Emily Thompson and the Beast // Bruce Banner

1

Emily Thompson's fingers tapped softly against her desk as she waited for her students to finish with their tests. Her students had already been taking the test for an hour and most of them were almost done with the essay portion which meant that Emily was closer to being able to escape her work life and watch Netflix instead.

Emily's eyes scanned over the young adults and she couldn't help but smile as her students finally started standing up and handing their tests in. Each student would hand in their test before Emily told them to have a great weekend as they left the room. This continued until the very last student was left.

Emily watched as the remaining girl looked up and sighed frustratedly when she realized that she was the last one. Emily gave the girl a small smile knowing exactly what it felt like to be the last one to finish a test. After a couple of more minutes, the girl finally stood up and walked up to Emily.

"Sorry, Ms. Thompson. Here's my test," the girl, Sadie, said as she handed Emily her test. "It's no problem, Sadie. Have a great weekend!" Emily told the girl with a smile. Sadie smiled at Emily and replied, "You too, Ms. Thompson."

Emily sighed in relief when Sadie had left the room. Finally she could go home and watch some much needed tv. Emily stood up with a smile and started packing her things. She had just put the last of the tests in her bag to take home when there was a knock on the door.

Emily looked up to see her brunette best friend standing at the door with a smile plastered on her face. Emily's smile grew as she closed her bag and went out the door to join her friend. "Hey, Betty. How was Cellular Biology?" Emily asked. "It was amazing as usual. Honestly, I think this is the best class I've had in all of my years of teaching," Betty said happily as the two headed out the building.

"But enough about me," Betty started. Emily's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and she muttered, "But I've only asked you one question..." "I heard that that Biochemistry teacher, Liam Williams, was flirting with you," Betty told her friend with a smirk. Emily's face reddened slightly as she asked, "Who told you that?" Betty rolled her eyes and said, "Em, you and I both know that word travels fast amongst the professors." Emily sighed as she realized how right Betty was.

"So," Betty started as she grinned at Emily. "Did you get his number?" "No," Emily deadpanned as she walked down the front stairs of Culver University. "What? Why?" Betty asked, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open in shock. Emily sighed as she looked down at her feet, "I didn't want his number. Besides, you know that I'm not ready to date anyone. I've still got-"

"Bruce. I know," Betty finished. She sighed slightly before saying, "But it's been five years Em. What makes you think that he is coming back?" Emily went silent as the two reached the last step. She was about to respond when someone exclaimed, "Betty!"

The two girls looked up and saw Leonard Samson making his way over to Betty. "Leo!" Betty exclaimed happily as her fiancé walked over to her. He immediately pulled Betty into his embrace and kissed her. Emily rolled her eyes and looked away. She couldn't help herself from feeling jealous about Betty and Leo's relationship. All Emily had ever wanted was to have that type of relationship with Bruce.

As thoughts about Bruce filled her mind, Emily couldn't help but think about what Betty had said.

What makes you think he is coming back?

Emily frowned slightly as she looked down at her feet, the question still running through her mind.

It had been five years since Bruce left Emily in that coffee shop. Five years since she had felt his touch. Five years since he had kissed her cheek and whispered the words 'I love you' into her ear.

Emily always wondered what Bruce was like now. Five years was a long time and people could change. Was Bruce still that goofy scientist that she had called her best friend? Was Bruce still worrying about the Hulk that was inside of him? But even as Emily had thought of all of these questions, she knew that there was only one question that mattered to her most.

Did he still love her like she loved him?

Emily sighed in frustration and glanced back over at the happy couple who were busy talking about their dinner plans for tomorrow night. "Where do you want to eat?" Leo asked. Betty smiled and shook her head, "No. Where do you want to eat?" "No. Where do you want to eat?" "Where do you want to eat?"

Emily rolled her eyes and walked over to her friends. She placed a hand on each of their shoulders and said, "You know where I think you should eat? That pizzeria down the street. The one that is owned by Stanley. Betty, you should know the one I'm talking about."

"Pizza on date night?" Leo asked with a small laugh. Emily furrowed her eyebrows and said, "Yeah. What's wrong with pizza?" "Nothing. It's just-" Emily rolled her eyes as Leo started to go on about how they wanted to go somewhere nicer for their meal and that a pizzeria isn't what he would define as a nice place to eat. Leo moved his head to the side a little while he was talking and when Emily looked back up at Leo she couldn't contain the gasp that escaped her lips once she looked behind Leo.

That was the moment she saw him.

Emily felt her eyes widen as she stared at the man on the lawn. There he was. Standing by a tree in the front lawn in a long sleeved blue shirt with a hat pulled down just far enough so that Emily could still make out his face. His eyes widened as they met hers and Emily felt her heart start beating faster as her eyes scanned over his face. "Bruce," Emily whispered so softly that only she could hear herself.

"Em?" a voice asked, making Emily turn her attention away from the man. "Yeah?" Emily asked Betty. That was when Emily saw that Betty and Leo were giving her weird looks. "What?" Emily asked. "What were you looking at?" Betty asked.

Emily smiled and turned back to face Bruce, ready to point him out to Betty. Her smile instantly disappeared when she was met with an empty lawn instead. "Where'd he go?" Emily whispered to herself as she looked around the lawn.

"Where'd who go?" Betty asked as she also looked over the lawn. Emily frowned as Betty placed a hand on her arm. "Em? Are you okay?" Betty asked.

"Yeah. It's just-" Emily sighed as she realized that she must have just been seeing things. It had been five years since she last saw him, so why would he show up now? Emily turned back to face her friend as she said, "It's nothing. I'm just tired and need some sleep."

Betty gave her friend a look before sighing and saying, "Okay. But you know you can tell me anything, right?" Emily smiled and said, "I know." Betty's smile quickly returned as she turned back to her fiancé. "I guess if everyone is okay, then we can go. Did you need a ride, Emily?" Betty asked. "That would be great. Thanks," Emily said before the three started walking towards Leo's car.

As Emily walked away, she couldn't stop herself from looking back over to the lawn. She sighed when Bruce was still no where to be found. She could've sworn he had been standing there only a few moments ago. "Em? You coming?" Betty called out to her best friend.

"Yeah, I'm coming," Emily said before turning on her heels and going to catch up with her friends. Maybe if she had stayed and looked back one last then she would've seen Bruce. For just as she had started walking away, Bruce had come out from behind the tree that he had quickly hid behind once Emily had seen him.

Bruce watched longingly as Emily walked away from him. All he wanted to do was be able to go and hold her in his arms and tell her how much he had missed her, but he knew he couldn't. She wasn't safe if he was around. So Bruce only sighed and watched as the girl he still loved got into a car with Betty and some guy before driving away.

"One day," Bruce whispered before turning and walking in the opposite direction that Emily had just walked.