Loki's cell door had been triggered open, and all everyone could do was stare in surprise at Stark's actions.
"NOW LOKI!" Christie yelped in her head. Within seconds, she heard that awful white noise that she experienced when she last tried to connect with him, and it was extremely painful. Loki's body visibly began to change, shivering and shaking away violently. Eventually the rounded glass door slid open and Christie rushed in before it could shut again, whilst Loki's eyes went the emerald green they had once been and he breathed out slowly.
It certainly felt good to be back.
Christie ran straight into his arms without hesitation and they closed over her tightly as if he couldn't bear to let go.
"Oh…my beautiful, darling queen," he murmured longingly into her ear. Christie hugged him just as tightly as he was hugging her, unable to produce the words to describe her joy. They eventually broke apart and Loki softly rested his cold hands on her tear stained cheeks, the feeling of her damp skin under his touch breaking his heart even more. Any of her tears that he managed to stroke away with his thumbs were just replaced with fresh ones a split second later. He briefly ran his tongue over his bottom lip before leaning in and meeting Christie's soft lips with his own, for the first time in what felt like forever. The kiss was so longing and so full of passion, that despite how irritated Coulson was, he had to no choice but to smile. Jennie, Delilah and Renesme all glanced at each other with matching tearful eyes from where they were still watching with Steve and Natasha.
"I…I love you deeply, Annerledes, but you must listen to me," Loki muttered, pressing his clammy forehead against hers once they finally broke apart again.
"W-what?" Christie sniffed as she placed her hands on top of his. Her silvery eyes were concerned and his now tearful eyes were distraught.
"You must kill me. You must, or else this…this thing will manifest into something worse and presumably unstoppable," Loki choked out, his own warm tears running down his cheeks and onto his clothes. Renesme blinked and pressed her fingertips together as she heard him talk. Something felt…odd to her. But she didn't know what.
"Kill you? Not a chance! I won't," Christie shook her head in shameless defiance. "Are you aware of what you're asking of me? You want me to just go ahead and put an end to the life I was so desperate to save-"
"I'll ruin this world piece by piece like this and you know I will. More people will die, people from your land. Feelings aside now, you must do the responsible thing and put a stop to it whilst you're still ahead. This is your home. Defend it," Loki stressed with desperation clinging onto every word. Coulson and Tony locked eyes with each other briefly, both of them having heard the warnings.
"I'll…have to find another way to get this thing out of you! I point blank refuse to kill you. And you cannot change my mind on this Loki - so please stop trying," Christie told him firmly as she nestled her face in Loki's shoulder. He clasped his slender hands around her and stroked her hair, whilst pressing gentle loving kisses to her forehead. This was how he used to comfort her - back when life made sense.
"I'm sorry Annerledes, but this…thing is coming back," Loki suddenly muttered into her ear as he rapidly felt himself begin to lose control of his body.
"CHRISTIE YOU GOTTA GET OUTTA THERE NOW!" Coulson shouted, also noticing that something was changing within him. All it would take is one swift movement from Loki to kill her then and there. Tony slammed his hand down the red button again without hesitation.
"Will…will you stay in my head?" Christie rushed out quickly, heart racing.
"Of course I will. There's no budging," Loki promised earnestly. He eventually managed to release the grip he had on her before he completely lost control. "I love you and I always will. So much. It's important you remember that, Annerledes."
"I…l-l-love you too Loki," Christie sobbed helplessly, just as Tony skidded into the cell and dragged her limp body out of there before the glass door slid shut again - and 'Loki' came straight back not a moment later.
"I'm still here," floated Loki's gentle voice in Christie's head.
"I know," Christie responded, as she sobbed her heart away in Tony's strong arms.
"Hey, you're okay, Whitey," Tony whispered into her ear as comfortingly as he could.
"T-Tony, I have to kill him, why? My job SUCKS," Christie sniffed into the cotton of his black long sleeved top. "Why do I have to do the hardest sh*t?" Tony grimaced and shook his head.
