The Dark World (book 2)

twenty-one.

I'm back :)

Nice to see you guys once again. I missed y'all. I also want to thank every one of you who continues to comment, read, and vote on Loki and TDW. It's always a pleasure to open up the app and scroll through the amazing comments and see my reads pile up. It's an amazing feeling and I love each and every one of you.

263k on Loki!
And 19k on The Dark World!

That's just so amazing guys...thank you.

QOTC: did you guys go on any vacations over the summer? I went to Clearwater and Siesta Key in Florida and then Gulf Shores in Alabama.

(wow ok that question is very outdated considering it's NOVEMBER but carry on)

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TONY JUST STARED AT ME...for about 5 minutes straight. The tension was building up. I didn't know what was going on inside his head.

He could be angry, upset, disappointed, etc...

God only knows, right?

"Tessa," he said my name very slowly.

I raised my eyebrows. "Yeah?"

I could only wait for the explosion. He didn't look pissed off though. He shouldn't be anyways. I'm home now, isn't that all that matters?

"Tessa..." he silently burst into tears and just walked to me with his arms open. His face was broken and I couldn't help but open my arms out too.

Steve slightly moved out of the way so Tony could comfortably take a seat on the bed and continue to hug me.

I didn't cry. I was too grateful to be in the arms and presence of people I felt safe with. The people I know would do anything for me. It's a comforting feeling.

I just squeezed Tony as hard as my body would let me. I was still recovering from the Malekith wounds, and I was silently hoping Tony wouldn't ask about any of it.

But I knew better.

"What the hell happened to you?" Tony pulled away and gripped my biceps softly. He stared at me with an unreadable expression.

I sighed and looked down. I couldn't do it over again. I've explained what happened so many times...

"I made a mistake," was all I said.

They just looked at me.

I gripped my hair. "Please do anything else but just stare at me. Please. I can't handle this. So much has happened and I-"

"Tessa. You left us. We were told you were going to TRAIN in Asgard to fend for yourself. You come back weeks later and you're a completely different person. I mean, your hair's gone, your nose is broken, you have cuts and bruises all over you, you have a HOLE through your stomach...and all you can say is "you made a mistake"?"

I didn't move. I just laid there with my head in my hands and stayed silent. No words could describe what I just went through these last few weeks. It was unbearable, and I don't think I could do it again.

I'm just ready to be normal again.

I sniffled and raised my head.