Chelsea Grin (5)
Paths Cross Once More
"Pain shared is pain lessened."
~Spider Robinson
Tony shook his head in disbelief as he sat in the hospital's waiting room, arms folded, legs crossed and deep in thought. He wondered what had possessed him and the others to agree to Thor's out-of-this-world suggestion. Literally.
"My friends, I know who can help." Thor had declared back at the cafe.
"Who do you have in mind?" Steve asked.
"My brother...Loki."
A chilling and appalled silence had seized the Avengers. Thor waited with apprehension, bracing himself for their reaction.
Tony was the first to speak. "W-wait. Say what again?" he stammered.
Thor cleared his throat. "Loki, my brother, might be able to help Natasha."
Steve frowned. Bruce looked unsettled. Only Clint voiced a reaction as loud and abrupt as Tony's.
"You want to bring that mind-controlling son of a bitch back here?"
Bruce shook his head and fidgeted with his glasses. "The guy's crazy. Who knows what he'll do once he sets foot back on Earth."
Everyone jumped when Clint slammed a fist on the table and pushed his chair back. "I do not want to see that horn-headed lunatic again."
Thor followed suit so that his broad-shouldered frame towered over Clint. He glared at the archer. "That lunatic is my brother."
"Adopted brother," Clint snarled. "What's he to you?"
Tony said nothing as his wide-eyed gaze darted between Thor and Clint. Bruce was growing nervous by the second. A thundercloud of crackling tension and anger seemed to engulf the God of Thunder and the archer.
Tony raised his hands in a brave attempt to placate both men. "Uh, guys...can you sit back down?"
Thor and Clint ignored him.
"I'll tell you what your brother did. He compromised me. He compromised Natasha! I don't know exactly what the hell went on between him and Nat in that Helicarrier cage. But she told me herself...and only a monster can break a woman like her."
Thor raised his voice. "Agent Barton, please listen-"
Clint jabbed a finger at him, his face livid. "No, you listen to me. He ought to stay from us and our goddamn planet! I'm sure he had fun mind-raping me. Maybe he would do the same to Natasha...as if she can't get enough of that shit already! He's a monster, you hear me? A monster!"
Tony and Bruce regarded Clint with horrified shock. As for Thor, he snapped. He seized Clint by the neck with frightening force.
"You speak ill of my brother again, I will smite you with Mjolnir and scatter your ashes across the ends of this realm-"
"Enough!"
Thor and Clint immediately fell silent under Steve's sharp order. All eyes turned to him. They had never seen the captain so angry yet so commanding. Steve too was on his feet. He regarded both men with steel-eyed authority.
"Thor, put down the hammer. Clint, put down your fists. Both of you, at ease. This is a hospital, for God's sake."
Thor sighed and lowered Mjolnir, which had been raised and about ready to strike. He muttered a sheepish apology. He also released Clint, and the archer winced as he put a hand to his bruised neck. He said nothing more and sat back down sullenly.
Tony breathed a sigh of relief. "The storm is clear," he joked weakly.
Bruce visibly relaxed as he exhaled a shuddering sigh. He dashed a hand across his sweating forehead.
Steve seemed to calm down as well. He eyed Thor calmly. "Let's start over and handle this another way. Thor, give us your reasons for placing your trust on Loki." Steve turned to Clint. "I understand that you're upset. But it would be best to remain calm instead of overreacting. Give Thor the opportunity to explain himself."
Clint silently nodded in gloomy resignation. He seemed too tired to argue any further.
"I understand your concern about Loki's destructive capabilities. But you do not need to worry about the possible danger my brother poses. He can no longer wield magic."
Everyone, including Clint, gave him looks of disbelief.
"No magic, huh?" Tony remarked. "Then that leaves him no better than us Earthlings."
"More or less," Thor replied. "Without it, he cannot teleport, cast spells, and do whatever else he is capable of."
"Like wreaking havoc, death and destruction everywhere he goes?"
