So it's me, the Ghost again. Well I am not 100% happy with the chapter, but that's because I am still struggling with writing the Avengers. But yeah I hope I will get there.
And I had hope to write more then one chapter today, but then I got a fever so it will only be one, but hey at least I managed to write the longest chapter so far. Yeah.
So I hope you enjoy it :)
Thor was watching Cara to see if she was okay. He was worried about her, he wasn't sure why, maybe because she used up a lot of magic and energy. He knew that regaining energy could take a while for magician, and he didn't want her to collapse too, not if they should be able to help Loki. He also knew that she was in a lot of pain, both physical and mentally, she had told him and Frigga that she had gone through something similar, and Thor could only guess, but he thought that it may affect her seeing Loki like this. But he was mostly worried about what the others could do, and what she may do, if they did something. Thor wasn't sure about what she was capable off, not fully at least, and he didn't want to know either. Because he knew that someone would get hurt if he saw what she could do.
"Fine, I start," Tony said after a few minutes. Cara had said that they could ask questions, and if no one else started he would. "Who the hell are you?"
Cara who had closed her eyes opened them for a short time to look at him.
"To make a very long story short, my name is Cara, I am a magician who travels around different worlds," she started. "I meet Loki a few years ago when I visited Asgard for the first time. We become friends who fell in love. And then…well then I thought he died."
She could tell that they all was staring at her.
"You loved him?" Clint said, and she could hear how disgust he was.
"Still do," she just answered.
"Wait? What? How?" Steve was puzzled and Cara sighed.
"How? Well I would say that it's because I see or saw a man no one else saw. I could understand him on another level. This was before he tried to kill Thor and the frost giants, which I do not blame him for."
"You love him after all he did?" Clint said sounding as he thought that she had lost it.
"I wasn't here when he did most of the things, and even if I was, I am not the right person to judge him. I have things all of you would disapprove off. Not trying to take over a planet, but still. And I do not blame him, especially not when I don't have the whole story." Cara closed her eyes again, feeling no need to look at any of the others.
"You are crazy, loving a murderer," Tony said.
"I have heard that love is blind. And it's not like I am asking for your approval. And I can bet that all of you have killed people on your mission. People who are fighting for the other side, so does that mean that you don't deserve love?"
"We don't kill innocent!" Tony said in a firm voice.
"But you have still killed people! Even if the ones you kill aren't innocent, you still ended them. If they had a family, or if they had their reasons for doing what they did, do they still deserves to die? You only see the evil in front of you, not the person behind it or the reasons," Cara said. "But I won't judge you, you like everyone else does what you think is for the best. And I don't ask anyone of you to understand it, especially not when it comes to Loki, something his own family couldn't do."
Cara gave Thor an glance, and he looked away. He knew that she was right, no one of them had understood Loki, but his mother had tried at least, while Thor had been blind to it all. Thor couldn't forgive Loki for his actions, but maybe if he had been a better brother it would never have happened. The others was looking at them in silence, not sure what to say.
"What happened to him?" Natasha asked after a moment of silence. Cara new that was what they really wanted to know.
"We don't really know. I found him like that and I rather not think about it," Thor said.
"You don't know?" Tony said. "How can you not know?"
"Father forbade everyone from seeing him," Thor informed them.
"So how did you find out?" Clint asked.
"Well me mother used some magic, because he is my brother, I had to seem him."
"Look at you big guy, breaking daddy's rules," Tony said in a lighter voice. "And you? Did you also break the rules?"
"I am not bound by those rules, but yes I did. Thor contacted me, told me what happened and I helped him save Loki."
"Just like that?" Clint said. "Sounds to simple."
"Nothing about this is simple. Freeing Loki from his cell, was the easiest part, freeing him from everything else won't be," Cara sighed, she knew that Loki had a long journey in front of him.
"Why do we even want to free him. Like this he isn't a threat," Clint said.
"If you was where he is, wouldn't you want to be free? Or would you prefer for your friends to leave you there?" She asked.
"No, but I am not an monster," Clint glared at her.
"Depends on who you are asking. I could call your monster for saying those words," she just answered and stood up, she needed something to drink.
When she entered the kitchen she heard how the others spoke to each other and Thor, clearly upset. Cara could understand why. They had showed up with an enemy at their house and forced them to take him in. But she also know that they hadn't any other place to go. For a second she thought about ignoring Frigga's wish and take Loki to another world, returning to Gotham, but she couldn't. She knew that if it was her child she didn't wish for someone to take him away to a place she couldn't visit.
Cara took one of the glasses from the shelf and filled it with water when she heard steps behind her.
