A/N: This is just an idea that I got after rewatching Thor:The Dark World. This whole story will probably have a few chapters, from different characters' points of view, that happen during or between scenes from the movie.

I mainly wrote this for me, just because I wanted to write it. So while I hope you like it, that was not the main point of this. Still, I hope you enjoy. If you do, please leave a review or follow this story (I do always appreciate feedback).

"Loki enough. No more illusions."

His eyes widened slightly in surprise, an expression that must surely have extended to the illusion, but otherwise he did not react, merely bowing his head and letting the illusion fade away. Revealing him, slumped barefoot against the wall, his hair a mess, his clothing ripped, and the trashed cell around him. It would have been better if Thor had not seen him his way, but it was to be expected. Thor was, after all, his brother, the man who probably knew him best of all, as much as he hated the thought of it. He would know that Loki could not be so calm after receiving the news, and that he would resort to his favorite way of hiding things. The illusions.

The last thing he had said to his mother- to Frigga- would not leave his mind. 'No, you're not.' Not his mother, not his kin. The last thing he would ever say to her. Funny that now he was using the magic she had taught him to hide his reaction to her death.

"Did she suffer?" Loki asked, nothing at all fake in the pain in his voice.

"I did not come here to share our grief. Instead, I offer you the chance of a far richer sacrament."

"Go on."

"I know you seek vengeance as much as I do. You help me escape Asgard and I will grant it to you; vengeance. And afterward, this cell."

Loki looked around at the cell, then suddenly smiled. He let out a small laugh .

"You must be truly desperate, to come to me for help." It resonated with what he had said to Fury, so much time ago, in the glass prison they had made. 'Are you so desperate that you call on such lost creatures for help?' Only now, he wasn't referring to the Hulk.

"What makes you think you can trust me?"

"I don't. Mother did. But you should know that when we fought each other in the past, I did so with a glimmer of hope that my brother was still in there somewhere. That hope no longer exists to protect you. You betray me and I will kill you."

Loki smiled again. "When do we start?"

Thor fixed him with a long stare. "When you're ready… brother."

Loki got up slowly, feeling his foot throb painfully where the skin was broken. He moved his hand and the door in the back of his cell opened, revealing the bathing chambers.

"It'll take a minute or two," he told Thor, then disappeared into the bath chambers, the doors sliding closed after him.

Loki waited for a moment or two, then slumped over the wash basin. The mirror on the wall did nothing to raise his mood. He had not realized he looked that bad. Thor's friends could not be allowed to see him this way, and definitely not that mortal. Loki had an image to uphold, after all.

He washed his face and used some quick healing magic on his foot, brushing his hair after doing so. He had to use an incredible amount of gel to smooth back his hair, and even so, it was curlier and more out of control than he would have liked. As an afterthought, he cast a quick glamour onto his face, adding some color and removing the bags under his eyes. As the god of lies, Loki knew that appearances were important. They could change the way a person saw you or be the key to a successful lie. He didn't care what Thor and the others thought, it was the way you looked, your facial expressions that changed everything.

About Thor… Loki was not sure if he had really meant what he had said about killing him. Thor probably thought it was true; it was not in his brother's nature to lie, and even when he did, it did not sound nearly as convincing as that. It was quite possible, though, that Thor was wrong about himself. Loki knew that Thor still had not given up all hope on him, the idiot. It was evident in the way he stood, the way he talked, even the fact that he had come to Loki for help at all. It was not as though he had no other option at all. He could always hide Jane in some far corner of Asgard no one would ever search in and wait for Malekith there. A less convenient plan, perhaps, but one Thor would not need Loki's help for. No, Thor still believed his brother might not be all bad. Maybe enough so that he would believe a sacrifice of Loki's was real, one of the heroic sacrifices that Thor and his new friends seemed to like so much. Yes, that was definitely something to think about. He could plan the details out while they were walking, make sure it seemed real enough.

