Paige felt as if she were falling. She gasped and clung to him, trying to find some sort of stability. Everything around her seemed to swirl and fade away.
And then it was over. She felt the ground beneath her feet again. But, she still had her eyes closed tightly and her face buried in his shoulder.
Is it over? What was that?
Loki smiled at the soft weight of her head against his chest. He looked around the familiar room. Had it really been just a few days since he had stolen her from this very spot? She had come so far toward trusting him. "It is over," he assured. "Open your eyes."
Paige opened her eyes to see her familiar purple curtains. She looked around and realized she was in her own room. She also realized she'd left her room in what she considered to be a mess. Oh, goodness. Please excuse the mess, Your Highness. She broadcast with a blush, I wasn't expecting company.
She immediately pulled away from him, slammed a few barely-open drawers closed, and with a wave of her hand, telekinetically made her bed. After she was sure everything was in its proper place, she turned toward him. On the wall behind him hung her violins.
These are my violins. She walked toward them and ran her fingers down the front of the acoustic one, then turned to smile at him. I'm sure you can tell which one is which. That black box there is my amplifier, and those little devices down there are pedals. They help with the sound. Would it be too much to ask to bring all this back with us? If it is, I could just bring the acoustic. Something is always better than nothing.
Loki smiled at her. Such an enthusiastic response to seeing her instruments. He couldn't help but find himself amused.
Paige nervously glanced around her room, letting her gaze land on a photo of her family. That's when she remembered about her mother. Mom... In a flash, Paige was out her bedroom door and down the stairs. Mom! Mom, I'm home!
She stopped short when she saw her mother passed out on the sofa, a half-empty bottle of vodka next to her and pouring out on the floor. Paige closed her eyes for a moment, clinching her fists at her side. All her mother knew how to do was drink. A bottle of wine to numb the pain, a quart of vodka to end it. Ever since Paige's father had died, alcohol had quickly become Mrs. Barnett's cure-all.
In a fury, Paige grabbed the vodka bottle and threw it at a nearby wall, shattering it. You drunk! She screamed at her mother, knowing she was unable to hear her. I get kidnapped and could be dead, and all you do is wallow in despair and drink yourself into a coma! Will that solve anything? Paige gripped at her hair and paced back and forth across her living room. Finally, she looked at her mother, stormed toward her, and shook her violently by the shoulders. Wake up!
"Wha-? Paige! Oh, darling, you're home!" Mrs. Barnett's words slurred due to her intoxication. The older woman wrapped her arms around Paige's neck, only to have Paige wrench away from her.
Don't you touch me. She hissed. Here I come all this way, worried sick that maybe you miss me, maybe you're out looking for me, and what do I find? I mean, it's only been four days! You've gone on vacations longer than that! You just needed an excuse to drink again, didn't you? Didn't you?!
The end of Paige's speech fell on deaf ears. Her mother had passed out again.
With tears streaming down her cheeks, Paige sulked over to the stairs and sat down on them. Just take me away, Loki. She broadcast only to him as she curled her knees up to her chest, and never bring me back.
/
Far worse? Kitania wondered. It didn't take long to click. "You killed him?!" she paused. "You killed him! You killed him. Hey, wait, this means I won't have to stab him with a pen again. Sweet. And what conversation? I feel like I've said more to you than anyone I've ever known. Feel lucky."
"I do feel lucky. And do keep down, Kitania. Do you want everyone in the park to know our business? I certainly don't." Demetri held his hand behind him, searching for hers. "Come and walk with me. I'll escort you home."
"Oh. No. Th-that's okay." Kitania stumbled for words. Why'd he have to be so nice? Why couldn't he have been a jerkoff that she could ignore?
Because then I'd be beaten and bruised, probably kidnapped by Mr. Edwards, she reminded herself. "I-I'll be fine. I'll get home myself. Thanks for the offer though."
"No, no. I insist." Demetri shook his hand, still waiting for hers. "I don't want any more things coming after you."
"Yeah, well, it was always just the one," Kitania confessed. "So I think I'll be fine. Anyone tries to mug me, I'll just blind them and break their fingers or something. So, no need to take me... um, home."
