Chapter 43

Loki and I took a small detour on the way to the conference room and ended up in one of the guest rooms on Deck 2. Fury keeps guest rooms in case an Avenger or allie needs a place to stay. He's a good guy.

After Loki and I quickly finished up, he teleported us to the conference room. We both forgot that doing that made me sick and I rushed over to the trash can by the door and threw up what little I had in me. I groaned and Loki conjure up water and a mint for me. I thanked him and we turned around to see two Peters, two Tonys, two Buckys, and two Thors and an annoyed Fury staring at us from the table.

"You're late." Fury sternly said as he leaned forward in his chair. I chugged the water and then tossed the mint in my mouth as I shrugged. We took our respective seats while Fury glared at us. I couldn't help but feel he knew why we were late.

"Alright, now that we're all here, let's discuss this." He loudly announced to the group.

"Are you all from different universes?" He asked the group.

"Yes." The other Peter nodded.

"Are you in contact with the other universes?" He asked as he looked at the other Thor.

"Yeah." Thor nodded.

"All 196 of them?" I asked, raising an impressed brow.

"No, all 197 of them." The other Thor replied.

"197? But.." I trailed off as I counted how many other Avengers were here with us and then subtracted it from the 200 the other Loki said there was.

"How is it 197? There's only 200 universes and you're all from different ones. That means there's 196." I argued.

"There's 201 universes." The other Thor informed me.

"W-What? No, wait, the other Loki told me that there was 200. I saw the other 199 versions of myself." I said while shaking my head.

"There's 1 universe that doesn't have heros." Bucky shrugged.

"Well, they technically do but they're fake. Their Avengers are just a movie franchise. They come from comic books." Peter added.

"That's.... uncomfortable to know." My Bucky said as he slumped back in his chair. He was right, it felt weird knowing we were...fake and didn't really exist in one universe. I think finding out I died is better than that. I basically don't even exist, I'm just a character. We all are.

"Had the same external crisis when I found that out too." The other Peter nodded at me. I guess I was making noticable faces.

"So are we all real but we play characters?" Tony asked as he raised a curious brow.

"Yeah, the guy who plays you looks exactly like you but his name is Robert." The other Bucky nodded.

"Is he short too? I don't want two Tiny Tonys around." My Tony sighed, causing me to laugh and the other Tony to narrow his eyes at him.

"So there's 201 and the evil Loki only told me about the 200?" I asked as I crossed my arms on the table.

"Loki didn't bother telling you about that one since it was so easy to take." The other Thor said as he crossed his arms.

"He would have felt embarrassed to brag about such a takeover. It was just handed to him, he did not have to work for it." My Loki explained.

"This is true. It did not make him a better conqueror, he merely took a universe that was defenseless." My Thor added.

"So what's going on with the other universes? Do we have a headcount for all Avenger, allies, superheroes, whatever the Hell they call them." Fury asked as he raised a brow.

"The universes represented here today do, yeah, but not the others. We could use some help with that too." The other Thor said as he nodded his head and looked around at the others.

"Alright. I'll have to go through the list of available Agents and heroes and see what I can do." Fury nodded as he stood up.

"You've been to the other universes and met with the other surviving heroes?" He asked the other Thor as he walked away from his seat and towards the door.

"Yeah." The other Thor nodded.

"Alright, take Tony, Peter, Bruce and....."

"Why not Bucky?" The other Bucky asked as he raised his brow.

"I'm not really a travel kinda guy." My Bucky replied as he shrugged.

"I don't even like leaving New York, let alone the whole universe." He added. The other Bucky slowly nodded but did seem confused. Probably because he had no issue traveling and our Bucky did. Fury nodded in agreement and looked back at the group as he thought for a minute.

"Okay, so Tony, Bruce, Peter, and-"

"Me!" I excitedly volunteered. I knew he was going to have some of us travel to the other universes for something and I wanted to do it. 

"Are you sure?" Loki asked as he put his hand on my knee.

"The travels might make you sick." He added.

"I'll deal with a little throw up and stomach ache if it means I can go to another universe." I chuckled as I smiled at him.

"And Alex." Fury nodded in agreement.

"And Loki." He added.

"What?? No!" The other Thor scoffed as he crossed his arms.

"Alex and Loki are a package deal." Fury shrugged. The other Thor glared over at me and Loki before looking back over at Fury.

"I can tolerate the girl-" 

"Excuse me?" I harshly asked. I found that very rude.

