The Amazing Avenger.

Recap: Thor deals with his guilt over Loki's return; Tony and Peter become acquainted with one another, both in and out of their suits. Now on to Chapter 7.

Chapter 7. Three months later.

"Stark, why must you get in the way of every shot I have?" Steve complained as the team came from yet another mission they were sent to by Fury.

"It's not my fault you're slow." Tony defended, as he stepped away from the pod as the last of his suit was removed. Not surprising to anyone, he went straight for the minibar.

Steve rolled his eyes. "I had that last guy just where I wanted him, and as usual, you have managed to sucker me out. What the hell is it with you anyway?"

"Ok, um, if memory serves correctly, you were surrounded by six of 'em and two were about to blow you to smithereens if yours truly had not come in." Tony poured his drink and took a swig. "Which, your welcome, by the way."

"I didn't need your help. In fact, I DON'T need your help, not now, not ever, got it?"

The tone in Steve's voice had everyone on alert then. The team had been used to their after-mission bickering, but now they knew that this was getting serious.

Bruce stepped in. "Ok, guys. What does it matter anyway? We won. We did it together."

Steve looked at Bruce coldly. "There is no 'team' with this guy."

Now it was Tony's turn to roll his eyes. "Oh, here we go. Captain "I hate it when Iron Man gets all the attention" Spangles here wants to throw it in my face that I take all his glory because he has a little trouble playing with others."

"Go to hell, Stark!" Steve yelled as Bruce tries to calm him down.

"Ok, what the hell is going on here?" Nick Fury's voice bellowed and everyone shot around looking at him.

Peter walked in the room then, coming from his room where he had changed from his suit and into some fresh clothes. He looked at the scene between Steve and Tony. "I miss something?" he asked quietly.

Tony downed his drink, ignoring the looks from Steve and poured himself another.

"I'm outta here!" Steve threw his hands up and walked out of the room, past Peter who watched him leave.

When Steve left, Bruce, Clint, Natasha, and Fury shot glares at Tony.

"Oh now c'mon! Quit looking at me like that. I literally save the guy's life and now I'm in trouble for it." Tony muttered.

"You're an ass." Natasha spouted, and she walked out of the room with Clint merely shrugging his shoulders and following.

Tony just raised his glass at her. "Thanks Nat. Always a pleasure."

"You don't know when to stop, do you?" Fury glared at Tony.

"Not the time, Cyclops." Tony replied, as he passed Fury and Peter and left the room as well.

Fury just sighed and turned to Peter. "You did great out there, Parker."

"Thanks." Peter replied, smiling meekly.

"So does that mean mission was successful?" Bruce asked, moving to stand next to Peter.

Fury nodded. "Yes, I think we've rounded the last of them. Looks like we'll be seeing the last of that particular tribe." Fury turned to leave, but then turned back. "Although some have gladly spilled their guts with some valuable information just as long as we keep the 'big green monster' away." He smirked then.

Bruce smiled. "Happy to help."

Fury nodded and left and Peter turned to Bruce.

"Is Steve ok?"

Bruce sighed and walked over to the minibar with Peter following. Bruce poured himself some vodka and looked up at Peter. "Coke?"

"Sure, thanks." Peter replied.

Bruce poured a glass of coke and slid it to Peter, who accepted it gratefully.

"Steve will be fine, once he destroys every punching bag he can get his hands on." Bruce lightly chuckled to himself.

"Do you think they really hate each other?" Peter asked.

Bruce shook his head and propped his elbows on the bar, taking a sip of his drink. "Nah. Deep down, they respect each other, but the personality clash is too much sometimes. Sometimes they can't get past their own egos."

Peter understood that. While he idolized Stark, he also knew that he had too large an ego. But he was Tony Stark. Genius, billionaire, playboy, ph-shoot, Peter had already forgotten the rest.

"I am worried about Steve, lately though." Bruce spoke up, waking Peter from his thoughts. "This. All this. The time gap. I think it's really starting to get to him."

Peter nodded.

