Falling Is Like This

Loki opened his eyes and gasped, sucking in a deep breath. He sat up, clutching at his chest, expecting pain where there was none.

"Prince Loki! You must calm yourself!" A pair of hands pressed him, holding him down.

"Seren!" He cried, looking around wildly. "Where is she?!"

The candles on the wall lit suddenly, illuminating the room. "Please, calm yourself. The Lady Seren is safe, I assure you."

Loki laid back, breathing in air like it was his last chance. It was then that he began to take in his surroundings.

His captor looked down on him with bright blue eyes. Golden hair fell over her shoulders in waves and a pair of gloriously white wings protruded from her back.

He swallowed hard. "Who are you?" He asked, fearing the answer.

"My name is Ástríd." She said.

"You're...you're a-"

"Valkerie. Yes."

"That explains why there's no pain...but why here?" He sighed, pushing himself up. "I've done terrible things."

"You gave your life for that of your brother's. It was a very noble action." Ástríd replied, resting her hands in her lap. "That is why I brought you here. You may now take your seat with the other warriors."

"I don't want to take my seat. I need to get back to Svartalfheim." He said, standing.

"What are you talking about? No one wants to leave Valhalla." She exclaimed, standing as well.

"Yes, well, I do. I've too much left undone."

"But...you need to take your place with the other warriors, this is how it has been for millennia." She replied.

"And one day I shall. But not today." He pulled open the nearby door and stopped dead in his tracks.

"Hello my son." Frigga stood in the golden hallway.

His chest constricted. "Mother?"

She smiled up at him. "It warms my heart to see you again, and yet it breaks at the circumstances."

Loki felt the sting of tears as she opened her arms. Feeling like a child once more, he embraced her, burying his face in her hair and began to sob. "Mother, I'm so sorry. It is because of me that you died! I didn't mean it."

She brushed her hands over his hair soothingly. "Ssh my son. Ease you mind. All things happen for a reason. All happens as the Norns wish it. I do not blame you, so do not blame yourself." She said. "Come, let us walk and you tell me what worries you."

The two of them began to walk down the brightly lit halls. Voices of the men and women who had died valiantly, echoed in the halls as they celebrated. The queen linked her arm with Loki's and he gripped her hand tightly, afraid she would disappear.

"I have to get back to Seren." He finally said, giving her a sideways glance.

"Go on." Frigga replied.

"It's her. It's always been her. And I nearly let my selfish agenda ruin it. I can't leave her again."

Frigga patted his hand gently. "I've always known. From the first time I saw the two of you together. She is your match in every way."

"This is why I must get back to her! I want to marry her. I want to have children with her and watch them grow." He shook his head as tears threatened again. "I have to get back to her. She isn't safe."

"What do you mean?" Frigga asked. They walked out into the garden, a few torches lighting the path.

"When I fell from the Bifrost, I fell through a portal of some sort that left me stranded on a horrible realm." He stared off into the night sky as he relived the nightmare he'd endured. "It was little more than a wasteland, filled with horrid beasts. The smell of rot was so thick it took every attempt not to vomit."

Frigga led him to a stone bench and they sat down. She squeezed his hand, silently reassuring him.

"I wandered across the land for..I don't know how long...trying to avoid the monsters that scoured the land. There was no food or water, I became delirious with hunger. I walked until I could walk no more, until I finally gave up what was left of my hope. I laid down in a nearby ravine and welcomed death. But it never came. The Other happened upon me. A creature with incredible power. He had his slaves carry me to their makeshift lair. It was there that I met Thanos."

"Thanos?" Frigga replied, her brows coming together with worry.

"You know him?" Loki asked, looking up at her.

"Know of him. And none of what I know is good. Continue, my son."

"Thanos tortured me until I told him everything about how I'd come to be on his realm. And then, he forced me to drink this...utterly delicious potion. It was like a drug. It amplified my power and heightened my senses. But he wanted control of my mind. When I refused, he tortured me again. Quite relentlessly at that. And then one day, he used his power to make me think that Seren had been killed. The next day, he made me believe she'd fallen in love with Thor. I became mad with anger and jealously. Thanos tapped into that emotion and used it to make me his weapon. I was under his control when I attacked Midgard, though my emotions were my own."

