Back again! Shorter chapter this time and no dreams, but there's a bit of a spat hehe well...I'll just let you find out. I do not own the Avengers! (I'm jealous of Australia because they have the Avengers DVD already :( but September's right around the corner!) Enjoy!
JJwolf: They are just the sweetest kids ever! Imagine kid Loki from Thor...as a girl- for Brynja. Hehe are Willow's dreams premonitions? We'll see about LokixWillow! Thanks for the review!
Guest: Thank you very much!
Chapter Twelve
Steve knocked on their door half an hour later and Willow walked to the other side of the room, looking through something; to make sure Steve didn't see her eyes red. Mimi cracked the door open and greeted him with a smile.
"I got a hold of Clint and he said he'll come by this afternoon. Thor and Stark found one of the infinity gems," Steve said optimistically and Willow suddenly hissed in pain, holding her left hand. Looking down, she narrowed her eyes at the rings and attempted to pry it off her fingers. Unfortunately, it wouldn't come off.
"Dammit," Willow said aloud and Steve forced Mimi to open the door wider. He noticed Willow's red eyes and Mimi grinned sheepishly.
"Is everything okay, Willow?" Steve wondered. Willow looked up at him and bit her lip. Could she tell Steve that she had a cursed ring on her finger?
"Yeah, I just rammed my hand into the wall. It's no problem," Willow lied and he nodded slowly.
"Alright, well I'll be in the other room," Steve spoke up and left the girls.
Mimi closed the door and walked over to Willow.
"What just happened?" Mimi demanded and Willow held up her left hand.
"I think this ring is cursed…and I can't get it off. Loki must have done something to it," Willow figured and Mimi tried to get the ring off, but it didn't work either.
"Why did it hurt you?" Mimi wondered, eyeing the ring cautiously.
"I won't be able to stay here until this afternoon. It hurt like hell, Mimi. I don't want to find out what's going to happen if I go with my cousin," Willow explained.
"What's your plan, then?" Mimi was pacing around the room. What Willow was going to do directly involved Mimi.
"I have to go back, Mimi. You understand, don't you?" Mimi looked at Willow and nodded slowly.
"How are you going to leave? I don't think Steve is going to let you go without a good reason," Mimi assumed and as she finished speaking, Willow gathered what she brought with her, and looked out the door.
"Damn, Steve's in the kitchen. I need some way to get him out," Willow schemed and Mimi grinned.
"I'm on top of that. I'll try to get him to go to the store with me and you can sneak out of the house," Mimi explained and waltzed out of the room. Willow watched carefully as Mimi talked Steve into getting a few groceries for the house while they were there. Steve agreed and led Mimi out of the house.
Willow got out of Steve's apartment in a hurry and searched her small purse for money for a cab. When she found the money she needed, she hailed a cab and got the driver to take her. It was a silent ride and not too far, but Willow didn't want to walk all the way back knowing that Steve and Mimi might run into her. Willow contemplated going back to her apartment to gather her things, but decided against it. She missed Drax and hoped that Ethan or someone had taken care of him.
The cab pulled up to the curb and Willow took a deep breath after she tossed money to the driver, and got out. She frowned, hoping she wasn't making a mistake. People were walking by as she stood there, looking up at the building. She needed another breath to ready of herself and then she walked through the doors. As soon as she entered, she noticed one of the men under Loki's control standing near the reception desk. Willow shot him a glare, making him aware that she didn't need escorted, but he followed behind.
Riding the elevator was not making Willow feel better as the guy from the entrance was in with her.
"I don't need someone to babysit me," Willow growled at him and the man didn't respond.
When the elevator door opened to the right floor, Willow got out first and the turned to look at the guy following her. He met her gaze and entered first. Willow decided to wait a few minutes before walking in and when she did, the doors were opened for her. Ethan was the first person she saw, besides Drax.
"It's good we didn't have to force you back," Ethan muttered and Willow rolled her eyes, scratching Drax's ears.
"Well, I'm back now, so quit complaining," Willow grumbled and walked down the hall to her room. Opening it up, Willow smiled. Drax jumped up on the bed just as Willow fell onto it. The door creaked open and Willow groaned as she looked to see who it was. Loki stood in the doorway and Willow grabbed a pillow and held it over her face.
"You found your way back," Loki mused with a smirk, not that Willow could see it.
"I don't want to talk to you. Leave my presence," Willow demanded and pointed toward the door, inadvertently pointing to Loki. She then felt a shock on her left hand and removed the pillow, narrowing her eyes. It was Loki's doing and Willow was beyond pissed. Willow got off the bed and found something heavy on the nightstand. Loki watched her carefully as she threw it at him. He dodged it easily and waited as Willow broke the wooden chair in the corner, creating a few sharp objects. She threw one of the wooden pieces as a projectile and Loki dodged it again. Then, taking one of the large pieces of wooden debris from the chair, Willow ran at Loki. He grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back, disarming her and pointing it right at her neck.
