The rush of wind in his ears let Stark know he was no longer on the hellicarrier. One moment he was in the docking bay doing an inventory of equipment he needed for some upgrades to his suit, the next he was blasted (again) through a plate glass window hurdling towards the ground at an alarming speed. Why was he always getting thrown through windows?

This was not how he imagined dying; more so in a blaze of glory or under a certain god of mischief going into cardiac arrest from being over sexed. The Mark VII would be handy right about now. There was no eminent threat, so the suit was not necessary. Tony struggled to catch his breath, not that it would matter much. Shortly he would become just an unrecognizable red stain on the ground. Damn, sometimes he hated his cynicism. Hopefully he wouldn't take anyone out when he crashed. Becoming light headed he thought the air is so thin. Wind whistling in his ears, his vision began to fade to black. There was a sudden flash of green and all went dark…Loki.

Tonywoke dazed to the sound of a rasping breath. He ached all over and assumed it was himself, until he felt the ground beneath him rise and fall in time with the labored sound. He felt a shaky hand card lightly through his hair. It was soothing in a sense. Opening his eyes, he saw nothing but emerald light. Groaning, he made to push himself up, his hand slipping as it landed in a pool of liquid. Resting his head against the moving ground, he brought his hand into his line of vision. Blood? Realization hit him as the trembling hand running though his hair fell away. Tony looked up through the glowing green haze to see jet black hair clinging to a pale throat gasping for air.

"Loki?" Tony sat up a bit too fast, his head swimming. He peered down at the fallen god. Crimson liquid trickled from the corner of thin parted lips that moved, though no sound came out. Normally brilliant emerald eyes were dull and unfocused. Looking the god over, Tony grasped the blood did not belong to him but Loki. Matter-of-fact, he didn't have a scratch on him. His dark brown eyes widened in horror. "Loki, what did you do?"

"Anthony—"The god wheezed.

"What have you done?!" Tony yelled as he gathered Loki in his arms. There was a sickening squelch of flesh being torn from the protruding wreckage under him. The smaller man held the broken body close to him, slowly rocking back and forth, his heart sinking with fear.

"My foolish—little—mortal. Did—you think—I would let—you perish?" Loki whispered between gasps.

Tony recognized the magic that surrounded him. Loki had used it once to shield him from harm during a rather lethal battle. "You son of a—take it back. Take your magic back dammit!" The idiot didn't even have his armor on; he was in plain Asgardian dress.

"It—would do me—no good—now, Anthony." Long lithe fingers brushed his cheek. Tears fell from fading glassy eyes.

"Don't you leave me you selfish bastard." Tony gritted out through his teeth, unshed tears clouding his vision. He didn't even have the decency to look as though he were in pain.

Loki's lips curled up at the edges. "Never—always with you." His fingers slid down to tap the arc reactor. The green mist encompassing his lover, his mate, swirled around them and settled in the reactor, turning blue once more.

Tony ran his thumb across Loki's cheek. "Please Loki; please don't do this to me, please." He choked.

"Live." Was the last word the god of mischief whispered and then he was gone.

Dead eyes stared up at him as warm tears still streaked his cheek. Tony's brows drew together unable to comprehend what was happening. He's joking…he has to be joking. "Come on Lok's; tell me this is just a cruel joke." This was not happening! He lifted his head to the heavens and screamed at the top of his lungs until they burned. "Thor!"

Nothing

"Thor! Goddammit, I know you can hear me! Help him! Please!"

Many silent moments passed where all that was heard were the racking sobs of a once proud man. A thunderous crash and flash of light befell the earth several feet away. Tony did not look up but buried his face deep in the god's unruly, inky black hair. A gentle hand was placed on his shoulder. It did not belong to the person he thought it would.

"Anthony Stark, Man of Iron." Came a woman's gentle voice. He held Loki tighter. He knew this woman was here to take his god away from him. "Look at me child." Her voice was warm like sunlight, yet it held a slight sadness.

Tony brought his gaze to meet that of the goddess kneeling in front of him. She was bathed in golden light and her eyes spoke of kindness. He knew in an instant who she was. This was Loki's mother. Though he had never seen her, Loki spoke of her fondly and of how much he missed her. It didn't seem right that her golden garments were now dragging through her son's blood.

"You know me." She said and Tony nodded. "Then you know I would never harm my son." Frigga's eyes pleaded with him to let her see Loki's face, which was buried in the side of his neck at the moment. He loosened his grip so that Loki's head lolled to one side. His eyes were still open and now
Tony wished he had closed them. The sorrow he felt roll off of the regal woman matched his, if not drowning his anguish in her own grief.

One hand came to Frigga's mouth while the other stroked over her son's prominent cheek bone. "My precious boy." She whispered to herself. Cupping his face in her hands, she gazed into his hollow, empty eyes; searching. Tony watched her intently. The loud boom and shockwave to follow barely registered as he eyed the goddess.

