A treat, my friends! Enjoy!

BP

Chapter 2: An Alliance Can Be Made

Kagome had said they'd meet again, but after Vanko, Tony doubted it and was then was called in one year and three and a half months after they met. Pepper and he had acknowledged that they had potential, but they both knew that she didn't understand him as well as she used to and there would be so much stress involved with not only dating a world-renowned playboy and billionaire, but also Iron Man as well - the stress would tear them apart. He never told her about his infatuation and fascination with Kagome, whom they both met in the same night, and she never said what she did up on the roof, though she didn't know that he was there. They were now closer friends than ever and they were celebrating the lighting up of Stark Tower, when Coulson interrupted.

The man still angered him, his blank expression and unruffled demeanour. Hated all he represented over a year ago, and probably still did represent. Tony still remember the blank fear and emptiness in Kagome's eyes. He'd searched everywhere for a hint of Kagome - the only place he hadn't checked yet was the SHIELD helicarrier for anything, and that was because he had to have manual access for it.

He looked over the information and realised that the threat was real. He turned to where Pepper and Coulson stood talking, minimising the projection.

"Hey, Coulson, do you mind giving Pepper a lift to the airport? She has to be in DC for tomorrow for a meeting." He said, feeling his monster purr in anticipation. Pepper looked at him shocked.

"How did you remember that? Why couldn't you remember your own meetings?" He winked at her, despite how serious he felt himself becoming.

"Maybe I just had better things to be doing." Pepper groaned. He smiled tightly. "I'll see you soon, Pep. I've just got this bit of consulting work to do, and then I'll be back in my workshop." He assured with a confidence he didn't feel. Pepper nodded and he felt momentary guilt from the lie. He locked gazes with Agent and the other man nodded, knowing to keep her safe. He dismissed them both with a wave and him turning back to the folder, his features darkening as he did so. Pepper called out a goodbye, but he didn't reply, enlarging the projection again and focussing on the Tesseract - that cube of pure energy his dad had found while trying to find Steve Rodgers. He snorted. Typical that he was found over fifteen years after 'dear old dad's' death.

He spent that night reading Selvig's research into the Tesseract. It was mildly interesting, but he was more interested in Dr. Banner. His research in Gamma radiation and anti-electron collisions was simply brilliant. His ability to turn into a giant green rage monster earned some brownie points too. Just when he was starting to get into it, he got a call to go to Stuttgart in Germany as Loki was there. He called Jarvis to prep the suit and went to change out of his workshop clothes and into something more suited to be in public around.

When he got there, he noticed the famous Captain America fighting 'Loki of Asgard' and loosing miserably. With a sigh he overrode the PA system of the quinjet with awesome music and landed heavily - more heavily than necessary, he knew - on the pavement, cracking it slightly. He immediately attacked, and was surprised when Loki, for how hard he was apparently fighting earlier, just gave up. Behind the faceplate of his suit, Tony narrowed his eyes, knowing that the trickster God was up to something that he knew he wouldn't like. He shrugged though, when no one else seemed to realise it. Apart from Steve, maybe. He didn't seem to realise that Loki had a plan, as such, just that it was too easy, as he mentioned when they were all on board.

Tony took his helmet off and looked at this so-called God, and took pains to try to catch his eyes. He wanted to know what kind of man he was. Loki did a cursory look around the area, noticing the eyes on him. Tony let his monster roam free on his face for a few moments, watching as Loki recognised that and Tony was left stunned at the scope of Loki's monster, which was on par from what he'd seen in Kagome, as he let his roam free as well. Tony smirked and nodded in acknowledgement, getting one in return. Just monsters acknowledging each other, and maybe a bit of respect.

Then thunder and lightning had crackled overhead, and Loki's monster reared up, both in defence and alarm. Tony hid his own away just in time for Steve to look at him as he asked Loki if he was scared.

"I'm not overly fond of what follows."

Twenty minutes later, and Tony halfway sympathises with Loki, and he understands completely what he meant. That much optimism… no. He doesn't understand why Loki hung around with this guy for so long. He'd heard their entire conversation via a bug he'd placed on Loki when they'd captured him, ready for when they locked him away - Tony wanted to know what was said to the God, how it was said, and when it was said. He especially enjoyed the comment Loki made after Tony had tackled Thor.

"You listen well, brother…"

"I'm listening."

The only thing that still put him on edge was the fact that Loki hadn't taken the chance to escape. His eyes narrowed, but resigned himself to not knowing and no one else being suspicious. He dropped of the suit in the room it was apparently supposed to go in and made his way to the bridge. He grinned and rubbed his hands together on the way, probably freaking out a lot of agents, but that was a bonus anyway. He couldn't wait to find out what kind of secrets SHIELD was trying to hide from him… and the rest of America. Maybe he'd find out about Kagome as well.

