For now, I assigned one of the rooted potatoes the task of finish comprehending all the books I had memorised while the other the rooted potato was tasked to 'reverse the effect on Bruce'. It has been a long time now that many of the books that I have memorised have begun gathering dust in my mind. Time to effectively comprehend them.

There was no way I am going to implement the hulk serum into myself without fully understanding it and having a way to both reverse the effect of it on Bruce and on anyone it has been injected on.

I knew I could stop myself from turning green, big or having massive ugly changes like a large head or protruding spikes due to my 2nd gift, comfy potato.

However, there was a potential risk I could lose my mind like Bruce and Emil Blonsky.

I was really afraid of this as my previous name in my past life was a jinx to me, a warning, Osborn.

Now there is 1 very famous Osborn in the marvel series who became mad from taking a similar strengthening serum.

The green goblin.

I do not want to tempt fate without knowing everything there is about to hulk serum before I take it.

In fact, I would be even more dangerous than both Bruce and Emil if I went mad with the serum considering the numerous destructions I could cause with my knowledge and tools.

If I became someone like the green goblin due to the hulk serum then forget Thanos, the world would not even get a chance before it collapses both, economically and physically.

Not even all the forces combined in the world would be able to stop me from destroying this planet if I so wished at that moment.

Unless the Asgardians joined with others in an alliance to stop me, the world will not stand a chance of remaining intact by my hands if I were to go mad. That is how dangerous my knowledge, gifts, and the things I kept on inventing are.

I was not being arrogant or cocky about my capabilities but rather I was being honest and brutal after assessing every organisations and individuals capability.

Sure, just all the forces combined in earth could easily kill me, but could they stop the launched weapons I might have developed in my maddened state that could make a nuclear bomb look like a baby?

I would die in all their assault but at the same time so will the world with it.

This was why I was being careful about the hulk serum.

Call me paranoid, I don't care because now I have someone I truly care for other than my family in this world and I don't want to destroy it while she is still here.

Days passed by slowly for me.

I have not seen Natasha for 2 weeks now.

Looking into their shield database, I found she was sent to an infiltration mission in Japan.

I sighed at this while feeling a slight worry for her in my heart.

A week later as Bruce and I were about to close up I heard a familiar voice. "Looks like I am late."

I whipped my head to the side and saw her looking at me with a smile. I felt happiness welling up inside me and just smiled. I didn't over dramatise things as Bruce was still there.

All 3 of us talked for a while before Bruce got the signal that he was being a 3rd wheel before he left to go upstairs. "Lock the shop up before you two leave," Bruce said from upstairs to which both of us just smiled.

I quickly locked up and we walked. We had our arms locked as we walked slowly to her house enjoying being in each other's life once more.

"I missed you," I told her and broke the silence.

"Me too." She smiled as she leaned her head onto my shoulder and walked while holding onto my arm. If anyone saw us, they would not guess that we were 2 of the most dangerous people on the planet, but just a normal couple.

As we got home, we just got into bed and just stayed in each other embrace as we went on to sleep. I knew she was tired from her mission even though she didn't say anything. I did not want her to do any strenuous activity or keep talking, so I just let her rest.

As both of us slowly went into sleep, I was soon woken up by the noise of someone trying to pick the lock downstairs.

'Calm mind' I ordered as I ignored it and stayed in bed looking asleep.

Natasha woke up and I felt her looking at me.

*Click* I heard her unlocking her gun.

She took an effort to move quietly in order to not wake me up as she went downstairs.

I activated the speed of Extremis to react if it was something dangerous to her.

"Bart!?" I heard an exclaim just as I heard the door opened.

"What are you doing breaking in here?" Natasha tried to whisper but I could still hear her when I activated Extremis to boost my senses.

"What happened to your phone?" Clint asked Natasha.

"My phone was out of battery," Natasha whispered. 'Lie, she put her phone in silent.'

"Fury thought you were compromised especially when you acted so suspicious after the Tokyo mission. This suspicion got worse when you wanted to leave the base as soon as you come back.

I obviously rejected such an idea, so Fury suggested me to see what was up with you.

So answer me, Natasha, why are you whispering when your best friend comes to visit you?" Bart said as he came into her house without whispering.

"Bart, leave!" She ordered him.

"Now is not the time. I will explain everything tomorrow, I promise." Natasha pleaded while making sure her voice wasn't too loud.