Thor frowned at Tony's jibe. "Magic is his second life. Losing it cripples him. Nevertheless, he remains alive. It was a part of Asgardian justice delivered by Odin, my father and the king of Asgard." He lowered his eyes and gravely stared at the floor. "My brother was further punished by imprisonment on a rock, doomed to have snake venom poured into his eyes for however long until my father sees fit."
After a brief silence, Tony winced. "Ouch. That has to hurt."
Bruce shook his head. "What a horrible way to get punished." he said in a hushed voice. "Even for someone like Loki. I don't think anyone deserves that kind of thing."
Thor sighed. "I agree. But my father's word is law. Justice and penalties on Midgard are like punishment for children compared to the Asgardian way. It is relentless, harsh, almost cruel."
"If your father's word is law, why do you talk as if you can bring Loki back?" Steve asked. "That would mean lifting his punishment, right?"
"Exactly. Perhaps I can convince my father to change his mind. I have told him much about the bravery of all of you. Natasha is no exception."
A small smile crossed his face. "She is much like Sif, a good friend of mine back in Asgard. She too is a woman warrior, and my father made the right observation of pointing out similarities between the two. He may rule with an iron fist, but he is a very wise king and would not be so heartless to turn away a friend in need. Even if it means relinquishing the punishment on Loki."
Tony tilted his head upwards with a raised eyebrow. "Okay, so Loki lost his magic mojo. And you might have a way of bringing him back here. But...why him?"
Thor gave his Midgardian comrades a long, serious stare. "I hope you can suspend your disbelief over what I'm about to tell you. This is the truth, and no tall tale. You can't say that I am lying, because my brother is much better at that than I."
Their coffee got stone cold by the time Thor finished. Tony's mind shifted back to the present, though he couldn't help but feel amused at the thought of Thor's story. No wonder Loki had a brain like a bag full of cats, as Bruce had aptly described it. Crazy punishments like having his mouth sewn shut and eyes destroyed by venom was bound to screw up his mind. Not to mention his sanity and whatever goodness he had left.
Tony glanced left and right. None of his teammates were in sight. He wondered how long it would be until Thor arrived with his insane adopted brother.
Down the other side of the hall, the elevator dinged. The doors parted for Steve, Bruce, Clint, Maria and Pepper. They made their way to Tony.
"Haven't seen them yet?" he asked.
Steve shook his head.
Maria gestured to the direction of the courtyard with her thumb. "The guards are still posted there. We can only wait. It's a matter of time for them to come through the wormhole."
Thor and Loki hurtled across the stars, surrounded by streaks of iridescent lights and colors. They braced themselves for the slightly rough landing as Midgard rapidly came into view. They hit the ground with a resounding boom.
And the first thing Loki saw were several gun muzzles to his face.
Six S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers, covered in head to toe in black military gear, surrounded Loki like a pack of wolves.
Thor raised his hands to placate the men. "Warriors of S.H.I.E.L.D., put away your weapons. Loki will be under my watch from here on out."
"Nice welcome party," Loki said dryly. "I suppose you knew about this?"
"Yes, but it's only a gesture of precaution. You are a war criminal on enemy territory, as Director Fury had put it. He wanted to ensure that our journey to Midgard would proceed without a problem."
Loki scowled at the S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers. "Well, as you can see, I am unarmed. And my brother still stands alive. Do I pass the test?"
"We're reporting to the Director. He's the one who will give the okay."
After a few minutes talking to the radio, the soldier nodded. "He affirms and approves your arrival to Earth. You're good to go."
"Thank you," Thor replied.
With that out of the way, Loki finally got to observe his surroundings. It appeared to be a vast but crisp and clean courtyard, filled with green plants, a sparkling fountain and surrounded by buildings with many glass windows.
"Where are we?"
"The plaza near S.H.I.E.L.D.'s medical ward. S.H.I.E.L.D. and I chose this as the appropriate site of our arrival. Our return to Midgard had to be discreet. That's why the S.H.I.E.L.D. warriors were stationed to avoid triggering false alarms on their security system."
