A big thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter!
I have taken more liberties with the battle of New York. I hope this does not bother any script purists.
Please excuse any large errors. Feel free to notify me of any you come across.
Warning: this chapter contains Loki and Nora moments. I'm crossing my fingers that they are well-received.
Sovereign
Chapter 9
Backing away from the problem of pain, you never had a home,
You've been misguided, you're hiding in shadows for so very long,
Don't you believe that you've been deceived, that you're no better than...
The Unwinding Cable Car - Anberlin
"LOKI!"
Her face was wrought with dread as the couch crashed into a neighboring wall. Squirming to her knees, Nora cried out in her scramble to get away from the amused Chitauri standing above her. Their laugh was disturbing to hear, the alien sound mocking her as she crawled for the steps that separated the bar from the living room. However, an escape was not meant to be.
Swiftly, Nora was picked up from the floor by a strong pressure around her neck. She coughed and sputtered as the six-fingered hand of a Chitauri began to choke her, her body raising to the ceiling. Tears pricked her eyes as Nora dug her nails into the flesh of the Chitauri's arm, her dangling feet kicking wildly for survival.
The Chitauri growled and warm droplets of spit landed on her face, the pressure at her throat continuing to grow worse with each passing second. The will to struggle was slowly evaporating as Nora could feel the various parts of her body tingle as they lost sensation. Her head was swimming with a single thought:
Was this truly how she was going to die?
"Let the woman go."
With all of her senses going haywire, Nora couldn't make out the voice as clearly as the Chitauri did. Clearly irritated with the interference, the Chitauri holding onto her glared in the direction of the balcony and squeezed her neck tighter in response to the new presence. She was on the brink of blacking out when the Chitauri decided to release her with a powerful throw, her body soaring through the air as it crashed into the shelving unit of the bar.
Her back hit the wall and Nora collapsed to the floor, a majority of the shelves and their accessories landing in pieces around her. Pain wracked her body as an assortment of wine glasses and alcohol shattered on top of her, their contents spilling to the floor and cutting her in a number of places.
Managing to remain conscious through it all, Nora moaned and rested her head against the floor, not caring whether or not it hit glass. The fuzziness of her head began to clear and the feeling of agony replaced it. She could hear the sounds of a skirmish taking place beyond the bar; a combination of words she understood versus the inhuman roars of an alien race. Blasts of blue energy ricocheted throughout the penthouse.
Carefully, Nora rolled over onto her back and grimaced at the shards of glass that poked into her alcohol-soaked uniform. Her body hated her and Nora wiggled her toes as blood rushed through her limbs. Regaining clarity in her eyesight, she examined her hands and flexed her aching fingers. Thankfully, the damage wasn't too extreme; only a few digits suffered from cuts while most of the bleeding came from a long incision that marred her left palm.
Wanting to help her savior, Nora yelled aloud as she pulled herself to a sitting position, her injured hands saturating themselves in the surrounding alcohol. Her head disagreed with the movement and Nora could feel the trickle of blood run down her face as she leaned forward. Blocking out what pain she could, Nora grit her teeth and climbed to her feet, her body bracing itself against the bar table.
"Stay down you foolish woman!" her savior barked.
She narrowed her eyes and turned her head to see Loki running towards her, his staff extended. Alarmed, she glanced back in front of her and could see a charging Chitauri racing to her position at the entrance of the bar. The Chitauri was unarmed, bloody, and limping in its race against Loki, but still posed as a very dangerous force to be reckoned with.
Nora took a clumsy step backwards as the Chitauri crossed Loki's path, the creature snarling as Loki's staff blocked it from reaching her. Gracefully, the God of Mischief lifted his staff and began a sequence of hard movements to push the Chitauri away, his heavy green cape flowing through the air. His body twisted with finesse as he avoided the counter-attacks of the Chitauri and Loki looked to Nora after stabbing the creature in the chest with the pointed end of his staff.