"Fine, but I should warn you that this is New York City. Thugs don't travel solo, and they travel with guns. But, whatever. Go your own way home." Of course, Demetri wasn't going to let her go home alone. He planned to follow her, if nothing else. But, it would be much easier if she would just let him take her home. Footsteps tended to all sound the same on the streets of New York.
"Yeah. I'll do that." Kitania tried hard not to snap. "Thanks for all your help." She started off down the sidewalk, to nowhere in particular. She'd find something to do. Somewhere to go. She was a free woman now, after all.
Demetri waited until he could barely make out her footsteps to begin following her. He stayed a ways away, hoping that she wouldn't turn and look back.
Three hours after she had set out from the park, Kitania still had no idea where she was headed. Her usual stomping grounds (better known as alleys and dark pathways) weren't exactly the safest place to go right now, and besides she didn't want to go there while she was still so paranoid. So she chose to wander through the New York streets, occasionally peering in windows and wondering what it would be like to have money to buy a decent meal.
No opportunities to work for food presented themselves, and as much as she would like to trade her powers for something, she couldn't bring herself to do so. She had never been able to bring herself to do so. If she used her powers, it was out of compassion.
She rolled her eyes and moved on from the bakery window. What she wouldn't give for a cupcake. No, scratch that, for an entire cake.
After the second time around the same block, Demetri figured she was trying to lose him. She kept stopping outside of restaurants or food shops. She must have been hungry and could not afford it. He decided to take a chance and went into one of the sandwich shops.
An hour later, he heard her pass by the bench he was sitting on. She must have been so focused on the shop across the street that she didn't see him. "Kitania!" He called out to get her attention. "Would you care to join me?"
Kitania startled at the sound of Demetri's voice and clutched her heart. It felt like it might explode. "Dude!" she exclaimed. "You can not do that to me!"
Demetri laughed. "I'm sorry. I got you something to eat. You seem hungry. Come and sit." He held up a bag of food to ensure that she would come over.
Kitania eyed the bag in Demetri's hand. Oh, he was good. Bribing her with food. How had he known? She bit her bottom lip and tossed her head side to side, trying to decide what to do. "Is there dessert in there?" she finally asked.
"Hm. Dessert? No." Demetri held the bag out to her, taunting her with it, "But there is a turkey sandwich and some chips."
No dessert? What was life without dessert?
Kitania sighed heavily. "Guess greasy junk food will have to do." Really, she was hungry enough to eat a house, but that wasn't going to happen. And, hey, he had been nice so far so she really didn't think he was liable to slice her throat or slip her any kind of drug. She'd humor him for the time it took to finish her little snack, and then she'd disappear. At least, that was the plan.
"It's not junk food!" Demetri protested. "It is a finely made gourmet sandwich. I would never offer greasy fast food to anyone." He handed her the bag and leaned on his cane. "You still trying to make your way home? You passed by this bench three times before I called out to you."
"You have no idea how much I want junk food right now." Kitania settled onto the bench and snatched the bag from his grasp. "But this will have to do. And, about the home thing... I dunno. I've just been... you know... wandering around town. It's fun." She dropped her voice to barely above a whisper. "I guess."
Demetri looked in her direction. "Ya know, I have a spare room in my studio, if you'd like to stay a couple days until you get back on your feet."
Kitania choked on the first bite of her sandwich and pressed a hand to her chest to stop the throbbing. "W-what? I... I don't know what you mean."
Demetri shifted his cane nervously between his hands. "Well, you obviously don't have anywhere to stay. And I don't think you're too keen on sleeping out in the streets. I have a spare room you can stay in until you get your act together. But, if you accept my offer, we will of course have to lay down some ground rules. No stealing, no loud rock music... things like that."
Kitania chuckled and popped a chip into her mouth. "Okay, first of all I hate rock music. Just because I'm young doesn't mean I'm a rocker. Secondly, I detest stealing. I've never stolen anything in my life – not even a heart – and I don't plan on starting now. And lastly, why would I accept this offer? I barely know you."
Demetri shrugged. "I'm just trying to be a nice guy. You need a place to stay, I'm usually only there on weekends and holidays, so... why not? I mean, do I really seem like the kind of guy who can harm somebody?" He motioned towards himself, emphasizing his blindness.
