Amelie Stark - Save Him
Amelie Stark - Save Him
Everything had happened so fast. I looked into Tony’s vacant stare and felt my stomach drop. The thought of losing Loki was indescribable. My vision began to blur as my eyes filled with tears, and I desperately tried to think.
“How is he?” Bruce’s voice was quiet and soft. I looked up at him - his skin was red and raw - the aftereffects of transforming.
I swallowed. “Not… not good.”
“But he’s alive.” Peter insisted.
Bucky stood up, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Then there’s a chance. We need to get him out of here. Banner? How’d you feel about surgery on a jet?”
Bruce's brow furrowed. "It's risky, even for a human. A God..."
Thor’s head snapped up. “A God who’s life currently hangs in the balance while we all stand here!”
Steve appeared next to Bucky, giving him a single nod. “Then let's not waste any more time." He said determinedly.
Thor wasted no time. He scooped up Loki and bolted for the exit. I glanced at Tony, worry etched on my face, before following close behind.
Clint and Natasha led the charge out of the mansion. My body screamed with each ragged breath as I tried to keep pace with Thor. Suddenly, the world tilted as Bucky hoisted me onto his shoulder. "Hey!" I protested weakly.
"You're not in any condition to be running around. Pushing yourself too hard won't help us help Loki."
I slumped against him, too tired to argue.
The escape was a blur. Clint and Natasha neutralised any remaining guards with practiced ease. I barely registered the occasional sound of gunfire; the movement of Bucky’s stride jostling me around uncomfortably made it difficult to focus on much else.
Once we reached the Quinjet, Thor laid Loki down gently on the medical bed in the back. Bruce quickly set to work, preparing for emergency surgery while Thor held Loki's hand and murmured words of encouragement. Bucky carefully set me on the floor, holding me by the shoulder as I swayed slightly.
“Are we flying or staying?” Nat asked.
“Flying.” Bruce replied in a monotone voice. “We need to get back to the tower as soon as possible if we want to save him.” He busily connected wires to Loki's body while speaking. "Amelie, can you come talk to him? It may help keep him aware. And it might be good for you too."
I walked over, placing a hand on Loki’s chest. Of all the things I wanted to say to him, the only thing that escaped my lips was his name. I whispered it like a prayer, over and over again, begging him to come back.
"Amelie." Bucky gently called my name. "You should sit down."
I didn't want to sit down. I wanted to be close to Loki, to hold his hand and feel his warmth. Even as my body was giving out on me, I shook my head violently.
A chair materialised beside me, and I was gently guided down. Bucky crouched next to me, his hand resting on my knee in a silent gesture of support.
“Careful!” Steve shouted.
Panic surged through me, yanking me back to my feet. "What's happening?" My voice was shrill.
"His heart rate is dropping!" Bruce responded.
Tony had appeared at the bed, and was fiddling with the tubes and wires connected to Loki. Thor stood, a murderous rage in his eyes. “You‘ll kill him!” He roared.
Disbelief choked me as I watched Tony reach for Loki again. My heart hammered against my ribs as Thor grabbed him, his grip fierce. "No!" He bellowed, his voice laced with desperation.
"Thor, calm down." Steve interjected, attempting to defuse the situation.
"No! He doesn't know what he's doing! Loki is my brother!" Thor roared, his grip tightening.
"Let go of me!" Tony snarled, struggling against Thor's hold. "I know exactly what I'm doing!"
"Then explain yourself!" Bucky's voice cut through the chaos. He stood beside me, his hand hovering near my shoulder, ready to catch me if I faltered.
Tony took a deep breath and turned to face us. "I designed these machines to heal people."
"But this isn't just physical wounds." Nat argued. "Loki's mind is broken from the serum, same as yours. We can't risk tampering with it."
"I can fix it." Tony insisted, growing more agitated by the second. "Just let me do what I do best."
Thor shook his head vigorously. "No! You will not touch him!"
"Tony..." Bruce murmured, his voice laced with concern. "You're not yourself yet. How can we trust you with Loki's life?"
Overwhelmed, I buried my face in my hands, a sob escaping my lips. The weight of everything that had happened today threatened to crush me.
Bucky's hand, gentle and comforting, landed on my shoulder. I looked up, my eyes overflowing with tears, to meet his steady gaze. It was a silent anchor in the storm raging around us.
The argument continued, voices rising and falling like the clash of thunder. Tony's desperate pleas warred with Natasha's steely resolve, while Thor stood resolute, a shield against any threat to his brother.
"Enough!" Steve boomed, his voice cutting through the chaos. "We need a plan, not a fight."
Bruce nodded grimly. "We need to figure out what our next move is."
Thor stepped forward, his eyes blazing with determination. "My next move is to take Loki away from Stark and find another way to heal him."
Tears streamed down my face as I hung my head in defeat. Suddenly I felt a gentle touch brushing away the tears. Surprised, I looked up to see Tony standing in front of me. He looked just as taken aback as I was, his hand quickly retracting from my cheek with a frown. Bucky stood next to me, holding his breath nervously.
As Tony went to move away, I grabbed his arm. “You’re still in there. I know you are.”
The group went quiet as they all turned to watch us. Thor looked between me and my uncle. “You are willing to stake Loki’s life on it?”
Clint spoke up. “If we don’t do something soon he’s dead anyway.”
I pressed my lips together. “Peter? Any vibes on Tony?”
At the back, Clint lowered his head to Nat. “Vibes?” He whispered.
“You know, the tingles thing.” She whispered back.
Peter came over, his eyes wide. “It’s hard, like he’s surrounded by a fog or something.”
“Tony… What were you going to do to Loki? You said you made those machines to heal people, you remembered that?”
Tony's face twisted in a pained expression as he looked away. "I...I don't remember anymore."
"Remember what?" Steve pressed, his voice stern and concerned.
"I don't know, anything." Tony muttered, running a hand through his hair. "But I can't let him die."
I sucked in a breath. This was progress, assuming he was telling the truth. I looked to Bruce. “Can you save him on your own.”
“I… I don’t think so.”
We all went silent. Natasha brushed past and headed to the cockpit, giving my arm a quick squeeze. The engines roared to life, and Thor straightened his shoulders, his jaw set in grim determination. “Fine. Do it. But know this Stark, if my brother should die by your hands, then not even our friendship will protect you from me.”