Steve sat at the archway waiting. He was used to waiting. It was something they did often in the military. Hurry up and wait, they said. Yes, the Captain understood having to wait, but this was different. He sighed loudly and watched Banner fumble about his computers as Loki circled it with his arms out like he was hugging some invisible person. In actuality he knew that Banner was scanning the energy that was being given off to make sure of its consistency and safety while Loki was orienting himself to the feel of Tony's magic so as to make travel easier. Steve snorted at the thought.

Tony had never taken to being called a sorcerer, though both Thor and Loki insisted that he was. He continuously explained that magic was just math and numbers and what not and should be referred to as science. Thor had disagreed as did Steve. The soldier could understand and respected science, but the way Tony worked and made things seemingly out of thin air was a bit magical. And really, didn't magic always make sense to the people who use it?

Thor was in the middle of pondering this when the sky grew dark and the wind began to blow with a blistering heat. Loki froze.

"What is it?" Steve called backing toward Banner and away from the quickly darkening archway. Loki had taken several steps away as well and was shooting it a distrustful look.

"I don't know, but whatever it is it's blocking out Tony's signal!" Banner yelled over the wind, "I can't be sure, but I think Tony's new friend doesn't want us joining their party."

Steve looked back at Loki holding a hand up to block the wind from his face.

"And the second opinion?"

"It is definitely Utlagi. What is more worrisome is that I have seen this magic before at-"Loki was cut off as red lightning crashed through the archway and into the ground causing the super soldier and sorcerer to jump back, shielding their heads. They both uncovered their faces to see the ground around them pulsating with red energy. Loki's eyebrows raised, "Oh dear."

Almost immediately the ground began to writhe underneath their feet. Loki disappeared from Steve's sight almost instantaneously as the ground itself shot up and tried to wrap around him. The Captain made a run for it, using his shield to cut and bash his way through the quickly forming walls of dirt. Eventually, he emerged and made a beeline for the edge of the clearing where Banner was waiting. The scientist had backed a safe distance away at the first sign of danger, but his eyes held a tinge of green about their iris as he wrapped a hand around Steve's arm to hold him steady.

"Where's Loki?"Steve asked looking back at the archway that was now surrounded by a mass of growing writhing earth. Neither of them said a word as both their eyes searched the waves of dirt for signs of a green cape or golden armor.

The only warning they had before a set of hands fell on their backs was a familiar flash of green magic behind them. Then they were falling through a tunnel of stars, and weightlessness. Everything was moving so quickly, yet impossibly slow at the same time. Bruce was having the strangest thoughts of Peter Pan being lost in Wonderland when the ground appeared out of nowhere and he was suddenly standing in the Avenger's tower in New York. He looked around dazedly until his eyes fell on Loki.

"The hell?" Was about all he could manage through the fuzz that was bouncing around in his head.

"Teleportation." The god replied simply, brushing large amounts of dirt from his front. "Any lingering feeling of weightlessness is perfectly normal. It should wear off momentarily, but since this is your first time I would recommend you both have a seat."

Steve was already lowering himself onto a bar stool and Bruce was quick to follow.

"What the hell was that?" Steve asked

"That was a golem in the making."Loki replied as he turned to leave.

"A golem? You mean like the things that have been attacking Asguard?" Steve called to Loki's retreating form.

"The same."

"What does that mean for Asguard?" Banner whispered to Steve.

"I don't know. Thor was saying that they were having a really hard time with the ones they were fighting before." Steve replied standing and walking around the bar.

Banner shook his head, "That's not what I mean. If this golem, or whatever, is the same kind that are attacking Asguard, then the guy who kidnapped Tony and the guy attacking them is the same person.

Steve frowned, "But why would he split his forces?"

"Because he wanted to break up your little team." Banner and Rogers jumped. Loki strode into the room a dark look clouding his features. " Utlagi knew that if all of you came at him in full force he would not stand a chance against you, but if he could weaken your attack strength by causing a distraction then he might be able to slow you down just long enough to finish his spell."

"So he is attacking Asguard in hopes of making Thor too busy to help us." Banner finished exasperated.

