A/N: Hey guys! So I guess I'm a terrible person for updating a day late. In my defense, my tooth was giving me a hard time. I could have never imagined that I'll get so much support though. You all keep me going and I'm just too grateful. I know I say this a lot but it can't be helped.

Things are going to take pace from here and there will be relatively less humour. I'll still try my best though to keep the feel intact though. I hope I don't disappoint.

And The Past Returns to Haunt

Loki braced himself in the last few moments before their vessel finally approached the planet which resembled a pristine pearl placed against a deep blue cushion of the night sky. Its silver ring surrounded the planet as the white bands adorned the delicate finger of a fair maiden blushing. Natasha peered over the monitor leaning forward to incline the ship into a landing position. Bucky approached the dashboard from behind.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Natasha said observing Loki's expression. Which was a surreal mix of unmeasured terror and unabashed appreciation.

"Cruel and heartless monsters live there" Loki replied, still entranced.

"How are you so sure?" asked Bucky.

"I am, if every legend ever written in Asgard is to be believed."

"Unless the lion learns to write, the history will always glorify the hunter" Natasha said still not once breaking her stance as the Quinnjet slowly glided over the ashen ground parallel to the horizon.

Loki heaved a long sigh as he looked resolutely ahead of himself.

"Aren't you one of them?" Natasha said after a brief pause stealing a glance at Loki. The spy in her understood that her present ally needed the confidence he was feigning.

Loki pressed his upper lip over the lower one before stating what he thought was obvious. His face broke a half smile that boasted of pain that had been hidden under all those layers of leather and metal all these years ever since he discovered his heritage.

"Oh I'm worse" Loki took an involuntary gulp which would have gone unnoticed had both Natasha and Bucky had been amateurs. Which neither of them were.

"Ones past doesn't define their present. Especially not when the choices didn't exist." Natasha glanced up to see the two men who she knew were being haunted by their respective pasts. She tentatively licked her lips. She was not good at this. This time, she looked Loki in the eye,

"We all have red on our ledger." Natasha paused to examine the inquisitive eyes of a petrified Loki.

"It's time to wipe it off. And if that's too hard, paint over it with blue"

The wheels of the jet were now finally placed on the ground. Loki felt a cold rush through his body as his skin turned blue and eyes turned ruby red.

"In some religions blue is the colour given to gods. The most worshipped ones at that. I'm guessing if it was inspired by you."

"Well I AM a god" Loki offered trying to disguise his fear with arrogance.

"I thought you said you were a monster" Natasha worded out despite herself.

"He was. Back when he was delusional," Bucky offered with his eyes droopy but fixated on Loki. Natasha couldn't help the smile and surprise that played on her lips at Bucky's assistance of her confidence counselling pep talk.

"Also, blue looks very sexy"

Loki finally realized what was happening as his cheeks flushed purple at Nato's casual flirtation. It was good that he had more important tasks at hand.

"That, was not needed." Loki stated feeling both nauseated and warm at this display of concern which he knew emerged from the want of ensuring the success of the mission. But he still couldn't help but be grateful.

"I'll advise you both to not step out of the ship unless you want to die of cold. If I don't come back in an hour, don't wait up its dangerous."

"Okay so one ted talk and you're ready to sacrifice your safety for us now?" asked Natasha sarcastically.

Loki chuckled a child's laughter before replying,

"Heavens No! I can't believe you fell for that. You will not be able to make it back without me. So if I die, you die."

Natasha rolled her eyes while Bucky looked bored, also slightly tensed but mostly bored.

And with that Loki stepped down the jet over the white ice. The ship door shut behind him as he got a feeling of euphoria experiencing the coolness of the atmosphere around him. He shuddered when he remembered that this planet which was all too unfamiliar could have been his planet, his home. This planet he had sought to destroy could have been his kingdom.

With these thoughts of remorse and regret in his mind. He made his way towards what he knew as the remains of their former palace. This wouldn't be easy.

S/C

"There you go. All set." Jane Foster handed over a piece of paper which had all the calculations she had made to make the Avenger's war craft functional.

"I knew I could always turn to you" Thor said with a warm smile on his face.

"That was the deal" Jane returned the smile as she started packing things back in her back pack.

"I'll see you outside to the portal"

"No need. You're very busy. I'll lead myself out." As Jane was making her way out of the quarters she was bumped into Sif and Valkyrie.

"Lady Jane, we meet again. This is Lady Brunnhilde, Commander of the Asgardian Forces and future Leader of the Valkyrior."

Sif and Val exchanged gestural courtesies.

"This is Jane Foster. Thor's dear friend and a scientist of the highest intellect."

"I am sure she is. Just let me express my gratitude over all you have done for us Lady Jane." Said Valkyrie with a half-smile.

Jane gave a very soft chuckle, "Please Lady Brunnhilde, I am no Lady and I am only average. And if someone should be grateful, it's me." She turned to face Sif. What you did for me that day in Asgard….well I never quite got the chance to thank you."

