Summary: Ben and Bruce pay a visit to an old love interest, among other things...


Old Flames


ONE YEAR AGO

A melancholic silence filled the car as Ben and Julie watched the raindrops roll down the windows, waiting for the rains to cease.

"I'm sorry, Ben...", she whispered softly, her head resting on his shoulder

The brunette let out a dry chuckle, his throat hoarse with emotions ,"You don't have to be sorry for wanting to go to college, Julie". Of course she wanted to go college, get a degree. Be normal. Something he'd tried to be, for a little while.

"I do", she shook her head, "For the things I said before, for everything...especially with what have to do now"

"Hey, it's okay", he attempted to comfort her, not really sure why. He'd every reason to feel upset, maybe even a hint of malice. Yet the only emotions he could dredge up was weary resignation, like a fish giving up trying to swim upriver. Just go with the flow, learn to let go...

"No, no it's not...", Julie's eyes welled up, a tight smile still keeping the tears at bay.

He managed another shaky chuckle, "It is, Jules–it just...is". He knew what was coming, and it sucked. Really, really sucked.

"Ben–I'm trying to break up with you", the dam of emotions burst and she couldn't stop the tears anymore.

"I know", he raised the hand bearing the Omnitrix, gently wiping away at her tear-stained face. "And it's okay..."

"How is that okay?"

He cradled the side of her face softly,"Because I know, deep down, you'd be happier if we do. You can get the normal life that you deserve... something that I'm not gonna be able to give".

She nuzzled her cheek into his palm, avoiding the alien device while sliding her hand over his.

"And who knows? Maybe we're fated to end up together again", he shrugged, his classic laid-back attitude now a mask for the mess that was his emotions.

Julie let out a shaky laugh, "there's no such thing as fate, Ben"

"Hey," he gave his best noncommittal shrug, "same thing they said about aliens..."

She stared up at him with a sad smile as he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. The downpour finally ceasing, Julie left the car and climbed the stairs to her home, sparing him one last doleful look, full of longing and unsaid goodbyes.

.


PRESENT DAY

The soft hum of lab machinery echoed through the lab as the scientist methodically paced around, fine tuning all systems before addressing his subject.

"All systems are go...you sure about this, Ben?"

"Dude for the bazillionth time, I'm good", Ben groaned in his Chromastone form, standing behind a wall of thick reinforced glass that walled off the containment chamber.

Before him was a large focusing array, connected to a massive Gamma Ray Projector, primed and ready for deployment. Similar to the military grade projector the Gamma scientist tested on himself

"Okay then", Bruce clamped on his goggles before raising a signal, preparing the projector for launch

"3, 2, 1..."

BWEEEEMMMM

Within few moments, the teen was bathed in a dizzying array of gamma ray pulses. Bruce shielded his eyes, despite the Stark-grade goggles provided. Throughout the early morning, the scientist had recruited the teen with his experiments, hoping to test the effects of gamma radiation on his alien forms.

The results so far, were remarkable. Tennyson's forms were a diverse menagerie of unique organisms, based on different elements, most of which didn't even appear on the periodic table. For a scientist like him, it was candyland. With the right experiments, maybe he could even understand his...condition better.

Maybe even cure it

"Are we done, yet?", The teen yawned, clearly not sharing the scientist's enthusiasm.

"Yeah, for now..", Bruce offhandedly answered, rapidly scribbling down more observational data on his pad. The chamber opened with a mechanical hiss, Ben stepping out of the danger zone before turning back human.

"Well, now we know Chromastone's immune to gamma radiation...you good, doc?"

"Yeah...thanks", another mechanical reply, the scientist's attention glued to the readings on the monitor.

"Y'know, Bruce, you should probably get out more"

Bruce waved him off, "I think I'm fine, Ben. Just gotta check out these readings. They're off the charts!". The Omnitrix wielder rolled his eyes, clearly not a fan of the fancy science lingo. Ben stalked to the scientist's side, peering over his shoulder

"Y'know what you need?", The young Avenger proposed, " a new lab assistant!"

Startled, Bruce's concentration was broken as he turned his attention to the young Avenger, "No...not really, thanks. I'm fine. Been doing well on my own". For as long as he'd been on the run, doing things by his lonesome came naturally to Bruce. Probably even before, growing up under a torn home and moving to college. For most of his life, he'd always been alone.

"I'm serious! Maybe not one of the SHIELD Tech-heads, but how about the guys downstairs? I hear Dr Pamela's available...in more ways than one", Ben added slyly.

Bruce smiled briefly before continuing his jottings, "No–I...I can't"

"Can't or won't?"

"Let's uh..say both", the gamma scientist answered, before adding offhandedly,"besides, I already had an assistant once".

"Had? Must've been some assistant", The shapeshifter was intrigued.

"Well, she was more like my partner"

"She? Okay, this I gotta hear", Ben hopped on the nearest counter, much to the chagrin of the meticulous Doctor Banner.

The scientist eyed the teen before continuing, "Betty Ross. Brilliant Professor. We met in college, became inseparable". He took a moment to remove his glasses, his expression wistful at the memories.

"She was there when I turned. Became the Hulk. Even helped me escape her own Dad".

"Woah, you mean she's.."

"General Ross' daughter, yeah". General Ross, also known as the Superhuman Watchdog, was recurring nemesis to the Hulk, and even superhumans in general. Ben had encountered him on more than one occasion, neither one pleasant. Memories of the government approved alien prisons sprang to mind, making his skin crawl.

"Huh..", Ben murmured, snapping back to the present, "so where is she now?"

"Doing what she always wanted: Inspiring the young minds at Culver, working on her thesis and still conducting research". Away from me, his unspoken words hung over like rain clouds.

A far cry from the Gamma scientist, his ambitions dashed the moment his body became a shared apartment between him and his violent alter ego

"You ever talk to her since?"

"Why is that important?"

"Seems like you wanna know how she's doing"

"W–what?", The scientist stuttered.

"You've got the look; not the I have a crush look, more like the I wish I could see her again look. Grandpa Max always had that look when he talked about Grandma"

Bruce chuckled, the kid had a sharp intuition despite his appearance. He shook his head, looking away. "We parted ways for a reason, Ben", he elaborated, "the less I'm around her, the better"

Relatable.

"Is it because of the Hulk?", Ben asked, observing the scientist's reaction. Bruce always had a dark, almost haunted look in his eyes when speaking about his alter ego.

