Wow! The feedback I've gotten on this one has been phenomenal! Many of you have asked for a kinder gentler Odin in this fic and I agree. Some of you have noticed a parallel between this story and a previous one I wrote called Aftermath. I decided to revisit the plot idea and make some major changes. I figured if Thor was angry enough with Loki to rape him he wouldn't feel remorseful about it. I'm debating on whether the baby should be a boy, a girl, or one of each. Anyway, enjoy!
Thor offered the cab driver money but the cab driver declined to take it. He recognized Thor and wondered what had happened to his hammer. Thor staggered out of the cab, feeling beaten and exhausted. The ride up the elevator took an eternity. When he reached the top floor of the clubhouse he walked off the elevator where his friends were waiting for him.
Natasha saw him first, followed by everyone else. They saw his appearance and knew something was wrong.
"Thor! Here let's get you to the infirmary and have Bruce check you out." Tony says.
"I am fine." Thor says, not making eye contact with anyone. He sits down on the edge of the couch, looking pensive.
"Thor? Where is your hammer?" Steve asks.
"She is where I left her." Thor says cryptically.
"Okay…so call her to you." Tony says.
"I cannot. I am no longer worthy." Thor says. Everyone looks Thor over, feeling stunned.
"What happened?" Steve asks.
"I did something criminal and that I can never take back." Thor says.
"Thor, did you kill someone? Did you kill Loki?" Clint asks.
"No, I did not kill him." Thor says.
"But you found him?" Tony asks looking at Thor. Thor looks away entirely. He cannot show them his face.
"Thor, what did you do to Loki?" Natasha crouches down so she can look into Thor's eyes. "Thor look at me. We are your friends. We will understand."
"I can never tell you. You will never see me the same way again." Thor says. Natasha stands and gives Steve a look. They all politely take their leave to talk about Thor in another room. Thor doesn't care.
"Jesus I've never seen Point Break look like that after one of these fights with Loki. What the fuck did he do to piss off the hammer of destiny?" Tony asks.
"You know what he did Tony. It's just none of us wants to even consider it." Natasha says. Tony's face turns to stone. He's not a naïve school girl. He knows the evil that men can do when all rationale has left them.
"No…No he wouldn't. Nat Loki is his brother." Tony says a bubble of vomit rises in his throat.
"Thor kills people in battle all the time. Killing Loki to protect people wouldn't be any different than him killing someone else. He didn't kill him. He said as much. So what is left? What horrid thing could Thor have done to his brother to make the hammer reject him?"
"Torture." Clint asks.
"Yes." Natasha says.
"I wonder how bad. He said Loki was still alive. I wonder if he is still a threat." Steve asks.
"I don't believe it. I can't. Thor is not the kind of guy to…" Tony trails off as his own experiences flash to the fore of his mind.
"I trust my instincts on this. I know I'm right." Natasha says.
"Jesus. So what do we do?" Tony asks.
"Nothing." Bruce says.
"What?"
"You heard me. Loki is a wanted criminal and Thor has been fighting him to help protect our people. I frankly don't give a damn what Thor did to him. It sucks that he can't use Mjolnir anymore. It means he can't fly or do some of the other things that the hammer let him do. He'll have to change the way he fights and find a new weapon to use. But as far as Loki goes…fuck him." Bruce says.
"Look, whatever happened today has transformed Thor in a fundamental way. We need to take a step back and let everything breathe for a moment. If Loki is still alive, and it sounds like he is, we don't know when or if he will be coming back to get revenge for what happened today." Steve says.
"We need to carry on like nothing happened. Give Thor some space. He'll talk if he wants to, or not." Natasha says.
They break ranks and file back into the living room. Thor hasn't moved. Bruce grabs his med kit and sits down on the couch next to Thor to tend to his wounds. Thor requires several sutures in his thigh and on some of the cuts on his face. The minutes tick by in silence.
The balcony lights up suddenly, with the light of the new Bifrost. Thor had expected his father, but it is Frigga standing there. She lets herself in through the sliding glass door. Thor does not rise to meet her. He knows what is coming. Her face is etched in stone and Bruce moves away sensing what is coming. She comes to stand before him, looking down on him with a dour horrified expression.
Thor sees Frigga's hand come up and does not move. She backhands him across the face with a powerful air cracking slap. WHACK!
"Your father and I have decided to forbid your return. You will not be allowed into Asgard again until you become worthy of Mjolnir once more. Frankly my son, I do not see a road back for you. You have broken my heart more effectively than Loki ever could."
"I'm not sorry."
"I know you're not." She turns to leave.
"What of Loki?" Thor asks.
"Loki is also banished to this realm. He must pay recompense for his crimes here." She takes another step to leave.
"Um Ma'am? I'm sorry. But Loki is very dangerous. We don't feel comfortable with him being here and able to roam free. How do you know he won't cause more trouble?" Steve asks.
Frigga looks at Thor again.
"Loki finally got what he wanted."
XxXxXxXxXx
Naked, bleeding, and alone Loki removes the spell shielding Heimdall's sight from him. Loki gingerly moves his body to an awkward sitting position, and he waits. Within seconds Heimdall appears and comes to stand before Loki, his sword at the ready.
"Kill me." Loki says as he looks up at the gatekeeper from the dirt.
"I am instructed to keep you here and to await orders and nothing more." Heimdall focuses on something over Loki's head, purposely not looking at him. The minutes tick by. After what feels like an eternity, perhaps an hour, Odin's ravens make an appearance. They circle the building and swoop in, landing on Heimdall's shoulders. Munnin speaks into Heimdall's right ear.
"It is the decision of the Allfather and Allmother to leave you here. You must pay recompense to the people of Midgard for your crimes if you ever wish to return to Asgard. You may go."
"What?" Loki looks at the raven incredulously. "I have slain innocents. I have made Thor unworthy. Why would you let me live?" Loki asks.
"Your victory is your own punishment Loki." Heimdall looks up to leave.
"Wait. Before you go, tell me something." Loki says to the ravens. "You once told me in the vault that you took me for a purpose. To unite Asgard and Jotunnheim. How exactly?" Loki asks. Hoguinn whispers into Heimdall's left ear.
"By way of political marriage to Thor." Heimdall says.
"Why didn't you do it?" Loki asks.
"Your mother and father feared that you would feel used and unloved, as nothing more than a bargaining chip. They love you, as though you are a child of their own bodies. The last thing they wanted, was for you to feel like Thor's bed slave." Heimdall answers. Loki nods. The light of the BiFrost comes down and the gatekeeper is gone.
Loki gathers the tattered remains of his clothing and throws on an illusion to look like a fully clothed mortal man, and heads home.