"But you were misled." Frigga replied. She tilted her head slightly and rested her hand against his cheek. Tears shimmered in her eyes. "Oh my son. If we had only known what our actions would lead to-"

Loki took her hands in his. "Mother please-"

"We didn't know!" She whispered. "We only wanted your happiness-

He took her face in his hands. "I know now." He said quietly. He kissed her forehead. "I...can't apologize enough for the terrible things that I've done."

"I believe you have suffered enough." She sighed. "There is a way to restore your body to its original form.

OoOoOo

Seren watched with a feeling of dread as Thor and Jane jumped through the portal, leaving her alone in the cave as the storm ebbed outside.

Pulling her cloak tight, she walked towards the entrance, peering out. A shimmer of green light flickered in the distance. She narrowed her eyes, trying to see.

She could barely make out the dull glint of a soldier's golden armor. Pulling her cloak over her head, rendering her invisible, she rushed out towards him. It was definitely an Asgardian soldier. She pulled the hood back.

"Excuse me sir!" She cried over the wind.

The soldier turned towards her stiffly and smiled. His eyes were a bright shade of purple. "My lady Seren. I've been sent to find you."

She looked past him to where Loki's body had been. "Where is Loki?"

"The body was collected and delivered back to Asgard."

"Who are you?" She asked.

"My name is Tyrvi, sent by the AllFather to retrieve you."

"Am I under arrest?" She asked.

"Not at all. We received word from Prince Thor that you were stranded here. The AllFather immediately sent us to retrieve you. Now, we must go before someone discovers us."

OoOoOo

Loki stared down at his reflection in the fountain pool, a mix of emotions fighting for control.

"And you are certain this is the way?" He asked.

Frigga's fingers trailed in the water as she walked to stand opposite him. "It is the only way. It was a way for your father to ensure that his sons would survive should anything happen to him or myself."

"But why hide it inside himself? Why not lock it away in the vault?"

"You're father would never say it, but he worried over you and Thor." She sighed, watching the ropes her fingers created. "After the weapons vault was broken into it unnerved him, I used a spell and hid the stone within his body."

"But why?"

She smiled. "You used to ask why like that when you were just a boy. You're father is the AllFather. King of the realm Eternal. No other is as closely guarded as he. This way, the stone would be with him always, no matter where he went, and no one would be the wiser."

Loki took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "And you're certain the stone will revive him once I'm in possession of it?"

Frigga nodded. "It is the sole purpose of the stone. I'm sure you are no stranger to hiding yourself from Heimdall?"

"Alright. If this is the only way, so be it."

OoOoOo

Seren woke up to the smell of bacon. She opened her eyes, focusing on the white ceiling.

"Ducky! Five minutes!"

She pushed herself up onto her elbows and looked around. The sky outside was overcast and the tree branches were scratching the siding of the house.

She pushed her blankets off and stood quickly, yanking the door open. Her grandmother stood outside the door, mid knock, and smiled.

"Aren't we up early?" She said.

Seren the her arms around her in a tight hug, squeezing her eyes shut. It was when she felt her grandmother return the embrace that she began to sob.

"Well now what's this all about?" She pulled back slightly and forced Seren to look up at her. "What's the matter ducky?"

"I...I'm just really glad to see you." She hiccuped.

MiMi chuckled. "Well, I'm glad to see you too. Come downstairs and I'll make you a plate of food."

Seren nodded. "I'm going to get dressed. I'll be down in a second."

MiMi touched her finger to Seren's nose gently. "Alright. But hurry, I don't want you to be late for school."

Seren nodded and walked backwards into her bathroom. She flicked on the light and stared at herself in the mirror.

Her hair was much longer but other than that, she appeared healthy, save for the bags under her eyes. Her mind was racing. Had the last few years been just a would dream?

She turned on the cold water and splashed her face. It was ice cold and took her breath away.

She exited the bathroom and began rummaging through her purse. She pulled out her compact mirror and opened it. "Loki!" She whispered.

She stared at her reflection until she began to feel foolish, and a bit crazy. Was it possible Loki was just a figment of her imagination?

"Seren! You're going to be late!"

