When her consciousness returned, the first thing Emma saw was a pair of bright emerald eyes and a sweet smile that grew on his lips as he watched down at her, standing next to her bed.
"Easy now, my Valkyrie," Loki said softly in a quiet voice, a bit of sadness in his gaze as he hunched closer to her. "How are you feeling?"
"Loki," Emma sighed sharing his smile, looking up at him in wonder. "I'm fine now when you are with me."
She tried to reach out and take a hold of his hand but found herself in restraints. To her puzzlement she was tied to a narrow bed. The head of the bed was elevated so she was nearly in a sitting position, her hands tied from her wrists, a band over her waist. Her legs were tied as well from her ankles. Even more confused she took note that they were in a small room with only one small window.
"Please, try to stay calm," Loki said quietly.
"What's going on, Loki?" Emma asked getting worried, trying to pull and force herself free, but there was no use. She was tied securely to the bed. "Help me. Get these off!"
"Shh…" Loki hushed her gently. "I wish I could," he said and waved his hand over hers, his fingers going through her arm with a glowing, golden glimmer like he would have been only a ghost. "A projection…" he sighed with a sorry smile. "We are still in the air ship. I had to see you somehow. I had to know that you are alright."
Emma's lips trembled as she surrendered, giving up the fight against the restraints that held her. Loki wasn't really there with her, just his illusion. Still it was better than nothing. Without him she would have fallen into a dreadful panic. "Are you? Alright?" she asked weakly.
Loki shook his head amazed by her concern of him. "I am still in one piece. My dear, you are a wonder," he said in an appreciating tone nearly whispering. "Believe me I have seen a lot in my life but never have I seen anyone like you."
Even though he meant it as a compliment it didn't feel like that to her at the moment and Emma lowered her gaze repulsed by the changes that had happened to her. The smell of her own dried blood made her feeling sick. She had been shot several times and she had lost the count after the second one, since her wounds had healed so fast. And the claws that seemed to show up with a will of their own gave her the creeps and she let out a long shivering sigh. "So, I'm the monster, for real… A lost creature like you said it."
"No, don't say that! Do not ever say that. I did not mean any of it what I said about you in my message. I did it with a foolish hope that they would have set you free. Trust me when I say that you could never be a monster." Loki moved as close as he could without his projection going through her. He glanced down at her small hands. They were normal again, only some dried blood between her knuckles reminding of the claws that had gone hiding. He would have so wanted to hold her hands. He would have wanted to take her away from these people to somewhere safe. "What happened, Emma? Your hands… the blades… How?"
She shook her head, trying once more to wiggle her hands free from the restraints. It didn't help. "I don't know. My hands have been aching, feeling freezing, the whole time here, and then…"
"Are you in pain now? Does it hurt?"
To her surprise the aching was all gone as if her body would have adapted to its new state. "It only hurts when the spikes comes out. They feel like ice. Oh Christ! What the hell is happening to me, Loki?"
Loki wished he could have given her the answers. What he was able to give her was only some consolation. "So, you have… claws?" he asked carefully in a soothing, compassionate voice, his emerald eyes studying her with a mixture of concern and affection.
Of course he found her claws strange, intimidating even, but he couldn't tell that to her, not now. He feared it was his doings, his cursed Jotun inheritance's influence on her somehow through her mutation. And yet he found her so very compelling. He was so sorry, remorseful for his careless approach with her if that was truly what had caused her to suffer so much.
"Yeah… Don't you see me as a freak yet? Because that's what I feel like."
"A Frost Giant," Loki said lifting his hand like he would have admitted being guilty for his parentage.
Emma gave him a tiny smile seeing nothing wrong with that. "I'll bet you're the hottest Frost Giant there is."
Loki answered that with a sheepish half smile being flattered by her silly but sweet words. Hot and a Frost Giant wouldn't be the best combination! Who was comforting who?
"Ice claws you said? Well, I can deal with ice. And I must say that your claws are a hell of a lot sexier than gills." He grinned a bit in an apologetic manner. He so wanted to see her smile. "It must be something you got from your mother's side."
Emma stared at him a few seconds puzzled but then a small laughter got the best of her and Loki chuckled with her. He knew the right words to comfort her and ease her mind, and she smiled at him through her tears. She loved him for that. He still looked at her the same way he had used to, not seeing her as a freak. Perhaps he was the only one who didn't see her like that.
"Maybe I should paint my claws pink. Oh, and show some cleavage. The guys here would never see the difference," she jested.
