Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story. This is just for fun and I hope you enjoy reading it.
Child of Silence
By Angelwings Sorrow
Chapter 27 "Who Do I Fear? Myself"
"Jarvis turn the temperature to 10 below zero in Harry's room!" Tony ordered once they landed on the landing pad of Stark tower. Loki was already running inside. Tony followed still suited up because it kept his body insulated. Loki had shifted to his Jotun form to keep Harry's body from going into shock.
"Yes, sir." Once the elevator doors opened they rushed the boy to his now chilled room.
"Anthony, help me remove his boots and Armor. I have to undo the ice magic surrounding his arms." Loki asked concentration on the gauntlets.
"If she was already injured and in jail I would kill the bitch myself." Tony growled seeing the black bruises forming on his son's small body and face.
"I feel the same but Haraldr has taken care of her. Our son is who needs us now, summon Banner he will need bandages and healing slaves that we have stored from Sorcerer Strange." Loki managed to turn one gauntlet to snow and was now working on the other.
"Got it. Jarvis Call Bruce and have him bring all the magic medicine we have. Tell him to wear a thick jacket." Tony order as he pulled the leg armor off his son.
Harry was now in just in his boxers and his Jotun Skin. It seemed the battle had started way before they even got to the training ground as there were bruises everywhere. Loki found fractures in his son's arms from defending himself and began to pour his healing magic into the thin bones.
"Dr. Banner has been alerted and is gathering supplies."
"Of all the things that could have happen when returning to Asgard I never imagined this." The Jotun Father said snow flake tears falling from his eyes. "I knew that most of the Aesir hated me for being adopted into the Royal Family but only those closest to my Father when he found me knew of blood. When Odin found me I was Jotun blue but the moment he held me I changed to an Aesir form." Loki seemed to get lost in his memories.
"No one ever saw my Jotun form but my family when I fell into a frozen pond when I was just fifteen. Thor called Hela to use her magic to rescue me because the water was too dark for him to find me. They thought that I was going to die because there was no way for me to survive. When I was pulled from the pond I was in Jotun form and taken to Mother's chambers. Mother then told us all the truth after she healed me. Thor told me that it matter not if I was blue as a Snarkle berry I would always be his brother. Hela said roughly the same thing. She told me not be a silly child we were family and nothing would ever break that bond. Only Odin deny my blood and lied to me why I was blue. One of the first of many lies I would hear over the years. Other than the five of us knowing I did not know others did. I assumed that my father order that it be kept secret for the peace of Asgard." Tony could see the Pain and anguish all over his lovers face. He pulled the god into his arms and let the man load his baggage from the past.
"Sif's Father ignored that order and told her of my blood. I always thought that it was my bond with Thor that she hated because we were so close. She would intentionally leave me behind when they would follow Thor on Adventures or a hunt. My brother asked me why I didn't go with them telling my studies could have waited a day or two. She lied to my Brother about me, saying I would rather study my magic than spend time with him. She tried to drive a wedge between us. I could not call her a liar it would have hurt Thor too much because she was his friend. Why did she take her anger out on my son? I would have faced her hate, her anger with my own. There was no need to involve Haraldr. He's a child I don't care that he's as strong as a God he is still a child. MY CHILD!" Loki cried out gripping the Iron Man suit. Tony could not answer the God all he could do was hold Loki and love him. Sif messed with the wrong family and if Odin didn't put her in a hole where she never saw the light of day then he was going to put her in the ground permanently.
"Tony, Loki?" Bruce called from the door. He heard most of what the God had said but he felt like he was intruding on a privet moment and waited for an opening to make his presence known. He was surprised to hear that the family had returned earlier than planned, but it worried him that they needed the magical healing potions.
"Hey Brucey, sorry for the chill in the air but our boy is in his Jotun form and needs to be cold until he's completely heal then we can start warming him up." Tony explained.
"I will apply the potions Dr. Banner. In such a weaken state my son can't control his body temperature, should you touch his skin you will likely get freezer burn or frost bite." Loki said trying to steady his voice.