"The last time I saw her, I wasn't...fully myself. I lost control. People got hurt. The last thing I wanna do is hurt her. That's why I ran, why I hid myself far away"

Melancholic silence hung in the air for a while, before the younger Avenger spoke up again, his features sharpened with determination, "Let's do it"

"Wait, you mean–"

"Yup, we're gonna pay her a visit"

"No, no–nonono", Bruce protested, shaking his head vigorously, "Did you not hear anything I said?! We are NOT visiting Betty!!"

"C'mon! It's a win-win!", Ben attempted to negotiate, "she gets to see the new you, and you finally get to see the outside world for a change". The last part was more of a plea than a proposition.

Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose, "even if I wanted, her Dad wouldn't let me anywhere near her location. He's probably got a damn militia crawling all over the place"

"Hello?", Ben pointed at the Omnitrix,"it's me, remember? I've got like ten guys that can do the job; get you in and out in no time!"

The scientist raised a skeptical eyebrow, "what about your handler?"

"Hey, I won't tell if you don't". Nat wasn't too much of a hardass, Ben thought, and besides he could always ask for forgiveness later. If she didn't kick his human ass to next week.

"You realize she talks to Fury, right? One wrong move and–"

"I'll let you do more experiments on my aliens.."

"...I can't believe this", Bruce swept his hand across his face, muttering in disbelief. Ben merely replied with a cheeky grin, an infectious charm that seemingly stuck with the shapeshifter.

"I'll just preface by saying this is a dangerous and insane idea"

Ben grinned conspiratorially, "But you'll do it anyways, right?"

Bruce took his lab coat off, heading for the facility's exit with a resigned sigh, "Lets get moving before my meds wear off and I come to my senses, huh?"

"Yay, road trip!"

.


Situated in Willowdale, Virginia, Culver University was prolific in many academic disciplines, attracting many minds with it's extensive resources devoted to scientific research as well as numerous high profile scientists.

Ben silently whistled as the duo finally set foot on campus grounds, taking in the surroundings. The campus was a hive of activity, students and professors alike. The duo made their way into the campus, passively noting the unnatural amount of security around the premises. The General truly spared no expense to keep his daughter safe.

"Y'know, Betty and I were broken up once already", Bruce mused as they walked, "won't be surprised if she's already moved on again"

A momentary glance at a college couple holding hands drew Ben's attention. He paused, seemingly lost in the memories of the past, watching the duo smile and joke and kiss. His mind couldn't help but wonder, What If?

"Kid you listening?"

Ben snapped out if his reverie," Uhh yeah, yeah ...just remembered something"

"What is it?"

"Its...nothing really", he let out a deflated sigh, "It's just that hearing you talk about your girl, reminds me of mine. At least she used to be..."

"Oh...sorry"

Ben shook his head, "No,no it's fine. Really. It's been over a year.. not your fault if I still haven't moved on...".

"What happened to you guys, anyway?", asked the scientist.

The shapeshifter shrugged, " Well–ahh, you know. Different paths in life. She wanted both of us to go to college, while I.. well I still wanted the hero life and she wasn't exactly loving it. The danger, specifically"

It was Bruce's turn to empathize, " I can relate..."

They crossed into the Lecture area, swarmed by a mass of students either going to or from their classes. The further they got, the more they could notice the heavier security patrols. Bruce pulled his hoodie tighter, his entire frame a bundle of nerves.

"I've got a bad feeling about this, Ben",

"Relax we're fine and we're not gonna get caught", he silently nudged the scientist, whispering "Unless you won't stop constantly looking everywhere that is",

Bruce's gaze nervously flitted to and fro, "Wha–ahhh!!"

THUD

Banner never got to finish his statement as he bump into someone, their books clattering to the ground in a clumsy THUMP

"Oh my God–I'm so sorry miss, are you okay?", Bruce nervously apologized

"It's fine...Im I'm okay sir", came the reply

"Pl–please let m-"

Ben already beat him to it, the Omnitrix wielder kneel down and help the girl to pick up her things

"I'm really sorry about my friend, miss. He can be so clumsy sometimes...", Ben nodded, his gaze focused on gathering the misplaced books. He was unaware of her vacant stare at him until she whispered.

"Ben?"

Ben froze, he could recognize the girl's voice from anywhere. He slowly looked up, their eyes meeting in a shocked stare.

"Julie?"

.


Ben stood rooted to the spot, flabbergasted. Out of all the colleges in the State, he just happened to be in the one his ex-girlfriend also attended. Fate did exist after all, and she was a cruel jokester.

"Ben? Wow, you're...you're here?"

The Omnitrix wielder seemed a loss of words, scratching the back of his head awkwardly "Uhhhh, yeah...I'm here–surprise?"

"–wait, what are you doing here?"

Bruce took the moment to step in,"Ummm sorry to interrupt, Miss-",

"Oh, I'm sorry", she corrected herself, "Julie. Julie Yamamoto, Konnichiwa". She gave a short traditional bow, her books tightly clutched to her chest.

"Hi...ummm-Bruce", he nodded in curtsy, before turning his gaze to the shapeshifter, "Is she?–"

"My ex? Yeah...", Try as he might, Ben couldn't rid the air of awkwardness clouding their meeting. Here she was a year apart, in her classic snow-white blouse and skirt, and he still couldn't find the right words to say.

"Wait, I know you!", Julie's eyes widened in realization, "you're Doctor Bruce Banner! Ive seen your picture in the news!"

"Yeah, I'm kinda trying to stay off the news", he turned to the shapeshifter, tilting his head nervously. Get rid of her

Now? Ben raised an eyebrow. "Ummm, we sorry Jules, Dr Banner's in a rush. Y'know, places to be, science-y stuff to do..."

"Oh!", Julie perked up slightly, "is it the...other stuff?", she threw a subtle nod at the Omnitrix.

He followed he gaze, his other hand instinctively resting on the device, "ehhhh, something like that...you know how it is...with stuff". Smooth Tennyson, real smooth.

"Wait, maybe you can help us!", Ben perked up again, "we're looking for Professor Elizabeth Ross. Know where she is?"

"Oh umm...", she tapped her chin, "she's not in my department, but she's probably lecturing in one of the halls now"

"Great, thanks", Bruce moved to leave, his nervousness yet to be fully abated.

"Can you take us there?"Ben asked, feeling Bruce's stare of disbelief burn holes at his back.

"Umm, why exactly?"

"Well, we're not exactly students–or staff", the Omnitrix wielder pointed out, "would help to have a friendly face so we don't get thrown out". Or worse.

Julie chuckled under he breath. Typical Ben, always getting into one kerfuffle or another.

