The sky was painted a deep shade of blue, the few stars in the sky above were drowned by thousands of floating lights made by the people of Asgard. The news of their injured prince has spread widely throughout the whole kingdom — a healer told her friend about Lady Eir's immediate departure and that friend told another and then another person knew until the whole kingdom knew about their prince's suffering within a day.
"I hope the Norns will fulfill our wishes." The small child said to his mother, but he was looking at the Lantern he was holding. "I want Prince Loki to return here because I wanted to show him the new tricks I have learned, he is the only one who didn't make fun of me because of my magic." The young sorcerer continued and as he looked around him, he watched as every other Aesir was holding a lantern like him and there were others which were already floating in the sky— the scene above him was beautiful.
"Me too, my boy." The mother said, smiling softly as she and her boy let go of the lantern — and they watched it until it disappeared with the others.
"Please, let our prince return back to us." The same words came out as whispers from all the people of Asgard, fearing the worst but hoping for the Norn's intervention.
Frigga had watched from her balcony the thousands of Aesir gathered in the streets of Asgard, she knew that they were waiting for a speech from her — but what would she tell them? Give them false hopes that Loki could be saved? She desperately wanted her son to wake up and return back to his older self. She felt pathetic for not being able to help him— all she could do was visit him while he was trapped in his own head.
That's why Frigga spends every day in front of the Norns' tapestry after the Norns had granted her. So, she found herself everyday sitting in the same place, simply enjoying the presence of her son, but she wished that all of this was real. Everything was forgotten around her — It was just her and Loki.
She thought that it wasn't real (because it was Loki's imagination, she was able to access it because of the Norns), but at the same time it was real — she could reach him, touch him and pull him into her embrace.
When she reached her son's mind, she found him tucked at a corner in Alfheim's library, a book was opened in front of him. She wasn't surprised that Loki had chosen the library because Loki liked going there, sometimes he even went alone without her or Thor.
When she reached Loki, she was able to see a picture of a Jotunn. Loki was so engrossed in the book that he didn't even notice her.
"Loki." she said in the quiet of the library which made Loki startle and he quickly closed the book, but the title of the book became visible.
Frost Giants of Jötunheim.
"Amma!" He said quickly. "I—" he felt very nervous because what if his mother yelled at him because he was reading a book about the Jotunn, but she said it doesn't matter if he were a Jotunn.
(That will not make her angry because he is reading about the Jotunn? The little prince thought)
"A book about Jötunheim?" Her tone was playful to ease her son's nervousness.
"Yes?" Loki replied shyly, afraid of what his mother would say, but Frigga smiled at him gently and said —
"Can you tell me what you were reading about them?"
"Really?" He said, hopefully. "You don't mind?"
"Of course, I don't hate the Jotunn,"she said. "And my son is a Jotunn. So, how would I mind reading about them." And then she said in a whisper voice as if it was a secret, but in fact it was not, the eight realms knew about it. "I had a friend from Jötunheim, her name was Gerðr." A sad look took over her face because Frigga didn't know what happened to her — was she alive or not?
"She was your uncle's lover."
But Odin had banished her to her home realm and forbad Freyr from seeing her.
"Really?" Loki was looking at her with wide eyes as if he couldn't believe what she was saying.
Frigga nodded and said. "I used to play with her and Freya in the gardens of the palace in Vanaheim and Freyr was always shy about playing with us." She laughed, the memories of Gerðr's laughter as she ran after them echoed in her mind. "But we discovered why and made a plan for Freyr to confess to her."
"What did you do?" Loki asked curiously.
"Oh, my Prince." A sad smile graced Frigga's beautiful face as she recalled what they did on that day. "We had a little party in the palace — it was only for the people of Vanaheim, but I begged my parents for Gerðr to come too and they agreed." She said, "We prepared everything in the palace's garden — Lanterns adored the sky, it was very beautiful."