"Yes Seren, you're going to be late." She looked down at the mirror and let out a gasp, her eyes filing with tears once more.

Loki's face turned serious. "Is everything alright?"

She nodded, wiping her eyes with her free hand. "I uhm, apparently had a very vivid nightmare." She smiled even as the tears seemed to increase.

"Do you want me to come there?" He asked.

A small sob escaped her lips and she nodded. "Yes." She squeaked.

"I'll be there soon." He said, disappearing.

Seren closed the mirror and walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. She nearly collapsed when she rounded the corner.

MiMi, towel hanging over her shoulder, stood at the stove cooking breakfast. Pop Pop sat at the head of the table, cigarette in hand, reading the newspaper.

He peered at her over the paper, his eyes smiling. "Good morning ducky."

OoOoOo

Loki looked around his old room, seemingly untouched save for a few wrinkles in the bed.

He breathed a sigh of relief, for if Heimdall had seemed him at all, he would have been met with a slew of einherjar.

He walked to one of his many bookshelves and felt around its border. He found the tiny lever he was looking for and pulled it. As he did so, the second shelf of the bookcase popped open. He pulled it out, revealing a small set of throwing knives and a dagger.

He grabbed all of them and tucked them inside his vest. After securing his invisibility, he closed his eyes and silently teleported himself to the balcony of the King.

All was unnervingly quiet but he could feel the familiar pressure of the invisible force field that surrounded the entrance. He and Frigga had been the ones to create it. He gave a careful push with his mind, willing the force field to open just enough to allow him entry. When it caved under his power, he stepped onto the balcony quietly.

The room was dark, made darker by the by the fact that it was in the middle of the night. As he further entered the King's chambers, he became aware of a faint golden glow emanating from his bed chamber.

He rounded the corner and entered the AllFather's bed chamber. Odin lay in his bed, surrounded by the familiar golden glow of the Odin Sleep. 'The loss of mother and attack on the kingdom must have been too much.' He speculated silently, his heart rate speeding up.

'It's now or never...' He thought nervously. He cast a silencing barrier over the room for added protection.

In an ironic move, Loki crawled atop the AllFather and pulled the dagger from his vest. He raised his hand but gave pause. This was the same position his real father Laufey, had taken not so long ago in his failed assassination attempt against Odin. And despite his anger towards the only father he'd ever known, he hadn't hesitated to destroy Laufey before he could carry out his plan. He swore to himself that even though he was Jotun, he was nothing like them.

And now, here he sat. Poised and ready to kill, though for entirely different reasons.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

Odin's eye opened, meeting Loki's as he plunged the knife to its hilt, in his chest.

His mouth opened and a gasp escaped his lips as Loki pulled the blade free.

"Loki...why?" Odin whispered, his words strained. He looked up blankly at the ceiling. "Frigga..." Blood tinged his lips and Loki felt his body relax indefinitely.

Loki pushed back the sorrow and guilt that threatened to overwhelm him. He rolled up his sleeves and set about retrieving the stone.

Several grueling, bloody minutes later, Loki plunged his bloody hands into a nearby water basin, scrubbing at them furiously. The blood did not come off easily, try as he might. He slid to the ground with a frustrated cry and gripped the emerald colored stone so tightly he feared it would crack.

He stared at his trembling, blood strained hands as the full weight of what he'd just done finally sunk in. There would be dire consequences if this did not work. All the realm would mourn and without a doubt put a price on his head.

He pressed the gem to his chest and closed his eyes as a strong wave of energy reverberated through his body. He looked down at his hands as they turned back to their normal flesh tone. He yanked his shirt up quickly, watching in amazement as his mortal wound disappeared, leaving only a scar.

Standing slowly, he forced himself to approach the butchered body of Odin. As he pressed the stone to his bloodied chest, there was a loud crash and the chamber doors burst open. A swarm of armed einherjar surrounded him.

A guard he recognized as Tyrvi glared at him. Loki stared back at him, struggling to find the words to defend his actions. They all sounded incredibly foolish at the moment. It was then that he saw the flash of purple in his eyes that caused his blood to run cold.

"Thanos!" Loki growled. Tyrvi flashed him a knowing grin.

"He's murdered the All Father! Seize him!" One of the soldiers cried.

