My Beta - Scarlet Kingston

Doppelganger

This bitch! This ignorant stupid mortal!

Loki was about to kill her very slowly and painfully, when she started talking to his enchanted doppelganger.
"What have I done?" Caroline hugged him close and started crying. "Loki, you can`t possibly be gone! What have I done? I am a monster! A monster in human skin." The doppelganger, very confused, hugged her back and let Caroline cry in the crook of his neck.

Loki stood invisible on his place and looked at the couple in disgust. Should he end this stupidity now? But then he thought about Caroline calling herself a monster in human skin. Wasn`t he too a monster in Asgardian skin? She was truly sorry for what she had done, he could feel that. He decided to let her suffer for a while. He would let her think she had destroyed him, and watch to see for how long she would mourn.

During their kiss he had thought that he was in control, that she will not try to fight him, lest to truly hurt him. But what she did was the closest danger he had ever been in throughout his long existence. The moment she took his temples between her palms he knew that something was wrong. When she broke the kiss he pulled away, leaving his doppelganger to her mercy, and it turned to be the right thing to do.

Loki was so enraged by her reaction to his affection and trust, that he couldn`t stay on that place anymore. Otherwise he would kill her. At least now he wouldn`t have any regrets for using her for his purposes. He shifted to the uninhabited lands in Jötunheim where he could spend his rage without being noticed.

..

Caroline stayed with the enchanted Loki all the night trying to figure how to take back her spell. The doppelganger could feel her worry. He would mirror her worried expression and ask her what was wrong. He even would think that she wasn`t happy with him and start apologizing for whatever came to his mind.

For Caroline all this was horrific. She had started liking Loki. He was a good teacher and he could be kind when he wanted to be. How was she to tell Thor that she had replaced his brother`s soul with the one of a puppy dog? Could his soul be somewhere else?

..

The next day at work was hell. Caroline couldn't focus on her tasks while thinking about Loki. She went to the restroom several times that day to shift to his room and check on him. He was always happy to see her. She would tap him on the head and tell him that she would only be there for little while, and he would frown in a most childish way.

Addison was desperate. She had to quickly find a way to bring him back. She terribly missed him. Loki`s demolishment felt like a murder for her.

At the end of the day she went to Loki to spend more time with him. He then asked her, "Why can`t I go out this room?"

Caroline looked at him. His eyes were sincere with curiosity. She sighed and thought for a moment. An idea occurred her and she smiled at him. " I think I can show you one place."

She willed both of them to move to the living room in her apartment. No one would notice Loki missing. "Welcome to the place where I live."

Loki gaped his mouth looking around and moved forward to take a look at each and every room: the bedroom, the guest rooms, office room, kitchen and bathrooms. When he was done he went back to Caroline with a big smile on his face. "This place is bigger than the other one. There is only one thing…" He looked away.

Caroline lifted her eyebrows, and spoke gently, "What is it Loki?"
He looked back at her. "It just… There is nothing green in here, except from your flowers."

Goodness! Loki and his green! She smiled and spoke with a matter-of-fact intonation, "Actually, if you look closer you will find this dark, forest-green vase there," she pointed to the said object in her living room and led him to her bedroom. "...-and here you can find a green pillow with the Norse ornaments."
He laughed and jumped on the bed. "Only one green pillow? Are you kidding me?" He held the pillow in front him looking at her with smiling warm eyes. Addison stood on the doorstep of her bedroom and observed him. This was so not Loki. She searched his mind again, trying to find something left of the Norse god. There was nothing.

She entered the room and sat next to him, looking in his almost childishly pure eyes. Her eyes filled with tears and she stood from her place muffling a 'stay here' and left the room, closing the door behind her. She then went to her living room, laid on her back on the couch and let big tears fall on the sides of her cheeks.
"Loki, I am so sorry." She wasn't sobbing, but her voice was broken. Her tears made the armrest wet on the sides of her head.