"Is this more hero stuff?", she asked, her gaze boring into him, waving a finger in warning, "because if it is, I'm not–"

"It's not hero stuff, I promise"

Julie finally relented, breaking her curious gaze, "I guess I could make time–", she placed a hand on her hip, weighing her options before snapping her fingers decidedly.

"Okay then. Follow me"

.


The Lecture Hall was every bit as Bruce remembered, filled with rows upon rows of heads with inquisitive minds. His focus, however, was on the brunette presently conducting the lecture. The main reason for the nervous spell he couldn't seem to shake.

Elizabeth had barely changed from the last time he remembered, chestnut brown hair falling over her shoulders, sporting her classic spectacles over those deep hazel eyes. His heart felt caught up in his chest; how would she react when she saw him? Would she hate him?

Seated across from him were Ben and Julie; for the most part couldn't shake the same awkward aura that resonated between the two ever since.

"Hey...it's really great to see you", Ben whispered.

"Yeah, same. It's been what, a year now?"

"Something like that...you still play Tennis?"

"Naturally", the Asian-american was already a regional competitor and time only saw her career go even further.

"Yeah, I totally remember you dominating that match with the Austrian girl..."

"Ben, you missed that match, remember?"

"Oh yeah...sorry", He cringed inwardly. In truth, he'd missed a lot more than just matches. Dates, meetups, birthdays...the list went on.

"It's okay, you had...other things". More important things

"Well, you're also important...", he offered, Julie stopping him in his tracks with a tight smile. Ben swallowed thickly, she was always good at seeing through his bullshit. The duo shared another moment of silence, the voice of the lecturer relegated to the background

"I saw you...in New York", Julie commented, "it looked pretty rough–are you okay?"

The Invasion of New York was more than a year ago, but the events were fresh as day in his subconscious. Vivid flashes of Loki and Eon surfaced in his mind, but he dispelled the visions as soon as they came.

"I'll be fine, Jules", Ben shrugged, "part of the job, y'know"

She nodded, "well you're not alone at least. Then I'd really be worried...no one to stop you from doing something stupid". Ben smirked, thoughts of certain redhead danced in his mind.

He looked back at Julie as she gave him a warm smile. For the first time in a while, they shared a genuine moment of bliss.


Elizabeth Ross was a busy woman, had a busy life. Both her research and her teaching had always encompassed her entire life, nothing else seemed worth her time. No breaks, no distractions.

Her family mainly consistent of an emotionally distant father and only a fleeting memory of a mother she never met with only a pendant to remember her by.

Only a few times did she ever truly take a break; meeting Bruce Banner for the first time. The two shared an equal passion for the sciences, the spark between them blossoming into a steady ember of affection.

Even after graduation, they remained close, eventually finding themselves in a top secret government project, leading to the accident that birthed the Hulk. Bruce was forced on the run and she'd moved on. The pair would be reunited later, leading to Betty being able to reach out to the Jade Giant and help Bruce regain control of himself.

They'd parted ways again, only for Betty to receive a gift from Bruce under a pseudonym; her mother's lost pendant she'd previously pawned off helping Banner. Betty clutched the pendant tightly as she walked down the halls, now a reminder of the people she'd lost in her life.

"Betty?"

Startled, she whipped her head around the corner, her mouth open in shock. It felt like she'd seen a ghost, a ghost she was all too familiar with.

"Bruce", she gasped, rooted in her spot while the scientist approached, a nervous on his unshaven face.

"Hey, Beth...it's been a while"

They both stood a foot apart, neither seemingly keen on making the first move.

"Welp, this is...awkward", Ben motioned to Julie, "we'll uh...give you guys some space". Betty barely registered the duo leave, her eyes glued to the scientist in front of her. For what seemed an eternity, their eyes locked together, surprise and awe resonating between the former lovers

He shivered as she closed the gap between them, pulling him into a warm hug. He returned the embrace, taking in the scent of her auburn hair. Standing in front of her , he couldn't deny that he missed her terribly.

Unbeknownst to the duo, a hidden figure on the rooftops silently observed their meeting, before relaying a clandestine message through the radio. " He's here..."

"You look tired, Bruce", she cupped his face, lightly scouring his features in her concerned gaze. His eyes were baggy, his expression hollow from all the time spent isolated in a lab, surrounding the nothing but experiments

He sighed shakily, "it's been a...rough few years"

"Are...are you okay?"

"I am now", his features wrinkling as he managed a weary smile. He truly was happy, seeing her again, after all this time. They'd so much to catch up on, so little time.

"So you got your mother's necklace back",He pointed at the pendant hung around her neck, causing her to start fidgeting with it

"Yeah, thanks to you"

"Well I promised you that we're gonna get it back didn't I?"

"Yeah...you did", she grinned, before surreptitiously scanning the area, "we're not safe here–let's go to my office".The scientist nodded, picking up the pace as he followed her, away from prying eyes.


Ben and Julie stood guard at the hallway, the awkward atmosphere of Bruce and Betty still hanging in the air.

"So...",Ben started, "Business major, huh? Huge stuff"

She shrugged lightly,"eh, it's not saving the universe or anything, but it's something. Besides, being responsible with money as an athlete's pretty rare nowadays"

"That's uh..pretty nice...", Ben's finances were never a topic for him as he'd no finances to speak of. Then again, he already had a job, technically speaking.

"What about Kevin and Gwen?", Julie asked.

"Gwen's in College and Kevin's wherever Gwen is, so.."

Julie nodded knowingly, relishing her fond memories of the couple. Some part of her missed them dearly, but after the breakup...they'd only be another reminder of everything left behind.

"So, you dating someone?", Might as well quit dancing around the question, just ask out loud. Like an idiot, really smooth

"Actually I-"

"Tennyson!", A feminine voice rang out, shrill and piercing, instilling equal parts fear and exasperation from the shapeshifter.

"Uh oh...", Ben froze, eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets.

Julie watched in surprise as a redhead marched towards the duo, an intimidating glare written over her gorgeous features

Ben sighed as he hung his head, dreading to turn around, "you've got to be kidding me!..."

He closed his eyes and finally turned around to face the incoming storm, clad in bomber jacket and jeans, leather boots clacking with every step

"H-Hey, Nat! Good weather today don'tcha think?"

"Mind telling me the what the hell you were thinking?", The redhead queried, her features twisted in condensed fury.

"Uhhhh"

"You brought Banner to a populated area... without any oversight"

"Okay, look I know you're mad, which you have every reason to be", his hands raised in fruitless surrender, But on a scale of one to ten, how less mad would you be if I told you that i'm sorry?

The hope in his voice died when she leveled him with her trademark glare

Here it comes, he sighed internally

"You brought Dr Banner, the Hulk, into a public space, at the doorstep of possibly the number one person who wants him dead or worse."

