A/N: Thanks once again to ladygris for doing the Beta.

Warning: This chapter contains material that is not suited for younger readers. I didn't want to change the rating so please do not read if you're under 18.

Namaste,

Sandy

Avengers

Taking a Chance

Chapter 11

The huge hunk of metal hit the building again, showering the area with more glass and metal. Bruce grabbed Natasha and turned so his back would take the impact when an office chair came hurtling toward them. It hurt, but not as bad as he thought it would. If he had been an average human, it would've killed him.

Even from this distance he could hear the screams. Releasing Natasha, he pushed her away, holding out his hand. "Get back! Get everyone back."

There was an instant of relief as Bruce listened to Natasha yelling at the few bystanders still braving the onslaught of debris waving for them to hurry. "Go! Now!"

He spared a moment to verify that the plaza had been cleared of people as much as possible then closed his eyes and clenched his fists. Head tilted down, he summoned the strength of the Other Guy through the meditation exercises, recreating the sensations his body produced during the first phase of a hulk-out.

It started with pain in his chest that quickly spread throughout his entire body. He threw his head back, roaring with the force of it. The seams of his shirt and shoes split as his body grew in size, the muscles bulging and expanding, ripping his clothing to shreds. The ground telescoped away from him as he grew taller. Awareness of himself and his intellect were overridden by the primitive urge to destroy the source of the anger surging through his brain, pumping up the adrenaline, and testosterone, increasing his strength by a thousand.

Screaming came from nearby and he turned toward it. A group of tiny beings cowered behind the boxes with wheels and other small objects scattered over the ground. All but one. He sniffed the air. He'd seen this female before and the emotions associated with her were very pleasant.

"Bruce." She came toward him one careful step at a time, hand extended. "You're the only one who can save them, but you need to hurry."

More screaming. This time from the sky reminding him of another time when bad creatures tried to hurt him and the others. Grunting, he turned toward the sound to see a bad thing. That people could be hurt or killed angered him. With a mighty roar, he leapt into the air, jumping from one building to another until he was close enough to reach out an enormous hand.

~~O~~

A great gust of wind sent the girder swinging again accompanied by the screech of metal ripping. Natasha didn't know how, but the crane operator still clung to the end. But he couldn't hold on forever.

Hulk made his way up to the top, reaching out a hand to catch the man as he finally lost his grip. The man's scream ended abruptly when he landed in the palm of the Hulk's hand. The sun reflected off the remaining panels of glass making it difficult to see what was going on though Natasha was just able to make out Hulk setting the man carefully on one of the completed floors.

More screams came from the other building as the girder once again spun around, slicing through the corner a couple of floors below the original impact. Without that support, the floors above sagged, dumping everything, including the occupants out into the air. One woman managed to grab onto something, her feet flailing in the air.

With an enraged roar, Hulk plucked the people out of the air and slid down the side of the building, shoving them into the holes that his passage had caused.

Taking one gargantuan leap, he grabbed the crane as it too fell, swinging and throwing it. The crane arced through the air to land in the Potomac River creating a huge wave that rocked the boats splashed the shore. Some of the smaller boats overturned, tossing the occupants into the water.

Nearly all of Natasha's attention was focused on the Hulk and his efforts to rescue people from what could have been a tragic accident. She spared just enough of her attention to the arrival of fire engines, ambulances and police followed closely by television reporters. Overhead, she heard the whop-whop-whop of helicopter rotors.

An older man in a police uniform jogged over greeting her with a nod. "What's the Hulk doing in DC, and why weren't the Chief, the mayor and the city council informed?" She displayed her SHIELD ID and the man immediately backed off.

"Same as you and the others, Captain. Saving lives." Aiming her chin at the scene playing out above, Natasha scowled. "Prepare to receive the injured. He'll save as many as he can."

Turning her back on the police official, Natasha went back to watching Hulk scoop up victims and set them out of harm's way. One of the women stopped to watch, seeming to be fascinated by the Hulk. Natasha understood the lure of so much power contained within one being. With the structural integrity compromised, the edge crumbled and the woman soared out into space, her high pitched scream echoing in the urban canyon.

As if in slow motion, Hulk launched himself into the air after her, one massive hand reaching out to hold her against his chest. His trajectory threw them against the side of the new building, and he dug his free hand and both feet into the side to slow his descent. He jumped, smashing into the ground, crushing the concrete of the plaza.

Hulk stood in place holding the now unconscious woman and looking down at her with sad eyes. He made a questioning grunt, giving her a small shake. Moaning, she put a hand to her head as her eyes fluttered open. When she saw the Hulk's face floating above her, she opened her mouth to scream again, stopping when he passed her gently into the arms of the waiting paramedics.