The said god was standing across the room watching with a smirk of content. He fought the urge to bring a bowl of popcorns for his show. It maybe was because he feared it would finish too soon. He liked the idea that somebody would miss him when he was gone, although he had ignored the fact that his family had missed him much when he fell in Space.

Caroline reached for her bag and took her cell-phone out. She dialed a number and held the phone to her year, still lying on her back. "Hi Pepper! Are you busy?"
"Hey Addison! I am partly busy. You know how it is with Tony around." She laughed and Stark`s protesting voice sounded from the distance saying something unintelligible for Caroline to grasp through the phone.
"Oh, I see." Caroline faked a laugh. "I`ll leave you to your tasks then." She was about to say goodbye and hang up, but Pepper`s concerned voice stopped her.

"Addison, are you ok? You don`t sound very well. And you haven`t called me for a while. You also looked paler than usual today. Is everything alright?"
To this, the depressed young woman smiled. "Why you are always so right?"
"It is a blessing and a curse," said the redhead with mock pride. "Look I have to take one more phone-call and then I will come over to see you. I missed you these days. It will be nice to have a girl`s night just the two of us."

Stark`s voice echoed from somewhere nearer, "Girl`s night? You ain`t goinna have any male dancers there, right?" To that the two women only laughed and ended the talk with a 'see you soon'.

Caroline stood from the couch and went to see how Loki was doing in her bedroom.

.. . .. . ..

An hour later the doorbell rang and Caroline sprang to let her friend in. Pepper was carrying a bottle of Merlot and black chocolate. Addison grinned, "Just what I need." She went to the mini bar in the opposite side of her living room and pulled out two wine glasses and some snack food, while Pepper left her bribes on the short table and settled on a comfy armchair. Caroline joined her shortly and soon the two friends were talking and laughing telling each other funny stories about their work.

Still grinning, Pepper sipped from her wine and warmly said, "I miss doing this. We should do it more often again."
Caroline scratched the back of her neck and looked away, "Well, about that…"
Pepper held a hand in the air, "Oh no! I know this look of yours. What did you do this time?"
Addison gulped thickly, the mirth in her eyes from the previous moment was gone. "I think I turned Loki into my own pet."
The redhead blinked. There was no joke in her friend`s words. She furrowed her brows ever so slightly. "What do you mean Addison?"
"Um…" Caroline's lips thinned for a second. "Just don`t freak out will you?"
"Addison I don`t understand." Pepper shook her head.
Caroline only called. "Loki!"

A door opened and closed from somewhere inside the apartment and soft steps quickly approached. Pepper`s eyes started widening. Suddenly the god of Mischief entered the living room and hurried toward them. Pepper flew up from her place with a yelp, and Caroline had to use her power to calm her down. "Did you call for me," came Loki`s eager voice.

Pepper was on the verge of tears. "Oh my gosh, Addison," she yelled, "What is he doing here! Why is he hugging you?" To her outburst Loki answered with a cold glare, which made her blood freeze.
Caroline looked at him with a smile and caressed his shoulder, saying gently, "It`s ok Loki. She is a friend, and you can`t hurt her." His glare visibly relaxed and he settled himself on the couch, happy to be in Caroline`s presence again.

Pepper`s eyes were wide like sausages, her face paled considerably, "Addison you`d better have a good explanation for this. Not that I am sure I want to hear." She sat back on her place and mumbled to herself, "Stark was right to think they had something."

Caroline knew that this wasn`t any far from the truth, but the god wasn`t there because of what Stark had thought. Before she spoke, she deafened Loki`s ears and made him be more interested in the food and not her talk with her friend. "Pepper?" She looked at the woman`s blue eyes and continued sadly, "I changed him. This is not Loki that you saw before, he is…" Her voice trailed and tears threatened to fill her eyes again. "He is gone Pepper. I destroyed him." Her voice cracked and tears started falling down her cheeks.

