Chapter 11

The climb was short as they were on the top floor of the building. Loki was the first to step onto the rooftop helping Vitalini take the last few steps and pulling her up to stand beside him.

"I thought perhaps now you would like to venture outside," Loki spoke grinning clearly pleased with himself, referring to her fear of venturing onto the balcony of her room back on Titan.

The sight that next meant Vitalini's eyes truly had her heart missing several beats, her breath catching in her throat in shock. Her blue eyes grew wide in wonderment and her mouth gaped in shock as she took it all in. Every inch of the rooftop was covered in plant life. Leafy green vines wove up and around pillars, water lilies fluttered gracefully about the surface of a bubbling fountain and flowers bloomed in explosions of color.

It was all so beautiful- the smell, the feel and the sight of the plants. A thrill ran through her, happy to see such beauty and life again unlike the cold dead planet of Titan. Her magic was already reacting to the environment, feeling stronger than ever in her element.

Oh how she longed to touch a flower still waiting to bloom and help it along with a simple touch.

Stepping away from the stairs Vitalini walked further into the Eden her breathing in deeply with a smile as her fingers skipped over a flowering bush instantly sending the flowers into a riot of colors. Even without meaning to her magic reacted to the plants finding strength in them as she gave them. It was a much needed boost. Suddenly her step paused, her senses sharpening with that sudden boost in her own power.

In the air Vitalini could feel Loki's enchantments. No doubt he had prepared the new rooms in advance before transporting her there. The enchantments would help hide their presence, keeping unwanted visitors out. Even there on the rooftop she could feel them working to keep them safe- to keep her safe. He had created this place for her. He had made sure to enchant the rooftop with the same protections he had their new residence for her- to give her this haven of green plants and colorful blooms.

Vitalini's eyes eventually came back to Loki meeting his gaze. For a moment everything disappeared around them and all that remained was them. Without a word she went to him. Loki didn't move waiting and watching Vitalini for what she would do next. What he had not expected was for her to come to him standing close as she went onto her tip-toes her lips gently skimming a soft kiss against the cool skin of his jaw. Shocked he stiffened, his whole body reacting to the simple gentle touch that was so very foreign to him. Even if he was going to react he was certain that despite his brilliant quick mind he could think of nothing to do or say in that moment.

"Thank you."

With those simple words Vitalini stepped away smiling up at him brilliantly as if she had not just rendered him frozen and speechless with her actions. She walked away returning to her garden finding herself a comfortable seat at the fountain. Carelessly she dipped her fingers into the surface uncaring if the silk of her long sleeve grew damp from the cold touch of water. Still Loki remained silent watching her.

Feeling his eyes watching her intently Vitalini knew it was the time. It was now or never.

"Are you staying?" she asked softly keeping her back to him.

"I will have to every so often," Loki answered flatly stepping closer.

"Must you?" Still, she did not turn to face him, fearful that if she did she would lose what courage she did have.

Loki stiffened realizing what Vitalini was truly asking with her question. He had suspected she might soon begin to question his actions. He was actually surprised she had not began to do so earlier. After all it was everyday that a girl was pulled into his sort of world. It had only been a matter of time before the fear overcame her and she wanted to leave. It was impossible to deny that part of his reason for creating this haven for Vitalini was his own hope that the plants would bring a little peace to Vitalini's soul while she was trapped in his world of darkness.

"I will continue on my path until I become what I was always meant to be," he replied darkly his eyes finally leaving her as he stared off into the distance.

Silence fell between them. Loki waited for Vitalini to demand to be released. Vitalini waited searching her mind for the next words.

"Is that why?" Vitalini's gentle almost silent voice cut through the silence finally turning to look at Loki.

"You think you are nothing without doing this?" she demanded rather than questioned. "You still think it's all about proving yourself- to stand above others?"

Loki didn't need to answer; Vitalini could see all the answer she needed in Loki's eyes as he seemed to make a very real effort to avoid meeting her gaze.

"You knew when you accepted following me that this is what would happen!" Loki hissed his glowing green eyes suddenly finding her.

Rather than backing away as his irritated glare zeroed in on her Vitalini simply glared back her blue eyes icy cool, refusing to back away now.

"Yes I promised to trust and stand beside you no matter the circumstances but I also told you that I cannot condone the outcome your actions will lead to! I never promised to stand idly by your side!" Vitalini shot back deadly calm coming over her, revealing a dangerous side of herself far from the meek and gentle girl Loki had first encountered. No longer did she stand before him trembling as if fearing for her life, waiting to see if he would simply grow tired and dispense of her.