"I mean, imagine you're in a situation thinking you're going to die, accepting that fate, then you wake up and it's seventy years later. About three plus generations have passed and you're still stuck behind, mentally and physically." Bruce shook his head. "I don't know what I would do."

"So do you think that's why Tony pushes him so much? To make him break?" Peter asked, earning him a look from Bruce pushing him to clarify. "Like, trying to penetrate the gap?"

Bruce pondered this. "You know what, kid? You could be on to something there. I guess we'll have to wait and see." He finished his drink. "Just hope they don't kill each other in the process."

Peter agreed.

"Brother, whatever I have done, however I have wronged you to make you do this, I am truly sorry."

That was the last thing Loki heard before he opened his eyes. Staring up at the spinning ceiling fan, he groaned internally. He hated times like this. Boredom. Complete boredom. He was a prince on Asgard, a sorcerer, powerful, and while he still was powerful, he was now stuck on this insufferable planet. While he detested Midgard, he knew he could've been banished to worse realms. He had been to worse realms. He had seen things that even Odin never knew about.

He had remembered when Odin visited him in prison, the only time, and had grilled Loki endlessly on his whereabouts between the time he fell from the bi-frost and his time on Midgard. Loki would just sit there, looking in his father's pleading eyes and say nothing. He couldn't bear to tell anyone, let alone his father, what had happened to him during his time with the Chitauri.

Loki felt his whole body tense at the memory. With a sigh, he sat up from his bed. He walked to the bathroom and clicked the light on. He was dressed in dark sweatpants and a white tank top that still contrasted on his dreadfully pale skin. Standing in front of a mirror that showed the top part of his body from the waist up, he removed the shirt. The reflection had shown flawless skin at first, but then Loki closed his eyes and ran his hands flat down his front, revealing what looked like hundreds of scars covering every inch of his skin. Cuts marks, burn marks, whip marks, you name it, he had it. He had been grateful his father didn't have him stripped down. His magic had been bound in prison so he couldn't cover them. All because he had refused the Chitauri on their offer the first time. Yes, Loki hated Midgard, yes, he was angry with his father and brother, but even he had to admit that their plans were as monstrous as they came.

They had mutilated and tortured him for what seemed like an eternity. He had refused to tell them about Asgard and the Bi-frost, but their inquiries had mainly focused on the Tesseract. Loki put up so much resistance for so long that the Chitauri were ready to give up on him, to just kill and dispose of him, that is, until he arrived.

Loki closed his eyes tightly shut as he remembered his first meeting with Thanos. Loki had craved death, and Thanos knew that. He could smell it all over him. But Thanos needed him. He worked Loki over for two whole days, only this time, mentally. By the time the Titan was done with him, Loki's resolve had all but diminished. In the end, Loki was on his knees, surrendering to Thanos and the Chitauri, hearing "No Loki…" over and over in his head as he was taken over with the same blue light that he had seen in Thanos' eyes.

Loki's thoughts were interrupted by sirens outside. Sighing, he waved his hands over his body and the scars instantly vanished from sight. It had been three months since he was banished to Midgard, and he had waited. Waited for them to come for him, to follow through on their promise to make him pay for his failure. But nothing. He had spent three months laying low, out of his brother's sight, only to be hiding from nothing. With a disgusted sigh, he put his shirt back on-why in Valhalla would they call these wife beaters?-and headed back to his room where he sat and made a glass of water appear in his hand. Another wave with his finger and the small TV set he had came on. With movements of his head, he went through many channels until he came to a news channel. Normally, the news did not interest him, but the group featured was a group he knew all too well.

"It appears the superhero group who call themselves The Avengers have added another member to their alliance. Even though his identity has remained anonymous, residents of this city remember him as Spiderman, who about a few years back, had saved the city from a potential infection created by Dr. Curt Connors-"

Loki didn't care for the reporter's words anymore, but his attention was drawn to the footage of Spiderman in action. Then it showed camera crews and reporters surrounding around Tony Stark as he approached Stark Industries inquiring about just whom Spiderman is. Stark did not tell them, but did confirm that yes, Spiderman was now part of the Avengers Intuitive.

