Chapter song: No Light, No Light by Florence & the Machine

Silvia

Just as I was about to reply, I heard heavy footsteps echoing below us, causing me to sigh with annoyance. I knew it had to be Vernon because there was no one else large enough to cause such a thunderous noise. My eyes shifted nervously at Loki who appeared more amused than worried. With a glare I warned him to hide and remain quiet. Only a few seconds later, Vernon came sprinting up the stairs, armed and ready for action.

My confusion as to why my butler had a gun was replaced with worry as Vernon looked directly at Loki. But then he quickly glanced away as if no one was there. Loki smirked and placed his finger over his lips. How does he do that? In an effort to appear somewhat normal, I pushed my shoulders back and relaxed my mouth. Vernon was still eyeing the surrounding area with unease as if he were looking for something. When we made eye contact, he grimaced and reluctantly lowered his gun. He then approached me with a regretful expression. I noticed how the ground softly vibrated around my feet as he came nearer. God, how much does he weigh?

"I thought I told you I didn't want to be disturbed for the rest of the night." There was a slight breeze as Vernon peered down at me, making me feel guilty with the concern etched in his forehead, and with a slight tremble my eyes locked onto Loki. There was an immediate reaction in Vernon who as soon as I gazed upon the magical alien, spun around with his finger on the trigger.

"Excuse me, I'm speaking to you." It was almost impossible to sound authoritative when I was dripping wet and wearing nothing but a thin blanket. "Why the hell do you have a gun, Vernon?"

He reluctantly turned to face me again, still seemingly on edge. "It's for protection," he said with roaming eyes. "I heard screaming and Karen was offline. I thought – "

"Well, you are my butler, not my bodyguard, OK?" I said, sounding angrier than I felt. Vernon's eyes cast downwards like a scolded puppy, once again making me feel guilty. "I'm sorry." I rubbed my brow and shrugged off my defensive tone. "I'm fine. I just... slipped and the fall scared me, that's all. Thanks for the concern, but next time you get scared call the police. Don't go waving a gun around – you might hurt someone with that thing."

"Yes, ma'am," Vernon politely replied. He proceeded to dismantle the gun with such ease I couldn't help but eye him suspiciously.

I tightened the fabric around my body and glanced once more in Loki's direction. "Well… you obviously know how to handle a gun," I said, heading for the stairs in hope that he would follow me. Much to my relief, he did.

"Yes, I do," he confirmed. "I've been hunting for most of my life, so I'm quite familiar with them," he finished in a light tone.

I nodded absently. "What do you hunt?" I asked, trying to keep his attention.

"A bit of everything," he answered shortly, leaving me to my imagination.

I proceeded down the stairs, anxious to get him as far away from Loki as possible. Despite Vernon signing a contract for me, I highly doubted he would keep an alien criminal hidden from the government. I wasn't willing to take any chances, especially with my father's election less than two weeks away. Vernon opened the French doors into the living room and I continued past him, shivering from the cold, air-conditioned air.

Even with us both inside, he continued staring through the now-locked glass door, tense and quiet. I could see Loki standing outside, smiling wickedly at him. "Please get me a robe," I said, my voice higher than usual. Vernon hesitantly stepped backwards and nodded once. I watched Loki's eyes follow him with apparent curiosity. I too looked at Vernon as he hastily maneuvered through the living room towards the hall. "Draw me a bath too - extra bubbles, please," I added. When I turned around, Loki was no longer there.

With an irritated sigh I walked over to the long glass wall of my living room, looking out into the city. From up here, the normally loud, obnoxious cars appeared no larger than ants, and the pedestrians were nearly invisible in the dark. I tapped my foot anxiously against the wooden floor while I waited for Vernon to return. When he did, I instructed him to inform the staff that the living quarters were off limits to everyone, including him, until tomorrow afternoon. When I was certain he was gone, I dropped Loki's cloth to the floor and replaced it with my soft, warm Terry robe.

The floor was cold as I made my way to the kitchen, heading straight for the spiral staircase which led to the wine cellar below. I picked the first bottle that caught my eye, caring only about the alcohol content and the effects it would have on my nerves. For a short second I considered grabbing two wine glasses, but then I realized home etiquette doesn't apply to guests who break into your home and threaten your life.

Fuck being polite. I need to get drunk.

As I shuffled through the dark hallways of my home, I remembered there were cameras planted throughout my house, all of which would capture Loki on film. If someone were to leak the footage to the press, my father would undoubtedly hate me forever.

The lights to my bedroom automatically turned on when I stepped inside. "Karen, disable all of the cameras in the living quarters and delete the last thirty minutes of footage from the system," I ordered.

"Yes, Silvia," she replied immediately. I rolled my eyes at her swift response, annoyed that she wasn't around earlier to save me. It wasn't her fault, but it was still aggravating how easily Loki penetrated my home's defenses.

Knowing I only had minutes before Loki made his reappearance, in a rather frenetic manner, I slipped on a green, floor-length silk nightgown. I filled my glass with the wine I so carelessly picked and sipped on the fine, red vintage, enjoying its dry, bitter taste. The glass vial of pills sat before me on my vanity, teasing me with their proximity. It took everything in me not to reach out and put an end to my anxiety. I wanted nothing more than to just swallow my worries away, but then I remembered Ronan's warning about abusing them.

Besides, Loki would be here any second and I didn't want to make myself any more vulnerable. Not a second later, a shadow in the corner of my bedroom moved and I didn't even bother to turn my head.

I brought the glass to my lips with resignation. Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

Of course, it wasn't hard for him to appear anywhere. It almost saddened me how unsurprised I was to find him lurking in my bedroom. My life had become a continuous game of cat and mouse, and I would always be the mouse. Always being cornered and chased into the paws of the next monster.

"Your mind is a dismal place to dwell in, even for me," Loki stated quietly. I took another sip of my wine as he grew closer in my peripheral vision.

"I thought I told you to stay out of my head," I replied in an equally quiet tone.

"I've found that the loneliest minds tend to scream the loudest... and yours… is deafening."

I looked at him, surprised by his words. Loki smiled, though it never reached his eyes. The bed dipped as he slowly sat down next to me. Already feeling uncomfortable and anxious, I sprung up from the bed, careful not to spill my wine.

I felt my brow grow heavy as he took in my gown, his smile deepening by the second. "Let's get one thing clear: my mind is off-limits. You don't know anything about me or what I've been through and –"

"Oh, but I do," he said, standing up as well.

