For Bruce it was frightening. Fear built upon fear, to truly staggering heights,but after living like that long enough while NOTHING HAPPENED and nothing continued to happen, he just couldn't keep it up and gradually the fear receded. Eventually it faded to only periodic flashes of paranoia, and then one day he turned a corner. He accepted that probably nothing was ever going to happen. Joy bubbled up inside of him, and then, somehow, it never stopped bubbling up. He could live the rest of his life in joy and peace, with no more fear bothering him ever again. In philosophical moments, he wondered if he'd simply used it up.