"Is that why you've stayed?" Loki growled hiding the jab of hurt that her words had inflicted. But Vitalini wasn't finished with him yet.

"What's even more infuriating is that you are so blind you don't see the truth!" she rolled her eyes irritably. Now she got to her feet standing beside the fountain facing him her back steeled and ready to stand.

"How dare you speak to me that way! I am your prince!" Loki was in shock at Vitalini's audacity to behave in such a way not only before him but to him seeming to complete forget her technical position as servant.

"I am well aware of that," Vitalini hissed impatiently. "You want to show the world that you deserve to be a king! Then be a king! Show mercy!" she begged the emotions rolling within her, the frustration beginning to push tears to the surface that she refused to show.

"The gods have no mercy," he hissed stepping threateningly closer only to find that she did not back away. "That is why they are gods."

Now he stood directly before her, his tall lean body crowding her against the stone edge of the fountain behind her. Vitalini did not back down she stood there firm looking up at him with steel in her blue eyes as if she were not forced to tilt her head in order to meet his eyes. Try as he might she refused to let Loki make her feel smaller than himself when what he truly needed now was not merely someone to stand beside him, trusting him and loving him but also someone who could stand up to him as well.

"Will you make me bow to you as well?"

The question was what finally brought a pause over Loki. For a moment he took a small step back as if the question had literally threw him. Taking notice of the brief nearly unnoticeable moment of breaking through Loki's defenses Vitalini pushed on using the moment to her advantage. Without having the chance to regain his bearings she stepped forward forcing him to step back and she kept going until it was Loki who was left corner against on the large leafy bushes that lined the pebble stone path that wound around the fountain.

"When are you going to realize it?" she asked him softly the anger having suddenly faded from her voice even as it remained in her eyes. Now the sadness had returned replacing the spurt of anger that had filled her moment ago. Loki made to reply but he was immediately cut off as Vitalini's eyes glared coldly stopping the words in his mouth allowing Vitalini to continue. "When are you going to realize that you were never nothing? At least not to me..."

Vitalini started for a moment realizing what she had actually said. It was too close to the truth- the same truth she had long ago vowed to hide within herself. The shock of her temporary lack of control over her words quickly wore away deciding that it was a sacrifice that needed to be made in order to force realization into Loki. After all it was still far enough from the deeper truths that she could continue as normal and Loki would not take deeper note of the words.

The tears were making themselves known again. Now they were falling unrestrained. Vitalini hated it. The tears were ridiculous, the emotions rolling around in a chaotic mass within her were more confusing than she could handle. There was no hiding her confused emotions now. The anger and irritation still remained despite the tears. Now was not the moment for tears. Now was the time for strength.

And with the honest words falling from her lips she needed that strength now more than ever. With those words spoke she waited with baited breath for how Loki might react to her admission.

Loki never answered. Even if he did there was nothing he could think to say. Yet again somehow Vitalini had managed to throw him for a loop. Too often she managed to accomplish that. Somehow her words were like arrows always managing to hit home with deeper truth that Loki wanted to face. What she spoke of was impossible for someone like him. It was too far out of reach- out of reach and unwanted.

Everything that she made him feel was unnecessary but her words elicited something he had not felt in many years. They were dangerous emotions. So he would ignore them. Nothing was more important than victory for him now- it was his only option no matter what she said.

What did a naive servant girl know of ruling anyway? Vitalini was simply foolish.

Loki had long ago accepted that for himself and it was time Vitalini realized the same.

"I liked it better when you didn't argue with every word I said," Loki finally spoke disdainfully, completely forgoing any sort of acknowledgement of her words.

Vitalini sighed deeply a crushing pain weighing heavily on her heart knowing Loki still refused to see reason- to see the truth that was hidden so far beneath. Even when she opened up to him he made himself blind. When she had steeled herself to help him she would have never thought how deeply the denial had become. It had become a shield to the darkness, refusing to let any light in to show him how much more there was- how much more he was.

Not knowing what more to say when faced with Loki's stubbornness and feeling far too irritated and hurt to think clearly enough to stand before him now Vitalini turned intent on returning to exploring her garden. She'd only taken a few steps when the sound of Loki's voice speaking to her once more brought her to a halt.

"If you felt this way why did you stay with me?"

