Hi, it's me, ofc it is, who else would it be. Anyway I am sorry for everyone that like Fandral, and it's not like I hate him, I just don't favoure him either, so he just happened to be the one that got thrown under the bus. But trust me, he will not be the only one!
Anyway, I promise that you got to met Bruce in the next chapter, yeay :)
So I hope you will enjoy the chapter :)
"She is crazy!" Fandral said to the others as he entered the room. Thor, Sif and the other two warriors, Hogun and Volstagg looked at the blond man.
"Who?" Sif asked as she went back to sharpen her sword.
"Cara," Fandral answered in an angry voice.
"The woman who is Loki's friend?" Volstagg said with food in his mouth.
"Do you know anyone else with that name?" Fandral almost shouted and sat down in a chair.
"I found her delightful," Thor smiled at them. "Do you know what she made Loki do yesterday? She made him play hide and seek, my brother playing!"
Thor was happy for his little brother, he had found a friend, and something more, that could make him smile and be happy in a way Thor hadn't seen him do in years.
"Loki?" Sif sounded skeptical.
"Yes! I think she is the best thing that ever had happened to him," Thor stated.
"I do not!" Fandral muttering.
"How come? Mad because she got him and not you?" Volstagg teased. "The day when you couldn't get someone into your bed was bound to happen."
Fandral gave his friend and look that said that he didn't found this funny at all.
"Oh, don't give me that look," Volstagg said.
"Fandral, as much as I had hope that you and my brother would end up together, since you are my friend, it didn't happen. Loki made his choice, and we have to accept that," Thor said.
"How can I? She is a normal human. She is not worthy him!" Fandral said.
"I think that's for my brother to decide," Thor told him.
"Why? She is crazy, and dangerous! You said she threatened you with a knife Thor, who knows what she will do to Loki," Fandral said.
"I frightened her, I have no one by myself to blame for that. And I know that she won't hurt Loki, just like I know that none of you will ever hurt me," Thor smiled at his friends who nodded.
"How can you be so sure?" Fandral said and Thor thought about it.
"I trust my brother," he finally said.
"His judgment is compromised by her!"
"What did she do to make you this upset? You have been upset by Loki's partners before, but never like this," Sif wondered.
"She threatened to castrate me if I ever got near Loki in any way he didn't want and if I ever touched him in a way he didn't want, according to her," Fandral said. "Loki is one of my friends, I am bound to get near him, and even touch him. She just looking for an excuse to get me out of the way so she can have Loki for herself!"
"Friend, if you ever did something to Loki that he didn't want, she would have to wait until I am done with him. But you are my friend and I know that you would never do that to my brother," Thor laughed and dunked him in the back. Fandral smiled at his friend.
"I would never dream of it. I am just looking out for Loki, and I can hope that he sees what kind of crazy woman Cara is," Fandral said.
Thor remembered there talk from a few years ago. He had always known that Fandral was interested in Loki, and he had thought the idea of the together as lovely, one of his best friends with his brother. He had even encouraged Fandral to flirt with Loki. Yet his brother had never seemed interested, but Thor had just guessed it was because he was uninterested in that kind of relationship ever again, until Cara had come along.
When she did Thor had been delighted and happy for his brother, and he had thought that Fandral would give up, moving on to his next target. Fandral had after all lured a lot of different people to his bed over the years, even when he had his crush on Loki. But it seemed like Fandral hadn't given up after Cara got into the picture, and Thor could now see why she had threatened him, seeing something Thor hadn't seen. But he had blindly trusted his friend.
Thor almost broke the door when he entered the room Fandral was in. The blond man sat almost naked, trying to cover himself with a towel, and bloody at the chair.
"Thor, old friend. Am I glad to see you; I need your help!" Fandral stated with a smile when Thor punched him right in the face. Fandral felled backwards, bringing the chair with him. Thor had felt Fandral's nose break at impact, the blood started flow, but Thor wasn't concerned about it as he walked towards Fandral in anger. He lifted him up and started to hit him again and again in the face. He just saw red, just thinking of what Fandral could have done to his brother, knowing that one of his friend was one of the men that had hurt Loki that bad.
"Thor!" Steve's shouted when they caught up with him. The other saw the God standing over the other man hitting him furiously. Thor didn't even react to the others words.
"Stop!" Natasha said, but it had no effect whatsoever.
"We need to separate them," Clint stated and Steve nodded, running towards the God, tackling him from the side. The force made Thor let go of Fandral and the others pulled Thor away to look at the injured man.
Steve fought to keep Thor down.
"Little help," he shouted and Natasha ran over to him.