"You are going to get yourself killed just standing there!"
Sure enough, the second Chitauri was in front of the bar table. Hearing the familiar sound of a Chitauri gun charging up, Nora ducked and squeezed her eyes shut as a blast crashed into what remained of the shelves. As glass and shelf debris rained upon her for a second time, Nora stayed crouched and stepped closer to the corner edge of the bar's entrance. Looking around her feet, she found a long shard of glass that previously belonged to one of the larger bottles of alcohol and delicately handled it in her right hand.
His staff still imbedded within his opponent, Loki pulled his weapon away with a growl and a twist. Instantaneously, he connected the blunt end of his staff with the jaw of the creature and kicked the Chitauri away with an armored boot. From her peripheral vision as she rounded the corner, Nora could see blood flowing from the stab wound and witnessed the creature fall to the floor in what was safe to assume as death.
Remembering her own Chitauri, Nora's palms were a mixture of sweat and sticky blood as she held the piece of glass like a knife. Peering around the corner, she saw the Chitauri leap onto the bar table looking for her.
Loki advanced on the both of them, his staff pointed at the floor before raising up to fire a fierce blast in the direction of the creature. Having dodge the attack, the creature snarled and Nora used the opportunity to creep behind it. She pushed herself between two barstools and could see the heel of the Chitauri resting over the table. The whir of the Chitauri gun hummed near her ear and a blast took off for Loki, the God deflecting with a shielding technique.
"You cannot best me," Loki said, his voice dripping with malice.
Deciding to strike, Nora used the barstools to leap onto the bar table. Her joints in pain, she threw herself on the Chitauri's back and stabbed the creature in the eye with the shard of glass. Howling, the Chitauri began to writhe in an attempt to rid himself of her weight. Nora yelled and constricted her legs tighter around the Chitauri's stomach, yanking out the glass to stab the other eye and blind the creature completely.
Sliding off the Chitauri's back, Nora rolled off the bar-table and watched the sightless Chitauri trip recklessly to the floor. Loki smirked and stabbed the creature's forearm with a violent jab, kicking away the Chitauri's gun once it was free of its grasp. With two hands, he pulled his staff free and shared a brief moment of eye contact with Nora before impaling the knife-like end into the Chitauri's head.
The danger was over.
Relieved, Nora sank to the floor and tossed aside her makeshift weapon. She watched the shard of glass skid across the floor, the fragment glistening with dark Chitauri blood. Her body and mind were exhausted as pain chided her for getting herself into these situations. Sweat dripped from her head and Nora carefully wiped it away with a filthy sleeve. When she looked up at Loki, his breathing was calm in comparison to her ragged and heavy breaths, his stance composed and regal.
He studied her with piercing eyes.
Suddenly realizing the presence of his staff and what power it held, Nora glanced at his weapon with a worried look. Though she was grateful for Loki's assistance, she couldn't help but shake the feeling that while she was out of the frying pan, she was now in the fire.
"Don't you dare think of using that on me again," she panted.
Seemingly taunting her, Loki gripped his staff into a more favorable and comfortable position. Silence stretched between them and Nora fought to keep herself from passing out. She could see the hint of worry on his face as her head lulled from side to side.
"Are you alright?" He asked, already knowing the answer.
"I'm fine..." she said, he wobbly voice betraying her words. Trying to make a point, Nora pulled a leg out in front of her and attempted to stand. Her body lurched forward and Loki quickly flew to her side, his arms strong and supportive.
"Foolish woman," Loki muttered, picking her up gently. Nora made a squeak of surprise as she was carried bridal style towards the remaining, undamaged couch. Suspicious of his intentions, she examined his face and was dismayed to find a blank and unreadable expression. His mouth was a thin line and remained as such when he placed her delicately on the couch, his eyes refusing to look at her.
"I'm confused," Nora said weakly.
Loki rolled his eyes. "About what?"
"You're not going to turn me into a drone again?"
