As Loki finally left a few minutes after Houdini had ran off, he contemplated his situation, didn't like it much, so promptly made up another.

This little goose chase could possibly take away the protestations of his stomach, but he highly doubted it. He did have half a mind to just ignore the problem, go down and neck a few kegs of wine and a few chickens, but he couldn't. Somewhere in this palace was a man, half deranged, running and possibly hiding 'for his life' with no real reason. He probably just wants to get home to that 'other place'. To be honest, Loki knew where he had come from. Not exactly, but he had a pretty good idea. This Stark clearly had some quarrel with him, and as he hadn't met the man before it wasn't a case of his own past misdeeds, of which Loki had plenty. It must mean there is another him. Perhaps in another time, another dimension maybe. Somewhere where he was even more of the villain than now and that is where Tony had come from. He liked the sound of this place.

As it turns out one of the maids had been sent to get him, just in case he had not heard the calling bells. As if he could miss them. He politely dismissed him as they met a little down the hallway, giving him only the order of telling the others the reason of his unfortunate absence.

"Now, if you would excuse me, I have a human to catch before Odin skins me." Fists tightening by his sides, he continued his paced walk around the corridors. Luckily he was alone and could be sure that Stark wasn't getting into any major trouble. This was thanks to an Asgardian's love for food and utter distaste at the very idea of missing it. Oh, he was missing it. He looked with his mind to where Odin might be and saw him not at dinner but in his own room. Too utterly something to eat. Guilt didn't suit the man, anger didn't suit the expression on his face and if tiredness was the problem, that was nothing new and would not distract him from his dear love of meads and meats. He took a sharp left followed by an equally sharp right. Feeling the Midgards presence painfully close, he sent out a projection of himself, in an attempt to herd Stark towards him. It worked wonderfully. Tony appeared in front of him, bemused and tired, gripping his leg as if it were hurting him. Loki stood straight, slamming his foot to the floor in a halt.

"I do not like the consequences of you being found running around the castle halls unsupervised." He laughed. "You need only have asked if it was a tour you desired."

Tony hated his life at this moment in time. "Where the hell is the exit to this place?" He would've made a display of annoyance but dear god did his thigh ache.

Everything ached.

Loki chivalrously answered. "Back the way you came, a little down the south corridor, through the great hall and out of the southern door. Or of course there is the window." He evidently hadn't thought of that.

"Why do things always occur to me way too late." His shoulder really was packing a punch.

"Now. I missed dinner to deal with you, if you want to go home, I would suggest you not run off again."

"Why can't I go home now?" Tony thought that was a fair question.

"I would like to know why you were in Jotunheim. Why you know as much about Asgard as you do." His smile widened as Tony grew uncomfortable. "Of course, we should find another location." He held out his hand, palm to the ceiling. "Come."

"I'm not holding your hand, honey."

"If you wish to walk another mile of corridors to get to the great hall, be my guest. I was going to simply teleport us there."

"I'll walk." Stark was a very brave man, he was in great pain and testing a god's patience.

"Why so distrusting?" Stark politely motioned for Loki to walk ahead of him, Loki did the same, being no fool.

"Well, Pepper's always saying I need to walk more." Tony started walking, if somewhat reluctantly.

"You have conversation with a condiment?"

"Sure - why not." It was rhetorical. He sounded a little sarcastic, but Loki let it pass. Tony passed him, Loki tailed him. Stark didn't seem too happy when he put a hand between his shoulder blades. "Why the touching?" Within a second they were standing in the king's chambers, within another Tony was pushed to his knees in front of Odin who sat proudly in his reading chair. Instead of a book in his old and greying hands there lay nothing but a golden pendant. The king's golden pendant. "You sly bastard." That insult was aimed at himself, fortunately for him.

"Father," Loki, with some effort, ignored the insult, dampening the fire brewing in his belly. "this is Tony Stark of Migard."

"The one you found in Jotunheim and took in?" Odin commented dryly. He was evidently still not pleased with his decision. Loki nodded, looking down to Tony. If he wanted him to stay longer and stay in a way in which Loki could make public, he must convince the all-father to hold investigations, or at least hold him.

"Look, patchy-" Loki struck him round the head, not as hard as he could've, but still strong enough to make the man's head hurt a while after. Odin had no objections to this move. "Can't I just go home?" He continued after a considerable hitch of breath. Odin was not terribly impressed.

"Be lucky you are unaccustomed to Asgardian ways. Insulting a king is a grave offense. But anyway, before we return you, which we shall, why were you in Jotun lands?" Loki's mind whirled with ideas, he had to implement one of them pretty quickly.

"Would anyone believe me if I said I don't know?"

"No, they wouldn't."

