Kinda been out of it lately but here ya go! Sorry if it's kind of a lame chap.
Chapter 4
Well, I definitely got sick. After that fucking weird day of being abducted/not-adbucted by freaking gods, I chalked up everything to being prematurely delirious from the fever I developed later that night. I refused to go see a doctor, seeing as I had no insurance. However, it only took a couple of emails to explain my absence to my professors. My employer wasn't so easy to appease. It took about a dozen phone calls and texts, plus four separate promises to take shifts in the future to satisfy my managers. After the nightmare of dealing with all of that while dying from a stuffy nose, itchy, watery eyes, sore throat, and a throbbing headache that refused to go away, I was finally able to settle down on the couch of my grandparents' living room and let Nanny pamper me.
Yeah, I may have wanted to be independent, but no one liked to be sick while completely alone. And she wouldn't have had it any other way, anyhow. She had been shoveling home-remedies and soup down my throat relentlessly, fussing the entire time that I should have "called her for a ride instead of soaking myself in that freezing rain." I would have argued that it would have been more dangerous for her to drive into the city, but I didn't want her and Pop to feel like they were being treated like invalids or something. Instead, I kept quiet in my death, trying my hardest not to outwardly groan when Pop would watch football in the room or Nanny would insist on driving to the drug store for more medicine.
I was on day two of being sick, and while I felt the tiniest bit better than I did, I knew I would still have rather been trampled by bears than be sick with the mess I had. Nanny and Pop had left earlier that morning for a doctors' appointment, which I usually tended to but was unable. I didn't get sick easily, so being out of commission for so long was driving me insane.
Tossing the remote to the end of the couch in frustration, wishing I had my laptop from my house to watch Netflix, I opted to drug myself up some more. Blindly reaching around on the floor for my bottle of NyQuil, I almost wanted to cry when I picked it up and saw that the bottle was empty. Knowing it would be hours before my grandparents came back, I groaned outwardly and peeled myself off the couch.
Fifteen minutes later, dressed head-to-toe in multiple layers of winter garb, I wrapped my scarf around my face and stumbled out the front door. There was a convenience store right around the corner, and even though it would be expensive, I knew I could get more medicine there. I basically wobbled in my sick, dazed walk to the store. I felt like my fever should have had steam rising from my skin in the cold, but I couldn't let that stop me. I couldn't wait the several hours for Nanny, and I also wanted some form of chocolate.
Only ten minutes later found me walking out of the convenience store's door, a black plastic bag in my hand swinging with the weight of medicine and several different types of chocolate. It was still really frigid outside, which made me immediately curl in on myself as I began my trek back home. I was wheezing, coughing, and hacking, and the longer I was outside the worse I felt. Sniffling into my hoodie sleeve, I felt myself run into a very solid form.
"Sorry!" I said quickly in my nasally sick voice, looking up to see who I had accidentally tried to mow over. The person in question grabbed me stiffly by the arm, steadying me but not letting me go.
"Careful," a deep, recognizable voice said.
"Randy?" I asked with a bit of confusion, realizing who it was. Since Olivia lived in an apartment in the actual city, I hadn't expected to run into her friend in my neighborhood. I suppose it wasn't too weird, though. I never really asked where in NOLA Randy had moved to, so he could have been a new neighbor of mine for all I knew.
"Ah," the blond man said, giving me a smile. "Hello Alexis. Didn't expect to run into you around here."
He acted a lot differently when sober, which kind of threw me a bit. It was like meeting the guy all over again. "Oh, yeah. Liv didn't tell you? I live nearby." Apparently socializing wasn't in my capabilities at the moment, because I erupted into a coughing fit, feeling myself flush even further. I felt absolutely miserable. "I'm sorry. I'm sick." At that, he wrinkled his nose a bit, almost in disgust it seemed, but he maintained his light grip on my arm. "I should get back home. Good – Good seein', you."
