Lost Memories

[pickingup]

Natasha doesn't follow Bruce, partially because he doesn't want her to and partially because she can't. He covers his tracks so well that she'd be proud if she wasn't so pissed (and maybe just a little hurt, but that doesn't get her anywhere, so she tucks it away).

She throws herself into work, because there's always work. There's always one more mission. Bruce had been right about that, at least. The new Avengers need training and helping Steve train them gives her focus and purpose. It's all she can really ask for.

All that changes four months later when there's a Hulk sighting outside a town on the other side of the planet. There's a moment of hesitation when it comes on the new, but even Steve tells her to go and she does. She takes a jet and enough supplies for a few weeks and she goes to follow the trail.

Of course, after the nearly full day it takes her to get there, the trail is nearly cold. She has an idea. A radius.

Leaving her jet behind, she packs food and a sleeping bag in a pack and starts walking.

Comments

[greenisnteasy]

Bruce woke up a few hours ago in a pile of leaves and broken branches, and while he's glad that he's apparently far enough away from civilization currently so as not to put anyone in danger, he'd really wish that he'd woken up closer to a department store. Or at least somewhere with pants. He has very hazy memories of anything past this time as the Hulk, but it hasn't occurred to him yet that he might be missing memories. This is how he'd been living for so long that where the present day falls on the timeline of his life doesn't seem to matter.

It all seems to check out okay. Waking up, disoriented and sick in the woods? Check. Not being sure of what country this is? Check. Really missing having shoes? Double check.

He walks for a while in the direction that he hopes will take him to water, but he winds up stepping on something sharp and having to stop to nurse his wounds. If he gets some kind of infection, will the Hulk cure it for him? Maybe if he lets the monster out again, he'd take him to a mall.

He's sitting on a fallen log, foot crossed over his other knee, and he looks fairly unconcerned for being dressed in tatters in the middle of the woods.

[pickingup]

Natasha isn't sure what to expect. Will she even find Bruce at all? If she does, what sort of reaction will she get? He could be mad and, really, he has ever right to be. Knowing that, she still wants to find him. If he still wants to run, she'll let him, but it's been so long since he had an incident like this and she has to make sure he's okay.

When she catches sight of him, he looks... kind of pathetic, but they both know that appearances can be deceiving.

She could sneak up on him, but that's about the last thing anyone needs right now.

"Bruce?"

[greenisnteasy]

When he hears someone approach, he's instantly on alert, though he tries to keep that subtle. No point in scaring off a helping hand when he desperately needs one. The second she says his name, though, that facade drops. He's on his feet -- well, mostly just on one -- and looking at her warily. Whoever she is, she doesn't have any reason to know his name, which means that someone sent her here. SHIELD? The military? An unrelated but probably equally unsafe alternative? It seems pretty strange for a woman to be approaching him, alone, when she presumably knows who he is.

Which means that she isn't alone. His eyes dart quickly behind her on either side, but he can't see anyone yet, and he should probably respond.

"Do I know you?"

[pickingup]

She stops cold, but it's the only thing about her that betrays her response. Her face is still, calm and assessing. Something is wrong, but he's not getting angry and he has control. That's something.

"You should." There's a shift in her posture as she leans her weight on one hip. "Are you feeling alright? Relatively speaking, I mean. I know the big guy was around for a little while."

[greenisnteasy]

Stopping cold, for him, is generally enough. He's mistrustful of her overall calm demeanor too. Instantly he can feel his protective shell closing in, the one that makes him sarcastic, and the one that shakes loose a little of that anger that he tries to keep under control. Whoever this person is, she knows who he is, who the Hulk is, and that means he can't trust her.

"Oh, I'm great. I'm practically naked in the middle of nowhere. Clearly you came more prepared to the party."

He's more obvious about looking around for her backup now, almost comically looking into the trees.

"Are we expecting company? Maybe people with guns? I wouldn't think a gorgeous woman like you would show up alone."