A/N: I'm sorry about the wait, my dear readers. I've started back to school. My classes are on Mondays and Wednesdays, and I'm on campus from 2:00-10:00. It's only twice a week, but the craziness certainly amounts to less time to write.

Not to mention I'm finally on a roll with my novel.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Avengers.

Seventh to Forgive: Coulson

So that was it.

Loki had reconciled with his brother. He had become friends with Bruce, Steve, Pepper and Tony (even if Loki wouldn't admit it). He had formed a connection with Natasha, which was probably not best described as a friendship. He had at last come to a truce with Clint. He was even called in to go on more missions with the Avengers, although he was still sometimes left behind in the company of Agent Anders (his "babysitter", as Tony called her).

After a couple weeks, Fury informed them that Agents Takahada and Michaels were being sent away ("good riddance" Clint had grumbled), and someone would be coming to inspect the measures being taken to manage the "Loki situation". However, he failed to mention who was doing the inspection.

"Maybe it's Agent Hill." Steve speculated when the Avengers, plus Agent Anders and Pepper, were spending an afternoon in a favored lounge, waiting for the inspector to arrive.

"I doubt it, she's with Fury all the time. She's basically his right hand, and in line to replace him someday." Clint replied dismissively.

"Well, I don't suppose you agents know who Eye Patch is sending?" Tony asked from behind the bar, where he was mixing drinks for Pepper and himself.

All three agents in the room shook their heads.

"Not even you, Andy? You're in contact with Fury most often." Tony asked Agent Anders.

She did not look up from her place on the floor having a chess match with Loki, but frowned, obviously not pleased with Tony's nickname based on her last name. "No, I don't." She stated simply.

"Aw come on, you can tell us."

Agent Anders ignored him.

"Sir, there is a SHIELD agent requesting access to the tower." JARVIS's voice came suddenly, keeping Tony from doing anymore prodding.

"That will be the inspector. I'll go show them here." Anders said, getting up and leaving the room.

"Real friendly, that one." Tony snorted, taking a sip of his whisky.

"She's not here to make friends Tony. She's just doing her job. Don't make it any harder for her." Natasha said, rolling her eyes at Tony from across the room.

"I'm going to get a book." Loki muttered suddenly, and left the room as quickly as Anders had.

"So why is Agent Anders staying while the other two are leaving anyway?" Bruce asked, looking up from the couch in the center of the room where he was scribbling equations in a notebook.

"Maybe Fury thinks Loki needs less supervision, but still some?" Steve suggested with a shrug.

Thor, who had been looking out of a window in the room, turned to face the others. "Actually, I asked the director if she could stay here."

"What? Why?" Steve asked, sitting down in an armchair.

"I believe she has been having a positive effect on my brother." Thor replied.

"I agree with Thor. Haven't any of you noticed that he doesn't complain about being left alone with her like he used to when she first arrived?" Pepper added, snuggling up to Tony as he snaked an arm around her waist.

"I rather think Loki enjoys Charlotte's company." Thor mused, a smile twitching at his lips.

"Charlotte?" Tony said.

"What, she's got to have a first name right? Or is her first name 'agent' too?" Pepper teased.

"Of course she's got a first name, but this opens up a whole new realm of nicknames. You guys know 'Charlotte's Web' right? OW!" His statement had earned him a hard poke in the ribs from Pepper.

A few more minutes passed, before the door opened again and Agent Anders walked in, looking slightly shaken. Everyone was confused as to why she seemed that way until the person behind her entered the room.

Everyone who had been sitting down sprung to their feet, and there was a round of different shouts, but they were all for the same person.

"Phil!" "Coulson!" "Agent Coulson!"

Coulson smiled at everyone in the room. "Hello."

Pepper detached herself from Tony, and rushed over to him and hugged him, leaving Coulson standing there awkwardly for a moment before he returned the hug. "Oh my god, Phil, it's so good to see you!" Pepper exclaimed, pulling back.

"It's good to see you all too."

The others came forward as well, handshakes from Clint, Bruce, Steve, and Natasha, and slaps on the back from Tony and Thor.

"So, Phil, were you really, well, dead?" Tony asked. "Oh, want a drink?"

