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PROMPTLY AT 9 AM THE NEXT DAY, THERE IS A KNOCK AT SPENCER BANNER'S DOOR.

She knew it wasn't Bruce, because two hours earlier when he brought her some breakfast, he mentioned a meeting with the rest of the Avengers that would take a few hours. He made sure to promise it wasn't about Spencer's predicament. But Spencer can see it in his eyes and his body language that he was lying right to her face. She was too tired to even call him out for it.

There was another knock.

Spencer spun her desk chair in the direction of the door. She sighed, but heaved herself up from the chair, and inched the door open.

She took one look at the boy in the doorway before going to close it.

But Pietro Maximoff was a lot quicker than her.

His hand blocked the door from closing.

"Good morning, Banner," he greeted, unusually... tired. Not as peppy or irritating as he usually was.

Spencer surveyed his face for a second. Maybe it was the lighting, but his blue eyes didn't seem as blue today. There was red surrounding his eyes, but Spencer didn't know if she had just never taken the time to notice it before.

(She tried not to make a habit of staring at obnoxious superheroes.)

Her pressure against the door slackened, but she didn't let him in yet. Instead, Spencer leaned against the door. "Good morning," she said back.

Pietro peered over her shoulder, then back at her. "You should let me in," he suggested, slipping his hands into the pockets of his dark blue sweater. "It would be polite."

"I'm not going for polite," Spencer told him.

Pietro just pushed the door open and walked in anyway.

Not making a move to stop him, Spencer just sighed and went back to her place on the comfortable desk chair, pulling her knees up to her chest. Pietro had wandered by the window and was pulling at the curtains Spencer had kept closed.

Spencer just screwed her eyes shut, knowing that he wasn't going to ask before he tugged them open - which, by the way, is exactly what happened.

"You are hiding from the sun, now," Pietro noted, as he turned away from the window, propping himself up from behind on the small ledge.

Spencer wanted to say something funny or snarky, but her entire body was much too tired to even try.

She just stared at him, up Pietro scoffed and rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest.

"This is getting boring," he mentioned. "Quickly."

"Feel free to leave," Spencer mumbled, loud enough so he could hear. Even as she said it, though, her eyes didn't leave Pietro's.

Pietro just stared back at her. His humored expression was almost completely gone now, and instead, he was looking more... critically. After a few moments, he asked, "Has it happened again?"

Spencer didn't freeze. She didn't expect him to ask, but she didn't freeze. Pietro understood more than anyone what happened - he was there. Front and center. Watching Spencer... change. Into a monster or a freak or whatever. He saw all that and still, he didn't run. Even though his whole thing was running.

"No," Spencer answered.

"And Bruce," Pietro went on, no longer looking at Spencer, but at the small things scattered on her window sill. He held up a cutout dolphin article from a kids magazine. "Has he said anything?"

"He wants to do testing," Spencer said, his eyes following Pietro even when he looked anywhere else.

"And you said no," Pietro guessed, unamused.

"I don't want to be a lab rat," Spencer told him, defensible, and his eyes finally met hers again. "I'm not some science experience - I didn't choose this."

She half expected Pietro to be offended. It was like she wanted him to get angry and storm out and leave her to wallow, but he just shrugged.

"It happened," he stated. "And it will not change."

"Were you at the meeting today?" Spencer asked, shifting the conversation as Pietro put down whatever he was messing with at the window. "What did they talk about?"

"You are not a lab rat," Pietro repeated, pointing at her before turning his finger to himself. "but I am a mole? "

Spencer rolled her eyes. "Was it about me?" she asked, but he is back to rummaging through her stuff. "Pietro," Spencer called, and his blue eyes did move up to meet her. He was smiling at her. Spencer didn't acknowledge this, she just repeated, "Was the meeting about me?"

