[Third Person POV]
"Alright, don't freak out…" Gwen said softly, extending a hand toward her in a calming gesture. She was dressed head to toe in her spider outfit, mask in place, ensuring her identity remained a secret.
"Don't freak out?!" Jennifer screeched, her voice echoing. She stood barefoot on the cold tile floor, shivering slightly in a loose hospital gow. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she gestured wildly at herself. "Look at me! I'm green!!"
She wasn't exaggerating. Jennifer's transformation was nothing short of startling. She now towered over Gwen, easily more than two feet taller than her usual height. Her once pale skin gleamed a rich shade of emerald. Her dark brown hair had shifted into a radiant cascade of emerald-green strands, framing her face in wild waves.
"And not to mention I'm suddenly jacked! Where did these muscles even come from?!" Jennifer cried out, her voice breaking with panic as she flexed her arm in disbelief. Her body—her once slender frame—had become statuesque, muscles carved with almost impossible definition, each movement radiating raw strength.
"I honestly think you look amazing," Gwen said gently, refusing to let Jennifer's panic push her away. "Green is a good color on you." She tried to keep her tone light, reassuring.
"That is not the point…" Jennifer snapped, gritting her teeth, her jaw clenching tightly. "This isn't natural in the slightest. I'm already aware of how Bruce has to hide so he isn't hunted down like some monster. I don't want that kind of life for myself!" Her voice cracked at the last word, trembling with fear. "I literally just passed the bar exam. I'm finally on the edge of starting my career, of proving myself, of paying off this mountain of student debt. I didn't go through all of that trouble just for it to be ruined by… this!" She motioned at her hulking, unfamiliar body with trembling hands.
"Well, I wouldn't be all that worried about it," Gwen countered softly, her tone level and calm as she took a cautious step closer. "Compared to Bruce, no one really knows that you're a She-Hulk. You can still go on living your life as Jennifer Walters, lawyer extraordinaire. No one has to know unless you want them to. The only thing is… you're going to need to keep a close handle on your emotions." Gwen paused for emphasis, lowering her voice. "Any spike in stress, any flare of anger—it could trigger another transformation. Kind of like… what's happening right now."
Jennifer scoffed bitterly, crossing her massive arms over her chest. "I'm a woman. Controlling our emotions isn't exactly our specialty." The sarcasm in her voice was sharp, but the quiver beneath betrayed her turmoil.
"Touché," Gwen admitted with a faint laugh, though her smile stayed kind. She raised a thumbs-up. "But hey, look at the bright side. Unlike Bruce, you don't have to worry about some second personality trying to take over. No Hulk alter ego battling for control. This is all you. That's… something, right?"
Jennifer groaned and dragged her fingers through her green hair, ruffling it in frustration. "This is just… a lot. Too much. One second I'm celebrating with my friends, thinking I finally caught a break, and the next thing I know some lunatic is mind-controlling me. I black out—and I wake up like this. Green, huge, and really, really angry." Her voice cracked as her shoulders trembled, her body caught between fury and fear.
"I know," Gwen said softly, closing the space between them until she was right at Jennifer's side. Her hand lightly brushed Jennifer's massive forearm in reassurance. "I understand it's a lot to take in. But listen, you're not alone in this. You don't have to face it by yourself. We'll help you figure it out—your powers, your limits, all of it. And if you need someone who really gets it, Bruce is just around the corner. He's lived this, he's survived it, and he's your cousin. He'll understand every doubt, every fear, every moment of anger better than anyone." Gwen tilted her head gently. "Or even Betty—she is going through the same thing, too. You have people who will stand by you and support you."
Jennifer's expression softened at that, her anger dimming into something far more fragile. A look of melancholy settled over her features as the reality sank in. Her ambitions, her hard-won career, her carefully structured life—all of it felt like it was balancing on the edge of a knife. Yet Gwen's words reminded her she didn't have to face this new, terrifying chapter alone. For the first time since waking up, Jennifer allowed herself to breathe, even if it was just a little.
…
Meanwhile, Peter and Harry stood side by side in front of a massive holographic screen. Peter was in his Spider-Man suit, while Harry had dressed as Nightwing.
The holographic feed flickered for a moment before Nick Fury's face appeared on screen. But instead of his usual sharp, intimidating glare, Fury wore something that could only be described as a smile.
Harry froze. His eyes went wide as though he'd just spotted a ghost, and he leaned dramatically toward Peter, stage-whispering in a voice that was far too loud to actually be subtle. "Dude, he's smiling. I think I'm getting the chills. Are you absolutely sure you called the right guy? This isn't some weird lookalike?"
Peter couldn't help a laugh, shaking his head. "Pretty sure this is the real deal, dude." He tilted his head toward the screen. "So… I take it that look means you found him?"
Nick's grin softened into something more professional as he gave a firm nod. "We did. He's in our custody right now, currently being thawed out as we speak. Coulson's losing his mind in excitement, and honestly? A few of my other agents too. But overall, it was a good find." He paused, his expression shifting into something serious. "I don't say this very often, so when I do, you know I mean it. Good work."
Peter immediately covered his face with both his hands began to sway on his feet, making a high-pitched giggle escape his lips. "Hehehe… I got a 'good work' from THE Nick Fury. That's going on my résumé. Right at the top. Bold print. Maybe even gold-embossed."
Nick gave the two of them a long, skeptical look, his good eye narrowing slightly. "So why are you calling me? Was it just to make sure we got The Captain?"
"Unfortunately, no…" Peter said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Something came up and, uh… we might need your help."
Nick arched an eyebrow, leaning back slightly in his chair. "Does it have anything to do with the weird situation in the North Carolina military base?"
Peter blinked, caught off guard. "How did—"
Harry cut him off with a confused tilt of his head. "Weird situation?"
"Yes," Nick said flatly, his arms crossing over his chest. "There have been multiple reports of soldiers experiencing sudden memory loss, entire squads being displaced without explanation, and a handful even claiming they lost control of their own bodies. We've already launched an investigation into the cause, but something tells me I'll get my answer a lot quicker if I just ask you two."
Peter and Harry shared a heavy sigh. Slowly, they began to explain the tangled situation with the Leader and the Hulk, leaving nothing out.
"We can't exactly keep the Leader imprisoned here," Peter explained, throwing his hands up helplessly. "And for once, General Ross isn't the one causing the mess. So we don't have a legal or moral reason to hold him either. Which means…" He gave two awkward thumbs up. "We were kind of hoping you could take them both off our hands."
Nick let out a long hum, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "We do have specialized cells for powered individuals. I won't mind taking this… Leader… off your hands. But Ross?" He shook his head. "That's complicated. His situation isn't just ours to decide—it's in the hands of the U.S. government. Which means no matter what I want, I can't just pull him into our custody."
The weight of his words hung in the air for a beat before Nick looked directly into the camera again. "Give me a few days. I'll need time to organize everything, pull the right strings, and get authorization. Until then, you'll have to hold onto them yourselves. Don't let them slip out of your sight in the meantime."
Peter groaned audibly, while let out a heavy sigh, already thinking it was more of a hassle than what it was forth.
The three of them went back and forth for several more minutes, ironing out the arrangements, until finally the screen flickered and Nick Fury's image disappeared, leaving the room in silence once more.
Harry glanced at Peter, shaking his head. "You know… I still don't trust it. Fury smiling? That's way scarier than him being annoyed at us. Just saying."
Peter merely snorted out a laugh.
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