A/N just to clear it up, Jack and Luke are dead

Chapter 10: Beginnings and ends, what are the point?

Hours, days, weeks, months, I don't know how long I was in that cell. I didn't care, there was nothing to care about. I killed two of my best friends, one who I'd protected at all costs from danger when in fact I was the danger. Frigga tried to put furnishings in the cell the cell but I wouldn't let her, I didn't deserve it. My soul had been ripped out and torn into tiny pieces; I wondered if it wasn't a blast of magic but my soul that killed them. I was empty inside; I was a ghost. I didn't sleep, didn't drink, didn't eat. The only reason I was still alive was the guards kept giving me energy transfers. My mind felt like something was missing; I guess the link didn't work across realms.

At night the prison was silent. Guards paced up and down along the cells at night, and most of the inmates slept. I was sitting cross legged on the bare, hard marble floor, staring at back wall. I'd been doing it a lot, the plain white of the wall helped me focus, focus on my faults and justifying my problems. One night I was sitting, doing just that, when I felt a familiar shiver up my spine that I got when someone teleported near me, and my mind felt full again. Loki.

"It was the funerals today."

My head whipped round. I did the mental calculations, I had been here about 5 days. "How was it?"

"It was sad. Extremely sad. We kept it small, only the Avengers and Fury came. Your Dad gave a very touching speech actually. Jake broke down around halfway through and Clint took him out. I found the notes. We made sure we kept to Luke's."

After I nearly died the first time, me and Luke made plans for how we wanted our funerals to go. He wanted a very small, traditional one, with euologies and thing like that. I wanted a traditional Norse one, with battle rights and my body to be burnt on a boat. The idea was so romantic, so quirky it appealed so much to me, especially as I could have it in Asgard due to my blood.

"He wouldn't want Jake to be upset. Do you have any paper, and a pen?" Loki looked confused, but nodded and pulled one out of his jacket. He was wearing the same suit as when we were in London. I started scrawling furiously.

Jake,

I know you hate me for killing Luke, and I am truly sorry. Please don't be sad. Luke would have hated it. If he was here as a ghost, and I bet you he's trying to, he would tell you to be happy and keep going. Talk to Clint about it, keeping it all in doesn't get you anywhere. Take the time to mourn and then pick yourself up. Honour Luke's memory everyday, but don't wallow in it. Please, do it for him.

I folded the note and gave it to Loki. "Please give it to Jake. Make sure he reads it please, instead of burning it. Hows Dad holding up?"

Loki's face instantly darkened. "Bad. Worse than when you disappeared. He's drinking himself into a stupor every night, and no matter how many times we destroy the alcohol he just gets more. Cali's threatened that if he doesn't sort himself out she's leaving him."

I stared at my arms, tracing my scars, remembering each one, the pain, the reasons. Loki put his hand on the barrier.

"Alexis, please don't do this to yourself. It wasn't' your fault. Please believe me on that."

I put my hand against his, the thin gold barrier holding us apart. "I can't do that. When is my trial?"

"Tomorrow. The team have built a case in your defen-"

"They're WHAT? Why the hell are they doing that. They saw, I killed them!" I jumped up and started pacing, running my hands through my hair. "No, it's my fault. I murdered them. Why are they still on my side?"

"Because they love you. I'm sorry but I've got to go. Someone's coming." He stepped back into the shadows and I felt the ripple again.

The large door leading in and out of the prison swung open with a loud thud, which woke up the inmates nearest to it. A small cloaked figure walked quickly along the centre of the cells, hood drawn over their face. They stopped in front of me and drew their hood back. It was Sigyn.

"So you want to die? Strange how only a few months ago, when one of my minions tried to, you refused to." She mocked regally. So she was the one who hired Jessi.

"What do you want Sigyn? If this is over Loki, you need to grow up. Trying to kill me is not the way to win his heart." I sat down and turned away from her, resuming my position facing the wall.

"So you heard our little altercation then. Once you're out of the way, Loki will be overcome with grief, and I will be the balm to the pain. He will realise that you were just a stupid messed girl who killed her friends. When he ended it with you, I thought that my plan had worked in a round about way, but you had to go and mess things up again. Well in two days time, you won't be able to do that again."

I spun round on my butt to face her again. "Is that the best you can come up with? It's a bit rich to call me messed up. Have you actually heard your plan? I can pretty much guarantee you he hates your guts, and would rather kill you than accept your plan. Hiring someone who hated me was an alrightish idea, but everyone has some weak point inside. Hers was Jake, and she still loved him, although she would never admit it. Now, would you please leave me alone so I can go back to contemplating what the hell my family think they're doing?" I closed my eyes and pulled my conciseness inside of me, so all that I am was contained into one tiny bundle. I waited until I heard the door slam again before I released it all back.

Somehow I managed to get some sleep. I woke up in the morning when the prison exploded with wolf whistles. I looked up and saw a tallish woman, wearing tight leather clothes with her black hair pulled back into a high ponytail. She had multiple weapons hanging from her waist. I pushed my self up off the floor with a yawn and went up to the barrier.

"I am Lady Sif. I am here to collect you for your trial. Frigga decided that you would pose no threat, so sent me instead of guards. I will cuff you but I mean no hard feelings. Thor has told me of you, and I hope, depending on how the trial goes, you would join train with me one day?" She sounded proud that Frigga had chosen her, I suppose it meant a lot for the queen to pick you.

"I would gladly do so, although it may be in the fields of Valhalla instead of Asgard." Sif lowered the barriers and I stepped out, wrist held out. She clasped the cuffs on my wrists, but didn't look happy about having to do so. She held onto the chain that were attached to the cuffs, and we headed up to the courtroom. When we entered I was momentary blinded; the prisons weren't dark but the glare off all the gold in the throne room was blinding.

