Chapter 6.5

Hi guys, don't hate me for the late update…life got in the way :/ But it feels SO good to be writing again. Lots of love to people who are putting this story on alerts and reviewing me! It means so much and gives me the push to find time for this story. Don't worry, my biggest pet peeve is an unfinished story, so this will not be one of those. I will finish…it just might take a while
Shoutout to ttzdrkpl, carmelcarmi, and The Captive for putting me as a favorite author or on author alert in general. That really gave me such encouragement.

"I think it's about the mechanics. Iridium, what do they need the iridium for?" questioned Bruce. He was thinking about the science of all this.

"It's a stabilizing agent," interrupted Tony as he walked in with Coulson. He turned back to Coulson and said in a lower voice, "Like I said, take a week off, I'll fly you to Portland." I rolled my eyes, no doubt he was trying to get Paul with the cellist he had a thing for. There is no way Fury will let precious Coulson out of his eyesight and command enough to pursue a love interest. Leave it up to Tony to try to get some sex involved even in the middle of a crisis. Coulson uneasily nodded and walked to stand on the other side of the room. "Means. Portal 1 collapsed on itself like it did at SHIELD." Glancing around the room as he walked purposefully to the front of the circular table, he saw Thor standing in his path, looking confused. Perking up, Stark said, "No hard feelings point break, you gotta mean swing," reaching up and patting Thor's arm. He proceeded on to the front to address us all as the demigod turned with a bemused expression to the smallish man with an arrogance that could match his own.

Without skipping a beat, Stark continued to talk science. "Also, it means the portal can open as wide and as long as Loki wants it to." That's what she said. Oh god, did I just think that? Stark is rubbing off on me. I shook my head slightly and tried to refocus on what Stark was saying. I tuned in again just as he said, "That man is playing Galaga. Thought we wouldn't notice…but we did," whiling pointing the poor fellow out with his hand. Steve looked over to see what he was talking about with a curious expression on his face.

Successfully getting our attention, Stark felt at ease to take his time in making his point. I watched his back with impatience as he paused and raised his left hand to cover his eye. Giving up two seconds later, he turns to Maria and asks, "How does Fury even see these?" motioning to the glass monitors in front of him.

She responded dryly, "He turns."

I smirked lightly, proud of my girl to not have been thrown of my Stark's fooling around. He humphed and said in a disinterested tone, "Sounds exhausting." Like a child at a candy store, he immediately lost interest in that topic and messed with the screens around him. Spewing science thoughts on what he thought Loki was looking for in order to kick start the cube, he looked perfectly at ease. I didn't even bother to try to understand the specifics of what he was saying. I'm pretty sure the only one who did understand was Bruce, who was listening intently a quick peep at him told me.

"When did you become an expert in thermo nuclear astro physics?" asked Maria skeptically. She didn't like Stark and wasn't afraid to show it.

"Last night," he answered promptly. Ofcourse, child prodigy and all that. Maria, despite her self, gave an interested tilt of her head, asking him to explain. "There's a packet. Physics notes. The extraction theory paper. Am I the only one who did the reading?"

"- Does Loki need any specific kind of power source?" cut in Steve with a question. He sounded just as impatient as I felt with Stark's dawdling and perhaps and little irked that he had not done the homework. He seemed to be the type of guy who would always be prepared.

"He'd have to heat the cube to a hundred twenty million Kelvin's to break through the Coulomb barrier," answered Bruce. Tony spread his arms around as though it was obvious and what he was trying to say all along.

"…Unless Subugus figured out how to stabilize the quantum affect," added Tony while walking toward his newfound science buddy.

"Well, if he could do that, he could achieve heavy ion fusion at an reactor on the planet," said Bruce sarcastically, as though it was a silly yet desirable scientific discovery.

"Finally, someone who speaks English!" said Tony, pointing at Bruce. I didn't look at him, so far, we had avoided any confrontation and I'd rather keep it that way and the best way to do that is to avoid contact of any sort.

"Is that what just happened…" muttered poor Steve who was still in his ridiculously tight Captain America uniform and looking around to see if anyone else was as confused as he was. Maria gave him a reassuring smile before turning her attention back to Stark and Banner.

"It's good to meet you, Dr. Banner. Your work, on anti electron collisosis is unparalled. And, I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous rage monster," Tony said plainly.

