Loki's Pain

Chapter Nineteen- Peter, Ash, Loki, and Adam...

Author's Note: Okay, this chapter has been completely re-written. I think it still hits a lot of the same emotional beats as the original, but adds more. It also explains what eventually happened with another character that had gotten lost in the shuffle, which I had been trying and failing to include. I hope you all enjoy this new, replacement chapter!!

Peter knocked roughly on the bedroom door, hesitant to disturb the man inside, but stubbornly refusing to fail Ash or Tony. The knock was harsh, but he didn't want to waste any time, and he watched the door worriedly as he waited for Loki to answer. When he didn't get a quick response he worried that he might have frightened him, and looked at the floor as he debated whether to just try forcing his way inside.

Because of this internal debate it took him a moment to realize when the door finally opened a crack, and a few more moments to realize that a brilliantly green eye was staring out at him thru the sliver of space afforded. Peter strained his vision to pick out more details even as his mind recalled that Loki's eyes were green.

"Hello, Mr. Loki." Peter stated, hesitant, "I'm Peter. Peter Parker. I'm Mr. Stark's intern. He wanted me to deliver these to Ash.....but on the way here there was an...incident involving Ash. He's currently down on the prison level and he has lost control of his energy powers again... We need your help to calm him down.... and if you could get one if these onto him as well, it might help...."

While Peter was talking he heard Loki shuffling around inside the room before the door was eventually opened wider for Loki to step around it. The room beyond was quite dark, and even with the added light from the hall, Loki's face had been mostly obscured by shadows. Once he stepped out into the light Peter had to force himself not to gasp in shock.

The man who stood before him was whip-thin and shook like a leaf while standing hesitantly in front of him. He also seemed to have aged at least a decade compared to how Peter remembered him from images of Loki's attack on New York. Peter could just barely recognize him in his current form. Loki said nothing, just stared at Peter and waited to be led where he was needed, his determination to help Ash only barely beating out his fear of being in the open hallway.

Once Peter realized this, he swiftly turned and led the way. Rushing them both thru the hallways, and taking several shortcuts thru odd rooms and access corridors to try and cut as much time off of the journey back downstairs as possible. Within minutes, Peter had returned with Loki, and he launched into a quick explanation of the suppressing necklace and it's functions as he handed Loki the daytime version of the device.

"Remember though, this is only meant to help him to control his power, not force it. So the first thing you need to do is help him to calm down. Once he calms down it can help him the rest of the way..." Peter finished up, and Loki nodded his understanding as he took hold of the necklace. Once he had it in hand he walked towards the energy wall that had held everyone else at bay.

Stopping in front of it himself, he reached out towards it hesitantly, careful to test that the energy would not harm him before trying to walk thru it. He was right to do so as well, since his fingers were singed slightly at the slight contact.

"Ash..." Loki called out gently, his voice rough. Peter saw Ash's body tense up as he heard Loki's voice, but he didn't turn around. Ash kept his back to everyone, refusing to look at them as his energy continued to bite into Adam's flesh.

"Stop! Please!" Adam screamed, agony apparent in his voice.

"You killed them...." Ash muttered, clearly only half-responding to Adam, "Everyone I tried to save... Everything I tried to protect... Even you... It was all for nothing! Why!? How could I have been so blind!?..."