You finally managed to shut your mouth and stop screaming. It took more effort to open your eyes. You wrapped your arms around Loki's neck and sobbed into his shoulder from fear, until you heard the other voices asking if you were ok. You looked up and around, confused, until you realized that you were all in the spare bedroom in Thor's suite. Loki had pulled you into his arms after waking you from the nightmares. You didn't know when he arrived, clearly sometime during the nightmares, but you hadn't felt him and he hadn't woken you just by his presence.

You knew you were an exhausted disgusting mess, covered in sweat, and now melting ice, but you still found yourself smiling when you saw the looks of concern on Thor's and Sif's faces, glad your family cared about you.

"I'll be ok," you tried to reassure them. It probably would have worked better had your voice not come out as a harsh croak and not even let you finish the sentence. Great. You tapped Loki's shoulder. He looked down at you concerned. You hadn't tried this with him yet, but you hoped. [Would you tell them I'm ok?] you signed quickly with your hands. You hoped in that moment that he had gotten the ability from you through the soulbond. He raised an eyebrow, but did as you asked.

"She says that she is alright," he translated. "How in the nine realms can you talk with your hands?" he asked you after he had translated.

You smiled up at him, glad he had gotten the ability. [Clint is deaf. So was one of the girls who lived at the tower for awhile. I learned how in order to talk to them]

"Very ingenious," Loki replied aloud. He explained to your confused audience while you laid your head back on his shoulder, exhausted. "I'm sorry, darling. I should not have left you alone," Loki whispered against your hair. You shook your head. It wasn't his fault you had nightmares. It had never been his fault you had nightmares.

"Is there anything you need, dear?" Sif asked, concerned. You must really look like Hel.

"Would you get us all some tea?" Loki asked before you could try to speak up. You couldn't help smiling at that. You always got tea after nightmares.

Sif went to go make tea and set up the service in the other room. Thor took a step over and offered you his hand. You took it and let him haul you to your feet and wrap you in a hug.

"I could not wake you," his voice was sad, hurt, worried.

You nodded. That was typical. The only thing that ever woke you from the nightmares was Loki's ice powers. "I know-" your voice croaked out again.

"Here, darling." Loki had stood from the bed. He placed a glowing green hand against your throat and healed the damage you had done screaming your lungs out.

"Thanks," you told him with a smile. He nodded in reply and you turned back to Thor. "I know you couldn't, Thor. Thanks for trying. I would have warned you, but this is one of the first times I've had nightmares like that since your mother healed my mind... I'm sorry for worrying you," you added. You really did feel bad for worrying them. There was a reason only Loki knew about your nightmares. He wouldn't have either if he hadn't caught you having them so many times over the time you'd been together.

Thor hugged you again, not having words to reply.

"Tea is ready!" Sif called to you from the other room. Thor went to join her and Loki came over to you and wrapped his robe around you, comforting you how he could. You smiled up at him, grateful that he was always so thoughtful.

"Are you feeling better?" you asked him, concerned over his mental state from last night.

He kissed the top of your head. "I'm fine, darling," he reassured you gently, though you didn't believe him. You'd bother him about it once you were in the safety of your own suite. He was at least doing a little better, so you'd leave him alone on the subject for now.

Loki steered you to the main room of the suite where Sif had set out tea on the coffee table. She was sitting in the recliner with her cup of tea and Thor was sitting on one end of the couch. You took a spot between him and Loki and accepted your cup of tea. It was nice to sip on the hot tea surrounded by family.

"I'm so sorry I worried you," you finally said, speaking directly to the cup of tea. You were really bad at talking about nightmares, or yourself, or your own needs. "Please don't tell Frigga about the nightmares. She'll worry and they really haven't been as bad as they used to be..." you hesitated, but knew they deserved an explanation for what had happened. "I've had nightmares of the night my parents died since the day it happened. They were killed for their money and the people who did it set our house on fire while I was trapped inside," you explained for Thor's and Sif's benefit. Loki already knew all this already. "They mostly went away after Frigga did the soul healing. Tonight, with all that's going on, and that godforsaken play, I had nightmares about the fire, the night I got my powers, the night I was shot, and the night we defeated Balder," you looked up at Loki then. "Did you see what happened next?" Loki had telepathic abilities and could usually see your nightmares, at least while he was in the room with your.

Loki nodded. "I did," he said gently, though you could see the worry in his eyes.

"That did not seem like a normal dream," you started, then went on to tell the others exactly what had happened.

"That was not a normal dream," Loki agreed when you had finished telling the others what happened. "I did not know Balder had the power to influence dreams like that..." he said worriedly.

"He never did before," Thor agreed, sounding equally worried. Balder having more powers than he'd had previously wasn't a good thing.

