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The White Dove Pt 50 - Daisy Thief

Okay, so here is the final chapter and after this I will edit and start to post the rewrite on my Poke series. Can’t wait to see how people take to the changes. :) As always let me know if you want to be tagged.

@devilishminx328. @theincaprincess, @lilith15000, @jesevans, @jiminapickle

The White Dove Masterlist

*.*.*

“Let me know what else you will require.” Loki told Dr Selvig who had completed his daily routine of readying his station to handle the next leg of tasks. The Prince had just settled the Tesseract within its metal mounts to enable said tasks after bringing it out of his bedchamber having spent the night guarding it again.

Out of a new beam of light a potted daisy appeared between the Prince and the glowing cube, and for a moment dimmed the entranced glow in his eyes as he took in the living gift he had been sent. “Is that a daisy?” Selvig asked.

“A daisy,” the battered Prince murmured to himself in a ease of it closer so he could steal a whiff of its natural scent. A lovely new gift from somewhere else within the cosmos for just him. “I know just where I shall place you, most welcome and precious daisy.” The Prince hummed. Turning to his bedchamber to place it amongst the empty singular mug, three mugs once filled of candies to enchant a sunshine globe to help keep the magnificent gift he had been given alive. Another hint to the gardens ever tended to by his mother to aid hopefully a terror free sleep for once.

*.*.*

“Where the hell is my daisy?” You muttered making Eddie chuckle. “I’ve checked the settings three times, this is four mugs and about half a bag of candy now my daisy, Eddie.”

“Alright,” you muttered turning to grab another potted daisy which you tentatively carried to hover over the first ring and released it. A second flash came and under the second you ducked to grab the pot you lifted to look at saying, “Now this is just an insult to my garden refusing half my best blossoms.” Lowly Eddie chuckled and you took the daisy back to its former home in the window. Again Venom had looped around your cast free arm helping to pop the painfully stiff knuckles and wrist. While for most people immobilization helped for you it actually made it a bit worse to gaining full free motion again.

…

“Ten feet,” you said situating the second of the rings that distance apart, one aimed up and the other down at a used mattress you found inside the old hotel in between owners. After a nod you said, “Nothing crazy about this at the least.”

“I got some of your bees, we’ll know where it comes out and help plan a way back.” Eddie said in a reluctant tone. “You sure you don’t want me to jump too?”

“Ancient One said best to keep someone to watch the gateways.”

“Alright, don’t like it, but here we go. Ready?” he asked while you stepped closer to the lower ring readying yourself mentally to jump. Fully armored up just in case. A final tug was given to the ends of your gloves and then up you sprung, to tuck your legs to your chest and almost cannonball through the ring. Bright and brilliant the ring let off a beam of light while inside of the second simply shimmered after you had passed through it. Heavily Eddie huffed and said to Venom, “I really don’t like this Buddy.”

Feet first in a sudden drop into a vault like room down into a crouch you landed. Swiveling your head to inspect the grey stone room without any windows and a steel door bolted shut. ‘Hello’ soft and familiar sounded in a voice you heard while rescuing Clint the word turned your head.

Atop a block of a table sat the Tesseract opposite a series of your mugs and your lost daisy that was basking underneath the glow of its magical orb of sunlight that lit the rest of the otherwise illumination free room. Just a bed was here aside from a deeply breathing body that suddenly became more prominent to your attention as it seemed to wince and groan. Like lightning, blackish blue barbed vines coursed around the figure you stood to quietly creep closer.

Black leather was met by slicked back raven locks on the tall broad figure that upon circling was clearly in some sort of armor like what one of the cloth mastering Beserkers had shared of Asgardian styles. The face pale and chiseled with hidden eyes by darkened lids to the bare of teeth in splitting lips to snarl through another pained wince, lost in a trance of some sort they didn’t seem to notice you. Yet something about the evident pain of this already wounded figure had you crouch and reach out to their upturned palms, not disturbing the scepter angled to rest against their chest and crossed legs. Just when their fingers clenched your hands retreated and your glowing eyes snapped to the face of the still close eyed victim of some mysterious form of pain.

To the side extending a leg, against touching their hands, you decided to move around to this mysterious figure’s back and timidly raised your hands to hover around his temples. ‘Who are you?’ you asked mentally and drew in a deep breath spreading a glow across your palms to try and tap into what he was facing.

“Prince Loki you try my patience,” a purple skinned figure facing away from the Prince lowly rumbled. While you began to glare at the alien bird faced man who stepped closer to the legendary figure you had prayed to for years now you found trapped in this prison of a place contacting this duo. On whom you saw the evident seam within his chest plate to his armored outer robe where you had stabbed him prior to murdering Thane. “I will not be mastered by silver tongues or false actions any longer. Only those who are useful to me are welcomed to be in my presence. Are you? Prince Loki, tell me honestly, is there any use to you at all?”

“Oh,” you muttered to yourself as he turned, causing the Prince’s ear to twitch now sensing the being behind him. In a look over the sizeable body in front of you that would be difficult for wrapping your arms around to fire powers through his link to these people. But you had to help. The wiggle in your boot had you grip Eir-Gram that engulfed itself in mist exploding to its full size enabling you to loop the sword around his shoulder to grip the blade lower on his left side in a plant against his back. Into his palm the wide eyed Prince summoned a dagger out of reflex only to watch in awe of the sheer terror on Ebony Maw’s face in his stagger away seeing who had taken hold of the puppet Prince. A telling glow around a mask the figure knew to be allied to his almost killer who now had found him again to finish the job.

Bright and brilliant to the turn of the purple figure the jagged volcanic glass like surface of the planet, with little surface not hovering like floating pathways from Spyro’s world inside a purple and pink sky littered with clouds of space dust, burst apart. This quiet place suddenly let loose from the earth plant life like what you had never seen or felt while the air ignited with something microscopic in the air that wished to spring to life as well like invisible phoenix. Bursts of light filled the eyes of the bird man mid shatter of earth around the Prince who tore his mind free to be possibly alone in the presence of this figure capable of terrifying Ebony Maw who had tortured him frequently.

Right around on a knee he used his scepter to push the blade he saw against his chest to face his helper, who he found inside four rings of electro magnetic bees that warped and sank in to seep into the armored body of his savior. Female, powerful, and on the echo of dances the bees gave off he could hear the title of Queen summoning the mental whisper of a name he could only assume to be linked to a being of such power. One out of legends he himself had grown up on who was foretold to be reborn upon Midgard, Lagertha.

“Prince Loki, see you got my daisy.” Somehow escaped your lips in the sweep of his eyes over your glowing self mid shrink of your blade that hopped back into your boot after you had adjusted onto the toes of your boots mid backwards crouch you retreated to in his turn.

“You issued my gifts,” he barely found the breath to whisper in a voice you could listen to for years on end. All the same those eyes, not obscured by their former entranced glow, blinked in a crisp blue fitted perfectly to his face that seemed to stir something inside of you. “How, my door.” He said taking notice of his undisturbed seal upon his door.

“Cube,” you said gesturing to the Tesseract he could not look to, unable to tear his eyes away as a bone chilling sense of freedom hit him and he wanted to remain under his savior’s protection just a few moments longer. “Interfered with my portal.”

“Pluto?” you heard through the bees from Eddie drifting your focus to how you might get this legendary figure in front of you to let you out of wherever you were being held at the mercy of the God of Mischief now his tormenters let go of him.

“Portal to where? What sort of realm do you claim dominion over? Must be indescribable.”

Just a sharp inhale was his answer before the cube lit up to tear you through a tunnel of light beams inside open space until hard and fast you came to a stop hovering above the used mattresses across from Eddie who rushed over. “Pluto!” Out at you his hand extended for you to rest yours inside of to tug you out of the glowing beam that shut off when you exited it.

“Okay, found bird man.” Instantly his brows shot up.

“Bird man has the tesseract?!”

“No, Loki, apparently does,” and you filled him in on everything, “Apparently he didn’t know he’d been given my mugs and daisy. Cube might be bringing him supplies.”

“Might be something more mischievous than that.”

“Odd, finding Prince Loki there.”

“Ooh how’s he look? Didn’t say.” He asked with a creeping grin.

“Um, black hair, these bright blue eyes, and, I mean he’s got nice cheekbones.”

