The Dream Below, 7/8. NC-17.
Title: The Dream Below
Author: Eustacia Vye
Author's e-mail: eustacia_vye28@hotmail.com
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: *deep breath* Steve/Bucky, Steve/Natasha, Steve/Bucky/Natasha, Clint/Natasha, Loki/Natasha, Tony/Pepper, Maria/Natasha, Jane/Thor.
Disclaimer: Not mine! Not even by a little bit.
Spoilers/Warnings: MCU AU. Based off of this AU gifset on Tumblr. Come on, a mashup of Inception and the MCU. *drools* Did you really think I could stay away from this? No, I didn't think so either. :D Title and chapter titles from Linkin Park's "Castle of Glass."
Summary: Thor of Odin Corp. hires Steve Rogers' elite dream sharing team to perform inception on his brother, Loki, and a shade of their ex-resident thief Bucky (who was killed when the team's last job went horribly wrong) tries his best to sabotage it.
Or: Steve extracts, Tony builds, Clint runs point, Natasha's a master of impersonation, Bruce concocts, Thor's a tourist, and things happen.
Prior chapters:
One - Through The Secrets That I Have Seen
Two - Wash The Poison From Off My Skin
Three - Warm Me Up In A Nova's Glow
Four - Drop Me Down To The Dream Below
Five - Past The Black Where The Sirens Sing
Six - Take Me Down To The Fighting End
Seven - Bring Me Home In A Blinding Dream
Loki was rather petulant about being all but forced into a meeting with Thor. "I have a security meeting to attend," he told Thor haughtily. "Make this quick."
Thor sighed and looked down. "I don't understand how to make this better. I really want to, Loki. I want us to be brothers again. What must I do to convince you that I mean it?"
"You don't listen," Loki hissed. "Who rebuilt this company from your excesses? I did. I did everything for this company, for this family, and I received no recognition at all!"
"You run it," Thor murmured looking up at him with a contrite expression. "You're in charge, you decide everything."
"Yes, I do."
Nodding in response to his words, Thor struggled to smile. "Can I come home? Can we be a family again? I wouldn't touch the company or question decisions."
"Because you can't."
Even with Loki's sharp tone, Thor didn't change expression. "I just want my brother back."
Loki thought of hissing You can't always get what you want, but the golden man seemed to be beaten down. Natalie had said that family was important, that Thor probably had never even realized Loki was hurting. "You were too good at putting on a mask," Natalie had sighed, stroking his face tenderly. "Even I probably don't get to see underneath it."
But no, she knew everything about him. There were no secrets from her, and he had rather enthusiastically proven that while in bed the night before. She had let him attend this meeting alone, and promised to buy an alluring dress for an upcoming party she was helping Frigga host to raise funds for one of the many charities she was involved in. Loki's gut tightened as he thought of Frigga, her unwavering love despite his cruel barbs. She had forgiven him, just as Natalie thought she might, and was overjoyed at becoming a grandmother. While Loki had thought it was false emotion, Frigga had clasped hands with him, tears in his eyes. "You are my son, Loki. I want the best for you, I always have. I know you are up for the challenge of the company, of fatherhood. It's a harsh duty sometimes, thankless, even. But you can do it. You are clever and wise at turns, and you can be so protective and loving, too."
"Mother is proud of what I've done here," Loki said, voice firming.
Thor had a soft smile on his face. "As am I, if you would believe such a thing."
"Maybe I don't."
"I did what Father expected of me, Loki. I tried to be the son they wanted. I'm sorry I wasn't the brother you needed me to be."
Loki sucked in a deep, pained breath. This was the apology he had always wanted, had dreamed of getting. He hadn't realized he would ever receive it.
"You probably don't believe me," Thor continued, that sad smile on his face, "but I used to wish I was as smart as you are. You know how the books work. You have the ideas. I know people, and there are some good people here. I couldn't have done what you have. I would've had to rely on the people working here, would've had to be sure that they had my best interests at heart."
"I have loyal people in Odin Corp," Loki said, leaning back in his chair. He could afford to be magnanimous now. He could smile and feel a measure of pride in himself.
He wasn't a monster, he wasn't some pathetic idiot that couldn't do anything. He wasn't simply the shadow behind Thor.
"I'm the favored one now," Loki continued, calm settling inside his chest. "I'm the one they go to for decisions. I'm the one they trust."
"As they should."
"I'm glad you realize it."
"This might not have been my idea, but it's turned out to be good for me." Thor stood when Loki did, and warmly smiled when Loki extended his hand. He shook it eagerly, enthusiastically. "I wanted to trust in you. I'm glad I did."
"Maybe you can come to the benefit that Natalie and Mother are hosting."
"I'd like that. I really would."
Loki kept the smile on his face until after Thor left. He had a meeting with the new security expert to follow up on, and all the details of the benefit.
Still, it didn't feel overwhelming or impossible any longer.
***
Steve was feeling fairly confident about the meeting he had with Loki. The man seemed far more self assured than he had previously, no further tension in his demeanor. He found Clint easily, and the two settled on a series of rooms on the second floor that would be easily locked and defended against staff members if need be. From there, they could drop down into the next level to finish the inception.
At least, that was the plan.
Leaving the headquarters again, Steve froze when he saw Bucky standing in the middle of the street. Projections didn't seem to care that a man dressed all in black with an automatic rifle was standing there, staring menacingly at Steve.
"Bucky," he breathed, terror suddenly flooding through him.
