Notes: This scene was supposed to be a part of chapter 5 but I forgot to put it in. So I reworked it as an after-credits scene because I had intended to resolve Bruce's position under the Accords in this story.

New Earth

Epilogue

"Thaddeus Ross, please come with us."

Ross glared at the prison guards, faceless behind their armor and shielded helmets but he got up from the bunk in the small isolation cell where he'd been held for the last three years. The guards led him to an elevator. "So you finally realized that you need me," Ross said smugly, remembering the fine meal he'd been served the night before. Clearly someone was trying to butter him up.

The guards didn't say anything.

That meal turned to lead in Ross' stomach when he saw the heavily reinforced door they were leading him too. A wheel locked three crossbolts, each thicker than a man's thigh, in place to bar the door. The metal of the door had a bluish sheen to it that Ross knew identified it as a vibranium alloy. "What is this?" he demanded as he was thrust into the cell clearly designed to hold the most powerful of Enhanced.

The guards left the door open but the weapons pointed at his chest ensured that Ross wouldn't be leaving. A few moments passed in silence then a slight man with curly brownish-grey hair stepped into the cell. "You can't do this!" Ross shouted as the door swung shut and a cool, dispassionate voice announced, "Dr. Banner, the test of your control over the entity known as the Hulk has begun."

Bruce glanced over at Ross, "There's no way anyone could open that door before the Hulk tore you limb from limb," he remarked. "I'd almost call it a balm to my soul, seeing the high regard you're held in by the current administration."

Ross shrank away from Bruce. "Get me away from this monster! You can't do this!" he yelled, his face purpling.

"Why don't we give them their money's worth," Bruce said as he slowly closed the distance between them. "Really test my control. Why don't we reminisce about how you corrupted my research and turned me into this? How you took my life from me and hunted me across three continents like an animal." Bruce caught Ross by his shoulders and shoved the bigger man back against the wall. "Or maybe we could talk about how you weaseled your way into the Accords in a transparent ploy to gather a new powerbase to use against me. How your involvement poisoned the Accords and undoubtedly played a major role in setting the stage for Tony Stark's murder. The Hulk is- was very fond of Tony. We went to see his body." Bruce closed his eyes, "I can still picture the injuries on his body."

Ross looked away from the death he could see coming for him. He heard cloth tearing and felt the hands on his shoulders shift, becoming immense. His bowels released as the Hulk easily forced him to his knees.

Then the behemoth laughed cruelly. Ross looked up, terror turning to shock as he saw intelligence in the poison-green eyes. "Ross stay in cage. Hulk go. Hulk good."

With that the Hulk turned around and walked away. He stopped at the door. "Hulk no fit. Banner come back," he declared and the Hulk's mass melted away leaving Bruce Banner behind.

The guards opened the door and handed Bruce a fresh pile of clothing. "Thank you for your co-operation Dr. Banner," one said. And the door swung shut behind them, leaving Ross forgotten in a cell built to hold a monster.