Here is Part 2... So sorry for the extended wait. I hope you enjoy and don't be shy to tell me what you think.
Previously
The couple freezes as they hear the men shout and the cocking of the guns. Both share a look, Loki's confused and Isabella resigned.
Slowly, she gets up with her hands raised to prove she won't lunge for any weapons. She walks slowly to the door and opens it, calling out, "Officers, would you like to come in and join us for our meal?"
Chapter 12
"What did she say?" Fury hisses at Hill, the whole retrieval unit confused as to what is going on.
"I believe that she asked if we wanted to have dinner, sir?" Hill responds, as Isabella calls out again.
"I just figured since you all have been traveling for about an hour and a half, roughly, and most likely without food. I made more than we could eat which I tend to do when I get nervous. So Fury, would you and your groups like to come in?"
"I wonder what she made, she seems like a competent cook." Hill wonders, Fury giving her a disbelieving look. "I'm just saying, we never seem to stop and enjoy a home cooked meal, always take-out or dried rations and even then those taste like they've have been their for months."
Fury growls at that, more angry because he agrees, calling the retrieval unit off and telling Coulson to let Thor and the girl go in. He shrugs into his overly-dramatic black trench coat and makes his way to the bakery door.
Upon seeing so many people coming in, especially his brother and what he presumes to be Thor's little girlfriend, Loki stands slightly behind his girlfriend in a protective stance. She notices and flashes his a reassuring smile, inviting the team in and waiting until they are seated to say, "Loki, would you mind too terribly coming into the kitchen with me to get the food, more plates and more silverware?"
He nods after shooting the team an assessing look, everyone but Isabella jumping slightly when Shadow pops out from beneath the counter. Isabella rolls her eyes when Shadow jumps onto the counter, flicking her tail back and forth as she looks over the room with cold, calculating eyes that seem to glow an eerie green. The whole S.H.I.E.L.D team shifts in their seat when the gaze passes over them, much to their chagrin as Shadow is a CAT, a rather slim and sleek one at that, not a giant monster ready to murder them... Although, it is looking like a possibility by the way she's looking at them.
"You know, I can handle myself sometimes you know? You don't have to be the Mama Bear to my cub." Isabella breaks in, her voice amused. Shadow just turns and tilts her head to the side in a blatant sign of disbelief. Fury, Thor and the rest of the gang look at the bakery owner as if she is absolutely crazy, Loki just smirk slightly having heard something similar before. Isabella pats Shadow's head then goes to the kitchen.
Shadow returns to reducing the S.H.I.E.L.D members into guilty teenagers once again as Isabella and Loki get the food.
"Do you know why they're here? You didn't seem surprised when they showed up threatening to shoot you." Loki whispers so the others can't hear as the bakery doors aren't the thickest wood around.
"They think I'm holding you captive and beating your secrets out of you as well as trying to recruit me to their special little band of superheroes. They also want to recruit you as they think you and Thor are very close, especially because Thor has no idea that you have dark feelings towards him." Isa says nonchalantly, bending to remove the heavy roast out of the oven and getting some of the dough she made earlier that day out of the fridge to cook.
Loki is absolutely blown away by this new bit of information, running it over in his head for a moment before nodding at the plan, confused to how she got the information, and nervous that she knows that he is a god. "How do you know that? And how did they find you?"
"That you're a god, or why S.H.I.E.L.D wants us to join their club?" She turns to look at his face and nods in understanding as she senses the turmoil in him. "Ah, I am disappointed that you didn't tell me you were a god, but I understand that you wanted to leave them behind, so I get it and don't blame you for keeping that from me. Plus, I kept a lot of things from you as well, so call us even. S.H.I.E.L.D wants us, one because we have powers beyond the normal, and I know that because I hacked into their database with Charlie, because why not? They found me because I was sending out protection charms for... Someone, and did not take enough care to cover my tracks."
He nods at that and helps her separate the food onto plates and makes more coffee. Both move around the kitchen and each other as if they have been doing it their whole lives, little affectionate touches being passed back and forth whenever they cross paths.
It is truly a domesticate scene.
A group of more-powerful-than-government officials trained in arts used to cause harm, shooting moving figures, and varying forms of technological advancement being scared out of their minds by a domesticated panther after trying to open fire on two individuals almost completely starting to fall in love.
