This time, the squeal of the old, metal door startled Aura awake. Despite her insane lethargy, her encounter with the Colonel had left her paranoid and frightened. Her body could do nothing but sleep, yes, but her senses were a tad more alert than previously.

And she had noticed she was allowed out of her room twice for restroom privileges and fed on some kind of schedule. She still couldn't tell the time. However, she now had a small semblance of days.

It had been three days since she last saw Agent Peggy Carter.

There was only one guard who interacted with her. He wasn't much for conversation. In fact, he never looked at her, keeping his sight above her head. She assumed this was protocol, but she also had no idea what was going on. Even though Agent Carter told her she was in this place for protection, she felt more and more like a captive.

She had no choice over anything, and she was still locked in the freezing room. While she could be naïve at times, she knew her imprisonment was for everyone else's protection. Otherwise, she would be able to roam the facility freely.

"Good morning, Aura."

Her cuffed hands attempted blocking out the light as best as possible. The voice was a man's she had never heard before. Somewhat self-assured but not inherently menacing.

The man approached the bedside, unlocking the restraints from around her feet that kept her tied to the bed. Helped her sit up. "Peggy is on a mission right now, so I've been instructed to take care of you this time. My name is Howard Stark."

Aura's vision adjusted slightly, and she saw the dark haired man with a thin mustache. "H-hello."

Stark lifted her to her feet. "Can you walk?"

She looked down at her legs. Her pale skin had tinted blue and swollen. Not to mention, she still couldn't feel anything. She shook her head.

"That's okay. I think I can carry you." He slid an arm under her knees and shoulders. Picked her up with ease. "See? Not a problem at all."

Aura discreetly searched him. From what she could tell, he was well-dressed. And he smelled nice. Could she trust him, though? She didn't know who would actually be her friend here. He seemed okay. For now, at least, he seemed okay. She was too exhausted to think otherwise.

Howard carried her down the yellowed corridor, past the interview room. He turned a couple of corners, and they entered a wider hallway.

Part of the wall became glass.

Her eyes travelled to it, and she could see an operation table through another viewing room, surrounded by a bunch of equipment with dormant lights. She couldn't help but press against the man holding her. Suddenly afraid of what was going to happen to her.

He took her past the original experimentation chambers. Carried her into a room further down the hall and sat her on a bench not too far from the door. "We're going to get you warmed up, okay?" Procuring another key from inside his suit jacket, he took the casing off her hands.

Aura's chin quivered a bit. Her fingers were faded blue, her nails completely black. She couldn't feel them, but they shook uncontrollably and remained stiff. Her eyes lifted to the man in front of her. "What's going…to happen to me?"

His gaze softened. "We're going to warm you up, and you're just going to demonstrate your powers, okay? No big deal. But you won't be cold anymore."

She nodded. Refusing to look at him. Or her frostbitten fingers.

Stark knelt down and tried searching for her gaze. "I'm a friend of Peggy's. I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to see what you can do. Can you tell me about your abilities? Were they given to you, or were you born with them?"

Her deep blue eyes returned to him. "I was born with them. I didn't know about my fire powers until later, but I've always had my healing."

His eyebrows lifted. "Healing? Like if someone is hurt, you can heal them?"

She nodded. "I like healing people. I don't like using my fire so much."

"Okay." He slowly nodded, a grin appearing on his face. Then he motioned toward her hands. "Can you heal yourself?"

"No."

"Oh, really?"

Aura glanced off to the side. "Queen Frigga said it's my selfless nature that keeps me from healing myself, but I just don't think I'm powerful enough. I can't heal potions or poisons or scars, either. I'm usually useless."

Howard held up a hand. "If I were to get a paper cut, you could heal that?"

She nodded.

"Then you're not useless. The smallest of acts can move the greatest of mountains. Don't forget that. But I'm going to get you something that should help you warm up. Can I count on you to stay put?"

More nodding.

A smile formed underneath his mustache. "I'll be back."

