A/N: I can't begin to thank you all for reading and reviewing! This is a long chapter, I hope it makes up for my lack of updating. I'll be updating less because of sports tryouts for my school starting in two weeks, so I ask for your patience. Adult content at the end, it's not too descriptive, but it's enough for me to throw in a warning.
Disclaimer: I don't own a thing.
Chapter 19: Bruce's Birthday
Bruce POV
"Bruce!", Natasha called out to me from the bedroom as I was flossing my teeth.
"Yes?"
"Tony's on the phone, he wants to talk to you."
"I'll only be a minute!"
Tony and Pepper were almost finished with their month and a half long honeymoon (Pepper had fallen in love with Rio and had asked Tony to extend their honeymoon an extra two weeks).
Tony's absence had its ups and downs. It was lonely in the lab without him there to keep me company and I missed having someone to talk to about science.
On the upside, I hadn't heard the phrases: 'Fire in the hole!', 'Duck and cover!', and 'Grab the extinguisher!' in almost six weeks. My lab coat hadn't been set on fire either, so that was great.
I took the phone from Natasha.
"Hey Tony, how's the honeymoon?"
"It's excellent Bruce! You and Natasha would love it here, but you've already decided on going to Bermuda. Anyways, I called to ask you what you want for your birthday, I read your file and your birthday is in two days. I didn't know you were born on Valentine's Day?! So what do you want? A car? Lab coats? Piano? You name it, I'll buy it."
"Well… I haven't had a vehicle since…well, before my accident.", I paced to the sofa sat down on it, Snowy came running over to sit next to me and I scratched her behind her ear. I smiled as she licked my hand.
"Tell you what, you tell me what vehicle you want, I get it for you and then Pepper wants to surprise you with something….unless you'd rather know now?"
"Sure, I'm not too fond of surprises."
"Okay then. Pepper is sending you and Natasha on a Valentine's Day getaway to our lodge in Vermont. What type of car do you want?"
"Wow Vermont? It sounds-"
"Romantic? Relaxing? Cozy? That's what Pepper had in mind.", Tony cut me off.
"It sounds very romantic, relaxing, cozy, and…It sounds like the best birthday gift I've ever had. I think Natasha will like that and I know that I'll enjoy the time to relax."
"Great! What car did you want? Ferrari? Bugatti? Aston Martin?"
I glanced at Natasha who was laying on the bed and reading the book 'What To Expect When You're Expecting'. She was so beautiful, and I watched as she twirled a strand of her red hair around her finger and bit her lip absentmindedly.
I thought of my dream to live in the suburbs with her, raise a few kids, and start a family. If that was going to become a reality, we would need a bigger car than Natasha's Camaro. I didn't need a fancy sports car, but we would need a family vehicle that was big enough for at least four people and one that had room for a pet carrier.
"Natasha?"
She looked up from her reading, brows raised.
"How do you feel about getting a family vehicle?"
She broke into a wide grin and nodded.
"Is Tony buying you one?"
"Yeah. Any requests?"
"Ooh, what about that GMC Acadia? We both liked that one and it'll have plenty of room for when the baby comes."
I grinned.
"As long as I can get it in a dark purple."
She smiled and said,
"Of course, it's your car."
Tony replied from the other end of the line,
"You don't need to say a word, I heard it all. One dark purple GMC Acadia with all the bells and whistles coming right up. I wonder what Natasha is getting you for your birthday… any ideas?"
I could almost picture Tony wiggling his eyebrows and giving me this look that says 'I know you're going to get laid'.
"Really Tony?"
"What? It was an honest question!"
"I have a few ideas. Now I'm pretty tired, so I'd like to thank you for the gifts, and now I'd like to get some sleep."
"No problem Bruce, I'll send a company car to pick you two up for your getaway. You leave on Valentine's Day morning, just as my jet lands at LaGuardia. Send my best to Natasha."
"Bye.", I said and ended the call.
"So what's new with the Starks?"
"Oh they're happy as can be in Rio. Um, Natasha, how do you feel about spending Valentine's day with me in a cozy lodge in Vermont?"
Natasha smiled and kissed me as I slid into bed next to her.
