The Ultimate Fix-It Fic

10| Conclusion

The weekend was a very long event, and Natasha and the family returned to the office building at 5 in the evening.

Peter got off the phone with his aunt. "May says she has to work late again so I can stay for the night," he told everyone.

MJ nodded. "I'll stay with you."

"You don't have to," Peter protested unconvincingly.

MJ just laughed at him and linked arms. "Come on, let's find a movie to do homework to."

She dragged him off up to their apartment.

Natasha watched them leave and turned to Bruce with a grin. "Oh, Bruce, let's find a movie to do homework to!" she teased.

Her scientist chuckled. "Don't make fun," he chided gently. "We were like that when we first started dating."

Nat laughed. "Okay, fine." She sighed. "Let's go home, Bruce."

-

An hour later, they were back on the island.

Bruce got a call. "Hello?" He asked cautiously.

Natasha listened in curiously.

"Oh hey, Jen. I haven't talked to you in a while. How's school?" Bruce nodded. "Yeah, no, I won't miss your birthday party, of course not. Not for the world." He paused, listening to the caller. "Uh, yeah, actually. Why do you ask?" Pause. "Well, I'm not sure if she'd even want to come. And if we did, we could just stay at a hotel nearby." Long pause. "Yeah, yeah. I'll ask. Yeah. Bye."

Nat looked up as Bruce ended the call.

He turned and leaned on the counter. "So," her scientist started nervously, "my cousin's birthday is coming up, she lives in LA and she says I rarely visit, so I'm going to have to take a trip up, maybe for the weekend, maybe a little longer."

Natasha nodded. "And?"

Bruce fiddled with his fingers. "She wants to meet you." He sighed. "I understand if you don't want to, and I'm sure you have way better things to do—"

"—I'll go," Natasha said. She smiled at the look on his face. "What? You met my family, you saw my baby pictures, now I get to do that to you." She shrugged, taking a sip of the water she poured for herself. "It's only fair."

Bruce rubbed his neck. "Are you sure? These things turn out to be a big deal." He looked at her like he wanted her to say she wasn't sure.

Nat nodded. She smiled mischievously. "I promise I'll make the pain worth your while."

Bruce reddened.

Natasha laughed and leaned over the counter to kiss her boyfriend. "I'm just joking," she said. Then she pulled away and sat back in her seat. "Actually, now that I think about it, maybe it's time to have 'the talk'."

Bruce frowned. "I know how sex works."

"Yeah, I know," Natasha said. "But how does that work with us two? We can't have kids, as we've already established, but just the act itself. Are you ready to?" She studied his eyes. "I'm okay with anything, I won't pressure you or anything, but I'd like to know where we stand."

Her scientist walked around the counter and loosely let his arms fall around her waist.

"I'm ready, if you are," he said softly. "I mean, I'll have to run some drug trials, obviously, but mentally, sure."

Natasha laughed slightly. "Mental sex?"

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

Nat rolled her eyes and leaned in for a kiss.

They separated after a bit and Bruce chuckled. "Okay. Let's cool down. What do you want for dinner?" he asked.

Natasha followed him around the counter to the fridge. "I don't know. Spaghetti?"

Bruce opened the fridge. "We have week-old leftovers," he offered.

"I've had worse."

Her scientist wrinkled his nose and tossed the leftovers into the trash. "Spaghetti it is."

-

Natasha and Bruce flew out to LA the next weekend.

"We're apparently staying at my aunt's house," Bruce told her. "Her name is Elaine, she's a nice lady. If she asks you any questions about being an Avenger, just say it's classified."

Natasha grinned. "Classified, huh? It's all on the news, you know."

Bruce sighed. "Like the training stuff, what we do when it's not actually an extinction-level event threatening the world. Hopefully she won't pry too much."

Nat linked her arm with Bruce's as they walked down the driveway. "Nice house."

"Yeah, I think they moved out here a few years ago," Bruce replied.

He knocked on the door.

It swung open a moment later to reveal a middle-aged woman who had blonde hair and had a floral blouse on.

"Bruce! Honey, you made it!" She pulled him in for a hug. "And is this your girlfriend?"

Bruce nodded stiffly. "This is Natasha. Natasha, this is my aunt, Elaine."

Nat held out a hand to shake but Elaine pulled her in for a hug.

"It's so nice to meet you, Natasha," she said. "Come on in!"

They followed her inside the house.

"You know," Elaine continued, "I think this is the first girl you've ever brought home, Bruce."

Nat glanced at her scientist. "Not even Betty?" she mouthed.

Bruce shook his head.

Natasha grinned to herself.

"Jennifer is just out with her friend right now, Bruce, but you two can settle in at the guest room," Elaine said. "It's just down the hall there." She opened the door and seemed to suddenly remember something. "Hang tight. I have something in the oven. Come out when you're ready." She walked quickly out to the kitchen and left the two of them alone.

Nat dropped her bag on the floor and sat down on the bed. She smiled at Bruce's nervousness.

"So, what do you think?" her scientist asked, sinking onto the duvet next to her. "Do you like it so far? Jen hasn't seen us yet, and we can still run."

Natasha rolled her eyes. "It's fine. This is nice. It's cozy, there are things in the oven, they're expecting people home." She looked at Bruce. "It's great that you have a family here too, Bruce."

He chuckled dryly. "Yeah," he said, ducking his head.

Nat sought out his gaze and he looked up.

"It is good," Bruce amended. "It's not terrible."

Nat grinned softly and kissed Bruce, just as someone knocked on and opened the door.

"Woah– don't mean to intrude on anything, sorry–"

The door closed again.

Bruce pulled away and sighed. "That would be Jennifer." He hauled Nat up. "The only member of my family I can tolerate for more than an afternoon. Other than some various selected people. Let's go."