Aura watched him leave then looked back down at her mutilated hands. Tears formed in her eyes. The man wanted a demonstration of her abilities. How was she supposed to perform any of her magic? Both powers required her hands.

She couldn't contain herself any longer; her emotions were shot. Curling up on the bench, she unleashed days of crying she hadn't been able to get out before. Staring at her hands which rigidly protruded in front of her.

Her eyes finally closed. She knew she wasn't perfect. She knew she made mistakes, just as everyone else, but she really didn't understand what she had done to deserve this fate. Wasn't truly sure of why Odin banished her to begin with. Yes, she had been loved, but was that truly a crime?

Heimdall had even questioned the king's judgment. And Heimdall was one of the most loyal of them all.

Aura remembered the sadness in his golden eyes, and she wondered if he saw her now. Would it be selfish of her to ask for the Bifrost? To beg for her return into the forbidden kingdom? She had a feeling it would be. But would it really be too much to ask?

Howard Stark returned with a small white cup. Quickly set it down upon seeing the young woman's current state. "Are you in pain? Is there anything I can get for you?"

She sniffed, pushing herself up by the heels of her palms. "I can't feel much. I was just…." She trailed.

He took a deep breath. "I know. But here, drink this. It'll help." He offered the cup. "I don't think you have the capabilities to hold it. This is going to sound strange, but I can tilt it for you if you'd like."

Aura stared at the dark brown liquid in the cup. It had a strong odor, and she wasn't sure she wanted to try it. However, the steam wafting from it was too tantalizing to pass up. "It's okay if you hold it. I'll drink it."

"Be careful, it might burn your mouth."

She giggled. "I highly doubt that. I'm rather durable against heat."

His head titled. "I'm sure you would be, given one half of your powers."

Carefully, she sipped on the drink, eager for its warmth. But once the liquid hit her tongue and the back of her throat, she made a face. "What is that?"

He laughed. "That, my friend, is a good ole cup o' Joe. Coffee."

"Coffee?" She tried some more. Nose scrunching. "It's not very good."

"It's an acquired taste, believe me. And I couldn't find the cream or sugar, so this is black. The most bitter way to take it. Do you want to stop drinking it?"

She took another sip. Felt the cozy coffee sliding down her esophagus and into her stomach. She could feel the heat spreading through her body. It caused pins and needles, but it livened up her spirits. It may taste bad, but it was delightful. "No. I'll finish it."

Howard held the cup for her until she had depleted it, making sure she didn't drink too fast. "I will warn you, this does have caffeine in it, so if you start feeling abnormally light headed, you need to let me know. I'll sneak you something to eat."

Nodding, she licked her lips. Settling with the welcoming feeling quite pleasantly.

The door to the secondary medical room slammed open, startling both of those already in the room.

The Colonel marched in. "Are we ready to do the tests, Stark?"

Aura's lips curled inward, and she turned wide eyes on the man who gave her coffee. Did he actually intend to test her in some way? Was her getting warm to make her feel comfortable? Make her feel strong enough to perform tests? What was going on? What was actually going on?

Stark rose, placing an arm in front of the Asgardian. "You're not supposed to be here. You're supposed to be presiding over Peggy's mission."

The Colonel stood next to a large control panel with a monitor. "Agent Carter is on a mission that will…take her some time to figure out."

Howard marched up to the other man. "Did you seriously send her on a wild goose chase so you could come in here and coerce me into running tests on Aura?"

"You will address her as A-001. And you're the scientist. Of course you would be the one running the tests. You're the one who can properly interpret the data."

His jaw set. "No."

"Oh, really?" The Colonel un-holstered a pistol and pointed it at the alien. "Push me."

Stark looked over his shoulder at the terrified girl on the bench. "Her only powers aren't fire. She can heal, too. She's not a lab experiment. Plus, she has mild frostbite. What would you expect her to do?"

Using the gun, he motioned to the chamber behind him. "That's a temperature-sensitive room. Slowly raise the heat until A-001 completely thaws. Don't know why a smart mind like you can't figure out that out."

