Invisible To You (A Bruce Banner Love Story)

Chapter Eleven - The Petersons

        "What is going on?" I mutter as we near my apartment. Up ahead, I can see flashing red and blue lights. Tony pulls up to the curb, and Bruce, Tony, and I all look out to see my building surrounded by police cars and an ambulance.

        "You live here?" Bruce asks, and I sigh.

        "Why is that everyone's reaction when they see where I live?" I ask, opening my door and getting out of the car. Bruce and Tony quickly follow.

        "Rose? Rose dear!" Mrs. P exclaims when she sees me. She rushes over, shotgun in hand. Bruce takes a step back when he sees the gun, but I hug the panicking woman.

        "Mrs. P. What's wrong? What's going on here?" I ask. She pulls me over to where a few police officers are. Tony and Bruce quickly follow behind us.

        "Officer? This is Rose. She lives here too." The officer turns to me, then to Mrs. P.

        "Ma'am, we've asked you to leave the gun in your apartment. It's scarring some of the other officers and civilians." Mrs. P glares at him, and I grimace. Wrong thing to say.

        "It is my constitutional right to have this gun in my possession, and after what just happened, I will not put it down! I have a permit, and by law-"

        "Mrs. P." I say, stopping her rant at the officer. "It's okay, I've got this. Why don't you go with Tony?" She and Tony actually got along very well. "Me and my friend will stay here and talk to the officer, okay?" She nods slowly, her graying hair falling in her face. Tony takes her arm, and they both walk slowly back to his car, Tony calming her down.

        "Thank you." The officer says with a sigh of relief.

        "I know officer, I know." I say. "So, what happened? What's going on here?"

        "You live here?" He asks, and I nod.

        "Apartment 6A." I say.

        "Him?" He nods towards Bruce. I grab Bruce's arm, pulling him forward.

        "He's my friend. So what happened?" The officer sighs, looking up at the building before looking back at me.

        "Do you know the Petersons?" He asks, and I nod in confusion.

        "Yeah. They're a nice family. They lived in the apartment across from me. Why?" I ask cautiously. He sighs again.

        "Their apartment was being robbed. They came home too early and walked in. We suspect two full grown men in the apartment. They were armed, the Petersons were not." I freeze. No. Please no. "Shots were fired. We were already on the way because of a noise complaint. Something about a dog."

        "My dog." I say, and he nods.

        "Mr. Peterson and Mrs. Peterson were both shot." My hand flies to my mouth in shock. They were such nice people. So kind and gentle. "Mrs. Peterson died instantly. Shot in the head." A soft cry escapes me, and I feel Bruce take my other hand. "But, because of your dog, we were able to get here on time. Mr. Peterson is at the hospital, expected to make a full recovery."

        "Jacob. What about Jacob?" I ask quickly.

        "Other than seeing his mother and Father shot? The boy is fine. At the hospital with his father." I nod quietly, a tear trickling down my face. "You can go in to your apartment if you want." He says.

        "What- What hospital did they take them to?" He gives me directions, and I nod. "I'll take Mrs. P to go check on them. Get her out of your hair while you finish."