Ave Maria

Twenty

A/N Just wanted to thank you all so very much on supporting me, and for enjoying this story. If you have friends, or know someone who may be interested please let them know and since this is the second last chapter... LIKE or COMMENT if your EXITED for the finale!!

Chapter 20

Maria woke with a smile on her face. She hummed in content as she stretched her spent but well rested body, reaching her arms over her head, twisting her body this way and that to loosen out her waist

Something stopped her as she suddenly realised just how much space she had to do this.

She frowned: "Thor?"

Silence.

Finally, she peeked her eyes open from their dreamy state and rolled over on her side, hoping to find the sleeping God of Thunder beside her. Her heart sank: the open sheet hanging off the bed was all that greeted her. She slumped in disappointment. She would have thought he'd be there. He often stayed with her until she woke up and after a night like last night… Maria had guessed he simply wouldn't want to leave.

She rolled over on her back and tried not to be too upset, staring at the ceiling. Where could he be? He normally didn't like leaving her side for anything. What would be so important he wouldn't even wait for her to wake, or rouse her to consciousness himself before he went? Maria tried not to be too suspicious, but it was still firmly on her mind as she tore herself from the bed and pulled on a pair of jeans from the drawers. His hammer and cape were gone too, the chair once at the side of the bed now neatly backed against the wall. It was like he'd never been there at all. It was just… so odd, she thought, tugging a Black Veil Brides band shirt over her head.

She winced slightly as she smoothed the slightly clingy material down her body. Frowning slightly, she peeled the shirt back up her waist as her jaw dropped as she took in the bluing bruises that dotted her skin.

Damn, she thought, smoothing her clothes out again, wishing the same could be done as easily to her brow, Thor's got some grip. She was just closing the door of the room quietly behind her when she froze.

Thor had been agitated last night; that was why he'd accidentally hurt her. Maria's hand dropped numbly from the door knob to her side as her thoughts raced. Loki, she remembered. He'd gone to see his brother and it had upset him. What if, Maria gulped slightly, what if he'd gone back? It was the best idea she could think of in terms of where he might be and with every step she took further from her Godless room, the more the thought solidified.

She walked fast, having no clue as to where she was actually taking herself, though her heart thumped nervously in her chest. Was she really considering this? Walking into the room that held a man that was possibly trying to kill her just to see where Thor might be? If Thor was there, it might be even worse actually, she thought. She didn't really want to imagine his temper under whatever taunts his brother had thrown his way. He'd still been aggravated when he'd found Maria in the corridor; she dreaded to think what he must have been like in the chamber itself.

She didn't care. She was scared. She didn't want Thor to be there with him. She just didn't. She wanted him here, with her.

Maria was wrenched from her thoughts as she turned a corner and crashed.

"Whoa!"

A strong hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her upright before she could bounce back and drop to the floor in a less than graceful manner. For a second her heart leapt, instantly associating the warmth and largeness of the hands on her arms with Thor's. But then she blinked up, and between she spinning visions of the corridor she caught the blue eyes - not of her god – but of Steve Rogers.