Lost Souls

Chapter Thirty Five

Loki was starting to wonder how many times he would find his beloved lying injured before him when he couldn't do much except try and alleviate her suffering. He strode over to her and knelt down beside her, his fingers finding her neck and pulsing healing magic into her body. She closed her eyes, her breathing becoming a little easier visibly. Loki pressed his fingers firmer against her neck and summoned more magic to heal her. Outside he could hear the continually raging noises of battle between the Chitauri and the Avengers. Surely they couldn't hold out forever against his alien army. It would only be a matter of time before Earth was his. All he had to do was bide his time and fight though right now, getting Catherine in a stable condition was his priority. She was so bloody and bruised that she looked so frail lying there as weak as he'd ever seen her. It was truly a testament to the Hulk's force.

"Catherine," he said looking at her firmly. "Catherine, why did you do this?" he demanded. "Why did you take an attack that was meant for me?" She looked up at him, her eyes heavy and tired. For a minute Loki feared that she was too weak to speak and was going to forget the question altogether, when she finally answered in a slow raspy voice.

"I was… trying… to take… some of… the heat off…you…" she rasped. "You… had… a few… Av… Avengers… covering you… I…wanted…to…to…help…"

Loki stroked her face. "By taking a beating for me? Catherine, this was not what I would have wanted…" he said leaning in. "I would never have wanted you to be hurt like this, at all even. I knew you'd probably get hurt but not in my name."

Catherine shuddered as she felt the magic that was healing her, touch her nerves. "It wasn't… your fault… I didn't… see the… beating coming…" she said quietly. "Even… if… I had… I would… still have done it… I wanted… to protect you… would you not have…done the same… for me?"

Loki smiled a little sadly. "Yeah I probably would have but I bet you wouldn't have been happy about it either," he pointed out as he stroked her cheek.

"Probably not… I would probably have… had a go at you… for being so reckless and putting... yourself at risk or harm's way." She managed a small smile as she spoke and he also noted how she was getting more words out between gasping breaths in her speech. The magic must be healing her chest and making speech easier which meant it was making breathing easier too.

"Everything's so sore…" Catherine murmured. "But it was worth it…" she smiled at Loki. "Today will be worth it…" She took a few breaths. "I did it… I did what I set out to do… I… I killed Agent Romanoff," she said proudly. "I paid her back… for what she did to me."

Loki grinned at her obvious pride and stroked her hair before leaning in to kiss her head. "I know you did; I found her body and, Catherine, how proud of you I was. You killed one of the Avengers and a master assassin at that. I know how experienced she was." he said whispering against her head. "After what she did to you, you had every right," he told her quietly. "Besides there is always a better assassin. You were her natural predator, Catherine. It was her right to die by you."

Catherine smiled a little and looked up at him. "It means one less to worry about," she said. "How long will it be before I can fight again?" she asked.

Loki's gaze darkened and he looked down at her. "You're in no state to go back out there, Catherine. You've done enough. It wasn't even required that we fight. The Chitauri are going to run out of humans to kill long before those freaks even stand a chance."

Catherine took a shuddering breath. "Are you going back out there?" she asked.

Loki stroked her forehead. "Do you want me to? Or would you rather me stay here…?"

Catherine looked uncertain. "If you're needed out there…" she said reluctantly.

"No, the Chitauri are managing fine. I'll stay with you," Loki smiled at her. "Let's get you to bed though. You need to recover properly," he said and slowly lifted her into his arms.

He stopped as Catherine began to cry out in pain. She had her eyes shut as the movement caused her agony. He didn't move, uncertain as to what to do. Should he have moved her after all or should he have left her there? No, he couldn't leave her there for the Avengers to see especially after she'd murdered one of their own. He began to move slowly out of the room gently shushing her cries of pain as he left the lounge and made his way towards the bedroom. When he arrived he lay her down gently on the bed. Slight relief crossed her face at the softness of the bed. Loki leant over her, pressing his hand to her head, stroking it down her face, neck and chest, spreading the magic out, hoping that it would ease some of her pain faster.

