Chapter Seven
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Lunch is a boisterous and crowded affair. The lower dining area is closed at the moment, and the reason is unclear to me, but I think it has something to do with "efficiency". At least, that's what I overheard Tony and Steve saying. So we're eating in this cramped room, which is supposed to be an office- there are several desks pushed into the corner to make room for the tables that come together to make a large one big enough for all of us.
I find Leah with Jane, happily talking about something going on in school. School. Ha. I had forgotten what that was. Leah, however, looks perfectly content, and Jane smiles eagerly as Leah will not shut up about some art project of hers.
I take a plate of fruit and, deciding against eating in a corner again, unhappily sit at the end of the table, between Jane and Tony. Thor is next to Jane, and next to him is his brother, whom I have been avoiding conversation with on purpose.
My attention is averted to Tony as he turns to me.
"That's all you're eating?" he asks genially. He is on his fourth chicken wing. At least. "Puny thing like you should eat more."
I don't reply as I distractedly push some grapes around my plate with my fork so that they go tumbling around, like little buttons. I'm not hungry, and my scar is tingling uncomfortably.
The air in the room begins to feel too tight, and I try to ignore it. I try eating a grape, but I gag and spit it back out- nobody notices, thankfully. The taste even of my favorite fruit is unappealing to me right now. Why?
The voices in the room begin to spin and swirl together.
"The base of-"
"Ms. Mortenson said mine was the best! And-"
"C'mon, Bruce, you've had-"
"No, you have-"
"It's impossible. Don't think that you-"
Somewhere, I hear my name vaguely, but I can't pinpoint it exactly. I begin to pant, and then my vision becomes clear again. I realize that three pairs of eyes are on me: Tony, who is asking me to pass the bread basket, and Loki and Thor, who are looking at me. I turn away quickly and practically toss Tony the bread basket.
"Thanks, Thea. Hey, want to help me and Banner in the lab after lunch?"
"No," I say shortly, although I'm pretty sure my voice is drowned out by Leah's happy gabble.
"Meredith is the most annoying girl in the universe, but we get along okay. She lent me my crayon box once, which was nice of her because I'd forgotten mine at home."
I grab my head and focus on the intricate wooden designs of the table.
"And she invited me to her party last month," Leah says proudly.
"That sounds like fun," Jane smiles. "What did you do?"
"Well... " Leah goes on to talk about Meredith's party, something I remember clearly from a while ago. I hadn't heard the end of it for at least two weeks. Jane keeps encouraging her to keep talking, and even though Thor is talking to Loki in a low voice, he too, shows signs of enthusiasm.
"...And that's okay, because..."
My head is throbbing, and I feel angry words rush to my head as other conversations loop through the room, most of which I cannot decipher except for one piping voice.
"And Lizz has a dog named Rice. He's a fluffy dog. A lap dog. And he let me pet him."
"He sounds very cute," smiles Jane. "I would love to hear more about him." She hugs Leah and kisses the top of her head. I think I'm about to explode.
"Okay." Says Leah happily. "Well-"
"SHUT UP!" I scream, and the table goes so silent, you could hear a pin drop. "STOP IT! JANE IS NOT YOUR MOM, OKAY?! YOU HAVE A MOM. OKAY, SHE'S DEAD, BUT SHE'S STILL YOURS." I begin to pant a little. "AND BESIDES, SHE'S PROBABLY JUST TRYING TO GET INFORMATION FROM YOU."
"I would rather-"
I interrupt Loki so fast, I barely have time to go over my words.
"SHUT UP! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU, SO SHUT THE HELL UP. RIGHT. NOW." I shriek.
Loki's eyes widen in half-surprise, half amused acceptance, and he leans back in his chair, watching me curiously and calmly.
Everyone else's expressions are very similar, although without the trace of amusement. Jane is startled, and Thor utterly stone faced, while Leah is almost in tears. Dr. Banner and Barton wear similar expressions of surprise, and Steve looks rather taken aback, but Natasha continues to eat her salad as if nothing is happening. Tony looks mildly concerned as he chews patiently on his chicken wing.
This sends me over the edge.
"I AM SICK OF ALL OF YOU. SO JUST LEAVE ME ALONE. AND MY SISTER TOO." I stand up, my hands shaking. "COME ON LEAH."
Trembling, Leah edges closer to Jane, who begins to put her arm around my sister before she catches my furious expression and lets her hand fall to her side.
I wait about two seconds. "FINE. AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR PEACEFUL LUNCH ON THIS DAMN PLANE."
Not glancing back, I storm out of the room, closing the door behind me so loudly, echoes run through the hallway. I begin to run, tears running through my face and my scar twinging horribly.
~Nobody's POV~
There is a deathly silence as the door bangs behind Thea.
Thor is the first one to react. "I'm going to go speak with her."
"Good luck," says Stark sarcastically.
But as Thor begins to rise, Loki interrupts. "I do not think you would like to be doing that, brother."
Thor turns to Loki, not thinking it is a good time to comment how Loki had just referred to him as his "brother". "And why is that?"
"She is worked up. Any conversation with her now will only enrage her further."
