Chapter 2
I had no idea what I was doing or what I was planning to do once I got to Loki's cell.
What was I supposed to say to him? Would he even want to see me. I mean, I had invaded in on his mind and pretty much tortured him all over again.
He didn't even know me. I didn't know him, yet, I did.
I knew more about him than anyone else in this tower.
I had seen his turmoil. I had seen way too much, and deep down I knew it.
Tony led me through a long hallway, only stopping when we reached a set of double doors. "He's in there, in a cell. I think he's awake now. We had to sedate him."
I winced. At least I was lucky enough to pass out.
"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" Tony asked, again, for the millionth time since I had told him I wanted to see the dark god.
"I'm sure and no spying. Tony, I'm serious. Let me speak with him alone." I urged, knowing damn well he would never open up to me if he thought anyone was listening.
That is, if Loki would even open up to me period.
"I'll be just down the hall. Scream if you need me."
When I entered the room, it didn't take long for me to find Loki's cage. It was a strange looking cell, and appeared as if it was guarded by magic by the ripples of light that seemed to engulf it.
Perhaps it was. Magic was a foreign concept to most people on my planet, but not me.
Hell, I did pry into people's minds for a living.
Loki was sitting in the corner, knees up to his chin, and his face was buried in his hands. I stepped on a loose board, and it made a cracking noise, and that's when his head snapped up. The look he gave me sent chills up and down my spine. He hadn't known I was there. Not only had I seen him in his most vulnerable state once, but twice now. Loki jumped up and before I had even had time to blink, he was standing directly in front of me on the other side of the cage.
He was even more beautiful than I had originally thought. Without the muzzle, I could see his entire face now.
But just as I expected, Loki wasn't happy to see me.
"You! What do you want now!" Loki snarled, making my knees tremble. So this was the man everyone had been afraid of. I then understood why they had all those chains. That muzzle. Loki's voice could kill.
If I didn't know what I already knew, I would have even been afraid.
Hell, I was afraid, but it wasn't his fault.
He was only trying to protect himself.
It was a defense mechanism.
Loki was damaged and because he was damaged, he was dangerous.
I had seen what he had done in order to stay alive and I had also seen the moment he wished for nothing but death.
He had begged for death.
But he wouldn't give it to him. He wouldn't let Loki go.
"Haven't you done enough!" he spat again when I took too long to answer.
I was sure his last words had intended to sound more threatening, but instead they came out broken.
"I'm so sorry." I could already feel the tears rolling down my cheeks. "If I had known just how bad....I would have never done that to you."
Yes, I did this for a living, but it was mostly to solve murders and other crimes.
Not traumatize victims. I had caused a few people pain, but nothing like this.
I felt sick.
Loki was glaring at me as if he was studying my words carefully. His mask dropped for a moment, revealing someone in pain, but he quickly put it back up. "I do not want your pity, mortal!" he spat, more enraged now than he had been when I'd first walked in.
Remember- defense mechanism.
"It's not pity." I tell him. I knew that wasn't what Loki wanted from me. I knew what he wanted and pity wasn't it. "I'm just simply sorry." I shrugged, biting my lip.
Loki chuckled. "What is this?" His gaze darkened. "Why are you here?"
"I don't know." I say honestly. I really didn't know. I had no fucking idea what I was doing. "I just, I didn't want you to be alone."
And there is was. I'd figured it out.
I didn't want Loki to be alone right now. He would act as if he wanted to be alone, even fight for it.
But Loki didn't want to be alone. He was already alone enough.
"You left her in there with him alone!" Clint sighed, shaking his head. "Didn't you learn last time, Stark?"
"He's in a cage that he can't escape from." Tony shrugged. "She'll be alright. Plus, she was dead set on it. I wasn't going to change her mind."
"That's fine, but why leave her alone?"
"She asked me to. I think I owe her that much."
Along with a fat check. Tony felt so guilty. He knew if things went wrong she would suffer the consequences too, but he hadn't cared about that. He had been so sure Loki had been lying.
He was so sure.
And he had been wrong.
"What did the mortal tell you, Stark?" Thor asked, annoyed by the fact he hadn't brought Lily straight to him.
"Not a lot, really, just that Loki's innocent mostly." Tony swallowed. "She wouldn't tell me what she saw, but from the look on her face it's bad."
"So, he wasn't lying?" Clint frowned. "He really was under the same hold I was?"
"I don't know about that, but yeah, basically." Tony shrugged. "At least, I assume."
"She has to tell us more." Natasha chimed in. "We can't just forget what he's done. Fury also wants a report ASAP."
"Screw Fury." Tony rolled his eyes. "We should at least find out why he did what he did before we go handing him over to that manic."
"I agree." Steve nodded, looking at Tony. "There's something bigger going on here. We just need to find out what it is."
"Is Loki even really a threat?" Bruce finally spoke up, analyzing the situation. "The other guy seemed to knock him out of whatever rage he was in. Have you noticed he'd been more docile?
Like with Clint." He motioned towards Natasha, snapping his fingers. "Didn't you say you hit him in the head really hard and it broke the scepter's hold?"
She nodded. "Yes, but Loki is still dangerous. He's proven that."
"He's from Asgard." Tony reminded her. "Of course he's dangerous, but think about it-aside from what happened a few hours ago, Loki hasn't put up a fight since the big guy threw him around like he was a rag doll."
"You're right." Steve vouched. "He hasn't. Not really, and I don't blame him for earlier either. Tony, I don't think Loki even knew where he was.
His eyes...I was looking right through him."
"My brother is skilled in lying and deceiving, but I do believe what we witnessed back there was not an act.
I called him a liar." Thor closed his eyes and swallowed. "I have never seen Loki so terrified. I fear that I have made a grave mistake.
I should have trusted my brother."
It was as if Loki couldn't comprehend what I was saying. He just glared at me, then suddenly he began laughing. It was dark, but I could hear the pain behind it. No one else would, but I could.
"You don't want me to be alone?" he scoffed. "You are a foolish mortal."
"Why are you fighting me, Loki?" I don't know where it came from, but I just had to say it. "Stop. You don't need to hide from me. I've already seen you." His eyes widened. "I know what goes through your mind, I know what you're doing. Stop."
"Stop?" Loki chuckled. "STOP!" He roared, seething with anger again. "You dare make demands of me! I am a God, puny girl!"
"God or not, you still feel." I challenged. "I saw it."
Loki beat on the cage with both fists, but he jerked back just as quickly shrieking in pain.
I took a step forward out of instinct. I wondered if Loki's cell worked like that both ways.
If I were to touch it, would it hurt me?
I didn't even give myself time to fully think it over. I took another step forward, catching my foot on a step, and tripped.
I froze when I realized the cell didn't work both ways. Instead, I'd found a way in; I had fallen through Loki's cell.
I was now on enemy lines, watching Loki smirk at me, still on my hands and knees. 'He won't kill you.' I tried to convince myself. Loki hadn't wanted to kill anyone.
He made him kill, aside from defending himself.
But the look on Loki's face made me wonder if I was wrong about him not killing me.
It was just a mask. A defense mechanism.
"Tisk, tisk." Loki began, smiling wickedly. "Look at who has fallen right into my trap."