In The Shadows | Loki

WINTERS, YOU ARE NOW UNDER THE CUSTODY OF SHIELD

        Maria: ETA six minutes.
        Cordelia: Hey, where are you? I'm at our regular table.

        I curse under my breath when I see Cordelia's text, quickly shooting one back.

        Ophelia: Sorry! I'm like, five minutes out. Got held up at the tower.

        My drink comes up, and I quickly grab it with a smile. I turn, heading out of the shop, but not before glancing at my sister again. She's looking down at her phone, and I see her look up and immediately relay the message to my parents.

        Cordelia: Totally cool! I'll see you in a few!

        It broke my heart a little, but I felt more stupid than anything else. What had I been expecting? The rest of my family had kicked me out, so why wouldn't Cordelia pull something like this? It had been ridiculous for me to believe she had been sincere about any of it. I had  been so easily tricked, and it was my fault for trusting her. 
        I take a seat at an outside table where I could see the most of the squad that was here. I hated being in people's heads, but I didn't have many other options at the moment. I needed to be able to keep these people where they were, and if I was already in their heads, I'd be able to freeze them before they could hurt anyone.
        My phone buzzes when Maria informs me that they're a minute out, and that's when I hear the sirens. Two large black prison vans pull onto the road, and I feel the minds I'm in move to escape. I get into their minds, making them stay completely still. Both vans and the SHIELD police cars pull up in front of the shop. Maria hops out of the front of one of the vans, and I'm a little surprised that she was close enough to ride along. She searches the front of the coffee shop.
        "The men and women in leather jackets that aren't moving. If they can move, they aren't apart of the squad." I project my voice in Maria's mind, snorting a little when she flinches. She relays the orders. "I'll show you to my parents and sisters when you have everyone that's armed." I had frozen my family as well. Maria nods once, knowing I have eyes on her.
        It takes the SHIELD squadron less than five minutes to get every member of the attack squad in the first van. Maria closes the back doors, and I stand, tossing my half-finished drink in the garbage can. 
        "Maria!" I shout, and she turns. I give her a two fingered salute, and she motions two SHIELD agents over to her. The three people walk up to me, and I nod behind me.
        "I've got my sister, you guys take my parents."
        "Ophelia-"
        "I'm fine." Maria sighs as I cut her off, handing me a pair of handcuffs. I lead the two SHIELD agents into the shop. I give my parents enough function to move as the SHIELD agents handcuff them both and start walking them towards the van. My sister is staring up at me in shock, and when I let Mystique's power fade, my face coming back. Her eyes widen more if possible.
         "Cordelia Winters, you are now under custody of SHIELD." I murmur, bringing her to her feet and quickly handcuffing her. People are staring, but I ignore it as I bring my sister to the van, putting her inside the van with my parents. My parents stare at me in shock, and I release their minds before I hear what they're thinking.
        Maria shuts the door, pounding the back of the van twice to let them know to leave. The SHIELD regulated cars pull out, leaving Maria and I behind.
        "They're taking them to the compound upstate. I'll go with you back to the tower, and once they're secured, we'll be pulled in." She glances at me, a small frown on her face. "Are you okay?"
        "Would you be?" I counter, shaking my head. "Don't come back to the tower. I'll just come when you guys are ready." 
        "Too bad." I scowl. "Look, something is wrong, and I just want to know what's going on." She sighs, giving me a look. "Fury put you on suspended leave, and you barely fought it. Something is wrong, but you don't want to tell us." 
        "I don't want to tell you for a reason." I reply after a second. "And the moment you find out, you're going to report it to Fury. Not because you aren't a good friend, but because you're loyal to SHIELD." Maria is giving me a confused look. 
        "Is it really that bad?" She asks after a moment. 
        "You're going to think so." She waits, and I let out a long breath. "Fine. Lets go." She follows half a step behind me the entire way to the tower. We're a couple of blocks out when I pull out a phone. I dial Tony's number, knowing I should give him fair warning. 
        "Hello."
        "Hey Tony, I'm giving you a heads up." I say after a moment. "I'm coming back to the Tower with Agent Hill, and then a SHIELD quin-jet is picking me up." There's a long pause.
        "Um. What am I supposed to do about the god of mischief that you brought home like a stray cat? The one you asked all of us to keep a secret?" Tony asks. 
        "Apparently nothing." Another long pause.
        "Okay then. I guess we'll see you when you get here." Tony says a quick goodbye and hangs up when Maria and I are half a block away from the tower. Maria glances at me, but I just keep my eyes forward.
        The elevator ride up to the communal floor us quiet, save for the music coming softly through the elevator's speakers. Thee doors open, and it takes half a second for her to draw her gun. 
        "Ophelia." She hisses, not taking her eyes off of Loki. I grab her wrist, pulling her hands and the gun down.
        "You can't shoot him." 
        "He destroyed New York!" She protests. "I'm calling Fury-"
        "I know." I cut her off. "I'm not going to stop you." Loki arches an eyebrow, giving me a curious look. Nat, on the other hand, narrows her eyes.
        "Lady Winters, I do not believe it would be a good idea to tell Fury of my brother's presence." Thor interrupts. I just shake my head.
        "What happened?" Loki asks suddenly. "You aren't okay." Hill's eyes go back to Loki, narrowing as she puts in a call to SHIELD. I let out a long breath, running a hand through my hair. "Ophelia-"
        "I just arrested my parents, sister, and the strike team they hired to kill me. I'm having a bit of a shitty day." Everyone's eyes widen at that, and Loki take a half-step forward. He stops, realizing we were around everyone else, but Nat notices. Her eyes narrow, her gaze bouncing between us.
        "Really?" 
        "Not the time." I mutter, and she holds her hands up in mock surrender. Steve notices, though thankfully Tony and Bruce don't, a little distracted by something on Tony's phone. Steve moves to my right side, keeping his voice low enough that Maria wouldn't hear.
        "You told him about your feelings for him?" Steve asks, and I shake my head.
        "You know I'm a little too stubborn for that." He raises an eyebrow. "He confessed feelings for me." Steve glances at Loki, keeping the surprise out of his expression. "He won't hurt me Steve." Steve looks back at me.
        "Are you going to be happy with him?" He asks. "Now that you know that he feels the same?" My eyes fall to Loki.
        "I really think I can be, Steve. There's something in my chest, in the back of my mind. I know it. I can feel it." He gives me a long look before nodding. 
        "Then I'm happy for you." He sends me a small smile, but it falters after a moment. "Your family?" I let out a long breath.
        "It's been a really, really bad day." I whisper. Maria hangs up, glancing around at the group.
        "Fury's coming here."
        "Oh goody."