Avengers - Loki's redemption. Chapter Two

Chapter Two.


Pepper was pale as the prone figure was wheeled past her into the new cell, a clear, rounded chamber with a bed in the centre, safely fitted with straps.  Loki seemed so brittle as he was placed on the bed and, as the buckles were fastened, bruises of blue appeared on his limbs.  Pepper glanced over at Tony and Bruce, their faces set with shock.  Next to the bed stood Thor, a model of sorrow, as tubes containing nourishment and fluids were applied to Loki, in an attempt to sustain his feeble frame.  But what struck Pepper the most was Loki's expression of fear and his arched body on the bed.

She couldn't hear the hissed conversation between Fury and Tony but stood a little closer to the cell as Thor exited, head down.  As the doors closed behind him, Loki's frame seemed to sink back into the bed and his eyes closed.

"The rest of the Avengers are heading back to New York," Tony stated as they strode away from the chamber.  "Bruce is taking first watch, then Thor, then me. By then the gang should be all here."

He walked, lost in thought.

"Did you see him Pepper?"

She nodded, and squeezed his hand.

"Harsh justice on Asgard huh? Why would Thor let that happen?"

"I don't know Tony.  Do you know what's going on?"

"No," he stated bluntly.  "And I don't like it?"

Loki slept, finally free from pain.  His dreams seemed an endless falling through the cold darkness, then stretched out on rubble on a bleak floor.  His breath rasped as his chest heaved and Bruce watched, with some pity.  There was no echo of the angry God they had battled in the past, but the wreck of a man sleeping fitfully with occasional yells breaking the silence.  This puny man did not sleep easily.

And yet, as the hours wore on, his body appeared fuller, as though the drips were doing a super-human job of restoring life to his frame.  One strap unbuckled but his limb didn't stray from the bed.  It appeared Loki didn't want to move.  

Bruce sat, not wanting to dwell on Loki's condition.  Thor wanted to help his brother, but why had he left him to such a state?  Bruce swallowed his anger; this was no time for the other guy to make an appearance and although the final battle in Manhattan had restored some confidence, he still wasn't sure how much control he had over him.

Thor paced his room.  The accusing of the others had not gone unnoticed.  Did they not realise how hard it had been to persuade the Allfather of his plan to transport them back to Midgard?  The manacles were not Thor's doing – Fury had insisted on them. The cell had been for Banner and the other one – the green monster was more destructive than Loki or himself for that matter.

Had Loki's crimes forced his silence?  His brother had not been in his right mind for an age.  Nothing Thor had said had restored Loki to his family and heritage.  But what heritage or future did Loki have?  Allfather had never explained his adoption to Thor.  Did he explain his actions to Loki?

Thor paced and pondered.   He didn't like this uncertainty – planning had been his brothers strongpoint – Thor wanted action.  Had his own arrogance – before Jane, he reminded himself – blinded him to Loki's fate?  And, as he threw Mjolnir to the ground in sheer frustration he thought how to help his brother if his brother would not speak!