The next hour had been the most terrifying part of Loki's life. Darcy was barely conscious as Nicola half-carried her downstairs while Preston started the car. They had noticed Loki in cat form, but were too concerned with their daughter to bother with him. The second Darcy's room was empty, Loki shifted back to his body and teleported to the kitchen, catching Preston as he ran to the garage. Mister Lewis rambled off an explanation, not stopping for a second. Loki ran up the stairs, swept Darcy's small body out of Nicola's arms and carried her to the car. He and Nicola rode in the back while Preston pushed 90 through the neighborhood and the scenic streets.
They arrived at the hospital and Loki was out of the car in a heartbeat, carrying Darcy and practically running.
"We need help!"
"Okay sir, calm down, what's wrong?"
"She's having an allergic reaction," Nicola cut in, her voice nearing hysterics as she watched her daughter struggling for breath, eyes barely open. Loki's own eyes were wide, fearful even as he stared down at the woman in his arms. The nurse behind the desk wasted no time in calling over a doctor who, after Loki refused to let go of Darcy, led them to a room where she could lay down. The doctor, an attractive man named Donald Blake, pulled an EPI pen from a nearby supply closet and jabbed it into Darcy's leg. A few nurses came in, ushering Loki and Darcy's parents out of the room while they checked her vitals and filled out paperwork. Though he couldn't enter the room, Loki remained at the window, watching and pacing. While Preston filled out paperwork for the nurse at the desk, Nicola walked over to Loki.
"She hasn't had a reaction this bad since she was in middle school. I didn't think it was going to be a problem anymore. And she hasn't visited in so long we haven't bothered keeping an EPI pen for her." The blond woman was on the verge of tears as she spoke. "And she knows how allergic she is. Why…Why would she bring a cat in the house, much less in her room?"
Loki swallowed.
"Oh god…I just hope she gets out of this okay." Nicola buried her face in her hands and turned into Loki. He had no idea what to do. No one came to him for comfort- except sometimes Thor, in which case it was always a mistake as Loki constantly took advantage of his brother's naivety. Hesitantly, Loki raised his hand to pat Nicola's back.
An hour later, Darcy was peacefully asleep in her hospital bed. Nicola and Preston had- quite unhappily- left her bedside to attend to an urgent matter involving an associate, leaving Loki alone with the sleeping mortal. He was lounging in the chair, surrounded by cups of coffee brought to him by blushing and giggling nurse's aides, his green eyes studying Darcy's face intently. Her skin had mostly returned to its normal pale hue, only bearing a light blush across each cheek- rather attractive, though Loki would never think that. Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, reassuring to the god who could still see her uneven breaths as her throat had swollen on the inside. Darcy's dark hair was splayed out on the pillows. If Loki hadn't been watching constantly, one would have sworn that her hair had been arranged by someone to make her look angelic and peaceful.
"She looks like Snow White, doesn't she?"
"Pardon?" Loki glanced up to see a young nurse standing in the doorway.
"Snow White. The fairytale princess? She's always been my favorite," the girl chuckled, clutching a clipboard to her chest. Her eyes traveled from Darcy to Loki and the several cups of coffee on the table next to him. "I see you've met most of the staff," her eyebrow quirked up.
"They're quite accommodating."
"Yeah," she rolled her eyes. "Um, anyway, it's late and doctor Blake wants to keep her for observation. So you can either head home or spend the night. I can bring in a cot or something."
"Darcy's parents asked me to stay with her, so I shall. I'll be fine like this."
"Gotcha gotcha. Well, if you need anything, I'm Kyla. I'll be at the desk all night so…yeah, if you need anything, let me know."
"Thank you." Kyla left, closing the door and sealing Loki in silence once more.
"You know she really does look like Snow White," Loki's clone spoke from the foot of the bed.
"Not you again."
"Lovely to see you too."
"What do you mean, anyway?"
"Snow White. Darcy looks like her right now. The pale skin, red lips, dark hair. Though Snow White's hair is black."
"How do we even know who Snow White is?"
"We know pretty much everything." Loki tilted his head, acknowledging the fact. "It's rather funny though."
"What is?"
"Well in Snow White, the princess dies from eating an apple. In some versions it's poisoned, in some versions she just chokes. But then she comes back to life when prince charming kisses her."
"I'm no prince charming."
"But of course you are, my Silvertongue. You're quite possibly the most charming being in existence."
"Shut up."
"I do what I want."
"You say that too often."
"Catchphrases are meant to be used frequently. That's what makes them catchphrases."
"Why are you here?"
"You've lost control again. Remember the spell you used to unlock your doppelgangers?" Loki slouched into his chair, trying to ignore his clone. "Well I remember it. The spell said that in order to master the creation of copies, one had to be separated into two parts- the logic," he indicated Loki, "and the instinct," he indicated himself.
"You are hardly my instinct."
"Oh I beg to differ. Remember, the spell said that the logic would have to maintain control or the parts would be separated. You lost control, and I appeared. You do the math."
