This was supposed to have been uploaded last night, but I kind of fell asleep before I finished typing it. Oops.

I know that Loki and Tony's part in the last chapter was a bit short. I'd gone a bit overboard with the other bits, so I just included everything I'd skipped in this chapter instead. Think of this one as more of a part two.

And, as always, thank you all for the reviews!


Daybreak.

It was getting harder to lay low. Everyone was emerging from their homes, on their way to work. He was on the right path. He could sense it. The signature grew stronger as he moved forward. It was taking everything in his power not to run. The last thing he needed was to draw attention to himself. It was already difficult, despite his disguise. What with him being so tall and everything.

It had been a while since Thor had seen his brother. Daily visits to his prison cell were done in vain. He was met with either hostility or silence. Eventually he'd had it with his brother's attitude toward him and his visits lessened until he stopped going altogether.

He sighed. Their meeting this time would be much worse, he knew. Depressing as that was.

"Hey, Thor," Steve's voice crackled through the ear piece, startling Thor out of his thoughts. "You there?"

"Yes," he answered back as quietly as he could.

"I just left Adessi. I found something. I think."

"Did you?"

"Yeah. I went into the basement and found two men fiddling around with this machine. They said it was some sort of medical equipment they had created. For taking the company in a new direction. But the strange thing was, I found a blood stain on the door frame."

Thor furrowed his brow. "A blood stain?"

"I asked them about it. They tried to tell me it wasn't blood. I knew they were lying. I could tell that they didn't like me being there either."

"That sounds rather suspicious."

"Very. Something is definitely going on."

Thor rubbed his forehead. They didn't need anything to make this more complicated than it already was.

"I'm going to see if Natasha can take us to where Mia is. I really feel like we need to question her."

"Sounds like a good idea."

A drop of water fell on his nose. He wiped it off in annoyance and looked up. The sky was beginning to darken.

He felt that anger rise in him. This again?

"Do you see this storm coming in, Captain?"

"Yeah. Is that you?"

"No. It is not."

The magic was strong. Overwhelming and hard to follow.

"This is what you told us about earlier, isn't it?"

"It most certainly is," Thor quickened his steps.

"Where are you?"

"Uh," he looked around. "I am not entirely sure."

Thunder rumbled above them. People looked up, concerned at the pop up storm. The wind picked up and they began to walk faster, looking for shelter.

Thor tried to concentrate. He could just barely feel where the strongest area was. He sped toward it, while he could still grasp onto the signature.

He had to hurry.

The rain began to pound on the pavement. He dodged people, ignoring the dirty looks he received when he accidentally bumped into someone.

This storm was much stronger than the one he'd encountered in New Mexico. The wind blew in his face, making it hard to see where he was going through the rain. But he couldn't stop. He was getting closer. He was almost there.

Then, in his haste, he bumped into...something.

Or someone?

It was enough to send him reeling backward. Falling onto the ground.

He blinked, confused. His eyes told him that no one was in front of him.

"Are you all right?" a woman approached him.

But his senses told him differently.

"I am fine," he said to the woman. He pulled himself to his feet.

The signature was coming from that spot in front of him. It was unmoving. It was like it was waiting for him.

"Are you sure?" she stepped closer to him. "That was a pretty nasty fall."

"Stay back," Thor put his hand up to make sure she didn't get any closer.

"What is it?"

Thor drew his fist back and punched at the seemingly empty spot in front of him. His fist connected. The person's invisibility broke from the force and he fell.

The woman gasped, shocked at what she had just witnessed.

"It would be best that you leave," Thor said to her. "I cannot have anyone getting hurt."

She was too afraid to move. The man in front of them tried to get up.

"You have to go," Thor nudged her in the opposite direction.

She got the message and ran.

The chance of staying undercover lowered with every step she took. But what choice did he have, really?

He turned back to the person sprawled in front of him. His hair was dark, but other than that, he looked nothing like Loki. That didn't mean it couldn't be him.

Thor reached down, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt.

"Are you responsible for this?" Thor asked gruffly, pointing to the sky with his free hand.

No answer.

"What is your name?"

He still didn't say a word. But a smile crept over his face.

"So, you want to give me the silent treatment. Is that it?"

Thor went to his ear piece.

"Captain," he said. "I believe we have our first suspect."

oooooooooooooooooo

There was a difference in the cage today.

Tony noticed it immediately. He almost didn't believe it at first. But he didn't think he was going crazy yet.

The warmth spread over him like a blanket, melting into his bones. He'd been so cold for so long, he almost forgot what it felt like to be warm. He leaned his head back against the wall, reveling in it.

It felt so good.

"Did we do something right for a change?" he asked aloud, not expecting an answer. He was just so happy that someone had turned the heat on.

Loki looked around, surprised at the change. It was pleasant, yes. Even for him, being naturally cold natured.

