Sorry for the delay I meant to have this posted nearly two days ago, but I got busy with work, and I wanted to fine tune and edit the chapter some especially the end. All right first I am happy to see that Choices and Consequences has 19 followers, and I am happy to see that so many people have been enjoying my story and writing. Next I would like to give a shout out to the reviewers to posted reviews for chapter 2.
Thank you Guest and dairxoxo for the brief reviews.
Thank you Not-A-Robot28 and syzygy101 for your reviews. I completely understand that you and others might have found chapter two a little hard to read with long paragraphs and little dialog, but I thought is was important to dig into Natasha's mind set and feelings before meeting Bruce, after she met Bruce, and the events after Age of Ultron to show how her character has evolved over the years since she left the Red Room.
Thank you KellenRae for your lengthy review. First I was not offended by your critical review. What your wrote is what I'd consider constructive criticism in that you did point out some of my writing flaws, but also want me to get better, and I can appreciate that. Even though I am attending college, and have taken many writing classes and do believe I am a decent writer I still know I am far from a great writer after all that is why I'm here writing a fan fiction story instead of being a published fantasy or sci-fi writer. I will try to do better with my writing and word usage, but I know I'll still make mistakes, so I don't mind criticism from reviewers as long as it's constructive criticism. Again thank you KellenRae for your nice review, and I hope you continue to enjoy my story.
That's it for now. There will be some after chapter notes that you can skip over if you want, but for now here is chapter 3.
Chapter 3
"Sir what are President Palmer and you hoping to accomplish?" asked Steve ever the respectful soldier of General Ross not liking some of what the General said two days ago. Natasha continued to listen, but backed into a dark corner as not to be seen.
"It's as simple as what I said yesterday. The president wants me to observe the mutant super powered situation, and advice the president and congress on what to do on the matter, and also get in control of some rogue elements that are still part of the US government or have gone completely rogue like your S.H.I.E.L.D. organization" Ross said with the last statement directed right a Fury. "You wouldn't happen to still be in contact with your old organization now would you Nick?"
"You know I have, and it was to save the world from Ultron." Fury defended. Fury had known Ross for a long time, and the man could be a ruthless, arrogant and now obsessed man, but he was also a highly intelligent man when it came to tactics, strategy, politics, and the game that spies played.
"Ah yes that's the excuse you and the so called World Security Council made every time you broke international law, or entered a country without permission. I'm sure you could be tried in dozens of countries for espionage, extraterritorial investigations, and the unauthorized killing of their citizens, and here in the United States you could surely be tried for treason and executed."
"You're one to talk Ross." Fury said having enough of Ross's so called high and mighty attitude when he knew about what he did in Harlem and other incidents in defense of the country and his hunt for Banner.
"You're right Fury, but I am held accountable to the President, the Secretary of Defense, the Department of Defense, and the Army, while you and S.H.I.E.L.D. were technically operating under the United States umbrella you didn't answer to us only to your secretive World Security Counsel. Well President Palmer has had enough of government agencies operating on their own or as rogue organizations doing what they want. Now with finding out we aren't alone in the universe, god like being existing and now the ever increasing super powered mutants appearing the President wants order inside the government and order inside the country. If that ends up in being part of some registration act or building prisons capable of holding these people."
"So you're going to tag, mark and track these innocent people whose only crime is having abilities. Do you know what that sounds like General, because I do? That sounds like what Hitler and the Nazis did during World War II or what Stalin was doing inside the Soviet Union, and countless other dictators of third world countries. I thought the United States was supposed to be better than this?" Steve asked in disgust losing what little respect for General Ross he had.
"Oh come Rogers don't be naïve. The world is never black and white and hard choices sometime have to be made. Right now we have no way to categorize this people capable of killing countless people, and causing untold damage to the country and world, and costing United States and the world hundreds of billions of dollars if not trillions of dollars. The United States prison system is serviceable at best, and there is no way our prison system can house beings like the Juggernaut, the Blob, Radioactive Man, and others that's why Stark Industries is helping to build a state of the art prison to house these people, but that will take time."
"Stark is helping you build a prison?" Fury asked surprised not knowing what Tony had been up to since he dropped out of the Avengers only funding the Avengers Intuitive while Steve was shocked. He thought Tony had learned his lesson from Ultron, but Steve realized Tony's arrogance and god like complex knew no bounds.