Artfully, Loki wielded his staff and dropped the tip of it to rest an inch away from her chest.
"Is that an invitation?"
Nora shook her head as best she could, "No."
"I thought not..." Loki said, turning around swiftly and heading to the balcony.
"Where are you going?" Something within Nora wanted him to stay.
"I have unfinished business to attend to," he replied. No longer able to see him and accepting his answer, Nora took solace in her newfound comfort and rested her weary head in the crook of her arm. She smelled of alcohol and blood, the scents saturating her nose as her eyelids fluttered to a close.
Unsure of whether or not he was still in the room, Nora mumbled one last bit of words before drifting off to sleep.
"Yeah, well, don't get yourself killed. Asshole."
Since the start of battle, Thor had yet to pull Loki aside and discuss the matters of this madness. His brother remained a constant but elusive figure in this war; he was a burden for the Avengers and flew in and out of the action when it served him purpose.
While he never outright ignored Thor, Loki was careful enough to not get too close or linger too long. He'd let Thor spot him to only remind him of the heartache and pain he inflicted on his sibling before smirking and disappearing again. Surely, he realized the consequences if he let Thor get his hands on him: a heart to heart with the probable use of Mjölnir to assist in knocking some sense back into his head.
As of now, the last Thor had seen of Loki was entering the balcony area of Stark Tower's penthouse. Battling a horde of Chitauri, Thor made sure to stay close to the Tower in order to keep tabs on his brother's whereabouts. When Loki's time within the building lasted longer than expected, Thor began to grow suspicious of his actions. No Avenger was inside the building to worry about and as far as Thor could speculate, his brother was hiding a key factor that could possible help end the surrounding warfare.
Eventually, Loki emerged. He seemed aware of Thor's watchful eye and waited until a Chitauri momentarily distracted the God of Thunder before disappearing from sight.
Thor growled out in frustration and quickly put down the remaining Chitauri around him. Deciding to investigate the penthouse, he pushed off from the neighboring building and flew through a stream of hovercrafts, a swinging Mjölnir smashing into their pilots.
His emotions tugged at him as he glided through the air, his memory fondly conjuring up the contests he used to have with Loki as a young boy growing up. They had been playful and competitive, the kind of contests where they strove to best one another on the battlefield, each calling out the number of enemies they single handedly took down.
They always ended with a brotherly clap on the back and a fun debate about what to eat.
Shaking his head, Thor descended onto the balcony of Stark Tower's penthouse. He twirled the handle of his hammer as he scrutinized the area, his feet bringing him to the threshold of the room.
The place was a mess; a portion of Stark's furniture was upside down and damaged with gaping holes of seared material while the walls told the story of a heated battle involving advanced weaponry. The bar, or what was left of it, was decorated with the remains of shelves and glass. Smears and trails of blood added to the tale of conflict and at the bottom of the bar, Thor could plainly see the body of a Chitauri laid out on its stomach.
Brother...
Brushing by the only piece of furniture to remain intact, a couch that faced the elevator, Thor crossed the room to study the Chitauri remains. He bent over and lifted the dead creature's head with a large hand and nodded in admiration at the blood that ran down from the Chitauri's eye sockets. When he let go, the head thumped loudly against the floor and a fresh wave of blood flowed out from its wounds.
What happened here?
Standing back up, Thor turned around and froze at the sight of a human woman sleeping on the couch. His blonde brow furrowed in confusion and his feet automatically moved him to reach her side.
The woman had short brown hair that was matted with dried blood and sweat. Her bruised, pale face was a mixture of pain and content as she slept soundlessly, her fingers twitching every so often. Drops of blood were dripping at base of the couch and Thor immediately took notice of the gash that hindered one of her palms.
Wanting to be of assistance to the woman and seek proper shelter for her, Thor reached out with a burly hand to wake her.
"Do not stir her."
He knew that voice.
"Do you protect this woman, brother?"
