I stood in the training room working on the flames. Nothing out of the ordinary happened when I was conjuring the flames. Closing my eyes I conjured a whip of flames. I felt bad-ass. Using it I snapped the whip against the wall.
"It's hot in here." A voice said, I looked around and frowned. Frigga stood in the door fanning herself, she was sweating.
"It is?" I asked and she nodded, a look of worry on her face.
"It's rather hot in here, Aria it's hot enough to make an Asgardian pass out from heat exhaustion." She said and I cocked an eyebrow, that's not normal.
My hands set out a blast of fire. I was flung against the wall and whacked my head. I groaned and rubbed it.
"What's the matter with me?" I asked as I dunk my hands in to the water to put them out. Frigga slid off her shoes and lifter her dress. She waded towards me and got on her knee's besides me.
"Nothing is wrong with you." She said and took my hands in hers, "it's what is inside you."
"Are you calling me a bad person?" I asked confused and she chuckled, shaking her head.
"No, the Brann."
"How'd you know about that? Did Loki tell you?" I asked and she nodded her head.
"My son tells me most things." Frigga said and I smiled at her fondly.
"That's good for him, to have someone to talk too. I never had anyone," I said and closed my eyes.
"You have me now." She said and I opened my eyes at her with a grin.
"Thank you," I said, my heart fluttering with warmth.
"Why are you so sad my child? Heimdall does not speak to us of your past, what makes you how you are?" She asked curiously and I froze, "Darling, if you want to know your future you must examine your past."
"I can't say it, I physically can't." I said hesitantly and she nodded her head.
"I can help you with that, I can go into your mind and see." She said and I gulped and nodded my head.
"Will you help me find out my past if I let you in?"
"Of course, even if I have to corrupt Odin." She joked and I smiled at her and bit her lip.
"Can we... I mean... I want Loki here with me when... I just... I want him to see as well..." I said and she nodded.
"We can wait for his return." She said and I nodded my head, standing up we walked out.
------
Loki came home early, when I told him what was going to happen he objected. He was outraged and seemed like he had a second motive, I had taken his hand and smiled at him.
'It's time you know.' I had said and he nodded, kissed my furiously despite his mother in the room. I pulled back prepared to scold him. His eyes were filled with worry and he hugged me. 'Promise me you won't look at me different. I whispered into his chest, 'I thought that if you knew my secrets... you would never look at me in the same way again. You're different Loki, I trust you.' He looked pained, but nodded.
We were in Frigga's quarters in her bedroom. I was in her bed lying perfectly still, not mentally prepared for this. Loki was holding my hand and running his thumb along mine. He kept whispering words of encouragement and saying I could stop when I need to.
Frigga came close to me, "Close your eyes."
As soon as I obeyed it felt like I was being pulled into an abyss.
"Carebear!" A young Aria giggled as she skipped into a nursery. A small cradle was in the light pink room, a baby lay quietly in the cradle, "How's my Carebear?"
"Elise! We don't have money for it! We're in foreclosure!"
"Aaron pipe down! The kids are just upstairs!"
"I don't give a damn! Let them hear! Let the whole world hear! We are losing this house!"
"Aaron stop yelling!"
Cara began to cry and Aria picked up her baby sister, "Hush now. We don't want mom and dad to get upset over you."
The baby quieted down.
-----
Aria lay in her bed, she was still awake. She heard the door open and close, dad was home.
"Aaron, you're drunk again." Her mother's voice snapped and her father smashed something.
"Shut up Elise!" He snapped angrily and her mother screamed.
"Aaron!" She screamed, there was a thud, "I'm taking the girls tomorrow morning and we're leaving. We don't have any money because you spend it on your liquor then come home piss drunk slapping us around! My babies deserve better!"
"You're not leaving me Elise," Aria's dad grumbled angrily.
"No! Stop! Let me go!" Her mother shrieked, Aria climbed out of her bed, she climbed down the stairs and gasped. Her father was smacking her mother, punching, kicking.
"Stop!" She yelled and her dad jumped away.
"Baby I-"
"No! No! No! Mommy!" She cried and when her dad came towards her, she backed up and screamed in fear.
"Don't be afraid." Her dad tried to shut her up, but Aria kept crying out, "Aria- A-Aria! God dammit! Shut up you brat!"
Slap!
Aria stood there in shock, she clenched her fists when she felt pain. Her eyes narrowed and a heat bubbled up in her heart. She glared at her father and let out a scream, it wasn't a normal scream. This was full of rage, too much rage for a child her age.
