Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to The Avengers or any of its associations.


They all moved to stand together, side by side, facing Thanos with their weapons drawn and at the ready. Loki remained at their backs, and soon the symbolism at that moment would not be lost on them.

Thanos laughed at them. ''You place your trust in the untrustworthy. You have led me to my victory. The doom of your world is no fault but your own.''

Their gasps of shock were sharp, and Steve turned to Loki while the others kept their eyes locked on Thanos. ''He didn't return to Asgard. You had us lead him here. You lied to us.''

''You are surprised?'' Loki asked with raised eyebrows. He splayed his hands out before himself. ''It is in my nature.''

Steve's jaw clenched angrily and he turned back to face Thanos.

''You are pathetic,'' Thanos chuckled. ''I take pity on you. Step aside and I will spare you.''

''Not today,'' Steve said, and they all attacked at once.

It was obvious that Thanos had not expected them to defy him. He lurched back in surprise, and cried out as their assault rained down on him. Steve threw his shield; Tony sent a blast of energy; Clint released an arrow; Hulk landed a strike; Thor struck him with his hammer; Natasha fired a hail of bullets.

Thanos stumbled backwards but did not succumb to the assault. He cried out in answer and swept his arms out, catching each of them in the blow and knocking them to either side. They crashed against the cave walls and crumbled to the floor, each recovering slowly but steadily from the ground.

All except Natasha, who remained in the dirt, trying to lift herself up but failing.

Thanos walked past them and to Loki, who stood before the snake waiting for him.

''I did not ask for your help, Asgardian. You have served me well nonetheless. I will kill you quickly,'' Thanos stated.

But to his dismay, Loki was neither afraid nor thankful for his generosity. Instead, a smile slowly crept onto Loki's lips, and his expression was thoroughly arrogant.

Thanos started to move back, realizing that the Avengers were not the only ones that had fallen for Loki's trickery. His eyes took in the chains at the base of the boulder, and Loki's scepter clutched tightly in his hand. He heard movement at his back, blocking his escape.

''Now, brother!'' Loki cried, his expression determined and serious.

The blow from the hammer was too much for Thanos, and he fell on his front on the body of the rock. Before he could recover, the brothers had fastened the chains around him, binding him to its surface.

The residual venom on the rock sizzled at his skin, and the fresh stream that poured from the serpent's mouth ate at the flesh and bones in its path. Thanos screamed in agony, and the sound was nearly deafening. His cries were cut short when the poison reached his throat.

The rest of the Avengers were silent and still, and Loki was quick to take advantage of their shock.

He struck Thor across the face with the back of his scepter, and he fell to his knee. The next swing of Loki's scepter took off Thanos's left hand, and the gauntlet fell free.

''Brother, no!'' Thor cried, but it was too late.

Loki slipped his hand into the gauntlet, and the metal reformed over his hand. He secured the final gem from the snake, and he held it just above the open slot as he faced the others.

''Now you will know what it truly means to fear me,'' Loki said with a smirk.

The standing Avengers recovered from their shock and lunged for the mischief maker, but when he secured the gem into place a wave of power erupted from the gauntlet and blasted them all back.

The force of their impacts with the cave walls made some of the rock give under them, and clouds of dirt and dust obscured the air. When it cleared, the room was still, except for Thanos still writhing on the rock.

Loki twirled the scepter in his hand proudly, deciding to take his leave.

As he passed by Thor, his demeanor dampened slightly, and his feet hesitated on the ground. His eyes were sad when they looked upon his brother, unconscious and broken on the floor.

He forced himself past. As he took a few steps nearer to the entrance of the cave, he realized that not all of the Avengers had been hit by the gauntlet's blast.


Natasha was on the ground at Loki's feet, and when the tips of his boots came into her line of sight, she lifted her head to face him. The pain was evident on her face, but still her eyes held fire when she looked upon him.

He went to a knee before her, and she froze when he lifted his left hand toward her. The metal of the gauntlet was cold against her chin as he raised her face upward, and her fear choked in her throat.

''You look frightened, little spider,'' he drawled, a small smile playing on his lips.

''Not of you,'' she said through gritted teeth.

