The Jotun's Daughter

Chapter 18

 My arms and legs hurt; everything muscle in my body ached.

        Strangely enough, my mind was fine. I blinked, squinting against the bright lights of the infirmary. I waited silently for my pupil to dilate correctly, and then slowly sat up, taking the I.V. out of my arm. I didn't need to take in my surroundings; I was familiar with them, and it appeared nothing about the room had changed. I walked over to the mirror in the bathroom. I was in a gown, and the tile floor was cold against my bare feet. I studied my reflection in the mirror, and then picked up clothes which were folded on a shelf. I didn't wonder who had taken my shirt off to treat my scars. Marty wouldn't have allowed anyone else to do it. I took off the gown, and pulled the tank top and hoodie over my head. My boots and socks were sitting neatly on the floor, and I pulled them on as well. Except for my jeans, which hadn't been changed, and my boots, every other article of clothing was black.

        I vaguely wondered if it was Marty's idea of a joke. I checked to make sure that my blades were still on me, and then washed my face, and walked out the door. An assigned nurse started to say something as I walked past, and then thought better of it. I kept walking. I knew where the group would be. When I finally reached the door to Marty's office, something made me hesitated, to stop and listen.

        "I have never, in all my life, seen anyone with as much power as that in all of Asgard." Jase's voice gave away that he was in pain, despite his awe.

        "I wasn't aware that she could do that." May spoke.

        "I don't think she was, either," Mack replied.  I opened the door and walked inside. Jase was sitting on the table, his shirt off, as Marty applied a cream to his back and arm, where blood had dried over scars. May, Coulson, Mack, Fitz, and Simmons were all standing around them, but their heads turned when I walked in. 

        "Kayla!" Simmons gasp, running up to me and wrapping her arms around me.  I muttered something along the lines of, "I'm fine, I'm ok," and she let me go, shutting the open door behind me. I walked inside the silent room, and then took in Jase's stated of affairs. He winced when he stood up, facing me, but said quietly, "I'm fine."

        "You're a terrible liar," I replied softly. I took in the scars, and opened my mouth to ask, when Coulson beat me to it. 

        "What do you remember?" I turned to him, and answered slowly.

        "Screaming." I swallowed. 

"Um, blue. That's it." I looked back to Jase. 

"Did I do that?" I whispered. His back was bleeding again, and Marty rushed to wrap it in gauze.

        "Kayla," he started.

        "I knew it." I hissed. "This," I turned back the group, pointing to the boy behind me, "This is why you should have left me in that café." I shook slightly, even though I was warm in the hoodie.

        "They could have," Coulson said naturally, "I couldn't." I glared at him for a second, then gave up. I didn't have the strength right now. I looked back at Jase.

        "I'm sorry-" He cut me off, shaking his head.

        "Marty told us what happened in the Warehouse. Don't apologize. Any other person would have had the same reaction." I winced, looking at Marty, who said simply, "They needed to know." We were all silent for a moment, before I dared to ask, "What happened?" Jase inhaled softly.

        "You...exploded." He responded. "Like a collapsing star. The ice and blast of the explosion blew back everything. The force of it was...terrifying. It was like a bomb when off. When it stopped, I believe you collapsed. The Warehouse imploded no too soon after....and...I'm not really sure what happened. I was knocked unconscious."