*Rattle* I could visualise from the sound as I heard him remove the gun from Natasha's hands and held it before her.

*Clack* He loaded it.

"Full magazine. You seriously are prepared." I heard Clint's angry voice.

"I thought I could trust you..." He began.

I decided this was enough as I got up and walk down.

"Natalie..." I called out.

However, due to probably hearing me move around and the sound of me calling out her Natasha pleading. "Bart put that down! Please! Just put that down!"

However, Bart continued to point the gun at her as well. "Nat be honest, have you been betrayed us… me?"

"What!? No! Just please move that away." She shouted in desperation as I came down.

'Off calm mind.' I ordered along with switching off Extremis as I walked down the stair to see Bart in his shield uniform turning the gun towards me.

'Act terrified' I stood still in terror having seen a gun pointed at me while I was still vulnerable.

"Clint stop!" Natasha screamed as she got in front of the gun.

"Nat no!" I screamed fearing Bart might actually fire the gun at her for thinking I was some kind of spy.

"Holy crap...!" Clint looked at me before he looked at Natasha who covered the muzzle of the gun.

"Laura was right, you did find someone!" Bart said in shock seeing Natasha run in front of his gun.

Bart lowered his gun and began locking it.

"Well, this is awkward!" Bart said with an awkward smile while I could feel Natasha desperation to fix the situation.

While this was happening, I looked at both of them in 'shock' just as Natasha turned towards me with worry.

"He is my ex... He came here to collect some things." She tried lying while Bart silently watched her.

"I am in gangs and mafia, dude. Who the hell are you?" He acted the part in trying to intimidate me.

"Holy crap you work for secret services, don't you?!" I stated/ asked Natasha.

She and Bart looked at me in shock and not knowing what to say as I was partially right just that they worked for the whole worlds secret service not just for one country.

"I think you are mis…" Clint started but I interrupted him.

"Don't even try to deny it!" I stated as I came down from the stairs.

"Having a random guy coming in the middle of the night carrying a gun while using words like compromised and stuff is not a secret agent but rather someone having affair with my girlfriend while I sleep upstairs?" I retorted.

"I don't know. Most people prefer to believe that." Clint pointed out.

"As if I would believe that! Most people try to deny the truth and accept lies but I am not most people." I stated to him as I stood in front of both of them.

Natasha looked distraught while Clint looked at Natasha apologetically.

There was a moment of silence before I extended my hand towards Bart with a smile. "Nice to meet you. I am David Henswick."

This surprised both of them. Bart awkwardly extended his hands to shake mine. "Clint Barton."

"I kind of always figured you were working for the secret services with your erratic job times and stuff," I revealed to Natasha with a smile.

"So, you knew?" She asked with a shocked look.

"I have a Masters in Physics. Most physicists are known for being good at looking outside the box.

I am not that dumb to not notice clues laid bare before me and not being able to piece them together.

I mean what kind of job requires you to be constantly away from home and usually come back days later at night? There there is the fact that you hardly talk about your family or your past as if you want to avoid it? All this factored together kind of made it easy to guess your job.

Not to mention the guilty look on your face whenever I call out your name, Natalie. That is not your real name is it?" I asked her with a smile.

She sighed in hopelessness as she nodded.

"I think I will leave you guys alone for a moment," Bart said as he quickly went upstairs to give us a moment.

We were silent for a while before Nat began. "I..." She tried but couldn't say anything.

I smiled as I brought her close to me while looking into her eyes. "I have seen enough movies and read enough facts about secret services from online to know why you had to lie.

I will not hate you just because you were forced to lie and keep things a secret because of your job. Besides I kind of understand why you have to keep things a secret." I told her.

"I am sorry for deceiving you, David." She said with red eyes.

I shook my head. "I told you I understand."

"No, you don't David. You don't know who I am, what I do or anything!" She said in anger as she pulled back.

"At least show some anger to the fact that I lied and cheated you!" Her face flushed red in rage as she shouted at me.

"Why should I?" I asked her back.

She was quiet as she couldn't find an answer.

"I knew there was always something more than the 2 reasons you gave me when you tried to reject me. I was prepared for the fact that you were lying and not being honest to me Natalie.

That is why I told you to be selfish Natalie." I tried moving close but she moved back.

My heart nearly broke seeing her so devastated. I never thought a person, no I mean Natalia could be broken this much even though I read about it.

