A/N: I'm making use of all the free time I have until college starts taking control over my life again. Let's hope I can update one or two more times before I end up neglecting this story for the longest time. (Which did happen considering I've been working on this for seven months now.)
Chapter Twelve
Since Freyja's fall, Ingrid remained by Freyja's side as she tended to her every need. She replaced her bandages, she bathed her, and even brushed her long, dark hair. Ingrid wanted to keep her comfortable and clean, but she also wanted to ensure that she was the first to see Freyja if she was to ever awaken again. For a moment, Ingrid placed the remaining bandages underneath Freyja's bed and rose to observe the look of solitude that sat upon Freyja's face. For some reason, a wave of sadness would fall over Ingrid whenever she observed her daughter's calm expression. It had been days since Ingrid had seen her daughter with her usual demeanor, which struck Ingrid as odd now that Freyja was motionless and silent. The only comfort Ingrid had was the rise and fall of Freyja's chest as she continued her elongated slumber. Yet soon enough, Ingrid felt nothing, but complete relief when she noticed Freyja's hand twitching with life.
It started with a finger, a hand, an arm, and soon enough, Freyja was pushing herself up from where she laid during her twelve-day long slumber. She then proceeded to rub her eyes before she glanced over at her tearful mother. Overwhelmed by shock, Ingrid pulled her into a lingering hug that left Freyja sitting in a moment of confusion. What she had assumed was a night's worth of sleep turned out to be longer than that, which left her in a disappointed state. If she had been unconscious all this time, then surely her plan had failed. Though she didn't consider this worth discussing with her mother and decided to hug her back, giving her mother even more consolation.
"Oh, I must tell everyone!" Ingrid exclaimed enthusiastically as she jumped to her feet. She patted Freyja gently upon the head and smiled. "Wait here."
Freyja looked at her mother blankly. "I can barely move my legs."
"Good." Ingrid grinned before swiftly leaving the room.
Freyja's mouth gaped open, but her mother had left too soon before she could say anything more. "Oh, mother..." She murmured, as she slouched her back upon the headboard of the bed. She placed a pillow upon her lap and glanced over at the small table placed beside her bed, finding several drawings made by Eira. She smiled softly as she flipped through them, finding they were a collection of events that had occurred during her long slumber. Though one struck her as odd when she found Eira had drawn herself and what appeared to be Loki by her bedside. Her brow furrowed, trying to make sense out of the drawing and was startled to find a few more similar pictures following it. She immediately dismissed the possibility that Loki was here and placed the drawings aside, her mind was weary and the only thing she could bear doing was sleep more.
Meanwhile, Ingrid had ran down the hall crying out the good news. In one room, Einarr and Frey were teaching Eira the basics of becoming a warrior when they found Ingrid rushing in.
"Freyja's awake!" She shouted joyously, immediately giving Einarr a hug. She then beamed a smile towards her children seated at the bed in the room. "Make haste! She's well again!"
"Freyja's awake!" Eira repeated happily. "Come, brother! We must see her before anyone else." She hopped off the bed, tugging at Frey's arm until he joined her down the hall while she exclaimed the same good news.
Near the throne of Asgard, Thor and Loki were seated at the steps when they found out the news about Freyja's awakening. Frigga, who had been watching her boys from a far, had been approached by Ingrid who was rejoicing happily. Startled by the fervent noises coming from behind them, the two brothers watched as the two mothers exchanged wide and elated smiles before rushing out of the room, which forced them to follow out of curiosity.
"Do you think... ?" Loki questioned.
"The day has finally come." Thor stated, glancing back at Loki. Loki bore an inscrutable look upon his face, which Thor knew was directly associated with what was to follow.
As they trailed behind everyone heading towards Freyja's room, they could hear sounds of exuberance erupting from inside. Thor followed Frigga into the room, both bearing the same smile as they watched Freyja's reunite with Freyja who seemed to be in a torpid state. With a weak smile, it seemed her slumber was still in effect as she slowly wrapped her arms around each family member that approached. Her mind was still fogged down by the faded memories of the last moment she was conscious. She couldn't shake off that nagging feeling that Loki may have returned to Asgard after all.
Loki had chosen to not enter the room, but merely watched from behind Thor. When Thor noticed Loki was not standing beside him, he glanced back and found Loki looking on with a worrisome expression. "Loki?"
"I can't go in there." Loki said, peering into the room from the hallway.
"But you must, Loki." Thor glanced over his shoulder, noticing Frigga had joined everyone else. "I'm certain Freyja is not that daft to assume I'm talking to anyone else besides you out here."
"Thor, is that Loki?" Freyja called out, everyone's gaze following her's towards the doorway.