Jarvis alerted him that Loki is being spoken to, so he stopped in the corridor and listens. Fury spoke first.

"In case it's unclear, you try to escape, you so much as scratch that glass? Thirty thousand feet, straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works? Ant. Boot." And he heard Loki's smirk as he replied.

"It's an impressive cage." He paused, building the tension. "Not built, I think, for me."

"Built for someone a lot stronger than you." And Tony felt anger again, because he knows exactly who Fury means. So does Loki, apparently.

"Oh, I've heard. The mindless beast, makes play to be a man." Tony noted the careful omission of the word monster, and knew it was because monsters are always hidden away, not in plain sight, always to be used at a later date in a controlled fashion. Then Loki's voice turned scathing. "How desperate are you? You call on such lost creatures to defend you."

"How desperate am I? You threaten my world with war, you steal a force you can't hope to control. You talk about peace and you kill because it's fun. You have made me very desperate." He paused. "You may not be glad that you did." Tony frowned, thinking to himself that Fury's got this all wrong, he's making assumptions that are totally contradictory. For one, Loki's only killed about eighty people in the last two days - as far as Tony's concerned, that's restraint, as he killed about ninety-four in half an hour when he escaped from those terrorists. Nor has Loki actually threatened anybody with war, only that he was going to rule Earth. Also, Tony's pretty sure from Loki's conversation with Thor that he can, in fact, control the Tesseract.

To be honest, it sounds like most of this stuff is being made up on the spot, made to seem worse than it is, because - please, God, correct him if he's wrong - Fury can't hope to control the Tesseract, and technically, from what he understands from the Norse Mythology, that cube of energy actually belongs to Odin All-Father. Though he suspected that the Mythology isn't completely accurate, considering that in that, Loki is Odin's blood-brother, not his - apparently - adopted son, judging by what Thor has said about 'putting and end to his brother's schemes' and that the two look nothing alike. He was willing to bet that Loki's still a frost giant.

He grinned when Loki spoke again with the relish of someone that cherished getting under someone else's skin. "Ooh. It burns you to have come so close. To have the Tesseract, to have power - to have unlimited power. And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share." He mocked, with obvious derision, and then his voice darkened with what Tony thought was experience and recently made memories. "And then to be reminded about what real power is." Fury remains unruffled by what Loki has said, it seems, when he next speaks, obviously choosing to ignore what Loki said.

"Well, let me know if 'real power' wants a magazine or something." There's the sound of Fury walking out. For some reason, Tony can feel Loki's amusement clearly through the silence, though he might just be projecting. He knew that, from the tone of Loki's voice, that he wasn't talking about himself when it comes to real power, and a question forms in Tony's mind that he now desperately wants answered. He wondered if can organise a meeting with Loki with Jarvis. First though, he'll have to get the AI connected up to the mainframe.

He meets up with Coulson in the corridor and chatted about his Captain America cards, and then about his cellist in Portland. As they enter the bridge, he finished up with, "Look, just take a weekend. I'll fly you to Portland." And receives a dismissive look in return as the agent goes to stand at the back of the room. The rest of the rag-tag group that he assumed will be called the Avengers were wondering why the iridium need to be stolen. He told them it's a stabilising agent so the portal won't collapse like at the PEGASUS research facility, mocked the agents and Fury while discreetly giving Jarvis direct access into the mainframe and finally meets Dr. Banner in person and told him what he likes so much about the recessive doctor. Then he joined the doctor in the helicarrier lab - which isn't too bad when it comes to tech, but he still stands that his workshop is better.

He and Banner bond really well, sparks flew between him and Steve - and not in the good way - and he gives comforting a go with Bruce about the Hulk before taking a bathroom break. On his way there, he took a detour and arranged Jarvis to set the cameras in Loki's cell on a two minute loop that actually connects so it doesn't look off.

Then he walked in and greets with, "Hey, don't move - I've set the cameras on a loop and it is so awkward to explain a jump in a security camera that was working fine just moments ago." A bemused smile lifts Loki's lips.

"Stark, was it?" Tony waved it away.

"Just call me Tony." He stopped in front of the door. "I have three questions, if you'd be so gracious as to answer." Loki looked stunned for a moment at the directness of the statement.

"I can't promise anything, but I suppose so." He smiled, amused. Tony smiled in return.

"Awesome. I can understand that this is a sensitive subject for you, but I'd appreciate an answer all the same." Loki's face shifted into a frown, cautious now about what he's going to be asked. "I know you're pulling Barton and Selvig's strings, but, Loki… who's pulling yours?" The God's eyes flicker to blue for a moment before the monster in him rises and he snarls.

