A/N: Thanks for your feedback, its greatly appreciated and welcome!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Chapter 16: Snowy
Bruce POV
I was working in the lab with Tony on a new suit. He had built so many of these suits that he didn't even have to refer to his notebook for the dimensions. When Tony would get nervous, he would turn up the classic rock, build things, and avoid sleeping. In the past week, Tony had disassembled, and rebuilt his Mark VII suit at least six times. I had suggested that maybe, instead of taking apart his other suit, he should build a new one. He had agreed, and called it 'Male Bonding Time', immediately enlisting my help on it.
I couldn't blame him for his nervousness, the guy was getting married in less than thirty days. Last week, all of us guys had gone behind Tony's back, and planned a bachelor party. Clint had hired an 'exotic dancer'. I had shook my head at the idea, and reluctantly agreed to chip in on a half keg with Phil. Natasha told me that she and the ladies were taking Pepper out to have a surprise bachelorette party, and was just as reluctant to go as I was.
It was December fourth, Natasha was nearing the end of the first trimester, and I was starting to get anxious because she was just starting to show, and this was around the same time she had miscarried in the past. My hands were always shaking, and it was becoming obvious as I worked.
"Hey Bruce? Do you need to talk? Man to man?"
I smirked at Tony.
"Nope. I'll be okay. Are you okay? You seem to be getting as nervous as I am."
Tony sighed and asked me,
"Have you ever been so nervous that something was going to go wrong that you could've sworn there was electricity coursing through your veins, and that your guts were twisting into knots?"
I nodded.
"How do you think I feel knowing that there's an unknown chance that Natasha may miscarry again and, if she doesn't, an even scarier chance that the kid will be like me? The suspense is enough to make me lose control."
Tony nodded and said,
"I can only imagine how Natasha is feeling. She's probably just as nervous as you are."
I nodded. Natasha's hormones had calmed down, but she had started eating more. She hadn't been training in the gym; choosing to take it easy instead by only doing shooting practices, doing yoga, and reading a bunch of books that were written in Russian. We were nearly done planning the wedding, and we only had to send invitations out to the few agents of SHIELD that we had decided to invite. It was going to be a small and cozy event. Natasha and I decided that we would spend three weeks in Bermuda in Tony's beach house (where the hell didn't he have a house?) before coming home, and getting ready for when the baby would come which would be about early June.
"Dr. Banner?", Jarvis asked, "Agent Romanoff wishes to see you in the training room."
Tony looked at me with a knowing smile and said,
"Well, your lady awaits. So go to her Bruce. Sweep her away."
I said,
"Thanks, and I will.", before leaving.
I went into the training room and found a note that read:
Bruce,
I'm in the dance studio, down the hall, first door on your right.
See you soon.
Love,
Natasha.
P.S.: You may want to try these on for size.
I noticed a shoebox under the bench where the note was, and I opened it to find a pair of black and white Converse sneakers. I took off my Sperry's, and slipped on the Converse. I walked around in them as I folded up Natasha's note, and slid it into the inside pocket of my blazer, and walked out of the training room to the dance studio.
Hmm these are comfy…I wonder what she has in mind?
The room was dimly lit with two walls made of mirrors, a sleek black upright piano in the corner with a vase full of lavender roses sitting on top of it. There were speakers placed around the room and lightweight curtains hung from the windows.
I looked up, and saw Natasha standing there in a pale blue dress with dark blue flats. She had a funny smile on her face as she walked towards me and said,
"You seem a bit shaky, Dr. Banner."
She moved silently across the hardwood floor. I found my voice and said,
"Uh…Wow. Natasha. You didn't have to do all this."
She shushed me as she placed a finger over my lips. Soft music began to play in the background, and she pulled me into a slow kiss. She ran her hand through my curls, and I pulled her into me by placing my hand gently onto the small of her back.
We broke the kiss and danced together; not an inch of space between our bodies. I pressed my cheek up against hers and murmured as I dipped her,
"Natasha, I love you."
She kissed my cheek and whispered back,
"I love you too."
The light came in through the windows, casting shadows along the floor as the snow fell outside. We were in our own little world, our Heaven.
Natasha murmured softly,
"Bruce, how would you like to adopt a puppy?"
My eyes shot open, and a grin broke across my face.
I had a dog named Felix when I was a kid until I was about seven, when we had to put him down because he was old. I missed Felix, but figured that he was in a better place.
"I would love to adopt a puppy. Let's just ask the landlord first."
She nodded and said,
"Jarvis? Ask Tony how he feels about Bruce and I adopting a puppy. It'll be our responsibility."
"Will that be all, Agent Romanoff?"
"Yes."
"Agent Romanoff? Mr. Stark is all for letting you two adopt a puppy."
Natasha jumped up and down, a huge smile on her face, forgetting about dancing altogether as she said, "Bruce! Let's get dressed for the weather and go!", before running to get bundled up for the snow. I ran to do the same, and we were rolling out of the garage in no time.
"You know, I had a puppy once, it was a stray but I had to kill it or I would have been killed. Again, I didn't cry, but I was very sad.", she said as we were driving along.
"I had a dog named Felix when I was a kid, but we had to put him down when I was eight. He was old and sick, I missed him then, and I miss him now."