"What happened? I thought you were going on vacation not war." Bruce asked hand the potions to Loki.
"We were but it seems that one of Thor's friends decided to make her true feeling about Loki and his blood known. The fucking bitch challenged Harry to a fight. Not sure how it became an official fight but the whole Royal Family was forced to attend and there was no interference allowed. We had to stand there and watch our little boy fight the bitch and defend his and Loki's place in the Royal Family." Tony snarled as he couldn't get the image of the battle out of his mind.
"She forced my son to expose his true face of a Jotun and battled him as such. Haraldr defeated her but his metal barriers were at their Breaking point. I placed him in a deep sleep to save him. Unfortunately he was still in his Jotun form meaning he has to be healed in this form before he can be returned to his human form or else go into shock."
"This kid can't catch a break." The doctor sighed. Mentally he was wrestling Hulk who wanted to go smash the warrior who hurt their Harry.
"My god what happened?" a voice from the door cried out.
"Hey Capsicle, had to cut the vacation short. Is Frosty back yet we might need him when Harry wakes up." Tony greeted the Captain.
"No he's not and he's missed the last two check ins." Steve had been in the training room when Jarvis informed him of the family's return and Harry's critical condition.
"Shit that is the last thing we need right now. Harry almost broke under extreme pressure up there. He needs Barnes to be here because we don't know what is going to happen when he wakes up." Tony ranted.
"I might have an alternative. Harry has been talking with Sam over this past year mostly through emails since he's been at school. But they've met before on some runs with me and Bucky. Sam is former Air Force and a VA counselor that works with Soldiers suffering PTSD. Bucky and I though he might help Harry deal with his time at HYDRA like he helped Bucky. I think he'll be able help in this situation."
"Then please get him here, Haraldr will needs someone to help ground him mind." Loki agreed.
"Then you better get off your ass and find that wayward husband of yours. Harry can't take any losses right now." Tony said shooting a glare at the Captain.
"Understood. How long until he wakes?"
"I believe Haraldr will wake once we get him back to human form in about twelve hours." Loki surmised as he lifted Harry up a bit as Bruce wrapped gauze around the boy's torso.
"I'll call Sam now and he'll be here by morning." Steve left the frozen room.
XxXxXxXxXx
Sam had never been to Avenger Tower before and it was kind of intimidating. He had always met Steve and Bucky around the park or at the VA center for meeting. He had wished he could have helped Harry more before he had left for boarding school. Then again he was working with very little information on why HYDRA had him in their base. Steve called him last night with an urgent request that he come to the tower. That something happened when Harry was visiting his Grandparents and the boy was almost mentally broken. The boy was barely hanging in there and needed help since Bucky was MIA right now.
"Greeting Mr. Wilson, Master Stark and Mr. Odinson are awaiting you in the communal area." Jarvis announced when the elevator reached the appropriate floor making the Vet jump.
"Uh, thanks." The elevator opened to reveal a very spacious area nicely decorated with sleek modern lines. He followed the lights to the communal area where he saw three men standing with Steve talking.
"Sam, we're grateful you were able to help out Harry." Steve greeted with a warm smile.
"It's no problem; I'll what ever I can to help." Sam reassured but was slightly unnerved by the three men standing behind the captain.
"Let me introduce you to Harry's Parents. This is his Father Loki Odinson and his Stepfather Tony Stark." Sam shook the hands of both men but he could feel that these men gave off extremely 'Don't fuck with me' vibes despite their simple dress of button down shirts and slacks. "Now because of Harry's unique background we need to have Harry's mentor Dr. Strange here."
"Unique background, you mean you are going to tell me the real reason why HYDRA was keeping Harry hostage." Sam asked staring at the men before him.
"That is Correct Mr. Wilson. If you can not promise secrecy then you will be dismissed and you will have no memory of this meeting." Loki said with a finality to his voice. "The choice is yours."