I grew curiously quiet as his expression softened. "I know the pain that haunts your eyes. I know you've experienced tremendous suffering," he stated softly, his voice growing lower as he spoke. "And I know you have felt alone… for far too long."

I leaned tiredly over the vanity, eyeing the vial once again. "Stop." My head felt abnormally heavy.

In the mirror, I could see Loki watching me with speculative eyes. His watchfulness was unsettling and made me feel exposed, despite the modest gown I wore. The wine bottle felt unsteady in my hand as I refilled my glass, this time to the brim. "I thought you said we could help each other," I muttered angrily.

Loki eagerly stepped forward. "But I am helping you. You run away from the very thing which makes you stronger: your hatred," he stated coolly.

I paused mid-sip and stared at him blankly through the mirror. "Hatred?" I said, facing him.

"Yes," he answered, unblinking. "You have mistaken your hatred for despair… a dangerous combination in my opinion," he said, slowly walking towards me. "Subduing your pain with intoxication will not work. It never does," he said with a pause. "You are wise to mistrust me, but the words I speak now are true."

He was standing only a foot away, and even though I knew I should be running away from this telepathic maniac, I couldn't. His tone suggested he understood my pain more than anyone else, and that kept me rooted where I stood. His words struck a chord in me, producing unwanted thoughts and doubts that never existed before.

Did I hate Ronan for abandoning me? Or did I hate Mac-Varr for what he did to me? Or both? Maybe I hated myself for not being strong enough.

I wasn't sure if it was the wine or the mental knife Loki kept twisting into my mind, but tears were soon clouding my vision. Before I could walk away and salvage the remnants of my pride, I felt Loki's long, smooth fingers lift my chin in his direction. Staring into his emerald eyes, which now appeared soft and kind, I felt a familiar longing deep in my stomach. The tender touch of a strong hand – especially one as smooth as his – evoked emotions I had not felt in some time. It was frustrating to discover just how much my body missed being touched.

I haven't felt my heart flutter like this since the last time I was with… Ronan.

With unexpected anger, I slapped his hand away and quickly backed away. He looked not at all surprised; in fact, there was obvious amusement in his twinkling eyes.

"I don't hate anyone," I snapped. "And don't ever presume to touch me again."

Loki's eyes narrowed, matching the slight sneer on his lips. He obviously wasn't used to being told no.

He casually strolled around the room, stopping when he saw the carvings on the walls. "Why do you want to help me?" I asked, watching him closely.

"I need strong allies," he answered. He lips grew tighter the longer he stared at the geometric shapes.

I raised my eyebrows warily at him. "What makes you think I'm your ally?"

Loki immediately smiled. "Because you're willing to do anything if it means seeing your beloved Ronan again," he stated in a mocking tone.

I wavered where I stood. "That's not true," I said, unable to convince myself.

"Yes, it is." With his hands behind his back, he sauntered over to me and smirked. "Why else would you allow me into your bed chamber?" My cheeks instantly grew warm from the insinuation.

In a defensive tone I said, "I don't even know what your plans are for God's sake. What exactly are you doing here?"

"I mean to rule your world," he said, never breaking eye contact.

I blinked once and snorted. "You're crazy."

Loki's eyes hardened with dissatisfaction. "Do not," he warned slowly, "use that word again."

I crossed my arms. "Fine. Would you prefer delusional?" I smartly replied, ignoring his glare.

"If I am delusional then you are blinded," he growled, stepping closer. "Open your eyes to the atrocities your precious humans commit day by day," he said with growing animosity, "including your pathetic excuse of a government. Your so-called leaders idly stand by as thieves, murderers, and rapists run rampant."

I flinched slightly at the last part. "I know we aren't perfect," I started slowly, "but we definitely don't need you leading us. You don't know anything about my people or what we need," I ended on a sarcastic note.

He contemplated quietly to himself before softly replying, "I know without intervention mankind will cease to exist."

I paused with parted lips. "How do you know that? And how exactly do you intend to intervene?" I asked suspiciously.

"I have seen it. I possess knowledge far beyond the understanding of a mortal," he said with an arrogant sneer. "I only wish to bring order to your chaotic world and rule as a benevolent king," he said, his voice swelling with pride.

I tried not to smile. "If you think my people will bow down to an alien and call him king, then you are in for a rude awakening," I said.

His eyes grew wide with excitement before a sly smile spread across his lips. "Oh, I expect nonetheless," he said, his mocking returned. "But I believe my army will help persuade your people to seek reason."

My mouth fell open with disgust and anger. "An army?" I said, watching Loki's smile disappear. "And you expect us to seek reason? You're talking about starting a war." As he remained silent and unmoving, it became clear to me that whatever his intentions were with me, they were not good. "You don't care about helping me or my people. All you care about is your throne," I seethed with growing rage. "I'm not helping you kill my own people. You seriously are fucking crazy."

Loki's lip twitched with annoyance. "Mock me again, and I will rescind my offer of help," he growled.

With renewed determination, I tilted my head back and finished the remainder of my wine. As the sharp, stress-induced pain in my chest was replaced with the fiery burn of alcohol, I crushed the fine glass into dust with my metal hand and straightened myself up.

I glowered at Loki, whose expression was wrinkled with confusion and faint disbelief. "Get out," I ordered. Loki immediately returned the glare, and for a second I almost looked away from his intimidating, cool eyes, but I stood my ground and remained strong.

"Your feminine temperament impairs your reasoning," he stated coolly. "If you only knew –"

I took a step forward. "I said. Get. Out."

Loki's face slowly relaxed into an unnaturally calm state. "Fine," he said, before he abruptly took a wide step, closing the small gap between us. "But first," he snarled – and before I could blink – his hand was tightly wrapped around my neck, suspending me in the air. "I must – oh, what is that Midgardian phrase?" He asked with an eerie smile. "Ah yes… tie up loose ends."

The sudden deprivation of oxygen and blood to my brain made it difficult to think clearly, let alone impossible to focus on my power. My eyes, which were now wide with fear, fixated on Loki's scepter as he aimed it towards my chest.

With a cruel, satisfied smile, he began inching the terrifying weapon closer and closer until I could feel the stone's familiar, cool energy brush against my skin. I imagined the sharpened tip driving itself into my heart at an agonizingly-slow pace,with Loki sadistically smiling as I died a horrendous death. As the vision came to an end, there was only one clear word in my mind:

Ronan.

