Chapter 7

Summer Returns

"Well, you seem better." Bruce commented as he finished cleaning Loki's arm. "The bruises are fading, your bones are healing, and your appetite is back. You just need to rest a little more and recover your strength. Just please don't use your magic like that again- not until you're fully recovered."

"Thank you." Loki replied.

"And now," Bruce turned to Jenny, grabbing a jar of cotton balls and a bottle of disinfectant. "Let's clean this up." He began to gently rub the disinfectant onto her cheek. It stung a little, but Jenny took a deep breath through the pain.

"There, your cheek should be okay, but I'll keep checking on it just in case."

"Thanks." Jenny said.

"Both of you, relax." Bruce ordered before leaving the room. Jenny leaned back in her bed and stared at the ceiling. The two sat in silence for a moment before Loki spoke up.

"You are a very loyal friend." He said.

"Oh? Uh, thanks." Jenny shrugged.

"Thank you for standing up for me."

"Of course. It's what friends do- we help each other." Jenny replied. "Besides, you helped me just now."

"I thought I'd return the favor." Loki said.

"I mean, you saved me when we first met." Jenny said.

"If I recall, you saved me afterwards."

"Are we ever gonna be even?"

"You said so yourself: It's what friends do. We help each other."

Jenny smirked.

There was a knock on the door and a familiar face entered. Jenny quickly sat up and gasped at the redhead now standing in the room.

"Uh…hey Jenny." Summer said nervously. She shivered and began to rub her arms, glancing at Loki. "C-can I talk to you? Alone?"

Jenny was speechless. She rushed to Summer and embraced her, burying her head in her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry." Jenny cried.

"What?" Summer asked. She returned Jenny's embrace, but she seemed stiff. "No, I came to apologize…I know what I did was reckless and selfish." She pulled back and placed her hands on Jenny's shoulders. "I wanted to say I was sorry for putting the team in danger."

Jenny sniffed and smiled. "I accept your apology. But I wanted to say I'm sorry for the way I treated you…for pushing your buttons…"

"Hey, it's okay." Summer said. "I was hoping to talk to you alone, but…" She glanced at Loki again. "I guess it couldn't wait."

"What did you do?" Loki asked.

"Long story short, we had a fight, we're making up now." Summer replied. "I think I'm going to call Marina now. Is she doing okay?"

"Yeah, I've been checking in on her…and Chijo has been spending a lot of time with her." Jenny explained.

"Are they dating?" Summer's eyes widened.

"No, but…" Jenny smirked. "Things seem to be heading that way."

"Now I really need to call her!" Summer said. "I need to leave this room before I freeze."

"Before you freeze?" Loki repeated. "This room is melting me, and you say you're cold?!"

"Oh boy." Jenny rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I'm cold!" Summer snapped. "Have you ever tried standing next to you?"

"I was going to ask you the same question!" Loki retorted.

"Well, if your thing is ice…then you'd fit in our team." Summer winked before leaving the room. Jenny was surprised. Summer was usually really hot-tempered. Maybe being with Captain America's team was a good thing for her…

~jb~

"So, how did it go?" Sam asked as Summer walked back into the room.

"It went well." Summer replied.

"See, I told you." Sam said. The two sat down in the game room. "There's something about Robinson. When you're around her, you know? It's like she has this positive energy."

"She's always been like that." Summer explained. "I was nervous because…I value her friendship…and I know I betrayed that friendship."

"Well, it looks like your friendship is on the mend." Sam gave her a reassuring smile.

~jb~

Janessa had to return to her team, knowing Thanos would not take her failure lightly.

"How did it go?" Maja asked, as their teammate, Crystal, closed the portal.

"Not well…" Janessa said. "There was a human there…I underestimated her. And Loki… I think he's been holding out on us…"

Gabby, another of Janessa's team, laughed. "I told you so. Humans are tough." Gabby herself was a human, and knew how adaptable her own species was.

"I can't go back to Thanos." Janessa admitted. "He would not take this failure lightly." She looked at her team, smirking.

"You mean…it's time to run?" Kana asked.

"It's time to run."