Retracting his hand, Thor turned his head and greeted his brother with inquisitive eyes. Loki stared back with coldness, his body leaning casually against a wall. His staff had reverted back into a scepter, the weapon held loosely in his hand and in the crook of his crossed arms. No longer was he dressed in his kingly regalia, his rich green cape and horned helmet gone for the time being.
"What is it that you want Thor?" Loki asked, his tone interrogating.
Thor couldn't help but shout. "I want you to end this madness and come back to Asgard!"
"Why is that? To live in your shadow again? To serve a punishment?" Loki laughed mirthlessly. "No, I have a brighter future."
"At this realm's expense! Don't you see what you're doing? The chaos this dream of yours has created?!"
Thor's loud words seemed to reach the human on the couch, her body moving with restlessness. Focused on his brother, Thor did not realize the effect his voice was having on the woman. It was only after Loki's attention lingered on the couch that Thor follow his gaze, Loki's reply only coming after he was sure sleep had taken hold of her once again.
"This is no longer a dream, Thor. It is a reality. The humans will soon bow to their new sovereign. That includes the humans you fight alongside."
"And this human woman you seemingly care for?" Thor asked, emotionally waving a broad arm over her body.
Loki sneered and glared at him, "I do not care for her."
"Your words betray your actions, brother."
The contempt on Loki's face was obvious. Taking an angry step forward, Loki grabbed his scepter and pointed it to the outside battle. "Say what you must but this bloodshed will not stop. I come too far for me to end this now; you have had your time of dignity and honor, let me have mine."
Sadly, Thor shook his head. "I cannot let you subjugate these people."
"I did not ask for your permission, brother."
Dropping Mjölnir to grip the strap, Thor began to swing his hammer like a mace. Amused, Loki took to a lazy battle stance and waited for Thor to make the first move.
A deep roar resonating from his throat, the God of Thunder jumped into the air and flew towards his brother, his hammer swinging at an incredible speed. Loki did nothing to avoid the charge and smirked confidently as Thor rammed into his chest, sending the pair out onto the balcony.
Skidding to a halt, Loki continued to smile. Thor was close to sitting atop of him, one hand gripping violently at the collar of his clothing while a calm Mjölnir threatened him from above.
Thor's voice was shaking, "Brother, I am begging you. Let us go back home, to Asgard. Think of Father and Mother. We have missed you so dearly."
After a few seconds, Loki's smirk faded into something resembling sorrow, his dark eyebrows knitting in guilt. Thor relaxed his grip at the expression and mirrored his expressed anguished, Mjölnir lowering to his floor. His eyes glistening, Loki stared at Thor and spoke as though his heart were tearing in two.
"I am lost, Thor."
Leaving his hammer, Thor grabbed Loki's arms and brought them both to their feet. As a loving and comforting gesture, he then grasped the back of Loki's head and pushed for their foreheads to meet.
Thor smiled, "We will find you, brother. After this chaos ends."
Suddenly, Thor's smile was gone and replaced with pain and sorrow as he looked down to see Loki stabbing through armor to pierce his side with a small knife.
Loki's smirk was back in place.
"Don't be so asinine to think I should ever give up so easily," he said, backing to the edge of the balcony. A shimmering effect dancing upon him, Loki was soon redressed in his kingly wear, the horned helmet and green cape back in place.
"You will not win," Thor said, pulling out the knife.
Loki narrowed his eyes and checked behind his back to see a Chitauri hovercraft waiting for him. "Yes, so I've heard."
Leaping off the edge, Loki landed on the craft and immediately took off.
Thor quickly grabbed his hammer and flew after him.
When Nora awoke, she felt only marginally better than before she passed out. Exhaustion still embraced her body, her joints aching as she repositioned to lie on her back. The cuts and bruises continued to sting with the slightest movement.
