Chapter Four
Nel laid there in pain, holding her shoulder and her side. She faintly could hear the sound of feet running towards her and she fought to keep conscious.
"Nel!" Steve's voice came.
"I am here," she called back from her spot as she tried to push herself up. She heard Steve's footsteps as he ran to her side.
"Jesus, Nel. Don't move!" He said as he scooped her into his arms. "We need a medic in the hanger bay," he said into his earpiece.
"We have to stop Loki," she said as she tried to sit up again.
"Don't," he said gently, as he put pressure on her shoulder. She hissed in pain.
"It's only a scratch Cap," she smirked at him.
"A scratch that goes from back to front. And that doesn't include your side," he said grimly, as he scanned her for more injuries.
"Loki is gone. They had their own quinjet," Tony said as he walked over to them.
"Can't you fly?" Nel laughed.
"Not at the moment. Suit is damaged," he responded as she gave him a questioning look.
"Where is that medic?" Steve asked into his earpiece.
"Agent Coulson is down," Fury's voice came.
"Paramedics are on their way," another voice came.
"They're here….They called it," Fury's voice came.
A small gasp escaped Nel's lips and they all fell silent.
"Stark, Rogers, conference room," Fury's voice came again after a few minutes of silence.
Steve opened his mouth to respond, but Nel placed her hand on his to calm him.
"Steve, I am ok," she says calmly. "The bleeding has slowed. I will heal. Don't forget, I am a goddess."
"I could never forget that," he whispered pressing his forehead against hers. "I told you not to fight him by yourself."
"When have I ever been good at following orders Captain?" she asked with a smirk.
"Never," he laughed.
"Let us go before Fury gets madder," she said gently.
"You do know Fury can hear you," Fury's voice came through their earpieces.
"Well we do now," she responded, sitting up slowly.
"Here," Steve said as he took her arm and helped her stand. She swayed slightly as she stood, gripping Steve's arm.
"I've got you," he whispered before picking her up bridal style catching her off guard.
"Steve," she gasped in surprise. "I can walk you know."
"We will get there faster this way," he smiled down at her as he began to walk towards the conference room.
"Someone want to explain to me what the hell I just watched?" Fury's voice came as Steve set Nel in a chair and began to asses her wounds.
"We need a medic in here," Steve called looking around.
"Steve, I will be ok," she said as gently placed her hand on his face. "I have survived much worse." Steve placed his hand on her face and leaned into his touch for a moment before a medic came in with their kit.
"The wound on her shoulder went all the way through. The one on her side shouldn't be too deep," Steve said as he moved out of their way. Nel quickly grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently, thanking him.
"Ok, now that there is a medic. I will repeat myself," Fury said glaring at Nel. "What the hell is this?" he asked again as he brought up the security footage from the hanger. It was frozen, at an image of Nel with her legs locked around Loki, kissing him. She saw Steve stiffen out of the corner of her eye before he glanced over to her, waiting for an explanation of his own.
"I thought we were hearing a domestic dispute," Stark said as he walked into the conference room. His voice missing its usual playful tone in it.
"I call that a distraction," Nel deadpanned before flinching as the medic touched her shoulder.
"Sorry," They whispered. "This is going to need stiches." Nel audibly groaned.
"You are a goddess healer and you are afraid of stitches?" Tony asked briskly.
"Everyone is afraid of something," Nel said glaring at him.
"Back on topic!" Fury yelled. "Why did Loki want you?"
"Ah… so you haven't been fully been spying on us all since we stepped aboard this ship," Nel said softly.
"Of Course not," Fury said quickly.
"Oh, you have, you just haven't been able to review all the footage. I am very observant. I have noticed all the cameras, even the hidden ones," Nel responded as the medic slowly pulled up the side of her shirt to look at the cut. She winced as the fabric pulled off the wound.
"Stop stalling and answer the question," Fury glared at her.
"I am interested myself," Tony said from his seat.
"Loki and I, we were married. Our marriage was recently broken, and he cannot accept that fact. In his mind, we are still married. He was willing to try and take me. Maybe even use the scepter to try and control me and make me more submissive. We loved each other once long ago. That man is long gone, and this Loki has taken his place. If I hadn't distracted him in that way, Loki would have been long gone with me as his prisoner," she said calmly.
"You are married to him?" Fury yelled slamming his fist into the table.
"Was. I was married to him. That man is no more my husband then you are," she rebutted, glaring at Fury.
"We need to get her to the Medical bay," one of the medics said standing up.
