The Avengers (Sequel to IASBIKATT) *on hold*

Chapter 18

The three all dashed down the hallway, ignoring the strange looks given to them from passing agents - especially the looks of shock and disbelief when they saw Loki free and out of his cell.
They finally reached the infirmary area, and saw Athena lying on a bed through the glass window, several people surrounding her - including the rest of the Avengers and the Warriors Three and Sif.
Loki moved ahead of them and went through the sliding doors, announcing his presence. "Where is she?" Loki demanded. Immediately people pulled out their weapons and aimed at him. Loki scoffed and merely used his magic to push them against the wall, their weapons in the middle of the room.
"Loki!" Thor scolded. Loki ignored him and made his way to the unconscious Athena. He towered over her and placed his hand over hers, feeling only coldness.
"You said she was alive." Loki said to them. He placed his hand on her forehead, moving it to her cheeks. "She's still cold like when she died in my arms."
"Two agents witnessed her moving her hand." Tony said slowly, hesitantly making his way near the God. "We also saw her eyes move behind her eyelids before we went to get you and Thor."
"Athena?" Loki called out quietly. "Athena, can you hear me?" No response. Not even her eyes moving underneath her eyelids. Loki suspected that maybe they were all fooling him.
Loki's eyes filled with tears again at the false hope, leaning his forehead against her cold one. "It doesn't look like she's alive." Loki said coldly, closing his eyes tightly to stop the tears. Stop being a coward, he thought to himself angrily.
"Is there a reason why Loki doesn't have any handcuffs on and is walking around freely with his magic?" Natasha quipped from behind him. He heard her gun click, the safety off.
"We decided that Loki won't do anything, since this is about Athena." Tony shrugged, focussing his gaze on the God of Mischief and his lover. "Loki wouldn't leave Athena all by herself here."
"Good to know that you all speak like I am not here." Loki said sarcastically, his stare focussed solely on Athena. "It doesn't look like she is alive. Are you mortals trying to trick me or something?" Loki spat, finally pulling away from Athena, glaring at them.
"She is alive, we saw her move!" Fandral exclaimed. "She probably isn't moving because you're here!" That was a wrong move. Loki yelled out in anger, tackling Fandral to the ground. Chaos started to form in the small room. Everyone started yelling, people trying to pull Loki and Fandral apart. Loki refused however, wrestling with Fandral.
"How dare you say that!" Loki hissed. "You know that Athena is my fiancée and she loves me!"
"Does she really love you now?" Fandral retorted bravely. "After attempting to rule Midgard, a realm she adores?" Loki yelled again and placed a good punch on his face.
"ENOUGH!" Thor boomed, passing through the others and easily lifting his brother away from his friend. "HOW DARE YOU ALL ACT THIS WAY IN FRONT OF ATHENA!"
"It's not like she could hear or see us or anything." Clint added quietly. "Since she's -"
"I have a theory." Thor spoke up clearly, still restraining an angry Loki. "I think I may know why she might still be alive."
Loki stopped fussing in Thor's arms, and paid attention to him now. Everyone paid attention as well, except Fandral who was trying to stop his nose from bleeding. Loki couldn't help but smirk smugly at his injury. "You have a theory?" Bruce asked interested. "So we're not actually delusional and Athena may actually be alive?"
"Aye." Thor nodded. "At first I thought I imagined it when we were outside of Shawarma but then when your agents told you all that she was alive -"
"Just get to the point, Thor." Loki interrupted frustrated. "How is she still alive?"
"She's still alive because of love." They all stared at Thor blankly.
"Love?" Fandral scoffed. "What love?" Loki snarled and was about to attack again, but Thor held him back, and Sif held her sword to his neck.
"Sif. . ." Thor warned. She huffed in response and pulled her sword away. "Anyway. . .I remember one of the stories Mother would tell us when we were little she said that love can bring back the dead."
"But. . .that's just it, Thor." Loki said lowly. "It's a story."
"It's a legend." Thor corrected. "It hasn't been truly proven because the only way it happens is by true love. The sorrow of a true love can bring back their lover."
"That sounds like crap." Tony said bluntly, much to the brothers dismay. "But if it is about Athena being alive, I am all in."
"Are you sure?" Steve asked warily. "I mean, maybe -"
"Friend, I assure you, Athena is still alive." Thor watched as Loki shrugged out of his grasp and instead went to Athena's limp form, grabbing her hand and planting a loving kiss on her forehead. "I watched it with my own eyes."
"What?" they all chorused.
"When we were outside of Shawarma, and Athena had died in Loki's arms -" Loki winced at the memory, his hold on her hand tightening, "-when Loki was mourning, a tear fell onto her face. I watched as her body absorbed it instantly, and the way her hand twitched."
"How come you didn't tell me this?" Loki snarled, glaring at him.
"Like I said, I thought I just mistaken it for something else!" Thor defended.
"Okay, okay, calm down." Steve ordered calmly. "So what do we do, Thor?"