Here is the next chapter… I will be posting another one soon (probably tomorrow) so don't worry!
This is shaping to be the biggest chapter in this whole story! too bad it's a filler...
Anyway, I'm sorry if anyone was confused by the last chapter and if there is anything I can do to clarify confusion, just PM me or review :).
Now, this is a filler chapter that is the connection to another filler chapter which leads to a… REVELATION CHAPTER… yay… Just me? okay…
Also, thanks so much for reading and reviewing. Your love makes me happy, and my muse happy. So does Tom Hiddleston *enter into fangirl mode and returns to writing a few hours later*
Now, on with the chapter and plot thickening!
Italics are regular thoughts and flashback; thoughts are underlined in flashback
"Italics and bold" are Isabella and Shadow talking to each other; the mind link is the same, only without ""
Warnings: Slight cussing from Bobby, he just couldn't keep it clean
Previously
Landing, she fades into the shadows and uses her own magic to keep her hidden as she listens to their plans so she can inform her mistress later. Once her mistress knows, the planning and preparing can begin.
All will be well, my friend, Shadow thinks, Just wait and see. All will be well.
Chapter 9
221B Apartment; Shadow's return
Shadow crawls back in through the window after sheathing her wings, padding over to the couch and rubbing the smell of the S.H.I.E.L.D base off her lustrous fur. After that is done, she stretches out and purrs, calling out through from the couch, "Mistress, I'm home."
"Awesome, and I tried the trick you showed me about controlling the pulses caused by the protection magic, but I lost control so I didn't control it all the way," Isabella comes and sits with Shadow, curling up on the armrest of the couch.
"Then you will have to practice until you can learn to focus on something less... Captivating the next time. Try something or someone else. Other than that, you did fine, but try a bit harder to keep your focus intact, Mistress, instead of the godling." Shadow says, her tail flicking slightly once she realizes her slip-up.
"Alright Shadow- Wait, godling?" Isabella asks, straightening up in confusion as her mind races to put the pieces together.
"Yes, he is from Asgard and the brother of Thor, the godling of thunder. The thunder-godling is with an organization that is looking for your godling and will eventually try and manipulate supernaturally gifted or extremely intelligent individuals into doing what they cannot using a few sidekicks to appeal to their sense of humanity and fellowship." Shadow explains with regret in her tone, sneaking closer to her Mistress and laying her head on her front paws.
"Wh-what? Are you lying? Why wouldn't he tell me?" Isabella wonders aloud, feeling her anxiety kick up.
"Why did you not tell him about Cooper? Or Magnus?" Shadow counters, figuring now is as time as any to knock some sense into her Mistress and out of her phase of living in fear.
"I can't Shadow. I get nightmares from seeing someone who might have the slightest resemblance to him, and panic attacks from men who come on way too strong." Isabella raves, crisscrossing her legs and moving her hands erratically.
"Which is to say, anyone who uses all the lines we see in that moving picture box, yes?" Shadow asks, not being able to hide the hint of amusement in her voice at the thought of the cheesy television shows reserved for Bad TV Friday.
"Yes, and if I told him he would leave, and I am just too selfish to let him go." Isabella sighs, drawing up her knees to her chest, so far into her own pity party to realize anything other possibilities.
"Then you should stop feeling sorry for yourself and tell him about Cooper, Mistress. He is curious enough to know and he cares about you. Let him heal you, Mistress, you have spent too long hurt and broken. He can help you." Shadow growls, angry that her once-strong Mistress is broken by those horrible men and wanting to be gentle, but knowing her Mistress does not need coddling. She needs to face her fears and trust in her heart and instincts again.
"Help me? Heal me? How can he do that Shadow? Why would he stay once I tell him about how long it was? How I was too weak to leave and fight back because I believed he would change and love me again even though he didn't in the first place?" Isabella sighs, looking at her feet, wanting to run or hide or just get away from everything so she can be safe. She shakes her head, "No, Loki would leave and not look back at me, just like Magnus."
"He would not leave you, Mistress, he cares too much." Shadow insists, shoving her way into Isabella's lap, forcing her to look at Shadow.
"What would you have me do? I don't have the best role models..." Isabella says, finally throwing off her cloak of pity and looking at Shadow with a newfound insecurity, "I can't just let him in guns blazing, I would be too vulnerable and I just can't handle letting everything down again."
"You do not have to let him in right away. Little by little, piece by piece, just as you have been doing. But first start with Cooper." Shadow says, wrapping her tail around her shaking Mistress's wrist.
"I can't, not right now, when everything is going so well. But I still have time, so I will. Just not right now." Isabella says, worrying her lip as she starts going into overly-anxious mode.
"Mistress, you will not have that luxury for very long." Shadow says, finally getting to the crux of her midnight adventure.
Why not? Isabella says slowly through their bond, feeling the importance of the news.
Because S.H.I.E.L.D is looking for you and they consider you a threat. A threat to be eliminated.
Winchester Home
Loki and Bobby are taking their turn to wash the dishes after their annual Sunday night dinner when Loki says, "You know Isabella right? That's why you chew out the boys when you hear them talking badly about her?"
"I now the idjit, and she doesn't deserve half the shit those boys lay on her." Bobby grunts, drying the dishes with a towel and looking all the world like he is just a grumpy old man who can't stand to be around youngsters and their drama.
Loki knows better though. "I heard Isa and Samantha talking about someone named Cooper, but both went tight-lipped when they noticed I was there. Would you know anything about that?"