Rallying all of his strength and rage, he sent forth a powerful blast, knocking the soldiers to the floor, rendering them unconscious. Tyrvi was the only one aside from Loki left standing.

"I see you've finally put two and two together." He said. "Though I must confess, I thought you of all people would figure it out much sooner."

"What are you doing here?" Loki growled.

"Well, I suppose you haven't put two and two together." He sighed, his true form appearing. Loki found himself staring at his tormentor. The purple skinned titan leered at him and began to circle around him, like a vulture. He plucked Gungnir from its perch by Odin's bed. "I suppose he's not going to mind if I borrow this." He twirled it in his hand like a baton.

Loki bristled. "Let it go!"

Thanos stared down at Odin with a bored expression. "As I said, he won't mind. Thanks to your handiwork. Beautifully done, I might add. Your mother is a very influential woman."

"What?" Loki asked.

Thanos chuckled. "Don't tell me that I tricked the trickster Prince! This is too much!" His laughing form quickly turned into the figure and face of his mother. "I made you kill your father!" After his laughing fit died down and he returned to his true form, he looked back up at Loki. "Now, I believe you have something that belongs to me."

Loki clutched the stone tightly in his hand. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Let me jog your memory." Thanos held out his hand and a hologram appeared. "You have something of mine. I have something of yours."

Loki felt his newly healed heart skip a beat. Seren lay suspended in the air of a murky dungeon. "What have you done?! If you hurt her I'll-"

"You'll do nothing! You have my stone, I have your dearly beloved. There should be no thinking involved." Thanos bellowed.

Loki reigned in his emotions, steeling himself. "How do I know you won't kill us both once I hand it over?"

"Oh I will kill you both. That is inevitable. However, if you hand over the stone, I vow to let the two of you live long enough to watch as I take over the universe. And then I shall make your deaths quick." He replied.

Seeing no other way out, Loki sighed. "Fine. Take me to her and you shall have your stone."

Thanos grinned. "Of course. Follow me."

Loki followed him, but kept his distance, constantly looking over his shoulder.

"Relax. I'm sure you know a spell or two that can conceal us." The titan said.

Loki narrowed his eyes but cast the spell. "What do you have to gain from this?"

"That is not your concern. You should be thinking less about my plans and more about escaping with your woman."

They took a turn and began to descend the stairs leading to the weapons vault. Once inside, the walked down to the far end of the room, to the thatched wall that once held the destroyer.

Thanos rammed the butt of Gungnir into the ground and the wall opened. Thanos stepped aside. "Your lady awaits."

Loki glared at him as he entered the room. He summoned light to fill the room. Seren stood in the corner of the room, her hands raised in the air, fingers entwining the air as if she were running her fingers through the beaded curtain that hung from her ceiling when she was a teenager. "Seren?" Loki walked towards her, but she didn't seem to notice.

She was whispering to herself, starting at something only she could see. He waved his hands in front of her face, then turned to glare at Thanos. "What have you done to her?"

The titan shrugged his shoulders. "I sent her on a small vacation."

"What do you mean?" Loki asked through gritted teeth.

"She's her physically, but her mind is elsewhere. I call it, mercy."

Loki scoffed. "Mercy? I fail to make the connection."

"Her mind is elsewhere so that she doesn't think about the things that I will do to her body. That I will let others do to her body-all while you watch-if you don't hand over that stone!" Thanos yelled angrily.

Loki felt as if his breath had been sucked from his lungs. "You're bluffing."

Thanoa laughed. "Are you willing to bet on that?"

Loki gripped the stone tightly. "We both know that once you have this stone, you're not going to let us walk out of here." He said.

Thanos just smiled and shrugged. "I'm only here for the stone. This pathetic realm means nothing to me."

Loki looked at Seren, stroking her cheek with his fingers. She didn't flinch. "My brother will know what you've done, and he'll come after you."

He smiled and held out his large, purple hand. "I hope so."

Loki swallowed hard and tossed the stone to him. What the titan wasn't expecting was twenty other identical stones to fly into the air. He shot at Loki with Gungnir, stroking him in his side. While Thanos struggled to catch them, Loki wrapped his arms around Seren and with what power he could muster, they disappeared.