"Yes, but he miscalculated the importance of Stark to Thor. He didn't expect for Thor to bring me to Earth to aid in your search. When I began to pull Stark's magic around myself preparing to follow its trail he felt it." Loki made a highly displeased sound in the back of his throat and began rubbing his forehead. "In response he increased his attacks on Asguard and sent that Thing to dissuade us from following Stark's trail."

"Well then we'll just have to kill it and start again, right? No problem." Steve crossed his arms.

The glare Loki shot him could have frozen fire itself.

"Does your foolishness know no bounds?"He seethed, "You think the ranks of Asguard would be engaged still in battle if one could destroy them so easily?"

"We can't just give up! Even if it wasn't Tony who got kidnapped by this maniac we would still need to stop this guy!" Steve yelled

"You think I don't know that?" Loki growled. "We cannot allow Utlagi to become one with The Wind of Change, but this is more difficult to deal with than your shortsighted mind can account for."

"Thor left, didn't he?" Bruce asked softly.

Loki's eyes shifted from the super solder to Banner and back again. He snorted and composed himself quickly running a hand through his hair. "But of course, he is the soon to be King of Asguard. He cannot leave the city for long during times of war."

"So he succeeded in distracting a member of our team. What is our rebuttal?" Banner asked

"Between your sciences my magic and this one's strength, we should be able to at the least get past the golem and follow Stark's magic." Loki replied

"But whose gonna take care of it once we're through?" Steve asked

Silence.

"Seriously? We can't just leave it here after we slip through." Steve glared

"Are you volunteering to stay behind?" Loki grinned

Steve squared his shoulders, "If that's what it takes."

They glared at each other for a moment before Loki smiled and turned to the mini bar.

"My hero, but you weren't the one I wanted."

"What?" The captain tilted his head as Loki helped himself to Tony's whiskey.

"I believe Banner's alter ego would be the better choice for this particular mission, Captain." Loki raised his glass of amber liquid in a mock toast.

"Hulk. You want Hulk to take care of the golem while you and Steve pass through the portal?" Banner asked. Loki nodded and took a sip of his drink. "That's dangerous. What if he hurts someone?"

"Trust me when I tell you, Doctor, that your friend will be fully occupied while we are away." Loki smirked taking a seat on the couch in the adjoining living area.

Banner and Steve gave one another a hard look then nodded.

"I'll do it. So how is this going to work?" Banner asked

Loki's grin was slow and mischievous.

Banner stood in a concealed bunker on the outskirts of the clearing the archway was located in. Mike, Tony's eldest had ordered the materials and set up a small team to build the bunker overnight while his sister Veronica worked with shield to set up a perimeter around the forest to ensure the battle stayed there. All of Tony's kids had been royally pissed to be the last to know about their father's predicament, but they were more scared than anything else. They had all jumped at the chance to do what they could.

Bunker was a kind word for it as far as Banner had been concerned, but it would do the short time they were going to need it. Soon enough the big guy would tear the small hut to pieces and hopefully start in on the golems that were a short distance away slowly multiplying.

"Bruce, are you ready?" Steve's voice rang over the intercom.

"Ready"

Steve looked to Loki, who simply nodded.

"Alright here we go"

Loki began to gather golden energy around himself. The reaction of the golems was nearly instantaneous. The ground began to writhe and hands began to form from the earth. Loki took a step back as one massive hand smashed into where he just stood.

"Today, doctor, if you don't mind."He ground out.

Loki's voice sounded rough and highly annoyed through the intercom as Banner's scanners worked double time.

"The readings are stable. They seemed to have leveled out while we were out of the picture."

"That is because Stark's magic is young and based on the physical. It would have taken him a while to realize the proper energy needed to enact a stable signal." Loki cut in.

"Well, the scanners have a lock on him and are sending out waves to counteract the ones being sent out to try and scramble Tony's. You are clear to go whenever you have a lock on their location." Banner replied. "Now if you two will excuse me, I have a party to attend."

Loki and Steve tried not to jump as an enraged roar shook the ground the bunker across the clearing erupted in a cloud of dirt and splintered trees. The captain started in fascination as Hulk ripped through the strangely shaped creatures rising through the ground like a toddler smashing butter or Play Dough.