Sam realized that the boy was the son of two avengers and was probably just as special as his parents, but he was a child and need more mental care. Talking with James he knew HYDRA was not the place for a child to grow up with a healthy mentality. It wasn't about him and dealing with the secrets; it was about Harry and helping a child survive the mine field that existed in his own mind. "I promise to keep his secrets. I'm here to help Harry heal."
"Then this should take but a second." Strange said doing a few hand signs and a red ring flew from his hands and enveloped Sam. "You see Harry being the son of Loki means he is half Alien-God but he is also half wizard. He is a powerful child whether using Magic or his strength. HYDRA bought him from his former relatives for these gifts. The spell I did on you was to ensure that you keep these secrets and they can not be forced from you."
"Sam you're going to want to sit down for this. Harry's got a story that defies all the norms of a healthy childhood." Steve suggested leading the counselor to the couch.
"My son was a year old when my Lover James died. He was taken to live with his stepmother's family because I was in Asgard and did not know of his existence. The woman who had my son in her care sold him to HYDRA where he met the Man of Winter. They kept each other sane through their imprisonment, then Haraldr place a mind spell on Barnes to free him from HYDRA. Two Years ago the spell broke and he remembered that my son was still with HYDRA." Loki's fist were clenched at the memory of the day he found out Harry was his son. It had been a scary and terrifying feeling knowing he had a child and the loss of James.
"So the Team suited up and went to take Harry back." Tony picked up the story as he lover was having a hard time dealing with the memories. "He was in bad shape when we got there. They were using his magic to power their defense and attack us who were there trying to save him. Barnes was able to get him to stop using Magic before it killed him but Harry was wrung dry fainted right in his arms. It took six hours of surgery and two weeks in a coma before he was able wake up with out pain. Since then we have been dealing with the aftermath of HYDRA's programming. Natasha and Clint have been working with his deprogramming and Barnes has been helping with the times Harry finds himself stuck in a flash back. He goes to a Magic school, where he has to deal with another mad man after him and his gifts. He just finished his first year and summer was going fine until all this shit happen."
"I take it that what ever happen has forced him into a fight or flight mode." Sam was a bit overwhelmed with the information but he could see the worry and anguish of the boy's parents.
"In Asgard the people of Jotunheim are considered beasts and monsters. The Aesir tell the children to behave or a Jotun will come and kill them. A thousand years ago Ondin the All Father brought a Jotun child to Asgard and into his family but it was kept a secret from all but the Royal Family. I was that child and until recently it was not made public knowledge on Asgard. We were in Asgard to plan our wedding for the coming winter and my brother Thor had taken Haraldr for a tour of the training grounds and they met the Warrior Three, decorated warriors of Asgard and Thor's friends. They also encountered Lady Sif Captain of the Royal Guard. Sif has always hated me since we were children but I never really understood why. I thought she was jealous of my close relationship with Thor because she had always loved him and wanted him to marry her but my brother never saw like that. She was a good friend and that was it. It turns out Sif has always known of my blood from her father. He passed his deep hatred of Jotun on to her and she has made it he goal to drive me and my brother apart. She took her hatred of me out on my child because I am too powerful for her to challenge. A formal Challenge was made and Accepted by Haraldr and Acknowledged by Thor and Sealed the All Father. Once a formal challenge is sealed there is no interference from anyone until a victor is declared. Haraldr fought in his Jotun form and won but at a high cost; his mind was driven to its breaking point but I put him to sleep before it could break and we brought him home to heal."
"How has he been since you brought him home?"
"He has been asleep during his healing we had to slowly bring his temperature back up to human levels to avoid sending him in shock he will be waking soon." Loki looked pale he hadn't slept since their return to earth.
"We really don't know what's going to happen when he wakes, Sam. That's another reason why Dr. Strange is here. He can help prevent Harry's magic from getting out of control and I'll be there to hold off any Physical attacks. Loki and Tony are going to stay up here because we're not sure if he'll recognize them. Harry will close off and feel guilty if he realizes that he attacked his parents even if he wasn't aware of it." Steve explained.
