The last few weeks, with Natasha gone, Bruce had been hiding in his lab, working on his experiments continuously. He thought he was making a break through after spending nearly 14 hours a day trying to get his formula right. He only had a few adjustments to make and he thought he could get it to work. The calculations told him that adding more of certain chemicals would produce the desired affect. After countless failures, Bruce hoped this combination would prove to be stable; unlike his mind.
With Natasha gone, half of his brain power was reserved to thinking and worrying about her. He hadn't heard anything from her, or seen any sign of something going wrong on the news, but that didn't stop him.
Returning his attention to his experiment, Bruce went to the cabinet against the wall, searching for the correct chemicals to add. He leaned in deeper, checking the back of the shelves and straining his eyes to read the labels.
"Find what you're looking for?" A voice asked.
Bruce was startled be the new presence and lifted his head straight into the shelf above him. "Ouch!" Bruce backed out of the cabinet rubbing his head. "Don't you know not to interrupt a scientist." Bruce removed his reading glasses as he turned to face the intruder. "Natasha?"
He thought he was dreaming, or hallucinating considering the chemicals he had just inhaled. His red-headed assassin was standing just outside the elevator, looking like a normal person rather than a killer, in her jeans, ankle boots, and V-neck shirt. "Hello, Bruce. I'm back." Natasha smiled slightly from the landing. She waited for him to speak, but was surprised when he ran up the stairs to hug her. "Ow. Ow. Not so tight." Natasha pleaded as she pushed him away softly.
"I'm sorry." Bruce looked at her face, noticing for the first time the dark purple bruise on her cheek and the small cut on her forehead held together with stitches. "What happened to you? Are you okay?" Bruce ran his thumb lightly over her bruised cheek.
Natasha put her hand over his, "I'm fine. But I don't want to talk about it. Not yet." Her face grew dark and Bruce thought he could see tears in her eyes.
"Okay. I understand," he paused, "I missed you. Two months is a long time not knowing if you were alive."
"Yes, it is." Natasha nodded absentmindedly. Bruce decided not to push her and pulled her into him, hugging her lightly. She began to cry into his shoulder attempting to muffle her sobs. Holding on to him, Natasha felt the weight of all the things that had happened in the weeks she had been gone. Bruce rubbed her back rhythmically, trying to comfort her in any way he could.
After a few minutes, Natasha's tears subsided and she relaxed against him. "I'm sorry," she lifted her head to look at him, "I don't know what that was."
"Like I said, we all need a shoulder to cry on." Bruce smiled softly.
"You make a good shoulder." Natasha replied, squeezing his arm.
Bruce studied her face, amazed that she had made it back to him and now they had a chance to discover what would become of their relationship. "Natasha, may I kiss you?" Bruce wasn't sure what she would say, but he had to put it out there. When she nodded yes, he leaned in slowly, waiting for her to pull away scared.
She didn't.
Their lips met and Bruce remembered why he had missed her these last two months. Her soft lips fit on his perfectly, knowing what shape they should take. As the kiss became more energetic, Bruce felt his heartrate increasing. It wouldn't be long before they would be joined by a third party; most likely, an angry third party.
Giving her one last kiss, Bruce pulled back and stepped away, holding up his hand to keep her at a distance. "I'm sorry. I can't risk turning and hurting you." He took deep breathes, slowing his heart down.
"I thought you controled it through anger." Natasha asked, confused.
"Yes. Most of the time I do. But, sometimes he makes a surprise appearence." Bruce finally felt in control and stepped toward her with his hand stretched out. "Instead of getting to know the Hulk-"
"Which I've already done," Natasha interjected, "he did try to kill me the first time we met." She added with a smile.
"He's intimidated by beautiful things." Bruce replied and Natasha laughed a little. "Would you like to get to know Bruce Banner this time?"
Natasha looked at him, his coffee eyes gleaming, hoping she would say yes. She wasn't scared of him in the least; she had seen his worst side. Taking his hand, she answered, "I would love to."
"Good! Because I have been working on this experiment for six weeks..." Bruce pulled her along as he explained his tests and theories; the ones that had filled the hole she had left. Natasha listened to his childlike enthusiasm. She couldn't remember a time she had been more happy.
A/N: I hope I am doing these characters justice. I've always imagined Bruce as having this innocence about him compared to the other Avengers. Tell me what you think! There is still more to come!