"As long as we can bring Snowy. It won't be a deal-breaker if she can't come, but I will be a little miffed."
Snowy heard her name and bounded up onto our bed, curling up at our feet.
I smiled and said,
Of course we can bring Snowy. Tony didn't say that we couldn't, but just to be sure, I'll text him tomorrow."
"Okay, I- ooh", Natasha's hand flew to her abdomen and she said, "The little one has never kicked me that hard before. Maybe you can feel it now…Here," she placed my hand on her bump, "Do you feel it?"
I felt a kick to my hand and then I murmured in amazement,
"Natasha, I- I felt it… it, the baby, kicked me."
"Well I'm only about sixteen weeks along, so that works out fairly well."
I was still amazed at the tiny miracle that was growing inside of her, how it had mustered the strength to move. It's like the baby somehow knew that I had been waiting for this moment since the day Natasha had come to me in the lab and told me she was pregnant again.
I smiled and kissed Natasha.
"Bruce? Are you going to be okay?"
I nodded.
"I don't think I have ever been happier in my life.", I said as I fell back against the pillows.
Natasha put her head on my chest and I could tell that she was listening to my heartbeat.
"Why do you always do that?", I asked.
"Do what?"
"Listen to my heartbeat."
She planted a kiss on my cheek and replied,
"It's calming to me."
"Oh." , I stroked her hair as she laid her head back down on my chest and closed her eyes.
"Why do you always stroke my hair?", she asked softly.
I switched off the bedside lamp and replied,
"It's calming to me."
She yawned.
"Goodnight Bruce. I love you."
"Goodnight Natasha. I love you too."
"Bruce?"
I opened my eyes and found myself at one end of a long hallway with an unmarked door at the other end.
"Natasha?"
"Bruce? Where are you, especially now that I need you more than ever?", Natasha's voice seemed to echo around the hall.
I began to run down the hall but the door never got any closer. I suddenly found myself in a hospital room, doctors and nurses hurried around me and crowded around the bed.
I pushed my way to the bed and saw Natasha laying there. She was pale, suffering from blood loss, tired, and in a great deal of pain. She was obviously in hard labor and when she saw me, she grabbed my hand and squeezed. She was getting weaker and I could tell that if the baby wasn't born soon, I could risk losing both of them.
The doctors were urging her to push, telling her that it was almost over and that now was not the time to rest.
"Come on Natasha, push, you can do it.", I urged as I wiped the sweat off of her forehead.
"Bruce…It hurts really bad…I don't think I can do this…I'm so tired…", she said in a weary voice.
"No…Natasha, you have to be strong, please.", I pleaded with her. I couldn't lose her, not like this.
Her grip on my hand was slackening, her hand going limp in mine. Her heart monitor started beeping faster. This wasn't a good sign.
"Bruce…I want to…to rest a while…", she whispered hoarsely.
The doctors and nurses around me started to say things like, 'Her blood pressure is dropping.', 'She's giving up.', and 'Get her husband out of here…'.
Someone put a hand on my shoulder,
"Dr. Banner? You have to leave the room."
"No!", I insisted, "I'm not leaving her side!"
I gazed down at Natasha as she mustered what little strength she had left in her and gave a final push, delivering the baby, and falling back on the pillows.
She smiled faintly as she heard our newborn child's cries and I smiled too. Our child was alive and okay. Natasha coughed and I turned my attention back to her. She was fading fast, the color was draining from her already pale face.
"Bruce…I love….", Her hand slipped away from mine and her eyelids closed.
"No… Natasha, please, please…", I shook my head, blinking away tears, and watched in desperation as she flatlined, "…don't leave me…"
"Dr. Banner?"
The nurses began to use a defibrillator on Natasha and I watched as she remained in a limp state.
"CLEAR!"
Her body jolted with the shock and fell limp.
"Please come back to me…"
"Dr. Banner, we're so sorry…"
"CLEAR!"
I fell to my knees and looked up, wondering what I did wrong to deserve this pure and unadulterated form of hell. I wouldn't let the doctors say that she was dead… there is no way she could be, she was too strong to just be gone like that.
"CLEAR!"
The steady tone of the heart monitor continued.
