Warmth. It's the first thing I feel, and for a moment I'm back in my parents house, waking up under covers on a winter day. It's a delicious feeling, being back, remembering my parents' footsteps and Bruce calling a rematch in Monopoly. It's like nothing is wrong in the world. Then another searing pain surges through my head, and reality is back.
I open my eyes to find Steve lowering my gently onto my bed. The warmth isn't from my mother's embrace, it's from him. He doesn't notice I'm awake, so I whisper, "Steve?" He startles a little.
"Hey, it's okay. Tony says you're going to be fine." I'm shaking from cold, even though the room must be a normal temperature. Steve pulls a blanket over me.
My mind is foggy, I can't quite place the last few hours. "What just happened?"
"You passed out," he says softly, sitting on a chair next to my bed. I turn my head to look at him. "Tony said something in your experiment went wrong, Loki said your cells were mutating too quickly, and Tony injected something in you to stabilize them."
"Mutating?" I murmur, tears already pricking at the corners of my eyes. It's all coming back now. No. I won't think about that now. It hurts to think at all. "Where's Bruce?"
"Nat went for him, he'll be fine. She's our go-to for calming him down." We sit in silence for a few minutes. "It hurts still, doesn't it?" I nod, finally letting a tear slip down my face. He holds out his hand, and I take it. As much as I appreciate him, I wish he was Bruce.
"My head. I don't know why, but it feels like it's going to explode. I'm freezing, too." Before he can say anything, we head muffled voices outside of the door.
"She's in there, with Steve," says Tony. "I don't know if she's conscious."
"Okay," is all a new voice says. I look at Steve, confused, but he just shakes his head. He doesn't recognize the man, either.
The door opens to reveal Tony, Clint, Loki, and a dark haired man I've never seen before. He has a long red cape and is taller than anyone else here, except maybe Steve.
"You're awake," Clint says, bending down to be eye level with me. His gaze is warm, even without a smile.
"Everyone keeps saying that," I say, trying to make a joke. The corner of his mouth twitches.
"Can you sit up? We've got a doctor to help you," he says. I nod, gripping tightly to Steve's hand as I do. A new pain explodes in my head, but I try to ignore it. Everyone notices me wince, though. The man moves forward. His eyes are focused but not unkind.
"Hello, Eliza. My name is Dr. Steven Strange." It's a fitting name. He looks more like an Asgardian than a human with that getup. "I used to be a neurosurgeon. I think I can help you." He turns to my entourage. "Do me a favor and step out."
The group has mixed reactions to his request which really isn't a request at all. Steve stands, gives me a small smile, and is the first to leave, Clint following closely behind him. Loki gives Strange a pointed look but exits as well. Tony hovers for a second.
"I'll send your brother and Nat when I can. When he can. You'll be okay, kid."
"Okay," I whisper, trying to put him at ease. Guilt clouds his eyes, despite him always acting like he isn't attached to anything or anyone. Tony Stark does care after all.
"Okay, now that they're all gone, can you explain what you remember to me?" He takes Steve's vacated seat, ready to listen. "I got mixed stories from your friends. Start when you got to the lab this morning."
"Well, I went in this morning to start working. I got here yesterday. They needed a biologist. Tony said they were working on something to cure Bruce. It's based on the Super Soldier Serum." A sharp pain shoots through my forehead, causing me to cry out a little. Strange leans forward, concerned. "I'm sorry. I keep getting these pains in my head. It hurts."
Strange nods. "I know. So it was based on the serum?" He doesn't treat me like something that will shatter, but instead like a person. I really appreciate it.
"Yeah. Bruce wanted to test it on himself, but I knew it wasn't ready to go for him. Then Tony volunteered, but his arc reactor might have given him additional side effects. So I said I'd do it."
"Was this immediate?" He asks.
I shake my head. "No. For a minute, it worked. My cut vanished," I say, holding up my hand. He examines it and finds nothing, obviously. "Then I got really cold, felt like I couldn't breathe. I got dizzy, Tony sent Bruce out because he didn't want him to become the Hulk, and I passed out. That's all I really know."
"I'm surprised you remembered all that, but that's good. What're you feeling now?"