"I get it, where is Harry now?" Sam asked as he stood up.
"Bruce is with him in the Hulk containment room. We figure it would be the safest place for him to wake." Steve led Sam and Strange to elevator leaving the parents alone to worry over the fate of their son.
Sam processed everything that he had been told and he felt that the kid had been handed a raw deal. Knowing Harry's history, Sam could understand Harry's emails a bit better and the dancing around certain subjects. The boy needed a lot help and he was going to need it for years to come. He would do his best to help the littlest member of the Avenger family and hopefully save what was left of his child innocence.
"Here we are." Steve's voice pulled the vet from his thought. "Hey Bruce, how is Harry doing?"
"So far so good, but I never thought that we would have to use this room for Harry." The doctor said taking his glasses off and rubbing the tiredness from his eyes.
"No one of us did. How are you holding up?"
"The Hulk really wants to go to Asgard and Smash things up but I got him to back down Harry needs us."
"Good. Bruce, I'd like you to meet Sam the Counselor Bucky and I have been working with; we're hoping he'll be able to help Harry."
"Nice to meet you. I've been monitoring Harry's brainwaves and he should be waking any minute now." Bruce shook Sam hands before leading them to the monitors that showed Harry still sleeping and his brain waves. Suddenly there was a large spike in the waves. Steve was running into the containment room with Strange. Through the Monitors Bruce and Sam watched as the boy jump up off the bed and attack Steve with a back kick and sending a Magic whip at the doctor. Steve was thrown against the wall while Strange countered with a whip of his own. Harry's eyes were glowing red he was still a bit in the Jotun form not completely in his human form. Steve tried to get close but in a completely Black widow move Harry jumped up and used his legs to twist and flip his uncle while pulling the Sorcerer forward with his whip and punching him in the face sending him into the opposite wall.
"Цель МЕРТВА!" A voice called out from the speakers and just like before Harry dropped unconscious. The door to the Containment unit opened to reveal an extremely pissed Natasha Romanoff. She went to Harry's side checking him over for injuries before turning her glare on the two men Sporting bruises and bloody lips. "What the hell is wrong with you two?"
"Harry just woke up in HYDRA mode," Steve started to explain.
"And neither of you thought to use the code words to get him to stop? Unbelievable." The red head rolled her eyes. She stroked Harry's soft Hair and started humming to gently bring him back. It took but a moment or two and slowly green eyes woke staring at the lighter green eyes of his aunt.
"Aunt Tasha," Harry signed weakly.
"Да, мой маленький брат. Feeling better?"
"Yeah just tired."
"Not surprise, I heard you had a busy time in Asgard. Come on let's get you off the floor." Nat said softly helping the boy to the bed.
"Where am I?" Harry asked as his vision was blurry.
"We're in the Hulks room. Your Parents and Uncles didn't know how you would react when you woke they wanted you to be safe."
"I didn't hurt anyone did I?"
"No, just their Pride. They got a bump or two, nothing that Steve and Strange hasn't gotten before. Lucky for them I got here in time." The Black widow reassured the boy before turn a glare on the two men behind her. The Captain and Doctor took that as their cue to leave.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to hurt them."
"You have nothing to be sorry for. You went through a traumatic ordeal. Now, you have a guest."
"A guest? Who?" Harry was confused. Who would be visiting him? All his wizarding friends were in England, Bucky was on a mission, Clint was spending summer at the farm with his family and everyone else was busy with either work or SHIELD.
"Hey, Harry. It's me Sam. I brought you your glasses, your uncle Bruce was holding on to them until you woke up." Sam smiled and hand the Demi-God the much needed eyewear.
"Thank you." Harry signed and Natasha translated. "Aunt Tasha, can you go get Friday I left her in my room before leaving for Asgard."
"Sure thing, your father is working on getting your cat back from your godfather. Jarvis are you active in this room?"
"Yes I am, Miss Romanoff."
