p class="MsoNormal"I didn't like leaving her alone. I didn't want to leave her alone. She was hurting and I wanted to stop it from happening. I wanted to leave her and go raze the very land that existed. I wanted to hold her in my arms, so I knew she was alive, so I could hold her tight as she put her pieces back together./p
p class="MsoNormal"The restraint I had at putting a face forward, keeping my emotions in check in front of these was exhausting. I wanted to break things. Break everything. Destroy whatever I could see, whatever I could touch, whatever could be broken./p
p class="MsoNormal""Loki, thank you." Natasha said./p
p class="MsoNormal""I didn't do it for you." I snapped. Reigning it in a bit further I continued. "I did it for her. It would have hurt her when she was more sure of herself."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Bullshit." Clint said swinging himself onto the kitchen island chair. "You hate Stark. She's not fond of Stark." He grabbed an apple. "You warned him to back off."/p
p class="MsoNormal""She likes Pepper. And if she killed Stark then Pepper would be unhappy. I'd not do that to her either."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Enough to get in the way?" The iceman asked. "Your lies get worse as time continues."/p
p class="MsoNormal""She didn't know what she was doing." Natasha said. "You could tell that she wasn't quite right."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Offended by the patriot I upped my lies. "She was calculating a way to kill us all and run. She thought we had been the opens to hurt her, the ones to be in control. It was preservation of my life just as much. Yours don't mean much to me, and not a great amount to her. I just didn't want to put that to test in case I was wrong for once."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You don't mean that."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I needed you to locate her. I needed her to focus to get us out. I needed her to remember to not slaughter me. I still need someone to build things. Its more convenient this way." I felt they almost believed me. So I added the extra cherry the earthlings say. "Knowing how much you consider her a friend always put a quiver in my arrow for your weaknesses. Can't have too much to gain when someone else has everything to lose."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Just when I think you change, brother."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Not your brother." I stated. "Are you going to put the beast in the chamber? Or are we going to watch him wither away."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You care?" Rodger asked./p
p class="MsoNormal""Oh no, just wondering if I can heat up some of that popcorn stuff so I can have front row seat of watching the man and beast fade away. It helps evaluate taking over Midgard if the beast is dead after all. I need to make sure this time."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Well then, if anything to disturb your plans we best move him straight into the chamber." He downed his amber liquid in one and strutted off, Steve and Thor in tow. I winked at Natasha and she and Clint moved away./p
p class="MsoNormal"I hoped this thing worked for Enya's sake. She liked the man. And I wouldn't want him to pass that would hurt her. She relied on her technology and if it failed that would hurt her more and she was already so fragile./p
p class="MsoNormal"I awaited them graphically plotting step by step how I was going to make them snivelling mortals beg. I was going to split skulls one by one./p
p class="MsoNormal"They came back, almost dragging a hideously sick Doctor. I watched as Steve and Thor hoisted the groaning body off the floor with an arm around each of their shoulders. Skin shed, flakes the size of saucers, from his body onto the floor. Red bleeding welts were the produce of this and he looked to be in pain. They half dragged him to the lab and sat him down against the bench, Thor holding him up. Tony held the lid whilst Steve and Thor lowered him into the chamber, the lid closing afterwards. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"I saw Enya in the corner as she peered behind her knees. The stress that lined her face made me feel uncomfortable. Her eyes were still void of anything, as if all emotion had been sucked from her. She watched us as we figured out to get the device to work. A groan emanated from the chamber and I had to resist the urge to smile. Stark asked us to try and find some way to get it started./p
p class="MsoNormal"Why was I stuck doing this meaningless task with these mortals? Why did they never make instruction manuals on how to work their odd devices?/p
p class="MsoNormal""I don't see a red button you mortals like." Thor examined the device and kicked it. Funnily enough it didn't work. "How do we get this thing to start its magic?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"I looked over to Enya. Enya wouldn't make a button. She'd not want it to work for just anyone. She'd make is specifically for her./p
p class="MsoNormal"I approached her, her watching me warily./p
p class="MsoNormal""How do you start it?" She didn't answer, almost going more vacant. I gently touched the top of her knee to focus her attention. She leapt up away from me growling./p
p class="MsoNormal""Don't touch me." She wrapped my arms around herself as if she was trying to keep herself together. "Don't touch me." She kept repeating myself out loud. As if it'd stop me. "Don't touch me. Don't touch me. Don't touch me. Don't touch me. Don't touch me. Don't touch me."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Enya,"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Loki," Natasha was there next to him. "We have to leave her be. We are crowding her."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm trying to get her to reveal how she would get this chamber started without a power button." Thor kicked it again. "Gently Thor, or you may just crush Dr Banner."/p
p class="MsoNormal"I turned to face Enya to see her within an inch of me. It startled me./p
p class="MsoNormal""Dr Bruce Banner." She whispered. I nodded. "Power." Enya's small voice made them all look towards her. She stepped slowly towards the chamber, around me. I saw the way her scars had multiplied across her body. She had them across her feet and ankles. They travelled up her thighs to her hips. Her scars across her stomach was the worse, the puckered skin had more lacerations across them and it looked like they had torn her apart with blunt instruments. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal""Power? I don't see any cable." Tony looked around but we didn't see one./p
p class="MsoNormal""My power." Her face scrunched up as the lights started flickering and it made an odd grinding noise. It started off slow building in speed and sound. Eventually the lights got so bright, and the noise so loud, I had to shield my eyes and feel the deafening roar in my ear drums. It kept going, and I didn't think it was ever going to stop./p
p class="MsoNormal"I was conscious of what this would do to Enya's already weak state of mind, her body too, but did not want to make her out to be weak. She'd not abide by it./p
p class="MsoNormal"For what seemed longer than my fall to Midgard it eventually stopped. I looked to the machine as the noise dwindled away and saw Enya collapse onto her knees. I ignored the fact she needed to be left alone and knelt down next to her. I grabbed her arm; keeping her upright onto her knees. I didn't need her to fall on her face anytime soon. She didn't growl at me and she didn't flinch. She just kept her head bowed and hunched over. I could hear her laboured breath and I felt her slight shake to her body but she didn't break./p
p class="MsoNormal""Is it done?" Natasha asked./p