"You have something else you are wondering Captain?" She said without looking at the man.
"Will he be okay?" He asked and Cara almost dropped the glass, surprised by how concerned Steve sounded.
"I don't know. It depends on what they have done to him, and how much they have broken him," she said in a low voice. "It's all up to him, I can only try to help him."
"He may be an enemy, but I have never liked torture, not on anyone," Steve said and she turned around and nodded.
"It's an awful way to treat someone."
"You been though it?" He asked and she nodded again.
"More times then I wish to think off. But I have always had people there to help me. In the past Loki was one of them," she confessed and Steve seemed to understand. "The first time was worst for me, and how awful it may sound, it gets easier after awhile."
"I had some friends in the army who went through it, they never become themselves again," she could hear the anger in sorrow in the man's voice.
"That's always a risk. But I am not going to give up on him. No matter what you and the others say," she said and took another sip of the water.
"I may hate him for what he have done, but he should be grateful for having a friend like you," Steve said and she smiled.
"He may be when he becomes himself again, or rather if he becomes himself again," she putted down the glass and walked out to the others who had quiet down.
"He can stay," Tony told her when she walked over to them and she gave him a suspicious glance. "Only because Thor threatened to destroy the building otherwise."
"I see," she said with a smile. "Threaten your friends, may not be the way to go here Thor."
"They threatened my brother first!" Thor answered and she laughed a warm laugh and the others looked surprise at her.
"Well they had their reasons. And it's lovely to see that you are sticking up for your brother, don't make your friends your enemy," Cara said and looked at Thor who just shrugged his shoulders. "But I am grateful that you are letting him stay, even if it's under threat. And I promise to stop him if he tries anything, like taking over the planet again."
"Good luck with that," Clint said and Cara just shacked her head.
"I bid your good night," she said and left the room, to go to one near Loki's.
"This is madness, letting him stay," Clint said when they all had gathered down in Tony's lab, well all except Thor and Cara.
"Then what do you want us to do Bird Man? Fight Thor and the crazy witch?" Tony said from where he was laying on the floor. The others went silent, they knew that fighting Thor was a bad idea, sure if he was alone they could take him, but with the woman helping him they wasn't so sure.
"What will we tell Banner when he gets home?" Natasha said.
"The truth. Maybe he can throw him out," Clint said. They all knew that Clint was mad about what happened the last time he meet Loki, being put under his spell and forced to do things he didn't want to.
"Maybe," Tony said.
"We aren't throwing him out," Steve finally said.
"What?" the others asked, surprised by his answer.
"Have you lost it?" Clint said.
"Trust me I don't like Loki more than any of you do, but it seems like he is the victim here. And if there was anyone else you wouldn't throw him out," Steve said.
"No because anyone else wouldn't be a crazy, power hungry villain," Tony bit back.
"He has been through what looks like really bad torture. Did you guys even see him? He was afraid of things we said! Right now he isn't a threat," Steve said.
"She enchanted you," Clint almost shouted. "She must have! Don't you see that it's a trick? They want to kill us!"
"She did not enchant me! And Thor would never want to kill us, he wouldn't even bring Loki here if he thought Loki would kill us. Thor is our friend," Steve tried to reason with them.
"Not sure that he would be, if we stepped between him and his brother," Natasha said and the other went silent. They came to understand that there was a risk that Thor would turn on them if they tried to hurt Loki, one they didn't wish to think of, far from pleased to be forced to fight a friend.
"We can't do anything about the situation anyway, not right now. So let's try to get some sleep, and talk more about it in the morning," Steve almost ordered them.
"Sleep, when he is in the house?" Clint said and Tony laughed.
"I am sure Natasha will protect you if you are scared."
"Very funny," Clint answered and throw a pillow in Tony's face.
"Of to bed!" Steve said.
"Yes Mom," Tony and Clint answered and they all emptied the lab.
When Steve and Natasha got up in the morning, always waking earlier than the others, they soon found out that they weren't the only ones awake. When they walked into the kitchen they saw Cara standing there preparing breakfast, not only for Loki but for all of them.
"Good morning," Steve said and she turned around and smiled.
"Morning," she replayed. "There is coffee and tea over there and food on the table."
She pointed towards the counter on her left, and then the table and the two Avengers looked in the direction and saw the food. There was more breakfast then there normally was, and better than the crap Tony often bought, there was freshly baked bread and freshly made juice, different types of eggs, oatmeal, meat, fruits and vegetables, there were even cookies.
"Where did you get all this?" Steve said a bit puzzled, kind of sure that there hadn't been that much food in the fridge.
