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Loki really couldn't be more happy. He couldn't believe his plan worked. Sure, it took several years for it to play out, and he's not going to lie, he took his time to enjoy it all.
His beautifully naive Summer fell for him again- without the potion this time. It was incredible how gullible everyone was. All he had to do was change his eye color. Did they forget he could shape shift? Now he has everyone's trust and a queen to rule at his side.
Wanda searching his mind? Wanda was very strong, there was no doubt about that, but he was stronger. It was easy to hide and manipulate the things in his head he didn't want her to see.
They were even gullible enough to add him onto the team! He's his own inside source now! He's already contacted his army, so it was a matter of time until the Avengers would be taken down and Loki was left to rule. And no one would ever suspect it was him.
He is the god of mischief and lies, after all.
Night rolled around and everyone was in their beds, sleeping. Loki turned on his side to face Summer, admiring her before he had to leave. He knew things would be different again after today, but that was okay. If he had to use the potion again, he could.
He watched as her chest drew up and down as she slept, peacefully, oblivious to the hell that was to come. Hopefully she'd sleep through everything that was about to happen.
He placed a gentle kiss to her forehead before he left their bedroom, being sure to put locks from the outside of the door behind him, and the kids' rooms as well.
•••
There was a loud crash that woke her. The second, louder crash, made her sit up and reach for Loki.... only to find he wasn't there. An explosion made the tower walls shake and shrieks of pain and fear sounded in the distance.
Summer threw the blankets off her in a rush and bolted to the bedroom door.
Locked- from the outside.
"No, no, no...." she whispered to herself and pried on the door harder, but it wouldn't budge. "Loki!" She yelled and banged on the door until her hands were bruised. Frantically, she searched for her phone, but even that was gone.
Her mind went into a panic as she desperately tried to figure out a plan to escape from her room. So many questions ran through her mind. Who trapped her in here? Are the kids safe? Is Loki safe? Is he hurt? Did someone take him? Did they take the kids too?
Despite it all, she had to put her worries aside for now and focus. She ran to the master bathroom to retrieve a bobby pin. She's seen people escape this way on tv, but she had no clue if it'd work in real life. She opened up the pin and shoved it into the lock. She twisted it around for what felt like an eternity until with a click- it unlocked.
Another loud boom vibrated the walls of the tower and it made her question if she really wanted to go out there. Despite her fear, she had to find her family.
She pushed the door open just a crack, and her jaw dropped at the horrific scene before her. It was a blood bath. Blood up the walls and on the floor as someone clearly fought for their lives against.... whatever did this to them. She held back a shudder at the sight and tiptoed towards her kids' rooms, praying along the way that this wasn't their blood.
The more she walked, the more blood she found. Until....
"Thor!" She screamed and whipped around to face away from the gorey sight that would haunt her forever.
His lifeless body was bloodied all over, gorges and cuts across his entire body. It seemed he died the same way her dog did so many years ago; a knife between the eyes.
"Summer!"
She screamed and flinched away from the chilling voice- the same voice that gave her nightmares for so many years.
"Loki what- what happ-happened." She choked out, but for some reason when he rushed to comfort her, she didn't find comfort in his arms. "Who did this?"
"They're all dead, Summer." Loki cried into her shoulder as he held her in his arms. "All of them. There's not a single Avenger or agent left." He rasped out as he trembled in her embrace.
She pulled back to gape up at him. "How? No- that's.... that's impossible."
He shook his head and gently held her face between his hands.... his bloodied hands. "It's true. They're all gone, I've checked-"
"What about the kids?" She exclaimed and pulled out of his hold, the sticky blood now on her face. Did the blood get on him when he checked if people were still alive?
"I-I don't know-"
"You mean to tell me you didn't check on our kids first!?" She exasperated and took a step away from him.
His eyes widened. "You don't think I caused this, do you?"
She gazed into his pleading blue eyes, suddenly questioning herself. "Do you know who did?" She asked, quietly. "Do you know who killed your brother the same way you killed my dog-"
The breath was knocked out of her as he slammed her back against the wall.
