When your ex left you, you were four months pregnant. You never thought you'd find anyone after that. Sure, you'd tried dating, but most of the men you'd dated were scared off when they found out about your daughter. "Come on, Y/N! There's someone out there for you," your sister Maria told you after another bad date. You gave her a smile.

"Maybe," you whispered, running your fingers through your sleeping daughter's hair. "You should bring her with you to Stark's party. It's a family cookout. Clint and Natasha are bringing Clint's children, Wanda and Vis are bringing theirs, and of course Stark and Pepper have their little girl. Y/D/N would have lots of other kids to play with." After telling her you'd consider it, she got up and left.

For the next several days, Maria bugged you to accept her invitation. She'd already gotten Tony's approval for you and Y/D/N. Finally, you got tired of it and told her you'd go. That was how you found yourself parked near a large home just outside the city, helping Y/D/N out of her car seat. According to Maria, Tony and Pepper moved outside the city after their daughter was born.

"You made it!" Maria called with a smile. Y/D/N tugged on your pants. "Mommy, can I go play on the slide?" You followed her gaze to see several other children playing on a jungle gym. "Sure. Just be careful and play nicely." She nodded and took off. "She'll be fine," Maria told you, "Now come on. There are some people I want you to meet."

You managed to make it about an hour before something went wrong. Y/D/N came running in with tears staining her cheeks. "Mommy, I fell down." You looked and saw that her pants were torn and she had scraped knees. You picked her up to sit her down on a chair. "I'll see where there's a first aid kit," Maria volunteered before getting up and leaving.

Maria appeared a moment later with a rather shy looking man on her heels. "I got something better than a first aid kit. This is Dr. Banner." He gave you a small smile and told you to call him Bruce. He knelt down so he could talk directly to Y/D/N. "What happened?" She looked at you and at your nod, proceeded to tell Bruce what had happened.

After Bruce tended to your daughter, she decided that she didn't want to play outside anymore so you set her up with a coloring book and crayons. She was content to color while you and Maria talked. Maria kept casting glances over to where your daughter was sitting and chatting away with Bruce.

"Would you look at that?" You looked behind you. Y/D/N was concentrating on her picture, but she kept handing Bruce crayons. "You color too!" Bruce laughed even though he looked slightly uncomfortable. "For someone who isn't around kids much, he's a natural." You glared at your sister. You saw exactly what she was trying to do. "Maria, I did not come here so you could set me up with the doctor...no matter how attractive he is."

You thought you'd been speaking quietly, but one look back at Bruce and your daughter told you at least Bruce had heard you. His face was pink to the tips of his ears. He looked up at you with that same small smile. You felt your skin heat up. "Sorry," you said, "I think it's time I take Y/D/N home now before I embarrass myself even more."

"No wait." You stopped and Maria gave you an "I told you so" look. You stuck your tongue out at her playfully before turning your attention back to Bruce. He got up from his seat and walked over to you. For a few seconds, Bruce just looked at you as if he were trying to figure out what to say. "I, uh, I think you're attractive too," he said so softly, you almost didn't hear him. Almost.

"Oh. Thank you, Bruce." You both smiled and Maria groaned from her place next to Y/D/N. "You two are hopeless. Come on, Y/D/N. I'll get you in the car while either your mom or Bruce grows a pair." You scolded her loudly. "If she starts saying things like that, I'm coming after you!" Maria simply laughed while she left with Y/D/N, leaving you and Bruce alone in the kitchen. Bruce was watching you with cautious, curious eyes.

"What was that about?" he asked, making you groan somewhat loudly. "My charming sister has been after me to enter the dating scene." Bruce shook his head and laughed. "Funny. She keeps telling me to get out of the hospital and start dating. It's been a really long time though." You smiled. "For me too. Not a lot of people want to date a single mother."

"I wouldn't mind," Bruce said suddenly. You were taken back by that. Apparently so was Bruce. He grew very quiet for a minute and looked embarrassed. It seemed like an eternity before either of you spoke again. "Um, do you want to?" he asked, "Go out on a date? With me?" You stared at him for a split second. This wasn't what you expected to happen today.

"Really? You want to go out with me?" He nodded. "It doesn't have to be anything too big. And we could even bring Y/D/N along if you'd rather do that instead." You shook your head. "No. I'd like to get to know you alone. Maria can babysit." Bruce's smile grew and he readily agreed.

Bruce walked you out to your car where Maria was waiting with Y/D/N. "So, uh, how about next week?" You told him that worked but before you could say anything else, Y/D/N piped up from the backseat. "Are Mommy and Bruce gonna kiss, Aunt Maria?" You and Bruce broke into a fit of laughter. "Maybe someday," Bruce whispered, making your face heat up again.