After a couple of minutes, more for the bread, Isabella and Loki bring out the food; Isabella serving the food and Loki handing out drinks with a blank face so as to not give away what he knows. He also avoids Thor's gaze when he hands him coffee, grimacing at the effect the caffeine might have on him.
Once done, Loki sits in the booth by the counter and eats his own food, Isabella joining Shadow on the counter with a full plate made by Loki and cup of black coffee with honey. Everyone eats and moans at the first bite, digging in with deep satisfaction. Isabella smiles and struggles to eat her own full plate, having a small stomach and appetite from her abuse at the hands of her "parents", better known as abusers.
"So, Fury, what do you want with me and why do you want me to join S.H.I.E.L.D so badly that you would take me into custody and try your hardest to "rewire" my "evilness"?" Isa says, hiding a smirk behind her coffee cup rim when Fury chokes on his coffee.
"How do you know about that?" He growls out roughly after having a coughing fit to remove the coffee from his breathing tube.
"Well, it's not like you're very subtle." Isabella snorts, jumping down from the counter and getting the dirty plates on a tray from the very full team.
"Subtle? What would you know about subtle? You sent off an entire field of satellites with a single pulse. You also left a paper trail the size of the Grand Canyon that made it very easy to track you from Illinois, strangely enough."
"I've been using my power since I was around 12 years old and I am now 29 years old. I like to believe I know a thing or two about being subtle if you didn't detect something was up for 17 years." She says with clear amusement in her voice, obviously finding the whole situation quite funny. "Besides, if I didn't have a paper trail, it would seem that I had something to hide, which I don't."
"Besides the supernatural powers and panther."
"Yes, but everyone who's ever met me knows that I have a panther, named Shadow by the way. And I have a license for her, so my having her is not illegal. Or hidden." Isabella says with a shrug, carrying the dishes to the kitchen and putting them in the dishwasher that is rarely used. Shadow growls slightly at Fury, then makes a huffing sound to represent her laughter when he flinches away.
When she comes back, she rejoins her panther who leans into her touch. Swinging her legs, she asks Fury, "Anything else you wish to know before you decide to either blow me up, convince me you have my best interests at heart and manipulate my senses of humanity into helping you, or knock me out for about an hour and a half so you can take and hold me on your plane until I wake up and cooperate with you. You might also run blood tests to see where my powers come from and if you can transmit them to anyone else, and no you can't, it can only be passed on through genetics, strangely enough."
Everyone is completely silent as Fury tries to regain his bearings from having his three ways of recruiting members revealed by a slip of a girl who is not what he expected her to be. Finally getting his equilibrium back, he says, "So you'll let him go?"
"He was never under my control to begin with." She shrugs, drinking her coffee again.
"Not in the way you believe anyway" Loki interjects, giving Isabella a smile and has a slight twinkle in his eyes that reveal a message of his feelings for her. She inclines her head and gives him a similar look before looking back at Fury with a cool gaze, her eyebrow raised as she expects more protestations.
He stays silent, glaring at her before leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. Thor, however, has much to say. "So you will let him go so we can go home and be reunited with Father?"
Isabella rolls her eyes and repeats, "He was never under my control to begin with, Thunder God. And if he wants to go home, he can, that is completely up to him, not you."
"Well then brother, we shall go to the portal spot and go home. I have Mjolnir, thus solving my mission, and you have solved your by now I suppose, so we can go now."
"I don't want to brother, and I can't have solved a mission that I do no know." Loki says, standing up and walking toward Isabella, standing a few steps away from her and crossing his arms.
"Brother, it is our duty to go back home and protect Father while he rests and take care of his kingdom for him. Nothing is more important than family, you have to know that by now." Thor rumbles, coming and standing chest to chest with Loki, only an inch taller.
"No Thor, it is your duty to go and replace Father as king, not mine. I am not his son, I am just the lesser brother of the mighty Thor, the one who is perfect in everything. You had nothing to worry about, you were the one who had his love and affection your whole life, I had only his derision and disappointment. So forgive me if I'm not rushing to go back to where I'm not wanted." Loki snarls loudly, his whole bearing tensing as he prepares for a fight.
