Closed starter for @angerissue
Bruce Banner.
It was a name that Liz had often thought fondly of in the previous few years, and yet one she had not uttered once in that time. He had been a charming young man when they had met, intelligent and highly skilled; quite frankly, he was someone who Liz knew she needed from the moment they had first met. So of course, she had immediately sought out his alliance and help with GHOST, which had still been in its infant stages at that point. Their professional relationship had soon flowed through into a wonderful friendship, and her husband Reggie had unlimited time for Bruce, loving the companionship of another intellectual.
He had been an invaluable asset to the organisation, and an invaluable friend for Liz, someone who she could trust with her life should the need arise. But then everything had changed when he disappeared. The man had almost become like a son or younger brother to her, a family member who she cared a great deal for, and so when he seemed to vanish into thin air without warning or reason, she had immediately feared the worst. She had utilised her resources in order to try and locate him, though if he had been still alive then it was clear that he did not wish to be found - of course, a man of his skill and smarts would know exactly how to stay hidden. There was, naturally, the fear of him having passed away somehow, but with Reggie checking all obituaries around the globe on a regular basis, each passing day without mention of his name gave her some reprieve. She simply hoped that he was out living a good life for himself.
And so, Liz went back to her business, focusing on her goals and the well being of her ‘family’, now and then thinking back on that wonderful young man who had become such an important part of the Burgess’ lives. Until one day, when his name popped up in the most obscure of places. A mention of his name, followed soon enough by an internet search that revealed his oh so familiar face in a recent photograph. Her heart had instantly leapt with joy at the thought of him being alive and well, passing the information on to her husband who was equally as pleased, though when he had asked her what she intended to do with this revelation, Liz had to admit she was unsure. Perhaps he had wanted to leave this life with GHOST behind him? Perhaps he had all but forgotten about their existence? There were a multitude of reasons why Bruce may have not reached out to Liz or Reginald, but despite wanting to respect that, she just had to see him. She needed to know if he was alright (and, sure, a part of her did hope that he might wish to come back to their ranks and assist once more, but she ignored that thought for now).
Over the following weeks, she had begun to watch him, subtly in the ways she knew best. Stops at cafes where he seemed to frequent, large sunglasses covering her face as she sipped at her lattes, trips past what appeared to be his place of residence. He looked well, for the most part, his face unchanged as far as she could tell, although there was something unreadable in his expressions, a sort of tension at the corners of his eyes that had not been there before. Without being closer, Liz couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was, but it concerned her enough to take the necessary steps to initiate contact.
The sun was beating down on her faze, in contrast to the cool breeze in the air as she made her way up the hiking trail that day, the smell of nature hitting her nostrils and leaving her sighing with contentment. She could certainly understand why Bruce seemed to enjoy coming out here, it gave her a sense of peace and tranquillity that London did not provide, and she loved it. Cargo boots had been donned to assist with the walk, though she did not own any hiking shoes sadly (she made a mental note to invest in some, if this was the kind of feeling she got from such locations), and she trekked up the slope in slow pursuit of her old friend, wondering if he might be displeased by her sudden presence.
“My my...” A twig snapped underneath Liz’s shoe as she approached where he had paused in his walk. “I don’t think there’s ever been a familiar face I’ve been as overjoyed to see... Hello, dear Bruce.”