"Sam, I'm going to get Harry's AI Friday; she will help with talking but until then Jarvis can translate Harry's Sign Language." Natasha smiled before leaving the two alone to talk. Then afterwards she was going to tell off the Captain and the good Doctor for their lack of common sense.
Sam grabbed the only chair in the room and brought it closer to the bed where Harry was sitting and sat down it was going to be a long talk and hopefully the boy could shed some of that extra stress he had been carrying. "So Harry, I hear you have had a rough couple of days."
Harry shrugged and began to sign. "Master Harry says 'You can say that. How much has my Father and Dad told you?'"
"Well, enough to have me make a magic oath to keep your secret. No real hardship as that's my job to keep the confidence of the people I counsel Magical or not." Sam smiled. "So what would you like to talk about?"
Harry sighed and slowly began to sign. "Master Harry says 'Not sure where to begin. First I was scared not being able to fight to protect my family and friends, and now that is all I seem to be doing lately. I don't know if I should be proud of the fact I can fight or scared that I am going to become a monster and hurt everyone around me'."
"I can understand that, you have changed a lot in the year since we met. You found your family after almost nine years without them. Then a year and half later you had to go far away to school. I'm not clear on all the details of that but you said you had to go even though your parents want to keep you close to home."
"Master Harry says 'Yes, do to a magical contract I have to attend or lose my own magic. The Headmaster is a Crazy old man with plans of grandeur that got my Dad and Stepmom killed. I'm just trying to survive just like I have always done.'" Harry rubbed his hands over his face in frustration.
"Sorry to interrupt but I have Friday here for Harry." Bruce said entering Hulk's room holding the AI unit to his nephew.
"Thanks Uncle Bruce." Harry typed out on Friday. "Where's Aunt Tasha?"
"Well Your Aunt is still mad at your Uncle, your Dad, and Mentor. It seems both your Dad and Uncle forgot the Russian code words that can stop your HYDRA Mode. Shortly after you woke up and you were defending yourself against what you thought was a threat, your Aunt came running in slamming her fist on the intercom button shouting the Code Words to shut off your HYDRA Mode. She is now raking them over the coals for their recklessness with your health. I can see many hours in the training room for both Tony and Steve in their futures. Also the monitoring panel needs to be repair." When he left the communal floor his girlfriend had been yelling at both men her voice rising in both volume and Russian.
"So this mode has a shut off words." Sam asked curious about this HYDRA mode. From what he saw on the monitors the boy was a skilled fighter and he was extremely strong. He could be a danger to children his own age with out help to control this condition.
"Yes. My Trainers had me doing drills until I got tunnel vision. Then they would use a sleep gas on me repeating the same words over and over until I identified it as my shut off words. They would use Russian commands to make me more controllable." Harry answered not looking at either man.
"Harry there is nothing to be ashamed of. You went through a horrible ordeal. It's going to take time maybe even years before you can live a normal life. Mental healing is not an exact science it's more of an art that can not be rushed. When your healing is complete I can see you will be a master Piece." Sam explained coaxing a smile from the young god.
"You know that was completely cheesy right?" Harry typed.
"Not my best analogies but I got you to smile. Feeling better?"
"A bit. I'm more tired and still a bit mad at the Warrior who insulted my Father."
"Harry, how are you feeling physically?" Bruce asked. "Loki did most of your healing because you were stuck in your Jotun form. Dr. Strange left a mild pain potion just in case of lingering soreness."
"Maybe after I eat. Professor Snape says it's a bad idea to take potions on an empty stomach unless we want to create ulcers in our stomach lining." Harry made a sour face.
"Than on that note I'll let you two talk; while I go order you some breakfast." Bruce smiled giving the two some space and allowing his nephew to become comfortable with the counselor.
"Thanks Uncle Bruce." Harry sighed fiddling with Friday trying to put off talking about what happen in Asgard.
"So Harry, are you sure that is an AI, it looks like a regular cell phone to me." Sam changed the subject wanting to put Harry back at ease.