Bobby accepts the wet dish Loki hands him, not saying anything until they are almost done. "I know about him but boy, you should not hear about him from me or anybody who thinks they know the whole story, understand?"
Loki nods, his shoulders slumping as that mysterious piece of his girlfriend's puzzle eludes him once more.
"But I can tell you that he messed her up badly. I remember when I first met her." Bobby says with a grunt, his lips twitching into a slight smile as he remembers the meeting.
"How did you meet her?" Loki asks, putting down the dish he was holding and paying attention to Bobby.
"Well, Karen had just passed away a few months before..."
Flashback
Bobby walked into the flower shop so he could replace the dead flowers on his beloved late wife's grave. She had died just a few months ago from cancer and the pain of losing the love of his life was still very fresh.
"Hi, how may I help you today?" A pretty slip of a girl asked with a bright smile, her brown curly hair and bright green eyes reminding him of how Karen used to get with her flowers.
Ignoring the painful pang, he says in his gruff timbre, "I just need some flowers."
"Oh, let me guess, is it for a girl?" She says, coming out from behind the counter and practically bouncing up and down in her excitement.
He nods, not being able to tell her the flowers are for his dead wife.
"Oh, come with me, I can just tell that she is too special for a normal bouquet." She says with a bright smile, grabbing his hand and taking him to the open baskets that contain flowers of every color and kind.
"Each flower has a different meaning, so let's see which one will match yours." She says, holding her hands together in front of her and looking over at him for direction on how to proceed.
Bobby thinks for a moment, then says softly, "Have them tell her that I love her, that she is the only woman I will ever love, and that I will never forget her. She is the most precious person in my heart and no matter what happens, I will always remember her."
The girl has tears in her eyes by the end of his speech, nodding and saying with a slight tremor in her voice, "Alright, sir. No problem."
She puts together a bouquet of a pink and white Carnation, two Forget-Me-Nots, a gardenia, a Heather, a Jasmine, a Larkspur, a Lilac, a red Rose, a yellow Tulip, and a Wisteria.
"Here you go sir, just let me ring this up for you and you can be on your way." She says, looking at him like her heart was broken for him. "She was an amazing woman to have someone like you in her corner, now and forever."
Bobby nods, feeling tears spark his eyes and blames it on the flowers when she looks at him.
"That will be five dollars sir." She says, totaling up the bouquet and extending her hand out. Bobby notices the slight change in skin tone on her wrists, and concludes with a shock that she is covering up bruises. He looks at her and sees where the concealer doesn't quite do its job on her face, jaw, and neck.
Bobby looks at her face and sees a flush, thinking with a slight jump, She's ashamed of her bruises. He reaches out to her and grabs her hand softly, not saying anything but sending a message nonetheless.
"This bouquet rings up to five dollars sir." She says with a slight tremor of gratefulness in her voice, knowing he could have inquired where the bruises came from.
He is about to give it to her when a man walks in, tall and proud. He zeros in on their clasped hands and the girl immediately lets his go, focusing on getting his receipt.
He glances between the two and realizes that the man who just walked in is her abuser. Unable to do anything without making the situation worse for her, he focuses instead on the flowers, feeling the weight of guilt settle in his stomach.
He pays for the flowers and leaves, still being able to hear the yelling from the abusive boyfriend despite the glass door, feeling guilt weigh down his every step as he walks to his car and drives to Karen's grave.
I'm sorry flower girl. And I'm sorry Karen for not helping when I could. I'll make it up to you, both of you, I promise.
End Flashback
Loki is stunned at what Bobby has just told him. He is at a loss for words. Bobby is quiet for a moment before saying with steel underneath his soft tone.
"So, boy, you better treat her right and respect her boundaries as you seem to have done so far. She has been through more than you know and more than I've told you, so put one toe out of line and you are out of a job and home. You understand?"
"Yes sir, I won't do anything to harm her." Loki says with complete sincerity, feeling sick to his stomach at the thought of anyone hurting someone as fair as the sun and peace-inducing as the night sky.
"Good, don't tell the boys this, but you're probably my favorite."
"What Bobby, how could you choose him over us? We're practically your sons." Dean cries out dramatically, having heard every word. Sam nods, just as dramatic.
"He's part of the family too, and I don't have time for any of your dramatics. Now get to bed before I make you work until you bleed grease tomorrow."
All the boys groan and hurry to get upstairs. All three share a look as they reach their respective bedrooms, nodding in agreement of their mutual decision to be nicer to the bakery owner who has gone through more than they can imagine.
If Loki is part of the family, then she is too. No matter what.
Aaaaaaand... Done!
I do hope you liked reading this chapter and please review to tell me what you want to see, what you don't want to see, and how I can improve my story to its maximum potential.
Don't forget to let me know if I can clear up any confusion from the last chapter through PM or reviews :)
Here are the Flower meanings used for Karen's bouquet:
Pink Carnation: Gratitude
White Carnation: Remembrance
Forget-Me-Not: Don't forget me
Gardenia: Joy, (for her having been a part of his life)
Heather: Solitude (until they are together again)
Jasmine: Grace and Elegance (hers)
Larkspur: Beautiful Spirit (hers)
Lilac: First Love (even if it wasn't, she was the only love he will remember)
Red Rose: Passionate love
Yellow Tulip: Hopelessly in love
Wisteria: Steadfast (in his love for her)
