AN: thank you for all the reviews and favorites! That's what really keeps me going when I am stuck. (:

This is a short chapter but I've been really busy and this is an important one! I promise they wont all be short.

Please review!

Chapter 10

Master's Plan

Gemma

Gemma wriggled her fingers under the edge of the MFB, struggling in vain to break it off. She knew it was no use but it was the most productive way for her to pass the time. It must have been centuries since Thanos kidnapped her, at least, that's what it felt like. Fury and Agent Barton must be worried sick about her! Gemma groaned and let her hand fall to her side, giving up.

In the days since she'd been held captive, Thanos visited her often. He always asked the same question: "Do you know why we're here?" And each time Gemma closed her eyes tight and tried to pretend she was back on earth enjoying some quality training with Barton.

This time it was different. Thanos appeared before her like usual and repeated the question. This time, Gemma kept her eyes open, glaring into his defiantly.

"Let me go," she insisted.

An evil grin split Thanos' face in two. Hundreds of sharp pointed teeth glinted in the dark.

"I am afraid I cannot do that. You see, I need you," he hissed, advancing forward.

Gemma shivered and fought the urge to close her eyes.

"Why?" she asked, her voice quivering.

"Let me show you…"

Thanos lay a twisted finger on her forehead and before she knew what he was doing, he'd spat an incantation and Gemma's vision filled with white-hot light that nearly blinded her. She closed her eyes against the brightness.

When she opened them again, gone was the barren world she'd grown to loath. Gone were the monsters with their horrible tortures. Gemma was alone.

She stood in a high-ceilinged room with golden trimmings along the walls and elegantly carved pillars. There was a wide set of wooden doors directly to her left. Gemma hesitated for a second before pushing them open and walking through.

The room was almost empty except for the sleeping forms of two people. One was a handsome man with golden hair and a beard. Gemma recognized him at once: it was Thor. He was slumped in an uncomfortable position, asleep in a straight-backed chair.

Not far away was a bed, wherein lay another figure. Gemma felt her heart leap into her throat when she caught sight of long strands of ink-blot hair slicked back over a pale face. It was unmistakably Loki.

She rushed forward and dropped to her knees at the side of the bed, careful not to wake Thor.

"Loki!" she hissed, shaking him lightly.

The prince stirred after a moment and rolled over in bed to face her. His eyes grew wide with shock at the same moment as hers did the same. His lips had been sewed shut with even lengths of golden thread, stained red with dried blood.

"Loki? What's going on?" she whimpered, reaching towards him delicately. "Help me!"

He jerked back and shook his head silently.

"I need help! Loki, they took me!" she whispered, sobbing.

Loki's eyebrows drew together in confusion. He pointed to his lips and then to his forehead before reaching out and tapping her own. Gemma understood: he couldn't talk, obviously, so he wanted to communicate using their minds, something the both had the ability to do.

Gemma shook her head, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. She pulled down the collar of her shirt, which was stained with blood, and showed him the MFB cuff encircling her neck.

Loki frowned and Gemma could see the considerable pain that the slight motion caused him. She placed her fingers on his lips, wishing she could take the pain away. He moved his own hand until it came at a rest on the scaring puncture wounds Thanos had left just under the MFB. His cold touch eased some of the pain.

At that moment, Gemma smelled the rotting flesh odor that always preluded the arrival of Thanos. She tensed and could feel Loki do the same; his own eyes were narrowed with suspicion.

"Prince Loki," Thanos said, his voice came from behind Gemma's back.

She let out a sob in fear and pulled herself closer to the safety of Loki.

Thanos' hand shot forward and yanked her back, clutching her like a rag doll to his armored torso. A scream rose in Gemma's chest but Thanos clamped down on her mouth with his hand.

"Bring me the Tesseract, Loki," Thanos hissed.

Loki was stunned, he stared at Thanos with unbelieving eyes.

"Bring me the Tesseract or she dies!" Thanos demanded, pulling a knife from thin air and tracing designs along Gemma's collarbone with the tip idly.

Loki's eyes flickered to Gemma's for half a second and then he nodded slowly.

"You have three days."

With those words, the familiar white light filled the room and Gemma felt her body leave with it.

O o o

Loki

Loki woke up with a start breathing hard. His fingers rose to touch the stiches on his mouth, flinching when it hurt. He looked over and saw Thor still asleep in the chair.

Loki wished nothing more than to tell Thor about his dream- if it had been a dream, it felt so real. Either way, Loki knew what he must do: save Gemma. She was suffering and it was all his fault. He had to bring the Tesseract to Thanos, and for that he would need Thor's help.

He painstakingly got to his feet limped to the chair where Thor sat, snoring like a herd of oxen. He shook Thor's shoulders harshly. Thor awoke with a bellow, his hands reaching instinctively for Mjolnir.

"What is it, Brother?" he asked groggily, jumping to his feet and bracing for battle.

Loki shook his head with frustration, cursing the stiches that held his lips painfully together.

Thor frowned and looked at Loki pleadingly.

"Can't you write it down?" he asked.

Of course. Thought Loki, feeling stupid, He should have thought of that sooner.

"Wait here, Broth-"

Loki gave him a smoldering look.

"_Loki," Thor corrected himself. "I shall return soon with ink and parchment!" he announced before dashing back out of the room.

Loki sank in to the chair, absently picking at a bloody bandage on his bare chest and thinking of nothing other than the look of terror in Gemma's eyes just before Thanos took her away in the flash of bright light.

Several minutes later Thor returned, clutching not only the promised ink and parchment, but also a soft green tunic and a black sur-coat. That's when Loki became aware of how bare-skinned he was; only dressed in bandages and white shorts.

He grabbed the clothes and pulled them over his head, settling into them like a second skin. Next, he reached for the writing equipment Thor was holding out to him. Loki gritted his teeth; he hated that he'd been reduced to turning to Thor for help, and over a mortal, no less!

He dipped the quill in the ink well and spelled out one word with spikey and delicate handwriting.

"Help."