A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, followed and favorite this story. The updates will continue to be frequent. I wanted to get this story out before Thor 2 came out. (plus I have another story idea developing…but that one I might wait for until Thor 2…haven't decided yet). This chapter is my favorite so far. Enjoy.

Chapter 4

"What just happened?" Bruce said in stunned shock.

"She just poofed him away….she just poofed him away." Tony said not believing the words that he was saying.

"She said she would return." Thor said quietly.

Steve had his mouth agape. Finally he got out the words. "I told you this could happened."

There was a few minutes of silence and then JARVIS broke in. "Sir, it seems that Hela and Loki are on the roof."

"The roof? What are they doing?" Tony said.

"It appears that they are sitting down and talking to each other."

"Aligning with Thanos, father?"

"I saw an opportunity for my escape and I seized it. Just as you did."

"I didn't take you for someone to subjugate a population and hand over the Tesseract to someone like Thanos." Hela stopped talking and glared into space. An exasperated smile spread across her face before beginning again. "You weren't going to give him the Tesseract, were you? You were going to keep it for yourself." Her expression going to a smirk as she looked over to her father, shaking her head. Loki gave her a grin.

"So what happened?"

"These humans were formidable and able to reconcile themselves more quickly than anticipated. It appeared that victory was not possible."

"So, you let yourself be captured. You could have teleported away, but you didn't."

Loki just shrugged and smirked.

Hela thought for a moment. "You knew you would be taken to Asgard and that the Allfather would imprison you. You would be in a cell that would be protected against magic… from the inside and the outside. Thanos wouldn't be able to come near you."

A wide smile crossed Loki's face.

"Always a scheme, always a plan." Hela looked away smiling, shaking her head almost in disbelief.

"Have I taught you any less, daughter? You seemed to have developed a well thought out plan to get here."

"What about now? You are here, out of the cell and your magic is bound on top of that."

"A risk I was willing to take to for you, magic restricted or not."

Hela nodded her head in acknowledgement glancing at Loki from the corner of her eyes.

"Can you break the binding spell?" Loki asked not looking at her.

She smiled and looked at him. "Only temporarily; the binding would come back and I wouldn't be able to break it again."

He nodded his head and smiled at her.

"Thor seems to think that you have begun to see the error of your ways and want to atone for the wrong that you have done."

"Your uncle will hold onto the last drop of hope that exists wanting me to be redeemed. Your uncle profusely apologizes for the way he was towards me before his time of exile and hopes that we can be brothers again."

"Do you not want to?"

"My child, for probably the first time, I'm not sure what I want."

"Do you hate him?"

"I don't think I hate him anymore."

"I won't ask about the Allfather." Hela smirked. "I know you love grandmother."

"My mother is the paramount example of giving unconditional love. She is a bright light that beacons for you to come out of the darkness."

"I miss her. I missed you."

Loki nodded acknowledging her. "As do I."

"I'm going to take you back inside now." Hela said as she stood.

"Yes, It is hard to say what Thor and his friends are doing at this point."

"Father, his friends don't seem so bad. They actually seem quite nice."

Loki just furrowed his brows and frowned at her. She laughed as she embraced him and they teleported back into Tony Stark's dining room.

She was still laughing when then appeared in the dining room.

"Don't look so concerned, Uncle. I promised that I would bring him back."

Loki chuckled to himself and he strode across the room and lounged back onto one of Tony's couches

"You know you can't just poof away a criminal?" Tony chided Hela.

"I had no intention of 'poofing' away your criminal. I fully planned on returning him to the custody of my uncle." Hela said with a smirk on her face.

Pepper came out of her and Tony's bedroom. "Well, I'm off to DC. I will be back in a week. Try not to get into trouble." She said to Tony as she kissed him. She waved to everyone and left the Penthouse.

Thor called over to Hela. "My niece, come, I want you meet Lady Jane."

Hela glided over to where Thor and Jane stood. "Ah yes, let me meet the woman who changed my uncle so greatly." Hela stopped in front of Jane and gave her a slight curtsey and then shook Jane's hand lightly. "It's very nice to meet you."

Jane smiled. "It's nice to meet you too. I can't believe how much you look like Loki. There's no doubt about the family connection."

Hela gave Jane a big smile.

Tony strolled into the living room where everyone else was sitting; Hela returned to her seat, also.

"Too bad you have to look like him. Look at him sitting over there brooding. What's with you? You have basically been ignoring everyone today."

