Hello, Who is this?

21) Uncles and Bruce

It had been a week since Riley had showed up on Wade and Jack's doorstep with tears in her eyes. She was still trying to think through everything and decide if being happy was something she could do, something she deserved. She was sure that she loved her mates, the very first time she told them had been in a goodbye letter. She knew that was crappy. She knew that running away was a bad choice but she didn't know how to face them when they obviously didn't approve of her friends. Did they even have a right to tell her to stay away from them? Her friends were the closest thing to family, aside from uncles, that she had. Was it okay to be angry at them? She missed them so much but didn't want to go back if nothing was going to change. 

Riley came down to the kitchen in the new house only to be greeted by a very concerned Jack. "Baby, when was the last time you slept? Ate a full meal? changed?"

Riley gulped but knew the answers she had weren't good ones. She looked at her feet while Jack eyed the kitchen. "I know you won't be able to eat much but I'll make some breakfast, something is better than nothing. While I do that, you go shower. Also, Wade wanted to know who your favorite Avenger is, that isn't one of your mates."

Riley agreed to the deal and thought about the question. "Probably Bruce although I am close with Nat and Wanda as well as Clint. Bruce and I have this weird connection though. I am not sure what it is though. He just brings me comfort when I don't even realize I need it."

"The Hulk doesn't scare you?"

"I haven't actually met him in a negative situation yet. We have mostly talked while Bruce is sort of the go between. He has been very protective of me since day one though and I calm him almost as easily as Nat does. It is just strange but it works."

Jack nodded at her before sending her off to the shower to keep her half of the deal. He grabbed her phone off the charger and sent a text to "Jolly Green" in her contacts and waited for the response. He was concerned about his niece. She may not be blood to him but she was family. She had visibly lost weight, gotten paler, her eyes were sunk in and had bags under them. Overall, she was not fairing well and he hoped that seeing one of the avengers would help her figure out whatever she needed to. She was reverting back to the shell she was when she escaped five years ago and he refused to allow that to ever happen again. 

When she came down, there were eggs and some toast awaiting her. She silently thanked her uncle for not going overboard. She nearly choked though when he casually told her she was meeting Bruce at "Her" field in two hours. 

The field was obviously not hers but it was where she went to think as well as express her own rage. It was once a paintball field so she was able to take a bat and destroy cars there. She was also known to hit a few walls, the blood mixing with the old paint and looking like it was from the many wars the paintballers fought there. It was just somewhere that few ever got to see. 

She looked up at him and thanked him while her eyes watered. Maybe this was exactly what she needed. She quickly got up and changed out of her lounge attire and into a pair of jeans and long sleeved tee. Throwing her hair into a messy bun and finding her tennis shoes, she ran out of the house and hopped on the bus. She could have driven but she didn't want to risk her uncle tracking her if she and Bruce decided to go somewhere else. 

She was walking up the trail to the field when she saw Bruce sitting against a fallen tree and seeming at peace with the quiet. 

"Hey Bruce." Riley hated how quiet and broken her voice sounded. She wanted to be strong and was hating how she didn't seem to be able to under Bruce's studious gaze. 

"Hi Riles, how are you sweetie?"

She ran up and hugged him. He didn't complain at the tears soaking his chest nor that her hands were gripping the back of his shirt like she was afraid he would disappear. He simply held her head to him and let his own silent tears slip down his cheeks. It had only been a week but between the rest of the team, her mates, and Hulk it had felt like months. "I've missed you sweetie. Everyone has. Please don't make me go another week with no contact. You have no idea the hell everyone is in without your jokes and smile. Your very presence brings us all together more. Please sweetie, never again Riles."

Riley cried harder at his confession but felt the same way. She knew she could never live without everyone. "I will do everything in my power to never live without any of you. I have missed everyone so much. I just don't know if I can live without Luc, Lo, the girls, or my girls either. I had told Pepper earlier this month that I was adopting Morgan and Trixie in every way but legally. They are my girls. I can't abandon them. Luc and his mates are Trixie's family. Lo might as well be related to my uncle and just... I can't do it Bruce. How do I choose between the family that loves me and my soulmates? How is fair to be asked to do that?"

Bruce held her close as she finally let some of her control slip. He felt her shake in his arms, pressing tighter into his chest. "You will not have to choose. I will never allow them to put you in that position. You are not alone Riles, I promise. Let me talk to them and we can talk whenever you want. Call, text, Video, I don't care. I need my dose of Riles in my life. I had to use Thor and Wanda to distract Nat and Clint from coming. Peter was dealing with some stuff for his Aunt May. Steve and Bucky don't come out of their rooms much these days. Loki went back to Asgard until you come back. Tony, Tony is throwing himself into his work to an extreme level. He looks almost as sick as you do. I am sure your other mates do as well, I just haven't seen them."

Riley cried again at how much pain she caused. "I am so sorry. Would they even want me back? How do I start to.... is there a way to make this up to them? What did I do?"

"Riles, Riley, you did what you needed to. You needed space from the constant pressure to be someone else. I noticed you did better when you only had to handle one at a time, yeah?"

"Yeah, I guess so. It just became so overwhelming when all the jealous alpha male attitude came together. I didn't know where to turn."

"Would you believe that Nat had that problem too? She could only do small doses of us together until we let her have space to breathe. Now she knows how to kick any of our butts at any given moment. It takes time. You can do this Riley, all of you need to meet each other half way though. You did the right thing in not giving more than you were comfortable with. You stood your ground the only way you could. I am proud of you but I am also worried given your appearance. Can we please agree to daily check ins? I can't lose you to yourself like this."

Riley nodded and changed the topic. She knew he was right and could work with him but she needed to lighten the situation too. She showed Bruce a few of the cars that had been left over and asked if it would be okay for her to play with Hulk and let him smash some stuff where it was safe; away from civilians. He agreed and that was how they spent the rest of the day. Eventually, they said their goodbyes and promised to text the other when they were home safely.

Bruce had to figure out how to get all of her mates in the same room and not have to use Hulk to keep himself alive. He figured he would talk to them tomorrow about everything. Hopefully he would be alive by four pm when Riley and he had agreed to video chat.