~*~ Four Years Later ~*~

Charlotte's POV

I threw my bag into the hallway, before grabbing the two rucksacks I had packed before going to work this morning. I was kind of surprised they were still there, although Bruce probably made a b-line for the lab, and wouldn't have noticed if the house was on fire until he'd had his morning coffee.

With one rucksack on my shoulder and the other in my hand I made my way outside of the house and down the pathway to the laboratory that was in my garden. Opening the door, I could see Bruce standing at one of the counter tops doing some sort of experiment.

"Brucie, drop the lab coat, and get your walking shoes on," I stated.

He turned around looking confused.

"Hey Char, you're home early," he smiled.

"Actually I worked late, it's almost eight," I explained.

"Oh, I must've got carried away, what are you talking about with walking shoes?" he asked.

"We're going out. You rarely leave the house unless we're travelling, so we're going camping. Before you say no remember whose house you are living in without charge?"

He sighed taking off his lab coat. He quickly went to get changed before I handed him his rucksack. With our stuff strapped to our backs we began to walk.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Camping. I used to go a lot when I was a kid, but then I moved to America and my fiancé didn't want to go camping, so I thought it'd be nice. There's this place nearby, not many people go there, but it's nice," I smiled.

He nodded still looking quite confused by the matter.

After a couple of miles trek we were at the camping spot. We laid down our sleeping bags and set a fire before sitting next to one another roasting marshmallows.

"So why did you want to come here all of a sudden?" he questioned in a soft calm voice.

"Um... I wanted to tell you something. I have spent too long wanting to tell you this, but then I put it off, but I thought 'hey four years is long enough to hide everything'," I sighed.

"What?" he questioned.

I let out an awkward laugh biting down on my lip.

"Wow I'm never lost for words, this isn't a nice sensation in not being able to form coherent sentences on the actual topic I wish to speak of," I sighed.

He looked concerned, as he rested a hand softly onto my leg.

"It's okay."

"Thank you Bruce. For everything, you have helped me so much. I thought that I was helping you at first, giving you a home and stuff, but really you'd helped me more than I could have ever helped you. Thank you for that," I practically whispered.

"You're welcome. But you helped me a lot more, there is nothing I can have done to actually help you," he smiled softly.

"I like you."

That wasn't the best way to tell him, but it was blunt and certainly not subtle, so he got the message.

He looked at me slightly awkwardly.

I threw any sense of logic to the wind before dropping the stick with a marshmallow on the end, before moving onto my knees pressing my lips to his.

He froze. I pulled away with a small smile on my face.

"I've liked you since we met. You are the nicest person I've ever met, you are so nice and smart and sweet. I understand if you don't like me, and if you want to move out because I made it completely awkward, but I thought I should man up and tell you," I said awkwardly biting my lip again.

The puzzled look softened into a smile, as he leaned forward pressing his lips to mine softly. When he pulled away we both smiled.

"Please tell me that wasn't a pity kiss, and that my feelings are reciprocated," I whispered softly.

"I like you too," he smiled lightly, "is that why you wanted to come here?"

"Yeah. I thought I might as well tell you I like you over roasting marshmallows, rather than over champagne and caviar, this seemed more fitting."

"Why now? Why did you wait three years?" he asked softly, "I was always too nervous to tell you, you were so outgoing and bright, I never thought you'd be able to like someone like me."

I let out a soft laugh, "I was always introverted, until I met you, you gave me confidence, well other than in telling you how I felt. I thought you'd laugh at the concept. But today I was treating this little girl Zoey, she's six and she fell off a swing and broke her arm. I was talking to her and she was telling me about this boy in her class Tom, and that even though she thought he was icky, she liked him but didn't want to tell him as she was scared as he picked on her. I told her that boys are icky and when they like someone they hurt them, and she'd never know whether he liked her until she told him how she felt. She agreed and said she'd tell him when she goes into school next. And I realised she's six, she was going to tell the boy she liked, and I'd spent three years living with the man I liked and he didn't know. So I decided if someone whose biggest problem in life is which crayon to shove up her nose, had the guts to tell the truth of her feelings so could I."

He chuckled softly wrapping an arm around my shoulders, so my head rested on his shoulder. He kissed the top of my head.

"Well if you see this Zoey again, you should thank her," he whispered calmly.

"Will do," I smiled softly, "I don't think I've been so happy in a long time, thank you Bruce."

"No, thank you Charlotte, you have changed my life. I haven't had a slip up with the other guy since I first met you, you have helped me continue to pursue my career in science. Thank you," he stated.

I moved my head so I was looking at his face but with my head still resting on his shoulder.

"Bruce, would you like to go to dinner tomorrow, obviously if your extensive social calendar is full, then it is perfectly fine," I smirked.

"I'd love to Charlotte," he smiled, "but I'll have to make sure I'm free, you see my landlady is very controlling over my life, I'll have to ask her."

I chuckled, "well you are living with her for free, and I think she has every right to make you do the washing up, but I'm sure she'll let you go out for one night."

"So Charlotte, is it alright if I go out tomorrow night?"

"I don't know," I sighed, "why?"

"Well there's this amazing girl who wants to go out for dinner."

"I guess I'll have to let you go."

He chuckled pulling me closer to him. 

~*~*~*~

Hello

So there should only be a few more time jumps but then it'll be set correctly.

If you'd like an imagine or preference I have a Marvel book for them and a Fandom one as well, so request there.

Thank you

Charlotte