"If I disappeared how many people would notice? As you pointed out I am a servant nothing more," Vitalini answered softly offering a tremulous smile her eyes meeting his pointedly as she spoke. "Better to follow you and help you- you are actually needed. There is more to you than this mass of darkness and hate. I believe that with every last breath in my body. If I die in trying to get you to understand that then it'll be worth it."

"You plan to save me?" Loki asked smirking, his cynicism finding reason to doubt despite what he knew was the truth. There was nothing to save him from. He was already saving himself from the shadows and he did not need her help for that. A part of him wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of Vitalini's words but any laughter that may have burst forth was immediately cut off by her next words.

"Yes."

The strength of the conviction in that straight forward simple answer once more shocked Loki. Never had anyone been so intent on standing beside him. Never had anyone believed so deeply in him that they would risk so much of themselves.

She truly was a fool.

"You hide Loki," she spoke pointedly forcing him to listen, uncaring of the heated glare that her words incited from the prince. "You don't want to erase the pain of the past but that can never be done. It's already been and was. Why can't you make new?" her words were growing harsher as she continued but wisely she kept the short distance between them, unsure if it was for her own protection or his as her own frustrations continued to boil within Vitalini.

"The problem is you don't have any real faith in yourself," she accused heatedly earning a low growl from Loki at the disrespectful accusation. "But that is what you need. It's the truth- face one's self- accept one's self- it's the only way to keep that faith."

Vitalini's voice had once more grown soft as she spoke those last words having walked to Loki ignoring the stiffened muscles and glaring green eyes that watched her every step. She placed her heart on his hand feeling the racing beat beneath her palm that betrayed the outward stiffened shell of cold calm. Drawing courage from the rhythmic beat Vitalini drew in a deep calming breath before continuing.

"Don't think I don't understand," she spoke gently the irritating draining from her as her eyes met his once more this time with simple understanding. "Before coming to the palace I lived a life of exile. My magic was known by few but still I was nothing more than a dirty street rat that no one knew or cared for. I lived my days with people watching me without trust or care- is that not how you felt?" Vitalini asked pointedly knowing the question would help make her point hit home hard in Loki's mind by making the connection.

There was no room for him to deny the truth of her words. His hate stemmed from the same sense of disdain and mistrust he had grown up knowing from nearly all those around him with the added betrayal of discovering his true parentage. While it was impossible to call them the same there were far too many similarities to discredit her point completely, even for Loki.

"Despite all that I kept hope. I accepted who I was and made myself better by doing so. I made no sense to hold others fully responsible, after all in the end I found so much more. Someone found me in that world of mistrust and contempt. When they found me I became Vitalini despite all the odds."

For a moment Loki found himself wondering who she had referred to off handedly. The mention had been a mere passing thought in her explanation but it was one that caught his attention, even more so by the smile that the thought of it brought to Vitalini's lips. Whoever she spoke of obviously seemed to be of some importance in Vitalini's eyes to earn such fondness from her.

The thought incited something strange within Loki, a somewhat familiar feeling but yet completely different. In many ways it was the frustration and anger he felt when watching Thor being cheered and fawned over but there was something different about it. The feeling of jealousy he could pick out well enough from experience but it was mixed with something more that was much more gut-wrenchingly painful.

As her prince it should be him and him alone that she should such fondness for, such loyalty.

"I truly believe that for you Loki there is someone waiting out there for you to find them."

Vitalini continued speaking completely unaware of the turmoil that she had provoked within Loki.

"Me?" Loki scoffed hiding away the deep shock that slipped through the icy cracks that warmed his heart. "A frost giant?"

The idea was completely absurd in Loki's mind. If not for the sincerity he'd heard in her soothing words he might have believed her to be lying for his benefit. Yet, there the truth was, ringing clearly with complete sincerity for her words and staring back at him through sapphire eyes. Yet, no matter how much Vitalini may believe in what she spoke of Loki knew all too well the absurdity of the very idea of love for him. Loki couldn't even say if he knew well enough what such an emotion was.

Nor would he have to, he thought determinedly to himself assuring himself of the idea. There was no need for such silly emotions when he would rule. Love and loyalty would be taken by force and given in fear. Keeping others below you and inflicting fear was the only sure way for one such as him to receive such fleeting emotions. A fact Loki could never forget after years of being looked down upon and standing in Thor's great shadow.

It was a fact that one small woman no matter how much she believed otherwise would ever change.

