I would like to make a quick note of thanks for the tremendous response I have received for this story, I never expected to get this much. Thank you, I hope I can continue to please you, there may be a little surprise in the chapter for you (but I don't know yet, because I'm writing in the middle of a revision session) at the end or the middle of the chapter so look out! Also does anybody think the reason why Hulk likes Tony is because Tony believes that Hulk should be allowed to play?

'Tony!'

'Stark, Stark we're here, Stark please move, show us some sign'

'Man of Iron, make a sign of movement, the Captain is crying'

Tony could hear faint voices in his head that sounded a lot like Steve, Barton and Thor. But that was impossible, because he was alone, and he'd failed to give out the message for JARVIS to send. He'd failed, like usual. A constant failure as his father liked to remind him. A disappointment. A stupid unwanted son.

'Stark,'

Now the voice sounded like the Hulk, huh, strange.

'Tony, wake the hell up, you're worrying us'

Natasha? Wow, the last time a girl- woman- was in his head it was to tell him something that had brought a smirk to Tony's mouth.

'Tony please move'

Steve again, he sounded so, so depressed and sad, his voice laced in concern and worry. He didn't like the tone in the voice, he never liked it when something troubled someone he liked, he tried his hardest to obey the voice, in the hopes that he could make the concern and worry go away. He focused on his upper limbs and tried to move them. He struggled with the effort and almost gave up but then he felt someone lift his head and move it slightly.

'Tony, please, hold on'

Steve's voice sounded choked up and like he was crying.

It hurt Tony to hear that usually soft and gentle voice sound so broken, it urged Tony on to move, he focused on his arm this time, he tried to wiggle his fingers.

'Did he, did he just move?'

Natasha's voice said, even hers sounded choked up.

'Tony, can you do that again?'

Clint's voice this time, Tony tried to oblige but found it took too much effort. He whimpered when a weight was moved from his stomach.

'Dammit, it was too soon to move it, Hulk, go back to Banner size, you need to help him'

Natasha's voice again, ever the professional, her voice that sounded choked up before, was now masked in a neutral tone. Tony tried to moan and open his eyes, but it tired him out when he tried, best wait until he had more energy to do so. He couldn't feel his lower body, but he could feel a warm substance on his mid riff. He could feel his arc reactor start to slow, and soon he heard the cries from all of his friends 'no, we're losing him'

They sounded genuinely worried, and if Tony could move he would've smiled. He felt someone caress his face and another hand opened his eye. He tried to glare at the invader and take a look at his surroundings.

'Tony? Oh God Tony' Steve's voice said as his eye moved around to get a view of his surroundings. Steve's voice sounded happier now, which was why he decided to continue to look around.

'Man of Iron, can you speak?' Thor boomed.

Tony tried to open his mouth, 'uhsgt' he said and coughed.

'Ignore Thor, don't speak Tony, just breathe, take deep breaths and focus on a point somewhere' Bruce said as he shone a light in his other eye now. Oh, so my mask is off, great Tony thought as he focused on Steve's face. Steve looked down at him, he smiled and said, 'that's it Tony, just focus on me'. Tony felt the strength leave him again, 'we're losing him' Steve said.

'Tony, please' Steve shook him 'hold on, say something anything, just say something so we know you're still alive'.

'Shawarma' Tony murmured and closed his eyes.

He distantly heard a new voice enter the area.

'Stupid Avengers,' an English voice said and the warm hands holding his head up left him.

'You should know that it takes more than a Hulk to beat me'

Tony's mind registered the voice as Loki and he started to panic. His eyes were gently opened again and he saw Loki's face.

'Do you remember me from all those years ago now Stark?' he said and smirked, a blue light enveloped him and Loki's form. The last thing he heard was Steve's cry of 'NO!' before he found himself in a cage, facing Loki. His frame however decided to give up on him and he crashed into the bars in front of him. Water surrounding his body gently rising. The last thing he saw was Loki, opening a valve that was letting more water in.

Steve had just called in Natasha and Bruce for help on getting Stark out when they noticed blood next to Stark's body.

'Damn, Barton can you see where the blood is coming from?' Captain America asked.

'Right on it Cap'

'Thor, stop swinging the hammer and destroy some of the items on Stark, without causing more damage' Captain America said.

Thor nodded and set to work on freeing Stark.

