'Ok then, Loki!' Rivers said as chipper as possible, 'let's start shall we?' She sat down at her chair and took a sip of tea. From this angle it was easier to see his face, it was handsome, with a mischievous glint in his green, piercing eyes, eyes that where now fixed on her.

They were both bruised however; he had a gash on his forehead and along the bridge of his nose, which may have been broken, and a cut on his lower lip. That tree had not agreed with his face it seemed.

'We did not get the opportunity to interrogate you after the battle of New York,' she began. 'And although that was some time ago now any intel you can provide to fill the gaps will be extremely useful at this juncture.'
'That sounds agreeable.' Came Loki's reply. 'Can I ask what you intend to use my valuable secrets for?'
'I'm sorry, that's classified, suffice it to say we are fighting a war, and anything new that can be brought to the table to help fight it will be greatly appreciated.'
'Appreciated how?'
'I'm sorry?'
'How do you intend to repay my services?'
'With our gratitude.'
'Is that all?' He pouted. 'After all the trouble you put me through?'
'What about the trouble you put us through to bring you in?' Loki glared, Rivers smiled. 'Don't be so moody, green eyes.' She teased.

Loki made a noise of derision and looked away scowling.
'Our sources show that you had a great deal of help in the form of scientists and soldiers here on earth before the portal opened. Can you tell me where those people came from?' Loki continued to scowl, refusing eye contact.
'Loki?' No answer. 'Well, who knew the god of mischief was such a big baby!' Loki turned his hard gaze on her. 'Lady, I am a King!'

'Then act like one, have some accountability and defend your oh so royal self! But then, I wouldn't expect it from an Asgardian anyway, your brother was a stubborn child to.'
Loki set his jaw, then sighing he relaxed it seeing the sense in her words. He leaned back in the chair, setting his legs out in front of him and his elbows on the chairs arms. 'I, ah...' he began hesitantly as though the words where difficult. 'I would like some aid; my pride has concealed my discomfort from you. If I am to be your guest for some time I should like some assistance.' He lowered his head in a humble manner and looked up at her under a furrowed brow.

Rivers leaned back in a similar fashion, throwing up her hands in a gesture of surprise and relief. 'Ok, that's more like it, was that difficult?' This really wasn't how her interrogations usually went but she could use it. 'What do you need?'
'Well, my head hurts somewhat, and I am still rather shaken from your friends assault.'
'That I can help you with! Do you like tea?'
He gave her a confused look, so she removed the lid from her takeaway cup and allowed the aroma to escape. She got up, lifted it from the table in front of her, moving round to his side of the table and placing it in his cuffed hands.
He raised it and allowed the sweet smell to fill his sinuses, clearing his head with the simple action. He glanced up at her; 'Thank you.' He said with a nod of respect.

She folded her arms, leaning back against the table and nodded in reply a satisfied but surprised smile on her lips. 'You're welcome.' Loki took a sip of the hot liquid and closing his eyes as a smile spread across his lips. 'It's good!'
'It's my favourite variety, always puts a smile on my face!'
'I can see why!' His face had softened; his eyes now sparkled rather than glared.
He was really quite beautiful when he wasn't being an arrogant sod, she thought.

'What about this?' She said reaching out and sweeping a strand of hair away from his face revealing the cuts and gash on his forehead and one black eye. He drew back in a reflex of mistrust, but then after a pause he nodded; 'I will allow you to tend me.' He said quietly, gazing into the cup of tea.

Rivers breathed through her nose, shaking her head in amusement at him, then activated her earpiece.
'Hey Rivers, how's it going? Need me to come rescue you yet?' Came Jones' friendly quip.
'Nothing of the sort! I just need a med kit for our friend here.'
'Ok, I'll be right there!' Loki watched her from under his brows, the tea lifted to his mouth. She glanced down at him and he looked away quickly.

