Child Of Fire

Chapter 15//Christmas Break

{{Timeskip//Loki POV}}

    I sit next to Ellie, her head leaning against my shoulder, a Christmas movie playing in the background. "This is going to be the best break from school ever." Ellie sighs, a smile on her face.

    A few minutes later, I look over to see Ellie sleeping, a little drool coming out her mouth. I carefully wipe the spit away, and kiss her forehead. Ellie stirs, snuggling closer to me, burying her face in my neck. I sigh, smiling slightly. I see a blanket at Ellie's feet, and I grab it, draping it over her. The smell of cookies wafts from the kitchen, coming closer. "Thanks, Pep." Stark says. "It's no problem, Tony. She's like a daughter to me." I tip my head, listening. "Do I smell cookies?" Ellie asks, lifting her head. "You were awake this whole time?" I ask. "No, I was half asleep." Ellie says, rubbing her eyes. "You're insufferable." I say, and Ellie laughs. "You know you love me." Ellie says, poking me gently. "Okay, you win." I say. "Of course I win, because I'm better at winning arguments." Ellie says.

{{Ellie POV}}

"Okay, you win." Loki says. "Of course I win, because I'm better at winning arguments." I say. Several gasps go around the room, and I sit up. "He's not arguing." I say, crossing my arms. "Probably because he's trying to figure out how to eat a whole plate of cookies without barfing." Natasha jokes. "He wouldn't do that. Would you?" I say. "No, darling, I wouldn't." Loki says, a hint of laughter in his voice. "You better not or I'm stealing your teacup again." I joke. "No, not my teacup!" Loki says, and I laugh. I lean my head on Loki's shoulder, smiling.

I hear footsteps entering the room, and I let my ears focus on that, tuning out everything else. "I made cookies!" I hear Pepper say, and I realize that it was just her. "They smell amazing." I say, turning my head around, smiling. "Thank you, Ellie." Pepper says. I feel my eyelids droop, and I lean my head back.

{{Timeskip//Loki POV}}

    Ellie sits up, rubbing her eyes. "What time is it?" Ellie says, her voice groggy. "It's 3 in the afternoon." Natasha says, and Ellie nods, leaning back against me. Ellie hums, smiling, her eyes shut. "Did you eat all the cookies?" Ellie asked, and I laugh lightly. "I saved you some, darling." I say, and Ellie smiles even wider.

    "Sorry Ellie, but I'm going to have to borrow your boyfriend." I hear Stark say, then hear Ellie whine.

    "No. He's mine." I hear Ellie say, and I smile a little, petting her hair.

    "Sorry kiddo, but it's kinda important. I just got an alert. Everybody's going."

    Ellie scowls, snuggling closer to me. "No."

    "Come on, darling. We'll have two weeks for you to have me all to yourself."

    Ellie sniffles, and I roll my eyes.

    "Darling, please let go of my waist." I say, and Ellie scowls even deeper.

    "No." Ellie says, and I sigh in exasperation. I pry Ellie's arms from around me, despite her whined protests.

{{Ellie POV}}

    I sit in the tower, alone. I bite on my fingernails, anxious. I know Loki was probably going to do something stupid and get himself hurt. I stand up, getting off the couch, deciding to pace back and forth in the same spot.

    I stop moving when I hear a crash, my head spinning towards the noise. I hear footsteps coming into the room, which confuses me because the team wasn't back yet, and those footsteps were too heavy to be Lady.

    I hear footsteps behind me, in front of me, all around me. I swing my head around, terrified. I try to call to the heat inside of me, but it shys away, cringes back like a hurt animal.

    I feel my breathing pick up speed, along with my heart. I feel a scream building in my chest, then hear an alarm go off.

    "Come on, let's go!" I hear somebody yell. I feel something push me onto the ground, and I screech. A slight pinch on my arm, then everything goes fuzzy. I try to move, to do anything, but I can barely think.

    I muster up my strength, trying to ignore the way it's slipping away so quickly. "Loki." My voice was barely a whisper, and before I could try to say anything else, I felt the ground slipping away, along with my grip on consciousness.