Time will Tell

Nexus

When Carrie woke several hours later, she lay for a moment waiting for the hangover to kick in. She remembered the whisky; she winced as she remembered the bathroom and she blushed as she remembered being carried naked back to bed and placed in a dark cocoon. 

She also remembered Loki. Oh yes, she remembered Loki.

His burning green eyes staring into her as she'd woken from her fantasy.  His easy laughter as they had shared a drink, his voice smooth and seductive.  His cool lips on her neck as she'd poured them more drinks. His hands on her body as he'd held her in his arms, his breath warm and seductive on her skin. She felt herself stir deep inside as she remembered the clenching ache of wanting him. She also remembered with shame, virtually begging him to take her, make her his. What had happened to her? Why had she suddenly become this 'thing', this wanton animal who craved him? She hardly knew him, yet there was something about him that spoke to her very soul. It was as if... no that was ridiculous she shook her head, she couldn't have, not so soon. But she had. She fallen in love with him.

As she lay, both shocked and excited by this admission, her hands roamed her body in a pale echo of their time together.  The familiar heat built in her core, and she had to make a conscious effort to stop before she disappeared over that cliff again.  Now though, she realised something was missing. No, not her half-naked obsession, she guessed he had returned to his apartment, but a pounding headache. No hangover? How was that possible? She knew even without looking that she had all but finished the bottle, even without Loki's help. Shouldn't she be suffering? Sitting up carefully, she pushed back the covers and stood. Nope, all good there too. A smile of relief washed over her. Well, maybe she hadn't been THAT drunk after all, maybe she hadn't made THAT much of a fool over herself. No, that much was still true. In fact, if she had been less drunk, then the begging was even worse.

She walked over to the dresser to get some fresh clothes. Looking in the small mirror on top, she caught sight of her neck and a smile danced over her lips as she blushed. There, for all to see, was the proof that she wasn't the only one feeling a certain basic connection between them. The purple bruise on her collar bone attested to the fact the Loki obviously felt something too. Whether it was love was highly debatable, but she knew without a shadow of a doubt, she wanted to find out.

As she dressed, she wondered exactly what his story was.  She knew he wasn't quite what he appeared to be, there was no way he was a Norse God no matter what his name was, but he wasn't like any other man she had ever met.  Was he a scam artist?  Was he just quietly deranged?  Was he... nope, her brain just couldn't fill in the blanks.  No matter which way she tried to look at it, she came back to the inescapable conclusion that her was exactly what he looked like, a tall handsome impossibly sexy, mystery.  One she fully intended to unravel.

Smiling to herself, she walked into the kitchen area of her little flat and made some tea.  The smell of Earl Grey filled her nostrils, so she closed her eyes, savouring the aroma as she lifted the mug to her lips.  When she opened them however, the sight that met her made her drop the mug, spilling the tea and shattering the porcelain as it fell into the sink.

"You - Variant CM5768 - you're under arrest, come with us now" A tall woman - she thought it was a woman, it was hard to tell under all the body armour, stood in front of her.  Black body armour, helmet and a glowing baton gave her an air of authority that Carrie wasn't about to argue with, even if she did think she'd completely lost her mind. 

"V-variant?" she managed to whisper "what do you mean variant? My- my - name - my name is Carrie" she shook so much she had to cling onto the counter for support, her legs almost giving way.  How - why - was this person in her house? 

"Yes, Variant Carrie Marin serial number 5768 - you are charged with crimes against the Sacred Timeline and you will accompany me now.  There are people who wish to speak to you." The figure took a step forward and pointed the baton at her "There will be consequences should you resist". 

Carrie barely had time to respond when a glowing orange light in the corner of the room appeared and a strange, flickering doorway opened.  She was just about to say something when a voice rang out from the hallway, the two of them turned to see a similar orange glow appear in the hallway under her front door and she could hear shouting and scuffles.

"Now hang on a minute - I am a god you dull creature - do NOT touch me!" Loki's angry voice rang out.  "I have to get in there, I have to tell her... wait, no, please don't, no!" his tone clearly changed to one of desperation and there was a further flash then silence.  Carrie stood transfixed, what the hell was going on?  What had happened to Loki and what had he wanted to tell her? As she turned back to the dark figure in front of her, she felt a snap around her neck as what felt like a large collar was clamped on then she was dragged by the arm into the portal. For a second she closed her eyes, terrified.

The as quickly as she went in, she came out.  Now she really was convinced she had lost her marbles.  She stood in a large hall, a row of glass fronted booths at one end and interminable roped off lanes leading to them.  She was surrounded by other people in the same type of collar, all guarded by the same type of guard.  One of the other detainees tried to make a run for it.  The guard simply reached out and touched them with the end of their baton.  With a blood curdling scream, the runner slowly "melted" away into a bright ribbon of light.  The resulting shocked silence ensured no-one else tried.

What the actual hell? Was this some kind of bureaucratic hell? She didn't have time to wonder long as she was dragged off into a small room with a table, two chairs and a large screen.  The guard sat her down roughly on a chair. Retreating to stand by the door she waited, baton poised, never taking her eyes off Carrie. 

"Please" Carrie pleaded, terrified she too would end up just another light show. "Please tell me what's going on? I have no idea what you want from me?  I've done nothing wrong I promise. Is it because I kissed him? Is it?  Please - tell me? " She started to cry, slowly realising that this was no dream, this was some kind of living nightmare.  One she found impossible to wake from.  The guard stood impassive, watching, waiting but for what?  For whom?

The answer came soon enough.  The door opened and Carrie stood up making the guard take a step forward.  The man that walked in, manilla file in hand, put a hand up to the guard "It's ok Hunter B42, stand down. She's no threat.  She's no Loki" he turned and smiled at Carrie, his apparently warm demeanour offset by the steely blue of his eyes, "but she does know him, don't you Carrie?"