"Who the hell is Bucky?" the dark figure snarled, lank hair hanging in his eyes. Up came the automatic rifle, and Steve dove for cover behind a car. Clint was in the lobby of Odin Corporation headquarters, and was directing the projections in there to stay out of sight. The lobby secretary was likely calling police.
Steve fished his cell phone out of his pocket and called Tony. "Bucky's here and ready to shoot at me," he said without preamble. "Please tell me you are taking care of Thor."
"Well, he's not dead."
"I can try to draw him away from the rest of you..."
"You're needed in the next bit," Tony reminded him. "They're still doing the shindig, and you have to be there. You and Clint are supposed to be his staffers now."
Before Steve could answer him, there was the sound of heavy gunfire and bystanders screaming on the other side of the car. It was too uncomfortably close. "You hear that? It might not be an option anymore."
"Shit, okay. You guys are going to hole up in Odin Corp and not use the party idea, then?"
"I have to get a hold of Natasha and Clint to let them know, but that seems like a better option. Unless you have one?"
"No, a glittery glass walled tower is my idea of a good time," Tony replied, sarcasm clearly evident. "We can always go to plan B. I have an alternate site that I created. It's practically a fortress. Which, funnily enough, I modeled off of The Fortress."
Steve blew out a breath. "So we can still salvage this."
"Yeah. But you know, if it's too dangerous, we may have to punk out."
"No! I can't do that. I promised everyone it would work, I have to see this through."
"Some things can't be fixed, Steve. Remember that. Don't kill yourself over this."
He thought of the blank expression on Bucky's face, the thousand yard stare that chilled him to the bone. He thought of the cold corpse that Bucky had become, trying to save his life when their last job went haywire.
He owed Bucky, he knew that.
"I won't kill myself. But I keep my promises."
"Listen. Don't be a hero," Tony warned. "Heroes wind up getting shot at and dying. You're no good to any of us dead, okay?"
"Thanks for the pep talk," Steve said. It had suddenly grown quiet behind him, but the screaming continued. "I think he's out of bullets."
"Be careful. Get to Clint, tell him we have to move to Plan B. He'll know where to go."
Before Steve could even ask about it, Tony hung up. Dammit. But it was probably best that he didn't know exactly where the new fortress was, just in case Bucky was homing in on him. He pocketed the cell phone and chanced a peek through the car windows.
The rifle had been tossed aside, still smoking slightly. It was indeed out of ammunition, then. But Bucky was stalking toward the bullet riddled car, a tactical knife in hand. "Shit," he muttered under his breath. Steve got to his feet, dreaming up a shield and a tactical knife of his own. "I don't want to do this, Bucky. Don't make me do this."
Bucky didn't seem to respond, and continued stalking forward as Steve rounded the car to head back into the Odin Corp building. Clint would think he was insane, but Steve had to pass along Tony's message. Once Bucky was close enough, he lashed out at Steve with his knife. Steve had to react, blocking the blow with the shield, a round parabolic item made of silvery metal. The knife tinged off its surface, skittering down, and Bucky had to flip the knife across to his nondominant hand to try to stab at Steve. Steve made his own stabbing motion, forcing him to block the blow as Steve swung the shield at his head. Bucky leaned back, away from the shield, then continued his motion to duck under it and stab upward with the knife. Steve had to pull his shield arm down, hitting Bucky along the back, and he twisted his right wrist at the last moment so that the knife scored along Bucky's thigh rather than stab into his side.
Roaring, Bucky stood and kicked Steve right in the chest with his opposite leg, sending him flying into another car. That knocked the breath right out of him, and he looked up with a dazed expression. It didn't immediately register that Bucky had a H&K in hand, that he had pulled it out from one of the straps crisscrossing his body.
It also didn't register when a series of bullets came from somewhere behind him, forcing Bucky to drop the semiautomatic and duck out of sight to keep from getting hit.
Clint swam into view, lips compressed unhappily. He held an automatic rifle similar to the one that Bucky had been using, and he grasped Steve by the arm to haul him up to his feet. "You stupid bastard. I was safe where I was, and then you had to play hero."
"Tony said we have to move to Plan B."
"Shit. Fuck. Dammit, Steve. You're such a fucking idiot," Clint snarled. But he still dragged Steve back into Odin Corp, behind the bulletproof glass, barking orders to lock down the building, there was an assassin outside after Loki.
The rest faded in a concussive haze.
***
"Your life is in danger," Clint told Loki, Steve's concussion a very convenient way to sell Plan B to the otherwise paranoid man. He nodded toward Steve grudgingly. "It looks like he went above and beyond contracts to try taking down the madman, but he's still out there."
"Did my traitorous brother hire him?" Loki asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion.
Brother. Fantastic. They were making headway after all.
"No, he was escorted to one of our cars and my driver indicated there were no phone calls made. He seemed overjoyed by your meeting, sir."
"He could have ordered it beforehand," Loki said, though there was a measure of uncertainty in his eyes, as if he wanted to believe in Thor's innocence.
"I rather doubt it." Clint gestured toward one of the glass walls. "He might be stupid, but I doubt he's that stupid to try shooting up the building and any passersby."
Loki bit his lip and startled badly when the door behind them opened. Natalie strolled in, dressed in a burgundy button down blouse and loose dress pants that clung flatteringly to her perfect ass, her legs looking even longer because of her ridiculously high heels. Immediately upon seeing her, Loki's body language loosened. "Darling," he said, moving away from the window. He ignored Steve's body on the couch of his office. "This is not a good time."