"Hm, that could work," Loki encouraged her playfully, loving to see her smiling again, letting his imagination linger with a thought of that cleavage part. It brought the fresh memory of their last night into his mind. He still wanted her. She was still his own and he was going to save her.
"Do not be afraid, my Valkyrie. You are mine and I will look after you. They cannot keep us apart. I shall find a way to come to you and set you free. And we can share another sunset together… and many more."
Although that sounded so lovely Emma looked miserable. She felt like she had betrayed him. "I got so close to get you out. I'm sorry, I messed it up..."
"Don't be sorry. You are not to blame. Thor…" Loki's face cloude, thinking about his brother. "He is…"
"An annoying, bossy prick?"
The god of mischief smiled to that. "That is a one way to put it."
"But he kept you safe. He cares for you, Loki."
Loki narrowed his eyes, unable to deny it even though he hated it. He could have told her all those times Thor had spoiled his day but there were no time for that. The agents were soon coming for her. "We do not have much time. Emma, listen carefully," he said taking a more serious face. "Do not let them hurt you. You must do all you can to keep yourself safe until I will get to you. The one they call Coulson has taken an interest in you. Use it as your advantage."
That was indeed an impression Loki had gotten when he was forced to witness the aftermath of Emma's restraining from his glass cell, unable to reach to her when she would have needed him the most. The agent Coulson and director Fury had have a heated debate about what was to become of her. Fury had been ready to drop her off from his air ship on the very moment she had lost consciousness but for some reason Coulson had stood up for her with a quite strong words for such a self-possessed man. Loki had become to realize that the agent had probably saved her life by shooting her with a tranquilizer gun instead of letting the others shooting her with the real ones.
Emma frowned. "What? He wants me to work for them. I won't…"
"No! Play along with him and he will keep you safe. Cooperate as much as you can. Be strong. I know that you can. Be ruthless if that what it takes. We must outsmart them together, Emma," Loki said, a cunning twinkle in his eyes, hoping to cement her trust and self-confidence. She needed to feel safe.
"Alright," she nodded feeling uneasy. "I'll do what I can. I'll do it for you, Loki."
The way she said his name, every time, with such a warm affection, it sounded more than just his name, it sounded like a word she treasured the most. No one ever spoke his name like that.
"It still amazes me that you fought your way to me just for trying to set me free. That is more than anyone has ever done for me," Loki said, hating to leave her now on her own. There was so much more he would have wanted to tell her and his expression spoke on his behalf as he reached to her his fingers wiping her cheek, making her longing for his real touch. He too craved to feel her near again. "I will be with you again, my love," he promised whispering, his illusion beginning to fade.
Emma heard the automatic door sliding open and saw Loki's projection vanishing before her eyes with a golden glow, his gaze beholding her as long until he was all gone. My love? Did he really love her? Emma pondered, tears flooding into her eyes. "Please, don't go!" she whispered but he didn't hear he anymore.
With Loki gone a panic struck her as she realized that she was all alone, under the agents' mercy, stuck and tied to the bed. She tried to thresh herself free, but she only discovered that there was no use. The first thing that entered into her mind was a fear that the people of Hydra had found her again, that she was being their lab rat again. That was until she heard an annoyingly calm, familiar voice from behind her.
"It's alright. You are in restraints. For how long, that only depends on you," agent Coulson said as he walked in from a door that was behind her.
Emma turned her face towards the agent as he stepped in the range of her vision. "If you'll touch me I'll kill you!" she menaced but knew more than well being unable to carry out her threat.
"I won't," agent Coulson said and glanced down at her hands. No claws!
Never in his long career had he raised his voice to a fellow agent or to his boss or to anyone for that matter. He had been considered a quiet one. But a moment ago he had spoke his mind a quite strongly about the actions that had led Emma Morgan going berserk. Mainly he had blamed Fury and agent Romanoff going behind his back when he had clearly told them to leave Ms. Morgan in peace. They had sent her weak trust on them back to the stone ages. Not mention the body count that had followed upset him very much.
"You are being held here for your own safety and for the safety of the rest of us. As I promised to you already, we don't want to harm you. You're making it a bit hard to keep that promise, Ms. Morgan."
"Oh yeah? You tell that to that red-head bitch who attacked me!" Emma said, her voice quivering. "And your bastard guard who… who..." She swallowed, her gaze dropping down with remorse of every kill she'd made.
