Hello everyone! I hope you're all doing well, and if you celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas ect…, I hope you're having a wonderful holiday season! Thank you to everyone who has followed, favorited, and especially those of you who have taken the time to review this story. I love you all, and can't wait to give you the ending you've been looking forward to!
An extra special thank you to TonaLog1978, Susan Drakian, Shay, Roberta Lozano, emilia . lozano . el, MuffinRamsey, DrowningInFootwear, wintersmith, KK82, Junia Grey, radix, Kichi, and the unnamed Guest who reviewed the last chapter. You guys are so amazing and you inspire me to write faster!
A quick reminder that I had this story plotted out WAY before I ever saw IW, so the relationship between Thanos and Gamora is not canon. I'm aware of that, and I've chosen to stick with the plot I originally created. And a fair warning that some of the violence in this chapter is a bit brutal, so if that's not your thing you might skip/skim through Loki's fight scene. Dude needed some revenge and I let him have it. And… there's a few mentions of suicidal thoughts, so if that's triggering for you, you might skip/skim over the part after Loki and Thor have a conversation about Jane, and pick up again where Thor comes to see him.
Without further ado, here's the new chapter! Read, review, and enjoy!
Chapter 25: Yggdrasil
Asgard
Two days had passed since Jane had her epiphany. Her nerves were shot, and she was riddled with fear and guilt. If her plan went awry, or simply did not work, she would not have time to form another. That was assuming of course, that Thanos didn't kill her first.
Then there was Gamora to consider. Jane had not divulged her plan in any form to the green skinned woman. Their friendship was tentative, and built on a camaraderie that was formed by their circumstances. She did not think Gamora would want her father dead, and she feared that their friendship and alliance would end abruptly if she revealed any of what she was planning.
Better to go through with it, and ask for forgiveness later, assuming it even worked and she lived long enough to do such a thing.
"Hold still," Gamora commanded her, as she tended to the wounds on her back once again. "You keep moving every time I try to clean it."
"That's because it hurts," Jane rolled her eyes. "What do you expect me to do? And you're not exactly being cooperative either," she pointed out irritably.
She realized her mistake too late as Gamora's face fell, something akin to grief flickering over her features. "That's because there is nothing to tell," she responded softly. "I don't remember much about my home world or my people. Their customs were scattered to the winds when I was only a girl." The green skinned woman looked away, and Jane regretted pushing her. "I am the last of my kind, and all I remember of my home world and heritage is living in filth and starving."
"What happened to all of them?" the astrophysicist whispered. "To your species I mean."
Gamora shrugged. "Thanos came when I was just a girl," she explained. "He found me digging in the trash for something to eat, and asked me if I was hungry. He took me on his ship, and fed me." A soft smile curled up at the corners of her lips at the memory. "I'd never tasted anything so good in all my life," she continued. "My parents never came looking for me. I stayed on Thanos' ship for three days, but they never came."
She finished dressing Jane's wounds, and sat next to her as she'd been doing for the last several days. "When Thanos was done meeting with the government and making my planet a better place, he asked me to go with him. Told me I'd never go hungry again." Gamora let out a bitter laugh. "My parents obviously weren't looking for me, and Thanos told me my home had been abandoned. So I left with him, and when I went back years later to find my family, there was nothing left of my planet. It had all been destroyed."
"I'm sorry," Jane told her earnestly. "I wouldn't have asked if I'd known. Do you –" She stopped herself before she could ask the question that had been at the forefront of her mind ever since Thanos had arrived in Gamora's tale.
"What?" the green skinned woman prodded. "You were going to ask something. What is it?"
Jane hesitated before she rolled sideways, and sat up, allowing herself to see eye to eye with Gamora. "Do you think Thanos was involved in the destruction of your planet?" she asked boldly. "Maybe your parents did look for you, but he made sure they never found you."
"Jane," she warned, but the astrophysicist could hear the doubt in her voice.
"You've seen how cruel he can be," Jane pointed out. "Haven't you ever wondered?"
"He wouldn't."
"Just like he wouldn't hold you here against your will?" the astrophysicist commented dryly, trying to make her see reason. "Just like he wouldn't hurt the man you love?"
Gamora stood, her hands trembling.
"Have you ever asked him?" Jane pushed. "Can he look you in the eye and tell you he had nothing to do with –"
"Enough!" Gamora growled, her lip trembling along with her hands. "I haven't asked, and I won't."
"Maybe you should," Jane finished, her anger at Thanos for ruining everyone he touched boiling over.
Gamora turned away from her and stomped angrily towards the door. She paused in the doorway, her hand on the handle and didn't speak for some time. Her trembling became steadier, and eventually subsided. When she turned back to meet Jane's eyes, her features had been schooled into neutrality, and she was all business.
"Tomorrow is the day," she reminded the astrophysicist. "Be ready."
She left before Jane could respond, the sharp click of the door in the lock sounding with finality.
Jane reached beneath the pillow on her bed, and pulled out a drooping, purple flower. It was the very same one that Loki had given her on Alfheim.
"Nightshade," Jane whispered. "Deadly even in the smallest of doses."
Hela herself had told Jane that poison was the perfect tool for a woman who needed to take the life of a man she couldn't hope to overpower. She hadn't forgotten. She couldn't overpower Thanos physically, but perhaps she could outsmart him.
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Gamora steeled herself as she asked the question she had always been too afraid to give voice to. She should have asked her adoptive father years ago, but something had always held her back, fear wrapping itself around her heart like tendrils of smoke.
Their relationship was not easy, but she had always loved him and he had always taken care of her in his own way. Perhaps that was what had stopped her from asking so many times before. Jane's observations had put doubt in her heart, so much so that she needed the truth now, even if it was painful.
"Did you do it?" she asked Thanos point blank. "Did you kill them?"
He watched her carefully, the corners of his mouth turned down in the slightest frown, and his eyes narrowing in suspicion. In her heart she knew before he even spoke, but she couldn't bring herself to admit the truth until she heard the words fall from his lips in confession.
"Why now?" he asked instead.
Gamora clenched her hands into fists at her side, determined not to let him lessen her resolve. "Because I need to know," she replied simply.
He regarded her with a strange sadness, as though he'd always known this day would come.
"Yes," he finally admitted, his voice sorrowful in a way it didn't deserve to be. Gamora felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes, and her lip trembled with the revelation. She wanted to scream at him, to hurt him, to make him feel the raw hurt that was clawing through her chest.
"Why?" she demanded, the tears spilling over in heated anger.
Thanos sighed, and took a seat on Asgard's throne, seeming older and more tired than she had ever seen him before. He motioned for her to sit at his side, but Gamora refused, staying steadfast in her anger and grief.
"When I arrived on Zen-Whoberi it was in chaos," Thanos explained slowly. "Your people were starving. Crime was rampant. Dead bodies lay in the streets, spreading disease. The planet was overpopulated, and your people were dying." He reached out as if he wanted to touch her, but withdrew his hand at the last moment. "I wanted to save them from themselves, so I killed half the population. There was more than enough food and resources for those that were left. They would thrive instead of merely scraping by."
"And I intended to keep it that way, until Hela," he continued. "She asked me to sacrifice those that were left as a token of my love, so I did."
"My parents?" Gamora asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Did they ever look for me?"
Thanos nodded slowly, and she closed her eyes, the tears staining her cheeks as she let out a quiet sob.
"You should have let me die with them," she croaked. "You'd be less of a monster than you are now."
"Gamora," Thanos tried. He stood, reaching out for her, but she recoiled as though burned.
"I hate you," she said bitterly, before turning away from him. She walked as quickly as her legs would carry her, intending to go anywhere but there.
"Gamora!" Thanos tried again.
She kept walking and never looked back.