p class="MsoNormal""Where is the ping? When you cook something for a certain amount of time, they are supposed to ping." I muttered something about cooking him until he pinged under my breath. I felt Enya smile and that made me smile. I watched my oaf of a brother pull the door open and they huddled around the thing. I simply did not care whether than pet had been boiled to death or not. I helped Enya up and realised she was a lot thinner than she was a year ago. She leaned her weight onto me and despite the struggle to her feet communicating to move, I would not have realised she was resting heavily on me./p
p class="MsoNormal"We moved from the lab to her temporary room. I pulled the sheet back and she curled up away from me. I saw the scars lining her back, deep elongated lines. She'd been lashed too. All the annoyance I felt at her for how easily she broke for such a strong mortal vanished. This mortal was regaining something of herself minute by minute where it was taking me years. It truly was something I had not witnessed, the sheer power, the strength they kept. If I kept the pity, then the anger wouldn't invade for fear of what would be laid to waste if that won./p
p class="MsoNormal""I think I remember you more now, Loki." She said softly into the pillow./p
p class="MsoNormal""You've taken your time mortal." I replied dryly. I was not the comforting type. And despite everyone else's tiny and worthless thoughts about us, we were not as close as one would expect. I tucked the sheet around her, careful to not touch again. When nothing was said further I turned to leave./p
p class="MsoNormal""I don't want to remember you." She admitted. That stopped me from moving. I looked back at her and she hadn't moved more, just kept curled up in a ball on the bed. I wanted to ask why, but I didn't want her to realise it bothered me. She kept on talking anyway almost sensing the unspoken question. "I've never felt bothered by someone else's pain. I do yours. That was caused by me. I don't like it and it can't happen again." She didn't elaborate but it sounded like a goodbye./p
p class="MsoNormal""Enya, what in the nine realms are you dribbling about?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""You'll not be hurt, or anyone be hurt, by me."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Are you trying to leave? Badly?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I don't know how well we were friends, but I feel in our best interest we don't stay friends."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I don't care about your best interests." I snapped. "I care about mine. I do what I want. I'm a God."/p
p class="MsoNormal""And you haven't got your wounds looked to. But I've seen them. Old and new."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Which tells you what?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""We weren't just friends. Me to you, we can't be that anymore."/p
p class="MsoNormal""That's your decision, and it's a bad one."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Goodnight, Loki."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You'll regret this in the morning." I sneered leaving in a huff. How dare a mortal try and make decisions for me. How dare Enya just simply decide we weren't friends! How dare she insinuate I was hurt as a result of her being my weakness./p
p class="MsoNormal""Loki?" Somehow I had found myself in the main room with the others. I glared at them in anger and didn't know who to verbally abuse first. "How is Enya?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""She is being what your mortals call moronic." I sneered./p
p class="MsoNormal""What has she said?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Nothing of consequence." I saw the pet, in mortal form, hunched over on the sofa. He glanced up at me but I saw agony in his eyes. "Is this pet healed then?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Dr Banner is healthy again. But the healing put a strain upon him, he's a little hurt."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Natasha was protective over him. She seemed to have a weakness. And that was good for future notice. If the mortal continued to speak, she'd put into their small minds that she was my weakness. I couldn't have that. "Is Enya ok?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""No." I growled and then left them to wonder why. She should have just left. We should have just left. Maybe we will. Tonight, when those misfits are asleep I'll take Enya. We will go back home and she can't escape me there. She can't be defended by the pet which he will no doubt want to. I punched the wall, creating a hole that kept on crumbling. That damn Enya had to mess everything up. She had to save the schizophrenia cretin and protect the assassin. She had to take a blade for my brother. The only one who wouldn't mind Enya leaving would be that egotistical moron Tony Stark. He'd quite willingly let her leave. I growled again and stormed from the building. I made myself invisible so I wouldn't be harassed by various people who would recognise me. Six years on and these mortals did not forget. They would if they believed I had saved the earth from that attack, but Thor and his glory sheep, is that how I said it? Took all the glory and were once again the heroes./p
p class="MsoNormal"Heroes. If only the world knew how selfish these mortals were. How self-centred and self-focused they were on their own lives. If I took Enya away she would not have a chance to be absorbed into their world. Soon SHIELD will be offering her a job and Enya would take it./p
p class="MsoNormal"I could not let that happen. I had to take Enya. Tonight./p
p class="MsoNormal"Darkness had fallen and I moved back into the flashy tower. Jarvis welcomed me and I barely acknowledged the talking contraption. I stepped out and saw only Thor awake. He glanced over and then seemed relieved to see me. What an oaf./p
p class="MsoNormal""Brother, you are back."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I think we've established that." I replied./p
p class="MsoNormal""I needed to make sure you are ok. I wasn't sure how you'd be after getting angry."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm fine, Thor."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I can see that Brother." He smiled and clapped my shoulder with his paw./p
p class="MsoNormal""I think we have also established we are not brothers." I brushed his paw off my shoulder and kept on walking./p
p class="MsoNormal""One day, you'll accept you keep making mistakes." He called after me. I disappeared around the corner and turned invisible. I watched Thor stretch, a sad look to his face, and then he walked past me, his cape barely catching my leg, up the stairs to his room. After a minute I followed; only to go to Enya's room. I slipped in, keeping the light off and moved to Enya. She was still dressed in those clothes. I laid on the floor and rolled under the bed. There taped to the bed slats was my sceptre. I found through Enya that the simple hiding it under the bed was enough to keep people from taking something. And it had worked. As I retrieved my sceptre the door opened./p
p class="MsoNormal""See," they whispered harshly. "I told you Loki didn't go in here."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Good." The other replied. "I'd hate for him to take up his word of her being a convenience. I'd have to kill him." They stepped into the room and I saw their bare feet check the room./p
p class="MsoNormal""Jesus Capsicle, you shouldn't wake me up when I am asleep."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Don't use the Lord's name in vain, Tony."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Then get out the stone age. Enya is big enough to look after herself."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Not in this state she isn't. She's vulnerable."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Enya's emotions don't reach vulnerable."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm just worried for her."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You can see Loki hasn't touched her."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I feel like he's going to take her while she's in this state."/p
