A yellow New York taxi halted in front of the Stark Tower. An exhausted looking male stepped out of the passenger seat, before collecting his black wore out duffel bag from the boot of the cab. He held his bag over the right shoulder whilst climbing the stairs t the entrance.
Since being in hiding for over a year, not much had changed withing his surroundings. Once the man topped the set of stairs he crouched down slightly and faced the device on the wall. FRIDAY's operational system scanned the males rough complexion on the facial recognition, letting him enter through the front door of the building.
As soon as the man stepped within a meter of the room he had just entered, he was greeted by another pair if tired brown eyes. Tony immediately stopped in his tracks from running down stairs in a hurry.
With a shocked expression upon Tony's face he barely managed a word. "B-bruce?" The scientist forced out until his former Best Friend replied.
"Hi Tony, How did yo/" Bruce greeted his science buddy.
Tony's finger pointed up to around the room "FRIDAY informed me."
"Oh yeah forgot about her" Bruce told Tony dropping his bag down on the floor beside were he stood.
After not staying in contact since he ran away after Ultron, tons of memories came flooding back into Bruce's mind fro countless amount of times they both spent together in the lab and out. Happy memories that he could never forget, but something deep down made him feel guilty for leaving his friends without even a 'Goodbye'.
"How are you Buddy?" Tony asked walking up to Bruce with a smile on his face greeting his friend further inside his home.
Bruce smiled back warmly, following his friend around the house "I'm good. Could do with a drink if that's ok? The doctor asked sheepishly..
The duo walked into the kitchen that overlooked the living room and Bruce noticed the newly furnished living area as had a make out since last time he lived there.
"You know me. Never one to be a party pooper" The billionaire stated, grabbing two empty glasses from the cupboard and started to pour alcohol till it filled half way up the glass, sliding it across the surface to Bruce's hand.
Bruce took the beverage in his hand and sipped the brown liquid from the glass, there was a sudden silence that made the situation awkward for a few moments.
"Where did you go?" Tony asked.
"Where did i not go..." Bruce chuckled a little as he answered his question before reposing his serious look when he noticed Tony was not in the joking mood.
Bruce now avoided eye contact, fiddling with the glass in front of him. "It wasn't anyone's fault that i left by the way, it was totally on me."
"Not even Nat's?" Tony said knowing that something between the two had happened straight before he left which made it even more suspicious f his sudden departure.
Bruce's voices became more defensive, "Especially not her"
"So, have you seen her yet?" Tony asked looking curious.
Bruce gave out a concerned look "No. i actually thought she'd be here. In fact, where is everyone? Its very quite" Bruce glanced upon the living room at the fact that none of the team was here expect from Tony.
"After Ultron a new facility was built for the Avengers in Upstate New York. I'm back to living here on my own." Tony explained.
"Oh i didn't know. How is everyone?" Bruce curiously asked.
"Well, Thor went back to Asgard. Clint retired, so am i for that matter and you disappeared. So there's only Nat and Steve left to run the 'New team'." Tony told Banner as he downed his drink
"New Team?" The scientist asked his friend taking another sip of his drink.
Tony walked past Bruce and gave him a pat on the back.
"Yeah, we can head over there now if you want", he commanded reaching for his coat.
Bruce held his hands up in defense.
"No Tony I can't. Not right now." Bruce pleaded.
"Why? Are you planning on leaving again?" Tony tested his friend from across the kitchen.
Bruce looked down to compose his words before making eye contact again "I'm actually planning on staying put".
"Well, you're going to have to face her sometime." Deep down, Tony knew the real reason why Bruce wouldn't budge. But Bruce just wasn't in the right mind set to handle her at this moment in time.
"And what do I say to her!? Sorry for hurting your feelings Natasha, please forgive me?" Bruce began to calm down, "You know what she's like, she'll rip my head off" He continued.
"She's a changed person, Bruce" Tony told him giving him a concerned look.
Bruce returned the gesture "In what way?" asking with worry in his voice.
Tony looked at his science buddy in the eyes but couldn't hold the eye contact for long, "More private I guess, When I visit I never see her anymore she literally locks herself in her room instead of socializing with the others, takes missions a lot more seriously than she used too. I figured she's hurting but we wouldn't know because know one ever sees her".
"Oh Natasha..." Bruce whispered to himself, glancing down and rubbing his eyes in thought. Tony saw how worried and concerned his friend was and tried to reassure him, "Come on I'm sure everyone else would want to catch up anyways"
Meanwhile in the Avengers facility the new Avengers team that consist of Natasha, Steve, Clint, Wanda, Sam, Rhodey and Scott where having a meeting for the upcoming mission.
