Chapter 7

Scheduled Arrival

I never walk alone and think of all the empty words

Or wonder when the day will break, or when the tides will turn

Natasha

After the Civil war with Tony and Steve, Natasha was forced into exile. She doesn't quite leave the country but stayed local and out of harm's way. She knew that the avengers, or whatever was left of them would need her back soon enough. So Natasha wasn't going to run away and hide, when she stood by her decisions and chooses in life.

She found a little flat and bar job on the outskirts of Upstate New York, Where Clint was driving her to at this moment in time.

Once Steve had freed Clint from the Raft, he instantly went to The Avengers Facility to make things up to Natasha, whom he found packing her things up in a hurry.

He offered her a lift to wherever she needed to go and that's what led them to this moment. She threw her duffle bag in the bag seat and off they went.

"You don't have much things.", Clint stated.

Natasha stared out of the window not wanting to have a conversation right now, "You know me. I travel light."

"Where are you heading?", Clint Asked.

"On the outskirts of Upstate New York. I got a lovely one-bedroom apartment with my name on the lease.", Natasha joked.

Clint focused on Natasha as well as the road in front of him, "I don't think you'll enjoy retirement as much as I do."

"I'm not retiring. Just taking a break.", Natasha instantly corrected her friend.

Clint was confused by her acknowledgement, "Running away?"

Hawkeye give Nat a certain look.

"I'm not like him in that way." Natasha mentioned Bruce as little as she could.

Clint knew Bruce was a touchy subject around Nat since he left.

"Natasha, just be careful. You know I'm only a call away, if you need anything.", Clint halted the car to the destination.

"Me too", Natasha grabbed her bag and hugged Clint, before exiting the vehicle.

Once she entered the block of apartments safely, Clint drove off.

-Flashback-

"So we runaway. What then?" Bruce asked Natasha, as the couple was back in Clint's farm house talking about running away in the bedroom.

"We carry on running and we don't stop", Natasha stated eager to carry out this plan.

"I've been on the run before Natasha, it isn't fun.", Bruce was trying to tell her that it won't be an easy journey.

"And I haven't? Don't you think I know this.", Natasha was getting defensive.

Bruce didn't want to start stepping on people's toes, especially hers and so he tried to stay quiet.

"Ah well, ermm I better go clean up", Natasha stated distracting herself from Bruce and walked away to grab her towel, before heading for the bathroom.

"The waters cold"

"No Shit", Before Natasha could say another word, the spy slammed the door behind her and left Bruce to his own thoughts.

-End of Flashback-

Natasha opened her door to her small apartment, dropping her bag to the floor and taking in her new life as a free woman. This is the start of something new, the beginning of something she had never experienced before. Being free and not at someone's beckon call all of the time.

Bruce

Bruce stirred his cappuccino, as he was quietly sat in the corner of a Starbucks café, reading the latest American newspaper.

Due to his surroundings, Bruce felt a bit out of place in his purple shirt and scruffy brown pants. He wasn't the richest, but wasn't the poorest either. The doctor did he best to clean up in a limited amount of time.

He sat in the darkened corner, watching different types of people and families arrive and depart the building. He's loneliness brought up some memories again, this time a certain flashback that he held close in his heart.

-Flashback-

Bruce walked over to the bar, where Natasha was making herself a cocktail.

"What's a nice girl like you, wind up working in a dump like this?", Bruce took his glasses off and sat down at the bar.

Natasha seemed to go with the flow, "Fella done me wrong"

"You got lousy taste in men kid"

"Well, he's not so bad. He has a temper… but deep down he's all fluff"

Bruce looked at her wanting her to continue talking. Was she really telling him the truth of how she felt.

"That fact is he's not like anyone I've ever known. All my friends are fighters… and then here comes this guy, spends his life avoiding the fight because he knows he'll win."

"Sound's amazing." Bruce forced out in a joke.

"He's also a huge Dork. Chicks dig that." Bruce laughed at her statement, letting her carry on.

"So what do you think I should do? Should I fight this? Or run with it?", Natasha finished waiting for his answer.

"Run with it right, or what did he do that was so wrong to you? Bruce eagerly asked.

"Not a damn thing. But never say never.", and with that Natasha disappear out of sight and out of mind

-End of Flashback-

It was the first time Natasha ever admit she had feelings for someone, Ture feelings in fact. Not just Happiness or Enjoyment, But love. And that meant a lot to him.

The airport made an announcement that caught Bruce's attention.

"Last Call for the flight to New York City"

Bruce grabbed his brown duffle bag and headed for his departing flight. With no regrets.