Steven awoke from a dreamless slumber, not from the crow of a rooster this time, but by a shout from upstairs.
A hundred scenarios raced through his mind, none of them good, but his most prominent thought was, 'Please, not again.' There would be little, if anything he could do this time if Loki had taken another turn for the worse.
He leapt into action, ignoring Christine as she continued to snore. He took the stairs two at a time, dodged the hole in the floor, and flung open the door, ready for just about anything.
Just about.
What he saw was Loki, wide awake and smiling as Sylvie kissed him over and over again on the lips, tears streaming down her face. Loki laughed playfully and kissed her back, more to keep her enthusiasm at bay than anything. Neither of them even noticed Stephen's presence.
"You're awake!" she cried, holding his withered body so tightly that Stephen was afraid she'd break one of his ribs.
"Oh, Sylvie," he murmured, burrowing his face into her. "God, I missed you." His voice was raspy and weak, but full of life, brimming with emotion. He spoke again while dodging another onslaught of Sylvie's kisses.
"Don't you want to hear about what happened to me?" he asked, then continued without waiting for her answer. "It was beyond a nightmare. I thought I'd be stuck there forever. But then, I dreamt of this doctor who helped me-"
"Dreamt of him?" she asked, finally giving Stephen a furtive look as he stood at the door. "Loki, you didn't dream him. He's right here."
Loki stared, open mouthed, as if he was seeing a ghost. Stephen gave him a smile and an uncomfortable nod.
"Nice to see you again."
"Doctor Strange … you're real?"
Stephen chuckled and shrugged.
"I guess I am, though there are times I'm not even sure, to be honest."
Loki lifted himself up as best he could. "I thought for sure my own imagination must have come up with a name like Doctor Strange. And you're really a doctor and a sorcerer, like you said?"
"Eh, it's complicated," he answered, "but basically, yes. I do more of the sorcery stuff, now."
"Doctor, I … I-" he stammered, his eyes filling with tears, then looking away. After a long moment, with one spindly hand, he flipped the blanket off of himself, revealing his painfully thin body dressed in strangely humbling tee shirt and pajama pants. With great effort, he lifted himself to a sitting position on the edge of the bed.
"Loki … " said Sylvie, deeply concerned, then she gasped a little as Loki shakily stood and took a few uncertain steps towards the doctor.
"No, no, no," said Stephen, holding out his hands and bracing for Loki's inevitable collapse. "Let's get you back in-"
"No," he commanded, though his voice was still weak and scratchy. "No, I must do this."
Loki stood up straight, then thumped his fist against his chest and kept it there, giving Stephen a look of dignity that shone through his emaciated face as he took a deep, wobbly bow. It was a sign of the deepest loyalty, a bow given only to Asgardian royalty.
To his and Sylvie's absolute surprise, Loki suddenly sank to one knee in front of the doctor, making Stephen gasp quietly despite himself. This man, this god, who had once commanded Earth to kneel to him, without remorse or repentance, now bowed on one knee to the human who'd saved his life.
There were no words to speak in that stunning silence, so Stephen bowed as well. Not just any bow, but a deep bow with one fist held against the other palm, normally reserved for no one but the Sorcerer Supreme.
"You have my deepest gratitude, Doctor," said Loki, head down, voice quiet and reverent. "Anything you require that I or the people of the TVA can give you, shall be yours."
"All I want right now is for you to go back to bed," said Stephen, lifting Loki by the arm and helping him stand. "I'm surprised you can even-"
"Loki!"
Mobius stood grinning ear to ear in the doorway, Christine right behind him. He threw his arms wide and gave Loki a hearty bear hug with pats on the back that knocked the wind out of him.
"My friend … my friend … " was all Loki could say before breaking into tears, returning Mobius' embrace.
Mobius pulled away a little to wipe away the own tears in his eyes. "Man, I really thought we'd lost you a couple times there." Wincing with emotion, he hugged Loki again even tighter, nonsense blubbering out of him between sobs.
Stephen put up his hands, as if he might have to separate them.
"Okay, Mobius, please be gentle," said Stephen impatiently. "He's fragile right now."
Finally, Mobius sat Loki back down on the bed and Loki leaned over like a bag of sagging potatoes, his heavy head eventually reaching the pillows.