"There was gunfire outside. It sounded like the news reports about the Middle East."
"No, no, we're fine, Natalie," Loki assured her.
Natalie's eyes slid toward Steve. Her lips trembled a little, and Clint wondered if she was really that worried about him. No, it was his own insecurity talking. Natasha was a consummate actress, and she could use whatever others gave her to craft a persona on the fly. She didn't love Steve that way anymore. Their past was tainted by pain and suffering. Still, Clint would likely forever wonder what would have happened if Bucky hadn't died.
Seeing what she was looking at, Loki sighed. "Our security consultant. All right, there have been some threats."
"No, Loki," Natalie said, running her hands across his chest in distress. "That takeover of Asgard needs to stop. We can't have this, not if they will burn this place to the ground." She pulled one of his hands to her flat stomach. "You can't risk it."
Something in Clint's gut burned. He'd never really thought about children, not with the lifestyle they had, but suddenly the thought of Natasha heavy with his child made him ache. The thought of living with her for the rest of his life, of cuddling on the couch and watching soppy movies while drinking hot cocoa appealed to him. Finding an out of the way place, no more dodging bullets or goons, living at a slower pace...
And then she caught his eye, eyebrow lifted. Without words, she asked him what was going on with him, with Steve. Clint didn't know what to tell her, how he could even explain his sudden maudlin urge with the wordless communication they shared.
"Plan B," Clint announced suddenly.
Natasha blinked in recognition and gave a subtle nod. Loki was confused, and turned from Natalie to Clint. "I don't understand."
"We've been working on a contingency plan," Clint lied, gesturing toward Steve. "He didn't mention it at your meeting earlier because it was never meant to be put into play. But we still had it, just in case anything went wrong at Odin Corp and this wasn't a safe place to be."
"The panic rooms in the basement and third floors," Loki began helplessly.
"If that assassin is bold enough to try to storm the front doors, I think he'd be willing to slaughter everyone he found in order to find you and break apart the panic rooms." Clint kept his tone matter of fact, and tried to impress upon Loki the seriousness of this discussion. "I would rather have you and all staff out of this building as quickly and quietly as possible."
"But where would we all go?"
"The people would return to their homes. They're not the targets. You're the high profile target, the one that makes all the decisions. It's our job to protect the two of you. Like the King and Queen of Odin Corp, if you like to think of it that way. We get you out, into an alternate location, lay in for a siege, until this guy can be eliminated."
"What do you mean, eliminated?"
"We figure out who hired him and outbid him. Or take him out."
Loki looked at Clint as if he had never seen him before. "To do such a thing..."
"What you want is my priority," Clint said.
"But if you go to prison for murder," Natalie said, hand at her mouth in shock.
"If I'm captured, so be it. At least you'd be safe." It was easy to be sincere about that statement while he stared at Natasha, so Loki heaved a sigh.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that."
Staff were summarily dismissed and left the parking garage in droves. Clint had two of them help him carry the unconscious Steve into the back of a minivan, and after they left, Natasha and Loki got in as well. "If you want, you can lay down low in the back," Clint offered. "As much as no one expects you to make a move like this, it's added protection. No one will see you." That went over as easily as he thought it would, and he quickly drove to the new fortress that Tony had built into the maze. He didn't see any sign of Bucky, but that didn't really mean anything, now did it? Steve didn't necessarily need to be conscious, but apparently his consciousness acted like a homing beacon for Bucky.
That was a sincerely scary thought.
Loki and Natasha were bundled into a small room in the fortress, and Steve was left in a separate room on a bed to recover. Natasha used the opportunity to slip Loki a sedative, then left to enter the main room. "Well?" she asked, looking at Tony, Clint and Thor.
Thor's hands were still sticky with blood from holding his side wound. "I'm alive," he said, trying to smile. "I'm ready to do what needs to be done."
"Then you guys set up your dream PASIV," Tony announced. "I have to get ready."
Not knowing or caring what he meant, Clint pulled a PASIV out from under a bureau at the side of the room. He specifically had made it with longer tubing, allowing the PASIV to be placed centrally, lines running to Steve, Loki and Thor. He and Natasha could lie closer to the machine itself to set it up.
Tony soon arrived in bright red and gold armor that surrounded his body. "Check me out," he preened, hovering over the ground. "I fly, I dodge and weave, and I have repulsive blasts and sonic cannons. I figured I shouldn't use guns because a) if I accidentally hit any of you, and b) I don't know what killing part of your mind is going to do in a dream like this. Our resident expert on the topic is a layer above us, and I have yet to hear anything about interlayer communications being developed. So if this idea of mine doesn't work, we're S.O.L."
"That's pretty impressive." Clint looked over the armor in appreciation.
"If you guys were staying conscious, maybe I'd make you some. But alas, you guys get to sleep and I get to guard your unconscious bodies like it isn't totally creepy."
"You'll do fine," Natasha told him with a supportive nod. "I trust you."
"Really? That's awesome," Tony replied, touched.
"So don't fuck it up and get us all killed," she continued in a stern tone of voice.
"Got it," Tony said, nodding and slamming the face place into place. "Go on. I got this."
Needles in, lines prepped, somnacin flowing.
Another layer down.
