Chapter 5

One hour later, Harisa and Dellinger explain everything Loki has missed over the past five years. Loki is overwhelmed by everything they told her, so he asks, "Wait, so while I've been in a coma for five years, the Avengers finally figured out how to reverse the snap. But once they brought back everyone who disapparated, Thanos from 2014 somehow came and was after the stones to destroy everyone and Earth."

"Yes," Harisa replied. "However, Dr. Strange brought everyone who was snapped and had gathered them to fight."

Loki covers his mouth for a moment, then looks back at them. "So he is gone? Thanos."

"Yes," Dellinger replied. "Stark used the stones, snapped his fingers, and those who fought for or were in his army all disapparated. Even him."

"However, the cost was great when they saw Stark dying," Harisa added.

"The stones were powerful enough to kill him, and I know why he did it," Dellinger added. "He did it because it was the only way to save everyone."

They look away for a moment.

"So after everyone who was snapped returned, what happened?" asks Loki.

"The team sent Captain America to return the stones," Harisa replied.

"And my brother?"

"Thor passed the throne to Valkyrie because he didn't want to be a burden to his people anymore," Dellinger replied.

Loki nods and says, "Good choice. She'll do great things for our people." He pauses for a moment. "Where is Thor now?"

Dellinger replies, "He is with some group that call themselves "The Guardians of the Galaxy."

Loki glances down for a moment then. "Have you told him -"

"Not yet," Dellinger interrupted.

There's a pause for a moment. Harisa then notices a flash of light on her watch and a sound. Loki is confused by the sound. Harisa turns to Dellinger and asks him, "Dellinger, could you -"

"Yeah, I'll be right back," he replied.

Dellinger leaves the room.

"Is everything okay?" asks Loki.

"Yes, he just went to check on something," Harisa replied quickly.

"Ah." Loki wonders if there is something that Harisa is hiding from him.

"Loki, how did you escape and survive out in space?"

"I don't know on the surviving part. But you will think I'm crazy when I tell you how I escaped."

"Try me."

In another room, Dellinger makes a call. As he does, he records Loki talking to Harisa. Meanwhile, somewhere in space, the Guardians are heading down a portal. At that moment, there is a ringing on the intercom. Rocket turns to Thor and says, "Hey Thor there's a guy that wants to talk to you."

Thor asks, "Who is it?"

"Dellinger of a...Vanaheim?"

"Vanawhat?" asks Peter Quill.

Thor pushes the button and sees Dellinger on the screen. Dellinger is surprised by Thor's appearance. Thor smiles and says, "Dellinger?"

"Thor," he replied.

"Dellinger! Oh my God! It's been what five years since I talked to you last -"

"Thor, listen to me! This is important. When I tell you this, I, you know, will not believe me, but you must trust me."

Thor takes the beer and says, "Dellinger come on, whatever it is, I'm sure I can take it."

Quill turns around and shouts, "Dude! Stop it! You're taking all of the beer!"

Thor laughs. "Loki is alive," informs Dellinger. Thor's smile turns into a frown as he remembers seeing his brother dying in front of him.

The Guardians notice. "Oh boy," sighs Rocket.

Quill asks, "Who? Who's Loki?"

"His brother," Rocket replied.

"No," Thor stuttered. "He's not. My brother is dead. Thanos killed him."

Dellinger pulls up the security camera footage of Harisa and Loki talking. Thor is shocked to see that his brother is alive. The guardians watch the recording and Thor's reaction.

"I was just on my way out to help my brother and get to the throne room, but as I was making my way down the corridor, I felt a presence," says Loki. "I didn't know what and why but I saw myself standing there. As if I was dreaming, but he was real."

Transition to Loki and Harisa talking.

"Did he say anything?" asks Harisa.

"He said he was from the future and another world." Loki turns his head as he notices Harisa raising her eyebrow. "That's what I thought too. Until he used Tesseract. He used the Tesseract within the staff that held the Mind stone -"

"Wait, there's two?"

"Yes, I know."

"How is that possible?"

"I don't know."

They pause for a moment then Harisa remembers something. "Wait. When the Avengers returned to retrieve the stones, Stark failed to get the Tesseract in 2012 because the Hulk, Banner, from that Time, got angry, and you from that Time stole it and escaped—creating another timeline."

"Another universe. The Loki, me from another world, took me to his world."

Back on the ship, Thor is hyperventilating to what he is hearing. "Wait?" asks Harisa. "He showed you in his world?"

"Yes," Loki replied.

"What was it like?"

"Just like ours, the only difference was the actions he made. The difference between him and I was our choices."

"Your choices?"

Thor clutches his fist. The Guardians notice. "Yes, even though we both started on the same path, the choices we made ten years ago after Thor took Ms. Foster to Svar... were different," Loki answered. "In our world, I didn't tell Colora the truth about why I faked my death; in his world, he did, and she left him, never saw him again. That changed him completely on taking other worlds."

Thor shuts his eyes and commands, "Quill! Take me to Earth. Now!"

The Guardians look at each other, then at Thor as they see his eyes glow and lightning powers come out of his hands.

Back on Earth..."But it got him into trouble when Thanos attacked Asgard," harisa replied.

"When he attacked, Loki, my other self, sent his people to Earth to safety, to Thor," Loki added. "While his Asgardian army and a few volunteers fought against Thanos. However, he only survived. After the battle was over, he was taken to Thanos and ordered to give him the Tesseract to watch Colora die in front of him."

"What?!"

"Oh my God," gasps as Dellinger returns.

"You can't be serious?" Harisa replied.

"Thanos said that Colora was going to tell the Avengers of that Time of his plan, and so he took her as his prisoner," Loki answered.

Harisa has tears in her eyes and pleads, "Please tell me that you, your other self, didn't give it to him."

Loki looks up at her with sad and guilty eyes, then shuts his. "I wish he didn't," he replied. "I don't know what he was thinking because he still killed her."

"What?!"

"Anytime you make any deal with Thanos, and you break it, he will do anything to get what he wants, even if it means breaking the deals you made too."

They all glance away from each other. "Loki, why did he come to you?" asks Harisa.

"Because he said he saw what mine and Colora's future and the path looked like," Loki replied. "He said that he came to help me."

"How?"

"Loki!" Thor shouts.

Harisa and Loki turn their heads to see Thor standing at the door. Loki stares at Thor, shaken up, relieved, yet utterly confused by his brother's appearance. "Thor?" asks Loki.