Universal Displacement

Deserted and Determined

There was only one teensy flaw in Sutton's otherwise radiant plan. She had absolutely no idea how to actually find civilization. There was no way of knowing which way was north, no roads or trails as far as the eye could see, and not even a cacti to try and coax water from to quench her thirst. As far as she knew, she'd been dropped in the middle of the Sahara desert. Her eyes flicked up towards the two suns.

Ok. Not the Sahara. But still.

More accurately, she had no idea what planet she was on. Was it even one of the nine realms?

"Um, Heimdall," she croaked. Her throat had dried up long ago. "If you can see me, dude, I could use some help. I'm pretty sure you guys will have fixed the Bifrost by now." There was nothing. "I'm friends with Thor," she tried. "Just ask him!"

She waited. Silence.

With a sigh, she continued on. For all she knew she could be going in the absolute wrong direction. Or in circles. Or worse! She wasn't exactly sure what "worse" might be, but she was sure that there was always something.

So Sutton continued on. After all, as long as she kept going in one direction she was bound to get somewhere. She could only hope that wherever that was, it was pleasant. Helpful even, if she were being optimistic. But as she staggered on the suns only rose higher and she was beginning to sweat less and less. If only she weren't such a freakin' northwest polar bear. Maybe she'd fair better in this weather then. Not even almost a year in New York could acclimate her to the heat and humidity.

As she walked she tried to theorize what had happened to her. Tony had told her that her body was "trying to find its way home".

That had obviously not gone well.

So she was not home; somewhere else then. That sentence made a couple loops around her brain before its ridiculousness sank in and she scoffed at herself with the little energy she had left. The heat was really getting to her. The few brain cells that she imagined she had left were not fairing well.

As the suns sank lower in the sky Sutton's relish of the sudden coolness was interrupted by dread. She felt like she'd been awake for days. It was going to be dark soon. She still had no food or shelter. Her left foot dragged a little too low and caught on the sand and she stumbled down onto her knees. A dry tongue ran over brittle lips and in that moment she would have curtsied to Loki himself for just one glass of water. Her skin was already a bright, angry red and starting to peel. An attempt to stand back up failed, and Sutton surrendered herself to sinking into the sand.

Was this how she was going to end? Universes away from any home, all because her body had landed her, quite stupidly, in the middle of some desert planet? Sutton would have scoffed but now she didn't have enough moisture in her throat to do it. She let the grains of sand press into her face and invade her sweat soaked hair.

She thought of her mom. Of the way her mother had always tried her hardest to brush out Sutton's wild mane before they'd both learned it was pointless. The way her mother would laugh at her stupid jokes and try and counter with a lame pun in return. She thought of her half brother, Tyrese, and her step-dad. Sutton even wondered what Pepper and Tony might be going through right now. Did they think she was already dead? Her body didn't even have enough liquids in it to waste on a tear.

Even as the cooled air began to sink into her bones, Sutton regretted not telling Tony about her symptoms sooner. How was she supposed to know it'd actually be serious!

Why did he always have to be freaking right?

Her eyes finally drooped, then closed. A new, sparking panic sprung up inside her, but she was too exhausted and dehydrated to move. She didn't want to die! Not so young still! But her muscles were limp and burning under already heated skin.