Let it Snow (B. Banner)

Chapter Fourteen

The Avengers get a tiny nap, and by tiny, it is literally an hour before there are Yetis invading the space and pounding on actual drums and with actual trumpets. Then they are all gathered in the storeroom where there are a few sacks and Neva. She doesn't look like she's slept at all. She turns to them.

"Yes, finally" She comments and picks up a sack. "Here" Neva shoves a sack at Tony who catches it as she then turns to grab another.

"Slow down, Bauble," Tony tells her. "We've still got plenty of time" she hands out bags to the others.

"Did you get the building sorted?" Steve asks, Neva turns to him, a fierce look on her face, Tony leans closer to Steve.

"Jeez, don't upset it" Tony scolds Steve.

"No" she answers. "No, I couldn't get contractors to work at night so I had to improvise" she shakes the globe in her hand.

"Okay" Tony offers and looks at Bruce for an answer, Bruce shrugs. He doesn't know what is going on. Neva breaths on the globe and then throws it forward, it whirls to life and they each move through it without hesitation.

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

The Avengers and Neva step through the portal and onto the grass outside of a huge building. Neva's eyes scan over it just as a group of movers leave the front of the building. She'd just bought a whole new building for the orphanage instead of trying to repair the one that was lost in the fire. This new place has more bedrooms, more bathrooms, a larger kitchen and living space, as well as more land. It's perfect for them.

"This is you improvising?" Natasha asks her, Neva shrugs a little. "You bought them a whole new building"

"It was the best I could do on such short notice" Neva offers, sounding disappointed in herself. Natasha raises an eyebrow at her. "I could have done better, done more...."

"You're being too hard on yourself" Steve scolds her softly. "You've done something amazing here" Neva takes a deep breath and nods a little.

"It's just been a long night" She admits. "And something I will never be doing again" she adds. "I don't know how my father does it"

"No, neither do I" Clint agrees. He and Neva share a look. "But you did good" Clint assures her. "On such short notice"

"Yeah" Steve offers. "Christmas Miracle" He teases, Neva laughs and looks at him, Steve smiles. She nods.

"Miracle" she whispers and takes a breath. "Well. Shall we begin?"

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

Later: Bruce smiles a little and nods. Neva looks exhausted, they all are. It's been a long night but they all want to stay here and see the children take in their new home. Tony collapses onto the couch next to Natasha as Clint lays flat on the floor staring at the ceiling where a paper snowflake spins. It's kind of hypnotic. Steve takes a deep breath and looks around with a nod.

"This place looks great" he comments. "Perfect even"

"No, it's not" Neva scolds, they all look at her, because to them, this is perfect, this is everything they could have done. "No, no, something is missing" she argues as her eyes look around the room trying to find what it is that is bothering her.

"Relax" Bruce offers taking her arm in his hand. "You've done everything you could have done, they're going to love it" she looks at him.

"But something is missing" she whispers. "I can feel it. There is something I've missed...We should just cancel Christm-ma..." Bruce kisses her to shut her up, she squeaks against his lips in surprise before she kisses him back. Her whole body relaxing. Tony smirks a little watching them. Natasha smiles warmly. Thor walks into the room eating from a plate of cookies.

"I have found..." Thor stops when he sees why they are all silent. Neva jumps a little and Bruce pulls back with a blush. "Oh, my apologies" Thor holds up a plate of cookies. "Cookies?" he asks them. Bruce and Neva share a look, she smiles softly and then looks down, suddenly a young Guardian again. Neva takes a breath and moves to Thor, she takes a cookie and nibbles on it, avoiding eye contact with Bruce who watches her.

...........

Bruce is almost asleep sat in a window seat in the kitchen of the new orphanage when Neva nudges him with her foot. He peers up at her and then jerks to his feet when he realizes that it's her.

"Neva" he states and then rubs the back of his neck.

"You kissed me" She accuses, Bruce nods. "Did you do it to shut me up or because you meant it?" she asks him, he steps closer to her.

"Both" he answers, she blushes slightly. He reaches up and brushes back a loose bit of hair from her face. "I don't know whether you picked this up but I like you" he admits. "I like your spirit and your heart and your....hope and wonder and how you look at the world, and how you look at children and see the magic in everything they are...you go out of your way to do something so nice and so utterly magical for them without asking for anything in return. How you know just what to say to make people smile and make them feel stronger and passionate and inspired. I think you are beautiful" she smiles a little. "And more than just because you are...." her eyes mist up slightly. "You are so beautiful and so...kind and so....magical" he brushes a tear from her cheek. "I feel like I could do and be anything when you around, I even created a picture frame which I haven't done since I was seven years old...." he smiles fondly at her. "You smile at me and I wanted to be good"

"You are good" she argues firmly. "You saved the world, how can you think you are anything but good? Heroic? Strong? Considerate?"

"You see that?" he whispers. "In me?"

"I see that...and so much more" she assures him. "Oh, Bruce." she breaths and touches his chest. "The little boy that wanted that science set" he laughs a little. "The little boy that asked Father Christmas for a better father" he closes his eyes. "For someone to save his mother"

"Neva" he begs of her.

"I'm sorry that is wasn't in his power to grant that for you" she offers sadly. He strokes her cheek and then holds her face in his hands.

"The little girl that asked her mother to look after the crying red-headed Russian girl stuck out in the cold" Bruce offers, Neva smirks and looks down.

"I didn't think she remembered" She whispers.

"Natasha....remembers very dearly what your mother did for her. What you did for her." Bruce assures her. "You saw a child in need, in tears and in pain....and you helped without knowing why....without question, and that's....beautiful" she smiles at him. "You are utterly beautiful and this world does not deserve your heart" he presses his forehead to hers and closes his eyes. He takes a deep breath and holds her close to him, she hums softly and touches his chest.

"I've never met anyone like you, Bruce." she presses her hand to his chest over his heart. "It's so strong" she whispers, he covers her hand with his. "So compassionate and so...smart" she takes a deep breath. "So hopeful" she lifts her eyes to his. "So precious" she adds, he smiles at her. "I like you too, Bruce...."

"Like me enough that me kissing you wasn't a mistake?" he asks her, she shifts closer to him and brushes her lips over his. He closes his eyes and kisses her back, his arm wrapping around her waist to yank her closer to him.

A few more ideas, these can be altered and stuff:

- Pietro (Guardian of Courage and Sacrifice)

- Tony (Guardian of Wisdom and Virtuosity)

- Natasha (Guardian of Loyalty and Strength)

- Vision (Guardian of Honesty and Conviction)

- Loki (Guardian of Dedication and Determination)

- Neva (Guaridan of Heroism and Hope)