Title: Team is a four-letter word chapter 2 of 7
Pairing/Characters: Teamfic. No Pairings. Loki, Tony Stark, Thor, Frigga, Steve Rogers, Avengers.
Full fic word Count: approx 26000 words
Warnings: Suicide attempt. A few swear words, especially in chapters 4 and 6.
Summary: The fourth part of the team work series. Previous fics were "Better Teamwork Through Dragon Hunting", "I used to be a god, but then I took an arrow to the eye", and "Six hugs a day keeps the doctor away" which can all be found on my profile.
"After some serious therapy, Loki has now been a member of the Avengers for 2 years, but when an attack by Doom leaves him gravely ill, his team mates have to fight to save his life."
Please read the updated warnings. I left something off that really needed a warning.
NOTE: If you haven't read the other parts of this series the only information you need to know to understand this fic is that Loki got Coulson out of Valhalla by exchanging years from his own lifespan for the ones he took, and that Loki taught Tony some rudimentary magic, but he wasn't particularly good at it.
*~* Team is a four-letter word *~*
Chapter 2of 7
"How's he doing?" Clint asked, as Bruce emerged from the medical bay.
"Bit better. Still in pain, but not as much," he replied, as he closed the door behind him. "He's resting now."
"Any idea what happened?"
"His blood work shows he has a massive viral infection," Bruce sighed. "Dr Morgan is leading the team and he's one of the finest virologists in the country. They're working on identifying it now, but I need blood samples from everyone Loki has been in contact with recently."
"They think we might have it too?" Natasha asked.
"As of right now, the tower is in lock down. Tony's been ordered to stay where he is till we get a blood sample. We need to see if this thing can spread to the human population."
"So we could be dealing with an epidemic here?" Clint asked.
"If it can cross the species barrier, yes."
"Species?"
"Loki isn't human. He isn't even Asgardian," Bruce said. "It's possible the infection might not even be able to spread to any of us. So, you wanna come through and get that blood taken?"
"Is it safe?" Clint asked.
"He's in isolation till we find out what it is," Bruce said, as he went back inside the medical lab, and held the door open for the others to follow him.
As Natasha entered the lab she looked at Loki through the glass window of the isolation room. His face was mostly hidden by an oxygen mask, but the stark white of the walls, sheets and gown Loki had been dressed in, all served to heighten just how pale he was. "I thought you said he was doing better?"
"He's in a lot less pain than he was, and his temperature has come down."
"He looks like total shit," Clint said bluntly.
A nurse entered the room, carrying a tray which she placed on the table, and she motioned for Clint to sit.
"They're giving him antiviral medication," Bruce said. "We can't even be sure if they will work given his different physiology."
"How is he even sick?" Natasha asked, still stood by the window. "I thought he could heal himself?"
"He said it isn't working. Could be exhaustion, or he hasn't eaten enough. They're giving him som-"
"Loki!" a voice bellowed, cutting Bruce off mid sentence, as Thor slammed open the medical lab door. "Steve received a message that my brother is unwell. Where is he?"
Bruce moved across the room, and directed Thor to the window of the adjoining room. "He's here. We're doing our best to help him."
"Is he injured?"
"All we know right now is that he has an infection that's causing him a great deal of pain."
"Loki has not been ill since he was a child. This is impossible."
"We're giving him medication, and we have one of the best medical teams in the whole world trying to find out what the infection is so they can create an effective treatment."
"I wish to see him."
"Until we know exactly what's going on, Loki needs to stay in isolation."
"Move," Thor said, threateningly.
"I know you're worried," Bruce said, holding up his hands in a calming gesture, "but we have no idea what we're dealing with. You could get sick too. We all could."
"Move, or I will break the window."
Bruce sighed. "OK, but give me a chance to get you a gown and mask, just something to limit- THOR, NO!"
Thor headed towards the glass, Mjolnir raised, preparing to strike. "Allow me entry, NOW. I will not allow my brother to suffer alone while you dally with masks."
"You understand the risk you're taking?"
"I do."
Bruce turned to the nurse, who was still stood by Clint, and said, "Let him in."
The nurse moved over to the control panel, pressing buttons until the lock on the first door slid open, allowing Thor to make his way through the containment system. He stood by the bed for a moment, and then pointed to the tubes, machines, and mask. "What is this?"
"That's an oxygen mask to help him breathe, and machines so we can monitor his condition."
"And this?"
"That's an I.V line so we can keep him hydrated, and give him medication."
