Family is for all time, always [1]

Found

~~~Loki's pov~~~

After searching for what felt like hours, I still hadn't found her.

I sat on a rock and tried to think about where she could be. Or maybe I should accept what the others already knew to be true.

She was gone.

I was about to give up when I heard something that sounded like music.

I got up and walked closer to the sound, and then I recognized it.

It was the song that Catherine and I used to sing to Linda.

I had the music put into her necklace. That way, Linda could hear it whenever she needed to. The necklace doubled as a music box.

My heart started beating out of my chest as I ran faster. She was here.

As I ran across the debris-filled wasteland, I heard not only the music but someone singing along as well.

"Linda!" I called out, trying to find her.

She was scared. I could tell. She wasn't singing cheerfully. She was comforting herself. Which made sense, as we would always sing it to her when she was scared or upset.

I climbed over a ridge and saw her hiding behind the ruins of a building that resembled Stark Tower. She was curled up in a ball, rocking back and forth. The sight broke my heart.

"Linda!" I called out again, this time louder, hoping she would hear me.

I was about fifty yards away from her when she lifted her head and saw me.

~~~Linda's pov~~~

I cried as I listened to the song that my parents used to sing to me.

While I'm glad I have the song with me, it makes me miss them even more.

I lifted the pendant and opened it. Inside was a picture of me, Mom, and Dad on Christmas morning last year.

They're going to come for me. I know they will.

I held the necklace close to my chest and cried harder.

"Linda!"

It was faint, but I could've sworn I heard Dad calling my name.

I shook my head. He's not here. Neither is Mom.

"Linda!"

This time I definitely heard it.

I lifted my head slowly and saw him running toward me.

~~~Loki's pov~~~

"Dad?" She stared at me with tear-filled eyes, stumbling as she stood.

She ran over to me at the same I ran over to her.

When I reached her, I caught her in a tight hug.

I ran my fingers through her hair as I knelt with her on the ground. She sobbed into my shoulder, prompting me to hold her closer. "It's okay. It's okay. I'm here." I murmured, kissing the top of her head softly.

"I knew you'd come for me." She struggled to get the words out through her tears.

"I promised, didn't I? I could never leave my little shooting star behind." I pulled away, smiling at her as I tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

Her hair has gotten so long since that day at the park...

~~~Linda's pov~~~

My little shooting star...

That was his nickname for me. He's been calling me that since I was a baby.

He remembered.

"You remember?" I looked up at him hopefully, blinking back my tears.

He nodded and hugged me tighter.

The tears continued to pour from my eyes, but they were tears of relief and disbelief.

I imagined this moment for years; that moment when he finally came back.

And here I am, back in my dad's arms after three long, hellish years.

"I love you so much." His voice wavering as he spoke, and continued to hold me close. "I am so so proud of you."

The feeling of being close to him after so long put me on cloud nine. My head was light from all the happiness I was experiencing, and I felt like I could actually breathe for the first time in years. The guilt that had been weighing me down for so long had finally decided to almost entirely vanish, leaving me to feel lighter than air.

"I love you too, Dad." I buried my head deeper into his shoulder, everything around me disappearing in an instant.

All that mattered was that I had him back.

All that mattered was that he remembered.