Chapter 12 – The Attack

As the group walked down to Shuri's lab, Bucky stayed towards the back to talk to Loki.

"I am going to tell her how you can help her if she ever feels like she is going to lose control." Loki looked at Bucky shocked.

"Why would you do that?"

"Annie is afraid, we all saw it. No one has control when fear takes over. If your body heat, or lack thereof, can help settle the fire in her, then she deserves to know. Plus—" Bucky stopped short to place a hand on Loki's arm. "This will help you get closer to her. If she knows and feels that you want and can help, she isn't going to want you far away." Bucky smiled, and Loki understood.

"Why are you helping me? You know my past. Not a few hours ago were you calling me monster and cursing my being here." Loki stared skeptically at Bucky.

"I was wrong to call you that. Steve filled me in a bit about the New York incident; that you had no control. You and I have similar pasts; we both did terrible things under the control of cruel men." Bucky sighed. "I know you loved Kenna, still do, I believe. If I knew that the woman I loved was back from the dead, I would want her in my arms without question. I can't imagine how hard this is." Loki continued to look shocked.

"However, like Steve said, Annie isn't Kenna. She is different, and needs to be handled with care, kindness, and patience. If you can do that, then I will help you win her heart. But, if you hurt her, you won't go near her again." Bucky's face went from compassionate to stern very quickly, and Loki couldn't help but chuckle.

"I can respect that Sargent, and I appreciate your help. I am not easy to get along with. Patience is not something I was gifted from the gods, but I will try, for Annie's sake."

The group descended into Shuri's lab and saw Annie sitting up on a medical bed talking to Shuri. They both turned their heads to look at the group. Annie gave a small smile but looked back down at her lap in shyness. Loki had seen that look quite a few times with Kenna but shook his head; he knew that he had to focus on Annie and not Kenna. For now.

Bucky stepped forward quicker than the rest and went into the glass encased room. He slowly stepped up to Annie with questioning eyes. "Permission to hug?" he asked with a crooked smile. Annie looked skeptically at Shuri as if asking permission, and then nodded her head. Bucky took her in his arms gently and she grabbed hold of his shirt, holding on for dear life.

"I am so sorry, Bucky." Her voice was muffled by his shoulder.

"There is nothing to apologize for," He pulled back and smiled. She turned her gaze to the rest of the group looking sheepish. "I truly am sorry everyone, I would explain what happened, but I am not entirely sure myself."

"We forgive you, Fireball, just give us a heads-up next time." Tony spoke first as he sat on a seat attached to one of the windows. Annie made eye contact with him and smiled. "Fireball, huh? It is nice to finally meet you too, Mr. Stark."

Tony chuckled, "You will get used to my various nicknames. It is nice to meet you in person as well. Please, call me Tony."

"I will do my best. I wish I could tell you what happened to me, but I am at a loss. I am worried that I might lose control again. It might be better if everyone just keeps their distance until I find some semblance of control." Annie said, her voice getting quiet as she looked at her hands.

Steve stepped forward. "It will do you no good to isolate yourself. You don't know what happened to you, and neither do we. If you will allow us, we all want to help you figure out what this is and how to control it." Annie didn't meet his eyes. He could tell how guilty she felt about her little explosion and looked to Bucky for help. Steve hated that he lied a bit about the fact that they did actually know what was wrong, but she wasn't ready to hear all that yet.

"Steve is right, Annie. We even have a possible solution for when you feel like you might lose it." Bucky gestured behind him to Loki. Loki took the hint and took a tentative step forward. Turning to the side, Bucky revealed Loki's presence.

"This is Loki, he is the brother of Thor. While you were unconscious, we figured out that his abilities can counteract yours." Bucky made a face at Loki and he took another step forward.

Annie brought her face up to Bucky and then looked at Loki in shock and curiosity. "What do you mean counteract?" Bucky turned to Loki.

"You see, Annie," Loki wasn't sure he liked the name, but he knew he had to get used to saying it. "I am the adopted brother of Thor. I am actually from a planet called Jotunheim. It is a planet of frost giants. I was raised on Asgard, but I am still fully Jotun. My abilities around cold and ice, could help cool you down if you feel like an explosion is imminent."

