Youth in Revolt, Chapter Ten

By GirlX2

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Fury eyed the lot before him, heart going no faster than normal. Why should it? They'd only almost died. Everything was fine.

Well, fine-ish.

Clint had been given a pint of blood and a light tranquilizer, after Loki assured them he'd be safe to sleep. It hadn't been easy; the little hero had had a huge tantrum, righting to stay awake as if his life depended on it.

Fury didn't blame him.

Now, the remaining Avengers sat before him, yawing and rubbing their eyes. Loki stood in the front of the group, head lowered like a naughty schoolchild about to be whipped.

"Explain."

Loki took a small breath. His eyes darted quickly to and from the female agent. She made a 'go on' motion with her fingertips, and Fury made a mental note.

"The…things that attacked us are what freed me from my captivity in Asgaurd. I made a deal with them: if they helped me to escape, I'd deliver them whatever they wanted,

What they wanted was…children."

Loki swallowed and looked sick.

"I made another deal; I'd bring them my enemies in the form of children. They feed of fear as well as meat. I said they could have both, but I…lied."

Tony held back a derisive snort.

"I wanted them for more.

"What?" Fury prompted, neither gentle nor firm. Just politely interested.

"Servants."

"Wanna run that by us again, Frosty?" Tony asked, shooting Steve a look.

"Servants." Loki looked pained. "I was going to wait until your minds were more…moldable, then let the creatures to their work for a short time. I would swoop in for the rescue, and…and…"

"And we'd be so grateful, we'd swear fealty to you." Steve pieced it together.

"Were you going to let them kill someone?" Bruce asked.

Loki nodded, eyes down.

"Clint?"

Another not.

"So why didn't you?" Natasha gripped Thor's hand. "You could have let him die."

To the collective surprise of everyone, Loki burst into tears. "I DON'T KNOW!"

He collapsed onto the floor in a heap, crying. Thor pulled free and toddled over, throwing his arms around the shivering demi-god.

"Loki?"

Loki didn't give any sign that he noticed. No one else moved to comfort him.

"We're waiting, Laufeyson." Fury's voice was still level. "Why did you save Barton?"

"I…don't…know." Loki didn't raise his head. "I hate him! I hate all of you."

"Sir, I think—" The male agent stopped at Fury raised a hand.

"I think this little trip has restored some sanity to that tortured little mind of yours." Fury said cooly.

Loki curled in on himself. He didn't want to hear this.

"I think you're starting to see the cost of your quest to rule every damned thing you've ever laid eyes on."

"Stop it!" Loki wailed miserably.

"Do you understand how many have needlessly died because of you, Laufeyson? How many families ripped apart, how many innocent—"

"SHUT UP!"

"—people are maimed because of the chi'tari? I think you're starting to. And it all started with little brother there still loving your fratricidal ass."

Loki clamped his hands over his ears.

Fury bent down to him: "You're sane again, and you can't deal with it. Well, guess what? That's NOT my problem. My only problem is getting the Avengers back to adulthood. After that happens, you can rot in the deepest pit Odin can dig, Laufeyson."

"That's enough!" Tony jumped to his feet. "He's a child for God's sake!"

Fury fixed his good eye on Tony. "I'm done here."

He strode out of the room.

The female agent raced after him after a second. "Sir, permission to—"

"It had to be said, agent. Just because he's cute and harmless now, does not erase what he's done."

"And what about saving Barton?" She asked bitterly.

Fury stopped. "When he get's back to adulthood, do you think what I've said will stick? That this brief bout of lucidity will stick?"

"I…don't know."

"Me either. But now it had a hell of a lot better chance to."

"Sir?"

He smiled grimly. " The Jesuits say 'Give me a child until he's seven and he is mine for life.' We don't have that much time, agent."

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To be continued…

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A/N Sorry for the delay: a play going up and eye surgery will wreak havoc with free time. All is well now.