Chapter 9
Sorry this chapter took so long to write. I hope you guys like it. :)
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Deidra couldn't help but wonder what Loki could mean by trouble. He wouldn't elaborate and had retreated back outside to take back up with the hammock.
She settled down in the living room and started to gather her papers and things she needed to go back to work the next day. She had been editing and proofreading a research paper for Bill and was about halfway finished. She knew he wouldn't be thrilled to know that she hadn't worked on it at all since taking her leave of absence. She looked through her folders and found the heavily marked, thick stack of computer-printed papers. She grabbed a red pen and flipped through until she found where she had left off. Each page had her writing all over it. Bill was a brilliant scientist, but he was lacking in writing skills.
'Everybody has their flaws,' she thought contently to herself as she began to read the paper. It didn't take but reading a couple of lines before she found another error. She corrected it and moved on.
She worked on the paper for a good thirty minutes before she decided to give her eyes a rest. She stood up and stretched her arms over her head, bending backwards as far as she could go.
Deidra walked to the back door and peered out, curious to know what Loki was up to. From her place at the door it looked as if he had fallen asleep in the hammock. He wasn't moving much and had a hand on his chest.
She frowned as she looked at him. How could the guy napping in that hammock possibly be the same guy who did all those horrible things? 'But he is,' she thought. She knew his brother had said that Loki had been brainwashed, but still. He did do all those things, brainwashed or not.
'Poor guy,' she thought.
She suddenly became curious and went back inside to fetch her laptop. She sat down on the couch with it and plugged in her earbuds, her back to the kitchen. She began to Google him. 'If he's going to stay here, I might as well learn all I can about him,' she thought.
She found first a lot of ancient Norse mythology on him. She read through those quickly and then revised her search. She wanted to know about him during the New York fiasco. She had seen him on the television when it happened, she remembered, but back then she didn't think TOO much about him, other than panic and worry if he would kill them all. She remembered her fear that day. Everyone was afraid that day.
She pulled up several news articles and watched several videos. She found it all strangely facinating. The man she knew was so much different than this horrifying, strange man on television.
Suddenly something hit her in the back. She turned around and found a piece of ice lying behind her. She took out her earbuds, looked behind her and jumped, startled. Loki stood in the kitchen, looking impatient. How long had he been there?
"Jeez!" she said, holding her chest.
"Yes, finally," he said impatiently. "While I find it charming that you're looking at me on your little device, I cannot help but wonder what this is?" he said, going into the laundry room without waiting on her.
She gave a confused look before getting up to follow him. She found him standing in the middle of the room staring down the thing in the corner.
"That?" she asked. "That's the hot water heater...Why?"
"Water...heater,"he repeated. He looked at her. "What does it do? Obviously it heats water, but for what purpose?"
'Why does he care about a water heater?' she thought. He was so strange. "You know when you took a shower?" she asked. He nodded. "This thing is what gave you your hot water."
He stared at it with a small, intrigued smile. Obviously the wheels in his head were turning, but for what? "And without it?" he asked.
"...There would be no hot water," she said, giving him a very strange look. "...Why?"
He shook his head. "No matter," he said with a smile. "You've been most helpful." He then walked around her and left the little room.
'What is up?" she thought.
She shrugged it off and went on about her day.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The next day Deidra got up early and headed off to work at Bill's lab.
When she walked in, the first thing she noticed was how dirty it was. 'Obviously I'm the only one who cleans around here,' she thought in slight annoyance.
"Hi, Bill," she called out loudly, putting her coat and bags on the hangers by the door.
A moment later a man popped his head out of a door frame. "Deidra!" He greeted enthusiastically.
Bill Faust was 48 years old. He was short, plump, and his hair was turning prematurely gray with a prominent bald spot that got worse each year. He looked much older than he was.
Deidra loved him dearly. He had become a good friend and mentor to her. She had never really planned on interning for a scientist, especially a plant biologist. She had finished college with a biology degree, but had no idea what to do with it until she was told that Bill was looking for an intern. She applied simply because she needed the money. Now four years later she was loving her job, even though the pay could have been better and she often was made to perform not-so-pleasant tasks.
Deidra smiled in return. "So did you lose the broom while I was gone? Or forget how to empty the trash?" She asked, looking around.
Bill waved her tease away. "I was much too busy for all that," he said dismissively. "I'm close to a breakthrough!"
She looked at him. "You say that every week."
"I mean it this time!" He said excited.
She shook her head and smiled. He had been researching a way to drastically slow down aging using certain plants, but he never found his breakthrough. Truthfully she didn't think he would ever find a breakthrough, but it wasn't her place to say so.
"So what can I do to help?" She asked.
"Well first you can clean up this place. It's a mess," he said. "Then come find me. You'll be going on a field trip today."
Deidra grimaced once Bill's back was turned. His "field trips" usually weren't pleasant.
She cleaned the lab within an hour and stepped back to admire her handiwork. The lab now positively shone. She then went in search of Bill.
She found him sitting at his desk scribbling notes and speaking into a recorder. She knocked softly at the door. He looked up, smiled, and paused the recording.
"So what's the field trip this time?" Deidra asked, leaning against the door frame.
He went to her and clapped her on the shoulder. "Are you ready to get wet?" He asked enthusiastically.
She couldn't help that her upper lip curled slightly in apprehension.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Loki was reading a book on the couch when he heard keys jangle in the front door later that day.
'Deidra must be back,' he thought, marking his place in the book.
He stood as she came through the front door. His face slowly changed from a look of contentment to a look of shock and disgust.
"Did you fall into a pig sty?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at her.
She stared at him, unamused. She was covered from head to toe in thick, putrid smelling mud.
He put the back of his fist to his nose delicately. "And did you roll in something dead?"
He asked, his voice laced with amusement.
"I fell in a swamp," she said flatly.
She had mud caked in her hair, across her face, down her neck, and completely covering her clothes and arms. She had worn tall waterproof boots, but had stepped in a deep spot in the swamp. The water filled up the boots, causing her to lose her balance and fall as she tried to get out. At least Loki was trying to hide his amusement. Bill had outright laughed at her when she returned to the lab.
"What were you doing in a swamp?" He asked, his eyes dancing with amusement. He tried (and failed) to suppress a grin.
"Looking for plants for Bill," she said.
"Well you're mucking up the house," he said stepping out of her way. "Go bathe. Touch nothing on your way."
She smirked. "Oh come on," she said to him. "Don't you want a big hug?" She opened her arms and advanced towards him.
He backed up quickly away from her. "Stop," he said, holding up a finger of warning.
She didn't obey. "Oh come on, Loki," she said advancing on him. "Just one touch."
"You smell of death and feces," he said continuing to avoid her. "Touch me and it shall be your last."
She laughed and backed off. She went to her room to get a much-needed shower.
Loki stood up straight and straightened out his clothing. He looked off towards her bedroom.
'I almost pity her,' he thought. He then let a mischievous grin creep over his face. 'Almost.'
Deidra peeled off the sticky, putrid clothing and tossed them in a pile in the corner of the bathroom. She wasn't sure yet if she would try washing them or just burn them.
She ran the shower and let it get warm. She stepped in and sighed in relief. A shower is exactly what she needed. She quickly washed all the muck off, then wet her hair and popped open the cap to her shampoo. She started to lather her hair.
Suddenly what felt like horrible ice cold daggers shot through her body as the hot water completely cut out. She gave a shriek of shock and jumped out of the spray. She pressed herself against the shower wall and made a pitiful wail when she realized she would have to reach through the water to shut off the shower.
Suddenly she heard something beyond the shower. She listened harder and realized exactly what it was.
Loki was laughing.