"I'm still kind of dizzy, and I'm really hot. My head hurts, too." I look at him, crestfallen. "My brother was right."
"What do you mean?"
"When I said I wanted to try the formula, he told me not to. He said the world- the world didn't need another Banner freak." A few tears leak from my eyes, and I wipe them away impatiently. "I'm sorry, I'm being stupid."
"You're not a freak and you're not stupid. What you are is something we haven't figured out yet," Dr. Strange says, giving me a small smile. "Heroes. We're all freaks."
"What do you mean? Do you have powers?" In response, he raises his hands. A pale yellow light flows from them. "What's that?" I ask, gaping.
"Energy. After the car accident where I lost the use of my hands, I became a master of the mystic arts. I'm going to examine your cells, similar to how Loki did."
"Loki examined my cells?" That book must have taught him more than I thought, but he was obviously aided with magic. Strange, who is already preoccupied moving his hands about an inch over mine and watching the light closely, still answers.
"Yes. From what I understand, he saved you."
Huh. He saved me. Even though I was a total jerk to him this morning. I don't think he meant to read my mind, I was just angry.
"Okay. Here's what I'm gathering," he says, finally looking up. "Your cells are mutating, that much is obvious. I'm not sure the long term effects it will have on you, but I can assure you that you will not become like your brother."
"Good," I say, relieved. Then I cover my mouth. Why did I just say that? "Oh, that was awful."
The doctor's lips form a thin smile. "Just a bit. Your head hurts because your brain can't keep up with the new energy your cells have. That's why you're cold, too. You need advanced treatment, I'm not sure if we even have something like that here. The pain will keep getting worse unless we do something."
"Well, can't we? You're a doctor and a sorcerer, surely you have something in your bag of tricks?" I'm desperate. I'm twenty-one, and even though I'm a secret agent, that feels too young to die.
He only shakes his head. "My job is to protect reality. I don't have spells fast enough for something that you require. My methods would take months. My advice is to look to other magic-users. You might be okay to stand if you want to go out and see everyone."
I don't want to be in here anymore. "Anything else?"
"Rest and keep a careful watch on yourself. I'm always a call away. You're a lot better company than Tony, you know." He helps me up and I shakily move out the door.
The minute I step out I get crushed in a hug. "Bruce, I'm okay," I mutter, trying to get him off of me. He loosens his grip but holds on, still clearly shaken.
"Eliza, I'm so sorry," he whispers into my hair. "You're cold." I pull back and look him right in the eyes.
"It's okay. It'll all be fine." Does he know I'm lying?
I give Nat a hug, too, but her attention isn't on me, it's on Dr. Strange, who begins to inform the group of what happened. It's painful to listen to a second time, but other than a few remarks and questions, everyone is silent. After informing us, Dr. Strange shakes a few hands and steps into a glowing portal he just conjured up. Everyone stares for a solid minute.
"So what do we do?" I ask, trying to come up with a solution. "There has to be something."
"You heard Strange, we don't have the technology," Natasha says, looking down at her hands.
"But there has to be something!" Bruce protests.
"He's right, we can't just stand here and let her be in pain," Steve adds, standing his ground. The group starts to argue about what course of action is the best when it feels like another spear jams into my skull. I stumble backward, but strong arms catch me. It takes a moment to recognize them as Loki's.
"Liza," Bruce says, moving forward. I lean heavily on Loki, just so tired.
"I'm-"
"Don't you dare say fine again, it's not working," Tony says, slightly annoyed. I actually appreciate it. He's going back to normal.
"If I may," Loki begins, but Tony interrupts.
"You may not," Bruce says, fire in his eyes. The god of mischief matches his gaze while still keeping an arm around me protectively.
"He may," I snap at my brother, who seems taken aback. "It's my life, I'm open to suggestions."
Loki seems surprised that I took his side, but he quickly turns his head to Thor, which shocks me. From what I can tell, he has no respect for him whatsoever. "Brother, what if we take her home?"
My mouth falls open. "To Asgard? Why?"
"We are more advanced than you are here in Midgard," Thor says slowly, understanding his younger brother's thoughts. "We could help you there."
"Is that an option?" Steve asks, raising his eyebrows. He's wary of letting me leave, but I'm wary of dying, so I think I win.
