Anselma woke in a panic, arms swinging to defend her from an unseen attacker.
Tony grunted as her fist hit his stomach. Anselma immediaetly calmed at the sound, recognizing her Papa.
It only took a moment for her to fully wake. Once she did she saw she had everyone's attention. Natasha stared at her worriedly while Clint gently nudged her with his foot. Anselma barely refrained from jumping.
Sherlock shot him a glare. Loki made a questioning sound from where he stood in the doorway.
Anselma looked away from all of them, not quite sure what she was feeling but knowing it would bother them.
"I'm fine." She said quietly. "I'm fine."
None of them believed her but none of them called her out on it. Loki just stared at her. Anselma shifted uncomfortably.
"We will begin your training of magic as soon as we return home." Loki finally said, before turning on his heel and disappearing. Anselma's head snapped up to follow his retreating figure.
"When we go home?" She asked turning to look at Tony.
Tony nodded. "We'll be headed home soon. Sometime toda-"
"No!" Anselma leapt to get feet. "I just got here! I don't want to leave!"
Tony slowly stood off the bed. "You were kidnapped the day you arrived here. We're not staying."
Anselma glowered at him. "You may not be staying but I am." She stated defiantly, crossing her arms and chin jutting up.
Tony glowered right back. "You are not staying here." Clint and Natasha tensed at the ice in his tone.
Anselma swallowed thickly. "They are my family just as much as you are. I'm not leaving." Tony opened his mouth but Anselma plowed on.
"I have known them since I was nine. Just because you didn't know about my relationship with them doesn't mean it's not there. I came here to see the other half of my family. And I'm staying to spend time with them."
Tony's mouth shut. He sighed wearily and dragged a hand through his hair. After a long moment he looked up and nodded.
Anselma relaxed, Natasha and Clint doing the same. "Thank you Papa." Tony just nodded again.
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Loki was not happy when he found out Tony agreed to let Anselma stay.
"She was taken and attacked! She is not staying." He growled. Tony glared at him along with Clint, Bruce and John.
Natasha stared at him blankly. Sherlock and Sebastian stared at Anselma where she was simmering with anger. Mycroft texted Anthea to cancel his entire week. Jim canceled all his jobs for the next two months. Steve and Thor sighed once they caught sight of Anselma's face.
"It's her decisio-"
"No!" Loki cut Tony off. Tony's glare darkened.
"It is my decision." Anselma's voice carried through the thick tension despite how quiet it was. "And I've made my choice." Loki turned his glare to her.
"Unless," she hissed softly. "Me saying 'No' means nothing to you."
Loki jerked back as if he'd been struck. Everyone else flinched. All of them flashing back to what had happened the day before with the attempted assualt.
It was a low blow but it worked. It only took a moment for Loki to collect himself and really look at his daughter. She stated straight back.
Loki took his time studying her.
Anselma's eyes were bloodshoot from where she slept poorly, her hair tangled around her young face. The red coloring only on the ends of her hair now. Her lips were pursed into thin lines. Her brows furrowed with worry. All-in-all she looked wrecked, exhausted. Loki sighed.
"Alright my darling," he murmured. "We'll stay."
And for the first time in two weeks Anselma graced them with a genuine smile.
It faded a second later when her phone buzzed in her pocket and she glanced at who was calling.
Naturally everyone noticed. Anselma let it ring.
"Who is it?" Surprisingly, it was Bruce who asked. Maybe not so surprisingly as he was the one to patch her up whenever a surprise of hers came into play.
Anselma looked panicked for a split second before schooling her features.
"No one." She replied. "Unknown number." She shrugged with a what-can-you-do? look. No one was convinced.
Anselma looked around and finally realized that everyone was in the sitting room. Her eyes widened briefly.
"I think," she said slowly. "I think I need air." Immediately everyone stood. Anselma shook her head frantically.
"No," she said firmly. "Alone and if-" she went on when every mouth opened to protest. "You're all so worried, I'll just go to the roof. That's it." Taking in all the frowns, her shoulders dropped.
"That's fine." Tony relented, seeing his daughter's dejection.
Anselma gave him a grateful look before heading out and up. No one knew what to do once she left.
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Anselma breathed deeply once her feet hit the roof. She easily scaled to the highest point. Slowly, she lowered herself to sit with her legs dangling.
For several minutes she just stared at the busy hussle of strangers living their lives. When she was calm she pulled out her phone and dialed the number to last call her.
The person answered on the first ring, voice thick with an accent.
"Ansa?"
Anselma relaxed the moment she heard the voice.
"Elektra." She breathed.
