Heroes Assemble!

They ... Made ... Me ... Miss

"Bruce?"

The eyes of the man in question shot open and his head snapped up. This interruption was not wanted.

Hulk wanted out. Hulk wanted to smash! Hulk wanted to find the humans who'd hurt his cousin and teach them not to do it again.

Bruce'd been able to keep the Hulk at bay all through the time that he'd been working on saving his cousin, Jennifer's, life in the pharmacy and through the ambulance ride to the nearest hospital. He'd even been able to keep the transformation under control after the doors to surgery had been closed in his face and he'd been forbidden from following. His hands had been shaking when he'd gone to the nearest bathroom to clean up, to wash Jennifer's blood from his hands and to change into a shirt that wasn't soaked red.

But Hulk's urge for revenge surged forth after he'd returned to the waiting room and it was all Bruce could do to calm the other guy down. And that's what he'd been doing, concentrating on his breathing, trying to exclude every distraction around him.

And now he was being interrupted!

A single glance was enough to take in the uniform of a Los Angeles County Sherriff, badge and all, and once again Hulk surged forth, intent on getting free. His heart racing faster than ever, Bruce groped for his bag beside his chair. Unzipping it, he searched for the special box that Harry'd given him just before he headed off to Brazil.

Finding it, he pulled it out, instantly snapping it open. Inside lay half a dozen vials of some concoction that Bruce'd never been able to figure out. Ignoring his trepidation at taking something unknown, his shaky hands pulled one forth, uncorked it and upended it into his mouth.

And then it was his whole body shuddering at the vile taste. A shuddering that only lasted a few seconds as the 'calming potion' took effect. Almost instantly, Bruce's heartrate and breathing slowed and he felt a peace, a calmness, descend on his mind. And Hulk, Hulk retreated like he'd never done before.

Lowering the vial, Bruce stared at it in wonder. He'd been resisting taking one of these magical potions for so long and now, for the life of him, he couldn't work out why.

"Thank you, Harry," he whispered.

"Bruce?" the voice, the Sherriff, repeated.

This time when Bruce looked up, he was able to focus on the individual instead of the uniform.

"Uncle William?" Bruce returned in wonder.

"I thought that was you," William Walters smiled. "It's good to see you lad. What's it been ten, twelve years?"

"Not since Aunt Elaine's funeral," Bruce replied grimly.

"Ah, yes," William replied, an instant air of the past settling between the pair before the older of the two managed to shake it off. "I'm told that you saved Jennifer's life? I didn't even know you were in town."

"I only just arrived," Bruce replied with a shake of his head. "It was pure luck that I heard Jennifer's screams. Didn't even know it was her."

"But you found her. You saved her. She's alive," William said, falling heavily into the chair beside Bruce's.

"I did what I had to," Bruce replied, his mind instantly replaying the image of his blood flowing down the tube to enter his cousin's arm.

Exactly what the consequences were going to be for that was anyone's guess.

"And I'm grateful," William said, squeezing Bruce's shoulder. "She's alive because of you. Whatever brought you here, I'm glad."

Bruce's smile was more grimace, but his uncle didn't seem to notice.