Give up

Part 10

I'm waiting outside in the snowy forest near the building with Loki standing next to me in his shinning green and golden armor. He is already holding his precious dagger in his right hand, ready to fight. We are both concentrated, our mind settled on the coming events.

Our breath is the only thing breaking the heavy silence around us as we wait for the signal.

I'm starting to have a bad feeling again. It feels like I'm starting to understand that something bad is about to happened. Just as I'm beginning to get really scared, I feel Loki's hand gently taking mine and squeezing it for comfort. The connection between us continues to surprise me. We don't need to share a single word to know the other's thought. That's what I like so much about him. Sometimes it feels like it's just me and him against the world.

I squeeze his hand in return and we both look at each other.

"Everything's going to be okay, Saralyn. We are going to end this all for good now." He says looking me dead in the eyes with a serious expression and a sparkle in his eyes I can't quite understand.

I smile a genuine smile before feeling something warm in my stomach, making me feel like I'm just right where I belong.

That's when we hear the signal. I let go of Loki's hand and we jump out of the forest into the battlefield. Ice picks are slowly forming in my hands as I run towards the guards with Loki by my side. I start throwing the picks around me, touching the guards right in the chest like a killing machine. There are at least forty guards around us. I jump on one of them making him fall to the ground before slashing a giant ice pick into his heart. I'm letting go of all the anger I felt during the hours of torture back there with the scientists.

Loki and I are both covered in blood as we reach the entry of the building. We are supposed to sneak in and save all the hostage meanwhile the rest of the team continues to fight outside.

"Can you handle the door? I think it's locked" I ask Loki as I couldn't open it.

"My dear, you're speaking to the Trickster himself. Do you think I'm scared of a pathetic door?" He smirks at me with his annoying self-esteem making me roll my eyes but also laugh at his silliness. He waves his hand in front of the lock with a grace only he can manage in such a bad situation. Loki pushes the door open and gestures for me to enter.

"After you, my queen"

"Loki, please! Stop being so overwhelming annoying already!" I reply to cover the nervousness I feel by the nickname he gave me.

He chuckles and we finally enter the building. The hallway is dark and that I can't see anything.

"Hum... Loki? I need a little help again..."

"What would you do without me?" He says behind me and I can hear the mischievous smirk in his voice. Suddenly, light shines in the hallway and I'm able to look at my surroundings.

"Thank you!"

"Anything for you, my love" he teases.

I swear this god is going to be the death of me.

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Loki and I are checking every single room. It's already been a while and we still found nothing. We decided to split up in order to move faster. I enter the second floor and open the first door to my left. My mouth is left wide open as I look around me. There are a dozen of beds along the wall, with children lying on them. There are all about ten years old. Their eyes are close and I first thought that there are all asleep. I slowly come closer to the first bed and I can see that the children are actually connected to a pocket full of a strange liquid. Probably drug. The boy I'm standing next to has short brown hair and his clothes and face are covered in dust and blood. I look around me again to see that the other children share the same fate.

"Guys, I need help out there and quickly." There are dozens of children in there who needs to be taken out immediately" I speak in my earpiece.

"Already on our way" I hear a few of them respond.

"Get out of here Saralyn and check all the other rooms while we bring the children out" Natasha orders me when she enters the room followed by Clint and Tony. I nod to her and go to do as instructed.

A few minutes later, the children are all out and thankfully the other rooms were all empty.

"Guys, the building is starting to collapse. Everyone out!" I hear Steve ordering as a sudden earthquake makes me fall on my back.

"Loki? I haven't heard a word about you in a while. Is everything alright?" I ask worriedly while I move to join him in the lowest floor.

"I think I found the room where the scientists are hiding but I can't unlock the door. They must use something to curb every kind of power. I can't use my magic anymore and they are about to escape." He replies frustration clear in his voice.

"We can't let them escape!! They are going to continue their work. Find other children to make tests. We can't let that happen!" I start screaming in despair as I run down the stairs as fast as I can.

"Then there is just one thing we can do." I hear Loki saying in a low voice. "Saralyn get out of the building I have grenades left" he tells me through the earpiece.

"Wait, no. You can't do that, you won't have enough time to get out. You're going to die and I won't let you" I say in a stern voice.

"It's our only chance. Look, I have done so many bad things in my life. Maybe this is my way to finally make everything right. I can't let them go. Not after what they did to you. You were the only one giving me a chance when I thought there was no hope left."

"No, no, no Loki stop!! Please!!" I yell in despair.

That's when it hits me. The bound I share with Loki is so strong that we are willing to give up everything for each other. He was always there for me whenever I needed someone by my side. He was there to save me when I was kidnapped. He was there when my father rejected me. He was there when I started to train again after my many injuries. He was there whenever I felt alone and powerless. I'm not going to fail on him now.

"Saralyn get out of here!! Now!!" I hear Tony yelling in my earpiece.

"I'm sorry Tony, you gave me everything and I can't thank you enough for being the one saving me when I was nothing but a monster in people's eyes. Banner and you were like father to me and always will be" I reply in a shaky voice.

"Saralyn!!! No don't be stupid..." Tony continues screaming after me but I put my earpiece off and throw it to the ground. I need to find Loki before it's too late. He was there for me whenever I needed him and I didn't even realise it until know. I just couldn't leave him behind.

I start running as fast as I can to the middle of the building where Loki is supposed to start the bomb. Everything around me was dark and foggy so I could not really see where I'm heading. Thank god, I took my time to study every hallway of the building. The ground trembles but I continue running until I can't breathe. The fog around me is slowly fading as I come to a stop coughing and breathing heavily.

Suddenly, I see a figure running towards me at the other end of the long hallway. I recognise Loki as my vision becomes clearer. The countdown has already started. It takes me all my strength to start running again. We are getting closer and closer every second. Pieces of the celling are falling on us, leaving even more scratches on our bodies already covered in blood and dust. We lock eyes and I can see distress but also love in Loki's beautiful blue eyes. We both stretch our hands in front of us, continuing to run. Just as our fingers touch, I hear a terrible explosion and everything becomes black.

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The avengers are standing in the jet, looking out of the window at the exploding building. Every single one of them has tears in his eyes as they realise that you both gave up your life to save children from an unbearable fate.

The End