First off, may I say just how HONORED I am to see all those Alerts and Favs when I pull up my email. It does my little heart good to know that I haven't lost my touch just yet. I hope to not let any of you down! Happy reading!

-Chivalrous Gypsy

Chapter One
Three Weeks Earlier

Asgard

Loki sat with his back pressed against the cold, stone wall. Well, today was the big day. His trial. His execution. He knew it was coming and the amazing thing was, he didn't even care. He had stopped caring about things a month ago, when his "father" had had him placed down in the prisoners' hold in the darkness, where he had said he belonged. Loki had agreed with him. He didn't want to see anyone of those traitors faces unless he had to, especially that of Thor's. Thor was the one he wanted to see least of all.

Thor had attempted to speak to him from behind the chained door, but he had never made a sound. He hadn't made a noise in over a month now; he had nothing to say to anyone. All his thoughts were plastered to what had happened on Earth, how close he had came to finally having something that he could be the king of and never be betrayed. Fear was the one thing that he could have used to his advantage, but those damned "Avengers", as that Stark man had put it, wouldn't hear of it and caused his downfall.

He snarled at the very thought of them. That solider, the archer, that green beast whom had cracked three of his ribs, and that woman. Oh how he despised her. She'd foiled his plan with the beast, or almost. The sounds of being used to make holes in the floor still echoed in his head. He more than once touched his forehead where a smooth, pink scar was.

Hearing the sounds of footsteps echoing down the hall, he jumped to his feet and placed his hands behind his back, ready to have the shackles put on him. The door opened slowly and two guards were standing there, but there were no shackles in either one of their hands. He raised an eyebrow at this.

"The Allfather wishes to have a word with you." One said as they both stepped in. They seized Loki's arms and led him through the hall. His eyes stung as they adjusted to the light. Luckily, they had taken a secret passageway that spilled right into Odin's chambers and when the door was opened, to Loki's chagrin, there standing next to Odin, was Thor.

Oh boy, what fun is this going to be. He thought.

"Release him and go about your business. This is going to be strictly between us three." Odin said. The guards dropped Loki's arms and bowed before walking out the main entrance to the chambers.

"So. Does this mean you're going to kill me or is it my dead, sweet brother who's going to do it?" Loki stated, his voice dripping with hatred.

"You are not going to die today. Nor any day if I have anything to say about it." Odin said as he stepped closer to his son. Loki's mind was racing, trying to figure out what exactly was going on, but his face said nothing.

"I expect that this is going to be a plea to get me to change my ways? To apologize for the chaos I caused to the mortals?" he asked sarcastically.

"No, Loki, this isn't going to be a plea in any way. It's a command." he replied.

"And just how am I going to do that? I don't believe the humans would be too enthused to me appearing before them with a statement of apology." he stated.

"Seeing as you felt no compassion for any of the humans, I believe it fair that you should have experience something that you know very little of, or so it would seem you know little of. Your brother tells me different."

"Really now? What does he say?"

"He tells me that you are indeed capable of something called love. You do know what that is, do you not?" Odin asked. "We all feel it for you. If I still didn't love you as my son, you wouldn't be here would you?" Loki had to hand it to him, he was correct.

"What am I going to have to do then? This is making no sense whatsoever." Loki asked.

"Love is one of the hardest things to find, it cannot be forced upon a person, it has to be earned. I find it fair that you be sent back to Earth, where you will have to find someone who will love you and you love in return. Someone worth dying for. When you have found this, you shall return home, but then and only then, will that be able to happen." Loki's eyes widened in fear. Not given the chance to utter a word of protest, Odin had seized his shoulders and the last thing Loki remembered was hitting concrete with a loud, and painful, thud.

New York City

"It's…it's…BEAUTIFUL!" Tony Stark's voice went up an octave as he surveyed the newly finished barroom in the Stark tower.

"A little dramatic are we?" Pepper Potts asked as she padded barefoot toward the bar, where Tony was all ready pouring himself a glass of whiskey. "I thought you were going to give up alcohol?"

