- T&B -

A few days ago . . .

That afternoon, the laboratory floor had quiet and shortcoming demeanor hanging around in the air. It was tense mostly because of the glum woman who sat silently on the edge of the springy bed, waiting for the intravenous dye to completely spread through her body. She'd brought the atmosphere of gloominess to the compound and Banner didn't dare question the once cheery reporter. He continued to tap at the skin on her arm and ridging the needle in deeper, but she was too endorsed in thought to hiss.

Laura didn't talk either. She looked out of the window, the usually excruciating pain somewhat numb today. Outside was the expanse of green, unusual from what she had grown used to. A bird cawed in the distance, swooping into the trees to greet the virescent shades. It felt refreshing to her eyes, her breathing rate slowing to a rest. 

'How am I doing?' She asked flatly when her doctor when she felt the needle leave her skin. Banner busied himself with a bandage to seal the wound on her arm and spoke with tight lips.

'I'm still learning about the entire outline of this,' he said. 'What you have is ersatz matter in your tracts.'

'Wait, my body,' Laura paused to soak the words in. This was something entirely different from what she was told. 'My body isn't doing this?'

'Yes,' he made a so-so expression. 'I haven't laid out what exactly it is but I'm willing to run a few more tests.'

Laura didn't want to ask this question but it was a necessity. Everything depended on his answer. Not everything but to her, it was the only thing. 

'How long will it take?' She whispered. She felt the metallic taste of gadolinium in her mouth and that's when she confirmed that the contrast dye had finished it's ranging.

'The procedures could go up to weeks,' he pursed his lips. 'This is reality and given the ample period of time because of the pills, I'm obligated to use it.'

He let her arm free, tossing the remnants of the empty element pouch in the trash. Laura's mood dampened further, her shaky hands pushing her tresses behind her ears. After her actions, Banner couldn't help but notice the almost imperceivable wetness on her cheek. He knew he had to seek.

'Laura,' he said to catch her attention. She sent him a sideways look, swiping the wetness away. 'You can't be under stress. It'll affect what we've managed to prolong.'

'I can't help it, doc,' she said thickly, her voice managed to cross borderline normal. 'I'm conflicted and I just feel like I went wrong somewhere.'

Banner sighed. He wasn't all for psychoanalyzing but the quirky correspondent had found a way into his stable side. With her timid comedy and knack for putting Tony in his place, he was comfortable around her. He leaned beside her on the bed, loosening up. 

'I know all these unheard of tests must be mind-boggling,' the doctor said pensively, 'but you've got to stay strong. Out of experience purely I say this, sometimes conflicts lead to catastrophe. I've steered clear of it. It's amplest to leave complexities behind before it creates the dispute. I learned that the hard way.'

When he finished his piece of advice, Laura felt a spirits uplift a little. Maybe what she was doing was for the better good and her trying to balance everything on her plate was the right way. Besides, Bruce Banner was just as wise as a saint. Kind enough to advise, that's for sure. That didn't mean she could spill her heart out to him so she didn't speak back up. She smiled up at him politely, nodding gratefully.

'Thankew, Dr. Banner.'

He reached out and patted her thigh gently. 'Take it easy. I'll get the machines ready.'

When Banner turned to leave, he left the door open for a docile genius who had silently overheard a part of their conversation. The glass was semi-permeable so Laura wouldn't be able to perceive what happened behind the glass. Tony stood still, watching her movements carefully and lifted his whiskey glass to his lips. Banner grunted.

'It's the pills. I know that look on you.'

He swirled the amber liquid in his glass, denying it with a scoff. 'We're rushing her. And I wouldn't blink twice if I were you.'

'It's bigger, Tony. It's not angina that's affecting her anymore.'

'Time for a show-and-tell, Banner.'

The doctor produced the last radiology report of his personal patient, flipping the whitened scans to the end. He tapped on the area with an accumulated mass at the center of the chest cavity. The dark white mass had embedded itself over her heart and her lungs, now managing to seep into her intestinal depressions. With every flipping of page, the dye was moving, therefore, changing the scan designs. 

Tony noticed this and shot Banner an awestruck gaze.

'Son of a bitch,' he murmured. 'It's not a disease.'

'It's some sort of erratic poison. I've never seen anything like it,' he explained, using gestures to elaborate his point. 'It didn't grow but it's moving, changing - '

'Thinking.'

'Yes,' he said but did a double-take at his terms. He shifted his frames up his nose and shook his head. 'What?'

'Banner, remember the study on extra-terrestrials I asked you to revise by Carlton Drake? Symbiotes and - c'mon, man. This was a pre-constraint.'

'I vaguely remember,' Banner answered sheepishly but didn't get away with it. The billionaire left the door, hot on his heels to get somewhere. In seconds, he was out of the doorway, pushing his way through the glass doors.

'Tony, I don't get it,' Banner spoke quickly catching up to him after tossing an almost dozed-off Laura a last glance. Tony was already swiping through the screen, reaching JARVIS virtually. When he took a peek, he saw the face of an unknown, rugged man flashing brightly with the words 'contacting ' blaring in bright letters. Banner's reaction was instant when a realization struck him.

'Is that - '

'Yep,' Tony piqued. 'I'm blocking a meeting with him, doc. You're gonna spill the beans.'

'No, absolutely not,' Banner disagreed. 'I'm can't - I'm not going to do that.'

'Banner, this is getting out of hand,' he exploded. 'That thing in Laura is finding its feet and I don't want to know what happens when it does. So in order for us to move further, we need this guy. Whether she likes it or not.'

'Well, that someone can be anyone else! Why me?'

'Because you're her doctor, dude! He won't trust anyone unless the reports and the truth come from you.'

Banner let out a distressed sigh, shaking his head. 'We're not out of the woods, yet. She'll be shaken up because this right here, is an act of deception.'

'It's for her own good,' Tony said back in surety. 'I'll extend an olive branch after the whole debacle.'

Banner let out an irritated grunt and threw his hands up in surrender. 'Fine, Tony. I'll do what you want but you're playing the devil's advocate.'

Tony shrugged with doubts in his head. He didn't know Laura too well to handle her quite an obvious breakdown. He was Iron Man, he could take on anything.

'Whatever. I can take on a little sensitive sass bullet.'

'A real trial-by-fire. Make sure JARVIS is recording.'

'Wouldn't count on it.'

- ♣ -

[ w/n: ooh, what's going on here? they're planning to do something behind Laura's back and what the heck is it? dying to know your thoughts and besides, the next one will blow your mind (hopefully hehe) ]