Chapter 2

She made her preparations quickly, packing a small bag with the most essential of the books she had found and then like a mother sending her child on an adventure for the day she found herself trying to pack food for him to eat. She forced herself to stop, to turn and look at her son, to face the reality. It changed nothing, asleep like this she could still see the child that Loki had been, the baby who had been unloved and unwanted, left in the cold of a temple to perish, the child who strove to win his father's approval, studied hard and struggled to master the art of war as his brother had done. Even now, in his adulthood Loki lacked Thor's physicality, his brute strength; he lacked also the hard cruelty of a true Frost Giant. Not for the first time she wondered who his real mother might have been, for Frigga was certain she had been no Frost Giant.

"For your misguided path and your sinful actions both here on Asgard and on Midgard, Earth," she amended her words, "I offer you a chance to redeem yourself and to save what you sought to destroy. I offer you this chance to find the truth and to find peace in yourself. Above all else I offer you my love." She finished on a whisper before leaning in to kiss his forehead. He began to stir from his sleep and she rested a gentle hand on his head, sending him deeper into his dreams, "Trust me, Loki." She let her hand fall and take hold of his, using her power to guide him to stand. She picked up the bag that she had packed and led him, still sleeping, away from his prison.


Loki was aware of his mother's presence at his side, of her warmth and tenderness and of movement, yet he could not corral his thoughts nor direct his actions. "Trust me, Loki," he heard her say and went willingly, knowing that she was the one person who had always loved him.

He barely registered the golden shine of Heimdall's gate room, yet he heard his mother speaking and a deep grumble replying though he could not make out the words. His mother's light touch on his forehead again brought him towards wakefulness, blinking away the sleep as the roar of the Bifrost opening behind them both startled him further awake. Blinking in surprise and confusion, he made as if to speak, but Frigga rested a finger on his lips to silence him. "Loki, know you are loved. I do this now to give you a chance. A chance at the truth in all things and a chance to be forgiven and accepted for who you are. I give you a chance to be found. The truth will be the key, Loki. You must deal in the truth – offer the truth and be prepared to receive it. Look for the truth in people. But remember always that you are loved, my son." There were tears in her eyes as her finger slipped from his lips, her other hand pressed the bag into his hands and resting her hand against his chest, she pushed him away from her, out into the Bifrost's path and watched as he was taken, surprise and fear in his eyes before he vanished from sight.


Loki staggered, stumbling to his knees, hands out in front of him to stop his continued descent. His breath came in rough pants as his mind and body tried to deal with his unexpected journey through the Bifrost. "Mother," he whispered, the heartbreak of yet another betrayal tearing at him anew.

As his breathing calmed, he began to take in his surroundings; something about it was familiar. He pushed back, rising to his full height and looking round, taking in the details of what he could see. Suspicion dawned, but he walked over to the full wall of window to be certain. He turned back and surveyed the scene, so different from the last time he had been here. It felt warmer, more lived in. No trace remained of his time here, of the battle, of throwing Tony Stark from the window, of fighting with Thor, not even a remnant of Hulk's thrashing. Why had she done this, sent him here of all places?

He clenched his fists in anger, surprised by the feel of something there. Looking down he saw a bag. He frowned in confusion, opening it to see inside where lay some of the books that he had been reading in his Tower and some of his favorite fruits from childhood. "Loki, know that you are loved," his mother's voice echoed in his memory, a joke at his expense, saying she loved him, yet sending him here to the very site of his greatest defeat . . . except it wasn't his greatest defeat, it was just the one she knew of. . . his greatest defeat had come when he fell from the Bifrost and was found, taken in and taken over. He remembered the terror, the pain, and . . . He pushed the memory away, thought again of his mother, "You must deal in the truth – offer the truth and be prepared to receive it. " He wondered what she had meant.

He heard a noise behind him, turned to come face to face with Tony Stark and standing beside him Captain America and neither of them looked in the least bit pleased to see him so at this point he had to assume that whatever his mother had done, it wasn't with a pre-agreed arrangement with these men.

His energy wavered and he reached out a hand to steady himself, still warily watching the other men for signs of a weapon as he tried to muster the energy to protect himself.

"Well, if it isn't Rudolph himself," Tony sneered. "What exactly are you doing here now, Reindeer Games?"

"I come . . ."

"Don't even think about saying in peace! It's too damn late for that."

Loki hung his head then spoke quietly, "I come to give a warning and to tell the truth of the threat Midgard now faces, not from me, but because of . . ."

"Because of you. Well, thanks for that, dude, heartfelt and all that. Seriously? You expect me to listen to your bullshit." Tony moved closer, threatening.

"What is the warning? And why would you give us one?" Steve asked coldly, eyes hard.

Loki shrugged, then thinking of his mother's words, he began, "There is a threat to Midg-, Earth." He corrected himself before continuing, "A threat to Earth and Asgard. The Chitauri were nothing but an advance guard and incursionary force. He will send them after me without doubt, but also he will make Asgard and Earth pay for my failure."

"So you want our protection?" Tony said shortly.

Loki shook his head briefly. "No . . . and if I asked you would not give it to me. Odin and Thor are convinced of Asgard's safety, too certain their defences will hold against his might. I come to warn you . . . Thor believes you safe while they keep me incarcerated on Asgard. It is not the case. You dared challenge the Chitauri. Worse still you defeated them . . . You are a greater enemy than even Asgard. Asgard is . . . an irritation, for having spawned me and for Thor's part in your defence."

"Fantastic. Seriously, I needed this week to have good news like that!" Tony groaned. "Right, message delivered. You can go now."

Loki looked down at his hands, wondering what he should do. "I cannot leave. I was sent . . . unless, perhaps . . ." Loki turned away from them. "Heimdall! Heimdall!" Nothing happened. "Heimdall, open the Bifrost. Mother! Are you there?"

There was no response. Loki felt overwhelmed, his earlier disorientation returning and he staggered, putting a hand out to catch himself against the window. "Alone, you are alone and abandoned," the words echoed in his head. "Repay those who abandoned you, mistreated you."

