A/N: I am thoroughly sorry for the lack of update. I jinxed myself when I told you that the updates would be coming quickly. I promise no more delays. I don't know if you have seen the behind the scene footage for Thor 2 and specifically the Loki screaming...so many feels. I cannot wait for this to come out. Here's a shorter chapter needed to advance our story. Don't Be Such a Sour Wolf...you got me moving on this...I promise all of you know more delays. Thanks for all the favs, follows and reviews. Keep them coming!
Hela and Loki left the guest bedroom and met the others in the living room of Tony's penthouse.
"We are taking the quinjet. We have to meet Fury on the Helicarrier." Natasha told everyone.
Once everyone was boarded on the quinjet, they departed for the Helicarrier that was floating off the coast of New York.
After the jet landed on the Helicarrier, everyone gathered in a meeting room with Nick Fury at the head of the room.
Thor led Hela up to Fury.
"Ah, Director Fury, this is my niece Hela, Queen of Hel and guardian of the dead. She has offered to fight alongside us and the use of her army if you would deem it necessary." Thor said with a proud smile on his face.
Fury quirked an eyebrow as he looked Hela over. "You are going to fight?"
Thor chimed in before Hela could say anything. "Don't be fooled by appearances Fury. Hela is very powerful. She wields magic as great as Loki does and even possesses power that he does not. She would be an asset to the team."
"Were are going to need to discuss this." Fury waved his hand to indicate he was referring to the whole group. Hela strode to the back of the room and stood along the wall next to Loki.
"So if I'm understanding this correctly, there is going to be another attack on this planet. This Thanos is the one who orchestrated the other attack and is the one that is going to launch this attack." Fury spoke to the whole group.
"Yeah, that pretty much sums up what we found out." Tony replied.
"And where did you get this information about the new attack?" Fury questioned.
"Um, from– like- the angel of death?" Steve responded unsure if that was the right response.
"She's not an angel. Those are Midgardian entities." Hela corrected.
Fury pinched the bridge of his nose with his one eye closed as he tried to process this information.
"And you want to help us fight this attack?" Fury pointed over to Hela.
Hela nodded her head.
"And your father has offered you the opportunity to fight if we let you?" Fury addressed Loki.
Loki gave a slight nod.
"How can we trust you?" Fury questioned.
"It benefits me greatly if Thanos is destroyed. If I chose to help you, I would not do anything to impede that goal from being achieved." Loki responded.
Just then Hela abruptly shifted away from Loki along the wall and held her palms up to cover her eyes. She removed her hands revealing her wide eyes. She looked around the room. "I have a messenger arriving. He will mean you no harm." She took to a deep breath, walked a few paces from the wall and shifted into her half-dead/half-alive form. Nick Fury and Agent Hill looked on wide eyes at the transformation. Everyone else seemed used to this.
A male figure materialized in the room kneeling at Hela's feet. "Rise." Hela commanded and the "man" stood. He was taller than Hela; around 6 foot tall. He had muscle tone but his skin was bluish-grey. He had some of the same gashes that Hela had on his face. He had shoulder length fine brown hair that had a slight wave to it. He was wearing black pants and boots and a black military style jacket that looked like it came from the Napoleonic era and was tattered and worn.
"My Queen." He said with a nod.
"Hamundr, what brings you here?" Hela inquired.
"My Queen, we have had another influx of souls waiting for admittance. It is larger than before and unlike last time, there are souls that are not innocent and require judgment."
"Send the ones that are pure through, I will return to judge those who are left and pronounce sentence when I am through here. I will need to figure out an alternative plan until this business with Thanos is concluded. I sent word of our alliance with Asgard last night after I spoke with Odin. Did you receive it?"
"Yes, my Queen." Hamundr responded. "We have begun mobilizing our forces and will be ready for your command when you call upon us."
"Excellent. I do not know if aid in the form of troops will be accepted but I want you ready in case we are needed without warning. You are to continue command of the troops in Hel until I returned or you are called to me. We may need to move to defend Jotunheim, if needed." Hela instructed.
