Chapter 21: D-Day and Epilogue
*sucks in breath* Not a terribly long wait this time, I hope. So this is basically me wrapping everything up. Thank you so much for those who read this far. It has been a long project, and certainly it hasn't been easy (both writing and reading, I can imagine) I'll have more notes at the end. Please enjoy for now :)
"Well, this just is bizarre," Tony says, eyebrows knitted together as he speeds his hands across the control panel.
"What's the matter?" Jane looks over his shoulder. "Are we getting interference?"
"No, worse. We lost signal completely."
SHIELD certainly took it upon their liberty to alter and destroy Steve's apartment in any way they deemed appropriate, in order to make their jobs easier. Most of the furniture has been cleared out, and some of the walls torn town. Even part of the roof has been removed to offer a good view from whatever aircraft the director is currently in. The scientists are huddled over their machines beneath the broken skylight, while Steve waits with Loki in what had once been a kitchen. Armed guards stand at either side of them, guns raised and pointed in case Loki tries something gunny. Fury's precautions hardly seemed necessary, and Steve wishes that they were alone instead. There's still so much he wants to tell the god, in private.
Steve had found Loki in his living area earlier that morning, perched motionlessly in his usual spot on the couch. The soldier took a deep breath as memories from last night flooded through his head, before approaching the god in tentative strides.
"Look, about last night—"
"Pardon me for my behavior," Loki promptly interjected, and Steve faltered slightly, perhaps taken aback by the apology. He wasn't sure what he had expected, but it certainly wasn't that.
"No, no—Don't," he winced, holding up a hand, "Please don't say that because—I'd be lying if I say I didn't see it coming. And I guess, in that moment, I wanted—I wanted it too."
Loki turned to him slowly, perplexed, and the soldier decided to continue before any further interruptions.
"These kinds of things though, it takes time—for me at least—to get used to, to figure everything out. And unfortunately, that's something we don't have a lot of. Time."
"Bad timing, is that all?" Loki smiled thinly, and Steve ducks his head, feeling a blush creeping from ear to ear.
"I guess you could say that," he doubted he was fooling anyone, "I mean if it weren't for Thanos, or the war, or Asgard—" or the fact that you murdered innocent people, threatened to enslave humanity, brought violence and destruction to our city, Steve can go on, but he doesn't—although he felt it was implied.
"I understand." Loki barely reacted at all, looking at Steve through a shroud of smoke. And Steve probably should've left the conversation as that, but it didn't feel right, not in the slightest. So he took a seat beside the god, and naturally began to dig himself into a hole.
"You're going to be fine."
"Excuse me?"
"In the war, I mean, when you fight for Asgard" Steve wasn't sure where he was going with it, but it was definitely going somewhere. "Because you're not just fighting for yourself—and I'm glad that you still care for your mother at least. You're stronger and cleverer than anyone I've ever faced, and I believe we fight the hardest when we're protecting someone we love. That's what I think, at least. You're going to be fine."
Loki said nothing in response, but Steve could tell by the petulance in his expression, that words were forming at the tip of his tongue, and perhaps if they were given more time, the soldier would have received the well-anticipated reprimand.
But just then, several armed guards barged into Steve's living quarters, and they took Loki by the arm, herding him out like a sheep, to be transported to the site of the portal. Steve followed in suit, all the while arguing how needless that all was, that Loki could simply go with him, that he was in charge of supervising the god. But his words fell to deaf ears, and perhaps Loki's nonchalance during the whole ordeal was the most discouraging part of all.
"You sure this is the right algorithm?" Tony says upon their third failed attempt.
"For the last time yes." Jane responds with a bite in her tone, "You sure you entered my algorithm correctly?"
"Of course!" Tony half-snorts, appalled, and Bruce is quick to insert himself between his short-tempered colleagues.
"Guys, let's not fight. We knew we might run into some turbulence along the way. We still have plenty of chances left. Let's just try again."
Tony grumbles in discontent before returning to the control panel, but as he reaches for the screen, a bright burst of energy appears to sizzle under his touch, and the inventor hisses before withdrawing, as if his hand has been burnt.
"What in the world—did you see that?"
Jane rushes to his side once again. "Did we just—blow up? How?"
