When Thor returned to the Stark Mansion, it was perhaps unfortunate that he did not seek out any of his friends first. Instead he walked directly into the house and made only a quick stop in his rooms to drop of his bags before ducking into Loki's room. He was then quite surprised to find it empty. There was admittedly a small panic at the discovery, and it took longer than it should have to remember the voice in the ceiling that he could question. Tony's Jarvis was an astounding invention, and Thor was all the more grateful for it when the calm voice informed him that Loki had left his room of his own violation and was currently exploring the library. Relief washed over him at the news, not only for the knowledge that Loki was alright, but also that he was resuming some of his old habits. Surely this was a sign of improvement.

Thor was smart enough to know that Loki would not likely appreciate him visiting and breaking his solitude, so instead he sought out Tony Stark.

"Hey big guy, hows the fair maiden?" Tony greeted when Thor entered his friend's workshop.

"Lady Jane is well. She asked me to pass on her thanks for something that you sent her. She was most relieved to get it."

That got Tony's attention, and the man turned on his stool to look at him with a pleased expression. "I thought she might. She didn't happen to tell you what it was did she?"

"She did try but I confess her explanation was… confusing." Thor admitted. Jane had tried very patiently tried to explain what the small metal boxes were for, but in the end all that he had understood was that they were somehow for her own security.

"They're magic repellers!" Tony said excitedly, waving his fingers about and giving a grin that suggested that Thor probably shouldn't take him very seriously.

"I do not understand."

"You wouldn't believe how much I've heard that this week. Ok, so you know how I've been running all those scans and tests on your hammer and all that? Well I've been able to locate a particular energy pattern that radiates from it, and to a lesser degree, you. Using this information, and a lot of science I won't bore you with, I've come up with a nice compact device that acts as a repeller to someone soaked in that energy. Aka, magic people." Again Tony wiggled his fingers at the word magic, and Thor frowned.

"Those boxes are to keep me away from Jane?"

"Not you specifically, more for Loki."

"But my brother is not a threat to Jane!"

"But Shield doesn't know that." That gave Thor pause and Tony gave him a meaningful look. "Half the whole keeping your brother safe from Shield plan is making sure Shield thinks that we still think Loki is evil and on the loose. That's why you've been spending time with Dr. Foster, and why Steve's been making trips to Shield for plan meetings. That's why I've been making ridiculous devices to protect you fair maidens, because we have to keep up appearances. Now I really don't think these devices will actually do anything to your brother other than give him a headache. What matters is that the science says that it will stop him and its made Shield back off a little. It also means that as far as they're concerned, Jane is now totally protected and you can devote all your time here, with us, trying to find a way to find and stop your evil brother. Or rather, you can spend all your time here with Loki and help me figure out a way to get you guys back home."

Thor blinked, and then smiled. "My friend, if things had been different, I think you and my brother would have gotten along very well."

"Yeah, we'd have friendship bracelets and everything." Tony remarked as he turned back to whatever he was working on. Thor could never tell, and had given up on trying. The symbols and lines that hung in the air looked much like his brothers rune work, something that had always gone over Thor's head no matter how Loki tried to explain it to him.

"Your Jarvis has told me that Loki has left his room today, did you know of this?"

"Oh yeah, he's been wandering around the house since Bruce gave him the 'good' drugs. He stays out of sight for the most part though. Which is cool, I always wanted to have a haunted mansion and your brother makes a good a ghost as any. Scared the crap out of poor Pepper but I guess it wasn't really his fault. I probably should have told her before she came over. It's ok though, she stopped screaming eventually, and it's not like anything she threw actually hit Loki." Tony looked up to grin at Thor who frowned in worry. "Don't give me that look, your baby bro is fine. eating on his own and everything! Or at least we think he is. Food goes missing from the kitchen, and Jarvis says its Loki who's eating it so I guess there's that."

"That is indeed good news," Thor agreed, feeling a little lighter at the knowledge that Loki was no longer languishing in his room. "Has he recovered his magic?"

