Author's Note: Well. FORTY. That's a lot. I can't believe we've come this far and it's not even over yet! Yay! And onward we still go! Thank you for the love and comments, I really appreciate them! And thanks for the congrats on graduation - I am officially a high school graduate. Madness! I have to apologize in advance because this chapter gets a little angsty. You will see in time. Loki and Val have lots of issues to deal with, now don't they? Onwards!
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“Again?” I call out, toeing the two bodies in a heap at my feet. There is hesitation.
“Yes…yes I suppose so,” Loki’s voice chimes out. The bodies disappear from before me and are suddenly on their feet again.
“How are you feeling?” I shout. I hear Loki’s laughter and his arms fold around me from behind, his conjured battle scenario disappearing, enemies vanishing before my eyes. “Sorry, I was yelling again, wasn’t I?”
He nods, amused. “That’s no matter. It’s best we take a break. I could use a distraction after all.” He presses his lips to my neck. I hold up a hand but he persists, placing warm kisses along my shoulder, pulling my tunic aside.
“Wait,” I hiss, pushing him away. I draw my sword again, listening to the near silence—then I hear it again. Loki opens his mouth and I lay a hand over his mouth, flashing a glare at him. “Shut the fuck up, Loki!” I mouth and he smirks.
There! A rustling somewhere off in the distance. I whip around, thrusting my sword forward and straight into another assailant. I yank the sword back out and he crumples at my feet with a thump. I roll my head to the side and arch an eyebrow at Loki who shrugs and grins sheepishly.
“And here I thought we were done,” I taunt, resheathing my practice sword. Loki struts over and slides his hands across my waist, nuzzling me slightly with the side of his face.
He nods, “Well, we are now. I was thinking…”
“A dangerous pastime!”
“I know,” Loki laughs, inadvertently completing my Disney reference. I smile from ear to ear, holding onto his arms. “Now perhaps we can have some time to ourselves—no enemies, no magic, no Thor, no Asgard.”
“No Asgard?”
“Nothing but us.” Loki looks down, turning my hands over in his. “Well, and a few familiar faces.”
“Sorry?”
He grins and suddenly we are standing on the Bifrost. I put my hands on my hips and eye him skeptically, “Where are we going this time?”
“Earth,” he says quietly, “but I have been given permission this time around, I can promise you that much.”
“Comforting,” I mumble and he catches me by the elbow again, leading me towards Heimdall’s post. Heimdall allows us past without a word or a second glance and I begin to worry what everyone could possibly be conspiring over without me. Even Thor was in an odd mood at breakfast before Loki and I went off to train together. And by together mostly I mean I was forced to run around and fight imaginary beings that Loki conjured up while he stood idly by, weaving magic with his fingertips.
The Bifrost quickly envelopes us and it feels for a moment as though the air has been forcibly squeezed right out of my body. Everything rushes past in a blur of light until I find myself stumbling back onto my feet with Loki’s arm around me. The Bifrost disappears and I take a moment to gather myself before looking around. Loki watches me carefully and I frown, furrowing my brow, altogether quite confused as to what exactly is happening and where on Earth we are.
Then it hits me. Literally.
“Well hey, kid!” Tony Stark crushes the air out of me again in an unsettlingly familiar fashion to the Bifrost.
Loki frowns, “You are in excessively good spirits, Stark.”
Tony holds me out at arm’s length and gives me a gratuitous look over. “I mean, I had no idea if she was alive or not, so I think I have a right to be a little enthused.” Tony looks at Loki. “Speaking of which, thanks for the call, O Sarcastic One. We’ve been waiting on word from Asgard for weeks.”
“Apologies,” Loki sniffs and I can tell he doesn’t mean it. I pinch him and he flinches before rolling his eyes at me. “We have been…preoccupied with sudden circumstances. Which is partially why I am here today.”
I look up at Loki, “You mean to tell me that you brought me here for business?”
Loki stiffens, “Well, I had to have a word with Stark here and the other Avengers, and I know how fond they are of you. It made sense to employ your emotional bonds to persuade them to assist us…”
I sigh, pulling away from him. “Whatever. I’ll just add that our list of things we need to have a little chat about.”
“Ooh, I’m sensing a domestic here. I can go…” Tony offers, jerking his thumb over his shoulder.
“Shut up,” Loki and I both say simultaneously, albeit with a difference in intention. Tony looks back and forth between us both.