''Of the gauntlet?'' Loki said, bemused. ''It is harmless without the man behind it.''

''Then I have nothing at all to fear,'' Natasha said lowly. ''You are a child.''

Loki's amusement died immediately. He set the scepter on the ground and slipped his free hand into her hair, pulling it back and forcing her up onto her knees. Her body initially resisted, but he did not relent, and her face contorted in pain at the position.

''You were angry at your father for lying to you about your true parentage, for intending to use you as a pawn and favoring your brother. Your actions in New York were those of a child acting out for attention, not of a man,'' she growled.

Loki stood and pulled her up with him. She cried out, but he held her up when her body failed to support her past the pain. He kept one hand in her hair, and the other with the gauntlet wrapped around her arm to secure his hold on her.

''Bite your tongue,'' he growled at her. He pulled her close, and his breath was cool and ragged on her face. ''You know not of which you speak.''

''You're angry because I do,'' she said calmly, her voice edged with pain. ''You're angry because I know you better than you know yourself. Or better than you'll allow yourself. You hide behind the arrogant facade of a villain, a monster, because you can't handle what you really are.''

''And what is that, Agent Romanoff?'' Loki asked, the fire in his eyes both a dare and a warning.

''Lost.''

He struck her then, and she fell into a heap on the ground. His anger raged through him, and he walked backwards until he felt the cool wall of the cave press against his back. He stayed there silently, willing himself to calm.

When he managed to collect himself once again, he approached Natasha's limp body curled on the floor. He grunted lightly as he lifted her up into his arms, before making his way back toward the entrance of the cave.


When Natasha woke, she could not move. She felt pressure on her wrists at her back, across her shoulders and each of her ankles. When the last bits of her mind resumed consciousness, she realized she was bound to a chair.

The pain of her injuries was faded and only a small thought at the back of her mind, and she wondered how long she had been unconscious to have healed so thoroughly.

She let her eyes adjust to the dim lighting of the room before looking around and inspecting her situation.

It was a low end motel room, and the air smelled of mildew and cheap cleaning supplies. The carpet was stained, and the bed looked old and worn. Most would be disgusted, but Natasha had stayed in worse conditions as a spy.

The door opened slowly at her back, and she felt a tremor of fear run through her.

''You're awake,'' Loki said, his voice as slick as silk.

''What do you want with me?'' she demanded.

Loki was silent as he passed around her chair, and he sat down slowly on the edge of the bed in front of her. She met his eyes evenly, angrily, and waited for him to answer.

''You are a liability,'' he answered, splaying his hands out before himself.

''A liability?'' she repeated, and confusion played along with the anger on her expression.

''I am on the brink of making your world crumble before me,'' he breathed, and his face was blatant and honest. ''You said you know me better than I know myself. It is a risk I am not willing to take.''

Natasha swallowed hard, and fear welled heavily in her stomach. ''What do you intend to do with me?'' she asked, but she knew what he would say next. She could feel her heartbeat choking in her throat, and she closed her eyes and tried to calm.

Loki hooked his fingers under her chin and her eyes snapped open, but his grip was gentle. He moved off of the bed, and fell to his knee before her. He rested his hands on her knees, and she shivered from the cold.

''I will give you two options,'' he said slowly, and there was warning hidden behind his tone. ''And you will choose wisely.''

Natasha said nothing, and just waited for him to continue.

''Your first option, my dear,'' he said. ''Is to die.''

It was expected, but still Natasha felt her stomach clench in fear. ''Someone would hear.''

Loki's responding laugh was soft, and the knot in her belly tightened. ''From what I heard last night from all of those around us, you will probably not be the only body they find tomorrow.''

Natasha's stomach rolled, and she barely kept what little food was still in her stomach down. Her jaw clenched in anger, and her eyes were burning.

If it had any effect on Loki, he did not let it show.

''What is my second option?'' she said through gritted teeth.

His lips parted slightly, and his tongue rolled in his mouth as he thought on his answer. She did not know if he was just at a loss for words, or if he was questioning giving her the second option entirely.

''Your second option,'' he said carefully. ''Is to join me.''


Author's Note: So much happened... This chapter got away from me. But I like where it went, and I hope you do too! Please review and keep reading!