Ave Maria

Seven

Chapter 7

"She is very... spirited."

Maria laughed at Thor's careful description, as if he were afraid Jane were lurking around somewhere around the house, ready to attack him if he bad mouthed her. She didn't miss the way he glanced over his shoulder beside her.

"Yeah, she's a handful." Maria admitted conceding as she washed the dinner plates in the sink. "But her heart's in the right place. She's a good friend."

"Then that is a good thing. I do not know where I would be were it not for my friends."

Thor waited patiently as Maria cleared up, stood just behind her as they chatted. His eyes scoured over the back of her curiously; his mind was troubled. Jane's mention of Maria's bruises earlier had brought it sharply back to his attention, and he found himself once again pinpointing each injury on her body with frowning eyes. When she turned around obliviously, his gaze flew to the one on her cheek.

"Right..." she sighed, drying her hands on the towel. Finally, she noticed Thor's burning eyes, and the dark look on his face that matched it. "What?"

She leaned back against the sink, casually folding her arms over her chest. Protectively. Defensively. Thor didn't miss that for a heartbeat. He stepped closer and put his hands on the kitchen surface either side of the small woman, ignoring how her eyes flashed alarmingly at his movements and her body tensed. No escape, he thought to himself, eyes locked on Maria as her chest rose and fell with apprehensive breaths. Maybe she knew what was coming as Thor leaned in, the cage of his arms and body impenetrable.

Maria pressed the base of her spine as far into the sink as it would go, nervously unfurling her arms. Her gaze flickered up at Thor's intense blue eyes, transfixed on her.

"What was Jane talking about at the hospital?"

Her heart plummeted with dread.

Thor read the horror written over Marias face and knew he'd hit it. There was something there he didn't know about, that she was desperately hiding from him. Something that scared her. And that something was responsible for the bruises, he was willing to bet.

"Who hurt you, Maria?" he asked in a powerful voice. One that sent shivers of fear up Maria's spine as she was reminded of the power and the force within the being that trapped her. "I will ensure they never will again."

"No." slipped from her lips before she could help it.

Thor moved closer, till all they could see of each other were their eyes, one set glistening with fear, the other burning with an inner rage, demanding. Still, he could catch the bruise on her cheek. It was like it was calling to him, urging him on. "Tell me. I promised I'd protect you. I didn't mean from just my brother."

He could feel her shrinking before him. "Did Jane say something to you?"

"She didn't need to." It'd been on his mind since he arrived. "She just brought it back to my attention."

Maria's eyes narrowed. "It's none of her business, and it's none of yours. Leave me alone."

She tried to break through Thor's arm but it was solid, and he was pressed too close for her to duck under. It didn't stop her trying though. Thor remained motionless as she struggled, watching the panic and defensiveness growing in her eyes.

"Maria..."

"Let me go." Her voice trembled.

"Before I told you about Loki you were afraid." Thor went on relentlessly. "What were you afraid of? Who hurt you?" he hadn't meant for the words to come out as a growl but they did, dripping with viciousness.