"I went shopping. Loki needs real and good food to get his strength back, and your fridges didn't have much to offer for breakfast," she said easily. "And I thought you guys may want some too, so I just did a little extra."
"A little?" Natasha said and Cara smiled.
"A lot if it feels better. I know that Thor eats more than a normal human and I guess some of you aren't any different," she said and started making pancakes.
"How long have you been up?" Steve wondered, thinking that making all this must have taken a long time.
"A few hours. Didn't get much sleep, and since I couldn't do some of the other things I normally do when I can't sleep, I started cooking instead," Cara explained. "So just take if you want,"
The other two give each other a suspicious look, but then started to eat.
When Cara almost was done with plating everything for Loki on a tray, the other three had joined the table.
"This is the best pancakes I have ever eaten," Steve said and Cara smiled.
"Thank you. Glad you liked them," she answered before she took the tray and walked towards Loki's room.
She stopped in front of the door which Loki had closed and she smiled, at least he felt safe enough to be in a room with a closed door. She knocked gently on the door.
"Good Morning Loki, it's just me, Cara," she said in a calm voice. "I made your breakfast, didn't know what you wanted so I made you a little bit of everything."
She stopped for a short moment and try to hear if Loki had moved but she couldn't hear anything.
"I am not sure if you want to eat alone or if you want company. So I will wait out here for five minutes, and if you don't feel like opening the door I will leave the food here, and you can take it if you feel like it," she explained and started waiting.
When Loki hadn't open the door she had left the tray as she said she would, and then walked back to the kitchen, giving him the space he wanted.
The others looked at her when she got back.
"No luck?" Thor said and she shrugged her shoulders.
"Can't blame him for not opening. I left the food if he want it," she said and poured herself a cup of tea and sat down.
"But he must eat!" Thor was about to stand up when she stopped him.
"When he feels safe enough he will. It was just luck that I managed to get him eat yesterday, he was probably in shock and just did it without thinking." She said and Thor looked at her, but he didn't fully understand. "Right now I guess he waits to see if the food I gave him yesterday does anything to him, like drug him or poison him. He want to know that it's safe to eat the food."
"Why would he think you poisoned the food?" Thor asked.
"He may not think I did if he was sure that I wouldn't hurt him…"
"You would never hurt him!" Thor said and she give him an look that asked him to be quiet.
"You are right, but at this moment he don't know that. I am not even sure if he knows that it's me. He trusts no one, and he will not do in a long time. So there for I will not force him to eat if he doesn't feel safe," she explained. "Since it's very common to give prisoners false hope by giving them food and then hurt them."
"Why would anyone do this to him?" Thor asked.
"You have to ask your father about that," she answered and Thor fell silent, still having a hard time grasping the fact that his father may be behind it all, or at least knowing about some of it. He didn't wish to believe it.
The others had listen, trying to get more information about the situation. But they had been careful to stay out of the conversation, mostly because they had nothing to say. They still weren't happy about the situation, not at all. But at this moment they know that they couldn't do anything else then collect information.
"Thank you for the food," Steve said and Cara who had been staring into her teacup looked a bit puzzle at him for a short moment before she smiled.
"It was my pleasure," she only answered before she stood up and started to clean the table. She needed something to distract her from her own feelings and thoughts, she needed to stay focused for Loki's sake.
"Need any help?" Steve asked and she shook her head.
"I can manage. You guys go and do what you normally do," she said and went into the kitchen and looked around to where she would put everything.
"Do you need help with anything Lady Cara?" An unfamiliar voice said and Cara looked around but she didn't see anyone. "You can't see me. I am Jarvis, Mr. Starks AI. I exist in every room, in the air without being there."
"It's great to meet you Jarvis," she said with a smile.
"Likewise," he answered. "Can I assist you in anyway?"
"That would be very helpful," Cara answered and when Jarvis guided her through where to put all the dishes, find boxes to the food and the best way to clean Tony's kitchen, it went very well.
"I thank you for the help," Cara said.
"Pleasure was all mine," Jarvis answered.
Thor was pacing over the floor and the others was starting to get irritated when Cara walked in.
"I thought you all had better things to do then just sit around," she said with a smile. "Or is it that you don't dare to do anything afraid Loki will run out and kill you all?"
No one answered her and she just rolled her eyes, choosing not to say anything more about it.
"Thor, I think you irritate your friends," she said instead and the god of thunder stopped and looked at her and then his friends.
"Can't help it. I am worried about Loki," Thor said and Cara nodded.
"I can tell, but this won't help him, you, or anyone else," she said patently. "So why not do anything else?"
Thor gave her a look to see if she had any ideas.