"Yes I went to Stark two weeks after the Ultron incident and asked for his help in creating a prison to hold these super power beings like the Hulk and he agreed. You know you agree with me Nick in that something has to be done." Ross explained to Fury, and as they were talking they were getting a ground listening besides Natasha that included Wanda and Maria Hill.
"Fury you can't agree with this." Steve stated not happy with the new direction the country he loved was taking.
"He agrees Rogers, and speaking of the wayward Bruce Banner you and the Avengers wouldn't happen to know where he is?" General Ross asked looking suspiciously at Steve.
"No we have no idea where Bruce is after the Hulk disappeared with the Quinjet after defeating Ultron." Steve told the general.
"Would you tell me if you knew?" Ross asked Steve eyeing the man darkly. "What about Natasha Romanoff does she know where the Hulk. I have seen video of the Black Widow taming the beast. If she's not care the beast will tame her." General Ross smirked, and Natasha had enough of Ross's voice and his implication his statement. Natasha was about to come out of the darkness walk right up to the general and snap his neck when Steve straight up decked the general sending him back against the wall and to the ground.
"I've had enough general it's time for you to leave." Steve told the shaken man.
"You know captain." Ross started standing up shaken with a bruised face and bloody knows not realizing how likely he had been Steve had held something back in his punch or Steve might have killed the man. "The President and the United States government allow you to have this Avengers Institutive and to act freely of the government for four reasons. One because out of respect for the service of Fury while the second reason because of Tony Starks funding of the Avengers and willingness to corporate with the government. The third reason why we allow you to act freely is because the Avengers is a symbol to the people, and the people love the Avengers, and the final reason is because of you Steve. You are the leader of the Avengers and a symbol of what it means to be an American and a hero that people look up to. The president does now, and I looked up to you as a child, but all of this hinges on you and the Avengers following the basic rules we set out for you and not going rogue that includes not harboring a wanted man or hindering the apprehension of the Hulk." Ross said turning to leave, but stops for a moment. "Mr. Rogers you had better adjust to the world we live in or maybe you were correct when you said the world and time passed you by, because maybe then you were right and the world no longer needs or wants Captain America." General Ross said leaving the room with that statement in the air.
"You can't agree with what he said?" Steve asked of Fury as Natasha came out of the shadows and walked down the hall towards them.
"Rogers it's not that simple."
"Are you saying you'd side with Ross and Tony in what they are doing?" Steve asked now lumping Tony in with Ross.
"Yes I agree with some of what he said like that we need to figure out what to do about powered beings, and when they commit crimes, but I also agree with you Steve. I don't like some of what Ross said and the direction the government had taken. The issue with decided security of freedom isn't simple Steve." Nick told Steve, and despite their differences Nick highly respected Steve and valued the man.
"So when it came down to it you'd side with the Ross. Perhaps you should step down from being in charge of the Avengers Intuitive." Steve stated, and Fury sight closing his eye for a moment.
"You and Tony asked me to be in charge of this program while you were commander of the team. If you want me to step down I will Steve, but I suggest you think about it because I have a feeling in the coming years all of us are going to have some difficult choices to make that we may not be happy with, but have to live with. Now I really have to go and talk to Scott Lang about joining the Avengers." Nick explained to Steve before passing Natasha and walking off.
"Nat what about you? You've seen what dictators have done in the past, and the road President Palmer and Ross might me walking down. It may start out innocently enough for the so called right reasons, but it will eventually lead down a darker path." Steve said turning to his friend who was turning more and more back into the darkness after Bruce had disappeared.
"I don't like Ross he's a despicable man, but I agree with what he was saying Steve. The world is changing perhaps faster than anyone is prepared for, and we can't have super powered mutants running around causing havoc. We've also got others inspired by us forming teams like the team out of Detroit calling themselves the New Warriors, then there's school that has recently open for the gifted run by Professor Charles Xavier that some believe is for mutants in near New York City in Westchester County or here in New York we have the vigilante known as the Daredevil taking the law into his own hands in Hell's Kitchen, and the killer vigilante known as the Punisher endangering innocent lives in his efforts to kill every criminal in New York City, and finally there is a mysterious masked man called being dubbed Spiderman apparently entering the so called vigilante/hero game. The government can't just allow all these people to simply take the law into their own hands that leads to inspiring other including civilians with no skills or powers thinking they can take the law into their own hands, which leads to a slippery slope chaos, anarchy, martial law, and perhaps the collapse of the United States." Natasha tried to explain to Steve. She may have wanted to kill Ross, but she did agree with much of what he said as Natasha had a pessimistic view of the world.