Smiling amusedly she turned towards the door just as Jones arrived with the med kit and opened it to him. He looked across at Loki and back at her. 'Well he seems calm enough, is he behaving?'
'He's been no trouble at all!' She replied taking the kit.
'Well I've got to get back to dismantling and analyzing that armour!'
'Is Simmons around?'
'Yeah she's doing the analyzing bit!'
'Ok, tell her I'll see her and Skye later, I don't know how long this will take though.'
'Take your time, fill me in later! Stark might be around by then to!' He winked. 'Oh, I didn't mention to our guest that you sent me to collect him, has that come up?'
'Not yet, I'm hoping it won't have to!' She whispered in warning.
'Sorry, I hope it doesn't cause you problems! Tell him sorry for ripping his top, it looked expensive, we can find him a replacement! I'll see you later.' He left and the door closed behind him, she turned back to her guest.

To her concern Loki was looking right at her, he had clearly been listening and watching them. 'Hear anything interesting, sunshine?' She said lightly moving back to the table. Loki gave a shocked look and hid his face.
Rivers placed down the med kit, grabbed her chair and brought it round to his side. 'You don't have to look so scared, something obviously peaked your interest.'
'Jones said something about armour,' Loki replied slowly. 'Would that be the armour that he took from me when I was brought in?'
'It is. We felt it could be utilised in some way, to help us fight this war. You would not have been allowed to keep it anyway.' She replied opening the kit and sitting down next to him.
'How do you intend to do that?'
'We've got our best people on it, as well as our favourite playboy coming in, Tony Stark, you remember him right?'
'I believe so, but only vaguely I fear.' Loki replied with a frown.
'You threw him out of a window on Stark Tower?'
'I do not recall.'
'Seriously? How can you not remember throwing a man out of a skyscraper?'
'I have a great many gaps in my memory of those events, and of some considerable time before. I am sorry to say I may be of little use to your investigation and plans.'

'Well why don't you tell me what you do remember?' Rivers said taking a cotton pad and dousing it with TCP and putting on a pair of medical gloves, Loki watched with curiosity. 'We can fill in the rest later.' She raised the cotton pad and again he drew back.
'I'm not going to hurt you.' She said calmly and soothingly.
'No, you won't.' He replied. 'But I dislike being touched.'
'I won't touch you, only the pad will, ok?'
He paused for a moment 'Very well.' He said and leant forward again, she brushed the pad along the main gash on Loki's forehead; he closed his eyes and frowned but showed no signs of discomfort.

'So what do you remember?'
He searched his memory. 'I recall being led to a Midgardian transport.'
'Sorry, Midgardian?'
'Yes, this realm, Earth.'
'Oh I see, go on'
'Well, I was disorientated and in considerable pain. I climbed into the back of the transport and was shaking a fair amount, I do not remember having physically exerted myself but it felt as though I had, I was weak, light headed.' Rivers took the cotton pad away while he talked, listening with intent.
'A woman we had passed received a communication which alerted one of the men I was with, Barton I think, and he fired his weapon at her, the transport moved off and carried me away. I don't remember any more of that event.'
'That sounds like the incident when you arrived at the Dark Matter facility and stole the Tesseract, you caused an explosion due to the power overload after the portal opened, which destroyed the entire facility. A lot of good people where lost.'
'I am very sorry to hear that. I did not wish to harm anyone.'
'Tell that to the soldiers you stabbed when you appeared!' Said Rivers, placing another pad forcefully on to the bridge of his nose. 'Or Coulson.' She muttered under her breath. Loki batted her hand away and tended to it himself.

'I told you I do not recall any of those events, I can hardly be held accountable for something I have no memory of!' Rivers eyed him closely, she didn't see any deception in his face, but she had no reason to trust what he said.

'Well what else do you remember?' She said crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair.
'Can you tell me why you gave the order to bring me in under duress?'
'It was for your own protection, as well as ours,' Rivers answered with a sigh; here came the part she was dreading. 'We received word that Thor had brought someone and wanted to hand them over to us for phyc-evaluation and monitoring, obviously I didn't know who we were bringing in until I came in here. But we had to get you off the streets and fast before either of you drew attention to us.'

'Subtlety was never his strong suit.' He said under his breath with some clear animosity. 'Did you also give the order for me to be beaten?' His eyes where piercing but the look he gave was hurt, if she was not careful he could withdraw again and the interrogation would have been a waste.

'I didn't, Jones was sent as he could get the job done quickly without drawing attention but I did not wish you any harm.'

Loki sighed. 'You should be more concerned for the tree!' He said cracking a playful smile, Rivers smiled kindly in reply, relived. This was going to take a while, but at least she was getting somewhere.