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Loki felt his magic dull as soon as he jumped back to Asgard. The feeling was stifling, like he was suffocating in the very air of the realm. Around him mountains rose up, hiding his entrance from view. Heimdall waited for him, his golden battle armor shimmering beneath the rays of light that managed to escape the never-ending gray skies above.
"Welcome home, my prince," the gatekeeper greeted. "I trust your journey was productive."
Loki nodded. "Aye. And my Jane?"
Heimdall smiled. "She is well enough to fight the battle ahead. Shall we ride for the Bifrost?" He clicked his tongue and two horses galloped towards them, one a chestnut bay, and the other he recognized immediately. The eight-legged horse whinnied impatiently, his charcoal gray coat barely standing out against the darkened sky. The horse stopped a few feet in front of Loki and lowered its head in reverence for the prince.
"Sleipnir," he mused as he tangled his fingers in the horse's charcoal mane. The animal snorted, and pressed its nose to Loki's chest, its dark eyes meeting the prince's in an eerie human likeness.
"You lead all of Yggdrasil today," Heimdall told him softly, as if reading his mind. "Only a mount fit for a king will do. Sleipnir awaits your command, as do I, my prince."
Loki nodded at the gatekeeper, tightlipped. To rule and to lead Asgard had been his dream since childhood, but the victory was strained and hollow in the darkness of this moment.
The god of mischief mounted Sleipnir, the horse pawing at the ground in anticipation. Heimdall mounted his horse, and the two of them set off together for the Bifrost.
When they reached the Rainbow Bridge, Loki and Heimdall dismounted, their eyes open for any sign of company. Heimdall went into the Bifrost to open it for their guests, while Loki kept watch on the Bridge.
He saw Chitauri and undead warriors alike, crawling through the city. It was only a matter of time before one of them turned their eye to the Bridge, and they were spotted.
Loki scanned the Bridge for any sign of company, his eyes searching as far as the horizon would allow. That was when he saw it.
Several dozen feet ahead of him sat Mjolnir, abandoned by Thor, and useless to all who sought to wield it. He approached the hammer carefully, still watching his surroundings. When no ambush presented itself, he reached for the hammer, his fingers ghosting over the handle before retreating back to his sides.
A voice in his head rang clear, calling him to the hammer like a siren.
Worthy.
One word, spoken softly before evaporating to recesses of his mind like it never happened. He wondered.
Loki reached for Mjolnir, wrapping his palm around the handle cautiously. He took a deep breath, a amused snort escaping as he exhaled.
Had he not tried to lift Thor's hammer before and failed? Was it not madness to repeat his failure?
Giving one last glance around him to make sure the enemy was not close, and no one was there to observe what was certain to be a failure, Loki pulled back on Mjolnir's handle.
It lifted into the air as easily as one of his blades, the Uru metal seeming to sing in his palm. His jaw dropped in surprise.
Worthy.
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Jane worked in the kitchens under her guise as Loki, quietly grinding up the nightshade flower in the furthest corner available, under the pretense of preparing Thanos' meal. She chopped it, and ground it until it was little more than powder and a purple garnish, and sprinkled some of it over the meat she would soon serve him.
The astrophysicist cupped her hand and swiped the rest of the nightshade into her palm.
One of the Chitauri that watched over the kitchen staff hissed at her in disapproval as it shoved a tray with a pot of steaming tea into her hands. The creature pointed towards the door, and gave her a sharp push in that direction.
Jane didn't fight it. She headed out the door as instructed, stopping in the hallway for long enough to sift the remainder of the nightshade from her palm into the tea.
"I'm sorry, Gamora," she whispered as the last of the nightshade disappeared. By the time she reached Thanos in the great hall, she was nervous, but hid her anxiety behind a polite smile.
She sat the tray down in front of the Mad Titan, and moved to sit in her usual seat at his side.
"Little shifter," he greeted absently as his gaze traveled from her to the tall windows that allowed him to see out into the courtyard. He seemed distracted, and he drummed his fingers against the table in a rapid, angry sort of rhythm.
Another of the kitchen staff brought his food and Jane's, setting it in on the table and pouring them both a cup of tea before making himself scarce. Jane couldn't blame him, really. She only stayed because it was expected of her.
Thanos paid his food and drink little mind. He continued tapping on the table, until his eyes swung from the window, back to Jane.
"I lied to Gamora," the Mad Titan admitted sadly. "Not outright, but it was a lie all the same. She's angry with me." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "I caught her dismantling the hyperdrive in nearly every ship I own last night. Had to lock her in the dungeons to keep her from running away. I was hoping she would come to her senses, but she seems determined to stay angry with me."
Thanos sighed, and rapped his gauntlet on the table angrily. "What should I do, little shifter?" he asked, more to himself than to her. "I can conquer worlds with my bare hands, but I'm clueless when it comes to parenting."
"Perhaps you should apologize," Jane suggested, bringing her tea to her lips, but not drinking, in hopes that Thanos would follow suit.
He merely scowled. "It won't be enough."
"It's a start. I'm certain holding her here against her will isn't helping matters either."
"Do you have children, shifter?" Thanos asked her.
Jane shook her head.
"Then you wouldn't understand."
He reached out and took the cup of tea in his meaty hands. Jane held her breath as he brought the cup to his lips, and drank deeply. He sat it back down empty, a scowl on his face, and the astrophysicist could feel anxiety creep through her very bones.
"I ask for ale, and they have you bring me tea," Thanos grumbled. "Not even good tea at that."
"My apologies," Jane replied evenly, doing everything in her power to keep her voice from wavering.
Thanos gave her a skeptical look, one brow rising in interest, and Jane nearly panicked.
A Chitauri guard burst into the room at that very second, shrieking something that the astrophysicist couldn't understand. Thanos rose from the table immediately, his interest in Jane forgotten.
"The Bifrost?" he asked the Chituari dubiously. "Are you certain?" The creature squealed again, and Thanos crushed his hands into fists at his side, his face morphing into a mixture of surprise and glee. "Fight them off," he growled. "I'm on my way."
The Chitauri scrambled out, and Thanos reached for pieces of his armor, attaching them one by one. Jane stayed silent, watching him, as dread pooled in her chest for each passing moment the poison didn't work. He reached for his golden helm, and his hand slipped.
Jane's eyes went wide, immediately on alert. Thanos managed to grip the helm in between his fingers, and sat it atop his head.
"You figh with me tuhday, lil shifher," he told her, but his words came out slow and slurred. He turned, and his knees buckled beneath him, causing him to reach for the table to keep his balance.
He seemed confused for moment, and his eyes sought her out, unable to focus. Jane stood, her hand instinctively reaching for the dagger at her belt, her palm wrapping around the handle with practiced ease.
Thanos leaned over the table and wretched, foam dripping from his mouth and onto the polished floors. He gasped for air, and began to wheeze. His eyes darted about wildly, and he tried to move.
The Mad Titan fell, knocking the table over sideways. Dishes clattered to the ground, and cracked in two, glass littering the floor. He shook violently, wretching up more foam, and tried to stand up. He failed.
Jane came to stand over him, her dagger in hand. Thanos looked at her with hurt in his eyes, the sting of betrayal obvious on his features.
"Asgudin men don't us poisun," he panted, his words so badly slurred that she could barely make out what he was saying. "Is dishunerble."
Jane leaned over him, a wicked smirk playing across her face. "Perhaps it is dishonorable," she drawled slowly, dark glee rising up within her chest, giving her hope and strength. "But I am not of Asgard, nor am I a man."
She shifted, Loki's features blurring into hers, until there was nothing left but Jane Foster. Thanos' eyes widened in surprise and something she recognized as fear.
"My name is Jane Foster," she told the Mad Titan proudly. "I am a scientist of Midgard, a master of the stars, she who cheats death, a unicorn rider, a realm jumper, a Sleepwalker, a serpent slayer, and the wife of Prince Loki of Asgard. I've envisioned killing you in a thousand different ways. Even if all of Yggdrasil trembles at your name, I am not afraid."