“Hold up,” Eddie says smiling now, “You noticed his cheekbones?”

Thankful for your mask you replied with a creeping blush, “He’s, good looking.”

“This a brewing crush we talking here? Cuz the only other crush you’ve had so far is Karl Urban aside from the given Hugh Jackman.”

“I, might, I mean it was just a few minutes, and he’s got nice shoulders,” making Eddie smile wider as you mimed a hug, “Had to wrap my arms around over his shoulders with Eir-Gram to help unstick his mind from that bird man and his other purple buddy. Had a bit of trouble reaching fully with his shoulder pad things, but he’s, broad, why are you smiling at me not my fault he’s got some size to him and I noticed.”

“All I’m hearing is he’s huggable from you,” making you look away and him move closer to hug you.

“This is incredible. Now you unstuck his mind, he’ll find his brother and share all on about the tiny main squeeze he wants to hunt down to hug properly.”

“Now you’re being unrealistic.”

“He doesn’t swoon more than a bit over this encounter he is mad in the head and out of armor he gets one chance to fall head over heels for you.”

“He’s a prince, probably got a whole harem like Selvig said Thor boasted on about his past before meeting Dr Foster.”

“Oh I’ll break him in half no matter how broad he is if he doesn’t pick you.”

“You can’t make him pick me,” you said mid giggle.

“Oh the universe will handle that. One look at you and I bet he won’t be able to stop thinking about you.” Your head tilted as you sighed and he said, “It’s a proper crush, this is groundbreaking stuff here you deserve to have him groveling.” Making you giggle and turn away, “Okay not groveling don’t want him too desperate, but you deserve a respectable amount of passionate obsession. Emphasis on respectable he tries to climb anything close to your fire escape and we are having words on boundaries but flowers, candies, teddy bears, the sweeping grand gesture on occasion while being mindful of your schedule and need for sleep and tolerance of social exposure limits.” He said making you giggle again, “Would be perfect. How’s his voice?”

“Nice, like narrator level sort of hum to it.”

“Morgan Freeman narrate a phone book level or Stephen Spielberg read just his book on one character and then please for the love of funyons please shut up.”

“Morgan Freeman.”

“Very nice.”

“And he has a cape.”

“A cape! Man has flair. We’ll meet I’ll talk to him, I’ll feel him out for how he’ll mesh with the family and we can build on that.”

“Only way we’ll meet again is if Clint or Rhodey drag him along to when they check in on me. Hardly doubt SHIELD will let them just roam around especially with Thor trying to lord about amongst mortals.”

“You forget, you are repairing their uncle’s lost ship.”

“Which they might demand back.”

“There will be no demands. Finders keepers.”

You giggle again. “I suppose if they are princes they’d have their own and might demand a race or something.”

“See, now you’re talking, race then some food after in a celebratory meal when Eldfalls kicks their butts and they are left in awe of you.”

“For now, how long do you think I should wait to test the rings again?”

“I’ll go this time. I see Prince cheekbones I’ll grease the wheel for you.” With an eye roll you watched him just about dive over the proper hoop to come to drop inside the light beam that shot out the other ring. “Aww! And I had the perfect one liner for the Prince too! Damn,” he said popping out of the beam with a gentle tug of a hand from you then let go to bring out his pocket journal he used to write it down. “Never gonna remember it if I don’t write it down.”

*.*.*

“Here you are, Barton,” the familiar voice out in the center of Iowa forced Clint to grow rigid and swivel his head to find the source here on his family property. “Quite peaceful,” he said, closing the distance between them as Clint stole a glance to the barn his daughter was in, then back to the Asgardian Prince with ruby red eyes and skin in blotches turning pale blue. “Good, I require quiet.”

“Oh,” Clint said. Suddenly the taller body slumped into his own he had to grip his leather armor, “Okay…” A warm liquid over his hand had him lift it to find a trickle of blood seeping out from underneath the armor causing him to call out to his wife inside the house he hoisted up Loki onto his shoulder spying the levitating bag with a daisy poking out of the top. “Get the first aid kit!” Clint called out when she was seen on the porch causing her to hurry back inside leaving the door open for him. “How, do you get this off?”

“Whoa!” their oldest boy said making her try to nudge him out of the room. “Is he an alien?! He’s blue!”

Clint said, “Not nice to call people blue, son.”

“But he’s blue!” the boy protested. “Nobody’s blue! Unless he’s cold, is he cold?!” Reaching out to touch the stranger to answer his own question.

Clint as he managed to get the front of the shirt undone opened it to see a blood stained shirt replying, “Kind of, why don’t you go find a nice candle from mom’s sick kit she lights for you guys, hmm?”

“Ooh!” the boy said tottering off, “I’m gonna get the grass one!”

And Clint chuckled to his struggle to get the armored shirt off the broad shouldered former captive of his with limbs for days. “Oh ya, lawn trimmings, really calming,” he muttered to his wife, who chuckled helping to tug the armor free she tossed over the chair along the wall then went to undo the boots of the stranger.

“We know this guy?”

“Thor’s brother Loki.”

He said looking at his wife whose head tilted to the side, “The one who locked you in a cage?”

“More a cell than a cage. He was, nice. Plus I think he was under the same mind trick, his eyes didn’t look as ominously blue. They’re, blood red now, which can’t be good. He’s bleeding and said he needed quiet. I’ll call the team, till then, we can spare some Pac-man band-aids the kids hate to use. If anything I can’t get answers if he dies.”

“He puts one toe out of line and I’ll cut it off,” she assured him making him smirk hearing her head upstairs to answer the cry of their toddler she was pregnant with when her and their other children were taken by Thane.

“Duly noted love.” He said starting to take off Loki’s shirt as his daughter came into the doorway, “Sweetie, fetch Daddy some towels and a bucket of water, the sick bucket in the bag so we know it’s clean.” He said and she nodded hurrying off to get them.

Two hours had passed and Clint was on the phone with Nat, “He just showed up at my place and collapses, now he’s got this dome of light around him and he only woke up enough to say not to hurt his daisy and that Lagertha gave it to him.”

“Lagertha, same one Thor was all droopy eyed over when we didn’t know her?”

“Same one I would bet.” He said eyeing his boys who had crept into the dome tucking a stuffed duck and some healing crystals and some drops of peppermint oil their mom used on them when they were sick down the chest that steadily rose and fell. “Thor said he thought his brother was dead, any idea how we get word to him? And please don’t say the kid.”

“She’s the only one who has been to Vanir, she’s met Heimdall, apparently knows exiled Asgardians. Met Hogun, apparently kicked up some sort of uprising, been to that elf planet. Plus she has their uncle’s ship and she found you, broke you out of an Asgardian cell. Other than that, I don’t know, we can buy a book and look into Norse prayer rituals I guess, see if anyone hears us.”

“Funny,” he said, “I’ll keep an eye on him. Already turned blue and his eyes bright red with markings all over him I haven’t seen on Thor. But it makes me remember, kid said the anomalies were Asgardian like, he seems close to Asgardian best we know.” A bright flash outside had him turn his head, “Okay, Bifrost just went off outside. Call you back looks like they brought meds.” Hogun outside with a pair of Healers were welcomed in and after assessing the wounds of the Prince confirmed they finally sensed him and could quiet the search Queen Frigga had issued for her lost favored son. “What’s wrong with him, all blue with red eyes like that?”

“Loki is Jotun, a Frost Giant, so we are told adopted at birth. The injuries are old and deep. Crown Prince of Asgard has been tortured.”

“Crown, isn’t Thor next in line?”

“Thor’s removal from Odin’s favor is no less since his exile was replaced for imprisonment on Asgard after wreaking destruction upon innocents. Loki is Frigga’s son, he is heir to the Queen, no matter our belief of the AllFather our AllMother is beloved and formidable. The price for harming her son will be blood, when he awakens from his Odinsleep Prince Loki will share who has kept him from her protection and how he was freed.”

“He said Lagertha freed him.” At the brow lift from Hogun he asked, “What? You’ve heard of her too? Thor was all in awe over her legendary self being reborn.”

“I shall convene with young Pluto,” the warrior spoke parting Clint’s lips, “Shall this be truth she shall have the answers we seek.”

In a flash of light Hogun was gone leaving Clint to whisper to himself, “What?” and call Nat back.