Coulson crossed his arms over his chest, watching down at her. It was a bit hard to feel compassion for someone who had killed his fellow agents. "I didn't send agent Romanoff talking to you. She went there on her own against my orders. I already heard her side of the story, now I'd like to hear your version of what happened. Ms. Morgan…" He grimaced, but his voice remained calm and slightly harsh. "You killed four of our agents and injured three. Not very smart move. Would you like to tell me why?"
Four dead because of her. That was four too many. Emma took a long breathe, tears rolling on her cheeks as she closed her eyes for a moment. The agent didn't have to go hard on her she was crying because of her own actions.
Be strong!
Her thoughts returned to the only one person who mattered. She had been so close to get Loki free. She pondered how many dead there would have been if she would have succeeded to free him. "Four? I didn't mean to kill anyone. I'm so sorry. I really am. When your agent Romanoff slammed me against the wall I've got angry and scared… and I just snapped. And then the spikes came out. It hurt so much…" Emma stared down at her hands. "That guard came. He was going to kill her and me. I only wanted to get out, so I punched him, but... I didn't realize…" She swallowed hard. "I won't go back being their lab rat. I won't go through that hell again. I won't…"
Coulson frowned unable to quite understand what she was saying. He would have checked the security tapes but the camera had been turned off. And he pondered why. He could tell there was something fishy going on around them. "Our agents are loyal to each other. We won't go harming people without a reason. And we most definitely are not the Hydra. In fact we are doing our best to protect you from them."
Cooperate!
Emma lifted her teary eyed gaze, looking at him in the eyes. "If that's true then you have a very big problem, agent Coulson, because the Hydra is here, among your people."
"That's impossible."
"Do you want to know what's impossible? That I would meet an alien on a glacier. That some crazy, icy spikes would grow out from my hands. That's what is impossible! But Hydra… they are everywhere. Thor, the other Asgardian guy, said that you are a man of honor. I'm starting to believe him. But you can't protect me from the Hydra. You can't even protect yourself from them. That guard, I swear to you, he was one of them." She let out a long sigh feeling hopeless. "But what would I know about anything. I don't even know what is happening to me. If you thought it's a good thing I adapt to every shit that comes along you're wrong. You are looking at the saddest human being on the face on earth. I have no control over myself. When I get mad enough, angry enough, my mind goes black. I can't stop myself even if I'd want to. It was bad enough without these fucking claws. And now I'm turning into a real monster. Loki was right. I'm a lost creature."
Coulson had a lot digesting to do with what she had told him. He found it hard to believe that Hydra would have infiltrated into their agency. But something strange was indeed going on. And it sounded like the claws was a new thing to her. She was going through a rough identity crisis among other nasty things.
Coulson grabbed a seat and sat closer to her, giving her a moment to calm down. "It highly seems that you have been undergoing a phase called a secondary mutation. It's rare but it happens to some mutants. Your abilities may increase or you may develop new powers… such as these claws."
Emma stared at him horrid. "So, I'm really becoming even more freak than I've been. Why?"
"I'm not an expert of mutant abilities. Like I said, you exposed to radiation and who knows what…"
"Are you saying that Loki did this to me?"
"Not necessarily. But I do believe that it is something you have had within you, and it has been just waiting to come out. You should know that your father…"
"I don't really want to know a damn thing about my father right now!" she cried out.
"With your current state and your violent outburst…" Coulson took a moment and reframed his thoughts. "My superiors have increased your risk level. I'm going to be honest with you. They see you as a lost cause. If I fail to change your mind about joining us, I am afraid I don't know what will happen to you. So, please, help me to prove them wrong."
Emma let out a sad snort. "I don't get it. If I'm a lost cause, then why do you bother to do this?"
"Because I can see that you could become a damn good agent if someone would give you a chance. We would train you. We can give you a completely new identity, and change it if needed. I would do it myself so nothing would trace you back to your history."
Play along!
She swallowed, feeling strange that someone, a complete stranger, would believe in her that much. If they would have met in some other circumstances she might have actually like the guy. And that's why she didn't like to do this but it was time to get into the game. "So… tell me, agent Coulson. What do I have to do?" she asked cautiously.
Phil Coulson smile a bit. "First of all, you need to trust me." He glanced down at her tied hands. "Now, would you mind if we'll take these restraints off? Can I trust you?"
… …
Triskelion, The S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarter, Washington D.C.
