Chapter Twenty One

Flashback, 1943

"Come on!" Peggy Carter yelled, hands folded behind her back as the soldiers ran laps around her. "Faster, ladies the enemy isn't going to give you a break! Three more laps come on!"

"Carter." Katherine said as she came next to her wearing the same dark green skirt and blazer that Peggy wore. Honestly, she wasn't much for war, she thought it was too messy. But this has to be the best decision she had ever made. She could get to order people around, eat as much a she wanted, and be surrounded by a lot of attractive guys.

"Pierce." Peggy greeted with a nod. "How's your troop?"

"Not bad." She replied.

Peggy turned her attention back to a skinny, looking guy with blond hair that seemed like he could barely stand. "That's enough, Rogers. Take a break."

Katherine was surprised that such a skinny, weak looking guy had been allowed in the army.

"No, I can handle it," Steve wheezed as he gave them a small nod. "Ladies." And he continued running.

End of Flashback

Katherine woke up with a start. She looked around and saw that she was in her own room. Frigga pushed her back down against the pillows. "You shouldn't overexert yourself, darling you're still very weak."

"I should be dead," she said slowly. "Why am I not dead, Loki and I did the death spell. We should be dead."

"You should," Frigga confirmed. "But the healers managed to get there in time-for a while, we didn't know if you were going to survive. You've been unconscious for 21 days."

Three weeks, Katherine though. "Loki, is he-"

"Alive." Frigga confirmed and Katherine saw that Loki was standing on the balcony, overlooking Asgard.

"And Asgard?"

"Everything is all right. Everyone is safe."

Katherine's eyes welled up with tears. "I am sorry, for everything mother. The destructions that happened it was my fault, I was trying to make it right, I'm sorry-"

Frigga hugged Katherine. "It's all right, Katerina I forgive you. As long as your promise, that you swear to me that neither you nor Loki would risk your lives again."

"How long are you going to sit there staring at us?" Katherine said to Thor. "Mother already made us feel guilty enough if that is what you're trying to do."

"Perhaps Thor is trying to intimidate us," Loki said lazily as he looked up from his book. "You're doing a poor job, brother."

"Shut up, Loki." Thor snarled, but there wasn't the usual menace behind it. "I thought you would both die, the healers had a hard time finding you vitals. But you're alive, you managed to live even after you did the death spell."

Katherine rested her head against the pillow. "Maybe it was luck. Or fate." She smirked. "But I wasn't too worried, after all I'm always a survivor."

Katherine and Loki were standing in front of Odin for a "trial" even though there were only three people in the room. Odin was sitting on his throne and Katherine had no clue how she should feel after seeing her father for the first time in 500 years. Angry? Confused? Happy?

"How are you feeling?"

Both Loki and Katherine murmured answers.

"How about we stop with the polite questions," Loki demanded. "And we discuss whatever you want to discuss."

Odin looked at them and after a while he said. "I have found out that the reason Asgard was attacked in the first place, was because both you and Katerina got a special stake from Aei to kill the doppelganger Elena Gilbert, and in exchanged for her permanent death, there will be consequences. Consequences that lead to the almost destruction of Asgard. Yet, you used the Death Spell to save Asgard, even though the spell would have killed you if the healers hadn't revived you in time. Now what do you have to say for yourselves?"

"That we probably should have asked Aei what she meant by consequence." Loki said without thinking.

Odin scowled. "You put all of us in danger for Katerina's own selfish gain to kill the doppelganger," he softened. "But in the end, you were willing to sacrifice your own life-however stupid that was, for Asgard." He paused. "And for that. You will not be imprisoned, both of you are forgiven. Katerina, you will stay in Asgard, Loki you are sent in exile. You are no longer welcome in Asgardian soil, please leave immediately-"

"No," Katherine interrupted before she could stop herself. "If he leaves, so do I."

"What are you doing?" Loki mumbled.

"What I do best," she murmured back.

"Katerina," Odin said trying to be patient. "Loki is a frost giant, he has been responsible for the deaths of countless of humans-"

"But so have I!" she snapped. "I don't care that Loki is a frost giant, he's been my brother for over 2,000 years you can't simply ask me to forget about him I have done worse things that Loki, I have lied, manipulated, killed without remorse I am no better than him. I am not leaving him, so I guess this means I'm also sent to exile."

"You're leaving."

Katherine looked up from where she had been staring inside her closet. Her dresses were pretty, but impractical, and it wasn't like they had a jeans store in Asgard. Frigga was standing behind her looking grim.

Katherine hated being the one to cause that look on her mother's face, but she knew it would be worse if she stayed. Her hand drifted off. "Yes."

Frigga didn't say anything as she sat at the edge of the bed.

"You can't change my mind." Katherine shot back.

"I wasn't going to," Frigga said softly. "I know you're hurt and you're angry."

"I would ask you to come with me, but I'm pretty sure a Queen can't take a vacation." Katherine paced around the room. "I don't want to leave you, Mother, I don't want to leave Thor. But I also don't want Loki to be alone and I and father don't get along, and we both know if I do stay none of us will be happy. I need time."

Frigga nodded. "I understand, Katerina. I just wished it didn't have to be this way." Frigga looked at her. "You need time to heal, to grow, and I can wait."

Once again Katherine and Loki were standing in front of Odin. This time unsure of what they were doing here.

"Are you locking us up?" Loki blurted out.

"No," he said sounding tired. "I am offering you a contract. A deal. You are allowed to return to earth, to live your life as you wish as long as you cause no one no harm. In return you must come at least once a month for your mother's sake and attend all royal functions."

Katherine looked at him strangely. This seemed too perfect. "For how long?"

Odin took a deep breath. "Until you are ready to come home."

-End of Chapter Twenty-One-