"But not the monster." The other Thor said as he shook his head. I clenched my jaw and Loki silently shushed me to stop me from yelling at them. I respected what he wanted but was fuming.

"Either he goes, or our deal is off." Fury casually said as he shrugged.

"I can disguise myself as someone." Loki offered. He flashed green and transformed into Fury.

"No." Fury sternly replied. Loki transformed into Steve and the other Thor looked like he was considering it.

"No. Lo, you aren't going as someone else. You're Loki, a good Loki, so that's who's going, not Steve or Fury or someone else." I sternly said as I watched him transform back into himself.

"The others won't be happy." The other Thor pointed out.

"I don't give a fuck about the others and their happiness. This Loki helped kill the one none of you could and resealed Svanhild's cage. Maybe we should remind those ungrateful fucks about that." I harshly said as I looked over at him. He tensed up and clenched his jaw as he looked away from me and down to the table. The room went silent and none of the other universes Avengers looked up from the table. 

"Ya know..." The other Bucky said as he looked over at us.

"It's pretty clear to me that this Loki is different. From what I've seen in the past few hours... it's obvious this one has gone down a very different path." He nodded.

"Yeah, I think once the others see him and how he is with you-" The other Peter said as he nodded once at me.

"-and these Avengers, I think they'll realize he isn't like the other Lokis." He added.

"We go tomorrow morning." The other Thor harshly said as he stood up. He stormed past Fury but the others politely took their leave as they followed. Even Tiny Tony was nice about it, it seems like the other Thor is the only one with a problem. But that makes sense honestly. Loki is his brother and he did horrific things to a lot of people, I'm sure it is hard to see my Loki as someone different. I just wish he'd open his eyes a little and stop grouping all Lokis together.

-----

After briefing Bruce on the issue and then all of the other Avengers and allies, Tony decided to throw a party. He invited the others but they said they had to get a good night's sleep in for tomorrow and suggested we all do the same. Tony blew that off and threw his party anyway. It was just the main Avengers, Happy, Bucky, and Eddie really, more of a small get together.

"Wonder what the other mes will look like." Bruce laughed as he reached his hand into a bowel of chips on the kitchen counter.

"I imagine green." Tony nodded. Bruce rolled his eyes and walked away, taking the bowl with him. I followed and we sat on the couch while the others mingled.

"Loki said you've been dealing with some rough morning sickness." Bruce said as I took the bowl from him and began eating the chips. I nodded to his comment and he took the bowl back as he sighed.

"That sucks." 

"Tell me about it. These chips are the first thing I've been able to keep down in weeks." I replied as I took more from the bowl and ate them. They didn't make me feel nauseated or upset the baby which was a blessing.

"Excited to be a mom?" Steve asked as he and Bucky sat down on the loveseat, both crushing one another against the sides to fit.

"I am. Pretty nervous too but I also have a whole family behind me to help out." I shrugged, smiling at the pair.

"I think Loki's gonna make a good dad." Clint said as he slumped down on the arm of the couch next to me.

"He literally used his illusions to convince your toddler son that he lost his hands as a joke." Nat laughed as she crossed her arms next to him. Clint shrugged as he looked over at her.

"It was a good joke." He replied.

"Plus, little Nat was trying to take Loki's helmet and wear it." Tony pointed out as he gestured towards Nat with his beer bottle opening.

"That doesn't make him a bad dad." Bruce pointed out as he passed the bowl of chips over me and to Clint.

"I never said it did." Nat shrugged.

"I'm just saying, Alex is gonna have her hands full with a little baby and a big jokester." Nat smiled over at me.

"I'll be open to babysit whenever you need, kid. I even bought one of those little baby carriers, the kind you put on your chest." Happy excitedly said as he touched the middle of his chest.

"M.J is open too, she'd kill me if I didn't remind you of that." Peter laughed as he and Eddie walked in from the balcony.

"I mean, I'm always first pick as babysitter. I'm grandma." Pepper reminded everyone as she stood behind me with her hands on my shoulders.

"Venom is excited to meet a human baby." Eddie smiled and then suddenly turned into Venom, who also smiled.

"It will be interesting to see how small humans start out as. I heard the smells are terrible but luckily I can not smell." His raspy voice said. He morphed back into Eddie just as Thor and Loki appeared in the living room. Thor set his hammer down on the coffee table and took a seat in the second loveseat.

