Chapter 18 – Breakthrough

Loki knows he shouldn't be, but part of him is enjoying this fight. It's been a long time since he had a fight with someone where they danced; and this fight is not just physical, he's also having to focus on pushing past the barrier that has been erected in Bucky's mind, blocking their link.

Now that they are face to face, he thinks he may be able to break through. If he can, he'll be able to return Bucky's mind to him.

'You know me, Winter Warrior.'

'I know you are my opponent,' he replies.

'But there is more than that. Look to your mind.'

'There is nothing except my mission.'

-Listen to me, Winter Warrior- he shouts through the link. Bucky's punch goes wide and he blinks in surprise.

'What did you do?' he growls at him, righting himself and stabbing upwards with a knife.

-I did nothing except speak. I know you can hear me-

'Stop it!' Bucky yells, lashing out with a leg and sending Loki staggering backwards.

-I will not until you return to me-

'Who are you?' Bucky demands.

Loki brings his own knife up to block Bucky's, grabbing hold of the other wrist to hold him at bay. 'I am Loki, son of Odin,' he responds, 'I am King of Jotunheim, and a prince of Asgard. You know me, for you have seen into my mind.'

'No,' though his voice is not as sure any more.

-Come with me, Winter Warrior- he tugs at the link, and feels Bucky's muscles twitch underneath his hands as he shakes his head. He pulls Bucky into memories from the facility, times spent working together, training together, and memories of the team laughing together.

'Stop,' his voice is cracking, not as strong as it was before.

-This is who you are-

'No. I'm the Asset,' he argues, then breaks away by headbutting Loki. The trickster curses and staggers back.

I was so close, he curses.

'Stop with your tricks,' Bucky growls, stalking towards him, 'I belong to HYDRA.'

Those words cause fury to course through Loki. 'No, you don't,' he spits back. 'You belong to no-one but yourself.'

'I am the Winter Soldier.'

'You are no soldier,' he counters, dodging under a punch. 'A soldier goes where he is told and does what he is told and does not question,' he echoes the words from one of their first friendly interactions, 'he is a cog in a larger machine and is useful only in the number of him there are. You are no solider,' he kicks Bucky's knee, sending him to a kneeling position, 'you are a warrior.'

'I am the Winter Soldier.'

'You are the one who made me believe I was more than a monster,' he holds a knife to Bucky's throat, pinning him in place against him. 'I will not let you fall into the darkness you saved me from.'

Bucky doesn't seem to be able to find words, and Loki can feel the mental link opening a little more. Taking a risk Loki lets his barrier fall and floods Bucky with his emotions, letting him see everything he'd ever concealed from him before.

-You are not a cog in a machine- he repeats, -you are not a tool to be used. You are fierce and powerful, you are caring and protective. You are amusing, you are considerate, and you are infinitely more loving than you would let people believe.-

-Loki?- the voice sounds weak, but it sounds much sweeter than the flat tone it had been before.

-Welcome back, my love.-


'Wanda, darling, I'm a little offended,' Agatha taunts her with a smile. 'I give you the nudge you need to discover your full potential and this is how you repay me?'

'You gave me a nudge so you could find a way to control me,' Wanda snarls.

'How nice of you to bring a friend,' she continues, gesturing to Strange. 'Or is he a sacrificial offering to get back on my good side? I mean he's powerful enough for me to forgive you. For now.'

'No,' Wanda narrows her eyes, 'we're here to make sure you can't take power from anyone ever again.'

'Nice try, Wanda,' Agatha cackles, 'but unfortunately you seem to have forgotten one very important thing.' Her smile turns dark. 'I take power from the undeserving remember? Kind of my thing.'

'You may have had success in the past,' Strange tells her, 'but it ends with us.'

'Hang on,' Agatha's smile grows, 'I've just realised who you are, handsome. You're Doctor Strange. My, my Wanda you really are spoiling me, aren't you?'

'You know me?' Strange frowns. 'I don't recall ever having made your acquaintance in the past.'

'Seriously? Tony's right you really did walk out of a Dickens novel,' Wanda mutters.

'I don't need to have met you to know who you are. I've taken power from people that know what you will become.'

