Evermore

Chapter 34

Natasha watched as Bruce slowly stepped closer to the balcony and further away from Ross. The two men looked like mortal enemies who had been at war their entire lives.

Bruce put his hands up in surrender and said, "Please leave. If not for yourself, then your own safety. I don't have control over my transformation on full moons and making me angry will make it worse."

"You're a threat to my town," Ross said, while drawing out a gun.

Bruce's eyes glowed greener as he pleaded, "I haven't hurt anyone. Please, leave me and my friends in peace."

Ross didn't respond. His eyes were full of rage and he tackled Bruce to the ground. The two men wrestled as Bruce started to turn green, but Natasha could tell he was fighting the transformation as much as he could.

She did the only thing she could and locked the others inside the passageway while she kept an eye on Bruce. She was the only one who could de-hulk him if it came to it, though she didn't know if it was possible during a full moon.

Bruce punched Ross in the face, and the older man got off of him. The gun skidded across the room, out of Natasha's reach. She glanced back just as Bruce began to transform and jumped off the balcony. She heard a thud then a few seconds later she made out a blur of the Hulk's figure as he jumped up to another section of the roof.

Natasha stayed hidden as she saw Sterns and Blonski come in the room and pick up their boss. Ross had a look of murder in his eyes and Natasha knew there was no reasoning with him. He was out for blood.

"Sir, Walker is running," Blonski said.

"Forget Walker. Let's go after the green one. I've got an idea," Ross snapped, then picked up the gun.

"Sir, what will a gun do," Sterns asked.

"Harkness made the bullets special," Ross replied. "Vibranium. One is all it takes to kill him. I don't have a clear shot from here, let's go!"

Natasha controlled her breathing as the men left the room. Did Bruce even know if the Big Guy could be killed?

The Hulk roared from his position on the roof. In the heavy rain and hail, he was still easy to target. Natasha walked closer to the balcony and knew she would have to save Bruce before Ross got to him.

She heard a crunch under her shoes and looked at the floor to see the case holding the rose had smashed into pieces. There was one petal remaining on the rose. Natasha realized the crash earlier was the case which must have knocked a few petals off, sending the sudden storm.

Natasha was terrified and this time it was because she might lose Bruce. If she didn't lose him to Ross tonight, she might lose him to the spell.