For a brief moment she stared at the ceiling with heavy eyelids and slowly arched her back to stretch her muscles. While sleep was undoubtably needed, this was not the time or place to lie down and pursue rest. As far as Nora was now concerned, she was awake and had unofficial duties to complete. She needed to get out of here and help the Avengers any way she could.
She could sleep when she was dead.
Conscious of Stark's couch and her bloody palm, Nora pulled herself up hands free and waited for her head to catch up with her. She scanned the room and was happy to see it empty aside from the grisly bodies of the dead Chitauri.
"Up we go," she said with a grimace. Nora placed her wrists against her knees and pushed to her feet. A little dizzy, she took a few deep breaths and closed her eyes before taking a shaky step forward.
Without warning, a body skidded to a halt against the glass window of the balcony. Screaming in surprise, Nora turned to look outside and was shocked to see Loki on a hand and knee. His head snapped upwards and he seemed alarmed as he watched for the arrival of an adversary. Flicking back the tail of his coat, Loki moved to stand as the massive, green body of the Hulk landed on the expanse of the balcony. Giving Loki no time to prepare, the Hulk pushed across the floor and pounded his shoulder into the god's chest, sending the both of them through the glass window and Loki flying into a wall.
Nora thought she might shit herself.
Wide eyed and filled with worry, she watched Loki throw his cape backwards and stand up with an angry wave of his arms as the Hulk primed another attack.
"Enough!" Loki yelled, his mouth spitting venom.
The Hulk slowed to a stop and eyed Loki curiously.
"All of you are beneath me! I am a god, you dull creature, and I will not be bulli-"
Suddenly, the Hulk grabbed Loki's ankle with a large green hand and began to throw him around like a rag-doll. Nora looked on horrified as Loki's body went limp after the first smack to the ground. She winced with each sound of impact and was thankful to see the beating end after a handful of excruciating seconds, Loki's body half within the floor.
Finished, the Hulk stalked back to the balcony, his head turning to throw one last insult.
"Puny god."
Picturing her own beating, Nora felt her body go numb. She held her breath as the Hulk walked past her, his sight focused on the Chitauri outside. Thankfully, he never acknowledged her presence and almost as quickly as he came, the Hulk left the penthouse with an impressive leap.
Nora released a thankful breath. After taking a minute to regain her composure, her eyes found Loki and she wearily walked over to his battered body.
He looked much different compared to when she last saw him.
His body motionless, he stared up at the ceiling in a daze, his eyes glassy and without emotion. His face came away from the assault with minor cuts and bruises, Nora giving a small laugh at how pathetic the two of them must look. Loki's mouth was parted in disbelief and if she tuned her ears properly, she could hear soft and hollow breathing.
Staring down at him, Nora felt compassion and pity for her the god who kidnapped, beat, brainwashed, and berated her. He was a shell of the confidence that he previously exuded, the wind and fight literally knocked out of him. She didn't know the extent of how well the Avengers were doing, but Nora assumed they were doing well enough to keep things from spiraling too out of control; enough to chink Loki's confidence and wear him down.
Now he seemed human.
"Leave me in peace," Loki said, his eyes shifting to glare at her. Nora could pick up the thread of irritation weaved through his otherwise vacant tone.
Nora crossed her arms, "Is that what you really want?"
Loki didn't respond; his action of saying nothing was all she needed to hear. Empathy filling her, Nora sighed and crouched next to him. She stared at the floor for a moment, a loss of words on her lips. Eventually, something came to mind.
"I'm sorry," she started.
Loki raised a dark eyebrow and looked as though he was prepared for Nora to mock him.
"...For what?" He asked.
"That your ass got beat."
Sneering, Loki focused his attention back to the ceiling. "Leave me in peace, wretched woman..."
"Hey, you kind of deserved it," Nora added, unable to help but throw her last handful of salt on the wound.
Loki was back to ignoring her.
Having gotten her dig in, Nora let empathy take the driver's seat.
"I never did thank you for saving me."
Nothing.
"So, thank you."
His silence was beginning to annoy her.