p class="MsoNormal""And go where? We know where he'll go. We will just go get her."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Shush, Thor says Loki can hide."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Why hide? Honestly Cap, you're going to make me have bags under my eyes unless you let me get my beauty sleep." The door shut and I realised I had been holding my breath. The fossil had good hearing. I retrieved my sceptre quickly and rolled from under the bed. I protected myself from the other side of the door and looked around. I didn't see Tony or the Icicle and decided now or never./p
p class="MsoNormal""Enya," I whispered to her. She didn't move or even make a sound to acknowledge I had said her name. Working quickly I tugged off her sheet and picked her up into my arms. She didn't stir and just laid in my arms sleeping softly. She barely weighed enough to put a strain on my arms. The things I did to protect this girl from them./p
p class="MsoNormal"I opened the door and checked before taking long strides down the stairs to the elevator. I saw or heard nothing as the door opened and I stepped in./p
p class="MsoNormal""Good early morning Loki, is everything ok?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""She wanted some air. But she was too weak to walk. So I'm the sucker to do it." I growled, trying to lie to a machine./p
p class="MsoNormal""Would you like to me to disturb one of the others for you?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I think I can handle her. If I can't, I might take you up on it."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Very good. I shall stand by waiting." The elevator doors pinged opened and I stepped out. That machine would be waiting a long time. I moved in strides to the curb and there I saw the black car. Neil jumped out and opened the door. He took Enya off me and I had to, for the one time in my life, curb my tongue as he did so without being asked and leaned in, placing her on the back. Then he moved out my way, and jumped back in the front as I did the back. The car moved and I put the safety strap around her. Then I strapped myself in as one of Neil's men sped through New York towards home./p
p class="MsoNormal""Sir, is everything okay?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Enya's isn't well."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I saw that, Sir. What had happened?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""She just fixed that pet." I didn't want to tell Neil. I didn't think Enya would want anyone to know. Or was it I that didn't want anyone to know?/p
p class="MsoNormal""Home then, Sir?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""For a short while. But then Enya and I need to keep moving."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Sir, I need to ask why." He leaned around the chair, the driver still going./p
p class="MsoNormal""You don't question me, Neil. Never question me." Neil held his hand up and the car screeched to a stop. "What are you doing mortal?" I hissed at him angrily./p
p class="MsoNormal""Are you taking her from the Avengers without their say so? Or worse, hers?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I assume that we are not home, so there best be a reason for the stopping of this vehicle."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Loki, I cannot drive you and Enya home if you are doing something wrong. Does Enya know? Do the avengers know? What is going on?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I do not need to explain myself to you."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Then we don't go further." I was astonished by his betrayal of his loyalty. "Loki, Sir, I am loyal to you, but I know also of your past. While that has never been an issue, I will put these girls first. If you are doing something that will harm them, or put them in harm, I cannot be a part of it."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Your loyalty should be only to me and my commands."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You've trusted me before. You aren't this time. That puts me on edge." This damn mortal was standing in my way. The way he was carrying on, those misfits would know I took Enya and would be on my tail before I had managed to fully escape with her. How could this mortal be commanding me?! "Sir, you will go against everyone to defend Enya. I will go against you to defend Enya and the girls. Are those simplified terms better to get through your cloud of anger?" He said the words so straight forward, in his polite stern voice./p
p class="MsoNormal""Drive. I shall explain." I bit out, anger clouding my good sense to kill this mortal and hire somebody new who will be undyingly loyal to me./p
p class="MsoNormal"Neil nodded to the driver, James, and the car shot off down the road at an alarming rate. Neil waited for my explanation and I cursed him in Norse. He knew I was cursing him in Norse, but it didn't bother him. Not much did./p
p class="MsoNormal""I've taken Enya against her will. Against the avengers will. Enya is weak, and they want her around them. Now their pet is alive, I may never be able to take her without their say so. The pet will defend them. SHIELD may offer her a job and she'll take it. Now, while she was weak and they slept, I have to take her. But they'll retrieve her. I need to keep on moving so they can't get her until she is strong."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Let me see if I understand this in the simplest terms possible. You are being selfish?" This was the reason I liked Neil, he never played with words. I hated it when there were bumbling babbling morons that couldn't speak with some basic decent English. "The avengers like Enya, she likes them, and if SHIELD offers her a job and she goes forward with it, it means you'll not see her anymore. So, to keep her to yourself, you've kidnapped her from the avengers whilst they slept."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You are not as stupid as other mortals can be." I replied dryly. "But you are wrong. It is not to keep her to myself, it is for her to be free."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Sir, you didn't ask her what she wanted. She may not want this." Then he frowned at me and sighed. "She told you what she wanted didn't she? And you didn't like the answer."/p
p class="MsoNormal""She didn't know what she was saying."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Was she drunk? Or being threatened?" I just continued by glare. "Then she knew what she was saying, Sir."/p
p class="MsoNormal""That is a matter of your opinion. Which as always is wrong." He sighed and turned back to face the road. The lights soon disappeared in the distance as I watched Enya sleep. Neil and James talked about speed limits before turning to trivial gossip in hushed tones. Enya kept still as she slept without any noise to add comfort to me. I needed to see terror, or restlessness. I needed something that would show me that she was coping, as mortals do with such traumatic events. She wasn't exhibiting anything./p
p class="MsoNormal""Sir," I looked from Enya to Neil. "She's going to get cold in those clothes. If you don't want them to see her new scars, you'll need to keep them hidden." He had his arm out with some woollen thick blanket. I took it and proceeded to carefully wrap her up in this blanket so her feet and head were the only things that could be seen. She didn't stir and I was worried maybe something was wrong. "She's exhausted." Neil said from the front seat. "She is basically comatose until her body can level out again. She'll be awake in a few days." I didn't say anything to acknowledge I had heard but that soothed my worries about her./p