"Well, I just kinda flew into this black hole thing, some ship exploded. Next thing I know I'm in Jotun-whatever" Patience was one of Loki's lesser-known virtues. It was however, wearing thin. This man was hard work.

"It would have been a lot easier for you to have just told me that earlier." Loki's voice was a low hiss in Tony's ear, although Loki was still standing tall behind him.

"So you are an innocent, who has been prey to fortunate, if unfortunate, circumstance. You are lucky Loki was there, he pulled you out." He huffed. "Then I pulled him out."

"Thanks then, I suppose" Stark's words were directed to Odin. "No offense, but I always imagined you a little older... You know, with the whole Dumbledore beard and a Gandalf hat? No?" Loki resisted hitting him again. Not only was it a form of stress relief, it was oddly satisfying.

"Father-" Odin looked distracted. "He already knew of Asgard and it's people. Namely the Chitauri."

"He knew of the Chitauri?"

"And of Thor..." Odin stood, his stewards beside him positioning their swords. Loki either had him, or had lost him.

"Send him home - he does not belong here." Odin strode towards them, then surpassed them, an air or annoyance in his movements. "You should be wiser of your pets, Loki." Loki did not turn, but heard the great doors behind slam. Frigga, his dear and patient Frigga watched him softly. She smiled at him and the cargo that had not seen her and he smiled back with no meaning behind it. He hoisted Stark to his feet by the shoulder of his cotton shirt. The doors were thrown open before he touched them, crashing with gratuitous harshness into the walls either side of it. The tantrums of a sorcerer were sometimes discrete. Sometimes not. Frigga did not mind.

"You are nauseating." He pushed his pet down the corridors, taking the long route to the rainbow bridge. Odin was unpredictable when in a mood, harder to manipulate than usual.

"Thanks?" New ideas came to mind. He could go with him to this other Earth, study him there. But that would be flawed. There would be another Loki, one Stark was evidently afraid of. He certainty wouldn't take pleasure in clone of himself so he doubted his counterpart would.

"You made me seem a fool." Still his mind raced.

"You do that yourself, buddy." In a breeze of brilliance it came to him. Send him back to this dimensions Earth. Let him realize this and call for help to return to Asgard. Tony will explain the situation to only himself, and he could pretend that there is no way back, or at least that it would take a long time to implement. It was a weak plan, one Stark could easily deduce, but the only one he had as of yet. One he could most easily build on. Loki only knew one thing with certainty at this point. Now that it had been proven difficult to achieve, he wanted Stark to stay even more.

"Listen Loki..." Tony struggled against Loki's grip "I don't think I'm in the right time zone here." Loki didn't give.

"You think the explosion you neglected to tell me about sent you cross space and time?"

"Pretty much, can that be factored in to my little trip down the rainbow?"

"I shall ask Heimdall."

"Oh, and how much extra is it for the pot of gold?"

The walk across the rainbow bridge was quiet on Loki's side, but with all the sarky comments Stark was making, Loki was finding the idea of throwing him off the side all too tempting.

For Tony, this was all a little concerning.

This nice but not-so-nice guy act that Loki was playing was all too good. So Tony Stark played along. Make the man think as if he's won. Whatever he was doing, he was doing it damn well. Credit given where credit's due. Authentic atmosphere, even the smell of leather and old guy breath was pretty accurate.

Once they reached the great hemisphere Loki stopped him, spun him round, and almost looked into his eyes. "I shall not be joining you." Yeah, right. "Where do you wish to be planted?" Seen as he couldn't give exact location of where he left off, he gave the second best thing.

"Stark Tower."

"Which is where?"

"Earth, Midtown Manhattan, New York City in the US of A.

"Heimdall." Loki instructed.

"Of course." The gatekeeper nodded in response, readying his post. Tony lazily shook free of Loki's grasp.

"And remember," Loki added quietly, turning Tony back by the shoulder. "If anything is wrong, or you land incorrectly, call me and only me." Loki paused for emphasis. "Understand?" His words had a subtle, sneaky malice in them, malice he didn't truly mean. He had no grudge against the man. Not one he couldn't get over, anyway.

"So what do I do? Just stand here and click my heels together three times?" Tony jiggled like an excited infant. Loki still wasn't convinced that the man was fully sound of mind just yet. He'll find out in due course.

"Just stand still." Loki offered, rubbing the oncoming headache.

"Ready?" Asked the golden keeper.

"Probably?" Tony questioned, pulling down his greasy shirt with unease.

"Bye." Waved Loki playfully, earning a less than polite response from the man he just saved. He was beginning to think he should have just left him there.

As the man disappeared with a quick snippet of a surprised yelp, he smiled to himself. He did not truly wish he had left Stark behind. He liked him.

Then Heimdall turned to him.