***
Act Three - Letting Go
The Odinson manor was a large, sprawling building with a limestone façade over solid brick, large windows facing a front circular driveway. In the center of the circle was a fountain water feature, and leading out of the circular driveway to the main road was a long roadway, complete with towering oaks with branches reaching overhead. It had reminded Clint of a Southern US plantation when he had seen it in the real world, and Tony had captured the aesthetic perfectly for Natasha to dream. Inside, the manor was ornate and full of priceless antiques. Most rooms had painted murals on the walls with Baroque furniture. It led to an almost oppressive atmosphere, and Clint didn't have to wonder why Loki would feel so out of place there. He had been far more confident in the ultramodern glass and metal Odin Corp headquarters.
The manor was swarming with projections, staff and business associates. The head of the family was dying, and everything was in chaos. It was easy to blend into the crowds and make small talk, commiserating on the family's upcoming loss. Natasha walked through wearing Frigga's face, bowing her head elegantly and demurely, acknowledging the meager comforts from others while still shrouded in her grief. Thor was too wounded at this time to really help them, but hadn't wanted to be left behind. He coughed and was deathly pale as he sat off to the side. Loki entered the room, expression drawn and pained as well. His father's death had been a long, slow, agonizing one as the cancer metastasized throughout his body, leaving him sleeping off the sedating drugs used to keep his pain in check. He hadn't really been mentally present for months before he finally died in the real world.
Frigga drew Thor and Loki aside. "I don't think you can stand these sycophants any longer," she told them. She gave them a pained smile and patted Loki's arm. "I'll make your excuses, say you have to check in with your father."
"We should look in on him," Loki replied, clasping Frigga's hands in his. "We'll make sure he's comfortable, that he feels safe. It's all right, Mother, we'll look after him."
"Such a good boy. So perceptive of others."
Loki flashed her a tight smile and then went off toward the sickroom.
Turning her attention to Thor, Frigga's expression fell somewhat. "How bad is it?"
Thor grimaced as he stood up, and swayed a little. The dark suit hid the abdominal wound, but there was no mistaking the ashen complexion or the way he had to grasp her arm for balance while standing. "I am not feeling quite like myself, and it hurts. But I will still play my part, if that's what you're asking."
"No, it wasn't. I can be you for this part if you can't stand," Frigga replied. For a moment, her eyes flashed green, a sliver of Natasha peeking through the forge. Then in another blink it was gone, a grieving Frigga back in place.
Wincing, Thor plopped back down in place. "If you could? I am so dizzy, I probably haven't much time left."
"Then I'll go."
She ducked in and out of crowds, shifting her appearance and clothing as she went. By the time she reached the hallway leading to the sickroom, she was looking and moving exactly like Thor, a trick of smoke and mirrors and consummate observation skills.
Odinson's sickroom was just down the hall from the milling employees waiting for word about his mental status. The drugs keeping his cancer at bay left him mostly asleep, the projections declared, and they were waiting to see if he would gift them with some aspect of the business. Ghouls, one and all, much as it had happened in real life. But the sickly Odinson hadn't caved, even if he lost his mental faculties, and his holdings all passed to his sons.
Loki sat beside his father, a hand clasped between two of his own as Natasha entered the sickroom looking like Thor. "Brother," he said quietly.
"What is it?" Loki asked, not looking up from their father's bedside. In the real world, he didn't yet know he was adopted. Natasha wasn't sure what he would know in the dream.
"He hasn't changed," Thor began hesitantly, sitting down across from Loki.
"It won't be long, I think," Loki murmured, eyes still focused on their father. "At least he's not in pain. He doesn't realize what's happening out there, the sycophantic idiots on their deathwatch, waiting for him to die so they can be promoted."
Natasha reached for the free hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. The old man seemed to have cold, clammy skin, as if he was just shy of death already. "We're with him. He has us," she told Loki quietly.
"Of course he does. The two of us, always together. It's as it should be."
Thor grinned at him. "As it should be. Yes."
Their father coughed suddenly, eyes opening. But he slid his gaze past Thor and looked directly at Loki. "My son." He pulled his hand from Thor's and grasped Loki's hand in both of his. "My dearest son."
"Father," Loki murmured, bringing his father's clammy hand to his lips. "Rest. Gather your strength so you can fight this..."
"Bah. No more fighting. No more tears. No more desperate cries from idiots wanting into my pockets to scrabble for change." He laughed along with Loki, but then the laughter devolved into coughs. Blood came up, and Thor dabbed at his lips with a tissue from the box beside the bed.
"Father," Loki repeated, perturbed by this. "I'll get Mother."
"No. Wait. Thor can go get her," he rasped, still not looking at Thor. With his gaze fixed on Loki, he struggled to sit up. Loki helped him, arms tight around his frail shoulders. "You. I need you to save the corporation. No more frittering away the money and research. No more expensive baubles and jewels for silly girls and one night stands."
Natasha managed not to laugh and blow her cover. Loki really hadn't liked Thor's behavior before he met Jane Foster. Their father had been a notorious womanizer in his day, long before Frigga came on the scene. Perhaps Loki was actually his son, but couldn't say so to Frigga. No one would ever know the truth now.
"I'm not that kind, Father, you know that," Loki told him gently. He glanced at Thor with an almost apologetic look.
"Yes. I know. Which is why you must lead my company. You must control it, and I need you to hold our family together. All our futures depend on you now."
Loki froze and stared at his father in disbelief. Tension slowly bled out of him, and Natasha held her breath. Would he really integrate this into his sense of self?
"Of course, Father," Loki said, kissing his father's forehead. "I would do anything for you, you know that. I'll take care of everything."
Nodding slowly, Natasha rose and headed out of the sickroom. She wasn't needed there any longer. They had accomplished what they set out to do.
