Chapter 8 : War

As I feel something pulling me up, the wind begins whipping through my long white hair.

"Miranda?... Meredith?"

I hear a voice, but it feels distant. The wind rushes past me as someone lifts me up, carrying me upward.

I drift in and out of consciousness until I finally manage to open my eyes. "Thor?" I murmur, realizing I'm cradled in Thor's arms as he flies through the sky.

"Meredith!" He lands back on solid ground, his concern etched in every line of his face. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," I assure him, though the dizziness lingers. "Are you heading to the battle?"

He nods, determination in his eyes. "Good. Can you drop me off at Stark Tower? That's where Loki is."

"I will not let him near you again!" Thor's grip tightens as he looks down at me, but I reach up and pat his arm gently.

"Thor, I let him hurt me. I knew he wouldn't kill me, so I didn't fight back," I explain, though I can see the confusion in his eyes. He hesitates, then sighs deeply.

"Alright, Mer. I hope you're right." With a determined nod, he grabs onto my waist. "Hold on." Thor swings his hammer, and we're off......

"Loki!" Thor lands with a crash on the balcony of Stark Tower, with me in tow. "Turn off the Tesseract, or I will destroy it!"

Loki's gaze flicks to me, then back to Thor. "You can't. There is no stopping it. There is only the war."

"So be it," Thor growls before lunging at Loki. As they engage, I teleport to the streets below to help with the Chitauri, those ugly, skeletal-looking aliens. I know it's only a matter of time before Hulk smashes the scepter out of Loki's grip.

"Hey guys, I'm back," I say into the comm system, quickly adjusting to the battlefield.

"About time, kid. What's the plan?" Tony's voice crackles through the earpiece.

"Can I make the plan? Is that okay?"

"Go for it, Miranda," Steve's steady voice comes through, giving me the green light.

"Alright, Cap and Nat, stay on the ground. Clint, I'm coming to pick you up and place you on a rooftop. I want you to call out strays and patterns. Tony and I will maintain the perimeter; we need to ensure the aliens stay within the evacuated area. And someone needs to tell Thor to use his lightning to focus on those giant flying whales!"

"Giant whales?" Tony echoes, and as if on cue, the leviathan emerges from the portal. "You know, kid, your resume is growing way too fast for me. Now you're a psychic." I laugh despite the chaos. "I see Thor, I'll let him know," Tony adds.

"Clint, I see you. Get ready," I say as I swoop down near him. "Clench up, Legolas."

"Nice nickname, kid. I'll have to use that," Tony quips. Of course, I borrowed it from him. ....

The battle rages on, and I listen to the team through the comms, as if I'm watching the movie play out, only now, I'm part of it. I'm on my own, fighting to keep the army from breaching the perimeter. Banner has just arrived, which means we're nearing the end. I'm just grateful everyone is safe. I hear Cap reiterate my strategy as I continue tearing through the Chitauri. I'm letting the events unfold like the movie, but without civilians in danger, the stakes feel more manageable. Hopefully, people will be more grateful for their saved lives than angry about the destroyed buildings.

"I can close the portal," Natasha's voice comes through. That's my cue. I fly to Stark's penthouse and find Loki lying in a dented crater. I pull off my glasses and kneel beside him.

"Hey," I smile softly, but he frowns up at me. I lay my hands on his head and begin bringing forward his happy memories and emotions.

I pull up the memories of our playdates, the tricks he would play on me, and the ones I played back. Our sorcery lessons, how he loved impressing his mother. I focus on his memories of Thor, how his brother would play with him, and Frigga's undying love.

[A/N - I put together a video to showcase Loki's positive memories. It might not be perfect, but I hope it captures the essence.]

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

[A/N - Let me know what you think!]

But as I delve deeper, the pain starts to surface. Thanos—the man who had tortured Loki, breaking him down mentally and physically. The sheer volume of pain and suffering nearly overwhelms me. Loki had fought at first, but after Thanos... he just wanted it to end. For the agony to stop.

I push the pain back, away into the recesses of his mind. I can't let him forget the pain—it's part of who he is now—but I can dull it, hide it enough for the real Loki to re-emerge. The Loki that Meredith and Thor grew up with.

It feels like I've been in his mind for an eternity. It's exhausting, and Thanos' power is overwhelming. The hold he had on Loki was suffocating, a grip of pure, unrelenting pain.

"Kid?" Tony's hand on my shoulder jolts me back to reality.

I open my eyes, gasping for breath. Loki is asleep, his features peaceful for the first time in who knows how long. The Avengers stand around us, concern etched in their faces. I meet Thor's gaze.

"He's okay," I manage to breathe out. "I didn't expect there to be so much pain."

"You did good, kid," Tony says softly as he lifts me up. "You did good."

I laugh weakly, exhaustion creeping in. "I know." I lean my head against Tony's cold suit. "I'm tired."

"We'll take care of Loki. Why don't you take her to her room," Cap suggests. Tony nods, turning to carry me out.

"Don't hurt him," I murmur, my voice fading as sleep takes over. They all nod in agreement. "And Thor... don't take him back to Asgard." Thor hesitates but then agrees......

"Wake up, sleepyhead," someone shakes me gently. "Kid, you've been in bed for two days. You need to get up."

"Snooze," I mumble, pressing my hand against his mouth to shush him. "Just two more days." I bury my face back into the pillow.

"Kid, as much as I'd love to let you do whatever, you can't stay in bed," Tony insists. I growl at him in response. "Don't make me get Thor." Oh, no, he didn't.

"Asshole. Bring Loki," I grumble, throwing an extra pillow behind me.

