FIFTEEN

Surprise!

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Valkyrie felt a bump to the metal plating, followed by a rocking and vibrating that made her sit up hastily and check all the read-outs on the console.

"What is it?" Angela asked from the passenger seat.

She shook her head. "I don't know. There's… nothing here - no power problem with the engines, no trouble with seals or life support - there's no reason for it."

Angela frowned. "Perhaps Thor and Loki are causing it."

"You mean Loki is causing it," she grumbled.

They looked at each other.

"Perhaps," Angela realised as she got to her feet, "they are doing what we came here for."

"Wait - I'm reading a lot of energy going on in the cargo hold. I think they're using the Infinity Stones."

"Thor would not allow that."

"He would," Valkyrie countered. "He would if it was for a good reason - and he seems to think Loki has a good reason."

Angela sat down slowly. "He said… he said he would bring back Nidavellir."

"What? Who did?"

"Loki."

"How?"

"My first guess would be the stones. We saw him rebuild the ruined room on Knowhere after our battle with Thanos."

Valkyrie sat back in the chair. "Yeah… good point. But… can he do that?"

"I think it takes more than one god to do this."

"Loki's not a god, he's a frost giant," she scoffed.

"Then he is half a god - Laufey was a goddess, after all."

Valkyrie rolled this around her head. "Actually, that explains a lot."

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Thor and Loki leant against the wall, breathing hard and feeling particularly drained.

"Did it work?" Thor managed.

"Try - try Nidavellir," Loki gasped.

Thor straightened up but Loki bent over and put his hands on his knees, still getting his breath back. Thor went to a control panel on the wall and pressed a button. "Hello? Valkyrie?"

"Hello," came her surprised reply. "What's happening? Energy levels in that room just went nuts."

"Can you radio Nidavellir, please? See if Eitri responds."

"Uh… ok. I thought they were without power."

"They may not be now." Thor let go of the button and looked back at Loki. "Now we wait."

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Eitri looked around, speechless. People were popping into existence all around him. They stared, first at each other, then at their own hands, in utter confusion.

He heard a familiar grinding noise and looked to the largest of the smelting vats. "Everyone get back! We have a live stream!" he called automatically.

People scrambled back out of the way as giant vats and their mechanical workings suddenly ground into life. Eitri spotted one woman too close to a metal beam, still not quite sure of her surroundings. He reached out and grabbed her shoulder, dragged her back.

And then he stared at his hand.

"My hand!" he cried. He looked at them both, turning them over and over, as he realised they were no longer the metal replacements he had made but his original, real hands. "My hands!"

"Eitri - what's happening?" someone called.

He grinned - then began to laugh. "They did it! They did it! They brought you all back! They brought everything back!"

"Who?" the rescued woman asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Asgard! Asgard have killed Thanos, taken his gauntlet - and undid everything he caused! You're all saved! Asgard has saved us!" he cried. And then laughed maniacally, as everyone else stood around, bemused.

"If you say so," the woman said.

Eitiri wiped at his eyes. "Thor said - he said Asgard would protect us now. I dared to believe him. And he was right! Look! Look how you're all alive!"

"I remember… dying," she said. Her face fell. "It was… cold. I remember it all - I remember…" She paused. "Wait… no I don't. It's… fading. It's disappearing… What is? What was I saying?"

Eitri went to her, took her hand. "Are you ok?"

"I… am," she blinked. "I'm sorry - I don't know what happened just then. But I'm fine, really." She looked around. "Why is everyone standing around? Is this some kind of break?" She clapped her hands. "Everyone back to work! We have orders to fill and time's a-wasting!"

Eitri faded back away from everyone, withdrawing to the wall. His fingertips stroked the wall unconsciously, enjoying the feeling of the roughness against his pads where there had been metal just a few minutes ago. He watched the dwarves go on about their work as if nothing had happened. He put his hands over his mouth, just watching, appreciating, still barely able to take it in.

A beeping noise made him look to the right. A woman was pressing buttons, leaning on a communications console. "Hey there. This is Nidavellir - how did you get this comms line?"