***
***
To Chapter Eight - Wash The Sorrow From Off My Skin
Author: Eustacia Vye
Author's e-mail: eustacia_vye28@hotmail.com
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: *deep breath* Steve/Bucky, Steve/Natasha, Steve/Bucky/Natasha, Clint/Natasha, Loki/Natasha, Tony/Pepper, Maria/Natasha, Jane/Thor.
Disclaimer: Not mine! Not even by a little bit.
Spoilers/Warnings: MCU AU. Based off of this AU gifset on Tumblr. Come on, a mashup of Inception and the MCU. *drools* Did you really think I could stay away from this? No, I didn't think so either. :D Title and chapter titles from Linkin Park's "Castle of Glass."
Summary: Thor of Odin Corp. hires Steve Rogers' elite dream sharing team to perform inception on his brother, Loki, and a shade of their ex-resident thief Bucky (who was killed when the team's last job went horribly wrong) tries his best to sabotage it.
Or: Steve extracts, Tony builds, Clint runs point, Natasha's a master of impersonation, Bruce concocts, Thor's a tourist, and things happen.
Prior chapters:
One - Through The Secrets That I Have Seen
Two - Wash The Poison From Off My Skin
Three - Warm Me Up In A Nova's Glow
Four - Drop Me Down To The Dream Below
Five - Past The Black Where The Sirens Sing
Six - Take Me Down To The Fighting End
Seven - Bring Me Home In A Blinding Dream
Loki was rather petulant about being all but forced into a meeting with Thor. "I have a security meeting to attend," he told Thor haughtily. "Make this quick."
Thor sighed and looked down. "I don't understand how to make this better. I really want to, Loki. I want us to be brothers again. What must I do to convince you that I mean it?"
"You don't listen," Loki hissed. "Who rebuilt this company from your excesses? I did. I did everything for this company, for this family, and I received no recognition at all!"
"You run it," Thor murmured looking up at him with a contrite expression. "You're in charge, you decide everything."
"Yes, I do."
Nodding in response to his words, Thor struggled to smile. "Can I come home? Can we be a family again? I wouldn't touch the company or question decisions."
"Because you can't."
Even with Loki's sharp tone, Thor didn't change expression. "I just want my brother back."
Loki thought of hissing You can't always get what you want, but the golden man seemed to be beaten down. Natalie had said that family was important, that Thor probably had never even realized Loki was hurting. "You were too good at putting on a mask," Natalie had sighed, stroking his face tenderly. "Even I probably don't get to see underneath it."
But no, she knew everything about him. There were no secrets from her, and he had rather enthusiastically proven that while in bed the night before. She had let him attend this meeting alone, and promised to buy an alluring dress for an upcoming party she was helping Frigga host to raise funds for one of the many charities she was involved in. Loki's gut tightened as he thought of Frigga, her unwavering love despite his cruel barbs. She had forgiven him, just as Natalie thought she might, and was overjoyed at becoming a grandmother. While Loki had thought it was false emotion, Frigga had clasped hands with him, tears in his eyes. "You are my son, Loki. I want the best for you, I always have. I know you are up for the challenge of the company, of fatherhood. It's a harsh duty sometimes, thankless, even. But you can do it. You are clever and wise at turns, and you can be so protective and loving, too."
"Mother is proud of what I've done here," Loki said, voice firming.
Thor had a soft smile on his face. "As am I, if you would believe such a thing."
"Maybe I don't."
"I did what Father expected of me, Loki. I tried to be the son they wanted. I'm sorry I wasn't the brother you needed me to be."
Loki sucked in a deep, pained breath. This was the apology he had always wanted, had dreamed of getting. He hadn't realized he would ever receive it.
"You probably don't believe me," Thor continued, that sad smile on his face, "but I used to wish I was as smart as you are. You know how the books work. You have the ideas. I know people, and there are some good people here. I couldn't have done what you have. I would've had to rely on the people working here, would've had to be sure that they had my best interests at heart."
"I have loyal people in Odin Corp," Loki said, leaning back in his chair. He could afford to be magnanimous now. He could smile and feel a measure of pride in himself.
He wasn't a monster, he wasn't some pathetic idiot that couldn't do anything. He wasn't simply the shadow behind Thor.
"I'm the favored one now," Loki continued, calm settling inside his chest. "I'm the one they go to for decisions. I'm the one they trust."
"As they should."
"I'm glad you realize it."
"This might not have been my idea, but it's turned out to be good for me." Thor stood when Loki did, and warmly smiled when Loki extended his hand. He shook it eagerly, enthusiastically. "I wanted to trust in you. I'm glad I did."
"Maybe you can come to the benefit that Natalie and Mother are hosting."
"I'd like that. I really would."
Loki kept the smile on his face until after Thor left. He had a meeting with the new security expert to follow up on, and all the details of the benefit.
Still, it didn't feel overwhelming or impossible any longer.
***
Steve was feeling fairly confident about the meeting he had with Loki. The man seemed far more self assured than he had previously, no further tension in his demeanor. He found Clint easily, and the two settled on a series of rooms on the second floor that would be easily locked and defended against staff members if need be. From there, they could drop down into the next level to finish the inception.
At least, that was the plan.
Leaving the headquarters again, Steve froze when he saw Bucky standing in the middle of the street. Projections didn't seem to care that a man dressed all in black with an automatic rifle was standing there, staring menacingly at Steve.
"Bucky," he breathed, terror suddenly flooding through him.
