Natasha switched on the news after her morning run. While the usual reporter was commenting on an incoming heat wave, she headed for the kitchen to prepare breakfast. She poured herself a glass of orange juice which she sipped while waiting for her bagel to finish toasting.
Liho sauntered over, rubbing her sleek fur against the Master's ankles until she took note.
"Did you eat?" Natasha gave the feline's ears a quick scratch before grabbing a can of Fancy Feast. Her phone began buzzing in her side pocket as she worked the can opener. Once Liho's breakfast was poured, she reached for the phone, unsurprised to find her boss calling.
"We have a situation," Nick began.
"I expected nothing less." Her bagel popped up and she removed it with a napkin.
Fury let her comment slide. "I received a call this morning from Thaddeus Ross."
Natasha fished around her fridge for a jar of jam and butter. "The General," she stated. His name was known around S.H.I.E.L.D., and not in a friendly sense. "He's after Banner," she assumed.
"Saw a viral video of his recent incident," Nick continued. "Ross is demanding I provide him with Dr. Banner's contact info."
Natasha knew her boss wouldn't give up Bruce so easily. He was an asset to his "dream team" of heroes.
"He wishes to schedule a confrontation."
"So he can accuse Bruce for his daughter's death?" Natasha's spread a thin layer of butter over her crisped bagel. "I wouldn't hold it against the guy. I've got a bad feeling he'll sucker Bruce into going with him."
"And I refuse," Nick swore. "Dr. Banner isn't an object for experimentation. He's one of the brightest minds this generation has to offer. The green guy is an added bonus."
"So what do we do?" Natasha suggested. "He's not ready to confront him. Especially if Betty's going to be mentioned."
"I'll do my best to keep him at bay," the Director replied. "Until then, I'll have Stark keep Banner distracted. I'd like you to help, as well. Ross will have eyes all over, and his men won't be afraid to pounce."
"I'll keep an eye on him," Natasha agreed. "Shouldn't be a problem."
"I had an idea-actually, it was Natasha's," Bruce quickly corrected himself as he made use of a touch-screen in Tony's lab. "Super elastic pants. For if any accidents happen…Just in case…" He didn't care to think about the "what if's" regarding his alter ego, but stress was unavoidable.
Tony snorted as he swigged down what remained of his 'coffee.' "I've dabbled in fashion," he commented. "More with Iron, but let's see what we can do."
"I didn't think you'd be on board with this," Bruce chuckled.
"I need side projects to prevent current work from getting boring," the inventor shrugged.
Bruce enlarged a fabric swatch he was currently inspecting. "I've been looking into four-way stretch fabrics."
"Ever think about special ordering some yoga pants?"
"I was actually hoping to create a pair that expands and shrinks with my body's changes," Bruce explained. "Even the baggiest of pants lose their integrity and they're useless when I shrink back down."
"Why not aim high and make a whole suit?" Tony suggested. He approached Bruce's monitor and exited out of the link to an online fabric store.
"I think pants will be fine for now," Bruce admitted.
"Not afraid to flaunt the big guns?" He pulled up the schematics for the Mach VIII.
Bruce chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'd feel silly wearing a catsuit when I'm normal sized."
"Looks like it's time for the Mach IX to be born." Tony pulled up statistics regarding the Hulk and had his computer calculate all measurements.
"I really don't need a suit, Tony. The other guy…he'd destroy it."
"I know," Tony agreed. "This one's gonna be for me." He enlarged a model of a pre-existing suit until it matched the Hulk's height. "What if I built something to fight you? Say worse comes to worse…" He eagerly turned to his partner.
Bruce blinked, anxious about the measures Tony was taking. He recalled the bruise he left across Natasha's cheek and knew that the team needed to be prepared for the future. The Hulk was a threat, volatile and unyielding. He'd never forgive himself if he caused any casualties. "Let me help," Bruce decided. "I can't keep interfering with your personal projects."
Tony shook his head. "This'll be fun! Never built a large-scale model before. Just promise me you'll help me test this baby out!"
He abhorred the idea, but he'd rather unleash his rage on a machine rather than a person. "I'll continue looking into those pants."
She always picked the less crowded of the two sidewalks to jog down, but today was different. Today, she chose to purposefully run up the same pavement that led to Bruce's apartment building. Tony had called to inform her that Banner was on the move. Natasha took that as her cue to go for an early evening jog in hopes of bumping into Bruce. Despite the mob of kids walking home from school, Natasha refused to switch sidewalks. She kept close to the curb and waved when a little boy recognized her. The child was quick to whip his head around when the babbling and pointing fingers of his friends distracted him.