"In my defense...", He began

"You don't have a defense, mister"

"...I was handling it. I got us in without a hitch, didn't I ? And Bruce really wanted to meet his old part

"Do you even realize the danger you've placed yourself and everyone in?"

"Umm, should I leave or...", Julie nervously asked, her eyes darting between the two.

"No it's...fine", Ben massaged the back of his neck, "Julie, this is Natasha Romanoff. She's a...friend from work"

"Umm...hi?", the Asian-american waved nervously as she eyed the redhead over. Natasha looked like she just leapt out of a magazine cover, a Victoria's Secret model with face to match, towering over Julie with an effortless aura of intimidation.

"Nice to meet..",Julie waved awkwardly, Natasha on the other hand spared Julie a glance before resuming her heated conversation with Ben.

"Okay I know I should've told you before..."

Natasha rolled her eyes, "Oh really?"

Some part of the Asian-american felt slighted, like she wasn't even in the redhead's focus to begin with.

The teen reclined on the nearby wall, pouting slightly , "But it's fine! Really! We got the two lovebirds reunited, and the ole General doesn't even know we're here!"

She held her temple in exasperation, "Ben...Ross' men are already on your tail".

"Wait, wha–"

"I patched through their comms", Nat explained, "apparently they've got multiple sightings of Banner with some Professor. Given that they haven't engaged, I'd assume said professor was Elizabeth Ross". Go figure

"Oh crap...we gotta warn em!", Ben darted from his reclined position on the wall, peering into the hallways.

"Ben, where's Banner?"

"...aaaaannnnd they're gone".


Betty's Office was every bit a physical space that the perfectly encapsulated her essence, small yet filled with minor sentimental items, representing different aspects and people in her life. Betty reclined on her desk, Bruce merely a foot from her.

"You're still working on the Super Soldier project??"

"Not really...just the Hulk", Bruce mentioned offhandedly, "I think I'm finally closing in on something...while I still have time"

"I–I don't understand...", Betty wrung her hands.

Bruce took a heavy breath, "The Hulk...I can feel him getting stronger. He's like a cancer, slowly feeding on my consciousness till... there's nothing left. I dunno if there'll be me after he's done"

"Bruce...", Again she grasped his face, making him focus on her.

"Does...does your team know?",

"Wouldn't want to worry 'em", Bruce broke their embrace again, back to the board to scribble some more, his movements becoming a blur of ink,"besides, there's nothing they can do"

"Do you always have to be so stubborn, Bruce?"

The scientist sighed, his hand still on the blackboard, "I can't involve em in my mess, Betty. The Hulk was my creation, my Frankenstein's monster. I started this, now...I gotta finish it"

"Then let us help you finish it", she held his shoulder, feeling no resistance. She pulled his gaze away from the board, her eyes boring holes into his, with the intensity of her glare.

"Bruce, you can't solve everything alone"

His shoulders sagged with weary resignation. Banner was one of the smartest minds on the planet, he'd always prided himself on finding every solution to every problem.

How does one cure a force of nature itself?

"Dr Banner!", The doors were flung open as Ben, Julie and Nat barged in, startling the duo.

"Ben, what's...", Bruce expression hardened as he turned to see the redhead, "what's she doing here?!", He pointed at Natasha defensively, as if expecting the agent to strike at any given moment.

"Got bigger problems, bud", Ben explained, " The Ole General's on to us!"

"Wait, Dad's here?", Betty flared up, peering through the binds "I thought I told him to stay the hell away!!"

"Well apparently, he's not very attentive", Natasha remarked, "Doctor Banner, we have to–"

"No–nononono...",Banner held his head, incessant muttering punctuated by guttural growls. It was all too much...his apprehension at seeing Betty again, agent Romanov, the blistering memories of brutal experiments at the hands of General Ross...

" HNGRRRR..."

"Crap–Julie, get out of here now!", Ben yelled

"Ben, what's going on?", Julie queried shakily, staggering backwards at the sight of Dr Banner's metamorphosis. Like a scene from a Jekyll and Hyde book, she watched visage of the meek and mild mannered scientist morph into something unreal...feral.

CRASH!!!!!

Banner slammed into the wall with the force of a freight train, trying to fight off his transformation.

"GO!!!!!", Ben yelled again, no longer focused on her. He kept Banner in his sight, the clear danger rapidly unfolding.


Julie burst out of the office, her heart in her chest. Stumbling through the halls in a fit of fright, she found the exit around the back of the building.

Even after all this time, she knew that this life, the dangers within, was something she couldn't handle. Something she didn't want to handle.

Her breath came back to her in shallow puffs, as she paused to rest. She scanned her surroundings , weighing her options. Was she supposed to find help? Ben was the last person she'd known to need help. Plus the Redhead seemed t

Julie's thoughts were interrupted with a gloved hand reaching from behind her, forcefully grabbing her into a sleeper hold. She struggled valiantly, her athletic endurance keeping her conscious. However, her assailant was stronger. She slumped over after a few more moments of struggle, before being carried away discreetly.

"Yes sir, we've retrieved one of the targets", a gruff voice croaked into the comms, "moving in on our Tango now"


"Okay Banner, I understand you're mad", Ben ducked under a thrown table, "but I need you to calm down! Remember what we talked about..."

CRASHHHHH!!!!

"Miss Ross, get back!", Natasha warned, holding back the brunette as she watched the struggle unfold.

"Hrrnghhhhhahhh!!!"

"Hey you're trying words now...that's progress!"

SMASSHHHHH!!!! An enlarged fist punched through the walls, way too close to he shapeshifter.

"Ben–we have to contain this! Now!", Nat reminded the young Avenger, the classic I told you so look written over her expression.

"I know!", Ben snapped, "I just gotta get to him..."

Sickening cracks of bones and muscles expanding interrupted the Omnitrix Wielder. Despite his best efforts, Bruce's transformation wasn't slowing down.

"Ben!!"

Dammit, Ben thought. If he didn't act now, they'd have a full rampage on their hands. He activated the Omnitrix before turning to the professor

"You might wanna cover your eyes for this"

BLAMMMMM!!!!

Ben's form morphed in a halo of light, his form replaced with his Ectonurite form.

"Okay, here goes...", Like a wisp of thin air, Ben dove into the hulking body of Bruce. The Jade Giant spasmed in response, before relaxing and letting out a stifled grunt. Inky markings swam on his skin as his eyes opened in a purple haze, possessed by Ghostfreak

Atop the adjacent rooftops, another shadowy figure took out their binoculars, silently observing the trio

"Target acquired sir...he's not alone"


"C'mon, through this way...", Betty led the team through the back entrance, her knowledge of the complex enabling them to avoid prying eyes.

