"You mustn't be here, Loki!" Heimdall warned the second the raven-haired prince appeared in the observatory.
"I must speak with Odin," Loki snipped. "Midgard is in danger!"
Heimdall frowned as he closed off the outer portal. "Rather, the Midgardian is," the man assumed, side-eying Loki.
Loki's pupils shrunk at the guard's guess. "You've seen her die?"
Heimdall grew silent as he watched the fear in Loki's eyes grow. "I never spoke of her future. I only mention her after having watched over you with her at your side."
"But is she in any danger?" Loki said in one quick breath.
Heimdall straightened as he stood guard in the center of the bright golden room. "I have seen nothing of her future, only the present."
"You will warn me, though, won't you?" Loki approached the guard's pedestal. "If she is in any danger, you tell me." His stare hardened as he stared intently into Heimdall's soulless orbs.
"I will," he vowed. "The King is at his throne as we speak," he added.
Loki muttered a hurried 'thank you' as he broke out into a sprint. His run was short-lived, though. Once on the rainbow bridge, his mortal lungs barely helped him across twelve feet of the shimmering rock. He hissed under his breath and pushed on, trying his best to ignore the burning in his chest. There was still a long, long road ahead of him, and that didn't even count the voyage into the city of Asgard itself.
Loki found himself beginning to stumble as his knees buckled under his weight. He fell fast and slammed against the ground, whacking his skull so hard that he blacked out for a second. In that moment as Loki lay on the ground staring past the Bifrost's edge, an idea came to mind. A crazed, possibly delusional, idea.
His last fall over the edge took him to Thanos, where the whole mess began. Perhaps another trip would do it again…
Loki closed his eyes and took a deep breath. As much as he wanted to give it a go, his body refused to move. Helplessly sprawled across the ground, Loki closed his eyes and chose to wait for Heimdall to call upon the guards at the main gate to drag Loki to the King. Or what if he was dragged back to a prison cell? He opened his eyes despite the heaviness of his eyelids. The edge of the flickering colours of the Bifrost teased Loki with what lay beyond in the abyss. If only… Loki freely allowed for the darkness to engulf him. He felt free and weightless in his unconsciousness. A vision of Natasha, perfectly alive and well, was also a welcome sight.
Loki overlooked what had to be another dream, of him and Natasha standing before one another, hand in hand.
"'Strive to be happy,'" she told him. Their lips met, but only for a brief moment.
"Goodbye, Natasha," he answered before vanishing from her sight.
Loki wondered if it was a premonition. He couldn't stay with her, not if a threat could target her. Danger had a way of following Loki, and leaving Midgard was a wise choice.
The vision changed and Loki found himself with his head in Natasha's lap. Unlike an older dream of his, there was no laughing, let alone smiling. Tears were streaming down the woman's face, and the pool of red forming beneath Loki's limp body said enough. There was a gaping hole in his chest, and he recalled the Collector's stealing of Natasha's heart. If he could take her place during that tragedy, then he wouldn't mind dying. A hero's death was a noble thing. As much as it hurt to see Natasha so upset, she didn't deserve to die. Not when she had absolutely no business with the Collector.
The best part of dying? Loki would be with Frigga.
Mother.
"'Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.'"
He could hear her gentle and calming voice reciting the poem she seemed to love so much. Funny, he had almost forgotten what her voice sounded like…
"Loki…"
So crystal clear, too. Almost as if… Loki's eyes fluttered open to find Frigga's familiar face smiling down at him. "Oh, Loki," she beamed, a hand stroking his cheek.
Loki held his breath and refused to do so much as bat an eye. One sudden move, and the vision would vanish. Wrinkles formed at the corners of her eyes as her grin widened. He forgot just how much he missed seeing that smile. "N-" A lump formed in his throat and Loki struggled to keep himself composed. He kept his eyes focused on her proud face. To lose her again, even in a dream felt overwhelming.
"What is it? Loki?"