Loki nodded. "I see. Very thoughtful of you. I'm impressed. Will they return to their base now?"
"No, they're still keeping watch from a distance...for extra measures."
By now, Thor knew exactly how to get to Natasha's room. Despite their outlandish clothes, no one paid them as much as a second glance. Nurses and doctors were too busy bustling about in efforts to care for their patients.
A pandemonium of reactions ensued when Thor and Loki rounded a corner to run into the Avengers.
Tony and Bruce jolted in surprise ad apprehension at the sight of Loki. Steve didn't respond as sharply, though his eyes hardened and his lips tightened. Maria sucked in a little gasp and tensed. Clint fixed him with a glare of hatred, with his fists clenched by his sides. Loki made a mocking wave, infuriating the archer even further. Pepper looked a little confused; she didn't recognize him without the armor and horned helm. When Loki stepped closer, Tony instinctively put a protective arm around Pepper.
"You sure it's safe to be around him, Thor?"
"Loki will not hurt anybody, I promise. Does Natasha know we're in the hospital?"
Tony shook his head. "No, we're all down here so she can't see us. We don't want to disturb her, but we can't help but show up."
Clint folded his arms and scowled at Loki. "I can't believe that he of all people is allowed to see her."
Thor put a hand on Loki's shoulder. "It will only be for a short time. Right, brother?"
Loki shrugged. "Yes, I suppose."
Now he was very curious to see how Natasha was faring. He wondered just how wounded she was. Loki followed Thor further down the hallway to her room. Thor hesitated for a second before carefully opening the door. He and Loki stepped in a little to stand between the hallway and Natasha's room.
She looked up to meet eyes with Loki.
He expected to feel something else entirely. Gloat, satisfaction, some sort of sick, gratifying feeling upon the sight of seeing a hated enemy broken. No...he felt pity. She stared back at him with the eyes of a being utterly drained of its soul and energy. His gaze moved down to the stitched wounds on her face. He couldn't take his riveted eyes off of it, morbidly fascinated at how exactly she got them in the first place. The blood-red grin against her pale skin looked almost eerie and sinister, especially when he considered Natasha as a mostly serious and unflinching woman. She seemed to notice his eyes boring into her wounds. She shifted in her bed just slightly and balled her hands into fists.
The spell was broken when Thor spoke. "Natasha," he said gently. "I know this comes as a shock to you. But Loki will pose no harm. He cannot use magic anymore, and I have been given permission from my father to allow him back on Midgard."
Natasha continued to gaze at Loki warily. Then she lowered her eyes to the IVs strapped to her wrists. Thor wasn't sure what that meant.
"Would you...allow Loki to stay in the room? He would like to speak with you."
Loki studied Natasha carefully. She was definitely on her toes and confused...but not hostile. Perhaps she was too tired. He could see the weariness etched on her face. She slowly lifted her eyes so that her gaze met Loki's.
His reply was as quiet and solemn as Thor's. "You have my word. I will not hurt you...in any way."
'Verbally and physically...there would be no point in hurting you any further, Romanoff.'
It was her turn to analyze Loki, to catch any traces of lying and deceit in his face. Finally, she seemed to find none, because her head slightly jerked in a curt nod.
Thor looked relieved. "Thank you, Natasha. My brother and I have lived for a long time. He has seen and gone through many things. I believe that Loki can relate to you and what you have gone through."
He made a sideways glance to Loki. 'Your turn to talk now,' he seemed to say.
And with that, Thor exited the room to leave Loki and Natasha alone.
Loki remained where he was, standing across from the foot of her bed. He folded his arms behind his back, trying to think of something to say.
Finally, he made a little laugh and shook his head. "Damn it, Thor. Does he take me as one to offer words of comfort? Words of insult are all I'm good at. You of all people would know. I have to hand it to you, Natasha...you have earned my deepest respect and earnest admiration. You beat me in my own game. Lied to the God of Lies. You must feel pretty good about that, do you not?"
She glared at him. He was supposed to feel good about that. But Loki sighed. He got carried away with his sincere bitterness that he failed to remember Natasha's own predicament.