"Two more question," Fury said glaring at them. "How was your marriage broken? I guess Asgard does not have divorce. And, Are you still in love with Loki? I cannot risk you helping him."
"Our marriage ended when Loki died. When we found out that he had faked his death, Odin told me that him and Frigga had spoken. I had already mourned my husband. They did not believe it was fair that I should have to endure the public humiliation of being bound to Loki and his deeds. They broke my marriage, as only they can. Odin's last words to me were that I deserved happiness after so much heartache and that I deserved to be truly loved. As for do I love Loki? I did once, long ago. I have not truly love him in quite some time," she answered as she looked over at Steve and met his gaze.
"Since when?" Fury asked as glanced between the two of them.
"Since 1943, when I was here," she said with a small smile at Steve, who smirked back at her slightly.
"Director, we really need to take her to the medical bay," the other medic stated quickly.
"Fine, but I will have more questions for you," Fury said glaring at her.
"And I will answer them truthfully," she said as she stood up with a wince.
"Take her," Fury said with a wave of her hand.
"I will come check on you once I am done here," Steve said softly enough so only she could hear him. She nodded briefly before walking out of the room with the medics. She heard Fury talking to them about Phil and something about signing something but she couldn't make out the conversation as they moved further away.
As they neared the medical bay, Nel saw Nat exit a room.
"Nat?" Nel questioned. "Are you alright?" concern lacing her voice.
"I am alright. Visiting a friend of mine," she responded quietly, glancing through the window.
"The one Loki was controlling?" Nel asked. Nat responded by nodding her head.
"How did you break Loki's control?" Nel asked as she walked over to where Nat stood, ignoring the protest of the medics.
"I hit him really hard in the head," Nat smirked.
"He will be ok. Especially since he has a friend like you to look out for him," Nel said as she placed her hand on Nat's arm.
"Thank you," Nat said as she glanced over at her, finally taking her in. "What happen to you?"
"I got in a fight with Loki," Nel responded calmly.
"Did you kick his ass?" Nat smirked.
"I cannot say yes or no to that. He sliced my side and decided to stab me in my shoulder," Nel answered as she motioned to the ripped clothing.
"At least he did not mind control you. That is the last thing we need. Loki to be mind controlling another goddess," Nat answered, grimly.
"Loki wouldn't mind control me. He wants me to return to him of my own free will. And by free will, I mean he intends to he make me submit by force or threat. Mind controlling me won't fulfill the need he has," Nel said calmly.
"There is more to that story that I would like to hear, but it looks like Clint is waking up," Nat said looking back into the room.
"We really need to stitch up your wounds," a medic called.
"And you are going to give those medics heart attacks if you don't go," Nat smirked.
"We will talk soon," Nel said before she walked away from the red head.
"This room here," the medic said directing her into a small medical room.
"Please remove your sweater and shirt. It will enable us to get to your wounds easier," the one said as they opened different cabinets pulling out different supplies.
"I did not catch your names," Nel said as she pulled the sweater and shirt over her head.
"We didn't give them," the one mumbled.
"This will sting for a moment," another one said as they walked towards her with a syringe.
"That won't be necessary," Nel said holding up her hand. "If you give me a needle and thread, I can help stitch up my wounds."
"Uhh," the medics said as they glanced at each before continuing towards her.
"I am a healer. I have sewn up enough wounds. I said I do not need that," she said sharply as she grabbed the one medic's wrist before they could inject her.
"We really must insist," the other one said grabbing her good arm to pull it back.
"I said no. Let me go!" Nel raised her voice as she ripped her arm away and grabbed for the syringe.
"Do it already!" the one shouted as they grabbed her good arm and gripped on to it for dear life.
Nel let out a scream as the needle was stabbed into her arm. She reacted instantly, elbowing one of the medics in the face and punching the other one. Both hit the ground out cold. The door burst open and Nel turned quickly to see Steve, Natasha and another man entering the room.
"Steve?" she asked before her legs gave out. Steve caught her before she hit the ground and set her down gently.. "I don't know what they injected me with."
"It looks like it's a sedative," Nat said as she grabbed a vial from the table.
"Doesn't look like they were able to inject much of it," the other man said as picked the needle up off the ground.
"Are you alright?" Steve asked looking down at her.
"Little cold," she laughed. Steven looked down and realized she was not wearing a shirt. She laughed as she saw his cheeks turn crimson. "Nat, can you toss me that sweater?" Nat grabbed the sweater and handed it over to her. Nel slowly pulled it over her head as she winced.
"Your shoulder is still bleeding," Nat said as she grabbed some gauze and tape.