He ran over as fast as his legs would go, skidding to a halt next to her.

"Thor? Oh hello," she went on, her tone turning much more accommodating. "Always nice to hear from Asgard. How's it going?"

"I believe it's all going very well," came Thor's voice from the console. "Is Eitri there?"

She turned. "He's just arrived. Here you go." She patted Eitri's back and walked off.

Eitri leant over and grabbed the microphone arrangement currently sticking up like a periscope. "Thor! Thor you - you - god! Tell that brother of yours that you two have done it! Everything and more! We have people again! People and - and my hands!" he cried.

Thor laughed from the other end of the connection. "That's good to hear. We have to go - but remember; Asgard will be there for you. Hopefully we will never need to be, but you let us know if you ever need anything."

"You mean if you need anything, you let us know!" Eitiri grinned, tears chasing each other down his face.

"Take care, Eitri. Till we meet again."

"Yes! And tell Loki - thank you! A thousand thank yous!"

The line went dead.

Eitri turned and looked around at the busy smelting hall, at the people to-ing and fro-ing, at the sound and heat and smell of hot metal and happy dwarves. His head tilted back and he caught sight of Nidavellir itself, ignited, raging, powering the smelting vats. He felt more tears rolling down his face and realised people could see him.

Suddenly and completely, he really couldn't care.

.

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Thor looked back at Loki. "He sounds happy," he grinned.

"As well he should," Loki nodded seriously. "Now. One more - Xandar."

"Xandar," Thor nodded. "Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

"Xandar is bigger - and there are lots more people."

"That won't be the problem," Loki said with discomfort. "It's the stone trying to go one way when I want it to go another." He looked at the purple gem in his hand. "We need more power than last time. Nidavellir is small, with only a few tens of thousands of people."

"What do we do?" Thor asked. "We're the only Asgardians."

"You are," Loki corrected. "And the two in the cockpit. But no, this isn't about people." He lifted his other hand to show off the blue stone. "This is about power."

"Just use the Reality Stone," Thor shrugged.

"Are you mad?" Loki tutted. "Even I can't touch it without repercussions worse than working with the other two stones."

"What do you mean, repercussions?" Thor asked slowly.

"I mean I can't use the Reality Stone, so these two will have to do," he said, looking back at the purple and blue gems.

Thor wandered over slowly, his face concerned. "Can you handle two at once?"

"I guess we'll find out," Loki said. He lifted his hand.

Thor grabbed his wrist. "Wait."

"What? Xandar should be restored."

"I know. But… can you do this?"

Loki appraised him, his eyes going over his face, his mismatched eyes, his short hair. "What's your concern here?"

"That this will be too much for you. That it will harm you." He let go of him.

Loki snorted in contempt. "You think so little of me."

"Loki I have seen you surmount… incredible odds, and always survive," he urged. "But this is different. I truly believed you dead just days ago. If you think this will be too much then…" He paused. "It's a whole planet, Loki."

He tilted his head. "You're saying I can't do this? You just said I've overcome all kinds of odds."

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

"But you're saying I can't do this."

"No, I'm worried that you think you can and for some reason… it's too much for one person."

"So you are saying I can't do this."

"Oh will you listen!" Thor exploded. "I am worried for your life, Loki!"

He blinked. "Since when?"

Thor's fists balled and he took a menacing step toward him. "Don't act like you don't care if you die or not."

"I truly don't," he shrugged. "I mean, it'd be nice if I didn't. But—"

Thor's fists opened up and he made the anger drain away. "This is me you're talking to. You don't have to pretend all the time." He paused. "You know, there was a moment - we were talking in the lift on Sakaar—"

"Yes and you made me do 'get help'," Loki accused. "Oh I'm sorry - have I interrupted your attempt to make me believe you care about my wishes or well-being?"

Thor glared for a moment. "We were talking in the lift, and there was a moment, just a tiny one, when you let your face do what it wanted instead of covering it up with all your neuroses. Just… get used to not doing that."

Loki watched him, his face one of polite interest. "Where do you get all these big words? Do they even teach those in hammer-wielding school?"

