The Twins and Lila Growing Adventures

Nat nodded, "Is it OK for me to drop you there? I would like to talk to the investigators and see if I can find something else," they had to be quick before the police notice they left with vital piece of evidence.

Giving a nod of her head, she waited for her aunt to take her back to her lab in Svalbard. A tiny island north of Norway known for its endless summer sun. It's one of the many reasons why she picked this place to be her home. After thanking her grandmother, she gave her a hug before she departed. Flicking the lights on in her lab, her brother reappeared once more. She set all the pieces down trying to find the right words. "How are you?... Were you-" before she could finish her brother nod his head, "I was.. And I know..."

The next few weeks were rough, Celia and Bucky rarely left the hospital, while Loki and Nat tried their best to keep everything going. Lila was attending school normally, just to at least help with her absence, she knew that being there with her parents would make them worry even more and make things even messier.
Nat was trying to figure things out with the police, which was little to no help at all, but at least now her suspicions for it not being an accident were more founded, she found some evidence of magical manipulation, just to be proven right by Vera, but who would do that? Who would win something for this kind of attack?
The good news were that Erik was recovering pretty well, he was still unconscious, but his bones were healing and his wounds were barely noticeable.

A few days after the incident, Loki persuaded the couple to return home to rest and clean up. He assured them they would be immediately informed of any changes in Erik's condition. For the first time in over a year, they were forced to be alone together in the home they had built, now silent and dark. This wasn't her home. There was no yelling or loud banging from above or a familiar smell of coffee grounds or a new type herbal scent coming from the kitchen or soft melodies of old 40's music playing. It was dead. She had killed it. Tears streamed down Celia's face, everything finally hitting her. How she had torn her family apart. Bucky, the man she loved who she had abandoned, turned to her, but she couldn't meet his eyes. She didn't deserve him. Yet here he stood before her holding her chin up, forcing her to meet his eyes. He was crying too. "It's going to be okay..." She didn't know who he said it for but it didn't matter. They couldn't fall into despair, not now. He closed the gap between them with a soft, fragile kiss, as delicate as an autumn leaf that could crumble with a simple gust of wind. In that tender, broken kiss, there was love. A sob escaped her lips, silenced by another kiss meant to comfort them both. The third kiss was a silent apology, the fourth an acceptance, and the fifth a promise. When they returned the next day, Celia wore her wedding rings as she held her husband's hand.

Neither did she speak on the subject of her brother's health and possible paralysis. As if speaking it out loud would make it too real. Vera understood better than anyone. Only once has she ever dared to admit she was kidnapped out loud, with the rest being too painful to admit. "The scar on my back, it burns. It hurts to touch. Sometimes it feels as if my seidr is trying to crawl out from my back. "She admitted one night as she watched a scene waiting to gain some time of answer. "I create a cooling fabric and line my coat in it. It helps. Jolon ... He created a special cream that helps too. I believe Eir used it on you as well." She never told anyone such. This somehow click something in Erik's brain. One he must get to the bottom of. He left once Vera fell asleep to confirm his suspicion.

Sometimes things don't need to be said, and just to be shown, that's what happened with Bucky and his family, they understood what he had been feeling and what he felt now, still, once Erik is awake he would tell them, all of them, how he messed things up, how deeply he regrets everything and that he will do anything in this world to make it up for them. But for now, he would just make breakfast for his wife and daughter before they went back to the hospital.

Recalling the conversation between his grandmother, his sister, and the detectives about the evidence they had found, Erik made a few connections. His sister had taken the equipment and clothes he wore that day to study, for no one could read magical signatures like she could. She discovered that the cloth in his gloves and the leather of his boots had been manipulated. His staff had been surged with far too much magic, causing it to shatter. Reflecting on their conversation last night, Erik pieced together who was responsible: Jolon. Somehow, Jolon had tampered with his gear.

