A/N: Constructive criticism would be appreciated! ^.^/

Just please don't kill me, the hardships are necessary for the story. T-T

*Throws chapter and hides*

CHAPTER 2 - Fear

"Whoa! What the hell?! J.A.R.V.I.S what happened?!" His HUD had gone crazy, everything was rebooting and his AI didn't answer. Great. He should have taken a battle armor, not his speed one. "J.A.R.V.I.S.? You there buddy? I reeeally need you right now!" Nothing. His suit was running on manual. Just perfect.

He was offline, with no communications, next to a mass murderer full of magic and crazy. Just peachy. "Just another Sunday morning...". He got up and scanned for heat signatures, expecting Loki would have sneaked up on him, but to his surprise, he was still lying in the center of that crater, odd.

Carefully he approached the scene and with a little bit of hesitance, peeked into the hole and hid again. Sadly, way too fast to really see anything. "Ooook… One more time…" Once again he peeked in and saw that Loki had not moved an inch. The God was still lying on the ground, limbs facing awkward directions, probably broken, hair over his face, blood, and dirt everywhere. He couldn't really see if he was breathing for where he stood.

"Well, I'm royally screwed, either way, if he faking or not, if my communications are down so...". A bit reluctantly, he stood up and went down into the hole, as carefully and silent as he could, which, was not much considering he was in a giant metal suit. "Sir, systems are back online, shall I call the Avengers for backup?" "Gimme a sec J.A.R.V.I.S. Not yet"

Something was... off. He couldn't really say what it was but something just didn't seem normal, aside from all the Alien God, Magic, Voodoo, crater thing. "Run a full diagnostic"

"What may you be looking for. Sir?" What was he looking for? He should really be calling for back up by now, but something was strange and his curious side got the better of him.

"Damage, exterior and internal. Also, run a test to compare his current magic readings with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s and our own records." - "How would you have me to hack into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s databanks? Subtly or quickly?" Good question. Did he want to alert SHIELD of Loki's reappearance? Why wouldn't he? "Make it subtly, still wanna check a few things myself before the Angry Pirate gets his hook on him"

"Very well Sir." It amused him how much emotion his AI could imitate, he could have sworn he heard the programmed British voice bemused at its creator's joke.

"Sir, Mr. Loki seems to suffer severe internal bleeding, some of his organs are barely functioning, he has 3 broken ribs, one collapsed lung, his left arm is dislocated and broken in different sectors, including his wrist. His rectum is severely wounded and bleeding. Also, he has suffered head trauma, a concussion most likely and is on the verge of consciousness."

"Damn, he got beat up pretty good... But he can heal it all with some magic, right?" Loki could always fix things with his magic, right? "The test you issued comparing the magical readings S.H.I.E.L.D. and our own databanks gathered and his current readings suggest he will not be able to, Sir. His magical powers are significantly lower by 87%. If treatment is not administered with the utmost urgency, he will die"

"Shit... Well, I can't just let him die… Call my jet and the medic guys, give them my coordinates but don't tell them who the patient is yet and make them swear to that doctor's confidentiality shit. Oh and Bruce, get him in on the jet as well. Actually, call him. Tell the meds and jet that I need them here with their equipment ASAP." Ordered Tony. "Shall I contact Ms. Potts as well?" - "No, not yet, don't need her worrying about this mess." He had inconvenienced her far too much already. He would keep her out of this as long as he could. "Dr. Banner is on the line."

"Tony? What's going on? Why am I being rushed to a jet?" Answered his friend as a greeting. "You have that doctor/patient confidentiality bullshit thing, right?" The line was silent for a moment and Tony could feel the sweat going down his spine.

"I'm not really a doctor, Tony, I just have a doctorate, but yeah, I still do the doctor/patient confidentiality bullshit… Now tell me what you did and what I have to fix before you break even more." Ouch. "It's not me, this time, Bruce…"

"Oh no… it's always something bad when you use my name and not just some nickname…" Bruce knew him too well. "Well, you could say that… I need you to keep this a secret tho, from everyone, even the Avengers and especially from S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Tony…" Oh no. That motherly tone again. "No, you can't tell anyone. Promise me Brucie, this is important and serious and you know when I say it, it's probably double the important and serious cause I normally refuse use those words together unless it's in bed and a joke." Silence, again. Come on Bruce, I need you… "Alright, alright, I promise…"

"Great! Now get here as soon as possible, he's kinda dying" Bruce rushed with questions but Tony didn't want to deal with them right now and decided to end the call. "Wait, what do you mean dying?! Who's dyin-"

Silence filled once again the air around Tony but was soon disturbed by his own sigh. What was he doing? He didn't know. Why was he doing it? That, he also didn't know and did not want to think about.

He opened his faceplate and crouched down next to the limp body that was slowly breathing. "I hope you're grateful, pal, I should just let you die right there." A small cough and a whimpering sound escaped the bloody mouth. "you conscious there reindeer games?"

"Yes mortal, now shut your mou-" Another cough. "wow slow down princess, you don't wanna strain yourself any more than you already have." Slowly he places a hand on the shoulder that looks not-broken but immediately the body under him flinches away.

"Get away! Don't dare call me that and don't you touch me!" Tony lifts his hand in a show of innocence and backs away slowly. "I won't hurt you, calm down." There was something really wrong.

Those eyes, besides being a different color, which he could have sworn used to be blueish, they were full of fear. Fear he hadn't seen back in his penthouse. Fear he hadn't seen when they defeated the royal pain and sent him back to Asgard in chains. Something happened in fairy land that planted on a being that was so prideful, so powerful, so regal and honestly, beautiful, fear in its rawest form. He couldn't understand why but he hated whatever made those eyes change.