"No!" he cried hoarsely, bringing a hand to his head. "No more!" He slumped to his knees, dropping the bag from his other hand and bringing it up to press into his eyes blocking sight, fingers clawing into his hair desperately.

Steve and Tony shared a confused look. Compassion overrode common sense and pushing Tony back a step to ensure his safety, Steve moved forward, bending down alongside Loki where he had fallen. "Loki . . . Loki, what's going on?"

He laid a hand on Loki's shoulder, ignoring Tony's protest from behind and feeling the full body shudders that were passing through the fallen god. It was enough to ground Loki for a moment, just long enough to regain control of his thoughts, pushing away the memories of abandonment and of the time after his fall. He tried to shut out all memories of being taken apart, of every insecurity being prised open, magnified and fed back to him. Weakness flooded through him and he slumped unconscious to the floor.

"Well, fuck! I'd have never expected him to do that. Is he injured?" Tony said, finally stepping forward.

"Not that I can see," Steve said quietly, as he gently rolled Loki over to check him carefully. "He looks frail, but I can't find any sign of actually injury."

"So Cap, what do we do with an escaped fugitive God?"

"Move him to the couch?"

"Okay, I was actually thinking a little more long term? Handcuffs, ropes, dare I say it . . . SHIELD? Ugh! I can't believe I suggested bringing them into my own home!"

"I don't know, Tony. I mean why would he come here? Why would he risk running from Thor and Odin? Seriously, Thor said he was imprisoned, no visitors allowed beyond the guards and servants who take him food and his immediate family, and that he knows there is no chance of reprieve only of worsening conditions. Thor said outside family, no one speaks to him. Yet here he is. How has he escaped? Why was he calling for his mother?"

The two men stood looking at Loki until Tony said, "Fine, let's move him to the couch. I could get Dummy to come up and guard him."

"With the fire extinguisher?"

"Well, speaking from experience, it's one heck of fire extinguisher and it packs a mean punch when directed just right. I've had the bruises to prove it, but no actually, I was thinking of arming him with something a little more potent."

Steve carefully slipped his arms under Loki and lifted him gently up, carrying him across and laying him down on the couch. Tony noticed the bag that had fallen from his hands. "Ooh, I wonder what's in here? You think he was a good guest and brought us doughnuts?"

Steve shook his head, ignoring Tony for the moment as he reached for a blanket from the back of the couch and threw it lightly over Loki's form, not sure what else he could do to help. He could hear the rustle behind him as Tony investigated the contents of the bag. "Book, book, book, artifact thing . . . hmm wonder what that does? Food, I think, looks more like food than a bomb anyway. Oooh, an envelope! Can I open it?" He looked up eagerly at Steve.

"Are you going to be able to read it?"

"Sure," Tony replied confidently.

"Okay, then what does it say on the front?" Steve pressed with a hint of amusement coloring his words.

"Ummm," Tony looked at the strange script, then said, "To Loki?"

Steve shrugged, "You're probably right, but I don't think that's a good enough indication that you'd be able to read what's inside."

"Jarvis could decipher it," Tony pouted.

"Just . . . later. . . let's sort this problem out first. . ." Steve said, waving his hand at the now stirring Loki.


Loki stirred, feeling weariness in every muscle, every bone. He was warm and reasonably comfortable, there were voices in the background, each of them tinged with concern. He was reminded of a time in his childhood; he had been lying in his bed, his mother's hand soft against his forehead, brushing back his hair as she whispered softly to him to rest and sleep and heal. Odin had been there too, and Thor. He remembered his father's voice, anger laced with concern, but the anger had not been directed at him. "Thor, stop with your fuss and be quiet. Loki needs rest, you have done enough damage today. A prince of the realm should take more care of his companions, be responsible for his actions."

Thor had interrupted again, and Odin's patience with him had run out. He had been sent away to his own chambers and Odin had stayed at Loki's side. He tried to remember what had happened, why had he needed to sleep and heal? That memory was slower returning; he and Thor had been in the garden, practising with wooden swords back and forth, Thor continually finding the weak points of Loki's defense, poking and prodding him repeatedly and laughing at his younger brother's struggle as he knocked him to the floor yet again. Time and again, Loki had climbed back to his feet, bruises blossoming on his skin, when all of a sudden Thor had sheathed his sword and challenged Loki to a new feat.

Loki remembered trying to refuse, but Thor had pressed the point over and over until he capitulated at which point Thor had rushed to the large tree at the bottom of the garden in which they were playing. Thor had grown, gaining a few extra inches in the last months, inches that made all the difference in their climb. Thor had moved from branch to branch with ease, while Loki had stretched and pulled and fought desperately for each new purchase on every branch. Finally Thor had stopped, turned to survey the palace and its grounds and had declared, "One day, I shall be Asgard's mightiest warrior. All shall cheer my name and bow before my strength and bravery." He had drawn his sword, flinging his arm upward as he turned to his brother declaring, "I shall be the Mighty Thor!" As his arm was stretching out, he had realized that he was too close to Loki, not soon enough to stop the movement or the way in which it had impacted his younger brother's chest squarely, knocking his fragile balance and sending him plummeting to the ground through the lower branches.

"No, Loki!" he had screamed before throwing himself from branch to branch until he dropped to his knees on the ground. "Loki, Loki, speak to me." Loki remembered it, knew that his vision had been wavering, finally slipping into black as he'd lost consciousness. When he'd come to, he'd been in his bed with his mother and father at his side and Thor being reprimanded.

He knew that he had slept fitfully, the pain of his injuries keeping him from resting well. His mother had stayed at his side and his father had made frequent visits between his other duties as King and Allfather. At night, his mother had slept in a chair beside his bed in case he woke and needed anything. Thor had crept in after she was asleep, full of apologies and offering gifts of pastries stolen from the kitchens. He had sat beside Loki and read to him for hour after hour as his brother had struggled to sleep.

He was drawn back to the present by the sound of the voices almost bickering. He blinked his eyes open slowly, warily taking in the sight of Tony Stark and Captain America before him.

"Tony, can you bring over a glass of water?"

