A New York Secret

Chapter Twenty One

AN: Buckle up readers... this is a long one. (longer than I remember it being...) 

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Emily gasped as she bolted upright in bed. She placed her hand on her chest and tried to calm her breathing and get it back to normal once more. That was a very vivid dream. She covered her face with her hands and groaned before she climbed out of bed and opened the door to walk into the kitchen. "Maybe a glass of milk will help," she said softly. When she filled her cup she turned and faced Loki's room to see a dim light on underneath the door. He's still up? Emily quickly finished her milk then walked up to Loki's bedroom door and quietly knocked before she opened it and walked inside, shutting the door behind her. "Loki?" she whispered.

Loki grumbled softly as he woke from dozing off. "Hmm? I'm here." He mumbled, waking himself again. "Are the fish alright?" He asked as he rubbed his eyes.

"They... they're fine. I had a nightmare," Emily answered quietly. "I saw that your light was on and thought you were awake. I'm sorry. I'll just... go."

"No, no you can stay. I was up a few minutes ago and forgot I left the light in the bathroom on. I had only dozed off, you didn't wake me." Loki said before she could leave. "Do you... want to come lay down?"

Emily bit her lip and walked over to the bathroom and turned off the light, shrouding the room in darkness, the only light now coming from the window. "Would that be okay?" she asked quietly.

"Of course it's alright. I was worried when you decided to sleep elsewhere." Loki admitted.

Emily blushed softly as she walked over to the bed and sat on the edge of it. "I didn't know if you would want me to. You've pushed me away all night."

"I haven't pushed you at all..." Loki said, not realizing what he had been doing.

"Not physically... but you've kept me at a distance since we talked yesterday afternoon." Emily moved to lay down and face Loki, but kept a large amount of space between them, even laying on top of the blanket.

"I know it's cold to you, you can use the blankets." Loki sighed. "I just don't want your feelings for me to grow... you deserve so much better."

"Keeping me at arms length will only make me feel worse. I've thought that I've done something wrong this entire time." Emily slowly got under the blankets, but didn't move any closer. "If you don't like me Loki, just tell me," she added in a whisper.

"I never intended to make you feel bad." Loki said truthfully. "I do not dislike you, I just know that you deserve so much better."

Emily sighed and began to mess with the blanket. "Why can't you let me make that choice?" she whispered.

"You don't know my past, and you don't even know the events that led to me ending up here." Loki said softly.

"I know that what you did here wasn't your fault. That's good enough for me. The rest of the past stays where it is," Emily replied quietly.

"Events that led to that were my fault though." Loki said sadly.

"They may have been... but that doesn't really matter to me."

"Why doesn't it matter? What if I am a serial criminal destined to continue repeating my crimes?" Loki asked.

Emily sighed, able to see the look in his eyes from the moonlight. "I can see the innocence in your eyes Loki... it's kind of always been my superpower. I can always tell when people are innocent or have bad intentions."

"Why would you even want to be with someone with me?" Loki asked softly.

"It's just... a gut feeling," Emily replied quietly. "I feel drawn towards you."