As soon as Loki entered his quarters with Beverlee, once the door slid shut,  automatic lights activated. 

"This isn't like the first time when we're in the Med Centre. You're going to need to wear something more comfortable to sleep," Loki said, and walked over to his closet. He took a t-shirt off a hanger and handed it to Beverlee. 

She looked at the shirt. It was white and had the "I heart/love New York" logo on it, which caused her to smile in morbid amusement. 

"Did Thor give this to you?" she asked.

"How did you know?"

"Lucky guess," she said, then made her way into the bathroom to change. When she emerged, Loki was already in his pyjamas.  They were the blue ones he wore when they stayed at the Royal Suite at the Plaza.   She smiled, admiring how nice they looked on him.

"Well, I'm comfortable," Beverlee said, "now it's your turn."

Loki climbed into bed, and she proceeded to tuck him in.  

"Beverlee," Loki said, "I'm glad you're here, but even so, I'm still not keen on sleeping."

Beverlee climbed up onto the bed and sat beside him, then reached out and slowly stroked his cheek, "I understand. But if you have another nightmare, I'll be right here when you wake up. And if it gets too much, I will contact Lowenstein with that pager." She could see his worried expression remained, "hey, what is it? What's  really bothering you?"

"I don't want you to laugh at me."

"Of course I won't. What is it?"

"I feel quite... battered... when the representation of you speaks such awful things to me. Worse than when the Hulk smashed me like a rag doll years ago."

"The Hulk did what?!" Beverlee asked in shock.

"A story for another time, but while I survived that, I don't know if my heart could take another beating with such harsh words."

"I'm so sorry you have to face this alone," Beverlee said, "but maybe there is a way for me to help..."

"Well, yes, there is," Loki said with a mischievous grin.

He proceeded to quickly grab Beverlee by the waist -  she yelped in surprise. Lifting her off the edge of the bed, he carefully plunked her down to lay beside him, "that's better," he said. 

Shaken, but not fazed, she moved onto her side grabbing a pillow for her head to lay, then said, with an amused smile, "that's not what I meant."

"Beverlee, I want to test a theory," Loki said softly, his hand reached out to grasp her shoulder.

"I just bet you do," she said in a mock-defiant tone.

"I'm hoping with you near, you might be able to disrupt whatever it is that causes the nightmares."

"I'm not opposed to that," she said, "but Loki, there's something else that could help you contend with the nightmares." Getting under one of the blankets, which left a blanket separating them, she continued, "you're now aware of 'our reality' - you KNOW I care about you. So if you are confronted by a representation of me, and she makes an attempt to hurt you with words, well, you'll know she's fake and NOT me, so from there you can fight it." 

"That's my clever girl," Loki said, lifting the hand from her shoulder to stroke her hair, "I will keep that in mind if another nightmare manifests itself. Please... turn around?"

Beverlee knew then that Loki was ready to go to sleep. Before complying to his request, she gave him an encouraging smile then moved closer and kissed his forehead. 

Turning on her other side, Loki pulled her to him and held her close.

"Lights," Loki said drowsily, and the room went dark.

****

Beverlee awoke to find Loki was violently shaking and writhing in his sleep. At one point, his body convulsed, and his arms released her from their embrace. He began moaning and saying incoherent words.  

Definitely a nightmare, and he's really suffering...

"Loki!" she said, trying to rouse him, "Loki, wake up!" 

She pulled the covers off of him, grasped his shoulders, then gently tried to shake him awake. When that didn't work, she shook him with more force. 

"Loki, come on!" she said, in a desperate tone, "you have to wake up!"

She noticed Loki's hands came around her waist. She smiled at him, hoping her efforts had been successful - 

Then was unceremoniously thrown off the bed and fell onto the floor. 

What the..?!

The shock of Loki's actions hurt more than the fall itself - luckily it was not enough to cause injury.  

She was about to stand up and attempt another method,  but then Loki got out of bed. The way he was walking in the room,  it was peculiar...  

He was walking at a slow pace as if he didn't know where he was and checking out the area - or was he tracking/searching for something?

Loki was sleepwalking...

