From The Ashes

By Anna Morgan

Chapter 9 A New Ally

For the first time in a long time, Loki slept peacefully. He came to realize just how physically exhausted he was once he had finished his drink with Tony and retired to the spare bedroom on Thor's floor of the tower. Without bothering to undress, he had laid down on the edge of the soft bed and simply passed out. It was the kind of sleep where even the most terrible nightmare could slip past the barrier into his mind and disturb him and for the first time since – well, at least before his fall into the void – he allowed his body to slip into peaceful, unworried, dreamless sleep.

The next time he regained consciousness the room was dark, save for the sliver of pink and gold light bathing the floor through the curtains indicating the sun was about to rise for the day. He felt wonderfully rested, though still groggy (perhaps that was the repercussions of nearly a full bottle of Midgardian whiskey). Rising reluctantly from the comfortable bed, he made his way into the bathroom for a cold shower, redressed in his Asgardian attire, and teleported down to the common room floor.

The scene was a typical-looking morning in the Avengers tower. Steve was wide awake, cooking himself and Thor a breakfast that could feed a small army (which, arguably, they were) – mountains of scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and, for Thor, a box of cherry-flavored pop tarts. Thor sat at the head of the rectangular table across from Tony, who was reading the morning paper with a steaming cup of coffee in hand, which he nearly dropped onto the floor as Loki suddenly appeared from thin air.

"Goddamn! You need to warn us before you just pop in here like that! Or use the stairs like normal people –" Tony exclaimed.

"Brother! You are finally awake!" Thor greeted him brightly to cut Tony off. "You must have some of the captain's eggs!"

Loki groaned at Thor's brightness. "How long have I slept?" he inquired groggily, making his way toward the kitchen.

"Three days, sleeping beauty, we thought we were going to have to send prince charming over here to kiss you," Tony said without missing a beat.

Loki just looked at him confused, and a little annoyed (not getting the reference of course). He waved his hand and in an instant Tony's coffee turned to a solid block of mocha-flavored ice.

Tony looked down at his cup, frowning. "Okay, I get it. You're not a morning person," he said brightly. "Neither is her imperial highness. She should be down here by now…" Tony added.

Again, Loki looked at him confused as he grabbed an apple from a fruit basket on the counter and swiped some of Thor's scrambled eggs onto his own small plate before sitting next to his brother. Tony turned his cup upside down, hoping to entice the block of coffee-ice to fall. But it didn't budge.

"Who is 'her imperial highness'?" Loki asked, biting into the apple.

"Of course you wouldn't have heard," Tony explained. "Our own Black Widow apparently is the granddaughter of a Russian princess."

"Tony likes to snoop into SHIELD files," Steve said, shooting Tony a disapproving look. "He went hacking into hers the other day. And now he won't let it go."

"Natasha is a daughter of kings, you say?" Thor asked, pleasantly surprised.

"Granddaughter," Tony corrected him.

As if on cue, the door from the stairwell leading to the upper floors opened and Natasha strode in, clasping an earring and already dressed in a crisp white button-down shirt and pencil skirt with black heels. Thor and Loki stood immediately and turned to look at her. She stopped dead in her tracks. "What?" she asked. "Why are you standing and staring at me like that?"

Loki and Thor exchanged looks, both confused now. Steve and Tony remained seated. "Is it not customary to rise from your seat when a lady enters a room?" Thor asked.

"Not here it's not," Tony said, before looking over his paper to grin Natasha. "Good morning, your highness."

Natasha rolled her eyes and continued toward the kitchen. She backhanded Tony on the back of the head ("Ow!") as she strode gracefully by. Loki grinned.

"See, not a morning person," Tony grumbled toward Loki.

Natasha grabbed an apple and a cup of coffee and placed them down at the seat next to Thor, opposite of Loki. Thor moved to help her with her chair, but Loki beat him to it, gracefully rounding his brother and pulling the chair back just enough for her to sit.

