Starting Over - Loki (COMPLETE)

8) Leaving party

Eventually, though, Loki decided it was time to move on and escalate the ranks of social hierarchy. He'd spent close to three years in New Mexico and enjoyed his time there, not that he would ever tell anyone that. He would miss his friends - Daniel, Libby, Uriel and Alejandro - but the promise of greater adventures was tempting him back to the hive of North America and its high-rise living. He still remembered Stark's words about meeting him again.

Loki threw a party one night, intending to announce his news then and invited his closest friends and, as expected, Libby arrived first. She wore a denim jacket over a floral dress and Loki took notice of her hair which she'd plaited especially.

"You look nice," he greeted as he opened the door and accepted the wine she'd brought.

"Thank you," she replied, blushing.

She was spared from any awkwardness by the arrival of Daniel.

"Alden!" He cheered. "Let the party begin!"

"Drunk already?" Loki raised an eyebrow, embracing his friend.

"Of course not," Daniel muttered. "Just rambunctious. You know me."

"Indeed I do," Loki laughed.

Soon Uriel and Alejandro arrived and the party was in full swing. Uriel and Daniel quickly took to the table, performing karaoke on a platform above everybody else. Alejandro began giving dispassionate advice, informing the two singers that a fall from that height would result in a high chance of at least one broken bone, if not death. Loki doubted this very much but Alejandro was, to be fair, slightly tipsy and no longer really knew what mumbo-jumbo he was coming out with.

Then, once everyone had sore throats, from either singing or complaining about the terrible singing, they all settled down on the two sofas and chatted. Unfortunately for everybody except Alejandro, they were all on call and so the only drink being served was coffee. Alejandro, in a way wholly characteristic of him, simply guzzled the wine Libby had brought with her as a present for Loki.

"Alejandro, mate, how drunk are you?" Daniel laughed, watching as his friend attempted to pick up his glass.

"I'm sober," Alejandro slurred, knocking the glass off the table.

It fell to the floor with a resounding smash. Loki immediately got up to clear it away before Alejandro could hurt himself.

"Need a hand?" Offered Libby.

"Thanks but I'll manage," Loki smiled gratefully.

"Funny," said Daniel as Loki cleaned up the mess, "this is how it all began. Alden in hospital."

"Not entirely related," Loki frowned, "and surely you guys were friends before I turned up?"

"Not really," Uriel said slowly, thinking hard. "I thought Alejandro was weird, Daniel and I hated each other and I had a huge crush on Libby."

Loki grinned.

"So I'm the glue that's brought you all together for life?"

"It seems so," chuckled Daniel. "If you hadn't been hit by a car we wouldn't all be here..."

As Daniel was speaking, Loki began to feel dizzy. He reached out but everything was blurry. Somebody may have tried to grab him, although he couldn't know for sure, before he collapsed to the floor. He couldn't feel anything, couldn't breathe, couldn't hear, couldn't see_ It all went dark.

*

The minute Alden stumbled, Daniel was on instant mother hen alert.

"Alden?" He asked.

The other man didn't hear him, pitching forwards and being caught by a surprised Libby as he flailed a hand around. However, Alden was too heavy for Libby and so Alden fell to the floor where he lay, spasming.

Daniel and Libby instantly kneeled by his side, pushing the sofas out of the way.

"Okay, seizure. Put him in the recovery position."

"Done. Uriel, call 911."

"On it. Is he breathing?"

"Shallowly. Oh wait, his eyes are opening. There's no recognition, though."

"That's common. Put something under his head - a cushion or something. He may have hit it on the way down."

Once a cushion was under his head, Libby took one of Alden's hands and held it tightly.

"An ambulance is on their way," Uriel informed them.

"When the ambulance is here, I'll go with them," Daniel stated, taking charge. "Libby, you and Uriel can meet me at the hospital. Alejandro, you need to stay here and sober up. We'll call you if there's any news."

Reluctantly, Alejandro agreed. They all knew Daniel was right. The other three might be needed for shifts regardless so being at the hospital was a sure advantage.

"Has Alden got any history of seizures?" Daniel asked quietly.

Libby shook her head.

"The only hospital admittance on his record is the car accident," she whispered.

*

What felt like hours later, Loki came round properly and looked about him groggily. He was in the hospital and Daniel was sat at his side.

"How long have I been here?" Loki questioned hoarsely.

Daniel jumped and smiled to see him awake.

"Not too long. You got priority. We only brought you in about half an hour ago."

"Seizures aren't meant to last for more than two minutes," he whispered.

Daniel looked confused.

"It didn't. The convulsions stopped."

"I don't remember_ I don't remember anything," Loki emphasised shakily.

Daniel frowned, worried now.

"You seemed to be awake. You nodded at some things. Well, I thought you did."

Loki lay back and kept quiet. He'd leave the technical stuff to the professionals... well, qualified professionals. Although, why a Jotun could get Midgardian illnesses, he would never know. He was meant to be immune to these things.

"Daniel," he spoke suddenly.

His friend looked down at him.

"Yes, Alden?"

"I had a hallucination. I saw someone. Someone was there in my apartment."

"What did they look like?"

"They were extremely tall and bald. Standing in shadow. Their hands were massive. And_"

"Yes?"

"Daniel, I've never seen them before in my entire life."

And Daniel wasn't to know but Loki's life had been a considerable amount of time. Concerned but trying not to show it, Daniel disappeared out into the corridor, leaving Loki to lie in silence and ponder his future.

*****

A.N. Who do you think Loki hallucinated? Thank you for reading!