A/N: Nyanna's past starts to slip through a bit in this chapter. Oh and just to let you know, Bolton is a real town in Vermont. Less than 1,000 people living there apparently. Thanks to those of you who reviewed my story last chapter! I'm glad you're enjoying the story.

Disclaimer: Whoops I've been forgetting to do this. The only thing I own is Nyanna, anything that looks or sounds familiar, isn't mine.

The doctor slipped into her room once Loki had fallen asleep. Her room was not much different from the one Loki was in. It was furnished no differently with the exception of a bookcase on the right hand side of her bed. The walls were more gold than they were beige. Nyanna sat herself on the bay window looking down into the quiet town below her.

It still surprised her how well she adjusted to the quiet surroundings of Bolton. It had been roughly three years since the Sheriff had brought her here from Miami. She actually preferred the tranquility of the small town over the bustling city of Miami. The quiet suited her personality better. Her sister was the one who reveled in the excitement and noise in the city.

Nyanna shook her head biting her lip as she tried to shake off the memories. Crying wasn't going to bring her back. There was no point in weeping, it would get her nowhere. The best thing to do was to push it out her mind so she could focus on her work. She had a patient in the next room over who she had no clue what to do with once he actually got better. There was no way in hell she would , or could send him back to Asgard. That would not happen. He certainly didn't seem like he had any nefarious intentions this time. Maybe some time here would do him good. It changed her for the better, and still was changing her.

"Listen to yourself Nan, you're essentially talking about harboring a fugitive, a criminal. You know its dangerous. You know what he did."

Nyanna also knew what she had done, and knew the second chance she had been given. Sometimes a second chance was all that was needed to save a life. From the perspective of a doctor, she knew that. From experience, she understood that. Despite the nagging voice in her head, she decided she would give Loki his second chance.

She exited her room to peek in on Loki. He was turned over on his side, the blanket wrapped around him. The tea had him knocked out cold. She hoped he would sleep the rest of the day. His body would need it to heal. It would take a while before he was back on his feet again. Slowly, she closed the door to his room before tiptoeing across the wood flooring to hers.

OoO

Loki groaned slightly as he woke. He almost forgot the events of the past day. The demi god half expected to wake up in his cell with his arms chained behind him.

The pleasant comfort and softness of the bed was enough to remind him that he was, for the moment, safe on Midgard. He rolled over as best he could without hurting himself. The device on the table read 12:00 pm. That was the Midgardian equivalent of midday. Loki rubbed his eyes wondering just how long he'd been asleep.

"Hey, you up?" Loki turned to find Nyanna standing in the doorway. Her curly hair was pulled back off her face. She dressed simply in a pair of blue pants Loki knew to be common among Midgardians and short sleeve pale blue shirt over a darker blue tank.

Nyanna helped Loki into a sitting position and began rummaging through her medical cabinets, taking out the items she would need to change his bandages.

"How long was I asleep?"

"About twenty hours. It's good you slept that long, your body needs the rest to recover."

Loki looked at the doctor, still not understanding her compassion. This woman knew what he had done, yet she still treated him.

"I'm going to have to change your bandages. You were unconscious last time I did it, so I can't promise you aren't going to feel anything this time." The demigod tried to keep his composure, but felt his stomach tie in knots at the thought of enduring more pain.

"If you must." His voice was bitter and slightly fearful of what was to come.

"I'll do it as painlessly as I know how. I promise." Loki watched as Nyanna started with the bandages around his wrist where the chain had cut into his flesh. She unwrapped the bandage, threw it away and began to reach for the cotton balls and some bottle that held a cream inside. The man watched as she applied the cream and brought it to his wrist.

Loki yanked it away before she had the chance to put it on. He didn't want to know what it might do, what possible pain it might inflict. He looked at Nyanna half pleading with his eyes asking not to cause him the pain that he was afraid might come.

"It's not going to do any more than sting. I can't begin to imagine what you've been through, but you're not helping yourself if you don't let me clean these." Her voice was low, above a whisper, but it had that same soothing tone that she had used yesterday.

Loki nodded hesitantly and held his wrist back out for Nyanna. Carefully, she began to clean the wound watching Loki's face for any sign of discomfort. When she was satisfied, she wrapped his wrist back up and proceeded to work on the next one. The demigod watched as she worked trying to read her as best he could. Her face had soft features, that matched her pleasant personality. Her eyes looked a few years beyond what they should. Loki knew if secrets lay anywhere, it was always in the eyes.