'And that is why, to this day, no woman wants to court me. I'm terribly insensitive...not to mention rude and inconsiderate. I'm such a prick.'
His words came out like vinegar, slow and awkward, as he was unused to making sincere apologies. "Look...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be nasty. Whoever did this to you must be a monster. Not unlike me, perhaps."
Her glare did not waver. The stormy green eyes seemed to him like twin pools of dark, green maelstroms. Along with the pale skin and bruises beneath her eyes, it made a pitiful sight. He almost saw himself in her.
'Great going, Loki,' he berated himself. 'Rubbing salt into the wound rather than soothing it with a salve.'
"I have nothing to hide this time, Agent Romanoff. I have come openly and peacefully, with nothing in mind but the truth. I tell you...there's nothing worse than losing a bet to Dwarves."
Natasha's glare softened at the slightest hint of curiosity. She tilted her head at the strange notion. She didn't take her eyes off him as he decided to pull up a stool and sit down across from her. He took care to keep a distance from her bandaged feet.
"Have you heard of Lady Sif? From mythical stories of your world or from Thor, perhaps? She and I never got along. I made fun of her for pursuing the warrior life meant only for men, while she made fun of me for my interest in magic, considered by Asgardians as a feminine art. Funny how we never struck a friendship...both of us were objects of ridicule for a time. I suppose her silly, fawning admiration for Thor would be the reason."
The last statement left a bitter taste in his mouth. He sighed. "Anyways, I still remember the day Sif took her insults too far. I lived up to my name as the God of Mischief. When she slept, I sheared off her golden hair and turned it black as mine. She was not happy. My victory was brief, because my glee was quickly replaced with fear from her death threats. Everyone knew that Lady Sif's temper is like the fires of Muspelheim, and one had to be a fool to stoke the flames. Well, I was that fool. I stuck my arm too deep into the fire."
Loki gazed off, seeing beyond the wall of the recovery room. "Young, naive and fearing for my life, I fled to the realm of the Dwarves. They agreed to my proposal of fabricating hair from gold, as a replacement for the hair Lady Sif lost by my hand. They completed the task, and went beyond to create more gifts for the royal Asgardians. Gungnir, the spear wielded by Odin, was one such gift. I declared the sons of Ivald, Brokk and Eitri, as the finest of smiths. They responded with a bet, wagering that they could make 3 more items even finer than the gifts. Whoever lost the bet would lose his head. Being the young, rash fools we were, we agreed."
Loki made a wry smirk. "I played dirty, of course. I wanted to ensure that I win the bet no matter what. I transformed myself into a fly and tried to sabotage the Dwarves' smithwork. They proved much more adamant and stronger than I had expected. I was getting panicked as they approached completion of the last item. I finally stung Brokk in the eye, ruining the perfection of his work. And that is why, to this very day, Mjolnir has such a short handle."
Loki glanced at Natasha, searching for a reaction. So far she hadn't made a sound. She seemed to loosen up just a bit; her shoulders were relaxed against the bed.
"It didn't end well for me. The second batch of gifts were complete, Thor could use his short hammer for throwing and the Asgardian court declared the Dwarves as winners. I saved my skin with my wits. I told Brokk and Eitri that to cut off my head would require chopping the neck. Which wasn't part of the bet."
A half-smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "The Dwarves had my lips sewn shut. I'm sure all of Asgard breathed a sigh of relief. No God of Mischief running around with anything mean and smart to say. Thor's friends said I had already lost my head when I made that stupid bet. It was true, but they didn't have to rub it in."
He sighed and shook his head. He ran fingers through his black hair, down to the new ponytail. "I had been beaten, humiliated...and forced to endure the pain of a Dwarf's leather thong through my lips in silence. Only Thor and his mother Frigga bothered to worry over me. I resented their pity and compassion. I had done nothing to deserve their sentiment."