"I have no more need for your company as you do for mine. I make no assumptions that we are on any kind of friendly terms nor do I seek to establish any kind of friendly terms with you or your friends. I am merely here to tend to my daughter. When she is strong enough to leave this world, I will return to Asgard and serve out the remainder of my sentence."

No one said a word in response. Thor had a slightly dejected frown on his face.

Hela got up to walked towards the dining room. Bruce was coming out of the kitchen as she stopped and fell against the wall, her eyes closed. Bruce reached out to brace her from falling. After a few seconds her eyes opened and she stood up. Loki looked concerned as he got up and started towards her.

She looked around at the floor and around the room a bit of confusion on her face.

"What is it Lady Hela?" Thor said in a concerned voice.

"I am being called to Hel. This is only done if there is an emergency. I must go and determine the reason for this." Hela walked to Thor. "Please do not leave. Please don't take him back before I return."

Thor nodded his head. Loki sat back down on the couch.

She walked over closer to Loki. They smirked at each other, then she turned to Thor. "You should warn your friends about what I am about to do."

"Oh-yes! Ummm, my friends…this is not Lady Hela's only form. She has two forms. You have seen how she looks here, amongst us. Her other form is more suited for her…appointment as the Goddess of the Dead." Thor nodded to himself thinking this was the best explanation. "She is going to shift to this other form and will look….different."

Hela look at the floor and slowly a light began to shine around and through her as she shifted into her other form. It reminded the Avengers of when Loki shifted into his battle armor and back again. It only took a couple of seconds for her to shift forms.

In her new form she wore black boots that extended up to her mid-calf. She had form fitting black leather shorts that extended down to her mid-thigh. They looked similar to the material that Natasha's suit was made of. Over the shorts were thick leather panels that shaped around her like a skirt and moved as she walked. They were black with a smaller panel of dark green in the middle. Her upper body was covered in an armored bodice that extended up her chest and over to her shoulders. It was made of black and green leather panels. Her shoulders were encased in black armored leather shoulder guards that had a greyish-white sculpted skull where her arm met her shoulder. On her back, her weapon was sheathed. It had a handle that was about 24 inches long, wrapped with black leather lacing. The top of the handle held a sickle like blade that about 8 inches long. The blade was not a smooth curve; instead, it had large jagged off-shoots that were sharpened as if they were blades. The other side of the handle opposite the blade there was a sculpted greyish-white skull, similar to the ones on her shoulders, with green emeralds set into the eye sockets. On top of her head, Hela had a small tiara-like crown. It was gold with emeralds lining around the sides. In the center was another sculpted greyish-white skull that matched the others. It was about three inches tall with emeralds set into the eye sockets, as well.

Her attire was not the only thing that changed when Hela shape-shifted. The right side of her body remained unchanged. The left side of her body, however, was a greyish-black color that resembled decaying flesh. Her skin looked like it was torn away in some places, revealing black muscle. The fingers on her left hand were skeletal as if the skin and muscle had decayed away. Her face remained intact but it was still the greyish black color. The hair on the left side of her head was the lightest blonde color. Her eyes remained unchanged and were the same piercing green that they were in her other form.

The Avengers looked stunned. Jane and Steve in addition to being stunned, looked slightly horrified. After Hela shifted, she looked around at the stunned group and smiled. "I know it frightens people when I turn into this form. It's okay, it's still me."

Loki rose and walked over to Hela. "Queen Hela". He bowed his head and took her skeletal hand, lifting it to his lips and kissing her fingers. She smiled at him. He gave her a warm smile. "We will wait here for your return." She nodded her head and turned, smiled at the group and waved to Thor; then she disappeared into the air.

When Hela arrived in Hel she knew right away something was wrong. There was huge line of people waiting to proceed through the gates into her realm. These people had not died of old age and they didn't appear to have been suffering from sickness. No, these people were of all ages. 'Why so many souls needing to proceed into this realm at one?' she wondered to herself. She had been gone for 2 months. But those who served her in her 'court' would have been able to admit the small amount of people that would have needed admittance during that time. The beings that would enter her realm upon death would not need to enter into Hel in large numbers like this. Why were all of these people here? She would need to expedite this process. She quickly proceeded down the line past all of the individuals, surveying them. She quickly deduced that none of them were wicked and thus not needing to be judged separately. She informed her staff so that they could move the people quickly through the gates and into her realm. 'Where had all these innocent souls come from,' again wondering to herself. Something was wrong. She knew who might have answers but she didn't want to speak with her here, without the others. She left instructions with the members of her court and then teleported back to Midgard.