"Cos you picked assassination instead of the comms lines on S.H.I.E.L.D. careers day, of course. But…everything will be okay…eventually," he consoled her firmly, whilst carefully prising her off of him. "C'mon, Snotty. Let's get you back to your bunker so you can chill out…and so that I can change my top. I liked this top, by the way - now it needs a wash." Christie managed to give him a watery smile as she attempted to scrub the tears from her face, just as Coulson approached them both.
"Don't worry, Mr. Stark, I'll take it from here," he muttered, still a little miffed with him.
"Hey, don't sweat it," Tony slammed a comforting hand on his left shoulder before kissing the top of Christie's head one last time, and walking back down the corridor to Banner's workroom. Christie wiped her eyes again as Coulson began steering her towards her bunker by her shoulders.
"You did well, Chris," he told her with genuine pride.
"Doesn't feel like it," Christie muttered back shakily. Jennie, Renesme and Delilah had arrived at the bunker all of thirty seconds before them - and as soon as they noticed a teary eyed Christie stumble in through the doorway, they all rushed to smother her at the same time.
"My darling!"
"Christie, there's another way-"
"What does he look like now?"
"I don't fully trust-"
"Has he been completely dominated?"
"Are you hurt?!"
"Christie, he's lying about-"
"Girls!" Coulson shouted out to them. They immediately fell silent and looked at him expectantly. "You're not helping." But Christie smiled slightly and opened her arms wide, so that all her friends rushed into them for one big giant hug, just as they used to back in Asgard. Even Jennie. "Okay then…! I'll leave you guys to it," Coulson whispered before slipping out of the room and shutting the door behind him.
Christie took a deep breath as she prepared to launch into it.
"Apparently he's pretty much got no control over his body and he has no idea what…or who…is taking over him. He said all this thing is acting on are thoughts that belong to him - and that he never thought he could execute them like this," she recalled everything as the girls slowly let go of her. Renesme squinted at her words and kept silence. "I remembered your words, Ren. I reconnected with him…I'm just thankful to have had that opportunity again…but then he told me what I would have to do to him, and that just ruined the entire experience if I'm honest with you."
"You mean what he said about you killing him?" Jennie clarified, nibbling her bottom lip. "I was flabbergasted! Surely there are other ways-"
"Oh I'm sorry - you're finally over your tantrums now, are you?" Christie raised a brow in Jennie's direction, gaining a small apologetic smile back.
"No, but Jen's right…for once…there is another way," Renesme suddenly frowned. The other three turned to look at her at such speed that their necks clicked in the process.
"Which is…?" Christie encouraged her gently.
"Basic possession or 'using of the body' usually holds that of a rather easy remedial solution," Renesme began to explain as she took a seat on the bed closest. "It's...simple in execution but dangerous in possibility."
"Meaning...?" Delilah frowned.
"Honestly! Just get to the point, Ren!" Jennie prompted her impatiently.
"I'm aware that not all of you have been extensively trained in Asgardian healing and sorcery so I'm trying to explain it the best I can!" Renesme explained with her hands raised in defence. She tapped her knees in thought before her eyes lit up. "Ah! Right, think of the spirit possessing ones self as a gas. When it enters a host, it curls into a solid ball and hides within the body, all tucked away where it'll manifest. When it's released, it'll turn into a wispy gas and implode again."
"Like an exorcism-" Christie began quietly.
"Yes! However we don't do those in Asgard through chants and whatnot - you have to physically release it. Using a dagger and…preferably by the hands of a loved one. You plunge it in and he dies but…not…dies," Renesme winced. Christie let out a little laugh and rolled her eyes.
Of course - the most fairytale like response for the most ridiculous situation.
"A loved one? So…Christie or Thor," Delilah clarified with a look of disbelief in her eyes.
"Correct," Renesme confirmed with a sigh. "Although I still don't understand why he'd insist that you kill him. It's an odd solution, and the worst possible one. Frigga taught me all of this and she'd have taught him too, so he knows full well how to be rid of a spirit."
"Unless he wanted to die," Christie muttered coldly, leading the girls' eyes to widened in surprise. "You all looked shocked but think about it? He goes back to Asgard, he's getting locked up by his dad. He stays here, he could die. Not much else to live for, is there?"
