Bruce stood completely still, his mind, normally so quick, refused to comprehend what was going on, she wasn't here to take him back? He'd been expecting someone to try to find him, he knew S.H.I.E.L.D., even if it it wasn't really S.H.I.E.L.D. anymore, liked to know where all allies, especially allies who could be potentially dangerous, were at all times. But, she wouldn't come to drag the monster back and then kiss him, would she? Almost without him realizing it his arms came around her, feeling how warm she was, how slender and strong. He gave a little groan as he held her closer, it had been so long since he'd touched anyone, even casually, and she was so warm and soft, so fragile. It was that thought that let Bruce break the kiss and raise his head from hers. "You shouldn't do that, I could hurt you." Natasha could see the pain in his eyes as he said it, and decided to back off. Sitting down on the bed she said "It's good to see you Bruce, I've been worried…" she trailed off, finding it hard to believe he was really here. "You look okay" it was more a question than a statement, looks could be deceiving, she of all people knew that. "I've been okay, keeping busy" he replied, again not really looking at her "most people around here don't see doctors often so they don't ask questions when one offers to help for a nights stay and some food." Bruce sat down on the floor by the window, "So, if Fury didn't send you, who did? Stark? Cap?" Natasha sighed, "No one sent me Bruce, they don't even know where I am, I came to find you for me." Bruce stared at her, he'd never expected that, never expected she would come looking for him, but if S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't send her… "How did you find me? Without S.H.I.E.L.D. assets at your disposal." "Luck" she said, "Luck, a lot of questions, and the Patel family." "Who?" "The Patel's, a brother and sister, you helped her deliver a baby boy about three months ago." "Oh yes, how is the little guy?" "Commins Menapi Patel" Natasha said with a lopsided grin, "A healthy young baby whose mother has decided he would become a doctor like the man who saved his life." Bruce blushed, it was hidden mostly by the flickering light, but it was there. "So, they told you about a doctor?" Natasha laughed softly "Bruce, I've had dozens of people tell me about an American doctor, but Benjamin Patel had a camera, and he caught a picture of you helping his sister." Bruce started, he hadn't known there was a picture of him, then he started counting back… "That was three months ago, you've been looking for me that long?" "Bruce," Natasha said gently, "I've been looking for any sign of you for five months."

Once again Bruce's mind wouldn't catch up with the words he was hearing, five months? for no other reason that she wanted to? She had to be crazy, or lying, but, he didn't think she'd lie to him, not about this. "Natasha…" His voice trailed off, he wasn't sure how to say the next part. She raised an eyebrow at him. "What now?" Bruce blurted out, "What now that you found me, did you just want to see that I'm okay? Will you be leaving now?" Natasha looked at him for a few seconds before getting up and sitting down on the floor beside him, watching him out of the corner of her eye. "Now, if you'll let me, I'll disappear with you." Natasha reached her hand out and took one of Bruce's, gently rubbing her fingertips over the calluses and bruises of a man who's been living hard the past few months. Looking up at him Natasha could see the surprise in his face, the jaw dropping halfway to the floor was a giveaway. "But… Why?" "Should I kiss you again to convince you why?" She countered, and when he didn't immediately say no she reached for him, "No." he said quickly, "No, that's, it's, just, no." On seeing the slight hurt in her face he quickly followed it up with "I don't want to hurt you Tasha, I care too much about you to hurt you, and I don't think my control is up to kissing you again." "Okay" smiling to herself at the pet name Natasha leaned back, mostly up against the wall, but part of her leaning against Bruce's shoulder. "So, I can come with you?" Natasha held her breathe, not wanting to show him how much his answer meant to her. "I, uh, if uh, if you want…" Bruce stammered out, not really sure how to process her request. "I've been living in an abandoned farmhouse a few miles from here, up the mountain, a tree came down on the barn, but the house is in good order, rough living though." Natasha smiled at him, making his heart stutter. "That's fine, I can live rough. Just, promise me you won't leave again, not without telling me." Bruce sighed, just being with her for a few minutes dug up so many memories of the past that he would rather had forgotten about. The time at the Barton's farm, where she asked him to run away with her, and admitted to being sterilized during her time at the Red Room. And of course, her kiss, right before throwing him back down the shaft. He knew why she'd done it, later he realized he wouldn't have lived with himself if he'd left his friends in danger, but still… did she only want him for the monster? But if that was the case, why was she here? He thought he knew why she wanted to be with him, he was safe. He wouldn't ask her to kill anyone, or use her body for something, he couldn't take advantage of her, in short, he was just a friend. Yeah, his inner voice said, you want to be her "friend".

"So what should I bring to your farmhouse?" Natasha asked, "Food, blankets, firewood?

Jerked out of his own thoughts Bruce had to think a minute before replying "You'll probably want your own blankets, and food if you don't want to be making trips to town regularly. I have plenty of firewood, one of the first things I bought was an axe and I started cutting up the tree in the barn."

"Okay." Said Natasha, still playing with Bruce's fingers, wondering how to say what she wanted to next. "So, should we go now or will you stay here tonight?" Bruce jerked a little, "Stay here? Why? I thought I'd leave and head up and…" He stopped talking as Natasha shook her head. "I don't want to wake up in the middle of the night and think this was all a dream, I don't want to be alone." It was this last that decided Bruce, he knew what alone felt like, and if he was honest with himself, he didn't want to wake up thinking this was a dream either. "I'll stay."