No Warnings

Chapter 21

Eli woke up feeling warm and sore. She breathed deeply and could smell warm spice and ice. Eli opened her eyes to see Loki sleeping on his stomach. He was facing her and he had his left arm draped over her. Eli brushed her fingers against his brow. He looked peaceful while sleeping. Eli smiled. Gently, Eli leaned over to kiss him.

Someone cleared their voice. Eli froze before shooting up. Loki made an annoyed noise at being jostled. He pulled Eli closer by her waist. Eli would have smiled if she hadn't been staring at Frigga. She was sitting in a chair in the corner of the cell. She wasn't smiling; but she also didn't look angry. She looked more like she was exasperated. Eli tried to say something, but the words wouldn't come out.

"Loki," Frigga said firmly. Loki peeked over his shoulder to look at his mother. He just rolled over and pulled Eli down so that she was laying on him. Eli couldn't believe that he wasn't freaking out right now. Eli was beyond embarrassed. Loki closed his eyes, not even bothered by the situation. Eli shook her head.

"I should go," Eli finally said. When she moved Loki grabbed her arms to get her to stay. He rubbed her arms and stared at her lazily. Eli smiled. She was about to kiss him, but her embarrassment caught up with her. Instead, she pulled his hands away from her and kissed them before standing, taking the sheet with her. Loki brushed his finger along her spine. Eli turned back to glare at him. She then phased so that she had clothes on and made herself taller. Loki scowled at her, but he sat up. Then he surprised Eli by standing up completely nude, in front of his mother, and kissed her.

In a daze, Eli teleported herself back to her cell. It had remained unchanged on the inside, but there were guards standing outside of her cell. They jumped when they saw her pop up in her cell seemingly at random. They whirled around and gaped at Eli.

Eli glided to the bed on auto pilot. She could hardly believe that she had just slept with Loki. He was so gentle with her. He must have thought a lot about her, Eli thought dreamily.

"He said he loved me," said Eli breathlessly. "He loves me…"

Eli fell back onto her bed. This was the strangest thing she could ever imagine. Loki loved her. Eli was pulled from her joyful thoughts by Jarvette's voice.

"Miss Eli," Jarvette paused before continuing. "I have finished your blood analysis."

Eli frowned at the clipped tone of the AI. Only Jarvette could make a monotone voice sound furious. Her disappearing act probably made the AI pull her hair out. Figuratively, of course.

"Was there anything out of place in the analysis?" asked Eli.

"No, all test came back normal."

"You scared me earlier. Nightcrawler's ability manifested. I teleported somewhere and I got lost."

"Yes, Miss Eli," Jarvette didn't sound convinced.

"So, I'm not the problem, something external is the problem. Could the assimilation be the problem?"

"I don't think assimilation is the cause, Miss Eli. Alien or not, you have never had problems with it before. Excluding the time when you tried to use too many powers at once, of course."

"Yes, but that was because my body overloaded with power. Too much for me to handle. Why would I be having problems now? So what happened to cause a relapse? I've been unconscious for two weeks."

"I wonder if it was the Quantum Field Generator that they used. I believe they call it a Soul Forge."

"Quantum field generator?" Eli paused. "Refresh me on my physics."

"A quantum field generator transfers molecular energy from one place to another. It would explain a lot. Your body's genetic code is adaptable and changes constantly. The same could be said for your molecular structure. You have copied many abilities over the years. Some of which are directly involved with molecular energy."

"So when the molecular energy transferred it took much more energy than it normally would, and my body took a longer time to put itself back together?" Eli asked.

"More or less, Miss Eli," Jarvette said. Eli knew that the AI was better with physics than she was, and that her friend was dumbing down the explanation so Eli could understand. "You should already be in tip, top shape, as I have asked that the soul forge not be used on you."

"That was very thoughtful of you, Jarvette. Thank you." said Eli. This gave her a lot to think about. Not to mention the fact that she still felt sore from last night and every time she moved she thought about what had happened. Eli smiled at the memory. She felt like a teenage girl.

