Healing Each Other (Loki Fanfiction)

Chapter 22

"I can't believe this happened," I hear someone mutter. I don't open my eyes, not yet. I want to listen. "We have any news? Any intelligence?" That's Tony, I realize. He sounds utterly defeated. I don't like it.

"One of them left this. It's a HYDRA flag," Steve says. A few groans.

"When isn't it?" Nat asks, annoyed.

"HYDRA?" Loki asks. Someone takes my hand, someone with a cool touch. I recognize his magic. My heart surges. He's okay. He's okay. He's okay.

"It's a terrorist organization," Steve explains. "They've given us trouble in the past."

"We need to figure out our next move," Natasha says. "I mean, we can't hide forever."

"For now, we're safe. Obviously the move to the new facility happened sooner than I anticipated, but we're still here," Tony says. I'm getting tired of listening. Just another minute.

"She's awake," Loki informs the group, as if it's an obvious fact. I open my eyes and glare at him. "And rather annoyed."

"You blew my cover," I say, rolling my eyes. "You're just as bad as FRIDAY."

"My love, considering they are willing to confide in me, they will tell you anything."

He helps me sit up and I discover that all of my pain is gone. "Did you heal me?"

He nods. "It took much of my magic. I'm not a natural healer, unlike you, but you are completely back to normal." I give him a soft kiss of thanks on the check but remember the rest of the team is in the room. Oops.

"Good to see your eyes, kid," Tony says, clapping me on the back.

"How long was I out?"

"A little over three days," Steve says from the corner. "Loki thought it was best to keep you under while you recovered."

"Three days!" I gasp. I look around. I'm in a room I've never seen before, similar to a medical ward. My gut tells me that this isn't Stark Tower. "Where are we?"

"Welcome to the new compound," Tony says, waving his arms in fake grandeur. "We were planning on moving upstate soon anyway, and the fact that the Tower was scorched only accelerated the process. If you want, you can leave. I assume it's pretty dull in here. You can explore all you want. It's your new home." I hear the hidden meaning behind his words. He thinks I'm joining the team.

"Yeah, I'd like to walk around," I say, hopping off the bed. It feels so good to stretch my legs again. Loki moves to take me, but I shake him off with a kiss. There's someone else I need to talk to. "We'll talk later. Nat, show me around?"

Natasha furrows her brow in confusion but nods. "Okay, let's go."

"See you, boys." I follow her out into the hallways and take the whole place in. Very clean and modern, with big windows and people moving boxes everywhere. They must be setting up the new compound, considering we arrived considerably ahead of Tony's schedule.

"What do you want to ask me?" Nat asks suddenly, facing me. I raise my eyebrows as if I don't know what she is talking about. "Oh, cut it. I know you'd rather romantically mosy around with your traitor boyfriend than with me."

"Can't a friend just ask another friend on a walk?" I ask innocently. She scoffs.

"On our way to get you some new clothes, you can start telling me the truth." She tosses her red curls over her shoulder and walks importantly up to a shorter man in a suit. He's busy directing workers but stops when he sees us.

"Natasha," he says, smiling. He seems to be a pretty happy guy. "What can I do for you?"

"Eliza, this is Happy Hogan," she introduces. Huh. What a coincidence. "Happy is the Head of Security for Stark Industries."

"Hey, that's really cool. I'm Eliza Banner," I say, offering my hand.

"Where's Eliza's room?" Nat asks. "She just got out of the medical ward."

"Room 46, in between Thor and Wanda. Third floor. If you'll excuse me, I have to go back to work."

"See you around, Happy," I say, waving.

"All right, time to walk and talk," Nat says, leading me down the hallways and toward a set of stairs.

I sigh. "What was going on with you and Bruce?" Whatever she thought I was going to ask, it wasn't that. Something flickers in her eyes, an emotion full of pain and memories. But instead of trying to lie, she tells the truth.

"I- he and I, we were similar. Misfits. We all are, really, but he seemed to... understand me. It was nice, for once." Heartbreak etched clearly on her face, she walks a little faster, trying to avoid pity I don't plan on giving her. She won't take it, anyway.

"I'm glad." She stops and stares at me. "I'm glad both of you had that. I'm sorry he's isn't here anymore." That's all I say. That's all I need to say.

"By the way," she says, changing the subject, "Tony had your room decorated and furnished. He thinks you'll enjoy it, but if you don't, he says to find Happy or Pepper and they'll get it fixed up."

"He seems to think I'm staying long-term," I say without thinking.

"Aren't you?" I look at Nat, who I basically think of like an older sister, completely speechless. What do I say?

"Tony and Steve mentioned becoming an Avenger, but I wasn't sure," I say. She opened up to me, it's only fair that I do the same. "And after me blacking out for three days, I'm surprised you still want me."

"Eliza, you took bullets for us. You tried to heal everyone even though you were injured, too. If that doesn't earn you a spot, I don't know what does."

"I-I- I mean, thank you," I say quietly. "That really means a lot to me."

"Here's your room," she says, pointing to room 46. "I'm on the floor above, ask for FRIDAY if you need anything. Dinner's at six, if you're up to it."

"Okay. Thanks, Nat." On an impulse, I give her a hug. She stands there for a moment before wrapping her arms around me. Then she's gone. I push open the door to my room, not expecting much, considering we only moved here a few days ago.

Since no one is here, I allow myself to gasp. The room is a light grey, almost white, with dark brown hardwood. Bookshelves line one end, with big windows lining the other. There's a really comfy looking white couch, a coffee table with a vase of yellow roses, and my slightly-scorched piano in the corner. He really thought of everything. My personal belongings are scattered around. I notice some biology books on the shelf. I open the connecting door, which turns out to be my bedroom. It's decorated similarly to the other room, with the painting Thor gave me hanging over the bed. There's a note taped onto the closet door.

Hey kid,
Hope you approve of this room. We tried to salvage as many of your things as we could. Thought a team member needed a good place to unwind. While you were out, I was talking to Reindeer Games. That's right, a simple conversation, not a civil war. He thinks you'd be a good fit for the team, too, so don't use that as your excuse. Says we should call you "Sol," whatever that's supposed to mean, but it's not the point. You'd make a good Avenger, Eliza. If you agree, open this door and pull the lever on the other side.

I open the door and pull the lever just like Tony's note said out of curiosity. My normal clothes get pushed down a through a hole in the floor and are replaced with a suit. Not just any suit. My suit.

It's black, similar to Nat's, but gold is flecked throughout it. I see nods to Asgardian fashion in it, too. For example, the jumpsuit is short-sleeved spandex, but there are golden gauntlet gloves that are fingerless and reach to my elbows. Tall black boots. It's perfect. It's Sol.

"Oh, Tony," I whisper, reaching out to touch it. "Thank you."

I haven't updated in a few days, sorry! I've been on a retreat! What do you think of this chapter? She's becoming an Avenger!