-S-

Saoirse was grateful. Today might be the day she'd die, but at least she would get a final stroll through her city. She could see her home once more. Knowing she might never see it again changed everything.

The grey concrete seemed more like silver. Dark alleyways seemed more mysterious than creepy. Even the hasty people ready to push you aside now seemed to have important business than be annoying.

'Look!' Saoirse pointed to the left, where the green and white sign of a Starbucks demanded attention. 'That's where I like to get my coffee when I pretend I order coffee every day!'

'Why would you pretend to do that?'

'I'd thought you'd know.'

'Why?'

'It annoys Gav. He thinks it's a waste of money.' Saoirse eyes twinkled with a mischievous melancholy.

Loki chuckled and stared intently at the coffeeshop, mouthing the names of the neighbouring streets. 'I am starting to think you are a terrible person.'

'Then you are not nearly as observant and intelligent as you like to think, little giant.'

'Or you are a very manipulative person.'

'Thanks. That's the nicest thing you've said to me by far.'

'Perhaps I must revisit my statement.'

'Oh, no. No take-backsies'

'Fine.'

Saoirse and Loki caught each other's eyes and both snickered until Saoirse chest hurt. Until now, she hadn't seen Loki laughing as widely or genuinely as now. The freedom must have done him well as it had done her.

When they had to cross the widest street thus far to finally enter the park, it occurred to Saoirse she could just walk through the cars, stand in the middle of the road if she wanted. She didn't, as if one little voice still whispered words of hope. What if she suddenly regained her body? What if she stopped being a ghost? What if this had all been a dream?

However, Saoirse had let go of that voice. She was making her final trip and it wasn't to save her. It was to find the place that made her feel home, so she could go in a good place. Not that she told Loki that.

'Tadah!' Saoirse spread her arms wide as she showed the row of checkered tables hidden between full bushes. 'This is my humble outdoor abode.'

Loki let his fingers trail along the top of one of the tabled, tapping the black and white squares. 'It has a nice feel to it,' he admitted. 'Though I see now you could have been so much better at chess.'

'That's not fair. I never had anyone to play with. Besides, if we'd have more time, I would've won eventually.'

If she had had more time, she would've done so many things. Find a way to go home. Find a way to see Gav again. Find a way to tell her parents she understood they were trying to do the right thing. Find a way to tell a lot of people she understood they had changed and that they had moved on from their past selves, herself included. If she had more time, she would have asked Loki to show her Asgard. To take her to the places of his fondest memories, where he would see he needed his brother, his home. If she had the time… alas, she didn't.

As Loki circled his finger in an infinity sign, he smiled. 'I think you already did.'

'What?' Saoirse frowned.

Loki shook his head. 'Never mind. Can you remember where you went, from here?'

Saoirse bit her lip. 'About that…'

'What?'

'What did she say?' Thor demanded, stepping forwards, one hand already out to grip Loki. 'Where must you go next?'

'I don't know yet,' Loki said, a slight panic in his voice. 'Saoirse, will you take us further?'

She shook her head. 'I'm sorry.'

'Saoirse?'

'Loki. Tell me now. Where to next?'

Loki turned on his brother with fire in his eyes. 'I don't know yet! Can't you listen to me for once in your life?'

'No! The times I did, I ended up with a dagger in my back!'

'That is not true!' Saoirse finally understood how dangerous Loki was. His fury was frightening. Despite his thinner build, she didn't doubt he could take on Thor - not in physical strength, but with his fast mind and deadly tricks 'I tried to talk to you before, but you never listened! I told you to stop behaving like a spoiled child. I told you to use your head instead of your hammer. I told you you had to carry your responsibility as a king! Did you listen? Never!'

Thor already had his hammer in his hand. He wanted to use it, as in a reflex, but thought better of his. He pointed it at Loki's chest. 'What about New York, brother? I begged you to come home. I was willing to listen. You only tried to destroy what I love.'

'Take me home?' Loki scoffed. 'You desired the power of the tesseract, nothing more. You cared more about a world of strangers than your own brother.'

Thor lowered his hammer. 'I did not. I tried to protect the brother I knew from perform the horrors he would never forgive himself for.'

'I-' Loki had nothing more to say. Though he didn't believe his brother either, telling from the suspicion on his face. 'Please don't pretend you are actually doing this for me. I know that is far from the truth.'

Saoirse felt sick. Her head was spinning.

'I am truly sorry you feel that way.'

'Loki,' Saoirse squeaked. He didn't hear her. He stared incomprehensibly at his brother. 'Loki…'

Loki's head snapped back. His eyes widened.

Looking down, she could barely see her own form. 'It's time…' she whispered.

'No, no!' Loki ran towards her, his hands outstretched before they fell uselessly beside him.

'Thank you, Loki. Thank you for trying.' Both the pain of her disintegrating spirit and the sorrow of having to leave her life filled her eyes with tears. 'You couldn't have done more…'

'No, Saoirse, please, stay. We're almost there. Well find your body. I promised you…'

She tried to smile. 'It's okay. I knew we would never make it. I just wanted to see this place again. Show it.' A fog formed between her and the prince.

'Please…' Loki was so close, she could've felt his breath if she had been real. From up close he looked softer. The cracks in his mask so much clearer. The tears in his eyelashes like glass shards in her heart. 'I can't live with this.'

Saoirse smiled through her tears. 'I can. I only need you to know, I-' her voice faltered. Only fragments of sounds came out.

Loki face contorted even more. 'Saoirse…'

'Goodbye Loki.' One final whispered escaped her lips. All colour drained away. First the sky. Then of the bushes. Loki's clothing. His green eyes. They all lost clarity and blurred into each other.

The desperate, piercing eyes were the last thing she saw.