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It had been a month since the Avengers have seen Loki and since he had no magic he couldn't have teleported himself elsewhere, Shield had an ongoing search but they had nothing no sings of Loki and even Thor was starting to give up it seemed as if Loki vanished into thin air and the Avengers who had grown to like Loki he really wasn't the asshole that he acted like he was calmer and settled and he kept to himself and he would devour books left and right that's were him and Natasha shared a common interest reading he was her reading buddy and she was really missing him.
Maria and a team of Shield agents were taking down a Hydra base it was a simple get-in and get-out mission bit nothing was working in Maria's favor today the base just had to be more heavily guarded today making everything take longer than it was supposed to. Even though they took down the guards they had to do one final sweep before they left the place and Maria really just wanted to go home and sleep for days. Maria who was walking down a bare grey dull hallway gun in hand waiting for any Hydra agent to emerge from the shadows and attack her saw none she was going to leave and tell everyone that it was clear when she started hearing whimpering from one of the cells, Maria waited for a minute until she heard the whimpering again from where she was standing it was faint but she could still hear it she moved back the whimpers got louder until she finally found the door she tried the door handle but it was locked she backed up before shooting it. When Maria got inside she saw a child with jet black hair and the child had his head in his knees rocking back and forth whimpering, the child was also in a matching pair of grey sweatpants and a grey sweatshirt.
"Hey, kid, it's okay your okay," Maria said putting her gun away to seem less frightening and at the sound of her voice the child looked up a smile was on his face before he ran to Maria
"Auntie Maria you came to save me is Mommy here too." The boy asked his arms tightly wrapped around Maria's leg she had never seen this kid before or even knew who his mother is maybe Hydra made him study her but why would she be a person of interest for Hydra.
"Um, can you tell me your name and who your mommy is and what she looks like." Maria untangled the child's arms from her leg and crouched down to his level both of her hands on his shoulders holding him in place in case he tried to run off, Maria saw a frown on the boy's face and hints of confusion and hurt.
"Loki, Auntie Maria remembers and mommy works with you and she is your best friend she has red hair and green eyes like me. Did Mommy forget about me?" Maria was shocked this was Loki the Loki they have been trying to find for a month was in Spain held captive by Hydra and turned into a child and now he believed Natasha was his mother god could her day get any crazier and now that she did look at the child he was indeed a mini Loki jet black hair and his green eyes all screamed Loki.
"Of course not, sweetie I just had to make sure you were you. Your mother is Natasha right as in Natasha Romanoff."
"Auntie Maria are you sick of course she is my mommy is she here," Loki said peering over her shoulder expecting Natasha to walk in but no one did
"Agent Hill do you copy are you still in the building we have to destroy it do you copy." A Shield agents voice rang through her earpiece
"I copy I'll be out in a couple." Maria had to get them out of this place before they are blown into smithereens
"Loki mommy isn't here but we have to go you'll see her soon I promise."
"Okay."
Maria picked up Loki walking out of the cell she didn't know what they did to Loki or how they turned him into a child or even if he remembered Thor but she was pretty damn sure that whatever they did fucked up with his mind if he is calling Natasha his mom and sure he and Natasha got close through their love for books but she wasn't sure how close but one thing she did know was she wanted to be there when Natasha received the news she hoped she didn't hide her emotions Maria wanted a good laugh, after all, she went through before Maria could go any further she remembered the dead Hydra agents and even if Loki was a man before he was now an innocent child with an innocent mind.
"Loki I need you to close your eyes and only open them once I tell you to, okay."
"Okay."
After that Loki closed his eyes Maria could not lie but Loki was the most cutes kid she has ever seen and so far pretty obedient and his long black hair that fell into his eyes only made him cuter as Maria was moving towards the end of the base she realized that Loki was light very light she could also feel his bones poking at her and she wonders when was the last time he ate or even if those bastards bothered to feed him. When Maria entered the quinjet the Shield agent were staring at her mouth wide open gaping at the fact that she was holding a child but her glares made them turn their heads and closed their mouths.
"Can I open my eyes now?" Loki asked he sounded sleepy
"Of course you can. Loki how old are you?"
"Auntie Ria I really think your sick I'm 3."
"I'm not sick sweetie I just forgot you talk more properly than most 3-year-olds."
"I'm I safe now? No more beatings?" Loki asked while rubbing his sleepy eyes Maria heard an 'aww' from one of the many agents
"Your safe now Loki it okay for you to sleep." Maria tried to put him in one of the chairs but his grip on her neck got tighter
"No please stay with me." Loki gave Maria sad, tried puppy dog eyes and she couldn't say no to him he was so adorable she knew he was going to give everyone a run for their money
"Okay, I'll stay." Maria sat down Loki buried his face in the crook of her neck legs wrapped around her waists and arms wrapped around her neck loosely than before
"Cold." Loki whimpered and just as she was about to ask for a blanket an agent handed her a thick wolven baby blue blanket
"Thanks. Better."
"Mhm."
That's how Maria and Loki stayed through the whole flight him sleeping and her holding him, she was surprised by how calm she was holding him she was never really around kids they weren't her thing and she didn't know how to handle them but she was proud of herself for the way she was handling Loki it was out of character for her. Loki only woke up on time but then he went back to sleep. When the quinjet landed she was so happy her whole body hurt from sitting in that chair for all those hours she needed to stretch her legs and get some serious sleep before she could handle or talk to anyone, she woke up Loki who wasn't to please to be woken up from his slumber but she didn't want him to be scared by his new surroundings.
Fury was waiting for Maria and her team to get back, he usually didn't send Maria out into the field only sometimes so she could stay sharp but he always needed her at Shield being the right hand so here he was anxiously waiting for Maria to make sure she wasn't injured or dead because he wouldn't know what he would do if she did become ill or die it wouldn't go well for him. So when the quinjet opened revealing Maria who was perfectly fine holding something in a blue blanket made Fury take a double look was Marai Hill holding a child? Fury was going to wait until she was closer to question her not that he didn't trust her it was just out of curiosity.
"Hill you were supposed to be here hours ago when the sun was still shining not when it's completely dark and is that a child in your arms? Did you find him in the base?"
"Sir I'll answer all your questions tomorrow but today I need sleep okay it 8 at night let me sleep."
"Fine is the child staying with you."
"Yes, sir he's only comfortable with me so it would only be smart."
"Alright, tomorrow bring him to medbay to get checked out and bring me all the information you have on him."
Fury left leaving Hill and the mysterious boy alone and going back to his apartment he needed a goodnight rest running a super-secret spy organization wasn't as easy as he makes it look its god damn difficult but saving peoples lives is what's makes it all worth it or at least that what he tells himself Fury didn't really know anymore.