Viper's Bite: The Other Rogers

21.

Thor escorted Sharon from the building while Pepper shut the party down. Only the Avengers and their closest friends. Rhodey sat talking with Maria Hill about how to get Tony out of his funk. Scott stayed as soon as Loki mentioned Sally's name. He refused to leave until he saw her. Bucky and Steve were camped in the hall outside her room waiting to see if she would see either of them. Clint and Sam were running as go betweens. Sam was getting anything the two sullen war vets needed and Clint was getting anything the girls asked for and getting it to them via vent so as not to have to open the door. 

Much later that night, Nat and Wanda both left after Sally had all but thrown them out. She just didn't know what to do with so much support. She was not accustomed to it and it threw her for a loop. She was quickly appreciating everyone here but had seen, once again, the consequences of trusting someone too much.

Almost as soon as she climbed into bed, there was someone at the foot of her bed, without thinking, she grabbed the knife from under her mattress and threw it at the figure. There was a deep thud sound followed by a very upset Loki screaming about being stabbed. She immediately understood what had happened and ran him into the bathroom behind them in her room. Flipping the light on, she saw that she had gotten him in the shoulder and asked him if he knew how to heal himself. He nodded while sweat began to pour down face. He needed the blade removed but couldn't do it himself due to the angle of entry. She stepped up and told him to breathe. Gripping it firmly, she tugged at the same angle it had entered so as to prevent any extra damage. They were applying pressure while he worked his magic to heal it when her bedroom door was suddenly broken down. 

Loki, who had seated Sally on the counter to apply pressure the his wound, turned away slightly so they only saw his bare back and the top of Sally's head upon entering the bathroom after the break-in. He didn't want anyone knowing he was hurt nor did he want anyone else causing Sally any more stress tonight. 

Bucky, Steve, Thor, Clint, and Sam all stood in the doorway to Sally's bathroom after finally being able to break the door down. They had heard someone yelling about having been stabbed and what sounded like a crying Sally. It had been enough to send all of them into panic mode. Clint had been down with Pepper, Rhodey, and Maria when he heard Thor and Steve yelling Sally's name and immediately started using the vents. He had dropped in just in time to see the door give. Rhodey went to inform Bruce and Tony while Maria stayed with Pepper in case there was danger.

Bucky saw red as he examined the very bare back of the god before him. Steve was trying not to do the same thing he had done on the plane that day but it was hard to when both his sister and Loki were breathing that hard and he was half naked. Clint saw the bloody knife in the sink and was worried about who had been hurt. Sam just stood staring at all of the looks on everyone's face while Thor seemed to think this was a good and funny moment they had walked in on. 

Tony and Bruce came running in, both pushing past everyone and looking at both Sally and Loki, they immediately found the stab wound and moved to help him. What they hadn't planned on was Loki's attitude to them trying to help. "Get off of me. Sunshine is helping just fine. I only need to concentrate more and I will be done."

"Brother, they just want to help. However, this is great! It is finally you that has been stabbed! Finally!"

"Sal, I am trying not to jump to any conclusions here but, what the hell is going on?"

"Sally, Doll, I-please don't tell me this is any sort of revenge. I messed up, I know."

Clint and Sam started laughing. "Does this mean we win the bet Stark?"

"I mean technically, she did stab him so, I think it does, Barton."

"They are obviously good friends. This is a- what do you call those- a case of friendly fire. Yeah, not letting you guys win that easily."

Sally finally spoke up around Loki's shoulder, "Excuse me? What exactly did you all bet on?"

Everyone got quiet and as she waited, she ducked a little lower to get a better look at the injury. "Almost there Loki. Just hurry it up a bit I'm getting cold."

Bucky stormed out of the bathroom and out the door with Steve following after him with a roll of his eyes. Sam and Thor also took the chance and headed out. Clint decided he really did need some sleep and that someone should make sure Rhodey and Pepper knew everyone was okay. 

After that, it was just Tony, Bruce, Loki, and Sally. Sally was so emotionally drained from the day though, she started to doze with her head leaned against Loki's upper arm. 

Bruce spoke up about how exhausted the woman must be and offered to take and put her to bed but before he could touch her, Loki had scooped her up and taken her to her bed. He was just as tired so he climbed in next to her. Looking over at the broken door on the ground he decided to fix it in the morning once he had recuperated from depleted a bit of his magic in order to heal. Tony and Bruce left but only after asking Friday to keep an eye on the pair in her room.

As soon as they were gone, Loki scooted closer to Sally and cuddled her as she slept, smiling softly at the sigh of contentment she made once comfortable. It didn't take long for Loki to be asleep too.