"Thor," she tried, the God snarled at them.
"Stop," Steve looked him in the eyes. "I know how you feel, but killing him isn't the solution!"
"He touched my brother," Thor screamed and almost broke free.
"Jarvis, contact Cara. Fast before Thor kills us all," Clint said.
"Of Course Mr. Barton!" Jarvis answered.
"Lady Cara?" Jarvis said in a low voice and she looked up and nodded. "Thor founded out. The other has asked for your present."
Cara cursed in her head, it was just a matter of time before Thor should find out. She knew that if she didn't stop him, he would kill Fandral, and she needed him to alive, she needed answer. But if she went there she she would need to leave Loki, which she didn't wished to do. She looked at the other man's back and slowly stood up.
"Loki?" She said in a low voice, not to frighten him, but loud enough for him to hear. She knew that he wasn't sleeping, she had watched him carefully to see how he was doing.
"The others need me to stop Thor so he doesn't kill Fandral," she started as she walked over to him. "But that means I would need to leave you."
She needed to ask him what he wanted to do. If he didn't want her to leave, she would stay, and if that resulted in Fandral, dying she wouldn't think twice about it.
"I will only leave if you feel safe enough to be on your own?" He shook his head and she nodded. "I understand why. The other thing we can do is go there together, but that means that you will most likely see Fandral."
Loki gave her a scared look.
"I know, I know," her voice was calm and understanding. "You can be invisible the whole time. But if you really don't want to go, or for me not to leave I will stay here and if Thor kills Fandral, so be it."
She could see Loki thinking over the options she had given him and she made no rush to hurry him. This was a hard decision to make. To see the one, or in this case one of many, who hurt you was never easy. And she would fully understand if Loki wasn't ready for that. However, after a few moments Loki stood up and she smiled.
"I will be there the whole time, and if you want to leave, we leave," she said as they left the room. "Jarvis tell them we are on our way."
When they got near the room she could hear that the situation wasn't going well. She heard how they were struggling with Thor and to keep Fandral safe. And when they got closer she could feel that Loki stepped closer to her and she smiled towards him.
"Clint watch out," Natasha shouted and Cara saw how Clint went flying through the air and hit the wall. She heard something break and she looked at Thor who had thrown himself over Fandral. The whole situation was chaotic. Steve had a black eye, Tony was bleeding from his head. Natasha seemed to be the only one without any injury, and Fandral's face was messed up from Thor's hands, which was also bleeding.
Cara sprang into action at ones, the green magic left her hands and strike Thor in the chest, sending him flying and landing at the far end of the room, unconscious. After that she glanced at Fandral, and sighed, she would prefer not to use magic on him, leaving him in pain, but then he would die. She kneeled beside him and a put her hands a few centimeter over his face. The pink magic left her hands, and it started to heal his wounds. When she is sure that he is going to survive she left the other injuries.
Cara turned to Loki to see if he was okay as he stood in the doorway, staring at Fandral with fear.
"He can't hurt you," she ensured him and he turned towards her, but she could see that he didn't believed her. "Do you want to leave?"
She expected him to want to, but he shook his head and she nodded again.
"Tell me when you want to," she answered before she walking over to Clint and she sat next to him. "Hey."
Clint just looked at her, and she could see that he was in pain, and when observed the broken wrist, the bones was poking out.
"I can heal that for you," she offered and he gave her a look that she couldn't read. "I won't if you aren't comfortable with it."
"Do it," he said after another wave of pain hit him. Ones again the pink magic left her hands and started to heal the wound. She was working as carefully as possible not to cause any unnecessary pain. When she is done she felt exhausted, but she smiled at Clint.
"That should do it," he looked at his wrist and tried to move it, and when no pain followed he gave her a small smile.
"Thank you," he said and she just shrugged her shoulders.
"Nothing to thank me for. It's my fault that it happened in the first time. I should have known that Thor would figure it out," she said and looked at the God.
"Can you fix me?" Tony said and she raised an eyebrow before she flipped her hand and a bandage appeared and she patched him up.
"There done," she said.
"Unfair, you healed him," Tony complained.
"He had an broken wrist, you barely have a scratch," she tells him and Clint started to teas Tony and she just shook her head before she turned towards Loki, who still was staring at Fandral, who now was starting to come around and soon stood up.
"Hi love," he said to Loki who stiffed up. "Come here."
Cara knew how this worked all too well, even if you was terrified, you did as you was told, scared for what would happen otherwise. The first times you had fought it, but that had just made it worst, when they broke you, you just did as they said even if you didn't want to. And just like she thought Loki started to walk towards Fandral. Cara didn't even think before she stepped between them, stopping Loki without touching him. She gave him a smile.