"Well, I think I deserve this after, y'know, saving the world." he replied as he swallowed most of the drink in one gulp.

Pepper groaned and rolled her eyes. "You're not the only one who saved it."

"I am the one who put the nuke in space. I think that earns a little bit more than most." he replied.

"I will give you that, but you all did it together, therefore, you only get what percentage you are due." she smirked.

"Hey! You got thirty percent this time! I mean, after all, it was you who came up with the design for the floors." Tony remarked.

"I'm still a little confused as to why you made one for….for…err," she wracked in her brain for the answer, but could find none.

"Thor?" he said and she snapped her fingers and nodded. "Well, Point Break will be back someday, I'm sure, hopefully it'll just be for a visit." He touched his forehead lightly. He still every once in a while had a headache from the massive impact of Thor's head butt four months prior.

"My thoughts exactly. So tell me, what's next on the agenda, Mr. Stark?" she asked with a seductive smile.

Before Tony could say anything else, they heard a loud bang from above them that caused them both to jump.

"What the hell was that?" Tony asked. Pepper shook her head.

"I don't know…I think you should go check it out." she replied.

"Gee, hadn't thought about that one." He grabbed the remote from the bar and pointed it at the floor. While walking out the balcony, the suit literally built itself around him. One thing he had wanted to make sure the tower could still do, was put the suit on for him.

In full gear, he flew the short distance up to the top of the roof. He walked with no caution towards what had fallen on the roof and he was in shock of what he saw. He had thought it was something but instead it was someone and whoever it was lying face down with their head turned away from his view.

Without hesitation, he nudged the person with his foot and then held his hand up, the blaster ready. Groaning and then rolling over, Tony saw exactly who it was and it took everything in his power to not blast him right off the roof.

"If it isn't my good friend, Reindeer Games!" he said. He grabbed Loki by the front of his shirt and hoisted him to his feet.

"You." Loki coughed a few times.

"Yes, it is me. What do you think you're doing here? HOW did you get here is the better question. And you've got thirty seconds to answer or off this building you'll go." Tony's mind was now on Agent Coulson. Even though he and Coulson had never seen eye to eye, he was a hero to Tony and this thing had taken him away.

"I am of no harm to you." He took in several deep breaths. It was killing him to breathe.

"Still got about twenty more to go. Got anything else?"

"I am serious, Stark. Put me down this instant so that I might explain." Loki was snarling now.

"Not with that attitude." Tony replied.

"Please put me down." he asked.

"Better. Fifteen."

"How do you expect me to explain if you throw me over the edge of this building?" Loki shouted and then coughed again.

"Good point. Fine, I'll put you down but just remember, if you even think about harming me…and seeing by your stature anyway, I don't think you could." he said, giving him the once over. Loki was a skinny somebody. This guy needed a burger or something. "Start explaining, Rock of Ages." Tony folded his arms over his chest, a still difficult task due to the suit.

"I have been stripped of the only thing I have to harm you, my magic. I cannot even explain how that is. I am now one of you." The last word made him want to throw up. Nothing more than a common human. "Everything was taken from me. Even my usual attire. See?" Tony gave him another once over, noticing this time that he was dressed in a long sleeve gray shirt, pants that matched, and something that looked like boots.

"It was taken from you? Like in Harry Potter? They snap your wand in half, you can't study at Hogwarts anymore, and back home you go?" Loki gave him a strange look.

"Who?"

"Never mind. I will choose to believe for you. You get ten percent belief. Let's go." He seized Loki's arm and dragged him back to the balcony where Pepper was waiting.

"Pepper, I'd like you to meet a very dear friend of mine," he dropped Loki on his feet before landing himself. The Iron Man suit literally took itself off and stored away somewhere below the small group. "This is Marilyn Manson. He requests no autographs at this time." Tony had his hand clenched tightly behind Loki's neck. Pepper was looking at him in shock.

"Tony..this…this…" she was trying to find words to say, but none were found.

Loki's head was bowed low, he was still too tired to do anything more than stand. He'd never admit it, but he was thankful Tony was holding him up.

"I know! Something else ain't it?" He smiled a cheesy grin.