"Sure, are you thirsty, Cap? I could get you some coffee."

"It's not for me, it's for him," the Captain said firmly.

"Can I throw it at him? Bring a bucket and dump it all on him to wake him up. . . I won't even worry about the damage to the furniture."

Loki heard the resigned sigh in the Captain's voice as he said, "No, Tony, just a glass for him to drink from. Let's get to the bottom of this and then we can send him back to Thor on Asgard." Loki heard the petulant huff of breath before Tony had stomped away to get the requested water. He reminded Loki of Thor, all his childish peevishness and arrogance. Yet wasn't that what they had accused him of. . .

"Why did you come here?" the Captain asked quietly while they were alone.

Loki gave an awkward shrug, then said quietly, "My mother sent me here. Thor and Odin do not listen to my warnings, she told me to tell you the truth. I have done that, but Heimdall has not reopened the portal to allow me back. Perhaps she wishes you to kill me."

"I doubt your mother would wish that, Loki," came the quiet reply, "A mother who chose to raise you as her own. This was with you when you came, perhaps it will make it clearer to you." He held out the bag.

Loki shifted so he was a little more raised and took the proffered bag. Opening it, he saw the letter on the top and felt himself grow queasy at the thought of what might be within its seal. He lifted it out and set it to one side, before reaching in and pulling out the rest of the bag's contents. He looked at the books, they were the ones about Jotunheim that she had wanted him to read. He set the food to one side and regarded the remaining object. He turned it over and over in his hands.

"What is it?"

"I am not certain. I have not seen it before, but . . . perhaps I have seen something similar in books; I did not think it actually existed." He reached for the letter and tore it open, eyes scanning rapidly over the words for information, for a possible explanation of what he had been given.

"Dearest Loki,

I am sorry to have sent you away like this, but please believe me that I have done this because I love you, because we all love you. I am offering you this chance to prove that you can be the man I know my youngest son was supposed to be. I am sending you to Midgard, this will give you the opportunity to warn them of the forthcoming danger, which is only fair. Thor and Odin believe that the risk lies here because of your presence, yet I find myself agreeing with you when you say that when He comes, He will want retribution from not just you, but all of Asgard and Midgard as well.

With you are the books I found about Jotunheim. Over the years, I have read much about Jotunheim and the Jotun in the hope that I could protect you from them and yet they were not the real danger. The real danger lay here at home, they were merely a catalyst. Your father and I have discussed many times over the years whether he should tell you the truth of your coming to us. He always felt it best to keep this from you, for fear that you would believe that you were less than Thor in our eyes. All we have succeeded in doing was allowing you to feel that way regardless. You are my son, Odin's son. Our love does not end because we are saddened by the things that have come to pass.

Read well, for I believe there may be answers in these books that may save us all, protect your people from the threat that we know is there. I also give you means to travel between Jotunheim and Midgard. It will not bring you home. I have charged Heimdall with watching over you and keeping me informed. I shall offer what protection I can and shall do my utmost to bring Odin and Thor to support your struggle, should you need them.

In the meantime, my son, remember that all is not lost and that you may take your destiny in your hands to save and protect us all. The truth will be at the heart of convincing these 'Avengers' as Thor calls them to assist you. Do not underestimate the power they hold, neither in their abilities nor in their hearts. They may not understand our technologies or our magic, but they have shown us all that they will fight for what they believe in, they will protect what they believe to be right, and in their own flawed natures, they find understanding and forgiveness for others. This journey will not be easy for you, you will have to truly earn a better future, but be strong, my Loki, be strong, hold out and you can succeed.

Heimdall and I shall watch over you, awaiting a time when we may bring you home.

Travel with my love,

Your mother,
Frigga.

Loki was silent, at a loss for words and clearly choked with emotion "Captain," he said eventually. "My mother had me cast down here, but I am watched to ensure I do you all no harm. Rather I am to try to redeem myself by finding an answer for all of the realms from the threat posed to our worlds."

"Why send you here? What reason would make us believe anything you have said?"

"That is my task, to speak honestly, to use truth to convince you and to seek your help in finding those answers. I do not know where to start, Captain."

A movement behind Steve marked Tony's return. "Water. Are you sure I can't just throw it at him? Seems like a very small level of retribution when considered against . . . say . . . the destruction of Manhattan?"

"Petty retribution," Steve admonished with an affectionate smile, "And unworthy of someone of your superior intellect."

"Oh, right. Guess you're probably right," Tony sighed. "Still I brought this with me, just in case you let me take a more drastic line of action." He revealed the hand not holding the glass of water, encased in one of the Iron Man gauntlets.

Steve nodded, then added, "Just let's hear him out first."

Tony turned to Loki and said, "Well come on then, Dasher, spit it out, tells us why you're here."

"I told you I was sent to warn you of the threat." He looked down at the note still clasped firmly in his hands, "My mother believes there may be an answer in these books and that . . . that you might listen and . . . and help me find it in Jotunheim."

"Jotunheim? What's Jotunheim?"

"The realm of Laufey, sworn enemy of Asgard . . . the realm of my birth."

"Wow! So you're not just adopted then? I mean Thor told us you were adopted . . . You were adopted from the enemy! Ha! No wonder you have issues, dude!"

"You know nothing! I should be King! I was born to rule!" Loki growled, trying to push himself up, only to be overwhelmed with dizziness and fall back against the back of the couch weakly.

"Not here you weren't," Steve said dryly. "So why are you expecting us to help?"

"I don't expect anything, except perhaps to meet my death. At this point, that might not be such a bad thing."

Steve crouched before the couch, looking into Loki's eyes. "Your mother obviously thought more highly of you than taking the coward's way out."

"I am no coward," Loki replied sullenly.

"Then prove it. What is the solution? What is it that you need to find?"

Tony huffed an angry breath behind him. "Seriously, you're going to pander to this nonsense? You're listening to his bullshit! This –this –this," his fury grew, "Asshole tried to take over the planet, tried to annihilate a good portion of the people on it and we're 'listening' to him, looking for solutions! He's a liar, the God of Mischief although if ever there were a misnomer that was it, because seriously Mischief is a major understatement for what he did!"