"It was on my honour to protect you from any harm. There is no need to thank me. Are you leaving already?"

"Yes my potential here is already exhausted" Jane nervously laughed. "I hope I'll see you soon."

Jane nodded at both the women and left. Just then Maria Hill's voice sounded over the microphone:

"All the agents who are a part of the Knowhere Expedition are requested to assemble in the port area immediately."

"Let's go" Sif gestured at Val who nodded in return as both the ladies made their way.

S/C

Loki made his way through the now impoverished civilization of Jotunheim undetected. His shorter height and jotun skin was a great disguise. He noticed two boys carving out weapons with ice. They were emaciated and looked starved. The more Loki walked the more he realized how poor the people of Jotunheim had become since he had last visited and betrayed them. Natasha's words floated around in his mind and for the first time in his life he wasn't ashamed but pitiful of his heritage. These people didn't chose Laufey, his biological father, to be their king. The attack on Midgard wasn't their choice but an order. A crime of their ancestors they were atoning for.

He finally reached the throne area where he remembered Laufey used to sit. A female Jotunar, her skin sparkling blue with jet black hair fixed high up in a knot surrounded by a crown made of tusks of a mammoth like animal, clad scarcely in metal, was sitting on the throne when he announced his presence.

"I need to talk to your King" said Loki as he looked around "Or Queen"

"Who are you, civilian? And what do you want? You can be executed for not knowing who your Queen is."

"I am no civilian." Loki said as he changed back to his Aesir form. "I am Loki, Prince of Asgard. Adopted son of Odin and Frigga and I come here to make a deal."

"RESTRAIN HIM!" the Jotun shouted. And Loki was immediately surrounded by at least ten male Jotuns with all their lances pointing at him.

"I am just here to talk. Half of the Universe is about to perish. Which means half of your world too, at the hands of the Mad Titan Thanos. We can save it. But we'll need your help."

"WHAT reason do you think we have of trusting you again after you killed our king? After you betrayed us? After you tried to abolish our race? You ARE brave Asgardian. Foolish like your own kin." The red eyes of the matriarch burned as she sized Loki up, they burned with a seething rage, as if her soul itself were burning. "You! I have dreamt of finding you and torturing you. Of feasting on your Asgardian hide for doing this to us. I must be dreaming that you walk in here yourself." She stood up and approached him and Loki realized for the first time that she was at least a foot taller than he was. She spoke in a menacing tone which sent shivers down Loki's spine as she stared directly into his green-blue eyes with her blood red ones.

"I, Eda of Jotunheim, daughter of Laufey and rightful Queen of Jotunheim, do sentence you to death." Eda spoke between her teeth as she crushed them together. It was with much difficulty that Loki brought himself to speak.

"Kill me all you want to. Hunt me down and prey on me. Make a bonfire out of me. But right now, be a better Queen than your father….our father was, sister."

At this Eda turned around and slapped Loki hard across his face. She then held his cheeks with one hand tightly until his cheeks went hollow. She brought his face parallel to hers.

"Don't you DARE call me your sister or my father your own" She spoke as she let his face go.

It took Loki but a few seconds to recover from the impact. This was not over. He had stolen more than one possessions from Asgard's vault before reviving Surtur before Ragnarok.

"I do not propose this for free. I have a peace offering." Loki stretched his hand in front of him as the casket of ancient winters appeared in front of him.

"I, Prince of Asgard, on the behalf of Thor, the King of Asgard, hereby return to you the Casket of Ancient Winters. I should remind you that my attack on Jotunheim was stopped by Thor. And there is no denying that I AM, after all, one of you. Who was left to die because of inadequate form. " Loki didn't realize that he as heaving. His heart was thumping against his rib cage at the speed of light and his lips had gone dry.

"Which means you owe Asgard a debt. Use the casket to return Jotunheim to its former glory. Save your people from starvation. And join us in our battle against the mad Titan to save half your population from turning into dust."

Loki's words made Eda break out of her reverie. She looked around at her court men. Thought of the children she had buried who had died of hunger, the widow's wailing, mothers screaming. And in her heart she knew that her own Father's violent appetites was also one of the factors that had brought this about. She looked at the casket in Loki's hands. No, she did not owe a debt to Asgard, it was the people of Jotunheim she was indebted to, whose blood she had on her hands. And this was the only chance she could reverse this and save them.

"Alright. Once this kingdom is restored, we will ally with the rest of the beings. But YOU will be brought to justice as soon as the crisis is solved. I take an oath to see you burned down." Eda spoke each of the last four words slowly and distinctly for maximum effect as she stretched her hands and Loki placed the casket in her palms.

"You will not regret this time."

A/N: I hope you all enjoy this chapter. This was the last build up chapter before the first battle. Next chapter will be up in three days. Thank you for the kindness you all have showed me and keep showering me with all the love. I need it right now as much as this story does.