"Would you say the same thing if or when General Ross finds your Bruce Banner and has found a way to capture or kill him like he is trying to." Wanda snidely said in her thick eastern European accent. "I could read him easily, and though he might reluctantly want to capture Banner what he really wants to do is kill Banner or would you be the one killing Banner?" Wanda asked in an accusatory tone.
"How dare you enter use your magic tricks on me without my permission?" Natasha angrily said getting close to Wanda.
"Yes I've been in your mind when we were training and you nearly killed me, but you aren't as hard to read as you think." Wanda said only slightly using her powers and knocking Natasha back a few feet and nearly knocking her to the ground. "I for one am not going to allow that. If the government comes to me trying to tag me or register me in some kind of data base I am going to fight back." Wanda angrily stated.
"ENOUGH!" Steve said slightly elevating his voice getting in between the two dangerous women. "I still have faith in this country and that its leaders won't allow it to come to that. Wanda would you please check on Sam for me?" Steve asked wanting to separate the two and wanting to talk to Natasha. Wanda gave one last look to Natasha and nodded to Steve heading into Sam's room leaving just Natasha and Natasha in the room after Hill left to talk to Fury before he left.
"Nat you are my friend and I want to help you, but if you won't let me help you I can't watch you turn back into the Red Rooms Black Widow. I know you hurt yourself when you had to make that choice with Bruce and when Bruce left, but you can't turn back into the old Black Widow who doesn't care for others and works along. That Black Widow endangers the safety of her teammates and jeopardizes the mission, and isn't someone I want on this team."
"Are you kicking me out of the Avengers?" Natasha asked surprised. All she had was the Avengers and Steve was going to take that from her.
"Yes. I think you need to go on a sabbatical. Visit Clint, Laura and the kids I'm sure they'll be happy to see you. Travel the world, but not like an assassin and spy, but instead like a tourist, and have fun and find yourself. If you decide to come back they'll be a spot open for you here, but you need to go." Steve said gently squeezing Natasha's shoulder giving her a sad smile and then turning and entering Sam's room leaving Natasha alone like she always was and felt inside.
Natasha briefly looked into the room where Sam was recovering where she watched Steve and Wanda talk to Sam, and then left quickly down the hallway to her quarters where she quickly took a shower packed her duffle bag with the few cloths and possessions she had like the picture of her and Bruce together they had taken when she had taken dancing. She had worn a black Strapless Shimmer Cocktail Dress with Bruce's jacket around her shoulders with her head on resting on Bruce's shoulder looking handsome his navy blue casual dress shirt and black dress pants. They looked like a loving couple on a date. How did neither of them see what was happening between before it was too late or maybe both of them chose to ignore it neither believing they could or deserved anything, and now they were both alone. Putting the picture in her bag picking up the bag and heading out of her room walking toward the exit she thought about her place in the Avengers and didn't know if she'd be back or wanted to come back. Natasha walked up to the reception desk that was installed for visitors, and dropped off her ID card. As she turned to leave, but was stopped by the receptionist.
"Excuse Miss Romanoff there was a letter dropped off for you." The young male receptionist told her handing her the small white envelope with the only the address of the base and her name on the front. She took it opening it as she walked out and stopped only finding a business card with for the Harris, Walsh, and Flanders law firm with an address in Brooklyn. Natasha looked at the card strangely for a moment before heading to her black Corvette Stingray and driving away from the base thinking nothing of the card, and planning on heading to one of two safe houses she had in New York city to crash for a day or two call Clint to maybe come down to visit, and then leave the country to travel, but as Natasha reached New York city something in her gut was telling her to see what the card was about. Someone obviously had wanted to get her attention and meet her without anyone knowing who had contacted her, so entering the city she changed directions heading toward Brooklyn and the address of the law firm. Once she found it Natasha parked her car ten blocks away and pulled out three hand guns. One she put in her leg holster under her jeans and another she put in her back tucked into her jeans hidden behind her shirt. The last gun she put in the large purse she pulled out along with a camera to look like tourist spending a relaxing day doing some shopping as she even went into a bookstore bought a book on New York City architecture speaking in a thick eastern European accent and occasionally speaking Romanian, and then Natasha went to a coffee shop a block away from the small five story building office building that the law firm worked out of. Natasha watched the building for over three hours drinking coffee and pretending to read her book. Natasha never noticed any threats waiting for her around the building or following her. She even started up random conversations with other patrons in the coffee shop about asking about the area, what is good to see in the area, and about the law firm nearby and another customer chimed in saying that it had been there since 1992 that they were criminal defense lawyers. Natasha decided that it was safe and went inside to the reception desk.
