* Disclaimer i own none of it except the imagination to twist the chara's into my own fantastical poses. i make no money off this sad to say*

Chapter One – In Mourning

Thor could not touch the food at the feast; his hunger was not to be satisfied for yet another night. Since Loki had vanished so suddenly and so violently from his life he had felt no joy in eating, he barely managed to remember to drink and sleep had been haunted by the look in his brother's eyes as he had let his slim pale fingers slide from the shaft of his spear.

Many was the night that Thor had woken crying out his brother's name and reaching into the darkness of his chambers, fingers blindly seeking the pale hand in his nightmares. Since sleep had become so broken and filled with sorrow, the God had taken to wandering around his home during the hours of sleep. More than once his had found himself in Loki's rooms.

Excusing himself quietly from the table, he wondered in that same direction now. He reached the double doors within what seemed like seconds and pushed them open stepping inside and pushing the door closed behind him. His eyes travelled over the cavernous room one, whole wall from ceiling to floor covered in books, a large bed with rich green coverings in velvet, a wardrobe stood slightly ajar to the left.

The room was Loki all over, simple and stylish, filled with knowledge and learning. Thor had never been one for books and libraries, preferring instead to train his body and to some extent his ego. It hadn't been until his trip to earth that he had discovered how much of a selfish pig he had been. Loki had been stronger than he and any of the other Warriors had taken him for, too busy looking at his brain to see his physical strength.

Walking over to the bed Thor sat down running his hands over the crushed velvet. He didn't even notice the door open as Frigga slipped in behind him. It was only when the bed dipped to his left that he raised his blonde head to see the look of quiet sadness on his mother's face. She reached out and cupped her eldest son's face in one hand and brushed her thumb over a slightly damp cheek.

"You cannot continue like this Thor…" She said gently looking into his eyes, "You will not last with this wound in your heart. You must allow yourself to heal…I cannot lose both of my children to hidden pain."

Thor closed his eyes and took her hand from his face holding it in his gently squeezing it. "I will not leave you Mother, but how can I forgive myself for what I have done to my Brother, I deserve to feel this way."

Frigga closed her eyes trying to block out the sight of her son's pain filled face, she couldn't lose Thor along with Loki and she intended to sort this out once and for all. She opened her eyes and looked her son straight in the eye.

"What happened with your brother was not your fault. You loved him as we all did; your father still has eyes looking for him as far as we can. Loki was troubled in his mind and in his heart because he didn't talk to us or tell us what was happening to him. Nothing you could have done would have saved him, because he did nothing to help save himself."

Thor felt tears unbidden falling slowly down his cheeks matching the salty droplets falling from his Mother's eyes before him. Pulling her into his arms he held his Mother as she wept for the son she lost. It was this act more than the speech she had just given that made Thor realise that he needed to snap out of the depression creeping into his heart. He needed to be strong even if it was just for the health and happiness of his mother.

~X~

Slowly but surely Thor started to get back to his old self. He started eating again making sure he had his fill at the table when the feasting started. Frigga watched her son regain the weight he had been slowly dropping since Loki had vanished.

He started to train again with his friends and from reports she was receiving he was smiling and laughing a lot more. She was glad to know that she was slowly getting her eldest son back, the danger of him slipping into something more dangerous than mourning.

It was then that the news arrived, Himedal sent a guard to the King and Queen, Thor, Sif and the Warriors three were also present as the man lowered himself to one knee head bowed and uttered the words that none of them had dared thought they would ever hear again.

"Loki has been seen My King."

Odin stood from his thrown eye blazing with a mixture of sorrow and other emotions one could hardly guess at. But none of that came through in his strong and unwavering voice. "Where is he? Where is my son?"

"Earth my King. He is causing havoc and many people have already been affected. The humans have assembled a team to combat him."

"Loki should be brought home by one of us. He belongs here with his family, I cannot allow the humans to fight him and it is a fight they cannot hope to win." Thor said turning to his father and mother with pleading eyes.

Odin nodded once. "Very well. Thor ready yourself, you are going to retrieve your brother."

~X~

Thor could barely contain what he felt inside at the idea of seeing Loki again. He wanted so much just to see him again, to know he was completely safe, alive and breathing, moving. He could take nothing with him only the Hammer but he walked around his brother's room taking in the neat space and imagining what it would be like to see it lived in once more.

Frigga opened the door to see her son once again pacing up and down, waiting by the door she watched him move around and finally notice her presence. He walked up to her and hugged her hard in his joy. She held him back with a small smile.

"Thor listen to me…my son." She held his face in both hands and looked deeply into his eyes, "Remember Thor, Loki is no longer the man he was, please be careful."

"I shall be Mother. Loki is coming home!" Thor said with force as he walked past her and out of the room to go head to head with his brother.