This is a sequel to Tension, it may help to read it first.

"Natasha, can I speak to you?" Bruce asked nervously as they descended in the elevator back to their rooms. It was late and Natasha had had just about enough of team bonding time. It wasn't that she didn't like them; she just didn't consider herself that social. She was about to suggest another time when Bruce added the word, privately, and looked past her towards Clint.

"Where?"

"My lab should be fine, I was headed there anyway."

"Don't you ever sleep Banner?"

"Sleep is generally not a pleasant experience. I'm a very vivid dreamer," Bruce explained.

By the time they reached the lab floor, Bruce was already practicing his deep breathing exercises. This worried Natasha. It didn't help that Clint didn't look at her and only gave her a brief wave in response to her 'good night' as she and Bruce stepped off the elevator.

"What was wrong with him now," she thought. The last few weeks she had gotten used to getting most of the old Clint, the pre-Loki archer, back. She didn't want to lose him again.

Once in the lab Bruce asked, "Would you like to sit down?" He rolled one of the stools in Natasha's direction.

She stopped the roll with her foot. "I'll stand," she responds, positioning herself against the wall nearest the door. "Now can you just tell me what's wrong with Clint?"

"Nothing's wrong with him as far as I know." Bruce replied, walking over and behind one of the lab tables, subconsciously putting a layer of protection between him and the assassin. "Fury may be a better person to ask."

"Don't cover for him Bruce, you obviously want to tell me otherwise why am I here? I know he's come up here a few times since that night and I don't think it's because he's interested in science."

"It's true," Bruce replied, fingers dancing nervously over an object that was just out of Natasha's view. "He's come up to talk a few times. But it wasn't about him," Bruce chuckled nervously. "It was about me and you."

"I don't understand."

"Well, um, you see…" Bruce began the deep breathing exercises again.

Natasha pushed herself away from the wall and walked over to Bruce, "Can you please get to the point? Some of us require sleep and when I can, I like a lot of it. Now if you can't get to the point I'm going to bed."

"No!" Bruce responded a bit too loudly. They both stood still for a moment, Bruce trying to calm down, Natasha looking to see if there were any signs of the rage monster emerging. Bruce moved first reaching and picking up the hidden object and pulling it in front of him. "Do you remember this?"

"The leash and collar Clint got from Master Asshole. Why?"

"Do you remember how you brought him to me?"

"I'm not sure what you mean…"

Bruce swallowed hard, "You lead him in by the leash."

Natasha nodded remembering and immediately shutting down the smirk that tried to reach her lips, "And?"

"I, I wondered if you have ever… It seemed like you… you see it would be…"

"Spit it out Banner, please." Natasha implored.

"I want you to do that to me." Bruce couldn't meet Natasha's eyes, "I mean if it was something you enjoy…"

"I'm not like Fury, Bruce. I don't get enjoyment from beating on people."

"That wasn't what I was asking. I have no interest in physical play, especially with the other guy inside me. That would be playing with fire."

"Putting it mildly."

Bruce nodded in agreement, "Besides never had an interest before the other guy came along anyway. No, this is what I would like. What I need right now."

"Why now? Just because you saw me bring…"

"Seeing you with Clint was just what sparked the idea of a solution. You see up until now I didn't need it. And I'm pretty good at squashing desire so it hasn't been an issue …" Bruce grew frustrated at his own inability to get to the point. "I can't leave Natasha! I can't hide away like before, and I can deal with that even if it's not my preference. But now, they want me to come to these 'meetings'. Want my expert advice on gamma radiation, further debriefings on the tessaract, defense against future invasions…" Bruce's knuckles turned white against the grip of the leash.

Natasha fought the urge to step back. "And you don't want to be a part of that?" she said softly, hoping to lead Bruce back to calm by example.

"If that was their only agenda, I guess I wouldn't mind," Bruce replied taking a deep breath. "But we both know what or more specifically who they really want a crack at."