p class="MsoNormal"Maybe I was selfish. I wanted Enya around me. She had never judged me for my past and she never questioned my future. She was liked by everyone around her. I wanted to see why. I wanted to see why she was such a likeable person. I liked her. I liked having her around. Her mind was so quick for a mortal, and her smiles genuine. She was so easy to be around and did not want for anything. She was honest and simple and required no great effort on my part. She wanted to know more knowledge, perfect her ideas. And her care for this dog Warren, was something I did not understand either. It obeyed her slightest command, and knew everything that was occurring without being a mortal. Enya was the same. She knew what Warren wanted, what distressed him and what didn't. I didn't see any facial expression or hear any words but they managed to understand each other some level I did not understand. This was because of Enya. Maybe I was selfish. Maybe I wanted to see this spark about her. And when I finally did, I wanted it for myself. I wanted this dangerous but honest simple woman with this spark to be all for myself. I didn't like to share and if she was so rare, I didn't want to share her at all./p
p class="MsoNormal"We arrived a few hours later and I cradled the woman to me and stepped with grace from the car. Nail watched me and then Enya for a moment before leading the way into the house and down into the basement. Nobody stirred and I assumed this was done covertly./p
p class="MsoNormal""Is New York okay?" I spotted Peter Waters moving swiftly towards us. Of course this imbecile would be awake. He had a soft spot for Enya that he tried to remain hidden but clearly did not realise what the God of Mischief and Lies meant. "Why is she wrapped up like a burrito?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"What is a burrito? Neil leaned against a desk and folded his arms as I put her down flat on a bench. "She's fine Peter. She's just used up all her energy."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Is the good doctor healed?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Yeah, she's used all her energy to fix him."/p
p class="MsoNormal""She'll wake up happier than last time then."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Last time?" I echoed./p
p class="MsoNormal""Yeah. When she found you had done a runner she was the unhappiest angriest red head I had seen. She was so mad at you. She packed up stuff and then disappeared. She kept in contact with Neil as they tracked you down. But she was not happy to wake up to find you gone on a self-pity trek." He smiled down at her fondly and that angered me. I turned to Neil./p
p class="MsoNormal""I have an hour. Plan."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You'll have to go to a safe house, or go to a random destination."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Random. I don't want them to track us down easily through our safe house."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Then this state or another."/p
p class="MsoNormal""This. They'll think we have gone further."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Then take your money, and go." He was being rather short with me and I knew why. He didn't like this plan, but he wasn't arguing with me. Thankfully someone had sense not to bother arguing with me. I didn't have the energy to smite him down at this point of the night. "Keep in communication, and the dots one on both of you, just in case that whatever has occurred occurs again but with both of you. You'll need food for Enya, and clothes. Peter, will you go pack for Enya please."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I can do that."/p
p class="MsoNormal""We need to plan communications." He said nonchalantly to me. "James go with him and pack for Loki. Make sure it doesn't look like they've been here." They both nodded silently and disappeared upstairs. "Sir, this is not a good idea. Enya is sick, she needs a constant place with plenty of rest. She'll not get that staying in one place. Plus, we need you to tell us what will be happening now that the enemy know of our hiding place. They'll come back."/p
p class="MsoNormal""This isn't forever. Just until Enya is strong again. It won't be after a few days, and we all don't need the difficulty of holding off the enemy with a weak Enya. I need to take her away for her safety."/p
p class="MsoNormal""It better be for her safety." It wasn't a threat but it sounded like it./p
p class="MsoNormal""Is that a threat? From you?" I growled and held up my sceptre./p
p class="MsoNormal""It is a warning. For you to not get so wrapped up in Enya you put your lives in jeopardy. There is only so much we can do if you get yourself in a situation. I say this with no disrespect, but you will have to decide which tense you are in. Are you in the present tense; Enya's side, or are you in the past tense, in darkness. Because you can't be both. And there is only one right one for the future."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I am a God. I can do what I like." I growled./p
p class="MsoNormal""You are not a God of Earth though. You are not a God here. You are Loki Layfeuson. A mere nobody like us."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I will be in my rightful place one day."/p
p class="MsoNormal""In Asgard? While your brother rules? Are you going to kill your brother? Are you going to leave Enya behind? Or kill her when she tells you how wrong you are too?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Why are you arguing with me?" I asked angrily./p
p class="MsoNormal""Because despite your personality flaws, I want you to stay alive and well. You have potential for great good; but you lurk on the other side along the way. I don't want Enya to lose you, or vice versa when you lurk on the wrong side."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Enya can handle herself."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I may seem to be a stupid mortal to you, but I can see she's not handled something very well. And in doing so, it has threatened you. You walk with a rigid back, and can barely bend. Whatever you won't tell me, and I'll find out, I know it has done more damage than you wish to say." The door opened as the others came down the stairs again. "We aren't just yours to command. We are here because we want to be." I ignored him as they came towards confirming everything was ready. "Take Peter with you."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I do not require anyone."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You do not drive. You will be spotted with the plane. Peter is Special Ops, he'll protect you and Enya just fine." I didn't like it, but with an extra hand it would help. But I did not want this Peter Waters anywhere near Enya. "Peter is going with you. He can shop, gather intel and blend in. Something you cannot do as you refused to learn. You have to think of Enya." This was getting all out of hand. Everyone was seeing Enya as my weakness. She wasn't. She wasn't my weakness! I just wanted to find out about this spark. I didn't want anyone to use her against me thinking they could control me through her. I owe nothing to anyone./p
p class="MsoNormal""I don't need anyone to look after Enya. She'll be asleep so I do not require food or intel."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Then back up."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I can simply drive you there and back if that would be better."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Two men and a woman would attract attention." I argued./p
p class="MsoNormal""Good point. Peter can drive you. Then he can come back." I nodded glad I did not have to use my magic to make the machine work. I picked up Enya, trying to show I was not injured, and moved up the stairs. Peter grabbed the cases and popped them in the boot of the car before I got back in the vehicle and then Peter drove. Enya didn't make a sound./p