"Fancy words are not restricted to people who spent all their time learning magicks and tricks from queens of Asgard," he shot back.

Loki grinned - and Thor realised it was finally a genuine smile. All the anger, all the frustration, all the weariness at being left out of his younger brother's emotional world was swept away in a second.

Then Loki looked at the stone in his hand, and Thor noticed the real display of emotion take cover again for fear of being seen. "It isn't too much," Loki said. "And even if it is - wouldn't you rather have Xandar and its entire population back than me?"

Thor's face turned angry. "Moron."

"I'm joking," Loki grinned. "I think."

"Shouldn't we rest first?" he asked.

Loki raised his eyebrows at him. "Resting really isn't my style."

Thor stretched his arms out, then shook them out at his sides. "Ok then. Same as before?"

"Same as before," Loki nodded. "But more of it."

"Right," Thor nodded. He clenched his fists, felt the tingle of raw power surging over them in tiny crackles.

"You know, one day we will discuss how you summon lightning in space," Loki smiled.

"We're close to a nebula," Thor said deliberately. Loki just looked at him. "Did you sleep through all of the space mechanics courses during our schooling?"

"Not all," he said defensively. "Just the ones that weren't of any use."

"How can you say they weren't of use when your brother was literally the god of thunder?"

"Exactly; what use was that to me?" Loki pointed out. "You were this universally beloved god of magic weather. I was the 'other one', the also-ran, looked after by Frigga because Odin was too busy grooming you for the throne."

Thor bit the side of his lip for a moment. "S-sorry."

"Like it matters now," Loki sighed. "Let's just get this done, shall we?"

"Ok. Yep," he nodded eagerly. "Although you do know that the also-ran is the only one powerful enough to hold two stones and use them at once."

"And you can thank Laufey for that," he said quietly.

"No. I'll thank you, when this is done, brother."

Loki looked at him. "Ready?"

"Ready."

"Then don't look at the light."

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Valkyrie felt her chair humming - and turned to see Angela similarly moved by her seat. "Again?" she asked.

"Well Nidavellir is done," Angela reasoned. "They must now be working on Xandar."

"So soon? Don't they want to stop for a pint first?" she asked.

"It appears not. Besides, we have no mead, or in fact alcohol, on board."

Valkyrie grinned. "I knew there was a reason I wanted them to hurry."

The vibrating got worse - screens started to shake and tinkle, the consoles started to bump against each other. Valkyrie put a hand out to the console to steady herself. Angela got up and went for the door.

"Wait!" Valkyrie called. "I don't think it's safe to be so close when there's this much energy going on in the cargo hold. The energy levels are over the top of all records."

"But are they safe?"

"Well they're either gods or half-gods - they're Æsir," she said. "They might be able to handle it but we wouldn't."

"We are of Asgard. We can handle it."

"Angela - give it five minutes. Please," she urged.

Angela turned and appraised her. She nodded finally. "If you say so." She went back to the chair, staggering slightly as she crossed the bucking deck. She dropped into the seat carefully.

"I can't look at these," Valkyrie said, leaning forward and switching off screens. "It just gets worse." She snapped off the last one and then gripped the arm rests of her chair. "It is getting worse! Why is this one taking so long?"

"Nidavellir was smaller, fewer people," Angela said. Her voice was jumping and bumping with the vibrations from her chair. "Maybe it's size and - and people that make it dif-difficult."

"And yet Thanos did it with a f-flick of his fingers, or so I h-heard."

"Thanos is d-dead, and good ridd-riddance," she said. "There is no advantage in pr-praising his abilities."

"I was just saying."

"I understand," Angela nodded.

Suddenly it all stopped.

It was silent for a long moment.

"Is that it?" Valkyrie dared.

Something clicked in the console. They both jumped.

And then Thor's voice cut through. "Valkyrie - Angela! Get down here now."

"What's happened?" Valkyrie demanded, even as she leapt from her chair. "Is it the ship? Is there a breach into space?"

"It's Loki."

Angela and Valkyrie looked at each other.

