Ebony's POV
Taking I-80 back to Patterson took us an hour. On the way, I called Robby, Sam, and Aly and told them to come home immediately, no matter what. They were waiting for us as we came in. Everyone stood and started speaking at once. I held up a hand.
"I don't have much time. Loki has an invasion force on its way and we need to get you all away from the city as soon as possible. Grab only the necessities and go to my house for now. Now! Go!" I pushed them towards their rooms but Robby refused to budge.
"Where are you going?" He demanded.
"I have to tell the response team what I've learned, it'll give them something to work with."
"Eb, you can't go back there if there's-"
I shoved him hard. "Shut up and move, Robin! We don't have time to argue. I will handle myself."
Liv grabbed him and looked at me. "Go. Be careful. We'll see you at home."
I didn't take the time to say goodbye. By the time I was back on the highway, it was deserted in my direction. I hadn't seen any chaos or destruction but as I got closer to Manhattan I could see a beam of blue light stretching towards the sky.
There was a line of cars heading in the other direction. The evacuation had begun which meant I would hit a roadblock soon. I slowed the Jeep down and stared as black shapes rained down from the sky. Even from here, I could hear the screams.
The roadblock was at the entrance to the Washington Bridge. I got out and waved my hands, trying to shut up the shouting soldier. "I have to get into the city!"
"Ma'am no one is getting in. We have to-"
I pointed to the large SHIELD logo on his arm. "Call Nick Fury and tell him I need clearance."
His eyes grew wide and he turned to look at his commanding officer. The man nodded, pulling out a phone. He turned away and spoke quietly to someone, turning often to look at me from over his shoulder. He paced the roadblock as he talked. Finally, he nodded and hung up.
"She's an essential asset to the team, apparently." He grumbled. I smiled as he waved me forward. "Let her through before the army comes in and mucks up something for me." He unclipped the gun from his side and looked at me suspiciously. "You know how to use this?"
I nodded and he handed it over.
Hopping back into the Jeep, I sped on. I was hoping I could make it to Stark Tower. If there was any place to contact Tony and the others, that had to be it. Squinting at the skyline, I cursed as I realized that was also exactly where the beam of light was coming from. Loki was there. But what had come with him?
Finally arriving in the main part of the city, I jumped out. The roads were blocked with cars and rubble. It would be too dangerous to drive. New York City was in ruins, an actual battlefield. I held the handgun firmly, pointed down. I sprinted through crowds of screaming civilians and hid from hordes of those strange robotic aliens. That thing that came and took Loki that one night must have been a Chitauri. That's what Nick had called them, at least. Maybe it had been a leader, he wasn't robotic like these.
I looked up as Tony flew past me. "Tony!"
He paused and twisted around to see me waving at him. Something screamed in my ear and I turned, firing the gun, jerking as it fired into the face of an alien. I rubbed my ear and waved at Tony. He flew back to me, shooting a few Chitauri.
"Gray, what are you doing here?"
"Helping. I need to get to your Tower. Can you give me a lift?"
"Clench up." I held the gun close and tensed every muscle as he grabbed my waist and lifted me up. He flew with his back to the ground and me on top, keeping us far from the Chitauri. "I've got Gray. She's gonna try and get to Loki. I'm dropping her in the Tower." He looked down at me as he dropped me on one of the floors. "You really love him."
I got up and shrugged, cocking the gun. "Unfortunately yes. I've got it covered, get out there." He nodded and was about to leave when I called him back. "Hey! I know you love the dramatic but please, don't be a hero, Stark."
"Not plannin' on it. Call for JARVIS, he'll help you." He held a hand up in goodbye and flew off. I sighed and tried to ignore the battle outside. I had a certain alien to worry about who I happened to see on the roof.
"Jarvis!" I called. I looked around, wondering who he was. A voice answered over the speakers placed everywhere.
"Yes, ma'am."
My eyes widened. Automated butler? "Are the elevators down?"
"No ma'am." The elevator on my floor opened and I told him to take me to the top. It hummed and beeped as it reached my floor. I slid out, tumbling behind the bar as an explosion rocked the building. A familiar roar shook the room and I peeked out to see Hulk smash through the floor to ceiling windows. I heard a groan and peeked out to see Loki getting up. Hulk pounded the ground and then ran to tackle Loki but stopped.
