Coffee and Books 1

Chapter 38

Tony Stark drives us to Stark Tower. When we get to the apartment, my family is all over me as soon as I get in the door. "Oh honey, we were so worried!" Aunt Yvonne takes me in a big hug, her cheeks wet with tears.

Next to her are Lars and Lisa. My uncle's face is tense. "Did they hurt you?"

I shake my head from within my aunts embrace. "Not really, not physically at least."

Lars looks to Tony Stark, who has walked over to the kitchen to get a drink. "Do you think we can sue them?"

"Yes, you could," Stark replies. "But you would be buried in lawyers and paperwork for years. I don't think she would benefit from that."

In the car I told the three men what had happened to me. "So much for my self defense training. I get kidnapped right the next day."

"I didn't teach you to fight of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. But that's gonna be next in line," Loki says in a menacing voice.

"I tried not to tell them anything, but that woman tricked me into answering every time."

"I wouldn't worry about that," Stark says from behind the wheel. "Natasha can make a statue talk."

I learn that Stark tracked my phone to the area of the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, before the signal was gone. They could not barge in until they were sure I was there, so that took some labored digging around. A message from agent Romanoff a little later that evening told them where to find me exactly.
Stark called some woman named Friday from the car and ordered her to pull up my files from S.H.I.E.L.D.. He also said he would make sure agent Wilde was removed from Loki's detail.

Now, standing in the kitchen, Stark is flipping through my files on a holographic screen projected by his phone. We all gather round the kitchen counter and he explains what we are looking at. "They documented the origins of your powers. It seems to be embedded in your nerve system."
I remember Heimdall telling me something like that a couple of weeks ago, touching my back when he said I had magic.
"I think this is the reason they brought you in," Stark says, showing us a recording of me in the train with Chad. It looks like they used some sort of heat signature camera because you can see my back and arm light up when I grab Chad's arm.

It is weird to look at myself like that and I am glad Loki is holding me close, his arms circled around me, his strong chest against my back. My family is taking it rather well, considering they are confronted with their niece having magical powers. I guess they already talked about it before I got here.

"Did they take her in for her connection to Asgard?" I can tell my uncle is careful about phrasing his question. I think he really means to ask if they took me in because of Loki.

Stark shakes his head. "I think she would have popped up on their radar eventually anyway, having powers. Her friendship with Loki and Thor just sped up the process."

Stark is explaining some more things, but I can't concentrate on his words. I feel filthy and tired. "I could use a shower," I tell no-one in particular, turning away from the kitchen.

"Come with me, my dear," Lady Eir says gently. "Let's get you cleaned up."

Loki doesn't come with me, he is asking Stark some questions. But Lisa comes along, grabbing my hand.
Lady Eir takes me to her chambers. "You get in the shower, I'll give you some clean clothes."

The hot water helps to make me feel a little better. Lisa hands me a large towel when I'm done washing off all the bad things from tonight. "You gave us quite the scare again."

"Yeah, I can imagine." A worrying thought pops up in my head. "Do your parents blame Loki for what happened?"

My cousin shakes her head. "No, they saw how worried he was about you. You really have quite the guy there, Ylva." She smiles at me. "We called the police, but they don't start a search when someone has only just gone missing. Loki contacted Thor and Mr. Stark and brought us here when it was clear S.H.I.E.L.D. took you." She gives me a thoughtful look before she continues. "So, you've got magic, huh?"

I shrug. "Magic. A friendly aura. A way with people. Call it what you will. I don't feel magical."

Lisa shrugs and smiles. "You should have seen Lars his face when Loki told him the magic runs in the family!"

Wrapped up in the large towel I give her a hug. "I'm glad you are all taking this so well."

She hugs me back. "Of course, honey. You haven't changed, you are still Ylva."

I get dressed in a pair of leggings and a thin knitted sweater with a wide neckline. Lady Eir has roughly the same size as me, for which I'm glad. She even got me clean panties and a tank top. I feel better now I'm showered and in clean clothes.
When we get back to the apartment, everyone is sitting in the living room. There is a bottle of whiskey on the table and some glasses of wine. Heimdall asks what he can get me and goes to the kitchen to make me a cup of tea. Lisa takes a glass of wine.
Loki and my uncle scoot over to make some room between them on the couch. I curl up with Loki's arm around me. My uncle is talking about putting up security cameras in the alley. "I have been putting that off for too long."

Stark says he'll send someone over to install them tomorrow. "We'll get your alarm system upgraded while we're at it too."

The clock in the living room indicates it's after 2 am. I doze off against Loki's shoulder.
"Time to go home, it's been a long day for all of us," my uncle says, getting up. "Are you coming, Ylva, or..."

"I'll stay here, if that's alright." I yawn.

"We'll see you tomorrow then," my aunt says pointedly, making sure I know she is just making an exception for tonight. "I've already asked Emilia to take over your morning shift, so that is taken care of."

"Thanks, Yvonne."

"Honey, we haven't told your mother yet what happened, but you will have to do that. Soon." My uncle gives me a stern look and I promise I'll talk to mom soon.

I kiss my family goodnight and Stark escorts them down in the elevator. Everyone turns in for the night. In Loki's room I undress and put on a T-shirt he gives me. I slip between the covers, nestling in the soft bed. Loki leans down to kiss me goodnight and moves to go to the other room.
"Are you kidding me? You are not sleeping on the couch. Get in!"

"Are you sure?"

"Get in, Loki."

A few moments later I can cuddle up in the crook of his shoulder. Loki is lying on his back, staring at the ceiling. A small light on the nightstand allows me to see him in the dark room. He looks unhappy.
"I'm sorry I didn't come for you sooner," he says eventually, still not looking at me. I guess he's feeling guilty.

"It's alright. You guys came for me, that's all that matters."

"I wish we didn't had to."

"That would have been nice, yes. I had different plans for tonight."

"So did I, my little wolf." He turns his head to me and kisses me softly on the lips. "Now, go to sleep, you've had a long night."

I try to do as he says, but my mind keeps going back to the lab with the MRI machine. Every time I close my eyes I'm back in that room, with the buzzing machine and the elevator music.

"Can't sleep?" Loki asks after a couple of minutes. I shake my head.

"Well, how about you recite me your favourite poem? You promised you would do that some time."

"Okay... there is one... I used to have a poster of it in my room. But it's Dutch, so you won't understand it."

"Let's hear it anyway, my little wolf."

"Alright... it's called 'Liefdesgedicht', or Love poem." I clear my throat. "Jij hebt de dingen niet nodig / om te kunnen zien. / De dingen hebben jou nodig / om gezien te kunnen worden."
Loki asks me to repeat it a couple of times, listening carefully to the foreign words.
"Translated it would be something like 'you don't need the things to see, the things need you to be seen'," I explain. "Although you shouldn't translate poetry, of course. I'm sorry Mr. K. Schippers."

"I'm sure he doesn't mind," Loki says with a light chuckle and he translates the poem again, but now in his own language. He recites it softly, while I drift of to sleep, listening to his deep voice.