"You know, I appreciate the gesture, but that's really not necessary," she said taking the seat.

"It is polite," Loki shrugged.

"Well, please don't from now on, ok?" Natasha asked.

Loki saw the opportunity. "If you wish. Your imperial highness." He grinned wickedly.

Natasha didn't reply but rolled her eyes as he made his way back to his seat and sat back down, Thor following suit.

Loki turned now to address Steve, who sat beside Natasha. "Captain, I remember agreeing upon a talk concerning our enemy. I intend to make good on this agreement," his tone more serious as his grin faded away.

Steve replied, "I was hoping to ask you about that when you woke up. You feel up to starting this today?"

"Yes," Loki said.

They finished breakfast in relative silence. Loki wondered if all mornings here would be this entertaining. He was starting to become more comfortable around these people – their lack of open hostility (save for Clint, unsurprisingly) and ulterior motives behind their kindness had relaxed him somewhat, though he could not bring himself to let his guard down. Not after all he had been though. As he looked around the table, he was far from actually trusting any of them further than he could throw them.

Everyone went their separate ways for the day until only Steve and Loki remained on the common room floor. Loki sat slumped in the white chair as Steve made his way to the sofa. Steve asked the omnipresent eye that they called JARVIS to record their conversation for future reference if needed as Steve grabbed a large sketch tablet and flipped it open, preferring the old-fashioned way of taking notes to Tony's technology.

"Okay, Loki go ahead," Steve said, pencil in hand.

For being the God of Lies and Mischief, Loki was surprisingly true to his word. He told Steve every intimate detail that he knew of the capability of the Chitauri Soldiers, The Other, and their ships.

"The Chitauri are primarily foot soldiers with limited thinking capability," Loki explained. "Most know only how to service weapons and follow orders. Their leaders, officers if you will, make up only a smaller fraction and all of them take their commands from the being called The Other, who in turn answers to Thanos."

Steve listened intently as Loki continued to explain for hours of the Chitauri chain of command structure, their weapons, their training tactics, and ships as Steve scribbled furiously on his notepad.

"This," Loki conjured a holographic projection of a triangular-shaped alien craft, "Is called The Sanctuary II. It is Thanos' flagship." He explained the armament and weapons of the ship as he peeled away the layers to show the inner structure to the minutest detail.

"Wow that's….cool," Steve was amazed with Loki's hologram that was now spinning slowly of its own accord. The layers were highlighted with green light on their own as Loki explained their function and use.

"It is a simple trick," Loki said as though conjuring a perfect replica of an alien craft from memory and displaying it in midair was something completely normal.

Finally, Loki arrived to the topic of Thanos.

"Thanos is called 'The Mad Titan' by the Nine Realms, and he earns his title," Loki started. "He fancies himself a ruler and seeks power for himself. He has an unnatural obsession with Death."

"You talk about 'Death' like it's a person," Steve said thoughtfully.

"She is a humanoid figure – the physical manifestation of Death itself," Loki confirmed. "Thanos exhibits an obsessive love for her, and submits himself and his brutality to be used as a means to an end in her schemes."

It was difficult for Loki to mask his fear as he continued to tell Steve all about Thanos. As he spoke of Thanos' superhuman strength and agility, his intimidating and overbearing physical form that made Thor look like a toddler, he could feel his fear bubbling within himself.

Steve seemed to have noticed Loki's distress. After a while, he held up his hand to stop Loki talking. "I think we've got enough for today," Loki looked relieved. "We can continue this tomorrow."

"Thank you," Loki breathed thankfully.

….

By the time their discussion had ended it was the afternoon and Loki felt drained. Telling all that he could about the Chitauri and Thanos brought back memories of the Void that he wanted nothing more than to suppress, to shove into the back of his mind, forgotten like an old book to collect dust.

He rose from his chair and made his way to the doors leading to the balcony. Somehow, being outdoors, looking down on the busy city and gazing out into the sky did wonders to calm his mind.