He leaned towards Natasha and his voice dipped to a low whisper. "I'll admit to you that deep in my heart, I never needed their love more during that difficult time. Much like how the other Avengers dote on you for your recent trauma. I dare to say that you and I are, as Midgardians say, in the same boat."
Loki and Natasha held their gazes. Her face was an unreadable mask, with traces of weariness. Finally, Loki leaned back and slowly rose to his feet. "That is all I have to say to you. I suppose I should leave you alone now."
When he reached the door, he turned and dipped his head at Natasha. A ghost of a smile flitted across his face. "Thank you...for your cooperation."
Loki exited her room and everyone instantly swarmed around him, with Thor directly in front.
"Well? How did it go?" he demanded.
Tony peeked behind Loki. "Wow, no knife in your back. I'm surprised."
"You didn't do anything to hurt her, did you?" Clint asked tightly.
"Nothing of the kind," Loki replied. "Agent Romanoff and I simply had a one-sided chat. I talked, she listened. That's all."
Tony clapped his hands with resolution. "Avengers assemble!"
Everyone just gave him skeptic looks.
"For what?" Bruce asked.
"Group huddle. Come on guys, get with the game here."
Steve rolled his eyes. Nevertheless they stood in a tight-knit circle, away from Loki. Clint fixed the God of Mischief with a wary scowl before turning his attention to Tony.
"We have to settle this sooner or later. What do we do with Loki now? Can he return to Asgard?"
Bruce shook his head. "And resume his punishment? Asgard will not take kindly to his return."
"Well, he's not wanted here either!" Tony exclaimed.
"This may sound mad, but I think he is a help to Natasha," Thor said. "I suggest that he remains on Midgard without his powers."
"What?" Tony hissed. "That is mad. Totally crazy. And how long do you think he should stay?"
"Until he can gain everyone's trust. I'll admit that it'll be near impossible and a long stretch, but my father and I want to give him a second chance."
Clint stiffened at hearing Thor's statement. He gave Natasha a second chance...perhaps they could do the same for Loki. He cast a sideways glance at him and quickly banished the thought as he angrily turned back. He would rather die than forgive Loki. He was certain of that.
Tony sighed. "If Loki's gonna stay, we gotta decide where he'll stay. Any volunteers?"
A long, pregnant silence ensued. Tony swore he thought he heard crickets.
"What about S.H.I.E.L.D.?" he finally suggested. "That would be the obvious choice."
Maria scoffed. "Are you kidding? Look what happened the last time we took him into custody."
"He has no magic. He won't have a chance to get out." Steve said.
"I'll be honest here, for the sake of trying to protect our dignity. S.H.I.E.L.D. would rather imprison a war criminal than babysit a magically deprived god."
"She has a point," Clint said with a dry laugh. "That, and I don't want him under my watch."
Tony shrugged. "Okay, so Agent Hill and Agent Barton opt out. Anyone else? How about you, Thor?"
The God of Thunder shook his golden-haired head. "I would gladly take my brother under my wing...if only I'm not so busy acting as liaison between Midgard and Asgard. I have duties from S.H.I.E.L.D. authorities and my father alike. I hardly stay in my borrowed dwelling of New York. I barely have time to see Jane. I'm sorry, but I'm unable to watch Loki."
"Oh, come on. You're the one who said Loki should stay in the first place!"
Clint's face broke into a devilish smirk. "Hey, who votes that Tony will watch over Loki?"
Everyone rose a hand in a unanimous vote. Tony looked around in wide-eyed, open-mouthed shock. "What the hell? Even you, Bruce? You're a traitor!"
The physicist made a meek shrug and couldn't help but smile at Tony's expression. "It makes sense. You have a residential facility big and secure enough to contain Loki. S.H.I.E.L.D. and the rest of us have other things to worry about, like carrying on with usual business and laying low."
"Uh, I've got a full plate too, you know. I'm renovating my crib! I'm turning it from Stark tower to the Avengers tower! With floors for each of you guys and everything! And this is how you repay me."
Tony folded his arms and sulked.
Thor patted a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's an honor to provide for a prince of Asgard. There's no need to get angry."
