When Astrid finally regained consciousness, she attempted to open her eyes. The blinding light made her wince and squeeze them shut for a few moments before trying again. As she slowly started to adjust to the light around her, she was able to glance around and realize that she was inside Stark Tower laying on a table. As her senses came back to her, she attempted to sit up, but winced in pain and reached down to clutch her stomach, which she noticed was wrapped up in a bandage.
"Woah woah, easy! Don't move yet. You're still hurt," a calm voice said as the owner of the voice rushed to her side to help her get into a better sitting position. Astrid looked up to meet icy blue eyes.
Steve.
"Be careful. That was a nasty wound you got there." Anger flashed in his eyes and his jaw clenched, but then he smiled at her reassuringly, and the anger was gone.
He helped her slowly sit up, being careful of the bandage that was wrapped around her stomach. She tried to swing her legs over the side to stand up, but Steve gently pushed her back down. "You're not ready to move yet."
"But the aliens! We have to stop them!" She cried, trying to stand up again, but Steve just held onto her forearms, holding her in place on the table.
"They're gone Astrid. We stopped them." He said with a small smile.
Relief crashed through Astrid and she let out a loud sigh of relief, eyes closing for a moment, and letting her body relax for the first time in a few days. When she looked back up at Steve, she noticed his own wounds. There were cuts and scratches littered across his face.
She touched his cheek gently, running her thumb over a small cut there. He froze and only looked at her. "You're hurt." She whispered softly.
"Not as bad as you were." He said with a gentle smile. "I'm fine."
Astrid glanced down to her torso and examined the bandage that was wrapped around her body. She gingerly touched the area where her wound was and flinched slightly, letting out a soft hiss. The memories of how she received this wound shot before her eyes and she shut her eyes, trying to shake the memories away. She turned to look at Steve again. "How long was I out?"
"About 20 minutes. Natasha found you unconscious on the floor after we stopped them. She called the rest of us here and Stark had some bandages in the tower. Banner had a look at you and he said you were lucky. The weapon somehow missed all vital organs. You'll be okay."
Astrid nodded slowly, processing this new information. "What about Loki?" Astrid asked softly, glancing up at Steve.
The anger returned in Steve's eyes, but replied. "We got him."
Astrid nodded again, but did not say anything. She didn't know what to think about that information. Steve helped her up and off the table slowly, as the others came in the room.
When Thor came in and saw her standing, he ran to her and wrapped her in his large arms, pulling her into the air as he hugged her tightly. She grunted softly as he jostled the wound, but smiled at his affection. "Careful, brother. I'm still injured."
Horror flooded his gaze as he realized what he had done. "Sorry Astrid." He set her back down gingerly, and loosened his grip around her, but he still had her wrapped in his arms. "I thought I lost you," he mumbled quietly into her hair. She heard his voice crack and she felt her heart crack at the thought of scaring him.
"Nah, you can't get rid of me that easily." She said with a smile as she pulled away to look him in the eyes. His eyes revealed how scared he had been, but he gave a short laugh at her remark. He gave her a short kiss on the top of her head before pulling away to allow the others to see her.
Natasha stepped forward and pulled her into her lithe arms. "I'm glad you're alright," she murmured.
"Yeah, me too." Astrid said with a small smile.
Stark came in the room, his armor gone and in a regular shirt and jeans, and patted her on the shoulder. "Glad Loki didn't kill you, princess. Otherwise, we would have to kill him. Not that I would mind."
Astrid flinched at the mention of her brother dying again. "Where is he?" She asked softly, turning to look at Stark. Right on cue, Banner and Clint came in, a handcuffed Loki between them. A sort of muzzle contraction was wrapped around his mouth, preventing him from speaking.
The room went silent as Astrid looked at her brother, but he refused to meet her gaze, instead focusing his gaze onto the floor. Astrid stared at him for a few moments, willing him to meet her gaze, but he refused.
Thor finally broke the tense silence. "It's time we get you back," Thor announced. "Both of you," he finished with a glance towards his brother.
They arrived at a large open park, where Dr. Selvig met them with the Tesseract. Astrid limped out towards the center of the park, Steve lending his arm for support.
Astrid gave Natasha a hug, grateful for having someone that resembled a friend. She then turned to Steve and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him down towards her and hugging him as well. She was grateful for all that he had done for her and knew she was going to miss him.
"You'll come back and visit right?" He asked with a sad smile as he pulled away.
"Of course, I will. I'll miss you."
Steve smiled. "I'll miss you too." Before Steve could step away from her, Astrid stood up and kissed his cheek. He froze, but smiled back at her after a moment, his cheeks tinting pink.
Astrid gave him a final smile before she turned and limped back to Thor and Loki, who were waiting for her. She clutched her stomach, grimacing as the pain started to flare up again. Thor noticed this and said, "Let's get back. We need to get you to the Healing Ward." Astrid nodded slowly and glanced at Loki, but he didn't even look in her direction.
