A/N: MAJOR SPOILERS for Thor 2, so don't read if you don't want spoilers. The song snippets from the end are from the song 'Brothers' by Vic Mignogna.

The sound of footsteps echoed within the dingy dungeon corridors. Loki could easily identify those heavy, uneven footsteps. After all, the only ones to pay him visits were his Mother and Thor. At this moment, Loki wasn't in the mood for one of Thor's rare visits. He uncomfortably sat on the stony floor, wrists cuffed and chained to the wall. Loki didn't bother to acknowledge Thor's presence. His glazed over eyes stared out at the empty darkness before him.

"Loki…" Thor opened the chamber door with a set of keys. The sudden burst of light made Loki tightly shut his eyes. Thor approached his Brother and knelt before him. In his hands, he fumbled with the ring of several different keys.

Having his mouth forced shut made Loki unable to verbally announce his loathing towards Thor's close proximity. However, he took note of the keys. He knew his punishment couldn't be over-Odin had banished him for at least another century. Loki didn't fuss as Thor reached behind his neck to open the steel contraption around his mouth. The device fell to the floor and Loki brought a hand to his face as he touched his tender jaw. A smile spread across the god's face. Was his punishment coming to an end? "Did the All-Father change his mind?" His voice was weak from having gone without speaking for months. Thor stared wordlessly at his Brother with downtrodden eyes. Loki could see that something was amiss. "Thor?"

The blonde clenched his fist around the set of keys. "Our Mother was murdered, Loki…"

Loki's brows furrowed as his gaze met with Thor's. "What?" His voice faltered.

Thor placed a warm hand against Loki's neck. "There was an attack by the Dark Elves," he explained. "She…" Thor couldn't bring himself to speak. The news was all too dreadful to bear. "We all fought- we were outnumbered," he continued, struggling to maintain composure. "Mother fought to defend herself, yet…" He lowered his head.

Loki's emerald eyes began to flicker with rage. He could recall the time he lied to Thor regarding his Father's death-was this a trick just like that time? "Thor!" he spat hoarsely. "Tell me this is a trick!" He began to struggle against the chains binding his wrists as Thor's hand gave his shoulder a tight squeeze.

"I wish it was, my Brother." Teary blue eyes met with Loki's. "Oh, how I wish it was…"

Loki's mouth fell open as he struggled for the words to say. Instead, his own eyes clouded with tears and his head hit Thor's chest. Mother. Dear Mother…. She loved him like her own. Despite all the lies, all of his wrongdoings, she never stopped loving him. With her gone, the emptiness inside him grew and the pain became unbearable. A choked sob escaped his throat as tears fell from his eyes.

Even as children, Thor couldn't remember ever seeing his Brother in such distress. Wordlessly, he wrapped his arms around his neck.

"Beautiful mother, soft and sweet,
Once you were gone we were not complete.
Back through the years we reached for you,
Alas 'twas not meant to be."

There was only one person who could ever calm Loki when he was sad, and that was his Mother. Whenever Thor's friends bullied him, Frigga was there to console him. If ever Loki felt as though he wasn't good enough-which was quite often-Frigga would comfort him. 'I love you, Loki.' The brutal honesty of his Mother's words echoed in his head. She truly loved him and that fact made the pain and sorrow Loki felt all the more unbearable. He buried his face deeper against his Brother's chest, hoping to stifle the sounds of his pained cries.

"So where do we go from here?
And how to forget and forgive?
What's gone is forever lost.
Now all we can do is live."