“Well…?” I prompt, trying to get him to apologize. Loki stares at me blankly for a while before sighing. I roll my eyes and I turn away in a huff, eager to see if I can find any of the other Avengers. Being with them only a brief time before I still managed to develop a fondness for them. Steve saved my ass, Tony kept me mostly amused, Dr. Banner was kind…I have to admit, I am really curious as to what Loki could possibly have to say to Tony. It’s not exactly like they are friends. And when I say not exactly, of course I mean, not even remotely. Something must truly be wrong. That, or Loki and Thor are looking to throw a kickass party with Tony.
A party organized by Tony and Thor would be…epic. I kind of wish this was a thing now…
“Miss Sutton?” I hear a familiar voice ask. I look over my shoulder and a smile instantly brightens my face. I meet Steve halfway there.
“Well, well, Mr. Rogers,” I can hardly contain my excitement over Captain America. “I did not get to properly thank you last time we met.”
“It really was nothing,” Steve starts to blush a little, seeming flustered. “It didn’t really do you much good, ma’am. You were kidnapped right under my nose, and about that I am truly sorry.”
I shake my head, not really in the mood to think about it much. I lay my hand flat against his chest and press a kiss to his cheek. “You are a hero, Steve. You saved me, and you’ve saved thousands before. I am fine now and that’s all that matters.”
“Well, thank you ma’am. And I am glad to have you back,” Steve nods his head slightly and smiles before excusing himself. I look over towards the balcony where not all that long ago I was left behind. Which reminds me I’ve been meaning to have a chat with dear old Odin.
I sidle up to Tony’s bar, sitting down and staring out towards the New York skyline. I can make out the lights of Columbus Circle and I smile to see the lights of midtown Manhattan flickering on as the sun is setting. I can’t lie, I do miss Earth. I miss how it really feels like home to me—I mean, it has always been my home. Asgard is…not.
“You want a drink?” Tony asks and I swivel in my chair to look at him.
I think about it a moment and then nod, “Where’s Loki?”
“Ah, you know, off brooding somewhere,” Tony shrugs as he pulls two tumblers from the shelf behind me. He makes quick working of pulling a bottle of scotch down and taking the top off. I look at him expectantly as he pushes the glass toward me. Tony sighs, “He’s talking with Fury and Pepper.”
“Pepper?”
“My better half,” he shrugs again, taking a sip of scotch.
I nod reflectively, “Nice.” I take a sip. “Nice.”
“I know,” Tony smirks over the rim of his class. “Glenfiddich 50. You’ll never taste anything like it.”
“Why the 50?” I ask curiously, sipping again, letting the oaky taste linger on my tongue. It instantly aides in helping me to relax a little.
“Aged 50 years, Valkyrie,” and then, “This bottle is worth $26,000.”
I nearly spit up my mouthful before swallowing abruptly. “I’m sorry?”
“The good stuff is expensive, what can I say?”
I stare at him and then push my glass towards him again. He grins as he fills it again and then he turns his gaze out the window. “How are you feeling?”
“Me?”
“No, me. Shush, I’m being self-reflective,” Tony says deadpan. He closes his eyes. “How are you doing, big guy? Good.”
I laugh and push against his shoulder. “I hate you.” He looks at me expectantly. “I’m fine.”
“You don’t seem fine.”
“Oh, really? Tell me more about how much you know me.”
Tony eases off, “You don’t need to be so defensive with me, kid. I know that look behind your eyes a little too well for my liking, and I don’t like to see it on you.”
I grip my glass a little tighter in my hand and when I look down I notice how it trembles. Only then do I realize that it is my own hand that is doing the shaking. I put the glass down promptly. “Well, this is the way I am now.”
“Does Loki know just how bad you are?”
I sigh, “Loki has his own problems, Tony. He already worries about me too much, and I don’t need him overly concerned with my mental state. I’m coping.”
Tony is reflective again for a moment, studying my face carefully with narrowed eyes. I bite down hard on my lip and down the rest of my glass. I take the bottle from Tony’s hands and fill my glass to the top, drinking it down quickly again. It burns and warms my throat at the same time and I go to fill my glass again, not satisfied with the rate at which I am becoming inebriated. Tony takes the bottle away from me and pushes my glass across the counter before pulling me tightly against his chest. He holds me tightly, a little too tightly and I feel a slight rise of panic twisting in my stomach.
“Tony,” I sniff, aware of the tears stinging at my eyes. No. No more crying. I feel like it’s all I do lately. I should just be grateful for all that I have left—my mother, my life, Thor and Loki (when he’s not pissing me off). And I guess I even sort of have friends in the Avengers.