Natasha and Bruce arrived not a minute later and soon they had all the rubble of Stark, for Bruce had swiftly changed into his Hulk form, knowing that Hulk didn't like seeing Tony hurt. Luckily he had spare clothes so he would be decent again when he changed back. They left the rubble that had pierced into Stark's form, as they didn't want to cause more harm than good and they needed to work out how they could remove it without killing Tony as his arc reactor was already a faint blue.

'Tony!' Barton said, alarmed at the colour on Stark's half visible face, he bent down and removed the rest of the mask.

'Stark, Stark we're here, Stark please move, show us some sign' Captain America said, and his eyes started to water.

'Man of Iron, make a sign of movement, the Captain is crying' Thor boomed.

'Stark,' Bruce said in his Hulk form, much like he did yesterday.

'Tony, wake the hell up, you're worrying us' Natasha said, allowing worry and concern to lace her voice. It was only yesterday that Stark had died from the fall from the portal. She gazed across at Stark's broken Iron Man. Must have been a controlled explosion and very close to Stark to affect his suit she thought.

'Tony please move' Captain America said and went over to Stark's form, gently lifting his head into his lap. Ignoring all of the Avenger's stares.

'Tony, please, hold on' Captain America said, his voice full of so many emotions, choked up and he let his tears fall down his face.

Natasha and Barton looked over at Stark's form and that was when they noticed it.

'Did he, did he just move?' Natasha asked, her voice choking up, alerting Barton.

'Tony, can you do that again?' Barton asked, he bent down to remove the weight from Tony's stomach, in the hopes in would relieve some pressure on Tony's form.

They all heard a whimper as more blood started to pour from Stark's body. It seemed the Iron suit had taken more of a hit than they originally thought.

'Dammit, it was too soon to move it, Hulk, go back to Banner size, you need to help him' Natasha said quickly, handing Bruce the clothes he needed. Her voice cool and professional. Tony started to moan, and the arc reactor started to slow down and lose its colour, 'no we're losing him' Bruce and Captain America said. Captain America brought his hand onto Tony's face and gently caressed it, stroking it to try and get a reaction from Tony, well that was what he kept trying to tell himself. Bruce bent down and gently opened Tony's eye, shining a light in it. It elicited a half glare from Tony. Captain America smiled through teary eyes, 'Tony? Oh God Tony' he said, but his voice was now full of happiness.

'Man of Iron, can you speak?' Thor boomed.

Tony tried to speak but he ended up coughing, leaving Captain America to glare at Thor, causing Bruce to say 'Ignore Thor, don't speak Tony, just breathe, take deep breaths and focus on a point somewhere'. Tony's eyes rolled around in his head until he found a point he could focus on. Captain America. He looked into his eyes, 'that's it Tony, just focus on me,' but his eyes started to close, 'we're losing him' Captain America said and he started to shake Tony's iron form. 'Tony, please' Captain America said, the tears returning, 'hold on, say something anything, just say something so we know you're still alive'. Tony's eyes looked up at the Captain one more time, 'shawarma' he murmured and closed his eyes.

Suddenly there was an explosion behind the Avengers and they turned around, there defences and offences at the ready, when the smoke cleared a figure in green robes appeared.

'Loki?' Thor boomed.

'Hello brother' Loki smiled, 'goodbye brother' and blasted Thor with his new spear.

'Bruce, Hulk out and protect Stark' Barton ordered and sent an arrow over to Loki. Who expertly caught it and chucked it towards Natasha. Barton ran and tackled her to the ground, both just dodging the arrow as it exploded behind them.

Captain America ran and dodged Loki's magic, chucking his shield over to Loki.

Loki just slammed it into the Hulk.

'Stupid Avengers' Loki murmered.

The Hulk jumped towards Loki, but Loki sent him back, narrowly avoiding Stark, 'you should know it takes more than a Hulk to beat me'.

Loki went over to the now unprotected Stark and caressed his face, gently opening his eyes.

'Do you remember me from all those years ago now Stark?' from a distance Barton could see the terror on Tony's face as a blue light enveloped Loki and Stark and they disappeared.

Captain America saw this and tried to run towards Stark, 'NO!' and was about to dive onto the wavering form of the pair but Thor grabbed him and held him back, 'he's gone' he said and held the Captain firm.

'NO!' the Captain screamed, and fell to the ground. 'NO, I WILL NOT LOSE THE PERSON I LOVE FOR THE SECOND TIME'

I may have another chapter up later to compensate for what I think is a crap chapter.