"Enough!" Loki screamed. "You are, all of you, beneath me! I am a god, you dull creature. And I will not be bullied by-"
He cried out as Hulk grabbed his legs, swinging him around and pounding him into the ground. I swallowed a cry and turned away. There was no way I was getting between that. Hulk started to walk away.
"Puny god." He mumbled, leaving. Loki stayed where he was, staring up at the ceiling. I waited until Hulk was gone and then ran to Loki, crouching beside his prone form.
"Hey." He looked up at me, his eyes still wide. He glared at me as I grinned and I bit my lip to hide it. "Feelin' okay?"
He sighed and tried to get up, failing and lying back down. "You should not be here." He groaned.
I ran my hands over his body and checked for injury. "I think you're fine. Kind of. It's like falling from the void all over again. You'll survive."
He glared up at me but it was more annoyed than angry. I looked out at the chaos outside. People were dying out there. Others were risking their lives to help. I had to do what I could to stop this. I turned him to face me. His eyes seemed remarkably clear now, as though he had full control again. I held onto the hope that engendered. Maybe it wasn't too late. Maybe I could still save him. "Loki - "
"Did you tell them?" He stopped me. "Have they agreed to it?"
I looked away. "No, I didn't. I was just trying to get here."
He pulled himself up by the steps and turned me to look at him. "Then Thor will take me back to Asgard. Odin will punish me there and if he does not have the mercy to kill me, my master will find me. There is little I can do." He sighed and pressed his face into the crook of my neck. "I regret all of it but that means little."
I wrapped my arms around him. "If you get your forces to stand down then maybe that's some small bit of redemption. Because otherwise, you said SHIELD has a nuclear retaliation plan. More people will die and that'll be on your hands. Just stand down."
He seemed to consider it. I rubbed my ear as something crackled. My eyes widened as I realized I still had my com. It'd been turned off I guess. It was such a small little black device, it was easy to miss and just as easy to forget. I pulled it out and slipped a wire back into place.
I heard some shouting and looked out to see Tony fly close to the building carrying...was that a missile? I stood and ran to the glass, pressing the com.
"Tony, what are you doing with that?"
"Heeey," he laughed weakly. His voice was faint and staticky. "Gray's back online. Saving the city, what's it look like? Fury said stop it."
"I thought I said no heroism."
"Sorry, kid, wasn't planning on it. Hey, last wish, okay?"
"No don't say that."
"One way trip. Last wish. Either name it Tony or Rudolph." I heard him chuckle. I managed a teary smile and shook my head.
"You throw that thing and get back here, okay?"
"Yeah..." He disappeared through the portal. We watched as the portal began to close and I swallowed my tears, turning away. The Chitauri all collapsed, dead. There was nothing but silence for a long moment as we all hoped for the impossible. Someone shouted and I looked up to see a figure falling through. I grinned and glanced up at Loki. He watched as Hulk caught Tony and they all stood around him.
My smile faded as I realized he wasn't moving. "No."
Hulk roared suddenly and I watched in relief as Tony jumped. "Please tell me nobody kissed me." I heard. laughed and wiped my eyes, relaxing against Loki. He sighed. I looked up at him.
He turned away from me and walked to sit on the steps. I watched as he put his head in his hands and stayed like that. I spoke into the com. "Loki's here. He's surrendered. We're waiting."
They made their way up to us and I sat in front of Loki, holding his hand. They came in all at once and I stood, standing in front of him. I looked at Thor. "What happens to him?"
"I will take him to Asgard. He will face Asgardian justice."
"Execution?"
"No. I will not allow it of Father."
"Whoever commissioned him to do this will come after him. He..." I looked at Loki and he nodded. "He wants to be executed."
"What?" Thor's gaze swept to Loki. "Is this true?"
"Better an execution than what would become of me." Loki said.
"I know you don't want that, Thor. And I'm with you. So swear to me," I said, "even if he is punished, you'll protect him. Swear that you'll keep him safe for me."
Thor looked down at his brother. I noticed for the first time that he had a carving on the metal plates over his wrists. They were shaped like Loki's helmet. He still cared for him. That's all I needed. He nodded. "I swear, m'lady."
I looked down at Loki and moved aside. He sighed and looked around. "If it's all the same to you," He said to Tony, "I'll have that drink now."
