Guardian (Loki x Original Character)

Chapter 13. Fate is Never Clear

The cell that held Loki made him look like he was a part of a snow glob almost. Astrid had walked along side him as S.H.I.E.L.D. agents escorted him to his cell. Once inside, she stayed behind for a few minutes thanks to Fury who was starting to teeter about his trust towards her. Astrid began to twiddle her thumbs as she was at a loss. Here was the man that she had fallen for, now in a glass prison.

"Why are you here?" Loki spoke, making her look up at him.

Astrid bit her lip and sighed softly. "Your mother told me you were alive and showed me where you were." She admitted.

"I know. But why come to Midguard, to bring me back and be treated as the monster I am?" Loki stated.

"I would never let Odin do that to you." Astrid replied. "I told you. Jotun or Asguardian, you are royalty and now heir to the throne."

"Among Frost Giants. And what about you? You wouldn't last on Jotunhime. You'd freeze in three day's time." Loki added in a cool tone and turned his back to her and walked to the center of his cell. "Go back to Asguard where you belong."

Astrid was surprised at his cold nature towards her. He was kind and warm towards her when they were on the Quinjet, but now he was cold and distant. He had changed and he wasn't the man she remembered. She took a slow and steady breath in before turning her back to him.

"If that is what you wish then so be it. But know this... I will always be here for you when you least expect it. Our fate has been set in stone and I can not change that, Loki Laufeyson."

Loki's teeth grit at the name she gave him and turned to lash out at her, but she had already left him and the room entirely. Her words repeated in his mind. Their fate already set in stone. He understood that she could see the future, but only so far. So for her to state that their fate had already been sealed. With a gentle sigh, he sat in the middle of the cell and waited. His men would break him out soon. But he couldn't shake the feeling of Astrid's words.

Astrid had made her way to the lab where most of the others were at as they complained about what to do with Loki's staff and the Tessaract. As she walked in, she walked over to the staff and could feel its strong energy that emitted from the stone itself. It wasn't just any regular mythical stone, nothing like what Odin had in the vault. Chitauri had worked diligently for this staff and it's power. So how did Loki get a hold of this staff? As she was trying to put the pieces together, she noticed Bruce had grabbed a hold of the staff which made the entire group stop and look at Bruce cautiously.

"Dr. Banner, put the staff down." Steve pointed in a cautious tone.

Bruce looked down at the staff and looked back at the others. Astrid carefully walked over to him and laid a hand on his shoulder. Bruce flinched at her sudden contact as she carefully took the staff away from his grasp. The sudden surge of power that she felt made her feel almost invincable, but the power was something that was foreign and almost toxic. A pair of hands laid on top of her own making her snap out of it and see Thor standing with a firm look into his eyes. Astrid stared back with almost a lost look in her own eyes.

"Let go." Thor said in a gentle yet commanding tone.

It looked like she hesitated for just a brief moment, but her hands finally loosened and soon Thor placed the staff back on the pedestal that it was on before. Astrid took several steps away and shivered at the power that she felt from the Chitauri staff. Wrapping her arms around herself, she couldn't understand how so much power could seduce the mind. It wasn't long till Steve and Tony began to bicker about who was a better at leading this team of misfits when suddenly the entire ship rattled and shook everyone to the ground. Astrid landed on all fours and began to see what was yet to some in a moments notice. Jumping into action, she ran out of the lab and headed to where Loki was being held.

'Don't do it... Don't do it!' She pleaded in her mind as she finally made it in to see one man under the power of the staff open Loki's cell.

Loki walked out and glanced at Astrid with a proud smile and bowing in a mocking manner before walking towards her. She summoned her daggers and took a fighting stance to which Loki was not expecting, but wasn't surprised. He slowly raised his hands in surrender and began to take small steps towards her.

"You don't want to hurt me. I can see it in your eyes." Loki stated slowly and was soon close enough that she pulled her daggers away from his chest and abdomen out of fear that she would harm him.

Laying his hands on her wrists gently, her daggers fell and vanished where Loki gently pulled her into his arms and laid her head on his chest. Conflict between what was the right thing to do and what felt right was visible in her eyes that she couldn't return the embrace. Loki understood her confusion. He was like that when he met the Chitauri and the Titan, but he had to make a decision quickly and he was now stuck. Pressing a kiss onto her circlet and stroking her long hair, Loki gently pulled back and walked her to a safe corner where she wouldn't be harmed as he had forseen what Thor would try and do. Thor had barged in to see Loki leaving his cell and charging at him to keep Loki in his cell. But it was a mere illusion of Loki and Thor was now in the glass cell.

"When will you not stop falling for that trick?" Loki asked in a bored tone and looked over to Astrid who had come out her the hidden corner.

Thor looked over and saw how she was stuck in the situation. "Astrid!" Thor called out.

"Loki, don't please. This is not you." Astrid pleaded, trying to stop this conflict that was happening to Thor and everyone on the Helecarrier. Loki looked at Astrid, and then to Thor and smiled as he opened the hatch bellow and released the cell.