"I called my dog Vrach, which is Russian for 'Doctor'. I found him on my first mission when I had to kill a local doctor who had betrayed the Red Room. After I had done my job, I came outside and there he was, sitting there in the snow outside of the clinic. He followed me home, and that's where he stayed for a year before I had to kill him for my own safety."
The snow started to fall harder as we came upon the local animal shelter and went inside. It was free to adopt a pet, but we had brought one of Stark's credit cards, so we could buy the necessities for our dog.
We were led back to the kennels, and began to search.
"Well, Natasha, we'll have to get a dog that is medium sized, and this means I'll have to keep a closer eye on my temper from now on. I don't want to scare the dog."
Natasha nodded.
"We can soundproof the Hulk containment unit better so that the roars don't frighten the poor thing."
I nodded. I had seen the footage of the Hulk in action, and even his roars scared me shitless. I didn't want to think about how scared an innocent puppy could become if I turned into the Hulk around it.
Natasha grabbed my bicep, and pointed at a puppy. It was a cream colored golden retriever.
"That one!", she leaned down, and pushed a finger through the chain link fence that separated us from the little yipping puppy. It started to lick her finger, and Natasha cooed something in Russian. I knelt down, and slipped two fingers through the fence, and smiled as the puppy licked them.
"Hey, can I help you folks out?", an employee asked, walking over to us.
Natasha stood up, and asked the man if we could take the puppy out and see how it behaved.
I sat cross legged on the floor as the man opened up the cage. The puppy bounded right into my arms, and began to lick my face. Natasha knelt down, and the puppy started to play with the fringe on the edge of her scarf. I looked up at the employee, and asked what the gender was and if it had a name.
"She's a female, ten weeks old, has all her shots. If you bring her back in a month, we can get her fixed. We just got her last week so I don't think she's been given a name yet."
Natasha looked up, and scooped the puppy up in her arms, where it stilled, but still yipped with excitement.
"We'd like to adopt her.", I said, getting up to pet the puppy.
We filled out the paperwork and left. It was like a blizzard had hit, snow was blowing hard, and I pulled Natasha close as we walked to her car. She was holding the puppy inside her jacket, but just enough so that it's head stuck out.
When we got into her car, I asked her,
"What are we gonna name her?"
She shrugged and said,
"I don't know, Snowy maybe."
All of a sudden the puppy silenced itself, and put a paw on Natasha's leg.
Weird.
"Snowy?" I said, and the puppy bounded over the center console to me, and placed a paw on my leg.
I looked at Natasha, and we nodded in unison.
"Snowy it is."
Natasha POV
We bought the necessities for Snowy, and returned to the tower. I had already puppy proofed the 'apartment' that Bruce and I shared. We rode up to the living level as Snowy raced around our feet. Bruce knelt down, and scratched her behind her ear. He gazed up at me and stood.
"She's cute.", he said with a smile as Snowy sat on his foot. He looked at me with his deep brown eyes, the same curl of brown hair fell onto his forehead, and he kissed me slowly.
I sighed as he brushed a stray lock of hair off my face, and placed a hand on my abdomen.
"I have a feeling that this will turn out right.", he said, looking down at what could barely be considered a baby bump.
I smiled as Snowy sat on my foot now, yipping at the two of us.
"Yeah, everything will turn out just fine."
The elevator doors slid open as Snowy went racing out, and into the living area. She promptly jumped up on the sofa and began barking at Loki, who stroked her behind her ear.
"This is an adorable canine you have adopted. What is her name?", Loki asked, noting her pink collar.
"Snowy.", Bruce and I replied at the same time, causing her ears to perk up.
"Ah," Loki said, "It suits her well."
Just then, Beth and Steve came walking in together.
"Hey guys.", Steve greeted,
"And who is this little cutie pie?", Beth asked, petting Snowy.
We introduced Snowy to all the tower's inhabitants, and it was quite obvious that our new four legged companion would be spoiled rotten. Everyone loved her, even Fury, who smiled when Snowy chomped down on the hem of his trench coat, and wouldn't let go.
We put down a bunch of newspapers, and placed her dog bed in a corner of our room.
Night soon fell, and I gazed out the balcony door from our apartment. Snowy was worn out, and had gone straight to her dog bed for some sleep. Bruce had dimmed the lights, and there was soft holiday music playing in the background. I watched the snow fall at a gentle pace and sighed.
A pair of warm hands found their way to my shoulders, and began to give me a neck massage.
I grinned as Bruce murmured in my ear slowly and seductively,
"So, Agent Romanoff, how does it feel to be alone at last?"
I gasped as he pressed his lips into the sensitive part of my neck, sliding my silky bathrobe off my shoulders.
"It feels quite nice, Dr. Banner."
I turned around, and unbuttoned his shirt, giving him the bedroom eyes.
"Natasha…", he began, but I shushed him with a passionate kiss as he shrugged his shirt off, and removed his glasses.
My nightgown and underwear were soon tossed aside, his khakis and briefs following close behind.
"Natasha..", he growled between searing kisses, "God you are so beautiful."
He pushed me onto the bed, and I gasped.
"Bruce!"
His brown eyes found my green ones in the dim lighting.
"Yes?"
"Promise me that you'll never leave me."
He lowered his forehead to mine and cupped my face, "Why would I ever leave you? You're my whole world, I would never leave you.", he said lovingly. "I love you Natasha, I always will."
"I love you too Bruce."
A/N: How was that? Leave me reviews!