The redhead leaned forward to hug her crying friend, not really sure of what to think, or what to say. The doppelganger saw Caroline crying and rushed to her side to try and sooth her. Pepper pulled away when she saw him suddenly coming so close. She watched as the god hugged her friend, asking what was wrong, and brushing the tears from her cheeks. It was such an odd view. Pepper had seen video materials with Loki and he was always dreadfully scarring. Now, however, he looked like he really cared for Caroline. Maybe she had actually changed him, after all, and Pepper wasn`t sure if it was a bad thing.

"What is wrong with him?" The question itself sounded wrong, but this really didn`t look like the real Loki.
"Well," Caroline turned back to her, not crying anymore, "I made a spell and it worked. In a moment of panic I said something stupid and it spoiled his brain. His memories vanished and his person is replaced with something… else. I said…" She paused to take a deep breath. "I said that he was to love me and to be loyal to me like a dog. And it worked, Pepper! I never thought it might work!" She buried her head in her arms in embarrassment.

The said woman raised an eyebrow, "Does Tony know?"
Caroline lifted her head to look at her friend with wide eyes and yelled, "Goodness, no! He can`t know! He will tell Thor!"

So far the real god of Mischief was only sitting near the two women and calmly observing, but when Addison mentioned Thor, his blood boiled. She was concerned of what this idiotic brother of his would think. Loki wanted to yell at her. He wanted to hurt her physically, to show her she was no match for him anymore. But this time would come. He could wait a little bit more before he used her against her own race, starting with her precious Stark and Pepper. Her voice interrupted the trail of his dark thoughts.

"If I could only turn the time back, I would have never done that, no matter the consequences."
Pepper sighed. "Addison, what happened that you felt the need to do this?"
The other woman remained silent, looking down at Loki, who was sitting in her feet and happily leaning his head in her hand while she was caressing him. She squeezed her eyes shut at the memory. "He… kissed me."
Pepper lifted and eyebrow. "He actually kissed you? Does this mean he…"
"Yes, my friend. Suddenly he was stronger than my shield. I thought that I had to stop him, and I did. Now he is gone." She swallowed her tears and looked pleadingly at Pepper. "Please don`t tell anyone. It is as if Loki is dead. I cannot face the consequences yet. Not before I am sure he is completely gone. I search his mind every once in awhile. I may soon find him somewhere encaged in his own mind. I hope that this is the situation and he hasn`t perished."
"You sound like you care about him."
Caroline sighed. "It sounds pretty bad, huh?" She gave a sad smile. "I cared about him and I killed him. If I hurt the people I care for, what does this make me?"

Pepper looked at her clock and it showed 11pm. "Addison dear, I really want to help, but I have no idea how. It is getting late anyway. I should head back home." She gave her friend a sympathetic look, placing a reassuring hand on her knee and smiled. "I will not tell Tony, and I hope you find a solution to this." She looked down at Loki who was dangerously eyeing her hand on Caroline`s knee. Was he jealous of their friendship?

The two women stood from their places and headed the door exchanging last words. "Are you sure you don`t want me to shift you back home?" Caroline looked expectantly at Pepper.
The woman shook her head, "No, no. I`d rather have Happy drive me back home. You know how dizzy a shift makes me. Besides, I already signalized him."
The younger woman smirked impishly, "As you wish." She mock saluted and Pepper started laughing. Caroline continued, "Have a great weekend, darling."
"You too Addison!" They hugged for a last time and wished goodnight to each other.

After Pepper was gone Caroline turned to Loki`s doppelganger who was now sitting in the armchair where she was seconds ago. "What am I to do with you? No. The question is how am I to find Loki?"

The doppelganger looked perplexed but didn`t say anything. Instead Addison continued, making a 'come' motion with her Hand, "Let`s settle you in one of the guest rooms. I will make it as green for you as your heart would wish."