"Let's go Loki," she said and he looked at her, unsure what to do.
"Don't listen to her! You know what will happen if you don't do as I say!" Fandral growled and she could tell that Loki was starting to have a panic attack.
"Loki," she said calmly. "Loki, look at me. I am here, nothing is going to happen, everything is going to be alright."
She knew that this would be a hard fight, Fandral had so much power over Loki, and she had none. She could only give him hope and that wasn't always enough, she knew because she had refused to believe in the hope the first times. It had been a struggle for the people who saved her.
"Loki I am going to take care of you like I always do," Fandral said with a smile and Loki took another step but she refused to move. She could tell that the other was watching them, but thankfully they stayed out of it.
"I know that you are afraid of what he will do to you if you go to him, but you are more afraid of what he will do, if you don't go to him," Cara said and Loki slowly nodded. "But I do promise that none of those things will happen if you stay away from him."
"Shut up witch," Fandral spitted in her face.
"You have such a way with words," Cara answered him when she saw how Loki for a second or two got angry at what Fandral just had done. To see that made her smile widely at him. But she didn't say anything, sure that Loki hadn't noticed, because as fast it had happened it was gone. But for her it proved that the Loki she ones had known was in there.
"Loki get over here, NOW!" Fandral finally screamed which made Loki jump and curl up on the floor. When Loki took his eye from Fandral, she turned around and punched him in the face which made him fall backwards and faint ones more.
"Great," she said and shook hear hand in pain, but then she ignored that and turned back to Loki who cried and clenched his fists, she could see the blood start sipping between his fingers.
"Loki," she said but he didn't react at all, and she understood that he was in a place faraway in his thoughts. Instead of speaking louder to him she started to sing a song from her childhood, a song she often had song when they had been together, hoping that it would calm him.
Cara looked at Loki where he now laid on the floor, passed out. His energy had run out and she was relieved. She didn't know how many times she had sung the song before he had calmed down and finally collapsed.
The others still hadn't moved, they had all sat there as hypnotized over the situation.
"That was…" Tony started but didn't know how to continue. Cara looked at them.
"Didn't mean to drag you into this. I apologise for you not be able to leave," she said sincere and leaned against the wall.
"Are you alright?" Steve asked.
"Nothing to worry about," she smiled at him but he gave her an concern stare. "Just low on energy, it will get better."
"Low on energy? What are you a battery?" Tony said and laughed and she rolled her eyes.
"Yes I am a battery, a talking battery," she sarcastically answered. "I will soon regain my energy and I will feel better."
"And then what?" Natasha asked and looked at the three men on the floor.
"Then what?" Cara said and laughed, "I guess I take Loki back to his room somehow, I lock up Fandral and have a talk with Thor later."
"How is you going to take Loki back to his room, you can't even stand up on your own!" Clint asked.
"I said soon," Cara said and laughed again. "So all you heroes can move one and do what you normally do on a Friday night."
The Avengers all looked at each other and nodded.
"Let us help you, at least to get Loki back upstairs," Natasha said and at that moment she become very unsure. She didn't trust them with that, she cursed herself for becoming so week, if they did something now she should barely if even be able to protect Loki from them.
"Easy, we won't hurt him," Steve assured as she moved closer to him. "Promise."
"That would be more assuring if you didn't hate him," she said and stood up on unsteady legs and she lost her balance when Clint caught her.
"Can't say that, that have changed, but right now we can all see that he is the victim here. No matter what he has done, someone messed him up, badly," Tony said and the other nodded.
"And you will never be able to get him upstairs," Clint says and she slowly nodded, knowing that they were right, but she still didn't like it.
"Okay, right, so how do you want to do this?" Steve ask, she isn't really sure.
"Can any of you carry Thor upstairs too?" She asked and the Captain nodded.
"I should be able to manage," he said and went over to the big guy and heaved him up on his back.
"And Fandral, he needs to be locked up," she said.
"I take care of it," Natasha said and Cara then looked at Loki, she knew that one of them had to carry him, and she wasn't too happy about it.
"I will take him," Tony stated and waited for her to say something.
"…" she started. "Just be careful."
"I will carry him as one of the lovely girls I have held in my arms," Tony said.
"Be glad that he isn't awake and hear that," she commented and tries to take a step but almost falls down.
"Guess I give the healed wrist a try," Clint said and lifted her up in his arms.
"Sorry," she said and he didn't answer.
"Here is some food" Tony said when he returned from the kitchen. Cara took the plate but she had a hard time eating and went for the cup of tea Natasha had brought her.
