Hello again! Ugh sorry about being so slow to upload, there's been a family tragedy and I was attending a funeral. Anyway, I'm back with a slightly odd eleventh chapter, I'm not so confident about it, I let my writing slip towards the end, and I have to figure out where to go from here. I only planned the first 10 chapters! .
Sorry again for the lack of concentration used in this chapter, I'm just really glad to write again, it's been a hard week +
Song that inspired the chapter: Redlight King- Comeback (Avengers Assemble OST)
Haunt me Chapter 11
It was a really difficult few hours waiting for the nurses to return. There had been a bit of commotion- lots of frantic running to and fro the room Loki was in. This made me so nervous I was violently ill in the toilets. Thor was calm and smiling, but I was pacing tirelessly in the waiting room. My tears had dried but my heart had not slowed. I was so nervous that my hands shook to the point where I couldn't hold anything. Finally after what seemed like decades, a single nurse with a splattering of blood on her dress came into the room. My heart rate took off like a bird to the air.
"He's going to be fine hun. He just needs to recover, if he recovers and wakes up by tomorrow, you're lookin' at early release this week." She said with a smile. Her southern accent was warm and relieved. I almost cried in relief.
"Oh thank you so much! I have been frantic with worry." I explained in a panicky rush. She closed her small wrinkly eyes and shook her head.
"It's fine doll, we get that all the time. He must be a pretty special guy." She winked.
"He'll awake later I expect. For now though, one visitor at a time only." She warned. Thor glanced at me.
"You go first Thor. I think I'll quickly go home, freshen up and explain to Fury the current situation." I sighed. I arched my back in a pleasurable stretch before transporting home. I had a quick soak in the bath, before dressing in a beautiful dress. It was long and almost reached the floor, and it was a dark jade. I curled my hair and put on make up I'd practiced previously. I slipped on heels that clicked on the floor. I rushed to the glass room to be greeted by a bruised and battered team of Avengers. Tony was the least injured. He had a large bruise on his face. Natasha and Clint had many small gashes on their body.
"Oh my goodness. How are you all?" I asked, my eyes sorrowful.
"We're mostly okay. How are you? You randomly popped up at the scene according to Fury." Steve spoke up.
"I'm well thank you. I saw the water tower fall and knew that's where you were. So I transported here." I explained with a shrug.
"Hey- was I right in seeing Thor land?" Tony called out.
"Um… yes. He saw the water tower fall and went to our aid."
"Where's Loki?" Natasha asked, her eyes suggesting no hostility about mentioning Loki but only sympathy.
"The water tower… it fell on him." It was still difficult to mention it. The emotional trauma would haunt me for a long time to come.
"Is he alright?" Bruce's eyebrows furrowed.
"He's in a stable condition at the hospital supported by SHIELD. I'm on my way to see him- just thought I'd check up on you all, make sure you were well." I said, averting my gaze to a wall to focus myself on composing my emotions.
"Good. You'd best see him." Tony's tone was icy. I nodded and left the room. I clicked impatiently and landed awkwardly on my knees outside of the hospital with "Oof!" and looked around the hospital.
"Sigyn. I am going to SHIELD to meet with the group. He is all yours. Oh and he is awake. He's in a jovial mood, considering what he has been through." He pondered with a smile.
"I missed you Thor." I smiled back, squeezing his arm. He brushed his meaty hand over my shoulder before using Mjolnir to soar away. I ran lightly into the hospital itself and spoke to the same nurse that informed me of Loki's survival.
"Howdy girl, nice to see you again rounds these parts. He's just woken up according to your bulky blondie." It took a moment for what the woman said to sink in.
"Oh, you mean Thor!" I exclaimed, laughing. She looked at me quizzically.
"Yes… Thor." She repeated slowly.
"He's the brother of the patient I've come to visit. They've had a troubled past and relationship." I explained sadly.
"I've seen it all before doll. A guy likes the girl his brother's dating. Typical American television right there!" She laughed heartily. I laughed with her to please her, but I had no understanding of the words she spoke. When I realised what she was implying, I stopped laughing immediately and began stammering to correct her.
"N-no, Thor isn't in love with me! That patient, Loki, is the love of my life. Loki and Thor had a large misunderstanding because Loki isn't actually Thor's brother." I explained, I didn't want to drag this strange woman into someone else's problems, especially Loki's. She chuckled at my panic to correct her.
"Whatever doll, ain't my issue. You can go in whenever you like." She winked before moving to let me past. I walked to his room, and flung open the door. He was sat up, leant against pillows pushed up against the creamy walls. His eyes widened briefly and he stiffened before relaxing with recognition. He was pale, with dark circles around his eyes. His appearance was similar to when I had first seen him when landing on Midgard. He was covered in cuts and gashes and his breath rattled in his shaky body. I approached him, and he eyed me wearily. He didn't seem to be angry, or sad, or in pain. But I knew the scenario would be different if he moved.
"Loki, are you alright?" My voice was small and shook halfway through my sentence. He nodded, closing his eyes slowly.
"You look very unwell." I said uselessly. I was tired, for I had not had any sleep in a long time, and the stress was beginning to ebb my soul.