*.*.*

Two bounces atop your palm and a candle was caught a foot from the ground after Hogun had transported himself in the middle of the shop you were opening on your weekend. “You are injured again.” his hand extended to gesture at your cast wrapped arm.

“Not really, bit complicated to explain,” you said. “Everything alright?”

“Prince Loki has been discovered upon an Agent of SHIELD’s property wounded and the target of lengthy torture. I have been informed he claimed to have been rescued by Lagertha. Do you have a deeper insight to what he has endured?”

“Well, I made these transport rings that the Tesseract had been interfering with,” you said and he narrowed his eyes slightly in focus on the details. “Stealing my mugs and a daisy. He was in a trance, someone was hurting him.” Off the back of one of your bees the image of Ebony Maw was projected for him that he memorized. “I touched his head and I saw this bird faced man who came with Thanos’ son, Thane, with this big guy, didn’t see his face, who was trying to tell Loki he was useless. I broke their bond over him and the Tesseract took me back to my rings after that. We didn’t really talk more than a few seconds. I don’t know what happened after I left.”

“Thank you, this is very enlightening to many details.”

“Is he alright?” You asked hastily luring a twitch of the corners of his mouth to tick upwards.

“Loki has entered Odinsleep, he will heal in due time, now under our protection and watch of our AllMother. I shall leave you to heal and return to your mortal duties.” Just like that he was gone again to return to Vanir so he could conference with Queen Frigga upon what he had learned. While they had no name of the culprits yet, as they seemed to be beyond your scope of knowledge within this realm, Loki would surely answer that upon his waking.

A true Shieldmaiden under the protection of their Queen so long for her bloodline precious to the Asgardians to whom they kept true now was privately praised by Queen and golden eyed guardian alike. While Odin to the kingdom proclaimed their lost Crown Prince discovered to a jubilant populace and a puzzled blonde Prince locked inside his cell inside the inescapable prison.

There were few answers for now but consequences too numerous to name would be doled out on the one responsible once discovered to get justice for the future King. For centuries was used to being mocked, now was seen in a new light since account of Thor’s time on earth shifted attention to the now deep cracks within the once golden Prince’s façade and opinions upon his former task of ruling their people. One other was seen as so mischievous and elders were again sharing tales of the young woman who grew to be their insurmountable Queen, stories ringing true to her prized son who in gaining control of his might would one day surely guide them true. A young future King with an alliance to the reborn Lagertha, that gave a brighter hope to the next generation carrying on the legacy of Asgard.

*.*.*

“Welcome back,” the jewelry shop manager spoke upon your entrance in a far more suitable new fury lapel double breasted coat you had bought to replace your old one, still second hand like the blouse that tucked into your worn jeans halfway coated by tall boots to counter the icy conditions outside. One handed you undid the scarf that had been pulled up to your chin in the unbutton of your coat to not overheat inside this warm shop as snow kept piling up outside, as it had atop your hat you shook off before entering.

“Thank you, I wasn’t expecting it here so soon.”

Making him chuckle as he went to fetch the tray containing your order from the back room. With apparent care he opened the box and allowed you to turn it this way and that to the intrigue of the other workers who saw he was about to do anything to make this ring perfect for this odd client. Moonstone was a laughable center stone to most of the employees here, accent stones were lovely, however a lone stone on a ring and they imagined it to be the most hideous of rings. At least until they saw the instant glow to your face and eyes mid smile in thanking their manager. “Thank you, been having some rather absurd dreams without my ring. It looks so much better than the first one. I will do my best to keep it safe against my chaos.”

Again he chuckled and helped you to ease it back into its box so that he could place it inside a small velvet bag for the trip home. While not as alluring as diamonds a simple search had stomachs shift as to what the ring could be intended to help with out of what a single internet search could pull up for your name. They wondered what you were fending off with it and more importantly if it actually worked for you or not. Right to Eddie’s you went to find him with a cake and ring box awaiting you so he could help you put on both of the replaced rings that several, including Gwen, would make certain to give notice they saw you had replaced your old one as they had your leather tassel bag and your new coat.

Confetti in the shape of seals littered the streets early Valentines Day morning while you waited in line outside the door of a packed café for a warm cider prior to your cast removal appointment. Horns like trombones on a parade of seal shaped cars sounded in whale moans instead of their usual noises to announce the fanfare. Right off the middle float car Baby Seal Man leapt mid cackle to hurry to your side.

Firmly his hands took hold of your shoulders when he came to a stop. “I have done it! Finally done it! I am now, a Marine, Biologist!” the final two words paused between them for emphasis. As rapidly as he’d take hold of your shoulders he let go now flashing a business card between his fingertips you timidly accepted. “That jet blasting rocket knocked off the head of my thesis council and finally after three years of argument and revisions I have earned my license and was able to complete an internship! I am off to the Arctic for my first research job!” and in a rush forward he stole a tight hug from you. “And it’s all thanks to you that I get to pass on to Misique the stupendous news!” A wink was snuck in there and the confused crowd watched his spring back off to his parade float. Shouting when he landed upon it, “My congratulations and wonder for what you might achieve are boundless, my friend!”

His news by noon would be shared with the staggering confirmation of new graduates who were deterred by the single man who refused 90% of all thesis papers sent his way to qualify for degrees. This year would be the largest graduating class yet for many schools using the same council to grade such lofty papers and fields in great need of bodies would find a mini surplus of new hires to gain experience on top of the internships most took while in wait for acceptance of their papers. Each who could only shine a glimmer of light upon the tragedy of that jet attack from the Goblin.

For once you took the first step on this dating related holiday you had sent an edible arrangement on Valentines day. Not to flirt or stake a claim but to prevent an emotional slump on the Hallmark holiday associated with happiness, and if by sixth sense alone you knew when Dr Strange had received them.

Even with terribly trembling hands those fruit slices were savored and inside the hospital you saw the man himself with hands in his jacket pockets waiting for you to arrive for your appointment. “Thank you, certainly won’t get scurvy for your efforts.” A hint of a smirk ghosting onto his lips as you flashed him a grin, “For now, if you don’t mind, I can sit with you. Technically I’m not on staff, so I’d be a guest.”

“Well I’m not going to risk you trying to shimmy your way through the air vents and break your hands again in the fall.”

“Somehow, you know me too well. How long have you known me again?” he asked making you giggle in his turn to show you to the proper waiting room to sign in and wait for Dr Palmer to help remove your cast.

Tools were brought out with a spare set of hands brought in to help steady your arm for Strange to look on and get the first look of his work free of the cast. Scars of stitches had miraculously faded and with a scan by one of your hummingbirds the bones and nerves seemed to be fully healed, an absolute miracle for the doctors tossing a bundle of hope on Strange’s inner flame for his struggle. All the same Strange had you plan your physical therapy sessions on the same days as his twice a week to be able to monitor your progression, starting today.

Twice your size a burly man in scrubs with a smile on his face had named himself your assigned physical therapist. Seated at a table he led you to while Strange sat with his own to hear of how he had bested ideal healing time already and had his bones and head trauma healed within a month’s time just leaving the pesky nerve damage.

Hope hanging on by a thread that like you said it would heal now his exterior damage was gone and ample stolen glances your way as your trainer had taken hold of your injured arm. Loudly a pop from your wrist paired with a squeak from you had a few looks your way before he went back to feeling your muscles and gently guided your hand and wrist in a few motions.

“How does it feel?” he asked as he laid his fingers over the back of your fingers to gently guide them in a bend forward.

“Middle finger is still stiff. Need to pop it feels like.” With care he eased fingers around your middle finger he tightened his hold on to muffle the pop it gave off.

“Keep it gentle, gradually we will work you back up to weight and full flexibility. I know you will just be raring to get back to casual motion, however, patience is key. Weight to minimal and just get used to simple movements of your hand again.” Was the final word upon the end of the first round of basic finger and wrist exercises you flubbed to show some sort of reluctance for your middle finger and thumb to give the man something to progress from in each visit. Though that did grant Strange something positive to take from his less than positive ended session. Hopeful alone in that the delay of reception of the shot of yours was all this was, a window of time he hoped to be coming to a close until it would start to show improvement.