"This isn't supposed to happen until we got through," Dr. Selvig says from a few panels away, "And we weren't anywhere close."
"This can't be right." Jane flips through the panels of her calculations at a frantic pace. "I checked it at least ten times—the algorithm is correct. I'm sure of it—I—"
"Uh, guys?" Bruce interjects, pointing to the portal above. Steve looks at the portal too, and realizes almost immediately that something is off, the way the energy seems to crackle within the spiral of dark clouds, before the indisputable figure of a metallic humanoid comes to view, followed by another, and another. And they were approaching fast, weapons aimed and ready.
"Oh, no," Tony sucks in his breath, before a blast of energy strikes his projector, exploding in a spectacular display of fireworks.
Jane screams, and Steve lunges instinctively towards her and the old professor, shielding them both from ensuing blasts. This is bad. This is really bad. The Chitauri are here, while Avengers are scattered. And what's left of them are unarmed, unprepared, caught completely by surprise. The only fortune part is that SHIELD has already evacuated this area of the city, and agents are situated with weapons on hand. And Steve can only hope that they can fend off the invasion long enough for him and Tony to suit up.
"Bruce!" Steve yells, and the doctor seems to understand, the only hero who is capable of fighting right now. And in a flash of seconds, green muscles tear through his flimsy clothing , as the Hulk launches himself amongst the extraterrestrial invaders.
"You said we had a month!" Steve shouts, adrenaline pumping through his veins, as he turns to Loki a few yards away, free of his guards who are otherwise occupied. He looks just as surprised as the rest of them, and the soldier could at least find some comfort in that.
"What's the plan, Cap?" Tony huffs as he stumbles next to Steve, a stray blast of energy nearly grazing his left ear.
"Any chance you can get your suit?" Steve asks as he guides everyone behind a fallen bookcase, one of the few pieces of furniture that still remained.
"I set it on auto, so it should get here in a minute or two."
"Alright, stay low until then, and get Jane and the professor somewhere safe,"
Steve pushes himself to stand, but Tony yanks him by the collar of his shirt, pulling him back down. "Where are you going?"
"To find some answers."
"Are you insane? You don't have your suit. Or your shield. Anything!"
"Well, someone has to act as a decoy." Steve shrugs the inventor's hand away, all the while craning his neck and trying to spot Loki. "Now, go!"
The god is holding his own remarkably well for someone who is chained at both his hands and feet. Steve watches from the corner of his eyes as Loki breaks one of the Chitauri soldier's necks—using the chains. Steve manages to disarm an alien and takes out two more using the weapon, all the while trying to get closer to Loki.
So far so good—that is until a giant metallic whale emerges from the portal, forcing the opening to stretch and tear to even a larger diameter than before. And once through, it opens its gigantic mouth and releases chains and shackles that only seemed to have one target. Loki manages to avoid the first two, but another catches him by the ankle, throwing him off balance long enough for the others to strap around his arms, wrists, and neck. And they're pulling him inside, threatening to engulf the god within the giant gaping cavern.
"Loki!" Steve fires his weapon at the chains, breaking a few, and the monster appears to groan in agony, only because he had caught the attention of the Hulk, who is now pummeling into its enormous metal stomach.
Loki falls to the floor of the apartment in a tangled web of chains, followed by the whale, and one of its metal arches spears through the space between his legs, earning a sigh of relief from Steve. That could have ended a lot messier. The soldier quickly rushes to the god's side, freeing him from the shackles.
"We were supposed to have more time."
"I overestimated, it seems." Loki sounds numb, open, and obviously shaken, and Steve—perhaps too easily—believes him.
But their misfortune doesn't end there, as Steve soon realizes that Loki is now trapped, bound to the metal arch by his own chains, cursed by Odin. The building wobbles from the weight of the alien spaceship, and Steve can tell that they don't have much time before the entire structure collapses.
"You cannot break the curse. It is no use."
Steve ignores the god and continues to yank at the chain. He then looks up at the arch trapping Loki—too large and heavy, no hope for him to lift.
"Leave, Captain." Loki sounds more concerned this time. "You may not survive the fall."
"And you could? This thing is going to crush you."
