Hi guys!

This is my first fan fic, couldn't really contain myself after seeing The Avengers.

I would have made this a Lokane fic but as the plot developed I decided to use an OC instead. Please don't hate me too much for that.

Everything belongs to Marvel except for my OC.

Let me know what you think, and I'll try to update regularly, about once a week so I don't keep you in too much suspense.

Otherwise, enjoy!

OOO

Chapter 1

Arrival

Electricity crackled and split open the night as a whirling torrent of colour plummeted down through the layers of atmosphere, through time and space, and concentrated onto a specialised landing bay of a SHIELD base at an undisclosed location. The Bifröst dissipated quickly enough, leaving two majestic figures, each donned in their iconic ceremonial armour, standing on the metallic disk platform, raised up by third generation tech design courtesy of Tony Stark himself, that channelled off the remaining force of the Bifröst as the Asgardian travellers turned to face the welcoming committee decked out in uniformed black to their left.

"How much longer must I be forced to suffer the humility of this?" Loki asked his brother as he routinely lifted his chained hands to be unlocked. Thor regarded his brother with serious blue eyes before pulling out the key from the folds of his amour and sighed.

"For as long as they see fit."

"Was father's punishment not enough, or do you enjoy prolonging the burden of my actions, fruitless as they might have been?"

"Brother I take no enjoyment in this." Thor's voice became stern; eyes became fierce and held the emerald light that accented the pale features of his brother's face. "In my eyes you are forgiven. But your crimes are many and so you must repay the debt caused to the Midgardians. Be thankful I am here and not the escort father wished for."

Loki looked away, grimacing at the thought of the dozen soldiers his father had first ordered to accompany him on these trips to Earth. While his stomach had initially dropped, he had slyly enjoyed the fact his father thought of him as dangerous enough to require such dramatic action. Even after his decreed punishment.

The two Asgardians walked down from the platform towards Fury and Hill who had detached from the group of agents and were walking towards them. Fury's hands were clasped behind his back, hidden by his leather coat whilst Hill unblinkingly glared at Loki, arms crossed tight across her chest.

"Thor, welcome back." Fury offered a hand which Thor shook.

"Under more profitable circumstances I might condone such a greeting." Thor's voice was hollowed from tiredness of the all too obviously forced façade that accompanied pleasantries exchanged in his brother's presence. Besides, the routine was wearing thin on the God of Thunder.

"The circumstances are profitable enough for our end of the bargain. Isn't that enough?"

"It should be."

Fury's singular eye glazed over the unusually despondent god before him, wondered briefly about the cause of his mood before strategically turning to Loki.

"Lie-Smith. Ready for this?"

"As I'll ever be, I'm sure." He grinned wryly at Fury's name for him. "Been brushing up on your mythology Director. What a sweet sentiment."

Fury made an uncomfortable noise and nodded to Thor for them to follow him. "We have a large group to cater for with the Avengers Initiative. Makes sense to be more accommodating to everyone involved."

"Ah, but therein lies your mistake Director. I do not belong to your Initiative."

"No, but your brother does."

Loki absentmindedly licked his lips, preparing a snarky retort but Thor threw him a disapproving look.

"Brother," he warned, as he had done frequently of late. Loki rolled his eyes as turned to look at Maria Hill who was still glaring at him out of the corner of her eye. Loki smirked and looked ahead at the small assembly gathered for their arrival.

Amongst the armed men and women all wearing ear pieces the Asgardianss took note of Natasha Romanoff standing beside Clint Barton, both stone faced and kitted out in their respective suits. As they neared Natasha turned on the electrical charge of her 'Spider Bites' shooting Loki a dirt look and simultaneously smiling as Barton whispered something in her ear. The group parted and fell silently into procession as the Asgardians were led into the building to be briefed on the task at hand.

OOO

After the destruction wreaked by Loki and his Chitauri army over Manhattan the previous year, as a war criminal Loki returned to Asgard under the protection of his brother, Thor, to be held accountable for his crimes and for a trial to be conducted and have his sentenced passed. Still as a member of the Avengers, despite the unit having dissembled after Loki's defeat, Thor was obliged to continue assisting Earth and Asgard relations as well as offer his aid in clearing the damage and reconstructing the fallen city. After his punishment in Asgard was fulfilled Loki offered his hand in rebuilding the city and began journeying between Asgard and Earth, accompanied and guarded by Thor, to repair the damage at Manhattan.

At least that was written in nondescript font in multiple brown files with the SHIELD insignia stamped on the front. Tony Stark scoffed as the synopsis and threw his file back down on the glass table top, leaning back in his chair as Bruce Banner and Steve Rogers looked up, eyebrows raised.

"That is utter bullshit," Tony stated, as though by way of an explanation.

"Not necessarily," Banner suggested, taking off his glasses and folding them into the pocket on the breast of his shirt. "The guy realises he made a mistake and wants to make things right. Can't blame him for that."

"Maybe, but there's still no trusting him," Rogers interjected. "He killed all those people, knowingly, and he enjoyed it. Knowing you're beaten doesn't equate to redemption. Plus, he is the God of Lies."

"Exactly," Tony said, pointing at Rogers.

"Mischief, would have been more accurate," Banner mumbled to himself.

The three Avengers sat around a large table in an even larger room, surrounded by ultra-modern computer screens and Stark Industries technology. At each of scheduled dates of the Asgardian brothers returning to Earth the conversation became something of a routine that, strangely, had yet to become exhausted. On his trips while Loki hadn't made any further enemies, he was yet to make any friends.

