Long And Lost (Book II)

Ch.12: And now I'm reaching out with every note I sing

Sigyn woke up with a start. A cold feeling in her gut and a soft tingle on the back of her head alerted her that she wasn't alone. Whatever presence she felt was now gone, though. She turned on the side and saw a small business card. Written on it, there was an address and a rune.

Bacraut!!

Oh, dear! You haven't used that word since the dark ages! Did I piss you off??

You think?

I'll take as a victory that you've stopped blocking me.

How long has it been for you?

4 days. You?

Sigyn didn't answer. It hadn't been 24 hours yet for her, and it was the middle of the night! She buried her head on the pillow and tried to go back to sleep, rather unsuccessfully.

I don't have energy for this shit.

Go back to sleep, love.

Shut up, Loki!

First thing Sigyn did in the morning was to call Sharon and tell her she needed to fly to London ASAP on an emergency. Sharon didn't ask many question, for which Sigyn was grateful. Bucky on the other hand, wasn't as agreeable.

"You said you weren't leaving!"

"I am not."

"Yes, you are!"

"I'll come back."

"Why are you leaving, then?"

"I have to."

"Why?"

"Bucky, I am going to physically hurt you and I don't want to." She glared at him. Bucky just realized he was holding her against the wall. He slowly released her from his grip. "I just have to." He looked at her, dejected. Sigyn didn't say anything else.

The flight was long and unpleasant, but she was happy to be back in London. It had been her home for over a century. It didn't matter that it had changed greatly over time, or that she had to leave for long periods of time every once in a while, it still felt close and familiar.
After freshening up and changing clothes, she went to her usual tea spot, ordered an ice tea and a croissant, and waited.

"Sigyn Iwaldisdottir."

"Dr. Stephen Strange." She said, not even looking up from her croissant. "It's been a long time since someone used my full name. Am I in trouble?"

"You tell me." He said sitting in front of her. Only then she looked at him. "You've been hiding from us for a long time."

"Not all of you. The Ancient One knew, she found me years ago." She sipped her ice tea. "But she agreed to keep the secret. I wasn't supposed to be found."

"You are supposed to be dead." He started and she nodded.

"Alas, I am not dead and the knowledge of my presence on Earth has expanded dramatically." Sigyn bit on her croissant.

Strange smirked. "I can assure you it was the most unexpected of events when he showed up at the Sanctum." Sigyn had to roll her eyes.

"I'm sure it was quite unexpected to have my husband contacting you from the edge of the universe, just for you to get him a date." She said. "What did he offer you?"

"Information, amongst other things." Strange said, crossing his hand on the table. "He must have been quite desperate to offer that kind of gift just for me to- ah... get him a date."

Sigyn, please. She heard in her head, but didn't answer.

"I doubt you'd bring him to Earth just for information." She said, almost smirking at Strange's confused face. "Besides, I am the information, so..."

"He did offer something really valuable, but, he's only delivering if I convince you to come with me."

"He's locked at the sanctum, I assume? Smart. It will take him probably an hour to break through the magic locks. Maybe less, he's crafty." Sigyn bit the last of her croissant. "How long do you have left?" She smiled.

If Stephen was nervous, he didn't show. Sigyn calmly finished her tea, just watching Stephen slowly lose his patience.

"I'm guessing your deal is: I babysit him for as long as this date goes, and you keep my secret? Leave me alone?" She finally said.

"And I don't send you off Earth."

"You wish." She rolled her eyes.

"Or we could help one another."

"What help could you get from me? You already know what's coming. And he's coming for you... For that thing around your neck to be more specific." Stephen stiffened a bit. "C'mon, Strange. Any magic wielding being can sense those things from miles. Agamotto did a great job building a pendant to conceal it as well as use it, but seidr will always find a way."

"See? That's what I meant by help one another. You possess abilities that we don't. You could teach us." Strange expression seemed to soften.

"You're talking about my healing magic." She realized. "That's the price. You need a healer on the team."

"We do. Besides, you know whoever is coming won't be coming just for me. Hence the help one another."

Sigyn Loki's fear. She had seen him being tortured by Thanos, she had shared his pain, and she had managed to hold it back. But this wasn't just about Loki. It was about what Thanos would do to all of them.

"So, I join your avengers team, keep tabs on my husband and teach you whatever you can grasp of healing magic. Is that my end of the deal?"

"In exchange for not exposing you and letting you stay on Earth. I'll even let Loki stay if he delivers what he has promised."

"The tesseract." Sigyn watched Strange's face grow uncomfortable, probably wondering how much she actually knew. He nodded anyway.

Taking a deep breath, she mulled over her situation. If Loki managed to give them the Tesseract, Thanos would be everyone's problem, and she could count on them to fight the titan. And if Loki was allowed to stay...
Then there was the side of her who had been crying since she saw Loki tangled with another woman and wanted to curse the living Hel out of him.

Sigyn stood up, Strange followed her lead. She took a deep breath. "I'm guessing the sanctum is still on the same spot." Strange smiled as they walked outside the shop. "No teleportation, it makes me dizzy."

Strange looked at her startled. "How--"

"We all have our tricks." She simply stated. "Now, I really like going around in trains. So I'm taking the tube. You're free to teleport, though you're not impressing anyone."

Strange decided to go with her, even when he was growing more and more anxious by the minute. Loki could break out of the magic locks, he'd be on the loose, free to do-

"To do what?" She suddenly spoke. "He's there because of me. He ain't leaving, he knows I'm coming."

Strange rubbed his forehead. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea."

"No backsies." Sigyn sang.

The rest of the trip they spent in silence, until they reached the London sanctum. Sigyn had been there before, a long time ago. The Ancient One provided shelter for her after a run with some inquisitors. Nothing had changed much. The tall stairs were still there, glowing with the sunlight filtering through dirty windows. The books, the relics, the ever changing doorways...

Then, she saw him, a few feet away from her. None of them moved. Not even Stephen Strange wanted to move. Loki and Sigyn stared at each other wordlessly.
Standing in front of him she wasn't sure she wanted to kick his crotch or fling herself into his arms.