"Mother, there is not much time. She is coming." Thor's deep voice cut through the stillness.

Tony whipped his head around to peer at him. "Who's coming?"

The thunder god looked anywhere but at his fallen brother. It pained him too much to see Loki this way. "Hel, Loki's daughter. She is coming to collect his soul."

"No!" Tony shouted, cursing himself for not having his suit. "She can't have him!" He knew about all about Loki's children, even met a few of them, his daughter, however, was one he had no rush in meeting. He tightened his grip on Loki's limp body.

"She will not take him." Frigga reassured. "Not today. But we must take him back to Asgard immediately."

"No, he belongs to me now. I know what will happen if you take him." Tony tried to pull him free from her hold. "You'll put him on a boat and set him on fire." He was damn near panicked by now. Loki was his, he had said so himself. He wouldn't give him up that easy, even if—even if he was gone.

"Mother—"Thor warned.

"Anthony that will not happen. You have my word. Loki still lives. He is locked deep inside his mind. It is imperative that we get him to the healers if there is to be any hope of reviving him." Her voice calm yet determined.

"Mother we are running out of time." Thunder and lightning lit up the evening sky as a warning to Thor's intent should his family be threatened. Dark smoky mist rolled towards them like a dense fog.

"You must trust me Anthony. I would not harm my own child. I know how deeply you love him. I have you to thank for bringing him peace. Allow me to bring him back to you. "Frigga placed one hand on Tony's cheek. Her touch was warm and loving, just as Loki had said it was. Closing his eyes, Tony relented. He was about to let go when a sudden chill gripped him to the core.

"Greetings my Queen." A beautiful, yet ghastly figure of a woman slowly approached. Glancing over at Thor, "Uncle." She stopped several feet away, piercing gaze landing on Loki's prone body. "I have come to claim what belongs to me."

Frigga stood in all her regal glory between her son and his spawn. "Hel. I'm afraid it is not his time."

Hel cocked her head to one side. "I beg to differ, your highness. His heart has stopped; he has drawn his last breath. Father's soul belongs to me now." She took a few steps forward as she spoke.

Thor raised his hammer ready to strike. Frigga put her hand out to stop him. "He will not be coming with you this night. You sense the spark as much as I do."

Hel paused, narrowing her eyes; slowly gliding them over to Tony. It was as if she just realized he was there. Side stepping so she could get a better look at the little human clutching so tightly to her father's lifeless body, her reflective emerald eyes burned into his large brown orbs. He could feel her stare exploring every fiber of his being. She was evaluating him. The same scrutinizing gaze that every parent gave the man or woman seeking to court their son or daughter bore down on him now. The part of her that was not gripped in death's hold was truly beautiful, yet terrifying at the same time. She was searching him to see if he was worthy of her father. He found the sentiment almost endearing, if she wasn't so fucking frightening. Straightening to her full height, she was as elegant and dangerous as her father. "I see Father has taken a lover; and a mortal at that. I know you Man of Iron. You have eluded me on more than one occasion. In fact, I should be here for you instead."

"Enough!" Thor bellowed, pointing Mjolnir at the goddess of darkness. "You will go back to the Niflheim, Hel."

She smirked at Thor's outburst. "And to think I have come all this way, Uncle, to leave empty handed? I think not."

Tony finally found his voice and the words he hears himself speak isn't nearly what he wanted to say. He wanted to tell her to take her half-dead ass back to—well, hell. But instead, "You are definitely your father's daughter. I can hear the resemblance." Came tumbling out of his mouth. Smooth Stark.

Her eyes snapped back to him, dark spindles of mist curled around her. "Would you die for him?"

The answer was given without hesitation. "Yes."

"Done."

"No!" Thor lunged at his garishly handsome niece. Hel's black tendrils of smoke wrapped around Thor, leaving him gasping and staggering backwards.

"Hel stop this at once!" Frigga demanded.

Releasing the thunder god, she returned her attention back to Tony. "You claim to love the god of mischief and I see it to be true. No one has so willingly offered themselves to me on his behalf." Turning to Frigga. "Very well. You may have him; however, if you fail to revive him in one years' time, he is to be mine. And I will come for him."

Frigga bowed her head in acknowledgement of the terms. Hel glanced once more at Thor before turning to leave.

"You miss him, don't you?" Hel froze and looked back over her shoulder at her father's tiny mortal.

"Yes. But he deserves happiness. He has seen much hardship in his lifetime." And with that the goddess of the dead faded into the night.

This is my first Avengers fic. Please be kind and let me know if I screw up too bad. I'm working on my Norse mythology, so let me know if I get that wrong too.. Thank you for your time, please let me know what you think.