Disclaimer: I do not own these characters except the OC's.
A/N: I was going to give Marcus a miracle cure all but then somebody asked if his memories were going to be intact if he survived.
Un-beta'd
UNIDENTIFIED NETWORK - USER 2 LOGGING IN
…
…
…
An error has forced the system to stop.
System MARCUS has been shutdown to prevent damage.
Systems Check… 100%
…
ERROR:
Power Core… OFFLINE.
Regeneration App… OFFLINE.
Personality Chip... OFFLINE
Memory Disk 1 and 2... OFFLINE.
…
Warning:
Recent Imprint Rejected.
Memory Disk 3 Has Lost 67% Data.
Other Functions Under Reconstruction.
…
Do you want to make changes to these programs? (Y/N)
Type an administrator password.
Password accepted.
…
Control Panel - Programs and Features - Parental Controls
Remove USER 1 – DDAVENPORT? (Y/N)
Do you want the following program to complete these changes? (Y/N)
Type an administrator password.
Password accepted.
…
Add new User? (Y/N)
Enter new name for USER 3.
Do you want the following program to complete these changes? (Y/N)
Type an administrator password.
Password accepted.
…
Do you want to continue making changes to these programs? (Y/N)
…
Imprint Protocol Activated... 100%
Downloading… 100%
Synchronize data? (Y/N)
…
::O:O:O::
It feels like a dream.
A very dark and painful dream.
Marcus flounders when he feels himself resting on a hard surface. He thinks it's strange he isn't in his recharge station. He wonders if he went overboard in his training and collapsed. He tries to adjust himself into a more comfortable position but whatever he's on is too hard.
A warm, firm hand keeps him still when he continues to wriggle. He feels the hand card his hair aside before a person whispers, "Thank the Fates you're alive, Marcus."
The urge to sleep is too strong to ignore and he gives in.
There are glimpses of light and a hazy image of a man hovering over him.
Gold.
It's gold and green and safe.
But it's too cold.
Too cold and too blue.
He wants to go home.
He continues to sleep.
His eyes feel heavy when they open.
The musky smell from the bunker makes his stomach lurch as he tries to stand. His breathing accelerates when he realizes he's tied down on one of the metal tables.
"What do we have here?"
He sees Tom approach with a cruel smile.
"Shh, we're just getting started."
Marcus yells at Tom to get away while desperately trying to free himself.
"Why don't you work on our newest specimen, Marcus?"
He feels his throat close when he sees a perfect copy of himself draw near.
"Sure, I can deal with this one."
He thinks he screams in anger instead of terror. He thrashes and bucks in hopes that his bindings will loosen but they snap tighter. His copy pulls his hair back, eyes shining with madness, "Huh, looks like he's already missing an eye. Good thing we only need one cornea."
He tries to bend away from his captor's hand. He bites back the pain of having his hair pulled roughly as his head is strapped down to keep him from moving. He cringes when a metal item is placed on his face to keep his eye open. He's left gasping, doing his best to blink out the lubricant his double drops into his eye. He can only watch in horror as a sharp object draws closer to pierce his eye.
Marcus wakes up.
His body contracts as he heaves and coughs. He touches his face feeling the torn scraps of skin flap across his nose and eye.
A voice in the back of his mind whispers he should be dead. Not worth loving, not worth keeping, not worth it, not worth it, not-
Another part snaps back saying he was never alive. Insignificant in the grand scheme of things, only a substitute, good enough for now, not permanent, never permanent-
He feels his chest burn.
He rubs it, wincing when it grows warmer. The synthetic skin bubbles under his hand turning orange. He rubs harder looking for the slip to get his chest open but he can't grip the plating under his ribs. His fingers begin to melt and it becomes hotter and hotter. His throat feels raw from screaming but he doesn't stop.
Everything turns dark.
He's in Douglas' lab facing his siblings.
He fights them because he has to but mostly because he wants to kill them. He wants to destroy them until there's nothing left for Douglas to want. He's the perfect one!
But just like before he's beaten and the shower of rocks fall on him. There are boulders and sharp objects pressing him down. He flails trying to dislodge his arm and leg but the rocks continue to pull him under. If his lungs weren't crushed under the weight he'd scream in pain or cry for help.
He's suffocating.
Marcus wakes to the twittering sound of birds.
The fresh smell of pine causes him to open his eyes only to have them snap shut when he's blinded by the sun. He breathes heavily through his nose, panicking when he's unable to remember how he made it outside. His heartbeat quickens and that makes him pause.
He has a heart.
He slaps a hand over his mouth to keep from yelling or vomiting, he's not sure which. His eyes blur because there are tears. He's crying real honest to God tears and he can't stop the ache in his chest when a sob escapes. The heel of his other hand presses against his right eye until it hurts. Stars dance across his vision as he continues to rub what was once his ruined eye because he can't believe he's fine.
He's too overwhelmed by everything.
