A/N: Hello! I'm embarrassed by how long it has taken for me to get this chapter out. Life keeps getting in the way but don't fear, I will finish this story and hopefully it'll be before Christmas. That's my hope anyway.
Thank you to everyone who has added this story to their favourites, alerts and especially to those that have taken the time to review. I appreciate all your time and patience. Please continue to bear with me the next chapter won't take so long. I hope.
Chapter Eleven
Clint was shaking like he was on one of those beds in cheap motel rooms by the time Emily finished cleaning him up. His coughing had gotten deeper, more phlegmy sounding and the fever seemed to be worse. Unsure of what else to do, Emily got the unconscious man to drink a little water before she carefully climbed up beside him on the bed. The blankets weren't quite doing the trick. Hopefully, her own body heat would help. Her skin crawling, Emily settled on her side, her right arm snaking under Clint's head, while her left hand kind of fluttered for a few moments, unsure of where to go. Indecisively, the offending appendage finally fluttered down onto her side.
In the dim light of the full moon floating above the tree house, Emily watched her charge sleep. He was so beautiful, so damaged. Her heart melted with every grimace and hitched breath but she stayed as stiff as a board. This was not how she'd seen herself spending the night. Her tent was fairly Spartan with only a cot, a sleeping bag and pillow in it. When she wasn't with the others on her team or working, she tended to spend her time reading. Cuddling up with members of the opposite sex was frequently a day dream but not a reality for her. Against her breast and stomach, she could feel Clint continue to tremble with cold and fever. Every time he coughed, his entire trunk left the bed as he bent over, trying desperately to get his breath back.
"I wish there was more I could do for you," Emily whispered after a particularly violent coughing fit. She watched helplessly as Clint's chest heaved, trying with only marginal success to pull air into his lungs. His strong frame was curled forward, his hands moving restlessly by his legs. The archer's blue eyes were closed and lines of pain creased the corners of them and of his mouth. Sweat glistened dully on his forehead and on his upper lip. An eternity passed for Emily before his breathing evened out enough for his body to relax and begin to collapse back onto the bed. A low groan slipped from Clint's lips as his back reached the mattress.
"Would you like some water?" Emily asked as she continued to watch over him. Clint didn't respond, she wasn't sure if he was awake or not with his eyes closed the way they were. But, then he rolled onto his side towards her and nestled against her chest and stomach. Fear spiked through Emily as she watched this strange man press his trembling body against her rigid one. All she could think to do was to bolt off the bed and leave him lying there. A split second before she gave into the instinct, Clint settled a little more, his arms wrapped tightly around his chest and stomach, presenting no threat to Emily, and a long, soul deep sigh came from him. Unconsciously, Emily slipped her left arm over his side and pulled him a little bit closer.
"Under any other circumstances I'd be kicking you in the groin," Emily muttered as she too found a more comfortable position despite Clint's proximity. All ready she could feel the man's trembling subsiding slightly. Pulling the blanket up over both of them and around Clint's shoulders, she added "I guess that could explain the dismal state of my love life, right?"
Emily was mildly surprised to hear a low chuckle as the archer fell back asleep. Her face turned bright red in embarrassment. She had assumed the man was asleep or unconscious and so would not have heard her. Mortified, Emily closed her eyes and waited to fall into the deep dark hole she was positive had opened up underneath her. Sleep stole over her while she waited.
LOKILOKI
Waking with a start, Emily was shocked to find Clint huddled up against her, his head resting between her cheek and her shoulder as he tried to retain any of the body heat she was emitting. The forest was far from cold and she was sweating under the blanket but Clint still seemed to be surrounded in ice. Suddenly very aware of the fact that the man was still naked, Emily looked around the tree house from her position on the bed. There was no help there. Then another option occurred to her. Carefully, she extracted her body from against Clint's shivering one and padded over to her backpack.
Within the nylon folds, Emily retrieved the spare clothing she always carried with her. There was a small flash of justification that her pack rat tendencies had finally come into use. Her sweat shirt was much too large on the man but she didn't think he'd really mind. Her sweat pants were a little large and too damned short but again, she didn't think he was much worried about making a fashion statement at the moment. Getting him into the clothes turned out to be a challenge but she'd managed it without waking him. Her exertions left her a lot tired and a little sweaty. There wasn't enough water for her to wash up so she was sitting on the bench on the wall of the tree house admiring the sunrise.
The scene that was unfolding before her was breath taking. Under pretty much any other circumstances, Emily would have been delighted to watch the sun slowly rise above the thick green forest. The tree house was just above the canopy giving them an incredible view. Still, Emily took the time to admire it while she attended to Clint. The archer had slept fitfully through the night, clearly having nightmares at least twice.
Still rather uncomfortable with her companion, Emily simply shook Clint awake the first time. The intense panic and fear in the man's blue eyes nearly broke her heart when he first came awake. As soon as he realized where he was and who was touching him, Clint put his professional mask back on. But, for that one brief moment, Emily saw a man who needed her help. Once the mask was back, however, she found a mildly scary looking man watching her with eyes that seemed to peer into her soul. It was very unsettling. He was warmer than he had been and she couldn't take it any longer. That was when she retreated to the bench.
A few feet away Clint was sleeping fitfully. His fever was still there and he was breathing like a locomotive. Every few minutes Emily glanced over at the blonde just making sure he was still alive. The sound of his breathing should have been enough. But she was feeling a little paranoid now that she couldn't feel his chest moving against hers. Yeah, she was just a little torn.