"Who the hell is Bucky?" the dark figure snarled, lank hair hanging in his eyes. Up came the automatic rifle, and Steve dove for cover behind a car. Clint was in the lobby of Odin Corporation headquarters, and was directing the projections in there to stay out of sight. The lobby secretary was likely calling police.
Steve fished his cell phone out of his pocket and called Tony. "Bucky's here and ready to shoot at me," he said without preamble. "Please tell me you are taking care of Thor."
"Well, he's not dead."
"I can try to draw him away from the rest of you..."
"You're needed in the next bit," Tony reminded him. "They're still doing the shindig, and you have to be there. You and Clint are supposed to be his staffers now."
Before Steve could answer him, there was the sound of heavy gunfire and bystanders screaming on the other side of the car. It was too uncomfortably close. "You hear that? It might not be an option anymore."
"Shit, okay. You guys are going to hole up in Odin Corp and not use the party idea, then?"
"I have to get a hold of Natasha and Clint to let them know, but that seems like a better option. Unless you have one?"
"No, a glittery glass walled tower is my idea of a good time," Tony replied, sarcasm clearly evident. "We can always go to plan B. I have an alternate site that I created. It's practically a fortress. Which, funnily enough, I modeled off of The Fortress."
Steve blew out a breath. "So we can still salvage this."
"Yeah. But you know, if it's too dangerous, we may have to punk out."
"No! I can't do that. I promised everyone it would work, I have to see this through."
"Some things can't be fixed, Steve. Remember that. Don't kill yourself over this."
He thought of the blank expression on Bucky's face, the thousand yard stare that chilled him to the bone. He thought of the cold corpse that Bucky had become, trying to save his life when their last job went haywire.
He owed Bucky, he knew that.
"I won't kill myself. But I keep my promises."
"Listen. Don't be a hero," Tony warned. "Heroes wind up getting shot at and dying. You're no good to any of us dead, okay?"
"Thanks for the pep talk," Steve said. It had suddenly grown quiet behind him, but the screaming continued. "I think he's out of bullets."
"Be careful. Get to Clint, tell him we have to move to Plan B. He'll know where to go."
Before Steve could even ask about it, Tony hung up. Dammit. But it was probably best that he didn't know exactly where the new fortress was, just in case Bucky was homing in on him. He pocketed the cell phone and chanced a peek through the car windows.
The rifle had been tossed aside, still smoking slightly. It was indeed out of ammunition, then. But Bucky was stalking toward the bullet riddled car, a tactical knife in hand. "Shit," he muttered under his breath. Steve got to his feet, dreaming up a shield and a tactical knife of his own. "I don't want to do this, Bucky. Don't make me do this."
Bucky didn't seem to respond, and continued stalking forward as Steve rounded the car to head back into the Odin Corp building. Clint would think he was insane, but Steve had to pass along Tony's message. Once Bucky was close enough, he lashed out at Steve with his knife. Steve had to react, blocking the blow with the shield, a round parabolic item made of silvery metal. The knife tinged off its surface, skittering down, and Bucky had to flip the knife across to his nondominant hand to try to stab at Steve. Steve made his own stabbing motion, forcing him to block the blow as Steve swung the shield at his head. Bucky leaned back, away from the shield, then continued his motion to duck under it and stab upward with the knife. Steve had to pull his shield arm down, hitting Bucky along the back, and he twisted his right wrist at the last moment so that the knife scored along Bucky's thigh rather than stab into his side.
Roaring, Bucky stood and kicked Steve right in the chest with his opposite leg, sending him flying into another car. That knocked the breath right out of him, and he looked up with a dazed expression. It didn't immediately register that Bucky had a H&K in hand, that he had pulled it out from one of the straps crisscrossing his body.
It also didn't register when a series of bullets came from somewhere behind him, forcing Bucky to drop the semiautomatic and duck out of sight to keep from getting hit.
Clint swam into view, lips compressed unhappily. He held an automatic rifle similar to the one that Bucky had been using, and he grasped Steve by the arm to haul him up to his feet. "You stupid bastard. I was safe where I was, and then you had to play hero."
"Tony said we have to move to Plan B."
"Shit. Fuck. Dammit, Steve. You're such a fucking idiot," Clint snarled. But he still dragged Steve back into Odin Corp, behind the bulletproof glass, barking orders to lock down the building, there was an assassin outside after Loki.
The rest faded in a concussive haze.
***
"Your life is in danger," Clint told Loki, Steve's concussion a very convenient way to sell Plan B to the otherwise paranoid man. He nodded toward Steve grudgingly. "It looks like he went above and beyond contracts to try taking down the madman, but he's still out there."
"Did my traitorous brother hire him?" Loki asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion.
Brother. Fantastic. They were making headway after all.
"No, he was escorted to one of our cars and my driver indicated there were no phone calls made. He seemed overjoyed by your meeting, sir."
"He could have ordered it beforehand," Loki said, though there was a measure of uncertainty in his eyes, as if he wanted to believe in Thor's innocence.
"I rather doubt it." Clint gestured toward one of the glass walls. "He might be stupid, but I doubt he's that stupid to try shooting up the building and any passersby."
Loki bit his lip and startled badly when the door behind them opened. Natalie strolled in, dressed in a burgundy button down blouse and loose dress pants that clung flatteringly to her perfect ass, her legs looking even longer because of her ridiculously high heels. Immediately upon seeing her, Loki's body language loosened. "Darling," he said, moving away from the window. He ignored Steve's body on the couch of his office. "This is not a good time."
"There was gunfire outside. It sounded like the news reports about the Middle East."