"You are welcome," he said after a minute. "You were in obvious need of assistance. You have expressed nothing but incompetence when it comes to battle; there is not much you can do under a piece of furniture."
Nora prickled.
"Keep it up, Loki."
"You humans and your threats," he replied with derision.
"Let me see what Hulk thinks about that..."
Arising, Nora barely moved an inch before Loki's hand shot out to grab her forearm. His grasp was not overbearing but it was strong enough to keep her from going anywhere; it was also the first time his fingers held some warmth to them.
Clearing her suddenly clogged throat, Nora slowly sunk back into her crouched position. Satisfied that she hadn't run off to insist another Hulk-beating, Loki released his hold and let his hand drop unceremoniously onto his chest.
As was customary, a silence fell over the room and Nora wondered if Loki was ever going to remove himself from the Hulk-made grave. She waited patiently and watched him lie in some sort of meditational-state, his eyes closed and breathing soft. When his eyes did open again, his expression soured with annoyance; his body should never have been in this predicament or in pain. Least of all within the floor of Stark's penthouse.
Mumbling something Nora couldn't catch, Loki pulled himself forward and shoved away her hands when she reached out to assist him.
"I am not a weak and feeble human," he growled.
Nora breathed out a sound of frustration. She could never understand his pride. "I want you to know just how insufferable you are at times. I'm trying to help you."
Loki dropped his head and appeared to struggle with his inner thoughts.
"I... know."
Her lips twitched at his admission and Nora stood up. She offered her hand to the disgruntled god and after a moment of hesitation, he grasped it with a sturdy grip. Though her body continued to press the feeling of exhaustion upon her, Nora did the best she could in helping Loki to his feet.
Once he was up, Loki let go of her hand and stared ahead at the wall, the side of his body facing her front. He proceeded to brush off the dust and grime of from his coat before bringing a few fingers up to his face in examination of the cut that graced his nose.
"It's not too deep. You're still pretty," Nora said, shrugging when Loki glanced at her unamused. Aware of her own deep cut, she turned her left palm up and frowned at the sight. The gash was beginning to dry, clumps of blood settling at the mouth of the wound. Stitches would be necessary.
"I am... sorry you are injured."
Surprised to hear an apology come from him, Nora's heart skipped a beat. She made a gentle fist with her hand and hid it at her side. "No, it's alright. I honestly wasn't expecting to come out from that situation alive; the cuts and bruises were the least of my worries."
Loki gave a curt nod of understanding.
He turned to face her after a minute in thought, his face expressing an inquiring mind.
"Why did you call for me when the Chitauri were after you?"
"What?"
"You do not remember shouting my name?"
"No," Nora said with a meager shake of her head. Her brow furrowed as she tried to remember back to the most frightening moment of her life. The couch, her shield, being thrown away like the lightest of feathers... a scream from her lips as the creatures towered over her...
She absentmindedly scratched her head, "I don't think so, at least."
If she didn't know any better, she would have guessed Loki looked... a little disappointed.
"Whether I did or not, why did you save me? I thought you hated humans. I figured you would have been dancing at the sight of my demise," she said.
"As much as I hate to admit it to myself," Loki started, his face beginning to twist in disgust as he struggled with his words. "I suppose I have grown somewhat... fond of you. Trust me, my desire to rule and enslave the human race has not ebbed because of my deviating feelings towards one of their kind. Humanity will forever remain a target for subjugation, whether this plan of mine prevails today or another triumphs in the future."
It was Nora's turn to stay silent. She was speechless.
"How I wish I could have let you succumb to whatever fate the Chitauri had for you..." he muttered fiercely.
Nora scowled at Loki, slightly insulted amongst the fluttering of her heart. "I'm sorry?"
Loki advanced on her with anger in his eyes. "Yes, apologize, even though it is too late. You are as much as a poison as that Jane Foster. You human women, who have no powers to speak of, somehow manage to bewitch and infect our minds. Thor has forever been altered because of it and now that same fate threatens me..."