Loki put on his armor, the leather fitting comfortably over his shirt. He took one last look at himself in the mirror, decided that he was satisfied (the mortal would have to deal with it; she would not see the signs of his grief and that was enough) and left the bath.

If Thor noticed the change in appearance, he didn't mention it. Instead, he pressed the button that would lower the force barrier, letting Loki out.

Loki stepped forward with a satisfied grin. "So… What's the plan?"

Thor looked at the sand clock in the corner of Loki's cell, seemed to judge that there was enough time, and began to explain. He talked about everything- the Aether possessing Jane, Malekith's attack on the palace (which Loki had noticed, thank you very much), the closing of the Bifrost by the Allfather and, finally, the current plan. A small part of Loki felt good to be entrusted with the whole plan, like old times. The more rational part said that Thor needed to tell Loki all this so he could do his part, nothing to do with trust. Even Thor was not foolish enough to trust him now. It seemed that no one was.

At the end of Thor's explanation Loki nodded and said: "Well then, we'd better get going. Come, brother."

As they walked through the hall, Loki felt a sudden rise in his mood. Not only was he doing something for the first time since his confinement, he would have the chance to avenge his mother and set his plans in motion. He had thought everything through while they were walking, and everything seemed to be fine. He'd have to propose the part where he pretended to betray Thor to his brother, but he didn't think it would be a problem.

Thor was not sure how he felt as he walked through the hall with Loki. It was certainly strange, that the man who used to be his brother and who had tried to kill him so many times was now walking next to him.

Loki kept talking, which was even stranger. He had jokingly asked Thor whether he would prefer to punch his way out, to which Thor had responded that he might if Loki keeps talking. It was true, he was not in the mood for jokes. This was serious, couldn't his brother tell? Lives were on the line, including theirs. Although Loki probably did not value his as much as other people did, given his suicide attempt from the broken edge of the Bifrost.

Loki had then proceeded to play with his illusions, much as they had when they were younger, Thor had responded with growing annoyance until he finally realized what his brother was trying to do. Loki was probably trying to cover up his dejected appearance in the cell, make Thor forget about that and think Loki was completely fine. His brother had always been proud, and he would try to cover up any moments of weakness or momentary lapses in control with talk and illusions. Or perhaps Loki was simply glad to be out of the cell. Thor wished he could talk to his brother for once without having to wonder about what his true intentions were, whether what he was saying now was the truth or simply another scam. He knew that it was impossible, that after what Loki had done there was no way they could go back to what they were before, that he would always have to treat Loki's words with extreme caution and probe them for lies, but he still wished it were possible.

There is none of your brother left in him, Thor reminded himself. Loki's mind was twisted in ways he hoped he'd never understand, and what closeness they'd once had was replace by hatred. Although now Thor was starting to question whether they had been so close to begin with. When they were young, yes, of course, but as time went by Loki seemed to become more distant and enclosed. No one had noticed.

After reconstructing the story of Loki's actions with the frost giants and the destroyer, Thor understood that Loki had betrayed Asgard long before he'd found out he was adopted by letting the frost giants in. He might have thought that he was doing it for the good of Asgard (indeed, if it weren't for Loki that day Thor would not have become the man he was today) but he had been keeping secrets, not only from their parents but from Thor and his friends. Maybe their teasing, so harmless at first, had cut deeper than they thought. It did not justify Loki's actions, but Thor did feel guilt for his brother's fall. It was too late to change anything now, but he really wished they could turn back time and do things better this time around.

He chuckled after he handcuffed Loki's wrists together, mainly because the look on his brother's face was priceless. Not very nice, perhaps, but definitely worth it. Besides, Loki couldn't actually have thought Thor would let him walk around with all the knives hidden in the secret compartments of his armor (yes, Thor knew about those and what Loki could do to hide them from the guards) with no precautions.

It was sad, if he thought about it. They used to walk these halls side by side, now one of them was manacled and the other awaiting betrayal every moment. He didn't have time to focus on that. They had to save Jane. And Odin help Loki if he refused to keep his promise.