"No, no, we're fine, Natalie," Loki assured her.
Natalie's eyes slid toward Steve. Her lips trembled a little, and Clint wondered if she was really that worried about him. No, it was his own insecurity talking. Natasha was a consummate actress, and she could use whatever others gave her to craft a persona on the fly. She didn't love Steve that way anymore. Their past was tainted by pain and suffering. Still, Clint would likely forever wonder what would have happened if Bucky hadn't died.
Seeing what she was looking at, Loki sighed. "Our security consultant. All right, there have been some threats."
"No, Loki," Natalie said, running her hands across his chest in distress. "That takeover of Asgard needs to stop. We can't have this, not if they will burn this place to the ground." She pulled one of his hands to her flat stomach. "You can't risk it."
Something in Clint's gut burned. He'd never really thought about children, not with the lifestyle they had, but suddenly the thought of Natasha heavy with his child made him ache. The thought of living with her for the rest of his life, of cuddling on the couch and watching soppy movies while drinking hot cocoa appealed to him. Finding an out of the way place, no more dodging bullets or goons, living at a slower pace...
And then she caught his eye, eyebrow lifted. Without words, she asked him what was going on with him, with Steve. Clint didn't know what to tell her, how he could even explain his sudden maudlin urge with the wordless communication they shared.
"Plan B," Clint announced suddenly.
Natasha blinked in recognition and gave a subtle nod. Loki was confused, and turned from Natalie to Clint. "I don't understand."
"We've been working on a contingency plan," Clint lied, gesturing toward Steve. "He didn't mention it at your meeting earlier because it was never meant to be put into play. But we still had it, just in case anything went wrong at Odin Corp and this wasn't a safe place to be."
"The panic rooms in the basement and third floors," Loki began helplessly.
"If that assassin is bold enough to try to storm the front doors, I think he'd be willing to slaughter everyone he found in order to find you and break apart the panic rooms." Clint kept his tone matter of fact, and tried to impress upon Loki the seriousness of this discussion. "I would rather have you and all staff out of this building as quickly and quietly as possible."
"But where would we all go?"
"The people would return to their homes. They're not the targets. You're the high profile target, the one that makes all the decisions. It's our job to protect the two of you. Like the King and Queen of Odin Corp, if you like to think of it that way. We get you out, into an alternate location, lay in for a siege, until this guy can be eliminated."
"What do you mean, eliminated?"
"We figure out who hired him and outbid him. Or take him out."
Loki looked at Clint as if he had never seen him before. "To do such a thing..."
"What you want is my priority," Clint said.
"But if you go to prison for murder," Natalie said, hand at her mouth in shock.
"If I'm captured, so be it. At least you'd be safe." It was easy to be sincere about that statement while he stared at Natasha, so Loki heaved a sigh.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that."
Staff were summarily dismissed and left the parking garage in droves. Clint had two of them help him carry the unconscious Steve into the back of a minivan, and after they left, Natasha and Loki got in as well. "If you want, you can lay down low in the back," Clint offered. "As much as no one expects you to make a move like this, it's added protection. No one will see you." That went over as easily as he thought it would, and he quickly drove to the new fortress that Tony had built into the maze. He didn't see any sign of Bucky, but that didn't really mean anything, now did it? Steve didn't necessarily need to be conscious, but apparently his consciousness acted like a homing beacon for Bucky.
That was a sincerely scary thought.
Loki and Natasha were bundled into a small room in the fortress, and Steve was left in a separate room on a bed to recover. Natasha used the opportunity to slip Loki a sedative, then left to enter the main room. "Well?" she asked, looking at Tony, Clint and Thor.
Thor's hands were still sticky with blood from holding his side wound. "I'm alive," he said, trying to smile. "I'm ready to do what needs to be done."
"Then you guys set up your dream PASIV," Tony announced. "I have to get ready."
Not knowing or caring what he meant, Clint pulled a PASIV out from under a bureau at the side of the room. He specifically had made it with longer tubing, allowing the PASIV to be placed centrally, lines running to Steve, Loki and Thor. He and Natasha could lie closer to the machine itself to set it up.
Tony soon arrived in bright red and gold armor that surrounded his body. "Check me out," he preened, hovering over the ground. "I fly, I dodge and weave, and I have repulsive blasts and sonic cannons. I figured I shouldn't use guns because a) if I accidentally hit any of you, and b) I don't know what killing part of your mind is going to do in a dream like this. Our resident expert on the topic is a layer above us, and I have yet to hear anything about interlayer communications being developed. So if this idea of mine doesn't work, we're S.O.L."
"That's pretty impressive." Clint looked over the armor in appreciation.
"If you guys were staying conscious, maybe I'd make you some. But alas, you guys get to sleep and I get to guard your unconscious bodies like it isn't totally creepy."
"You'll do fine," Natasha told him with a supportive nod. "I trust you."
"Really? That's awesome," Tony replied, touched.
"So don't fuck it up and get us all killed," she continued in a stern tone of voice.
"Got it," Tony said, nodding and slamming the face place into place. "Go on. I got this."
Needles in, lines prepped, somnacin flowing.
Another layer down.
***
Act Three - Letting Go
The Odinson manor was a large, sprawling building with a limestone façade over solid brick, large windows facing a front circular driveway. In the center of the circle was a fountain water feature, and leading out of the circular driveway to the main road was a long roadway, complete with towering oaks with branches reaching overhead. It had reminded Clint of a Southern US plantation when he had seen it in the real world, and Tony had captured the aesthetic perfectly for Natasha to dream. Inside, the manor was ornate and full of priceless antiques. Most rooms had painted murals on the walls with Baroque furniture. It led to an almost oppressive atmosphere, and Clint didn't have to wonder why Loki would feel so out of place there. He had been far more confident in the ultramodern glass and metal Odin Corp headquarters.
