No More Tears

Awakening

"Thor! She's awake.  Fetch Bruce, fetch Stephen!" Nat's voice floated out from the hospital room into the corridor.  Thor instantly was on his feet and running to find Stephen and Bruce.  They'd told Loki to stay away so she wouldn't panic when she came to.  

Given the fact he knew he'd already made contact with her, he was more than happy to do so.

Stephen and Bruce came into the room to see a very groggy but smiley little Valkyrie holding Nat's hand.  

Bruce came and did some basic observations and checked her wound. "Looking good, missy!" he smiled and gently patted her arm. "You know where you are?" she nodded 

"Yes. Campus. Hospital." she managed to croak, her throat still dry.

"Good." he looked at Nat, who nodded very slightly. "Do you... remember anything?" 

"Yes.  I remember everything." Susie looked at him, tears falling, "but I know I did the right thing.  It was the only thing I could do." she looked at Nat, who smiled and stroked her forehead. 

"Yes, you did.  You were so brave, sweetie, you were almost as brave as me!" she winked, and Susie smiled.  

Stephen walked up to her and sat on the edge of the bed. He looked at the rest, and they all withdrew, Nat promising to come by later and bring Steve and Bucky. Susie smiled and nodded. 

"I'd like that, thanks," she looked at Bruce, "As long as that's ok?" 

Bruce looked at her with a gentle expression. He looked on her every bit as much as Thor as a little sister. "Of course, just don't get up to any mischief!"  There was a sudden awkward silence, and Bruce wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole. "I-I mean - I'm sorry..." he was dragged away by Nat as Susie laughed gently.  Far from making her upset, Bruce's gaff had been typical him and exactly what she needed.  She turned to Stephen, who rolled his eyes and snorted,

"Yeah, I think Banner needs to work on his bedside manner, don't you?" he said as he moved to sit in the chair next to her bed, taking her hand in his. "Now, you know we need to have a conversation, don't you?" he looked at her warily.  She seemed "too" together, "too" sane compared to the raving screaming woman he'd seen not 48 hours before.

"I know." she withdrew her hand and fiddled with her ID bracelet. "Why do we need these? It's not like no one knows me here?" she wasn't really talking to him, more musing out loud.

"Don't change the subject, Susie," Stephen said quietly. "We need to deal with this."

"I know." Susie turned and looked at him, "But what if I said I knew the truth and I don't want to?  What if I said I know he's alive and I hate him for it?" 

"WHAT?" 

"He spoke to me while I was asleep.  Don't ask me how I know, I just do.  He told me everything... I thought he was dead Stephen, I really did.  I wanted to die too. How could he do that to me? Did he really think I would let you all down? Let him down? I loved him Stephen, more than my own life." she lay back, tears tracking from the corners of her eyes back to her ears and onto the pillow.

Stephen cursed and not under his breath as usual. "That fucking idiot." 

"Language!" she said softly smiling, picking at the edge of the sheet.

"I TOLD him to leave it to me.  Why did he do it?  Why mess this up?" 

"Because I love her." the voice from the doorway made them look up and Stephen got to his feet.

"You BLOODY fool, you nearly killed..." he started to say but Loki was too quick for him.  A flick of the wrists later and Stephen had a muzzle - very similar to his own when he was under arrest.  Silence.

"Good. Now that's sorted" he walked over and in a second flash, Stephen was standing in the corridor, the door closed and locked against him. Susie struggled to sit up, getting more and more angry by the minute.

"I HATE YOU! How could you do it to me! How DARE you do that to Stephen! How dare..." she was silenced as he stalked across the room and gathered her into his arms, kissing her deeply.  At first, she fought, hitting him on the chest with her fists.  Then, as she felt his warm embrace, the true, honest love and joy at her being alive in his kiss, she relented.  Slowly, she stopped hitting and started holding.  Then she started to kiss him back, properly. Her whole being ached for him, all anger subsiding and the love surging through her once more.

At last, they broke apart. "Is it safe to let you go?" he whispered, still holding her in his arms.

"Yes, but please don't" she said, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright.

"I thought you might say that - eventually." he smiled and kissed her again. 

This time, when they parted, he sat on the bed and held her hands.  She looked so beaten and fragile, he was glad Hela was dead already, it saved him from killing her all over again. "I'm so sorry my love, it was the only way.  I had to make sure we had a plan B.  You may be a Valkyrie, but you're also half human and that gives you both immense courage, but also a heart.  And a heart - and spirit can be broken.  Glad to see not even by me though it seems?" he smiled and she giggled.

"Oh Susie, you have no idea how much I longed to hear that sound.  When Strange brought you back, and I realised I might have been the cause of you never smiling or laughing again, I really did want to die.  Only the thought of bringing you back, safe, saved me.  Thank you my love.  Thank you."  he kissed her hands, now his eyes spilled with the tears he'd held back.

"Oh Loki, what are we like eh?" she shrugged and smiled "One is too clever for their own good, second guessing themselves at every turn, the other?  The other just needs to learn to trust people more and start acting like the hero they really are." 

Loki looked at her, his head on one side "And which is which love?" he was puzzled.  She shrugged again.

"Truthfully?  I have no idea, but if we both try then one of us is bound to succeed don't you think?" she pulled him towards her, "Now, I think I need a little more reassurance, I'm feeling a tad insecure again." her eyes glittered with mischief "unless you'd rather I asked one of your Hero friends to step in?!  Perhaps Bucky... or your brother?"

"Never met the man before in my life" he growled quietly, his eyes sparking as his lips met hers. "And anyway, he's adopted."

"Talking of adopted," Susie pulled back and looked at him.  "I think there's something you need to know. About me. Something I didn't think would ever really matter.  Now, with you, with us, I think it will." She smiled,"and I think you're going to like it."