Libertas
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Additional Notes(1): I have only seen the movies and read a few comics. I am receiving information of substance from my resident expert, though he is not Beta reading for me (nor does he actually know I am writing this!) Please bare with me if my story breaks one or all of the existing universes.
000
Pepper was hardly in her right state of mind. How long had she been gone? Days? Weeks? Months? Time passed differently in… well in where ever she was. Space? It wasn't a planet, as far as she knew, but it felt much larger than any space ship imaginable. Perhaps it was more like a satellite.
She tried to retain as much as possible. After all, eventually she would be home. She would be the only human to have been abducted by the Chitauri invaders. She could write books and become famous by her own right, not just being "Tony Stark's Secretary."
Of course, she felt a little bitter. She probably wouldn't have been in this position, if she weren't "Tony Stark's Secretary." There would have been no reason for them to come for her.
This was why all of the fictional superheroes kept their identities a secret. Otherwise, their enemies would know their weaknesses, their vulnerable spots.
She sighed from her throne like chair. They had taken good care of her, all things considered. The Chitauri left her alone, except to bring her meals. Pepper refused to eat at first, at least until her hunger managed to get the best of her. Whatever they brought her, it was as close to earth food as they could get. No meat, just fleshy fruit of some sort. It was clear that they didn't eat it themselves, since some watched her intently when she ate, as if surprised that she would consume it when put in front of her.
There was just nothing to do.
She could only sleep so long before one of the guards came into her room/cell to make sure she was still alive. As far as that went, she supposed the she didn't blame them. Her deductive reasoning, or what was left of it, in her exhausted, hungry, depressed, hopeless state, told her that the only thing preserving her in the lack-of-atmosphere was the necklace she wore.
It was a metallic blue, not unlike the Chitauri themselves, with a sapphire-like gem in the middle. It pulsed slightly, spreading a warmth throughout her body. It was placed on her before she even left Earth by one of the invaders who met her and her double at a small portal. It was really the only explanation as to why she hadn't suffocated or frozen immediately.
It was that or the long purple robes she wore—robes that had draping sleeves and a high neckline. They seemed rather unremarkable though, besides being very finely made.
With an exhale, Pepper tapped the elegant chair and put her head back. Maybe if she could just close her eyes for a few moments…
No, no such luck.
After just a few moments, the door to her room was opening. She was not prepared for what she saw.
"You!?" She shrieked suddenly, seeing her double crossing the length of the room. Pepper jumped up and put the chair between herself and the doppelganger.
"Shhh! Yes! Me!" Ash shifted back into her own form and held her hands as a sign of non-aggression.
"You—you stay away from me!" Pepper cried, almost hysterically, "this is your fault! You took me! You brought me here!"
Ash rolled her eyes, allowing the other woman to vent for a few moments. Pepper continued to yell and cry until Ash changed her shape into a more familiar, friendly shape.
"You have to listen to me," Natasha's voice came from Ash, catching Pepper completely off guard. The human woman fell silent, unsure of what to do or say. Ash continued, "I've come to take you home. But you have to do exactly as I say."
Pepper nodded slowly, trying to catch her breath. Ash decided it was better to stay as Natasha to explain her plan, but ultimately, Tony Stark was still expecting two Peppers to walk through the Chitauri portal."
""
"He was willing to give me to those foul beings?" Thor asked in a ton of disgust. "Lore me into a trap? He is an egotistical, self centered, tiny, petty—"
"Oh please," Loki interrupted, "it was to save his woman. Of course he would. Most anyone would likely do the same thing."
Thor, who resumed heavy pacing, fumed. "Not I! I would fight them on my own and go rescue my lady on my own!"
"And then you would have died. You would have been overtaken. They would have ripped you to shreds. You may have slaughtered scores of them first, but they would have taken you. Your woman would be made to look over your dead body before she was killed herself. You know how battle works, brother. You know what some will do during warfare. I'm not saying I'm happy about it. I do not want to see Asgard leveled, to be completely honest…. I may want to rule it," he added with a small smirk, earning him a glare from the blonde man, "but I don't want to see it destroyed. All I'm saying is that I cannot blame him for resorting to such tactics when he found himself with no other option."
The more time he spent with these people, the Avengers, the more he found himself relating to them. It was disturbing. He couldn't really tell if it was because of him now being mortal, or if humans had always been so relatable to the Asgardians… But no, it couldn't be that. After all, he had always heard so much about how they were such low, unintelligent creatures.
"Well then, what exactly do you propose we do? Walk right into their trap? Stark has sent that shapeshifter with a message to open their portal on the ground, near the Asgard gateway. I can do nothing but stay away! Argh!" Thor, in a fit of frustration, whipped around and lifted the heavy oak desk. It hit the wall, causing a chunk of the refined wood to splinter off and clatter to the ground.