Hulk grunted and Tony smirked. Thor stepped forward and grabbed Loki. "We will take you to SHIELD where I may contain you until the Tesseract is prepared." Tony walked over with a glass of whiskey and Loki downed it, handing it back to him. Tony told Jarvis to call SHIELD.
Loki sat placidly, his head back in his hands and his eyes closed. I sat beside him."Is he..." I pointed to his head. "Is he still there?"
He shook his head. "A good knock to the head can disrupt him. So long as they keep the scepter from me, his power will weaken over time. He can still touch me but not as strongly."
I looked at Natasha. She nodded and left with the scepter. By the time SHIELD came with a carrier jet, Bruce had transformed back to his human form and found clothes. Loki was half dozing on my shoulder. Soldiers marched in. A doctor handed Loki a cup of water and a pill.
"A tranquilizer. You understand."
Loki nodded and took it quickly. We stood together. I grabbed his hand and stayed close, unsure what to do anymore. He sighed and pulled me to stand in front of him. Thor kept a grip on his arm and so he used the other to hold me close. Loki didn't protest as a soldier sat him down and strapped him in. He laid his head back and closed his eyes, defeated. I pulled Thor to the other side of the carrier.
"Listen, it may be hard to believe but he still loves you. You're his brother and you never gave up on him. Don't do it now. Just remember that he still loves you and he needs you. You have to help him. He's still your little brother."
Thor didn't respond for a time, just stared at Loki. Finally, he sighed. "Lady Gray, I may be able to take you with us. If you will come, my father may hear your case and lessen Loki's sentence. But only if you can help him, change him. You would not be able to return until the Bifrost is repaired."
I stared up at him, unable to believe what I was hearing. "Are you sure?" He nodded. "How long would I have to say goodbye?"
"I will give you two days. But I dare not risk any longer. Whether or not you wish to come for Loki's sake, Asgard is the only place where you can have and care for your child. If you decide to keep it."
I nodded absently, already running through the possibility in my head. I could go with him. We could still be together, we could fix everything. I could ensure he'd receive a fair punishment as well as help through the aftermath of his ordeal. I could keep the baby and though it would be hard, it wouldn't be impossible to raise him or her.
But I couldn't return. I'd never see Liv again or my Mom. I could never catch up with Kat and Marci again. I would never have my lessons again and I couldn't go back to school. The joy I felt at the possibility of going to Asgard was quickly suffocated by the thought of abandoning the only life I knew.
"Can I...Can I think about it?"
He nodded. "It is a weighty decision. I am sorry I cannot give you more time." He squeezed my shoulder and returned to his seat. I turned around slowly and went back to Loki's side.
Loki wasn't asleep but I could see the tranquilizer had gone to work. He looked at me through heavy eyes and then rolled his head back to rest on the wall. After landing, he walked slowly beside Thor to the recovered cell. Some flat-based metal object was passed inside. Loki looked at it and his eyes widened slowly but the tranquilizer kept him from doing much more than that. He looked up as Thor came towards him.
"Do not fight, brother. You brought this on yourself." With a heavy sigh, he allowed Thor to approach. Thor leaned down and pressed the metal thing to Loki's mouth. It was then that I saw it was a kind of muzzle. He pressed the clasp and it glowed a soft gold for a moment. "Odin has cast a spell on this, so do not try to remove it." He commanded. "It will restrict your powers for now and should, hopefully, keep your accomplice at bay."
Loki glared at Thor's back as he walked away. I looked at the others and knew all they saw was anger there but I wondered if any could see the tears brimming in his eyes. Or were they choosing to ignore those?
Fury looked pointedly at me as he closed the door to the room. Understanding, I walked away with the others. Fury stopped me. "We've recovered my agents. Among them are Agents Williiams and Herrez. They're in custody for now and safe from Loki's control. Mostly unharmed. Thought you'd like to know." He walked away, allowing me to breath in relief.
At least they would be fine. I wouldn't be allowed to see them, I knew that. It hurt knowing that if I took Thor up on his offer, I wouldn't even be able to say goodbye. But there was nothing I could do.
Natasha flew me to Charlotte Douglas Airport in North Carolina and gave me enough money for a cab to my house. I curled up against the door, rested my head on the cool glass and tried to get some sleep.