"I missed you too," he said sarcastically and pushed Willow away, making the broken chair and its pieces disappear.
"What's the purpose of this ring exactly? Are you trying to kill me when I least expect it?" Willow demanded and folded her arms across her chest as she caught her breath.
"It will be much easier to know where you are in the event the Avengers come to save the day," Loki replied and Willow shook her head in disbelief.
"And if I don't do something correctly you'll just zap me again?" Loki smiled at her choice of words.
"I do believe that is how it works," Loki answered and Willow was about to reply when Ethan entered the room.
"Mimi is here, Willow," Ethan stated and Willow brushed past Loki to get through the door.
Mimi was there, as expected, and she gave Willow a smile.
"I'm good at diversions, aren't I?" Mimi inquired and that made Willow grin in return.
"I'd really like to go to work. Are you up for it?" Willow wondered, wanting to get out for a while.
"Yeah, I think that'd be great. Maureen and Adler will probably be frantic when we get there, but we'll make do," Mimi said in a positive manner.
Ethan followed the girls to work and Mimi stopped to get some coffee. They were very late, but at least they showed up. One of the secretaries instantly buzzed Maureen and Adler when Willow and Mimi entered the office. Ethan went to his cubicle and sat around while the two girls got to work immediately. Maureen and Adler called them into their offices quickly and started freaking out about the magazine and how it's going downhill.
"Our two best assistants have been gone and we need help more than ever," Adler said, as if the situation was life or death.
"We'll get to work right away," Willow assured the two women and led Mimi back to their offices. Instead of going back to her office, Mimi sat with Willow in hers.
"What exactly happened before I got to the hotel? You looked really pissed off," Mimi recalled and Willow shrugged.
"I had a fight with Loki and I broke a chair…trying to kill him," Willow said, a bit embarrassed that she had to tell Mimi.
"Was it like a lover's quarrel?" Mimi was teasing her now.
"I seriously doubt it, but I told him as soon as I saw his face that I didn't want to talk to him, but he didn't leave," Willow explained and one of the interns knocked on the door.
"Um, Maureen said that you two needed to show up at one of the museum showings tonight to promote the magazine," the small-voiced girl informed them. She left instantly and Mimi turned to Willow.
"Are you going to bring a date?" Willow punched Mimi's shoulder playfully.
"Are you going to bring Steve?" Willow asked sarcastically in retort.
"Seriously, what if you bring Loki along? He'll probably sneer at Earth's 'meaningless possessions'." Mimi and Willow started laughing and they got to work researching for their bosses.
At the end of the night, Ethan came by and walked with the girls back to the hotel. Willow immediately went for the closet and looked through to find something suitable for the occasion. Ethan entered the room and held out a dark green, strapless, short dress that came to just above her knees. As she searched for heels to wear, Mimi entered the room and watched Willow look for shoes.
"You can borrow some if you want," Mimi said suddenly and Willow nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Do not scare me like that. It freaked me out." Mimi smiled, laughing a bit, and then suddenly stopped. Loki had entered the room.
"I'll…catch you later," Mimi said awkwardly and got out of the room as quickly as she could. Willow stood up and met Loki's gaze.
"Ethan tells me you have a gala to attend tonight," Loki mentioned. Would she tell Loki or should she keep it to herself?
"I guess I do. Why are you so interested?" Willow wondered, curious to see where this was going.
"Ethan is accompanying your friend to the event and you may not like it, but I will accompany you," Loki stated outright and Willow smiled.
"Fine, but I'm letting you come because we need help getting sponsors for the magazine and a pretty face doesn't hurt," Willow replied and continued looking for a pair of shoes to go with the dress Ethan had given her. Loki left shortly after their conversation.
Mimi came into the room dressed in a short dark purple dress. She wore heels that laced up her leg and Willow smiled as she showed her outfit off.
"I thought you might bring Aiden along," Willow said suddenly and Mimi frowned.
"Things are on the fritz with us and I figured it would be alright if I brought Ethan along…if you don't mind," Mimi said slowly.
"I don't have anything against it, but that left the door open for Loki to invite himself," Willow pointed out and Mimi winced.
"Oh god, is he going to keep his mouth shut and not ruin everything? I don't want him to ruin everything," Mimi said, hoping Loki wouldn't scare potential buyers and sponsors.
"No, I told him that we needed a pretty face along," Willow replied with a grin.
"And he wasn't even offended with it?" Mimi wondered and Willow shrugged.
"He left after that," Willow responded and then slipped on a pair of black heels to go with the gown.
"By the way, he's waiting out in the family room with Ethan and they both look snazzy," Mimi mentioned and Willow smiled.
Loki...just another pretty face? Oh Willow haha You recall the attire he wore in Stuttgart when he decked the security guard with his 'glow stick of destiny'? Yup, that's what I picture him in for the museum showing. And now I bid you adieu my readers.
