Chapter 10

I groan as I roll over and my ribs scream.

Someone yells in a language I can't recognize as a boot slams into my hip.

It's not Loki; he would never wear boots, much less get them dirty. One of his Asgardian thugs: little brain, big muscle.

I wince as I pain rockets through my hip. I'd been here – wherever 'here' was – for about four days now, and the only hope I had was my early bruises fading and cuts healing.

The thug kicks me in the ribs one more time before saying something in the same foreign language before walking out and letting the door slam.

I do a variation of the inchworm to lift myself up as I check my new injuries. My hip is protesting every tiny movement, my ribs hurt even more than they did in the morning, and my head feels like a hot railroad strike got pounded through it. Fresh blood is on my neck, most likely from my head, which is not good.

I set myself back on the ground and whimper again as I wait for the fresh wounds to at least stop bleeding.

Why was help taking four days to get here? I had a team of six of the most stubborn people on Earth, one of which was my boyfriend, another my dad.

Whatever happens, I hope nobody blames themselves, nor anybody but Loki.

Loki, on the other hand, they can hurt.

I'll be cheering them on from wherever I end up, I suppose.

No, Taylor, bad thoughts. Think about other things.

Like what, exactly, the fact that my entire body aches and the thing that powers my heart is unstable at best?

No, just have faith in your team, they'll be here in no time.

But-

"Shut up!" I scream, ignoring my ribs for a moment to silence my warring, pounding head.

I breathe a wheezing sigh as silence settles over me.

A~A~A

About three hours later, the explosions start.

I jerk upright upon instinct, then my shrieking, bound-to-the-gills body reminds me I can't do that right now.

As I lay back down, a glowing green ring about four feet in diameter forms around me, and my reactor starts pulsing and sparking and flickering, eventually settling into a cruel, even pattern of pulses.

Each time the reactor pulses, I get electrocuted.

Each time I get electrocuted, my muscles cramp all over my body.

Each time my muscles cramp, I scream in pain.

Pulse.

Cramp.

Scream.

Repeat.

Footsteps pound outside my door, and I pray to every deity minus Loki that my screams have attracted help, not more pain.

Please do not let it be pain…please let it be a good guy…

"I hear something!"

My heart tentatively soars at the sound of that voice, keeping in mind that it could be magic, or a synthesizer, or-

My heart plummets as a thug bursts through the door, barreling for me. I brace for the feel of a boot crushing a bone, I see the boot raise above my head…

Nothing. I watch almost in slow motion as an arrow sprouts from the back of the thug's head, then he has no head because it's been blown off.

The distinct smell of repulsors burning flesh fills the air as I give a weak smile.

A figure leaps through the door, bow in hand, followed by a second figure, this one in hot rod red armor.

My dad and Clint both race towards me, but my eyes fall on my dad's reactor as I remember the green circle.

"Dad, stop!" I croak as I spasm and scream as another round of pulses hits me. "Reactor…pulse…no help…do not…cross…"

Clint gets my message ad holds my dad back waiting for my words to register in his brain.

My dad eventually stops struggling against Clint and fixes me with the gaze he gives to a particularly troublesome piece of tech.

I give him a wavering smile that quickly fades as emerald smoke fills a corner of the room, dissipating to reveal Loki himself, flanked by two of the biggest thugs he has.

I can't help the slight flinch I give when I see him. Clint notices this and has and arrow notched and pulled, ready to fire in under two seconds.

"Aha, Man of Iron, Hawkeye, I see you have found my prize." The last word is a pure malicious purr.

"Loki, I swear, one more word-" my dad raises a gauntlet and charges it, the light growing steadily.

Thugs one and two step in front of Loki, shoving my dad back into the doorway and stunning him long enough for Loki to put a green bubble around him, trapping him there.

"Ah, ah, paly nice now boys. You know, this would be so much easier if you would put down you weapons and allow me to expand your minds."

"-my mind is big enough, thanks-"

"-never doing that again-"

"Oh, but it'll be so much fun! You'll have the most gorgeous blue eyes."

Clint and my dad both snort and give derisive eye rolls.

"And you will be standing next to my throne, rulers in a new age, a golden age. Think of all the respect! The fear!"

"Yeah," my dad interjects from his bubble, "I tried the 'rule by fear' thing once, and it didn't work out too well."

"WILL YOU IMENCIBLES QUIT INTERRUPTING? Now join me or be destroyed. Choose now."

Clint and my dad glance at each other, then me, and Clint shrugs as he raises his bow and re-notches an arrow.

Loki just laughs. "Alright then let's do this the fair way. After all, I have been completely fair this entire time."

"Yeah, Reindeer Games, not seeing the fair part of all this."

Loki just raises an eyebrow at my dad and gestures towards me, still a crumpled bloody mess. "She is still, alive, is she not? I could have ended her back in your precious Tower."

The two capable Avengers in the room nod hesitantly.

"But," Loki raises his scepter towards me, "she will not be alive for long. Not unless one of you steps forward instead."

Nobody moves, so Loki moves the spear about six inches closer to me.

I glance at my teammates for their reactions. My dad is hopelessly struggling against his bubble, watching the scene but unable to do much of anything.

I turn to Clint, and I'm shocked by the complete one-eighty shown on his face.

His face is now pale and white, eyes wide and hands shaking and looking like he could fat any moment.

Uneasy silence falls as each of us weigh our mortality.

"No."

I send a panicked glance towards Clint, silently willing him to shut up shut up please shut up.

"No. Me instead, take me instead. Please, just don't hurt her." Clint's voice is shaking as he sets down his bow and falls to his knees, raising his hands into the air.

"Aha, the little hawk. Good to see you again. Shall we see what your teammates think?"

Clint slowly glances to where I'm writhing on the floor. His eyes are pure anguish as they meet mine.

"Clint…please…"

"Taylor, shhh. It'll be okay, sparrow, I promise. You'll find someone else, it'll be okay. Just…just keep dancing away with my heart." Clint finishes with a sad smile.

He turns to my dad, who opens his mouth, only to close it again. Dad finally settles on one solemn nod of remembrance and acceptance.

Clint closes his eyes and takes a deep breath as Loki raises his scepter.

A blue beam lights up the room as Clint is thrown backwards, slamming against the opposite wall.

My raw scream rings out just as Thor, Steve, and Hulk smash the door down, Natasha right on their tail.

Faces hover over me as I catch phrases like 'Loki', 'magic', 'Asgard', and 'healers'.

The last thing I see is a glint of gold metal.