He almost didn't want to talk though. He'd been beat into silence every time he opened his mouth in prison, and then had his mouth sewn shut. He met the doctor's eyes briefly as she worked on the bandages on his left arm.

"So tell me Doctor, what's the reason you are treating me with such compassion and generosity. I certainly have given you no reason to."

Loki watched Nyanna's eyes as she thought of her response.

" I told you I'm a doctor, it's my job. I'm sure you had doctors or medics of some type on Asgard?"

"We do. However they are sworn to heal those who deserve it. Prisoners and fugitives are not deemed deserving." He watched as Nyanna shook her head and picked up another bandage.

"This is Earth, doctors here don't operate like that, and I certainly don't and never will." Loki noticed the anger the dripped from her voice. "I need you to slide down and pull the blanket back, the bandages on your chest need to be changed too."

He obeyed sliding himself down as best he could, while Nyanna folded the blanket down to his waist. He smirked observing the blush that was beginning to rise in her cheeks as she began to change the bandages on his chest.

"Is this making you uncomfortable Doctor?"

"I'm a doctor. I've seen people come in worse shape than you did. Shirtless men don't make me uncomfortable."

Loki studied her face. Her response had no falter to it, her eyes void of anything the determination for properly cleaning his wounds. She had walls up around her, not much different than the walls he had around himself.

"There done." She replaced the last bandage and removed her gloves, throwing them in the garbage. "That wasn't so bad was it?"

"Perhaps not."

"If you sit tight for a few minutes I can get you something to eat." The doctor left the room leaving Loki to wonder what "sit tight" meant. Was this a Midgardian expression for "do not move?" He tried to move his legs some, only being able to bend them slightly before a wave of pain forced him to relax his muscles. He wanted to be able to move, walk, leave this room. While he was not being tortured and tormented, he did not wish to trade one cell for another.

Nyanna returned a few moments with another tray. It was again soup and tea , but this timethe soup had noodles in it and a few other Midgardian foods. Loki gratefully began eating, not realizing just how hungry he had been. The doctor sat beside his bed, same as she had yesterday.

"Do you not eat?"

"Not when I'm on duty, no. I'll probably get something to eat later."

"And what am I to do?" Loki asked eyeing her.

"That depends on how you feel. I don't think you're quite strong enough to walk yet, maybe after another day or so of bed rest. I have some books you might like though."

Books. His room in the palace in Asgard had shelves of went on endlessly. He had always enjoyed reading and valued it more so than Thor or his companions. Reading taught him to think, analyze, be cautious. It gave him the knowledge that fueled his wit and silver tongue.

"I would like that."

Nyanna left the room, walking in with an armful of books a few minutes later. She set them on the side of Loki on the bed.

"When you're feeling a bit better, there's a small library across the hall. As long as you put them back in order , they're yours to read while you are here." She smiled softly while Loki picked up one of the books in the pile. Les Miserables it was called.

"That one is a personal favorite," Nyanna said, watching as he opened the book. "I cannot tell you how many times I have reread it. If you'll excuse me, I have a few phone calls I need to make. I'll be right downstairs, just yell if you need me."

With that she left leaving Loki more confused than he had been previously. This woman was showing him kindness that he had not seen in some time. He was a monster. Surely she knew that? Even without his terrifying Jotun appearance, he was still a monster. Odin gave him a punishment fitting of a monster, having him treated "how he acted."

Loki had done everything wrong, could not understand why this woman, this Nyanna Stewards, would be this generous to him. She treated him as if he had not committed his crimes against Midgard. Her caring baffled him. He knew this not to be a sign of simple human weakness. There was a reason she was so compassionate, so generous, something that went beyond her duty as a doctor.

The demigod positioned himself more comfortably on the bed and pulled the thick book onto his lap. His fingers ran over the pages having missed just the feeling of holding a book in his hands. After much appreciating the fact that he held a book in his hands again, he began to read.

A/N: First things first, there is a very specific reason I chose Les Miserables aside from it actually being my favorite book on the planet. If you know the story, then you should understand why. Secondly yes Nyanna's past is starting to reveal itself as promised, more will be revealed in the coming chapters. Reviews are greatly appreciated especially because I feel like I really had Loki slightly out of character in this chapter despite my best efforts.