She placed her dagger at his neck, the blade biting into his purple hued skin. Thanos moved his fingers, his eyes wide, but the poison was doing its' work, and he was too paralyzed to stop her. He wheezed, foam dripping from his mouth and escaping his nose with each labored breath.
Jane smirked. "This is for New York," she whispered, her voice full of malice. "And this is for Loki."
Jane slit Thanos' throat with no regrets, before removing the gauntlet from his hand. She left him bleeding out in Asgard's great hall, her need for vengeance sated.
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Loki sat atop Sleipnir, Thor's hammer firmly secured in his fist. An army of Yggdrasil was at his back, people of all realms and races pledged to Jane and to Asgard.
Their enemy had taken notice of them, and Chitauri forces had gathered at the edge of Asgard. Loki was bitterly reminded of time not so long ago when those same forces had stood at his back instead of against him. In a way it was almost as if he'd come full circle. He'd commanded his first army as a desperate, broken man who was mad with power and terrified of death. He would command his last as prince of Asgard, worthy to wield Mjolnir, and free of fear and masters.
Heimdall appeared at his side, his mount whinnying nervously. "Are you ready, my prince?" he asked solemnly.
Not trusting himself to speak, Loki merely nodded. His gaze traveled to the bracelet he wore on his wrist that masked the signature of his magic from those who sought him out. Hela was looking for him, that much was certain. If she'd taken Jane in his guise, there could be no other reason.
Perhaps he would not have to find Hela after all. Perhaps she would come to him. He reached out and unclipped the bracelet from his wrist, letting it fall to the ground.
His lips curved up into a wicked smirk. "Come and find me, bitch," he challenged, certain that Jane would be proud of his proper use of Midgardian curse words.
Beside him Heimdall cracked a smile, and spurred his horse forward. Loki raised Mjolnir into the air, let out a war cry, and charged forward to meet the enemy in battle.
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Jane made her way across what was turning out to be a largely abandoned palace, vaguely aware that her hands had picked up a tremor.
"Just make it through today, Jane," she encouraged herself. "You've got this." Not that she truly believed her failing body would listen, but it never hurt to try.
She made it to the dungeons with little trouble, and took the stairs two at a time. At the bottom she saw a dozen cells, surrounded in what looked like glass, the occupants within all turning their attention to her. Some of them she recognized from her time on Asgard, and others she didn't. She looked for some sort of way to free them.
"Jane!" a voice shouted at her from one of the cells. She recognized it immediately as Thor's.
The astrophysicist followed the voice through the dungeon, finding the prince in a cell towards the end of the block. He approached the glass, careful not to touch it, and gave her a pained smile.
"What are you doing here, Jane?" he queried, his brows furrowing in concern. "It's not safe. You should go while you can. "
"Not until I get you out of here, you big oaf," Jane jested, giving him the most sincere smile she could manage. She could feel the current beneath the glass, driving away what little magic she could still command. With no magic, she was unsure how to free Thor.
"Have you seen Loki?" Thor asked. "He was with Thanos."
"Not anymore," Jane assured him, before focusing on the more pressing matter ahead. "Help me out. How do I open this thing?"
Thor pointed to a small round disk that hung on the wall opposite his cell. "Dispels the magic," he explained. "One of the guards had the keys."
"Of course," Jane rolled her eyes. She retrieved the disk from its place on the wall and placed it up against the glass of his cell. It stuck there, and lit up a bright blue.
The astrophysicist could feel it the moment whatever magic killer beneath the surface of the glass disappeared. It was like a breath of fresh air. She sighed in contentment, before placing her palms against the glass and calling forth her magic.
It was not a quick as she would have liked, but the glass beneath her palms began to branch out in spider web cracks. They were small at first, but grew and soon spread across an entire section of the cell. She could feel her magic draining with the effort, and wasn't surprised when blood began to drip from her nose onto the ground below.
A low growl, halted her progress, and Jane turned around to see Hela's wolf at the door of the dungeons. Its gray fur was barely more than a shadow against the dungeon's bleak lighting, but its yellow eyes were feral and fixed on her, its teeth were bared and lethal.
"Shit," she mumbled as the wolf charged.
She grasped her dagger, and threw her hands over her face as she was knocked to the ground in a tangle of fur and teeth. The wolf was snarling and biting, burying its fangs in her arms.
Jane cried out in pain, and stabbed her blade into the beast's face, ripping at the flesh. The wolf snarled, and bit down on her upper arm until she heard bone crunch beneath its teeth. She could feel the hot, sticky blood that ran down her arm, and the animal's jaws were so close to her face, that she could smell its rancid breath and feel the heat of every exhale.
She rolled, searing pain causing her to see stars as she broke the wolf's grasp on her arm, and struggled to her feet. The beast lunged again, and Jane threw out her good arm in a wicked hook, striking it across the nose.
The wolf whined, rubbing its nose with its paw, and Jane struck again. She drove her dagger into the animal's side with a gutteral shriek, ripping the flesh and causing it to cry out.
The astrophysicist felt teeth sink into her thigh, and the wolf dragged her down on the ground once again. She stabbed the beast over and over, until she felt its jaws go for her neck.
She threw up her hands and rolled to the side, so it couldn't rip her throat out. Instead it bit her shoulder, snarling in anger.
She was vaguely aware of several loud thumps and the crack of glass behind her. Suddenly the wolf stopped biting and started shrieking.
Jane looked up to see Thor behind the wolf with its jaws in his hands. He pulled backwards with a savage force that surprised her, and Jane heard the snap of the animal's neck echo through the dungeon. He let go, and the wolf dropped to the floor, its body lifeless.
The thunder god reached down and helped her up, his brows furrowing as he took in her wounds. He took the arm the wolf had splintered into his hands, and looked it over critically. It was mangled in places, and already beginning to swell. With her magic limited and dwindling by the moment, Jane highly doubted that she could heal this particular wound.
"It will need to be set," he frowned. "And disinfected." His eyes traveled down her arm, stopping when they landed on Loki's rune mark. His bright blue eyes met hers in surprise. "Is this –"
"Yes."
Warmth flooded his eyes, and a lopsided smile stretched across his face. He pulled her to him, enveloping her in his arms. "Systir," he laughed softly. "I have a sister."
Jane felt tears welling up in her eyes at the thought of Loki, and she extricated herself from his grip. "We have to go," she sniffed, wiping the tears from her eyes with her good hand. "Can we get the others out?"
"Father used to keep a spare key in his bedroom. If it's still there, we can have them out in no time," Thor promised. "Hold tight and I'll be back."
Thor returned several minutes later with a set of keys in his hand, and a triumphant grin on his face. Together they made their way through the dungeon, letting the Asgardian prisoners out. Sif gave Jane an appreciative nod, while Volstagg pulled her into a full on hug once they were free. Thor laughed and embraced nearly everyone, his lighthearted nature infectious, even in this dark hour.
She found Gamora in a cell close to the door, her back turned to the glass. She sat with her knees tucked up to her chin, her arms wrapped around them tightly.
"Gamora?" Jane tried as she opened the glass door of the cell.
The green skinned woman was silent for some time, and when she finally spoke, her voice sounded tired and broken. "You were right about everything," she said simply.
The astrophysicist came up behind her and knelt down at her side. She placed her good hand on Gamora's shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "It doesn't matter. You can't change the past, but you can change the future."
Gamora turned to look at her then, one brow quirked upward in disbelief. Jane summoned what little magic she still possessed, and withdrew Thanos' gauntlet from her space between spaces. Even in the dim lighting of the dungeon, the golden metal still shone brightly. Colorful stones lined the knuckles, five in total, with only one missing from the middle. She stood, holding the gauntlet in her hands, and Gamora stood with her.
