How's Your Heart Rate?

Natasha didn't expect to see Bruce for a long, long time. Maybe he just ran with it and forgot about her in the process. It hurts and in a way, reinforces the idea she was raised on: that love is for children. Love is a vulnerability and a large target that can cover each point of fatality on her body. It can kill her and she's never been so afraid of such a thing - because love is not a tangible or concrete idea. It is as stealth as she as and it can come and go as it pleases, leaving confusion behind. It's idiotic to let love in when you know how dangerous is can be. It can carry someone to a remote island in Fiji, according to Fury.

"Any update on Bruce?" Cap asks one day, falling into stride next to her. Natasha frowns,

"Stark's stealth devices seem to still be intact. We can still only guess that he's somewhere in Fiji by now." There isn't a whole lot Steve Rogers can say to a response like that. It's on neutral grounds and he can guess that Nat is wishing they could look for Bruce - but she isn't led by her heart and finds leadership more so in her head, where logic rests. Looking for Bruce isn't a good idea right now. The headquarters in a discrete area of New York are in order, but it still needs work and some shaping. It's a rough mold of what it needs to become, and finding Bruce is a low ranking on the list of priorities. He needs time to himself. He probably even wants to leave the Avengers. But no one doubts that Bruce can take care of himself.

"You know, you can take some time off, Natasha," Steve says after a few silent strides. "The world's at peace. No one needs us to take down some aliens or a new world threat. We can catch our breaths for once."

"I don't need time off," Natasha replies. "If Bruce wants to come back, he'll find his way back." She's more confident in that answer than she expected. Bruce will return when he wants to, if he wants to. There's no pressuring him into considering the Avengers again - he's done. "It's just part of who he is. He doesn't want to be a public enemy again."

Steve nods. He knows only a little in the romance department, but he shares what little he can. "As the master of waiting... just don't wait too long for these things. We can't keep things hidden forever. If you freeze things to preserve them, it'll just thaw."

Natasha smiles a bit; a small pull at the corners of her dark lips. "Especially not you."

Steve laughs good heartedly, a sound as wonderful as a crackling fire in a hearth. "Especially not me," he agrees.

A small device in her belt rings. It's not used in emergencies, but a signal from it still means something serious is happening. "Something down at the base," Natasha mutters as she looks at the small screen. Steve's is going off, too. She tucks the electronic back into a pocket of her belt, taking stride after Steve towards the stairs.

The building is fairly empty at this time of night. In a less-densely populated area of New York, the stars are perfectly clear in the dark skies. It's a new moon - the large source of light doesn't show. There is no one to push aside as they sprint through, rushing down flights of stairs and secretly built hallways and passages for situations like this.

Steve practically barrels through the door to the base. Natasha slips in after him, with an edge of grace. Where they are now is a hugely secured section of headquarters - primarily, she only sees Fury in here with top workers. The room is lit up with glowing screens, courtesy of Stark. The entirety of the HQ is modernized with his technology - a blessing to all but Steve, who still struggles with it. "What's going on?" He asks, the slightest bit out of breath. His hands, she notices, are in fists.

"I dismantled the stealth devices on Barton," Tony says, taking a few blueberries and popping them into his mouth. "We're going to get him. He's been on the news once now - as the Hulk. Gotta pop a lid on him."