"Grmhhh...", Ben growled as the Hulk, his guttural voice even more distorted as he focused on keeping the Jade Giant's consciousness under control. Piloting Bruce's body felt like driving a truck without wheels; one could only steer to avoid the worst possible danger.

" Can't...hold on...much longer ", Ben croaked, his distorted voice echoing through the Hulk's slurred speech.

"Bruce? Are you..."

"Not Bruce", Natasha corrected, "Hold him down Ben, I'll radio for backup"

"Easy...for you..to say", The behemoth grunted again, his movements sluggish and lethargic. Ben had dealt with the worst the Milky Way had to ever, yet could've sworn this was the most daunting tasks he'd ever had to do.

"How–how is he doing that?", Betty wondered out loud. It felt surreal, hearing someone else in the Hulk's body.

"It's–classified", Nat replied, turning on her comms,"This is Agent Romanov, do you read me? We've got–"

A gunshot rang out, the projectile slicing through the air before impacting the Jade Giant right between the eyes. Hulk roared in response, his movements becoming more erratic as he flailed around angrily.

"Dammit!!", Natasha pushed Betty into cover, her sharp gaze tracing the bullet's trajectory back to the rooftops, "stand down, all of you! Repeat stand down!"

ROOOOAAARRRRR

Hulk bellowed furiously, rising up to full height. No longer able to maintain control, the Ectonurite was promptly ejected from his irradiated host, transforming back to human form as he landed on the pavement with a dull thump.

BANG!!!!!

The impact of the next shot sent the Hulk reeling, before finding his balance and staring back at his shooter, eyes burning with malice. Digging his feet into he concrete, the Jade Giant leapt into the air like a missile aimed at the rooftop shooter

"Ohhh...that's not good", Ben clambered to his feet, as the panicked screams of the nearby students and faculty erupted into a full uproar.

Their eyes glued to the chaos unfolding, Natasha could only manage another half-sigh.

"Remind me how you keep getting us into these kind of situations, Tennyson?"


Gunshots and a mass of chaos as the Hulk relentlessly pursued the gunmen, launching himself blindly at his targets in fit of berserker rage.

CRASH! A shower of debris flattened a nearby car, nearly crushing a couple of students before a bluish-black blur zipped them out of the way.

"Watch where you're going big guy!", Yelled the Kineceleran. So far he'd been able to avoid human casualties, the same couldn't be said about collateral damage in form of damaged infrastructure.

Nat groaned inwardly. Her job was to keep her asset from doing anything stupid and it seemed for the first time, she was failing.

"Your friend's...not normal, is he?", Betty wondered out loud, her hazel eyes unable to track the chaos that unfolded.

"I get that a lot...", Nat nodded,

"Is he unique like...like Bruce?"

"Not exactly", Nat sighed, "you need to find safety, Miss Ross"

"Help me"

"What?", Nat whipped her gaze around to the brunette

"I've seen this before", Betty brushed aside the spy's concerns, "he's not going to stop...unless I help him calm down. He's scared...and in pain. You're his friends, right?"

The superspy gave a hesitant pause.

"Please", The Professor pleaded, her hazel eyes clouded with concern. "Help me...help him".

Love is for children, Nat would often say. Emotions often led people into danger, make dumb decisions that often endangered their lives and even the lives of people all around them. Before now, Natasha would've dismissed the Professor as a woman simply blinded by irrational feelings for her former paramour.

Before now, anyways.

Guess Tennyson's not the only one with bad ideas today, Natasha shook her head in disbelief

"I suppose you've got plan, Doc?"


"Target is on the move! Repeat, target is on the move!!", The panicked alert of Ross' gunmen filled the comms as they fled the wrath of the Gamma Giant.

The Hulk wasted no time in catching up to his prey, grabbing and ragdolling the unfortunate militia. Down below, the uproar continued as the University's premises were swept away in a melee of personnel and students all in disarray at the chaos that unfolded

On the Hulk's trail, Ben was somewhat glad Bruce wasn't conscious at the time. He'd never hear the end of the scientist's I told you so speech. Now however, he'd a bigger problem than just speeches: getting a hold on the raging mass of muscle that used to be Dr Banner.

Unlike before, another slugfest would make things worse. Better safe than sorry. He tapped on the Omnitrix once more.

A blast of green light later, he'd taken the form of a 200 pound colloidal suspension also known as Goop.

BEEP. The Omnitrix alerted Ben to n incoming transmission.

"Nat?", He queried, "this really isn't the time for I told you so–".

"Ben, do you have eyes on Banner?", She asked.

"–more or less".

"Good. Keep him away from the populated areas, don't engage. We've got a plan"

If he couldn't brawl with the Hulk, he could instead control his movements. Leaping atop the rooftops using his single celled mass, Ben managed to snag the Gamma beast by the leg, the sentient goo wrapping around him in a viscous grip. Confused, the Jade Giant attempted to swat away the Polymorph only for his hands to follow suit.

Temporarily imbalanced, the Hulk tripped and stumbled off the College roofs, landing hard on the pile of debris formerly known as the sidewalk. Goop was seemingly unaffected, wrapping around the Jade Giant like a glove.

"HRRNGH!!!!"

Hulk struggled and twisted, but Goop's gookinetic shapeshifting meant he could wrap around Banner and also constrict his movements. The Jade Giant roared in frustration, trying to rip off the offending Polymorph.

Ben grunted as he maintained his focus on holding down the Hulk. "Anytime now, guys!"

"Bruce!", Betty's voice caught the attention of both heroes. The brunette sprinted to the duo before slowing down, her hands motioning to the Gamma beast her unarmed state.

The Hulk seemed to cease for a moment, regarding Betty with a curious expression. His eyes seemed lost, wandering across the brunette.

Betty slowly made her way to the Green Brute, "Bruce? It's...it's me. It's Betty. You remember me, right?"

His struggling slowed down as his demeanour softened, allowing Ben more breathing room.

"It's okay, Bruce", she continued, merely a foot away from the Gamma Giant, "I'm here. You're safe. No one's going to hurt you. You don't have to be afraid anymore"

Another soft grunt came from the Hulk, his eyes never leaving the brunette. Taking a deep breath, she finally closed the gap, shakily placing both hands on each side of his massive face.

"I know you're still there Bruce. I know you're still fighting, still running away. From everyone, from me. You don't have to run...just come back."