Randy seemed to snap out of whatever sour thoughts he seemed to be having and suddenly appeared cheery once more. Grasping my arm a bit more firmly, he said, "Oh, please allow me to escort you. You really shouldn't be out here like... this."
Um, how about no?
"Um, okay..." I said against my own will. I mean, he was Olivia's friend. It would have been rude to decline, as weird of vibes as he was giving me. "It's not far – "
Just then, I stopped mid-sentence as I saw a familiar mop of choppy blond hair and a flash of bright red round the corner, their stature screaming purpose. Just as I was about to let out a groan of irritation, the atmosphere suddenly changed drastically. As Thor and Randy's eyes met, Thor boomed, "Kol!"
Confusion wracked my already cloudy brain before fear took over as Thor suddenly lunged towards us, his left eye glowing white like crackling electricity as the weather around us seemed to charge with static. Natasha had also taken off at a run towards us. I was completely caught off guard, but not nearly as much as when Randy suddenly shouted menacingly, "Thor!" Without releasing his grip on me, Randy thrust one palm outward, and suddenly the ground shook sickeningly before splitting open in front of us and a large, jagged chunk of earth was drove upward. The earth almost struck Thor and Natasha, but at the last minute Thor leapt over it as Natasha dove sideways around it.
Looking back at Randy in sheer terror, I noticed that his eyes had gone black. Panic suddenly engulfed me but before I could begin trying to pry myself out of his grasp, Natasha had me by the other arm and pulled me free. She didn't hesitate or stop though as she kept her momentum, dragging me away as I watched Thor come down on Randy, a lightening-covered fist making direct contact with the man's jaw.
"Wait! What the hell – ?!" I basically screamed out, struggling futilely against Natasha dragging me away.
"Come on! We have to keep moving! Thor will handle him! We have to get you somewhere safe!" Natasha yelled over her shoulder. To avoid letting her remove my arm from its socket, I stopped resisting as much and ran with her. My entire aching body wanted to protest, but adrenaline had started pumping through me quickly, taking over my senses. The two of us ran fast, making it about four blocks away within just a couple of minutes before Natasha suddenly steered me up the stairs to a house and sweeping me inside. Once inside, Hell seemed to break loose even more.
"Loki – !"
"Where is he?" Loki's voice snapped back, cutting her off. Not taking in much of the sparse living area asides from the fire blazing in the grate, I immediately zoned in on Loki, who was approaching us quickly from the door on the other side of the room.
Natasha finally let go of me, to which I exhaled in relief though still utterly terrified. What the hell had just happened? What the hell was happening? Though I wasn't in the worst shape physically, sprinting for four blocks while as sick as I was really took it out of me, and I could feel my fever spiking even worse as most of the adrenaline seeped out of my system. The world was becoming a bit fuzzy and warm. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I registered that I had dropped my bag of medicine.
"Thor engaged him. Kol found her. If we had been a second later, he would have taken her," Natasha explained, smoothing out her windswept hair while looking pointedly at me.
"Wait – " I said weakly, slowly shaking my head. "B-but that was Randy. He's just a friend."
"No, it was Kol. According to Thor, he was in disguise." Natasha's matter-of-fact tone really kind of grated on my nerves, but I was feeling too faint to bristle at it.
"How did he know that?" I asked tiredly, drawing my scarf tighter around my neck to fight off a chill.
"Thor has a special... enhancement," Natasha said hesitantly. "He says he's not as adept as his brother here at detecting magic, but..." She trailed off, almost seeming to struggle for words.
"He possesses a false eye," Loki finished for her, crossing his arms impatiently. "As a gift from Stark, it has many more abilities than an average prosthetic. Back to the point," he growled, rounding back on the red-head, "What happened? Are they still out there?"
It was suddenly warm. Like, really warm. Too warm. Feeling myself let out a hot puff of air, a wave of clammy malady swept over me. It was strong enough to make me feel slightly nauseated at the sensation.
"I... I can't..."
My world went black before I could finish whatever I had been about to say.
…
"Who is Ziggy Stardust?"
