Sorry for the shitty posting problems! Everything back to normal now hopefully. But I couldn't wait. Here enjoy another chapter :p I'll do my thanks tomorrow to my reviewers!
Chapter 80: Vanished
Cephera was extremely excited. Loki had sent word that he would be arriving later that day and he was there to stay afterward. When she got the letter she had been so excited that she had stooped down to grabbed both her children in a hug.
They too had gotten very excited at the news. Cephera had a hard time the entire day concentrating on anything but his arrival. She missed his touch, his voice, even his scent. She missed having him hold her while she slept. And now she would have all those things. Thor was staying behind in Asgard until their return in five months or so.
"Hello!?" Kat said waving a hand in front of Cephera. They were having girl time without her sister today. The picnic Kat had set up at the edge of the castles lake was very nice. The warm climate that never changed was soothing.
"Sorry. I was thinking."
"About your husband...you do that a lot. In fact not much has changed in regards to how much you two adore each other since you met." Kat commented smiling. "I think it's cute." She added popping a grape into her mouth.
"Thanks. Maybe if you can find a man to finally settle with you'll feel the way I do." Kat laughed.
"Maybe." She replied. Cephera rubbed her belly. The baby had been kicking all day long and it was becoming uncomfortable. "Oh let me!" Kat said excitedly. She reached over and lay a hand to her friends belly and felt for the kick.
It was then Cephera felt the strange sensation pass over her. Everything around her became a ray of colourful lights. She disappeared from her seated place with Kat leaving behind a very shocked and wide eyed friend.
Loki arrived to no one waiting for him. He found it odd and instantly began to feel something was wrong. He hurried to the palace where he was met with happy greetings. "Where is Cephera?" He asked looking around.
"Her and Kat are having girl time down by the lake." It was all he needed. Loki left without a offering a word of explanation. He hurried to the spot near the lake that Loki knew the girls would be. He found Kat only and she was on her feet calling Cephera's name.
When she saw Loki he saw the look of panic cross her face. "What's happened?" He asked sternly.
"I dunno. One minute we were talking and I was feeling the baby kicking and then the next...poof...she vanished. I swear it wasn't my fault I was watching her, I was keeping her safe." She pleaded her face red.
"Silence woman." He ordered annoyed. "How long ago?"
"Only a moment I swear she's been gone no longer then a minute or two." Kat was looking around wildly again and both her and Loki froze in place like time had stopped. Nothing moved. Not wind, not tress or animals. Everything just simply stopped.
Cephera watched the strange lights run by her. She wondered if she had fainted in slow motion or something. Everything around her looked confusing and dream like. Was she drugged again? Poisoned? Was she even in danger?
She was floating in this dead space and then suddenly everything around her halted and she found herself standing on a sidewalk the walk sign flashing at the crosswalk. A group of people crossed the road quickly and no one seemed to pay her any mind.
Cephera swallowed hard. She was nervous. Where was she? And how was she there? Cephera turned to look around. A small cafe was nearby with people littering its outdoor tables having chats. A bus drove by full of people. It didn't take Cephera long to realize this was earth.
"Excuse me." She said to a young waitress holding a tray of drinks. "What city am I in?" She asked hurriedly.
"New York." The girl gave her an odd look but Cephera ignored it.
"How far from Stark tower am I?" She asked looking around.
"Stark what?" Cephera stopped to look at the girl.
"Stark Tower. You know the tower the billionaire Tony Stark built here." Cephera tried again but the girl gave her a blank look of confusion. Cephera turned and walked down the road in a hurry.
She wandered around aimlessly looking for any sign of the tower in the distance but could not see anything. "Excuse me." She stopped again to bother a bell hop. "Tony Stark where can I find him?"
"The billionaire?" She nodded. "Gosh ma'am I don't know. Probably in his home in Miami." The bell hop said kindly and shrugged.
"Has he built a tower here in New York?"
"What kind of tower?" The boy tilted his head sideways at her. Cephera turned away in frustration. She needed a phone. She turned back to the boy who was still looking at her.
"Do you have a phone I can use?" The boy pointed inside the hotel. She entered quickly and found a pay phone. She had no change.
"Excuse me. My husband is late to pick me up and I don't have a way to call him. Could your spare a quarter?" She lied to the nearest guest she could find and gesturing to her belly in hopes to win pity for the money. It worked they handed her a single quarter.
Cephera thanked them and picked up the pay phone. She was always good with remembering things and dialed Tony's home phone. She listened to it ring and then ring again before Tony answered.
"Tony!" She said with pure joy in her tone.
"Hello, you sound absolutely hot." Came his voice back at her.
"Tony I don't have time to play that game right now. I need help." She said quickly.
"What colour underwear are you wearing right now? By the sound of that voice I'd say white...no maybe pink." He said bypassing her plea.
"Their pink...now will you help me?" She heard him hum.
"Pink. Cotton or silk?" Cephera sighed loudly.
"Cotton." She said feeling irritated. Tony could be such an idiot sometimes.
"I'm sorry what did you say you wanted?" He finally said.
"I need you to come pick me up. I'm in New York and I'm by myself and I don't have any money." Cephera could hear the plea in her voice.
"A damsel in distress. Is there any men close by?"
"Yes." She said looking at an older man who was watching a television.
"Put him on a minute." Cephera looked at the receiver a moment and glared. She would play Tony's silly game. As long as he came to get her it didn't matter about the rest. Cephera beckoned the man over.
"Can you speak to this man for me a moment. He wants to speak to you." She said. The man looked at her strangely but took the phone.
"Hello." He answered. Cephera watched him look her over. "She is." He said. "About an 8." He replied. The man smirked and passed the phone back to her.
"What was that about?" She asked instantly and watched the guy sit back down looking amused.
"We got a deal. I'll be there in...about an hour." Cephera opened her mouth to ask where he was and heard the other end hang up. What was going on? Something seemed very off.
Cephera hung up the phone with a sigh. She paced next to it a moment then sat down in a chair near the man Tony had spoken too. "Excuse me? What did he ask you?"
The man smiled at her. "He asked if you were hot. And then asked me to rate you." Cephera felt her face flush a little. Now that she thought of it she hadn't told Tony who was calling. She had been too confused and frustrated. He obviously hadn't recognized her voice. And what was this business about the Stark Tower. She only hoped Tony would have the answers.
She spent the next 45 minutes pacing and sitting and pacing again until she heard the squeals of girls outside. Tony walked in nonchalantly wearing his iron man suit. Cephera stood instantly and hurried to him. "Tony thank the gods." She declared as his mask opened. He looked her over so quickly he took a step back before she reached him.
"So not mine." He said quickly eyeing her belly. Cephera looked down.
"What...of course not." She said annoyed.
"Yeah...so I'm not into the whole preggo fetish thing. How about you give me a call when you're baby free." He gave her a wink and turned.
"Wait! Tony don't you recognize me?" She said hurriedly. She nearly stumbled when she jolted forward to catch hold of him
"I'm sure we've never met before." He said and his helmet closed.
"No don't leave." She cried right before he was gone. Cephera put a hand to her forehead and for a moment felt like she might cry.