The following morning Thor awakens to find Loki burning up and drenched in sweat. Considering he is a frost giant, this is scary. He picks up his husband and puts him in the tub and turns on the tap. While the water is running he goes to the kitchen and retrieves all the ice in the freezer. He dumps it into the tub with Loki.

"Good Jarvis please summon Bruce and Anthony to assist me." Thor says feeling out of his depth. Loki told him he would get hot and would need Thor to feed him and keep him hydrated, but Thor is scared and not sure what to do. Bruce and Tony come to find a fully clothed Loki in an ice bath.

"Whoa, what are you doing?" Tony asks.

"He was overheating. I need to get water in him." Thor says.

"He needs an IV. I'll go get one." Bruce says. Bruce runs off as Thor and Tony stare down at Loki who appears to still be asleep. Thor kneels down.

"Loki. Loki darling…." Thor whispers.

"NO PLEASE! I'll work harder! Please! Please don't hurt me!" Loki yells.

"What…" Tony says.

"It's a memory. He's delirious. Something that happened a long time ago." Thor says.

"I'm not lazy. I'm not lazy." Loki says. Bruce returns and they get the needle in him and hook up the bag. After about an hour of cooling off and hydration Loki is ready to come out of the bath and return to bed. Thor will have to do this regularly but for now Loki is out of danger. He lets his husband rest and walks out to the kitchen to fix himself a sandwich.

"Thor buddy we gotta talk." Tony says.

"You have questions." Thor states.

"I don't even know where to begin really. None of us do." Tony says. The others are gathering. They all have the same concerns in one form or another.

"What is it you wish to know?" Thor asks.

"What exactly did you do to Loki? You said he was your sex slave. Just how many times did you rape him?" Steve asks.

"Loki was my ward for about six months before I decided to marry him. At first I treated him like I treated all the other concubines…"

"-There were others? Before Loki? What happened to them?" Clint asks. Shame overcomes Thor's posture and the others dread the answer.

"I grew tired of them and gave them over to the army." Thor whispers.

"The army, the one that fucked that elf girl to death? Is that what happened to the others?" Natasha asks, her voice tinged with horror.

"Why was Loki different?" Bruce asks.

"He was so eager, though I know now that was an act. I cannot blame him for pretending. Getting into my good graces was a matter of survival. There was an incident. I took him with me to the arena so he could get some fresh air and sunshine. I wanted him to watch me spar with the other warriors. I wanted to impress him. Loki is a prince in his own right. A prince of Jotunnheim. There were other slaves at the arena repairing a wall. Loki thought I'd beat him and think him lazy if he did not join in their labors. Two of the guards pulled him away to a hidden nook. They were about to rape him when I charged in. I killed one of them and banished the other. It was then I realized I valued Loki as more than a mere toy. Somehow, he'd managed to wiggle his way inside my heart. I convince my father to let me wed him. As a prince of Jotunnheim any heirs he begets me could make a claim on the throne of Jotunnheim, merging our realms and permanently ending future bloodshed. I convinced him that I was doing it out of an act of responsibility, not love."

"So you acknowledge that your marriage to Loki is based on a lie? That he was pretending to be affectionate towards you then….and in all likelihood now?" Natasha asks. Thor takes exception to that.

"Loki has forgiven me, and though our marriage has been more tumultuous than most what we have now is hard won. We have fought, in our brief marriage we have fought. For the first two years of our marriage Loki continued to play his part perfectly. He was always affectionate towards me and then one day….he just couldn't pretend anymore. We came upon the body of dead slave girl near the barracks and Loki….he looked at me and charged me with her murder. He said I was responsible for all of them."

"Thor, we know Loki had political reasons for wanting to get pregnant now, but we all believe that it is born out of survival. He is still fighting for his life by living in Asgard with you." Steve says.

"What is it you are suggesting?" Thor asks as he feels anger grow in his belly.

"Thor we can't stand back and let you rape Loki again. We are not entirely convinced he has forgiven you and any marital relations the two of you have may not be fully consensual."

"You dare accuse me of harming him! I would never….never again! Loki has taken the potion to induce his heat. I must mate with him. If I do not breed him during the heat he'll die!" Thor yells as fear and tears fill his face.

"Alright. Alright. If you must then you must. But we don't approve of this Thor, and quite frankly we don't approve of you. The things you've done aren't ancient history and the victim is in the next room and is still suffering from your actions and that of your countrymen." Steve says.

"We want you to consider letting Loki stay here with us, at least during the pregnancy. If his enemies at court hate him as much as he says, then his life will be in danger all throughout the pregnancy. Thor your countrymen will try to kill your baby while it is still in the womb." Natasha says.

"I cannot abandon him here. I love him." Thor says.

"You can't put him at unnecessary risk either." Bruce says.

"I'll speak with Loki on the matter." Thor says.

XxXxXxXxXx

Loki dreams. In his dreams he is torn between achieving his own selfish revenge and obtaining a nobler goal. The dead call out to him for justice, vengeance, and change. But which is he to grant them? He cannot give them all three. Justice would be to kill Thor and Odin for allowing such brutality to happen. Vengeance would be to bring ruin to all of Asgard, letting its people suffer the same fate his people have suffered. Change, change would mean forgiveness. To end the practice and not perpetuate it by bringing about another war. To make the people of Asgard aspire to something higher, more noble, more honorable. And of the three, which is most feasible? Vengeance is not likely, except on a small scale. Killing Thor would be justified, and Odin of course. But they would only be replaced with men that would continue raping and pillaging. No, change is what is needed and Loki cannot bring about change all by himself. He needs Thor. He needs the golden god, beloved son of Odin and Prince of Asgard to make the edicts himself, and then…..? Well….he'll see.