Erik flew to Vera's second headquarters, her financial division, hoping to uncover Jolon’s motives. After shadowing Jolon all day, Erik learned nothing, until Jolon was alone in his suite in the sky. "You do know it's rude to stalk someone," Jolon said, causing Erik to freeze in his tracks as he examined Jolon's files. "I know you're there, Erik Barnes." Jolon held a crystal in his palm that appeared ghostly, emitting a soft glow that made Erik's outline shimmer with a similar white light. Erik's heart pounded as he realized he'd been caught, the crystal's eerie glow casting an unsettling light on the situation. "Has your mother never taught you how fragile a soul is?" That one sentence confirmed Erik's suspicions about the man before him. Panic set in as he realized he needed to leave. A sharp, electric sensation shot through his lower back and hips, causing his legs to collapse beneath him, turning to jelly. A sob wrecked through his body as he eyed the man standing before him. In the moonlight, Jolon appeared to be made of starlight itself. "What are you doing to me?" Erik choked out, struggling to form the words. Jolon set the stone down on his desk, only a few meters away. "I am doing nothing. Your sister learned that fixing your staff would return your soul to your body. I simply told her that souls can fade quickly if not returned promptly," Jolon explained, his voice cold and detached. "You’re experiencing a minor symptom." Erik forced himself to his feet, panting heavily. "Who are you? Why did you try to kill me? And why aren’t you trying to now?" His mind raced, none of it making sense. "You'll learn in time who I am. I believed you were a threat to my relationship with Vera. Unfortunately, you lived. If I killed you now, others could trace it back to me. For now, they can't," Jolon said simply as if it didn't matter. His body began to fade, becoming more ethereal. "Ah, you should be waking up soon," Jolon continued. "It's a shame you won't remember our talk." Erik’s vision blurred as his body weakened, the moonlight flickering like a dying candle. He fought to stay conscious, to grasp any shred of the conversation, but darkness quickly enveloped him. As he slipped away, Jolon's smile was the last thing he saw, only for his mind to fade to black.

Snapping his eyes open, Erik's breathing raced. The loud beeping noise of the heart monitor picked up pace. He wasn't safe. He felt like he was falling, and he couldn't feel his legs. "Vera," he choked out, his voice cracking from disuse. But it didn't matter; Vera wasn't safe. He needed to get to his sister. He needed to tell her! Yanking every cord off of him, he propped himself up. He had to move his feet to the side of the bed using his hands. By the time he found the strength to lift himself with his upper body, Eir was there, yelling at him to get back in bed. He didn't care. "I need to find Vera. I need to tell her," he insisted, but what? What was so important to tell Vera? Eir kept yelling at him, but he stumbled and fell, with Eir catching him. He shoved her away, only to hit the ground hard. He let out a grunt of pain. Eir stormed out of the room, likely to call his family. He knew he had forgotten something very important. Why couldn't he remember? Why couldn't he feel his legs? Why did he always have to be so weak? Frustration and helplessness surged through him. He began to hit the ground over and over again as hard as he could, the pain in his fists a distant echo of the anguish in his heart. He couldn't feel his legs, he couldn't even stand, he won't be able to fly ever again. A sob shook through his body as he roar at the floor. He couldn't even curl his legs up to cry into them anymore. 

Bucky and Celia rushed inside, with him picking Erik up and placing him on the bed, "I'll be alright son," he whispered over and over again, "Vera is on her way, your grandpa called her," his eyes were glistening with tears, he was so glad he was awake, but his reaction was heartbreaking, he knew it will take a lot of time and a lot of effort.
Nat, Loki and Lila got to the hospital to see him, they were waiting for Erik to calm down and see Vera there. At least he will know that he had his whole family to support him.

There was a broken hiccup of, "No. It won't," from the young boy, he began to hit his legs, "I can't feel them," he said each and every time he hit them. Every time hoping that maybe if he hurt them enough he could feel them again. His mother caught his hands and forced his arms back and pulled him into a hug. She held him there sobbing a broken apology to him. The door was flung open, Vera was panting and was holding what appeared to be his staff in her hand but there was a handle on top. Seeing her brother she rush to his side his mother let him go and Vera envelope him in a hug. He clung to her sobbing into her chest. Vera clung to Erik her smile faulting momentarily before she took a deep breath to find her resolve. She cupped her brother's face, "that's enough now, okay?" She gave him a bright cheerful smile, one that always reminded of bright summer days at the beach with ice cream cones. Somehow it force Erik to catch his breath and to stop his crying. "You might not feel your legs right now, buteverything going to be okay. You're going to walk again, I promise, I even made you cane!" With her gesturing to their mother who was holding him. Swallowing a lump in his throat he ask in a whisper, "you promise?" Vera offer her pinky to him with a smile that could rival the sun in pure brightness she nodded her head, "promise!" With the two locking pinkies. His father went to retrieve the rest of his family once he knew Erik had calm down.

