Tony had debriefed the team before Thor and Loki had arrived. From what he'd told them Thor had defeated his sister and was now King of Asgard. He had agreed to pardon Loki for his help in reclaiming the throne on one condition - Loki repent for his actions on Midgard. Meaning he had to go to Earth and become one with his team of friends. Thor wanted Loki to be accepted among the Avengers then, and only then, would he be given free reign of their home planet once more.
Loki had been back on Earth for a few days when Tony enlisted the help of a woman he'd heard about through Natasha.
Sophia Benson was rather unremarkable in every aspect aside from one thing - she could sense other people's thoughts and emotions. It was perfect, she was the only person who could truly be able to tell if Loki had changed, and so she was brought in, also debriefed, then sent into the lion's den.
"Hello, Loki." The man across the table watched her with unwavering eyes. The cold, blue of them shocked her, chilled her to her very core, but she didn't look away. That's what he wanted - to be in control.
Instead, she gave him a smile, one she knew didn't quite meet her eyes, and sank into the chair.
"How have you been?"
Loki, the ever-so-cunning God of Mischief, gave his signature smirk, his eyes glinting. "Oh just marvelous. The quarters Stark has granted me are just so... quaint."
Small and disgusting, just like this pig-sty of a planet.
Sophia heard his thought as though he'd spoken them directly to her.
"Well, I'm glad you're pleased," she shot back, biting back a grin. "Has the team welcomed you into their home? Have you been working to claim your place as an official Avenger?"
Loki rolled his eyes and leaned back into his seat, his hands folded neatly on the table between them. "Oh dear, that has yet to happen, and I would be willing to wager that you and your friends will be long gone by the time I'm named an "official Avenger"."
Not that I'd even be willing to take on such a disgraceful title.
"Oh come now, Loki," she chided, "as long as you prove your worth and they see that you've changed I think you've got a shot."
Loki gave her a dry laugh. "And what of you?"
Sophia raised an eyebrow at him. "Pardon me?"
Loki leaned forward a bit and spoke again, his voice rough. "Do you think me a changed man? Worthy of redemption?"
"I think you're very sarcastic," she said back, her voice stronger than he'd heard her use before. "I also think you're a man who wants to be good, but is afraid of being horrible at it. A man who wants to be accepted, whatever the circumstances may be."
Loki's mind was guarded as soon as the last word left her mouth. He narrowed his eyes at her and whispered, "telepath."
"I am," she confirmed. "I won't pry into your mind when it's not necessary, but I have been hired by the Avengers to track your progress. Make sure your mind is in the right place so we won't have a repeat of the... incident."
"Incident," Loki repeated, looking straight through her. He had drawn his hands back to his lap and now looked like he was coiled tight, ready to spring at the slightest movement from her. "Is that what they're calling it now?"
Sophia watched him. She tried to enter his mind, but he'd shut her out completely. "Some do. There are people who call it an attack, and some that try to forget it happened all together."
"I am not so easily forgotten though, am I?"
"No, you're not," she agreed. "You're not easily forgiven, either. You will have to work to get back on our good side. On humanity's good side."
"And what, pray tell, makes you think I'd even want to get back on the good side," he hissed, his eyes glistening. He bolted upright, his chair flung backwards by the force of his movement alone. "Who's to say I won't revert to prior behavior and slaughter you all where you stand?"
Sophia heard footsteps enter the room and turned to see Thor running toward them, his hammer in hand.
"Brother," he warned. "Stand down. Do not further complicate the situation."
Thor stood between Loki and Sophia, still sitting at the table. She stood slowly, noting Loki watching her every move. She could feel the searing, raw pain that coursed through his mind. He didn't want to harm her, only to shut her out - get her out of his mind.
Agents started filing into the room, making quick work to secure Loki in shackles. He never made a move to resist, he still only watched her.
"You're not a bad man," Sophia spoke to only him. "If you didn't want to change, Loki, you wouldn't have agreed to come here."
She didn't know if he'd opened his mind to her, and he made no indication of even hearing her at all, so she allowed Thor to lead her to the room Tony was allowing her to stay in for the duration of her assignment. They made small talk along the way, but her mind kept flashing back to the man in shackles and the pain he kept hidden. She didn't feel remorseful for doing her job, but something other than caffeine kept her awake far longer than normal that night.