Protecting You

Chapter 12

**

Uncle Thor kneels down in front of the black haired toddler. She sits on the floor, her back against the edge of the sofa where Steve sits, one leg on either side of her. She starts to giggle, hitting her hands on her knees in excitement.

"Come on Harriet. You're going to walk for your Uncle, aren't you?" Thor says.

He reaches forward, wrapping his arms around toddler me's wrists. Gently, Thor pulls her onto her feet and she stumbles lightly. Thor stands up slowly and the toddler looks up at him with nervous eyes. Steve slips his hands around her tiny waist and holds his hands there, just in case.

"Come on Harriet, walk for your Uncle." Thor mutters.

She starts to place one foot in front of the other, gripping Thor's hands tighter. He takes a few more steps back and her hands slips from his, but she continues to walk. She takes about 4 steps on her own and Steve starts to chuckle. The toddler reaches Thor's arms and he grins, picking her up and spinning her around in his arms, raising her carefully over his head.

"Who's a clever girl?" He praises.

Thor leans forward, rubbing his nose gently against the toddlers as she squeals and giggles loudly.

"Wow." Steve breaths.

"Harriet, you walked!" Thor announces, hugging the toddler to his chest and rocking her while she laughs. "I'm so proud of you, my child."

**

Standing at the back of the room, I watch my body lying on the bed with tubes stuck in my skin. On the seat beside Loki is asleep, his cheek resting on the back of my right hand and he snores quietly to himself.

"I'm fed up. I just want to go home." I whisper.

"Hattie?" A voice asks.

I raise my head at the voice. The tone deep, but desperate. I jump slightly as I recognise the character. Part of his jet black hair is pulled into a loose ponytail, the rest reaching his shoulders. He's wearing dark clothes with his usual green cape. Instantly, I glance between him stood in front of me and him asleep by my body.

"Loki? You can see me?" I question.

"Yes, my child." He nods, a small smile dancing across his face.

"How?"

"I'm using my power to see what you see. Of course, your Uncle thought this was morally wrong because he does not trust me."

"Wow." I mutter.

"Hattie, you've seen everything that's happened, every single thing that is significant to me. You've seen me at my very worst. Yet, you still continue to call me Loki. You call Iowa mother, but I am Loki, why is that?" He asks.

I bow my head, his begging eyes too much. Staring down at the tiled ground, I try to find the confidence to tell him the truth.

"I don't know." I mumble.

"I know why. You're afraid, Hattie, and that's okay. I understand that, I used you to take revenge, but I just wanted to make the world see the pain of loosing someone you love, someone you've bonded with, two people you love most in the world. I let you go twice and I swear on my life it will never happen again. You can trust me, Hattie, I will never hurt you and I will fight every single person that tries to break us apart. You can trust me, Hattie because I love you too much to hurt or let you go again."

"I love you too, father." I admit, tears swimming in my eyes.

Racing over to him, I wrap my arms around his neck and hug him tight. Father tenses slightly, but then I feel his arms slip around my back and hug me too. I hide my face in his neck, the hug still not close enough for me. Loki sighs, happily.