"Tony!" Steve looked at him, pleading for him to quiet, and with a glare Tony fell still and listened.

"You are right. I have done all of those things. I tell the truth of the threat and of my mother's proposition."

"Just to clarify the point and knowing that you are attempting to convince us that you have switched sides somewhat here. . . Which mother are we talking about? The one on Asgard that brought you up or the one on . . . Jotunheim was it?"

"Frigga, my mother on Asgard."

"Right, 'cause she did such a bang up job of bringing you up sane that we should really trust her," Tony retorted derisively.

"Do not speak of my mother in such terms. She is a good woman, a queen. Do not think that I will not seek retribution for disparaging my mother!"

"Tony!" Steve admonished. "That's inappropriate and uncalled for. Whatever Loki has done does not give you the right to speak like that about Thor's mother!"

"Does that give her a fifty percent success rate at child-rearing?" Tony said bitterly. "Better than some I suppose!"

Steve let a slow breath, trying not to respond as angrily as he felt. He blocked Loki's attempt to rise and just looked over his shoulder and said, "Tony, if you can't keep those sorts of thoughts to yourself, then you'd better leave."

"My apartment!" Tony snapped. " My Tower! My Property! You leave!"

Steve's eyes widened for an instant before he said coldly, "Your apartment . . . it's all yours . . ." He paused for a moment, then said, "Fine, if that's how you feel, we will leave. Don't expect me back." He turned back to Loki and said, "Collect your stuff, I'll just be packing a bag to take with me. I'll have the rest sent on later."

"What?" Tony gasped. "Not you! Him! Can't you see what he's doing? He's coming between us! He's making us argue, driving you to think of splitting us up! You can't go! This is your home!"

"Tony, he's not doing anything. You're the one who said –"

"Stop!" Loki's voice was stern, although not strong. "Stop! This is not why I came. I shall leave." He started to push himself up, only to have Steve block his exit again.

"You can't leave alone. I can't let you leave here alone."

"Captain, I submit to your will, if there is somewhere you wish to have me confined, I understand that you will not be willing to let me wander at will. Please arrange it as quickly as possible as I do not wish to inconvenience Mr Stark further."

"He's twisting everything," Tony pointed out grimly, from the other side of the room. "He's trying to make you think you're in control and that he's doing what you want him to."

"I will contact SHIELD." Steve pulled his cellphone from his pocket. Tony stepped forward knocking it from his hands to fall on the rug at his feet.

Still glaring furiously at Loki, he said, "What do you really want? Why have you really come?"

Loki held out the letter he had been gripping firmly in his hands since reading it. His hand wavered and his fist clenched as if to snatch it back but he dropped his head and whispered hoarsely, "The letter is from my mother. It will explain more than you need to know of why I am here."

Tony turned the letter over and, after a moment or two, said, "You're joking, right? I can't read this!"

When Loki just looked bemused, Steve added far gentler, glancing across at the letter to be certain, "It's not in English, Loki. Neither of us can read it."

"Oh," Loki looked surprised. He looked at Tony then said, "You wouldn't believe me if I translated it for you. Could your machine . . .?" He left the question hanging with a wave in the general direction of the ceiling.

"It could try." Tony took the letter, took out his phone and captured a photo of the letter. "Jarvis, translate and let me know as soon as it's done"

"Yes, sir. Sir, if I might suggest, your visitor also had some books with him. If I were to analyze the books alongside the letter, I might get a more accurate assessment of the language and therefore give a better reckoning of the contents of the letter."

Steve held up a hand to stop Tony saying anything. "Loki, may we borrow the books to do what Jarvis said?" Loki held the bag out and with a quiet thank you, Steve took it and handed it to Tony. "Loki and I will stay here while you and Jarvis work on this," he murmured softly, just loud enough for Tony to hear.

Tony took a deep breath and nodded, then took hold of the bag and turned for the door. Just before he left, he turned and cautioned, "Don't trust him, Steve. You shouldn't just trust him. You're a good man and he's not, you must be able to see that."

Steve's expression was soft as he watched Tony leave, but it twisted into something harder as he turned his eyes back onto Loki. "Well, here's your chance to convince me. Don't think that just because I haven't reacted the same way as Tony that I don't agree with him. I don't trust you. I have at the moment no real reason to trust you. This is your opportunity to change that."

"I have not escaped from Asgard. My mother did something, I do not know what and she took me from my confinement to the Bifrost where Heimdall opened the portal and sent me here. I – I have been alone for the most part, my mother visits me often. She speaks continually of truth and love. My actions have caused her much pain."

"I would imagine they have," Steve agreed.

"I am banished from Asgard, I fear." Steve could hear the loneliness bleeding through his words although his expression remained stoic.

"It doesn't sound like something your mother would do."

"Perhaps she acts upon Odin's orders or Thor's." Loki's face was shadowed as he tilted his head away.

"Or perhaps she is offering you a chance to save your world and ours from the threat you spoke of and redeem yourself in the process."

Loki nodded.


Tony was surprised at just how speedily Jarvis managed to translate both the letter and the two books, the AI's capacity to process exceeded even his own expectation at times. "Sir, the task was not as difficult as one might have believed in advance. It appears Earth's Scandinavian languages do in fact hold more in common with Asgardian than I realized in advance and therefore it was a mere logical step or two to complete the translation. I have taken the liberty of sending copies of both texts and the letter to both your portable tablet and that of Master Steve."

"Thanks," Tony said, picking up both of the books along with the letter and his tablet and heading for the stairs back to rejoin Steve and Loki.


Walking into the lounge, he saw Loki curled up in the corner of one couch, staring vacantly out of the window with no sign of Steve anywhere. "What have you done?" he spat, making Loki jump in surprise.

"Done? I have done nothing."

"Where's Steve?"

Loki nervously waved a hand in the direction of the door. Tony ran towards it stepping into the hallway beyond and hearing sounds from the kitchen. He stormed down the corridor, not stopping until he had his arms around a startled Steve who was assembling sandwiches at the counter.

"Tony? Tony, are you okay?"

