Thor was just sitting there, for the longest time, silence surrounding him as he watched the motionless Felicity. Her face was pale, and her eyes just stared into nothing. He wasn't sure what he was suppose to do. How could he face his brother after this? Their relationship, broken from so many things, was like walking on eggshells sometimes, and now, Thor had to face the man, and explain that his one source of happiness was gone. Thor reached over, and brushed her eyelids closed, no longer wanting to see those lifeless eyes peering up at him, seeing nothing. He could see where the wound was originally, how the black ink looking substance still filled her veins. It was a haunting picture, to say the least. He swallowed hard, and scooped up her limp body and proceeded out of the cell, knowing he had to go to father first. There was no way that he could transport the body, as it was without life, back to Midgard. Loki, and the others, would have to come here. He felt guilty, burdened, his heart heavy from what he'd allowed to happen. He wished, in that moment, that he'd been forceful in stopping her from returning.
“Retrieve the body of Sigyn.”Thor said as he passed a guard,”She is no longer in the land of the living.”
“Prince...”The guard started before looking down at Felicity,”Right away, Sir.”
Thor glanced back to see that the guard had taken off running towards where Sigyn had been held. He then looked straight ahead. This was haunting, and terrifying. How is it, that the God of Thunder himself, had been so wretched in allowing this to happen. He wasn't sure that he would ever understand. He moved slowly up the stairs, his red cape blowing behind him with each heavy step he took. She wasn't heavy, though she was completely dead weight. Thor glanced down at her again, the blood that adorned her now pale skin, the way her arm hung limp in the air. He swallowed hard and looked up again. His fault. Once more he would be the enemy in his brother's eyes.
The walk continued for what seemed like an eternity, until he entered the great hall. He'd not passed anyone, to which he was thankful. He however, felt like a small child as he saw his father, sitting at the grand throne, and his mother standing by Odin's side. He felt tears brim his eyes for only a moment as he stopped only a few feet from the throne, and laid Felicity's body down, then proceeded to take a step back.
“Father...”Thor started, but paused in his words, when Odin raised his hand, telling Thor not to speak.
“Why did you not come to me when you'd arrived?”Odin asked, as he looked down at the broken human that was once a very living being.
“I tried to stop her, and on her insistence that she would return alone, with no protection, I was forced to come with her.”Thor explained,”I tried to get between herself and Sigyn, but was afraid that I would do her harm if I did.”
“And yet, here she lies, the life gone from her body.”Odin said softly, his eyes searching Thor's face,”Son, you should have informed me, I would have sent more to your aid, as to protect this little mortal.”
“I am truly sorry father,”Thor said as he looked at the ground,”I wish I could take it back,”
“Well, you can not, I am afraid, and you must be the one to inform Loki of this loss.”Odin said as he stood, and walked over to the body, looking down at her with sad eyes.
“I am...I am afraid to face him, father.”Thor admitted, looking up at the man.
“You must,”Odin said sternly,”It is a great loss to us all,”
“They will have to come here, All Father, I can not risk any more damage by trying to take her back to Midgard,”Thor said, his jaw stiff, his eyes full of sadness and regret.
“I am aware, and we will make preparations while you bring the others here.”Odin said simply.
At that, Thor turned, his footsteps still heavy, and his head hanging low. He wasn't sure how he was to explain anything. He felt like he'd really done more damage then he could fix with this one. She couldn't simply be taken to a human healer and made better, this was far beyond his control, or anyone's. She was probably sitting in the halls of Vahalla by now, feasting with the other fallen heroes before her.
Returning to Midgard had left Thor dreading what was to come next. He was full of frustration, and his heart was aching, as he was trying to figure out how to explain anything to his brother. He found his way back to Stark Towers without much trouble, standing on the balcony, his eyes searching for anyone to notice him, or care. He then moved forward, using his hand to pull the door open, to see Fenrir staring at him with dark eyes. Thor flinched and looked away, wondering why it was so silent here.
“You've returned quickly,”Fenrir said, as he stood slowly,”Where is she?”
“Not now, nephew.”Thor said softly, as he looked at the wolf,”Where is my brother?”
“He knows.”Fenrir said simply,”Or at least he has an idea of who to be angry at.”
“Then it will not be nearly so hard.”Thor said simply, wondering how it was that Loki could have known, proceeding forward, looking around nervously as he did so.
“We should have tried harder to stop her.”Fenrir said softly, as he stood and followed after Thor,”We should have...”He continued but his words trailed off.
“I know.”Was all that Thor could say as he found the room in which his brother had been resting when he left.
Loki was laying on the bed, his eyes closed, his breathing even. Thor did not like that. His brother, when emotional in any way, tended to pace, to mumble angrily to himself, to glare at anything that moved, but not this. Thor stopped a few feet from the bed, swallowing hard as Loki finally noticed his presence.