While Loki found himself wallowing in his own self loathing Vitalini meanwhile felt a jolt of angry righteousness burst forth from the confines of her own locked emotions. Loki was simply being a fool. Somehow he found it so easy to throw away all the memories that were happy to concentrate solely on the bad and painful. She would not have him thinking such ridiculous things and hide away from perhaps one of the most obvious truth. Above all she would not take him thinking so openly in her presence that he was less than what he was simply because of his parentage that he could not help.

"You had them!" Vitalini practically screamed at him catching Loki for once completely off guard, so much so that he stepped back from her sudden outburst.

The hard glare that came to his eyes did nothing to deter her. Never giving him the chance to push back against her Vitalini moved in on him her blue gaze hard; her finger jabbed hard into his leather clad chest for added emphasis. Now she was completely ignoring the fact that she was a servant and he her prince. The thought never even crossed her mind blinded by irritation. In that moment she didn't care if he was a prince. She wanted nothing more than to hit Loki.

For a brief moment Vitalini considered doing just that hoping that doing so would possibly knock some sense into him.

"You may hate Odin for keeping the truth from you but on Asgard you were loved and surrounded by the people who you called family- you're still loved," she paused breathing deeply to regain some composure. "Whether you are of frost giant or Asgardian blood doesn't matter to them- it doesn't matter to me- and it shouldn't matter to you."

Vitalini's voice gentled as she continued with her tangent her hand finding its way to Loki's chest to rest over his heart feeling it's strong and steady rhythm. She paused briefly looking for the right words to bring Loki the peace he so sorely needed. No matter the evil that she knew lurked within him there was good in his heart that try as he might to deny it remained fighting to stay strong within him. While it may be true that Loki may not be or never will be a hero he was still a prince- a man worthy of love.

If only he could somehow see that in himself…

"You are Loki- that is who you are. It is your choices not your heritage that make you who you are."

Vitalini silently cursed herself feeling the familiar sting of tears threatening at the back of her eyes once more. Willfully she pushed them away refusing to show any more signs of the much deeper meaning of to the words she spoke. It was enough how much effort it took to leave out the word 'again' from the words she said to Loki. She was getting uncomfortably close to the truth that he must never reveal. In her emotional state it seemed that she was growing careless in what she spoke giving far too much away that might incite Loki's memories unintentionally against her long ago promises.

She took in a deep fortifying breath mentally reminding herself to hold back from further revealing that what she should not. She would cover and hideaway the deepest part of her heart that wanted to cry and scream out to be seen and acknowledged. With a great amount of will Vitalini pushed away the pain crushing down on her heart. This was all there was, she reminded herself.

"Why did you bring me here Loki?" Vitalini questioned softly taking a turn from the path of their conversation in hopes that it would be much more convenient for Loki to answer.

"Convenience," Loki replied flatly putting a great deal of effort into appearing unconcerned and calm.

The cold offhand reply supplied far from any sort of answer that Vitalini had been hoping for. Despite Vitalini's attempts to turn the conversation Loki would not take that. They had been discussing something that with Vitalini asking the questions that he did not wish to reply to. At the same time Loki had his own question for the girl standing before him who had dared to actually stand up to him.

"Will you leave now that you are away from Titan?"

Loki's gaze never wavered from Vitalini as if the slightest movement would be answer enough to his question. In making his decision to take her from Titan and house her here on Earth the possibility of her attempting to escape lingered continually in his mind. While she had vowed to remain at his side and stand beside him such a promise could have been a mere tool to ensure her own safety until allowed the chance to escape.

The question sent shock through Vitalini followed closely by a sense of hurt at Loki's seeming continued mistrust in her word to him. Even so she was not at all surprised considering in the past months what pain her had been through and suffered- there were only so much pain and betrayal a heart could take before there was nothing but mistrust. That was something Vitalini had every intention of setting right.

"Do you trust me?" she asked calmly in reply her blue gaze strong and steady against his.

Loki never answered. The word trembled at his lip but the long festering cynicism stomped it down before he could speak.

"Can I trust you?" Vitalini asked instead seeing his wavering in answer.

This time Loki started at the sudden spin in her question once again finding himself at the uncomfortable end of the conversation. Once again he wanted to snarl the obvious answer that came to mind- no- but in truth, no matter how much the anger and hate inside him wanted to speak the word for some reason he couldn't manage it.

The truth was that no matter how much his mind would deny it Vitalini was not merely a servant, a fact that Loki was fast becoming uncomfortably aware of. Never had anyone managed to push him so off kilter that his prized silver-tongued could barely manage an answer.