Her father stepped back, in fear. The child was on fire, her eyes blazing. Then suddenly the room burst into flames. Aria stood there, the flames circling her and leaving her unharmed.
She was too angry to see her mother burning. Aria noticed too late, so instead of trying to save a dead woman she dashed upstairs. Cara was crying in her crib, smoke floating through the floor. Aria lifted the child from her bed and carried her downstairs.
"I love you Carebear, you're safe with me." She cried and ran down the steps, trying to avoid the flames. As she made it to the door, it opened and firefighters came in. One man took a look at the two children and carried them out, Aria didn't let go of her crying sister once.
A man in a black suit came up to her, "Hi sweetie."
Aria looked at the man and clutched her sister closer.
"We're not going to hurt you or your sister, we're just going to make sure you don't get hurt again." He said and reached out, "We're giving you some medicine, can I see your arm?"
Aria hesitantly extended her arm, the man gave her a shot and smiled.
"I'll see you again sweetheart." He said and Aria watched him leave silently.
"No one is going to separate us," She whispered to her sister, "Not even death."
-------
Aria and Cara had moved Foster homes six times, the last Foster home she was at she loathed them. Their 'father' Kerrick hit both, Aria just remembers a fire and now he's dead and they were moved again...
---
Aria was older now, not too old. She was about fourteen, hiding in the woods she was under a sleeping bag. Cara was six now, snuggled up next to her.
"Do you think they'll look for us?" Cara asked, referring to their Foster parents.
"No, they don't care." Aria said honestly and Cara winced.
"You care though Aria, right?" Cara asked and Aria turned to her sister.
"More then care," Aria said and yawned, "Cara if you go, I go."
"Don't say that! What if... what if I go with mommy and daddy to heaven?" Cara asked her big sister, looking up at her with big eyes.
"I'll follow," Aria smiled down at her sister. She wanted to tell her that daddy wasn't in heaven, but she couldn't. She had told Cara that their parents were wonderful, happy people. She didn't want her young sister to know her daddy was a scum and her mommy was a victim. She was too young and innocent.
"I bet Ma and Pa are looking down at us in heaven." Cara said, because Cara hadn't grown up where Aria had, their accents were different. Cara had more of a Southern sound, they grew up with the Ralphs and their older son, Peter. Peter was away though, some boarding school, and the mother and father just wanted the money that came with Fostering kids.
"Yup, I bet their smiling down and sayin' 'Cara and Aria, you stay strong ya' hear?'" Cara giggled and yawned.
"Yeah, I bet they are." Aria lied and closed her eyes.
------
Aria was older, sixteen. She had officially been abused for four years, Berry- her 'father- got drunk just like Aria's old dad did. He smacked her around, but knew better to leave Cara alone. Peter came home a few weeks ago and was a bit too touchy for Aria's liking.
She currently was up, at two in the morning, listening to 'Waking the Demons' by Bullet for My Valentine. A heavy metal band. She was on her bed banging her head while she sketched on a notepad.
"What are you doing up?" Peter asked as he opened her door. She set her things down and turned off her music. She didn't like this situation, she didn't like being alone with Peter. She was intimidated and frightened by him.
"I don't sleep well." She said quietly and he nodded and walked out. She watched the door for a second before her resuming her last activity. She finished sketching the picture of the God of Mischief and Lies, she smiled at it with a proud smile.
Standing up she went to go to the restroom. When she was done she washed her hands and examined the bruise on the side of her neck from when Berry choked her. She sighed and closed her eyes, Peter had stopped his dad from beating her too hard. That was one thing he had done for her.
She opened her eyes and gasped, Peter was behind her. He had came into the unlocked bathroom. She spun around and backed away.
"W-What are you doing Peter?" She asked and he smiled, he came closer.
"S-Stop!" She yelled and he placed his hand on her mouth.
"Shut up or I'll smack the hell out of that little sister of yours." Aria pressed her lips together as tears streamed down her face, "I'm going to get used to having you around."
Peter grabbed her hair and dragged her out, he led her to his room and threw her to his bed roughly. Untying the strings to his pants he stripped and climbed on top of her...
------
Aria was eighteen and on the streets with Cara. They had finally ran away after years of the abuse, more on Aria's part then Cara's. Though Aria never told Cara, Cara knew what Aria had done for her. And she was mad.
"Why! Why did you endure all that bull for me! We could've spread it out evenly, or left earlier!"
"Cara, I love you, but shut up." Aria said tiredly.
