If Not for You

Billie gave a small reassuring smile and turned to Bruce. She had taken sample venom from snakes hundreds of times, this was no different from any other. It was her job and she would gather the sample in order to better understand what had been done to her. After all she had managed to survive an extremely potent bite that should have killed her almost instantaneously.

“A vile or small beaker would be good.”

“You sure you‘re up to this?”

“I make a living doing this and by the way when we are done we need to fix this aquarium up, it‘s the equivalent to putting a person in a cell with no bed or bathroom,” she says in a serious manner.

“Oh okay, sorry I didn‘t really think of it that way,” he replies.

“It‘s alright I understand the lack of willingness to take care of snakes, they‘ve had a bad rap for thousands of years.”

Billie gave a soft smile before grazing her hand against the glass to distract the snake. Bruce watched as she proceeded to open the aquarium and swiftly grab the snake behind her jaw line. When he had seen the act being done on television it seemed harsher but when Billie grabbed the snake it was gentle. The snake coiled a bit along the length of her arm but didn’t seem to tighten or attempt to struggle. Billie seemed a bit thrown off by the snake’s reaction as well yet she remained quiet as looked to Bruce to be handed the cylinder shaped vile. He did so and Billie continued to extract the venom samples. When she was done she looked at the snake for a very long time as she touched the snake’s head in a caring manner. Billie eventually put the reptile back into it’s aquarium and placed the top tightly on.

“Was that normal?”

“Um venomous snakes are generally docile and rather not strike unless cornered. I don‘t know maybe she can sense the venom on me,” Billie reasons as she moved away from the aquarium to wash her hands at the stainless steel sink. Bruce noticed the snake had moved in the direction of where Billie went.

“Maybe, but is it normal for snakes to almost seem like they are coddling a person,” Bruce questions.

“Some snakes are maternal. As strange as it may sound, but there are some types of rattlesnakes that have shown to keep around their kin until their first molting,” she says and turns slightly to Bruce with a smile. “Then there are some cobras and pythons that stay with their eggs until they hatch.”

“You know a lot about snakes.”

“They‘ve always fascinated me and I grew up in the desert so as a kid I ran into the dangerous ones quite often.”

“That explains it,” Bruce comments with a small smile.

“What now?” Billie inquires looking around the room.

“Well I get to analyze the venom in its raw state, you don’t have to hang around if you don’t want to. I’m just going to put some venom on a slide to have a look under the microscope.”

“May I have a look?”

“I thought you weren’t one for science,” he replies.

“Its for my well being, and for the record I am for science, actually excelled in the subject just pushed it aside for other courses. Much to the dismay of my biology professor who tried to convince me I was a scientist.”

“Didn’t make a very good argument to sway your position on the matter?”

“I believe his argument was and I quote ‘But you’re a scientist!’”

“Not a good argument,” Bruce chuckles at her gesticulation while she made the impression of her former teacher. He began to prepare a glass slide with the venom and placed it under the microscope.

“He was a lovely man, strange but lovely,” she smiles remembering the aloof man that taught her the first years of college. Billie watched as Bruce began to look at the sample. She stood on the other side of the table before he looked up gesturing for her to come over.

“It’s fairly similar to your blood work but much more potent.”

Billie leant over, looking into the microscope to see the miniscule cells moving around at a rapid rate. It was almost hypnotic staring down at the sample because it was impossible to see what it was made of with the naked eye. She stood back up and she drummed her finger nails on the table.

“Fairly similar meaning this is before it fused with my blood cells,” Billie comments.

“Correct,” he says.

“It’s incredible what our bodies are capable of withstanding. I used to be amazed with the healing process but this, this is insane.”

“Yeah, hard to believe I know.”

“You two remain standing I assume you got the venom sample without any hitches,” Tony states coming back into the laboratory. Trailing behind him was Steve Rogers who had been ready to stop Tony.

“You could have made her lose concentration Tony, must you be so reckless?”

“It’s alright kid, been done for a good five minutes or so,” Billie responds with a reassuring smile.

“Ha! She called you kid, how do you feel about being called a kid again old man?” Tony teases.

“Wait how old are you?”

“Technically he is 92.”

“What is this Twilight?” Billie counters raising an eyebrow. Tony and Bruce couldn’t help but chuckle at her joke.

“Twilight?” Steve replies looking confused.

“You fortunate untainted soul you haven’t been exposed to the worst teen epidemic of the century,” she states.

“What is it exactly?”