“Okay, now that I have my hand back the final strip has been finished off and now I am making some test swatches for the proofing process. My grandfather sent out some resin and I have been a weaving machine. Can’t just use just the wool for the full sail so I have to work in some Asgardian metal thread and some of the other chord to match the standard of my sail to see how it will handle the resin.”

The video was of the weaving of the spare sail swatches aided by your bees to draw the chord and thread from one side of the cloth out of the back and through again to the needle you used to add the special design to the base pattern.

Two weeks and all your spare time landed you with six swatches of sails that inside the garage the Beserkers who flew in helped you to heat up buckets of water. Into a copper tub each was poured for the former sail workers with great admiration for your work on just the test swatches to help shove and stomp on them in the water beside you. Muscle memory for them helped to get each to the right tightness and strung up from Eldfalls’ mast to dry with help from his magical fire as a second group readied the resin.

Off his deck with masks they guided you over to show you the proper wrist technique to coat the swatches entirely. Not that they wouldn’t help you with the full sail but completely so they could pass on this rite to another willing soul after so long of being without the honor of doing so freely.

From the moment it was dry packed into the bus to the freezing waters you went again with Eldfalls in tow to hover above the dock as Eddie confirmed the rental of a small wooden sail boat with the man at the desk tied off there for you to use. Half the group would fit in with you and Eddie and the second took a loaned metal motor boat used to help tow the sail free wooden boat out to sea.

One by one out of numbered pouches the sails were tied onto the mast and hoisted high to take the wind to help coast the heavy boat a bit. Each far too small to carry it properly but were large enough to show off how the skills used to weave marked weaknesses for various patterns of waterproofing. Wear at corners or in the dead center, like the third section before over your radio a call came from a yacht which was driven up to your group. To which you replied, “Listen here moron, it’s an experiment, for the third time so just take your pollution craft and go find someone else to talk down to.”

Not twenty minutes later as you readied the fourth sail in place to hoist up you heard the radio go off for the shore patrol who had been warned of a pair of boats that were stuck out on the water and refused the help of the rich people on the spacious yacht to be carried ashore. “Shore patrol this is the so called wooden dingy,” you said watching the distant speed boat on the dock being readied for the next team who did patrols for the day. “I told that dingbat with the yacht I am experimenting on sail swatches for waterproofing techniques who said I was spoiling his pictures of the water.”

Laughter was heard through the line as the same man responded, “We have reports of weather currents changing, roughly how long will your experiment run? Should the wind not change we will have to clear these waters against incoming storms.”

“I have two more swatches then we will be heading ashore. Only rented the boats for three hours.”

“Enjoy your experiment and we will keep you informed of any abrupt changes.”

“Honestly,” you said putting the radio down on the deck. “Can’t even escape the deep pockets out in the ocean.” Making the others chuckle in Eldfalls’ next circle of the ship inside the water like a giant metal crocodile with the top of his head and back visible using his wings to help propel him forward and turn. “Back to the top,” you said gripping the rope to hoist the new sail piece into place that upon being tied off tightened the tug on the anchoring rope as the breeze started to carry the boat a few feet.

“Number four, seems intact,” a scan confirmed the fact and after noting that in your notebook following the process of repairing Eldfalls you returned that section to its bag and pulled out number five.

“What do you think?” you asked one of the sail makers, “Four or six?”

“Six would be best for smaller ships, for a sail your size should choose four.” She said and the whole group was raring to go back inside the garage to do another round of fulling the whole sail.

Bucket after bucket of hot water filled the same copper tub and a lengthy chunk at a time once the grommet holes were stitched and with chord tied onto the copper pipe you were using as a sail support dangling from one of the beams from the ceiling. To their amusement you caught on and showed a latch onto the process like a natural.

Side by side each panel was strung up until the whole sail was windproof and hung tighter shrinking it down a fraction. And where some might use machines to stitch the sections together due to the Asgardian metal element to it you had to use more of the metal thread to load into a needle and hand stitch each section together.

Zig zags were the go to pattern on a sail on this planet, while the talented sail makers joined you in completing the intricate clover like stitches between connection points of the metal layers of the design. Like a supporting net that layer would hold the sail intact and work with the storm battling capabilities Eldfalls had. He sat up watching the group effort, those stitching and those helping to raise the supporting bar a couple inches at a time with more who pressed the metal grommets into the stitched holes ready for them across the top and bottom.

Half of Saturday and well into Sunday evening the busy work was complete and using the successful technique resin was spread across the sail material on both sides then left to dry. Pattern disguised, a teaser clip like several others was posted to share the sail was complete and fulled, simply awaiting the print of the securing mounts to connect it to the mast and support beam.

Unlike usual sails you showed diagrams of the knob ended fixtures off the loops to attach inside the sail grommets so that the sail could expand and fold by command of the controls. That like the mast would take some time to get the fittings just right, at least a few printing tries Eldfalls would have to approve. All the same with care the sail was taken down and folded up inside a disguising cloth to keep safe until those were ready to have you take Vili’s sail down to replace with your own. And now with the remaining wool and supplies you could use it however you wished to over the coming years.

Dinosaur comics again flooded the beginning of March as the reminder that you didn’t have a graduation speech. Dinosaurs and continued practice with your rings, now you and Venom were testing distances they could be used that would reach up to a mile. Fine distraction from that pesky speech and the fact that while you were finishing up the final weeks of your physical therapy the empty seat where Strange should be seated had you sneak through the hospital until you found Christine.

“His last email said he took off to some monastery.” When your brows furrowed she asked, “What is that look for?”

“Which monastery, my uncle went to one when my dad died.”

“Kamar-Taj in Nepal.”

“Oh that’s wild, my uncle’s a stone’s throw from there. I hope this isn’t a pattern and I wake up one day to a note Eddie I gone too to shave his head.” You said making her chuckle to herself.

“He’s chasing a healing tip. Some impossible patient who walked after a severe paralyzed diagnosis swears by the place.”

“Well hope it’s not like my uncle’s place he got rabies from eating a bat after they told him to not eat anything but rice water and leeks for a month.”

“I doubt it but now that image will be paying rent in my mind all day, thank you,” she said and you both slipped away to her giggles imagining Strange nibbling on a soap bubble coated wing and growling at people being shoed off with a broom to get his rabies shot.

Of to a late shift at the book shop you went to relieve MJ from her shift to head home herself. Lost mentally to the next test you would put your rings through an alarm you waited to hear for four years now had gone off. Bucky was being thawed out. Quietly you would be listening in to see where he was being sent and then pass on the word or intervene yourself. Uncertain of just what to feel yet as Hydra had stuck their last card on the table. And back to the means to keeping busy those same rings happened to be the reason for said thawing. A certain double agent had seen them in use by you and Venom then passed on word for brownie points granting Hydra their next conquest.

Alone in a room with Daredevil and Hawkeye, the latter who got knocked off a glider and caught by you, chose to help Misique out until he could get his team back on the com system that went down due to an odd interference. Someone was blasting Blue Man Group songs through the airwaves interfering with communications outside a series of channels.

A large sign dangling in the lobby had Hawkeye looking Daredevil over as he clearly was going the wrong way after saying he’d take the offices while you handled what sounded like a flooding boiler room in this place out by the pier.

“Hey, uh, Batman,” in Spanish you continued making him look your way, “Sign says it’s the hall on the left, third floor.”

“Ah,” he said then turned, “No luck for us, lemons.” Clearly struggling on the final word as he did causing you to shake your head and take your own path as Hawkeye went to clear his own rooms.

Soaking wet not twenty minutes later you were seen by Hawkeye digging through the cabinet he had grabbed hearing there was documents in there that would be useful for a case of his later. And under his jacket he shoved the file when you handed it over.

A sudden blast however had you all duck and rush for cover in opposing ends of the same intersection of halls, you with an arm across Daredevil’s chest as he tried to calm himself while he was unable to use his advanced hearing to see anything but you. Every now and again he would get over-stimulated and confused and be led around by friends. Numerous signed signals by Hawkeye had his curiosity grow all the more curious of what was up with this guy.

Elektra raced by, “Water’s rising, no evil monkeys!”

Hawkeye asked promptly, “What’s that about monkeys?”

“The see, hear, speak no evil monkeys,” you said and his chin angled downwards in a subtle urge for more clarification.

“I’m blind, you’re deaf,” Daredevil replied dropping Hawkeye’s jaw he clamped shut to follow you guiding Daredevil along.

