Chapter 6

Valerie hung up her phone before dropping it on the table beside the couch she'd been using as a bed. He father had returned to town with Thor and the two men were going out for a drink after dropping off her rental car. She was relieved everything had worked out but a number of other feelings still swirled in her mind.

Her conversation with the self claimed Thunder God being the main cause of this. More then ever she was confused by everything happening to and around her. She was angry, scared, hurt. Hell, she was even kind of excited about where everything would lead.

As she tried to sort through the her jumbled brain she could hear Darcy's laptop playing some unknown movie and the girl's soft snoring. Jane had retired to her camper about an hour ago and Valerie thought she'd be happy with the solitude but the more she tired to sort out her feelings the more alone she was beginning to feel. She decided to block out the sounds of the movie from the next room and ignore everything else to try and sleep.

Valerie pulled her thin blanket further up her shoulders and kicked the bottom edge around her bare legs to try and cover herself before settling in. She rested on her back, counting the cracks in the plaster ceiling for a time but it began to frustrate her each time she found a new offender.

She turned to her side, pressing her back against the couch back and stared out through the open door into the next room. This worked for a time and sleep was starting to pull her in but then each time a car drove past and it's lights lit up the empty room her mind began to race again and she had trouble shutting it back off.

In a huff she rolled onto her other side, stuffing her face between the pillow and cushions to block out the light. It worked to block out the light but now the sounds of Darcy's movie seemed to scream at her from the next room. The teen comedy almost mocking her frustration and making it worse.

With a growl she tossed the blanket onto the floor and stood. Valerie took a moment to straighten her tank top and pulled on a pair of yoga pants before stomping into Darcy's room. The college student was out cold. Valerie bit at the inside of her lip. She didn't want to disturb Darcy but she had to remove her current torment or she'd never be able to sleep. With more force then needed she slammed the device closed and cringed at the force and unmistakable sound of glass splitting. She eyed the teen carefully but Darcy hadn't even flinched.

Valerie went to turn and leave when a thought sudden occurred to her. Darcy's tech had been confiscated by the government with the rest of the Lab's equipment so where did she get the laptop?

Carefully the fighter slide it off the other girl's lap, she used one hand to balance the device while forcing it back open with the other. The log in screen flickered a few times before going dark but it had stayed long enough to recognize her log in screen and background. She had lent the device to Jane a few days back and the government goons must have forgot to search her trailer.

Valerie growled. She had destroyed her own laptop. There was nothing important on it and she could easily afford another but her anger boiled at yet another thing going wrong. No matter how small the matter was. She could feel her hands shaking as her vision went red. She gripped its edge in one hand and stormed out of the room, using her free hand to push past any doors that stood in her way.

Leaving the lab she intended to toss the broken device in the dumpster behind the neighboring building but it's smooth surface slipped from her fingers and onto the sand beside her. Valerie roared at the silver rectangle. Oh, how it mocked her.

In a single, swift motion she collected it from the sand and smashed its smooth surface over her knee. Sand and tiny bits of electronics rained from the two halves of the silver shell. A growl escaped between her white teeth as she chucked the two pieces out into the desert.

She stared out towards where they landed. Now unable to see it in the darkest. She panted heavily as tears of frustration gathered in the corner of her eyes. She trembled with pent up anger, fists shaking at her sides. After a long moment of echoing silence she roared out into the darkness before sinking to her knees in the sand.

What the hell was wrong with her?

Everything...

At this moment she could find nothing right. She lost everything except her Father and even lately she felt like she was being a failure to him. He was here in his element, science and technology. Things she knew little about it. What good was she when all she could do was hit things?

A cold wind began to whisper out of the desert. It stung at the water gathered on her cheeks. Valerie choked back a sob as she wiped her hands against her thighs to clean the dirt from her hands before using the backs of her hands to clear her face. She took in a few slow, jagged breaths to calm herself before cleaning her face for a second time.

The cold wind picked up, blowing her blonde hair around her shoulders. With a sigh and a shiver she wrapped her arms around herself. She needed to take her pity party inside before she froze. She pulled herself up and turned back to the lab when something on the wind caught her ear. A soft ring, like a bell. Then another, and another. Each tone different from the last. A song?

She turned to face the darkness once again. She wasn't imaging it. It was there, soft and almost warm on the breeze. Her heart clenched in her chest, telling her to follow it. Valerie thought the better of it for a moment but she always believed in trusting her instincts, why stop now? She took a slow step forward. Her bare feet meeting the cold sand one step at a time.