Natasha reached up to touch his hand, her fingers unable to encircle even one of his. Keeping her voice even and calm, she looked up at the green behemoth. "Hulk? Bruce? Bring the people down so the doctors can help them. Can you do that for me?"

He considered her request as he used one of his fingers to brush the hair from Natasha's face. "Hulk bring people."

Hulk climbed back up three more times to carry down the people he'd rescued. Each of them gave him a smile of thanks as they were led to the waiting ambulances.

Now that the crisis had been diverted, Natasha prayed that the police wouldn't make any aggressive moves that would set the Hulk off, and for once, they didn't. Several of the police had their weapons out pointed at the ground. Having apparently learned from the past, one by one, they holstered their weapons. Her voice barely above a whisper, she said to the police Captain, "Take the injured and go, slowly. No sirens and no fuss. Just drive away."

Hulk stood there panting, each one ending on a grunt. He crouched in front of her, head turned to the side, watching her quizzically. "Hulk is good?"

Nodding, Natasha graced him with a bright smile. "Yes, Hulk is very good. But we have to go now. I don't think you want to see a video of yourself naked on YouTube."

"Hulk not on YouTube." He seemed to be agreeing with her.

"No, plyushevyy mishkamoya." She began walking, and just as she hoped, Hulk followed. Somehow, Bruce's backpack had come through it all relatively unscathed. She brushed small rocks and concrete dust from the outside and hooked it over her shoulder. When they neared the building where this all started, she took out her phone to scan the structure. In spite of the damage, the building was still sound.

Hulk obediently followed her into the parking garage for the unfinished building. Natasha wanted to get as far as possible from the exits to prevent nosy reporters from taking video. She had no doubts that someone was already hacking into the traffic and security cams to get footage of Bruce changing into the Hulk. And as he always woke up from a transformation naked, she wanted to save him any further embarrassment.

The lower level turned a corner blocking the area from sight. Natasha looked back at Hulk when he stopped with one hand on the wall. His energy stores were depleted. Soon, he would be unconscious.

"Bruce? Come with me, lyubimaya. You can rest over here."

Slowly, his head came up, his bright green eyes drilling into her as he took several aggressive steps in her direction, his hands clenching into fists again. "Hulk not like this place."

Natasha backed away until she was up against the wall of their refuge with him looming over her. She resolutely quashed the instinctive fear response when he roared at her with clenched fists raised. "Hulk go!"

Using the wall for support, she slowly stood, not taking her eyes off of him. She refused to look away. An inch at a time, she reached out to touch his hand. "I know you're in there, Bruce. That you know what I'm saying. You've stopped the transformation more than once. You can do it again. Just like when you made yourself change so you could save the people in New York and today. You can change back, but you have to want it, not just let it happen. Take control, Bruce. Make the Other Guy obey you, not the other way around."

There was one thing that might get through to him. "You've already saved me, Bruce. Let me save you now."

Head tilted to the side, listening, he really seemed to comprehend not just her tone, but the words. His enormous hand lifted her up to eye level. "Ta-sha?"

"Yes! Yes, Bruce. It's Tasha." She touched his cheek and he sighed at the contact, his expression softening from the frown into a smile, the light of awareness sparkling in his eyes.

"Ta-sha stay with Hulk?"

Excitement like she hadn't felt in a long time surged through her bringing a delighted smile to her face. "Yes, I'll stay with you always. Remember to breathe, Bruce. Close your eyes and go to your happy place."

Taking great care, Hulk held her against his chest as he inhaled and exhaled in the meditation rhythm they'd developed together to give him control over the rage. Closing her eyes, she sighed in contentment, listening to his heart beat as it slowed to normal. Hesitation drew his bushy eyebrows together, his forehead puckered in thought as he looked down at her. "Ta-sha love Hulk?"

Natasha touched his cheek. "Tasha loves Hulk and Bruce very much."

There was a long moment where he thought that over. Then, the uncertainty disappeared, and he smiled. "Hulk love Ta-sha."

"I know lyubimaya." Hulk set her on the ground and Natasha watched with her mouth hanging open as his skin slowly changed from green to gray to the lightly tanned of Bruce's human skin. His bright green eyes became brown again. The enormous body slowly shrank until Bruce was himself once more. He blinked rapidly a few times then, his eyes rolled back in his head, and he slumped to the ground.

Natasha covered Bruce with the shirt she took from his backpack to cover him, and lay down beside him, head resting on his shoulder. His breathing evened out, changing to the gentle pattern of sleep. Reaching back, Natasha found his arm, the muscles slack from exhaustion, pulled the arm around her, and waited for Bruce to wake up.