Lila rushed into the room and also hugged Erik, "We missed you," she whispered and placed a kiss on his cheek, she was followed by his grandmother, who held his hand, "You are the strongest boy I ever met," she whispered with a small smile, she meant every single word. She knew that they could help him, she would ask Rhody too, he also suffered from a similar accident.

The last to see him was his grandfather, who placed a kiss on his forehead. "Give yourself time, and be patient." He suffered one of the most horrific accidents he's ever seen. His body was still healing. Erik nodded his head, he knew his grandfather was right. "Can we go home?" Without any hesitation his sister scooped him up into her arms and carried him all the way home.

All went to Celia's house and they had a nice lunch, they gave Erik some presents, today was not a day to worry, but to celebrate the kid's bravery and strength.
Celia cooked a feast for everyone, while Lila and Vera were talking and trying to cheer out Erik.
Thor and Love were also there, he brought gifts for him. Then the doorbell rang and Strange walked in, they weren't expecting him, but it was a nice surprise, one that could help Erik the most.

Right behind Strange was Erik's best friend, both arriving at the house at the exact same time. They had to move dinner to the living room because they all couldn't fit in the dining room. Everyone was sitting around the couches chatting with each other. Erik's friend brought him his diamond medal. It took him a month with the rest of the league backing him up for Erik to be the champion and for his record to go down in the history book. "They would only agree if they added the three seconds to your record." Erik didn't really care. He was just happy to have a record. His mother and his friend began to throw insults towards the official committee.
Strange got his attention and began discussing possible surgery he could have to restructure his nerves to regain the feeling in his legs for him to use magic to help strengthen his legs and walk again. Even his grandfather join in the discussion, he had been reading up on sorcerer healing and was curious what Strange thought of them. With two discussing more in depth on it. Strange had promise Erik that by this time next year he shall be able to walk. By the end of the night his sister had carried him up to their room leaving the rest down below to continue their discussion. The two fell asleep in Erik's bed both completely drained after such an emotional day.

Lila stayed in the living room with the sorcerer, feeling awkward, she had seen the wizard before, but she never actually talked to her, "So," he broke the silence, "I can feel you're really powerful, you must be quite talented with your magic, I bet your father is teaching you well," he just put salt in the wound without knowing, "Not really," she said with that small smile she mastered, "I know a couple of spells, but I am not that interested in learning more, maybe in the future, but now I just want to finish school," he couldn't read if she was being 100% honest, but a power like hers being wasted was a shame, maybe he could talk to her father and see if he could convince her to be trained. "Well Lila, it was a pleasure, but now I have to go back, if you ever want to learn how to use your seldr, you can come to visit," she waved him goodbye as he left the living room. He said goodbye to everyone and took the chance once Loki offered to escort him to the door, "I was talking to Lila a moment ago," he began, "She inherited your power, I think she should learn how to use it," it's better if you start learning as young as possible.

This did surprise him to hear, this must be the reason why he spoke to her. "I've taught her the basics, I would've likely already taught her more advanced spells if I wasn't so terribly busy." There wasn't a day when he isn't drag away or off to help someone in his family.

"I figured, but I think that more now than ever, it's important for her to learn how to control that power, I know you are busy man, but I could help you w her training," he offered him.

