-Return to Me, Brother-

*Part 3*

Thor took a deep breath and looked to the skies then and laughed. "Remember our 'battles' in the palace, brother?" he seemed to be gazing far into the past.

This seemed to irritate Loki, who just rolled his eyes. "You mean those battles where your brawn was proved to be better over my brains? No matter how skillfully I avoided most your attacks or our 'ambushes' from enemies."

Thor laughed. "Ah, your bitter memory hides those days of triumph for you. Do you not remember the many traps you'd set for me, whether it be with your wit or magic? I can remember more than a handful of times I ran head-on too many times and you showed me the error of my ways. No matter your motives." He laughed a bit more.

"My motives were to knock that big head of yours down a few stories." Loki glared at him, but found himself fighting a smirk. He resisted it. "But why should those moments matter? Strength and the ability to rule like father did was the more favored aspect of a King and rightful heir…from any of you."

"See it as you want, Loki. Within you, you MUST know or at least have the ABILITY to know father DOES love you and always will, just as mother will and just as I." Thor turned to face his brother completely. "I am sorry, Loki…my brother, I truly am…for my arrogance through our childhood and how that affected or hurt you. And for leaving you with no counsel, when you need it most after learning what you learned."

Loki glared at him. Must he be reminded of that day so?

"But I beg you… Believe me when I say this… You have done wrong, but so have we all. I am ready to forgive you….and be better for you than I was before, if you would only try for me. Try for me, brother. Please, you still have a chance to turn from your darkness." Thor told him.

Why did Loki believe him? For a split second, his brothers words nearly fooled Loki as much as they fooled himself. He turned away. How could turn from his darkness? It was his fate, was it not? "You think it's that easy?" Loki began walking away, wanting distance from his foolish brother. He could not take hearing more of that, he would not last long.

Thor clinched his fist, angry and saddened. Was he truly a fool for trying to do this…?

No. he was right in doing this. If his brother could only have what he was neglected before, he could be happy again. He would no longer need to cling to his darkness. Thor would have him back, finally.

Thor was not ready to give up. Not just yet.

The two Gods were at a distance. Loki kept avoiding the God of Thunder, shutting him out. But Thor did not leave him alone, not completely. He kept enough of a distance from his brother so that Loki wouldn't be suspicious. But he continued to follow him, watch over him.

And as he did so, his mind wandered. He worried upon his younger years. If he could go back, what changes could he make? To avoid all of this… Was there anything? Or would Loki's blood-line have always been a haunting world-shattering truth to him?

Thor thought of his parents. He knew that, despite the hope they struggled to keep within them, they were doubtful. And they believed Thor's attempts may end up being in vain. It was not that they wanted to believe that—they wanted their family to be returned to normal just as much as Thor, but they felt that their mistake had too much of a negative effect and things fell too securely in place, however horribly.

But Thor was thankful he'd convinced them to give Loki another chance. More thankful that his mother was nearly as hopeful and desperate to have Loki back. She hates what he's become, what all he's done. But she's always loved both her sons and she truly missed Loki.

Thor's mind also wandered to Earth. Briefly upon his allies, the Avengers. They had become distant, but nearly dear friends to him. He wondered if he would ever be called upon again. Without Loki back, though, he could no leave. He wouldn't. And he thought of her…Jane. He would miss her, as he has. But though his feelings had grown in her presence, and slightly in his absence from Earth….he felt the growing stop…even lessen. He cared for her and wished her happiness and a long, safe life. And he felt guilt thinking of how she may ever feel hurt by his absence.

But something within his mind told him he just didn't fit. Not there.

With eyes catching glimpses of his brother, pacing at the moment….within him, he knew he would finally feel like he fit…like he could happily belong somewhere once again. If he just had Loki back…

Loki stopped his pacing, sighing and sitting upon a small boulder. He was set on avoiding his brother for as long as he could, so far it had only been two days. But he wouldn't give in just yet. Why give in at all? All he'll do is spew his foolish views and emotions onto his brother. They are of no use.

But that weak side of him….he saw it as the child within, the one who'd lived through his first life, before his fall into his life of darkness. The child within, his former self longed for his brothers' attempts to work. Could they work in such a way for Loki to forget it all? Was it possible?

He sighed and glanced around. It was then; he caught the sight of the red cape blowing in the wind that flowed softly in that moment. "He's an idiot…" Loki said, glaring at his brother who stood in the distance.

Days were spent, the two Gods traveling the land. The travel went further, every time Thor tried to check in on Loki, who became irritated and was nearly running just to get away from him.

