesn't know where he is, why he's here and not at home, but she's looking like an angel so he smiles at her. She smiles back.

"How are you feeling, my love?"

Her voice is so tender, he turns his head towards her, trying to get closer. She understands and leans in. She kisses him on the head and takes his hand, stroking it with her thumb. He doesn't want to talk, not yet. Somehow, he senses talking is a bad idea. But Mama needs to be reassured so he smiles brightly at her and moves his other hand to hold hers.

"Too tired to speak up, dearest?"

She's still concerned, he can hear it in her voice. He doesn't know if he can't speak because of his exhaustion or not but he still nods. Seeing her relax by his side, he knows he made the right decision.

"Want me to keep on singing?" she whispers and he nods, pulling her hands near his face, as if smelling her so close will keep the fear out.

She doesn't mind and starts stroking his face with her thumb with a touch light as butterflies. Then she starts singing, sweet lullabies he heard before, from Mommy's voice and from Mama's voice. He starts drifting away again and smiles as Hulk, somewhere, starts repeating Mama's words before falling asleep too.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

He wakes up and drifts of several times. Mama is always by his side when he wakes up and by his side when he falls asleep again. She sings a lot.

He doesn't know how long this went on but there comes a time when he nods when she asks him if he wants to eat. It's good even if he can taste she didn't cook it. The first time he eats, he only swallows a few bites before feeling full. However, he soon feels strong enough to eat more and then eats full meals like he used to before. Hulk is very thankful. The food is still cooked by someone else than Mama but he can feel it gives him more strength than her food so he doesn't complain. He can sense he needs the energy. He still hasn't talked and starts to understand there's more than absence of energy in his silence. But Mama never seems concerned by this so he doesn't mind. His brain is slowing putting together what happened and he needs to think.

He notices he thinks more when he's asleep. It takes him a couple of times to understand it's because then he can focus on Hulk. When he's awake, they have to take care of Mama.

So, in the peace of his dreams, Hulk and him talk. They always find themselves in Bruce's bedroom in Neverland. They can hear Mama, Natalie, Rosie and Peter talking in the living room, probably having tea or coffee. Bruce sits on the bed, Hulk on the floor.

"Do you remember what happened?" is the first question Bruce asks.

"Yes."

"Well?"

"I took your place."

Bruce looks at his friend, trying to understand what that meant.

"You took my place?"

"Yes."

"Why?" he asks, but suddenly Hulk looks terrified.

"I'm sorry!" answers the green boy, with a tremor Bruce recognizes as the one that means holding back tears with everything you got.

"Why did you take my place?" There's no anger in Bruce's voice, not yet. Only interrogation.

"I…I…"

"How come you remember and I don't?"

"Because I never forget."

"Never?"

"Never…"

"That's tough."

Hulk shrugs from his place on the floor. He looks at his green feet instead of Bruce's face. The human boy sighs then looks pensively at his green counterpart.

"We're going to have to find a way to work together Hulk. It's okay if you don't want to tell me everything, but I need to know we have each other's back."

At this, Hulk raises his head, affronted. Before he can talk though, Bruce raises his hand in a placated gesture.

"I know, I know you have my back, Hulk. What I mean is that you need to know that I have yours."

Hulk looks at the ground and Bruce knows his friend is surprised. It must be weird to realize the other you understands you better than yourself. Especially when you're the same person.

"So?" Bruce asks in a soft voice.

Hulk looks up again, this time his face clear of any masks. Only fear stays.

"I was mad," he whispers.

"Mad about what?"

"The lies…"

"Whose lies?" Bruce asks surprised.

"Everyone's…" Hulk answers in a sigh, his shoulders hunched as if it could make him smaller.

Bruce waits patiently. He knows his counterpart will talk. They are the same person after all.

"I remember things, from before…"

"Before what?"

"Being a child again."

Hulk looks in Bruce's eye. Bruce should be scared or confused. But Hulk's revelation is like a door opening in his own mind. What Hulk hid is now revealed. They didn't jump in time. The day they met Anna-Grace, the day they felt so weird, they just had become a child again.

"That's why we felt we knew Tony and Natalie from before?"

Hulk nods and then adds:

"Natasha."

"What?"

"Not Natalie, Natasha."

Once more, the revelation becomes knowledge. Of course, she changed her name to avoid detection, but she's Natasha. He doesn't know who she was for his grown-up version, and somehow he knows Hulk doesn't know either. But he knows, as Hulk does, that their grown-up version trusted her.