His gaze fell upon his youngest daughter, her small form resting peacefully next to her mother on the couch. She was nestled in the warmth of their embrace, her breathing slow and steady as she drifted towards sleep. His wife, engaged in a lively conversation with their eldest daughter and son-in-law, seemed completely at ease and content. "A few months ago, I might have taken you up on your offer," he replied thoughtfully. "But now that my eldest is back, I can resume her lessons myself." He couldn't help but smile seeing his family together again and at peace with one another. "Thank you for visiting and for offering your assistance to help Erik," he continued, grateful for his support during a difficult time. "I came to see you out to offer you some books on how seidr is used in healing. While they may not be directly applicable to you or for Erik situation, I believe you'll find them fascinating reads."

"Thank you very much, and tell me if I can help you with something," related to Lila or Erik. With that, the sorcerer opened a portal and disappeared.

From that day on, they went to visit Erik every day, trying to make him feel better, or at least less worse. A few months passed and with everyone's help, mostly Vera and the technology they used with Rhody, Erik was able to walk a little bit, meanwhile, his parents decided to sue the championship organizers, because of Nat's research, they found some irregularities about safety, no, they were not responsible of the tragedy, but they could have prevented those major injuries.

Erik's mind raced as he tried to make sense of the impending trial. For days, he struggled to fully comprehend the gravity of the situation. But it wasn't until he thought about the possibility of finding the person who had brutally injured him and nearly ended his life that he was truly convinced to take part in it. Now on his better days when his back wasn't forcing him to waste his day away in bed, he was by either his aunt, sister, or Doctor Strange's side. On his better days he was searching for clues with his aunt. On his worst by his sister's side and on his decent days at one of the Sanctums with Doctor Strange and Wong. On one of his bad days, he cuddled close to his sister's side as she tinkered in her lab. She was talking about Jolon and she said something about Jolon that snapped the pieces in place. He knew it was him, he didn't know how and he couldn't prove it, but he knew.

As they tried to figure out what happened and who was responsible for Erik's accident, Lila finished school and received her scholarship, she was going to study Literature at Oxford University, just like her and Loki talked about, she gave up on the idea that he would teach her magic someday, she asked too many times already, and every time she dared to ask again the answers were the same, he was busy, she wasn't ready, or he "thought" her something that she already knew. Magic was her true passion, she had been learning on her own, something that she couldn't tell anyone about, because she knew that would upset her parents, well, mostly her father, they didn't need another worry, at least that was the only way she could actually help, being the perfect daughter, do what they say, don't speak her mind, agree to everything they say, and excel where they want her to excel.
It was a nice Saturday morning and she was excited, it was her graduation day, so she picked a pretty, simple, and adequate lilac dress and styled her natural curls, her mom did her makeup, nothing extravagant, it was a very natural look. She would give the valedictorian speech, so she wanted to look good, to look perfect.
"What if I forget the words, what if I forget how to speak or how to breathe," she said as she was waiting for her parents to get ready, they would meet everyone already there, thankfully. "Everything will be fine sweetheart," Nat kissed her forehead, when did she grow up so much? it felt like it was yesterday when she was five and running around with the twins...

The twins appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, a few hours too early for the gathering. Vera, with her never-ending struggles with time blindness, seemed to have no concept of punctuality. As people began to surround his sister, Erik found a seat among the many scattered around the room. Jolon settled in beside him, his eyes fixed on Vera with a gentle smile that spoke of admiration and contentment. It was the same smile one might wear while basking in the first warm days of spring after a long winter. In contrast, Erik's own features were etched with a cold glare and a slight frown. "They're all fake," he muttered under his breath, "they would be mocking and belittling her if she wasn't so popular..." Erik couldn't understand why his sister continued to put up with these shallow individuals. After all, she hated fake people. "Because it's nice to hear white lies sometimes," Jolon’s words echoed in his mind. But even as he repeated them internally, they still bothered him greatly. They made little to no sense to him, his own sister only came to Lila’s ceremony to quote, “beat some sense into her,” due to Lila’s decision of what she’ll be doing after graduation. Why would she like to hear others give her fake praise? “She’ll never have this,” Jolon simply added. She had Stark Expo though, but… it isn’t the same, this was an achievement most have, one she didn’t have. His sister will never have the opportunity to make that choice. Maybe it was comforting to hear white lies.
Vera’s phone rang, at the same time Loki’s did as well, they both answered the phone seeing what the number was. The detectives on Erik’s case. Vera gave a simple nod informing them that she’ll come in tomorrow before hanging up. Today was too important. Loki however informed them that he’ll be there shortly. “It shall only take me a few minutes darling, they believe they caught who messed with Erik’s staff, I promise you won’t have enough time to even miss me.”

