In The Shadows | Loki

TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH

 "Loki."
        "Hello, love." Loki grins. I don't hesitate to move across the room and over the body, stepping into Loki's arms. He squeezes me tightly, one hand running through my hair. I hold him as tightly as I possibly can, my hands gripping his armor so tightly that if it wasn't Asgardian made, I'd worry that I'd rip it. 
        "Took you long enough." I murmur into his chest.
        "Took me long enough? Are you joking?" He asks incredulously, pulling back just slightly. "Do you know what you gave me to go on? You gave me mountains and a two day time limit. I think I did fairly well." I shrug at that, and he just shakes his head at me. 
        "Yo. Lovebirds." I turn to look at Gambit. "I don't know if you noticed, but there is still a firefight going on outside." I roll my eyes, turning to Julie, who is standing to the side, looking terrified. 
        "Julie? You alright?" She looks up to me, nodding silently as she takes in her dead colleagues. "We're going to get you out of here, okay? I promise." She just nods again, and I'm fairly certain she's in shock. "Gambit, you think you can destroy all of this?" I gesture to the computers and workstations, all the records that where there. Gambit grins and casually tosses a piece of rubble in the air. 
        "Take a step back, if you please." Loki cocks an eyebrow curiously, but does as Gambit asks. He releases me from the tight embrace, but keeps a hand linked with mine as we move away from where Gambit would be throwing the rubble. Gambit quick tosses the now glowing pieces of rubble at the computer banks and equipment. Julie, Loki, and I all turn away, shielding ourselves from the massive blast that Gambit created. 
        Everything took a few moments to settle, and there's still dust clouding the air when I open my eyes again. 
        "I've missed doing that." Gambit hums, looking proud of himself. I can't help but roll my eyes at that.
        "It's been a few days, calm down." I reply, and he simply shrugs. 
        "We need to get to the ship and get out of here." Loki cuts off the banter. I nod in agreement, ready to get out of this horrible place. Gambit moves close to Julie, who gravitates towards him if only for safety. Gambit smirks, and I really hoped I was around when Julie broke it to him that he really wasn't her type, nor was she available.
         "Wait. Loki." He turns to look at me concerned. "In case we die?" He looks confused until I grab the front of his shirt and bring him down far enough to press my lips to his. He immediately responds, his lips moving softly against mine, hands quickly moving down to tug me flush against him. I don't let it go on for more than a few seconds, knowing time was of the essence here, and pull back, breaking the kiss. "I love you." I whisper. Even though I had said those words to him in the dream, they felt so much more real now. I could feel my love for him more than before, and from the look on his face, he could feel it too.
        "I love you as well." He murmurs against my lips. "But as I said before, you're not allowed to say those words as if you're saying goodbye. I'm here, we're getting out of here."
        "With our luck, it never hurts  to be safe." I reply quietly. He doesn't counter that because he can't. Our luck truly was terrible.
        "Will we be leaving anytime soon, or am I going to have to witness more of this sickeningly sweet moment?" Gambit interrupts, raising an eyebrow. 
        "We're going. C'mon." I move to the door, the other three close behind me, Loki closest. "Coast is clear in this hall."
        "Let's move quickly. The others are handling most of the fight a little ways away." I nod, motioning for him to lead since I had no clue where the ship was. We move as quietly as we can through the hallways, ears open for any sound of movement. Gambit picked up more rubble along the way, ready to throw at any second. We weave through the hallways, a confusing maze that made me wonder if Loki actually knew where we were going. It wasn't long until we ran into someone either. 
        The sword was swinging as we turned the corner, Loki stopping the blade inches before it made contact with his neck. "Fandral, I implore you to look at what you're swinging at." Loki says calmly as Fandral lowers his sword. Fandral grins when he takes in our tiny group, barking out a laugh when he sees me. 
        "Lady Ophelia, how nice to see you again." He pauses, frowning a little. "Though, you are looking quite different." I shrug.