~~O~~

Hours later, Bruce began to stir. Shivering, he sat up, taking in the wide open parking structure. Rubbing his face, he found it free of dirt. His gaze landed on a basin filled with soggy paper towels. A cool breeze whispered over his exposed skin, and he looked down to see his lower half covered with a shirt.

Trying to get his bearings, he took in his surrounds, finding nothing familiar. He was alone. With only the shirt as cover and no money for a cab, he resigned himself to walking back to his apartment, unless someone took pity and offered him a lift. More likely, they would just keep driving or call the police, or both.

He found his backpack, removing pants and shoes. He heard nothing and no one, just the usual night sounds of the city. How long had it been since the accident with the crane? He and Natasha had stopped for something to drinks after their bike ride. Shaking his head, Bruce mused that the incident had probably been broadcast on television and the Internet repeatedly. Fury would have something to say about it, and Bruce didn't look forward to that conversation.

In the quiet of the night, footsteps could be heard approaching, too close for him to hide. He'd gotten over being embarrassed about waking up naked and with Hulk-induced amnesia long ago. His shoulders sagged in relief when Natasha came into view. She smiled as she joined him carrying a small white bag which brought with it the enticing scent of food, making his stomach growl.

"Sorry I wasn't here when you woke up."

"How long did it take you to find me afterwards?" he asked while he dressed.

"I was here the entire time. Knew you'd be hungry so I went to get food." After he put on his shoes, Natasha held up the bag. The smell of the burgers inside made his mouth water.

"Thanks." Natasha hadn't averted her eyes. She shamelessly watched him get dressed, but he'd stopped caring a long time ago. "Did I hurt anyone?"

"No. In fact, you saved people who would otherwise have died."

A wave of vertigo hit him and he sat down with his head between his knees. "I'm glad they made it." When he felt better, he looked at his hands, relieved when he didn't see blood.

"It was mostly minor injuries and a few severe, but the paramedics are optimistic that they'll be home in a few days. A week or so at most."

Natasha's feet came into sight, and he tilted his head back to look at her, nodding at the white bag. "That for me?"

She tossed him the bag. "Two burgers with the works. That enough?"

"It's a start." One side of his mouth curled in a wry smile. Unwrapping the first sandwich, he took a huge bite, chewing as Natasha led him out of the garage to her car parked at the curb. They got in and headed back toward his apartment. Without Bruce asking, she pulled into the drive-thru and ordered three more burgers and a large chocolate shake.

So intent was he on refueling his body, Bruce hadn't paid attention to where they were going until Natasha pulled into the parking lot of his apartment building. She got out and came around to his side of the car. "You don't have to walk me home, Tash. I'm a big boy, and the squad can keep an eye on me."

A puzzled frown pinned him briefly then was replaced by her everyday expression making Bruce wonder if he'd somehow hurt her feelings. "I'm staying with you tonight."

Her words-innocent in and of themselves-seemed to hold a different, deeper meaning, as if she were trying to tell him something, and Bruce wondered what had happened that he couldn't remember. Occasionally, he would get brief flashes of significant events after a hulk-out so maybe it would come to him later.

Too tired to coax the answer out of Natasha tonight, he dismissed it for now as they rode the elevator to his floor. She took his key and as was unlocking the door when her phone beeped. Staying out in the hall, she closed the door between them. Natasha's voice Dopplered as she paced the hallway. She started in Russian, switching to Italian. From her tone, he'd say Natasha was giving Fury a verbal report of the incident, having Hill do damage control or arguing with Barton. Or even a combination of the three.

Bruce finished off the burgers, threw the wrappers in the trash and while the water heated for tea, he fed Theo. Natasha hadn't come in by the time he'd finished the tea so he set the cup in the sink and returned to the living room. If he waited up for her, she'd insist on him taking the bed. Because she was a guest in his home, he wanted her to be comfortable and he could sleep anywhere. Stacking two of the decorative pillows at one end of the sofa, Bruce lay down and Theo was there within seconds, making himself comfortable on Bruce's stomach. He stroked Theo's soft fur and tried to stay awake, however, the cat's purrs, the droning of Natasha's voice and the events of the evening eventually lulled him to sleep.

~~O~~

Shutting her phone off with a sharp poke, Natasha stood in the hall for a moment letting her anger dissipate so Bruce wouldn't pick up on it. He was exhausted from his ordeal, and she didn't want her problems to become his, even if her problems were his. When she was able to produce a genuine smile, she pushed open the door and was greeted by snoring.