"On Asgard we have no need of such of such barbaric devices," Thor said, as he gently ran his hand across Loki's hair and down the side of his face. "I will take him home. The healers will be able to help him."
"First we need to check that he isn't contagious. If he is, and you take him home, everyone there will get sick. You don't want that to happen, do you?"
"No," Thor replied. "Will it take long for your tests?"
"Just a few days, I promise you," Bruce replied.
"Thank you, Banner."
Loki's eyelids began to flutter, as Thor continued to gently stroke the side of his face, avoiding the oxygen mask, and finally opened. He looked blearily around the room for a second, and then finally focussed on his brother.
"You had me worried," Thor said, as he smiled gently.
"Wh-what happened?" Loki stammered.
"You are unwell, but fear not. In a few days I shall take you back to Asgard, and the healers will help you."
"Can't go now?"
"Banner needs to perform some tests upon you to determine if you can transmit this sickness to others. Rest, Loki, we will leave soon."
"You will stay with me?"
"Of course, brother," Thor said as he dragged a chair to the side of the bed, and curled his fingers round Loki's hand. "I actually do not believe Banner would allow me to leave now anyway, in case I transmit this sickness to others."
"Thor, you dullard, you should not have come in here," Loki mumbled, his eyes beginning to close again, as exhaustion swept over him, and he gently squeezed Thor's hand, "but thank you."
~o~
"So you don't feel sick or anything?" Bruce asked, as he talked to Tony over a video feed, which clearly showed that he was lounging by a poolside with his shirt off.
"Fine and dandy and relaxing with a cocktail or four," Tony replied. "You should come out here some time. We'll go out in the desert, let the green guy run wild till he's all tuckered out."
"Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll pass," Bruce replied. "Someone's coming to take your bloods soon."
"Guys in blue, sound kinda like Darth Vader? They've already been," Tony said dismissively, as he held up his arm a revealed the small piece of gauze, held on by tape, inside his elbow. "Look at that, it's gonna totally ruin my tan."
"That was fast. Looks like Shield are taking this seriously."
"So there's a possibility we all might have it?"
"Loki's already symptomatic, and he hasn't been anywhere on his own for at least a couple of weeks. Everyone here tested negative for the infection, and Shield found a single bot with what looked like a aerosol delivery system in the wreckage, which apparently went straight for Loki, so it looks like he was the target, and it only infects Jotuns."
"That's good. 'Avengers infect school kids with mystery disease' wouldn't be the best headline."
A lab technician appeared at Bruce's side, and held out a clipboard. "Dr Banner, Dr Morgan said to tell you that Mr Stark's blood work came back normal. No traces of infection."
"That's great news, thanks," Bruce said, taking the clipboard, and going over the paperwork "You hear that, Tony?"
"Certainly did. So I'm in the clear?"
"Yup, you can come back any time you like."
"How's Loki doing? Like really doing? None of this 'Oh he's fine' rubbish."
Bruce grimaced, and said, "He's in a lot of pain, but if Thor's bloods are still clear tomorrow, Shield will probably clear him to use the Tesseract to take Loki back to Asgard and see if their healers can help."
"I'm coming back in the morning, so I'll see him before he goes."
"I thought you were coming back on Monday?"
"Pointless staying here and trying to relax now."
"I'll see you tomorrow then," Bruce replied.
"See ya!"
Bruce closed the program, and gathered up the paperwork, then made his way through the double door system of the isolation ward.
"Banner," Thor said as he looked up. "You are not wearing a mask."
"Everyone's blood work came back completely normal. It looks like it only infects Jotuns."
"So I can take my brother back to Asgard?"
"We'll do one more round of bloods tomorrow and if they all come back clear, then we'll grab the tesseract, get you in the jet and go to the bifrost site."
"That is excellent news, my friend," Thor smiled, as he brushed his hand over Loki's face.
~o~
"You're back early," Clint said, when Tony walked into the kitchen the next morning and poured himself a coffee.
"Couldn't sleep, so I thought I might as well make my way back here and say goodbye to my favourite ex villain before he goes back home. What time are you setting off?"
"Couple of hours. Shield want one more round of blood tests before they'll release him."
"Vampires, the lot of them. Better get down there then."
~o~
"Holy shit!" Tony shouted, as he walked into the room and saw Coulson sat sipping a cup of coffee, as he stood next to Bruce. "You could have warned me you were coming down today."
"And a good morning to you, too," Coulson replied.
"Sorry, sorry… It's just if I haven't seen you for a week or two I kinda forget that you aren't dead."
"Sit, and roll your sleeve up," Bruce said, as he prepared the kit.