Thor smirked, glancing down at his brother. "What did I tell you?"
"Yes, I'm here." Loki reluctantly answered, waving a hand as he peered from behind Thor. Thor stood aside, motioning his brother in as Loki hesitantly walked into the room. He glanced over at Freyja's family who merely looked on with thin smiles. The tension between Loki and her family had smoothed out over the days, leaving very little bitterness between them.
"Loki." Her face brightened up. "You're all right!"
"I am." He answered, walking towards her with a gentle smile. "As are you."
Freyja smiled, scooting a bit to the side to give Loki room to sit beside her on the bed. As her smile grew wider, she noticed everyone was watching her, which forced her face to flush red. "Stop looking at me!" She complained into a pillow that she covered her face with.
Frey laughed, incidentally smacking his sister upon the back, which forced a cough out of her. "There's no need to be ashamed."
"Ashamed?" She frowned, moving the pillow onto her lap.
"He knows."
"He... knows... ?" Her eyes widened as Loki positioned himself upon her bed. "HE KNOWS? FREY, WHAT-"
"You can thank me later." Frey grinned widely as if he had accomplished a great deed.
With all the strength she had, she forcefully hit her brother with the pillow she held. "He was never meant to know! That wasn't what I went to Jotunheim for! I didn't come to confess my attraction to him!" She looked at Loki frantically. "I hope you realized that wasn't how I planned to get you to stop! I just wanted you to realize we're still friends even if you've gone mad with revenge and everything! I wasn't expecting mere love to cease everything that happened! It can't bring everyone back from the dead! Only fools would imagine mere sentiment could-"
Loki laughed, pulling her close for a hug, which left her silent. "Hush, all is fine."
Freyja pursed her lips, feeling a lump form in her throat, as she felt Loki's long arms wrap around her.
"Although, you're wrong. Sentiment can do quite a lot." He murmured, glancing over at Thor who stood beside him. He was practically grinning with pride.
"He's right!" Eira cried out as she snatched her drawings and flipped through them. "That's why you should tell him."
Freyja shot her a look of disapproval as she leaned away from Loki. "Eira."
"What? It's suppose to happen! I drew it!" She exclaimed with a grin.
"Tell me what?" Loki questioned.
"You may never live to know." Freyja muttered as she reached over to muss up Eira's hair.
"Eira, come. Let's give them a moment, shall we?" Einarr stated. Freyja noticed his face had turned serious as he motioned everyone out of the room, which seemed rather suspicious to her. Out of those in the room, only Frigga, Ingrid, Einarr and Thor knew of what was to follow now that Freyja was awake.
Before Thor left, he leaned towards Loki and whispered, "Must you tell her now?"
"I owe her at least this." Loki answered quietly.
Thor sighed and stood up, glancing back at Freyja with a weak smile. "Then so be it." Though as he turned, his face grew as sad as the day he first mourned the loss of his brother. He had not expected things to end up the way they were now, but deep down, Thor knew very little could be done to deter Loki's mind.
Once everyone had left the room, Loki propped his legs upon Freyja's bed, nestling himself right beside Freyja. She could still feel the weight of exhaustion weighing down every part of her body that her head eventually slumped upon Loki's shoulder.
"I'm surprised you haven't been brutally punished." She murmured.
"Father, though rarely, can have a change of heart, remember?" Loki answered.
She chuckled softly. "So, what brought you here then?"
"Thor." Loki sighed. "He was very persistent to have me return."
"He always was, but is that all?"
Loki pursed his lips as Freyja rose her head, glancing at him curiously. He sighed and shook his head. "Well, I was concerned about you too..."
A thin smile formed upon her face. "Thought so."
"Don't be so smug." He muttered.
She chuckled softly. "I'm glad to see you back in Asgard, that's all."
He smiled softly, but turned away as the notion of his banishment burned into the back of his mind. "So how are you feeling then?" He asked, trying to put off any discussion about himself.
"I feel drained." She muttered, pulling a pillow close to her. "Mother told me I've been in comatose for twelve days. No wonder I feel so hungry. The most they've given me are liquids."
"Then you must be famished. Shall I fetch you food?"
Freyja shook her head, grabbing Loki's arm as he began to move off the bed. "That can wait, Loki."
Loki turned towards her as he sat at the edge, looking down at her hand still clasped around his arm. He frowned as he noticed her hand was covered by bandages that were wrapped around up to her arm. "I cannot apologize enough for what happened to you."
"We're still friends, you know." She smiled gently, her hand moving towards his. "We've made sure of that." She stated as her other hand gently tugged out the necklace that sat around her neck.