Perhaps it was because of how it reminded him of his time in the cave; how he had done so much soul-searching as he looked out across the outstretched Asgardian sky and down to the lapping water on the rocks.

He stepped outside, the cold breeze sweeping his coattail slightly as he made his way to the railing. Leaning his forearms against the metal of the railings, cold as ice in the late autumn afternoon even through his clothing, he looked out into the city skyline and sighed, willing his mind to clear was done with itself.

Like any master of chess, Loki's thoughts contemplated his next move once Thanos came to Midguard. He had decided in his cell that he would not ally himself with Thanos, nor the Chitauri, ever again. That much was clear to him. But he could not continue to occupy the Avangers Tower forever; he knew that.

Loki admired the beautiful colors and sights that the setting sun bestowed on the scene before him. The puppet master behind all chaos and mischief in the universe – that was what he was. It was a part of him that, sadistic as it could be, defined him, and he enjoyed it. He could not just let it go, like Thor had let go of his arrogance and war-happy tendencies. By instinct he itched to do something – anything – that would throw a wrench into the workings of the Nine Realms, not as part of any mission or plan, but just to see how the creatures would react.

He supposed part of that instinct was based on his own inner turmoil that had defined his life leading up to the revelation of his true parentage.

But he could not do anything now. He still owed the Captain more of his knowledge of Thanos and, much to his disdain, he was to be sent out to aid SHIELD in its missions in the meantime while they waited for Thanos to make his move. He really had no choice but to stay here until Thanos came. And that could be days, or weeks, or months from now.

Ah, but you only agreed to give them information though, the voice in the back of his mind reminded him. No one said you had to stay and fight.

This was perfectly true. But another side of him scolded the voice: These people were your enemies, yet they provided you asylum and care in your hour of need. You owe your skill in battle to them at the very least and you know it…

Loki felt as an outsider to his own mind as these two sides of him bickered back and forth. The sun sank down below the Manhattan skyline as the battle raged within him, and he still had not made up his mind what he would do by the time he decided that it was time to go back inside. Perhaps he would retire back to Thor's floor and sleep on it…

He turned his back on the bright and busy nightlife of Midtown Manhattan and made his way back to the tower. As he approached the glass, he thought at first that the floor was vacant but a quick scan revealed the small red-headed woman sitting at the bar. Tony's advice formed in his mind: next time you see Agent Romanoff, you might want to thank her. While he was stuck here, he may as well gain allies.

….

Inside, Natasha returned home from SHIELD headquarters to find the common room floor empty: not unusual being a Friday evening. At about this time Tony would be tinkering around in the lab with Pepper and Bruce or else taking them out to get a drink or five somewhere(if he managed to drag Bruce from the lab anyway), sometimes even dragging a reluctant Steve along to play supernanny. Natasha smiled lightly at the thought of Pepper; that woman had more patience than she was given credit for, that's for sure. She wasn't sure how Pepper could manage Tony and his shenanigans, though since they got married he seemed to have calmed down a bit thankfully. Still, he was rambunctious and it took a special kind of woman to handle someone like him.

Personally, Natasha would have just shot him by now.

Natasha pulled her laptop from her shoulder bag as well as an old, battered copy of Macbeth and set them down on the bar. While the laptop started up she poured a bit of red wine into a glass and set it on the counter before a stool. Fury, of course, was going to ruin her Friday evening as punishment for her support in the Loki decision by making her write up reports that she was sure would take half the night.

Loki. Natasha's smile faded as the fallen god entered her thoughts. Despite all he had done – his attempted enslavement of the human race, brainwashing one of the two real friends she had ever really had (before the Avengers of course) and murdering the other in cold blood, and throwing her past sins in her face in an attempt to break her – she couldn't bring herself to hate him. She saw too much of herself in him, in his state of mind right now. Hating him would almost mean hating herself. And she had long passed that phase….