Stephen addressed Mobius and Sylvie, still beaming at him.
"I know everyone's happy he's awake, but he doesn't need all this excitement, all right?"
"I'm so tired," Loki said, pulling his shaking legs back up onto the bed with a sigh and laying one arm over his eyes overdramatically. "So hungry. I could eat ten horses. I could drink the ocean."
Sylvie jumped up and hurried downstairs without a word, before Stephen or Christine could suggest anything he could digest after basically starving for so long.
Christine came to Stephen's side and looked up at him, smiling, her shoulder resting on his arm. They hadn't been so close in years, except for the moments when Stephen was on the brink of death.
"There's so much to tell you," sighed Mobius to Loki, shaking his head. "Danae is about to pop with Chuluun's baby, we found a whole bunch of chickens, they finally named the place-"
"They named it Lokgard, didn't they?" He raised his arm from his face, his tone ridiculously hopeful. It took all of Stephen's effort not to chortle.
"Uh … no, sorry," said Mobius, cringing. "They voted, named it Tvania."
"Ugh," he groaned, putting his arm back over his eyes. "That's democracy for you."
Mobius continued, his tone more serious. "There's another thing. The tempad is … well, it's gone."
"Gone?" said Loki, glancing at Stephen and Christine. "But then how will Doctor Strange and his wife get home?"
Both Stephen and Christine instinctively took a step away from each other and started babbling.
"Oh, we're not a thing, she's my friend, we're college friends, that's all, colleagues-"
"We haven't slept with-we're both doctors, I was just here for support, I helped-"
After talking over each other, they both trailed off, refusing to meet each other's gaze in the uncomfortable silence.
"O-okay then," said Loki warily. "Not husband and wife. But surely there must be some way to get you back to your universe? I mean, you're a powerful sorcerer … "
"I am, but there are only a few ways around the multiverse," Stephen answered. "Not even I can do it, not without help."
Christine sighed deeply. "I think we've both got to accept that we're going to be staying here a while. Maybe, potentially, the rest of our lives."
Loki's expression softened as he looked between the two of them. "Well," he said, "We could certainly use your expertise. The only doctor we had before you was John, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't completely understand germ theory."
Both Christine and Stephen winced a little.
Loki put a hand to his heart with complete sincerity. "As I said before, if there is anything at all we can give you, please tell me."
"If you can spare it," said Christine hopefully, "I'd really like an actual cot or bedframe instead of just a mattress. I think there are mice on the floor."
Loki's eyes opened wide and he threw an accusing glare at Mobius.
"Mobius! How could our guest sleep on the floor?"
Mobius opened his mouth and shrugged.
"That's what they brought over, I don't know! No one said anything."
"This is unacceptable. Get her a real bed at once! Have someone build one! Better yet, you two should get your own house in the neighborhood. Mobius, do you think there's one to spare?"
Mobius stuttered and floundered, looking to Christine for help.
"It's all right, for now," she said. "It takes time to make a bed. Or a … house. I'll be okay for another night, or several."
Loki didn't seem satisfied, but leaned back into his pillows, allowing the subject to pass. It seemed no matter how undignified or humbled or weakened Loki was, he was still a prince through and through, and refused to let anyone forget it.
Sylvie's footsteps came back up the stairs and she opened the door with one elbow, carrying an entire roast chicken on a platter, presenting it cheerfully like a picturesque Norman Rockwell painting.
"You have to be kidding me … " groaned Stephen, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Mobius raised an eyebrow and Loki propped himself up on his elbows, a greedy look in his eye.
"That's for everyone, right?" asked Mobius.
"Mobius!" said Sylvie with an offended air, "Loki's literally starving, he needs this more than you do."
"You have got to be kidding me!" Stephen repeated, throwing up his hands. "Sylvie, no! He cannot eat an entire chicken! His stomach has shrunken to the size of a grape, there's no way-"
"You have not seen this man eat when he's hungry," she said, nodding towards Loki, who looked like a dog about to lose his mind with excitement over dinner. "I haven't the foggiest idea where he puts it, but if he says he can eat ten horses, he could absolutely eat ten horses."
"Where did you even get that?" asked Christine.