Loki patiently waited until Thor was back to stomping around, muttering to himself. "Well, there's that, or, you could go through the Chitauri portal, if Banner can get it operating again. They can open a portal to Asgard from their ship. Once they send most of their forces through with the crystal prism and start an open battle in the city, they will not be expecting an internal attack. You could go in, smash a few skulls, and go through to home. If you can get through the city archway, then that's it. No more plan. They can't get to your power. You and the remaining warriors can focus on ranged attacks until the Chitauri are wiped out or retreat. That's what I would do."
Thor stopped his pacing and looked out the window. It was cloudy. It may even storm. But he couldn't be sure. "And you? What will you do, while I attempt to go home? Will you join me?"
Loki was silent before giving a sad smile. "I would love to… I can't though. I am mortal. I would die as soon as I left the Earth for the Chitauri station. I truly wish I could go fight and return to Asgard…"
Neither spoke for a few moments. There wasn't much to say. The former God-of-Mischief was having a hard time, wrestling with his emotions.
It wasn't so long ago that he had an absolute hatred for his adoptive brother. It also wasn't so long ago that he loved him, too. Loki couldn't remember the point where it took a turn, but he knew the exact moment when he felt like he wanted to destroy Thor and everything he loved.
It wasn't when he fell from Asgard. It wasn't even when he was pulled apart into the Infinite, only to be reformed again. No….
It was the moment that the Spear of Destiny touched his hands and told him to go take Earth for himself.
The more time that went on, the less he cared about the attention Thor received. In fact, if things had worked out differently, he may have even wanted to join the Avengers. To bask in their glory. For Odin's sake if the Hulk had people who now loved him! His time with Darcy proved that he could have had the attention he craved. He could have used his intelligent mind and silver tongue to join Stark—he could have had a tower built in his name, too.
There was so much potential in this world that Loki had just ignored because it wasn't Asgard. But Asgard belonged to Odin, as it always would.
However, without his special abilities, Loki would never be happy in this realm. He would be doomed to die a life filled with regret. He was coming to realize that it was all because he still loved his adoptive brother and his home realm.
After all, the opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference.
"I can operate the portal," Loki said finally. "As long as we keep the one open on our end, I should be able to communicate through to you, and tell you how to operate theirs. "
""
They barely had enough time to repair the control board to the Chitauri ship that Stark destroyed before the onslaught started. It was just as after dawn a few days after Ash had left. Down in the city, near the Asgard gateway they had been working on, there was a vortex sucking up dirt and rubble, and spewing Chitauri warriors.
Thor was not there, nor was Loki.
The others were hiding, near the agreed upon entryway, waiting to rescue the Peppers. It was their only option, since half of the group agreed Thor shouldn't be there, and the other thought it was better to rescue the innocent woman.
The invaders growled and hissed, creating a perimeter to guard before finally bringing the prism into their realm.
"So that's it, huh?" Hawkeye whispered over their communicators. There was no response, but he could see Natasha nod from her cover.
This was the first time they had seen so many Chitauri gathered in one place. They were swarmed in a curve, shouting and growling and jeering. "They don't see Thor," Tony said quickly, "they aren't going to send Pepper out. I'm going in."
"Stark, just wait a little bit longer. If they really aren't going to send her out, we will send the Hulk in first, then have you grab her," Rogers said, reassuring the antsy man.
'Lo and behold, they did send the Peppers out. Surrounded by Chitauri warriors, the two Peppers were holding hands as they slowly stepped for on earth again. When the Avengers stood, weapons drawn, the Pepper in the long purple robes with an ornate, glowing belt leaned over to the trench coated Pepper and muttered something.
The next thing they knew, they were running straight into the mass of Chitauri, those with their backs to the humans. Clearly, the invaders were not prepared for this, as confusion broke out. Some tried to grab the girls. However, when a caped Chitauri shouted something incomprehensible to the Earthlings, they all backed away quickly.
Trench coated Pepper used this opportunity to continue running, weaving in and out to head straight for the first Avenger she saw—the Hulk.
The other one, the one in the purple robe, dived straight into the largest group of Chitauri.
"What is she doing!?" Tony shouted and shot off, trying to get to her before she was torn to pieces. He didn't even have the opportunity.
There was an explosion.
A number of the invaders were taken out with it, some knocked back into each other. Tony halted in midair, his Ironman mask coming off as he was ready to be sick. He couldn't believe what he had just witnessed. "PEPPPERRRR!"
000
Additional Notes(two): a few caveats… This chapter has been written for some time, simply not typed up. It was a bit longer, but I have chosen, for numerous reasons, to remove certain parts. They simply are not necessary at this time. I may go back and add them in at a later time, but not for a little while. They are not pertinent to the story; they were just for story and effect.
Thank you to those of you whom reviewed! I really appreciate it! They really do help me continue, whether you believe it or not! I need all of your encourage me!
A_F