The next two weeks were quiet. Agent Hill didn't interfere with Althia's schedule or make any special appearances as Fury was known to do. For the first few days Loki kept Althia for three hours in the morning and two before dinner repeating forms and working on acclimating her to working with a staff. She performed any exercise he showed her and built the common sequences of stance, posture, and focus that Loki had learned on Asgard for the staff, and sword. After she mastered the forms occasional Loki would pair Althia off with a random guard for sparring. She did well adding the use of her gymnastic skills to each engagement. Loki was frustrated with the soft handed way the guards handled Althia. He could tell she felt the same way and at the end of the first week of it she threw down her practice weapon and went after the guard hand to hand. "Why are you treating me like you can hurt me?" she asked through clenched teeth. The guard was experienced enough to avoid most of her attacks and throws. He began puffing when she began a series of rapid jabs, kicks, and circled him like a predator pressing for an opening. Loki called a halt and ended the practice for the day. Even though he never indicated any displeasure at her recall or performance each day she left the gym sure that the next he would lose his patience with her and end the lessons.

Loki spoke with Agent Hill that day and she brought in a new guard rotation to provide Althia with sparring partners who didn't see her as fragile. Althia immediate saw an increase in the difficulty of disabling her opponents and had to heal several as well as herself after vigorous competitions. The new guards were slowly beginning to change the attitudes of some of the ones familiar with Althia and she received the challenges she needed to move forward. They also changed Althia's view of the guards. Most were highly trained veterans with enough experience that they had been offered the duty with disclosure of the possibility of both an alien and Hydra attack on the base. She hadn't realized how seriously SHIELD took protecting her and watching Loki.

Althia saved her sneaking antics for the exercises in stealth, and tactical maneuvers. She managed to sneak up on and disable almost every opponent at least once; except Loki. She did however continue to attempt to surprise him. Forcing her body to its limits to maneuver away from and around him in the annexes and training rooms. Loki didn't resort to his magic to trick her though it was tempting; he knew he had to get her first able to deal with mundane battles she would likely face on Midgard before testing her against the advanced problems of the other realms. There were times he had to defend his training methods that left him frustrated and volitile. The turning point was when he had pinned her down her hands above her head his groin pressed between her legs. The intimate nature of the position had upset several guards the first time they had seen him do it. When confronted he brow beat them with the fact that at some point she may find herself in just such a position and he wouldn't have her dishonored simply because it offended their sensibilities to see the two in a valid combat situation. They desisted in criticizing his motives.

After a month Loki admitted she had surprised him. He wasn't aware of her unusual learning ability until her therapist sought him out. He was sitting in Eldworth's office when a tall dark skinned man walked in holding a file folder. His smile was warm and his entire demeanor one of calm surety. "It's good to finally meet you Mr. Odinson. I'm Doctor Andrew Gardner." He stopped and waited for Loki to rise before he extended his hand. "Ah, yes Althia's doctor. It's a pleasure." Loki responded taking the man's hand. Eldworth explained that Gardner was curious about Loki's illusions and the possibility of using them to help Althia not only deal with her memory lapses but also the terror of her captor. Loki listened to their idea and nodded occasional but kept his thoughts to himself. "She says you've been inside her memory at least once while she dreamed of him. Is that correct?" Doctor Gardner asked and Loki nodded. "I am familiar enough I could reproduce his image. The question is; why would I do so at all? She has been out of his care bare months." He asked and Gardner nodded "She needs a way to confront him in a controlled environment. Facing him in real life is not possible the trauma is too much." He explained that he felt if she confronted the illusion of him then she could begin to conquer the terrible nightmares faster and move on. Also if they could replicate the situation where Loki observed her dream and could get her to experience some of the flash backs from her life before her captivity she might be able to resurrect some of that part of her life. "There is no theory or research for treating a victim of abuse who survived so long under conditions that would be fatal to an average person. I'm stepping outside normal bounds a little with her past but not on the abuse." Loki agreed to think about it but demanded she be aware of any attempts to force her to confront her enemy. Both men agreed and they scheduled the first attempt for a week later. Doctor Gardner wanted to work with her to make sure she was as prepared as possible for the experience.