Down below her, Emily could see trees randomly shaking or crashing to the ground around the tree house. The first time it happened it terrified her, thinking that a rampaging creature was knocking trees down. Slowly, though, it dawned on her that it was the asshole from earlier. Well, asshole or giant, either name worked for her. Apparently he was taking out his anger on the trees which was a definite step up from using Clint as a punching bag. Images from when they first arrived at the tree house kept flashing through her mind. Each time she felt incredibly dirty and uncomfortable.
With a near physical effort, Emily dragged her mind and eyes away from the trees and turned back to the sunrise. The sun had just crested over the trees, nearly blinding her but she watched it anyway. Her eyes dazzled, it took several seconds for Emily to see a black dot skimming over the horizon. As she stared, it became larger and larger until she realized it was some kind of air plane. Glancing down at the still rampaging giant below Emily felt her heart slip up to her throat, maybe just maybe this was the cavalry.
LOKILOKI
Stark had wanted to use his suit and simply fly to the coordinates of the cell phone but cooler heads had prevailed. As much as Stark and Thor didn't need the shuttle they were in, Natasha and Steve did as would Clint when they found him. Pacing within the confines of the shuttle, Stark had his helmet open but was still wearing his suit. He planned on kicking Loki's ass when they found him. There was no doubt in his mind that the god needed to be punished and that he was going to be the one to do it.
"We're thirty seconds out!" Natasha called from the cockpit. She was piloting the ship with Steve sitting beside her in the co-pilot seat. "I don't see any place to land though."
"That's okay, we'll do the landing ourselves," Stark called back as his helmet snapped shut and he keyed the shuttle door to open. As he turned to face the opening and the forest streaming by below, Thor stepped up beside him. The blonde god had been virtually silent since the flight began and was not showing any more inclination to speak. That was fine with Tony. The sooner they got Clint back and dealt with Loki the happier he'd be. "Let's go."
LOKILOKI
It had been a long night for Loki. All he wanted to do was to go back to the tree house and rape Clint for hours. But, for some reason, a reason that the other could not quite pin down, he had spent the entire time pacing among the over sized trees. When the rage would no longer be contained, he'd unleash his anger at the nearest tree. Some withstood his attacks, others did not. Unconsciously, every tree he attacked was always directed away from the tree house.
If the other wasn't so preoccupied with his lust for the archer, he might have taken the time to figure out why he wasn't currently plunging his member into Clint's body. Locked within his body, Loki was exerting every ounce of power he possessed to keep the other under control. The images of what the other still planned to do to the human kept playing before his eyes, disgusting and disturbing him. The fear that the images created helped to fuel his powers to control the other though so he didn't try to look away. The entire time, though, Loki hummed the lullaby his adopted mother used to sing to him.
As the night wore on, though, Loki began to lose the battle. The other was still fueled by his needs while Loki was tiring. Just as the sun broached the tree tops, Loki used the last of his strength and slumped to the floor of his mind. The images burst over him with tremendous power now that the other was no longer being restrained. Unable to protect himself or Clint any longer, Loki curled up in a ball, with his back arched towards the windows of his eyes. His hands were tightly clasped over his ears as he felt the other rise off the ground, intent on reaching the tree house and Clint's helpless body.
LOKILOKI
"Go away!" Emily shouted as she saw the asshole rise over the side of the tree house railing and land inside. The only weapon she could find in an instant was her back pack. It was still heavy enough that she could hit him with it even though she knew the effort would be useless. Stepping between the glowering black haired god and a restlessly sleeping Clint, Emily held her pack tightly in her right hand, ready to send it in an arch towards that hated face. "You've done enough!"
"No, human, I've barely begun to enjoy his flesh," Loki responded as he took a menacing step forward.
Emily knew she was no match for the man. She knew Clint was about to be raped again. She knew there really wasn't a lot she could do to stop him. But, that didn't mean she wasn't going to try. Using every ounce of strength she possessed, Emily brought the backpack up and sent it flying towards Loki's head.
Laughing, Loki didn't even bother to dodge out of the way. He knew the pitiful attempts by the human female to hurt him would be unsuccessful. Bringing up his arm, he deflected the bag away and watched in amusement as the woman staggered. Taking a step forward, Loki was intent on his prize, his right hand coming up to push the woman away. Then a force he hadn't anticipated pushed him back.
"Pick on someone your own size," Tony Stark growled. He'd come up over the opposite side of the tree house ledge and hit Loki with a blast from his repulser. The god stepped back all of two steps but it was enough room for the woman to slip in and pull Clint off the bed, out of the direct line of fire. Out of the corner of his eye, Tony saw Emily tumble to the floor with Clint still wrapped up in the blanket. Then he turned his full attention to Loki.
"Do you honestly think that you can stop me?" Loki asked as he moved towards the metal clad billionaire.
"He might not be able to, but I can," Thor stated as he vaulted into his brother from behind.
Huddled on the floor of the tree house, Emily wrapped her arms protectively around Clint and tried desperately to keep them both out of the way. They were in a corner, as far away from the combating supermen as possible. Clint was still asleep or unconscious, she couldn't tell which but she had the blanket pulled up around his shoulders and his body as close to hers as she could get him. Above them, the three giants were throwing each other around until the railing on the far side of the tree house gave way and Loki fell over the side. Stark and Thor were intent on containing the black haired god and so followed him.
"Oh my God," Emily breathed, feeling safe for the first time since Loki reappeared in the tree house. Then she felt the tree shake from an impact far below. "Oh no."
Gripping Clint tighter, Emily prepared for the tree house to plummet to the ground several feet below. "I'm sorry I sucked to badly at keeping you safe," she whispered into the man's hair. Self loathing and complete and utter failure tried to smother Emily as she waited for death to strike.