I willed my eyes to remain open, but I found it harder to stay conscious as my lungs burned for air. Loki's smile grew until it was wide enough for me to see all of his perfectly-straight, white teeth. My eyes remained open long enough to witness his chest rise and fall as if he were laughing. The only thing I could hear was my heartbeat pounding in my ears, slowing down with each second, until finally it became a soft, distant thud.

I'm sorry Ronan, I thought as I felt the sharp end of his scepter poke me in my chest.

I prepared to feel my heart split in two, but the pain I was expecting never came. Instead, it felt as if a cool, soft cloud had enveloped my entire body and filled every crevice that belonged within me. The sensation had a paralyzing effect, freezing every limb, joint, and hair on my body. In my mind, I could sense a presence that wasn't there a few seconds ago and every thought, emotion, or memory that passed through my mind was seen through the eyes of another. I had become a second person, and my mind now belonged to this familiar stranger, but I did not fight it as I thought I would.

This unseen presence was alluring, comforting, and wise beyond compare. It knew me. It knew everything about me. Its' voice belonged to neither male nor female, it simply…was. The being was gentle and kind, yet powerful and merciless. It took on a shapeless form, only a faint, glowing yellow orb of light, shimmering in the dark abyss of my mind. A deep, slow hissing formed within the ball of light, causing it to swirl with life.

"Hello, child."

"Hello."

"How do you feel?"

"Wonderful."

"Yes..."

"Who are you?"

"I am… We are… All… the Six… the One," the voice quietly drawled.

Some distant part of me heard a second voice, and it wasn't until I diverted my attention away from the mysterious light that I noticed Loki was standing directly in front of me, speaking with a wide smile and maddened eyes.

"– a force to be reckoned with, and with your power… I will conquer Midgard and all shall kneel before me," Loki finished, though I sensed he said much more beforehand.

A group of voices filled my mind simultaneously with their snake-like whispers.

"Silvertongue…"

"Laufeyson..."

"Traitor…"

"Sly One..."

"Trickster..."

"God of Lies…"

The harsh hissing slowly vanished until my mind once again became empty. Though I remained unable to move, I could sense my body was beginning to melt under the pressure of the One.

"You must do as I say," Loki commanded more forcefully. The voices inside my head once again talked among themselves.

"We obey no one…"

"She must go…"

"…to fulfill her destiny."

"Yes…"

"He cannot be trusted…"

"There is no other choice…"

"Follow me," Loki ordered angrily. I remained perfectly still.

"Follow him," the One commanded.

My feet began moving forward without my consent. It became clear that every action I took from here on out was no longer of my own consent. Every breath, footstep, and blink was now under the control of the One, and all the while, Loki remained surprisingly unaware of the other-worldly presence. When I blinked again, we were standing in front of my arsenal on the far-right side of the house.

"Step forward," Loki commanded. I found my feet moving closer to him, but I held myself back.

He sighed with discontent.

"Closer," he said in an annoyed tone. I felt myself hesitate once again.

"Do as he says," the One commanded.

I immediately placed myself in front of the retinal scanner, and a second later, a bright, blue wave of light passed over my face. The scanner responded with a loud, metal click as the door unlocked, revealing an abundance of high-tech weapons and ammunition. Although I was unable to turn my head, I could sense Loki watching me from the side, probably smiling with arrogant pride and feeling some sick, twisted form of satisfaction. My focus returned to the ball of light inside my head. A distant part of me noticed black-uniformed soldiers running in and out my vault, loading their handcarts with all of my supplies.

"Please, let me go," I begged the One.

"We must first be released," it replied.

"I don't understand."

"You will." I felt a warm wave of reassurance flow through my body. It was both comforting and haunting at the same time, because I knew at that moment, that whatever was inside of me… it was far more powerful than any living being. It was divine.

I blinked again. I was now standing in the middle of Stark Tower's lobby. There were similar soldiers dressed in black standing everywhere. These cruel-eyed men did not belong to Tony, I was certain of that at least. My feet continued moving, though I had no idea where they were leading me.

I blinked again. I was standing in the middle of a barren room, cold and covered in metal, deep below the surface of Stark Tower. I noticed I could now move about freely, though it did me no good since there was nowhere for me to go.

"It is unnatural for a mortal to possess such power," I heard Loki's voice call out from the dark. "That is why I have bestowed upon myself the task of relinquishing you from this tiresome burden," he said, not even attempting to hide his amusement. "But first, I must know how you came about such rare, dark magic. Tell me its name," he demanded.

He emerged from the shadows like a ghost. His face was dark with the desire for power, and as he came closer with every slow, steady step, I found my heart beat faster in response.

His lips curled with displeasure as I remained quiet. "How is it you remain a stubborn wench, even now?" He said, becoming suddenly still. Another few seconds later, and his stoic expression quickly melted into one of confused rage. "Speak, woman! Tell me the name of the power which you possess."

"Tell him," the One commanded.

"But I don't know," I thought to myself.

"It is time… for Us… to speak," it slowly answered. The silent, dark room soon became filled with my pained screams as the supernatural entity took control of my psyche.

Minutes ago it called itself the Six, and now I understood why. Six voices, each desperate to be heard and spoken for, now split my mind and strained my vocal chords beyond the capacity of any normal human being. In their deep, raspy, shrill voices, they spoke a language one would only hear in dreams, or possibly in nightmares. It was a hauntingly beautiful lullaby, smooth and fluid-like, but laced with venomous warning.

I blinked again.

I was on the ground, sweating profusely as my body tried to reject the entity. With my limbs twisted and coiled on the cold, hard floor, I caught a glimpse of Loki's pale-ridden face. For a brief second, I saw my own terror reflected in his wide eyes.

I blinked again.

I was home.

Ronan

"You there! Wait your turn, I said! The next in line may step forward… NOW!" Korath shouted in his usual, rough voice.

A sound Ronan was not particularly fond of hearing this early in the morning. He closed his eyes in annoyance as the Pursuer demanded the next visitor to enter the court room, filling the large chamber with his barking roar. Ronan's patience was already spread far too thin these days, but Korath was one of few whom he trusted completely, so he let his cybernetic friend continue on with his obnoxious methods; also, he repeatedly demonstrated the ability to take care of chores in a timely and efficient manner so Ronan need not to.