"That's correct!"
I heard a live audience begin clapping while my consciousness steadily crept to the surface. The first thing I noted was that I was laying down and was very warm. It felt like I had been sleeping for days, stuck in a weird dream where I knew superheros and had just narrowly avoided being kidnapped by a villain. It was a ridiculous notion, but there was never any real point to crazy dreams like that. Cracking open my eyes, I noticed that I had been sleeping on Nanny and Pop's couch.
My head was really fuzzy, and after a moment of squinting at my phone's screen, I noted that I had been asleep for several hours. While my dream caught up with me, I realized it hadn't all been made up. I was still sick, which meant that I really had met the two heroes and former villain, but I must have never gone to the store which explained why I was still on my grandparents' couch.
Sound from the T.V. drew my attention, so I blearily looked over to see Pop in his favorite recliner watching Jeopardy! I could hear the faint sounds of Nanny piddling around in the kitchen, probably preparing some type of supper seeing as it was almost six in the evening. On any normal day, I would have stopped her and took over, not wanting her to overexert herself. Unfortunately, the high fever I could feel enveloping me said that I needed to stay put. It was unusual for me to sleep for so long during the day, even when I was sick.
Pop seemed to finally take notice that I was awake. "Nice nap, Puddin'? How ya feelin'?"
My throat felt scratchy and dry, but I managed to respond, "Yeah. Ugh. I don't think I feel any better, honestly."
Leaning over the edge of the couch, I grabbed the bottle of water I kept there and took a few gulps. When I set it back down, I saw a black plastic shopping bag next to it. The same kind that the convenience store used.
Wait, I did go to the store? Then... Did all of that actually happen? No. No way. Nanny probably just stopped on the way home and grabbed some medicine for me. But...
Snatching the black bag up, I looked inside as cautiously as if there was a rattlesnake in it.
No. Fucking. Way.
Cough syrup, Tylenol, a Mr. Goodbar, two Kit-Kats, and a Baby Ruth. It was the same stuff I had bought in my... Well, it clearly hadn't been a dream.
Then what the fuck happened?
I slowly pieced everything that had happened together, though it mostly seemed like a hazy, distant thought. I went to the store. I ran into Randy. Thor and Natasha showed up. Thor attacked Randy and Natasha rushed me out of there. We went to a house and met with Loki. And then... Nothing. I couldn't remember anything else.
If all of that really happened, then why am I back home?
I couldn't figure it out to save my life. The rest of the evening, through dinner with Nanny and Pop and watching T.V. with them before they went to bed, I stayed a lot more silent than usual. I couldn't bring myself to think of anything other than what had happened. When Nanny asked if something was bothering me, I waved my strange behavior off as just being sick. I couldn't make heads or tails of what was going on in my life. I definitely didn't want to drag her and Pop into my mess. They were better off just not knowing.
A couple of hours after Nanny and Pop hit the sack, I was sitting bundled up on the couch, nibbling on a Kit-Kat and watching The Big Bang Theory in a stupor. I couldn't get my mind off of what had happened, and I needed answers. Like, real answers. Every time I tried to get information out of any of those weirdos, my words were cut off. I was done with it. If my life was going to be jerked around by some freaky-ass sci-fi shit, then I at least deserved to know what the fuck was going on.
Finally hitting my resolve, I did the only thing I could think of. Pulling out my phone, I scrolled through my list of contacts until I came to the name "Thor." Just as I was about to press the "call" button, a voice somewhere in the room spoke, causing me to squeak in terror and send my phone flying from my hands as I violently jumped.
"I doubt you'll be able to reach my dear brother at the moment."
Looking around wildly, I watched as the air in front of the mantle shimmered a little before Loki suddenly appeared, looking as handsome as always for a god. Sucking in a small breath of surprise, I observed him for a moment, forcing myself to just accept the magic that happened before my eyes and focus on what actually mattered.
Steeling myself, I demanded firmly, "I need answers. Everything."
