Unexpected

XXIV

Loki went away, and once he came back, he asked for Nina to follow him. She didn't do it at first, but what other choice did she have?

"You see, Doctor Selvig here is a professional in astrophysics, as you call it," Loki explained as they neared another part of the giant roof. It was only then that Nina realised exactly where she was. Stark Tower. "But he says there is one part of the equation he cannot solve, and he asked for you," Loki revealed. "So, help him."

Loki frowned at himself. Why hadn't he just taken control of her mind. He had the Mind Stone after all. Maybe he thought it wouldn't work on her, since she wasn't exactly mortal. She had already shown him that she did have the power to yield an Infinity Stone.

"Are you serious?" She asked him again. "You are asking me to help you create this portal so that your army can pass through and create hell on earth?" Nina gave him a sarcastic smile. "Yeah, not on my watch. Not again." Loki couldn't help but give her a sad smile. Somehow, he knew what it was like to be all alone. He didn't fit into Asgard, not being Asgardian, and his own people are the ones he had been fighting for his whole life.

"I am sorry, then. This was your doing," he said, stepping forward with his scepter extended in front of him. Nina gasped when she realised what was happening.

The end of the metal scepter touched her right in the middle of her chest. Except, it didn't quite have the effect Loki expected. Instead of having Nina's green eyes turn completely blue, she threw her hands over her ears as an enormous pain washed over her.

"What is this?" Loki asked when Nina let out a muffled scream. Suddenly, her knees gave up and, since she was still holding her head, if Loki wasn't there to catch her, holding her next to him before lowering her to the ground, she would have hit her knees on the floor. Nina screamed once more. Even she didn't now why she was having this reaction. Loki touched her with the scepter again and the pain subsided, leaving Nina breathing heavily still holding her head on the ground. "What?" Loki asked again. "You were not supposed to feel pain, and for that, I apologize," Loki said. Nina lifted her head and stared at him right in his eyes.

"What the hell was that," she whispered, slowly lowering her hands.

"You already have someone else in your head," Loki realised, standing back up. "You betray me!"

"Calm the fuck down!" Nina yelled at him, trying to stand back up. "First, I do not have anyone inside my head. Not at the moment, anyways. Second, I was never in your side, so I definetly did not betray you," she said, warning a scoff from the Trickster God. "Now that we've established that I won't help you take over New York, can I please get back to my friends?" Loki took a minute to think.

"You cannot," he said. "You will not run to your friends to tell them where I am." Nina sighed.

"I won't tell them," Nina said. It was obviously a lie.

"Really? Lying to the God of Lies?" Loki smirked at her.

"Why do you have to make this personal?" Nina asked. "Were you really that much of a lonely child that you want all of this attention?" Loki frowned.

"What?"

"I can see how powerful you are, Loki," Nina admitted. "You could easily take on all of those people in less than a day. You could take over. Why go through all this?" Loki contemplated her for a second, and then gave her a small smile.

"I admit it, you are smart," he said. "I cannot let you go, but please, go wash yourself. It must be uncomfortable to walk around covered in blood."

"It is actually," Nina confirmed.

"I'll have Phillips accompany you to a bathroom, and he will give you some clean clothes," Loki said, walking away as Phillips approached. Just before he did, he turned back to her. "Again, I apologize for taking over this planet you hold dear."