Althia wasn't happy about the idea. Doctor Gardner worked hard daily that week to get her to the point where she agreed to try. They were going to have Loki sit in on a meeting and she would control the entire event. Without telling her the therapist requested Agent Romanov be brought to the base in case she was needed to draw Althia out of a relapse. She spent three days jumpy and distracted. During her staff training Loki began yelling at her. She started crying within the first minute "Pathetic, I expect better out of you. You've trained too long to be unsettled this easily. Focus." He commanded her and she nodded raising her staff again. Without hesitating Loki snatched her legs from beneath her. She flipped off the floor and began backing away from him her face twisting between anger and fear. Loki noted the change and began using his speed to drive her across the ring. He was frustrated and angry that she was weak enough that the idea of facing the image of her enemy made her timid again. The ever present guards began to get nervous when all her skills deserted her and she took blow after blow from Loki's staff. Each followed by a flash of her power. "Fight back you sniveling snit!" he bellowed at her his anger out doing his frustration and Althia screamed at him. The link opened wide in her head and swept away the fear and uncertainty. Loki had no idea she wasn't in control of herself as she lost the fight against his anger and it overwhelmed her. She attacked him with her staff in a flurry of blows. The fight was brutal and they both ended up separated by the guards. Once they interfered Loki tampered down his emotions and Althia deflated crumbling crying to the floor. Loki dropped his staff and walked away. "Get cleaned up you'll be useless until you truly desire to free yourself of him." Once he exited the ring he turned a cold face to her. "You must do better than this." His words echoed in her head. "I expect my trainee to be properly prepared to focus on her studies tomorrow." With that he left his guard's following silently.

Althia spent the rest of her day in her room. She fell into bed exhausted and terrified of what had happened. His anger had been so strong it had completely overwhelmed her mind and she'd never felt anything like it. After a while she began to calm down and she sent Tasha a message and laid back down. The link was too useful to squander but if he ever had such a powerful reaction around her again there was no telling what the results would be. When her phone chimed she gabbed for it desperately. "Be there in 6 hours. Stay calm." Natasha replied. Althia collapsed in relief. Her angel was coming; it would be ok once she arrived. Bruce came looking for her a few hours later when she didn't show up for dinner.

"What's going on?" He asked when he saw her curled in a chair her back to him. He couldn't see much of her body just the top of her head. When he circled the chair her eyes were closed and there was blood running down her arms. He tried to pry her fingers off her arms and she whimpered. Fighting panic Bruce scooped her up bodily and started calling her guards. She had wrapped her arms around her legs and in some strange panic dug her fingers through the skin on her arms. "Come on baby I'm right here." He whispered as they struggled to get her out of the building. She didn't respond at all and he could feel the stirrings of dangerous levels of anger in his heart. They were met at the residence hall doors by a medic team. When he tried to put her on the gurney she screamed in pain. He lost it and the change started. The guards began dragging the medics away. Althia was the only one safe from the raging hulk.

Althia was left curled in a ball on the gurney as the gentle Banner fought against the change screaming her name. 'We heal. It is what we are commanded by the gods. To not help is to shame our mothers.' Althia screamed in a strange language and Sam ran back. She was struggling to free herself as Banner thrashed. Before anyone could stop her Althia snatched her hands free her blood scattered across the concrete glowing for a moment as her power burst from her. "Bruce!" she cried and a large green hand reached up squeezing the metal of the gurney. She spilled down the side to look into the face of the hulk inches from her frantic eyes. Shifting he drew her into his chest and threw his head back letting a roar shake the windows of the buildings.

Loki stood in shock as he watched Banner change. He'd heard his screams and watched from the window. The mindless brute wrapped himself around her and stood. His arms hid her body but her light flickered and pulsed against his face as he twisted looking for something to attack. Loki knew his appearance would only result in greater damage and slipped into the shadows. The hulk held her his skin hummed and thumped against her face and chest where he cradled her. She spoke and he stopped his frantic search to look at her. His arms carefully unfolding till her face gazed up at him. "Āpani andhakāra thēkē āmākē ḍēkē pāṭhāla." She shook her head and blinked before she tried again "You called me from the darkness." She said and tried to smile into the confused and worried eyes above her. She was crying as her hand stroked the confused face above her.

Natasha Romanov didn't know what to make of the information she got. She watched the security footage several times. Althia had gone into some sort of trauma induced state and hugged her legs to her chest. The camera showed her grabbing her arms and rocking and the beginning of the blood flowing down her sleeves. She came out of it when he screamed for her. She went back to the footage of Althia's room backing up to the minutes before. Althia was sitting at her desk writing something and jerked up. It was plan she was in one of her flash backs. She got up from the computer and left for Althia's room. The woman was asleep in Banners room for the night under constant surveillance. They were scheduled with Doctor Gardner in the morning and Tasha wanted to know what was on Althia's desk that had set her off.