The building teeters as metal debris slides past them. Steve fires the Chitauri weapon at the chains, which deflect the beam, glowing the same ethereal blue as when Tony had experimented earlier on.
"Leave! Or it will crush you too." Loki tries to push him away, but the soldier refuses to budge.
"There has to me some—some other way—" Steve fires at the metallic arch, denting it slightly, but to no avail.
"You are a fool!" The god is practically clawing at him. "And you will die a pointless death. Is this what soldiers do? Die a fool while believing they are a hero?"
"Goddamn it, shut up!" Steve snaps, the last few words certainly striking a nerve. "I'm not about to just leave you!"
The foundation before them collapses and suddenly, they're falling. Steve, on instinct, takes a piece of debris and smashes it against the chain, and this time it glows with more intensity than ever before, blinding. He feels Loki wrapping his arms around his neck and shoulders, gripping so tightly that he could hardly breathe, until he feels nothing but the god in his arms.
They emerge in a clearing outside of the city, grass scraping the nape of Steve's neck as he lies on his back, Loki above him. They stay like that for while, and Steve can feel Loki's chest heaving against his. He contemplates on bringing a hand to the god's neck, shoulder, the curve of his spine, but Loki disentangles himself before the soldier has the chance.
Loki's expression is dubious—almost sad—and it takes a moment for Steve to realize that the chains are gone.
"Loki—" He begins, but the god raises a hand, and suddenly all words are trapped in his throat. Steve can't move, can barely breathe, as invisible forces push him onto his back again.
And in a flash of gold and green, Loki summons his armor, helmet, and scepter all at once, and Steve feels his stomach clench, as all the blood in his veins turn icy cold. He feels as if he's on the brink of consciousness—could barely see, only hear—although that's fading away also.
"Captain Rogers, I must confess that I have lied. About my mother, she is dead, although my love for her is true. My reason for seeking your help is not of reconciliation but of revenge. She was slain before my eyes, before I was thrown into your world, and I have lost the only person I loved, the only person who loved me, at the hands of enemies I had made in my weak judgment. I do not care what else happens but in vengeance I shall find peace, and in death, perhaps the atonement I deserve.
"I have enjoyed our time together, and I am regretful it must end. You are a fearsome warrior, but above all, a good man. Goodbye Captain, and may it be your fortune that we do not meet again."
###
Steve wakes up in his room back at the tower, with Clint—of all people—by his bedside. He groans as he sits up, rubbing at his temples to sooth a lingering headache. An awful feeling hangs over his mind, as if something important has escaped him completely.
Loki.
"Where's—Loki?" He manages, as dread sinks to the pit of his stomach. If Clint is back at the tower, it could only mean that Steve has been out of commission for at least three days since the second Chitauri invasion. His room at least appears intact, and he can only hope the same for the rest of New York.
"Good to have back, Cap." Clint pats him on the shoulder, completely ignoring his previous inquiry.
Steve takes a moment to organize his thoughts, before asking instead, "What happened to the—"
"The Chitauri?" Clint arches a brow. "Well, according to Tony, they barely lasted an hour before Loki came—green cape, golden horns, and everything—and takes out every single one of those alien grunts. Then, he throws himself into that portal and closes it behind him, and that was the end of everything. And Tony's pissed because—apparently they were close to reaching Asgard or something—and they're back to square again, with the portal gone."
"And Loki?" Steve pinches his eyes closed as all the information sinks in, "Did he—I don't know—say anything before he left?"
Clint furrows his brows. "Not that I'm aware of, but who cares. Good riddance."
Steve sighs and wipes his clammy hands against the sheet over his legs. He remembers now—every word Loki had said in that impromptu farewell—and it's replaying over and over again in his head, like a broken record.
Loki's gone—maybe even gone for good—and Steve feels a sinking terror, a paralyzing sort of dread that makes it hard to breath.
"I can't believe you guys just let him live in the tower for the past couple of weeks." Clint laughs, as oblivious as ever. "And not even in a cage? What were you thinking?"
"I—" Steve responds numbly, his mind obviously elsewhere, "He was on our side this time."
"Well, I'm sure you'd like to believe that." The archer snickers as he makes his way for the door, probably to inform the rest of the team of Steve's resurgence. "I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad I was stuck in Russia during the whole Loki fiasco."