"It should be," Thor responds, looking out the window. "We can get there in a few days, but I need permission from my father."
Loki groans, giving his brother a look of annoyance. "You actually believe asking Odin will work?"
"We will return in a few days. That was the plan originally, and we will follow it," Thor says, smiling. "We will just forget to mention that someone is coming with us."
Tony turns to me. "What do you say, kid? It's your life, your choice."
Without this, I won't have a life, so it's an easy decision. "I'm coming," I say confidently. "What do we need to do between now and then?"
"You need to rest," Bruce says, pointing a finger at me. "We'll probably be busy, but no leaving the Tower." I nod, having expected that.
"I will go and tell the Allfather to expect our return," Thor says, already halfway to the sliding glass doors. "I will be back in a few days. Be prepared to leave." He steps out onto the balcony, holds his hammer in the air, and shouts, "Heimdall! Take me home!" Rainbow light surrounds him, and he is whisked away. People come and go so oddly here.
"Now, you, get to bed," Steve commands, gently pushing me towards the bedroom door. I don't protest, even though it's four in the afternoon. Before I try to get some sleep, I change into a sweatshirt and set my alarm for 8:14, sunset.
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When my phone goes off, I quietly tiptoe through the compound and onto the balcony. Surprisingly, no one is on the top floor. Unsurprisingly, Loki is waiting outside. He holds no book this time, but leans over the railing instead, taking in the late evening light.
"Hey," I say, coming up next to him. He laughs and shakes his head. His smile... well, it's kind of cute. "What?"
"You almost died today yet still come see the sunset."
"Well, that's the idea. Who knows how many sunsets I have left." The thought is utterly defeatist, and I wait for him to reprimand me like Bruce would, but he doesn't. "Dr. Strange said you saved my life today."
"Stark was losing it. He didn't know what was going on inside you. By the time he would have gotten the right equipment, it would have been too late," he says, looking away from me, almost ashamed.
"No," I say. "Don't make it seem like it wasn't a big deal. I wouldn't be standing here without you. Thank you." A new thought occurs to me. "So do they know you have your powers now?"
He shakes his head. "I think it was lost in the heat of the moment. My secret is safe for now, my dear, although I suppose it's our secret."
"I can't believe you offered to take me to Asgard," I say, still giddy despite the reason I'm going.
He grins again. I think he likes answering my many questions. "It's so different from here. The city and palace is gold. Light always reflects off of it. The Rainbow Bridge connects it to the opening of the Bifrost, our main method of transportation. You'll like the sunsets very much, I believe."
"Who's Heimdall? Thor called for him." I want to know everything and everyone. It's the scientist in me.
"Guardian of the Bifrost. He sees everything, being a seer. I think that's actually why Thor left early, because Heimdall would see you coming. It's him we have to convince. But he will likely let you in."
"That's good- oh!" I feel another sharp pain in my head and fall backward. He catches me, worry etched on his face.
"You're still not well. Let's get you inside." He goes to open the door and overwhelming exhaustion sets in and pairs with dizziness. I can't move. He shocks me by scooping me up with ease and carrying me in. I can't believe this is the man who attacked New York. He places me on my bed, jade eyes still full of concern. "Are you sure you'll be alright?"
"I think I just need rest." He nods and goes to leave, but I have one more question. "Why did you save me?"
Hand still on the doorknob, he turns around. "What?"
"You didn't have to save me today. No one could have faulted you if I died, no one knows you have your powers except me. So why did you do it?" For a moment, I don't think he'll answer.
"Because," He says after a lengthy pause, "it was nice to be noticed."
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Well, she's alive, and heading to Asgard ;) I really enjoyed writing this chapter, it's fun to have a lot of the characters together.
Thank you to everyone reading this, I'm really enjoying writing it! Please leave comments, I love hearing opinions!!!
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Healing Each Other (Loki Fanfiction)
Fanfiction"I didn't peg you for a poetry kind of guy," I say, but I'm glad he is. Poems are a guilty pleasure to me. "Will you read some to me?" "Of course." I close my eyes and just listen to his voice. "Come with me/ Let's walk towards the Sun/ The road se...