"Do you know what happened? How we became kids again?"

Hulk shrugs.

"So that's why you were mad? You remembered all of that and you didn't like the secrets?"

Hulk hesitates, clearly, before opening the door to Bruce's knowledge, this time without even speaking.

"Oh." Mama knew and didn't tell…

"I think she didn't want to hurt us. We're children, remember?"

Bruce nods. There are things in life nothing can shake, because they can't afford too. Trusting Mommy. Trusting Mama.

Trying to come to terms with his newfound knowledge, the white boy doesn't see the green one fidget on the floor before Hulk talks again:

"It's not the real reason, though…"

"What?"

"I wasn't mad about that, I mean…"

"I don't understand."

"I…" Hulk sighs and then starts crying, first silent and solitary tears that soon transform into full and desperate sobs.

Bruce stands up and comes to sit beside his friend, then hugs him and whispers:

"Remember what we talked about? I have your back, Hulk."

The green boy nods but it takes him a few minutes to calm his cries. Then, he murmurs:

"Remember the nightmares? About the Monster?"

Bruce tenses but nods.

- "I'm him…"

As once more revelation becomes knowledge, Bruce remembers how Hulk tried to hide this from his other self. He remembers the betrayal but foremost the way his friend had looked, as if he was alone in a world that only strived towards his pain.

He doesn't talk, while Hulk starts crying again, only hugs him tighter and closes his eyes. He can't be mad at Hulk for hiding such a big secret, because he understands being afraid of what you are. Such a burden is heavy to bear, even when you're two to share it. If Hulk is the Monster, it means Bruce is too. It means they're dangerous for Anna-Grace. It means …

But for the first time in his life, Bruce sees. As if they were in front of him, Bruce sees those thoughts are not his own, but Dad's lies trying to kill him from inside, and Bruce can't let them chase Mama's words. Hers are a treasure he needs to fight for, to defend with his life. So Bruce doesn't talk as long as his savior's words are not his own yet. He rocks Hulk back and forth, holding him close by his side, until finally he feels like he believes just a little bit what his Mama said, because she can't lie, just like Mommy couldn't, except for his own good. Then, as single tears are all that's left of Hulk's meltdown, Bruce faces his counterpart, makes them look in each other's eye, and whispers:

"You're not the Monster, Hulk. The Monster is a nightmarish version of you, sure, but it's not you."

And for once, the miracle is no myth as Bruce's revelation becomes knowledge for Hulk.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

After the milestone, Hulk and Bruce keep on talking within their dreams, while Mama is asleep, tucked on her little bed by their side in the nice bedroom they share as long as Bruce can't stay awake more than a few hours. One of the boys' discussion is about Hulk's temper.

"When I get really, really mad, I can't stop the furor from… growing."

"Growing? Like a monster?"

"Hmm hmm."

"And then what?"

"It takes control. And I take your place."

Hulk is scared and shameful when he shares this secret. But, as before, Bruce is only curious. Probably the science part of him trying to decipher the mystery the boys make. And it's better than to focus on his feelings.

"Do you like it? Taking my place?"

"I… I… Not when you fight back. Not when I don't control myself."

"Why?"

"Because then you disappear…"

"That's scary…" notices Bruce.

"Really scary…" says Hulk, nodding.

"You think if you took my place without me fighting back, I wouldn't disappear?"

"I don't think it works that way."

"How so?"

"Remember transforming when we were grown-ups?"

He doesn't, but he remembers what he needs to remember. When I decide to let Hulk take my place, I don't disappear. I'm still here, in a corner of Hulk's mind.

Hulk looks at him. He nods then adds: like when I'm in a corner of your mind.

And Bruce continues to drift on and off into his dreams, spending as much time with Hulk as he does with Mama.

"You know Mommy is dead in this world, don't you?"

"I know…"

There wasn't the despair they expected. As if the peace their old self had found when thinking about his past had been given to them.

"Why aren't we sad?"

"I think we are. But we're waiting for Mama to cry. We want to hug her while we cry."

Bruce nods from his bed. Hulk is right. They need Mama for that.

Mama, who stays by their side day and night. Whenever Bruce is awake, he eats and listens to Mama but doesn't say a word. And that begins to annoy Hulk.

"You know Bruce, you should start speaking again. You're starting to scare Mama," finally advises Hulk.