"I thought you said that if she gets worked up too much, she'll kill herself." Says Natasha stoically, although her dark eyes are beadily watching the god of mischief.
"That's true to a point," replies Loki. "But I suspect she's not so much worked up as upset."
"What's the difference?" asks Stark impatiently.
"She's not endangering herself like she was last night."
"She seemed to be yelling pretty loudly," points out Stark.
"But it was different," amends Thor, nodding to his brother.
Loki raises his eyebrow, surprised that Thor was agreeing with him. "I suspect that right now, the only thing she is doing right now is crying."
"Why do you think she got so upset?" asks Jane. Hurt is clearly in her eyes as she holds Leah soothingly, now that Thea had left the room.
"The Imeldi poison," guesses Dr. Banner. "It's probably making her feel worse. Not to mention that in all of this, she is still grieving for her parents."
"I didn't mean to-" Jane begins, but Dr. Banner interrupts her.
"We all know," he says. "But Thea has a lot on her mind. Forty-eight hours ago, she was attacked by extraterrestrial beings, plucked from her everyday home and brought onboard. Then she gets told that she has to go through a horrific procedure to get the poison from her body. On top of all of this, she is worrying about her sister."
"I still think she's being a brat," mutters Stark.
Natasha, for her part, smacks Tony's arm so hard, he drops his chicken wing.
"What?" asks Stark. "She is."
"She is not," snaps Natasha. "She is scared and alone."
"She has her sister."
"Would both of you please stop?" asks Steve, who has not spoken the entire time. Natasha and Stark fall silent as he continues, "I agree with Dr. Banner. Let's just leave Thea alone for a bit."
"A bit," agrees Thor.
"Yes. A bit. And then you can go talk to her and make sure she hasn't murdered herself," says Stark.
Loki and Natasha roll their eyes simoultaneously.
~Thea's POV~
I am still crying quietly in the observatory a full hour later. The lights are on, so that the room is not the dark landscape it was last night, but a bright room overlooking the sky, with benches and couches sprawled around the right side of the room, and scientific equipment on the left.
The crying might have helped my emotions (although it hasn't really done much), but it has definitely hurt my head even more. I feel like there are bowling balls weighing down on my skull. My skin is clammy again too, but I'm freezing cold.
The door opens behind me, and without looking I snap, "If it's Tony, I'm going to make you regret you've ever seen a chicken wing in your life, and if it's Loki, I'm going to make you regret you've ever had a life."
"So pleasant," says Loki smoothly.
"OUT!" I scream.
I am literally so shocked that he leaves that I turn around. He's gone.
~Nobody's POV~
"She's in the observatory brother," says Loki with a smirk as he passes Thor in the hallway, where he is with Jane and Leah. Stark is leaning against the wall.
"And you didn't try to talk to her," confirms Thor.
"No." Loki says, then adds, "Although I will tell you she's not in a pleasant mood.
"As if she ever is," points out Stark.
~Thea's POV~
Ten minutes later, the door swings open again.
"If that's Loki," I threaten, "I will-"
"It's not Loki."
I turn around to see Thor standing at the entrance, closing the door behind him. I sigh, trying to keep my emotions in control. "What do you want?"
"To talk to you," replies Thor simply.
"Well I feel like hell and therefore do not want to talk."
"I would rather you not use language like that," says Thor as he sits down on a chair a little ways in front of me. "Especially in front of your sister."
"When did you get so protective of her?" I snarl. There went keeping my emotions in control.
"The night when you both came to us scared, orphaned, and hurt."
"I was not-"
"Yes, you were scared, and do not deny what is clear." Says Thor patiently.
"Will you please go away?" I plead, swiping my face for the stupid tears.
"I will when I say one more thing, Jane, nor I, do not mean offense when we care for Leah. We both understand where you are coming from, but we will not stop caring for Leah. She needs comfort right now, as do you, although you do not seem to want it."
"I don't." I say shortly.
"I am not trying to make you feel guilty, as I know you did not mean several things you said earlier, and I also am aware that your condition is worsening. But Jane was rather... hurt... at your words."
I cross my arms. "Sorry." I mutter.
"I know you didn't mean much of it," says Thor patiently. "And I appreciate that you are so protective of your sister. I believe we have that in common, do we not?"
I don't answer, but study the clear panels on the floor as Thor stands up.
"Now Thea, please rest. You are going to have a hard enough night as it is."
"Don't remind me," I plead.
"Very well." Thor looks up as the door swings open.
I curse under my breath. It's Loki.
"What is he doing here?" I snarl, standing, as Loki raises his eyebrows at me.
Thor smiles a little. "He just wants to see your scar so that-"
"Well he's not going to see it," I snap, then walk right past Thor and through half the door.
"Sorry," says Loki unapologetically as he blocks my way. "I didn't ask, dear girl."
I hiss something I'd rather not repeat through my teeth as I feel his cool hand on my scar. I wince audibly even though I try not to.
Without another word, Loki walks out of the door. I feel a hand on my shoulder and look up as Thor smiles at me before walking out after his brother.