Let it Snow (B. Banner)

Chapter Four

"This one?" Tony asks as he points at a tree, Neva shakes her head, he groans and leans against Steve who shoots him a dirty look and pushes him up again. "We've been doing this for hours" Tony whines.

"It's been fifteen minutes" Bruce corrects with a smile, Neva chuckles and shakes her head before sobering, she takes a breath and steps closer to Tony.

"I get it," she tells him. "For you...you wave your bank card and whatever problem it is that you have....it goes away" Tony looks down a little. "So what if this tree has to be perfect?" she scolds him. "It is all these children are going to have....they don't have parents to do it for them, they don't have grandparents to give them the ugliest of sweaters, or to give them candy......they won't wake to the smell of cookies or bacon or pancakes....they can't have any of that...because people like you get money.....and they don't. Why do you deserve to throw away millions of pounds on booze and women and technology, when they can't even afford one single Christmas tree?"

"You're right" Tony agrees as he lifts his eyes to hers. "That's why we're here, right?" he asks her, she sighs a little and nods.

"I am sorry, that was uncalled for," she tells him. "I know you do your bit for the world, more than a lot of people do....it just....bothers me when people with money think they are the only ones that get to have Christmas magic...did you know that in the White House they have over 25 different Christmas trees every year? And if each tree holds 300 lights, that's what? 7500 lights, at least. These children can't even afford one string of lights. How is that fair?"

"What?" Steve asks her, she nods.

"Yeah" She counters and shrugs. "I just..."

"You're just passionate" Steve finishes for her.

"Someone has to be" she counters. "Someone has to care"

"What about these ones?" Tony asks motioning to a collection of the better trees, Neva nods in agreement, trying to calm herself down. Some times she can get too passionate about this. Steve and Tony head towards the trees as Neva tucks her hands into her pocket and takes a deep breath.

"What was your childhood like?" Bruce asks, she glances at him and raises an eyebrow. "At Christmas?" He elaborates. "You seem very...passionate about those that can't celebrate it, did you miss out on celebrating?"

"My childhood was fine" she answers. "It was great even" she corrects and then shrugs. "My parents worked hard and gave me everything I needed, and Christmas was always a big spectacle"

"So why...?" Bruce counters, she looks at him.

"Because I can" she answers. "I know how magical this time of the year is supposed to be, how magical it can be, and I feel every child should get that....it is their right to get that" Bruce smiles and nods.

"I think you're right" he agrees softly, her eyes softening. "I'll be the first to admit that my childhood wasn't all..." he motions around them. "Snowflakes and Santa at Christmas, my mother did her best but...." he shrugs and tucks his hands in his pocket. "Everything she did for me at this time of the year....made a difference, even just for a day, a day to believe in good, to believe in...."

"Santa Claus?" She asks, he searches her eyes, but there is no judgment there, nothing but understanding. He nods a little.

"Yeah" he admits. "Yeah, I believed in him, I liked thinking that there was someone out there"

"I am sure he believed in you too" She assures him with a smile. The two of them share a look, he smiles seeing the sincerity in her eyes.

"Come on you two" Tony teases. "We have a tree to hunt" Bruce rolls his eyes a little but nods for he and Neva to join the others. Bruce glances down as she threads her arm through his. His eyes softening slightly. She has to know who he is and what he can do, and here she is touching him as if it is nothing.

...............

Bruce can't keep his eyes off of Neva, she's joy...in a pretty little package. The way she moves, the way her eyes sparkle up at the trees. She really does love this stuff. And it shows in every move she makes. They've picked out a tree to be delivered to the orphanage and well....now they are to go back to the Tower, and they have to say goodbye to Neva. And he's going to miss her energy. He even thinks Tony is going to miss her constant cheerfulness and festive spirit.

"What's next on the magical orphan ride?" Tony asks her, she cocks her head a little.

"Well, I will arrange for the tree and the decorations to be put up and you will all be there to light the tree, to gift it to the children, then....their party will be that night"

"You make it sound so easy" Steve offers, Neva shrugs. "How much work have you put into this?"

"It is easy for me" she admits softly. "I love this stuff" Steve gives her a smile and nods. They can all see that she really does.

"Well, this has been fun" Tony offers.

"It has" Neva agrees. "It's nice to see the Avengers out of their natural habitats" she teases, Bruce smirks a little. "And I assume it's nice for you guys, not to be around any fighting"

"I don't know" Bruce starts. "You did almost hit that elderly man for trying to take your tree" he offers, she chuckles and shrugs.

"I saw it first" she points out. Steve had managed to talk her out of it and persuaded the older gentleman to let them have the tree.

"Come on, Bauble" Tony teases as he motions her closer to him.

"Why?" she asks him, he touches her shoulder and then hugs her.

"I'm giving you a hug....you know, in the Christmas spirit" Steve and Bruce share a look. Tony pulls back and then pats Neva's shoulder. "Alright...so call or text or...candygram, whatever you do" he smirks at her, she snorts. "Just keep me informed"

"Of course" she assures him. "It was your idea after all"

"Trust me" he starts. "What you have planned...I would never have even gotten close to that vision, can't wait to see it in the flesh" she smiles and nods. "So yeah, get in touch" he then turns and walks away. Steve touches her arm and nods before he follows Tony, Bruce rubs the back of his neck and gives her a small smile, Neva waves at him, he nods and then catches up to his friends.

"Mr. Stark" Neva calls out, he, Steve, and Bruce turn back to her.

"Yes?" Tony asks, Neva reaches into her bag and pulls out a small box, she approaches him and then holds it out, shakes it at him and smiles. "Oh, I don't really like being handed stuff" Tony admits, she shoots him a look, he sighs and takes it from her.

"It is for Miss Potts," She tells Tony with a smile, he lifts the lid of the box to find a small intricately made, beautiful little snow globe inside. He lifts his eyes to Neva who shrugs a little.

"You didn't have to..." Tony starts, she shakes her head.

"I know" she assures him. "I wanted to" she touches the top of the box and then walks away. Bruce eyes following her as she goes, the little bell on her hat swinging away with each step she takes.