"I know, but I can't," Bruce answers, crossing his arms. Isn't it obvious?

"Of course, you can. You're just too scared to do so."

"No, I'm not!" replies an offended Bruce.

"Yes, you are! And you know why? Because you want to call her Mama and you don't know how she'll react. You're too scared she won't like…"

Silence rarely occupied their conversations. It does then as the truth cannot be denied.

"But you don't have to call her that right away," says Hulk.

"What do you mean?"

"You can continue calling her Anna-Grace out-loud, and Mama in your head."

Bruce nods. That's a good idea. He looks at his friend and they both sigh at the same time. They know it's time to go back to the real world. Bruce jumps to the ground while Hulks gets up. They face each other, indecisive, then fiercely hug. Who knows when they'll meet again that way? Their relationship, they know, is a strange one. Unpredictable. Then Bruce, trying to hold back tears he doesn't need, leaves the room that became Hulk's home.

Time to go back to mine…

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Anna-Grace?" was the first thing the boy said, after sitting carefully on his bed with her help.

She tried to hide her surprise and relief and smiled at him instead, from her chair.

"Yes, Bruce?"

"Did I hurt you?"

"No, no, of course not, sweetheart!"

Anna-Grace took his head between her hands and locked her eyes on his.

"And even if you did, that would be alright. No matter what happens, I'll be there. I will never leave you Bruce."

"What if something bad happens to you because of me?" Bruce said with a trembling voice.

She started rubbing his face with her thumbs. She wanted to remember every moment spent with him, to never let go. She wanted to keep her child out of anguish and doubt.

But his valid question needed an honest answer. The kind of conversation she would've wanted to avoid. Forever. She tried to smile but failed miserably. Her raw pain scarred Bruce. Before he could panic, she quickly said:

"I don't care Bruce. I. Just. Don't. Care."

"Why are you crying then?"

"Because I know you don't believe me. And I know the only way for you to believe me is for me to tell you my secret. I don't want to do that, it scares me. That's why I'm crying. But I know we'll be alright."

"You… you don't have to tell me if it makes you cry," stuttered the boy.

Anna-Grace smiled at his always loyal and humble heart.

"I know, Bambino, I know," she whispered, "but it's better for you."

She kissed him on the forehead, then installed herself comfortably, keeping one of his hands between hers. Bruce was looking at her, but she was looking at his hands, unable to look into his beautiful eyes while talking about what tore her heart apart.

"Bambino, we never talked about it, but I know you know."

She looked up to look him in the eye.

"You know about a man that was trying to hurt me."

He diverted his eyes but nodded. She smiled bitterly. Oh, how she wished that kind of knowledge would've stayed far away from him.

"His name is Samuel Williams. We met in high school. We fell in love and married before he started college. He was mean to me. He hit me."

She paused. Looking at him, she hesitated. Should she tell him about the worst of it all, what she had never told a soul? But as she looked him in the eye, feeling like she was offered the door to his beautiful innocent heart, she knew she couldn't put this burden on his shoulder. Maybe one day she would tell somebody. Surely someday he would learn it. But she couldn't tell him. She couldn't tell him about men so evil they didn't care about the most fragile life of all, thinking a life that couldn't hit back wasn't worth caring about. So she held back her last secret, held back the affliction that night had brought to her life, and smiled at him through her tears.

"I left him because he was dangerous. I ran away."

Looking at him, she held back the despair her life had been from that night at the hospital, crying for a life that should've brought so much joy to hers. Crying for a life she hadn't been able to protect with her own, a life she would have given hers for.

She held back the misery her life had been while running away not from the man but from the agony of that night. Running away, trying to forget. To focus on the present, on surviving instead of the torment of the past.

"I had been running away for several years until I decided I needed to leave the country. I was alone and scarred and so, so sad, my love. I was so sad."

Trauma is a weird thing, she would reflect later on, as she kissed Bruce's forehead and let the memories of the past months wash over her, letting go of the insecurity she had known for so long. In that instant, however, there was no fear, only thankfulness. Contemplating her son's face, she noted his frowned eyebrows, tilted mouth and lines that betrayed the perplexity he was facing, watching her go from tears of pain to tears of joy.

"That's when I met you, Bambino," she whispered, her heart light yet ready to explode like millions of butterflies. "Sweet, sweet, sweet Bambino. I met you and I could never regret it. You brought so much joy to my life, so much love," she laughed through her tears "how could I ever regret what you gave me?"