Around us, standing along the main walkway, were thousand of Asgardians. We walked through them, heading up to the throne where Odin was sitting. To his left were Frigga and Loki, and to his right was Thor. The whole team except Jake were standing at the bottom of Odin's throne podium. I was surprised to see Bucky there; I didn't think he would be one for Bifrost travel. We reached the end, and we bowed to Odin. He stood up and banged his sceptre on the floor; the room fell silent.

"After the act of magic which murdered multiple people, Alexis May Green has given herself up to justice. We are gathered here to seek the truth, and only the truth. Would the first witness please step forward." A steward called out. Frigga stepped forward. She placed her hand over her heart and said a chant which I didn't understand but I guess it was a vow to tell only the truth.

"After extensive study over the magic used, I have determined that the spell cast was not a malicious spell with harmful intent, it was only designed to incapacitate Steve and Jack, who from what I gather were fighting. That is all I have to say All Father." She returned to her place by Odin, and Bruce stepped forward.

"I swear to tell the truth, only the truth and nothing but the truth." He stuttered out. He has wearing his usual attire, a shirt and slacks. Looking round, I saw most of them were in their battle attire; Nat had her catsuit on, Clint had his quiver on him and Dad had his briefcase next to him. Only Steve wasn't, but I suppose he probably had a weapon hidden somewhere.

"I did a post mortem on both bodies and ran various tests. The results show that all the deceased had the same blood type, OB- (A/N It's not real, I came up with it.). It's very rare, and people with it often die before they are 30 because their bodies auto immune system begins to reject the blood. In some cases they die suddenly because an unexpected incident can trigger a reaction within the blood which poisons the body. This can be treated, but because they were unconscious they were unable to seek help. To conclude, it wasn't Alexis's fault, because as the Queen Frigga said, the magic was not malicious, the victims just had an adverse reaction, much like an allergic reaction. That is all."

He returned to the group. So that was what Loki meant by they had built a case.

"I now call up the accused, Alexis Green." Sif let go of the chain and I stepped forward. "Please can you explain what happened."

"I returned with Bucky from a mission to find Jake and Steve fighting. It was starting to get violent so I tried to intervene but Steve shoved me back. I unconsciously released a blast of magic which knocked everyone except Loki out. He examined the magic, and we came to Asgard to look for a solution. With the help of Frigga and Njord, we found one. We returned to Midgard to release the counters pell. It was then Dr Banner found Jack dead. We then received a call from Director Fury to tell us that Luke was also dead. Jake attacked me, then I returned from Asgard. From there you know." I bowed my head and returned to my place. Loki smiled sadly at me.

"Do you believe that you killed them, even after the evidence provided contradicts your opinion?" Odin asked.

"I do. Is it the persons fault if they're shot, when you pull the trigger? No, it isn't. I take full responsibility for the magic, as it was my magic that triggered the response in the people, and it was because of my magic that they couldn't seek medical help." I'd spent nearly a week convincing myself that it was all my fault, that no matter what evidence they gave I would still believe it was my fault.

"Thor, may I talk to you a moment? Court is adjourned momentarily." Odin and Thor turned away, and a loud chatter rose through the room. I stood there, stiffly staring forward until I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned and saw it was Nat.

"I thought I killed Bucky once. I held that on my consciousness until I came up against him around 20 years later. Don't let yourself become like I did, cold hearted and bitter. I know you blame yourself, but open yourself up to other possibilities." She walked back to the group. Dad gave me a massive thumbs and his trademark smile; he looked just like I'd seen him in magazines, the successful man in the business suit. I smiled slightly at him. Steve and Bucky were talking; hopefully they were starting to sort things out. Clint was standing there, watching everyone and everything. Nat whispered something in his ear and he looked at her, then me. He said something to her with a frown on his face, and she quickly argued back. He sighed and began to walk over to me.

"Nat said I should come and apologize to you for everything. Losing Tony hit me quite hard but I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"I forgave you a long time ago Clint." He nodded then began rummaging in his pockets.

"Also, Jake asked me to give you this. He didn't want to come today, but here." He passed be a bedraggled piece of folded piece then headed back over to the Avengers.

I unfolded it, which was quite awkward with the cuffs on.

Luke would have wanted me to forgive you. I can't do that right now but I don't want you to die. Don't this to yourself. You say to honour Luke's memory, but if you die you cut off my one memory to his past. Don't do that.

I looked down at the sheet, then to the Avengers, then to Loki. I didn't know how to feel. Just then Odin and Thor came back.

"After much discussion Thor and I have come to the verdict that Alexis May Green is not guilty of crimes against Midgard, and shall face no punishment. That is all" He banged his staff against the floor again and a loud cheer went up in the room. Sif unlocked the cuffs and said "You owe me a training session."

My hands fell against my sides and I stood there. Not guilty. How can that be? My train of thought got interrupted by Dad hugging the life out of me. The rest of the Avengers crowded around me.

"Stop doing crazy stuff Lexi, I have a heart condition remember?" I giggled slightly.

Steve tapped me on the arm, Bucky gave me a high five and Bruce and Nat stood at the side, watching. I left the mini party that had started around me and went over to them.

"I don't deserve your support but thank you Bruce. At least we know the true cause of death." He mumbled a " It was nothing" and shuffled awkwardly. I looked at Nat and she did something very unusual, she gave me a hug. I broke down, sobbing. She patted my back and muttered soothing Russian in my ear. Loki and Frigga came over, and I wiped the tears from around my eyes and pulled away.

"I told you babe, it wasn't your fault." Loki was positively gleaming. Frigga stood back and watched as Loki enveloped me into his arms, cradling me.

Time can heal any would, my child. Just remember, time...

Her voice drifted across my mind and I realised it was the truest thing I'd heard all day.