Loki smiled at this. Yes, he had had his eye on this Spiderman and the group for quite some time. But then, maybe he had laid low long enough. Maybe it was time to really make his presence known, not to dominate the world, but to just…how did the Midgardians put it….ruffle their feathers a bit? After all, it had been a long time since he had encountered any of them, and he had to admit, even though he had been mostly corrupted by the Tesseract, it was a bit of fun facing off with them, well, maybe except the huge green beast. Loki cringed at that memory.

He clicked the TV off and got up. He closed his eyes and within seconds, his meager Midgardian attire was changed into his Asgardian attire, the combination of green leather and metal that was most comfortable to him-sans the long horned hat. Checking over himself in the mirror, he smiled to himself.

"Time to go say hello to my old friends."

Walking outside, he felt free. He was no longer blending in with the mortals. He turned around to see his small apartment quickly morph into a wall. Being the most hated man on Earth, he did have to hide himself. Still, to most of the city folk walking up and down the streets, he was just another man walking past, but there were a few that looked at him strangely, even a couple that asked their companions, "Don't you think that looks like.." or "Oh my God, is that who I think it is?" and he saw one woman take out her phone and as she was about to dial, he smiled at her.

"I wouldn't do that."

She looked up at him in confusion, and when she looked back down at her phone, she saw it was now a dead rat she was holding in her hand. She screamed and dropped it.

Loki just laughed and carried on, walking down the street passed people who were all checking out their phones, wondering why they had all stopped working.

"Hey you!" a voice called out, and Loki had stopped. "Raise your hands and slowly turn around." A cop…how delightful.

Loki smiled and raised his hands. When he turned, he was met by a policeman, who had his hand on his gun, but only stared at the God with a fearful expression when he realized who he was.

"Is there something wrong, Officer?" Loki sneered as he kept his hands up, but casually strolled toward the man.

"I'm gonna need you to stop right there-" the officer warned, but was cut off when Loki vanished, only to appear right behind the cop.

The man turned quickly, but was met with a brutal hold at his throat, as those around them gasped and screamed in horror. He looked around them and smiled in sheer gratification as he watched them run or just stand there in shock. He then turned his attention to the man he was holding, watching him writhe in pain as Loki's hold on his throat tightened. He could instantly kill him, which Loki had no problem with initially, but then realized that doing so would be too easy for him. After all, if he were to be stuck on this pathetic planet, then it wouldn't be good for him to go around just killing people, for now anyway.

Still holding his grip, he peered down at the officer, who was looking up at him, his eyes pleading with the God. "You think you know fear? You think you know death? You don't." he seethed into the man's ear, then he looked down at his name tag. "Officer Greenwood, do you know what it's like to fear something so much that it drives you insane? To always look over your shoulder and have that fear taking over your life, your dreams, until there is no escape, even in death?" Loki then peered into the man's eyes. "I do."

Then with that, he let go and the officer fell to the ground like putty, coughing and shaking. Loki stared down at him for a moment, then turned his attention to the commotion going on in the street. Yes, he was back. As sirens were blaring in the distance, Loki immediately looked up in the sky. He muttered a chant under his breath and smiled dangerously, knowing full well who would be the first to see him.

Up in Asgard, Heimdall's eyes grew wide as his vision was suddenly filled with Loki, who seemed to be looking him right in the eyes, and then his vision had shifted to all the commotion he was causing. Heimdall wasted no time as he yelled to a guard.

"Summon the Prince, RIGHT AWAY!"

Peter knocked on Steve's apartment door. He had hoped he wasn't disturbing the Captain, especially with the mood he had been in earlier. As he was about to knock a second time, he could hear the chain being unhooked and the door opening.

"Peter, hi." Steve greeted.

"Hey." Peter replied.

"Is something wrong-?" Steve asked, and Peter could tell he was not used to many visitors.

