Healing Each Other (Loki Fanfiction)

Chapter 54

ELIZA'S POV

"So what's the plan?" I whisper as we approach where Stephen must be. Tony and I have followed his screams. Each one sends a shiver down my spine. I've always hated seeing other people in pain. "You do have one, right?"

"Well, my plan was to find him." Another yell. I wince. "I think we did that."

"Shut up, Tony," I say, rolling my eyes. I glance through the entryway and my eyes widen. He's suspended in the air surrounded by thousands of little white spear-like objects. Now I know why he screams. A sickening feeling fills my stomach as I try to ease his pain from afar. His eyes widen slightly as he realizes I'm here.

Something taps Tony on the shoulder. He aims to fire, but it's just the Cloak, ready to help. I'm really starting to like it. I wonder if Loki could enchant a cloak to do that. I kind of want one.

"Wow, you're a seriously loyal piece of outerwear," Tony remarks, lowering his hands and letting the cloak join our little pow-wow.

I bite my lip, trying to formulate a plan, but something interrupts my thoughts. Or rather, someone. New emotions enter my radar. My magic has been hypersensitive recently, most likely because I've been in seclusion for a year. I'm used to Loki's magic, slightly cool, protective, and powerful. It's strange picking up all of these new signatures, but I can recognize each one of them. This one is familiar, but I don't know it well enough to place.

"Something wrong, Banner? You look like a ghost."

"Tony..." I say slowly. He faces me, concerned. "Someone's here."

"What?"

"Yeah, uh, speaking of loyalty," a nervous voice says. I groan, but a smile finds its way onto my face. This kid is too stubborn to give up. Tony, however, doesn't find the humor.

"What the-"

"I know what you're gonna say," Peter rushes over him, trying to not get in trouble.

"You should not be here," Tony whispers sternly. Is he seriously going to lecture on an alien spaceship thousands of miles from Earth?

"I was gonna go home-"

"I don't wanna hear it," he replies, holding up a hand. I roll my eyes. "Can it, Banner."

"But it was such a long way down and I just thought about you on the way-"

"And now we've got to hear it," Tony says, raising his eyebrows at me.

"And I kinda stuck to the side of the ship. And this suit is ridiculously intuitive, by the way. So if anything, it's kinda your fault that I'm here." I suck in a breath, knowing how badly Tony reacts to anyone placing blame on him, right or wrong.

"What did you just say?" He asks, deadpan. The Cloak even looks shocked at Peter's statement, and it has no face.

"Take it back," I mutter into Peter's ear hurriedly. "I'm serious, take it back. For your own sake."

"I take it back!" He says, not willing to risk anything. "And now, I'm in space."

"Yeah. Right where I don't want you to be. This isn't Coney Island. This isn't a field trip. It's one-way ticket. You hear me? Don't pretend like you thought this through! You could not have possibly thought this through." Anger is laced in his voice. He wants to protect this kid so badly, and he doesn't even know if any of us will make it back.

A one-way ticket.

Will I ever see Loki again?

"No," Peter says stoutly, straightening his shoulders. "I did think this through."