"You are in pain Natalie and I want you to share that pain with me. I can't take away your pain but we can shoulder them together so that you can breathe." I stood still as I saw her trembling.

"Why do you keep trying to understand me and feel me? Why would you care and put so much effort into me, David? No one ever did! But why you!?" She screamed and placed her hand on top of the couch in order to support herself.

"Because you cared for me and made me human Natalie.

I want to show that same care for you and make you feel what you could never get." I grabbed her hands to support her instead of making her rely on the couch

I kissed her soft hands. "I don't care what your job is, who you are when you are not with me or what happened in your past.

I want you to feel alive. I want you to feel normal. So remember when you are with me you are what you always wanted to be."

Her lips trembled and she tried to control it by biting onto it but she couldn't. I could see she was trying to stop herself but she couldn't. I cupped her hands in mine and held them close to my heart. Bit by bit her voice began breaking out before all of it erupted.

"WAHHH!" For the first time in years, the woman who manipulated and controlled others emotions showed her truest and purest of emotions, pain and happiness. She cried like a child and I held her close and felt her pain with her while we shared the happiness.

I felt her hands being wrapped around me tightly and I smiled.

I stroked her hair as I listened to her cry.

After a while, she stopped crying and just stayed there hugging me. I kissed her head and waited for her to recollect herself.

"Don't leave me, David." She said after a while.

"I won't," I promised her knowing she didn't mean about leaving her hug but breaking off from her life.

"Can you least tell me your real name?" I asked her. I saw her head bobbing up and down.

"Natalia Alianovna Romanoff, but I go by Natasha or Nat to my friends and Agent Romanoff to my colleagues." I saw the corners of her lips being pulled up.

"Well Natalia Alianovna Romanoff, aka Natasha or Nat for me, I am David Henswick. I go by..."

'Bit by bit.' I told myself.

"...Dave to most people. Nice to meet you." I said with a smile before I kissed her.

After a while, I broke off from our kiss. "I think we should get your spy friend down," I told her as I kept her in my embrace.

"He is good at waiting," She said as she enjoyed staying in my embrace.

"Actually, you guys really should break it apart soon. I need to talk with you, Nat." Bart said from the stairs.

Natasha nodded while I chuckled. "I will go upstairs. Come up when you are finished." I told her as I went upstairs to allow them to talk about whatever private matter they wanted.

"Thanks, David." Bart smiled as he sat down on the sofa to talk with Nat.

"At least it went better than how it went with my wife when I told her." I could hear Bart talking to Natasha.

I didn't bother to peep into their conversation. I didn't want to eavesdrop on their conversation and use her like that.

I wanted her not to use her but to...

As I sat on the bed thinking I soon felt the emotions of guiltiness rolling up my street.

Now soon it will just be me in this relationship who is hiding things. Natasha didn't have much to hide from me now and we both acknowledged that. But that wasn't the case for me.

I knew she would one day find out about me and it would definitely be before or during the Chitauri invasion.

In a way I wanted her to find out. I won't stop her finding out but 'when' she finds out I could decide that.

Besides according to Shield I was not a big criminal. Just an extremely evasive person that is good at setting up the online defence along with creating missiles that can rival Starks.

Well...I was criminal in a funny way in that I had not paid a single tax from the money I earned as a consultant.

Tax evasion is still a crime, right?

She shouldn't be too angry when she found out, would she?

Who am I kidding? It will be a miracle if she doesn't kill me when she finds out. She would probably feel used.

After all, she approached me and met me as a normal person.

If she finds out who I am she will probably think I got close to her to use her to gain access to the Shield database even if I tried explaining that wasn't the case. She will most likely have trust issues after that.

The only way I could solve this is by letting her know I wasn't using her but rather loving her, 'bit by bit'.

After Bart left Natasha came to the room. She climbed onto the bed and leaned her head onto my chest.

"Bart was right when he told me that he had felt a huge relief when he told his wife everything," Natasha said.

"Was it his kids you went to visit a few weeks ago?" I asked her.

To which she hummed. "Mhm."

"He told me to take you to visit his family." She said after a while.

"So, will I have to be protected or watched or something like that?" I asked her.

"I don't know. It depends on our director. But I think he will most likely place you under observation for a while." She told me as I caressed her hair.

"Oh well, as long as I get you, I don't mind being stalked," I told her just before she fell asleep with a smile which was soon followed by me.

Morning arrived and Natasha went off to work, but this time with little extra spring in her steps.

