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Sierra
Thor's Advice
Chapter Forty Five
~Thea's POV~
When I wake up, I have a splitting headache, I'm super hot and sweaty, and my throat is aching terribly. "Water," I rasp to myself, seeing as there is nobody in here. "I need water."
My fever intensifies that day. According to Tony, who has stopped by briefly to assure me that there will be no 'we' in Indonesia, I'm a hellish inferno, and with my fever, my skin is actually devilish too. I try to make a sassy comeback, but it's interrupted by my coughing fit, and him yelling for Bruce.
Speaking of Bruce, he forbids me from leaving the room. At that point, I actually throw up, basically annihilating any of my plans for sneaking out.
A cycle of Bruce, Kyle, and Max alternates through my room throughout the day. Bruce and Kyle because (apparently) they're doctors, and Max because he is somewhat of a comfort. And because he's basically a messenger between Jack and me. Although right now, both of us are alternating between sleeping and trying to fitfully sleep, so there's not much to be said.
Except, he does say get the point across that he cares about me, which means a lot to me.
Actually, what Max tells me is "your boyfriend wants me to tell you that you mean a great deal to him, and that he thinks about you often. What he actually said was, 'For God's sake, I'm going to kill her for making me so worried, I didn't sleep for nights', in that British accent of his".
"As in," says Kyle, who is sitting at the desk next to my bed, doodling on some charts, "He looooves you."
"He's not my boyfriend," I rasp, blushing not because I'm lying because I'm happy that Jack does care. And on't talk to me like that, like I'm a kid."
"You are-"
Max gives his brother a look, silencing him.
I get a lot more visitors today.
Later that morning, Tony and Steve drop by.
"I already know why you're here." I say, staring at the ceiling.
"Yeah, we know." says Tony. "But we're coming to tell you that if you even think about trying to sneak out- tell me, is this whole sick-thing a clever sort of ruse to try to sneak out."
"That's not your job to tell me not to sneak out."
"Well considering that the person who told you that all the time to an excruciatingly annoying level is, how do I put this lightly, dead-"
I sit up like a rocket, even though my body screams in protest.
"Tony." says Steve.
Tony waves him off, "No, no, no, seriously. Is this-"
"Tony, would you get to the point?" demands Steve.
"Tony has already made his point," I say in a fake-cheerful voice, which is directed solely at Tony, because Steve is not (as usual) doing anything annoying and Tony is (as usual) doing something annoying. "Now get out of my room before I vomit."
"Because you don't want me here, or because-"
Steve practically pushes Tony out of the room.
My last visitors are Clint and Natasha. Bruce is in the room with me at the time. "Okay," says Natasha. "We're leaving."
"Mm."
"For Indonesia," supplies Clint, as if this were not possibly an obvious answer.
"Mm."
Natasha and Clint exchange looks.
"Okay then," says Natasha, attempting to smile at me a little bit. "Kyle and Bruce are staying with you and Jack."
My obligatory "Mm" is cut off my more raucous coughing. Natasha looks at me concernedly. Clint is, as usual, as stoic as a Greek marble sculpture.
"We'll let you know anything, 'kay?" says Natasha.
I am tired of these 'Mms', so I just nod.
"I'll tell Thor that you don't want any visito-"
"He can come," I say.
Natasha raises her perfectly pencilled eyebrows. How she manages to keep up such a spectacular appearance while being on duty of earth's currently most catastrophic mission is beyond me. I look like I've been hibernating in a pit of dirt for a month or two.
Without another word, Natasha walks out of the room. Clint nods at me, then follows her, his bow slung over his broad shoulder.
Thor, my final visitor, comes in my room a few minutes later. I assume that he's in a hurry to be off for the stupid Indonesia mission.
"You wanted to see me?" he asks.
"I didn't actually say that." I reply. "I said that you could come in if you wanted to."
Like Natasha, Thor raises his eyebrows. Then, he sits down at the edge of my bed, causing the springs to creak under his weight. "Thea, I realize that you desire to accompany us to Indonesia. Am I correct?"
"Yes." I say, fighting the itch in my throat that makes me want to cough.
"But you are wise enough to know why you cannot."
"I don't know about wise," I say. "I would say something more along the lines of obvious."
"May I have your word that you will not try to join us on this mission?"
I glance at him, finally looking at him. He seems tired. Then again, he just lost his brother, his girlfriend was nearly killed, as was Leah, who I have to admit means a great deal to Thor.
"Yes. I promise. Only if you promise to not keep me in the dark."
He takes my hands in one of his own, which still manages to dwarf mine. "I swear it."
"Good." I stare at him, making sure he has my attention. "Can I ask you something, Thor?"
"Certainly."
"Do you promise to tell me the truth?"
Hesitation flashes in his eyes. "Yes."
"Is Loki dead?"
He takes a deep breath. "Thea, I truly regret to have to tell you this. But yes. My brother is dead."
I nod, breathing in deeply through my nose. "Okay."
He smiles faintly. "What is this? You actually worry about Loki?"
"No." I say shortly. "I am just always expecting people to lie to me."
Thor looks at me...sadly, but a little trace of amusement is evident in his voice. "Yet I am speaking to the master of all lies."