Whatever he was trying to do, within a minute or so, the situation seemed to have changed and it was not for the better. It looked like he had been discovered.  His hands were held clenched up to his chest in a defensive posture as if he was fighting something - or many somethings - in front of him. As he bumped into items like a chair, shelf or wall, he would stumble - but then connect with the solid object with his fists.

Beverlee just sat there, transfixed, until the sound of glass shattering from a shelving unit made her realize that Loki was tearing up his quarters and causing harm to himself.  

She quickly grabbed the pager off the nightstand and pressed the red button to alert Doctor Lowenstein. 

Please hurry, she prayed. 

Hang on, Loki!

****

Doctor Lowenstein arrived shortly with his medical bag and an orderly.

Beverlee recognized the orderly as Bruno, someone she and Loki had interacted with some time ago.  Although the circumstances weren't the greatest, it was good to see him again. 

"Loki won't wake up," Beverlee said, distraught, "and as you can see - he's sleepwalking."

Lowenstein briefly observed Loki, then made a signal with his hand to Bruno. 

Moving over to the far side of the bed, Lowenstein put down his medical bag, rummaged through it and pulled out a package with a syringe and a vial. 

"What's that?" Beverlee asked, worried.

"This should wake him up," Lowenstein said, poking the long needle into the vial and filling the syringe.

Beverlee nodded and remained on the far side of the bed to be safe with the doctor. 

Bruno had been able to grasp Loki by the arm and lead him back to the bed. He then gently pushed him down onto the mattress, having him lie on his stomach. 

Loki appeared to not like this as his body began to shake and writhe yet again. The incoherent words and moans were now more audible.

Bruno climbed onto the bed and carefully grabbed Loki's arms by his wrists, immobilizing most of his movement. With this patient 'prepped', Lowenstein then sprung into action - luckily he had chosen a syringe that could be injected through clothing - and grasped one of Loki's immobilized arms. He injected the needle swiftly - something that would normally cause much discomfort, but considering he didn't have much time, he had no choice but to do it this way.  

As he suspected, the sharp stab of the needle made Loki cry out in pain. 

 Lowenstein returned to the far side of the bed where Beverlee was and then just waited, hoping the drug would take effect soon.

"Loki," Beverlee whispered, not sure if he was able to hear her or not, but hoped there was a possibility he would, "here comes the cavalry." 

However, Lowenstein misjudged his patient. Whether it was from the pain Loki was experiencing in his nightmare, or from that needle, Loki began to act out. He bashed his head against Bruno's forehead - the shock of the impact releasing the orderly's grip. Saying something incoherent, Loki then grabbed those hands that had held him down - and flung Bruno across the room.  

Bruno impacted against the wall, fell to the floor then lay inert.

Beverlee was in shock and her hand came up to her mouth.    

Please don't be dead...

Lowenstein put a hand on her shoulder, "I now believe this is more than nightmares and sleepwalking, Beverlee. Don't be frightened, this isn't him - at least not the 'him' we know now."

"What can we do?" Beverlee asked, now feeling helpless, as she watched Loki continue to destroy his quarters with his fists.

It was at that moment, Loki fell to his hands and knees, and let out an agonizing cry of pain. 

Was whatever he was defending himself against just overpower him?

Beverlee was ready to go over to her friend, but Lowenstein held her back, "the injection may be working, but slow to act on his physiology. I'm going to attempt another shot." 

Rummaging in his bag again, Lowenstein grabbed another syringe and filled it with the remaining liquid in the vial.  

"Stay here," Lowenstein said to Beverlee. 

Beverlee reluctantly nodded.
 
She watched with distress, as Lowenstein approached Loki. Her friend was still on his hands and knees, trembling, and had a wild look on his face. The doctor put a kind hand on his shoulder and began to talk to him. Unfortunately, he was too far for Beverlee to hear what he was saying.

After a minute or more, she saw Lowenstein inject the needle into Loki's arm.  She could see this caused Loki more pain, and he cried out again. 

It was then Loki got up on his knees and grabbed Lowenstein by the throat.  A dagger appeared in Loki's other hand... 

Beverlee heard someone scream.

It took her a second to realize it was her.