"You wanted to take the gauntlet and get it away from here," the astrophysicist spoke slowly, knowing in that moment that she needed to trust her new ally. "Take it. Scatter the stones and hide them so that no one else will be able to find them, or destroy them if you can," she added. "Take the gauntlet, and go find Peter. I trust you'll do the right thing with the stones."
Gamora met her gaze warily, before hesitantly reaching for the gauntlet. "You know that this is the most powerful tool in the universe, right?" she asked skeptically.
"Yes."
"And you're trusting me to do the right thing with it?"
"I am," Jane said simply.
"And Thanos?" the green skinned woman asked. Jane could see in her eyes that she already knew the answer, even before the question left her mouth.
"I'm sorry."
"I understand," Gamora sighed. She took the gauntlet and held it tightly. "I'll do the right thing with this, I promise." She leaned forward, and enveloped Jane in a hug. With the gauntlet, and Jane's hurt arm between them, it was awkward, but it was still a hug nonetheless, a final goodbye between the unlikely friends.
"Tell Peter I said hi," Jane chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.
"I will."
Gamora gave her one last squeeze, before letting her go. The green skinned woman flashed her a smile, and left without another word, the gauntlet still in her grasp. Jane watched her go with an acute sadness in her chest. She would miss Gamora. It was strange to think, but she would.
The rune mark on her wrist suddenly tingled, ripping her away from her thoughts. The magic within her veins danced weakly, and like the body knows to breath without conscious effort, she knew without being told that he was here on Asgard.
"Loki," she whispered, her mouth curving up into a smile.
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The god of mischief fought his way on horseback through Chitauri forces, swinging Mjolnir like a battering ram. He released the hammer and watched it fly, taking out his enemies in a wide circle, before returning to the palm of his hand.
He did not like it as well as his magic, but it was certainly effective.
A flying Chitauri ship came straight for him, and he urged Sleipnir to meet it head on. The horse charged boldly towards the behemoth, and Loki readied the hammer. At the last moment, his mount evaded a head on head collison, and zig-zagged to the side of the ship. Loki let out a roar as he swung Mjolnir to the side, the Uru metal making contact with, and destroying the steel of the Chitauri ship. It splinted into hundreds of pieces, the blow causing something inside to catch fire. Flames leapt up through cracks in the metal, and the god of mischief urged his horse faster.
The Chitauri ship crashed onto the Rainbow Bridge, cracking it with the impact. What was left of the ship exploded into flames. Loki rode towards the end of the bridge, war erupting all around him, and Asgard going up in flames. Surtur's doing, he presumed. He was headed for the next Chitauri ship, when he felt the shift in the air.
The hair on his neck stood on end, and Sleipnir stopped abruptly. The horse screamed and reared, nearly throwing Loki from its back. He dismounted, his grip tight on Mjolnir.
"Hela!" he shouted, vaguely aware that his voice sounded crazed.
She materialized on the bridge in front of him, wearing battle armor, a spear in her hands and the small box containing the green stone around her neck. "Loki," she hissed, her eyes burning with anger.
She jumped before he could react, appearing only a foot in front of him, and brought the spear down to sever his head. He blocked with Mjolnir's handle, grunting in surprise. Hela drug the spear down the handle, and Loki pulled the hammer back before she could cut his hands.
He swung the hammer as she jumped, barely missing her. Hela reappeared behind him, the butt of the spear bruising his ribs.
Loki turned and threw Mjolnir, missing her again as she jumped. She materialized on his side, and the hammer changed its course. She swung the tip of the spear at him, but was stopped short as Mjolnir slammed her squarely in the face. The crunch of bone sounded out, and her blood decorated the hammer.
The goddess of death began to lose her balance, and Loki kicked her legs out from under her, causing her to fall. He was on her the second she hit the ground, giving her no quarter.
He thrust one of his daggers between her armor at the shoulders, and was rewarded when she let out a gasp of pain. Loki's magic felt a little less dull, and he stabbed her again, this time in the side.
It was like taking a deep breath after nearly drowning. His magic flowed through him more easily, and he summoned it to his fingertips, grinning madly.
Hela rolled sideways, and slashed at his legs with her spear.
Loki stumbled backwards, trying to avoid her attack, and she seized the opportunity to move in closer. She stabbed at him three times, and each time he dodged her attack. She swung the spear down, and Loki reached for Mjolnir, catching it in his palm just in time to block her strike.
She growled, and swung the spear again, meeting Mjolnir a second time in response.
He summoned his magic, and disappeared, materializing behind her, and letting the hammer fly. She moved, barely missing a hit to the chest. The two of them danced in unison, their weapons clashing and their magic vying for supremacy.
Hela lunged at him, and Loki disappeared. He reappeared to her side just as she swept the blade of the spear beneath his shoulder, and out the other side.
He cried out, and she pulled the spear out with a gleeful laugh. Blood spilled from the wound, staining his armor. Hela circled him, like a predator before a kill, her features twisted into a deadly grin.
The wound bled profusely, and Loki had to allocate some of his magic to heal it, when he began to feel lightheaded and short of breath. He would not be fast enough to fend off another attack until he could stop the bleeding, and he doubted that Hela would wait that long.
He gripped Mjolnir tight in his fist, and raised it to the sky. "Whosoever holds this hammer," he whispered. "If he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor."
Hela lunged at him again as lightning dropped from the sky. It funneled into the hammer, and shot out in a condensed bundle of electricity that hit Hela squarely in the chest.
Loki could hear her shrieks and screams of pain as the lighting burned through her. The dullness in his magic evaporated, and he felt the full measure of his strength and skills returning to him almost immediately.
The god of mischief tossed Mjolnir aside, and withdrew his dagger. He jumped to the place on the bridge where Hela lay writhing in pain.
The goddess of death crawled across the bridge, her limbs shaking. She moved towards him and towards the spear that lay abandoned a few feet in front of her, murder in her dark eyes.
Loki stepped forward between her and the spear, and stomped down hard on her wrist, eliciting another cry of pain from his adversary.
"I don't think so," he said simply as he stood over her, reached down, and gripped her firmly by the hair. He raised her head up so that she was forced to meet his eyes. Fury blazed in the dark depths of her orbs, and she grit her teeth tightly in hatred, as if she had any reason to be angry with him. Any camaraderie or friendship they had once shared was gone, and she was nothing to him but a dangerous foe that needed to be vanquished.
"You torture my bride and my brother," he snarled. "You slaughter the people of Asgard like dogs. You debase the Allfather, and murder him in front of his people with no honor. You live cruelly by your blade, and you will die the same."
Hela threw her body forward to reach the spear, but Loki was faster. He ripped her backwards by the hair, and brought his blade down on the back of her neck with enough force to rattle his teeth.
She writhed against his grip, trying to escape, but she was drained of her magic and he was stronger. Loki brought the blade down on her neck again, the sickening thud of breaking bone spurring him on.
He was no executioner, and when he did kill, he normally preferred for it to be clean. This was not. He let his anger drive him as he struck her with the blade again, blood and bone his only focus. On the fourth strike, he succeeded in decapitating her, and let her body drop onto the bridge as he raised her severed head in victory. There would be no return from the dead with such thorough measures.
The necklace she wore rolled across the bridge, and the protective covering melted away with her passing, the substance causing the bridge to smoke as though it were acid.
Loki threw Hela's head aside, and moved slowly towards the glowing green stone that lay only several feet in front of him. He sucked in a sharp breath and gathered his courage. He had not come this far only to let Jane die, because he was too afraid to do what needed to be done. He was not a good man, nor would he ever be, but
He reached down and picked up the stone, feeling its power course through him like a drug. His breath hitched in his throat as memories of the Tesseract came back to him. The power had been bridled then, now it was not.