Vision ghosted through the door to enter the room and interrupted the meeting between the superheroes.
"Vision, didn't I say never to interrupt a meeting unless it's important" Steve said in a demanding voice, whilst everyone hushed as soon as the captain spoke. "Yes, you did. It is important. Tony Stark has arrived with a guest." Vision told everyone before Natasha asked who it was.
"Who's with him?" Natasha asked.
"Doctor Bruce Banner" Vision presented in a clear voice, so there was no excuse for her to misunderstand him, once the words left his mouth.
A noticeable red blush upon Natasha's cheeks appeared and at least everyone cast a look at her until Steve rose from the head of the table.
"Meeting dismissed" he announced eyes still fixed on Natasha who looked miles away.
Everyone left the room leaving Steve, Natasha and Clint, they all offered to walk to the entrance together but Natasha found it best to part from the boys and take a detour.
The assassin headed straight for her room, unnoticed and unseen, not wanting for anyone to make a fuss if they did notice that she wasn't present.
With this she slammed the door to her room and started to pace up and down the side of her bed as her mind began to tick over. Why was he here? Has he come to see her? Apologise? Where did he go? Why did he go? All of these questions circled throughNatasha head.
But what she didn't expect was that she would start crying right there and then, she placed her self on the side of her bed and let the tears flow freely from her eyes. She hated herself for letting him get to her like this, they hadn't seen each other in over a year, but he's unexpected arrival just caused something to snap.
In the meantime, Steve and Clint arrived at reception to greet Tony and Bruce.
Tony was still mad how Steve added an extra precaution to not let Tony threw without an escort "You know I still find it extremely argent of you to not let me threw unsupervised" The scientist bellowed to Steve from the other side of the room, grabbing all the attention he can.
Bruce noticed no redhead from across the room wondering whether or not Natasha knew of his arrival, or she was being to stubborn to go out of her own way to avoid him on purpose.
Steve gradually made it to Tony and shook his hand "But it's always good to see you Tony."
Tony returned the gesture and looked to Bruce "It's like I'm a child". The billionaire muttered to his companion.
Bruce just smiled at the thought of since the events of Civil War Tony has to be watched more carefully. "I found a stray outside my tower, didn't know what to do with him" Tony joked motioning towards the doctor.
Steve glanced at Bruce giving him a hand shake and a surprised smile. "Banner."
"Captain," Bruce replied shaking his hand.
"It's been a long time." Steve responded.
Bruce replied "It has. Hi Clint"
Clint replied small and unsurprised "Hey man".
Clint seemed to be off with the whole situation of Bruce just suddenly turning up, he knew partly some facts of what happened between Bruce and his best friend but nothing in too much detail as Natasha liked to keep it simple.
"So you just here for a visit, or do you want to get back in the world?" The Captain asked to avoid any tension. Bruce replied with an honest answer "Get back in the world, if possible. I was kind of hoping to join back on the team, I mean if you want me too". "We'll be more then happy to take you back Banner. You know you're always welcome" Steve told his teammate, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
And with that Steve and Clint took Bruce around the Avengers facility showing and explaining to the doctor how it all works around the building. Once the tour was complete they all settled in the Avengers common room and sat down in the living room area to have a quick catch up.
"So where am I staying?" Bruce asked at the end of the conversation.
Steve pointed towards the down on the far side of the living area that lead to everyone's personal bedrooms, "You'll find an empty bedroom at the end of the hall". Bruce nodded in reply before he walked towards the door with his duffel bag. "It's good to have you back Dr. Banner." Captain America announced. The doctor responded with a gentle smile.
Natasha at this moment was pacing the floors of her room, mind flooding with thoughts of her and Bruce and how differently it could have turned out, but a flare of anger cast over her all of a sudden.
She just couldn't handle the fact that Bruce was the only person Natasha could confide in and he took that has an advantage for leading her on, giving her false hope that after Ultron they would run away together. Everything in her life was full of pain and lies, but that's all she knew.
The fierce redhead reached for the empty glass on the night stand and launched it towards the other side of the room, causing it to shatter against the wall.
Just as Bruce walked swiftly down the hall he heard the glass break from inside the room he had just past. Without warning the scientist leapt into the room and due to Natasha's nerves she quickly grabbed hold of a gun from under her side table, holding it with both hands, pointing the weapon straight for Bruce's head unaware of who had just entered.
Bruce had no idea that this was Natasha's room or that he ever thought of bumping into her like this. Natasha released her tight grip from the hand pistol and lowered her weapon in shock of who had just entered. Bruce's heart rate slowed down now, as he made eye contact with Natasha from across the room.
"No one can pull a gun on me like you do."