p class="MsoNormal"The restraint I had at putting a face forward, keeping my emotions in check in front of these was exhausting. I wanted to break things. Break everything. Destroy whatever I could see, whatever I could touch, whatever could be broken./p
p class="MsoNormal""Loki, thank you." Natasha said./p
p class="MsoNormal""I didn't do it for you." I snapped. Reigning it in a bit further I continued. "I did it for her. It would have hurt her when she was more sure of herself."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Bullshit." Clint said swinging himself onto the kitchen island chair. "You hate Stark. She's not fond of Stark." He grabbed an apple. "You warned him to back off."/p
p class="MsoNormal""She likes Pepper. And if she killed Stark then Pepper would be unhappy. I'd not do that to her either."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Enough to get in the way?" The iceman asked. "Your lies get worse as time continues."/p
p class="MsoNormal""She didn't know what she was doing." Natasha said. "You could tell that she wasn't quite right."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Offended by the patriot I upped my lies. "She was calculating a way to kill us all and run. She thought we had been the opens to hurt her, the ones to be in control. It was preservation of my life just as much. Yours don't mean much to me, and not a great amount to her. I just didn't want to put that to test in case I was wrong for once."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You don't mean that."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I needed you to locate her. I needed her to focus to get us out. I needed her to remember to not slaughter me. I still need someone to build things. Its more convenient this way." I felt they almost believed me. So I added the extra cherry the earthlings say. "Knowing how much you consider her a friend always put a quiver in my arrow for your weaknesses. Can't have too much to gain when someone else has everything to lose."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Just when I think you change, brother."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Not your brother." I stated. "Are you going to put the beast in the chamber? Or are we going to watch him wither away."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You care?" Rodger asked./p
p class="MsoNormal""Oh no, just wondering if I can heat up some of that popcorn stuff so I can have front row seat of watching the man and beast fade away. It helps evaluate taking over Midgard if the beast is dead after all. I need to make sure this time."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Well then, if anything to disturb your plans we best move him straight into the chamber." He downed his amber liquid in one and strutted off, Steve and Thor in tow. I winked at Natasha and she and Clint moved away./p
p class="MsoNormal"I hoped this thing worked for Enya's sake. She liked the man. And I wouldn't want him to pass that would hurt her. She relied on her technology and if it failed that would hurt her more and she was already so fragile./p
p class="MsoNormal"I awaited them graphically plotting step by step how I was going to make them snivelling mortals beg. I was going to split skulls one by one./p
p class="MsoNormal"They came back, almost dragging a hideously sick Doctor. I watched as Steve and Thor hoisted the groaning body off the floor with an arm around each of their shoulders. Skin shed, flakes the size of saucers, from his body onto the floor. Red bleeding welts were the produce of this and he looked to be in pain. They half dragged him to the lab and sat him down against the bench, Thor holding him up. Tony held the lid whilst Steve and Thor lowered him into the chamber, the lid closing afterwards. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"I saw Enya in the corner as she peered behind her knees. The stress that lined her face made me feel uncomfortable. Her eyes were still void of anything, as if all emotion had been sucked from her. She watched us as we figured out to get the device to work. A groan emanated from the chamber and I had to resist the urge to smile. Stark asked us to try and find some way to get it started./p
p class="MsoNormal"Why was I stuck doing this meaningless task with these mortals? Why did they never make instruction manuals on how to work their odd devices?/p
p class="MsoNormal""I don't see a red button you mortals like." Thor examined the device and kicked it. Funnily enough it didn't work. "How do we get this thing to start its magic?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"I looked over to Enya. Enya wouldn't make a button. She'd not want it to work for just anyone. She'd make is specifically for her./p
p class="MsoNormal"I approached her, her watching me warily./p
p class="MsoNormal""How do you start it?" She didn't answer, almost going more vacant. I gently touched the top of her knee to focus her attention. She leapt up away from me growling./p
p class="MsoNormal""Don't touch me." She wrapped my arms around herself as if she was trying to keep herself together. "Don't touch me." She kept repeating myself out loud. As if it'd stop me. "Don't touch me. Don't touch me. Don't touch me. Don't touch me. Don't touch me. Don't touch me."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Enya,"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Loki," Natasha was there next to him. "We have to leave her be. We are crowding her."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm trying to get her to reveal how she would get this chamber started without a power button." Thor kicked it again. "Gently Thor, or you may just crush Dr Banner."/p
p class="MsoNormal"I turned to face Enya to see her within an inch of me. It startled me./p
p class="MsoNormal""Dr Bruce Banner." She whispered. I nodded. "Power." Enya's small voice made them all look towards her. She stepped slowly towards the chamber, around me. I saw the way her scars had multiplied across her body. She had them across her feet and ankles. They travelled up her thighs to her hips. Her scars across her stomach was the worse, the puckered skin had more lacerations across them and it looked like they had torn her apart with blunt instruments. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal""Power? I don't see any cable." Tony looked around but we didn't see one./p
p class="MsoNormal""My power." Her face scrunched up as the lights started flickering and it made an odd grinding noise. It started off slow building in speed and sound. Eventually the lights got so bright, and the noise so loud, I had to shield my eyes and feel the deafening roar in my ear drums. It kept going, and I didn't think it was ever going to stop./p
p class="MsoNormal"I was conscious of what this would do to Enya's already weak state of mind, her body too, but did not want to make her out to be weak. She'd not abide by it./p
p class="MsoNormal"For what seemed longer than my fall to Midgard it eventually stopped. I looked to the machine as the noise dwindled away and saw Enya collapse onto her knees. I ignored the fact she needed to be left alone and knelt down next to her. I grabbed her arm; keeping her upright onto her knees. I didn't need her to fall on her face anytime soon. She didn't growl at me and she didn't flinch. She just kept her head bowed and hunched over. I could hear her laboured breath and I felt her slight shake to her body but she didn't break./p
p class="MsoNormal""Is it done?" Natasha asked./p