"No Aria! Why would you do that! You think I don't know about Peter? I heard! Oh my god, I feel so guilty!" Cara gasped and Aria stopped walking. She took Cara and looked at her.
"Don't blame yourself for one second. I would have killed them and been sent to jail if they laid a finger on you. Don't be sad, Cara, feel honoured." Aria smirked and Cara sighed.
"Why should I feel honoured."
"Every other person on this Earth is irritating, you're the only one I can stand." Cara giggled at that and Aria took Cara's hand they continued moving.
-----
"I got a Snickers bar," Aria said tossing half to her pale, sickly sister.
"A Snickers? That'll be nice." She said and devoured the small meal.
The two had camped out under a bridge, Cara was sick. She had the flu and Aria had to keep going out to steal food.
She never knew what hunger really was till now, she had experienced hunger pains. She had never felt so unclean, and unhygienic in her life. She had to keep pushing for her sister's sake.
"I'm going to go get some more food," She said and stood up. Cara went to object, but a glare from her sister shut her up.
On her way to a store, Aria began to feel faint. She struggled to keep consciousness, then fell to her knee's. A girl ran up to her, Aria blinked as she tried to remain awake,
"M...My sister." Aria began to cry, "P-Please."
"What's the matter, where is she."
"The... the bridge." Aria mumbled and fell asleep.
-----
The next morning Aria had awoken in a hospital. Her sister wasn't there, just the girl who had saved her.
"Hi," the girl said. She had brown hair and doe like eyes. Aria didn't say anything she watched her, "I'm Jane."
Aria continued to stare at 'Jane.'
"You're sister's safe, she's with my friend Darcy. Back at my house, she had the flu."
Aria watched her.
"Right, umm." Jane looked around awkwardly.
"Thank you." Aria said it like the words cost her, "I'm sorry you had to take care of my sister in my absence. I don't have any money to pay you back though."
"No no, no need to pay me back."
The door opened as the nurse came in.
"You're lucky your sister found you when she did. It ain't healthy to be anorexic, your sister didn't say you were or nothin'. She just said she found you like that."
"My sister?"
"Yeah, Ms. Jane." The woman pointed to Jane and I raised an eyebrow. The nurse watched suspiciously for a moment.
"Oh I... I thought you meant my younger sister Cara." I covered up and the nurse shook her head
"Nope, your older sis."
Jane had lied so that she could have her 'sister' come home with her. Jane then took Aria home, they lived together ever since... then Cara died.
-----
Aria was in the bedroom crying. She was sobbing uncontrollably, she grabbed a fist full of her hair and pulled at it painfully.
"Why? Oh god why her?" She asked and punched a wall, "Why her you son of a bitch!"
She punched the mirror. Glass shards exploded out and sliced her knuckles.
"Cara," Aria whispered brokenly.
Aria had failed her. She failed her little sister, she promised to take care of her. She couldn't even keep her healthy. She was a failure, a pathetic failure and excuse of a sister. She deserved to die, not Cara. Not her little baby sister, not baby Cara.
Aria took a picture of Cara and set it on the bathroom counter. She stared at it and sunk to down.
"I'm coming Cara." She said, "I'm coming, wait for me."
Aria said and stared at the razor blade.
"Why did you take her? Why did you leave me alone? I'm alone, why did you have to take her away?" Aria asked no one in particular. She took the razor and brought it to her wrist, right as she was about to press down she dropped in and let out a choked sob.
"Oh god! Why?" She cried, "I'm such a failure."
She raked her fingers through her hair roughly and stared at the picture.
"I'm coming home, I'm coming home, I'm coming home." She repeated as she rocked back and forth. She grabbed the blade and brought it to her wrist, shakily she dragged it through her skin with as much pressure as possible.
Instead of horizontally committing the act, she vertically cut. It was harder to stitch up.
Aria laid down with the picture next to her. A smile on her face.
Jane had gone into the bathroom, and screamed. Calling the police she was relieved to know her friend was not yet dead. She was taken to the hospital and saved, though she would much rather have left alone.
----
I bolted upright. Sobbing my eyes out, I hated crying. Loki jumped and brought me into his arms. He held me tightly, so tightly I could barely breath. I loved it though it brought comfort to me to know he was here.
"I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you." Loki repeated and I wiped my eyes and bit my lip. I was utterly exhausted, closing my eyes I whispered.
"Hold me please, don't let me go."
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Now you know... pretty sad. I didn't really like writing this chapter. The part with Peter bummed me out and all, then the Aria's depression part, but it wasn't meant to be happy.
Let me know.
Oh and it's a double update!
- Gillian