For the fifth night in a row since his return home, Bruce found himself in the position he years ago referred fondly to as being"nap trapped". It was the feeling most parents knew well; When a child had fallen asleep on their parent's arm or curled into their chest, with little to no hope of escape. But his muscles were starting to ache and tingle with the lost blood flow caused by the death clamp Isabelle had on his left arm as she slept, curled in a tight ball against his side in his bed.
He didn't argue at all with her constant attachment since his release. In fact, he had missed this. As a toddler, Belle had always hated daycare, and much preferred to be hanging onto her father, so as she got older and grew out of it, Bruce had missed it.
The first few nights he had been home, he'd had no trouble finding sleep, falling into thick and dreamless slumber, the relief of being home and pure exhaustion of what he's endured pulling him down. Tonight, however, his mind was a little less cooperative when ask to turn off and allow him rest.
Isabelle had requested he read to her, and Bruce never turned that request down, so they had been making their way through The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien, reading one of the five parts each night, working up to re-reading the Hobbit. They were an old favorite, and a great comfort for Bruce as well as to Belle. He had just finished the last page when he looked down to notice that not only had his arm fallen asleep, Belle had as well.
Tonight, however, Bruce had a great many things on his mind.
Jennifer was set to leave back to Washington in the morning, and he had hoped to find her up to speak to a bit alone while Belle slept, so he carefully slipped his arm out of her tight grasp and replaced himself with a pillow so she wouldn't notice he'd moved and awaken.
He tiptoed down the hall, but the young lawyer was nowhere to be found. Pixel circled his legs, purring, and he stooped to pick the kitten up and he scratched behind her ears as he thought for a moment, confused as to where she might have gone, then quietly ask for assistance.
"Hey Jarvis?" Bruce ask gently.
'Good Evening, Doctor Banner' the AI replied in a matching low volume.
"Have you seen Jen around?" Bruce ask, scratching at the back of his neck.
'Miss Walters is having some coffee up in the commons area.' Jarvis reported. 'Shall I let her know you're looking for her?'
"No, thanks J. I'll go on down and see her." Bruce replied. "Let me know as soon as Belle wakes up if I'm not back, okay?"
'Of course, sir.' Jarvis confirmed.
He was not prepared for her to not be alone.
Jennifer had been sipping her coffee and catching up on emails, trying to sort a list of things that needed to be done in order of urgency when the elevator doors had opened and alerted her to another presence on the floor. She sat forward from the armchair she'd curled into and peaked around the corner, catching sight of Natasha Romanoff coming into the room. She relaxed into her seat and went back to work, thinking the spy was merely here to occupy the same space, a pleasant and peaceful room.
Natasha walked over and knocked on the wall next to where Jennifer sat, and smiled awkwardly when the other woman looked up.
"Agent Romanoff!" Jennifer greeted warmly. "How are you this evening?"
"I'm good. I'm sorry to interrupt-"
"Oh, no!" Jennifer assured her, gesturing to the spy to sit down across the coffee table from her. "I'm just getting a few things ready to head home tomorrow afternoon. No worries."
"I just-" Natasha paused, tilting her head in thought. Jennifer looked her over curiously. She didn't know Natasha well, but she did know that the other woman oozed confidence, and seeing her lose her words was a bit odd, if not troubling.
"You alright?" Jennifer sat forward a bit, concerned.
"Just feel a bit foolish, I guess." Natasha laughed at herself. "I'm not good at this."
"What, girl talk?" Jennifer joked, but when she saw the other woman's cheeks flush with embarrassment, her smile faded.
"How much is your retainer fee?" Natasha ask, face hard and arms crossed. The red still adorned her face in the low lamp light.
"You're in need of legal assistance?" Jennifer questioned. Natasha shook her head.
"No. I'm after the client-attorney confidentiality." Natasha replied seriously.
Jennifer blinked back at Natasha for a long moment. She wasn't sure whether to be concerned, flattered, or what. Truth be told, Jennifer was not sure what to think of the solitary female Avenger. She was nice enough, and very important in her niece's life, but she knew very little about her as a person outside of these few facts.
"I can do a pinky swear for free." Jennifer offered, her tone as serious as Natasha's. She stretched across the table with her pinky offered.
Natasha looked her over hard. She seemed to be considering the woman, if she was offering genuine support or mockery. Deciding she was being sincere, she hooked her own little finger into Jennifer's, and they shook once.
"Okay. I'm all yours, no telling." Jennifer said, sitting back once again. She took a sip from her coffee, her dark eyes never leaving the redhead across from her.
"I think I need to just- say what I need to say. You're leaving tomorrow, but you're also my best source of information, so-" Natasha took a deep breath and closed her eyes tight. "I have- feelings- or maybe the word is- a crush... on your brother."
"If I had a penny for every time a girl came up to me with this problem..." Jennifer laughed.
Natasha's fierce green eyes snapped open. Jennifer immediately laughed again.
"When we were younger. Lots of my friends had a thing for him- never helped his case that he was always super nice to them. It was super annoying." She rolled her eyes at the memory. "Its been a long time, but- yeah. How can I help?"