And then they scrambled madly for the door.

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Thor grabbed the leather of Loki's top and yanked him to sit up on the dusty floor of the cargo hold. "Loki don't be an arse," he growled. "This isn't funny."

Loki's head lolled back on his neck, his hands lying where they had fallen.

Thor slapped a large hand round the base of his skull hastily to support it. "I'm not falling for it this time," he warned. "You open your eyes and stop this childish nonsense!"

He opened his mouth to say more but the breath caught in his throat; the skin of Loki's face had begun to turn blue. As Thor watched, helpless, the blue tinge went deeper, until silver lines began to chase themselves over the face of his adopted brother, down his neck, under his leathers.

Thor heard the doors open and feet running on the decking. He couldn't look away from the changing nature of Loki's neck, his hands - everywhere turning blue.

"What in Hel…?" Valkyrie managed.

Angela came to a stop behind her. She pushed forward and knelt. She grabbed Lok's throat. "No pulse," she gasped. She looked at Thor. "What happened?"

"He said Xandar was harder - he used two stones at once," he gabbled. "It was working - I think it worked - I think Xandar and all its people are back. But as soon as we were done he just fell." He looked around the floor. "Valkyrie - the stones. Where are they?"

Valkyrie stepped back cautiously, searching the decking.

Angela let go of Loki's neck. "Why is he not breathing?"

"I don't know!" Thor cried angrily. "If I knew don't you think I'd fix it!"

Angela pushed one of Loki's eyelids up. She peered in, but the pupil had swivelled up a long time ago. She bit her lip. "I have seen this. This is how frost giants die."

"It cannot be how my brother dies!" Thor raged.

Her hand traced over the silver lines in the blue cheek. "But… He… still breathes."

"No - no he's not breathing!" Thor shouted. "He's dying! Actually dying!" He felt his chest constricting, something crushing it without ever touching his skin.

"You misunderstand," Angela said. "I have seen him go without breath for almost an hour."

"What?" Thor managed, strangely weak in contrast to his fury. "What are you saying?"

She looked at Thor. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes! Yes! Just help him!" he raged.

She looked down at Loki. She grabbed his face in her hands. A deep breath was dragged into her chest and then she sealed her mouth over Loki's. Her lungs bellowed air directly into him.

And then she pulled back. "Hold him!"

Thor braced Loki's boneless body, confused.

Her fist came out in a straight jab that hammered into the insensate man's chest. Thor winced, expecting the sound of cracking ribs, but there was nothing. She punched again.

Loki's entire body jumped. As Thor stared, Loki's eyes flew open and he fairly exploded in a desperate attempt to both cough and breathe at the same time. He gasped harshly, glaring at the ceiling with such an evil expression of intent it made everyone pause.

He coughed - then again harder. He put both hands to his head, his eyes scrunched shut, a guttural grunt of pain coming from every fibre of his being.

Thor held him up by the shoulder; Angela sat back on her knees in total relief.

But Loki still had his hands to his head. "Where is this?" he coughed. "Which one is this?"

"You're ok," Thor said hastily, keeping him up as he watched him pant in air and cough it out. "Loki you're with us - it's ok."

"Which?" he rasped, his eyes opening. Bright red pupils looked out at them all. "Which one?"

"Which one what?" Angela asked. She put a hand on his other shoulder. His head snapped round and looked it.

"You're with friends," Thor said loudly, worried. "You're with us, Loki. You're back. You're ok."

His hands dropped as he took in the cargo hold and the people staring at him with concern. "The one with… the eye," he breathed, looking at Thor. "The eye and the hair and…" His head swung, a little wobbly, to look at Angela. "And the warrior."

"Loki - can you hear us? Do you know where you are?" Thor asked with a frown.

Steadily Loki's skin began to turn more beige, then his more familiar pale imitation of Asgardian. "Stones… try to tick you," he managed.

"You're ok," Thor said again urgently. "You're back with us - with your friends."

"Oh bilgesnipe's balls," Loki rasped. He put a hand up and wiped at his mouth in disgust. "Which one of you degenerates put their mouth on me?"