"Welcome to Harris, Walsh, and Flanders how may I help you." The receptionist asked.
"I was mailed only this card from this law firm." Natasha stated handing the older woman the card.
"And that was it?" the woman asked looking at the card strangely, and Natasha just nodded back. "Well that is strange, and I got a strange request nearly two days ago from one of our lawyers telling me that if someone came in and told me what you told me to call them. Hold on one moment." The receptionist said picking up the phone and dialing. "Yes I need to speak to Mr. Jefferson." The receptionist asked of Mr. Jefferson's secretary. "Yes Mr. Jefferson someone is here with the card you mailed. Yes I will send her right up." The woman said hanging up the phone "Mr. Jefferson would like to see. Just take the elevator to the third floor and turn left down the hall and you will find his room, and Mr. Jefferson said come right in he'll be waiting." Natasha went up the elevator and turned left down the hall past the empty secretary desk, and into Mr. Jefferson's office where she found older black man with greying hair sitting behind the desk.
"You sent me the card?" Natasha said looking at the man wondering what was going on.
"I sent you the card, but I wasn't the one who wanted to meet you, but it is still a pleasure to meet on the Avengers and heroes of New York." Mr. Jefferson said getting up and shaking Natasha's hand.
"Who wants to meet me?"
"I do." Jennifer Walters told her entering the room. "Marcus thanks for doing this for me." Jennifer told the man who had been her mentor in law school as well as here at the law firm.
"You know I'd do anything for you Jen you're like daughter to me." Marcus said to Jennifer and then headed to the door. "It's nearly six and everyone is gone for the day. I just sent Jennifer home for the night, so the floor is yours. It was a nice to meet you Miss Romanoff and Jennifer have a good weekend." Marcus said closing the door, and heading home for the weekend.
"Who are you and why did you go through all this to get me here?" Natasha asked eyeing the taller woman as this Jennifer went to a lot of trouble not let anyone know they were meeting.
"I am Jennifer Walters, and as for why you are here it's because we have a mutual friend." Jennifer explained as Natasha looked at the women strangely like she was trying to remember something then eyes lit up in recognition.
"You're Jennifer Walters." Natasha stated realizing she was talking to Bruce's cousin.
"Now you can see why I went to so much trouble. I didn't want to let anyone know that I sent you anything or that you were meeting me. We couldn't meet in my office on the first floor as I wouldn't be surprised if a certain Ross was keeping taps on me with listening devises in my office hoping to hear about Bruce, and I wanted to meet you."
"What for?"
"I could have left the letter with Marcus to give to you, but I wanted to meet the legendary Black Widow who was able to capture Bruce's heart so completely that his love for you has surpassed his once love for Betty." Natasha didn't respond. Did Bruce really love her? Had he forgiven her? "Wow I tongue tied the great Natasha Romanoff." Jennifer said smiling getting Natasha's attention as she sat down in Marcus's chair.
"What message did Bruce want to give me?" Natasha asked sitting down across from Jennifer knowing that the other woman wouldn't have gotten her here just to meet her.
"Bruce asked me to give you a letter, but before I did I wanted to meet you and talk with you. First while I admire you and your work with the Avengers I have read your file that was released Natasha, so I do have so reservations about you and questions like what you are doing with Bruce? Are you just manipulating Bruce and playing with Bruce's emotions to just to gain an advantage of the Hulk? Are you going after Bruce to capture or kill him like I have no doubt Ross is trying to figure a way to do? You don't scare me. If I don't like the answers to my questions you aren't getting the letter Bruce wrote for you." Jennifer bluntly told Natasha showing to fear sitting across from one of the most dangerous people on the planet. Jennifer planned to burn the letter in Marcus's trash can, plus she had her propelled fired Taser that she had pulled out of her purse when she had down behind the desk. Jennifer was protective of her cousin and she wasn't going to let him be manipulated like that by anyone even if that person was the Black Widow.