"What about some sparring?" She suggested and the other looked at her.
"With Thor? Do you wish to get hurt?" Tony said.
"Why would I wish to get hurt?" She asked before she looked at Thor.
"Tony is right, I do not wish to hurt you, Loki would never forgive me if I did," Thor said and Cara sighed.
"I wouldn't suggested it if I couldn't handle it," Thor nodded a bit unsure. "So come one Thor, you know that I can handle myself."
Thor did know that, he remembered that she had fought without a problem in Jotunheim a few years ago.
"I accept," Thor said and she smiled.
"I need to see this," Tony commented and Cara smiled.
"If the simple fact of a sparring contest can amuse you, then all of you are welcome to come and look," she offered and most of them thought it was a good idea. "And if you are worried about Loki I am sure he won't go anywhere, and if he does I think Jarvis can tell you?"
"You are correct about that Lady Cara," Jarvis said and she smiled.
"See, everything will be fine," she said and the all nodded. "Give me a second to tell Loki and then you can show me to the training ground."
Cara walked slowly to Loki's door and smiled when she saw that the tray was gone.
"Loki," she said with a soft voice and knocked. "I am just letting you know that I am going to the training grounds with your brother a few floors down."
She waited for an answer but didn't get one so she continued.
"If you need anything, just press the orb and I will be right there," she said and then she walked away from the door and back to the others who waited for her.
"Are you going to sparring in that?" Tony said and looked at her. Cara looked down at her black trousers, the t-shirt and her heels, and then smiled at him.
"I am, you never know when you may need to fight, and at that moment you may not be dressed for it. There for it's better to be used to fight in whatever you are wearing."
"Waste of clothes."
"You can always get new clothes, you can't get a new life," she said when they took the ride down in the elevator.
Cara looked around, it was a typical training area, and she stepped out, waiting for Thor.
"Do you want to have any rules?" She asked Thor and he thought.
"No weapons?"
"At least not Mjolner, because then I know I will lose," that made Thor laugh.
"And my brother will hate me forever for hurting you," Thor said.
"But we can work without weapons, was a long time since I did," she said and felt the floor under her feet, it would be hard to move around in the heels, but she had done it before, the first time without choice.
"How hurt will you be when I hit you?" Thor asked.
"If you hit me," Cara corrected him.
"If," Thor said.
"I am not sure. But I heal pretty fast, so hopefully not too bad. But if I do get hurt, I have learned another lesson," she juts said.
The other sat at the side and watched them in fascination. They had all thought that Thor would own the match, without a problem, but they had been wrong. Thor was without a doubt the stronger one, but he was almost ridicules slow compared to Cara, and he had a hard time following. She avoided him for the most time with ease, and they were impressed. She was agile enough to jump around in the high heels, even kicking in them.
Thor was also impressed, at first at least, then he got frustrated, it was just like fighting his brother. He was also fast and agile, and for the most time he could avoid him, just like Cara did, which made him angry. Thor preferred to fight head on, just hitting each other until someone felt, he rarely ever dodge a hit, but he could also take it.
Cara saw the blow coming towards her and she jumped out of the way, making Thor lose his balance. When he stumbled forward Cara turned around on her right foot, hitting Thor with a hard kick with her left leg. Thor who already was out of balance felt down on his face, which made the other laugh. Thor mumbled some angry Norse curses and rubbed his nose before he turned around and joined in on the laughing.
"Well done friend Cara," Thor said when he stood on his feet again. "You must had a great teacher?"
"I had several great teachers," she said thinking briefly on the ones teaching her. "And you fought well too."
"Beaten by a girl big guy," Tony said with a smile.
"What do you say? Today wasn't my day," Thor said with a smile. He wasn't unused to losing to a girl, he and Sif often fought and he wasn't always the winner.
Steve handled Cara some water and she nodded as a thanks before she started drinking.
"Thank you for beating him. I am going to remember this for the longest time," Tony said happily and Cara raised an eyebrow.
"I can take you on too."
"I don't do that kind of thing. It would hurt my good looks," Tony said and Cara was just about to answer when she felt a signal from the orb she had given Loki."What good looks?" She said sarcastically before she dodge the towel Tony threw after her as the other laughed. "But Loki did call on me, so I will now leave you to your own."
Thor stepped forward but she raised a hand.
"I will go alone Thor. We don't want to him to think that we are going to attack him," she said with a smile and stepped into the elevator and the smiled disappeared.
"Worried Lady Cara?" Jarvis asked and she nodded.
"Please take me to the floor Loki is on," the elevator started moving, and she tried not to be worried to why he called for her.