p class="MsoNormal""Where is the ping? When you cook something for a certain amount of time, they are supposed to ping." I muttered something about cooking him until he pinged under my breath. I felt Enya smile and that made me smile. I watched my oaf of a brother pull the door open and they huddled around the thing. I simply did not care whether than pet had been boiled to death or not. I helped Enya up and realised she was a lot thinner than she was a year ago. She leaned her weight onto me and despite the struggle to her feet communicating to move, I would not have realised she was resting heavily on me./p
p class="MsoNormal"We moved from the lab to her temporary room. I pulled the sheet back and she curled up away from me. I saw the scars lining her back, deep elongated lines. She'd been lashed too. All the annoyance I felt at her for how easily she broke for such a strong mortal vanished. This mortal was regaining something of herself minute by minute where it was taking me years. It truly was something I had not witnessed, the sheer power, the strength they kept. If I kept the pity, then the anger wouldn't invade for fear of what would be laid to waste if that won./p
p class="MsoNormal""I think I remember you more now, Loki." She said softly into the pillow./p
p class="MsoNormal""You've taken your time mortal." I replied dryly. I was not the comforting type. And despite everyone else's tiny and worthless thoughts about us, we were not as close as one would expect. I tucked the sheet around her, careful to not touch again. When nothing was said further I turned to leave./p
p class="MsoNormal""I don't want to remember you." She admitted. That stopped me from moving. I looked back at her and she hadn't moved more, just kept curled up in a ball on the bed. I wanted to ask why, but I didn't want her to realise it bothered me. She kept on talking anyway almost sensing the unspoken question. "I've never felt bothered by someone else's pain. I do yours. That was caused by me. I don't like it and it can't happen again." She didn't elaborate but it sounded like a goodbye./p
p class="MsoNormal""Enya, what in the nine realms are you dribbling about?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""You'll not be hurt, or anyone be hurt, by me."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Are you trying to leave? Badly?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I don't know how well we were friends, but I feel in our best interest we don't stay friends."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I don't care about your best interests." I snapped. "I care about mine. I do what I want. I'm a God."/p
p class="MsoNormal""And you haven't got your wounds looked to. But I've seen them. Old and new."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Which tells you what?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""We weren't just friends. Me to you, we can't be that anymore."/p
p class="MsoNormal""That's your decision, and it's a bad one."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Goodnight, Loki."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You'll regret this in the morning." I sneered leaving in a huff. How dare a mortal try and make decisions for me. How dare Enya just simply decide we weren't friends! How dare she insinuate I was hurt as a result of her being my weakness./p
p class="MsoNormal""Loki?" Somehow I had found myself in the main room with the others. I glared at them in anger and didn't know who to verbally abuse first. "How is Enya?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""She is being what your mortals call moronic." I sneered./p
p class="MsoNormal""What has she said?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Nothing of consequence." I saw the pet, in mortal form, hunched over on the sofa. He glanced up at me but I saw agony in his eyes. "Is this pet healed then?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Dr Banner is healthy again. But the healing put a strain upon him, he's a little hurt."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Natasha was protective over him. She seemed to have a weakness. And that was good for future notice. If the mortal continued to speak, she'd put into their small minds that she was my weakness. I couldn't have that. "Is Enya ok?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""No." I growled and then left them to wonder why. She should have just left. We should have just left. Maybe we will. Tonight, when those misfits are asleep I'll take Enya. We will go back home and she can't escape me there. She can't be defended by the pet which he will no doubt want to. I punched the wall, creating a hole that kept on crumbling. That damn Enya had to mess everything up. She had to save the schizophrenia cretin and protect the assassin. She had to take a blade for my brother. The only one who wouldn't mind Enya leaving would be that egotistical moron Tony Stark. He'd quite willingly let her leave. I growled again and stormed from the building. I made myself invisible so I wouldn't be harassed by various people who would recognise me. Six years on and these mortals did not forget. They would if they believed I had saved the earth from that attack, but Thor and his glory sheep, is that how I said it? Took all the glory and were once again the heroes./p
p class="MsoNormal"Heroes. If only the world knew how selfish these mortals were. How self-centred and self-focused they were on their own lives. If I took Enya away she would not have a chance to be absorbed into their world. Soon SHIELD will be offering her a job and Enya would take it./p
p class="MsoNormal"I could not let that happen. I had to take Enya. Tonight./p
p class="MsoNormal"Darkness had fallen and I moved back into the flashy tower. Jarvis welcomed me and I barely acknowledged the talking contraption. I stepped out and saw only Thor awake. He glanced over and then seemed relieved to see me. What an oaf./p
p class="MsoNormal""Brother, you are back."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I think we've established that." I replied./p
p class="MsoNormal""I needed to make sure you are ok. I wasn't sure how you'd be after getting angry."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm fine, Thor."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I can see that Brother." He smiled and clapped my shoulder with his paw./p
p class="MsoNormal""I think we have also established we are not brothers." I brushed his paw off my shoulder and kept on walking./p
p class="MsoNormal""One day, you'll accept you keep making mistakes." He called after me. I disappeared around the corner and turned invisible. I watched Thor stretch, a sad look to his face, and then he walked past me, his cape barely catching my leg, up the stairs to his room. After a minute I followed; only to go to Enya's room. I slipped in, keeping the light off and moved to Enya. She was still dressed in those clothes. I laid on the floor and rolled under the bed. There taped to the bed slats was my sceptre. I found through Enya that the simple hiding it under the bed was enough to keep people from taking something. And it had worked. As I retrieved my sceptre the door opened./p
p class="MsoNormal""See," they whispered harshly. "I told you Loki didn't go in here."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Good." The other replied. "I'd hate for him to take up his word of her being a convenience. I'd have to kill him." They stepped into the room and I saw their bare feet check the room./p
p class="MsoNormal""Jesus Capsicle, you shouldn't wake me up when I am asleep."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Don't use the Lord's name in vain, Tony."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Then get out the stone age. Enya is big enough to look after herself."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Not in this state she isn't. She's vulnerable."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Enya's emotions don't reach vulnerable."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm just worried for her."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You can see Loki hasn't touched her."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I feel like he's going to take her while she's in this state."/p