Annie's eyes met Loki's and Loki felt a shudder go through him. He had forgotten how intense her blue eye could be. Annie looked into his blue eyes as well. They held so much emotion and yet at the same time little emotion at all. He was hiding something behind his gaze, and it spiked her curiosity even more. Then his name finally clicked in her brain.

"Loki." She said his name and another shiver went through Loki. He loved when Kenna said his name. He wasn't not doing so well at keeping himself under control. "You are the one who attacked New York." All the mushy feelings that Loki felt froze instantly. Fuck.

He looked away with shame written on his face. Of course, she would know about New York. "Well, uh. You see—" Annie interrupted him.

"You don't need to explain yourself, Loki." Loki's head snapped up to stare at her. His face said enough to make Annie continue.

"I am currently surrounded by the people I trust the most. Though I may not know Tony or Thor very well, I know that Steve and Bucky trust them with their lives. All these people would have never allowed you anywhere near me, or even have suggested you could help me, if you were a threat to my safety. So I know that you aren't here to hurt me." Loki was flabbergasted.

"Alright." Loki couldn't think of anything else to say. Annie's word and disinterest in his mistake in New York had thrown him for a loop.

"You can tell me all about it sometime when you are feeling up to it. I am sure it is a very interesting story." Annie smiled and Loki felt himself melt. Kenna's smile would always bring Loki to his knees, and Loki doesn't kneel for anyone.

He was so screwed.

"So, now that you know that Loki can help you. Why don't we try to get to the bottom of what triggered these fire powers," Tony said crossing a leg over his knee looking bored. "Why don't you tell us what happened at the orphanage."

Steve and Bucky swung their heads around to glare at Tony. They wanted to ease Annie into those memories not just stab her in the face with them. Looking back at Annie, they all saw her confused expression.

"The orphanage. What do you mean?" Annie was not expecting them to mention her work.

Silence encapsulated the room, no one had anticipated her lack of memory. Annie began getting nervous at everyone's stared and closed mouths. "What is going on? What happened at the orphanage? Are the children alright?" The collective group could hear the heart monitor strapped to Annie increase its speed.

Bucky sat on the edge of her bed and gently grabbed her hand. "The children are all perfectly fine. Take a deep breath." Annie looked relieved and followed his instructions. Making eye contract with Bucky, she realized that there was more information that he hadn't shared. Her, "but . . ." shook Bucky out of his own mind.

"But, the orphanage was attacked by the Manu. We saw the fire from the palace and came to rescue everyone, but we were hoping you could tell us, what happened before we got there." Bucky said slowly. He knew this was going to upset her. He just hoped that Loki was as useful as he declared.

"Attacked by the Manu," Annie whispered as she looked down at the blanket covering her legs. Her eye went blank as a crease of concentration dented her forehead. The group watched Annie's eyes go wide and her fists clench tightly. She remembered.

Her pulse monitor increased in pace as Annie began to breath heavier. "Oh god, they did attack." Everyone could feel the temperature in the room beginning to heat up.

"Obi was shot. They shot him in the head, right in front of me . . ." Annie was trembling now, she couldn't control the flow of the memories in her head and she knew she was losing control.

Bucky hissed and snatched his hand away from Annie's as fire light from her fingertips. Bucky stood quickly, "Annie, take a deep breath. You are safe. We don't have to talk about this now." But it was too late. Annie shoved the blanket off her legs and stumbled to her feet away from the others who were slowly making their way towards the door.

"No. No. No. They are all dead. This can't be happening!" Annie's voice got louder as she shook her head and gripped her hair in agony.

Bucky began to step around the bed, unafraid. Annie's hands were now flaming and she looked at them in horror, continuing to back away. "What is happening to me? Oh my god."

Seeing Bucky stepped towards her, she threw her hands in front of her. "No, get back!" She meant to indicate that she wanted Bucky to back away so she wouldn't burn him, but when her hands flew away from her body, Bucky was equally thrown across the room into Steve and Thor. The three men landed just outside of the doorway.

Annie watched in horror, as Bucky was hurled into the men, and she began to fall to the floor with a scream, unable to control the heat surging inside her.

However, before she could hit the ground, something wrapped around her middle and she was pressed against a solid surface. Turning her head slightly, she saw Loki's piercing eyes. Annie realized that his arms were around her waist and he was holding her to his chest. She panicked.

"No, get away! I don't want to hurt you! Stop it! Let go!" She flailed her arms and legs to get lose, but Loki's grip was strong.