Tony didn't say a word, just pressed a kiss to the back of Steve's neck and breathed deeply for a few moments. Awkwardly, Steve turned round, returning the embrace. "Tony, what's the matter?" he pressed again, without letting go.

"You weren't there," Tony mumbled pressed into the side of his neck where he was still holding him close.

"Where?"

Tony lifted one hand for long enough to wave back out of the door in the direction of the lounge, before clinging back on again. Steve shook his head in exasperation before pressing a fond kiss to Tony's forehead. "I'm here, I'm fine. Just making lunch that's all. You need something to eat."

Tony nodded and squeezed him tighter before stepping back and walking out of the room without another word. Steve shrugged and turned back to the sandwich fixings that he had laid out before him.


When Steve made it back to the lounge carrying a tray of sandwiches and three coffees, he was greeted by stony silence. Loki was sitting upright, looking ready to bolt from the room. Tony was sitting opposite him, leaning forward with an icy glare.

Steve walked between them, breaking Tony's gaze and set the tray down on the coffee table before them. He lifted a small plate of sandwiches and one mug of coffee and offered them to Loki, before doing the same to Tony. He took the final plate for himself and sat down beside Tony, nudging his arm and nodding at the plate. "Eat, keep your strength up," he said, relieved when Tony turned his attention to the plate and began to eat. The first bite he took was tentative, but realizing Steve had made his favorite, he began to tuck in with more relish. "So how was Jarvis doing with the translation?" Steve asked, trying to break some of the tension.

"Finished it," Tony mumbled round a mouthful of bread. He chewed and swallowed before saying any more, "He finished it, sent it to your tablet." He looked down at his sandwich but before taking another bite, he looked across at Loki and said, "So Dancer, you come up with a reason why we should believe anything you have to say? It occurs to me that while I've rushed off here to translate all this stuff you brought with you that there was something that I hadn't thought of before. What if you wrote that letter to make us think it was from your mother?"

Steve turned his head sharply as if he had not imagined that as a possibility.

Loki sighed, resignedly, "I cannot prove to you that I did not write it. I can only give you my word and as you have said before my word is worth nothing."

"So tell us about the threat then."

Loki wasn't really sure where to start. "I fell from the Bifrost into the nothing beyond. I was caught and 'rescued'. He wanted the Tesseract and offered me Earth in return. There was no alternative, no option to refuse his offer."

Steve was the first to press for more details, Tony following up some of his questions with ones of his own. Loki steered away from talking about what had been done to him while caught beyond the superficial, but Steve and Tony were both astute enough to draw conclusions.

"So basically, he did to you, what you did to Selvig and Hawkeye?" Tony said bluntly.

"In a fashion," Loki agreed reluctantly.

Steve and Tony shared a look and seemed to come to an agreement. "So what are you suggesting we do about the threat?"

"My mother seemed to think the answers lay in the books she sent with me."

"So we better get to work then and see if we can figure it out."


"Heimdall, keep watch over my son," Frigga said quietly.

"My queen. Are you sure though that this course of action is wise?"

Frigga turned away, drawing in a long shuddering breath and clasping her hands into fists at her sides. "I know he has done wrong. I am no fool." She wiped tears from her eyes before continuing, still not looking at the gatekeeper, "Not all of his actions were of his own direction. Some were the outcome of his pain. He deserves this chance of redemption."

"And if he chooses not to take it, my lady?"

"Then you will tell me and it will be over, but have faith, Heimdall, Loki is my son and a mother knows these things."

"A mother's love counts for much. It has been the saving grace of many a wanderer throughout the history of all the realms. May it be the same for Loki."


"He has gone!" Thor roared, storming across the throne room towards his father. "How is this possible? Who has assisted him in this? I shall strike-"

"You shall do nothing at this time," Odin admonished evenly, eyes locking determinedly with his eldest son's. "You shall obey my command at this time and not act until I deem it fit."

"But, Father, Loki has –" Thor attempted to continue only to meet with his father's upraised palm.

"I know where Loki is," Odin stated. "He is watched over and I am kept informed. His actions are reported to me and I shall intervene if it is needed. In the meantime, he is to be left alone and you are to return to your duties here."

"What knave set him free? Have you allowed such an imbecile to –" His voice had not dropped from its infuriated shout, despite his father's calm countenance.

Frigga, with a brief touch of her hand to her husband's shoulder, stepped down from where she stood beside him. "I set Loki free and I sent him on his journey," she said plainly. "Would you have me punished?"

Thor faltered for an instant, before saying, "Mother! Mother, you know not what Loki is capable of. You do not understand the power and madness that drive him. He is not your son any longer."

"He is my son!" Odin roared. "Never let it be said that Loki is not my son, not your brother!"

"You are the one who do not understand, Thor," Frigga said firmly. "Loki has been lost to us for too long. He has done many wrong deeds in that time, yet not all of them were of his choosing. We, as his parents, made mistakes; we were not honest with him. We thought to protect him from his past, yet rather we unwittingly left him lost and uncertain. His actions began in a desire to win our approval, approval that he did not understand he already had. He has grown up in your shadow, believing himself not good enough for our love. That was our mistake."

"You are wrong. What he did on Midgard? How he attacked me. How he brought down the Chitauri. . ."

"Your arrogance brought his first attack, your lack of understanding and superiority stirred his actions, alongside our failure. The Chitauri are a different matter. His mind was not his own. We do not know what he suffered when he fell from the Bifrost. He took a means to survival," Odin explained. "His mind is now his own, to start anew and earn his place, understand that love and friendship can be his if he speaks and acts honestly. If he succeeds in his task, he shall be welcomed back here with open arms. If he succeeds in learning what he needs to know, in growing and fighting the evil that is in us all, he shall be welcomed back, even if he has not found the answers he seeks for our protection."

"Where is he?"

"He seeks an answer to protecting us from the wrath of the one who took and manipulated his actions on Midgard, that is all you need to know. You have duties to perform, ensuring the protection of our borders. You should attend to those duties."