“Are you certain you still don’t want to talk about it? It might help…” Tony offers and I know he’s right. I haven’t even fully discussed it with Loki, figuring it wasn’t important enough.
“The things that happened to me…and I’m still not entirely sure what was real and what was not…are nearly indescribable. Torture you couldn’t even think up in your worst nightmares. And it went on for days and days, but it felt like years. I lost copious amounts of blood, broke every bone in my body at least once. I don’t know how I survived, Tony,” I confess, “because I truly wanted to die.”
“Kiddo,” Tony says quietly, but doesn’t say anything else. He strokes my hair lightly, smoothing it down in the back.
“Also, my father is dead,” I add, thinking it best to just get that out there too. “In theory I should be upset, but he tried to kill me, use me in his ploy to take over Asgard and Jotunheim and lied to me all my life, so, the sadness is more of a dull, confusing ache.”
Tony holds me at arm’s length suddenly, “I never got to say goodbye to my father.” He shrugs, smiling crookedly. “I thought that was fucked up, but you proved me wrong again.”
I laugh despite myself, “Well, I am glad I could do you that much service. And Tony…thank you.”
Tony smiles at me and it makes me feel better, but he looks past me and frowns. He leans closer, whispering in my ear, “If you ever want to talk about him, I’m all ears.”
I don’t even have to turn around to know he is talking about Loki, regardless of the fact than I can sense Loki whenever he enters a room. I feel his hand on the small of my back and I step away from him, not exactly pleased with him using me as a negotiating tool. The worst part of it all is that he doesn’t even realize that’s not something you do to someone you care about.
“You know, Stark, I could actually make you all ears,” Loki smirks, that glint in his eye. I elbow him in the ribs and he looks down at me, surprised.
“Don’t be rude, Loki,” I say firmly and he presses his lips into a firm line.
“No, no. Come on, Loki. Prove how tough and menacing you are to me,” Tony challenges and I watch the two of them change drastically. Tony sweeps his arms open widely, daring Loki, taunting him.
“Tony, don’t be an idiot,” I mutter under my breath.
“Nah, Mr. Horned Would-be King has something to prove. Unless of course, you’re just afraid that we will best you again. We’ve crushed you once and we will do it again,” Tony hisses, taking me aback entirely. I chance a look at Loki whose jaw is clenched tightly and I don’t think I’ve seen him so angry in a long while. He takes a step toward Tony and I dart in between them, placing my hand firmly against Loki’s chest. He looks at me with spite and then pushes me aside entirely.
Loki looms over Tony, “These are rich words coming from the man who justifies hiding himself inside a suit of iron as heroism.”
“Loki!”
“Silence, Valkyrie. Stark and I are working,” Loki snaps. I grit my teeth trying to restrain myself from screaming. Loki lunges towards Tony and I dart forward, grasping Loki by the back of his shirt and pulling with all my strength, flinging him back and into the ground. In the blink of an eye I have him straddled and pinned to the ground. He looks up at me, surprised.
“Don’t you dare patronize me, Loki.” I glare at him and he just stares at me, mouth slightly agape. I sit up slowly, keeping one hand firmly pressed to Loki’s chest in an attempt to keep him down. “Stark?”
“Uh…yeah?” Tony appears in my peripheral vision and I sigh, craning my neck to look at him.
“I apologize on Loki’s behalf and I have a favor to ask of you. May we stay the night? I promise I will look after him and keep him out of more trouble,” I swear, not certain this is the right thing to do. Tony takes a deep and audible breath.
“You can stay here. We have dozens of extra rooms. In fact, Pepper!" Tony calls out and a tall red head emerges from nowhere with a phone glued to her head. “Pepper, my dear!”
“My dear? What is it that you want do badly that you must my dear me?” Pepper smiles and kisses Tony upon the cheek. Her gaze travels down to Loki and I on the floor and her face fills with confusion.
“Pepper, meet Valkyrie. And you know our resident crazy bag of cats. They need two rooms to stay in for the night.”
“Hi,” I smile weakly. Loki curses under my weight and I shoot him a look, but I get off of him and help him to his feet.
Loki adjust his clothing and then frowns deeper, “One room will suffice.”
Tony looks to me, “Sleeping with the enemy, now?” He shakes his head, “I should have known the first time I saw you spooning…”
“Two rooms,” I stress quickly. Loki looks down at me and I ignore him. “Two.”