Chapter 58

Everyone was already in the living room when we walked in. They saw my pale face and suddenly I was surrounded.

"Hey you okay Kid? Thor said they had to come back because you had something happen?"

"I'm so sorry about that Tony. I know the mission was important. I told them not to."

"Fuck the mission. You're more important. There will be other missions. There is only one of you."

He grabbed me and hugged me. I was in shock. "You're like a daughter to me Kid. I don't want to lose you." He whispered to me.

He let me go and it became just a sea of hugs from everyone, even Sam and Clint. I had tears in my eyes when everyone had their hugs. I looked at Loki, still unsure about doing this.

He nodded at me. "It will be alright pet. You will see. I told you that you were more important than you thought." He looked at everyone. "Can everyone take a seat? This won't be easy for anyone, and I believe you would all rather be sitting for this."

Everyone started making their way to chairs as Loki guided me to a large fluffy couch. He sat down and had me sit in his lap. Bucky laid down on the rest of the couch and rested his head in my lap. I was as smothered by them as I could get. I clung to them both, terrified. I knew my already pale face lost more color.

"With your permission my dear, I will give a very quick sketch of what is going to happen." I nodded and he smiled encouragingly at me. "Barnes and I have learned something about Ariane that we felt she needed to tell everyone, and you needed to know. First, I will say that this will be extremely painful for her, but I feel for her to truly move past it and not have it haunt her anymore, she needs to tell you. Barnes has agreed."

Bucky looked over at Sam. "No smartass comments during this, Sam. This is very serious."

Sam nodded and Loki spoke. "The details of this are not pretty and I am sure it will look horrific to us. Ariane is going to use her new illusion power to show you her story about her past. Barnes and I know the details, but even we have not seen. Please do not distract her or stop her. This will be a purge, much like getting rid of a poison. Because that is what it is doing, this memory. It is slowly poisoning her, and it almost cost us during that Dean incident. You all heard her before she passed out. And Brother, I am about to go back on what I told you. You will understand when it happens. I am not happy with it, but it must be done."

Everyone nodded. all looking solemn. Bucky gave my hand a squeeze. "She was badly abused as a child. In many ways I had not thought imaginable. There is no one left to punish so we can't even give her peace that way. You can't go to the past and they're not in our world. Are you ready Doll?'

I trembled and spoke in a low voice that shook. "Not really but it's now or never. Just don't let go." I looked at everyone and tears fell down my face. "Please, I hope once this is over, you won't hate me. I'd better start at the beginning. This part Lokes and Wanda have seen, and Buck knows the details."

Before anyone could say anything, I turned a little and buried my face in Loki's chest. It severely twisted my back, but I didn't care. I didn't want to see anyone's face as they saw. I concentrated and there were some soft gasps. 

"Snow."

I wasn't sure who said it, but it told me it was working. I knew they were hearing and seeing everything. I started by picturing myself going out the window. I stood barefoot in the snow in just my pajamas and a robe. I spun around with my tongue out trying to catch the snowflakes. I stumbled and fell. A rabbit had been under a nearby bush, and it burst from underneath it and ran. I gave a child's giggle and chased after it. I went farther into the woods, and it got darker as I went farther from home. A wolf howled in the distance, and I looked up, scared. I hadn't realized how far I had gone. I turned around and started to walk back home. I heard the wolf howl closer and started to run. I ran as fast as I could and climbed back into my window and hid under the covers. I could hear Mom and Dad talking and Alice was still fast asleep. I started to relax. Everything was fine.

There was a loud bang as something slammed into the front door. Dad started yelling and Mom ran into the bedroom where we were and locked the door. She woke Alice up and hid both of us behind her in the corner. I heard the door smash in and Dad screaming. His scream cut off in the middle and there was a loud splashing sound. Mom started to cry. I was scared and I didn't know what was going on. Alice grabbed my hand and held on tight. The door to the bedroom broke open and there was something that looked like a wolf but was bigger and stood on two legs. It snarled and started to walk into the room. Mom ran at it, yelling for us to go out the window, but me and Alice were frozen. I watched in horror as it slashed at my mother and her blood went everywhere. Alice screamed and we ran to the window, but the bad wolf got her before we got there. I heard its jaws snap and something warm splashed in my face and chest. It was warm under my feet. I was trying to wipe my eyes with the hand holding my bunny when I heard it growl at me. 

Suddenly there was yelling, and the wolf thing turned to the door roaring. Men came in and fought with it. I heard shots ring out and felt something pass my face and hit the wall behind me. More blood splashed as one of the men had his chest ripped open. I watched with wide eyes as it ate the man's heart. It was preoccupied with eating and another man got close to it and swung a big knife. The wolf howled and went down, and the man used the knife to cut its head off. I was still standing just looking at everyone when one of the men came over to me.

"Hi little girl. Are you hurt?"

I shook my head no, not talking. I wasn't sure who these men were or really what just happened.

"Why don't you let me take that sweetie." 

He tried to pull something from my hand. I looked down and it was Alice's hand, but her arm wasn't on her body anymore. I didn't want to let go, and it took him a minute to get me to release her hand. Tears ran down my face, making tracks in the blood covering it.

"What's your name?"