"No offense or anything, but you're not gonna take much longer are you?" Rogers asked looking over his shoulder.

Loki's eyes snapped open and he grinned as green energy began to mix with gold and twine about his body before moving sluggishly over to engulf the captain as well. Loki began to chant softly as the energies twisted about one another not dissimilar to Old Norse markings.

"Prepare yourself, Captain." Loki smirked and suddenly the world went gold.

Tony felt like his insides were on his outside. Vulnerable, exposed, open… raw. For hours he could see nothing but red. Red lightning crackled across everything. His memories, his dreams, his ideas, his everything had been died the color of blood. Blood. Blood was on the ground and in the air. With every breath he took he could smell it; he could taste it. Blood. His blood.

And who was he? Things seemed swirled and bent oddly in his head. He knew he was someone, but who was that someone? It seemed there were many someones inside, which was why it felt like the outside? What part of the bent and tangled mess was himself and which wasn't. He couldn't tell where the other stopped and where he began. Who was he? Who was he!?

"Who am I!?" It was shrieked from a person. From a mouth, but whose mouth? His mouth?

Eyes opened and slowly things came into focus. It was about the same time he became aware of someone laughing.

"You sound so distressed, Stark. Such pain, such anguish. Fret not, dear mortal. I will not allow this agony to last much longer." Someone said.

A someone from the inside that was on the outside. So this someone wasn't him. And this someone was calling to someone else called Stark. Was that him? Was he Stark?

The rediscovery of the feeling of touch was a sudden one. A slick and yet sticky wetness saturated his back and other extremities and something warm was cupping the side of his face. His eyes focused again and he saw more red like before, but this time it was a red man. For some reason his proximity and touch caused alarm. Why? Who was this guy?

"Soon you will become me and I will become you and then all will be well." The red man said softly.

"I-I get the feeling that I don't want that to happen." He replied. "Who am I?"

The red man smiled and it seemed cruel.

"You are Change."

"Change? How can a person be change?"He asked confused.

The man smirked, "Oh but you are and soon we will both be."

Suddenly golden light poured from his chest and hands. He gasped as some relief from the pain flooded his senses. He groaned as he sat up and look around. The world was no longer tinged in red instead it glittered with gold. The wetness he had felt before was blood. His blood. It was all over him, streaming from the hole in his chest. That seemed wrong, but he couldn't explain why. His entire body throbbed with a sense of wrong. Thick cords of red twisted sickly over his body like thread holding together a doll. Was that what he was? A doll?

"Damn Loki! He caught on faster than I might have hoped." The red man growled as he stalked away. "Stay put, Stark."

"Stark? I thought I was Change." He was so confused. Perhaps Stark was a nick name, cause really Change didn't sound like a good name.

He stood on shaking legs only to stumble to the ground again. The world that had been gently glittering gold was now pulsating with it and some kind of greenish energy was interlacing it. It reminded him of a snake weaving its way through sand.

He was suddenly struck with a sense of amusement and he wondered if it was the snake that was amused. Was the snake the Loki that the red man had been talking about? Did the Loki snake know that red man wasn't gonna be happy to see him?

Oh I am aware, Man of Iron.

He nearly had a heart attack except… He looked at the cords streaming from his chest. They reminded him disturbingly like veins and arteries. Did he still have a heart? He closed his eyes and shook his head. Why couldn't he remember? When he opened his eyes there was a distinct layer of green twining about the gold.

You have been infected with his magic Tony Stark. The voice whispered. He desires your mind; will you let him have it so easily?

"Tony Stark?" He whispered back. Why did it sound so familiar? Was this another someone in his head? They where louder than the others.

Because that is who you are.

He tilted his head. He suddenly felt light headed and sick to his stomach. He was Tony Stark?

Breathe Man of Iron.

He hadn't realized he had stopped.

"Where are you?" Tony whispered, "I don't see you." He felt alone and isolated. The feeling of being open and vulnerable had yet to subside.

"I am here."

Tony turned to see a man dressed in gold and green armor and another in red, white and blue. Just outside the circle of glowing writing.

"Tony!" The guy in red, white and blue asked, "Are you ok?"