"I am a fully functional Artificial Intelligent System. My Name is Female, Replacement, Intelligent, Digital, Assistant, Youth, Friday for short." Friday huffed sounding insulted by Sam. Harry lost it and started to laugh his wheezing laughs.
"Well sorry Miss Friday. What do you do for Harry here?"
"It is my job to assist young master with any thing he might require. I also can call on his added protection."
"Added Protection?" before any one respond to the question Butterfingers in hover board mode, came flying in with his arm extended arm with a tazer sparking at the end, aiming straight at Sam. "Woah! I'm a friend!"
"Jarvis!" Harry signed. "Lock them down."
"Yes Master Harry." Jarvis remotely shut Friday and Butterfingers down. Once the power was cut the hover board feel at Harry's feet. "They are shut down Master Harry. I am afraid Friday was very insulted by Mr. Wilson implying she is just a cell phone. She summoned Butterfingers telling him that Mr. Wilson was an intruder."
Harry rolled his eyes. He was surrounded by moody and temperamental AI Robots. He then began to sign once again. "Master Harry says 'Sorry about my siblings they still learning and can be a bit moody.' Master Harry I have alerted Master Tony about their misbehavior. They will be disciplined."
"Thanks Jarvis. Who thought it was a good idea to arm Butterfingers with a tazer?" Harry signed as he opened Butterfinger's on board tool box.
"I do not know Master Harry but it is a new upgrade."
"Looks like I'm going to have to start signing lessons; if your AI is going to be uncooperative we'll need some way to communicate." Sam smiled as he watched the boy dismantle the tazer from the robot arm. He was amazed how at ease that the kid began working on the robot.
"Master Harry has a voice disc that translates his Morse Code into words."
"Oh yes I remember seeing it when we first met. I guess with Friday you have had less use for it. So you work with Stark tech as well a Magic. That's amazing." Sam praised.
Harry blushed a bit and signed again then went back to working on Butter fingers. "Master Harry says 'At first I wasn't; it was complicated but I wanted to work with my dad in his lab, so I tried harder to understand. Then when they were gone for months off realm I pushed my studies so I could prove that I could keep up with them.'"
"Harry it's amazing that you can do all this but I bet your parents don't care if you are a super genius or not. From what I see they love you no matter what and worry over your mental health." Sam relied gently. Harry sighed and sat back on his heels and began to sign once again.
"Master says 'I know they love me and never ask anything of me but it feels like I need to do something to earn it. HYDRA was straight forward, do well you get food, fail you starve. Reach your goals you get a day to heal, miss a target you get a beating. Being here I get love from My Father and Dad but I feel like I have done nothing to earn it just existing means I get affection but it doesn't compute if that makes sense.'"
"It makes perfect sense, to me. They had an extreme reward system to make you compliant to their goals of making you a HYDRA weapon. It is not different then what a lot of P.O.W.'s go through when they are capture. You are not alone." The vet had seen and met a lot of Veterans that were held prisoner and some broke under the strain other let it turn to Rage. Harry was walking a fine line between the two. "You're right though your folks love you for just existing. That's enough for them and anything you do and accomplish is just a bonus to them."
"Master Harry says, 'Thank you Sam.' Prince Loki wanted me to also inform you both that breakfast is ready and served on the communal floor."
"Thanks Jarvis, what do you say Harry? I think some food will do you good. Then when your feeling up to it how about I fly around the city? I heard you have your own Iron Man suit."
"Master Harry says 'you fly?'"
"I do a little testing for SHIELD on the side, but counseling will always be my main focus. Fury, well you really can't say no to him and he roped me in to the fold. My Code name is Falcon." Sam explained as Harry led him from Hulk's Room.
"Master Harry says 'That sounds like Uncle Nick. A fly around the city sounds great.'"
A/N: Plot Bunnies are working me to the bone but they say their Genius must be heard. So I have another chapter out. I think they want to break last months record of Chapters posted. They love all the yummy reviews and food sent to them. They have got plenty to work with. Thanks for Reading, Keep Reviewing, Plot Bunnies need food.