It was evening when she returned to Stark Tower; all of the Avengers were there as well as Jane. Tony, Bruce and Steve had told Natasha and Clint about what had been going on in the Tower since they had been gone. Hela materialized into an open area in the living room.

Thor quickly rose to his feet. "Lady Hela, what news have you?"

"Something is very wrong. I have a large number of souls waiting for entrance into my realm. A large number of innocent souls who are not plagued by old age or illness. I need to contact someone who might be able to give me more information as to what has caused this. Hela looked to Loki, who stood. "Do you trust me?"

"You know that I do." He answered.

Hela addressed the group. "I must summon Death. I need to speak with her and get her clarity. Since I am not in Hel, there is only one way I can summon Death."

"Hela, what are you meaning to do?" Thor looked uneasy.

"I want to speak with Death here so that everyone will hear her account. I can summon Death quite easily in my realm. While outside of Hel, the only way to summon Death is to create the need for her to be present."

"Hela, I won't allow you to—" Hela cut Thor off.

"It's the only way. She is the only one close enough to what is happening. I can't use you because your friends will not take too kindly to what will happen to you." She turned to Loki. "You understand what I want to do?"

"Yes."

"Wait, wait, wait! I don't understand what you want to do?" Tony cutting in trying to get a grasp on the situation. Hela looked to Thor.

Thor began to explain. "Hela means to bring Loki to the brink of death in order to summon Death to this place to claim him. She will release her hold on Loki so that he will not be claimed but instead Hela will converse with her friend."

"We must begin quickly, time is of the essence." She walked over to Loki. "I need your arm." He removed his overcoat and slid the sleeve of his tunic up. She spoke to Loki. "It will not be painful. There will be considerable discomfort. Resist the urge to fight against me. When I release my grip, you will quickly return to your previous state." She looked into his eyes. "I love you."

"I love you."

Hela took a deep breath. The air in the penthouse began to feel cooler. She was facing Loki and her skeletal left hand grabbed on to the forearm that Loki had exposed. Slowly, Loki's breathing sped up and he started growing weaker. His body began to get heavier and he dropped to his knees. Hela held his gaze. He began to groan as he felt his life being drained from his body. Hela's eyes grew brighter and almost fiery, never taking them off Loki. She gripped his arm tighter. He began making choking and gasping noises, his body writhing under her grasp. Jane screamed out, "Oh my God, she's killing him!" She turned and buried her face into Thor's chest. The rest of the group looked on in stunned horror. Loki's other hand reached up to grab the hand pulling the life from his body. Hela's free hand reached over pulled Loki's hand away and held it, a single tear slid down the pale side of her face.

Just then a floating figure appeared in the room. A floating apparition clothed in flowing, airy lavender and purple fabrics. She had dark wavy hair and though her face seemed pale at first, it was actually more transparent revealing her skeletal features. The same was true with the rest of her body. She glided slowly through the air over to where Hela was holding Loki, who was so weak he was no longer making noises or moving except for his heaving chest. His face was clammy and his eyes had darkened circles around them, his skin paler than ever.

Hela looked at the apparition. "I must speak with you. Please do not leave."

The ghost-like skeletal figure nodded. Hela released her deathly grip on Loki's arm, but continued to hold his other hand. He inhaled a breath deep and loud as if he had been deprived for air for an eternity. He fell back onto the floor lying on his back. The darkened circles disappeared from his eyes, his breathing slowed to a normal pace and his body regained its strength. All of this occurred quickly, just as Hela had said. Hela smiled at Loki. He returned her smile and nodded his head.

She let go of his hand and turned to the ghost-like figure. "My friend, what is happening?"

The figure bowed her head and shook it, then looked up at Hela. She began to speak, her voice was soft. "Thanos wishes to court Death. He means for me to stay in his presence. He has begun to slaughter people in his homeland in order for me to remain near him."

The others in the room stared at this exchange in silent awe.

"Oh Cide!" Hela went to the floating figure and reached out her mangled hand clasping it around the apparition's airy hand.

"Hela, the halls of Hel will continue to fill with souls of the slain. His army will be an army of death. He seeks to destroy the realms and all those who oppose him. His first target will be Midgard."

The Avengers looked around at each other in shock.

"I must go, now. There are many who are waiting for my embrace."

"I—we, will find a way to stop him." Hela looked into Death's face.

Death bowed her head at Hela and then faded into the air.

A/N: I wanted Hela to have a name for Death, since they were friends. I didn't envision her calling her "Death" all the time when they were together. I opted for the nickname "Cide." The root word 'cide' means 'killer', like in the words suicide, homicide.