Gracefully {Loki X OC}

19. Christmas

The next day Steve, Doreen and I were cooking our dinner. They got along quite well, it was like they had been friends forever. I was making the stuffing for the turkey when my phone went. I looked at the caller ID, Pepper. I wiped my hands on a towel and picked up the phone. " Hi." I said in a good mood. But I realised something was wrong when I didn't hear her usual positive hello.  " What happened?" I asked her. " They, they attacked the house. Your dad, he didn't get out." She said while trying not to cry even more than she already was. " What?" I asked, not believing what she was saying. Doreen saw I was about to break down and called Steve to help. " He's dead." Pepper cried. I felt the phone drop out of my hands while I slided down to the ground. " Hello? Grace?" I could hear Pepper ask from my phone that was on the ground. Steve picked me up and placed me on the couch. I heard Doreen talk to Pepper for a moment.

I had been sitting on the couch for over two hours. Steve had brought me a blanket and Doreen had made me a tea. " You want some turkey?" Doreen asked putting down a plate next to me. I nodded, putting it on my lap and eating from it. " That's some good turkey." I smiled sadly. I still couldn't believe my dad was gone. They would have found a body wouldn't they? And they didn't. That meant that maybe he was still alive. But what if he wasn't? I shouldn't be giving myself false hope. 

Suddenly my phone went again, unknown caller. So I picked up.

Hello?

Grace?

Dad?

It's me

Ohmygod, you're alive. Where are you?

I can't tell you, and you can't tell anyone I'm alive, for now.

Why?

The Mandarin thinks I'm dead. 

I'm need to figure out some things before I come back okay?

Okay. Can I at least tell Steve?

Rogers?

Yes, and Doreen

Fine, just make sure they don't tell anyone.

They won't.

I put down the phone and they both looked at me. " He's alive." I told them with a big smile. " No way, we need to tell Pepper and Rhodey." Steve started, but I stopped him. " No, we can't tell anyone, for now."

When we had eaten all our dinner we were watching movies. We were making Steve watch Madagascar, he enjoyed it. But right when they met King Julian the screen went black and not even a second later the Ten Rings logo showed. The Mandarin's face appeared. 

" Mr President. Only two lessons remain. And I intend to finish this before Christmas morning. Meet Thomas Richards. Good strong name. Good strong job. Thomas, here, is an accountant for the Roxxon Oil Corporation." Thomas was sobbing. " But I'm sure he's a really good guy. I'm going to shoot him in the head, live on your television in 30 seconds. The number for this telephone is in your cell phone. Exciting, isn't it, imagining how it got there? America, if your president calls me in the next half-minute, Tom lives. Go!" 

This was crazy, why weren't they interrupting the feed? The Mandarin's phone started ringing. And it continued ringing, he didn't pick up. He took out a gun and shot the man. We all jumped in shock, he had killed a man on live TV. 

" Page 42/75 one lesson left, President Ellis. So run away, hide, kiss your children goodbye. Because nothing, not your army, not your red, white and blue attack dog, can save you. I'll see you soon." 

All I wanted was a nice Christmas.