For any new readers, keep in mind that yes, this is post-AoU, but it's also a sequel to The Gray Areas.

Typically I avoid making a prologue like the plague, though in this case, I've made an exception for the sake of the story. First shout out goes to Black Victors' Cachat.

Welcome back to the journey and enjoy the first part of In Ruins.

Prologue:

The large video screen on the wall turned itself on, connecting an incoming call without ever giving Natasha a choice in the matter. She narrowed her eyes slightly and then she masked herself into neutrality before she turned towards the unwelcome intrusion. Though she made sure not to let the mask slip, the face on the screen only worsened her mood and she gave the slightest tilt of her head to acknowledge one General Thaddeus Ross, even if it would be considered the barest semblance of a greeting one could offer.

The man reminded her much of a cockroach. You think it's gone, you're certain it's not coming back, and then its nasty little feelers touch your fingers when you reach into the sink to wash the dishes. It was probably rude to make the comparison; even the cockroach would have been more welcome than Ross. The too-pleasant smile on his face told her he knew exactly how much she disapproved of his intrusion. It also told her how much he didn't care.

"Miss Romanoff," he greeted just a little too kindly for her liking, "I'm just going skip the pleasantries and cut to the chase here for both our sake's."

Natasha studied him with a look of disinterest as she deemed herself just curious enough about his intentions and responded, "That's probably for the best." Given he once threatened to have her arrested and that, though there was no official proof, he was likely behind Nikolao Constantin's attack on herself and Bruce on the streets of New York, she was far from the General's biggest fan.

"I'm looking for Banner."

Even his surprisingly honest statement didn't ruffle her feathers or goad her out of the seemingly uncaring attitude. She merely gave the tiniest of shrugs.

And Ross' smile lost its shine with her reaction. She watched as he folded his hands atop his desk before he continued to speak, "I have a proposition for you."

"I doubt that I'll find it even remotely interesting but by all means," Natasha told him as she leaned against her dresser and crossed her arms over her chest, "amuse me."

Ross gave her a look that was nothing if not perturbed and it was hard to keep herself from smiling, or it was, until he gave her the proposition, "You're going to bring me Banner."

Natasha felt the frown curl the corners of her lips even if it was only just a fraction, and given Ross' renewed smirk, he could see it too. "There isn't a single thing you could offer to convince me to do that," she informed him.

Her tone should have made it clear, but he didn't seem fazed by her insistence. "Allow me to rephrase that," Ross told her next, "you're going to bring me Banner so that I don't feel the need to make your life a living hell."

"Declined," Natasha told him without batting an eye. He wasn't the first to threaten her and he certainly wouldn't be the last. "Any further offers I can shoot down for you?" she asked with a fake and pleasant smile.

"You really don't want to make this mistake, Miss Romanoff," Ross warned her. She almost wished he had showed up in person so she could show him how far up his ass he could shove that supposed mistake. "If you don't willingly help, you're still useful to me," and now her eyes narrowed of their own accord. "You can get me Banner or I will come after you with everything I have," the warning was obvious, "and then Banner will come to me."

Natasha didn't bother to tell Ross that even if she wanted to bring Bruce to him, there was absolutely no chance of it happening. No, instead she graced him with another microscopic shrug that seemed to bother the man further, "Best of luck to you, General."

"You're going to regret this, Miss Ro—" She cut the video feed off before he could bother going on with another threat. She didn't give it a second thought as she grabbed her keys and left the room.

It wasn't more than two hours before Natasha found herself stepping into the tower and hitting the button in the elevator for Tony's lab brought FRIDAY's attention down on her, "Welcome back, Miss Romanoff. Are you not aware that the boss is currently in the Malibu home with Miss Potts?"

"I am, FRIDAY," Natasha answered as she stepped off the elevator and made her way into the lab, "I'm here for you."

"I see. What can I do to help you?" FRIDAY asked without hesitation.

