Pushing People Away

"You don't have to leave, you know."

Natasha Romanoff started violently, spinning away from the open suitcase on the bed.

Laura Barton rolled her eyes at Natasha's dramatics. She knew no one in the house could sneak up on the Black Widow. Even when Wanda Maximoff levitated, Natasha felt the air movement.

Natasha smirked at her friend. "Just practicing for when Lila 'surprises' me."

"I meant what I said." Laura refused to be distracted. "You and Clint have made sure that we're safe here. We have new IDs and a new home. There's no sign of pursuit. The kids are glad to have Auntie Nat here; Wanda is benefiting from your training and I love having my 'sister-in-law' here."

Natasha smiled fondly at the designation of "sister-in-law," but shook her head. "I have to go. I'll be back, but for now, there's something I need to do."

"Does this have to do with Dr. Banner?" Laura asked with a slyness that couldn't mask her concern. "I know you liked him. Clint said you were visibly upset that he ran away." Natasha was never visibly emotional about anything.

"He didn't run away," Natasha corrected, turning back to continue her packing and to hide her face from her too-perceptive friend. "I pushed him."

Laura laughed shortly. "You always push people away. It's your way of protecting yourself. Everyone who knows you knows that. I'm sure Dr. Banner …"

Natasha giggled, a half-hysterical sound that made Laura's mouth snap shut in shock.

"I didn't push him away figuratively," Natasha said in a strangled voice. "I pushed him away literally. Bruce came into Ultron's dungeon to rescue me and I pushed him off a cliff."

"What?" Laura gasped. "Why?"

"Because we needed the Hulk. I was ready to run away with Bruce, but he wanted to go right then. I couldn't. I couldn't leave my friends, my partners. Clint and Steve especially, but all the Avengers were counting on us. I put everyone else ahead of the man who loved me and I pushed him off a cliff to awaken the Hulk."

Laura frowned. "I think it was pretty cowardly of him to want to run when his friends were going into battle, especially when he can't get hurt," said the woman whose all-too-human husband was nearly killed on the floating city.

"Bruce was traumatized," Natasha explained. "All of us were when Wanda showed us our nightmares, but Hulk trashed half a city under her influence. He really thought everyone was safer without him. All he wanted to do was escape, but I couldn't." Natasha's voice caught and she almost whispered, "I had to make sure Clint came home to you."

Laura caught her sister in a fierce hug, rubbing her back like she did when Lila cried. "Thank you," Laura said. "I like having him around."

Cooper appeared at the door. "Dad says it's time to go," he reported.

"She'll be right there," Laura answered. "Tell him not to forget the helium tank," she told her son, who scooted off.

Natasha stepped back, knuckling her eyes. "I pushed Bruce away, but now I have to find him. I have to make sure he's OK. I have to apologize. I promised myself I would. First I'll keep my promise to Steve, then that one to myself."

"Try not to have too much fun without me," Laura said.

Natasha chuckled against her will.

Laura said, "Just remember, whatever happens, you always have a home with us. You can't push hard enough to push us away."

"And I wouldn't want to," Natasha agreed, and hugged her sister again.

A/N: That's the helium tank from the Valentine's Day balloons. These chapters are fitting together in ways I didn't expect when I started them.
Next week I will probably post on Friday instead of Saturday, because reasons.