Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Marvel or the Avengers.

A/N: We are nearing the end of the subplot. Just because it's a subplot, don't think that it isn't important to the story. Recently, I rewatched a film that I had not seen in a long time, called 'Merlin', starring Sam Neil. I was surprised to notice some great similarities between Mordred, as he was portrayed, and Loki. Just something I noticed. Onward, to the chapter! Enjoy.

Redemption

by

I Am Atrocity

Chapter X: From the Mind of Madness

'One of a kind, they say they've never seen before. Investigate the aberration, disorder in the core. I never tried to hide away or tried to keep your pace. You walk me to the slaughter with a smile upon your face. From the cradle to the madhouse, a twisted mind. There's no way out of this hell for Twisted Mind. There's no way out.'

-Twisted Mind by Avantasia.

Loki entered the control room, Natasha a few steps behind, and approached Fury. "Director, how much do you enjoy your work?" The one-eyed titan of a man stood with his shoulders slightly slumped, and Loki could clearly see the toll the long hours spent keeping S.H.I.E.L.D. up and running efficiently was taking on the man. Gone was the fire that had burned inside of him during their conflict. When Loki had first come to Earth, Fury had said that he had made him very deperate, but the man before him now as not the same as the man that had stared him down and threatened to drop him thirty-thousand feet in a steel and bulletproof-glass container. Time to put some spark back in him.

Fury's brow furrowed in confusion. "I'm not sure I understand what you're asking." He tapped a few things on the touch-screen of one of the consoles next to him. "If you mean 'do I like what I do?', then the answer is no. The reason being that I wish a job such as mine wasn't needed in this day and age. If you mean 'do I like being the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.?', the answer remains the same, but I wouldn't trust anyone else with the job either. So, in a way, yes I do enjoy my work."

Loki cocked his head for a second. "A longer answer than I expected, but the answer is still there." He cleared his throat. "And now, you are probably wondering why I asked." A nod from Fury affirmed this. "Well, you may want to have a look at this." He held out the flashdrive to Fury, who took it uncertainly from the Trickster's hand.

Natasha looked at the small device in confusion. "What is that?" she asked.

Loki raised an eyebrow. "That's a flashdrive," he said, feigning ignorance to her real question.

She shot him a quick glare. "I meant: what's on it?"

"Let's find out," Fury said, plugging the device into a port on one of the consoles. The little device looked strangely old-fashioned surrounded by all of the sleek, high-tech equipment that S.H.I.E.L.D. employed; or so Loki thought.

On one of the walls was a large screen that normally showed a map of the world, along with highlighted areas of importance. This image was now replaced with the images of the four council members. Fury's eye narrowed for a second, only to widen when the council began to speak.

"Fury is out of control. He needs to be replaced."

"I agree, but it won't be as simple as that. Without a ligitimate reason, we have no grunds on which to have him removed."

"Just as he had no grounds to fire those pilots? We need no grounds to have him replaced."

Fury turned to Loki, his eye searching. "What is this?"

Loki smirked. "The council's conversation from after you left the room." He shrugged. "You weren't there, so I decided to record it for you." He looked at Fury with some amusement. "Don't worry, they didn't even know I was there."

Natasha was having a hard time tearing her eyes from the screens, as well as keeping her mouth from hanging open like an idiot. By this point, every agent in the room was watching the screen, each with various expressions rangeing from shock to worry, to anger, to fear.

"I'll go through a few applications and select some possible candidates for the position. We cannot trust any of Fury's agents, they're too loyal to him."

"Loyalty can be bought."

Natasha felt anger well up in her at the mere thought that these people thought that any of them could be turned with money.

"Not likely," Fury muttered darkly, his eye back on the screens. Loki glanced back to see Steve enter the room, his gaze immediately drawn to the screens where everyone else was looking.

"I'm not willing to risk it. If we approach the wrong person, they could inform Fury of our intentions. Under no circumstances can Fury know about this before everything is in place."

"Agreed."

"Good. Council adjorned."

The screen went blank as the recording ended. Silence reigned over the room; not even the sound of breaths being taken could be heard, as if everyone were holding their breath for Fury's reaction. The man himself was eerily calm. He disengaged the device and slipped it inside his pocket before walking from the room.

Natasha shot a worried glance at Loki before they both started after him. "Back to work everyone." Steve said in a commanding voice before following as well.