Pietro nodded. "Yes," he said, his attention back down on the paper in front of him. He held it up, and Spencer's face fell. He was staring at a picture that Spencer had found tucked in one of her books from the seventh grade. It was one of the only pictures she had with Bruce during the school year.

Pietro flipped the photo over. "You won a science fair, Banner? Following in your father's shoes, hm?"

Spencer didn't reply, but she was thinking, yeah I am. Unfortunately from the safety of the world.

"What did they say at the meeting?" Spencer pressed.

Pietro shrugged. "Nothing important. Just that everyone was worried."

"Great," Spencer muttered. "I'm scaring the avengers."

"Not scaring," Pietro denied. "Worrying. Do you have anything to eat in here?" he asked, doing a scan on her room for any food laying out.

"Is that question about my health or about your appetite?"

Pietro sent her an agitated look as he began going through her desk drawers. Spencer kicked him in the side, but he kept going."Not everything is about you, Banner," he noted, pulling out a bag of chips and holding them out of reach while he said, "I am hungry. I trained with Natasha today," he grabbed a handful, and before stuffing them in his face, he added, "She's very mean."

Spencer let out a noise of approval but stopped reaching for the bag. It was useless.

Pietro noted her defeat, and offered the bag to her, holding it while she grabbed a handful.

"You really don't like her," he said, his eyebrows quirking slightly, smirking.

Spencer said nothing, eating her snack.

At her silence, Pietro scoffed, leaning against Spencer's desk. He was close enough that Spencer could smell the sweat from his workout. She debated kicking him away but didn't.

He stayed there for four more minutes. Spencer knows - she was counting.

✰✰✰

"SO ARE YOU SENDING ME OFF?"

Bruce looked up at Spencer, puzzled, from where he was sitting on her bed, looking at a picture he'd found laying there.

"Sending you off?" Bruce repeated, his eyebrows furrowing. "What?"

"The meeting," Spencer replied, curled up in the office chair. "Did you guys talk about what's wrong with me?"

Bruce didn't lie. He could tell by the certainty in Spencer's voice and expression that she must be convinced, and he wasn't going to waste his time lying to her.

"We all want you to be safe," he said, and Spencer can't help but roll her eyes and toss her head back. "Seriously, Spence - I know, I know it's not easy."

Of course, he knows. He's the reason Spencer is like this - he's the blueprint.

The room went silent for a few more minutes. Bruce continued to look at the picture.

"What was it like?" Spencer broke the silence with the question. "The first time it happened to you."

Bruce hesitated. "It's not the same, Spencer."

"It is, though," Spencer said, calmly. "It's the exact same - and it could just be delayed," she said.

It was almost like Spencer had come to terms with it. Like she understood what she was facing, and all of its horrific implications - and that she was okay with it.

And Bruce for a second, let himself believe that she was. That she was okay.

"Your mom is asking about you," he mentioned his attention back on the picture he had seen earlier. He looked up after a second of Spencer's silence. "She wants to talk."

Spencer didn't respond.

"Alright," Bruce said, his tone changing. It's enough to get Spencer's attention - she watched as he put down the picture, put his hands in his lap, and leaned forward. "Spencer, we are gonna talk through this logically. You're logical - you get it."

Spencer blinked. "Thanks."

Bruce made a face at his own comment, then shook it off. "Let's say you got the gene-"

"Let's say?" Spencer echoed. "Dad, I've got the gene."

"Okay, you have it," Bruce said. "But only half of it is active in your body."

Spencer blinked. "What?"

"Genetics-"

"I understand genetics, Dad," Spencer cut him off. "I mean how do you know that?"

"The testing came back," Bruce explained. "We got the results today, crossed referenced them, and from the sample we took, you've only got half accessed. That means that you cannot fully transform. The rest is dormant, which leaves the possibility, but it's highly unlikely that this specific gene will activate after this phase. If it does," he offered, addressing both possibilities, "It will be soon. Within a month, the period of activation will have passed, and it won't be possible for you to fully change."

