Bruce was...confused.

Well, he was happy with his progress. The new school was nice. The teachers were nice. The students..not much, but he realized when he didn't react,no one bothered him.

The thing was, Tony was absent.

He could be sick. Or maybe he just didn't want to come to school. But Tony was his only friend in school, and his absence made it look unknown and petrifying.

He was gone for two days straight.

"Bruce."

He flinched. It was Steve.

"I can see you are alone. "

"No need to tell me that."

"Nah. If you want, you can join us , though." Said he, motioning towards a table. Natasha, Clint, Thor (or as everybody called him) sat together, laughing.

Bruce felt his anger pulse through his body. His hate poured into the single word that escaped his lips.

"No."

Bruce stood before the magnimonious mansion where Tony lived. It felt like he had jumped from a nightmare to a lucid dream. He was used to seeing his battered home in his battered routine. But now, when he stood before the golden gates leading to heaven (they seemed like that to little Bruce ) he felt nothing but sheer wonder.

Such was his wonder, that he didn't even notice the guard bending politely over him.

"And who could you be?"

Bruce flinched visibly.

"I am a friend of ..." Tony Stark? Master Stark?

"Tony?"

"Yeah."

The guard picked up his Transiever, and talked.

"He's out. Go home." Said he in a pained voice.

Bruce went home, having an inkling that neither the guard had said the truth, nor did he wanted to lie.