No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

— Let’s start from the beginning …why did you save her? — Thor asked as he sat on the roof floor.
—Because I’m a sentimental fool – Loki answered
—Loki if you are not going to tell me the truth our deal is off! – Thor nagged him
—All right! – Loki sighed as he shrugged his shoulders – Because of you …—
—Of me? – Thor inquired puzzled by Loki´s answer
— I remember that day clearly: we were having one hell of a good fight, there were cars on fire, debris from the bridge, lots of smoke … now that I think about it, it doesn’t surprise me that neither of us saw her walking right to the middle of it. She just appeared as if she were a ghost, right between us as you summoned your lightning’s against me, I could’ve easily avoided them but then I heard you scream when you realized she was there. When I saw the look of horror in your eyes, the realization that you just had killed an innocent, in that moment I wanted to spare you from it becoming true, I wanted to protect my brother and the only way I could do it was by saving her.—
Thor looked at Loki confused – Why? Why did you care?—
—I told you I was a sentimental fool that day. She meant absolutely nothing to me until … I held her. When I first looked into her eyes, they were void like the life had been drained out of them, she didn’t even notice me taking a hold of her in order to shield her from your blow, she just wasn’t there. Then your lightning hit us and as I screamed in pain before teleporting us away, they suddenly became alive, it was like watching the universe being born, she noticed me and then the strangest thing happened, there was no fear on her eyes, not from me, not from the possibility of dying … I had almost forgotten how that looked, but there it was, she was concerned about me. Can you believe that? She was worried about me! —Loki nervously laughed. –When my senses returned, I found us still holding each other a few miles away from the bridge, she had blacked out. Finally I could get a good look at her, she looked injured but not from the lightning. Her cuts and bruises were fresh, someone had cured them earlier that day, she was wearing a hospital gown and you could see the marks of where an IV had been in her right arm. She was bleeding so I left her an the nearest hospital.—
— Yes, the Golden Gate General Hospital where I found her.—
— I know, I saw you there – Loki confessed – The look on your face when you saw her alive made it worthwhile.—
— You were following me? —Thor asked
—No, I was watching her. I watched her for weeks, I’m not sure why. When I noticed your constant visits, I thought she would fall in love with you. After all, how many Midgardian or Asgardian women for that matter can resist your charms, so I left. —Loki plainly added
— She didn’t – Thor confessed annoyed
— I found that out afterwards when I noticed her following me a couple of months later.—
— Why did you deceive her? Making her think she was dreaming of you – Thor asked
— I wasn’t planning to –Loki admitted – It was more like confusion on her behalf and I just didn’t tell her she was wrong. At first I was curious about why was she following me with such intensity, so one night I teleported myself to her motel room to find out. I found her passed out sitting on a chair, her head resting on the rooms table, with more than a couple of bottles scattered all over …̶
— You are lying …—Thor protested energetically
— I am not lying, and even if you don’t like to hear it you know I am telling you the truth. Or did she fool you into thinking she was all right? How could she have been all right when she lost everyone she loved the day we met her? – Loki snapped at Thor, he was trembling with anger.
—I know, it was a terrible loss. – Thor apologized –Please continue, I won’t interrupt you again.—
—All right – Loki answered still angry at Thor´s outburst. He closed his eyes and sighed as he remembered—I was looking at her when she suddenly came to and saw me. Although she was still very drunk, I think that the surprise of seeing me there cleared her head a bit though not enough because she started laughing. Suddenly she asked me what I was doing there; I told her that I heard she was looking for me so there I was to find out why. –
—You want to know why I’m looking for you? —Leah asked me as she took another sip from one of the bottles next to her –Wouldn’t you like to know? – Then she laughed, I seriously thought she wouldn’t be able to give me any answers or remember any of it by the next day when she started talking – I want to know why …̶
— Why what? – I asked her in return
—Why you saved me? Why am I still alive? —She explained
— Isn’t it enough that you are? Why should I explain my actions to you? —I’m not sure why but I didn’t want to tell her it was because of you
—Right! Why should you? You are only a dream; you don’t have any answers for me, and since I don’t have them, you can’t give them to me. – She nervously laughed as she kept drinking
As she was in a talkative mood I tried to find out more –Maybe if you give me more answers I will be able to give you some –
She laughed almost hysterically – Ok, Freud, let’s psychoanalyze ourselves! I don’t think I’ll remember this dream in the morning anyway, so why not? Ask away!̶
— Why is it important to you to know? – I asked
—Because I should’ve died twice that day and I’m still here. —She answered as she played with her glass
—Twice? —I was rather confused
—Yes, in the car accident. All my family died except for me, my parents, my husband Martin … – she had to stop as her voice quivered, I could see the tears in her eyes that she was refusing to shed—… and my baby – she broke down at that point.
I was shocked by her confession; I understood right then why she looked so injured that day, why her mind was gone when I first held her. I’m not even sure how it happened but the next thing I knew I was holding her, trying to comfort her. She cried for what seemed hours when she finally quieted down she added, – He took them away from me, and he didn’t even give me the comfort of … justice … no, no I didn’t want justice I wanted vengeance and he took that away from me too.—
