Loki Laufeyson - Saviour {2}

Chapter Fifteen - What Happened?

I tried to breathe through her crushing hug, blinking rapidly to try and clear the remaining tears in my eyes as I looked over her shoulder at everyone else that I suddenly realized was gathered. I slowly pulled away from Pepper's hug, my eyes darting over all of their expressions, which was a mix or happiness, relief or anxiety.

"What's happening?" I asked, wincing at the sound of my voice, which was still croaky and raspy.

Bruce gave me a glass of water and I took it, giving him a hesitant smile as I quickly guzzled all of the water, soothing my parched throat. Everyone looked at me, but as soon as I met their gazes, they gave me a tight-lipped smile and looked away. 

"How are you feeling kiddo?" Tony spoke up and I looked over at him to see him giving me a hesitant smile.

"What is happening?" I demanded, my voice a little stronger this time as I felt my anxiety wake up and begin to take its grip on me. "Why are you all here? In the Lab?"

"Look down kiddo." Tony murmured and I looked down at myself and saw that I was in a hospital-like gown, my legs completely hidden under sheets but my hands were exposed, covered in tubes that I traced back to the machines all around me.

"What happened?" I repeated again, for the third time, but my words were weaker than previously, my tone shaking as my hands began to tremble.

"You don't remember?" Steve spoke up, and I turned to my left to see him standing there, his face grave, but the sharpest thing that stood out to me was that Bucky wasn't standing next to him, like he almost always was.

"No." I replied uncertainly, my eyes darting over all of the faces in the Lab, finding that Bucky was the only one that was missing. "Where's Bucky?"

"He's... in his room." Steve murmured, his response somewhat hesitant. "He's not exactly... stable at the moment."

"What do you mean?" My anxiety had its full grip on me, squeezing my head painfully. "What happened to him?"

"Something happened to you." Tony spoke up and I looked to the right again to look at him as he stood behind Pepper, who was sitting on my bed, trying to smile comfortingly. "And Barnes didn't take it well."

"I want to go see him." I said, but before I could even move a finger, everyone took a step forward to stop me, causing me to flinch away from the sudden movements.

"Sorry kiddo." Tony saw my terrified expression and Pepper squeezed my hand comfortingly. "What we meant was that we will bring him to you."

I nodded and Tony looked at Steve, who hurried out of the Lab. As he walked out the door, I spotted a figure in the shadows of the room, behind the crowds.

"Loki?" I called out uncertainly, and the figure jerked slightly for a moment before the Avenger's parted and he slowly walked over to me.

The first thing that I noticed about him was that his face was paler and thinner, it was drawn tightly across his cheekbones and jaw. His green eyes were dull and he had purple rings under his eyes, which darted over my face like he was seeing me for the first time.

"Are you okay?" I asked softly, moving my legs a little so he could sit down on the opposite side of the bed to Pepper.

"I should be asking you that." He chuckled weakly, but there was no humor behind it as he slowly sat down.

"Everybody out." I heard Tony whispering to the other Avengers.

I watched them leave through the door and as soon as the door clicked shut, Loki took my hand, his finger running across any of the skin that wasn't covered by tubes. For some reason, I didn't even try to flinch away.