Natasha took a seat at Tony's desk and glanced at what used to be the de-Hulking cage. "Are my overrides from when Jarvis was active still functioning?" she questioned.

There was clear hesitation before FRIDAY answered, "They are."

"Then I need you to initiate them," she stated next.

"Very well, Miss Romanoff. Override initiated. What else can I do for you?"

Natasha rubbed at her eyes slightly and sighed, "I need you to create a new protocol, FRIDAY."

"You did not need an override for that function, Miss Romanoff. The boss gave you one of the highest clearance accesses to my systems and functions."

She hadn't been aware of that, and though she appreciated the gesture on Tony's part, it didn't entirely matter in this instance. "That's not what the override was for," she stated.

"I see. What name would you like to give this protocol?"

Natasha figured she might as well put some irony to it, "Code: Red."

"Protocol created. What will this protocol consist of?"

And that was where the override came in, "Do you still have all of my old Red Room files in your system?"

"I do."

Natasha nodded as she pulled a few circular plastic clips from the drawer and a few wires. She dragged a metal chair and one of Tony's tiny battery generators into the Hulk cage.

"What are you doing, Miss Romanoff?" came FRIDAY's immediate question.

Natasha set the chair up in the cage and placed the battery generator down beside it as she attached the wires, "I'm going to need you to get the frequency on file that activated my programming."

"I was under the impression that the frequency no longer had any effect."

"It doesn't," Natasha answered as she attached the clips to the wire. When FRIDAY was quiet for a brief moment, Natasha knew her override was the only thing keeping FRIDAY from informing Tony about what was going on in his lab, so she tried not to let what she was about to do bother her.

"This does not seem wise, Miss Romanoff."

No doubt about that. Natasha sat down on the chair and pressed the plastic clips to her arms.

"And that does not seem safe."

"It's not wise and it's not safe," Natasha answered, "hence the override." She pulled the syringe from her pocket and eyed it with disdain. It was as close as she had been able to get from her remaining contacts when it came to Red Room's serum and she glanced over at Tony's favorite robot wearing it's signature dunce cap. The robot whirred and wheeled its way over to her as she flagged it down. She plucked the dunce cap off the top of it, "After I use this, I'm going to need you to turn that generator on every five minutes, for ten seconds, for the next hour. Understood?"

Dum-E's clamp whirred in a little circle before it moved up and down in what she took as acceptance.

"Close the cage, FRIDAY."

"Yes, Miss Romanoff."

"After Dum-E and I begin, I'll need you to play that frequency each time Dum-E turns on the generator. If you go over the hour time frame then there's a chance you activate me, do not go over an hour."

"Understood, Miss Romanoff."

Natasha took a deep breath as she plucked the plastic off the needle of the syringe. "And FRIDAY? If anybody asks, I forgot something in my room."

"Very well."

Plunging that syringe into her own eye was one of the worst things she ever had to do to herself.

And the next thing Natasha knew, she was curled up around something as she fluttered her eyes open. The blanket was familiar and she slowly sat up and looked around to find herself in Bruce's bedroom in the Tower.

She was in his damned bed, curled up around his blanket, and just to frustrate her further she had the ridiculous stuffed Hulk toy that she thought had been left in her own room when she left. She removed herself from the bed in an instant as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"How do you feel, Miss Romanoff?"

"I'm fine, FRIDAY," Natasha answered without a second thought. She grabbed the sheets and blankets, resettling them properly on the bed. "How did I get in here...and when?"

"Once you were done in the lab you came here yourself after going into your own room for five minutes. That was last night."

Natasha sighed at that as she made the bed, then she picked up the Hulk stuffed animal from the floor and looked at it. She supposed after almost six months there was no need to wonder if forgiveness was just around the corner. Besides, if she needed to activate the new protocol like she thought she might, it wouldn't really make much of a difference. She shook her head a little as she tossed HuggaHulk back on the bed and walked out.

Alright the sequel has officially begun. Get ready for a new round of skin tone changing, pants ripping insanity!

Welcome to, In Ruins!