"No." I say wryly. "That would by your brother."
"Ah," says Thor.
There's a brief silence.
"How is Leah?" I ask.
Thor smiles, apparently eager to be talking about to something more cheerful. "She is doing well. Your... what do you call them.... doctors, predict that she shall be as good as new in a matter of says. Although she wishes for your presence often."
"Oh."
There are loud voices emanating from my cracked door. Thor looks over his shoulder and then stands, patting my blanket-covered leg. "I must be off. May the heavens bless you."
"And you," I say dryly.
Thor smiles at me, then shakes his head as he leaves the room. The door closes.
~Nobody's POV~
Just outside the base, underneath the shelter of the foliage, Thor is met by a tall, armored figure, who appears from the thick trees.
"I see you are leaving soon." says Loki, as the whir of engines and the loud voices carry over the hot breeze.
"Yes." says Thor. "I must caution you not to accompany us."
"Might I hazard a guess that Thea received these very same instructions minutes ago?"
"You were listening?" It is a question, but it is not really a question.
"I always do."
There is silence. Then, Thor says, "The others believe in your death. If you wish to thwart your grand plan, brother, then I advise that you do not take certain risks."
Loki does not say anything, but his green eyes are drawn with the gravity of the situation.
"Stay, Loki." says Thor. "Look after Thea, from afar. You will be joining us in battle soon enough."
"And you trust me enough for this task?"
"If I did not, I would not be standing with you now."
*
Thea is in for a rough night. Not necessarily because she is sick, although she is still tossing with fever. But mostly because she is haunted by her nightmares, and wakes up screaming, trying to escape.
The first time this happens, it's right after midnight. Kyle and Bruce are with Jack, having thought that Thea is peacefully sleeping. Jack, although in pain, is no worse for wear. Except for the excruciating pain that jabs him awake every so often.
Bruce has also been assigned the task of trying to track down more information on the Mantra, if possible. He is doing this at his desk, (without much success) which is next to Jack, who is engaged in a spirited conversation with him about Doctor Who.
"Hey cuz," Kyle advises; he's lounging on a chair with a magazine featuring skimpily-clad models on the front, covering his face as he drowses. He takes it off and looks at it interestedly, "How about you shut up?"
Jack gives Kyle an affronted look. "Just because you don't give a crap about quality entertainment" (here, he looks pointedly at the magazine in Kyle's hands) "Doesn't mean you can tell your most loved cous-"
"And just because you're still loopy-slash-hyperactive from the pain meds doesn't mean you can talk as if there's no tomorrow."
Jack looks insulted. "Don't-"
"NO!!!!!!"
Kyle is out the room scarcely before Bruce can look up from his papers dotted with assorted sample minerals.
"What's wrong?" asks Jack, looking terrified, "Bruce, what's wrong with Thea?"
"Hold on a minute," says Bruce, standing up and walking out of the room. He crosses the small hallway, which smells strongly of vegetation due to its close proximity to a jungle, and pokes his head into the small corner room.
In the darkened room, he can see the shape of Kyle scooping Thea off her bed in bridal fashion. She's still screaming, although quieter, and less panicked. Her breathing is carried away in rasps.
"Shh..." says Kyle soothingly to her. "Thea, calm down, you're safe here."
Her screams give way to soft whimpers as she buries her head in Kyle's neck. He can feel her tears.
Kyle nods to Bruce, who returns the nod and then walks out of the room. Kyle can hear him talking to Jack down the hall.
"Okay," says Kyle quietly as Thea quiets down. "Okay, I'm putting you down now." The panic of hearing her scream is still tingling in his veins. When she doesn't protest, he sets her down on the bed and lies down next to her, hoping that his presence might calm her.
He doesn't ask what woke her, because he already knows.
"Hey, you want to go back to sleep?" he asks quietly, turning over on his side, facing her.
She is still panting slightly, and in the hall light, he can see her frightened green eyes. But she puts on a brave face and smiles tremulously.
Kyle flips around on his back and then puts his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. He expects that she will settle down and fall asleep on her own within minutes.
What he doesn't expect is the small, fever-ridden body that curls up next to his, resting her head on his chest. Kyle raises his eyebrows; he's not used to this sort of behavior from Thea.
Hesitantly, he wraps his arms around her, and he feels her relax. Her breathing becomes quieter and quieter until Kyle can hear the rhythmic beat of her sleeping breaths, drawing in and out slowly.
Kyle looks up at the ceiling, then at the window, where moonlight-nearly a full moon- is shining in. He does a double take, which rouses Thea.
"Wha...at?" she whispers drowsily.
"Sh, it's nothing," he says quietly, moving some of her hair from her eyes. "Just thought I saw a shadow. Go back to sleep."
"Mmhmm," she says, yawning and falling back into a sleeping stupor.
After one more glance out the window, he says sighs and closes his eyes, letting sleep finally overtake him as well.
*
Outside, the shadow ebbs and flows until it takes the shape of Loki, who is leaning against the outer wall of the building.
He had hear her screams, but then leaves as he sees that someone has taken care of her.
He vanishes into the trees.
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