“Year ago you go around a mountain to not share that, now you might as well post it on a bus,” you murmured making the blind man in your grip chuckle to himself.

“How are we just finding out about this?” Hawkeye asked and you glanced back at him in his rush to run faster seeing how high the water was coming from the growing edge of the storm that had come this far North to hit the state and others around it. “And why are we out digging for files in a hurricane?”

“One,” Daredevil answered, “I keep a tight territory, not much spill room, two, people refuse to issue due diligence and grant all the evidence in times of natural disasters. Usually have a watch a friend made me to help me read things but I snapped the band and it is being repaired at the moment.”

“Watch,” Hawkeye whispered to himself then asked louder, “You know Pluto?!”

“Odd to say we know a fair deal more about her than we do about our lovely bee here. Not to mention the help given to a few of that mortgage scam recently. What she did resonated with people, helping two of ours keep their homes they worked hard to retire in.”

To a parked van you all raced to catch Elektra who urged you all inside, including Hawkeye who made certain to take the seat at your side to ask lowly as the two new parents spoke up front, “Hey, what’d Pluto do, about those houses?”

“Bought them from the son of a clansman bank owner who bought the bank to kick out two retired black people he felt an inherited grudge with.”

“Just,” he moved his hand, “Bought two houses? For strangers?”

“Not strangers,” you said, settling your hands on your sore propped up knees, to help stretch your palms over them to hide the stiffness in your hands from breaking a wall earlier.

“She talks to you, right?” he asked, luring your head to turn to look at him. “Why hasn’t she just said what happened to her, who hurt her? We could help.”

“People die, you’re years late to save her, everyone wants to rush in, to name and know the pain,” you looked forward, “But you don’t know it, you feel it. We saved ourselves, but all everyone wants to know is what happened. Like we’re a war vet returning with a leg blown off. Rehashing it over and over isn’t going to change the fact a limb is gone and it hurts and now we have to put on a brave face so others don’t go rushing in to what they don’t understand. The Avengers didn’t help, SHIELD, who knew, all these years, didn’t help.” You said parting his lips, “Most of the people who hurt us are dead, much like the man Fury sent to check on Pluto’s past is dead now that he’s catching on to the pack that’s been hiding and guiding the herd.”

“What are you trying to say? Someone’s infiltrated SHIELD?”

“Infiltrated,” you scoffed, “It’s in the history books, welcomed with open arms, un-vetted foreign brilliant minds to help protect humanity from harms unlike that they would understand. But there are many ways and reasonings behind an oath of protection.”

“You’re saying there’s spies?” he whispered.

And you whispered back, “There’s a reason they never tried to snatch Widow back, because to them she never left their control. For an organization of spies the organization makes far too many dumb mistakes.”

*.*.*

“Hello Soldier,” Broke the silence of the room of a dozen men around the trained killer who woke up inside of a restraint chair without sign of his pupil. He always had you there to get started right away on the prep for the next mission when he could for a time get you out of here. Away from them. Even if only for a few days at a time was all he could spare. You were absent, his fellow Winter Soldier was not here either at your side to await orders for him to issue on your training. The men around him should have said something and yet they stood or sat trembling around him until Pierce had spoken up.

“Where is the White Dove?”

“On her first solo mission,” a lie, loud and clear the obviously louder and faster pound of the commander’s heart gave away this lie. You were being kept from him and the men around him eased back at the sudden darkening on his gaze and flex of his body to spring to action and find his coveted pupil. Still the lying Pierce continued, “In fact, that is why I am here. Is doing well, found a transportation tech that we want, these rings here.” He said showing a black and white photo he pulled from the folder in hand the Winter Soldier accepted in a stoic fashion, ready to be shown more clues of where his pupil was and how best to get to you. “Only there is a masked figure, Misique, who is keeping her from returning with the rings.” Another lie, all the same he took the second picture without show of the explosive rage bubbling over inside of him.

“She did well, out on her own, now she needs an extraction team. I want you to kill Misique and drag them back here with those rings. Bring our asset home.” Faking a breathy but confident laugh Pierce said, “Done a hell of a job on this one. Did a, phenomenal job,” even faster the heartbeat sped up to a point near to what might cause one to pass out or hint a heart attack was coming. More lies. But what about? The mission? Safety of his pupil? The more Pierce’s heart sped up spilling more supposed attempts you had made to get away from this highly trained individual thwarting any means of escape only heightened the rage and the demand for answers right now. “Bring her home.”

The final word hung in the air and heaving a deep breath when he left the room Pierce named the team going with the steadfast teacher, who with a murderous glare stood to ready robotically, not for the mission, but for one solitary reason. The only person he would believe was not here. The only mission the Winter Soldier had was to find his White Dove. And to keep her safe he would kill anyone, including the men who filed into the shielded jet with him, armed to the gills and distant from him. Confirming only one thing, they were gonna need every single round, charge and brutal handheld trick within their arsenal to bring him down if they were behind any harm to his White Dove. No matter the stance, on either side of the line, no one was going to stop him from finding his White Dove.

Continue into the sequel - Poke

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The White Dove Pt 48 - Strange

I think by the title you can tell who is back in this chapter. But fair warning it has a main focus of surgery and recovery time in case someone might be squeamish, I warned you. Some fun with Deadpool and others mingled in but this one's got to be rough to lay the work for the final chapters ahead. :)

@devilishminx328. @theincaprincess, @lilith15000, @jesevans, @jiminapickle

The White Dove Masterlist

Atop a hospital bed inside the ICU you sat. The heart monitor connected to the sticky pads across your chest and back as well as the pulse monitor on the fingertip of your right index finger filled the room with background noise. On the same hand that formerly had been holding the broken rings it once had on, both precious rings now ruined from the collision with the car as you tried to protect your head.

Dr Strange had conferenced outside with Dr Palmer, speaking far softer than they needed to around your hypersensitive self who could probably hear their frantic thoughts if they’d just dare to look your way before they entered for her to tell you, “We need to get you ready for surgery. The blow to your wrist shattered it. And while your injection of that paste seems to be holding the bones together well we need to cement that with a dissolvable mesh to help hold the wrist in place to see if it can heal to give you at least some range of motion.” Eddie, freshly arrived, entered the doorway with the Ancient One and a couple monks beside him as Dr Strange said he would be heading the surgery to ensure as much nerve health as possible within the connection to the hand.

“At least it was the non-dominant one,” a nurse had been heard whispering to another as the pair of doctors turned to see your sibling and the odd monks beside him with a third Asian monk dressed Sorcerer you had seen before but had yet to be introduced to who came into view. She gave a convincing nod and softly whispered to you as Dr Strange said he’d see you in a bit and exited to ready the operating room, “You will not feel any pain. Take the operation, I hear he is the best in his field.”

“Alright,” you said to her mysterious urge of this surgery and accepted the tablet to sign the consent paperwork May Parker brought over to explain. She remained behind as Dr Palmer detailed the surgery and that she would be checking your lungs and heart with a catheter from the gash on your side they had bandaged and inserted a drain to ensure your ribs had not splintered and your chest did not fill with fluid as they got clear scans and formed a plan.

Carefully Eddie and with magical interference the Ancient One helped to keep May unaware of the weapons the two removed from you along with the jeans and two shirts you had on as a special gown with an opening on the front and back was brought to fold around you. They remained at your side to keep you calm until you were wheeled out and the Sorcerers went to join Eddie in the waiting room where Harry’s butler and Gwen’s mother was waiting as well for news on their own teens.

A man with a wrench had thrown a proverbial one into your day plan as he came for blood from Harry. His having been fired recently on bad terms from Oscorp the main snapped tether to warrant such anger. Harry was the goal but as you tugged Gwen’s younger brother away from a wrench blow she shoved Harry and her other brother away and your left wrist got hit. A grip came next on your back and into traffic you were thrown, to slam into the hood of a brand new mustang gunning it to show off the roar to buddies the driver passed by in their older model kiddie wagons.