Kitania laughed, for the first time in a long time. "Usually I'd say you couldn't harm a fly, but you're forgetting that I was watching when you beat the crap out of Mr. Edwards." She took another bite of food. "Your offer is tempting. Just... if I do this, just do me one favor? Check up on your friend from the phone call. Make sure they're okay."
Demetri smiled and stood. "Actually, I plan on paying him a visit." He sighed heavily. "I have done a lot of wrong that I need to make right. I fear my mistakes are finally catching up with me. Come, let me take you back to my studio. While you get settled, I'll make my way over to Stark Tower."
"Ooh, studio," Kitania stuffed the end of her sandwich in her mouth. "I hope it has a lot of food. I'm still starving."
"Really?" Demetri was shocked. That was a large sandwich. "When was the last time you ate?" He began walking again, his cane lightly swinging back and forth in front of him. "Um, Kitania? Would you mind telling me what street we're on?"
"Oh. Um, yeah, sure." She checked the nearest street sign and rattled the name off. "Wow. Didn't realize I was traveling that fast. Sorry."
"It's alright." Demetri turned and began to walk in the other direction. "My studio is this way."
It took them an hour to find the place. New York was a big city, full of people and loud noises. Demetri had grown too used to his limo service.
Finally, as they came upon the building he lived in, a doorman opened the door for him. "Good afternoon, Mr. Avril. How are you today?"
"Very well, thank you. Has my car come back yet?"
"Yes, sir. About an hour ago."
"Darn." He looked toward Kitania. "We could have just rode here. Oh, well. Come on up." He strode over to an elevator, waited for her to step inside, and then swiped a plastic card through a card reader.
"Welcome Demetri Avril," the computerized voice responded. Soon, a new computerized voice overpowered that of the usual digital welcome. "Welcome back, Sir. Your mother has been trying to reach you via email. She said she has a new shipment she wants you to inspect before it goes to market."
"Is it the new gloves?"
"Yes, sir. Those are the ones." The elevator dinged as it reached the top floor. The doors immediately opened to reveal a nice, yet scarcely decorated, penthouse studio. "Good. SID, I'm going back out for a little while. This is Kitania, and she is our guest. Allow her access to all the rooms, save mine. And do open the blinds. I'm sure it's far too dark in here for a sighted person."
"Right away, sir." Long, vertical blinds covering large picture windows immediately turned, giving the room a lot more light than it previously had.
"Here you are, Kitania. I hope you like it. Do mind my things, though. And I hope you don't mind the surveillance. There aren't any cameras in the bedrooms, of course, so you don't need to worry about that. I need to go talk to Mr. Stark now." He turned again and headed for the elevator. "SID, send the car around." And with that, Demetri disappeared into the elevator.
/
Drake had ducked behind the counter that Stark stood on. If it was good enough to protect the Iron Man, it was good enough to protect him. He heard the metallic ring of the hammer hitting the god, and the loud thud of said god hitting the wall. The ensuing silence is what drew him from his hiding place.
Drake peered around the corner of the counter, saw the startled faces, and looked at Brooke. She was holding Mjolnir. But, wasn't Thor the only one who could move it? "Hey, you picked it up. But you're so... small."
Brooke flipped Mjolnir in the air and caught it again. "Myeh-myeh and I are friends. Lightning was a brat. Myeh-myeh and I didn't like it."
"I know only... one maiden who called Mjolnir by this title, aside from you." Thor said, picking himself up from the ground. "A reminder to myself that I should remember my kindness and not begin a fight I have no reason to finish."
Brooke nodded and spun the hammer again, thoroughly enjoying herself.
"Does anyone else think this is unfair?" Tony asked. "Because I think this is unfair."
Drake stood up, a bit embarrassed by his cowardice. He watched Brooke twirl the mythical hammer above her head, as if it was as light as a feather. "Brooke, I think you should give Thor his hammer back now."
"Young Drake is correct." Thor extended a hand to summon the hammer, but Brooke held firm.
"Not done yet."
Thor furrowed his brow. "Brooke, release Mjolnir."
"No." Brooke hugged the hammer tighter to her chest.
Thor stepped to her side and stared down at her. "Please."
