A/N: Second to last chapter! Thanks so much to everyone!

I'm sorry this took so long to get up; I didn't really have any motivation to work on this chapter. I had to force myself. I'm glad I'm almost at the end, I'm losing steam on this, but I'm going to finish it.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Avengers.

Acceptance

Loki sliced the throat of one of the hideous mutant creatures, letting out an infuriated growl. This was taking too long, and costing him too much energy. It was costing them all too much energy.

The Avengers (and Loki) had been called to deal with an outbreak of genetically engineered creatures that had been terrorizing areas of Utah. They had tracked where the creatures were originating from, and found there were coming from a facility hidden deep the ground of a canyon in the state. That had been a major embarrassment for SHIELD, not being aware of its existence (and that had caused Tony no small amount of pleasure).

Loki had been called on the grounds that every available person able to help should be there.

Thor had given him back his armor, which had been taken from him when the Avengers had captured him, and the scepter, which SHIELD had kept, and had finally allowed Tony to examine it. He had found technology that altered brain waves inside of. So, in addition to the torture, the Chitauri had been controlling him on some level, changing his thoughts without him even realizing it. Tony had removed and destroyed the tech. Thor had encouraged Loki to get rid of it, because it was a remnant of what had happened, but Loki had decided to keep it in the end. It was an excellent weapon, after all.

Without giving a glance to the felled bodies at his feet, Loki hurried off toward the edge of the canyon. He was supposed to be guarding the perimeter, but they were going to be here all day and night at this rate. He had to get to the center of the action. When he was about to call the Captain and tell him his decision, he realized with a stab of irritation that his earpiece was gone; it must have fallen out without him noticing.

The first person he found was Barton, hiding behind a stack of rocks, sniping off creatures as they climbed up out of the canyon. Loki approached him, making his footsteps loud enough for the archer to hear, not wanting to surprise him and end up with an arrow shot into his face.

When Loki was crouching beside him, Barton turned his attention to the demigod. "I thought you were supposed to be guarding the perimeter with Tony."

Loki snorted. "Did you really think I'd stay there and let the rest of you have all the fun?"

Barton rolled his eyes as he took another shot, his aim dead on.

"What's going on? Have Rogers and Romanoff made it inside the lab yet?" Loki asked urgently.

Barton picked off another target with pinpoint accuracy. "I'm not sure. Steve's communicator is broken. Last time Nat called in, she said that Hulk had cleared a path for them to the lab and she hasn't contacted me since. Anders called from the Quinjet a while ago and reported that the monitors say that fewer of these bastards are coming above ground, even if it doesn't seem like it. We are actually decreasing their numbers."

"And Thor?"

"Took out his earpiece. Said it bothered him."

"Typical." Loki said. "Idiot."

"He's your brother." The archer replied with a smirk.

Loki ignored him. "Do you think you can help cover me while I get down there?"

"Yeah, but I'm damn sure you don't actually need any cover." Barton scoffed, looking at Loki with a roll of his eyes as he let another arrow fly. "Not following Cap's orders?"

"I believe I have more experience fighting monsters than the good captain."

"Just get going."

Loki leapt over the rock they were hiding behind without another word, hearing Barton's arrows whizzing past him. Loki had to reluctantly admit that he was impressed by the archer's accuracy and skill. Maybe they would eventually end up friends someday after all. Upon finding himself having to be almost constantly killing creatures, he cost the energy to make himself invisible, until he reached the entrance to the compound. He slipped inside, and dropped the spell.

This entrance was unguarded and empty. He suspected that Widow and the Captain had already been through here, likely the Hulk as well, judging by the reckless damage to the walls. A little ways ahead, he saw the Widow and the Captain on a walkway below him, creeping along, heading downwards.

Loki considered joining them, but decided against it, continuing forward by himself, the path of destruction likely caused by the Hulk still lining the corridor. After a ways forward, he found the Hulk, trying to force open a massive door. "Banner." He addressed him calmly, knowing the Hulk would not harm him.