Tony rubbed his bare arms, trying to encourage every iota of heat to enter his skin. It was nice to feel some relief after being miserable for so many hours. Or what he guessed was many hours. His stomach was sticky with dried blood and any time he tried to wipe any of it off, it reopened one or more cuts. He really hoped he wouldn't end up getting an infection. He had a feeling that it would be quite entertaining for them if he did. Meaning nothing good for him. He looked at the blood stain on his shirt. He wished they would give him another one.

He glanced at Loki's side of the cage. He was no longer wrapped in his blanket, though he still clutched a corner of it in his hand. There was a troubled look on his face.

Somewhere deep inside, Tony felt he knew why it was there. First, Loki barely got a scolding from throwing his food. Now, they were being comforted by this heat? Their behavior wasn't matching up with their past actions. But he pushed those thoughts away. He needed the comfort. Even if it only lasted for a few minutes. So, any negativity needed to leave immediately.

And it did.

For a little while.

Then the heat began to rise. Or it felt like it, anyway. It could have just been at the same temperature for too long. Now he was starting to sweat. So much so, that he had to take his shirt completely off. Not that it helped much.

"Um, okay. I think you can stop now," he directed to the camera.

Loki was lying flat on his back, wiping sweat off of his forehead. His usually pale skin was turning pink. This was no good. He knew they would pull something like this. Turning something good into something bad. And to make matters worse, the food he had thrown, yeah, that was starting to smell. Badly.

He chuckled. They were truly evil. Maybe he could learn a thing or two.

If he made it out of this. Jotuns and heat didn't mix well. It was actually one of his worst weaknesses. Even a human could handle it better than he could.

Tony groaned from his corner.

Or maybe they couldn't.

"Loki," he said. "Do me a favor. Apologize to these idiots."

Loki lifted his head, giving Tony an incredulous expression. Do what now?

"Maybe it will help! I don't know!" Tony said, shrugging.

Loki shook his head. I am so disappointed in you, Stark.

"Well, can you do something? I'm not feeling too good, here."

Loki scoffed. Then he tried to speak. Tony wasn't quite sure, because the word was so slurred and distorted. But it sounded like he had said, "Weak."

"Excuse me? Oh, so I'm feeling sick because the human body isn't meant to be in this kind of heat. And you call me 'weak' because of it?"

Loki shook his head again. This communication thing was becoming a problem. He didn't think Tony was weak because he was getting sick. He was weak because he wanted him to just give into them.

"Are you saying that you didn't call me weak?"

Loki shook his head, yet again.

"Then why did you say you didn't?"

Loki rolled his eyes and waved his hand. This was too bothersome to continue.

Tony sighed, pressing his palms against his forehead. Apparently, he thought so too.

Tony already wasn't feeling up to par because of his night long (or was it day long?) anxiety. But now, his head was really starting to ache. He was feeling woozy and nauseated. And that spoiling food in the other corner wasn't helping matters any.

Tony laid on his back like Loki, hoping it would help. It did keep the sweat out of his wounds. But his other symptoms prevailed. And there was no coolness left in the concrete. Tony ran a hand through his damp hair and took a few deep breaths. He knew the symptoms of heat exhaustion and he was feeling them now. The next step was having a heat stroke. Something he definitely did not want. They probably didn't even know how to handle that sort of thing.

He just wanted some water.

Just breathe, Tony. Just breathe. You've gotten through worse.

The tough thing about nausea was trying to keep everything down. Deep breathing did help some, but it wasn't a cure. The trick was trying not to think about the contents of his stomach coagulating and churning. Like an oatmeal filled sea during a storm. Causing waves of acid to hit the wall of his stomach and move up into his esophagus. Going higher and higher until he could practically taste it in the back of his throat.

Tony closed his eyes.

Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about it.

But, of course, it was the only thing he could think about.

Loki, on the other hand, was being overcome with weakness. Nearly as bad as when they were finished with his "punishments". He thought about trying to switch to his Jotun form. Maybe it would help him to regulate his temperature better? Or that could make it worse. Then again, there might be no change at all. Besides, with his magic being so frayed, he didn't need to do anything that extreme.

Tony rolled onto his side, into fetal position with his arms wrapped around his stomach. He flinched when his arms were pressed against the tender, broken skin. His head swam. He was afraid to move. Too much more and he would really be in trouble.

Too late.

He threw up. Everything that he had eaten earlier poured onto the floor. Even when there was nothing left to give, he dry heaved until he was exhausted.

Loki was more than annoyed by it. Why did the man have to turn toward him and do that? Now they were going to have to live with that stuff for who knows how long. And with the heat too? Loki was beginning to think he might be the next one to throw up.

Tony laid back down, after having propped himself up with his arms through his ordeal. The room spun around him. Between this and sweating so much, he was sure he was dehydrated. His mouth felt murky. Coated with the taste of ick. They weren't given a lot of water to begin with. Sometimes the drone would come by with a bottle of it and let them drink for a few minutes. Then he'd take it away before they'd had enough.

Water. If he could just have even a little. Just a little.

In his daze, Tony thought he heard the door screech as it was opened. Footsteps. Then the clang of the cage door being opened. Someone muttered a few curses above him. Then he was lifted and taken away.