“A terrible book about poor decisions, vampires, werewolves and a girl who seems bent on abandoning her life for one guy that often stalks her by watching her while she sleeps.”

“That sounds unhealthy,” he says looking rather perturbed.

“Agreed,” Billie smiles. She then looked to Tony. “So um how long do I have to be here?”

“Right of course come with me, I had my assistant Pepper get you some clothes.”

Tony hooked his finger gesturing for her to follow him out of the laboratory. Billie followed him through what seemed like the labyrinth of a building whilst Steve trailed behind. They walked along and Billie tossed Steve a friendly smile before going back to watching where she stepped.

“Hey Stark, I don’t have to worry about stepping on rusty nails around here do I? I don‘t want to be getting a tetanus shot anytime soon,” Billie questions with a humorous tone.

“Of course not this place is new, the only old thing you’ll be running into is Steve,” Tony answers with just as much humor.

“Ha, ha very funny Tony.”

“So you‘re really 92 huh? What‘s it like traveling through the years?” she nods.

“I wouldn’t know I was frozen until,” Steve states.

“Hm probably for the best that you skim over the 80s and 90s,” Billie comments.

“Weren’t you born in the 80s?” Tony counters.

“Yes and I lived in Florida, the amount of ill-fitted neon colored speedos worn by retired men walking along the beaches was atrocious. I shudder at the thought.”

“That’s a pleasant mental image you’ve built for us Billie. Thanks for that.”

“You’re very welcome Tony, I like the story to palpable enough for the listener to feel like they are there. No need to disservice the listener with vague details.”

Tony let out a chuckle taking joy in conversing with the brunette. They took the elevator to the housing level of the building where Tony spent his nights. The area was minimalist and had a very European feel to it certainly not Billie‘s style. Her eyes went to the tall red head busying herself on her palm pilot. Pepper Potts looked up from her phone and gave a feeble tight lipped smile at Billie. She seemed pressed for time yet full of composure.

“Hey Pepper this is Billie, Billie this is Pepper.”

“Nice to meet you,” Pepper states as Billie held her hand out to shake hers.

“Very nice to meet you as well,” Billie smiles.

“I got you some clothes based on the dress you were wearing, I hope that is alright,” she replies leading Billie to another room.

“I don’t mind, I’m glad to rid myself of that dress anyways, it was reserved for funerals and some weddings.”

“You wear the same dress to both?”

“Let me rephrase that, I wear it to weddings I don’t want to be at.” Billie jokes. Pepper smiled and gestured to the bed that had a few outfits laid out.

“I didn’t want to get you jeans because I know how hard it is to find a pair that fit properly even when its for myself.”

“Good choice, jeans are a nightmare to find, they are always too long or don’t fit in the ass region, if I ever find a pair that’s right I buy at least two or three pairs.”

“Likewise, except my jeans are always a tad short,” Pepper agrees.

“Thanks for picking some stuff up for me,” she says feeling the fabric between her fingers.

“You’re welcome, the bathroom is just over there so you can shower and get dressed.”

“Thank you, again, I think a shower will make me feel better.”

“Always does, I hope you’re okay, I know this sort of thing gets me unnerved as well,” Pepper adds sincerely.

“Yeah, these things happen sometimes just got to go with it I guess,” Billie replies in a soft tone. Pepper gave her a smile before leaving the room to allow Billie to get herself together. Once out of the room and into the main area where the two men sat at the bar, Pepper gave Tony a nod.

“Is she okay?” Steve questions looking at the red head.

“She seems very strong, I think she’ll be alright,” Pepper states.

“I think Steve has a crush,” Tony points out.

“This isn’t grade school Tony, she’s been through a lot of course I’m concerned,” he counters with a huff.

“Yeah okay.”

All the while Billie had been stepping into the shower to wash the weeks off her. She hadn’t noticed before but her skin felt smoother, much like a newborn and her hair the very same. The water glided over her skin easily and for someone who had been out for so long the lack of hair on her legs was strange. She had been expecting to look like a border collie but as her hand glided over her legs they were void of any hair. Mentally she took note and decided it was one perk of the bite she had taken if not someone had shaven her legs which she didn‘t think anyone was creepy enough to do such a thing. After the shower Billie stepped out realizing she had not gazed upon her appearance in a long time and she opted to wipe the steam from the mirror. Her eyes looked at the reflection not considering it a reflection at all. Nothing seemed the same and the change concerned her greatly. Where had she gone?