She began to type up the reports, her fingers gliding across the keyboard –clack, clack, clack, clack – fast as lightning, though her mind was only half focused on her reports. She had decided almost the moment he had declared himself non-hostile that she wanted to grant him a second chance. And, so far, he had done nothing to make her regret that decision. The only one of the Avengers who really didn't care to babysit him was Clint, which didn't surprise anyone. Not that they blamed him. The conversation she had held with him after they had decided to offer him sanctuary floated back into her mind.

"I don't like this," Clint had said, frowning. "He's planning something. He's gotta be. No one that far gone can suddenly do a one-eighty that quick."

"Am I so different," Natasha had hissed at him. "I was a willing tool for men who would have done exactly what he did to use. I've killed a lot of people and frankly so have you." Clint glared at her with narrow eyes at this. "But you saw fit to give me a chance to turn that around. Why should we deprive him of that chance?"

Natasha shook her head as she continued to type. Yes, she was willing to give him that chance. But now she and Clint faced the imminent fact that Fury planned to use him in their missions. She was uneasy to say the least that her life, or Clint's, could soon be in his hands, hanging in the balance, and depending on whether he took this chance as an opportunity to turn himself around or revert back to his old self. The thought made her insides squirm uncomfortably. She didn't trust him in that way.

She typed until the setting sun deprived the room of light for her to type by and she was forced to turn on the yellow-tinted lights above the bar to see. She continued to type away at the report and finally finished it just as the blanket of night settled on the city.

She looked over her work one last time before submitting it to SHIELD's database. That wasn't so bad, she thought, two down, three more to go…

Taking a sip from her wine, she submitted the second of her reports. Just as she began to type the third, she heard a voice beside her, far too close for comfort:

"Good evening, Agent Romanoff."

She jumped noticeably in surprise as Loki's voice came out of nowhere and she spun in the stool to her left to face him. She hadn't even heard him approach her.

Loki noticed her jump at his approach, not exactly what he had expected. "My apologies. I did not intend to frighten."

"Just don't make a habit of sneaking up on me like that," Natasha warned cautiously, keeping her eyes on him while turning back to her work.

"Consider it payback," Loki said jokingly. Clearly not taking his humor as he had intended she stared at him, her eyes void of amusement. He hadn't known exactly what he expected this conversation to begin, but whatever his expectation was, this wasn't it. Silver tongue indeed….come on Loki, get yourself together….he scolded himself.

Clearing his throat to ease the tension he asked more kindly, "May I?" motioning to the empty stool beside her.

"Okay." Her face became stoic as she kept her eyes focused on him, anticipating her response should this turn out to be a trick. Thank goodness she hadn't removed her weapons from her person…

Loki slid onto the stool and turned the seat to face hers.

"I was… informed by Stark that you were most instrumental in the decision to grant me asylum," Loki explained as politely as he could. "I wish to offer my gratitude."

She released the breath that she was unaware she had been holding until he spoke. "You're welcome." She offered a small smile though far from letting her guard down. She then turned back to her laptop to continue her work.

"I am curious," Loki continued, "as to why you of all your comrades would be the one most insistent upon aiding me when it seems you would have the most to hold against me."

Natasha sighed, still typing away, "I would have thought you would have figured that out."

Loki raised an eyebrow at her. Natasha pressed on. "Considering your knowledge of my past I'd think you would know enough to see that I've been in your position: offered sanctuary by my enemies and a chance to start over," she explained. "It's only fair to pass on the favor."

It made sense to Loki: she was right, it was a simple reason that he should have figured out himself and he felt foolish. Truth be told, he had not spared her past a thought since he had arrived; he had only done so that day on the helicarrier because he saw it as a tool to use against her when she had interrogated him. You mean when she tricked you…you were foolish then too…

"Well, whatever the reason I am thankful," Loki said.

"It's not like we would have given you back to them," Natasha said, abandoning her report temporarily and turning to face him. She was starting to become more at ease. "That was never an option. Thor wanted to take you back to Asgard at first…" She stopped. Why was she telling him all of this?