He grabbed her arms and gently jostled her.
"Is there no immunity?"
Nora had trouble accepting everything he was telling her; there was a lot to digest and analyze.
"You said it yourself; you could have let me die," she stated through gritted teeth.
"No, do you not understand that the damage has already been done? I have tried to rid myself of these feelings but have failed in every way. I am now to a point where I am a failure in battle because my mind is elsewhere, wondering if your life is in peril. The thought of never..."
He released her and stared down at his hands, his fingers flexing with his emotion.
"I have lost because of you," he said, his voice deflating.
Nora didn't know how to respond. Loki had just revealed his feelings for her within a heated flash. He didn't hate her, or at least, he still hates her for hating himself for not hating her. Whatever it was he was trying to say, she was able to put together the fact that he wasn't such a bad guy after all. While he hid behind the mask of a villain, his veneer was cracking. Underneath, he revealed a complicated layer of vulnerability and frailty.
While she hated what happened to her, Nora couldn't hate Loki. There seemed to be underlying reasons for his strong dislike of humanity and that in turn was expressed through his mistreatment of her. The beating she endured within the underground room was his way of keeping her beneath him, the notion that humans were weak and worthless fueling him. When Nora displayed human spirit and defiance, it probably made him question the law of humanity that Loki fabricated for himself.
Somewhere down the line, he had become attached to her. Looking back on their time together, Nora could recall the moments of him staring at her with a range of emotions. More specifically, the moment when she tended to Champ. The jealousy had been evident.
He didn't want to care for her, as he obviously stated. While half of that reason was because of her being human, Nora believed the second half stemmed from fear. The fear of facing rejection. He was a damaged individual.
Would she reject him?
Nora needed more time with the question. It was true that she found him visually appealing and was attracted to portions of his personality, but he also carried the baggage of someone who labeled himself as a villain. Whether or not he'd agree with the label, he had a track record of murdering and brainwashing people.
Perhaps you're thinking about it all wrong, Agent Graves. You see me as the villain but I am instead your 'Prince Charming'...
He did save her from distress...
He was still a jerk.
Nora took a deep breath and squashed the butterflies in her stomach. She nudged the conversation in a different direction. "You said you couldn't lose in our... earlier interactions. Why can't you?"
Loki's hands curled into fists, "Because my life is on the line."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that; you're clever. I'm sure you can escape death."
"You are naive to believe that what threatens me can easily be avoided. I have endangered you all to something far worse with this defeat."
Loki looked out to the balcony and Nora followed his gaze. Outside, the defect and limp bodies of the Chitauri fell from the sky in a morbid downpour; each and every one of them a lifeless corpse.
They were all dead.
The Avengers had won.
"Loki, where's your scepter?" Nora asked, just now noticing the missing weapon.
Loki's lips twitched in annoyance, "In the hands of whoever shut off the device and closed the portal. This is not the outcome I expected."
"You really believed you were going to win, didn't you?"
"I assumed so, yes."
Nora smiled in happiness. The world was safe and humanity could continue to live how it was meant to. As for the god whose plan fell through, she learned more about him than she ever expected to. Though he was visibly upset that things did not end in his favor, Nora concluded he also accepted the truth in the results. (Hell, she was also happy because the opportunity to shower, eat a pizza, and get a goodnight's sleep was just around the corner.)
Noticing her beaming face, Loki couldn't help but give a small, brief smile in return.
He clasped his hands behind his back and looked back outside, his confidence seemingly coming back to him.
"There is always my next plan."
Nora's smile was immediately wiped from her face.
Loki couldn't contain his mischievous smirk.
The battle of New York is over! What a workout.
As always, please take a second to review and let me know what you think! Your thoughts and suggestions are appreciated more than you know. They drive me to crank these chapters out.
One or two more chapters left for this story but the plot for a sequel has been penned out.