"Eli!" said Thor's voice from the other side of her cell. Eli jumped, but thankfully this time she didn't teleport. Thor looked concerned and out of breath. "Are you all right?!"

"Yeah, I'm completely fine. Nearly found myself in a wall, but other than that I'm good." Eli half lied.

"Where have you been?" Thor said with some relief.

"Well, I accidentally teleported myself out of the prison, and got lost. I'm not entirely sure where I was, but I was able to teleport back into my cell not to long ago." said Eli. Thor nodded in understanding. Eli felt bad that she was lying to him, but she didn't think that she would ever be able to let go of the feelings she had for Loki. She was a horrible person, Eli thought blandly.

"I'm sorry that I had to leave. Loki's attempt at taking the Earth has caused many wars to happen. I've been trying to get things under control." Thor apologized. Eli nodded feeling bad again. Thor was working hard, along with everyone else on earth, to clean up the mess that Loki made; and here she was sleeping with him. Thor must have noticed her mood because he told her that something like that would never happen again.

"Earth has had problems like that long before I was born, and it will continue to have such problems long after I die. It's the problem with civilization. It always tries to tear itself apart." Eli smiled sadly. "So, how much trouble am I in for disappearing?"

"My father was a bit upset, but the wars have kept him distracted. Mother was more worried about you. She said she looked for you once you were found missing. She said she couldn't find you, and was worried that you had gotten hurt." Thor said. Eli blushed thinking of Frigga. The queen of Asgard certainly seen a lot of her. More than she ever wanted be let seen.

"Well, I'm here now. She doesn't have to worry anymore." Eli smiled. A tall, blonde woman came up to the cell. "Speak of the devil." Eli whispered under her breath, and tried not to blush.

"I'm glad to see you safe, Eli," said the queen.

"Thank you," Eli had to force her voice to stay steady. "I appreciate you looking for me."

Frigga gave Eli a look that Eli was sure Jarvette would have made if she had a face. "I thought you could use some company while you stay in the dungeon."

"Thanks." Eli forced a smile. This was very close to the most embarrassing thing she had ever been through. Well, at least they hadn't been caught in the act. Eli might have actually died of embarrassment.

Frigga put her hand to one of the corners of the cell and the light separating them shut down and Frigga entered the cell; the cell closed behind her. Thor nodded at the two women before leaving. He must be very busy.

"I was going to ask you if you were feeling comfortable, but I could see that I shouldn't have been worried." she said, almost playfully. Eli blushed deeply.

"I, um, well…" Eli was at a bit of a loss as to what to say. Mentally scolding herself for being a baby. "I'm not gonna lie, I have been very comfortable since I have been in the dungeon. You son has been very accommodating to me."

Frigga only raised a brow at her comment. "I could tell. It's been a long time since I've seen him that content. Especially with a woman. My son's like to think that they could hide all of their conquests, but neither have been successful."

Eli didn't know how to feel about that. Sure she expected that Loki had been with several women over the many, many years, but it still hurt to know that she wouldn't be his first. "I'm glad that you didn't catch us in the act at least. I may have died of humiliation. Does the Allfather know that I was… visiting Loki?"

"No," said Frigga as she sat in the only chair in Eli's cell. "And I advise you not to tell him. You will be imprisoned if he ever found out; isolated from the world." Frigga paused to watch Eli's reaction. Eli wondered how long she could see Loki before she would get caught.

"It was an illusion that kept us from being caught, wasn't it?" Eli asked.

"I taught him everything he knows about magic," Frigga nodded. "Are you feeling better?"

"Much better. Jarvette thinks that the soul forge is what caused my abilities to go out of control. Quantum field generators haven't been successfully created on earth, and my body reacted violently to it. I'm fine now." Eli sat back down on her bed. "What did he say about me, exactly? I mean before I even came to Asgard."

