Unexpected

Nightmares and Answers

My sleep was rather restless, even though I was so tired from my strange German adventure and jet lag, plagued with tossing and turning until I fell into a deep enough slumber to have a dream. Unfortunately, it quickly changed into a nightmare. I was back to being all dressed up at the gala, walking around the dancers, but not dancing with anyone, just watching and trying to make sure that I didn't bump into anyone. An elderly couple who wasn't looking where they were going nearly rammed into me as the beautiful orchestra music played and I jumped out of the way and into the arms of someone. Turning to face the person I had almost knocked over to apologize I found myself staring up into the emerald eyes of Loki who smirked at me and started to lead me through a dance. Starting to babble about how embarrassed I felt, he just shook his head and smiled at me, holding me close and gazing into my eyes as we waltzed. After what felt like only a few minutes he started leaning his face towards me and I started leaning forwards to kiss him, my eyes fluttering shut until I noticed something. His eyes. A strange, yet completely familiar turquoise was coming over them, glowing dully as he looked at me. I tried to pull back a bit, but his grip on my hand and waist was firm.

"Loki! Something's wrong with you. Please let me go." I tried to reason with him, struggling to keep my voice calm, but he didn't respond, remaining as mute as he had been before. Why wouldn't he talk to me?

Suddenly there was a huge crash as a large aircraft burst a hole in the gala roof, sending people running and screaming in all directions. Loki finally broke his eye contact with me and looked up at the crumbling debris of the ceiling as the woman's voice called from the aircraft, "Loki. Drop the weapon and stand down." With a harsh shove, Loki pushed me behind him and shot a bolt of turquoise energy up at the aircraft, a frightening, almost maniacal laugh coming from him. Just as the energy blast hit the great flying thing the bottom opened up and at least a dozen military looking men dropped from the hatch on long ropes, dressed in black with huge guns in their hands. Loki shot at them with his scepter and fought them as I stumbled back, two of the men moving me away from the ensuing fight.

"Don't worry, M'am. The criminal is going to be taken care of permanently." One of them said as I tried to pull my arms from their grasp.

"Permanently? What do you mean?" I asked fear tingling in the back of my head, "What are you going to do?"

"Look for yourself." The man answered, moving his great hulking shoulder out of my way so I could see Loki now on his knees, scepter gone, a huge bruise and cut on his forehead as three of the men held him down. One of the other men walked up to him and put the end of the barrel of his huge rifle-style gun to Loki's forehead.

They were going to shoot him! "No!" I cried trying to pull away from the men, "Don't kill him! Stop!"

"He's a murderer, Ma'm." The man said emotionlessly, refusing to let me pass him to get to Loki.

"I know, but there has to be another way! Please! Stop!" I yelled, punching the man in the chest, sending him flying backwards several yards easily like he was a large doll, like I had when I'd shoved Ed off of me when he'd attacked me in the freezer.

The other men who'd been trying to hold me back doubled their efforts, looking at me like I was a freak as I called to the man holding the gun to Loki's head to stop. "It's for the greater good." One of them grunted, twisting my arm up behind me.

I screamed again, trying to fling them off of me like I had the other one and try to get to Loki who was staring up at the man with the gun with pure hatred all over his face. Over my shouts I heard a metallic click and my heart sank as I knew what it meant. At the last moment I looked away, squeezing my eyes shut just as a thunderous shot went off, so loud that I shot up in bed wide awake, broken from my dream.