Loki didn't really know why he was there, or what exactly he was doing. It was happening more and more often these days. The thin grip he'd had on himself was now lost, and he saw the things he was doing as if from a distance. As if it were someone else moving his body around, using his magic. But it couldn't be, could it? He was just having problems focusing, problems recognizing that yes, this was him and he was choosing to do these things. But then... why come to Midgard again? What was this plan and why was he performing it? Why couldn't he understand his won action? The blue staff was shining again, and he took it. Yes, leaving Asgard had been a good idea. Yes, this battle would be glorious.

He only needed to obey the voice. If it was his or someone else's, did it mater anymore?

They came together again, put all their differences, because Loki was back. Of course, things were tense and they weren't they same as they used to be but they knew how serious threat it was and they knew that they would need all their combined might to beat him. So there were some nasty looks, some sharp comments... But also some little hurried apologies and understanding. Some clearing the air before getting back to business.

And then it was time to get to work again. They knew very little of what was going on – just that there was some footage and evidence that Loki was in Lisbon and that he'd recruited a small army of guns for hire and was with them in a warehouse. Why? No idea. Just like they had no idea of what kind of weapons they had or what were their plans. Thor was still unreachable and this time even Miss Foster and Selvig were nowhere to be found. They could only contact Darcy Lewis and she was doing a masters and hadn't known anything about Jane (or Thor) in months.

So they were in the dark, because they didn't know what Loki could have brought from his world (or whatever world he'd been staying in) didn't know why he was back on earth, if it had something to with Asgard and Thor or not. All they knew was that there were roughly two hundred people with him and that they were probably up to something, something big.

So there they were, Steve, Tony, Natasha, Wanda, Scott and Vision all suited up and ready to strike in the middle of a Portuguese industrial centre. They easily got through the guards and got to the main room of the warehouse, were most of the people were meeting. There was something fishy about the whole thing, about how easy everything was being. Loki was better than this, smarter than this. What if it had been some sort of trap? What if they were exactly where he had wanted them and the plan was just to lure them and trap them?

They found him with his usual armor but longer hair and looking lankier and thinner, dark shadows under his eyes. He had in his hand a blue staff even bigger than the one he had last time, with strange markings all across and simple sharp blade-ish tip. He was talking to the crowd with intent and clear voice, threatening, powerful. But he didn't say anything when he saw the Avengers, didn't reply to Stark's sarcastic long time no see. Just set some of his people on them and prepared himself to fight.

Even if he looked a thinner and sicklier than before, Loki also seemed angrier than the last time that they met, more determined, more convinced of what was he was doing. And after they got through his first line of defense made of minions, he fought their attacks with skill and avidity, almost with urgency. As if he felt that losing wasn't a viable option, as if he could only win or perish. He started taking them down, with magical barriers, spells, illusions.

He managed to paralyze most of the Avengers, leaving only Vision to fight against him, and even Vision was having trouble keeping up, not being able to overpower Loki's blue staff. And then there was something that distracted them, a roar of thunder, a violent gust of wind and and Loki lost his focus, allowing Wanda to escape the paralyzing spell she was in and be able to pin Loki to the floor. Soon the rest of the Avengers were free too, and managed to restrain Loki take all the weapon from him and knock him out, for peace of him.

"Stop!" A grave voice said behind them. "Do not hurt him!"

It was Thor with an Asgardian warrior woman, and they looked at Loki anxiously.

"And why shouldn't we?"

"My brother is being controlled by a force from another realm. He's not himself, none of these... have been his choice."

"Not this shit again." Tony muttered under his breath.

"Do you know how to unmake the control?" Steve asked Thor.

"Maybe our cognitive recalibration has been enough." Natasha interjected, looking at the unconscious Loki.

"I fear it won't be so easy. The other has preyed on Loki's mind for years, has infected every bit of him. His grip on my brother is too tight for a simple blow to unmake it."

"Years...?" Steve didn't like where this was going.

Loki was waking up, which meant they haven't much more time to speak, so Thor hurried.

"Sif and myself have found a spell that could free my brother's mind from that poisonous influence, but it would not work unless it was performed by someone with magic. In our mouths, these are but empty words."

"So, should I be calling David Copperfield?" Tony mentioned.

"If I may" Scott interjected, being at full size again. "I'm no expert but what... Wanda, where you? Yeah, what Wanda does looks an awful lot like like magic, maybe she could give a try? I f you want, of course."

"Yes, and even if it doesn't work, she could use her mental abilities to keep Loki asleep or relatively calm while we find someone who can perform the spell. What do you say, Wanda? Are you feeling up to it?"

"Whatever helps us win this fight."

The Asgardian lady was doubtful.

"Can we trust her, Thor?"

"If my friends say she is worthy of trust, then I trust her." Thor said, and then approached Wanda. "But please do be careful. My brother is still under there somewhere, I would loathe to lose him forever."

Wanda nodded. It was a lot of responsibility but she was up to the challenge. If by doing this she could prevent whatever Loki had been planning maybe it would help her clear her record, make up for past mistakes. Thor and Sif explained how to cast the spell, while Loki's eyes fully opened and he started fighting his restraints. It was a really delicate process but Wanda could handle delicate and could handle powerful.

And so she started chanting and waving her hands like Thor had instructed and it was clearly having an effect on Loki. His green eyes shifted to blue and then started glowing, much like Clint's had while he was under Loki's control on the invasion. Loki thrashed and screamed, something feral in his eyes, and his staff started glowing too. Wanda continued chanting and Loki screamed, clawing at his head and falling to his knees, and there was something that was not him that wanted that little sorceress to stop but she wouldn't, she wouldn't and it hurt, it hurt so much.

Wanda's voice got louder and Loki's screams did too, and suddenly it was over, she put her hand on his forehead and instructed and the screaming stopped. The blue staff lost all its colour, became a limp metal stick and then disintegrated into ashes. Loki looked at her and his eyes were bleeding red tears crossing his face, eyes green again, and doubtful.

"How... Who?..."

Thor ran to him and sat on his knees, and embraced Loki's frail body.

"Brother? Is it really you again?"

"Not... really... your brother... you oaf..."

Loki went limp in his brother's arms and there was a lump on the thunderer's throat.

"Midgardian friends...I do believe I owe you an explanation."

A/N: You know you want to review and tell me thingssss!