The billionaire genius uttered a resigned groan. He raised his voice in exasperation. "Guess there's no point in arguing, huh?"
"Arguing about what?" Loki inquired.
Everyone moved out of their huddle to face him.
Tony glared at the God of Mischief. "It's official. I've been appointed to be your babysitter."
Loki curled his lip. "Oh, I am leaping with joy."
Tony and Thor flanked Loki as everyone walked towards the elevator to exit the hospital.
"At least babysitters get paid." Tony angrily muttered. "This is freakin' embarassing."
Loki was promptly escorted to Tony's car. Happy Hogan, who sat behind the wheel, looked up in confusion. "Who's the guy in the World of Warcraft costume?"
Tony replied offhandedly as he opened the door. "Loki, Thor's bro and ex-megalomaniac. He's adopted."
He pushed Loki to the other side of the back row so he could scoot in. At Tony's insistence, Pepper sat in the passenger seat next to Happy.
"I didn't know you played WoW." Tony remarked.
Happy turned on the ignition. "I was obsessed back in high school. I played like a Korean playing Starcraft, like a pro."
"I'm sure. Now step on it, buddy...I've got stuff to take care of back at the tower."
Tony had to show Loki how to buckle the seat belt. Loki frowned at the restraining sash. "Is this a way to bind me?"
"It's a way to keep you from busting your head open. And I am not getting pulled over by the police because a god doesn't know how to use the seat belt."
Loki was used to the roofless transport on Midgard, such as the S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicle and the Chitauri chariot. He didn't quite like the low and confined sides of Tony's Mercedes S55 AMG. At least it seemed to be a high-class mode of transport. The ride to Stark's tower was smooth and painless. Along the way he thought of Natasha.
'What could she be thinking now...?'
Pure hatred and animosity. Natasha expected to feel such things upon seeing Loki.
She was wrong. There was also confusion and surprise. She asked herself, whatever possessed her to let him in? Curiosity, she assumed. Natasha found his story to be strangely believable. She detected nothing but the frank, albeit bitter, truth about his humiliation from the Dwarves. It was obvious that Dwarves must be short as Asgardians were tall. Shortness in height usually meant a shortness in temper. Natasha had listened with dark amusement to Loki's punishment. She couldn't imagine the pain of having a leather thong sewn between his lips. Then again, he was nothing short of a god, with accelerated healing and durability. His arrogance and cheating had been dealt with swift vengeance.
Even before Thor had explained that Loki no longer had magic, she could tell the Trickster God didn't come to attack her. He looked quite different than the last time she had seen him during and after the Chitauri crisis. He dressed in dark, plain attire, and his wild black hair had been tied back in a neat ponytail. Even without magical abilities, his voice still had a strangely magical quality to it. She remembered the day she interrogated Loki in the Helicarrier, and his voice had ranged from a soft, questioning purr to a harsh, lashing snarl as he attempted to get under her skin. When Loki told her his story by her bed, she couldn't help but feel lulled and pulled into his captivating voice, like a sailor pulled into the waters by a siren. How ironic that the roles were reversed. She realized that during then and now, Loki was implying how similar they were. Liars and killers...almost kin.
Natasha couldn't believe she was actually relating to someone like him. She was supposed to hate him, despise his very essence. She didn't know if she could ever forgive his heinous crimes...possessing Clint to act as his dog, killing Phil Coulson, unleashing near-apocalyptic horror and destruction upon Midgard, intending to have the entire world under his iron grip. But how could she call him a monster if she was no different?
She felt sympathy for him.
And in his own way, perhaps, Loki felt sympathy for her too. What intrigued her was that unlike the others, he had never eyed her with overt pity. He had regarded her like an equal, and that was something she took comfort in.
Loki and Natasha finally meet again! All the hate and hostility is toned down compared to other fics that describe those two seeing each other again. Oh well...at least I didn't make it like a...I don't know, a tea party...?
There was originally more stuff, but it got so long that I moved it to Chapter 6. As usual, feedback is accepted with open arms. :D