Feeling no resistance anymore, Ben slowly relinquished his grip on the Hulk, his gelatinous form slithering

"You're safe with me...with your friends, Bruce. Just come back to us...please?"

Sedately, the Hulk relaxed into the grass, sinking down to his knees, his arms hanging limply by his sides. Slowly, his entire frame shrank, with soft crunches and groans as his body began remolding itself. The Gamma energy drained from his body, Bruce slumped to the ground.

"Bruce", Betty cradled him close, keeping him steady.

"Betty...I-Im sorry, for this".

"It's okay, sweetie", she shushed, "it's okay". Several campus security men closed in on their location, but were shooed away by the Professor.

Ben walked up to the couple, still in alien form.

"This is...not how i imagine my day would go", Betty sighed.

"Ehhh, you'll get used to it", the hero shrugged

"Just another day at the office huh?"

"You could say that...just less angry", Ben noted as Bruce stirred in her arms, slowly gaining consciousness.

"Hey, I know we just met but...I think I can trust you with him.Keep him safe, will you?", Betty pleaded, "he's...going through a lot".

Aren't we all?

Ben nodded, absently surveying the area. Banner, Steve, himself...there was a reason creatures such as them couldn't fit in even if they tried. Fates cruelest joke, the yearning to be something you can't be no matter what.


Julie shuddered against her restraints, straining against the chair she'd been strapped to by her captors. The limited visibility from the damp room didn't help her efforts either.

She huffed, blowing strands of her bangs that matted her sweaty forehead. This was definitely one of the things she didn't miss, being with Ben. Situations like this, life and death hanging in the balance.

Metallic scrapes echoed through the room as light poured in through

"Hey jackass, you can't–"

"It's okay, princess",Nat quipped as she stepped through the entrance, "Calvary's here"

"It's you...wow", Julie breathed in relief, her features frozen in awe at the redhead. Natasha already gave badass vibes the moment they met, but this...this was a whole new level.

Natasha smirked in response, "Nice to see you again...let's get you out of here, huh?"

"What happened to those guys?", Julie asked.

"Let's just say we had a...negotiation of sorts", Nat grinned as she loosened the girl's bonds.

Julie gave a tiny smile, her frayed nerves finally getting the relief they sorely needed, "I suppose you didn't negotiate with words?"

"A girl's got her ways", Nat smirked, "shall we?". Julie couldn't think it was possible but the superspy looked even more intimidating. And this was someone her ex worked with? Speaking of...

"What about Ben?"Julie asked, "I'm surprise he didn't barge in here and go full Humungosaur. I mean that's what he did the last time i got kidnapped"

Nat rolled her eyes, smirking," Trust me, he almost did. Had to convince him to let me handle it...he can be rash and difficult sometimes..."

Julie giggled,"Well that's Ben for you. And not really a lot of people can convince him otherwise"

"Tell me about it"

"But he's only that way with people he cares about", Julie added, "and he listened to you...probably means you're special to him too."

"I wouldn't go that far",Natasha snorted derisively. While not as imposing, Julie seemed to possess a rather unique intuition, her disarming smile making older woman regard her with a hint of fascination.

"It's okay, y'know?", Julie urged, knotting her fingers together on her lap "we broke up a long time ago, I'm completely fine if he's moving on with someone else"

"No idea what you're talking about", the agent dismissed, while the shorter girl eyed her over. Nat could feel the girl's stare hover over her for a few moments before she averted her gaze

Julie bit her lip, her eyes downcast,"Just...take care of him for me, okay? He's gonna be hurting somewhere, even though he doesn't show it. Doesn't want to make anyone worry about him".

True enough, Ben wore his emotions on his sleeve. But Natasha has come to notice that he hid more than he showed. His humor and laid back attitude hid his fear and apprehension while his nervousness often hid a deep longing, much like her coldness.

Natasha sighed, changing the subject. "You should probably get back to the campus, avoid further suspicion. I'll take care of the rest". Julie nodded briskly, stealing one last glance at the redhead.

"He likes you, y'know", a thin smile formed on the Asian-american's lips, "I might not be a badass, but even I can tell. A girl has her ways". Julie cocked her head sideways as she addressed the redhead, throwing a peace sign with her finger.

"Arigato!"

Bemused, Nat let out a brief chuckle, her arms folded in disbelief as she watched the younger girl depart back into the campus.

"You sure know how to pick 'em, Tennyson"

Or knew, anyways


Half an hour later, the scene was swarming with reporters, campus security and other personnel in charge of clearing the scene. The group had long since dispersed, with Betty covering their escape from the authorities.

Ben and Julie parted ways, the raven-haired girl whispering a "good luck" in his ear before slyly nodding towards Natasha. Soon, she was back on campus, embracing with her new boyfriend, the duo walking back to campus hand-in-hand.

Ben watched from afar, silently observing the couple. So that's the new guy, he thought. He seemed normal...normal enough. Just what she needed. However he tried, he couldn't deny the little ache that seemed to dwell in the pit of his stomach. Was it longing? Envy? Loss?

"You okay?", Natasha appeared by the Omnitrix wielder's side, noting the distant look in his eyes.

"Yeah...", Ben muttered, "just need to...be alone for a while"

"We have to head back to the Tower", Natasha reminded him, "we're too exposed out here, plus I have to get Doctor Banner back to safety, away from the public. Before the superhuman bulldog gets his scent"

Ben sighed, handing over his keys."Here"

"Huh?"

"You can take my car, get Dr Banner back to the Tower. I'll just go out for a bit, clear my head".

The redhead stared blankly at the keys in his hand. "You sure you're okay?"

"Hey I promised you a ride in my car didn't I?", Ben shrugged, his trademark smirk barely reaching his doleful eyes, "I'll be fine Nat, don't worry"

She softly plucked the keys from his outstretched hand, patting her other hand on his shoulder. "I've got a debrief in a few. Let's talk later, at the Tower...okay?".

Ben nodded, sirens still blaring in the distance as the cool night air surrounded them both. Stuffing his hands in his jacket, he turned to leave before the redhead stopped him again.

"Here..", she pressed another set of keys into his hand. If it's one thing she understood, it was the need for solitude.

"Wait is this–", Ben's gaze flitted back to the redhead as she smirked.

"Well since I'm taking the car, my bike needs babysitting. And with Ross' goons all over the place, I can't just leave it anywhere", She pointed to her parking spot, located a few meters away.

"Keep her safe will ya, hero? If there's so much as a dent, it's your ass, Tennyson"

"You do know I can just fly, right?", Ben quizzed, raising an eyebrow.

"So you don't want it?", She raised an eyebrow petulantly.