Off and under the hood you collapsed with arms unfurling on their own off your head to enable a flinch of a glow in your eyes sending yet to be formed bees from your mind into your arm and ribs to set your bones. Atop your knees while the speedster was forced to back up by passers nearby you coughed and came to sit forcing air back into your lungs while your good but scuffed hand found a syringe pack in your tall boot to unfold and jab into the gash on your broken hand and bleeding side to help you not bleed out. Cough after cough splattered blood from your sealing lungs onto your lap and scuffed sleeves as curls spilled about to help disguise the pain and rage on your face as you tried to contain the urge to explode with power to kill the man others were grappling with to Gwen’s frantic call to the Captain not far away.

Right off the table to the ease of a mask over your mouth for what you knew to be a three second dose of sedation your astral self lifted to see the Ancient One there with a kind grin. “My companions and I wished to come and aid in a cover of sorts for this troubling time. They shall ensure your body will remain safe and slumbering pain free whilst we are able to converse freely.”

“Oh,” you said and saw Eddie floating a few steps behind her, “Hey.”

“This is weird,” he said, “I can’t hear Venom.”

“No, unfortunately I could only draw one of you here, he will keep your body maintained while we wait out the surgery.” And to you she said, “I have a strong belief your body will not resume to heal itself whilst your inner being is here with me. Or at least not as rapidly.”

With a hand in your shoulder Eddie took your side to ask, “Are you alright?”

“Think I’m doing better than the guy whose new car I broke.” At his brow lift you said, “It was just one swing at my wrist, rest was the car. No scars, man eater.” You said making him come closer to hug you.

“What did he want?”

“He got fired, wanted to kill Harry. Missed and almost killed the littler one of the Stacy boys.” Beyond rooms of random people and long near empty halls sectioned off within the operation wing you three began to tour to not be hovering so close to your body that was being cut open even more.

“Anyone else smell honey?” the woman manning the tool tray asked.

“Effect from the pressure containing compound Pluto injected herself with. Mixture on texture between a body scrub and peanut butter depending on what it combines with and wraps around. Producing a film of protection, namely around bones and organs, that smells like honey.” Dr Strange said upon adjusting the lay of your swollen and black bruised split open arm and hand. “Let’s get some leeches for this bruise,” over his face his magnifying glasses were set.

Greedily the wriggling things eased from a jar latched onto your hand to help aid in the reduction of the swelling and ease the bruise so the Surgeons could make certain the numerous stitches necessary to be laid so you would scar as little as possible. And a bit higher on your sheet covered bicep Dr Palmer caught his momentary pat of a hand there as if to warn he was going to start now.

Utmost care was taken in the camera fed through the split in your side, to both wade through the mixture that folded back around the camera, ensuring the contently pumping heart and scuffed lungs were not in need of repair before she got to checking your ribs. “Stephen, I need you to look at this.” Mid trail of the nerve endings in your less swollen and black forearm his tools retracted so he could look up to peer at her monitor. A slit clear as day in the side of your expanding lung in real time was seen to be growing a new film of lung cells stitching the hole back together between breaths. “I’m watching a lung create new cells to repair itself in real time. What did she put in this stuff? Her healing is kicked into super speed it looks like.”

“Same thing with Stark’s abducted friend. Started patching a tear in his liver and intestinal wall by the time we got him sedated and on the table. I was in that surgery too, watched brain lesions dissolve to repaired brain tissue from just an injection into a laceration on his torso.”

“She needs to add this to a human study next if this is what it can really do. All I’ve seen Misique use it on is to keep pressure on split veins and arteries to get patients here. Nothing to this degree.”

“I have to fix her wrist and hand first for her to do that.” Stephen said seriously and got back to his prior task and she got back to maneuvering the camera to begin searching those ribs.

“You might know,” you said suddenly widening a curious smile across the Ancient One’s lips while you looked away from a monitor reading your name at a nurse station stating that you were still in surgery to not break into a full on panic attack and spoil the efforts to keep your cover for this surgery. “I’m making, or made, two transporter rings. One is supposed to let things out the other only I’ve lost four mugs so far and half a bag of my candies I put in them to see if full objects can be sent as well. My Beserker friend said it is because of interference with the rings? But what could interfere?”

“I would imagine the Tesseract might be the culprit.”

“The, why?” You asked making her let out a breathy chuckle.

“For some months now the Tesseract has been beyond our discovery, shielded by some form of being granted powers off world surely by some sinister plot. You are capable of crafting rings that tap into the magic of Rainbow Portals, why would it not call out to you? Give warning of its location.”

“So, it wants me to go through? I can imagine that can only go well. End up tearing myself into quarters no doubt in the process. I haven’t even tried sending living things through yet.”

“If I may, be so bold as to share something, you are not being monitored, only it came to pass that our base in Tokyo noted a burst of concentration of notice of the Tesseract whilst you were in Japan recently.”

“When,” you said softly. Then said louder, “The root voice, it wasn’t a root.”

“No I would imagine not. It would seem while you were there the cube recalled yourself from your first trip to the past.”

“But I didn’t see or hear the cube then.”

Eddie said, “No, but you did get pushed through a tear by a portal using the Vibranium element housing the Tesseract.”

“But, that doesn’t make sense. Let’s say I’m the most powerful source of power on this planet,” you said and she nodded, “Buried here on Earth by Odin to keep safe. Why me?”

“Because you can hear it,” she said and your lips parted. “The cube is known for ample mischief in its past, however to have one who can understand and at the very least uncover the element, by markings on its case, used to encircle its powerful core, I would hasten to that person. Were I the most powerful source of power upon this planet.”

“All I’m hearing is I’m gonna have to jump through and fight whoever is on the other side of that link to free the cube or at least say hello to it.”

“Perils upon perils, my master once told me when I asked what he faced to hold the position I know shoulder. I understand your wariness. Many souls have coveted a chance moment with that cube since the dawn of creation.”

Softly you sighed and caught a look at Captain Stacy who had arrived from the station to check on his kids through a window, rushing from his now parked cop car down on the lot below. “I heard there’s a Tinkerbell marathon in the Peds wing if you’re up for it?”

“I am,” they both said, both grateful for the stop to help keep you calmer than they knew you to be right now. And for the ten hour surgery they kept hovering in the back of the room as you did staring at the screen and lovely films to not wonder what your body had been put through while you were wandering and pondering issues with your rings.

Mental distraction was impossible right now and a single pat of her hand on your shoulder signaled it was time to turn back. Like a switch flipped inside the transfer room where you were being monitored post surgery your eyes opened stunning the aesthetician for how rapidly you had come back to consciousness.

Back in the waiting room Eddie drew in a breath, feeling Venom absorbing what the Symbiote missed out of Eddie’s mind, to the Ancient One casually blinking and remaining as she had for the long hours they had been silent inside the crowded room of strangers also in wait for news on relatives.

“There you are Miss Pluto. Bright eyed and bushy tailed.” Pain was instantaneous and behind a stoic mask you peered up at the man who continued, “Just monitoring you here for a bit then we’ll have you in your private room for your family to see you.”

“Okay. Feels like it’s been a long time. Longer than usual.”

“Doctors Strange and Palmer wanted to be certain your injuries were all seen to. They will come to check on you once you are in your room. You’ll have the first scan after that with one of your birds you built.”

“Ok,” you said turning your head to look at the arm inside a 3D printed cast. It stretched beyond your fingertips revealing a series of stitches that wrapped around the forearm, wrist and down the middle of the back of your hand to your middle finger. The cast atop a wooden support platform attached to the bed rail was held in place by a strap that laid over your arm above the injury near to your elbow explaining the pressure you felt there.

“The strap will be removed later. It was added to prevent jostling the arm while you slept.”

“Well it’s not the worst way to wake up.” You said drawing in a breath and asked using your free hand to pat your ribs. “No drains?”

“No, minimal internal bleeding, no need.”

“That’s a plus,” you said making him and the nurse behind him, who was readying a syringe to bring closer to you, luring your eyes to it, smile.

“There are some minor abrasions on your face I was asked to tend to now.”

“That a shot or a saline rinse?” You asked making her chuckle softly.

“Just a rinse. Above the brow.” Gently now that you were awake and wouldn’t shift to disturb the surgeons with an approving nod your face was cleaned up same as your neck while your other arm and legs had been cleaned up with scrapes cleaned in chosen times mid surgery while the surgeons took drink breaks or changed tools. “You seem to be handling this well.”

“Well it’s not the first time I’ve woken up after a surgery. First time I got to choose if I got it or not,” you said that drew her eyes to yours suddenly. “How are the Stacy kids?”