Over the months, Banner had gained the realization that if he went willingly into the "Other Guy", he maintained more control over himself, like he and the Hulk worked together instead of against each other. Thus far, any transformation had been willingly and intentional.

The Hulk ceased his efforts and turned around. "Puny God."

Loki sighed and rolled his eyes. The Hulk always called him that. "Will you allow me to try to open the door?"

The Hulk stepped back, but Loki waved him farther away before he blasted the door open with the scepter.

Loki strode forward, and Hulk followed him. "Banner, I would prefer you stay behind."

"Hulk stay with Puny God." Came the response.

Loki gave a snort. Banner's friendship with him was affecting the Hulk's behavior. He felt slightly touched by this.

To Loki's surprise, it didn't take long to find what had to be the power source to the installation, which sat in the center of a metal pit, and it wasn't well guarded, which instantly put him on his guard. However, it seemed that wasn't entirely good enough as he barely dodged laser fire that began raining from the ceiling from hitting him critically, but a searing pain in his leg told him he was hit, and he doubted he'd be able to properly walk on it for a few days.

Hulk was off, jumping towards the ceiling to destroy the guns. "Puny god stay back!" Came the roar, tinted with more of Banner's voice than Loki had ever heard.

"Sentiment." He snorted to himself, nonetheless staying back in the shadows where hopefully he would be safe, and checking his leg.

A good portion of the flesh of his right calf was burned, almost black in some patches, and he didn't have the energy to completely heal it. Blast him for following the Captain's orders for so long, this wouldn't have happened if he had taken off on his own earlier.

While the Hulk was still raging, Loki observed the room, looking for anything that might be used to shut off the power. After not seeing any switches, panels or buttons, Loki came to a single idea. The power source looked to be a knock off of an arc reactor, a bad one at that, but more than even that, he reminded him of the machine that Selvig had used to open the portal in Manhattan, and Romanoff had told him how she had shut it off. Presumably the same thing would work here, using the scepter to cut the power.

There was a problem though. Judging how poorly built the thing was, it was likely that it wouldn't go as smoothly, that whoever did the action would die, that the energy would escape outward, and no telling how far away would be safe.

Against his will, Loki felt a lump form in his throat. So this was to be it for him then. To die stopping something similar to a mess that he had been involved in what seemed like so long ago now. It was a worthy, honorable death. He'd be setting things right, paying off his debts.

Hulk jumped back down to Loki's side, and Loki wasted no time in giving orders.

"Find Rogers and Romanoff, tell them to get out."

Hulk tipped his head to one side. "Why?"

"Because it half a minute, I'm going to make this place go up in flames."

"And then you come back?"

Loki grumbled inwardly. Banner's training in controlling the Hulk had taken away the "mindless beast" and left a self-aware fighting machine. Perhaps Loki shouldn't have encouraged him to "tame" the Hulk. "Just go."

Hulk paused for a moment before he stalked off.

Loki turned back to the pit, limping closer and clutching the scepter tightly. He was composed, unafraid; the idea of death was nothing new to him. The only thing on his mind was how Thor would react. He doubted he'd ever forgive him; he'd probably both mourn and curse Loki until the end of his long days. Loki hated to do that to his brother, but there was no choice here. He only hoped some part of Thor would be proud of him.

He waited a minute, longer than he had said he would, and tossed the scepter like a javelin into the power source.

The feedback was immediate. A blue wave of hot energy knocked him backwards, slamming him painfully into the wall, so that he hit his head. A massive fire was starting down in the pit; soon it would probably spread upwards and engulf everything. He tried climbing to his feet, but he was dizzy and slipping into unconsciousness, the blow to his head had probably been too hard even for his skull.

But something had picked him up, and he recognized the size and grip of Hulk's hands, and was briefly aware of the sensation of flying upward.

