Starting Over - Loki (COMPLETE)

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."