However, today was one of the few days where Ronan was forced to show his civil side – as small as it may be – and that entailed listening to the needs of his people and delivering justice to those who deserved it. For hours he sat on his throne in the capitol building of Hala, listening to the Kree who came before him and confessed words they believed important enough for him to hear. Men, women, and children of all ages crowded his halls. Many were Kree officials who had come to claim their allegiance to him, others… were not so wise. Then there were those who spoke of the horrors committed against themselves and their families, and sought vengeance upon Hal-Dan's capitol savages. Ronan, of course, was more than willing to grant them their wishes.

It had been a long day, and as the sun was closing in on the horizon, Ronan sipped on his wine and watched the last of the golden light leave the sky. His new home on Hala was larger and far more opulent to his liking, but it was custom for the Emperor to reside in the Palace, so he obligingly accepted the ridiculous, colossal building. It was a wonder as to how it remained untouched during the siege. He cursed himself for not obliterating it when he had the chance. As he continued watching the sunset in blissful silence, he found himself smiling at the thought of Silvia walking among these halls, filling them with her subtle, quiet laughter.

"Ronan." He heard Korath inquire from across the room. He regretfully turned away from the sunset to face his comrade. He frowned with displeasure as he noticed the concerned expression on Korath's face; it was a look he knew far too well. He placed his goblet down on the table next to him and prepared to hear whatever unfortunate news Korath possessed.

"Black Bolt is demanding to speak with you," he announced quietly, keeping his eyes lowered to the ground. Ronan snorted quietly before turning away.

There were only a few minutes left before the shimmering, yellow light in the sky would be replaced with dark shades of blue. This was the first sunset he had seen in weeks, and he refused to miss it for that Inhuman brat.

"Leave," he said, taking ahold of his goblet. "And tell Black Bolt I am far too preoccupied at the moment." What a ridiculous name, he thought as he brought the heavy cup to his lips.

"But Master –"

Ronan glanced over his shoulder, silencing Korath instantly.

"Yes, Ronan," he muttered, backing away with a bow.

He listened to Korath's hurried footsteps echoing down the hall and reverted his gaze to the horizon far off in the distance. His eyes locked onto the fading sun, trying to savor every fleeting second of warmth it had to offer him.

Black Bolt, he thought, suppressing a scowl. Demanding me?

That child of a king obviously did not learn the etiquette of politics. In another reality, he would have happily accepted the impudent brat's request only to smash his skull in with his Ultimate Weapon, but his people regretfully needed the Inhuman's alliance. Centuries of war had weakened the Kree far beyond the Supreme Intelligence's anticipation; however, the empire still remained one of the greatest in the universe and under his rule, it would become the greatest of all time. Still, his spies and allies could not be everywhere at all times, and because of this, he found himself on edge more times than not.

News of the Chitauri's trek across the universe was spreading, though many of his people remained unaware of their existence, so panic remained absent among the public. Ronan only learned of the disgusting, vile race shortly after his first meeting with Thanos. Due to their brief and hostile partnership, he failed to learn of their origin or abilities. He heard faint rumors they were kin to the Skrull, and if that were true, then he had yet another issue to deal with. If his spies were correct, then the Chitauri were preparing for war; only, they were heading in the opposite direction of the Kree's territories, and this news left Ronan frustratingly confused.

He and the Council were truthfully unaware of the strange creatures' intentions, which only infuriated him because he detested not knowing what was happening around him. As he was now responsible for billions of lives, he felt a compelling desire to know the truth and destroy any potential threats to his people. He did not dare oppose Thanos in a time such as this, nor in any near future, but he knew their encounter was inevitable.

That night, despite the worries that plagued his mind, he found himself falling asleep to the memory of Silvia's milky-white face. He could distinctly remember the softness of her flowing, pale hair and perfectly-plump, reddened lips. It was her eyes that he missed the most – filled with such passion and desire, and a stubbornness that challenged him greatly. In her eyes lied a fire that could not be quenched. It was one of the many reasons why he admired her.

She was stronger than all of his greatest warriors in more way than one, and the secret to her strength lied in her ignorance. Silvia was born to be a warrior… or better yet, a savior, yet she hadn't a clue. He could feel it in her skin every time he embraced her. Perhaps this is why he grew to be so protective of her. Deep down, he knew it was only a matter of time before Silvia's full power was realized, and then, her thirst for knowledge would lead her down a path where he could not fully protect her. He would follow her nonetheless, despite his reasoning urging him to abandon this foolish quest for companionship.

Her face once again consumed his thoughts, forcing his worries away into the deepest parts of his mind. He was gazing longingly into her wide, round eyes when he drifted into the dark sea of dreams and long-forgotten memories.

A beautiful visage, indeed.

Silvia

I found myself sitting in my bubble-filled bathtub, staring confusedly around the room, not knowing how the hell I got here. Only a second ago I was swimming laps in the pool, and now I was downstairs in my ensuite, apparently enjoying a bubble bath. How did I get here? To the right of me was a nearly-empty bottle of wine sitting on the floor, and next to it was the glass vial of pills, which was also noticeably drained. What the hell happened? Did I randomly go on a drug and alcohol binge, and lose my memory?

No, if that were what happened, I would feel like shit right now, which I didn't. In fact, I felt perfectly fine, albeit the slight fuzziness that clouded my head. This didn't make any sense.

I looked down at the bubbles, trying my best to recall what happened tonight, but nothing came to mind. It felt as if my memory had been swiped. It was just… blank. This has only happened to me once before – and that incident involved many shots of tequila. I frowned with unease and scooped a handful of bubbles in my hand, silently trying to remember what happened. But when I looked down at my hands, a horrifying chill crept over my body as I saw an unsettling sight: My reflective, metal hand was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, I was looking down at a normal hand with perfectly matching skin. It even had fingernails which appeared identical to my real ones. When I regained control of my breath, I inspected it more closely, hoping this was some kind of hallucination or dream. After wiggling my fingers, I realized it remained numb and moved with superior dexterity. I brushed my authentic fingers across it and discovered it was warm and soft, just like a normal hand would be.

In a frantic state, I jumped out of the bathtub and began brushing away the bubbles that still clung to my legs, trying to find my foot under the mountain of soapy nuisance. When my foot was finally visible, I found myself collapsing onto the floor, once again shocked to discover that my metal foot was also replaced with a flesh-covered one. With wide, fear-filled eyes I stared at the perfectly human foot in awe.

I'm dreaming. This is a dream. This can't be real. This isn't possible.