"Even if I hurt you?"

"Bambino, you know about that bad man in my life. If he found us and hurt you, would you ever regret meeting me?"

"Of course not!"

"Why, Bambino? Why wouldn't you regret it?"

She had stopped crying and her eyes must've looked all-knowing because he started blushing.

"Because… because…" he said, trying to delay the inevitable.

"Because?" Anna-Grace pushed him.

She looked him in the eye, waiting. She wasn't smiling anymore and the intensity in her eyes was daring her boy to hide what he needed to say. Finally, Bruce gave in and exclaimed, almost outraged:

"Because it hurt more when I didn't know you than everything that could hurt me now!"

"Haha, I know, my love, I know. But don't you think it's the same for me?"

Suddenly, the child looked at his angel, baffled. In his short life, his mind had confronted many mysteries but he always had had the certainty he would unlock them, even when the adults around him had been lost. Few had resisted him. None had been unbreakable. Until now. Probably because we're broken, whispered Hulk, and our conjectures are not what they ought to be… Bruce didn't answer but stared at Anna-Grace, watching her eyes water once more and her lips form a grin at his puzzlement. She started to whisper:

"Because I love you so much, Bambino. I love you so, so much. I can't… I can't even imagine my life without you now. I can't. I can't. I…"

Only one person had ever looked at Bruce the way Anna-Grace did in that moment. It wasn't the first time she had, but there was an urgency and intensity in the woman's wide, open eyes and shaking voice that Rebecca Banners had also worn a few times. Each moment was branded on Bruce's mind like a horse is branded with burning iron. With a strength in her voice that felt like unmovable rocks under Bruce's feet, his new mother swore:

"I love you and I'd give my life for you Bruce. Do you know why?"

As he nodded no, tears falling from his eyes too, she softly said:

"Because the worst thing that could happen to me now would be losing you. Do you understand? My worst nightmare, my deepest fear, what makes me cry and wake up in the middle of the night, terrified, is the thought of something bad happening to you! Not me."

She knew she would've had to repeat it over and over before he truly knew and understood what she was saying. But it didn't matter. If she had to repeat it every day of his life until she died, then she would do it:

"I can't lose you. I won't lose you. Because you're my son and as long as you want me in your life, I'll be there. And even if one day, you're tired of me and want me gone, I'll still be there with open arms, just in case you want me again. Understand, Bambino? You're. My. Son."

As the boy rushed into her arms, his tears went from a rain to a torrent, washing over so many wounds in his young heart. The salt heals but hurts, burning away what needs to disappear. Bruce's heart started to heal, but the pain was welcomed because Anna-Grace was there to make it fade away with her hugs, her smiles, her presence. Her words were salt to his festering wounds, destroying with sanctifying fire the thoughts Brian Banner had instilled like poison in his son's mind.

Anna-Grace didn't remember much from her own mother's talks about children education but one fact had stuck: repetition. Children learn through repetition, each stroke adding to the painting of their life. So be it, thought Anna-Grace. And she kept saying the same words over and over again:

- "You're my son and I love you. I'll never stop loving you and be there for you. You're my son and I love you. I'll never stop loving you and be there for you. You're my son and I love you."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

During Bruce's recovery, there were many talks among the "crew", as Tony wanted the 'old' Avengers to be called as long as old Bruce wasn't on board, about many things.

There were briefings and debriefings on everything Anna-Grace shared, the bits and pieces the mother felt she could give, with Natasha as a referee, on what the boy told her about their current predicament. So the crew was updated on the links between Hulk and Bruce: how Bruce knew about the old 'de-aging' ordeal and, most of all, how Bruce had learned this because Hulk had told him without any of them remembering much. It didn't make sense, it meant trouble ahead, but for now, it wasn't what the crew focused on.

Indeed, the urgency of the situation meant the main discussion soon turned around whether or not the Williams family should go back to Neverland before moving to the Tower, once Bruce was strong enough to leave his room. The Avengers forgot in their calculations that Bruce Banner was now 6 years old. 6 is bigger than 5, or 5 and a half as Bruce would've said, but that was still not big enough to make Bruce a grown up. What should've been a speedy recovery was… a slow speedy process.

Before some could panic, Anna-Grace had another of those insightful conversations with Bruce which revealed to Natasha and the crew that Hulk was slowing the recovery process because "recovery teaches patience" and "the yellow jelly is really good, so better take the time to savor it and stay here".

