Hello again! Thankyou so much for reading this story- i can't believe how many follows it's got! I just wanted to mention, if anyone wants to Beta, i beg you to let me know- i'm in desperate need of one. And if anyone wants to comment on and ida they'd like included in the plot, feel free to say that as well. Also, the updates are going to slow down dramatically- i start back at school soon :( Anyway, reviews are always welcome, they make my day :) On with the show!

The water should have felt cold- it was the middle of winter. Yet Loki could only feel fire, burning and tearing his insides, melting his bones to lead. Curling up in agony he could barely think, yet alone remember why he had foolishly tried to use magic in the first place. The amulet felt like a sun around his neck, scorching and emitting a brilliant green light. The light caught the darker greens of the Hulks form and Loki reached out instinctively, almost as if he was unaware of what he was doing. The burning desire to save Dr Banner, to finally be at peace, stopped him from surrendering to the pain. Fingers clutching at the Hulks body he closed his eyes and pulled them both back to Stark's tower.

He would have thought it impossible, the way the heat intensified until he was sure he was nothing but ashes, yet it continued. Loki blacked out momentarily from the pain. When he came to it had vanished suddenly, as if a switch had been thrown. The fire just vanished, even though it still felt like his skin and bones were just dust particles by now. Reeling from the aftershock, he looked down at the prone form lying beside him. He was fortunate the Hulk had fallen unconscious; he didn't fancy being flung into the floor again.

The Hulk showed no signs of movement, and for a moment panic swarmed Loki's mind. What if he had been too late? He couldn't live with this feeling of not knowing for ever, of being a monster, his destiny doomed to be set in stone-The Hulk coughed, and a splurge of water gushed from his mouth. Loki sat back in relief. He was alive then.

Growing more confident that the Hulk wasn't about to wake up and thrash the living daylights out of him, Loki took a moment to stare at the beast. Even asleep, it looked dangerous, powerful, the hands twitching as if to destroy and kill. Yet Loki had just witnessed him working in a team, saving peoples' lives, doing good. A monster doing good. A monster that a few years previously had torn a city apart, ending countless lives. Loki still remembered watching the footage when he'd hacked into S.H.I.E.L.D.

How had he changed? Was it that he had become chained by Dr Banner, until he was just a conveniently strong body to be used at will whilst his mind remained locked away, full of the hate and anger?

Or was it something else? If so, what? What could be so powerful as to deny the laws of the universe itself? Everyone knew what happened to monsters- they were the villains, their only use to prove a hero's strength and bravery. The price slays the monster. The prince and princess get married. They live happily ever after. The End. It was just the way all stories went. There was never a happy ending for the monster. It just didn't work. So how had Dr Banner managed it?

He was interrupted from his reverie by the Hulk's body shifting suddenly. It looked almost like an illusion, the way his body shrunk, the way his skin grew lighter and lighter, and the muscles less pronounced. In no time at all, Dr Banner lay before him, all traces of the Hulk gone. Loki wished he could throw off his chains so easily.

Groaning slightly, Bruce opened his eyes, wincing at the light. He froze when he came face to face with Loki's startlingly green eyes, gazing intensely at him. "Dr Banner" he murmured in greeting. He made no reply, eying him warily. Slowly sitting up, his eyes fell on the TV, which was still showing the news broadcast. Currently, the shocked, distraught face of Tony Stark filled the screen, gazing out of the sea as if hoping the Hulk would suddenly emerge.

Bruce looked questioningly at Loki "What happened?" Scowling slightly, Loki replied "Amora escaped, attempting to drown you as she did so. I saved you. You're team probably thinks you're still underwater." Bruce froze, shocked. Loki had saved him? "Why? How?" He asked.

Loki sighed irritably "The how isn't important. You're alive-be grateful. As for the why..." He trailed off, looking troubled, and Bruce noticed the stress and tension plaguing his body, visible in the tautness of his shoulders "I have a question, which I want...need to be answered. As far as I know, you're the only one who can answer it" He broke off, before staring deep into Bruce's eyes.

It took Bruce's breath away as he saw the sheer emotion in Loki's there- fear, uncertainty, anger and pain. But what intrigued Bruce was how lost he looked. It was if he barely knew who he was anymore. The proud, haughty God they had fought desperately against in New York looked terrifyingly unsure of himself. It made Bruce wonder what else he felt, hidden so expertly that no one bothered looking for it.

He focused again as Loki sighed in frustration, pulling at his hair. It was almost as if he didn't know what to ask, or was afraid of the answer. Taking a shuddering breath, Loki closed his eyes and hesitantly whispered

"What is a monster?"

Sorry for leaving it on a cliff hanger...please don't hate me. It's only because i haven't written the next part yet and i'm still thinking of Bruce's reply. Sorry again... (Hides in a rabbit hole)