"Everything okay?" I asked them. Loki crossed his arms as he nodded and Bruce got up from the couch, offering him his seat. Loki sat down and Bruce sat on the armrest next to him.

"What happened?" Clint asked Thor.

"The Asgardian who stole from Frigga has been caught and is in holding, awaiting his punishment. I told her she could pick it since she was the victim." Thor replied.

"What'd they steal?" Pepper asked as she gently squeezed my shoulders.

"Her... delicates..." Thor said as he cleared his throat.

"Someone panty raided the former Queen of Assgard??" Tony loudly laughed.

"A young boy." Loki replied as he put his arm over my shoulder. As the others talked and joked, I looked over at Thor's hammer and admired it's beauty. I haven't really gotten a good chance to look at all of the details engraved into it. Either Thor has it or it's flying through the air at someone.

"She is beautiful is she not?" Thor's voice suddenly broke through the noise. I looked over at him and realized he was talking to me about his hammer.

"Definitely." I nodded in agreement.

"I wonder if I'm worthy now." Steve said as he stood up and stared down at the hammer.

"Haven't tried to pick this thing up in like 6 years." He chuckled. He gripped the handle and strained as he pulled upwards. The hammer shifted just a little but stayed there on the table. He let out a harsh breath as he let go and then waved it off as he plopped back down next to Bucky. Thor laughed at this and Bucky stood up while rubbing his hands together. 

"Might as well." He shrugged. He grabbed the hammer and pulled but it didn't move at all.

"Jesus." He harshly exhaled as he let go. He sat back down and Nat took his spot. She tried and failed, just like Clint and Peter. Eddie attempted to lift it and then Venom, neither of them moved it.

"That is ridiculous. I'm definitely worthy." Venom scoffed as he formed back into Eddie. Bruce tried but couldn't move it either, so he turned into Hulk. Hulk failed too. Happy, Pepper, and Tony all failed as well, even with the use of Iron suits.

"Seems like I'm the winner for most movement of the hammer." Steve bragged as the others rolled their eyes at him. 

"Try it, Lady Alex." Thor chuckled as he motioned to the hammer. I shrugged and pushed myself up from the couch and comfort of Loki's body. I grabbed the hammer with both hands and clenched my jaw as I pulled upwards. The hammer lifted less than an inch off of the coffee table but it lifted nonetheless. I let out a loud laugh as I dropped it back down.

"Looks like I'm the winner!" I laughed again as I looked over at Steve. 

"Impressive!" Thor loudly and excitedly said. I sat back down next to Loki and Thor's eyes landed on his brother.

"No." Loki's annoyed voice said.

"Try it, brother." Thor urged him.

"No." Loki replied.

"Why not?" I asked as I leaned into his arm.

"I already know I am not worthy." He shrugged.

"Awe, just try." I pleaded. I disagreed with his thoughts, I felt like he was just as worthy as Thor. Loki's done so much good and selfless deeds and I feel like they make up for the bad. He wasn't born evil, he was pushed into it. I knew he never meant to really hurt anyone.

"Fine." He said as he rolled his eyes. He stood up and placed one hand on the handle, his face fully annoyed. His relaxed body stood there and I knew he wasn't going to put effort into it. Thor gave his brother a wide smile and Loki rolled his eyes as he pulled upwards.

The whole hammer came up with his hand.

"Oh my god." I said as I sat up and stared at the hammer with wide eyes.

"Brother..." Thor softly said as he stood up too. Loki stared down with wide surprised eyes at the hammer comfortably sitting in his hand.

"You are worthy!!!" Thor cheered as he pulled Loki into a right hug. Loki suddenly began laughing and threw his free hand around his brother as he hugged his back.

"I am worthy." He softly said as he pulled away and looked down at the hammer again.

"I knew it!" I laughed.

"That's pretty awesome." Bruce smiled.

"He is worthy but not me??" Venom suddenly scoffed. Eddie forced his back down and awkwardly smiled at us.

"Sorry, he has a real jealous problem. But congrats on being worthy, man." Eddie said.

"Father would be so proud of you. I will inform mother when I return." Thor proudly nodded at his younger brother. Loki smiled down at the hammer and then handed it back to Thor before sitting back down with me. He took my hand in his and the others started mingling once more, leaving us alone. Loki placed his free hand on my stomach and leaned back into the couch as he looked up to the ceiling.

"I am worthy." He whispered.

-----