"Dr. Banner, Natasha is dead."
I jolted up out of bed with a yell and placed my head in my hands.
The Hulk was fighting me for control and if I hadn't woken up when I did, I would probably need to get to the unit.
Natasha woke with a start, sat up, and embraced me.
"Bruce! What's wrong?"
I had to calm down, it was just a nightmare. Just a horrible nightmare.
"Was it a nightmare?", she asked and rubbed my back.
I nodded.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"It was so vivid and you…", I trailed off, the images of her lifeless body still fresh in my mind's eye.
Natasha ran a hand through my hair as she laid my head in her lap.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"Thanks."
She continued to stroke my hair as I steadied my breathing.
"I'm afraid too.", she murmured.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm afraid that something will go wrong with the baby, that I won't be able to give you the family you always wanted."
I sat up and placed my hand on her abdomen, feeling our child shift inside her and I said,
"Nothing will happen, we're doing everything right. Dr. H says the baby is healthy, no traces of radiation in the amniotic fluid, and that, in four months, we'll be parents."
I felt like I was reassuring myself that everything was okay. The Hulk seemed to quiet down a little as I took another deep breath.
"It is February 13th, in a little more than a month, I will take you as my wife. I remember the promise I made to you in Hawaii, to always be by your side. I remember what happened in Calcutta, how I fell in love with you in that split second it took for me to see what you would do if I scared you."
I thought back to the one fragment of memory from the Helicarrier incident; her swearing on her life.
"I remember when I was in the middle of my transformation on the Helicarrier, you swore on your life that I would be okay, that I would walk away. I walked away from the idea that I didn't have a reason to live, but there are three things I will never walk away from.", I softly pressed my lips to hers, "I will never walk away from my friends, our child, or you.", I said as I looked into her eyes.
She laid down again and I faced her in the dark as she whispered, "I love you."
I pulled the comforter up to cover us and she kissed my nose
That was all I needed to be able to sleep soundly.
Natasha POV
The next day was spent packing and then Steve gathered all of the ladies together to sketch a portrait that he wanted to call 'The Ladies of Avenger's Tower'. So I sat with Jane, Maria, Serena, Darcy, and Beth while Steve sketched the rough outline that he would use for his oil painting (Pepper would be drawn in separately).
"So, what are you doing for Valentine's Day?", Darcy asked.
"Bruce and I are going to the Stark's lodge in Vermont for the weekend.", I replied.
"Wow, that's awesome!", Beth said.
"Yeah, it's Bruce's birthday present from Pepper.", I said.
Serena gasped.
"I didn't know tomorrow was Bruce's birthday! We should do something tonight! I'll get Clint and we'll go to the mall after we're done here."
Jane nodded and asked,
"What does Bruce want?"
"Lab coats, Tony is always setting his on fire."
"Thank God,", Jane said, "I thought I was the only one that got their stuff ruined by him."
Maria laughed.
"No, you're not the only one. Tony hacked into my computer and changed my desktop photo from the wedding photo of Phil and I to a photo of a drunken Phil hanging off of Steve when they went out for Tony's bachelor party."
We all had a good laugh at that and Steve scowled.
"Would you all please stop moving around?!"
Darcy shot off a snappy salute, "Yes sir, Mr. Captain America!", and we all burst out laughing again.
I was a bit upset when Pepper called up and explained to Bruce and I that she had some irreplaceable oriental rugs and artwork at the lodge and that Snowy wouldn't be able to come with us. Loki and Darcy had agreed to watch Snowy for the weekend. I went to the dance studio with Bruce later that day and we decided on what to play as our first dance as Dr. and Mrs. Banner.
We had chosen a song called 'A Love That Will Last' by Renee Olstead, Bruce had heard the song when he was helping Pepper and Tony find a song to use as their first dance. He had suggested it and when I listened to it, I loved it and we decided it was the one to use.
"Natasha?", he asked as he spun me around.
"Yes?"
"What do you want to do this weekend when we're at the lodge? We can't go skiing or anything…well you can't and I'm not going to do it alone.", he said with a smile.
