Marvel At What Could've Happened

Chapter 15

Loki glared at the doctor.

"I'm fine. I can go. I'm all better." The doctor sighed.

"All better is a bit of a stretch, young man. Getting you clean from the drugs is only the first step of your recovery. We want to submit you to our recovery programs to address your severe depression and anorexia. Sooner, however, we'd like to have you meet with our psychiatrist." At this Tony snorted.

"Yeah, good luck with that, doc," he said. The doctor looked stern.

"We require this because we value our patients safety and heath."

"Yeah, no, I get that. Just, good luck getting Loki to cooperate with any of this. I hate to admit it but he might be right, he's better with us."

"Mr. Stark, you friend is sick and we require this. I worry that you don't have his well-being in mind."

"We understand, sir," Steve cut in. "But Stark is right."

"I don't think you gentlemen understand me correctly. This is required. Your friend attempted suicide and shows symptoms of several mental illnesses. We require that he remain here in our long term wards until a psychiatrist has deemed him well enough to return home."

"I'd love to see him go head to head with one of your psychiatrists, but let's avoid having to experience that. Listen, tell me what I need to do or provide. I'll hire our own shrink. We'll feed him extra. Whatever it takes. None of us want him here," Tony said.

"Do I get any say in this?" Loki asked.

"Yes," replied Tony at the same time the doctor said, "No."

"There has to be something we can do to take him home," Steve said. The doctor looked between the three of them.

"Do you two understand the mental state he's in?" he asked, moving to stand between them and Loki.

"Yeah, actually, we do. Believe it or not, you don't know what you're dealing with," Tony replied.

"I can't let you take him home."

"Try to stop me. Get me the paperwork to release him or else you'll be answering to some friends of mine who have even more power than I do."

"Mr. Stark, even you do not have the power to overthrow a doctor's orders on a patient who is not you or your family." Loki's doctor drew himself up and towered over Tony threateningly. Loki broke into their argument.

"Doctor, I am not a normal person and I do not need your help. I am physically healthy enough to leave. That was your job. I'm better," Loki said.

"Not normal? What on earth do you mean? And my job is not complete until I have deemed you healthy, and I have not done so yet."

"You heard me. Not. Normal." Loki held up a hand and a ball of green light glowed in his palm. He moved his fingers, moving and shaping the ball. He slowly began to close his hand, and then snapped his fingers. The light vanished. "You don't want me here.  Let me leave."

The doctor's eyes grew wide and he stared at Loki's hands. His mouth moved but no intelligible sound came out. After some funny stuttering, he managed to say,

"I'll get the release forms."

**********

"Stark, one would almost think you're growing fond of me."