But then that was all, everything went black.

Loki's eyes slowly drifted open, but he shut them tightly again upon being met with a bright light. "Turn it off." He croaked.

The light went off immediately, and Loki opened his eyes again.

Loki felt a hand slip into his, the touch gentle. He recognized that touch, and turned to the person sitting beside the bed he was reclining on. "Thor?"

"I am glad you are awake brother. They said it might have been days more before you regained consciousness." Thor said, relief written plainly on his face.

"Where am I? How long have I been asleep?" Loki asked, taking in the dimly lit room.

"In an infirmary on the Helicarrier. You have been asleep two days, and gave us all quite a fright, although the healers here said you were in no extreme danger, just a burn and a concussion. Nothing much for someone of your healing abilities."

"All?"

"Myself and our friends." Thor replied, looking genuinely confused at Loki's question.

"Your friends. They were likely worried because they knew you would slip into some kind of devastating depression if I died." Loki grumbled.

"They are your friends too brother. You know that is true."

Loki chose to ignore that statement. "Where are they anyway?"

"They will be here shortly. They are speaking with Fury."

"And how much trouble am I in this time and what is it for?"

"None, I am sure. You stopped our foe, and saved many lives." Thor answered. "I do not understand why you still think humans wish to make you suffer, you have more than redeemed yourself."

Loki sighed, closing his eyes. "I'll believe that when I see proof of it."

"Oh, you will." Thor said, and Loki opened his eyes to give Thor a questioning glance, but Thor said nothing more to elaborate what he meant. "I know your time here has been difficult, but I have seen it also get easier for you, seen you change. You're willing to give your life for those around you; you showed concern for our comrades according to Banner. I am proud of you Loki."

Loki couldn't stop his mouth from opening slightly and his eyes from widening. Those words, those five words, were the words Loki had always wanted to hear more than anything. Now he had heard them, and he had no idea what to say. "Brother…"

Thor moved his hand to Loki's shoulder and gave him a gentle affectionate shake, smiling warmly at him, which Loki knew was a signal to tell him that he didn't need to say anything. "I must ask not to do something so rash again however."

Loki snorted and sat upright, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, but ended up leaning back against the wall, irritated that he still felt sleepy.

"Easy brother." Thor cautioned, moving to sit beside him.

"Oh, come on, I have had far worse than this and you know it." Loki said.

Thor didn't have a chance to reply because the door to the room slid open, and the other five Avengers filed into the room.

"How're you feeling buddy?" Stark asked, leaning against the wall with his arms folded.

Loki would have killed him for calling him "buddy" barely a year ago. Now he just let his lips twitch upward. "I have admittedly been better, but also worse."

"We've got some news for you." Rogers said, cutting off the millionaire opened his mouth to say something.

"Oh?" The trickster asked.

"You've been made an Avenger." Rogers answered, smiling a little too brightly.

Loki sat up straight. "What?"

"You're an Avenger. We figured you've been fighting with us so long, we may as well just make it official." The Captain explained.

Loki looked around the room at them all. "Have you all gone mad?"

"I think we already were." Stark put in.

"How did Fury even agree to this?" Loki asked, ignoring Stark.

"We spoke to him about it. It didn't take much convincing for him to consider it actually, but he did ultimately have us put it to a vote. The vote was unanimous in favor of it." Banner answered this time.

"Unanimous?" Loki said, eyes drifting around the room, lingering on Barton the longest, and the archer merely shrugged.

Loki leaned back against the wall again. "Me… An Avenger…."

"You can turn the position down if you want. We can't exactly force you." Banner said.

Once again Loki surveyed them all, and all he found in their expressions was acceptance, and in the case of Thor, the Captain, and Banner, hope that he would say yes. "Well…" He finally breathed. "I'll try my best not to let you down, my friends."

End Chapter

A/N: Epilogue and then done with this.

Again, I'm extremely sorry for the wait with this.