Learning To Love

Chapter 4

Sierra woke up to the sound of her phone ringing. She groaned and climbed unsteadily out of bed to get the phone from her dresser.

"Hello?" she answered, rubbing her bleary eyes.

"Sierra? Hey, it's Bruce. We need you to come to Stark Tower. Soon. It's important." She could tell from his tone that he was nervous about something and maybe this was really important, but then again; it didn't take much to get her brother's anxiety going.

"Why? I wanted to hang out here today, I...need to be alone, recharge for a while," she told him, her mind drifting to Loki downstairs.

"I don't care, you're needed at the Tower. Fury is going to kill you if you don't show up. Be here at ten AM sharp," Bruce instructed. There's no way I can get out of this, is there, Sierra thought. She glanced at the clock. It currently read eight thirty-two AM.

"Fine. Ten o'clock, on the dot." She rolled her eyes, thankful that he couldn't see her.

"Good. I better see you soon," he said, and they both hung up.

Sierra grabbed a shower, put on some decent clothes, and headed downstairs. Loki sat on the couch with the TV playing. She raised a brow, surprised that he figured out how to turn it on. However, he obviously didn't know how to change the channel because he watched an infomercial for a vacuum cleaner. Sierra grinned and walked into his field of vision.

"Enjoying yourself?" she asked. He jumped and looked over at her.

"Good morning to you too. What is this?" he asked, pointing at the screen.

"A glorified ad. They're trying to sell that to you," she explained. "Is it working?" After switching the TV off, she continued,

"How are you feeling? Want some breakfast?" She motioned to the kitchen.

"Better," he said. "Yes, I'm famished." He pushed himself off the couch, and limped after her. Sierra rummaged through the cabinets and found a couple bagels, and there were Eggo's in the door of the freezer.

"What do you want?" she asked. He ran his eyes over the small assortment of breakfast items in front of him.

"Sorry, I haven't been here in a while, so I hope this stuff is still good," she said. "How about a bagel?" Loki nodded and she stuck one in the toaster, before searching the fridge for cream cheese.

"Do you want some of this on it?" Sierra offered. Loki stared at it like it was about to eat him.

Sure?" he said unconvincingly. Sierra laughed. At the ding, she pulled the bagel out of the toaster and spread a huge amount of the cream cheese onto it. She handed it to him and watched closely, hiding a smile as he took a bite and bobbed his head.

"It's good," he said, taking another bite. Feeling pleased with herself, she warmed up a couple of chocolate-chip Eggo's for her own breakfast.

"Hey, I've got to go out for a little while." Sierra said, finishing her waffles. "You stay here, I'll teach you how to use the TV, and you don't touch anything." He rolled his eyes.

"Fine." He followed her into the living room, and she quickly showed him how to change channels and volume on the TV.

After that, Sierra ran upstairs, grabbed her purse, and shoved her feet into her favorite pair of Converse. When she headed out the door, Loki was intently focused on a rerun of a baseball game; the Mariners versus the Rangers.

Sierra got into her car and made the twenty-minute drive to Stark Tower. There was only one available parking spot outside on the street, and she snagged it.

She took the elevator to the top floor, antsy and nervous the whole ride up. When the elevator doors opened, she saw Tony, Bruce, and Steve at the bar, talking in anxious tones. Tony and Steve both had drinks. Sierra walked over, side-hugged Bruce, and greeted the others.

"Day-drinking? This can't be good," she said, trying to ease the obvious tension.

"Nick Fury is on his way from Shield," Tony said. "We don't know if it's good or bad. If I've got a drink, I'm prepared either way." Sierra laughed.

They made small talk until the elevator dinged, announcing someone's arrival. The doors slid open, revealing Clint, Natasha, and Fury, but they weren't alone. Sierra's stomach twisted.

Thor.