A/N For a rather belated start into the weekend, here is the next oneshot for you. I already have some more planned out and the next two weeks I will finally have time enough to write as I please, so I hope to prepare some more chapters for you which I can upload every few days.

Invader Johnny: Thanks. Intimidating she will be, indead ;)

booksaremyfriends401: Thank you! There is at least one more Red Room story planned so far, but I'm sure I can come up with some more.

FinntasticFinn: Tanks a lot. Oh, don't worry, there will be a continuation of chapter 3. To be honest, I'm writing it at the moment ;)


Title: Breathe Again (prompt #10)

Characters: Natasha, Bruce (Paring)

Word count: ~1920


She hadn't missed the hot, humid weather. Not for a second. She could feel the sweat trickling down her back and it wasn't the first time she asked herself why she was doing this. It had been over five months now that the so-called Civil War had ripped the Avengers, her friends, apart. Five months she had spent on the run while looking for him, never staying at one place too long just in case Ross was still at her heels.

And then, one day, Fury had appeared in front of her Londoner apartment and handed her a file containing barely two sheets of paper. "If I'd wanted to kick the big guy's ass, that's where I'd looking for him", he'd said, but what he meant was something different. He didn't ask her about the fight on the airport and he didn't ask why she switched sides in the midst of said battle. Natasha knew that Fury was worried about her. And not only about her, but also the rest of the Avengers. After Steve and her had brought Hydra down (and S.H.I.E.L.D. with it), Fury had been overprotective of his remaining protégés. Just as herself he hoped that the team could get back together. The whole team. But she knew he thought it a stupid idea of hers to go and look for a guy who could turn into an angry monster. Fury knew she wouldn't just try to talk him into coming back to New York but also confront him with leaving after Sokovia. And he wasn't the only one, Natasha knew. But she had to go, dangerous and stupid or not.

And here she was. Kolkata. It seemed ironic that she should find him here where she first picked him up to help find the Tesseract. Natasha didn't assume that Bruce lived in the same hut as before. That would just be too easy. And she was right. Some well-directed questions later she knew what she had to know. Apparently a certain Dr Robert Green had settled down some months ago, living in the west of the city near the border. At least he got humour. Natasha decided to wait there for him; it was pointless looking for him in this gigantic city, should he have any patients to look after right now.

It was almost five p.m. when she finally reached the little hut. Natasha sneaked around it once, looking and hearing for any signs that he was home. Nothing. To be honest, she wasn't surprised. The lock on his door took her barely five seconds to open it and she gently closed the door behind her. Natasha slipped the hood from her head and looked around. The hut consisted of one room, a bed behind a curtain in one corner. The kitchen was small, but clean and with a table and two chairs. A dresser stood near the bed, atop of it a collection of pictures. Getting curious Natasha walked over to take a closer look. A picture of an unknown woman, one of an older couple. One picture showed the Avengers; Natasha remembered the day of Thor's farewell party when the world seemed to be calm and without immediate danger. Back then, when they were still a team. It was a fun evening until Ultron showed up and everything went down. She put the picture neatly back on its place and turned to the last picture. It was one of her from the same evening, mixing a drink for Maria behind the bar and laughing. Although a smile crept on her face on the thought that Bruce had kept a picture of her, it also made her angry. If he'd missed her, then why hadn't he tried to contact her? Just to tell her that he was fine and would return once he was ready. It wasn't like she expected him to do anything out of the ordinary.

The sound of steps on the front door let her turn around, waiting for the resident of this little hut to step in. Quickly she put the picture back on the dresser and leaned against the furniture as if she hadn't one worry in the world.

Bruce didn't spot her immediately, but stepped out of his shoes and let his bag slide to the floor. It was only when he looked up that his eyes widened in surprise before showing resignation. "So you did find me in the end," he simply stated and only now really looked at her. Took in her figure, her flowing red hair, her green eyes that almost always showed signs of amusement. Longing and regret joined the resignation in his gaze and he held up his hands slightly as in surrender.

"You didn't make it easy, Dr Green," Natasha answered with a shrug and emphasis on his new persona. "Nice nickname by the way. Took me some time and without Fury's help I'd never think of India. People seldom return to the place where they were found once."

"Exactly the reason why I came here. Can I offer you a drink before you drag me back to New York?"

"I won't drag you anywhere. I'm just here to talk." Natasha sat down at his table, legs crossed and eyes never leaving Bruce.

Bruce opened two water bottles and put one on the table before leaning against the kitchen counter as if he wanted to keep a safe distance. "I'm sorry," he finally managed to say. "I shouldn't have just left. And I don't want to blame the Other Guy for his decision because it was one I would have also made. But I'm sorry for leaving you behind."