"I love Bruce." Natasha said deciding to frank and honest to Jennifer's surprise. Natasha had told Bruce that she adored Bruce telling him that she loved him without openly saying as she was afraid to admit to herself that she had found love, and now she wouldn't hide it anymore from Bruce or herself anymore, so Natasha decided to be honest with the only family member who cared for Bruce, and one of the very few people looking out for Bruce wanting to protect him so much Jennifer was willing to risk her own life in dealing with the Black Widow. "Bruce is my best friend and the man that I love who has single handily broken down all the walls I had built showing me a that there is a whole new world out there to live, and that I am worth more than just my skills as a killer, and wants nothing but love and happiness for me. Yes I made a hard choice that I don't regret to help stop Ultron, but what I did to Bruce still hurts and hope maybe one day Bruce can forgive me for the choice I made. No I am not working with General Ross to capture or kill Bruce. I can't make promises about the future, but I have no intention of hurting Bruce ever again." Natasha finished deciding not to hide the emotion that was welling up inside of that she usually blocked out from her mind and hid from others.
"One last question." Jennifer said after the long silence that enveloped the room after Natasha had finished, and Jennifer was struck by the raw emotion on the supposed emotionless Black Widows face as she watched two tears fall from Natasha's eyes. After she had heard what Natasha said Jennifer decided to give Natasha the letter no matter what, but wanted this one last question answered. "Betty and Bruce's relationship was doomed because she couldn't accept, saw them as different and couldn't live with the Hulk being a part of their lives, so can you accept both sides of Bruce?" Jennifer asked of the other woman, and Natasha smiled.
"I love all of Bruce both Bruce and the Hulk who represents the repressed emotions that Bruce had kept bottled and built up since his childhood, but finally were able to come to live after his accident taking on a form of their own. I've been telling him that the Hulk is part of him, and if he accepts that and trains himself I believe Bruce and the Hulk together bring a lot of good to the world.
"I told Bruce the same when I met him. All right I'm satisfied that you'll look at for my wanderer cousin." Jennifer said handing Natasha the letter. Natasha just held the letter looking at her name given to her by Bruce that she loved, and slowly ran her fingers along the top of the letter, and then opened it pulling out the parchment, and began to read silently to herself.
Tasha
I am sorry for not contacting sooner, but I've been afraid that you wouldn't forgive me for leaving without you. I keep letting my pacifist nature and fear rule turning me into a coward that doesn't deserve a woman as magnificent as you. The Hulk and I for some time after the battle with Ultron thought you had betrayed us forcing the Hulk out and had used me to help you gain better control of the Hulk, but after contemplating the events of Sokovia I quickly realized you made the right decision, and my fear nearly cost the planet millions if not billions of lives. Tasha I know you might feel guilty for your decision, but you made the right choice, so forgive yourself as I have forgiven you as there was nothing to forgive.
Tasha for a long time after the accident I thought that my father was right in that I was the monster he had always thought I would be with the Hulk being a curse being a gift from him. I tried to find love with Betty, but she couldn't accept the Hulk as part of our lives, which was along with her father was one of the major reasons that we didn't last. For so long I was hopeless wondering from town to town trying to keep the other guy at by, and attempting to end my own life on multiple times letting the darkness take me, but then I you came into my life a stunning red head with marvelous deep emerald green eyes with showed her deadliness, but with faint sign of sadness and pain, and my life would never be the same. Through you Tasha gained friends in Tony, Steve and Thor, and Tash through your kindness and friendship I gained a better understanding of myself and the other guy gaining self confidence in myself, and found love again.
I love you all of you that includes Natalia Romanova, Natasha Romanoff and the Black Widow. I didn't realize I was falling in love with you for a long time. Looking back on it I think I fell for you Tasha when I came to pick you up from your safe house and you were taking me out dancing, and opened the door wearing that sexy black dress with you long flowing curly red hair I froze and I felt by heart beating faster as I was seeing the loveliest woman in the world. I think I knew I had fallen for you, but I blocked it out pushing it down for many reasons not wanting to destroy our friendship if you rejected me, and I didn't think highly of myself as well with the Hulk inside how much of a relationship would I or anyone else. I should have told you how I felt sooner. Tasha I don't expect you to feel the same way as I do, but if you can forgive me for not having the confidence to tell you how I feel, abandoning you, and for not contacting you letting you that I am all right and where I am then come see me. I am staying on the island of Mangaia in the Cook Islands under the name of David Bixby. If you need any help just ask my cousin. Jen is the only other person I trust with my location. Tasha whether you decide to come or not please don't tell anyone where I am. The world right now is unhappy with the Hulk and what he's done, and could lead to unnecessary violence especially now that Ross is after me again.
I hope to see you soon Tasha for there is more I want to say and show you.
Love
Your loveable dork Bruce Banner.