"Please, Colonel—"

"I will not have my name said in front of a prisoner. If you don't do what I ask, we'll see how quickly she can heal herself."

Howard rubbed the bridge of his nose and looked at the floor. "She can't heal herself."

The Colonel angled his head. "Oh. Really? Then I guess you better do as I say."

Stark sighed. "Very well." He turned and returned to Aura, keeping his voice low. "You have to believe me that I had no idea he was coming. I don't want to hurt you."

The once servant of Asgard's palace searched his brown eyes. Searched them long and hard. This man was being honest; his eyes held the same pain Heimdall did when he was forced to cast her out. "I know."

He helped her into glass-encased twelve by twelve foot room adjacent to the one they were in. Sat her on the floor in the middle. Ran his hands over his face. "This room is like a sauna. I'm going to gradually raise the temperature so as not to shock your system. I'm so sorry."

Aura gave a nod. Not looking at the Colonel.

Howard stepped out and turned the giant lock on the door. Sat down at the massive computer system.

She watched the pair of men on the other side of the thick glass. Thick enough she couldn't hear anything they said between each other. Her heart raced, sending sharp pains through her semi-frozen chest. She winced, but she didn't want to show too much expression.

Her eyes surveyed the room she was in. There were two bizarre looking metal spikes coming from two upper corners and what she assumed to be heaters in the floor corners. Then she felt it. Warmth flowing onto the floor and surrounding her.

Head tilting back, she closed her eyes. Breathing in the pleasant temperature change. She ignored the pain her body screamed at her to acknowledge. Even if it caused tears to well. She didn't want the pain. She only wanted warmth. Only wanted warmth.

Over the course of an hour, the temperature steadily increased.

All of Aura's senses fully emerged as they once were before she entered the cold cell room, and she had full control of all of her limbs. Her fingers were no longer blue. Yet, she had a feeling her fingernails would be perpetually black.

She had moved to sitting on her knees with her hands placed in her lap. Her eyes still closed.

After another hour of rising heat, her position hadn't changed. She opened her eyes and searched the outside room for Howard Stark. Was he not going to give her commands to perform fire magic? She had been more than restored. But she swiftly learned why she wasn't receiving any prompts.

The Colonel and Howard Stark were having a very animated argument.

Aura rose and went to the glass closest to the two men. Knocked on it. She didn't know if they could hear her because they kept arguing.

Unfortunately, it appeared Stark was losing.

She swallowed.

The Colonel finally pushed Howard to the ground and smashed a fist against an unseen button.

A soft humming caused Aura's head to snap up. She searched the dual spikes. What were those? Were they turning on…? She ran to the back wall and pressed herself against it. Keeping her eyes on the spikes.

The humming turned into a whir. Then the whir turned into a sharp whine, and bolts of electricity snapped and cracked their way down the spires.

Aura instantly realized what was happening and what was going to happen. She had no resistance to electricity. Nor did she have the emotions required for summoning enough heat to melt the metal spikes. Trembling, she slid down the wall. Waiting for her fate to transpire.

And then it did.

Two streams of electricity arced about the room and found the sole live being inside.

She immediately began screaming, stiffening yet thrashing as the currents made her muscles expand and contract at the same time. She eventually slumped sideways and twitched. Trying desperately to reach out for help.

The voltage increased.

Her back arched, and her yells strengthened. "Please," she hoarsely cried. Tears streamed down her cheeks, making the energy more prominent on her face. "Please!" She couldn't move in any position to ease the pain.

Then the power surge abruptly stopped.

She rolled to her back. Vision blurred and panting as saliva trickled from her mouth. Her arms and legs convulsing. Everything hurt in a way she had never experienced before. She released a strained whine. She wanted her beloved. Needed him to come save her because there was no way she was saving herself. She was helpless.

The electricity started again. More intense this time.

Aura shrieked louder than she ever had. Weakly turned to her side with no control over her flailing body. "Loki," she called. "Please hear me!" She felt her consciousness leaving her, and she made one last effort to form a mental connection she knew would never happen. Darkness overcame her.

"Loki…."