Working Title : Loki & Annie

103 The Calm Before The Storm

1406hrs

In the small medical bay that Bruce used for what he thought of as minor injuries, he was holding his arms up as he stood as far from Loki as possible. It didn't seem to be helping.

Annie held Loki in her arms but he was still screaming. The sound was piercing and shrill and had been going on since Thor had forced Loki into her arms after J.A.R.V.I.S. had told them Sif and Fandral were waiting upstairs.

Thor had made his best effort to explain in as few words as possible that he needed to go for just a short while, that he would return as soon as he was able. In his mind, Thor wasn't sure if he meant Loki to believe that he was only leaving the room and then would return or if he was telling him the truth. That he would be leaving Loki to return to Asgard. All while in his heart he doubted that he would be able to return to Midgard once he left.

 Loki gagged as he felt his mouth flood with bitterness at Thor's word's even while he knew what Thor wasn't saying and was not going to let him go without a fight. With his hands fisted in Thor's armor and cape, Loki's eyes were huge as he begged then demanded, "No! No! Don't leave me! Take us! I want to go home now! I want Mother!" He tried to pull Thor closer to him, "Take us!" His crying and screaming led to a coughing fit that led to him retching violently. 

"You know Annie can not come to Asgard but I promise I will return for you." Thor flinched as Loki's face twisted while he shuddered and gagged. With an effort to be as gentle as he could Thor pried Loki's fingers from him, "I have to go speak with Sif and Fandral." With a pleading look at Annie, he pushed Loki further into her arms while shaking his head. He had never experienced leaving someone behind and the pain in his heart was unfamiliar and he hated it. He hated how Loki had grown pale and sick looking even as Thor tried to treasure his Brother with words only half true.

Annie nodded, "I've got him, go. Go." She did, she physically had him but emotionally Loki was somewhere else.

All the way to the elevator Thor fought against the desire to cover his ears to block out his Brothers screams. Once inside it was a relief to feel his sorrow at leaving Loki twist back into anger, his Brother should not be suffering so. As for his own emotions, he should not be having to try and sort all of this out because Odin has decided to punish Loki. Actions committed while under distress that Odin had a hand in causing. Thor rubbed at his forehead, he was not going to enjoy the next encounter any more than he had enjoyed the last. When the elevator doors opened he stepped out prepared for battle.

In the medical bay, Loki's screams had changed into words that were impossible to understand. Annie pulled him closer and tried to surround him, keeping him safe in some sort of cacoon. She murmured what she hoped were comforting words, saying the same things over and over all the while wiping her face with her shoulder. Her eyes were tearing up but she refused to admit she was crying. She didn't have time for tears as she struggled to hold a squirming, emotionally distraught child.

Bruce was filling a syringe with sedatives though he didn't want to use them. Once he was ready he waited, hoping Loki would calm down with Annie's help.

Loki coughed deeply, trying to breathe at the same time. His head hurt, he felt like he had never felt before and he didn't know what was happening but he knew he didn't want it to keep happening. His mind kept thinking these same thoughts over and over and he didn't want Thor to leave him behind because Loki wanted to go home too. He wished he was at home with Annie holding him like she was now. He tried to listen to her, he could feel her voice and he gasped in her scent which comforted him. He tried to listen to the voice, it was soothing and soft the same as Mothers was. He tried to follow the words, to breathe, to just breathe. Loki felt as if his body were weighted with sudden exhaustion that made his bones heavy.