I woke up in a cold sweat in Steve's arms. It was still dark out; his hushed breathing with minute snores told me he was still asleep. Aware that the necklace had slipped out during the night, I tucked the crystal back under my shirt. He grunted something, nuzzling my neck from behind me. I ran a soothing hand over one of his arms, hoping to calm him, still trying to calm myself.
I had just told Loki I still loved him, and meant it. What the hell was I thinking? Awkwardly, I slipped out from Steve's arms, especially careful not to wake him and slipped on a cardigan and shoes before heading outside for some air.
The stars are very clear out here. I hadn't seen much of them in the city, the sky tended to be full of light pollution. I wrap my arms about me, it's not too cold but the air is certainly crisper here, cleaner. I take deep breaths of it, staring out at the sky.
There's a faint buzzing in my pocket, I pull my phone out, two missed calls. I guess the haphazard way I'd thrown my cardigan down, I hadn't heard it go off while I was asleep. I don't recognise the number but I answer anyway.
"Jess?" Dean sounds worried.
"Is everything alright?" I ask.
"Not really no."
"Who's phone is this?"
"Emily's, mine got taken."
"Taken by who?" I frown.
"Some government officials. They're trying to take Gabriel."
"You can't let them." My voice has nearly doubled in volume.
"We're trying not to but it's a little difficult at the moment." He hesitates, I can hear someone else talking. "I have to go, they're coming back. I just thought you should know."
"Dean," I start, but the phone cuts out before I can finish my sentence.
I head back inside and start gathering my things together and get changed before I wake Steve up.
"What time is it?" He mumbled softly as I shook his shoulder.
"Three." I whisper back, checking my phone. As the screen lights up he grunts and rolls slightly to move the pillow onto his head.
"Come back to bed." He murmurs, reaching out to me.
I take his hand but I don't climb in with him. "I have to go. Dean's called. Some government types are trying to take Gabriel. I have to go."
He lifts the pillow. "Now?"
"Right now. It sounded pretty bad."
"Do you need me to come with you?"
I smile and shake my head, he's so adorable when he's still half asleep. Sure, being Captain America had given him the usual power to wake up on cue as most military personnel find, but occasionally he did have sleepiness hit him like everyone else. "Nah, you need to stay here and help the others fight Ultron, remember? I'll be back as soon as I can." I peck his cheek. "Or I can meet you at the Tower."
"I don't like this." He tells me, coming to a bit more. "I don't like not knowing you're safe."
"I'll be fine," I tell him, "I just can't leave Gabriel to be carted off to god knows where."
"Call me as soon as you arrive." He instructs me.
"Of course." I kiss his lips. "Love you."
The roads are dark out here, being out in the countryside there's less lights leading out to the highway. I didn't have a plan; I just knew I needed to go there to defend Gabriel. He wasn't a criminal, he wasn't a threat. He was just lost. The road was a blur in the window; I couldn't help but drive fast; this was an emergency.
The speedometer is just going up and up. I'm weaving between other cars too quickly and too recklessly. But it's automatic, I'm calm, collected. I'm too calm. Too collected.
"Pull over." Loki commands, sat next to me.
His sudden appearance makes me jump and almost lose control of the steering wheel. "Where the hell did you come from?"
"You're still wearing the necklace, we're still linked. Pull over."
"I've never seen you while I've been awake before."
"Pull over or this might be the last time you see me at all." He barked as I swerve past another car. "Jessica!"
Slowly, the car begins to decline in speed and I bring the vehicle over to stop at the side of the road. "Loki, I need to go back to the Tower." I tell him, trying not to meet his eyes.
"You need to look at me."
"Why?" I hiss.
"Because there is something very wrong and I need you to hold still while I figure out what it is."
"There's nothing wrong except for the fact that I'm now having these hallucinations of an ex-boyfriend."
"Jessica." He chides me. "Look at me."
Reluctantly, I turn my head to face him. In the dim lighting, he seems almost real, as if Loki really was sat next to me and not communicating to me solely by my mind. He frowns, giving me a hard stare, his gaze piercing. I feel a little uncomfortable with the intensity of it, but I can't bring myself to look away now I have looked at him.
"Why do you need to go to the Tower so urgently?"
"To save Gabriel, there are these government officials who are trying to take him and-"
"Keep looking at me." He interrupted. I hadn't even realised I had looked away. I frown a little.
"I have to get to Gabriel."
"Who is Gabriel?" I could see him stop himself from rolling his eyes.
"The captain of the ship that helped me escape. I told you, he got marooned on earth and I've been helping him." I fired up the engine. "So you can understand why I have to get back, it's important and-"
"Look at me." He almost thunders.
I cut power to the engine and turn to him. "What is your problem?" I snarl.
"Every time you mention him your eyes glaze over." He tells me darkly.
"I'm worried about my friend."
"The friend who told you that you're a telepath?" He puts together slowly. I nod. "I told you, he is lying to you."
"No Loki, you were the one lying to me."
"Not about everything. Not about this." He sighs when I don't reply, leaning his head back against the seat. "Did he give you anything?"
Thinking of the necklace, my hand reaches for it; his eyes flicker down to the movement but soften when they see that I'm going for the necklace he gave me. I shake my head.
"No gifts? No presents? No gestures of good will? Nothing to drink or to eat?"
"Loki, he's been bedridden the whole time he's been here."
"You didn't meet him here." He pointed out.
I thought back. "On the ship, he made me something to eat."
"And did you know what it was? Did you recognise the ingredients?"
"No."
I don't think I've seen Loki look more exasperated. "I would have thought you had more common sense." He growled. "This Gabriel could have put anything in that food."
"You think he drugged me?"
"It's more than likely at this point." He reached towards me but I flinched, with an angry sigh he placed his fingers on my temples.
"What are you doing?"
"Be quiet."
After a minute or so he releases me. "You have heightened emotions regarding him. Are you attracted to him?"
"No." He seems to be relieved by my answer.
"Then somehow he is manipulating you. You cannot go to that Tower, Jessica."
"Gabriel didn't call me, Dean did."
"Perhaps whoever this Dean is, he too is being manipulated by Gabriel."
"Another reason for me to go then." I asserted. "Dean needs my help."
Loki took a deep breath, eyes closed and pinching his nose. "Turn this car around."
"No."
"Please." He stared at me a moment, begging.
"No." I repeated more softly.
He sighed. "Clearly I will not be able to dissuade you from going." He turned back to me. "Keep the necklace on, I want to be able to help you if I can."
