Being a Banner [ 1 of JA ]

60

I sit on the couch in the living room, staring a million lightyears into space. I haven't talked to Dad since last night, and it's bothering me. I guess I got used to being around him so much that the loneliness in my chest vanished. I see it as a good thing and a bad thing: good being that we're bonding, bad that I feel like I always need to talk to keep our bond.
      Just as I fall out of my stare, I feel two fingers jab into both my shoulder blades. My first reaction is elbowing the thing who did that, so as I jump and thrust my elbow back, I hear Howie laughing.
      "The hell was that for?" I ask.
      Howie chuckles, "'The hell was that for?'"
      "Hey," Tony snaps at his son. "Cut that out."
      "What?" Howie laughs.
      Tony rolls his eyes and gestures for Howie to follow him into another room. Howie groans a laugh and follows Tony.
      "Don't break his nose. I bet you could do it with a flick of your fingers." I hear.
      Turning around, Dad walks into the room from the kitchen, holding a plastic container of grapes.
      I sigh, "I feel bad. I'm on edge for some reason."
      Dad softly chuckles, "You and me. We really are alike."
      I smile as he sits next to me, holding the grapes to me. I take one and toss it into my mouth. Footsteps catch our attention, and Howie comes around the couch with his hands folded in front, his face blank of any expression, eyes at the floor.
      "I'm sorry." He says, and I know he's still being playful. "Please don't break my neck."
      I scoff a giggle which makes him smile, "No I'm sorry, I'm not in a good mood."
      "Ah jeeze," Tony sighs. "The both of you are in a mood."
      "Hey, guys," Pepper walks into the room. "Want to go out, take a walk? We could go get some food,"
      "Did I not tell you?" I ask. "Dad and I can't leave the tower. S.H.I.E.L.D. is allowing us to stay captive here other than their hands."
Pepper gives me a motherly look, something that says, "Don't say that," but still wears a smile.
"Well," she says, hands on her hips. "Maybe we can make brownies—ooh! Lets do that! Remember when you and Howie would bake brownies with me all the time?"
Howie groans, "That's when I was 'too young' to go into the lab." He uses air quotes.
We all laugh as Pepper walks over towards the kitchen, but not before she grabs a couple of grapes from the container Dad and I share. As she's halfway across the room, we all hear the hum of the elevator. Pepper stops and turns towards us, looking at Tony.
"Are we expecting someone?" she asks.
Tony shakes his head, "No." he looks to us. "Has Fury been in contact with you guys?"
"I haven't checked in the last hour." Dad tells Tony.
There's a helicopter flying close to the tower, casting a shadow across the room.
Howie walks towards the window, looking out and around. "It's flying so close," he says. "Wait, is that military?"
"Tony," Dad shoots up from the couch, his face pale like snow, eyes wide as tennis balls. There's fear in his voice.
It all happens too fast.
The elevator doors part and a sound like thunder pounds the floor, and strings of shadows fly across the room, landing outside on the balcony. Howie stumbles back, Pepper screams and Tony's frantically looking around. Dad grabs me by the arm and pulls me onto my feet. His arm is king around my shoulder in a sort of protective hug. I'm smushed against his shoulder and arm as I try to look at all the new bodies into the room.
They're dressed in black, with protective gear covering every inch of their body, long rifles pointed right at Dad and I. They have no eyes, just helmets and chins, deep voices shouting commands.
Soldiers. Military soldiers.
Some ambushed the elevator, some dropped from the helicopter.
Every single gun is directed at Dad and I.
Every. Single. Gun.
There's silence in the room, a disturbing sort of silence. It's thick, full of tension, like hands grasping at my throat.
"Jarvis," Tony says. "How did this get by us?"
"It's a S.H.I.E.L.D. approved agreement." Jarvis replies. "I'm sorry, Dr. Banner."
      "Sorry?" I ask. "Dad, what's going on?"
      "'No other family?'" A deep demanding voice asks.
An older man in a military suit, camo with patches and everything, walks in the room. He looks familiar, but I can't put my finger on it.
      "To think that after all these years, you kept one last piece of Betty from me." His voice is stern, cold, slow.
      I remember him now, but only because he's not yelling at me. It's the General from the park after the incident. The one who held me back. The man who I wanted to fight. I told him that Hulk was Dad.
      This is all my fault.
      "It took a while," says General. "But after some agreements with Director Fury, we made a deal. Give me your location, and I'll comply to Fury's protective service assessments. I don't want any trouble."
      Dad is angry now, and though he lets go of me from the hug, his hand remains on my arm.
      "If you weren't looking for trouble what the hell do you call what happened at the park?" Dad asks.
      "A misunderstanding." General says.
      Dad sarcastically chuckles, "Still using the same excuses, huh Thaddeus?"
      "Be careful, Bruce," General taunts. "One wrong move and—"
      "You'll what?" Dad snaps. "Kill me? You've tried that before."
      General shakes his head, "I won't be the one making a mess."
      Dad's jaw is tight, and his lips form a snarl. I can see the veins in his neck turn a light green, but it's fading in and out.
      General's blue eyes glance over to me. He suddenly looks uncomfortable, unsteady.
      "You look so much like your mother." he says, his voice growing low.
      "Who are you?" I ask.
      "Kerry—" Dad tries to stop me.
      "What gives you the right to come in here and take us away?" I add, stepping up next to Dad.
      General clears his throat. "S.H.I.E.L.D. allowed you to be protected in the custody of family. Although Mr. Stark has the equipment to give unwanted visitors a warning, he is not an official who can protect you. I have the security to protect you, and now have custody of protecting you two."
      "Wait," I say. "Why bring up family? What the hell do you have to do with Dad and I?"
      General shared hard at me, his jaw clenching just as tight as Dad's. He looks to Dad and scoffs.
      "I should've known you wouldn't tell her," General says. "You still see me as an enemy, Bruce?"
      "You're saying I shouldn't?" Dad asks, eyebrow cocked.
      "Not anymore. Now that I'm taking custody I'd like to protect my granddaughter at all costs." General says.
      "Granddaughter?" I ask, looking to Dad. "What are you. . ."
      I look to Dad, who glares at General.
      "Kerry," Dad says. "Meet General Thaddeus Ross. Your grandfather."

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