Loki probably hadn't hated Thor that much before as he did at the moment. Thor had saved him from falling down with his cage from the Helicarrier, probably saving his life. Yes. But the god of thunder kept treating him like a common criminal. His self-righteous brother escorted him through a long, narrow corridor, 4 floors beneath the ground under the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarter. The place looked like a modern dungeon what it probably was. They were accompanied by ten armed soldiers and Ironman, making sure their prisoner wouldn't escape this time. Loki's hands were chained with strong-build handcuffs especially made for Bruce Banner. They called them 'Hulk-proof' and he had discovered that he wouldn't have strength enough to break out from them.
To Tony Stark this babysitting job was just waste of his precious time. He wanted to return back home to Pepper and to finish the prototype of his new, better suit and repair the old one he was wearing.
"So, Loki. I guess it's time we talk man to man. I'm sure we're all dying to know here," Tony begun, glancing at Loki, his visor open. "How was she like? This badass mutant chick? Assuming you two were intimately involved."
Loki gave the man only a stern, annoyed scowl, so Tony continued in a smug tone. "A gentleman never tells. Actually I'm starting to be a fan of the way she looses the control and turnings into this wild thing, tearing stuff apart. She's like a miniature Hulk in a hell of a nicer wrapper. And the claws were a new thing. Did you know about those? Talking about some nasty PMS, huh?"
"Do not talk of her!" Loki said simply, walking along with his capturers. He would not hear people mocking of Emma after all she had done for his sake.
"Sorry just trying to keep up the conversation."
"For pity's sake don't!"
Moving calmly and hiding his boiling rage, Loki only glanced distinctly despising at Thor who walked by his side. "I never thought the day would come when you, all mighty Thor, would sink this low. You have become but a lapdog of these mortals. I do not recognize you anymore."
Thor gritted his teeth, knowing that was all but talk, still it did sting him. "Likewise, brother."
"Tell me, what did you bargain for this? There must be something you will gain for betraying me. Or do you only get praised?"
"Enough, Loki! I kept you safe, didn't I?"
"Yes, but for what reason?"
The corridor split in two different directions and the soldiers ahead took a turn to right. When Loki gave a short glance at his left before following the leading men, he noticed Emma on the left side corridor. She was escorted by two soldiers and agent Coulson. She must have heard his voice and his name been said by Thor, because she watched at him over her shoulder, looking so small and fragile as they were taking her away. They had seen each other only two hours ago when he had visited her with his projection.
"Emma!" Loki called out after her in a concerned voice and stopped walking in the crossroad of the corridors. She turned her head away, dropping her gaze down, as she kept walking forward and away from him.
"Emma!" Loki repeated shouting her name, not getting anything in return from her. Why did she say nothing at all? What had they done to her?
He felt Thor giving him a shove to go on, but he remained where he stood, his gaze not leaving her. "Emma Morgan! Do not walk away from me!" he yelled once more, his voice nearly trembling, fearing that she too had eventually turned against him as had everyone else done. He had failed to protect her as he had promised and it pained him. But they had talked earlier. She had seemed to be fine.
Every step had felt so hard to take and Emma finally stopped walking, hearing him calling for her for the third time. She had had enough of Coulson's mind-games, him encouraging her to join the SHIELD and turning her against Loki. Two could play that game! She had spent two long hours talking with the man, giving him cautiously an impression that she was willing to switch sides.
Looking hurt, she turned around watching at Loki, her hands in handcuffs. "A lost creature, huh?" she cried out at him sounding offended, her voice echoing in the corridor. "Is that how you really think of me, you damn Trickster?"
Damn! Where they back in this again? Loki dropped his gaze for a second and swallowed, pondering what was going on. He had said he was sorry, that he hadn't meant it. Then he smiled inwardly understanding where she was going with this. We must outsmart them together. They were playing a little game just like in England. It actually could work. His expression turned to stern but then he grinned like the devil. "Well, it took you long enough to realize it, my besotted darling," he spoke in a cold, smug tone.
Emma looked shocked but inwardly she smiled too. She hoped he had gotten the clue of her little game. He had only called her darling while they were pretending to be a married couple in England. It was all an act for the people around them. "Wha…? I tried to set you free! You are not even going to try to lie?"
"What's the point? I dragged you along with me because you of all these pathetic mortals could have aid me taking this realm. I admit I took a liking to you. You possess such power but your weakness is that you simply cannot keep in under control."
Ouch! He knew the worse words! Emma glanced at agent Coulson with a timid look as if asking for his permission, then turning back at Loki. "I trusted you, but you just used me. You messed my head! I was such a fool for letting you wreck my whole life. I'll bet these fucking ice claws are just another one of your damn tricks!" she said with a pained voice, taking a couple of steps closer to him along the corridor. "I should have swung that shovel into your face when I had the chance!"