Althia sat between Tasha and Bruce her arms carefully folded in her lap clasped and released in her nervous state. Natasha had a folded sheet of paper in her hands keeping it shielded from her view. She knew what was on the paper, she had been the one to draw it. "Althia what were you doing last night?" Doctor Gardner asked and she looked at her hands. Bruce slid a hand over hers and she clung to it. "I need to free myself of my fear." She said calmly. "Yes, but last night?" he asked and she looked at him. "I was remembering his eyes." She whispered and a shiver ran up her spine. "Ease down." Tasha said and Althia looked at her taking deep slow breaths as she'd been taught. "Give us a minute Althia." Tasha said and Althia nodded before she stepped out of the room. Natasha opened the paper and laid it on the table so both men could see it. It wasn't the best drawing but the image was unmistakable. Two eyes stared out from the paper but within the iris was a second image. Althia plump but recognizable with a shaft of wood protruding from her swollen belly. Bruce leaned forward and studied the image. "She was pregnant?" he said is a choked whisper. "I think so." Tasha said calmly. Doctor Gardner turned the image to study it carefully. "I think Mr. Odinson needs to be in here." He said and paged his secretary to have the Asgardian brought.

Loki looked at the image holding it in one hand as he studied the slice of Althia's unknown history. Doctor Gardner had asked Althia for permission to discuss her file with the prince and she'd nodded before Tasha took her back to the infirmary. Bruce had left at the same time. He knew that he couldn't be objective about her and the idea that she'd been pregnant either during or just before her capture was disturbing. He busied himself in the lab while the others dealt with it; he focused on working on something that might help her.

"When you saw her dream was she ever pregnant?" doctor Gardner asked and Loki shook his head. "Until this moment I didn't even know she'd been having these flash backs." He said and set the paper down. "Tell me do they happen often?" he asked and the doctor waved his hand back and forth. "They are triggered. This time she quoted you as the trigger." Loki looked at the man sharply and waited. "No she didn't blame you. Agent Romanov watched the video of your training and this morning Althia said she needed to free herself of this fear." He sat back and rubbed his face. "I'm treating her as if she'd human but her charts say otherwise." He said and tapped on his tablet before turning it so Loki could watch the video he'd pulled up. Loki watched several of Althia's flashback episodes before he stopped it. "What does this have to do with me?" Loki asked looking up slightly confused. The doctor slid the paper back across the table and tapped the image. "This is the most complete memory flashback she's had since she was rescued. It's a good sign even if her reaction was on the extreme end of the spectrum." Loki learned more in that hour about the woman than he'd been told in the two months he'd been there. "I don't want you to make an illusion of the man I want you to show her this." The doctor said finally and Loki sat back. After explaining his reasoning Loki finally agreed and they sent for Althia and Tasha.

Althia listened as her doctor explained that he wanted to work on her past before she was a captive and to that end Loki was going to create an illusion of her not while she was a captive but before. She nodded her past was mostly unknown and the little flashes and memories she did have were never as scary. She settled in her chair and waited. Loki twisted his hand and she jumped up. No one else could see anything. Slowly she reached out to the space in front of her. Her face was frozen, her eyes grew blank and her body relaxed. "Althia how are you?" the doctor asked and she stood straighter her head coming up. "I am well; she grows strong with in me." Her voice took on the thick accent again and she ran her hand across the flat of her stomach. As Gardner spoke to the woman Loki's could feel her power stir and it pulled at his magic. Althia's eyes lit up as she looked at the image and she shivered. "Take it away." She whispered in her normal voice a tear started to roll down her cheek. Loki stood up and dropped the illusion; she collapsed into his arms. She took a deep breath and cried clinging to him. He set her in her chair and Tasha was there speaking quietly to her. "Angel, I'm ok." Althia said after a minute and sat up straighter. Loki looked at the doctor with a curious expression. "He took my world that day." She said drawing eyes to her. "I wasn't a fighter I ran but…"she drifted off. Something in her eyes hardened and she looked from Tasha to Loki. "Teach me to kill him." Her normal voice was deeper and hard but clear. Loki burst out laughing Tasha grinned at her "That's the plan then." And Althia gave her one sharp nod. Doctor Gardner exerted rigid control over his expression and not even Loki could determine what his true reaction was the her statement.

Tasha went to speak with Eldworth as Loki demonstrated his illusions and Althia worked to overcome the well of despair and rage she had felt. It would take time but the part of her mind that was aware of Loki helped to lessen the fear. She was upset when Doctor Gardner called the session after thirty minutes. "I want to continue." She declared and he shook his head. Loki carefully eased her out of the room and once they were in the hall she looked at him. "Why did you agree with him?" she asked him in a low voice and he grinned at her. "There are other ways." He said and she was suddenly standing in a field that stretched to the horizon. She could hear water flowing. Before she could grasp everything he put in her mind the guards yelled. Loki grinned at them and they all found themselves back in the hall. He whispered in her ear and she grinned. Loki and his guards strolled off as she went to find Bruce.