A scream threatened to pass through me, but my overwhelming shock forced me to remain quiet, so instead I trembled like a leaf on the wet floor. I looked around the room looking for some kind of explanation, but I was alone and more confused than ever before. The only other person potentially capable of this was Tony, and his whereabouts remained a mystery. The clock on the wall read a little after 2:00 AM, which was four hours past the time I remembered last. How could four hours just vanish from my memory? I pulled myself up from the floor and quickly slipped on the green nightgown lying nearby, not even bothering to dry off first. As I began making my way to the door, I caught a glimpse of my disheveled appearance in the mirror and abruptly stopped.

I found myself rushing towards the mirror. "This isn't possible," I whispered.

My eyes were blue again.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?" I screamed at my reflection.

"Silvia, are you in need of assistance?" Karen suddenly asked over the speakers.

"God Karen, you're so stupid! Look at me!" I said, grabbing ahold of the sides of my head. I'm losing my mind, aren't I?

"My cameras have been disabled, so I am unable to examine your physical appearance. I am detecting high levels of cortisol and an abnormally high heart rate. You are in distress."

"Yeah, no shit!" I angrily replied. "Why are your cameras disabled?"

"You requested I shut down all cameras in the living quarters."

"What? Why would I do that?" I asked, tilting my head.

"You did not specify the reason, ma'am," she answered.

"Well, turn them back on!" I snapped.

I stormed out of the bathroom and headed for the camera room located on the opposite side of the house. Water dripped from my hair and skin and onto the marble floor below as I stomped through the halls, leaving a trail of wet, erratic footsteps. After entering the security code and pulling open the door, I sighed with discontent at the number of screens and buttons on the wall.

"Karen, show the rooftop footage of me from this evening," I ordered, stepping inside the small, dark room. I stepped closer as I appeared on one of the screens and watched as an overly-excited me ran into the dome telescope. Yes, I remember this. I then saw Vernon ascend the stairs nearby, staring cautiously around the terrace as if he expected some threat to be hidden amongst the shadows. After inspecting every corner of the rooftop, he proceeded to approach the dome and knock on the door just as I remembered. Over the next few minutes I watched myself speak with him until he descended the stairs and then… the screen went blank.

I held out my hand as if that would somehow bring it back. "Where's the rest of the footage?" I asked Karen.

"It has been erased from the files.

There was now a heavy line between my brows. "By who?" I asked, completely bewildered.

"You, ma'am," she quietly answered.

What the FUCK?

I groaned with frustration and lowered my face into my hands. "Can you recover it?"

"I'm afraid not. The footage has been removed from the system, as you requested."

My fingers pressed into my temples to ease my surfacing headache. "Do you know why I asked you to erase it?"

"No, ma'am. I am programmed not to ask questions."

Of course you are.

Not knowing what else to do, I headed back to my bedroom and grabbed my cell phone from the vanity, preparing to call Tony. As I tiredly shuffled to my bed, I frowned as something sharp pricked me in the sole of my foot. I bent down to inspect the carpet and noticed tiny fragments of glass embedded in the fibers. I shook my head with annoyance and closed my eyes, not even bothering to try to understand the meaning of this. With my foot in my lap, I sat on the edge of the bed and picked the microscopic shards of glass from my skin. There wasn't any pain, it was just uncomfortable. Like dirt under your fingernails or an annoying tag in the collar of your shirt. At that moment I was grateful for my skin's durability, or else this glass would have created a bloody mess all over my new carpet.

With my phone pressed between my shoulder and ear, I continued picking the remaining pieces from my heel and attempted to contact Tony for the millionth time. Much to my surprise, he actually answered.

"Silvia. Hi," he said slowly in a distracted tone. "I'm – uh – now's not a good time. Everything OK, kid?" He said with a cough, obviously in a hurry to get off the phone.

"No, Tony. Everything is not OK," I said anxiously. "My hand and foot – you know, the metal ones? Yeah, well… they aren't metal anymore. I lost four hours of my memory, and apparently I told Karen to erase those four hours of footage from the home's security system, but I have no idea why! Something really weird is happening… I feel different. Like, I'm fine – actually – better than fine, which is really starting to freak me out, but I feel all floaty…almost like a feather or a… balloon…"

There was a long pause. "Have you been drinking? Or is it drugs? No, wait. It's drugs. Personally, I've found that acid tends to – "

I grunted with annoyance. "Tony, stop! I'm not on drugs! When I woke up there was a bottle of pills lying next to me, but – "

"Sil," he said with a tired sigh. "Sleep it off. Eh, eh, eh - trust me," he chirped when I tried to interrupt. "Listen, there might be an army of ETs coming to Earth and I'm assuming they aren't the Reese's Pieces-loving, finger-glowing kind. I don't know when or where it's supposed to happen, so keep your eyes open. Now, I need to find Loki, but in order to do that – I need to get off the phone," he said with growing agitation. "LSD isn't going to kill you kid… just… stay away from mirrors," he quietly added, and then I heard a loud click.

"Hello?" I asked, receiving no reply. He hung up on me! I immediately tried calling back, but it went straight to voicemail. Damn it, Tony.

"What… the FUCK," I growled, staring at my phone with disbelief.

Wait, did he say there was an alien army coming? Oh my god. Was this Thanos coming to fulfill his promise of revenge? Why is Loki not in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s custody anymore?

Speaking with Tony left me more anxious and confused than before I called him. All of these emotions, plus my obvious anger, made me want to punch Tony in the face for hanging up on me. In a moment of weakness, I grabbed one of my pillows and screamed into it with all of my pent-up rage.

"Are you alright, Silvia?" Karen asked.

I promptly raised my face from the pillow. "Shut up, Karen!" I shouted harshly, throwing my pillow across the room.

When it hit the opposite wall of my bedroom, it exploded with a loud POP, projecting hundreds of down feathers into the air. My gaping expression quickly transformed into a satisfied smile. Still needing to release some steam, I picked up another pillow and easily ripped it in half with my hands. By the time I was done taking out my frustration on the fluffy pillows, I was covered in feathers. My bedroom now looked like the North Pole.

The staff is going to love this, I thought as I walked across my feather-coated carpet.

In the bathroom I found the pills and wine where I left them. I picked up the light bottle of Chateau Margaux 2009 and took a large swig, humming with appreciation at its' fine taste and aroma. With my eyes transfixed on the pills, I stood there battling my drug-craving mind while finishing the remainder of wine. I reluctantly picked up the glass vial of pills and glared at it in my hand, quietly loathing myself for needing them. Maybe Tony is right. Maybe this is some kind of drug-induced hallucination, and I'll wake up tomorrow with purple eyes again.