"He's kind of on room arrest," Tony explains. I turn and give him a death glare. "Fine. Fine," he surrenders, holding his hands up......

"I heard you wouldn't get out of bed until I came. Have you missed me?" Loki's voice is smooth, but there's a hint of humor.

I hum in response and pat the spot next to me. "Get your butt over here," I command. "Right meow," I add with a soft giggle.

"On the bed?" he questions, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, on the bed. Now, get over here," I insist, still half-asleep.

"Thank you for what you did," he says as he sits beside me. I hum again, grabbing his hand and cuddling with it.

"I didn't want you to suffer long-term effects from the scepter or that giant grape," I say, my voice muffled against the pillow.

"Giant grape?" Loki laughs softly.

"Thanos," I clarify. His laughter dies down immediately. "I was in your head, Loki. I know what he did to you. And before that, I knew something was off by your change in attitude and eye color. Plus, you looked malnourished."

He hums in acknowledgment, his hand warm in mine. "Come on, you have to get up."

I squeeze his arm and huff. "Your brain made me tired and sad. It's your fault, so you must stay and comfort me." I look up at him, adding, "Unless you want me to call Captain or Thor." I raise an eyebrow teasingly.

Loki rolls his eyes. "Fine. Only this once. But this is not appropriate for a man and a woman—"

"For God's sake, Loki, we're on Midgard, not Asgard. Just chill a little," I snap, turning my head to look at him.

"What?" He looks a bit nervous.

I sigh, my gaze softening as I study his face. "Remove the Asgardian look," I request gently. He furrows his brows in confusion. "Pretty please? I'll get out of bed if you let me see your Jötunn form. There have been so many ideas and drawings—" I cut myself off before I reveal too much in my excitement. "Please. I want to see what you really look like," I beg. I've always wanted to see the real Loki, not just the brief glimpses we got in the movies.

"Are you sure?" he asks, sounding as if I've just asked for something far more intimate.

"If it's okay with you," I reply, trying not to sound too eager. He sighs deeply before dropping his Asgardian guise. "Whoa," I breathe out, marveling at the deep blue skin adorned with lighter swirls that cover his form. "Beautiful," I whisper, my voice filled with awe. Loki's eyes glaze over with emotion."I want to touch it," I say, glancing up at him for permission. "But don't worry, you can heal me afterward, okay? I promise it won't hurt me." He nods hesitantly, and I trace the swirling patterns on his skin. The freezing pain of frostbite begins to creep into my fingers, but I don't care. This is Loki—the real Loki.

"Brother?" Loki jerks away from me, shifting back to his Asgardian form as Thor enters the room. "Sorry, was I interrupting something? I can come back."

"No, Thor. Come in and shut the door," I instruct. Thor follows my directions, though he looks a bit confused. "Come sit," I pat the bed, gesturing for Loki to sit as well.

"What is the meaning of this?" Thor asks as he takes a seat.

"People on Asgard don't have therapists, and they really should... I'm going to help you two."

"What do you mean?" Thor asks, still perplexed.

"You two are going to talk. And I mean deep talking, not chit-chat. We're going to start with Loki," I say, turning to him.

"What?" Loki's eyes widen in disbelief.

"I want you to tell Thor how you feel about your relationship," I say firmly. He shakes his head, resisting. "Loki, believe me when I tell you that this will make you happy in the end." I pressed, grabbing his hand for support if he needed it. "Please just trust me."

He sighs, and after a few moments of silence, he begins.

"Thor... all my life, I have felt like I was in your shadow. You were always the golden child with Fath—Odin, who never gave me any of his love. You were out with your warriors while I was stuck inside with books. I felt excluded." Loki keeps his head held high, his expression stoic, though his voice carries the weight of years of pain. "I only ever wanted to be your equal, but every time I did something, you would seem to do something better, even if you did nothing at all. You always got Father's praise while I got his hatred, and I never knew why until I found out what I really am. I am a monster—"

"You are not a monster," Thor interrupts, his voice firm.

"Thor, please let Loki finish before you speak," I interject gently. Thor nods, his jaw clenched. "Go on, Loki," I encourage softly.

"I know you must hate me. Maybe even be disgusted by my Jötunn half. Not just you but Odin too. I am just another stolen relic in his lonely cage. I feel like I don't belong anywhere. I was left to die in Jötunheimr, and in Asgard... I feel like a nothing, and I hate that," Loki confesses, his voice wavering slightly at the end.

"Is that all, Loki?" I ask gently. He nods, his expression closed off. "Okay, Thor, your turn."

Thor takes a deep breath, his voice filled with sincerity. "You are not a monster. You are my brother, and I love you dearly. I did not mean any personal hatred when I attacked the Jötunn; I was angry they got into Father's vault, and I acted without thinking. You are my brother no matter what form you take. Even if you were half bilgesnipe, I would still love you and proudly call you my brother." Thor chuckles softly, though his eyes are serious. "I do know how Father treated you, and I am sorry. I didn't mean to cause so much distance between us. Most of it was because I envied how smart you were. You are a perfect prince, and if Father gave me the throne, I would gladly give it to you. I never truly wished to rule. I only wanted to keep Father's approval. Mother always seemed to favor you, so I made sure Father favored me."

Loki looks like he's holding back tears, his usual mask of indifference slipping.

"I want to fight by your side for the rest of our lives." Thor continued. "I don't want you in the shadows. I want you next to me. I will always be here for you, no matter how lost you become. I will be here," Thor finishes, his voice filled with love and determination. He pulls Loki into a hug, and after a moment of hesitation, Loki slowly wraps his arms around Thor.

"Aww. Jarvis, get a picture of this," I smile, watching as the brothers truly become brothers again.

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