"You can't hurt me, Dove. I am not letting go of you ever again." Loki seemed to whisper into her ear as he tenderly placed his face in her hair and took deep calming breaths. By the Gods she smelt just as he remembered. Loki expanded his cooling abilities, whispered sweet nothings into her ear.

Annie fought less and less against him as she began to sob in distress. She didn't understand what was happening to her. Why was she on fire and not burning? Why did she throw Bucky? Why did she feel like she was going to explode? What was the orphanage attacked? Why was Obi dead and not her? Why were those women dead but not her? How could she survive and not them? Why did her hands feel cold?

Cold? Annie looked down to where her hands were gripping Loki's arms, still wrapped snugly around her waist. She watched the arms tint blue and the fire in her hands extinguish. She felt the cold slowly spreading from her waist down to her toes and up to her head. Behind her, Loki still had his face in her hair, breathing slowly and whispering words she couldn't fully make out. Annie closed her eyes and worked to match her breathing with his, and she felt her body temperature lowering back to normal. Or at least her new normal.

As her tears slowed, as well as her heart and head, Annie gradually twisted her upper body to look at Loki. He didn't move his arms but loosened them slightly to allow her movement. She looked at him in bewilderment. "How did you do that?" Her voice so small.

Loki looked into the endless blue seas of her eyes, "We are opposites. Fire and Ice. You cannot burn me, as I cannot freeze you. It allows me to help you when your fire burns too bright." Annie took one more deep breath; she was completely lost in his eyes as well.

It took her a moment to realize just how intimate their position must look, and she looked towards the glass to see Steve, Bucky, Thor, Tony, T'Challa, Wanda and Shuri all staring wide-eyed at them. Oh goodness.

Annie looked back at Loki whose eye hadn't left her face. "Thank you, Loki, for helping to calm me down." She began to step away from him and Loki reluctantly lowered his arms. "Hopefully, I can gain some control, so that won't have to happen again." Her voice was quiet and embarrassed as she fidgeted with her fingers. Loki's shoulders sank in disappointment. He had really enjoyed holding her. Having her body pressed to his, even in distress, had awoken stirrings he hadn't felt or needed in a few hundred years.

"I am here to help, Ken—Annie. I can help you train your abilities if you like." Loki had to get a hold of himself. He had just met this woman as Annie, and he was seriously slipping into insanity.

Annie looked at him cautiously, she had heard him switch names, "How do you know so much about my abilities? If you are a frost giant, then shouldn't your knowledge focus on your heritage?"

'A just question indeed,' thought Loki.

"I read many books while I lived in Asgard, and I have been trained in the art of magic as well. Through many years, I have come across information about people with the ability of fire. Personally, I was curious about the abilities of some people on other planets. Since I didn't know my true heritage at the time, it seemed interesting. Some of that knowledge could be helpful." Loki lied almost to easily. It was enough to convince Annie.

She nodded. "Alright, well, I would appreciate any wisdom you can offer." She smiled a little, and turned to see the rest of the group still standing outside of the room.

"So," Tony popped his head up from behind Thor's taller shoulder. "What happened about giving us a little warning, Fireball. I could have had marshmallows standing by for the s'mores."

After Shuri checked Annie's vitals, everyone came back inside.

"I am sorry everyone. I promise I am going to get better at this." Annie said, her voice full of guilt. Bucky placed a hand on her shoulder, "There is nothing to apologize for. We are all okay."

Annie's eyes moved to his, "Are you sure you're not hurt?"

Bucky chuckled, "It would take a lot more than that, to hurt me Annie."

Annie smiled at this, then looked down at her hands. "I have to talk about the orphanage, don't I?"

T'Challa took a step forward. "I apologize Doctor, but as King, I need to know as much detail as possible of what happened before we got there. The threat of Manu has never reached our borders, until the orphanage. I must learn all I can and make a plan to continue to protect my people."

Annie nodded and looked at him. "As a friend, I want to know as much detail as possible to help understand what triggered your new abilities and how to bring your peace." T'Challa's smile was infectious so Annie returned it.

"I understand. I do remember, and—" Her eyes turned to Loki, "with Loki truly able to help me. I think I can share what happened." Annie stated taking a deep breath. She really didn't want to do this.

