Evermore

Chapter 36

 Note: Slightly graphic/gory. If you've seen any version of "Beauty and the Beast," you know where this is going.

The Hulk tilted and crashed next to her, while Natasha spang into action and shot Ross's hand that was holding the gun. As the man screamed in agony, she was aiming to kill until she heard a grunt next to her.

Natasha turned her head to see that Bruce had de-hulked, but his veins were green and he was bleeding heavily.

She put her gun back in its holster and kneeled next to Bruce then turned him over to see the wound. She had to look away for a second and briefly saw Yelena run towards Ross before looking back at Bruce.

"Nat, you need to get the bullet out," Bruce said, the pain in his voice evident as he gritted his teeth.

"Okay," she said in almost a whisper.

"There's a med kit under my bed."

Natasha crawled to the bed and found the med kit, then got up and walked back to Bruce. She grabbed her knife and cut the wound open more to get the bullet out. Bruce screamed, but she eventually pulled it out then tossed it to the side.

"Okay, it's out," she said softly as she stitched him up, then wrapped his wound. "You're okay."

Natasha wasn't sure if she was trying to convince Bruce or herself. His skin was normal except for his green veins and when he turned around to face her, he was sweating.

After she wiped most of the blood off of her hands with a towel, she cupped his face. He nodded, silently telling her he was okay to move, then she helped Bruce stand up to get him to his bed. He was breathing heavily and shaking by the time she got him to lay down.

"Natasha," he said with labored breaths and tears in his eyes. "Promise me you won't close yourself off. Don't be afraid to fall in love again and open your heart to someone. I want you to be happy and if you meet someone who loves you the way I do, then I want you to let yourself love them."

"Bruce –"

"Please, promise me," he begged as he looked her in the eyes.

"I promise."

She had lost so many people and she knew that Bruce didn't want her putting up her walls again because she was going to lose him too. Natasha didn't realize she was crying until his free hand was wiping her tears.

"If we had more time, I would have fallen in love with you," she confessed.

Bruce pushed himself up and kissed her. When they parted, she let her tears flow freely.

She felt him kiss the side of her head and he gently tugged her to lie next to him. She buried her neck into his shoulder as he hugged her to him.

When she lifted her head to look at him after her tears stopped, his skin looked pale from the loss of blood and the green had not vanished. He was dying and all she could do was watch.

He held her hand and looked at her as if he was memorizing her face. She stared back, not wanting to take her eyes off of him.

"I need you to know that the only way to break the spell was for me to fall in love and for that person to love me in return," Bruce said. "I didn't mean to fall in love with you. Every moment I spent with you was because I wanted to. You made me the happiest I've ever felt."

"I wish that I loved you, but-"

"It's okay," he interrupted in an understanding voice. "Knowing that you wanted to be with me is enough."

When he declared his love in Russian, all she could do was kiss him again. He broke the moment with a pained grunt and held his side. The blood was steeping through the bandage meaning his stiches had broken.