p class="MsoNormal""And go where? We know where he'll go. We will just go get her."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Shush, Thor says Loki can hide."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Why hide? Honestly Cap, you're going to make me have bags under my eyes unless you let me get my beauty sleep." The door shut and I realised I had been holding my breath. The fossil had good hearing. I retrieved my sceptre quickly and rolled from under the bed. I protected myself from the other side of the door and looked around. I didn't see Tony or the Icicle and decided now or never./p
p class="MsoNormal""Enya," I whispered to her. She didn't move or even make a sound to acknowledge I had said her name. Working quickly I tugged off her sheet and picked her up into my arms. She didn't stir and just laid in my arms sleeping softly. She barely weighed enough to put a strain on my arms. The things I did to protect this girl from them./p
p class="MsoNormal"I opened the door and checked before taking long strides down the stairs to the elevator. I saw or heard nothing as the door opened and I stepped in./p
p class="MsoNormal""Good early morning Loki, is everything ok?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""She wanted some air. But she was too weak to walk. So I'm the sucker to do it." I growled, trying to lie to a machine./p
p class="MsoNormal""Would you like to me to disturb one of the others for you?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I think I can handle her. If I can't, I might take you up on it."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Very good. I shall stand by waiting." The elevator doors pinged opened and I stepped out. That machine would be waiting a long time. I moved in strides to the curb and there I saw the black car. Neil jumped out and opened the door. He took Enya off me and I had to, for the one time in my life, curb my tongue as he did so without being asked and leaned in, placing her on the back. Then he moved out my way, and jumped back in the front as I did the back. The car moved and I put the safety strap around her. Then I strapped myself in as one of Neil's men sped through New York towards home./p
p class="MsoNormal""Sir, is everything okay?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Enya's isn't well."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I saw that, Sir. What had happened?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""She just fixed that pet." I didn't want to tell Neil. I didn't think Enya would want anyone to know. Or was it I that didn't want anyone to know?/p
p class="MsoNormal""Home then, Sir?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""For a short while. But then Enya and I need to keep moving."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Sir, I need to ask why." He leaned around the chair, the driver still going./p
p class="MsoNormal""You don't question me, Neil. Never question me." Neil held his hand up and the car screeched to a stop. "What are you doing mortal?" I hissed at him angrily./p
p class="MsoNormal""Are you taking her from the Avengers without their say so? Or worse, hers?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I assume that we are not home, so there best be a reason for the stopping of this vehicle."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Loki, I cannot drive you and Enya home if you are doing something wrong. Does Enya know? Do the avengers know? What is going on?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I do not need to explain myself to you."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Then we don't go further." I was astonished by his betrayal of his loyalty. "Loki, Sir, I am loyal to you, but I know also of your past. While that has never been an issue, I will put these girls first. If you are doing something that will harm them, or put them in harm, I cannot be a part of it."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Your loyalty should be only to me and my commands."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You've trusted me before. You aren't this time. That puts me on edge." This damn mortal was standing in my way. The way he was carrying on, those misfits would know I took Enya and would be on my tail before I had managed to fully escape with her. How could this mortal be commanding me?! "Sir, you will go against everyone to defend Enya. I will go against you to defend Enya and the girls. Are those simplified terms better to get through your cloud of anger?" He said the words so straight forward, in his polite stern voice./p
p class="MsoNormal""Drive. I shall explain." I bit out, anger clouding my good sense to kill this mortal and hire somebody new who will be undyingly loyal to me./p
p class="MsoNormal"Neil nodded to the driver, James, and the car shot off down the road at an alarming rate. Neil waited for my explanation and I cursed him in Norse. He knew I was cursing him in Norse, but it didn't bother him. Not much did./p
p class="MsoNormal""I've taken Enya against her will. Against the avengers will. Enya is weak, and they want her around them. Now their pet is alive, I may never be able to take her without their say so. The pet will defend them. SHIELD may offer her a job and she'll take it. Now, while she was weak and they slept, I have to take her. But they'll retrieve her. I need to keep on moving so they can't get her until she is strong."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Let me see if I understand this in the simplest terms possible. You are being selfish?" This was the reason I liked Neil, he never played with words. I hated it when there were bumbling babbling morons that couldn't speak with some basic decent English. "The avengers like Enya, she likes them, and if SHIELD offers her a job and she goes forward with it, it means you'll not see her anymore. So, to keep her to yourself, you've kidnapped her from the avengers whilst they slept."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You are not as stupid as other mortals can be." I replied dryly. "But you are wrong. It is not to keep her to myself, it is for her to be free."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Sir, you didn't ask her what she wanted. She may not want this." Then he frowned at me and sighed. "She told you what she wanted didn't she? And you didn't like the answer."/p
p class="MsoNormal""She didn't know what she was saying."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Was she drunk? Or being threatened?" I just continued by glare. "Then she knew what she was saying, Sir."/p
p class="MsoNormal""That is a matter of your opinion. Which as always is wrong." He sighed and turned back to face the road. The lights soon disappeared in the distance as I watched Enya sleep. Neil and James talked about speed limits before turning to trivial gossip in hushed tones. Enya kept still as she slept without any noise to add comfort to me. I needed to see terror, or restlessness. I needed something that would show me that she was coping, as mortals do with such traumatic events. She wasn't exhibiting anything./p
p class="MsoNormal""Sir," I looked from Enya to Neil. "She's going to get cold in those clothes. If you don't want them to see her new scars, you'll need to keep them hidden." He had his arm out with some woollen thick blanket. I took it and proceeded to carefully wrap her up in this blanket so her feet and head were the only things that could be seen. She didn't stir and I was worried maybe something was wrong. "She's exhausted." Neil said from the front seat. "She is basically comatose until her body can level out again. She'll be awake in a few days." I didn't say anything to acknowledge I had heard but that soothed my worries about her./p