Loki took a seat on the left side of Annie, as everyone else stayed on the right side by the door, just in case.

"Obi and I had been talking about the new construction of the second housing building when he was shot in the head. We were brainstorming volunteer ideas to replant the trees we had cut down and increase adoption numbers." Annie's voice wavered a bit and she closed her eyes in pain. With a deep breath, she continued.

"After he was shot, they fired upon me as well, so I tried to run into the orphanage. I had hoped that the women had gotten the kids out of the back of the building and into the trees. Before I could get to the building, the trucks came out of the forest and surrounded me. With all the guns, I just froze." Annie finished the sentence with an angry tone as she clenched her fists.

"I was pulled to the center and was forced to watch as the men brought out all the children and pushed them on the ground by the side of the building. The women were brought out placed near the kids. I saw that they had set fire to the back of the building, which is why they couldn't escape out the back. Once the men had shut us up, the leader came out of one of the Jeeps and began this elaborate speech about his higher purpose. . ."

FLASHBACK

"Slaves, you are in the presence of the new ruler of Africa!" The Manu leader bellowed as he walked in front Annie around to the kids with an unnatural swagger.

"I have been gifted with a glorious purpose to unify all of Africa against the White Man. Over the centuries all that white men have done is take and take and take. Take our men as slaves, take our resources as treasures, take our women as whores and servants, take our animals for sport. But no more! I will bring the men of Africa together to run the White Man away from our land!"

The men surrounding the orphanage yelled in agreement. Annie was shaking with tears down her face as she turned to look at the children, praying to anyone listening that they will at least be spared. A solider behind her didn't like her looking around and slapped her face. She shouted in shock as her face and body snapped forward. With a hand on her right cheek she looked up to see the leader stomping towards her.

"You! White woman. You just prove my point of acting above us. You do not even pay attention to my speech and my presence."

Annie stared wide-eyed at him. "I am sorry, I j-just wanted to check on the—AH!" Annie's words were cut short as the leader slapped her in the face making her head snap in the opposite direction then before. She tasted blood in her mouth, and she was bringing up her hand, when another hit came to her stomach, making her fall to her knees in pain. Annie faintly heard the other women crying and screaming, but it was quickly drowned out by a freight train barreling in her ears. She felt heat building in her chest, but before she could think about it, thick hand grabbed her face and harshly tilted it up.

"You will learn your place white woman. You will listen and learn." The leader shouted and spat in her face. He let go and continued his speech.

"You, children, will be my army. You will fight and die for the glory of the future freedom of Africa. You will be trained to kill and maim the enemy!" The men yelled in excitement. Annie turned more discreetly to look at the children and saw them shaking their heads no.

This got the leaders attention. "NO! You won't fight for the freedom of Africa?! You betray your people and your heritage. You have been around the white woman too long. Fear not my future warriors, we will remove the brainwashing that the Whites have done to you. In a few years, surrounding by the best of Africa, you will understand our goals." The leader laughed, "And if you don't, well, there are always more fighters."

Annie couldn't believe what she was hearing, and it angered her. She knew that she should keep her mouth shut, but the heat she felt in her center forced her mouth to open.

"King T'Challa will be here any moment. He will end you and your pathetic militia." Her voice snapped and the whole clearing froze.

"How dare you talk to me without respect. You, white people, only respect your own kind. You spit on anyone lower. Well, guess what, bitch, I am more powerful than you. I have an army, with more weapons and men than King T'Challa. Wakanda will fall and I will take their resources and technology and it will turn the tides in this war." He grabbed her face again and yelled. There was a pause, and she looked at the leader with venom and disgust.

"Though I have to say, you are an exotic white beauty with this red hair and green eyes. You may just make the perfect addition to my collection of wives."

Annie felt sick. She wrenched her face from his hands. "I'd rather die." She spat back to him. Annie couldn't understand where this confidence and anger was coming from. She could barely contain it.

The leader came around behind her and proceeded to rip open her khaki shirt exposing the red tank top she wore underneath. With the loose shirt gone, the tank top showed her body off to the men who were now very much staring at her.

"Look at that, men. She had a hidden gem under that baggy shirt. I may just gift you all a taste once I am through with her." The men laughed and whooped in desire.

Annie twisted to look at the leader, malice, and fury clear in her eyes. "I will rip off your dick and feed it to you if you fucking touch me again."

