The Before [Prequel- Part 1]

"I love you."

~~~Catherine's pov~~~

I was on the ground, still sobbing when I heard the cell door open.

It was probably Whitehall coming back to finish me off.

After Loki... After what happened, they increased the torture tenfold. Injecting various chemicals into my body, making me feel as if I was on fire. Slashing my arms, legs, and torso, and then pouring some kind of liquid over me to make it burn even more.

I had no clue if they wanted to keep me alive or kill me and get it over with.

Sadly, it probably wasn't the latter.

"What do you want? What could you possibly want?" I asked, voice breaking, not bothering to look up from my position on the blood-splattered floor.

"Catherine, it's me."

My heart stopped at the voice.

His voice.

I looked up, rage filling my chest as I stared up into the face of an imposter. "It's not enough that you killed him; now you're making it seem like he's still here. This is a new low, Whitehall." Tears poured from my eyes as I tried to back away from the man pretending to be Loki.

His eyes filled with some kind of confusion and stepped closer. "No, it's really me, I promise. You have to believe me."

I cried harder, the grief hitting me hard in the chest. "You're not him! You're not him! Stop trying to mess with my head. It won't work. You killed the man I loved! I watched him die!"

~~~Loki's pov~~~

The world seemed to go in slow motion as I heard her say those words.

She... She loves me...

I couldn't tell if she really meant it or not. I mean, she did think I was dead. She's not thinking clearly.

On the other hand...

No. That's ridiculous.

But it could be possible...

Thor! Get out of my head!

~~~Flashback~~~
~~~Right before Thor left for Asgard~~~

I was walking with Thor to where the BiFrost would take him back to Asgard when he pulled me aside.

"I know you hate it when I ask questions, but please, just answer this one before I must return home." He pleaded.

What could he possibly want to know?

I rolled my eyes before answering. "Fine. But just the one."

His eyes lit up at my response. "What's going on between you and Lady Catherine?"

I froze, not expecting that question, of all things.

"What exactly makes you think there's anything going on?"

"I've seen the way you look at her. Brother, if I'm being entirely honest, I haven't seen you this happy since you were a child. You can't hide this from me. Answer honestly."

I guess my brother isn't as much of an idiot as I initially thought.

"She makes me happy, fine. That doesn't mean anything." I insisted.

"But do you like her as more than a friend?" He pressed.

"Do I need to remind you that you were only allowed one question?" I tried to shut down whatever this was.