p class="MsoNormal"Maybe I was selfish. I wanted Enya around me. She had never judged me for my past and she never questioned my future. She was liked by everyone around her. I wanted to see why. I wanted to see why she was such a likeable person. I liked her. I liked having her around. Her mind was so quick for a mortal, and her smiles genuine. She was so easy to be around and did not want for anything. She was honest and simple and required no great effort on my part. She wanted to know more knowledge, perfect her ideas. And her care for this dog Warren, was something I did not understand either. It obeyed her slightest command, and knew everything that was occurring without being a mortal. Enya was the same. She knew what Warren wanted, what distressed him and what didn't. I didn't see any facial expression or hear any words but they managed to understand each other some level I did not understand. This was because of Enya. Maybe I was selfish. Maybe I wanted to see this spark about her. And when I finally did, I wanted it for myself. I wanted this dangerous but honest simple woman with this spark to be all for myself. I didn't like to share and if she was so rare, I didn't want to share her at all./p
p class="MsoNormal"We arrived a few hours later and I cradled the woman to me and stepped with grace from the car. Nail watched me and then Enya for a moment before leading the way into the house and down into the basement. Nobody stirred and I assumed this was done covertly./p
p class="MsoNormal""Is New York okay?" I spotted Peter Waters moving swiftly towards us. Of course this imbecile would be awake. He had a soft spot for Enya that he tried to remain hidden but clearly did not realise what the God of Mischief and Lies meant. "Why is she wrapped up like a burrito?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"What is a burrito? Neil leaned against a desk and folded his arms as I put her down flat on a bench. "She's fine Peter. She's just used up all her energy."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Is the good doctor healed?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Yeah, she's used all her energy to fix him."/p
p class="MsoNormal""She'll wake up happier than last time then."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Last time?" I echoed./p
p class="MsoNormal""Yeah. When she found you had done a runner she was the unhappiest angriest red head I had seen. She was so mad at you. She packed up stuff and then disappeared. She kept in contact with Neil as they tracked you down. But she was not happy to wake up to find you gone on a self-pity trek." He smiled down at her fondly and that angered me. I turned to Neil./p
p class="MsoNormal""I have an hour. Plan."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You'll have to go to a safe house, or go to a random destination."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Random. I don't want them to track us down easily through our safe house."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Then this state or another."/p
p class="MsoNormal""This. They'll think we have gone further."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Then take your money, and go." He was being rather short with me and I knew why. He didn't like this plan, but he wasn't arguing with me. Thankfully someone had sense not to bother arguing with me. I didn't have the energy to smite him down at this point of the night. "Keep in communication, and the dots one on both of you, just in case that whatever has occurred occurs again but with both of you. You'll need food for Enya, and clothes. Peter, will you go pack for Enya please."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I can do that."/p
p class="MsoNormal""We need to plan communications." He said nonchalantly to me. "James go with him and pack for Loki. Make sure it doesn't look like they've been here." They both nodded silently and disappeared upstairs. "Sir, this is not a good idea. Enya is sick, she needs a constant place with plenty of rest. She'll not get that staying in one place. Plus, we need you to tell us what will be happening now that the enemy know of our hiding place. They'll come back."/p
p class="MsoNormal""This isn't forever. Just until Enya is strong again. It won't be after a few days, and we all don't need the difficulty of holding off the enemy with a weak Enya. I need to take her away for her safety."/p
p class="MsoNormal""It better be for her safety." It wasn't a threat but it sounded like it./p
p class="MsoNormal""Is that a threat? From you?" I growled and held up my sceptre./p
p class="MsoNormal""It is a warning. For you to not get so wrapped up in Enya you put your lives in jeopardy. There is only so much we can do if you get yourself in a situation. I say this with no disrespect, but you will have to decide which tense you are in. Are you in the present tense; Enya's side, or are you in the past tense, in darkness. Because you can't be both. And there is only one right one for the future."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I am a God. I can do what I like." I growled./p
p class="MsoNormal""You are not a God of Earth though. You are not a God here. You are Loki Layfeuson. A mere nobody like us."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I will be in my rightful place one day."/p
p class="MsoNormal""In Asgard? While your brother rules? Are you going to kill your brother? Are you going to leave Enya behind? Or kill her when she tells you how wrong you are too?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Why are you arguing with me?" I asked angrily./p
p class="MsoNormal""Because despite your personality flaws, I want you to stay alive and well. You have potential for great good; but you lurk on the other side along the way. I don't want Enya to lose you, or vice versa when you lurk on the wrong side."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Enya can handle herself."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I may seem to be a stupid mortal to you, but I can see she's not handled something very well. And in doing so, it has threatened you. You walk with a rigid back, and can barely bend. Whatever you won't tell me, and I'll find out, I know it has done more damage than you wish to say." The door opened as the others came down the stairs again. "We aren't just yours to command. We are here because we want to be." I ignored him as they came towards confirming everything was ready. "Take Peter with you."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I do not require anyone."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You do not drive. You will be spotted with the plane. Peter is Special Ops, he'll protect you and Enya just fine." I didn't like it, but with an extra hand it would help. But I did not want this Peter Waters anywhere near Enya. "Peter is going with you. He can shop, gather intel and blend in. Something you cannot do as you refused to learn. You have to think of Enya." This was getting all out of hand. Everyone was seeing Enya as my weakness. She wasn't. She wasn't my weakness! I just wanted to find out about this spark. I didn't want anyone to use her against me thinking they could control me through her. I owe nothing to anyone./p
p class="MsoNormal""I don't need anyone to look after Enya. She'll be asleep so I do not require food or intel."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Then back up."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I can simply drive you there and back if that would be better."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Two men and a woman would attract attention." I argued./p
p class="MsoNormal""Good point. Peter can drive you. Then he can come back." I nodded glad I did not have to use my magic to make the machine work. I picked up Enya, trying to show I was not injured, and moved up the stairs. Peter grabbed the cases and popped them in the boot of the car before I got back in the vehicle and then Peter drove. Enya didn't make a sound./p