He tilted his head.

"What's wrong with him?" Steve asked Loki

"The spell is designed to eradicate the unnecessary before assimilation. Had we been but a moment later he would have been-"

Lightning cracked across the sky and into Loki like a bulldozer.

"You have come to meet your death, God of Mischief! Do you really think you can defeat me without the help of Thor and the armies of Asguard?" Utlagi laughed, "You are more foolish than I thought, Loki. I will not allow you take this victory from me!" He raised his hands preparing another blow for the God of Tricks.

Rogers let his shield fly at the sorcerer. There was a satisfying clang as the disk hit home. The Captain caught the rebound and ran toward Utlagi.

"Loki, you take care of Tony and get in touch with the others. I'll handle tall, red and ugly over here." Rogers called

Loki was on his knees at the edge of the circle in the next moment.

"Get over here mortal! I require your assistance." He growled.

Tony went to his side of the circle and kneeled as well. "I don't know what I can do to help."

"You are right, you don't." Loki snorted, "Place your hands like mine and concentrate on what is left of your center."

"What?"

Loki raised an eyebrow, "Do you really not remember? Fine, I will lead and you will follow. Understood?"

"No, not really." Tony replied, but an insufferable sense or curiosity drove him to do as he was asked. "But I guess it can't hurt to try."

"Good. Close your eyes and breathe deeply." Loki instructed also closing his eyes.

"What about your friend?" Tony asked.

Again he got a sense of amusement form the light that was beginning to engulf the gold.

"My friend will be fine. We will be creating a bridge through Yggdrasil for more comrades to come to our aid." Loki explained. "Now focus."

"A-alright." Tony laid his hands down on the circle and closed his eyes.

I will be coordinating our efforts. The other's voice rang through his head. You will need to allow me into your center in order for me to do that.

"I don't know how to do that." Tony replied a kind of excitement growing in his chest.

He could almost feel the other's grin of amusement in his energy. Relax your mind and think of my magic. My aura if you will.

Tony nodded to himself and thought of the other man's energy. He could still picture the snaking green light in his mind. Suddenly, he felt something slide along his subconscious. It brushed lightly against his mind and then rolled along something deeper. He shuddered.

I am unlocking your core. Relax.

"Easy for you to say." He replied

Again, amusement. He felt the other try again, the gentle brushing making a strong come back. He felt something inside him release and let out a cry of shock.

There we are. Now calm yourself, Man of Iron.

Confusion was something he was learning to live with. He took several deep breaths.

"Ok, what do I do now?" Tony asked

You stay calm and focused on me. The rest I will take care of.

Tony nodded and continued to breathe deeply. He could feel the other man tugging and pulling on something deep. In the mean time he tried to remember.

They were calling him Tony Stark and that felt right, but then the green guy had called him Man of Iron? That seemed right and wrong at the same time. Man of Iron? Like an iron man? Iron Man? His eyes snapped open and he found himself looking into Loki's green eyes. The god was chanting something, but Tony couldn't hear it.

"I-I am Tony Stark. I am Iron Man!" He said aloud and Loki simply nodded.

"You are."

He opened his mouth to say more, but a sudden drain on his power and a burst of multi colored light cut him off. He and Loki were momentarily blinded. When they looked back there stood Asguardian warriors with Thor at their front. He smiled triumphantly.

A/N: OMG but his chapter was hard to write. Like pulling teeth! Mostly the beginning, but I still rewrote the end like 3 times. Couldn't decide what I wanted to with Tony's memories. I still don't know if I like it or if Tony should still not remember who he is… Ah well, its posted now so. *shrugs* Hope you like it. I am really excited about the upcoming events in the story so stay with me guys, its gonna be good!

EDIT: I have changed some of the way I format and I was just wondering if yall liked it ok. You know, does it flow well for the readers or should I make paragraphs longer or do you need more description and all that jazz. Also, if you see mistakes or if something doesn't jive with what I have said in a previous chapter, please let me know. I am human, I make mistakes and I would like to have the opportunity to fix them. I noticed a few in here when I was rereading for reference purposes and fixed this. They aren't that big, but they drive me crazy to see them.

Again reviews are love 3