Back Once More

Ch 3

"What the f*cking hell just happened?!" Tony was the first to break the silence. Thor and Loki had just finished putting down the little girl - yes little girl. Because for some reason, the woman's body glowed and shifted into that of a child moments after she fainted!

The other Avengers, also looked at the two Gods, who was currently seated at the couch the girl lays peacefully at, questioningly. Fury had long gone away to get his back treated, the impact he had with a wall moments earlier left quite the bruise. A string of curses left his mouth as he stalked away from what he had mentally dubbed, 'the danger zone."

"Yes Thor, care to explain? Who is this lovely young lady who just kicked the director's ass like it was a piece of cake?" Clint snickered earning a slap in the head from Natasha.

Thor opened his mouth and was about to answer when a groan was heard. Everyone's attention suddenly shifted to the stirring girl that currently has her head on the god of mischief's lap and her feat in Thor's.

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Feeling hands carding through her hair, Astrid slowly opened her eyes. She blinked a couple of times to adjust to the light and came face to face with Loki. Green eyes the same as hers, only slightly darker, filled with concern, relief and the most prominent of all, love.

Sensing her other mate, she looked down and sure enough there he is. With his blue eyes and blond hair smiling softly to her.

"Astrid..."

She snapped her eyes back to her green eyed mate and looked at him questioningly. "Yes Loki?"

"H-how?"

"How what? How did I return from the dead?" She asked and when she saw him give a somewhat hesitant nod, she continued. "Easy, I performed a ritual before I took my last breaths. Surely you must know that after seeing the magic circle I have drawn"

"We did... or at least, we thought we did. We searched for you for decades. We traveled all nine realms and had Heimdall always on the look out for any clues, no matter how small, regarding you. B-but you never showed. We thought..." His voice broke at the last moment.

"We thought we lost you...forever"  Thor taking pity on his brother supplied. Though he himself is on the verge of a break down.

They can't help it. No matter how long it takes, just the thought of losing her forever, of not hearing her laugh or seeing her smile ever again breaks their heart. Hell, they would gladly put a dagger on their own heart than go through that pain again. The moment they thought that the ritual didn't work and that they had lost her, it broke their heart and almost drove the both of them into taking their own lives just so they could join her.

It was only thanks to their mother's support and optimism, telling them that she  will return was what stopped them from doing it. Only barely that is.

Seeing her both her mates eyes fill with so much despair and sorrow broke Astrid's heart. So she did the only thing she could think of at the moment; she sat up and hugged them.  Assuring them that she's back and that she will never leave them again.

While the three of them enjoyed each other's comforting presence, the other Avengers stood there. Watching as two powerful gods they have thought to be indestructible break down in sobs, clinging and hugging the girl as if their life depended on it.

They don't know why, but in that moment they thought that the very existence of this girl is vital to them. That her mere presence could decide the world's salvation or destruction. And in a way they were right; for Loki and Thor will never let her go again, and those that hurt her will face their wrath.

"We will never let you go ever again" Loki and Thor vowed. For this was a vow and they plan on keeping it.