“Brother...”Thor started, taking a deep breath, but Loki was up, moving quickly, pressing his chest against Thor's, a scowl on his face.
“Where is Felicity?”He asked, poking Thor hard in the shoulder, digging his slender finger in with such a force that Thor moved back away from the man.
“That is what I have come to tell you.”Thor began, though the words were getting caught in his throat,”I wish that I did not have to bring you such news.”
“Where. Is. She.”Loki snapped, his eyes for a moment turning a crimson red, looking like fire as he snarled at his brother.
“She is gone, brother, her body lays in Asgard, and her spirit in Vahalla.”Thor finally spat out, tears once again brimming his eyes.
“What.”Loki said softly, his body almost curling in on itself,”Why did you return to Asgard with her?”
“She demanded it of me,”Thor admitted,”Claimed she would go alone, if I did not agree to stay at her side, to try and keep her safe.”
“Why?”Loki asked, tilting his head just slightly.
“She,”Thor began taking a moment to catch his breath, his brother shaking before him,”She was convinced that she could put an end to the madness that Sigyn was creating.”
“And you stayed at her side, protecting her?”Loki asked, venom seeping through his voice.
“I did...I was afraid however, that I would hurt your Felicity in the process of stopping Sigyn when she lost her temper with the fiery mortal.”Thor admitted, looking away from his brother, shame in his eyes.
“You let her die?”Loki asked flat out, his tone cold, his body shaking with both anger and grief.
“I wish I could say no.”Thor replied.
“You say she remains in Asgard?”Loki asked as he tightened his hands into fists.
“Yes, All Father and Mother take care of her now.”Thor said with a soft nod of his head.
“At least you weren't stupid enough to travel with her body, no soul to protect the flesh.”Loki spat, hate filling his tone, as he snarled his lip,”I must return.”
“I know, brother, as should we all.”
“None of you cared like I.”Loki snapped hatefully.
“We cared none the less, as she was the one good thing in your life.”Thor spat back, as a single tear slipped down his cheek,”I was only trying to help brother.”
“Help?”Loki said, lashing out with his tone,”You've done nothing brother, other then kill her, you are no better then the creatures you call the evil ones.”
Thor just stood there, his eyes wide and full of pain as Loki stormed out of the room. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. All of it, everything, the entire relationship between himself and his brother, was gone in an instant, and Thor was aware that he had only himself to blame. He turned on his heel and left the room a moment after Loki, knowing that he had to inform Stark and Rogers on what had happened, letting them know they were welcome to join him in Asgard for what would happen next. He watched as Loki stood on the balcony, pain causing his features to be still, tears slipping down his cheeks. Thor worried for his brother, what would happen to him in the coming weeks as he mourned her loss. Thor worried that he was going to lose his brother to the darkness that lied dormant in his soul, because of the mistake that Thor had so foolishly made.
Loki remained silent as Thor explained to the others what had happened, and Thor felt himself growing more and more uncomfortable. Pepper had tears in her eyes as she looked at Loki. He'd almost killed her, and Tony, and had done so much damage, but honestly, in the months that followed, Pepper had seen the change in him, that Felicity had caused. She took a deep breath before looking towards Tony and Steve, who had blank faces.
“We'll go.”Steve said after a moment, before looking at the ground,”She was my friend, I want to be able to say goodbye.”
Loki swallowed hard, and moved away from the others. None of them understood. They had caused her much distress when Loki had first met her. As he allowed himself to heal, the wounds from his past growing into nothing more then scars, Felicity had befriended them, as did Loki, to an extent. He kept himself always at a distance, for the simple fact that at one point they had been the enemies. He looked outside again, wondering what he was to do now with himself. Thor was no longer someone he wanted to associate himself with, there was no one in this realm worth staying close to. He was, once again in his life, utterly alone. Loki felt numb, felt lost, and most of all, his heart ached for justice, and more then just a pretty funeral procession in which he could fake that he was healing, that time would make this go away. He knew better. She had done something that no one else did, she had stood before him, unafraid of his power, of the creature he was, and she had accepted there was a darkness in him, that he was damaged, and she cared anyway. That was not a loss he would soon move forward from.
“Brother,”Thor said softly, wincing when Loki turned his icy gaze on him.
“I am not your brother, Thor.”Loki hissed, his voice filled with the pain his face didn't show,”You are nothing to me,”
“None the less...we must go.”Thor said, trying to act as if that hadn't hurt him, as if he was just a stone wall doing what he must.
“Fine.”Loki said simply, allowing his brother to lead himself and the others forward, needing to return to Asgard as soon as possible. Loki was dreading this trip, more so then he'd ever dreaded returning to the place he'd once thought of as home. This was going to be like every nightmare he'd had as a child, come to life, coming to devour what was left of his humanity.