"Bruce really trusts me that much?" Natasha asked more to herself than to Jennifer. Bruce had just given his location to her, and without knowing whether she'd come after him to capture or try to kill him or tell Ross where he was.
"Haven't you figured it out yet?" Jen asked beginning to realize where Natasha's train of thought was going. "Bruce loves you and there's no one in the world he trusts more. The only reason he contacted me first and waited to contact you was because of his own fears about your feelings for him and whether you've forgiven him for abandoning you and running away." Jen explained
"Do you have a lighter?" Natasha asked Jennifer after looking at the letter and thinking for a brief moment. Jennifer handed Natasha hers, and watched Natasha get up from her chair walk over to the small metal trashcan opened the lighter flicking the flame on and lighting the letter on fire tossing the burning letter into the trash can.
"Wait what are you doing?" Jennifer asked in shock and surprised as she got up and watch her cousin's letter burn, and for a moment she thought Natasha was done with Bruce.
"This stays between us." Natasha simply stated looking at the woman. "You and I are going protect Bruce from General Ross or anyone else." Natasha explained making her choice.
"You're going to him?" Jennifer asked knowing Bruce had told Natasha his location and that's why the woman had burned the letter to make it more difficult for anyone to find Bruce with only Natasha and her knowing.
"Yes and I don't need to tell you and Marcus never say me and I was never here." Natasha said grabbing the purse to head to the door.
"Marcus already knows, but I'll go buy his house and talk to him tomorrow, and I can handle the security footage in lobby of the building and elevators."
"Thank you for helping Bruce and contacting me." Natasha said about to walk to the elevator.
"Take care of him. From only briefly meeting you and talking to both Bruce and you I think you two are good for each other and belong together." Jennifer said as the elevator doors opened.
"I will." Natasha said as the elevators doors closed for Natasha had made her choice before she opened Bruce's letter. Natasha was on Bruce's side whatever that was and she would deal with the consequences as they came. Natasha walked out of the building to her car with the first real smile she's shown since she visited Clint Laura for a weekend two months ago, and before Bruce disappeared, and Natasha drove forward in car toward the future without any regrets of not contacting Nick, Clint, Steve or anyone else.
I just realized as I am reviewing this chapter on after I uploaded the chapter that with the way I ended the chapter I could have ended the story with a really opened ended happy ending for Bruce and Natasha. I did not realized I had done that.
Lets move on shall we. First I hope you liked Bruce's letter to Natasha as that was the hardest thing for me to write in this chapter. In fact I rewrote the letter four times trying to get it as good as possible, so I hope you liked it.
All right first no one has asked this or stated this yet, but I think I'd better get ahead of this. S.H.I.E.L.D. in the comics has had a few different origins. In one it was basically a solely run United States organization in another it was a United Nations organization, and in the Cinematic Universe it looks like S.H.I.E.L.D. was a combination of the both, but whatever the case there is no way a massive global organization could operate without the hundreds of billions of dollars if not trillions of dollars from the backing of the United States government. At least right now the only other country I could see even remotely being able to handle such an organization is China that is why in this story the United States has a lot of power over S.H.I.E.L.D.
Moving on I know the New Warriors were really based out of New York city, but I never like that until recently that something like 90% of all superheroes and superhero teams were based out of New York City. I understand why Marvel writers did that back in the late 1950's all the way up to recently as Marvel is headquarter in New York City and many of the writers lived and worked in the city. New York City is a great city, but I just didn't like that aspect of Marvel Comics.
Next I don't know how many of you have read Marvel Comics Civil War. It's very length, and I don't think it's necessary to read every comic tie into the Civil War, but overall it was a great story line based off the real world events in the Patriot Act and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security that many US citizens were and are rightly scared off as history has proven that security can sometimes come at the cost of privacy and freedoms. Marvel writers wisely used it as an inspiration for their Civil War story line, but of course pushed it to extremes with hero fighting against heroes costing some superheroes their lives as well as in not destroying then permanently damaging marriages and friendships. As you can tell from this chapter choices and dealing with the consequences of those choices will be a big part of this story line as I will bring in some heroes and kill of others, so be prepared. I'm not sure what's going to happen in the film, but in the comic Natasha fought on the side of Tony Stark, and though Hulk and Banner weren't part of the Civil War many have said Bruce would have also sided with Tony while the Hulk would have sided with Captain America. Even though the chapter ends with Natasha disappearing that doesn't mean she won't choice a side, and I'm not going to give anything away.