Here it is: the second installment in the Ashes series! This one is much more AU then the first story - for one thing it includes a handful of characters from Norse Mythology. Secondly, we're going to totally ignore canon season 2 of AoS. For another thing... well, you'll just have to wait and see as you read on, but basically I'm insane. You've been warned! Read on if you dare! Enjoy!:)

"...he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;... to comfort all that mourn;... to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness,..." (Isaiah 61:1-3, King James Version)

Loki shot back into wakefulness after only a moment of being unconscious, but he didn't instantly open his eyes or move, giving himself a moment to assess the situation that he was in. Surrounded by a wall of Asgardians who meant to protect him from the group on the other side of them should it become necessary. Sigyn's fingertips hovered lightly on his wrist as she inquired if he was alright.

Yes. No. Maybe.

He was concious, which was good. He was surrounded by people who probably wanted to kill him, and that was bad. But then there was the brunette in the back of the room, and she presented a whole other set of problems that he had never seen coming. But was that a good thing or bad thing?

That girl - if he was right - was the daughter that he'd never even met, seeing as her mother, Angrboda, had cast her out when she was only an infant.

He had to know more about her - possibly even about the magic that he sensed she held within her quite without knowing it - but he couldn't do that while he was spread-eagle on the floor. So he sat up warily, making note of the way Sigyn was watching him with such concern and keeping an arm on his back, trying to help him. Maybe his practically estranged wife still cared for him a bit? He felt oddly heartened at the idea, and even went so far as to flash her an uncertain smile of thanks. He bit his lip to keep from smiling outright when she returned the gesture.

And then the moment was ruined entirely when Agent Coulson spoke up, saying with a touch of dryness in his tone, "Everybody to the conference room, please. I'm taking the elevator with May, Delta, Jane, Thor, and Selvig - Fitz too; the rest of you take the stairs. You've got three minutes."

They dispersed obediently with Captain Rogers warily gesturing for the remaining Asgardians to trail him and the others to the stairs.

As the large group started to move in the proper direction, Loki felt a stab of something that might've been guilt when he wondered what the conversation in the elevator was going to sound like. Not good, he knew that much. Thor had practically committed high treason against Coulson by brining his adopted brother here.

But still, Loki had other things on his mind at the moment.

"Sif," he said under his breath, keeping near the woman warrior as they walked. "Who is that brunette girl in the white shirt? You met Coulson's team when you captured Lorelei, right? Was she among them?"

"Yes, she was. Her name's Skye." Sif looked at him, eyes dark with suspicion as she asked a little sharply, "Why?"

Loki didn't even pause before he lied easily, "No reason."

"You're not allowed to bed those Coulson considers his children, and she is firmly in that group."

"That was not-"

Sif cut off his scandalized objection with a glare and jogged a couple of steps ahead to get away from him.

Loki sighed, turning his head towards the woman on his other side - his wife - and informed her quietly, "I wouldn't."

Sigyn just wound one of her arms through his and didn't say a word as they made their way into what Coulson had called the "conference room."

Already in his place at the front of the long table, Coulson gestured to the chairs that remained empty, ordering, "Take a seat everybody, and let's get started. Playtime's over; it's time to get down to work." Once he'd been obeyed, SHIELD's new director continued, saying, "Since those that sit at this table appear to be the entirety of who were going to recruit for awhile, I've already been talking with some of you and have sorted out how I want to position people within this organization. Considering who we've got and the individual talents of you all, these are what I want your assignments to be for the time being.

"First off, I want you all to know who's living on which level of the base, so here's your list from the lowest level up. First floor is Mr. Stark and Miss Potts, Ian, Dr. Banner, Thor and Dr. Foster, Miss Lewis, and Dr. Selvig.

"Dr. Foster informed us once Thor left who he intended to bring back with him, and we've got the second level set up for the six of them.

"The third level is where you'll find myself, Agent May, Captain Rogers, Lieutenant Barnes, and Agents Ward, Keonig, and Hill.

"The fourth floor is currently unoccupied, and the fifth floor houses, Fitzsimmons, Skye, and Agents, Triplett, Barton, and Romanoff.

"Because I think it's a good idea, - please don't argue - I have appointed on each of the housing levels currently being occupied, a… house mother of sorts to be in charge of whatever… babysitting or domestic issues might need to be cared for on that floor. For the ground floor, I've asked Miss Potts to fill this position. I haven't had a chance to ask, but would you be willing to fill the position on your floor, Lady Sif?"

Sif nodded, a pleased smirk playing about the corners of her mouth as she answered, "Of course."

"Thank you. Third floor: please report to Agent May, and if she feels I need to hear about any of it, she will tell me so. Fifth floor is Simmons'." He looked to the bioengineer when asking, "Is that alright?" She nodded, and so Coulson continued talking after consulting a piece of paper in front of him. "Wonderful. Now about your jobs within SHIELD.

"Of course you all are aware, I assume, that I'm the new director of SHIELD, appointed by Nick Fury, who was the former director.

"Any sort of public relations or managerial things that come up will be handled by Agent Keonig and Miss Potts. Miss Potts, you do have a shared office room with Koenig on the seventh level, which is the level that we consider the actual base of operations for SHIELD now. I'm sure he'd be willing to show it to you, although I suspect he's going to be spending quite a lot more time there than you."