I don't feel fucked up though. I wish I was, I thought as I tapped two pills from the vial into the palm of my hand. Regardless of whether or not my mental lapse was caused by drugs, Tony was right about one thing: I needed to sleep and Ronan's pills would undoubtedly do the trick. I popped the small, round pills into my mouth and walked over to the sink, cupping my hands underneath the faucet to drink. It only took thirty seconds for me to feel the effects of the drugs, but by that time I was already lying in bed with my eyes closed, silently begging for sleep.

Another thirty seconds later, I was granted my wish.

My room was still dark when I opened my eyes, which was odd considering I had taken enough medicine to knock out a fully-grown horse. If the clock on my nightstand was correct, then I hadn't even been asleep for an hour. I tiredly rolled onto my back and gazed upwards at the skylight, admiring my wonderful view of the twinkling stars far off in the distance. I was just beginning to fall back asleep when a soft thud from outside my door caught my attention. With an annoyed sigh, I threw back my sheets and trudged my way across the room, smiling happily when I noticed the feathers were no longer cluttering the floor. When I reached the door, I blindly picked a garment off one of the hangers next to it and lazily slipped on a silky, black robe that only reached mid-thigh. I peered into the hallway expecting to find one of the house staff getting an early start on their morning cleaning, but the hallway was surprisingly empty.

Another thud echoed down the hall, this time louder than before. It sounded as if it were coming from around the corner in the direction of the living room.

"Hello?" I softly called out into the dark. There was no response. I leaned over and flipped the light switch next to me, instantly filling the dark hall with bright, warm light. It was embarrassing how relieved I was to see no one standing at the end of the hall. For God's sake, I'm not a child anymore. I can't be afraid of the dark and call myself an adult, I thought as I chuckled at my own childish behavior. Buildings make random noises all of the time; it didn't mean there was a monster waiting for me in the shadows.

My curiosity led me further down the hall and towards the living room, hoping to find the origin of the noise. Just as I was reaching the bend, another thud resonated through the hallway, only this time it was loud enough to cause the floor to shake. I sighed at my own jumpiness and continued forward. By the time I reached the entrance to the living room, I had a fully prepared speech ready for whoever decided it was a good idea to start cleaning at 3 AM, but when I entered the dimly-lit space, it was also empty. I frowned with unease and stood there for a few seconds, dumbfounded by the strange noise. That's weird, I thought with a shrug.

By now I didn't feel the least bit tired, and my stomach was angrily rumbling with hunger, so I strolled into the kitchen and made a PB&J sandwich. I returned the bread and peanut butter to the pantry and walked over to the counter to retrieve my sandwich, but it was no longer on my plate. With an exasperated sigh, I once again gathered all of the ingredients and made another sandwich. Again, after stepping out of the pantry, my sandwich was missing from the counter.

"Damn it," I grumbled irritably as I stomped back into the pantry.

This happened over and over again until finally, there was no more bread or peanut butter left. With my jaw tightly clenched, I threw the butter knife into the sink and pressed my chef's call button on the wall next to the refrigerator. I listened to the rings, counting them in my head as it seemed to go on forever, until finally, the ringing stopped and was replaced with raspy breaths.

"Hello? Mindy?" I asked into the speaker, now feeling concerned. The other end became completely silent.

Then I heard a faint, single croak, like that of person preparing to die. "The fear of death follows from the fear of life," whispered an unfamiliar, elderly man.

"Who is this?" I demanded. Another raspy breath followed.

"A man who lives fully," he answered slowly, taking his time, "is prepared to die at any time." When he finished, I heard the soft click of a phone being put down, and then silence.

Well that was fucking weird, I thought as I found myself standing by the glass wall in the living room.

I was staring through the window and into the familiar – yet somehow different – city before me. In the distance I noticed several buildings were blazing with bright, terrible fire, and when I looked up, there were planets in the sky I had never noticed before, along with strange space crafts that resembled jet skis. After yawning and rubbing my eyes, the city returned to normal.

With a shrug and shake of my head, I turned away and began heading back to my bedroom. The longer I walked, the stranger my home appeared to me. The hallway became darker and wider until eventually I was left standing in a pitch-black abyss. My hands were no longer visible as I held them out in front of me, attempting to find the walls to guide me along. No matter how far or in which direction I walked, my hands never made contact with anything.

I began crawling on the floor, reaching desperately for anything to grab onto but there was nothing. The floor slowly began to slope downwards until it suddenly turned into a ninety-degree slide, and then I was falling into a pit of nothingness, screaming hysterically.

When I finally landed, I was lying on a soft, familiar bed in a metal room with bluish-white light. I rolled my head over to the side and saw Ronan lying next to me, propped up on his elbow facing me. His eyes wrinkled slightly in the corners as his lips curved into a soft, proud smile.

"I wish this was real," I whispered sadly, leaning in closer.

He rolled onto his back, pulling me on top of him as he did so. His hands, which felt so real, gripped onto the sides of my thighs, rocking me ever so slowly against his bare torso. I couldn't help but moan with pleasure at the friction, eliciting a satisfied groan from Ronan, a sound I missed to much. When I felt a cold chill sweep across my skin, I opened my eyes and discovered I was no longer wearing any clothes. Ronan's smile deepened as that possessive look in his eyes returned, and with an equally devilish look, I straddled his waist. There was no foreplay or kissing of any kind. No affectionate words or longing gazes. He was inside of me before I could even bat an eyelash, and I loved every single, deep thrust he gave to me. His hands possessed me in every way possible. They were everywhere, on and in everything. We were a perfectly orchestrated mess of lust and madness. I matched his ruthless pace and pushed myself harder down onto him with a strength that would break a human man. He responded with a delicious grunt and grabbed my hips, holding me in the air so I rested just above his tip. With his knees bent, he began thrusting upwards into me at a pace I had not been anticipating, but loved so very much. The new angle hit my spot perfectly, and at Ronan's steady, fast rate, I began regularly coming. I had just finished my sixth orgasm when I heard a male sigh next to me.

I lazily glanced to my left and instantly groaned with irritation. "Well this is interesting," Loki jeered, looking between me and Ronan. "A Kree? Really?" He said, looking appalled.

"Go away," I complained, even as Ronan continued thrusting into me. I closed my eyes, trying to make Loki disappear.