Bowing low, Thor took his leave, still unhappy with the answers he had received and contemplating visiting Heimdall to see if the Gatekeeper would share more information with him.


Steve watched as Loki sat at the table, flicking slowly through one of the books, an exhausted slump to his shoulders, his head propped on one hand. Steve himself was curled into the corner of a couch, tablet balanced on his lap as he read steadily through Jarvis' translation of the same text. Every now and then he would glance up and across the room at Loki with a degree of sympathy, wondering how he would react if Steve suggested that he rest in one of the guest rooms. In honesty, he wasn't entirely sure how Tony would react to the suggestion either.

Tony was around. That was the best way of describing it. He'd started off his own reading session sprawled across the same couch as Steve with his feet predictably in Steve's lap. At some point, something specific had piqued his interest and he had leapt from the couch and vanished from the room, calling to Jarvis on the way. Steve hadn't bothered to react. It was every bit as predictable as the sprawl that would leave either his feet or his head in Steve's space. He knew better than to question. He also assumed that Tony was a lot further through his reading than he himself was.

He felt strangely sorry for Loki, wondering whether he was not as evil as they had all assumed. Steve suspected he was a lost soul who'd taken the wrong path. He certainly seemed to have engendered a deep abiding love in his adoptive mother and Steve knew from his own childhood how hard it was to live up to someone else's standard. He'd spent years trying to be as good at everything as Bucky and, until the serum, he'd never made it. Yet the only person who had ever tried to impose that expectation was Steve himself . His mother had encouraged him in all the things he'd been good at, his studying and his art. She'd wanted him to be the best he could, but she had never expected him to match Bucky's physicality. Bucky had only ever wanted him to be his friend, he'd always accepted the limitations of Steve's health, far more than Steve had ever been willing to do. Loki appeared tall and well-built, but likely no match for Thor. He was quieter than his brother, more cerebral, the thought of Thor sitting at the table now studying these books was enough to bring the quirk of a smile to Steve's lips.

Thor was a good man, a good friend, but he was brash and at times spoke without thinking. In a race of warriors, Steve imagined Thor would have been lauded by family and friends and would have thought nothing of boasting of his prowess to his younger and smaller brother. Comparing oneself with Thor would be enough to give anyone an inferiority complex.

To discover after so many years that he had been deceived about his own birth right must have been a blow to Loki's confidence and all the perceived slights probably multiplied until he couldn't see the truth that he was loved at all, only seeing all the ways in which he failed to be like his brother.

It didn't excuse what he'd done, but perhaps it went some way to explaining it. Steve had the impression that there was a lot that Loki hadn't said about his time captured. Steve figured 'rescued' was not particularly true in that case. Having heard from Clint and Fury about how Clint had been taken hostage, his mind twisted to someone else's ends, Steve wondered if something similar hadn't been done to Loki to stir such extreme actions.

He looked up again and saw as Loki's head slipped from his hand, tilting forward slowly, slowly, slowly only to jerk upwards, startled as he came fully awake as Tony barged noisily into the room again.

"So I've got this theory. Have you read this far? Do you . . . Wow! Shit, Prancer! You look like crap! When was the last time you slept?" Tony seemed stunned by Loki's almost grey complexion and dark shadowed eyes.

Loki didn't respond, but his eyes tracked Tony as he walked round to the other side of Loki as if to check that he looked just as bad from the other side. "Shit! Have you seen this?" he addressed Steve, who nodded. "It isn't one of those miragey things that you do?" he brought his hands up and wiggled his fingers as if casting a spell.

Loki just looked confused. Tony sighed and carried on, "You know you're standing there but you're not, really you're over there and one minute wearing oh, I dunno , normal clothes and the next you're in a cape and reindeer horns. . . That kind of thing?"

"No, it is not a glamor."

"In which case, what I'm about to do, you can't object to." He stepped forward, hooked a hand under Loki's arm and pulled him to his feet, guiding him to the door. "You are going to rest, sleep and come back refreshed enough for us to have a reasonably intelligent conversation with. Hopefully better than the kind I get with your brother, which tend to revolve too much around the marvel of pop tarts for my liking. Believe me, a man's body reaches a point where sleep is inevitable and you can get the whole waste of time over and done with quicker by just giving into it and lying down. If it makes you feel any better," he said, still not giving Loki a chance to get a word in edgewise, "you can sleep on it. Which means just in case you're not familiar with the colloquial think about it while you are sleeping. Sleep, Rest, Recuperate and Recharge. Then we'll be good to go. Steve's telling me it all the time, making me follow his example all the time. I mean seriously, the guy's like nearly 100 which in case you didn't know in human terms is like nearly the same as ancient and he goes to bed ridiculously early, like it's still the 'forties and there's no TV after nine. I mean I get the added advantage of him being there, which results in not quite such an early night, but ah… here we are!" Steve had followed them down the corridor wondering if he should stop what seemed to be building up to an account of their sex life which he'd really rather not have shared, even if Loki was looking completely bemused by the current turn of events.

Tony kicked open a door and dragged Loki inside. "Jarvis, close the curtains and then I'd like you to guard the room and keep a watch over our 'guest' in case he tries to do a runner." Letting Loki down onto the side of the bed, he said, "You might want to take the cape and what have you off, but I'll leave you to it. Just speak to Jarvis when you wake up or if you need anything and I – we will speak to you later, when you'll actually be of some use to us."


Steve had asked Jarvis how Loki was a couple of hours later to be told that he was still sleeping. Steve looked across at Tony who was at the table, poking at his tablet half-heartedly while yawning. It was one thing for Tony to decide that Loki needed rest, a complete different one for him to take his own advice.

Steve decided to be a little forceful himself and promptly powered down his own tablet, before setting it on the coffee table beside him and crossing the room to Tony. He wasn't above using a little deceit of his own, he mused, if it meant Tony got what he needed. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss just behind Tony's ear, nuzzling at his jawline with his nose and letting his hands run up Tony's arms sensuously.

Tony didn't squeak in surprise and Steve didn't laugh, because Steve does actually love Tony and he does want to have sex again at some point in the future even if he's only pretending this time round.

"Kinda forward there, super soldier!"