“Very good. Older boy had a fractured arm, and the sister had a minor cut on her forearm, the younger brother has a boot on his foot from a fall off a step.”

“And Osborn?”

“Dislocated shoulder, they all were taken home not long ago. Should be back tomorrow to check on you, heard as much from other nurses. The Captain especially wanted to speak to you.”

“Got your stuff,” Eddie said with a duffel bag of things, clearly including the furry blankets and body shark pillow from your bed having passed through a portal she had summoned to let him gather things while you were between rooms.

Gently out of the gown you were helped as they found the scrubs they had were washed with lavender products. Across the bed a sheet was laid with one furry blanket laid down for you to be eased off the one transfer stretcher onto the stationary bed. Underwear was added, with a cloth bra wiggled over your cocooned arm to cover your breasts by two nurses while Eddie readied your knee length sweats. When those were in place and he’d fixed the lay of the grip bottomed socks you were given in the surgery prep room a baggy flannel was brought to be folded above your elbow on one arm and buttoned at the chest to leave the belly open for wires from monitors and checks later on your bandaged cut.

The process was painful for your stiff and partly bound body. Yet when they saw you being covered by the second blanket with the shark pillow wrapped from behind you to under your injured arm’s elbow the nurses were content to draw back the curtain and yelp at the sight of Deadpool fully suited and armed on the other side of your half glass door.

With a hip he bumped the door open, as he had four large bags full of Chinese takeout he carried in for Eddie to help him settle the bags on the bed by your legs and the table wheeled over from the wall. “Evening Starshine. Shattered wrist, bummer, not as bad as a shattered elbow though.” To the nurses he said, “It’s always the little nub on the end that smarts the most when it’s growing back again.” And off his face he pulled his mask he pocketed to smile at you. “Brought you tons of bone growing fuel. Went Chinese for the chopsticks. How you doing?”

“Pretty good considering,” you said as the confused nurses excused themselves. You inched up tucking your legs to cross them easing your comfort in the task of Eddie nudging the back of the bed up a bit more.

And when the door was shut he asked, “Ten hours on the slab, had to be hell keeping still.”

“Sorcerers helped to keep my body asleep while they pulled me out of my body.” His eyes were quick to snap to yours, “Like astral projection, out of body experience.”

“Now that sounds even worse.” He said with some sentiment in the tone to your experience.

“Well, between the ambulance and the crowd there really wasn’t any hobbling off unknown like I usually do. Top Neuro doc in the country worked on my arm. Should be fun getting those stitches out when they’ve healed weeks prior.” You said with a sigh then asked mid furrow of your brows, “How’d you know my wrist shattered?”

“Oh it’s all over town. There’s a bus turn over on third or it’d be on the news. Punisher found a ring of neo-Nazis, big explosion, all the frills, skulls galore as per his MO.”

“Why are there always Nazis?”

“I, don’t know.” He said propping a hand on his hip a moment then sat on the edge of the bed to open your straw for your big gulp sized slushee he had tucked in one of the bags then handed Eddie a soda from the six pack he brought for them. “But then again if there weren’t we’d have no clue who it would be crawling up from between our sewers and dumpsters at night.”

“Well, hopefully they won’t keep me here long or I’ll have to sign myself out against orders to keep them from knowing my bones are back to a simple stress fracture by now.”

“Or we can smuggle you out,” he joked making you grin as you started to eat trying to keep the arm again strapped to the support board in place.

Eddie said, “Oh, and apparently Venom picked up a call from Thengel,” he said making you look his way. “He couldn’t get in touch with you so he called me. Be in tomorrow at noon. Then it’s surely gonna be on the news.” Gaining a huff from you.

“I really need to come up with a hive message list to answer those calls when I can’t.”

“No you don’t!” While Wade said, “Bad idea. Never knew you’d be dying otherwise if you needed a frantic response for a dramatic effect.”

“Gonna end up working the poor man into an early grave if I don’t think of something though.” You said shoving another helping of food between your parted lips afterwards.

“Technically, you could have been dead for eight years. He needed a crash course to get those years of worrying up to date.” Wade said making you giggle around your mouthful.

“I am glad to see you have your appetite already,” Strange said having entered the room warned of your buffet and company, yet another dangerous figure who you seemed at ease with.

“I know most say to wait but they took the scan, I haven’t eaten since breakfast and Wade knows I’m weak against broccoli beef.”

A grin eased across Christine’s lips as she joined him in the room to view the scan the bird drone had uploaded into your file on her tablet, “Same, for cashew chicken,” she said with a chuckle.

Strange said, “Scans look good. I wanted to talk to you about the procedure. Ten hours is far from customary but with your chest and damage of the limb we wanted to take the utmost care.”

Meticulously he shared the full process of all the points he had checked and minor repairs done only increasing the itch you felt to want to tear your own skin off in a forced molt if that made it easier to get away from this situation and subject. You didn’t want to hear details like those Red Room used to share of procedures your body would only reverse, including three painful procedures to change the shape of your eyes, cheeks and nose which within a week had receded and enraged them more. Only urging more exploratory surgeries to see the extent of your healing capabilities and if you could be used for interchangeable parts for others if need be.

“Now we opted for a printed cast which will be easier for self care, you can get it wet, through try not to until your stitches are healed. Those are fully dissolvable, so no need to remove them. I want at least two days of immobility, no weights or free dangling or swinging so we will give you a sling for that.”

Christine said, “We understand you were chained while you slept as a child, however-,” she said glancing at your arm bound to the support.

“This doesn’t jingle. I feel the difference, felt it when I woke up. Plus Eddie will be here. Just don’t have them hoist my arm up over my head while I sleep, never let us have our arms over our chest.”

That had Strange inhale sharply and he said, “We do, want you to feel safe here. Also I would like to after your two days are up to give you a few hours a day to rotate your shoulder and elbow, basic motions of the arm. Work your way up to the physical therapy I have mapped in your aftercare plan. And whatever that compound is, you really need to get that in a study.”

Eddie said for you, “Filed papers on that, over Yule break.”

Christine smiled saying, “That, is so good to hear. What is it?” she couldn’t help herself asking.

“It’s a variation of my father’s notes and a bee related addition that makes it strong and gives it the texture.”

Strange said, “Will it held your bone shards together like putty, absolute ease to work with. Smell’s a bit overpowering after the sixth hour, and it sealed a tear that was found in your lung, in real time.”

She asked, “Is it always that strong?”

“Well those are specific to my dna, ones I used for Happy Hogan were generic level, which are effective for pressure and encouraging a healing film, like first responders or doctors and nurses have seen.” You said making them nod. “Which I suppose it would be more reasonable for like hemophiliacs or people with illnesses like that to have customized versions. So boring as it is to hear it comes down to how healthy the person is for how fast their response is. Even though he was a boxer cell wise his body is very healthy and took the boost.”

Strange said, “Brain trauma especially has shown drastic turn around old and fresh, I wish I could go into greater detail, but we will be keeping up on this.”

Christine, “For now we will monitor you overnight and if scans tomorrow afternoon prove promising we can send you home with your brother.” She asked him, “Do you work long hours?”

“Odd, but not usually long. Her Gramps is coming in tomorrow too, at least for a couple days he can help keep an eye on her.” He answered.

Christine asked haltingly, “Isn’t he, a, royal?”

“An Earl,” you answered, “But he’s Danish no worries on him trying to behead those who don’t scrape to customs. He is actually a pretty laid back guy.”

Strange said, “For now, get some rest we’ll be back to check on you in a few hours. Your pain level is what on a scale of ten?”

“More irritating two than an actual pain.”

“If that changes you have a button for your morphine drip paired with the timer already set in case you need some comfort before it goes off again. Same as the nurses, just a button away.”

They stepped out of the room and Wade looked your way, “Nine and a half?”

“More nine and ¾,” you said making him chuckle. “Be better in a few days.”

“Oh you are so making his career.” He chuckled making you roll your eyes and get back to your food.

Eddie when visiting hours were up settled on the bed beside you asking as he fidgeted your blanket a bit higher to ensure you would be comfortable, “You gonna be able to sleep?”

“Maybe an hour or two. Wish they would have just magicked them to thinking I had the surgery.”