"Hey I never said that..",Ben relented as he pocketed the keys to her bike. Natasha's bike was the closest thing to her personal Holy Grail, the redhead never allowing anyone near it. Not even Ben, after he'd totalled the Tenn-Cycle 2.0. Putting her baby in his hands felt like Kevin putting his car in Ben's hands, which in retrospect made the redhead and the juvenile more alike than he thought.

"Don't take too long", she reminded him.

He rolled his eyes, "Hello, can a hero get a minute without needing a babysitter?"

"Well then, see you in a minute, hero"

Ben gave a half salute as he watched her saunter away, sparing a moment to look back at him. If he were more attentive, he would've noticed the hint of concern in her gaze.

His gaze drifted to the city's skyline, heavy clouds swarming the pitch black night. The air felt colder too, a sign of an incoming rainstorm. Ben pulled his jacket closer, bracing the chilling winds that swept through the atmosphere.


Natasha's arms remained folded as she stood stoically in front of the monitor, Fury's grim visage popping up on her feed within moments.

"I've got a fire under my ass for the past hour, Romanov", said the Director, "what the hell happened at Culver?"

She winced, the events replaying back in her mind. "We...had a bit of a complication"

"That's one way to put it", Fury retorted, "Ross' been gunning for you guys like a bloodhound. Said something about keeping my "freakshow" away from his family. Not to mention multiple sightings of another Hulk Rampage. Last I checked you promised everything was under control"

Natasha bristled, taking a deep breath before responding, "Well I'm not in charge of Banner, sir"

"You're in charge of the team, Romanov", Fury corrected, "which includes Banner. And yes, I know Tennyson was on the news as well. At the very least he didn't screw it up worse than it's already been screwed up. Was this all part of his shenanigans? Is the situation compromised?"

"No, it's not"

"So you mean to say this was some kind of isolated incident?"

"I'm afraid so, sir", Nat lied, maintaining her composure even as she addressed her boss. Before now she'd consider it hilarious, covering up for her asset. But Ben wasn't just her asset, was he?

"I...we needed Banners old notes", she continued, "apparently they were still somewhere in the University's systems...did didn't want any sleeper agents or rogue cells getting a hold of those. Recruited Banner and Tennyson as part of the operation, it got a little out of hand".

Wordlessly, Fury regarded her with his critical eye. Widows were nothing if not elite manipulators. But if he didn't trust his own left hand, he wouldn't be where he was.

"Well it's not a complete clusterfuck, all things considered. And those notes could've done some serious damage in the wrong hands", Nick huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose

"I've still got the Council on my ass about the Initiative...like sharks in the water. They sense blood, they come circling. Keep your team on a tight lease, Romanov. I'm counting on you"

"Understood, sir"

"Anything else to report"

"Nothing, sir", she replied coolly. He regarded her with one last critical look before cutting the transmission with a gruff "Dismissed".

She let out a sigh as the blank screen met her gaze, the static noise her only companion in the room. Natasha has effectively just lied to her superior to cover for her asset. She chuckled to herself, imagining what her from a year ago would think, the incredulous look on past her's face.

Past Natasha didn't have a voice anyways, at least not now.


An hour later, she made her way to the Penthouse, through the hallways into the living area.

"Oh hey...you're here", Ben's voice greeted her as she stepped through the doors, a slight unfamiliar gruffness to his voice.

To her surprise, the Omnitrix wielder was seated on the floor, reclining against the sofa. In his hand was a half-finished wine bottle, apparently his first of the night as he seemed to be making a little headway, judging by the other bottles that littered the bar he'd previously raided.

"What?", He asked the redhead, as she stared at him in surprise.

"Is that...alcohol ?"

"Ya don't say...", Ben held up the bottle lethargically, "it's fine, I'm sure everything's already paid for"

"I don't think you're old enough to drink", she eyed the teen surreptitiously.

A wet chuckle escaped his lips, "Yeah well, I'm just a year away...give me a break. And what are you gonna do? Arrest me?"

"I take it you're not interested in having that talk?"

"We're talking now...", He held up the bottle, "I dunno if it's just me, or is the Omnitrix killing my buzz? Stupid...stupid Azmuth. He's no fun..."

"Y'know...this isn't a good look for you, Ben"

"If it helps, I've looked worse...on the news", he pointed at the TV screen in the middle of the room. It wasn't turned on, but the implication was there.

"Whatever this is about..."

"It's not about anything, Nat", he snapped, "can't a guy just have a decent drink?"

He relented, cursing under his breath, " Doesn't even matter anyways, Tony's stashed away all the good stuff..."

Natasha placed her hands on her hips, regarding the teen sympathetically before making her way out of the living room. If he didn't feel it before, he could feel the hollowness in her absence.

Moments later she returned with a rather costly-looking bottle of Russo-Baltique. Surprised, the Omnitrix wielder looked up at her, eyes clouded in disbelief. She gave a noncommittal shrug.

"Hey, if you're gonna drink, might as well get the good stuff"

"How..how'd you.."

"Tony's not very good with stashing his fancy stuff", she motioned for him to scooch over before taking a seat next to him, "shall we?"

"Lemme just say...that this is a bad idea"

She grinned cheekily, "I guess you're just full of 'em today, aren't you?"


An hour later saw the two comfortably chatting away, having gone as far as half the bottle. It didn't take long for her to realize Ben was an absolute lightweight, a fact she found both comical and adorable.

Their conversation carried them through the evening, while dwelling on nothing in particular they did swap stories of their past. Ben regaled her with stories from his childhood, specifically the summer. Finding the Omnitrix, the bizarre misadventures that followed, Grandpa Max's weird palette for alien cuisine. Blowing up Mount Rushmore and accidentally discovering the Fountain of Youth were amongst her favorite.

She talked about her missions, her early life before everything, even stories about other operations she'd undergone with Clint. While she'd hesitated to go too deep into details, he still listened to her regale the best portions of her daring escapes and raids on terrorist bases, gleaning every detail with an awe-filled look on his face.

Nat's enhanced biology kept her from being buzzed, Ben on the other hand could barely maintain his focus, opting to rest his head on her shoulder. She stiffened at first, before relaxing into a new posture, his wavy brown curls barely tickling her neck.

"I wanted to, you know?", Ben muttered, barely a whisper.

"Wanted what?"

"Leave the hero gig and just...just go to college. Maybe have a normal life. Normal girlfriend"

"–why?"

He shrugged slightly, " Dunno. When the new heroes started showing up, I saw it as a good time to give up the watch...maybe have a normal life again"

"Why didn't you?", Natasha asked.