Loki hesitated for a moment, looking at me with slight skepticism before finally nodding cautiously. "Fair enough." With that, he swept to the side to settle himself on the edge of my grandfather's recliner.
"What are y'all doing in Algier's Point?"
Loki seemed to suppress whatever exasperated look he seemed to want to express as he responded dryly, "It seems Kol's goals involving you are a bit more sinister than we had anticipated two days ago. It was necessary to relocate here to keep him from taking you."
"And what, exactly, are his goals involving me?" It was hard to keep my voice steady when I wanted to cough up a lung.
Taking out my bottle of NyQuil, I took a large swig as Loki asked, "You are of Norse descent, are you not?"
Wow. I wasn't expecting that to come up. "Um, yeah. I think. I mean, that was probably hundreds of years ago though... Why?"
"You are the direct descendant of Tonna Kolskeggdottir," he began, making it clear that he was about to give a lengthy explanation. "Centuries ago, Kol fell in love with Tonna when she was just sixteen, and romantic relationships were forbidden between Asgardians and Midgardians. However, Kol ignored the rule and pursued her away from the prying eyes of the other gods – Odin, my father, in particular. He was determined to make her his, and when he succeeded he planned to overthrow Asgard so the two could live together freely. Though Kol was the God of Obedience and War, he was also a master of sorcery. Using his skills, he was able to hide his pursuits from even Heimdall, who can see all. Unfortunately, Kol seemed thwarted when he was unable to convince Tonna to love him back. When rejected, he abducted her and hid her away in the mountains of Asgard."
Taking a moment to sigh, Loki continued, "He was found. Tonna was returned to Midgard – Earth – to her family. Kol, however, had to face the wrath of Odin. Kol had broken many laws, the main one being bringing a human into the Asgardian realm without consent of the king. For his indiscretions, Odin stripped Kol of his status and power and banished him to Vaurus, an ice planet just outside the Eighth Realm. With that, Odin placed a type of key magic on Tonna that would pass down through her descendants. We know not what the magic does yet, but Kol wants it desperately which does not bode well. Until we know what the magic is, we cannot allow him near you."
I realized that my jaw was hanging a bit slack, but I couldn't bring myself to care. I had an ancestor that had been kidnapped by a god? Well, I had been too, but not in such a way. With my world having gotten so much bigger recently, I couldn't even begin to speculate what kind of "magical key" could have resided in me.
Assuming any of it was true.
"S-so..." I finally stuttered out. "I have magic... In me?"
Clasping his hands together in front of him, Loki leaned forward towards me slightly. "In a sense. A key is useless without a lock, no? While it clearly resides within you, it is only there for... safekeeping... in a way. It isn't yours, nor do you possess any special abilities for it. It is simply there."
Well, at least he was answering me, even if I wasn't happy with the answers. "Where are Thor and Natasha? Actually, how did I get home and how the hell did y'all know where I lived?"
Smirking at me as though I were a simpleton, Loki responded, "Thor managed to capture Kol. He and Natasha left to take him to Stark to see about containing him and finding out more information of his plans." Pausing for a moment, Loki looked almost thoughtful before adding with a bigger smirk, "And I brought you here after you collapsed since you were so insistent upon not going to a hospital. You were escorted home the other day by a highly trained assassin and spy. You didn't think your little trick of simply giving a wrong address and cell phone number would thwart her, did you?"
I suppose I was glad it was kind of dark in the living room to cover up the slight blush that crept up my cheeks. I knew all about Natasha's abilities. I really should have known better. But, then again, I suppose I was still in a bit of denial about the situation, despite the glaring evidence piling up before my eyes. I was processing everything – albeit, slowly – and I was finally beginning to piece everything together. When my brain was finally sorted out (for the most part), I looked at Loki and asked, "So, if Kol is gone now, why are you still here?"
At that, Loki's face seemed to sour a little. "While we may have captured Kol, he still seems to have some lackeys around. We don't know who or how many. Until the full issue is resolved, we can't leave you unguarded. I've been put on watch duty until further notice."