        "It's a side effect of losing my abilities." I reply with a shrug. "Is the path to the jet clear?" Fandral makes a so-so motion, and I let out a long breath. "Did Sif get all the kids there?" 
        "They're all safely on board, and she and Volstagg are protecting them with a few members of the Avengers team." He replies easily.
        "Then lets go so we can get them out of here." He nods in agreement, and we continue walking. We reach a stairwell, and quickly make our way to the top. The sounds of fighting grow louder. "Did anyone think to bring my swords along?" I ask quietly. Fandral and Loki exchange a look, and I sigh. "Dagger then, please?" Loki hands me one of his many daggers, and I grip it tightly, readying myself. 
        We open the door to the top floor, only to be greeted with several minions with guns. They all turn at the sound of the door opening, guns immediately raising. A few of Loki's daggers fly, taking out several men before Gambit threw pieces of rubble, causing explosions that rocked the rest of them enough to either take them out or cause them to attempt to get away. We keep moving forward, having to fight more and more. Julie stuck behind Gambit, clearly not knowing how to fight or react to this situation. 
        "There!" I follow Fandral's gesture to see a large part of the wall that had been blown out, the ramp of the jet right there. I saw Sif, Volstagg, Steve, and Clint standing there, making sure that the kids would be kept safe. Several men were taking shots at them from behind corners, where they couldn't retaliate. There were three men we could attack from here that hadn't noticed us, and I don't hesitate to throw a dagger and take one of them out. The other two immediately turn, firing without hesitation. One bullet ricochets off of Fandral's sword, the other missing Gambit and I by an inch. Loki takes one of them out, and the other fumbles with another weapon on his waist and fires it before Gambit can throw a piece of rubble and use his ability to take him out. A dart hits my thigh, and I don't hesitate to yank it out, recognizing the liquid inside as the mutant cure as it empties into my bloodstream. Loki turns and looks at me with wide, fearful eyes. I shake my head, waving his concern off. 
        We try to move closer to the jet only for the men at the other corner to spray with bullets and darts full of the mutant cure. We can't get any closer, nor can we attack these men. When their bullets run out, and they only have the cure that they're firing, I know I can get through. More of the cure wouldn't hurt me anymore than it already would. I quickly take two of Loki's daggers, darting out and immediately getting hit by two more darts. Steve quickly moves by my side, using his shield to get forward as he follows my lead, forcing the men to focus their fire on us, and so Steve could stop focusing on shielding the others and end the attack.
        Steve immediately takes out the first man, slamming the shield into the side of his head. I use the daggers to take out two more, focusing on the last man, who was struggling with his gun. His eyes widen in fear before he desperately grabs one of the darts by his side and slams it into my arm as I bring the handle of the dagger down onto the top of his head and knock him out. I yank the dart out before it can completely empty into my bloodstream, and it's when I'm about to drop it that I notice the different color of the liquid. It wasn't the cure, and I had no idea what it was. 
        "Ophelia?" Steve sees the fear in my eyes.
        "This isn't the cure." I hold up the dart. "The rest of those where, I don't know what this is." Steve is quiet, and I can see Fandral and Loki getting Gambit and Julie onto the jet. 
        "We need to get this to Banner. Fast." I nod in agreement, following him to the jet.
        "Where are the others?" I ask, walking up the ramp. 
        "Around the compound. Clint just called them back." He replies. "They'll be here in minutes, and we've called Shield. We're getting all of you out of here, and Fury can deal with cleanup." I nod silently, moving up the ramp. When we hit the top, I feel my stomach cramp, and I nearly bend over at the pain. 
        "Ophelia?" Loki calls out in a panic. I'm still clutching the dart in my hand, and I turn to Julie for a last ditch effort. 
        "Julie?" She turns when I call, and I hold up the dart. "What is this?" She walks over as another cramp, more intense and more painful, nearly causes me to cry out. She takes the dart from my hands, and I see her face go completely pale. "Julie?" She looks up very slowly, bottom lip quivering. 
        "I'm so, so sorry."