The rescue of the people and Bruce's first successful controlled transformation had made this night a victory in her estimation. Having him say he loved her was incredibly sweet icing on the cake. She'd planned on them waking up cuddled together. And maybe after a good night's sleep, she would be able to verbalize her feelings as well, but with him on the sofa with the cat, she would be sleeping alone.

Tonight had brought the possibility of them being physically intimate closer to becoming a reality. However, if that aspect of their relationship never came about, she would be happy just knowing that he loved her and that she loved him too. The hardest part would be telling him. When she told Clint she loved him, it was with a great deal of sarcasm, and he always responded in kind. Plus, it was different. She did love Clint, but as a brother. With Bruce… She smiled. She loved Bruce the way a woman ought to love a man like him. The way he deserved to be loved.

She knew he'd been speaking the truth when he said "Hulk love Tasha." As the Other Guy, Bruce was incapable of dishonesty in any form. He had an innocence about him that was the opposite of his ferocious appearance. When he carried the injured from the building, he'd done so with the greatest care, in the same way he'd done when Stark fell from the sky after their victory over the Chitauri.

Taking a blanket from the bed, Natasha returned to the living room. With gentle movements, she removed his shoes. Moving his arm from over his eyes, she laid it on his stomach with the other one and pulled the top edge of the blanket up to his waist. He didn't move an inch, not even when she drew a finger across his down his cheek murmuring, "Plyushevyy mishkamoya."

Theo gave her a meow and went back to sleep.

~~O~~

In the morning, Natasha found that Bruce hadn't moved from the sofa though he'd turned onto his stomach with one arm hanging off the side. Theo was in the armchair. She went into the kitchen and the cat followed, sitting in front of his dish and meowing. "Good morning, malenkii. Are you hungry?"

While the coffee brewed, she filled Theo's bowl, the cat diving in as if he were starved. She also rinsed out his water bowl and refilled it. She washed the cup in the sink and took down a second one then opened the refrigerator and cabinets looking for something to make for breakfast. Bruce would need more substantial nourishment than the microwave dinners in the freezer.

Going to the bedroom for her phone, Natasha put a call out to one of her contacts, a chef by the name of Alexandre Verges, owner of Café François. They had a short and very intense conversation during which Alexandre offered to send over the most exquisite brunch she'd ever tasted, and more than enough to provide a mid-afternoon snack to hold them over to dinner.

She returned to the kitchen just as the coffee maker stopped. Behind her, she heard the soft pad of bare feet stop in the doorway while she poured coffee for both of them. "Morning. Breakfast will be here soon."

Turning with a cup in each hand, she smiled at a sleep disheveled Bruce, his clothes wrinkled and hair sticking up randomly all over his head. He took one of the cups, drinking down half the contents before responding, glancing down when Theo rubbed against his legs. "I heard. Do I have time for a shower?"

"Of course." The look in his eyes spoke of confusion. "Something wrong?"

Huffing, Bruce set the cup on the counter. "No more than usual." Leaned on the counter. "I have very few memories of the time spent as the Other Guy, but today, it's different." Looking at her again, he started to speak, stopped then blurted out, "Did you call me 'teddy bear'?"

Natasha pursed her lips to keep from laughing though it did nothing to hide the twinkle of humor in her eyes. "Out of everything that happened, you chose to remember that?!"

"I don't choose to remember anything. It's all jumbled up inside my head. I get flashes of memory in random order. Out of context."

She could see by the look in his eyes that Bruce had hoped that with more control over his hulk-outs he would also recall more of what happened during those times. At the moment, she wasn't certain if she wanted him to remember that he'd said he loved her because then he'd also remember that she said it back. She would again, someday soon. For now, she would continue to show him how she felt.

Bruce went into the bedroom, Theo trotting after him, and a short time later, the shower came on. Immediately, Natasha's mind brought up the image of him lying naked on the ground before she'd covered him with the shirt. Now, she imagined herself undressing, opening the bathroom door, pulling aside the shower curtain, and stepping into the tub with Bruce.

Not given to daydreams or fantasies, it annoyed her that she was going there now. Feeling herself becoming aroused, Natasha called a halt to her wayward thoughts, helped by the buzzing of the intercom.

Alexandre had sent two young men around with the food, and even included fine crystal glasses for the assortment of juices, china place settings, crisply ironed napkins and a tablecloth, and a variety of breakfast and brunch foods. The young men set the table and would've put out the food, but Natasha told them not to bother and sent them away.

Bruce came out a few minutes later, his hair still damp and looking a little more awake. He gave her a kiss and a long hug before sitting down to eat.

~~O~~

Over the next few weeks, Bruce split his time between the Triskelion, the helicarrier, Stark's R&D labs and Calcutta. He and Natasha continued to grow closer. On one occasion, she'd even accompanied him to India.

