Dark Heart

Thor's body stiffens at her words, his pulse picking a faster beat than before as the two words break the silence of the room. A cold sweat clings to Jess' body as she tries to block out the pain radiating throught her body, the piercing pain centered over her heart. Standing slowly, Thor helps to prop her up, his lips drawns into a thin line as he slips from the bed in one fluid motion, donning his shirt. "Do you have any idea who the Shadow Master is Jess?" Shaking her head, she takes the damp cloth Thor had gotten for her and presses it gently to the blistered hand print and grimaces. "No. I-I just...the name came to mind. Who is he?" With his back to her, she can see the tension drawn through his back and shoulders as she gazes out the window and over the city.

"The puppet master of any dark and vile thing. Hence the name. He was a Jotun banished to the realm of Helheim without actually dying. Managing to evade his sentence, he cloaked himself and is now said to be living between the realms of Helheim and Muspelheim. By sitting on the borders of the two realms, he siphoned bits of their elements. Darkness and fire. Thus now it appears he has wielded them on you." The last part of his sentence is said through clenched teeth.

Sitting up unsteadily, she staggers over to Thor on shaky legs. As he turns to face her, Jess' legs give out on her, his arms snapping out to catch her just before she hit the ground. With a trembling hand, she brushes her bangs from her face, giving a breathy laugh. "Sorry, just weak is all." He pushes the shirt off her shoulder to once more gaze at the puncture wound over her heart. The black had spread. Cradling her limp form in his arms he whispers quietly. "Please Heimdal, take me to the Tower." The blur that Jess had sunken to flared brightly as a white light rolled around them and suddenly they stand within the circle of heroes talking in the lobby, Maria among them.

Tony turns with a grin. "Wow Blondielocks, nice entrance! Do you alw- Jess?" At his tone of voice, the groups rushes to her, Peter and Stark at the front. "Pepper we need doctors now!" Tony turns gesturing to a shocked intern. "You! With the glasses! Yes you! Go help her get the emergency aids here!" Peters voice sounds frantic among the chaos. "Jess!? What happened to her!?"

Thor eases her unto the cool tile floor, stooping over to listen to her shallow breathing. With a quick jerk, he rips the shoulder of her night shirt revealing the darkness that spread even farther through her veins, some even reaching down her ribs and up her neck. "The Shadow Master has found her and seemed to take a liking to her. She is fighting it...but she is not winning." Peter glances up, worry racing through his eyes. "Who the hell is the Shadow Master and how do you stop it!?" With a quiet voice, Thor's eyes drop to the ground. "You can not. It will continue to spread until he has full control and she is at his every command."

Nurses and doctors rush in from the elevator, muffling the rest of his words. Lifting her into the gurney, they wheel her down the hall to a small medical wing in the tower and slip needles into her skin, hooking her to drips and a heart monitor, the rythmic up-down of the line growing weaker and weaker.

Jess' vision grows dim, nearly swallowed in black as she hears the white static voice whipser in her ear. "Give into me, mortal. There issss no point in fighting it anymore. I will have you. One way, or another. That'sss it. Come to meee." A voice, oh so familiar, rips through the darkness to her. "Jessica. Do not give up. I am coming." With that, she could hear a sudden commotion flare throughout the room as a group of voices protest in unison.

"UNHAND ME! SHE NEEDS HELP!" Loki bats away a security guard that pinned him to the wall and turned toward the group with a look full of pure anger and hate. "If you do not allow me to remove the darkness from within her, she might die! Or worse, she might become his puppet." As Peter bows up to the raven haired god, Thor presses him back, not allowing him any closer. "I do not like this anymore than you, but he might be our only chance. Please Peter. Let him try."

The group huddles around the gurney, watching as he summons a small amount of green and gold light, letting it hover a few mere inches from Jess' mouth as he begins reciting an incantation, his brows furrowed in concentration. The tension throughout the room is great, the slowing beep of the heart monitor only building it. A small stream of black slip from between Jess' parted lips, flowing steadily into the sphere. Sweat glistens on Loki's brow as he checks the punture wound above her heart. No black veins. Taking the now black sphere, he crushes it into his hand, the darkness coursing his own veins, a quiet curse falling from his lips as her stands unsteadily to his feet, leaning heavily against the wall. His eyes lock for the briefest moment with Thors before he vanishes leaving the room in silences.

Tony shoves past the golden god, eyes scanning the room with a scowl on his features. "You let him go! You could have stopped him!" Thor meets he's gaze with a piercing one, only making the man angrier. "He saved her! I do not think we should repay him by forcibly taking him into imprisonment!" With jaws clenched, Tony turns, storming from the room, a few of the heroes following.

Turning back to her, he pushes past the doctors and stands with Pepper and Peter and the edge of the bed, his fingers wrapping through hers. Pepper brushes a strand of hair from her forehead before turning to him. "They said she will be well enough to be discharged in the morning. I will bring her meals and you and Pete can keep an eye out on her. She just need rest....Loki really did save her. With that said, she turns and leaves the two men alone as they stand watch over the pale woman.

Thor's quiet voice breaks the silence. "I will take first watch over her if you do not mind. With a nod, Peter leaves to, casting one last glance over at his friend before shutting the door quietly behind him. Thor pulls a chair up to the bed, his hand never leaving hers as he sits back for the long watch ahead, the strong steady beating of Jess' heart lulling him to a light sleep.

Green wraps around Thor, engulfing him until he stands in a golden room similar to the throne room of Asgard, a green clad silhouetted stands with his back to the god, hands folded attentively. "Hello Brother."

Thor hesitantly walks forward with a formal demeanor, joining his brother at the window without looking at him. "Any particular reasoning in my summoning?" Loki turns, a cold glint in his eye. "You know exactly why I have called you!" With a careless shrug, he turns away. "What happened with you and Jessica is none of my business. She may be with whomever she likes. But brother I would like to make this quick, I shall warn you. I am fighting for her heart, just as you are. Let her decide the one shall be." Turning with an arrogant smile, Loki nods. "Very well, may the best and most capable god win." Their hands come together, embracing momentarily before Thor is snapped back to his body with a jolt. Peter stands beside him, hand on his shoulder and brows furrowed. "You alright bud. I came to take my shift if you ready. Nodding, Thor runs his hand through his hair before standing and stretching. "Thank you, and Peter? Keep good watch over her." With that, Thor leaves, allowing Peter to take his spot, His deal with Loki fresh on his mind.

Notes