Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel, or its characters.

Playground

It felt as if his mind was splitting into two pieces. Loki let out one final howl before he slipped into the land of the unconscious.

Fool.

Every fiber of Loki's being hummed unpleasantly as they shifted to allow another in.

You dare hide from me when I have a promise to keep.

Promise? Loki thought hazily through the pain. Why did that sound familiar? Who was talking?

You'll long for something as sweet as pain.

Thanos, Loki thought grimly. A new shock wave of pain screamed through his body, confirming Loki's suspicions.

This is going to be fun.

Do your worst, Loki thought provokingly. Suddenly Loki felt a rush go to his head, and a brightness blinded him.

"Loki?"

He blinked several times as he focused on his wife's worried face. Her blonde hair splayed carelessly across her face.

"You gave us quite a fright. Are you alright?"

Loki sat up stiffly. "I'm fine. Nothing I couldn't handle."

"Was it Thanos?" The professor asked curiously from behind Sigyn.

"Yes. But that situation is dealt with."

Sigyn's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Trust me." Loki whispered, gently squeezing her hand. She nodded.

"Good."

Loki sighed. "I am exhausted. Can we find a hotel?"

AAAAA

"This is a dismal hotel room." Loki commented dryly, as he spun around observing the plain gray furnishings.

"It was all I could find in such short notice."

The buzzer rang blaringly. Loki stepped to one side as Sigyn answered the door. Loki paused at a painting. It looked familiar, but he couldn't place where he'd seen it. The more he focused on the painting, the harder it was to see it clearly.

"Loki. It's for you."

He whirled around to find Sigyn holding out a sealed letter. He took it carefully, examining the seal.

"This is from the royal courts of Asgard. How'd they find us?"

"I don't know." Sigyn bit her lip. "Well, don't stare at it. Open it."

Loki's fingers felt numb as he ripped through the seal.

"It's from Thor."

"How interesting!" Sigyn leaned over Loki's shoulder as he feverishly read the few lines.

The letter fell out of his hands, landing lightly on the carpeted floor.

"How…" Loki whispered in shock.

"These things are natural." Sigyn muttered soothingly against his shoulder.

"How can she be dead?" Loki turned to face her, tears welling up in his eyes. "My mother is dead."

Sigyn looked helplessly at him.

Loki could feel the emotions building up inside of himself, "How can this be!?" he shouted grabbing the bedside lamp and hurling it against the wall.

Sigyn flinched as the ceramic bounced back.

"How is this possible?"

AAAAA

"Loki, you've been in this room for days." Sigyn bustled through opening the curtains to let in sunlight.

Loki winced against the light, curling deeper into the recess of the bed sheets.

"It's time to do something. Come with me to get groceries."

"No."

"I'm not asking." Sigyn pulled him out of bed. She flicked her fingers, and suddenly he looked presentable, wearing fresh clothes and his hair didn't look like a rats nest.

Sigyn led him by hand out of the hotel. Loki followed her robotically around the shops. His head pounded heavily with every step.

Blissfully Sigyn noticed his discomfort.

"You've been out long enough. Head back to the hotel. I'll be done soon."

Loki nodded, accepting her farewell hug before trudging back down the London street. He kept his eyes down, watching the cobblestone change as he continued his walk.

A bubbling laugh woke him from his reverie. His head shot up, his eyes darted toward the sound. A small girl with waist long dark hair played in the streets, her back faced him.

"Hela?" Loki whispered to himself. He ran up to the girl, and gently tapped her shoulder.

The girl turned around mid laugh, and Loki sucked in a harsh breath. It was his daughter, no question, as she should look, without the contamination of death. She was perfect.

"Yes?" She asked.

Loki was at a loss for words.

"Sir?"

"Is your name Hela?"

"No."

Loki shook his head in confusion. He'd have sworn this girl was his.

"Who is Hela?"

"My daughter."

"Is she missing?" The young girl asked innocently.

"In a sort. Not exactly. She's not a part of my life right now."

The young girl took a hesitant step away from Loki. "She's with her mother?"

"No. She's alone."

"Why is she alone? No child should be alone."

Loki felt his heart twist unpleasantly. "It's complicated."

"No, it's not. A father is supposed to be there always. My daddy is always there for me."

"It's not that simple."

The little girl with a stolen face sighed dramatically, "I have to go. I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." She tilted her head to the side, "You aren't a very good dad, are you?"

"I suppose not."

With one final look the little girl ran down the street, and Loki continued toward the hotel.

He felt like someone had run him through with a hot poker.

Loki walked past a news station, and then doubled back to stare at a screen.

A perky brunette with a somber face was reporting right outside the grocery store he'd just been in. He read the headline, inexplicable mass shooting, no survivors. Everything faded as Loki stared at the screen. It wasn't a robbery, no one knew why the man had entered the shop waving around a gun. The camera panned over images of the dead.

Sigyn's body was with them. A bullet had gone through her skull.

Loki's hands shook, as he began to hyperventilate. No. No. No no no nonononononono.

AAAAA

Loki swung over the bar of the hotel and grabbed the oldest bottle of alcohol. Sure there were cameras, but he didn't give a damn at this point.

He made his way up to his room, drinking straight from the bottle, wincing as the alcohol burned down his throat.

Loki sat down hard on the small plastic chair. He took another swig, and noticed a folded piece of paper by the fake plant.

He ran his fingers along the edge of the paper carefully, before opening it.

Terrifying words jumped out at him, "We're different people", "I don't know you anymore", "I can't do this to myself". His jaw dropped at the four little words he'd never expected her to say.

Loki read the note over again, and then again. He ran his fingers against the words that revoked her love. This was her plan the whole time, minus the convenient death, to leave him.

After all the things they'd been through, she'd want to throw in the towel now?

No.

Loki shook his head, and threw the paper away from him. Something was not right about this. He refused to believe that she would leave.

"She wouldn't do that. Not to me." Loki said to the empty room. Silence answered him, and it was deafening.

"This isn't right!" Loki shouted at the wall, hurling the bottle of alcohol against it. A nasty shard reflected off the wall and thrust itself into his chest.

Loki's eyes widened in shock as he looked down. Red filled his vision.

"No no" He muttered, "This is isn't right. Somethings wrong." Loki's legs gave out on him, and he came crashing to the floor in a heap. Soon his heart gave out on him.

Faint laughter was the last thing he heard.

Next.

AAAAA

The professor hadn't expected this when he'd answered the door. He hadn't expected anything to be quite frank. He put another quilt on the twitching form of Prince Loki, and glanced over to his desk where Lady Sigyn had been sitting feverishly for hours now. His research piled high around her.

He joined her at the desk. They had to find a solution. It couldn't end like this.