"The rest of Tvania's having a sort of impromptu celebration," she said as she put the platter down on the nightstand. Loki was reaching for it even before she'd set it down, but stopped at the mention of festivities.
"Wait, they're having a celebration?" he asked, as if he'd been insulted. "They can't just have a piddly little feast out of nowhere. If we're throwing a party, we're doing it right. This is an occasion, a holiday! It needs planning! It needs fanfare and decoration and all that stuff!"
The chicken temporarily forgotten, Loki pushed himself up all the way, about to lift himself out of bed again, to Stephen's chagrin.
"Please stop getting up," he pleaded, but Loki had already draped a bony arm across Sylvie's shoulders and was dragging himself to the balcony.
Stephen shook his head and gave Christine a look of helplessness, which she returned with a shrug.
"When in Rome … " she whispered wryly. Both the doctors and Mobius followed the prince and princess to the narrow balcony.
Loki put two fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly, and the rest of Tvania gathered from the far end of the neighborhood to the front of the house like a flock of chickens being called for dinner. They shouted and called up to him, all smiles, a few of the women wearing hastily made flower crowns and necklaces, like they'd decided to have a luau.
"My fellow … " began Loki, but then suddenly turned to Mobius with a blank look on his face.
"Tvanians," Mobius whispered.
"… Tvanians! Your prince is alive and well!"
A scattering of shouts and applause echoed up to them, and the faint, fermented apple scent of booze wafted into the air. No wonder everyone was so happy.
'Well' may have been a bit of an overstatement, but Dr. Strange decided not to interfere. Loki was obviously going to say and do what he pleased. Stephen shifted uncomfortably, worried that the balcony may be made of nothing but plaster and would collapse with their weight, but it held steady, to his surprise.
"I am quite obviously in need of a bit of R&R," he continued with a chuckle. The joke didn't land as he expected, as not one person laughed with him. He didn't realize how bad he actually looked.
Loki coughed and went on.
"We are all eager to celebrate, not just my recovery, but the rescue of our people by the brave Doctor Strange and Doctor … "
"Palmer," whispered Christine.
" … Palmer, who have recently become the newest permanent citizens of Tvania."
That earned a mixed reception with scattered applause and whispers. They expected them to go home, too.
"In two weeks' time, we will have a proper feast to celebrate this monumentous occasion. It will be Tvania's first true holiday!"
Through the cheers, Stephen scoffed at him indignantly.
"Two weeks? Loki, you can't-"
"Shush!" said Loki with a glance before addressing the crowd again. "There will be singing, games, all the venison anyone could ever devour, and a retelling of our short, but glorious history, told by none other than yours truly. I expect everyone to make arrangements, prepare the mead, and for Odin's sake, will someone get Doctor Palmer a real bed?"
The flustered, half-drunk villagers were already too busy buzzing about the new holiday preparations to go looking for a bedframe. They also didn't see Loki waver and slump as Sylvie and Mobius took him by either shoulder and hauled him back to bed.
"You okay?" said Mobius.
Loki moaned weakly, his breathing heavy. "Water," he said, and Stephen gave him a sip from a water bottle on the table.
"I was trying to tell you," Stephen chided him gently. "You can't expect to be all better in two weeks. You have plenty of morale, but your body needs time to heal."
Loki took another long, noisy gulp from the water bottle and gave the doctor a smirk.
"Watch me, doctor," he said. "If there's a party at the end of it, I'll be ready. Now, about lunch … "
"I certainly won't have to motivate you," Stephen replied, then moved the platter of chicken away from Loki's reach for a moment. "Just promise me you won't try to eat this entire chicken at once. Take a few bites and see how you feel."
Loki scoffed and shrugged. "I'll leave some for dinner, then." Loki used a bit of his magic to pull the platter back towards him, then ripped off a drumstick and took a huge bite.
Stephen rolled his eyes. "Okay," he muttered, standing up, then spoke under his breath. "Poor Sylvie's going to have to clean up after you, you know."
Stephen and Christine left the room, to let the other three talk. Outside of the door, Christine put a hand on Stephen's shoulder.
"I'm sorry I got us into this," she whispered, taking another quick glance at the trio happily chatting and sharing their meal together. "But, I guess the silver lining is that we can do some real good here."