Loki jumped from his seat and readily followed her. They went into the nearest room to her own bedroom. "Ok. This is your own chamber from now on. Make yourself comfortable. I will go to my room now and you will stay here. Capish?" She gave him a smile with a raised eyebrow and turned to walk out the room.

Loki`s saddened voice sounded behind her, "Addison, why do I need to have my own room?" She froze on her place. Addison? Addison?! Oh, this certainly wasn`t Loki. She felt her eyes fill with water again and turned back trying to smile, "Because you are my guest, and you have the right to have your own room."
He shook his head, "But I don`t want it."
She looked puzzled. "Then choose another room. You can decorate it yourself."

He smiled and brushed past her heading straight to her bedroom. Reaching the room several seconds after Loki, she saw him lying on her bed with a very self-contented smile. She remained on the doorstep and waved a finger, "No, no, no! You are not going to sleep on my bed! This is my own territory, my privacy. You have to choose another room."
He gave her the perfect kicked-puppy-dog expression and said bitterly, "You always leave me alone."
Her heart cracked. Another bed materialized in the other side of the room and she pointed at it. "You can stay in the room with me, but you will sleep there, Loki. Now, please move." Her voice sounded like a parent who was sending the kids to bed.

Loki reluctantly stood from the comfy bed and sat on the other one. Caroline seemed satisfied and headed for the bathroom to change. She chose to wear shorts and a t-shirt this time and not the usual strapped short silk gowns. She then gave Loki almost the same attire, but male style with the usual green and black.

Addison climbed in bed and wished the light to go off. She gently said, "Goodnight, Loki."
"Goodnight, Addison," came his eager answer.
She turned her back to him. He called her Addison again. "Hey, Loki?"
He quickly sat up in his bed with a big grin on his face, "Yes?"
"Call me Carró."
His shoulders dropped and his grin disappeared. "Oh. Alright Carró. As you wish."

Caroline lay on her side for long, trying to figure out what she could do with Loki. When sleep started claiming her, she felt her bed shake and something big landed on it near her feet. She sat up and the lights went on. "Loki? What are you doing?" Her eyebrows were furrowed and her voice became angry.

He sank in his place and looked guiltily. "I am sorry I startled you."
She sighed not sure of what to say to him, "Loki…"
"Can I stay? Pleeease! It is much more comfortable here."
"You can`t sleep in my bed! Yours is absolutely the same as mine, Loki!" She could feel herself growl inwardly. He only looked at her with big pleading eyes. Her look hardened. "No."
He laid his head on the comforter. "Please!"
"You want to sleep there?" If he was to sleep in her feet, then she would let him, but if he wanted to sleep beside her, then she would promptly kick him out of the bed.

He smiled, "Yes!"

And it was settled. Caroline widened the bed so it would be more comfortable for both of them. His 6.2 feet had to fit somewhere. She tried to relax and go back to sleep. At least, it was Saturday tomorrow. Suddenly a hand slid under her comforted and gently held her foot. Caroline tensed and quickly searched Loki`s mind. 'Loki?' No one answered. The doppelganger was falling asleep already and it seemed that holding her foot was soothing him.

She whispered, "Oh, Loki. Where are you?"
The doppelganger replied, "I am here."
She smiled sadly, "I know that you are here. I was thinking of another Loki."

Watching Caroline and his doppelganger falling asleep the god of Mischief puzzled over Caroline`s emotions. He never meant to read her mind because she would immediately feel him. This is why he settled on picking up her emotions. In one moment she would be extremely upset, while in another she would be amused. He felt her thrill when his clone had touched her, and a second after this - her deep disappointment. He could feel her pain when she whispered in the darkness. Caroline missed him, he could tell. She was tirelessly searching for the real him, and the dog she had created could never be enough for her, or could it? Loki smirked to himself. Oh, he wanted to see more of this.

Would you rather have a puppy Loki, or a criminal mind Loki?