Isabella softly grabs his arm and tiptoes to whisper in his ear, "Calm down, it is best to not make a scene right now. Just wait a moment while I get rid of the rest, go to the kitchen and try not to break anything please."
He nods tersely, motioning for Thor to follow him, which he does. Isabella tells Fury, "Fury, you need to leave now unless you want to get caught in a sibling rivalry on steroids. This might get nasty, so I suggest that you go back to your plane and figure out a new game plan, or find your next groupie because until they solve their problems, you won't get either of them."
Fury tries to argue but Shadow growls out her disapproval at his resistance, him flinching again at the fierce growl that was made to scare off larger and more dangerous predators. He acquits, whistling for his team to follow him, which they do.
Jane gets up to follow them but Isabella stops her, "No, Jane Foster, you stay."
Jane hesitantly stays where she is, unsure as to what use she will be, a non-magical person, against a godly sibling feud. However, she is swayed by the dominance and surety this... woman presents in her bearing and tone. She stays and mouths to her friend, Talk to you later, promise.
"Miss Foster, come with me please, I'm afraid the boys can't wait much longer before they burst." Isa says with a roll of her eyes at the childish actions these grown gods are displaying, Jane nodding in hesitant agreement. "I'm Isabella Bane by the way, and this is Shadow, my familiar."
"Familiar? Is she a channel for your magic or is she the cause of it? What kind of magic do you have anyway and how do you have control over it for 17 years?" Jane blurts out, immediately blushing afterwards but not backing down in her astrophysicist's curiosity.
Isa laughs softly at the rapid fire questions, explaining as they get to the kitchen, "Yes she is my familiar; a familiar is similar to what they were in Medieval Times, spirit or entities that helped with magic. Shadow has much magical knowledge that was passed from her mother who got it from her mother and so on so forth. She provides a focus, advice, and companionship. She is tied to my soul and will live as long as I do. I possess elemental powers; Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Shadow and Light.
Due to my training, I was able to expand my abilities and express degrees of control over them. When my emotions run high, I tend to burst out with them. If I need to recover from low magic or fatal wounds, placing me in an area surrounded by the elements is a boost for my healing. Does that answer your questions?"
Jane nods and blushes a deeper red, eyeing Shadow who huffs her laughter again and follows them to the kitchen where she stands guard for any stray sparks, from Thor specifically.
Thor and Loki are glaring daggers at each other, Thor adjusting and readjusting his hold on Mjolnir. Both are angry at the other, only for different reasons.
Thor is angry because he cannot believe that his brother would throw away their brotherhood and history away. Their Father had done everything for them, so why cannot Loki see that? And where does he get the idea that he is inferior to himself? He may not be as strong, but he is still a competent warrior. Their time apart was nice, but Thor longs for his brother and his quips and quirks. So, since Thor misses Loki, Loki must miss Thor, so why can't they go home and fight the worlds together, as a family?
Loki is angry because of years and years of resentment piled up in his system with no way to purge it. Sure, he talked a little about it with Isabella, but there can only be so much talking about someone and they cannot hear you. Ever since he displayed more of his Mother's talents for magic and not his Father's for fighting, Odin had been disappointed and displayed his preference for Thor. Of course, as a young child, he worked as hard as he could to regain the favor he had no idea how he lost. Then Thor had to turn out to be the perfect obedient son who followed every order and couldn't think of a plan to save his life. Literally. Finally getting the chance to get it off his chest was exhilarating.
Both consumed by their anger and thoughts, neither notices the ladies come in until Isabella coughs to get their attention. The brother turn towards her in unison, regaining awareness of their surroundings. She gestures to two stools for them, sitting on the counter by the sink, closest to Loki. Jane gets a chair from the main eatery and sits closer to Thor.
All are silent for a second as the anger cools down to a point where rationality can kick in and the brothers can speak calmly without raising their voices. Their girlfriends stay beyond them in order for the men to understand that their feud is supported if unnecessary.
Finally, Isabella intones with a voice that brooks no argument, "Alright, this is how this discussion is going to happen: Loki will speak first about whatever he needs to without interruption, then Thor will respond to Loki's concerns and explain his own without interruption. Have I made myself clear?"
Both nod, ready to have at each other. Isabella whispers to Loki, "Get everything off your chest, but do try and be calm about it, alright?" Loki looks back at her and smiles slightly, squeezing her knee gently before beginning his speech.