"Yes, my Queen." Hamundr nodded his head and then kneeled. Hela swiped her hand through the air and the figure that was Hamundr dissolved away.
Hela decided to remain in her half dead/half alive form. She repositioned herself next to Loki. He gave her a sly smirk noting that she decided to stay in the imposing form. She matched his smirk with one of her own.
"Uh, is your army made up with guys like that?" Clint asked.
"My army is an army of the dead, yes, if that is what you are inquiring. It works to my advantage when my troops are already dead." Hela answered in a matter-of-fact manner.
"I need to discuss all of this with my group. I need you three to wait in the next room." Fury said indicating that he wanted Thor, Loki and Hela to leave the rest of them alone.
The three of them left. Thor looked a little dismayed that he was not allowed to engage in the discussion about Hela and possibly Loki's assistance in fighting Thanos.
Silence fell over the three of them when they sat in the empty meeting room across from where the others were.
Hela finally broke the silence. "Uncle, tell me about your mortal woman."
Thor perked up with this opportunity.
Loki rolled his eyes. "I have had to listen to him expound on the virtues of his woman on a weekly basis since I have been imprisoned." Loki let out a sigh.
Hela chuckled. "Well, I haven't heard about her. Tell me about her Uncle."
Thor began with almost giddiness in his voice. "She is kind and caring. She is so smart and always inquisitive. She is always searching for knowledge. You have seen her beauty. She has shown me what is like to actually live. It is pure bliss just to hold her in my arms. I can go on and on and I can't seem to run out of the amazing things about her."
Hela smiled a genuine smile as she listened to Thor talk about…no gush over Jane. "She sounds wonderful, Uncle."
"Believe this, he will go on and on to prove there is no end. Save yourself now child before you too are crushed beneath the virtues of Jane Foster." Loki snarked.
Thor ignored Loki's commentary. "Aye, she is wonderful. I think very soon I will ask her to marry me."
Hela eyes widened brightly. "That's fantastic!" She gave Thor a hug.
Loki sat stunned and wordless.
"Brother, don't be so shocked. You had to know this was coming." Thor told Loki.
Loki thought for a moment. "I can't believe you are actually going to settle down with one woman. The maidens in Asgard will go into a period of mourning at the announcement of your engagement."
This comment made Hela snort with laughter. Thor couldn't help but grin.
After Hela's laughter subsided, Thor added. "She has made me a better man. I can't imagine life without her. I don't want a life without her."
Hela couldn't remember when the last time was that she had been in the presence of her father and uncle together and there was actually contentment in the air. She wondered how long this would last.
Steve opened the door to the room. "We are ready for you three again."
They reentered the room where all of the other Avengers were with Fury and Agent Hill.
"Fury, what say you in regards to the offer of aid from my niece and brother?" Thor quickly asked.
"We will accept Hela and Loki's help in fighting this new threat. However, we do not want a foreign army of the dead on the soil of this planet. And rest assured that at the first sign of betrayal by either of you, we will unleash our full force in order to suppress you." Fury declared.
"Very well. My army will be useful elsewhere." Hela nodded and then looked over at Loki with an imploring look on her face.
Loki sighed. "Fine. I will fight with you. Not for defense of Midgard but merely for my freedom."
Hela's face lit up as she nodded and looked over at Thor who was equally pleased.
A nameless agent came into the room. "Director Fury, we have a disturbance."
"Is it them already?" Steve asked.
"It doesn't seem like a full force, maybe some scouts." The nameless agent replied.
They exited the room and went to the bridge of the Helicarrier. On Fury's screens he could see the small force of Chitauri soldiers only numbering about 15 moving through the area where they landed in upstate New York.
"Go and take these few out before they get close to civilian population." Fury ordered.
"Alright suit up everyone; be on the jet in 5 minutes." Steve directed.
Hela looked at Thor and she linked her arm through Loki's. "Thor, my father cannot go."
"I can speak for myself, child." Loki furrowed his brows when he talked.
"Brother, you are not at your full strength of magic. I do not think you should accompany us this time. Father will be here this evening and will restore your magic." Thor stated.
