Chapter Fifty Nine

"Damn," Loki said, looking at Rissa. "I didn't think that I'd start hallucinating for several hundred years, at least."

Rissa rolled her eyes. "You're an idiot. And I'm alive, thank you very much."

"Really?" Loki said, skeptical. He reached for her hand. It passed right through her body. Sadness crept back into Loki's eyes.

"I'm astral projecting," Rissa said. "I can't actually get into your cell. But we can still talk."

Loki was quiet, looking at her. "So…you're…okay?"

"Yes," Rissa said. "But I heard that little speech you said to Odin earlier." She gave him a look. "Really? Do you keep forgetting that I'm human? Stop belittling my race. All of those heroes in the stories I told you when we were little, almost all of them were human."

"I-" Loki began, before Rissa interrupted him again. It didn't really matter, as he couldn't think of what to say.

"No excuses!" she shouted. "Look, we all know that you wanted to be king. And I figured out something. At the end of the day, when you let go of that staff and fell into space, you were done. But being kidnapped by the Chitauri rekindled your desire for power. I was just an excuse for you to be king. Would you stop being so greedy!"

Loki was stunned. He was happy that Rissa was still alive, but he didn't like her yelling at him.

"If I was actually here right now, I would slap you," Rissa said.

He had really pissed her off.

Rissa took a deep breath and composed herself. "Why wasn't it enough?"

Loki didn't understand. "Why wasn't what enough?"

She looked at him in shock. Loki realized that she was surprised that he didn't understand. "Why wasn't our love enough? Mine? Frigga's? Thor's, Odin's….everyone's. Why couldn't you just…" She sighed. "I just don't understand why power was so important to you. We all loved you. I still do. I know Frigga does. And despite what Thor says, he is still your brother. He still cares about you."

Loki glared at her. "How could he? He isn't my brother," he said angrily. "He isn't my family."

Rissa tilted her head, and looked at him like she was finally understanding what his problem was. "No, you see, that's where you're wrong. As Bobby Singer, one of the wisest drunks ever, once said, 'Family doesn't end with blood, boy.'"

Loki was quiet ask he contemplated her words.

"You know what else he said?" Rissa continued. "He said, 'Are you under the impression that family's supposed to make you feel good, make you an apple pie, maybe? They're supposed to make you miserable! That's why they're family!"

She looked so sad, and disappointed. Heartbroken. "You always stand by your family. Even if there are times when they don't seem like they're a part of it."

Loki looked at her with new eyes. She might be young, but she's seen much more than that. She's seen amazing things. And experienced terrible things. And he couldn't understand why she was still trying to find the good in him.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked.

"Because you're family," Rissa said. "And you never give up on family. Ever."

Loki swallowed. "You really consider me family? Of all people?"

"Of course," Rissa said, "You mean more to me than you could ever imagine. I grew up with you, Loki. Most of the time, you don't get to pick your family. But I did. And I still picked you, even though I knew all of this. I knew that you were a Frost Giant, that you would try to take Earth with the Chitauri. I knew all of it, and I still picked you."

"Why?" Loki asked. He wasn't angry, just befuddled. He seemed to be in shock. "Why would you choose me?"

"Because you needed me," Rissa said. "And that's okay. There's nothing wrong with needing help. Everyone struggles, everyone doubts themselves. So when you need help, don't be afraid to ask me for it. We're family. And you never give up on family. And promise me one thing, Loki."

"What's that?" Loki asked.

"Promise me that you'll never let me forget that." Rissa said. "Make sure that I never give up on my family. Ever."