It was then that you saw the hand shape bruises on your wrists where Balder had held them in the dream. You drew Loki's attention to them. "That was definitely not a normal dream," you commented, scared by this development.

"We will have to tell Mother about this part," Thor told you gently. You nodded. This had become a matter of security. If Balder could mess with you in your dreams, none of you were safe.

There was a knock on Thor's door a moment later. You all looked at each other confused. The only people who bothered you were all here. Thor went to answer it and Loki stood from his place on the couch, drawing a dagger, just in case, shifting so he was between whoever was at the door and you and Sif, protecting you both equally. "Mother, come in," Thor announced for the benefit of the rest of the room. Everyone relaxed. Loki vanished his dagger when Thor stepped away from the door to admit his Mother. Sif was already up to get another tea cup. You tried to get up and help her, to at least be of some use, but Frigga stopped you.

"Let me see your wrists, dear," she bid you gently. There was no arguing with Mama Frigga. You pushed up the sleeves of Loki's robe and showed her while wondering how she had found out about Balder's interference in your dream. "I had a vision," she explained, which was enough of an explanation for her children. She healed the bruises in an instant. You figured it was second nature to her by then to just heal every bruise and pain that came across her path.

Frigga accepted the cup of tea from Sif and you all went back to your places around the sitting room. "Tell me what happened," she bid you softly as she took the last chair. There was no questioning or disobeying her order. You were to do as you were told. The queen would be obeyed.

You looked at your cup of tea, but it was your story, so you had to tell it. The boys couldn't bail you out of it. You opened your mouth to speak, but Loki touched your arm, stopping you. "Let me," he told you gently, holding up a hand glowing with his green magic. "Close your eyes, darling, you do not need to watch this again." He touched your temples, drawing out the image of the nightmare to play for everyone. Thankfully, he only pulled the part where Balder had shown up. Loki caught you watching and pulled you to him, so your face was hidden against his chest.

"I'm fine, Loki," you murmured, but didn't fight his grip on you. He let you sit back up once the scene was over. Silly overprotective Trickster boyfriend.

"Have you seen this before, Mother?" Thor asked, ignoring you and Loki.

Frigga pondered it, but shook her head. "I will set the scholars to research it. Balder has never had the ability to affect anyone's dreams before. However, for tonight it is late and we should all get back to bed," she said firmly.

"Yes, Mother," you all replied obediently. She didn't look like she believed any of you, but let it slide for one night. Loki waved a hand, cleaning up the tea with magic as well as the tousled bed in the second bedroom. He walked you back to your own suite. Frigga had a guard to escort her back to her suite, so you didn't have to worry for her safety.

"Are you going to tell me what happened last night?" you asked him once you were safely in your own suite.

He gave you a look, then pulled you to him, holding you too tightly. "I'm so sorry, love," he whispered against your hair.

"Loki, you didn't do anything to hurt me, except insist that you couldn't trust yourself not to hurt me. What did he do to you?" you asked, your own voice full of hurt on his behalf. He had been so broken and bruised the day before and didn't let you help.

"It was a big very complicated spell Father wanted done last night," he started, but stopped. You wrapped your arms around him, a silent reminder that you were there for him. "He does not appreciate my work, but I still keep trying to please him anyway. His comments fray my temper," he was oversimplifying things, but you didn't call him on it. You were just glad he was telling you at all. "I shouldn't have left you last night. I'm sorry for that. Though, Sif has slept here more than a few nights when Father has done the same thing to Thor. It is kind of tradition by now," he added with his normal smile in his voice.

"You're really ok?" you asked him with concern.

"I'm fine, darling," he promised. "But we both need to get back to bed if either of us are going to get any sleep tonight," you nodded, but then made the mistake of running your hand through your hair.

"I need a shower first," you grumbled. The sweat and ice combination had dried to make you extra gross.

"Do you need help?" he asked with a mischievous grin.

You laughed at him. "No, Trickster," you replied. You stood up on your toes to give him a kiss. His laughter followed you to the bathroom.

You took a way too hot shower, finally relaxing after the nightmares. You took a look at your eyes in the mirror after you had gotten out and put on the tunic you had stole from Loki's closet. Finally the black was starting to lighten in your irises. You could finally see the distinction of your pupils again.

Hopefully your magic would be back soon.

Loki was waiting in the bed for you when you returned. You hesitated about joining him. "Darling, it is safe. I will protect us both. Balder will not be able to attack you again tonight," he promised. You nodded and climbed into the bed next to him. He tucked the lock of raven hair back from your face, hooking it behind your left ear. You didn't notice until you were falling asleep too quickly that his hand had been glowing green. "No more dreams for you tonight, dove," he whispered. You felt him kiss your forehead as you fell asleep in his arms, magicked to sleep, thanks to your troublesome trickster boyfriend.