"I will remain here until you return." Loki replied.
"I'm not leaving him; not when he doesn't have all his power." Hela jumped in.
Thor nodded. He knew Hela always had a protective nature when it came to her father. Sometimes she seemed to act more as the parent in her way to protect and soothe Loki.
The quinjet left the Helicarrier 2 minutes later and headed off to upstate New York.
Surveillance on the ground allowed the battle to be broadcast on to the monitors on the bridge as Fury watched the team land and assess the enemy forces. Hela sat in an empty chair in front of a monitor. Loki stood at the back of the bridge diagonally from Hela was sitting.
As Hela watched the battle begin on the monitors she focused in on Dr. Banner wondering what his role in this fight was going to be. He didn't seem to possess super strength like Steve. He didn't have a special suit like Tony did. He didn't seem the fighter like Natasha or the master of a weapon like Clint and he certainly didn't possess the power that her uncle had. She continued watching the monitor and then let out a surprised gasp as Bruce changed into the Hulk. She had an open mouth smile on her face and wide eyes as she watched him in the full force of "the other guy" launch into the fray and begin taking out the enemy forces. Loki noticed Hela's demeanor and studied her as she watched the Hulk on the monitors. He had noticed her stealing glances at the doctor and smiling at him while they were in Stark's abode. Now she was even more fascinated with him once she saw the hidden power that Banner unleashed.
Hela shifted into her Aesir form as she continued to watch the monitors. Loki wondered how it was possible that his daughter had become infatuated with a mortal just like Thor was. She had only been here for 2 days.
The battle raged on for a half an hour as the Avengers made short work of this small force of Chitauri.
The team recollected themselves; Banner returning to his normal form. They boarded the quinjet and flew back to the Helicarrier.
Once they had returned the team plus Loki and Hela gathered in the conference room where they had met earlier, waiting for their final clearance before departing the Helicarrier to return to Stark Tower.
Loki was sitting across the table from Hela. Thor was sitting beside her. The other Avengers were sitting in various places around the table.
"Father, after we return to Stark Tower; I need to depart. I need to go see Hades before I go to Hel." Hela informed Loki.
"Hela! I don't think this is the time for you to be seeking to fulfil your urges." Loki chided. The room grew silent as Hela looked at Loki with a horrified look on her face.
"I'm not—that's not why I-." Hela continued to move her mouth but no more words would come out.
"Really Hela, you still fancy Hades, the Olympian?" Thor chimed in. Loki grinned, mischief in his eyes.
Hela's eyes grew wide and she turned to glare at Thor. "What? No! I had a crush on Hades ages ago….Besides he has Persephone. We can stop talking about this now."
"Yes Hela, that crush caused you to ignore any young men that sought you out in Asgard during your formative years." Loki added. The other Avengers continued to listen to this exchanged with amused looks on their faces.
Hela's disbelieving expression did not fade as she turned to Loki. "Father, there were no young men seeking out the daughter of the God of Mischief and the niece to the God of Thunder in Asgard. I hate to burst your bubble. If you two didn't frightened them away, I probably would have."
Thor cut in, trying to mask his smirk. "Tell me Hela, have you found the prospects for mates better in Hel or perhaps you have found luck on another realm?"
As if it was possible for Hela to be any more shocked than she already was. "We are not having this conversation!"
"Perhaps you should find yourself a mortal like Thor has" Loki quipped gesturing towards Thor. Thor chuckled out loud.
"What?!" Hela exclaimed.
"Oh come now!" Loki responded. "I've seen the way Dr. Banner has caught your eye. And I saw that glee in your demeanor when you saw him transform into the beast and then back to his mild mannered self. You were positively beside yourself, giggling like you were an adolescent."
Hela's faced flushed and her mouth dropped opened as she stared at her father after he finished making this announcement. Thor and Loki exchanged matching grins. Tony and Natasha both looked at Bruce with wide eyes as he looked down at the files in his hand, a slight smile on his face.
Finally Hela's mouth was able to form words. "Sometimes I hate it when you have mischief on your mind."
A/N: Thanos will be invading soon.