"That's Hulk!"
"Hulk's green, stupid!"
Natasha brought her attention to her left where Bruce was making the turn onto his street.
He had his eyes glued to his phone, occasionally glancing up when he got too close to the person walking ahead of him.
Natasha charged ahead of the school children as she neared her partner. "Long day at work, big guy?"
Bruce's body stiffened as the assassin popped up at his side. "Natasha." He adjusted his glasses and stuffed his phone into a pocket. "Good to see you."
"Fancy bumping into you," she smirked. "Is your date with Stark over?"
He tiredly laughed at her remark. "I started researching elastic pants."
"Oh, yeah?"
"And Tony's started on a "Hulk-Beater" suit."
Natasha furrowed her brows. "Sounds rough."
"It will be, given it works against the other guy."
"You and Stark gonna go at it, then?" As they walked, she kept a careful eye out for any suspicious characters.
Bruce nervously rubbed his hands together. "In a remote area, yes."
"Stark's suits hold up pretty well," she hummed. "You'll be fine."
Bruce stopped as they neared his building. "Thank you, Natasha. And thanks for walking me home."
She smiled and casually shrugged. "Maybe we'll run into each other again."
"I wouldn't mind that. Run safely, Natasha," he added as he waved.
She returned the farewell signal. "Don't overwork yourself, Banner."
Bruce saw her off before fishing his keys from his pocket. He innocently entered the building and proceeded to the elevator and punched in the "3" button.
"Hold the door!" A man's voice urged as the steel doors eased shut.
Bruce lurched forward, frantically waving his arm in between the doors until they paused and re-opened. He sighed in relief and stepped back to allow the passenger in.
"Dr. Banner."
He expected to hear a "thank you" or a lighthearted joke about what a close call that was. Instead, Bruce heard his name. His eyes met with the passenger's and his keys slipped from his fingers.
"And here I was expecting you would run away," the man gruffly continued. "But you came back."
Bruce warily stepped back. "Sir," he choked out.
The man wrinkled his nose, forcing his faded blond mustache to rise with his lips. "Still weak," he grumbled, straightening his navy jacket. "It's no wonder you couldn't protect her."
Bruce's features contorted as the man's words stabbed like a knife to the gut. He fell back against a support bar and clapped a hand over his mouth.
The older man side-eyed Bruce as the twin doors opened. "Get moving, boy, I don't have all day."
Bruce sharply inhaled as he knelt to grab his keys. He should've stayed in Calcutta. "General…" he managed as he escorted his would've-been father-in-law to his apartment. Trembling fingers struggled just to get the key into the lock. The tension was thick and the added pressure of the General's unforgiving glare made it hard for Bruce to breathe. He tried to focus himself and breathe. Natasha would have urged him to do so, but her face began to blur with Betty's and the keys once again flew from his grasp. "Shit!" His fingers curled into a tight fist before punching the door.
"Banner…"
His uneven breaths escaping clenched teeth were becoming a slow wake-up call for the other guy.
"Bruce!"
But then he heard Betty's voice, and his ragged breaths became choked sobs. Bruce sank to his knees and let the side of his fists smack the floor. "I… I couldn't protect her!" he gasped. "Couldn't save her…"
General Ross knelt down to snatch the keys. He opened up the front door and stepped into Bruce's home. "You couldn't," the older man sourly retorted. "What's past is past. My daughter is dead, but you're still a big green freak."
Bruce lifted his head to find the General looming over him.
"What's S.H.I.E.L.D. offering you?" Ross prodded. "What's keeping you there?"
He struggled for words, but his mouth hung open as vowels escaped his throat.
"Monsters need to be put down," Ross scowled. "You destroyed Harlem, and you don't plan on stopping! You stay, and they use you to follow through with their dirty work!" he accused.
"And I-I go with you and I die?" he stammered. "You think I haven't tried killing myself?" His voice cracked. "I. Tried." Ross' eyes showed him no remorse. "After I became the monster, after I couldn't find a cure…" Bruce's throat constricted. "And again after I lost Betty…" He clenched his jaw as his eyes began to sting.
The General dropped to one knee and grabbed Bruce by the shirt collar. "She wasn't yours to lose," he scowled, shoving him aside. "You come let me put you out of your misery, or I take action and acquire S.H.I.E.L.D. and inject those sons of bitches with your defective DNA.