Loki closed his eyes, and thought of Jane. Her smile, her laugh, the way her body felt against his, her skin begging to be touched. "Heal her," he commanded the stone. "Jane Foster must live. Destroy the Kree DNA that runs through her veins, and make her whole again."
The stone glowed even brighter under his command, and he could feel it drawing power from his magic. Like the grains of sand that run through an hourglass, he felt his magic leaving him until there was nothing left. When the magic was gone, he felt the pain as the stone drew power from his body. It felt like a knife tearing at his organs, a white, hot torturous burn that emanated from the inside and grew hotter and more painful with each passing second.
Loki thought only of his Jane as the stone took everything he had, and ripped him apart internally.
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Jane exited the palace of Asgard with Thor at her side, to find mass chaos. Fire consumed the realm, and she saw the massive form of Surtur, his sword, Twilight, in hand, singlehandedly burning an entire army of Chitauri soldiers.
She saw elves and dwarves fighting side by side, destroying legions of the undead with steel and magic. Frost Giants fought back to back, driving their spears through enemies in the streets.
Strange ships with golden shields flew in a tight formation, destroying Chitauri ships with an ease that left her breathless. A red and gold blur flew past her, engaging in combat with a dozen Chitauri soldiers, and Jane realized belatedly that the blur was Iron Man. The Avengers were here too then, she noted in awe.
"They came," Jane whispered, breathless. "All of Yggdrasil."
Beside her Thor held out an empty hand and cursed. "Where is Mjolnir?" questioned sharply, the alarm in his voice not unnoticed by Jane. "I left her on the Bridge, why does she not come to me?"
Jane could feel her magic stirring within her, as if coming to life after a long slumber. It was still dull, but it felt more real than it had since she had arrived on Asgard.
The skies above them darkened even further, and the rumble of thunder could be heard above. A bright streak of lighting lit up the sky and traveled downward, just over the Rainbow Bridge.
"My hammer!" Thor shouted next to her, and Jane nearly laughed at the insult that laced his tone, almost as though the weapon had betrayed him.
She felt her magic sharpen then, becoming more alive, but it seemed slow and didn't respond when she tried to heal her wounds.
Thor cursed, and turned to her apologetically. "I have to fight for Asgard," he told her simply. "Stay here, and I will return for you."
He left her to join the other Asgardians, but even in her state Jane would be damned if she stayed put. She focused what she could of her magic into finding Loki, feeling for magic with her own, closing the distance between them. She followed her instincts, letting her magic guide her through the burning streets of Asgard and towards the Rainbow Bridge.
She was halfway there when a sharp pain sliced through her heart. Jane doubled over, clutching at her chest and gasping for air. Her wrist burned over Loki's rune mark, and there was a pain and a shudder that left her wishing she were dead. It felt as though her very heart was being ripped from her chest, leaving an empty burning sensation where it should have been.
She shrieked as the pain became unbearable, her entire body shaking until she lay flat on the ground, unable to control her movements at all.
Just as quickly as it had come, the pain receded, leaving Jane with a dull aching throb in her chest. Tears pricked at her eyes, and she wiped at them with the back of her hand. She forced herself to her feel, the aching of her chest still painful.
Loki's rune mark had faded on her wrist until it was barely noticeable, no more than the wisp of a scar. She felt for his magic with her own, and was met with emptiness.
Jane knew without being told that he was gone. She felt it in her magic, her bones, and the painful ache that was situated right over her heart.
She ran, stumbling in her haste to make it to the bridge. Tears blinded her, her breathing becoming labored and morphing into a visceral sob. Her wounds healed, taking the pain and swelling with it, but she didn't notice.
It took far too long to make it to her destination, even with the battle moving further and further into Asgard, leaving the bridge behind. She stepped over bodies of friends and enemies alike, searching desperately for her husband.
She found him halfway across the bridge. His raven hair splayed out behind him, and his eyes were closed, the pallor of his skin almost gray. His armor was covered in blood, and blood was splattered across his cheeks, forehead, and hands. Beside him lay a decapitated Hela, and a glowing green stone sat several feet away.
Jane knelt at his side, and wrapped her arms around him, pulling his head into her lap.
"Loki, please," she begged, her body beginning to shake with grief. "Please come back to me. You promised," she accused, her voice desperate and racked with sobs. "You promised you would always come back."
He didn't respond, and she tangled the fingers of one hand in his raven hair, and stroked his face gently with the other. He was cold, and didn't shiver beneath her touch like he had in life. Her magic didn't dance in her veins, and she only felt sick with grief and desperation.
"Please," Jane begged again, the tears spilling over her cheeks and onto his skin.
When he didn't respond, she leaned forward and pressed her forehead against his as she held him, her tears soaking them both.
She didn't know how long she stayed that way. Maybe it was minutes, maybe hours, maybe days. She didn't know, and she didn't care.
It was Thor who found her. He knelt next to her, his voice full of emotion. "I'm sorry," he rasped. "I truly am. You are not the only one who loved him."
They sat in silence for awhile, Jane still holding Loki, and Thor's arm finding its way around her shoulders and pulling her close.
She let him, her grief and hopelessness dulled somewhat by the fact that she wasn't alone in her pain. Perhaps Thor would never understand how deeply she had loved Loki, but he could understand her loss, for he had suffered the same.
She sniffed, wiping her tears on the back of her palm, her mind trying to wrap itself around the loss of him.
"Your hand," Thor mumbled, reaching for the arm the wolf had crushed in its jaws not so long ago. "It's healed."
Jane stared at it dumbly, noting that it was in fact, healed. She felt her magic flow strongly through her veins, and she couldn't sense the weakness that had been in her before. She was alive, and she was healed.
"Loki," she whispered, knowing instinctively that he had done something to save her.
She only wished that there were some way she could save him too.
Jane blinked with realization. "Thor," she began cautiously. "If I wanted to travel to the center of Yggdrasil and see the Norns, how would I get there?"
"I have never been, but Heimdall knows the way," the thunder god responded, his tone registering confusion. "Why would you –" He stopped midsentence as realization hit him, and his eyes went wide. "No, Jane. You can't."
"Why not?"
"Because – " Thor stammered. "Because people don't just go to see the Norns. They're dangerous, cruel creatures."
"I don't care," Jane found herself saying. "I want to go, and if you won't help me, I'll find someone who will."
Thor sighed, throwing his hands up in the air. "Are you always this impossible, Jane Foster?"
Jane gave him a small, halfhearted grin. "You have no idea."
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Yggdrasil
The center of Yggdrasil was not what Jane expected. Tall branches of gold weaved in and out, crossing over each other in a beautiful patterned weave, filling the sky with a golden hue. The ground beneath them shimmered like diamonds, and each step they took caused a cascade of color beneath their boots.
At the center of the branches stood three women who weaved with bright, red thread between a canvas of golden branches. They talked quietly amongst themselves as they weaved, seemingly ignoring their guests.
Jane stepped forward, leaving Thor behind to hold the limp form of Loki in his arms. "Excuse me," she greeted hesitantly. "I'm looking for the Norns."
The women turned to regard her with interest, and Jane realized that while they were humanoid, they were not human. Their eyes were narrow and sharp. Their skin so pale, they seemed almost like ghosts, and when one of them smiled, her teeth were sharp like those of a predator. The shortest of them wore rags, her clothes dirty and torn from wear. The second shortest wore a simple dress spun of cotton, light and golden colored like the branches above. The tallest was dressed in what Jane would consider a formal party dress. It was silver, and shone with beads that reflected the sunlight in rainbow patterns over the material. She wore jewelry that probably cost more than Jane could afford in a years salary.
"Jane Foster of Midgard," the woman in the cotton dress spoke easily, her voice neutral and impassive. "What a knot you've put in our thread."