(Like what the sky of Asgard looks right now. She wanted to add, )
"We ushered her outside and then left her to where Freyr was standing behind a tree and as soon as we left, he appeared with a bouquet of flowers in his hands." The smile was still on her face. "And the next day they announced to our family that they became lovers." Frigga could remember the day after Gerðr, Freyr had kept singing through the whole palace and dancing with them. She could still remember the words as her brother sang —
(From Gymir's house I behold forth A maiden dear to me;
Her arms glittered, and from their gleam
Shone all the sea and sky."
"To me more dear than in days of old
Was ever maiden to man;
But no one of gods or elves will grant
That we be together should be.)
"What did she look like?" Loki's question snapped her from her thoughts. "Of course she was taller than uncle Freyr." Loki tried to imagine the female Jotunn he saw in the book next to his uncle and he giggled — his uncle will look tiny.
"No, she was the same height as us, maybe shorter than me." Frigga said and Loki gasped—
(There are frost giants short like Stitch? Loki thought.)
But then he frowned because he was short too. Are the Jotunn children tall or short?
"She was a rimefire witch — they are known for being short." Frigga had noticed the frown on Loki's face and interpreted it that he may be uncomfortable talking about the Jotunn. "Actually, Jotunn are divided into warriors and sorcerers— the warriors are the giants while the sorcerers have the same height as us." She said,
"That is why I am not giant?" The young prince asked and his mother nodded.
"The more powerful the sorcerer is, the smaller he would be compared to the other Jotunn." Frigga said.
"It means that I—" he looked at her with hopeful eyes. "That I was a powerful sorcerer like what Thor said?"
"Yes, my Prince —" she smiled softly. "You are the most powerful sorcerer in the whole nine realms."
After a moment of silence, a nervous look appeared on Loki's face as he looked at Frigga. "Amma."
"What is it, my prince?" Frigga frowned as Loki looked at her nervously.
"I—" he stopped and then continued. "Do you know my real mother?" He asked because it was a question nagging in his mind when he discovered about Jotunn heritage —it meant that his parents were Jotunn, right?
Then he said hurriedly at the sad look on his mother's face. "I mean I don't want her because I have you. You are my mother." He watched as a small smile graced his mother's face. "No one could replace you." He assured her because it was the truth.
Frigga's heart was beating rapidly in her chest because what would she tell him?
Tell him that his real parents abandoned him?
"Yes, I know her." She remembered Farbauti when she used to visit Vanaheim with her father, but those visits stopped when she married Laufey — Frigga and Freya had never loved him, he was arrogant and thought of himself better than the others. And Freya tried to convince her to not marry him, but Farbauti had just smiled and said that she couldn't oppose her father's word — it was a political marriage. "She was a good friend to your aunt Freya."
"Is she dead?" He asked her. "Or she left me because I am unlovable?" He said the last word in a whisper.
"I don't know, Loki." She lied because she knew that Farbauti was still alive. "Besides, every woman would want you as her son, my brilliant boy." And then she reached with her hand to pull him into her embrace. "Come here."
"Don't ever say that you are unlovable again, Loki." She said,
(You don't know how much we love you, how much the people of Asgard love you— she thought.)
"Tony always tells me this." Loki said quietly.
"Well, Tony is right." Frigga said, kissing him on his forehead.
And after a beat of silence. "Maybe we can go to Jötunheim and ask about her?" He said. And he didn't know why he wanted to see her.
"If that's what you want. We can visit Jötunheim after you wake up." She said and Loki buried his face against her chest which made her tighten her hold on him. "I could arrange that."
*************
The next time Frigga saw Loki, he was sitting in his chamber, but he was in his female form.
Frigga watched him as he played with his valkyrie's figure on her horse —
"Then the Valkyrie flies over, defeats the dragon—" he said, moving his hand as if the Valkyrie was flying towards the dragon and when it collided with the dragon figure, Loki dropped the dragon as if it fell dead. "And saves Asgard."
Frigga went to sit next to Loki and she grabbed the wolf toy (which Loki called it Fenrir.)
"Roarrr!" Frigga let the wolf figure collide with the Valkyrie. "Fenrir is here."