"I am sure your loverwould have preferred that." Loki said passively. He emphasized the word 'lover' with an almost bitter sort of tone. Inwardly, he suspected that if it were up to him Clint would have turned him over to the Chitauri again. His open yet passive hostility toward him had proved that.

Natasha felt like he had just thrown a bucket of ice water on her. She never expected the conversation to turn to Clint, let alone for Loki to refer to him like that. She leaned away from him, frowning. "Excuse me?"

Loki knew as soon as the words passed his lips that he had stepped on a landmine, and it had just blow up in his face. He could have slapped himself. She certainly looked as though she wanted to.

"Is Agent Barton not… - ?"

"No," She said flatly. As quickly as she had allowed herself to become at ease with their conversation she withdrew and turned back to her work, blocking Loki out.

Clearly this was a subject that he should avoid. "My apologies," he said quickly and dropped the subject. Half this conversation seemed to be him apologizing to her…

Looking desperately for another subject to erase the awkward silence that had fallen between them his eyes fell on the book in front of him. Macbeth. He recognized it immediately. "You like to read." He said pointedly. "You read from this book upon our return from the meeting with Director Fury."

"When I have the time," She nodded, still refusing to look at him as she focused on her report.

"It is a wonderful piece of Midgardian literature. Even some scholars on Asgard enjoy it," Loki's voice was brighter than Natasha had ever heard it. She could tell he was just trying to make up for the awkwardness he had caused and she allowed him to do so.

"Are you about to tell me that you read Shakespeare?" She asked mildly, though pleasantly, surprised.

" 'I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more is none' " Loki quoted as the corners of his mouth turned up, pleased with himself for recalling the line so quickly.

"Very good," Natasha was actually impressed, and still not over the fact that Shakespeare had somehow managed to transcend into other Realms. "I'm afraid we don't read Asgardian literature here. At least not that I know of."

"Many of our kings of ages past and other prominent Asgardian citizens have made their way into your 'mythology'….Thor included," Loki was glad to have steered the conversation toward a topic that interested them both.

For a while Loki talked about how Asgard and Jotunheim, among the other realms, had managed to disguise themselves within Norse and even Greek and Roman mythology. Natasha, astonishingly, listened intently, genuinely interested in their talk now. She actually loved to read and did so any chance she got. She equally loved the academic discussions of the books she read that no one else wanted to have. In return, she discussed her own interests in classic literature, specifically the 'Lost Generation' writers and, of course, Shakespeare.

They continued to go back and forth discussing the few Shakespearean works that Loki had read and, being much more critical than Thor had ever been, analyzed. It felt good to give his mind a bit of exercise, having been repressed for so long, and Natasha certainly proved to be a worthy scholar for the task. Shakespeare was the only Midgardian author he had ever been exposed to but his works were some of Loki's favorites nonetheless. As their conversation progressed they found they had much in common in their hobby of reading and analyzing literature and they had begun making recommendations to one another of books and poems that the other simply must read.

"Well I have something of a library on my floor if you're ever interested," Natasha concluded after a while. Where had all the time gone?

"I may take you up on that offer," Loki concluded. Nice as this discussion was, he was quite tired now. "But I have distracted you from your work for long enough."

"Right," Natasha had completely forgotten her abandoned SHIELD reports. She dreaded going back to them now.

Loki stood down from the stool, pleased with himself for his recovery. Just as he had done his first night while she sat with him in lab, he swiftly took her hand and gave it a swift, chaste kiss, as was a common farewell on Asgard. "Goodnight, Agent Romanoff."

Loki dropped her hand and began to back away. "You can call me Natasha if you want," she replied.

He nodded in acknowledgment. "Thank you. Natasha." He backed up a few more steps and teleported in a swirl of dim gold light.

….

A/N: Another chapter down. Thanks to all who have favorited and followed as well as reviewed so far. Reviews are a great and much-appreciated thing : )