Tony shook his head. "Not that anyone has noticed. Jarvis hasn't seen anything, and his rate of healing been pretty consistent. Bruce has his fun little medical center all set up downstairs now and he has Loki come in at least twice a day now to check him over and dole out the happy pills." Tony had tuned back to his work, and was gesturing though the hovering images and working at a rapid pace. "If you want specifics though you're going to have to see the green guy, I've been busy with security."

Thor stepped closer, eyeing Tony's work. "Are we not safe here?"

"For now." was his ominous response. Tony pulled up two familiar images and Thor studied the forms of the two warriors that had joined battle with them to defeat Loki.

"Agents Romanof and Barton are out in the field currently, but they won't be forever. At some point whatever mission Fury has them of is going to end and I guarantee that as soon as they're free he's gonna send them here."

Thor frowned, "Are they not our friends and shield mates?"

"Oh they're 'Shield-mates' alright, as in they're in tight with Shield. You know, the organization that tortured your brother and nearly killed him?"

"They would not betray us!" Thor protested, even knowing that he knew very little about the two warriors.

"We don't know that." Tony argued, doing something with the files. "They aren't like the rest of us. I've never really worked that well with the government, and Bruce has been in hiding from them for years. Even Steve has a track record of not following orders so he can run off to do the heroic thing. But these two? They're Shield Agents. We can't assume where their loyalty lies or that they won't deliver us right to Fury the second they find out Loki is here. And the tricky part is that I can't just not let them in. I made a point to tell Fury that this is a place for the Avengers. They're Avengers. If I don't let them in, Fury will know something is up."

"What will you do then?" Thor asked.

Tony smiled gamely. "I have a few plans, but if it all goes to hell anyways, I have backup plans. Some safe houses we hide in for a bit until we can figure out our next move. Not every property I own is on the books. We have options."

Thor looked at his friend who was now focused completely on the work in front of him and stepped forward to grip his shoulder. "Thank you my friend."

"Don't thank me yet, there's only a 36% chance we're all getting out of this without getting black bagged by the government and never heard from again."

Thor didn't know what that meant, but he chuckled and left Tony to his work. Perhaps Banner would speak to him of his brother's recovery.

()()()()

When Pepper heard the sounds of someone in the kitchen, she had expected it to be Steve based off of the sounds of drawer's and cupboards being opened and shut in quick succession. What she found was Loki, looking particularly agitated as he searched through the back of a drawer only to shut it again in frustration. She still wasn't used to the sight of the man responsible for the death of so many wandering around Tony's home, but she knew now that it hadn't really been Loki. But knowing the truth did not stop the instinctual nervousness that overcame her when confronted with the god.

Still, she was Pepper Potts, and it would take more than that to make her hide, so she stepped into the kitchen with her posture perfect and and head held high. "Can I help you find anything?" she asked, proud that her voice was even and sure.

Loki slammed another drawer shut and answered without facing her. "I require a blade." he stated simply.

Pepper blinked, the only visible sign that his words had any effect. Inside though she felt a spike of fear before pushing it aside. "What do you need it for?" She asked evenly, fully aware that all the knives and vaguely sharp utensils had been hidden once Loki had become mobile. She didn't know what she would say if he asked why they had been hidden. It had been for two reasons actually. One was that they didn't want to display weapons in front of the healing god, the other was that Loki was unofficially on suicide watch.

Loki turned to her at last when she asked her question, looking irritated that he had to explain. "Is it not enough that I must ask for one?"

Pepper met his glare with a look of her own, one that was tried and tested on Tony Stark himself. Miraculously it worked on gods as well as multibillionaires because Loki sighed. "I wish to cut my hair." he said, his voice low.

