Wrath of Hel

by Anastasia T Wolfe

A Latvarian base in the Isolated Mountains is destroyed by an experimental Bifrost, Bella and Hawkeye inside. Thanos is gearing up for the total annihilation of the Earth because they are more trouble than they are worth. Loki is broken. What they don't know is that Hawk and Bella have been transported across the galaxy and have their own problems, big, purple and hairy problems.

9. Chapter 9

EARTH

"Loki."

He looked up, half expecting to see Bella standing over him with a deep set scowl over her face, but at Romanov's harsh stare, he turned away from her, "what do you want?"

"Soph let me up, or rather down," she said, leaning on the basement stairs for a moment before stepping down.

He tried to ignore her, downing another shot of bourbon, he had been drinking since Wednesday, and he wasn't drunk yet. Romanov wiped the dust off a saw horse and sat down next to him.

"When was the last time you ate?" she asked, "when was the last time you slept?"

"Does it matter?" he rubbed his free hand onto his forehead.

"You look awful," he knew that she was sizing him up, short, hunched, unshaven and messy with bags under his eyes. He held the bottle that he was drinking from against his pounding head, and ran his free hand through his dirty hair, pushing it out of the way so he could look up at Romanov.

"I feel awful," he groaned, "it's a set."

She didn't say a word. He expected her to tell him to shave and have a shower, and to put down Bella's bourbon, but she didn't. She just sat stoically, watching him drink, with that blank look on her face. She wore clean black jeans and a leather coat, done up to keep the rain out. Her hair was tied back from her face. Despite looking gaunt and pale, she still looked better than him, of course, to feel better, he would have to be dead three days.

"I can order you some food," she said.

"Go away, Romanov," he pounded another shot, "and take your pity with you."

Natasha Romanov sighed, "Is this what Sophie needs?" she asked him, "she's just lost her mother; the last thing she needs is to lose you too. Stop drowning yourself in bad booze and self pity, and focus on helping Sophie get through this."

Loki looked up at her. That was the Romanov that he knew.

"Listen," she continued, "Clint was my best friend, and at the moment, I want to die a little more than I want to live. But I keep going for his family. You should keep going for yours."

"You're determined to get me through this, aren't you?"

Romanov smiled, took the bourbon from his hand and put an arm around him, helping up, "why not?" she led him out of the basement, "I have some free time."