Bruce blinked back the burning tears as Ross' freshly polished shoes clicked past him. "You're the only monster here," he muttered. Whether the General heard his comment was a mystery. Bruce turned his head, and he was halfway to the elevator.
The lingering scent of nearby Chinese food had Natasha debating whether or not tonight was a take-out kind of night. There was fish in her fridge, and an ample supply of pasta back home. She jogged past the restaurant without so much as a second glance. Her Lo mein and orange chicken could wait until the weekend. Natasha slowed her pace when she felt her phone buzzing. It was Bruce. "Dr?" she calmly asked upon picking up.
"I-I'm sorry," he choked out. "I…I didn't know who else to call…"
There was pain in his voice. "Are you in your room right now?" What could trigger something in a matter of minutes was beyond her.
"Y-yes…"
"I'm on my way." Natasha booked it to his apartment, swearing under her breath. She wondered if Fury contacted him. Regardless, if he was on the verge of an episode in an occupied environment, there was bound to be trouble. Natasha took the stairs two at a time, shouting apologies at those she breezed past. "Bruce!" She found his door wide open as he sat on the couch with his face buried in his hands.
"Sorry… I'm sorry," he repeated into his hands.
"No." Natasha took a deep breath and approached the couch. "No, it's okay… What happened?"
He shook his head as his fingers crept into his curls.
"Bruce."
"I bumped into someone."
Natasha assumed this was Bruce being an overly-sensitive teddy bear. He was a child at heart with a mean, green other half. "Are they okay?" These trivial things couldn't keep setting him off…
"Not like that." He managed a laugh despite the clawing at his chest. "It was someone I used to know."
Natasha held her breath, already aware of the answer. Nick was going to have an incident of his own when he learned who tracked Bruce down.
"He's Betty's father."
She responded by gently rubbing his shoulder. "He confronted you?"
Bruce nodded, staring emptily at the floor. "He expected me to stay on the run. But I came straight back to the place his daughter and I made our home…"
"What did he say to you?"
Bruce shook his head. "It's alright, Natasha. I'll just pack my thi-"
"Bruce!" Her voice was like ice as she dropped her caring façade. "Tell me what he said to you."
He found himself cringing at Natasha's callous tone. "He mentioned S.H.I.E.L.D."
"Call Fury," she urged. "Right now." Natasha grabbed her phone and forced it into Bruce's palm.
"No…" He shook his head, eyes fearful as Natasha displayed her violent side. "Really, it's fi-"
"Ross contacted Fury," she interrupted, looking him dead in the eyes and watching the moment his pupils shrank. "He saw a clip of your most recent incident and called Fury this morning."
Bruce's mouth hung open as Natasha's words rendered him speechless. He didn't know where to begin. Fury not telling him was one thing, but Natasha not mentioning this… He straightened his posture as he readjusted his glasses. "He really does tell you everything," he mocked. "I'm going to need you to leave." Bruce's stare hardened. "Natasha." He thrust her phone back into her hand.
"Fury's protecting you, Bruce," she warned.
He raised a finger, unwilling to hear another word.
"He'll help you."
Bruce shook his head before quietly repeating for her to leave.
"We're helping you, Bruce," she urged.
He ripped the glasses from his face and threw them onto the floor. "By lying to me!" he shouted.
She swore she saw the other guy glaring back at her and she didn't dare utter another word. Pushing him over the edge now would result in a number of casualties. He would never recover… Natasha chose to obey him and quietly left, closing the door behind her. But she didn't leave him. She waited, eavesdropping on his muffled sobs.
Natasha betrayed him.
He trusted her. Bruce sucked in a breath of air and shakily exhaled after counting to four. There was no one he could trust. Bruce Banner was completely alone.
"He knows," Natasha quietly mentioned into her phone.
"You told him the truth?" Nick questioned.
She turned to the doctor's front door. "He caught on… Ross found him."
"No anger?"
Natasha took a deep breath. "So far, it's nothing to be concerned about."
"I'll get in touch with him soon," Fury promised.
"Don't… Let him be, Nick. He's been pushed too far today." And it's only going to get worse… Natasha ended the call and rested her fingertips against the black door. "I'm sorry, Bruce," she began. "I was trying to keep you safe. Looks like I failed at that…"
The quiet voice barely reached his ears, but he eyed the door from the safety of his couch.
"We're here to protect you. Even if it doesn't come off that way."
Bruce rose to his feet and watched the door as if Natasha would come bursting through any second. The air was still as he took a step forward. He breathed in, counted to four, and walked away from the door to head straight for his bedroom.