EXIT WOUNDS.
011. | ❛ mind over matter. ❜

A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER, THE SUN ROSE AS CLINT LANDED THE QUINJET IN A SMALL LANDING, SURROUNDED BY TREES. BRUCE HELD ON TO MILA AS SHE SHIVERED ALONGSIDE HIM; BOTH OF THEM STILL SHOOK FROM THE ATTACK. Everyone was, even if they didn't show it the way that Bruce and Mila did.

Walking towards the small house, Mila would twitch in his arms, as she held herself along with his hands. Hers dig into her jacket feeling the sensation of glow coming from her hands, but when looking to see nothing there. Her eyes would prick with the feeling to resort to her neon green glowing eyes, instead of her brown ones. She huddled closer to Bruce as Clint lead them through the trees until all of their eyes fell on a small farm.

She clutched onto Bruce as she let out a small sigh, glancing down to give her a small smile before glancing back up. The pair trailed behind everyone cautiously as they watched as Clint started to climb the stairs of the house deck.

"What is this place?" Thor inquired to Tony.

"Safe house," Tony answered simply.

"Let's hope," Clint says as he glanced at them, before pushing the front door open. He lead them into the living room of the house, before calling out to someone. Bruce and Mila stood towards the back, still depending on each other and arms interlinked.

"Honey, I'm home." He called out and they could hear footsteps, before a pregnant woman made an appearance, her eyes glancing over at the Avengers.

"Hi. Company. Sorry, I didn't call ahead." Clint apologized looking lovingly to the woman.

"Hey," she says to him as she cupped his face, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before pulling him into a hug.

"This is an agent of some kind," Tony whispers rather loudly taking in what Mila suspected that nobody knew.

"Gentleman, this is Laura." Clint introduced his wife as she waved to all them bearing a smile with it.

"I know all of your names," Laura quickly laughed as Tony gave her a small wave. "Except for you."

At the mention of the last sentence, Mila knew all together that she was referring to her. She slowly detached herself from Bruce to make it forward, and introduce herself to the woman who was giving them a place to lay low.

"I'm Mila Jones." She said rather quietly, and Laura gave her a small handshake.

The Avengers heard the sound of quick footsteps approaching as they turned to see two small children making their way to Clint.

"Ooh, incoming." Clint says as he turns towards the door.

"Dad!" The little girl, yelled at her father as she ran into his arms, hoisting her in the air.

"Hi, sweetheart!" Clint says to her as he wrapped his other arm around his son's shoulder. "Hey, buddy. How are you guys doing?"

"These are smaller agents." Tony whispered once again.

"Look at your face!" Clint says as admired his two children, "Oh my goodness."

"Did you bring Auntie Nat?" The little girl asked and it gave Mila a tender smile.

"Why don't you hug her and find out?" Natasha says as the little girl rushed over towards the red head, as Natasha pulled her off the ground holding onto her hip.

"Sorry for bargaining in on you." Steve apologized.

"Yeah, we would have called ahead, but we were too busy having no idea that you existed." Tony said to them, with a slight shrug.

"Yeah, well Fury helped me set this up when I joined. He kept it off of SHIELD's files. I'd like to keep it that way. I figure it's a good place to lay low."

"Honey," Laura engaged in conversation with Natasha, just as Thor accidentally stepped on some Legos and causally sweeping them underneath a nearby chair.

"Well, why don't we get you guys situated upstairs?" Laura informed them with all of them nodding, and following her upstairs with the help of Natasha.

Getting situated was fairly easy but at the same time, a mildly weird arrangement for Mila being paired with Bruce. She didn't mind it at all, the only problem was that she hadn't ever shared a bed with a man. She had never shared her bed at all with anybody, but today she'd change that.

Mila rested against the window, watching all the stillness of the outdoors where there wasn't any noise or cars honking. The peacefulness of the great green fields that didn't make her afraid of the color. She had never known anything other than the business of a city, the only time she had gotten close was when she hid in Mexico. And even then when she wanted to get away, she had felt so alone.

Bruce sat on the bed watching her look out the window, before gazing down again. Only to have his attention diverted to her footsteps approaching him and sitting next to him on the bed. He took in her sweet aroma like he did the first time they had met; the smell of lavender that seemed to always compliment her. Her hair wasn't parted or arranged with a hair clip, but messy like his at the moment. Admiring all her small beauty was something that he should say out loud, to a woman who understood what it was like to suffer the way he did. To have a connection with someone that doesn't see you like a monster. It was a shame that Mila felt the same way.

"Are you okay?" Mila quietly asked knowing that he had cared for her on the jet, and she needed to make sure he was alright.

"Depends on your version of okay." Bruce replied which managed to put a small smile on her face.

"Thank you for saving me on the jet and for everything that you've been doing to help me with my powers. I'm grateful to you in every way." Mila smiled while resting her hand on Bruce's hand. Her fingers grazed over his and he looked down to see their hands together, which caused him to sport a smile.

"Definitely after this, I have a present waiting for you at Avengers Tower." Bruce told her not knowing that their fingers had intertwined together as they continued their conversation.

Mila bit the bottom of her lip, "Maybe I'll have to get you present for being so kind towards me."

Bruce's cheeks seemed to gain a small amount of rosy pink to it, feeling his heart accelerate in the way that it hadn't before. A feeling that felt welcoming coming from her, and something that he didn't want to let go.

Mila cleared her throat restoring Bruce to the beautiful scientist in front of him, "What's going to happen after all of this is done?"

A question that neither side had dared to ask. The powers that she wanted to get rid of so badly had opened her up to the world of The Avengers, a group of individuals that had the intention of helping her when nobody else would. After all of this, Mila could return to her normal life. She could continue whatever career she had left, and be with her friends in California again. But, her heart told her differently.

"Well, you could go back to your old life. Become a scientist again." Bruce made known of the obvious fact but the latter one was one that he want her to consider and accept more. "Or you can come with us. Still be a scientist and at the same time, we could still help you with your powers like we have. And even gain control over them so that you don't fear of Oz coming back."

He grabbed her hand even stronger and offered a whole hearted smile, "Perhaps even become an Avenger."

She looked at him with dopey eyes and a bashful smile. At the start of this, she didn't expect to grow closer to Bruce or to the whole group together. He had helped and saved her from tragic situations; even being a kind and funny soul to her when she needed it. Her mind was telling her that it's be best to return to her old life, whatever was left of it. Fear was what drove her to them, but fear wasn't what was going to make her stay. Because in the silly game she was playing with herself, matter was the champion.

"I think I'd like option two the best."