The astrophysicist didn't know what to say to that. The women began to turn away from her, as though she was not worth their time. She moved back to their thread, when Jane spoke quickly. "I hate to bother you," she blurted. "But I've heard you are very powerful, and I was wondering if you would help me."
"You seek to save Prince Loki of Asgard," the women in rags responded with disinterest. "We cut his thread only a few hours ago."
"Surely you can tie it back?" Jane pressed, stepping forward hesitantly. "I've heard you are powerful enough to cheat death. One man's thread should be nothing to you."
The tallest woman whirled around to face her, her brows furrowed and eyes narrowed. "It is nothing," she replied sharply. "But that does mean that we change fate for free. We are not so kind, girl. We can change the prince's fate. We can tie back his thread, but it will cost you dearly."
"What is your price?"
"Jane," Thor warned as he came to stand beside her, but she waved him off.
The three women gave her a pointed look, and one in rags stepped toward the red thread that rested in between the branches. "We weave fate, but not all is decided by our hands," she explained. "Prince Loki's fate was to die as a babe in the cold of Jotunheim. A decision made by the Allfather changed that fate, and the fate of many others as a result."
"Fate was changed again, when the Allfather banished Thor to Midgard for his impulsiveness," she continued. "Your original destiny was shattered once you met the prince. We had to… make some amends… Your destiny then was to either marry Thor, and become queen, or to live out your days trying and failing to build a Bifrost."
The woman in rags, ran her fingers over the crimson threads, studying them carefully. "Your fate was changed once again when Prince Loki gave you his magic. It caused us much grief when your threads became entwined, and then bound. We could not move one without the other. It was not supposed to be, and yet it was. If we reattach Prince Loki's thread, the entire course of the future will change, and it will cause us much trouble to realign your fates once again."
"What is your price?" Jane asked again, more insistent this time.
The woman in the simple cotton dress spoke this time, her dark eyes hard and clear. "If we reattach the prince's thread, something must be done to balance destiny. The thread that must be changed is yours."
Fear stabbed at Jane's broken heart as the possible implications of what she was saying beginning to sink in. "What do you mean?" she asked pointedly. "What sort of change?"
"We will reattach Prince Loki's thread if you agree to accept your original destiny," the woman in the cotton dress explained. "You were never supposed to meet Prince Thor that night in the desert, and you were never supposed to fall in love with his brother and bind yourself to him."
"So what are you saying?"
"I cannot get rid of your marriage bond," the woman sighed. "It is a magic too deep to erase. You will be lonely for all of your days, which was not in your original destiny, but is unavoidable now. Your magic will stay as well. A blood bond is not easily broken. It will lengthen your lifespan, and you will have to watch the people you love die ahead of you, but this also is unavoidable."
She sighed again, sweeping her hair back with one hand. "Such a mess," she tsked. "You must accept your original destiny, and that means that you must never set foot in Asgard again, nor can you gain an Asgardian lifespan."
"Okay…" Jane mumbled. "That's it?"
"Far from it," the woman responded sharply. "In addition, you will relinquish all of your memories from the past three years, in hopes that fate can be what it was intended to be."
The blow hit hard, and Jane fought back tears. "I can't keep my memories?" she demanded, a hopeless anger burning in her chest. "So you're telling me that I can save Loki, but I won't remember who he is?"
"Precisely."
"That –" Jane stammered. "That's not fair! I can't just forget about him and everything that's happened. "I don't want to forget. There has to be some other way!"
"Silence, child!" the woman in the cotton dress snapped. "Those are our terms. Take them, or keep your memories and put your husband in the grave. The choice is yours."
The astrophysicist turned to look at Thor who shook his head. "Don't do this, Jane," he pleaded. "I know it is painful, but let Loki go. He will have a place of honor in Valhalla. You are a princess of Asgard You are my brother's widow, and we are family. Come home with me, and I will see to it that you never want for anything. You will always have a place in the realm eternal."
Her eyes traveled down to Loki, who lay limp in the thunder god's arms, his skin a dull grayish blue, and the beautiful green eyes she loved so much, closed forever. A few tears fell, despite her efforts to hold them back, and she turned back to the Norns as she wiped them from her eyes.
"What happens to me?" she demanded. "If I agree to this, what is my future?"
The tallest woman stepped forward, and held out a hand to her. "Come, Jane Foster of Midgard," she beseeched. "The future is never set in stone, and one choice can change the outcome for many, but if you wish to see what your future holds, I can show you."
Jane bit her bottom lip in nervousness, before taking the tall woman's hand. She led her to the red threads that were woven between the branches.
"You will see three futures in the threads," the woman told her. "Each is the path that you will take depending on your choices, and the choices of others. They are subject to change, but as of now, these are your possible futures."
"Show me," Jane breathed. The woman motioned to the threads, and she reached out her hand and hesitantly touched them.
The red threads melted away, and a scene played out before her. The walls of Asgard's palace rose up around her, and Jane sat in the throne room. Thor and Sif occupied the place of king and queen, their fingers entwined and smiles on their faces. Two golden haired boys, and a golden haired girl played with wooden swords, practicing their fighting stances. Thor and Sif would cheer them on, and Jane would watch. One of the boys ran up to her and asked her to play, his bright blue eyes full of adventure.
The scene faded away to be replaced by another. White, clinical walls surrounded her, and Jane lay on a table, strapped to the edges with belts. Doctors surrounded her, taking notes, and telling her lies about how it was going to be okay. A dozen drawings of Loki were scattered across the floor beneath the table, all scribbled with question marks, and notes. Jane could see herself saying that she knew him, and the doctors merely nodded. One prepped a syringe full of clear liquid, and walked towards her. Jane screamed.
The second scene faded away, leaving her terrified, and built into a third. She recognized Erik's cabin in this one. It was decorated for Christmas, a tiny tree and some cheap lights thrown up in various places. A long table had been set up in the center of the cabin, its top covered in all sorts of food. Every chair around the table was full with someone she knew. Tony reached across the table to grab a roll while pepper slapped his hand. A dark haired boy laughed, and climbed into Pepper's lap. Gamora sat at the table, next to a man she didn't recognize, but knew instinctively must be Peter. He was laughing, and so was the raccoon that sat next to him. Darcy and Bucky fed each other mashed potatoes, while Steve turned bright red when she tried to do the same with him. Thor sat at the end of the table, drinking mead from a glass that was bigger than her arm, and Jane stood watching them all with a genuine smile on her face. Loki sidled up behind her, and placed a kiss on the back of her neck, before whispering something in her ear. She blushed profusely, and he laughed, his hands trailing down her sides gently, and coming to rest on her rounded belly.
The last scene faded away, the red threads coming back into view, and leaving Jane breathless at what could possibly be.
"Well Jane Foster of Midgard," the woman in the cotton dress asked. "What will you choose?
"Don't do this, Jane," Thor cautioned again.
The first future, she thought, would be the future that awaited her if she refused. A future in Asgard watching Thor and Sif's happiness, caring for their children. A future that she did not want for herself.
Her only real choice was to agree, and so she did.
"Okay," Jane nodded to the Norns. "Reattach Loki's thread, and you can have my memories."
The three women gave her sharp grins that reminded her of dangerous predators. The woman in the cotton dress stepped forward and took Loki's thread in her hands. She tied the pieces back together, splicing it where it had been severed. The woman then took a second thread in her hands, along with a blade, and shaved the edges off, leaving the string slightly thinner and less frayed.
Jane turned just in time to see the steady rise and fall of Loki's chest as he drew breath in Thor's arms, before being blinded by a white light.
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Asgard
Loki opened his eyes to his quarters in Asgard. The fire crackled and danced, warming the space and putting off a soft light. He hurt everywhere, his body feeling broken and bruised, his magic working hard beneath the surface to heal wounds he hadn't remembered sustaining.