The soldiers restrained her, but Coulson shook his head with curiosity. "I want to hear this," he said quietly to his fellow agents, hoping that she had finally come to her senses. The soldiers let her go, and Emma walked slowly towards Loki and the group of soldiers he was with, the red dots of the laser sights emerging escorting her, the armed agents walking by her side.
Tony looked like he would have something clever to say but Thor frowned at him shaking his head and lifting a finger as a warning to keep his mouth shut.
It was working! The trickster god was pleased by his Valkyrie's cunningness when he watched her coming closer. And he truly hoped she was just acting. His voice was heated and his face harsh but nothing like he had been when they had have a real verbal fight in Greenland. "How dare you speak to me like that after all I did for you? I looked after you, you little wench! I would have given you the world."
"It would have been a bit hard to give something you don't have!"
Thor frowned, confused by the quick change of their hearts. They had appeared to be in love, wanting desperately safe each other only a few hours ago. What had happen? "Perhaps you two could talk this through later?" Thor suggested carefully.
Emma had made her way so close to Loki that there were only three soldiers between them two. She glanced over her shoulder at Coulson who stood a bit further away. "What I am about to say to him, I want to say it to his face not through these creeps," she told to the agent.
Coulson gave a small gesture to his men to give her space and let her step in front of their prisoner. And there she was only a couple steps away from Loki, staring at him with sad eyes. "You were a mistake," she said taking one more step closer.
Loki looked down at her with narrowing eyes. He almost smiled since she had talked her way to him. "So were you."
A small smile rose on her lips as she kept watching him, her expression turning gentle and her voice changing to soft and loving. "You divine prick! Loki, you're the best mistake I have ever made. It was about time someone turned my life upside-down. You're the only one I've ever cared this much, and I wouldn't change a thing in you. I trust you with my life," she confessed, speaking fast to get it all said before they would separate them again, rushing to him the last two steps just to touch him.
Her words and the tone of her gentle voice melted Loki's heart. Their acting was all gone. With cuffed hands he took her face between his palms, and he could see from her blue eyes that she had longed his touch as much as he had longed to touch her. A tiny smile crept on his lips as he lifted his arms over her head and closed her in his locked embrace, hunching down to kiss her, since it could have been their last kiss for goodbye.
The whole day she had wanted nothing more than to be in his arms again. And when he held her, his arms around her, it felt the only place in the world that made any sense. His lips brushed over hers as he whispered three words: "Trust me now."
And that's what she did. His sweet kiss was like a prize for putting up all the trouble for that day and she gave into it, tasting him hungrily and welcoming his tongue. His hold tightened around her waist and she felt her feet leaving the floor as he lifted her like she would have been carried by pure magic. She felt safe with him. The wall of the armed agents around them meant nothing anymore. And for a moment she got the strangest out-of-body- experience.
Thor watched them kissing bewildered and with a small guilt. He knew Loki had never been so opened of showing his feelings. And she had had to lie just to get closer to him. To Thor it seemed that the two liars deserved each other.
Tony rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, you two take your time. It's not like the rest of us have anything to do today!"
Coulson knitted his brows. Ms. Morgan had done perfect job by fooling him, again. "Alright. The show is over. Take them away!"
"Come on, brother," Thor said to Loki in a compassionate voice, hating to break their intimate moment. As he was taking a hold from Loki's shoulder, and two of the soldiers were grabbing from Emma's arms, their hands went straight through the prisoners like they'd had been just passionately kissing ghosts.
"What the..?" the soldier rasped, waving his hand in the air through the female captive, then turning his puzzled gaze towards Coulson. "Um… Sir?"
Tony grunted gaping. "Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me!" he grunted slamming his visor close and scanning the area with infra-red.
Phil Coulson gave his men an annoyed face, looking shocked. "Damn it! Close all exits! And find them!" he said picking up his mobile phone and making a quick call. The men left with hurry looking for the runaways.
The holographic illusion faded away in front of Thor's eyes, and the first though he had made him smile, a tiny part of him actually glad Loki had escaped with her. Damn, Loki was truly a clever trickster! Thor admitted with a small sense of pride of having Loki as his brother. After that came a worry of all that could go wrong.
"You think this is funny?" Coulson asked from Thor walking past him.
Thor wiped the grin off his face. "No. I will catch them. They won't be far."