"Silly, Amma." Loki giggled. "Fenrir can't talk."
"Who are you calling silly, boy?" She said, trying to sound serious, but she failed. "You will be punished."
"NO!" Loki yelled between his giggles as Frigga tickled him. "I—" he gasped and his laughter filled the chamber. "I am sorry. You are not silly." But Frigga was still tickling him. "AMMAA!" he yelled again — tears of laughter welled in his eyes.
Suddenly Frigga stopped and said in a formal tone. "The queen of Asgard forgives you, prince Loki."
And that made Loki laugh harder and soon enough Frigga joined him.
"I wish Thor was here." He pouted after he stopped laughing. "Oh and the other Avengers."
"Are they your friends?" Frigga knew who are the Avengers and Freyr had told her that they treated Loki better than how he was treated in Asgard
"Yes!" He said excitedly, "They are my friends." Then he continued. "Steve, Lady Natasha, Bruce, Clint and TONY!" he said the last name with more excitement in his voice.
"Tell me about them." Frigga said, pleased that her son was happy while he was in Midgard.
Loki let out a small giggle and said. "Steve is so serious, but he is my best friend. You know we were friends when I was older?"
Frigga knew that Steve didn't tell him the truth, but she didn't say anything. "Oh."
"He bought ice-cream for me and we went to Central Park and the museum." He said. "I saw his picture there! And his friend Bucky!" Then he huffed. "He doesn't let me eat a lot of sweets."
"Well, he is right." Frigga said which made Loki huff again.
"But Lady Natasha and Clint let me eat behind his back." He said, but then he realized what he told his mother. "Oops." Another weird word he heard Tony say.
"Loki—"
"But they are really funny," he said hurriedly to change the subject. "We watch Disney movies every Saturday — just the three of us."
And before Frigga said anything, he continued. "And Bruce is also my friend, but he is always away, doing research in other countries." He pouted. "You know he could turn into Hulky?"
"No?"
"Oh, Hulky is really huge. He is bigger than Thor." He said as if he couldn't believe what he was saying. "And he is green — Green and Blue," a small giggle came out of him. "Steve would be horrified at the two colours together because I like to hug Hulky a lot."
"What about Tony? He seemed like he was your favorite." Frigga asked curiously.
"Tony likes to play with me. He even let me fly with him wearing the iron man suit!" Loki said excitedly. "I spend many hours in his lab, playing with Dum-E, U and sometimes Lady Pepper takes me shopping." He was talking quickly and excitedly because he was telling his mother about his friends and what he did with them. "Lady Pepper is Tony's lover and the bots are Tony's sons." He added for her to know even if Frigga didn't know what bots mean.
"Loki—"
"Oh! And Jarvis, how could I forget him." A look of disbelief appeared on his face. "He is my friend too and Tony's son too."
"Oh, Tony has a lot of children."
"Yes! Amma." And then he said in a low voice as if afraid that someone would hear him. "Sometimes I wish that the All-father treats me like how Tony treats me." He was afraid if she would be angry at him, but —
"Oh, Loki." She said when she realized what her son meant. "Odin loves you, my son."
"But he —"
"I know and I am sorry, but he —" the sentence ended with the same two words like her son's sentence. "He loves you—" she didn't know why she was defending Odin, but she knew that he truly loved Loki and viewed him as his true son.
And when Frigga vanished from Loki's mind, the first thing she heard was —
"Do you think he would forgive me?" A tired voice said from the bed of the All-Father.
"I don't know, Odin." She said, without looking at him — but in her heart, she knew that Loki would forgive Odin for what he had done.
"I wish I could return him back, but the Norns —
"I know." She said because —
The powers of the King of Asgard were taken from him by the Norns as a punishment for what he had done.
********
The gloomy air hung in the avengers' tower was still there as the little Prince was still lying in the medical — unmoving and no one able to do anything. It had been two weeks, but it felt like years for Thor, there was the same feeling he felt when Loki let go. The feeling of sadness and loss. Sometimes he would sit beside Loki's bed, not minding what was happening around him — not even bothering to what was happening around him.
