The Before [Prequel- Part 1]

Dream

~~~Loki's pov~~~

After the incident with Thor and the Grandmaster, I retired to my room, now mentally and physically exhausted.

For the past three weeks, all I could think about was Catherine. I hadn't had a good nights sleep since I arrived here, and I was beyond tired.

I couldn't help it. Without knowing that I have Catherine with me, I can't sleep. I need to know that she's safe. And if she's safe, that means our daughter is also safe.

But right now, I have no idea if they're even alive...

Blinking back tears at the horrible thought, I laid back in my bed and shut my eyes, telling myself that I just had to focus on getting back to Earth.

As for Hela and that whole situation... Is it bad that I don't really care all that much?

I mean, I know it's important, but with Catherine being in the state that she's in, nothing seems more important than that.

I just don't know what to do...

As thoughts of escape ran through my mind, I finally managed to drift off to sleep.

Or at least, I thought I had.

Within moments of closing my eyes, I was met with a bright, blinding light and was transported to a space all too familiar to me.

My own mind.

"What..." I looked around the spacious area, growing a bit anxious considering what happened the last time I was stuck here.

And then, out of the darkness, I heard a voice.

"Hello, my son."

It was my mother.

She was standing in front of me clear as day. Just as alive as the last time I saw her. Almost ten years ago.

Tears formed in my eyes as I stared at her, disbelief coursing through my veins.

"Mother? Is this a dream?" I took a cautious step towards her, my heart pounding inside my chest.

It can't be...

She just smiled at me warmly, her arms extended. "Yes and no. You are dreaming, I'm just paying you a visit."

It was her. It was really her.

I hugged her tightly, having missed her more than I ever thought possible. "I'm so sorry I couldn't be there when-" I whispered, but she quickly cut me off.

She pulled away to face me, her face firm. "It's okay. You couldn't have known what was to happen. Tell your brother I never blamed him either. Your father on the other hand... He's to blame. Trust me, he's been getting an earful from me these past few days."

Oh, you have got to be kidding me. Odin? I thought I was finally rid of that old man.

"I don't know what he told you, but-" I tried to clear up any confusion that might have been surrounding the Allfather's untimely death.

She shook her head. "I saw it all. You made the right decision. Even if Thor doesn't think so. But he also doesn't know the things I do."

"What do you mean?"

"I've been watching you these past few years. I know about Catherine. About all of it. And I am so proud of you. But right now, I need you to listen to what I'm going to say." Her tone became dark at the end of her sentence.

I should have known this meeting wouldn't be without some kind of ominous warning.

"Tomorrow, you will visit Thor. He will tell you he has a plan to get back to Asgard and stop your sister." She began, reciting all this as if she had it memorized. "He will ask for your help, and you will say yes. You will save the people, but Asgard will be destroyed. You will all be on a ship heading to Earth, and he will come."

He? Who was she talking about?

"Who?" I asked, puzzled, but deep down, I knew. And she knew that.

"I think you know..." She shook her head solemnly and that's when I knew my gut feeling had been right.

My voice was quiet as I looked to the floor. "Thanos."

I wanted with everything in me to be wrong. For her to laugh off my answer and tell me any other outcome. But no such luck.

"Yes. The Mad Titan himself." She confirmed my worst fears. "He's collecting the Power Stone as we speak, and he will destroy that ship to get the Tesseract. You will try to stop him and he will kill you."

Her last four words felt like knives searing into my chest.

Kill me. He was going to kill me.

My breath shaking, I looked back up at her, my heart beating faster with every passing second. "What... How do you know all this? And why tell me?"

"To stop you from making a horrible mistake."

"And what's that?" I raised a brow.

"If you help Thor, Catherine will still survive. Whether you go to Asgard or not, her father will come within minutes to save her life. But in this future that I've seen, there are two possible outcomes. One, where you heed my advice and go back to her, or..." She trailed off, sadness filling her words.

Fear was setting in faster every second she stayed silent. "Mother, what is the second possibility?"

She sighed sadly, looking into my eyes with dread. "Or you go with your brother to save Asgard, and Thanos kills you for the Tesseract. You never make it back to Catherine. And you miss everything. Your daughter's birth, her first steps, first words, everything. Catherine will be forced to raise her by herself."

This warning did nothing but cement my decision that I had made long before Thor appeared on Sakaar.

I will not miss my daughter's life.

"Then I know what choice I have to make." I nodded. "And Thor will just have to understand." I added with a murmur and then an idea came to me. "So, you can see the future?" I asked my mother, having a question prepared long in advance.

She just nodded with a smile. "Yes. Which means I know what you're planning to ask. And I am afraid I can't give you such details of your future."

"It was worth a try." I chuckled, expecting her response. She was raised by witches after all.

I think she noted my sadden expression and continued. "But I will tell you this. Your daughter, once she gets to be of age, will become one of the most powerful beings in the universe. With your guidance, of course." She winked.

My eyes widened in shock at her words. "That powerful?"

When I saw her in the Lighthouse, she certainly had seemed very powerful, but I had no idea it was to that extent.

"You have no idea." She chuckled. "Although, with a title like the Goddess of Chaos and Tricks, I wouldn't expect anything less."

What?!

"Goddess of Chaos and Tricks?" My words were filled with complete and utter shock.

My daughter was going to be the Goddess of Chaos and Tricks.

I'll tell you this much, she's not even born yet and I already love this girl.

"She will be quite a trouble maker when she's young. Just like her father. But as she gets older, she will accomplish things that we can't even dream of." She smirked, that mischievous side of her shining through. The side of her that she would only show around me when I was a child. "When you wake, remember my words. I love you, my son." She whispered and just like that, I was awake.

I need to talk to Thor.