XMARVELX

Barton headed to the elevator. He couldn't see Catherine anymore but he sensed that Loki was still downstairs, in the building. He could take his revenge now. He set up and arrow in his bow and walked into the elevator, his eyes dark with rage. He hit the button for the penthouse and waited for the elevator to descend slowly. As the elevator doors pinged open, Barton stepped out, bow at the ready. He looked around the room but it was clear.

Something blue caught at his eye and he spotted the sceptre lying outside on the balcony. Glancing around furtively, Barton raced out of the room as quietly as he could. Kneeling down, he managed to grip the sceptre in his hands before stepping back into the room. Footsteps began to echo from one of the hallways and Barton immediately dived behind one of the couches. The footsteps were heavy and he recognised them immediately as Loki's. That confused Barton immediately. He'd heard the Hulk making a right mess in the apartment and then leave as though his job was done. Why would he leave Loki intact?

He glanced around the couch and saw Loki approaching the bar, head down. He was pouring some water into a large glass. He's in the middle of an invasion and he stops for a drink? Barton thought quizzically but made no noise as he watched Loki fill the glass, put the water jug down and walk back into the hallway, disappearing down another corridor. Taking his chance, Barton leapt up and ran for the elevator, pressing the call button straight away. With an annoyingly loud ping he jumped through the doors and closed them, heading straight upstairs.

XMARVELX

Loki held Catherine sit up and brought the water to her lips gently. She drank some eagerly and he gently stroked her hair, urging her to slow down. "Take it easy," he whispered. "I'll bring you more if you need it," he said. "This should help your body recover with the magic. You need to keep a balance of elements inside you," he said kissing her head. He pulled the glass from Catherine's lips allowing her to breathe.

"Did I hear the elevator sound?" Catherine murmured.

Loki smiled. "Yes, twice now. I think we have a visitor. I sensed him in the room," he told her. "The sceptre was missing when I left."

Catherine's eyes widened. "You didn't grab it when you found me?"

Loki chuckled. "I was a bit worried about you, if you recall. But I don't need it that much. My power is already great and there is nothing the Avengers can do with it that can stop the Chitauri."

Catherine brought a hand up to touch the glass and Loki gently tipped it towards her lips again. She took a bigger swig of it this time and sighed, pushing the glass away. He held it away from her watching her intently. Her back seemed to be adjusting to sitting against the pillows and his arm. She didn't seem as pained as before though her frailty was without doubt.

"Before… before I killed Romanoff… Barton was handing the sceptre to her… they were up to something with the Tessaract," she said, her voiced tired.

Loki smiled bemusedly. "I don't see how they can do anything."

"They've freed Selveig," Catherine murmured.

Loki's eyes darkened. "Have they now?"

"Could he know something about the Tessaract that we don't?" Catherine asked.

Loki sat up a little straighter at that. "If he does, I'll get it out of him," he said removing his arm gently and leaning her against the pillows. "I'll return shortly," he said and left the room. As he entered the lounge, flashing lights awaited him as computer holograms loaded. He looked at the images and CCTV footage appeared in front of him.

A missile was heading towards the city of New York. Loki's eyes narrowed. Were the humans really going to blow up one of their own cities with thousands of their own people trapped in there? Was that how desperate they were? He would have to get one of the Chitauri monsters to swallow it and take it into the sky. He realised with annoyance that those instructions needed the sceptre. He turned and went to make for the roof when out of the corner of his eye, a flash of red and gold appeared on the screen. He turned back and saw that Iron Man had hold of the nuke and was redirecting it upwards… right into the heart of the Chitauri army.

Loki's eyes maddened with rage and he turned, marching to the elevator and hit the button in annoyance. The operator's voice filled the room. "Elevator out of service." It declared loudly. Loki hissed in anger and raised his hand to put the elevator back in service but a loud noise on the monitor made him return to the screen.

