Inescapable

Ch. 41

You were seated in a wheelchair (Bruce's order) underneath a tree by the lake on the compound. You closed your eyes as the wind whipped your hair and the cold bit on your cheeks. Silent tears started falling, as they did more often than not lately. You had asked Tony to take you outside for a bit of fresh air, but in reality, you needed time to yourself. To mourn. A sob erupts from you, and you bring your hands to cover and muffle your cries.

Loki was dead. That was on you. One of your closest friends in this world is gone, and you're to blame for your inability to change things. You hear from behind you heavy footfalls on the grass, and you know it can only one of two people. Steve, who's been worried about you ever since you woke up, practically mother-henning you just as much as Tony has. Or Thor, who you've tried to avoid, ashamed to face him. "My lady..." Thor it is then. You rub at your eyes, trying to erase the tears in them and turn slightly to see him standing beside you, looking out into the lake. "Thor..." your voice sounds broken. He turns to look at you and your lip wobbles, you don't see hate or disgust in his eyes; which you worried you would see in them. Just sadness. "Thor..." you whisper again, tears brimming once more. "I'm so sorry... I – It's my fault Loki..."

He shakes his head and kneels down beside you. "You are not at fault, my lady. If anything, you returned my brother to me long ago." The air is punched out of your lungs, and you can't speak. Thor continues, "My mother once told me, before she passed, that you would be the one to save our family and our people from greater tragedy." He held your chin softly in his hand to make sure you faced him straight on. "She was a witch who knew more than she let on. My father grieves for Loki as much as I right now – but that would not have been possible without you."

Your eyes widened in surprise, "your father? Odin is?"

Thor gives you a small smile, "he is alright. He is leading the half that remain of our people thru this tumultuous time." Shock must be evident in your face, because he continues. "Was he not alive in your worlds knowledge?"

You shake your head, "no. He was gone before Thanos." He looked at you quietly as if waiting for you to continue. "Loki had impersonated him and left him here on Earth. He passed when you both came back to look for him, his passing released your sister Hela and brought upon Ragnarök." You sighed and looked at him sadly when you spoke again. "You lost a lot of your people in Ragnarök. And then those who were able to escape on ships... you were all attacked by Thanos. Loki lost his life there..." You looked down, tears fighting to come out again. "I tried Thor, I tried to change it. I'm so so sorry."

He lifted your chin again to look at him, tears welled in his eyes too as he spoke. "There are some things we can't change, no matter how hard we try Verdandi. They are things that must be... and while I hate that Loki passed... maybe there is a greater purpose to it all."

You nod, the tears streaming down. "There is... I just... I wanted him here. Alive and with us."

Thor looks confused. "I do not understand..."

"Loki will be the God of Stories." Your lip wobbles, but you continue. "He'll be all alone holding Yggdrasill together... he deserves so much more Thor. I wanted so much more for him."

Thor smiled, a watery smile. "Don't you understand Verdandi? He will never be alone." It was now your turn to be confused. Thor's smile widened. "You will live this life Verdandi, but even it will end one day, and then you'll return home. Where our Loki will be waiting for his best friend."

Your eyes widen in shock. "He'll..."

"If he is Yggdrasill, you will one day return to the waters at his feet Verdandi. And my brother will never be alone." Thor says happily. The sorrow in him converts into something you liken to hope. "Everything is as it should be. We will mourn for him now but be grateful for his future. I must return home; father will be lighter when he hears this..." Thor looked at you pensively. "He might even be more at peace if it's you who delivers the news." You let out a sob, a cry between painful mourning of loss and an exalted cry of relief.