Thus, Bruce had to stay in Stark Tower for the time being.

In the meantime, the family apartment was ready, waiting for its owners to come home. Adjusting the locals to accommodate a recovering little boy was a small thing for Tony.

Accommodating Neverland without raising the suspicion of third parties was not.

Then Anna-Grace realized coming back to Neverland, finding their home almost but not quite as it was once upon a time, with memories of past storms hovering over their heads, would require strength neither she nor her son possessed. Not when they would've had to move out and settle the nest somewhere else.

That tipped the balance towards the Williams moving directly to their new home. A discrete entrance already existed to allow for non-Iron Man equipped persons access to the Tower without the press aware. Some changes were made and soon, Anna-Grace could enter and exit the Tower without anyone that didn't need to know none the wiser. Not that she used this entrance or the public one but that was an issue for another day.

Thus, on a bright morning in September, Anna-Grace Williams and her son Bruce officially moved to "the Nest".

Peter and Rosie were not happy to learn this over texts.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Bruce had his favorite boots on. They were new, only 3 days old, but he already knew they were going to be his favorite for a long time. Yellow, bright like the sun but happy as a puppy, with tiny ducks dancing in circles from top to bottom. It was like he had his own personal army of friends dancing in the rain with him.

And dancing he was. One drop of rain, one jump, one splash, there was no holding back.

Stars lighted the sky and Mama was walking slowly behind him, under her umbrella, her long skirt moving along with her steps. His umbrella was used as a sword or a shield, depending of the game he was playing but he knew, without looking behind his shoulder, that she was smiling at his antics. She hadn't been while they were taking their last stroll in the city as Neverland's residents. Which is why he had been so quick at losing the umbrella to jump in puddles. She loved when he did things like that. Childish things.

One jump. Two jumps. Let's forget about Dad. Let's forget about white.

One jump, two jumps. Let's forget about green, let's forget about needles.

Bruce turned around to look at his mother while walking backwards. This would be the first time, but it seemed as good as any. His pulse was almost as fast as the rain, his heartbeat sounding like war drums that pushed him ahead, despite the irrational fear.

"Come'on, Mama! Let's race!"

A look of startled joy graced her face for a few seconds before she laughed. It made Hulk smile inside out and Bruce feel like he could fly. Finally.

They raced. Bruce won. He couldn't say if it was because he was getting better or if Mama was letting him win, but who cared? She was there, pretty as a butterfly, her eyes shining like the stars in the sky, her long braid floating in the wind.

The cold started attacking his bones but for the first time in his life, Bruce didn't care. He wasn't afraid. He should be, mind you. But Mama was there to make everything alright with her smile. She had promised to always be there, no matter what, no matter where, no matter when. She wasn't one to lie. The cold could attack his bones again and again, Bruce would always jump with two feet into puddles not caring one bit about the wind or the water because Mama would always make sure, one way or the other, he would get warm again. She had said so.

Of course, nothing was fixed. He was still a 6-and-3-quarters-year-old in the world of a grown up, he still had nightmares and couldn't jump as high or as far as he used to before … well before the whole hulking out. He was still afraid of that happening again, and Hulk was too. They didn't like the inversion, nor him or him. Hulk was happy with Mama but he was still afraid and angry at the whole world. Bruce loved Mama but he was still afraid of what was inside his mind.

But… there was something magnificent about how he for once in his life didn't care caring. Because there were people that wanted him in their lives, that he could trust, that were strong enough to be there for him and chase away the monsters he couldn't make disappear.

Hey, look, there's a jungle! called out Hulk.

Bruce looked up, and indeed there it was, crawling with Tigers and Lions. He raised his sword, assembled his ducks and warned Mama:

"Watch out, Mama! There's a jungle ahead of us! Stay behind us, we'll protect you from the evil tigers!"

"I'm right behind you, Bambino. Thank heavens you're here, I don't know what I'd do without you to protect me!"

You heard that, ducks!? Mama is counting on us!

"Do not be afraid, Princess Mama! They cannot stand a chance when we have the life of a noble woman at stake to fire our quest!"

As Mama let a soft laugh escape her lips, one only his ears could catch, Hulk let out a cry from behind the anger and the pain, from somewhere they were discovering they could draw their strength, a mix of rage and desire to protect, to save:

Mama's army…

"Assemble!"