Loki had done horrible things, yes, had killed millions, but even after all that, whatever they had done to him in Asgard, just seemed like too much. It seemed wrong and deep inside of him a sort of protective feeling grew. He wanted to beat the crap out of whoever had done what they did to Loki.

"Look, I need you to stay still, you'll only hurt yourself more if you fight me." A small chuckle fell from the bloodied lips. "And pray tell, wh-why would you care Stark?" He could recognize and remember Tony? Loki was obviously struggling, trying to not look as bad as he did, but was failing miserably. "Hey, Genius, Billionaire, Playboy, Philanthropist, Hero. Those last two meaning I help people who need it."

"I d-do not want your help… Now allow me to rot at my own leisure..." More coughs full of blood. "You may not want it, but you sure as hell need it, honey."

Well, he had imagined this would come back to bite him but he hadn't expected it this soon and from the guy he was trying to help. Sigh. "J.A.R.V.I.S. gimme ETA on the jet." He needed Bruce, and alcohol, lots, and lots of alcohol. "17 minutes with 45 seconds, Sir." Great. Enough time for a quickie but far too long for waiting with nothing to do but talk to someone who shouldn't and doesn't want to talk.

A grunt caught his attention. Loki was trying to move again. "Hey, I told you not to move!" Quickly he grabbed his not-broken shoulder to try to stop him from moving. Big mistake. Loki started to scream and thrash violently, sending green magic whips that pricked Tony's armor softly. "Whoa! Stop! You're making everything worst!"

"Stop touching me! Get away! I don't want this! I ca-cant anymore! Stop! Plea-please…" and then it all stopped. He went limp, he would have seemed dead, except for the rough breathing and his open eyes. "What the fuck? Loki? Ahh, hey, you there, Buddy?"

No response. He was awake but his mind seemed to be somewhere completely different. His eyes, seeing something unseen, distant and dull. They had lost their splendor. Eyes that reminded Tony of a predator who hungrily looked at his prey and knew well just how powerful and frightening he was, now looked like the eyes of the prey they would normally hunt. They looked resigned. Like all hope had been lost.

Was he thinking that Tony would do the same they had done to him back in Viking land? The ragged breathing slowed down to a forced and utterly fake calm. It hurt, hurt to see someone he had once feared and respected, an alien, a God, turn into something so pitiful.

This was just pathetic. He couldn't stand it. "Look, I don't know what they did to you back in Ass-land, but here, you'll be under my protection. As Cheesy as it sounds, I won't hurt you and I won't let anyone else hurt you. You got that? So calm your shit down and let me help you." No response. "You still with me Rudolph?" He moved to get a better look but he just got a flinch in response.

Another sigh. "Fine, stay there, I'll stay here, don't talk, but my guys are coming to help so you better cooperate with them at least." This time, Loki moved his head slightly to look directly at Tony's eyes. He was searching for something, but Tony couldn't tell what it was he searched. After a few moment of staring at each other, he appeared to have found what he looked for and closed his eyes. Tony kept looking at his face and saw the tense muscles there slowly relax and his breathing calm down to a worrisome pace as he drifted into unconsciousness."Sir, ETA is 1 minute with 27 seconds." Finally, he could hear the roar of the approaching jet in the distance. He stood up and climbed out of the crater to receive the medics and his science bro.

"We have arrived at the given coordinates. Please wait till the transport lands safely to disembark." He was nervous, to say the least. Tony had sounded a mix of many things. He sounded a bit concerned, desperate and scared, but also a little mad and spiteful. What could have caused him to feel all this? What happened? Who was hurt? And why wouldn't he just tell him? He knew he would regret to know those answers and he should not have agreed to keep it a secret.

He knew he would regret to know those answers and he should not have agreed to keep it a secret. But this was Tony, the guy who had helped him so much after the Manhattan incident. His science partner. He could be excessively reckless from time to time but he hadn't failed him yet. There was always a reason behind what he did, even if it was a stupid ass reason.

Heh, he was certainly adapting some things from Tony. He was using more slang and insults that he usually would. He was also starting to appreciate his jokes, puns, and wit. He had to admit he's really taken a liking to the engineer, no matter how infuriating he can be. He certainly has charm. "Dr. Banner, ready to disembark?"

"Huh? Oh! Yeah, I'm coming, let me just get my bag." Quickly he got his bag and followed the doctors out of the jet. Just outside he could make out the shape of the Iron Man suit with its faceplate up, showing inside its proud creator. Wearing a smile, Tony waved at them.

To anyone else that didn't know Tony well, it would have seemed like he had not a care in the world and was enjoying himself, but to Bruce, it showed concern. Bruce had learned to see through Tony's façade. He could see some of the emotions his science partner tried to hide.

"Hey, Brucie! Soo remember our friendly neighborhood alien overlord? The horny Rudolph?" Ignoring Tony, Bruce passed him and looked inside the crater, next to the other medics who all had shocked expressions. He couldn't believe his eyes. It had been almost a year since Loki and Thor had left for Asgard. But somehow the younger god was here.

He looked horribly injured. The doctor in him told him to hurry and help but another part of him was trying to hold back the hulk. This man had killed millions, had destroyed so many lives, had caused so much damage. And now he was here and Tony wanted to help him? "Tony, what is this? What did you do? Why is he here?"

"Well, I didn't do anything for once and what happened? Honestly? I don't know." "This is bad Tony. Really bad."

A/N: Sorry T.T