Captain's Hart and Soul

Chapter 2 Checking In

April 6, 2015

Tony flew the quinjet back to New York, Nat sitting in the co-pilot seat beside him. Arianna had given up her spot to be with Steve, leaning on her boyfriend as the two fussed over Clint. The archer had woken up a few hours ago, and Arianna kept one hand on Clint's reassuringly while Steve had an arm wrapped around Arianna. Thor was standing with them and the four chatted at intervals as they made their way back to base.

As they closed in on New York, Nat got up and walked back. She checked on Clint, talking with him and Arianna briefly. Thor wandered over the scepter, and Steve watched him go. Nat finished chatting with Clint and Arianna, and wandered over to the corner of the jet where Bruce was huddled, listening to opera over his headsets.

Arianna watched them curiously before her eyes flickered up to Steve as he nudged her. He nodded towards Thor, and she nodded. Giving one last squeeze on Clint's arm, she and Steve walked over to Thor as Nat sat beside Bruce, murmuring: "Hey."

The scientist looked up, startled, as he pulled off his headphones, and Nat continued softly: "The lullaby worked better than ever."

Bruce smiled a little, but it dropped quickly as he sighed, and admitted: "Just wasn't expecting the Code Green."

"If you hadn't been there, there would've been double the casualties." Nat countered lightly. She smiled encouragingly, making Bruce give a tiny smile back, and Nat added as she jerked her head towards Clint: "My best friend would've been a... treasured memory."

"You know," Bruce sighed, "sometimes exactly what I want to hear isn't exactly what I want to hear."

He lowered his eyes, and Nat's face dropped just slightly. She asked quietly: "How long before you trust me?"

Bruce glanced at her as he pointed out: "It's not you I don't trust."

Nat smiled a little at that, at least gratified that he wasn't pushing her away. She lowered her gaze for a moment, trying to think of a way to help Bruce, before she called to the nearest person. "Thor, report on the Hulk?"

"The gates of hell are filled with the screams of his victims." Thor answered triumphantly as he held up a fist in appreciation.

Arianna sighed as Steve winced, while Nat turned to glare at Thor. Bruce groaned, lowering his head into his hands, and Thor added hastily: "Uh, but, not the screams of the dead, of course."

Arianna rolled her eyes in exasperation as Bruce just nodded, his head still in his hands, and Thor rambled: "No no, uh...wounded screams, uh," Steve lifted his eyes to the ceiling as though praying for Thor to stop, "mainly whimpering, a great deal of complaining and tales of sprained deltoids and," Nat grit her teeth as she turned back to Bruce, "and uh... and gout."

Arianna, finally unable to take any more, jabbed Thor in the side with her elbow. He took her hint, quickly falling silent, as Steve exhaled in relief. Nat was shaking her head in disbelief, as Bruce finally removed his face from his hands.

"Hey Banner," Tony suddenly called from the cockpit, "Dr. Cho's on her way in from Seoul, is it okay if she sets up in your lab?"

Arianna glanced at Nat, seeing a slightly dejected look passing over the Russian's face as Bruce turned away to call back to Tony: "Uh, yeah, she knows her way around."

"Thanks." Tony called back.

Arianna leaned against Steve and he automatically wrapped an arm around her waist. He rested his chin against the top of her head as he leaned against the wall beside the case holding scepter. Thor glanced at them, and Arianna told him quietly: "Good going."