"This," Stark motioned his hand to the file before him, "Is a waste of time. And renewable resources. We get that he's Thor's brother and has serious daddy issues, and seriously, at this table, hell in this building, who doesn't? But it's not an excuse to bring war to an entire planet, just because they're gods and have that kind of power. Forgiveness should be a little more hard earned than offering to help the clear up operation."

Banner squeezed the bridge of his nose, eyes closed. "How many times are we gonna have this conversation?"

"Until Fury finally gets the bigger picture. Do you think the eye patch holds in all the stupid? Or is it too tight for him to process logical thoughts like, don't let the bad guy in the club."

"Thought you didn't want to be in the club in the first place?" Rogers asked, also leaning back in his chair. Stark laughed and dropped his hands into his lap.

"Well I'm here now, aren't I? Just saying, I thought this gig was meant to be more exclusive than, hey let my brother join. He's not such a bad guy once you get to know him."

Neither Rogers or Banner could resist at least a smile until the electronic doors whooshed open, wiping the grins off their faces as Fury led the rest of the team into the room. The three men already seated sat up straighter, although Stark continued to look unenthusiastic about his being in the room, as his presence in the leather chair meant for a distinct absence of a California king bed and the close proximity of one Miss Pepper Potts.

"Gentlemen," Fury said, walking round to the head of the table to stand in front of the gigantic screens poised of the wall at various angles. He gestured for the rest for the team to take seats. "Welcome."

Maria took her place by the Director's side whilst Clint, Natasha and Thor seated themselves at their places around the table. Few greetings were shared as most of their concentration was occupied on the Norse god still standing by the doors like an uncertain guest. Although a more fitting description, from majority of faces around the table, would have been unwanted.

Thor shifted in his chair, feeling the burdensome role of big brother filter through him in a way markedly similar to when he and Loki had been mere boys.

Fury turned to Loki whose sharp voice sliced knife-like across the room.

"I'm more than comfortable standing."

"Good." He addressed the table. "This is pretty much the same set up as previous tasks, clearing the remaining debris on the outskirts of the island. The civilian population is still low as the entire island was evacuated after the city got turned into a battlefield so expect minimal interaction with the public." Behind him the screens automatically shifted to images, maps and strategies of the clean-up project so far. A different kind of seriousness settled on his features, making Steve in particular feel nervous. "There has, however, been a slight development."

"Which explains why we're all here." Stark said, his head lifting. "Tell me Fury, why exactly are we here?"

"Because of this." Fury turned and heavily pixelated images filled various screens behind him. The Avengers seated at the table leaned in, Banner squinting as the realisation struck him.

"I thought all the Chitauri were killed."

"As did the rest of us. Evidently, that topic's up for debate."

"How have we not known about his?" Steve looked suddenly impatient, almost ready to stand up. "Majority of people may have been evacuated but there are still construction workers and the like in the city."

"These pictures were recovered by agents Barton and Romanoff on a routine sweep of the city after reports of seemingly random crimes."

"How random?"

"Mainly arson, property damage and quite frankly petty thefts. No one has been injured, no reliable witnesses have been on the scene of these crimes and this is all we have so far."

An uncomfortable murmur threatened to rise as Steve pointed to Loki.

"Did you know about this?"

"Would you prefer a lie or the truth?" Loki asked, enjoying the pairs of eyes that were all trained on him. "Besides, is there any point in asking the God of Lies?"

Steve, had he been a lesser man, would have blushed.

"Loki, did you know that any Chitauri remained on Earth?" Thor looked pointed at his brother, who found his gaze inescapable and the annoying exact same shade as his father's.

"No," he admitted with a casual sigh, turning to address Fury. "To my knowledge they would have left Earth to me in the spoils of the war – quite literally left, since your precious blue planet was of no interest to them, whatsoever."

Fury rolled his eyes and turned back to the screens as new images popped up. "From SHIELD research we've found the Chitauri have a heavily cybernetic physiology, explaining why majority died after the destruction of their mother ship." He turned to Stark. "Thank you for that."

"Hey, it's what I'm here for." In the corner Loki made a condescending noise."

Fury gave Loki a look like an exasperated parent tired of their tantrum throwing child. He resumed his speech, hands on hips "Which leaves us with two possibilities, that the ones left behind have a different genetic structure or link to the mother ship enabling their survival, or that these Chitauri were not part of the army Loki brought."

"Tell me Director, how exactly you came to that conclusion." Loki's green stare was suddenly menacing from the shadowed corner of the room. Not threatening, but alarmed.

"From the research division of SHIELD. We collected the more intact bodies from the fighting and dissected them for research. We have every right to know our enemy, inside and out."

"Is that what you would have done to me had my brother not been present? Cut me up to find what makes me tick?"

A hard silence followed, broken only when Maria turned away, hand to her ear piece.

"Sir, transport has arrived."

"Well then, we'd best get moving. Stark, you'll be with the agents exploring the city for any sign of the Chitauri. Banner, Rogers, you'll be investigating the subway systems."

"What about my brother and I?" Thor asked, unclenching his fists he hadn't realised he had tightened.

"You two will head to the clear up zone. If there's time you can help the search."

Fury's only eye scanned the faces before him, making a point of ignoring the brooding Norse god in the corner.

"Team. You're up."

OOO

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