The Ultimate Fix-It Fic

10| Safe House

The ride on the Quinjet is a solemn one, quiet and contemplative.

"The news is loving you guys," Maria said over the phone. "Nobody else is. There's been no official call for Banner's arrest, but it's in the air."

Bruce was huddled on the floor of the gurney table, shaking and sweaty.

Natasha watched him cautiously, wondering where they stood. Wondering if Mexico was ever going to happen. If she was going to have to see him in a prison, likely on the Raft, somewhere out on the sea.

"The Stark Relief Foundation?" Tony asked.

"Already on the scene," Maria said. "How's the team?"

"Everyone's... we took a hit. We'll shake it off."

Maria sighed. "Well, for now, I'd stay in stealth mode, and stay away from here."

"So, run and hide?" Natasha couldn't see Tony, but she knew he was frustrated.

"Until we can find Ultron, I don't have a lot else to offer."

Tony let out a breath. "Neither do we."

Natasha sat silent, thinking about what she saw, thinking about what could've possibly made Bruce hulk out like that. She heard Clint mentioning a safe house, and her heart lifted and sank at the same time, if that were possible.

And she wondered if the Avengers were going to survive this fight.

-

It was early morning when the team trooped to the farm.

Nat stumbled inside with Clint while the others followed. She was out of her headspace, still foggy from her weird Maximoff-induced nightmare.

That is, until Lila came in running, and Natasha felt herself smile.

"Dad!" the little girl cried and leapt into her father's arms.

"Hi, sweetheart!" Clint caught his daughter and swept her up into his arms, rubbing his son's head affectionately. "Hey, buddy."

Tony glanced at them, frowning. "Those are smaller agents."

Natasha hid her smile.

"Did you bring Auntie Nat?" Lila asked, and the woman turned to grin at her.

"Why don't you hug her and find out?" Natasha broke out in a full, genuine smile as the little Barton jumped onto her as if she was a part of the family.

"Sorry for barging in on you," Steve said to a very pregnant Laura.

"Yeah, we would've called ahead, but we were busy having no idea you existed," Tony said.

Clint smiled. "Yeah, well, Fury helped me set this up when I joined." He glanced around the room. "He kept it off SHIELD's files. I'd like to keep it that way. I figure it's a good place to lay low."

Natasha went over to Laura. "How's little Natasha?" she asked, feeling her friend's belly.

Laura smiled apologetically. "She's... Nathaniel."

Natasha furrowed her brow. "Traitor." She muttered to Laura's belly.

Thor left as the toaster popped, but Natasha kept focus on her friend for now.

It's all she had.

-

Natasha was sitting on the bed, thinking. It's all she seemed to be doing today.

The door to the bathroom creaked open and Bruce came out, wiping off his front. The scientist froze. "I didn't realize you were waiting," he mumbled.

Nat stood up, smiling slightly. "I would've joined you, but uh..." she glanced around the room. "It didn't seem like the right time."

"They used up all the hot water," he said.

Natasha laughed for a moment. "I should've joined you."

"Missed our window."

"Did we?" she looked at him, studying his eyes, caramel against coffee.

He looked away, reaching for his shirt. "The world just saw the Hulk– the real Hulk– for the first time." He turned to glance at her. "You know I have to leave."

"You assume I have to stay?" Natasha asked, and when she saw his little twitch, she stepped back. "I had this dream. The kind that seems normal at the time, but when you wake..." she trailed off, knowing he knew what she meant.

"What did you dream?"

"That I was an Avenger." Natasha nodded. "That I was anything more than the assassin they made me."

Bruce took a step towards her. "I think you're being hard on yourself."

Natasha took a gamble and took a step, feigning a stumble, all the way into his arms. She looked up at him, smiling. "And here I was, hoping that was your job."

"What are you doing?" Bruce breathed.

"I'm running with it," she said softly. She brushed his cheek with her thumb. "With you." Bruce held her hand, the one by his shoulder. "If running's the plan. As far as you want."

Bruce shook his head. "Are you out of your mind?"

She tried again. "I want you to understand that I, um–"

"Natasha," Bruce said. "Where can I go? Where in the world am I not a threat?"

"You're not a threat to me," she said.

Bruce looked at the floor. "Are you sure?" His gaze moved to lock into her eyes. "Even if I didn't just... there's no future with me. I can't ever–" he gestured around the room– "I can't ever have this. Kids. Do the math, I physically can't."

Natasha swallowed down the ounce of fear that always came with revealing a secret. "Neither can I," she said quietly.

When Bruce didn't say anything, she continued, determined to finish her piece whether he would agree with her in the end or not. "In the Red Room, where I was trained, um, where I was raised..." She tried to keep her eyes from stinging, "they have a graduation ceremony. They sterilize you. It's efficient." She nodded, almost agreeing. "One less thing to worry about. The one thing that might matter more than a mission. Makes everything easier. Even killing." She lifted a shoulder and dropped it delicately. "Still think you're the only monster on the team?"

There was a stretch of silence where Nat held her breath, hoping for an answer, waiting, wishing–

"So, what, we just disappear?"

Natasha slowly looked back up at him, a small smile appearing. "It can't be that hard," she said, and he smiled with her.

Bruce sighed, sinking down onto the bed next to her. "Tony has this island in Mexico that he said he could give to us," he offered.

"Sounds like a dream." She brushed his knuckles with her fingertips. "I'd love to go."