"I've kept mine as well." He murmured, taking out his.
She smiled widely, one out of pure innocence. "I truly have missed you."
Loki quietly chuckled. "And I you. I feared I had lost you after what happened."
"Oh, no." She shook her head. "I'm far too stubborn to fade away just like that."
Loki laughed. "Yes, perhaps that is true."
She grinned. "So what becomes of you, Loki? Mother said very little about what had occurred after the invasions. She seemed very reluctant to discuss such matters."
Loki pursed his lips. "There's a reason why she is."
"And what's that?" She frowned. "It doesn't sound good at all."
"It's not."
"Then tell me, Loki." She replied sternly.
"Freyja, I'm sorry." He shook his head, he couldn't bring himself to tell her. He was already afraid of her reaction, worried of what she would end up doing if she knew.
"What is it, Loki?" She demanded, grabbing his hand. "Why can't you tell me?"
Loki thought for a moment before he raised his gaze to meet her stare. Her face already looked far too sad for him to bear. "Do you remember what happened to Thor?"
"You mean his banishment to Midgard?" Her brow furrowed.
Loki nodded.
"No..."
Loki kept silent.
"No." She stared down at their conjoined hands and then glanced up to meet his stare. "Loki, no."
Loki sighed, placing his other hand upon their conjoined hands. "The decision has been made, Freyja. As soon as you are awake, I am to be banished to Midgard. I have gotten what I sought for, I will no longer have a reason to stay here. As for you..." He sighed. "You must move on."
"Who are you to decide what I want, Loki?" She cried out, pulling away her hand from him. "I didn't just go into Jotunheim to have you leave us again! What about your family? What about Thor? What are you going to do on your own in Midgard?!"
"I will do what I can." Loki shrugged. "But I cannot stay here."
"Yes, you can!" She pleaded. "Have you not fixed things with Odin? If you do that, then maybe-"
"There was an attempt. Odin has taken responsibility for what has occurred." He murmured, turning his gaze away from her. "Though, it is not enough to make me stay."
"And I'm not either?"
"You don't need me." He told her stiffly, but deep down, he truly needed her. He glanced back at her, her dark eyes practically shining as tears began to form. "I will only cause you misery."
"If you leave, you will. All I ever wanted was to have you back in my life."
"It was a mistake allowing you into mine."
"How can you say that?" She leaned away from his touch. "After everything we've gone through?"
"Because things have changed, Freyja!" Loki stated loudly as he rose to his feet. Freyja leaned away, grasping a pillow tightly to her chest as Loki yelled at her. Tears began to fall upon her cheek and Loki didn't like seeing this, especially since he was the one causing her all the pain she was experiencing. "You once made me feel like I was of some worth, but it turns out, I never have been. You deserve so much more than a pitiful man such as myself. I only want the best for you and that doesn't include me."
"But I rather have you than anyone else!" She cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks. "How are you so willing to push away everything good for you?"
"You don't understand..."
"I may not understand, but I'm willing to learn!" She cried. "Don't... don't just abandon me." She buried her head into her pillow and began to cry silently, it was not often she gave into tears.
"I never said I was." He murmured, grazing his hand through her hair. "We will be friends regardless of where we go. Though because of recent circumstances, I cannot stay here. I'm not good for you. I'm not good for anyone."
"You were good enough for me." She admitted quietly.
"And I always appreciated that, Freyja."
"Then stay."
Loki sighed. "Freyja..."
Freyja rose her head and furiously rubbed her eyes dry. "Stay for my sake."
"I won't. I'm sorry, Freyja." He leaned down, giving her a light kiss upon her brow. "I love you enough to give you a better life. Please stop being so difficult and accept my offering. This is what you most deserve."
Freyja looked up at Loki as he gently smiled down upon her before he turned away and began to make his way towards the door. For a moment, Freyja sat down to wrap her head around Loki's words, but out of impulse, she frantically rose out of bed and stumbled towards the doorway. Grasping onto the doorway molding, she leaned out and as Loki continued his way down the hall, she called out, "You don't know what's good for me, Loki Laufeyson! I'm going with you and you have no say in it!"
Loki glanced over his shoulder, noticing Freyja swaying a bit before she ended up collapsing onto the floor out of exhaustion. Quietly, he grunted out of aggravation and rushed over to her side, pulling her into his arms to return her to bed. "You idiot..." He murmured.
"No protests." She answered weakly, patting him gently upon the cheek. "I will go wherever you go."
"Your family won't be happy to hear about this."
"For all that it's worth, I don't care."
Loki rolled his eyes and carried her back to her bed. This wasn't how he expected things to go with Freyja, but he wasn't exactly unhappy about it either...