His fist collided with the wall, dangerously close to her head. "I did this for us! So we could rule together! You did so well for all these years and learned to love me without the potion, just like I said you would!"
She screamed as he punched the wall again and shielded her face with her hands. Though her heart was racing, her body was shaking, and tears were falling hard and fast down her face, she slowly tilted her chin up and asked through clenched teeth, "where. are. my. kids?"
His hand lowered and he cocked an eyebrow at her new demeanor, even though he could see right through it.
It was odd, he didn't enjoy her being afraid of him, but he fed off her fear all in the same. He's missed it after so many years. "They're safe, locked in their rooms, and they'll stay that way, if...."
She shook her head and punched his chest. "Don't you dare! Don't you dare drag them into this! Don't you use them as part of your little game!" She yelled as she hit and punched him while he remained unfazed.
It was easy for him to pin her hands above her head with one of his as she struggled. "If you want them to remain safe, I suggest you listen. I never wanted kids, I let you have them." He told her, lowly. At his threat, she averted her gaze, and he released his hold on her. "But I know we both have gotten attached to them. We're going to tell them what happened.... that the Avengers weren't who they said they were and they were taken out, leaving us to rule. To be safe, we're going to move."
"To rule." She repeated with disgust. "They're smart. They know we're not supposed to be king and queen-"
"Summer, do you know that one saying? The one about snitches and stitches?" He cut her off as he loomed over her. "If you betray me, there won't have anything left to stitch the kids back together. Remember, I never wanted them. I won't hesitate to crush their skulls." He sneered through clenched teeth.
He released her and she nearly fell to the ground. Her eyes traveled up to meet his eyes, hoping to see green, but they were still blue. She flinched when he brought a hand up, only for him to run it through her hair.
"I could hurt them." He told her, the side of her head cradled in his hand. "I could kill them all, but not you... if it was up to me, you'd never see a drop of your own blood ever again."
"How'd you do it?"
He smiled down at her. "We leave in an hour. Have the kids packed and ready to leave." He ordered, softly, and turned to her once again. "I'm doing this for us, Summer. All I've wanted this whole time was you."
With that, he left.
He really did it. He defeated the Avengers. He tricked everyone into believing he was trust worthy. He even had Summer fooled.
He won.
•••
"They're really all dead?" Siv asked for the umpteenth time. She was having a hard time believing it all, in shock.
"Unfortunately, your aunts and uncles weren't who they said they were, love. They were taken out." Loki explained, uncomfortably calmly.
She sniffled and fought the tears that threatened to escape. It was difficult to cry for someone who wasn't who they said they were. It was difficult to cry when it was too crazy to believe to be true. "What happens now?" She rasped to her mom.
Feeling the heat of Loki's burning gaze, Summer swallowed hard. She knew one wrong word, and her children's lives were at stake. In an even tone of voice, she replied, "that's.... up to your father to decide, Siv. He's the one that got us out of there, unscathed." She lied. She hated lying.
"So that's why we're here?" Landon asked, quietly, using his fork to play with his vegetables on his dinner plate.
She nodded numbly in response.
"Where.... is here? Are we on earth?"
Summer choked back her tears, fearing if she let them fall, it would result in her children being slaughtered. "No. No, we're not. Your father has had many homes before his time on earth. This is one of them."
"It's like a castle!" Freyja giggled, too innocent to understand it all.
"It is, my dear, it is." Loki agreed with a grin and ran a hand through her hair.
Siv pushed her plate away from her, no longer hungry. "I want to go home. I want my uncles and aunts back. I want-"
"This is your home now, Siv." Loki cut her off, sharply. "The sooner you accept they're gone and that this is your new home, the sooner we can all heal."
Summer could tell by the look on her daughter's face that she was shocked by his stern words. He never gets angry with her, let alone raise his voice. Siv stood with a start and stomped off in tears to her new room.
Summer jumped as she heard her door slam shut and she closed her eyes to keep back her own tears. Landon was a momma's boy and was very in tune with his mother's emotions. He knew something wasn't right. "Mom? What's wrong?"