"Some very unflattering things I assure you. It was mostly a verbal attack on Thor. He said that all Midgardian women were tramps like you and throw themselves at men. It went on like that for some time. Then he changed his tone, but just barely. Loki is stubborn and quick to anger. Eventually he stopped talking about you all together."

"He thought I would come to free him, didn't he," Eli stated.

"I believe so, but you never showed. Until two weeks ago." Frigga paused. "You are very different compared to what I thought you would be. I think being with you would do him some good."

Eli studied Frigga. "Are you asking me to save him?"

"I'm asking you to bring out the best in him. I know my sons better than anyone, and I know that if Loki doesn't want to be saved he won't be." Frigga said with a small smile.

Eli ran her hands through her hair nervously. "I hate to say this, but he reminds me of a man I met when I was a child. If they are anything alike, then he won't change. He will never be satisfied with what he has."

"He seemed quite satisfied this morning," Eli blushed at the comment. "I think you are more than enough to set him back onto his path."

"I've lost my way more times than I care to admit. At one point, I was just as lost as he is now. The only difference is is that I was afraid of what I was becoming. Loki isn't afraid of what he is. He not once looked back; not even for me."

"That difference makes you exactly what he needs," Frigga urged.

"You overestimate my ability. I've done things far worse than he has. Are you sure that you're fine with me seeing him?" Eli asked, surprised at herself for trying to talk Frigga out of approving her relationship with her son.

"The only thing I have ever wanted for my sons was that they be happy," Frigga said this with conviction. Leaving Eli no doubt that the queen disapproved in any way. Eli nodded, running her fingers through her hair; a nervous tick she thought she had lost years ago. "How long will it be before your powers are completely under control?"

"Any time now. Due to mutants like Wolverine and Death Strike, I am able to heal at an accelerated rate. Normally, all of my injuries heal instantly, but with the added factor of the soul forge it took some time. Then there was the incident with the Bifrost, which caused a temporary lapse in control. What happened with the Bifrost?"

"We aren't sure what happened. You were seemingly rejected by the bridge. It has never happened before. It was strange, to say the least." said Frigga.

"It would take an inordinate amount of energy to disrupt something like a wormhole. I don't have that much power. Not even if I tried. My body would rip itself apart. I doesn't make any sense." Eli thought mostly to herself. She remembered what she saw in Sif's memories and shuddered. She had nearly been ripped apart by the force. "I won't be able to leave until this is sorted out, will I?"

"You will have to stay, but it is possible for you to send a letter to Midgard." Frigga said. "Although, it may be some time before your letter could make it. We try to make our trips to Earth as infrequent as possible."

"I can understand. Humans are lacking in the department of understanding." Eli smiled brightly. "We're good at making a mess of things. Tony has been having anxiety issues since New York and doesn't know how to deal with it; he overcompensates when it comes to everything now. It's a little funny to watch, but it'll bite him in the back sooner or later."

Frigga nodded and smiled sadly. "There is nothing I want more in the world than to see my sons happy, but they both love mortal women. Loki has you here now, but for how long? And could you really keep seeing him for the rest of your life knowing that your love for him is frowned on by all? If my husband knew, you would be punished severely." Frigga paused.

"I just have to hope that…" Eli paused suddenly thinking of Mystique. "That I won't end up like a good friend of mine. I have to hope that he won't leave me to wolves, or that he won't push me in the wrong direction."

Frigga sighed. Eli wondered what the ancient woman was thinking. She wanted to know what Loki had told her. The two sat in silence for a long time as Eli worried over the whole situation. Frigga eventually stood to leave.

"You said that you wanted your sons to be happy," Eli looked into Frigga's eyes, "but as long as he sits in this prison, he'll never be happy."

"With you, he might be." Frigga said mysteriously. Eli furrowed her brows as she watched the queen walk away. Eli felt so utterly confused. She could see where Loki got his infuriating personality, the mutant thought dryly. Frigga reminded Eli of the professor… and Magneto. She was like their love child or something. Eli laughed. That didn't make sense, because Frigga was thousands of years older than the two of them.

Eli sighed and tried to keep herself occupied.