[A/N]: Another one! This time with Toni/Bruce.

XxX

Toni had never known cold like this. Her core felt full of ice, and she felt it scraping her heart with every heartbeat. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, rubbing her sides as she shook uncontrollably. She curled further into the bed, but nothing could help. Nothing could warm her now.

XxX

Nineteen hours earlier

XxX

Toni rolled over in bed, snuggling into the man beside her. "Ugh. I don't want to go to this briefing," she groaned.

He chuckled, and she felt the vibrations in his chest. "You need to, Toni. Fury won't be happy if you don't show up."

She looked up at him, pouting. "You wouldn't stay with me?"

He kissed her forehead. "I don't need him locking me in a glass case like he threatened to before New York."

Toni sighed, then pecked him on the lips before getting out of bed. "Just because I love you, Bruce."

Bruce smiled before getting out of bed himself and pulling off his t-shirt, starting to get dressed. Toni winked at him. "See you in the conference room in..." She picked up her watch off the nightstand, tapping it on. "Fifteen minutes." She grabbed some clothes out of her wardrobe and left to get ready.

Fourteen minutes later, Toni strolled into the conference room and sat in the only empty chair, kicking her feet up onto the table, bright green socks a contrast against the black table. "Whatcha got for us, Pirate?"

Nicholas Fury scowled at her. "Nice of you to join us, Stark." He threw a file down the table to her, and she barely caught it before it before it slid off the end. "Dr. Harold Neve. Experimenting with some serious thermodynamics. He froze an entire room rock-solid. He committed murder yesterday when he froze his associate, Dr. Alma Giurani, and then hit her with a hammer, shattering her frozen form. If we didn't have it on tape, I wouldn't believe it."

Toni's eyebrows rose. "Huh. Does he have a cold-gun?"

Fury gave her a threatening look. "Stark..."

They were soon off on the quinjet, making their way to his location. Before they disembarked the plane, Toni flipped up her faceplate to kiss Bruce. "See you on the over side."

He kissed her back. "Of course, Toni."

She grinned as she pulled back. "Te amo." She lowered her faceplate and activated her thrusters, flying off to find the doctor.

They weren't expecting much of a fight. But it turned out that Dr. Neve did, in fact, have a cold-gun. And he knew how to use it, unfortunately. It took all their efforts to dodge the icy blasts, let alone capture him.

Then, the chance appeared. Thor engaged Dr. Neve, ducking to avoid the shot. The Hulk lunged at him, and he whipped the gun around, pulling the trigger.

Time seemed to slow. Toni screamed, a wordless explosion of fear and anger. She raised an arm and fired her repulsor, the beam singeing the doctor's sleeve.

The beam hit The Hulk straight on. Frost started where the beam hit, rapidly turning to ice and spreading until his entire body was frozen and covered in ice. Dr. Neve swung the gun, which had a heavy, weighted muzzle. The muzzle struck the ice and left cracks spiderwebbing across the surface. Then he swung again, and the ice shattered, shards raining down onto the ground.

Toni's scream cut off, a strangled noise coming out of her mouth. She shot again, guided by her rage, and didn't miss. Dr. Neve went rigid, then slumped to the ground, gun clattering down beside him. Toni flew over to the ice shards on the ground, staring at them. She landed beside them, sinking to her knees. Her suit let out a loud clank of metal striking concrete. "Okay, Bruce," she mumbled, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Time for that healing factor to kick in."

Ten minutes later, nothing had happened, and her tears had dried. "I guess shattering ice takes a while," she said, dazed.

Steve put a hand on her shoulder. "Toni. We need to go."

"No, Steve, we need to wait for Bruce." She batted his hand away.

"Toni, the ice is melting. Bruce is gone."

"He's not, he just needs a minute."

Natasha came up next to Steve, something hidden in her palm. "Let me handle this, Rogers." She brushed a strand of hair behind Toni's ear before sticking a syringe into her neck, injecting her with something. Toni's eyes rolled up into her head and she passed out, falling to the ground.

"Romanoff!" Steve exclaimed.

"She loved him, Steve. She wasn't going to leave."

XxX

Present

XxX

Toni pressed her cheek into her pillow, trying to sleep. But the light scent emanating from the pillowcase wasn't of coffee and motor oil, like was normal for her. Toni jerked away from it, feeling the ice threaten to cover her heart. Bruce's pillow. She pulled the blanket up over her shoulders, hoping to abate the frigid cold trying to engulf her.

She'd never be okay again, not without the warmth of Bruce's love. She felt a single tear fall down her cheek as she squeezed her eyes shut. At least the last thing she did was say I love you to him.

XxX

Hopefully another within the week.