"Watch duty?" I asked incredulously, feeling anger spike beneath the haziness of my mind. "So you're basically here to babysit me?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes."
His words, though simple and short, sent me over the edge. "How dare you! I am not some kid who needs a guard dog! I can take care of myself and definitely don't need some god breathing down my neck while I'm just trying to live my life! I've been perfectly fine handling myself for the last several years so you can just... go."
The air in the room suddenly chilled as Loki stood to his feet, ire seeming to roll off of him in waves. "As much as I'd prefer to be anywhere but here guarding a stubborn, childish woman, I cannot. Since Earth is to be my new home, I cannot allow it to fall under the destruction that Kol is sure to wreak. Until we have the situation settled, you will not be left alone."
What? What the fuck? Is he fucking serious?
"I have a life to live too, ya know!" I snapped, standing to my feet unsteadily in anger.
"Well it won't be much of a life if Kol captures you, will it?" Loki snapped back. "I doubt he would allow you to stick around here. I doubt he would let you continue your education. And there's a strong possibility that he may do away with your grandparents altogether just to keep you to himself! I was there when they recovered Tonna. He had killed her entire parents out of jealousy. He tortured her in his quest to gain her acceptance. Though his feelings involving you may not be romantic, he will still be no less of a beast about getting what he wants."
I couldn't contain the quiet gasp that escaped my lips. Do away with my grandparents? But they had nothing to do with what was happening! Could someone sincerely be so heartless and cruel? My mind raced with everything I had been told, but the last bit is what really sent my mind reeling. I needed to sort out my head. I needed to find a way to keep my grandparents safe. I needed...
Well, fuck. I needed Loki's help.
"So, how exactly is this supposed to work?" I asked, finally succumbing to defeat. "I can't leave. My grandparents need me. But I can't exactly tell them who you are, either."
"It's best that they know nothing of what is happening. The less they are informed of, the better their chances of survival." Loki said it in such a way that made me want to raise my hackles. He was insinuating that they were very possible casualties in all the mess going on.
"I know that!" I snapped. " I meant how are you supposed to 'keep an eye on me' since they can't find out?"
At that, Loki paused, his face showing a complicated thought process going on in the background of his mind. "I... I suppose I'll have to keep watch from an inconspicuous space. You've clearly seen how I can keep myself concealed. I'll just have to continue doing so until we receive word from Thor. It shouldn't take too much of my magical energy, and the outputting signature will keep anyone who can sense me at bay. It's not as ideal as just taking you with me but it'll have to do, I suppose."
I bit my lip, completely unsure of everything at that moment. Was I really gonna let this guy – a former villian – stay in my grandparents' home with me? Really?
"You... You don't have to hide..." I said hesitantly, thinking of my grandparents' safety. "I don't... I don't actually live here," I said, looking around the living room pointedly. "I... I have my own house behind this one. It's kinda small, but it's private. You can stay there with me. You won't have to... conceal yourself. At least not as much."
Loki raised an eyebrow at me, surprise apparent in his features. "I was under the assumption that you lived here. Your personal belongings littering this space suggest as such."
Rolling my eyes, I tugged my blanket closer around me. "Are you blind? I'm sick. My grandmother has me staying here so she can keep an eye on me."
Sneering, he said in a condescending tone, "Mortals are so helpless when sick. It's despicable."
Bristling, I snarled back, "I'm not helpless! I'm doing it to make her feel useful, for your information! I can go back to my house anytime I want. I'll go back in the morning, in fact!"
Still sneering, only with a bit more amusement lining his expression, he said, "Are you sure you can bear to be away from your grandmother's care? I'm not exactly a skilled healer nor do I have any desire to tend to you in such a manner."
"I'll be fine!" I snapped back, hunkering down onto the couch into a laying position. "Just, do your disappear thing. We'll move over to my house first thing in the morning."
Please R&R! Work has me super down lately so some reviewy goodness is exactly what I need.