The last he could remember was his encounter with Hela on the Rainbow Bridge, and the green stone she wore around her neck. Had he gone through with it? Surely not, or he wouldn't be beneath the emerald comforter of his childhood bed. But if he hadn't gone through with it, what of his Jane? Did she still live?
He touched his fingertips to his wrist where her rune mark lay, reaching out and touching her magic with his own. Her magic felt strong, much stronger than the last time he'd seen her, but far away. He took stock of his own strength, knowing without doubt that he would jump to her as soon as he was strong enough. He had been away from his wife for far too long.
A knock came at the door, loud and insistent.
"Come in," he grunted as he raised himself into a sitting position.
Thor opened the door and came in carrying a tray full of all kinds of food. "I am glad to see you awake, brother," he smiled, though Loki noted that his joy didn't quite reach his eyes. "I've been worried for you these last few days."
Loki sat up more, and grimaced when a sharp pain shot through his ribs. "How long have I been out?" he demanded. "Is Jane safe? What of Asgard?"
He saw the hollowness in Thor's smile once again, and he knew something was wrong. "You've been out for two days," the thunder god told him slowly. "Hela is dead, thanks to you. Thanos was found poisoned, and with his throat slit open in the great hall. Asgard is… in shambles, but our people are alive, and that is the important part. We will rebuild over the next few months," He chuckled lightly to himself. "They're demanding a statue of you be placed in the courtyard," he smiled. "You're to be cast on Sleipnir's back with Mjolnir raised to the sky. It's quite overdone if you ask me."
Loki snorted in amusement. "You're one to talk of overdone frivolities, brother, or are we forgetting your coronation ceremony?"
Thor gave him a real laugh as he sat down the tray of food. "Fair enough," he conceded.
"What of Jane?" Loki asked him, acutely aware that his brother had left her out. "Where is she? Is she safe? Is she well?"
Thor let out a deep breath, and scratched the back of his neck with one hand. "Jane…" he began hesitantly, his voice strained. "She's… She's well. The Kree DNA has left her, and she should have a long life ahead of her, for a mortal anyway. She's on Midgard right now. I spoke with Heimdall just this morning. She is safe, and Darcy is with her."
"What are you not telling me, Thor?" Loki demanded. "I can see it in your eyes. There is more, so tell me."
The thunder god grimaced. "You will not want to hear it."
"Tell me."
Thor frowned, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "You died," he said finally, his voice low and raw. "I told her not to, but she didn't listen."
"Told her not to what?" Loki growled. "Speak plainly, brother."
When Thor finally met his eyes, they were full of regret. "She went to the Norns," he admitted. "She made a deal with them in exchange for your life."
Loki felt the blood drain from his face, and his eyes went wide. "She didn't."
"She did."
"What sort of deal did she make?"
Thor was quiet for some time, unable to meet his eyes. "She is not allowed to step foot in Asgard again," he explained. "She cannot gain an Asgardian's lifespan, and…"
"Out with it," Loki growled.
"They took all of her memories from the last three years. Something about setting the threads right, but those were the terms."
Loki blinked twice as the news sunk in. "Her memories?" he parroted, his mind trying to keep up. "So she – "
"If you go to her, she will not know you, brother," Thor told him plainly.
The god of mischief was dumbstruck. He felt numb, and didn't know what to say. His Jane no longer knew him. Grief and rage constricted his chest. His throat felt tight, despite the breaths he took, and his eyes burned.
"No," he shook his head.
"I am sorry," Thor said earnestly. "I truly am."
"No!" Loki rasped as he slid out of the bed, his feet barely keeping him stable as he tried to stand. His head swam, and he hurt everywhere.
"Loki, stop," Thor cautioned. "You're going to hurt yourself."
Loki took a few shaky steps to where Thor had placed his meal. He shoved the tray off of the table, glass breaking, and his food scattering across the floor. He let out a gutteral cry of pain that sounded very much like a wounded animal. "OUT!" he screamed.
"Loki –"
"GET OUT!"
Thor retreated, giving him a sorrowful glance. Once he was alone, Loki stood on shaky legs, his chest heaving, and tears beginning to sting his eyes.
He ripped the emerald comforter off of the bed, and threw it in the floor. He kicked over the nightstand, splintering the wood, and causing him to lose his breath from the exertion. The god of mischief took a few steps toward the fireplace, intending to kick the screen out of the way and burn something, anything really, but his legs gave out before he could get there.
Loki fell, his body hitting the hide rug that covered the floor with a thud. He screamed, tears beginning to streak down his cheeks, and his magic slipped.
The fire in the hearth flamed up explosively, the heat nearly singing him. Glass shattered, littering the floor of his room, and the wood on his furniture split into dozens of pieces.
Afterwards, he lay there shaking and sobbing until his body was numb and he was too exhausted to fight sleep. He closed his eyes, hoping that he would never wake.
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Days passed, and no one in Asgard had seen or heard from the younger prince. Some claimed that he was gravely injured and near death, while others who had heard the screams, and seen some of the destruction caused by his rage, suggested that he simply mourned Odin's passing in his own way.
As for Loki, he stayed in his room. He refused any and all visitors, and left the food Thor brought him untouched. He had half a mind to starve himself, and see how long his magic would keep him alive before his body gave out. He had even thought of taking one of his blades to his wrist, and cutting as his magic tried to heal him until he bled out, but it seemed a poor waste of Jane's sacrifice, so he stayed his hand.
Instead, he had trashed his room. Everything was broken. Blood stained his face, hands, and feet from shattered glass, and the floor was littered with so much debris it was impossible to tell where it all came from.
It was on the fourth day that he remembered Jane's laptop. She had given it to him and told him to watch the videos when she wasn't around.
The god of mischief pulled the laptop out from his space between spaces and sat on the floor beside his bed as he opened it up. He found the icon on the screen that he had seen Jane use countless times, and he clicked it open. A slew of videos popped up with options to watch them, and he chose the last one she had made, which was dated after their binding ceremony.
Jane's likeness filled the screen, a sad smile on her beautiful face. She took a sip of her coffee, and pushed her hair out her eyes as though she were nervous.
"Loki," video Jane spoke to him softly. She licked her lips and blinked, as though unsure of herself. "If you're watching this, I'm probably dead. I… I guess I wanted to thank you for everything. Thank you for trying to save me. Thank you for sharing your magic with me, and taking me on this crazy tour of Yggdrasil. I mean, how many girls can say that a man has shown them the entire universe!"
She laughed then, but the sound was hollow. "Thank you for choosing me," she continued, her eyes misting with unshed tears. "I know that I asked a lot of you, and I thank you for loving me enough to choose me over the easy way out. Thank you for willingly binding yourself to an awkward mortal."
Jane smiled, and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "And thank you for giving me the most wonderful life I could have ever asked for, even if it is short lived." She took another sip of her coffee, and inhaled sharply before continuing.
"You're so much more than you or anyone else believes you to be, and while I don't wish I'd hit you with my van, I do wish I'd met you first. I'm glad that I had the chance to love you, even if our time together was short."
She wiped a few stray tears from her eyes and tried to smile. "Four thousand years is long time to live, so I don't expect you to stay sad and lonely forever," the astrophysicist told him. "Just… just remember me, okay? And not like I'm going to be soon," she corrected. "Remember me like I am now, and that would make me happy."
Video Jane bit her lower lip, and drummed her fingers against her coffee cup. "I'm not really great at goodbyes," she admitted. "So thank you again for everything. I love you, Loki."
She reached forward and the video cut out, leaving the god of mischief to stare at the screen. This laptop and the rune mark on his wrist were all he had left of her now. She didn't know him anymore, but her imprint on him was far too deep to simply let her go.
