Someone is here, she thought. Her hand went automatically to the gun on her hip, placing her finger on the trigger.
She kicked the door of her living room open and pointed the gun at the dark figure sitting on her couch. In one move, she jumped on the couch and put the gun against the head of the intruder.
"Hello, Natasha," The man said, "I'm back."
"How do I know it's really you?"
"The last words you said to me before I turned green were 'I adored you'."
Natasha sighed and put the gun down. "Don't ever do that to me again. I would have shot you without hesitation."
She stood up and turned the lights on.
"I don't think you would have enjoyed having the green guy over for dinner," Bruce Banner answered.
"You could have told me where you were," Natasha sounded hurt, "You were away for a year, Bruce!"
"I traveled a lot. Went to Vegas."
"Please, be serious," she said.
"I am serious, Natasha. The desert helped to clear my mind. I felt a lot of different emotions when I left Sokovia," He took a deep breath, "I was hurt. It's not every day you get pushed into a deep pit after the woman who you're in love with kisses you. I needed time to understand why you did it, and what we were."
"We could have never defeated Ultron without the Big Guy."
"I know," Bruce said, "It was stupid not to contact you or Fury or Steve. I am sorry for all the harm and hurt I caused you."
Natasha placed her hand on his cheek. "Don't speak." She kissed him. "Please stay."
"I will," Bruce whispered between kisses.
And he did stay. He moved in with Natasha, took up a job at the hospital and even went to the New Avengers Training Facility a couple of times. The team was happy to have him back, though Bruce wished for a cure for his greenness more than ever. He wanted to get out, to avoid all the fighting for S.H.I.E.L.D.; he was a doctor, not a soldier. He wished for a normal life with Natasha, even if he did not know how Natasha ever could fit into a normal life.
"I have to go to Lagos," Natasha announced one night when they were in bed.
"Why?" He asked.
"To steal a biological weapon, I believe," She answered, "Or to prevent it from getting stolen. Cap was a bit vague about that."
"Who's coming?"
"Cap, Tony, Wanda and Sam."
"Isn't Clint coming?"
"No, he's busy with his retired life and little Nathaniel. Why?"
"Just in case something happens," Bruce answered, shifting to a different side so he could face her better, "Clint can protect you better."
"I can take care of myself," She whispered, grabbing his hand. She smiled. "I like this."
"What?"
"You being all worried about me even though we both know I am not a damsel in distress," Natasha answered, "It's one of the reasons why I love you."
"Why do you love me?" He asked insecurely.
"You are intelligent, you are strong, and you are no fighter. You are a protector and a savior. You moved in with me, uptown, despite your dislike of Manhattan and New York City. You did that for me, you make me feel loved," she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him, "You make me feel safe, you make me feel complete. Please, make love to me."
"Natasha," he whispered, "I can't do that, you know."
"Make me feel loved then," She answered.
He gave in to her request. A countless 'I love you's' were said that night.
Two days later, she left for Lagos. Considering the circumstances, she was doing okay when she arrived home.
"What a debacle," she declared and handed Bruce papers.
"What's going to happen now? Tony texted me about some accords."
"The UN is ready to pass the Sokovia Accords. The Avengers will be a government organization. Just to prevent another debacle like Lagos or Sokovia."
"What do the others think about it?" Bruce asked.
"Steve doesn't want to sign them, he thinks we're better off without government interference. Tony wants to sign them, I suppose it has to do with his conscience."
"I understand why Tony thinks that's the best option," Bruce answered, "He had a hard time dealing with the aftershocks of New York and the attacks on his person over the past years. Things have gotten a little bit out of hand."
"Ross still has no clue that you're back in the US, so you don't have to sign them. But, Bruce, if you had to, whose side would you choose?"
"I am not sure, to be honest," Bruce confessed, "The Green Guy is unstoppable if you're not around. Steve acts on his feelings without thinking about strategical moves."
"We are at war, we are fighting battles. You don't win battles with sentiment, you win them with strategic moves," Natasha said.
"What now?"
