CHAPTER TWO:
THE FIRST STEP

SHE NEVER THOUGHT OF HERSELF as the nervous type. In fact, Willow had always believed herself to be bold and upfront about everything. But as Nick Fury led her from the cell she had been kept in for what seemed like years, her nervous seemed to crawl up her spine, attacking her a lot more than she thought it would. Willow swallowed thickly, pushing her hair off of her shoulders. Fury hadn't said a single word, and in doing so he was only making the nerves worse and worse.

They walked through the halls, and it seemed like every single person was stopping their current tasks in order to turn their heads to look at the girl that they knew to be possessed by some dark thing that she had no control over. Willow tugged at the collar of her shirt, silently cursing to herself. She couldn't let these agents get to her. Not even Nick Fury fazed the girl, so why was it that all of these unknown agents were bothering her and getting under her skin simply by looking at her?

She tried not to show the relief when they had finally exited the hallway. But just as soon as the relief came, it was gone again. When she realized she was standing in a lab, that dark part of her started to creep through her veins, a process in which allowed for the creature inside to take over. She swallowed thickly, clenching her jaw as she fought to stay in control. She knew what a lab meant. She knew that she was going to be pricked and prodded every day of her life so that they could find out what the hell it was that was wrong with her.

     "Willow, these are our two best doctors-slash-scientists. Dr. Bruce Banner, and Dr. Rosalynn Stone. You are in the safest hands with them. That I can assure you." Fury turned his head to look at Willow, watching the woman as she took a moment to glance around the lab nervously. He knew exactly what it was that she was thinking, and he could only hope that Willow would trust him―︎not that that was something she did very often without having a specific reason to do so. He watched as recognition flashed on her face.

Willow narrowed her eyes as she looked at the two people in front of her. She cocked her head slightly, examining the female for a moment before shifting her attention over to the male. His names ran through her mind, trying to figure out why exactly it was that she knew that name. Before it suddenly hit her―︎he was Bruce Banner. Also known as the man who could turn into a giant green raging monster. Willow pursed her lips for a moment as she pointed her finger at Bruce, her mouth staying open for a few seconds before she finally decided to ask the question that was on the tip of her tongue.

     "Aren't you―︎? Can't you―︎? I-I mean, don't you turn into. . . Hulk?" She stuttered over her words as she tried to ask the question, and anger bubbled in her stomach as she cursed herself for messing up the only question she had even wanted to ask the poor man. Judging by the reaction on his face, she immediately knew that she was right. She turned her head to look at Fury. "You're putting me in the hands of a giant green rage monster and a woman who definitely has something abnormal about her―︎I just don't know what yet."

      "Trust me, Michaels, you're in the safest hands I know." Fury looked towards Rosalynn and Bruce before nodding his head. He turned to leave the lab, opening the door only to stop in his tracks, causing for Willow to turn and look at him. "You're welcome to go back to your cell. But if not, Dr. Stone will be more than glad to escort you to your room." Willow simply nodded her head before watching as the man finally walked out of the room.

     A shaky sigh left Willow's lips as she turned her head to look at the duo. Her arms were crossed over her chest. She nodded. "Alright, docs, what's the first step?"

     "The first step?" Rosalynn smiled kindly at the woman as Bruce started to get everything set up. "Well, the first step is to get you to where your comfortable, and make sure that you're alright with us running tests on you. I know that being pricked and prodded isn't everyone's. . . favorite. So, if you aren't comfortable doing it right at this very moment, we completely understand."

     "But. . . but this will help you right?" Willow questioned. "I mean, it'll help you figure out a way to get this thing out of me?"

     "That is our hope, yes." Rosalynn nodded. "But again, it is completely and utterly up to you. We just want to help."

Willow sat there for a few moments as she looked at Rosalynn. Her thoughts were racing at one thousand miles per hour. And she was trying to decide whether or not this was a good idea. She had no clue how the darkness would react once a needle was stuck into her arm. She wondered if her blood would still be red of if it would just be black. She physically cringed at the thought. There were so many questions that she had, and none of them seemed to have any answers. And she realized that this was her chance. This was her chance to get the answers she had been longing for her entire life.

     Without another though, Willow quickly nodded her head. "Do it. Find a way to get this monster out of me."