He was totally avoiding Nat's glare, "It's OK papa, don't worry," Lila said with a soft smile, was she upset? Yeah, but she mastered the art of hiding her emotions, "Try not to take too long, this is about to start," Nat told him before he left.

He could feel Natalia's eyes in the back of his head, hear the venom in her words, he knew to be swift. This should only take a few minutes. The three parted ways with Lila and Natalia arriving around the time the twins' parents arrived. They were holding hands and everything, both Vera and Erik still had no idea how to feel about such. It was so odd to see the two together again. Erik offered Lila a hug where he was sitting. "Congratulations, Lila," "On making the worst decision you can ... " Everyone snapped at Vera beside Jolon, "Not the time and place, Vera," Celia hiss at her and Vera took a seat crossing her arms.

Lila knew that Vera would do something like that, so it didn't affect her at all, she was already too busy worrying about if Loki would arrive in time. A few minutes later the ceremony started, Lila said goodbye to her family and went with the rest of her classmates.
The principal gave his speech, Loki wasn't there; a couple of teachers also gave their speech, but he still wasn't there, now it was time for her speech, he still wasn't there.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, esteemed faculty, and fellow graduates," she began, " As we stand on the threshold of a new chapter in our lives, we are reminded of F. Scott Fitzgerald's words: "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." Yet today, we are not drifting backward; we are sailing forward into the boundless possibilities of our future.
Our journey has shaped us into who we are today. What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. Each of us carries a unique spark, a potential to shape the world in ways we have yet to imagine.
Looking ahead, let us remember that a single person in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a purpose. Our purpose may not be defined by wealth or status but by the impact we make, the kindness we show, and the dreams we dare to pursue.
As J.R.R. Tolkien wrote, "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." Our future is a blank canvas, waiting for the strokes of our creativity, passion, and perseverance. Let us embrace the challenges and opportunities with open hearts and minds, knowing that our greatest adventures lie ahead.
As we leave this chapter behind, may we carry with us the lessons we've learned, the friendships we've forged, and the dreams that ignite our spirits. Together, let us step into the future with courage, hope, and the unwavering belief that we can create a world as beautiful and profound as the stories that have inspired us.
Thank you, and congratulations to all of you," Everyone cheered and a few tears were shed, but Loki was not there to see it.

Amidst the sea of jubilant students, Erik sat slumped in his chair. The loud cheers and excited shouts for what the future held echoed through the stadium, but he couldn't join in himself. Everyone around him had something to look forward to, a bright path ahead of them. But for him, everything was stagnant. He was stuck here, at home. Stuck in this school that he so desperately wanted to leave. His plans for the future were scattered to the wind. And worst of all, he was trapped in his own body, unable to escape or run away like he used to.

As tears threatened to spill from his eyes, Erik's father pulled him into a hug. "It's going to be okay champ," he whispered reassuringly. "You're not any further behind than anyone here. You just need time to heal and when you're back on your feet, you'll blow everyone out of the water." Drying his tears with the back of his hand, Erik forced a small smile. His father was right, as always. He always understood how he felt.

Thankfully, Lila didn't see his emotional moment. She was too caught up in her own graduation celebrations. Vera, on the other hand, stood tall and impatiently tapped her foot while texting on her phone. Her irritation was palpable.
Erik's thoughts drifted briefly to Loki, who had yet to arrive at the ceremony. He knew it would hurt Lila deeply to know her father didn't show.

They all got to Nat's place to have some dinner, and that's when Loki finally arrived. Lila didn't want to talk to him, she knew that he would apologize and she would cry, she did all of this to make him happy, but he didn't even care enough to be there, so as soon she heard her father's voice, she went to have a walk in the forest, maybe that way she will calm herself and pretend not to be affected by it.