Paradise

"So that's how the Cold War ended?"

"Exactly."

Within a few months, Steve and I had covered a lot of history considering the amount of time we actually had to sit and talk. Between his training with SHIELD and my dad keeping my busy with the tower (let's just say he wasn't happy with Steve and I spending as much time alone as we did) I barely had time to sleep.
Not that it bothered me much. Sleeping didn't come as easy to me as it used to. Every time I closed my eyes, Loki was there. Taunting, torturing, playing around in my head. I could tell my dad wasn't sleeping much either.

My phone beeped beside me, pulling me from my thoughts.

"That's my call." I started organizing pieces of loose paper and our books. "We'll pick up tomorrow with the turn of the century and how every one thought the world was going to end."

"Let me walk you up." Steve held the door open for me. Such a gentleman.

"So my birthday is coming up in a few weeks. My dad is planning a party. I told him nothing too big, but you know him. Anyways, I was wondering if you'd maybe..." gosh his eyes were so blue. "Like to-uh- come? I mean you can say no, it won't hurt my-" he placed his finger on my lips, silencing me.

"You talk a lot. I'd love to come." He removed his finger as a smile broke out on my face.

"Great. I'll keep you posted on the details."

He grabbed my hand as we made it to the roof access.

"Until tomorrow." He kissed my knuckles, looking at me through those impossibly long eyelashes.

"See you tomorrow." My heart was pounding as he released my hand.

I was sure my cheeks were still burning when I was walking across the roof to my dad.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and he wrapped one of his around my back before blasting off the roof towards Stark Tower.

I closed my eyes, letting the wind whip around me. Steve and I our...relationship, if you wanted to call it that, was progressing quickly, but we still had a few roadblocks. He still had the 1940's mentality, though his chivalry was refreshing, it could be frustrating. That, and I was still technically a minor for a few more weeks. I wanted things to move forward, but I knew I couldn't push Steve like that. I had myself convinced I'd let him make the final decision.

We landed at Stark Tower, my dad holding on to me for a few seconds before letting me go. He'd been like that since I was released from the hospital. Pepper was worried too, but she gave me more space than my dad did.

I walked into the Tower, going straight to my room after saying "hi" to Pepper. I collapsed on my bed, curling up into a ball, falling asleep immediately.

XXXXX

Cool fingers traced along my neck before his whole hand wrapped around it, yanking me onto my back. I cried out, clawing at his hand, but his grip was a steel vise.

"No one's going to help you. You're mine now " He whispered close to my face. His breath fanned against my neck as he leaned close to my ear. "Not even your precious Captain will save you." He whispered darkly. "There is nothing there."

"No. You lie..." his grip tightened as he chuckled darkly.

"That's what I do, darling." He held my chin in his cold fingers, forcing me to look into his eyes. "You'll break his heart."

There I was, sitting on the edge of a bed, the sheet wrapped around me.

"I should get back."

A warm hand ran down my bare back, tracing down the back of my arm, grasping my hand.

"You could stay."

I sighed, pulling my hand from his, putting my clothes back on.

"It's better this way." I said, pausing in the doorway before turning and walking away.

"No!" I squirmed, trying to escape Loki. "It's not true!" Loki laughed, slowly fading in the distance.

XXXXX

"Skye!" I jolted awake, gulping down air. "Hey." A warm hand touched my cheek, wiping away the tears I didn't know where falling. "Look at me."

I looked up to see the concerned eyes of my father. I gulped down air, still feeling Loki's hand around my neck. I leaned forward, resting my head against my dad's shoulder. He wrapped his arms around me, resting his cheek on my head.

We stayed that way for a while, the steady beating of my dad's heart and the soft hum of his arc reactor calming my frantic breathing.

"You wanna talk about it?"

I pulled away, sliding out of bed. "I'm fine." I began walking to the bathroom.

"No, Skye, your not." He stood from his spot on the bed.

"Oh and you are?" I spun back around to face him. He opened his mouth, hut I cut him off. "I know you don't sleep. You spend all your time obsessing over the tower and your suits. If anyone isn't okay, it's you."

He opened his mouth, but quickly shut it, storming from the room and slamming the door.

I went to my bathroom, shutting the door and sliding to the floor. Tears flowed down my cheeks as I reached into the drawer, pulling out the razor blade.

"Miss Stark-"

"Override. Play security footage."

Over the past couple of months, I had figured out how to override JARVIS' security cameras in my room to replay old footage just in case someone decided to check on me.

I twirled the blade in my fingers. I never thought I'd stoop this low, but after everything, I was just lucky I was still alive.

I slid the blade along my skin, feeling the pain only momentarily as the blood running down my arm hypnotized me. It is so incredible how fragile human life is. How easily we bleed, how quickly it can be taken away.

"Skye?"

"Just a second!"