'Don't ask,' Wanda suggests, 'she loves to hear herself talk.'

'You'll become the most powerful Sorcerer Supreme,' Agatha continues regardless. 'If you live long enough of course. And considering I'm not letting you leave here with your power, that might not be as long as you intended.'

Wanda is tired of listening to the woman's chattering and sends a ball of energy at her. Agatha simply absorbs it.

'Come now, toots,' she laughs, 'you should know by now that's not going to work.'

Strange tries to contain one of her arms with a glowing rope, but Wanda can see the power Agatha is sucking from him through the restraint and he releases the spell with a grunt of frustration. 'We're going to have to be smart rather than powerful,' he says to her.

'Wow you really do have some strong stuff going on there don't you?' Agatha laughs. 'You know, I'm tempted to try and keep you for myself rather than drain you completely. I'm sure I could convince you to come on a few candlelit dinners. What do you say?'

'I'd rather go on a date with Loki,' Strange deadpans and Wanda has to bite back on her laugh.

'I've got an idea,' she says, and sends a small ball with images into his mind. She sees him processing the plan and then he nods.

'Alright, we'll try. You think you can manage it?'

'If not, we'll soon find out,' she replies, and launches some more energy at Agatha. Two hit her and one hits the wall behind her.

'Not quite good enough, Wanda,' Agatha cackles.

Wanda and Strange levitate into the air together, Agatha rising to follow them, the dark light of her magic dancing around her finger tips.

'Taking to the skies are we, hon? It's not going to help, you're just postponing the inevitable,' she mock-sighs.

Wanda looks to Strange and he gives her an encouraging nod. One down, she thinks, three more to go. She just hopes Strange can remember what she needs and keep it at the front of his mind long enough. After this she is never complaining about a study session ever again.


'What have we got?' Tony asks, retracting his helmet and coming to stand next to Natasha who is already furiously typing away, two bodies at her feet. 'You know, it's kind of scary how little having people lying dead at your feet as you work distracts you.'

'They're not dead,' she rolls her eyes. 'Well one of them isn't. Just starting your program up now; soon we'll have all of the dirty little secrets they're hiding here.'

'Need any help or shall I just stand sentry?'

She turns to him with an eyebrow raised. 'Are you actually going to stand back and let me handle the technology?'

'I'm feeling magnanimous,' he shrugs. 'How long do you need?'

'Five minutes apparently,' she raises an eyebrow. 'Either there's a lot of stuff here or your program is getting slow.'

'Try putting the second stick in then,' he sighs.

She does as he suggests. 'Two minutes. I think we've hit the jackpot.'

'Thank god for some good news,' Rhodes says as they relay it over the comms. 'There don't seem to be too many soldiers here to deal with. But I can't see Wanda, Strange or Wade.'

'What about Bucky and Loki?' Tony asks.

'Loki got through to him, he's taken him back to the jet. I think Bucky's asking to be knocked out and restrained to be safe,' the other man responds.

'Looks like our luck is changing,' Natasha smiles.

'Don't speak too soon,' Tony warns her.


A/N: Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed this week's chapter. My mind is still brain matter on the ceiling after the final Loki episode if I'm honest. Though I'm having a couple of ideas on how I could possibly have a few appearances from some of the characters in this series. If there's any favourites you have do let me know! I've got a basic outline for where the series will go and end, but not too much planned out that I can't make alterations.

Please do let me know what you think of this chapter and where the story is going. Be interesting to have your input, as I've said before this whole instalment came out of one person's comment on wanting to see Bucky and Peter fight each other.

Love always,

L x

As always here's your sneak peek:

'Oh, but Wade,' Francis reappears further ahead, 'I think you'll have so much more fun fighting someone you love rather than hate.'

'What the fuck you talking about, Francis?'

Someone lands between us, crouching down as they land, one arm extended behind them. Superhero landing!

'Someone you know, Wade,' Francis crows again as the figure looks up at me.

My heart stops. Pretty sure I actually fucking die for a minute there. It can't be.

'Baby Boy?'

The Spider-Man mask is on again and he leaps towards me.