"Me," Angela said meaningfully.

Loki looked to Thor on his left. "Well at least it wasn't you," he groused.

Thor grabbed his leathers and shook him heartily, a huge grin on his face. "Loki! You nearly died!"

"It happens more often than you know," Loki managed, then gripped at Thor's arm. Between them they hauled him to his feet. "Have you tried Xandar yet?" he asked, somewhat breathlessly.

"Xandar?" Thor echoed. He kept a good hold of Loki's shoulder. "No! We were trying to revive you!"

"Idiot," Loki sighed. "Go try them. And then take a look out of the window."

"What window? What are you talking about? Loki you nearly died," Thor all but hurled into his face.

Loki pushed him back a step. "Believe me, I am aware. Now go and try Xandar. We need to know if it worked."

"But are you—. I mean are you ok?" Thor asked, bewildered.

"Do I look ok?" he snapped. "Stop mothering me and check on the planet."

"Then - then stay here. Don't move," Thor warned, pointing at him even as he turned and headed for the door. Valkyrie followed, and then Angela.

Loki waited, turning to survey the empty room. He walked very slowly over to two small round items on the floor. He bent over to get them but his legs gave out; he ended up sitting, one knee up to rest his elbow on, getting his breath back. His hand went out and captured the two wayward gems but the movement caused him to give an irritable 'ak!' of pain. He let out a sigh of agony as he sat back.

"You are not alright."

He didn't even turn. "Angela," he sighed. "Why couldn't you have gone with them?"

"I wanted to be sure of your condition. But once again you have deceived everyone."

"Well that's me; the Trickster everyone loves to hate."

She walked over and then crouched in front of him. "We do not hate you, Loki. We are exasperated by you, certainly. But we do not hate you."

"Why did you have to bring me back?" he asked quietly. "I was nearly dead. You should have let me go."

Her hand flashed round to slap at his face. But his fist came up and just about blocked it. He lifted his chin to eye her with anger. "How dare you," she hissed. "It is not your time, Laufeyjarson. And even if it were, I would fight any deity who comes to take you away from this plane."

He smiled. "There's definitely something very wrong with you," he said politely. She grabbed his hair with her free hand, her mouth aiming for his. But he lifted his chin just out of reach. "What is it you want?" he asked in fascination.

"Your company, nothing more."

"I'm afraid that's much too expensive. I got into this for my freedom, and nothing will stop me attaining that."

She eyed him. "Sure?"

"Don't make me fight you too."

She gave a sly grin, her other hand gripping his jaw to tip his face closer to hers. "As we have already established, you would only enjoy the attempt."

He put his hand up and pulled at hers gently, freeing himself. "That's as may be," he said wearily. She frowned, confused, her expectations definitely not met. His face turned ever so slightly apologetic. "But I would always be attempting freedom."

"I understand." She let him go, sliding a hand down his neck. She stood, looking down at him. "Then you shall have your freedom. Perhaps one day when you become as old as Odin was, you will realise how you have traded the greatest companionship you could have had for mere loneliness."

"I prefer to call it 'independence'," he said quietly.

"That, too, I understand." She put her hand out.

He grabbed her palm and they pulled him to his feet. He dusted himself down, and although he may have wobbled slightly, he kept admirable balance.

"Hello?" came Thor's voice.

Angela hastened to the wall and pressed at the controls by the door. "Yes?"

"Xandar is back! You did it, Loki! Xandar is back!"

Loki nodded, his hands on his hips, as he looked at his feet. "You helped. And the window?"

"Yes! I see it! You lying, manipulative weasel!" Thor cried, but the jubilation in his voice made Angela frown in confusion.

"What do you see, Thor?" she asked. She glanced at Loki but he was grinning at his boots.

"Asgard! Or at least the planet! I don't see any buildings but I see the bifrost!"

"That's… impossible," Angela whispered. Her head snapped round and she glared. "Loki?"

He raised his hands, shaking them slightly as he grinned at her. "Surprise."

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One more chapter and we're done! Thanks for reading this far!