They were on the Helicarrier, Loki's body in the Medical Bay. Not that there was anything to be done. Natasha was fairly certain there was no chance of him coming back to life. Then, she'd been wrong before, albeit not often.
Thor, Sigyn and Odin were on board, too, having agreed to come if only to clear some things up. The old man was still looking a little pale, despite how he radiated authority and power, as he stood by the window, staring out at the clouds. Tony had been called in, if only because he used to be an Avenger and because, in his own words, he 'wanted to say hi to Point Break'.
And so, when Fury came in, it began. Sorting the truth from the lies.
"Without meaning to sound insensitive," Fury began diplomatically. He'd seen the mess that was Loki's body. "We need to know what Loki was doing on Earth, and if he came here to harm us. We had an agreement with Asgard that he'd be punished."
Natasha glanced only briefly at Thor and Sigyn. Her main concern was Odin. As someone who was thousands of years old and an famously powerful sorcerer, she was worried about how he would react. She forced herself to remain calm when she noticed his knuckles whiten, if only slightly, around his spear- (And I really don't want to be on the receiving end of that thing). Oh, but she could practically hear Tony's thoughts on the eyepatches.
"Loki's actions on your planet were not his own. He did not willingly commit these crimes," he said firmly, turning from the window to meet Fury's gaze.
She kept her face impassive, even as Tony blurted out, "Seriously? 'Cause I'm pretty sure it was the same guy who threw me out of a window."
Odin remained stoic when he replied. "I am telling the truth. Loki allowed me into his mind, and- as broken as it is- I managed to see the real leader of the Chitauri."
Everyone in the room, herself included, waited with baited breath- (Except Sigyn. Damn, she already knows).
"Who is it? And is there a chance of another attack?"
Odin's face was grave, and Natasha knew that the worst had yet to come. "His name is Thanos, and I'm afraid that another attack is inevitable. This time I fear it will be on the whole of Yggdrasil."
"Loki, I want you to listen to me very carefully," Frigga said, sitting regally on the sofa in front of the fire.
He had told her everything, if only because she was the one person in the Nine Realms that he felt he was obliged to tell. She had not said anything while he spoke, and it was easier that way. It had been easier to imagine that he was in a room on his own, merely muttering about the past to himself.
"Thanos is coming," she said softly.
His breath caught in his throat, complete terror clouding his mind.
(You think you know pain? He will make you long for something as sweet as pain!)
(Scream, Loki, let us hear your lovely screams!)
(Make it stop- Make it stop- I can't do this-)
He swallowed, forcing himself to stay calm- (On the outside at the very least. Panic all you like in here.)- and he turned to Frigga.
"He is bringing his entire army," she continued.
"Why are you telling me this? I'm dead."
She smiled, though there were tears in her eyes. "But you can go back. I can't. You can go back and save the Realms."
He shook his head. "No. Don't tell me to go back there, please."
(I need you of all people to understand why I can't go back.)
"Oh, my boy, I know it hurts, but you and your fath- and Odin are the only ones that have the power to go up against Thanos. But Odin is old and tired now; he will not be able to defeat the Titan. You know this. You know what Thanos wants."
"The Infinity Gems," he murmured. He knew where two of them were. He had a good idea of where the others were. But, that also meant that Thonos, who had seen inside of loki's mind, also knew.
"And the Gauntlet," Frigga nodded.
The Gauntlet. He cursed. It was in the weapons' vault in Asgard! How could he have been so stupid as to let the Tesseract stay so close to the Gauntlet?
"He knows where they are. He knows where all of them are," Loki said, rising to his feet. He started to pace in front of the fire, mind racing.
(If I can hide the Gauntlet, then he will be delayed.)
(But then he'll come straight for you.)
"Loki."
(If he gets hold of the Gems as well as the Gauntlet, there will be nothing stopping him from coming for me anyway.)
(But even on their own, the gems are powerful. Look at what the Tesseract did to you.)
"Loki."
(The Gems are the priority then.)
(And he will still come for you.)
(There is no escaping that.)
"Loki!"
He snapped out of his daze, only then realising that he had been thinking out loud. Frigga was standing, a small frown that did not belong there on her face.
"You forget that you can do nothing from here," she said gently.
Loki nearly kicked himself for his stupidity. But that was the thing. Here, he was safe. Thanos could not reach him here. But then Thanos would find the Infinity Gems, crush Asgard, and take up the Gauntlet. And nothing would be able to stop him.
Only Loki, who had absorbed so much of the Tesseracts power, could stop him.
He looked at Frigga, who was practically pleading with him to consider going back. But could he? He had mutilated himself just to get here!
"Loki, I cannot force you to go- nor would I wish to- but this is something that will effect everyone, both dead and alive," Frigga said.
"You have seen it?" He asked. His mother was known to be a Seer, though her visions were rare and not always of significance.
Frigga hesitated before answering- something that Loki did not miss. "I have."
He narrowed his eyes. She was hiding something. "What aren't you telling me?"
She shook her head. "I'm sorry, my son, but I have said all that I can. This is your choice, Loki. Something that neither myself nor Odin can decide for you."
And with that, she disappeared with a shimmer of magic.
"Master, they know. Asgard's Witch-Queen has warned the Jotun runt, and the Allfather has warned the mortals."
A dark, rumbling chuckle made the Other shiver. His Master's face stretched into a grin.
"Death will come to all."