Healing Each Other (Loki Fanfiction)

Chapter 39

LOKI'S POV

"Strange." I never expected to see the man again, let alone in a situation like this. I brush myself off and look at him. The doctor seems years older, with sharp eyes that have seen too much and silver streaks in his mostly dark hair. A few new scars have appeared on his pale face.

Red sparking wires encase me, almost burning but not quite. I groan, struggling against my bonds, but to no use. "What are you doing here? How did you enter the Sanctum?" He hisses, inches away from my face. My mouth turns upward in a malicious grin. I have to say, I am enjoying this. It's been too long since I've messed with someone.

"It's good to see you too." I want nothing more to annihilate the sorcerer and go find Eliza myself, but I'm here for a reason. Heimdall sent me to him for a reason, and until I discover it, I have to stay. I have to trust him.

The words taste vile in my brain.

"You didn't answer my question. How did you enter this place? It's guarded with complex magic." As much as I want to claim it was my magic, it wasn't, and I have a feeling Strange would call my bluff.

"I was sent here by Heimdall, Asgard's protector of the Bifrost, our transportation." I use a cold, polite voice. Thanks to Heimdall, I have to play nice... for now. My left hand starts to ache, sending new waves of panic through me. "I need your help. Let me loose, will you?"

"And what makes you think I would?" Strange asks, eyebrows raised.

"I'm not here to ruin your precious planet again, you imbecile," I sneer. "I'm here because I need to help someone."

"I know why you're here, Your Highness, I just don't particularly feel like untying you at the present moment."

I roll my eyes. Dramatic. "I don't suppose you could at least loosen my bonds."

"I don't suppose I can. I'm enjoying this, to be honest," he says, smirking. He almost reminds me of Stark. A more refined version of Stark. "There was an alternate future to this, you know. One where you never met her. I had you falling through space for over half an hour. Be grateful."

"Look at me, I'm just overflowing with gratefulness," I snap. Then I take a deep breath. I'm not here to start a fight. I'm here for Eliza. "Are you going to help me or not?"

"You got here earlier than I expected," Strange says, thinking. "I'll send you where you need to go in a little while. Until then, I should probably catch you up on what's actually been happening down here."

"That would be wise." Strange leads me into a room combination of an office and a library. The type of place I would love to wander around alone for hours. With a roll of his eyes, my bonds disappear and a cup of tea appears on the table in front of me. I sit. "What do you mean, I got here early?"

"I saw you coming. To save her, you need to wait a little while," he says, sipping his own cup of Earl Grey. "You won't succeed unless certain events unfold at certain times."

I'm starting to understand Heimdall's words. Trust him. Staying here and waiting is an incredible trust exercise, considering I could probably find her myself. "Why don't you tell me what's become of the Avengers?"

"There was a split over documents. The Sokovia Accords. If signed, they placed the Avengers under government jurisdiction and supervision. About half agreed to this, but the other half went rogue." He conjures an illusion of these teams. As I assumed, Stark and Rogers lead opposing sides.

"What did Eliza choose?" I ask, examining the illusion. Some I recognize, but some I don't. Strange points to Rogers' side.

"She chose not to sign the Accords." I grin. My little sol, disobeying authority all by herself. It's about time. "She went missing for a short period of time after that, but joined up with Captain America and his team to fight. Their aim was to protect a man they call the Winter Soldier." He nods to a man close to Eliza in the image. Long brown hair and... a metal arm? "James Buchanan Barnes. One of Hydra's weapons and Rogers' closest friends. He suffered decades under mind control." I stiffen at those words, knowing all too well what that feels like.

"What does Barnes have to do with Eliza?"

"The now king of Wakanda believes Barnes killed his father. Stark just wanted to catch an escaped criminal and bring his friends back before they did something against the law. Which, of course, didn't work."

"And where are they now?" I ask, an uneasy feeling in my stomach. "The fight, what was the outcome?"

"All of Rogers' team save Barnes and himself is being held in a prison called the Raft." He conjures up the corresponding image. The place looks awful. I ignore the prickling feeling in my hand. "It's meant to hold psychotic individuals, high level security. It's in the middle of the ocean."

"And he put them there?" I ask, absolutely disgusted. I didn't have a high opinion of Stark before, but I never imagined he'd put friends in a place like that. "Who's there, who did he imprison?" I'm trying to get a grasp on the situation at hand.

"Clint Barton, Sam Wilson, Wanda Maximoff, Eliza Banner, and Scott Lang," he lists off. "They've been there about two and a half weeks."

I squint. "How do you know all of this?"

"I know everything." I raise my eyebrows, and he sighs. "Okay, not everything, but almost. I can see into the future, and I'm the Sorcerer Supreme."

"I don't know what that means," I say, shrugging. I mean to ask another question, but my eyes fall on the necklace hanging around his neck. I've seen enough magic and other oddities to know what it is. "You have an Infinity Stone."

"I'm the keeper of the Time Stone," he replies, haughty and proud. "I'm surprised you're impressed. I'm not the only one here who possesses one." I keep my expression cool, but the doctor has struck closer than I thought he was capable of. My hand subconsciously reaches into my pocket, where the Tessaract is concealed with enchantments. Thor asked me to take it for safekeeping, especially with Hela vying for Asgard. I also believe, despite my brother's confidence, that Thanos will return, and he'll come for the stones when he does. It'll be safer in a place where he doesn't suspect.

"And I'm the keeper of the Space Stone," I sneer back, matching his attitude.

"I'm well aware of that. Be careful with it, will you? I have to get you on your way," he says, glancing at his watch. I stand, as does he.

"Of course."

He summons a portal made of the red sparks and gestures. "Don't take this personally, but I'm hoping to not see you for a long time."

I grin. "Likewise, Doctor." Then I step into the portal and let it take me where it will.

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