Stark was so near to the barrier between worlds that for a moment, Loki smirked briefly. Even if he managed to blow up the Chitauri, he'd take himself with it. Not that the Chitauri blowing up would be a good thing. Without his army, his plans failed. Loki scanned the control panels on the holograms. There had to be a way to disable the suit before the nuke could get to the army. A crushing thought hit Loki like a truck.

If Stark did manage to send the nuke into the Chitauri mother ship then that was the end of all his plans and his army but if he didn't then the city would blow and Loki wasn't quite sure if his genetics would survive a nuclear explosion. Then there was Catherine to think about. She definitely wouldn't survive such a blast whilst she was already healing from the Hulk thrashing she got.

Instantly a second plan began to form in his mind. He needed to get the Tessaract and if there was a way to shut it down, get it out of Selveig and kill whoever was up there with him. He then needed to get Catherine out of here and they'd travel to another world if he couldn't take this one. There was no time to curse his luck over being so close to ruling Midgard. Survival was the key.

Loki looked at the screen. Stark had disappeared with the missile and he could see him taking it higher and higher into space. He could faintly see Stark let go off the missile and begin a fall back to Earth. There was no way he could survive that so at least there was another Avenger dead, Loki thought bitterly to himself. He turned and waved his hand back at the elevator, putting it back in service. He rode it to the top. No sooner had the doors open than an arrow let fly at him. He waved his hand and it burst into flames before it could touch him.

As Barton notched another one, Loki flew at him, kicking him backwards and snatching the bow out of his hands. Loki looked towards the Tessaract and saw the sceptre sticking out of it. His eyes met Barton's and narrowed angrily. He looked up to see the portal closing quickly. Just before the space above, vanished from sight, he saw a small black figure fall through in time. Stark's body no doubt.

Loki had just enough time to clone himself and move as Barton threw himself at him. The two men became locked in a hand to hand combat fight as Loki tossed the bow over the side of the building and the sceptre lay in the Tessaract. Erik could only watch on as the two fought dangerously close to the edge at times and at others, pinning the other to the floor. Several minutes went by as they fought and though Barton was strong, Loki was stronger. He soon had Barton bent backwards over the side of the roof as Loki sneered over him.

"Would you like to join Agent Romanoff?" he sneered. "I'm sure she'd love to see you."

Loki never got to carry out his threat as suddenly a figure in a red cape flew out of nowhere at him, sending him crashing down onto the balcony of Stark Tower. Loki rolled over and over in the pile of glass, pain filling every part of his body. He looked up to see Thor rising to his feet. Before Loki could react, Thor threw his hammer, sending it to land on Loki, holding him down. Try as he might, Loki couldn't summon the magic or the strength to lift it.

"Once again, brother, you're trapped beneath the weight of the wrongs you have done," Thor growled as he marched past him into the apartment. He walked up to the bar and picked up, what looked like a silver bracelet. He glanced back at Loki. "Where is Catherine?" he asked. However he needn't have bothered as her voice soon filled the apartment.

"Loki?" she called. "What's going on?"

Thor whirled round and headed off down the hall leaving a frustrated Loki screaming at him to leave Catherine be.

XMARVELX

Catherine's eyes widened when Thor entered the bedroom. She tried to push herself backwards but she was still too weak and had no place to go. She looked up at Thor warily. He just sighed at her.

"Look at what you've become part of," he told her. "All this death and destruction is down to you and Loki," he said sadly. "It could have been avoided."

"Yes it could," she said. "A long time ago. Have you found Agent Romanoff's body yet?" she asked coldly. She watched Thor's face widen in pain.

"She's dead?" he asked.

"Yes, I killed her. Call it revenge for what she did to me," Catherine shrugged.

Thor stared at her in disbelief. "So you actually killed someone in cold blood. There's a difference between doing that and killing someone in battle. Maybe you could have been excused those people on the ship… don't think I didn't follow the trail of blood you left with that sceptre…. But to kill someone just to end their life… I wanted to believe you could be saved, Catherine. Now I'm not so sure," he told her sadly. "This all ends now. You and Loki have lost."

"What are you going to do?" Catherine sneered. "Kill us."