— Who did? – I asked her
—The drunk driver that hit us, he died in the accident too. —She almost whispered. She fell asleep in my arms.
—I was feeling confused, with all the emotions she was waking up within me. I understood her anger, her pain, but didn’t know what to do about them, so I laid her down in the bed and left. I tried to forget about her for days, but almost without thinking about it I found myself in her room again. This time she didn’t seem as drunk as before, she even looked a little cheerful though it might have been the whisky.
—Hi stranger! – She greeted me as she noticed I was in the room – I remember our talk! —
—Really? I didn’t though you would. – I replied.
—Well, me neither, but I seem to be holding my liquor better than expected. — she smiled. I had never seen her smile before that moment, and she looked beautiful. I think she noticed I was staring at her because the next thing I knew, she was asking me if I liked what I was seeing, she had caught me completely off guard. Loki Silver Tongue was speechless, can you picture that?—Loki laughed at the memory – It took me a moment to react and when I finally said yes she got up from her chair, approached me and out of nowhere she kissed me …̶
— Stop right there – Thor interrupted and then swiftly added– I don’t need to hear that part—
Loki chuckled at Thor´s reaction – Like I was going to tell you, though I’m pretty sure you can imagine what happened through the next months –
— I’m trying not to – Thor said with a frown, then asked – Why didn’t you tell her the truth?—
—Because I didn’t want… whatever that was to end. —Loki confessed – I was selfish I wanted her to be mine, and mine alone. I was scared that If I told her the truth there wouldn’t be a chance of her staying with me; but as months went by I noticed she kept drinking and that she wasn’t eating or sleeping much. At first I tried to get her to eat something or get rid of the alcohol when I visited her, but when I did she got suspicious so I eventually quit, so I tried to figure out something else. I watched as she consumed herself with guilt for surviving. I was afraid of telling her the truth because of what it would do to her. That’s when I realized I couldn’t help her, no matter how much I loved her; I was now part of the problem. Furthermore, she wouldn’t stop looking for me. She was almost bankrupt and she didn’t even consider stopping. I needed someone else to help her, to stop her from keep harming herself but it wasn’t like I could just ask for your help, the moment I showed I cared I would be painting a target on her back, so I came up with a plan to lead you to her. — Loki looked up at Thor – I was hoping you and your Avengers would pick up my trace and find her. I didn’t think SHIELD would beat you to it, when they did I had no choice but abandon her in hope they wouldn’t keep her.—
—They almost did – Thor informed Loki –
—So they don’t have them? —Loki asked in hope
—No, they don’t – Thor gave him a little smile – Fury fought us over it, but we refused to leave her with them even before we knew she was pregnant.—
—Is Leah and the baby all right? – Loki asked relieved
— You might say that – Thor answered him a bit uncertain if he should tell Loki about what happened this morning – She’s … umm … sad —
— Sad? What do you mean? Why? – Loki´s face betrayed how worried he was which made Thor´s decision easy. Even if there was a slim chance Loki would do the right thing he had to risk it, he owed Leah that much.
—She … she loves you – the words were heavy on Thor´s heart – and she misses you. She is worried about herself and the baby; she knows SHIELD or anyone else that knows she’s pregnant with your child could get a hold on them if given the chance. She feels like a prisoner.—
— It’s all my fault – Loki reproached himself
—Then do something about it—Thor replied
— Like what? – Loki asked angrily
—Change your ways, I’m sure Father would forgive you. They would be safe in Asgard—Thor told him
—You think I hadn’t thought of that? How long do you think it would take me to get bored and abandon her there, a decade perhaps? I couldn’t do that to her, it would be too cruel. I am who I am Thor, and I don’t think I can change it and if I did change for her I would end up resenting her. She doesn’t deserve that, she deserves someone better than me. — Loki said bitterly
—But she doesn’t want someone else Loki! —Thor replied angry at Loki´s response
Thor´s intercom interrupted them, it was Banner. He had told Leah where he was and who he was fighting and Leah was worried. They wanted to know if he had found him.
—Yes, I have. We are talking now – Thor answered them. As he heard their response he grew impatient and told them – Yes, talking. Tell Leah that Loki is fine, I’ll talk to her when I get back. — With that he severed the connection.
—She knows. – Loki sadly stated
—Yes, she was worried, I’m not sure what she must had thought. — Thor told him
—Probably that you would try to kill me. — Loki ironically said with a smirk
— I wouldn’t! – Thor protested, looking offended
— I’m not so sure about that, you were pretty angry. — Loki added
—I still am, but that’s not the point. What are you going to do now? Will you come with me and explain everything to Leah? – Thor inquired
—I’m not sure, I have to think about it. But I’m not going with you. —Loki answered him
—What do you mean? You need to talk to her! —Thor snapped at him
—I can’t, I already told you she deserves better than me. You know everything now. Explain it to her and … tell her that I am sorry. — He had barely finished his sentence when he teleported away.
Unknown to Loki and Thor was the fact that one of the doombots had recorded their conversation; Doom had managed to escape and soon would be in possession of the recording.

Notes

Finally things are getting explained, hope you think it was worth the wait.