Disclaimer: I own nothing.

It had been an okay day so far. Key word being 'had been'. The whole Avengers team, even Thor, was sitting around the kitchen table, simply lounging about and playfully bantering with each other. "Hey, Bruce!" Tony waved his hands frantically to gain the physicist's attention, and he succeeded. A friendly but slightly annoyed look was aimed in his direction.

"Okay, Brucie-boy. Who do you think would win in a fight: The Hulk, or the-" Whoever's poor name Tony was about to say was cut off by Bruce's (new) phone beeping insistently, lighting up before him on the table. Bruce smiled slightly, happy for the distraction, and held up one finger at Tony to halt his question.

He stood up, walking towards the floor-to-ceiling windows, answering the call and looking out on the city. "Hello, Dr. Banner speaking." A slightly confused look crossed over Bruce's face as a snort from the other end came over the line. "So it's 'Doctor' now? Not just bastard or freak or monster?" Bruce froze. He knew that voice. It had haunted his mind since he was old enough to retain and recall memories. All the scars on his body that didn't come from himself, came from the man on the phone. His father.

"How did you get this number?" Bruce's voice was quiet, subdued, fearful. He could feel the Other Guy begin to stir. He could not afford to have an accident right now. He tried to calm himself down and reassure himself, but his father's voice broke down every barrier and defense he'd ever built up. He tried to speak, to say anything, but all that came out was a choked noise of distress.

His father laughed. "So, are you piggy-backing off of that billionaire, Tony Stark? Or did he just give you a phone out of charity? You know he had your number listed under his 'Lab Assistant' in the add, right? Sounds like typical old you- pushing yourself on people, trying to make yourself important." His father paused, maybe waiting for a response of some sort, but Bruce couldn't speak past the lump in his throat.

He tried to clear his throat to speak, but it came out as another strangled noise. He couldn't deal with this right now. But he couldn't seem to hang up, either. He was now suddenly aware that the room behind him had fallen silent. Behind his own reflection in the glass, Tony's face appeared, looking slightly pissed. He looked back at his own reflection, noting sadly how his eyes were tinted green already.

Anger wasn't his only trigger; in some cases, pain and fear could be an even bigger set-off than being mad. The voice on the phone invaded his thoughts once more. "Oh, what? Cat got your tongue, dear son of mine?" Bruce could hear the sneer and hatred in the man's voice. His hands began to tremble.

"I-I...Dad, you can't just..." he trailed off, not knowing what to say. The look of hopelessness and fear in his eyes scared him even more; knowing his father still had this much power over him was absolutely terrifying.