"Oh, I'm not leaving; quite the opposite actually," he said. His amused tone was tainted with sly intent.

"This – is – my – dream," I growled between moans. Loki nodded at the bed and I followed his gaze with confusion, screaming when I saw he had replaced Ronan with himself, never breaking his rough, steady pace. I fell backwards off of him out of shock, feeling disgusted with myself.

It's just a dream.

When I climbed off of the bed, I found myself standing in the Dark Aster, and in front of me was Ronan, scowling at me with absolute loathing. I reached out to smooth the angry lines on his face, but he stopped me by seizing my hand with ferocious intensity. Before I could ask what he was doing, I felt the familiar snap of my pinky finger breaking under the pressure of his hand. As I fell to the floor crying, I noticed Loki standing behind Ronan, watching the two of us curiously.

This isn't a dream. This is a memory...

When I blinked, I found myself being choked by Ronan whose eyes were now shining brightly with the infinity stone's power. In the background, I saw fragments of a destroyed planet through the Dark Aster's large window. Xandar. As he sent me flying backwards in the air, I once again noticed Loki standing to the side watching the scene as if it were a movie he didn't particularly care for. When I held my blood-covered hand in front of my face, Loki's expression of dislike soured even further.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I asked Ronan. This time I remained conscious to hear his response.

"Because I do not tolerate weakness..."

With heavy eyes I watched him swing his hammer down onto my head, sending me to yet another place where I did not want to go.

This time my head was underwater, and my sinuses were burning like hell. Not again. This feels too real. When Ronan pulled me up by my hair, Loki was standing on the opposite side of the tub, watching with a disturbed frown.

"Go away," I cried before my face hit the water again.

I was now standing in the middle of my worst nightmare.

The white room.

I was bound, bleeding, and aching all over with horrible pain.

Across from me stood Loki, who was looking around the room with obvious unease and curiosity.

"Please! Wake up!" I cried hysterically, pulling at the restraints. Loki glanced sideways at me as he inspected Mac-Varr's wall of torturous instruments, but remained silent. When the door began inching open, I started screaming as loudly as possible, trying desperately to wake myself out of this terrible dream.

Loki's head jerked towards the door. His eyes became cool and narrow as Mac-Varr appeared from the shadows. From his waist he unsheathed one of his favorite weapons – his "peeling" knife as he called it – and smiled at me like he always did before he tortured me. I could hear myself screaming NO over and over again, but it felt as if I weren't making any noise at all. Mac-Varr was deaf to my pleas. When I looked up at my bound wrists, I felt myself involuntarily gag: I was looking at my horribly disfigured hand before it had been removed.

Oh my God. I don't remember seeing this. I don't want to remember this!

My gaze snapped back down when I felt Mac-Varr, who was now standing directly in front of me, attempting to steady my squirming hips for him. Loki, who had been watching closely the entire time, now looked away as if he were going to be ill. Just as I felt Mac-Varr begin to press into my flesh, Loki growled and rotated the scepter in his hand, causing the memory to fade into absolute darkness.

The sudden sensation of falling backwards jolted me awake with a startled gasp. My pillow and sheets were soaked from sweat and tears, and my hair was sticking grossly to my cold, clammy skin.

It was just a dream, I thought as I rolled off of the bed and onto the feather-covered floor. I crawled to the bathroom, too weak to stand on my own, and scurried to the toilet where I began retching with unexpected intensity. I lost count of how many times I was sick, but with each disgusting purge, I felt cleaner and lighter – as if I were cleansing my body of a horrible poison – and by the time I was finished, I felt relatively normal. Mentally though, I was a wreck. I glanced at the clock on the wall which now read 8:00 AM and sighed with fatigue. There was no way in hell I was going back to sleep after what happened. Knowing I should probably eat, I decided to go to the kitchen and ask Mindy to prepare pancakes. As I made my way through the halls, I frowned with confusion at the absence of my house staff. Much to my frustration, the kitchen was completely empty. Normally Mindy and her team would already be preparing for tonight's dinner.

I walked over to staff's intercom to wake everyone up and felt myself hesitate as I looked at the small black button. It was just a dream, damn it. When I pushed the button and heard Vernon's voice on the other end, I sighed with relief and immediately ordered him to wake the remaining staff.

"Yes… of course, Silvia," he slowly replied, sounding confused. I sat down at the kitchen bar and frowned with disbelief. Has everyone lost their fucking mind?

When Mindy arrived five minutes later, she appeared tired and disheveled as if she were hungover.

"Late night?" I asked, watching her as she hustled around the kitchen.

She looked over at me and smiled with dark circles under her eyes. "Yes," she said, already pulling out the ingredients for pancakes. "I wasn't expecting to be up this early."

I couldn't help but wrinkle my brow at her comment. "You're usually up hours before this."

"Yes, usually," she said quietly, making me frown.

I heard heavy footsteps approach me from behind. "Good morning, Silvia," Vernon announced in his kind, deep voice. I looked over my shoulder and smiled, though I was slightly annoyed by his poor management of the staff.

There was also the fact that he was the last person I spoke to before I lost my memory. I couldn't help but imagine he was somehow responsible for what happened to me. There was something definitely off about him.

"Good morning, Vernon," I politely replied. "I was surprised to find myself alone this morning. I expected everyone to already be awake."

He casually strolled over to my side and smiled down at me. "Yes, well… the staff decided to have a night on the town after you ordered them to come in late today. I see you've changed your mind," he said, narrowing his eyes ever so slightly.

I did what? Why…?

I looked down at the counter and frowned. "Y-yes… I did," I said, caught off guard. "I just… really wanted pancakes when I got out of bed this morning," I lied with an uneasy smile. Mindy, who was in the middle of cooking, glanced at me curiously like she always did when she knew I wasn't being honest.

"Are you feeling well, Silvia?" Vernon asked with quiet concern. I cleared my throat and reached for one of the oranges in the fruit bowl before me, hoping he would just drop the subject.

"Yes, of course," I replied. But I have no idea what is going on.

"Wha – how?" Vernon demanded, his voice loud with shock and disbelief. Both Mindy and I turned to face Vernon at his sudden change of tone. When I followed his wide, surprised eyes, I found he was staring directly at my hand – the fake one.

I stood up out of suspicion and glanced at Mindy, who continued cooking pancakes with an awkward, uncomfortable expression. I returned my gaze to Vernon, who appeared obviously disturbed by my hand.