Lady Eir had come back and said that time was running — they can't keep Loki hanging like this. She was a reasonable lady, Thor knew, but he refused to agree with her.
Let Loki go? He had scoffed at her when she said it again.
"I won't let go, Lady Eir."
But the healer also came back with good news that sent hope rising in Thor's chest — it was that his mother was able to communicate with Loki, and she sees him everyday.
(Maybe his brother would fight this and come back? — Thor thought.)
Thor was sitting in the same chair next to Loki's bed — it was uncomfortable, but he didn't want to leave his brother. The only times he left his brother was because he was forced by Steve or Bruce to eat or talk to Jane or shower, he only leaves when they assure him that they would stay by Loki's side and not leave him until he comes back. Besides, they also have Jarvis to alert them if something happened.
Speaking of Jarvis, Thor didn't see Tony anymore even though he was the man who was the owner of the tower.. Natasha had told him that he spend all the time at his lab or drinking — because he thought he was the reason why Loki was like this, Thor wanted to comfort him, to tell him that it wasn't his fault, but he didn't have the power to say anything, he couldn't even comfort himself.
"Sir Odinson, Director Fury demanding your presence in the common room." Jarvis' voice snapped Thor from his thoughts.
After a heavy sigh came out of Thor. "Tell him I won't move from here," he said.
"He said it is urgent, Sir. Odinson."
Thor let out another sigh, Fury wouldn't leave him alone. "Fine, I will come." He said, looking at Loki.
"I promise I will take care of him." Jarvis said. He would do what in his power to keep Prince Loki safe.
********
When Thor reached the common room, he found his teammates there and Lady Pepper, all of them standing — all tense and no one glanced at Thor when he entered except for Steve who gave him a small smile. And when Thor looked at what they were looking at the T.V., he found the scowling face of Nick Fury.
"Finally, you graced us with your presence, your highness." The man glared at Thor and Thor returned the glare with one of his own.
"Director Fury—" Steve said in a warning tone which made the black man sigh.
"Fine, fine." Fury said. "How is that moth–" and at Thor's hardened glare. (Well, old habits die hard — Fury thought.) "Loki. How is he?"
"I don't know." Thor replied — he really didn't know anything.
"You don't know when he will wake up?" The director didn't why he became concerned about Loki, the asshole has only caused pain and a lot of work to him. But after seeing Loki when he and Tony thought it would be good to prank him. Something inside him melted at the sight of the kid when he was yelling at him and Tony.
"Fury, that is enough!" Tony snapped — it was just a fucking harmless prank.
Fury glared at them more through the T.V screen, but Tony wasn't looking at him. He was looking at Loki who was curled up on himself, trying to appear smaller than he was.
"Honey bunny," Tony said softly, trying to make Loki giggle at the name, but all he heard was a sniff. Loki was crying silently.
Tony pulled Loki into a hug and Fury was still watching them and then he heard it, it was barely a whisper, but he heard it —
"Will he hit me like the All-father?"
And Fury scowled at being compared to that motherfucker, he knew that he had tortured Loki when he was older and he knew about the abuse Loki endured when he was young — he didn't want to compare himself to this man.
"He won't do that, Loki." Tony was still holding him, but there was a glare directed toward Fury.
The director's face was blank to hide his emotions, but he said. "Loki, I would never hurt you." He said quietly — he wasn't heartless.
Maybe he would hurt him if he did something dangerous when he is older, but Fury would never hurt an innocent child or an innocent man because Loki appeared to be innocent from what he did on Earth.
Loki had looked at the screen hesitantly and Fury tried to smile at him —
"Don't worry Fury is a big softie." Tony said, trying to lighten up the mood and he was rewarded with one of Loki's smile when Fury growled —
"Stark."
"See? " Tony was still looking at Loki, but Fury was sure that there was a smirk on his face. "I told you he is a big softie."
"We don't know, director." Natasha said professionally and she wanted to ease the tension that filled the room. "Why did you gather us?"
