Negotiations for what to do with Loki were still going on, although most of the Avengers weren't involved in them. They had no reason to be. Thor was, of course, Steve felt he had a duty to be there as well, but no one else really knew what was going on. Bruce assumed that they'd eventually come to their senses and send Loki to Asgard, and didn't want to think about it beyond that. He couldn't think of a particularly compelling reason for why he should be included, anyways.
Thor would talk to him, sometimes, say that he worried for his brother, that he was tempted to break his brother out of that mortal cage and take him home. Of course, Thor knew that doing this would be a great risk. It might even be seen as an act of war on Earth, and Thor wanted to avoid a war as much as he wanted to save his brother. Bruce mostly just listened at these times, not having better suggestions.
Then came the day that Bruce happened to be walking down the wrong hallway as the meeting got out. It was mostly people he didn't personally know but recognized as diplomats and representatives. Then General Ross stepped out and Buce felt his heart start racing. The General saw him, too, and made a loud comment to Fury about needing to keep his dogs leashed. Bruce turned and walked the other way, walking a bit too quickly, trying to drown out memories of gunfire and explosions and being hunted with reasons why letting the Hulk out to play tennis with Ross's skull was a bad idea. None were coming, but he managed to get back to the lab without any problems.
He managed to gasp out "Ross" and Tony's face filled with understanding. Even before he'd read everyone's files, before he'd met and gotten to know Bruce, Tony had seen the news footage and knew about the circumstances leading to the Hulk's creation. Tony hit a few buttons to bring screens down over the windows and then let Bruce sit in one of the corners, shaking, until he was told what else to do. Tony had had enough of these episodes after Afghanistan to know he still had no idea what to do when they happened beyond riding them out.
(He'd also drown them out with alcohol, but he knew by now Bruce didn't drink. He'd rather not find out this was enough to make him start.)
That afternoon, Tony, Bruce and Steve were sitting in a private room of a nice restaurant and Steve was suddenly aware that this was going to be an interrogation rather than a nice meal. Which was something of a relief because, knowing Tony, he'd expected this to be buttering up to get Steve to agree to a threesome.
"What the hell is Ross doing in those meetings?" Tony demanded because Bruce still wasn't feeling well enough to do it himself.
Steve looked between them in confusion, "He represents the army. They want Loki to help them develop protections for soldiers."
Bruce laughed, cold and hollow, "They're still using that line?" Steve stared at him uncertainly. "That's what they said when I started working for them, they're the reason I am what I am," he explained quietly, his face dark as he stared fixedly at the glass of water in front of him, "They managed to keep a hold of me for a few days before I could escape- Let them get their hands on Loki, the second Thor finds out what they do to him there'll be an intergalactic war on your hands."
"That's what Fury said as well," Steve said, "I wasn't sure what he meant."The man sighed and took a drink of his water, picking it up from next to the wine that Tony had insisted on buying him even though he said he didn't want it. "I guess the army's changed a bit while I was asleep."
"It was probably always like this, you're just now seeing it," Bruce pointed out a bit too bitterly.
Steve looked at him sadly, "You're probably right."
"It looks like he won't get his way though, right?" Tony interrupted.
Steve looked down and shook his head, "Ross has got the president behind him on this, and he can be very convincing. He's pointing out the attacks have only been on American soil so far, so the other nations have got a hard time arguing that they should have him. No one is going to let Thor take his brother back to Asgard because there are no treaties, and SHIELD is on thin ice... Fury went behind a few peoples' backs to put the Avengers together."
"I'm telling him to leave," Bruce said with a nod, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Tony shook his head and Steve stared at him with wide eyes.
"You're going to break him out, are you crazy?" Steve asked, his voice barely a whisper even though there was no chance of them being overheard.
"No, I'm telling him to leave, he already has once, that cage can't hold him."
Tony raised an eyebrow at that admission. "We'll talk to Thor first, arrange for him to take Loki to Asgard."
"I don't know if I can convince him to go along with it," Bruce said nervously, looking at his hands.
"You should know something," Steve said uncomfortably, "Ross has made some comments about you, saying the army wants you back. If Loki disappears, they might focus on you."
"I won't let that happen," Tony insisted.
"I'm not trading my safety for someone else's, and they can always come after me after they get Loki," Bruce sighed. Steve smiled slightly at him, looking a bit proud of Bruce, not the Hulk, for the first time. Bruce quickly returned the smile before continuing, "There's not a lot you could do, Tony, they could storm SHIELD and take me by force while you're on a business trip."
"They couldn't storm my tower, though."
Bruce raised an eyebrow and Tony smirked, "It's about time you took me up on that offer to show you my labs. JARVIS has all the data we've collected back up- everything we've done. It'll be fun."
A few hours later, all of the Avengers were in Stark Tower. Thor was there because it was his brother, Tony because it was his tower, Steve insisted he be allowed to join and by then there was no reason not to let Clint and Natasha come along, too. Natasha already knew about it, which came as no surprise, and so the two were leaning casually on Tony's car as they left SHEILD. They apparently agreed that, compared to Ross starting intergalactic war, releasing Loki was the lesser of two evils. Tony and Bruce had gone back to SHIELD HQ just long enough for Bruce to ask Loki to meet them in the tower, and to please leave a double again. They had seen no sign of the master assassins until getting back to the parking lot. Bruce found it a bit unnerving, Tony just told Clint not to hurt the paint job.
Bruce ended up pacing alone in a room, trying to process the developments of the day as the others discussed the plan elsewhere. It was a bit much.
