As per popular demand- here is a continuation to Torn! Thanks to all of you guys who asked for another chapter.

At first, she brushes it off as a bad day.

Even when it continues on for weeks.

She pretends that his disappearances, his mournful glances at her, his frequent silences were just her imagination.

Natasha sits down on the couch, propping her feet up on the coffee table, leaning her head on Bruce's shoulder. Seeing that Bruce is watching Star Wars, she calls for Steve, remembering that he had taken a liking to it.

"Hey, Steve! Star Wars marathon?"

Steve steps into the room. "Sorry, Natasha. I've got stuff to do tonight."

"Okay. Next time?"

"We'll see," Steve murmurs as he leaves.

Natasha watches him closely as he leaves. It didn't escape her that he hadn't called her Nat.

He'd called her Natasha.

He hadn't called her that since D.C.

Sitting down to dinner, courtesy of Wanda, Natasha notices that there's an empty chair. She nudges Bruce, who's sitting beside her, and points it out. After a quick scan of the table, she realizes that it's Steve who's missing.

"Where's Steve?" she speaks up.

Everyone falls silent.

"I…I believe he said that he was going to eat in his room. He mentioned something about work to do," Vision volunteers.

Natasha raises an eyebrow. Steve was the one who had the idea for team dinners. He would be the last person to miss one. And where was all of this work coming from all of a sudden? She remembers that he'd missed their usual spar yesterday, and when confronted about it, he said he had work to do.

"Is he working on reports or something? Because we should probably help him," Bruce says.

"He said that he is not to be disturbed," Vision replies.

"Okay then. If he doesn't want to be disturbed, then we won't disturb him. Let's eat!" Natasha declares, a forced note of cheerfulness in her voice.

It's not until a month later that it hits her.

This is exactly like when they'd fought, before Bruce had come back.

Natasha steps into the gym, heading straight for the punching bags. She'd been getting out of practice lately, especially since Steve wasn't sparring with her anymore. All the others were too easy for her to beat. She wanted a real challenge.

"Oh. Romanoff."

Natasha blinks in surprise at the familiar voice. She hadn't noticed Steve hanging up a new punching bag. Surveying the area around him, she could tell that this wasn't his first. Several punching bags were strewn across the floor, some with rips in them.

"Sorry, did you want to practice? This is the last one. You can use it. I was on my way out anyway," Steve says.

"Steve…" Natasha begins.

He ignores her and leaves.

"Maximoff. All of you keep hiding it from me. I can tell that you all know," Natasha insists.

"He didn't want us to tell you," Wanda replies, and Natasha can see the sympathetic look that the Sokovian was giving her.

"Wanda…" Natasha pleads. "Tell me."

Wanda sighs. "Look, it's because of you."

Natasha stares at her. That was the last answer she'd expected.

"You're smart, Romanoff. Figure it out," Wanda tells her.

It takes her several days to realize.

Wrapped up in her own little fantasy with Bruce, she hadn't seen what the rest of the team had seen so easily.

Steve was in love with her.

But she was in love with Bruce.

His disappearances, his mournful glances at her, his frequent silences suddenly made sense to her.

And she has a lot of explaining to do.

"Natasha," Bruce greets her as she walks into the kitchen. He's drinking his tea, leaning casually against the counter. As if he didn't know she was looking for him.

"Hey Bruce," she answers.

And suddenly a wave of guilt rushes over her. How could she lie to herself? More importantly, how could she lie to Bruce? And…how could she lie to Steve?

"I'm sorry," she whispers, burying her head in her hands. "I really messed up, didn't I?"

"It's what makes you human," Bruce replies.

"I kept leading you on like that. Bruce, I really am sorry."

He shakes his head. "Honestly, Natasha, you…you were my rebound. I-I haven't really gotten over Betty. This…this was wrong for both of us."

She looks up at him. "How can you forgive me so easily? I've been lying to you for so long."

"And I've been lying to you too. We're both to blame, Natasha. It's okay. Really."

She hugs him, thankful that it's Bruce, and he's so goddamned understanding even though she doesn't deserve it.

"Thanks, Bruce."

"Thank you, Natasha."

Natasha heads for the gym, knowing he'd be there. She pauses in the doorway behind him and stands silently for a few minutes, watching him attack a new punching bag. Finally, she steps forward.

"…Steve."

He turns to see her looking at him, regret and the slightest bit of anxiety flashing in her eyes.

"Romanoff," he answers tersely.

She sighs. "Look, Steve, I screwed up, okay? I…I'm really sorry."

He simply looks at her, memories of her and Bruce during the past few weeks fresh in his mind.

And she can practically feel his pain as she sees things from a new point of view. She struggles to keep herself from breaking down as she says her next words.

"I was stupid. Steve, please…I'm sorry. I'm sorry I hurt you so much."

Steve's gaze softens, and he wraps his arms around her. And that's when she breaks, letting her tears flow freely.

"I missed you, Steve," she whispers.

"Me too, Nat."

It's taken her almost a year to realize.

But she's happy she did.

In the end, it wasn't Bruce she needed. She didn't need his pain and anger. She has plenty of her own. But she didn't need to forget it.

What she needed was someone's trust. Someone she could trust to be there for her. Someone who wouldn't make her forget the pain, but help her move past it.

It's taken her almost a year, but finally she realizes.

She's found that person in Steve.

And it's Steve she needs to move on from her torn past.