"Always straight to business, Agent Ramonaff," Fury sighed, flicking his gaze for a second at Thor and then continued. "Our base in Sokovia had caught a magical disturbance." He paused for a moment. "We believe it is Loki's sceptre."
"It is not his!" Thor said angrily at the same time Bruce said. "Do you know who has it? Because if it falls in the wrong hand, it would be—"
Fury ignored Thor and said. "Hydra was using it." And at that Steve's eyes widened.
"But I destroyed Hydra." The Captain said in disbelief. "You are lying." He shook his head. "I killed their leader; Red Skull."
"Did you know that Hydra still exists?" Tony said calmly because he had some suspicion about Hydra being around and Shield knew — he even suspects that Hydra in S.H.I.E.L.D.
It was the first time the other avengers heard him since the news that they might lose Loki, his voice held no emotions, but they knew he was trying to hide them.
"Stark," Fury sighed.
"Did You Know?"
"Yes, we had our suspicions." The director said finally.
"How could —" Steve looked lost because it means that Bucky had died for nothing? "How—"
"There is no time for questions, Captain Rogers." Fury said sharply. "I will send a Quinjet in an hour."
"I won't leave my brother, Fury." Thor glared at him again.
"You will come because fucking Hydra are using magic." Fury said angrily. "We can't even enter their base!"
And at that the line went out.
The silence engulfed the place was tense, no one moved from their position — everyone was lost in their thoughts until Steve said, trying to suppress the emotions that threatened to come out —
"Get ready." He said, using his captain's voice, but on the inside he was breaking. "You heard the director."
"What about Loki?" Steve looked at him apologetically, but it was Pepper who answered—
"I will stay with him." She said, assuring Thor — she would protect him if any harm came to him. And she looked at Tony, a silent agreement went between them.
Rescue would protect him.
********
The avengers sensed that something was wrong the moment they stepped into Hydra's base, there was no magic like Fury had said and no one attacked them — it seemed as if it were deserted.
"Jarvis, do you see any power source?" Tony asked Jarvis, and the A.L. had already started scanning the area.
"My readings indicate that the source of power is below." Jarvis replied, but then —
"It vanished, sir."
"What do you mean vanished?" Tony said. "Scan again."
"Nothing, sir." The A.L. said and Tony cursed.
"Stark—" Steve's sentence was cut off by something blurred through his vision, it let out an inhuman growl — but there was no sign of it.
"What the fuck is that?" Tony cursed. "Did we enter a fucking hunted house?"
"Language—" Steve began to say, but Steve caught the sight of the beast again and he flung his shield at it, but it didn't hit it.
"Sir, I am reading the energy signature of the sceptre. But it keeps vanishing and changing its place—" Jarvis said as Steve made his way to the place of the beast, but he found nothing.
"You will find none, Captain." Thor sighed — he could sense the magic in the air. It wasn't an Asgardian, but something else — Something powerful. It was familiar to the power demon Chthon, a powerful being whom he had fought before and it took the power of Asgard and Odin to defeat him, then they trapped him in a hell as a demon. "It is merely an illusion."
"What do you mean?" It was Clint who asked, he was already clutching his weapon, looking around for any sign of the enemy.
"I mean there is a sorcerer or a witch hiding in this place." He looked at his teammates. "We have to —" his sentence was cut off by the angry roar of the Hulk and the sound of something smashed into the ground.
"Fuck—" Tony said as he readied himself to fligh to where his friend was and Thor too was already swinging his hammer, but —
"I don't think so, Stark."
Then the last thing the Avengers saw before being engulfed by a scarlet light was a woman with glowing red eyes.
And the scene changed in front of them. Every one of them was trapped in what they feared most.
……….
Natasha found herself in the red room where young girls are being taught ballet — she recognized the place easily because it is the least place she wanted to be in.
"Again," a ballet instructor demanded.
"You'll break them." Natasha heard the words that she said before being sent to a mission.
"Only the breakable ones. You are made of marble. We'll celebrate after the graduation ceremony." Madama B said, she was standing next to where Natasha was standing.
