The North Star (B. Barnes & S. Rogers)

Chapter One

Join the Avengers; Thor said. It'll be fun; he said. Loki is now adamant that his brother is a great, big liar, even bigger then he himself and one day he will make Thor suffer for it. He was feeling terrible before they even left the facility and yet he still had to participate, and because of that Wanda got side swiped by a huge Hydra agent because he felt ready to throw up. The pain in his head unbearable, almost flooring him as they made their way through the halls of the facility, he could barely see, barely take one step. And now he can barely think, he can barely open his eyes. Wanda now sits letting Clint strap her shoulder, everyone knows it is going to bruise. Loki tried apologising but Wanda told him it was fine, that she was fine but it doesn't stop him from feeling terrible, out of all the people on the team it was Wanda that welcomed him without a second thought, it is Wanda that sits and talks magic with him, it's Wanda who knows when not to push him to conversation. It's Wanda who he crawls into bed next to and wraps her up in his arms, anchoring himself to her, it's Wanda that saves him from the nightmares. And he got her hurt. Loki rubs his head leaning on his knees, his free hand spinning one of his daggers around absentmindedly. The headache has been forming since the early hours, like a niggling at the back of his head that's been slowly getting more insistent as the day has gone on, now it presses painfully at the back of his eyes.

"Loki?" Wanda asks touching his shoulder, he barely reacts to her presence as she crouches in front of him. "Loki" she states firmer this time. "Moj kralj, talk to me" she pleads, he shifts slightly leaning into her hand on his cheek.

"My head" he complains.

"It's worse?" she asks quietly.

"Like someone is probing my brain with a cattle prod" he looks up at her, tears actually gathering in his eyes because it's just that painful. Wanda places her hands on the side of his head and presses her fingers in, he closes his eyes again.

"Bruce" Wanda calls, the doctor shifting in his seat before moving to them. "He says his head is hurting" Wanda informs Bruce.

"He looks terrible" Clint points out, Bruce hums in agreement.

"I did tell you all I wasn't feeling very well before we left" Loki grumbles as Bruce pulls his medical bag closer.

"Open your eyes" Bruce states as he pulls out a medical torch pen and turns back to Loki to shine it in his eyes. As he swipes it across everything seems to just....filter out. Loki can't hear anything around him, his vision goes white and his mind is elsewhere. There is the rattle of chains, a chill to his skin, he's staring up at a mirror across from him but the room is too dark, the glass to dirty for him to see the reflection. His breathing is slow, his heart rate steady. Chains rattle again and he looks down, sees them around his wrists, hands gloved, arms covered in fabric, a shirt perhaps. He turns his head trying to look for something, anything. But the room he's in is dark and empty except for him. Then it's flashes, of mountains, lakes but it's gone before he can focus on it.

.............

Loki wakes with a gasp, laying flat and looking up at the ceiling of the medbay back at the facility. Steve, Thor, Bruce and Wanda are there and instantly at his side. Loki touches his chest where he's suit has come open, Wanda touches his arm and Loki lifts his eyes to hers, she looks tired, worried lines under her eyes.

"What happened?" Loki asks leaning up onto his elbows.

"You passed out, brother" Thor pushes him back down onto the bed, his own worry seeping from him.

"Was just a headache" Loki complains.

"That made you loose conscious" Steve points out seriously, one of his team is down, of course he's worried. "This is serious, Loki, why didn't you say anything?"