Thor was becoming amused, making jokes now as if they were playing a game of chasing. Which only pissed Loki off. When tired, Loki would send a clone walking ahead of him, hiding behind rocks and resting as Thor followed his clone.

And for someone who wanted to avoid Thor, Loki could not resist revealing it had just been a clone to Thor, rubbing in his face that he continues to fall for that.

Finally, Thor was done waiting this out. He cornered Loki as he tried to sneak out of his view or reach, climbing behind and on top of a collection of boulders, a bit of flat surface in the middle. "Enough, brother. This will continue on for as long as you like but something tells me you're already growing tired of all of this."

"Tired?" Loki turned to his brother, leaning against the rock wall of the boulder. "I've grown used to being tired, Thor. Being ignored half your life…being used…becoming such a monster to so many they you're shunned by all…finally defeated and thrown into a prison to rot before 'someone' felt the righteous need to try and change you?"

Thor continued to watch him. "How long can you speak these words before they have no point anymore, brother?" he raised a brow and Loki glared. "You have been wronged, that is truth. But you must admit to your wrongs as well. Your darkness will never leave if you continue blaming and hating everyone for what life you've lived."

"Oh, but I've been admitting to being the monster and disappointment you all see me as, not just blaming any of you for it." Loki pointed out, arms crossed.

"You say it in a such a way, brother, that it is an accusation. An accusation at us for seeing you that way, whether we do or not. You do not fully admit your wrongs." Thor told him.

"Why should I, Thor? Why are you trying to force me back, huh? What if I do not want to return?! What if I shouldn't, huh?!" Loki yelled in his face.

"It is your home, Loki." Thor began, but Loki cut him off.

"No! I nearly destroyed my true home! Why do you continue fighting to bring back the Frost-Giant off-spring monster who was ready to throw away so many lives, just for the justice he felt he needed?! You know deep within, that is how you see me!" Loki turned, but Thor gripped his arm to keep him from going anywhere.

"It is not your blood-line that damned you, but your actions after realizing the fact. Except that brother and you can make a change. You cannot continue hanging on to that part of who you are. And you can't keep assuming that those that truly know you think of you as some beast. That is not how I see you. I see you as lost, brother."
That stung Loki. "I'm not lost; I know exactly where I am and who I am!"

"No, brother, you don't! You've forgotten who you were, and adopted this idea of monstrosity as all you are and can be! And that's not all!" Thor told him, tired of his brothers' mentality.

"Then what else is there, huh?!" Loki yelled in his face, wanting an answer. So much time spent in that cell mostly alone, as well as his time of despair knowing what he was and what he would never have…that had made him so bitter, hopeless and angry.

"You are a God. You are a son of a God, and the brother of another. You are prankster, a fighter, an intellectual warrior. You are a lost child of both worlds, infected by your hidden darkness and the darkness of those who took advantage of you. You are alone, but you do not have to be brother." Thor finished, a hand that had been on his brothers shoulder now on the back of his neck.

Loki looked away, trying to ignore every word Thor spoke, but they penetrated his walls and would not leave his mind. "How do you know I was not merely acting? All those years, I could have known who I truly was. I was just waiting for the right time to strike." It seemed to be his defense mechanism, speaking as though there could be no hope or bright side.

"Do you not remember our lives together before brother or is your memory so thwarted by your preconceived notions of why that time wasn't all it should have been for you?! We played brother! We fought side by side! We loved and watched over one another! You once told me to never doubt you loved me. I never have and I never will. But maybe it is you who should not doubt how I love you...how we all love you." Thor spoke to him, wishing his brother could just see…just see that there was hope.

Loki looked up at him. "My memory is poisoned brother, there's nothing that can be done about it…"

"Yes there is. You are poisoned to believe your life was a lie and that you have no better purpose. You need to learn that those thoughts are wrong, and that there is a purpose for you. Somewhere in this world, you belong. You just need to make the first steps to find where that is." Thor's grip on his neck loosened.

"What steps, hm? Since the mighty Thor seems to have all the answer, why doesn't he enlighten me?" Loki watched his brother bitterly.

"I do not know all the true answers, brother, I just know of the ones that seem right to me." Thor corrected him. "You must ask forgiveness, brother. Make your first steps to being forgiven."

Loki laughed. "Redemption, huh? And how will that work out with those Avenger friends of yours? With all the humans? And damn, all the Asgardians, too!"

Thor simply said, "Prove them wrong."