Loki ran to catch up with Fury, slowing to walk at his side. "You have a plan?"

Fury didn't turn his head. "For what?"

"Why, for keeping your position, of course," Loki said as if it were obvious.

"The entire council is in favor of seeing me gone." His tone was even and forced, nothing like his usual controlled calm.

Loki's eyes filled with fire, stopping Natasha, who had been about to say something. He stepped in front of Fury, walking backwards ahead of him. "So that's it then? You just going to give up? The great Nick Fury, quitting like a snivelling child being bullied on the playground." His voice had taken on an edge, an edge that brought the memories back to Natasha, memories of how he had taunted and mocked her on the Helicarrier, though that seemed like so long ago now. "What is it that's made you so soft all of a sudden? You, who when face with possible death, attempted to stall me underground with intent to bury us all alive. You, who had the gall to mock me while I was locked away in a cage. You, under whose guidance and leadership, the Avengers were able save the world from enslavement." Fury turned away from Loki, seemingly attempting to ignore him.

"This time, it's different," Fury said. "This is not war, it's business. That is not my arena and I am outmatched four to one."

"That is no reason to give up." Fury still didn't meet his eye, nor did he stop walking. By now they had entered the lobby. "Look at me." Fury did not respond. "LOOK AT ME!" Loki grabbed Fury by the shoulders and pushed him against the wall. Natasha jumped at the sudden roar that erupted from Loki, not expecting such a fierce sound to come from someone so slight in build as he was. She faintly remembered him snarling death threats at her through the glass of the Hulk's cage, but that was nowhere near as intimidating as what she had just heard.

Steve, his soldier instincts kicking in, stepped forward and grabbed one of Loki's arms. "Release the Director, Loki." The Liesmith ingnored Steve and his grip did not waver in the slightest.

The Trickster was glaring a hole through Fury as he held him in place. "Tell me you have a plan."

He wasn't sure why he was getting so worked up over this, seeing as it had simply started as a plan to cause some trouble for the council members. He supposed that it was the mere fact that he did not want to see the faction that brought him to his knees in the command of anyone except the man that had orchestrated his defeat. A grudging respect is to blame, I imagine.

Fury glared right back at Loki, both men seemed to be fighting a battle of wills. Finally Fury blinked. Loki wanted to smirk, seeing the life return to Fury's eye. "Of course I have a plan. You think I would let them take my division away from me without a fight? I started this company with Howard Stark, I'm not giving it up until the life leaves my body."

Loki nodded and released the grip he had on Fury's shoulders. "Good."

Natasha breathed a sigh of relief. "How can we help?" she asked.

Fury looked from Loki to Natasha, and then back. Loki nodded to him, indicating that he was in as well. "You can give me a lift," he said, resuming his walk, heading toward the garage where all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s personal vehicals were kept. Loki cocked his head in a manner that said, 'alright'.

"Sir, where are we going?" Steve queried.

Fury smirked. "As I said before, business is not my arena. However, I know a man that can opperate within that court."

Recognition dawned in Loki eyes and his smirk returned. "And make a mockery of it while making a fool of whoever opposes him while he's at it, if I follow your train of thought correctly."

Fury smiled. "You do."

Natasha and Steve exchanged confused glances. Loki grinned and increased his pace to walk beside Fury. "I thought as much. He has money and prestige on his side as well. Not to mention, friends in high places. Though, this council, they seem to think pretty highly of themselves. Arrogance like that only comes with power or rank, trust me, I know."

"True. They rank pretty highly on the chain of command. High enough to have some influence when it comes to the President and other world leaders."

Fury opened the back passenger door of a jeep and climbed in, Loki walking around to the other side and climbing in as well. Steve took the front passenger seat, leaving Natasha with the driver's seat as her only option. "I guess I'm driving." She sighed and got in as well. The keys were kept under the viser, and she pulled them out and started the engine. "Where are we going, sir?"

"Take us to Stark Tower, Agent Romanoff." Fury said. "I fear that even Stark may not be enough, but, as co-founder Howard's ownership rights were paid for in the name of the Stark family, and would naturally stay within his family after he died, meaning that Tony owns a share of the division."

Steve turned around to face them. "I thought that S.H.I.E.L.D. was a government-owned division."