"You realize that you're being watched, right?" Loki asked quietly, materializing not far from where Bruce was pacing and looking around uncomfortably.
"It's probably just JARVIS," he replied, stopping and smiling nervously at him.
"Who?" his eyes narrowed.
"That would be me, sir," the AI replied from a speaker in the wall, "I have access to every part of Stark Tower, and I can assure you that no one else will be privvy to this conversation. There's no cause for alarm, master...?"
"I don't have a last name," Loki spat, eyeing the panel on the wall suspiciusly. Bruce briefly wondered if Loki had ever seen a talking computer, much less an AI before. Thor certainly hadn't the first time he met JARVIS. Loki glared at Bruce, "Is it safe?"
"I have seen far worse from master Stark, I assure you," JARVIS replied, "If there's anything you need, do not hesitate to ask."
"It's safe, don't worry," Bruce said gently, smiling, "JARVIS- have you told Tony about Loki's arrival?"
"Master Stark is currently entertaining his guests, I did not feel it was prudent to announce the situation to all of them."
"Thank you," he replied with a sigh, "If you get a moment to speak with him alone..."
"Of course, Dr. Banner."
"What's going on?" Loki asked, watching Bruce warily.
"Do you know about the negotiations going on to decide your fate?" Loki scowled, that was answer enough. "Do you know who General Ross is?"
"Insufferable man," he replied casually, "I've sat in on some of their meetings, he's unbearably self important and has a ridiculous obsession with the word 'monster'."
"That's him," Bruce said. He licked his lips nervously, "I've... Dealt with him before. He managed to catch me once, locked me up and-" he squeezed his eyes shut, "I don't want to find out what he'll do to you."
"You think I should be scared of a mere mortal?" Loki scoffed.
"Hulk is," Bruce replied harshly, "You saw what Hulk did to you and Ross still scares him. He can find your weaknesses."
There was a moment of silence, Loki regarding Bruce for a moment. "Do you think he will certainly be able to, or are you just afraid that he might?"
"I... if he does, it's too great a risk to hope he won't." Bruce refused to look at the demigod.
"I understand," he said with a soft smile, "What do you want me to do?"
Bruce finally looked up at him, "I'm sorry, I know this isn't what you want. Is there any chance you'd be willing to return to Asgard with Thor?"
Loki tensed up at that, smile and softness gone, "You do not know what you are asking."
"No, I don't, I'm sorry," he looked down, because he realized then that he really doesn't know enough about things from Loki's perspective. He had heard everything from Thor, from the others, and by now he should have known well enough that other people don't always know what's best. "I don't want you staying in that cage, and I..." he looked back at Loki's face, stared at the cold green eyes that were watching him suspiciously, "I don't want to have to hunt you again, I don't know what Hulk will do and I can't stop him."
Loki glanced at him for a moment and then stared out the window, over the city, "You would give up everything for me if I asked you to right now. You don't even know me."
"I might run even if you don't ask me to," he commented with a wry smile, shuddering involuntarily, "It's taking more willpower than I'd care to admit not to. If Tony hadn't offered to protect me from Ross- I would have asked him to pass you a note and been out of the country by now."
"I'm glad you have people around you who will protect you."
"Thor would protect you."
"Thor-" he wanted to snap out something angry and scathing, but his voice cracked instead, "doesn't know how to. No one does."
Bruce looked away, "I'm sorry."
"Dr. Banner- forgive the interruption but Master Stark and his guests would like to see you," there was a pause, "they are still not aware of your guest's presence, although I believe Master Stark has his suspicions."
"Keep it that way," Loki snapped.
"Do you want me to stay here?" Bruce asked.
"I don't need you to stay here and coddle me, I'm not a child," Loki replied, crossing his arms and glaring at some skyscraper visible from Tony's tower.
"I know, but it can be nice to have someone around," he said nervously, "It might be helpful to work out what you want to do before I go in there. I don't know if you're even willing to see them and I won't force you to."
"Who is out there?"
"JARVIS?" Bruce called, "Can you answer that?"
"Certainly, sir. Mr. Stark is in the lounge accompanied by Miss Potts and the other members of your team. There is discussion of whether or not to include Director Fury in this situation."
"My brother is there?" Loki asked quietly, still staring out the window.
"If you mean master Odinson," the AI replied, "yes, he is."
Bruce had been standing near Loki, not close enough to touch, but near. On hearing that, Loki grabbed Bruce's wrist but otherwise made no signs of moving. Bruce glanced down at the hand and then at Loki, but said nothing.
"I shall inform master Stark and his guests that you are currently indisposed," JARVIS announced, "You should be aware that master Stark may decide to see what is going on for himself. I will advise him to come on his own, though."
The grip on Bruce's wrist tightened, "He's the one in the armor... Iron Man, correct?"
"Yes," Bruce said gently, "He hacked into SHIELD's security-" JARVIS made a sound that resembled someone clearing their throat, "Sorry, he and JARVIS hacked into SHIELD's security so that I could visit you."
"I don't know if I'll want to see him."
"No one's forcing you to, I can go into the hallway to meet him if you'd like," Bruce offered quietly.
Loki frowned at him, "Why are you being so nice to me?"
"I admit, I'm still trying to work that one out," Tony put in as he walked in, nodding to the demigod, "Loki- glad to see you in such good condition after those nasty bruises our buddy gave you."
Loki pressed his lips together into a thin line before raising his eyebrow, "It was also nice to see how well you were able to rebuild your tower. I'm sure the city was disappointed that you didn't just decide to condemn it."
Tony crossed his arms and watched him for a moment then smirked, "Well then, let's do this thing."