“This about your old surgeries?” He asked folding his hand around your free hand on the arm you’d tangled around his.

“First the cosmetic ones, last ones were tries at organ transplants. Everything they took turned to bees all I remember is being strapped to that table until the second team came in to see my organs growing back. I had to just lay there I was too tired and weak to get free. Then they just would list everything they’d done. I really didn’t want to know what Strange had to do. Not that it would last very long. His best success story yet.” You said glancing at the cast that reached from your elbow to past your fingertips to keep the bruised and swollen limb perfectly still.

“I think he meant well.”

“I know he did. Talks to me like a Doctor. I just want it to be noon already so we can go home. I don’t want Thengel to be upset either.”

“He knows you, he’ll see you’re healing when we get you out of here.”

Softly you said sadly, “My rings broke.”

“We’ll get you some new ones. I’ll look up some resin rings while you sleep, alright?” he asked and you nodded leaning more into his side.

Tries to sleep came between trips by Eddie to the Nurse’s lounge to heat up more of the food you would finish off by the sunrise lit delivery of a warm cider onto the table by your bed. A pair of balloons with weighted chords were set down beside your bed in animal shapes bumping together then hovering the distance apart she left them. Gwen stood, one arm heavily bandaged, with a flinch of a grin, “Brought you a cider. Brothers picked the balloons. Can you have food yet?”

“Yes, and thank you. Said breakfast was a scramble of some sort which I doubt will suffice.”

And onto the table she settled the cloth shopping bag out of which she brought a few Tupperware containers of food making you giggle. “Steamed and boiled veggies, a bit of meatloaf mom made, couldn’t fit the whole thing, and some brownies.” She said glancing from them to you widening your grin. “As a thank you.”

“You’re the one who pushed Harry out of the way,” you said dropping her jaw, “Anybody could help a kid away from a swinging wrench, you saved the real target.”

“That, does not mean anything,” she said defensively making you giggle and have Eddie help to adjust your bed and self upright to be able to sample the meal. “Dad said we couldn’t stay long, but he wanted to talk to you. Can you be on the phone here?”

“My network won’t interfere here, text all you like.”

“I am gonna send you so many otter and fox memes. You wait and see.” She said with a reluctant wave and retreat to head outside to let her dad in the room.

The Captain came straight to the foot of your bed looking at the lower half making you shift your knees. “Legs are crossed, no amputations.” To a nod he let out a breathy chuckle and you said, “Nurses said you came by a few times.”

“We got the guy locked up. Ten hour surgery, huh?” He asked looking at your wrist.

“I’ve broken my wrist before. I think it’s just the medals and aircraft they’re making all the fuss for.” Luring a grin across his face.

“Gwen insisted on sneaking you some food. Heard Deadpool came by yesterday, stayed a while.”

“To sympathize, broken wrists are no fun. Done it before, brace is more bothersome than the break what I remember. Suppose I’ll be being sued by the guy whose car I ruined.”

“Oh no he’s been arrested,” he said making your bandaged brow rise, “Tried to run away after the crowd got him to back up. Speeding on top of that he’s got his own legal troubles, had he not been going that fast,”

“I would have hit the road instead. Have to say car would have been softer either way. Heard about the boot and arm brace. Gonna be fun for you keeping those two from crutch wars till the boot comes off.” You said making him chuckle.

“True, thank you. I saw the tape...”

“Wrench to the head is a hell of a lot worse than a brace. I can always grow another bone when I have to.” Tearfully he nodded trying not to start crying and drew in a sharp breath.

“How long they keeping you?”

“Body scan bit later then they might let me go home. Awed by my trauma compound that helped things along.”

“Good. Soon as you’re up for it we’re treating you to dinner.”

“Gramps is flying out so as soon as he frees me to leave my place again I will book that with Gwen.” You said luring a grin across his face.

“Enjoy your food, now I have to go check on the Osborn boy. Don’t like that I have to, but my Gwennie did pull him away from a ten pound wrench. Might shake some sense into the boy to change the empire he’s inheriting, prevent any more incidents like this and keep other kids from getting hurt.” He shook his head again and retreated leaving you and Eddie to giggle and sample the food until a nurse came in the do a morning check and draw some blood before your assigned breakfast would arrive for you to eat as well.

Ten meals so far seemed to puzzle the nurses entirely. But with little hint of secretive trips to the bathroom it was whispered as a possible side effect of the shots you’d given yourself, a surge of hunger to help counter the fast healing they hoped to be the truth and nothing more sinister to damage your health in the future.

All the same routines and procedure had to be followed and were distractions from films your bees played for you atop where they rested on the table to amuse the passing nurses and doctors all the more to see you so seemingly at peace in all this.

Until Thengel gave your door a knock and came inside straight for your side, leaving his luggage along the wall, “My magical girl,” he said engulfing you in a gentle hug to whisper softly, “I thought you didn’t need hospitals or surgery?” The question lingered in his eyes as he pulled back.

“I don’t, but there was a crowd and it’d be a bit rude to tell him if he’d have just stood there and did nothing I’d have healed my arm fully by now. But ten hours of surgery and it seems a bit rude to say at this point.” You said making him chuckle weakly. “Bones are good, just have to pretend my medicine I injected did all the magic till the cast comes off then I have six weeks of therapy to fake through. Great career win for him though.”

“When can we get you out of here?”

“Surgeons said there’d be a scan today this afternoon and they’d see if I was safe to send home.”

And like he had hit an unseen alarm bell both Dr Strange and Dr Palmer came to greet him and share what you had been through surgically in a more gentler and assuring way than they’d told you along with the recovery plan Strange repeated to the man he assumed would be staying for the entirety of it.

Alone in your apartment to the sound of a home makeover show playing you had lit up your injured arm to control the cast that in half separated evenly in two halves to reveal the stitch coated black and blue skinned lower half of your arm. The pressure of the swelling around your wrist that partly was trying to break down the dissolvable mesh kept it unable to bend any direction yet. The ends of your fingers around your stiff stitched middle one however were able to dip and curl fully to touch your palm while that one finger merely arched a bit. At the elbow you were able to turn your arm over to see the other half of the stitches that you hoped by the end of the week would be dissolved. But while you were home you took the chance to let your arm breathe.

School would be interesting to have to manage your things with the sling and not draw too much focus to your casual self as people stared uncertain of what to say to you and your well known to be shattered wrist. Same as the subway where you caught a few people glance your way echoes of the clip of your being escorted out of the hospital and questioned by the few members of press there bounced your way inside the subway car. A man asking how you felt now about your future in experiments now your wrist was caput, as he so aptly called it, and how you felt about that try to interfere with the fight now that you knew the result.

‘Sure ya, no next time I’ll just let the eleven year old boy take a ten pound wrench to the face and spare myself the 93 stitches and six weeks in a cast. Swap my mild inconvenience for a couple months for his being bludgeoned into a coma or a coffin. Are you kidding me?! I can build or grow another arm if I lose mine, you ableist jerk!’ Eddie could be heard laughing as you were muttering to Thengel who tried not to do the same as you asked any of the other network story hounds if they had any clickbait questions they had to ask as well. Who soundly avoided that and blatantly and fakely wished you well before their networks had ample articles printed by now of the acceptable and probably pain triggered tantrum from a young noble in training still in need of some polishing for your rough edges.

The viral videos soon was extended to include the live reaction of Stark, who plain as day snorted behind his hand mid laughter hearing what you said on the tail end of a podcast he was scheduled to be on weeks prior for talk on a new plan if his for the team he wanted the public to know about.

Reed had been his own meme being quoted as having asked if they bothered to ask if you were alright having him pictures as a mother hen while Johnny Storm as jealous when said he lights himself on fire daily and no one bothers to ask if he is alright either. By the hour it seemed to be growing into a circus at least farther from topic of you and on the point of stupid questions related to news bulletin worthy events and how things should be changed as the current set of steps was being ridiculed so harshly all across the press willing to cover it.

Pt 49

#Escaped Child Assassin #Gwen Stacy #Stacy Boys #Harry Osborn #Eddie Brock #Venom #Dr Strange #Dr Palmer #May Parker #the Ancient One #Assault and Surgery #Hospital scenes #Recovery #Deadpool #Captain Stacy #Marvel #Found Family #Hurt/comfort

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