milliways_bar | (no subject)

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In one booth, sitting with his back against a wall, is a Bruce. His legs are stretched out in front of him on the bench of the booth and a book is laid face down on those legs. A large mug of something vaguely like coffee sits and stews on the table as he sits with his head hack against the wall, watching, sometimes, the passing crowds.

Most of the time he has spent here has been in refuge, relaxation, and seeking hope, chasing ideas and cure dreams. Even though he still researches, he now sees also darker shadows here. For his curse has followed him, and this place no longer offers complete refuge from nightmares long carried.

This morning, red eyes are the eyes that peer out from behind glasses at the crowd, and he sits, and thinks, and wonders what will happen next.

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MOlly sees Bruce there, and is relieved to see him whole, and apparently healthy.

She detours on her way to the gardens and stops beside his table.

"Bruce."

He almost jumps and looks up at her. Whjen he sees her, he rises and waves a hand to the bench opposite him.

"Molly! It is good to see you... you look good."

His voice trails off lamely as he sits again, and he just looks at her. He isnt sure, really, what to say.

"I'm healthy enough. I was lucky that there was a healer there to fix me up when we got back."

She slides into the seat across from him, and studies him for a few moments.

"How are you? You and the Hulk took quite a beating back there..."

She shivers to remember the sight of Bruce's body jerking under the impact of the weapons being used on him.

"I... I am okay. my body healed. I am worried about you... I was and still am... and I dotn remember anything after they started shooting..."

He winces a bit.

"Had to get you out of there..."

"I wish you'd been able to think of another way. It was horrible to see you being shot. I ran like you told me to, but they caught me anyway."

She doesn't look at him as she says it. It's too hard to see his pained expression while she talks about it. Instead she stares at his coffee cup and sighs before continuing.

"They knew who I was... or at least my number."

She practically spits the word out.

"They said I was responsible for killing and injuring people. Nevermind what they did to us."

Her voice is bitter at that.

Anger sparks in his eyes, barely.

"You are not responsible for any of this. You didnt hurt anyone. You were an innocent bystander who got hurt and... I dont even know what they did to you.... I have been afraid to ask."

He looks down.

"Just another little cowardice of mine."

"Bruce... you're not a coward. I don't even know everything they did to me, for all it shows up in my dreams. All I know is what I already told you about on the train. The part after you were shot was a just a huge blur... the Hulk came and rescued me in the nick of time, and we went through a portal, and landed back here."

She's still not quite looking him in the eye... but at least she isn't staring at the cup anymore.

"Did you get the note I left for you?"

He nods.

"I just hate that they hurt you, because of me."

he swallows and nods again.

"Wouol you like anything to eat or drink?"

Then he sighs.

"I did... is there any new news on your friend?"

Fear and worry lurk in his eyes.

"No, I'm fine. I was just on my way out to work in the gardens when I saw you here."

She feels bad. For both of them.

"Cain is... physically healed. His memory is gone, though. It's... frustrating, but helping him gives me something to concentrate on, you know?"

He nods.

"That is good... you have been sleeping okay?"

He looks at her, still worried. He bites his tongue on saying I'm sorry again and sighs, looking down.

"I'm glad you are okay... and I hope he gets better soon."

"The nightmares were really bad the first couple of nights."

She shudders, but continues.

"Having Cain there... it calms me somehow. The dreams are still there, but I feel safer inside of them, if that makes any sense."

She hadn't really thought much about it, but it's true. Somewhere she knows, even while she's dreaming, that she will wake up to him, and that everything will be fine then.

"How about you?"

He smiles faintly.

"I'm okay. A little worried aboiut you and your friend, but okay. I have been sleeping more."

A blatant lie, but he is good at those by now.

"I am glad you are well."

he falls silent again, not looking at her, not sure what else to say.

She feels similarly awkward.

"I still have your things. The things from the lab that we went to get in the first place."

He looks up, a spark of interest in his eyes.

"I should get those from you... you got time right now? I can grab them and take them to my room. "

"Sure. I just stuffed it all into the closet, I'm afraid."

