Instincts (A Loki Fanfic)

Chapter Fifty-One

(A/N: Really long with a side of dealing with trauma. Be advised. Not detailed greatly but talked about. Thanks for reading!)

(Kit's Pov)

"Stark, I really don't think this is a good idea." Loki pleaded with the aforementioned madman as they marched down the halls, heading for this prisoner's cell. "What information does he have that we cannot find elsewhere?"

"Given that we're out of Hydra leads?" Tony paused for a moment, glaring at the prince. Yes, they all wanted to keep Kit safe. But if she was the key to getting answers... Some rules started to bend. "I'd say he's our best bet to learn anything."

Kit pressed her hand against Loki's, trying to reassure him that it would be okay. She didn't like this either, but when you're a part of a team some things came before preference. Besides, she couldn't run from her past forever. "We have to do this."

"We don't have to do anything you don't want to." Loki tried to reason, "Why can this not wait a day? A week? We can come up with some other plan."

Natasha took up answering his question. "Shield only granted us two weeks to hold him. Then he's off to who knows where. We're out of time to make another plan."

Loki sighed, knowing she was right. Of course she was. The Avengers needed answers and if this was the only way, Kit would do it. All she had to do was ask a few questions. Loki and the others would be in the room as well, support when she faced down her torturer. She only hoped they wouldn't treat her with contempt if they heard the truth.

It'll be fine.

Steve led the group to the doors, as the Avengers entered one by one. She had barely stepped through before he spoke. "Finally you come to visit me."

"She's just here so you'll talk." Tony snapped before he could try to gain any upperhand, "Now talk."

"So desperate. I assume Shield is pressuring you for my release, aren't they? So I can rot in one of their prisons." The scientist paused, leaning back in his chair. Despite talking to Tony, his eyes never wandered from Kit's. The room looked just as it had in the video, this maniac shackled to a desk. "Calm down, Mr. Stark. We haven't even exchanged pleasantries."

Clint stepped in. "Since when have you ever done that?"

"Well if she's learned to talk, I want to hear it for myself." His head turned to face the archer, yet eyes still on her. What did he want? Why come for her after all this time?

Kit took a deep breath, stepping forward. "Why?" He was the prisoner now. He couldn't do anything to her.  "Why are you hunting me? What do you want from me?"

A smirk slowly crawled across his lips. "All in time, K-17."

No. Not K-17. She wouldn't let him control her this time.

"My name is Kit."

She said the words so strongly it surprised even herself. The scientist leaned forward tauntingly, almost laughing at her declaration. "No it's not. Tell me, what's the difference between K-17 and Kit? Both were chosen to refer to you but neither is your real name."

Kit hesitated to answer, the Avengers stepping to the sidelines for this conversation. They would always support the Kitten, but that didn't mean they would speak for her. "I didn't think of Kit first, yes. But I chose to keep it."

"Really?" He dragged the word as long as he could, as if such an answer was so pathetic and childish in this world that it lost all credibility. Kit choosing to keep a name? How obvious, yet still so dependent upon others. How placid. "And why Kit? Why not K-17, the name I gave you?"