When we arrived back the S.H.E.I.L.D. facility, it was nighttime, even though it was early morning when we left Asgard. The lights of the research center lit out path, as Summy and I walked in silence.
No sooner had I stepped foot inside when I was immediately called into Coulson's office. I embarrassingly sat in my Asgardian dress and looked at Coulson's stone expression.
"I warned you, Rhodie," said Coulson.
"I know, sir," I said, my eyes on the ground.
"You risked your life just to provide companionship to a dangerous alien," said Coulson. "You're a smart girl. What were you thinking?"
"I wasn't, sir."
Coulson scoffed. "That was apparent."
"Am I going to be punished?" I asked.
"No," he said. "But you are going to be relocated." I looked up. "You and Agent Sumner are the only two agents who have been to Asgard. After this incident with Thor, we're going to need more information on the place. I'm sending you to headquarters, where you'll be questioned about your experiences and used to gather more information about the place. But you're not fired."
I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, sir."
I got up to leave, but then turned around. "Sir, what happened here with Thor?"
Coulson paused, then answered briskly. "Loki sent a droid to destroy Thor and this town."
My hand went to my mouth. "No, he wouldn't."
"Turns out you prince wasn't as princely as you thought." I turned around and Summy was standing in the doorway. Containing my anger, I pushed past Summy and ran to my room. I slammed the door and collapsed into a heap of tears. I cried and let out all the emotions I had been holding in for the whole night, my pillow getting more damp with every passing minute.
When I finished up the box of tissues, I figured I should shower, since I hadn't since before I was in Asgard. I let the water wash over me as I composed myself, realizing what was done was done and there was no going back. Even though Loki turned my world upside-down. I was forced to act as though it remained spinning. These thoughts ran through my head as I wrapped a towel around my torso and exited the bathroom.
I almost dropped my towel in surprise when I saw a very angry Summy standing in the middle of my room.
"Summy?" I said, both angry and surprised. "What are you doing here? How'd you get in here?"
"Do you still love me, Halle?" asked Summy, manically.
"What?" I said, taken aback. "Summy, what-"
"Don't play stupid, I know you don't," he interrupted.
I looked into his eyes. They were so filled with pain and hurt, I couldn't bare it. "I'm so sorry," I whispered.
"You did love me, once," he stated, walking towards me slowly.
"You know I did," I commented, preparing myself as best I could in a towel for a fight.
He kept walking towards me until he was so close I could smell his sweat. He put his hands on my shoulders and I tried to pull away. "You just need to remember," he said, his voice low.
Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around my back and shoved his lips onto mine. I fought against him, but Summy was stronger than I was. He moved his hands down and tugged at the back of my towel. Alarmed, I kicked him in the kneecaps, which loosened his grip enough for me to escape his grasp. If Summy was angry before, he was livid now, charging directly at me. I threw punches and deflected Summy's, freeing my mind to focus. He flipped me on a table, and as he bent down to throw another punch, I grabbed his hand and twisted his arm. While he grimaced, I pulled his arm back farther. But I didn't take into account his other arm, which swung around and hit me in the back of the head. I fell to the floor, clutching my towel and breathing heavy. Summy walked next to me and I swung my leg around, taking out his. He fell to the ground, groaning, but making no effort to get up. I quickly ran to my bedroom and threw on a t-shirt and shorts, but when I poked my head out the door, Summy was gone.
I felt a sharp tug on my hair as I was pulled towards my bed. Summy threw me on the bed, strattling me and using his body weight to pin me down. I saw the insanity in his eyes and realized the James Sumner I once knew was gone and replaced with a very desperate man.
"Summy, get off of me," I gasped.
"No," he said, almost laughing. "Not until you remember."
Suddenly an arm grabbed Summy's shoulder, pulling him off of me. I gasped.
"I told you not to touch her." Loki raised his fist and punched Summy straight across the face. He collapsed into a heap off of my bed.
"Loki," I cried, tackling him in a hug and decorating his face with kisses. "What are you doing here?"
"I couldn't let that low life hurt you," he answered. I blushed, and a thankful tear ran down my cheek.
Loki smiled and touched my head softly, a pain shooting through my skull. "You're bleeding," he observed.
I touched my head, feeling where one of Summy's punches made contact. "It's not a big deal. I'll go to the infirmary later."
He stroked my shoulder slowly, his eyes dancing around my face as if he was taking in everything for the first time. "I can't stay for long."
I smiled, but all of a sudden remembering what Coulson told me: about the robot, the destruction, about Thor. It couldn't have been him.
"Loki," I said, uncomfortably. "Did you really want to destroy this town and your brother?"
His expression turned to stone. I knew that I was wrong.
"But why?" I asked. "He's your brother."
"You don't know him like I do," Loki mumbled. I wrapped my arms around him. I didn't care what Coulson said or what he did. He saved me from a man hell-bent on making me love him, he took me on the journey of my life.
He genuinely loved me.
I wanted nothing more than to be with him, whether it be right now or forever.
"When will I see you again," I breathed, burying my face into his neck.
"I do not know," he sighed, holding me close. "The Bifrost has been destroyed. It will make traveling between world very difficult."
I sniffled and pulled my face back to look into his eyes for quite possibly the very last time. "But you will come back."
Loki, touched my face. "Here is my promise."
Our lips met in a way so gentle, I feared to move and break the connection. But with a shimmer of green light, his lips vanished, and I was left alone.