She blushes a bit, and admits: "I burned the clothes that you bought me there. I couldn't see myself wearing them again."

He nods.

"I understand."

His voice is quiet as he stands.

"Let's get that done."

And then you wont need to see me ever again to remind you of that horror.

He keeps his thoughts to himself as he follows her upstairs.

Molly unlocks the door with her wand.

"My friend, Tim, fixed my wand."

She pushes open the door and leads him inside.

"He also said the he knew your Dr. Strange."

Bruce blinks, but nods.

"Sorcerors I suppose can know each other,e ven across worlds."

he smiles faintly as he hovers at the edge of her doorway.

"Come on in, Bruce. I won't bite. Cain's not here right now, either."

She tries to infuse casual cheerfulness into her voice as she opens the closet and begins dragging out the bags from their adventure together.

Bruce nods, and slowly walks in. He smiles when he sees the bags and goes to collect them.

"Thank you for holding on to these."

He does his best not to look around.

"It's no problem. It would have been terrible to have gone through all of that and then come back with nothing."

She finally pulls her head out of the closet, comfortable in her own living space.

"I hope that whatever is in all that stuff helps you with your work. Would you like to sit for a bit?"

"I... let me take this first group to my room, then I can come back. Be right back!"

he hurries out with the bags. It is a few minutes later when he returns, flushed and edges in, looking a little nervous.

"Are you all right?"

He's acting a bit strange, and she wonders about it.

"Security hasn't given you any trouble, have they?"

"I'm okay. Just tired... and no they havent."

He smiles faintly.

"I guess I still feel guilty about everything."

He hides the horror he still feels about whqat Joe showed him.

"Bruce... I just wasn't prepared for what happened to me in your world. I know that you told me what they were like, and that you were wanted. I should have paid more attention. And I never should have let my wand out of my posession."

She flails slightly.

"I could have saved us both so much grief if I'd just held onto it. We could have avoided..."

She swallows hard, feeling her eyes fill with frustrated tears.

"It was a stupid mistake for me to make."

He comes over to her side, hesitates and then hugs her gently.

"It isnt your fault, not at all... bad things hapen sometimes.. and it did this time too. You are not to blame for anything that those monsters or Joe did..."

Molly of course is thinking of how Joe had broken her wand, and hadn't cared about how she was going to get home.

"I'm sorry you have to live with someone like him inside of you. That shouldn't happen to anyone. But it never would have happened in the first place if I hadn't been so idiotic. I could have just opened a gate, and we could have escaped."

He pokes her gently.

"You are not to blame... not at all. Betwen Joe and the government and the earthquake and a new place... this is not your fault."

He pokes her again.

"Are... you sleeping okay?"

"Better now than I was."

She shrugs, and doesn't meet his eyes.

"Bad dreams...memories made worse by my own imagination."

he flinches at that, drawing back.

"Dreams... yeah."

He turns away.

"I cant ever make up for everything Joe did to you there, Molly.... but I will do my best to make sure you never have to see or hear him again..."

Molly nods, and wipes at her damp eyes.

"I hope that the things you managed to get help you. It was such a blur after we got off of the train, I hope it's all there."

He nods.

"Me too... Me too."

He smiles softly.

"You, ah... alright?"

"I'll be fine. I have Cain to focus some of my attention on. I was going to ask the Bar or Tonks or Ginny for some potions ingredients... I really should keep some Dreamless Sleep and Calming Draught on hand. Those would help."

"Good idea... I hope it helps. If I can do anything, let me know, okay?"

"Yes. And... the same goes for you. Now that I know what it's really like for you... if you need to talk, or whatever, you're welcome here."

"Thanks. I should get these bags to my room."

he smiles.

"I will see you later?"

"Sure."

She hates that it's so awkward between them. But how couldn it not be, after everything that's happened to them?

He smiles and nods to her, then heads out.

He wishes that things were better. He truly did.

Grey skies ahead now... grey skies ahead.

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