Then a vision came for a second of Natasha laying on a bed, ready to be injected and then—
"What if I fail?" Natasha asked and she saw her younger self as she hit the targets with her gun — training to be an assassin.
"You never fail." Madame B replied.
The scene changed and she saw herself holding Yelena, both of them were full of bruises and they looked defeated —
"Yelena—"
"It is your fault." Yelena glared at her and Natasha noticed the blood that was pouring from her mouth slowly. "We didn't kill Dreykov—" a tear slipped from her and other tears followed it. "He won."
"Yelena—"
But Yelena didn't respond and Natasha felt as Yelena's sagged in her hold. And her lifeless eyes were staring back at Natasha, as if still accusing her for her failure.
It is your fault — the words kept ringing in her head, doesn't want to get out and —
Natasha screamed.
……….
Clint found himself in his familiar old room, he thought that he and his brother had escaped from the place that held many horrors to them. He didn't know why he was back.
"Where is your brother?" An angry yell came from downstairs — and Clint felt fear run through his body because he knew to whom that voice belonged, he still feared that voice even though he is a grown man.
He heard something crash and a very familiar cry of pain and that was what made Clint run downstairs.
"Barney—" Clint yelled, but his father was already beating his brother.
"Tell me where your brother is." His father demanded again.
"You won't touch him." Charles spat and his father angirly kicked him again which made his brother cry in pain.
"Useless children." A kick was aimed to his brother and Clint tried to pry him from his brother, but it was to no avail, it seemed as if Clint wasn't even trying. "I don't know why I am keeping you here." Their father contiued before he stood up and went to the kitchen to grab more beer.
"Barney —" Clint said as he looked at his brother's bruised face, but his brother smiled at him — his eyes were closing and Clint knew that his brother didn't die from their father's abuse, but he panicked.
"Barney, sta—" but he didn't continue his sentence as the scene in front of him changed, but there was someone who he was holding instead of Barney —
It was Laura.
"You—" blood poured from her abdomen and Clint from the shock didn't register that he moved his hands to the wound until he felt the blood on his hands.
"Baby?"
"The children —" then she stopped and her glassy eyes were gazing at Clint and as Clint looked around him —
He found the bodies of his dead children.
……….
Steve saw himself back to a 1940's dance hall, laughter filled the place and people dancing. Steve shielded himself from the flash of the cameras around him and he saw people fighting — it was a familiar scene, a very familiar one.
"Are you ready for our dance?" A familiar voice and Steve looked to his left and there was his lover; Peggy Carter.
But Steve didn't reply — something was wrong, how is he here?
"The war's over, Steve. We can go home. Imagine it!" Peggy continued, and he looked at her again, but then —
Everything vanished, leaving him alone in the dance hall.
Something was wrong, the last thing he remembered was the Witch in Hydra's base.
"But I knew him." Steve heard another familiar voice saying, but all he could see was nothing.
"Prep him." Another voice said.
"He's been out of cryo-freeze too long."
Steve felt his heart would go out of his chest from how it was beating.
"Bucky?" He said weakly — but Bucky was dead, Steve thought. "Buck?" He said again —
Then the scene changed and Steve found himself in an unfamiliar place, but there was someone familiar strapped to a chair and a tooth shield in his mouth.
"BUCKY!" Steve yelled, trying to reach for his friend — his friend was screaming in pain and when Steve reached him. "Buck," he said, but Bucky was still screaming and trembling from pain. "I— I will get you out of here."
And when he touched his friend, Bucky stopped screaming, but he flinched violently. His eyes were glassy and Steve sensed that Bucky wasn't seeing him.
"Bucky. It is me Steve." A frown formed on Bucky's face as his eyes found Steve. Steve thought that Bucky could see him, but his hope was crushed at the look Bucky was giving him — Bucky didn't recognize him.
……….
Thor found himself in a tavern in Asgard — Asgardians were dancing, drinking as if they have nothing to care about —
"Is it him? Is that the first son of Odin?" Heimdall said when he put his drink on the table.