I smiled as I went back to the restaurant. I looked for any bugging device and noticed nothing has been set up so far along with nothing has been updated on the Shields database about me yet.

Looks like Bart didn't say anything to Fury and wanted Natasha to say it herself.

I quickly got Bruce to the side. "Bruce be careful from now on. Agents from the highest secret organisation are going to watch this place from now on." I told him which earned a look of panic from him.

"What? Why? Should we move?" He asked with worry.

"No, don't do that. They are here to watch me not you. If you act suspicious or talk suspicious, they will notice it." I didn't want to tell him about Natasha. Unlike me, he could obviously not control himself around her when he realises who she is. He will start panicking and she will realise something is off.

"Just always wear your nano mask even when sleeping and remember in a few hours this whole building is going to be bugged. So, from now on I will call you Jeff and only hear to that." I told him to which he gulped.

"What? If they found you, won't that mean they will soon find me?" He asked with worry.

"No. They are here to investigate David Henswick the shop owner, not David the hacker and scientist." I told him to which he gave me a look of suspicion.

"Why are the world's highest secret organisation after you for running a shop? Have you been making some high purity drugs or something and mixing it in food without me knowing?" He asked in confusion.

"What the hell? No! Just calm down, will you?

They are after me due to other personal reasons. As long as you act like you usually do and don't go to our lab, till I tell you otherwise we should be fine in a few weeks or maybe months." I assured him and carried on opening the store.

By evening we closed down the shop. I looked up the shield database on my phone to see they have already bugged my room and have assigned few agents to stalk me, while others were sent off to investigate everything known about me in detail.

I went upstairs and closed the window that was 'strangely open'.

Usually, they would not have done something like for a level 6 agent, however, due to Natasha being a special case and one of Fury's most valuable agent they decided to go all out on me.

However, unfortunately for them, unless they combine all the genius minds in the world to investigate me, they would find nothing on me that stands out.

Few days passed by before Natasha came back once more. "You know you have to stop surprising me by just popping up out of nowhere randomly," I told her.

"What can I do? I usually finish around this time after certain missions." She replied with a smile.

"Give me your phone," I told her to which she just gave it to me without asking any questions.

I typed in my number into it and called from her phone to my phone. "There. Start texting me or giving me a call whenever you are free." I told her.

"I can't call you during my job... I mean mission, David. All my calls will be tracked and listened to." She said with a smile.

"I never knew secret services were that strict. Guess movies are not to be trusted fully." I chuckled which earned a smile from her.

"Never mind, just message me before whenever you are coming back," I told her and we began walking back to her home in silence.

Life went on like this. 1 month later the agents investigating my background cleared me off.

2 months after that the agents stalking/ tailing me were called back.

3 months later all the bugging device in my room was taken out as Shield finally concluded their investigations on me and declared me as safe for Natasha to reveal her past self and everything about her job to me if she felt comfortable.

And boy was she comfortable. She spilt everything about her job to me and what kind of organisation she worked for. I felt extremely uncomfortable with her telling me everything that could be revealed to a 'civilian like me' because when she realises the truth about me now, things are gonna get real bad.

'Bit by bit.' I kept telling myself.

However, I knew now since I was in Shield's eyes Hydra will be watching me as well, especially since they can use me as leverage against Natasha if the situation ever arises.

I don't feel the same excitement and high I get from government agencies anymore as I got a more powerful drug than poking them... Natasha. She makes my brain feel every emotion that it hasn't been able to feel in the past 16 years and that is a high that not even challenging Thanos could provide.

Bruce was ecstatic to find Shield had their eyes off us and just ran to our other house to spend all his precious time in the lab which he missed for the past 6 months.

During this time, I kind of moved into Natasha's house.

"What are you building?" Natasha asked me as she saw quite a lot of gadgets around the floor.

"Well, it's kind of a personal project since I was bored. I am building a super laptop." I told her as I soldered some components together.

"Why?" She asked me in confusion with the tea in her hand.

"I thought I will do something to make use of my Master's degree and my IT skills..."

'Bit by bit.' I told myself.

"...and to see if I could make one. Besides, I am planning to do something special with this laptop," I told her.

"Do you want any help?" She asked me.

"Actually yeah…" She helped me hold a few things while I wired and soldered things together. Few weeks passed before I finished the laptop. Sure I could have finished making this laptop in a few days but I took my time building it with her.