The Trial of Bruce Banner

Arraignment

Natasha storms through the doors, eyeing the short wavy haired figure in her green sweater;

"Jennifer!"

"Oh fuck," the lawyer scrambles to secure her glasses in her hold.

Natasha knows the process, standing at the window of a uniformed cop. One by one she removes weapons on hand and anything metal from her pockets into the tan bin.

"You told me, you had everything under control. Why the hell isn't anything going according to plan," Romanoff's keys clank against the plastic.

"You know I'm trying my best,' Jennifer shifts her eyes to the side, pulling a pen from behind her ear as she checks her pockets one final time, 'you also know he doesn't want you here."

"I'm aware."

The dull man comes around with a baton, "Are there any empowered individuals present-."

"Yes?! Dude, I was just here yesterday. And the six days before that-forget it," Jennifer admits shamelessly, leading herself immediately to a more hidden metal detector.

"Ma'am?" He checks in with Natasha.

The spy lifts her shoulders, completely disgusted, "I can choke you with a piece of lint, does that count?"

He's unimpressed, choosing to keep her on the 'human' side, "Step forward."

The redhead obliges with purpose.

"I'm here to see Dr. Robert Bruce Banner. My license is in the bin," she blurts upon reaching the opposite side.

Jennifer scrambles over once she's cleared and catches up to Natasha;

"The arraignment did not go the way I wanted it to. Obviously. Last episode's prosecuting attorney wasn't pleasant, this guy is a jackass. He's going straight for the jugular."

"The preliminary judge needs to get him out," Natasha shoves her hands into her pockets.

"Doc told me in so many words he's starting to believe he's guilty,' Jennifer cringes, 'He's being stubborn."

"Once again, I'm aware. He's been dropping hints for weeks."

The lawyer shakes her head, muttering repetitively under her breath, "Bruce wants you both far away from this."

Natasha pauses, watching her husband's face drop as he's seated at a table behind glass. Even despite the walls and distance between them, she can see him glaring back.

"One at a time-." A grouchy lady begins her rant.

Jennifer cuts her off with a sweet smirk, "I'm the lawyer here for my 11:00. I'm early. She can go ahead of me."

Natasha mouths a thank you to Jennifer, ignoring the grumpy elderly woman's lecture of behavior and steps forward once she's permitted to.

The spy sinks in front of the glass, seated to face her now seated husband. She sits back and observes quietly.

His eyelids are dark, wavy curls untamed up and over his unwavering brown eyes.

Bruce lifts the communication device on his side first.

Natasha lifts her mechanism second, chin pointing to the officer behind him, "If we can't get privacy how are you supposed to yell at me for coming? They'll tack on a random charge to the 500 page list."

Bruce shakes his head 'no', completely unamused and clicks his button to speak. He appears as though he's about to either bawl or hulk out when he bites his lip;

"Why are you here."

"I've missed you too,' she leans forward, eyes at the cuff on his wrists, 'this is excessive."

Bruce lightly knuckles the glass, "Hulk-proof."

"I would have come earlier."

"Nat. You could've been followed."

"It's me."

"You know what I mean,' his jaw shifts, waiting for her to look up, 'this doesn't end the way you want it to."

"Because you had to document everything and,' she shrugs full of bitterness, 'leave it in the basement...I'm not mad at you."

"You are. At least a little,' his eyes close momentarily, 'and that's okay."

"Albuquerque?"

"No."

"You're sure?"

"It's not Ross-."

"-How do you know?"

He scoffs, thumb over his shoulder, "They're feeding me."

Natasha's throat tightens as she slips with her own scoff of an exhale.

"It's not all horrible," he adds.

The spy lets her ear drop, "Bruce."

He gazes on a low angle absentmindedly, almost ignoring as he lays his forefinger on the glass.

Natasha eyes the odd motion and lays her own over his.

He taps twice.

She shakes her head, in no mood for anything sensitive or emotional, "Jen's here."

"Jen could be spending her time on a more lucrative, optimistic case," Banner taps once more, sitting back as he taps once more before he can no longer reach and checks in briefly with the guard as the man announces the time.

"Are you alright?" Natasha swallows the pain away.

"Scotland and what came of it remains the source of my dopamine."

Natasha smirks, understanding his reference to Rebecca.

Bruce pauses and pulls his lips inward, "I wouldn't change anything...Nothing else matters."

"You do."

"...Tasha."

"You matter," Natasha fights with herself and immediately suppresses.

She looks down with her mind racing and avoids her husband's tear filled eyes as she mumbles;

"You matter immensely."

"That's what you said in Caledonia."

"I meant it."

Her eyebrows lower after slipping into a more spy-like mindset. Her expression changes, aware of the light brushes on his side of the communication device.

She keeps her focus and continues to listen for his shaky Morse code of sorts.

She grinds her teeth, talking to keep the guard unsuspecting, "We'll go back when you're free."

"Time doesn't stop during an inconvenience."

"We don't need it to. You'll be out soon enough."

He pauses, eyes on hers, "And if-."

"-You told me you'd fight. So fight. The only thing you're guilty of is being a great father,' Natasha smirks as her neck muscles clench, 'and in trying to get rid of me which won't be happening. I need every detail on the preliminary."

"Don't come."

"I'll be there. And it will go our way."