Chapter 11: Family
Author's Note: For future reference, any non-English languages will be bolded. Most of the time, it will be Russian. Enjoy the fic.
Astrid led the charge. She tore off in the direction of the rampaging beast, and struck it, grabbing its attention. Meanwhile, Christina put her shield up, safely escorting everyone else, save Serah and Katrina, out. Serah immediately got the hint, and put on her Flame Valkyrie armor. Katrina was always ready for combat; this philosophy having been drilled into her by her mother. The four stood in front of the beast.
"Alright, call it, lil' Cap!" Serah said.
"Now that everyone's evacuated, we can go all out. Katrina, you go prepare a containment cell, just in case things go south."
Katrina nodded, and ran off.
"Serah, you've got the primary air. Use everything you've got from above to weaken the thing. Also, take me up top so I can call patterns."
"Got it!" Serah acknowledged, flying up and taking Christina with her.
"Astrid, keep its attention diverted towards you. You've got the stamina, strength, and powers to do that."
Astrid nodded, and immediately went all-out on the creature. Combining her inhuman strength, swordsmanship, and electrokinesis, she managed to keep the creature's focus on her. Serah bombarded it from above with everything she had, ranging from explosive missiles that, while they looked small, they were actually quite potent, to her trademark fire blasts. Christina watched the battle, and immediately radioed Katrina.
"How's our backup plan going?" Christina asked.
"I just finished it!" Katrina replied.
"Then get back here and join the fight! The thing's getting weaker-what the hell?!"
When a combined blast from Astrid's lightning and Serah's flames struck the creature, a massive, fiery explosion resulted. Christina shielded herself. Serah's armor kept the air clean inside it, and it was fireproof, so she just flew around the shrapnel. Katrina managed to hide behind a bulletproof wall. But when the smoke cleared… well, the situation was more strange, to say the least.
The parents of the four Brawlers were currently enjoying a nice time together, not too far off-base when they bore witness to the explosion. The feeling was mutual-worry and horror. How it was expressed… that was something else entirely.
Thor didn't hesitate for two seconds. He put firm hands on Jane, a wordless order to stay put being given, brought his trademark hammer to bare, and flew off towards the base. Natasha and Clint got on the motorcycle they had borrowed, and went at top-speed towards the base, Natasha cursing in her native Russian the whole way. Steve grabbed his shield, and, while deflecting bits of shrapnel, ran towards the flaming base. Tony took off in his suit, destroying any metal in his way.
They forced their way in, fighting off anything in their path. The smoke was becoming more prevalent as they continued fighting in. Tony managed to reunite with Serah in the middle of the sky, the two embracing mid-air, in their armors.
"Serah! You're alive! God, you scared me!" Tony said.
"Dad, I'm good in my armor. I think I'll need a recharge soon, but I'm not hurt." Serah assured. Tony nodded in agreement, and led her back to Stark Tower.
"Katrina! Katrina! Damn it, Katrina! Where are you?!" Natasha yelled, in fluent Russian. Katrina coughed in response. Natasha tore through the burning building without a care in the world. She grabbed her daughter, and barely managed to escape in time with Clint.
"Christina! You're safe! Thank God!" Steve cried, jumping up to Christina's perch. She nodded.
"Yea…. Somehow, we managed to win… But I can't see Astrid anywhere!" She said breathlessly.
"Thor's going to throw a fit over that, I'm sure…" Steve said in turn, picking his child up. He leapt from the high point, landing safely on the ground.
"ASTRID!" Thor boomed, tearing through anything in his path. He was so blinded by rage, despair, and fear that he couldn't think straight. He would stop at nothing to protect his child. After all, Asgardians rarely bore children, and he was the Crown Prince. Even if he did fall in love with a Midgardian and end up getting involved with Midgard in ways he never thought he would, that thought was still on his mind. He would not lose his precious child to a burning building, so help him God!
He threw burning, twisted metal aside. He used his power to blow away flames. By the time he'd found her… he was horrified at what he saw. His eyes widened.
She was impaled in many places by the burning, twisted metal. Her mixed blood dripped from every spot where her body was pierced. The burning shrapnel held her to the remnants of a wall like prison chains. Her head hung loosely; her body battered and burned by the fire and the disaster wrought henceforth. Thor's eyes began to water.
"ASTRID!" He cried. She sputtered blood in response, indicating that she was alive. He didn't hesitate in getting her down from her burning chains and flying her to the nearest Midgardian hospital. He didn't care what stormy weather he left in his wake as he burst into the emergency room.
Words weren't needed. One look at her body and anyone could guess that, at the very least, she'd been to hell and back. They rushed her back, and it took almost every guard and the entirety of the Avengers to hold back the furious Thunder God.
Everyone knew that new children on Asgard were a momentous occurrence. Thor's rage was certainly understandable and righteous. Everyone had to restrain him and convince him to just let the doctors and surgeons work on her undisturbed. Still, he refused to leave the hospital room. Jane had come to join him, and the words weren't needed. She was certainly just as concerned and upset, but Thor had the most rage and despair. She could only hold his hand and silently pray.
"Umm… Dr. Foster and Mr. Odinson?" A nurse asked nervously. Jane looked up, but Thor darted at her, dragging Jane with him, driving the latter into full-on panic mode.
"Do you herald news of my daughter's health?!" He demanded. The nurse looked at him with fearful, wide eyes. Jane tugged at Thor.
"Hey, calm down! You're scaring her!" Jane told him. He growled, but released the nurse.
"U-uhh…. Y-Yea… she made it through surgery alright. She's still out because of the sedative and pain meds, but the doctors all think that she'll come out of this okay…" She said, stuttering at the beginning.
"That is grand news, healer! Where does she rest as of now?" Thor asked, cheering up.
"Ummm… Follow me…"
The nurse led the Asgardian prince and his beloved down the halls to Astrid's room, where she was currently in a deep slumber, no doubt in Jane's mind because of the sedative and pain meds. All manner of monitors, IVs, and breathing systems were connected to her, save things that were used only for comatose patients. Stitches and tape of all kinds covered her body, much to Thor's despair-driven horror. He ran and sat near her.
"Excuse me, healer. I desire to be alone with my child." He said sternly. Jane nodded and led the nurse outside of the room, talking with her. Thor finally broke down, taking the sleeping Astrid's hand in his own. He brought it to his forehead, closing his eyes and actually crying.
"Forgive me, my beloved daughter… It is my fault…"