"Not gonna happen." Brooke shrugged.
Thor reached for the hammer and Brooke turned the other way, so he ended up wrapping his arms around her and grasping for the handle to his precious Mjolnir. Brooke held firm and managed to keep it away from him. So Thor settled for picking her up by using the arms he already had wrapped around her thin shoulders.
"Return the hammer, mortal."
Brooke winced. "Stop, Lightning."
"Brooke, let go of it," Drake said, taking a few steps toward the struggle. "You're going to get hurt. Quit being stubborn."
"Put me down, Lightning!" Brooke whined as Thor's grip tightened to hold her in place.
"Not until you have released Mjolnir!"
Brooke whined again, a high-pitched sound from the back of her throat. "Hurting!"
Drake's instinct to protect was thrown into overdrive when he heard her high-pitched scream. It sounded so much like Paige's scream.
Without thinking, Drake dashed over to the struggle and grabbed Brooke by her waist, instantly transforming them both into shadows. They turned black and melted into the floor, causing Thor to release Brooke, but also Brooke to release Mjolnir. Black sand swirled around on a plain of red, as large black creatures loomed over them.
Brooke heard voices as she melted with Drake.
First, Tony's voice a long way off. "Oh, way to go, big guy! Who knows where shadow boy just went. And he took your tiny human with him. This is all because you love your hammer too much, you do realize that right?"
Then, hisses close by. "Trespassers..." Their voices were eerie and breathy. Words spoken by creatures without mouths. "Why do you come here, humans? You who have form and flesh. Leave our world. Be gone!"
Drake held Brooke close to him. He could still see the others, formed around them by fading sand, but now they were the ones who were shadows, while the shadows were living and real.
Drake held her tight, and Brooke furrowed her brow. Didn't like what she heard. Didn't like when they talked like that. She turned her head to look. People who weren't people all around her. "Weird."
Drake felt a hand on his shoulder. A cold icy slime that ran down his arm. Fearing for Brooke's safety, he released her, sending her back to the others. She appeared in the same spot she had disappeared from. Drake, on the other hand, remained in the Shadow Lands.
"Trespasser. Do you think you can control us? Do you think you are worthy? Pathetic human." The icy darkness grabbed at him, enveloping him. He tried to curl up into a ball, trying to protect himself, but it was of no use. As he released a scream, the shadows entered him.
Brooke landed – or reappeared, maybe? – back in Stark Tower and blinked rapidly.
"Whoa! Hey!" Tony took a step back. "Where'd you come from?"
"Send me back!" Brooke cried. "Drake in trouble. Arrows screaming red, they'll kill him!"
"She is ill," Thor deduced.
As quickly as Brooke had appeared, Drake appeared next to her, laying flat on the floor with his eyes wide open. But, the dark green of his irises were gone, as well as the whites of his eyes. Everything was now a deep glassy black, and Drake wasn't breathing.
It was Tony's turn to be shocked.
Brooke was the first to collapse to her knees by Drake's side. She turned her head sideways and leaned her ear to his chest. "Not breathing."
"Oh, hey, I could jumpstart it!" Tony offered. "I'm sure I have a spare ARC reactor around here somewhere. Or Thor could just summon some lightning. Come on, buddy. Summon it. You got your hammer back! Do it!"
But Brooke was already starting CPR.
Drake woke with a gasp and sat up, an expression of pure horror on his face. His eyes slowly returned to their natural state. "What happened?" he gasped, looking at Brooke.
Brooke leaned back on her heels and cocked her head to one side. "Dragon went black."
"She thought you died or something," Tony piped up. "Thor here was so concerned he was going to restart you with lightning."
"You know full well I would not," Thor corrected.
Drake looked from one hero to another and sighed. "It was awful," he said as he tried to stand. "I thought those things were going to kill me. I guess they kinda did. Thanks, Brooke."
Brooke shrugged at Drake. "Breathing is good."
Tony snickered. "You know, I like this girl. We should keep her."
Drake tried to make his way over to the counter, but staggered in his walking. "I think... I think they did something to me," he panted, his breathing still ragged.
"Eyes full of black water," Brooke said innocently. She reached out her fingertips to brush against Drake's face, just beside his eye. "Dragon okay?"