For Loki it was boringly easy he could and did often twist the images he showed her. When he became bored he would elaborate on the illusion. Showing her the image she feared in a world of his imagining. At times she became so distracted by the secondary portions she was unaffected by the subject. She began spending part of her free time marveling at the worlds he could show her. Those private visits gave them ample opportunity to work to banish some of her crippling fears.

Bruce refused to be baited by Loki into jealousy. He was required several times to travel to Stark manufacturing as the device was being built. The first three models had to be striped and sent back after they failed. He saw Althia grow from the therapy; every day she was more alive. She loved sneaking up on him and worming into his lap as he worked in the lab. No matter what he was working on he would find himself struggling as she demanded his attention. He found her sweetness grew as she did. She would stand quietly behind him as he sat at his computer and rub the tension from his shoulders. Others she simply sat in the room working on her own studies.

Ever week Loki and Althia visited with Doctor Gardner. She often left the meetings shaken but Loki respected the fact that after the first day she refused to cry or let herself be over whelmed by the images he showed her. Sometimes they stood in one of the rooms she was tortured in. Empty except them and she forced herself to look around as Loki and Doctor Gardner talked her through it. Afterwards Loki would spend some time talking with the doctor about her. They had only had four meetings when Loki did something that shocked the doctor. Althia was standing in the room waiting for whatever image would come when an older man appeared before her and Doctor Gardner's eyes. He was as tall as Thor and his shoulders were broad. She started to shiver and choke looking at him. It was the smiling man. The constant mild awareness of Loki kept her mind from snapping; the outfit Loki had put him in was comical enough she couldn't be drawn into her past terrors. His body was covered in a long multihued gown with wings off the back. She looked from Loki whose cold anger tempered her fear to the image that stood hand outstretched as still as a statue. Gardner watched her; Loki had been including him in the illusions so he could discuss them with her. With deliberate steps she walked to it and swung her fist through its face. It faded the image broke upon contact. Loki grinned with pride and devilry.

Loki left the next day with Thor. He hadn't told Althia; she woke to a note from him slipped under her door. The stormy roar of the bifrost shaking her from her sleep. She slipped into her robe and took the note to the window.

Althia,

I have been summoned to Asgard. I regret we will have to postpone our adventure. I have enjoyed assisting you and look forward to furthering your training. Please continue the forms and lessons we have been working on. This trip may be brief or it may be extended I do not know.

Loki Odinson

Althia took the note to Bruce when she met him for breakfast. He shook his head. "He could have emailed or texted you that." Was his only response. The only person she'd told about the work she'd been doing with Loki outside doctor Gardner's office was Bruce. She spent the morning with him working to assemble the parts from Stark industries until Eldworth and Doctor Gardner arrived. They took her in a small room close to the lab and had her settled at a computer with sound cancelling head phones cradled in her lap. "We intercepted this and I want you to see if you recognize the voice." Eldworth asked and she settled the headphones over her ears. Closing her eyes as the voices began discussing an antique acquisition. "Transportation may prove difficult. It has created quite a stir every time the public finds out." A voice she vaguely recognized said. She shook her head then stiffened as a new voice one deep and smooth with a cheerful lilt responded. "I have every confidence in you. Discretion is vital to success." Althia swatted the head phones off. Her hands trembled; Loki had been working with her on that voice for weeks she didn't go into a panic but it was a near thing. Loki was only the faintest echo in the back of her mind. She focused on him as she let the knowledge that SHIELD may have found him sink in. "It's him." She said and left the room. Bruce had his hands full when she wormed under his arm to curl against his chest. "They are tracking him down." She said and he dropped the tool to pull her back and look at her face. "What?" he asked and she told him what had happened. He nodded pulling her back against his chest. "Good." He said and they shared a moment of relief. Tasha listened to Gardner and Eldworth as they explained her reaction and nodded. "Good; she's closer than we expected." The two men nodded Gardner smiled. "She doesn't need me to help her deal with her power. She has had some form of training with it. She keeps it under control. The only real problem she has is the fear SHIELD will turn on her." He said sadly. Tasha looked at him hard. "Why?" she asked and he explained that her willingness to do anything asked of her was because she didn't want them to turn her back into a lab animal or hurt her friends. Tasha began to see how the instant compliance was rooted in the woman's fear of Hydra. "I'd suggest outings into the public. Get her off a military base." They talked some more and agreed that it would be advantageous on several levels. After they parted Eldworth went and spoke with the medical team that saw the most of Althia. Sharron Mills agreed to take her for a short shopping trip and one of the doctors she had befriended agreed that professional dance classes would be a fun familiar setting for her.