There were times when he'd find her watching him with the strangest look on her face, as if she was trying to find the solution to a puzzle that continued to elude her. She never hid what she was doing or played it off when he caught her at it. Just smiled or lifted one eyebrow impertinently and went back what she'd been doing, making her move in a game, watching the movie or attempt to engage him in some other activity of a more personal nature.

Another day, Bruce went to the lab early to put the finishing touches on a report for the Counsel so he and Natasha could take two days off. He'd gotten distracted by an idea and lost track of time.

Natasha came into the lab pushing a cart laden with boxes. Without saying a word, she used one of her knives to open the boxes, dumped them out, and started putting Legos together. Bit by bit, his interest was drawn to what she was doing. He put aside work and got down on the floor with her. When they were done, the main lab was filled with a Lego metropolis the likes of which had never been seen. Fury and Hill had come to the window, watched for a while then walked away shaking their heads.

When they were done, Bruce had a brilliant idea. They filmed their city, added narration and music, and posted it to YouTube. Within a few days they had over a million hits. There had been no real reason behind this activity except that it was one that neither of them had participated in as children.

After dismantling their work, they donated the Legos to the local children's hospital. They also spent hours visiting with some of the children too sick to get out of bed, Bruce sharing stories of his childhood as a sickly child. The kids listened raptly, offering commiseration for the loss of his parents when he was four. He hadn't told the truth about his father. That he'd been jealous of the affection between Bruce and his mother, and had killed her in front of him.

A few nights after their visit to the hospital, Natasha insisted on stopping for dinner at the café by the marina. The plaza had been mostly repaired from the day of the crane accident. The boats were all lit up, lights reflecting off the water creating a romantic atmosphere that stayed with them for the rest of the night.

On the drive from the café to his apartment, Bruce made a decision that would change everything.

It was their habit to have a cup of tea and either watch a sports program or play cards or some other game before they went to bed. Only tonight, Bruce didn't want to do any of that. He had enough of children's games, movies and activities. At least for now. Tonight, he wanted to play a grown-up game.

Inside the apartment, Natasha headed for the kitchen, and Bruce took her hand, stopping her from leaving. "Forget the tea. Let's do an experiment."

"What kind of experiment?"

"Evolutionary psychology and behavior ecology. They're mating strategies that refer to a set of behaviors used by individuals to attract, select, and retain mates."

Natasha's hand slowly slid up his arm to his shoulder. The action was repeated on the other side, her hands gently squeezing the muscles. Bruce's hands came to rest on her hips as he leaned in to kiss one corner of her mouth. Her eyes closed and Bruce heard her sigh.

"Tell me-mmm-tell me more."

His words were interspersed with gentle nips and kisses along her jaw to her ear. "Research on human mating strategies is guided by the theory of sexual selection." He took her earlobe between his teeth causing her to clutch at him in a vain effort to make him hurry. But Bruce would not be rushed. Time and care were necessary elements or the consequences could be extreme.

"Can I get a demonstration?"

Leaning back so he could look into her eyes, Bruce smiled, telling her with his actions that he loved her. "I'd be happy to, Natasha."

He kissed her, putting all of the passion that had built up inside of him for more than a decade into it.

~~O~~

Tired of waiting and anxious to get started, Natasha moved her hands down to his waist. The way his soft breaths tickled her skin added to the delectable kisses and tantalizing tongue play along her neck, nearly driving her insane.

Bruce broke away, taking her hand, leading her into the bedroom and she went with him eagerly, yearning to feel his lips on hers and his arms holding her close again. The door closed, and a moment later, opened again. Bruce set Theo firmly on the floor and slammed the door on his indignant yowl.

He returned to her, picking up where they left off. Slowly and with great care, they undressed each other. When Natasha stood before Bruce completely naked, she let him look his fill while she did the same. Bruce opening admired her, and she should've felt vulnerable. Instead, she felt cherished and loved.

To show Bruce that she loved him as well, she took his hands, urging him to sit on the side of the bed. Stepping between his knees, she cradled his head against her bare chest. His arms enfolded themselves around her, holding tight as she kissed the top of his head while one hand roamed through the short dark hair at his nape.

Natasha lost her train of thought when Bruce pressed a series of tiny kisses down her stomach. He slid off the bed to kneel in front of her, his intent apparent. She didn't let that go on long though, touching the side of his face, forcing him to look at her.

Obediently, he lay on the bed and Natasha crawled up next to him. To keep his heart rate from rising above the danger level, they had to take this slow. And when she was through, Bruce would know that he was loved.

TBC