Epilogue
No one knows what happened to Loki after he disappeared beyond the portal. It had been rather an anticlimactic end for the scientists—a lot of ingenious and busy work that all eventually amassed to nothing—but at least, they'd know where to start next time, if there is a next time.
SHIELD is no longer obliging them to stay, and Dr. Selvig had returned to the university to teach, now that they're well into the semester. Jane had opted to stay, to help Tony with his original work on contacting Asgard, because she is still waiting for a word from Thor, and it's worrying that she hasn't received one yet. And now that Loki is free with all his magic intact—and no intention of returning to his home, Asgard probably would want a notice of some sort.
Jane is the first person whom Steve tells of Loki's final words, soon followed by Tony and Pepper. The astrophysicist assures him that it's not too late, that they will do everything they can to reach Asgard as soon as possible, and certainly, Thor will know what to do.
Steve doesn't mention their kiss to anyone, nor of Loki's fondness for sweets and good books, and the portrait of his mother Steve had drawn—the only memento the god had taken from Earth, it seems. All the books still lay scattered in Steve's spare bedroom, untouched since that day.
Steve tries to recall every flicker of doubt, every fleeting sadness he had managed to catch from the god, but didn't have the means to interpret, and the pieces are finally falling together now that he knows—Loki had been mourning for the loss of his mother, and even then, he masked it remarkably well. Steve would have never even guessed.
And now, he feels like an idiot for constantly bringing up the subject of family, because he had thought it would help the god, in reminding him that there is still a home for him, a family albeit fragmented, a mother who cares. But Frigga is dead, and Loki wants nothing short of vengeance—even adopting some delusional notion that a suicide mission can bring atonement. And Steve wants to grip onto the god's shoulders and shake him, until he opens his eyes and see that this fight is not his alone. And there are still people who care for him—and maybe Steve can't vouch for Thor or Odin—but at least, he can speak for himself, that he cares, for whatever that's worth.
Three months passed, and the scientists make little progress in reach Asgard. Steve feels as if he's trapped in limbo, with so much on his mind and so much left to do, but no means of actually accomplishing anything. His old apartment is permanently destroyed—safe to say—so he stayed at the tower ever since, although too restless to remain a constant presence throughout the day.
Every so often, he rides his bike to that clearing outside of the city, where Loki had brought him before disappearing without a trace. It's the beginning of December now, and the dry winter air pricks at Steve's skin, a stark contrast to the gentle coolness of Loki's touch against his neck, threading through his hair. And it startles himself almost, how different Loki appears in his memory—the way his voice is hard but eyes are sad—more of a lost soul than the monster from before.
Steve shouts Loki's name into the sky once he reaches the clearing, more out of wild hope than anything, that the god might be among the clouds and atmosphere, somewhere within reach. The soldier sighs and sags his shoulders when not even an echo returns, before approaching his bike at the side of the road, preparing to leave.
But a loud cackle halts him in his stride, and he looks up to find the heavens opening above him, a great beam of light descending and engulfing him whole. And suddenly the ground beneath his feet is gone.
Steve feels his stomach clench and twist, as he plummets through endless lights and distortion. A long moment passes before he feels something solid again beneath his hands and knees, glassy marble cool against his skin. He only dares to move once his stomach has caught up—no longer threatening to empty all its contents onto the floor. He glances up to find a dark-skinned man in golden armor, eyes vacant as if blind, while half of his face is marred in fresh scars.
"I am Heimdall, guardian of the Bifrost, the all-seeing and all-hearing sentry of Asgard. And I have been commanded to summon you, Steve Rogers of Midgard."
"By whom?" Steve very carefully rises to his feet.
"Lady Frigga, our queen."
To be continued...
Basically I planned this to be a two part series all along. More information to come on the next part, and I will be posting it at the end of this story, so no need to subscribe to my account.
I am SO sorry for ending it with probably one of the biggest cliff-hangers I have ever written. Of course, I will need a little time to meticulously plan out the second novel-length part, but feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
I am also gingerthomas (vampiretom for October) on tumblr, if you wish to contact me there.
Again, thank you so much for the support and lovely feedback. I hope you will continue to follow this story onto the next part :')