"This is…him. What's the matter with him?" She approached him cautiously, like a kitten to an open hand.

"Oh he's fine! Look at him! Come on Marilyn, let Miss Potts see your pretty face."

"Tony, stop." Pepper frowned. He just shrugged. She placed her finger under Loki's chin and raised his face to see hers. Her eyes were wide momentarily but immediately went back to their normal size.

"Loki. That's your name, isn't it?" he nodded slowly. He was amazed by her. Normally, if someone had seen him now, they'd one, attack him, or two, run off screaming in the opposite direction, but not her. He saw something different in her blue eyes.

"Tony, I think he's sick." She said looking at Tony now, her finger still on his chin. He moved his head back a little so that she would get the message he didn't want to be touched. She caught it and decided not to risk it. She let her arm fall down to her side.

"You're tellin' me. What do you think we should do with him? I could always use a moving target, I think Cap could too." She was shaking her head angrily.

"Call Director Fury, he'll know what to do. I can hold my own against him." she said.

"You're sure. He may claim to be harmless, but he doesn't look it to me." he replied.

"Just go. I'll be fine. Come on." She wrapped her arm around Loki's waist and she draped his arm around her neck. Normally, he would have taken this opportune moment to attack, but the voice in his head was telling him to be calm for the time being. He hated to admit it, but he needed help.

While Tony watched Pepper help Loki inside, he took out his newly assembled cell phone that had only been completely hours before and called Nick Fury, director of SHIELD.

"Is this business or personal, Stark?" Fury's gruff voice asked.

"Not even a hello? How rude." Tony replied.

"I don't have time for your sarcasm, what's wrong?"

"It's Loki. He's back. He is sitting in my bar right now and he's throwing a story that he is of no threat," he eyed Pepper and Loki, who was now sitting down on the couch with her at his side, her back turned to Tony.

"Isn't that what he said the last time he was here?" Fury asked.

"Well I don't know that exactly. You met L'Oreal before me."

"I'll send someone to come get him. Just keep him there and be careful, Stark." he said.

"Can this someone be Barton? I'd love to see his reaction when he sees him."

"I'll see what I can do but I think there is one more person who might hate him more than Barton."

While Tony was talking, Pepper was examining Loki. She sat on her knees and looked at the top of his head, looking for any bumps or fresh cuts but couldn't find any.

"You're all in the clear." she said with a bright smile.

"Why are you being so kind to me?" he asked as he turned his head to look at her. She looked at him with surprise.

"You can speak!" she said with a small laugh, he just kept looking at her with a serious expression. "Because, no one deserves to suffer. Not even you." she replied.

"Ah. Well, if I were you, I would rethink that little theory. I can think of a few who deserve it right about now." he clenched his fist, turned his gaze back to the floor, and snarled.

"I have thought there were some people who deserve to suffer, but in the long run, there's good in everyone. Even someone like you. I heard about what you did to Phil." His gaze shot back to her quickly. "You have no idea how much I hated you. I kept repeating to myself that you deserved what you got. But, I thought about it for a long time and then I changed my mind. Yes, I'm still angry, but, you've paid greatly as well." she finished.

"Facial features mean very little against murder." he replied.

"That's not what I'm talking about. I know a little bit more about you than you think." she stood up just as Tony walked inside.

"Did he behave?" he asked.

"He did. What did Nick say?"

"Are you on a first name basis with everyone?"

"Unlike you, I enjoy making friends."

"I have friends, but they just hate me because I'm beautiful." he said as he ran his fingers through his hair mockingly. She laughed. Loki felt like vomiting. Humans and their little love games made him nauseous. Then he remembered that he'd have to find that in another before his magic could be returned to him. Oh what fun this was going to be.

Ok, so, just in case everyone hates me for making Pepper overly nice and such, I did my research and she had a good heart. I also asked a family friend who's been reading the comic books, literally, all his life. He said that she was very kind but she could hold her own against the villains, so don't worry, that's coming. Reviews are always appreciated!

P.S.: I love Tony and Pepper. Just sayin'.