"I have no idea." Natasha breathed out quietly. Her cheeks began to creep over with the same deep scarlet.
"Well- I'm willing to." Jennifer replied gently. "I mean- It seems like you've already got the hard part out of the way. Isabelle adores you. I don't know if you know this- But she and Betty, his ex-fiancee, they never got along. Belle is a great judge of character. Betty and Belle butted heads at every turn, she did not like the idea of Betty marrying her father at all. She wasn't outright mean or cruel to her, Bruce would never allow it. They just didn't... vibe. Bruce kept telling them both it was because neither of them had mothers and that they would be great as a family once they worked out the kinks- But I'm honestly glad it didn't work out. Bruce just wanted to be happy, for Belle to be happy. He was forcing a square peg in a round hole. No good."
"Oh?" Natasha replied, eyebrow raised. "How can anyone not adore Belle?"
"A question for the ages." Jennifer agreed. "I don't know how to help you right now, or how fast you want results- but I do offer this advice..." Jennifer took a long pull from the steaming mug in her left hand before continuing. "Just ask them both to do things. The three of you. Bruce is a sucker for that dynamic. It also helps that I'm pretty sure you're the most beautiful woman alive."
Natasha laughed and gave her a thanks for the compliment, before reflecting on the advice.
"What sort of things?" She ask.
"Get three tickets to a show. Find an arcade to invite them to. A museum- they're both dorks, no way they'll say no to that." Jennifer laughed.
Both women jumped at the sound of the elevator doors opening.
Bruce came around the corner and caught them both even more off guard, and Natasha sprang to her feet and took a step back.
"Oh, Agent Romanoff!" Bruce smiled warmly. "Imagine finding you here."
"I was just headed off, actually." She waved and side stepped again. Bruce watched after her, confused at her abrupt exit. He wasn't sure if she was upset or off-put by his presence, but he decided to shrug it off for the moment.
"What was that about?" Bruce ask, taking the seat Natasha had just vacated.
"Just talking about Isabelle, I was thanking her for all her help and for being so kind and protective of Bella-Bear. Shes good people, that one."
"Agent Romanoff? Yeah." Bruce agreed with a nod. "Listen- I know you're headed home tomorrow. I also just wanted to thank you- for everything."
"Anytime." Jennifer smiled. "You two are all I've got, and honestly I should be around more. It isn't fair to either of you that I never come around or contact you first- I've been super self absorbed, I know. I'm so sorry about that."
"You were building your career. Trust me- I know a thing or two about that myself." Bruce reminded her, a bitter bit directed at himself in the words. "I have missed you, Jen. We both need to try harder, I think."
"Christmas, Thanksgiving, Belle's birthday- I am making them official 'see my family' time." Jennifer promised. "By the way, speaking of family-" Jennifer took a long breath and swallowed, "She's asking about her mom, dude."
Bruce paled a bit and nodded.
"Yeah, I know it'll only get worse. The curiosity." He replied quietly. "Its shit really, I'm her father and I can't freaking tell her about her mama. Not like she deserves. Its the guilt, I think. I feel like I should've done more. Do you have any idea how many effective drugs I have developed that are in use? Its eighteen. And yet- Alice... I..." Bruce teared up, voice broken. Jennifer stood and moved over to prop herself on the arm of the chair Bruce sat in, pulling him into a hug.
"You did all you could that the two of you agreed and knew was safe while she was pregnant. She made her choice, and you said you were going to respect it and do what you have done- be the best dad you can be to that baby. She adores you, Bruce. So much. You've done it all right- maybe a little... unorthodox... but you're the best dad I know." Jennifer squeeze his shoulders tightly before letting him go. "Why don't you two make a day of it- Let me get home and get my old films out of my storage building, I will send the pictures I have up. Tell her all about her mama. Watch her favorite movie, eat her favorite foods. Cry with your daughter. Laugh with her. Feel life in all its horrible and gorgeous glory."
Bruce shrugged to wipe the tears from his jaw, and he smiled at his sister.
"When did you get so smart, kid?" He laughed.
"Well- when you became famous for being a genius, I thought it was probably a good idea to get off my ass and learn a thing or two as well. After all, people know we're related, they expect a bit more than average." She replied and playfully stuck out her tongue.
"You should probably go get some sleep." Bruce reminded her. "We've got sights to see before your flight, so we have to get started early."
"You first." Jennifer agreed, holding her hand out to pull Bruce from his seat.
"Yeah, okay." Bruce nodded. He paused for a second and winced at himself. "I should've ask before now- are you comfortable sleeping in Belle's bed? You're welcome to take mine- Belle is in it though."
"Its absolutely comfy." Jennifer snorted. "In fact- I kind of hate my bed now, I've been spoiled."
"We'll have to ask Tony where he got it." Bruce said as they entered the elevator.
"Please do." Jennifer agreed with a yawn. "I'm going to miss it."
Sorry- I missed you all. Have some filler/fluff.
Thanks for reading! and all the messages and comments about my absence, it makes me feel good to know you're enjoying my story.
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