Assemble (Book Two of The Avengers Reports)

Chapter Eight (Picture of Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David)

A Hospital in the City

Washington DC, Capitol of the United States of America

　

"Did I mention that I think this is a terrible idea yet?" Ziva commented as she opened the door to the hospital Natasha was staying in.

Bruce entered in behind her and gave her a look. "Only about ten times in the last five minutes."

Ziva shook her head and headed for the receptionist’s desk. "Special Agent Natasha Romanoff."

The receptionist nodded. "Go right ahead."

"Thank you." Ziva beckoned for Bruce to follow her, then continued her rant. "I’m just saying, Director Vance is going to kill us if we let someone else tamper with Natasha."

"Even if we know her and she’d trust us with her life?"

"She doesn’t even know that yet."

"She will."

Ziva looked at Bruce. His eyes were slightly glowing green. "Um . . . Dr. Banner?"

Bruce blinked. "What?"

Ziva pointed to her eyes. "They’re glowing."

"Oh." Bruce blinked a couple more times, and soon the glow was gone. "Sorry about that."

"It is fine." Ziva waved her hand in dismissal. "After what has happened recently, I am ready to believe anything that happens."

"Even if I said I was a monster?"

Ziva stopped outside of the elevator, then looked at Bruce. "You do not seem like a monster."

Bruce gave a small smile. "My eyes? The glowing? That was the Other Guy about ready to come out."

Ziva tilted her head at the exaggeration of "Other Guy." "Who is this Other Guy?"

Bruce waited until the elevator arrived. Ziva tried again. "Who is – ?"

The elevator doors opened at that moment, and Bruce gripped Ziva’s arm and pulled her into the elevator with him. He slapped the button Ziva pointed out, then turned to her as the doors closed. "I don’t like calling the Hulk by his name. I prefer the Other Guy."

"This Other Guy is bad?" Ziva asked curiously.

"He destroyed Harlem pretty much. And on the Helicarrier a few years ago, he almost killed Natasha before Thor pulled him away."

Ziva narrowed her eyes. "You address your code name in third person."

Bruce sighed, leaning against the elevator. "The Other Guy is a nightmare, Agent David. He hurts people."

"But you do not."

Ziva turned to face the doors. As they opened, she added, "and it is Ziva, Dr. Banner."

Bruce smiled back at her. "And it’s Bruce."

Ziva smiled right back at him.

***

Bruce knew Abby had said that Natasha had needed help. But when Ziva pulled open the door to Natasha’s room, he instantly knew that something was very wrong with her.

Even Ziva’s eyes widened when she saw Natasha’s extremely pale skin. "What the hell?" she whispered, approaching her bedside.

The earwig in Bruce’s ear crackled. "Four?" Stark asked. "Are you there?"

"Right here, Five," Bruce confirmed automatically, remembering that they were going back to number designations. "Um . . . how long has Three been lying here?"

"It’s been about two weeks," he heard Gibbs say through his own earwig. "Why?"

Bruce sighed, shaking his head as he turned to the monitors showing her status. "I’m not sure how much I can do."

There was silence on the other line. "What does she look like?" he heard Clint ask.

Bruce looked behind him at Ziva, who was whispering a Hebrew prayer as she clutched at Natasha’s hand. "Extremely pale. Almost as pale as the sheets she’s lying on. Lips getting a bluish tinge. Her hair is really dull." He swallowed. "And I can see the veins in her skin."

He heard a whimper that he knew was Abby. "Find something to help," Clint told him. "Abby’s freaking out."

"I’m working on it, Six," Bruce seethed, starting to type away at the monitors. "JARVIS, you there?"

"Right here, Four," JARVIS replied instantly.

"Start the file copying."

"Yes, sir."

Bruce watched as several things began spiraling across the computers. "How are we doing, Five?"

"All files are being processed right now," Stark replied. "Just a few seconds . . . "

And abruptly, from behind Bruce, Natasha let out a bloodcurdling scream.

Ziva started shouting out for the medics, and Bruce staggered away from the monitors as they flared to the levels of gamma radiation in Natasha’s blood. It was rapidly rising past sixty-seven percent.

"Oh, my God," Bruce whispered.

"What?" Stark demanded.

"What the hell is going on?" Gibbs demanded.

Bruce bit his lip. "I think she’s gone," Bruce told them. "Over half of her blood is gamma radiation."

He gestured for Ziva to follow him, and both of them started to leave as medics began rushing into the room, trying to calm Natasha down. "Are the files still processing?"

"Yeah . . . yeah, they’re coming," Stark replied, this time in a voice that sounded as if he had just lost his best friend. "Are you on your way back?"

"Yes," Ziva replied through her own earwig. "And we’re hustling."

"You got it," Steve told them. "Four, hurry it up."

"Already running, One," Bruce replied, grabbing Ziva’s arm and dodging the elevator and going for the stairs.

Luckily, she had the same idea.

***

All right, guys! This is the last chapter before the epilogue! And you know what that means . . . THE STORY'S ALMOST DONE! :)

So, now it's time to start planning the third. Avengers and NCIS will be forming together to fight the Avengers . . . but with or without Natasha and Thor? Hmm . . .

So, I still need a title for that! And for your information, if you were confused . . .

One = Steve

Two = Thor

Three = Natasha

Four = Bruce

Five = Stark

Six = Clint

Those are all of the Avengers in their number designations!

So, read on! And PLEASE help me find a one-word title!