Beautiful Chaos

{part one | chapter two}

The three of them made their way to a large, white room full of clear marker boards and technology. Lilith saw a white desk with nothing on it near the back of the room where she could stay out of the way but still be near if her assistance was needed.

"Thank you Nat," Lilith said with a sweet smile. The red head returned the smile before saying her goodbyes to Bruce and exiting the lab. Lilith watched as Bruce took off his jacket and settled himself behind a holographically projected screen. He began to move the holograms around, occasionally looking down to take notes.

She double tapped the center of her desk and a holographic screen similar to the one Bruce was using materialized in front of her. She studied each of the profiles SHEILD had taken on the team.

Nat, Bruce, Steve, her father, and herself all had profiles outlining their skill sets and jobs for this particular mission. She was analyzing Steve's profile about an hour later when she heard a loud bang and Bruce letting out a frustrated grunt from across the room. Her head snapped up to see what was going on. He had slammed his fists on the desk in front of him and his breaths were labored. He looked up from the desk and met Lilith's green eyes that looked to be the size of dinner plates.

"Lilith, you might want to leave. Before I-," he cut himself off with a pained grunt, trying to calm himself down with little success, "you know."

"No, this is what I'm here for, Dr.Banner. I'm here to help."

"I can't... no updates, no updates, no updates. Where is this damn guy," He said angrily. As Lilith approached him, she could see the veins in his neck were a sick shade of green. She moved slowly, careful to not make any sudden movements and startle the doctor.

"It's okay, Bruce. You're okay." He placed his head in his hands.

"Where is he... Why can't we find him? Why is everything so complicated?"

"I have to..." His voice trailed off and he frantically flipped through the holograms, folders and folders of information opening and spilling their holographic contents out in front of him.

"You have to take a break," Lilith said soothingly.

"I can't take a break now! There's no time for breaks, I-I-I need to be productive!"

"Taking care of yourself is productive, Dr.Banner," she retorted, "Now sit." He did as he was told and flopped into the wheelie desk chair behind him and pinched the bridge of his nose, taking deep breaths.

"I don't know why we can't find him... I know these things take time but-"

"But it's a stressful situation, and you are trying your hardest," Lilith said soothingly, walking around the desk and leaning against it, facing the doctor so she could give him a reassuring smile, "and taking a break is not something to be ashamed of, even if the fate of the world is at stake. You have to try to be patient and keep a clear mind so you can focus. once my dad gets here to help I'm sure it will help. Two heads is better than one and all that."

Bruce let out a quick laugh, looking up at his young lab assistant, "More like three heads," he said with a grin, tapping the side of his head. Lilith chuckled along with him.

"Try picturing something calming, speak the scene into existence. A sunset, maybe, and say 'the sun is getting low.' Picture your anger or frustration or whatever other negative emotions as the sun. Take deep breaths and imagine the sun getting lower and lower, the world getting quieter as day turns to night, and anger turns to calm."

The man nodded as she suggested this coping mechanism, "I'll try it, thanks."

"Of course, Doctor."

"It's Bruce."

"Okay then. Bruce." With that Lilith went back to her desk and continued examining the information she had been provided. The lab was silent save the quiet sound of tech beeping and the scribble of pens on paper. A hologram of Maria materialized in front of their desks, startling the doctors.

"Your presence is requested in the main hub. We've got a sixty percent match."

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Bruce and Lilith walked hurriedly into the main hub of the helicarrier, adrenaline pumping through their veins. A sixty percent match. Lilith stopped next to Steve and Bruce approached the agent that had located the match.

"If it's not too much trouble," Lilith heard Agent Coulson say to Steve.

"No, no, it's fine."

"It's a vintage set," Lilith stifled her laughter as best she could. The trading cards. Phil continued to ramble, "It took me a couple of years to collect them all. Near mint, slight foxing around the edges, but..." His voice trailed off.

"Another hit! Sixty-seven percent!" The two men and the girl snapped their attention towards the voice.

"Wait, crossmatch... Seventy-nine percent."

Coulson made his way to the other agent, "Location?"

"Stuttgart, Germany. 28, Konigstrasse."

"He's not exactly hiding," Lilith remarked.

"Captain, you're up," Fury said from where he stood behind his control panels. Steve nodded at the director and left the room. Assumedly to exchange his brown jacket and jeans for something a little bit more... patriotic.

"Dr.Stark?" Lilith jumped when Fury called her name, feeling like she might have done something wrong.

"Yes, Director Fury?"

"Suit up. You're going with them."