Robert Bruce Banner. A brilliant scientist forever driven by both an introverted nature and a quest for knowledge. A man who hid his every anger and rage his entire life behind horn rim glasses, and the latest scientific journal. But that rage was alive, and seething. Forever Seeking an escape. And finally that rage and anger was given form and substance by a freak accident, caused by Banners own deadly experiment. Now in times of peril, the meek and mild mannered scientist is transformed into seven feet, one thousand pounds of raging fury! The strongest, most powerful creature to ever walk the Earth !

The Incredible Hulk!

Hulk #464

"The same as it ever was, the same as it ever was..."

By Ralph L Angelo Jr

Betty Banner, yawns as she awakens from another night of interrupted sleep. She sighs as she pushes the cotton sheets aside, sliding out of the covers, and sliding on a silky bathrobe.

"Three days." She thinks. "It's been three days since I heard any mention of Bruce in the news. Maybe it wasn't even him at all. Probably just my last hope of ever seeing the man I love alive shattered again."

Betty walks from her bedroom tiredly making her way to her front door, to bring the days paper inside. She opens the door, and bends down to pick up the paper, but it's not there, when suddenly a familiar voice speaks aloud.

"Looking for this?" Suddenly the paper is there, and it's being held by a huge hand. A huge familiar green hand.

Betty's face breaks into a smile that almost connects ear to ear, as she follows the hand up to the body it's connected to, and then the smiling green, familiar face.

"BRUCE!" She shouts excitedly, as she leaps into his arms, holding him tightly, kissing him repeatedly.

"Hahaha,"He laughs pleasantly, "I missed you too, honey, I missed you too."

He carries her inside the house, and shuts the door behind them.

Hours later...

Bruce banner has reverted to his normal human sized dimensions, as he sits at the kitchen table, wearing a robe twenty sizes to big, while Betty cooks eggs by the stove.

"I'm sorry about the size, Bruce. I didn't know if you were going to be the Hulk or Bruce when you came back, and you've spent so much more time as Hulk-sized the past few years, I figured this was the right one. "

Banner fingers the material and smiles warmly.

"That's okay Betts . I know you did your best, you always do. I love the house, by the way. Much better then New York. Arizona has so much history for us."

"To much? " she asks as she hands him a plate of eggs.

"I suppose it can be thought of that way. But to be honest, I don't. The first few years were very rough for me, don't kid yourself. I was always on the run from your father, as well as every other mad scientist and megalomaniac on the planet. But after a while, things got better. A lot better actually. And the best part was finally marrying you."

He stands and kisses her once again, she hugs him tightly.

"I thought I lost you for good this time." She whispers, as tears stain her robe.

"Never, my love." He answers as he kisses her hair.

She pulls away and sits down , as she begins to eat her eggs. "So where were you the last several weeks?"

"Well, I got involved in a galactic war, then I ended up stranded on the Sun. How I survived that, I have no idea. If not for the Silver Surfer pulling me out of there, I might still be walking on the sun."

"How could you walk on the Suns surface? I thought it was a ball of gas?" she asks as she places another forkful of eggs in her mouth.

'That's a good question, Betty. I've been thinking the same thing myself for quite a bit the past few days, and I have no answer. The mind boggles"

"Well whatever, hubby. Don't let it ruin our reunion"

"Never wifey." He pulls her close and kisses her gently once more.

"So what are you going to do now?" she asks between mouthfuls.

"I suppose I'll go back to work for Tony Stark, I'm sure he'll understand about my disappearance."

"Or, you could go back to work for the army." She suggests.

"I-I don't know Betty. There's to much history there. Plus, they'd always have their eye on me. Not something I'd like. Especially with your father around. No, I think I'll pass on that one."

"What about teaching? You could go into Arizona State and get a Professorship there."

"I could I suppose. That is a possibility." He finishes his breakfast and walks the plate into the sink. Then he turns back towards her. "But I don't know, maybe I could get a job doing something as other then Bruce Banner."

She looks at him , incredulous, "You mean as the Hulk?"

"Well it is just a thought. Maybe not a good one, what do I know? But It's been something I've been toying with."

He pours a cup of coffee and sits down across from his wife. "Did you get a job yourself while I was gone?"

"Yes I did."

"Doing what?"

"Umm, this is something else we have to talk about , I guess."

Meanwhile in , NY...

Rick Jones sits in his dressing room as a woman applies make up to his face. A man pops into the dressing room with a clip board in hand. "Mr Jones, you're on in 5."

"Okay Bobby, thanks."

Rick gets up as the girl finishes and removes the make up gown from him. "All set Mr Jones."

"Great Tanya, thanks." He walks out of the dressing room, and his throat catches. "Damn, why am I nervous about this? I've talked about my misadventures with the guys before, but why is this so scary?"

And then he walks onto the stage as his name is announced by the host of the show he's going to guesting on for the next four months, and realizes what his fear is all about. The show hosted by his wife...

Back in Arizona...

"You're doing what?" Bruce Banner asks his wife , wide eyed and unbelieving.

"I'm waitressing at an exotic dance bar. I'm not taking my clothes off, Bruce, and I'm making upwards of $200 a night in tips"

"Well you might as well be taking your clothes off, with this outfit your wearing." Bruce holds up a skimpy short and Halter set in Red, White and Blue.

"Oh please, Bruce. Some of the super-Women you hang out with wear much less then this."

"What super women? My cousin for Gods sake? She's the She-Hulk!"

"Yes, and this was her idea. She knows I can take care of myself."

"Jen put this idea in your head? JEN?"

"Yes, she saw the bar had an ad in the window looking for a waitress, and we both went in . You should have seen the owner trying to talk Jen into taking a job dancing there."

Bruce slumps into his seat and smiles slightly. "I wish I could have been a fly on the wall at that conversation."

"It was... interesting to say the least." Betty answers , smiling herself . "And if you're serious about getting a job as the Hulk, I may have something for you that just popped into mind."

An hour later, the car of Betty Banner pulls up at a construction site on the outskirts of Sedona, Arizona.

"What is this, Betty?"

"It's a building that's being demolished. Think how fast The Hulk could do this, as opposed to a crew of guys tearing it down. The Hulk could do this in minutes, while a crew could take a week or more."

"But Betty, I don't really want to be taking food out of the mouths of others by taking their work."

"Hhhmm, I hadn't thought of that. What about doing contract work for the Government then? "

"As Banner? Or as the Hulk? "

"Uh, what about as Both?"

"Betty, I just broke off ties with SHIELD yesterday. I'd like it to remain that way. Again, I don't trust the military enough to be that close around them. "

"Then I don't know , Bruce. To bad you couldn't get paid for being a hero ."

Banner snaps his fingers. "Hhhmm, maybe I already did, and didn't realize it."

"What are you talking about?"

"C'mon Betts. Lets head back to the house. I have to call Tony Stark."

Nearby, a mile long train rumbles through the desert, approaching the Home town of Bruce and Betty Banner. In the back of one of the cars, a restless giant clasps and unclasps his hands repeatedly. "He'll pay for this. I've had enough of living in sewers and shadows for years. The Hulk will pay . If I have to live the life of a freak, so will he. I'll take everything from him that he cherishes, and grind it to dust before his eyes. And then when they're all dead, I'll kill him next. So swears Emil Blonksy, So swears the Abomination !"

Next: Need we say it? All out ACTION , Hulk style !

Radioactive rumblings

C/O CptMarvell@aol.com