That … wasn't what Pepper had been expecting. Though she could understand why, Loki's hair was quite long, and if he'd been held prisoner for as long as Tony had said then he'd likely not had the opportunity to cut it in a long time. That thought sparked a wave of sympathy that surprised her, but it couldn't be helped. She suddenly couldn't help but remember when Tony had been found in the desert, how he said that the first thing he needed was a hamburger. That had been a bit of a half joke, but it had helped to know that Tony was still Tony even after the terrible things he'd gone through. But the truth of the matter was that the hamburger was the first thing he had once he was home. The first thing he did once he had been rescued was shave his beard and get his hair trimmed. For Tony, image was very important and making himself look like what he was used to helped him. Loki hadn't been given that option, in fact as far as she knew he hadn't really asked for anything at all, not even familiar clothes. Instead he wore the pyjamas that had been put on him and wandered around Tony's home quiet as a ghost.

"I can help with that." Pepper said after a moment's thought. "If you go up to your room I'll bring what you need there in a few minutes." And with that she turned and left without waiting for a response. It was a simple matter of grabbing a basic grooming kit and some towels. Loki was in his room when she entered, standing by the windows off to the side. He turned to her when she knocked and glanced down at the bundle she carried with an unreadable look.

"If you sit down in that chair I can cut your hair for you," she said, her voice all business as she set down her load on the bed. When she looked back up, Loki was glaring.

"I am more than capable of cutting my own hair."

"Unfortunately that's not an option." she countered.

"And why is that?"

Here Pepper paused, "Because at this time you are not supposed to be allowed near anything sharp that could be used as a weapon." she answered honestly.

Loki seemed to think on that, and then curiously, a small smile appeared on his face. He didn't seem upset at the news, in fact it seemed to please him. The smile disappeared quickly, and he took a step closer to her. "And what is to stop me from simply taking what you have brought?"

Pepper didn't move away, didn't show any discomfort or fear. Instead she levelled him with a glare that she usually reserved for Tony when he was getting on her last nerve. "I really don't have time for this. Do you want your hair cut or not? I am currently your only option, and I am more than practiced in emergency haircuts from all the times Tony needed them so either sit down or I'll leave."

Loki's eyes widened slightly at her tone, (or perhaps it was her gall, how many people yell at gods and tell them to shut up and sit down she wondered...) but he did not argue anymore. That did not mean that he was suddenly happy to follow her orders, but after a moment he did concede and sat in the chair she had pointed at.

"Thank you." she breathed, feeling a little surreal about the situation. "How short would you like it?"

Loki did not answer verbally, instead he turned his head so that he could see her out of the corner of his eye and gestured to his neck. Pepper nodded to show that she understood and draped a towel over the god's shoulders. After that she went to work, expertly cutting and trimming the dark hair to the length that had been indicated. Loki did not speak at all, and it was a little unnerving, considering she was used to Tony and is endless chatter and rambling and music and noise. Loki didn't move, didn't speak, she might as well have been working on a statue.

Still, it did give her a chance to get a closer look at him. He was facing away from her so he could not see her staring, and she took the opportunity to study him. His hair was smooth and a little damp, likely he had wet it in preparation of cutting it. But as she cut away from his neck she saw the skin there and winced at the healing blisters. She was very careful with the scissors and her nails lest she scratch at the obviously sore skin. To think that his arms were worse made her wince in sympathy. At least his burns seemed to be healing well, there didn't seem to be any scarring which was a blessing. But as she cut away another section of hair she noticed a series of scars that ran from his hairline, down his neck and under the hem of his shirt. The scars were not from the burns though, and she was left wondering what had left those marks. They looked almost deliberate. She didn't ask though, not wanting to be rude.

But studying those scars was better than thinking about what else was on her mind. That the man she was currently helping was the reason that half of New York City was in ruins. The reason so many people were dead or homeless. This was the man who had killed Phil…

But at the same time it wasn't. Loki was just as much a victim as those he had attacked. More so because he had been attacked on both sides. He'd probably be dead by now if Tony hadn't found a way to get him out in time, murdered in a cruel and heartless way. And she tried to remember that fact rather than focus on the knowledge that Loki had killed Phil himself. Stabbed him clean through with that cursed sceptre that Shield was likely studying at that very moment. Stabbed in the back, without a chance to fight back…

"Who was it?"