"No. My head hurts. Like, really hurts." Drake gripped at the back of his head, where his implant rested under his skull. His head was pounding. "Ah! Get it out!" He stumbled against the counter in his pain.
"Agh! What do we do?" Tony freaked out as Drake leaned heavily against his counter. "We already tried CPR, right? Brooke, that's what you did. So, um... lightning time?"
"No," Thor argued firmly.
Brooke rolled her eyes and pressed a thumb into a pressure point on Drake's shoulder, sure to either make the pain go away or render him momentarily comatose. She couldn't remember which.
Drake's eyes rolled back and he dropped to the floor. At least inducing unconsciousness had cured his pain.
/
Drake could feel the icy grip of the shadows, even in his sleep.
"Do you want to control us so badly, human?" they hissed. "Then you will become one of us. Your soul will be required by your own hand. Every time you control us, we will take more of you."
/
Bruce entered with Cap on his heels, and they both stopped to look at the unconscious boy on the floor. Then to Brooke. And back to the boy.
"Pain," Brooke explained. She hopped up onto the counter and produced a Pop-Tart from behind the bar.
Thor dropped Mjolnir on a side table. "Allow me to join you in your feast." And he grabbed a brand new box of Pop-Tarts from the cabinet.
All the present Avengers, save Brooke and Thor who were still very intent on their Pop-Tarts, circled around the unconscious Drake.
"Dang, girl!" Tony addressed Brooke without taking his eyes from Drake. "What'd you do? Kill him?"
"Shh! Dragon's sleeping!" Brooke instructed around her mouthful of food.
"I know I'm not up to speed on a lot of things," Cap said, his arms folded tightly around his chest, "but where did these two even come from?"
"The dumbwaiter," Tony replied with a pat on the man's back. "Keep up, Capsicle."
Steve reached a hand to rub at his head. "This is what I get for taking a couple days off."
Fifteen minutes later, Drake woke with a start. His head still throbbed. He groaned and sat up, his hand pressed to the back of his head. He looked up and saw everyone circled around him.
"I'm fine. I just have a headache." He tried to stand and placed a hand on the counter for support. He heard Brooke munching and looked over at her. "First you knock me out, then you eat snacks. What are you?"
Brooke shrugged and stuffed the end of her Pop-Tart into her mouth. "Crazy girl, glass in mind."
Thor laughed and slapped her on the back, which physically caused her to lose her balance.
"Hey, easy there!" Cap demanded. "She's like a twig compared to you. Be careful how hard you hit."
"Yeah, about that," Tony cleared his throat. "Crazy chick can heft the hammer."
"What?" Steve did a retake of the tiny girl next to the giant Asgardian. "She can... what? I can't even lift the hammer! How the heck is she worthier than I am? Wait. Hold it. I just sounded like you." He pointed to Tony. "I have definitely stayed here too long."
Brooke rolled her eyes and grabbed another Pop-Tart as she addressed Drake. "Dragon okay?"
"I still have my headache." Drake held up his hand to stop Brooke before she could touch his shoulder again, "But, I'll be fine."
"Afraid?" Brooke asked, huddling back against the counter behind her and seeming to shrink in on herself. "Dragon afraid... of me?" She kept her expressive eyes downcast, unwilling to let him see how hurt she was.
Drake frowned. "No. I'm not afraid of you, Brooke. Just, next time warn me before you knock met out, okay?" He walked over to her and pulled her into a hug. "Thanks for trying to get rid of my headache, though."
Brooke shrugged through the tears she tried to ignore and looked at Drake. "Glass in mind. Needed help. I tried."
"I know you did." Drake gently wiped her tears away with the side of his hand, "And it's not glass in my mind, Brooke. It's metal. But, I get what you're saying. Thanks." He hugged her a bit tighter, hoping to help calm her down.
Brooke choked lightly. "Suffocating." The word was barely out of her mouth when an alarm sounded and Tony suited up and dashed from the room. She looked around for Lightning, and couldn't find him. When had he gone? She turned to Drake. "Trouble?"
Drake glanced around as The Avengers raced off toward some sort of action. He growled. "If that coward is here, I'll kill him myself!"