"I don't know, but…" I fixed him with a seductive gaze as I leaned in and whispered, "I do know that tomorrow is your birthday…"
"Why yes it is….", I felt him smile against my lips.
"What do you want for your birthday?"
"Hmm….let me think… just you, Agent Romanoff."
I laughed as he tickled me.
"Ahhh! Bruce! Ohmygosh, stop!"
"Fine, Fine…", he smirked and kissed my forehead.
We danced some more and then decided to go upstairs for dinner.
When we got there, we were greeted by Thor who was carrying Liz.
"Sir Bruce! Tomorrow is your day of birth, but Lady Beth has informed me that tomorrow you will be traveling to the lodge in Vermont to spend the end of the week with Lady Natasha. So we have decided to have a small celebration tonight."
Bruce asked,
"How did you find out about my birthday being tomorrow?"
"I told the ladies when we were in that sketching session with Steve. I thought it would be nice for us to celebrate your birthday because we forgot it last year. Even though you weren't upset over it, I think we all felt really guilty for not celebrating, I know Clint and I missed it because we were in London taking care of a mark. I know I felt really bad for forgetting. This year, I wanted to make sure that we didn't forget, so we're celebrating tonight. Happy Birthday Bruce!", I said, leaning in to give him a kiss on the cheek.
Bruce smiled and thanked me as we headed over to the sofa where everyone was gathered.
"Happy Birthday!", they chorused.
We sat and Bruce opened his presents.
Thor and Jane got him a set of lab coats since Tony had a habit of setting his old coats on fire. Loki and Darcy got him a set of silver cufflinks. Steve had sketched Bruce, Snowy, and I from memory, framed the drawing, and gave it to him. Beth made dinner and baked a cake. Clint and Serena got him a box of scientific gag gifts including a shower curtain with the periodic table of elements on it. Phil and Maria got him a Swiss army knife and a book of sheet music for the piano. Fury gave him a digital watch and some science books. We decided to watch Bruce's favorite movie, 'Weird Science'.
The next day, Bruce and I said goodbye to Snowy who could've probably cared less that we were leaving because she loved all the attention that Loki and Darcy gave her.
"I still wish we could've brought her along.", I muttered as we waited in the front lobby of the tower for the company car that Tony was sending for us.
Bruce nodded as he pushed his suitcase back and forth with his foot.
"Hello Bruce!", Tony said as he walked into the lobby with Pepper on his arm. He waved an arm around and said, "Ah, it's good to be home, not that Rio wasn't any fun."
I got up with Bruce and we embraced them, welcoming them back.
Pepper held both my hands and looked at my considerably larger baby bump.
"Wow, look at you. Natasha, you're so radiant!", she grinned, "When are you due again?"
"June 24th.", I replied as I gave Tony a hug. "You're looking so much tanner, both of you.", I said and gestured between the Starks.
Tony nodded and said,
"Your ride is waiting outside, we couldn't get a company car…", He pointed out the front window and handed Bruce a set of car keys with a tag that read '#26' on it, "I hope you don't mind that we drove back from the airport in your new GMC Acadia..."
Bruce shook his head and pulled his best friend into a one-armed hug.
"Get going you two!", Tony smirked and waved us out.
"Thanks you guys!", Bruce and I yelled as we walked out.
Soon we were on our way out of the state and Bruce was very comfortable behind the wheel, not jumpy like he was whenever he drove my car.
Bruce had told me before that he didn't quite have the need for speed that I did when I was driving, so whenever he revved the engine in my car, he got a bit anxious.
We had the radio on and I was singing all the songs that I knew. Bruce smiled as I sang and I asked,
"What's so funny?"
"Oh, nothing, I'm not laughing, it's just that…", he blushed a bit and continued, "You have a beautiful singing voice."
It was my turn to blush now,
"Thanks, I always thought my voice was pitchy and off-key."
"Whoever put that thought in your mind was far from the truth.", he said honestly.
I gazed out the window at the snow-covered Vermont landscape that was flying by.
"Is that the lodge?", Bruce asked as the GPS told him to turn left to go up a winding driveway to a pretty good sized chalet style house, too small to be considered a mansion, but very expensive looking nonetheless.
I noticed the high iron fence around the property and there was a stone arch over the main gate.