"It is, but, before that it was a privately contracted company. The Secretary of Defence, on orders from the president, bought a controlling share from us in the name of the Department of Defence. From there we also extended to a global entity. Through all of this, Howard and I were able to retain our controlling shares. Howard would have ensured that his portion went to either myself or to his son, and since I only have my share, it must have gone to Tony."

"And you trust Stark to, what? Sell you his share?" Steve asked.

"No. I hope that he'll use that share to help me combat the council." He gave Loki a smirk that would have rivaled the Trickster's. "That, and his friends in high places."

Loki nodded. "Well, Let's hope this works out. After all," His face lit up with a grin, "where's the fun if the Council has its way?"

They arrived at Stark Tower in short time, all of them disengaging themselves from their seatbelts and walking inside, Fury at the head, followed closely by Loki and Natasha. Steve trailed behind them, still a bit unsure as to why he was even there. All he had done was answer a summons from Fury, and now he was escorting him to see Stark along with Natasha, and Loki, of all people.

After inquiring as to where they could find Tony, they were in an elevator on their way up to one of Stark's workshops.

The doors opened and they all stepped out. Tony was on the far side of the room, sitting in a chair while leaned over some schematics that appeared to be yet another unpgrade to his already technologically impressive and revolutionary armor. Based the fact that he had not looked up yet, Loki could only guess that he had not noticed their entrance. The reason for which could have been the heavy metal music that was playing through speakers that were built into the walls.

"Mr. Stark!" Fury shouted, trying to be heard over the music.

Tony's head snapped up, his eyes settling on them. Seeing everyone that had come to see him, he rolled his eyes and turned the music off using a small remote at his workstation. "Ah, hi. What's up?" he asked Fury.

Fury walked until he was standing in front of Tony's workstation. "Mr. Stark, you and I have something we need to discuss."

Tony sat back and looked up at Fury. "Well, as you can see, or not, considering..." he shifted his papers to the other side of the table so that it was on the same side as Fury's good eye. "Now, as you can see, I'm kind of busy. Perhaps another time?"

Fury put both of his hand on the table and leaned down. "This can't wait, Mr. Stark. I don't have time for you to decide when it would be a good time, so we'll discuss it now." His tone was deadly serious.

Tony was taken aback, but smoothed over his surprise with an air of indifference. "Um, alright." He stood up. "Let's go on up to my office and we'll talk about it."

Fury nodded and motioned for Tony to lead the way. When they returned to the elevator and piled in, Tony pressed the button to take them to the very top floor. When the doors opened, it was to reveal a small waiting area, as well as an office just beyond that.

Before going into the office with Tony, Fury gave Natasha and Steve orders to return to headquarters and continue as if nothing had changed. Reluctantly, they agreed. Loki made to follow them but stopped when Fury asked him to stay. "You discovered this, you should be involved in the solution."

Loki nodded and followed them, giving a small wave to Natasha and Steve before closing the door to the office. The inside of the office was very spartan. No pictures hung on the walls, nor any decorations of any sort. The only thing in the room were three chairs, one behind the desk, two behind it. The desk was outfitted with Stark's holo-imaging-computer technology.

"Sorry, for the bland interior. This is actually the first time I've ever used this office," Tony said as he walked around behind the desk and pulled his chair out. Loki and Fury took their seats as well. "So, Nick, what's so important that it couldn't wait?"

Fury reached into his pocket and withdrew the flashdrive. Tony took it from him, frowning. Tony met his eye. "What's this?"

Fury smirked. "That's a flashdrive. But, that's isn't important. What is important is what's on it."

"Ha-ha," Tony muttered sarcastically and looked around. "Don't tell me I don't have a USB imput on this thing," he continued under his breath. "Hmm...damn. JARVIS."

"Yes, sir?"

"Bring up the scanner and transfer whatever is on this into my personal database."

"Right away, sir."

Loki didn't even pretend to understand what Tony's computer was doing when a panel opened and he placed flashdrive inside. A second later there was a soft beep. "Transfer complete."

Tony nodded. "Display it."

A holo-image of the video that Loki had recorded appeared over the table. Tony leaned back, one arm resting on the arm of his chair and the other bent up to rest against his mouth in thought as he watched. When the video ended , Loki could almost see the many wheels turning rapidly in his head as he processed and sorted through what he had just learned, and calculating possible outcomes that could be imagined with the information he had. "Well, seems you're in a bit of a pickle, eh ,Nick?"