"Thor is still sleeping," Steve said when he returned from his room.
"And he will until I let go of the spell. But right now I can't deal with him," she admitted. "His reaction is perfectly normal and I do understand him, but I do need Fandral alive."
"Didn't look like it," Clint said and she smiled.
"I don't want him alive, but I need him alive!"
She took a sip on the tea and closed her eyes for a second.
"I must thank you for the help, and I apologise for being hostile" she honestly told them.
"We understand why," Steve said.
"I will try not to let you guys get caught up in the middle again, knowing that this isn't something you want to take part in, Loki being an enemy and all."
The other four people looked at each other.
"He may be an enemy that's true, but seeing him like this is… I am not sure what word I am looking for," Clint said.
"It's simply not right," Natasha tried.
"Exactly. If you had told me that this is the same guy we fought almost two years ago I hadn't believed you, not seeing him," Tony said. "Daddy screwed him up big times."
Cara felt the anger rise as soon she thought of Odin.
"He did!" Her voice got low and cold.
"Not a big fan of Odin I guess?" Tony looked at her.
"Never was. My father was a monster, but he was also always on the dark side. Odin is supposed to be the good guy, but when it comes to Loki he never was. Hated him from the start, that was at least the feeling I got when I met him." She remembered her first meeting with Odin. He wasn't impressed by her, and didn't approve of her, that didn't bother her at all.
He had said she was a useless parasite, and therefore perfect for Loki. She remembered how much the words hurt Loki, thinking that he could finally make his father proud of founding such a lovely woman. She had told Loki that it didn't matter what Odin thought of her, that all that mattered to her was what Loki thought of her.
"What are you going to do about him?" Natasha asked.
"Not sure. I am not nearly strong enough to take him on, to be able to do that I will need a plan. But that's not important now, Loki is my priority, not Odin," she admitted and the others seemed to understand.
"I must say you handled the situation very well," Steve said.
"It was just luck. He could just as easy have walked to Fandral, and I would have lost. Moments like that is always difficult," she told them.
"Why on earth would he go to the man that hurt him?" Tony said doubtfully.
"It's not something you want, but the fear of the threat may be bigger, than the hope for help. I know how it feels. I have had moments when I had done that choice," she admitted and they all gave her concerned looks.
"That sounds so stupid. You should always choose the helping hand," Tony said and she nodded.
"In a perfect world yes, but all comes down to power," she says and then stands up. "But I will now bid you goodnight. I need to get some energy back."
When she walked away from them she looked up on the celling.
"Jarvis are you still unable to see anything in Loki's room?" She asked.
"No, not at the moment at least. My guess would be that the other man could disturb my signal before," Jarvis answered.
"Will you wake me up when he wakes up?"
"As you wish Lady Cara," he said and she smiled.
"Thank you," she answered him before she got ready to go to bed.
"What just happened?" Clint asked when they were alone.
"I actually don't know. I think we helped Loki," Tony said a bit confused.
"I know that, what I want to know is why?"
"Still don't know Bird Boy," Tony told him.
"Was it magic?" Clint suggested.
"Didn't feel like it," Steve said.
"And you know how it feels?" Clint turned to him and Steve could just shrug his shoulders, and Clint continued. "But I guess it must be, there is no way in hell I would help Loki otherwise"
"Maybe we did it to help Cara," Steve tried. "She did help us with Thor after all."
"Her fault to start with," Clint informed Steve.
"I don't think it was magic. I just think it was the chock of seeing Loki like that," Natasha said.
"It was very unsettling to see him like that," Steve admitted. "That's why I hate torture, it destroys people."
"Wonder what Odin did to Loki for him to be like that?" Tony said.
"Things we most likely don't want to know," Natasha knew that she didn't want to know. She had both been exposed for torture and exposed people to it, but the things she experienced didn't seem to come near the things Loki experienced.
"I guess you are right, for ones," Tony said.
"For ones?" Natasha said and gave him a deadly glare and Tony took protection behind Clint.
"Save me," he said laughing.
"Oh no, you have to get out of this by yourself," Clint said with a laugh.
"Thanks Bird Boy," Tony said and fled to the elevator to seek cover in his lab.
"I think that's our queue to get to bed, all of us," Steve said.
"Party popper," Clint said as Natasha dragged off with him, with a laughing Steve behind them. None of them know what would happen next, but with Loki and Cara around it seemed like it could be anything, for better or worst. And as he stepped into the elevator with the other two he hopped for Cara's sake that Loki would be better, even if that would mean more work for them. But Steve rather have Loki back to normal and be forced to fight him on a battle field then see him like this.