"Loki's asleep and I know where there's a bed with our names on it!" Steve rasped gently into Tony's ear, making the other man shudder.

"Er, sure. . . Um, work? Research? Weren't we supposed to be doing some? Finding out about . . .? Can't remember anything when you do that? " Tony gasped, "Shit, bed now!" Tony was out of his seat, research forgotten and pulling Steve along with him as he raced in the direction of their bedroom. "Jarvis, if Loki wakes up keep him occupied but out of trouble. Feed him, water him . . . hey, re-pot him in another plant pot if it helps or whatever. Just don't let him disturb us until we are . . . you know, ready to rejoin society and all that. Oh and if Clint comes home, try to keep him away from Loki. That's not a match made in heaven."

Tony slammed the bedroom door behind them both, already tugging at his own clothes and Steve's as if not sure which of them he wanted to get naked first. Steve slowed him down, removing his own t-shirt, socks and shoes, but leaving on his sweatpants before beginning to undress Tony who had stuttered to a halt, seemingly entranced by Steve's chest once it was exposed. Tony reached out a finger and traced it down from the base of Steve's throat, letting it trail across his pecs and down towards his stomach.

"You know seeing this just never quite gets old," Tony said sincerely.

Steve laughed, leaning in and kissing Tony soundly before urging him towards the bed. "Lie down," he ordered softly, "On your front."

"Like that is it!" Tony snarked back half-heartedly, getting himself comfy on the bed.

He heard Steve reach across to the bedside drawer, heard a cap flip open and closed his eyes waiting and trying to relax. He jerked in surprise when rather than the touch he was expecting, Steve's hands landed on his shoulders and began to slowly massage out the tension in his shoulders and neck.

"Er, Steve, I'm not sure we've got enough time for this, nice as it is," Tony mumbled into the pillow just ahead of a groan as he felt the knots in his shoulders begin to release.

"Trust me," Steve murmured into his ear, kissing the back of his neck.

"Okay," Tony agreed around another groan of relief as he felt more of the tension ease. "You're good at that," he added and Steve could already hear the sleepiness in his voice that he'd been aiming for. He gentled his touch, making it soothing, warm and tender and felt as all the tension gradually fled and Tony slipped first to relaxed and then into sleep.

With a smile, Steve allowed himself to drop onto the other side of the bed and close his own eyes. A little rest wouldn't do him any harm either.


"Captain Rogers, sir," Jarvis' voice was quiet and emitted only from the direction nearest to Steve's head. "Captain Rogers . . ." the AI was a little more insistent until Steve's eyes fluttered open and he found himself staring at the ceiling. "Ah! Captain Rogers, you're awake," Jarvis said.

Steve frowned then said, "Weren't you calling me? Didn't you wake me up?" He rolled over to face Tony's back and found that Tony at least was still fast asleep, turning over again, he sat up and dropped his feet over the side of the bed, as he yawned and stretched out the kinks.

"So good to see you awake, sir. Quite fortuitous really as the visitor is stirring to wakefulness and is likely to be rising in the immediate future and Master Clinton has just arrived home. Will you be rising now?"

Steve didn't really need to think about whether he would be getting up or not, there was no way he could leave Jarvis to run interference between Clint and Loki. That was a bloodbath just waiting to happen. Understandably. What did give him pause was Jarvis' behaviour, he was almost certain that Jarvis had been calling him yet the AI seemed also to be refusing to answer any questions on the subject. Eventually dismissing it as irrelevant, Steve pulled his socks and shoes back on and turned to hunt for the t-shirt he had shed earlier. With one last longing and slightly envious look at Tony, Steve slipped out of the room and headed back to the lounge to try and forestall any issues.

"Clint, hey," he greeted as he entered the kitchen.

Clint waved a hand without turning round from where he was sifting through the groceries in the fridge. When he reappeared properly, he was carrying milk and jelly. "Steve," he acknowledged as he strolled across to the counter. "PB and J sandwich? Coffee?"

"Coffee thanks, but no sandwich. I'm good."

"'kay," Clint fiddled with the coffee maker, pouring two large mugs of coffee and setting the milk down near Steve before turning back to finish making his sandwich.

"So, do you have any plans for the rest of the day?" Steve asked, trying to keep his tone even and not like he wanted to pressure Clint into anything or hide anything from him.

"Movie marathon?" Clint replied, looking almost hopefully over his shoulder at Steve.

Steve pulled a face, "Sorry, can't today. I'm in the middle of some research and it's kind of important."

Clint perked up a little, "Can I help?"

"Clint, you hate paperwork. Why would you want to help?"

"But that's the point, I hate paperwork. Paperwork comes after missions and is boring and tedious and all, 'I did this, then x did this so I shot him.' See? Boring. Research on the other hand is what you do before you go on a mission. It builds anticipation and excitement!" Clint responded enthusiastically.

"Well, thanks for the offer, but it's . . . not exactly a mission as such . . . "

"Is it something kinky that Tony's suggested? I could tell you where to find out more about it."

"No! No, heavens, no," Steve shuddered. "Really, thanks, but no!"

"Oh well . . . fine . . . I'll leave you to it then," Clint said, disappointment tingeing his words and picking up his plate of sandwiches and his refreshed large mug of coffee he headed for the door. "If you need anything, I'll be in my suite."

Steve heaved a guilty sigh of relief as Clint left, only to groan and spring from the table with what he heard next. "What the f*** are you doing here? Don't you come near me! " accompanied by the sound of crashing crockery and a yelp and thud.

By the time Steve reached the corridor, there had been a further two thuds and so he wasn't surprised by the carnage before him. Loki was squeezed behind an elaborate dresser and above his head and to the side of his body embedded in the wall were three knives. At Clint's feet lay the broken crockery and soggy remains of his now coffee soaked sandwiches. "Clint! Stop! Stand down!"

Clint turned and nearly hurled the knife in his hand at Steve. "Who are you and what's going on?" he demanded angrily.