"Is that what that red sticky stuff is?" Nel asked as she put her bad arm in the sleeve of the shirt.
"Here," Steve said as he helped her put the sweater the rest of the way on.
"Did Fury finish talking to you already?" Nel asked.
"Yes, Tony and I were discussing Loki. We figured out where he was heading when two actual medics came in the room looking for you. I knew something was wrong. I ran down here and ran into Romanoff and Barton as they were coming out of his room. They said they heard a scream from in here," he answered as he brushed a hair out of her face.
"You two are going to give me a cavity," Nat said rolling her eyes. "Here, Nel. Let me look at that shoulder." Nate grabbed a suture kit and some gauze from a cabinet before walking over to her as Steve helped her back on to the table.
"This is going to hurt," Nat said before she moved to stitch up the wound.
"I've endured worse," Nel said before grabbing Steve's hand. "You said you figured out where Loki is heading."
"He is heading to Stark Tower in New York," Steve answered as he rubbed his thumb on the back of her hand.
"I am coming," she said quickly.
"Nel, you are hurt," Steve said as he looked at her.
"I don't care Steve. I am coming."
"Loki just stabbed you. Romanoff is stitching up your shoulder right now. You aren't coming," Steve said sharply.
"Steve, if anyone's presence is going to distract Loki it is mine. It will throw him. We can use that to our advantage," she came back with.
"She is right Steve," Nat said as she tapped gauze on both sides of Nel's shoulder. "Loki wants her, and she can handle herself. Besides we will be there if she needs back up."
"Natasha is right," Barton said from where he was leaning against the wall. "When I was mind controlled, Loki knew Thor would come after him. He thought there might be a chance Odin would send Lithoniel. We were ordered to never harm her and to bring her in at any cost. He wanted her as unharmed as possible. Every one of use was carrying a dose of sedative incase we ever came across her and could get her alone."
"Why wasn't it used on me during the battle?" Nel asked him, Steve was visibly tensed next to her and she gave his hand a quick squeeze to reassure him.
"Loki gave orders that if anyone saw you, we were to report your location. He seemed to know you would come to him though," Barton explained as he rubbed the back of his head.
"This is another reason you shouldn't come. If Loki's men all have a sedative, it will only take a moment and you will be gone, again," Steve said sharply, standing up and stepping away from her.
"Guys, can you give us the room?" Nel asked glancing between Natasha and Barton.
"Uhh sure," Nat answered. "Here, use this to clean your wound and then put this over it," she said as she motioned to Nel's side, handing her some gauze and tape.
"Thank you," Nel said as they both exited the room, closing the door behind them.
"Steve, I need you to think about this as Captain America not Steve Rogers," she said softly.
"They are the same person Nel," he responded as he ran his hand through his hair. She could see the tension rising in his body.
"I know they are the same person and I love both sides of you. But you know the Cap side is telling you this is a logical plan," she said calmly as she crossed over to him and laid her hand gently on his arm.
"Say that again," Steve said turning to face her. She smiled at him.
"Steven Rogers, I have loved you since 1943. This isn't exactly news to you," she smirked.
"I know, but I haven't heard you say it since 1944," he replied as he placed his hand on her cheek.
"Steve, you know I am right," she said as she placed her hand over his.
"I know. It is a smart plan. But Loki already took you from me once. I don't know what I would do if I lost you again," he said softly as he pulled her into his arms and nuzzled his face into her neck.
"Then I guess you better make sure I am well protected," she said as she ran her fingers through his hair. Seeing him like this, almost broken at the thought of losing her again, it just about broke her. He picked his head up to look her in the eyes.
"I know you are right. And I will not lose you again," he said before pulling her face to his and kissing her.
She gasped at the quick movement but quickly let herself melt into him. She knotted her fingers into his hair and pulled him as close as she could as their lips mirrored each other's needs and wants. Steve ran his tongue along her lips and she quickly granted him access, letting him explore her mouth as she tasted his. She felt Steve move his hand from her face down to her waist and when he snaked his hand around the side, she flinched slightly causing him to break apart from her. She let out a groan of displeasure. Steve smirked and placed a small kiss on her lips.
"As much as I would like to continue kissing you, as we have decades to catch up on, Romanoff and Barton are on the other side of that door and your wound needs to be cleaned and patched," he said as he pressed his forehead to hers. "We also have a mission to complete."
"Well then Captain," she started with a smirk. "Let us clean this wound and go arrest my ex-husband so that we can catch up on all of our missed time together."