When The Laughter Stops

Ch 32

"You know him? Great. Now we have to kill him." Jonny says.

"What?!" Bruce exclaims.

"No one is killing anyone." Natasha says calmly.

"What are you doing here Nat? Wanda?" He asks turning to the two women.

"Hey! Shut up and heal her!" Jonny grits at Bruce with his gun nodding at J.

Natasha then sees James laying in bed unconscious in blood covered clothes.

"What happened?" Natasha asks making her way to J's bedside.

"She met up with Cesaro, he ratted to the NYPD and tried to get her turned in. Your brother and the others shot as soon as they caught glimpse of her." Bruno husks from his spot against the wall.

Natasha sighs closing her eyes.

"How'd she get here?" She asks softly.

"We fought back. We don't go down without a fight." Jonny says in an obvious tone not moving his gaze from J.

"And you! Hurry up!" He then grits to Bruce.

"It takes time we're not necessarily in a hosptial with all the equipment." Bruce says calmly.

"Are you being smart?-

"Jonny calm down he knows what he's doing but he can't help her with a gun in his face. Not to mention it's rude. So put it away." Regina tells him and he growls lowly.

"If she dies, you die." He emphasises to Bruce making him nod and he lowers his gun.

"You can fix this right?" Natasha asks Bruce softly.

"I can do what I can but, she has to be strong enough to come back into conciousness." He explains and Natasha doesn't necessarily like that answer.

"So why are you here? To turn her in?" He then asks the detective and she looks down not responding as she grabs James's hand softly.

"Or not." He mumbles putting two and two together.

After a while Bruce is able to extract the bullets in her body and close up the wounds. Natasha not leaving J's side for a second.

"She's all patched up. She should wake in a bit, but it'll be best if she gets rest until tomorrow morning." He says stepping away.

"Thank you doctor." Regina says gratefully and he nods.

Bruce then goes to the other side of the room putting his medical stuff away in his bag and Natasha slowly makes her way towards him.

"So this is why you didn't accept my invitation to a cup of coffee?" He chuckles to himself.

"Bruce-

"Hey it's okay, you like a green haired criminal with anger issues. I don't judge." He smiles with a shrug.

"Can you please not tell anyone? No one knows except Wanda." She pleads and he sighs.

"You're my friend Nat so I won't tell just, just be careful." He says going to leave.

"Woah where do you think you're going?" Jonny asks him.

"Jonny, he healed her. He should be allowed to leave." Natasha tells him and his jaw clenches.

"You tell anyone about this, and you're dead." He tells Bruce and he nods leaving.

"And you. I don't know who you think you are, but you're not anyone to be giving me orders." Jonny then says looking over at Natasha.

"Well I'm your boss's girlfriend and I don't like all this killing and she likes to keep me happy." Natasha defends.

"Girlfriend." He scoffs.

"You're just going to betray her again and hurt her and leave her for that doctor that just left don't think I didn't hear your little talk with him just now. I don't trust you Stark. Your plan isn't going to work this time." He grits then looks over at J, unconcious in bed before his gaze lowers and he leaves the room.

Natasha sighs licking her dry lips. Bruno makes his way over to the bed, placing a hand on J's shoulder softly before walking out of the room as well.

"How can she look so peaceful asleep but cause so much havoc awake?" Wanda asks looking down at the criminal.

"We ask ourselves that too." Regina sighs.

"I'm going to head back, do you guys want anything?" Regina asks the two women and they both politely decline.

Regina leaves the room trusting Natasha with J.

"I think I'm going to stay the night here, to make sure she's okay." Natasha says making Wanda look over at her.

"Alright, call me in the morning." She says and the red head nods and Wanda leaves the room.

Now it's just Natasha and J in the room. She goes over and slowly removes the gangster's shoes then pulls a cover over her so she doesn't get cold. She then gets the couch that's in the room ready so she can sleep there.

~

Next Morning

Natasha gets up and sees J in the same position from last night. Regina, Bruno and Jonny come in the room to check up on J.

"How is she?" Regina asks looking over at Natasha.

"She's still the same." She sighs.

Just then, J starts to slowly stir in her sleep starting to open her eyes slightly with a groan. Natasha immediately makes her way to J's side as do the others.

"J, it's me, are you okay?" Natasha asks softly.

"Y-yeah just-

"Don't strain yourself, here have some water." Regina says handing her a cup of water.

J sits up slightly with a wince drinking some.

"How do you feel?" Natasha asks.

"Fine but, w-who are you guys?"