We drove to the gate and it ended up being the Stark's lodge. We were let in by Jarvis so we could park and unload our bags.
When we walked in the front door, I was in awe at the high ceilings and at all the artwork.
"Wow, this place is huge!", Bruce exclaimed. "How does he afford all of this?"
"The late Mr. Stark was just as much of a genius and a successful businessman as the current Mr. Stark is. He invented a bunch of highly profitable weapons and the robots that aided in the mass production of them. When his son, Mr. Tony Stark, took over, he brought forth new inventions that became highly valuable.", Jarvis spoke from overhead.
"Thanks Jarvis.", Bruce said.
I walked upstairs to the master bedroom and thought about my 'gift' to Bruce with a smirk on my face. I knew what he wanted from me for his birthday, after all it's the same thing every man wants from his wife or girlfriend on his birthday.
When it came to making love, Bruce was gifted. It had taken some time for him to get over his fear of the Hulk taking over in a sexual situation. We had gone very slowly the first few times, aside from our very first time in Hawaii (both of us had been too wasted to care about the pace), and Bruce had gradually become more comfortable in bed. I was always patient with him and I only took over when I was sure he was okay with it.
Bruce was always so gentle with me compared to all my past experiences. It was like he was afraid of accidentally breaking me if he was rough. I liked it though. His gentle actions were always laced with the fire and passion that only he could make me feel.
I unpacked and smiled as he came into the room and did the same.
"Natasha?", he asked in a soft voice.
"Yes?"
"Why me?"
I turned and found him sitting on the edge of the bed.
"What do you mean?"
He shrugged and said,
"Well I looked in the mirror this morning and realized that I was old compared to you."
I sat down next to him.
"How so?"
"How old are you?", he asked me, even though he already knew.
"Last time I checked, I was twenty seven."
"You do realize that my aging process slowed down because of the gamma radiation… right?", he said as he took my hand in his.
"I didn't know that…", I said, honestly surprised.
"Well it did. I practically stopped aging nearly nine years ago."
"So how old are you now?"
He sighed and pulled off his glasses.
"Physically, I'm still thirty five. Mentally, I'm forty four. That's a fourteen year age difference. Doesn't that bother you at all? I'm going gray and soon I'll be getting wrinkles while you are this beautiful young woman who is so full of life and spirit."
I placed a hand on his leg and looked him in the eye.
"No. It doesn't bother me in the slightest because I don't just love you because of the way you look, I love you for what's inside you."
He lowered his head and I took his hand in mine, running my thumb over the back of his hand in a gentle caress.
"Bruce Banner, you are a smart, sensitive, and caring man. You are also stronger than you give yourself credit for. When I miscarried, I remember how you never left my side. A lesser man would've left me and put himself first. You may not see it, but you are a very handsome man. I wouldn't change a thing about you."
He smiled and said,
"Natasha, I don't know where I'd be without you."
I pulled him close and said,
"I know I would be lost."
He kissed me slowly and pushed me down onto the mattress gently, running his tongue along my lower lip. I moaned involuntarily as he kissed my neck and I knew he was smiling. I ran my hand through his soft curls and tugged gently, and smiled as he softly bit the skin at the base of my neck. That was his way of telling me he was turned on. I unbuttoned and pushed his shirt off and he stopped kissing me to take my top off.
I murmured,
"Jarvis, dim the lights."
The AI didn't say a word as the lights dimmed.
I kicked off my boots and Bruce did the same. I gasped as Bruce started grinding into my thigh. I moved my hands lower and got rid of his jeans, flipping him over as I went.
It was my turn to grind on him and he moaned my name.
I leaned down as he unhooked my bra, tossing it aside. I pulled my jeans off and the rest of our clothes followed in a rush of movement.
I bit his ear gently and purred, "Happy birthday Bruce.", before I gasped as he flipped me over and pushed his hips against mine.
"Happy Valentine's day Natasha."
A/N: Please review! Next chapter is when the guys take Bruce out to a strip club for his bachelor party and when the ladies take Natasha out for her bachelorette party! Chapter 21 will be the Spring Equinox and the wedding you all have been waiting for!