"Indeed, I am," Fury admitted. "And, that's why I need your help."

"I don't see how I can help you, Nick. I have no authority with S.H.I.E.L.D. or these people, whoever they are." Tony crossed his arms and leaned back.

Fury leaned forward. "Actually, you do." At Tony's confused expression, Fury continued. "Howard owned a controlling interest in S.H.I.E.L.D., from way before the government got involved. Those shares would have been passed to you on the event of his death. Stark, you are a partial owner of S.H.I.E.L.D."

Tony thought for a second. He clapped twice. "Display all personal investments."

"Am I looking for anything in particular, sir?" JARVIS asked.

"Anything pertaining to S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Strategic Homeland Intervention Espionage and Logistics Division," Tony said. Then he muttered. "God, that's even more of a mouthful than it sounds." A screen appeared in front of them. "Hmm, what do you know. There it is." He turned to Fury. "Now that that's cleared up. What do we do about this little problem of yours?"

Loki cleared his throat, making the other two jump; they seemed to have forgotten that he was there. "If I may, I have an idea that may just be the solution you're looking for." The only thing going through Tony's head was that he didn't like the smile on the Trickster's face.

XXXX

A few days later, two men in business suits entered S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. Fury met them in the control room. Natasha, who was sitting off to the side, stood up and came to stand beside the Director. "Councilman, this is a surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

The coucilman, an American by the sound of his accent, frowned. "A very important matter, I'm afraid."

Fury held his arms out in an all-encompassing gesture. "I'm all ears."

"Colonel Fury, the council has come to the decision that S.H.I.E.L.D. is in need of new leadership, effective immediately. I have come to request that you step down as Director." Fury frowned. The man gestured to the other man with him. "This is Norman Osborn, he will be taking over Direction of S.H.I.E.L.D."

Norman smiled and held out his hand to Fury. "It's an honor to meet you Colonel. You have quite a reputation amongst the armed forces and those of us involved with them."

Fury looked at the hand, but did not shake it. "So I've heard." He turned to the councilman. "I'm guessing that Mr. Osborn was selected due to his willingness to continue Phase 2."

The coucilman sighed. "If you must know, yes, but this has nothing to do with Phase 2."

Fury raised his brow skeptically, but was prevented from speaking when the door opened again.

"Oh, seems you're already here. Damn, we could have saved you a trip if you had just called first. You see, Senator, this is the type of miscomunication that I was talking about. One hand not knowing what the other's doing half the time."

Everyone turned to see Tony Stark enter the room with two others, one of them being the Lord of Lies himself. The council man looked at them like they had three heads. "Excuse me, Mr. Stark, you are interrupting a very important matter that has nothing to do with you."

Tony continued as if the councilman had not even spoken. "Seems rather like a waste. Coming out here for nothing." He turned to the other man. "Wouldn't you say so, Senator?" The man chuckled. Tony walked over to stand at Fury's console station. "Hmm, these need an upgrade."

Loki was now standing to the side with Natasha. The Black Widow turned to the Trickster. "What's going on?"

Loki only smiled mischieviously. They had not informed anyone of their plan, so as not to ruin the surprise.

"Mr, Stark, what do you think you are doing?" the councilman asked, growing irritated.

Tony, who had been messing with the consoles, looked up. "Hm? Oh! I'm just familiarizing myself with my workspace." Confusion was clear on many faces. "Oh, that's right! You haven't heard yet." He turned to address the room as a whole. "You are looking at the new Joint-Director of S.H.I.E.L.D." Stunned silence now reigned. Taking advantage of the silence, Tony went on. "On authority of the Department of Defence, as well as my controlling share in the Division, I have been appointed to run S.H.I.E.L.D. alongside Director Fury, and you and the council no longer have any authority in matters involving S.H.I.E.L.D. Senator Stern, if you would show them the paperwork and go over the final details."

Fury shrugged. "A call would have saved you the trip."

The senator escorted the councilman from the room, along with Mr. Osborn, who seeme to be a mixture of amusement and disappointment, while Tony turned to the agents in the room. "Alright, kiddies, playtime's over. Papa's in the house and I want this Division back up and running at optimum comapacity, stat." Fury was standing off to the side, with his arms crossed, suppressing a chuckle. "Hey, Director, get your tail up here, I ain't doing all the work myself!"

