Our little family (sequel to Baby Captain Widow)

Chapter 9: Professor Hulk

1 week later...

"Steve... He's answered. Banner." Nat said, sliding open a message on the holographic screen, emitting a frosty blue light as she did so. Steve looked up quickly, eyebrows raised, moving over to Nat and placing the file he was reading down on the table. Leaning over, he studied the screen, his eyes dancing as they moved across each word, reading each one carefully.
"At least someone is willing to try." He muttered, still studying the message. "When do we wanna meet up with him?"
"Lunchtime today? He'll decide the place."
"Lunchtime sounds good. I'll get Lily ready, and let Scott and Hailey know." Steve said, before kissing Nat's forehead, and leaving the room.

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The group gathered inside a nice looking café, with windows covering 3 out of 4 walls, the fourth being covered with silver tiles. The floors were tiled white, and industrial style lamps hung from a silver ceiling. The seating arrangements were small booths, with glass barriers about 4 or 5 inches high to prevent customers from knocking heads with each other if they leaned back. Their eyes fell onto a great, green man, sitting on a chair at an empty booth, wearing a blue cardigan and lighter blue shirt, which astounded them. Lily grabbed her parents' hands, scared, as they walked over. "Hey guys! Oh, my- its great to see you. Look how much you've grown, Lily!" He greeted them loudly, giving Lily a kind, reassuring smile.
"It's great to see you too, Bruce." Steve said, taking in his new appearance.
"Come on, sit down. Sit down. Grab yourself a bite. It's good food here."
"You come here often?" Nat asked, slipping into the booth beside Steve, who sat by the window with Lily on his lap.
"Nearly all the time! The staff here are fantastic." Bruce said, pointing over to a bunch of grumpy looking employees, who looked at him with annoyance. "So, what is it you guys wanted to talk about?"
"Dr Banner, we may have a way to reverse everything that Thanos has done." Scott began, before Bruce held up a hand, interrupting him.
"I'm sorry, but I don't know your names," He gestured to him and Hailey, sitting side by side, with Hailey by the window. "And, last time I checked, the only way to reverse the Snap, was with the stones. And last time we checked those, Thanos had them destroyed."
"Bruce, this is Scott and Hailey. Scott is an avenger, and Hailey is a SHIELD agent." Steve introduced them.
"Was. I was a SHIELD agent. I'm just helping you guys out, here." Hailey corrected.
"Bruce, we have the potential to use time travel through the Quantum Realm to reverse this. Only thing is, we need someone really, really, smart to help us figure out how we're going to do this, exactly." Scott finished.

"Come on, I feel like I'm the only one eating here." Banner said, gesturing his large, green hands at the giant bowls of food in front of them. "Try some of that. Have some eggs." He pushed the bowl towards the Ant-Man.
"I'm so confused." Scott finally said, his confusion causing lines to be etched on his face as he looked up at the passive Hulk.
"These are confusing times." Banner agreed, pushing another bowl towards the small family.
"Right, no, no. That's not what I meant." Scott stammered.
"Nah, I get it. I'm kidding! I know, it's crazy. I'm wearing shirts now."
"Yeah. What? How? Why?"
"5 years ago, we got our asses beat." Steve raised an eyebrow at him, reminding him that there was a small child present, but the Hulk didn't notice it. "Except it was worse for me... 'cause I lost twice. First, Hulk lost, then Banner lost... and then, we all lost."
"No one blamed you, Bruce." Nat reassured him.
"I did." The hulk said, sadness in his eyes. "For years, I've been treating the Hulk like he's some kind of disease... something to get rid of. But then, I start looking at him as the cure. 18 months in the gamma lab. I put the brains and the brawn together... and now look at me. Best of both worlds."

Three kids came walking over to them, talking quietly to each other. "Excuse me, Mr. Hulk?" The girl asked, excitedly.
"Yes." Banner said, turning around in his chair to face them.
"Can we get a photo?" She asked, turning to her friends as she pulled out her phone.
"100%, little person." He answered, taking the phone from her as gently as he could. Nat and Steve looked at them, confused at why he would do it in the middle of their discussion. Nat's hand moved up to her stomach as the baby kicked again, rubbing it gently. Lily cuddled into her dad's chest, still holding onto Nat's other hand. "Come on, step on up." Banner beckoned the fans to stand closer, before turning to Scott. "Do you mind?"
"Oh, yeah, yeah." Scott murmured, taking the phone and angling the camera at them.
"Thanks. Say "green"."
"Green."
"Green." The camera clicked. "Did you get that?" Banner asked, not moving from his pose.
"That's a good one." Scott muttered. "Did you want to grab one with me? I'm Ant-Man." He
offered, handing back the phone. The small group of kids looked at each other, unsure. "They're Hulk fans. They don't know Ant-Man. Nobody does." Scott ranted, annoyed, offering back the phone as it was still in his hands. Nat, Steve, Lily, and Hailey all sat there awkwardly, watching everything unfold.

"No, he wants you to take a picture with him." Banner said, looking at the smallest boy.
"I don't want a picture." Scott retorted.
"Stranger danger." The kid said quietly, smiling awkwardly.
"Yeah, look, he's even saying no, he doesn't. I get it. I don't want it, either."
"But come on. The kid..."
"I don't want a picture with them."
"He's gonna feel bad."
"Sorry."
"They're happy to do it. They said they'll do it."
"I don't want to do it."
"We can do it." The girl said.
"No, you feel bad." Hulk tried to reason.
"Take the goddamn phone." Scott said, somewhat bitterly. The girl complied, taking it from his outstretched hand.
"Okay." Hulk said.
"Thank you, Mr. Hulk." The girl said, beginning to turn away. Nat and Steve both looked down at the table, whilst Hailey tried to pry her gaze from the awkward scene over to the street outside, remembering how busy it once was; now it appeared a ghost town.
"No, it was great, kids. Thank you very much. Hulk out!" Banner flexed his green arms, before dabbing, the kids doing the same, before turning away.
"Bruce." Steve said, trying to grab his attention.
"Dab." Banner ignored him.
"Bruce."
"Listen to your mum. She knows better." Bruce called to the kids as they exited the building.
"About what we were saying." Steve pushed. Bruce turned back to face them.
"Right. The whole time travel do-over? Eh, guys, it's outside of my area of expertise."
"Well, you pulled this off." Nat pointed out. "I remember a time when that seemed pretty impossible, too."

Banner thought for a moment, contemplating all of their points, and all of the possible outcomes. Slowly, he nodded. "Alright. I'll do my best. But I can't make any promises, though. This could go completely wrong."
"Or it could go completely right." Steve countered.
"When are we gonna do it?"
"As soon as."