"Uh, no. I was just out in the neighborhood and I thought I'd come by and see if you're ok." Peter responded meekly.

Steve looked at him and nodded. He didn't believe Peter's "in the neighborhood" explanation, but he kept that to himself. He motioned inside his apartment. "Would you like to come in?"

"Sure." Peter said and walked in. He had never seen where the great Captain America lived and he could see now that his personality definitely differed from Stark when it came to living conditions. Steve's place was as simple as simple could get. There was a couch, a chair and a really small TV that sat in front on a stand and that was pretty much the living room.

"You want something to drink?" Steve asked.

"No, I'm good. Thanks." Peter replied.

Steve nodded. Peter had spotted a book Steve was reading sitting on the couch. He picked it up. All Quiet on the Western Front.

"You ever read that?" Steve asked.

"I remember reading it in school once."

"It's as close to real war as you get in those days." Steve said, sitting down next to Peter on the couch.

"Do you still remember the war you were in?" Peter asked.

Steve sighed. "Like it was yesterday." then he looked around. "Only it wasn't."

"Listen, I know it must be tough on you, having to adjust to all this." Peter then laughed to himself. "Ok, maybe I don't know, but seriously, what you see around you, it's not all that different."

Peter then pulled something out of his pocket. "Here. I made this for you."

Steve looked at the tiny device Peter held strangely. "What is it?"

"It's an iPod. It plays music." Peter replied.

Steve looked at it as if it were gonna explode. Peter cracked a smile.

"See, I downloaded a bunch of music from your time and put it all on this thing. Here." he grabbed a set of earbuds and unraveled them, earning him another look of confusion from Steve. When Peter hooked them in, he gestured to Steve where the buds go. Steve stares at them for a moment, but then very carefully inserts the buds in his ears, making a face at how funny they feel.

"Ok, ready?" Peter asked.

Steve looked at him and nodded. Peter touched the tiny screen and then all of a sudden, a very loud, jazzy tune shot through his ears like a bullet and Steve about jumped a mile off the couch and quickly pulled the buds from his ears. His heart was racing and he looked up to see Peter laughing heartedly at Steve's reaction.

Steve let out some breaths to calm himself and Peter calmed his laughing as well. "You should've seen your face just now."

Steve glared at the kid, but then began to chuckle as well. "What in the hell was that?"

Peter stopped laughing long enough to explain. "Well, it was the music, but I guess I should've made sure the volume wasn't all the way up before I played it, sorry." He adjusted it then gestured for Steve to put the buds back in his ears. He gave Peter a look and Peter smiled. "It's safe this time, I promise."

Steve nodded and put the buds in his ears carefully.

"Ok, we'll start with something a bit more lighter. Here we go." Peter tapped on the screen and then a much softer tune played through the buds and Steve found it more pleasant this time around. It was also a song he remembered. A song that he would often hear when he and Bucky would meet at clubs. His heart ached at the memory of his best friend. In fact, his heart ached for a lot these days, but the music was more comfort than he had hoped for.

He pulled the buds out and looked at Peter. "Thank you. This is really nice."

Peter smiled. "It's really easy to use." He then took a few minutes to show Steve how it worked and gave him the battery charger that went with it as well.

Just then, the phone rang. Steve excused himself and went to pick it up. It was a simple old-style phone. Steve already had enough trouble understanding modern technology that SHEILD had provided him with the phone that only they called him on.

Peter was still adjusting Steve's iPod when Steve shot around to face him, a look of dread poured over his features.

"What is it?" Peter asked.

"We've got trouble downtown." Steve replied, then swallowing before he said, "It's Loki."

A/N: I know, I know, I promised you guys a confrontation between Loki and the Avengers in this chapter, but it's already long and I want to get it out. But never fear, I am already in the process of Ch. 8 and I promise to make it good. I just hope his mischief in this chapter is enough to hold you over til then. Thanks again to everyone for the continued support. You all make me very happy, and believe me, happiness is hard to come by these days.