Bryan hadn't always been so devoid of emotion or passion. Once he even possessed a smile and a genuine laugh that could crack even the hardest of men or women. Yet when his wife passed away six years ago; well a part of him died as well. Oh he was a solider, always surviving...always pushing on. But Rachel's death had left him hollow inside. Had it not been for the fact that he now had a son Murphy would have likely just lost himself in the bottom of a bottle. However his duty to provide for the boy ensured that he kept pressing on. Even if it meant pushing aside all the feelings that tried to pull him into the dark abyss of his mind.
She had caught him by surprise, actually snapping his focus to the present...forcing him out of the normal auto pilot the he tended to be in most of the time. For the most part folks were fine with keeping their distance, after all being around a man who could literally rip away the abilities of others...the guy who suppressed all those powers that made some folks feel special...well there was never a line of people waiting to get close to him. It suited him fine though. Made the job easier. And that was all that this was for the man. Just a job; a way to serve again, a way to provide, and still be useful.
Even if his heart wasn't in it, Bryan Murphy found some measure of contentment in his work. Not peace, or joy, but a nice numbing content feeling. When Nicky asked about the name he merely shrugged, before allowing that nullifying power of his to wash over her and the area around them. Letting her feel the void and emptiness that came when she was quite literally unable to feel her abilities. It lasted for only a few seconds, before he reigned it back in before that field shrank until he was the only one being affected by it again.