"When we were growing, almost all I heard was 'Why aren't you more like Thor? He is tall and muscular, a true leader. And what can you do? Go poof?' Once Father found out that I was of a slighter build and more interested in cultivating my magic instead of defeating foes that were absolutely not a threat to us, he practically disowned me. I can't count how many times I skipped out on a battle and stayed in the library only to see his disappointed face at dinner. I felt... Isolated from him, and you had all his affections.
You had the girls, the friends, even Mother, my best supporter and teacher, compared me to you. And you had no idea! You just went along, treating me like the little brother, forcing you friends to be my friends and insisting that we were brothers. How can we be when you were the mighty Thor and I was just a speck on the bottom of your shoe?"
Isabella covers her mouth with her hand, her heart going out for her boyfriend. A tear slips from her face as she thinks about how worthless he must have felt and the relief he had when he found people who didn't compare him to not only his brother, but no one else. She sniffles and wipes the tear away, trying hard not to hug the life out of him. (A/N, as we all want to *sigh*)
Loki looks at her and grabs her other hand, placing it on his shoulder and placing his hand on top of hers. He returns his gaze back to a gob smacked Thor.
Thor flounders for a minute, then says to Loki, "Brother, Father did not mean that. He loves both of us, you have to believe that. He just wants to make sure that you are strong enough to be a leader for Asgard-"
Loki snorts and looks away, incredulous at the fact that Thor still believes that after all that he just said. Isabella squeezes his shoulder, glaring at Thor and raising an eyebrow, prompting him to try again.
"Brother, simply because you are smaller than me does not mean you are inferior. It simply means you have to eat more and buck up in order to be what Father wants. And you can do all that when we go home. Where we can fight the worlds together and be like we were; together as family. Family is what is important and you are my family, I could never hurt you. Despite what you my believe, I believe that you are a competent soldier. One that I can count on to fight beside me. So can we go home? Father needs us now that we have completed our missions."
"Were you not listening? I don't know what your mission was, so how can I go home?" Loki snarls, frustrated that Thor just doesn't get it. Any of it.
"How do you not know what your mission is? Where is your staff?" Thor says frantically, his grip on Mjolnir tightening and sparks beginning to travel along the length of the hammer.
"Odin still has it on Asgard, and all I know is that I was sent here to find something. There's a urgent need to find something, and I don't think it's an object. Sometimes I'll have a dream of someone calling me, urging me to look within myself where I'll find what I need to go home." Loki says, running a hand through his hair in frustration at not solving the riddle more than his prevention from going home.
"Then we can't go home." Thor says, crumpling in defeat.
"I don't believe I want to go home Thor." Loki says after a long moment of contemplation. Isabella freezes up and looks at him, a tentative question in her eyes. He inclines his head, a smile coming onto his face without his knowledge.
Thor notices the exchange and narrows his eyes, putting some dots together and shoving others away. "Is it because of her? Do you want to neglect your duty to our Father for her? A girl you barely know who has a pet cat and makes good food? Actually, I can see why you want to stay now, never mind. I still think we should go home though."
"I will when it's time Thor, now is not that time." Loki sighs, exhausted by the emotional conversation he had. I'm never having another "heart-to-heart" again, they just make me want to sleep and feel the sudden urge of growing lady parts. Yes, no more.
There's a long moment of silence as everyone digests what has been said and happened that day. Isabella breaks the silence when she turns to Loki and crosses her arms in a fake pout.
"Loki, why did you never tell you stayed for my food? Even your brother knows. That just hurts me." Loki huffs his laughter and shrugs his shoulders, "If I said something, you wouldn't cook for me."
Thor barks a laugh, then gets up, Jane following his lead, her curiosity growing but knowing that now is not the right time to ask questions.
"Well brother, I suppose this is goodbye for now." Thor says to Loki, his expression like a kicked puppy.
"Yes, it is. And I will see you at home someday." Loki says gruffly. They shake hands and Loki watches as Thor leaves, possibly for forever.
There we go! Part 2 completed and how will the story continue? You tell me.
thephoenixandthedragon4ever, I hope this chapter answered your questions and if anyone has questions, don't hesitate to ask. I want this to be both mysterious and clear, if that makes sense :)
Until next time!
