18) Bruce

Keen to get away from the press after Stane's betrayal and knowing Tony needed some time alone, Loki decided to return to the hospital to see his friends. It would be remiss of him not to see them as so much had happened in the meantime and there hadn't been much more than a couple of hasty phonecalls and strings of email conversations since then.


"Alden!" Daniel cried upon seeing him. "It's so good to see you!"

"And you," Loki replied, allowing his best friend to give him a great big bear hug. "Has the place changed much?"

"Of course not," Daniel scoffed. "Just a few staff changes. We have lots of lovely nurses."


"Daniel," Loki admonished, "You're meant to be the administrator, not a playboy. Goodness knows I have enough problems with Tony."

"The male attendants are good-looking, too," Daniel pointed out, winking at the nearest one who suddenly dropped the clipboard he was holding.

"Daniel," Loki sighed, "you do have a reputation to uphold. Men, women... I've already had to warn Tony against harassing people this month."


"Fine," Daniel sulked. "You won't even allow me my admirable ways."

"None of your ways are admirable."

"No? But I know who is admirable," Daniel said suddenly, looking past him.

"Who?" Loki asked suspiciously.


"This is Doctor Bruce Banner," Daniel explained, seizing a man out of seemingly nowhere. "He's conducting some research at the hospital."

"You have some of the greatest facilities around," Banner told Daniel, looking perturbed to have been stopped in such a manner. "Thanks to you, I've heard," he said, turning back to Loki.

"Nice to meet you," Loki smiled, deciding not to comment on either the fact that Banner knew who he was or that Tony had contributed significantly to the hospital upon Loki's departure.


"Likewise," the scientist replied.

"I've heard of you by reputation of course," Loki said, keen to get off on the right foot. "Gamma radiation, I've heard. Not my specialty, I'm afraid."

Here Dr Banner smiled.


"I've heard that it doesn't take long for things to become your specialty subject, Dr Walker," he said. "Daniel said you became a surgeon, just like that."

Loki shrugged almost sheepishly. Daniel grinned.

"Alden was our best surgeon by a long shot," Daniel stated. "Then Tony Stark snapped him up."


"I wanted to repay the debt I owed to this hospital," Loki explained. "I was involved in a hit-and-run and was taken to this hospital. Then they treated me with epilepsy a few years later. This hospital contains a lot of memories - both good and bad."

"An admirable career path, especially one formed from gratitude," Banner commented.

"But, tell me, how is your research going?" Loki asked, eager to change the subject.


"Sorry, I have to go," Daniel interrupted as a nurse beckoned to him. "I'll see you later, Alden, Bruce."

Loki smiled and waved his friend away.

"Fairly well actually," the doctor answered. "If I didn't know better, I would say I've made a breakthrough."

They shared a secret laugh between scientists.


"Make sure you don't use yourself as a test subject," Loki advised, amusedly, but Banner looked sheepish.

"Well..." He faltered. "Can I speak to you in utmost confidence, Dr Walker?"

"Of course, Dr Banner," Loki said, surprised.

"Not as a businessman, but as a decent human being?"


Banner's serious tone made Loki rather wary but he ignored his subconscious.

"I speak in my capacity as an honourable man, a doctor and a scientist."

"Very well."

He urged Loki towards a quieter part of the hospital.


"My potential breakthrough," he began slowly, "Could be something more major. Have you heard of Captain America?"

"Go on."

"I could have managed to replicate the serum. I have created a serum using gamma radiation and I think it could reproduce the same effects as the Super Soldier serum."


"I would be very wary, Dr Banner," Loki warned. "Ethics were very different in Captain Roger's day and Rogers was a very willing participant. There is no reason why you should want to do that to yourself."

"It doesn't have to be done to myself," Banner said but he now sounded hesitant.

"It doesn't have to be done to anyone," Loki replied, his voice rising minimally in indignation. "Don't commit anyone to that fate. Poor Captain Rogers died for his country but it was a short life. Human beings are capable of extraordinary things, there is no need for humans themselves to be extraordinary."


"I take it that you don't approve?" Banner asked.

Loki looked at him.

"People shouldn't be used as weapons. I'm sorry, Dr Banner, but I strongly recommend against pursuing this. It could have all kinds of catastrophic ramifications."


"Thank you for your honesty," Banner replied. "Few have told me any different. General Ross in particular was keen for such an experiment to go ahead."

"I've heard all sorts of rumours about General Ross," Loki responded. "If any of them are true, I wouldn't listen to a word he says. A man like him can ruin your life in a heartbeat."

Banner looked at him pensively.


"So what will you do now?" Loki inquired. "Continue trying to replicate poor Captain Rogers' serum or change course? Radiation is not something you want to spend lots of time around."

"You've given me a lot to think on, Dr Walker," Banner answered. "I can only hope you'll be happy with the decision I make."

"Very well. Goodbye, Dr Banner," Loki said, extending a hand. "I hope to see you in the science journals, not the newspapers."

*

A few hours later, Loki sat in Daniel's office having a drink as friends do.

"So how did you find Banner?" Daniel asked, swishing his brandy around in his glass.

Loki pursed his lips.


"He has the potential to be a good man. I just don't quite see it yet."

"Careful as always, I see," Daniel grinned.

"You haven't heard what he was planning."

"Do I want to?"


Loki looked at his friend.

"Perhaps not," he acquiesced. "Anyway, I should be going. It's been good to see you, to see everyone. Tony is visiting next week and I'll be back at some point. You could host a party in my honour," he grinned.

Daniel laughed.


"I'll see if the hospital budget stretches to that," he said, amused. "But I think the fundraiser will be our only big event for the foreseeable future. We're a hospital, not a mansion."

Loki smiled.


"Well, enjoy the fundraiser. Don't swoon in front of Tony. I know what you're like, I know what you are."

Daniel chuckled.

"A handsome reprobate?" He asked, waggling his eyebrows.


Loki stared at him.

"No," he replied. "Tony Stark's number one fan."

*****

A.N. Enter Bruce Banner!!! Slowly the band is coming together...

Thank you for reading!

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