"You should be." Natasha's voice still was calm, but anger and desperation slowly began to show. "You have no idea how mad I was at you and still am. What about our talk at the Barton's farm? About going away together? After we had defeated Ultron, I would have come with you. We could have come here if you'd liked to."

"I'm too dangerous to be constantly near you. I could have hurt you and I would have never forgiven me. If something happened to you and it would have been my fault…" Bruce broke off.

"I've made friends with the Big Guy. He'd never hurt me, not more than you would. Just that you did. When you just left… I opened up to you. I thought we would fight our demons together. But then you were gone and I was left dealing alone with them. That's not fair, Bruce."

Bruce huffed. "Yeah, I'm sure our Captain let you deal all alone with it."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Natasha didn't remember standing up, but she faced Bruce with her arms crossed.

"Rogers mentioned he saw you flirting up close. Guess he had no objections of me leaving."

Natasha simply stared at him. "Are you serious? Steve and I, we're friends. Teammates. Partners as long as S.H.I.E.L.D. was still up and going but nothing more. You're gonna tell me you're jealous of Steve?"

For the first time Bruce seemed to feel queasy. "Who wouldn't be? Look at that guy."

"Flirting is what kept me alive all those years. It's a part of me, I don't think about it. And sometimes it's fun to make Steve uncomfortable by just being flirty. You're adorable, really. But I'm still pissed at you."

"Pissed enough to through me down a well again?"

Natasha smiled. "Maybe." Then the smile vanished from her lips. "Here in the middle of nowhere… Did you hear what happened in Germany half a year ago?"

"If I say yes you'll probably be pissed again, so… No?" It sounded more like a question than anything else. Then Bruce sighed. "I haven't heard much, to be honest. Something about the Sokovia Accords, an explosion in Vienna and the fight on the airport. You know those people are building the airport for what? A decade?"

"It's cheaper to start it again than correct the mistakes made in the process. At least that's what Tony's said to calm down the government. I don't know if he paid for it, we haven't talked in a while."

"I didn't know which side to support when I heard of it. Really. I get it that Tony thinks we need to be supervised. After Ultron backfired so spectacularly there is no other solution. But I also get Roger's side. When Hydra managed to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D., why shouldn't at least part of the governments be also corrupt? I knew if I joined the fight it would be crucial, so my choice had to be justified. That I couldn't do." His shoulders hunched a little while admitting that.

Natasha softly shrugged her shoulders again. "Me neither. Rather, I cannot fight my friends. In training, yes, but not in earnest. I fought on Tony's side but when Steve wanted to bring Bucky away, I couldn't stop them. Instead I helped them. Clint gave me a second chance when he refused to kill me. Why shouldn't Bucky be offered the same chance? To wipe the blood from his hands?"

"So that's why you haven't spoken with Tony. You're on the run with Rogers's team?"

"No." Natasha shook her head. "I'm on the run by myself. It's not the first time. One gets used to it when it happens often enough. Aside from Fury I haven't spoken anyone of the team. If there is still a team left, that is."

"I'm glad you're not hurt," Bruce said after a little pause and stepped a little closer, but wary as if he was afraid to scare an animal. "I was worried about you though I left."

"I can take care of myself. Kicking ass since 1989 or something like that. But if you were worried, then why didn't you call? Or send a postcard for that matter?" She stepped closer to Bruce without touching him yet. "Just telling me you're alright."

Bruce tentatively raised his hand and gently stroked her cheek. "Guess I didn't want to be found. Maybe I thought that if I didn't contact you, you would get over it quicker. Maybe I didn't think at all."

"I'd go with the last explanation," Natasha said with her signature smirk and leant into his touch. "There was a lot to cope with, recently."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Bruce huffed and caressed her arm. "But since I discovered you over there I feel like I can breathe again, you know. Although I thought for a very long moment I'd be a patient tomorrow and not the doctor."

Her laugh sent shivers down his spine. "I was tempted to let you know just how pissed I was, trust me. But I know what you mean." Natasha stepped even closer, wrapped her arms around his torso and leaned her head against his shoulder. "I'm glad I found you, Bruce."

Her voice was muffled but he still heard it. Bruce cupped his arms carefully around her fragile frame and held her close. "Me too," he whispered. "You're staying for a while?" He didn't expect her to stay for ever. She just wasn't the kind of woman to settle down so suddenly. But he hoped to have some time with her to make things right before she went back. And maybe this time he would follow her.

Natasha freed herself only far enough to look at him. "For a while," she agreed finally and took a deep breath when leaning back in his embrace.


For some reason, this was quite difficult to write for me, but I hope you enjoyed it nevertheless.