"You dare imply that I am being controlled?" He hissed in outrage. Tony shrugged, now having all of the data he needed for that question.

"It doesn't matter if you don't answer. Just thought I'd ask." Loki stopped immediately, looking shocked.

"Does anyone know you're doing this?" He asked, the amusement coming back and Tony smirks wickedly.

"Nope. This is just between you and me. No one else needs to know." Loki nodded with a slightly flirtatious air.

"I feel flattered." He said dryly. "Next question." Tony nodded.

"Why didn't you put up more of a fight, even try to escape when we were in Stuttgart and the forest?" Loki opened his mouth with a smirk, but Tony carried on talking as he began to pace, his body needing movement as his mind raced. "I mean, I know it's part of your great 'master plan', but honestly, for how show-off-y you've been lately, your performance has been, quite frankly, shit. One would think that you wanted someone to notice." Loki opened his mouth again to answer the apparent question.

"Tony." Tony waved his hand at him, still pacing, in a dismissive gesture.

"Shut up and stand there. All I need is for you to be quiet while I use my brilliant brain to figure this out and stop your overly optimistic brother from taking you back to Asgard, when you clearly don't want to go." He paused in his pacing for a moment, clearly having lost track.

"But -" Tony glared at him and Loki sighed, resigning himself to being silent. He began to pace again.

"Thank you. Now… ah, yes. Someone noticing." The inventor sighed in despair. "Honestly, this group has no one as intelligent as me in it - or even someone with brains. Why has no one noticed yet that you have a plan that involves getting captured? And if your planning on getting captured… then a rescue is coming as well." He stops suddenly, excitement written all over his face. "Oh, of course." He trailed off. Then a look that Loki could only describe as lust rose in his eyes. He groaned in pleasure. "God, I think I love the way you mind works." He licked his lips, and looked the God up and down in a clear leer. "So… twisted and complicated. And so smart." Loki flushed lightly. He had no idea what was going on, but something about the billionaire's tone caught his attention, and he suddenly noticed that he was rather attractive, even by Aesir standards. Tony smirked. "Say, when we fix this lot up… what do you say if we meet in a slightly different way, like… in my Tower, with a few drinks." Loki's eyebrows rose.

"I think I could bear to pop in for a while." He smirked in return. "Your third question?" Tony lifted a hand and ran it through his hair.

"This one actually has no bearing on our world issue, now." Curiosity peaked, Loki leaned forward slightly. "I was wondering if you were inclined to aid me in a little search. She is… incredibly interesting and she has a monster that is so…" He broke off with a strangled sound. He shook his head to regain his thoughts a little. "She's being held by SHIELD somewhere - on this helicarrier, I believe - and I've got a thing against torture and experiments done on people without consent -" Tony didn't miss how Loki's eyes narrowed and he flinched and was glad that he wasn't the only one that hated it. "- so you can understand that I want to find her, shelter her and her enormously beautiful monster. I also have started to a bit of a vendetta against SHIELD for doing it." He gave Loki a meaningful look. "And one Agent Phil Coulson in particular for allowing it to happen, despite the obvious hope she had that he would help her to be free." Loki smirked darkly, his monster curling behind his eyes in anticipation.

"My pleasure." He said, green eyes flashing. Tony cleared his throat against the sudden thrill of arousal that shot through his body at that look. Damn his attraction to danger.

"But yes, my question is if you would be willing to also experiment a little." He frowned. "If they haven't ruined her completely. If so," His features darkened. "I'll destroy them all. Slowly, and with as much ruthlessness as I can manage." His eyes glinted. "I won't use the suit either." He muttered and Loki grinned.

"I believe we have an accord, Tony Stark. I will help you find this woman and perhaps stick around for a while. Do you know this woman's name?" Tony smiled gently, his eyes softening, to the shock of Loki, who hadn't expected him to be so… besotted with this woman.

"I do. Kagome." It was the first time he'd said her name out loud since he'd learned it and he found he enjoyed the way it curled around his tongue. "She said she doesn't have a last name - she is her own." One of Loki's eyebrows rose. Curious.

"Thank you, I will do my best to be quick." Tony nodded and then began to walk away.

"Well than, Loki, it was nice doing business with you and I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay." He reached the door, opened it, turned back, and gave a bow, prompting a laugh, before shutting it completely. He made his way to the bathroom as he planned and then made his way back to the lab he was sharing with Bruce.

Then everything was manic and chaotic and violent. It all went to hell and he loved it.

Awesome. Done with this chapter now. I'm sooo happy by the way, with how popular this has become in such a short time and I just want to say thanks for your support! Again, let me know what you think - loved the comments for the earlier chapter!

BP