"It's me, Steve, and I know that's Loki but he's been sent and we're trying to research a protection for Earth against –"

"You listened to his bullshit?" Clint gasped, hurling the knife over his shoulder without looking and Steve cringed as it embedded in the wall, pinning Loki's cape with it. He was just grateful that Loki had managed to twist out of its direct path and hadn't been skewered to the wall himself. Steve wasn't sure where it had come from, but Clint already had another knife in his hand and was preparing to throw it as well.

"Barton, will you quit target practising in random locations in my building? I built you a target range for exactly that reason."

When Clint's hand moved as if to throw the knife, Steve shouted, "No! You'll hit Tony! Don't do that!"

Clint lowered the knife and turned to glare at Tony. "You as well! You're protecting him!"

"It's complicated and for the minute, the answer to the question is yes, but you can check in regularly to see if I've changed my mind."

Clint continued to glare but for the minute stayed where he was, although he tossed the knife up in lazy circles catching and rethrowing it while he considered Tony and Steve's words. "Protection from what?" he demanded.

"The leader of the Chitauri," Steve said, "Or rather the one who commanded them."

"Where's the protection coming from?"

"Research?" Steve said hopefully.

"Seriously? We're fucked in other words," Clint said. "I'll be in my suite. Jarvis, let me know when I can come down and kill him."

"Yes sir. I shall do that, sir. Will there be anything else?"

"No, all of a sudden I've lost my appetite. Sorry about the mess on the floor though."

"Do not concern yourself, sir. I shall have it seen to directly."

"Er, Clint," Tony said, "Much as I understand the concern about the carpeting, you put holes in my walls with knives!"

"Yeah, but I'm not sorry about that right now," Clint replied before sauntering off down the corridor.


Tony bounded in to the room. There was no other word that could adequately describe the way he'd just come in, Steve was certain of it.

"I've got it, I've got it," he enthused, such that even Loki looked up, curiosity piqued.

"What, Tony? What have you got?" Steve said with a smile.

"Clues. Vital Information. Maybe even Answers!"

Steve laughed and waved him over to the table where Loki was sitting before crossing to join them both, pulling out a chair and sitting down alongside Tony.

Tony was tapping at his tablet screen before suddenly making a flicking motion and seeming to throw up onto hologrammatic screens so the three of them could all look at the information that had been sitting on his screen. Tony poked a finger at one of the screens enlarging it and bringing it in front of the others. "Right if you look here, it talks about the immense power of Yggdrasill which spans the space between Asgard, Jotunheim and Earth. It talks about tapping into that power and using it as a defensive shield to protect the nine homeworlds. It then," Tony flicked downwards through large portions of text to another highlighted area, "mentions an artifact stolen from Vé which was the way of enabling that protection."

"Vé?" Loki said, head tilted to one side. "Odin's youngest brother."

"Your uncle?" Steve said, disappointed when Loki just looked away, a lost look in his eyes as if he couldn't acknowledge that.

"Why would the Jotunn steal something that protected all of the homeworlds?" Tony asked.

Loki reached a hesitant finger out to one of the screens, drawing forward a representation of Yggdrasill and the nine homeworlds. "Yggdrasill is the world tree," Loki began. His finger traced along the image before them. "It spans from Muspelheim to Niflheim. Its roots draw water from Asgard, Jotunheim and Helheim. It is sacred, a place where the Gods meet to hold their courts or so legend says."

"Legend? You don't know?" Tony asked in disbelief.

"Odin traveled there. Not me. But what you have said makes sense so far. Vé collected many artifacts, they fascinated me as a child and I would visit him to find out more about them. He would tell me many stories of their power and origin. He told me once that he had had others, before the war with Jotunheim. As a child, I never questioned why that was. I suppose you now have those answers. Tell me more."


The three of them spent hours discussing the intricate details of Norse mythology and comparing it to what Loki knew of life in Asgard and the other realms, weeding out the myth from the truth and beginning to build a picture of what they were looking for and what they could do with it once they had it.

"See, I'm guessing here, but you know I am a genius and all that, so strong possibility of it being a good solution. What if we told Odin to go get the stolen artifact that could defend the realms? He'd have to be good with that, wouldn't he?"

"How would we tell him?" Loki asked. "None of us are capable of travel to the realm of Asgard. I have had my power to do so taken from me."

"Thor?" Steve suggested.

"And how long would you have to wait for Thor to visit? He was due to travel to the borders to ensure the safety of the realm and I suspect that if my mother has sent me here to you specifically, then she will do all in her power to ensure that he does not come after me until I have made penance for all of my sins." He paused, took a deep breath before adding, "And there are many."

"You're telling me!" Tony agreed. "Okay, so . . . new plan . . ."

"Loki," Steve said, "Didn't your mother say that she had sent with you the means to travel between realms, just not Asgard and Earth?"

"Between Jotunheim and Earth, yes. Yes, she did." Loki crossed to where the bag his mother had thrust into his hands just before he was taken by the Bifrost and lifted from it the object that Tony and Steve had not been able to recognize earlier. "This," he said, turning the object to look at it from all sides. He took his time before lifting his head to the others with just the hint of a smile playing at the corner of his lips, "I see how it works. With this we could travel to Jotunheim and return here. The Jotunn would not expect invaders from Midgard although they keep guard against those from Asgard."

"So what we're agreeing here is that we will go to Jotunheim using Loki's gadget there, retrieve whatever it was they took from Vé and . . . do what with it exactly? Are we going to be able to figure out what to do with it to tap into this power from that tree thing?" Tony asked flippantly.

"Loki's mother said in her letter that she and Heimdall were going to keep watch over Loki and come to his aid if needed. So if we can retrieve it, we can hope that they'll come get it and know how to use it or maybe take it back to Loki's uncle, who'll know what to do, I'm sure." Steve didn't comment on the shudder that passed through Loki as he'd said 'uncle', but he was becoming ever more convinced that Loki really wanted nothing more than to be accepted back into the heart of his adoptive family.

Tony seemed to consider that for a moment, tapping his fingers on the table as he ran through a number of possibilities. "One more thought." He waited until he was sure he had the full attention of the other two. "Do we know where in Jotunheim this artifact is going to be?"