"You?" Jennie stressed in exasperation. "Or are we giving him a pass he's 'broken'?"
"Why don't we ask him ourselves?" Renesme decided brightly as she leapt to her feet. "Christie, now that you've reconnected, we can drain his voice from your head and project it out loud. If you allow us to, of course."
"You can do that?" Christie blinked, as Jennie rolled her eyes and kept quiet.
"Yes. Just conjure him in your mind and I'll do the rest," Renesme nodded eagerly.
"But how do I do that? He's always just kinda….been there," Christie frowned in confusion.
"Yes but you still need to get his attention. Just because you can access him that way, doesn't mean that door stays open. Call out for him!" Renesme insisted persistently. Christie sighed slowly and sat herself down on the sofa cross legged, shakily placing her head in her hands.
She felt stupid for having to do this in front of the girls. It was usually quite private.
"Loki…? A-are you there?"
"Yes, my love," Loki replied in her head almost immediately.
"Holy sh*t! He's here, guys," Christie gasped to the girls, her dull steely eyes practically lighting up at the sound of his voice.
"Joy," Jennie grunted under her breath as Delilah whacked her shoulder.
"Right. Do hold still for me, Christie," Renesme murmured as she crouched down in front of her and placed her warm hands on either side of Christie's cool head. She slowly pulled their hands away, barely breathing as she did so. It was a ghastly feeling for Christie though - she felt like someone was tugging repeatedly at her skin, relentlessly, shamelessly. Then, within the next few seconds, she felt a sharp twang as if her skin was an elastic band, before she felt back to normal again.
The atmosphere in the room had suddenly become cold and rather spacey, as if everything was nothing more than a dream.
"Loki?" Delilah called out boldly.
"I'm here," Loki said, his cool voice echoing against the walls. It was like Loki was standing there with them - he sounded so close.
"Loki," Jennie breathed out, trying to keep calm by closing her eyes. "You're an idiot. Scaring us all half to death in Asgard, acting out over and over again. What is wrong with you?!"
"Awfully sorry about that," Loki muttered sarcastically..
"Hello Loki, Delilah here - Renesme has discovered a solution to be rid of this thing, but it does resemble slaughtering you like a sacrificial lamb," Delilah informed him, getting straight to the point.
"Sounds fun," Loki's voice drawled. "That solution being…?" Renesme cleared her throat and amplified her voice
"Christie can kill you but you won't be dead. You'll be fine after the thing has left your body. And even if you're not…I'm sure you will be once we get the more experienced healers to work on you back in Asgard, so don't worry-"
"I was never worried," Loki interrupted her toughly. "I'm just slightly concerned about what this beast is planning to do next."
"And, more importantly, where did it come from?" Christie added in.
"Well that's rather simple," Delilah muttered as if it were just that obvious. "We were warned about the beings of darkness when training. I think this work can only be of The Other."
"Who?" Christie groaned, placing a hand on her forehead. "God. I can't keep up!"
"Loki were you aware of this…Other?" Jennie asked.
"Only via whispers through childhood," Loki answered slowly. "Delilah is correct, though. This kind of high sorcery sounds like his work."
"Hello? Can someone explain to the human who this new mystical dude is, please?" Christie waved the attention back to herself again, causing them all to look back over at her.
"And the Midgardian turned Asgardian who also wasn't told?" Jennie added in irritably.
"The Other and his army, the Chitauri, all answer to Thanos, who is the ultimate of the ultimates. If there's anyone we should fear - it's most definitely him. But The Other is a sorcerer - he must've implemented something within Loki to get him to act up at some point. This is all theory, of course," Delilah explained to her as calmly as possible whilst Renesme winced uncomfortably beside her. Christie registered the name in her head and made a mental note to inform Fury and Coulson of it when she next ran into them.
That was key information, she was sure of it.
Well, as we know - she was right to be sure of it.
"Renesme? Do you know anything about these people?" Jennie quizzed her friend, trying to hide how amazed she was that her usually quiet friends were so full of knowledge.