When he opens his eyes again it's to see a darkening sky overhead. His fingers dig and curl into the wet grass as he tries to settle his nerves. He ignores the sting the damp earth leaves on his sensitive skin and takes a deep breath. He lifts his hands expecting to see metal but blinks in surprise when they look human. He inspects them closer, rubbing the dirt off his fingers until he sees faint burn scars running along his right arm and the palms of his hands. The marred skin is a few shades lighter than his own making him frown curiously.
"Marcus?"
He turns his head to see a man sitting nearby.
"Marcus?"
His face is familiar and his voice reminds him of-
"T-Tom?"
The man stands to move closer.
He walks in slow precise steps until Marcus extends his hands in his direction. The man quickens his steps when Marcus struggles to stand on his own. He hauls Marcus up in a powerful embrace and Marcus clutches Tom's shirt afraid that the man will disappear if he lets go.
"I thought-I wasn't sure," Tom murmurs, "You didn't wake…"
His voice trembles, "How?"
He pulls back and frowns when he really sees Tom's face. Instead of blond curly hair there's shoulder length black hair and the whites of his eyes are pink. He freezes when a memory surfaces of a man covered in scars with glowing red eyes. He shivers when images of ice and hard stone fill his mind. His thoughts whip sharply because everything feels so cold he thinks his breath fogs.
It's so cold.
It's lonely.
Marcus rears back as if burned. He inspects his arms expecting them to be blue or see whorls of scars but they don't change color and there aren't any deep marks.
"What's happening to me? What is this?"
There's a hint of fear in his voice that makes him cringe. A blinding headache rips through him causing him to cry out. He can almost taste the snow on his tongue. He can feel the heat of a large fire surrounded by strangers. He can smell blood and ash in the air. He staggers under the onslaught of countless images smashing against one another.
"These aren't my thoughts! They're not my memories!"
He doesn't pass out but his breathing becomes uneven to the point he needs to sit with his head between his knees. Tom sits cross-legged in front of him waiting patiently until he settles down.
"Marcus," Tom sounds weary, "There are things beyond this world, beyond this dimension, far greater than you could ever imagine…"
The world splinters.
"Tom!"
Tom's lips continue to move but his voice is drowned out by a roar of wind. Everything becomes muddy and dark and Marcus falls.
The scream catches in his throat when he lurches backwards painfully. He's trembling with fear trying to digest what he sees. Before him lies an endless sea of stars and below him runs a waterfall leading into the deepest dark. He looks back seeing his shirt caught on the edge of a broken road made of colors. He reaches back, heart racing when he hears his shirt begin to rip. His eyes fill with tears because he's been here before and he fears this moment. He feels his hands slip and he falls into the deep endlessness of the universe.
There's only agony and nightmares for him in the dark recesses of his mind.
And he sleeps.
::O:O:O::
He wakes with a sore throat.
"Marcus?"
He turns his head to see a man staring down at him. The man cups his face lightly whispering, "It seems I made an error when I used my powers to heal you."
"Tom?"
Tom's voice fills with sadness, "It's been so long since I've used my magic, let alone in this way, I didn't think-"
Marcus looks crestfallen, "You didn't want me to wake up?"
"No," Tom pulls him closer, "No, no, no, you misunderstand. I wished with every fiber of my being that you would live. What I meant is I did not wish to curse you."
Tom hands him a pocket mirror and Marcus takes it with a shaky hand. Marcus bites his tongue when he sees his face. The side that was once ruined is covered in pale skin, even his new ear is a lighter tone. He slowly traces a line where his new skin and slightly darker skin meet in awe. He holds the mirror closer to see his fixed eye and wonders why it's green. He continues to inspect his face and frowns when the new skin on his face bears faint burn marks.
"What are you talking about?" Marcus frowns, "Why do you look different? What happened to me?"
Tom runs a hand through his hair, sighing, "When we first met you felt my power and then witnessed it again when I forced those brutes away from you."
Marcus sets the mirror away to keep himself from becoming distracted.
"I am not from Mid-," Tom pauses, "I'm not from Earth. I'm not from this universe."
Marcus tries to be patient as Tom explains everything. The idea of aliens or gods, for that matter, is just so ludicrous he can't help but laugh. Tom smiles and laughs too as if he had been expecting this kind of reaction before continuing.
Marcus learns of his rise and fall in Asgard.
He can picture certain events in his mind's eye not knowing the chaotic emotions attached to them are whispers of memories from Tom's past.
Tom speaks of the stars laid out above them, of worlds, and centuries of war. He whispers of universes and parallel worlds living beside one another. He tells Marcus of different beings and magic. Marcus listens because Tom tells him his magic isn't from this universe and he worries Marcus is cursed. He tells him that his magic is volatile in this world and somehow a part of him latched on to Marcus.
When Tom finishes Marcus clears his throat.
"Should I call you Loki or Tom?"
Tom stares in confusion because after telling the story of his deceitfulness and disloyalty he expected something different.
"Tom is fine."
Marcus stands on unsteady legs only to stumble slightly. He accepts Tom's arm as they make their way back home.
He doesn't notice the world around them flicker.
::O:O:O::
…
Synchronization at… 90%
14:11:25 remaining before System MARCUS restarts automatically.
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
System MARCUS is about to restart.
Loading…
Systems Online.