"The Dagon thing happened", Ben explained, waving his hands as he tried to explain, "this crazy...dimensional demon-thing turned everyone on earth into his crazy minions , probably even you. And then Azmuth gave me this..."

He lifted his Omnitrix arm to eye level, allowing the redhead to observe the device up close, "...which only meant new responsibilities. Maximum hero time, zero downtime"

And here she thought she knew all there was to the shapeshifter. Nat watched him take another swig before asking, "And you couldn't just refuse it?",

Ben silently hook his head, signalling the opposite.

"Couldn't or wouldn't?", she attempted to clarify.

"After the whole thing with the Dagon, I realized: there are threats out the there, stuff that I had to handle alone My Grandpa always told me that being a hero is about knowing you did the right thing, even if others didn't know. Or care ".

His gaze was downcast as he continued, "I told Julie and we had a fight. Two weeks later we mutually decided to break it off"

Outside, a light drizzle had begun to blanket the city, the scattered showers forming droplets that cascaded across the see-through glass windows of the penthouse.

"You know, it's funny...how it was also raining this hard when we broke up", he chucked again, swirling the bottle, "It's also funny, sometimes...being alien feels more natural than being me"

She inhaled sharply, Ben exhaled.

"Sometimes I had to feel normal. She kinda made me feel that...that it's okay for me to have something normal in my life. Guess I was wrong..."

Another mirthless chuckle escaped his lips as he took another swig, grimacing at the taste before he pointed idly at the large glass windows.

"Maybe...maybe this is the universe twisted way of mocking me for losing the only one thing, that gave my life a sense of normality"

He smiled bitterly,"..and for thinking that it would last"

A heavy silence blanketed the living room, the searing weight of longing finally crashing down on the both of them. Longing for lives unlived, two souls adrift atop the sea of forlorn loneliness.

"Sorry about that..", Ben downed another shot, "guess I just can't shut up sometimes. You're probably thinking I'm just being obnoxious"

"Why would I think that?" She asked, causing him to fall silent.

"I dunno...", Ben shrugged, "you're always this cool, mysterious badass. Plus you're super gorgeous anyways, you probably never had to worry about all this stuff like I did"

She scoffed, "You'd be surprised, hero"

He winced, "Sorry, that came out wrong..."

It seems obvious at first, Natasha had always seemed so absorbed in her work, a cold demeanour that radiated through her piercing gaze; it was hard to imagine her being a hopeless romantic at heart. Her spy instincts had buried those feelings long ago, a necessary measure to surviving in her world.

Spies don't fall in love

Those same feelings came rushing back up, like a drowning man coming up for air. Her spy instincts were urging–yelling even– to stop. Reminding her she was his handler, nothing more. To simply get up and leave, patch up all the holes in her walled up emotions that had slowly been wearing down into rubble over the past few months.

But she couldn't, because she knew. Knew they were no longer just handler and asset. Somewhere down the line, the lines had blurred into he background, becoming the murky mess that was her emotions.

"Remember when we first met?", Sensing her inner turmoil, Ben switched up the topic of the conversation.

Natasha raised an eyebrow as her lips twisted in a small smirk, "Undertown, Bellwood. We were in a smoothie shop"

"And you kicked a whole buncha alien ass",Ben added, "And I almost flattened the entire town...heh, memories" She regarded him as he chuckled in fond remembrance. Ben tended to bemuse her at best, and annoy her at worst, but there was something there... something in stark contrast to his childish demeanour and cheeky humour. Beneath his bravado and sarcasm, he took things seriously, and took them hard too, harder than most.

He's gonna be hurting somewhere, even though he doesn't show it. Regardless , he always wore his heart on his sleeve, using his emotions as a support rope dangling above the abyss of melancholy. Her polar opposite in the spectrum, she'd simply shut down to the world around her, keeping all emotions at bay.

Ben stared up at her, his cheeks flushed and hair tussled up in the most adorable of ways, his emerald eyes alight with the deepest of longings. She instinctively averted her gaze, her inner agent reprimanding herself for being compromised by her own budding emotions.

What was she doing? Acting like a lovesick schoolgirl?

"Hey Nat," he started, tripping over his words as he sat up slightly, bringing them face to face. "Thanks for listening, it really means a lot being here with me. I know I don't always make your job easy but...you're not just my handler. You're more than that to me. Always have been"

Unable to help herself, she leaned forward, pressing her lips against his. The bottle in his hand clattered to the ground, it's expensive contents spilling over the floor. She paid the bottle only a passing heed, leaning forward to deepen the kiss before she knew what she was doing, relishing in the small fact the he didn't pull away.

Her spy instincts had been fully shut off, and in their place the instincts that didn't think but acted took over the reins. The agent part of her wouldn't have believed what she was doing, but here she was, kissing Ben Tennyson.

Ben stiffened in surprise at first, his eyes widening slightly before he leaned into the kiss, numb to everything else except the redhead's soft lips on his. He reached up with his Omnitrix hand to cup her face, pulling her closer while her fingers idly glided over the alien metal of the faceplate.

Ben's eyes were half-lidded when she slowly broke the kiss, staring into her blue eyes warm with desire. They both panted slightly, out of breath and at a loss for words at what had just transpired between them.

"I...", He breathed, the air hazy with the mixture of their alcohol laden breaths and her unmistakable lavender scent.

She didn't give him a chance to say anything, capturing his lips again in a more passionate kiss. If he'd opened his mouth to speak, the professional spy in her would take over, declaring what had just happened was a mistake, marching out the door without another word.

That would've been the sensible thing to do; end things before they began.

But she knew it was already too late. The dam had burst and the both of them drowned in a whirlpool of desire. The duo flung themselves at each other, months of longing, yearning and pent up emotions bubbling to the surface. The spark of attraction has blossomed into a raging inferno that threatened to consume them completely.

Before they knew what was happening, Natasha had turned them both, ending up under his toned frame with her legs wrapped tightly around Ben's torso, multiple items of clothing being hastily discarded as the simple kiss had moved into heavy make-out territory. Then, there were tongues involved. Neither wanted to stop, hands flying in multiple directions all at once, feeling, caressing, groping. It had all happened so fast, and still it was escalating, feverish and forbidden in nature.

She could blame anything; the alcohol, the pent-up stress, or the fact that they were just both adults in heat. None of that seemed to matter as she moaned softly, his lips on her neck, the feel of her bare skin gliding with his.

It seemed they were both full of bad ideas after all.

The morning would come, with all the consequences it held. But tonight was just about them. A night of passion, a new flame ignited


END


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A:N

Well, that just happened. I would apologize about delays, but now you know why, so...till next time.