"Neither do you. You look very weary." He croaked. I gave him the glass of water that sat by his bedside. He nodded thankfully and grasped it. He gulped at the liquid thirstily and allowed dribbles of it to trickle down his chin. My eyelids began to droop, and I lightly slapped my own hand in an effort to stay awake. Loki noticed this and chuckled. He gently shifted across the large hospital bed, and glanced pointedly next to him. I deliberated- I would feel so guilty if I injured him further. After the brief moral debate I gingerly clambered next to him, delicately shifting to avoid shaking him and the bed. He was cold, and his skin was hard like granite. I shivered delightfully before settling underneath his arms. He let out a sigh.
"Is this even allowed?" I murmured gently, staring at the white lights on the ceiling.
"I don't know, but surely they won't object." He reasoned wistfully. I sighed happily, at ease knowing Loki was safe and was unlikely to die. My eyes closed, and I sank peacefully into a deep sleep. I was dreaming about another encounter with my father. I was in my childhood chambers, and father had come to put me to bed.
"The other children have their fathers tell them stories about their adventures." I ventured. Father turned to me, his azure eyes glaring ferociously. I took a step back, frightened.
"I'll tell you a story, darling." He snarled.
"A long time ago, a man and his wife were very happy and loved each other a lot. Then a dirty rat was born, and killed the man's wife. The man was left with the murderer of his wife. He named her Sigyn, as the name always reminded him of filth found usually on Midgard. The end." I flinched at his words constantly, and my hands shook as beads of sweat rolled down my face.
"But she died giving birth to me." I whimpered.
"Exactly, you killed her. It's all your fault Sigyn. And I shall continue to remind you every day until you leave me." He sneered, before stalking out of the room.
"I hate you!" I yelled, tears streaming down my cheeks. He ran back into the room, his eyes furious and crazed. My eyes widened at the impact of the back of his hand meeting my cheek. My head flung to the left, my hair covering my face. I choked back sobs as he ran dramatically from the room, his leather boots clonking on the floor. He came in once more; his fists balled up and prepared to punch. I flinched as I heard my own abuse. I screamed and sat bolt upright. My face was decorated with beads of sweat. There were crescent marks in my palms where I had anxiously dug my fingernails into my pale skin. I turned slowly to look at Loki. His eyes were intently staring at me, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He must have fallen asleep too, as his hair was tousled and his eyes were smaller with sleep. He was sat upright, his hands caressing my arm. His cool skin brought relief to my boiling skin.
"That wasn't a dream, was it?" He said, making the sentence a statement and not a question. After a moment of staring quietly at my hands, I met his emerald eyes with sadness.
"No. That was a memory." My voice broke. He pulled me roughly to his chest. I sobbed quietly, and he just gently rocked me in his arms.
"He was so cruel to you." He said, shaking his head in pity.
"You saw?" I asked, shifting my head to observe him in my peripheral.
"I wanted to protect you, so I wanted to see what you were dreaming about." I nodded, and shut my eyes again.
"Thank you." I whispered before slipping back into a sleep. I didn't dream, and for that I was thankful. I wondered if Loki prevented me from dreaming, or if my mind just didn't provide me with a dream. I woke up softly, and found me still curled up in Loki's arms. He had been shaking me awake. I looked up to see Fury and the Avengers all staring at me, eyebrows raised in question. Tony was the only one not looking in my direction. He was glaring at the floor. I shuffled away from Loki and stood up. My legs had gone stiff from the ache of battle. I was desperate to distract everyone from us, so I asked a question that had been in my mind since the beginning.
"What came of Thanos?" Tony's eyes snapped up to meet mine.
"I dragged the great lump with the aid of Thor to Asgard- he's being dealt with and culled there." His voice was cold.
"What is wrong with you?" I asked, allowing some attitude to creep into my tone.
"Nothing." He turned away sulkily. Fury shook his head and stepped forward.
"Loki, you have proved yourself worthy- jumping in the way to protect Clint was an honourable thing to do." I turned to look at my lover once more.
"Loki? You saved Clint?" I turned to look at Clint, who nodded slowly.
"I am bound by honour- I saw no need for a death and so I saved him. I was just doing what I saw right." My heart pounded at the thought of his death being for something so honourable.
"You are partially free." Fury announced without a smile. Loki nodded too, blinking slowly.
"Thank you. I'm free how?"
"You need no shackling anymore. Unless you give us reason to take back our compromise." He warned.
"I solemnly swear, in the presence of my brother, Sigyn and Heimdall on Asgard to abide by the compromise you and I have agreed to beforehand." His face was serious and his eyes wide with honesty. I was rather taken aback. Fury nodded and turned away, talking as he did so.
"Good. When you're well enough to return- which my doctors will ascertain, you can return when you like accompanied by Sigyn to SHIELD. More details will be provided then." Loki nodded and his eyes fell to the floor. I couldn't read his emotion- his face was similar to a blank page, waiting to be scribbled upon with emotions. The Avengers left one by one, beaming with happiness for their victory and me. They ignored Loki though.
"You're free!" I whispered excitedly.
"Am I? The only difference is that I'm not shackled. I still have to remain under SHIELD's protection." He muttered sourly. I rubbed his shoulder in pity and soothing. He would one day understand the significance of this small increment of freedom he'd been granted.
At the end I didn't even know what I was writing! I will work much harder on Chapter 12, I was distracted by the funeral and etc.
Please review! I'm nearly at 50! :D