Tony sat, took his jacket off, and placed his arm on table, as Bruce wrapped a strip of elastic round his arm and began to tap inside his elbow. "What are you doing here anyway? Apart from almost making me drop my coffee?"
"Fury wanted someone down here to check the situation and report back."
"Doesn't trust us, huh?"
"About as far as he could throw you all."
"That's nice to know," Tony said, turning his head to look through the isolation room glass as Bruce started to draw the blood. "How's Loki doing?"
"Not great, but he's stable."
"Are the Asgardian healers going to be able to help him, because really, he looks on the verge of death?"
"He's been in constant pain pretty much since you left, but Thor said they can."
"Can I see him, or is not safe?"
"Sure, I was in there yesterday, and my blood work is fine today," Bruce said, as he taped gauze over the small puncture. "OK, you're done."
Tony stood up, and walked over to the door of the isolation ward. He entered quietly, and whispered, "Hey."
"Good morning, Stark," Thor replied. "I did not expect you back so soon."
"I wanted to come back before you left," he whispered again.
"There is no need to be so quiet, Stark. I'm not asleep," Loki said, as he cracked an eyelid open to give him an evil glare, and failed miserably.
"Sorry, I thought you were resting."
"It's rather difficult to rest when you feel as if your whole body is on fire."
"That bad, huh?"
"Yes. That bad."
"Which explains why you look like a character from a Tim Burton film."
"Thank you for the compliment, Stark."
"Going back to Asgard in a bit I hear. They'll have you better in no time," Tony said as he reached over and tentatively patted Loki's hand.
"I do hope so, this is becoming quite tiresome. I've spent the last 24 hours with Thor stroking my hair as if I were a cat," Loki said, casting his eyes towards Thor.
"Sorry," Thor replied, and snatched his hand away.
~o~
"Right," Bruce said, as he entered the isolation room with Coulson in tow. "Everyone's tests were fine, Phil has been on the phone, and Shield are sending over the Tesseract."
"We can leave now?" Loki asked.
"Clint's up top, prepping the Quinjet already."
"Excellent," Loki replied, as he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed.
"Whoa, you can't walk there," Bruce said, as Loki hauled himself up onto his feet and almost collapsed into Thor's arms.
"I can walk," Loki replied weakly. "Just give me a minute for the dizziness to pass."
"Ta-da!" Tony shouted, as he appeared the other side of the glass window, pushing a wheelchair. "Your chariot awaits."
"What is that contraption?" Loki asked, allowing Thor to keep him upright.
"It's a wheelchair."
"You expect me to sit in that thing, and allow someone to push me along like a child? No. I refuse. I will walk."
"You can't walk," Bruce protested.
"I can, and I will."
"I could carry you," Thor announced.
Loki stared at Thor with a look of horror on his face, and said, "I'll sit in the chair."
~o~
After the Quinjet was safely on its way to the bifrost site, Bruce decided to make lunch, and asked Tony if he wanted to help, but he announced that he had ridiculously important work to get on with down in his lab.
As Tony tinkered with his suit, not really doing anything, just simply trying to avoid peeling potatoes and chopping vegetables, he decided he was bored. He hadn't used the magic Loki had taught him for a while, not since the time he'd almost gotten himself killed by teleporting out of his suit during a battle, and it seemed like a great time to use it again, for slightly nefarious and fun purposes.
"Boo!" Tony shouted, as he teleported into the kitchen, right next to Bruce, and then almost went down on one knee as a sharp wave of pain coursed through his body.
"Tony!" Bruce said, as he grabbed his shoulders to keep him upright. "What just happened?"
"I don't know, but that really, REALLY hurt," Tony gasped.
Bruce pondered for a moment. "Do me a favour, create a little fire. Just... don't burn down the kitchen or anything."
"Easily done," Tony said, as he waved his hand, created a small spark of cool flames, and then snatched his hand away as if burnt. "Oh my god, ow, OW... Bruce, what the hell is going on?"
"We need to get down to the lab, right now."
~o~
"You've got the virus," Bruce said, as he flipped through the paperwork the lab tech handed him. "You've got it, but I haven't."
"What?" Tony snapped. "I thought you said he wasn't contagious? You let me walk in that room and get infected with god knows what!"
"What's the one thing you and Loki have in common?"
"Magic?" Tony asked. "You think it's designed to infect magic users?"
"It makes sense. Your suit is sealed, you didn't go anywhere near the bot that was carrying the infection, which is why your blood work was fine until you actually came into contact with Loki... Oh my god!" Bruce said, as he jumped out of his seat. "We need to stop Thor right now!"
