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Welcome Home, Big Guy

Bruce Pov.

I woke up laying on something soft. Without opening my eyes, I tried to figure out where I was. My leg had a cast on it. There was an IV in my arm. I could be in a hospital in Fiji. I doubted it.

"Morning, Sunshine." I recognized that voice. It was Tony. "He's not awake yet."

"Is his fever gone?" a female voice asked. I knew that voice too. I would never forget that voice.

"Yes. He should be fine. Well, until you kill him. Or Barton sees him."

"I will not hurt him." said a third voice. Clint. "He'll be dead by the time Nat's through with him."

"Well, Fury will bring him back, and then it'll be our turn." Tony joked.

Clint laughed. "Foods ready, Tony. I brought you some, Nat. Figured you wouldn't leave."

"Thanks, Clint." Nat said.

"Come on, Bird Boy. I'm starving." Tony said.

I heard Clint and Tony leave and the door close. I felt a hand on my head. She was checking to see if my fever was really gone. Her hand moved. She touched my arm. I figured it was time to wake up.

"You gonna kill me?" I asked, opening my eyes.

Natasha jumped. She stared at me. "Maybe later. When you're better."

"I'm sorry."

She watched me as I sat up. A plate of food sat on a table next to the bed. Nat hadn't touched it. She glanced at the food. "Are you hungry? I'm not."

I nodded. She handed it to me. It was macaroni and cheese with tater tots and ketchup in it. "Who made this?"

"Laura. Oddly, the only ones who won't eat it is the kids, Laura and me. Tony and Clint love it, Steve and Thor are fascinated with it, and everyone else calls it 'comfort food. Even Vision likes it."

I stared at it. "This looks disgusting."

"I'll go get you something else." She stood up and took the plate from me. She went to leave, then she stopped, and walked back over to me. She kissed my cheek and looked me in the eyes. "You ever do that again and I will kill you."

I looked down and nodded. "Yes ma'am."

She turned to leave again. When she got to the door she stopped and looked back at me. "Welcome home, Big Guy."

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Natasha Pov.

I walked down stairs to the dining room. The others were sitting at the table. Tony looked up when I walked in.

"Is he awake?" he asked.

I nodded. "He refuses to eat your 'comfort food', Laura. And he was starving."

Laura laughed. "I don't blame him. Me and the kids are eating spaghetti. It's in the kitchen."

"Thanks, Laura." I went into the kitchen. Tony followed me. I grabbed two plates and filled them with spaghetti and bread.

"I'll help you bring it up to him." Tony said. "I can take his IV out and check on his leg."

"Okay, Tony. But I can do that, and you know it." I looked up at him as I grabbed two bottles of water. "You just want to see your science buddy."

Tony grinned at me. "Well, of course. But don't worry. I won't yell at him tell you permit me to."

Tony followed me out of the kitchen, through the dining room, and back upstairs to Bruce's room. Bruce looked up when we walked in. Tony grinned at him.

"Hello, Ditcher! How nice of you to join us!" Tony said.

Bruce smiled at Tony as he was handed his food. Tony poked at Bruce's leg and pulled the IV out of his arm, rather roughly. Bruce winced.

I sat in a chair next to the bed. Tony yapped at Bruce about science while Bruce scarfed down his spaghetti, nodding when Tony paused. I ate my spaghetti slowly and watched Bruce silently.

When Bruce finished eating, Tony took his plate. Tony watched Bruce for a minute. "Good to see you again, Bruce. No more taking off. You'll have a babysitter from now on."

Bruce laughed. "Good to see you too, Tony."

Tony left. I put my plate aside as the door closed. "Tony missed you."

Bruce glanced over at me. He looked down at his hands.

I watched him. "Bruce, why'd you leave?"

Bruce looked up at me. He stared at me a moment and looked back down at his hands. "I don't know. I... I was scared."

"Of what?"

He looked up at me again. "Of hurting you."

I stared at him. "Really? I can take care of myself. The lullaby protects me from the Other Guy. You hurt me more leaving than you would have if you stayed."

He looked back down at his hands. He was silent for a long time. When he finally spoke again, he stared at the wall. "I will always be scared of hurting you, Nat. No matter how unlikely it is."

I nodded and looked at my feet. "Are you gonna leave again?"

He was silent. When I looked up at him, he was watching me.

"No, Nat. I'm not leaving again. Ever."