He's never seen my hands without the gloves. He shouldn't know what they look like underneath, so why is he getting so upset over a visibly-normal hand? Does he know what happened to my real hand? Is he one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s spies?

"I will be right back," he suddenly muttered before turning on his heel. He was gone before I could question his odd behavior.

My stomach tightened with worry as my gut-feeling proved to be correct: Vernon is hiding something. With a perturbed scowl, I quietly sprinted after him down the hallway, determined to figure out his secret. By the time we reached the opposite side of the house, I came to the conclusion that Vernon was definitely not human – or at least, not a normal human – because his walk was faster than a normal person's jogging pace.

I carefully peered around the corner of the hallway and watched with confusion as he entered his bedroom. I was expecting him to take the elevator down to the lobby, where he would make a call to S.H.I.E.L.D. or whoever the hell he worked for, because it was impossible to receive cell phone service within this part of the house. It was designed to reject all forms of outside electronics as a way of protecting the home's security system from viruses and malicious software. If Vernon was hiding any sort of communication device, Karen would have detected it and alerted me right away. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. After a minute of uneventfulness, I sighed with disappointment at my own paranoia and turned to leave… but then I heard something. From within Vernon's room, came hushed, angry voices.

Who could he possibly be talking to?

My heart rate nearly doubled as I quietly inched my way to the door. There was definitely someone else inside there with him, but the voice I was hearing could only belong to one other person and that wasn't possible. I slowly pressed my ear against the door to hear the heated conversation more clearly.

"I have seen it with my own eyes," I heard Vernon say in a low voice.

"There must be a mistake. This cannot be."

Ronan.

A sudden, instinctual urge took over my body as I heard his powerful, deep voice. Before I could stop myself, my hands were prying open Vernon's door – breaking it off in the process – and I marched inside, filled with a wide array of emotions. There in the middle of the room, stood a holographic, life-size version of the man I loved. Ronan.

My view of him was suddenly interrupted as Vernon came to stand in front of me, yelling something about invasion of privacy and impoliteness, and who the fuck cares? Without even looking at him, I grabbed ahold of his arms and slung him through the air into the hallway, sending him crashing into the wall with a painful-sounding thud. I quickly shoved the broken door back into place to prevent him from re-entering; though, judging from the sounds he was making, he wouldn't be standing up anytime soon. I took a few seconds to recollect my composure before turning around.

When I finally did, I was looking up into a face I knew far too well. There were so many things I wanted to do to him, and a few of those things were unpleasant to say the least.

"Silvia," he said in that familiar warning tone.

"Don't," I snapped angrily. He tilted his head down at me with impatience.

"He is our ally. Do not cause him any more harm," he said in a cool voice.

"You've been able to communicate with me this whole time. Am I not important enough for a fucking phone call?" I said, shaking my head with disbelief. "And Vernon... you send a man into my own house to spy on me. Will you ever stop keeping things from me?"

"What I am doing is protecting you," he replied irritably. I couldn't help but laugh with resentment.

"From who? Thanos?" I asked, causing his eyes to widen. "Yeah. I met him."

His face became wrinkled with concern. "Silvia, how did you contact Thanos?" In his eyes, I could detect the tiniest bit of fear.

"I think it was Loki's scepter – oh yeah, I met him too," I said as Ronan's frown deepened. "I grabbed the scepter, and then I was standing on some rock in the middle of space," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "He told me exactly how he was going to kill me… and you…" I mumbled, trailing off as I recalled the horrific details. "You can't protect me, Ronan. He's a demon," I whispered.

I heard Ronan growl quietly, causing me to look at him again. "Silvia. You are not safe on Terra –"

"I'm not safe anywhere," I groaned, throwing my hands up into the air.

"Listen to me!" He shouted angrily, making me cringe. "You must do as I say – "

"Why?" I asked. Ronan's bright, purple eyes darkened slightly. As he remained silent, I held out my hands in front of me, feeling a strange power flow through them.

"What happened to your hands, Silvia?" He slowly asked as I stared at my hands in awe. I could hear the strength flowing through them – flowing throughout my body – but this power felt natural, unlike all those times before.

"I don't know," I answered honestly. I heard him sigh angrily. "Maybe if you didn't drop me off here like some unwanted pet you would know," I spat, looking back up.

"Every action I have chosen thus far has been to protect you," he replied with equal intensity.

"And what a marvelous job you've done! Kidnapped, raped, tortured, mutilated… and that's not even counting what you've done to me. You know… my life was fine before I met you!" I shouted with unforeseen animosity.

There was so much anger inside of me and I had no idea where it was coming from. It began boiling deep within my chest and crawling out of my throat, forcing me to say things I regretted before they even passed my lips.

"You are not well," Ronan said with an uneasy expression. "Listen to me, Silvia."

I wish he wouldn't look at me like that. Like I'm some kind of freak.

"You're wrong - I've never felt better. And I'm done listening to you. All you do is hide things from me," I replied in a hateful tone.

I took a step forward. "Goodbye, Ronan," I quietly announced, causing his eyes to flicker with confusion. The conversation came to an end as my foot crushed the small device to pieces.

Ronan remained still, but his fists were clenched tightly by his sides, slightly shaking with a rage he had not felt in some time.

"Korath, prepare my ship," Ronan ordered quietly.

You're a damn fool, Silvia.

Author's note: Hey everyone! Yes, I am still alive :) Sorry... I had a tonsillectomy and that pushed me back a few weeks. I apologize for the delay! :( I've been working on my novel... which is turning out to be quite complex. I hope you enjoyed the update! I know it was probably confusing in some parts... like when Silvia was dreaming and she didn't realize it at first. It's weird how when we dream... the most bizarre occurrences seem so normal - like burning buildings and stolen sandwiches. Feel free to interpret that in any way you want. I already know, but I enjoy hearing readers' thoughts :)

I would also love to hear your opinion about what happened between Loki and Silvia. Any guesses? Hearing voices inside your head is never good! I'm sure some of you are happy to learn that Ronan is coming to Terra... but... after Silvia's outburst, who knows how that reunion is going to go? Yikes. Honestly, I'm kind of afraid for Silvia - and Ronan. Well, and Loki... that little puppet master! He sure knows how to play people. Thanks again for all the readers who have reviewed/PM'd me! I promise I have not abandoned you. Life just keeps me busy :)

P.S. feel free to add me on Instagram (shlbrown_writer). Maybe that will stop a few people from messaging me, asking me if I'm OK. Haha ;) Love you guys.