"Yes. But Loki said, only whispers. Frigga didn't like disclosing the dark world to us. As for Thanos? Nobody dares speak his name up there. He's ruthless, The Other is just one of his many little minions. Thanos has the mind but The Other has the magic," Renesme spoke quietly with her eyes still squinted in thought.
"But if this… Thanos guy is so powerful, why hasn't he done all of this himself?" Jennie blinked innocently. "Why hire The Other to then hire Loki?"
"Well, you don't get a dog and bark yourself," Christie muttered knowingly. Loki let out a little chuckle then, having heard her use that phrase a handful of times himself before.
"Well, that - and nobody knows what Thanos' end game is. Nobody's ever gotten that close to him and lived to tell the tale. Whatever his goals are, they have been well hidden ever since I was a child - a few hundred years ago now," Renesme chewed the bottom of her lip anxiously. "I still don't even know why they chose Loki as a host, though. Any ideas, Loki?"
"If I knew that, I'd be way ahead of you," Loki muttered bitterly.
"Guys, I'm sorry but the whole fairytale magic stabbing thing doesn't sound legit at all-" Christie groaned, throwing her head back.
"Loki, do you love Chris- or, Annerledes? It's imperative that you do for this to work," Delilah turned her attention to Loki instead, over Christie's words of pessimism. Christie rolled her eyes as a response - she just did not believe for the life of her that this was going to work. It literally sounded like all the books the kids used to read in her class, the ones that all the young girls fawned over but she that she had always found utterly demeaning.
"Delilah, of course I do. Who else is there? Who else could it possibly be?" Loki scoffed, sounding slightly hurt.
"Sif?" Jennie raised a cocky eyebrow.
"Oh please," Loki drawled back. "This is becoming pathetic."
"Not the time, Loki," Christie murmured out warningly as she heard his tone become a little pitchy.
"Oh for the last time, and I do mean the last time - Sif and I are no more. Now can we just move on?!" Loki barked suddenly. The entire room fell quiet. Christie glanced at Jennie who pursed her lips together and blinked over at Delilah, who turned her head to looked over at Renesme.
"We…will think of a solid plan and get back to you. Will that do?" Delilah compromised firmly as she cut through the silence.
"Fine," Loki muttered out, before his presence lifted and the atmosphere of the room changed again.
The girls were left staring at each other in a stunned silence.
"Did anyone else hear the way that he just snapped at us?" Delilah frowned, settling herself down next to the stunned Christie and leaning her head on her shoulder.
"Something's not right I don't like it," Jennie rapidly nibbled her top lip like a little bunny rabbit. "This is how he behaved in Asgard before this thing took total control over him. Snappy and unpredictable."
"I don't trust him," Renesme murmured out, much to Christie's horror. "I truly believe he knows who Thanos and The Other are. The reason why they chose him as a host was because their desires aligned." She looked over at the pale faced Christie and shook her head. "I don't even think that's the same Loki you know."
"But…that's the whole point of mind control, right? It has to be lifted eventually," Christie rambled in confusion as she quickly drew her knees to her chest again.
"Not if Loki's totally giving into temptation," Delilah sighed reluctantly. "He's been left with the idea for too long. He's starting to see light in all this darkness. He's starting to see how much power he can have. We should've seen it coming from when he admitted that the thoughts had origin. That was a red flag."
"That's why the whole…temporary control thing didn't sit right with me. I don't believe it's temporary at all. I think he's sitting back and allowing it to happen. In Asgard he was scared because the control was slipping - but now…this feels disingenuous," Renesme continued to mutter as she paced the room.
"Loki? Disingenuous? Never!" Jennie gasped sarcastically.
"That's why he's so torn," Christie gulped to moisten her mouth. "He wants to be the face of the destruction and domination, but he can't carry it out himself. He's still got some good in him. The thing within him is giving him the confidence boost. It's like…steroids." Jennie let out a little tinkering laugh of disbelief whilst Renesme and Delilah turned to Christie with confusion in their eyes,
"….It's like what?" they both frowned, totally lost.
...
A/N: I'm so sorry this chapter is so long! idk how I got here, honestly?