"We can, Christine," he said, giving her hand a squeeze. "We have."
He knew they both must look dirty and sweaty and tired, and they both certainly stank of B.O., but to him, she'd never looked more beautiful. She sighed and took her hand away, then left down the stairs.
Stephen stayed, leaving the door open just a crack, spying on Loki and Sylvie's conversation. If he was lucky, he would find an opening to see if the theory forming in his brain held any truth to it. Loki, to his surprise, had nearly finished the drumstick without any apparent difficulty, and spoke as he chewed.
"You know, my dear, I had another dream, too," he said, giving Sylvie a pining look. "I dreamt that I brought you to Asgard to meet my mother and father."
"Oh?" she said, tearing off a bit of breast meat for herself. "Were they freaked out that you'd married yourself?"
"No, not at all!" he said. "In fact, mother was delighted. She told me she knew I'd find you someday. Oh, and Thor was there too!"
"I don't remember much about my Thor," she said, chewing thoughtfully.
"All you need to know is that he grew up to be a blonde, meatheaded ogre," he said, then finished his thought on a somber note, "and a very good brother."
Sylvie put down her piece of meat and kissed him gently on the forehead. At that moment, Stephen lowered himself to the floor and hastily performed the spell that would separate his astral form from his body.
As his soul ripped away from his physical form and into the Astral Plane, he floated through the wall and into the room, then gasped at what he saw.
Loki and Sylvie's energy together was a supernova of spiritual power, like two stars crashing together. The gentle glow from each of them seemed to melt together into a bright, beautiful swirling mass of light that surrounded them both, shooting straight up into the sky, like a spotlight. Stephen stopped gawking and followed it up, through the roof and into the sky, farther and farther, just as he had done while following Loki's tether.
Finally, the beacon ended at the protection spell that still held fast somewhere just below Earth's stratosphere. The spell absorbed and broke up the energy, stopping it from going further out into space. It also seemed to be using that magic as a source of energy to keep the spell going long after it should have disappeared.
It was an amazing thing to witness, and disheartening at the same time. Sylvie had been right. Nightmare couldn't have missed such a strong outburst of energy, and they were very lucky nothing else had detected it.
Stephen placed himself gently back in his body and woke up before Sylvie was even done kissing Loki.
He cracked open the door a bit wider. "Sylvie," he called to her with a nod of his head.
Concerned, she got up from the bed and went to the doctor, shutting the door behind her.
"I have bad news, and I have great news," he whispered to her in the dark hallway. "The bad news is that you and Loki's energy together does make a beacon that I'm sure just about any entity with magical abilities can see."
Sylvie let out a breath and put a hand over her mouth. "Oh, no. Please don't tell me-"
"Let me tell you the great news," he interrupted. "The protection spell I put over this place will keep anything outside of the planet from seeing it, and it feeds on the power of the beacon itself, so it will never fade as long as you're both together. You'll never have to worry. You and Loki are safer here than ever."
Sylvie smiled, her eyes glistening.
"Thank you, doctor," she said, voice breaking, then threw her arms around his shoulders in a tight hug. "Thank you so much."
They stood there for a long moment, Stephen patting her back, not knowing what to say. Her gratitude was more than touching, but a relief as well. She was more than just a Loki variant, or an Asgardian with a chip on her shoulder. For the first time, Stephen felt all the care she had to offer.
"Sylvie … Doctor Strange … " Loki's weak voice called out from inside the bedroom. They gave each other a nervous glance.
Loki looked green in the gills. The chicken leg he'd been gnawing on was stripped of all its meat and lay on the platter next to the rest of the bird. Loki made a gagging noise and Stephen braced for vomit, but he just held his mouth with one hand and swallowed hard, groaning miserably.
Stephen clicked his tongue. "I told you to only take a few bites. Your stomach is too small."
"Okay, fine," said Loki, rolling his eyes. "You're right. No more meat for today."
"Drink plenty of water, and get lots of rest," Doctor Strange instructed him as Sylvie sat back on the bed. "And for the love of God, please stop trying to walk on your own. There will be time for rehab after you gain a little strength."
Loki nodded, and Stephen finally closed the door and left them alone.