Loki's Daughter Book 4

Tony Stark...helps

I pull my phone out of my pocket and look back at the hospital. The security guard stands a few metres away from me. I shudder. Even though I'm no longer stuck in Asgard, I'm reminded continuously that no one trusts me. I scroll through my contacts. My finger hovers over one. I take a deep breath.

'Hey, Tony?'

'Who's this?'

'It's Raven. Duh.'

'Why am I tracing you to be in Morton?'

'They finally gave me my freedom. You remember what you said?'

'So, you need money?'

'Uh yeah...? Maybe?'

He sighs. 'How much do you need?'

'Not that much. Just need enough to get an apartment and help me get a job.'

There's silence on the other side of the phone. I stare at the ground, wondering if I've asked too much from my enemy.

'Why are you in the park? In front of a hospital?'

'Umm-' I scuff the ground.

'And why do you have bandages on you?' he asks from behind me. I look at my phone and notice the call is finished. 'I'm a billionaire, and you're asking for what? A few grand?'

I shove my phone back into my pocket and shrug. Tony sighs as his suit disappears.

'Okay, let's go and get some coffee, and you are going to explain to me why you are here?'

'Uh. I sort of I can't leave. This is as far as they'll let me.'

'Whose they?'

'The...nurses?

'Okay, why?'

'Um, because I was in an accident and I haven't paid the bills. I can't pay the bills.'

'Okay, let's go,' Tony grabs my arm just above the bandage and drags me back to the hospital and past the security guard. We walk through the front doors and inside. Tony pulls me over to the receptionist desk.

'Raven, glad to see you brought someone- TONY STARK!'

Tony rolls his eyes. 'I am here to pay Raven's bills.'

'Oh...oh...okay.' The receptionist digs around in her piles of paper for a few moments. I stand awkwardly next to Tony and stare at the floor, nervously picking at my hands. I nearly jump out of my skin when he grabs hold of my hand. The receptionist clears her throat. She slides across a few pages of paper. Tony lets go of my hand and flicks through them.

'Really, Raven? A bike crash?' he glances at me. My shoulders hunch over.

'So, I can put this on a payment plan so you can pay it off over a few months,' the receptionist offers.

Tony laughs. 'Just put it on the card. I'll pay for it.'

'Yes, sir.'

'I'm going to take Raven now.'

'Oh. Okay, then.'

'Bye,' Tony retakes hold of my arm, and we walk out of the hospital in silence.

'Where are we going?'

'To the car park.'

A moment later, we stand in the car park, and a limo stops in front of us. Tony opens the door, and I climb in with him, following me.

'Okay, Raven, where do you want to go?'

'You remember that town you tracked me to... Clouston?'

'Yeah?'

'I want to go back there.'

'Well, Happy, you heard her.'

The glass divider closes, and Tony turns to me. He pulls out his phone and taps at it for a few minutes while I stare out the window.

'So, I have set you up a bank account and got you a job at the gym you liked so much. Your new job is to help people work out, etc., etc.'

I nod silently.

'Happy, how long do we have left?'

'It's another six hours.'

'Yeah, nope. Take us to the airport. I'm calling my jet.'

I hunch over as the pain medication wears off.

'FRIDAY, pull up Raven's latest medical report,' Tony orders. He reads through it. 'Yeah, okay, I don't know what this means.'

'I'll tell you. It means I need medication and to stop going around corners so fast.' I groan as I'm pushed up against the door again.

'FRIDAY, where's Black Widow?'

'Waiting for you at the plane,' the car replies.

'Send her through the report. She'll know what to do.' I groan and slam my head back into the seat, trying to stop the pain.

'Hey, hey. Raven, calm down,' Tony quickly leans over and pulls me around, so I'm lying down on the seat. I stare up at the car ceiling. I'm vaguely aware of the car speeding faster and of Tony talking to me, but I can't hear anything. My ears buzz and ring. It becomes louder and louder until my eyes well up with tears. My hands wrap around my ears, and I press down harsh on them. My nails dig into my scalp, trying to stop the sound, but it doesn't. I shake my head around, gasping. I'm lifted, then dragged backwards a little bit. He presses his hands firmly over the top of mine. It doesn't help. The car stops, and I nearly fall off the seat. The hands disappear. My head pounds. Cold air touches my back. I let go of my ears as it does nothing and turn around, facing where the cold air comes from. I see the car door open through tears, and Tony is standing, beckoning for me to go with him. I get my self together enough for me to slide out of the car and stand next to him. I look up at the plane parked in front of us. Black Widow stands at the top of the stairs looking down at us. I drop to my knees, unable to stay up for a moment longer.

'Come on, Raven. You can rest once you're on the plane,' Tony calls as he pulls at my arms, trying to get me back up onto my feet. He lets go after a moment once I don't budge. He sighs.

'Don't make me get Black Widow to come down here and carry you,' he threatens.

I lift my head to see if he's serious. I gulp, click my fingers and then sink onto the white couch groaning in relief. I close my eyes as it becomes too much, but before I disappear into black, something's jabbed into my arm.