She grabbed the Tesseract next to Thor, and he pushed it out towards Loki. Loki looked down at it, then back at Thor, before thrusting his hand out to grab the other end.
Thor gave a curt nod to the Avengers and Astrid gave them all a smile, before Thor twisted the handle. The Tesseract began to glow a bright blue and Astrid saw Steve and Natasha waving goodbye to her, before the Tesseract brought them back home.
As they reappeared at the gates of Asgard, Astrid stumbled for a moment. Thor grabbed her arm to steady her and she gave him a nod in thanks before turning back to the city. She smiled when she saw home. The golden spires of the palace greeted her and she let out a soft sigh at finally being home. Loki looked towards the city as well, but Astrid couldn't read his expression. Was he glad to be home? Did he not want to be here? Knowing him now, it was probably a mixture of both.
As they started walking through the open gates, guards rushed out to greet them.
"Odin would like to see you." A guard told them after he bowed to the royals. Thor nodded and he helped Astrid towards the Throne Room. The guards offered to take Loki from Thor, but he refused, opting to lead him himself.
When they arrived outside the doors of the Throne Room, two guards pushed the large golden doors open for them and Thor pushed Loki inside ahead of them. Astrid trailed a few steps behind them, still clutching her stomach. With a glance down, she noticed that blood had begun seeping through the bandage. She grunted softly at the sight, but pushed forward behind Thor.
As the three entered the room, Odin stood and Frigga ran towards her children, with tears in her eyes. She reached Thor first and she pulled him down into a hug, which he returned. She pulled away and held his cheek in her palm for a moment, checking him over, before she turned and looked at Loki. He looked back her with a blank expression, no emotion in his eyes. A guard stepped forward and took of the muzzle, allowing him to speak if he wished.
Frigga stood before him for a moment before she suddenly threw her arms around him and hugged him as well, letting out soft cries. Loki stiffened, but didn't move.
"My son. You came home." She whispered softly, petting the back of his hair in a soothing manner as she cried into his shoulder.
Astrid noticed Loki close his eyes for a moment and brush his face against her hair, returning the gesture if only for a moment before he closed up again, pulling away from her grasp.
Frigga finally turned to her daughter and wrapped her arms around her as well. Astrid folded into her mother, allowing herself to collapse against her, letting a few tears slip down her cheek at the feeling of her mother holding her. She felt safe again, wrapped in the arms of her mother. Astrid clung onto Frigga's dress, ignoring the pain she felt. Frigga hugged her tight, and she let out a soft groan as the pain finally seeped into her mind again.
Frigga immediately let go of her and stepped back, examining her daughter for an injury, when her eyes finally fell onto her wrapped stomach.
"Oh Astrid! What happened?" She cried, her hand flying to her mouth, as she examined the wound.
Astrid stayed silent and looked away. She didn't want to say the truth. Loki and Thor stayed silent as well.
Frigga pulled her chin towards her, forcing her to meet her worried gaze. "Astrid, what happened?"
Astrid glanced at Thor for help, and he stepped forward. "Loki summoned an army of aliens to Midgard. Astrid was injured in the battle." He said, meeting her eyes and Astrid gave a single nod.
Frigga let out a soft cry as she took Astrid's face into her hands. "My sweet child. I was always so worried you would get hurt when you asked us to become a warrior. I never wanted you to get hurt," she whispered softly as more tears streamed down her face.
"I did it." A hoarse voice said.
All eyes turned to Loki.
Frigga gasped as she turned to look at her youngest son. "What?"
Loki met her gaze, his eyes hard. "I stabbed Astrid."
Frigga covered her mouth with her hand, letting out a single sob, as Odin stepped forward and addressed the guards. "Take Loki to the Prison Chamber."
"What?" Frigga turned on her husband as Astrid gaped at him.
"Look what he did to Astrid! He can't be trusted!" Odin shouted. Frigga was silent, but tears seeped from her eyes as she watched the guards take Loki away.
"No, father wait!" Astrid cried out. She stepped forward towards the direction that Loki had gone, but the pain overwhelmed her and she stumbled down to one knee. Frigga was by her side in an instant.
"Mother, it's not what you think. Loki didn't-he didn't-," she was unable to finish her sentence as tears threatened her vision and the pain that was coursing through her body made her weak and her vision spotty.
"Hush, my child. You'll be okay," Frigga soothed as Odin turned to more soldiers. "Take her to the Healing Chambers immediately."
Two guards came over to her and Frigga moved out of the way as they stood on either side of her and wrapped their arms around her, bringing her to her feet.
"Thor, you will stay and tell me what happened on Midgard," Odin's vice echoed through the room as Astrid was led out. Frigga followed the guards to the healing rooms and as soon as the guards helped her down onto one of the beds, she passed out from the strain and blood loss. The last thing she saw was her mother staring worriedly down at her as some of the healers started bustling around her.