The silence was deafening. The leader was not expecting that language from her, that was clear based on his face. He grabbed a fist full of her hair and she winced. "You will pay for those words." He sneered and he began dragging her forward. The other women were dragged away from the kids and placed into a straight line on their knees.

Annie could feel the cuts and scraps down her body and saw the rips in her shirt. "This woman," The Manu leader began, "This White Woman, has just signed the death warrant of these women and the children. Men, there are plenty more children to groom to our wishes, these are too tainted to change."

Annie's stomach dropped when she realized that she had just done. She watched as the leader lifted his gun to the women next to her. "No, please don't!" She screamed as he pulled the trigger, four times. She looked away and covered her mouth with a bloodied hand and she began to sob.

She felt a shadow over her and she looked up to see the Manu leader smiling like a psycho. He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "I will now enjoy killing every child that you have brainwashed, when I am through, I will take my pleasure from you. Then, if I allow it, you can die." Annie couldn't move, the heat in her chest was so intense she began to shake her head and she moved to stand up but the back of a rifle slammed into the side of her head and all was black…

END OF FLASHBACK

"… After I was fit in the head, I felt my body heat increase until it was unbearable. It felt like something was trying to get out. Once I had lost consciousness, whatever it was took control. I felt my body move as I got up and began shooting fireballs from my hands at the trucks and men, but I wasn't doing it. I remember seeing Bucky in front of me and I was begging in my mind to get Baako out of there, and then I spoke. It didn't sound like me at all. I felt myself move in front of the kids after Bucky left, I watched as my fire killed and burned. When the explosion went off, I could feel the surge of fire entering my body, it felt so good; the raw power was irresistible. When I threw the explosion at the Manu leader, I had this sense of fulfillment coursing through my body as he burned. I remember seeing Bucky next to me, but then nothing. Nothing until I woke up in Shuri's lab and I heard him yell." Annie was a complete mess as she finished her tale.

Tears fell from her face as she tightly grasped Loki's arm. When she talked about the Manu's threats of rape, she had grabbed Loki's arm, the heat that everyone briefly felt left quickly afterward.

"It is my fault that those teachers are dead. My rage and anger were so overwhelming, I couldn't keep my mouth shut. They paid for it with their lives." Her voice had gotten very small at this point as the guilt gripped her soul. She continued to sob quietly as silence filled the room.

The group was speechless from the detail she provided. Loki stayed very still as he allowed Annie to hold his arm. Internally, however, he was overwhelmed with the need to kill and destroy. That man had threatened to rape his Kenna, had beat her and even planned to give her to the men. Loki was in need of death by his hands, and he needed it badly.

Bucky and Steve both had stern expressions on their faces. They too were horrified at what Annie had endured, but their thoughts were not as violent as Loki's.

T'Challa sat on the edge of Annie's bed and slowly took her hand, which wasn't as hot as he thought it would be. Giving a calming squeeze he said, "Annie Walker, nothing that occurred that day is your fault. The Manu militia is known for its brutality and lack of mercy and remorse. They have done far worse for less insult. You saved all the children. Every single one of them is alive because of you and your new abilities. You may see your fire as a curse right now, but once you have learned control and have let go of your fear, it will be an asset that you can use to protect those who you care about, just like everyone in this room."

Annie looked up at T'Challa. The tears have slowed as she tried to compose herself. T'Challa brought a hand up to wipe away her tears. "You were incredibly strong during this horrible event, and you will overcome the trauma and pain. Everyone in this room is here to support you because we care. Everything, in time, will work out. You will be able to find your peace, just like you helped Bucky and Steve Rogers find theirs."

Annie couldn't help but smile a little and look towards Bucky and Steve who were both nodding.

"Don't forget what you are capable of, Doll." Bucky spoke up. "You have the biggest brain in this room. Your knowledge, creativity, and ingenuity are gifts that are needed. You can use these pieces of yourself to help control the fire in you."

"Speak for yourself," came a mutter from Tony who looked away indignantly. Annie let out a small giggle at the comment.

"I don't know how I will ever thank you all for everything you have done and probably will do." Annie humbly said.

"No thanks required Firecracker, just be sure to help with the barbecuing, and we will be square." Tony smirked his billion dollar smirk while Bucky and Steve both rolled their eyes at the childish man sitting behind them.