The manor was swarming with projections, staff and business associates. The head of the family was dying, and everything was in chaos. It was easy to blend into the crowds and make small talk, commiserating on the family's upcoming loss. Natasha walked through wearing Frigga's face, bowing her head elegantly and demurely, acknowledging the meager comforts from others while still shrouded in her grief. Thor was too wounded at this time to really help them, but hadn't wanted to be left behind. He coughed and was deathly pale as he sat off to the side. Loki entered the room, expression drawn and pained as well. His father's death had been a long, slow, agonizing one as the cancer metastasized throughout his body, leaving him sleeping off the sedating drugs used to keep his pain in check. He hadn't really been mentally present for months before he finally died in the real world.
Frigga drew Thor and Loki aside. "I don't think you can stand these sycophants any longer," she told them. She gave them a pained smile and patted Loki's arm. "I'll make your excuses, say you have to check in with your father."
"We should look in on him," Loki replied, clasping Frigga's hands in his. "We'll make sure he's comfortable, that he feels safe. It's all right, Mother, we'll look after him."
"Such a good boy. So perceptive of others."
Loki flashed her a tight smile and then went off toward the sickroom.
Turning her attention to Thor, Frigga's expression fell somewhat. "How bad is it?"
Thor grimaced as he stood up, and swayed a little. The dark suit hid the abdominal wound, but there was no mistaking the ashen complexion or the way he had to grasp her arm for balance while standing. "I am not feeling quite like myself, and it hurts. But I will still play my part, if that's what you're asking."
"No, it wasn't. I can be you for this part if you can't stand," Frigga replied. For a moment, her eyes flashed green, a sliver of Natasha peeking through the forge. Then in another blink it was gone, a grieving Frigga back in place.
Wincing, Thor plopped back down in place. "If you could? I am so dizzy, I probably haven't much time left."
"Then I'll go."
She ducked in and out of crowds, shifting her appearance and clothing as she went. By the time she reached the hallway leading to the sickroom, she was looking and moving exactly like Thor, a trick of smoke and mirrors and consummate observation skills.
Odinson's sickroom was just down the hall from the milling employees waiting for word about his mental status. The drugs keeping his cancer at bay left him mostly asleep, the projections declared, and they were waiting to see if he would gift them with some aspect of the business. Ghouls, one and all, much as it had happened in real life. But the sickly Odinson hadn't caved, even if he lost his mental faculties, and his holdings all passed to his sons.
Loki sat beside his father, a hand clasped between two of his own as Natasha entered the sickroom looking like Thor. "Brother," he said quietly.
"What is it?" Loki asked, not looking up from their father's bedside. In the real world, he didn't yet know he was adopted. Natasha wasn't sure what he would know in the dream.
"He hasn't changed," Thor began hesitantly, sitting down across from Loki.
"It won't be long, I think," Loki murmured, eyes still focused on their father. "At least he's not in pain. He doesn't realize what's happening out there, the sycophantic idiots on their deathwatch, waiting for him to die so they can be promoted."
Natasha reached for the free hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. The old man seemed to have cold, clammy skin, as if he was just shy of death already. "We're with him. He has us," she told Loki quietly.
"Of course he does. The two of us, always together. It's as it should be."
Thor grinned at him. "As it should be. Yes."
Their father coughed suddenly, eyes opening. But he slid his gaze past Thor and looked directly at Loki. "My son." He pulled his hand from Thor's and grasped Loki's hand in both of his. "My dearest son."
"Father," Loki murmured, bringing his father's clammy hand to his lips. "Rest. Gather your strength so you can fight this..."
"Bah. No more fighting. No more tears. No more desperate cries from idiots wanting into my pockets to scrabble for change." He laughed along with Loki, but then the laughter devolved into coughs. Blood came up, and Thor dabbed at his lips with a tissue from the box beside the bed.
"Father," Loki repeated, perturbed by this. "I'll get Mother."
"No. Wait. Thor can go get her," he rasped, still not looking at Thor. With his gaze fixed on Loki, he struggled to sit up. Loki helped him, arms tight around his frail shoulders. "You. I need you to save the corporation. No more frittering away the money and research. No more expensive baubles and jewels for silly girls and one night stands."
Natasha managed not to laugh and blow her cover. Loki really hadn't liked Thor's behavior before he met Jane Foster. Their father had been a notorious womanizer in his day, long before Frigga came on the scene. Perhaps Loki was actually his son, but couldn't say so to Frigga. No one would ever know the truth now.
"I'm not that kind, Father, you know that," Loki told him gently. He glanced at Thor with an almost apologetic look.
"Yes. I know. Which is why you must lead my company. You must control it, and I need you to hold our family together. All our futures depend on you now."
Loki froze and stared at his father in disbelief. Tension slowly bled out of him, and Natasha held her breath. Would he really integrate this into his sense of self?
"Of course, Father," Loki said, kissing his father's forehead. "I would do anything for you, you know that. I'll take care of everything."
Nodding slowly, Natasha rose and headed out of the sickroom. She wasn't needed there any longer. They had accomplished what they set out to do.
***
***
To Chapter Eight - Wash The Sorrow From Off My Skin