Cold-Blooded

[]Chapter 13[]

"Something tells me this is a world of his own creation, and you somehow got placed in the middle of it. How? I truly don't know. While this may be his way of trying to kill you, I don't think that's what the purpose of this is."

I nodded my head and indicated for Loki to continue on. "The beings on this planet are made to kill intruders, and that's it. Alrekr is most definitely dead, but this planet has been left behind. It's more a matter of getting off of it before you can come to any harm then fighting anyone or anything."

"This switch in worlds occurred sometime during your healing sleep, because you were still on Earth last time we left. Maybe your sub-conscious wanted you here for some reason. Who knows? All we have to do is cross back to Earth, and that'll solve your problem."

This sounded fine by me. Whatever fixed this was a miracle in itself. "Alright, so, how do we get to Earth?" I questioned the two godlings, looking them each in the eye. Thor opened his mouth to reply, but Loki cut him off with the wave of a hand.

"We repaired the Bifrost." I had no idea how to travel through realms, so I supposed the two of them could bring me themselves. Meanwhile Loki had slipped into my thoughts and read everything, so he replied to the question brewing. "All you have to do is take your hands and survive the nausea."

That didn't sound too wonderful, but I did what he told me and grasped both of their hands in my own, and might I just say- the difference in sizes was extraordinary. Loki still hadn't left my mind, and he chuckled at my recognition.

The world collapsed beneath us, and the air around us buckled under some unseen weight. I felt a rush of wind and had the strongest feeling of spinning, and the next thing you know, I was standing on a bridge.

This bridge was no ordinary bridge, however. It pulsed with several different colors and reflected the lights of the stars, creating arch's of multi-colored light that strummed through the space around it. The air was light, and well, airy, and a slight breeze blew my hair around my face. I felt peace just looking at it.

A man dressed in gold stood at the foot of the bridge, looking extremely serious. To me he seemed like an Asgardian version of Fury, and I couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter. Thor sensed my comparison and laughed with me, while Loki just looked lost.

"We're going to Earth, Heimdall," Loki informed the man, and the man, Heimdall I'm assuming, did nothing but nod once. Thor grabbed my hand and dragged me across the bridge as we followed his adoptive brother, and I fought the urge to get sick all over the beautiful space bridge.

Apparently it was just that easy, because as we walked Earth began to appear towards the end of the bridge. It didn't look like a short walk, but my heart began to hammer itself into a frantic pattern towards entering the world, the real one this time, and seeing those I loved. 

"So, who all used my gift?" I questioned the two, just to see if there was any difference between the circumstances between the two worlds. I hoped not, but it'd be better to know now then arrive and have no one.

"Banner, Stark, Rogers, and Fury. Romanoff and Barton decided they wanted to live normal lives, so they quit after you left, got married, and had four children. They died, what was it, twenty or so years ago," Loki told me, spitting the information out like a machine. He probably saw that coming.

"Where are all of them?" Thor laughed as his brother growled and ran a finger through his jet-black hair. I joined him, and Loki looked back to glare at the both of us. His expression was a mixture of anger and exasperation. I suppose I did that to people.

"Bruce never got over you and is likely still at the Helicarrier, Tony never married and should be at Stark Towers, Steve fell in love with an agent and they both left to who knows where, and Fury is Fury."

I nodded and kept quiet for the rest of the four something hour walk, which greatly relieved Loki, but I wasn't doing it for him. I was thinking of Bruce, and felt terrible for leaving him to fend for himself against depression for all of those years.

After the dreadfully long crossing, I began to see the end of the bridge- which was actually the Helicarrier. I wondered if it was programmed to always do this, or if on this certain circumstance it lead here. 

I wasn't going to ask Loki though, he seemed annoyed enough as is. I wondered why his mood had changed so erratically, but then again- he is Loki. He's not exactly known for being the kindest soul.

My feet dropped onto the surface of the huge ship, but mine were the only ones. The two gods had turned and begun the trip back, and I felt sorrow towards not having more time with them, but I understood they likely had something to attend too. 

Then I remembered why I was here, and I sprinted off in the direction of the nearest entrance, which happened to be close to me. Maybe thirty or so feet, possibly less, and it took me only a few short seconds to be inside.

You guessed it! Fury was standing at the helm of the ship like I had found him in the first world, but he was snapping out orders and looking quite overwhelmed like usual. I walked over, looking him in the eyes before saying, "Hello, Fury."

Luckily, they were normally colored. "Agent Astridr," he responded with an acknowledging nod, before turning back to an agent before him who was nervously holding a pile of papers. Fury took the stack from his hands. "Show her to the lab." 

The agent nodded vigorously, and began walking in a randomly chosen direction, and I followed like I felt I should. She glanced back at me a few times to make sure I was behind her, before finally coming to stop at a pair of fogged glass doors that slid open upon catching movement.

She stood aside and beckoned for me to go in, so I did as she wished and the doors slid to a close behind me with a swish. The feeling of Deja Vu washed over me as I scanned the heads once again, looking for the familiar one. 

I found him first this time, and snuck up behind him, studying him as he typed in what looked like a foreign language. It was funny how much I didn't know about science, but if I wanted to learn I suppose I could've. 

He didn't even notice my presence, which made me laugh inside my head. "Oh, so used to me not being here you don't acknowledge my presence?" I teased, and immediately the man before me whirled around in his chair to look me in the face.

"I hope you aren't one of Tony's pranks, or I'll have to kill him," Bruce replied with an extremely unamused face. I shook my head and poked him, proving that I was real and not a holograph of some sort.

"Nope, I'm not. It's really me, Astridr," I informed him, and as soon as the words left my mouth he wrapped his arms around me and squeezed me closer. He placed a kiss on my forehead, leaving his face close to mine so we were practically nose-to-nose.

"I wasn't sure you were coming back." The words were so simple, but the emotion behind them made me weak. He may not have known I was coming back, but I had never even imagined he cared for me so much. The tone made it evident I wasn't just a passing trend.

"Of course I was coming back," I replied, dropping my head onto his shoulder and sitting down on his lap. My arms wound behind his back, and I felt him breathe a huge sigh into my hair. I could feel Bruce's heart beating against mine.

He shut his computer off and I stood to allow him the room to rise. A few looks crossed our way, but most had better things to worry about then P.D.A. Bruce ignored them as they ignored us and wrapped an arm around my waist as we walked out.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

A / N: So, what did you think? I was sick, so this chapter may not be that wonderful because I could hardly think past my throbbing head. Anyway, I think we might just make it into the Watty Awards. Starting tomorrow I'll be doing my best to post several chapters in one night, see if we can finish before the 31st. Do you think I can post 14 chapters in 7 days?