Uniting Asgard [Book Three]

Chapter Nine

 Loki's eyes widened as Skye stood from the couch.

"I felt it all." She whispered.

He quickly took Skye into his arms and cradled her head to his chest as she wept. Loki did his best to hold back his tears as he ran his hand up and down her back, knowing that was where she felt most of the pain.

"What did he do to you, dad?" Haldane asked.

Alice looked up at Loki and swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Loki, if you're not comfortable, you don't-"

"No," Loki interjected. "They deserve to know."

She placed her hand on his shoulder and nodded her head.

"When I tell you that this monster will stop at nothing to get what he wants, I mean it," He grimaced. "He's beaten me, whipped me, had his children torture me, used my Jotun heritage against me by heating up my cell, using the mind stone on me to brainwash me... he still plagues my dreams. He made me feel as though I were nothing. I contemplated taking my life several times when he held me captive but he had ingrained himself into my mind that he stopped it before I could follow through. If he took any of you... and he did the same to you as he did to me, I couldn't live with myself."

They all watched as Loki broke down, allowing himself to cry in front of them. Skye tightened her hold on Loki and he chuckled lightly. Alice then wrapped her arms around him from behind and ushered the others to join in. Loki placed his chin on Skye's head and grinned feeling his family surround him with their love and warmth. He had longed for moments like these when he was younger and now he had it. He had everything he could have ever wanted... and he wouldn't let Thanos take that away from him.

Loki hummed softly feeling Alice press a kiss to the back of his neck. After another moment, they all pulled back and Loki smiled as he gazed down at Skye.

"Thank you... and I apologize for yelling. Despite my feelings towards him, I should never have raised my voice or gotten angry with any of you." He spoke.

"It's okay, papa. We forgive you." Elli beamed.

Loki chuckled as he pulled Elli to his side. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head before looking over everyone around him.

"All I ask of you is to please protect yourselves but do not try and help your mother and I. This is our fight, not yours. We don't want any of you getting involved in this and getting hurt or taken by him."

Erica gritted her teeth together as she saw her other siblings nod their heads in agreement. She couldn't believe that her own parents didn't trust that she was more than capable of helping. She was aware of how much of a threat Thanos had been ever since she saw Alice dead in her bed. Erica wanted to get back at him for ever harming their mother. She had been training for this day for so long and now she was being denied the one thing she wanted. When she saw Loki's eyes on her, her breath hitched in her throat, believing for a moment he was reading her mind. Knowing what he wanted, she gave him a quick nod before turning around and exiting the room.

Loki was about to call out her name but stopped himself feeling Alice's hand on his shoulder.

"Let her be." Alice whispered.

He exhaled sharply, nodding his head as he released his hold on Skye and Elli. Moments later, as everyone went to eat breakfast, Loki made his way to the front door. There, he saw Erica putting her boots on.

"Stay for breakfast." Loki spoke, breaking the silence.

"I have my own food."

"Erica, please."