She was relieved for a moment when Loki answered for her. She was almost sure a sob would escape her mouth instead of words. "Your mom's just very stressed from today's events, as we all are. Isn't that right, love?" He asked sickenly sweet.
His tone of voice made her stomach churn, but his action that followed made her want to hurl. He finished his question with a wide smile, and held up a piece of his food on a fork for her.
She gaped at him as if he just slapped her. The fork held up was her tipping point. He was making her go through all of this torture again, and this time with her children involved. He took away her freedom again.
She swallowed hard and nodded in reassurance to her son. "I'm okay. Just tired." She managed to get out as she strained her throat to choke back sobs. Then she turned to Loki and mumbled, "I'm actually quite full."
It was a lie and he knew it. She was defying him. She'd pay later.
He set down his fork and irritably put his tongue in his cheek. He quirked a brow and said, "I see.... well, it's been a long day, don't you think? How about we put the kids to bed and find some pajamas in the closet?"
Her eyes snapped up to meet his- frightened but also threatening. Loki grinned at her glare and stood from the table. He walked over to Landon, gave him a kiss on the head, and mumbled a "goodnight." He turned back to his wife and said, "I'll bring Freyja to bed. Meet me there?"
Summer nodded and watched him leave. Landon trudged over to her and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. She cupped the back of his head and held him close.
"Are you really okay, mom?" He asked her, quietly in her ear.
The most she could do was nod her head. "Yeah," she mumbled and squeezed him a little tighter. "I just miss everyone."
He sighed and pulled back to look at her. He's grown so much in the past little bit, he was now a little taller than her. He was going to be tall like his dad. "Were they all really bad? I just.... can't see them that way."
She looked down and whispered. "I'm not sure. We just have to trust your dad." She lied, and it hurt her so deeply to do so.
"Even if they were bad.... I still miss them." His eyes filled with tears as he croaked, "who 'took them out?' Was it dad? Did.... did he kill them?"
She sniffled and pulled him close again. "I don't know, but we have to trust your dad. We'll be safe here." She whispered. She pulled back and ran a hand through his hair. "I think we could all use some sleep, hmm?"
He nodded and whispered a, "goodnight," and went off to his room.
She waited until he was out of sight before she jogged to her daughter's room. Instead of being with Freya like she expected him to be, he was actually leaving Siv's room. "She's already out like a light." He told her.
"Okay, I'll just-"
He stopped her before she could even put her hand on the handle. "She's sleeping. Let's just put Freyja to bed now."
She lowered her hand and eyed him wearily.
He grinned and purred, "c'mon, you can trust me." He spoke and held out a hand for her to take. She grit her teeth as she placed her hand in his, and her skin crawled at his touch.
He knocked softly once they came to Freyja's door. "Come in!" She piped up from the other side of it. They entered and she welcomed welcomed her parents with a big smile.
"Hey, princess! How are you liking your new room?" Loki greeted and sat next to her on the side of her bed.
She beamed brightly and giggled, "I love it!"
Summer sat down on the opposite side of the bed, closer to her daughter. "That's great, love." She tried to smile.
Loki flashed a grin and said, "well, we just came to tuck you in and say goodnight."
Freyja was immediately on her feet on her bed and threw herself into his arms. "Goodnight, daddy! Love you!"
Summer's heart shattered at the sight. It looked so genuine. The love Freyja had for Loki was, but he claimed it wasn't genuine on his end.
The fact that he could threaten to end their lives without a second thought, but embrace them like this at the same time made her sick to her stomach. It made her question if it was an empty threat.
Maybe he really did love and care about them as much as her, but he threatened her to make her stay. To keep things "normal." She could never test that theory. Not if her children's lives were potentially at stake. Gosh, what was she thinking? He killed his brother, why wouldn't he kill their kids too?
"Goodnight, mama." She cooed and hugged Summer tight.
She hugged her daughter back and mumbled a "goodnight," as well.
They stood from the bed, tucked her in, and softly closed the door behind them. Now it was just Summer and Loki.
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