Natasha was in shock. In just a moment's time, Tony Stark had just become her boss...again. She turned to Loki. "You had something to do with this didn't you?"

Loki grinned. "I may have had a hand in this, yes."

Natasha fought a smile. "A clever prank. Well played."

"Why thank you, Agent Romanoff." Loki inclined his head. "Though, I can't take all of the credit. Without Stark, the plan would have fallen apart."

Natasha nodded. "Only the God of Mischief could have pulled it off. Only you, Loki." She began walking back to her current workstation. After a few steps, she stopped and turned to look at him over her shoulder. "Oh, and Loki," the Trickster waited for her to continue, "it's Natasha, not Agent Romanoff."

Loki smirked. "Of course, Natasha."

Loki watched her return to her station, unwittingly taking in the way her lithe body swayed gracefully with every step she took. It was quite an admirable sight, he decided.

Of them all, she was the most open to him, and also the most enigmatic. He understood that she felt he deserved a chance at redemption, based on her own experiences, but that didn't mean that she had to spend time with him or seek him out; and yet, she did. Then, there's still the matter of that tear.

Being totally honest with himself, he enjoyed her presence; it was oddly calming and, at the same time, exciting. She had bested him at his own game, and proved to him that not all mortals were weak and useless, as he had once thought; physically strong and skilled, with a hidden kindness and emotional depth that was not apparent upon first inspection; one had to look deeper, beyond the suface, past the pretty face, to find the true essence of the woman inside. What he was true beauty. Women like her were rare, and he suspected that he would not meet another quite like her again. And, again in all honesty, he was finding himself to be quite taken with her.

He took one last glance in her direction before departing the room. He navigated his way down to the room where Odin was still laid in the bed, his being still held in the grip of the Odinsleep.

Just outside the door, he paused. This would be the first time he would be in the same room with the man whom he had thought to be his father since he was released. The prospect of seeing his father unmoving, surrounded by that mystical golden glow, was daunting. He remembered the things he had done that last time he had witnessed Odin in this state. With a nerve-bolstering sigh, he took the final few steps and entered the room.

Frigga sat at the bedside, one hand resting on Odin's, and the other holding a hardback novel that Loki guessed had been provided by one of the Agents that sometimes patrolled this area; or perhaps by S.H.I.E.L.D. itself. He also noticed a metal box on the table next to the bed, which he assumed contained the Tesseract.

At his entrance, she looked up and closed her book, a strangely knowing smile tugging at her lips. She stood and went to him, wrapping him in a motherly embrace. "Oh, Loki. I missed you so much!"

Loki returned the embrace with one arm. "Hello...mother."

She pulled back, her eyes taking in his changed appearance. His hair was longer than she remembered, and his face more angular, more gaunt. It made his wolfish grin even more unsettling than ever before. If she was disturbed or bothered by his change, she did not show it.

In turn, Loki studied the woman that had raised him. She still appeared the same as he remembered, with a kindness that just radiated off of her. Though, not enough to free me. He pushed that bitter thought away. He noticed that she seemed a bit more...pale than usual and idly wondered if she had been eating properly. "Is something the matter?" he asked.

Frigga's brow furrowed in worry. "No, everything is fine," she assured. Loki knew she was lying, but did not force the issue.

Frigga was blessed with the gift of forsight, able to discern the paths the future could take; though, she kept her insights to herself now, no longer clueing in anyone as to what the coming days may hold. The last time she had, she had lost a son. The death of Balder was an event that weighed heavily on her soul, and the fact that it had been Loki's doing weighed even more so. It was a memory he would rather forget.

Loki stepped around to the side of the bed. "How is he?" A small bit of resentment seeped into his tone, giving the words a slightly less caring feel than he had intended.

Frigga smiled, despite his tone. "He is doing well. We were prepared for this, this time. He should come out of it any day now."

Loki nodded. "Good," he quietly uttered, his eyes locked on Odin's peaceful face. When Odin awoke, himself, Thor, Odin, Sif, the Warriors and any others that wished to fight, would all begin preparing to return to Asgard. Their time left here on Earth was running short. For some reason, this thought saddened him.

XXXX

A/N: Another chapter down. Hope you all enjoyed this. As always: Review, but don't flame.

Til neste gang.

-Atrocity.