'Why did you do it Loki? Why!?'

Thor had asked the same question every single day since the brothers had returned to Asgard. He'd drove Loki mad asking him every chance he got, every time he visited him in his cell, and at least 3 times during each visit.

'When will you get it into your THICK skull. I did it because I can, and because I wanted to.'

'There must be more. I know you, and however much you are damaged, you would not do this. You have too much heart.'

'Even if there was an explanation, why would I tell you? And I don't have heart. I'm a monster, remember! I killed my own birth father, and attempted to destroy Jotunheim and the monsters I am kin to. Of course I would do this, I'm, as your Midgardian friends would say, "mad as a box of cats".'

Pain flickered in Loki's eyes, fed by his anger and everything he'd been through. Thor could not see past his lost little brother who he'd cared for since the day the Allfather had introduced him. Whatever Loki had done, he was still his brother, who he'd slept beside when he'd woken with night-terrors, or who he'd held after being bullied by the other Asgardian children. He was a young boy when he realized even he picked on Loki, especially when he was around the Warriors 3, and had felt obliged to care for him for months following, in order to repay the guilt he felt. Had all this fueled him now?Was he like this because of Thor? Or the Warriors 3? Tony had joked 'Daddy Issues' but, when he thought about it, Odin had never shown respect for Loki, or showed him he cared. He'd brought him from Jotunheim to use him in the war between Asgard and the Ice Giants, and Odin had not shown any remourse when Loki found out. Everything was pointing to Asgard. Before, Thor could only blame Loki for being, well, crazy, but now...a new wave of guilt flowed through him. How could he do this to his little brother? The brother he cared so much about. He obviously didn't care as much as he thought about him to notice everything going wrong.

'Please Loki. There's something more. I know there is.' He placed a hand lightly on Loki's shoulder but it was quickly shook off. Thor stood up, giving one last look to the pale figure hunched over on the bed and walked out. He'd try again later.

Thor visited Loki 3 times everyday for 4 months, asking everyday, why he did it. And each time he got the same poisonous response. The cell's atmosphere echoed every word, making Loki's weapon of choice even more deafening. Whoever said words were weaker than swords were sorely mistaken.

Within the last few weeks, Loki had been showing signs of illness. He was slowly going mad, screaming in random intervals and throwing himself against the walls of the cell. He wasn't eating and when he did it came straight back up just minutes later. He held his head as if in pain and his pale face was even whiter, even in the dim light of the underground prison.

'Loki?' Thor was sat on the bed next to his brother. Loki's back was to him but he could see him shaking, he did not know if it was from trembling or from crying; which he'd also been doing a lot of lately.

'I heard you last night Loki. You were screaming again.' Tears collected in his eyes, remembering the way he'd watched Loki the night before, twisting in his bed and crying out. 'Did they torture you?'

When Loki didn't reply, he took it as his queue to carry on. Although he knew it was hurting his brother, he thought pursuing this angle may get him somewhere.

'They tortured you and broke you. Wherever you fell after the bifrost, they captured you and knew what to do. Loki? Did they...I need to know.' Tears were now freely streaming down his face. A thought at the back of his mind kept appearing, one that reminded him how strong Loki was, and how many times they must have tortured him, how far they must have gone, to get him to do their bidding. More tears fell. He placed his head on Loki's shoulder and could feel him shaking terribly. 'Loki...'

'SHUT-UP!' Loki jumped up so quickly Thor fell onto the bed where he'd sat just moments before. 'You're pathetic.'

Thor moved quicker than he'd ever moved before, for Loki suddenly shook so violently and collapsed into his brothers arms. However much he fought, he couldn't shake himself out of Thor's vice-like grip.

The brothers sat on the stone cold floor for what seemed like hours. No speaking, just crying and Thor stroking Loki's head and back, reassuring his brother that he was, and always will be, there for him.

When Thor felt like Loki had calmed down enough he simply asked 'Why?'

Loki shot up, steadying himself on the stone wall behind him, full of rage.

'Will you EVER BLOODY LEARN! I did it because I...'

'I know, because you could and it was fun. But I know you, the true you! Loki...brother. My sweet, lost little brother how could you do this? You've hurt so many. Midgardians, Me, Mother...father...'

'I DID IT FOR ASGARD. FOR YOU.' The outburst was so sudden Thor was lost for words. He stumbled back a few paces, finding the shell of the bed hit the back of his thighs.

'What?' he could barely get the words out, it came out as a breath, an exasperated whisper.

'They threatened you, threatened Asgard...' Loki faltered, obviously giving up to his brother '...yes, they did torture me. Yes they did it numerous times. They broke me, my mind's still not whole.'

'Brother...'

'They told me...if i didn't do as they said, they would destroy Asgard, they would kill you, mother and everyone I cared about. Whilst I watched.' Loki burst into tears, falling once again to the floor.

'They promised to leave you all alone if I let the tessearact take over my mind, if I let them control me...' Loki looked straight into Thor's eyes, his emerald green flooded with tears...

'I did it for you...for Asgard!'

Thor held Loki with more force than he'd ever done before. He held him throughout the night, fighting the tremours and panic attacks coming from his brother. By the dawn, Loki had tired himself out and fell unconscious in Thor's arms. He lied him down on the bed and laid behind him, holding him, not daring to let him go.

He would go to the Allfather tomorrow, he would tell him everything. Frigga was already going out of her mind with worry, how would he break this to her?

None of that mattered now. Loki needed him. He was clearly beginning to trust him again, he'd told him everything and he hadn't fought when Thor held him.

Broken brothers were beginning to mend, now thor needed to try his best to fix Loki. And everything else could wait, he was not going to let anyone, or anything take him away again!