"So I just have to wait it out," Spencer said.

"No," Bruce argued. "If you keep this up -" he gestured around. "Hiding, avoiding - you're increasing your chances of extreme emotional responses to anything - that includes anger, fear. You're putting yourself at risk like this, Spencer."

✰✰✰

"OH! SPENCER!"

Peter Parker exclaimed this at 11 AM, the next morning. It grabbed the attention of the two other inhabitants of the lab - Bruce and Tony. And the person in the doorway: Spencer Banner.

"Hey, Peter," she greeted quietly, giving him a little wave before looking over to the two other people staring at her. "Hey."

Last night was a call to action for Spencer. Okay, less last night, and more 4 AM this morning - but either way, a total call to action. Spencer can't risk making the whole thing worse - the green thing is bad enough. If she grows twelve feet and gains a ton in weight? Spencer thinks she's gonna die. So her plan is to avoid it.

Here she is. Avoiding by not avoiding. It sounds counterproductive, but it made sense when Bruce explained it last night. Either way, she'll know soon - whether it's worse or just this bad. And she doesn't need anything to increase her chance of worse. Just this bad is bad enough.

Stark glanced between Bruce and Spencer. "Am I seeing this right?" he asked, sarcastically. Both Banners turned to him. He gestured at Spencer. "Is that your little spawn right there?"

Bruce sent him an irritated look, and Spencer just stared at him.

"Hey, Spence," Bruce said, nonchalantly, but Spencer could see the excitement he was trying to hide.

"Hey, Dad," Spencer said. She noted the tension in the room. "Am I allowed to be in here?"

"Depends," Tony said, glancing up. "Are you here to help, or to take Banner and have an emotional heart-to-heart?"

"Tony," Bruce chided.

She slipped into the lab chair next to him, tossing her bag on the table as she did. She noticed Stark stayed quiet after that, but she can see him stifling a smile, anyway.

Spencer chose to ignore it. "What are you working on?"

"Tony's got me on a new project," he added, quietly, like he just meant for Spencer to hear.

"I heard it was your idea to adjust the axle," Tony noted after a second of Spencer analyzing what Bruce was showing her.

"Oh?" Spencer glanced at Bruce warily. He smiled at her encouragingly, so Spencer just wrapped her arms around herself and nodded. "Yeah."

"It was a good idea," he told her, almost... praisingly. Spencer stole a glance at Peter who looked moderately surprised. But then Tony cocked his head a little. "I'd pay you for it, but then you broke my new training materials-"

"Tony," Bruce said, sharply, but Spencer just looked away, anyway, back at what Bruce had been showing her.

But then she couldn't. She couldn't just ignore it.

"I'm sorry," Spencer said suddenly, turning away from Bruce and looking right at Tony Stark. He hesitated for a second, not realizing that she was talking to him. "I'm sorry. About the wall thing. I didn't know. It was probably expensive."

"I-" Tony started, then shaking his head. Spencer could see his eyes flicker over to Bruce before settling back on Spencer. "I was just messing with you, Kid, I wasn't being serious," he promised. "Don't worry about it - really. You should see what Peter's broke during his time here."

Peter's head whipped over Tony, staring in betrayal.

Tony pulled his eyes away, grinning at Spencer. "Had to replace all the glass on the second level labs."

Spencer smiled back. Just a little. Peter is calling out in horror, and Bruce at her side is stifling a laugh like he remembered the ordeal himself.

✰✰✰

IT'S THREE HOURS LATER.

"I think I'm just gonna go back," Spencer told Bruce quietly. "I don't want to-"

"Hey, Mini Banner," Tony called, and Spencer turned over to him. "You like mozzarella or American?"

"What?"

"Grilled cheese," Tony supplied. "Only vegetarian options for lunch."

"Oh. Um, American is good. Thank you," she said, and Tony nodded before typing the order into his tablet.