I couldn't avoid it now, I had to look at him. I turned my head and looked as he grimaced and glanced down at the floor, then me, before reluctantly saying, "Thanks." Was he thinking of our last encounter? When he almost lost control and almost became an enormous rage monster…

I help back a shudder as I realized how close I was playing with danger. Sure, I had hurt his feelings now, but it would have been much worse if I told him later on when things got too involved that I was seeing someone else. Besides, Clint likes me, and it was something that would work out for the both of us. It's what was right. Gosh, I hope no one noticed his glance up at me…

Thankfully, the moment passed quickly as Fury suddenly appeared saying, "Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube. I was hoping you might join him."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Bruce's POV (Point of View)

I dove into work. Walking back to my lab with Stark, I tried to forget the past occurrences with the new problem at hand. The equations waiting to be solved, the answers that are just waiting to be found. Math and science, those are my solids in life. They will be there, always. Life, love, feelings, I've learned to put those away long ago. However, that small redhead brought out things in me I thought I buried long ago. Im not an emotional man at all. In fact, I am cynical, hard to be with, and down right pessimistic. But despite it all, with the arrogance that I cannot die, I become restless and at ease in situations that would break down a ground man to tears. I thought back to my first encounter with Natasha. She was so quick to point a gun at me…why was that attractive to me? Maybe it was because I hadn't met a women who was that brave…or that foolish. Or maybe she was just hiding behind a façade…afterall, she was the best actress SHIELD has. And lord knows I was fooled by her. Sure, I surprised her the first time with the kiss, but she hadn't kicked me off or resisted like I thought she would. And the second time, I know she responded.

And then she goes and drops the bomb on me. In a relationship…with Clint Barton. I grimaced with distaste as I considered the fact that I was trying to find the guy who's keeping me from going for the first girl I liked in a long time.

Shaking my head again to rid myself of the final thoughts of how her soft lips felt against mine, and how her lithe body fit perfectly against me, I paid attention to Stark's light conversation. I even provided my input when Steve came in and somehow light was shed on the fact that Tony was trying to hack into they system. I didn't really care, after all, if SHIELD was hiding something from us, we needed to know. If there was nothing, then Tony was just wasting him time. But I had to agree, something is suspicious. Steve left in a huff and conversation turned to our strange afflictions. Still in a bitter mood from failing with Natasha, I was not in any mood to accept that the otherguy was something to be grateful for. Still, Stark persisted, saying, "hm..or you'll suit up like the rest of us," in response to my comment that I'll be sitting in the sidelines when the others deal with Loki when the final showdown came down.

I huffed in dry humor and said, "You see, I don't get a suit of armor. I'm exposed, like a nerve." My nonchalant smile slipped away and the ever-present frown invaded my face again and I cast my eyes down on the floor, lost in my own thoughts. "It's a nightmare."

I turned my attention back to the screen, trying to organize my thoughts and only vaguely listened as Tony showed the similarities we have between each other with his own ailment and death that is always just inches away. I glanced up as he turned and stepped toward me, determined to get my attention. "This, stops it." He said, patting the glowing orb in his chest. "This little circle of light…it's part of me now," he stated matter of factly. "Not just armor." He finally stopped in front of me, standing behind the glass screen to get his point across. "It's a terrible priviledge."

"But you can control it," I say as though stating the obvious. Which I was…this is the problem. If no one had to be afraid of me, my life would be easier. I wouldn't hurt anyone, I would destroy cities, and it sure as hell wouldn't have been so easy for Natasha to turn me away. Sure she had a thing with Clint, but why would she kiss me if she still did? And didn't they say that if you like two guys, go for the second cus it means you didn't like the first one enough to stay faithful?

"Because I learned how to," Stark said, bringing me back to the conversation.

I brushed off his excuse with, "It's different," and attempted to get back to my work.

However, the stubborn man wasn't going to stand to be ignored and he cleared my screen. "Hey. I read all about your accident. That much gamma exposure should have killed you."

I stared at the screen in front of me, and through it, at Tony. Just barely beside him, I could see the edge of my reflection…except, it wasn't me. My reflection no longer reflects Dr. Banner. Instead, all you can see is the other guy. I felt my nerves tighten up and my neck tense. My heart beat quickened at the reminder that once again I am never alone, always I will be accompanied by him. So, I said my response to my reflection, the hulk.

"So you're saying the Hulk…" I looked down with a bitter smile. He doesn't deserve a name. I looked back up and finished, "the other guy, saved my life." I nodded my head as though that was a pleasing notion. "That's nice. Nice sentiment. Saved it…for what?" To be cast aside as the monster that I am? To never be loved or cared about? Who would mourn my death? No one. Slowly, I felt the familiar anger boil and rise. But I kept it in check. I spoke to my reflection, I told my mind that he's there. He's not fighting me right now, trying to get out. No.

But it was Tony that responded to my rhetoric question, "I guess we'll find out."

"You may not enjoy that," I warned.

"You just might," he responded.

Smiling just to humor him, I continued on with my work. Math, energy, location, rays. Focus, let the answer come to you. Forget worries, forget him. Forget her. Forever.

The next chapter is coming up soon! And I promise I'll make it good And thank you for your input, I think I will stick to the story line too because it is so much fun trying to give meaning to the actor's expressions. PS the little insert about hulk's reflection is true! (or atleast I think it is…I saw it on tumblr and rewatched the scene and I believe it! Insanely cool huh?)