Natasha nods knowing everyone's paranoia about the Hulk.

"It's hard enough to keep him locked down even thinking about these meetings. When I'm all alone in there with them," Bruce's voice cracked. "I don't know if I can keep him inside."

"So this won't be the first time you've done this collar thing?" Natasha said hoping the abrupt change of subject would help keep the monster at bay.

"No, I've done it more than once. I kind of stumbled into it. But that was a while ago," Bruce closed his eyes and thought about the first time he had felt a collar caress his neck. It was a much better image than the gauntlet he knew he would have to endure soon enough. He became lost in those thoughts until a gentle clearing of Natasha's throat brought him back to reality. "It was very effective," Bruce continued, chuckling nervously, while avoiding her gaze. "However, I needed more solitary tools, you know since I move around a lot."

"But it wasn't just a tool, was it Banner." This time she didn't stop the smirk on her lips. "You enjoy it as well, don't you?"

"Yes," Bruce stuttered out. She wasn't in full Black Widow mode. He knew that. But still it didn't stop him from feeling that she was sizing him up, hopefully not as prey. "But as I mentioned earlier, I've gotten very good at squashing desire," Bruce added hastily, licking his lips and possibly even blushing a bit.

In the end it was that one gesture that convinced Natasha to give in. To explore that desire that had been gnawing at the back of her mind since that night so many weeks ago.

"So let me summarize," Natasha says as put her hand out to Bruce. It takes a moment but then he places the leash and collar in her hand. "You want me to be essentially your handler." She began to circle Bruce, letting her Black Widow side take over. "To accompany you during these meetings, these… trials," Bruce nodded relieved that she understood the subtext of what was really going on. Natasha stops partway through her second circling, standing directly behind Bruce. She unbuckles the collar; bringing it over Bruce's head and down, letting it hover before his eyes so he knows what is about to happen. Once the collar touches his neck, she swiftly rebuckles it. Then she picks up the leash hold that is hanging from the collar and tugs it twice. "And this will hold the rage monst… Hulk… this will hold him in?

Bruce suddenly cannot find his voice so he just nods.

"Walk."

Bruce took a few tentative steps forward, then losing any sense of embarrassment began an easy stride around the room. It relaxed the scientist and his breathing slowed, the tension in his body eased. His mind was mostly empty except for monitoring the other guy; that would never change.

"Stop." Natasha said simply after a few minutes. She moved to stand in front of Bruce, leash still in hand. "How did that make you feel?" she asked scanning his face for any signs of green.

"Controlled, protected…safe."

"And you want this…need this, on top of everything you already do?"

"Those exercises just get me through the day and even then that's only mostly perfect. These meetings will be so beyond stressful. Most of the people there want my prosecution more than my help." Bruce snarled under his breath, "Some may even grow a pair and be upfront about it. But most, they'll just play nice while stabbing me in the…"

Natasha gently tugged at the leash; bring Bruce's focus back to her. "Well obviously I can't walk you in there on leash. Maybe some time working beforehand will relax you enough," She frowned as she continued to puzzle the situation out. "I guess I could sit in there as well as a visual reminder. But I would have to be assigned to that detail by Fury. Definitely need a new one of these," Natasha looked down at the leash. "I'm sure Clint would love to burn this one."

"Then you're willing to do this?"

Natasha gave him a look then walked behind him and unbuckled the collar.

"Why?"

"I don't know," Natasha responded, running the leash between her fingers. "It fascinates me. Before I only had Clint's version of this but now…" She really didn't want to talk about her feelings, especially ones she hadn't quite figured out herself. Natasha exaggerated a yawn. "I should head to bed," she continued and walked towards the door. "I'll need you to email me your meeting schedule. And your neck measurement… wrist as well, I think I have an idea…" Bruce turned around in time to see a small smile leave Natasha's face. "Good night Banner," Natasha says as she turns and leaves.

The sound of her footsteps have nearly faded before Bruce whispered, "Good night Miss Romanoff."