"A gin and tonic would be nice I suppose." Coulson replied, and Tony walked back to the bar to mix the drink. "As for the first question, well, not entirely."

"What do you mean not entirely? You make it sound like The Princess Bride, you know, 'only mostly dead'." Tony said, raising an eyebrow at the agent.

"That actually isn't that bad a description of it Mr. Stark."

"Tony."

"I'm sorry?"

"Tony. Jesus Phil, call me Tony. We've known each other five years."

Coulson was silent, regarding Tony with questioning eyes.

"Anyway, how did you survive?" Bruce asked, returning to his seat.

Coulson directed his attention to the physicist. "Do you know that idea that there are seven minutes of brain activity after death? They managed to revive me during those seven minutes. It was not… pleasant."

"If Loki asks about this, I would request you leave out that last part." Thor said, his smile faltering at the realization that Loki would have to interact Coulson.

"I wasn't even thinking of mentioning it to him." Coulson said.

It was at that moment that the door to the room opened, and Loki entered, clutching a book and looking irritated. "Damn it Stark, did you reorganize-" Loki stopped midsentence and mid-step when he noticed Coulson, his eyes widening. His grip on his book tightened, but he did not look away from the agent. "A-Agent Coulson."

Coulson gave a nod in his direction.

It seemed time had stopped in the room, no one was moving, and the silence was suffocating.

"I- Well-" Loki was obviously grasping for the right words, even unsure if there were any right words. "I am sorry. But that's not enough, is it?"

Coulson gave an answer that not a single person in the room expected to hear. "It's enough."

There was a second or two of disbelieving silence.

"What the hell Coulson? Are you serious?" Clint exclaimed, thoroughly confused. "He put a frickin' hole in your chest."

Loki cringed ever so slightly.

"Um, sorry." Clint muttered to the demigod, deciding it was probably a good idea to retreat to a corner of the room.

"Director Fury explained everything to me. Although I have never experienced torture myself, I have seen the effects it has on a person many times. It turns honest men into liars. It turns pacifists into killers." Coulson explained in his usual calm tone.

"I have always been a liar, and I've hardly ever been a pacifist." Loki snorted.

"But you have never been a killer, brother." Thor replied warmly, stepping over to Loki and putting a hand on his shoulder. "Not without good cause, and you have never lied without cause."

Loki pretended to ignore his brother, but by the way he straightened up slightly, Thor's words had obviously had their intended effect.

"SHIELD has wiped your name from the files as the leader of the attack. As such, I have wiped away your name as my killer." Coulson stepped forward and held out his hand. "The matter is settled."

Loki hesitated, but ultimately took Coulson's hand, and shook it briefly.

"Right! Booze for everyone!" Tony yelled, finally coming over with Coulson's drink. "Seriously, anyone want a Bloody Mary? Sake? Long Island Iced Tea? I got pretty much everything. Help yourselves!"

Clint was instantly at the bar, and grapping a bottle of champagne.

"Hey, Hedwig, NOT the champagne!" Tony shouted, scrambling back to the bar.

"You said to help ourselves!" Clint snapped.

"Fine, I'll be more specific next time!" Tony growled, as he began trying to pry the bottle away from Clint.

"You're going to break it!" Pepper chastised, going over to the bar.

Bruce and Steve quietly helped themselves to some red wine, while Natasha sat on one of the couches and attempted to ignore the chaos, and Thor and Anders laughed heartily.

"I'll just go start my investigation." Coulson grumbled, leaving the room.

Loki looked around the room. A room full of people who had forgiven him. A room full of people who had accepted him. A room full of people who even liked him.

And when the bottle did break, spurring Tony and Clint's confrontation to get worse (and more humorous), Loki began laughing.

End Chapter

A/N: Agent Anders will not be appearing again, although she might be mentioned. I know some people don't like OCs all that much, and I just want to make it clear. Her purpose in being in the story at all is to show Loki no longer looks down on humans and is able to make friends with them. I hope I got that across.

Two more chapters before the end. I apologize, I know this chapter was short, but I thought it fit with Coulson's character to have the whole interaction go smoothly and quickly.