With each step she seemed to gain speed. The wind around her doing the same and the music growing in volume. There was something familiar about the tune. Something comforting, soothing like a lullaby. Wait... she knew that song! It was her song! The song from her music box.

She stumbled as she broke out into a jog to faster find the source of the music. Sand ripped around her face, forcing her to use her hands and arms to shield herself. Slowly, there ahead of her was a soft green light. The sand broke its form and her stung her eyes but she pushed on. Wanting...no, needing to get to the light.

Suddenly her foot met with an unknown object and she tripped, her right hip and shoulder hitting the ground hard. In that second everything around her seemed to stop. The cold, the wind, the sand.

Valerie could feel the hard ridges of the ground beneath her. She pushed herself onto her hands and knees, running her eyes and fingers over the detailed markings in the sand. Pushing herself to stand she watched the perfect wall of sand spin around the intricate pattern, creating a wall in a circle around her. She spun on the spot, listening to her lullaby as she watched the sand dance around her. She stopped to face the section of the wall nearest to her. She reached out to touch it, feeling it's cold sting against her fingers.

"I'd be careful if I were you." Valerie jumped at the smooth voice behind her. She raised her fists as she turned.

Standing in the exact centre of the ring of sand was a tall, lanky man. He wore strange clothing she didn't recognize in blacks, golds and deep greens. His dark hair was slicked back from his pale face, showing off his narrow jaw, sharpe cheekbones and a set of murky green eyes which were locked on a small object in his hands. "If you get sucked back into the storm you may never find your way back." His voice was as calm as his posture. His relaxed state causing Valerie to lower her fists back to her sides.

"We wouldn't want that." She mumbled back, unsure or what to make of the encounter.

His eyes glanced up to meet hers for the first time. Sharp and deep. He held a relaxed air of power about him but he smiled fondly. "No." He agreed. "We wouldn't." His eyes slid back to the object in his hands and Valerie found her gaze following his. It was a music box, not unlike her own.

Valerie took a tentative step forward. When the man made no move other then to continue to turn to small crank on the box she took another. Slowly she made her way before him. She focused on the familiar tune and his long, pale fingers for a moment before looking back to his face. "Who are you?" She whispered. Curious but feeling strangely relaxed for the first time in weeks.

There was silence between the two for a long moment as they both focused on the melody. The stranger slowly brought the song to an end as he extended the box to her. She glanced at his face once again to watch for any signs of a threat but when she found none she gently took it from him. He took her warm hands in his cold ones and forced her to continue the action he had ended. The melody started once again and as the stranger looked up she met his gaze but didn't stop the tune. When the song started over he began to sing in a slow, soft tone in a language she didn't understand. Once the music box had completed another full cycle he removed his hands from hers and the tune stopped. "It's an old Asgardian folk song." He began. Eyes soft with what she could only call affection. "It tells of a lost princess, beloved by her people, beating great odds and facing many trials to find her way home to those who love her." Valerie went to speak but he spoke again before she could respond. "My Mother used to sing it to my brother and I as children. I have no doubt she would have sang it to her Granddaughter as well."

Their hands fell apart as he stepped back, the music box once again in his hands. "Who are you?" She asked again, louder this time.

With a gentle wave of his hand and a low flash of green the music box was gone. Valerie gasped at the action but he paid it no mind as he rolled his shoulders, clasping his hands behind his back as he did so in order to stand tall before her. "I am Loki, of Asgard."

At his words Valerie forgot about his slight display of magic only seconds before and snorted. "Oh yeah?" She snarked. "And I'm the tooth fairy!" She have a brief laugh of disbelief and threw her hands out in a quick motion of 'whatever' before resting them on her hips. "Did Thor put you up to this? Is this some elaborate prank or something because I'm not biting!"

Loki grinned in amusement. "I assure you this is no 'prank'. And you're far to young to be the 'Tooth Fairy' as the mortals call her. That woman's obsession with jaw bones in hardly becoming of a woman of your class." He took another step back and light consumed him for a moment before fading to reveal intricate armour of gold over his outfit, complete with a large helmet with long, curled horns.

Valerie's jaw went slack at his words. "The Tooth Fairy is real?"

"I tell you I'm a God and preform magic before your very eyes and you still babble on about that useless fairy?" He scolded playfully with a cocked eyebrow. He took a step towards her, holding out a pale hand. "Come."

Valerie narrowed her eyes and took a step back. "Why should I trust you?"

His grin grew almost wicked as her looked into her eyes. "Because I'm the only one how knows who you really are."

Valerie felt her eyes grow wide. Unsure if she could trust him but willing to take the chance she slowly slid her fingers into his and the world around them faded into a soft, golden glow.