"Heimdall, your eyes?!" Thor said when he noticed his milky eyes.
Heimdall put his hands on Thor's shoulders and said. "Oh, they see everything. They see you leading us to Hel. Wake up!" He started to strangle him and Thor tried to resist. Then everything vanished.
"You are really the worst, brother." He heard himself saying.
Thor wanted to yell at himself for saying that, but there was no one in front of him — he was only hearing voices.
"I assure you, brother, the sun will shine on us again." He heard Loki saying, but he still couldn't see anything, then —
The scene changed and Thor found himself cradling Loki's body. Angry fingerprints on his neck — someone had strangled him.
"Loki." There was a heavy weight on Thor's heart, he felt like he couldn't breath as he was holding Loki's body. "Brother —" but Loki wasn't responding. "Don't leave me. I am sorry." He took a shaky breath and he checked his pulse, but there was nothing.
"You let him die." A woman's voice said and Thor looked up — his vision was blurred by tears, but he could see his mother's figure — it was transparent as if it wasn't real.
"Amma—"
"I left him with you." She said, a frown was etched on her face. "You were supposed to protect him."
Thor looked at his brother helpessly. "I—"
"No, you failed him." She said and Thor could sense the coldness in her voice.
"Amma—" But as Thor looked to where his mother was standing — he found nothing and soon enough Loki's body shimmered and Thor tried to hold him — to keep him from going, but he couldn't.
……….
Something like a big worm was floating above Tony and as it flew away, Tony looked around at the dark place full of rocks around him — there was something familiar about this place, it reminded him of what was behind the portal that he sent the nuke in.
And then his eyes landed on the dais leading to a thorne, but what horrified him was the dead bodies of his teammates —
Tony’s heart was threatening to simply push the arc reactor out if it was beating so hard as he slowly approached his friends, but he had to make sure — they couldn't be dead.
When he kneeled to feel Steve's pulse, it was weak and he startled when Steve gripped his hand hard —
"Y-y-you c-c-ould-d — s-saved us." He said between short breaths and Tony was looking at him — shock was written on his face.
"I am sorry." But he didn't say it — he felt the words stuck in his throat, refusing to come out.
"Why d-didn't y-you d-do m-m-ore." Steve said, but Tony didn't reply and he watched as Steve's eyes closed and his breaths stopped.
'I failed them.' the words kept running in his mind.
Even Pepper was with them — Pepper who he swore to protect to not let her suffer again, he stumbled when he made his way to Pepper's body.
"Honey?" But Pepper wasn't moving. "Wake up." He whispered and buried his face in her shoulder. "Baby, wake up. I am sorry." A sob tore out from his throat, followed by others until his body was wracked by them. "I- l-love y-you." His body was shaking and he waited for her to say 3000, but she didn't. "3000, h-honey."
A voice cut through the silence of the place. "Tony!" Tony recognized the voice and when he looked at the top of the dais, he found a massive being holding Loki who was calling Tony's name, the creature was grinning as he held Loki tightly.
"Leave him alone!" Tony glared at the being and he headed to where they were, but it seemed far away.
"Please, I don't want to be here." Loki pleaded. "Take me to Thor, Tony."
And Tony tried to reach him, but he couldn't and then —
The creature threw Loki and Tony watched helplessly as Loki's head hit the ground. And when Tony was finally able to reach him, he didn't know why, but Loki was back to his older self and when Tony reached him—
He found him dead.
*****************
When Tony came back to his senses, he couldn't vanish the image from his mind — it kept repeating, the faces of his dead friends and lover would hunt his mind forever.
"—Sir," he was snapped from his thoughts by Jarvis' voice. It seemed like Jarvis was trying to get his attention.
"Jarvis—" his voice cracked and he didn't know why, but he felt like curling up on his bed and crying.
"They are attacking New York at this moment, Sir." The A.L said hurriedly.
"What—" everything seemed out of control and Tony couldn't —
"There is a message from Miss Potts —" Jarvis said and Tony stood up to ready himself for flying — to get to Pepper.
