Past Friends

Part 60: Into The Woods

You knew you had probably about 30 minutes before the rain came down, based on the clouds in the sky but you didn't care if you got caught in the rain or not. You didn't want to think about what you were feeling, so shoved everything down farther than you ever had before. Laying there on the ground you felt nothing, it's as if your emotions were turned off. Maybe the rain could make you feel something worth feeling. "Even if it hurts, even if it's nothing but trouble, I want to... love" you say to yourself, I guess you got what you asked for.

You're still laying there on the ground with your eyes closed when you hear strange but familiar voices. You open your eyes and sit up to see the boys from your dreams and you stare at them in disbelief as your eyes once again turn all misty. They call out your name, telling you "there's no way you'll be able to catch us Y/N!" as both boys start laughing joyously and take off into the woods. You were less concerned with the fact these boys were the ones from your dreams but that these were two young boys running off into the woods alone. You get up and quickly go after them, unaware that you were calling out to them in Old English. You of course had no idea what was happening but unlike before you weren't still, or "blacked out" you were completely aware of your surroundings, as one of the old Y/N's memories took hold of mind, mixing with what you perceived as reality.

You continued to chase after them, running as fast as you could but they always seemed just out of reach. The necklace Tony gave you got caught on a branch and tangled, but you just pulled yourself loose. You didn't know why but there was this unrelenting feeling that you had to follow them or else. You left the necklace behind and continue to chase the boys until you found them waiting for you in a clearing, but there was someone else there with them. It was a beautiful and tall woman with long rust red hair and an intelligent and kind looking face. You had no way of knowing but this woman was Frigga of Asgard, Queen of the Gods and Mother to Loki and Thor.

You look at the woman as tears start to fill your eyes, "mother?" you asked, unsure of why you called her that, but it felt right. You couldn't shake the feeling that this was your mother or someone who was like a mother to you. The boys call out your name once more and reach out their hands for you to take them while the woman says "come my dear, we are going home now". You stand there for a moment before slowly approaching the trio, not completely sure what was happening. You stand directly in front of the them unsure if you should take their hands or not when it starts to rain. It came down all at once, hitting you like a wave crashing down, it went from no rain to pouring rain in an instant. Not that you knew what a wave crashing down on you felt like, you've never been to the beach or knew how to swim for that matter. All you did know was that when the rain hit you it sent a chilly jolt up your spine, and as it did the two boys and the woman vanished, they weren't really there at all.

You look around realizing you had no idea where you were, and you couldn't hold back your tears. You were lost in the woods in the cold heavy rain while you were having auditory and visual hallucinations, and after what you heard your boyfriend say, well probably ex-boyfriend now, you finally lost it. You must be completely insane; what was real? What was fake? Did that even matter? Maybe you weren't real, maybe you were just a character made up by some weirdo named Mikayla. Did anyone actually care about you? Or was your so called "new family" just a hallucination too? Were you really all alone?... When it occurs to you that you were actually all alone.

Meanwhile back at the Compound...

Thor just got back from seeing Doctor Strange and was going to talk to Loki about what he had said; apparently the doctor didn't have much insight on what could be happening but suggested bringing you by for a "mystic once-over" of sorts, to see if he could pick up on anything. He goes off to talk to his brother but finds he's no where to be found. Thor assumes he's off with you somewhere to get away from the gloomy weather. Although Thor could control rainstorms like this, he didn't like interfering with natural occurring storms unless it was an emergency.

It's a few hours later and Thor is just playing games in his room when the Man of Spiders and Dr.Banner stop by. They ask him if he's seen you, but he hasn't and before he can ask what's going on they go to ask Loki the same question. Thor becomes very worried and calls out after them before getting up to ask them in person what was going on. Dr.Banner informs Thor that apparently you went for a walk but no one saw you leave and that was hours ago and considering it was getting dark and pouring rain outside everyone was worried.

Thor goes over to Loki's room and starts pounding on the door telling Loki it was an emergency. Loki doesn't answer so Thor breaks the door open to see Loki just sitting on his bed reading. Thor yells at Loki shouting "did you not hear me brother? It's an emergency!" while Loki rolled his eyes insisting that they can handle it without him. Thor is too angry to form actual coherent sentences so Peter pipes up asking Loki if he's seen you.

A slightly worried look crosses Loki's face as he asked Peter to explain what was going on. Peter than tells Loki that supposedly you went for a walk but no one saw you leave but you were no where to be found and it's been hours. Your cellphone was in your room so there was no way to track you, Tony took one of his suit's out to go look for you but that was almost an hour ago.

They all rush downstairs to meet up with the others to discuss what to do. Thor grabs Mjölnir and rushes outside to stop the storm just as Tony returns. Steve, Peter, and Wanda surround Tony asking if he found any clues, seeing as he didn't return with you. He holds up the necklace he gave you saying he found it deep in the woods but you were no where to be found.