"No," growled Thor. "I'm not like you. You and Loki will face Asgardian justice."

XMARVELX

It didn't take long for the remaining Avengers to make their way to Stark Tower. Thor handed Stark the bracelet which he then used to set himself up in another suit albeit muttering about an older model and some curse words at Loki for ruining his chances of perfecting the mark 7 suit. Meanwhile Barton and Erik had been brought down with the Tessaract and the sceptre. Captain America had a hand on Barton's shoulder having heard about Natasha. Loki was still trapped and straining under the hammer, fighting to get up.

As Tony finished putting the suit on, he turned to Thor. "Sorry about this; I know he's your brother but he's not going to be able to be taken back to your people if he's still fit enough to fight."

"Make her watch," spat Barton. "She was the one who killed Natasha, make her watch as her boyfriend is pummelled."

Thor gave Barton a pained look but he couldn't argue with him. He left the room and returned several minutes later with a wincing Catherine in his arms. He set her on the ground and kept an arm locked around her waist. She looked over at Loki in shock as Stark began to approach him.

Banner was returned to his usual self with some clothes that were far too big for him but at least kept him covered. He was a bit skinnier than Stark but grateful for the clothes regardless even if he had had the misfortune of changing back stark naked in the elevator and thus making the others uncomfortable. He was watching the scene in confusion.

"I beat the crap out of Loki, how does he have the energy?" he asked in confusion. "And what happened to her?" he gestured to Catherine who shot him a look.

"I was the Loki you beat up," she said glaring.

Barton turned to her in dark amusement. "Oh so it was you I shot off the cruiser. That makes me feel a little better, you evil bitch," he snarled. "What the hell did Natasha do to you?"

Catherine sneered back at him. "Tortured me for information to get at Loki. So I owed her a favour. You should be grateful I ended up giving her such a quick death. If I hadn't she would have died anyway with the poison I pumped into her. Don't pretend your girlfriend was a saint. You told us everything. She was an assassin long before you met her."

Barton made to lunge for Catherine but Steve held him back. Barton was glowering. "You twisted cow, you'll pay for what you did to Natasha. I'll guarantee it."

"No," said Thor. "Catherine and Loki will get their comeuppance in Asgard," he told him firmly. "Take comfort in that," he said. "She will not go unpunished for Natasha's death."

Banner shook his head slightly at Catherine. "I never thought I'd feel good about hitting a woman." She ignored him and turned her attention back to Stark who was standing over Loki, stone faced.

"Thor," he was saying. "Summon the hammer." Thor raised his hand obediently and summoned it.

The moment the hammer left Loki's chest, he flew at Stark viciously. Stark countered the attack enough to stop himself crashing into the wall. He threw punches at Loki, surprisingly nimble in the suit but Loki dodged them, ducking and diving around them, laughing kind of maniacally.

Stark reached out to grab Loki but suddenly there were seven Loki's in the room. For a moment Stark just looked at them all as Loki began to laugh.

"Make your move, Iron Man," he sneered.

Stark smirked behind his mask. "I think I will, Reindeer Games," he said and turned, firing a blast at the Loki nearest his right side. He was rewarded by the other Loki's disappearing as the one he shot, flew across the room with a grunt. Stark flew over to him and picked him up by the throat.

"I think you should learn some manners. It's not good etiquette to try and conquer a world you hardly know…" he said before slamming Loki into the wall face first. The impact shook the wall.

Stark pulled Loki back. "Especially when you so easily underestimate those who are willing to fight for it…" He slammed him into the wall again and again; with such violence that Loki's face began to redden more and more with blood and bruises before Stark pulled him back again, lifted him into the air until they were both hovering above the floor and pounding him into the ground and the broken glass. Loki hit the floor battered and bruised.

"Loki!" Catherine screamed.

"Enough!" Thor called. "That is enough for now. They both need to be put in restraints. The time for violence is over!" he said in a thunderous voice.

Loki looked up from the floor and for a moment, his eyes met Catherine's.

We lost