"Yes," he finally answered heaving a deep sigh.

"As I trust you," Vitalini replied answering his earlier question.

The intensity in her blue eyes told Loki the truth, willing him to believe her words. The truth in those words and how they had come about sent a wave of curiosity and shock through Loki in reaction. Somehow Vitalini had known that he would not lie to her- right? Loki could think of no other explanation for it. The idea was rather strange and- strange. Never had someone known him so well to do such a thing, not even his own brother. Vitalini had relied on him speaking the truth rather than the possibility of his silver-tongued working for him and against her.

"So can you not trust me to tell you the truth in promising to stay with you?" she asked again her eyes now shining brightly with annoyance now that she'd caught him in her word trap.

Loki stared blankly having expected such a question realizing too late that he had walked straight into it by supplying her with the answer to her own question. There was no denying that she was right in her thinly veiled accusation. If someone as mistrustful as himself could find reason to trust her could he not find reason to trust her after all she had done for him. It was a difficult for someone like himself to trust someone but to believe in the trust that they gave him in return seemed to remain difficult.

Feeling that she had made her point well enough to finally end Loki's mistrust in her want to stay with him Vitalini dropped the subject. At the very least not only had she managed to trick the trickster prince but had managed to throw him off of his usual controlled self by doing so. Not wanting to completely make Loki uncomfortable Vitalini smiled the intensity of her blazing stare down fading quickly along with the burst of annoyance that had come over her.

"That's enough questions for today don't you think?" Vitalini laughed knowing she had asked a question despite her words.

The playfulness that Vitalini attempted lightened the heavy load that had fallen onto Loki's shoulders a great deal. Even Loki could not help but laugh as well his brisk chuckle joining her twinkling girlish laugh through the rooftop garden. He almost hated to ruin it with one last question he could not keep.

"How did we meet?" the words cut through the laughter like a blade bringing it to a sudden halt.

Those few words couldn't have been more adequate in cutting off all laughter within Vitalini replacing the lightness with dread. This was a question that Vitalini felt she was not yet ready to answer, one of many in fact. And yet it was the question that Loki had asked so blatantly his green eyes once more watching her with curious hard intensity. While she had known that he would undoubtedly begin to question such things already knowing of a long ago connection between them.

It was also something she had hoped to keep hidden for as long as possible, if only to keep out the more painful memories and enjoy her time with Loki now. She had hoped that their earlier discussion of the past would tide him over for much longer than it had but perhaps for the ever curious mind such as Loki's that had been asking too much. It seemed now that her words from her own earlier foolish mention of the past were coming back to haunt her and this time she could think of no way to avoid an answer.

"You found me," Vitalini sighed unable to think of a way to avoid discussing the matter. "You and Thor," she amended quickly realizing the deeper ties that her first words could have to her words from only moments ago; even though those ties were very real for her. "It was the truth when I said I had very little memory of much of my life before then. All I remember was living on the streets trying to survive. I was by estimation seven or eight years old at the time. One day I was looking for food in the market- I hadn't eaten in days," she continued her tale delving deep into her memories of so long ago seeming almost pensive, becoming lost. "Every so often I had to resort to stealing. On that particular day it was a small loaf of bread from a market stall but that time I wasn't so quick and was caught by the shopkeeper. He hit me and would've beaten me before taking me to the guards for punishment- it wasn't the first time he'd caught me stealing."

Vitalini paused turning away briefly to take a deep soothing as if gathering her courage to continue.

"Before he could even hit me again his entire table of bread and rolls tipped over on him- as if by magic," she said glancing back at Loki pointedly as a smile played at the corner of her lips. "Next thing I knew two boys were standing over me yelling at the shopkeeper to be more respectful to girls. At first I didn't realize what was happening. It was all kind of a shock and I wasn't used to being defended- usually people just continued going about their business. But this time everyone took notice. It wasn't until the shopkeeper was on his knees bowing as low as possible to the two boys that I realized who you were. You were the one to help me up while Thor continued to berate the shopkeeper. Even as a boy he was rather- rough around the edges," Vitalini smiled unable to think of a better word in the moment to describe the boy she remembered, the same boy that was still in many ways unchanged.

"I never even said a word as you two without even giving me a choice began ushering me away toward the palace. Even if I had wanted to say anything Thor's constant chatter made it difficult," she chuckled fondly at the memory. The laughter faded as her smile gentled into one of fondness at the next memory that flowed into the forefront of her mind. "All the while you just held my hand leading me along without a word. But you would turn and smile at me and somehow that made me feel so safe."