"I do what I want."
"Ah! See? It's fun, isn't it?" Loki ignored his 'instinct'. "Fine, don't respond. Silent treatment, hmm?" Loki shot a glare at his clone, but snapped his eyes to Darcy when she stirred.
"Darcy?" he brushed a lock of hair away from her face, leaning forward until he was just a foot from her.
"Loki? What happened?" The god swallowed, praying that his words would not fail him this time.
"You…You had an allergic reaction. After the fight, I went to your bedroom to talk but you were asleep. So I shape-shifted into a cat and tried to wake you. I didn't know you were allergic," he added hastily as Darcy visibly recoiled from him.
"You nearly killed me you tool!" she threw a pillow at the Asgardian. "What the hell is that?"
"What?"
"The other you. Right there. What is that?" Loki glanced over to see that his clone was still present.
"Damn."
"What the hell is that?"
"That's a clone. It's nothing."
"A clone?"
"Yes don't concern yourself with it."
"You can make copies of yourself."
"Yes it's not that difficult-"
"So there can be more than one of you?"
"Well yes, obviously. Don't worry about-"
"Oh whoa…" Darcy's voice trailed to silence as her eyes glazed slightly.
"Darcy?"
"Sorry, spaced out a bit. What did you say?"
"Don't worry about the-"
"She was clearly visualizing the three of us in a sexual encounter," the clone interjected.
"Would you please shut- what?"
"Didn't you see how her eyes changed? Obviously clouded with lust."
"That is such a lie!" Darcy pulled the hospital blanket over her chest.
"Your lady boner is visible, do you need a moment to collect yourself?"
"Honestly!" Loki cried, "That is not appropriate in…What is a-"
"We are so not talking about this!" Darcy screamed.
"Is everything alright?" Kyla poked her head into the room. "Oh. You have a brother? I didn't even see him come in, jeez I must be more tired than I thought."
"He's not my brother, he's my-"
"His twin. They're twins."
"Could you please excuse us? We're in a rather important discussion," the clone smiled at Kyla.
"Oh, sure, yeah. Call if you need anything. Okay. Bye." As the door closed, the three glanced back at each other. Darcy was the first to speak.
"What were we talking about?"
"Lady boners," the clone shrugged.
"That is so not appropriate!" Darcy shrieked. "Why did he say that? You would never say that!" she turned to Loki.
"Don't ask me, he does what he wants." The clone beamed.
"So…There are two Loki's that can act independently?"
"Darcy please, your arousal is ridiculously obvious," the clone rolled his eyes, though his smile betrayed how much he enjoyed knowing the mortal wanted him- and the original- so badly.
"Don't bother fantasizing about that," Loki growled, "He can't actually touch anything. He's just an image." Darcy's face fell slightly, illustrating her disappointment flawlessly.
"For now," the clone winked at the human. "I may or may not be on the verge of a discovery that could or could not change the world as we all seem to know it."
"Just shut up," Loki threw a pillow- the one Darcy had thrown at him- through the copy. Darcy's shoulders slumped even more when she saw that the clone was, in fact, just an illusion, and not tangible.
"Well I think I've done enough for the evening. I'll be retiring. If you need me, you need only-"
"Enough," glaring green eyes met smiling green eyes.
"Come now, don't be cross. Give us a kiss." Loki's glare remained, and the clone relented. "Until he loses self-control again, Miss Lewis." He winked, and vanished.
"Okay now what the hell was that?" Darcy asked.
"We've been over this-"
"No what did he mean, about you losing self-control?"
"It's nothing, just rubbish. He's an obnoxious fraction of myself-"
"Fraction? Only if the fraction is three fourths," Darcy laughed.
"Forget it." Loki leaned back in his chair, bristling. He propped one elbow on the arm rest and pressed the fingers to his lips, falling into thought.
"Oh come on, don't be such a chick." No response. "Loki, seriously." Still no response. Darcy could tell that she was getting nowhere, and decided to change tactics. She slipped her legs over the edge of the bed, stepping onto the cold tiles. "Loki," she purred as she slid onto the god's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning close, "I'm sorry."
The trickster was taken aback by Darcy's actions. Since they had first slept together, her attitude hadn't changed much, much less led to her apologizing for anything, even if she really should have apologized. He was so surprised, he couldn't think of anything to say, and just stared at the brunette as she cuddled into him, her forehead resting against his neck. She was quite small compared to him, and the Asgardian mused that to anyone watching it might even look like a child sitting on a parent's lap. If they didn't notice Darcy's face or curves, that is. Not that her face and curves were really worth looking at. Darcy pulled her bare feet off of the tile floor, cuddling into the god's lean body even more.
"I'm sorry," she said again.
"Darcy…" His voice was a whisper, though he had fully intended to speak at a normal volume. He cleared his throat, making another attempt, "Being so repentant doesn't suit you."