"What?"
"He's taking Loki to Asgard to see the healers, right?" Bruce said, and Tony nodded. "Their work is based on magic. They're all magic users. Tony, it's going to wipe them out if they take Loki back."
"So not only does it cripple Loki's magic, but it infects all the magic users in Asgard too."
"Doesn't Odin use magic?" Bruce asked.
"Doom made him into a biological weapon," Tony exclaimed. "If Odin gets infected there'll be no one to defend Asgard."
"We need to stop that jet now."
~o~
"How are you feeling?" Bruce asked, as he and Tony helped Loki out of his seat in the back of the Quinjet and into the wheelchair.
"Tired," Loki replied, as he ran a shaking hand through his hair. "And slightly disappointed."
"Thor will be back with the cure before you know it." Bruce said, reassuringly. "Still in pain?"
"Some, yes."
"So how come he's in pain all the time, and I'm not?" Tony asked.
"Your magical abilities are different to mine," Loki replied, as Bruce pushed him down the ramp, and towards the elevator. "You actually have to think to do it, I do not. It's a natural instinct, not something I can just switch off."
"So it just runs on it's own?"
"When I am in pain, my body's natural process is to try and heal the cause of the pain, in much the same way as your body would try to heal an injury, except mine is attempting it with magic, which is causing more pain."
"You really need to eat something," Bruce said, as they moved into the elevator and pressed the button for the medical floor. "Shall I get you some soup, something nice and light?"
"I really don't think I could face it right now," Loki replied, holding his hand over his stomach. "Perhaps after Thor returns."
"Hopefully he won't be long," Tony said, as the elevator pinged, and the doors swept open. "Then we can both get fixed."
"Tony, go get some coffee or something," Bruce said. "Let Loki get some rest."
"What? I'm sick too, why are you turfing me out and he gets a comfy bed?"
"Just don't do any magic and you will be fine," Loki said wearily.
"That is so unfair," Tony grumbled, as Bruce pressed the button for the habitation levels, then pushed the wheelchair out before the doors slid closed.
~o~
Thor landed at the bifrost site and safely tucked the tesseract device into the bag that was slung over his shoulder. The preparation of the healing potion had taken longer than he had hoped, with Eir deciding she would distil it herself in order to ensure that it would be at it's maximum potency.
"Tell Prince Loki I hope he heals quickly," she had said as she forced the small vial into Thor's waiting hands, and as he stood in the desert, he began to spin Mjolnir furiously, hoping that his brother's condition had not deteriorated while he had been away. He aimed the hammer, and let it pull him into the skies.
Thor landed on the roof of Stark Tower, quickly made his way inside, and headed down to the medical floor where he was greeted by Bruce.
"You got it?" he asked.
"Aye," Thor said as he pulled the small vial from his bag and moved towards the bed where Loki was laid.
"Brother," Thor whispered. "Wake up. I have brought medicine for you."
"I'm not asleep," Loki said, as he forced his tired eyes open. "And if you were trying to wake me why were you whispering anyway?"
"Oh… yes. Sorry," Thor replied. "I have brought the potion, created by Eir herself."
"Do I need to get Morgan to run some tests on it first?" Bruce asked.
"Loki has had this potion many times before, it has always cured his ailments."
Thor uncorked the vial, gently placed his hand behind Loki's head, lifting him gently so he would not choke, and then held the container to his lips. "Drink."
Loki cast a sideways glance at Thor, then opened his mouth and swallowed as the Thor poured the blue liquid in, a small amount at a time.
"Rest now, brother," he said, as he lowered Loki's head back to the pillow, and gently patted his chest through the stiff white sheets.
Loki smiled, his cheeks still pink from the slight fever that was still burning inside him, and then he looked around the room. His brow creased, and he grabbed Thor's hand tightly.
"What is it?" Thor asked.
"Something is wrong," Loki gasped, as he shifted uncomfortably, and his hand grasped the sheet tightly.
"Describe what you're feeling," Bruce said, as he quickly moved to the side of the bed.
"Hurts," Loki choked out, as his legs began kick under the covers.
"More than before?" Bruce asked.
"Lot more," Loki whimpered.
"Do you think you can throw up?" Bruce asked, then he turned to one of the medical technicians and said, "Get some activated charcoal, quickly."
Loki's hands began to shake, he threw back his head and screamed.
~o~
I've never studied medicine, and google can only tell you so much, so I apologise if I have any medical related things completely wrong.
Next chapter will probably be posted tomorrow.