"I am planning to go to Vienna to sign the accords. We fought about this non-stop on the way home from D.C. We are divided and I fear we will fall."
Bruce kissed her forehead. "You ought to get some sleep if you are going to be on planes all the time now. I know how bad you sleep on planes."
She smiled. "Thank you for taking care."
"Don't thank me," He whispered, "Yet. Do you care for some late night tea?'
"I'd like that."
Bruce decided to come with Natasha to Vienna, to support her. He used a fake passport and stayed in the nearby hotel; he was waiting for Natasha in front of the building when it exploded. He got in, just on time to get Natasha out. She was unconscious, but with a little help from the Austrian paramedics, she felt better within minutes.
"How are you feeling?" He asked.
"Like something hit my head really hard,"She answered. He hugged her.
"I'm glad you're conscious again."
"Are there any casualties?"
"King T'Chaka and nine others were killed," Bruce told her.
"That's horrible," She answered.
"I'm sorry about the bench, I know it's uncomfortable but we aren't allowed to leave the crime scene."
"Crime scene," Natasha scoffed, "A bomb exploded. Someone wanted to prevent us signing those accords."
Her phone rang. "It's Steve," She said, "Wait a minute."
She stood up and answered the phone. Bruce couldn't hear what she was saying. She came back after a few minutes, sighing.
"What's wrong?"
"I told him not to come, but since Steve has the disadvantage of me knowing him, I know he's already here. Bucky is involved, according to witnesses. He has spent a lot of time searching for him, he's been obsessed with the Winter Soldier since we encountered him in Washington."
"Maybe we should leave," Bruce suggested, "Get out now before things go completely wrong."
"I can't do that, Bruce. They need me," She answered, staring at the ambulances in front of her.
"Think about it, Nat," He stood up, "I'm going to see if I can get us a cab."
Instead of flying back home, Tony picked the two up at the airport of Vienna, taking them to Bucharest instead.
"He's just being so stupid," Tony said, turning the news off, "I can't believe he's being so stubborn and stupid. Did he leave his brains in the 1940s?"
"Might have," Natasha answered, "Can this flight be over already?"
"Just 35 minutes," Bruce said.
She smiled at him. "I don't want to arrive in Bucharest," she confessed.
"It's going to be messy," Tony answered.
"What do you think will happen?" Bruce asked.
"I don't know. Civil war between Cap and me? The Avengers divided, blood and drama?" Tony answered, "Peggy would have known what to do."
"I'm afraid that even Peggy couldn't have persuaded him into signing those accords," Natasha answered, "It's Bucky we're talking about."
"Please fasten your seatbelt," The pilot said.
"Finally,"Natasha sighed.
Bucharest turned out to be a horror story, even more than they had expected. Then Leipzig came. Bruce was with Natasha at the airport, turned green and fought on Tony's side.
"Bruce?" Steve said surprised when he saw the green guy.
The Hulk growled and ran to him, only to smash Captain America.
"Bruce, take it easy!" Widow yelled while fighting Ant-Man, "Why are you this ridiculously annoying?" She hissed.
With her widow bite, she managed to take him down and return to Bruce.
"Rhodes!" Stark screamed. James Rhodes was falling down, not being able to control the suit. The Hulk didn't hesitate and jumped, catching James.
Rhodes was lucky; if it hadn't been for the Hulk, he would have been paralyzed. Natasha let Steve and Bucky escape, while Tony was checking up on Rhodes.
She took Bruce to the parking lot for the lullaby.
"Hey big guy, sun's getting real low," She said to the Hulk and made the hand gestures. Hulk calmed down and turned back into Bruce Banner.
Natasha threw a bag at him. "We're leaving."
"Why?"
"I acted against the accords," She explained what she had done as she opened the car and fastened her seatbelt, "They will come and arrest me."
Bruce dressed quickly. "You made the right choice. What now?"
"We have to go underground. Yes, you too, especially since you disappeared and the government is looking for you as well," Natasha explained, "I drive."
She drove quickly, and to his surprise, they managed to get to the highway easily.
"So now we're just going to disappear?"
"We just disappear," Natasha answered.