The story ended with Vitalini forcibly restraining herself from speaking more. If she went on too many memories would flow out. Already it was becoming hard for her to breath from the constriction circling her heart from the painful taint to the memories that had already left her lips. If she went any further she may hint too much at too much.

That was still yet another promise she intended to keep no matter how painful. Speaking of the memories, bringing them to mind made that burden that much more painful to bear.

As if understanding that Vitalini had finished her tale with no plans to go further Loki nodded in silent acceptance. Despite Loki's silence after what had been revealed by Vitalini had his mind reeling.

He had found her? He had taken her to the palace? How had she ended up a servant? Would Odin not have granted her a better position? Would he not have asked for his father to show that kindness? Or Thor?

It baffled Loki to no end as to why she still continued to keep the secrets of their past a secret. Even more confusing was that he himself could not remember what it was he wanted to know.

Had he really wanted to forget whatever it was that badly that he would've forced it from his memory?

"Loki?" Vitalini's soft call pulled Loki from his wandering thoughts bringing him back into reality standing before her.

For reasons that Loki could not fully understand yet he found himself using a great deal of effort to resist the urge to walk back to her. In his mind's eye he saw himself taking her in his arms and pulling her to him as he leaned in close to touch her soft pink lips to his. The kiss would be soft and gentle at first before growing more heated and passionate. And despite his coldness it would burn them, consume them in bright warmth.

Loki halted his roaming mind with a desperate shake of his head to forcibly throw such outrageous thoughts from his mind completely. Such things meant nothing to him, he reminded himself adamantly. It was simply the haywire emotions that their conversation had stirred up. They were illusionary in Vitalini's kindness toward him. There was nothing more to it than that.

It was simple proof of how dangerous emotions truly were.

Yet, even so as much as Loki was forcing himself to believe in that he was quickly becoming aware that every time he tried to harden his heart against Vitalini she somehow managed to fight her way back in through his defenses with something as simple as a look, a touch or a word.

In a desperate attempt to quickly distance himself from her until he could regain control of himself and his emotions Loki stepped away forcing a mask of cold aloofness into his features.

"I will be back by nightfall," he stated just as coldly as he walked away from Vitalini. "I still have some unfinished business to attend to on Titan before I am able to remain here."

Vitalini surprised but the sudden coldness that had overtaken Loki's demeanor watched him leave with wide blue eyes unable to say a thing to stop him. In a whirl of blue of blue smoke Loki disappeared, leaving much easier than they had arrived now that she was not hindering his teleportation. For several long moments Vitalini stood silently watching the stop where he had disappeared without even a backward glance as if expecting him to return.

For a moment, she thought sadly, he had been doing so well. The emotions he tried so hard to deny and fight had been plain for her to see. For a moment she had thought she'd managed to break through the icy cold wall protecting his heart from the warm light that could wash away the evil lurking within. Than like thin ice cracking beneath weight everything fell to pieces, Loki's wall mending itself in an instant.

Sighing deeply in frustration Vitalini stepped to the edge of the building her back to her warm and safe garden. Even it could not give her so much comfort and ease of mind to erase the events taking place and those drawing ever more near. Vitalini looked down at the people below as they went about their ordinary daily lives.

Such a beautiful world.

What would become of it once Loki's army attacked? What of all the innocent people? What would become of her?

Those very questions haunted her.

She would dream of destruction. The world falling into darkness all around her as agonized screams rang out loudly in her ears from every direction. There was blood, coating the ground, flooding the streets as bodies of the innocent men, women and children piled up. The bodies laid motionless on the cold bloodied ground their cold dead eyes staring unseeing at her- through her.

Yet, each night Loki was there. He would appear out of the darkness of her dreams like a beacon of light in that cold dark world. He would save them in the dreams, holding her close as he set things right. In the most frightening of those dreams she would see Thanos moving in on Loki ready to strike him down only Loki preoccupied with battle would not notice. Try as she might to call out to warn him her voice would not work and she was forced to stand there and watch as Thanos stuck him down before turning on her.

With each moment that Vitalini spent with Loki, with each conversation, with each dream something was becoming increasingly clear to her that would make it more difficult to keep the past at bay. It was becoming all the more obvious to her as so much was becoming increasingly more difficult to force herself ignore.

Meanwhile back on the moon Titan...