A wild jealously filled his heart at the thought of her living a life beneath what she deserved, not knowing any better, while he suffered and mourned what they had once shared. The thought of her pining after another man, even with the reassurance of their bond, drove him to madness. Jane was his. She might not know him, but she was still irrevocably his. He could not, and would not give her up. The Norns could go to Hel, and he would have his Jane.
Spurred on by anger, Loki rose from his position on the floor and put the laptop back in his space between spaces. He ran to the bathroom, and after a quick look at his disheveled and blood stained appearance, he showered. It would not do to go to Idunn in such a state, especially with the favor he intended to ask of her.
When he had scrubbed himself clean, he slipped on his green tunic, black pants, and boots before jumping to the orchard. He found her amongst the trees, alternating between planting new seeds and cutting down the dead plants and disposing of the ruined apples.
"Idunn," he greeted, trying his best to keep the desperation from crawling into his voice.
"Prince Loki," she bowed, a smile lighting up her face. "What a pleasure it is to see you. What can I do for you, my prince?"
"I need one of your apples."
Idunn blinked. "I'm sorry, Prince Loki, but the trees won't be ready to produce apples for several decades. I've just planted them today."
"I'm not talking about the ones you've just planted," Loki corrected. "I want one of those." He pointed to the blackened apple that Idunn held in her hands.
She furrowed her brows, confusion twisting at her lips. "These are ruined," she explained. "They don't hold life, only mortality."
"I know."
She gave him another strange look before handing him the ruined apple. "Say nothing of this to Thor or anyone else," he cautioned.
"Of course, my prince," Idunn promised.
Loki held the apple in his hands for a long time. Even after he jumped back to the solitude of his destroyed room, he still held it, looking at it as if it held the answers to all of his problems.
Perhaps it did.
Before he could change his mind, he pressed the apple to his lips and took a bite.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thor came to see Loki on the eve of his coronation. He expected Loki to be disheveled and his room in shambles, but what he saw when he entered surprised him.
Everything in the room had been returned to its original condition, and Loki was placing a dagger in his boot, his armor already on and polished. He turned to look at the thunder god upon hearing him enter, and the slightest quirk of his lips revealed him in better spirits than he had been in some time.
"Brother," Loki greeted warmly.
"You seem better today," Thor noted as sauntered into the room. "I am glad to see it."
"Aye," Loki agreed.
"You're former betrothed has been hounding me for your head over the last several days," Thor told him, his tone belying humor even though his words were true. "She seems quite scorned. I was forced to make amends so she wouldn't take your pretty head."
"Oh?"
"I gave her the green stone you used to save Jane," Thor informed him as he leaned against the wall. "Her mother held it once, and it seemed fitting. She intends to create a barrier and use it to restore Vanaheim. I also had to offer her a groom in your stead."
Loki snorted. "Please tell me you're not to marry her."
"No," Thor grinned. "She's to take Senator Milkmane as her king. He's already agreed to give her the magic she desires, and Queen Aelsa finds the match to be fitting as well."
"Fantastic," Loki laughed. "Now they can plot my demise together instead of separately."
"I do believe she found someone who hates you almost as much as she does," Thor agreed, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Perhaps you should run now."
"Perhaps I should."
Thor chuckled, before his tone turned serious. "My coronation is tomorrow," he reminded Loki softly. "I wanted to visit with you concerning our agreement before I ascend the throne."
Loki came to stand beside him, leaning against the wall as well. He didn't look at the thunder god when he replied. "Agreement?" he asked innocently. "Whatever do you mean?"
Thor turned to face him. "We had a deal. You save Jane, and I give you the throne. Your actions saved her life. Jane and I are not intended any longer, but I am still a man of my word. The throne is yours if you want it."
Loki chuckled. "Imagine Asgard's dismay to have a Frost Giant on the throne. There would be rioting for weeks."
"I doubt that," the thunder god replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "The people love you for what you've done, perhaps even more than they love me. They would rejoice if you were to be their king."
"My time with Jane has made me realize a great many things," Loki sighed. "One of which, is that I no longer have a desire to sit on Asgard's throne. Thank you for your offer, brother, but that is a burden I intend to let you bear."
Thor nodded, slightly surprised, but pleased with his answer.
"I'm leaving after your coronation," Loki said suddenly, still unable to meet his eyes.
The thunder god reeled. "What? Where are you going?"
"Midgard," the god of mischief replied, as if he shouldn't even have to ask. "I am going to Jane."
Surprise and disbelief flooded him. "Don't be a fool, Loki. She does not know you."
"She does not know me yet," Loki corrected, finally meeting his eyes, a quiet defiance there. "But she will."
Thor pursed his lips together. "That is madness," he argued. "Surely you can't hope to swoop in on Midgard and explain all of this to Jane! She would never believe you, and then where does that leave you?"
"I know," Loki agreed. "It will not be easy. It will take time and patience to win Jane's heart, but I did it once and I can do it again. She will love me once more, brother. You will see."
"And if she rebuffs you?"
"Then I will keep trying," he vowed. "I will go to her day after day. I will live in her dreams and in her waking moments. I will sweep her off of her feet, and leave her breathless and wanting until the only name that can spill from her lips is mine. And then," he paused, taking in a sharp breath. "When she is ready, and she trusts me as she did before, I will show her who she truly is."
"A bold move," Thor mused.
"I have spent enough of my life wallowing in defeat. It is time that I fight for what I truly want, and that is Jane Foster."
"You will have to watch her die," the thunder god countered, a sadness tight in his chest. "A mortal's life is but a heartbeat compared to ours."
Loki gave him a smile twisted in sadness. "I have seen to it that I will not have to do such a thing," he admitted. "I have eaten from the ruined apples in Idunn's orchard."
"Loki – "
"It is already done. My life and Jane's and will be the same."
"This is what you want," Thor said simply, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I respect your decision, though it saddens me all the same."
"Do not weep for me, brother," Loki chastised, his voice taking a joking tone. "I shall win Jane's heart, and though my years will be shorter than yours, I guarantee that I will be properly fucked far more than Asgard's new king."
"Pompous ass," Thor grinned as he smacked the younger prince on the shoulder. Loki laughed, and Thor wrapped him up in a tight hug. "I expect you to keep in touch," he demanded. "And regularly."
"I'm certain that Heimdall would be happy to arrange to that," Loki smiled as he accepted the hug. He still wouldn't wrap his arms around his older brother, but he didn't fight it, which Thor considered progress.
"May you and Jane make your own destiny, and may your line prosper," Thor blessed him.
"And yours as well, brother," Loki responded.
The next day Thor was crowned king of Asgard. It was a joyous occasion, and all of Asgard turned out to see him ascend the throne. Loki was there as well, his green and gold armor standing out against the crowd. He smiled, and seemed truly happy for Thor's appointment as king.
A reception followed his coronation, and Thor spoke with nearly all of Asgard, though he watched Loki mingle with the crowd from the corner of his eye. He was there, until suddenly he wasn't, and after a thorough search, Thor couldn't find him anywhere. He had gone to change his destiny.
"Good luck, brother," he whispered silently as he went to seek out Sif and ask her to share a drink with him.
So that's it! We are so close to being finished! Just one chapter left! It's insane!
Thank you all so much for taking the time to read this story and give me feedback. Seriously, I love you guys, you're amazing. Normally I take the time to give you individual responses to your reviews after each chapter, but I might hold off this time and answer all of your reviews once I finish this monster of a story. My goal is to have this story finished fairly quickly. If I don't get you an update by the 19th, then it will most likely be after New Years before I can finish this, and you need resolution NOW! So… I will get back with you as soon as I can, but please don't be offended if I choose to put a priority on getting the final chapter out to you before I respond to your reviews.
Also, if you haven't left me a review before, please do so! I love hearing from you and it makes me want to write faster, so if you love the story (or hate it) tell me! Can't wait to give you the last chapter!