"Tony, I am sorry. I left him in the tower alone. But they are attacking the city." She said and Tony could hear the explosions and the shouting happening around her. "I must go and I just wanted to say." A shaky breath came out of her. "I love you, Tony." And then the line went off.
**********
Wanda wanted to laugh at how easy she was able to shake the avengers, and show them what they most feared. She didn't see any of their visions even though she wanted to see Stark's, but she only watched the look of fear on their face — it was a look of pure agony and fear. But there was something bothering her, the one who had long blond hair looked very familiar, but she couldn't remember where she saw him or why he looked familiar.
Wanda didn't give him any more thoughts as she continued with the plan of her and Thanos.
To weaken the avengers and make them vulnerable then attack.
And that is what happened, a powerful explosion rang through the Hydra's base that was where the avengers were. Debris collapsed on the avengers — swallowing them.
Thanos' sanctuary 2 parted the clouds. It hovered over the ruins like a vulture. Then an energy beam dropped to the ground, releasing —
Thanos, flanked by a squad of outriders. The Mad Titan looked around at the devastation he had wrought — a pleased look on his face at what he was seeing. And a familiar sceptre was held in his hand.
But then a bolt of lightning came out from the debris, hitting some of the Outriders and revealed Thor who was pulsing with electricity —
"YOU—" Thor charged at Thanos with Mjolnir, but he was thrown back by a blast from the power stone which was held by Thanos — and soon enough the Outriders charged at him.
Wanda landed next to where Thanos stood calmly watching as many Outriders battle Thor. "Did you finish him?" Thanos asked.
Wanda smirked and said. "Let's say I put the beast into something better." A trapped memory he couldn't get out of it — well unless Wanda stopped the spell which won't happen.
"Very well, child—" Thanos said.
Thor finally was able to kill the beasts that kept charging at him, but they kept coming — even there was some Chituari with them. And soon enough the Captain joined him, but there were so many of them.
"We have to reach their leader." Thor shouted — he wanted to take revenge because he was sure that this being was Thanos — his brother's torturer. "Where are the others?" A bolt of lightning was sent towards the beasts and finally he could see Thanos, and the last thing he heard before charging again at Thanos was Steve words —
"— I don't know if Natasha and Clint have survived."
The avengers were outnumbered and the way they were still shaken from the visions they had seen had because everything seemed real. And with Thanos using the infinity stones against Thor — the Prince of Asgard couldn't defeat him.
As Wanda was standing calmly — not bothered what was happening around her, there was one thought running through her mind when she saw the iron man's suit.
Kill — it is your opportunity to take revenge against him — Wanda thought.
"Jarvis! I need more power." He said desperately.
"I love you, Tony."
"I have to reach her."
"What about the battle here, Sir?" And Tony looked around and found Steve and Thor fighting, but—
"I can't, I can't." He knew he was panicking — what if he didn't reach her on time? What if something happened to her? But he can't leave his friends either.
"Sir—"
"I am sorry, Pepper." And as he flew to where Thanos and Thor battled — and from what Tony could see was that Thor was losing. He even couldn't see Steve and he doesn't know what happened to him —
"I don't think so, Stark," Wanda was in front of him in an instant — she was flying and her hands and eyes were glowing red because of her magic. "I am going to end you."
"Jarvis — hit her with the most powerful blast." But when Tony throw the blast at her, he was very slow —
A scarlet glowing shield protected her. "You took everything from me, Stark."
My parents and then I lost my brother.
And Tony didn't have any time to understand what she meant and what he did because a scarlet magical blast was sent to him and hit immediately — and another blasts came raining down on him.
"I will end you, Stark." She said before she lifted Iron man. The suit seemed to be drawn into the scarlet colour
"Jarvis—" Tony said and he felt like he was on the verge of a panic attack. "I can't control it—"
"S-Sir, I-I c—" but the line went out.
And Wanda watched as the suit crumpled, leaving Tony Stark defenceless in front of her.
"And now you will no longer exist." She said calmly.