Worry spread across her features and his eyes began to sting. Hearing her acknowledge him, care about him… Loki didn't realize how much he missed everything about her. "I-I'm sorry." His eyes squeezed shut and he was certain that when he opened them, she would be gone. Yet the warmth of her fingers on his cheek still remained.
A lighthearted chuckle. "I should be apologizing. My dear boy…"
This time, Loki's eyes flew open out of shock.
"I'm so sorry for causing you so much pain, Loki, but it was necessary."
"I'm dead," he blurted out.
Frigga burst into musical laughter. "No! Loki, not at all!"
He rolled off of Frigga's lap and gave her a questioning look as he lay on his stomach.
"Don't you remember who taught you all your tricks?" she hinted with a wink.
"A ruse," he breathed. His mother nodded and he felt a fire stir within his chest. "Dying right before my eyes!" Loki stood up on his knees to be at eye level with the goddess. "And it was all a part of your twisted joke?!" His nose wrinkled as he bared his teeth to her.
She knew that this would happen, and she knew it would take more than a simple 'I'm sorry' for him to let this go. "Please, let me explain."
"I blamed myself for your death!" he stammered as hot tears rolled down his cheeks. "I told myself that I should have been the one to die!"
Frigga immediately leaned forward to wrap her arms around her boy's neck. "Of course you did," she murmured into his ear. "You have a heart of gold, my dear Loki," she hummed, running her fingers through his greasy hair.
Her calming floral scent filled his nostrils and the tears fell harder. Loki eagerly embraced her and buried his face in the crook of her neck. Her warmth, her scent, her beating heart, it was all very real.
"I knew right from the start that Taneleer was bad news," she began to explain. "I…" she paused, voice catching in her throat. "I dreamt that he came to steal you away." She felt Loki's body stiffen. "I warned your father and we worked up a plan to capture him. We first needed to know exactly what he wanted, so we allowed him to wander off. He chose to visit the dungeon for you, but we also learned that he was after the Infinity items, as well."
"And you saw it coming," Loki breathed. "Your…death." He didn't like the taste of the word on his tongue.
"I needed to prove my son's innocence," she stated, ending the embrace so she could stare into his eyes.
"He is here because of me," Loki reminded her. "Thanos sent him. And he will come to Asgard when he learns that Tivan is a prisoner here."
"Which is why we are sending him away." She pressed a finger to Loki's lips as his eyes nearly bulged out of his head. "Back to Thanos' realm. Heimdall has all the gems located and your father will use their power to permanently seal the realm for good."
"Odin may use my magic to aid in sealing the realm," he quietly suggested. "There might as well be some use for it… Your magic has also helped me. Thank you for trusting me with it."
"Well," Frigga laughed, "you used my magic towards your good deeds."
Loki recalled the milk he gave Natasha's cat and managed a weak smile. "You saw?"
"He will restore your powers, you know," Frigga assured. "You've proven yourself."
"Have I?" The corners of his lips fell.
"With my gentle nudging, yes," Frigga proudly answered.
"Then he isn't completely for it," Loki sourly remarked.
"Loki." Frigga reached out to cup his cheek. "Have faith… After all, Natasha seems to have come around."
Natasha…The first thing he thought of was that horrible vision of him watching her final breaths. "I had another dream of her. I fear that she is in danger, and Tivan will be held responsible…"
Frigga rose to her feet and motioned for Loki to follow. "Tell me," she urged. "Let us go warn your father so we can have our unwanted guest sent away quickly…"
Loki nodded and briskly walked alongside her. He told her all about the Collector in the dungeons, and Natasha's life at stake… What he failed to mention was his own death that he foresaw. Loki could feel something ominous in his bones, and whatever it was, it needed to end.
Even if it cost him his life.
"What if this storm ends?
And leaves us nothing
Except a memory
A distant echo
I want pinned down
I want unsettled
Rattle cage after cage
Until my blood boils"
What if this Storm Ends? ~Snow Patrol