Pepper startled at the sound of Loki's voice. It was then that she realized that she had stopped cutting his hair, lost in her own thoughts. Loki had turned his head towards her again, watching her out of the corner of his eye with a calm expression. "I- I'm sorry?"

Loki grimaced, as though the idea of repeating himself was unpleasant. "I ask who it was that I killed that you knew."

"How did you-"

"Your distress is that of someone whom has recently grieved, and considering that I recently gave many the reason to grieve it is an easy assumption that your sudden upset is related."

Pepper stared at him, unsure of what to say. His voice was level, neither mocking or hurtful. In fact he seemed oddly resigned. "His name was Phil." she admitted finally.

Loki nodded minutely. He was quiet for a long moment before speaking again. "I am sorry," he said quietly, "for my part and actions in those days."

Pepper sat stunned. Loki was apologizing for killing Phil?

"I-uh, thank you." she stammered out finally. Loki nodded again before turning to face ahead once more and she began to cut his hair. "Besides, it's not like you were even in control of your actions, I can't really be mad at you…"

"I'm imagine that brings little comfort." Loki intoned and Pepper had to agree.

"Well, that's my problem to deal with," she said, finishing with cutting off the last of Loki's long hair and began trimming the edges. A thought hit her in that moment and she couldn't help but ask, "Do you remember him?"

Loki took a moment to answer, "I remember much, that is not not the difficult part."

"What's the difficult part?" She asked, thinking it might be dealing with the knowledge of what he did. That would be the worst part for her.

"Determining which memories are the correct ones."

Peppers fingers paused in their work. "What do you mean?"

This time Loki didn't answer for some time. Pepper had just come to the conclusion that she would not get an answer at all when he suddenly spoke up.

"There were others that I controlled using the sceptre that had been given to me. That same sceptre has been used on me, but its effects were different. Those that followed me, I remember I made them… different. Something other than themselves. They could not do this to me, the sceptre took who I was and twisted it. Now my memories are twisted as well. All of my impressions, thoughts and wants were mine but at the same time they weren't. I do not understand many of my memories, and I do not know which ones I should trust."

"That… sounds terrible," Pepper said when he was done, and it did sound terrible. What it must be like to be recovering from torture, not knowing anyone who he could trust, himself included. "Is there anything we can do to help? Have you told the others this?"

"There is little anyone would be able to do to help," Loki answered. "I am managing on my own, thank you."

"You know, there's nothing wrong with accepting help from people who offer it. How can you possibly manage working out your memories when you say you don't even know which ones are real?"

"I have been using reports and such. There is no lack of mortals discussing the events of those two days and it is a simple matter of comparing my memories to theirs." Loki answered easily.

"Reports?" Pepper asked feeling a little astonished, "Where are you getting these reports from?"

"There is a computer in the Library, I was not told that I wasn't permitted to use it."

"You've been using the computer, the internet?! That's where you're getting these reports? How do you even know how to use a computer? Thor is still having trouble with the toaster!"

"Well I've always been somewhat more intelligent that Thor…" Loki smirked. It was only a small one and it disappeared quickly but it was a smirk all the same. "Jarvis taught me how to navigate the internet so that I may read your news and other sites."

"Huh," Pepper tried to hide her amusement that the injured god had apparently befriended the AI. She had finished with the length of his hair by now and was busy trimming the sides so that it wasn't falling into his face so much. "Well I still think that it would help to talk to the others about your memories. You can only get so much from a news report and even then they aren't that trustworthy themselves. And Tony, Bruce and Thor were all there and can give you first hand information."

Loki did not respond to that, and remained quiet while she finished. When she was done, he thanked her quietly and later on that afternoon Pepper sat down with her Stark Pad and went about ordering some different clothes for Loki. It might not mean anything, and Loki might actually prefer the pajamas but she reasoned there was no harm in the gesture.


Yay Pepper for helping Loki out! But Oh so close with the scars...

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, see you next week!