When she turned back to Bruce, he was watching her, carefully. "Stay, Spence," he suggested. "Just for lunch." He tucked his hands in his pockets. "If it gets too much then..."

Spencer hesitated. "Dad, I don't-"

"Alright, Stark, tell me you've at least ordered lunch." The new voice in the room gets everyone's attention to the front of the lab, where Clint Barton is strolling in. "I had a whole practice with Natasha and I -oh," he cut short, surveying the room before locking eyes with Spencer. "We got Little Banner back. Hey!"

Spencer gave a tight smile and waved. She turned to Bruce. She gave him a face.

Bruce didn't say anything, but he squeezed her shoulder comfortingly.

"The twins are back in the kitchens," Clint mentioned, watching Peter as he packed up his things, then looking over to Tony. "Natasha's showering, but then she'll join us for lunch. You coming, Spencer? We've missed you the past couple of days."

Clint is sweet. Really, he's nice and very polite to Spencer, but she could not currently handle the way he is trying to involve her.

And Bruce, of course, can't just step in. He just looked down at Spencer expectantly.

"Yep," Spencer said because she didn't really have an option.

Spencer and Bruce walk over to the kitchens together, following shortly after Clint and Peter and Tony. Bruce had a few things to finish up, and Spencer was not nearly at the stage of interaction to go with the others.

"Your mom's been calling me," Bruce mentioned, somewhat casually. "She really wants to talk to you."

Shoving her hands in her pockets, she fought against the tension to shrug. "Look, dad," Spencer said, glancing up at Bruce. "I'm really trying to not freak out. You're making that extremely difficult."

"Right, right," Bruce retracted. " I'm glad that you came to the labs today," he admitted, smiling. "It'll get better. I promise."

"Hey, Bruce!"

Spencer looked away from her dad and into the kitchen/lounge area, where a familiar redhead was approaching them.

"Spencer," Natasha added with a warm smile. "Hi."

She offered her a half-smile in return, but no words, and surprisingly, Natasha didn't push. She didn't make any comments about Spencer's disappearance or anything about the incident. And for half a second, Spencer doesn't mind hanging around her and BRuce. That is, until someone else caught her attention.

"Spencer!"

The brunette whipped around at the sound of her own name, eyes going wide when she saw Wanda running at her.

And then suddenly, Spencer Rebecca Banner has a face full of really nice smelling hair, and arms wrapping around her.

Spencer stood in shock for a second, before reciprocating the embrace - carefully, unsurely. She reached her hand to swipe some of Wanda's hair out of her face, but Wanda was already pulling away to smile at her.

"I'm so glad you're here," she said, and Spencer is still in a daze from the random burst of affection, but she managed to nod. "Pietro is being complete-"

"Talking about me?" Pietro chimed in, appearing near the two girls. His eyes are focused on his sister who is rolling her eyes, tossing back a look.

"We missed you," Wanda promised, her hands moving to squeeze Spencer's arms. "You're alright, right?"

Spencer has not been doing well with that question so far, but it's different when Wanda asked it. She doesn't know how to explain it, but it is - so Spencer just nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "H-how have you been?"

"Nonstop training," she noted, clearly irritated with the lack of change. Spencer looked to Pietro for a similar reaction, only to find his eyes already on her. Spencer looked back to Wanda immediately. "But Natasha promised us a break on the weekend. She said shopping - you should join," she suggested, though it sounded less of a suggestion and more of a demand.

"I'm not really sure I'm allowed to," Spencer excused, but Wanda just looked at her, tilted head. "Whole green thing. Might be an issue."

Wanda's face changed like she just remembered, then, but before it could get too awkward, Tony was telling everyone that food was there, and Spencer was able to hide her discomfort and fear in a grilled cheese.

After all... the worst had already happened. The whole incident took away the element of surprise, everyone here knew she was a risk.

And luckily, the Avengers had a pretty good history of dealing with risks.